Racin' & Internet Stuff:

By Tom Avenengo

Volume # 38

11/18/2010

Again, as in the past, I’m dedicating this week’s column to my friend, the late John LeVan.

Another reminder:

This column will be back in two weeks – December 2^nd. Next Thursday, November 25^th, is Thanksgiving. Hope you all have a Happy one! Make sure you leave room for the after dinner yummies!

Note: Hmm – December 2^nd is a date I’m quite familiar with. Seems “Uncle Sam” needed my services and body more than the Grand Union Company and my wife did, and I was drafted on December 2, 1960. Yes, I remember that day very much. We had quite a bit of snow on the ground.

Next:

Last Sunday, the 14^th, was the annual Lobitz party/auction/dinner – a function that Stan Lobitz has to raise funding for the Eastern Museum of Motor Racing (EMMR). Just prior to the last 50/50 drawing, towards the end of the sit down dinner, it was announced that $6,472.00 had been raised during the day.

This year there were quite a few first timers on hand. Gene Ingram, a fellow Yahoo Race History Group member was one of them – coming in from Indiana. In an e-mail to the group, Gene had this to say, after his visit:

“Fellow RHers,

We spent the weekend in Hazelton, Pa at one of the best
parties that one can go to. It was the 25th Annual Stan Lobitz Movie Party
and Auction. WOW!...it was all I had heard about and more. Stan is a most
gracious host and will do whatever it takes to make one feel right at
home..along with keeping one well fed. The camaraderie of all there was
fabulous. Bench racing at its best and a few times the truth even slipped
in.lol. This is a great opportunity for racers to support a very good
museum, the Eastern motorsport Museum of Racing, The EMMR. Several Rhers
were there and we got to meet two that we didn't know were there, Ralph
Hughey and Dave Balloch, along with the usual suspects, Gordon White, Gene
Crucean, Tom Avenengo, Freddy Johns, Stan Lobitz and myself.. 'The Hat' was
also there..

If one has not been to Stan's party... well, words can't describe the time
one can have. Just go! Stan has an 'Iron Clad' guarantee, If you don't like
his party, you get your money back...it's free, all one has to do is show up
and be hungry...including free booze!

The auction is a fund raiser for the EMMR and some very nice
stuff is in that auction. My wallet will testify to that, along with many
others who bought objects. They raised over $6400.00 Sunday Night. It is a
fun time and I suggest you put Stan's movie party and EMMR auction on your
bucket list. One never knows who might show up, Chris Economaki stopped by
to share a story or two.

I could babble on about this for a long time as so many things happen in the
course of the weekend at Stan's. It's time for this report to end and say
to Stan and all the guys and gals at the EMMR...GREAT JOB!!! And BIG THANK
YOU..from all of us who know what you do for racing history and keeping it
alive and well.

Gene Ingram

New Castle, Indiana via Hazelton, Pa. and the EMMR, York
Springs, Pa, http://www.emmr.org/

Note: As of now, there are 1,064 members registered with the Yahoo Race History Group.

And:

Keeping with the EMMR – it was said that things are getting started on an addition to the building, and I believe that it was said that an additional 11 acres, adjacent to the Museum, are being purchased.

A nice plaque was sent to the Lobitz function from the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame, a plaque that lists all those that have been inducted – including those that will be inducted early next year, down in Tulsa, during the Chili Bowl. That plaque is for us here in the East, and will be put in the EMMR. A similar plaque will also be out in California.

Plus:

The Lobitz party/auction/dinner is something that gets put on my calendar every year. I’ve been fortunate to have my daughter, Judy accompany me to quite a few of these functions, including this year. We had a slight curve ball thrown at us for this year’s shindig, though. Seems a family member had some last minute plans to get married. Yep, scheduled for the 14^th. No, not because said family member is going to be a parent, I should add. Knowing that we always attended the Lobitz affair, the family member had no problem with us missing his wedding day, since, as this family member said, it was so much of a last minute thing.

The family member – grandson Brett Avenengo.

Thanks, Brett, and Susan, for being so understanding! They made a handsome groom and beautiful bride!

Some of my thoughts:

Glancing over the Internet, one can find that there is more talk about adding MORE classes to an all ready overcrowded motor sports family. “Crate” Modifieds are being mentioned. Ray Evernham coming out with design for a *“Dirt Track” Legends Car* are already in the process of being built. Heck a few years ago Tobias came out with the SpeedSTR “Midgets” – a spec class, which really hasn’t grown all that much. You have to know that if you have a “Spec” racecar, you’re limited as to where you can run it, and when. There are Mini Sprints and “Lightning” Sprints. NEMA now runs two classes of Midgets – one the regular “full race” variety and the other a Ford Focus/Quad 4 class – NEMA Lights – a stepping stone to full blown Midgets. I often wonder if a similar class would work for the ARDC – a stepping stone from Micros to Midgets using some stock 4 cylinder engines. I had something about those kind of engines a while back – September 30^th and Volume # 32. How about all the different classes in Micro Sprints? Heck, at Accord they run two different classes of Sportsman – “Crate” and “Race” engined.

*The Evernham designed Dirt Track Legends Car can be seen if you go here: http://www.aarn.com/images/bp11-16.pdf

Kinda looks familiar if you’re an old timer like me. Yes, cars of that design were around back some 50+ years. And from what I’ve heard, it really isn’t all that economical/affordable, either. Still…………………

It’s way too early to tell about racing next year, but one really has to wonder, especially here in the New York area, as far as dirt track racing goes. “Horror” stories are already out there on the Internet about tracks dropping classes and/or maybe not even running weekly. And check out what’s said, below, in my “Some Racin stuff from the AARN” section.

It was said, quite a while back, that the World Racing Group was giving serious consideration to making some body changes to the Big Block Modified class. So far, nothing, as far as I know, has been decided. Just what could be changed? What could be done to a Big Block Modified to set it apart from Small Block Modifieds and the Sportsman classes? Sail panels?

Any idea as to how many of the newly made “Crate” Big Block engines might be in use in 2011? I think it’s 500 cubic inches. What about more of the “used” NASCAR engines? Will we see more of them? I understand that they go for less than $10,000.00?

This coming Sunday is the last race for NASCAR for the 2010 season. I was rather surprised to see only 45 cars are entered for this one. Heck, if I were running the show, I’d start all 45. Those that won’t make it, via qualifying, would more than likely be “Start & park” cars, I’d imagine.

“Start & park” in racing – good or bad? What if a “Start & park” car makes the race and a more competitive car that might run the whole event doesn’t? Good or bad?

Will NASCAR, possibly going to fuel injection sometime in 2011, open up a giant “Can of worms” for tech issues?

Will NASCAR ever just check over the engines after a race, and not DQ a car for very minute body measurements, especially when that particular body passed pre-race tech – like they DQ’d Clint Bowyer? Bad call as far as I’m concerned, and although I like Bowyer, he isn’t one of my top fav’s.

Age limits in the garage/pit areas – How young? There’s a thread about this on the Track Forum where it’s being mentioned that it might be 9 years old for Indycars. That too young? Heck, I have a photo in my computer of a small child – maybe 3 years old, and he’s cleaning off one of “daddy’s” wheels at a track fairly close to where I live.

http://www.trackforum.com/forums/showthread.php?143688-Lowering-the-minimum-age-to-get-in-the-garages

Racing on TV – there are a couple of “big” races coming up – races that are not NASCAR events, yet they don’t get televised. There’s the “Turkey Derby” at Wall Stadium in New Jersey, with racing being held on November 26^th and 27^th. Who know if this might very well be the last show at Wall?

Out west, there’s “Turkey Night” at the Irwindale Speedway – USAC Midgets and Sprint Cars. Years past, this event used to be on dirt tracks. Now, it seems they’ll all be on pavement. Personally, I prefer dirt.

National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame – ya know, I’ve about given up on seeing those that were inducted into the HoF almost two years ago, not being shown on the HoF’s website, yet.

http://www.worthyofhonor.com/

Their Fall 2008 release can be seen here: http://www.worthyofhonor.com/NewsLetters/Fall%2008%20Newsletter.pdf

Going to the website, and clicking on “Inducted Members” and you will NOT find those drivers listed in the Fall 2008 release not included. Still, their names do appear on “Snail mail” literature from the HoF. Oh, and that plaque that I made mention of – there’s a driver from here in the east that will be inducted early next year – Leigh Earnshaw. His name is on that plaque! Yea, I wonder who is in charge of the HoF’s website.

Going back, in time:

Note: Most of the following information was found here:

http://www.wheelsofspeed.com/history.html

Covering the days of November 5^th to November 18^th:

Note: I’m hoping this section doesn’t get too large since I’ve gone to a column every two weeks.

NOVEMBER 5

1952

Joe James ... Died ... AAA driver from the 1950's. Joe started racing in the AAA National Championship in 1950 when he made five starts with a best finish of seventh at Detroit. In 1951 had had a best finish of fourth on the dirt oval at Denver. At Indy he retired after just eight laps with a broken driveshaft. He made 12 starts during the year. He had a number of top ten finishes in 1952. At Indy, driving a Kurtis Kraft 4000 Offy he finished 13th. Then late in the year, on the 2nd November, in the San Jose 100-Mile Race at the 1.0-mile dirt oval San Jose Speedway at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds, James had qualified his Bob Estes Lincoln-Mercury entered Watson roadster second. At the start he grabbed the lead and led the first five laps before he was passed by Bobby Ball in his Kurtis 4000. James retook the lead on lap 26 and was dicing with Mike Nazaruk for first place when he clipped one of Nazaruk's tires. James' car was flipped into a series of rolls down the main straight before hitting the wall in Turn 1. Seriousely injured he was taken to hospital in San Jose but passed away three days later.

NOVEMBER 6

1949

Rex Mays... Died ... AAA driver from the 1930's and 40's. He was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1995 and was inducted in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in the first class in 1990. He ran in 12 Indy 500's with a best finish of 2nd in both 1940 & 1941. He was killed in a crash during the only Champ Car race held at Del Mar Speedway in Del Mar, California in 1949.

1955

Jack McGrath... Died ... AAA driver from the 1940's & 50's, ran 8 Indy 500's. He was killed in the final race of the 1955 season in Phoenix, Arizona.

NOVEMBER 7

1965

Art Arfons returned to the Bonneville Salt Flats in a revamped Green Monster, and shattered Breedlove's record from the previous year, when he raced to 576.553 mph across the one-mile course.

1980

Steve McQueen , actor, enduro rider, sometimes sports car racer, and star of the movie "Le Mans", died of cancer.

NOVEMBER 8

1963

A.J. Foyt set an unofficial Indianapolis Motor Speedway track record of 154.5 mph in tire testing.

NOVEMBER 9

2003

Bill Elliott won the NASCAR Winston Cup Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400 over Jimmie Johnson at the North Carolina Speedway, Rockingham, NC.

NOVEMBER 10
1914

Buster Warke... Born ... AAA driver from the 1930's , 40's to the mid 1950's.

1926

Art Bisch ... Born ... Bisch started racing midgets in 1948 before moving on to Sprint Cars in California, dominating the 1956 season, winning 10 of the 27 races. He moved up to Champ cars in 1958 and won his first race in the Rex Mays 100. Sadly his career was cut short when he crashed at the Lakewood Speedway in Atlanta, Georgia and succumbed to his injuries.

1938

Joan Marie Rose was born. Later on, in her life, she would end up marrying me on September 11, 1960, thus changing her last name to mine. For some reason, I see more and more wives of today not doing that – changing last names.

NOVEMBER 11

1937

Sam McQuagg... Born ... NASCAR driver from the 1960's and 70's.

1960

Robert "Red" Byron... Died ... He was a NASCAR driver who was successful in the sanctioning body's first years. He was NASCAR's first Modified champion (and its first champion in any division) in 1948 and its first Strictly Stock (predecessor to NEXTEL Cup) champion in 1949.

1967

Gil de Ferran... Born ... CART and IRL driver and now a race team owner in Indycar.

NOVEMBER 12
1925

John Rostek ... Born ... A NASCAR driver from Fort Collins, CO. Despite racing in just six Nextel Cup Series events in his career, Rostek earned one victory, one pole and three top-tens. Five of his six races came in 1960, when Rostek debuted at Daytona, racing in the Daytona 500 qualifier. But a crash on the fifth lap would end his chances of a good finish and making the 500, finishing 39th. But his rebound was amazing. In his next race, Phoenix, Rostek took the lead midway through the event, led 58 laps and pulled away to a shocking victory. He proved it was no fluke later in the year, finishing 3rd at Hanford and 7th at Montgomery after leading seven laps and starting on the pole. Rostek's final race came in 1963, racing at Riverside. Starting 27th in the forty-four car field, Rostek seemed poised for another top-ten finish before a late crash sidelined him to 16th. He also raced with the USAC Stock Car Division from 1958 to 1964.

1928

Allen Crowe ... Born ... He drove in the USAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1961-1963 seasons with 15 starts, including the 1962 and 1963 Indianapolis 500 races. He finished in the top ten 6 times, with his best finish in 5th position in 1962 at Syracuse. Crowe died in New Bremen, Ohio from injuries sustained in a sprint car race at New Bremen Speedway (June 2,1963).

1966

Don Branson ... Died ... He drove in the USAC Championship Car series and also in sprint cars, racing champ cars in the 1956-1966 seasons with 129 starts, including the 1959-1966 Indianapolis 500 races. He finished in the top ten 85 times, with 7 victories. Branson died at Ascot Park in Gardena, CA in a November, 1966 crash which also claimed Dick Atkins. There are those who believe a heart attack may have been responsible for the crash which claimed both Branson and Dick Atkins that day. Branson was going to retire after the 1966 season and had accepted an appointment to join Goodyear as Field Manager for USAC Champ racing and was due to start on January 1st 1967. He was inducted in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1994.

NOVEMBER 13

1966

Dick Atkins... Died ... One of the best sprint car drivers of his era and was just begining to shine in the USAC Championships when he was killed at Ascot Park when Don Branson's car bounced off the wall back into his path. Branson died instantly and Atkins passed away the next day from what at first were believed to be burns. However an autosy revealed that the cause of death was a fractured skull.

1997

Larry Shinoda ... Died ... He died of a heart attack at his home in Novi, Michigan. Shinoda is best known for designing the bodies on the '63 Stingray and '70 Mustang Boss 302, he also designed the 1956 Indy 500 winning John Zink Special and Jim Hall’s Chaparral 2C & 2D.

NOVEMBER 14
1893

Tommy Milton ... Born ... Milton was blind in the right eye at birth and had poor vision in his left eye. Yet he was the first driver to win the Indianapolis 500 twice, in 1921 and 1923. He was also the first to win the national driving championship two years in a row, in 1920 and 1921. He began racing on dirt tracks in the Midwest in 1914 and won his first major victory at Providence, RI, in 1917. Milton won five of nine championship races in 1919 before suffering severe burns when his car burst into flames during a race at Uniontown, NJ. In 1920, he not only won the driving championship, he set a new land speed record of 156.046 mph in a special 16-cylinder Duesenberg that he helped to design. He retired from competition after the 1925 season. Milton became chief steward of the Indianapolis 500 from 1949 to 1957, when he retired because of poor health. Milton had 17 victories in 85 races on dirt tracks and finished in the top five 35 other times.

1944

Joe Saldana... Born ... a former driver in the USAC and CART Championship Car series. He raced in the 1977-1980 seasons, with 31 combined career starts, including the 1978-1979 Indianapolis 500. He finished in the top ten 10 times, with a best finish of 6th position in 1979 at Atlanta. He won the 1970 Knoxville Nationals, the premiere event in sprint car racing and the 1976 Hoosier Hundred USAC Silver Crown race. Saldana was inducted in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 2000. His son Joey (the "Brownsburg Bullet") races with the World of Outlaws sprint car series.

NOVEMBER 15
1932

Louie Unser... Born ... He was the twin brother of Jerry Unser, who in 1958 became the first of the famed racing family to qualify for the Indy 500. Louie served as chief mechanic for Jerry in that race and handled the same duties for younger brother Al Unser's 500 debut in 1965.

Jerry Unser... Born ... He was the 1957 USAC Stock Car champion. Jerry was the first of the Unser family to compete at Indianapolis. He died in a practice crash before the 1959 Indianapolis 500, leaving behind a widow, Jeanne Unser, and two sons, Jerry and Johnny Unser. His brothers Al and Bobby and his nephew Al Jr. have won the "500". His son Johnny and nephew Robby have also competed in the race.

1980

Bob Mathouser ... Died ... Drove in the USAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1961-1966 seasons, with 30 career starts, including the 1964 Indianapolis 500. He finished in the top ten 4 times, with his best finish in 6th position in 1964 at Langhorne.

NOVEMBER 16

1936

Skip Barber... Born ... A retired road racing driver who is most famous for his Skip Barber Racing Schools.

John Mahler... Born ... A former open wheel race car driver in the USAC and CART Championship Car series. He raced in the 1970-1973 and 1976-1981 seasons, with 39 combined career starts, including the 1972 and 1977-1979 Indianapolis 500. He finished in the top ten 6 times, with his best finish in 6th position in 1970 at the Indianapolis Raceway Park road course.

1940

Chuck Amati... Born ... Chuck Amati is one of the original outlaws, a star who built his legend during an era when the term defied any organized definition. His career stretched across six different decades, 1959 through 2002, and he became one of the most popular and interesting characters in the sport.

1958

Roberto Guerrero... Born ... CART, IRL and Grand Prix driver.

1967

Robbie Stanley ... Born ... Robbie was the All-Stars Circuit of Champions sprint car titleist in 1990, then moved on to USAC where he collected three straight USAC National sprint car championships from 1991, 1992, and 1993, and was on his way to a fourth when his career was cut short in a fatal accident in a USAC sprint car event in Winchester, Indiana, on May 26, 1994.

NOVEMBER 17
1929

Jimmy Reece... Born ... Reece was Midget, Sprint driver and a 6 time veteran of the Indianapolis 500, with Top Ten finishes in 1952, 1956 and 1958. He died in a racing accident during a 1958 champ car race at Trenton International Speedway.

NOVEMBER 18
1941

Gary Bettenhausen ... Born ... His father was Indianapolis 500 and sprint car legend Tony Bettenhausen, and his brother was former Champ Car team owner Tony Bettenhausen Jr. Another brother, Merle Bettenhausen, lost his arm in a fiery crash. Gary began as a midget car driver. He finished third in the midget car national points in 1967. He won the first leg of the Astro Grand Prix in 1969, which was held in the Astrodome. He won the 1967 and 1970 Turkey Night Grand Prix, the 1972 Astro Grand Prix, and the 1976 Hut Hundred. He has 27 career USAC midget wins. He won the 1969 and 1971 sprint car championships. He won the 1980 and 1983 USAC Dirt Track champions in Silver Crown car. He competed in Indy cars from the mid-'1960s until 1996.During this time he won six USAC Indy Car races. Gary made 21 starts in the Indy '500, contesting each event from 1968 until 1982 (with the exception of 1979 when he failed to qualify), and again from 1986 to 1993. His best finish came in 1980 when he finished third after starting 32nd in the 33-car field. He competed in eight career NASCAR Winston Cup events. He had four Top 10 finishes. His highest career finish was a fourth place finish at the 1974 Motor State 360 at the Michigan International Speedway in 1974. He was inducted in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1993 and was a 1998 inductee in the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame.

2008

Chuck Amati ... Died ... Chuck Amati was an 'Outlaw' long before the inaugural 1978 World of Outlaws season. For over 40 years he raced from coast-to-coast chasing wins, and when he took his helmet off for the final time in 2002, he had accumulated hundreds of them in his career in a number of different types of race cars. Amati will always be remember as "The One Armed Bandit," a nickname he earned on a night, when he sustained an injury to his right arm and devised a harness to hold the arm in place in his lap, driving using his left arm. The arm would eventually heal, though the nickname stuck with him for the rest of his career and contributed to him being one of the most colorful drivers to ever climb into a sprint car. He won a in a variety of machines during his legendary career including: winged sprint cars, non-winged sprint cars, supermodifieds and even midgets. From 1969-1986, he won at least one sprint car race every year during that span.

2008 – Continued:

It was on November 18, 2008, when I lost a close personal friend – maybe some of you knew of him, or knew him – John LeVan.

John, along with the late Lenny Calinoff, was very instrumental in getting me interested in writing about motor sports. After Lenny passed away, and he and John ran www.openwheelracing.com, John took the website over. Later on, things got messed up so John came out with www.openwheelracers.com. Via personal discussions between John and I, I could see how big OWR had become, and how much it was valued by other motor sports people on the Internet. After John passed on, his son, Craig, continued with the website, but some problems arose and from what I can tell, help that could have saved the website really didn’t come to Craig, even after he requested it. To me, that is really a great big shame. True, Craig did confide in me that “He had to be the dumbest 22 year old that’s on a computer”, still he made an attempt.

Looking ahead, in time:

In 35 days from the day this column comes out, it will be Christmas Day. Looking for some kind of gifts? You can check out these places:

http://www.roseracingpublications.com/

http://www.emmr.org/

http://www.coastal181.com/

http://www.davesracing.com/

http://www.bigjimsvideos.net/

http://www.aarn.com/

http://www.pitstopbooks.com/videos-snyder.html

No, I don’t get any commissions form any of those above!

The History of the Sport:

If you remember, a few weeks ago, one of the members of the Yahoo! Race History Group sent out some links (35 of them, to be precise) to some auto racing articles that appeared in Time magazine, many years ago, via e-mail. So, if you don’t mind, here are the next five links. Hope you get some enjoyment out of reading them.

Some sad times:

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,925437,00.html

When you have an idea as to when to quit:
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,956984,00.html

Auto Racing: Safe at Any Speed?
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,835650,00.html

Andy Granatelli and the 500
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,838033,00.html

Losing 1/3 of the 500-starting field at the start:
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,942043,00.html

Former Dirt Oval Go-Kart (Oakland Valley Speedway) runners:

Billy VanInwegen traveled south to Charlotte to race in the “World Finals” with his dirt modified. A bent rear axle, due to some red clay mud getting into his wheel while time trailing, set him back somewhat for the weekends activities. Even though he failed to qualify for the main events, he did get quite a lot of experience. There is a photo of his helmet on Facebook (Len and Jo’s Racing) that shows just how muddy it was when he was in his first heat race.

There were some that had raced at the Dirt Oval in years past that made a return to the Dirt Oval for OVRP’s annual Novemberfest a couple of weeks back. They were: Dan Hennessy, Chuck Alessi, Jimmy Johnson, Brian Krummel and Bennie Rizzo

Coming up:

Indoor Kart racing in Syracuse, N.Y. on Friday, December 10^th and Saturday, December 11^th. We always had a blast when we went up there to race. Yes, Syracuse in December and “Mother Nature” sometimes don’t always get along. One time, we cancelled our trip at the last minute when two feet of snow was forecast for the Syracuse area. Yeah, right! It didn’t snow.

Friday, in the past, has been a practice session at night. I really didn’t find anything about Friday, the 10^th, mentioned in the first link, below, but it is mentioned on the 4-Cycle forum.

Syracuse Indoor Karts

http://www.cnyroadrace.com/indoor/

http://karting.4cycle.com/showthread.php?t=345635&page=1&pp=35

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZGjLyA8IrY

More racin’ stuff:

NASCAR’s point standings – two ways – as they used to be (still should in my way of thinking), and how they are with the “Chase”.

How they still should be – per Jayski’s website:

2010 Sprint Cup Driver 'Classic' Points Standings:
[after Texas, race 34 of 36....the OLD way]:
rank, car#, driver, points, behind
1) #29-Kevin Harvick 4959
2) #48-Jimmie Johnson 4659 -300
3) #11-Denny Hamlin 4607 -352
4) #24-Jeff Gordon 4487 -472
5) #18-Kyle Busch 4451 -508
6) #99-Carl Edwards 4435 -524
7) #14-Tony Stewart 4369 -590
8) #17-Matt Kenseth 4346 -613
9) #31-Jeff Burton 4242 -717
10) #2-Kurt Busch 4207 -752
11) #33-Clint Bowyer 4149 -868
12) #16-Greg Biffle 4120 –810

And, the “Chase”:

2010 Sprint Cup Driver Chase Standings:
[after Texas, race 34 of 36, Chase Race 8 of 10]:
rank, car#, driver, points, behind
1) #11-Denny Hamlin [8 wins], 6325
2) #48-Jimmie Johnson [6 wins], 6288, -37
3) #29-Kevin Harvick [3 wins], 6266, -59
4) #99-Carl Edwards, 6008, -317
5) #17-Matt Kenseth, 6000, -325
6) #24-Jeff Gordon, 5994, -331
7) #18-Kyle Busch [3 wins], 5986, -339
8) #14-Tony Stewart [2 wins], 5959, -366
9) #16-Greg Biffle [2 wins], 5953, -372
10) #33-Clint Bowyer [1 win], 5928, -397
11) #2-Kurt Busch [2 wins], 5887, -438
12) #31-Jeff Burton, 5852, -473
(Bowyer without 150 pt penalty 6078, -274 would be 4th)

2010 Sprint Cup Driver 'Classic' Points Standings:
[after Phoenix, race 35 of 36....the OLD way]:
rank, car#, driver, points, behind
1)#29-Kevin Harvick, 5109
2) #48-Jimmie Johnson, 4814, -295
3) #11-Denny Hamlin, 4744, -365
4) #99-Carl Edwards, 4625, -484
5) #24-Jeff Gordon, 4617, -492
6) #18-Kyle Busch, 4580, -529
7) #17-Matt Kenseth, 4497, -612
8) #14-Tony Stewart, 4481, -628
9) #2-Kurt Busch, 4350, -759
10) #31-Jeff Burton, 4348, -761
11) #16-Greg Biffle, 4280, -829
12) #33-Clint Bowyer, 4249, -860

And, the “Chase”:

[after Phoenix, race 35 of 36, Chase Race 9 of 10]:
rank, driver, points.

Denny Hamlin – 6462
Jimmie Johnson – 6447
Kevin Harvick – 6416
Carl Edwards – 6198
Matt Kenseth – 6151
Jeff Gordon – 6124
Kyle Busch – 6115
Greg Biffle – 6113
Tony Stewart – 6074
Kurt Busch – 6033
Clint Bowyer – 6028
Jeff Burton - 5958

Additional racin’ stuff:

Nothing definite yet, but in last weeks AARN, it more or less backed up what’s been floating around on various message boards and forums – news about allowing Cup drivers to run in Nationwide races. It might come down to letting the Cup drivers still run an unlimited number of Nationwide races, BUT – the driver would have to state, prior to the season, what championship he’d be running for – either Cup or Nationwide.

Note: My feelings on this: NASCAR is kind of in a “Catch 22” situation here. The tracks like to have the Cup drivers in the Nationwide races because it helps sell tickets (even though the stands have way to many empty seats – like the Truck Series). “Name” drivers opting not to run a good portion of the Nationwide events, surely will not help attendance.

Note: Some interesting things being said on the Track Forum, and you can read them if you go here:

http://www.trackforum.com/forums/showthread.php?143609-No-Cup-Drivers-No-Nationwide-Series

Travis Pastrana:

Surely you’ve heard of him, right? Guess what his next “thing” will be? How about the Nationwide Series in NASCAR? How about he is already signed up with Michael Waltrip to run some Nationwide events? Seems to be true, folks. You can read what’s being said – again, on the Track Forum, by going here:

http://www.trackforum.com/forums/showthread.php?143401-Travis-Pastrana-to-MWR-NNS-team-in-2011

And here, too: http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/nascar/nationwide/news/story?id=5792650

Note: I saw Travis run a Silver Crown car a few years ago down at the USA International Speedway in Lakeland, FL. in a PRA sanctioned event. It was his first time in that type of car, and from what I know, his first time racing on an oval. I had the opportunity to speak with him while there (he is/was like a God to Richard Golardi, now another motor sports writer, who was with me, at the time) and the biggest fear that Travis had was how soon he might get lapped in the 100-lap race. Well, he didn’t get lapped, having finished on the lead lap. Let’s just hope that the Nationwide Series, (due to some possible up-coming driver restrictions), will continue on in at least the same fashion it has today, and not be hurt by those proposed new driver rules. Travis is really “Fan friendly”!

Seven 2009 race winners have yet to win in 2010:
#83-Kasey Kahne last won at Atlanta in September 2009 [while in the #9 car] and has a two year streak of winning at least one race on the line; #17-Matt Kenseth last won at Auto Club in February 2009; #24-Jeff Gordon at Texas in April 2009; #12-Brad Keselowski at Talladega in April 2009; #5-Mark Martin at New Hampshire in September 2009; #20-Joey Logano at New Hampshire in June 2009; #83-Brian Vickers last won at Michigan in August 2009 but is not racing the rest of the season due to blood clots.(11-12-2010)

Note: The above was found on Jayski’s website.

Some Racin’ stuff from the AARN:

If you check out various message boards and/or forums, you might have seen some things said about some problems with some of the DIRT tracks here in the Northeast – Canandaigua, Cayuga County and Rolling Wheels, are three of them. It’s said, in the AARN that about the World Racing Groups three track holdings “It’s up in the air at this point. Those tracks are not thriving. Quite candidly, it’s not strong. I know Cayuga County Fair Speedway will operate on a limited basis”. That was from World Racing Group officer Brian Carter.

Mr. Carter also went on to say this, about the proposed 33 gallon Sprint Car fuel tank: “Our long term goal is to get rid of the fuel stops. We will not mandate the 33-gallon fuel cell, but we will have strict lap count rule based on track size”.

He also made mention about Volusia Speedway Park, down in Florida, with this: “We’re working arrangements for weekly racing there. The state of racing in Florida is sort of the same as New York. July and August racing at VSP doesn’t work. We will operate VSP in February and March. After that, it will take on a different operating model”.

As for the Cayuga County Speedway, it’s said in the AARN: “Eric Kingsley made the trip south from New York to take in the World Finals at Charlotte. He also turned it into a business trip, scheduling a meeting at the World Racing Group headquarters to talk over a lease to run races next year at Cayuga County Speedway in Weedsport, N.Y. Kingsley seems ready to return to race promotion, something he did very successfully at N.Y.’s Fulton Speedway, before leaving that position about seven years ago. He felt a decision one way or the other regarding his plans would be coming in the next week or so according to how the meeting went.”

Doug Watson, one of those that has a column in the AARN, hit on quite a few subjects about how to get fans to the race track, and how to keep them coming back. Things like : Getting underway as advertised, racing classes, how many should make up a weekly program, keeping the kids coming, a friendly staff and cleans facility will go a long way and don’t forget the fans. One thing he really didn’t hit on, in a way, was actual ADVERTISING by the tracks.

Towards the back of the AARN, in “News Briefs”, I came across an interesting item – The Dirt Track Channel (www.thedirttrackchannel.com). It says that they will once again have same-day coverage of the International Midget World Series (IMWS) audio webcast from Western Springs Speedway in Auckland, New Zealand, Dec 26^th through Jan 5^th. Also some Sprint Car coverage will join the Midget coverage

Other forums/message boards and websites:

You might find some interesting reading if you go to the links below.

Track Forum: - http://www.trackforum.com/forums/

Frontstretch.com: http://www.frontstretch.com/

Jayski: - http://www.jayski.com/

Open Wheel Racers3: http://www.openwheelracers3.com/

Race Pro Weekly: http://raceproweekly.com/

Racing on TV - http://www.racefantv.com/USTV.htm

Syracuse forum: http://www.syracuse.com/forums/motorsports/ (must register to post)

South Jersey Dirt Racing: http://theboard.southjerseydirtracing.com/Msgboard.asp?ForumID=27&Return=Msgboard.asp&D83jsd=True

(must register to post)

Victory Speedway: http://s2.excoboard.com/VictorySpeedwayForum (must register to post & no nonsense allowed)

Yahoo Race History Group: http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/RacingHistory/ (when one posts something on an e-mail to the group, they do have what is called the “Len Sutton rule” – you put in your name and where you live. And, yes, things are “policed” too.

New England Tractor: http://newenglandtractor.com/racereport/

The mile track in Goshen, N.Y.

While at the Lobitz affair, I ran into Dave Read, from Pennsylvania. He was quite thrilled to be able to get his hands on a racing book titled “Go Bettenhausen”, which and a little history of the Indy car race that was held in Goshen in 1946. It seems that Tony Bettenhausen had come east to run the race, but had no car. Bettenhausen ventured to Gasoline Alley, in Paterson, N.J. in search of a possible ride. He spoke to a few people and somehow, someone said that they could get a car for Tony to run. Problem was it had no engine. Another stepped forward and said he had an engine for the car, but had to be worked on a little, first. Things came together and Bettenhausen was able to make the show. Not only make it – he won the race. Now, enter another race driver named Kelly Petillo. Kelly was out California way – on business. It seems that the car that was “found” for Bettenhausen to drive at Goshen was Petillo’s. Some time, later on, after the race had been run, Petillo found out about what had happened. He wasn’t too happy about it, and from what I can recall Dave telling me, he almost sued all those involved.

Note: For those of you that are reading this on Dirt Track Digest, there are a couple of photos of Bettenhausen in that car, inserted here. To see them, might I suggest you go to the New England Tractor website, which has a link to it, above.

Video time:

November 17, 1938 was the day that Gordon Lightfoot was born, up in Canada. Did you know that Gordon actually survived an aortic aneurysm?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J18DJEq3Ppc

Non racing news:

From November 6^th:

Citing health overhaul, AARP hikes employee costs

In part:

“AARP's endorsement helped secure passage of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul. Now the seniors' lobby is telling its employees their insurance costs will rise partly as a result of the law.”

“AARP warned its employees that more cost-shifting could be in store. "AARP intends to make similar changes, as necessary, in the future to avoid the (health plan) tax," said Hodges' e-mail”

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101104/ap_on_bi_ge/us_aarp_health_plan

From Nov 7^th:

Homeowners say loan mods led them to foreclosure

In part:

“LOS ANGELES – Grocery store owners William and Esperanza Casco were making enough money to stay current on their mortgage, but when JPMorgan Chase & Co. offered a plan that reduced their payments, they figured they could use the extra cash and signed up.

The Cascos say they never missed a subsequent payment, so they were horrified when the bank decided the smaller payments weren't enough and foreclosed on their modest Long Beach home.”

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101107/ap_on_bi_ge/us_loan_mod_foreclosures

From Nov 15^th:

Rangel recuses himself from his ethics hearing

In part:

“The House ethics trial for New York Democratic Rep. Charlie Rangel is now missing one important figure in the case: Charlie Rangel.

The congressman showed up without his lawyers for the first day of the proceeding, saying that the committee had dragged the inquiry out so long that he could not afford representation.

He asked for a delay, but the request was denied.”

“"I've been a lawyer long enough to know it's very very unwise for any person … to be his own lawyer at a proceeding like this," Rangel told the committee.

He further denounced the committee by saying that it had claimed it lacked time to begin the trial, yet that the panel is now suggesting its members would find it convenient to quickly resolve the matter. Rangel said he had been offered free representation but had been informed that such advocacy would constitute a gift -- and a violation of House rules.

Rangel suggested he would recuse himself, so members moved into a closed session to decide how to proceed after this surprise development.

They returned less than an hour later to announce that the trial would proceed. But they also laid into Rangel's lawyers, saying that Rangel's legal team had ditched the lawmaker on the eve of the hearing.

Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) expressed his "astonishment" with the litigation specialists Rangel had retained at Zuckerman Spaeder "for taking the money, draining the money and then kicking their client to the side of the road."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_theticket/20101115/pl_yblog_theticket/rangel-recuses-self-from-ethics-hearing

Rangel guilty: House ethics panel rules misconduct

In part:

“New York Rep. Charles Rangel, a longtime power in the U.S. House, violated its rules with financial misconduct, brought it discredit and will be punished, fellow lawmakers sitting as jurors ruled on Tuesday.”

“The conduct often cited by critics was his failure to report income to the IRS from a unit he owned in a Dominican Republic resort — showing the chairman in charge of tax legislation shortchanged the IRS.

Rangel, a founder of the Congressional Black Caucus, remains a political kingpin in New York's famed Harlem neighborhood and is unlikely to resign. He won re-election earlier this month.

Convicted on 11 of 13 charges of rules violations, his ordeal isn't finished.”

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_rangel_ethics_trial;_ylt=AsyAKxPYzH8I2BGzbO6PhPhH2ocA;_ylu=X3oDMTMwdTlrM3NoBGFzc2V0Ay9zL2FwL3VzX3JhbmdlbF9ldGhpY3NfdHJpYWwEY2NvZGUDcmFuZG9tBGNwb3MDMgRwb3MDMgRzZWMDeW5fdG9wX3N0b3JpZXMEc2xrA3JhbmdlbGd1aWx0eQ--

Note: Yes, this dude was re-elected by a LARGE margin! I wonder what kind of a “slap on the wrist” this crook will get. Remember – he was one of the five that Governor elect Cuomo made mention in one of his TV ads – that if you’re a crook, you go to jail. Yeah, right!

Social Security judges facing more violent threats

In part:

“Judges who hear Social Security disability cases are facing a growing number of violent threats from claimants angry over being denied benefits or frustrated at lengthy delays in processing claims.

There were at least 80 threats to kill or harm administrative law judges or staff over the past year — an 18 percent increase over the previous reporting period, according to data collected by the Social Security Administration.”

“A Senate subcommittee heard testimony on Monday at a field hearing in Akron, Ohio, about the rising number of threats, as well as the status of the massive backlog in applications for disability benefits, which are available to people who can't work because of medical problems.

Nearly 2 million people are waiting to find out if they qualify for benefits, with many having to wait more than two years to see their first payment.”

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101115/ap_on_bi_ge/us_judges_threats

Is this true?:

Might these be true? Got this in an e-mail back on November 10^th:

Keep these facts in mind when "donating". As you open your pockets
for yet another natural disaster, keep the following facts in mind; we
have listed them from the highest (worse paid offender) to the lowest
(least paid offender).

The worst offender was yet again for the 11th year in a row is, UNICEF - CEO, receives $1,200,000 per year, (plus use of a Royal Royce for his exclusive use where ever he goes, and an expense account that is rumored to be well over $150,000.) Only pennies from the actual donations goes to the UNICEF
cause (less than $0.14 per dollar of income).

The second worst offender this year is Marsha J. Evans, President and CEO of the American Red Cross...for her salary for the year ending in 2009 was $651,957 plus expenses. Enjoys 6 weeks - fully paid holidays including all related expenses during the holiday trip for her and her husband and kids, including 100% fully paid health & dental plan for her and her family, for life. This means out of every dollar they bring in, about $0.39 goes to related charity causes.

The third worst offender was again for the 7th time was, Brian Gallagher, President of the United Way receives a $375,000 base salary (U.S. funds), plus so many numerous expense benefits it's hard to keep track as to what it is all worth, including a fully paid lifetime membership for 2 golf courses (1 in Canada, and 1 in the U.S.A.), 2 luxury vehicles, a yacht club membership,
3 major company gold credit cards for his personal expenses...and so on. This equates to about $0.51 per dollar of income goes to charity causes.

Fourth worst offender who was also again in the fourth spot, for every year since this information has been made available from the start 1998 is amazingly yet again, World Vision President (Canada) receives $300,000 base salary, (plus supplied - a home valued in the $700,000 - $800,000 dollar value range, completely furnished,
completely paid all housing expenses, including taxes, water/sewer, telephone/fax, HD/high speed cable, weekly maid service and pool/yard maintenance, fully paid private schooling for his children, upscale automobile and an $55,000 personal
expense account for clothing/food, with a $125,000 business expense account). Get this, because it is a "religious based" charity, it pays, little to no taxes, can receive government assistance and does not have to declare were the money goes. Only about $0.52 of earned income per dollar is available for charity causes.

Of the sixty some odd "charities" we looked at, the lowest paid (President/C.E.O/Commissioner) was heading up a charity group right here in Canada. We found, believe it or not, it was......

Ready for this...

I think you might be surprised...

It is, none other than...

The Salvation Army's Commissioner Todd Bassett receives a salary
of only $13,000 per year (plus housing) for managing this $2
Billion dollar organization. Which means about $0.93 per dollar earned, is readily available and goes back out to local charity causes...truly amazing...and well done.
No further comment is necessary..."Think Twice" before you give to your charity of choice as to which one really does the best for the most - or the least for the most, for that matter.

Funny Stuff:

Man shoots TV over Bristol dance

In part:

“A MAN apparently enraged by Bristol Palin's Dancing With The Stars routine blasted his television with a shotgun, leading to an all-night standoff with police commandos, investigators said.

Steven Cowan, 67, was arrested on Tuesday morning after officers coaxed him out of his house in Vermont, a rural farming community near Madison.”

http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Lifestyle/Story/STIStory_604531.html

Scary stuff?

A little over a week ago, it was announced on NBC News that the most popular name for a boy in the United Kingdom is Mohammed - or spelling variations of that name.

Closing with these – hope they work!:

If Facebook existed in the past...hilarious!