Racin'
& Different Stuff:
By Tom Avenengo
Volume # 138
05/09/2013
First:
I posted this on
Facebook this past Sunday:
“Info for my race driver
friends - As many of you are aware, at times I’ve put a link up about insurance
for race drivers, whether it is in my weekly column or here on Facebook. I really get disturbed when I see what follows –
a race driver getting so seriously hurt, and then I wonder – did he have any
other insurance other than what the track might have?
Geoff is still in ICU at
There’s a video of the accident
on Facebook – on the Rich Golardi
page:
https://www.facebook.com/richard.golardi?hc_location=stream
The website for the racers
insurance is: http://www.stida.com/
Again, no I am in no way
associated with that insurance company, or any other, just trying to get the
word out that there is insurance available for you, the race driver – as long
as your racing vehicle has a roll cage and you’re strapped into it.”
Note: This was posted on Facebook
around mid-day on Monday:
“Official TBARA
I just got off the phone with
Geoff a few moments ago. He sounds great !!! With a
little help from smashing his morphine button, the pain is tolerable. His
ability to breathe is much better. He will be going into surgery later today to
have the halo installed. For those of you unfamiliar with this, they literally
put screws and rods directly into the skull and attach the halo to the
shoulders. He and his wife would like to send out a very humble and sincere
Thank You for all of the prayers and well wishes. Keep
em coming. It means a lot to them knowing that soooooo many people care. I'll post more updates as I get
them.
-josh”
And, this
on Monday evening:
From FMARA (Florida Midget
Auto Racing Association) website and Mark Gimmler:
address for cards and letters to Geoff and Linda Styner
-
204 SE 25th Terrace,
Along with this:
http://www.youcaring.com/medical-fundraiser/help-geoff-styner-/57942
And, on Tuesday
evening, on Facebook:
I'm at the hospital now with
Geoff. He sat up again by himself and took his first bite of solid food since
Friday. He's in great spirits and can NOT wait to get out of here. They've told
him that as soon as he can walk on his own, he can go home.
And this, on Wednesday
afternoon:
It's update time again ! First of all, on behalf of the Styner
family, I want to thank each and every one of you that have taken the time to
make Geoff feel loved. The phone calls, the messages, the prayers, the donations .... it's simply
incredible to know how truly special our racing family is. Now on to the good news .... Geoff is on his feet and walking
!!!! With a little help from his wife and his nurse, the
took a "Victory Lap" around the neuro-ortho
unit at
Second:
In a way, I
can see where the track is coming from.
But, there’s a chance that some race fans just can’t get to the race
tracks, and kind of rely on the up-dates from the tracks.
Posted on Facebook
last Saturday:
“In accordance to the wishes
of speedway management, we will not be providing live updates from
We will have quick results
posted at the conclusion of the racing program. We apologize for the
inconvenience.
As always, thanks for your
support and for choosing RPW for your racing news.”
Third:
For those that might be fans of Midget racing,
and the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/National-Midget-Auto-Racing-Hall-of-Fame/175885105763849?fref=ts
Note:
I did receive an email from the
Fourth:
Another reminder of race viewing on TV – when
and from where:
Fifth:
I think this is
pretty sad – don’t you? Found on a race
report the other day:
“Late models had one of those
nights race was checkered after 40 minutes and only 6 laps run in the feature.”
Sixth:
Small stuff:
Watching practice from
I was a little surprised that
FOX here in the
At Linda’s
At Borgers,
for the ATQMRA race, they had 14 cars.
So where are more TQ’s, anyway? Didn’t they have over 70 for the
Brett Hearn is 4 for 4 at
OCFS had 29 Modifieds, 34 CRSA 305’s, 25 Sportsman, 16 Rookie Sportsman
and 10 Street Stocks.
Accord had 17 Modifieds, 22 Sportsman, 17 Spec Sportsman, 13 Pro Stocks,
13 Pure Stocks and 11 4 Cylinders.
I’m confused. What really is “immediate family”,
anyway? Patricia Smith is the mother of
one of those that was killed at
Speaking of
Note: I’m quite disappointed that as of 5:30 PM on
5/8/13, there really isn’t much said about what occurred in
You’ve heard of 3-D printers,
right? One can actually make things with
them. All kinds of things – mostly out
of plastic. Even guns! Guns that actually fire bullets! It was said that instructions for making guns
with a 3-D printer were even out on the Internet. And I saw that it was actually legal to sell
them over the Internet! So much for gun
control, I suppose?
They’re sure having a heckuva time trying to find a place to bury the body of
Tamerlan Tsarnaev, aren’t they? I read that a certain female who is currently
serving our country, wants to give up her grave site in
Have you ever seen a
commercial as stupid as the “I ate the bones?” commercial?
Seventh:
Kurt Busch to open IndyCar action next week with test run
Eighth:
Joke of the week:
Obama to College Students:
You can TRUST BIG GOVERNMENT!
Link: http://www.rightwingnews.com/barack-obama/obama-to-college-students-you-can-trust-big-government/
Ninth:
As of now, it looks like the surgery on my
left side carotid artery will be done on May 23rd. Surgeon says I’ll be home on the 24th. I had better be, since the Indy 500 is on the
26th. One of the few Indycar races I would watch on TV. Then that night is the 600 from
Tenth:
An interesting read:
Court docs unsealed in NASCAR
chief's divorce
Link: http://sports.yahoo.com/news/court-docs-unsealed-nascar-chiefs-204245159--nascar.html
Eleventh:
Tony Stewart envious of Kurt
Busch's IndyCar test at IMS
Link: http://www.indystar.com/article/20130507/SPORTS0109/305070062?nclick_check=1
Twelfth:
Accord weather forecast for
Friday:
Day time: Some sun, then increasing clouds with a
couple of showers and a thunderstorm in the afternoon.
Night time: Considerable clouds and mild with a couple of
showers and a thunderstorm
OCFS weather forecast for
Saturday:
Daytime: Cloudy with showers and thunderstorms
Night time: Patchy clouds
Daytime: Mostly cloudy with a shower or thunderstorm
around
Saturday night: Plenty of clouds with a couple of showers and
a thunderstorm; not as cool late
Thirteenth:
What difference does it make?
Eric Nordstrom fights back tears during opening
Going back in time:
May 9th
in:
1948
George Rice won the ARDC
Midget race at the Cherry Park Speedway,
Spider Webb won the AAA
Sprint Car race at the Dayton Speedway,
Ted Horn ,
driving the Horn #1, won the 20 lap AAA Eastern Sprint Car race on the 1 mile
dirt Trenton Speedway in
Chick Barbo
won the AAA Midget race at the Bainbridge Speedway,
1953
Buck Baker won the NASCAR 100
mile Grand National race over Tim Flock, Jimmie Lewallen,
Ray Duhigg and Lee Petty at the 1/2 mile dirt
Columbia Speedway,
Russ Klar
won the AAA Midget race at the Freeport Speedway,
1954
Buck Baker won the NASCAR 100
mile Grand National race over Al Keller, Ralph Liguori,
Lee Petty and Jim Paschal at the 1/2 mile dirt Wilson Speedway,
1955
Tommy Hinnershitz
won the AAA Eastern Sprint car race at the Williams Grove Speedway,
1959
Len Duncan won the ARDC
Midget race at the Old Dominion Speedway,
1964
Fred Lorenzen
won the Rebel 300 NASCAR stockcar race over Fireball Roberts at the Darlington
Raceway,
Bill Wimble won the NASCAR
Sportsman Stock Car race at the Fonda Speedway,
Al Tasnady
won the Sportsman-Modified Stock Car race at the Flemington Fairgrounds,
Jackie McLaughlin won the
Sportsman-Modified Stock Car race at the Victory Speedway,
1965
Jimmy Davies won the USAC
Midget race at the Lawrenceburg Speedway,
Jud Larson won the USAC
Sprint car race over Greg Weld and Al Smith at the Eldora Speedway,
Bob Rossell
won the Sportsman-Modified race at the Nazareth Speedway,
Frankie Schneider won the
Modified Stock Car race at the Victory Speedway,
1970
David Pearson won the Rebel
400 NASCAR stockcar race over Dick Brooks, Bobby Isaac, James Hylton and Benny Parsons at the Darlington Raceway,
Lynn Paxton won the Super
Sprint car race over Tom Spriggle, Elmer Ruby, Jim
Kennedy and Johnny Grum at the Port Royal Speedway,
Billy Cassella,
in the # 35
Kenny Weld won the Super
Sprint car race over Steve Smith, Irvin King, Bobby Allen and Bobby Gerhart at the Lincoln Speedway, Hanover,PA
1971
Mitch Smith won the Super Sprint
car race over Gus Linder, Lynn Paxton, Bobby Allen and Barry Camp at the
Susquehanna Speedway,
1975
Paul Pitzer,
in the Bob Weikert # 29, won the Super Sprint car
race over Mitch Smith, Johnny Grum, Smokey Snellbaker and Ken Slaybaugh at
the Williams Grove Speedway, Williams Grove,PA
1976
Bobby Allen won the Super
Sprint car race over Dick Tobias, Paul Pitzer, Steve
Smith and Dub May at the Reading Fairgrounds,
Lou Blaney
won the Sprint car race over Johnny Beaber, Buddy
Cochran, Ted Wise and Jack Sodeman at the Tri-City
Speedway,
Ron Shuman won the Sprint car
race over Doug Wolfgang And Don Maxwell at the Eagle Raceway, Eagle,NE
Pancho Carter won the USAC Sprint Car race at the Dayton Speedway,
1980
Rich Vogler
won the USAC Midget race over Bob Wente, Mel Kenyon,
Sleepy Tripp and Les Scott at the Anderson Speedway,
1981
Chuck Ciprich
won the Super Modified race over Doug Heveron, Eddie Bellinger, Jamie Moore and Larry Record at the Oswego
Speedway,
Smokey Snellbaker
won the Super Sprint car race over Keith Kauffman, Joey Gravino,
Scott Tobias and Richard Lupo at the Port Royal
Speedway,
Steve Smith won the Super
Sprint car race over Van May, Jay Myers, Bobby Allen and Randy Ruth at the
Lincoln Speedway, Hanover,PA
Ed Wylie, in the Bill Bauer #
75, won the URC Sprint car race over Buck Buckley, Leroy Felty,
Charley Massey and Fred Berger at the Delaware Int. Speedway,
Hank Rogers Jr won the ARDC Midget race over Nick Fornoro
Jr, P.J. Roberts, Bob Cicconi
and Brian Seidel at the Orange County Fair Speedway,
1982
Sammy Swindell,
in the # 1n Nance House car, won the World of Outlaws feature over Doug
Wolfgang, Steve Kinser, Jeff Swindell
and Rick Ferkel at the Eldora Speedway,
1984
Mario Andretti ran the first
unofficial 210 mph lap (210.575) at Indy.
1985
Rich Vogler
won the USAC Midget race over Tom Bigelow, Steve Lotshaw,
Mel Kenyon and Wayne Arnold at the Indianapolis Speedrome,
1992
Roberto Guerrero set an
2001
Smokey Yunick...
Died ... NASCAR and Indy mechanic and owner of the "Best Damn Garage in
Town" in
Some racin’
stuff:
From last week:
A little quiz:
Who is the American driver
that has made the most Formula One starts in the history of Formula One racing?
Any idea? E-mail me your
answer to me at: ygordad@yahoo.com. Please use “Quiz” as the subject. Answer in my next column.
Answer: Eddie Cheever had 132 starts in Formula One.
Donations sought to help fund
Off-road wheelchair for Lucinda man injured in racing accident.
LUCINDA,
Donations are
being sought to help fund an off-road wheelchair for Brian “Cowboy” Steinman,
who was seriously injured in a sprint car accident at Lernerville
Speedway on July 6.
In order to gain
further independence and do more work on his family farm, Steinman is in need
of an off-road wheelchair (pictured above taking a test drive.)
Donations are
being sought to immediately provide “Cowboy” with his new ride. To make a
donation, visit http://www.stevekingfoundation.org/.
The donation site
was set up by The Steve
King Foundation. The Steve King Foundation is a non-profit, tax
deductible, charitable organization established for the purpose of helping the
dirt track racing community. The foundation was established after the death of
Steve King. Steve died from a brain injury sustained during an accident between
turns three and four during Wednesday night race qualifying for the 2006
Knoxville Nationals.
Coming up:
At OCFS, on Outlaw night, May
19th, the pit gate will open at 3:00 pm, with spectator gates
opening an hour later at 4:00 pm.
Note: I’m trying to get info, from the track, as to
whether the top 6 rows in the half covered will be reserved seating, or
not.
Message from OCFS about the
half covered: “Yes, the top 6 rows in
the half covered are reserved and are $35.00 each.”
Free INDYCAR Test - Pocono
Thursday, July 4
We're opening the gates, for
FREE, to the IZOD IndyCar Series open test at Pocono
Raceway on Thursday, July 4th!
Come see breathtaking speeds
as every IndyCar Series driver entered will be
testing from approximately 10 am - 4 pm ET!
Parking information, updates
on drivers testing and more will be updated as the event draws closer!
Tickets to the July 7 Pocono
INDCYAR 400, marking the first time "The Tricky Triangle" has hosted
an open-wheel event in 24 years, start at $25. All Kid's Tickets (ages 12 and
under) across our entire Grandstand are half-off! To purchase
tickets visit www.poconoraceway.com or call the number below.
1-800-RACEWAY (722-3929)
Ticket Office Hours:
Monday-Friday 9 am - 5 pm ET
Found
on Jayski’s website:
Phoenix Racing to exit
NASCAR: Unable to find a long-term sponsor for his #51 Sprint Cup team, James
Finch is eyeballing an exit from racing all together. "I'm contemplating
finishing up this year, and I don't know if I want a sponsor," Finch said
Monday. "Sunday was my 776th start in NASCAR between the Nationwide and
Sprint Cup. That's a lot of weekends. I'm considering pulling the plug later in
the summer." Finch, 62, said Phoenix Racing will not enter any races after
the Brickyard 400 scheduled for July 28 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He said
he intends to wrap up team operations before the Chase for the Cup begins in
September. "I have not been able to get the right amount of funding, the
economy is pretty bad, and a lot of people don't want to do it," Finch
said of his team's fruitless search for a permanent sponsor. "I'm getting
kind of burned out. I think it is time for me to do something else."
Finch's decision comes in the midst of one of his most successful seasons as an
owner. Finch currently is tied for 13th in NASCAR's owner points
standings with 276 points, just a handful of points outside the Top 10. Phoenix
Racing enjoyed a fourth-place finish with Kurt Busch behind the wheel for the
Nationwide race at Talladega this past weekend, and Regan Smith steered the
team's #51 car to a sixth-place finish in Sunday's Aaron's 499. The team's
success, which includes a pair of Top-10 finishes and five Top-15 results, did
not appear to help the team find a full-time sponsor, however. The team has
found sponsors for individual or small blocks of races, but the lack of a
permanent sponsor has forced Finch to cover his team's considerable costs on
his own. "I don't want to lose everything I've got trying to outrun
people," Finch said. "I can't do that. It's time to do something else
and go from there. I've still got some cars I haven't torn up. And I don't want
to build any new ones." Finch said he will help his 18 employees find work
with other racing teams if they want to remain in the sport.(News
Herald)(5-7-2013)
Jeff Gordon to make 700th career
start...all consecutive: It may not be tame or the same, but respect is what
#24-Jeff Gordon will give Darlington Raceway as he prepares for his 700th
career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start this Saturday night in the Bojangles' Southern 500. Darlington Raceway has earned a
few monikers since it opened in 1950. "The Track Too Tough to Tame" and "The Lady In Black" are two of
those, and drivers tend to use the term "respect" when describing how
they attack the 1.366-mile
Newman's comments after
Talladega under review by NASCAR: NASCAR will likely review comments made by
Stewart-Haas Racing driver #39-Ryan Newman following a Lap 183 crash in
Sunday's rain-marred Sprint Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway. Any potential
fine that could come from the comments likely would be made on Tuesday or
Wednesday, per NASCAR's history. Earlier, it was reported that NASCAR would
definitely review his comments, but a spokesperson clarified that there are a
variety of things that will be reviewed over the course of a race weekend.
Newman finished 32nd after the crash in which Kurt Busch's #78 car
barrel-rolled and landed upside down on the hood of the #39 car Newman had in
position for a top-10 finish or win with five laps left in regulation as
darkness approached. NASCAR fined #11-Denny Hamlin $25,000 earlier this year
for perceived negative comments about the new "Gen 6" car and the quality
of racing at Phoenix International Raceway.(ESPN)(5-7-2013)
UPDATE: NASCAR said Tuesday
that Ryan Newman will not be fined for his rebuke of NASCAR on live television
following a late accident at
UPDATE 2: NASCAR stated
Tuesday that Newman would not face any penalties but spokesperson Kerry Tharp
explained NASCAR's position Wednesday and defended its actions. "We did
tell them they could challenge NASCAR, they could challenge the racing calls,
certain calls that we made and that type of thing," Tharp said of
guidelines to drivers. "We did tell them a couple of years back, hey,
don't take on the racing product, don't disparage the racing. We believe (Newman)
kind of pushed the edge on that in his comments. We disagree with his opinion.
We disagree with the comments he made but he wasn't critical of the racing, he
wasn't critical of the racing product, so therein lies
the decision not to fine him. We don't agree with what he said, I'll tell you
that right now." (Motor Racing Network)(5-8-2013)
Sad News - Frederick Hmiel: Frederick J. Hmiel, 87, of
Air Titan track-drying system
passes first major test: NASCAR's new Air Titan track-drying system got its
first major test of the season and had a substantial impact on the racing
schedule at
Note: There are some that said the new Air Titan
track drying system was too slow.
Waltrip comments on 2014 plans for #55 and Vickers:
#55-Michahel Waltrip, team owners and part-time
driver, discussed many things with the media on Saturday at Talladega
Superspeedway, one thing was the future of the #55 team:
Q) When will you announce the
driver of the No. 55 Camry for next season?
Waltrip: "Well, we're -- obviously I said we've raced
with Aaron's for 14 years and we hope that we can sign something that will put
that deal together for the near foreseeable future to come -- three years or
so. And, we're working hard with Aaron's. We've targeted Brian Vickers as the
guy that we want to drive our car. We think that Brian is a future champion of
the Cup Series so we want Brian to drive it and we want Aaron's to sponsor it.
That's the news and that's where it's at. I think both Aaron's and Brian are
very into making that happen. It would just be a matter of getting the details
worked out in order to be able to announce it soon. So, when it happens it
won't be a surprise because that's what we're after. I think Aaron's growth in
the business world, the amount of stores that they had when we started together
and the amount they have now -- I used to kid people all of the time, I said I
don't believe they think I had anything to do with that, but just in case I've
been there the whole time and let's just keep him around. That was sort of the
way that it started with Aaron's and now with the 'Aaron's Dream Weekend' and
everything that they do in NASCAR, they've committed to this sport and
hopefully that commitment will continue with Michael Waltrip
Racing into the future."(Toyota Racing transcript in part)(5-5-2013)
Penske fines and points
penalties upheld; suspensions reduced UPDATE: According to media at the NASCAR
Research & Development Center, Chief Appeallate
Officer John Middlebrook has upheld the fines and
penalties to the Penske Racing #2 & #22 teams, but has reduced the
suspensions from 6 races to 2 races (plus the All-Star race) for the crew
chiefs, car chiefs, and team engineers on both teams, as well as #2 team
manager Travis Geisler. See complete information on
the original penalties on the NASCAR Penalties, Fines & Suspensions page.
(5-7-2013)
UPDATE: Penske Racing won a
partial victory Tuesday in its final appeal to have penalties against the
Sprint Cup teams of Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano overturned or reduced. NASCAR chief appellate
officer John Middlebrook upheld all the fines and
point penalties, but he reduced the suspensions of seven crew members from six
races to two races. The crew members still will be suspended for the May 18
All-Star race. A week ago, the National Stock Car Racing panel unanimously
upheld NASCAR's penalties, sending the final decision to Middlebrook.
As a result, the 25-point deductions for Keselowski
and Logano in the driver and owner standings stand.
So do the $100,000 fines for crew chiefs Paul Wolfe and Todd Gordon. But the
suspensions for Wolfe, Gordon, chiefs Jerry Kelley and
Raymond Fox, engineers Brian Wilson and Samuel Stanley and competition director
Travis Geisler were reduced by four, which team owner
Roger Penske considered a victory. The suspensions will begin this weekend at
Darlington Raceway and include the May 26 Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor
Speedway. Those suspended will return for the June 2 race at Dover.(ESPN.com)(5-7-2013)
UPDATE 2: On May 7, 2013 the
Chief Appellate Officer heard and considered the appeal of the penalties from
the #2 and #22 Penske Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams. These penalties
stemmed from pre-race inspection for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Texas
Motor Speedway April 13. The penalties concern Sections 12-1: Actions
detrimental to stock car racing; 12-4J: Any determination by NASCAR Officials
that race equipment used in the event does not conform to the NASCAR rules
detailed in Section 20 of the NASCAR rule book, or has not been approved by
NASCAR prior to the event; and 20-12: All suspension systems and components
must be approved by NASCAR. Prior to being used in competition, all suspension
systems and components must be submitted in a completed form/assembly to the
office of the NASCAR competition administrator for consideration of approval
and approved by NASCAR. Each such part may thereafter be used until NASCAR determines
that such part is no longer eligible. All suspension fasteners and mounting
hardware must be made of solid magnetic steel. All front end and rear end
suspension mounts with mounting hardware assembled must have single round
mounting holes that are the correct size for the fastener being used. All front
end and rear end suspension mounts and mounting hardware must not allow
movement or realignment of any suspension component beyond component normal
rotation or suspension travel.
The results of the Chief
Appellate Officer hearing were:
- Upholding the fines and
points penalties that were originally assessed.
- Reducing the suspensions of
the seven team members from six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship points events (plus the non-points NASCAR Sprint All-Star
Race) to two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship points events (plus the
non-points NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race).
The seven team members in
question will be suspended for the next three upcoming NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
race weekends at Darlington Speedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway. They will
return for the race weekend at Dover International Speedway. They remain on
NASCAR probation until Dec. 31.
"After looking at all
the facts and data and interpretations from the rule book, I have decided to
uphold the original fines and points penalties," said John Middlebrook, Chief Appellate Officer. "However, I have
decided to reduce the suspensions of the seven team members involved from six points races and the all-star race to two points races and
the all-star race."(NASCAR)(5-7-2013)
Penske announces personnel
changes for Darlington and
Team Manager: Mike Nelson,
currently Vice President of Operations, will fulfill this role
#2 Miller Lite
Ford Fusion:
Crew Chief: Kevin Buskirk. Buskirk, a former driver
and crew chief, joined Penske racing prior to the 2012 season. He currently
manages the test teams for Penske Racing.
Race Engineer: Jonathan Hassler. Hassler, served as the lead engineer for the #22 Sprint Cup Series
team last season and helped the #22 Nationwide Series team earn six victories
in 2011.
Car Chief: Nick Hensley. Hensley, has worked with Penske Racing since 2007 and has
worked with the No. 2 team since the 2011 season.
#22 Shell Pennzoil Ford Fusion:
Crew Chief: Steve Reis. Reis, who normally serves as one of the team's engineers,
has been with Penske Racing since 2009 and has been with the #22 team since
2011. Before, he served as the race engineer on the #77 Penske Racing Sprint
Cup team
Race Engineer: Ben Atkins.
Atkins is an engineer with Penske Racing and worked with Todd Gordon during the
2011 season.
Car Chief: Jeffery Thousand.
Thousand, who has been with Penske Racing for close to twenty years, served as
the car chief for the #22 through last season.
Greg Erwin, Sam Hornish Jr.'s crew chief in the
Nationwide Series, will sit atop the pit box on race day for the Shell-Pennzoil
team and serve as a race strategist. Erwin will continue in his role as Sam Hornish' s
crew chief in the Nationwide Series.(Penske Racing)(5-8-2013)
Gibbs' penalties reduced by
appeals panel UPDATE: According to reports from media at the
Kenseth's points penalty has been
reduced from 50 to 12;
Joe Gibb's owner points penalty has been reduced from 50 to 12;
Gibb's suspension was eliminiated;
The marnufacturer's
point penalty to
Kenseth's win at
Crew Chief Jason Ratcliff's
suspension has been reduced from 6 races to 1. His fine remains at $200,000.
The appeal panel consisted of
Mark Arute (Stafford Motor Speedway), Denis McGlynn (Dover Raceway) and Jack Housby
(former team owner).(5-8-2013)
UPDATE: The National Stock
Car Racing Appeals Panel today heard and considered the appeal of the#20 Joe
Gibbs Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team. The penalties concern Sections
12-1: Actions detrimental to stock car racing; 12-4J: Any determination by
NASCAR Officials that race equipment used in the event does not conform to the
NASCAR rules detailed in Section 20 of the NASCAR rule book, or has not been
approved by NASCAR prior to the event; and 20-5.5.3E: Only solid magnetic steel
connecting rods with a minimum weight of 525.0 grams will be permitted.
Connecting rod failed to meet minimum connecting rod weight. The penalties
stemmed from a post-race engine inspection April 23 at the NASCAR Research and
• Crew chief Jason Ratcliff:
The $200,000 fine remains intact; NASCAR suspension now covers one championship
points event. In addition, he will be placed on NASCAR
probation until the completion of the next three championship points events following
his reinstatement;
• Car owner Joe Gibbs: Loss
of championship owner points has been reduced to 12. All other components of
his penalty were rescinded;
• Driver Matt Kenseth; Loss of championship driver points has been
reduced to 12. All other components of his penalty were rescinded;
• Manufacturer: The loss of
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series manufacturer championship points has been increased to
seven.(NASCAR)(5-8-2013)
Former OVRP Dirt Oval
runners:
Josh Peiniazek
was 6th in the Sprint Car race at
Mike Mammana
was 22nd in the Modified feature at Big Diamond.
Kyle Rohner
was 4th in the Sportsman feature at Penn Can.
Alex Bell was 15th
in the Dirt Modified feature at Devil’s Bowl.
AJ Filbeck
was 4th in the Sportsman feature at Utica/Rome.
Billy VanInwegen
won the Modified feature at Accord and was followed by Danny Creeden in 4th and Mike Doty in 6th.
Anthony Perrego
won the Sportsman feature, with Tyler Dippel 19th.
Mike Traver
was 3rd, Tyler Boniface 4th, Andrew Reeves 6th
and Kyle VanDuser 14th in the Spec
Sportsman feature.
Rick Casario
was 16th in the 270 Micro Sprint feature at the Greenwood Valley
Action Track.
Clinton Mills was 2nd,
Billy VanInwegen 7th, Mike Ruggiero 14th
and Tim Hindley 23rd in the Modified
feature at OCFS.
Tyler Dippel
won the Sportsman feature with Anthony Perrego 3rd,
Brian Krummel 6th, Johnny Illanovsky 8th, LJ Lombardo 11th, Joe
Conklin 12th, Matt Janiak 13th,
Zack Vavricka 14th, Andrew
Reeves 19th and Tyler Boniface 23rd. Joey Falanga was a
DNQ.
Seth Pacella
was 4th in the Rookie Sportsman feature.
Josh Pieniazek
was 4th, Emily VanInwegen 16th
and Chuck Alessi 24th in the CRSA 305
Sprint Car feature. BK Rizzo, Brittany Tresch and Joe Kata were DNQ’s.
Kolby Schroder was 10th, Kyle Armstrong 12th
and Bobby Hackel, IV was 14th in the
Modified feature at
Mike Doty was 16th
and Danny Creeden a DQ in the Modified feature at 5
Mile Point. Brad Szulewski
was 8th in the Sportsman feature.
Rich Coons was 1st
and Bobby Morris 4th at
Roger Coss
was 8th in the Modified feature at
At Hamlin, Jacob Hendershot was 3rd in the 270 Micro Sprint
feature. Tyler Pirone
was 16th in the All-Star Slingshot feature. Paul Tigue was 15th
in the Junior Slingshots. Molly Chambers
was 15th and Kyle Rohner 18th
in the Wingless 600 Micro Sprint feature.
I think that’s 45 names this
week.
News from the AARN:
Note: Don’t forget – if you’re a subscriber to the
AARN, you can have the free digital version.
That is available on Tuesday mornings.
From their May 7th
edition – picked up from the Digital Service:
There were 72 pages in this weeks edition.
Lenny Sammons:
Lenny passes the word that
Hoffman Speed is out as parts & tire people at Big Diamond. Also, when the AARN lists feature winners,
it's for the main class or classes at a track.
There are just too many classes anymore.
Ernie Saxton:
Ernie is wondering who it
might be, in racing, to "come out of the closet", so to say. A minor
league team in PA has a new "game" for the male fans - an "Art
Splash" - Men play games in the urinals.
Uh huh! Games
last 55 seconds. No such thing in
the ladeis room, however, BUT they do have screens to
keep track of the mens scores. What next?
The Panther DRR Indycar race team will be
history after thjs years Indy 500. Not enough sponsorship is the reason. They only have Charter, Valspar, Mecom, Wix, Hurco
and Sandvik.
Kentucky Speedway might have Indycars back in
2014. The Indianapolis Speedway will be
getting a 5 million dollar loan over the next ten years. I go along with Ernie - lights are a
possibility. Ernie questions if there really
is a need for
so many sanctioning organizations in racing?
It's close to 300 now.
Steve Barrick:
He had an article with the
title: "Death of a
Brian Danko:
He wonders - What has
happened to the NASCAR Modified Tour? He mentions the Spring Sizzler" at
John Snyder:
John congratulates Kenny
Tremont on his 300th win. He got his
300th at A/S last Friday. Kenny is the
all-time leader at
In AARN
This Week:
Brian Ramey Asserts
Is Secure
Chris Hamilton
Wins Wall Mod Feature
In Second Start
After Major Wrist Injury
Weldon Sterner Memorial Win -
And $6,900 - Earned By Brian Montieth
ACT Photo Finish At Devils
Bowl
Taken By
Champ Wayne Helliwell Jr.
First Small Block Win
Garnered By Former New
Sportsman Ace Rocco Infante
Back Off 'Disabled List',
Hirschman Claims
RoC Asphalt Inaugural
At Chemung
Death Of
A
Dunn Hill 2 Closes Its Gates
Milestone Victory:
Kenny Tremont Gets His
300th Career Feature
Steve Buckwalter
Runs
ARDC '13 Record To
Three-For-Three
Press releases:
NEWS FROM
Orange County Fair
CONTACT
Mike Gurda
845-342-2573
FOR RELEASE BEGINNING SUNDAY,
May 6
SMALL BLOCK MODIFIEDS AND
VINTAGE RACE CARS SPICE UP THE MAY 11 PROGRAM AT
ORANGE COUNTY FAIR
Gary Edwards Jr. won the
season inaugural race for the Small-Block Modifieds.
He and two-dozen o the r competitors will be after the trophy, cash prize
money, and the glory that comes from winning at one of the country’s oldest
speedways.
The evening’s schedule Includes a full racing program featuring DIRTcar-sanctioned
Big-Block Modifieds, Sportsman, Small-Block Modifieds, Street Stock race cars, and the Vintage machines
in qualifying heats and feature races. The evening’s program is sponsored by
Sparta Trucking.
In the headline Modified
division, defending champion Jerry Higbie has already
posted two wins and is again leading in track points. Jeff Heotzler
Sr. and Bobby Varin have also won Modified features
in early season racing.
Admission prices for the
April 28 race meet remain at $14 adults, $12 seniors, and free for children 12
and under. The full night of racing begins promptly at 6:30 pm.
Looking ahead, the World of
Outlaws Sprint Cars and racing Stars are returning to
Information for all Orange
County Fair Speedway action is available at the speedway website,
www.orangecountyfairspeedway.net, or from at the Track Office. Call
845-342-2573 during business hours.
Note: I do not know if they have rain dates for the
Small Block races, if it should rain when they’re scheduled. I doubt it, though.
News from Friesen-Deyo Promotions – Pioneer Pole Buildings Inc. ‘Dirty
Media Contact: Brett Deyo – 845.728.2781 or Deyo99H@aol.com
For Immediate Release/May 6,
2013
Incentives Adding Up For
First ‘Dirty Jersey 60’ Super DIRTcar Series Event
Tuesday, June 18 At New Egypt Speedway; Teo-Pro Car
Sets $600 Halfway Modified Bonus; VP Racing Fuels On Board For ‘Turnpike 25’
Sportsman Winner
NEW
As the countdown continues to
the return of Super DIRTcar Series big-block Modifieds to New Egypt Speedway on Tuesday, June 18 (rain
date: June 19), contingency award sponsors are joining the event presented by
dirt Modified star Stewart Friesen and special events promoter Brett Deyo under the Friesen-Deyo
Promotions banner.
Teo-Pro Car of Sussex, N.J., has signed on as the halfway
bonus sponsor for the ‘Dirty
“This is shaping up to be one
of the biggest events in Modified racing in 2013,” Teo-Pro
representative Matt Hearn said. “It’s definitely an event we wanted to be a
part of. It should be one of the most talented fields of Modifieds
you will see at any race this year.”
Teo-Pro Car is on the web at www.teopro.com and can be
reached by phone at 973.764.5500.
For racers in the ‘Turnpike
25’ for Open vs. Crate Sportsman, there is a lucrative incentive in place for
the race winner courtesy of VP Racing Fuels.
The victor will receive a drum of VP Racing Fuels in addition to the
base $750 first-place prize and lap money. Learn more about VP Racing Fuels
online at www.vpracingfuels.com.
Competitors in both the
Modified and Sportsman divisions are eligible for lap money. Laps are on sale
for $25 per lap (Modified) and $20 per lap (Sportsman). To reserve a lap,
contact Brett Deyo at Deyo99H@aol.com or by phone at
845.728.2781.
Two laps have been set aside
in the ‘Dirty
On lap 60, the sixth-place
driver will take home $60 cash in honor of the late Doug Hoffman, a winner of
482 features on dirt and pavement and eventually a track promoter before his
untimely passing in December 2012.
The ‘Dirty
A massive $27,500 purse has
been posted for the event with a minimum of $6,000 earmarked for the
winner. Joining the big-block Modifieds on the program is the first ‘Turnpike 25’
featuring Open vs. Crate Sportsman vying for a minimum top prize of $750.
Rules and event information
have been posted on the ‘Dirty Jersey 60’ website at www.bdmotorsportsmedia.com
outlining prices, a complete time schedule, specs for both divisions and more.
Marketing opportunities
remain for the ‘Dirty Jersey 60’ inaugural event. Lap sponsorships are on sale
for the Modifieds ($25 per lap) and Sportsman ($20
per lap). To inquire about lap or bonus
award sponsorships, contact Brett Deyo at
Deyo99H@aol.com or by phone: 845.728.2781.
For the ‘Dirty Jersey 60’ pit
gates will unlock at 4 p.m. Spectator
gates open at 5 p.m. Hot laps are planned for 6:45
p.m. and Modified qualifying begins at 7:15 p.m. A rain date for Wednesday, June 19 has been
established.
To learn more about Friesen-Deyo Promotions or the 'Dirty
The ‘Dirty Jersey 60’ is
presented by Pioneer Pole Buildings Inc., Avis Rental Car, Shiley
Fabrication, BFP Specialty, Teo-Pro Car, Utica-Rome
Speedway, Black Rock Speedway, VP Racing Fuels and many other fine marketing
partners
I
get e-mails:
Passing this
along.............each day our government becomes more scary!
Look who's new in the white
house!
Arif Alikhan - Assistant
Secretary for Policy Development
for the
Mohammed Elibiary
- Homeland Security Adviser
Rashad Hussain - Special Envoy to
the (OIC)
Organization of the Islamic
Conference
Salam al-Marayati
- Obama Adviser –
founder Muslim Public Affairs Council
and its current executive director
Imam Mohamed Magid - Obama's Sharia Czar –
Islamic Society of
Eboo Patel - Advisory Council on Faith-Based
Neighborhood Partnerships
This is flat out scary!!!!
The foxes are now living in
the hen house...
Now ask me why I am
concerned!!!
Subject: Final
Date: Thursday, May 2, 2013,
8:16 AMA final toast for the Doolittle Raiders
It's the cup of brandy that
no one wants to drink.
On Tuesday, in
They once were among the most
universally admired and revered men in the
Now only four survive.
After
Even though there were no
friendly airfields close enough to
The 16 five-man crews, under
the command of Lt. Col. James Doolittle, who himself flew the lead plane off
the USS Hornet, knew that they would not be able to return to the carrier. They
would have to hit
But on the day of the raid,
the Japanese military caught wind of the plan. The Raiders were told that they
would have to take off from much farther out in the
And those men went anyway.
They bombed
The Doolittle Raid sent a
message from the
We will fight.
And, no matter what it takes,
we will win.
Of the 80 Raiders, 62
survived the war. They were celebrated as national heroes, models of bravery.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer produced a motion picture based on the raid; "Thirty
Seconds Over Tokyo," starring Spencer Tracy and
Van Johnson, was a patriotic and emotional box-office hit, and the phrase
became part of the national lexicon. In the movie-theater previews for the
film, MGM proclaimed that it was presenting the story "with supreme
pride."
Beginning in 1946, the
surviving Raiders have held a reunion each April, to commemorate the mission.
The reunion is in a different city each year. In 1959, the city of
Every year, a wooden display
case bearing all 80 goblets is transported to the reunion city.. Each time a Raider passes away,
his goblet is turned upside down in the case at the next reunion, as his old
friends bear solemn witness.
Also in the wooden case is a
bottle of 1896 Hennessy Very Special cognac. The year is not happenstance: 1896
was when Jimmy Doolittle was born.
There has always been a plan:
When there are only two surviving Raiders, they would open the bottle, at last
drink from it, and toast their comrades who preceded them in death.
As 2013 began, there were
five living Raiders; then, in February, Tom Griffin passed away at age 96.
What a man he was. After
bailing out of his plane over a mountainous Chinese forest after the
The selflessness of these
men, the sheer guts ... there was a passage in the Cincinnati Enquirer obituary
for Mr. Griffin that, on the surface, had nothing to do with the war, but that
emblematizes the depth of his sense of duty and devotion:
"When his wife became
ill and needed to go into a nursing home, he visited her every day. He walked
from his house to the nursing home, fed his wife and at the end of the day
brought home her clothes. At night, he washed and ironed her clothes. Then he
walked them up to her room the next morning. He did that for three years until
her death in 2005."
So now, out of the original
80, only four Raiders remain: Dick Cole (Doolittle's co-pilot on the
The events in
The town is planning to do
all it can to honor the men: a six-day celebration of their valor, including
luncheons, a dinner and a parade.
Do the men ever wonder if
those of us for whom they helped save the country have tended to it in a way
that is worthy of their sacrifice? They don't talk about that, at least not
around other people. But if you find yourself near
The men have decided that
after this final public reunion they will wait until a later date -- some time
this year -- to get together once more, informally and in absolute privacy.
That is when they will open the bottle of brandy. The years are flowing by too
swiftly now; they are not going to wait until there are only two of them.
They will fill the four
remaining upturned goblets.
And raise them in a toast to
those who are gone.
God Bless all those who served in
the Greatest Generation
Found on Facebook:
Back when I studied the
Holocaust, in High School, I remember thinking, “How did Hitler get over 6 million
people to follow along blindly, and not fight back?
Then I realized, I’m watching my fellow Americans take the same path.
OBAMA BLAMES
Link: http://www.libertynews.com/2013/05/obama-blames-america-for-mexicos-gun-violence/
"Which country is Barack
Obama President of again? I’m a little confused on this. I mean, a U.S.
President is, after all, tasked with protecting the rights of Americans. How
does a guy who blames Americans for violent actions of another country and
calls for limitations on American rights actually upholding his oath to
office?" – One of the comments that went with the article.
Eric Holder says Feds Will
Ignore State Laws and Enforce Gun Grab
Link: http://spreadlibertynews.com/eric-holder-says-feds-will-ignore-state-laws-and-enforce-gun-grab/
In part: "In his letter to Governor Brownback,
Attorney General Holder demonstrates that he is as ignorant as his boss as to
the proper, constitutional relationship between state governments and the
federal government. Accordingly, when Holder threatens to use “all appropriate
action” to “prevent the State of Kansas from interfering with the activities of
federal officials enforcing federal law,” what he is saying is that he will use
any means necessary to prevent the sovereign state of Kansas (and any other
state brave enough to take a stand against the federal government) from
exercising its right to protect its citizens from federal disarmament.
And, more importantly, by
disregarding a legally enacted Kansas statute preserving the right of its
citizens to keep and bear arms, the Obama administration is not only ignoring
the Second Amendment, but it is also ignoring the 10th Amendment and its
restrictions on federal power."
Teacher who stomped on flag
in class gets $85K payment
Link: http://news.msn.com/us/teacher-who-stomped-on-flag-in-class-gets-dollar85k-payment
Found on the
Internet:
This might upset
some people:
Some cuts likely for food
stamps
Link: http://news.yahoo.com/cuts-likely-food-stamps-203242288.html
This is really
sad, I think. What has happened to our
country, anyway?
HIGH SCHOOL TRACK TEAM
DISQUALIFIED WHEN RUNNER GESTURES THANKS TO GOD
Link: http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2013/05/03/track-team-disqualified-for-religious-gesture
Jason Collins denies he is
seeking book deal
Link: http://sports.yahoo.com/news/jason-collins-seeking-book-deal-201039681--nba.html
Note: Some comments worth reading are under the
article. Personally, I think it's all
about a book deal.
House approves bill to change
overtime pay law
Link: http://news.yahoo.com/house-approves-bill-change-overtime-pay-law-215721777.html
Note: Which would you rather have - the money (at
time and a half) or the time off, with pay - probably straight time.
A few of the comments with
the article:
"My retirement is based
on my gross income, social security on gross income, thanks but no thanks I'll
work all the overtime I can and retire young."
"Is the comp time based
at 1-1/2 times each extra hour? If not the employee is getting the wrong end of
the shaft."
"And if the company goes
out of business or files for bankruptcy you can kiss you time off deal goodbye.
Take the money."
Some
non-racing stuff:
Court
Martial for soldiers religions?
God Bless
http://www.nextgeneration.tv/?cmd=mpg&load=8366&mpid=517
And this, too:
Admiral DEFIES THE MILITARY
BAN on Sharing His Christian Faith
Is
this true?
Note: This was on left side in the above link.
Explosive Details From
Note: CBS blasts the administration in this report:
“Three more officials to testify over
Witnesses denounce response
to
Link: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/benghazi-hearing-promises-partisan-fireworks-144356871.html
7 revelations from the
1. There were no protests
over the YouTube video
2. Hicks says he was demoted
for speaking up
3. Hicks claims he got an
angry phone call from Hillary Clinton's chief of staff
4. Thompson says he was
ignored by
5. Hicks was embarrassed by a
White House official's reaction to the attacks
6. Hicks claims that the
Obama administration hurt the investigation
7. The attack occurred before
a proposed visit by
Link: http://news.yahoo.com/7-revelations-benghazi-whistle-blower-hearing-193200064.html
Note: My take on this
Labor Union: We Were Wrong,
Please REPEAL Obamacare
Link: http://www.capitalisminstitute.org/anti-obamacare-union/
Obama’s Birth Certificate To Be Questioned By
Alabama Supreme Court Thanks To Relentless Sheriff
Link: http://www.mrconservative.com/2013/05/14531-obama-birth-certificate-headed-to-supreme-court/
Fla. Legislature refuses to
aid Miami Dolphins
In part: "Others who lost out include the city of
Link: http://sports.yahoo.com/news/fla-legislature-refuses-aid-miami-013800101--nfl.html
And this, about the
6 Ways
Link: http://www.capitalisminstitute.org/no-hillary-president/
Why
Link: http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2013/05/04/how-much-gm-truly-stole-from-taxpayers.aspx
In part: "By the numbers
When the government swooped
in to save GM from a painful death, it tossed the company a $49.5 billion
lifeline. As part of the agreement, GM was to restructure, return to
profitability, and repay the funds by buying back shares purchased and held by
the
This ugly chapter in GM's
history has dragged its brand image through the mud, and the shares held by the
Treasury have in part kept a lid on its stock price. That will cause a massive
loss when GM finishes buying its shares back from the government. Right now the
Pelosi Spent $100,000+ Tax
Money on Gourmet Food
Link: http://www.capitalisminstitute.org/pelosi-corruption/
VIDEO: Judge Napolitano
Agrees With SOS - Hillary Can Be Prosecuted
Note: Ah, but will she, that’s the question! Seeing how our gov’t
has been lately, I highly doubt she’ll be tried for anyting.
Truth Wins: The Benghazi
Cover-Up is Beginning to Collapse
Link: http://www.capitalisminstitute.org/the-benghazi-cover-rup/
Video time –
music:
Well, actually
not music this week.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5_Msrdg3Hk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhoJqf9-Wk0
Video time – racin stuff:
The track is now
called Full Throttle Speedway. It used
to be called DeSoto Super Speedway. It’s in
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Jw5yhM5yZrg
Al Unser on Pole Day 1989
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpAJwHgpdNY
Note:
It’s a shame that what at one time what was
once the second largest spectator drawing event (after the Indy 500) – the
first day of time trials at Indy, can’t draw fans, today.
Photos:
Note: The photos are not available on Dirt Track
Digest, only on New England Tractor - http://newenglandtractor.com/racereport/
Going back in
time some – this one is Robbie Green at
And his father, at the Orange County Fair Speedway.
That’s Bob,
working on the engine.
Closing with these:
Kulula Airlines – Continued:
Kulula is an Airline with head office situated in
Here are the last of some
real examples that have been heard or reported:
"Your seats cushions can
be used for flotation; and in the event of an emergency water landing, please
paddle to shore and take them with our compliments."
"As you exit the plane,
make sure to gather all of your belongings. Anything left behind will be
distributed evenly among the flight attendants. Please do not leave children or
spouses.."
And from the pilot during his
welcome message: "Kulula Airlines is pleased to
announce that we have some of the best flight attendants in the industry.
Unfortunately, none of them are on this flight!"
Heard on Kulula
255 just after a very hard landing in
Overheard on a Kulula flight into
Another flight attendant's
comment on a less than perfect landing: "We ask you to please remain
seated as Captain Kangaroo bounces us to the terminal."
An airline pilot wrote that
on this particular flight he had hammered his ship into the runway really hard.
The airline had a policy which required the first officer to stand at the door
while the passengers exited, smile, and give them a "Thanks for flying our
airline". He said that, in light of his bad landing, he had a hard time
looking the passengers in the eye, thinking that someone would have a smart
comment. Finally everyone had gotten off except for a little old lady walking
with a cane. She said,
"Sir, do you mind if I
ask you a question?"
"Why, no Ma'am,"
said the pilot. "What is it?"
The little old lady said,
"Did we land, or were we
shot down?"
After a real crusher of a
landing in
"Ladies and Gentlemen,
please remain in your seats until Captain Crash and the Crew have brought the
aircraft to a screeching halt against the gate. And, once the tire smoke has
cleared and the warning bells are silenced, we will open the door and you can
pick your way through the wreckage to the terminal.."
Part of a flight attendant's
arrival announcement:
"We'd like to thank you
folks for flying with us today. And, the next time you get the insane urge to
go blasting through the skies in a pressurized metal tube, we hope you'll think
of Kulula Airways."
Heard on a Kulula flight:
"Ladies and gentlemen,
if you wish to smoke, the smoking section on this airplane is on the wing. If
you can light 'em, you can smoke 'em."
Until next week,
folks!
As usual, you can reach me
at: ygordad@yahoo.com