Racin'
& Different Stuff:
By Tom Avenengo
Volume # 165
12/26/2013
Please don’t forget:
Oh, and another thing: Hillary is EVIL!
From an email:
As a 27 year old staff
attorney for the house judiciary committee during the Watergate Investigation,
Hillary Rodham was fired by her supervisor, lifelong Democrat Jerry Zeifman.
When asked why Hillary Rodham
was fired: “Because she was a liar,” Zeifman said in an interview. “She was an unethical, dishonest lawyer. She conspired to violate the constitution,
the rules of the house. The rules of the committee and the rules of confidentiality.”
http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/c/clinton-watergate.htm#.Uqk6VdJDu-k
Racin’ & short’ stuff:
Again, due to the season, there isn’t too
much going on, racing wise.
Somehow, it’s kinda
hard getting into the Christmas spirit, this year. This is our first Christmas away from home in
about 50 years, and down here in
Found on Facebook.
Some bad
news about TSRS. Hope its not true.
Pretty much
Hmmmn I hear upstate NY likes their 305 organization
I know that some people don't
like others to talk about these things in the open, but you have a lot of
people spending money right now getting their cars ready for next year and they
should know what is going on. They may be wasting their money if they can't
race. (Just looking out for the little guy).
I hope a compromise is
reached very soon. We all know how
And more
being said:
I know when they started this
series they talked to me quite a bit , we even had a
challenge thing going. I know they were getting like $100 a car when they
started. They needed to do that until they got a full field of cars., They have a great turnout of cars now so there most
likely looking for a purse structure , in which case should be done. The purses
for the Racesaver 305 sprints is not that much, I
think we (CRSA) started @ $3850.00 and now its like
$4400 or something like that. Believe me I know with 24 cars in the pits we
pretty much cover our own purse.
The purpose and rule of thumb
with the purse is , Last place should get about half of the winners share.
We always liked to pay $300 to win and $150 to start. This helps every ones
traveling expenses. The 305s are a great , fun series
and must be catching on because every track wants to do them now. When I
started CRSA everybody told me I was nuts and it would never work
, Hmmmmm !
I suspect that if the guys
travel to NY they'll find that the cost and time to tow from their home bases
will far outweigh the increase in the purse.
And lots of the 305 guys are small teams and likely don't have the means
or interest in traveling to NY as so many are based in the south and central part
of the state. Bad deal all around but
there's still the possibility this could all be worked out. Time will tell...
This is in no way meant to
diminish the work you did with the 305s, but I also think the reason they are
taking off around the country is because 360s have gone down the same path cost
wise as 410s. Back when Hoseheads was still a strong
message board, the site had many posters in areas of the country without 410s
who touted 360s as the Sprint Car of the future. But it just seems insane what
teams are spending on a 360 to run for just 30-50 percent of the purse of a
410.
And correct me if I'm wrong,
but that's how most Racesaver series work around the
country, right? I always thought that it was a good structure and helped to
keep costs down.
How much of an increase are the
TSRS looking for to make this such a big deal?
The 360s have largely grown
beyond a "working man's" Sprint Car division, This
year, Eagle (
The 305s now seem like what
360s were 15-20 years ago.
That's how French Grimes
structured the RACESAVER 305s . Don't know about the
other 305 series. I really don't know what TSRS is looking for but I bet its just some kind of purse instead of just the same for
each car.
I've seen the 305s of the
The most fun I've had was
when we raced with CRSA. I got to say Brian it was alot
of good times. I agree with u guys the 360'sare out pricing themselves. IT'S
still fun but gets crazy and expensive for small teams.
From a post on
Sounds like the problem has been solved.
I talked to quite a few
players today. NES will have Racesaver 305's back for
a full schedule. I would suspect a full release and schedule soon.
And from a post on the DTD
Forum on 12/24:
I see New Egypt is going to
be Racesaver sanctioned and offer their own purse and
it won't be TSRS events so that makes things a bit interesting.
UPDATE: I got some
information from sources at NES and they will not run any races against the
TSRS schedule so that should help the series and they'll have a weekly purse of
$4,000.
Some info on the truck series
that OCFS will be using:
Truck Series: http://estseries.wix.com/estracing#!
Help Brighten The Day Of A Racing Legend
As you may know, Joe Leonard
had a stroke about 18 months ago. He's now at an assisted living home.
I am told that getting good
wishes or a holiday card from Indy 500 fans would really cheer him up and mean
a lot to him!
Here's the address
Mr Joe Leonard
C/o
1039 E El Camino Real
Thank you
For WoO
Sprint Cars:
2014 Rules Update
Three New Rules for 2014
Focused on Improving Sprint Car Safety
World Racing Group and the
World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series (WoO), working
in conjunction with other 410 sprint car sanctioning bodies, 410 tracks and
promoters, part manufactures, suppliers and other entities involved in the 410
industry, have developed and adopted three significant rule changes for the
2014 racing season. Much time, effort and research has gone into this endeavor.
We encourage all 410 governing bodies to incorporate these rules. Please review
the provided Rules Bulletin closely and feel free to contact me or WoO Technical Director Mike Hess with any questions or
concerns. These rules and products were released at PRI. Listed below are
answers to some of the most frequently asked questions we received at the show:
1. The seat rule is mandatory
and becomes effective Feb. 1, 2014. Any race car being presented for WoO competition must be equipped with one of the listed
seats. There are no exceptions. Race cars not properly equipped will not be
allowed to compete. The approved seat list may expand as new products are
developed.
2. The front axle tether rule
is mandatory and becomes effective April 1, 2014. Both the right and left side
of the axle must be tethered. At this time the listed Butlerbuilt
system is the only approved system. It is anticipated that other products will
be approved as they are developed. Cars not properly equipped by April 1, 2014
will not be allowed to compete.
3. The torsion arm stop rule
is mandatory and takes effect Feb 1, 2014. It is anticipated that other
products will be approved for competition as long as they are similar in
construction and quality to those listed. Approval will not be unrealistically
withheld.
Again, for the betterment of
the 410 industry, we ask everyone’s cooperation in adopting and implementing
these rules.
http://www.woosprint.com/images/stories/MainImages/PDF/2014RulesBulletin1.pdf
http://www.woosprint.com/component/content/article/152-featured-news-tabs/2449-2014-rules-update
From an email I received on
12/24/13 from Rich (Racer Rich) Boteler, who is a
close friend of Jigger Sirois, who will be inducted
into the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame next month. While at
From “Racer Rich”:
“I just found this on FB from
a guy that I think is Arnie Knepper's
son. Jigger has related this race different times to
me. I think he started 1st or 2nd in this race. He has told me that he learned
that he could drive the car into the corner without lifting off the throttle
and absolutely standing on the brake pedal with his left foot. Remember that
the Turbine doesn't produce any decompression and had a throttle lag so this
style of driving sorta cured both problems. The race
was called at the halfway point (51 laps) due to rain. Jigger says he was
totally wore out and would never have been able to finish the race had it
continued for the full 100 laps since his left foot was done!! Great story just
as he described it to me.
Sort of a bonus sideline
story, Jigger later told me that at the Hoosier Hundred at the Indiana State
Fairgrounds they had given the ride to another driver (my mind doesn't retain
his name right now). Anyway, Big Al Unser came to him and asked why he wasn't
driving the car. Jigger told him they decided to put this other driver in it.
Al was sorely pissed and told him that just wasn't fair and that it was his
ride and nobody had driven the car like Jigger had!!
Hopefully you guys will enjoy
this. RR”
Sent: Tuesday, December 24,
2013 2:01 PM
Subject: Emailing:
1469959_640522132678678_1736760589_n
Jigger in
the #38 Turbine car. Finished 3rd
behind winner A. J. Foyt and 2nd place Arnie Knepper. @ DuQuoin, not certain of the year but probably in the early
70's. In the comments beside the pic I read that this
is the highest finish ever in a Turbine Powered car in USAC Competition and
that the car never made another race, ever!! Also that Foyt
had a wore out RR tire when the race was called so he
was in trouble for the finish also. RR
Race results:
http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/race.php?raceid=2122
IndyCar files lawsuit against
And more on Indy Car:
New info from Mark Miles re:
title sponsor, 2015 & beyond
Note: Some VERY interesting comments on this, some
which I feel are quite true as for the problems with Indy Car.
Madison Martin named new Miss
Sprint Cup for 2014
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/madison-martin-named-miss-sprint-150102036--nascar.html
Wow! Good looking young lady, for sure.
How much is too much? How much does it cost to go to a race at your
local track? If I’m not mistaken, the
last “major” race I was at was the 400 mile Indy Car race at Pocono and tickets
cost something like 40 bucks. A little more for Sunday at Eastern States. And is it true – for the Modifieds
at Volusia it will be $40.00 a ticket?
If so, I think I’ll have to pass, even though I’ll still be down here in
Here is a list of the top
seven NFL teams as far as cost goes. As
one can see, it’s really somewhat out of hand.
Just how much does each team get from TV, anyway?
7 NFL Teams That Make Fans
Pay the Most
7.
First up are the Baltimore
Ravens. Since winning Super Bowl XLVII earlier this year, the average ticket
price for a Ravens game has gone up 9 percent and now sits at $100.19. The
average premium ticket price for a game is $258.94. Both these numbers go into
account when determining
6.
Next up are the Washington
Redskins, with the cost of a total fan experience coming to $561.21, almost $15
more than that of a Ravens game. An average ticket to FedEx Field now costs
$94.80, but the price wasn’t always so high: Redskins tickets have increased
15.5 percent since the 2012 season.
5.
The New York Jets come in
fifth with a total fan experience cost of $577.12, according to FanCostExperience.com’s Fan Cost Index. At MetLife Stadium,
an average ticket to a Jets game is $110.28, while a premium ticket costs
$355.94. Those figures put the Jets at No. 5 on our list, but during the 2012
season, the team sat at No. 1. Jets prices came down after the 2012 season
because the team only coughed up a 6-10 record — management probably recognized
fan discontent and lowered prices by 6.5 percent.
4.
Next up is a team that
doesn’t claim turf on the East Coast, instead calling the
3.
Heading back to the East
Coast, we reach
Coming in hot at No. 2 are
the New England Patriots. An average ticket to a Patriots game costs $117.84,
while the cost of an average premium ticket is even steeper at $566.67. The
total FCI for the Patriots is $582.76, making them the second most expensive
team to watch for an overall fan experience. The cost of a Patriots ticket has
remained unchanged from 2012 to 2013 — unlike other teams on our list — but it is
still expensive to visit Gillette Stadium, as the average price to park is $40,
not to mention it costs $7.50 to buy a beer and $3.75 to buy a hot dog.
1.
The team boasting the highest
fan attendance is also the same one to carry the highest ticket costs. The
total fan experience at AT&T Stadium is $634.78, the top of our list, and
more than $20 more than the team’s closest competitor. The average ticket to a
Cowboys game costs $100.20, while a premium ticket costs $340, notably lower
than the Patriots’ $566.67. However, parking and refreshments are what adds up for Cowboys fans, because in order to park at a
Cowboys game, it costs a whopping $75 — and the $8.50 per beer and $5.50 per
hot dog don’t help, either. Moral of the story? If
you’re going to a Cowboys game, carpool and make sure your date pays for your
drinks!
I went to get fitted for my
Medicare paid for shoes on Friday, 12/20/13.
This is what you ain’t gonna
believe. The folks that run it – are
from
While on me as a subject, I
have Medicare Parts A, B & D. In an
attempt to keep my diabetes under control, I’m on the Levemir
Flexpen for insulin.
Normal cost, for 5 pens is $70.00 with Part D. That is unless you use up your dollar amount
through the year. I requested a refill
last week. Cost: over $200.00+. I was only one pen short of making it though
the year. Now, we’re playing games and hoping
I can stretch it out. That insulin is
long lasting. I’m also on a shorter lasting insulin – so we’re adjusting the dosage.
From Facebook:
On 12/13/13:
It Only Took This Army Vet 3
Minutes To Destroy Obama’s Gun Control Plan
If there has ever been a
speech that everyone needs to see regarding Obama’s plan to take our guns. This
is the one!
In this clip we see an army
vet that serves as a police officer speak to the motion to repeal the ‘Safe’
act at the
His name is Aaron Weiss and
he has quite a bit say. At some points he even tears
up. It isn’t until he speaks on his friend’s passing away in war that his
emotions get the best of him.
We love what this young man
has to say to the administration and their plans for disarming our citizens!
Watch the video below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Lh1zornUVv8
Found on 12/21/13:
I know this is a sad thing
but we all know the risk's when we strap into the car. Bad deal for all
involved.
Racetrack's attorney argues
injured driver knew the risks:
The wreck sent Westbrook off
the track between turns one and two, over a guardrail, and down a steep drop
off.
The crash left Westbrook
paralyzed.
And two years later in
September 2010, Westbrook sued Williams Grove Speedway, alleging one count of
negligence for failing to install a catch fence that would have prevented his
car from going over the drop off.
Numerous motions have been
filed over the last three years as the case moved through the court system, but
on Friday, the attorney representing the race track told a panel of three
Attorney Brigid
Alford said Williams Grove should not be held responsible, and asked Judges
Kevin Hess, M.L. Ebert and Thomas Placey for summary
judgment in favor of the racetrack, and not send the
case to a jury.
Westbrook’s attorney, David Inscho, however, opposes this.
According to the suit,
Westbrook’s injuries were the result of the racetrack not putting up a catch
fence.
“The young man was rendered
quadriplegic,” Inscho said prior to Friday’s hearing.
“He went over the guardrail of the track -- which was only three and a half
feet high -- and went down a significant drop off, and landed on an access
road.”
The force of the landing
broke Westbrook’s neck and injured his spinal cord, Inscho
said.
“Being quadriplegic ended his
racing career, and rendered him unable to do the most basic daily functions,” Inscho said. “He’s never going to be able to walk or live
an independent existence everyone takes for granted.”
Alford, however, asked the
court to rule now, and not send the case to trial.
“This case does not need to
go to a jury because the record shows John Westbrook was experienced, and knew
the risks,” Alford told the judges. “He knew there was no catch fence.”
The track has no duty to
drivers coming onto the property to install a fence when the risk is obvious
and observable, she said.
Further, Alford argued
Westbrook has been in and witnessed other crashes, and knows injuries are
“common, frequent and expected.”
The drop off that caused his
injuries, however, is not, Inscho countered.
If there had been a fence, Inscho said expert testimony will show a jury Westbrook’s
injuries would have been prevented.
Westbrook is seeking
compensatory damages in an amount in excess of applicable arbitration limits,
according to the suit.
The court will likely have a
ruling soon.
Note: As you know, I started going to races back in
1946. Back in those days, in the
midgets, sprint cars and Indy cars, they didn’t have roll bars or roll
cages. No flame proof uniforms,
either. One thing in particular that
bothered me was a wrought iron railing that was on the wall at the
Quite a bit
being said on this on the Dirt Track Digest Forum.
More from 12/21:
Might this be true?
Yea from what I've heard
there are three levels of "affordable health care" the $7500 big
deductible about 25% coverage $12,000 smaller deductible about 50% coverage and
$17,500 smallest deductible and about 75% coverage don't know how accurate
these numbers are but it's what I heard on radio.
And how
about this, as being possible?
If the Affordable Care Act
does not get enough young, healthy people to sign up, so they can help pay for
us older people who have more health issues, what next? I’ve said that it’s really designed to crash,
then we go into “single payer (our gov’t). But maybe the “Plan B” is for our government,
and we, the taxpayers, to BAIL OUT the insurance companies?
Even more from 12/21:
Obama,
Read more at
Found on the Internet
(Yahoo!):
A comment:
Obama: "Alright, we lied
about you being able to keep your present coverage, and we lied about you being
able to keep your doctor, and we lied about you being able to see specialists
without referrals, and
we lied about premiums not
going up, and we lied about not imposing taxes, and we lied about the act
paying for itself, and we lied about the website being ready, and we lied about
instituting mandates, and
we lied about the penalties, and we lied about the
deadlines, and lied about taking care of all your needs,
we lied about
we lied about my uncle ,
we lied about the gas attacks in
But believe me now, I'm not
lying now, really I'm not, trust me
And this comment, too:
I see no way around this mess
without ending up in straight up socialized health care. Of course, the rich
will still buy the best health care, and sidestep new taxes. So the middle
class, which is in ragged shape anyway, will get hit
to pay the bill for the poor. We will end up with a small elite class and a
large lower class with the working paying for the non-working. There will be
less incentive to prosper when working hard will just finance more poor people.
The middle class made
The Chili Bowl:
Starting on January 13th!
http://www.chilibowl.com/schedule/?y=2014
http://www.chilibowl.com/entries/manual.aspx
As of
12/24/13 – 275 entrants. And over 700 Micro Sprints are entered for
the racing the week before the Chili Bowl.
Note: I did see a post on Facebook
that PA driver Justin Grosz might have his Chili Bowl run in jeopardy due to
their engine being “misplaced” by a certain trucking company. Pretty sure it was being shipped from
My thoughts: To enter the Chili Bowl, I think a
driver/car/team should maybe enter at least five midget races during the
preceding year. Bet that would cut down
the entry list some.
From Jayski:
Firefighters burn former Mayfield mansion Thursday night:
Firefighters went ahead with
a scheduled burn of Jeremy Mayfield's former mansion. Neighbors tell us the
house went up very quickly, much of it gone in less than an hour. Smoke was
still rising from the home Thursday night that was once owned by former NASCAR
driver Mayfield. The mansion was scheduled to be burned to the ground Dec. 14
by the Catawba Fire Department as a training exercise. The original training
exercise was canceled due to inclement weather. Viewers sent photographs at the
height of the fire in what the fire chief described as a training exercise
after the new owner decided to burn it. The new property owner said he wants to
farm the land where the house sat.(WSOC
TV)(12-20-2013)
Kahne and Stewart to honor Leffler
at Chili Bowl:
Kasey Kahne
and Tony Stewart are entering next month's Chili Bowl Nationals in honor of
late racer Jason Leffler. Kahne
will drive a car entered in combination with Stewart, Leffler's
girlfriend, Julianna Patterson, and former
father-in-law, Bob East., in the Jan. 14-18 race at the
Brian Vickers talks about
deep vein thrombosis:
#55-Brian Vickers has a
condition known as deep vein thrombosis and has suffered from two blood clots
in his leg. Vickers and Jack Ansell, MD with New York University School of
Medicine joined the FOX43 morning team, to talk about the connection between
the winter months and the increase in blood clots. See the video at FOX43.(12-19-2013)
2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Top Performances:
Top Driver
Jimmie Johnson
Comeback Driver of the Year
Kurt Busch
Top Team
Hendrick Motorsports
Top Breakthrough Performance
Joey Logano
Top Races
Aaron’s 499 at Talladega
Superspeedway, May 4
NASCAR changes spoiler height
for Daytona:
NASCAR tweeted Monday
afternoon that they have altered the spoiler size that teams will use February
in Daytona.
"NASCAR notified Sprint
Cup teams today that the spoiler size for the January DIS test and the 2014
Daytona 500 event week, including the Sprint Unlimited, will be 4.5 inches
tall. This is .5 inches taller than previously. NASCAR says the taller spoiler
size should allow for a little more rear down force which should make the cars
a little more stable."(12-24-2013)
UPS to end NASCAR involvement
after 2014:
UPS notified NASCAR and Roush
Fenway Racing that it plans to end its sponsorship of the sport and team
following the '14 Sprint Cup season. The move comes after UPS in 2012 dropped
its full-season primary sponsorship of the #6 Cup entry then driven by David
Ragan. The company has shifted its focus over the last several years from
NASCAR to college sports, signing one of the first national sponsorships with
IndyCar TV ratings and the impact from NASCAR:
IndyCars' popularity on television displays a downward trend
for much of its history, while the last four seasons with ABC and NBC Sports
Network have been relatively flat. Some key findings:
Races earn household
audiences that are roughly 6% larger when airing on networks that hold a major
contract with NASCAR. As such, IndyCar should expect
an augmented number of viewers when NASCAR enters NBCSN's
line-up in 2015. Interestingly enough, however, when an IndyCar
race airs directly opposite of a Cup Series event; the open-wheel series loses
a quarter of its typical audience. Events also suffer significantly when
competing for viewers with the NFL and college football (30% and 17%,
respectively).
Oval facilities listed as
one-mile or greater in length earn the highest television ratings among track
configurations, all other variables held constant. Shorter ovals draw a similar
audience, while street and road courses result in ratings reductions of 10% and
18%, respectively. An event held on a street circuit that draws a 0.2
television rating, for example, would increase to 0.3 (depending on rounding)
if the race were held on a large oval.
IndyCar events on NBCSN result in a 38% decrease in
television ratings compared to a similar race on ESPN (an open-wheel partner
from 1997 through 2008). To examine the relationship between current partners,
a similar race on NBCSN reduces ratings by 70% compared to ABC.
Danica Patrick's presence in the IndyCar
Series was meaningful. Her participation garnered home audiences that were 13%
greater than events in which she did not appear. Ms. Patrick's finishing in the
top 5 resulted in a ratings boost of 25% for the following race, all other
terms held equal.
See much more at NASCARnomics.(12-23-2013)
Some older Daytona news:
Daytona Rising December
Project Update:
Although 2013 will soon come
to a close, construction activities related to the DAYTONA Rising project
continue to accelerate. Daytona International Speedway is also preparing for
the 52nd Anniversary of the Rolex 24 At Daytona and
Budweiser Speedweeks 2014 to ensure that the facility
is "race ready" for fans. Here is a recap of key construction
activities since the last update in November:
• Initial steel installation
near the east end of new grandstand footprint
• Completed pile cap
installation
• Operationalized
domestic water and fire lines
• Began asphalt paving near
the west end of new grandstand footprint
Upcoming construction
activities:
• Ongoing steel installation
• First Slab on Metal Deck
(First Elevated Concrete Pour)
• Masonry work commences
(DIS)(12-8-2013)
Note: Not one mention of the grand stands on the
backstretch being torn down, as you can see.
Latest I knew, Daytona was going to hold another race – on the
backstretch track, again. So, are the
stands still standing?
From Track Forum:
http://www.trackforum.com/forums/forum.php
Pocono Lodging
http://www.trackforum.com/forums/showthread.php?182514-Pocono-Lodging
Note: I don’t know if there were 50,000+ in
attendance last year for the Indy Car race, but I really expect more in 2014,
since it will now be for 500 miles. For
the 400 miles, it took just a tad over two hours to run. Supposedly, the track and the state are
trying to work things out as far as Rt 80 goes. In a way, I was really hoping for a different
date next year, but the track is holding to that July 4th area in
time. There has to be another way east
from the track other than Rt 80. I’d have to check and see how far it is from
the track on Rt 80 heading west to I-81, then north.
From the AARN:
Special items in last weeks edition:
Track Champions,
Top Points Scorers
Saluted In
AARN’s Year End
Special Edition
URC Breaking News:
Eldreth, Weller Team
For 2014 Championship Assault
NASCAR Releases Modified,
K&N Touring Series Schedules
Business Brisk,
Attendance Up At Indy PRI Show
Key January Hearing Date Set
For
Bobby Allen Reveals Plans
To Go World Of Outlaws Racing
With Son, Grandson
Vermonter Todd Stone
Named NASCAR Whelen All Am Series
Rookie Of
The Year
“King Of
The Outlaws’
Kinser Announces 2014 Farewell Tour
Karters (800 Of Them)
Descend On
For ‘Indoor Nationals’
“Come One, Come All”:
URC’s 2014 Initiative
Promises Inclusion
Special items in this weeks edition:
No paper this week Next issue will
be January 7th.
Press releases:
News from the Short Track
Super Series Fueled By VP Racing Fuels
Media Contact: Brett Deyo – Deyo99H@aol.com or 845.728.2781
For Immediate
Release/December 22, 2013
Attachment: Short Track Super
Series 2014 logo
Series For The Working Man:
Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP Launched For 2014 Season; Point Fund
Larger Than $16,000 To Be Paid For Manageable Schedule; Events At Orange
County, Thunder Mountain, I-88, Accord & Penn Can Planned; October Short
Track SuperNationals At I-88 Speedway Will Determine
Inaugural Champion
BOYERTOWN, PA – It’s finally
here: a dirt Modified touring series geared for the “working man” racer.
For the 2014 season, a
manageable series of big-block/small-block Modified events has been
established. The Short Track Super Series Fueled by VP Racing Fuels features
six events and boasts a point fund of more than $16,000 to be paid to the
top-10 finishers plus additional cash for competitors with perfect attendance
outside the top 10.
The series, managed by Brett Deyo of BD Motorsports Media LLC, kicks off on Sunday,
March 23 at Orange County Fair Speedway in Middletown, N.Y., with the inaugural
‘Hard Clay Open’ headlined by a 50-lap Modified event offering a lucrative
$30,000 total purse including $5,000 to the winner, $1,000 for 10th and $500 to
take the green flag. The rain date is Friday, March 28.
“This is obviously a very
exciting concept for weekend racers and the host tracks,” Deyo
said of the Short Track Super Series. “Not only have we been able to present
‘big events little guys can win’ we now have a lucrative point fund for these
drivers, as well. If you look at our history of promotions, the Friday,
Saturday or Sunday night racer has been able to take home some huge paydays.
This series further expands that tradition and ups the ante.
“I think we’ve put together a
schedule that just about any team can follow. It is a healthy point fund for
limited time and travel. By allowing one ‘mulligan’ in the first four races,
we’re putting the greatest emphasis on our teams with limited budgets. One bad
night or missed event will not take a driver out of the championship hunt by
any means.”
The series champion will be
decided at the seventh edition of the Short Track SuperNationals
‘Working Man’s Race’ on Friday-Saturday Oct. 10-11 at I-88 Speedway (rain date:
Oct. 12). The SuperNationals, which began at the
Afton Fairgrounds track in 2006, returns to its roots in ’14 on Columbus Day
weekend at I-88, the immaculate facility promoted by local businessmen Jamie
Page and Ron Ford. The event – backed by Alpine Building Supply in Schuylkill
Haven,
The point fund will be paid
out on-site following the drop of the checkered flag at the SuperNationals.
The point fund breakdown is
as follows: champion: $5,000; second: $3,000; third: $2,500; fourth: $1,500;
fifth: $1,000; sixth: $750; seventh: $650; eighth: $600; ninth: $550; and 10th:
$500. All drivers with perfect attendance placing outside the top 10 will
receive $250.
A number of contingency and
product incentives are in the works, in addition to the posted cash point fund.
Following the March opener at
Orange County, the Short Track Super Series heads to Thunder Mountain Speedway
for the ‘Lightning on the Mountain’ 50-lap main paying a minimum of $5,000 to
the winner on Tuesday, May 20 (rain date: May 21). The ‘Lightning on the
Mountain’ special is a co-promotion involving Brett Deyo
and Karl Spoonhower. For the ’14 season, Spoonhower – who constructed
Spoonhower has already resurfaced the entire speedway (some
areas of the track boast three feet of new clay), repaired the entrance road to
the speedway and has embarked on a number of facility improvements to ready for
the new season. Utilizing rules and paying a purse structure identical to I-88
Speedway, the Modified division returns as a weekly headliner at
The ‘Lightning on the
Mountain’ promotion serves as the first major midweek Modified event at
The third leg of the Short
Track Super Series takes place at I-88 Speedway with the second annual ‘Crazy
8s Special’ paying a mammoth $8,888 to win for 48 laps of racing on the
three-tenths-mile oval on Wednesday, July 23 (rain date: July 24). Mike Mahaney of
King Ferry, N.Y., the ‘13 I-88 champion, won the first ‘Crazy 8s Special’ last
July and took home $8,249 for his triumph driving the Charlie Davis-owned No.
21.
Accord Speedway, the
neat-and-tidy quarter-mile nestled in the Catskill Mountains operated by Gary
Palmer, serves as the host of Round No. 4 of the Short Track Super Series on
Tuesday, August 5 (rain date: Aug. 6) with the ‘Battle of the Bullring 2’
special: a 52-lap main event offering $5,200 to the winner. Last year, the ‘
On Tuesday, August 12 (rain
date: Aug. 13), the ‘Hot Summer Night’ returns to Penn Can Speedway for Round
No. 5 of the Short Track Super Series. Modifieds have
not been featured on the ‘Hot Summer Night’ special since August 10, 2010, when
Stewart Friesen throttled from 25th starting position – dead last – to win a
60-lap special at the Susquehanna County track managed by Reed Miller and Al
Wilcox. The ‘Hot Summer Night’ special pays $5,000 to win.
The first five events on the
Short Track Super Series –
Four of a driver’s best five
finishes will be counted in the point standings entering the championship
event, Short Track SuperNationals, at I-88. Should a
driver miss one of the first five events, their four finishes will be used,
etc. The advantage of competing in each
of the first five events is the opportunity to drop the worst finish.
The Alpine Building Supply
Short Track SuperNationals will then decide the ’14
Short Track Super Series title.
A 150-point distribution will
be utilized for the Short Track SuperNationals, with
150 points going to the winner, 60 for last and 25 for drivers unable to
qualify for the main event.
Two of the events on the
schedule are run head-to-head with big-block Super DIRTcar
Series events, ensuring weekend racers take home the
lion’s share of the cash awards. The August 5 event at Accord is run opposite a
Super DIRTcar Series race at Ransomville (N.Y.)
Joining title sponsor VP
Racing Fuels on the ’14 Short Track Super Series are Pioneer Pole Buildings
Inc. and Rochinski Contracting Services as associate
marketing partners.
To learn more about the ’14
Short Track Super Series, contact Brett Deyo, BD
Motorsports Media LLC, by e-mail at Deyo99H@aol.com, by phone at 845.728.2781
or on the web: www.bdmotorsportsmedia.com. “Like” BD Motorsports Media on Facebook or follow @BrettDeyo on
Twitter.
2014 Short Track Super Series
Fueled By VP Racing Fuels Schedule
Following Events Based On
100-Point Distribution (Four Best Finishes Apply Toward Championship Event)
Sunday, March 23 – Orange
County Fair Speedway/Middletown, NY ‘Hard Clay Open’ (50 laps)
Tuesday, May 20 – Thunder
Mountain Speedway/Center Lisle, NY ‘Lightning on the Mountain (50 laps)
Wednesday, July 23 – I-88
Tuesday, August 5 – Accord
Speedway/Accord, NY ‘
Tuesday, August 12 – Penn Can
Championship Event Based On
150-Point Distribution
Friday-Saturday October 10-11
– I-88 Speedway/Afton, NY ‘Short Track SuperNationals’
(50 laps)
2014 Short Track Super Series
Fueled By VP Racing Fuels Point Fund
1. $5,000
2. $3,000
3. $2,500
4. $1,500
5. $1,000
6. $750
7. $650
8. $600
9. $550
10. $500
All drivers with perfect
attendance outside the top 10 will receive $250
2014 Short Track Super Series
Fueled By VP Racing Fuels 100-Point Distribution (First Five Events)
1. 100
2. 95
3. 90
4. 85
5. 80
6. 76
7. 72
8. 68
9. 65
10. 62
11. 60
12. 58
13. 56
14. 54
15. 52
16. 50
17. 48
18. 46
19. 45
20. 44
21. 43
22. 42
23. 41
24. 40 (through last)
Drivers failing to qualify
will receive 15 points
2014 Short Track Super Series
Fueled By VP Racing Fuels 150-Point Distribution (SuperNationals)
1. 150
2. 145
3. 140
4. 135
5. 130
6. 125
7. 120
8. 116
9. 112
10. 108
11. 104
12. 100
13. 96
14. 92
15. 88
16. 84
17. 80
18. 77
19. 74
20. 71
21. 68
22. 65
23. 62
24. 60 (through last)
Drivers failing to qualify
will receive 25 points
-----
Brett Deyo
BD Motorsports Media LLC
Phone: 845.728.2781
E-Mail: Deyo99H@aol.com
Web:
www.bdmotorsportsmedia.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BDMotorsportsMedia
Twitter: @BrettDeyo
News from Thunder Mountain
Speedway’s ‘Lightning on the Mountain’
Media Contact: Brett Deyo – Deyo99H@aol.com or 845.728.2781
For Immediate
Release/December 22, 2013
Thunderstruck: Huge
‘Lightning On The Mountain’ Spectacular Set For Tuesday, May 20 At Thunder
Mountain Speedway; $5,000 Reserved For Winner Of 50-lap Short Track Super
Series Modified Event; Rochinski Contracting Services
Signs On As Sponsor; Thunder Mountain Returns To Saturday Racing In 2014 Under
Promoter Karl Spoonhower
CENTER LISLE, NY – On
Tuesday, May 20, the Northeast racing community will be “thunderstruck” by the
rumble of dirt Modifieds.
Thunder Mountain Speedway,
the three-eighths-mile clay oval in Center Lisle, N.Y., just minutes off the
I-81 Whitney Point interchange (Exit 8), returns to the forefront of dirt
Modified racing with the first ‘Lightning on the Mountain’ 50-lap
big-block/small-block Modified event paying a minimum of $5,000 to the winner
plus bonuses and special awards. The event, which offers $300 just to take the
green flag, is a co-promotion involving Brett Deyo of
BD Motorsports Media LLC and
The midweek showdown will
serve as the second of six events en route to the Short Track Super Series
Fueled By VP Racing Fuels championship. The inaugural
Short Track Super Series title winner earns $5,000 from a point fund totaling
more than $16,000 for the top-10 finishers. In addition, all drivers with
perfect attendance placing outside the top-10 in points will receive $250 cash.
The 50-lap ‘Lightning on the
Mountain’ special will be the first high-profile midweek Modified event on the
Thunder Mountain schedule since Aug. 20, 2008, when team owner and business
magnate John Wight promoted a T3 All-Star Series 358-Modified event. Billy
Decker of
Sportsman, Open & Crate
602, will join the Modifieds on the ‘Lightning on the
Mountain’ program in a 25-lap event paying a minimum of $1,000 to win. A series
of four weights will be established, open engines will steel and aluminum
wheels and Crate 602 engines with steel and aluminum wheels. Successful
combination events have been promoted by BD Motorsports Media LLC at N.Y.’s Accord Speedway.
Rochinski Contracting Services of Dickson City, Pa., has signed
on as a leading sponsor of the ‘Lightning on the Mountain’ program. Other
marketing opportunities are available and could be used to boost the payout for
racers in the highly anticipated special.
The ‘Lightning on the
Mountain’ event has created a buzz in the Southern Tier region and beyond.
“The positive feedback from
racers and fans has been overwhelming to be honest,” Deyo
said. “Karl is well known for his track-preparation skills, so racers are
anxious to get back on the track.
“I attended a number of
special events at
In the early 1990s, Spoonhower constructed Thunder Mountain Speedway from a
hilltop plot of land. He presided over the track’s weekly programs through
2006, when he sold the facility. After seven years away, the 58-year-old Spoonhower is once again at the helm of Thunder Mountain
Speedway for the ’14 campaign.
The winds of change are in
the air for
Other divisions slated to
race regularly at
Improvements are also
underway to the facility. More than two feet of fresh clay was applied to the
entire speedway, with as much as three feet put down in select areas. The
entrance road to the track was completely reworked. Numerous other improvement
projects include renovations of the buildings and towers on the property,
additional lighting and more. Spoonhower, a native of
While the ’14 schedule has
not been solidified, Spoonhower is planning to host a
pair of April practice sessions prior to a Season Opener the first Saturday of
May. He hopes to release a tentative
schedule after the holidays.
For further information about
BD Motorsports Media LLC and the 2014 Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP
Racing Fuels or to join the ‘Lightning on the Mountain’ special as a marketing
partner, visit www.bdmotorsportsmedia.com or contact Brett Deyo
by phone at 845.728.2781 or Deyo99H@aol.com.
“Like” BD Motorsports Media on Facebook or
follow @BrettDeyo on Twitter for up-to-the-minute
news.
-----
Brett Deyo
BD Motorsports Media LLC
Phone: 845.728.2781
E-Mail: Deyo99H@aol.com
Web:
www.bdmotorsportsmedia.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BDMotorsportsMedia
Twitter: @BrettDeyo
Going back, in time to
December 26th in:
1917
Tex Keene ... Born ... Driver
who ran several races with NASCAR in the early 1950's and ran midgets with the
ARDC.
1991
Budd Olson ... Died ... New
Jersey Stock Car driver from the 1940's, 50's and 60's. From local dirt tracks
to NASCAR, Budd Olsen built a solid reputation, first as a driver and then as
one of the leading race car builders in the region.
2008
Tony Stewart won the opening
night of the 11th annual Rumble in Fort Wayne Midget race at the
Steve Kinser
won the Valvoline Sprint Car Grand Prix at the
Parramatta City Raceway in
Going back in time – various
dates around this time of the year:
DECEMBER 25
1878
Louis Chevrolet... Born ... AAA driver 1905 to 1923. He was a co-founder (with
William C. Durant) of the Chevrolet Motor Car Company, which was acquired by
General Motors and is their bestselling brand nationwide and in many cases
synonymous with General Motors itself. Louis also competed in the
1993
Fred "Jiggs" Peters ... Died ... Jiggs
started racing Midgets in 1948, winning the ARDC championship in 1951. He then
moved into Sprint Cars. In 1955 he unsuccesfully
attempted to qualify for the Indy 500 in a Scopa-Offy.
Equally at home on dirt or asphalt, he tried to qualify for Indy again in the
Lee Glessner Offy in 1957.
Short on speed on the first weekend, he was fast enough on the second to
qualify but he chose to come home to NJ to run locally to make money as opposed
to sitting in Indy for the whole month of May without an income. He was very
good in long distance races and won numerous times at long tracks like
DECEMBER 24
1917
Wimpy Ervin... Born ... A former midget and sprint car driver from
1941
John Hubbard... Born ...
1942
Eddie Leavitt... Born ... Sprint car driver from the 1970's & 80's. He
was inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 2001 and was in the
Knoxville Raceway Hall of Fame. He was a two-time National Sprint Car Champion.
1946
Bobby Olivero...
Born ... A former driver in the USAC Championship Car series.
He raced in the 1976-1978 seasons, with 17 career starts, including the 1977
1977
Johnny White... Died ... USAC sprint & Indy car driver from the 1960's.
He was paralyzed from a Sprint Car accident at
DECEMBER 27
1951
Greg Leffler
... Born ... A former driver in the CART Championship Car series. He raced in
the 1980-1983 seasons, with 13 career starts, including the 1980
DECEMBER 28
1921
Nelson Stacy... Born ...
Stacy was ARCA Champion for three years 1958, 1959, 1960, prior to entering
Winston Cup racing when he was over 40. An "Old Man" for a rookie by today's standards. He still managed to win the World 600 and
two races at Darlington and
DECEMBER 29
1916
Tony Bonadies...
Born ... A very popular midget car driver, Tony Bonadies'
career spanned over twenty-four years during which he competed in more than one
thousand races. Although he never won the ARDC Midget Championship, he was
ranked amongst the top six in seven out of his last eight seasons in the
series' final classification table, and he was twice the title runner-up. He
entered the Indy 500 three times, but failed to qualify in all attempts: in
1955 and the following year his times aboard a Kurtis
3000D - Offenhauser were simply not quick enough, and
in 1957 he wrecked his Kurtis 500C - Offenhauser at the Turn 4 at the northwest end of the track
during practice and had to withdraw from the race. Bonadies
was taking place in an ARDC midget race at the Williams Grove Speedway on 05
July 1964 when, as he pitched his Frankenfield - Offenahuser into a slide at the entrance to Turn 1, the right
rear axle of the car snapped. The vehicle barrel rolled several times and then
got airborne. Tony was thrown to the ground and died instantly.
1969
John Rostek
... Died ... A NASCAR driver from
1980
A.J. Fike
... Born ... USAC & NASCAR driver.
DECEMBER 30
1911
Walt Brown ... Born ... AAA
driver from the 1940's and early 50's who ran in 3 Indy 500's with a best finish
of 7th in 1947. He died in a race at the Williams Grove Speedway (PA) July 29,
1951.
I get emails:
The Third Row
www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=hxlcVAEj0sM&vq=large
Every year, Chris Romano
sends out an email on the Yahoo! Race History Group that lists those that we
lost in motor sports for the past year.
Here is his latest:
A bit off topic, but I ask
your indulgence for another year.
Apologies for those I may have missed.
For Auld Lang Syne, 2013, by Chris Romano
Before firing up the engines
for the Chili Bowl, let’s pause to remember those we lost in the sport in 2013.
Carl Merrill was a fixture at
Norwood Arena for many years, serving as race director. He then did PR for a number of tracks,
including Monadnock.
The affable Merrill passed away this year at age 88. Melvin “Red” Foote, one of the original
Eastern Bandits died this year at 85.
Foote was a Waterford Speedbowl champion and
won throughout
Jim McCallum won everything
he could win in Pro Stocks in
The
Charlie Elliot was a self
made man who dedicated himself to auto racing.
It’s hard to imagine what racing would be like in southern
It was a tough year for
NEMA. Veteran owner Ray Plakstis died, along with former co-champion Lou Fray and
veteran car owner Gordon Bumpus. Gordon fielded cars for years for his son
Howard, named after Gordon’s brother, who was killed at Flemington in the late 1930’s. Champion car owner Dewey Cali died at age
88. Jerry Stover, ARDC and Sprint car driver passed away
at age 76. Midge Miller, another midget
and URC Sprint car driver and official passed on this year. ARDC’s only female
president, Jane Buzzard, passed away, along with Harry Macy, veteran Can-Am TQ
owner and driver.
Tom Herbert, Grandview Late
Model driver and ARDC official lost his battle with cancer. Dick Crotty, a long
time
The Big O had their share of
loss this year. Irish Jack Murphy,
winner of the first Oswego Classic and a fixture in Supermodified
racing for decades passed on this year at age 85. Joe Gosek’s car
owner, Joe Osetek, was lost to us, as was former
driver Jim Winks. Former driver Dave
Halstead lost his life in an industrial accident.
George Martin was a fixture
at Seekonk as a handicapper and official.
The Konk lost George late this year. Mackie McBroom, former race director at Ace
Speedway, died this year of cancer.
We are all the poorer for the
loss of Dick Trickle, who took his own life at age 71. Conservatively, it is thought that Trickle
won over 1200 features from
George Bignotti
walked with giants, engineering seven Indy 500 wins for guys like Foyt, Sneva and Johncock. He left us
at age 97. Stuart Hilborn
founded Hilborn fuel injectors, a brand that
dominated
IHRA Regional Technical
Director Hank Blankenship died this year at age 61. Veteran NHRA Funny Car driver Gordie Bonin died this year. Art Malone not only was a Top Fuel racer,
but a two time Indy entrant, driving the
Road racing lost veterans
Chuck Dietrich and Steve “Yogi” Behr.
Ralph Sanchez founded the Grand Prix of Miami and later built Homestead
Speedway. He lost his battle with cancer
this year at age 65. Huck Spaulding was
a veteran of AMEC ice racing along with Late Models and Mini-Stocks. Frank Righetti
restored countless vintage racers and remained active in vintage racing well
into his 80’s.
Across the pond Australian V8
Supercars chairman James Strong died at age 68.
Perennial South African Formula One entrant Dave Charleton
left us at age 73. Guido Forti, former Formula One, Formula Three and Formula 3000
team owner passed at 72. Colin Davis,
79, won the 1964 Targa Florio. Veteran Jaguar racer John Coombs left us at
age 93. Stirling
Moss’ manager, Ken Gregory, died this year, leaving behind a wealth of stories
about Formula One’s golden age and one of its greatest racers. Willi Bergmeister, veteran European touring car racer died this
year at age 63. Maria de Villota, 33, former Formula One test driver, injured in a horrific testing
accident last year was found dead in a hotel room in Seville, Spain. De Villota bravely
recovered from her accident, which cost her an eye,
but it is widely believed her death could be attributed to the injuries she
suffered. Philip Favre raced in sports
cars, Formula Three and Formula 3000 during his career, but was killed in a
skiing accident at age 51.
The Pampas Bull, Jose Froilan Gonzales, died this year at age 90. Often he raced in the shadow of countryman
Juan Manual Fangio, but Gonzales was content with his
career, winning the British Grand Prix twice, along with the 24 Hours of
On track the sport was no
less deadly in 2013. It was a bad year
for Sprint Cars. Young Josh Burton died
at age 22 after a crash in
Vintage racing continued to
take a toll on old cars and drivers.
Stan Redmond, died at age 65 after crashing his Lola T332 in a vintage
Formula 5000 race at Teretonga, NZ. Christian Devereux died in the crash of his
1965 Mini Cooper in a vintage race at
Jeff Bowers died in the crash
of his Formula Vee at
Eddie Russ, veteran competitor at Hickory
Motor Speedway, died of a medical incident following a hot July race. Jimmy Smith, 62 was stricken after an SK heat
race at Thompson Speedway in CT. Lawren Jones, 59, died in the crash of his car at
Albuquerque National Dragway. Derek Sanchez, 47, died of injuries received
in the crash of his 1933 Ford Super Gas Roadster at The Strip at Las Vegas
Motor Speedway.
Charles Leroy Kay, 67, and
David Richardson, 63, were killed when they crashed on the last lap of the
feature for Dwarf Cars at Reno Fernley Speedway in
The fourth estate lost
Michael Brown, who shot for Autosport magazine, among
others, at age 55. Veteran NHRA
photographer Les Welch died this year at age 69. Wilson Fittipaldi
was a veteran broadcaster in his native
Canaan Speedway complex
closed its doors forever in
And what will we do without
Miss Ellie Seymour. She took care of
Boston Louie and the brood as they chased Midget, Sprint Car and Silver Crown
racing across the country. Miss Ellie
had a kind word to say about everyone, and was universally loved in pit areas
everywhere. I, among countless others, will
miss her terribly.
Flagman/Starter "Jumpin' Jack" Summers passed
away on July 29th. "Jumpin Jack" was a
fixture in
And, added to the list is Stu
Hilborn.
Imagine what things would be like, without his contributions.
As ever then, we shed a
little tear, have a little laugh, and raise our glasses to lives well led, for
Auld Lang Syne.
Joyeux Noel, Bon Annee.
Chris Romano
And this one, too:
MAY WE HAVE A BIG 'AMEN' TO
THIS STATEMENT!!!
From a Marine Corps Colonel in
"So with all the kindness I can
muster, I give this one piece of
advice to the next pop star who is asked to sing the
national anthem
at a sporting event... Save the vocal gymnastics and the
physical
gyrations for your concerts. Just sing this song the way you
were
taught to sing it in kindergarten - straight up, no styling.
Sing it
with the constant awareness that there are soldiers,
sailors, airmen
and Marines watching you from bases and outposts all over
the world.
Don't make them cringe with
your self-centered ego gratification. Sing
it as if you are standing before a row of 86-year-old
WWII vets
wearing their Purple Hearts, Silver Stars and flag pins on
their
cardigans and you want them to be proud of you for honoring
them and
the country they love - not because you want them to
think you are a
superstar musician. They could see that from your costume,
makeup and
your entourage. Sing 'The Star Spangled Banner' with the
courtesy and
humility that tells the audience that it is about
And please remember, not
everything has to be sung as a Negro
spiritual. We're getting a little weary of that. Francis Scott
Key
does not need any help."
Semper Fi
Found on Facebook:
From 12/22/13:
As we all know they take
their high school football serious in
And another one from 12/22:
Obama’s plan:
The
This one, too:
Stop sending money to the
This weeks
photo:
A sad one, for sure! Why there hasn’t been another track like
Flemington – I have no idea. Just plain great racing at that place.
Photo found on Facebook on 12/21/13.
Photo by Matt Rosier
Racing videos:
Well, to be honest, not
racing videos, but some close calls:
Video of close calls: http://vitaminl.tv/video/1517?ref=fbs
Music videos:
Back in 2001, from a concert
that John Denver had. I imagine that most
men, if they ever wanted to write a song about the love of their life, it would
be similar to “Annie’s Song”.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkGS263lGsQ&feature=related
More non racing stuff:
About
Duck Dynasty
http://tv.yahoo.com/news/duck-dynasty-fallout-glaad-reeling-biggest-backlash-years-010050637.html
In part:
““In the
five-and-a-half years I’ve worked at GLAAD, I’ve never received so many
violently angry phone calls and social media posts attacking GLAAD for us
speaking out against these comments,” the media watchdog organization’s vice
president of communications Rich Ferraro told TheWrap.
He said those reactions range from those who simply believe as
Robertson believes to those who feel that GLAAD and A&E’s
actions limit the reality star’s free speech.”
And, from Facebook on 12/22/13:
In what some might see as a
surprise reversal, Cracker Barrel Old Country Store is now putting the Duck
Dynasty merchandise back on the shelves, just a day after taking it off. The
Official Who Verified Obama’s
Birth Certificate Dies In Plane Crash
65-year-old Loretta Fuddy is the director of the Hawaii Department of Health
who verified and released President Obama’s birth certificate.
She died on Wednesday when a
Honolulu-bound plane crashed into
Oddly, Fuddy
was the only person aboard the plane who died — the other seven passengers and
pilot survived the crash.
Back in 2011, Fuddy verified the authenticity of Obama’s
After releasing the
documents, Fuddy wrote a letter to Obama that said,
“I have reviewed your request for two certified copies of your original
Certificate of Live Birth. As the Director of Health for the State of
She continued, “We hope that
issuing you these copies of your original Certificate of Live Birth will end
the numerous inquires received by the Hawaii Department of Health to produce
this document.”Aside from releasing Obama’s birth
certificate, Fuddy was well known for leading the gay
rights movement in Hawaii.Hawaii Governor Neil
Abercrombie said in a statement, “[Fuddy] was
selfless, utterly dedicated, and committed to her colleagues in the Department
of Health and to the people of
The plane crash is currently
being investigated by officials.
Note: I take it you’ve seen the list of people that
have been associated with the
School Omits 'Christ' from
'Silent Night,' Upsetting Parents
In part:
"Christ has officially
been removed from Christmas. At least that was the case at one middle school on
"It's offensive,"
one father of a student at the
The fifth-grade students sang
the edited classic — which mixed and matched verses in a way that left out the
most religious references — at the concert, on Dec. 12. But that upset some
parents, who felt the song was sacred and should have instead been left intact
or instead been performed as an instrumental or kept out of the concert
altogether. Some spoke out about it at a Tuesday board of education
meeting."
http://shine.yahoo.com/parenting/school-omits-39-christ-39-39-silent-night-193900497.html
Note: If I had a child in that school, and my child
was in that concert, and I knew what was going on, I'd pull my kid out of the
chorus or choir. It's getting more and
more ridiculous every day, isn't it?
Democrats Have Maxed Out the
Race Card
By Ron ChristieDecember
17th 20135:45 AM
A skirmish on MSNBC
underscores the new normal in Democratic thinking: If you disagree with Obama,
you must be racist. A Tea Party member? Racist! How
it’s damaging our cultural fabric.
It was the straw that broke
the camel’s back. On Sunday I appeared as a guest on the Melissa Harris-Perry
show to discuss the state of politics in
“I was just thinking, to me,
in 2010, the Republican infighting took a particularly dangerous tone because
it wasn’t just about infighting anymore. It was about taking our country back
with the resurrection of the Tea Party. And it was very, very racial, whether
any of them will admit it or not.”
I frequently discuss politics
on cable news outlets and expect partisan rhetoric from my fellow guests. But I
found Nye’s comments incendiary and provocative. I rarely lose my temper on
air, but I could not leave the reflexive “Republicans/Tea Party are racist” meme unaddressed. I fear race relations have
worsened rather than improved in the Obama era of “hope and change.” Legitimate
disagreement with the president and congressional Democrats often is
characterized as being racist or racially motivated rather than a genuine
difference of opinion on policy.
Nye is correct about one
thing. The rise of the Tea Party in 2010 was about taking our country back. Not
back from the country’s first elected African-American president but back from
an arrogant, out-of-touch group of
The manner in which Obamacare became law is remarkable when one compares it to
the passage of many of President Johnson’s Great Society programs. The Civil
Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and Medicare in 1965 were
passed with strong bipartisan votes in the U.S. House of Representatives and
the U.S. Senate.
Thirty-five years later, Tea
Party groups emerged in cities and states across the nation as a direct result
of President Obama and congressional Democrats’ desire to impose their will on
the American people by creating the largest new government entitlement since 1965
on a partisan vote.
As the polls closed on
November 2, 2010, Democrats found themselves soundly beaten. Republicans gained
63 seats in the House of Representatives to wrest control of the chamber from
the Democrats, the largest seat change since 1948. Republicans also picked up
six seats in the Senate. Across the country, Republicans gained 680 seats in
the state legislatures, along with control of 25 state legislatures and 29 of
50 governorships. I’d hardly say the election results were “very, very racial.”
Instead they were a rebuke from the American electorate to Democrats who had
overreached.
“The Tea Party has some
serious racial challenges,” Nye continued Sunday. “For example, when the House
of Representatives was voting on Obamacare,
all of the Tea Party members who came to protest on the Hill spat on my future
boss, who was the Congressional Black Caucus’s incoming chair. [Rep.] John Lewis, who had been beaten and bludgeoned to
ensure we would all have voting rights and parity in this country, was called
the N-word. So this isn’t something that I made up. These are things that
really happened.”
Really? After Nye had finished, I asked whether she was
present that day on the Hill. She said she was not. I replied that I was
present and that I didn’t hear or see any of the alleged racial behavior by Tea
Party members. Let me break her comments down even further. Nye alleged that
all of the Tea Party members spat on her future boss, Rep. Emanuel Cleaver
(D-MO). Politico reported that a man had been arrested for allegedly spitting
at Cleaver, but the congressman refused to press charges. While the incident
was despicable, there is no evidence it had racial overtones. My point is that
one man was arrested—not every Tea Party member, as Nye asserted.
The most troubling aspect of
my dialogue with Nye was her incendiary charge that Rep. John Lewis (D-GA), a
civil rights icon, had been called the N-word. For one, Lewis has never said
Tea Party members have hurled the racial epithet at him. Other members of the Congressional
Black Caucus have leveled that claim.
We should be able to agree to
disagree respectfully without invoking race at every turn.
I was on Capitol Hill that
day, and I walked across the street from the
Many, many peaceful
protesters were out that day. There were synchronized chants of “Kill the
Bill,” but I didn’t see anyone saying anything untoward to any of the members
of Congress, regardless of their race or gender, as they made their way to the
Several television and radio
crews were present that day, to say nothing of the assembled constituents. They
have not said they heard the Tea Party members using racial slurs. The late
Andrew Breitbart even offered a $100,000 reward for
audio or video of Lewis being called a racial pejorative. In the era of the smartphone, I have a hard time believing the alleged
incident wasn’t recorded.
Sadly, I think my exchange
with Nye reflects a norm in Democratic thinking, not an exception: If you
oppose Obama, you must be racist. If you oppose Obamacare
and the expansion of the federal government during the Obama presidency, you
must be racist. A member of the Tea Party? You must be
racist.
The charge of racism without
a shred of proof, much less irrefutable evidence, is doing terrible damage to
our cultural fabric. We should be able to agree to disagree respectfully
without invoking race at every turn. Racism still exists in our society, but I
believe most assertions of racism toward the president and his policies are
meant to silence rather than to promote healthy dialogue. If the practice
remains unchecked, legitimate incidents of racism will be dismissed.
Our national motto is E
pluribus unum—“Out of Many, One.” If we do not
respect our diversity of gender, race, and thought during the Obama presidency,
I fear the spread of racial self-segregation. We can acknowledge and respect
our political differences without accusing partisans of being racist in their
thinking or motivation.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/12/17/democrats-have-maxed-out-the-race-card.html
Prince Charles Says What
Obama Won’t: Christians Are Being Persecuted
In part: "Prince Charles said “we cannot ignore” that Christian communities in the
“We must not forget our
Middle Eastern brothers and sisters in Christ. Their church communities link us straight back to
the early church,” he said.
Through it all, President
Obama has been mostly silent. In fact,
he supported the Arab Spring uprisings, which have led to nothing but more
chaos and turmoil in the
The Prince made his comments
after hosting a reception for religius leaders
at Clarence House, having earlier
visited the
It’s truly sad when the
Leader of the Free World, who should be a champion for religious liberty across
the world, is silent on Christian persecution while the British crown prince is
being outspoken in his support for the persecuted.
Thank you, Prince
Charles."
http://conservativetribune.com/christians-killed-obama-silent/
WATCH: Susan Rice Says “No
Regrets” About
http://www.capitalisminstitute.org/susan-rice-defends-lying/
Note: Another worthless human that should be in
jail next to Hillary and all the rest!
Joke of the week:
Hi
all,
With the holidays upon us I would like to share
a personal experience
with you all about drinking and driving after a
"social session" with
friends.
Well, this past Friday, I was out on a
post-Thanksgiving evening with
long-lost friends.
I had a few cocktails, followed by a handful of
glasses of vintage red
wine.
Despite the jolliness, I still had the sense to
know that I was over the
limit.
That's when I decided to do what I have never
done before. I took a cab
home.
Sure enough, there was a police road block on
the highway but, since it
was a cab, they waved it past.
I arrived home safely without incident.
This was a both a great relief and surprise
because I had never driven a
cab before.
I don't even know where I got it from and, now
that it is in my garage, I
don't know what to do with it.
Happy Holidays!
Until the next column – in two weeks on
January 9th!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
I can be reached, via e-mail, at: ygordad@yahoo.com