Mostly Racin' Stuff

                                      By Tom Avenengo

                                         Volume # 174

                                                   03/20/2014

 

Some personal/family stuff:

 

This past Monday I had my Pacemaker/Defibrillator checked out, along with an appointment for both the wife and I to see our Cardiologist.  Everything per both is great.  And, it was our last doctor appointment for any doctors while down here.  Now, when we return home, once we start to get refills on our prescriptions, we’ll have to get them transferred back to our northern pharmacies.

And, more than likely, it’s looking more and more that when we return back north, our hose goes on the market for selling.  Once it’s sold, it’s almost certain we’ll be moving back down here to the Cape Coral area.

I’ll miss the races back north, the friends we’ve made, and will keep the memories g0ing in my head – memories of the friends I’ve made over the years.  And, yes, even memories of those that were, in a way, not so friendly, too.

 

 

Some things I’ve noticed here in the Cape Coral area:

 

I’ve noticed that quite a few houses have solar panels on their roofs.  No, not too heat their houses, but to heat their POOLS!

There’s an abundance of auto body shops in the Cape Coral/Fort Meyers area.

My daughter says “It’s the law” cars have to stop for you as you’re walking into or exiting from a store.

With all the older folks in the area, there is an abundance of electric powered shopping carts in most stores.

It’s always breezy down here, and I’ve noticed that when it’s dark, back home, it’s still daylight down here.

House colors – mostly salmon, tan and white.

A great part of the houses down here are single story.  One does not see too many two story homes.

The majority of the roadways here in Cape Coral are concrete.  I imagine the high heat in the summer could be a reason for not too many asphalt roads?  Oh, and what with no deep freezing temps during the winter season, not too many pot holes, either.

Quite a few roads down here have “bike” lanes on the right sides.

With so many roads in Cape Coral being double lane, quite a few of the intersections are 4 way stops, and drivers are very good in allowing who was at the stop sign first to proceed first.

It’s nice to see signage that tells one of a stop street ahead, and also a notice of what particular road is at the next intersection.

A majority of the roads in Cape Coral have a 45 MPH speed limit.

I never knew there were so many different types of palm trees.

Lawn care – it’s a year long thing down here.

Did I mention that prices are higher down here for food, compared to back home?  Blame it on folks like me – snow birds.  Once we head back home, I hear prices come down.

 

One more thing:  Where my daughter lives, they have well water and septic systems.  However, “city” water is on its way.  And, at a substantial cost to the homeowners, too.  Like 18 to 20 thousand.  Talking to the person that’ checked my Pacemaker on Monday, she said they were about to get hooked up with the “city” water, and it would cost her and her family almost 20 thousand.  She expects to see a lot of foreclosures in the very near future, here in Cape Coral.

 

 

Racin’ stuff:

 

OCFS Memories.

 

How many do ya have?  How many have you forgotten?  Over on the Dirt Track Digest, on their forum, is a great thread that takes one back in time with OCFS Memories.  Check them out!

 

http://www.dirttrackdigest.com/DTD/index.php?/topic/50220-random-memories-of-ocfs-got-any/

 

 

 

From last weeks column:

 

Looking at the entry list for the Cup race this coming weekend at Bristol, I’m figuring that David Reutimann, Dave Blaney and JJ Yeley are the three that will go home.  They’re the only ones that need to qualify by speed, not eligible for a regular provisional, no owners points or too deeply ranked in owners points.

 

Note:  The team that JJ runs for had some “inside team issues” and withdrew the car from competition.  The two non qualifiers were Reutimann and Blaney.  Blaney has yet to qualify for a Cup race this year.

 

 

I see for the Cup race this coming weekend, out in California, there are 45 entrants, as of Monday.  Hmm, somehow, I think two of those three mentioned last week will again be missing from this up-coming race.  Not sure just which two, though.

 

Well it looks like the JJ Yeley team has withdrawn again, so that leaves just 44 cars for the 43 starting spots.  I’d love to see Blaney make the field, but I kinda feel if he doesn’t he’ll be out of the seat.

 

Latest on Blaney:  His car has been withdrawn, too.

 

 

 

It’s a shame that a race that was once held in such high esteem is hardly mentioned anymore:

 

Ganassi Racing Gets Sebring Win

 

http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/TUDOR-United-SportsCar/News/Articles/2014/03/Ganassi-Gets-Sebring-Win.aspx

 

 

 

First WoO Win for Abreu

 

http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/World-of-Outlaws/News/Articles/2014/03/Abreu-Wins-First-with-Outlaws.aspx

 

 

 

Danica Patrick survives wrecks, angry Harvick to finish 18th

 

http://www.sportingnews.com/nascar/story/2014-03-17/danica-patrick-bristol-wrecks-finish-kevin-harvick-incident-boyfriend-ricky-stenhouse

 

 

 

OBITUARY: Gary Bettenhausen remembered by Robin Miller

 

http://racer.com/index.php/more/viewpoints/52-indycar/101965-gary-bettenhausen-remembered-obituary-1941-2014-by-robin-miller

 

And this, too – with an excellent head shot of Gary:

 

http://usacracing.com/news/silver-crown/item/3723-gary-bettenhausen-72

 

 

 

 

Anyone into slot cars?  Midgets?  Check this out as far as making a chassis:

 

http://homeracingworld.us/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=5905

 

 

 

 

Are you a USAC fan?  Are you an Open Wheel fan?  If you’re interested in voting for someone to be in the USAC Hall of Fame, just go the link below.

 

http://usacracing.com/

 

 

 

 

 

Found via a link on Jayski:

Couch Potato Tuesday: Why Did FOX Play NASCAR TV Roulette At Bristol?

 

http://www.frontstretch.com/pallaway/44847/

 

 

 

Former OVRP Dirt Oval runners:

Again, with no racing yet, nothing to report on.  Some day, I’ll have to make a list of those names that I can recall that have raced at the Dirt Oval, and have graduated to bigger more expensive forms of racing.  Right now, I estimate it to be at least 50 names.  Hey, as long as they ran a race at the Dirt Oval, then they qualify for my mentioning them.  Most, however, were regular Kart or Slingshot racers there.

 

 

From Jayski:

http://www.jayski.com/

 

Human error caused final caution at Bristol:

A long and bizarre day came to an unusual finish Sunday night when the caution lights were accidentally turned on from the flag stand and rain then prevented an attempt for a green-white-checkered finish. A person in the flag stand leaned on the manual override switch, turning on the caution lights on lap 499, according to Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president of competition. Six seconds after the lights were turned on, the flag man - seeing the lights on - waved the yellow flag, according to NASCAR's review of the finish. Pemberton said that the flag man can wave the caution flag without a call from series officials in the tower if they see a proper reason. The rain then arrived before the race could be restarted, giving Carl Edwards the victory.

The caution snafu did cause NASCAR to change the finishing order. NASCAR went back to when the caution lights flashed and froze the field. Pemberton said NASCAR only had to adjust three positions - placing Denny Hamlin sixth, Jeff Gordon seventh and Kasey Kahne eighth. Pemberton said NASCAR will work to make sure the incident is not repeated.(Motor Racing Network), for the transcript of Pemberton's comments, see the NASCAR Press Conference transcript page.(3-17-2014)

 

 

Austin Dillon still needs sponsorship for some races:

Companies that want in on Richard Childress Racing driver Austin Dillon bringing the iconic #3 back to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series still have a chance. While brands such as Dow, Cheerios and American Ethanol have stepped in to fund most of the season, there is still inventory available, RCR Chief Marketing Officer Ben Schlosser told Newsday on Friday. "We still have a few races open toward the back half of the year, but we don't go public with exactly how many races are left," said Schlosser. Schlosser added that RCR is talking to both current sponsors and "a few interested parties" outside the current sponsorship group to fill out the schedule. Unsold races in NASCAR don't necessarily equate to problems finding sponsorship. Daytona 500 winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. currently has almost a third of his season unsold -- because car owner Rick Hendrick has made it clear he's not discounting the price to sponsor Junior.(Newsday)(3-17-2013)

 

 

Bristol Driver Intro Songs:

For several years, Sprint Cup drivers have chosen the song that is played when they are introduced to the crowd prior to the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Here is this year's list for all drivers:

#1-Jamie McMurray: Crazy Train/Ozzy Osborne

#2-Brad Keselowski: Everlong/Foo Fighters

#3-Austin Dillon: Cowboy/DJ Silver

#4-Kevin Harvick: Happy/Pharrell Williams

#5-Kasey Kahne: Bottom's Up/Brantley Gilbert

#7-Michael Annett: Standing Outside the Fire/Garth Brooks

#9-Marcos Ambrose: This Is How We Roll/Florida Georgia Line

#10-Danica Patrick: Timber/Ke$ha & Pitbull

#11-Denny Hamlin: My Name Is/Eminem

#13-Casey Mears: Do I Wanna Know?/Arctic Monkeys

#14-Tony Stewart: Back in the Saddle Again/Aerosmith

#15-Clint Bowyer: Boys Round Here/Blake Shelton

#16-Greg Biffle: Good Times, Bad Times (remix)/Godsmack

#17-Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: The South/The Cadillac Three (featuring Florida Georgia Line and Dierks Bentley)

#18-Kyle Busch: Can't Hold Us/Macklemore

#20-Matt Kenseth: Guitars, Gangsters & Cadillac Blood/Volbeat

#22-Joey Logano: Fuel/Metallica

#23-Alex Bowman: Counting Stars (Longarms Dubstep Remix)/One Republic

#24-Jeff Gordon: Best Day of My Life/American Authors

#26-Cole Whitt: God's Not Dead/Newsboys

#27-Paul Menard: Clean My Wounds/Corrosion of Conformity

#30-Parker Kligerman: Don't Push Me/50 Cent

#31-Ryan Newman: Down Home Boys/Cole Swindell

#32-Travis Kvapil: Ace of Spades/Motorhead

#33-Timmy Hill: Thunderstruck/AC/DC

#34-David Ragan: C'mon N' Ride It (The Train)/Quad City DJ's

#35-David Reutimann: Still Counting/Volbeat

#36-Reed Sorenson: Man of the Year/School Boy Q

#38-David Gilliland: Strokers Theme/Charlie Daniels Band

#40-Landon Cassill: Money in the Bank/Lil Scrappy ft. Young buck

#41-Kurt Busch: Ring of Fire/Johnny Cash

#42-Kyle Larson: Kashmir/Led Zeppelin

#43-Aric Almirola: Outsiders/Eric Church

#47-AJ Allmendinger: Bouncin' Back (Bumpin' Me Against the Wall)/Mystikal

#48-Jimmie Johnson: Radioactive/Imagine Dragons

#51-Justin Allgaier: War of Change/Thousand Foot Krutch

#55-Brian Vickers: Beast of Burden/Rolling Stones

#66-Joe Nemechek: Beer With Jesus/Thomas Rhett

#78-Martin Truex Jr.: Flyin Down a Back Road/Justin Moore

#83-Ryan Truex: Crave You (Adventure Club Remix)/Flight Facilities

#88-Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Man of Action/Matthew Good Band

#95-Michael McDowell: I Am/Crowder

#98-Josh Wise: Intro/The XX

#99-Carl Edwards: Kickstart My Heart/Motley Crue

(NASCAR.com)(3-17-2014)

 

Note:  My question is - is it really necessary to have "introductory music" played?   Doesn't that just lengthen the time for the whole show?

 

 

2014 Sprint Cup Driver Chase Championship Points Standings:

[after Bristol, race 4 of 36]

1) #2-Brad Keselowski [1 win], 163

2) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. [1 win], 153, -10

3) #99-Carl Edwards [1 win], 152, -11

4) #24-Jeff Gordon, 152, -11

5) #48-Jimmie Johnson, 143, -20

6) #22-Joey Logano, 141, -22

7) #11-Denny Hamlin, 140, -23

8) #20-Matt Kenseth, 138, -25

9) #31-Ryan Newman, 125, -38

10) #17-Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., 122, -41

Other drivers with a win:

21) #4-Kevin Harvick [1 win], 89, -74

 

 

Hamlin, Logano feud still lingers:

Their feud started with some Twitter posts about the closing laps of the Daytona 500 and it heightened three weeks later at Bristol Motor Speedway, where an on-track spin nearly led to post-race fisticuffs. Things took a turn for the worse between #11-Denny Hamlin and #22-Joey Logano a week later at Fontana when the two drivers refused to give an inch while attempting to win. It led to a crash, a broken vertebra for Hamlin and a destroyed relationship between the former teammates. As they return this weekend to Bristol a year later, Hamlin has finally put his malevolent feelings toward Logano aside.

"We're OK," Hamlin said. "We don't talk or anything like that more than we should and really no less than we should, I would say. You can hold grudges all you want, but it's not going to make you any faster and it's not going to get you any closer to a championship. I'm bitter in ways, and in other ways it's been so long ago and there's so many trials and tribulations between then and now, that I think I'm a better person now and I think I'm a better driver now."

Said Logano: "I feel like we're fine. A year is a long time. It's over now. I feel like we've moved on. Obviously, people were talking about it this week because it's the one-year anniversary of the whole fiasco," Logano said. "But you move on and forget about things. You're supposed to forgive and forget and that goes both ways, so we both knew what we had to do and I feel like we've moved on and we're going from there."

"As far as my relationship with him, I treat him with respect on the race track, as I should," said Hamlin, who chooses to limit his conversations with Logano because "what do you say? How can you express how upset you are with someone without punching them?"(Associated Press)(3-16-2014)

 

 

Bristol TV Ratings down:

Rain led to another decline for NASCAR on FOX. Abbreviated coverage of Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Food City 500 from Bristol earned a 4.1 overnight rating on FOX, down 7% from last year (4.4) but up a tick from 2012 (4.0). FOX aired only 45 minutes of live race coverage. The remainder of the race, according to Sports Business Daily, earned a 1.8 overnight on Fox Sports 1.(Sports Media Watch)(3-18-2014)

 

Note:  I wonder, how many, like me, do not get FS1?  Well, we don’t get it down here in Cape Coral, Florida on the DISH network or whatever it’s called.  I think it will be available for me when I get back home – as long as it doesn’t cost extra, that is.

 

 

Vickers bringing awareness to blot clots with special scheme:

Brian Vickers has overcome blood clots twice in his life. He's taking steps to make sure others are just as fortunate. The Michael Waltrip Racing driver will pilot the #55 TREATMYCLOT.com Aaron's Toyota in Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Auto Club Speedway. He'll also kickoff Blood Clot Awareness Month with Janssen to enhance the public's understanding about the problem that twice sidelined his racing career. Vickers missed most of the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup season recovering from blood clots in his legs and around his lungs. He returned to competition in 2011 and earned his third career victory driving the Aaron's Dream Machine in July 2013. In October, the discovery of a blood clot in his right calf, after wearing a walking boot, sidelined him for the final four races. He's returned full-time in 2014 on a mission to win races and help race fans know the warning signs and treatment for blood clots. Brian Vickers: "I want people to be mindful of what the signs and symptoms are. Visit www.TREATMYCLOT.COM to learn about the warning signs and if you experience any of the signs or symptoms talk to your doctor. That's the best thing to do. I'm always mindful and take precautions. When you're taking long flights, you stand up and you walk around. That's not just for me, everyone should do that. Obviously I keep an eye out for signs and symptoms, but my last incident was a provoked incident. I had to wear an ankle brace for a month, which is known to create clots. In those situations in the future, I will be more mindful and probably more careful and maybe try to get ahead of it. Other than that I just live my life and go racing."(Michael Waltrip Racing), see an image of the car on the #55 team paint schemes page.(3-19-2014)

 

 

Auto Club Speedway adds SAFER barrier:

When #11-Denny Hamlin returns to Auto Club Speedway this week, he'll find more of the SAFER barrier in the area where he crashed last year. The Southern California facility has added an additional 1,000 feet of the Steel and Foam Energy Reduction barrier inside Turn 4, according to a track spokesman. The change was made in September, six months after Hamlin sustained a broken back vertebra after crashing into an unprotected area of the wall in the track's Sprint Cup Series event last March. In the wake of the accident, NASCAR officials said experts would reevaluate that section of the wall and recommend changes if necessary. SAFER barriers are typically first installed along the parts of track walls where impacts are most likely to occur, but it's not uncommon for the barriers to be added or altered in reaction to accidents. A Jeff Gordon hit at Las Vegas, an Elliott Sadler incident at Pocono and a Jeff Fuller accident at Kentucky each resulted in changes being made to walls or barriers at those facilities.(NASCAR.com)(3-19-2014)

 

 

 

 

From Track Forum:

http://www.trackforum.com/forums/forum.php

 

Jenna with some strong words for ISC & Nascar . . .

 

http://www.trackforum.com/forums/showthread.php?184210-Jenna-with-some-strong-words-for-ISC-amp-Nascar

 

Note:  Check out what Jenna had to say.  Then check out some of the comments under her article.

 

 

From the AARN:

http://www.aarn.com/

 

This Week

In AARN

 

Adam Wilt Gets Central PA

410 Sprint Season

Off To A Flying Start

At Lincoln

 

 

Breakthough

Southern Mod Tour Win

For JRBertuccio

 

 

Eckert Wheels

To Hagerstown Late Model

Checkers

 

 

Cornwall Speedway Sale

Is Imminent

 

 

Thunderbird

West Coast WoO Sprint Mains

To Abreu, Pittman

 

 

‘Hard Clay Open’

At Orange County

Postponed Until April 6

 

 

Another Big Bucks

Dirt Late Model Win

For Chris Madden In Tennessee

 

 

Edwards Wins Wet Bristol;

Survives ‘Mystery Yellow’

 

Earl Krause:

 

In this week’s column, Earl fills us in on the health situation with Frankie Schneider.  Info to the AARN was sent by the daughter of Frankie.  She tells of how he was having some pretty bad back pains, so she took him to the emergency room.  It was discovered that his kidneys were failing, and he had broken his tail bone.  He was put on dialysis, immediately. Upon further testing, it was found that his prostate cancer had spread to his bones.  The kidneys, with the help of the dialysis, have basically returned to being normal and he was able to be taken off of the dialysis.  He's been getting radiation treatments for the cancer, and was due for the last one this week.  He's also been getting hormone treatments, too.  They won't know for another six weeks, but he has improved, is eating and is feeling quite well.  They have had him up and walking, too.

 

 

Lenny Sammons:

 

A good portion of his column was about Michael Storms and what his future might hold.  He would like to return to working with Brett Hearn, but in a different capacity.  Presently he's been working on his girl friends (Brittany Tresch) 305 Sprint Car - rebuilding it from the ground up.  He also has been working in tree service and snow removal for her father.  He was on the road with the Kasey Kahne WoO Sprint Car team, but that lasted only for a week - the reason being that he was quite homesick, especially for his girl friend.  He wants to race again, and has inquired about a possible temporary ride with the Sherlock team.  He would also like to run against Brittany, but they only have one engine for the two Sprint Cars.

 

 

Ernie Saxton:

 

Like Ernie, and like Monte Dutton, I, too, think that there should be no guaranteed starters in NASCAR.  I'll even go a little further and say no guaranteed starters at all in racing.  You don't qualify, you go home. 

Yes, way too much "Pre" race stuff on TV.  As far as I'm concerned, there could actually be more after the races.  Ernie makes mention that for 40 years Randy Kane has been writing about Big Diamond Raceway.  When Randy sent in his request to Big Diamond for his press credentials, Big Diamond saw fit to turn down his request.  On top of that, he would not be receiving any news from the track.  Nice, huh?  Ernie say she did send an email to the track to get their side of the story, but was not shown the courtesy of a respo0nse (at the time of the AARN being printed I have to add). 

Ernie informs us that Chip Ganassi has been with Target for some 25 years now. 

 

 

Steve Barrick:

 

Steve tells us a few things about the Cornwall Speedway - like the schedule has been pretty well set, sanctioning agreements signed and sponsorship packages taken care of.  Also, don't be too surprised it there's a new owner for the 2014 season. Current track owner Ron Morin is 99.999% sure of there being a new owner.

 

 

Walter Elliott had a couple of articles - one about the passing of Gary Bettenhausen, and another about Verizon being the new sponsor for the Indycar Series.  It's supposedly for 10 years.

 

 

Brett Deyo:

 

Tells us that the Hansell # 357 will be driven by Frank Cozze, Stewart Friesen and Matt Sheppard.  Also, Tommy Meier is planning on doing quite a bit of traveling in 2014.

 

 

Bill Utter:

 

Bill covered the OCFS car show quite a bit in his column this week.  Some other things he covered:  Chuck McKee will be running for the Modified championship at OC in 2014.  I have no idea as to why (well in a way I do) but it seems that Billy V and the Sherlock team are the only ones from OCFS to run the SDS.  However, Bill does make mention that there might be 10 from OCFS to run the Short Track Super Series which is a short six race series.  Brian Krummel will be running the Small Block at OC and, on occasion, the Sportsman class, too.  A charity auction to benefit the family of former Jerry Higbie crew member Earl Cudney, raised $2,653.00.  Earl passed away the previous week at the young age of 49.

 

 

 

Randy Kane:

 

He informs us that Jackie Brown will defend his Accord championship in 2014.  Jackie will have Five mile Point as his Saturday night track.  George Begg has a "new" car - one that was once run by Rick Laubach.  He'll run at OCFS in the Sportsman class again, and also might use the older car at Accord.  Jesse Kline will probably get a late start in 2014 since he's in the process of building a new home.  Father Bruce, says he is not retired, but he is up in the air as to where he might race in 2014.

 

 

Dave Roberts:

 

It was Dave that broke the news last week about the sale of Rolling Wheels and the high purses that were said to happen.  22 pages of comments on a thread on the Dirt Track Digest's forum, which has now been relegated to page 2.  Nothing said by Dave about the Wheels and what's happened, or not happened.

Note:  That thread, still 22 pages, has now made its way back to the front page.  All it takes is someone to comment on the situation, which, now seems like a dead deal, maybe?

 

 

There was a small article on page 16 about VP Racing Fuel extending their deal with DIRTcar into 2017.

Note:  I wonder, is it really all that hard to tech fuel?  If not, who gains from having only one fuel supplier?  Or only one tire supplier?  If you're required to use a certain fuel and certain tires, I would think that all teams should get at least something back, since some monies are usually put into the point fund?   I read on the Internet the other day that someone questioned that at the OCFS banquet, only the top five got awards?  Huh?  Why?

 

 

An ad on page 29 about the Marsh Creek Speedway, in Downington, PA being for lease or for sale.  It's a 1/5 mile paved track on 4 acres, with ticket and concession stands, zoned for all racing activities, and has commercial possibilities.  Asking price is $89,900.00.  Interested?  Call this number:  610-220-7006

 

 

Note # 1:  Nothing said about that proposed sale of Rolling Wheels, which was big news last week.  There is a thread on the Dirt Track Digest’s Forum on that, and as of Wednesday, it’s up to 22 pages.

http://www.dirttrackdigest.com/DTD/index.php?/topic/50198-rolling-wheels-sold-running-every-other-week-on-sunday-starting-427/

 

One of the last postings:  “Expect an announcement on April 1.  If you know what I mean.”

 

Note # 2:  You know what I really hate?  When someone posts their email address with their article/column, and the damn thing doesn’t work!  It’s happened a couple of times now with email addresses that are shown in the AARN.

 

 

 

Press releases:

 

INDYCAR welcomes Verizon to 'The Heart Of Racing

 

http://view.email.brickyard.com/?j=fe6115777562047f7213&m=fef51274736002&ls=fdf1127873600c7a77107074&l=fe9216737d63027e75&s=fe2011767064027a7d1d71&jb=ffcf14&ju=fe25157976610c7e701371

 

 

 

 

Devil’s Bowl Speedway Welcomes SK Light Modified Division in 2014

Open-wheel asphalt-style Modified cars to run limited schedule

 

For Immediate Release                                                                                                                                                                         DBS-031714-1

 

WEST HAVEN, VT – Stock car racing fans will have a new group of stars to cheer for at Vermont’s Devil’s Bowl Speedway, as the “SK Light Modified” division makes its way to the racy half-mile.  The division will make several appearances during the summer to complement the weekly NASCAR Whelen All-American Series in 2014.

The division features the same style of low-slung, open-wheel cars that compete on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, but with cost-containing differences in engines and tires.  Preliminary talks with competitors have been positive, and a schedule of nine events has been planned.  An exhibition event was staged at Devil’s Bowl in August 2013, and racers and fans alike were impressed.

Many of the division’s expected competitors have raced at the recently closed Canaan Fair Speedway and the recently reopened Twin State Speedway in New Hampshire.  The rulebook – which has options for both sealed “crate” engines and homebuilt engines – will allow racers from other tracks in New Hampshire and Connecticut to try Devil’s Bowl.  The full rulebook for the division has been posted on the Devil’s Bowl Speedway website at www.devilsbowlspeedwayvt.com.

“I was approached by several race teams last year about bringing these cars to Devil’s Bowl, since they have nowhere else to race in this area,” Devil’s Bowl promoter Mike Bruno said.  “There’s a great group of drivers that are willing to push these cars deep into the corners.  It should be pretty exciting.”

The Devil’s Bowl Speedway season will open on Sunday, May 4 with the annual “Spring Green” event, which also includes the SK Light Modified opener.  Other events for the division will be held on May 16, June 6, June 20, June 27, July 4, July 18, August 15, and during the Vermont 200 Weekend finale on September 13-14.

Devil’s Bowl Speedway is located on Route 22A in West Haven, VT, four miles north of Exit 2 on U.S. Route 4.  For more information, visit www.devilsbowlspeedwayvt.com or call (802) 265-3112.  Devil’s Bowl Speedway is on Facebook at facebook.com/DevilsBowlSpeedway and on Twitter and Instagram at @DevilsBowlSpeed.

-30-

Contact: Justin St. Louis                                                                                                                                                          Phone: (802) 355-3282

Email: devilsbowlspeedway@gmail.com

 

 Devil's Bowl Speedway

Phone: (802) 265-3112

Email: devilsbowlspeedway@gmail.com

 

 

 

Borgers Updates March 18.

 

Borgers PR

Media Contact

Bob Snyder

bobsnyderphoto@enter.net

 

March 22 Practice Cancelled.

 

After spending the day at the track and monitoring the wet grounds it was decided to cancel the practice session for this Saturday March 22.  The forecast for rain mid week and on Saturday will further complicate the already saturated grounds.

 

GM Brendan O’Connor, “right now mother nature has the upper hand.  We want to be 100% before we open the track for practice.  The upper lot is still snow covered and under that is a sea of mud.  There is no possible way cars could go beyond the food stand.  Hopefully we can get through the forecasted rain and get the drying process started.”

 

Plans now call for practice Saturday March 29 and then a decision will be made on the season opener.

 

 

 

I get emails – racing related – part 1:

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                              MARCH 18, 2014

DICK JORDAN

 

 

8 INITIAL 2014 USAC HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES ANNOUNCED;

4 ADDITIONAL INDUCTEES TO BE DETERMINED BY FAN VOTE

 

 

            The initial eight 2014 inductees into the USAC Hall of Fame have been announced and four more, selected by popular vote from a list of 16 eligibles distributed through social mediums, will be announced April 15.

 

            The third annual USAC Hall of Fame induction ceremonies will be held May 17 at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis, Ind. in conjunction with the annual USAC "Hall of Fame Classic" Silver Crown Championship race.

 

            The eight-member class of inductees announced today includes five drivers, a race organizer, an official and a chief mechanic. They are (alphabetically) George Bignotti, Don Branson, Larry Dickson, Norm Nelson, Don Smith, Bob Stroud, Rodger Ward and Bob Wente.

 

            George Bignotti was one of America's premier chief mechanics and earned seven victories in the Indianapolis 500, along with six National Championships. He started his career as a Midget car owner who occasionally drove himself. He worked with such stalwart drivers as Freddie Agabashian, Marvin Burke, Johnny Boyd, Earl Motter and Bob Sweikert. Agabashian won the 1947 and 1948 BCRA titles and Boyd won the 1951 title in Bignotti cars. His Indianapolis 500 victories came in 1961 and 1964 (A.J. Foyt), 1966 (Graham Hill), 1970 and 1971 (Al Unser), 1973 (Gordon Johncock) and 1983 (Tom Sneva). In 1964 he and Foyt swept the first seven races of the National Championship season and won 10 of 13 races that year! Bignotti passed away September 27, 2013 in Las Vegas.

 

            Don Branson, USAC's 1959 Midwest and 1964 National Sprint Car Champion, began racing in 1946 and in 1955 he won the final AAA race in an indoor Midget event at Fort Wayne, Ind. A stellar Championship-car and Sprint car veteran, he also excelled in the Midgets, twice winning the Hut Hundred (in 1958 and 1966). He also won the first Midget race at what was then known as Indianapolis Raceway Park in 1961. The 1964 USAC National Sprint Car Champ scored 13 victories before losing his life in a 1966 accident at Gardena, Calif. Affectionately called "Gramps," he competed in eight Indianapolis 500s and finished fourth in 1960 and fifth in 1963. His seven Championship-car wins were part of 85 "top-10s." He is a member of both the National Sprint Car and Midget Halls of Fame.

 

            Larry Dickson owns three USAC National Sprint Car Championships, 1968, 1970 and 1975 and formed half of the feared "Larry and Gary Show" with Gary Bettenhausen, swapping first and second place point finishes between 1968 and 1971. His 45 career Sprint wins are tied with Tracy Hines for fourth on the all-time USAC list. In 1975 he also added the prestigious "Little 500" to his victory list at Anderson, Ind. In eight Indianapolis 500 starts he scored a ninth-place finish in 1969. A 1990 inductee into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame, he was among their inaugural class! A versatile driver, he even drove a Ford Torino in the Daytona 500 and ran in the "top-10" before retiring with engine woes. He added a pair of wins in the USAC Silver Crown series.

 

            Already a winner under the AAA banner, Norm Nelson went on to win 35 events in the USAC Stock Car series, earning the season's championship in 1960, 1965 and 1966. He was also runner-up four times and third in three other seasons in addition to having already been runner-up under AAA sanction in 1950. Nelson always fielded his own equipment and after switching from Ford to Chrysler in 1963, he typically fielded a second car for such outstanding drivers as Roger McCluskey (won the USAC title in 1969 and 1970), A. J. Foyt (runner-up in 1963), Jim Hurtubise (won NASCAR's Atlanta 500 in 1966), Paul Goldsmith and Lloyd Ruby. As a car entrant, Nelson won USAC's seasonal championship six times and was runner-up five times. A longtime USAC Board member, he passed away on November 8, 1988.

 

            Don Smith was a thinker and he came up with a lot of good promotional ideas He kept a notepad by his bed and whenever he came up with an idea, he'd jot it down. And one of his really big ideas was the famed "Tony Hulman Classic" USAC Sprint spectaculars. He was the Director of Racing at the Terre Haute Action Track from 1953 through 1980 and scheduled the inaugural "Classic" for 1971.  For the next decade, he presided over one of the most prestigious and richest USAC events at the half mile dirt oval. Sprint racing by USAC's best, Hollywood celebrities, and the huge "Driver Appreciation Dinner" made for one spectacular weekend. The centerpiece of the "Dinner", which was discontinued after Hulman's death in 1977, was the Calcutta-style auction of drivers who had qualified during preliminary races earlier in the day. The money pool was split evenly between the bidders and the Hulman Classic feature race purse, swelling it well beyond the USAC average. The city's merchants wholeheartedly supported the event and the local Terre Haute Tribune-Star even published a 32 page Sunday supplement the weekend before the big race. And, adding to the prestige of the event, ABC-TV sent their "Wide World of Sports" team to cover the event each year. His tenure at the Indiana State Fairgrounds helped maintain the rich tradition of the prestigious "Hoosier Hundred." His leadership at the Terre Haute First National Bank and First Financial Corporation was legendary and he is revered among the sport.

 

            Hardly known at all by the race fans, but extremely highly regarded by the participants, the gravel-voiced but fatherly Bob Stroud seemed to have had two separate careers as a USAC official. After many years with AAA in several disciplines, he was named USAC's full-time Midget division supervisor on January 1, 1960 and for the next decade became so totally devoted to that series that associates were astonished when at the end of the 1970 season he agreed to take over the USAC Stock Car series. It was an entirely different cast of characters, but Stroud quickly won them over, his rapport with participants and race track promoters alike always having been second to none. Always a strong advocate for fairness in competition and safety, he retired at the end of the 1976 season due to ill health and passed away on July 24, 1981 but he supervised hundreds of USAC events spanning two decades.

 

            One of the greatest drivers of all-time, two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Rodger Ward (1959 and 1962) had an amazing run in USAC National Championship competition, never finishing lower than fifth in the final point standings for seven straight seasons between 1958 and 1964. Champion in 1959 and 1962 (edging A. J. Foyt in the latter year), Ward finished runner-up in 1960, 1963 and 1964, each time to Foyt. He also ranked third in 1961 and fifth in 1958, winning a total of 24 USAC National Championship races between 1957 and 1966. The versatile Ward, who was an excellent road racer, also won five USAC Stock Car races and in very limited appearances with Midgets, won four major events. A magnificent spokesman for the sport in general, Ward served for several years on the USAC Board of Directors and as a part owner and founding partner of Indianapolis Raceway Park, designed both the road course and the 5/8-mile oval in place to this day. He passed away on July 5, 2004

 

            Bob Wente won USAC's National Midget Championship in 1963 after scoring runner-up point finishes for three consecutive seasons. A member of the inaugural group inducted into the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 1984, he scored 78 USAC National Midget wins, third to Mel Kenyon's all-time record 111 and Rich Vogler's 95. Wente made his Midget racing debut in 1954 and was the 1960 USAC Midwest Midget Champ, losing the National title by just 9.75 points to Jimmy Davies. He won the 1961 USAC Indoor title and in 1969 and 1976 won the "Night Before the 500" classic. In 1963 he won the "Hut Hundred." He posted a USAC Sprint win at Winchester, Ind. In his only Indianapolis 500 start he came from 32nd starting position to finish 9th in a car prepared by his Midget mechanic Bob Higman. Bob, who passed away on August 12, 2000, had three sons, all of whom competed in USAC Midget competition.

 

            Online voting for the final four inductees is now available by accessing the following link: http://www.usacracing.com/component/k2/item/3719-2014-usac-hof-induction-vote.

 

--USAC--

 

 

On Tuesday, March 18, 2014 11:42 AM, Brett Deyo <deyo99h@aol.com> wrote:

News from the Orange County Fair Speedway ‘Hard Clay Open’

Media Contact: Brett Deyo – 845.728.2781 or Deyo99H@aol.com

For Immediate Release/March 18, 2014

Postponement Of Orange County Fair Speedway ‘Hard Clay Open’ Has Not Dulled Buzz For $30,000 Spectacular Event; Diverse Field Set To Embark On ‘Hard Clay’ Oval Sunday, April 6; Five States & One Canadian Province Represented On Early Registration List

MIDDLETOWN, NY – A two-week postponement has done little to deter the feverish buzz for the first-ever ‘Hard Clay Open’ at Orange County Fair Speedway.

A growing and diverse field is set to tackle the legendary five-eighths-mile oval on Sunday, April 6 for the inaugural 50-lap National Dirt Racing League (NDRL) Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP big-block/small-block Modified event. The $30,000-plus spectacular is a first-time co-promotion involving Orange County operators Michael Gurda IV and Howie Commander in conjunction with special events promoter Brett Deyo. The event is sponsored by United Pump & Tank, East Coast Speed/ECS Auto and West Point Golf.

Fans and racers alike expressed their enthusiasm for the event during the two-day Orange County Fair Speedway Motorsports Show held in the Fairgrounds Arena March 15-16.

The ‘Hard Clay Open’ at Orange County kicks off the NDRL Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP, a six-race big-block/small-block Modified series offering a recently increased $6,000 to the champion from a point fund of $25,000. The series visits Orange County, Thunder Mountain (N.Y.), I-88 (N.Y.), Accord (N.Y.) and Penn Can (Pa.) speedways. A long list of contingency and special awards has been assembled for the first Short Track Super Series season.

Five states and one Canadian province are already represented on the current list of ‘Hard Clay Open’ registrants.

Entries continue to be received by the BD Motorsports Media LLC office, led by Sussex, N.J., superstar Brett Hearn, who will be racing for his 300th career Orange County victory at the ‘Hard Clay Open’ event. Hearn currently owns 299 career Orange County checkered flags (173 big-block Mod; 124 small-block Mod; and two Sprint Car).

Hearn’s longtime rival Danny Johnson of Rochester, N.Y., has picked up the ride in Chris Gennarelli’s No. 86, typically driven by Adam MacGeorge at Penn Can. MacGeorge, a rising Modified star who won his first Penn Can main event last year, steps out of the seat at the ‘Hard Clay Open’ in favor of Johnson.

The winner of the 358-Modified Championship during Eastern States Weekend last October, Stewart Friesen of Sprakers, N.Y., readies for the ‘Hard Clay Open’ off the strength of Fonda (N.Y.) and Utica-Rome (N.Y.) championships in ’13. Friesen is already a winner this season, annexing a triumph at Volusia (Fla.) Speedway Park in February.

Rookie phenom, 19-year-old Anthony Perrego of Montgomery, N.Y., straps into Gary Mann’s New York Truck Parts No. 55 off a wave of momentum. Perrego, who moved into the Modified ranks last August, won the November ‘Gobbler’ spectacular at Accord (worth $7,732.11) and finished second in his very first big-block start at Volusia in February.

Bridgeport (N.J.) Speedway ’13 big-block Mod champion Ryan Watt, driving for Ron Roberts, plans to make his first Orange County start in more than a decade. Boyertown, Pa.’s Watt, who won a BD Motorsports Media LLC event at Penn Can last June, will chase the ’14 NDRL Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP title with plans to attend all six events.

A past champion at Orange County, Lebanon Valley (N.Y.) and Accord speedways, Sheffield, Mass., star Andy Bachetti will pilot the Steve Hough Motors No. 34 at the ‘Hard Clay Open’ event.  Bachetti, like Watt, has filed a full-season entry for the ’14 NDRL Short Track Super Series.

Former Mr. DIRTcar Modified champion Gary Tomkins of Clifton Springs, N.Y., a Canandaigua (N.Y.) Motorsports Park regular, will strap into the Ray and Debbie Tuit/Mike Sparta Trucking No. 673 for the ‘Hard Clay Open’ event. The Tuits and Sparta have a long history of racing at OCFS. Tomkins will be joined by fellow Canandaigua regulars Matt Billings of Brockville, Ont., Canada and Tim Currier of Auburn, N.Y.

New Egypt (N.J.) Speedway regular David Van Horn Jr. of Harmony, N.J., returns to his former home at Orange County, where he is both a big- and small-block past champion, for the ‘Hard Clay Open’ in the Harmony Sand & Gravel No. 71.

Second-generation driver Mike Mahaney of King Ferry, N.Y., the ’13 I-88 Speedway Modified champion, heads to Orange County in his family owned No. 33 big-block. Mahaney has very limited experience at the ‘Legendary House of Power’ turning only a handful of laps in borrowed rides during last October’s Eastern States Weekend.

Accord Speedway ’13 Modified champion Jackie Brown Jr., formerly an Orange County regular, returns to the Hard Clay for the April kickoff. Brown won the ‘King of the Catskill’s event at Accord last September with a pass of Danny Johnson.

The OCFS open-wheel champions from ’13 – Tim Hindley of Fair Oaks, N.Y., (big-block) and Danny Creeden of Middletown, N.Y., (small-block) are set to defend their home turf. Ironically, Hindley reported he will compete with the Joe Sarvis-owned No. 94 small-block, while Creeden will strap into a big-block powered car.

Tommy Meier of Waldwick, N.J., who has won big-block, small-block, Sportsman and Street Stock championships at Orange County, plans to drive a Jeff Behrent-owned No. 3 at the ‘Hard Clay Open’ to kick off his pursuit of the NDRL Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP point title.

Short-trackers looking to tackle the large and fast Orange County oval include Accord regular and previous Short Track SuperNationals winner Danny Tyler of Cottekill, N.Y., I-88 Speedway racer Brett Tonkin of Carbondale, Pa., short-track ace and 10-time Accord champion Rich Ricci Jr. of New Paltz, N.Y., past Five Mile Point champion Justin Holland of Kauneonga Lake, N.Y., and a veteran driver who has visited Victory Lane frequently at the quarter-mile Glen Ridge (N.Y.) Motorsports Park in recent seasons: Elmo Reckner of Ballston Lake, N.Y.

The ‘Hard Clay Open’ is a lucrative Modified event paying $5,000 plus bonuses to the winner, $4,000 for second, $1,500 for fifth, $1,000 for 10th and $500 just to take the green flag. Lap money has been collected and will cycle through the top-seven running positions. The total has climbed to $2,439. A number of other cash awards and bonuses will add to the huge payday for competitors.

Joining the Modifieds are Crate 602 Sportsman in a 25-lap, $1,000-to-win event for the Dig Safely New York GRIT Series. Lap money and special awards are also adding up for ‘Hard Clay Open’ 602 Sportsman competitors.

The ‘Hard Clay Open’ postponement has prompted changes in the Orange County Fair Speedway schedule. The open practice session, originally slated for March 29, has been pushed back to April 5, the eve of the ‘Hard Clay Open’ event. The regular season opener for 2014 will now hit the track on April 12.

In Orange County’s long and storied history, there have been eight different race events completed on or before April 6: March 18, 1984 won by Larry Brolsma; March 25, 1984 won by Charlie Rudolph; April 2, 1983 won by C.D. Coville; April 2, 1983 won by Gary Iulg (heldover from March 27, 1983); April 3, 1966 won by Bill Wimble; April 4, 1959 won by Carl Van Horn; April 4, 1964 won by Bill Wimble and April 6, 1984 won by Bob McCreadie.

For the ‘Hard Clay Open’ pit gates will open at 8 a.m.  Grandstand and drive-in section gates unlock at 10 a.m.  A drivers’ meeting is set for 12:45 p.m., with hot laps at 1:05 p.m. and racing at 2 p.m.

Admission for the ‘Hard Clay Open’ is $20 for Adults, $18 for Seniors and $2 for Kids 12 and under. Pit admission is $35, with no license required.

Big- and small-block combinations are legal for this unique event with staggered minimum weights. American Racer and Hoosier tires are both legal, as well. Accepted tire compounds have been outlined in the race rules/information.

For the first time ever at Orange County, sail panels are permitted for the ‘Hard Clay Open’ Modified event. Sail panels must be no taller than 65 inches when measured from the ground and must mirror each other in size and shape side-for-side. A four-inch roof spoiler is permitted, as well. All other Orange County/DIRTcar body rules will be in effect. Complete race rules, weights and tire compounds can be found online at www.bdmotorsportsmedia.com or www.orangecountyfairspeedway.net.

For qualifying, drivers will draw for their starting positions upon entry to the speedway. Heat-race finishes utilizing staggered passing points will be calculated to set the redraw participants and qualified cars from 10-lap heat races.  Consolations, 10 laps each, will set the remainder of the 28-car starting field via their order of finish. The heat-race finish/passing point combination will set the starting lineups for the consolations.

The passing points system, new to Modified racing but widely used in other forms of racing including Sprint Cars and the famed ‘Chili Bowl’ in Tulsa, Okla., aims to satisfy the desires of both racers and fans by easing the consequences of a poor draw for competitors and providing heat-race excitement for fans.

For further ‘Hard Clay Open’ information, contact Brett Deyo of BD Motorsports Media at Deyo99H@aol.com or by phone at 845.728.2781. BD Motorsports Media is on the web at www.bdmotorsportsmedia.com. “Like” BD Motorsports Media on Facebook or “follow” @BrettDeyo on Twitter.

Located at 239 Wisner Avenue Middletown, NY 10940 on the Orange County Fairgrounds, Orange County Fair Speedway is the oldest continuously operating dirt track in the United States. The first auto race was held at the speedway in 1919. The five-eighths-mile oval offers fully-covered and half-covered grandstands in addition to open bleacher seating on the frontstretch and turn one areas, with drive-in viewing on the backstretch. To learn more, contact the Orange County Fair Speedway office at 845.342.2573 or visit www.orangecountyfairspeedway.net.

The ‘Hard Clay Open’ is presented by United Pump & Tank, East Coast Speed/ECS Auto, West Point Golf, Rock Fantasy Concert, Smoke Shop & Pinball Room, Simplicity Design, 673 Racing, Mike Sparta Trucking, Elmo’s Auto Body, Zubi’s Racing, McGannon Excavating, Teo-Pro Car, Rochinski Contracting Services, Bob Hilbert Sportswear & many other fine marketing and lap sponsors.

The National Dirt Racing League (NDRL) Short Track Super Series is presented by VP Racing Fuels, Pioneer Pole Buildings Inc., East Coast Speed/ECS Auto, Rochinski Contracting Services, Allstar Performance, American Racer/Lias Tire, Art’s Radiator, ATL Fuel Cells, Behrent’s Performance Warehouse, BFP Specialty, Bicknell Racing Products, Bob Hilbert Sportswear, COMP Performance Group, Dirt Track Digest, DRACO Springs, Driven Racing Oil, ERK Steering, Finish Line Web Design, FOX Shox, H.B. Steele & Son, Henry’s Stainless Steel Exhaust, Hig Fab Chassis, Jack’s Used Race Car Parts, Kirkey Racing Products, PM3 Digital Imaging, Quarter Master, Race Pro Weekly, Schaeffer Racing Oil, Shiley Fabrication, Sleepy Hollow Golf, Teo-Pro Car, Troyer Race Cars & Vahlco Wheels.

-----

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

 

 

I get emails – racing related - part 2:

 

In a way, many consider me to be an “historian” on auto racing.  Hell, there are some that are actual historians, like the late Phil Harms.  One thing about my “stuff” – it’s usually out there on the Internet, and I imagine will remain there as long as there’s an Internet.  Some others, like Mr. Harms, a lot of what they had isn’t on the Internet or has been taken off of it.

 

An email about the Phil Harms racing archives.

 

To RacingHistory@yahoogroups.com

Today at 12:35 PM

Just got this reply from Harold:

 

 

At Phil's funeral, many people got up and spoke about the quiet, unassuming man with an intelligent sense of humor. Hard to get a rise out of him, nice to talk to but not long on conversation.

 

I didn't know him that way. He and I spent hours at a shot talking on the phone, in his home, and at various shows talking constantly. Mostly about racing. We shared a passion and connected on many levels. Thing is, the first time we met, I brought my research material with me. Several binders with newspaper articles, carefully organized folders, and specific questions that I hoped he could address. He knew right away that I was a serious player. I can't tell you how many phonies have contacted me over the ensuing 20 years and can only imagine how many he dealt with.

 

After I completed Where They Raced, Phil and I decided to collaborate on Real Road Racing (Santa Monica Road Races) because we knew that if we didn't do it, no one ever would. We knew it wouldn't sell a lot of copies, but we simply HAD to do it. Phil had an extensive collection of vintage images in print as well as negative format. About 60% was copied, the rest was original.

 

Phil's archives were built over many years. He was an engineer for Boeing and was involved with computers from the very early days. He carefully cataloged his photo/negative collection and knew exactly what he had as well as where to find it. We'd shake our heads when hearing about the guys who have a lot of material sloppily contained in random boxes, never to be heard of again.

 

Phil's collection went to the Henry Ford Museum in Michigan. Last I heard, it is made available to select individuals. I've not been there, nor have I had any contact with them regarding availability.

 

Here's the trouble. "Everyone and their cousin" is writing a book about this or that. They all want to look and see what's in this collection or that, with little strategy or planning done beforehand. Thus it becomes an open ended search. This type of person wreaks havoc on a photo collection and it's not uncommon for items to get damaged or go missing. So it would not surprise me if the Phil Harms Collection has been tagged "unavailable to general public."

 

Harold O.

 

 

posted by

Harry Pallenberg

Los Angeles, CA

 

Note:  There have been quite a few more emails on the above subject.  It really is sad how a good part of racing history can’t be accessed today either due to extreme costs or the museums or where ever the historical documents/photos are held just don’t want the general public in to view.

 

 

Found on the Internet – racing related:

 

What will the new fans look like?

 

http://www.trackforum.com/forums/showthread.php?184205-What-will-the-new-fans-look-like

 

 

Note:  Maybe this comment hits the nail on the head?

 

"No one is going to become a fan of the series because Verizon is the sponsor.

 

At the end of the day, it's still up to the series to guide the marketing, and of course, to make the product worth marketing.

 

When IZOD came on board, a bunch of golfers and white dudes in their late 40s didn't suddenly decide they liked Indycar racing."

 

 

 

Found on Facebook - racing related:

 

Church Hill police: Wife stabs husband in chest, claims he was "worshipping the NASCAR race"

 

http://www.wect.com/story/24995708/church-hill-police-wife-stabs-husband-in-chest-claims-he-was-worshipping-the-nascar-race?utm_content=buffer6655b&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

 

 

 

 

Going back, in time to March 20th, in:

 

1920

Bert Brooks... Born ... Eastern midget and sprint car driver from the 1940's, 50's and 60's. He was the United Racing Club (URC) Sprint car champion in 1954, 1956, 1957 and 1958.

 

 

1942

Bill Engelhart... Born ... Former driver in USAC and the CART Championship Car series. He raced in the 1980-1981 seasons, with 9 career starts, including an 11th in the 1980 Indianapolis 500.

 

1952

Geoff Brabham... Born ... An Australian racing driver. He is the son of three-time Formula One World Champion Jack Brabham.

 

1955

Larry Crockett... Died ... AAA driver who ran the Championship series in 1954. He was killed in a sprint car accident at Langhorne Speedway.

 

Mike Nazaruk , driving the Nyquist #29, won the 25-lap AAA Eastern Sprint Car race on the 1 mile dirt Langhorne Speedway in Langhorne, PA.

Note:  A photo of Larry, in the car he took his last ride in; will be in my photo section, this week.  I was in attendance that day at Langhorne.

 

1992

Kenny Bernstein became the first drag racer to break 300 MPH in the quarter mile when he drove his Top Fuel Dragster 301.70 MPH in qualifications for the NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Florida.

 

2008

Al Hofmann ... Died ... Veteran NHRA Funny Car driver. Hofmann won 15 NHRA national events in just 32 final round appearances. Hofmann was a regular in the NHRA Drag Racing Series from 1991 through 1996 and raced on a more limited schedule through 2002.

 

 

Going back, in time to other March dates:

 

MARCH 19

 

1943

Vern Schuppan... Born ... USAC / CART driver from the 1970's and 80's

 

MARCH 21

 

1920

Fonty Flock ... Born ... NASCAR great and one of the central figures in the formative days of NASCAR. He was the brother of NASCAR pioneers Tim Flock and Bob Flock, and the second female NASCAR driver Ethel Mobley. The four raced at the July 10, 1949 race at the Daytona Beach Road Course, which was the first event to feature a brother and a sister, and the only NASCAR event to feature four siblings. Ethel beat Fonty and Bob by finishing in eleventh.

 

1960

Ayrton Senna... Born ... Three time F1 World Champion.

 

1966

Kenny Brack... Born ... A race car driver from Sweden. Until his retirement from racing, he competed in the CART, Indy Racing League and the IROC series. He is the winner of the 1999 Indianapolis 500 and the 1998 driving champion of the Indy Racing League.

 

1970

Mario Andretti jumps into the Ferrari 512S of Ignazio Giunti/Nino Vaccarella and drives it to a 23.8 second victory over the Porsche 908 of Peter Revson and film star Steve McQueen in the 12 Hours of Sebring, at Sebring, Florida.

 

1999

John Force set a NHRA Funny Car speed record of 324.05 mph at Gainesville, Florida. At the same event, Tony Pedregon set an NHRA Funny Car quarter mile e.t. record of 4.779 seconds.

 

 

MARCH 22

 

1953

Bill Vukovich , driving the #45 Gerhardt Offy, won the AAA Midget race at the Kearny Bowl, Fresno, CA.

Note:  A photo of Vukie in the # 45 will be in my photo section, this week.

 

1974

Peter Revson... Died ... Formula One and the Indy car driver. The nephew of Revlon Cosmetics industry magnate Charles Revson, he was an heir to his father Martin's fortune (reportedly worth over $1 billion). During a practice run for the 1974 South African Grand Prix in Johannesburg, he was killed as a result of suspension failure on his Shadow Ford DN3.

 

 

MARCH 23

 

1937

Craig Breedlove... Born ... A five-time world land speed record holder. He was the first to reach 400 mph (640 km/h), 500 mph (800 km/h), and 600 mph (970 km/h), using several turbojet-powered vehicles that were all named "Spirit of America".

 

2007

Robert Peterson ... Died ... An entrepreneur who single-handedly created the largest special-interest publishing company in America and was instrumental in the evolution of the hot-rodding culture. In January 1948 he launched Hot Rod Magazine, and hawked the magazine at local speedways for 25 cents a copy. Motor Trend, a more upscale publication for production car enthusiasts, and dozens of other titles aimed at specialty automotive segments soon followed.

 

2009

Lloyd Ruby ... Died ... Ruby won seven times on the USAC Championship Car Series in his career and also had endurance racing victories in the 24 Hours of Daytona, the 12 Hours of Sebring and the United States Grand Prix. But he is best known for the race he didn't win. Ruby raced in 18 straight Indianapolis 500s from 1960-77, led in five of them and was out front for 126 laps. But he never won open wheel racing's most prestigious prize. Ruby's best finish at Indianapolis was third in 1964. His only top five finish at the 500 came in 1968. Five other times he placed in the top 10. In 1991, he was inducted into the Indianapolis 500 Hall of Fame.

Note:  A photo of Lloyd will be in my photo section, this week.

 

 

MARCH 24

 

1938

Will Cagle... Born ... Florida racer who made his name in Northeast Modified racing in the 1960's , 70's and 80's. He is one of the all time great modified drivers.

 

1946

Larry Rice... Born ... A former driver in the USAC and CART Championship Car series. Rice had a major win when he won the 1970 Hut Hundred.

 

1947

Roger Mears... Born ... A former off-road driver who also drove in the USAC and CART Championship Car series. Roger is the father of NASCAR driver Casey Mears and the brother of 4-time Indinapolis 500 winner Rick Mears.

 

1960

Scott Pruett... Born ... An American race car driver who has competed in NASCAR, Champ Car, IMSA, Trans-Am and Grand-Am.

 

 

MARCH 25

 

1925

Don Freeland... Born ... AAA / USAC driver from the 1950's & 60's. Freeland competed in the Indy 500 each year from 1953 to 1960. He appeared headed for a second place finish in 1955 before a transmission failure ended his day 22 laps prior to the end of the race. He came back with a best Indy finish of third the next year. He also finished in the top ten in 1954 and 1958.

 

1982

Danica Patrick... Born ... An American auto racing driver competed in the IndyCar Series. She was named the Rookie of the Year for both the 2005 Indianapolis 500 and the 2005 IndyCar Series season.  She now competes with NASCAR.

 

2009

We lost Dan Seals on March 25, 2009.  Check out my “Music Video” section, below.

 

 

 

 

 

This weeks photos:

Note:  Photos not available on DTD.  They can be seen here:  http://newenglandtractor.com/racereport/

 

 

Midgets 3-wide at Thompson

 

 

Postings to go with Thompson 3 wide photo:

 

“Midgets used to start Thompson 3 wide - max 33 cars.”

 

“I did a few of those starts. Being in the middle of the pack and in the middle of the row was always something to write home about.”

 

“We did those at Flemington too.”

 

“Yeah, I had heard at a Flemington race a certain driver passed damn near the whole field on the first lap”

 

“On BOTH SURFACES TOO...lol

 

 “Right.”

 

Note # 1:  Fourth comment was by yours truly.  Fifth comment was by the driver that did it.  Any idea as to who that driver was?  Answer next week.

 

Note # 2:  In last weeks photo, Jeff Johnson, who has the New England Tractor website ID’d the driver as Jigger Sirois and that the power plant was a turbine.  Congrats, Jeff!

 

 

Larry Crocket in the Engle/Stanko # 31 Sprint Car at Langhorne – his last ride.

 

 

Bill Vukovich in the # 45.

 

 

 

Lloyd Ruby in one of the first rear engine Indy cars – a Lotus at Trenton.

 

 

 

Racing videos:

 

Some 2013 OCFS highlights – by Jefferson Lambert:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qm76ALQmqQ

 

 

 

 

 

Found on the Internet – not racing related:

 

Splenda – do you use it?

 

Hey, I've used Splenda quite a lot, until I was told not to by a doctor down here in Cape Coral.

 

The truth about Splenda:

 

Increases the pH level in and slows down digestion. 

 

Kills the good bacteria in the intestines by 50%.

 

Promotes weight gain.

 

Splenda is considered hepatoxic and nephrotoxic which leads to liver and kidney lesions.

 

7% of Splenda remains 5 days after consumption and may lead to kidney damage.

 

www.stepintomygreenworld.com

 

http://www.stepintomygreenworld.com/healthyliving/health/the-dangers-of-splenda/

 

 

 

Pretty hard to believe that in this day and age, this plane, as of Monday AM, still has not been found.  Still not found as of Wednesday AM, either!

 

Search for Malaysia Airlines Jet Bolstered Off Australian Coast

 

http://gma.yahoo.com/search-malaysia-airlines-jet-bolstered-off-australian-coast-124746601--abc-news-topstories.html?vp=1

 

 

 

 

 

Found on Facebook – not racing related:

 

http://yournation.org/army-vet-silences-liberals-in-record-time/?utm_campaign

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=HvMn9hAPmjM

 

Note:  One has to wonder – how many more Americans feel the same way, today?

 

 

And this little video, too.  Things sure are a lot different today.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=GWRdHXbTmrs

 

 

 

 

Facebook 3/14:

 

Call your mother.

Tell her you love her.

Remember you’re the only person that knows

What her heart sounds like from the inside.

 

 

Facebook on 3/15:

 

After reading up on Obamacare anyone who thinks this is good for this country is a fool. The usual people who live off the rest of us don't have to pay for it while the rest of us are taxed to death and seniors are sentenced to a much shorter life span due to many procedures not allowed under Obamacare. Once again if you are voting these moron democrats in again please unfriend me!

 

 

An illegal immigrant can cross the US border, have a baby, and get access to tax funded services immediately.

A disabled veteran, coming back from Afghanistan, has to wait a year to get benefits.

It’s disgraceful!

 

 

This is fantastic... Idaho just had an "emergency session" and voted to nullify federal gun control.

 

 

Found on 3/18:

 

It is not what you do for your children, but what you have taught them to do for themselves, that will make them successful human beings (Ann Landers).

 

 

I may not be the most important person in your life.. I just hope that when you hear my name..

You’ll smile and say:  “That’s my friend”.

 

 

Pie crusts can be extra crispy if you use vodka instead of water?

 

 

Brace yourself:

Winter is coming and going, coming and going, and coming

 

 

You’re complaining about not having a job, yet you voted for Obama twice?

 

 

Now even people in New York are burning gun-registration papers

 

 

ACT NOW: The Senate is considering the nomination of Vivek Murthy - Obama's pick for Surgeon General - who calls guns a "public health threat" and wants your doctor to report if your family owns guns to the ObamaCare database.

We need a physician, not an anti-gun radical, as Surgeon General.

 

I do not regret growing older.  It’s a privilege denied to many.

 

The price of freedom can be seen at your local VA Hospital.

 

 

Found on 3/19:

 

Ok, went to heatlthcare.gov to look for ins. plans and just wondering where the $75 per month plans are that they advertise all over TV? LOL. If anyone has found that $75 plan, please help me!!!! The way it looks, I will need a second job to pay for healthcare. Maybe a 3rd job. That is for the bronze plan. Maybe I should see how much it is for the silver plan or add dental. lol.

 

Spring is here.  I'm so excited, I wet my plants.

 

We live in a society where a pizza gets to our house before the police.

 

Obamacare:  It only works if you don’t.

 

Sign at Walgreens 
Diabetes experts 
Then changes to
3 coke 12 packs $11.99

Can't make this stuff up

 

 

Will it ever end?

 

http://www.northeastusweather.com/2014/03/19/potentially-significant-winter-storm-to-impact-parts-of-the-east-coast/

 

 

 

 

 

 

I get emails – not racing related:

 

Wow!  If true!

 

Subject: FW: GO DALLAS !

 

The City of Dallas, Texas passed an ordinance

Stating that if a driver is pulled over by law enforcement

And is not able to provide proof of Insurance, the car is towed.

 

To retrieve the car after being impounded, they must show

Proof of insurance to have the car released. This has made

It easy for the City of Dallas to remove uninsured cars.

 

Shortly after the "No Insurance" ordinance was passed,

The Dallas impound lots began to fill up and were full

after only nine days.

 

Over 80% of the impounded cars were driven by illegals.

Now, not only must they provide proof of insurance to

Have their car released, they have to pay for the cost of the tow,

A *$350 fine, and *$20 for every day their car is kept In the lot.

 

Guess what?

Accident rates have gone down *47% and Dallas' solution

Gets uninsured drivers off the road *WITHOUT* making

Them show proof of nationality.

 

I Wonder how the

Holder's US Justice Department

Will get around this one.

* *** *

** Just brings tears to your eyes doesn't it? **

***GO Dallas***

 

 

 

 

Music videos:

 

Some Dan Seals music videos:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dVTW1ZHuNc

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7I01BwClpSk

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2mefSW4bYw

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKpn-GYsKSc

 

And, when he was “England Dan” along with John Ford Coley

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxdsk-cFX-k&list=RD_QZjJU-mtFU

 

 

 

 

 

Joke of the week:

 

A MAN AND WOMAN WERE MARRIED FOR MANY YEARS.

 

Whenever there was a confrontation, yelling could be heard deep into the night. The old man would shout, "When I die, I will dig my way up and out of the grave and come back and haunt you for the rest of your life!"

 

Neighbors feared him. The old man liked the fact that he was feared.

 

To everyone's relief, he died of a heart attack when he was 98.

 

After the burial, her neighbors, concerned for her safety, asked: "Aren't you afraid that he may indeed be able to dig his way out of the grave and haunt you for the rest of your life?"

 

The wife said, "Let him dig. I had him buried upside down. And I know he won't ask for directions!"*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please don’t forget:  Benghazi, The IRS Scandal and all the other scandals that seem to get put on the back burners every week.  When will anyone be “held accountable”, anyway?  Oh, don’t forget my description of “Held Accountable”:  Nothing will get done to anyone.

 

No, I will not vote for Hillary.  She is an evil woman!

 

 

Until the next column – NEXT WEEK!!!

 

I can be reached, via e-mail, at:  ygordad@yahoo.com