Mostly Racin' Stuff
By Tom Avenengo
Volume
# 189
08/14/2014
Some
personal/family stuff:
My wife, who left us on
July 3, 2014.
Remember, photos can only be seen on the
New England Tractor/Race Report website, which is linked to at the end of my
columns.
The wedding:
I first knew of it when the wife and I
were at our daughter Sandy’s house in
There are a ton of thrift shops in the
A few days prior to the wedding, Eric
called me and asked me to get all the photos I had of mom. They were going to do something special, in
her memory, at the wedding. I went through
the tons of photos we had in search of some good ones of her. It was somewhat difficult – bringing back
some memories.
My wife was a very loving woman. She loved not only me, but all of our five
children and almost 20 grand children, along with the great grand kids. As I went through the photos, I came across
two of her as she was holding our grand daughter, Marisa, Tom & Penny’s
daughter, when she was just an infant.
Thinking of those two photos now, I still get tears in my eyes, seeing
how much she loved that little girl. One
can see it in her face.
The wedding, last Saturday was great! Perfect weather, great
food, a good DJ (although they all do seem to think that louder is better) and
a lot of fun.
Somehow, I would think that the wife had
something to do with how things went.
She was so looking forward to it.
Had she been there in person, rather than just in spirit, I know she
would have had a blast.
At the end of my wife’s
obituary there is this: Memorial
contributions may be made to Salvation Army,
When I send this column out
to Jeff Johnson at New England Tractor, via email, I also send it to a few
others. There is one particular person
whom I’ve known just a little longer than the rest. Not going to mention any names here, but she
was quite instrumental in “saving” OCFS quite a few years ago when there was
that “dust” problem.
On Wednesday, August 13th,
I received a nice letter from The Salvation Army. So to you, from the bottom of my heart, a
huge thank you for the contribution made to the Salvation Army in the memory of
my wife. As it says in
the letter: “This gift not only
demonstrates the outpouring love for Joan Avenengo,
but a wonderful way to continue her legacy.”
More
memories:
So far I’ve covered how we met and our
first date. This week – the first meal
she cooked for me. Neither she nor I
like hot, spicy foods. Her favorite was
Chili. I can still vaguely recall that
first batch she made – it was delicious.
Every batch afterwards was the same. She never put chili powder in it, either. I’m pretty sure the last time we had it –
since we had returned from
To be continued with memories of our life
together – working together, going to the races, spending time in El Paso,
Texas when I was in the Army – coming back home – so many memories.
Racin’ stuff:
Auto racing – what kind of trouble is it
in? Car counts are down most
everywhere. Some tracks, with big
grandstands, look empty on race days/nights.
The cost of racing for the teams has almost gotten out of hand. Tracks cancel when there’s just a forecast
for wet weather. Rule books that
constantly change and/or add rules don’t help any, either.
Not only is regular racing in trouble but
the Vintage Race Meet held up in Loudon, NH looks like it is also having big
time problems, too. Of course it didn’t
help any when they NASCARized that show and raised
the cost for those that run there. I’ve
heard the car count for the oval track days – Sunday & Monday was quite
dismal. I’ve had suspicions that this
year could be the last one for that event – at Loudon.
Rumors:
Maybe it will move over to the Thompson, Ct. track
in the future?
There have been a lot of comments about
the “poorly lit” track at Canandaigua.
I’m wondering – why? Might what happened
make a majority of the tracks that have the same “poor” lighting increase their
lighting? One would think that the
sanctioning body would like to have safer and better lit racing tracks. So why is the Canandaigua track so dark in
that particular area? Why do so many
tracks have “dark” areas, anyway?
Safety Rules Bulletin
Effective Immediately.
Dated: August 11, 2014
Re: Procedural Rule Update
Under section III (Procedural
Rules) of the Fulton and Brewerton “General and Safety Rules”, please note the
following adjustment to rule number 10 that will be effective immediately.
PROCEDURAL RULES
It is the goal of speedway
management to maintain the safest possible racing conditions for all drivers.
Only safety crews and wrecker crews are permitted on the track in the event of
an accident. Pit crew members are not permitted on the track. Drivers are
required to stay in their car in the event of an on-track incident. If a
driver, for whatever reason, exits a car on the track during a caution period,
the race will automatically be placed under a red flag and all cars will come
to a complete stop. A driver may exit a car if requested by a safety crew
member or if safety warrants in cases such as a fire. Drivers that exit a car
without permission, for whatever reason, are subject to fine and/or suspension
at the discretion of track management.
Note: Above posted by Brewerton Speedway on their
website.
And:
Tri-City
New Rule implemented for the
remainder of the 2014 racing season:
If you come to a stop on the
track you MUST remain in your car until being told by a TCS Official or Safety Personel to exit your car, unless there is a fire! If you
exit your car you will be disqualified for the remainder of that
evenings events! NO EXCEPTIONS
Note:
I’m pretty sure we’ll be seeing a lot more like these, above.
The Tony Stewart/Kevin
Ward, Jr. tragedy:
If you would like to send a
card or letter to Ward’s family, please mail it to:
Port
For quite some time we watched Brian
Williams on TV and his news reporting.
Unfortunately, he, being a part of the main stream news media did not
report on the news we wanted to hear, so we no longer watched him. I do know, however, that Brian Williams is a
race fan, and I found this on Wednesday AM on Facebook
– Brian Williams on the Dan Patrick show.
Kevin Ward Sr.: Tony
Stewart's actions can't overshadow my son's racing life
An awful lot being said
on the Internet on this. Some (a majority) are backing Tony. Others are saying it was intentional. Neither I, nor anyone else knows for sure,
since we are not Tony Stewart.
'Devastated' track promoter
issues statement on Stewart/Ward incident
A very interesting read –
Monte Dutton:
NOBODY WINS
http://montedutton.com/blog/2014/08/10/nobody-wins/
MILLER: Tony Stewart and the
tragedy at Canandaigua
http://www.racer.com/latest-stories/item/107403-miller-tony-stewart-and-the-tragedy-at-canandaigua
I did find this on Facebook,
thanks to another race fan:
Stewart faces several
possible legal consequences after fatal accident
Former NASCAR champion Tony
Stewart could face criminal charges, civil lawsuits and loss of endorsement
deals in the aftermath of his race car striking and killing Kevin Ward, Jr. in
a sprint-car race at Canandaigua Motorsports Park on Saturday night in upstate
New York. The incident arose after Stewart’s race car clipped Ward’s race car,
which then hit the outside wall, cut a tire and spun out, thereby prompting
officials to issue a caution flag. The flag instructed the drivers to slow
down. Ward then left his car, walked onto the track and seemingly tried to
confront Stewart as Stewart’s race car approached his direction. Stewart's car
then hit and killed Ward. Stewart and his representatives have described the
incident as a tragedy and accident. The following analysis breaks down the
potential legal consequences for Stewart.
Possible criminal charges
against Stewart
The most serious legal
consequences of Ward’s death are those grounded in
For two reasons, however, the
absence of criminal intent in a sheriff’s estimation does not necessarily mean
Stewart will avoid charges.
First, a lack of pending
charges does not mean that charges won’t be brought at a later date, including
months or even years from now. The presence of a videotape is a crucial piece
of evidence for law enforcement to review, as it provides a record of the
event. Stewart’s clipping of Ward is also telling, because it could indicate
that he wanted to scare Ward after Ward left his race car to confront Stewart.
Driving close to someone as a way of frightening them could be considered
reckless conduct, or at least an issue worthy of
examination by a grand jury. Notably, Tyler Graves, a sprint-car racer who
attended the race and who has been described as a friend of Ward, suggested to
The Sporting News’ Bob Pockrass that Stewart acted
with some degree of intent: “I know Tony could see [Ward] . . . When Tony got
close to him, he hit the throttle.” If other drivers make similar comments,
there may be increased pressure on Povero and Tantillo to pursue charges.
HARRIS: Accident leaves many
questions that won't be answered
Along those lines, it is at
least plausible that a grand jury could conclude that while Stewart did not
intend to kill Ward – which, when accompanied by other elements, would
constitute murder in the first degree – he may have engaged in conduct consistent with
murder in the second degree. Under
Second, “criminal intent” is
not the only state of mind that could lead to criminal charges against Stewart.
For instance, negligent homicide refers to accidentally causing the death of
another through negligent conduct, such as reckless operation of a motor
vehicle. Crucially, negligent homicide would not require that Stewart
intentionally tried to kill Ward, only that he drove recklessly or carelessly.
Such misconduct might include trying to scare — but not hurt — Ward. In
Another plausible, though
less likely, charge against Stewart is manslaughter in the first degree, which
would necessitate that Stewart intended to cause Ward serious harm and in doing
so killed him. A conviction would carry a prison sentence of up to 25 years.
Manslaughter in the second degree, which carries a prison term of up to 15
years, would be appropriate if Stewart’s conduct in driving was deemed
sufficiently reckless and connected to Ward’s death.
Possible wrongful death
lawsuit against Stewart and prospect of a settlement
While Stewart is poised to
avoid criminal charges, he may not be so fortunate with civil litigation.
Ward’s family could sue Stewart for wrongful death, which refers to negligently
causing the death of another. A successful wrongful death lawsuit could lead to
millions of dollars in damages, particularly since wrongful death damages are
largely contingent on the decedent’s age and loss of future earnings. Ward was
only 20 years old and he seemed to have a promising and possibly lucrative
future as a driver. The statute of limitations for a wrongful death lawsuit in
Ward’s family would need to
convince a jury that Stewart’s conduct was probably unreasonable and caused
Ward’s death. Other drivers would be called to testify as experts and offer
their views as to the reasonableness of Stewart’s conduct. Stewart himself
could also be called to testify. His ability to invoke the Fifth Amendment to
avoid answering questions would depend on whether the questions asked of him
require him to admit that he engaged in criminal conduct.
In his defense in a wrongful
death lawsuit, Stewart could argue that Ward’s own conduct played a crucial
role in his death. After all, Ward clearly accepted some degree of safety risk by
leaving his race car after it spun out of control. Drivers are discouraged from
leaving their race cars during races unless their own safety is imperiled. Ward only elevated this safety risk by trying
to confront or incite Stewart as Stewart’s race car approached on the track.
On the other hand, Ward
exited his vehicle only after the caution flag was thrown and he must have had
no expectation that Stewart’s race car would hit him or he obviously would not
have waved his hands at Stewart. Moreover, if it is true that Stewart could see
Ward, Stewart’s decision to drive so close to him and perhaps even increase his
speed on the approach might prove damning in the minds of jurors. Expert
testimony would prove crucial in an interpretive legal debate of what Stewart
“should have done.”
Stewart, whose net worth
reportedly exceeds $100 million, may try to avoid civil litigation by reaching
an out-of-court settlement with Ward’s family. A settlement would constitute a
contract between Stewart and Ward’s family where Stewart would agree to pay a
significant amount of money in exchange for Ward’s family relinquishing any
legal claims it may have against him. The settlement would likely be
confidential and not contain any admission of wrongdoing. Given that a civil
trial involving Stewart would attract headlines and remind the public of Ward’s
death, Stewart would seem to have good reason to seek a settlement and avert a
trial.
Possible suspension and loss
of endorsement deals for Stewart through 'morals clauses'
NASCAR has broad legal
authority to discipline drivers, who are not represented by a union and do not
enjoy collectively bargained protections. NASCAR’s system of justice is
generally handled by its “Deterrence System,” which establishes appropriate
penalties for various infractions and offers disciplined drivers the
opportunity to appeal a sanction to its final appeals officer (Bryan Moss).
Whether NASCAR takes action
against Stewart remains to be seen. While Stewart is a NASCAR driver, the
incident did not occur at a NASCAR-sanctioned race. A sprint car race,
moreover, is an entirely different form of racing from NASCAR or IndyCar. To the extent NASCAR disciplines Stewart, it would
be based on his conduct outside the scope of his employment as a NASCAR driver.
NASCAR punishing Stewart would be akin to the NFL or the NBA suspending one of
its players for an off-field or off-court incident that embarrasses the league
and causes it reputational damage (for example, the NFL suspending Ray Rice for
domestic abuse or the NBA suspending Raymond Felton for gun charges).
Stewart also faces potential
adverse consequences in the form of terminated endorsement deals. Stewart
reportedly has lucrative endorsement deals with such blue chip companies as
Coca-Cola, Chevrolet and Mobil 1. While I have not reviewed Stewart’s
endorsement contracts, they likely contain “morals clauses.” These clauses
allow the company to end or suspend an endorsement contract with an athlete
whose misconduct brings shame onto the company. Typically, morals clauses are
broadly written to include any misconduct -- whether it leads to criminal
charges, civil lawsuits or simply bad press --
and that is especially true with major companies. Stewart, like Tiger
Woods, could face a loss of endorsement deals because of the controversy,
settling aside whether it leads to any legal consequences.
Possible — but unlikely —
liability for
At this point, there is no
reason to believe that
Michael McCann is a
http://www.si.com/racing/2014/08/10/tony-stewart-kevin-ward-legal-ramifications
Stewart crash probe focuses
on lighting, track
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/probe-begins-stewart-steps-away-075617324--spt.html
Note: OK, so how many “dimly” lit tracks will
install more lighting now?
Kevin Ward Jr. deserves to be
known as more than victim in Tony Stewart wreck
Hey! Ya got
$2,310,000.00?
Auto racing
facility for sale in
Glenn Donnelly invents a new dirt. Will it change auto racing?
Former
OVRP Dirt Oval runners:
At Hamlin, Jacob Hendershot
won the 270 Micro feature. Danny Buccafusca
was 7th in the Rookie 600 feature.
On the ¼ mile track at
Molly was 21st and Paul Quear a DNQ in the 600’s at Kutztown. Danny Buccafusca
was 13th in the All Star Slingshots.
Nick Pecko was 9th
in the RoC race at Chemung.
Brett Wright was 13th in the
Modified feature at I-88.
At Big Diamond, Mike Mammana
was 20th in the Modified feature.
Roger Coss was 2nd
in the Modified feature at Mahoning, while Tiffany Wambold
was a DNQ in the Street Stocks.
Anthony Perrego
was 7th, Tyler Boniface 10th and Kyle Van Duser 12th in the Modified feature at
Accord. Johnny Illanovsky
was 2nd and Joey Bruning 3rd in
the Spec Sportsman feature.
Ben Whitaker was a DNS in the Late Model
feature at Susquehanna.
AJ Filbeck
finished 5th in the Sportsman feature at U/R.
In NEMA action at
Hunter Bates was 5th, Alex Bell
9th and John Virgilio 27th in
the Sportsman feature at A/S.
Davie Franek was 5th in the URC
feature at Selinsgrove.
Bobby Morris was 1st in the
held over feature and 2nd in the nights
regular feature at
Kolby Schroder was 6th, Bobby Hackel, IV 9th, Kyle Armstrong 15th
and Tyler Dippel 19th in the Modified
feature at
Danny Creeden
won the Modified feature at OCFS. Mike
Ruggiero was 2nd, Tim Hindley 6th,
Mike Kolka 13th, Clinton Mills 16th
and Billy V 21st. LJ Lombardo
won the Sportsman feature. Brian Krummel was 2nd, Matt Janiak
3rd, Joe Conklin 10th, RJ Smykla
11th, Joey Falanga 15th and
Dominick Roselli, Jr 17th. Joey Bruning was 2nd
and Winter Mead 9th in the Rookie Sportsman feature.
Billy V was 18th last Thursday
in the SDS race at Weedsport.
43 names this week, I believe.
Note:
I haven’t been to OVRP’s Dirt Oval for quite a
while, but looking at results from last Saturday, it looks like they’re in big
trouble as far as the amount of Karts & Slingshots they’re getting.
From
Jayski:
Remember, I’ll just make mention of some
of the things that appear on the Jayski website, with
maybe some exceptions.
Stewart pulls out of planned
dirt race: Tony Stewart, who didn't compete in Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race
after he struck and killed sprint car driver Kevin Ward Jr. during a race the
night before, also pulled out of an upcoming dirt track race in Plymouth,
Indiana. Plymouth Speedway announced the news that Stewart would not race
Saturday in a statement released Monday. "We at Plymouth Speedway extend
our deepest condolences and prayers to the family of Kevin Ward Jr. and
thoughts and prayers to Tony Stewart and his family. Tony Stewart will not be
racing at Plymouth Speedway this Saturday. More information on the weekend's
racing will be announced this week," the track said in the statement.
Canandaigua Motorsports Park, about 30 miles southeast of Rochester, canceled
the remainder of Saturday's race within five minutes and later posted a message
on its Facebook page encouraging fans to "pray
for the entire racing community of fans, drivers, and families." The track
also canceled Wednesday's race. Track promoter Jeremie
Corcoran said he was "devastated" by the incident in a statement
released Monday. "I have made the decision to cancel our upcoming 'Whacko
Wednesday' event on Wednesday August 13th at Canandaigua Motorsports Park to
give my family, staff, fans, and racing teams time to grieve and process all
that has occurred," Corcoran continued in the statement. "I will let
everyone know about next weekend as soon as I can."(ESPN)(8-11-2014)
UPDATE:
As Tony Stewart weighs
whether to return to the track in the Sprint Cup Series at Michigan
International Speedway, Stewart-Haas Racing said there is no timetable on a
decision. "The decision to compete in this weekend's NASCAR Sprint Cup
Series event at Michigan will be Tony's, and he will
have as much time as he needs to make that decision," SHR director of
communications Mike Arning said in an email to USA
TODAY Sports. "It is still an emotional time for all involved, Tony
included. He is grieving, and grief doesn't have a timetable." Arning confirmed Stewart had canceled a planned sprint car
event for Saturday in
Newman expresses safety
concern about Watkins Glen:
Fox Sports 1 to air uncovered
Tim Richmond Interview on Wednesday, Aug. 13 at 5:00pm/et on FOX Sports 1.
"At a Crossroads: The Lost Tim Richmond Interview"
3M partnering with Hendrick to sponsor Gordon:
NASCAR could consider rule to
prevent drivers from getting out of cars:
Kurt Busch interested in Indy
500 again next year:
Truex, Jr to miss practice and
qualifying at
Race Team Alliance expands
membership:
The RTA membership includes:
BK Racing
Circle Sport
Front Row
Chip Ganassi
Racing with Felix Sabates
Germain Racing
Go Green /
Hendrick Motorsports
HScott Motorsports
Joe Gibbs Racing
JTG Racing
Michael Waltrip
Racing
Phil Parsons Racing
Richard Childress Racing
Richard Petty Motorsports
Roush Fenway Racing
Stewart-Haas Racing
Team Penske
Tommy Baldwin Racing
(Race Team Alliance), the new
teams are BK Racing, Circle Sport, Front Row, Germain
Racing, Go Green / FASLane, JTG Racing, Phil Parsons
Racing, & Tommy Baldwin Racing (8-13-2014)
Ryan Blaney
to drive for Wood Brothers in 2015:
Harvick's team penalized, #98 team warned after Watkins Glen:
Mars renews with Gibbs,
Busch, NASCAR:
Latest on Tony Stewart:
AND Stewart could still face
legal consequences:
AND Other
driver says Stewart could not avoid Ward:
AND Ward's father speaks:
AND Stewart still entered in
AND
3M partnering with Hendrick to sponsor Gordon:
UPDATE:
The 3M decision now leaves
Roush Fenway looking for sponsorship for Biffle, who
recently signed a multiyear extension to remain with the team.
AND Greg Biffle
tweeted Tuesday evening, "I am excited to announce our new sponsor in a
few weeks!!! Wish we could do it now but you know how contracts are !!!".(8-13-2014)
From
Track Forum:
http://www.trackforum.com/forums/forum.php
Sage Karam
http://www.trackforum.com/forums/showthread.php?188156-Karam
From
the AARN:
This Week
In AARN
Tony Stewart Strikes ESS
Sprint Driver Kevin Ward With His Car, Ward Dies
'Doctor' Operates On Forrest Rogers Field At Grandview, Bill For Service is
$10,000
ARDC In
Turnmoil: President Voted Out Of Office By Membership
Woody Pitkat,
Buzz Chew Team For First Time WMT Win At
Donny Schatz Wins Eighth
Anthony Perrego
Shines in Accord's '
Double Decker: DIRTcar Ace Goes Back To Back At
Ransomville, Weedsport
Tommy Rogers, Jr. Just Keeps
On Winning At Riverhead
Note:
On the ARDC deal – They voted President Shawn Burke out for being judged
to have been failing in his duties. Per
Mr. Burke – It all started at Granview Speedway
earlier in the season when two teams “got into it” in the pit area, and some board members wanted them to be
suspended. Mr. Burke thought that wasn’t
right and said so.
Coming
up:
UPSTATE GM DEALERS &
HOOSIER TIRE PRESENT
The $17,500 To Win MR. DIRT Track
The Eastern Museum of Motor
Racing will be celebrating the 75th Birthdays of both ARDC and Williams Grove
Speedway the entire weekend of August 15th. If you were a part of ARDC past or
present you should be there for this great event!.
There will be an ARDC
Roundtable discussion on Friday August 15, the first day of the annual three
day EMMR/WGOT convention at the Latimore Valley
Fairgrounds. The Round Table will be from 10:30am till Noon.
Lynn Paxton of EMMR would
like have as many past ARDC Driver Champions on this panel as possible to talk
about their days with ARDC and to answer any questions the fans may have.
In addition the current ARDC
cars and stars will be in action with the 410 Sprints at both Williams Grove on
Friday night and at the Lincoln Speedway on Saturday night. Restored race cars
will be on the Latimore Valley Fairgrounds track
throughout the weekend and on Sunday there will be a Stan Lobitz
Roast at the museum. For more information on the weekend activities, camping
and directions go to www.EMMR.com
This years Hinchliffe
Stadium Racing Expo will take place on Sunday Sept. 14, 2014. The date change
will give many the opportunity to attend that couldn't
attend previously. We have been working diligently to put this years show together. As you all know a lot has been going on
around Hinchliffe Stadium. The stadium has made great
strides in preserving it's history and building
towards it's future.
OCFS: Saturday, August 16th, 2014 - Halmar International &
Modifieds, Small Block Modifieds,
Sportsman, Street Stocks, and Vintage Modifieds
Accord: Mid-Hudson Concrete Night Friday, August 15th
Modifieds - Sportsman - Spec Sportsman Pro Stock - Pure Stock -
All Star Slingshot-Jr Slingshot
Sportsman, BMS Modified,
Legends, Bandolero, Pro Stock, Street Stock, 4
Cylinder Advanced and Novice
Hamlin: THIS SATURDAY AUGUST 16th: REGULAR SHOW PLUS WINGLESS 270 SPRINTS &
ALL DIVISIONS RACING!
IN 2 WEEKS - AUGUST
23RD: CLOSED FOR VACATIONS!
Press releases:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AUGUST 12, 2014
Contact: DICK JORDAN
CLAUSON, BACON JOIN
SPRINGFIELD SILVER CROWN FIELD
Bryan Clauson
and Brady Bacon, two of
The expected field which could be
the largest on dirt in three years will take the track for practice at 10 am
Saturday, with a 100-mile race concluding the day's activities. The race is
celebrating 80 years, having debuted in 1934, making it one of
Clauson,
of
Bacon, of
Guiding Clauson's
effort will be long-time chief mechanic and car owner Keith Kunz of
Two-time Springfield winner
(2012-2013) A.J. Fike will have his work cut out for
him Saturday if he plans to become the second driver in 80 years to score a
third straight victory. Chuck Gurney was the first in 1989-1990-1991.
Challengers in addition to Clauson and Bacon include the following drivers who all
have previous USAC National race wins in various series: Zach Daum, Jacob Wilson, Caleb Armstrong, Bobby East, Tracy
Hines, Chris Windom, Dave Darland, Davey Ray, Russ
Gamester, Jon Stanbrough, Kody
Swanson, Chris Urish, John Heydenreich,
Jerry Coons Jr. and Christopher Bell.
Swanson currently leads the Silver
Crown standings and has won all three previous 2104 races on dirt. Urish won last year's 100-miler at the DuQuoin
(
2014 USAC Silver Crown
Standings:1-Kody Swanson-345, 2-Tracy Hines-300,
3-Bobby East-291, 4-Chris Windom-243, 5-Jacob Wilson-195, 6-Jerry Coons
Jr.-177, 7-Tanner Swanson-165, 8-Bobby Santos-159, 9-Caleb Armtsrong-155, 10-David
Byrne-147.
News from the Penn Can
Media Contact: Brett Deyo – bdmotorsportsmedia@gmail.com or 845.728.2781
For Immediate Release/August
11, 2014
See You In September: Heavy
Rain, Wet Forecast Postpone Pioneer Pole Buildings Inc. ‘Hot Summer Night’ At
Penn Can Speedway To Tuesday, September 9; Short Track Super Series Fueled By
VP Modifieds & Dig Safely New York GRIT Series
Return With Points-Paying Events
SUSQUEHANNA, PA – To quote
the lyrics made famous by The Happenings in the late-1960s: “See you in
September.”
Heavy rainfall, with totals
of one to two inches, predicted for Tuesday and continued wet weather on the
docket for Wednesday (chances of rain top 80 percent on both days) prompted the
postponement of the Pioneer Pole Buildings Inc. ‘Hot Summer Night’ special
scheduled for Penn Can Speedway on Tuesday.
The ‘Hot Summer Night’ event
in its entirety has been moved to Tuesday, Sept. 9. Both the Short Track Super
Series Fueled By VP Modifieds
and Dig Safely New York GRIT Series Crate 602 Sportsman will return in
points-paying events on the rescheduled date.
Penn Can track managers Reed
Miller and Al Wilcox, in conjunction with Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP organizer and event co-promoter Brett Deyo, made the announcement on Monday night to provide
ample notice for race teams and fans.
“We’ve been watching the
weather closely and it is very evident Tuesday will be a total washout,” Deyo said. “The Wednesday forecast has now worsened. Even
if it were to stop raining by midday on Wednesday, the grounds and track
surface would be far too saturated to provide a racy track and to host an event
of this stature.”
Miller and Wilcox offered up
a replacement date for the series at the track in September.
“We don’t want to lose the
event,” said Miller, who with Wilcox, is closing in on his 17th and final
season operating the
The Short Track Super Series
Fueled By VP has been plagued by wet weather of late.
The two most recent events at Accord (N.Y.) and I-88 (N.Y.) speedways Aug. 5-6
and July 23-24, respectively, were stretched to two-day affairs thanks to rain.
Deyo acknowledged the toll weather has taken on the
teams and fans with regards to time off from work, hours on the road and fuel
expense.
“Our series is made up of
racers who work all day and race as a hobby,” Deyo said.
“The last two races have been very hard on everyone. People have spent money on
fuel for back-to-back trips to the track and pushed their employers to the max
with time off. With a dismal forecast and very slim chance of racing either
day, we decided to make a decision early.”
The rescheduled ‘Hot Summer
Night’ will be headlined by a 60-lap big-block/small-block main, round No. 5 of
the six-race Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP.
The event offers $5,000-plus to the winner, $1,000 for eighth-place and $400
just to take the green flag.
Dig Safely New York GRIT
Series Crate 602 Sportsman are on the card in a 30-lap event paying $1,000 to
the winner and $100 to start. A third division could be added to the card.
Entering the Penn Can ‘Hot
Summer Night’ special, Andy Bachetti of
With 325 points, Bachetti leads
Penn Can’s event is the final
100-point event on the ’14 schedule. The best four of a driver’s five attempts
will set the standings heading into the Championship Event Alpine Building
Supply Short Track SuperNationals presented by Olum’s Oct. 10-11 at N.Y.’s I-88
Speedway. The Short Track SuperNationals operates on
a 150-point breakdown. Drivers must attend the SuperNationals
to be eligible for point fund money and awards.
There have been four
different winners in the four Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP events run this season: Bachetti
(
Drivers with perfect
attendance thus far on the Short Track Super Series Fueled By
VP will be eligible for a pair of $250 cash bonuses at Penn Can. The drawings
will take place during the pre-race drivers’ meeting.
Trackside Products, the
official parts supplier for Penn Can and Thunder Mountain (N.Y.) speedways, has
signed on to sponsor a last-chance qualifier to include the drivers missing a
transfer position by one spot in the consolations. The winner of the 3-lap dash
moves into the ‘Hot Summer Night’ main event.
The most recent special event
contested on the racy Penn Can Speedway three-eighths-mile oval in June ended
with a dead tie between Kevin Hartnett and Danny Johnson.
The last time Modifieds were featured on the ‘Hot Summer Night’ bill was
Aug. 10, 2010: the event was won in thrilling fashion by Stewart Friesen, who started
25th and executed a last-lap, three-wide pass of both Alan Rudalavage
and Duane Howard using the extreme outside lane.
Gates, grandstand and pit,
open at 5 p.m. The drivers’ meeting is
set for 6:20 p.m., with hot laps to follow. Racing gets underway at 7:15 p.m.
Adult admission is $20.
Seniors (ages 62 and up) pay $18. Students (ages 13-17) pay $10 and kids 12 and
under are FREE. Pit admission is $35, with no license required.
To learn more about the ‘Hot
Summer Night’ or the Short Track Super Series Fueled By
VP, visit www.bdmotorsportsmedia.com, e-mail Brett Deyo
at bdmotorsportsmedia@gmail.com or call 845.728.2781. BD Motorsports Media is on Facebook and on Twitter: @BrettDeyo.
Penn Can Speedway is located
seven miles off Interstate 81 Exit 230 in on Route 171 Susquehanna, PA. The GPS
address, within a block of the speedway, is
News from Georgetown
Speedway’s ‘Beach Blast’
Media Contact: Brett Deyo – 845.728.2781 or bdmotorsportsmedia@gmail.com
For Immediate Release/August
11, 2014
Marketing Partners Sign On,
Incentives Grow For
As the inaugural ‘Beach
Blast’ at Georgetown Speedway approaches on Tuesday, August 26 (rain date:
August 27), marketing partners continue to sign on and incentives have grown
for both competitors and fans. Driver Eric Kormann
and special events promoter Brett Deyo of BD
Motorsports Media LLC have teamed up to lease the rustic
Modifieds, with rules allowing both big- and small-block engine
varieties, compete for a huge $24,125 purse in their 35-lap feature. To
compensate for the tow south, a non-top-heavy pay structure has been
established with a minimum of $4,000 to the winner, $1,400 for fifth, $1,000
for 10th and $400 to take the green flag. Also on the program: Crate 602
Sportsman and the popular Delaware-based Delmarva Chargers & Super Trucks.
Local sponsorship has grown
for the ‘Beach Blast’ event.
Bi-Rite Auto Sales of
Seaford, Del., will also be part of the special event. Bi-Rite, situated off
Route 13 (
Located in Hurlock, Md., Clearview Farms is a strong supporter of racing in the
Sussex Irrigation of Laurel,
Del., signed on as a ‘Beach Blast’ marketing partner. Sussex Irrigation is the
area’s leader for the purchase, maintenance and repair of irrigation systems.
To learn more, visit www.sussexirrigation.com.
The locally based Comfort Inn
& Suites,
Special awards and other incentives
are added daily.
*Cat Country 97.5, Delmarva’s
leading country station, has signed on as a marketing partner for the ‘Beach
Blast’ and will broadcast live from the speedway on race day for two hours (4-6
p.m.) complete with the Cat Country van, tent, sound system and prize wheel.
*Dover International Speedway
will support the event. The Dover International Speedway pace car will be on
hand for the special. An “enter-to-win” box, manned by
*Danny’s Pizza Pizzazz and
Michael White Racing have donated kids’ bicycles to be given away on race night.
*More than $900 in lap money
has been collected for the ‘Beach Blast’ event. Laps are on sale at $20/minimum
per lap at bdmotorsportsmedia@gmail.com.
*Crunchco
Snacks has added a $100 bonus for the 11th-place finisher in the Modified main
event.
*Dirt Track Digest, on the
web at www.dirttrackdigest.com, has offered a $200 Halfway Leader Bonus for the
Modified 35-lap main event.
*Danny’s Pizza Pizzazz has
joined on to the Dirt Track Digest Halfway Leader money, adding $100 for a
total of $300.
*Will Brown’s Truck Repair of
Cambridge, Md., presents a $250 Hard Charger Award for the 35-lap main event
made payable to the driver advancing the most positions from their scheduled
start to the finish.
*All Modified heat winners
will also pocket $100 cash, also thanks to Will Brown.
*Jones Racing Products will
offer $100 certificates to the Hard Charger Award recipients in both the
Modified and Crate 602 Sportsman ranks.
*Five drivers unable to
qualify for the Modified main will receive $50 thanks to Hawkins Reporting
Service of Wilmington, Del. The recipients will be decided by a draw of
non-qualifiers.
*The highest-finishing
Delaware International Speedway Modified regular will take home a $100 cash
bonus thanks to Hurlock Speed & Supply.
*American Racer/Lias Tire is on board to reward Modified drivers with a
pair of FREE tires. The competitors finishing in positions 6-10 and 11-15 will
be entered into a pair of drawings for the tire certificates.
*Bob Hilbert Sportswear will
produce a number of fan giveaway items, including ‘Beach Blast’ beach balls. Roving ‘Beach Babes’ will interact with fans during the night to
distribute promotional prizes.
Crate 602 Sportsman
competitors will run a 25-lap feature event paying a minimum of $1,000 to win
and $100 to start plus bonuses. The Delmarva Chargers and Super Trucks will
each take part in 15-lap mains. Thanks to Doug Manmiller
and Shoemakersville, Pa.’s Manmiller Electric, the
Delmarva Chargers and Super Trucks will compete for $200 to win each (double
their weekly winner’s share).
Modified minimum weight
requirements will be staggered to allow for a variety of engine combinations to
compete together. Weights are as follows: PA small-block on gas: 2,275 lbs.; PA
small-block on alcohol: 2,350 lbs.; open small-block (max. 363 cubic inches):
2,400 lbs.; big-block (max. 471 cubic inches): 2,500 lbs.;
Crate Sportsman must run
unaltered GM Crate 602 engines ONLY with a 6,200 rev chip. The shock rule is
open. Minimum weight is 2,400 lbs.
All bodies must be DIRTcar-legal with no sail panels, high doors/quarters or
additional skirting for the Modifieds and Crate 602
Sportsman.
Modified and Crate 602
Sportsman tire rules are as follows: American Racer 33 or harder fronts; 44 or
harder left-rear and 48 or harder right-rear. The “49” compound right-rear tire
is not permitted. The Hoosier option is as follows: Hoosier DIRTcar
D300 or harder on all four corners.
Modifieds and Crate 602 Sportsman will draw for their starting
positions with a redraw of top qualifiers for the main events.
The Delmarva Chargers and
Super Trucks will race under weekly rules with a draw for position in effect.
General admission pricing for
the ‘Beach Blast’ is as follows: $18 for Adults; $15 for Seniors
(ages 65 and up) and Students (ages 13-17); $10 for Kids (ages 9-12); and
children eight and under are FREE. Pit admission is $30 with no license
required.
Pit and grandstand gates will
open at 4 p.m. Hot laps begin at 6:30 p.m., with
racing planned for 7:15 p.m.
To learn more about the
‘Beach Blast’ event, contact Eric Kormann at
609.381.5820 or Brett Deyo at 845.728.2781. The
e-mail address is bdmotorsportsmedia@gmail.com and the official website for
race information is www.bdmotorsportsmedia.com. Like “BD Motorsports Media” on Facebook or follow @BrettDeyo on
Twitter.
Georgetown Speedway is
located at the intersection of Route 113 and
‘Beach Blast’ Modified Purse
Structure (35 Laps): 1. $4,000; 2. $3,000; 3. $2,000; 4. $1,600; 5. $1,400; 6.
$1,250; 7. $1,150; 8. $1,100; 9. $1,050; 10. $1,000; 11.
$650; 12. $600; 13. $550; 14. $525; 15. $500; 16. $475; 17. $450; 18. $425; 19-24. $400. Total:
$24,125
NEWS FROM
Orange County Fair
CONTACT
Mike Gurda
845-342-2573
FOR RELEASE ON SUNDAY, AUGUST
10
ORANGE COUNTY FAIR SPEEDWAY
DRIVERS BATTLE FOR POINTS
AS SEASON WINDS DOWN
MIDDLETOWN, NY (August
10)……..When the exhaust fumes settle from the Saturday, August 16 race meet at
Orange County Fair Speedway in Middletown, New York, there will be just two
more weeks of competition before the track point champions are crowned. For
drivers in each of the speedway’s stock car divisions this makes the upcoming
racing program even more important as point championships---including trophies,
cash bonuses, and all-important bragging rights---get closer to being
determined.
Four racing divisions---DIRTcar Big-Block Modifieds,
Small-Block Modifieds, Sportsman, and Street
Stocks---will be in action on the 16th, with a full program of qualifying and
feature races that will be marked by DOUBLE POINTS. In addition, the nostalgic
Vintage Modifieds will be on hand for their special
race. Holiday Inn of Middletown is the night’s sponsor.
In the headline Modified
division, the point battle is between current leader and defending champion Tim
Hindley and past champions Jerry Higbie
and Chuck McKee. Hindley holds a 38-point edge over
the two challengers who are tied.
In Sportsman competition, LJ
Lombardo currently is in the top spot with Matt Janiak
his closest pursuer. Lombardo’s lead is 36 points, but in the unpredictable
Sportsman division, his championship is far from assured.
Mike Vigiletti
is the point leader in the Street Stock division, with a 35-point edge over
2011 and 2012 champion Charles Donald. Veteran racer Emerson Cargain in third-place is the only other driver in
contention for the crown, but he trails Vigiletti by
45 points.
The closest point race is in
the Small-Block Modified division, where Danny Creeden
leads by just six points over Chuck McKee. Bob McGannon
and Chris Shultz are next in line, but have significant points
deficits to make up.
Admission prices for the
August 16 race meet remain at $14 adults, $12 seniors, and $2.00 for children
12 and under. The exceptionally full night of racing begins promptly at 7:00
pm.
Advance ticket sales for all
remaining 2014 races, including the September 13 Eve of Destruction and the
October 24-26 53rd Annual Eastern States Weekend, and track information are
available at the Orange County website, www.orangecountyfairspeedway.net, or
from the Track Office. Call 845-342-2573 Wednesday through Saturday during
business hours.
UPCOMING EVENTS
August 23 --- Accord
This week’s photo:
Note:
I keep forgetting – to see the photos, you have to go to the New England
Tractor Race Report website which has a link at the end of my column!
With the tragedy that happened this past
weekend, there has been so much talk about how the visibility is so bad for the
winged sprint car drivers. Hmm, here’s
a thought – get rid of the damn wings!
Get rid of the excess sheet metal (or carbon fiber) that hides the
drivers from us. Keep the roll
cages. Cut down the width of the
over-sized tires. Go back in time to
what you see here, below, in this Walt Imlay photo. Seems to me we had better racing back then. My thoughts, of course!
Some
non racin’ stuff:
Ok, breaking down and putting a music
video on this weeks column. Taking ya
back to the 50’s. I first saw
this group in the
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2JhTmHhiqk
More stupid/idiotic commercials on TV:
The Geico Car Insurance
commercials where they see a sign and make mention that you save on CAR
INSURANCE. No where on those signs does
it even make mention of car insurance.
Time’s Up for Lois Lerner and
the IRS
http://observer.com/2014/08/times-up-for-lois-lerner-and-the-irs/
This weeks joke:
Arriving in Heaven
All arrivals in heaven have
to go through a bureaucratic examination to determine whether admission will be
granted. One room has a clerk who inputs computerized records of what each
applicant did on his or her last day of life.
The first applicant of the
day explains that his last day was not a good one. "I came home early and
found my wife lying naked in bed. She claimed she had just gotten out of the
shower. Well, her hair was dry and I checked the shower and it was completely
dry too. I knew she was into some hanky-panky and I began to look for her
lover.
I went onto the balcony of
our 9th floor apartment and found the SOB clinging to the rail by his
fingertips. I was so angry that I began bashing his fingers with a flower pot.
He let go and fell, but his fall was broken by some awnings and bushes. On
seeing he was still alive I found super human strength to drag our antique
cedar chest to the balcony and throw it over. It hit the man and killed him. At
this point the stress got to me and I suffered a massive heart attack and
died."
The clerk thanked him and
sent him on to the waiting room.
The second applicant said
that his last day was his worst. "I was on the roof of an apartment
building working on the AC equipment. I stumbled over my tools and toppled off
the building. I managed to grab onto the balcony rail of a 9th floor apartment
but some idiot came rushing out on the balcony and bashed my hands with a
flower pot. I fell but hit some awnings and bushes and survived, but as I
looked up I saw a huge chest falling toward me. I tried to crawl out of the way
but failed and was hit and killed by the chest."
The clerk couldn't help but
chuckle as he directs the man to the waiting room.
He is still giggling when his
third customer of the day enters. He apologizes and says "I doubt that
your last day was as interesting as the two fellows that arrived here just
before you."
"I don't know"
replies the man. "Picture this, I'm buck naked
hiding in this cedar chest......"
Until my next column
Columns are available on the
Dirt Track Digest at: http://www.dirttrackdigest.com/
(Click on “Recent Columns – and I hope it works!)
And:
http://newenglandtractor.com/racereport/
Where I also have some neat
photo articles
I can be reached, via e-mail, at: ygordad@yahoo.com