Mostly
Racin' Stuff
By Tom Avenengo
Volume # 200
11/06/2014
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.
This coming November 10th
would have been my wife's 76th birthday.
We're really gonna miss having cake & Ice Cream with her. However, I think we'll have a little
celebration in her honor, anyway.
When I arrived down her in Cape Coral,
back in September, I hit the scales at 195.
This morning, (11/2/14), I weighed in at
149.5. A great loss, but not a way 99%
of you would want to go through to lose that much. Now, it's keeping track of the diet. Pretty remarkable how much junk is out there
for us to consume. Can only warn ya - be
careful as to what you're eating, folks!
Over time, it will catch up to ya!
I really miss her when I'm out on my own,
driving around. Yes, at times I take my
four legged furry friend, Max, with me, but I really realized it on Tuesday,
11/4/2014 when I knew how much she liked it down here, and never made it back
to the Cape Coral area.
More
memories:
Since I've basically taken you to after
I've had my by-pass surgery, back in 1996, I thought I'd go back a little more
and tell ya more about my family and its involvement in racing. We started out with a fun Kart. We heard about a Go Kart track out in Cuddebackville, NY, and the
wife, our daughter, Judy, son Tom, Jr. and son Eric took a fun Kart to the
track - which was a small paved road course.
Heck, I'm not sure if Sarah was even born then. Neither boy seemed to want to
"race" on the track, so Judy stepped up and gave it a try. Of course she was pretty much out-classed,
and it didn't take long for her to get lapped.
Then the boys got older, and another Kart
was obtained. We lived in Maybrook, NY,
and at the time, they were in the process of putting up the distribution center
for Yellow Freight. The place was pretty
well graded off - dirt being nice and smooth, back on a Mothers Day. We loaded up one Kart in the station wagon,
and another up on the roof, and proceeded down across Rt. 208 to where we would
set up a small "track". Eric,
being the younger and lighter of the two boys was difficult to catch. Tom tried like heck, but couldn't. The Kart he was on required a push to get it
started. I figured what the heck, I know
I can catch the little sh*t, so I got on the Kart Tom was on. Forget it!
Eric was long gone. Well, until
he threw it into a turn, hit a small rut, and barrel -rolled his Kart. After the first roll-over, the kid was
standing on his feet! The Kart - it kept
on going. Scared the bejesus outta me,
that's for sure. Tom came running over,
not knowing what had happened since he was really watching me in my futile
attempt to catch Eric. When I told him
Eric had rolled the Kart over, Tom asked Eric if he had closed his eyes. Eric came back with, "Heck no, one
minute I was sitting in the Kart, next thing, I was standing here. He had worn a brand new face shield that
day. Scraped the heck out of it. We loaded the Karts into and onto the car,
and got ready to get back home for dinner.
Tom was kinda worried, so he did say we shouldn't tell mom.
We got back home, unloaded, and went into the house. In a nice way, I told mom that I had to get
another face shield for Eric's helmet.
When she asked why, I told her "He wore it". She went into the living room, looked at both
boys and said: "That's why you wear
a helmet".
Racin’
stuff:
I'm not a real fan of "Joonyer",
but one has to feel for his fans - here he is with four wins this year and not
a chance now at the championship. Why
does NASCRAP have to screw things up so much?
That little excitement after the Cup race
from Texas sure lit up the Internet, didn't it?
Lotsa videos of the fight on You Tube.
Facebook lit up with all kinds of postings - some for, some against both
drivers - oh and yes, the "instigator" Happy Harvick, who pushed Brad
towards Jeff. I've read after he pushed
Brad he went back - and watched. Of course NASCRAP is probably as happy as a
pig in you-know-what about the goings on.
Hell, they need something to stimulate interest in the crummy racing
they bring us.
Penske:
Keselowski has my '100 percent support'
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/penske-keselowski-100-percent-support-203000856--nascar.html
Last Sunday, ACOT had their Banquet. I was hoping to attend, but had to pass. Chances are that I will
never be able to make any in the future.
Oakland Valley's Dirt Oval:
I have heard rumors of what's been
happening at the Dirt Oval at Oakland Valley Race Park, where I used to do the
race reports for, and had a son (Eric) and grandson (Brett) race there over the
years. As you know, I've kept track of
those that I can recall having raced there and moved onto bigger forms of
racing. Yes, I've had up to 45 names in
a column, and some have really done quite well over these past few years. Last weekend
they had their annual "Novemberfest" racing weekend. Looking at the results, I found only two that
used to race there making a return - BK Rizzo and Tyler Pirone. BK left after one race after noted
photographer Ralph Corwin was "asked to leave". Seems Ralph isn't the only one that, over
time has been "asked to leave".
As for last week's results - I counted 70 names, and some were in more
than one class. Going back a few years,
to 2007, when I did my last Novemberfest
report, there were over 184 entrants.
One has to wonder - are the Dirt Oval days kinda limited, now? Is the Diotte family just tired of running
the track, and at times dealing with the BS?
I'm pretty sure that a few years ago, John Diotte did purchase the Dirt
Oval from OVRP. Maybe it's time for
someone else to take it over - if it's not too late, which it just might be?
Back
in time:
November 6th wasn't a very good day for
race drivers, as you can see:
On November 6th in:
1949
Rex Mays... Died ... AAA driver from the 1930's and 40's. He was inducted
into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1995 and was inducted in the
National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in the first class in 1990. He ran in 12 Indy
500's with a best finish of 2nd in both 1940 & 1941. He was killed in a
crash during the only Champ Car race held at Del Mar Speedway in Del Mar, California
in 1949.
1955
Jack
McGrath... Died ... AAA driver from the 1940's & 50's, ran 8 Indy 500's. He
was killed in the final race of the 1955 season in Phoenix, Arizona.
1995
Bill
Cheesbourg ... Died ... Cheesbourg started racing jalopies in Tucson and
successfully moved into midgets racing all over Arizona after World War II. He
drove in the USAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1956-1962 and
1964-1966 seasons with 31 starts, including the Indianapolis 500 races in
1957-1959, 1961, 1964, and 1965. He finished in the top ten 8 times, with his
best finish in 7th position in 1959 at Daytona and in 1966 at Fuji. Cheesbourg
returned to the local dirt short track racing scene after his Indy Car career
was finished.
2005
Don
Brown... Died ... USAC Sprint and INDY Car driver from the 1960's and 70's. He
was also one of the best car fabricators.
Coming up:
At Accord:
SATURDAY, November 8th:
Sponsored by Liggan Insurance
4 Cylinder Enduro $1500 to
win
4 Cylinder Demo
Run What Ya Brung $1000 to
win
Pro Stock $300 to win*
Pure Stock $200 to win*
Jr Slingshot $200 to win*
All Star Slingshot $200 to
win*
Powder Puff
Pit gate opens at 11am -
Spectator gate opens at 12 noon
Grandstand Admission
Adult $14 - Seniors $12 -
Kids $3
Family 4 Pack $44 - Indoor seating $20
Pit Admission $35
Five Mile: National Quarter Mile Dirt Track
Championship Weekend.
http://www.fivemilepointspeedway.net/14quartermileweekend.html
The annual Lobitz auction,
lunch, sit down dinner - all free
Lobitz Catering Hall
Rt 940
Hazleton, PA
(Behind Fairway Chevrolet
Dealership on 309 N)
Things usually start around
9:00 AM and sit down dinner a little while after 5:00 PM
One never knows who will show
up as far as well known people from auto racing.
Note: This is an event I really planned on
attending this year, since I was down in Florida last year. However, I'll miss it again, since the health
issues I've had required another early return to Florida. Will surely miss all the fun & meeting
old friends - again, dammit!
As of now, my daughter, Judy
is planning on attending and will have some of my stuff for the auction.
From Port Jervis, via I-84
West & I-81 South, and getting off on Rt 80 East to the first exit, then to
Hazleton, it's 90 minutes.
From
Jayski:
·
Clinch Scenarios For Phoenix International Raceway:
·
Below
are the finishes each driver needs in Sunday's race at Phoenix International
Raceway to guarantee a spot in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship at
Homestead-Miami Speedway, regardless of the finish of any other driver:
#22-Joey Logano and #11-Denny Hamlin: 11th or better; 12th and at least one lap
led; 13th and most laps led
#31-Ryan Newman: 9th or better; 10th and at least one lap led; 11th and most
laps led
#24-Jeff Gordon, #20-Matt Kenseth, #99-Carl Edwards, #2-Brad Keselowski and
#4-Kevin Harvick only control their own destiny by winning Sunday at
Phoenix.(NASCAR)(11-3-2014)
·
Gurney Receives Edison-Ford Medal From The Henry Ford:
The Henry
Ford paid tribute to racing legend Dan Gurney on Wednesday (Oct 30th) during a
special ceremony at Henry
Ford Museum, awarding him
the Edison-Ford Medal for his ingenuity and lifetime of innovative
achievements. The Edison-Ford Medal is designed to honor those who fully
leverage the creative, innovative and entrepreneurial spirit that resides in
every one of us. Special guest Charlie Rose, talk show host, journalist and
co-anchor of "CBS This Morning," served as Master of Ceremonies. In
addition to a number of memorable wins in a variety of racing categories, Gurney
established himself not only as one of racing's most successful drivers, but
also as an innovative car builder and team owner. Gurney's wide-ranging
curiosity and hands-on attitude have resulted in a number of innovations
including the downforce-increasing "Gurney flap" and the
"rolling wind tunnel," built at his race shop, All American Racers,
to test the at-speed aerodynamics of scale models. Gurney is also tied to
several automobiles that are part of The Henry Ford's world premier automotive
collection, including the 1962 Ford Mustang I Concept Car driven at Watkins
Glen, the 1965 Lotus-Ford Race Car that Jim Clark used to win the 1965
Indianapolis 500, and the 1967 Ford Mark IV Race Car, used for perhaps his most
famous win at the 1967 24 Hours of LeMans. After winning that race, Gurney
famously sprayed the crowd with champagne, starting a racing tradition. Dan
Gurney is only the second recipient of the Edison-Ford Medal. Established in
1989 on the 60th anniversary of The Henry Ford, the medal was awarded that year
to Dr. W. Edwards Deming, the Father of the Quality Evolution.(Ford Racing)(10-31-2014)
Raikkonen interested in return to NASCAR:
F1 driver,
Kimi Raikkonen loved his two-race stint in NASCAR so much, he'd like to try it
again someday. Raikkonen raced in two NASCAR events at Charlotte Motor Speedway
in 2011. He finished 27th in a Nationwide Series race and 15th in a Camping
World Truck Series race for Kyle Busch Motorsports. "I hope one day (to
come back)," he said Thursday in Austin, where he and his Ferrari team are
preparing for Sunday's United States Grand Prix. "Obviously I didn't know
how it is, so when I came to U.S. to do that, I was very pleasantly surprised
by how nice and how fun it was. It's not easy, like any popular sport, but I
really enjoyed the time. Hopefully I can do more of those and hopefully in the
future -- some Sprint Cup. We'll see what happens." Of course, Raikkonen
still has some years left in F1. Any NASCAR racing would only come after his F1
career was complete. This time, though, Raikkonen said he'd "like to have
a good proper run at it."(USA Today)(10-31-2014)
NASCAR Test Ban May Not Be Cast In Stone:
NASCAR's
Senior Vice President for Innovation and Racing Development Gene Stefanyshyn
commented today on a statement by Roush Fenway Racing co-owner Jack Roush that
the sanctioning body's ban on independent testing in 2015 may not be cast in
stone. "I think the final word on testing for next year has not been
uttered yet by NASCAR," said Roush on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio's Dialed In
yesterday (Wed, Oct 29th). "My understanding is there is substantial
resistance from Goodyear on what's... on the table right now in terms of their
being able to supply the tires for the number of teams that NASCAR anticipates
going to the Goodyear tire tests. I will be less surprised if it changes than
if it stays the way it is"
Stefanyshyn appeared to lend credence to those comments today (Thurs, Oct
30th), saying in a written release, "When we announced on Sept. 23 the
rules package for the 2015 season, we stated that we were eliminating all team
testing and would be working with Goodyear to build a unified testing plan in
which the teams could participate. We currently are working through that
process and have had on-going discussions with Goodyear to develop a proposal
that we will share with the teams in the near future."(Godfather Motorsports)(10-31-2014)
·
NASCAR to review the Brawl:
·
NASCAR
will study film of the post-race fight [at Texas Motor Speedway at the end of
the race] involving #24-Jeff Gordon, #2-Brad Keselowski and a host of crew
members, but according to Robin Pemberton, the sanctioning body's senior vice
president of competition and racing development, NASCAR has no issue with the
incident that caused it. "I think it was hard racing, and this is a
contact sport," Pemberton said of Keselowski's up-the-middle attempt pass on
the next-to-last restart, a move that left Gordon with a cut tire and
diminished championship chances. "You look at what drivers are trying to
do. We had a couple shots at a green-white-checkered finish, and everybody was
going for it. Nobody was leaving anything behind." The brawl itself is a
different story. NASCAR will review the incident in its entirety and decide if
penalties are warranted. Keselowski already is on probation from post-race
actions three weeks ago at Charlotte. "We knew the (new Chase for the NASCAR
Sprint Cup) format was going to put a lot of pressure on people to perform and make aggressive moves and
decisions out there on the race track," Pemberton said. "You could
see the result of that after the race. We're going to take our time. We've got a
lot of film to review and things like that. The important thing is to make the
right decision at the end of the day." Pemberton says NASCAR draws the
line when drivers and crew members come to blows. "You shouldn't punch
somebody," he said. "Everybody gets together, and when you're holding
onto each other and grabbing and this, that and the other, that's one thing.
When punches are landed, that's a different scenario...We have a lot of work to
do this week."(NASCAR Wire Service)(11-3-2014)
·
NASCAR penalizes crew members and crew chiefs:
·
NASCAR
has assessed penalties to crew members from the #5 and #24 NASCAR Sprint Cup
Series teams for their involvement in post-race incidents on Nov. 2 at Texas
Motor Speedway. In addition, the crew chiefs from those two teams also have
been penalized.
Jeremy Fuller, a crew member with the #5 team, along with Dwayne Doucette and
Jason Ingle, crew members with the #24 team, each have been fined $25,000 and
suspended from NASCAR through the completion of the next six NASCAR Sprint Cup
Series championship points races. All three were found to be in violation of:
" Section 12-1: Actions detrimental to stock car racing
" Section 12-4.9: Behavioral penalty - involved in a post-race physical
altercation with a driver on pit road
Dean Mozingo, a crew member with the #24 team, has been fined $10,000 and
suspended from NASCAR through the completion of the next three NASCAR Sprint
Cup Series championship points races. He was found to be in violation of:
" Section 12-1: Actions detrimental to stock car racing
" Section 12-4.9: Behavioral penalty - involved in a post-race physical
altercation with another crew member on pit road
Kenny Francis, crew chief of the #5 team, and Alan Gustafson, crew chief of the
No. 24 team, have each been fined $50,000 and placed on NASCAR probation
through the completion of the next six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship
points races. They were found to be in violation of:
" Section 9-4A: Crew chief assumes responsibility for the actions of his
team members
" Section 12-1: Actions detrimental to stock car racing
" Section 12-4.9: Behavioral penalty
"While the intensity and emotions are high as we continue through the
final rounds of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, the actions that we saw
from several crew members Sunday following the race at Texas are
unacceptable," said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR senior vice president,
competition and racing development. "We reviewed the content that was
available to us of the post-race incident along pit road, and identified
several crew members who crossed the line with their actions, specifically
punching others. We therefore have penalized four crew members as well as their
crew chiefs, as they ultimately are responsible for members of their team per
the NASCAR rule book," Pemberton continued. "A NASCAR championship is
at stake, but we can't allow behavior that crosses the line to go unchecked,
particularly when it puts others in harm's way."(NASCAR)(11-4-2014)
·
Gordon, Keselowski and Harvick comment on the
'brawl':
·
#2-Brad
Keselowski made a move on 1st the green-white-checkered finish at Texas Motor
Speedway Sunday night, moving past #24-Jeff Gordon. Keselowski's move resulted
in contact with Gordon causing a tire to go down, sending the #24 scraping the
wall and to the pits, losing a lap. The move was not well received by Gordon,
his team or Harvick and his team as both drivers took issue with Keselowski on
pit road, resulting in a three-team brawl after the race.
Gordon's comments: "We drove down into Turn 1 and he
just decided to body slam us and cut our left-rear tire. It ruined our night.
It ruined our chances, ruined our night, might of even ruined our Chase hopes.
It's just uncalled for. I had to show my displeasure. It got ugly down there,
obviously, and you know that is alright. A lot of things are going to happen in
the next couple of weeks."
·
IS
THIS EMOTION THAT WE ARE SEEING FROM A LOT OF YOU GUYS A RESULT OF THIS NEW
CHASE FORMAT?
·
"It's emotion that is a
part of this Chase and this format as well as towards people that make dumb
decisions. He has been making a lot of them lately. That is why people have
been running after him and chasing him down. It's why his team has got to
defend him over there because of what he does on the race track."
TAKE US THROUGH THE FINAL RESTART AND
THE CONTACT.
·
"We were sitting there on a little
bit older tires. I spun the tires a little bit but got a pretty decent start.
We went down into Turn 1 and I just wanted to get on the outside of the 48 and
out of nowhere I just got slammed by the 2 and it cut my left-rear tire. He's
just a (expletive). The way he races, I don't know how he's ever won a
championship and I'm just sick and tired. That's why everyone is fighting him
and running him down. Your emotions are high. That was a huge, huge race for us. We had the car and had the
position. I'm so proud of my team and I'm proud of Jimmie Johnson for winning
that race and not letting that little you-know-what win that race."
·
CONVERSATION? YOU PULLED ON THE PIT
ROAD TO TALK TO TO BRAD (KESELOWSKI). WHAT WAS THAT
·
"There wasn't a
conversation. You can't have a conversation with him. He gets himself in this
position and he has to pay the consequences. I'm going to race him the same way
he races me. That kind of stuff is just uncalled for and I'm not going to stand
for it."
·
WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES AS FAR AS
YOU'RE CONCERNED? SHOULD NASCAR GET INVOLVED OR IS THIS BETWEEN YOU TWO?
·
"To them, I'm sure it's a racing incident. But to me, it's just a bunch of
crap. The kid is just doing stuff way over his head. That's just uncalled for.
You're racing for a win and a championship. You don't go slam someone and cut
their left-rear tire. If that's what it takes, then no problem. We can do the
same thing to him."
·
YOU WEREN'T GOING TO BE DENIED TALKING
TO HIM, DID YOU WANT TO SEND A MESSAGE TO HIM WHAT HAPPENED AT END OF RACE:
"He cut my left rear tire. I went over there to talk to him."
·
: "I wanted to do a lot more than
that."
Keselowski's comments: "I am doing everything I can to
win this championship racing at 100-percent and that is something I am not
going to be ashamed for," Keselowski said, bloodied from pit road. If I
was out there wrecking guys to do it, that would be one thing, but a little bit
of rubbing is how this sport was created and probably how it should move
forward. I don't mind getting raced that way and I don't mind racing that way.
I got a little rub there at the end too from the 4 car and that was just good
racing. I am proud of our effort but just wish I would have been able to make
two more spots out of it. We were very close and will keep fighting the good
fight."
·
Q) WHAT WAS YOUR VIEW OF THE CONTACT
WITH JEFF GORDON?
"There was a hole and I went for it. It closed up and we bounced off each
other and kept going. It was just a battle for the win."
·
KEVIN HARVICK CAME UP HERE ON PIT ROAD
AND GAVE YOU A SHOVE AND THAT KIND OF SET EVERYTHING OFF DOWN HERE.
·
"Kevin likes everybody to fight for some reason. I came here to race, not
to fight. I raced as hard as I could and these guys just didn't like it."
·
Harvick's comments: YOU HAD SOMETHING TO SAY TO (BRAD)
KESELOWSKI WHAT WAS THAT?
"I mean if you are going to run into people all the time you are going to
have to fight your own fight, so I helped him get into it."
·
TELL US ABOUT THE END OF YOUR RACE. "Yeah, you just try to do all you
can do. Obviously it was no-holds barred there with the 2. He was in bulldoze
mode. I'm proud of all my guys on our Budweiser team. We fought all day and put
ourselves in position to win. A lot happened at the end of this race, and we
were able to put ourselves back in the hunt."(Ford Racing / Team Chevy)(11-3-2014)
·
Knaus, Johnson confirm they will be back together
next season:
·
Following
#48-Jimmie Johnson's victory in Sunday's AAA Texas 500 at Texas, his longtime
crew chief Chad Knaus confirmed he will be back as the leader of the #48
Hendrick Motorsports team next season. Rumors have swirled in recent weeks that
Knaus might step down or head elsewhere after a disappointing 2014 season for
the six-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion. But Knaus said Sunday night
he'll be back on the pit box next year. During his post-race press conference
at Texas Motor Speedway, Knaus was asked about the rumors he might be leaving.
"I haven't heard any of that stuff," Knaus said. "You write all
the bad stuff, don't tell me the good stuff. No, man, I'm set. I don't foresee
a change with the 48 car from a driver or crew chief standpoint in the near
future. I don't foresee that happening. If it does, I'll have to be a reporter
because I don't know what the hell I'm going to do after that."(FoxSports)(11-3-2014)
·
HMS will pay fines for crew members:
·
Hendrick
Motorsports will pay the $185,000 in fines levied against six crew members for
their role in a post-race fight at Texas between #24-Jeff Gordon and #2-Brad
Keselowski. NASCAR fined and suspended four Hendrick team members, while the
crew chiefs for Gordon and Kasey Kahne were also fined. Hendrick Motorsports
general manager Doug Duchardt said Wednesday on Sirius XM that the organization
would cover all the fines (ESPN/AP). Listen at SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.(11-5-2014)
·
Changes at Roush Fenway Racing:
·
Roush
Fenway Racing is taking steps to right the ship. On Wednesday, RFR will
announce the addition of respected motosports manager Mark McArdle as
engineering director. McArdle will oversee all engineering for the organization
and report to general manager Robbie Reiser. "My role is to provide the
organization with better vision, increased levels of direction and
communication to allow all the available resources to work together to find the
solutions to the basic core problem of car performance," McArdle said.
McArdle most recently was director of racing operations at Richard Childress
Racing. He held the position since the summer of 2013 after four seasons with
Furniture Row Racing in Denver. The last two years at FRR, McArdle served as an
intermediary in the teams' technical alliance. He moved back to North Carolina
to be closer to his family - ultimately the reason McArdle chose to leave RCR
and join RFR, which cuts his commute in half. McArdle acknowledged he was
grateful for the opportunity with Richard Childress and still has tremendous
respect for the organization. Although McArdle will join RFR at the track this
weekend at Phoenix International Raceway, he only expects to be on the road
25-percent of the time in order to focus on the challenges back at the Concord,
N.C.-based shop.
RFR has also hired Kevin Kidd as its Sprint Cup team manager. Kidd, who
currently oversees the #20 Nationwide Series team for Joe Gibbs Racing, earned
an engineering degree at Virginia Tech. He also worked with McArdle as the race
engineer on the #19 at Evernham Motorsports. Kidd's role will be similar to
Eric Peterson, who was Roush Fenway's operations manager before overseeing the
Nationwide Series program.(Motorsport)(11-5-2014)
·
Watkins Glen International Set to Repave in 2015:
·
Watkins
Glen International President Michael Printup announced Wednesday that the
historic track will conduct a repaving project in the summer of 2015. It is the
first time the track will be repaved since 1998. The repave will begin with
"The Boot" in July, followed by the short course immediately
following the Cheez-It 355 at The Glen NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekend in
August. The repave is slated for completion in advance of the 2016 race season.
"This is a significant project for Watkins Glen International, our
competitors, fans and track rental customers," Printup stated. "The
repave is a tremendous undertaking and next summer is the right time to begin
this historic project and prepare The Glen for the future." Asphalt
specialists and engineers conducted a thorough evaluation of The Glen's entire
circuit and recommended the current timeline. Further details and project
specifics will be released at a later date. As a result of the repave, the
Glenora Wine Cellars U.S. Vintage Grand Prix presented by Welliver will take
place July 24-26. Information regarding renewals and ticket sales will be
shared with customers in the coming weeks. Fans will be able to witness the
project from the Fans R1st Viewing Area in the Argetsinger Grandstand. That
area will continue to be free and open to the public through the end of
October. Fans will also be able to follow the progress of the project via
Facebook, Twitter andTheGlen.com.(WGI)(11-5-2014)
From
Track Forum:
http://www.trackforum.com/forums/forum.php
ASCS Carolina 305 Sprints.
Nine races were on the schedule in 2014. Eight of them were
cancelled and the one race they ran drew three cars.
One of those cars had engine problems so the one feature they ran had 2 cars
running for 25 laps. One of those drivers has years of experience and the other
had been in a sprint car about three times before that night
Needless to say, the promoter and fans were furious. Oh yeah, they forgot to
bring methanol to the track that night too.
There will be no 2015 season for the ASCS 305's in the Carolinas.
Matter of fact there no longer IS an ASCS 305 series in the Carolinas
Meanwhile the Carolina Racesaver Sprint Car Series is already putting dates
together for the 2015 season
Free advice for anyone who thinks they are the next Promoter of the Year;
You cant run a successful series simply because you dont like the guy who
already has a series where you live and it doesnt help when you call the local
drivers stupid for not supporting your series.
I love it when dip-$h!ts fall on their face in front of everybody
In
somewhat related news, Susquehanna Speedway Park tried to run a wingless midget
race without ARDC at their annual Candy Bowl event. 1 car showed up.
I did
read that somewhere.
Sounds like no one wanted to go against ARDC?
I wonder what the one driver was thinking
since everyone probably figured out pretty quickly who it was.
Fred
Schell had his midget there. He'd been having motor troubles and want to try
and work them out at the track. He was give track time in 3 session and ran
about 15 total laps.
The track owner had a falling out with ARDC
and canceled the last two races there and then thought he put on a $1000 to win
Midget race without ARDC. Needless to say he thought wrong!
And this
- kinda my thought exactly:
One post of many: "Of course, those drivers from the 50's and 60's didn't have today's
safety... so they took care of each other better.
Today's drivers overestimate just how safe
they are. Everything is fun until someone gets hurt."
http://www.trackforum.com/forums/showthread.php/190196-What-A-Jerk
What might have been?
The first post:
"With all the talk of Greg Moore and the anninversary of his demise, a
large lump rose in my throat when I realized it was twenty four years ago this
month that we lost Billy Vukovich III. This was just days after he had signed a
deal to run the 1991 Indy 500. The former Rookie of the Year was looking
forward six months for his next attempt at the 500. Instead, he became the
fallen hero in the second largest funeral ever held in Fresno, Calif. The
largest was 35 years earlier for his Grandfather. RIP Billy III."
http://www.trackforum.com/forums/showthread.php/190185-What-might-have-been
From the Dirt Track Digest Forum:
Amphitheater's approval could set the stage for
another Syracuse Crunch outdoor game
In part: "Syracuse, N.Y. — As the curtain rises on the era of an amphitheater on
Onondaga Lake, Syracuse Crunch owner Howard Dolgon's
mind is racing about a farewell act for the facility it will replace.
Dolgon is musing about holding another outdoor game for the
Crunch, which hosted the first such game in AHL history in 2010.
That game was played at the State Fairgrounds grandstand, a
facility that likely will be demolished once the amphitheater is built and
takes over as a site for summertime concerts.
Dolgon has said he would consider running another outdoor game
at the Fairgrounds under one condition. He would want that event to be the
final one held at the grandstand before its demolition."
http://www.syracuse.com/crunch/index.ssf/2014/11/amphitheaters_approval_could_set_the_stage_for_another_syracuse_crunch_outdoor_g.html#incart_river
From
the AARN:
This week in AARN:
Preece Scores
North South Shootout Win In Maiden Ride With Partridge Team
Pauch Romps In
One Day SpeedSTR Fall Jamboree At Grandview; Takes SpeedSTR Title
Timmy Solomito
Named To Drive Flamingo Motorsports Entry On NWMT For ‘15
Western NY Dirt
LM Ace Dick Barton Officially Retires
Oswego Speedway
Gala Kicks Off Banquet Season
Waterford Speedbowl
Sale To Glastonbury, Ct., Businessman Is Delayed By Court
Major Shakeup
With NHRA’s John Force: Old Crew Chief Leaves, New Sponsors Signed
Also: Wayne Lesher is now the President of the
ARDC. I don't know if that's a good
thing, or not. Mr. Lesher is wanting to
get to run races on some Micro Sprint tracks and 1/4 mile tracks. He first became involved in racing via 600
Micros. I guess that we no longer will
see the ARDC go back to some of their "roots", like running on larger
tracks and a few long distance races on their schedule. Yup, gone are those days for all midget
racing, it seems, where we don't see anymore 100 mile or more events being
staged.
As of now, it
looks like Brett Deyo will have one of his events at the New Egypt, NJ Speedway
- possible date: June 9th.
Still up in the
air are Big Diamond and OCFS as far as going with Mr. Deyo or staying with
DIRTcar.
Big D operator
Jake Smulley is said to have said:
"Skotnicki made it very clear, in a rude, disrespectful,
unprofessional way, that if I didn't cancel Brett's show, they will drop our
DIRT show.
As for OCFS -
Mr. Gurda has received his American Tire proposal. As of now, it looks like decisions will be
made prior to the DIRT Banquet on 11/22/2014.
One thing - what about Howie Commander - DIRT & OCFS? I read that new clay has been put down on two
of his tracks - Albany/Saratoga and Lebanon Valley. Why none at OCFS? Will Mr. Commander have any say-so in what
Mr. Gurda does? As far as this writer is
concerned, I'd like to see Mr. Commander leave OCFS. I mean, really, what has he done for the
track, anyway?
Ernie Saxton
makes mention of an interview he had seen with Dave Despain - about short track
racing. Mr. Despain might be on
something, with saying that short track racing is ceasing to be a spectator
sport, and is becoming a participant driven sport. More back gate profit instead of spectator
profit.
Damn! Another example of how time flies - Jeff
Heotzler has been racing since 1978!
The 1964 USAC
Champion was AJ Foyt. He ran 48 races in
1964. In "Champ" cars, he won
10 of 13 races. He also won 5 USAC
Sprint Car races, SCCA's 250 Mile American Challenge Cup at Daytona, NASCAR's
Firecracker 400, at Daytona and a pair of USAC Stock Car races. It's a shame today's "Champions"
more or less don't race anywhere else besides their main sanctioned races.
Tyler Walkers
pleas agreement has been postponed, again.
What with things
not going so good at OVRP's Dirt Oval, it is a shame that there were no results
or photos in the AARN from their Novemberfest racing weekend. Seems they no longer have any connection to
the media, except for Facebook, since photographer Ralph Corwin was "asked
to leave".
Racin' stuff found on Facebook:
Quite a bit on
Facebook. If you're not a member, you're
missing quite a lot.
Press Releases:
News from Thunder Mountain Speedway
Media Contact: BD
Motorsports Media LLC – thundermtnspeedway@gmail.com or 845.728.2781
For Immediate Release/Oct. 31, 2014
Thunder Mountain Speedway 2014 Season Capped By Awards Banquet Saturday,
November 22 At Marathon, N.Y., Civic Center; Top Performers To Be Honored;
Tickets On Sale Now
CENTER LISLE, NY – The 2014 season of competition at Thunder Mountain Speedway
will reach its official conclusion with the year-end Awards Banquet.
Management of the three-eighths-mile clay oval will honor
its top performers on Saturday, Nov. 22 with a celebration to be held at the
Marathon Civic Center, located at Brink & Peck Streets in Marathon, N.Y.
2014 was a resurgent season for Thunder Mountain Speedway.
After seven years away, speedway founder Karl Spoonhower returned to the helm
of the track with marketing and public relations support from BD Motorsports
Media LLC. Modifieds headlined weekly racing on Saturday nights. Major special
events highlighted the season including the ‘Lightning on the Mountain’ for
Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP Modifieds, the Wade Decker Memorial race
and the ‘Sprint Car Saturday’ headlined by the Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints
(ESS) 360 Sprint Cars.
Brent Wilcox of Binghamton, N.Y., earned his second career
Modified championship at Thunder Mountain driving the Coar-Clark Motorsports
No. 27. Wilcox won the $1,992-to-win Season Opener in May and topped the point
standings for the remainder of the season.
Other 2014 champions included Billy Spoonhower (Sportsman),
Shayne Spoonhower (Rookie Sportsman), Steven Deinhardt (Street Stock), Jason
Tuttle (IMCA-Modified), Michael Morse (Pure Stock), Brandon Clapperton (Empire
Sport Truck) and Isaiah Forward (Four Cylinder).
The Awards Banquet will recognize the top-10 drivers in the
Modified, Sportsman and Street Stock standings; the top-five drivers in the
Rookie Sportsman, IMCA-Modified, Pure Stock and Four Cylinder points; and the
top-three Empire Sport Truck competitors.
Special awards will also be distributed at the year-end
gala.
Tickets to the
Awards Banquet are on sale now for $30 each and must be reserved by Nov. 15.
The ticket order form has been posted at the following link: http://thundermtnspeedway.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/2014-Awards-Banquet-Ticket-Order-Form.pdf
Tickets include a dinner of barbecue chicken, pulled pork,
macaroni and cheese, salt potatoes, salad, dessert, soft drinks and draft beer.
There will be a cash bar for other mixed drinks, etc. The awards
celebration and musical entertainment will be part of the festive night.
Doors open at 5 p.m. for the Awards Banquet, with dinner at
6 p.m. Seating is open on a first-come, first-served basis.
For off-season
general information on Thunder Mountain Speedway, visit www.thundermtnspeedway.com. The speedway office number is
607.657.8202. On race day, call 607.849.7899. The speedway e-mail isthundermtnspeedway@gmail.com. “Like” Thunder Mountain Speedway
on Facebook or follow @thundermtnspeed on Twitter.
Thunder Mountain Speedway is located at 91 Hunts Corners
Road Center Lisle, NY 13797, approximately 25 miles north of Binghamton. The
three-eighths-mile clay oval features hillside concrete seating, free parking and
camping, a variety of concession items and novelties, a family environment and
more.
Brett Deyo
Promotions, Public
Relations & Marketing
Thunder Mountain Speedway
91 Hunts Corners Road Center Lisle, NY 13797
Cell: 845.728.2781
"Thunder Mountain Speedway" on Facebook
@thundermtnspeed on Twitter
News from Thunder Mountain Speedway
Media Contact: BD
Motorsports Media LLC – thundermtnspeedway@gmail.com or 845.728.2781
For Immediate Release/Oct. 31, 2014
Attachments: Reconfigured Turn-Three Photos
Thunder Mountain Speedway
Turn-Three Reconfiguration Project Complete For Wider, Sweeping Corner; Clay
Added To Surface; Planning & Scheduling Underway For 2015 As Crate 602
Sportsman Join Weekly Lineup
CENTER LISLE, NY – It may be the ‘off-season’ but the
continuous improvement at Thunder Mountain Speedway has not stopped.
Capitalizing on the mild autumn weather, Thunder Mountain
owner Karl Spoonhower and the track crew have undertaken a track
reconfiguration and resurfacing project in preparation for the 2015 campaign at
the facility located in Center Lisle, N.Y., just miles outside of Whitney
Point.
Following the completion of the final 2014 event in
September, fill was brought in to lay the groundwork for a revamped turn three.
The fill allowed turn three to be expanded and widened. The project will
provide a more sweeping arc for competitors entering turn three and exiting
turn four to allow for additional side-by-side racing.
The backstretch retaining wall and fencing, in addition to
the turn-three outside barrier will be adjusted, as well.
Clay was also spread on the speedway in advance of the
winter months to settle and mix with the existing surface.
Planning for the ’15 season at Thunder Mountain is
currently underway.
Once again, the big-block/small-block Modifieds will
headline weekly racing at the speedway. Open Sportsman return to the track
paying a region-high $700 to win and $100 to take the green flag.
New for ’15 is the addition of the Crate 602 Sportsman
division, which has grown significantly in the area. The Crate 602 Sportsman
division will race weekly for a $400 winner’s share.
Also racing regularly in ’15 are the Street Stocks and Four
Cylinder Stocks.
A number of touring/visiting divisions will visit the
speedway including the Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP Modifieds, Lucas
Oil Empire Super Sprints (ESS) 360 Sprint Cars, CRSA 305 Sprint Cars, Vintage
Cars, XCel 600 Modifieds, IMCA-style Modifieds, SRP Sprints and more.
An open practice is set for Saturday, April 18 with the
Season Opener on the docket one week later on April 25.
A Small Car event is in the works for Sunday, May 3 to
include 600cc Micro-Sprints, 270cc Micro-Sprints, Slingshots and more. Further
details will be released on this event as they become available.
For off-season
general information on Thunder Mountain Speedway, visit www.thundermtnspeedway.com. The speedway office number is
607.657.8202. On race day, call 607.849.7899. The speedway e-mail isthundermtnspeedway@gmail.com. “Like” Thunder Mountain Speedway
on Facebook or follow @thundermtnspeed on Twitter.
Thunder Mountain Speedway is located at 91 Hunts Corners
Road Center Lisle, NY 13797, approximately 25 miles north of Binghamton. The
three-eighths-mile clay oval features hillside concrete seating, free parking
and camping, a variety of
concession items and novelties, a family environment and more.
Brett Deyo
Promotions, Public
Relations & Marketing
Thunder Mountain Speedway
91 Hunts Corners Road Center Lisle, NY 13797
Cell: 845.728.2781
"Thunder Mountain Speedway" on Facebook
@thundermtnspeed on Twitter
Contact: Julia Foy
Promotions/PR Coordinator - DIRTcar NE
315.834.2299 | jfoy@dirtcar.com
Clash at
Charlotte: Sheppard, Hearn and Decker duel for Super DIRTcar Series
championship
World of Outlaws World Finals kicks off Nov. 6 with feature races set
for Nov. 7 and 8
WEEDSPORT, N.Y. - October 31, 2014 - A
heated Super DIRTcar Series points battle will round out the season as the
series heads into its final two feature races with the top two in point
standings, Matt Sheppard and Billy Decker, within just one point of each other.
The World of Outlaws World Finals at The Dirt
Track at Charlotte, N.C., kicks off Thursday, Nov. 6, with qualifying events
for the Super DIRTcar Big Block Modified Series, World of Outlaws STP Sprint
Car Series and World of Outlaws Late Models Series. Racing Friday and Saturday,
Nov. 7 and 8, includes a feature event for each series and champions will be
crowned after the races Friday.
Sheppard, of Waterloo, N.Y., leads in Super
DIRTcar Series points after an impressive run at Orange County Fair Speedway
took him from a 43rd starting spot to second place. However, Decker's one-point
disadvantage could be quickly overcome in Charlotte, where each feature race is
worth 150 points.
"We're looking forward to going down there
and trying to get this championship," said Sheppard, who claimed the Super
DIRTcar Series title in Charlotte three years in a row: 2010, 2011 and 2012.
"It's awesome. It's an unbelievable feeling, an unbelievable atmosphere.
The way this series has shaken up with the points and everything at the end of
the year, the fans should be in for quite a treat."
No stranger to the limelight at Charlotte,
Sheppard is prepping for the finale races and hoping to win his first
championship trophy with the new race team. Sheppard began racing this year
under the Heinke-Baldwin Racing banner earlier this season.
"It's going to go right down to the
wire," Sheppard said. "It's going to be exciting in Charlotte."
Decker, of Sidney, N.Y., has returned to
full-time competition in the Super DIRTcar Series and hasn't missed a beat.
Before Orange County Fair Speedway's Eastern States 200 earlier this October,
Decker was leading in series points. He already has a total of three series
wins to his name, and with the point lead within a few points, Decker is hoping
for a strong run at Charlotte.
"It's a hell of a racetrack," Decker
said of Charlotte's 0.4-mile clay oval, where the driver, in 2011, lost his
series point lead and his shot at the championship after mechanical failures in
the first feature. "We went down there and had bad luck, broke an engine
and just flat out missed it."
Also in contention for the series championship is
eight-time Super DIRTcar Series Champion Brett "the Jet" Hearn. After
a win at Orange County Fair Speedway, Hearn is third in series points and just
52 points behind leader Sheppard.
"It's become such a highlight for so many
people's seasons," Hearn said of racing at the World of Outlaws World
Finals. "In front of that crowd, and in front of people from all over the
country, to me, that event has no rival."
The World of Outlaws World Finals at The Dirt
Track at Charlotte is one out of only two events this season at which fans can
watch the Super DIRTcar Series, World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series, and
World of Outlaws Late Models Series at the same track, and it is the only
chance during the season to see feature races for all three on the same night.
For more information and the latest updates about
the Super DIRTcar Big Block Modified Series, clickwww.superdirtcarseries.com, follow @SuperDIRTcar on
Twitter or "like" the DIRTcar Racing Facebook page atwww.facebook.com/DIRTcar.
News from the Accord Speedway ‘Gobbler’
Media Contact:
Brett Deyo – 845.728.2781 or bdmotorsportsmedia@gmail.com
For Immediate Release/Nov. 4, 2014
Accord Speedway ‘Gobbler’ Shaping
Up As Lucrative Event For Competitors Saturday, November 29 At Accord Speedway;
Long List Of Bonuses & Awards Posted For Drivers In Modified, Open vs. Crate
602 Sportsman & Pure Stock/Street Stock Competition
ACCORD, NY – The season’s final dirt-track event in
late-November is also becoming one of its most lucrative.
A long list of marketing partners has sweetened the pot for
competitors entering the post-Thanksgiving ‘Gobbler’ on Saturday, Nov. 29 at
Accord Speedway. The event made its debut last year as an overwhelming success
with more than 100 race cars in the pit area at the Ulster County facility and
an overflow crowd.
Again in 2014, the big-block/small-block ‘Mashed Potato
Modifieds’ headline the ‘Gobbler’ program in a 50-lap event offering $7,117.11
to the winner thanks to Sowle Trailer Repair located in Fultonville, N.Y.
Fifth-place in the event pays $1,000, with $500 reserved for the 10th-place
finisher and $300 just to take the green flag.
Sportsman, Open vs. Crate 602, compete in the ‘Turkey 25’
event paying $1,500-plus to win, $100 to start and Crate 602 bonuses. The Ron
Wright Memorial for ‘Pumpkin Pie Pure Stocks/Street Stocks’ is a 20-lap affair
paying $500 to the winner and $50 to start.
A complete list of special awards and bonuses, growing
daily, can be found at the end of this release, listed alphabetically.
Complete times,
rules and general information for the ‘Gobbler’ can be found at the following
link:http://bdmotorsportsmedia.com/gobbler-general-information/
Registration is currently open for both the Modified and
Sportsman divisions.
The first official ‘Gobbler’ Modified entry has been filed
by Dylan Scribner of East Greenbush, N.Y.
The Modified entry
form can be found here: http://bdmotorsportsmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/GobblerModifiedEntryForm.pdf
The Sportsman
entry form can be found here: http://bdmotorsportsmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/GobblerSportsmanEntryForm.pdf
‘Gobbler’ grandstand admission is $22 for Adults, $20 for
Seniors (ages 65 and over) and $5 for Kids 11 and under. Limited indoor seating
is available at $35 per seat. Contact the speedway office at 845.626.1142 to
reserve a seat with a credit card. Pit admission is $35, with no license
required.
Gates open at 11 a.m., with a drivers’ meeting set for
12:30 p.m. Hot laps will follow the drivers’ meeting. Race time is 1:30 p.m.
Last November, young Anthony Perrego of Montgomery, N.Y.,
fended off the late challenges of Stewart Friesen to win the 'Gobbler' Modified
50-lap event. For Sportsman graduate Perrego, the win was his first in the
Modified ranks and he earned $7,732.11 including lap money and bonuses.
Rocky Warner of Gloversville, N.Y., drove his crate-powered
Sportsman to victory over a stout field and Charlie Houghtaling of Parksville,
N.Y., registered the Ron Wright Memorial Pure/Street Stock score.
Marketing
opportunities are available now for the ‘Gobbler’ event. To learn more, contact
Brett Deyo by phone at 845.728.2781 or via e-mail at bdmotorsportsmedia@gmail.com. BD
Motorsports Media is on the web at www.bdmotorsportsmedia.com. “Like” BD Motorsports Media on Facebook
or follow @BrettDeyo on Twitter.
Accord Speedway, a
neat-and-tidy quarter-mile clay oval nestled in the hills of Ulster County, is
located at 299 Whitfield Road Accord, NY 12404. The speedway is on the web at www.accordspeedway.com.
Accord Speedway
‘Gobbler’ Special Awards & Bonuses (*as of Nov. 4)
Above All Auto Repair $500 Pure
Stock/Street Stock “Purse Booster” Bonus: Above All Auto Repair located in Highland,
N.Y., has contributed $500 to boost the purse in the Ron Wright Memorial Pure
Stock/Street Stock 20-lap event. The extra cash will be distributed to drivers
finishing throughout the field.
ASI Trophy & Awards ‘Longest
Distance Towed’ Bonus: The driver towing the longest distance to
compete in the Modified portion of the ‘Gobbler’ will receive a $100 cash award
courtesy of ASI Trophy & Awards.
American Racer/Lias Tire Bonuses: All three ‘Gobbler’ feature winners – Modified,
Open vs. Crate 602 Sportsman and Pure Stock/Street Stock – will receive a free
tire courtesy of American Racer and Lias Tire, the regional distributor in
Indiana, Pa. American Racer/Lias Tire is on the web at www.liastireonline.com.
Behrent’s Quick Time Bonuses: The two drivers turning the fastest laps
in the 50-lap ‘Gobbler’ Modified feature, as recorded by the speedway’s
transponder system, will receive $100 gift cards for use at Behrent’s
Performance Warehouse in Florida, N.Y. Behrent’s is online at www.behrents.com.
DMJ Racing Photos Top Orange
County Fair Speedway Regular Bonus: The highest-finishing representative from
Orange County Fair Speedway in the ‘Gobbler’ 50-lap Modified order of finish
will receive a cash bonus of $50 courtesy of DMJ Racing Photos and Boris
Rudzinski.
Dwy’s Automotive Crate 602 Hard
Charger: The Crate 602 Sportsman driver advancing
the most positions in the 25-lap Open vs. Crate 602 Sportsman event from their
scheduled starting position to the finish will receive a $50 cash bonus thanks
to Dwy’s Automotive in Pleasant Valley, N.Y.
Ed Tauschman Memorial Crew Chief
of the Race: The winning crew chief from the ‘Gobbler’ Modified event will earn
a $50 cash bonus and a case of beer courtesy of Peter ‘Crackers’ Reynolds.
Tauschman was a well-respected northeastern Pennsylvania speed shop owner and
chassis specialist who passed away in 2010 at the age of 47.
“Grandma’s Gravy” Gambler’s
Program: Drivers in all three divisions – Modified,
Open vs. Crate 602 Sportsman and Pure Stock/Street Stock – are eligible to
participate in the “Grandma’s Gravy” Gambler’s Program. There will be a $20
optional “gambler’s fee” for each division. The total for each class will be
divided two ways: the highest-finishing driver having posted the fee will get
half and another randomly selected position, drawn in Victory Lane by the winner,
takes the other half.
Hunt’s Machine Crate 602 Bonus: The highest-finishing Crate 602 Sportsman
in the 25-lap Open vs. Crate 602 Sportsman event equipped with a Hunt’s
Machine/Accord Speedway engine seal will earn a cash bonus of $200. This bonus
is backed by Hunt’s Machine of Schenectady, N.Y., on the web at www.huntsmachine.com.
Par 5 Landscaping Pure
Stock/Street Stock Hard Charger Award: The driver advancing the most positions
from their scheduled starting position to the finish of the 20-lap Ron Wright
Memorial Pure Stock/Street Stock event will receive a $75 cash bonus posted by
Par 5 Landscaping of New Windsor, N.Y., owner
Dan Dulin.
Rock Fantasy Hard Charger Award: The driver advancing the most positions in
the ‘Gobbler’ Modified 50-lap feature will receive a $200 cash bonus courtesy
of Rock Fantasy Hard Rock, Metal and Classic Rock Concert Shop and Smoke Shop
located in Middletown, N.Y. Rock Fantasy proprietor Stephen Keeler will present
the award. Look for Rock Fantasy on the web atwww.rockfantasy.com.
“Santa Sowle” Modified Winner’s
Bonus: The ‘Gobbler’ Modified winner will receive
$7,117.11 – an increase from $5,000 – thanks to “Santa Sowle” and his Sowle
Trailer Repair business located in Fulton, N.Y. Sowle is also the promoter of
Glen Ridge Motorsports Park in Fultonville, N.Y.,
Shiley Fabrication Hard Luck Award: The Hard Luck Award recipient in the
‘Gobbler’ Modified division, as voted by visiting media members and event
officials, will receive a certificate from Shiley Fabrication for a set of
bumpers and rubrails. Based in Williamstown, Pa., Shiley Fabrication is on the
web at www.shileyfabrication.com.
Simplicity Designs/Zubi’s Racing
Dash for Cash: A Modified Dash for Cash paying a minimum of $300 to win for
heat-race winners. The Dash is sponsored by Ryan Sacco of Simplicity Designs
and Dave Zubikowski of Zubi’s Racing. The
heat winner drawing the worst number through the gate at registration will earn
the pole for the Dash and the remainder of the lineup will be determined by an
inversion of original draw numbers.
United Pump & Tank Modified Halfway Leader Bonus: The leader at the halfway mark, lap
25, of the 50-lap ‘Gobbler’ Modified main event will earn a cash bonus of $300
thanks to United Pump & Tank, a leader in service station maintenance and
technologies based in Newburgh, N.Y. United Pump & Tank is online at www.unitedpumpandtank.com.
United Pump & Tank Crate 602 Sportsman Bonuses: The top-three Crate 602 Sportsman drivers across the
line in the ‘Gobbler’ 25-lap Open vs. Crate 602 Sportsman event will receive
cash bonuses of $150, $125
and $125 thanks to United Pump & Tank a leader in service station
maintenance and technologies based in Newburgh, N.Y. United Pump & Tank is
online atwww.unitedpumpandtank.com.
Non Racin' Stuff found on Facebook:
I'm not sure if this is going
to work, or not, but here is just one little reason why we're in so much
trouble in the USA today - how "they" work the system:
http://www.thepoliticalinsider.com/judge-judy-destroys-obama-supporting-welfare-cheat/
Found on Facebook on
11/2/14: Health Insurance Company CEO's
compensation in 2013:
Joseph Sweedish - Well Point
- 17.0 million = $49,853/day
Michale Neidorff - Centene -
14.5 million = $42,560/day
Stephen Hemsley - UniteHealth
- 12.1 million = $35,484/day
David Cordana - Cigna - 13.5
million = $39,589/day
Bruce Broussard - Humana -
8.8 million = $25,807/day
And:
Mark Bertolini - Aetna - 30.7
million = an astounding $90,029/day
And you that work today, how
much do you make and you say you can't afford insurance. See where the problem is?
Thanks to Nofri Fornoro for
posting that news!
This week’s photo:
To quite a few, the late Bill
Vukovich is said to be one of the greatest to have run in the Indy 500. Were you aware that one year - 1953, I
believe it was, when he was qualifying, it actually rained on his fourth lap? Hard to imagine what it was like after he got
the checkered flag and went into that first t urn with a very wet track.
This weeks joke:
Not a joke, really, but from
an email I received this past week. Of
course Election Day is now over with, but really, what does the future hold for
the next two years or so?
READ THIS AND LEARN...........
Did you receive your Medicare Handbook for 2015 yesterday?
If you have already received yours in the mail please turn to page 12 and
go down to the bottom of the page and read.
Find out what you pay for Medicare (Part A and Part B) . It states
that the premium and deductible amounts were not available at the time of
printing. It further states you may call 1-800-633-4227 to
get the most up-to-date info.
I did just that and talked with a Medicare representative.
She told me that they probably would not have those figures in until the
end of the first week or possibly the second week of November. Now, let
that sink in .
As soon as she stated that to me I replied , My, isn't that convenient for the
Obama Administration to actually hold off on those figures until after
the 2014 election results. There was dead silence on the other end of
the line. I told her thank you and that I would call back.
I may be wrong, but I really think that I am right!
You see on our Social Security increase
for next year we are only receiving an increase of around 1%.
Even the military are getting just over 1%. You can bet after the
November 4th election the increases
for Medicare A & B will be greater than any 1%. That is why they are
delaying what the increases will
be. Because if they had put it in that handbook, any elderly would be
voting against the Democrats. I
also know that my Tricare For Life plan will increase too, and I am only
getting an increase on my
military retirement of just over 1%.
So anyone voting for the Democrats in
the forthcoming elections deserves to get the increases that
are coming after November 4th.
Note:
Maybe even those that did not vote for Democrats? Time will tell.
Until my next column – more than likely
next week now.
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