Mostly
Racin' Stuff
By
Tom Avenengo
Volume # 209
01/22/2015
Some
personal/family stuff:
Over time, I've had difficulty hearing
people. Part of what caused this was all
the races I attended without ear protection.
Once, while down at Richmond for and Indy car race, I was taping it,
holding my camera in my right hand. The
noise was deafening. I put a finger
into my left ear and - damn! - I could not hear the cars. Right ear was completely open to any noises,
but nothing!
I had a hearing test with the VA back
then. I was told my hearing didn't
warrant a hearing aid. Well, I had
another hearing test last week - at the new VA clinic here in Cape Coral. I'll be picking up my hearing aids on
February 9th.
Racin’
stuff:
For those that were able to watch the
Chili Bowl - some race, huh? I saw Rico
Abreu race at East Bay last February n the 360's. Quite the driver! More than likely he'll be down here again,
but as things stand now, I'll miss that
show, with me, my two sons and grandson John hitting the dirt modified at
Volusia on Friday night. Saturday will
be a family BBQ, so that would kill any visit to East Bay.
I
suppose we all knew this would come sooner or later - Rico into NASCAR:
KNPSE: Rico Abreu
Joins HScott Motorsports With Justin Marks For Full K&N East Season
http://racechaseronline.com/2015/01/nascar-kn-east-rico-abreu-join-hscott-motorsports-justin-marks-full-season-ride/
NASCAR AMERICA: Rico Abreu prepares for steep
learning curve (VIDEO)
Note: Video would not get going
for me, initially, so here's what was said, just in case it won't load for you.
Fresh off a victory last weekend in the Chili Bowl Nationals, Rico Abreu will now move into stock car
racingas a full-time driver in the K&N Pro Series East this season.
But the reigning USAC National Midget
Series Champion will also continue to compete in sprint car events across the country.
NASCAR on NBC’s Nate Ryan quoted him today in a teleconference as saying he was more than capable of
running 110-120 events altogether in 2015.
Thus,
Abreu will have to go back and forth between his more familiar driving style
with sprint cars and the new one he’ll have to develop in a much heavier stock
car.
Additionally, observers within the NASCAR
community will surely keep close tabs on Abreu’s progress following the
phenomenal success of another star that rose from the dirt-track ranks –
reigning Sprint Cup rookie of the year Kyle Larson.
Today on NASCAR AMERICA, analysts Jeff Burton and Frank Stoddard discussed whether
Larson and Abreu have helped create a trend that can continue further. They
also talked about the adjustments Abreu should expect to make in the stock
cars.
You
can check out their thoughts in the clip above.
http://motorsportstalk.nbcsports.com/2015/01/20/nascar-america-rico-abreu-prepares-for-steep-learning-curve-video/
STP Out As World Of Outlaws Title Sponsor
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/sprints-midgets/world-of-outlaws-sprint-cars/stp-out-as-world-of-outlaws-sponsor/
NASCAR restructures track-side shopping, eliminates souvenir haulers
http://www.sbnation.com/nascar/2015/1/21/7869811/nascar-track-shopping-souvenir-haulers-fanatics
Note: My thoughts?
Just another way for NASCAR to make more bucks.
Racing
on TV:
Things are starting to heat up now, racing
wise. Here's the link to what's on TV:
http://tvracer.com/
A little Chili Bowl info:
We don't have MAV TV where I
live, so I figured I'd not be able to see the race, but keep abreast of the
happenings via Facebook and "Chili Bowl Nationals", which gave
written results. While there was a break
in the action, I checked out Facebook, and darned if someone didn't put a link
on it for a live stream/feed. Yay! Yup, watched it!
Maybe it will be done the
same way next year - basically on MAV TV.
If there is any kind of live stream/feed, keep these links handy:
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/besweeet86
http://thebrothersteam49.blogspot.com/
On Yahoo! News on Sunday:
You're gonna love this,
folks!
Rico
Abreu wins Chili Bowl Nationals
By Nick Bromberg3
hours ago From
The Marbles
"The biggest sprint car race of the year was Saturday night and
Rico Abreu won it for the first time."
Ya just have to read some of the comments!
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nascar-from-the-marbles/rico-abreu-wins-chili-bowl-nationals-142232017.html
If you were able to watch the
Chili Bowl, then you probably saw Tony Stewart working on the track, and an
interview with Emmett Hahn and Tony, where Dave Despain asked if Emmett was
grooming Tony to take over, in the future.
My son, Eric, prior to that interview, made mention to me to watch -
Stewart will be running the Chili Bowl in the near future. I would not be surprised to see that.
Saturday's Main finish:
UOF
A Feature (55 Laps): 1. 97-Rico Abreu[3]; 2. 39-Kevin Swindell[10]; 3.
71L-Damion Gardner[23]; 4. 67-Tanner Thorson[18]; 5. 1-Sammy Swindell[16]; 6.
21-Daryn Pittman[8]; 7. 71K-Kyle Larson[4]; 8. 15D-Andrew Deal[6]; 9. 5D-Zach
Daum[20]; 10. 63-Bryan Clauson[2]; 11. 8K-Blake Hahn[15]; 12. 05-Brad Loyet[7];
13. 5-Jerry Coons Jr[1]; 14. 7A-Darren Hagen[22]; 15. 2B-Ryan Bernal[17]; 16.
17C-Casey Shuman[25]; 17. 1ST-J.J. Yeley[12]; 18. 39B-Spencer Bayston[11]; 19.
63K-Chris Windom[5]; 20. 17RW-Dave Darland[24]; 21. 15X-Chad Boat[9]; 22.
5C-Colten Cottle[21]; 23. 71-Christopher Bell[14]; 24. 88B-Terry Babb[13]
Not nice:
I
found this on the South Jersey Dirt Racing's Message Board:
|
|
|
Author: New
Egypt Speedway Date: 1/19/2015
9:41:10 AM |
|
|
New Egypt Speedway management is sad to
announce the cancelation of our 2014 awards banquet due to the lack of
interest and RSVPs. As the deadline for cancelation with the venue approached
and having very few responses, the Speedway had no choice but to move forward
with the cancelation. This was the first year our annual awards banquet was
to be held outside of Atlantic City, NJ and Speedway management worked to
bring the banquet closer to home with a fair price that was to include many
enhancements to bring the same atmosphere created in Atlantic City. Speedway
management is looking into other options to celebrate the drivers 2014 season
achievements and those details will be announced as they are decided. Comments: And that's how you run
a track succesfully... Don't give they guys of each division a ceremony to
celebrate the successes of the 2014 season... People bitched about
the cost of going to Atlantic City for the banquet and they move it to a
different location an no one wants to go ? Wow thats sad. $75 with a cash bar is
a little crazy. Maybe if it was a little cheaper you just might have got a
few more people interested. I wonder why people
aren't showing any interest? Why not cancel the races too people aren't going
there either. It doesn't matter because this is a people related business and
it's not run this way, from the bad personalities running and selling things
at the track. The racers are the only people that count at All!! They bring
the cars, They bring the money and They bring the people. Treat them better
and you may have better results and interest in the things you are
complaining about. Thats why people have a lack of interest! My god help the
racers not yourselves! |
Back
in time:
Covering some of the racing
happenings from January 19th to January 28th:
JANUARY 19
1929
Red Amick... Born ... USAC driver
1934
Don Nordhorn ... Born ... USAC driver
1964
Joe Weatherly... Died
1968
Ray Harroun ... Died
JANUARY 20
1924
Los Angeles, California The banked 5/8 mile dirt Legion Ascot
Speedway opens.
1967
Billy Foster ... Died ... The first Canadian to ever race in the
Indianapolis 500
JANUARY 21
1923
Jud Larson... Born
1942
Ernie Saxton... Born
JANUARY 22
1908
Bob Sall ... Born
1996
Bill Cantrell... Died
JANUARY 23
1935
Jerry Grant... Born
1946
Don Whittington... Born
1954
James McElreath... Born
1996
Cliff Griffith... Died
JANUARY 24
1918
Art Cross... Born ...
JANUARY 25
1924
Lou Johnson... Born
1941
Buddy Baker ... Born
1971
Jaques Lazier... Born
JANUARY 26
1906
Fred Marriott sets a Land Speed record of 127.659 mph on Ormand
Beach in Florida. The car was powered by a Stanley steam engine and used an
upside down Robertson canoe for the body.
1907
Doc Shanebrook... Born
1956
Nick Fornoro Jr.... Born
1976
Scott Wimmer... Born
2003
Eddie Leavitt... Died
JANUARY 27
1934
George Follmer... Born
1966
Craig Dollansky... Born
1990
Travis "Spider" Webb... Died
1996
Buzz Calkins won the first INDY Racing League race, the Indy 200 at
Florida's Walt Disney Orlando Speedway
JANUARY 28
1926
Gene Hartley... Born
2009
Sabino "Sab" Venezia... Died
Benzees annual bus trip to Dover:
Nascar
Dover Motorcoach 13th Annual Spring Race on Sun May 31st . Departs from
Middletown and Monroe NY . Extra departure points for groups looking to join us
. Premium Ticket in Turn 1 (84 value) R/T Deluxe Motor coaches with lavatory
and video screens . All You Can Eat Catered Barbecue Lunch with Refreshments .
Pre Race Trackside Tour Tix Raffles . Door prizes and more. Escorted by local
cable TV personality Erwin Benzee Benz . Cost 165 per person . PayPal check or cash and payment
plans
benzee95@hotmail.com
Note: I'm pretty sure they had two busses last
year.
From
Jayski:
Stewart expects at least one more leg surgery:
The long
recovery process from a broken leg suffered in a dirt-track race in August 2013
continues for Tony Stewart. He had a fourth surgery last month, and a fifth -
and, he hopes, final - operation is scheduled after the 2015 Sprint Cup season
to remove the titanium rod that supports the right leg. "The leg isn't
bad," he said. "I was out here (working at the track [at the Chili
Bowl]) on it for 12 hours Monday and didn't have a problem. That's a long day
for anybody on their feet. I'm in pain, but I'm walking back and forth, so it's
not terrible. The last surgery wasn't that bad. I feel better at this time this
year than at the same time last year. I'm much further along."(USA Today)(1-18-2015)
Kahne looks forward to return to sprint cars:
#5-Kasey
Kahne hopes to race a sprint car again after spending five nights this month
wheeling one of the fastest cars on dirt. He certainly hopes it doesn't take
another three years to run his next sprint-car race. After a 2011 wreck where
he flipped out of Williams Grove (Pa.) Raceway, Kahne ran a few more sprint-car
races in 2012 before Rick Hendrick stopped approving him to compete in the
open-cockpit cars that tend to flip more than a stock car. Kahne convinced his
NASCAR team owner to allow him to get back into a sprint car powered by
410-cubic-inch engine at Cocopah Speedway in Arizona the first two weekends in
January. Kahne finished 10th overall in points after the five races, with a
best finish of fifth. He would have liked to have run better, but he just
relished the opportunity to be in the cars again. He owns a sprint-car team and
is around them daily. Kahne said he wasn't trying to make a statement about
sprint-car racing by competing in the inaugural sprint-car "Winter
Heat" event at the Arizona track. As far as his racing schedule, Kahne
says he has no idea when he'll be back in a sprint car. "I definitely
won't be waiting two-and-a-half years again," Kahne said. "I'm not
sure when that next time will be. I think it''s definitely better to do it
sooner than later so you can kind of keep with it and understand things. Me and
Mr. H just talked about these five races and doing them. We did them and now I'm
just focused on the Cup car. I would hope to get back in one at some point
within three years."(Sporting News)(1-17-2015)
Fox Sports & NBC will focus on "second screen" in NASCAR
coverage:
As Fox
Sports heads into 2015, it is taking more of a "if you can't beat 'em,
join 'em" philosophy with the second screen. Fox Sports executives view
established social media sites like Facebook and Twitter as the place where its
viewers can have a second-screen experience. During this year's NASCAR
coverage, for example, Fox Sports plans to program highlights, commentary,
photographs and behind-the-scenes information on its NASCAR Facebook pages.
"You go where the people are," Fox Sports President Eric Shanks said
at an industry conference last month. "It's naïve to think that you can
wave a magic wand and that there's going to appear a second screen that's more
powerful than Facebook."
Sports networks are making some second-screen inroads with the launch of
streaming services. NBC Sports Group executives, for example, have found that
putting content around the live streams for "Sunday Night Football"
helps keep online viewers watching the game longer. Both NBC and Fox plan to
stream every NASCAR race this season and will program second-screen
applications around those services.
"We'll play around as much as we are allowed to around our streaming
product and make that not only a first-screen but a second-screen
experience," NBC Sports Group Chairman Mark Lazarus said last month. Both
Lazarus and Shanks believe the streaming services will help Fox and NBC attract
younger viewers to their NASCAR programming. Lazarus also said that NBC's
marketing plan, which will include NBC's entertainment and news assets, also
should help attract younger viewers.(Sports Business Daily)(1-16-2015)
What is Mark Martin up to?
Jared
Landers will team with late model dirt-race legend Scott Bloomquist, with both
drivers competing for the Lucas Oil Late Model Championship in 2015. Landers
Triple 7 machine will carry primary partnership from Crop Production Services,
along with Mark Martin Automotive, Bad Boy Mowers, Auto Services' Company and
Paul McKenna of Big Dog Motorsports. "We are very excited about the
opportunity to team Jared up with Scott Bloomquist this season," said
NASCAR legend Mark Martin, who cut his racing teeth at the dirt track before
moving on to NASCAR stardom. "Scott is the master of racing dirt models
and anytime you can team with someone of that caliber, you can rest assured it
will have a great impact on your program."(Mark Martin
Automotive)(1-15-2015)
Veterans'
Charity plans to buy Rockingham Speedway:
The troubled Rockingham Speedway could
soon have new life. A judge gave owners a Jan. 1 deadline to find a buyer or
put the property up for auction in March. A veterans charity called
Help-Vets.Org (looks like it is supposed to be vets-help.org) told Channel 9 that it plans to buy the
track and the property and turn it into a reintegration center for veterans.
"What's key about this property is Camp Mackall, the training center for
Special Forces, is six miles down the road -- Fort Bragg is right here," Help-Vets.Org Executive Director Craig Northacker said. Northacker has big ideas for a $50
million investment, including housing, vocational training and even schooling.
Richmond County Community College spokesman Andy Cagle told Channel 9 that the
office met with Northacker. "RCC has always taught classes in off-campus
locations across our service area, and would welcome any viable opportunity to
support our veterans, the local economy and continue the rich traditions of
racing in Richmond County," said Dale McInnis, RCC President. City and
county officials are skeptical. Richmond County Manager Rick Sago said he
hasn't seen any real financing plans. "We'll see when the rubber hits the
road what really happens. Bottom line is, it is a speedway, it has been since
the '60s and that's what we want is a racetrack," Sago said. "We have
talked to JP Morgan Chase," Northacker said. "There is another
financing group in Florida, and we're speaking with Royal Bank of Canada."
According to Northacker, the group is in the process of getting the property
appraised and hopes to close on the property in mid-March. Channel 9 spoke to
one of the speedway owners, Andy Hillenburg. He acknowledged conversations with
Northacker but said he couldn't comment on the ongoing legal matter.(WSOC and Richmond County Daily Journal)(1-20-2015)
Buy one, get one
at Atlanta:
For one week only, Atlanta Motor Speedway
is making an unbelievable discount offer available to fans for the Folds of
Honor QuikTrip 500 on Sunday, March 1. Race fans can purchase "buy one,
get one," or "BOGO" Lower Champions Grandstands or Upper Winners
Grandstands seats located on the AMS front stretch. This offer presents a 50
percent discount off the normal value and allows purchasers the opportunity to
get two front stretch tickets for the price of one. Lower Champions Grandstands
tickets, normally $99 apiece, will be available for $49.50 each, while Upper
Winners Grandstands tickets, regularly priced $135, are on sale for $67.50
each. The BOGO promotion is only available while supplies last and will end at
5:00pm on Monday, Jan. 26. Fans are strongly encouraged to act quickly before
the limited inventory runs out. All BOGO tickets must be purchased in pairs.(AMS)(1-20-2015)
Vickers medically cleared to race in early March:
Doctors
have medically cleared Brian Vickers to return to full-time NASCAR Sprint Cup
racing in early March, three months after corrective heart surgery. Vickers
will make his season debut in the #55 Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota for Michael
Waltrip Racing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 8. MWR co-founder and
two-time Daytona 500 champion Michael Waltrip will drive the #55 in the 57th
annual Daytona 500 on Feb. 22. MWR will name a substitute driver for the March
1 race at Atlanta Motor Speedway later. "The doctors gave me a clean bill
of health and said I will be better than before," said Vickers, the
31-year-old Thomasville, N.C. native whose health issues interrupted his racing
seasons in 2010 and again in 2013. "The advancements in modern medicine
and surgical procedures are amazing and I have to thank my doctors at the
Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute and Carolinas Medical Center for their
extraordinary care. I have literally put my life in their hands twice and I
cannot begin to express my level of gratitude. I was not feeling well in
December, so I went to see Dr. William Downey in Charlotte. He discovered my
body was rejecting a patch that was surgically placed over a hole in my heart a
few years ago. He and Dr. R. Mark Stiegel immediately went to work on
correcting the problem. I also want to thank the great counsel along the way by
Dr. Jerry Petty, Dr. Robert Heyer and my hematologist Dr. Stephan Moll from the
University of North Carolina School of Medicine who is the founder of www.clotconnect.org. "Now all of my focus is getting
ready so when I return we are prepared to win races and the championship in my
Aaron's Dream Machine."(MWR)(1-21-2015)
NASCAR considering multiyear track contracts:
After a
longtime policy of one-year engagements, NASCAR is poised to enter long-term
relationships with its racetracks. There have been multiple meetings after the
2014 season to discuss the concept of multiyear sanctioning agreements that
effectively would set much of the Sprint Cup schedule beyond the current season
for the first time. NASCAR traditionally has signed annual deals with every
track, pushing the yearly release of the schedule to late summer or early fall.
"I think it's fair to say we have had discussions with the tracks about
multiyear agreements," NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing
development officer Steve O'Donnell told USA TODAY Sports. "We're not
there yet. If we can put something together where it's helpful for fans to
know, our goal is to get the schedule out as early as we can. That helps fans
making plans for going to tracks. Some fans travel a long way. If we can make
that better through a multiyear (deal), that is something we're
considering." A multiyear deal would offer tracks the ability to sell
season ticket packages and sponsorships with more flexibility and security.(USA Today)(1-21-2015)
Wood Brothers Racing is the longest active NASCAR team:
Wood
Brothers Racing [#21-Ryan Blaney] has become something of a common face in
NASCAR. Their consistent attendance year in and year out has possibly gone
unnoticed to some, so one member of the family has set out to make sure the
team's founding fathers get the recognition they finally deserve for their
unwavering show of perseverance. Jon Wood, third-generation family member and
former Wood Brothers Racing driver, grew up with a fascination for a very
peculiar book. That book came to his elementary school once a year when the
bookmobile would roll into town. The one book that was so captivating was the
Guinness Book of World Records. "From the beginning I have been fascinated
with the Guinness Book of World Records," said Wood. "I remember
thinking that one day I would figure out a way to do something worthy of being
in the Book. I think that's just part of a child's fairytale-like thought
process." His family's race team, founded in 1950 by his grandfather Glen
Wood, is generally considered NASCAR's longest active race team. The Woods have
fielded cars every year since 1950, and while other established teams have come
and gone, the Woods have maintained the same ownership through the present.
That fact; however, has never been officially recognized, and Wood wanted to do
something about that. He got on the Guinness World Records website and submitted an application for a record
claim. "Very quickly I got a response from their sports records
coordinator, and he was highly interested in helping with this claim,"
Wood said. The next step was finding a way to substantiate the record. For that
he turned to Buz McKim,
Historian at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C. McKim quickly verified
the Woods' record, and as they say, the rest is history. For Jon, getting his
family's accomplishment documented in the Guinness Book of World Records makes
the record that much more meaningful. Getting this documented and on paper
brings feelings of accomplishment that is shared by members of three
generations of Woods, each of whom has played a role in the team's longevity.(Wood Brothers Racing)(1-21-2015)
From
Track Forum:
http://www.trackforum.com/forums/forum.php
Oh boy!
This is gonna be something! Check
out what's being said.
Indycar adjusts downforce on aero kits
http://www.trackforum.com/forums/showthread.php/191505-Indycar-adjusts-downforce-on-aero-kits
From the Dirt Track Digest Forum:
http://www.dirttrackdigest.com/DTD/
In one of
the threads, this, below was linked to.
Yes, it goes back a few years, back when the USNA came into
existence.
Leaders at OCFS stripped of
points By Skip Leon,The Times Herald-Record
MIDDLETOWN: The top two OCFS drivers - Brett Hearn and Rich Eurich - ran in a
non-DIRT sanctioned race and have no regrets about paying the penalty for the
chance to win big money in Syracuse.
Brett Hearn will not win his 15th modified track championship at Orange County
Fair Speedway this season.
Hearn's season points were stripped by the Drivers Independent Race Tracks
(DIRT) organization after he competed in a non-DIRT sanctioned race Saturday
night in Syracuse.
A handful of other OCFS regulars, including veteran Rich Eurich, also competed
in the Syracuse race and lost their points.
The race was sponsored by United Speedways of North America (USNA), a
first-year organization that competes with DIRT.
The 200-lap race had a total purse of $110,100. It was the first of 11
scheduled USNA races this season.
Hearn was in first place and Eurich was second in modified points before
Saturday's race card at OCFS, which they did not attend.
Eurich finished seventh and won $4,000 in Syracuse. Hearn was 17th and brought
home $1,175, plus a $750 bonus for winning the pole position with the fastest
qualifying time.
The winner of Saturday's race received $30,000. An OCFS modified feature winner
receives $2,500.
Neither driver has any regrets about chasing the big money.
"We've won points championships at Middletown," said Eurich, who has
been racing at OCFS for more than 30 years. "It makes you feel good. But
in order to survive in this racing game, you've got to go where you can make
some money. That's what's going to pay my bills, not points."
Eurich, of Johnson, still plans to race regularly at OCFS and compete in a few
more USNA races.
Hearn, of Vernon, N.J., said that by taking away drivers' points, the DIRT
organization pushes them to compete on the USNA circuit.
"They (DIRT) really made it so you don't have a choice," Hearn said.
"Once you lose your points, you have to go after their (USNA)
points."
Hearn said DIRT is selectively enforcing the rule that calls for a driver's
points to be eliminated. He said he competed in violation of the rule for two
years and was never penalized.
Hearn raced at non-DIRT sanctioned Albany-Saratoga Raceway on Friday nights,
which was within 100 miles of DIRT-sanctioned Accord Speedway.
"It was never enforced," he said.
Hearn said he expects to race in the 10 remaining USNA events and in about half
of the OCFS cards.
OCFS race director Jay Castimore would not comment on how the USNA circuit will
affect the track.
"I have about 160 race teams here on Saturday nights. My concern is with
doing the best I can for those guys. Guys that race at other tracks, I don't
concern myself with," he said.
Cory Reed, DIRT's director of marketing and rules, said the sanctions are a way
of not only punishing the offenders, but rewarding drivers who remain loyal to
DIRT.
"This is meant to protect the guys that do stay with us, from the
last-place guy right on up the line," Reed said.
"We want Rich Eurich and we want Brett Hearn at the race track. We feel
they shouldn't win the championship after they do not support our program. The
whole intention of the rule is to take care of the people that take care of
you."
Reed said OCFS was one of the two tracks most affected by the points sanctions.
There are 26 DIRT tracks throughout the Northeast and Canada.
Northeast Series
Director Relieved of Duties
" CONCORD, N.C. – Jan. 21, 2015 – DIRTcar
Racing announced today that Joe Skotnicki will no longer be employed as
director of series and sanctioning in the Northeast, effective immediately
WHAT,S UP WITH THAT?"
http://www.dirttrackdigest.com/DTD/index.php?/topic/52859-northeast-series-director-relieved-of-duties/
From
the AARN:
When I put info on here from the AARN, I
get it via the Digital Version on my computer, so I really don't read quite a
bit until I get the printed version.
Well, I did not get this years first issue until this past
Saturday.
I did find this:
The Thompson Motorsports Park is now
offering discounted pricing for seniors, veterans and active military
members. Seniors, 65 & older, active
military and veterans will now be able to take advantage of a discount -
ranging from 5% to 10% on general admission tickets at the majority of
TSMP's 2015 racing events. Active duty militry and veterans will also
receive free admission to the Historic Oval Invitational (May 15 & 1) on
TSMP's 5/8 mile oval, as well as the Formula Lites race (May 29-30), Vintage Motorsports
Festival (June 18-21) and SCCA Regional races (July 10-11 and Oct 9-10) on the
1.7 mile road course.
This week in the AARN:
Borgers To Be
ATQMRA’s Home Track, Rules Merged With 600s
Rico Abreu’s Chili
Bowl Win Whips Crowd Into Frenzy
AARN: Pioneer
Pole Buildings Motorsports 2015 Racecar & Trade Show Preview Edition
Glen Ridge
Cancels Deyo Short Track Super Series Race
Jackson & Foster
Are New Black Rock Promo Duo; Mods Main Class
ESPN’s Keith
Olbermann Incurs Race Fans’ Ire
Bainey Returns To
Take Over CNB Speedway For 2015
Chili Bowl’s Harli
White Is Inspiration To All
Arena Racing
Season Starts Up In Richmond
Four Enshrined At
Flemington Speedway Historical Society Gathering
Other things found in this
weeks edition:
Jimmy Horton to drive for Lou
Cicconi at New Egypt. He'll continue to
drive the Dieter Schmidt # 5 at special shows.
Schmidt will be running his #
5 at OCFS weekly. Driver - ?
There are some hard and some
not so hard feelings between DIRTcar, Brett Deyo and Glen Ridge promoter Pete
Demitrasek.
Bethel Speedway to combine
358's and Sportsman in 2015. Medium or
hard Hoosier tires or medium or hard American Racer tires are allowed.
Don Kreitz Jr. has been
inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame.
This weeks issue had night by
night coverage on the racing at the Chili Bowl.
The ATQMRA will race 16 times
at Borgers in 2015. TQ rules merged with
the 600's. No 600's race at Borgers when
the TQ's are on the road. TQ's use 750
cc engines and has made concessions to allow 600cc TQ's to race as part of the
club provided they run U6A engine rules.
600's are also invited to race with the TQ's when the TQ's are on the
road. They seem to feel it can only
increase the TQ car counts, which, at times in 2014 were in the single
digits. (Yes, those that run at Trenton
and A/C just seem to disappear, don't they?)
There were multi-page ads for
the up-coming AARN's Motor Sports show this weekend, in Oaks, PA - just off of
Rt. 422.
The Waterford Speedbowl sale
has been approved - but questions and a possible appeal, remain.
In a way I have to agree with
what Ron Hutter had to say in the latest issue of Circle Track magazine -
"I think the best rule change is no rule change".
Back when there was the
Tri-track Series between Flemington, Nazareth and Orange County - the rule book
was six pages in size.
Geoff Yoder had a very
interesting column about what it cost back in the day compared to today, to
field a modified.
1972: It cost $7,000.00 to build a modified and get
it to the track to win $1,000.00
2015: It cost $150,000.00 to buy one and get it to
the track to win $3,000.00
On Facebook - racing related:
Found on
Sunday on the Gator Racing page:
The 2015
show dates for the 29th annual Motorsports Exposition and Trade Show are
Saturday March 14th and Sunday March 15th. This years event is again jam packed
with cars, stars and some of the best vendors in auto racing! See all of you
there at the Center of Progress Building, New York State Fairgrounds, Syracuse,
NY.
Press Releases:
FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
JANUARY19, 2014
DICK
JORDAN
2015 DEBUTS WITH CANYON'S "WINTER
CHALLENGE" OPENERS
The 4rd Annual "Winter Challenge" opens the next two weeks in Arizona
as the 2015 USAC racing season gets under way with a flourish.
The USAC West Coast and Southwest Sprint Cars will compete in five races at two
Arizona dirt tracks to kick off the year. Races at Canyon Raceway Park in
Peoria are slated this week (January 23-24-25) and Tucson's USA Raceway hosts
the Jan. 30 and 31 events.
E & K Construction of Phoenix has posted a $5,000 points fund to be
distributed among the top five Winter Challenge Series point earners and the
"Most Valuable Player" award, which goes to the lowest point earner
starting all five A-features.
Defending series champions are Matt Mitchell of Yorba Linda, Calif. (West
Coast) and R.J. Johnson of Phoenix, Ariz. (Southwest). Mitchell's title was his
first under USAC sanction while Johnson captured his second consecutive
championship.
Dave Darland is the defending "Winter Challenge" champion, while
Bryan Clauson was the 2013 champion and Tracy Hines was the inaugural champ in
2012.
Last year's "Winter Challenge" races went to Darland (3 wins), Brady
Bacon, Colby Copeland and Richard Vander Weerd. IN 2013 Clauson won three of
the four races and Johnson also scored. The 2012 events, not sanctioned by
USAC, were won by Hines (3), Charles Davis Jr. (2) and Jon Stanbrough.
--USAC--
FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
JANUARY 19, 2015
Contact: DICK JORDAN
"GOLD CROWN" MIDGETS NOW LABOR DAY WEEKEND!
SPRINTS ADD OCTOBER DATE AT KENTUCKY LAKE
One new date and a rescheduled date for 2015 capture the headlines as USAC's
2015 racing schedules continue to sport new looks.
Race organizers Kevin and Tammy Gundaker are excited about the 2015 "Gold Crown Midget
Nationals" at their Tri-City
Speedway in Granite City, Ill. Their excitement stems from the move from
October to the Labor Day weekend after weather adversely influenced the events
in recent years. This year's Honda USAC National Midget races will occur on
Friday and Saturday September 4 and 5.
Defending champion of the Gold Crown Midget Nationals is Christopher Bell, who
claimed the 2013 title. Last year's event succumbed to rain.
AMSOIL USAC National Sprint participants can look forward to the first series
race in Kentucky in 16 years and the first on dirt since 1990 when Kentucky
Lake Motor Speedway in Calvert City hosts the Sprints October 17. The last
series race on Kentucky dirt came at Comtrax Motor Speedway in Glasgow and was
won by Jack Hewitt.
--USAC--
This week’s
photo:
As you probably know, Nick Fornoro, Sr. was inducted
into the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame, last week, down in
Tulsa. Nick & Bette had two sons -
Drew and Nick, Jr. and both raced and between the two of them they have quite a
few driving championships in midgets, with the ARDC and NEMA. Both of them, pictured below, with Drew on
the left and Nick, Jr. on the right, were able to make it down to Tulsa for
their fathers induction.
Note:
Notice Nick Jr's. shoes?
This weeks video:
This years Chili Bowl -
Saturday A Main:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFQHj2D6SRs
Non racin' stuff:
Really? Kinda getting out of hand, isn't it?
Average Super Bowl ticket
price: $3,950
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/average-super-bowl-ticket-selling-for-3950/
This weeks joke:
A Japanese
couple is arguing about how to perform highly erotic sex:
Husband:
"Sukitaki. mojitaka!"
Wife replies:
"Kowanini! mowi janakpa!"
Husband says
angrily: "Toka a anji rodi roumi yakoo!"
Wife on her
knees literally begging: "Mimi nakoundinda tinkouji!"
Husband
shouts angrily: "Na miaou kina Tim kouji!"
I Can't
believe you just sat there trying to read this – you don’t know Japanese.
You'll read
anything as long as it’s about sex.... you need serious help!!!
Sometimes I
worry about you.
|
Until
my next column – next week 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/ |
As usual, I can always be
reached via email at ygordad@yahoo.com