Racin'
& Internet Stuff:
By Tom Avenengo
03/17/2011
First:
I
figure we all know the force that water has.
But did we ever wonder the force that a Tsunami has? Some horrifying videos from the Japanese
earthquake and the tsunami that followed, might
convince us of the power that water and/or a tsunami has. It’s remarkable how
well the buildings held up during the quake. Untold thousands have lost their lives, and
those that survived both the quake and tsunami, have more than likely lost
their homes and all of their possessions.
Truly,
I
hope the following link works. If it
does, the top photo will be before the Tsunami, and the following photo will be
after it hit. There are two parts.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/events/japan-quake-2011/beforeafter.htm
And,
if this link works, you might be able to just move your mouse from right to
left, over the photo, and the damages appear.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/events/japan-quake-2011/beforeafter.htm
Well,
how about that! Both
the same. Try ‘em both, I guess!
Second:
Did
you get enough rain? Imagine if it was
all snow? At least we would not have as
much flooding as we’ve had. I’m about
two blocks from the
Third:
The Charlie Musselman Langhorne crash photos. Hey, I was there that day. Charlie was as high in the air as I was in the stands! For sure, if he had remained in the car, it would have been fatal.
Here’s
a link to the photos. Just one little
thing needs correcting – it wasn’t an AAA sanctioned race, but a USAC
sanctioned one. AAA pulled out of racing
at the end of 1955.
http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/showthread.php?p=849
Fourth:
From last weeks column:
“Additional Racin’
stuff:
March 4th:
In part:
“It’s hard to imagine the IZOD INDYCAR Series without Firestone
but the manufacturer synonymous with amazing dependability
and success will be gone following this season.
INDYCAR CEO Randy Bernard and Terry Angstadt,
president of commercial division Terry Angstadt, have
traveled to
Bernard has been talking with Goodyear, Hoosier, Michelin and
http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/indycar-firestone-confirms-open-wheel-exodus/”
Well, some good news – found on the Track Forum:
MEGA news!
INDYCAR AND BRIDGESTONE AMERICAS: FIRESTONE TO REMAIN AS IZOD INDYCAR SERIES
TIRE SUPPLIER
NASHVILLE, Tenn. and INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (March 11, 2011) - Bridgestone Americas
Tire Operations, LLC (BATO) and INDYCAR have announced that Firestone will continue
to serve as the sole tire supplier to the IZOD IndyCar Series through the 2013
race season.
Late last week the companies announced that they would allow the Firestone
sponsorship and supply contract to expire at the end of the 2011 season.
"At the end of last week, we had reached the deadline where both
organizations had to make a decision regarding the future to prepare our
individual operations for the long term," said Randy Bernard, CEO, INDYCAR. "This is one of those decisions that it is
imperative that you have the team owners 100 percent behind you. Early this
week we called a meeting to walk the team owners through the process and hear
their input. I'm happy to say we walk as one with Firestone.
"We feel that this new supply agreement will benefit everyone. It provides
a proven safe and reliable Firestone product for the transition to the all-new
cars for 2012. We have to thank everyone at Firestone for working with us to
help ensure the best for the long-term growth of our sport," Bernard concluded.
"INDYCAR called a meeting to inform the team owners of Firestone's
departure," said Dennis Reinbold, Team Owner, Dreyer
& Reinbold Racing. "When we learned of this, we encouraged INDYCAR to
check with Firestone to see if there might be any chance to continue. We feel
that it is important to maintain continuity with their excellent tires as we
transition to the new car for 2012. The team owners are collectively very
relieved that Firestone had an open mind and that they were able to reach this
agreement with INDYCAR. Firestone racing tires are not only important from a
safety and reliability standpoint, but they contribute greatly to the
wheel-to-wheel competition for which our sport is famous."
"We are pleased that we were able to reach this agreement with
INDYCAR," said Al Speyer, Executive Director, Firestone
Racing. "As we prepare to celebrate our involvement in the 100th
anniversary of the first Indianapolis 500 Mile Race, we are also
focused on the future and the great opportunities that lie ahead. While we've
reached the pinnacle of success in the IndyCar racing, we're happy to extend
our relationship with the IZOD IndyCar Series through 2013, and to continue our
winning partnership. Meanwhile, we will continue to evaluate all options for
promoting the Firestone brand inside and outside of motorsports, as the
Firestone Brand is a very important part of our business."
Firestone has supplied tires to the IZOD IndyCar Series since 1996. The new
agreement does not include Firestone Indy Lights, the developmental series for
drivers and teams striving to reach the top level of open-wheel racing in
Fifth:
Chris Carr. Ever hear of him? He’s a motorcycle racer. This year is his final year of racing, so he says.
From his bio:
“Championships, Chris has won the 1992, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003,
2004 and 2005 Grand National Championship, a series competed on “750cc”
motorcycles. In addition Chris also competed in the “600 Series”, winning seven
Championships, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995 and won the 2000
Formula USA Dirt Track Championship.”
“Land Speed Record, On September 5, 2006 Chris Carr broke the land
speed record on a motorcycle at the Bonneville Salt Flats with a two-pass run
averaging 350.8 mph. His fastest run was 354 mph and his successful run was
established aboard the BUB’S racing “Number Seven
Streamliner”. Chris remains the fastest man in the world on two
wheels…and this record is recorded in the 2008 edition of the Guinness book of
world records”
http://www.chriscarr.com/bio.php
Sixth:
With the
devestation in
Seventh:
In case you haven’t heard, there’s talk going around about a
$5,000.000.00 to win Indycar race at
There’s quite a discussion going on, on the Track Forum – so far
six pages worth, about this event – both pro and con – like this:
“I have a feeling a bunch of driver's
that want to go for the $5 million will find they don't 'Meet Requirements' and
that limits the chance of Indycar having to award the $5 million even less
likely. It's all a ploy to be able to market and promote the race to Nascar fans with the possibility of a Nascar driver winning
$5 million.”
Quite a few names being thrown about. One slight problem for any NASCAR drivers –
there’s a Cup race the previous day (night) at
It would be interesting if it were to happen – especially if one
or more of the top NASCAR drivers were to attempt it, which I highly doubt.
Eighth:
From last week:
“Fourth:
“NASCAR Sprint
Cup driver Jamie McMurray and IZOD IndyCar
Series driver Scott Dixon will get a chance to swap rides for
an exhibition performance at
McMurray, the 2010 Daytona 500 winner, will take
http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2011/03/jamie_mcmurray_and_scott_dixon.html”
Well, Jamie did make that run, as did Scott. Jamie was pretty much surprised about the handling,
acceleration and braking on the Indy car, and didn’t think Scott would have as
much fun in the Cup car as he did in the Indy car. Jamie was 7 seconds slower than Scott was, on
the road course. – a lap at 79.8 seconds to Scott
turning a quick 72.28.
For a short article, please go here:
For
This, below, was in last week’s column.
Might
you be looking for a Tobias SpeedSTR? If
so, check this out:
FOR
2009 TOBIAS SPEEDSTR MIDGET
Less Than 10 Races since new.
race ready, comes with everything you need to
start racing Includes:
dirt wheels and tires, pavement
wheels and tires
good assortment of shocks and springs
axle nut wrench
spare front axle
gears
set-up info.
NO SEAT INCLUDED
ASKING $10,500
Contact:
Jeff Johnson
203-393-0642 days
203-393-0790 evenings
e-mail
speedstr46ct@aol.com
Note: I really
should have had these figures for a new Tobias SpeedSTR, along with the ad:
Price: $17,466.30 Kit
Price: $18,186.63 Assembled
Going back, in time – in racing
history:
Note: Most of the following information was found
here:
http://www.wheelsofspeed.com/history.html
Covering
the days of March 18th to March 24th.
MARCH 18
1923
Andy Granatelli...
Born ... The entrepreneur of STP oil and gasoline treatment products and along
with his brothers Vince and Joe fielded Indy cars from the 1960's until 1991.
He clad his pit crews in white coveralls with the oval STP logo scattered all
over them, and once wore a suit jacket with the same STP-laden design. His cars
became a significant presence at the
1937
Mark Donohue... Born ... Known
for his ability to set up his own race car and drive it consistently on the
absolute limit. Donohue is probably best-known as the driver of the 1500+ bhp “Can-Am Killer” Porsche 917-30, and as winner of the
1972
1942
Jochen Rindt ... Born ... F1 World
Champion
MARCH 19
1943
Vern Schuppan...
Born ... USAC / CART driver from the 1970's and 80's
1977
Gordon Johncock
set an
MARCH 20
1920
Bert Brooks... Born ... Eastern
midget and sprint car driver from the 1940's, 50's and 60's. He was the United
Racing Club (URC) Sprint car champion in 1954, 1956, 1957 and 1958.
1928
Chuck Engle... Born ...
1942
Bill Engelhart...
Born ... Former driver in USAC and the CART Championship Car series.
1952
Geoff Brabham...
Born ... An Australian racing driver. He is the son of
three-time Formula One World Champion Jack Brabham. Brabham spent the majority of his racing career in the
1955
Larry Crockett... Died ... AAA driver who ran the Championship series in 1954.
He was killed in a sprint car accident at Langhorne Speedway.
1992
Kenny Bernstein became the
first drag racer to break 300 MPH in the quarter mile when he drove his Top
Fuel Dragster 301.70 MPH in qualifications for the NHRA Gatornationals
in Gainesville, Florida.
2008
Al Hofmann ... Died ... Veteran
NHRA Funny Car driver. Hofmann won 15 NHRA national events in just 32 final
round appearances. Hofmann was a regular in the NHRA Drag Racing Series from
1991 through 1996 and raced on a more limited schedule through 2002.
MARCH 21
1920
Fonty Flock
... Born ... NASCAR great and one of the central figures in the formative days
of NASCAR. He was the brother of NASCAR pioneers Tim Flock and Bob Flock, and
the second female NASCAR driver Ethel Mobley. The four raced at the July 10,
1949 race at the
1948
Billy Shuman... Born ... West coast Super-Modified and Sprint car driver from the
1960's and 70's. Older brother of Ron Shuman.
1960
Ayrton Senna... Born ... Three time F1 World Champion.
1966
Kenny Brack... Born ... A race car driver from
1999
John Force
set a NHRA Funny Car speed record of 324.05 mph at Gainesville,
MARCH 22
1974
Peter Revson... Died ... Formula
One and the Indy car driver. The nephew of Revlon Cosmetics industry magnate
Charles Revson, he was an heir to his father Martin's
fortune (reportedly worth over $1 billion). During a practice run for the 1974
South African Grand Prix in
MARCH 23
1937
Craig Breedlove... Born ... A five-time world land speed record holder. He was
the first to reach 400 mph (640 km/h), 500 mph (800 km/h), and 600 mph (970
km/h), using several turbojet-powered vehicles that were all named "Spirit
of
2007
Robert Peterson ... Died ... An
entrepreneur who single-handedly created the largest special-interest
publishing company in
2009
Lloyd Ruby ... Died ... Ruby
won seven times on the USAC Championship Car Series in his career and
also had endurance racing victories in the 24 Hours of Daytona, the 12 Hours of
Sebring and the United States Grand Prix. But he is best known for the race he
didn't win. Ruby raced in 18 straight
MARCH 24
1938
Will Cagle... Born ...
1946
Larry Rice... Born ... A former driver in the USAC and CART Championship Car
series.
1947
Roger Mears... Born ... A former off-road driver who also drove in the USAC and
CART Championship Car series.
1956
Jimmy Makar...
Born ... NASCAR crew chief
1960
Scott Pruett... Born ... An American race car driver who has competed in NASCAR,
Champ Car, IMSA, Trans-Am and Grand-Am.
News
from the AARN:
From
the March 8th issue:
Alex Friesen was crowned the
Plans
are being made for the 61st season of racing at
Bethel
Speedway has signed up with Hoosier Tire for 2011.
It’s
being said that there is a potential buyer for the Whip City Speedway. Some of those that ran at
Another
son of Steve Kinser – Kurt, is on the
Utica-Rome
Speedway will be starting their races at 6:00 PM in 2011. The main reason was problems with the setting
sun being in the drivers eyes, when they started at
5:30. It’s said that they’ve also added
over 400 truck loads of clay to the track, too.
New info about
Note:
The
latest:
“While Volusia
Speedway Park is still owned by World Racing Group and remains a UMP DIRTcar sanctioned facility, the track is now leased and
under the leadership of New York native Ken Sands, who has returned to the
Florida racing community after time spent as the general manager of New York's Orange County Fair Speedway in Middletown.
The
Wyoming County International Speedway, in
Former
Indy car driver, and now team owner Sam Schmidt, has announced that he has
acquired the assets of the FAZZT Race Team, and will retain Alex Tagliani as his driver.
Tagliani was the driver for FAZZT.
Additional
Racin’ stuff:
Are you interested in NASCAR racetracks and their amount of seating and also how they’ve drawn fans over these last few years? If so, go here:
http://jayski.com/pages/tracks-seating.htm
Note: I’ve been in traffic, trying to get out of a
Cup race, and I wonder, do they have the same traffic problems at other
sporting events, like college or professional football or baseball?
The
OC car show:
As
of Monday afternoon, I see only 44 entrants for the Cup race and only 42 for
the Nationwide race.
Note: As of Wednesday, the Natiowide
field has been increased by two more entrants, for a total of 44.
Other forums/message
boards and websites:
You might find some interesting
reading if you go to the links below.
Track Forum: - http://www.trackforum.com/forums/
Frontstretch.com: http://www.frontstretch.com/
Jayski: - http://www.jayski.com/
Open Wheel Racers3: http://www.openwheelracers3.com/
Race Pro Weekly: http://raceproweekly.com/
(Must register to
post)
Victory
Yahoo Race History
Group:
http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/RacingHistory/ (when one posts something on an
e-mail to the group, they do have what is called the “Len Sutton rule” – you
put in your name and where you live. And, yes,
things are “policed” too.
Wheels of Speed: http://www.wheelsofspeed.com/
The
First Turn Pro: http://www.firstturnpro.com/
Vintage Sprint Car:
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=236178
Vintage Midget: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=337192
Racing and
television:
Racing on TV - http://www.racefantv.com/USTV.htm
Video time:
Click on the link, below, which should take you to page 701, then go to the second post (# 14002) then click on the video.
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=236178&page=701
Closing with these:
STRANGE BUT TRUE AND UNVERIFIED FACTS – Continued:
-Blue
is the favourite colour of
80% of Americans
.
-When a person shakes their head from side to side, he is saying
"yes" in
-There
are more chickens than people in the world.
-The
thumbnail grows the slowest, and the middle nail grows the fastest.
-There
are more telephones than people in
-The
average four year-old child asks over four hundred questions a day
-The average person presses the snooze button
on their alarm clock three times each morning.
-The
three wealthiest families in the world have more assets than the combined
wealth of the forty-eight poorest nations.
-The
first owner of the Marlboro cigarette company died of lung cancer.
-Intelligent
people have more zinc and copper in their hair.
(No
idea about those that might be bald!)
-The
world's youngest parents were 8 and 9 and lived in
-Our
eyes remain the same size from birth onward, but our noses and ears Never stop growing.
-You
burn more calories sleeping than you do watching TV
-A
person will die from total lack of sleep sooner than from starvation. Death
will occur about 10 days without sleep, while starvation takes a Few weeks.
-Chewing gum while peeling onions will keep you from
crying.
-The Mona Lisa has no eyebrows.
-When
the moon is directly overhead, you weigh slightly less.
-Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone,
never telephoned his wife or mother because they were both deaf.
-A
psychology student in
-After
weeks of needling, he snapped and beat her repeatedly
with an axe leaving her mentally retarded.
-"I
am" is the shortest complete sentence in the English language.
-Colgate
faced a big obstacle marketing toothpaste in Spanish
speaking countries because Colgate translates into the command "go hang
Yourself."
-Like
fingerprints, everyone's tongue print is different.
-"Bookkeeper"
is the only word in English language with three consecutive double letters.
That’s
the end of these little “tid-bits”.
May “Guardian Angels” sit on the shoulders of all of our race drivers
and race fans, and guide them safely around the tracks!
Drive safe!
Until next week!
As usual, you can reach me
at: ygordad@yahoo.com