Racin'
& Internet Stuff:
By Tom
Avenengo
Volume # 92
03/15/2012
First:
Gradually the column will get back to what it
was in the past. I am, however,
considering dropping some non racing related items, though.
Second:
I’m wondering – are there others out there
that watch NASCAR racing on TV and can’t stand that one Sunoco driving/winning
commercial that has some idiotic “singer” screaming and screeching what are
supposed to be some lyrics? Nothing but
annoying noise to this old fart!
Third:
Here’s something that turned up on the
Internet the other day:
“New
post-
I was talking to Mike Sanchelli at Ledgewood Mall show and he said he was hoping to get ARDC
on Eastern States Weeekend. The
Saturday part. that would be ok with me. I havent been to OCFS since we raced with ARDC in 2005.”
Note: Hmm, somewhat interesting, I’d say. I have seen that the CRSA 305 Sprint Cars,
although appearing at OCFS three times in 2012 are not listed (their schedule)
for ESW, and the schedule on the OCFS’s website does
not show just what actual classes will be in competition for ESW. I post on the ARDC’s
message board quite a lot and have asked, many times, about them running at
OCFS and Accord on the same weekend. It
seems that a good part of the ARDC drivers think OCFS is to “big” – I wonder
what they would have done, back in the day, when the ARDC had races from 25
miles up to 300 miles on one mile tracks? And, I’ve also read that OCFS wasn’t all that
happy the last time the ARDC was at OCFS, as far as car counts went.
Oh, by the way, if the
scheduled NEMA race for
Fourth:
To be honest, I cringe when I
see poor use of words/spelling when people post on the Internet. How many times do you see “Should of” where
it should really be “Should have” or Should’ve”? Then there is always “There” They’re” and
“Their” – usually used wrong in a lot of cases.
Fifth:
Watching the Cup race (it was
kind of boring, so I did drift away at times) and watching the pit crew for
Matt Kenseth got me to thinking – just how much do
these teams spend on uniforms, anyway?
Sixth:
From last week:
“Ninth:
I received the following e-mail, from my friend “Benzee”, around 10:00 PM on Wednesday, just after I had
closed out this column:
Hello all ,
We will be returning to
We have secured the hospitality Tent at the track through the NLEOMF
Includes
R/T Deluxe Motorcoach
4 am depart Middletown Wal Mart
430 Monroe Wal Mart
One motorcoach only hosted by
Benzee
Reserved Premium Race Ticket Turn #1 or #2 ( $84 section )
Hospitality Tent at Hospitality Village at track
All you can eat cont breakfast
All you can eat full lunch
All you can drink refreshments and adult beverages as well
Nascar Driver Meet Q and A ( Driver TBA )
NOTE : 2010 race we seen Greg Biffle
Pre Race Trackside Tour
Entertainment , Raffles and Door Prizes
Cost is $180 per person
Money order , check , cash or pay pal
Contact Erwin " Benzee" Benz
benzee95@hotmail.com
C- 845 234 5323
Well, guess what, folks? I received this message from Benzee this past Sunday:
“Hi Tom no I have not heard from her and yes we only have
few seats left will start waiting list soon”.
And, this message
around 7:00 PM on Monday, via Facebook:
“NASCAR Bus trip to
Interesting,
huh? I’ll keep you informed.
Seventh:
Any idea as to
how much Tony Stewart won this past Sunday at
Tony Stewart Mobil 1/Office
Depot Chevrolet $428,175.00
Eighth:
Any idea as to what vehicle
they’re talking about?
March 8, 1950
“R&T tested one in 1956...0-60 in 75 seconds, the
quarter mile was covered in 27 seconds at 47 mph.
It was one of the most charming and engaging vehicles ever to turn a wheel, and
I'd love to have one.
But I'd never drive it unless I was wearing knee pads...”
“I wonder how many children
were conceived in those things.”
http://www.trackforum.com/forums/showthread.php?161159-March-8-1950
Ninth:
Sally Ann Enright
– RIP
SALLY ANN ENRIGHT
July 8, 1942 - March 8, 2012
Port
Mrs. Sally Ann Enright
of Port Jervis, NY and a lifetime resident of the area died Thursday, March 8,
2012 at
She was born July 8, 1942 in Port Jervis, NY,
the daughter of the late Francis M. and the late Pauline E. Realy
Clune.
Sally Ann was married to William J.
"Tex" Enright until his death on January 5,
1980.
She worked for many years at Kolmar Labs, Port
Jervis in the Powder Department.
A family statement read: "Mom was the best
mother anyone could ever have and she always gave from the heart. Her kids
always came first."
Surviving are four sons: William Enright of Homer, NY, Robert Enright
of Mechanicville, NY, Jerry Enright of Sparrow Bush,
NY and Thomas "Tucker" Enright and his
companion, Jackie Smith of Port Jervis; two daughters, Sue Ann Enright of Sparrow Bush, Liz "Betty Boop" Enright of Port
Jervis; five brothers: Thomas Clune of Bumpass, VA,
Francis Clune of Port Jervis, Clare "Bud" Clune and his companion, Ronnie of Port Jervis, Danny Clune and his wife, Sharon of Port Jervis, Don Clune and his wife, Mary Ann of Sparrow Bush; three
sisters: Betty Clune of Sidney, NY, Rose Marie Clune of Port Jervis, Mary Ann Clune
of Nebraska; nine grandchildren: Heaven, Nellie, Sarah and Virginia Keys, Sarah
Coley, Danny and Rachel Hill, Kathy and Barbara Lee; three great grandchildren;
also several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her daughters, Robin J.
Enright Thomas on 5/12/2009 and Sarah Enright on 3/26/1958.
Friends may call at the Gray-Parker Funeral
Home,
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude
Children's
Funeral arrangements are by the Gray-Parker
Funeral Home 845.856.5191. For additional information, directions or to send a
condolence note to the family visit www.grayparkerfuneralhome.com
Tenth:
This, below, turned up on Facebook on Tuesday:
Jeff Heotzler
is looking for a ride for the 2012 season. He had plans of competing weekly at
Accord Speedway, but according to a post on the team's Facebook
page, his car owner removed everything from the team's race shop while they
spent the weekend in
And this was
posted on DTD’s forum:
“Jeff Heotzler Racing
Special Announcement from
Jeff Heotzler Racing:
Unfortunately, The Jeffer will no longer be the driver of the 19J modified at
the Accord Speedway.
Over the weekend, while The Jeffer was attending the Gater
Expo, the 19J car owner went to the Jeff Heotzler
Racing shop and took everything - car, parts, tires, spares, everything. The
only thing left behind was a note.
The hard work and dedication
put into totally rebuilding and in some cases, reengineering, the car all
winter long by Jeff and Jeff Jr. was all for nothing.
As of today, The Jeffer has no plans of racing in 2012.
The Jeffer
would like to thank all of his loyal fans and supporters over the years.”
Eleventh:
Rules of the
Here are just some of the
“Rules for our flag” – Yes, these are on Jayski’s
website.
The laws relating to the flag
of the
Time and occasions for
display
a.It is the
universal custom to display the flag only from sunrise to sunset on buildings
and on stationary flagstaffs in the open. However, when a patriotic effect is
desired, the flag may be displayed twenty-four hours a day if properly
illuminated during the hours of darkness.
b.The flag should
be hoisted briskly and lowered ceremoniously.
c.The flag should
not be displayed on days when the weather is inclement, except when an
all-weather flag is displayed.
d.The flag should
be displayed on all days, especially on
◦New Year's Day,
January 1
◦Inauguration Day,
January 20
◦Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday, third Monday in January
◦Lincoln's Birthday,
February 12
◦Washington's Birthday,
third Monday in February
◦Easter Sunday
(variable)
◦Mother's Day, second
Sunday in May
◦Armed Forces Day,
third Saturday in May
◦Memorial Day
(half-staff until noon), the last Monday in May
◦Flag Day, June 14
◦Father's Day, third
Sunday in June
◦Independence Day, July
4
◦Labor Day, first
Monday in September
◦Constitution Day,
September 17
◦Columbus Day, second
Monday in October
◦Navy Day, October 27
◦Veterans Day, November
11
◦Thanksgiving Day,
fourth Thursday in November
◦Christmas Day,
December 25
◦and such other days as
may be proclaimed by the President of the
◦the birthdays of
States (date of admission)
◦and
on State holidays.
e.The flag should
be displayed daily on or near the main administration building of every public
institution.
f.The flag should
be displayed in or near every polling place on election days.
g.The flag should
be displayed during school days in or near every schoolhouse.
Respect for flag
No disrespect should be shown
to the flag of the
a.The flag should
never be displayed with the union down, except as a signal of dire distress in
instances of extreme danger to life or property.
b.The flag should
never touch anything beneath it, such as the ground, the floor, water, or
merchandise.
c.The flag should
never be carried flat or horizontally, but always aloft and free.
d.The flag should
never be used as wearing apparel, bedding, or drapery. It should never be
festooned, drawn back, nor up, in folds, but always allowed to
fall free. Bunting of blue, white, and red, always arranged with the
blue above, the white in the middle, and the red below, should be used for
covering a speaker's desk, draping the front of the platform, and for
decoration in general.
e.The flag should
never be fastened, displayed, used, or stored in such a manner as to permit it
to be easily torn, soiled, or damaged in any way.
f.The flag should
never be used as a covering for a ceiling.
g.The flag should never have placed upon it, nor on any
part of it, nor attached to it any mark, insignia, letter, word, figure,
design, picture, or drawing of any nature.
h.The flag should
never be used as a receptacle for receiving, holding, carrying, or delivering
anything.
i.The flag should
never be used for advertising purposes in any manner whatsoever. It should not
be embroidered on such articles as cushions or handkerchiefs and the like,
printed or otherwise impressed on paper napkins or boxes or anything that is
designed for temporary use and discard. Advertising signs should not be
fastened to a staff or halyard from which the flag is flown.
j.No part of the
flag should ever be used as a costume or athletic uniform. However, a flag
patch may be affixed to the uniform of military personnel, firemen, policemen,
and members of patriotic organizations. The flag represents a living country
and is itself considered a living thing. Therefore, the lapel flag pin being a replica, should be worn on the left lapel near the heart.
k.The flag, when it
is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should
be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning
Note: Notice part “d”, above about it being used as
wearing apparel?
Twelfth:
Regarding the penalties on
the Hendricks/Gordon owned # 48 Cup car – I started a thread on it over on the
Track Forum, which can be seen if you go here:
http://www.trackforum.com/forums/showthread.php?161363-Penalties-upheld-so-far-on-48-team
I really like the following
post from that thread:
“One thing I never understood
during this whole brou-ha-ha is it was pre race
inspection.
Ive had my own cars run thru tech and Ive
teched I dont know how many
race cars.
It wasnt
NASCAR of course but anytime someones car was
inspected it was.....
A) Youre
good to go. Slap this sticker on the door/wing
B) youre gonna fix that before
next week right?
or
C) Youre
GONNA fix that before we let you on the track
Seems like this has always
been a pass fail test
Not a You
fail AND we are going to ruin your season test
If a car isnt
legal and cannot be made legal in a reaosnable amount
of time you tell them to drop the back up off the trailer and run that one that
weekend
Please explain
And these, too:
“So if a car off the truck,
never on the track gets you in this much trouble how long until NASCAR does
surprise inspections in the teams garage to find out if the cars meet the lofty
" Section 12-1 of the NASCAR Rule Book "Actions detrimental to stock
car racing;" Section 12-4(J):"???”
And:
“12-1 replaced the old
"EIRI" rule ("Except in rare instances") as the catch-all
rule for when you don't have an actual rule that covers what you want to gig
someone for.
If they were honest about it,
NASCAR would fine itself under 12-1.”
Thirteenth:
This coming
weekend at
Fourteenth:
I’m pretty sure I’ve made
mention, in the past, about doing a photo article on my all-time favorite race
driver – Johnny Ritter. Well, it is
basically done, but I did have a slight problem. When doing it, I copied and pasted the photos
into the document, similar to how I put photos into these weekly columns. Photo wise, it’s close to almost thirty of
them. I found that when I attempted to
attach the article, it just kept “loading” and “loading” and “Loading”. So, I broke it down into three parts. Even with that, I noticed the second part
took a shade over three minutes to “load”.
I sent the article – the
three parts all attached in one mailing, to his daughter, Sharyn,
for her to check it out and give her approval.
And, also to ask her for a specific photo that had been sent (and lost)
getting re-sent, so I could sneak it into the article. Speaking with her on Wednesday evening, there
might be a few more photos coming from her, so my initial plan of sending out
the article this coming weekend, could be put on hold, especially if I have to
make it four parts rather than three.
Fifteenth:
I would not be surprised at
all if what follows is true of all the financial institutions here in our
country and also world-wide, too:
Goldman Banker Quits In
Disgust, Blasts Firm For “Ripping Off” Clients
In part:
"Another PR disaster is
unfolding for Goldman Sachs (GS), the Wall Street investment bank that has
already borne the brunt of popular wrath in the aftermath of the financial
crisis.
A senior executive at the
firm, Greg Smith, quit today in spectacular fashion, announcing his resignation
in a scathing New York Times editorial in which he accused the firm of
gleefully "ripping off" its clients and succumbing to short-term
greed.
Within today's Goldman Sachs,
Smith says, senior bankers often refer to the firm's clients as "muppets."
To say this is a devastating
indictment of Goldman is an understatement. Outside observers have been saying
similar things about the firm for years, but Goldman's response has been that
it always puts its clients first and that outsiders--including
Congress-people--just don't understand its business.
But now an insider has said
the same thing.
And it seems to verify every
criticism that has been lobbed at Goldman over the past several years.
(Meanwhile, a former aide of
Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner has just joined
Goldman Sachs as the head of global communications. He's certainly going to
have a busy first day!)"
Note: To be perfectly honest folks, I've never
trusted Geither.
No idea why, just somehting about him.
More on this can be seen if
you go here:
Sixteenth:
I've been waiting for this
announcement:
Will Danica
win the Prelude?
From the Dirt Track Diegest's Forum: http://www.dirttrackdigest.com/DTD/index.php?/topic/42668-will-danica-win-the-prelude/page__gopid__366970
Danica will be driving a dirt late model at Eldora. Pretty
cool that she is willing to attempt this knowing that she will be the focal
point. I dont think she will do very well but I give
her credit for trying! I honestly think she will have more pressure here than
any other race she has done.
Note: I really expect this thread to have quite a
few postings.
And this, from the Track
Forum on the Prelude:
DIRT RACING’S GRANDEST STAGE
TO SERVE AS DANICA’S DEBUT
In part:
"ROSSBURG, OH (March 14)
– Dirt racing’s grandest stage, Eldora Speedway, will set the scene for Danica Patrick’s long awaited dirt track debut. She joins
Ryan Newman, Bobby Labonte, Kenny Wallace, Ty Dillon
and Aric Almirola in the
third installment of roster announcements for the Wednesday, June 6 running of
the Feed The Children Prelude to the Dream, bringing
the total of announced superstar drivers to 18.
After a seven-year run in
INDYCAR racing, where she captured Rookie of the Year honors in 2005 and win in
Motegi, Japan in 2008, Patrick made the bold move to
concentrate full-time in NASCAR racing this year. She is concentrating her
efforts full-time in the Nationwide Series with JR Motorsports, along with a
limited schedule of Sprint Cup racing under the banner of three-time Sprint Cup
champion and Eldora Speedway owner, Tony Stewart and his Stewart-Haas Racing
camp.
At the age of 10, Patrick
turned a few laps on dirt, but never in a stock car.
Joining these six will be the
previously announced Feed The Children Prelude to the
Dream drivers Clint Bowyer, Kasey Kahne, Kurt Busch,
Dave Blaney, Tony Kanaan,
Ron Capps, Jimmie Johnson, Just Allgaier, Bill
Elliott, Ray Evernham, David Gilliland and Cruz Pedregon.
Tickets and campsites for the
Feed The Children Prelude to the Dream and all other 2012 Eldora Speedway Major
Events including the $100,000-to-win Dirt Late Model Dream presented by Ferris
Commercial Mowers, $50,000-to-win World of Outlaws Kings Royal and 42nd Annual
World 100 are available through the speedway box office (937) 338-3815 or
online 24 hours a day at www.EldoraSpeedway.com. Like us at www.Facebook.com/EldoraSpeedway"
More can be seen here: http://www.eldoraspeedway.com/preludedrivers.html?utm_source=BenchmarkEmail&utm_campaign=Prelude3&utm_medium=email
And, of course there are some
that really don’t think she’ll do good, or should even
be in the Prelude:
http://www.indianaopenwheel.com/showthread.php?t=57950
Seventeenth:
This could get interesting,
folks!
DIRT drops Can-Am
Found out about this on DTD's Forum, at: http://www.dirttrackdigest.com/DTD/index.php?/topic/42662-dirt-drops-can-am/
First post: "Just got an email from WRG that they
pulled Can-Am's DIRT santioning
for the year for opening up the sportsman tire rule for their special
shows."
Another post: "What a joke
dirt is, those open tire sportsmen races are at the end of the season after
regular points are all finished. Its to bad for Canam, not having the dirt sanction will more then likely
hurt their mod counts, as some guys would of run there for dirt points. Screw
dirt, I am sticking with Brewerton, ROC, and any outlaw tracks, including now canam."
From the OCFS schedule:
July 19th: Bacada Investments
40 Lap 358 Modified $2,500 to win Open Tire Rule (ESW Qualifier-Outside Pole)
Sportsman/Rookie Points Night
So, the questions are: Will OCFS also lose DIRTcar
sanction, as Can Am did, and if not, why not?
Will OCFS change and make it a track tire race? Don’t forget, the WoO
Sprint Cars are making a return to OCFS in 2012, and WRG owns the WoO. What about
Eastern States? What about a “Syracuse
Qualifier” SDS race for OCFS?
Coming up:
The first of the season for Modified racing here in the northeast will be
at the Selinsgrove Speedway this Friday and Saturday. On the 16th it’s the Small Block
Modified RoC race, with a 25 lap feature. On the 17th it’s the RoC Modifieds with a 40 lap
feature. Rain date is the 18th.
That will be followed by a RoC race at the New
Egypt Speedway the following Saturday, March 24th, with Sportsman having
a 40 lap feature and Modifieds having a 60 lap
feature.
OCFS:
March
24th: “Work day”
March
30, 31 & April 1: Motorsports Car
Show in the arena.
April
7: Practice (Free admission in stands) 1
to 6 PM
April
8: Rain date for the 7th
April
14: Opening night!
July
13 to July 31:
Note: I see the prices for the World of Outlaw
Sprint Car race are:
Reserved (Covered and part of ½ covered): $35.00 for adults and $5.00 for children – 6
and under.
General
admission: $30.00 for adults and
children are free – 6 and under.
Accord:
April
6: Practice (Free admission for the
stands)
April
7: Rain date for the 6th
April
13: Practice (Free admission for the
stands)
April
14: Rain date for the 13th
April
20: Opening night!
Found
on Jayski’s website:
National Stock Car Racing Appeals Panel Statement - Penalty Upheld:
On March 13, 2012,
the National Stock Car Racing Appeals Panel heard and considered the appeal of
the #48 Hendrick Motorsports NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
team. The penalties concern Section 12-1 of the NASCAR Rule Book "Actions
detrimental to stock car racing;" Section 12-4(J): "Any determination
by NASCAR Officials that the Race Equipment used in the Event does not conform
to NASCAR rules detailed in Section 20 of the NASCAR Rule Book, or has not been
approved by NASCAR prior to the Event;" and Section 20-2.1(E): "If in
the judgment of NASCAR Officials, any part or component of the car not
previously approved by NASCAR that has been installed or modified to enhance
aerodynamic performance, will not be permitted: Unapproved car body
modifications."
This stemmed from an opening day inspection for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at
Daytona International Speedway on February 17, 2012.
The original penalties
assessed prior to the deferral were:
- Car Owner (Jeffrey M. Gordon) Loss of 25 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Championship Car Owner points;
- Car Driver (Jimmie K. Johnson) Loss of 25 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Championship Driver points;
- Crew Chief (Chad A. Knaus) - $100,000.00 fine. Suspended from the next six (6) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Championship Events. Suspended from NASCAR until April
18, 2012. Placed on NASCAR probation until May 9,
2012.
- Car Chief (Ron P. Malec) - Suspended from the next
six (6) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship Events. Suspended
from NASCAR until April 18, 2012. Placed on NASCAR
probation until May 9, 2012.
Upon hearing the testimony, carefully reviewing the facts and historically
comparative penalties, the unanimous decision of the National Stock Car Racing
Appeals Panel (John Capels, Leo Mehl,
Dale Pinilis and Ed Bennett: Appellate Administrator
and non-voting member) was to uphold the original penalties assessed by
NASCAR. The Appellants have the right under Section 15 of the Rule Book to
appeal this decision to the National Stock Car Racing Chief Appellate Officer.(NASCAR)
Hendrick Statement..appeal
continues
Hendrick Motorsports will request a hearing before the
National Stock Car Racing chief appellate officer to continue its appeal of
NASCAR sanctions related to the #48 Sprint Cup Series team. "The panel was
generous with its time today, and we appreciated the opportunity to talk
through our concerns," said Rick Hendrick, owner
of Hendrick Motorsports. "We feel strongly about
this issue and will continue to pursue it at the next level." Adjustments
to #48 team personnel are not planned while the appeal is ongoing.(HMS)(3-13-2012)
Note:My thoughts:
A lot of NASCAR BS. Like some
others, I also feel NASCAR is doing anything it can to get to Knauss, especially after the "back it into the wall if
we win" chatter on the radio, last year. And they wonder why they're
losing fans? Getting to be a joke - NASCAR is.
Dodge to unveil 2013 Sprint Cup Dodge Charger:
The 2013 NASCAR
Sprint Cup Dodge Charger is a good-looking car, with a body that brings back
the brand identity to fans of the brand. But beauty isn't skin deep -- a lot of
work has gone into developing the Charger race car for next season's planned
on-track debut at the Daytona 500. David Bailey, senior manager for SRT
Motorsports Engineering, was in it from the beginning. "In late 2010,
NASCAR called the meeting with all the manufacturers," Bailey said, and
all four were unanimous in their desire to race a car that looked a lot more
like their road-going counterparts. NASCAR agreed. "They wanted a
production car look. Each manufacturer had the opportunity to present
individually to NASCAR. Dodge showed "Basically a production Charger
sitting on top of a Cup car chassis," Bailey said. "And it just
jumped out." SRT Motorsports at-track engineer Howard Comstock stressed
that Dodge had no interest in a purely cosmetic treatment that fans could see
through. "We didn't want to do it with just decals," he said.
"We wanted a real identity, real features on the car that you see on the
street car. After the design process started -- and approximately 2,000
e-mails, and 600 drawings later -- we've got a car that everyone knows is a
Dodge Charger."
Dodge will unveil its 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Dodge Charger at Las Vegas
Motor Speedway. The unveiling will take place in
Penske Motorsport assisted in the development of the new Charger, but with
their recent announcement that they are moving to Ford next year, they will not
participant in the event. The only other Sprint Cup Dodge Team, #7-Robby
Gordon, did not make the race.(3-11-2012)
UPDATE:
See an image of the
car on the Dodge Manufacturer
news page.(3-11-2012)
Dodge says teams are interested:
Dodge Motorsports president
Ralph Gilles said Dodge is moving forward and hopes to remain in NASCAR despite
losing Penske Racing as its signature team. Gilles spoke Sunday morning at Las
Vegas Motor Speedway after the unveiling of the 2013 Dodge Charger Sprint Cup
car. Two weeks ago, Roger Penske announced his two-car Dodge team (Dodge's only
major team) was switching to Ford in 2013. Gilles said he already has heard
from several NASCAR teams who are interested in switching to Dodge next year.
"With the way our phone is ringing, I'm not too concerned," Gilles
said. "It's been a pretty positive thing. With every storm there's a sunny
day later." But Gilles would not say for certain Dodge would remain in
NASCAR in 2013. "Based on the momentum we've developed, we don't feel it's
going that way," Gilles said about the possibility of leaving. "We
would love to stay if we can, but we have to figure it out. We're actually
investing in NASCAR more than ever. Some of this timing (of Penske's
announcement) was unfortunate. Some things Roger didn't realize we were doing
are coming to pass."(ESPN)(3-12-2012)
Chevy to replace
Impala in 2013 with another Chevy brand:
Chevrolet is developing a new car with a new
name for its 2013 NASCAR entry, replacing the Impala used by Team Chevy, and
plans to eventually market and sell the new model to consumers. The dealership
and racing versions of the car will be unveiled this year, after the
The new car may be a version of the Chevy Caprice currently imported from
Kyle, Kurt Busch to
run the full season with Monster Energy:
Kyle Busch Motorsports announced that it has
signed a multi-year agreement with Monster Energy Company as primary sponsor of
the team's #54 Monster Energy Camry in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Team owner
Kyle Busch, the all-time race winning driver in the history of the NASCAR
Nationwide Series, will share driving duties with his brother Kurt Busch, the
2004 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion. Kyle will drive the season-opening race
at Daytona International Speedway and the subsequent four races through
KBM Scrambling To
Finalize 2012 Nationwide, Truck Plans:
Kyle Busch Motorsports General Manager Rick Ren has spent the last few weeks scrambling to rebuild his
driver and sponsor lineups after team owner Kyle Busch was asked not to compete
in the NASCAR Camping World Truck and Nationwide Series' in 2012. Ren and Busch had assembled a sponsor lineup that included
Dollar General, Traxxas,
Penske teams suffer
fuel injection problems:
Secret or not, #2-Brad Keselowski
and the rest of his team have learned their lesson from last year's comments
about the electronic fuel injection system and want no more fines from NASCAR.
So the outspoken driver bit his proverbial tongue on Twitter Sunday afternoon
after leaving Las Vegas Motor Speedway very disappointed with his 32nd-place
finish. For the second consecutive week, Keselowski
had some fuel pickup issues, and this time it hurt him much worse than it did
in a fifth-place run at
Earnhardt Jr. has
Montoya's Daytona 500 Car:
A (mangled) piece of racing history has
landed in the woods surrounding Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s
property in Cleveland, N.C. Thanks to a familiar connection, NASCAR's most
popular driver recently acquired the destroyed Juan Pablo Montoya's #42 Chevy
that famously slammed into a jet dryer under caution during the Feb. 27 Daytona
500. Collecting crashed race cars is a hobby of Earnhardt's, and the latest
addition is the only one that's caused a fiery on-track explosion and a
two-hour delay in NASCAR's biggest race. And when Earnhardt found it through
Chris Heroy, a former Hendrick
Motorsports engineer who is the first-year crew chief for Montoya, he jumped on
getting it imprecisely added to his car graveyard, adjacent to his backyard
replica Western town known as Whisky River.(USA
Today)(3-10-2012)
Knaus appeal to be heard TODAY:
Team owner Rick Hendrick
and #48 crew chief Chad Knaus will get to explain
next Tuesday why they think NASCAR erred in penalizing Hendrick
Motorsports for the C-posts on the Daytona 500 car of Jimmie Johnson. NASCAR
confirmed that the appeal will be heard Tuesday morning at its
UPDATE:
This is the scene of the National Stock Car
Racing Commission. There are 45 members, but they rotate through for hearings.
Two members and the chairman, who doesn't vote, hear each case. They will be
listening to the Hendrick Motorsports appeal of the
hefty penalty given to Jimmie Johnson's team for violations discovered last
month during initial inspection for the Daytona 500. Team owner Rick Hendrick doesn't believe the six-race suspensions that
NASCAR handed to crew chief Chad Knaus and car chief
Ron Malec -- as well as the 25-point penalty given to
Johnson -- are fair. He'll argue that the governing body confiscated the
C-posts deemed illegal before they went through tech. He'll argue that the same
car with the same C-posts -- pillars that come down from the roof to the rear
quarter panel -- passed NASCAR's inspection 16 times previously. Odds are, he'll lose.
Not necessarily because he doesn't have a good case, but because the commission
seldom overturns decisions. When Richard Childress Racing appealed Clint
Bowyer's 150-point penalty in the fall of 2010, the commission had upheld 88 of
132 decisions between the Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Truck Series, reduced 42
and increased two. Most of the reductions were in the lower series. The last
time a Cup penalty was reduced was in 2008 with Robby Gordon's team. The last
time a Sprint Cup penalty was completely overturned came in 2005, when
insufficient evidence was found that Michael Waltrip
made an inappropriate gesture during a television broadcast.(ESPN)(3-13-2012)
Found via a link
on Jayski’s website:
Bread and Circuses Surround
#48 Appeal... But Did It Matter? by
Matt McLaughlin;
Matt McLaughlin · Wednesday
March 14, 2012
In part:
"To nobody’s great
surprise, the appeals board upheld the penalties assessed against the No. 48
team after Daytona on Tuesday. What probably caught everyone off guard was the
media scrum Tuesday’s hearing became. The parking lot of NASCAR’s Research and
The team was told something
“didn’t look right” and they were told to make repairs to the suspect C-posts.
Oddly enough, Knaus knew exactly what was wrong and
was able to have proper C panels on the car within hours. Obviously, he knew
that the parts he was presenting were suspect but that the car was going to fit
the templates anyway because he’d doctored an area of those panels the
templates don’t measure. Somehow, I doubt that’s a little trick he stumbled
across. To me, that sounds like many hours of expensive wind tunnel time and
analysis to circumvent the intent of the rule. And it’s not like Knaus hasn’t been punished previous to this incident and
warned not to mess with the bodies.
The argument that the car
“never even made it out onto the track” is imbecilic. By the team’s own
admission, it ran all four plate races last year and won the
More on this can be read if
you go here:
http://www.frontstretch.com/mmclaughlin/37651/
Going back, in time – in
racing history:
Note# 1: Most of the following information was found
here:
http://www.wheelsofspeed.com/history.html
Note: 2: Yes, most of this info is mostly from Open
Wheel racing from “Back in the day”.
For this week, I’m covering
from February 9th to February 20th. Gradually, I’ll catch up!
FEBRUARY 9
1882
Arthur Duray... Born ... A Belgian
racecar driver. He is probably best known today for breaking the land
speed record on three separate occasions between July, 1903 and March, 1904.
Ran AAA races in 1914, 1915 and 1918. Finished 2nd in the
1914 Indy 500.
1909
Indianapolis Motor Speedway Corporation incorporated with Carl G. Fisher
as president.
1939
Jan Opperman... Born ... Race
car driver known as "The King of the Outlaws". Two time
starter of the
1964
Todd Parrott... Born ... NASCAR crew chief
FEBRUARY 10
1917
Danny Kladis... Born ... AAA/USAC driver from
the 1940's & 50's
1919
Eddie Johnson... Born ... AAA/USAC driver from the
1950's & 60's. Ran in 13 Indy 500's with a best
finish of 6th in 1960.
1959
Marshall Teague sets an unofficial closed course speed record of 171.821
mph driving the "Sumar Special"
streamliner, actually a Kurtis-Kraft chassis with a
Meyer-Drake Offy 270.
1987
Andy Linden... Died ... AAA driver from the 1940's and
1950's. Ran in 7 Indy 500's with a best finish of 4th
in 1951.
FEBRUARY 11
1888
Fred Offenhauser... Born ... He became a toolmaking machinist with Pacific Electric Railway. In
1913, he went to work for Harry A. Miller, a successful manufacturer of
carburetors. Offenhauser helped Miller turn a flood
of ideas for racing engines into metal. Engines that began to
win races. As early as 1922, an eight-cylinder Miller engine won the
1901
Anton "Tony" Hulman... Born ... Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner. Born into
wealth, Anton Hulman Jr. embellished his personal
resources with courage, foresight and a passion for automobile racing to become
the savior of
1934
John Surtees ...Born ... A former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and
Formula One driver from
1954
Arthur Duray... Died ... A
Belgian racecar driver. He is probably best known today for breaking the
land speed record on three separate occasions between July, 1903 and March,
1904. Ran AAA races in 1914, 1915 and 1918. Finished 2nd in
the 1914 Indy 500.
1959
Marshall Teague... Died ... NASCAR, AAA and USAC
driver. Finished 7th in the 1957 Indy 500.
Teague, 37, died in a crash during a closed course speed record attempt at the
new Daytona International Speedway. Teague was driving a Chapman Root owned
Indy roadster with an enclosed canopy and covered wheels. He had just turned a
3rd lap at 160.25 mph before losing control in turn 1. The record at the time
was 177.038 mph set by Tony Bettenhausen at
Roberto Moreno... Born ... Formula One and Indy car
driver from
1994
Neil Bonnett ... Died ... NASCAR driver who
compiled 18 victories and 20 poles over his 18-year career and died from
injuries suffered in a practice crash at Daytona. He was part of the famous
"Alabama Gang". Bonnett was inducted into
the National Motorsports Press Association's Hall of Fame in 1997, was inducted
into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2001 and was named one of
NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers in 1998.
2001
Dave Schultz... Died ... Legendary, six-time NHRA Pro
Stock Bike champion died of colon cancer at age 52.
FEBRUARY 12
1904
Floyd Roberts... Born ... AAA driver who raced in the
1930's. He won the
1920
Jack Turner ... Born ... AAA/USAC driver from 1955 -1963
1929
Ronnie Duman... Born ... USAC driver from 1961
to 1968
1932
Dick Tobias ... Born ... He was modified stock car driver that went on to
run URC sprints, USAC sprints and Championship Dirt Cars. He was an innovator
and race car builder.
1962
Kevin Doty... Born ... Sprint car driver
1980
Floyd Samuel "Sam" Nunis ... Died ...
The dean of American Automobile Association race promoters.
Article on Mr. Nunis: http://www.wheelsofspeed.com/report/2_12_80-1.html
FEBRUARY 13
1948
Jim Crawford... Born ... USAC/CART driver 1984 to 1995.
Ran the Indy 500 eight times with a best finish of 6th in
1988.
1972
Louis Durant... Died ... AAA driver 1939 to 1948
1976
Paul Russo... Died ... AAA / USAC driver from 1934 to
1965. He started racing midget cars in 1934. He went with a contigent of midget car drivers to
1977
Lance Blevins... Born ... World of Outlaws racer.
FEBRUARY 14
1932
Edwin Keith "Banjo" Matthews... Born ... A
NASCAR driver, car owner and builder.
1968
Scott Sharp... Born ... Trans-Am and Indycar
racer.
2000
Tony Bettenhausen Jr. ...
Died ... Tony Lee Bettenhausen Jr. was one of three
racing brothers and a son of two-time U.S. Auto Club national champion Melvin
"Tony" Bettenhausen, who ran at the
FEBRUARY 15
1919
Earl Motter... Born ... AAA/USAC driver
from1955 to 1959
1929
Graham Hill... Born ... British racing driver and two-time Formula One
World Champion. Graham Hill is the only driver to win the so-called Triple
Crown of Motorsport, which is alternatively defined as winning either: the
Indianapolis 500 (won by Hill in 1966), the 24 Hours of Le Mans (1972) and the
Monaco Grand Prix (1963, 1964, 1965, 1968, 1969) or the Indianapolis 500, the
24 Hours of Le Mans and the Formula One World Championship (1962, 1968). Using
either definition, Hill is still the only person ever to have accomplished this
feat.
1948
NASCAR , a week before the organization was
officially incorporated, held its first race for modified stock cars on a 3.2
mile-course at
1957
Jimmy Spencer ... Born ... NASCAR driver and
commentator. During his days racing modifieds, he was
nicknamed "Mr. Excitement" for his sometimes aggressive racing style.
1959
Art Chrisman broke the 180 mph barrier in a supercharged nitro dragster
when his "Hustler" did 181.8 mph in the 1/4 mile.
1974
Mark Donohue won the first International Race of Champions Final on the
3.81 mile Daytona International Speedway oval/road course.
1999
Billy Garrett ... Died ... USAC driver 1956 to 1958
Bill Lipkey ... Died ... He organized the first
USAC sanctioned race.
2000
Ray Knepper ... Died ... Drove AAA Indy Cars
1950 & 1951, drove sprint cars in 1956.
FEBRUARY 16
1885
John DePalma... Born ... AAA driver, he was the
brother of 1915 Indy winner Ralph DePalma and the
uncle of 1925 Indy winner Pete DePaolo
1906
Fred Wagner , the starter of the race, waved what is believed to be the
first checkered flag used to signify the finish of an auto race as Louis Wagner
was about to win the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Race.
1920
Walt Faulkner... Born ... AAA driver from 1949 to 1955.
He also competed in NASCAR races. In 1950 Faulkner became the first rookie to
win pole position at the
2005
Russ Klar ... Died ... He was a race driver in
the Northeast. He drove midgets , sprint cars and 'big
cars' in the 1940s and '50s and late in his career modifieds
(stock cars).
2008
Jerry Karl ... Died ... Jerry was a 6 time Indianapolis 500 Starter. He
started racing at Freeport Stadium on
FEBRUARY 17
1898
Jimmy Gleason ... Born ... AAA driver 1925 to 1931. He was killed in an
AAA National Championship race in
1910
Louis Tomei... Born ... AAA driver 1932 to 1949
1925
Colby Scroggin ... Born ... AAA/USAC driver
1954 to 1963
1987
Frank Kurtis ... Died ... Pioneer race car designer
and builder.
Article: http://www.wheelsofspeed.com/report/2_17_87-1.html
FEBRUARY 18
1928
Jim McElreath ... Born ... USAC/CART driver. He
raced in the 1961-1983 seasons, with 178 combined career starts, including 15
in the
1937
Gary Congdon ... Born ... USAC midget, sprint
and Indy car driver. Congdon died in
1962
Scott Kalitta ... Born ... American drag racer
and son to veteran NHRA driver and crew chief Connie Kalitta,
and is cousin to teammate Doug Kalitta
1976
Jimmy Kite ... Born ... USAC midget, sprint, silver
crown and Indy car driver.
2001
Dale Earnhardt, Sr.... Died ...Earnhardt is
known for his success in the Winston Cup Series, now known as the Sprint Cup
Series. He won seventy-six races (including his only Daytona 500 victory in
1998), and his seven championships are tied for most all-time with Richard
Petty. His highly aggressive driving style made him a fan favorite and earned him
the nicknames "Ironhead", "Mr.
Restrictor Plate", "The Man in Black" and most famously,
"The Intimidator." Earnhardt died in a last-lap crash during the 2001
Daytona 500.
FEBRUARY 19
1893
Fred Comer... Born ... AAA driver 1923 to 1928
1921
Ernie McCoy... Born ... Eastern midget, sprint and Indy car driver.
1928
Malcolm Campbell set a Land Speed Record of 206.956 MPH in his Bluebird
at Daytona.
1944
Paul Pitzer... Born ...
1960
John Paul, Jr.... Born ...A former race car
driver in CART and the Indy Racing League and winner of the 1982 12 Hours of
Sebring while co-driving with his father John Paul, Sr.
FEBRUARY 20
1907
Tony Willman ... Born ... AAA driver 1926 to
1941, died in a midget race at
1934
Bobby Unser ... Born ... One of the greatest Indycar
racing stars of all time, Unser was twice the USAC/Indy Car champion (1968 and
1974) and three times winner of the Indianapolis 500. The
brother of Al Unser and Jerry Unser, the father of Robby Unser, and the uncle
of Al Unser, Jr. and Johnny Unser. He was the undisputed king of the
1937
Roger S. Penske ... Born ... A national sports car driving champion
(1964); established the Penske racing team in 1961; co-founder of Championship
Auto Racing Teams (CART). Penske Racing has won 12
1959
Scott Brayton ... Born ... USAC/CART driver
1981 to 1996. Scott tragically lost his life in a fatal crash during practice
at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Six days before the accident, Scott
captured his second consecutive Indy 500 pole position.
2008
Buster Warke... Died ... AAA driver from the 1930's , 40's to the mid 1950's.
News
from the AARN:
From
their March 6th issue:
Ernie
Saxton:
Mr.
Saxton was making mention of NASCAR Cup races and the possibility of them
having some on Monday nights – since it appears that the Daytona 500 was so
successful – TV viewer wise.
He
also had a little tid bit about Volusia Speedway and
how they have attendants at the Porta Johns to make
sure they’re clean and operate properly.
Note: I don’t foresee any Monday night races being
scheduled, no. As for Volusia – are they
even open now? As far as I know, after
the winter races a few weeks ago, that’s it for this season.
Brett
Deyo:
Quite a bit about I-88 Speedway. New “Rich Blue” clay, from
Todd
Heinzelman:
Mr.
Heinzelman was making mention of some “outside
invaders” for the PA 410 Sprints – like Sam Hefertepe,
Stevie Smith, Danny Lasoski, Jason Sides, Jac Haudenschild and Dave (Dale?)
Blaney.
This
year, if you win a 410- feature at Williams Grove, you’ll win $3,600.00. Adding in possible “bonus” monies and it
could be close to $4,000.00.
Herb
Anastor:
Mr.
Anastor had a real nice article about the success of
the “Fabulous Hudson Hornet”. That was
some car, for it’s time! Some record in
racing, too.
Stephen
Bubb:
Sad
to say, but Stephen hinted about him having some mysterious health issues and
that he would be going to a special hospital in
Steve
Barrick:
Mr.
Barrick had a couple of different articles in this weeks edition. One
was about Mike Payne being head of DIRTcar tech – and
how long that job might last for him.
Mr. Payne is a car owner, too.
There
was an article about Glenn Donnelly and LED Lighting. There was supposed to be a demonstration of
those lights last Friday, up in
Note: I made mention of this on DTD’s
forum:
Me:
“I read in this
weeks AARN that ground breaking won't be until June? Will there even be racing
in 2012 there?”
Mr. Lehmann:
“We expect to see cars on both
tracks in 2013 for a full racing season.
The SEQR process is a very
long process to go through. It is all the DEC testing, the DOT etc. We are
anticipating that we will break ground by mid June. We expect completion by the
end of 2012. If everything goes right we may have some testing by the end of
2012.”
Other
news:
So
far, Clint Bowyer, Kasey Kahne, Kurt Busch, Dave Blaney, Tony Kanaan and Ron Capps
are entered in this years “Prelude to the Dream” race which will be held on
Wednesday, June 6th.
Sports
Insurance Specialists, out of
A couple of different writers made mention that at Williams Grove Speedway, smoking is no longer allowed in the grandstands, and also close to the refreshment stands, too. This is getting to be the “norm” at most sporting events and other forms of entertainment, today.
Former
From what I’ve read, Chris Daley won the Champ Kart
race out in
Racing and
television:
CLICK HERE FOR U.S.
LISTINGS WITHOUT THE SPEED CHANNEL (PDF FORMAT)
http://www.racefantv.com/xUSTV-NS.pdf
And this: CLICK HERE FOR
U.S. LISTINGS WITHOUT NASCAR (PDF FORMAT)
http://www.racefantv.com/xUSTV-NN.pdf
Also this one: CLICK HERE FOR A PRINTABLE PDF VERSION
http://www.racefantv.com/xUSTV.pdf
Press Releases:
XCEL CHASSIS SET TO GO FOR THE BIGGEST
SEASON IN SERIES HISTORY WITH 88 DATES CONFIRMED
You asked for it and here it is. The Xcel
Chassis 600 series will have a total of 88 races for the 2012 season. The tour
division will see 36 dates, Lindas Speedway with 19,
Thunder Mountain adds 16, Kutztown will host the sportsman 12 times and the
newly paved Borgers Speedway has secured 5 dates and
will be running the modifieds for the year.
Doug Borger, series owner, is excited the
way the schedule all came together. “It takes a lot of work and communication
to put a schedule like this together. We are returning to some popular tracks
along with invading new ones for the series as a whole. All the promoters I
worked with over the winter are looking for the same outcome I am and that’s to
give the fans a show they soon won’t forget. Now if Mother Nature cooperates
it’ll be all good.”
Five Mile Point will host the season
opener for the tour division on April 1st and see the season end on October 27th.
New to the series is Shippensburg Speedway. Invading the popular 1/5 dirt oval
on May 12th has everybody checking out race videos on the web just
like I did. After watching a few videos, the 600’s will be a good fit and the
racing will be even better. Another track new to the series is the ever popular
Accord Speedway. The
Penn Can Speedway will play host a total
of 6 times for the 2012 season with Five Mile Point confirming 5 dates for the
year and with the increase of more cars being sold in upstate New York should
bring together the north and south.
A lot of preseason talk has centered round
the tracks that have returned to the series. Big Diamond Speedway, widely
considered our superspeedway, will be racing on Saturday nights for the first
time in the tracks history along with their regular Friday night shows for the
2012 season. Ten dates will see the mighty modifieds
invade “God’s Country” with top speeds and top notch action.
Teams will be heading north on Aug. 11th
to Black Rock Speedway, located next to Watkins Glen, the same weekend Nascar will hit the road course. We could see a couple of
familiar faces from the NASCAR circuit as a few drivers have 600 modifieds of their own.
Trailways and Susquehanna Speedway will each see
one date for the season but expect to see big action.
Grandview Speedway is one of the fastest
if not the fastest track that is on the schedule. Car count in previous years
hit the 40 mark and after a 5 year hiatus and the divisions’ growth I would
expect to be over 55 cars for the Sunday Small Car Series. The action will be
just as hot as the summer months.
Lindas Speedway will be hosting the tour
division with 2 dates along with a regular Friday night schedule for the 600 modifieds. They are a fan favorite with the tight door to
door racing week in and week out.
Not new but improved is the return of Borgers Speedway with a whole new look and feel. The choice
to shut down forever or pave the surface gave Glen Borger no choice but to go
to pavement. In February a handful of drivers were asked to test the first step
of paving the track and the outcome couldn’t have been better for all parties
involved. A total of 5 dates were confirmed and the question of will they be fast
was answered but the next question will be “Are they going to run dirt or
asphalt tires?” Doug Borger has also changed the division to the modifieds since the pavement surface was near perfect.
Kutztown will see the sportsman division
on a weekly basis along with hosting a tour date for the modifieds.
Chad Mullen of Factor X Graffics along with Doug
Borger announced over the winter an increased sportsman series point fund
totaling over $4000 along with bonus money on a weekly basis.
As a reminder to teams, registration for
the 2012 season will close on March 17th. Doug Borger talked of the importance
of getting your information in on time. “All cars must have their number registered
with the series since we only allow 2 of the same number. Gary Suchy is redoing the website which will include driver
profiles along with the work JoAnne does to get the information to the tracks
before we arrive. A lot of work goes on during the off season and with the
final stage of preparation coming to a close I look forward to this season.
Teams can go to the website www.xcelchassis.com, scroll down and click the link for our
forum board. You will need to create an account to download the registration
form and email to joannemady@yahoo.com as soon as possible. I also
wanted to thank the promoters from all the tracks with working so closely over
the winter months to make this season the biggest in the history of the 600
series.”
Check back often as the website will soon
be done and the 2012 season will kick off in a big way.
Borgers
PR
Media Contact
Bob Snyder
Borgers 2012 Divisions
To clear up any confusion Asphalt 600 Wingless
Sprints will run on a weekly basis with the Three Quarter Midgets. This
will be run under the
Dirt Wingless 600 Sprints will run a separate
division with the Dirt Car rules. This will be strictly a Dirt Car
class. If you ran a Dirt 600 Sprint at Borgers last year you are legal.
There will be a minimum hood height rules to avoid lay down seats. This
class will enable
you to bring a car from another track and only have to make minimal
adjustments.
AllStar and Junior Slingshots, Karts, and Micro-Stocks will be run
on a weekly basis. XCEL 600 Modifieds will run as their tour
schedule permits.
Three practice dates are scheduled for Borgers Speedway at 1:00 p.m. Saturday March 31, April 7, and
April 14, with April 21 slated as the season opener. These dates are
tentative pending on the final coat of asphalt being laid and will
change. The asphalt plant opens April 1 and Borgers is first on the list but
Northeast Site would like a 60 degree daytime temperature to pave. After
the final coat is laid the track has to set for at least one week. We
will run practice on the base coat but we will not race until the final coat is
laid. The schedule will be adjusted accordingly.
For up to date information check the speedway
web-site www.borgers-speedway.com
or follow us on Facebook.
Discount Season Passes
Available at Devil’s Bowl Speedway
For Immediate Release
DBS-031312-1
WEST HAVEN, VT -- Discount
season passes are now available just in time for the 46th season of stock car
racing at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in West Haven, VT. The track is offering three types of
year-long passes for spectators and competitors.
A General Admission season
pass is available for all 18 NASCAR Whelen
All-American Series events. The General
Admission pass will be honored throughout the year, beginning with the
prestigious “Spring Green 112” for the American-Canadian Tour Late Models and
the season-opening championship event for Devil’s Bowl Speedway’s Bond Auto
Parts Modified, Renegade, and Bomber divisions on Sunday, May 6.
Special events include the
People’s United Bank Memorial Day Modified Special on Friday, May 25, the
Vermont State Late Model Championship Series 100 on Friday, June 8, and the
Firecracker Twin 44s on Wednesday, July 4.
Also included are the Mid-Season Championships on Friday, July 13,
Championship Night on Friday, August 31, and the Vermont 200 Weekend on Saturday,
September 15 and Sunday, September 16.
The General Admission season
pass is just $185, a savings of nearly 12% from the race-day ticket gate
price. A Senior General Admission season
pass is available for only $145 for race fans age 62 and up. As an added benefit, General Admission season
pass holders will get a 15-minute head start in selecting their grandstand
seats at every event.
New for 2012 is the Garage
Area season pass, a program designed to help save racers money in the
long-term. The Garage Area pass is
available for a one-time fee of only $450 to NASCAR-licensed drivers, car
owners, and crew members. Garage Area
pass holders will enjoy a 20% discount for a year-long savings of $111, versus
the total weekly price for non-licensed participants.
“We encourage all of our fans
and competitors to take a look at the season pass programs we have in place,”
said Devil’s Bowl Speedway owner/promoter Mike Bruno. “Times are tough, and we want our supporters
to be able to enjoy their racing at an affordable price. The season passes are a nice alternative and
really do save a substantial amount of money in the long run.”
Devil’s Bowl Speedway opens
its 46th season of stock car racing on Sunday, May 6, with the Spring Green 112
for the American-Canadian Tour Late Models, along with the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Bond Auto Parts Modifieds, Renegades, and Bombers. For more information, call (802) 265-3112 or
click www.devilsbowlspeedwayvt.com.
-30-
Contact: Justin St.
Louis
Phone:
(802) 355-3282
Email: devilsbowlspeedway@gmail.com
NEWS FROM
Orange County Fair
CONTACT
Mike Gurda
845-342-8573
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ORANGE COUNTY FAIR
MIDDLETOWN, NY (March
18)……..Orange County Fair Speedway will begin its 63rd consecutive year of
weekly stock car racing Saturday night, April 14, with racing getting the first
green flag at 6:30 P.M. The historic Middletown, New York five-eights-mile
“Hard Clay” surfaced speedway opener will feature four divisions of DIRTcar-sanctioned race cars---Modifieds,
Sportsman, Pro Stocks, and Street Stocks---in qualifying races and main events
with the evening’s program sponsored by Country Chevrolet and WRWD 107.3FM. The
Modified feature race is set for 40 laps and will pay the winner $3,000.
Opening night will also include the first Kids Club activities of 2012.
“We’re really looking forward to the new
season,” said
Special events are planned throughout the
season, including community and organizations nights, Kids Club activities,
vintage racer exhibitions, regional sprint cars, and demolition derbies. New
this year is the Rookie Sportsman division, providing young drivers a chance to
“get their feet wet” in Sportsman-type race cars before moving into the track’s
highly-competitive Sportsman ranks.
But the biggest additions to
the schedule are the return of the World of Outlaws Sprint Cars on Saturday,
May19 and the July 20-22 Moto and Monster Truck Madness show.
The season wraps up with the
51st Annual Eastern States Weekend, Friday through Sunday, October 19-21. The
Eastern States 200 is the oldest consecutively-run dirt track Modified
championship race in the country. The weekend includes time trials, heat races
and consolation races, all leading to the classic 200-lap feature on Sunday
afternoon. Joining the “earth shaker” big block Modifieds
in their own championship races are the 358 Modifieds,
Sportsman, Pro Stock, and Street Stock divisions. Vintage Modifieds
are also included as part of the three-day bonanza of speed.
Two pre-season activities are
also on the schedule. On Saturday, March 24, everyone is invited to come out
and participate in Spruce-Up Day, a chance to meet with fellow racing fans and
help get the speedway ready for Opening Night.
Then on Saturday, April 7,
from 1:00 pm until 6:00 pm, the track will host an Open Practice, giving
competitors the opportunity to shake down their race cars in preparation for
the seven-month-long season.
“It’s a full schedule with
something for every race fan,” said Gurda. “We’re
looking forward to seeing everyone at the track.”
Advance ticket sales and
track information can be found on the Orange County Fair Speedway website,
www.orangecountyfairspeedway.net, or from at the Track Office. Call 845-342-2573
during business hours.
Note: As of now, you’ll notice no open wheel (Sprint Cars or Midgets) are listed for Eastern States Weekend. Also, no mention that the practice session on April 7th has a rain date of the 8th and that admission to the grandstands is free – something I personally think the track should advertise.
I
get e-mails:
Does the name Jigger Sirois ring a bell?
He’s a former race driver. His
claim to fame was this, from a quick search on him:
Though he
never qualified for the Indianapolis 500, Sirois
is most known in racing circles for events surrounding his qualifying attempt
in 1969. He took to the track on Pole Day and
achieved a speed of 161.535 mph before his qualifying attempt was called
off by his car owner (who thought the speed was not fast enough to make the
race). Shortly afterwards, it began to rain, and qualifying was washed out. If Sirois had completed his qualification attempt, he would
have won the pole (as the race's slowest qualifier's speed of 160.851 mph
was not enough to bump Sirois). However, he made two
more unsuccessful qualifying attempts and did not make the field. After that he
came back to attempt to make the field every year up until 1975, failing to
make the field every time.
Well, while I
was without my own computer, I received an e-mail from Rich Boteler
(Racer Rich) who is a close friend of Jigger.
He sent this:
“Just passing on something that I posted in the River Rats section on Facebook. In case you don't
have it available, I thought this was very much deserved. RR
I
get e-mails and are these true?:
Wow...read this one! Then
check out the suggested web sites!!!
There’s something rotten here.
Many of the emails that I
have sent or forwarded that had any anti Obama in it were negated by Snopes. I thought that was odd. Check this out.
Snopes, Soros and the Supreme Court's Kagan. We-l-l-l-l now, I guess the time has come to check
out Snopes! Ya' don't
suppose it might not be a good time to take a second look at some of the stuff
that got kicked in the ditch by Snopes, do ya'?
We've known that it was owned
by a lefty couple but hadn't known it to be financed by Soros!
Snopes is heavily financed by George Soros, a big time
supporter of Obama! In our Search for
the truth department, we find what I have suspected on many occasions.
I went to Snopes
to check something about the dockets of the new Supreme Court Justice. Elena Kagan, who Obama appointed, and Snopes
said the email was false and there were no such dockets. So I Googled the Supreme Court, typed in Obama-Kagan, and guess what? Yep, you got it; Snopes
Lied! Everyone
of those dockets are there.
So Here
is what I wrote to Snopes:
Referencing the article about
Elana Kagan and Barak Obama
dockets:
The information you have
posted stating that there were no such cases as claimed and the examples you
gave are blatantly false. I went
directly to the Supreme Courts website, typed in Obama Kagan
and immediately came up with all of the dockets that the article made reference
to. I have long suspected that you
really slant things but this was really shocking. Thank You. I hope you will be much more
truthful in the future, but I doubt it.
That being said, Ill bet you
didn't know this.
Kagan was representing Obama in all the petitions to prove
his citizenship. Now she may help rule
on them. Folks, this is really ugly.
Chicago Politics and the beat
goes on and on and on.
Once again the US Senate sold us out!
Now we know why Obama
nominated Elana Kagan for
the Supreme Court. Pull up the Supreme
Courts website, go to the docket and search for Obama. She was the Solicitor General for all the
suits against him filed with the Supreme Court to show proof of natural born
citizenship. He owed her big time. All of the requests were denied of
course. They were never heard. It just keeps getting deeper and deeper,
doesn't it? The American people mean
nothing any longer.
It's all about payback time
for those who compromised themselves to elect someone who really has no true
right to even be there.
Here are some websites of the
Supreme Court Docket: You can look up
some of these hearings and guess what?
Elana Kagan is the attorney
representing Obama!
Check out these examples:
http://www..supremecourt.gov/Search.aspx?FileName=/docketfiles/09-8857.htm
http://www.supremecourt.gov/Search.aspx?FileName=/docketfiles/09-6790..htm
http://www.supremecourt.gov/Search.aspx?FileName=/docketfiles/09-724.htm
If you are not interested in
justice or in truth, simply delete.
However, if you hold sacred
the freedoms granted to you by the U.S. Constitution, by all means, PASS it
ON! There truly is tyranny afoot.
And:
TAKE NOTE OF THIS MESSAGE,
PLEASE!
Watch out for this one. I
also confirmed with truthorfiction.com
Anyone-using Internet mail
such as Yahoo, Hotmail, AOL and so on. This
information arrived this morning, Direct from both Microsoft and Norton. Please
send it to everybody you know who has Access to the Internet. You may receive
an apparently harmless e-mail titled �Here you
have it�
If you open the file, a message will appear on your
screen saying: 'It is too late now, your life is no longer beautiful....'
Subsequently you will LOSE
EVERYTHING IN YOUR PC. And the person who sent it to you will gain access to
your Name, e-mail and password. This is a new virus which started to circulate
on Saturday afternoon. AOL has already confirmed the severity, and the
antivirus software's are not capable of destroying it.
The virus has been created by
a hacker who calls himself 'life owner'.
PLEASE SEND A COPY OF THIS
E-MAIL TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS, And ask them to PASS IT ON
IMMEDIATELY!
THIS HAS BEEN CONFIRMED BY
SNOPES.
http://www.snopes.com/computer/virus/hereyouhave.asp
Note: Yes, I’ve received e-mails that now seem to
put Snopes in to too favorable position, too.
Some non-racing stuff:
Multiple combat tours linked
to mental strain, disease
In part:
"The Army sergeant
accused of killing 16 Afghan men, women and children on Sunday was reportedly
on his fourth combat tour and had suffered a traumatic brain injury when his
vehicle rolled over in 2010. He served three deployments in
"There is no way of
knowing if the sergeant's brain injury and multiple deployments are related to
the brutal crime he allegedly committed. But the incident highlights the
enormous strain the country's beleaguered all-volunteer military force is
under. The longest war in
More can be seen if you go
here:
Note: I don’t think it takes much to see some
problems with that sergeant having some “mental” disorders, does it? Question is:
Why the hell was he still in a combat zone and not back home getting
treated?
I
imagine most of you have received those e-mails about how crowded I-75 and I-95
will be with “Illegals” fleeing Florida because they
would have to probably pee in a bottle before getting their hand-outs?
It
ain’t so, it seems!
ORLANDO, Fla. — A federal
judge temporarily blocked Florida's new law that requires welfare applicants to
pass a drug test before receiving benefits on Monday, saying it may violate the
Constitution's ban on unreasonable searches and seizures.
Judge Mary Scriven ruled in response to a lawsuit filed on behalf of a
35-year-old Navy veteran and single father who sought the benefits while
finishing his college degree, but refused to take the test. The judge said
there was a good chance plaintiff Luis Lebron would
succeed in his challenge to the law based on the Fourth Amendment, which
protects individuals from being unfairly searched.
The drug test can reveal a
host of private medical facts about the individual, Scriven
wrote, adding that she found it "troubling" that the drug tests are
not kept confidential like medical records. The results can also be shared with
law enforcement officers and a drug abuse hotline.
"This potential interception
of positive drug tests by law enforcement implicates a `far more substantial'
invasion of privacy than in ordinary civil drug testing cases," said Scriven, who was appointed by President George W. Bush.
The judge also said
The injunction will stay in
place until the judge can hold a full hearing on the matter. She didn't say
when that hearing will be scheduled.
More than two-dozen states
have also proposed drug-testing recipients of welfare or other government
assistance, but
The law's proponents include
Gov. Rick Scott, who said during his campaign the measure would save $77
million. It's unclear how he arrived at those figures. A spokesman for the
Florida Department of Children and Families deferred all comments to the
governor's office.
"Drug testing welfare
recipients is just a common-sense way to ensure that welfare dollars are used
to help children and get parents back to work," said Jackie Schutz, a spokeswoman for Scott. "The governor obviously
disagrees with the decision and he will evaluate his options regarding when to
appeal."
Earlier this year, Scott also
ordered drug testing of new state workers and spot checks of existing state
employees under him. But testing was suspended after the American Civil
Liberties Union also challenged that policy in a separate lawsuit.
Nearly 1,600 applicants have
refused to take the test since testing began in mid-July, but they aren't
required to say why. Thirty-two applicants failed the test and more than 7,000
have passed, according to the Department of Children and Families. The majority
of positives were for marijuana.
State officials said Monday
that applicants previously denied benefits for testing positive or refusing the
test could reapply immediately. The Department of Children and Families will
also approve all pending applications that await drug test results.
Supporters had argued
applicants skipped the test because they knew they would have tested positive
for drugs. Applicants must pay $25 to $35 for the test and are reimbursed by
the state if they pass. It's unclear if the state has saved money.
Under the Temporary
Assistance For Needy Families program, the state gives
$180 a month for one person or $364 for a family of four.
Those who test positive for
drugs are ineligible for the cash assistance for one year, though passing a
drug course can cut that period in half. If they fail a second time, they are
ineligible for three years.
Lebron, who is the sole caretaker of his 4-year-old son,
said he's "happy that the judge stood up for me and my rights and said the
state can't act without a reason or suspicion."
The ACLU says
..Romney Turns 65 but Isn’t
Signing Up for Medicare
..By Daniel Gross
.PostsWebsiteEmail
.By Daniel Gross | Contrary Indicator – 4 hours ago
..
.........Romney Turns 65 but
Isn’t Signing Up for Medicare
..By Daniel Gross
.PostsWebsiteEmail
.By Daniel Gross | Contrary Indicator – 4 hours ago
....
Share3EmailPrint.....Mitt Romney
is turning 65 today. That means he's now eligible for Medicare, the
government-run insurance program that covers about 47 million older Americans.
But he's not planning to enroll.
Medicare has emerged as a
contentious campaign issue. Romney has embraced the proposal of Rep. Paul Ryan,
which aims to keep Medicare intact for people currently in the program and for
those who are approaching eligibility age, while transforming it for everybody
else into a system of subsidies for people to purchase private insurance. In
time, that proposal would essentially end Medicare as it currently exists and
vastly increase out-of-pocket costs for participants. At the same time, Romney
has criticized President Obama for cutting spending on Medicare in his budget.
Romney is doing his part to
keep Medicare solvent — he's not signing up for it. The campaign has told my
colleague Holly Bailey that the 65-year-old candidate plans to remain on his
private insurance and will not enroll in Medicare.
It seems the only taxpayer-funded
health care Romney wants is the coverage that comes with the position of
President of the
Daniel Gross is economics
editor at Yahoo! Finance.
Follow him on Twitter @grossdm; email him at grossdaniel11@yahoo.com.
http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/daniel-gross/romney-turns-65-isn-t-signing-medicare-162543228.html
Note: You should read the comments that are under
the article!
Video time:
Something quite different this week. 7 minutes and 11 seconds of wondering – when
will he crash???
http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=tzowQtqOM_I
Photos:
Note: The photos are not available on Dirt Track
Digest, only on New England Tractor - http://newenglandtractor.com/racereport/
Sadly, what was in the past,
is no longer. Here’s a photo from the 1960
I’m not sure exactly who the photographer was that
took this photo, and hope I’m not infringing!
The top six qualifiers for that race were Don
Branson, Lloyd Ruby, Jim Hurtubise, A.J. Foyt, Cotton Farmer and Jim Packard. Foyt was the race
winner. Eighteen cars started the 100
mile race – a normal starting field.
Sixteen drivers and cars went home that day, failing to make the show.
Info on that race can be seen here: http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/race.php?raceid=5100
Note:
Clicking on a drivers name in the above link, will lead you to a
majority of the races he was in, over his career.
Closing with these:
Young
Mia, only 4 years old, returned home from Nursery School complaining, “Mummy,
I’ve got a stomach ache”
“That’s
because your stomach is empty,” her mother replied, kindly. “You’ll feel better when you have something
in it.” She made Mia a small snack and,
sure enough, Mia felt better right away.
Later that afternoon, Mia’s teacher dropped by to see Mia’s mother. While chatting with her, she mentioned she’d
had a bad headache all day long.
Mia
perked up and announced to her teacher, “That’s because it’s empty. You’ll feel better if you had something in
it!”
“I
am” is the shortest complete sentence in the English language, so it’s been
said, but what about “I do”? Might that
be a short sentence with the end result being a long sentence???
This
is a story about four people named, Everybody, Somebody,
Anybody & Nobody.
There
was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure
that Somebody would do it. Anybody could
have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that, because it was
Everybody’s job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody
wouldn’t do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could
have done.
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!
As usual, you can reach me
at: ygordad@yahoo.com