Racin' & Internet Stuff:

                                      By Tom Avenengo

                                         Volume # 94

                                           03/29/2012

 

First:

At times, it’s kinda hard figuring out what to start these columns with.  Such was the case with this one.  Well, it was, until I had mail delivered to my house this past Monday.  Among the mail was the newsletter from the Eastern Museum of Motor Racing (EMMR).  The EMMR has been in existence for over 25 years.  Former race driver Lynn Paxton is its president.  In his message from the president in this newsletter was some news that I found to be quite unbelievable.  Lynn says:  “I’d also like to take this opportunity to welcome our 1st paid employee, Amanda Eshenhour”.

Kinda hard to believe, isn’t it – 25 years and now they have their FIRST paid employee! 

 

Second:

Keeping with the EMMR – something that is found on their website:

“EMMR is national in scope due to the fact that those who came to participate in the East for many years would represent the nation from coast to coast and border to border. Motor sports participants from over 40 states traveled to Central Pennsylvania in search of fame and fortune for much of the twentieth century. "Eastern" is also an appropriate name due to the large number of local participants who gained national fame. The measure of the talent who came to the East is found in the relationship between Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania (just up the road from EMMR) and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. There was a mid twentieth century "American Era" at Indianapolis dominated by drivers and cars from the United States. From 1946 to 1964 the Indianapolis "500" was all American, with few exceptions.

During that eighteen year, nineteen race time period over 100 drivers who qualified for and raced in the Indianapolis "500" would race at Williams Grove. Fourteen Indianapolis winners of seventeen of nineteen races between 1946 and 1964 raced at Williams Grove. Twelve national Indianapolis car champions accounting for the entire nineteen year period also raced at Williams Grove. Many Indianapolis starters in the years prior to the opening of Williams Grove in 1939 raced in the East at Langhorne (PA) Speedway and the great fair races at Reading and Allentown in Pennsylvania, as well as Trenton and Flemington in New Jersey, and Harrington in Delaware. In addition to Langhorne and Trenton, which were regular Indianapolis car events, races for these cars and drivers also took place at six other locations within the 150 mile radius of EMMR.”

Note:

In a way, I feel sorry for those that missed that era – when the Indy drivers came east to race – and not necessarily to race Indy cars, either, but Sprint Cars and Midgets.  Not so, today, however, and that to me, is part of the reason that Indy car racing has lost some of its fan base.

 

 

Third:

Puff!  Just like that, flowers have started to bloom where I live.  The buds are starting to come out on the trees.  Certain types of trees – Dogwoods, are full of blossoms, already, due to that little warm spell we had.  But, the forecast for where I live, especially for Monday night – low 20’s – might due harm to some flowers, buds and those blossoms.  So as of Wednesday, it looks like everything survived those low 20 temps!

 

 

Fourth:

Chili Bowl & TV – found this on the Internet:

Chili Bowl on TV

 

Does anyone know when this year's (2012) Chili Bowl event is scheduled to be shown on TV (CBS I understand)?

 

Saturday April 14th, 4:00PM as part of a show called CBS Sports Spectacular.

 

For weeks, all we heard was...."CBS is showing the Chili Bowl on Jan 28", then several claimed it would be on the CBS Sports Network (former CBS College Sports Network). Now it has been pushed back until April!

 

In other words, it will probably air on ESPN Classic before CBS shows the 2012 Chili Bowl!

 

 

 

 

Fifth:

 

Found over on the Track Forum:

 

“This is a nascar bash but its relevant. Yesterday during the CA race they ran the entire race with only the caution at the end for the rain that eventually ended the race. CA is notorious for long green flag runs and NASCAR's liberal usage of the debris flags during this event. One can only assume they kept the flags in there pockets due to the need for the race to get to 1/2 way.”

 

Note:  Kinda interesting, isn’t it?

 

 

 

 

Sixth:

 

Interesting - IndyCar to Pocono in 2013??

 

http://www.indystar.com/article/20120326/SPORTS01/203260320/-b-IndyCar-notebook-b-Drivers-avoid-major-mishaps-St-Petersburg

 

Pocono Raceway President and CEO Brandon Igdalsky attended Sunday's race and met with IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard to discuss the possibility of having a race at the eastern Pennsylvania oval track in 2013. Igdalsky's grandfather, Joseph Mattioli, founded the track.

 

 

 

 

Seventh:

 

Found this over on Facebook -  for Brad Szulewski:

 

For Brad:

Friday, April 6, 2012.6:00pm until 10:00pm.. Please come out and attend the 1st Annual BBD Racing Fund-Racer.

Tim Hannen and the Oakland Valley Race Park staff have graciously allowed us to rent the OVRP road course to host this event.

From 6pm - 10pm, Friday, April 6th, BBD Racing will be hosting the 1st Annual B...BD Racing Fund-Racer.

We will be racing the corporate karts all night long, with possible changes to the track configuration as the night progresses.

All racing gear (helmets, neckbraces, jackets, gloves, etc.) will be provided by the race track, however if you can supply your own gear, please do.

Food and beverages will be provided.

Depending on the outcome, the tentative price is $20 - $25 per person.

Please come out and enjoy a great night of family fun racing and support BBD Racing and the Oakland Valley Race Park in the 2012 race season! Thank you very much to all that can attend!

***Please make sure to wear full legged pants and no open-toed shoes if you plan on driving***

 

 

Eighth:

If you recall, WRG/DIRTcar pulled their sanction from Can Am Speedway because Can Am had scheduled a couple of “Open Tire” Sportsman races after the point season.  As of midnight, prior to publication of this column, there has been no response from anyone from WRG/DIRTcar on this.

Here’s what the owner of Can Am Speedway had to say:

WRG/DIRTCar/Can Am Speedway audio

 

http://www.dougsdirtdiary.com/audioplayer.php?id=14497

 

http://podcasts.fingerlakes1.com/31stlap/

 

 

 

 

Ninth:

 

We’ve never been to the New Egypt Speedway, and were entertaining thoughts of going to the RoC races there last Saturday.  A couple of things came up that made us stay home – my grandson, Dillon, isn’t really into racing, so we’d have to have someone watch him.  Then the forecast called for rain beginning in the afternoon hours.  On top of that, higher gas prices come into the picture, too.  New Egypt got their show in, but I wonder, how many fans didn’t attend due to the forecast and those gas prices?

 

 

 

 

Tenth:

 

I caught some glimpses of the Indycar race this past Sunday.  I’m not a big fan of city street racing.  But watching what I did, the new Indy cars – from the rear, kind of look like Amusement Karts.  And why in the world is it mandatory to use the “red” tires during any Indy car race?

 

 

 

 

Eleventh:

 

I also watched some of the Cup race from California this past Sunday.  For that track, the attendance didn’t look all that bad.  I think I did see some stands towards the first turn that were completely shut down, though.  And did they take any of the seating down at that track?  To me, the track looked to be quite bumpy in places, and the Indy Cars are due to run there towards the end of the season.

 

 

 

 

Twelfth:

 

“Obamacare”

 

Quite a bit on the Supreme Court and its dealings with this.  What I can’t figure out is, if this is so damned important, why is this only being held for three days and only for two hours each day?  As I said to the wife, while watching the news on Monday night – hell, they should have at least three six hour days.

 

The Court tees up the health mandate

 

In part:

 

"Amid sure signs that the Supreme Court Justices are deeply interested in the constitutionality of the new health care law’s key sections, and definite signs that they have been studying up for the task, they moved on Monday to get beyond the preliminaries and get set for Tuesday’s crucial two-hour hearing.

 

In a hearing yesterday that lasted just under 90 minutes, the Court seemed unwilling to postpone by as much as three years their ultimate encounter with the mandate that would require virtually all Americans to obtain health insurance or pay a penalty. That elevated the importance of Tuesday’s review of the mandate.

 

The first of three days of argument on the Affordable Care Act was on the complex subject of courts’ authority even to hear the challenge. The first lawyer the Justices heard told them they had no authority to decide the issue of the mandate’s validity, because none of the challengers had a legal right to challenge it in court. From every indication, the Court did not seem to take that advice.

 

For the government, the Justices, in voicing doubts that the mandate really is about taxation, dropped hints that the mandate probably has little chance of being upheld as an exercise of  Congress’s taxing power – the government’s backup constitutional theory. (The government’s preferred defense is that the mandate came under Congress’s power to regulate commerce.)

 

For the challengers, the members of the Court did not seem to accept the argument that the mandate could be separated from its penalty, so that the mandate could be nullified as a stand-alone attempt to regulate how people pay for their medical care. Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., said bluntly that separating the two “does not make much sense….Why would you have a requirement that is completely toothless?”

 

More on this can be found here:  http://news.yahoo.com/court-tees-health-mandate-100409778.html

 

And these, too:

 

http://news.yahoo.com/viewpoint-why-supreme-court-uphold-health-care-law-101022585.html

 

http://news.yahoo.com/case-losing-obamacare-084500484.html

 

http://news.yahoo.com/premium-support-only-way-fix-americas-medicare-mess-063000025.html

 

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/demonstrators-brave-cold-second-day-supreme-court-hearings-131430182.html

 

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/d-c-unemployed-paid-hold-places-line-outside-212609025.html

 

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/supreme-court-considers-did-health-care-law-challenge-191623703.html

 

Note:  As of Wednesday night, things look to be pretty close on some of the items.  It will be a while before we get the results, though.

 

 

 

 

Thirteenth:

 

A little more on the bus trip to the Cup race at Dover, in June:

 

I checked with “Benzee”, as to whether there might be a second bus added, since the first one has sold out, and there is a “waiting list”

 

The latest, as of Monday:

“Tom its one bus for Dover , if the waiting list gets big enough  we can get  a second but I do not foresee this as I have 4 right now on the waiting list
Everyone has to be paid by April 15th , if I see we have 30 or more on waiting list by first week in April I will contact everyone and try to run a second one
 
Benzee

 

 

 

 

Fourteenth:

 

Over on the Track Forum, there’s quite a lot said about the first Indycar race of the season.  Here are some links to some of what’s being said – some good – some not so good:

 

http://www.trackforum.com/forums/showthread.php?161868-ABC-s-quot-coverage-quot

 

http://www.trackforum.com/forums/showthread.php?161978-The-Start-Of-The-Race-At-St.Pete

 

http://www.trackforum.com/forums/showthread.php?161874-Let-s-hope-the-next-one-is-better

 

http://www.trackforum.com/forums/showthread.php?161866-New-thoughts-on-the-new-cars

 

http://www.trackforum.com/forums/showthread.php?161938-MILLER-Plenty-Of-Positives-In-St.-Pete

 

http://www.trackforum.com/forums/showthread.php?161869-Time-for-Local-Yellows

 

http://www.trackforum.com/forums/showthread.php?161863-Cautions-again...

 

 

 

 

Fifteenth:

 

April 8th is Easter Sunday.  For quite some time, we had an annual Easter egg hunt at our house for the little ones.  Now, sad to say, most of those little ones have either grown up or have moved away.  It kinda looks like this will be the first time in quite a while that we won’t be having the egg hunt.  Damn!  Funny thing is, when we had them, after the kids found them – and they usually found all of them, then they would hide them for the adults to find.  We never did as good as the kids, and, yes, some never got found.

Gonna miss that this year!

 

 

 

 

Sixteenth:

 

Over the last week, there have been commercials shown on TV on how things have progressed in New York State – telling us how great things are – like the budget getting passed, and various other things – things that were done behind the voters backs.  One thing that gets mentioned is that it’s still easier for minorities and women to be able to get businesses started. What with all the REAL unemployment we now have, maybe it’s time that things get made a little easier for the white male to be able to get a business going?  I mean, really, when is the last time you saw a white male open up a convenient store or gas station?

 

 

 

 

Seventeenth:

 

As for how New York has progressed, it seems it only takes THREE men to pass and/or approve things that really should be judged by more than just three, I believe.

 

NY expected to pass $132B, on-time budget:

 

In part:

“Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the state Legislature are poised to pass a state budget on time for the second year in a row, which would be as uncommon as the budget's small spending increase.

 

The Legislature will take up the $132.5 billion budget plan Wednesday in a flurry of votes that should end late Thursday or early Friday, easily making the fiscal deadline of midnight Saturday.

 

In closed-door meetings and phone calls Monday, Cuomo and Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver cleared the final major obstacles to agreement.”

More on this can be found here:  http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120328/NEWS/203280336/-1/NEWS

 

 

Eighteenth:

 

Might you be interested in building model race cars?  How about racing them as slot cars?  Here are a few links to some model car sites:

 

http://bigdonkeyresin.com/

 

http://stores.tjscus.../Categories.bok

 

http://www.hotlapsracin.com/index.htm

 

http://www.modelroundup.com/

 

http://www.davesracing.com/

 

 

And some info on slot car race tracks:

 

http://orangecountyracewayincorporated.com/

 

http://slotcarillustrated.com/portal/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=151

 

 

 

Nineteenth:

Back when we were running the 600 Micro Sprint, I checked out the Internet to see what the deals might be as far as towing a trailer.  I found this, below.  Not sure if there have been many updates over the years, however.

http://www.glen-l.com/designs/trailer/trailer-laws.html

 

 

 

Coming up:

OCFS:

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!

 

 

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!

June 6:    Mid Week Madness begins

 

 

Five Mile Point Speedway:

 

Sat. 3/31          Open Practice   2:00 PM                                                                                                          

 

Sun. 4/1*         RoC Sportsman 30 - $1,500 to win plus RoC Street Stocks, 600 c.c. Mods - 4:00 p.m.

 

Lightning Cat (4 cylinder open) and Tommy Boy 20 for Factory Stocks.

 

Sat. 4/7            Open Practice    2:00 PM                                                                                                            

Sat. 4/14*        Southern Tier Open for Modifieds – 40 laps - $2,500 to win!                                 - 6:00 p.m.

 

Season point openers for SM, SS, IMCA and Lightning Cats.

 

 

Hamlin Speedway:

 

April 2012  

1. Sat 4/14/12 BUG DAY - Gate opens 1pm, practice from 2-6pm, $15 per pit pass - No Entry Fee!

     

2. Sat 4/21/12 OPENING DAY! POINTS BEGIN - ALL DIVISIONS - REGULAR SHOW - RRTT:ALL

 

 

 

OVRP’s Dirt Oval:

Saturday, March 31:

Opening Day – practice for Karts & Slingshots – rain date for swap meet.

 

Sunday, April 1:

Practice for Bikes & Quads.

 

Saturday, April 7:

1st point races for Karts & Slingshots.

 

Sunday, April 22:

1st point race for Bikes & Quads

 

 

Penn Can Speedway:

 

Friday

 4/6/2012

 Practice

       

Friday

 4/13/2012

 Practice

       

Sunday

 4/15/2012

 Practice

       

Friday

 4/20/2012

 Mod

  602 Spts

 SS

 4CYL

 FStocks

 

  Can Opener

 

 

Bethel Motor Speedway:

 

April 21

(Rain date:

April 22)

Open Practice for all divisions

INEX Points Races for Legends and Bandoleros

FREE grandstand admission!

April 28

(Rain date:

April 29)

Opening Night Points

Begin

Sportsman, Legends, Bandoleros, Pro Stock,

Street Stock, BMS Modified, 4 Cylinder

 

Borgers Speedway:

 

Three practice dates are scheduled for Borgers Speedway 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 60 degrees 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.

 

 

Lebanon Valley Speedway:

 

Sat. April 7

 Warm Ups / / Gates Open @ 3pm / Track Open @ 4pm -7pm / Open To Any Race Car / Pit Fee $12.00 / Grandstands Are FREE!!!

 

 

Sat. April 14

 L&M Motors & Sayer’s Auto Wrecking Present The 60th Season Opener, $3,000 To Win Modified Main! Budget Sportsman & Weekly Divisions - (Sportsman Warm-Ups)

G.A Child

$2.00

G.A. ADULT

$10.00

Reserved Seating

$11.00

Tower Seating

 $16.00

 

 

 

Albany/Saratoga Speedway:

 

Sunday April 15

 Open Practice OPEN TO ANY RACE CAR!

Gates Open 12pm | Practice From 3-7pm $15 

Thursday April 19

Friday April 20 GRAND OPENING: 2 BIG OPENING NIGHTS!!! Back on Dirt!

Modifieds Both Nights!

Thursday - Budgets & 4-Cyl | Friday - Prostocks & Street Stocks, Friday Mods $2,500 TO WIN!

 

 

 

NEMA up-coming:

March 31 - April 1 Sat-Sun

Day Race Waterford Speedbowl

- Waterford, CT

plus NEMA Lites Series

 

Next:

May 20 Sun Thompson Intl. Speedway

-         Thompson, CT

Note:  Wow – a whole seven weeks between 1st and 2nd events??

 

As for the “Lights”, their next show:

May 12

Sat Night    Waterford Speedbowl

-         Waterford, CT

 

 

Coming in May – at New Hampshire International Speedway in Loudon, NH

22nd Vintage Racing Celebration

Thursday, May 10 - Sunday, May 13, 2012 8:00am-6:00pm

Oval - 5/10, 5/11; Road Course - 5/12, 5/13

 The Vintage Racing Celebration recognizes the roots of auto racing in New England.  The four-day event features some of the racing community's earlier car models.

The event kicks off with two days of oval racing on Thursday, May 10, and Friday, May 11.  The oval days will feature midget, sprint, champ, Indy, modified and stock cars that will put on an exhibition of vintage racing.

On the weekend, the track will be reconfigured to the 1.6-mile road course for May 12-13.  Several associations will invade the track for racing that will include formula and sports cars, as well as motorcycles.

 

 

Found on Jayski’s website:

http://www.jayski.com/

 

NASCAR seating cut backs:

 

http://www.jayski.com/pages/tracks-seating.htm

 

 

Townley placed on probation:

NASCAR announced today that it has placed John Wes Townley, driver in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, on probation until Dec. 31, 2012. Townley violated Section 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing) of the 2012 NASCAR Rule Book. The violation occurred Feb. 7. In addition to the steps already underway by his team RAB Racing, Townley will be evaluated by a certified substance abuse professional at NASCAR's discretion and will be subject to random alcohol and drug testing.(NASCAR)(3-22-2012)

 

NASCAR President defends appeals process:

NASCAR president Mike Helton said he believes in the sport's rules inspectors and the overall appeals process, despite the decision Tuesday that overturned most of the penalties imposed on Jimmie Johnson's #48 Chevy from a body-alignment issue at Daytona last month. "We think the decision made this week supports the inspection process with the elements of the penalty that were upheld," Helton said Friday at Auto Club Speedway. "It indicates they did their job correctly." NASCAR originally penalized the #48 team 25 points and suspended both crew chief Chad Knaus and car chief Ron Malec for six races, along with fining Knaus $100,000. Before the car went on the track at Daytona, inspectors said the C-posts (on each side of the rear window) were not within the tolerances of the rule book, but the car was not measured on the templates. Both Knaus and Malec were allowed to continue working races while the penalty was appealed by Hendrick Motorsports. A three-man appeals panel held up the penalties two weeks ago, but most of the penalties were rescinded Tuesday by chief appellate officer John Middlebrook, a former GM executive who has the final say in the appeals process. The points and the suspensions were eliminated by Middlebrook, but the fine was upheld. Helton said the fact that the fine was upheld proves that NASCAR inspectors discovered a violation. "Elements of the penalty were upheld based on parts of the car that did not conform to the rules," Helton said. "The debate was how we reacted to it. That's as much a bureaucratic decision as it is a competition decision." Middlebrook has not spoken publicly about his reasons for greatly reducing the penalty. The surprising decision by Middlebrook has caused some people to wonder if changes are needed in the inspection or appeals process, but Helton said NASCAR has no plans to do so.(ESPN)(3-23-2012)

 

Robby Gordon scaling back:

#7-Robby Gordon said he likely will not race at Martinsville Speedway next week after failing to qualify for the previous three Cup races. Gordon said he planned to race at Martinsville if he qualified Friday in California, but even if he had made the races at California and Martinsville, it was unlikely he would go to the next Cup race at Texas. Gordon said he will concentrate on marketing his Speed Energy drink as well as competing in off-road and monster truck events. He said the next Cup race for his team could be in June at the road course in Sonoma, CA. Gordon eventually hopes that sales of his energy drink can support a Cup racing program.(SceneDaily)(3-24-2012)

 

Penske may continue to build Dodge engines after 2012:

Penske Racing will run Fords in NASCAR's premier series next season, but the team owner said Saturday his Sprint Cup team still could be building Dodge engines. Penske hasn't decided whether to use motors from Roush Yates, which currently supplies all of Ford's teams in Cup. But Penske said his 70-person engine staff would be unaffected if he elects to align with the motors used by Roush Fenway Racing. "We have a lot of people calling us wanting to run Dodges," Penske said as his Izod IndyCar Series teams prepared to qualify for the season opener on the streets of St. Pete. "We're going to keep our engine shop open obviously. We have a big investment there. We're certainly not going to shut the door. There's a lot of speculation, but I can assure you that engine shop will continue to operate in some mode one way or the other. Because we've got chassis dynos and things that we wouldn't have the success today without what those guys have done. If Dodge is interested, if we would go to a separate source (for engines), then our shop could be available to do Dodge work for sure." Penske said he hasn't met with Roush yet, but his team has scheduled several meetings with Ford officials.(see full article and more quotes at the USA Today)(3-25-2012)

 

Tires -- not reinventing speedway -- might be Bristol's answer:

#88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. had some advice for Bruton Smith: talk to the drivers before firming up plans to reinvent Bristol Motor Speedway. It might be a good idea for Smith to talk to Goodyear, too, given that changing the tires at Bristol might be a far less expensive alternative to changing the racetrack. Track owner Smith, chairman of Speedway Motorsports Inc., said he was embarrassed by the turnout for last Sunday's Sprint Cup race at the .533-mile track. Consensus was that the grandstands, which can seat 160,000 fans, were roughly half-full. Possible solutions could a include to a return to the one-groove racetrack that disappeared with a 2007 reconfiguration that added graduated banking and opened the outside lane. Side-by-side green-flag racing replaced the typical Bristol bump-and-run, which inevitably led to a rash of caution flags. Tires with more grip and faster degradation might change the complexion of racing at Bristol, if cars with new tires become significantly faster than those on old rubber. "I think if we show up at Bristol with a tire that lays rubber down and is really soft, and it wears out& we need to get it back to where tires mean something," said Aric Almirola, driver of the #43 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford. "Nobody really ever comes in and takes four tires and blows the field anymore." The bottom line is that, if tires degrade rapidly, you'll have cars running radically different speeds on the racetrack, and the mixture of speed and strategy should improve the action.(NASCAR Wire Service)(3-25-2012)

 

Could the Commodore be the new Chevy model in 2013?

The blogosphere has gone into overdrive with speculation that Holden's Commodore may race in the 2013 US-based NASCAR racing series [Holden is one of only seven fully-integrated global General Motors operations that designs, builds and sells vehicles for Australia and the world.]. Rumours are flying on social media sites and web forums following a news release from Chevrolet in the US that it would drop its Impala mid-size sedan in favour of a new car "based on a new nameplate to the brand's lineup". General Motors enthusiast blog GM Inside News says it has received new information suggesting the Commodore is returning to the US, both as a racer and as a production model. "The latest information we've gotten suggests Chevrolet will bring the Commodore back to North America as a high-performance Chevrolet sedan," the site claims. "The car will be very low volume and likely V8 only." Holden spokeswoman Kate Lonsdale was quick to pour water on the rumours, telling Drive that the reports are purely speculative. "It's been speculated widely that the Commodore will return to the US," she says. "It's all based on a Chevrolet announcement, but we have nothing to confirm at this stage."(Sydney Morning Herald)(3-25-2012)

 

Spring Break at the NASCAR HOF:

Visitors can break out with spring fever and family fun at the NASCAR Hall of Fame during the second annual Spring Break from the Ordinary, Saturday, March 24  Monday, April 9. With new special events and activities, Spring Break From the Ordinary offers students and their parents "Grade A" entertainment with scavenger hunts, racing simulator competitions, pit crew challenges, crafts, video game competitions plus more than 50 hands-on exhibits at the 150,000 square-foot entertainment facility. In a class by itself, Spring Break From the Ordinary features daily physical challenges and games for students (K-12). Each day during Spring Break From the Ordinary guests have a chance to compete in a number of high-octane activities and contests for prizes including NASCAR memorabilia, K'NEX building sets, Spin Master toy cars, NASCAR Hall of Fame Memberships and more. More info on the event and tickets at NASCARHall.com.(3-24-2012)

 

Appeals court refuses to reinstate Mayfield's lawsuit against NASCAR:

A federal appeals court in Virginia has refused to revive former racecar driver Jeremy Mayfield's lawsuit against NASCAR over his suspension for failing a random drug test. Mayfield has argued that a combination of over-the-counter and prescription medications led to the positive test at Richmond International Raceway. A three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously ruled Monday that U.S. District Judge Graham Mullen in Charlotte, N.C., did not abuse his discretion in dismissing Mayfield's complaint. After his 2009 suspension, Mayfield sued NASCAR; its owner, Brian Zachary France; and a drug testing company for defamation, unfair and deceptive trade practices, breach of contract and negligence. Mullen tossed out the lawsuit because Mayfield had twice, as a driver and an owner, signed documents waiving his right to sue. Mayfield has argued that a combination of over-the-counter and prescription medications led to the positive test at Richmond International Raceway.(The Republic/Associated Press)


NASCAR Statement:

Statement from Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR Senior Vice President, Racing Operations: "NASCAR is pleased that today the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed the U.S. District Court's original decision in May 2010 in Jeremy Mayfield v. NASCAR. This case was never about anything more than NASCAR's ability to keep the sport clean and our competitors safe."(NASCAR)(3-26-2012)

 

Auto Club TV Ratings posted:

Opposite heavy competition from the NCAA Tournament on CBS and PGA Golf on NBC, NASCAR Sprint Cup Racing on FOX averaged a 3.4/7 Sunday for the Auto Club 400 from Auto Club Speedway which was cut short by rain. That's down -17% from last year?s 4.1/9 for the same race which ran in its entirety. Season-to-date, NASCAR Sprint Cup Racing on FOX is averaging a 4.9/10 in the meters, off -9% from last year?s average of a 5.4/12. See race-by-race Ratings on the 2012 TV Ratings page.(3-26-2012)

 

Bruton Smith say changes will be made at Bristol:

After more than a week of studying requested fan input, Bruton Smith, Chairman and CEO of Speedway Motorsports, announced he has ordered the go-ahead to make changes to the track surface at Bristol Motor Speedway. "The race fans have spoken," Smith said. "We had input that included a wide range of opinions. But the majority we heard from said they wanted to see changes made. As a result, I have ordered the equipment and work will begin within the next two weeks to allow time to have everything ready for August." Smith said an announcement regarding the scope of the work will be made soon. "The question we wanted to answer as quickly as possible was 'Is something going to be done?' Smith said. "The answer to that is 'yes.' We will have the details in two weeks as to what that 'something' is.(BMS)(3-28-2012)

 

Atlanta introducing new ticket specials for 2012:

For spectators looking to enjoy a great racing event experience at a favorable cost, Atlanta Motor Speedway is rolling out new ticket specials for the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AdvoCare 500 weekend, Aug. 31-Sept. 2. Two frontstretch Lower Petty or Lower Winners grandstand tickets will be offered for $99 while they last for the AdvoCare 500 on Sunday, Sept. 2. Fans will have a view of pit road and will see the high-speed racing action up close as the cars race down the frontstretch. Danica Patrick will make her Atlanta Motor Speedway debut this Labor Day weekend, and her fans can watch her race in both of her starts with the "Danica Deal." In this package, customers will receive a ticket in the Lower Earnhardt Grandstand for Sunday's AdvoCare 500 and a general admission ticket for Saturday's Nationwide Series race. Included will be a limited-edition Danica Patrick hero card to commemorate her first start at the historic 1.54-mile speedway. Both of these specials are only available while they last for a limited time, so fans are encouraged to lock in their seats today for the biggest Labor Day party in the USA.(AMS)(3-28-2012)

 

Darlington offers new Too Tough to Tailgate Zone:

Tailgating is a big part of the culture that race fans enjoy each and every time they visit Darlington Raceway. To accommodate the ever-growing demand for tailgating prior to the track's events, the raceway is offering a new area outside turn two, the Too Tough to Tailgate Zone, specific for fans who are tailgating prior to the Bojangles' Southern 500 on Saturday, May 12. For $50 per spot, fans will receive a 20x20 space in the Tailgate Zone, big enough to accommodate one passenger vehicle, a pop-up tent, tables, chairs and a grill. There are no limitations to how many guests can tailgate at the space. Admission to the Bojangles' Southern 500 is not included in the price. Tickets to the race must be purchased when you order your tailgating spot in order to obtain admission. Additionally, the Darlington Raceway ticket office hours are changing to accommodate race fans that might not be able to purchase their tickets during normal business hours. From now until the race weekend, the ticket office will be open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tickets to the upcoming NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Bojangles' Southern 500 and Nationwide Series VFW Sport Clips Help a Hero 200 can still be purchased anytime at DarlingtonRaceway.com.(Darlington Raceway)(3-27-2012)

Note:  Betcha there’ll be a ton of Rebel Flags in that “Tailgate” area to go along with the tents, tables, chairs, grills and coolers!  Didja notice – when they race at Darlington, you hardly ever see TV shots of the fans in the infield – well, most tracks, for that matter.

 

Virginia Tech Regimental Band To Play National Anthem at Martinsville:

The Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets Regimental Marching Band will perform the National Anthem prior to Sunday's Goody's Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway, keeping alive the track's custom of traditional performances of the Anthem. The regimental band, better known as The Highty-Tighties, was formed in 1893 and is the oldest collegiate band in the Commonwealth of Virginia. They are a field band, and provide military music for all cadet activities. The band performs in many parades around the country each year, most recently the St. Patrick's Day parade in New York City two weeks ago. On Saturday, prior to the Kroger 250 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, a brass ensemble from Martinsville High School will perform the National Anthem.
FLYOVER: The flyover before the start of Sunday's Goody's Fast Relief 500 will be provided by a pair of F-18 Tomcatters. They will be out of the Naval Air Station in Oceana, Virginia Beach, VA.
LT. DAN BAND CONCERT: Gary Sinise, of Forrest Gump and CSI: NY fame, along with his Lt. Dan Band, will be performing a concert at Martinsville High School on Saturday, March 31 at 7:30 p.m. Proceeds from the show will go toward the construction of a smart house for Marine Cpl. J.B. Kerns, a local soldier who lost both legs and an arm in an IED explosion in Afghanistan. Fittingly, Kerns is the Honorary Starter for the Goody's Fast Relief 500 while Sinise is the Grand Marshal. Tickets can be purchased at www.piedmontarts.org.
Good seats remain for both Saturday's Kroger 250 and Sunday's Goody's Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway. To purchase tickets, call 877.RACE.TIX or visit www.martinsvillespeedway.com.(Martinsville Speedway)(3-26-2012)

Note:  This is something I think should be done at every track – have a band of some kind play our National Anthem.  Way too many singers screw it up so pathetically.

 

Watkins Glen / Michigan lose Sprint Cup sponsor:

Watkins Glen International is without a title sponsor for its NASCAR Sprint Cup event after Heluva Good! ended contract negotiations earlier this week. WGI President Michael Printup said last week he was optimistic the food manufacturer known largely for its sour cream dips would come back for its fourth year as the race's primary sponsor, but he learned Tuesday that Heluva Good! decided not to renew its contract. "We were a percent away from signing the deal and they turned around and walked away," Printup said Friday. "We loved Heluva Good! but of course every company takes changes of direction." With its Sprint Cup event seven months away, the news has left Watkins Glen's marketing team and its corporate owner, International Speedway Corp., a small window to find another headliner. "At this point, it's all hands on deck," said Printup, who expects to have a new sponsor in place within 90 days. Heluva Good! also decided not to return as sponsor of the Sprint Cup race at Michigan International Speedway, which is another ISC-owned track. Printup said Sprint Cup title sponsors generally provide tracks between $500,000 and $2,000,000.(Elmiria Star Gazette)(2-14-2012)

Note:  Kinda old news, I know, but I just found it on Jayski’s website.

 

 

 

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 March 11th to March 22nd.  It took a few weeks but we’re now just about up to date, date wise.

 

MARCH 11

1927

Dempsey Wilson... Born ... USAC driver from the 1950's and 60's.

1928

Benny Rapp... Born ... USAC driver from the 1960's

1929

Henry Seagrave drove his Irving-Napier to a new One Mile Speed Record of 231.446 mph at Daytona Beach, Florida

1930

Troy Ruttman... Born ... AAA / USAC driver from the late 1940's to 1964. He raced in 12 Indy 500's and won in 1952. He was the older brother of NASCAR driver Joe Ruttman.

1951

Derek Daly... Born ... Formula One and CART driver from the 1970's and 80's

1956

Joe Gosek... Born ... He was a super-modified racecar driver. He also raced in the 1996 Indianapolis 500, finishing 22nd. Joe has won numerous races at the famed Oswego Speedway in Oswego, NY. Including their biggest race the International Classic 200 which he has won 3 times. Joe is also a multi-time season champion on the touring International Supermodified Association (ISMA) series.

1958

Eddie Lawson... Born ... A former four-time Grand Prix motorcycle racing World Champion. After finishing his motorcycle career, Lawson pursued a career in four wheeled motorsport racing in the United States competing in the Indy Lights series and eventually to CART. In 1996 where he competed in 11 races with a best finish of 6th. Lawson was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999 and was inducted in the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2002.

1977

John Calla... Born ... Founder of racing website wheelsofspeed.com.

1979

Gordon Johncock won the first ever CART sanctioned Indy Car race, the 'Jimmy Bryan 150' at Phoenix International Raceway. Bobby Unser led until Danny Ongais took over on lap 87. Ongais had a 20 second lead and had lapped all but four cars before a long pit stop under green on lap 119 dropped him to 5th. Johncock took over as Ongais closed quickly before blowing the motor in the Interscope Special 10 laps later. Rick Mears finished second and Johnny Rutherford third. Johncock was driving the Patrick Racing Penske PC6...the first time that a Penske fielded by another team had beaten Penske's own entries.

1992

Norm Hall... Died ... He drove in the USAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1961, 1964, and 1965 seasons, with 17 career starts, including the Indianapolis 500 races in 1961 and 1964. He finished in the top ten 8 times, with his best finish in 5th position twice in 1965, both at Trenton.

1995

Dick Fraizer... Died ... AAA / USAC driver 1949 to 1956

Tony George announces the formation of the Indy Racing League.

 

MARCH 12

1882

Erwin George "Cannon Ball" Baker... Born ... He was a motorcycle and automobile racing driver and organizer in the first half of the 20th century. In 1908, Baker purchased an Indian motorcycle and began entering and winning local races. His most famous victory came in 1909 at the first race ever held at the newly built Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Baker also raced at the 1922 Indianapolis 500, placing 11th in a Frontenac. He later became the first commissioner of NASCAR. Baker was inducted into the American Motorcyclist Association Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1998.

1915

Robert "Red" Byron... Born ... He was a NASCAR driver who was successful in the sanctioning body's first years. He was NASCAR's first Modified champion (and its first champion in any division) in 1948 and its first Strictly Stock (predecessor to NEXTEL Cup) champion in 1949.

1938

Johnny Rutherford ... Born ... USAC / CART driver from the 1960's to 1992. He raced in 24 Indy 500's and Texas-raised "Lonestar J.R." won the prestigious 500 mile race three times: in 1974, 1976, and 1980. Rutherford also dabbled in stock car racing, making 35 NASCAR Winston Cup starts from 1963 to 1988. Rutherford won in his first start, at Daytona International Speedway driving for Smokey Yunick. The win was for the second 125-mile qualifying race (see Gatorade Duel), which was, at the time, a points-paying NASCAR race. In 1981, Rutherford drove twelve races, the most he ever raced in a single NASCAR season. In addition, Rutherford competed in 5 editions of the International Race of Champions -- 1975, 1977, 1978, 1980, and 1984. He was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1996, the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1995 and the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1993.

1963

John Andretti... Born ... One of the most versatile race car drivers in American history, winning in Indy car, NHRA Top Fuel Dragsters, endurance racing and NASCAR racing. John is the son of Aldo Andretti, John has a brother named Mark who had a talent for racing, but chose a different route, they both are nephews of IndyCar racing legend Mario Andretti (Aldo's twin), cousin of Mario's sons Michael and Jeff, and godson of four-time Indianapolis 500 winner A. J. Foyt.

1978

Casey Mears... Born ... USAC / CART/ IRL and NASCAR driver. He is the nephew of four time Indianapolis 500 winner Rick Mears and the son of Indy and off-road veteran Roger Mears.

Ed "Dutch" Schaefer... Died ... Eastern midget racer from the 1940's to the 1970's. Remembered as the man who saved the ARDC from extinction. Schaefer was elected President of the oldest midget racing club in the East in 1952. Near the point of extinction, Dutch managed to hold together a small group of devoted ARDC car owners and drivers, and brought the club and midget racing on the East Coast, back into the limelight.

1995

Rick Muther... Died ... USAC / CART driver from the 1960's & 1970's.

 

MARCH 13

1947

Lyn St. James... Born ... (born Sandra Lynn Eden) A retired professional IndyCar driver with 11 CART and 5 Indy Racing League starts to her name. She is just one of five women who successfully qualified for the Indianapolis 500, and became the first woman to win the Indy 500 Rookie Of The Year award. The inspiration for the name "St. James" came from actress Susan Saint James.

1951

Wally Parks, Ak Miller and Marvin Lee create the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) in a booth in the Tam-O-Shanter restaurant in Los Angeles, California.

1987

Marco Andretti... Born ... He is the son of 1991 IndyCar World Series champion Michael Andretti and the grandson of racing legend Mario Andretti. Andretti finished second in the 2006 Indianapolis 500 in the second closest finish in the race's history.

1993

Gene Hartley... Died ... AAA / USAC driver from the 1950's and 60's. Gene was the 1959 USAC National Midget Series champion. Hartley was inducted in the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 1985. He ran the Indy 500 ten times with a best finish of 10th in 1957.

2002

Bayliss Levrett... Died ... AAA driver from 1949 to 1952

 

MARCH 14

1914

Lee Petty... Born ... Was an American stock car driver in the 1950s and 60s. He was one of the pioneers of NASCAR, and one of its first superstars. He is the father of Richard Petty, who would become NASCAR's all-time race winner. With sons Richard and Maurice, he founded Petty Enterprises, which became NASCAR's most successful racing team. He was the grandfather of Kyle Petty, and great grandfather of Adam Petty. In 1990, Lee Petty was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame. He was inducted in the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1996 and the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2011. He was elected to the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame.

1940

Bill Simpson ... Born ... A retired American racecar driver, but is best known as a pioneer in the racing safety business with his company Simpson Performance Products. In 2003, he was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in the "at large" category. Simpson started in drag racing and SCCA Formula racing, eventually moving up to the USAC Championship Car series. He raced in the 1968-1974 and 1976-1977 seasons, with 52 career starts. He qualified twentieth for the 1974 Indianapolis 500, and finished thirteenth. He finished in the top ten 11 times, with his best finish in 6th position in 1970 at Milwaukee. He decided to end his racing career in 1977, because he started to think about a telephone call that he needed to make while he was practicing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. In 1958, the 18 year old Simpson broke both arms in a drag racing crash. Simpson later said, "Until then, I was like most drivers. The only time I thought about safety was after I'd been hurt. This time, I was hurt bad enough to do a lot of thinking." Simpson's uncle owned a military surplus store, and suggested that he use a cross-form parachute to slow down the drag car. Simpson rented a sewing machine to create a prototype. Simpson got together with his friend dragster driver Mike Sorokin to test the prototype. They tested it by attaching it to a tow hitch, and dumping it from the back of the Chevy wagon while Sorokin drove down a street at 100 mph. The chute was too big for car, and the car went airborne and crashed into a tree nursery. Both racers were jailed for the incident, but Simpson Drag Chutes was founded. The first person to inquire about and use his parachute was "Big Daddy" Don Garlits. He evolved his business into a number of other safety items, such as gloves, helmets, restraints and shoes. Simpson designed NASA's first umbilical cords, where he met Pete Conrad. Conrad introduced Simpson to DuPont product Nomex in 1967. Simpson used the product to create the first fire suit to be used in racing. He took the suit to the 1967 Indianapolis 500 where it was worn by 30 of 33 drivers. Simpson had developed over 200 racing safety products, including three generations of fire suits. Simpson demonstrated the suit's effectiveness in 1987, when he was set on fire while wearing a suit. Simpson Performance Products was involved in a great deal of controversy in the February 2001 death of Dale Earnhardt. There was a great deal of controversy regarding whether or not a seat belt manufactured by the company had malfunctioned. NASCAR's investigation into the crash in part blamed seat belt failure. Simpson received death threats and bullets into his house, which led to his resignation in July 2001. Simpson sued NASCAR for $8.5 million defamation of character suit. Simpson withdrew his lawsuit with an undisclosed settlement. Simpson now heads Impact! Racing, which began competing with his old firm after a one year no-competition clause. He has designed a new helmet, and a head and neck restraint system.

1961

Hiroyuki "Hiro" Matsushita ... Born ... A former driver in the Champ Car series. He is the grandson of Konosuke Matsushita, founder of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co.; as a result, he has always carried Panasonic sponsorship. By the time he retired in 1998, Matsushita had started 117 Champ Car races for Dick Simon, Walker Racing, Arciero/Wells Racing and Payton/Coyne.

 

MARCH 15

1888

Percy Ford... Born ... AAA driver from 1917 to 1921. Ran the Indy 500 in 1921 and finished 3rd.

1926

Bob Mathouser ... Born ... Drove in the USAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1961-1966 seasons, with 30 career starts, including the 1964 Indianapolis 500. He finished in the top ten 4 times, with his best finish in 6th position in 1964 at Langhorne.

1927

Al Herman... Born ...ARDC/AAA /USAC driver from the 1950's and 60's

1962

Josele Garza... Born ... USAC / CART driver from the 1980's

 

MARCH 16

1896

Louis Unser... Born ... Race Car Driver. "Uncle Louie" Unser was a nine time winner of the Pikes Peak Hillclimb (1934,36,37,38,39,41, 46,47,53). He, along with his brothers Joseph and Jerome (Jerry, Sr) had dreams of racing in the Indianapolis 500 with cars sponsored by the Coleman Front Drive Company. Those dreams were shattered in 1929 when Joe was killed in a practice accident and Coleman withdrew it's sponsorship. After Joe's death Jerry continued to race until 1936 when he retired to go into the automotive business and to raise a family. "Uncle Louie" continued to race at Pikes Peak until 1967 when, after 37 starts he retired at the age of 71. Louis was the uncle of the late Jerry Unser, Jr who died May 17, 1959 of injuries received May 2 in a practice accident while preparing for his second Indianapolis 500, Louis J. Unser, race car driver and master engine builder, four time Indianapolis 500 winner Al Unser, Sr (1970,71,78,87) and three time Indianapolis 500 winner, Bobby Unser (1968,75,81). Great uncle of two time Indianapolis 500 winner, Al Unser, Jr (1992,94), five time Indianapolis 500 starter Johnny Unser, two time Indianapolis 500 starter Robby Unser and the now retired Bobby Unser, Jr who competed in Sprint Cars, Formula Vees and the Pikes Peak Hillclimb.

1898

Chet Gardner... Born ... Chet started racing in 1922 in Colorado. In 1933 he won the Midwest AAA Sprint Car Championship. He was named "Southern Dirt Racing King" twice. Between 1928 and 1938, Chet made 25 starts in the AAA series, where his best result was 3rd. From 1930 to 1938 he competed in the Indianapolis 500 with a best finish of 4th in 1933.

1910

Barney Oldfield drove a Benz to a One-Mile Speed record 131.724 mph.

1941

Jim Reynard... Born ... USAC racer from the 1960's

1947

Billy Stavola... Born ... Along with his brother Mickey co-owned Stavola Brothers Racing. The Stavola Brothers formed their NASCAR Winston Cup team in 1983 with veteran crew chief Harry Hyde and rookie driver Bobby Hillin, who was a high school senior at the time. Before closing the team at the end of the 1998 Winston Cup season when the team lost Circuit City as its primary sponsor, the brothers fielded cars for eight drivers, including Bobby Allison, Sterling Marlin, Jeff Burton and Dick Trickle. The brothers' primary business was Trap Rock Industries, a rock quarry in New Jersey that has an asphalt company as a subsidiary.

1950

Dick Ferguson... Born ... Former driver in the CART Championship Car series. He raced in the 1979-1985 and 1987-1988 seasons, with 26 career starts, including the 1980 Indianapolis 500. He finished in the top ten 5 times, with a best finish of 6th position in 1981 at Michigan.

1967

Andy Granatelli's turbine-powered Indycar is unveiled to the press.

 

MARCH 17

1910

Ralph Pratt... Born ... AAA driver from the 1940's and 50's. Inducted into the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 1998.

1929

Tom Pistone... Born ... NASCAR driver from the 1950's and 60's

1933

Dee Jones... Born ... USAC driver from the 1960's and 70's

1950

Chip Mead... Born ... USAC / CART driver from the 1980's.

 

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 Indianapolis 500. While he first gained notoriety by re-introducing the legendary Novi, his most famous entries were his turbine-powered cars in 1967 and 1968. In both years, he endured the excruciating frustration of seeing probable race-winners fail near the end; Joe Leonard's breakdown with 10 laps remaining in 1968 had been topped the previous year when Parnelli Jones, leading comfortably with just three laps to go, suffered the failure of an inexpensive transmission bearing and retired, handing a sure victory to A.J. Foyt. He was finally rewarded with an Indianapolis 500 winner in 1969. After his innovative Lotus 4-wheel-drive car was destroyed in practice after establishing itself as one of the most dominants cars to date, his driver Mario Andretti, nursing the burns from the Lotus crash, won at the wheel of a year-old backup car. Before Andretti could be traditionally kissed in 'Victory Lane' by the Queen of the "500 Festival," Granatelli got there first, and his joyful kiss on Andretti's cheek is one of the 500's most memorable images. He was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1992 and the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2001

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 Indianapolis 500. Ran USAC INDY cars from 1968 to 1973.

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 Indianapolis Motor Speedway track record of 200.4 MPH. This was the first 200 mph lap at Indy.

1978

Lee Shephard made the first 160 mph NHRA Pro Stock pass when he ran 160.71 mph at a meet in La Place, Louisiana.

 

MARCH 20

1919

Bud Clemons... Born ... USAC driver from the 1950's

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 ... Midwest sprint car driver from the 1960's.

1942

Bill Engelhart... Born ... Former driver in USAC and the CART Championship Car series. He raced in the 1980-1981 seasons, with 9 career starts, including an 11th in the 1980 Indianapolis 500. He finished in the top ten 4 times, with his best finish in 8th position in 1981 at Milwaukee. Bill was the USAC midget division Rookie of Year in 1969 with a 7th in the national points followed by a 6th place in 1970 and a 5th place in ’71. He also placed 4th in both ’73 and ’74 and is 14th in all time USAC feature wins with 24. He won the Turkey Night Midget Grand Prix in 1971 & 1973. He was Inducted into the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 1997.

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 United States. He raced successfully in CART early in his career. In ten appearances in the Indianapolis 500, with a best result of fourth in 1983. His greatest source of success was in various forms of sports cars, winning four IMSA GTP titles (1988 - 1991) and one Can-Am championship (1981). He also won the 1993 Le Mans 24 hours, took two race victories in the International Race of Champions (1992 and 1993), both at Michigan and started in the Brickyard 400 Nascar race.

1955

Larry Crockett... Died ... AAA driver who ran the Championship series in 1954. He was killed in a sprint car accident at Langhorne Speedway.

 

Note:  There’s a photo of Larry in the Engle/Stanko Sprint Car towards the end of the column

 

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 Daytona Beach Road Course, which was the first event to feature a brother and a sister, and the only NASCAR event to feature four siblings. Ethel beat Fonty and Bob by finishing in eleventh.

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 Sweden. Until his retirement from racing, he competed in the CART, Indy Racing League and the IROC series. He is the winner of the 1999 Indianapolis 500 and the 1998 driving champion of the Indy Racing League.

1970

Mario Andretti jumps into the Ferrari 512S of Ignazio Giunti/Nino Vaccarella and drives it to a 23.8 second victory over the Porsche 908 of Peter Revson and film star Steve McQueen in the 12 Hours of Sebring, at Sebring, Florida.

1999

John Force set a NHRA Funny Car speed record of 324.05 mph at Gainesville, Florida. At the same event, Tony Pedregon set an NHRA Funny Car quarter mile e.t. record of 4.779 seconds.

 

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 Johannesburg, he was killed as a result of suspension failure on his Shadow Ford DN3.

 

 

 

 

News from the AARN:

http://www.aarn.com/

 

From their March 20th issue:

 

Lenny Sammons:

He touched on the DIRTcar/Can Am Speedway issues.  Made mention of Tim Fuller needing sponsors for his Late Model, and mentioned the purchase of Black Rock Speedway by Tyler Siri, which has run into delays, and that there’s hope that the deal gets finalized soon.

 

Ernie Saxton:

Believes that NASCAR’s appeal process needs an up-date.  He makes mention that he survived “Bike Week” at the Ormond Beach/Daytona Beach area, but 8 motorcycle riders didn’t.  He, along with me, find it hard to believe that Perris Speedway, out in California, a ½ mile dirt track, charges it’s fans $8.00 to park.  He also makes mention of the National Speed Sport News being back – in a monthly slick covered tabloid, but Chris Economaki is not involved.  (Chris is in his 90’s and his health isn’t what it used to be).  Ernie thinks that the magazine should cover more weekly short tracks.

 

Earl Krause:

Earl had a cute story about Ben Trimble and his first TQ feature race win.

 

Herb Anastor:

Had a whole article about Roger Penske and his racing career.

 

Ron Mentus:

Spoke of the Indycar races at Richmond and gave some thoughts as to why they don’t race there anymore.  He also makes mention of the Indy cars making a return to the Auto Club Speedway, out in California, this year.

(NASCAR ran there this past weekend and the track, to me, was quite bumpy.  Should be interesting to see what happens when the Indy cars hit those bumps.

 

Kevin Rice:

Kevin makes mention of Lee Speedway, in New Hampshire, facing more noise level tests.  However, those that own/run the track do not foresee any problems.

 

John Snyder:

It looks like John, like me, isn’t a fan of taking I-95 all the way down to Florida.  He sort of takes the same route as me – I-84 West to I-81 South.  It looks like he leaves I-81 in Virginia, whereas I take it into North Carolina then pick up I-77 then I-26, the back onto I-95 in South Carolina.

 

Scott Pacich:

Scott makes mention that the Ferriaulo’s had nothing to do with the original “Batmobile”.  Also, they didn’t buy it – it was just “kind of left with them”.  Charlie Langenstein did the restoration on the car.

 

The NASCAR modifieds – well four of them, anyway, tested at Bristol.  Mainly it was to see how the quick change rears worked – seems like the quick change rears will be mandatory for Loudon and Bristol.  (Hmm, at what extra cost to the race teams, I wonder?)  The test wasn’t very conclusive, however, since there was a lot of rubber on the track – something that would not be there when they get to race, in the future.

 

As usual, there were a ton of photos showing Sprint Cars in various gyrations through the air.  One photo showed Greg Hodnett heading towards the checkered flag, while Fred Rahmers car can be seen flying through the air, after the two made contact.

 

There was a full ½ page add for the RoC race at Bridgeport this coming Saturday, March 31st.  60 laps for the Modifieds, while there will be races for Crate Sportsman and also “Outlaw” Stocks.

 

What with the opening modified race being held at Selinsgrove last week, there was an abundance of photos from those events.

 

In the AARN, there are usually six columns per page.  As far as anything said about the 12 hour race last weekend at Sebring, about the only thing I found was about 3/4 of a column about who won, along with a photo of the car that won the “P1” class. (Not really surprising though, since it seems that what was once a premier racing event, world wide, seems to have fallen off into almost being completely obscure, today, as far as any news/results from that event).  I attended the 1957 Sebring 12 hour race.  Back then, those that drive in the Grand Prix races, also raced in the sports/racing cars – drivers like Juan Manuel Fangio, Sir Stirling Moss, Mike Hawthorn and Jean Behra, to name just a few.  You don’t see that, today.

 

The Pyramid Mall in Johnstown, NY no longer wanting vendors and shows in the mall, due to “congestion” and “Safety” concerns, so the scheduled New York Caroga Creek Raceways annual Kart and Slingshot show was moved to the parking lot behind the covered stands at the Fonda Speedway.  (Might this be a sign of coming things?)He also makes mention of

 

 

 

And, some of the things that being are discussed in the issue of 3/27:

 

In AARN
This Week:

Can-Am's Chapman
Angry With DIRT Brass
Over Sanction Decision


Classic Grove 410 Battle
Goes To Dietrich
Over Surging Montieth


Friesen Comes From Behind
To Take New Egypt RoC
Big Block Cash


Pittsburgh Motor Speedway's
Miley Emphasizes
"Value And Variety" For 2012


Where Are Are Central Pennsylvania's
358 Sprint Cars?


John Middlebrook:
The Most Powerful Man In NASCAR


Are Wide Body Modifieds
Intensifying Speedway Dust?


Industry Consolidation:
PRI Show Sold To SEMA

 

Former Oakland Valley Speedway (Dirt Oval) runners:

 

Back on March 17th, Anthony Perrego ran a Tobias SpeedSTR at Path Valley and he had two 6th place finishes in the two 20 lap features.

 

Last weekend, Davie Franek was 4th at Williams Grove in the 358 Sprint Car feature.

At New Egypt, in the RoC Modified feature, Danny Creeden was 14th and Johnny Guarino 18th.  In the RoC Sportsman feature, Anthony Perrego was 4th while Luke Schostkewitz was a DNQ.

 

 

 

Racing and television:

 

Last week, when I checked out my column, I tried the links that I supplied for TV coverage of racing events.  None of the links worked.  Sad, isn’t it?  A year ago we had a great website that told of all racing on TV that we could go to.

 

 

 

More racin’ stuff:

 

With the first “race” of the Indycar season now done and over with, there’s been quite a lot said – both pro and con, about the cars, engines and competition.  Here are some links from the Track Forum for you to check out, if you’re interested.

 

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/indycar-st-pete-rewind/P1

 

The above was found here: RB not happy with how St. Pete race played out - http://www.trackforum.com/forums/showthread.php?162009-RB-not-happy-with-how-St.-Pete-race-played-out

 

http://www.trackforum.com/forums/showthread.php?161866-New-thoughts-on-the-new-cars

 

http://www.trackforum.com/forums/showthread.php?161868-ABC-s-quot-coverage-quot

 

http://www.trackforum.com/forums/showthread.php?161937-what-can-be-done-so-that-drivers-dont-have-to-conserve-fuel-at-the-end-as-often

 

http://www.trackforum.com/forums/showthread.php?161962-Having-a-hard-time-getting-fired-up-on-road-courses.-What-is-you-take

 

http://www.trackforum.com/forums/showthread.php?161874-Let-s-hope-the-next-one-is-better

 

 

 

 

 

Press Releases:

Borgers PR

Media Contact

Bob Snyder

bobsnyderphoto@enter.net

Borgers Practice Saturday March 31.

Practice will be held Saturday March 31 from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. with gates opening at 11:00 a.m.

Wingless 600 Dirt Sprints, Wingless 600 Asphalt Sprints, Three Quarter Midgets, AllStar and Junior Slingshots, XCEL 600 Modifieds, Karts, and Micro-Stocks will take to the newly paved 1/7 mile Borgers Speedway asphalt in Saylorsburg, Pa.  While these are the classes that will run on a regular basis any other small cars are invited to attend with the exception of the 2 Cycle 270 Sprints which are not allowed to run because of the court settlement.

Fuel will be available.

At the conclusion of practice a special biggest Kart class winner take all 25 feature will be run for bragging rights to be the first Borgers Speedway feature winner on asphalt.  There will be a $10 entry fee for this race with winner take all.

A $20 pit pass will be charged for anyone entering the pit area but there will be no car entry fee.  Grandstand admission will be free.  The food stand will be open with the usual Borgers Speedway menu.

Be a part of “History In The Making” at the fastest 1/7 mile asphalt speedway in the Northeast as Borgers Speedway Paves The Way For Years To Come.

For weather cancellation information check the Borgers Speedway web-site www.borgers-speedway.com   Facebook, or call the Borgers Speedway Weather Hot Line at 570-992-8131.

 

 

 

I get e-mails:

 

As we tend to get older, different things happen to our bodies.  We, in a way, start to “fall apart”.  When this occurs, we are often prescribed certain drugs.  Hey, we’ve seen all kinds of drugs advertised on TV and at the end they usually have a bunch of “warnings”.  Well, my friend Elaine sent me this, below, and I went to the site she supplies the link to, and did check how my drugs compare with each other.  Most do have some kind of interaction with others – not severe, but moderate to light. 

 

 http://healthtools.aarp.org/drug-interactions?reset=t

 

Dear Everyone

This is an excellent site.  You make a list of all the drugs  you are taking, include over the counter  and this list will tell you of any interactions. Gives you more info than the pharmacist.  I am putting this in my Documents to save as you never know when it will be needed. 

 

 

 

 

I get e-mails and is this one true?:

 

Here They Come !!!

 

...these appointments were made last year...and---you want to know why there are 35 active-terrorist-training camps in our Country right now--ready to strike at a moments notice?.........2  of them right here in Virginia......

 

Well, boys and girls, today the fox is guarding the hen house. The wolves will be herding the sheep!

 

Obama appointed two devout Muslims to homeland security posts.Feel’n safer ??

 

Obama and Janet Napolitano appointed Arif Alikhan, a devout Muslim, as Assistant Secretary for Policy Development. DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano swore-in Kareem Shora, a devout Muslim, who was born in Damascus, Syria, as ADC National Executive Director as a member of the Homeland Security Advisory Council (HSAC).

 

NOTE: Has anyone ever heard a new government official being identified as a devout Catholic, a devout Jew or a devout Protestant...?

 

Just wondering.

 

 

Devout Muslims being appointed to critical Homeland Security positions? Doesn't this make you feel safer already?? That should make our home land much safer, huh!?

 

 

Was it not "Devout Muslim men" that flew planes into U.S. buildings 9 years ago? Was it not a Devout Muslim who killed 13 at FortHood ?Please forward this important information to any who cares about the future of our Country. Checked this on Snopes.comand its

TRUE!

 

See http://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/dhs.asp

 

Note:  Seems I’ve read somewhere that “Scopes” could, at times not be such a good site to check things out?

 

 

 

 

Some non-racing stuff – part 1:

 

How about being confident, huh?

 

President Obama Asks Medvedev for 'Space' on Missile Defense - 'After My Election I Have More Flexibility'

 

In part:

"SEOUL, South Korea - At the tail end of his 90 minute meeting with Russian President Dmitri Medvedev Monday, President Obama said that he would have "more flexibility" to deal with controversial issues such as missile defense, but incoming Russian President Vladimir Putin needs to give him "space."

The exchange was picked up by microphones as reporters were let into the room for remarks by the two leaders.

 

The exchange:

 

President Obama: On all these issues, but particularly missile defense, this, this can be solved but it's important for him to give me space.

 

President Medvedev: Yeah, I understand. I understand your message about space. Space for you…

 

President Obama: This is my last election. After my election I have more flexibility.

 

President Medvedev: I understand. I will transmit this information to Vladimir"

 

More, along with a video of the discussion can be found here:

 

http://news.yahoo.com/president-obama-asks-medvedev-space-missile-defense-election-101729176--abc-news.html

 

Note:  I’ve said it many times; the media will make sure that he is elected to a second term.

 

 

Non racing stuff – part 2:

The Trayvon Martin story:

Trayvon Martin shooting: New details emerge from Twitter account, witness testimony

In part:

"As George Zimmerman's supporters work to stem the rising tide of public outrage aimed at the neighborhood watchman who shot and killed Florida teenager Trayvon Martin last month, a new picture of the victim—culled from the 17-year-old's Twitter account and witness testimony leaked from local law enforcement—has emerged.”

"With a single punch," the Orlando Sentinel, citing police sources, reported Monday, "Trayvon Martin decked the Neighborhood Watch volunteer ... climbed on top of [him] and slammed his head into the sidewalk several times, leaving him bloody and battered."

"That is the account Zimmerman gave police," the paper said, "and much of it has been corroborated by witnesses, authorities say."

Zimmerman's attorney, Craig Sonner, says that Zimmerman acted in self-defense and is not a racist as some have portrayed him.

Meanwhile, the difference between the typical teenager Martin's family and supporters say he was and the way he presented himself on social media is the subject of increasing debate.

"The media is getting the Trayvon Martin story wrong," Michael Brendan Dougherty wrote on BusinessInsider.com, comparing it to the 2006 Duke lacrosse case, in which three members of the lacrosse team were accused of rape, resulting in a media firestorm and public outcry. The accuser's case unraveled, and the charges were eventually dropped.

"Oh how little we have learned," David Shane wrote on PolicyMic.com. The media has rushed to judgment yet again. Now, it's quite possible that Zimmerman is guilty of everything his worst foes accuse him of. There is plenty about this case that troubles me. But that's exactly the point—I don't know. Neither does anyone else, and both the scope and tone of the media coverage ought to reflect that fact."

More on the above, can be seen here:  http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/cutline/trayvon-martin-shooting-details-emerge-facebook-twitter-accounts-180103647.html

Mother of slain Florida teenager seeks trademarks

In part: 

"The mother of the Florida teenager shot and killed by a neighborhood watch volunteer, in a case with racial overtones that has resonated across the United States, is seeking trademark rights to slogans based on his name.

Sybrina Fulton, the mother of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, filed the trademark requests on March 21, according to the online database of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

In the filings, which were confirmed by Fulton's attorney Kimra Major-Morris, she seeks legal rights to the slogans "Justice for Trayvon" and "I Am Trayvon."

If interested, more can be seen here:  http://news.yahoo.com/mother-slain-florida-teenager-seeks-trademarks-005114047.html

 

And this, from my local paper:

New claims cast Trayvon Martin as the aggressor

In part:

"A slain Florida teenager and the neighborhood watch captain who shot and killed him exchanged words before the teen punched him in the nose and began banging the man's head on the ground, according to the watch captain's account of the confrontation that led to the shooting.

The Orlando Sentinel reported that George Zimmerman told police he lost 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in the neighborhood he regularly patrolled and was walking back to his vehicle last month when the youth approached him from behind.

The two exchanged words, Zimmerman said, and Martin then punched him, jumped on top of him and began banging his head on a sidewalk. Zimmerman said he began crying for help; Martin's family thinks it was their son who was crying out. Witness accounts differ and 911 tapes in which the voices are heard are not clear.

A statement from Sanford police said the newspaper story was "consistent" with evidence turned over to prosecutors.

Because Martin was black and Zimmerman has a white father and Hispanic mother, the case has become a racial flashpoint that has civil rights leaders and others leading a series of protests in Sanford and around the country. Zimmerman said he shot Martin in self-defense and has not been arrested.

More on this can be found here:  http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_NEIGHBORHOOD_WATCH_DEATH?SITE=NYMID&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Note:  Who knows just how this all will eventually end.  Is it possible that the young man did, indeed attack the one who was following him?  What then?  Kinda reminds me about what happened many, many years ago of something that happened up here close to where I live – the Tawana Brawley incident.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tawana_Brawley

 

 

Video time:

 

I picked up the following video over on the Dirt Track Digests forum.  It should be interesting to see how this takes off:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYlIXMBf-PM&feature=player_embedded

 

And on DTD’s forum, there was this posted, about the above:

“We are very excited about it. John Wight and Cory Reed have offered us Brewerton Speedway, as a Beta test site, once we get the prototype into production. Tim Drost from Musco Lighting called me. When we can set it up in real racing conditions, he wants to bring one of R/D guys out to see it, so they can test it. Roger Slack has been talking to Glenn about using it to replace the 1000W Metal Halide fixtures on the front stretch at Eldors.

Ephesus Technologies is now working on the optics, so they can direct the footcandles, as the fixture is raised to the 60 - 100 foot level. They have an optical engineer devoted specifically to this task.

LED will be the way of the future. We are working with National Grid, NYSEG and NYSERDA to get the insentives in place to bring the pricing closer to the norm.”

 

 

Photos:

 

Note:  The photos are not available on Dirt Track Digest, only on New England Tractor - http://newenglandtractor.com/racereport/

As I said, above, here’s Larry Crocket in the Engle/Stanko Offy Sprint Car # 31.  No, I have no idea as to who the photographer was!

 

 

Closing with this:

 

Subject: New Word

 

Could not find it in my old Webster's. Googled it and discovered it is a recently "coined" new word found on a T shirt on eBay.  Read this one over slowly and absorb the facts that totally are within this sentence!

 

 

I love this word and believe that it will become a recognized English word. Finally, a word to describe our current political situation!!!!

 

 

Ineptocracy (in-ep-toc'-ra-cy) - a system of government where the least capable to lead are elected by the least capable of producing, and where the members of society least likely to sustain themselves or succeed, are rewarded with goods and services paid for by the confiscated wealth of a diminishing number of producers.

 

 

 

 

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