Racin' & Internet Stuff:
By Tom Avenengo
04/26/2012
Note:
Those of you
that were able to see last weeks column, you’ll recall that I started off with
some things about my wife and some health issues she’s been having.
I’m not happy in
reporting that things really are not much better, and it’s been a helluva week for her and me. Hopefully, within the next few days, things will
improve and we’ll know what to expect next.
Chances are that
there might not be a column net week, especially if there’s some time spent in
the “Crash house” for her.
First:
Well, it seems that I have to apologize to
those that read my column here on the Dirt Track Digest. For some reason, I could not post it last
week, and neither could Adam Ross. We
have to figure that there must have been something in it, that didn’t allow the
column to be published. So, if you
really want to read it, I can only suggest you check it out over on the New
England Tractor website, by clicking on this link: http://newenglandtractor.com/racereport/ta/vol97.htm
Second:
Word I received, as far as the National
Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fames website being down, is that they are in the
process of attempting to get a new webmaster.
Third:
This past weekend, I made the trip up to the
Accord Speedway, figuring that I’d miss OCFS, first because other family
members would not be at OC, and “Mother Nature” was being forecast to being
rather nasty on Saturday, which in a lot of cases, she was. So while home, and on the Internet, on
Saturday evening, I was rather surprised to see that some of the tracks I was checking
on, to see if they were racing, or not, did not have either a green (we’re
racing) or red (cancelled) “light” showing.
Fourth:
I’m putting this into my column on Monday at
11:45 AM. I just checked the weather
forecast for my zip code on Yahoo!
Today: Showers early,
then cloudy in the afternoon. High 54F. Winds SE at 10
to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
Tonight: A few rain
showers this evening mixing with snow showers overnight. Low
37F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precip 30%.
Tomorrow: Cloudy with a
few showers. High 56F. Winds SSW at
15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 30%.
Tomorrow night: Chance
of a shower or two during the evening, followed by partly cloudy skies late. Low 36F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance
of rain 30%.
Wednesday: Times of sun
and clouds. Highs in the upper 50s and lows in the upper 30s.
Thursday: Showers. Highs in the upper 40s and lows in the upper 30s.
Friday: Occasional
showers possible. Highs in the upper 40s and lows in the mid
30s.
Note: Well, if there is racing this coming Friday,
Saturday and Sunday, the tracks should be nice and wet. As for the temps that are forecast for Friday
and Saturday – that might keep some race fans at home.
Fifth:
Auto racing lost
another fan, sponsor, and team member, this past week with the passing of
Raymond Markle, from Port Jervis, NY.
His obituary:
RAYMOND F. MARKLE JR.
October 13, 1946 - April 18, 2012
Port
Raymond F. Markle,
Jr., age 65, "The Mayor of West End", passed away Wednesday, April
18, 2012 at
Ray retired from Gillinder
Brothers Glass Co., in Port Jervis, and was also a retired brakeman for the
Erie R.R in Port Jervis. He was best known as the former owner and operator of Markle's Handy Corner Store in Port Jervis for many years,
now called Buckley's Corner. He was an avid racing fan of the Orange County
Fair Speedway and a strong supporter of Len & Jo's Racing Team as well as
the Van Inwegen and Davey Werber
Racing Teams. He loved to hunt with his family members and was a former member
of the Mongaup Hunting Club, and an avid Mets Fan. He
was a member of
Raymond married Barbara Clarke Markle, who survives at home. He is also survived by his
two daughters, Tammy Gegory of Cheyenne, WY and
Kimberly Markle of Port Jervis, three sisters: Helen Meloi and her husband, Charles of Sparrowbush,
NY, Catherine Fuller and her companion, Tom Biondi of
Port Jervis, Marie Woodruff and Robert of Mill Rift, PA; his brother, Daniel Markle and his wife, Karen of Pond Eddy, NY; two
grandchildren, Kyle and Kayla Gregory and two great grandchildren, Johnathan Gregory and Shayla
Miller, and his close family friend, Davey Werber of
Brewster, NY.
Friends may call Monday, April 23, from 4 to 7
p.m. at the Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home, Inc.,
Memorial contributions may be made to the Port
Jervis-Deerpark Humane Society, Route 209, Port
Jervis, NY. 12771.
Arrangements are by the Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home, Inc. For
information, directions or to send a condolence note to the family visit
knight-auchmoody.com.
Sixth:
I know it’s the start of the racing season, but
when one goes to “My Laps” to check on lap times, it seems that you have to
type in the date to get the current 2012 results. Might that be a “glitch” with My Laps?
Seventh:
In Indycar:
Eighth:
More IndyCar stuff:
http://www.indyracing.com/en/News/2012/April/4-17-Rear-wheel-guards-perform-as-expected
Note: Really? Maybe they didn’t.
http://www.indyracing.com/en/News/2012/April/4-19-Clauson-to-make-debut-at-Indianapolis
Note: I was hoping that Clauson might get on an oval prior to Indy, in an IndyCar, but with only four ovals on the schedule for 2012, that just ain’t happening.
Ninth:
Staying with IndyCar – the 1962 entry list, and
the 2012 entry list – 50 years and quite a difference:
50 years ago, in 1962 – 77 entries and for 2012 – 34
entries, so far.
Staying with IndyCar
– the 1962 entry list, and the 2012 entry list – 50 years and quite a
difference:
50 years ago, in 1962 – 77 entries
USAC Indy Car race
Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Indianapolis, IN
May 30, 1962
200 laps on 2.5 mile paved oval; 500 miles
Fin St Driver # Owner Car Laps Money Status Laps Led
1 2 Rodger Ward
3 Robert Wilke 1962 Watson 2/Offenhauser 200 125,015
running 66
2 4 Len Sutton
7 Robert Wilke 1961 Watson/Offenhauser
200 44,556 running 9
3 27 Eddie Sachs
2 Al Dean 1960 Ewing 2/Offenhauser 200 26,591 running 0
4 12 Don Davis
27 Racing Associates 1959 Lesovsky 3/Offenhauser 200
16,716 running 0
5 3 Bobby Marshman
54 Epperly FE/Offenhauser
200 14,316 running 0
6 7 Jim McElreath
15 Ollie Prather 1957 Kurtis 500G2 14/Offenhauser 200
10,366 running 0
7 1 Parnelli Jones
98 J.C. Agajanian 1960 Watson 4/Offenhauser 200
32,966 running 120
8 24 Lloyd Ruby
12 Ansted Thompson Racing Watson FE/Offenhauser 200 8,541 running 0
9 23 Jim Rathmann
44 Smokey Yunick 1960 Watson 2/Offenhauser 22 8,041
running 0
10 28 Johnny Boyd
38 George Salih 1960 Salih
2/Offenhauser 200 8,841 running 0
11 6 Shorty Templeman
4 Bill Forbes 1962 Watson 3/Offenhauser 200 6,461 running 0
12 11 Don Branson
14 Lindsey Hopkins 1960 Epperly 6/Offenhauser 200
6,041 running 0
13 29 Jim Hurtubise
91 Jim Robbins 1958 Watson 2/Offenhauser 200 6,621 running 0
14 32 Ebb Rose
86 Racing Associates 1961 Porter 1/Offenhauser 200 6,001 running 0
15 10 Bud Tinglestad
5 Bruce Homeyer 1959 Phillips 3/Offenhauser 200 5,631
running 0
16 9 Roger McCluskey
17 Fred Sclavi 1962 Watson 1/Offenhauser 169 5,911
accident 3
17 17 Paul Russo
A.J. Foyt
Elmer George
21 Mari Hulman George 1962 Lesovsky
5/Offenhauser 147 5,341 engine seized 0
18 30 Troy Ruttman
26 Jim Robbins 1961 Kuzma 11/Offenhauser 140 5,871
piston 0
19 15 Bobby Grim
18 Gilbert Morcroft 1961 Trevis
4/Offenhauser 96 5,191 oil leak 0
20 8 Dan Gurney
34 Mickey Thompson Thompson 62/Buick 92 5,161 rear
end 0
21 16 Chuck Hulse
19 Federal Engineering 1956 Kurtis 500E
388/Offenhauser 91 5,531 fuel pump 0
22 33 Jimmy Daywalt
79 Tassi Vatis 1961
Kurtis500J2 122/Offenhauser 74 5,351 transmission 0
23 5 A.J. Foyt
1 George Bignotti 1961 Trevis
3/Offenhauser 70 5,721 lost wheel 2
24 13 Dick Rathmann
9 Harry Allen Chapman Watson FE/Offenhauser 51 5,091
magneto 0
25 18 Eddie Johnson
32 John Chalik 1960 Trevis
2/Offenhauser 38 6,261 magneto 0
26 26 Paul Goldsmith
53 George Bignotti 1959 Epperly
4/Offenhauser 26 5,031 magneto 0
27 20 Gene Hartley
Bill Cheesbourg
88 M & W Racing 1959 Watson 1/Offenhauser 23 6,201 steering 0
28 14 Paul Russo
62 Myron Osborn 1957 Watson 1/Offenhauser 20 4,921 engine 0
29 25 Jack Turner
45 Gerhardt 1961 Kurtis500J2 121/Offenhauser 17 5,141 accident 0
30 31 Bob Christie
29 William Tucker 1960 Kurtis500J2 123/Offenhauser 17 5,311 accident 0
31 22 Allen Crowe
83 Pete Salemi 1960 Watson 3/Offenhauser 17 5,431
accident 0
32 21 Chuck Rodee
67 Ernest Ruiz 1959 Christiansen/Offenhauser 17 5,601
accident 0
33 19 Bob Veith
96 Ray Crawford Elder FE/Offenhauser 12 5,871 engine
0
Bruce Jacobi
22 John R. Wills Epperly/Offenhauser 0 0 did not qualify 0
Jim Hurtubise
99 Norman Demler 1958 Epperly
3/Offenhauser 0 0 did not qualify 0
Ralph Liguori
68 Epperly/Offenhauser 0 0
did not qualify 0
Ralph Liguori
69 Robert Peterson 1952 Kurtis 500A 354/Chevrolet 0 0 did not qualify 0
Herb Hill
69 Robert Peterson 1952 Kurtis 500A 354/Chevrolet 0 0 did not qualify 0
Bill Cheesbourg
35 Mickey Thompson Thompson 62/Buick 0 0 did not qualify 0
Bill Cheesbourg
52 John Zink Moore 62 2/Turbine 0 0 did not qualify 0
Bill Cheesbourg
78 Pierre de Villiers Connaught C 8/Alta SC 0 0 did
not qualify 0
Bill Cheesbourg
59 STP Corporation 1962 Novi 500K 125/Novi SC 0 0 did
not qualify 0
Dempsey Wilson
31 Lysle Greenman 1957 Kuzma 5/Offenhauser 0 0 did not
qualify 0
Chuck Stevenson
16 STP Corporation 1962 Kurtis 500K 124/Novi SC 0 0 did not qualify 0
Dan Gurney
52 John Zink Moore 62 2/Turbine 0 0 did not qualify 0
Dan Gurney
72 John Zink 1956 Watson 1/Offenhauser 0 0 did not
qualify 0
Jim Rathmann
10 Smokey Yunick 1962 Yunick/Offenhauser
0 0 did not qualify 0
Chuck Daigh
35 Mickey Thompson Thompson 62/Buick 0 0 did not qualify 0
Don Freeland
36 Hart Fullerton 1956 Lesovsky 1/Offenhauser 0 0 did not qualify 0
Mike McGreevy
46 Maurice Goff 1959 Kurtis 500J 119/Offenhauser 0 0 did not qualify 0
Cliff Griffith
84 DVS Inc. 1959 Kuzma 10/Offenhauser 0 0 did not qualify 0
Al Miller
64 Federal Engineering 1954 Kurtis 500C/Offenhauser 0
0 did not qualify 0
Duane Carter
52 John Zink Moore 62 2/Turbine 0 0 did not qualify 0
Duane Carter
72 John Zink 1956 Watson 1/Offenhauser 0 0 did not
qualify 0
Jimmy Daywalt
46 Maurice Goff 1959 Kurtis 500J 119/Offenhauser 0 0 did not qualify 0
Jack Fairman
78 Pierre de Villiers Connaught C 8/Alta SC 0 0 did
not qualify 0
Jack Conely
89 Harry Dunn Dunn/Offenhauser 0 0
did not qualify 0
Leon Clum
23 Ray Howard 1960 Meskowski 2/Offenhauser 0 0 did not qualify 0
Leon Clum
6 Fred Sclavi 1954 Kurtis
500C 370/Offenhauser 0 0 did not qualify 0
Ronnie Duman
28 Douglas Stearly 1961 Elder/Offenhauser
0 0 did not qualify 0
Bob Mathouser
43 Ray Brady 1957 Kurtis 500G2 15/Offenhauser 0 0 did not qualify 0
Chuck Arnold
23 Ray Howard 1960 Meskowski 2/Offenhauser 0 0 did not qualify 0
Chuck Arnold
37 Ed Kostenuk Watson FE/Offenhauser
0 0 did not qualify 0
Chuck Arnold
47 Joe Hunt 1959 Ewing 1/Offenhauser 0 0 did not
qualify 0
Chuck Arnold
77 George Walther 1959 Walther 1/Offenhauser 0 0 did
not qualify 0
Chuck Arnold
46 Maurice Goff 1959 Kurtis 500J 119/Offenhauser 0 0 did not qualify 0
Roy Graham
55 Shannon Brothers 1957 Watts 1/Offenhauser 0 0 did
not qualify 0
Jim Hemmings
94 Leonard Smith 1957 Kurtis 500G2 10/Offenhauser 0 0 did not qualify 0
Jim Hemmings
65 Roy McKay 1959 Kurtis 500J 120/Offenhauser 0 0 did not qualify 0
Norm Hall
41 Bill Forbes 1960 Meskowski 1/Offenhauser 0 0 did not qualify 0
Norm Hall
25 Al Dean 1959 Kuzma 8/Offenhauser 0 0 did not qualify 0
Gig Stephens
61 Epperly/Offenhauser 0 0
did not qualify 0
Johnny Coy
92 William Deakin 1953 Kurtis
500B 359/Offenhauser 0 0 did not qualify 0
Johnny Coy
68 Epperly/Offenhauser 0 0
did not qualify 0
Tommy Copp
58 Bob Sorenson 1956 Kuzma 4/Offenhauser 0 0 did not qualify 0
Keith Rachwitz
33 Mickey Thompson Thompson 62/Buick 0 0 did not qualify 0
Jack Ensley
95 James Shreve 1958 Kuzma 6/Offenhauser 0 0 did not qualify 0
Ed Kostenuk
37 Ed Kostenuk Watson FE/Offenhauser
0 0 did not qualify 0
Notes: Qualifying based on 4 lap (10 mile)
distance.
#88 Hartley relieved by Bill Cheesbourg on lap 21.
#21 George relieved by Paul Russo on lap 53.
Russo in turn relieved by Foyt on lap 127.
Time of race: 03:33:50
Average Speed: 140.293 MPH
Pole Speed: 239.409 seconds
Race Purse: $ 425,642
And, 2012 – 34 entries, so far, and not many
more expected.
Special Indy 500 delivery: Thirty-four cars
entered
http://www.indyracing.com/News/2012/April/4-19-Thirty-four-cars-entered-in-Indy-500
Go to:
Click it: 2012
Tenth:
Wow!
Never thought I’d see this, what follows. I know the ARDC was, in a way, calling Big
Diamond it’s “Home Track” for 2012, with ten races scheduled. This was found on the Internet, and the link
was on the ARDC’s message board.
“Big Diamond Speedway
regrets to announce that they will be discontinuing their Saturday night racing
on the 3/8 mile speedway. Track promoters, Fritz and Krista Roehrig took on an aggressive schedule for the 2012 season,
with racing events scheduled on Friday and Saturday nights. Due to the
recent illness of Fritz Roehrig, it has become
impossible for the Roehrig family to accommodate this
aggressive schedule.
Construction continues on the "Little Diamond" track
with Fritz Roehrig overseeing that project.
Fritz sees the addition of the "Little Diamond" as a vital aspect of
the future of the Big Diamond Speedway facility. The construction will not be complete in time for the proposed May
opening date but work continues with the intent of reaching completion as soon
as possible.
Several racing organizations who were
supporting the Saturday night program - ARDC Midgets, TSRS 305 Sprint Cars and
Tobias SpeedSTRs have all been notified of the
change. According to Krista Roehrig, the
announcement was met by these organizations with compassion and
understanding. In all cases, the racing clubs offered to do whatever they
could to assist the speedway. Big Diamond has offered to add these
divisions to their Friday night races as scheduling permits. The Xcel 600
Modifieds and Legend cars have also been offered
dates on the Little Diamond upon its completion.
The AMA Motorcycle dates WILL continue as scheduled. There
are three dates - May 5, August 11 and September 8 -that the AMA Motorcycles
have leased the Big Diamond facility for their events.
Stay tuned for more updates as they become available.”
Note # 1: If true, that’s
at least 1/3 of the ARDC’s schedule,
that could be lost.
Note # 2: On the ARDC’s message board, it’s said that the ARDC is trying to
get their dates switched from the Saturdays to Fridays. I don’t know if that will work, as far as
time goes on Friday nights, what with their normal Friday night schedule at Big
Diamond.
Eleventh:
I see where
Travis Pastrana is entered in this weekend’s Nationwide race at
Twelfth:
What ever
happened to Milka Duno? Last year she was a fairly regular in the
Nationwide Series. No where to be seen
so far in 2012.
Thirteenth:
Lotus to stop supplying
engines to Dreyer & Reinbold Racing and Bryan Herta Autosport.
Note: See Sixteenth”, below for statement from
Lotus.
As frustrating as this Lotus news is...
http://www.trackforum.com/forums/showthread.php?163111-As-frustrating-as-this-Lotus-news-is...
http://www.trackforum.com/forums/showthread.php?163101-Jay-Howard-has-a-car-but-no-engine
http://www.trackforum.com/forums/showthread.php?163075-Will-We-See-More-Indy-500-Entries
http://www.trackforum.com/forums/showthread.php?163011-Sarah-Fisher-NOT-happy...
http://www.trackforum.com/forums/showthread.php?162743-Lotus-revolt-(merged)
Fourteenth:
Those that read my columns know that I have some “e-mail” sections. Well, I received a rather disturbing e-mail
on Monday evening, and it more or less confirmed what I’ve been thinking about
ever since my daughter and I were at the Vintage Race Car Meet at Loudon, last
May.
Word I got while there, was that the track has taken over some of the duties
that the Vintage people performed, themselves, like flagger and corner workers,
etc etc. Of
course, the cost for them was passed on to the Vintage people. Also, they started to charge for golf carts,
too – something I believe was not charged to the members, previously.
I call it the “Nascarization” of the Vintage
Meet. Hell, the “Nascarization”
of the Vintage Meet that used to be held at the
Could this be the last Vintage Meet at Loudon? Could this meet, with what is reported to be
an under 100 entrants even be held, this May?
Increased cost, less track time, along with higher
cost to just tow to the facility are a good part of the lower amount of
entrants.
After I received that e-mail, I then sent out an e-mail to some parties
that would be interested, and I said this:
“I recieved the following message, and, in a way,
kind of expected this, what with the "NASCARization"
of the Vintage Race Car Meet at Loudon, and seeing how they've already done
away with the Vintage Meet at Darlington, last year.
'Tis a shame the all-mighty dollar has to screw
up good things.
I imagine even with the info below, the cost of fuel just getting to and
from Loudon has to figure in, too.
Hoping to see most of you there, anyway!
Tom”
So far, I’ve received these responses:
“They have shot themselves in the foot and will blame the participants....”
“Dad,
The extremely sad part is that with all this "Nascarization"
going on, so many young people will never get to meet or know all the wonderful
people that we do! What a shame
I wish there was a way to make young people, Nascar, and the "corporations" that own the
tracks realize what an important part of racing history they are letting
disappear..... So sad....
Love & Peace Always,
Judy”
Fifteenth:
I imagine you’ve seen those
commercials with Carl Edwards where he’s in a STOCK car, and doing what sure
looks like “Drifting”. In-car shots show
him without a helmet, while the passengers are wearing one. So, I wonder, when that car is “at speed”, is
Carl wearing a helmet? Better yet, is
Carl even in the car? And, if he is in
the car, he best have a helmet on, I’d say!
Sixteenth:
Statement from Lotus on engines:
“Entire text of Lotus statement:
Lotus Raises IndyCar Commitment
When Lotus entered the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series, the
regulatory requirement to supply multiple teams and the late timing of Lotus’
entry placed a significant restriction on the development programme.
It was clear from the start that the 2012 season was going to be a huge
challenge as Lotus debuted its IndyCar
engine, but it was a challenge that Lotus was determined to meet.
Lotus was further hindered by unanticipated difficulties caused by the widely
reported change of ownership and the subsequent restrictions on resources. To
have achieved a top ten position under these circumstances is pretty
impressive.
That said, Lotus has acknowledged that whilst the engine has demonstrated a lot
of promise, minimal testing has resulted in reliability issues.
Having now had the experience and feedback from the first three races of the season,
Lotus undertook a strategic review of its position to decide what course of
action would be in the best interests of IndyCar and
the teams it supports.
Following this review, Lotus is pleased to announce in cooperation with IndyCar that, whilst it remains fully committed to IndyCar in the long term, Lotus has taken the decision to
reduce the number of cars it runs from five to three for the remainder of the
season. As a consequence of this decision, Lotus has made offers to Bryan Herta Autosport LLC and Dreyer
& Reinbold Racing LLC to end the agreements with
them. Bryan Herta Autosport
LLC will not participate in any further races as a Lotus team and Dreyer & Reinbold Racing LLC will race one more time in
Going forward, Lotus is
excited to be working closely with Lotus HVM Racing, the original partner team
and Lotus Dragon Racing, who delivered Lotus’ best
result so far this season. Lotus wishes Bryan Herta Autosport LLC and Dreyer & Reinbold
LLC the very best of luck for the future.
Lotus also intends to continue to assist its engine supplier Engine
Developments Limited (EDL) by providing additional resources and financial
support to expedite the development program. The details of the arrangement are
currently being finalised and the additional support
should result in an increased engine performance for the rest of the season.
Claudio Berro, Director of Motorsport Group Lotus,
said: “Lotus in IndyCar is like David versus Goliath.
We are and always will be a niche British sports car company built for the few
not the many. That said I’m delighted with our solution and I can assure
everybody that the actions were taken after careful consideration and will
assist in ensuring the brand’s high racing ambitions and the high expectations
of the IndyCar community are realised.”
Randy Bernard, CEO IndyCar, commented: “IndyCar is committed to ensuring that our teams and
manufacturers have a platform to remain competitive. We support Lotus' decision
and will assist Dreyer & Reinbold Racing and
Bryan Herta Autosport in
securing engine support for the remainder of the season.”
Seventeenth:
There’s
an interesting thread on the Dirt Track Digest’s Forum/Message Board about the
difference in cost between a Sportsman car and a Modified. Granted, the Sportsman class, in most cases,
is not the headline class at most tracks, but do they offer the same kind of
competition at a much lower cost? Maybe
they do, but maybe because of “Names” in the Modified class, we really don’t
realize it?
At
OCFS on opening night, Gary Edwards, in his “Crate” Sportsman had a faster lap
than 20 of the 25 Big Block Modifieds, in their
features. That’s on a 5/8 mile track.
At
Accord, on opening night, Andy Bachetti, in the
Modified feature had the fastest lap with a time of 13.818. Anthony Perrego, in
the Sportsman feature had the fastest lap with a time of 13.711. Tyler Boniface, in the Spec Sportsman (Crate)
feature, had the fastest lap with a time of 13.773. Accord is a tight ¼ mile track. Also, keep in mind – Bachetti
has quite a few years of competition under his belt, while Perrego
and Boniface don’t. In fact, I think
they’re both still in their teens?
Link:
http://www.dirttrackdigest.com/DTD/index.php?/topic/43121-sportsmen-and-modified/
Eighteenth:
Supreme Court signals support
for
(Found on Facebook)
In part:
"The Supreme Court
signaled Wednesday that it might uphold a key element of
The justices appeared ready
to allow a provision requiring police officers to check the immigration status
of people they think are in the
The justices strongly
suggested Wednesday they are not buying the Obama administration's argument
that the state exceeded its authority, with Chief Justice John Roberts at one
point saying he doesn't think the federal government even wants to know how
many illegal immigrants are in the country.
"You can see it's not
selling very well," Justice Sonia Sotomayor told
Obama administration Solicitor General Donald Verrilli.”
And also from Facebook, on the above:
If you are on Twitter, follow
us on @StandWithAZ (link below) for live updates from
SWA counsel Jim Gilbert from inside the Supreme Court. Best lines: Chief
Justice Roberts: "It seems to me the federal government just doesn't want
to know who's here illegally. and "Scalia asked Verrilli if the
Coming up:
Another reminder –
22nd Vintage Racing Celebration
Thursday, May 10 - Sunday, May 13, 2012 8:00am-6:00pm – Hopefully!
Oval - 5/10, 5/11; Road Course - 5/12, 5/13
The Vintage Racing
Celebration recognizes the roots of auto racing in
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.
Also: On Sunday of the Labor Day weekend, another
“Racing Expo” is scheduled for Hinchliffe Stadium, in
Found
on Jayski’s website:
Driver sues NASCAR,
"too Caucasian'?
An aspiring stock-car driver is suing NASCAR,
claiming he was denied the opportunity to compete in NASCAR's diversity program
because he looks "too Caucasian." NASCAR
argues that in trying to change the "face" of the sport, it has the
right to select drivers for its diversity program based on skin color,
attorneys for the sanctioning body and its former diversity program
administrators have told a U.S. District court. Michael Rodriguez, a driver
from
UPDATE:
A federal judge has denied NASCAR's request
to throw out a lawsuit by an aspiring driver who was invited to its 2005 Drive For Diversity combine but claims he was discriminated
against when he never made it onto the track. Michael Rodriguez, who is of
Puerto Rican descent, filed the lawsuit in January 2010 claiming NASCAR and
Access Communications, which operated the diversity program, violated his civil
rights. He is asking for unspecified damages.(more at
the Sporting
News)(4-24-2012)
Note # 1:
If I’m not mistaken, Michael Rodriguez ran Go-Karts at the Hamlin
Speedway, back when my grandson, Brett first started racing Karts. He then went into asphalt modifieds,
I believe. There is/was another driver
in the “Diversity” program that is also “Caucasian” looking – Paulie Harraka. I have no idea as to how he qualified for it,
unless it’s the fact that his father is foreign born.
Note # 2:
Check out the dates on this, from the Track Forum:
Thursday, January
21, 2010 Last Update: 10:55 AM PT”
Yes, it’s about the
same young man – Michael Rodriguez!
This is really OLD
news, folks! I have no idea as to why Jayski has come out with it as a current dated item. There are six pages and 164 comments on this
on the Track Forum, with only the last page is rather current. Heck, I even had a post on it back in 2010, I
think.
Note # 3:
Per Jayski, himself, this really isn’t “Old”
news, since it’s just now getting into court.
Petty not ruling
out return to Dodge:
Richard Petty Motorsports is trying to
negotiate a deal to stay with Ford and retain its relationship with Roush
Fenway Racing. But team namesake Richard Petty isn't totally ruling out a
return to Dodge, the manufacturer with which he became a racing icon as a
driver. "Right now, we've got our sponsors pretty much lined up for next
year,'' Petty said Friday at Kansas Speedway. "Where
we go with the cars and engines and things like that ... we've got a plan, but
I don't know if anybody is going to go along with it.'' Roush Fenway president
Steve Newmark is optimistic his organization can
continue supplying Ford engines and chassis for RPM. "We have thoroughly
enjoyed working with Richard Petty and his entire team, as it is a first-class
organization,'' Newmark said.
"We believe it has been a mutually beneficial relationship and
sincerely hope to be able to continue the partnership into the future."
Dodge has been looking for an anchor organization since Penske Racing announced
it would move to Ford in 2013. Because of Petty's past association with Dodge,
RPM is among several organizations speculated to be a target for Dodge.
"Right now, they are pretty confused,'' Petty said of Dodge. "They got a plug pulled out of them and wasn't really
expecting it. ... We'll consider going anywhere to make a living out of this.
Right now, we're still up with the Ford deal and we're going everything we can
to win races with them.''(ESPN)(4-21-2012)
On May 22 at TRD (Toyota Racing Development)
Dale Earnhardt Day
2012:
Dale Earnhardt Inc. is proud to announce the
2012 Dale Earnhardt Day on Sunday, April 29th, at the DEI Corporate
Headquarters in
Victory Junction
asks Pattie Petty to take a back seat:
If the planned Victory Junction Midwest
becomes a reality, it likely will be without the help of Pattie Petty, the
driving force who created the original NASCAR-themed camp in
UPDATE:
Statement by Victory
Junction's Chief Operating Officer, Austin Petty in Response to Founder,
Pattie Petty Transitioning to Emeritus Status:
"Victory Junction has extremely high ethical standards and only decisions
that benefit the sustainability and longevity of camp are made by our
well-respected Board Of Directors. I can confirm my
mom accepted a goodwill ambassador position as Chairwoman Emeritus from our
Board, but that is all I can confirm at this point, given that this involves
ongoing negotiations between an employee and employer. While public figures are
involved, this situation is no different from a regulatory perspective and
personnel matters are private and confidential per the law and human resource
policies. Because of this, we will not have any further comment on this or any
other personnel issues at this time. Seriously ill children are the motivation
of Victory Junction and we are as committed as ever to enriching the lives of
chronically ill kids at our existing facility in
AND:
Kyle Petty doesn't believe the removal of his
wife, Pattie, as chief executive officer of Victory Junction Gang Camp will
negatively impact the camp the couple founded in memory of their son Adam.
"It doesn't impact anything, it really doesn't," Kyle Petty, a former
NASCAR star, said Monday. "Basically, the board had decided to ask Pattie
to take an emeritus role and just be a spokesperson. & I have no concerns
with the direction of the camp at all. Period. We're
always going to be involved in the camp," said Kyle, the son of seven-time
Cup champion Richard Petty and a driver from 1979 to 2008. "The camp was
founded in memory of Adam, and we have worked incredibly hard to build the
camp. But the camp is about the kids that come, and it's all about what's best
for the kids." Kyle Petty, who is vice chairman of the board, said Pattie,
who was chairman and CEO, was primarily running the fund-raising efforts for
the
Truex Jr., MWR talk new deal:
Team owner Michael Waltrip
said on Saturday at Kansas Speedway the organization is negotiating with
#56-Martin Truex Jr. and primary sponsor
JGR close to
extension with
Joe Gibbs Racing plans to sign a long-term
extension with
New record, win
199 for car #11:
#11-Denny Hamlin's win in the STP 400 Sprint
Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway was car #11's 199th win in the Sprint Cup
Series. This win passes the #43 for all-time wins in Sprint Cup Series history
for a car number. Richard Petty, who drove the #43 for most of his 200 wins,
actually won 192 races running the #43 and 8 in other car numbers [#41 &
#42]. The car number in third is the car #3 with 97 wins. See the full list of
car number wins and who won the first and last races for those car numbers on my
Wins by Car Numbers.(4-22-2012)
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series racing on Fox posted
a 3.7/9 on Sunday for the STP 400 from Kansas Speedway. Though that's off -20%
from last year's 4.6/11 for the Talladega 400 which aired on the comparable
weekend, it's off just one-tenth from last year's Kansas race which aired later
in the season, and when the nationals are released, it's expected to rank as
the top-rated event of the weekend. Through eight races, NASCAR Sprint Cup
Racing on FOX is averaging a 4.5/9, off -8% from last year's 4.9/11. See past
2012 races, four-year comparion chart and more on the
2012 TV Ratings page.(4-23-2012)
Bristol Motor
Speedway will remove progressive banking:
Less than a month after fan feedback
convinced him to make changes to the concrete surface at Bristol Motor
Speedway, Bruton Smith, Chairman and CEO of Speedway
Motorsports, announced his plans for significant modifications to the track.
"I said when this process began last month that I would listen to what the
fans said they wanted," Smith said. "After a week to 10 days, there
was no question that the overwhelming majority was asking for alterations to
the track. Since March 28, when we announced that changes would be made, we
have listened to fans, heard from drivers and talked to engineers about what to
do and how much time we had to do it. Once we knew the direction, we located
the right equipment to make it happen." The changes concentrate on the
progressive banking applied when the current track surface was put in place in
the summer of 2007. "The majority of fans we heard from said they wanted
adjustments made and the bulk of those said the progressive banking was what
they didn't like," said Smith in explaining the decision-making process.
"So, that's the focus of our efforts. And that is what we are working to
change." When the deteriorating BMS track surface was replaced in 2007,
variable banking was added. Often referred to as "progressive"
because the degrees increase from bottom to top, the layout provided multiple
lanes of racing on the famed short track. Smith said the choice to change the
track surface did not come easy, but listening to the race fans always has
served him well. "More and more fans kept asking us to do something to the
track," Smith said. "So I put it out there. They spoke and we
listened. I want them to be happy; I want them to love their experience in
Goodyear will test
at
With the track changes at Bristol Motor
Speedway, Goodyear felt the need to hold a tire test to evaluate the new
surface. We're happy with our current tire set-up at Bristol but we always have
to keep up with track changes, so we plan to run a test to determine what will
best suit the specific modifications made to Bristol," said Stu Grant,
Goodyear's general manager of worldwide racing. "We will start out our
test with the existing
Johnson named most
influential athlete:
From the year of the NASCAR
driver to the year of the quarterback. Last year three drivers from the NASCAR circuit made [the Forbes] list
of America's Most Influential Athletes, led by perennial Sprint Cup Series
champ #48-Jimmie Johnson. NASCAR hasn't exactly faded. Johnson, whose talent
and guy-next-door demeanor endears him to fans, as well as to marketing chiefs
of brands like Chevrolet,
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 April 20th to April 26th:
April 20
1946
Gordon Smiley... Born ...
American race car driver from Omaha, Nebraska that ran SCCA Formula Atlantic,
Can-Am, Formula 5000, Formula Super Vee and Indy
cars. Smiley raced in the
1963
Mauricio Gugelmin...
Born ... F1 and Cart driver
April 21
1917
Charlie Rogers... Born ...
AAA driver from the 1940's
1946
Roy Russing...
Died ... Worked as an aircraft engineer/instructor during WW2. A midget legend
before the war, he was killed shortly after racing resumed in a midget crash.
1979
Ira Vail... Died ... AAA
driver from 1915 to 1928
April 22
1956
Walt Faulkner... Died ... 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
1975
Greg Moore... Born ... A
Canadian racecar driver who competed in the Indy Lights and CART World Series,
where he had great success with several wins in both series and a championship
in the 1995 Indy Lights series. However, his promising career and his life came
to an end on October 31, 1999, when he was fatally injured in a violent crash
on the 10th lap of the CART season finale, the Marlboro 500, at Auto Club
Speedway in
1988
Paul Lotier
won the Sprint Car feature race over Keith Kauffman and Barry Camp at the
Williams Grove Speedway, Williams Grove,PA.
Daryl Gohn lost his life in a crash.
Race report:
http://www.wheelsofspeed.com/report/4_22_88-1.html
April 23
1884
Bob Burman...
Born ... AAA driver 1909 to 1916.
1936
Dick Atkins... Born ... One
of the best sprint car drivers of his era and was just begining
to shine in the USAC Championships when he was killed at
1961
Chris Kneifel...
Born ... Cart / USAC driver from 1982 to 1984
1969
P.J. Jones... Born ... P.J.
has raced in NASCAR, the IRL, and Champ Car. He is the son of racing legend Parnelli Jones, and brother of Page Jones.
1971
Dempsey Wilson... Died ... USAC driver from the 1950's and 60's.
April 24
1933
Billy Garrett ... Born ...
USAC driver 1956 to 1958
1967
Fred Lorenzen , one of the most
successful Stock Car drivers in history, announced his retirement at a banquet
in his honor. Suffering from ulcers, the 33 year old driver said "I want
to go out while I'm on top...". The ulcers forced
him to miss the North Wilkesboro and
1969
Hermie Sadler... Born ... NASCAR driver.
His brother Elliott Sadler is also a NASCAR driver.
April 25
1884
Arthur Chevrolet... Born ... AAA driver 1909 to 1920. One of 3 brothers that emigrated to
1910
Herb Ardinger...
Born ... AAA driver 1934 to 1947. Ran
the Indy 500 6 times with a best finish of 4th in 1947.
1928
Frank Lockhart... Died ... AAA driver 1925 to 1927. Won the
Indy 500 in 1926. He was killed in the crash of his Stutz Blackhawk
during a land speed record attempt on the beach at
1942
Wally Zale... Died ... Wally
Zale hailed from
1962
Fred Frame... Died ... AAA driver from the 1920's and 1930's. Ran the Indy
500 8 times and won in 1932.
April 26
1899
George Howie...
Born ... AAA driver from the 1930's.
1970
Lloyd Ruby outdueled
Mario Andretti and Al Unser to win the 200 mile USAC Championship race on the
1.5 mile peanut shaped Trenton Speedway in
News
from the AARN:
From
their April 17th issue:
Lenny
Sammons:
Lenny
makes mention that over 2/3 of the field in the NASCAR Whelen
Modified opener at the Thompson Speedway experienced damages due to
crashes. NASCAR had 25 officials there
to keep an eye out on the racing. Four
cars had quick change rears. Those with
them get a 100# weight break.
Ernie
Saxton:
Ernie
had some about Al Unser, Jr. and his off-track problems. He also feels that Rusty Wallace should be in
NASCAR’s Hall of Fame. Ernie writes
about another
Ernie
tells of Kenny Wallace losing his Nationwide ride for
two races due to having no sponsor. Ryan
Truex got the ride because he brought a sponsor along
with him. Sadly, and I agree with Ernie
on this, it seems today, talent behind the wheel does not get you rides, but
money does.
Ernie
makes mention of a supposedly disabled NYC fireman who retired in 2003 with a ¾
disability pension of $95,000.00/year.
He is a member of the Fire Rescue team at the Dover Speedway, and also
apparently a Fire Captain with the Lewes, Delaware Fire Department.
Brett
Deyo:
Glenn
Hyneman and Billy Pauch,
Sr. are teaming up for some special races in 2012. Events like:
Thunder on the Hill events at
Ron
Mentus:
He
notes that Rubens Barrichello, who has 19 years in
F-1, is the all-time leader with 322 career starts in
F-1, had 11 wins and 14 poles, in F-1, will NOT be eligible for the IndyCar Series Rookie of the year.
Steve
Bubb:
Tells
us that “Pit Fee costs” are what cancelled a Super Sportsman race at Big
Diamond – due to a “misunderstanding”.
The original fee was $25.00 then was upped to $35.00. Heated words were exchanged between the
racers and management. (I’m not sure if the Super Sportsman will return to Big
Diamond, or not).
Don
and JoAnn Davies:
They
mention that former DIRTcar Chaplain David Wells
recently had a stroke and is currently hospitalized near his home in
His
address:
Pastor
Wells
Robin
Yasinsac-Gillespie:
Robin
makes mention that
There
was quite a list of race folks that have left us, more than usual, I’d say.
Lee
Bliss, 87 or
Don
Goodrich, 78, formerly from Red Hook, NY but had moved to
Bernie
Partridge, 79, from
Linda
Walker, 51, from
Rayanna Rose Marrero, 8, of
Dollie “Dot”
And,
some items that are covered in this weeks (April 24th) edition:
In AARN
This Week:
Soggy Saturday Sops
In Most Area Speedways
Showdown At New Egypt:
Godown Wins After Pauch Breaks
Layton Is Super At Williams Grove
in Tommy Classic
Big Diamond Ditches
Saturday Night Race Schedule
Bloomquist Wins Big Again
At Roaring Knob
VMRS Super Team,
McKennedy & Barry,
Win Second Straight
Kevin Hartnett Finds
Affordable Racing Is
Possible
At Penn Can
Stafford's Spring
Sizzler:
Forty Years & Still
Going Strong
Former
“Mother Nature” put a crimp in last weekends racing,
but here’s what I’ve found:
Last Thursday, at Albany/Saratoga – or is it “
At Accord, in the Modified feature last Friday,
Danny Creeden was 2nd, Michael Storms 5th
and Mike Ruggiero 6th. In the
Sportsman feature, Anthony Perrego was the feature
winner, with Brad Szulewski 10th, Brian Krummel 17th and Tyler Dippel
18th. In the Spec Sportsman
feature, Tyler Boniface was the winner with Kyle VanDuser
2nd and Tyler Dippel 7th.
Note: I was
not aware that a driver could run in both the Spec Sportsman, and Sportsman
class, at Accord on the same night, as Tyler Dippel
did.
In the two Modified features run at Big Diamond,
last Friday, Mike Mammana had a 17th in
the first one and a 20th in the second.
Kyle Armstrong was 15th and Kolby Schroder 23rd in the Modified feature at
Johnny Guarino was 17th
in the Modified feature at New Egypt.
Kyle Rohner was 15th
and Corey Ziegler 18th in the 602 Sportsman feature at Penn Can.
A week ago, at Mountain Speedway, Nick Pecko was 12th in the Sport Modified feature.
And, AJ Filbeck won the
Sportsman feature at the Thunder Mountain Speedway in Center Isle, N.Y. a week
ago.
Press Releases:
Borgers PR
Media Contact
Bob Snyder
Borgers Guaranteed Purse.
Borgers Speedway will guarantee a minimum $200 to win for
Wingless Dirt 600 Sprints, Wingless Asphalt 600 Sprints/Three Quarter Midgets, AllStar Slingshots, and XCEL 600 Modifieds.
If there are only 3 cars
entered you are getting $200 to win. 1 to 14 cars $200 to win.
15 to 19 cars $250 to win and 20 to 24 cars $300 to
win.
Payout has also been
increased throughout the breakdown and last spot will pay $20. If you break and can not start the feature
you will get $20.
With our paved racetrack,
infield, and pits the racecars and fans will being going home clean and
spotless. No more washing mud off you
car.
Creature comfort is second to
none at Borgers Speedway. No more smelly porta-johns
but the finest restrooms in all of racing featuring our heated and air
conditioned restrooms complete with exhaust fans, steel stalls, running water
sinks, drinking fountains, and diaper changing stations.
Dine at our refreshment stand
featuring the World Famous Borger Burgers and take in the view from our
spacious grandstand or purchase a tailgating spot where you can take in all the
action from your car or truck.
Grand Opening will be
Saturday April 28 at 1:00 p.m. starting with Karts and Micro-Stocks. After practice and heats the Big Cars will
practice followed by the Kart and Micro-Stock features.
Wingless Dirt 600 Sprints,
Wingless Asphalt 600 Sprints/TQ Midgets, AllStart and
Junior Slingshots, and XCEL 600 Modifieds will take
to the track arount 4:00 p.m.
The Grand Opening will also
feature Hot Dog Day. Everyone in the
grandstand and pits will receive a ticket and a number will be called out about
every 10 minutes and the winner will receive a free hot dog courtesy of Glenn
and Ruth Borger.
Be a part of “History In the Making” as a totally new and exciting era of racing
will be introduced to the Northeast with the new asphalt racing at the Borgers Super Speedway.
For more
information go to the speedway web-site www.borgers-speedway.com and follow the
Facebook link at the top for weather issues or the Borgers
Any questions that need
answers contact Bob Snyder. bobsnyderphoto@enter.net
And:
NEWS FROM
CONTACT
Mike Gurda
Orange
County Fair
845-342-2573
FOR RELEASE BEGINNING SUNDAY, APRIL 22 (UPDATED
NEWS)
RACING ACTION APRIL 28 ON SCOUT NIGHT
AT ORANGE COUNTY FAIR
(Feature races added to April 28 racing program. The 30-lap Modified
feature race and the 15-lap inaugural Rookie Sportsman feature race, both
postponed by rain on April 21, will be added to the Saturday, April 28 racing
program. There will be no increase in admission prices for this extended night
of racing.)
The evening’s schedule Includes a regular
four-division racing program featuring DIRTcar-sanctioned
Big-Block Modifieds, Sportsman, Pro Stock and Street
Stock race cars in qualifying heats and feature races. It’s also Scout Night
and the Orange County Kid’s Club has activities planned for the youngsters in
attendance. The evening’s program is sponsored by Middletown Auto Wreckers and Jumpin Jake’s.
All Boy and Girl Scouts, Brownies and Cub
Scouts and their leaders in uniforms
will be admitted free on Scout Night. Scout groups are asked to inform the
speedway office of their troop number, home town, and leaders’ names so that
the y may be recognized during the evening.
“Scouting has always been part of the true
fabric of American life,” says speedway promoter Mike Gurda.
“It’s an outstanding citizenship builder as well as being a great deal of fun.
We’re happy to have all the scouts as our guests.”
Admission prices for the April 28 race
meet remain at $14 adults, $12 seniors, and free for children 12 and under. The
full night of racing begins promptly at 6:30 pm.
Looking ahead, the World of Outlaws Sprint
Cars and racing Stars are returning to
Information for all Orange County Fair
Speedway action is available at the speedway website, www.orangecountyfairspeedway.net,
or from at the Track Office. Call 845-342-2573 during business
hours.
I
get e-mails:
Amazing WWII
Aircraft Facts – Continued:
Experience Level:
Uncle Sam sent many of his sons to war
with absolute minimums of training. Some fighter pilots entered
combat in 1942 with less than 1 hour in
their assigned aircraft.
The 357th Fighter Group (often known as The Yoxford
Boys) went to
A high-time P-51 pilot had 30 hours in type. Many had fewer than five
hours. Some had one hour.
With arrival of new aircraft, many combat units transitioned in
combat. The attitude was, "They all have a stick and a
throttle. Go fly `em." When the famed 4th
Fighter Group converted from P-47s to P-51s in February
1944, there was no time to stand down for an orderly transition.
The Group commander, Col. Donald Blakeslee, said, "You can learn to fly `51s on the way to
the target.
A future P-47 ace said, "I was sent to
In WWII flying safety took a back seat to combat. The AAF's worst accident rate was recorded by the A-36 Invader
version of the P-51: a staggering 274 accidents per 100,000 flying
hours. Next worst were the P-39 at 245, the P-40 at 188, and the P-38 at 139. All were Allison powered.
Bomber wrecks were fewer but more expensive. The B-17 and B-24 averaged
30 and 35 accidents per 100,000 flight hours, respectively-- a horrific figure
considering that from 1980 to 2000 the Air Force's major mishap rate was less
than 2.
The B-29 was even worse at 40; the world's most sophisticated, most
capable and most expensive bomber was too urgently needed to stand down for
mere safety reasons. The AAF set a reasonably high standard for B-29 pilots,
but the desired figures were seldom attained.
The original cadre of the 58th Bomb Wing was to have 400 hours of multi-engine
time, but there were not enough experienced pilots to meet the criterion.
Only ten percent had overseas experience. Conversely, when a $2.1 billion
B-2 crashed in 2008, the Air Force initiated a two-month "safety
pause" rather than declare a "stand down", let alone grounding.
The B-29 was no better for maintenance. Though the R3350 was known as a
complicated, troublesome power-plant, no more than half the mechanics had
previous experience with the Duplex Cyclone. But they made it work.
Navigators:
Perhaps the greatest unsung success story of AAF training was Navigators.
The Army graduated some 50,000
during the War. And many had
never flown out of sight of land before leaving "Uncle Sugar" for a
war zone. Yet the huge majority found their way across oceans and
continents without getting lost or running out of fuel --- a stirring tribute
to the AAF's educational establishments.
Cadet To Colonel:
It was possible for a flying cadet at
the time of
As the training pipeline filled up, however those low figures became
exceptions.
By early 1944, the average AAF fighter pilot entering combat had logged at
least 450 hours, usually including 250 hours in training. At the same
time, many captains and first lieutenants claimed over 600 hours.
FACT:
At its height in mid-1944, the Army Air
Forces had 2.6 million people and nearly 80,000 aircraft of all types.
Today the US Air Force employs 327,000 active personnel (plus 170,000
civilians) with 5,500+ manned and perhaps 200 unmanned aircraft.
The 2009 figures represent about 12 percent of the manpower and 7 percent of
the airplanes of the WWII peak.
IN SUMMATION: Whether there will ever be another war like that experienced in
1940-45 is doubtful, as fighters and bombers have given way to helicopters and
remotely-controlled drones over
Edward E. Gilley, LM937
Veterans Of Underage Military Service
Army Air Corps Enlisted Pilots Association
Veterans Of Foreign Wars
American Legion
Air Force Association
Note: This
ends this little series of info on WW II.
Some non-racing stuff:
Like
we couldn’t see this?
1 in 2 new graduates are jobless
or underemployed
In part:
"The college class of
2012 is in for a rude welcome to the world of work.
A weak labor market already
has left half of young college graduates either jobless or underemployed in
positions that don't fully use their skills and knowledge.
Young adults with bachelor's
degrees are increasingly scraping by in lower-wage jobs — waiter or waitress,
bartender, retail clerk or receptionist, for example — and that's confounding
their hopes a degree would pay off despite higher tuition and mounting student
loans.
Taking underemployment into
consideration, the job prospects for bachelor's degree holders fell last year
to the lowest level in more than a decade.
About 1.5 million, or 53.6
percent, of bachelor's degree-holders under the age of 25 last year were
jobless or underemployed, the highest share in at least 11 years. In 2000, the
share was at a low of 41 percent, before the dot-com bust erased job gains for
college graduates in the telecommunications and IT fields.
Broken down by occupation,
young college graduates were heavily represented in jobs that require a high
school diploma or less.
More on this can be found
here: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/1-2-graduates-jobless-underemployed-140300522.html
More non-racing stuff:
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/envoy/north-korea-issues-unusually-specific-threat-152720861.html
Poor economy worsens Social Security's
finances also Medicare info
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/poor-economy-worsens-social-securitys-175251926.html
Video time:
Ralph
Stevens had this one on Facebook – A tribute to
“Thursday Night Thunder” on ESPN, from some years back.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIePXZbmdEs&feature=share
Photos:
Note: The photos are not available on Dirt Track
Digest, only on New England Tractor - http://newenglandtractor.com/racereport/
Here are a
couple of one of the oldest race tracks in the country – the Orange County Fair
Speedway, in Middletown, N.Y. from “Back in the Day” when the small track was
in the infield, the track that I used to watch the ARDC Midgets race on back in
the mid to late 40’s.
And:
Above photos
were posted on Facebook by Ralph Stevens.
Closing with this:
As
she sat by him, he whispered, eyes full of tears, "You know what?
You
have been with me all through the bad times.
When
I got fired, you were there to support me.
When
my business failed, you were there.
When
I got shot, you were by my side.
When
we lost the house, you stayed right here.
When
my health started failing, you were still by my side...
You
know what Martha?"
"What
dear?" she gently asked, smiling as her heart began to fill with warmth.
"I'm
beginning to think you're bad luck."
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