Racin'
Stuff:
By
Tom Avenengo
Note:
My apologies for this column
being somewhat late, and lengthy. I wanted to
include something from last nights “Big Show” at OCFS, and with the events that
took place, it kind of made this a pretty big column. Complete results for the “Big Show” can be
found if you go here:
http://www.bretthearn.com/results.html
My congratulations to Brett Hearn on a pretty
successful first time attempt at promoting a rather big event. Hopefully, he’ll do more promoting down the
road!
First things, first:
From what I’ve been reading, it
looks like stock car racing in the
Second:
Have you ever wanted to attend a
race, but for some reasons, you had no way of getting there? Well, I know of someone that is in that
predicament. His name is Herb Hoskins. Herb lives in
fiftyseven2455@yahoo.com or by telephone at: 845-561-5379. If you call, please tell his machine what you’re calling about – a ride to the races.
Third:
When we’re not racing our 600 Micro Sprint, I usually take in some of the races at both Accord and OCFS. Accord has a “No Alcohol” policy, so I don’t mind when they check my little cooler when I go into the track. OCFS has no such policy. And, I’ve had no problems taking my small cooler into OCFS either. In fact, most of the time they don’t even check it! OK, where am I going with this? Well, on Tuesday evening, there was a post on the Dirt Track Digest, and in that post was a notice that one could not bring in cans, bottles or alcohol into the stands. Huh? Since when? So, on Wednesday morning, this cheapskate writer called the track to see just what was up with this “new” policy. Track manager Ken Sands answered the phone. I made mention of the post on DTD, and I was informed that it was “always like that”. When I told Ken that I’ve never had a problem when I’ve taken my small cooler into OCFS, there was a slight pause, then I was told, “It’s Brett’s rules”.
Now I don’t ever recall seeing any signs at OCFS saying coolers were not allowed. Like I said, above, I’m kind of a “Cheapskate”. You learn how to be one when you’re on a fixed income. So I buy a case of 24 bottles of water at my local supermarket for $3.99. That comes out to a shade over 16 cents/bottle. So, why can’t I take in my bottle of water and not have to pay a dollar or more for water sold at the track? Ok, ok, yes, the vendors have to make something, and pay their help (more than likely minimum wages), so why the high mark up? Same goes for soda – buy four 12 packs for $10.00. That comes out to a shade over 20 cents/can. I think you can see where I’m heading, right?
I was in the stands last Saturday at OCFS. True, the weather forecast was for rain, and yes, it did rain, after the qualifying events were run. The ˝ covered stands where I sit – well, I guess you could really describe them as “empty”. I understand that Accord, the previous night, with basically the same weather forecast, had their usual almost full crowd. Now, it is this writers opinion that if OCFS is now going to enforce a “no cans, bottles or alcohol” kind of thing, that surely won’t help them draw fans. And, if so, it looks like I can find another way to spend my Saturday nights when we are not racing.
Now, as for Wednesday night, and the no cans, bottle or alcohol: Hey, I had to try it, folks! They would not let us in with the cooler. I asked the guy in a “Big Show” orange colored T-shirt, that it was OK for me to take the cooler in last Saturday, but not tonight? You ready for his reply? YOU DIDN’T TAKE IT IN LAST SATURDAY!! So, this guy knows what I did and I don’t? Was he even there last Saturday? I doubt it. Then he says you can take in bottles! Huh?
I didn’t break down, by item, what my son and grandson got, but for a roast beef sandwich, French fries and a Pepsi, it cost them $23.00. No idea as to what the Pepsi cost, but they could have saved something if we were allowed to bring in the 3 cans that were in my cooler. I got a roast beef sandwich and it cost $6.00. So, two of them would be $12.00. That leaves $11.00 for fries and sodas.
Going
back, in time:
On
June 18th in:
1950:
Bill
Schindler won the AAA Eastern Sprint Car race over Tommy Hinnershitz and Mike
Nazaruk at the Reading Fairgrounds,
1953
Allen
Heath won the AAA Midget race at the Sportsman's Park,
Note: Did you know that Allen Heath won a 500-mile
midget race on the
http://www.worthyofhonor.com/Inductees/Allen_Heath.htm
1954
Len
Duncan won the ARDC Midget race at the Altoona Speedway,
1955
George
Fonder won the AAA Midget race at the Hatfield Speedway,
1960
Al
Herman... Died ... AAA /USAC driver from the 1950's and 60's
Chuck
Arnold won the ARDC Midget race at the West Haven Motordrome,
1961
A.J.
Foyt won the 100 mile USAC Championship race on the 1 Mile Dirt Oval Langhorne
Speedway, Langhorne, PA. Parnelli Jones was second followed by Eddie Sachs,
Elmer George and Roger McCluskey.
Bob
Harkey won the ARDC Midget race at the Brewerton Speedway,
Jimmy
Davies won the USAC Midget race at the Danville Speedbowl,
Eddie
Gallione won the URC Sprint Car race at the Williams Grove Speedway, Williams
Grove,PA. Bobby Courtwright was second followed by
Earl Halaquist, Dan Daniels and Tom Price.
Leroy
Felty won the Super Modified race at the Susquehanna Speedway,
1966
Dutch
Schaefer won the ARDC Midget race at the Islip Speedway,
Lou
Johnson won the URC Sprint Car race at the Lincoln Speedway,New
Oxford, PA
Bobby
Abel won the Super Modified race at the Lincoln Speedway, Hanover,PA
Lou
Blaney won the Sprint Car race at the
1967
Lloyd
Ruby won the 100 mile USAC Championship race on the 1 Mile Paved Oval Langhorne
Speedway, Langhorne, PA. Al Unser was second followed by Mario Andretti, Gordon
Johncock and A.J. Foyt.
Richard
Petty drove his Petty Enterprises Plymouth to victory in the NASCAR Grand
National '
1971
Mitch
Smith, in the Gary Wasson # 5, won the Super Sprint Car race at the Williams
Grove Speedway, Williams Grove,PA. Lynn Paxton was
second followed by Jim Sheaffer, Bobby Allen and Jan Opperman.
1972
Ray
Elder ,three time defending NASCAR Western Grand
National champ, drove his family owned Dodge to victory in the NASCAR Grand
National 'Golden State 400' at Riverside International Raceway. The win was Elder's
second against the GN regulars (the other being in January 1971 on the same
1978
Rick
Mears won the 150 Mile Rex Mays Classic USAC Championship race on the 1 Mile
Paved Oval Milwaukee Mile,
Cale
Yarborough won the NASCAR Winston Cup Gabriel 400 over David Pearson at the
Michigan International Speedway,
1989
Terry
Labonte won the NASCAR Winston Cup Miller HL 500 over Harry Gant at the Pocono
Raceway,
1995
Bobby
Labonte won the NASCAR Winston Cup Miller 400 over Jeff Gordon at the Michigan
International Speedway,
2006
Kasey
Kahne won the NASCAR NEXTEL 3M Performance 400 over Carl Edwards at the
Michigan International Speedway,
Last
week:
Last
week, I had this in my column:
“Tough economic times force
RHR to suspend operations of #1 team UPDATE More on Benson: Red Horse Racing
regretfully announces the closure of the #1 Toyota Tundra driven by Johnny
Benson. The decision is effective immediately. Red Horse Racing worked to
secure sponsorship for the #1 team since last December but has been
unsuccessful in doing so. Sponsorship for Benson was thought to be secure
before the season began but the economic downturn kept that sponsor from being
able to participate with Red Horse Racing. Red Horse Racing will continue to
field the #11
Well,
if you’re a race fan, I imagine you’ve heard about what happened to Johnny this
past weekend. With the truck parked,
Johnny ran his Super Modified. He was
involved in a serious accident, when his car and another one had contact with
each other, and Johnny’s car hit the wall and caught on fire. Now I’m really wondering,
would Johnny have been racing the Super Modified if the truck wasn’t parked?
Some
info on him – found on Jayski’s website:
Benson
injured at Berlin Raceway: UPDATE 3 more info: Johnny Benson Jr. came off
Turn 3 at Berlin Raceway and met up with another car during Saturday's ISMA
Supermodifieds race. Then came the sight no one wanted
to see at the track: Benson's car bursting into flames. When Benson's car came
to rest between Turns 3 and 4 after the collision with Larry Lehnert, the wing
of Lehnert's vehicle was knocked sideways and Benson's car drove airborne over
Lehnert's car. Once on the track, the main cab of Benson's supermodified
vehicle caught fire. Track personnel raced over to the vehicle and put out the
flames as quickly as possible. Benson was awake and alert when pulled from the
car and was transported to an area hospital. Berlin owner Mike Blackmer could
not specify which hospital Benson was sent to, citing privacy laws.(Michigan
Live)
AND: A spokesperson for Spectrum Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids
confirms that Benson is in serious condition.(WZZM.com)(6-14-2009)
UPDATE: Spectrum Hospital tells 24 Hour News 8 that Benson is in serious
but stable condition at the hospital and "he's expected to be fine".(woodtv.com)(6-14-2009)
Comment here
UPDATE 2: From JB's Message Board - "As of this morning [Sunday
am], JB is awake and alert in a Grand Rapids hospital with at least one broken
rib. He is being kept for observation. There is no release time as yet."(JohnnyBenson.com)(6-14-2009)
UPDATE 3: [Following the accident] the Life EMS emergency response crew,
along with Berlin Raceway officials and safety team, worked carefully to
extract Johnny Benson from his race car. Benson was awake and alert during the
process and gave race fans a wave when loaded into the ambulance. "He was
pretty sore, but he seemed to be doing well last night when I talked to
him," Johnny Benson Sr. said. "The car's driver side hit the wall
hard, and it's a testament to the Hans (head and neck safety) device and the
safety seat in the supermodified car that held him in place so well. I have to
commend the safety crew and ambulance crew at Berlin Raceway for their quick
response - they did their job well, putting the fire out quickly and taking
care of Johnny." Benson Sr. said the fuel line was cut in two when it was
pinched between the rear axle and the frame. The
alcohol-based fuel that these supermodified cars use burns blue and very hot,
and Benson managed to come out of it with barely any burns due to the quick
response by the safety crew. The frame of the car was not bent badly,
and all of the safety aspects of the car held up well, which allowed Benson to
escape without major injuries.(Berlin Raceway PR) (6-14-2009)
There
is a video of the accident and hopefully, it can be viewed, here:
http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/local/ottawa_county/Fiery_wreck_at_Berlin_Benson_serious
And,
on Wednesday, this video was released on an interview with Johnny after he was
released from the hospital:
http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/local/ottawa_county/Johnny_Benson_home_from_hospital
Coming
up – race wise:
This
Wednesday – yesterday, really, is/was the scheduled “Big One” at OCFS – an SDS
race with a rain date for Wednesday, June 24th.
Since
I started this column on Sunday evening, I thought I’d keep track of the
weather forecasts – day by day.
Sunday
forecast: - late afternoon:
Tuesday: Partly to mostly cloudy with isolated
thunderstorms developing during the afternoon. High 72F.
Winds light and variable. Chance of
rain 30%.
Wednesday: Isolated thunderstorms. Highs in the low 70s and lows in the low 50s.
Monday forecast:
As of 9:00 PM:
Tomorrow: A few showers
early in the day. Isolated thunderstorms developing in the
afternoon. High 74F. Winds
light and variable. Chance of rain 30%. Tomorrow
night: A few clouds from time to time. Low 54F.
Winds light and variable. Wednesday:
Partly to mostly cloudy. High 73F. Winds SE at 10 to
15 mph.
Tuesday
forecast, as of 5:00 PM:
Tonight: A few passing
clouds, otherwise generally clear. Low near 55F. Winds
SE at 5 to 10 mph. Tomorrow: Mostly cloudy. High
73F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Tomorrow night: Cloudy
with occasional showers late at night. Low 58F. Winds
SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
And, as of 2:30
PM on Wednesday, June 17th:
Today: Generally
cloudy. High near 70F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph.
Tonight: Cloudy with
occasional showers. Low 57F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.
Chance of rain 60%.
Note # 1:
An earlier
e-mail that I received, said that the Wednesday night racing at the Kutztown
Fairgrounds track has been cancelled, due to rain. At that time, the forecast for the Kutztown
area was cloudy with showers developing in the afternoon, and rain at night.
Note # 2:
I’ll finish this
column when I return from OCFS, with some news of how the night went. Look for it in the “More racin’ stuff”,
below.
Racing on TV:
Check out what’s on TV, racing wise, here: http://www.racefantv.com/USTV.htm
Other
forums/message boards and websites:
From
the Track Forum - http://www.trackforum.com/forums/
A
rather interesting link was found on the TF – about NASCAR and possibly MORE
foreign cars competing.
The
above was found, here:
http://www.trackforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=124830
Quite
an interesting topic over on TF about something that Kyle said. Love Kyle Busch, or hate him, he might have
hit the nail on the head when he said it would be dumb for a Nationwide team to
build COT cars for the Nationwide Series.
Check it out, here:
http://www.trackforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=124565
From
Jayski - http://www.jayski.com/
GM to cut back on Sprint
Cup:
General Motors will reduce its financial support in the Sprint Cup series,
officials from several Chevrolet teams confirmed on Wednesday. Hendrick
Motorsports, Stewart Haas Racing, Earnhardt Ganassi Racing and Richard
Childress Racing officials said they have been asked to participate in cutbacks
by the
Tony Stewart, the co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing and Sprint Cup point leader,
echoed Hendrick's sentiments. "We have been, and will continue to be,
strong supporters of GM and its Chevrolet brand," he said. "These are tough times for our auto industry, and in light of
what's happening to them and how it affects all the people who make a
living building and selling cars and trucks, the sacrifices we'll have to make
as a race team are pretty weak in comparison. We believe in the products GM has
now and in the products they're building for the future. We're proud to carry
the Chevy bowtie on the hoods of our racecars, and we support GM in this time
of uncertainty because we know they'll be an even stronger company in the years
to come." Stewart said the cutbacks will force teams to review their
budgets, but "it will not impact our preparation for the track or the
return on investment we provide for our partners." The cutbacks come a
week after GM cut all support from its Nationwide Series and Truck Series teams.(ESPN)(6-18-2009)
Note: Come on, you didn’t see this coming? I really wonder how the closing of the many
dealerships, nationwide, have affected people like Hendrick, who, it is
reported to have many, many dealerships – and others, too, in racing, that have
dealerships, for that matter.
Sponsor search for 2010: We've been hearing for
months that sponsors, including those at top teams such as Hendrick
Motorsports, won't fully commit past this season. Team owner Rick Hendrick made
that clearer on Sunday when he indicated that Kellogg's and Carquest may not
return in their full capacity in 2010. "Our sponsors are coming
back," Hendrick said after Martin won at
Note: Oh yes, it’s gonna get bad, folks, believe
me. Question: Did you see where at least one team in the
WNBA will have sponsors on their jerseys?
I can see motor sports losing sponsors to the “stick and ball”
sports. Watch and see.
McGriff, 81, Ready for
Return to Infineon Raceway: Eighty-one year old Hershel McGriff
has had enough of retirement, and the legendary driver will make his return
behind the wheel at Infineon Raceway for the Bennett Lane Winery 200, presented
by Supercuts, on Saturday, June 20. McGriff walked away from racing in 2002,
but he will compete in three road-course events on this year’s NASCAR Camping
World Series West schedule, including the series’ only stop in
Note: Ol’ Herschel – I’m pretty sure he ran in the
first race at
Last season for Roush Fenway? Geoff Smith, who runs Roush
Fenway Racing, says that Roush's lone Truck team is being run at a deficit,
because of Ford's pullout, and Smith said Sunday that Roush will not field a
Truck next season. We are only in the Truck series this year with one team
because we'd made a sponsorship commitment to
Note: Somehow, I have a feeling that Roush Fenway
will not be the only team to have these kinds of problems.
Carl
Long to make final appeal Monday: On Monday, June 15th, #46-Carl Long will present
his second and final appeal to National Stock Car Racing Commissioner, Charles
Strang, regarding the penalties his team received. Long was penalized for
having an illegal engine during the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Lowe's Motor
Speedway last month. The 12-race suspension, 200-point penalty and $200,000
fine are NASCAR records. The hearing will begin at 2 PM Eastern.(Carl-Long.com)(6-14-2009)
Com
UPDATE: According to a post on
Carl's web site by his wife, DeeDee, the verdict of Monday's hearing will not
be known until possibly the end of the week.(Carl-Long.com)(6-16-2009)
UPDATE
2: Marty
Smith reported on ESPN2's
NASCAR Now that Long's suspension was reduced from 12 to 8 race but the
$200,000 fine stands.
AND Sprint Cup driver Carl Long had his 12-race suspension reduced to
eight, but his record $200,000 fine remained after a final appeal to NASCAR
Stock Car Racing commissioner Charles Strang. Strang heard Long's appeal, which
was denied two weeks ago by the stock car commission, on Monday in
Note: Some joke, huh?
Red Bull to Chevy? It is very possible that
Brian Vickers, winner of the pole at Michigan International Speedway on Friday,
could be behind the wheel of the #83 Red Bull Chevy next season. Yes, Chevy.
Over the last three years, the Red Bull program has worked to gain speed but
has experienced some reliability issues with the Toyota Racing Development
engines. Red Bull's contract with
Note: Going to Chevy? Why in the world would they even think of
doing that? Are their heads in the sand?
Waltrip closer to hiring Truex? Michael Waltrip hinted
Friday that he's closer to a decision on his future - and that future may
involve Martin Truex Jr. Waltrip reiterated his stance that he needed to run
better in order to remain the driver of the NAPA-sponsored #55 car at Michael
Waltrip Racing, the race team he owns. Truex, whose contract at Earnhardt
Ganassi Racing expires after this season, has been frequently tied to the
possible opening in the #55. "You just have to figure that he's one of the
ones that no one knows where he's going," Waltrip said. "He's been a
Chase guy. He stumbled in and has run up front from the beginning, so I don't
know what the future holds. But he might be one of those on that list that
would be better than me." Asked if he was any closer to a decision on his
future on Friday, Truex smiled. "I'd love to share it with you, but I
can't," he said.(Scene
Daily), for earlier information on Truex to MWR, see the #1 team page,(6-13-2009)
Note: Hmm, I wonder, is that why Truex had such a
crummy car/time at
GM
cutting support in Nationwide & Truck Series: UPDATE: General Motors is cutting
factory support for Chevy teams competing in NASCAR's Nationwide and Camping
World Truck Series as the automaker restructures under Chapter 11 bankruptcy
protection, according to a story that will appear in Friday's edition of
SportsBusiness Journal. According to SBJ's Michael Smith, who wrote the story,
the cost-cutting measures are likely to have the greatest affect on larger
organizations, such as Kevin Harvick Inc., which fields teams in both series,
and Rusty Wallace Inc. and JR Motorsports, which field teams in the Nationwide
Series. As Smith points out, support from manufacturers typically comes in the
forms of engines, parts and cash. In most cases, factory support goes to
larger, more substantial organizations, while smaller teams receive little
assistance, if any. "Chevy's (and GM's) involvement in racing is a sound
business decision that translates directly into the sale of cars and
trucks," an unidentified GM spokesperson said in a statement provided to
SBJ. "It is essential, however, that we continue
to look at every penny we spend as General Motors takes the necessary steps to
become a leaner company with a significantly stronger balance sheet. While
Chevy Racing is talking to its business partners about ways to reduce cost and
maximize the return on investment, it is our policy to not talk about the
details of business relationships with our partners."(Sporting
News)(6-12-2009)
UPDATE: General Motors is planning to cut back on its support of NASCAR
teams in all of the sanctioning body's professional series. Chevy spokesman
Terry Rhadigan says GM, which is reorganizing through bankruptcy, is discussing
what he described as incremental cutbacks in support. He says cuts will be made
soon and that the discussions are "indeed NASCAR-wide." Rhadigan
would not say if one series would be affected more than others, nor would he
say the size of the cuts or how much GM spends on NASCAR. The automaker,
through its Chevy brand, provides cash and other support to teams including
engines and parts.(Associated
Press)(6-12-2009)
Note: This is just the tip of the iceberg,
folks. Watch and see. Also, note the small article below this one.
NASCAR
talking to other manufacturers: NASCAR continues to have contact with foreign-based
carmakers who are not yet involved in stock car racing
but have manufacturing plants in the
Note: Do any of those mentioned above even have
push rod V-8’s? Did
NASCAR
says Mayfield expert lied: NASCAR has filed a motion in federal court that says an expert witness
for suspended driver Jeremy Mayfield lied about his credentials. The motion was
filed Tuesday. It claims Dr. Harvey MacFenerstein falsely represented himself
on six counts in a May 29 affidavit presented on behalf of Mayfield, who was
suspended indefinitely by NASCAR after failing a drug test. NASCAR says
MacFenerstein does not have the medical degrees or certifications he listed in
his qualifications. In his testimony about NASCAR's drug-testing policy,
MacFenerstein said the policy is flawed and does not meet federal workplace
guidelines. His findings were the basis of Mayfield's argument that he should
be immediately reinstated.(Associated
Press)(6-16-2009)
Mayfield
sued by parts supplier, chassis builder: Suspended owner/driver #41-Jeremy Mayfield's
Mayfield Motorsports Inc. has been sued for $86,304.55 for parts, pieces and
chassis work. Triad Racing Technologies and BDR Acquisition are suing Mayfield
in North Carolina Superior Court in
Note: And the Mayfield “Saga” continues. Methinks someone has it in for Jeremy.
"Sportier" COT on the way? Manufacturers reportedly
poured more than a half-billion dollars into the sport last year through
factory and technical support to the teams, track support, vehicle programs and
advertising. Yet NASCAR turned its back on
Note: You know, it wasn’t all that long ago, and I
had mentioned it in my columns, that there was a great possibility that the
“Pony Cars” – Camaros, Mustangs, etc etc would be what was going to be used in
the Nationwide Series. That “talk”
didn’t last long.
Goodyear
returns to Indy for another tire test: UPDATE: Goodyear appears to have
resolved some of the problems that plagued last year's Allstate 400 in
UPDATE: Jeff Gordon insists this year's Allstate 400 at the Brickyard
will be a real race, not a seven-lap sprint to the finish line like last year.
He guarantees it. After rain washed out most of Goodyear's final tire testing
day at
Note: Well, I sure hope that things are a heckuva
lot better than that fiasco from last year.
That was 100% ridiculous. This
writer still has a hard time figuring why the Cup cars had so many tire issues,
yet the Indy cars, with a lot more down force, which actually makes the cars
heavier than Cup cars, didn’t have those issues.
Dirt
Track Digest’s forum: http://www.dirttrackdigest.com/forum/index.php?
Check
out the forum! Lotsa
stuff on it!
OCFS - http://www.orangecountyfairspeedway.net/
Last Saturday, even with the wet forecast, I decided to go to OC to see the CRSA 305 sprinters. Last year, they got rained out and their race was never re-scheduled. This year, they already had two races penciled in for OC. Well, guess what? You got it! It rained at OC on Saturday, after they got the heats and consolation races in. Supposedly, there might be another CRSA race at OC this year, and along with that, there’s also a possibility of the CRSA being a part of Eastern States Weekend, too. Funny, but that could not be done last year. Oh well! Now if they are part of ESW, would any class be dropped, or might they run on Friday night?
I’ve been waiting for this to happen: It was said, last week, in a news release,
that Danny Johnson would be racing at OCFS on a weekly basis now. I know he made a few shows at
Link: http://www.orangecountyfairspeedway.net/09-News/6-13.html
Update, from Wednesday, June 17th:
“They interviewed Danny during the delay
last night. He said he wasn't sure of his Saturday night plans.”
They rained out, last Saturday.
Hamlin is a 1/5 mile dirt (clay) track with some banking in the turns. It is the track that my grandson, Brett, first learned to race on. Now, they race Go-Karts, Junior and Senior Slingshots, “Slingers”, 270 winged Micro Sprints and 600 wingless Micro Sprints.
Accord
- http://www.accordspeedway.com/
The weather forecast for last Friday night was occasional thunder storms. Where I live, we had them. With some family obligations both on Friday and again on Saturday morning, I chose to stay home. You got it! It didn’t rain at Accord. They even got their “Mid Week Madness” show in, last Wednesday!
OVRP’s
Dirt Oval - http://www.ovrpdirtoval.com/
With the rain falling last Saturday night, I have to imagine that the Dirt Oval didn’t get their show in. However, Ralph Corwin does have quite a few photos from last Saturday, and you can view them if you go here:
http://newenglandtractor.com/racereport/
Oh
yes, that is another place on the internet where you can see my weekly columns,
too.
Former
OVRP Dirt Oval runners:
At
At
At
Accord, in the modified feature, Greg Hastie was 15th. In the Spec Sportsman, Anthony Perrego was
the feature winner, while Kyle Rohner was 5th and Jason Roe 11th. In the sportsman feature, Mike Ruggiero came
across the finish line first. Brian
Krummel was 21st. In the CRSA
305 sprinters, Chuck Alessi was 2nd, Billy
VanInwegen, Jr. was 8th, John Lodini 19th, Danny
Hennessey 21st and Anthony Brennan 23rd.
Note: I don’t know, but maybe I’m just getting to
fussy in my old age, or what, but it sure is strange how every announcer that I
hear, in this area, constantly mis-pronounces Ruggiero. It gets pronounced, by them, as if it were
spelled Ruggerio. Rue-Gee-Air-Oh, is how I believe it should be, not Rue-Jer-Eo. But, hey, you should hear how my name gets
butchered up, too! Most people end it with
the sound “gee oh”. To me, “go” is
pronounced go! And those double “en’s” –
gets ‘em every time. I corrected the
announcer down at the Greenwood Valley Action Track where my grandson races our
600 Micro, and the announcer got it right after that. Then instead of “Port Jervis” – he came out
with “Port Jarvis”. Gotta love it!
At
Penn Can, in the modified feature, Danny Creeden was 3rd. In the 600 Modified feature, Brad Szulewski
finished 2nd.
At
Five Mile Point, in the 600 Modified feature, Brad Szulewski hit the finish
line first, for his first ever win with those cars. It couldn’t happen to a nicer young man. Congrats, Brad!
At
Wyalusing, in the 600 Micros, Molly Chambers was fifth, but did not make
weight, and Cait Chambers was a DNS.
In
the 270 Micro Sprints, Rick Casario was the feature winner and Jacob Hendershot
was 3rd. In the combined Jr
& Sr Slingshot feature, Paul Tigue was 2nd.
Hey,
I hope I didn’t miss anyone!
From
the “Big Show” on Wednesday night, at OCFS:
Danny
Creeden:
Time
trial: 23rd out of 62. Heat race:
4th. – missed by one.
Consi: 2nd. Feature:
18th.
Michael
Storms:
Time
trial: 20th. Heat race:
3rd. Feature: 19th.
Time
Trial: 30th. Heat race:
5th. Consi: 3rd. Feature:
DNS
Benny Rizzo:
Time
Trial: 60th. Heat race:
10th. Consi: 12th. Feature:
DNQ
Family
members in racing:
Grandson John is
still up here in the northeast, and will be for at least into next week. He says he’s been offered a job and is
thinking about not returning to
Note: As for racing at Hamlin this coming Saturday,
well, good old “Mother Nature” might have something to say about that. The forecast, as of 3:30 PM on Wednesday, the
17th:
Friday: Cloudy with
showers and thunderstorms.. Highs in
the low 70s and lows in the low 60s.
Saturday: A few
thunderstorms possible. Highs in the upper 60s and lows in
the upper 50s.
And, as of 2:30
on Thursday, the forecast:
Tomorrow: Considerable
cloudiness. High 72F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.
Tomorrow night: Showers
developing after midnight with the possibility of a thunderstorm. Low 59F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance
of rain 60%.
Saturday: Showers, maybe
a rumble of thunder. Highs in the low 70s and lows in the
upper 50s.
Ah, this weather
pattern sure sucks!
Other racin’ stuff:
I noticed that there are 46 entrees for the
Cup race out in
More racin’ stuff:
OK, I’ve held off
sending this column in until after the “Big Show” had been run, to offer some
of my thoughts, and maybe some from other fans, too, either by IM’s, e-mails,
or what was said on the internet. Both
“Pro” and “Con” thoughts will be shown.
A lot of fans were
worried about getting in the drive-n section because they would not get there
until after 5:00. Well, at 6:10 PM, the
drive-in was a little over ˝ full, with most of the open spaces in the lower
three rows. The ˝ covered stand was also about ˝ full.
I could not see the full covered stands, but it looked decent. The bleachers in turn one were
basically empty.
By 7:00, the drive-in
was ľ + full, while the ˝ covered was almost ľ.
Still hardly anyone in the first turn bleachers, but,
man, how that would change, later on.
Oh, the weather was overcast with a slight breeze. Earlier in the day I received notice that the
racing at Kutztown, in
After a brief practice
session, they started time trials, with 5 to 6 cars per session. Right after the first session, the lap
counter/timer that is in the infield took a “dump”. That was just a slight prelude as to what was
coming next. We always have sat in about
the same place in the ˝ covered stands.
This week was no exception.
Shortly after the malfunction with the lap counter/timer, there was some
“excitement” in the stands, at around 7:30.
Heck for all I knew, some drunks were probably fighting. But that wasn’t the case. I heard the word “fireworks” mentioned, and
was wondering who would be setting off fireworks neat the stands? Well, it sure was “fireworks”, but not the
kind that go up into the sky. It seems
that there were some electrical problems in an electric box or two, behind the
stands. Might there have been someone
with a “grudge” who wanted to screw up the night, and knew just how to do
it? A bunch of fire trucks were on the
scene, and I figured that we’d be in for a short delay. Wrong!
We were asked to vacate
the ˝ covered stands, at about 8:20, which by now were almost full. We were asked to go into the covered stands
or the bleachers in turn one. I, like
most everyone else thought it would be a temporary thing. Wrong!
My good seats, a few rows from the top, in the ˝
covered, ended up being in the second row in the covered stands, where track
visibility was minimal. Around
9:00 we could see raindrops beginning to fall.
At around 9:21, the lights came back on.
We figured we’d be able to get back to our seats. Wrong!
For whatever reasons that there were, we were not allowed to return to
the ˝ covered stands – not even to get what we might have left there – in our
case, a couple of blankets and some bottles of water. I must add that after the races were called,
at 59 laps into the 100 lap feature, my grandson, Josh, did get our
blanket. Due to the long delay – which
many think was not really necessary, the “B” main was not held, but would have
been held after the 100 lapper, if the rains didn’t come.
Unfortunately, the
tired speaker system at OC, is just about as bad in
the covered stands as it is in the ˝ covered.
It would be great if it were to be upgraded to where one could actually
heat what was being said. At times,
during time trials, one could make out what was said – in the ˝ covered, then it would mess up, again.
I’ve been a fan of
Brett Hearn for quite a few years now. I
was glad to see him finally get a chance to promote a race – something he’s
been hankering to do for a while, now.
Well, with the festivities of last night, I guess his introduction to
promoting hit all angles – both good and bad.
Unfortunately, too some, the bad outweighed the good. The biggest problem – the electrical one, was
really beyond his control. With the long
delay, that enabled “Mother Nature” to throw in her monkey wrench, also. Might this affect his future promoting
plans? Time will tell, I suppose. There was a good crowd. There was a good turn out of cars and
drivers. The track was fast – maybe too
fast. When you have time trials, and the
fastest start up front, you don’t get to see much passing. You end up what is now called “Freight Train
Racing” – something that seems to be at quite a few tracks, today. True, there was some passing, but to me, it
was minimal. How this problem can be
fixed is anyone’s guess. It’s just the
nature of the beast, I guess, with everyone now using “Store bought” chassis,
almost equal engines - horse power wise, a fairly closed assortment of tires
that cam be used – it all ads up to everyone almost on equal grounds. Passing is at a minimum, you could say. Sadly, that isn’t helping as far as “good”
racing goes. My thoughts of course.
After the races, it was
announced that those that were in the ˝ covered stands, that had been
inconvenienced by having to move to somewhat less desirable seats, they should
save their ORANGE wrist bands, and when/if they return to OCFS on Saturday,
they would get $4.00 off the cost of admission.
I do believe that meant ANY admission cost. Heh, heh, of course good old “Mother Nature”
is due to say, put a “damper” on racing on Saturday, in most of this area. Maybe that offer will be held over to the
next race night?
I was really quite
disappointed in the 50/50 being only $710.00.
I was at Lebanon Vally a couple of weeks ago, and their 50/50 was
somewhat higher – by a lot. The ones I
saw selling tickets were “new”, and I saw none of the
normal 50/50 ticket sellers. They drew
four different tickets for four prizes ( I had none of
‘em!). A set of Bilstein shocks was the
second prize. Hmm, how many fans could
have used them? Most cars have struts,
today. Third and fourth place prizes
were for tickets to Fulton and Brewerton speedways. The announced, more than a
couple of times, the ticket numbers for all but the first prize. Apparently that got claimed.
Some things that were
said about the “Big Show”, via the Internet, IM’s or e-mails:
“well
this is what happened to us and you can put it in your article...we left 2 chairs
and our tarp up there and they announced over the pa system that we could go
get them and then when my friend went they told her no, then i went and they
told me no, then xxxx & one of friends tried and the secuirty guy took his
name and told him that we would be able to pick them up in the office
i called the office this morning and the guy
that answered starting yelling at me that they gave us a half hour after the
races to get them...i asked him why was he yelling at me and he yelld it again
and I told him that was messed up and he was mad at me for what we were told by
security
really left a bad
taste w/ me..i prob won't go back til Aug only to
watch the 305’s
i'm the fan and don't
deserve to be yelled at on the phone for following what i was told to do..i think it was ken sands that answered but not positive
we
always bring our cooler in w/ cans. i'm really beginning to hate that place
i've never been treated like that there its a shame that i been going my
hole life and the place is getting worse rather than better”
"Blame the
Mechanicstown fire chief for the delay that doomed the show.He wouldnt let
workers repair the electrical problem for an hour and a half, just because.I
was told once they were allowed to work on it took 10 minutes to get the lights
on.This guy was a complete jerk."
"Is this the same
douche bag that screwed the track out of having gas in the pits? This guy needs
to be taken out in a dark alley somewhere and taken care of."
"Blame them if you want
but come on, is anyone really surprised that a problem like this would occur at
"Agree. Track in tip
top condition. Track record broken by 17 drivers and set by
Decker, than DJ, than Sheppard. Random that the track
was soooo fast? Nope...dont think so. Looks like Brett told Vinny what
he wanted (as stated previously in AARN) and he got what he asked for.”
”Nice job Brett Hearn. You've showed what potential OCFS has."
"Last night was my
first time ever at OCFS. My 1st impression was that I walked into a time warp.
It looks like this place is stuck in the '60's. I hope management had a wake up
call last night with the electrical debacle. Time to put some
$$$ back into the facilities. I had a great GA seat in turn 4, but then
got ousted cuz of the arcs and sparks and ended up crammed into turn 1 and
couldn't see squat.
On the possitive side,
those new track records were impressive. A half second when we're talking 20
-21 second laps is HUGE. I was also impressed at how quickly they got all those
heat races done. But I guess they had to.
Being a LVS regular, I was disappointed that only Keith Flach made the big
show. Not a good showing at all from the LVS stars.
What's up with that guy in the men's room? He must have made a small fortune in
tips just by sitting on his little stool in the corner.
Will I go back to OCFS? Maybe, someday..."
" The track has been that fast
every week at OCFS and that is the problem... There isn't going to be good
racing when the track is super fast and everyone is hooked up and holding on
for the ride... They need to slow it down - dry and slick isn't a bad thing,
especially if the entire surface is dry and slick from wall to wall..."
" Let me make one thing perfectly
clear, this situation had nothing to do with OCFS management. This was from
Brett, his Big Show crew and DIRT. Upon arrival at the drive-in they tried to
inform me that they were not going to honor my season pass because this was a
DIRT show, I was lucky enough to pull in when Brett was standing at the
drive-in ticket booth. The guy at the ticket booth asked Brett if they were
going to honor the pass and he said yes, ok no problem. After being there for
about 45 min, we tried to walk around to the midway area behind the grandstand.
We went down to the third turn gate and the security informed us that we could
not go over, after some complaining and questioning they called someone over.
Ken Sands and Jay Castimore came over and told us that because of the
difference in ticket prices we could not go over. They did not want people
paying $50 for 5 people in a car, parking in the drive in and going over to sit
in the stands because the stands were $20. Jay agreed it was not right and ken
sands made a phone call, they told us if we kept our wristbands we could get in
on Saturday for $10. Then after they call the race they announce that because
of the delays and the shortened race anyone could bring thier wristband to this
saturdays show and get in for $4 off, which is $10. So
the drive-in did not get to go to the autograph session, did not get to see
Carl Edwards car, Could not buy merchandise or go to
the bar. All we got was quads running around the track. Did anyone else run
into this?"
"
With no
disrespect...Maybe there thinking was "Ya get what ya pay for"?
Its to bad that after all the hard work that went into
this show that everything that could go wrong seemed to."
" You got to see the show for
$10.00 a piece. How would it have been fair to allow entry to the midway, where
anyone could have grabbed a seat, for the $10.00 they paid.
Would that have been fair to those of us who paid $20.00+ for our seats? Like
it was said before you get what you pay for. I doubt that most people that go
to the drive in are interested in the mid way area. Maybe there should have
been better commnication about it but take it as a growing pain for what was a
great show."
" I called the track the
Tuesday, and asked about walking over (just figured, hey pay $10, get a $20
seat)and they told me then that would not be allowed. Makes
sense."
"
Niether
myself or anyone I was with paid $10 to get in. The drive-in had different color
wristbands than the grandstands, so why not have security check wristbands
before entering the grandstands."
"They
had a merchandise trailer in the drive-in along with the restsrooms that are
normally there.
I was there and was thoroughly impressed with the show.
Maybe if Brett puts the drivers outside the main grandstand entrance so BOTH
sections have access .
Just a thought."
"
There's
always going to be somebody that's not happy and wants to complain! The outcome
wouldn't have changed with another 44 laps! Don't forget you can save $4 on
your ticket this weekend! LOL All tracks should donate to there local fire
departments! Its called politics! It was a great show!
Brett Hearn did everything in his power to make it a great show!"
" You got to go back in time to
find out about OCFS and the fire dept."
" I am almost certain you could
call it a success. Sixty two mods showed up. Which is more
than ive seen at most Eastern States weekends. The crowd was there even
for a Wednesday night. So the track had a few technical difficulties. Things
happen. We were lucky the lights even came back on. The racing was typical OCFS
style. What more did you expect?? How many more track records did they have to
break tonight to prove they can put on a good show? Stop sippin haterade kids!
It is what it is. If you dont like it, dont show up!!"
" Cream of the crop drivers time trials and heats went well.No control over the lights and weather.Hope to see Brett pull off BIG SHOW #2 next year.What happened to Howard?Was running in the top ten and official finish had him back much further.Thank You."
" I am in no way a fan of
brett.....but I do like the fact that he tried his hand at promoting....who
better to have as a promotoer, one of the greatest modified drivers(i am not a
fan of his but I can't deny that he is a good driver)
But this thread just goes to show, it doesn't matter if your ric lucia, howard
commander, bruce richards, or anyone in between, even brett hearn can't make
EVERYONE happy."
"Maybe this will open
the eyes of those that think it's so easy to be a Promoter and to put on the
Big Show."
"Not a shot at you in
anyway Raven but I must agree with ValleyBabe. With everyone so quick to start
punching keys and making it so easy to complain publicly now with the internet,
it seems that there isn't a promoter anywhere in the Northeast that can make
ANYONE happy. It must make everyones ride home after the races a little more
exciting as they drive late through the night... "Geez, I was at the races
tonight, what can I run home, jump on the internet, and pick apart and complain
about?"
"While you are correct
that everyone is quick to complain on here I am sure that IF Brett does this
again he will fix this problem. While you say "you can't make anyone
happy" you have to try and make as many as possible happy.”
”Next year he should have someone check the wristbands as Raven suggested
because the concessions and vendors would have made more money had fans such as
Raven been allowed to go over and spend. I am sure it
will be better next time (if there is a next time) but from the sounds of it,
considering all the problems encountered, he did a better job then promotors
who have been doing this a lot longer!"
"
Remember
Brett's tee shirt trailer was at the midway so that was potential dollars that
he lost too so I am sure it was something that slipped through the cracks and
as was previously posted will be fixed next time. Better to look at the glass
half full in life than empty"
"not
sure i understand this payed 10 and want the same benefit of the people that
payed 20 to get in."
" I think the simple solution Brett/OCFS could put in
place is temp restrooms, a portable concession, and a satellite merch
trailer...and the first 20 cars into the drive in each get 5 autographed Carl
Edwards/Driver TBA hero cards, signed/dated by Carl.
It may not be the same as having access to the midway/autograph
session/merch/concessions, but it at least offers similar ameneties, so you
don't lose potential customer spending while still offering a family friendly,
affordable alternative to see the show vs. the 'premium' grandstand ticket and
the access that it allows...
Just thinking out loud on that one...”
”And though I don't know Raven (or a good many others on here) I will be the
first to tell you, speaking from experience of organizing individual
events/series, that there's WAY more to pulling off a race than you'd ever
imagine. Kudos to Brett and company for having the stones to step up and try
it...”
”Were there problems? Yeah, probably (wasn't there, can only go by eyewitness
accounts)...some of which can be cured, some of which are those freaky kinda
things that can happen anytime...and believe me, you can be prepared for (what
you think is) every possibility and something ELSE will happen!
Also remember this...when you post on a message board like this, tone and tenor
are different in written form than spoken form. You can come off as being a
complainer and whiner even though that's NOT what you intended...be careful
what you type as you're thinking about typing it..".
“Number
one what happened last night was no fault of the promotion team that ran the
event. They were leasing the track for the evening. So as far as I am concerned
they do not owe an apology. They did a great job of keeping the show moving
until the fire in back of the grandstands. Then bozo the fire chief want's to
make the whole crowd suffer because he decided to go on a power trip.
As far as the $4.00 off this week I commend the
“
Well yea the promotion team has nothing to do with the fact
that none of the money coming in for the past 40 years ever went to a better
electric layout. Or the fact that the Mechanicstown fire chief made a 25 minute
repair turn into almost a 2hr ordeal. I think if you weigh the amount of money
that the speedway made last night with all the disgruntled fans especially
those who left early, then a $7 admission will still make them money and at the
same time make everyone happy. I dunno maybe im taking it a little too far but
i feel i was jipped again. Plus $10 is what some tracks charge to begin with so
it doesnt look like all that great of a deal to new comers that might want to
come saturday. $7 Sounds like
it would have been a better attempt to draw fans. Plain and simple the owners
are not putting enough money back into the track, they're pocketing it. I know
it costs a lot to run each night and all the people have to get paid but you cant tell me they're not making money. There was a couple
nights already this year where there had to have been close to at least 4
thousand people plus about 200 plus vehicles in the drive in. Multiply that by
14. They need to make some changes or the changes will get the best of them and
then we all lose out in the long run. Dont they realize that you have to spend
money to make money. Its all about promoting too which
in that aspect with the exception of last night promoters havent done jack
shit.”
“Tell
me how many out of towners actually heared the announcement. Then tell me how
many heard $4 off and said fu*k it im not coming here anymore. If they heard
half price and Tim Pitts was there telling them the full schedual and how good
of a deal it would be then they would have def. attracted new regulars or at
least a few new faces next week. Yea $4 off is good for me cuz I go like every
week but its just not enticing enough in my opinion.”
“Well
the place definitely left a bad taste with me. Don't know when or if I will be
returning. Might be time to do some traveling.”
The
History of the Sport:
From
road racing:
Carroll
Shelby, Roger Penske, Bob Said, George Constantine, Chuck Daigh, Pedro
Rodriguez, Lance Reventlow, Dick Thompson, Loyal Katskee, Jokko Maggiacomo,
Denise McCluggage, John Fitch, Briggs Cunningham, Bill Spear, Phil Hill,
Sherwood Johnson, Bill Lloyd, Walter Hansgen, Mark Donohue, Sam Posey, Peter Revson, Reg Parnell,
Miles Collier, Jack McAfee, Jim Kimberly, John Gordon Bennett, Masten Gregory,
Fritz Koster and George Weaver
Video
time:
Something quite different this week. I think you’ll get a kick out of this one!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWH-VToohro
Other (non racing)
news:
You gotta love it! So you had a job and due to circumstances,
you were laid off. Well, at least, in
most cases, you were eligible for unemployment benefits. Of course, those benefits were nice, in a
way, but they weren’t actually enough – right?
So then you got a $25.00 raise.
Still not enough, but it sure helped – but did it? Not really, too some. It seems that extra $25.00 put quite a few
people over the “limit” for food stamps.
Yes! That’s right! Get an extra $25.00 and lose up to $300.00 in
food stamps! Read about it, here:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090615/ap_on_go_ot/us_stimulus_food_stamps
Note: Part of the article says this: “Laid-off workers and state officials are
only now realizing the quirk, a consequence of pushing a $787 billion, 400-page
bill through Congress and into law in three weeks.”
Uh
huh! Like someone never even thought
about this? C’mon, give me a break! One thing I found out while watching the
video was that 401 monies couldn’t be touched if you file for bankruptcy. Of course, that is now. I would not be surprised to see that changed
in the very near future.
Banks:
Most
of us use banks for one thing or another.
I do. The other day, I was
checking my accounts via the internet.
While checking them, I decided to check on my “huge” Money Market
Savings. I was really surprised as to
how much I’ve made over these last four months, interest wise. Like .05, .06, .06, and .04. Yes, that’s right those figures are
CENTS! I went to my bank to see if I
could get into some other type of savings account that might give a little
more, interest wise., like maybe a buck or tow a
month. Nope! I was told that regular
savings give less interest than what I was getting. And to think, the bank I deal with got
billions from the government – make that the taxpayers, who will NEVER get one
single dollar into their own pockets, even if those we helped come out looking
and smelling like roses! What the hell
are they doing with all that money?
Work one month for
free:
Would you? Well, British Airways is asking its employees
to do so. Check it out, here:
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/British-Airways-asks-staff-to-cnnm-15540212.html?.v=1
Closing with this:
I got this the other day in a e-mail:
The train was
quite crowded, and a
The war-weary Marine asked, 'Ma'am, may I have that seat?'
The French woman just
sniffed and said to no one in particular 'Americans are so rude. My little Fifi
is using that seat.'
The
Marine
walked the entire train again, but the only seat left was under that dog.
'Please, ma'am. May I sit
down? I'm very tired..'
She snorted, 'Not only are
you Americans rude, you are also arrogant!'
This time the Marine didn't
say a word; he just picked up the little dog, tossed it out the train window,
and sat down.
The woman shrieked, 'Someone
must defend my honour! This American should be put in his place!'
An
English gentleman sitting nearby spoke up, 'Sir, you Americans seem to have a
penchant for doing the wrong thing.
You
hold the fork in the wrong hand.
You
drive your cars on the wrong side of the road.
And
now, sir, you seem to have thrown the wrong b*tch out the window.
May “Guardian Angels” sit on the shoulders of all of our race drivers and guide them safely around the
tracks!
Drive safe!
As
usual, you can reach me at: ygordad@yahoo.com