Please visit our Website @ www.crisisconnectioninc.org for complete information concerning our not-for-profit advocacy agency for the victims and survivors of domestic and sexual violence. Read below for more information.
Driver Brendan Gaughan WIN This Helmet
'Lucky Dog' rule....explained NASCAR
President Mike Helton on Sunday issued a stern warning to drivers not to race
back to the caution and clarified the sanctioning body's position on allowing
a lap back to the first car not on the lead lap. "I'm warning you drivers,
crew chiefs, owners, spotters and whoever else has a role in this, if we are
under the impression that you are racing back or still hauling it when the
yellow comes out, then we're going to put you on pit road," Helton said at
Sunday's pre-race drivers meeting. "When the yellow comes out, you don't race
back. You don't have to worry about looking in your mirror and wondering if a
guy is going to come around you. If they do, we're going to get them. If we
get them, they'll end up on pit road and be black-flagged and I don't know yet
how long they'll stay there." Last season NASCAR eliminate.
Jayski.com 3/04
Kahne wins pole at Las Vegas: Rookie
#9-Kasey Kahne won the pole for the UAW-Daimler-Chrysler 400 at Las Vegas
Motor Speedway with a new track record of 174.904mph, one of 15 drivers who
broke the old track record [of 173.016 that Bobby Labonte set in 2003].
Starting 2nd is #97-Kurt Busch, #25-Brian Vickers, #42-Jamie McMurray and
#12-Ryan Newman. Provisionals went to #22-Wimmer, #50-Cope and #02-Long.
#72-Shelmerdine was not eligible for a provisional, but since there were spots
left open, he makes the race via his 2004 race attempts, and #89-Shepherd got
the last spot over #98-Gunselman as he was faster in his qualifying attempt.
Neither were eligible for a provisional and neither had a race attempt in
2004. NASCAR.com has the #89 ahead of the #72.
Qualifying will be re-aired on Speed Channel at 2:00am/et on Sat March 6th.
For qualifying results/lineup for the UAW-Daimler-Chrysler 400 at Las Vegas
Motor Speedway
See Track Specs:
Front straight: 2,275 feet
Back straight: 1,572 feet
Banking: Corners:12 degrees, Front Straight: 8 degrees, Back Straight: 3
degrees
Grandstand Seating: 137,000
Pace Car Speeds: Pit Road - 45 mph; Track 55 mph
Jayski's Las Vegas Qualifying Page
ThatsRacin.com
MotorsportsOne
NASCAR.com.
Jayski.com 3/5/04
JAYSKI in Vegas:
Jayski will be heading to Vegas for this weekends race and festivities.
Got a busy few days ahead of me. The folks are in Mooresville to house/pet sit
and see the area, while I head out to Vegas. Staying at the Luxor as part of the
Jayski Las Vegas deal that Premiere Sports Travel did thru the Jayski site [been
told over 2000 people did the deal...wow], will attend the Hospitality Banquet
at the Luxor [the package says a driver will attend too] on Friday [will handle
qualifying from hotel room]. Saturday will work the site, do some sight seeing
on the strip and go see the Blue Man Group [watched the DVD, it is very cool -
looks like a blast, need to fond someone for the extra ticket] and of course
Sunday head over to Las Vegas Motor Speedway and watch the race...I will NOT be
covering the race lap-by-lap on the site, like normal, not sure if anyone
follows that anyway, but it keeps me paying attention and up on the race. Fly to
Atlantic City, NJ on Monday to see my new nephew for the first time and pick up
my car and head back to Mooresville on Tuesday....should be a hoot! Email
address works however it has been removed from the site while on travel. The
site will be updated as normal, just at different times due to the 3-hour time
difference and travel.
UPDATE: made it to Vegas, got my rental, drove th strip, stopped by Las Vegas
Motor Speedway to get my credentials, see my bill board [turn 1] and get 50 pics
of some Cup haulers already there. After a quicl run to In-and-out burger,
checked into the Luxor [man this place is huge] and took a nap since I got a
whole 1 1/2 hours last night. One thing, hardly any TV channels here, no Speed
Channel, no Fox Sports Net, no FX and [yikes] no HBO. So I will be relying on my
visits to the track, the internet and my XM Satelitte /NASCAR Radio for info
while here. BUT my #1 Priority while here and always is to update the site.
Jayski.com 3/4/04
Some LVMS Notes:
· 21 drivers have competed in every NASCAR Nextel Cup race at LVMS. Three of
those drivers (Skinner, Spencer and Kenny Wallace) are not entered this year.
· Michael Waltrip and Joe Nemechek have started every Nextel Cup and Busch race
ever held at LVMS. They are both entered in both races this year as well.
· No driver qualifying in the top five has ever won a Nextel Cup race at LVMS.
Mark Martin won from seventh in 1998.
· There will be three Las Vegas-born drivers (Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch and Brendan
Gaughan) competing in this year's race.
· John Andretti, Ricky Craven, Ricky Rudd, Ken Schrader and Kenny Wallace have
competed in every Nextel Cup race at LVMS but have no Top-10 finishes. [Andretti
and Wallace will not run the Cup race]
· Jack Roush has posted wins at LVMS with three different drivers (Martin, J.
Burton and Kenseth)
· Jeff Gordon at 29 is the youngest driver to ever win at LVMS, while Bobby
Labonte at 34 was the youngest pole sitter for a Nextel Cup race at LVMS.
· Tony Stewart and Jason Leffler are the only drivers to compete at LVMS in an
Indy Racing League, Busch Series and Nextel Cup event. Leffler also has competed
here in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
· Rookies have qualified on the front row in two of the past four races. (Scott
Pruett in 2000 and Ryan Newman in 2002)
· Ford has won the four of the first six Nextel Cup races in Las Vegas.
· There have been six caution flags in each of the past three NNC races at LVMS.
· Two of the past three UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 winners have gone on to win the
season championship. Jeff Gordon in 2001 and Matt Kenseth in 2003.
· Two of the last three UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 winners' starting spots have
coincided with their car number. Jeff Gordon started 24th in 2001 and Matt
Kenseth started 17th in 2003.(LVMS PR)(3-3-2004)
"Who's Hot / Who's Not“ Heading to Las Vegas:
Hot: Jeff Gordon has scored three straight top-10 finishes, a streak that began
at Homestead last November. Dale Earnhardt has scored two top-five finishes in
2004. Matt Kenseth has scored two top-10 finishes in 2004.
Not: Jeff Burton has finished 42nd and 37th in the first two races in 2004.
Robby Gordon has finished 35th and 36th in the first two races in 2004. Michael
Waltrip has finished 38th and 33rd in the first two races of 2004.(NASCAR
Statistical Services)(3-2-2004)
48 Cars Entered at Vegas UPDATE down to 45:
The tenative UAW-Daimler-Chrysler 400 Entry List is up, 48 cars are
listed to run at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Included are #02-Carl Long,
#09-Johnny Benson, #1-John Andretti, #14-Larry Foyt, #23-Dave Blaney, #72-Kurt
Shelmerdine, #80-Andy Hillenburg, #84-Kyle Busch, #89-Morgan Shepherd, #91-Bill
Elliott, #98-Larry Gunselman, see my UAW-Daimler-Chrysler 400 Entry List
page.(2-27-2004)
DOWN to 47? hearing that #1-Andretti and
team will NOT be at Vegas.(3-2-2004)
DOWN to 45: on NASCAR.com's Entry List,
there are 45 cars; off the list are #1-John Andretti, #14-Larry Foyt and
#80-Andy Hillenburg. Also the #23 is listed without a sponsor.(3-2-2004)
DOWN to 44: been informed that #23-Dave
Blaney's entry has been withdrawn.(3-4-2004)
Jayski.com
#90-Eddie Beahr
#21-Clint Bowyer
#5-Kyle Busch
#51-Shane Sieg
#05-Brian Conz
#33-Paul Menard
#52/#77-Donnie Neuenberger
#66-Billy Parker
#39-Andy Ponstein
#88-Tracy Hines
#23-Shelby Howard
#12-Robert Hoffman
#29 Brad Keselowski
#67-Steadman Marlin
#8-Chase Montgomery
#17-David Reutimann
#07-Shane Sieg
#02-Kelly Sutton
#08-Ken Weaver
#38-Brandon Whitt
#63-Chris Wimmer
This is unofficial note: it is my understanding that if a driver has driven in
five or more races in a season in the upper NASCAR series a driver cannot be
eligible for the ROTY in a 'lower' series
So #62-Steve Park is not eligible. Jayski.com
FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE---THANK YOU
FEBRUARY 15, 2004
CONTACT: BOB MILLER TOTH98@aol.com
SEVEN DAYS UNTIL RACING RETURNS TO READING, PENNSYLVANIA Reading, PA (February
15, 2004).....Its now just seven days until racing returns to the Reading,
Pennsylvania area, in the form of the nineteenth annual Reading Racing Reunion
and Car Show at the Fairgrounds Square Mall, on the former site of the Reading
Fairgrounds Speedway. The mall, which is located on the Fifth Street Highway
in Reading, PA, will house over 125 race cars of all types, as well as
displays from various speedways and sanctioning clubs, for the week long show.
This show, sponsored by the Reading Eagle Company, NAPA Auto Parts, COMDIAL
Communications, and Ray's Yamaha, is organized by former Reading residents Bob
and Donna Miller and is annually the number one event held at the mall,
drawing over 80,000 visitors for the seven day program. After opening on
Sunday morning February 22nd, with the excitement of all the shiny new race
cars arranged throughout the mall, all freshly painted and ready for the
coming of the new season, attention will turn to the daily events planned for
each night, scheduled to start at 7PM. Thunder on the Hill/Bridgeport
Speedway announcer, Jeff Ahlum, will host each night's activities that will
feature interviews and autograph sessions with some of the area's top drivers,
owners, and racing officials. Throughout the week, the continuing theme of the
show will be a salute to both the late Lindy Vicari and driver Russ Smith, for
their contributions to racing from the Reading Fairgrounds Speedway.
Every year the highlight of the week long show is Friday night's Legends Reunion, when many of the drivers who competed at the what was considered the top modified track in the country, the Reading Fairgrounds, all come together to once again meet and speak to huge crowd that attends this yearly event. After the completion of the Reunion ceremony, the evening continues at the Goodwill Fire Company, this year's site of the BASH Racing Movie Party, where everyone is welcome to come and enjoy the non-stop racing movies and music for dancing that will go from 8:30PM to 1AM. During the BASH, all the Car Show Awards will be presented along with video highlights of the week long celebration. Tickets for the BASH are priced at $10 per person and will include soda, pretzels andchips. Advance ticket purchases are encouraged due to the limited seating at the Goodwill Fire Company, and will be available all week at the Weikel Racewear display at center court of the mall.
READING RACING REUNION SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Sunday, Feb. 22 11AM: Show opens Monday, Feb. 23 7PM: Bridgeport Speedway Night, Salute to Russ Smith, & a How To Restore a Race Car seminar hosted by Mike Grim, Dave Jensen, & Jim Fidler
Tuesday, Feb. 24 7PM: URC Sprints & ARDC Midgets Night
Wed. Feb. 25 7PM: THUNDER ON THE HILL NIGHT + Late Model & Legend Drivers Interviews along with Russ Smith Autograph Night
Thurs. Feb 26 7PM: Modified Madness Night - Grandview, Big Diamond, & DIRT South East Big Block Modified Night
Friday, Feb 27 7PM: LEGEND'S REUNION - HONORING LINDY VICARI & RUSS SMITH 8:30PM: BASH Racing Movie Party at Goodwill Fire Company
Saturday Feb. 28 1PM: Sportsman Drivers, Micro Sprint, Go Kart, & Quarter Midget Driver Interviews 9PM: Show Closes All drivers, owners, officials, and racing press interested in participating in the Legends Reunion are urged to call Donna Miller at 215-860-5631 as soon as possible to register for this highly regarded event and reserve their place in the ceremony.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE----THANK
YOU
CONTACT: BOB MILLER 215-860-5631
TOTHILL98@aol.com
mailto:TTHILL98@aol.com
Time & Space Running Out For 19th Annual
Reading Racing Reunion and Car Show
READING, PA - February 11 , 2004.....With the
19th annual Reading Racing Reunion & Car Show now just two week away, event
organizers Bob & Donna Miller have just about booked up every available inch
of display space at the Fairgrounds Square Mall, which is located on the
former site of the historic Reading Fairgrounds Speedway on the 5th Street
Highway in Reading, PA. The show, which opens on Sunday February 22nd and runs
through Saturday February 28th, is the Fairgrounds Mall number one event,
annually drawing over 80,000 visitors to the mall. This year's edition of the
show is expected to be no different, so those interested in vendor spots or
displaying their race cars should contact Donna Miller at 215-860- 5631 as
soon as possible. E-mail contact is available at mailto:tothill98@aol.com
tothill98@aol.com.
The 2004 Reading Reunion & Race Car Show will feature a salute to Reading Fairgrounds promoter Lindy Vicari, the late Berks County resident who ran what was considered to be the top dirt track in the east for over twenty-five years. Also being recognized for his achievements at the fabled oval is Russ Smith, the 1962 Flathead Champion, which was the final year of competition for the division, with modifieds headlining the show in 1963. Smith will be the featured guest on Monday and Wednesday night's programs, as well as being part of the big Legends Reunion Ceremony, which takes place on Friday night at center court of the mall.
With more than 125 race cars, as well as displays from various local speedways and racing memorabilia and collectables vendors jamming the mall, the Miller's have planned events for every night starting at 7PM. On tap for Monday night's activities is Bridgeport Speedway night, as well as a "How To Restore a Race Car" demonstration. Open Cockpit night is scheduled for Tuesday night, with the United Racing Club sprints and American Racing Driver Club midgets sharing the spotlight for the evening. "Thunder on the Hill" Night, with 410 sprints, along with Late Models and Legend Cars takes place on Wednesday night, with "Modified Madness" coming back the Thursday night. This night will feature Grandview and Big Diamond Speedways, as well as the new big block modified DIRT Southeast Series. Each evening will feature driver, owner, and speedway representative interviews with event announcer Jeff Ahlum, as well as autograph sessions all taking place on stage at center court.
The highlight of the week occurs on Friday night, when the largest crowd of the week jams center court for the annual Legends Reunion, which shines the spotlight on all of the great drivers that competed at the Reading Fairgrounds and attend this yearly reunion, which this year will honor both Lindy Vicari and Russ Smith. Following this ceremony, which will feature interviews with the over thirty drivers that will be on hand, the party continues down the road at the Goodwill Fire Company, where the BASH Racing Movie Party will take place from 8:30PM to 1AM. This always fun-filled event will feature non-stop racing movies along with music for dancing, as well as the presentation of all the Car Show Awards. Those interested in attending this party are urged to purchase their tickets in advance due to limited seating. Tickets, which include soda, chips and pretzels, may be purchased all week long at the Weikel Racewear display at center court of the mall, or by contacting Donna Miller at 215-860-5631.
New to this year's show will be Ray's
Yamaha, joining sponsors Reading Eagle, NAPA Auto Parts, and COMDIAL
Communications to present this annual Berks County event. Also appearing for
the first time will be a replica of the Piscopo #39, driven by the late Al
Tasnady, as well as replicas of Billy Pauch's red, white and blue #15 and Mike
Grbac's #47. Dedicated event programs and event T- shirts will also be
available at the mall during the weeklong celebration.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE- -
-THANK YOU
SENT ON BEHALF OF BOB MILLER
FEBRUARY 3, 2004
RAYS YAMAHA ADDS SUPPORT TO READING RACING REUNION & CAR SHOW TO OPEN
FEBRUARY 22 AT FAIRGROUNDS SQUARE MALL
LANGHORNE, PA FEBRUARY 3, 2004 . . . Rays Yamaha, located on Route 422
East in Reading, PA will be a support sponsor of the up-coming 19th Annual
Reading Racing Reunion & Car Show to take place at the Fairgrounds Square
Mall in Reading. The show will open on Sunday, February 22 and continue
through Saturday, February 28. Rays Yamaha is the oldest Yamaha dealership
in the USA, first opening their doors in 1962. A sister store to Rays Yamaha
is All seasons Motorsports Yamaha located on North 5th Street Highway. Both
stores are run and operated by the racing Miller Family that includes Mike,
Tracy and Michele. You'll find a complete line of Yamaha Motorcycles,
Snowmobiles, WaveRunners, Jet Boats, Motor Scooters and ATV 4 Wheelers.
Parts and Accessories for both Yamaha and Polaris equipment is available plus
over 300 helmets.
Rays Yamaha joins the Reading Eagle Company, NAPA Auto Parts and COMDIAL Telephone Communications as the event sponsors. More then one-hundred race cars will fill the Fairgrounds Square Mall including replica race cars of the Dave Piscopo #39 and the Kenny Brightbill #19 sedan. A large selection of restored race cars plus many current day race cars will return to the property that once was home of the Reading Fairgrounds Speedway.
The show will salute the Reading Rocket Russ Smith, who will make his first official appearance at this show. A tribute will also take place to remember the Reading Fairgrounds Speedway legendary Promoter Lindy Vicari, who passed away in early September. Limited space is still available foranyone who would like to display during the week long event. Please call Donna Miller at 215- 60-5631.
Activities for the Show Include:
Sunday, February 22 Show Officially Opens at 11 AM
Monday`` 7 PM Bridgeport Speedway Night Plus Guest Russ Smith
and a seminar on . . How to Restore a Race Car
Tuesday 7 PM URC Sprints & ARDC Midgets Night (Driver
Interview & Autographs all night)
Wednesday 7 PM Thunder on the Hill Night- - Meet Lance Dewease
Plus the stars of Late Model and Legend Car Racing
Thursday 7 PM Modified Madness Night- - See and Meet the Stars
of Grandview & Big Diamond Raceway
Friday 7 PM The Legend's Reunion- - Legend Drivers of the
past and present gather for this annual reunion
Friday 8:30 to 1 AM THE BASH Racing Movie Party- -Goodwill
Fire Co, Madison Ave, Hyde Park. . Great Racing Movies from the past and
present, with music for dancing Plus the Car Show Award Presentations. Soda,
chips & pretzels plus a Cash Bar is available for $10. Saturday
1 PM Interviews with the Micro Sprint, Quarter Midget and Go Kart Drivers
The Fairgrounds Square Mall is located on the 5th Street Highway in Reading,
PA. For additional information, contact: Donna Miller 215-860-5631.
END
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE---THANK YOU
BY: HUGH SNYDERMAN
SENT ON BEHALF OF: BOB MILLER
JANUARY 31, 2004
THE 2004 READING EAGLE-NAPA-COMDIAL
READING RACING REUNION SCHEDULE OF EVENTS FINALIZED
LANGHORNE, PA JANUARY 31, 2004 ...The upcoming 19th annual Reading Racing Reunion & Car Show, set to open on Sunday afternoon February 22nd at the Fairground Square Mall in Reading, PA, will once again have something of interest for every kind of race fan. With over 125 racers of all types on display throughout the mall, fans of all ages will get the chance to get up close and personal with modifieds, sprints, sportsman, late models, micro sprints, go karts, and drag cars, as well as the many restored racers from the past that are brought out to the show every year. For the first time, the Piscopo #39 modified, driven to many victories by the late Al Tasnady at the Reading Fairgrounds, will appear at the show, as well as the red, white, and blue # 15 that New Jersey legend Billy Pauch drove early in his career. Show organizers Bob and Donna Miller have put together a schedule of events for the weeklong show that will have everyone coming out to the mall each night for a different featured program that will begin at 7PM. On Monday, it will be Bridgeport Speedway night, with appearances by some of the top modified drivers and car owners, as well as representatives from the new management team that will be running the wide 5/8th mile New Jersey clay oval in 2004. Also on the schedule of events for the evening will be the start of the week long salute to Russ Smith, who was the Reading Fairgrounds Flathead Champion in 1962, as well as a "How to Restore a Race Car" seminar presented by a panel of restoration experts that will include Mike Grim, Dave Jensen, and Jim Fidler.
Tuesday will be Open Wheel club night, with the two oldest traveling open cockpit organizations in the United States taking the spotlight for the evening. The United Racing Club, which features winged sprint cars competing at dirt tracks all over the Northeast including Canada, will share the night with the American Racing Drivers Club, a highly competitive group that campaigns winged and wingless midget racing on dirt and asphalt speedways up and down the East Coast. Driver interviews and autograph sessions with these two groups will highlight the night's activities. "Thunder on the Hill Night" is set for Wednesday night February 25th, with the highly successful Rogers-Miller promoted series taking the center stage for the evening. Some of the top Central PA 410 winged sprint car drivers are expected to make appearances on this night, along with Late Model and Legend drivers, for interviews with show Announcer Jeff Ahlum. Also featured on this evening will be Russ Smith Autograph night, with the 1962 Reading Flathead Champion meeting and greeting the fans. Smith, the all-time leading Flathead feature winner at the Reading Fairgrounds with 23 wins, took home his championship in the last season of flathead competition at the fabled ˝ mile oval. Thursday night will see "Modified Madness" take over the mall, with Grandview and Big Diamond Speedways sharing the night with the new DIRT SE series. This series, which will feature the mighty big block modifieds in 15 high paying events, will be run on at least five different Northeast speedways. Interviews about this exciting new series, along with the upcoming new seasons at Grandview and Big Diamond, are planned for this night. Schedules for Grandview, Big Diamond, and the new DIRT SE modified series, which is generating a huge amount of interest in the racing community, will be available all week long at the show. The highlight of the weeklong festivities comes on Friday night, when the highly anticipated annual "Legend's Reunion" takes over the spotlight, which this year will feature a salute to Russ Smith and Lindy Vicari. Vicari, the longtime promoter of the Reading Fairgrounds Speedway, passed away this past summer. The Reunion ceremony features appearances by many of the great drivers who competed at the Reading Fairground Speedway, with introductions and interviews being conducted on the stage that is erected just off of center court of the mall. After every driver that is in attendance, is given his time in front of the huge crowd that assembles for this event, the ceremony ends after a "class" picture is taken with all drivers appearing together on stage.
With the conclusion of the ceremonies at
the mall, the party continues at the nearby Goodwill Fire Company, where this
year's annual BASH Racing Movie Party will be held from 8:30PM to 1AM. Tickets
for this always-fun night are $10 and will be available all week long at the
Weikel Racewear stand at center court of the mall. Included with the price of
the ticket are soda, chips, and pretzels, along with the nonstop racing movies
and dance music that is played all night. With limited seating available for
the BASH Party, purchase of advance tickets is advisable and are available by
calling 215-860-5631. The Reading Racing Reunion & Car Show is held at the
Fairgrounds Square Mall, which is located on the former site of the Reading
Fairgrounds Speedway on the 5th Street Highway in Reading, PA. The show is
sponsored by the Reading Eagle Company, NAPA Auto Parts, and COMDIAL Telephone
Communications and opens on Sunday February 22nd and continues through
Saturday February 28th. This is the nineteenth edition of the show, which is
annually the highest drawing event for the Fairgrounds Square Mall, attracting
upwards of 80,000 people to Berks County's largest car show. This year's
designated charities are Easter Seals and the AmericanCancer Society, with
fund raising events being planned for both of these worthy
organizations. Information on securing display space for the show can be
obtained by calling Donna Miller at 215-860-5631. Act now, before the mall is
100% booked for the show, which is an annual occurrence.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE- -
-THANK YOU
JANUARY 25, 2004
RELEASED BY: HUGH SNYDERMAN
CONTACT: BOB MILLER TOTHILL98@aol.com
215-860-5631
Salute to Lindy Vicari to Highlight 19th Annual Reading Racing Reunion & Car
Show
READING, PA January 25, 2004 . . . . . . With the holiday season now in
everyone's rearview mirror, all attention in the racing community turns to the
2004 season and the upcoming 19th annual Reading Racing Reunion and Car Show,
to be held at the Reading Fairgrounds Square Mall, February 22nd through
February 28th. This show, presented by the Reading Eagle Company, NAPA Auto
Parts, and COMDIAL Telephone Communications, is the signal to the area's race
fans and race teams that the outdoor season in right around the corner. This
year's edition of the highly successful show will feature a salute to the late
Lindy Vicari, the Berks County resident who promoted the weekly racing at the
historic Reading Fairgrounds Speedway half-mile clay oval track for 25 years,
as well as honoring Russ Smith, who was the track's final Flathead Champion in
1962.
After opening on Sunday afternoon, February 22nd with over 125 racecars spread
throughout the mall for the thousands of fans to check out, the biggest crowd
waits for Friday night, when the Annual Legends Reunion takes place at center
court. Friday night's activities will start at 7:15pm, giving the fans a
chance to see and meet many of the area's greatest drivers that take part in
this ceremony honoring those that competed at the Reading Fairgrounds
Speedway.
Following the big ceremony at the mall, the evening's fun continues with the BASH Racing Party, which this year will be held at the Goodwill Fire Company, with doors opening at 8:30pm. The highlight of this event will be the presentation of all the Car Show Awards, with music for dancing and racing movies being played until 1am. Tickets for this always entertaining evening are $10 per person and will be available all week at the Weikel Racewear display at Center Court of the mall, as well as at the door of the Goodwill Fire Company on the night of the party. Tickets include soda, chips and pretzels, with a cash bar open during the party. Advance tickets are encouraged due to the limited seating and large turnout to this fun-filled evening every year. Advance tickets are available by calling 215-860-5631.
With an estimated attendance of over
80,000 to this free to the public show, the Reading Racing Reunion and Car
Show continues to be the Fairgrounds Square Mall's largest annual attraction
and this year's edition is expected to be no different. With race cars of all
types on display, as well as many of the local speedways participating to get
their information out to the public, nightly activities are also planned to
keep everyone involved all week long. This year, some of the highlighted
restored racers from yesteryear will include the Piscopo #39, driven by 52
time winner Al Tasnady, Billy Pauch's red, white and blue #15, Mike Grbac's#47
and a pair of the Kenny Brightbill #19 sedans. Making this show even more
special will be the dedicated event T-Shirt, produced by Weikel Racewear, and
special program book, which will both be available to the public all week
long. The Fairgrounds Square Mall is built on the former location of the
Reading Fairground Speedway, whichis on the 5th Street Highway in Reading,
Pennsylvania. Race teams, vendors, and speedwaysthat are interested in more
information about display space, which is going fast, should contact Donna
Miller immediately. Also available are advance tickets for the BASH at the
Goodwill Fire Company. Get in touch with Donna at
TOTHILL98@aol.com <mailto:TOTHILL98@aol.com>.
For those without Internet access, telephone 215-860-5631.
END
ATLANTIC CITY BOARDWALK HALL INDOOR
RACING NEWS
CONTACT: Jeff Gravatt 732-458-7794
DATE OF EVENT: January 9 & 10, 2004
DATE OF RELEASE: January 3, 2003
FOR RELEASE: Immediately! THANK YOU!!
Some of the biggest names in regional short-track racing will step away from the cars they usually drive and climb into Three-Quarter Midget machines--small, 750-pound cars that are purpose-built for racing and carry motorcycle-type engines--to quench their off-season competitive thirsts. They will do fast-and-furious, bumper-to-bumper battle with dozens of cars on an oval track laid out on the concrete surface that encircles the Hall's hockey rink.
"This event is developing into an all-star race for drivers from all over the Northeast," said A.C. Indoor Race organizer Len Sammons. "It's unique in that drivers from so many different divisions meet together on a neutral track." Despite their experience and vast credentials, the regional stars will have to work hard to defeat the regulars in the Three-Quarter Midget racing class. After all, last year's race was won by TQ Midget shoe Andy Mackereth of Mississauga, Ont., and plenty of drivers from the division want to follow in his tire tracks.
"Everyone was so excited about racing returning to Boardwalk Hall that the big question we received was: Why can't we run more shows?" said Sammons. "We'd love to do that, but there are two big reasons we can't--the cost of putting on the show and schedule conflicts with the building. "But we've come up with what we hope is the answer to everyone's desire for more racing: back-to-back nights of racing. We figured that once everything is set up and everyone has traveled to Atlantic City, we might as well run two events in as many nights."
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE- - -THANK YOU
CONTACT: Bob Miller TOTHILL98@aol.com
January 4, 2004
19th Annual Reading Racing Reunion & Car Show to Open Sunday, February 22
READING, PA January 3, 2004 . . . . . . The Fairgrounds Square
Mall in Reading, PA will host the Reading Racing Reunion & Car Show that will
open on Sunday, February 22 and continue through Saturday, February 28. The
nineteenth annual presentation of this show is sponsored by the Reading Eagle
Company, NAPA Auto Parts and COMDIAL Telephone Communications and is absolutely
free to the public. More than one-hundred race cars from various divisions of
short track racing will be on display with many of the local speedways on hand
to distribute their schedules to launch the 2004 racing season. Each year, the
highlight of this show is the Annual Legend's Reunion that will take place on
Friday night, February 27 at center court of the Fairgrounds Square Mall at 7:15
PM. Many racing legend's, including those who once competed at the Reading
Fairgrounds Speedway, are honored and greeted by thousands of fans.
The Reading Racing Reunion &
Car Show remains the biggest annual attraction at the Fairgrounds Square
Mall, with an estimated attendance of more than 80,000. A souvenir Program
Book and event T-shirt will again be available for the 19th annual presentation
of this show. Final details are being arranged for the nightly events and
special guests of honor. A committee was formed at the conclusion of last
years event to expand on the salute to the racing legends display. More
exciting news will be released shortly on what to expect at the 2004
presentation of the Reading Racing Reunion & Car Show.
Display space is always in demand and is limited. Race teams, speedway's and
vendors looking to participate in this years event, should register by
contacting Donna Miller at TOTHILL98@aol.com
Please provide Your Contact Name, Address, Phone Number, Type of Car, Car
Number and Name of Driver and Home Track. Also include any special request you
may have to include location and if additional space is needed. If you do not
have internet access, please provide the same information by calling;
215-860-5631.
The BASH Racing Party will take
place on Friday night, February 27 at the Temple Fire Company and doors will
open at 8:30 PM with the party going on until 1 AM. Great racing movies, music
for dancing, door prizes and Car Show Award presentations will take place along
with the annual Announcers Competition. Tickets for The BASH will be available
at the Todd Weikel Racewear Stand at Center Court of the Mall and at the door of
the Temple Fire Company. Because of limited seating and the huge turnout each
year, it is advisable to purchase your tickets in advance. Tickets are $10 per
person and include soda, chips and pretzels with a cash bar available. Tickets
may also be purchased by contacting,
TOTHILL98@aol.com.
The Fairgrounds Square Mall is located on the 5th Street Highway in Reading,
PA, the former location of the Reading Fairgrounds Speedway. END
Dear Friends of Orange County Fair Speedway,
I received an email from JoAnn Chadwick this afternoon. It looks like the Town of Wallkill is serious about the dust problem at the track. If this legislation is passed, it could be the end of racing at OCFS. Does anyone have any ideas how this legislation can be either countered, watered down, or KILLED???
If you know anyone who could be of assistance, please forward this to them. All we've ever wanted to do was watch the races on Saturday nights like hundreds of thousands of fans have done for over 50 years. Is that too much to ask? Here's the problem:
This proposed new town law is NOT a merry
Christmas present to OCFS fans
and drivers. I got a copy of it and I would fax it to you if you had a
fax number. But I'll key in a few excerpts for you.
180-2. Prohibited acts .
(a) No dust nor dirt nor airborne matter shall be
disseminated beyond
the boundaries of the motor raceway track lot, except within the standards
approved by the New York State Department of Health or similarly empowered
agency; and
(b) No dust nor dirt nor airborne matter shall be
disseminated beyond
the boundaries of the motor raceway track lot that would cause
accumulation upon object surfaces so as to require washing, cleaning, or
repair.
180-3. Penalty for offenses.
Any person with ownership or control over a motor raceway
committing an offense against any provision of this Article shall be
guilty of a violation not to exceed $1,500.
180-4. Failure to remediate.
Failure to remediate the cause of violation of this article may
result in an decision by the Town Board for the amortization of use of the
property as a motor raceway, said amortization to exceed no more that five
years from the date of said determination by the Town Board.
I would suggest EVERYONE who loves races at OCFS to turn out at the Town
Board Hearing on Jan 8th.
I would love getting your opinion. Regards,
JoAnne
Visit the oldest continuously operating dirt
track in the USA:
http://www.angelfire.com/ct3/victoryspeedway/
Press Release : RACESONGS Productions : 12/19/2003
Racesongs Productions ( www.racesongs.com ), The makers of racing music, Racing Websites, Marketing CDs and much more, is proud to announce the release of another new website.
WWW.HOFFMANSPEED.COM, Is the brand new site that RACESONGS Jim Young has designed
for racers Doug & Keith Hoffman’s Speed and Performance Business located in New Tripoli, Pa.
“The Hoffmans are all settled
into their new facility located on Route 100, about
Racesongs Productions has also done websites for such notables as Rick Laubach’s Lightning Bodies, Sammy Martz, Tim Carter, Former Flemington Modified Track Champion Dean Gulick, along with business sites such as former modified racer Wayne Young’s Tri State Underground Locating Service.
Racesongs Productions will also be taking orders their brand new Racer’s Marketing and Sponsorship CD at this years 2004 Sunoco Motorsports Show at the Ft. Washington Expo Center January 16, 17, 18.
“ We have sold several of our Sponsorship CD’s already”, says Young. “They are personalized Slide shows about your race team presented in a business format and are targeted at the corporate community.”
To check out all the websites , Marketing CD’s, Vintage Photos and “Triple Trivia”, please go to
www.racesongs.com . You’ll be glad you did !
Labonte wins at
Homestead as Elliott cuts tire down with lap to go: #9-Bill Elliott led 189 laps
and was on his way to his 45th career win when, with about an half lap left,
cut down a right rear tire, allowing 2nd place #18 Bobby Labonte to scoot by and
win the Ford 400 at the New Homestead-Miami Speedway while only leading one lap,
the last and most important lap. Elliott ended up 8th. #29-Kevin Harvick
finished 2nd, followed by #48-Jimmie Johnson, #10-Johnny Benson [in his last
race with the #10 and the last race for Pontiac] and #24-Jeff Gordon. #97-Kurt
Busch was involved in a lap 5 accident, the team repaired the car and he limped
to a 35th place finish, but still fell to 11th in drivers points. #5-Terry
Labonte, who finished 15th, got the 10th place in points and will head to the
banquet in NYC on Dec 5th. Rookie #42-Jamie McMurray, who started on the pole,
finished 9th and officially was named 2003 Rookie of the Year. #14-Larry Foyt
had his best career finish with a 16th on the lead lap.
More info including my race rundown, Race Results Links, Top 10, lap leaders,
cars off track, cautions/why a caution, the Lucky Dog list, notes on the race
and other assorted stuff on my
JAYSKI's
Homestead Race Rundown/Info page. #17-Matt Kenseth officially celebrated his
2003 Winston Cup Championship by doing a smokey burnout.
Scheduled Race Re-Air: on Speed
Channel:
one-hour recap/Fast Forward on Wednesday, November 19th at 7:00pm/et and again
on November 20th at 1:00am/et;
and a full three-hour race show will re-air at 3:00pm/et on Thursday, November
20th.(11-16-2003)
Thanks to.......
|
From Jayski: 10/28/03 What No More Pontiac
GM Strengthens Chevrolet NASCAR Program in 2004; No Pontiac Support:
Following the end of the 2003 NASCAR season, GM will consolidate its resources
in NASCAR to exclusively support the Chevrolet Monte Carlo and further advance
and solidify the dominant position enjoyed by Chevrolet in this series. "GM
Racing will focus its 2004 NASCAR program on the Chevrolet Monte Carlo, and will
no longer race or support the Pontiac Grand Prix race car," said Doug Duchardt,
director of GM Racing. "This transition will enable GM Racing to strengthen its
Chevy Nextel Cup program and, at the same time, work with Pontiac on its future
racing plans." "Given Pontiac's long association with NASCAR and our
many great accomplishments over the years, the decision to withdraw from NASCAR
was not an easy one," said Lynn Myers, general manager of Pontiac-GMC.
"Consistent with GM efforts to focus its racing programs, Chevrolet will carry
the NASCAR banner while Pontiac can now devote resources to developing future
racing and marketing programs consistent with our new performance products,
including the GTO, Grand Prix Comp G, G6 and the GXP performance series. We are
proud of our racing accomplishments and we recognize that it is a powerful
engineering, people development and marketing tool. Pontiac is investigating new
opportunities to highlight the performance of our vehicles on the track." Coming
into the 2003 season, the Pontiac Grand Prix won two of the past three NASCAR
Winston Cup drivers' championships: Bobby Labonte in 2000, and Tony Stewart in
'02. Chevrolet has an ongoing record of dominance in NASCAR's modern era.
Chevrolet has won 23 of the last 31 NASCAR Winston Cup manufacturers'
championships including the 2003 title with 10 different drivers capturing 17
wins in 33 races so far this year. Through 2003 in the NASCAR Busch Series and
Craftsman Truck series, Chevrolet has won 10 of 13, and five of nine NASCAR
manufacturers' titles respectively. With 2003 drivers' titles still to be
determined in both series, Chevrolet has won 11 of 21 in Busch and seven of
eight in Craftsman Truck.(GM PR)
NO word on what the Pontiac Teams of #0 Haas CNC Racing, #01-MB2 Motorsports,
#4-Morgan McClure, #10-MBV Motorsports, #32-PPI Motorsports. Would expect the
#0, #01 and #10 to field Chevy's as Hendrick Motorsports, who fields Chevy's,
provide those teams with technical support, the #4 team used to run Chevy's, the
#32 was with Ford before switching over to Pontiac and having the only 2003
Pontiac win.(10-28-2003)
LOOKS LIKE CHEVY's: been told the #01, #0 and #10 will run Chevy's; the PPI
Motorsports site has a statement by #32 owners Call Wells: "We're disappointed,
as PPI Motorsports is very proud to be a part of the Pontiac family. It was a
tremendous honor to take the Pontiac Grand Prix to Victory Lane at Darlington
Raceway in March. We're continuing our preparations for 2004 and beyond, and
we're looking forward to the opportunities available to us with Chevrolet." No
word from the #4 team what their plans are.(10-28-2003)
Press Release form Petroff Towing: 10/28/03
Petroff Towing announced today that they have opted to end their ownership of Don O’Neal Racing at the conclusion of the 2003 season. Edward Petroff, speaking on behalf of Petroff Towing, stated that they wish to limit their involvement to team sponsorship and pursue other potential motorsports endeavors.
Despite their parting, the owner remains proud of the accomplishments the team shared in the past two seasons such as their 45+ feature wins (which include some of the most prestigious titles in dirt late model racing) and total winnings in excess of $550,000. “Don is a great driver and our successes in the last two years prove that he has talent. We started this team in the twelfth hour after his other plans fell through and he was left without a ride. I made it clear when we started that my support, resources and equipment were only to help him get established by allowing him to save money for creating his own team. Our performances speak for themselves and I think we exceeded all expectations, so now is a perfect opportunity for him to own a team and we wish him well in his pursuit,” stated Petroff.
Upon discussion, Mr. Petroff also cites differing outlooks between the two parties. “The daily demands and operational needs of the O’Neal team require more time and continued backing than I wish to pursue for a third year. After two successful years where Don has kept the earnings, I feel that the financial situation has matured enough so that it is feasible for him to purchase his own equipment. Don passed on another option, which was to provide 10% of 2004’s net winnings so we could continue to upgrade and refresh our equipment. He did not feel comfortable committing to this 10% reinvestment. I do not want to put either of us in a situation where he feels uncomfortable or I am not confident that we can continue to grow as a team and remain competitive. I felt it was best to part ways while we have strong momentum from two profitable seasons so it would allow for an easy transition where Don can take the earnings and put them in to his own racing program.”
When asked if Petroff Towing will remain involved in racing, the response was instantaneous - “I love dirt racing,” Petroff continues, “It has been my hobby and passion for over thirty years and I plan on being involved via sponsorship but the days of ownership are over. Since we do not receive returns on our investments, it is best for us to just give sponsorships to various teams so we do not have the stresses of the daily operations and management. We are also following up on a few interesting opportunities that have presented themselves in different types of motorsports. From now onwards, it is simply about having a good time and enjoying the races.”
The company has not yet finalized all of their 2004 plans at this time and will make additional announcements once details are complete.
Sadler OK after horrible looking accident: on lap 182, #38-Elliott Sadler
came down the track, after #8-Earnhardt Jr. moved over, Sadler came accross the
front of #97-Busch, Sadler then went airbourne after going sideways and hitting
an edge of grass which caused him to flip over a few times, Sadler climbed out,
was alert and seems ok. NASCAR red flagged the event to clean up and insure a
green flag finish. Sadler was then taken to a local hospital as a precaution and
to get checked out.(9-28-2003)
From JAYSKI:
#43 Jackman gets tossed in the pits, but seems OK: During caution 3 pit
stops, the #43 and #38 got together, sending the #43 jackman, Archie Kennedy
about 10 feet, after being stunned and helped up, he walked over to the pitwall
and sat down and was talking to Richard Petty [owner of the #43], pretty scary
looking. Kennedy was chekced by parametics and is alert and says he is ok. He
was put on a stretcher and taken to a local hospital to be checked
out.(9-28-2003)
Waltrip wins at Talladega and pops up thru the hatch: after a red flag
for a rough looking accident involving #38-Elliott Sadler, #15-Michael Waltrip
held off his teammate #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr. to win the EA Sports 500 at
Talladega Superspeedway. The rest of the top five were #20-Tony Stewart,
#12-Ryan Newman and #24-Jeff Gordon. Two of the top five drivers were 'Lucky Dog
Packers'm getting their laps back after being the first car a lap down and
getting their lap back, #8-Earnhardt Jr. and #12-Newman. The win is Waltrip's
2nd of the year and third of 2003, the first time he has multiple wins in a
season and his first win not at Daytona. It is Waltrip's 4th career win. It is
the tenth straight win for Chevy at Talladega. Points leader, #17-Matt Kenseth
had his first DNF [did not finish] of 2003 and first since Homestead in Nov
2002. Kenseth finished 33rd, his worst finish of the year [his previous was 22nd
at Martinsville]. Kenseth's lead shrinks from 436 to 354 points over
#29-Harvick.
NASCAR LEVIES FINES: For Tony Stewart and Jeremy Mayfield
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Sept. 26, 2003) – NASCAR officials have fined NASCAR Winston Cup Series drivers Jeremy Mayfield and Tony Stewart $5,000 for use of inappropriate language during the telecast of Sunday’s MBNA America 400 at Dover International Speedway. Mayfield, driver of the No. 19 Dodge, was penalized under Section 12-4-A in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series rule book: "Actions detrimental to stock car racing. Improper use of language." Stewart, driver of the No. 20 Chevrolet, was penalized under Section 12-4-A in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series rule book: "Actions detrimental to stock car racing. Improper use of language."
GM RACING WINSTON CUP NOTES & QUOTES; EA SPORTS 500; TALLADEGA SUPER SPEEDWAY
SEPT. 26, 2003
BOBBY LABONTE, NO. 18 INTERSTATE BATTERIES CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO: "We ran the same thing we did in practice, just a little slower than Elliott [Sadler] did in practice, so that ought to be pretty good. I just can't thank the guys enough for giving me such a good car. We were top 10 in practice and hopefully we'll stay that way through the rest of it."
KEVIN LEPAGE, NO. 4 KODAK PONTIAC GRAND PRIX: "I don't know what to say. Everybody worked real hard to get this car where it needs to be, and that's where we practiced. I thought we could have picked up a little bit from some of the work that we did. But for some reason, we didn't and we'll just have to see where it stacks up at the end of the day. It's not for lack of work, I can tell you that."
RICKY CRAVEN, NO. 32 TIDE PONTIAC GRAND PRIX: "It's never enough. I don't think anybody is ever happy with their qualifying run with the exception of one person. It was an improvement and I'm certainly happy about that. We were looking to run a little more than that, maybe a .60 or a .70."
ROBBY GORDON, NO. 31 CINGULAR CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO: "We killed our good car down in Daytona, and it seems like we worked on that car for two years and kept making improvements and making improvements on it. We came out of the box with this car and did what we knew, and unfortunately this time we'll have to do a few things to make it better. It's obviously not where we'd like to be or where we are normally. That car we killed had four races on it, and every time we raced that car we were a threat to win. We'll see what happens on Sunday, but right now we aren't very good."
MICHAEL WALTRIP, NO, 15 NAPA CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO: "We're a little disappointed. We slowed down quite a bit from practice, but we don't seem to be able to hit it qualifying here every time. More often than not, we're closer to the front than we'll probably be today, but we're pretty confident that we'll race our way up there."
MIKE SKINNER, NO. 01 USG SHEETROCK PONTIAC GRAND PRIX: "Our troubles started in the inspection room, the 'room of doom' or whatever this is over here. NASCAR decided they wanted us to move our spring buckets forward. We never moved them during practice the whole time and we went through inspection this morning. Maybe it is something they've overlooked. The USG/Army/Jerry Nadeau Pontiac will race really well. They told me not to get discouraged by the way this car qualifies because it races really good. A few years back, Jimmy Spencer had a car like that. He took a provisional about every time he ran it, but in 15 or 20 laps, he'd be up there in the top 10 gouging on you. Hopefully we can get this thing up front and have a good day on Sunday."
JOHN ANDRETTI, NO. 90 AOL 9.0 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO: "I'm pretty happy with it. The team predicted that I would run about there, and I did, so I think they know their business really well. I just have to go out and drive. I'm enjoying myself, and it's a great opportunity to drive for Richard Childress. Hopefully, we can get AOL 9.0 up front."
JEFF GORDON, NO. 24 DuPONT CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO: "I ran real high on the first lap to just try and get some momentum built up for that second lap. The guys in the shop have been working hard, massaging on this body to get it as slick as possible for qualifying day. The engine has been phenomenal. We have new rules here, so it is a little bit of a learning curve for all of us. I'm real happy with that. I would like to have gone out a little later, like where we drew, but for the most part we're happy." HOW MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE WOULD IT HAVE MADE IF YOU HAD GONE LATER, AT YOUR ASSIGNED SPOT? "It's hard to say. If the wind dies down, the sun goes down some more and it cools down, there could definitely be some speed there. It's more on principle right now. We drew a late number and we were looking forward to that late run."
DALE EARNHARDT JR., NO. 8 BUDWEISER CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO: "We're a little disappointed. We slowed the car down from practice. The guys are disappointed. We're going to go all over the car and find out where we lost the speed. I feel like, come Sunday, we'll be one of the guys to beat and it will be kind of fun coming up through there."
DAVID GREEN, NO. 60 HAAS AUTOMATION CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO: "We came here and tested and did some things that helped the Hendrick teams, or at least I hope they did. That wasn't what we wanted to run, but that was what it gave us and we'll be solidly in the field. I've had a great time this year doing the R&D testing this year for Hendrick Motorsports, trying not only to bring the Haas Automation car to the track and be competitive, but to help the rest of the Hendrick teams as well."
NOTE: Dale Earnhardt Jr., who has won five straight races here at Talladega (including a Busch Series race), had his qualifying time disallowed by NASCAR officials following Friday's qualifying session for the EA Sports 500. According to the team, both quarterpanels on Earnhardt's Chevrolet were 1/16th of an inch too low. NASCAR rules state the quarterpanels must be a minimum of 35 inches from the ground on the left side and 36 inches on the right. NASCAR allows teams a quarter-inch tolerance after the car qualifies and goes through post-qualifying inspection. Earnhardt Jr.'s quarterpanels measured 5/16ths of an inch too low in post-race inspection, according to team sources. The No. 1 Pennzoil Chevrolet driven this weekend by Jason Keller, who qualified 32nd, also had its time disallowed for the same reason. As a result, Keller will start 43rd on the final provisional spot.
TONY EURY SR., CREW CHIEF, NO. 8 BUDWEISER CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO: "This is restrictor-plate racing, and you have to get everything you can get. We were just a little too low."
JIM HUNTER, NASCAR VICE-PRESIDENT OF CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS: "The No. 8 car's time has been disallowed. He failed post-qualifying inspection. The quarterpanels were too low. He will receive a provisional starting spot and will start 38th. The No. 1 car also failed post-qualifying inspection for the same reason. He will start 43rd."
JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE'S CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO: Qualified 3rd: "We wish we could have backed up what ran what we did in practice. I'm a little disappointed. You just come through the room on that last try and NASCAR brings out a new comb with a finer tooth on it. When I walked up to the race car, Chad (Knaus, crew chief) didn't have a big smile on his face like he usually does. I think they didn't like a couple of things in the gray areas and we had to move some stuff around. It slowed the car down a little bit. I think we lost a little bit there and then it was a lot windier this afternoon than any of us anticipated. We thought the late draw was really going to help us. But the wind seems to still be pretty gusty out there and it looked like going early was the way to go."
CAN YOU TELL BY YOUR FIRST PRACTICE LAP WHETHER OR NOT YOU HAVE A CHANCE AT A GOOD QUALIFYING LAP? "When you unload and make that first run, that's kind of how it's going to shake out. There are some guys playing some games and maybe not showing their full hands. It seems like the Childress cars pick up a tremendous amount every time we go to qualify. There are a couple guys who can get away with that. When we try to hold back, our car it at a different attitude when it's going faster and we end up hurting ourselves. So we pretty much unload with all that we've got. The main thing that drives that is how long it takes to get through the line and onto the race track. Today, we only made four or six laps. So you really don't have a chance to work on the car and try anything major. You're just trying to go out and warm everything up and get a baseline and maybe you'll change a gear or a spring. But there really isn't much we can do because of the way the rules are. All of your magic is in the car when you unload."
HOW MANY THINGS DID YOU HAVE TO CHANGE ON THE CAR? "I don't know. As the driver, when you walk up to the crew chief after the 'Room of Doom' (inspection), he's either smiling or he's got a frown. I don't know what it was, but there are little gray areas where you might have been borderline when you come through for qualifying that aren't accepted anymore. In practice, we might have had a few things that were borderline, and when it came time for qualifying they make sure you're not in the gray area."
WHAT DO YOU THINK THE NEW RULES WILL DO TO THE RACING AND TO SAFETY FOR SUNDAY? "I'm real curious to see how it plays out. We put smaller fuel cells in the cars to bring the pit stops into play and separate everyone. Now when you bring in the high drag and a big restrictor plate, it's harder to shake people loose in the draft. So now you're going to have us all back in groups. How that works out and if we have pockets of cars spread out around the track but they are able to pass among those pockets, I guess that's the main goal. Hopefully that will work out. If we have caution flag stops on the first run, it's going to be so easy to stay in the pack. The bigger the hole the car in front of you punches, the easier it is to keep up. On top of that, now we've got more horsepower to run up in that pocket. So I would anticipate a very good race for the fans. There's going to be a lot of passing. The follow-the-leader stuff won't be taking place like it did earlier in the year. It's kind of a trade-off. I know it's a hard job to thin us out while keeping us racing. I think we'll get a better feel for it in practice tomorrow."
CAN YOU HAVE A SAFE RACE AND AN EXCITING RACE AT THE SAME TIME? "I think all of them are exciting. Nobody wants anybody injured. Nobody wants crashes. Nobody wants big pile-ups. I climb in that race car every time knowing I can be injured or killed. Something can happen. But I think we've made huge strides in the drivers' compartments, in the gear that we wear, and the SAFER walls. I think we've made the sport so much safer than it was a year ago, or two years ago. But it's not of concern to me. It seems to be a very popular question. But we all entered into this knowing how dangerous this sport is. It's the same with the pit crew guys going over the wall. We don't want anybody struck on pit road. But they all climb over that wall knowing that they're doing a dangerous job."
ARE THE CREW CHIEFS SURPRISED THAT NASCAR TIGHTENED THE RULES DURING INSPECTION OR THAT THEY DID WHAT THEY SAID THEY WOULD DO? "Typically, if you make it through a couple of times pretty easily, you get the sensation that you're going to be golden. We went through tech a couple of times with no issues or problems. "We came through for qualifying and it seemed like they took a little bit closer look at things. And that's their job and that's what they're supposed to do. Of course I'm disappointed because it seemed like it affected us. But if it would have slowed everybody else down and not affected us, I'd be smiling and thinking everything is how it needs to be."
ARE YOU LOOKING FOR ANOTHER TOP PERFORMANCE LIKE YOU HAD HERE IN THE SPRING?
"I'm really excited to come back and plate race. I know a lot of people don't like to come. We've been very fortunate and have not been caught up in big wrecks and lost race cars or points. So, I've had a great experience. One thing I'm excited to see is what the high drag with the big restrictor plate is going to do. The Busch Series rules and past Winston Cup rules are very similar. That package with the plate and the drag is very similar. I haven't been in that configuration before and I'm looking forward to seeing what that does. I think it will mix the race up some and there will be more passing and maybe a little different strategy that plays out. I'm just going to have to be on my game to understand where to put myself with these new rules so I don't get left out."
QUOTE FROM RICHARD CHILDRESS ON THE NO. 30 AMERICA ONLINE CHEVROLET NOT QUALIFYING FOR SUNDAY'S EA SPORTS 500 AT TALLADEGA (Ala.) SUPERSPEEDWAY: "Obviously, we're very disappointed that the AOL car didn't qualify. We struggled during practice but thought we would be able to make the race. In the end, though, we shouldn't have been in that position because Steve (Park) and the AOL team are better than that. Fortunately, we'll still have AOL on the track this weekend with the No. 90 AOL/Special Operations Warrior Foundation car that John Andretti is driving. We will just have to regroup and do everything we can to keep from this happening again."
Bloomquist reaches
milestones with
Charter
RaceFest win
By Matt Felten
MINERAL WELLS, W.Va. — Scott Bloomquist let the champagne fly in victory lane
for winning $25,000 and reaching two milestones in the second Charter
Communications RaceFest World Championship on Sunday night.
Steve Francis and the large crowd at the speedway were left wondering what might
have been.
Francis left the rest of the field in his dust for 63 laps of the 100-lap race.
He led Bloomquist and Earl Pearson Jr. by over a straightaway for much of that
time, and had all but seven other cars of the 30-car field at least one lap down
by the halfway point.
Bloomquist and Pearson were left racing for second behind Francis. The two
swapped the spot on several occasions. Bloomquist finally charged ahead with 60
laps down.
Then the tides turned on Francis and Pearson in a matter of seconds. As Pearson
slowed on the frontstretch while running third, Francis came to rest at the top
of turn top with a broken rear end. His night riding around the rim of the track
was over after the crew pushed his Mopar Valvoline Intrepid behind the wall.
Bloomquist assumed the lead on lap 71 and held off Rick Eckert through lap 86.
Bloomquist and the Miller Bros. Coal Ford pulled away with a three second margin
of victory over Eckert at the finish line.
After the race, Bloomquist acknowledged Francis’ early strength in the race.
“With the pace he was setting—I’ve run up there like that before, and it’s easy
to make a mistake,” Bloomquist said. “I didn’t want to make a mistake and get
into the fence. There were plenty of laps left.
“I felt the car the car was working really well in the middle. I could really
work anywhere on the racetrack. I don’t know what tires (Francis) ran, but it
seemed like whatever it was he sure did fire. He really was fast early. I don’t
know how he would have done at the end, but I think he would have been tough to
pass.”
The win was the 100th Xtreme DirtCar Series win of Bloomquist’s career and
sealed his fifth series championship, both series records. It was his first win
at WVMS since 1996, and his name will be added as the driver to win the
first-ever unified race between the Xtreme DirtCar Series and Renegade DirtCar
Racing Series.
“I don’t know what happened to (Birkhofer) there. I saw him parked up there—and
I hate anyone to have bad luck—but we ran good and I think we’ve earned this
thing,” he said of the wrapping up the championship.
Former WVMS winner Brian Birkhofer was second behind Bloomquist in Xtreme points
entering the race but broke on lap 39 and finished 24th.
Francis and Pearson were among the fastest all day as track conditions went from
extremely fast in pre-race practice to dry during the afternoon to fast again
under the lights.
Only six cars survived the early pace by Francis on the lead lap. Local favorite
Steve Shaver finished third. Newly crowned four-time Renegade series champion
Chub Frank finished fourth and Tim Hitt was fifth. R.J. Conley, who led the
first eight laps before Francis blasted around the high side in turn three, was
the last car on the lead lap in sixth.
Rounding out the top 10 were Dan Schlieper, Mike Balzano, Matt Miller and Jimmy
Mars.
Heats were won by Bloomquist, Frank, Pearson, Hitt, Francis and Conley.
Chris Stotts led flag to flag to win the Smoker Friendly AMRA Nationals for the
Road Warrior Tour. Stotts held off Dave Groves over 30 laps for the $2,000 win.
Groves clinched his second straight AMRA Road Warrior Tour championship with the
runner-up finish. Stotts and Groves started from the front row.
Jim Dandy Jr. finished third after making the race through a consolation. He
started 19th and was closing in on the leaders in the high groove when the
checkered flag fell. Ken Riddle finished fourth after battling with Ed Eschmann
side by side for much of the race. Brent Rhebergen was fifth and Eschmann wound
up sixth.
An event-record 93 cars attempted to qualify for the event. The final two heats
rained out on Friday were won by Rob Stambaugh and Randy Boggs on Sunday
afternoon.
Bruce Dennis led the final 16 laps for the $1,000 win in the West Virginia
Lottery Street Stock Showdown.
Dennis grabbed the lead at the start of the 20-lap race from the pole and went
on to lead the first lap when a multi-car crash in turn one brought out the
yellow.
After the restart Anthony Huber drove by Dennis in turn two to take the lead.
Dennis fought back after a restart at lap four, retaking the lead and holding on
for the win over Barry Fairbanks, Steve Bigley, Tim Reed and Ronnie Mayla.
Charter Media will broadcast the Charter Communications RaceFest World
Championship and Smoker Friendly AMRA Nationals on the Network West Virginia
Channel 2 on Oct. 11-12 at noon.
CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS RACEFEST WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WEST VIRGINIA MOTOR SPEEDWAY
Sunday, October 5, 2003
Xtreme Dirt Car Series/Renegade Dirt Car Racing Series 100 Laps
Feature results of the Charter Communications RaceFest World Championship showing finishing position, starting position, car no., driver, hometown and laps completed:
1. (6) 0, Scott Bloomquist Mooresburg, Tenn. 100
2. (8) 24, Rick Eckert York, Pa. 100
3. (9) 0S, Steve Shaver Vienna, W.Va. 100
4. (5) 1*, Chub Frank Bear Lake, Pa. 100
5. (2) 68, Tim Hitt Weston, W.Va. 100
6. (1) 71C, R.J. Conley Wheelersburg, Ohio 100
7. (15) S9, Dan Schlieper Pewaukee, Wis. 99
8. (10) E1, Mike Balzano Parkersburg, W.Va. 99
9. (17) 7, Matt Miller Waterville, Ohio 99
10. (18) 28, Jimmy Mars Elk Mound, Wis. 99
11. (30) 6, Steve Lucas Charleston, W.Va. 99
12. (13) 99, Donnie Moran Dreden, Ohio 98
13. (28) 70, Jeff Smith Dallas, N.C. 97
14. (20) 28C, Eddie Carrier Jr. Ona, W.Va. 97
15. (23) 17G, Mike Gault Gaffney, S.C. 97
16. (27) 1U, Matt Urban North East, Pa. 94
17. (14) WON11, Rob Blair Titusville, Pa. 82
18. (7) 71R, Rod Conley Wheelersburg, Ohio 80
19. (4) M15, Steve Francis Ashland, Ky. 71
20. (3) 1, Earl Pearson Jr. Jacksonville, Fla. 71
21. (25) 7T, Dave Troutman Hyndman, Pa. 60
22. (24) 0H, Chuck Harper Beverly, W.Va. 60
23. (22) 72, John Mason Millersburg, Ohio 49
24. (11) 15B, Brian Birkhofer Muscatine, Iowa 38
25. (26) 17M, Dale McDowell Chickamauga, Ga. 38
26. (19) 28B, Dick Barton Ashville, N.Y. 37
27. (21) 42, Todd Andrews Eldred, Pa. 29
28. (29) 75, Bart Hartman Zanesville, Ohio 29
29. (12) 18, Keith Berner Millersburg, Ohio 19
30. (16) 19J, Davey Johnson Greensburg, Pa. 18
Lap Leaders: R.J. Conley, 1-8; Francis; 9-71; Bloomquist, 72-100
Provisional Starters: Troutman, McDowell, Urban, Smith, Hartman, Lucas
HEAT RESULTS
HEAT 1: 1. Scott Bloomquist, 2. Donnie Moran, 3. Keith Berner, 4. John Wyer, 5. Mike Gault, 6. Charlie Maloney, 7. Brent Rhebergen, 8. Jason Montgomery, 9. Chase Austin, 10. Mark Banal, 11. Steve Lucas.
HEAT 2: 1. Chub Frank, 2. Steve Shaver, 3. Rod Conley, 4. Todd Andrews, 5. Ron Slavic, 6. Chad Hina, 7. Charlie Duncan, 8. Jon Hodgkiss, 9. Tim Senic, 10. Matt Urban, 11. Brian Eaton.
HEAT 3: 1. Earl Pearson Jr., 2. Mike Balzano, 3. Rob Blair, 4. Dick Barton, 5. Corey Conley, 6. Dave Troutman, 7. Jeff Miller, 8. Paul Wilmoth Jr., 9. Mike Johnson, 10. M.T. Hall, DNS Greg Fenno.
HEAT 4: 1. Tim Hitt, 2. Dan Schlieper, 3. Davey Johnson, 4. Aaron Scott, 5. Wayne Maffett, Jr., 6. Ryan Markham, 7. Doug Drown, 8. Sonny Conley, 9. Larry Smith, 10. Jim Dandy Jr., 11. Bart Hartman.
HEAT 5: 1. Steve Francis, 2. Brian Birkhofer, 3. Matt Miller, 4. John Mason, 5. Jeep Van Wormer, 6. Chuck Harper, 7. Courtney Clewell, 8. David Brown, 9. Dale McDowell, 10. Randall Paxton, 11. Bryan Lillibridge.
HEAT 6: 1. R.J. Conley, 2. Jimmy Mars, 3. Rick Eckert, 4. Eddie Carrier Jr., 5. Jackie Boggs, 6. Jeff Smith, 7. Skip Watterman, 8. Randy Boggs, 9. Ralph Withem, 10. Rick Aukland, 11. Larry Bond.
CONSOLATION RESULTS
CONSOLATION 1: 1. Dick Barton, 2. Todd Andrews, 3. Mike Gault, 4. Brent Rhebergen, 5. Corey Conley, 6. John Wyer, 7. Paul Wilmoth Jr., 8. Jason Montgomery, 9. Chad Hina, 10. Matt Urban, 11. Chase Austin, 12. Charlie Duncan, 13. Charlie Maloney, 14. Jon Hodgkiss, 15. Dave Troutman, 16. Steve Lucas; DNS: Ron Slavic, Jeff Miller, Tim Senic, Mike Johnson, Mark Banal, M.T. Hall, Brian Eaton, Greg Fenno.
CONSOLATION 2: 1. Eddie Carrier Jr., 2. John Mason, 3. Chuck Harper, 4. Jackie Boggs, 5. Jim Dandy Jr., 6. Bart Hartman, 7. Rick Aukland, 8. Doug Drown, 9. Randy Boggs, 10. Courtney Clewell, 11. Randall Paxton, 12. David Brown, 13. Aaron Scott, 14. Sonny Conley, 15. Wayne Maffett, Jr., 16. Ralph Withem, 17. Jeff Smith, 18. Ryan Markham, 19. Jeep Van Wormer, 20. Skip Watterman, 21. Larry Smith, 22. Larry Bond, 23. Bryan Lillibridge; DNS: Dale McDowell.
DASH RESULTS
HEAT WINNERS DASH: 1. R.J. Conley, 2. Tim Hitt, 3. Earl Pearson Jr., 4. Steve Francis, 5. Chub Frank, 6. Scott Bloomquist.
FAST TIME DASH: 1. Rod Conley, 2. Rick Eckert, 3. Steve Shaver, 4. Mike Balzano, 5. Brian Birkhofer, 6. Keith Berner.
SMOKER FRIENDLY AMRA NATIONALS AMRA Modified Road Warrior Tour
Oct. 5, 2003 30 Laps
Feature results of the Smoker Friendly AMRA Nationals showing finishing position, starting position, car no., driver, and hometown:
1. (1) S8, Chris Stotts Athens, Ohio
2. (2) GRS1, Dave Groves Morgantown, W.Va.
3. (19) 14W, Jim Dandy Jr. Niles, Ohio
4. (3) 1K, Ken Riddle Parkersburg, W.Va.
5. (10) 69, Brent Rhebergen Clymer, N.Y.
6. (4) E1, Ed Eschmann Cincinnati, Ohio
7. (12) 10, Larry Bond Coolville, Ohio
8. (5) 67S, Rob Stambaugh Sunbury, Ohio
9. (18) 1C, Todd Robinson South Point, Ohio
10. (8) 00G, Pat Gillian Coolville, Ohio
11. (22) RV1, John Burdette Coolville, Ohio
12. (15) 03, Rick Hensley Oak Hill, Ohio
13. (16) 77, Dave Definbaugh Mill Creek, W.Va.
14. (26) A, Junior Nolan St. Clairsville, Ohio
15. (7) HAS6, Paul Wilmoth Clarksburg, W.Va.
16. (11) 1*, Bobby Kitchens Columbus, Ohio
17. (27) 88, Barry Jacobs Mt. Vernon, Ohio
18. (9) 67D, Danny Dean Mt. Vernon, Ohio
19. (14) 7, Kirk Isner Coolville, Ohio
20. (28) 3PG, Freddy Carpenter Parkersburg, W.Va.
21. (24) 18, Dave McWilliams Verona, Ky.
22. (20) 60, Dwight Henry Marietta, Ohio
23. (13) 18R, Roger Wireman Procterville, Ohio
24. (17) 0, Mark Dickson Gallipolis, Ohio
25. (25) 1J, Kenny Johnson Parkersburg, W.Va.
26. (6) B3, Randy Boggs Grayson, Ky.
27. (23) 683, Skip Watterman Columbus, Ohio
28. (21) 87, Eddie Harmon Ironton, Ohio
CONSOLATION RESULTS
CONSOLATION 1: 1. Jim Dandy Jr., 2. John Burdette, 3. Sam Lovejoy, 4. Jeff Slaggers, 5. Mark Lunning, 6. Corey Conley, 7. Doug Hall, 8. Tommy Livingston, 9. Gerald Deitch, 10. Jason Perry, 11. Michael Shepherd, 12. Cody Barrack, 13. Tim Riley, 14. Rick Schmitt, 15. Freddie Carpenter, 16. Justin Sheems, 17. Darren Smith, 18. J.E. Staldes, 19. Teddy Bear Tucker, 20. Jess Hartman; DNS: Matt Altiers, Tim Moore, Scott Smith, John Brokaw, Larry Kugel, Bruce Dennis.
CONSOLATION 2: 1. Dwight Henry, 2. Skip Watterman, 3. Kenny Johnson, 4. Barry Jacobs, 5. Dwayne Cline, 6. Brent Trimble, 7. Tim Roll, 8. Tim Johnson, 9. Fred Hittle, 10. Jay Howe, 11. Bill Johnson, 12. Chris Dickson, 13. Mark Baylor, 14. Robin Duston, 15. Hubie Hatfield, 16. Larry Holbrook, 17. Kevin Putnam, 18. Cliff Crank, 19. Ronnie Schmitt; DNS: Mike Burley, Rod Sayre, Shon Flanery, Bob Shelhorn, Vic Vandergrift, Keith Sansom.
CONSOLATION 3: 1. Eddie Harmon, 2. Dave McWilliams, 3. Benny Hickle, 4. Larry Moran, 5. Doug Thompson, 6. Don Lewis, 7. Brian Taft, 8. Jeff Heafke, 9. Will Rowe, 10. Dale Keplinger, 11. Rick Venham Sr., 12. Rick Venham Jr., 13. Del Cunningham, 14. Ryan Mayle, 15. Jeff Meadows, 16. Brian Douglas, 17. Junior Nolan, 18. Kevin Crawford, 19. Jeremy Berwanger, 20. David Wolfe; DNS: Jason Ball, Greg Schilling, Ray Perkins, Tony Perkins.
WV LOTTERY STREET STOCK SHOWDOWN
Oct. 5, 2003
Feature results of the West Virginia Lottery Street Stock Showdown showing finishing position, starting position, car no., and driver:
1. (1) 1D, Bruce Dennis
2. (6) 17, Barry Fairbanks
3. (3) 33, Steve Bigley
4. (9) 721, Tim Reed
5. (21) 50, Ronnie Mayla
6. (11) B52, Dalbert Crum
7. (17) 19C, Jason Canipari
8. (7) 31M, Joe Mamel
9. (20) H2, Robert Hendrix
10. (24) 9, Mike Foggin
11. (19) 88, Robin Dustin
12. (30) 4M, Billy Goers
13. (15) 00, Robert Garnes
14. (10) 3M, Mike Sprouce
15. (5) 8, Rob White
16. (18) 14, Merwin Miller
17. (27) 25, Tony Roush
18. (13) 19, Sal Nicolais
19. (2) Y4, Anthony Huber
20. (12) 93, James Cochran
21. (16) 89, Bobby Keith
22. (26) 55, Mike Martin
23. (23) R33, Scott Robinson
24. (29) 32, Mike Drivonella
25. (22) 3B, Mike Brookover
26. (8) 4, Jeremy Blake
27. (4) 04, Toad Fordyce
28. (14) P11, Tim Panley
DNS 68, Sara Brookover, 7, Dave Johnson