As we usually do after the Indy 500, here are some notes from the race. This won't always follow in any order, but we want to make sure we hit all the important things that happened (big or small).
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Pole sitter Scott Dixon picked up his first Indianapolis 500 victory on a spectacular day in central Indiana. With just enough of a haze, but no chance of rain a very large crowd showed up. The spectators didn't completely fill in some of the openings we'd seen in recent years, though those gaps (like in turn three), were smaller. That trend has been in effect for the past several Indy 500's, but it seems the race to "sell out" the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is accelerating.
There was also a big crowd in the infield again, easily enough to fill in any open seats, plus many thousand more. And as we've noted several times before there is such a positive vibe here, and it was so easy to feel this morning.
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"I was shocked, almost dumbfounded. It was almost like a dream land," said Dixon when asked about his feeling when he pulled in to victory lane. He then did a lot of thanking of his team in the post race press conference.
Dixon also said. 'I got a good night's sleep actually. Got woken up by the god awful cannon at six in the morning. The dogs hit the roof and that was it. Had some pancakes - American pancakes - with butter and hot syrup.' He said he also did some interviews but it wasn't that crazy this morning.
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Mike Hull said after the race, 'Winning the Indy 500 is the biggest race in the world. Whether it's this year when we have what they are calling unification or in 2000 when we were still in the other series - it's the biggest race in the world.'
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Congratulations to Vitor Meira. I'm sure there will be something to overshadow it (like Danica's getting mad at Briscoe - more later), but the mass media really needs learn his name and recognize just how well Vitor ran today.
As he noted when asked in the post race press conference, Meira and his Panther Racing team finished behind Ganassi, but ahead of AGR and Penske - that means two of the big three were behind them.
The re-addition of David Cripps was a next piece in the puzzle according to Vitor after the race. Cripps came back to Panther after being gone for a couple years and starting the season with Marty Roth.
One of the most interesting things that Vitor said happened as he walked in to the interview room. Pat Sullivan (the announcer that plays MC for most interviews) made a reference to the "little team that could," - Vitor corrected that with a smile saying that Panther Racing is the "little team that CAN!"
That seemed highly appropriate. At the end of his interview he also noted that if he did his job as well as the National Guard soldiers that he represents, then they would win every race. Today he said he almost did as well as they do every day. That was a very nice sentiment for certain.
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Ryan Hunter-Reay also came in to the media center. He was the top finishing rookie, and should get the rookie of the year award - he certainly deserves it.
He was pumped up after the race and seemed (and said) to have totally enjoyed his first 500 mile experience. He was elated that he passed Hideki Mutoh towards the end to pick up sixth. "I wasn't about to finish this race behind that kid." RHR thought he got blocked a couple times, but he was eventually able to make the pass. A pass which might just have gotten him Rookie of the Year honors.
That said, Hideki also had a great race, but when people go to vote, he'll get discounted a little because he is in an AGR car - rightly or wrongly, that's gonna happen.
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Marco was a little upset after the race, but later calmed. He was mad because he thought the team made some wrong calls on what level of downforce to run towards the end of the race. He said that was an issue, and it would be addressed. Marco later clarified that the team made some mistakes, and he and the team will go back and look over those mistakes and do whatever they need to do to not make them next year.
He was also pretty pumped up after the race. Like RHR and Meira, the adrenaline running through Marco was almost oozing out of him in the interview room. They were all pumped up! Very cool to see after such a long, hard race.
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Ok, that the good stuff, here are some of the bad things:
Too many cautions, and then too much silliness under those cautions.
Seemed like every time a caution came out, something else (like a 5-gallon bucket lid landing on the front straight for the most minor part), would delay the race from getting going again.
The start was the major concern, but the field actually looked very nicely lined up. They still accelerate a bit too soon for me, I'd love to see all the cars on the front straight before people take off, but from my perch 104 feet about the start/finish line - the start was pretty good. Even Donald Davidson thought it was one of the best in years.
Of course, that didn't last too long. On lap 8, we got a yellow for debris as Bruno Junqueira lost his right side mirror on the front stretch. Everyone pitted and that went semi-ok. But, before we could get back to green, Sarah Fisher's already poor day got worse. She had stalled on pit road when the neutral safety switch was left on, then spun under the caution while warming her tires. Interesting note - she wouldn't be the only person to do this today.
Jeff Simmons threw away a decent run on lap 114 when he spun while trying to heat up his tires on the front stretch. His car jumped to the right when he put the power down, then came back to the left and stopped against the pit wall. Oddly enough, Scott Dixon did the exact same thing a couple years ago here.
Oh, and then Sarah's day got bad. After the spin, her car came back to the pits, got new tires and Sarah went out to just try and run laps. Unfortunately, she got in to an accident when Tony Kanaan spun on lap 106.
Kanaan seemed to have been a little surprised to see Marco inside of him as he tried to follow Dixon through after Kanaan got balked by some traffic.
Kanaan was less than happy with Marco, saying, "It was a stupid move. I think teammates shouldn't do that to teammates. I'm sure he will have a good explanation for what he did." Kanaan thought it a dive bomb, while Marco said he gave him plenty of room, and he certainly didn't mean to take Kanaan out.
From the replays, it seemed like Marco had given room, but I really don't think TK expected to see Marco there, and that made him stay high, which of course got him in to the marbles. He then spun in to the path of Fisher (who was a part of the traffic those leaders had just passed).
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Ok, back a little. The next caution came when Graham Rahal slid high in turn four and smacked the wall. This was your typical Indy crash, especially for a rookie. He got high while trying to pass Alex Lloyd and the car took off.
Of course, Grahams's lap 37 crash wouldn't be enough carnage, so when everyone pitted on lap 39 it was decided that there would be a total mess on pit lane. AJ Foyt, IV pulled away from his pit stall too soon, and took a part of the fuel hose with him. That created a fire which soaked pit lane, which took a few really, really big paper towels to clean up. Actually, it's a safety product, but it looks like a tarp on one side and a diaper on the other and they laid a few across the pits to get everything soaked up. It worked as they cleaned up the mess fairly quickly, but still at Indy we shouldn't have many seven lap cautions.
Oh, besides AJ Foyt, IV's car catching fire, we also had EJ Viso get sideways and have a tire go across the pits, and Darren Manning and Alex Lloyd touched on pit lane. AJ Foyt wanted to blame the Rahal guys, but Darren Manning and Larry Foyt just seemed to have a communication failure because Darren left too soon. The damaged front wing had to be changed, and it seemed that Manning would lose what has been to that point was a great run. They'd battle back to finish ninth.
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Oh, and if you don't like 7 lap cautions, we got a lapper on 61 when Marty Roth crashed in turn four when he was trying to get around Buddy Lazier. Roth got a little high and off she went. The car then slid down most of the front stretch, leaving a long trail of fluid to clean up.
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The next caution was Jaime Camara who really set his already time and parts stretched team by crashing in turn 1 on lap 80.
He said he crossed his arms trying to turn left when the car pushed in traffic, and he almost made it - but he didn't make it.
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That one also took 10 laps to clean up, but just wait, we'd get another crash on lap 106. This was the Kanaan/Fisher incident with the Simmons add on so it took 10 more laps to clean up.
Thinks were looking a little better until lap 133 when Justin Wilson lost it in turn two - the second damaged NHLR car.
He said he says working on his line in traffic when the rear end got light and he crashed. This one didn't seem too badly torn up (and neither was Graham's), so hopefully it won't set NHLR back too much.
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The next crash came on lap 153 when Alex Lloyd had an initially scary looking crash. He was having handling trouble since his incident with Foyt earlier in the day when his car "just stopped turning" in turn four. That caused him to glance off the outside wall, then slide across the track and in to the pit lane. He took out some pit lane speed limiters, but thankfully there wasn't anyone on pit lane when he went sliding through there.
Remember back to his contact with Darren Manning on pit road - Lloyd said the car wasn't quite right since then and that may have contributed to his troubles.
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The final accident involved Milka Duno on lap 169, when she spun in turn three. With Buddy Lazier being carefully watched by race control for his pace, and Milka catching him you knew something would happen. Milka had a run and you could hear her spotter telling her to stay with and get the pass done. Which she nearly did, except Buddy may not have seen her - or expected her at that moment, so he came down, she ran out of room and "around she went." Milka didn't hit anything, but did flat spot all of her tires forcing her to be towed back.
BTW, Buddy Lazier's spotter apologized to Milka's - a good indication of who felt they were wrong in that situation.
Of course, this crash created the perfect pit window yet again, so everyone came in, and as usual today - that didn't work out too well.
Ryan Briscoe clipped Danica Patrick as he exited his pit stall, sending her down the it exit, and eventually ending her day with a broken left rear suspension.
At first, Danica was surprisingly calm. She worried mostly about trying to fix the car to make some laps, but as the car was pulled back to her stall, and the crew could glimpse that they were finished, Danica got angry. It seemed that she got really angry when she figured out that it was Briscoe that she was taken out by. Recall that they had a collision at Infineon a couple years back when Briscoe greatly overshot a corner. And when asked about him at a press conference last year, she said Briscoe is a really fast driver that sometimes makes mistakes.
So, they didn't like each other much to start with, and she's gonna be even more angry now. She went storming down pit lane and it appeared she was gonna go talk to Briscoe - still in his car - but that was headed off by Charles Burns, the IRL's director of security.
Danica's PR rep from AGR was trying to cut her off, but that young lady got stopped by the tech inspectors because she didn't have a helmet on. Can't do that during a race (though obviously Burns is exempted).
By the time Danica actually did any interviews, she had calmed considerably, but was still mad, saying that Briscoe came straight over to the fast lane of the pits.
Briscoe was more diplomatic, but he said that Danica had room to stay farther right, and that he was just trying to win the Indy 500 and get around Wheldon as he exited the pits. He also noted, "We both have a brake pedal in our cars."
We will file this under - feud to be continued! ;)
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So, that's the mayhem, what about the actual racing. Well, when we got some green flag running it was pretty good. Lots of dicing, particularly down the straights when someone would get a run, but at the same time it was very hard to pass. When it was all over, the drivers all said that it was good that the fastest car won - and that was clearly Dixon.
He led a total of 115 laps, though he had some nice dices at times, including early with teammate Dan Wheldon. Wheldon would later call in that something was wrong with his car, causing it to rapidly lose several miles per hour of speed. Dan (and Chip later) thought it was something in the right rear.
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Also leading today were a host of characters including Bruno, Andretti, Meira, Kanaan, Rice, Moraes (now the third youngest driver to ever lead at Indy), and Carpenter.
That's nine different leaders, and some of that happened on the track. When Kanaan took the lead on lap 94, and sizable roar came from the crowd. Then when Vitor Meira took the lead, foloks also got excited. Meira took the Panther car to the lead on lap 160, and held on for 11 laps.
Getting the lead was a pure thread the needle move. Meira said later that all he was thinking while going AROUND Dixon on the outside was "don't lift". And somehow it worked. But, Dixon got the lead back and while Meira was able to pressure Dixon all the way to the end, he didn't have enough to make the move.
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Looking at the top 10, it's nice to see that Ed Carpenter came home fifth for Vision Racing. Sure, there was some attrition with the big three teams, but Ed was strong all day and may have finished there regardless of who did or did not drop out.
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Also, give huge props to Dreyer and Reinbold. First, Milka Duno ran a FAR, FAR, better race than expected. Her skills are still suspect (Patrick Stephan talking here), but she did a good job today, and Robbie Buhl should get a lot of credit for the work he's done to get her up to speed. The best compliment I can give is to note that I didn't really notice Milka out there for much of the event. And while an experienced driver may have avoided the Lazier situation, or handled it differently, that certainly was not directly her fault.
Buddy Rice and Townsend Bell, finished 8th and 10th, again, quietly having very solid runs. The entire DRR team is improving and as seen with Panther, Vision and RLR, the gap to the big three seems to be closing, at least a little.
Now they just need to string together a bunch of races like today's amongst those teams, and we'll really have something special.
It's notable that in listening to some interviews with people like Will Power, he felt that with the merger, he was fighting for his career. The same can be said of race teams like DRR - they gotta run well to establish themselves for the future, and right now, putting in a finish of 8, and 10 at Indy certainly indicates they are going forward.
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Helio Castroneves day got messed up when he damaged a front wing in the debris of the Marty Roth crash. Helio never seemed to really have race winning speed anyway, so a fourth place finish should probably be considered pretty good. BTW, Helio was one of several drivers to get official warnings for blocking.
Also getting such a warning was John Andretti who would come home 16th, the first car a lap down. Not a bad run for John, who just seemed to lack overall speed.
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Good run for Darren Manning. Despite his pit incident with Alex Lloyd (as noted above, he took that blame), Manning fought on and got his car back in to the top ten for a ninth place finish. And Jeff Simmons was having a decent day himself - until he ended it early. It's easy to see that AJ's team stepped up their game this year also as they got that car handling better and it did lap times in the race which were well over 220mph, and much faster than many of us would have thought.
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Oriol Servia was the highest placing "transition" driver, not that it matters, but it did prove how much some of the better former CCWS teams caught up during the month of May. This time was good for them to learn the cars and to get faster. Look for them to be more competitive at the more handling oriented ovals the rest of the year - like Milwaukee, Richmond, Nashville, and possibly Iowa.
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Will Power also had a decent day. Like several of the other rookies, he seemed exhausted at the end. Remember that this is a LONG race, and all the cautions just made it longer and harder to get in to a rhythm.
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Davey Hamilton explained after the race that he had a broken front wing - and they didn't know it. This caused the wing to lay flatter than it should have, cutting downforce and making the car real tough to drive, particularly in traffic. He said he was disappointed with his finish of 14th. That's pretty solid for driving a broken car all day.
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Enrique Bernoldi also said the race was very long and very tiring. He liked that he was able to drive around some of the problems they had, and his team should be commended for recovering quickly from the debris damage he got when Graham Rahal crashed. That is the kind of stuff that really gets a team to gel - Finish and fight through some adversity.
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Bruno Junqueira didn't get that feeling as much because his mirror fell off. The same thing affected John Andretti here last year, and you would think teams would have a quick installation solution should that happen again, but Dale Coyne's team did not (and neither did Panther last year). Of course, it's just really weird to have those thing fall off in the first place after running all month without such issues.
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Buddy Lazier's troubles with Milka were noted earlier, but it would be fairly accurate to say that Lazier spent the race running in a test session. That car never got run in race trim, so Buddy just didn't have a quick set-up in the slightest. He steadily raised his speed for a while, but towards the end, the car was going away and he was in danger of being lapped. Disappointing for Buddy, and hopefully next year he can get himself in to a full month ride. As exciting as he made bump day - Buddy Lazier should be relaxing on bump day, not fighting to get in the race.
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Finally, Tomas Scheckter looked like he might take a part time team to victory lane. Unfortunately - it didn't happen. He had an input shaft break, just as we were expecting him to come out of the pits and then challenge for the lead. Again a disappointment, but it was nice to see the Luzco Dragon team up front and challenging - that's good for the sport.
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I talked with Joie Chitwood for a few minutes after the race, and he was beaming. That is one happy promoter. He said that with the combination of fantastic story lines, a competitive racing package, and a picture perfect day - today was everything he expected it to be.
He won't release ticket sales numbers of course, but he did not that they had filled the parking lots earlier than in previous years, and they had traffic "issues" earlier than normal.
The closest thing to a number was "tons of people" from Chitwood.
He noted that this is what you expect from the Indy 500. The largest single day spectator event in the world. He was proud that IMS gave people a great race, and great pre-race, Jim Nabors, a perfectly timed fly over, and great weather. He said it's days like today that get people to come back to this race for 25 and 50 years.
Chitwood noted that he can't think of one thing I'm not happy about today.
As for when this place will sell out the grandstands again, he noted that they just needed to have more days like today.
"Great day - start to finish!"
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Ok, that's all we got for now, though don't be surprised if we send more stuff on the Indy 500 tomorrow.
Also, Kim will be here in the morning doing the official victory photos, so watch for a new album of those pics in the morning.
Copyright 2008 TrackSide Online. All Rights Reserved.
Formula DRIFT Kicks-off the Season to a Sell-out Crowd
Long Beach, Calif. – April 14, 2008 – Formula DRIFT kicked-off it’s fifth season to a near sell-out crowd for Round 1: Streets of Long Beach with Chris Forsberg and his NOS Energy / Maxxis Tires Nissan 350Z Roadster taking home the first victory of the season.
The Long Beach Grand Prix Street Course hosted the opening round and the teams came prepared to start the season off. Scion’s first entry into drifting had Ken Gushi and his RS*R Scion tC make the Top 16, Daijiro Yoshihara made incredible adjustments from a RHD Nissan Silvia into a LHD Pontiac GTO to finish in 5th place overall, and newcomers Justin Pawlak and Michihiro Takatori also advanced to the Top 16 competition. The highlight of the day came when Long Beach local Kyle Mohan battled through the competition to finish in 4th place overall, the highest finish of his career.
“This was the most anticipated opening round in Formula DRIFT history,” said Jim Liaw, president and co-founder of Formula DRIFT. “The grandstands were full with standing room only and you could feel the energy of the crowd. The competition was fierce and made for one very exciting event.”
Grand Marshall for this event, Rob Dyrdek, made a special parade lap in his Rogue Status ’69 Camaro, having the car do donuts in front of the packed stands leaving a cloud of smoke that had the crowd screaming for more. Special guest, UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and star of the “Ultimate Fighter,” Quinton “Rampage” Jackson also came to check out the action and sign autographs. Even avid rally supporter Ken Block, founder of DC Shoes, came to check out the drifting action. This event also marked the introduction of Miss Formula DRIFT, Catherine Kluthe.
The final battle of the evening brought Samuel Hubinette and his Mopar Dodge Viper back to action against Chris Forsberg and his NOS / Maxxis Nissan 350Z Roadster. After 2 very tight competitive runs with each driver pushing the other to the limits a, “One More Time,” round was called and the finals pitted the drivers in a sudden death victory round. After 2 additional runs with each driver closing in on the other, the judges deliberated and awarded Chris Forsberg as the first winner of the season. 2007 Formula DRIFT Champion Tanner Foust and his Rockstar / AEM Nissan 350Z grabbed the 3rd spot on the podium by beating out Long Beach local Kyle Mohan and his Mazda RX-7.
Entering its fifth season, Formula DRIFT is recognized as the North American professional drifting championship series. Established on the streets of Japan, drifting has involved into a worldwide competitive sport that challenges each racer's driving ability and vehicle control. Formula DRIFT provides a forum for North American professionals to demonstrate their skills against the world's top drifters. As the first official series in North America, Formula DRIFT has taken competitive motorsports to the extreme attracting fans and car enthusiasts from all walks of life. For a race schedule and ticket information, visit: www.formuladrift.com.
Ryan Gaylord, win DCS Feature!
Ryan Gaylord, BST’s driver development driver, in his very first Sport Mod race, driving his Larry Shaw Sport Mod, held of a hard charge by Dusty Palmore, Milo Lippleman and Shane Klochman to win the first ever Sport Mod feature of many more to come at Decatur County Speedway.
The Decatur County Speedway Season Opener had all the elements of a great season opener! With over 4 different states and 80 plus cars, DCS had great racing, with very few cautions making for a fast and smooth show. Good car counts and lots of fans in the stands, along with great support from the local media and track sponsors including the Schwans Food Company.
VALUE PRICED YOUTH HANS DEVICES ANNOUNCED
Atlanta, Georgia (March 14, 2008) – HANS Performance Products announces price reductions and new designs for youths and small adult racers.
The 20 Extra Small (20XSE) is now $795, saving racers $100. This HANS Device has youth specific styling and, like all Extra Series products, features lightweight hand laid carbon fiber construction. AAR Racing Gear's Susan Miller said, "With children risking injuries just as often as adults, parents aren’t willing to compromise their child's safety." Susan, whose business focuses on racing safety for the youth market, continued, "Parents really respect the proven results they get with a HANS Device."
In April, HANS will expand its value priced Sport Series with the introduction of the 20 Super Small (20SSS.) At $595, this will be the least expensive HANS Device ever. Marketing Manager Andrea Walker said, "Strong response to the Sport Series we introduced earlier this year led us to accelerate production of the 20SSS for small adults. It will be available by the end of April once independent certification is complete."
Andrea continued, "We all saw what huge front and side impacts Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart walked away from at Las Vegas. We want everyone to have that level of protection no matter what age or style of racing."
HANS Devices are #1 for winners, performance and vision. Details and information are available at www.hansdevice.com or by calling 1-888-HANS-999 or 770-457-1046.
DESOTO SUPER SPEEDWAY JOINS ASA MEMBER TRACK PROGRAM IN BID TO PREPARE FOR FUTURE
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 17, 2008) – Desoto Super Speedway, one of the best known short tracks in the United States, has joined as a Level I participant in the ASA Member Track program in an effort to prepare for the future.
“Every racetrack around the country is dealing with issues, what with the economy, gas prices and all,” said John Sarppriacone, owner/promoter of the Bradenton, Fla., based facility. “What we are looking at is the American Speed Association partnership getting us ready for a bright future when things do turn around. I know that there are a couple of people in the sport using the ASA name, but I am confident that aligning with the authentic American Speed Association is the right thing for our track and becoming part of their nearly 40-year history of creating champions and developing the stars of the future.”
“I am very excited about the ASA Member Track program and working with Dennis (Huth). He has a good attitude about short track racing, had something like 17 years of experience with NASCAR and has seen a lot more of the sport that I have. I am looking forward to working with him, learning from him, and being part of the American Speed Association,” Sarppriacone added.
Desoto Super Speedway has been in continual operation since it was constructed in the early 1970s and is a 3/8-mile paved oval with 12 degree banking through the turns. With seating for 5,000, the fans are able to see a wide range of cars during the normal Saturday night program. The variety of classes competing at Desoto includes Winged Springs, Open Wheel Modifieds, Super Late Models, Turner Tree Landscape Limited Late Models, and the new Sun State Outlaw Street Stocks which combines the Bombers, Street Stocks and Pure Stocks into one division.
“The Sun State Outlaw Street Stocks will run a nine race series this year,” explained Sarppriacone. “What we wanted to do was create some more excitement around these classes and give them some longer races. I think that this will be a popular new division for the fans and the competitors.”
Desoto Super Speedway has a comprehensiveweb site located at www.DesotoSuperSpeedway.com which contains links to the upcoming schedule, past race results, news, weather and more. And in an effort to keep the customers returning to see something fresh, Sarppriacone has added a number of different events to the track schedule including drifting, tractor pulls, and Figure 8 School Bus races.
“We host the Florida state championships for the Figure 8 School Bus races and every time they are on the schedule we get the biggest turnout in the area. It is not uncommon to see anywhere from 14 to 19 busses on that tight little track which creates so much action the fans go crazy,” Sarppriacone said.
Sarppriacone has owned the racetrack since 2000 and said that he is looking to the American Speed Association to help in a number of areas.
“We have to search every opportunity available to bring fans into the stands. There are a lot of choices out there for people to spend their entertainment dollars. I believe that the ASA Member Track Program can help us obtain some additional recognition for Desoto. I am looking forward to working with the other racetracks in the ASA for savings on the items that we need and sharing the ideas for successful promotions. It is really refreshing to see how all the different racetracks in the ASA are able to work together and how everyone helps everyone else. And one of the biggest reasons is the insurance package that the ASA Member Track program offers. The insurance is really good – much better than what he have had on our own, and it is important to look out for the drivers and give them the best we can,” Sarppriacone explained.
ASA members in good standing are eligible for a $500,000 Excess Medical Benefit as well as a $20,000 Accidental Death and Dismemberment Benefit. Coverage for the member begins while traveling to a location promoting an ASA-sanctioned event and continues until arrival home again. The American Speed Association is the only sanctioning body to offer insurance coverage which extends beyond the boundary of the racetrack itself (complete details are available online at www.ASA-Racing.com).
“It is an honor to add Desoto Super Speedway to the family of American Speed Association Member Tracks given their history and prominence in the short track world,” said Dennis Huth, president of Racing Speed Associates which owns the American Speed Association. “John understands that he is partnering with the real American Speed Association and feels that we are going to help him continue to be a leader in the motorsports community. I am going to do everything possible to make sure he gets more out of the ASA than he is anticipating.”
To learn more of the Daytona Beach, Fla.-based ASA Racing Member Track program, call (386) 258-2221 or send an e-mail to info@asa-racing.com. For news and information from all the racetracks and regional tours involved in the ASA, visit www.ASA-Racing.com.
PERRIS AUTO SPEEDWAY TAKES THIS SATURDAY OFF FOR EASTER HOLIDAY!
(MARCH 18, 2008, PERRIS, CALIFORNIA)So fans, drivers, crews and officials can spend the Easter holiday weekend with family and friends, there will be no racing at Perris Auto Speedway this Saturday, March 22nd.Racing will return to the famous Riverside County clay oval when Temecula Valley Pipe & Supply presents the USAC/CRA Sprint Cars on Saturday, March 29th.
The track has also announced that the rained out MC Builders Super Stock, PASSCAR Street Stock and Pick-A-Part Factory Stock main events that were rained out last Saturday night have been rescheduled.The Super Stocks and Street Stocks will makeup their mains on April 5th and the Factory Stocks will contest their makeup main on April 19th.
Anyone wishing more information can contact Perris Auto Speedway at (951) 940-0134.
Perris Auto Speedway is located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds (home of the Southern California Fair), approximately one hour east of Los Angeles and one hour North of San Diego. To get to the track, take the 215 freeway, exit at the Ramona Expressway and go two miles east to the fairgrounds.
racesatthepas@aol.com is the only authorized Internet address to issue official media news released from The Perris Auto Speedway or Oval Entertainment
DUNHAM WINS PASSCAR EXTREME LATE MODEL MAIN EVENT AT PERRIS
BY: SCOTT DALOISIO
(LAKE PERRIS, CA, MARCH 15, 2008)Murietta, California veteran Jeff Dunham survived a fierce battle to win the rain shortened PASSCAR Extreme Late Model main event at Don Kazarian’s famous Perris Auto Speedway on Saturday night.It was Dunham’s first win in four outings at the track in 2008.
With rain surrounding the entire area, the question was not if it would rain, but rather when it would start coming down.In hopes of getting all of the show in, PAS officials started the show 15 minutes early and raced through the heats in all four divisions in record time.The Extreme Late Model 25-lap main event rolled onto the track in a few minutes past 7:00.
Dunham started on the pole in the main with series point leader Mike Kirby (Torrance, California) starting outside the front row.When the green flag flew, Kirby set the pace into turn one.The veteran driver, who has won main events at The PAS in six different divisions, quickly opened up a comfortable lead over Dunham and built it into a commanding lead until he slowed coming off turn two on the ninth go round.Dunham inherited first while Kirby slid back to the middle of the pack.One lap later the first yellow flew when Tim Gallagher (Fontana, CA) and John Crow (Fullerton, CA) got together in turn two.
Once racing resumed Dunham held a slim lead.Just behind him Ron Meyer (Anaheim Hills, CA), Zack “The Attack” Forster, fast qualifier Ron Bartels (Marina Del Rey, CA) and 19 year-old Johnny “Lightning” Malcolm slugged out it in an entertaining fight for the second through fifth place spots.Kirby’s’ once promising night came to an abrupt end on lap 16 when he broke an axle bringing out a yellow flag.At the same time, the night’s second fastest qualifier, Dino “The Perris Terrorist” Napier (Corona, CA) retired to the pits as well.
When the green flag flew again, the battle for the top five spots turned into a crowd pleasing, no holds barred brawl.Forster, a regular with the Western All Stars, dazzled the crowd with a turn three slide job that saw him momentarily take the point.However, Dunham, who is returning to his home track to run for the title in 2008 after spending last year with the All-Stars, came right back at Forster and the two drivers put the crowd on it’s feet when they slammed together no less than three times on the front straightaway.While they body checked each other back and forth, Meyer, Ron Bartels and “Kid Harley” Nick Bartels (El Segundo, CA), all attempted to take advantage of the situation and went high and low looking for the lead.Dunham and Forster separated in time to maintain their spots at the front of the pack, but another yellow flew when three cars tangled in turn four.
While the inclement weather, which up until then had only included frigid temperatures and an unrelenting wind, kept the crowd to a minimum, those on hand salivated at what may transpire once the green flag would start the festivities again.When racing resumed, they were not disappointed.The green flew again with 19 laps in the books and the fireworks at the front of the pack warmed up everyone in the place.Dunham set the pace, but Forster, Meyer, Ron Bartels, Malcolm and Nick Bartels were hot on his tail and they traded 2nd through 6th several times.It became quite clear that Nick Bartels, who started 12th, was the fastest car on the track.He was making strides towards the head of the head of the pack running on the outside and was third as the field entered turn one to began the 23rd circuit.The young driver, who won the SWDRA season opening main event in Arizona the week before, clobbered and then climbed the turn one wall rode it to turn two bringing out the yellow flag.At the same time, the inevitable happened.The clouds finally let loose and the track was quickly soaked by a heavy downpour.Officials called the race complete at the end of lap 22 and Dunham, in his Bob Goodwin owned, Town & Country Towing/Pick-A-Part/Goodwin Engines #18, had his first win of 2008.He became the fourth different winner in four races in 2008 at The PAS.Forster, who started in third, finished in the runner-up spot with Meyer, Ron Bartels and Malcolm, who turned in his most impressive ride to date, filling out the top five spots.
Ron Bartels topped the 17-car field in qualifying with a sizzling lap of 18.083, which was nearly a half second faster than second fast qualifier Napier.
Kirby won the first eight-lap heat race over his sister Carla Laney and Meyer.Nick Bartels won the second heat ahead of John Piker and Forster.
The main events for the MC Builders Super Stocks, PASSCAR Street Stocks and Pick-A-Part Factory Stocks were all rained out.The Super Stocks and Street Stocks will therefore run double main events when they return to The PAS on April 5th and the Factory Stocks will run double main events on April 19th.
There will be no racing at The PAS this Saturday, March 22nd, so fans, drivers, crews and officials can enjoy Easter weekend.Racing will return to the Riverside County half-mile clay oval on March 29th when Temecula Valley Pipe & Supply presents the USAC/CRA Sprint Cars.
DVD's and Video of this event and all PASSCAR events at Perris Auto Speedway are available from from RAZ Video. For more information or to order a copies, you can visit their web site at razvideo.com or give them a call at: (626)449-1175.
Extreme Late Model Main Event Finish With Starting Positions
Jeff Dunham (1st)
Zack Forster (3rd)
Ron Meyer (6th)
Ron Bartels (8th)
Johnny Malcolm (4th)
John Piker (10th)
Carla Laney (9th)
Bill Bartels (16th)
Jim Giardina (11th)
John Crowe (17th)
Nick Bartels (12th)
Jeff Schumaier (13th)
Mike Kirby (2nd)
Dino Napier (7th)
Mike Hixson (5th)
Russ Wernimont (15th)
Tim Gallagher (14th)
ASA CREATES NEW "SHORT TRACK NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP"; DRIVERS COAST TO COAST ELIGIBLE FOR CASH PRIZE, JOE GIBBS RACING TEST
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 26, 2008) – The American Speed Association (ASA) is breaking new ground once again, by unveiling plans today for an innovative Short Track National Championship. The new plan allows competitors in any ASA Member Track’s premier division to compete against each other, regardless of geographical location. The winner will receive a prize even bigger than the bragging rights - the Joe Gibbs Driven Racing Oil Champion's Awardand a chance to test behind the wheel of a Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.
Joe Gibbs Driven Racing Oil is the same oil developed and used by Joe Gibbs Racing. Joe Gibbs Driven Racing Oil allows racers across the country access to the latest technology in racing lubricants.
“It’s always a tremendous accomplishment for a driver to claim a track championship, and we don’t intend to overlook or diminish that in any way,” said Dennis Huth, president of Racing Speed Associates, owner and operator of the American Speed Association. “But with the thousands of ASA members racing each weekend, they wanted a way to find out how they measured up against other drivers at all the ASA Member Tracks across the country without having to spend the money and time involved in traveling from event to event.
“The goal of the ASA Short Track National Championship is to activate a measuring system which takes into account many variables, such as field size and number of races in a season, and create a level playing field to determine who is the ‘best-of-the-best’ of the ASA Member Track champions.”
Although the formula is naturally quite complex, the system creates a standardized point structure for competitors in a Level 1 track’s feature division, along with a handicap to create equality between the variety of track sizes and equipment standards to determine a performance index. This index will be used to calculate competitor points for each race and will be factored by the number of races run to create an average (similar to a baseball batting average).
Racetracks which invert their field have all so been taken into consideration mathematically. Competitors must be their track champion at the conclusion of the season, race in a minimum of 14 events, and only races run at the driver’s “home track” will be credited toward the new ASA Short Track National Championship.
Credit goes to Kevin Spiddle at SpeedNet Direct who is the mastermind behind the formula used by the American Speed Association to calculate the ASA Short Track National Champion. He is setting up the system to automatically calculate the events run on any given weekend of the season, and post up-to-date standings which can be viewed online at www.ASA-Racing.com. Results of competitions run up to midnight on Sept. 28 can be utilized for the calculations.
ASA will create East and West divisions, with an ASA Short Track Divisional Champion crowned in each. The one driver who accumulates the most points will be named the ASA Short Track National Champion. With the title comes a cash reward, and the ultimate dream – a test session with Joe Gibbs Racing.
Joe Gibbs Racing is one of the premier organizations in NASCAR, currently fielding three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams, two NASCAR Nationwide Series teams and a driver development program. Its driver lineup consists of Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch in the Sprint Cup Series; Stewart, Hamlin, and Busch in the Nationwide Series; and Joey Logano and Marc Davis in the NASCAR Camping World Series East. Based in Huntersville, N.C., and owned by Joe Gibbs – a three-time Super Bowl winner as head coach of the Washington Redskins and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame – JGR has competed in NASCAR since 1992, winning three Cup Series championships and more than 80 NASCAR races, including three Brickyard 400s and the 1993 Daytona 500.
“Dennis Huth and his staff at ASA have been proactive in seeking new opportunities to assist their ASA Short Track National Championship winning driver with a newly created award that will allow them a test with Joe Gibbs Racing. We look forward to joining ASA as the sponsor of the Joe Gibbs Driven Racing Oil Champion's Award,” said J.D. Gibbs, president of Joe Gibbs Driven. “This is an exciting program as it will allow us to continue to reach out to qualified driver candidates for our development program while gaining additional exposure for our expanding line of Joe Gibbs Driven lubricants and other products, which are fast becoming the number one choice among racers.”
“What better incentive for a driver than not only winning a track championship, but to become the ASA Short Track National Champion with a chance to show your driving skills to those involved in the highest levels of the Cup Series at Joe Gibbs Racing. The ASA has a long history of developing championship drivers and having them move on through the ranks to the pinnacles of professional racing. This could be a way for one talented driver to shorten the curve and impress those who can make things happen,” Huth said.
“One of my goals since becoming involved in the American Speed Association is to help bring the often-overlooked weekly racing programs a greater level of recognition at a nationwide level, and the ASA Short Track National Championship is a big step in the right direction,” Huth said. “Weekly racing is so critical in developing the star drivers of the future and is still a vital part of the motorsports landscape, but it seems to have gotten a little stagnant lately. Through the American Speed Association we are continually striving to bring new life to the racetracks and regional touring series in a variety of ways that will assist the competitors, tracks, and promoters and, hopefully, people are starting to take notice of what we are doing.”
The ASA Short Track National Championship is another step by the industry leader in creating new and innovative programs. The new ASA National Championship follows closely ASA'S recent move to extend additional insurance coverage for ASA Racing members traveling to, from, and during an ASA-sanctioned event.
The ASA Member Track program is comprised of a network of short tracks around the United States, as well as a variety of regional and national touring series. For more information, call (386) 258-2221 or send an e-mail to info@asa-racing.com. For news and information from all the racetracks and tours involved in the ASA, visit www.ASA-Racing.com .
NASCAR’s 60th anniversary season continues......
this week with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series returning to California Speedway for Sunday’s Auto Club 500, renewing a tradition that has long preceded the 2-mile Fontana oval.
NASCAR has a rich, varied history in California that is worth remembering and cherishing. California events in NASCAR’s premier series – a total of 119 heading into Sunday – have played a vital role in building the sport’s popularity.
Consider:
* From 1970-81, the NASCAR Sprint Cup season opened not with the Daytona 500 but rather in the Golden State, at the old Riverside International Raceway road course.
* From 1981-86, Riverside hosted the finale.
* From 1974-80, Ontario Motor Speedway hosted the season finale.
* In 1979, Richard Petty clinched the last of his seven series championships at Ontario, by finishing fifth in the L.A. Times 500.
And that’s only a small part of the story.
In 1951 – NASCAR’s fourth year of existence, there were three California dirt tracks on the schedule – Carrell Speedway in Gardena, Marchbanks Speedway in Hanford and Oakland Stadium.
There were a total of 23 races run in California during the 1950s. The list of winners from those events is dotted with legends:
* In April 1951, Marshall Teague won the first NASCAR Sprint Cup race held in California, at Carrell Speedway in Gardena, driving the famed Hudson Hornet.
* Herb Thomas, the two-time series champion, won at Eureka Speedway in May 1956.
* Marvin Panch won the 1957 season opener at Willow Springs Speedway in Lancaster.
On to the 1960s, and California native Dan Gurney, an open-wheel and sports-car star, winning at Riverside five times (1963-85, ’68), driving for two renowned NASCAR organizations – Holman-Moody and the Wood Brothers.
In the 1970s, A.J. Foyt won the first two Ontario Motor Speedway events, in 1971-72. In the ‘80s, Tim Richmond won four times (twice in 1982, then in 1986-87) at Riverside. In the 1990s, at the new speedway in Fontana, a newer legend took up where others had left off. Four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Jeff Gordon won two of the first three races (1997, ’99) there. This decade, reigning champion Jimmie Johnson has two Fontana victories.
Gordon and Johnson, in fact, are two of seven California natives competing in NASCAR Sprint Cup. Kevin Harvick, Casey Mears, Robby Gordon, David Gilliland and AJ Allmendinger are the others.
No other state has that many NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers these days.
And that situation surely owes some sort of debt to the “old days” of NASCAR in California.
(Note: The chart below details the history of NASCAR Sprint Cup racing in California, since NASCAR’s 1948 inception.)
Track Size/Surface City Years In Series Races
Ascot Stadium half-mile/dirt Los Angeles 1957, ’59, ’61 3
Bay Meadows Speedway mile/dirt San Mateo 1954-56 3
California Speedway 2-mile/paved Fontana 1997-present 15
California State Fairgrounds mile/dirt Sacramento 1956-61 6
Perris Auto Speedway promoter Don Kazarian has announced the following changes to the 2008 schedule.
July 26th- Extreme Late Models, MC Builders Super Stocks, Modifieds and Pick-A-Part Factory Stocks
August 11th – DirtAlliance / DirtTour II
September 5th & 6th – Perris Auto Speedway Late Model and Modified Championships
The complete schedule is shown below.
PERRIS AUTO SPEEDWAY - 2008 Schedule
February 2nd Open Practice Pit gate Opens at 1:00 - Open House for the Fans - $1.00 Pizza Slice and $2.00 Beers.
February 8th "Opening Weekend" for USAC Sprint Cars and PAS 360 Sprint Car Championships
February 9th "Opening Weekend" for USAC Sprint Cars and PAS 360 Sprint Car Championships
February 15th "Opening Weekend" PASSCAR Late Models, Super Stocks, Street Stocks & Modifieds
February 16th "Opening Weekend" PASSCAR Late Models, Super Stocks, Street Stocks & Modifieds
February 23rd TBA
March 1st PASSCAR Late Models, Street Stocks, Factory Stocks, Modifieds
March 8th USAC/CRA Sprint Cars / California Lightning Sprints - "50's Night" Anyone born in the 1950's - $5.00 admission
March 12th Open Practice Pit Gate Opens at 5:00
March 15th PASSCAR Late Models, Super Stocks, Street Stocks & Factory Stocks
March 22nd TBA
March 29th USAC/CRA Sprint Cars
April 5th PASSCAR Late Models, Super Stocks, Street Stocks & Factory Stocks
April 12th USAC/CRA Sprint Cars - "30's & 40's Night" Anyone born in the 1930's or 1940's - $5.00 admission
April 16th Open Practice Pit Gate Opens at 5:00
April 19th PASSCAR Late Models, Street Stocks, Factory Stocks & California Lightning Sprints - FREE BIKE GIVEAWAY
April 26th USAC/CRA Sprint Cars / PASSCAR Modifieds -" Power of Purple Night" The first 200 Fans receive a FREE Water Bottle courtesy of the American Cancer Society
May 2nd Perris Auto Speedway Super Stock, Street Stock and Factory Stock Championships
May 3rd Perris Auto Speedway Super Stock, Street Stock and Factory Stock Championships -"Power of Purple Night" The first 200 fans receive a FREE set of Thunder sticks courtesy of the American Cancer Society
May 10th USAC/CRA Sprint Cars / California Lightning Sprints "Power of Purple Night" The first 200 Fans receive a FREE Relay For Life Foam Hand courtesy of the American Cancer Society
May 14th Open Practice Pit Gate Opens at 5:00
May 17th PASSCAR Late Models, Super Stocks, Street Stocks & Factory Stocks - "Bald Night" Anyone that is "Bald is Free" PLUS "Power of Purple Night" Any Adult wearing a Purple Shirt receives a $4.00 discount for admission
May 24th USAC/CRA Sprint Cars / PASSCAR Modifieds - "Salute to Indy" - 40 Lap A Main - "Power of Purple Finale" Any Adult wearing a Purple Shirt receives a $6.00 discount for admission
May 31st DIRTALLIANCE / DIRTTOUR
June 7th USAC/CRA Sprint Cars / California Lightning Sprints - Kids in Free Month
June 14th So Cal Ride, Rock and Race Fest - West Coast Flat Track Motorcycles - Kids in Free Month
June 18th Open Practice Pit Gate Opens at 5:00
June 21st USAC/CRA Sprint Cars / PASSCAR Modifieds - Kids in Free Month
June 28th PASSCAR Late Models, Super Stocks, Street Stocks & Lightning Sprints - Kids in Free Month - FREE BIKE GIVEAWAY PLUS "Recycling Day" courtesy of the Riverside County Waste Management
July 4th USAC/CRA Sprint Cars - "4th of July Festival and Fireworks Sky Concert"
July 12th Great American Enduro - Jet Car Meltdown Presented by Pick-A-Part
July 19th USAC/CRA Sprint Cars / PASSCAR Modifieds - "60's Night" Anyone born in the 1960's - $5.00 admission
July 26th Extreme Late Models, MC Builders Super Stocks, Modifieds and Pick-A-Part Factory Stocks
August 2nd TBA
August 9th USAC/CRA Sprint Cars / California Lightning Sprints - "Skirt Night" Anyone with a skirt on - $5.00 admission, $1.00 Hot Dogs & $2.00 Beers
August 16th DIRTALLIANCE/ DIRTTUOR II
August 23rd USAC/CRA Sprint Cars - "Hot August 70's Night" Anyone born in the 1970's - $5.00 admission
August 30th TBA September 6th PASSCAR Late Models, Super Stocks, Street Stocks & Factory Stocks - "Tattoo Night" anyone with a Tattoo - $5.00 admission
September 5th Perris Auto Speedway Late Model and Modified Championships
September 6th Perris Auto Speedway Late Model and Modified Championships
September 13th USAC/CRA Sprint Cars - "Back to School Night" Anyone with a valid school ID - FREE
September 17th Open Practice Pit Gate Opens at 5:00
September 20th PASSCAR Late Models, Super Stocks, Street Stocks & Modifieds
October 18th USAC/CRA Sprint Cars / PASSCAR Modifieds "Legends of Ascot"- "Canned Food Drive"
October 25th PASSCAR Late Models, Super Stocks, Factory Stocks & Lightning Sprints - "Canned Food Drive"
October 30th 13th Annual Budweiser Oval Nationals Presented by Temecula Valley Pipe and Supply
October 31st 13th Annual Budweiser Oval Nationals Presented by Temecula Valley Pipe and Supply
November 1st 13th Annual Budweiser Oval Nationals Presented by Temecula Valley Pipe and Supply
November 8th PASSCAR Late Models, Super Stocks, Street Stocks & Factory Stocks
November 15th USAC/CRA Sprint Cars - "Kindoll Classic" -
November 22nd PASSCAR "Champions Night" Late Models, Super Stocks, Street Stocks, Factory Stocks, Modifieds - "Toy Drive"
November 29th USAC/CRA Sprint Cars - "Glenn Howard Memorial" - "Toy Drive"
Anyone wishing more information can contact Perris Auto Speedway at (951) 940-0134.
Perris Auto Speedway is located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds (home of the Southern California Fair), approximately one hour east of Los Angeles and one hour North of San Diego. To get to the track, take the 215 freeway, exit at the Ramona Expressway and go two miles east to the fairgrounds.
Video and DVD productions for all PASSCAR events are available from Pasadena, California’s RAZ Video.For more information on these shows call Howie Zechner at (626) 449-1175 or send an E-mail to: Howie@razvideo.com.
racesatthepas@aol.com is the only authorized Internet address to issue official media news released from The Perris Auto Speedway or Oval Entertainment
LATE MODELS, SUPER STOCKS, MODIFIEDS AND STREET STOCKS OPEN THEIR PERRIS SCHEDULE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY!
Race fans can get a double dose of their favorite sport this Friday and Saturday, February 15th and 16th, when the Extreme Late Models, MC Builders Super Stocks, Modifieds and Street Stocks open their 2008 PASSCAR season at Perris Auto Speedway.Spectator gates will open at 5:00 PM each night with racing at 6:30.On top of the entry list for the Extreme Late Models is Cathedral City, California’s Art Peterson.The former off-road racing star is seeking an unprecedented fourth straight championship on the famous Riverside County clay oval.In 2005, he won the last ever Champ Truck Series title and in 2006 and 2007 he took the crown in the first two Late Model seasons at the track.“There are a lot of fast drivers out here.Week to week I don’t always finish first, but I have good consistent finishes,” the slender racer said at a recent practice session at the track.“The key to off road racing is being able to finish the race and that is what I try to do here.Getting good finishes every race – top three, top five – is what I always shoot for.Doing that keeps me in the championship chase every year.”Peterson is notorious for staying near the front when he starts up front and coming through the field for a top finish when he starts near the back.“Staying out of trouble is one of the keys.Especially when you have to start at the back,” he said with a nod.“You have to be patient and let some guys work their way off the track or out of your way and you can try and get into the top five.”While the competition has been tough the first two years of the Late Model series at The PAS, it will be even more so in 2008.Former USAC/CRA Sprint Car star Mike Kirby of Torrance is going to contest the whole series as is Jeff Dunham of Murrieta and possibly Dino Napier (Napier was leaning in that direction a couple of weeks ago, but was not 100% sure) of Corona.Dunham and Napier have been regulars in the tough Western All Star Series the past two seasons.“Every year there have been fast guys out here,” Peterson said.“It doesn’t matter if it was Mike Hixson, Dino or Todd Cunningham in the Champ Trucks, there are always guys to beat for the championship.Certainly Dino, Jeff and Mike are going to be tough.They have good teams and are very fast.So are a lot of other drivers.It promises to be a great and challenging year.Those guys and several others are capable of winning the championship, but I am not going to give it up without a fight,” he said with a smile.In addition to The PAS regulars Peterson mentioned, the entire Bartels team, Bill, Ron, Nick and Kirby’s sister Carla Laney, will all be on hand this weekend.The same goes for Anaheim’s Ron Meyer.Several out of town teams planned to be on hand this weekend as well including 2007 Santa Maria Speedway Champion Billy Griffin of Buena Park and Lompoc’s Chet Buckley.The Late Models will run main events both evenings.Interesting twist in their portion of the program will be the top ten dash for the pole on Saturday night.The top ten drivers in points from Friday will be seeded directly to Saturday’s main event.The lineup for the first five rows for the main will be determined by a series of two lap, two car match races.Starting with the ninth and tenth place cars, they will go head to head and the winner will move on to take the next highest point driver.It will progress all the way to the top point driver with the overall winner starting on the pole.In addition to the Late Models, the MC Builders Super Stocks, PASSCAR Modifieds and Street Stocks will all be in action.Defending champions Jack Dodd (Super Stocks) of Riverside, Randy Thornell (Modifieds) of Apple Valley and Moreno Valley’s Curtis Dietzsch (Street Stocks) should all be on hand to open defense of their titles.Gather up the posse and head to The PAS for two nights of high-speed motorized mayhem and family fun this Friday and Saturday on the number one dirt track on the west coast. Anyone wishing more information can contact Perris Auto Speedway at (951) 940-0134. Perris Auto Speedway is located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds (home of the Southern California Fair), approximately one hour east of Los Angeles and one hour North of San Diego. To get to the track, take the 215 freeway, exit at the Ramona Expressway and go two miles east to the fairgrounds. Video and DVD productions for all PASSCAR events are available from Pasadena, California’s RAZ Video.For more information on these shows call Howie Zechner at (626) 449-1175 or send an E-mail to: Howie@razvideo.com.racesatthepas@aol.com is the only authorized Internet address to issue official media news released from The Perris Auto Speedway or Oval Entertainment
Petersen Automotive Museum To Also Host Daytona 500 Viewing Party, Fan Fest
NASCAR and the Petersen Automotive Museum have announced that in celebration of 60 years of NASCAR racing, they will unveil a retrospective on the history of the fabled sport. On Friday, Feb. 15, the Petersen Automotive Museum will open its doors to a new "NASCAR: 60 Years" exhibit, featuring a unique collection of race cars spanning NASCAR's history.
The museum will also host a Daytona 500 viewing party on Sunday, Feb. 17, complete with a block-party style Fan Fest, featuring NASCAR racing simulators, food & beverage stations, a jumbo television screen, music, the NASCAR Street Tour, interactive displays and more. The eastbound lanes of Wilshire Blvd in front of the museum (between S. Fairfax Ave and S. Orange Grove Ave.) will be closed to host the event.
The free event will allow fans to enjoy some of the sights and sounds of the NASCAR experience firsthand, providing the ultimate viewing opportunity to watch the 50th running of the Daytona 500 (FOX/12 p.m. Pacific) on a 12' projector screen. The event will serve as a lead-in to the West Coast Premiere of NASCAR, when the Auto Club 500 (FOX/1 p.m. Pacific) will be held at California Speedway in Fontana on February 24.
"There is nothing more American than NASCAR," said Dick Messer, Executive Director of the Petersen Automotive Museum. "We are excited about partnering with this iconic motorsports brand and celebrating 60 Years of NASCAR at the Petersen."
Starting on Feb. 15, the museum will showcase unique race cars that all have a place in NASCAR history. Among the collection are:
• 1940 Mercury driven by Sam Packard • 1964 Mercury Marauder driven by Darel Dieranger • 1972 Ford Torino driven by Bobby Unser • 1974 Dodge Charger driven by Richard Petty • 1989 Pontiac driven by Rusty Wallace • 2002 Chevrolet driven by Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Also on display will be this year's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship trophy, as well as a series championship trophy from 2003. The vehicles and trophies will be on display until Aug. 31.
"As NASCAR celebrates 60 years of stock car racing, nothing could be timelier than for our fans to see the evolution of race cars pulled together by the Petersen Museum," said Jim Obermeyer, Managing Director, Brand and Consumer Marketing. "The cars are obviously a critical element of NASCAR's heritage and should be celebrated in connection with 6 decades of the world's finest racing. NASCAR fans are the most passionate fans in the world and are the key link to the sport's roots."
NASCAR and the Petersen Automotive Museum will also host a screening of "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby" on Wednesday, Feb. 20, featuring a "meet and greet" with the 2008 Daytona 500 winner. Tickets to the showing are free and will be given away at the Fan Fest and fans can also enter to win tickets on myfoxla.com through Feb. 15.
About NASCAR The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR), celebrating 60 years in 2008, is the sanctioning body for one of North America's premier sports. NASCAR is the No. 1 spectator sport – holding 17 of the top 20 highest attended sporting events in the U.S., and is the No. 2 rated regular-season sport on television. NASCAR races are broadcast in more than 150 countries and in more than 30 languages. NASCAR fans are the most brand loyal in all of sports, and as a result more Fortune 500 companies participate in NASCAR than any other sport.
NASCAR consists of three major national series (the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series, and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series), four regional series, and one local grassroots series, as well as two international series. NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races at 100 tracks in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada and Mexico. Based in Daytona Beach (Fla.), NASCAR has offices in New York, Los Angeles, Charlotte (N.C.), Concord (N.C.), Conover (N.C.), Bentonville (Ark.), Mexico City, and Toronto.
About the Petersen Automotive Museum The Petersen Automotive Museum, recognized internationally for its innovative design, is dedicated to the interpretive study of the automobile and its influence on our culture and lives. Encompassing more than 300,000 square feet, its exhibits and lifelike dioramas feature more than 150 rare and classic cars, trucks and motorcycles.
Covering four floors, the facility features permanent exhibits on the first floor that trace the history of the automobile. Visitors are invited to walk through, not by, exhibits and dioramas and experience settings of early Los Angeles where the world's first shopping district was designed.
HANS REPOSTS NHRA CONTINGENCY IN SPORTSMAN CLASSES
Atlanta, Georgia (January 28, 2008) - HANS Performance Products will continue to lead the head and neck restraint industry and post more than $65,000 in contingency prize money in the Sportsman classes of NHRA.
After a successful first year, the HANS Device will again be available for contingency in Top Alcohol Drag, Top Alcohol Funny, Comp, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, Super Street, Top Sportsman and Top Dragster.
Marketing Manager Andrea Walker said, "Over the last year we listened to drivers' concerns and as a result created the new $695 Sport Series and Vision Advantage Plus Tether System. Both products were designed for the budget conscious racer and the racer who needs unlimited visibility."
With more than $65,000 posted in contingency, all Sportsman class winners and runner-ups who are wearing a HANS Device and displaying HANS decals on their racecar will win $300 and $100 respectively. Walker continued, "We were the #1 proven head and neck restraint for winners last year and this year we'll be the #1 head and neck restraint for you."
Details and information about HANS Performance Products are available at www.hansdevice.com or by calling 1-888-HANS-999 or 770-457-1046.
Details and information about NHRA are available at www.nhra.com
Crews begin paving soon-to-open racetrack
BY MIKE GRIFFITH, Californian staff writer
Paving crews descended on a new racetrack under construction west of Bakersfield on Monday and began transforming barren dirt into acres of asphalt. By Wednesday afternoon most of the infield was covered in a layer of pavement and crews were putting down asphalt on what will be the apron of the new half-mile oval, which has yet to be named.The track, located near Interstate 5 and Enos Lane, is due to open sometime the spring of 2008. Larry Collins, president of Kern County's New Home to NASCAR, said the track paving, which is scheduled to begin today with a specially formulated mix, has little margin for error. "You have to take your time, and make sure it is done right the first time," Collins said of the actual track surface. "You have one shot to get it right.” "If you have a track surface problem and your asphalt is not holding up, it's no small problem and there’s no quick fix. It's very critical it's done right the first time." To that end a company that has previous experience with racetrack paving -- American Engineering and Asphalt, Inc. out of Rocklin was hired and they are operating under the watchful eye of a consultant. "Charlie Schmucker (who works for a Detroit-based company) is the on-site consultant and everything is being done to his specs," Collins said. "He's done hundreds of racetracks around the county." Collins said three layers of asphalt will be applied to the racing surface with completion expected by Christmas. All of the Musco light towers are in place and wired, brackets for the aluminum benches and backs are being installed on the main grandstand but construction on the four-story tower structure has yet to start. "All the steel beams are on sight," Collins said. "I'm keeping my eye on that, the completion of that building will be the final constructionitem." Collins said he hopes to be able to open the track in mid-April but said the final schedule for 2008 will not be completed until the first of the year, after the holidays.
2007 WAS A YEAR OF ACHIEVEMENT
IN NASCAR GRAND NATIONAL DIVISION, WEST SERIES
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Nov. 1, 2007)– Track and series records and a pair of individual accomplishments set this year reflect a level of competition that continued to increase as the NASCAR Grand National Division, West Series celebrated its 54th season.
Mike Duncan collected more than $77,000 in postseason awards to become the first driver to surpass the $1 million mark in career series winnings – with $1,040,109. And when Joey Logano won at Phoenix International Raceway at the age of 17 years, 10 months, he became the youngest driver to win a West Series race.
Track records were set in qualifying for nine events on this year’s 13-race schedule, while race records were set in six events.
Qualifying times were eclipsed at five tracks – Colorado National Speedway, north of Denver; Douglas County Speedway in Roseburg, Ore.; Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Wash.; Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif.; and Thunder Hill Raceway in Kyle, Texas. Inaugural visits to new venues accounted for track records being established at the other four events.
Two series records were set, meanwhile, both at Infineon Raceway. The 27 drivers who finished on the lead lap at Sonoma topped the previous series high of 17. In addition, the 30 cars running at the finish in the northern California road course race surpassed the previous record of 28 cars.
The 2007 championship season included 13 events at 12 venues in nine states. Those events featured 2,021 laps of competition, which translated into more than 1,430 miles of racing.
Brian Ickler led the most laps of competition overall, keeping the No. 16 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet out front for 416 laps, or about 20 percent of the total laps run.
Two-time series champion Mike Duncan led the most races in 2007, pacing the field for 306 laps in seven events in the No. 9 Lucas Oil/Ron’s Rear Ends Chevrolet. He demonstrated his versatility by leading laps on short tracks, intermediate tracks and a road course. Justin Lofton was the only other driver in the series to lead on all three types of venues this year. He had his Lofton Cattle/Cometic/Klotz/Eibach Ford out front for 89 laps in five events.
This year’s series champion, Mike David, completed the most laps. The 2,017 laps of competition he registered in the No. 2 Bennett Lane Winery Ford were just four laps short of the total possible for the entire season.
The 2,021 laps of competition run by the series in 2007 translated into just over 1,430 miles of racing.
Logano Wins NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown
Logano, the 17-year-old Joe Gibbs Racing development driver, picked up his biggest victory Saturday night winning the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown at Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway.
He held off fellow Busch East driver Peyton Sellers, who turned 24 Saturday, following a green-white-checkered finish to the 250-lap event that has been dubbed the ‘Daytona 500 of short-track racing.’
"I just had a great race tonight," Logano said. "My crew, they picked it up a ton. To be able to run up front all night, this team is unbelievable. ... I just have a lot of confidence. That's what you have to have to win. We came here knowing we can win and that's what we did."
Two-time West Series champion Mike Duncan finished third in a frantic finish, edging defending race winner Matt Kobyluck at the start-finish line. Eddie McDonald followed closely in fifth.
Brian Ickler over overcame a mid-race mechanical problem that put him a lap down prior to the 200-lap break to drive his way back up to sixth. Eric Holmes, Mike Olsen, John Salemi, and David Mayhew rounded out the top 10.
Logano won six times during the Grand National regular season – including his first career start in the West Series at Phoenix International Raceway in April. He became the first rookie to win a NASCAR Busch East title and set the record as series’ youngest champion.
SHOWDOWN Unofficial Results Saturday At Irwindale Speedway Irwindale, CA Lap length: 0.5 miles (Start position in parentheses) 1. (2) Joey Logano, Middletown, Conn., Chevrolet, 250 laps, 61.150 mph, $33,284. 2. (9) Peyton Sellers, Danville, Va., Chevrolet, 250, $22,684. 3. (3) Mike Duncan, Bakersfield, Calif., Chevrolet, 250, $17,000. 4. (6) Matt Kobyluck, Uncasville, Conn., Chevrolet, 250, $16,184. 5. (10) Eddie MacDonald, Rowley, Mass., Chevrolet, 250, $13,530. 6. (5) Brian Ickler, San Diego, Calif., Chevrolet, 250, $12,000. 7. (25) Eric Holmes, Escalon, Calif., Chevrolet, 250, $8,000. 8. (28) Mike Olsen, North Haverhill, N.H., Chevrolet, 250, $12,434. 9. (33) John Salemi, Nashua, N.H., Chevrolet, 250, $14,684. 10. (13) David Mayhew, Atascadero, Calif., Chevrolet, 250, $9,250. 11. (21) Eric Richardson, Bakersfield, Calif., Toyota, 250, $10,000. 12. (19) Jason Bowles, Ontario, Calif., Ford, 250, $9,500. 13. (16) Rogelio Lopez, Aquascaliantes, Mexico, Chevrolet, 250, $10,684. 14. (15) Mike David, Modesto, Calif., Ford, 250, $8,500. 15. (11) Johnny Borneman, Ramona, Calif., Ford, 250, $8,000. 16. (31) Jim Inglebright, Fairfield, Calif., Chevrolet, 250, $8,300. 17. (20) Daryl Harr, St Albert, AB, Chevrolet, 250, $7,700. 18. (29) Jamie Hayes, Norlina, N.C., Chevrolet, 250, $9,284. 19. (18) Ben Walker, Santa Clarita, Calif., Ford, 249, $4,550. 20. (30) Alex Haase, Las Vegas, Nev., Chevrolet, 248, $7,500. 21. (36) Greg Pursley, Newhall, Calif., Ford, 248, $5,400. 22. (27) Eric Hardin, Anaheim, Calif., Chevrolet, 247, $7,300. 23. (24) Andrew Myers, Newport Beach, Calif., Chevrolet, 243, accident, $5,250. 24. (8) Brett Thompson, Jerome, Idaho, Chevrolet, 243, accident, $7,200. 25. (7) Ryan Foster, Anderson, Calif., Chevrolet, 242, $7,150. 26. (38) Woody Pitkat, Manchester, Conn., Chevrolet, 236, $6,254. 27. (4) Marc Davis, Mitchelville, Md., Chevrolet, 231, $8,784. 28. (22) Justin Lofton, Westmorland, Calif., Ford, 214, $7,100. 29. (35) Mike Johnson, Salisbury, Mass., Ford, 212, rear end, $8,630. 30. (39) Chris Bristol, Columbus, Ohio, Chevrolet, 208, $9,784. 31. (40) Antonio Perez, Mexico City, Mexico, Dodge, 189, $9,734. 32. (12) Nick Lynch, Burley, Idaho, Dodge, 176, accident, $4,000. 33. (34) Moses Smith, Tempe, Ariz., Chevrolet, 155, accident, $7,000. 34. (23) Tim Woods, III, Chino Hills, Calif., Ford, 139, engine, $4,000. 35. (37) Ryan Philpott, Tracy, Calif., Ford, 129, suspension, $5,000. 36. (1) Sean Caisse, Pelham, N.H., Chevrolet, 74, accident, $11,684. 37. (17) Jeff Barkshire, Auburn, Wash., Dodge, 60, suspension, $4,000. 38. (14) Stephen Berry, Huddleston, Va., Chevrolet, 45, accident, $7,530. 39. (26) Andrew Ranger, Roxton Pond, Quebec, Chevrolet, 31, accident, $7,530. 40. (32) Michelle Theriault, Bristol, Conn., Chevrolet, 28, accident, $8,684.
Race Statistics Time of Race: 2 hours 2 minutes 39 seconds Margin of Victory: Fastest Qualifier: S.Caisse (98.517 mph, 18.271 seconds) Caution Flags: 13 for 61 laps. Lead Changes: 3 among 4 drivers. Lap Leaders: S.Caisse 1-74; M.Duncan 75-154; B.Ickler 155-163; J.Logano 164-250.
Ben Walker and Michelle Theriault wait with other drivers for a photo shoot on the track at the Irwindale Speedway on October 20, 2007 in Irwindale, California. (Photo Credit: Steve Grayson (Getty Images/NASCAR))
The 40 drivers that will make up the starting field of the 2007 NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown. (Photo Credit: Steve Grayson (Getty Images/NASCAR))
Jason Bowles and David Mayhew at the Irwindale Speedway on October 19, 2007 in Irwindale, California. (Photo Credit: Steve Grayson/Getty Images)
Joey Logano and his crew stand in Victory Lane following Saturday's win in the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown. (Photo Credit: Steve Grayson (Getty Images/NASCAR))
The field drives through turns 1 and 2. (Photo Credit: Steve Grayson (Getty Images/NASCAR))
Sean Caisse (44) leads early as Mike Duncan looks to the outside. (Photo Credit: Steve Grayson (Getty Images/NASCAR))
Sean Caisse (44) leads early as Mike Duncan looks to the outside. (Photo Credit: Steve Grayson (Getty Images/NASCAR))
Mike Duncan led early in Saturday's running of the Toyota All-Star Showdown. (Photo Credit: Steve Grayson (Getty Images/NASCAR))
The frontstretch at Irwindale Speedway. (Photo Credit: Steve Grayson (Getty Images/NASCAR))
Joey Logano and Co. celebrate with the Toyota Tundra that Logano will get to drive for a year by virtue of his win in Saturday's NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown. (Photo Credit: Steve Grayson (Getty Images/NASCAR))
