RacingWest

Will NASCAR Keep "Boys Have At It" on the Menu?

2011-06-06T13:49:00.000-07:00

Richard Childress and Kyle Busch have joined the fun in giving Brian France’s “Have at it Boys” policy a workout. Search Bing.com if you don’t know what I mean.

NASCAR execs and marketing are likely loving this stuff, they are getting just what their boss wanted.

But will the policy go too far, too fast?

There is a certain excitement that goes with this type of racing, fighting. But sooner or later some of the sponsors in this sport are going to want more than sunflower spitting, cussing and fistacuffs.

“Have at it boys” is good in theory and “Have at it boys” works at the local short track. It works because there are limits. Leaving a car unoccupied on pit road, smashing into a car on pit road, deliberately wrecking another on the track, fighting in the pits…in short track racing you know there will be a consequence. A team will normally expect and accept the punishment.

The problem with the NASCAR “Boys Have At It” Series is that no one seems to know just where the limit is or when a consequence may be applied.

Some of the local short track promoters are masters at cooking up excitement, stirring things up just right and keeping the pot from boiling over...could their balanced mix of racing and entertainment be just the recipe needed to keep “Have at it boys” a favorite on NASCAR’s big three menu?

Kyle Busch - Please go into role model mode

2011-05-25T12:51:00.000-07:00

Photo of Kyle Busch, the Kid from Vegas

Kyle Busch got caught driving a sports car (or toy as he calls it) at 128mph in a 45mph zone. Now he is more talked about than Kimi Raikkonen –that is saying something, isn’t it?

How many come to Busch’s defense on this infraction of the law. Some examples:

He has skill
He didn’t come in firing at people with guns
He was in a powerful sports car
He’s a racer, that’s what he is paid to do—go fast.
The cops overreacted
None of us are perfect.
Everyone has done something like this

True, he does have skill, no he didn’t fire a gun, yes it was a powerful sports car -- Lexus LFA to be exact (bet Lexus has no complaints), yep, he is a paid racer, correct-- none of us are perfect and yes, just about everyone has done something like that—even in my family I had a kid that was riding in a BMW (not a sports car even) going 143 on the 58. I can agree with the defenses.

BUT…I don’t agree the cop overreacted.

The cop may have prevented a death…maybe even that of Busch.

As skilled as Busch is he drives professionally in a controlled environment, not one where there is cross traffic up ahead, horses could be passing by, dogs running and kids chasing balls. And doesn’t he have a spotter when he normally drives over 120mph? Did he have someone spotting for him at this “event”?

Anything could have happened, doesn’t matter who was holding the wheel. 128mph was too fast for that situation, not to mention, he had to know going almost triple the speed limit was against the law.

Lot of us likes Busch, we want to forgive him, find excuses for him. But it isn’t only adults that follow the brightly colored No. 18 M&Ms Car in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, the kids do, too. Right about now some of the parents of his younger fans could be very upset with his behavior—not much of a role model.

Busch was quoted as saying, “I went beyond the speed I should have been going on a public road. I apologize to the public, my fans, sponsors, and race teams for my lack of judgment.”

That’s good. But the Charlotte Observer has reported this isn’t the first time he has been busted in this area. He was also ticketed for going 55 mph in a 35 mph in 2008.

Here is the deal, professionally racing in NASCAR is Busch’s job. He is no longer that little kid that races Legends at Vegas. He is a big boy now on the verge of breaking some major NASCAR records. Time for Busch to realize just how big a hero and role model he is.

So how are things at Santa Maria Speedway?

2011-05-23T12:58:00.000-07:00

Went out to Santa Maria Speedway this weekend and what a treat!

The parking lot was fast filling up by the time I arrived. I grabbed my gear and headed up to the top of the stands to set up on one of the many conveniently located picnic tables.

It had that nostalgic feeling... hard to describe, but I am sure you know what I mean. Some of these older short tracks you can walk into and they just have a special comforting familiar feel to them.

This track has so much going for it. Everyone I encountered at the track is easy going, The track photographer, Jon Paquet was not out to protect his territory, but kindly shared it. For a look at some of his work visit: paquetphotography.com.

I really like the way the handicapped are treated to a nice seating area. Even a stop to keep them from rolling off. Haven't we all been to tracks where the wheelchairs are pushed so far back that everyone in front can walk by, stop, stand up and basically block the view of those in the wheelchairs. Since the handicapped often can't stand up it is nice that are provided an unobstructed view here.

Look who I ran into! Lee Elder...doing his Goodyear thing. So good seeing him there!

This track was perfectly prepped. There was not a rock on it.

Walking the track...making sure it is winning form ;) And it was...just ask this driver!

Promoter Chris Kearns and literally his right hand man (as this photo clearly shows). What a bang up job he has done here. Prior to the race weekend he put a big shiny Sprint Car on a flatbed truck and had someone drive it around town all week...so the locals definitely knew there was something "big" going on at the track!

Now don't you know this little guy will have as much fun with the photo of him and the trophy girl at school as will with the trophy displayed on the shelf?

See, that's another thing Kearns has done. He has added a smaller track that seems to be quite popular. One of the little kids got out of the car and said that he really kicked A** or something like that and in turn that got a few verbal exchanges going between adults in the area I was sitting...but all typical short track stuff.

Local driver getting down and dirty on the hometrack.

The locals put on quite a show. And what I really liked at this track is that it was very fast moving. For awhile there it was a lot like a 3 ring circus with everything going on. There was a bit of a lull just prior to the mains but it was a chance for the fans to "food and drink" up.

It was such a big show and such an honor to see the likes of Brent Kaeding. Another thing the promoter did here was run a dash for the "Last Man Standing". Winner got $1000. The announcer said the promoter had hoped to get a sponsor for the dash, but when it was clear there would not be a sponsor, promoter ponied up the money anyway. Way to go!

These cars are so exciting to watch. Loud, fast, fun.

Some where some 17 other teams were feeling the agony of defeat...but for these guys it was the thrill of victory. Gee...wonder where that clever wording came from.

This is the winner of the Golden State King of the West 410 Sprint Car race. He was so excited for the win. He said he came in an open air hauler last year and this year got an enclosed. Of course now that all the drivers are going to enclosed haulers that is why promoters like Kearns have to put the car on a flatbed and drive it around...ha ha.

Very photographic trophy girl, don't ya think?

Can't say enough about this track...my only advice is get ready to get the puter and camera familiar with a little Santa Maria dirt...and get ready to have one helluva a good time!

Will "Have at it boys" hurt the small tracks?

2011-05-11T08:08:00.000-07:00

Most everyone that follows the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in America is aware of the incident that happened at Darlington Raceway's pit road between Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch.

Someone mentioned in the time it took for Harvick to unbuckle, fight the straps, remove the wheel 2x and start heading toward Busch's car that NASCAR easily could have had officials and equipment down there to calm, referee, stop the incident.

NASCAR chose to do nothing. That is a loud message that what happened on pit road was NASCAR approved.

The next "have at it boys" could be even more shocking.

How boring the racing at small tracks will become under the shadow of this Grandest of all Demo Derbies taking place in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

What will the home-track fans think in the future when a car is sent to the back for turning the leader? Or when a fight ensues and drivers are thrown off the track? Will the fans be satisfied or will it look wimpy to them?

Even the famous incidents from the past are at risk of being replaced by Brian France's new NASCAR "show".

And remember many of these smaller tracks and series are NASCAR sanctioned. Fans are paying to see NASCAR...which now contains a lot more than racing. Somehow I don't think the face painting, historic cars, jumping rooms are going to be a big enough draw, a big enough addition to just watching a race.

Why go to the local track when the national enquirer--NASCAR Enquirer is on live TV?

And now that NASCAR has set a new precedence in racing, if the local home tracks and grassroots racing series decide to follow the NASCAR lead and allow fighting and the smashing, crashing of equipment (with only the smallest of fines/penalties) what will eventually happen to an already declining car count? Will death and injury occur on the short tracks by those trying to be stars of the BF NASCAR show?

What will all this do to these already struggling short tracks and "little" series?

Expect new fans following the Spears SRL SW Tour

2010-07-21T14:20:00.000-07:00

The Spears SRL Southwest Tour race at Toyota Speedway July 17 was the best race I saw all year--better than any race I saw last year and in fact better than any race I can remember for a long time.

It had it all, a field peppered with champions, drama, new track record, controversy, thrilling passes and an electrifying photo finish.

And while there may be those not happy with certain aspects of the race, a car "stalled" on the start/finish only to miraculously regain power when the yellow came out was not exactly a crowd-pleaser, still I am pretty sure that night gave birth to new SRL fans.

You just don't see racing as good as that very often.

Danica Patrick runs with the big dogs, sort of

2010-02-28T12:36:00.000-08:00

Danica Patrick crashes again. This time the driver she clipped in the rear, Michael McDowell, took responsibility for the wreck. McDowell said it was “100 percent” his fault. That percentage is not quite right. There was some blame to be placed on both drivers. Patrick seemed to slightly pinch McDowell off. A more experienced driver may or may not have sensed what was coming and avoided the accident. Either way it was not that big a deal. Could have happened to almost anyone.

But despite the fact there are more “Danica Crashes” than “Danica finishes” again this week, things seem to be looking up. Patrick was able to get up to third and run with the big dogs--OK, OK...the leaders pitted, so maybe those dogs weren't that big, but still...

It was a big leap for Patrick to go from Indy Car to stock car. Last week it looked pretty hopeless, this week she showed us she has the potential to be a contender. She also has no problem admitting she is learning this stock car stuff.

For now her stint in NASCAR is over as she gets back to her real job of driving an Indy Car. But she will return to the NASCAR Nationwide series in June for the New Hampshire race. She has a lot of fans looking forward to her return. She spices things up. And she is doing wonders for NASCAR – those slumping ticket sales and lower TV ratings needed the boost that she was able to bring.

Now as for McDowell, he was worried about the Junior Nation and Danica Mania fans “attacking” him for the incident, he really shouldn’t. His sponsor, the Monte Carlo Las Vegas Resort and Casino, got a lot of airtime. Don’t they always say the best thing to do for a sponsor is to go checkers or wreckers? If that is the case, then was there anyone better to wreck with than Danica Patrick?

Source: Al Teredfuel

Did Danica Patrick miss a rung in the NASCAR Ladder?

2010-02-21T10:10:00.000-08:00

NASCAR Nationwide Series driver Danica Patrick -- Photo Credit: Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images for NASCAR

Danica Patrick might have been better off beginning her NASCAR career in one of the developmental series, such as the NASCAR K&N Filters East and West series. At this point it looks like she would have been better off getting a NASCAR education in the Drive for Diversity program. She has had two attempts to show her stuff to the world in the NASCAR Nationwide series and so far it is not so impressive.

She makes a lot of comments about learning, about how she struggles to communicate what the car is doing, how, she needs to figure things out. In one breath she says she is used to running up front and in the next she admits she would be happy just to finish. At the end of the race at the Auto Club Speedway, she let her team know she sucked, but chances are good both team and fans already knew this.

NASCAR wanted her to be a star, right alongside Dale Earnhardt Jr. Hopes were high she would generate more interest in the sometimes slumping TV and radio ratings. In that respect she has been a success in NASCAR; she has and is continuing to generate interest. Unfortunately it doesn’t look like she is ready to transition straight from the IndyCars to the NASCAR Nationwide series.

Going from Indy to NASCAR does not always seem to be such an easy transition and some drivers struggle with it more than others. Even simple things can trip up and Indy Car driver. For instance NASCAR’s technology is a bit behind the times, not saying that’s bad, just the way it is. I am sure that was frustrating for Patrick to get a couple of “speeding tickets” going down the pit road. She alluded to the fact that the instruments or calculations were off, but maybe she was off, maybe she is adjusting to the fact that there is no cruise control in NASCAR.

Had Patrick started in the NASCAR K&N Filters West or East she still would have brought the interest to NASCAR that the sanctioning body wants. She could have been a big fish in a little pond and she probably could have been upfront (that area where she claims she is used to running) and winning. Some may say, “Ah, but we saw what happened to Sarah Fisher in the West”—but Fisher never had the top of the line equipment, some races she had new spotters making bad calls, i.e. Phoenix. I suspect the Patrick would have been in the better stuff, with experienced spotters.

It would have been huge for not only Patrick, but for the often overlooked NASCAR developmental series. NASCAR missed the boat on this one.

If she isn’t careful Patrick will be stuck as a little fish swimming in NASCAR’s great big pond. I have no doubt that she can win races in NASCAR, but will she be able to withstand the pressure of underperforming until she gains the experience she needs to get her to victory lane?

Janet Peery. http://www.racingwest.com

The Weekend's Destruction Derby at Tucson Raceway Park Canceled

2010-01-10T18:59:00.000-08:00

The highly anticipated destruction derby at Tucson Raceway Park was canceled. In its place was a terrific Super Late Model race.

There was talk before the race that the cars (they were a mix of Vegas, TRP Super Lates, Rocky Mountain Challenge Series, etc) entered into the ASA Phakisa Challenge 150 would not be able to compete with each other, that it was dangerous putting drivers together that don't normally race each other, that cars would be torn up, but, none of that happened.

What did happen was 5-time TRP track champion, Ron Norman, striking "gold" with a $5000.00 winner's cash prize and an invitation to go to Phakisa personally extended to him by ASA President, Dennis Huth.

Everything about this event had that enthusiastic upbeat feeling of the days we all talk about nostalgically. I felt like I was at one of the old Winter Heats. Drivers were all in good moods. It was fun to see Sean Woodside and cool to meet so many of the big name drivers that I read about in press releases, drivers like, Rzesnowiecky, Alderman, Robertson, Paladenic, Ruschenburg,Wulfenstein, Pflueger, etc., etc.

Now when it came down to the racing, another thing that had been mentioned is that these cars could not race competitively with different rules/differnt cars. Well, whoops, someone must have forgotton to tell everyone, but Norman. That man pulled away at every start and there was no stopping him. Had something have gone wrong with his car (and trust me I in no way would have wanted that to happen), but still just saying if something had gone wrong with his car, the race from 2nd on back was easily one of the most exciting races seen in a long time.

Oh yes and one last thing. About the torn up cars....hmmm....there weren't any. Say it is because there were only 16 cars on the track. But truth is they were racing three and four wide at times and they had lapped cars to deal with just like any other race.

This was a good race, because these racers made it one.

And Tucson Raceway Park is here to stay. I think you will be hearing a whole lot about the track. From what I could see they are trying to get people in the stands and cars in the field. Aren't we always begging promoters to open their rules and let more cars race and offer a bigger payout? Well here you had just that and I have to say it was fun.

Below are just a few shots from the event. I hope to post more photos to RacingWest's photo gallery over the next few days.

I also want to say all the staff at Tucson Raceway Park that I personally had the pleasure of meeting were awesome. I was so excited to meet all of them from the chief spotter to track promoter to announcer. And it was so much fun meeting Steve Witz' baby sis and comparing notes.

I am asking myself...why did I wait so long to go back to Tucson!

--janet peery

Updated list of drivers going to Phakisa

2010-01-03T13:14:00.000-08:00

Russ Blakeley - 2004 NASCAR Elite Touring Division, Rookie of the Year, Millennium Late Model Champion, 1993 Rookie of the Year-Pikes Peak Hill Climb-Stock Car Division, Nicknamed “Captain Spectacular” for jumping a schoolbus over a motorhome

Ron Barfield - Finished 22nd in the 1997 Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway driving for Bill Elliott. He has 29 starts in the NASCAR Nationwide Series where he has two top-ten finishes and has 71 starts in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series where he has four top-five and 17 top-ten finishes.
Today, he owns and operates the 4/10-mile oval in Dillon, SC with many family members helping him. It's an opportunity for him to help mentor the young drivers that compete weekly at his track.

Geoff Bodine - One of NASCAR's top 50 Greatest Drivers, and then there is the Bo-Dyn Bobsleds

Steve Carlson - ASA Midwest Tour Champion, four-time ARTGO Series champion (1990, 91, 94, 96), five-time NASCAR Elite Division – Midwest Series champion (1998, 2000, 01, 02, 03). 2007 NASCAR Weekly Series National Champion and has six track championships at La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway (1978, 1979, 1982, 1984, 2007, 2008).

Tiff Daniels - Competed in NASCAR Limited Late Model and NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model Stock Car, attended the year-long Lyn St. James Driver Development Program in 2007, was one of 24 drivers selected for, selected to participate in the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Combine, graduated Magna Cum Laude from UNC Charlotte with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, concentration in Motorsports, and a Minor in Public Relations. worked as an engineer for Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates
Tiffany returned to Phase II of the Lyn St. James Driver Development Program in February of 2008, and was awarded the Kara Hendrick Memorial Scholarship for her spirit & talent. She is looking forward to 2008 season, as she attempts to get her first Late Model Stock Car win and pursue other opportunities to advance her career.

Marc Davis - 2 years of racing experience, successfully competing on dirt, asphalt and road course tracks has competed in both NASCAR Mexico series and NASCAR Camping World East series.

Gary Lewis - Former NASCAR Northwest Tour champion, Current ASA Northwest Tour champion

Rick McCray - Former NASCAR Craftsman Truck and Winston West owner/racer, Current Promoter Orange Show Speedway

Toni McCray - Has managed a NASCAR Craftsman Truck team, has worked for Evernham Motorsports as well as NASCAR in Marketing role, currently racesat and helps run ASA track, Orange Show Speedway.

John Mickel - First SCSA (Stock Car Speed Association) champion, competed in NACAR Craftsman Truck series.

Chris Wimmer - Competed in ASA, NASCAR Busch Series, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series

Who is sponsor of NASCAR East and West Series?

2010-01-03T10:16:00.000-08:00

Its 2010 and we have a lot of official this and that, but no official word from NASCAR on the series sponsor of the NASCAR East and West series. Last year we had Camping World. This year some say Camping World is back, others are not so sure.

At any rate there are those in the RacingWest message board that are saying it could be difficult to secure sponsorship for the raceteam when the sponsor is unknown, when they don't even know what to actually call the series.

I have emailed NASCAR so an answer should be coming shortly.

As someone mentioned it would be great if the sponsor of the series actually took advantage of what they are sponsoring, attended races and used their sponsorshp to promote their company. In turn it would promote the series.

Remember some of the parties RJ Reynolds used to put on? Them were the days, huh?

$26000 Package to Win Tucson Late Model includes $5000 in Cash

2010-01-03T09:27:00.001-08:00

I had a dream tripped planned for the off-season. Had some free miles to burn so planned a trip to South Korea, Thailand and Hong Kong, oh yes and then the one day stopover in Hawaii. Was really looking forward to it and managed to get first class seats all the way. No easy task and all for free.

Then came the Tucson Raceway Park event. Now this race was not on my schedule when I planned my Asia trip for the "off season".

The race itself I would call a Winter Heat, plus it is at the track that held the original Winter Heats. It features a $5000 to win Super Late Model race, but bigger than that is the opportunity to race at Phakisa in the ASA's inaugural Transcontinental event. All total a package worth $26000. It includes free trip to Africa for driver and spouse. Guaranteed starting spot in a car provided for free with a crew of 7, free sightseeing in Africa, free food, free air, free ground transportation and a free shot at winning the world's biggest international STOCK CAR race using NASCAR Nationwide and NASCAR Camping World West and East Series cars.

So as the days wound down and my Asia trip drew ever closer, I booked hotels for cheap via Priceline, I figured out the budget tours to take, figured out what food I could eat there....being I learned from many of my trips abroad that vegetarians have to think ahead.

And then I signed in to my account to check my seats and the "4 days until next trip" was displayed. All of a sudden I got the mixed feeling do I really want to go to Asia or do I want to go to TRP? I called this trip a trip of a lifetime...but all my trips are that to me. And I went back and forth in my mind. And finally Tucson won out BECAUSE it can truly be a one time shot and the Asia trip? Well for me planning is half the fun, I will plan for another one.

So now instead of flying in luxury on Korean Air I will be sitting shotgun in a rental car for 9 straight hours of driving. Instead of eating Thai food, I will be snacking on Taco Bell tostadas and instead of that little shack on the beach (it may have been cheap, but it had a view) I will be getting what sleep can be had at a rest stop.

So am I crazy? I don't think so. I feel like I made the right decision for RacingWest and for me.

I hope to do a Near Live from Tucson and I hope so much that there will be some familiar faces there. Not that I don't enjoy meeting new drivers, I love it...but sometimes it feels more comfortable when someone you know is nearby. And that is not meant to sound mushy...just straight from the heart.

NASCAR West releases schedule

2009-12-16T16:47:00.001-08:00

NASCAR released their schedule and thanks to the help of Bill McAnally there are 12 dates, including some very cool tracks. Well, they are the same tracks as were on there last year, with the exception of Montana Raceway Park.

Will be fun to go to Montana and that race will hopefully make the Northwest people happy...and maybe draw out a few of them to come out and play.

Happy to have Miller Motorsports Park on the schedule, after so much talk it would not be. Excited to see the East/West combo on there.

I miss Texas. I know it got mixed reviews, but I think the weather did a lot of that. It just didn't cooperate. CT Hellmund was a terrific promoter.

From what I understand Bill McAnally was once again instrumental in getting a whole lot of those races added. Glad for that.

Looking forward to 2010 racing season.

Did Jimmie Johnson really make NASCAR History?

2009-11-24T09:03:00.000-08:00

NASCAR has its history and its modern era history, but did Jimmie Johnson really make history by winning 4 consecutive championships?

Absolutely.

But should those 4 championships be placed alongside multi-championship drivers like Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt?

Absolutely NOT.

Johnson is not racing in the Modern Era of NASCAR. He is racing in the Ultra-Modern Era of NASCAR, which began in 2004, under much different rules and standards. It is an era of a gimmicky Chase in an out of scale car, that is not exactly the prettiest car that has ever raced a NASCAR track.

The "Chase" was the brainstorm of Brian France. It has certainly worked wonders for Johnson's career with his winning 4 of the 6 Chases since its inception. There is no doubt that Johnson has talent and good equipment, but under the Modern Era points he would have won maybe 2 Championships. And what would have happened if a roadcourse was a part of the Chase?

I certainly don't mean to take anything away from Johnson. He played by the rules and won it (4 times) fair and square. The fact that Johnson won makes it nice for all my friends from the Cajon area that are thrilled seeing their hometown boy win.

But is there anyway we could at least recognize that Jimmie Johnson is not racing in the Modern Era? What goes on now in the Cup has major differences from the Earnhardt/Petty days of the psat.

NASCAR Camping World West Series Banquet

2009-11-14T22:29:00.000-08:00

THOUSAND OAKS, California – One of the biggest bonuses of any racing season is when the hard-working teams are rewarded for their efforts at the year-end banquet. This year was no exception as NASCAR held a huge banquet of not one, but five series under one roof at the Embassy Suites and Convention Center in Concord, North Carolina.

Good news came when NASCAR released complete schedules for four of the five regional touring series, the NASCAR Camping World Series East, the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour.

Despite the good news, many on the West Coast were disappointed that NASCAR did not release a complete schedule for the Camping World West Series. George Silbermann, managing director for racing operations at NASCAR, was able to confirm 6 races including Infineon Raceway at Sears Point, Toyota Speedway at Irwindale, Portland International Raceway, the combination East/West race at Iowa Speedway and two races at Phoenix International Raceway -- one in April and the other the finale for the series in November. Some promoters have already been selling tickets to these races. Continuing without surprise was that NASCAR stated further dates and complete schedule for the West Series will be announced shortly. But of course every NASCAR schedule is always tentative and subject to change.

Another exciting tidbit from the champions’ week is that SPEED will again broadcast the NASCAR West Series races in 2010. Full information on the broadcast schedule was not available but NASCAR’ stated further details would be announced at a later date. Is this becoming a reoccurring theme?

Earlier in the week three NASCAR West drivers were honored with special season-end awards. Jason Bowles won the Camping World Happy Camper award, Coors Light Pole Award, Mahle Engine Builder of the Year Award, Mobil 1 Command Performance of the Race Award, WIX Lap Leader Award; Paulie Harraka the Coca-Cola Move of the race award, Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award; and Moses Smith won the Most Improved Driver Award. Smith was also honored during the banquet for being the Most Popular Driver in the NASCAR West.

NASCAR Official Becky McBride was recognized with the Spencer Clark Driven Foundation Award. The award is presented in memory of the young driver who left the racing community far too young.

Whilst it was nice to have so many NASCAR series together, under one roof, each series was overshadowed by the next series. The teams were underserved, with the champion the only one able to make a speech. While this might be beneficial to some drivers, who are more comfortable behind the wheel of a loose race car than behind the podium talking in front of a crowd, to most I would say this was a big disappointment.

These teams worked hard all year. It would have been nice to have heard what Gene Price, Greg Pursley, Bill McAnally and Eric Holmes had to say…they came so close to the championship. With the actual champion, Jason Bowles, not in attendance due to a scheduling conflict, why not let his crew chief, Bill Sedgwick, a past champion himself in the series have a word or two.

It is of course still an honor to have a nice finish in the points, to enjoy a week in Charlotte, to have the excuse to maybe buy one more car. Despite the disappointments, there was a lot of good in the inaugural Night of Champions Touring Awards Gala in the Concord Convention Center on Saturday night.

There may not have many too many surprises, but there was one big one—the absence of the CEO and President of NASCAR, Brian France.

Here he had teams from not one, but five series, from all reaches of not only the United States, but also internationally that had worked so hard all year…right in his own backyard. He had the track promoters that provide him places for his series to race, the men and women that continue to keep the NASCAR name heard in every corner of the United States. He had the very sponsors that pay NASCAR the money to keep his series well funded and running. All of these important people, all gathered in one room, in what was perhaps the largest assembly of this type in the history of grassroots NASCAR. All these people that collectively make him a success and France is a no-show. A previously taped message was shown on a screen, that doesn’t do much for saying he cares.

What was he thinking? No wonder the media criticizes NASCAR for abandoning its roots. His absence was a strong statement on his feelings for the “smaller” series.

Guess its back to racing as usual…let the silly season begin. Who is going to pilot the Randy Lynch ride? How many cars will Bill McAnally field? Is it true SRL driver, Brennan Newberry, will be racing the West in 2010? Oh yea…and with only 6 races announced by NASCAR…what other tracks will be added?

Source: Janet Peery

East Meets West at NASCAR Banquet and Depending Where You are From that Could Be Good or Bad

2009-10-16T15:45:00.000-07:00

Have you heard NASCAR is offering tow money to the teams in the NASCAR Camping World West series that are willing to make the long haul out to Charlotte for the awards banquet, billed as the "NASCAR Night of Champions Touring Awards Gala 2009"? Phew, now that is a mouthful.

I doubt it is true, but it sure would be nice for the family and crew members that would like to see the awards ceremony as their driver is called on stage, whether it is the newly crowned champion or any other driver. This is afterall a team sport, but seeing the ceremony is no longer as easy as piling in a van and heading to Las Vegas or taking a short hop on Southwest Airlines to Sacramento, some teams will go short and depending on where a team is in the points, not at all.

Why would NASCAR have the "REGIONAL TOURING" Series go outside the region for the banquet? Oh you will hear a song and dance on how Charlotte is the hub of NASCAR, the heart of racing, etc...but the truth of the matter probably comes closer to the fact that NASCAR is taking care of the bigger teams at the expense of the regional series.

In reality having the banquet in Charlotte, NASCAR does a huge favor to the Cup/Nationwide teams with either outdated equipment or soon to be outdated equipment come 2010 with the introduction of COT not only to Cup, but now also to the Nationwide Series. Teams can now pawn off their useless cars to the NASCAR West and East teams. It is possible NASCAR employees may even suggest/steer teams to certain shops to ...well...shop at.

I guess the biggest decision when it comes to the banquet is do you ride an airplane or drive the hauler to the banquet?

Lot of people will be taking neither, they either can't afford to go, or choose not to go. Then too...there is racing that weekend...including a huge IMCA race at Las Vegas.

For all the many things that NASCAR does right, my opinion is this banquet for the West Series being held in the East is terribly wrong.

How many NASCAR Southwest Tour champs will be at the SRL SW Tour race at Irwindale?

2009-10-06T11:35:00.000-07:00

I am amazed at the list of NASCAR SW Tour champions in Spears SRL SW Tour race at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale. It includes: Rip Michels, Jim Pettit II, Auggie Vidovich, Eddy McKean, Craig Raudman.

Thats huge and then most of the rest of the guys in the field have track or series championships. Some like Dave Byrd, a true West Coast Legend, have multiple championships.

If anyone had any doubts when NASCAR dropped kicked the NASCAR Southwest Tour that it would not survive...well, those doubts have certainly been removed.

The SRL SW Tour is not just back...it is coming back with a vengence. And it reads like a who's who in West Coast racing.

ASA to Africa

2009-10-05T08:33:00.001-07:00

Had a forward from a couple of people that had contacted the ASA on the South Africa Race at Phakisa.

Here was the most thorough response:

Dennis (Huth) has asked me to follow up on your request. I have a couple of questions for you. What type of car do you now have and what type of engine package do you now have? Also where do you now race? We are working with Camping World West type cars, Arca, and Busch style cars. We are also working on the engine life and trying to reduce speeds and costs on a 1.5 mile oval race track. Our engine packages we are going to use are the Wegner Spec engine the 12-1 style engine and a new Schwanke fuel injected engine at this race. The Wegner and the 12-1 engine will be fitted with a rev limiter chip and also a 500 cfm 2 bbl carb. We are shooting for around a 500+ horse power combo for all engine packages. These engine packages will not only increase engine life but also help the driveability of the car it self. Please let me know what you have. We are trying to prove that you do not need a $50,000 engine to put on a great show for the drivers and fans alike. The changes made to the conventional style engines are inexpensive and will allow existing engines to compete. Our new ASA Transcontinental engine package is under $15,000. You can call me after 5 central time at 920 863 8012. I am around till about 6.

Thank You for your interest in the ASATS South Africa.
Mike Lemke
ASA Technical Director
stockcartech@gmail.com
racersedge817@msn.com
www.stockcartech.com

NASCAR Campng World West Series, over so soon? Part One

2009-09-29T17:22:00.000-07:00

Part One: It is really odd that the season is over, especially since the NASCAR Camping World West competes, well...in the West.

It was a good year. Two of the best races I saw this year came from this series, that would be the race at Portland International Raceway...the one where Greg Pursley was the clear winner...or so we thought until the last turn on the last lap.

What a heartbreak it was for Pursley and the team, but at the same time it was one of those "Agony and Ectasy" moments. Jim Inglebright, a driver who had in the previous 3 events gone through losing 2 motors and finishing almost dead last at his hometown track, Infineon Raceway at Sonoma, was able to take advantage of Pursley's slip and win the race.

The other really good race this season was at Colorado National Speedway. There were so many guys that worked their way up front. None of us knew who would win. We saw Eric Holmes and Jason Bowles up front, but then there was Moses Smith, Jim Warn and rookie, Blake Koch, running strong, and for a couple better than we had seen them run all year, but in the end it was rookie, Paulie Harraka that got his first ever win in the series. What a celebration that was!

It was sort of a crazy year as far as the D4D goes. While Paulie Harraka was definitely well seated in the Bill McAnally #12 car, the Rob Dixon ride saw 3 different drivers in one season--Jonathon Gomez, Phil Dugan and Eric Schmidt. Next year the D4D will be based out of Charlotte under Andy Santerre's watchful eye. Which is a good thing. I think Santerre iwould be great at that, but it will not be good if it means that Bill McAnally is left holding an empty bag after all the hard work he put in doing his best to make the D4D program a success, not just for him, but for NASCAR.

Speaking of D4d, Kristin Bumbera, who split up with D4D car owner, Bobby Hamilton Jr. (after refusing to pose in a compromising way) partnered up with Gomes for the last Iowa race.

I thought that was cool, two D4D drivers no longer getting NASCAR money, still chasing their dream.

And the championship chase was good all year. There always seemed to be a strong rivalry going on between Jason Bowles and Eric Holmes.

I think what really was a bigger factor in determining the championship between these two talents, was luck. It wasn't that Bowles had good luck, but Holmes had bad luck.

Even going into the last race of the season, it was a humongus task for Holmes to win the championship. Basically he would need to start on the pole, lead the most laps and win the race...and hope for Bowles to have a bad finish.

But that wasn't to be. Bowles started the night conservatively and Holmes again had bad luck early on.

It was a very happy team celebrating the championship. The team with crew-chief, Bill Sedwick, definitely deserved it.

NASCAR 2010 Testing, a Differing Opinion

2009-09-25T10:59:00.001-07:00

NASCAR released that coming in 2010, teams in NASCAR Cup, Nationwide, Trucks, East and West Series can now test on NASCAR-sanctioned tracks that host a regional touring event but do not host a national series event.

I got a chuckle out of the new rule. How many Cup teams are going to Colorado National Speedway or Douglas County Speedway to conduct tests? None. They won't.

So it has zero impact on the big teams.

But with the little guys it is a different story. It will be a huge benefit for the East or West Series to do tests at the same track they will race on. Unfortunately this will be a luxury that only the better funded teams can enjoy. And that track time has always been important. Why teams like doing tire tests. It gives them that all important track time.

NASCAR always says it looks at ways to save teams money. The 2010 testing policy certainly isn't saving teams money, It is putting several teams that are eking by on skimpy budgets at a disadvantage, since in all likelihood they will not be able to test.

I guess the tracks will benefit. And that is probably why this rule was put into place. It is a way for NASCAR to encourage tracks to buy NASCAR sanctioned local touring races--because they can make some cash off the testing.

I am glad the tracks will make money, I am happy for the teams that will be able to test prior to a race. But I hope that it will not make the top-teams so good that it impacts the competitiveness and the appearance of the race for the fans.

God Speed Jack, RacingWest's Manager of Public Relations

2009-09-14T12:57:00.000-07:00

RacingWest lost its Manager of Public Relations today. Jack had cancer that started in the toe and had moved up to his armpit. The Vet said he might make it until tomorrow or the next day, but that he would be gone in a month. So the tough decision was made to “put him to sleep”.

Now he can join Bruno, (full story of Bruno here) another sweetheart, that all too quickly was gone.

Amtrak to NASCAR West race

2009-07-31T12:54:00.000-07:00

As I ride the Amtrak California Zephyr to Salt Lake City on way to cover the NASCAR Camping World West race at Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah… we climb the Sierra Nevadas we start going in and out of tunnels. We are up to 2400 feet here at Colfax and slowly climbing. Moutains covered with pines. So very pretty. I love this kind of landscaping.

But these tunnels are not doing much for the Internet. And so the releases I wish I could have finished will have to wait. As will the practice times.

The earth is a pretty red in a lot of places…a bit like places in Australia…but not quiet as vivid. More tunnels and dust is stirred up as the train continues on.

Internet is back... am going to rush to post what I can.

NASCAR's Most Popular Driver

2009-07-10T07:46:00.000-07:00

NASCAR's most popular driver voting leaves a lot to be desired. Don't get me wrong. I like the idea...I don't like the system.

According to NASCAR, "Fans may vote or submit a write-in candidate once per day and are encouraged to vote throughout the season." This system is a positive for NASCAR to drive traffic to the NASCAR family of sites, but is it realistically capturing who the most popular driver really is?

"Most Popular" under this system comes down to the driver who is the most successful at collecting votes on a daily basis. And I predict that this year the "Most Popular" driver in the NASCAR Camping World West Series will be Blake Koch or Moses Smith. They are doing a terrific job utilizing FaceBook, Twitter, Websites and other means of collecting votes.

Now if the voting was for the "Most Deserving of a Sponsor" these two deserve to be finalists as they are putting a true effort out and what sponsor wouldn't want a driver that will "work it" as part of a marketing plan?

Until NASCAR changes the way votes are captured, fans and teams can still monitor the cheers and applauds from the fans in the stands to determine who the most popular driver really is...which very well could be the very highly admired Koch or the well-liked Smith.

Point Racers of the NASCAR Camping World West Series

2009-05-12T17:43:00.001-07:00

The NASCAR Camping World West is a great series with a lot of personable drivers.

Following are the top-sixteen drivers that have made all four races so far this season. All but 3 of these drivers should be at the Iowa Speedway for the Long John Silver 200 AKA the NASCAR East West Clash.

1) Eric Holmes: Who can forget his racing at Phoenix and that incredible move at the end. Eric is a threat at any and every track…he should have been in Cup…hope that doesn't go to his head.

2) Jason Bowles: Never surprises anyone when Jason gets the pole or the win. He is often the one to watch on the time sheets.

3) Greg Pursley: Don’t know what kind of budget he is working within…but get the feeling he is doing a lot with a little.

4) Mike David: He makes the racing exciting. How he can get the nose of his car under the car in front of him …without turning it is amazing to watch… Steve Portenga used to do that in the Tour cars. Would be cool to see Mike in an SRL SW Tour car in addition to the West! I think he is game..if anyone needs a driver!

5) David Mayhew…David…you know the racing world is just waiting for the day we can say congrats on that first win…probably will happen this year.

6) Paulie Harraka…fantastic driving from a rookie…but as a cushion of insurance…should he need it…good as he is, he is still a rookie and entitled to a goof should it happen.

7) Moses Smith …Recent topic for a heated debate…he quite possibly has the biggest fan following out there…he has to be doing something right. And he keeps getting closer to the checkers.

8) Brett Thompson: He started racing the series with fast time at Rocky Mountain Raceways…and didn’t he win at Mesa Marin beating series champions, Mike David and Sean Woodside to the stripe?

9) Blake Koch: How cool is that to have a driver from Florida race the West? He has made this series more interesting by being a part of it.

10) Wes Banks: Sure he be racing to win on the track…but he already has won kids’ hearts. When other haulers leave the track...Wes is often spotted signing autographs are giving a kid some time.

11) Jonathan Gomez: He is doing what everyone says to do… a champion moving up… Hope he is enjoying his rookie year as much as we are enjoying following him...possibly now with a new team?
12) Jim Warn: One of the most professional teams…armed by the nicest staff …but bit by bad luck. He hasn't really got to show what he is capable of.

13) Jamie Dick: He is racing the Southwest Tour and the NASCAR West Series....how can you not appreciate that?

14) Jonathan Hale: This driver is very positive in the interviews...a positive for the sport. He may not make the Iowa haul.

15) Jack Sellers…He happens to be one of the drivers that makes the West what it is…too many people either too soon forgot…or never understood all that Jack did for this series.

16) And finally Jim Inglebright: He has no business being this far down the list, but here he is and have heard that Jim might not make it to Iowa Speedway (he blew a motor at Madera Speedway)…here is hoping he is there at Infineon. The fans always look forward to watching him race the road courses…Hard to buy a bag of Jelly Belly’s without thinking of the Jelly Belly car. Miss that bright yummy car.

So there it is…in full blown mush…all the cool point racers in the NASCAR Camping World West Series posted right on the Internet. ;) Garsh.

Warning!...nothing, but nothing gets a person worked up more than to hear something nice said about a person they don't care for.

Source: Janet Peery, RacingWest.com

Adopt a dog or cat...the shelters are overwhelmed

2009-04-13T06:55:00.000-07:00

For a long time I have backed animal rescue...especially domesticated dogs and cats.

Through the years, there has been one woman that stood out above all others with her dedication. When the economy turned it became more difficult to find support, both financial and hands on...such as foster homes.

I don't know if this cat is still alive...but if she is...you are being directed to her by a woman with a heart of gold and I can vouch for her honesty and dedication to the animals.

This cat really pulled at my heart, but I am at limit on animals I can keep at my home.

In the event that Sarah is no longer available...it wouldn't hurt to go to your local shelter...there are so many "Sarahs" in the world because of all the people losing their jobs or their homes or having to move and either truly not being able to care for their pets or not caring enough to take their best friend with them.

***
SARAH-owner dying!

Tabby - Brown,Domestic Short Hair

Size: Large Age: Adult Sex: Female

Notes: This is so sad. These cats had a good home lined up and everything seemed perfect until the potential adopter lost her job. She is no longer able to adopt Sarah, Billie and Della and their lives are, once again, in danger. Following is the original posting:

PLEASE HELP! VERY SOON SWEET SARAH AND HER TWO DAUGHTER CATS, BILLIE AND DELLA, WILL HAVE NO PLACE TO GO AND COULD BE POUND BOUND!! THEIR PERSON, WHO LOVES THEM DEARLY, IS DYING OF CANCER AT A YOUNG AGE. SHE ADORES HER CATS AND WORRIES THAT THEY WILL NOT BE OK.

PLEASE EMAIL COCKERSANDKITTYS@AOL.COM IF YOU CAN ADOPT, FOSTER OR HELP IN ANY WAY!

Sarah is a sensitive, soulful 8 year old tabby cat. Sarah, with the most expressive and greenest eyes, is the kind of cat who likes to be near her person. She follows you from room to room and likes to sit nearby and be pet or just watch what you are doing. Her person says that "when Sarah looks at me, there is a sense of complete communication and understanding". She is indeed, a very soulful cat. Sarah is deeply bonded to her person and to her daughter cat Billie. She loves her daughter cat Della too but Sarah and Billie are the most bonded to each other.

Tragically, Sarah is about to lose everything--her person, her home, her daughter cats and quite possibly her life!! Her person does not have one friend or family member who is willing to take or even foster her beloved little cat family!! They are desperate for a home or they will end up pound bound. Of course we realize that it is nearly impossible to find a home for all three cats together but it doesn't hurt to hope for a miracle. Even a home for two together would be amazing since they are so bonded but the situation is dire and we will split them if needed.

PLEASE DO NOT WAIT , these cats are on borrowed time!

This pet is up to date with routine shots. This pet is already house trained. This pet has been altered.

Cockers and Kitties

Los Angeles, CA
please email
CockersandKittys@aol.com

HotWood 333 - $21,000 payout for 3 races - Starts April 11

2009-04-08T14:57:00.000-07:00

Back again this year is the HotWood Championship at Madera Speedway

One of the reasons I really like this deal is because I am constantly hearing racers saying they are taking things one race at a time…they just don’t know what the future holds. With the HotWood series, there are only 3 races… nicely spaced out at April 11, August 1 and September 26. A driver may not be able to plan for an entire series of touring or running for the track championship, but this 3-race deal is doable.

The folks at HotWood truly wanted to help the drivers. “These cars are expensive to run and finding sufficient sponsorship has become even more difficult with the downturn in the economy,” commented Les Scott, President of HotWood, Inc. “I am glad that we can give the drivers and teams an opportunity to earn some additional prize money to help them out.”

Basically I am just rehashing what is already in the Madera Speedway release… but because this is truly a good opportunity… I didn’t want any racers to miss it.

The NASCAR West Series at All American Speedway

2009-04-08T08:41:00.000-07:00

Bill McAnally did another bang up job with the event…sold out crowd and barbeque for the teams. And best of all a diversified program featuring two touring divisions. Good grassroots racing stuff…had the family feel to it.

Several of the NASCAR Personnel were still feeling a bit sad with the passing of hauler driver, Doug Beeler. But they had a nice memorial at the NASCAR hauler and they did a little moment of silence at the infield before the start of the race…a rumor was floating around that the job of driving the hauler might fall to one of Beeler’s sons…thought that would be nice.

Chatted with a few people that were in favor of exempting the under 18 year-old class and returning this series to the way it was headed a few years back…giving drivers an opportunity to race on the bigger tracks. Quite a few said that it’s too much of a separation West series to Truck, Nationwide, and Cup. They sort of all agreed that the 16-18 year old developmental program should be run at the local tracks or SRL or similar series.

...but then the flip side of the coin is a lot of very talented drivers would possibly be held back...

Talked to Paulie Harraka for the first time. Really a nice kid. He talked it being a more aggressive series. Do some of you remember a few years back…it was about saving the equipment…if a driver got someone loose; they gave them a chance to correct …before working them again. Things have changed.

But a NASCAR official did point out to me that overall the cars were doing OK. That most of the cars that raced at Texas were here at Roseville.

Then there was talk about the Kern County track going up on the auction block this Thursday. I would think if someone wins that bid…they will want to put the Collins family in charge…because a lot of support of that track is because of the Collins. I do feel sorry for the farming family…I think their heart was in the right place but the economy wasn’t. They stand to lose a lot…but then others have lost a lot because of them. It is a very sad thing. Maybe we should have put our heads together and started a joint project to bid on it…and made sure we had funds to cover the Collins running it. Ah well…it will be interesting to see how that deal shakes out.

*** Just got news from a friend that they may have received a 30-day extension from lenders.

Last year the SRL drove the cleaner race and the West was a major crash fest with cars smashed and crashed and tempers flaring in the pits. This year I have to give the West Series the edge for running a faster, cleaner race. Note I didn’t say they ran a better race because I can’t decide which one I liked the most…I thought they were both excellent short track races.
I was a little bit disappointed with the car count …only 18 cars versus 25 last year…but then 17 of those cars are running for points…and last year it was the opener. I thought considering the economy both the NASCAR West Series and the SRL Southwest Tour (they had 21 cars) did alright.
I miss seeing Jeff Barkshire, Johnny Borneman and some of the others from last year. And I wish that Nick and Scott Lynch and Austin Cameron and Scott Gaylord, Eric Hardin and all the missing drivers would return...but at least a lot of drivers will be running select events…which is good it will keep the car count up. And there seems to be some interest from some of the road course racers about running Portland, Miller and Sears Point.

Oh and George Jefferson and some of his clan was seen in the pits. Rumor was going around they might be doing something with Rob Dixon or was that the Golden Gate team…maybe running Jeff on a couple road courses?

Jim Inglebright still had Jelly Belly on the quarter panel of the car…but the wild wrap is gone. He had RoadRunner Towing on the hood so looks like he is funding a lot of his program on his own dime. He should pick up the pace come Phoenix and Sears Point. He was the luckier “Jim”.

Jim Warn left the race early for overheating and Jim Marchino was out at 8 laps for ignition.

Jack Sellers was celebrating 100 years of his family and Coca-Cola.

Mike David is sitting back in 6th in the points…but with Phoenix International Raceway next up for the West Series…there should be more cars on the track…and make it easier for him to play catch up….seems like he almost always finishes in the top-five at Phoenix and last year he won the thing…so he definitely could be a threat for the win there.

David Mayhew is doing a stellar job this season with the pole and a top-ten in the first race, a top-five in the 2nd race and 3rd in the standings…just 40 points from catching last year’s champ and current point leader, Holmes.

Jason Bowles and Moses Smith also have a top-five and top-ten and are 4th and 5th in the standings. And Bowles snagged fast-time at AAS.

Greg Pursley is 2nd (notice none of this is in order…all random). He won the first race there at Thunderhill Raceway at Kyle Texas in dramatic fashion, but really was not much of a factor at the Roseville Race at All American Speedway. He started 12th and worked his way up to 6th. But if his car can go the distance at Phoenix…he should be one of the front-runners in position for the win, he does pretty good making up positions at that track.

Blake Koch is doing the Golden Gate Racing/Richard Childress driver development effort. He is 7th in the standings. It’s fun to have a driver come all the way from Florida to race with the series, but I don’t know if he travels back and forth or is living out here…I wanted to ask him or the team and forgot.

Jamie Dick and Brett Thompson each have a top-ten and are 9th and 10th in the standings.

Jonathon Gomez is driving for Rob Dixon this year as his diversity driver. No top-ten ….yet., but it will come. He only has 4 races under his belt.

It was good to see Jonathon Hale and Wes Banks back again this year. Hale was driving a black and silver car while Banks had a white Valvoline ride.

And there is a new face… Phil Dugan. I think…not positive…but think he is the Meridian Speedway champion and has also competed in a few tour type races.

The cars themselves were gorgeous...although I noticed two things…they look a bit old and they look out of scale on the short AAS track.

Next race for this series is Phoenix. It is a Thursday race…so a challenge for a lot of fans to attend…being most would have to take off work…but for the locals…and those Cup/Truck/Nationwide fans that are out that way…don’t miss it…. Be There!

Last year's winner, Mike David

P.S. Excuse the typos, grammar and getting diversity and developmental mixed up (just in case I did)... not to be rude...but it is tough to teach an old dog new tricks...this isn't a press release...its me thoughts and nothing more...and I do make mistakes... I simply like to share.

SRL Opener...Hard Racing and a lot of fun

2009-04-06T08:40:00.000-07:00

There are two reasons the SRL Tour should have sucked at the All American Speedway there at Roseville (Calif.). First it had way too many spins/cautions…track condition, sloppy driving, not sure what resulted in that.

And the other would be that MK Kanke ran away with the show darn near going wire to wire.

Too many cautions, too few lead changes….just didn’t matter in this race.
It was all out hard racing by the leaders, Kanke, Dave Byrd, Jim Pettit II, Josh Combs, Craig Raudman…it was powerful. And there was pushing…and yep…it resulted in a few spins…but mostly it was veteran chasing veteran and racing their butts off seemed to be part of the game.

Mostly they tagged each other, letting the other’s car get straightened out and before going right back at it. A couple times a car would literally push another from the exit of turn four all the way to the backstretch. It was amazing to watch.

The “Give the Fans their Money’s Worth” show of the night had to go to Pettit. He went from starting mid pack to racing with the leaders to the back of the pack after a crash with Greg Voigt and with his race worn car moved up in dramatic fashion back up to a podium finish.

And come-on who wouldn’t be happy to see MK Kanke back in Victory Lane?

This series is going to get even more interesting…don't you know when some of the previous Tour guys hear that Kanke, Darrell LaMoure, Greg Voigt, Keith Spangler, Pettit, Raudman are having fun in the Tour car that they just might decide to come out and play?

And how many of the SRL guys have been sitting it out? Wouldn't it be nice to see them racing again? I think it would be fun to see some of the West guys racing the Southwest Tour. It happened back in the day when the Tour was sanctioned by NASCAR...maybe it will again.

The thing of course right now is what is impacting so many series...money. There are a few of the guys that are taking it one race at a time. Jerry Allec Jr. is hoping to make the first few races; Jason Gilbert is looking forward to Irwindale and getting on a bigger "short track"….but they both will run the full season if opportunity presents itself.

It still has that feeling of a smaller, family friendly series... for instance the #09 car of Brendan Newberry hit the wall and had a bit of a fire. I was able to talk to several teams that were able to update me on what was going on with him. That does not happen in every series.

So here is the recap it was:
Cautions

Hard Racing
And the Hard Racing is what I remember the most!

So next race for the SRL Southwest Tour is the Bullring. Bob Gardner will be doing the Near Live for that event. But no Near Live, no Internet, no TV will ever make up for just being there.

Wasn't it Phoenix that had the "Be There" T-shirts? This is true of the SRL...just "Be There!"

janet peery

Things are getting interesting at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale

2009-04-03T18:27:00.000-07:00

Things just got a little more interesting at Toyota Speedway in Irwindale, California. Toyota Speedway has some big races….the NASCAR All Star Showdown, the USAC Turkey Night…but in between the biggies things can get fairly routine… cars practicing, cars qualifying, cars racing…not to say there isn’t action….but you know it can get a bit boring with the same guys up front week in and week out.

But not now. Things have changed. Toyota Speedway just became a little more interesting. It seems we have a bit of a feud brewing between two track champions, Rip Michels and Nick Joanides.

Said Michels, “Here is a guy that finally won a championship after sixteen years of racing. The One Championship Wonder talking about me making excuses. Unlike Nick, who went home and put his feet up on the couch Sunday and practiced on Playstation 3 all week, I spent three days working on my shock package and every day since going through every part on my car. So he better be ready Saturday night, cause even his 40lb weight break wouldn’t be enough, I plan on whipping his tail… Then we’ll see who’s full of excuses.”

So now the question is what in the heck did Joanides say to get “The Ripper” all fired up? Are we going to see some pedal to the metal passing? Love a close finish and it sounds like we might have theatrical finishes…with a bit more drama on the track!

I will be at All American Speedway doing a Near Live for the West race…but my mind will be wondering,”What’s going on at Irwindale?”

This drama is a shot in the arm for Toyota Speedway. I suspect I am not alone in loving the drama and just maybe the track should give a kickback to Michels and Joanides for the bonus entertainment.

--janet peery

NASCAR Driver Diversity and Driver Development programs seem to be working...sometimes.

2009-04-01T09:48:00.000-07:00

I have to hand it to NASCAR. I was probably the biggest skeptic of the driver development and Drive for Diversity program. But I think it is working. Some of the releases I posted last year about this or that new developmental/diversity driver are now replaced with the releases on the same drivers moving up.

I think it is a shame that some of these programs are geared more to kids or their folks with money. But that is racing today.

I also think it is great that team owners seem to be able to couple this program along with their own sponsorship opportunities to make this an apparent money maker for them.

I say apparent because I would think if they were losing money they wouldn’t be doing it.

Anyway that’s it…just wanted to say …maybe, just maybe these programs are doing what they should do…for a handful of racers lucky enough to meet all the requirements.

--janet peery

NASCAR West to shine at Vegas, Banquet in Hawaii, and other good news

2009-04-01T08:21:00.000-07:00

NASCAR has announced the West Series will race under the lights at Las Vegas Motor Speedway’s 1.5 mile track on November 2nd. The race will feature more than $240,692 in prize money and posted awards and will be broadcast live on Speedvision Cable Network.

Expected to enter the race are Lance Hooper, Larry Gunselman, Rich Woodland Jr., Scott Gaylord, Joe Bean, Bill McAnally and Butch Gilliland.
http://www.racingwest.com/news/articles/1532-las-vegas-advance.html

List of drivers invited to showcase NASCAR in Asian Market includes Scott Gaylord, Jeff Gordon, Dan Obrist, Terry Labonte, Bobby Hillin…
http://www.racingwest.com/news/articles/3243-nascar-suzuka-thunder-special-driver-lineup.html

In addition to adding sparkling super speedways and international race venues to the NASCAR West Series schedule, NASCAR has also announced a new $300,000 bonus plan.
http://www.racingwest.com/news/articles/1546-bonus-plan-announced.html

19 year-old Boo Verlatti comments on the NASCAR West, “NASCAR racing has grown so much in the last couple years that it's amazing. Stock car racing is the fastest growing sport in America right now. Some of the facilities that we get to visit now are mind boggling, like Las Vegas Motor Speedway, California Speedway, and Pikes Peak Speedway. It's nice to get to go to a track that has things like garages and air-conditioned drivers lounges. No one would have ever believed that racing on the West Coast would have grown this much. It's also exciting to imagine where it will go in the next ten years.”
http://www.racingwest.com/news/articles/2106-personal-profilenascar-official.html

NASCAR announces banquet sites, looks like it’s the Hilton Waikaloa for the NASCAR West.
http://www.racingwest.com/news/articles/199-nascar-banquet-dates-set.html

With all the good news where do drivers see the NASCAR West in 5 years:

“20 races per year, radials only, $250,000 minimum purses, 25 full-season teams, cars sponsored by Valvoline, Pennzoil, Pepsi, McDonalds, Die-Hard, ETC,“ Jeff Davis. http://www.racingwest.com/news/articles/5722-jeff-davis-has-key-to-series-growth.html

“A successful independent series with an enhanced schedule. Larger purses and higher car counts.” Gary Smithhttp://www.racingwest.com/news/articles/5726-gary-smith-personal-profile.html

“Like Winston Cup (I hope).” Kenny Smith http://www.racingwest.com/news/articles/5727-kenny-smith-personal-profile.html

Tidbits:

Sean Woodside: http://www.racingwest.com/news/articles/1530-lance-hoopergolden-west-motorsports-split.html

Gary Smith: http://www.racingwest.com/news/articles/2104-track-thoughtslas-vegas-gary-smith.html

Bill McAnally: http://www.racingwest.com/news/articles/5702-track-thoughtsevergreen.html

Robert Perryman from Hoosier: http://www.racingwest.com/news/articles/2105-personal-profilehoosier-tire-specialist.html

Mike Mulder from Goodyear: http://www.racingwest.com/news/articles/3053-michael-mulder-personal-profilegoodyear-tire.html

Forbes on NASCAR: http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2000/0821/6605066a.html

Rain at Martinsville...and Brian Ickler lookin' good in the North Face Hoodie

2009-03-28T16:10:00.000-07:00

NASCAR pointed out before the weekend that the Hendrick Motorsports teammates, Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson would be tough to beat. So now with therain canceling qualifying and final practice…they may really have an advantage. NASCAR will line the NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers up by points for the start of the race…and that puts Gordon on the pole and Johnson started inside row 5.

But will they really win? Imagine the volume of winning notes and setups they have…but still sometimes when everyone is so darn sure of a winner…there is a surprise. Be fun to have a first time winner at Martinsville.

And here is a nice shot of Brian Ickler, Matt Kobyluck (NASCAR Camping World East Series Champion), Kristin Bumbera (2008 Drive for Diversity) and Kip Childress(New director of the NASCAR Camping World East Series.) But what were they doing at Martinsville?

Ickler has a very impressive schedule this year. This really wasn’t intended to be about Ickler…I get lost sometimes. I was looking for a NASCAR rain photo and this photo popped up…so I had to check what our ol’ NASCAR West Series driver and friend Brian was up to. Don’t know how many sponsors he has…but if North Face isn’t a sponsor yet…maybe it should consider. He looks great in that hoodie!

Brian Ickler's 2009 Schedule from his site
3/8 "THE RATTLER" SOUTH ALABAMA LATE MODEL
4/11 GREENVILLE PICKENS SPEEDWAY CAMPING WORLD EAST SERIES
4/19 ROCKINGHAM SPEEDWAY ARCA
4/25 KANSAS SPEEDWAY CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES
5/9 KENTUCKY SPEEDWAY ARCA
5/17 IOWA SPEEDWAY CAMPING WORLD EAST SERIES
5/30 SOUTH BOSTON SPEEDWAY CAMPING WORLD EAST SERIES
6/5 TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES
6/12 MICHIGAN INT’L SPEEDWAY ARCA
6/19 THE MILWAUKEE MILE CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES
6/17 MEMPHIS MOTORSPORTS PARK CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES
7/11 IOWA SPEEDWAY ARCA
7/18 KENTUCKY SPEEDWAY ARCA
7/18 KENTUCKY SPEEDWAY CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES
7/24 O’REILLY RACEWAY PARK CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES
8/1 NASHVILLE SUPER SPEEDWAY CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES
8/15 LIME ROCK PARK CAMPING WORLD EAST SERIES
8/28 CHICAGOLAND SPEEDWAY CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES
8/28 CHICAGOLAND SPEEDWAY ARCA
9/4 IOWA SPEEDWAY CAMPING WORLD WEST SERIES
9/5 IOWA SPEEDWAY CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES
9/12 GATEWAY INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES
9/18 NEW HAMPSHIRE MOTOR SPEEDWAY CAMPING WORLD EAST SERIES
9/26 LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES
10/1 KANSAS SPEEDWAY ARCA
10/11 ROCKINGHAM SPEEDWAY ARCA
TBA PENSACOLA "SNOWBALL DERBY" LATE MODEL
TBA TOYOTA ALL-STAR SHOWDOWN CAMPING WORLD EAST SERIES

That is a lot of seat time…I sure hope it pays off for him…I think it will…don’t you?

Mother Nature more or less strong armed NASCAR into postponing the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Good news is Martinsville is going to let NASCAR run them on Monday...bad news is some of these teams are on a tight budget that extra 2 days of food and lodging might put an extra squeeze on the pocket change.

WILL DRIVING A NASCAR CAMPING WORLD WEST OR EAST CAR GET YOU TO CUP?

2009-03-28T09:35:00.000-07:00

Kevin Harvick representing the NASCAR West Series and Joey Logano representing the NASCAR East Series

THOUSAND OAKS, California -- NASCAR media relations is fast campaigning that what escalates a driver up the NASCAR ladder is the NASCAR Camping World West or East Series , but if driving one of these cars was a lucky dog pass to Cup…David Gilliland could have skipped racing in the Busch Series and Kevin Harvick could have skipped the Trucks.

Is Joey Logano in Cup today because he drove in the Camping World East/West Series or because of Joe Gibbs?

For years NASCAR preached the value of the need for the heavier car experience the NASCAR West car offered and the value of seat time on the bigger tracks it competed on as a key to making it in Cup…but today the car is lighter and the bigger tracks have been removed from the schedule.

Today it is more about making the right contact…oh, and residing in an area where the zip code starts with a 28… won’t hurt.

Drivers from the west coast that do want to move up to Cup will likely be more successful when paired with one of the driver development teams, like the ones operated by Joe Gibbs, Bill McAnally and Richard Childress (among others), because they can offer the experience of dealing with the ins and outs of NASCAR, they have experience with car setup on various tracks and most importantly they have those all important …CONTACTS.

If the funding is there, it is a fun series to compete in as a driver or team and a good show for the fans to watch.

janet peery

Does anything go on the last lap?

2009-03-19T14:52:00.000-07:00

So….someone asked me if I thought the pass at the end of the NASCAR West Series race at Kyle was right. This is where Mike David was leading the race and then caution came out at the end. With a green/white/checkered finish…Mike David and 2nd place racer, Eric Holmes, were racing each other high and Greg Pursley snuck through on the low side, but not without what we hear is some contact that got David loose.

First I have to preface this by saying although I wanted to be at Texas, I wasn’t. So I didn’t personally see what happened. Now that said, regardless of what happened, I still think that with 5 laps to go and even more so with a green/white/checker finish and especially on that last lap…it is as they say, “Anything goes.”

That might not be popular to say, but its how I feel. Sure if it was my car that was in the race and it was taken out or compromised on the last lap, I would be upset. I have heard that the car owner of the #2 car of David and quite the victim of contact was not happy. Who would be happy in that situation?

At times NASCAR is not consistent and maybe that leads to the frustration.

I think our officials would be more consistent if they were left to deal with the race themselves and if they didn’t have to report on the early week conference call. Likewise if they didn’t have to get approval on certain things from Daytona or have visiting NASCAR officials, but they do. And so the officiating is sometimes inconsistent. Again if our officials were completely left to their own decision making…things might be more consistant…but they probably always have The Firm or should we say The Beach in the back of their head.

Kevin Hamlin was penalized in the NASCAR Northwest Tour at least once and maybe twice for contact with less than five laps to go. If I am not mistaken he has had 2 wins removed. Auggie Vidovich was also stripped of a victory in a Southwest race at Mesa Marin Raceway for contact at the end…he spun hometown hero and race leader, Kevin Vernon, out.

Maybe those guys were too aggressive, maybe they shouldn’t have done that…but really …it was what the fans want…awe-inspiring finishes. But they were punished for it.

Fans might enjoy thrilling passes and breath-holding wrecks, but there is nothing like those last few laps when someone will win and someone will lose and the fans on each side of you are screaming for “their” driver and then comes the pass and the screams crescendo higher. Nothing like it. That is what makes racing good.

And when NASCAR tries to control that too much…the fun goes away…with the fun, so too might the fan go away. Short track racing is supposed to be exciting. So although many may disagree with NASCAR’s decision to let a win stick after contact. I happen to agree with NASCAR.

The three drivers that were battling for position in the concluding laps of the West race were three seasoned veterans. Every single one of them was a champion … two of them champions in the West Series (David and Eric Holmes) and Pursley a NASCAR National Touring Champion.

Maybe it was wrong what happened at Kyle… I don’t know because I didn’t see it. I hope to see it on SPEED. But as I said in the start of this yipper yapper spiel…it was a green/white/checkered finish and anything goes in the last lap…right or wrong…it is what this series needs.

And now Roseville will be even more exciting…because now we have the friendly rivalry to look forward to.

NASCAR West Series race – Kyle, Texas

2009-03-19T12:20:00.000-07:00

Have been to Kyle when the weather was beautiful and been there when it was like muddy swamp land. This time it was more like the later. It was cold and it was wet. But despite it all, it was still a great race for the Texas fans, who only have the privilege of seeing NASCAR race at Thunderhill once a year, as far as I have been told. I still have a feeling they are coming just as much for all the great on site happenings that CT and Aryn (race promoters) put on more than to see a NASCAR race…but no matter what they come for …just glad they come!

Despite the rainy conditions, the teams were able to get first practice in. Moses Smith topped the charts along with Mike David and David Mayhew. Before 2nd practice the skies opened up and practice was canceled due to the wet conditions.

Qualifying went on as scheduled with first time Pole winner, Mayhew, taking the fast time honors...and his first time doing so, I do believe. Eric Holmes was 2nd quick followed by Brett Thompson, Blake Koch and Greg Pursley. Koch I believe has Steve Portenga for his crew chief and as for Pursley…that was quite a surprise to see him entered. Hopefully he is competing the whole season. The series needs the car count that is for sure. There were only 19 cars for the first race of the season. It should pick up at Phoenix, but as far as the race for the championship…that winner will likely come from one of the 19 cars that competed at Thunderhill Raceway in Kyle.

For as wet as it was, there were no major crashes…several smaller ones. Paulie Harraka went out with a blown motor and another car for overheating. I suppose the big upset of the night was Mike David. It was his race to lose and he did. Rumor has it that Holmes and him were fighting over the real estate at the top of the track and Pursley decided to claim the turf down low. David got loose, possibly from contact by the car passing for position) and another car made contact with him.

Whatever happened, as sucky as it was for David, it gave the West Series a first time winner with Greg Pursley. And first time winners are always cool. The podium was shared by Greg Pursley with Moses Smith taking honors for 2nd and Eric Holmes 3rd.

As for the next race for the West Series…it is Roseville…where one just has to think….David is going to be even more determined to win.

It will be a great event. Am really looking forward to this one!

CT & Aryn had Thunder & Lightning at Texas....the West provided the Thunder and the USAC was lightning fast. Bobby East won that exciting event. Here he is posed with Dakota Armstrong on the left and Darren Hagen on the right.

Now the funniest post on RacingWest the weekend of the Texas race had to be by 12BNSGASMAN... on the below shot of Greg Pursley's car he titled it, "From the outhouse to the penthouse"

On a sadder note, the NASCAR hauler driver, Doug, was taken to the hospital with heart issues. Prayers continue to race his way.

The Daytona 500 2009 – A 2 on a scale of 1-10

2009-02-16T08:07:00.000-08:00

On a scale of 1-10 I rate it a 2. The majority of the race was a sleeper right from the start….did we really need that much Keith Urban, Digger Cartoons and shots of tricked out car angles in the pre-race show?

The real action came after the race when fans got to face off on the Dale Earnhardt Jr. /Brian Vickers incident. That incident was a stupid waste of race cars, brought on partly by NASCAR’s Lucky Dog rule. These guys were a lap down and should have got out of the way of the big dogs…but instead they wanted to be the lucky dog.

One of the big dogs they collected was Kyle Busch. We will never know if he would have won or not …but he looked to have one of the strongest cars and going from leading the most laps to almost dead last had to have been heartbreak. I would have been Pi$#$d off …wouldn’t you having lappers take away not just a good finish, but a possible Daytona 500 win?

If anything like that would have happened at a local show…both drivers causing the wreck that wounded so many lead cars would have been penalized. But this is NASCAR and politics and public image is the concern.

That was shown even with the Joey Logano/Scott Speed incident. They showed very few angles of that wreck…settling for the fact that it was all Scott Speed’s fault. But was it really? Could the aggressive Logano been partly to blame by mixing up that infamous Daytona “air”?

And how about NASCAR under strong pressure of gentle rains calling the race for the sake of the fans? Some of those fans make an annual pilgrimage to Daytona , some of them spend over a week there…may wanted to see that race end in green if possible…it was the Daytona 500, right? NASCAR’s biggest race of the year! .
It’s a new NASCAR and maybe new fans don’t carry the same passionate fire burning inside them.

At least I was encouraged when a newly minted NASCAR fan watching the race in my living room asked , “Where is Inglebright? ” and asking “If Joey is in the 20 car what car is Eric in?” That told me right there that you don’t have to go to Daytona anymore to please the new fan…new fans could be a very good thing for grassroots racing.

Racing with a little more flavor will start up at Thunderhill right outside of Austin, Texas this March 14th with the USAC Midgets and the NASCAR West. And if you can’t make it, catch it on TV. Then on April 4, All American Speedway in Roseville will play host to two major events, the SRL SOUTHWEST Tour and the NASCAR Camping World West Series.

And who knows...there might even be an Eric Holmes or Jim Inglebright racing in one of these events...

TEAMS ARE SHORT CHANGED AS NASCAR PUTS ON THE WORST RACE IN THE HISTORY OF SUPER LATE MODEL RACING

2009-01-26T07:27:00.001-08:00

NASCAR TOYOTA ALL-STAR SHOWDOWN SUPER LATE MODELS

THOUSAND OAKS, California — NASCAR billed its Toyota All-Star Showdown at Irwindale as the “Daytona of Short Track Racing”. Turns out it was “anything but” for the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Super Late Model teams.

It was unquestionably the worst Super Late Model race ever. It was to have been a 150-lap race shown live on SPEED during a prime time, it turned out to be a 15 lap crash fest with cars humping each other at the midnight hour. In the end there were only 3 green flag laps and few people left in the ghostly stands to see Travis Thirkettle declared the winner.

What a heartbreak for the fans that had no desire to see the NASCAR Camping World race, but came to see the local show. Old bones and young kids coupled with cool temps equated to many fans leaving before the start. They sure didn’t get their money’s worth.

And what about all those crews…many volunteers that worked for months getting the car ready only to go 15 laps. And worse than that some didn’t even go one before seeing their car wadded up.

But it could be that the ones that were hurt the most were the sponsors of the cars. What total disrespect NASCAR had for them. They paid money to be on cars that were to compete for 150 laps. 15 laps is a far cry from that.

My opinion is that back in Daytona someone didn’t think this out very well, being that the Showdown was scheduled one week before California’s rainiest month (February). You would think that after having rain issues at California Speedway, NASCAR would have done a little more research and been prepared with a backup plan, but they weren’t, it was all done on the fly.

When the rain came the word was the race would run before the Camping World Series and be tape delayed after. Not a real good thing for sponsors of the cars in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series, but at that point they probably understood.

There was no time to qualify the cars, so the top-twenty Toyota Speedway Super Late Model drivers from last year were given the top 20 positions in order of their 2008 points, then the next 20 starting positions would be by a draw. Oops…that left Champions Rip Michels and Ron Hornaday out when they drew numbers outside the top-forty…so at this point, again on the fly, NASCAR decides to start them all… 52 cars I think. Now that is some good fun mixing up 52 very fast and semi-slow cars.

And then that bit about tape-delayed racing? Ah forget it. They will go ahead and do it live after the Camping World Series and NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late model races. What do you suppose the sponsors thought not even knowing for sure when their race would be shown?

Finally well after the Toyota Speedway curfew started ticking the cars rolled out. SPEED reported that the city gave the track the right to run the race after curfew.

But with some of fastest cars in the very back of the field and with word that the race will be shortened to 50-laps or ‘til 12:15am, whichever occurs first added pressure to go fast is put on the drivers.

The race starts and immediately goes yellow, then red, then yellow, then green, then yellow, then at lap 15 the race is called and Travis Thirkettle is officially declared the winner of the race. For those few fans that hung around to see the race, what they got was 3 laps of green.

Everyone got screwed. ..The fans, the local NASCAR officials, the sponsors of the cars and race and the teams…especially the volunteers.

Maybe next year NASCAR should spare any future embarrassment and not show this race on TV…or better yet be prepared with a backup plan and produce what is promised.

Are we kinder in the harder times?

2008-12-08T17:05:00.000-08:00

I went to pick up my mail today and stood in line behind a lady negotiating over a few cents…apparently a few cents she didn’t have and the gentleman in line next to her reached into his pockets and pulled out some change, settling the business deal. You would have thought he just gave the woman a new Audi R8 the way she was gushing over his act of kindness.

My next errand on the list was the bank. But I was delayed getting there when the man in front of me stalled his car and tried to get it to fire up again, he had me blocked and in the old days I would have gone around, but I waited and he got it running and gave a wave of thanks.

I had just been thinking how odd it was to see so many of the bigger vehicles gone. Could be people sold them because of the high gas prices and now that those same prices have plummeted, not so many people have the money to go buy new cars.

I made it to the bank. And as I was waiting on the teller to finish off my transaction, I could not help but overhear the woman next to me asking how much money she had in her account. “One dollar, twelve cents” was the answer. She asked the teller to recheck and then took out what she had…one dollar and twelve cents.

Oh, I know not everyone is hurting, but a lot of people are. I didn’t think I would see homeless people in my area either, but here they are…the same people that were homeowners last year. They live in their cars, while still maintaining a job.

But I noticed that the poorer we get the kinder we become. We have time again. We are enjoying the simple things. And people seem to recycle, reuse and use longer. They even wear out the soles on their shoes now. It isn’t only the pawn shops that are picking up…show repair is hot!

People stop to look at the going out of business sales at Mervyns, Circuit City, Virgin Super Store …but mostly they don’t buy. Not like they used to.

Entertainment now means going to a friends house to watch DVDs, play games and share some homecookin’, not going out to the movie followed by dinner at a restaurant .

And maybe all this will bode well for grassroots racing. Because it is a simpler form of entertainment that goes well with the simpler times we seem to be in. Not even the “haves” are having it easy. When jobs are lost managing the debt of home, new cars, boats and planes can crush the strongest spirit.

Could be there will be fewer people springing for the high priced California Speedway tickets, instead they might go back to Madera Speedway or Irwindale.

At times like these it is comforting to have friends. And sitting in the stands at the little tracks is like sitting with friends. You go enough you start to know the people around you...

Probably the tracks are working out affordable rules for these times.

It will be interesting to see what happens and where we are this time next year. Won’t it? Will gas really be $1?

Racing's Future - Kids at Red Bluff

2008-12-01T12:27:00.000-08:00

I love this photo (taken by Jack Waterman)… lots of hope for the future.

These kids race out at Red Bluff… and trust me there is no shortage of enthusiasm at that track, which can be a good or a bad thing. ;)

Be so nice if we all could go back to the enthusiasm of a child and go out and have some fun. Not worry about what goes on with this sanctioning body or that or this track or that, but just go out and race the cars on the track, drive to get the trophy and in doing that end up putting on a good show for the fans.

NASCAR HALT ON TESTING – WILL IT REALLY HELP TEAMS?

2008-11-15T07:50:00.000-08:00

NASCAR has stepped up to save teams money by halting testing. No matter what NASCAR does it is always seems to say it is doing so to save teams money. Most recently it saved teams money on the Car of Tomorrow. OK, it didn’t really save teams any money…it cost them a ton…but it did make the car safer.

Now as far as the testing halt…what happens to all that testing leading up to the Daytona 500? It is entertaining watching who is gets it right and listening to the big dog car owners that don’t get it right cry about the competition and advantages teams with other manufacturers have. Somehow that always gets things going.

The ban may not be a money saver at all, as teams which are normally already budgeted now for next year, may shift the budget from testing to research such as wind tunnel analysis.

But not to worry, testing will go on. No team is going to want to roll their car off the hauler at a track featuring a purse of 18 million dollars and be unprepared. They will simply shake the car down somewhere else, like a Texas World Speedway or Disney World Speedway. NASCAR doesn’t have affiliation with every track, despite the fact that sometimes it feels that way. There are a whole lot of options for teams that want track time.

Another option is for teams to use the Nationwide Series as a test. Not all teams can afford to compete in two series, but those that can, will have an advantage.

And don’t you just know every driver is going to want to be the Goodyear spokesman come 2009? Tire testing will be the crown jewel next year.

Could it be that limited testing prior to the Daytona 500 and a ban on racing in the Nationwide Series for any Cup team owner or driver in the top-ten of NASCAR points based on the 10 most recent races (including 2008) might have been a better solution to an all out ban?

OK, maybe not, but one thing is sure the money saved on testing will be spent on creatively finding ways to test the car and driver. Testing continues to be as important a part of racing today as it was in the past. It was testing that brought us to where we are today in NASCAR Cup. While a ban on racing in the smaller series makes sense, a ban of testing at the Cup level is going a step backwards.

And so while I agree that prohibiting testing in some NASCAR Series was the right move and will actually be beneficial, at the Cup level it will only further separate the haves from the haves not and testing for the wealthiest teams will continue…just not at a track or Series that earns them NASCAR Cup points.

Source: Janet Peery (not necessarily the opinion of RacingWest.com

Bill Davis closing shop and other rumor stuff...

2008-10-31T13:37:00.001-07:00

Rumors:

Bill Davis Racing is shutting down due to the difficult economy. BDR is one of what is expected to be several NASCAR Cup teams that will close their doors the end of this season.

Rumor is the entire team will be let go come Monday Whether this is true or not, who knows…it is a solid rumbling…though.

Further speculation has Johnny Benson is moving to Red Bull Racing and Mike Skinner is moving to Germain? Something like that.

Then from another source and on a happier note, Brian Ickler is rumored to be driving Bobby Gordon’s Busch car. That should be fun.

SRL race this weekend at the HUGE Las Vegas finale. Bob Gardner will be presenting a Near Live.

Anyway to get Chuck Trickle in an SRL car????

2008 PIR STARS OPEN 100 LAP OPEN COMPETITION

2008-09-29T17:55:00.000-07:00

Tucson Raceway Park is working hard at getting a big show together. It should be a good one!

SuperLate Models - Late Models - Tour Cars
Open to ALL North American type Stock Cars - Our Rules do Work!
Thursday Night, November 6th, 2008 - $2000.00 to WIN!

Information

Entry Form

Schedule

Rules

Wednesday Night Practice

Hey... a good guy finished first! --- Jeff Belletto won the NASCAR Late Model Championship at Madera Speedway

2008-09-28T16:01:00.000-07:00

Wow. What a championship night Madera Speedway had. Two drivers tied in the points going into the race.

I have to say I am very happy for Jeff Belletto. It was a well-deserved championship and he had a very qualified competitor in Joey Stearns. Jeff said to the crowd after the race, "He is a champion too and did one heck of a job himself."

It is always a bit frustrating to pull into the track the point leader, and end up second. Hopefully Joey will get the championship next year

It was up in Shasta that Jeff won a trophy dash…and came to me and said, “I bet no one ever gave you one of these, did they?” And I said no, as I took the trophy Jeff had just won in the dash.

That trophy might as well be an Oscar. It means a lot to me. And when I am in one of my everything must go clean up the house/garage/yard moods…the family always says… but not the trophy.”

No not the trophy. It is sitting right there on the bookshelf. It brings good memories.

A friend of mine told me, “… while Harry and Steve have many, many championships of all kinds, Jeff has always had lousy luck and been 2nd, 3rd, whatever.” He went on to say, he had never led the points this season, but has done his best to hang in there.

Well, Jeff made it. I am so happy for him.

“Good guys finish last”…

…but not this time.

SRL Southwest Tour Series at Altamont Raceway Park

2008-09-27T11:15:00.000-07:00

This is the last California race for the SRL Southwest Tour cars before their final event at The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

While warming up the motor on Craig Raudman's car had a bad noise coming for it. Raudman and team are changing a motor before 1st practice.

This is not exactly what the teamed planned to be doing right now...but looks like they were prepared. That's NASCAR Camping World West series team owner Rob Dixon looking on. Junior Joiner is the crew chief for Raudman.

11:16AM the SRL Southwest Tour Series cars are on the track practicing at Altamont Motorsports Park.

Keith Spangler's car in the pits:

11:20 The USAC is also at Altamont this weekend

Excuse the quality of the next picture of Marion Collins and Steve Fensler and it looks like Brian and Larry (Collins) maybe...tough to tell. Dave Reed of Approved Memory is getting these shots off his Blackberry.

USAC cars lined up for either practice or inspection.

Jim Pettit's team and the #03. This is your point leader...but there is a certain someone named Craig Raudman that would like to challenge for the lead. ;)

11:48 Fastest in first practice was the #4 car of Greg Voigt 17.925 Lap 17

Cars from 1st practice, fastest first:
4 Greg Voigt
03 Jim Pettit
5 Jason Fensler
38 Troy Ermish
18 Todd Bammer
7 Josh Combs
23 Dan Holtz
24 Jason Gilbert
37 Keith Spangler
21 Kevin Callahan
9 Justin Westmoreland
1 Dave Byrd
84 Eddie Secord
48 Mike Lay
David Mantooth
Joe Ferre

Cool shot of Steve Fensler and son, Jason.

2nd Practice
Greg Voigt still fastest and Craig Raudman and gang still working on getting that new motor in.

Greg Voigt 17.764 lap 2
Jason Fensler
Jim Pettit
Josh Combs
Troy Ermish
Jason Gilbert
Dave Byrd
Dan Holtz
Kevin Callahan
Tod Bammer
Justin Westmoreland
Eddie Secord
Mike Lay
Joe Farre
David Mantooth

It is possible they will give Raudman a few practice laps as he was not able to participate in either of the regular practice sessions. It all depends with the USAC there, it is a very busy track.

Qualifying:
Jason Fensler 17.87
Josh Combs
Dan Holtz
Craig Raudman 17.956
Troy Ermish
Greg Voigt
Jim Pettit
Jason Gilbert
Dave Byrd
Todd Bammer
Justin Westmoreland
Keith Spangler
Kevin Callahan
Mike Lay
David Mantooth
Eddie Secord
Joe Farre

Near Live Race with Typos and all.....

16:35:32:	FINISH: 03 18 1 23 2. KAYE WILL GET THE OFFICIAL FINISH SHORTLY.
16:34:47:	JIM PETTIT WINS.
16:33:44:	WHITE FLAG
16:33:40:	03 18 1 23 2 37
16:33:26:	2 CAR ALMOST SPINS 23 BUT BACK OFF
16:32:56:	Lap #95: 03 LEADING BY 3 CAR LENGTHS. 5 LAPS TO GO
16:32:20:	03 18 1 23 2 37
16:32:11:	GREEN FLAG
16:32:05:	Lap #89: 11 TO GO
16:31:24:	SOMEONE WAS HIT IN THE PITS. IT IS NOTHING SERIOUS. THEY ARE GOING TO GET CHECKED OUT AFTER THE RACE.
16:30:56:	QUESTION: WHAT HAPPENED TO #1 BYRD ANSWER: I BELIEVE HE IS IN THIRD.
16:30:20:	YELLOW FLAG. THE 21 CAR PULLS OFF. SOMETHING BROKE. THE TOW TRUCK IS ON THE WAY.
16:29:53:	54 JOE FARRE TO THE PITS. IT APPEARS HE HAS A FLAT.
16:29:26:	Lap #80: 2 CAR PRESSURING THE 37
16:27:57:	QUESTION: SO DID THE 38 CRASH...AGAIN? ANSWER: EARLY ON IT WAS THE 48 THAT SLIPPED. NOT SURE IF HE GOT INTO SOMETHING OR WHAT CAUSED IT. I MISTAKENLY SAID THE 38, BUT IT WAS THE 48.. BUT HE MAY HAVE BEEN INVLOVED IN IT? I AM GUESSING. AS I AM THE TYPIST NOT THE EYES. BUT I NO LONGER SEE HIM IN THE LINE UP.
16:25:34:	03 18 23 37 ALL BATTLING HARD FOR POSITION.
16:25:13:	GREEN FLAG. DEBRIS WAS FOUND AND REMOVED AND WE ARE RACING.
16:24:35:	48 WENT TO THE PITS. DON'T REMEMBER IF I TYPED THAT.
16:24:14:	LUCKY DOG WILL BE THE 4 CAR. SO NOW WE ALL WANT TO KNOW HOW MANY LAPS DOWN HE WAS.
16:23:07:	YELLOW FLAG... THEY ARE LOOKING FOR DEBRIS...IF I REMEMBER RIGHT KAYE SAID IT WAS UP HIGH... HE HE
16:22:30:	QUESTION: HOW MANY LAPS DOWN IS THE 4 CAR? ANSWER: THAT I AM NOT SURE. HE DID HAVE QUITE A BIT OF DAMAGE UNFORTUNATELY. BUT AT LEAST HE IS RUNNING. SHAME. HE HAD THE FASTEST TIME IN BOTH PRACTICE SESSIONS.
16:21:56:	SO GUESS THE LINEUP MIGHT BE: 03 18 1 37 23 2 48 5 54 4 21
16:21:25:	SRL OFFICIALS JUST SAID THAT THE ONLY DOWN CARS ARE THE 4 AND THE 21.
16:20:28:	Lap #70: STILL NO OFFICIAL LINEUP. BUT RUNNING ORDER AS WE SEE IT IS: 03 18 1 37 23 2 4 48 5 21 54
16:19:51:	NEW LEADER. 03 TAKES THE LEAD FOLLOWED BY THE 18, 23, 37 AND THE 2. WE ARE NOT SURE IF THE 2 IS ON THE LEAD LAP, BUT THINK HE JUST MIGHT BE.
16:19:08:	03 IS ON A MISSION. HE IS CLOSING IN ON THE 18. TODD BAMMER'S DAD IS STANDING UP IN THE STANDS. THE PRESSURE IS ON.
16:17:23:	03 JUST PASSED THE 1 FOR SECOND PLACE.
16:17:11:	Lap #60: 18 1 03 23 37 2
16:16:53:	18 IS PULLING AWAY BY 4 CARS.
16:16:42:	THE OFFICIALS ARE SEEING DEBRIW IN TURN 4, BUT IT IS HIGH RIGHT NOW. NO YELLOW.
16:16:00:	21 ACKNOWLEDGES AND GOES BACK OUT.
16:15:44:	THEY ARE POSTING THE 21 CAR. NOT SURE WHY.
16:15:25:	Lap #50: 18 1 03 23
16:15:11:	THAT LINEUP IS NOT OFFICIAL
16:14:37:	18 1 03 23 37 2 5 48 21 38 54 4 RUNNING LINEUP
16:11:20:	Lap #46: GOING GREEN. NO OFFICIAL LINEUP YET.
16:10:40:	QUESTION: HOW MANY LAPS DOWN ANSWER: 42
16:10:28:	QUESTION: IS RAUDMAN ON THE LEAD LAP? ANSWER: WE ARE NOT SURE. THEY DID LET THEM (THE DAMAGED CARS) ROLL UNDER THE RED.
16:09:59:	Lap #42: 44 IS RUNNING BUT THE HOOD ON THE CAR IS SMASHED UP ON THE LEFT FRONT. HE IS GOING TO THE PITS.
16:06:08:	44 SPINS IN TURN 4 AND BRINGS OUT THE YELLOW.
16:05:24:	SORRY TO SAY, BUT FENSLER'S CAR IS USED UP. HE WILL NOT BE IN CONTENTION FOR THE WIN THIS RACE. HE WAS THE WINNER OF THE NASCAR CAMPING WORLD WEST RACE THIS MONTH.
16:02:28:	18 TODD BAMMER TRYING TO PULL ASWAY. HE HAS 4 CAR LENGTHS ON THE REST OF THE FIELD. EVERYONE ELSE IS IN LINE, NO CHANGES.
16:01:06:	Lap #20: 2 PASSES THE 5 CAR
16:00:46:	QUESTION: IS THE 2 ANY LAPS DOWN? ANSWER: KAYE JUST SAID SHE DOESN'T KNOW IF HE IS ON THE LEAD LAP. SHE ISN'T WHERE SHE HAS ACCESS TO TIMING/SCORING.
15:58:55:	03 FALLS BACK TO 4TH
15:58:02:	QUESTION: DID #2 GO DOWN A LAP? ANSWER: I WILL ASK KAYE ON THE NEXT YELLOW. NOT SURE SINCE THEY LET THE BATTERED CARS ROLL UNDER THE RED.
15:56:57:	Lap #10: 18, 1 03, 44, 38, 23, 37, 5, 2, 21, 48, 54, 4, 9
15:54:21:	QUESTION: HOW IS THE 2 CAR? ANSWER: THE 2 IS BACK ON TRACK, 3 CARS FROM BACK. CAR NOT IN BAD SHAPE.
15:53:32:	GREEN FLAG....GO GO GO....
15:53:13:	GOIG GREEN IN 3 LAPS. IT IS VERY HOT HERE AND HARDLY A BREEZE.
15:50:55:	7 CAR IS JOSH COMBS, NOT KEITH SPANGLER. SO COMBS WAS ONE OF THE CARS INVOLVED.
15:50:31:	IT LOOKS LIKE THE LINEUP IS: 18 TODD BAMMER, 1 DAVE BYRD, 03 JIM PETTIT, 44, 38 TROY ERMISH, 38 DAN HOLTZ, 37, KEITH SPANGLER 5 JASON FENSLER, 54
15:47:55:	GOING YELLOW.
15:47:43:	NOT SURE HOW IT ALL STARTED, THE 4 CAR WAS NOT HURT THAT BADLY.
15:46:28:	THE 9 CAR IS ROLLING, BUT PRETTY TORN UP. THE 7 IS ALSO TORN UP.
15:46:10:	EVERYONE IS OK. THE TRACK IS STILL RED. THEY ARE GOING TO LET THE DAMAGED CARS ROLL INTO THE PITS TO REPAIR CARS.
15:43:42:	WE ARE UNDER RED. OTHER CARS INVOLVED WERE THE 2 OF CRAIG RAUDMAN, 7 KEITH SPANGLER 9 JUSTIN WESTMORELAND 48 MIKE LAY 4 GREG VOIGT AND THE 5 JASON FENSLER.
15:42:47:	CORRECTION. IT WAS THE 48, NOT THE 38 THAT WAS INVOLVED.
15:42:24:	THE 4 CAR HIT THE WALL IN THE AIR ....HEAD ON...BUT HE OUT OF CAR NOW.
15:41:58:	38 CAR WAS SLIPPING INTO TURN 3 CAUSED OTHER CRS TO SPIN.
15:41:38:	GOING RED. CAUSED BY THE 38
15:41:06:	MAJOR CRASH
15:40:55:	GREEN FLAG 18 1 03 44
15:40:33:	2 AT THE LINE
15:40:23:	QUESTION: GODSPEED PAUL NEWMAN ANSWER:
15:37:25:	PACE TRUCK IS ROLLING.
15:37:12:	THE INVERT WAS 10, NOT NINE.
15:36:33:	THEY INVERTED 9 CARS.
15:36:13:	THIS WILL BE A NEAR LIVE LITE. AGAIN A BIG THANKS TO KAYE SEDGWICK AND PERFORMANCE RADIOS FOR THE COVERAGE!
15:35:28:	THEY ARE LINED UP AND THE RACE IS JUST ABOUT TO START.
15:35:08:	QUESTION: NO INVERT YET? ANSWER: AM GETTING IT.
15:35:00:	QUESTION: WHEN WILL THE RACE START? ANSWER: STARTING NOW
14:31:13:	QUESTION: WOW ITS REALLY HOT UP THERE! WE'RE IN THE LOW 100'S BUT USED TO IT. HOPE YOU HAVE A WAY TO KEEP COOL ANSWER:
14:31:10:	QUESTION: WHY ISN'T JASON MOVED UP TO TRUCKS. HE IS ONE HELL OF A DRIVER. ANSWER:
14:26:53:	NO INVERT YET. WILL UPDATE YOU WHEN WE GET IT.
14:26:42:	SO AFTER PULLING AN ENGINE RAUDMAN 4TH. SHOULD BE A FUN RACE. AND IT IS ALWAYS BETTER WHEN THERE IS A CHAMPIONSHIP BATTLE.
14:26:14:	JASON FENSLER 17.87 JOSH COMBS DAN HOLTZ CRAIG RAUDMAN 17.956 TROY ERMISH GREG VOIGT JIM PETTIT JASON GILBERT DAVE BYRD TODD BAMMER JUSTIN WESTMORELAND KEITH SPANGLER KEVIN CALLAHAN MIKE LAY DAVID MANTOOTH EDDIE SECORD JOE FARRE
14:25:55:	JASON FENSLER WAS FAST TIME.
14:06:42:	QUESTION: DO YOU HAVE QUALIFYING? ANSWER: SHOULD HAVE IT SHORTLY
14:06:04:	QUESTION: CHECKING IN FROM PALM SPRINGS CA. WEATHER IS WARM BUT DRY HERE HOPE YOUR WEATHER IS GOOD FOR TONIGHTS RACE THERE. ANSWER: LOW 90S RIGHT NOW.
14:05:05:	QUESTION: THANKS KAYE RW AND SPONSORS FOR PROVIDING THIS UNIQUE AND EXCITING WAY TO FOLLOW A RACE WHEN YOU JUST CANT BE THERE. ANSWER: VERY WELCOME.
14:00:53:	QUESTION: BEEN A RAUDMAN FAN FOR MANY MANY YEARS HOPE HE DOES WELL TONIGHT ANSWER: SHOULD BE GOOD. AT LEAST THE ENGINE WENT BEFORE THE RACE INSTEAD OF DURING THE RACE.
12:58:09:	MARION AND LARRY COLLINS ARE BOTH AT THE TRACK.
12:56:44:	RAUDMAN NEVER EVEN TOOK A LAP. ACCORDING TO DAVE REED THEY FIRED UP THE CAR AND IT MADE SOME OF THOSE NOISES THAT MAKE YA GO "AH CHIT".
12:56:10:	QUESTION: WAITING...WAITING...WAITING... ANSWER: YAY! COMPANY! 2ND PRACTICE IS COMPLETE. GREG VOIGT WAS FASTEST IN BOTH SESSIONS. CRAIG RAUDMAN, WHO IS THE POINT LEADER, JIM PETTIT'S NEAREST COMPETITION, IS CHANGING A MOTOR. THEY MAY LET RAUDMAN TAKE A FEW SPINS AROUND THE TRACK AS HE MISSED BOTH OF TODAY'S PRACTICE SESSIONS.
12:54:51:	WE WILL BE DOING SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT FOR TODAY'S RACE. KAYE WILL BE TEXTING FROM HER PHONE...SO PLEASE GO EASY ON THE QUESTIONS.
12:54:03:	WELCOME TO THE RACINGWEST NEAR LIVE COVERAGE OF THE SRL SOUTHWEST TOUR CARS BROUGHT TO YOU BY KAYE SEDWICK OF PERFORMANCE RADIOS.

Dan Holtz was just taken by ambulance for heat exhaustion. He will be OK. It was a scorcher.

Here is a shot of Craig Raudman's car

And here is your winner, Jim Pettit. Congratulations, Jim!

Mike Helton pays surprise visit to NASCAR Camping World East Victory Lane

2008-09-25T08:25:00.000-07:00

It is not every day you see Mike Helton in a NASCAR Camping World Series photom but, the timing was right. Helton, who was at the race at Dover International Raceway, thanks to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competing at same track, was able to take advantage of a much need publicity photo.

Here he is shown with the newly crowned 2008 NASCAR Camping World East Series champion, Matt Kobyluck.

NASCAR CLAIMS INNOCENCE ALTHOUGH 2 EMPLOYEES ARE FIRED

2008-09-25T08:07:00.000-07:00

ALMANOR, California — This is a bit bewildering…NASCAR has fired the two officials it previously put on leave, while it investigated the charges that brought a $225 million sexual/racial discrimination lawsuit against it.

Now NASCAR spokesman, Ramsey Potson, has said that after NASCAR completed its internal investigation it found and denies any wrongdoing.

Poston refused to comment on why the two NASCAR employees were fired.

So what do you suppose that is all about? If NASCAR suspended the two men, Tim Knox and Bud Moore, it had to have good reason. There had to be some suspicions.

The suspensions and eventual firings were a direct result of the lawsuit brought on by Mauricia Grant.

So if NACAR found that yes, these men did make comments and did do the things Grant accused them of, then suspending and firing them was right.

But if it was right…how come NASCAR admits no wrong?

For NASCAR to be innocent, don't these men also have to be innocent?

It is almost predictable that NASCAR will come out at sometime in the future, maybe when pushed by the court, to say that although the men were suspended for suspicions surrounding the lawsuit, during the interneral investigation other things came to light that lead to their terminations. NASCAR will need to clarify that it was not for anything related to the sexual/racial discrimination suit, but due to separate wrongdoings that surfaced because of the investigation.

Another former NASCAR employee, Dean Duckett, also claims he was racially discriminated against by NASCAR and has brought a lawsuit against them.

Will Knox and Moore be next to bring a lawsuit?

A new meaning for Busch Whacked

2008-09-25T05:59:00.000-07:00

One has to imagine that based on the boos that Kyle Busch receives every time he appears on track, the fans must be fantastically pleased with NASCAR’s chase this year. Busch who was leading the points going into The Chase, with 8 wins and the honor of leading the most laps, is basically out of the running for the NASCAR Sprint Cup title.

Oh sure, he could win all the races or all the other drivers might have doubly bad luck and then he might win The Chase…but will he?

The Chase, was of course designed to keep fans happy and that has certainly worked out this season, because it is apparanet a great number of fans are happy that Busch won’t win. Of course if it was one of the NASCAR darlings, such as Dale Earnhardt Jr. or Jeff Burton, fans may not be so happy. If that was the case NASCAR would have a real headache, but being that it is the villain of NASCAR that has almost slipped out of the running after only 2 races, this worked out nicely for NASCAR.

So the story for the rest of the year will not be about how Jimmie Johnson or Greg Biffle or whomever else is winning The Chase. Instead the announcers and writers and radio personalities will likely focus on how Busch is losing it.

I wonder what this means for Carl Edwards? With the feuding that he and Busch have had would it really surprise anyone if Busch accidently tagged him now? After all the time will come when Busch has absolutely no hope left of winning a championship…forget the dream of multiple wins or the pileup at Talladega that one sportscaster said could happen …the odds are against him…and maybe so too are the odds against Edwards, after all what would Busch stand to lose?

I mentioned to a close friend that Busch was basically out of The Chase…he laughed.

I still can’t find the humor or joy in having this year’s best performing driver lose the NASCAR title due to mechanical woes and a NASCAR gimmick. But then, maybe it was the odds that played against Busch…it was time for an engine to let go.

In the end we see that what NASCAR offers is a nearly 30-race B-Main and a 10-race A-Main. So I suppose it is no different that Saturday night racing, doesn’t matter how powerfeul you are in the consy, it is only good for a transfer, it is winning the main that counts. But boy what an expensive B-Main the Cup series is for a team to run.

Ah well, it is what it is. And the Chase for the cup takes on a whole new meaning of BuschWhacked.

This is not necessarily the opinion of RacingWest.com.

--Al Teredfuel

DOUG RICHERT JOINS BILL DAVIS RACING AS CREW CHIEF FOR MIKE SKINNER NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES

2008-09-10T09:09:00.000-07:00

Doug Richert has joined with Bill Davis racing as crew chief for the No. 5 Toyota Tundra driven by Mike Skinner in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

Richert has worked in the past for several of the big names in NASCAR Cup, including drivers Dale Earnhardt, Darrell Waltrip, Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards as well as car owners, Richard Childress, Jack Roush and Junior Johnson.

Despite his affiliation with the big names in the industry, Richert has also worked with the little guys. At one time he was quoted as saying by USA Today as saying, “"I didn't want to be one of these guys who said, 'If it's not Cup, I'm not going to do it.’”

Skinner, although not currently racing in the Cup Series, is far from being a little guy. He holds a record 43 poles in the NCTS. Skinner was previously teamed with crew-chief Jeff Hensley for over 3-years. But despite an impressive 8 wins and 26 poles together, 2008 was not the best year for the duo and Bill Davis Racing, along with Skinner decided a change would be what was needed to turn the team's winless season around.

Now it is time to see if Richert is the one to do just that, put Skinner back in victory lane.

The Camping World RV Rental 200 scheduled to start at 3 p.m. EST, Saturday, Sept. 13. It will broadcast on SPEED (TV), MRN (radio) and Sirius Satellite Radio (Ch. 128).

Source: Janet Peery

The Dog, the Cat and the Rat

2008-09-09T20:31:00.000-07:00

OK. It isn't racing...but this is an amazing video.

Punish the Start and Park at the cost of a talented driver's dream

2008-09-08T17:31:00.000-07:00

Funny. When reading this post, it seems like NASCAR, practically the originator of the *start and park is going to pay less for it now...by lowering the last place finishing positions in the NASCAR Nationwide Series to $3,000.

We have all seen our local NASCAR employees wander through the pits at the suggestion of the Daytona Beach Firm and plead/beg with car owners to bring an extra car for the next race.

Just like they do in the Camping World West, they do in the Nationwide Series...But now they either don't want those cars.

The start and parkers will be hurt, but it is the legitimate independent that wants to try to make a few races, to break into the big time that will feel the most pain.

It will hurt the parents whose kid may have talent, but not much of a budget. The ones that will put all they have, for as long as they can in hopes their kid will pull a David Gilliland and become the Davey that conquered Goliath, the local racer that broke into the NASCAR big-time.

But when big money is thrown at a one-time deal and the payout for the last few positions is $3k, it makes no sense...because honestly a team that is new, with few or no connections has the best odds of finishing there than anyone else in the field.

What happens if NASCAR gets rid of the start and parkers? The percentage of the field of Cup regulars will go up. Maybe this is a good thing for TV ratings?

The easier way in my opinion is for NASCAR to end the influx of start and park teams is to shorten the field.

Maybe the bigger question is why is NASCAR struggling with real car count?

Sometimes I am glad my job is just to post news and results and photos. It is much easier to express an opinion on the start and parks than it is to be in a position at NASCAR where a decision has to be made that has such a major impact on the future of the sport.

*Start and Park= A driver that starts a race with no intent of running the full race. NASCAR itself will call upon start and parkers when they need a bigger field.

SRL Southwest Tour at Altamont - Updates

2008-08-30T23:37:00.000-07:00

The SRL is at Altamont Motorsports Park today. 19 cars are there, a good turn out. Greg Voigt turned the quickest lap in first practice with a SRL 17.854, Craig Raudman was 2nd quick with 18.038. Then in order of next fastest was: Josh Combs, Jim Pettit, Todd Bammer, Troy Ermish, Jason Fensler, Dan Holtz, Jason Small, Dave Byrd, Joe Farre, David Mantooth, Eddie Secord,
Mike Lay and Greg Potts.

Here is a photo of Greg Potts during 2nd practice, shot through the fence. Courtesy Dave Reed's BlackBerry.

Jason Fensler was fastest in 2nd practice. It is so good to see him racing the SRL again. A lot of fans have missed him. And here is the rest of those that practiced in 2nd practice: Todd Bammer, Craig Raudman, Jim Pettit II, Jason Small, Troy Ermish, Dan Holtz, Dave Byrd, Josh Combs, Rick Ruzbarsky, Joe Farre, Eddie Secord, Rex Lockwood, Mike Lay, Justin Westmoreland.

Here is a great shot of Larry Collins overseeing the racing action. Photo by Dave Reed:

Next up comes the drivers' meeting:

A shot looking down the garage area

A shot of Craig Raudman's team working on the car. They should be good...but then so too should be about 18 other drivers. This is a true series of champions. They have all earned their way with talent to this level.

The images below are amateur shots from the SRL Southwest Tour/NASCAR Camping World West Series opener at All American Speedway in Roseville, California.

Greg Voigt won the SRL Pole. Way to go Greg!

There are I believe 19 cars and they are inverting 10. Great invert, will make for a good race, and these guys are good enough to handle the half-field invert. Plus the track is big enough that they have time to reclaim their positions. Will be an absolutely awesome race.

Good news...Altamont and the SRL have a date set for September 27 and just as good...The Bullring is still a go.

Race will be starting shortly. Can Greg Voigt make up 10-positions to win? Will Keith Spangler hold his starting on the pole position? How about Dave Byrd and Jim Pettit? What happened to Jason Small to send him to the back?

There are so many hungry drivers...and all with impressive resumes...this is going to be one heck of a race... and if you missed today's race... you have a 2nd chance...don't miss the last time this season for the SRL to visit Altamont... Sept. 27!

The race: Jim Pettit won the race, that was slowed by several cautions and one red-flag. Craig Raudman's was damaged in one of the incidents and he spent time during the 2nd half of the race in and out of the pits. Local favorite Josh Combs was having a great run and looked like he might have something for Pettit but he got loose trying to pass for the lead, but saved the car and a top-five finish.

Pole winner, Greg Voigt finished 2nd after spinning and having to work his way back up.

It was fun to have NASCAR Winston West Rookie-of-the-Year Jason Small racing and he brought it home 3rd.

Dave Byrd in the #1 car was back in action today and he came home in 4th.

I thought there would be few cautions at this race, but boy was I wrong. It is funny that these guys were able to race so clean at All American. I would have thought it to be the more difficult track.

It was a great race for the fans. And at Altamont and with the SRL things are very relaxed with a good time for all ages.

Its the ASA ARCA WEST NW LMCS Tour

2008-08-30T18:33:00.000-07:00

Here we go again...

From the RacingWest.com message board comes word that Ron Bennett is stepping down in sake of not only his health but to help combine the two major stock car touring series in the Northwest, the ASA NW Tour and the ARCA West Late Model Challenge Series.

I have to admit I am confused. Wasn't it at the Fall Classic last year when both series were racing at Yakima Speeway that Bennet and Jerry Losch were talking about merging the two series...Bennett being head of the NWT and Losch the LMCS? But they couldn't decide who would be head honcho of the one series so the deal wasn't done?

Seriously, isn't that how it was? Back then the rumor was Losch was done. But by the start of the season it was Bennett that was struggling to find car count. In fact Stateline Speedway canceled a race due to lack of car count in the ASA NWT.

But the last ASA NWT race we saw a significantly increased car count. It looked to me like things were picking up.

Now here we are, once again, just like we were at the Fall Classic. The two series are racing at Yakima again and now back to talking about these two series merging, with Bennett, stepping away.

Taking his place will be Scott Ellsworth.

As a fan I admit I am confused. Ellsworth was Losch's right hand man, then he left Losch to work for Bennett as his right hand man.

What will the series be ARCA West? ASA? or?

All we need now is Humpy Wheeler as ring master.

One thing is certain... there are a lot of passionate people in the NW that love their stock car racing and many of them have felt the two series needed to work together.

It almost feels like more promoter's magic, with this act falling under Teleportation, Vanish, Restoration and Prediction. Good entertainment for sure, and maybe, just maybe it truly is in everyone's heart to do what is right for racing...and this will be the best thing that ever happened in the Northwest racing community for a long time. Hope so.

I will wait and see...

And to Ron Bennett, I wish him all the best. I know, despite the hard time many of us gave him, his heart was in the right place. And speaking of heart...taking care of his physical heart is important, too. I truly hope he does find more time to spend with the family. It is often said that regrets at life's end is not giving more time to those who love us...and that usually is family. I am right there with ya, Ron. All of us need to spend more time with the people that have been there for us.

And yep... I know people may be thinking I am poking fun at a serious situation. But I know how much I want to see the SRL succeed. It is the same for the fans in the NW, they want their ASA NWT or ARCA West LMCS to succeed as well.

More on Stockton 99

2008-08-30T09:10:00.000-07:00

Seems Al Teredfuel stepped on a few anonymous toes when his article stating that the reopening of Stockton 99 was magician's magic was posted.

Somehow an anonymous crowd took that to mean that someone was picking on Tony Nocetti.

Quite the contrary. Even though the words posted on this blog are not the opinion of RacingWest, sometimes they are. It is the opinion of RW that the Nocetti family is doing a great thing. It takes money and passion to restore the Humpty Dumpty that fell off the wall, which is what S99 has become.

The point of the Race Promoter's Magic was to point out how all along...a lot of us knew that Stockton 99 was not done. There is no need to cover up what happened with excuses and spins.

In fact that track could have been used all this year. I am sure the SRL Southwest Tour and other groups would have been more than happy to rent the facility.

But we were told we were insane to believe S99 would reopen. It was gone... track destroyed, fixtures gone, nothing but weeds and vandalism.

Yet, somewhere someone pulled a rabbit out of the hat and voila as Teredfuel said, here we are ready to put it all back together again.

It is not the Nocettis that gave their word that S99 was done for good and that Bill McAnally should proceed with spending over a million to revitalize All American Speedway. And no one blames them.

I have not heard one bad word about the Nocetti's. If anything we all are happy for what they are doing.

But I have heard a lot of unhappy words over the misrepresentation of the closing of S99. And that is a shame. It was as if there was a big poker game were the promoters were playing 7 card stud...but someone had 8 cards and that one was a down card and kept shifting that extra card around, playing everyone for a fool.

I look forward to all the news on the New Stockton. If I am up that way I will even be happy to help volunteer with the clean up.

The Nocettis are the Nocettis. Much like when a local store is under new management, the new managers are not to be faulted for the previous managers misrepresentations to the public.

YOU SEE THIS??

Now that is what we all what to see again. But in five years, if S99 is sold again...please how about some honesty?

Because to the average race fan, which is all that I am, there seems to be a lot of fishy stuff... Altamont buying stuff it never uses, track owners swearing in February 2006 that theyhave no desire to sell, only to find out in March 2006 that they did? Come on. We know a 6 million dollar deal is not that fast.

Time to stop the BS. The fans are sick of the deceptions and illusisions of the insider magicians.

By the way there are no regrets by Al Teredfuel or me on anything that is posted. Every word is what we believe at the time. Now reality does change at time... such as the S99 reality...but we stand behind our words.

You are welcome to change our minds... but don't try to fool the old timers...we have seen too much.

Why go to a NASCAR Cup race when locals are running?

2008-08-30T06:18:00.000-07:00

If you want traffic, high food prices, seats packed with sweaty new fans next to you... by all means go to California... but if you want to see good racing... go to the local tracks...the tracks that support racing more than a few times a year...go to Orange Show Speedway or Irwindale. NASCAR Cup races just aren't what they used to be.

I recently moved from Cottonwood back to Southern California and now am but a few hours from the California Speedway. So of course with the race at Fontana, the local news media (TV type) have been covering the event.

Literally that is what it seems they cover, the event, not the race. But they have been interviewing a lot of folks asking why they are coming out to the Speedway. What I find the most amusing is how many first time fans they find to interview. When I used to sit at Phoenix International Raceway as a fan in the stands for the October Classic or whatever it was called, the people around me were all long-time fans.

I can remember one year the man behind me talking about his dreams of building a one-mile track in Las Vegas and the people beside me had come from Washington. The people blocking my view below me came from Wisconsin and wore big blocks of foam cheese on their heads. While not far from them was the guy with the 3 carved into his hair.

But here in So Cal… esepecially after watching the local news, I think a big chunk of the fans are new fans...maybe fan is not the word, more like they come out to see what them NAS Cars really are all about. Most likely the personnel responsible for filling the stands at Fontana don’t care, afterall their goal was selling seats, but maybe... just maybe... they should be worried. Doesn’t that put a lot of pressure on one race? Don't they have to get it right the first time or lose fans? I guess they better hope for a tight finish, a few major pile ups and people that don't mind paying quadruple for a bottle of water.

One of the ladies interviewed said she came to see Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Oh my gosh, 6 years ago a fan knew who they liked. They came to cheer one driver and to curse that driver's rival. They came with seat pads with their drivers face or car number plastered on it and wore T-shirts with the same, waved racing flags and carried bags full of purchased goodies from the souvenir trailers.

And those shirts were well worn. I think a lot of shirts at Fontana will be brand new… I can see the new fan debating, “Gee do I think Kyle Busch or Carl Edwards will win? I think I will get a Busch shirt and an Edwards’s seat pad.” Well, if they even make those seat pad things anymore.

Then the other thing I have been reading a lot of from several different columnists are all the local guys that now work for North Carolina based teams…Nationwide and Cup.

And I was thinking…that too probably had an impact on racing… when the most passionate men and women in our sport can only fulfill their dream 3000 miles away, it takes away a support we once had. They were after all walking, talking advertisements for the NASCAR Southwest Tour and the Winston West.

A lot has changed…For me the best the Cup ever was …was right before the mid-nineties when there were people with passion all around me…

There is a lot of racing going on this weekend, but the best racing will not be found at California Speedway…or Auto Club Speedway…save some money and a traffic headache and go to a track like the one at Irwindale where you can see the Fontana race on TV and watch a better race in person. Where you can meet the drivers and talk racing.

Hmmm… on second thought there are reasons to go to Fontana… Johnny Borneman, Burney Lamar, Scott Gaylord, Kevin Harvick, Casey Mears, David Gilliland, Kurt and Kyle Busch…and so on….but I still would rather be at a short track…even if I do have a complete admiration of all the local drivers that moved up.

The Racetrack Promoter's Magic

2008-08-28T08:25:00.000-07:00

Race Track Promotion in California is perhaps as great an entertainment as watching Criss Angel in action. At some point their performances start to look like pure magic.

Now looking up magic in Wikipedia, I discovered that the word California racetrack promoter and magician can just about always be used interchangeably. So much of the following is taken from Wikipedia, with some substitutions.

Magic, illusion, trickery and deception…

Whilst true there are some deceptions within the world of promotion, mostly it is all illusion. The magician or track promoter will say what is or is not happening and the eager audience of race teams and fans wait with eyes fixed, hearts beating and adrenalin rising to watch the next Léger de main, collusion or misdirection the skilled promoter can conjure up.

And it seems that there is nothing the racing audience enjoys more than the art of the trick. The promoter seeks to present an effect so clever and skillful that the racing audience cannot believe their eyes, and cannot think of the explanation. The sense of bafflement is part of the entertainment. In turn, the audience plays a role in which they agree to be entertained by something they know to be a deception.

From early 2006 to today, deceptions have been roaring full steam ahead…or is that full smoke ahead as in smoke and mirrors?

The grandest deception, illusion, trickery, whatever one may chose to call it…has to be the closing of the Stockton 99 Speedway.

We all heard the rumor…the first sleight of hand….the rumor was put to bed via an article by Bill Poindexter on February 5, 2005 when he interviewed Ken Clapp regarding the rumored closure and sale of Stockton 99 Speedway, who said, "It makes a great story, and I'm very flattered, but there's no truth to it…. I'm totally committed for the next few years at Stockton, totally committed."

Remember this ( blog post by a concerned racer )?

It seems a reversal in commitment would come one short month later, as it was reported in an article in the Oakland Tribune in September 2006 that, “Clapp and his partner, Bob Hunefeld, decided 18 months ago (March 2005) to sell the track's 20-acre property to housing developers for $6 million.”

We were told when it was the last USAC race at the track when it was the last Late Model race at the track and when it was the last West race there ever would be at the historic track.

From the time that track was supposedly sold and dismantled and torn apart, I have said it was not really gone. I almost felt like I saw behind the magician’s screen, saw through the smoke.

But I was repeatedly assured by insiders that it was gone. No lights, no scoreboard, no stands...all gone. We heard Kenny Shepherd bought it all we were told. Bill McAnally was given Clapp’s word that the track was gone. We would be nuts not to believe it, right?

Now we find that voila! it was there all along. Now we find out that according to the ModBee Carol and Tony Nocetti, "... purchased the speedway's lights, bleachers, fencing and other items after 99 closed and now plan to begin moving them back into the facility." The Stockton 99 Speedway is slated for a March 2009 reopening.

Why…we just took part in one grand feat of magic as we were all deceived by one of the most famous of all magician trickeries, the art of transformation. Transformation is a combination of a vanish and a production, restoration, where the promoter or magician destroys an object, then restores it back to its original state—a rope is cut, a newspaper is torn, a racetrack or woman is sawn in half and then they are all restored to their original state.

It’s magic! But which of the promoters was the master magician? Was it Bill McAnally of All American Speedway, the Nocetis who leased Stockton 99, Kenny Shepherd who went from running Altamont Raceway Park to running Madera Speedway, John Condren who supposedly was spearheading a 1200-acre, motorsports-themed family recreation and entertainment center, Bob Hunefeld or Ken Clapp, Stockton 99 Speedway promoters or is itJeff Macey, promoter of Altamont Motorsports Park?

I will let the reader decide if it was one master magician working alone, or one master magician with several assistants that created an illusion more exciting to the local racer than David Copperfield’s disappearance and reappearance of the Statue of Liberty performance.

I personally see nothing for some of the mentioned promoters to gain by the reopening of Stockton 99 and the addition of increased competition in a very difficult market. In fact I can see pain brought on by this restoration to some of them, unless the promoters work together. Now if that happens…there will be magic...but a very good magic.

I look forward to watching and reading of the action that the four NASCAR tracks in California’s Central Valley will provide come 2009.

I have to admit I have been amused and have a feeling of wonder even though I am aware that the magic is performed using trickery, still there is some devious enjoyment one gets from the magician's skill and cunning, especially when you knew it would happen…but didn’t know the who, what, where, why and how of it all.

In the next few months leading up to the grand re-opening of Stockton 99 Speedway, there may be what appear to be revelations of what happened behind the screen, obscured from view by the smoke, but the revelation of a magical secret is merely another form of misdirection.

I wish the Noceti’s well. I wish Shepherd and Macey and McAnally well. At risk of being redundant ...here goes... I hope that in 2009 the trickery can be replaced by the magic of promoters working together for the good of their pocketbook, the needs of the racers and the enjoyment of the fans.

Other good to know stuff from Wikipedia on Magic:

Misuse of magic

In modern conjuring, it is not considered ethical to give a performance which claims to be anything other than a clever and skillful deception.

Categories of effects – I have added Promoter alongside Magician

It is generally agreed that there are very few different types of effect.. Some of these are listed below.

Production The magician or promoter produces something from nothing—a rabbit from an empty hat, fan of cards from thin air, a shower of coins from an empty bucket, a racetrack from a vandalized field or the promoters themselves, appearing in a puff of smoke on an empty stage -- all of these effects are productions.

Vanishing The magician or promoter makes something disappear—a coin, a cage of doves, milk from a newspaper, an assistant from a cabinet, racetrack grandstands, lighting, scoreboards. A vanish, being the reverse of a production, may use a similar technique, in reverse.

Transformation The magician or promoter transforms something from one state into another—a silk handkerchief changes colour, a lady turns into a tiger an indifferent card changes to the spectator's chosen card a racetrack that was stated as gone…suddenly reappearing as full of life. A transformation can be seen as a combination of a vanish and a production.

Restoration The magician or promoter destroys an object, then restores it back to its original state—a rope is cut, a newspaper is torn, a racetrack is sawn in half, a borrowed watch is smashed to pieces—then they are all restored to their original state.

Teleportation The magician or promoter causes something to move from one place to another—a borrowed ring is found inside a ball of wool, a canary inside a light bulb, an assistant from a cabinet to the back of the theatre, lights and grandstands can be found in a warehouse. When two objects exchange places, it is called a transposition: a simultaneous, double teleportation.

Prediction The magician or promoter predicts the choice of a spectator, or the outcome of an event under seemingly impossible circumstances—a newspaper headline is predicted (Now tell me this isn’t a favorite of promoters), the total amount of loose change in the spectator's pocket, a picture drawn on a slate, a track rumor dispelled only to be true.

And remember this blog post from a couple years back...when a racer started to see beyond the magical mirrors?

Again...let me beat the dead horse, let me hammer on your head, let me beg on my knees...please, please racetrack promoters work together...make us the magic we really want to see!

Yours...Al Teredfuel

DiggIt!

Are you the reason your race track is gone? Absouletly not!

2008-08-21T09:07:00.000-07:00

Years ago I made a post about the Internet. Which you may read here.

Today, 7 years later, we still find writers and bloggers blaming the Internet for the demise of their track.

While no one wants to read that they are the driver most likely to crash or the track that is most corrupt and often times there is some truth behind what is said. Of course there are times there are mean spirited people out to hurt another, but for the most part when you read about a lot of the stuff…it’s true. Some cars do get through tech, some racers do make stupid moves, and some website owners are old ladies.

But the chatter is mostly no different than what you would hear in the pits, or discussing at a dinner at Chile’s after the race.

What I am most impressed about is how most racers have their limits. There is a silent self monitoring policy of things that can be talked about and things that go unsaid.

But what is missed in the big picture is all the good that is done on the Internet for the racers, the tracks.

At RacingWest we don’t sell our photos, but we have shared them for years with Newspapers that wanted a special shot we have had. Unknown drivers become heroes and recognized…in a large part because of the Internet.

For yeas NASCAR could care less about putting information out there. We were the supplier, including telling many racers wanting to move up to NASCAR how to go about getting a license.

When a fried of the racing community is hurt or loses a life, we can say our prayers and reach out to the family and friends of that person. We can say a good bye. That is thanks to the Internet.

Some recent writers against the Internet credit the Internet with a new negativity to racing.

But fail to credit the Internet for all the good it does.

I remember one day I got an email from someone that said, “Wow, NASCAR bought a site to shut up one person.” But was he fired for negativity or honesty? NASCAR, in my opinion always has issues with honesty. They want control…of everything…even the words we speak about them. I mention this to show how fearful of and who is afraid of the Internet.

It is organizations like NASCAR that fear it, but most little tracks are glad to have the Internet…they can share information with those that might otherwise be in the dark.

But did the Internet shut down your local track? I can think of a few tracks by me that are now gone. Mesa Marin sold out because development sprang up around them, the city was forcing them to do expensive upgrades and as much as I loved Mesa Marin…the track was tired, the seats were old, and Irwindale…not the Internet had taken many fans. The owners of the track sold when the real estate value was still up and with a dream of building a new track…not walking away because of the Internet.

Cajon Speedway was closed because the city did not renew the contract. Not because of the Internet.

How about Saugus? What was the reason…crooked stands or some such nonsense?

How about Stockton 99? Owned by the very man that is in like Flynn with NASCAR, Ken Clapp.

Did he shut it down because of the Internet? No. Supposedly he had a buyer for it. Look at all the tracks he closed…none can be blamed on the Internet.

It is not the Internet that made land valuable. It is not the Internet that put a city code on the barbeques we used to have, or placed curfews on the racing we used to watch till Midnight.

The Internet is a balance of good and bad, like life. I have spent many a night crying about cruel things I have read…things that weren’t true, yet I also learned a lot of things I never knew…things that made racing even more interesting. I also have spent nights crying about the loss of those I loved….and I am glad I had the Internet to reach out to them with.

I am glad when I want to go to Irwindale I can look on the Internet and see the schedule. I am glad when I need directions to Colorado National I can look on the Internet and view a map and hotels near by, including recommendations on the Speedway’s site. I am glad when I want to know where the SRL Southwest Tour Series is racing next I can look on the Internet for the next races. I am glad when I want to read about the finish of Tom Sweatman or Shane Harding… I can look on the Internet to see where they placed, especially because I don’t get a newspaper from Washington and without the Internet I would not know.

I think it is cool I can print tickets for the races on the Internet.

There are a lot of things wrong with the Internet, but the message boards are a very small part of what the Internet is and when you search the Internet, most of what you find is good, helpful, informative information.

My advice? The next time someone blames the Internet…remember what it was like without it. Because it is not the Internet that shuts down your racing, it is a city…like Cajon…progress like Mesa Marin….NASCAR….like the Southwest and Northwest Tours… the economy…like the little tracks that no longer could make it and a lot of other reasons.

And think about this if you really wanted to make a stand for your track...where is the best place to do it...where do you go to reach the most people?

The Internet may in fact be saving some tracks…because it gives fans of little known tracks an opportunity to write stories and get new fans in the stands.

The Internet is good and evil. But it is given way too much blame when it is credited with closing down the local track.

***********
And from a person on the Internet (An anonymous green chicken or bird thing...lol) comes this well-said post:

Stockton, Mesa, Cajon, Carson City & Saugus all closed and had nothing to do with computer message boards. It's just another excuse for Nascar and bad promoters to blame drivers, teams, & fans.

Although, I'll agree a more positive attitude on message boards would be better for all and something we should do now.

Here's what I've noticed that's changed in 10 years,

1. Sat night cup races (Why leave the house)
2. Nascar on TV Friday, Sat & Sun (Plenty of racing on TV to get your fix)
3. The short tracks aren’t attracting new fans. Kids today are into gaming, tuner cars & myspace. They don't race tuner cars and most tracks don't use myspace as a tool. Pinto's and Camaros aren't what my kid is into.
4. The cost to race. It's getting harder and harder to pay the tire, fuel & testing bills. 10 years ago nobody tested every Friday night, now 1/2 the field does. How many people have a $1,000 every race to throw away? It's a rich man's game now and has lost the blue collar charm.
5. The economy is taking its toll as well.
6. Promoters are scared to change and spend money on purses and advertizing. The big races are gone now and I never see an ad in the sports page like I used too. It's all about the back gate now @ $45 buck a pop.
7. Tracks selling tires have become a track business unlike it used to be. 4 practice & 4 race tires a race isn't solving anything. Conflict of interest if you ask me.
8. Yes... the internet and our world have changed in the last 10 years. So many options to spend our time on. 20 years ago I would go to a drive-in movie... Where did they go?
That's how I see it and I could be wrong.
****

janet peery

Stockton 99 Speedway, the end of an era...just kidding

2008-08-21T08:49:00.000-07:00

The politics of racing has always fascinated me….mostly from the promoter side.

It is sort of like they all talk a good game, but when it comes right down to it a majority of them want it all. Oh sure, we here this track or that track say they want to work with each other…but jealousy is normal…and if more drivers, more fans, turn up at one facility…well then there just might be an incentive for racers to stay at one track…maybe a little pinch in the ol’ pocketbook.

And we have seen tracks work together recently and it was good…for awhile…remember the King of the Hill Challenge between Ukiah and Lakeport? Well it started great and it ended with bad feelings.

Not to say track promoters don’t get along. They do because in a way…they are all in the same boat…just doesn’t mean they have to like each other.

But here I am lost as often happens with my wandering ADD mind… The point of all this is Stockton 99 Speedway. No sooner did I mention it was closed (like 20 minutes ago)…then voila it looks like it is back to business.

Now this is an interesting piece…and I have not spoken to all promoters involved. But it of course leads to room for lot of speculation.

Which tracks will be helped by the reopening of Stockton 99 and which tracks will be hurt? Because we learn today that in fact, Stockton 99 is not gone...

Back in 2006 the Stockton Record did a big article showing grieving men and a backhoe ripping up Stockton 99. Photos closed in on the backhoe tearing up the frontstretch as the two photos here from the Stockton Record bear witness to.

Ah…but it was only the frontstretch that was torn up….And anyone with 1/10^th of brain functionality knows if you intend to rip up a track and pay a back hoe to come out …you are going to get ‘r done. Not poke a hole and load it up and go back to the shop.

So all along fans and teams felt like they were tricked. But official type folk insisted, nah it is gone…nothing there…

Well…guess what…there is something there…and the lights and the rest of it?

According to another article in the Stockton Record, “Noceti said he has most of the equipment he needs,

including a backhoe, tractor and lawn mowers. And he purchased the fencing, bleachers and lighting from Altamont Raceway Park, which originally bought them from Stockton 99's owners after the track closed.”

So sounds like everything is shifting back to Stockton.

I wonder how the promoters of Madera Speedway and All American Speedway feel. Pretty sure All American was even given assurance to Bill McAnally by Ken Clapp that Stockton 99 was done for good.

I guess we can either look at the puzzle pieces and put them all in place or call the promoters and ask what is happening? Right now I feel like being out of the loop and putting pieces in place is a better move…because right now I am feeling like I and a lot of other folks were lied to, even though I am very happy for all the fans and racers that Stockton 99 is reopening.

NASCAR, ASA and SRL racing this weekend

2008-08-17T07:50:00.000-07:00

This was one of those weekends that was circled on a lot of race teams calendars...there was the CORR at Pomona, the West at Irwindale and the SRL at Colorado National.

RacingWest had 3 Near Lives planned... the SRL, ASA at Orange Show and NASCAR West at Irwindale.

But some things, just weren't meant to be....

A major weather system moved into the Rockies and spread across Colorado. The roads into and out of Colorado were blanketed with storms. With haulers already at the track and knowing the money involved to get them there on today's gas prices, a tough decision was made, to cancel the race.

Was canceling the race the right decision? Bob Eliff was there at CNS and sent a few photos...looking at the photos...I waould say, there was no choice. I just ache for all the teams that had to turn around and face the hazardous road conditions and hope they all made it safely.

The SRL will next compete at Altamont and then the finale at the Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

One Near Live down...but there was still the ASA race at Orange Show... first Andy D who was covering it had to work Saturday...then his laptop didn't cooperate. Ah well...you can take Andy's word for it...was some good racing.

And the last scheduled Near Live...made it...the Camping World West. It was a lot of fun running into old friends and meeting new people.

29 West cars showed up. Jason Bowles won the pole while local favorite, Chris Johnson grabbed the outside starting position. This was only his 2nd race in series...oh sure I know he races on the track all the time...still there is a lot to getting a West car through tech first few times, learning all the rules. Thought he did a great job.

If you only watched the front part of the race, it was a bit of a sleeper...Bowles was actually too good. Someone in the media room asked who his crew chief was and when the answer came, "Bill Sedgwick" the guy goes...well of course he would be good with him as a crew chief. This is of course not to take anything away from Bowles...but it is to give Sedgwick some credit he deserves.

Mayhew ran 2nd and when Bowles caught up with lapped traffic, he would close in on the leader, but other than that the front of the race was spread out single file racing...but the good stuff was behind the top three or four.

Three and four wide racing

Here is Johnny Borneman inside with Jim Inglebright and Mike David on the outside. I am so thankful these guys are in the series...they are the veterans...the recognizeable heroes in a series that is becoming more and more a "pass through spend no more than 2 years racing this until we move on" series.

More close action with Jason Patison and Johnny Borneman. Patison went on to finish on the podium and hopefully it will be the start of a lot more podium finishes...and wins! Last Irwindale race he just had a new baby. Sure hope he is enjoying being a new daddy.

Eric Holmes and Jeff Barkshire did a great Irwindale shuffle for he fans swapping position back and fourth. In the end, Barkshire got not only the position but moved on up to finish 2nd in the race. I don't know how long Barkshire will be in the series, I hope a long time... love watching him race.
And here is Barkshire again... like the icing in an Oreo... smack in the middle, with Andrew Myers outside and Mike Gallegos inside.

Near the end of the race there was contact between the 21 of Mayhew and the 8 of Borneman. After wrecking...Mayhew raced back up to give Borneman a piece of his mind...or maybe he had something to show him. Anyway...good stuff...added color to the race.

NASCAR sent Borneman to the back of the lead lap cars...but he quickly made his way back up ... and he and Mayhew finished right next to each other.

It was good racing...looking forward to finding out what happened with Dave Reed's kid, Austin, in CORR.

SRL Race Canceled

2008-08-15T08:41:00.000-07:00

Scotty Backman at Colorado National Speedway notified the SRL this morning (Friday) at 8AM that tomorrow's scheduled race at Colorado National Speedway has been officially canceled due to a significant storm system that already hit the region yesterday and is expected to continue with rain today and tomorrow.

Boy, this one is a heartbreak. This series is so close to being "there".

"There" is back to where they were... a thriving race series.

When NASCAR drop kicked the NASCAR Southwest Tour into what NASCAR probably hoped was oblivian, at the time the SRL was a thriving feeder series to the SW Tour.

When word came out that NASCAR was done with the SW Tour, it was Steve Fensler that stepped up to the plate offering to embrace all drivers and their cars into the SRL. But then feuding tracks and drivers in the SRL and drivers in the SWT burdened with uncertainty, the SRL instead of thriving...was surviving.

This year much of the hope for the SRL was the new Mesa Marin Raceway (Kern River Raceway). But the economy put a halt to that track reaching completion and so 4 races were shed from the schedule. Next a race at Tucson was canceled most likely also due to financial issues.

But despite it all the SRL SW Tour started the year with a bang at Roseville and in fact racing the same night as the NASCAR Camping World West Series, the bigger series, it was the SRL SW Tour that was the star that lit up the night.

When the SRL traveled to Irwindale and Altamont twice it was obvious to a lot of folks that this may just be the series ready to explode...quite possibly to what it was when it was sanctioned by NASCAR.

I know I got excited seeing the list of participating drivers grow...even seeing former NASCAR West Series drivers enter.

The anticipation for Colorado National was huge. Sure it would be a long haul...but then it was CNS and with it came opportunity to race in front of packed stands and talented locals.

Ahh...but weather took control of all...and at this time the Colorado National Speedway has a message that the SRL race and all other racing at the track has been canceled due to weather.

So those are the cards that are showing face up and the SRL SW Tour will make the best decision it can playing the rest of the hand. Next up is a race at Altamont Motorsports Park and then the grand finale at The Bullring at Vegas...where the SRL SW Tour will have the perfect opportunity to play a winning hand in preparation for the 2009 season.

And I am betting it all that 2009 will be a winning year for the SRL. This is the place to be, the series to race. It is a fantastic series backed by a great group of people that care.

Personal tidbits about Disneyland, Wreck, SRL, Camping World West and Orange Show Speedway

2008-08-14T08:08:00.001-07:00

I have been having a great summer. Couldn't travel to as many races as I would have liked...but then that gave me the opportunity to spend time in one of my favorite places on earth...Walt's place.

I also got to spend time with my favorite little person in all the world...no not Chip, although he is a very cool little guy...the one in the polka dot dress owns my heart ;)

Here Pluto is at risk of getting his whiskers pulled. Yes...there is live beyond racing :)

Don't all little girls dream of being Cinderella one day?

The wonder of a first ride down the the Rivers of America on the Liberty Belle.
And now its time to say goodnight...

So that was the fun stuff....everything going so good. And then as I was coming back from town and at a dead stop waiting for traffic to clear so I could make a left turn, some clown came flying up on me in a newer black RAM 1500 work truck. I heard the screech, and saw a monstrous chunk of heavy black metal fill my rearview mirror...and then smash. I was now pushed into the next lane over.

My mint Saturn 3-door was no match. He poked a hole in the bumper, rear quarter panel and broke the light.

The bad part was it pushed my German Shepherd through the two front seats and he went slamming onto the dash...and he cried. He loves the car, but now I feel I need to find a way to secure that big ol' dog.

Odd it doesn't look like much damage for the way I feel. I have always disliked people that claim the neck thingie after a wreck...but honestly I am having a heck of a time typing...and my intent was to go to Irwindale and type the Near Live for the West race. I will probably still go...just not advertising it yet...just in case.

Now besides the West race, we are really excited to do a Near Live for the SW Tour (SRL) and the Orange Show Speedway.

Bob Gardner, former track publicist for Cajon Speedway is going to type the Near Live for the SW Tour (SRL) event at Colorado National Speedway and Lydia Adams and Tom Puto will pit report...oh they are some of Colorado National Speedway's biggest fans...and they love the SW Tour racing with the local drivers in it.

This just may be one of the best Near Lives ever....well...but wait....there is OSS.

And none other than the much loved Andy Daddiaro will be at OSS covering all the action with Near live.

This is going to be an exciting weekend...and if I am able to attend the Camping World West Series...that will be 3 action paced races RW users can follow.

Can hardly wait for Saturday!

More on the Miller Motorsports Park Race

2008-08-02T18:16:00.001-07:00

Here is the winning car. Knew he was going to win one of these road courses...just didn't expect it this time. Sure is exciting. I was talking to a friend of mine and they said the crew was overjoyed. So happy for them.

Of course remember how they used to say "the thrill of victory, the agony of defeat"? Well these 3 were all set up for the race to the podium, Jim Inglebright leading, Jason Bowles second, David Mayhew third...but then came a caution that caused Jim to run out of fuel on the last lap and David and Jason both suffered from flat tires.

I would have loved so much for Jim Inglebright or David Mayhew to win...they came so close, but it just wasn't their day and it would have been cool to see Jason Bowles as a repeat winner at Miller Motorsports Park. But it wasn't their day, and oddly their grief gave two other drivers a relief from their recent woes. Both Mike David and Austin Cameron shoulda, coulda, woulda done better at the last few races...but today was not only Souza's day, but also their day and hopefully their luck has turned around now.

Now the Miller Motorsports Park victory lane was as cool as the ol' Winston West ones used to. be. Here Austin gives Souza a bubbly bath...ha ha. Check out Bob in the background there eyeballing the fun. Oh and by the way, I spoke with Bob at Irwindale and his little grandson seems to be out of the woods and thriving. If you remember he was born very early. So that was a real answer to prayer.
The team...it isn't just the driver...right? They all made this win happen.

Cool race. And everyone that I spoke to after the race had nothing but praise for Miller Motorsports Park and the staff.

NASCAR CAMPING WORLD SERIES 125 Results from Miller Motorsports Park

2008-08-02T17:09:00.000-07:00

Yay! The results have arrived!

NASCAR Camping World Series West

Tooele, Utah Aug. 2, 2008

TOOELE, Utah – Todd Souza won a wild scramble to the finish on the road course at Miller Motorsports Park on Saturday to capture his first career victory in the NASCAR Camping World Series West.

Souza dashed into the lead on the final lap, as race leader Jim Inglebright suddenly ran out of fuel and slowed going around the back portion of the 3.06-mile course.

Inglebright had stopped early for fuel, but his plan of making it to the finish came up short as a late-race caution led to the race distance being extended for a green-white-checkered finish. Inglebright was not the only leader to suffer misfortune late in the race, however, as the first and second-place cars of Jason Bowles and David Mayhew both had to pit with flat tires just a few laps from the finish. The final lap also featured several cars spinning off track and a couple of drivers limping to the finish line with flat tires.

Mike David was able to avoid the trouble to take the runner-up spot, followed by Austin Cameron in third. His teammate, Moses Smith had a career-best fourth-place finish, with Daryl Harr coming home fifth. Rounding out the top 10 were Jeff Jefferson, Jim Warn, Mayhew, Tony Toste and Bowles.

Souza, who started 11th, had to overcome problems of his own. He had a flat tire early in the race and had to pit under green-flag conditions. He steadily worked his way to the front, making up many spaces late in the race. The 43-year-old driver from Aromas, Calif., was making only his 10th start in the NASCAR Camping World Series West. He has run only select events since first competing in the series in 2004, focusing primarily on road course races.

Eric Holmes, who leads the championship standings, tried to battle back throughout the race after encountering early trouble. After pitting with a flat tire, he ended up losing a lap while serving a pit road penalty. Holmes worked his way back onto the lead lap, but then limped to the finish with another flat on the final lap. Nevertheless, he was able to hold onto his lead in the point standings with 1,621 markers. Bowles remains second with 1,564, while David moved to third with 1,511.

NASCAR CAMPING WORLD SERIES WEST-NASCAR CAMPING WORLD SERIES 125 Results

Saturday

At Miller Motorsports Park

Tooele, Utah

Lap length: 3.06 miles

(Start position in parentheses)

1. (11) Todd Souza, Aromas, Calif., Chevrolet, 44 laps, 71.364 mph, $15,050.

2. (7) Mike David, Modesto, Calif., Ford, 44, $9,100.

3. (4) Austin Cameron, El Cajon, Calif., Toyota, 44, $8,500.

4. (9) Moses Smith, Tempe, Ariz., Toyota, 44, $6,500.

5. (8) Daryl Harr, St Albert, Alberta, Chevrolet, 44, $5,500.

6. (6) Jeff Jefferson, Naches, Wash., Chevrolet, 44, $5,000.

7. (13) Jim Warn, Aurora, Ore, Chevrolet, 44, $4,815.

8. (2) David Mayhew, Atascadero, Calif., Chevrolet, 44, $3,500.

9. (18) Tony Toste, Pismo Beach, Calif., Chevrolet, 44, $2,900.

10. (1) Jason Bowles, Ontario, Calif., Ford, 44, $4,800.

11. (12) Jeff Barkshire, Auburn, Wash., Dodge, 44, $3,250.

12. (10) Jason Patison, Corona, Calif., Chevrolet, 44, $3,200.

13. (14) Jim Inglebright, Fairfield, Calif., Chevrolet, 44, $3,100.

14. (15) Brian Wong, Newport Beach, Calif., Chevrolet, 44, $2,500.

15. (20) Wes Banks, Oakdale, Calif., Dodge, 44, $2,400.

16. (3) Eric Holmes, Escalon, Calif., Toyota, 44, $2,800.

17. (16) Johnny Borneman, Ramona, Calif., Ford, 43, $2,750.

18. (17) Jamie Dick, Albuquerque, N.M., Chevrolet, 43, $2,700.

19. (23) Jack Sellers, Sacramento, Calif., Chevrolet, 43, $2,150.

20. (25) Shane Hubbard, Spanish Fork, Utah, Ford, 41, $2,100.

21. (26) Brian Jackson, Colton, Calif., Chevrolet, 36, $2,000.

22. (5) Luis Martinez, Jr., Long Beach, Calif., Chevrolet, 30, steering, $1,950.

23. (22) Jonathan Hale, Rio Linda, Calif., Chevrolet, 25, oil leak, $1,925.

24. (21) Kyle Kelley, Huntington Beach, Calif., Dodge, 19, electrical, $1,900.

25. (24) Garland Self, San Jose, Calif., Ford, 4, steering, $1,850.

26. (19) Paulie Harraka, Wayne, N.J., Chevrolet, 2, handling, $1,925.

27. (27) Mike Gallegos, Wheat Ridge, Colo., Chevrolet, 0, transmission, $2,300.

28. (28) Travis Milburn, Eagle, Idaho, Ford, 0, timing chain, $1,750.

Race Statistics

Time of Race: 1 hour 53 minutes 12 seconds

Margin of Victory: 1.460 seconds

Fastest Qualifier: J.Bowles (94.888 mph, 116.095 seconds)

Caution Flags: 5 for 12 laps.

Lead Changes: 10 among 5 drivers.

Lap Leaders: J.Bowles 1; D.Mayhew 2-13; J.Bowles 14-16; D.Harr 17-20; J.Inglebright 21-30; J.Bowles 31; J.Inglebright 32-35; J.Bowles 36-40; T.Souza 41; J.Inglebright 42-43; T.Souza 44.

Standings: 1. E.Holmes, 1621; 2. J.Bowles, 1564; 3. M.David, 1511; 4. J.Barkshire, 1502; 5. J.Inglebright, 1458; 6. A.Cameron, 1419; 7. M.Smith, 1390; 8. J.Borneman, 1290; 9. J.Warn, 1270; 10. D.Mayhew, 1261.

Unofficial

Miller Motorsports Park - Beautiful Victory Lane

2008-08-02T16:39:00.000-07:00

Wow...now this is one of the most gorgeous victory lanes I have seen since the days of Winston.
This looks like these guys are at the top of the food chain...this goes beyond anything NASCAR...looks like the Indy...OK...maybe I am exaggerating...but beautifully well done job by Miller Motorsports Park!

And the winner? A first timer! Yea! Todd Souza finally got one...

I have a lot of cool photos from Denny of Northfork photo that I will be adding shortly as well as a shot from Terry Thompson.

I don't have any results from NASCAR to post yet, but zwriter from the RacingWest message board posted the unofficial, so here ya go...and thanks for the help, zwriter!

souza
david
cameron
smith
harr
jefferson
warn
mayhew
toste
bowles
barkshire
patison
inglebright
wong
banks
holmes
borneman
dick
sellers
hubbard
jackson
martinez
hale
kelly
self
harraka

dns
milburn
gallegos

Jason Bowles Wins the Pole - His third this season in the NASCAR Camping World West Series

2008-08-02T12:54:00.000-07:00

Jason Bowles is fast again at Miller Motorsports Park. He must absolutely love this place...afterall last year he won it...and that was his first ever win. He is at the moment one of the best road course racers the NASCAR Camping World West Series has.

He has won at Miller, at California Speedway and at Infineon...well come to think of it he also does purt good on the bullrings and short tracks...won at Irwindale and the season opener this year at All American Speedway in Roseville.

He has has a great 2 years in racing that is for sure. Of course I still think his having Bill Sedgwick helps make a great driver a fantastic driver.

Well the race will start shortly...so can Jason Bowles do it again...or will it be one of the veterans...or maybe a first time winner?

Hmmm... the roadcourses are known for producing first time winners...we will just have to wait and see.

ASA NWT & NASCAR West at the Evergreen 500 - Monroe, Washington

2008-08-01T06:33:00.001-07:00

So... the Evergreen 500...it was....well.... a long day for one thing. But then when you have Bombers, Late Modes, the NASCAR Camping World West and the ASA NWT all racing on one day...it is one of those so much racing, so little time deals.

The day started out with practice for all divisions. Rain thought she was going to play a little mischief...she started sprinkling during the West practice...but guess she changed her mind as she moved on with lightening speed.

Eric Holmes took another quick time. I heard it was a track record...but have not verified that yet. Anyway, he is on fire this year as is Jason Bowles. Eric has won 4 times and Jason 2 times. And they have battled hard, as the photo below from the race at the ASA Douglas County Speedway in Roseburg, Oregon shows.

A couple of drivers that were expected to be up leading the points have struggled some this year. One is Jeff Jefferson, former NASCAR Northwest Tour Champion.

On a side note the NASCAR Northwest Tour is now the ASA Northwest Tour thanks to Ron Bennett and ASA's Dennis Huth saving what was left of this series after NASCAR dumped it. And boy they not only dumped it but kicked the car owners in the teeth when they told them at the banquet things were good in da hood for years to come...what was it 3 weeks later they said.. buh bye... thanks for driving.

Well that is old news... back to Jeff Jeff...after his fighting bad luck and mechanical gremlins he finally got in a good finish at Evergreen, coming in for fourth.

Below is a picture of him and team mate Jim Warn. Rumor is they are thinking of moving on. Have heard they want to finish off this season and maybe run one more year then move up to the Trucks or something like that.

Now here is one of those photos that can prove we "knew him when". Jeff Barkshire at this moment was winless in the series...I wonder if he somehow felt it was his night to win...because he did, much to the thrill of his local fans.

When qualifying was over there was a long wait until the West race started. According to NASCAR the race was scheduled for an 8:30 start and according to the track a 9:00 start, but it in fact did not start until after 10:00 and was not complete until almost midnight.

What better way to spend time while waiting than to share food with the family. Here Jeff Jefferson relaxes with his Dad, George. Boy...we sure are lucky to have some of the old-timers, the guys that were around... to say remember when...in this series.

Below Dr. Hunt and Jimmy from the Rick Suran crew diagnose the back up engine... something about a damaged oil pan...?

Three of the biggies in the world of racing. Dennis Huth (r) president of the ASA, Joey Mancari (center) in charge of the NASCAR West and Chad Little.

All three of these guys do a lot for racing. Huth has been going around building champions by working with local tracks. At last count he sanctions more local tracks than NASCAR. He created the ASA Short Track Divisional Champion where 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. For more on this program check this story: The ASA Creates New Short Track Championship

Joey has held the West together very well, considering all the changes NASCAR put this series through. Yes, a lot of drivers have been lost due to the increased cost of running this series coupled with hard economic times, but through it all Joey has managed to save a lot of drivers... at least it appears that way to me. He is also one of the few people that are located back east that will freely answer questions...helping all of us better understand the series and the changes it is constantly going through. If not for Joey there would be a lot of unknowns.

And Chad Little is rumored to have done a great job down in Mexico (I know we never hear about this...another NASCAR secret) ...nice car counts, increased visibility of NASCAR in Mexico, etc. That says a lot. Maybe NASCAR should put Chad Little to work in the West...what do you think?

The #00 car of Naima Lang was unstoppable in the Late Model race. In the end of the race I think his was the only car on the lead lap. It was a long race for these guys...and some fans wondered if maybe the West/ASA should have been longer and this race either shorter or ran as twins. Lot of fun though watching the locals...and all were very impressed by this driver's talent.

The ASA Northwest Tour after struggling for car count this year had a full field with something like 23 cars that entered the race. At some races earlier this season car count was half of that. In fact I think Stateline Speedway canceled an ASA race due to low car count. Very happy to see them building back up.

The NASCAR pull out turned what was a great series upside down. But it looks like it might be making its comeback now. Takes time to put it all back together is all.

As you can see by the photo below there is a lot of close racing in the ASA... here Eric Richardson lets Harold Racynski know he is there.

Below Kelly Mann goes low...but not quite low enough to avoid a bit of knocking on the bumper from fellow racer, Joey Tanner.

The ASA Northwest Tour race was won by Gary Lewis. This guy has been unstoppable the past few years. I don't know how many races he has won...but the thing is it is not in just one series or at one track...he wins the ARCA, the Montana 200 and now this.

This sort of proves that it is money, not talent, that is more important in the world of racing today. Thing is...if someone would have picked him up back when he tried out for the NASCAR Trucks...they probably would have made money off him...through a sponsor wanting to be part of it.

Here Mike David's team works on the car during the competition yellow. Mike has had a tough season. He is still 4th in points but it seems he is down on horsepower or something. He started the season with an open motor and purchased the NASCAR motors after the race at Kyle, Texas. Since then he seems to be going backwards. But maybe it is just me that thinks that? I have tried to get him to say what is going on with that NASCAR motor, but being the class act that he is, he won't say anything negative other than things like he is working on a weight difference that needs to be accounted for.

And did the crowd go wild when Jeff Barkshire won? They sure did! It seemed Jeff was always there for a win but had tire grief. Looks like they figured it all out and now in the photo below...he doesn't have to worry about saving tires. First time winners are the best.

Here Jeff gets a hug from his girlfriend. Oh and by the way...he is lucky to have her. I met her at Irwindale and she is such a nice lady...they deserved this win. Way to go!

Practice results from Miller Motorsports Park

2008-08-01T03:00:00.000-07:00

So I am sorting through all the email...when what should pop up, but the NASCAR Camping WOrld West Series practice 1 results from Miller Motorsports Park.

I am shocked because it has been my experience that information such as this is more or less classified and only available to teams. Since the departure of Don Hawk information on the West has been like breaking into Fort Knox.

I don't know what changed, but it sure makes my life easier. And finally the general public can know that yes...there was practice...and here are the times.

Anyway in all the beauty of typed words and generated computer reports here are the practice results as sent by NASCAR.
-------------------------------------------------------

TOOELE, Utah – David Mayhew jumped to the top of the speed chart in the second and final round of practice for the NASCAR Camping World Series West at Miller Motorsports Park on Friday.

Mayhew, driving the No. 21 BayBioDiesel/RCR Chevrolet, lapped the 3.06-mile road course at an average speed of 93.747 mph. The Atascadero, Calif., competitor had been third quickest in Friday’s earlier practice session.

Austin Cameron El Cajon, Calif., turned in the second-quickest time of the day with a lap of 93.110 mph – edging the time of 93.087 mph turned in by his teammate Moses Smith of Tempe, Ariz. They were followed by Jim Inglebright and Jeff Jefferson.

Jason Bowles - who won the inaugural NASCAR event at the Utah track a year ago - was sixth on the final speed chart, after topping the first practice session. Eric Holmes, the top driver in the championship standings coming into the event, was eighth quickest.

Qualifying for the NASCAR Camping World Series West is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Saturday morning, with the NASCAR Camping World Series 125 slated to go green at 1:45 p.m. It is the 10th of 13 races on the circuit this year.

FINAL PRACTICE

Pos No. Name Sponsor Make Best Tm Best Spd
1 21 David Mayhew BayBioDiesel/RCR Chv 1:57.508 93.747
2 18 Austin Cameron NAPA AutoCare Tyt 1:58.312 93.110
3 16 Moses Smith Hasa Pool Products/White Flyer Tyt 1:58.341 93.087
4 1 Jim Inglebright Jelly Belly Chv 1:58.489 92.971
5 42 Jeff Jefferson MJ2 Racing/Gran Prix Imports Chv 1:58.644 92.849
6 22 Jason Bowles Sunrise Ford Frd 1:58.677 92.823
7 17 Jason Patison # Jim Beam/Lucas Oil Frd 1:58.966 92.598
8 20 Eric Holmes NAPA Auto Parts Tyt 1:59.082 92.508
9 46 Jeff Barkshire # Cent'l Batt/SPE Dge 1:59.514 92.173
10 2 Mike David Bennett Lane Winery Frd 1:59.597 92.109
11 71 Daryl Harr WestWorld Computers Chv 1:59.855 91.911
12 8 Johnny Borneman Twisted X Boots/Red Line Oil Frd 2:00.008 91.794
13 13 Todd Souza Central Coast Cabinets Chv 2:00.070 91.746
14 31 Luis Martinez King Taco/Molecule Chv 2:00.506 91.415
15 10 James Warn # MJ2 Racing/Gran Prix Imports Chv 2:00.555 91.377
16 89 Brian Wong Speed Wong Racing Chv 2:01.384 90.753
17 88 Jamie Dick # Viva Auto Grp/Johnnie Walker P Chv 2:01.391 90.748
18 91 Tony Toste ACE/Papich Construction/MMI Chv 2:03.064 89.514
19 3 Wes Banks # Pit Stop Auto Lube/Valvoline Frd 2:03.077 89.505
20 81 Garland Self Selco Air Conditioning Frd 2:06.814 86.867
21 47 Shane Hubbard GL Hubbard & Sons Trking Frd 2:10.685 84.294
22 83 Travis Milburn Meridian Spdway/Cooks Coll. Frd 2:11.379 83.849
23 15 Jack Sellers Aramark Chv 2:14.208 82.082
24 03 Brian Jackson Studio 33 Prod'tn/Buldy's Clas Chv 2:21.482 77.861
25 04 Paulie Harraka Aim Spts Systems/Joe Gibbs Dr Chv 12:20.285 14.881
26 75 Jonathan Hale J&F Pool Plastering Chv -.--- -
27 7 Kyle Kelley UPRacing.com/Apex Dge -.--- -

--------

What surprises me most about the results is David Mayhew...not that he is fastest in practice...but that he has yet to win a race. I don't think the world has seen just how good he is...yet!

It is a great field of cars at Miller...guess I am not the only one that loves a road course... I am so anxious to watch Kyle Kelley. Looks like he had some grief...hopefully whatever it is he will get the car on the track for tomorrow's event. He was a lot of fun to watch at Infineon.

And look at Austin Cameron...now that is where I expect him to be on a roadcourse...upfront.

So another funny thing today...Don Hawk has been promoted to a VP position in Bruton Smith's operation. Doesn't much surprise me though. Everyone NASCAR tosses out like garbage seems to do better after they leave. I didn't used to care much for the ol' Hawk...but I realize now he was just a big scapegoat. NASCAR hired him to take the grief for the NASCAR Motor program and the fiberglass bodies...and mostly for the elimination of the Tour...hired him to do the dirty work..and he did his job well...and then they threw him out.

Here is a picture of Hawk. Someone in the RacingWest message board said the photo looks like a shyster and a gangster...can you guess which one looks like the gangsta?

You know when NASCAR fired this man...they never even did a release on it. I spoke with him afterwards and he was a very genuine human being. I honestly don't think he knew who the big players were at The Beach and trusted the wrong people. I am glad he found a better job.

How do you prefer to spend 30 million...a year on a Cup car's hood or a lifetime experience with a racetrack?

2008-08-01T02:58:00.000-07:00

Lot of folks were making jokes at Larry Collins, former owner of Mesa Marin Raceway and current owner of Kern River Raceway, after a newspaper story disclosed that he and the other owners of the new Kern River Raceway were looking for 32 individual investors with one million each…money that would be used to pay off liens and complete the track.

It is guesstimated that it will take 7 months to complete the track and have it ready for racing once the money is secured.

Ahh… the media had a field day…with comments like, “have 30 million laying around collecting dust?”

What I find funny is not that Collins is reaching out for help in a very tough economic climate, but that someone hasn’t already jumped in and scooped up all 32 shares.

What does 30 million get you in NASCAR? A season of having your name on the hood of Jeff Gordon’s car? Why don’t more media types draw attention to that bit of silliness?

Now I am not sure what 32 million will get you exactly at Kern River Raceway, but I would think it would get you a big chunk of something that has as much or more marketing potential than a deal with Jeff Gordon would. And better yet? It would be forever.

What is bigger, sponsoring a single race, a single driver or a world of racing at what is destined to someday become America’s greatest short track?

Maybe one of the foreign companies, such as Budweiser or Molson-Coors will want to promote their American Branded buyouts… and what better way than grass roots racing?

Or maybe one of the fortune 500 companies that are becoming disenchanted with the faltering NASCAR Cup will step up and support a group of hard working individuals, working together as one to build a dream…for all of us.

The way I look at NASCAR is at the top right now and it has slowly been drifting down. Smart investors might think that it is not the right time to buy into that series, one that is facing major lawsuits, racial discrimination suits and the like. The little Kern River Raceway... will likely one day be much bigger than Iowa or any other short track. Yet here it is honestly trying to pay down debt and keep building that dream...

The Collins built from nothing before. They can do it again. I put a whole lot more faith in them than I do anything that smacks of the NASCAR Cup. To use the old cliche..."buy low, sell high"... this future racetrack is at the bottom...the only way it can go is up. Sure it is a risk…but those risky adventures are the ones that often hit paydirt hard and fast.

Someone will come and scoop this up. Maybe a Brazilian beer company named, Bud...or a Canadian beer company named Coors....

It is just too big an opportunity to turn a blind eye to.

"B" there -- Madera Speedway that is!

2008-08-01T02:53:00.000-07:00

There are so many reason to Be at Madera this weekend.

Bellettos, Byrd, Bikinis, Boots.

For some good racing...the way it used to be before if was all professionalized...how is that for a word? Madera just might be the place to Be.

Oh yes...and the HotWood 750 Series will be sizzling there and that is the best reason of all to Be there!