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    by Gordy Killian

     11/19

    Greetings from your breadman. It seems like my Hoseheads deal is cursed sometimes. My last effort was sent from San Diego with no problem. The flight home must have put the final nail in my laptop’s hard drive coffin, as the danged contraption froze on my attempt to re-fire it. It was either purchase a new hard drive or laptop. Then I discovered my late wife’s surface tablet collecting dust. What seemed like a simple solution took a typical Killian twist. Having no password to gain access, I had to have the memory erased, and the gadget re-booted and reset. Problem solved, right? Nah! Seems as though I’m not smarter than a 5th grader when it comes to these contraptions, necessitating some training in Its use. If you’re reading this, I figured some things out thanks to assists from the Geek Squad and Mark Garman.
    Immediately following my last effort, I attended my first Trophy Cup. Glowing reports from the previous year made this a must see deal in 2014. Having the event at the Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare, CA, one of my favorite joints, sealed the deal. The controversial format that rewards racers for every good lap and move is as confusing as it is rewarding to the paying fan. Drivers must give their all every lap if they hope to take the lion’s share of the purse and point fund that exceeds it. It wasn’t until the final day that I started to grasp the concept, thanks in part to the announcing duo constantly trying to keep the crowd abreast of the constant changes. That system tends to penalize early success. It also rewards the fans with constant charges from the rear that makes for a higher entertainment level. Bang for your buck, if you will. Willy Croft parlayed an advance from the B into A final and overall wins. These were easily the biggest triumphs of his career, and probably not his last such results. California is rich right now in young talent that should put all sprint car series out west in good hands for years to come. That and the high number of good tracks out yonder should keep me coming back often. The format that draws the ire of many, has already been tweaked for 2015. The idea is sound. Minor tweaking is all it needs. I heartily recommend this event to any race fan. I know it won’t take any arm twisting to get me back, and it’s not just for the racing. Trophy Cup is as much an event as it is a race. Many camp for the weekend on the spacious fairgrounds, leading to camaraderie, hospitality and frivolity. Good friends Leslie, Chiller and Mark know everyone involved in CA racing, and always introduce me to great new friends on every visit. My crew added the Thomases and Sampsons this time around, who provided shade, seating and grub of the highest caliber one afternoon. The chicken and short ribs were to die for. The conversation even better. Thanks to all others in their merry band for a good time. I hope to repay their hospitality should they ever venture to Posseland. Further adding to the event was the post-race taco and burrito feed with live music. As with other aspects of Trophy Cup, donations were asked for that went to various charities. The biggest such recipient is the Make-a-Wish Foundation that had its total Trophy Cup donations surpass the million dollar mark. Outstanding! Also outstanding were the tacos and burritos served at the Amigos stand behind the grandstand. Oh my brother, testify. Huge and tasty, they are. If other than race track food is required, Apple Annie’s and the local Black Bear Diner should fit the bill. They did me right. Reserved seats are recommended, especially on Saturday when the joint is nearly filled to capacity. The reasons for that should be obvious.
    I wish I could tell you all was perfect at Trophy Cup. It wasn’t. The track conditions that endear me to Thunderbowl Raceway were over the top. The legendary cushion that rings the joint was downright unruly, leading to way too much carnage and lengthy delays. Way too often the welder was called to mend catch fence that couldn’t sustain the many assaults it absorbed. Even the billboards along the backstretch was subjected to undo stress from sprint car contact. Quite frankly, the fence as presently constructed is dangerous. It’s been announced that the issue will be addressed in turns 1 & 2 before racing resumes. Both ends need attention before something really bad happens. Thankfully, those involved realize the issues, and have started to address them. The constant wrecking made for 3 very long nights. At least the down time was spent conversing with friends from around the world. Said down time also taxed the abilities of the announcing duo that had clearly run out of shtick by Saturday. I knew we were in trouble when they started looking to the videographer for comments.
    Having been home for a month, I’ve gotten to keep abreast of all things about to affect short track racing. Get ready for possibly the most pretentious off season in the history of the sport. A reflection of the times we live in, I guess. The unrest appears to be at the highest level I can remember in all facets. It started with the formation of the Renegade series that now challenges the All Stars. No surprise here, as Guy Webb has had a history of alleged non-payment to competitors. I’m amazed it took this long. I’ve heard Bert Emick has been helping the new group, so dissatisfied he is with the direction his old group has taken. I-70 appears to be the new Mason/Dixon line in this new civil war being waged mainly in Ohio. Bad move on the Renegade’s part was announcing Frankie Kerr as it’s race director, something Mr. Kerr denies, stating he’s just an advisor interested only in bringing some needed integrity to sprint car racing. Putting the horse in front of the buggy is never a good idea. Announcements are better served accurately, lest credibility is lost. Todd Quiring has started the National Sprint League, a Midwest alternative to the WoO that is touting some serious point money for much less travel. They’ve partnered with a number of good tracks for their schedule, including a necessary understanding with Knoxville that establishes a cornerstone to build on. The WoO have withstood challenges in the past. This does appear to be the most serious such deal to date. Rebellion in URC the corporation has led to a movement by the racers back to the club format. The leader of the rebellion won the last race sanctioned by the corporation, leading to his being denied a victory lane interview by management. Not very smooth if you ask me. Unrest in ARDC has made for short fields. So much so that USAC had a fact finding meeting near me to see if starting a spec engine midget class was feasible. Spec sprints continue to crop up all across the company. Sadly, whether they’re 305s or crate deals, everyone seems interested in going a different direction. Uniformity would be nice, but appears to be just a pipe dream on my part. Tracks have been closing and reopening at an alarming rate. Never a shortage of clueless dreamers to take the place of those that have gone before. Someone told me once that the best way to make a small fortune was to take a large fortune and buy a race track. The new guys at Rolling Wheels Racewayin NY took me to task for suggesting they learn to crawl or walk before running with grandiose plans. Why do people want to hit the home run before they develop a swing? An amateurish release on Facebook led to my questioning their chances for success. They smugly charge on, not realizing their first impression was a bad one. I wish them well. I’ve never wished to see any track fail. It’s just so frustrating watching a bad pattern repeated over and over. One New England track foolishly announced a schedule before finalizing the auction deal that would procure the property. They remain tied up in court with no guarantee of actual purchase. And so on, and so on. Fortunately, we do have a short off-season to try to amend things. Wish I had more faith in the process.
    Ran into Ken Wagner at the Trophy Cup. I get to see him way to infrequently. I also read that Tom Savage has written his last column for Flat Out magazine. I mention them because both have devoted their lives to the betterment of racing. Ken with his Wag Times and Wags Bucks that generated funds for the low buck guys. He’s retired now, and doesn’t get around to near as many races as he used to. Tom has entertained me with his writings since I discovered them 30 years ago. He’s been at it much longer. I always enjoyed his style and way with words, only meeting him once. I mention them because they have generously given their time for the betterment of racing, while asking nothing in return. Thank you, gentlemen. Racing can never repay the debt it owes you. I feel safe in saying neither guy thinks they’re owed anything. Two class acts, for sure.
    Hopefully this effort will correspond with my flight to Phoenix. The first night of the Western Worlds will precede 3 nights of winged sprints and supers on pavement in CA. Madera, Irwindale and Kern County are the venues, the first and last satisfying my trackchasing addiction. Chumpcars in Las Vegas might also be squeezed in. This will probably be my last travel deal of the year. CA appears to be a better destination than Buffalo. Adios.

     

     

    10/14

    Greetings from your breadman in San Diego, CA. I’m in between race weekends on the west coast, and am spending the down time with my cousin, Ernie, known to regular readers of the past as mail dude. Last night’s lobster fishing proved less fruitful than trying to see a race during a monsoon, but was an enjoyable evening on the pier none the less. Hopefully, Trophy Cup will ease the disappointment this weekend. Before that happens I must pick up Bruce and Pat Eckel in San Francisco so they may accompany me. The next “A Typical Weekend” may mirror my next effort. Or not. Before heading south I had some track chasing to do. Here’s the skinny.

    Bakersfield Speedway bills itself as the fastest third mile in the west. It’s really a quarter, and a mighty fine one at that. This was the first night of the 29th annual Budweiser Classic for 6 classes of stock cars from minis to super late models. 200 entries gorged the pits, making for 300+ laps of racing. Heats were held for all, followed by 4 features. A cushion so nasty Janet Jackson should sing about it developed adding to both the caution count and entertainment. I’ve rarely seen such classes garner so much air time in an attempt to tame the savage groove. A one spin and your out rule kept the cautions from rising to a fatigue level. I wish that rule was implemented at every track. Makes the whole deal run smoother.. The star studded field contained stars like Earl Pearson Jr. and Matt Crafton, neither of which made the mod main. Bobby Hogge IV and Brad Pounds finished 1-2 in both the mods and late models. Other than the hard concrete stands that took a 4.5 hour toll on my butt, my only complaint was a tiny burrito. I expected more in this neck of the woods. I’d sure like to return for some open wheel action here sometime. If late models bounce like that, a midget might make it all the way to Ventura.

    The following afternoon I took in the Lucas Oil Regional Off Road Series at the Lake Elsinore Motorsports Park. A 90 degree, cloudless day made for a tough day in the sun. No, I didn’t pack any sunscreen. It’s been near winter back home. After driving through deep sand to a parking area more than a half mile from the grandstand, I trudged through the pits to my shade less viewing point. Two junior classes raced on a short course not countable by track chasing rules that discriminate by age, before the serious UTV’s and desert vehicles tackled a longer version nearly a mile in length. Watching such an event on one of these permanent courses is much preferable to taking in a desert event where you can’t see the whole course. The noon start let me watch all 4 classes run before heading to my next destination.

    Which was the Perris Auto Speedway where a democross race was being held on the inner oval during thr fair. Spectator drags were also on the card, but drew only 5 entries. Their early conclusion was followed by officials placing obstacles (junk cars and big tires) along the way to hinder the competitors. The 20 lapper went fairly quick with 3 different leaders. The whole show lasted only 45 minutes, while leading to track chasing controversy. What I saw resembled a road course event viewed earlier this year at the Hilltop Speedway in OH. The track chasing commissioner continued his run of inconsistent rulings by declaring this venue an inner oval. I lobbied for that and road course as past precedent had made both variations possible. The commish continues to hide in his internet stronghold refusing to discuss the matter. Woe is me.

    The early ending made an easy triple possible as I headed to the Wheel 2 Wheel Speedway in Victorville. Four classes of micros were joined by sidecar motorcycles on a neat, little eighth of a mile of racy dirt. The top class runs 500cc engines, making for a brute of a racer on small for the class tires. Each class ran 2 heats and a feature, except for the bikes which ran numerous 5 lap races. It was Race for the Rack night, with many giveaways being handed out on a night devoted to breast cancer awareness. So glad I was able to donate to such a worthy cause. Cancers of various kinds have caused my family and I lots of pain. Hope a cure comes soon.

    My main reason for heading west is a first time visit to the Trophy Cup at Tulare Raceway. I’ve heard nothing but good things about this event from it’s inception. There are more than 100 entries ready to tackle maybe the best qualifying system in short track racing. I’ve seen the rest. Could it be time to see the best? People I respect have told me such is the case. All I know is knocking this event off my bucket list is a no-brainer. The talent level entered is off the hook. Tulare is one of my favorite tracks. The cast of friends and characters on hand to watch is second only to Knoxville. Methinks it’s going to be a good time. Get back to you next week.

     

     

    10/4/14

    Greetings from your breadman. When last I put fingers to keys I was in the media room at Knoxville Raceway. From there it was off to my backstretch viewing perch to watch the final night of short track racing’s greatest event. Little did I know that events in Canandaigua, NY would tear at the very soul of racing. I will get to the elephant in the pits, but not until I make some final, late coming thoughts about what transpired that night in Iowa.

    First off I must congratulate Donny Schatz for continuing his dominance of this event. Eight wins in his last nine attempts is approaching legendary status. His notching 20+ other wins this year is just further proof he’s the best driver of his time. The NSCHoF needs to get his spot ready for his entrance. Would I like to see others reap the rewards of a Nationals win? Absolutely. I just hope they have to deal with Schatz when they do. I don’t see Schatz passing that torch without a battle. Nor should he. Such things should be earned. Will Brian Brown be the driver to do it? I know he’s asking himself that question after a third, second place finish. You could see the frustration in Brown’s face at the post race press conference. He’s devoted his life to achieving that goal. He’s given it everything he’s got, while coming teasingly close. I’d seen that look before on Schatz’s face after he’d been in the same situation. It would be a shame if Brown never rises to the pinnacle. Racing can be cruel like that.

    The Nationals themselves were a little odd this year, mostly due to the wet weather. The track never widened out to it’s most competitive self. It wasn’t because of the Herculean effort of the track crew that faced one curve ball after another. Day races there have been awful in the past, yet the Saturday afternoon show acquitted itself very well with more passing than the night shows. Again, credit to that track crew. They do a thankless job with no shortage of critics. Allow me to raise my glass for a job well done. It felt good to back in the media room with all my old friends and some new ones as well. Knoxville will always be my second home. The dream to retire there remains. Not doing so will fill me with thoughts like Brown’s.

    Now for the elephant. Half way through the Knoxville Saturday night show, social media began providing glimpses of the Tony Stewart/Kevin Ward Jr. incident. It got uglier with every minute. The video that the major news and sports networks shamefully showed thereafter was seen by large portions of the crowd during the B. Everything trackside was now secondary to a constant barrage of tweets, posts and texts. Before the night was over, the “experts” had already lined up on their preferred side. It was sickening. A word, if I may, to all the pathetic individuals that think this is a competitive situation to see who can put out lap by lap and minute by minute updates. You are not providing a valuable service. There is nothing to “win”. The amount of false information provided only made a tragic situation worse. The video people are worse. The Martin Scorcese wannabe that provided the images seen round the world should have his camera phone shoved up his backside. It’s bad enough these camera people think they should be allowed to obstruct the view of other fans to get their “works of art”. All that video did was further divide the racing world, while allowing the mainstream outlets to make us look like fools. The public officials handed this deal did absolutely nothing to expedite this tragedy toward a satisfactory end. The cynical side of me can only wonder how many secret, monetary transactions have transpired during the past 2 months. The marijuana angle was the last straw in a crappy bale of hay. How such a critical piece of “evidence” could remain hidden until it became time for the civil suit to begin is mind boggling. Mere coincidence no doubt that such “facts” could drastically affect the monetary settlement. The constant bickering back and forth on social media just proved that our racing world is just a reflection of the world we live in. Many of the things said and posted so matter-of-factly had me wondering if I wanted to continue in this medium. One hothead videographer even posted on Facebook that the Ward family should only blame themselves for not raising their son better. To my chagrin, I responded by calling him a piss poor human being. My emotions got the better of me. Alas, this nitwit continued to show his lack of judgment by posting a photo of me holding my niece’s baby daughter while naming me a bitter, old, fat coward. My reluctance to “settle this like men”with physical violence has been mistaken for a lack of fortitude on my part. It should make for an “interesting” discussion whence we cross paths. The sad truth is there are only 2 people that know what happened for sure. One of them tragically paid the ultimate price. The other has yet to make public what went through his mind at the time for reasons known only to him. His choice. While I wish he’d fill us in, I (we) have to abide by his decision whether we like it or not. His silence only casts doubt his way. He has to live with that and everything else that comes out of this for doing so. What the rest of us need to do is let this whole deal run it’s course. Until we do, there will be no closure. Those of us that continue to judge have absolutely no idea how we’d handle such a tragedy. How about letting those involved do what they need to do.It’s the right thing to do.

    Two weeks after Knoxville I made a trip to Canada to be with the ESS folk most affected by this deal. Upon meeting Steve Poirier and his crew last year, an offer was made to stay with them should I venture that way. What transpired was one of the neatest deals I’ve had in the game. Traffic and construction lengthened my ride to Autodrome Granby past the ten hour mark. I arrived to join one of the largest crowds in the track’s history, barely able to secure a seat in turn one. The original deal was to sleep in the motor home that pulls the hauler. With that in mind, I used my limited French to trade my ticket for a pit pass. Arrangements were made to follow the hauler back to the shop after the club champ had garnered a convincing win. That shop sits next to the family business, and rivals any I’ve seen in short track racing. Remnants and trophies from Steve’s racing career adorn the walls, with 2 backup cars and his brother’s 3 minisprints occupying the floor. My motor home deal was upgraded to a room at the house, which started as a me following Steve deal to us switching vehicles for the trip. Steve let on that his first car was a Camaro, and the thought of trying my 2010 version appealed to him. “Which one of mine would you like?” led to him throwing me the keys to his Ford Raptor pickup, and off we went into the Quebecois night. To say it’s surreal chasing your own car in a foreign land with that driver’s vehicle is an understatement. And yes, he was on the throttle. And yes, that Raptor was surprisingly up to the chase. I had the basement to myself in his beautiful home, and awoke near noon to find Steve already gone to the shop. Walking upstairs, I found his lovely wife and daughter sitting at the breakfast bar watching tv. Having never met did not stop them from treating me as family, language barrier be damned. From there it was off to the shop to join Steve, Kevin and Real where they prepared a backup car for the night’s race at Le Circuit RPM. The “ATM” would be parked for the night. I accepted a ride in the motor home to the track which allowed me to meet Steve’s parents and younger brother and another crewman. Jeff Cook handed a win to Michael Parent by doing a 360 on the final corner. Hopes for an early exit were dashed when Steve’s dad wanted to stay and watch the second modified feature. Family is the #1 concern of the Poiriers, making the decision to stay an easy one. Two late nights in a row had the family sleeping in, but I was up early to notch Calabogie Motorsports Park in ON to my list. That was followed by a PST race at the Cornwall Speedway where I rejoined my hosts. Another top 5 finish rounded out a great weekend for me. I can not thank Steve, his family and crew for easing the sting of the past 2 weeks. It gave me a view of a race team and family like I’ve never had. Steve does have some mighty fine equipment. He does so by keeping his priorities in order. Family and the business come first, which makes the racing possible. Attempts to get him to join me at Knoxville were dashed by his unwillingness to leave his business in other hands. It takes a lot for a racer to fight off his racing addiction. I applaud his decision under the circumstances. I REALLY needed such a trip.

    I’ve been to a bunch of other races during my absence that I need to catch up on here. Hopefully, I’ll get to do so before a first ever trip to the Trophy Cup transpires. If not, please tune in to “A Typical Weekend” by Bruce and Pat Eckel on this site. The new Indiana residents are long time friends and almost as crazy as me when it comes to traveling. Adios.

     

     

    8/9/14

    Greetings from your breadman on a Saturday morning in Knoxville. Rain had it’s evil way with the Nationals on Wednesday and delayed the Thursday show a bit before we could finally get this show started. The Wednesday night show displaced the Friday one, bumping it to 11:00am this morning. The finale will go on as scheduled later tonight. I will not so boldly predict another Schatz victory. Someone needs to step up and beat him before I will entertain the notion. 50 laps just slicks the joint into his wheelhouse. Nothing personal, but I’d like to see someone else in victory lane for a change. If Schatz does manage to continue his dominance, I will tip my cap in respect . He’s earned it. By the time this hit’s the net, we will know the results. A follow up will be forthcoming in the wee hours of Monday morning as I await an early return flight home from KC. I need to get home to get some rest. What follows are my observations from the prelims.

    1k - Chris Shirek: The North Dakotan was well on his way to an A-main start when he was punted from the last transfer spot in his heat by “Puntin” Ryan Bunton after a late caution. Shirek supports this deal on a regular basis, and his best chance ever for a good finish was taken away in an aggressive second. Nineteenth in a prelim B had to be no consolation for a start in the Saturday A or B. Bunton’s move did put him in position to lock himself into Saturday’s A. I understand his aggression under the circumstances. I just wish Shirek hadn’t been victimized in the process.

    2L - Ed Lynch Jr.: Ed’s meager finances have him on a limited schedule in 2014. He always runs well at Knoxville, but was crossed up in his heat and relegated to a C that provided no transfer. That had to put a frown on Momma Jean’s face in the HoF. Very little turns her disposition sour, she being 1 of the nicest people to deal with in the sport.

    4 - Jon Agan: The Knoxville 360 driver parlayed a heat win into a tenth place finish in the A. That should get him into Saturday’s B, which might be the best result he’s ever had in the Nationals. I love it win the little guys are rewarded.

    11 - Steve Kinser: It’s hard for me to watch the King these days after having the pleasure of viewing his incredible career. I doubt even Schatz can match the dominance Steve has displayed in Marion County over the years. He’s still the only driver “honored” with an anyone but banner flying overhead. If this is truly the end of a remarkable tale, I simply say thanks for all the incredible memories. No one has given me more.

    15H - Sam Hafertepe Jr.: Other than spoiling Lynch’s week, the Texan acquitted himself in my eyes with an awesome A run that netted a second. While second after leading late had to hurt, it was probably just a reflection of a disappointing year where numerable of top finishes were taken away for one reason or another. I witn essed a couple of those myself in TX. He’s in the A, and you never know what can happen.

    17B - Bill Balog: The IRA has always left this weekend blank in their schedule so their members could attend the Nationals. It appears that the “North Pole Nightmare” is the sole member to do so in 2014. The Ira are a fun bunch to watch, and a welcome addition to any field. Hopefully, an increase in their participation will return. I don’t have enough time for numerous trips to WI to quench my IRA thirst.

    24R - Rico Abreu: The little man has had numerous success’s in many classes across the country. Knoxville is another kind of animal. Rarely does a driver bound into Marion County and find immediate success. Rico is no different. Make no mistake, he has the talent to do so. Persistent rumors of his following his buddy, Kyle Larson, to NASCAR makes me think we’ll never see his open wheel potential reach fruition. Our loss.

    21 - Brian Brown: Schatz had his runner up period. For Brown’s sake, I hope his isn’t as long. The talent and equipment is there. Should he supplant Schatz for the lead, this crowd will go as crazy as it did for his uncle, Danny Lasoski, when he broke through. As for the Dude, his Thursday performance has him mired deeper in the alphabet than he’s accustomed to. Should make for some serious effort on his part to advance.

    51 - Paul McMahan: His quick time had me making him a serious contender. His lack of advancement on Thursday cast some doubt. Still, he starts near the front, and he just might get it straightened out. The driver he replaced in that car, Fred Rahmer, Is fielding a 51R for Stevie Smith. They start in back of the A, but if Stevie can keep from being lapped in the first segment, he’s good enough to contend at the end.

    71 - Kevin Swindell: A heat win was followed by a DNF in the A. His uncle Jeff led half of the A until mechanical woes relegated him rearward. Jeff needed to borrow a motor from the Buffalo Wild Wings team just to enter the Nationals. That BWW team has USAC champ. Bryan Clauson, in the saddle. I think he impressed a few more than me with a competitive 5th place finish in the A. Good drivers are good drivers no matter the class of car they race. Given enough seat time, a good driver will adapt to any kind of racer. A top finish will surely have the wingless crowd chirping.

    1 - Sammy Swindell: This is Sammy’s 40th appearance at the Nationals. Still being competitive at this stage of his career is amazing. His driving by the infield entrance after breaking in his heat for no apparent reason made the crowd give a collective sigh. Just another typical Sammy move in their eyes. The subsequent yellow cost another driver a transfer spot that would’ve meant so much to them. His perceived, ill-tempered demeanor has been justly earned over the years. I’vebeen lucky to see the other side of Sammy. I wish he’d show that side more often.

    This is your intermission break. Time to go watch the Friday show under less than desirable conditions. Daytime shows tend to suck anywhere. I’ll be back to finish this effort in the break between shows.

    I’m back. The Friday show wasn’t too painful. Cloud cover and a little spritz kept the temps from rising, and the track from rubbering up until after the World Challenge race had a few laps in it. It just had to rain a bit for the 4th day out of 4. It did make for possibly the best daytime show I’ve seen at Knoxville. Doesn’t mean I’d like to make a habit of it. Danny Lasoski did come from 7th to win the non-qualifiers race in dominating fashion. It’s no wonder he hoped the track crew would let the surface alone. They didn’t. Daryn Pittman made a late race pass of Tim Kaeding to win the Challenge. I wish there were more than 5 Aussies entered. No New Zealanders or Canadians were present. I’ve always liked the concept of the race. I’m torn by their letting the highest finisher (Kaeding) not locked into Saturday’s A being awarded the 25th spot. Too much purist in me. The money’s sure good. I’m sure some of the teams could use the extra income, though I’m willing to bet a pit full of bald tires had a negative effect on the overall good. Still, the track did make the best out of a bad, weather situation. We now have some time to kill before the finale. Back to the prelim analysis.

    2 - Shane Stewart: He’s always been good here. His win last night was easily the strongest I’ve seen him in the Larson/Marks car. It does place him on the front row with Schatz. We can only hope for a tussle of major proportions for the entire 50 laps. Quite frankly, the entire top 10 can pull this off with the right circumstances. Throw in the usual surprise coming from the back, and we have ourselves a race.

    7S - Jason Sides: Double Down destroyed a car last night, and just barely made it pitside for the non-qualifiers deal. There remain no easy crashes here, and Jason rode out a doozy. At least he’s unhurt and can take another chance to roll the bones.

    11K - Kraig Kinser: The King’s son has not repeated his previous success since returning from NASCAR. Were it not for the late Stewart charge, he would’ve won last night. He’s won this deal, and has always gotten around this joint. Must be something in the genes, or water, or something. Previous experience counts for a lot at Knoxville, leaving the Prince a serious favorite.

    12 - Lynton Jeffery: The Aussie transplant was moving forward until a shunt with a competitor left his ride crippled. It took half the safety crew and a couple of deputies to keep him from taking out his frustration on his perceived antagonist. A lengthy interview revealed his passion, anger and frustration. It was very public proof just how much these Nationals mean to those that participate.

    15 - Donny Schatz: No, he didn’t win his prelim. Yes, he showed a potential crack in his armor. In spite of that he starts on the pole. Until someone proves otherwise, you’d be foolish to bet against him. There sure are a lot of people hoping.

    19P - Paige Polyak: She’s the only female in the field , and a rookie to boot. She has Mike Woodring guiding her, and he’s proven to be quite capable of making female drivers better. There may be better rookies in the field, but don’t be surprised if this OH girl takes it.

    27 - Greg Hodnett: He’s the high point man of a slim PA Posse representation. I look for him to have the best finish of my local cars. Brent Marks, Stevie Smith, Lucas Wolfe and Danny Dietrich are the others. Thanks, guys, for representing. I wish Central PA would shut down this week so more would come. Wishful thinking, I know. I am happy that Dietrich pit a Weikert’s Livestock wrap on his Beefmobile. That car has a rich, Nationals history. Seeing it here brought back many memories. Doug Wolfgang’s alphabet run remains the best of that bunch.

    49J - Josh Schneiderman: His car failed to fire on 2 qualifying attempts. In the spirit of the Nationals, he has cured it’s woes and ran the non-qualifiers knowing he would have to start from the back. Many would’ve just packed up and gone home. He and his team didn’t I wish them well on their improbable quest.

    71A - RJ Johnson: We rarely get Floridians at the Nationals any more. RJ’s reward was a hard crash and trashed racer. I hope he keeps coming. He was showing some speed before disaster set in.

    81X - Lee Jacobs: This young man has impressed me more every time I see him. One generation of the Jacobs and Haudenschilds is winding down. One is waiting in the wings to stake it’s own successes. I believe that new Renegade group will benefit from their progression.

    99 - Brady Bacon: As the t-shirts say, “I may be posse, but I love Bacon.” Jaxx’s pop continues to run a varied schedule that can only make him a better driver. He also remains 1 of the drivers that stays ahead of his marketing curve. Said t-shirts are just 1 example. Stop by their trailer. Xia Xianna would be happy to do business with you.

    Time to wrap this and try to enjoy the rest of these Nationals. There will be no sleep before my Monday morning flight home. Airport time will be spent rehashing what plays out this evening. Before this and that see the net, many of you will know the results, and whether or not I have a clue about any of this. Feel free to let me know either way. Adios.

     

     

    8/7/14

    Greetings from your breadman in soggy Knoxville, IA. Last night’s scheduled opener fell to persistent rain to the chagrin of all involved. That led to a lot of agonizing decision making, with track management looking for a solution that would satisfy a majority of the factions involved. At first it was announced that the Wednesday show would be run first on Thursday followed by an emptying of the grandstands, track prep and the admission of Thursday ticket holders for a hoped for 11:00pm start of the Thursday show. It looked like a seriously long night faced us all on Thursday. That was chucked for the current plan of running the Thursday show as scheduled, with the Wednesday show bumping the Friday show to late Saturday morning/early afternoon and the finale keeping it’s Saturday slot. Follow me? The second plan is what I expected all along, and the best plan in my opinion. A few locals hit social media with their objections to plan A. Plan B should help in regards to community relations, whose good standings have contributed to making the Nationals the premier event in short track racing. You don’t get to a 54th edition without establishing a good decorum with your hosts. They’ve done a pretty good job here in Knoxville. The town’s acceptance of this event is one of the reasons I want to eventually retire here. There is nowhere else on the planet where I can converse with this many of my friends accumulated from my worldly, track chasing adventures. There is nowhere on Earth where such a large congregation of race fans assembles ready to join a family, if you will. I made a few new friends in the motel parking lot yesterday. A few more in the media center where I reunited with my writing and photo homies. A couple more in the restaurant at breakfast this morning. The racing attire worn by the majority in attendance lets you know that interaction is wanted and encouraged. That attire often hints at the locations these fans have come from. I’ve yet to meet a race fan that isn’t curious about the racing elsewhere in the country or the world. Meeting Aussie mates at Knoxville has led me to 3 wonderful trips down under. I will never miss an opportunity to repay their hospitality. I will forever be indebted to the Nationals for expanding my chance for lasting friendships infinitely to the point that I know I won’t get to converse with all those I know in the 4 days scheduled. It’s the gathering itself that is the reason for coming. Great racing has often just been a plus adding to the enjoyment. Come join us, if you can.

    I’m not one to plug sponsors, but I’m going to make an exception for Casey’s General Stores. Owner, Don Lamberti, got on the racing and Nationals bandwagon long ago. I hope his stores have benefited as much from the arrangement as racing has. I purposely filled up my gas tank across the street from a competitor that offered gas at 2 cents less a gallon to show my support for someone that has stuck by the racing community for so long. Racing doesn’t have enough supporters like these. I hope you will consider supporting those that support our addiction. Thank you, Casey’s.

    New this year at the Nationals is the presence of the Winged Nation internet radio show at a stand set up by MRN. A show is scheduled at 6:00pm daily. Feel free to tune in to Kendra Jacobs and Steve Post on your favorite device. I’m sure the guest list will be substantial and entertaining. It should make for a nice edition to the Nationals.

    Time to head back to the track where I hope to hook up with National Speedway Directory owner, Tim Frost. This column is named for that publication, after all. Tune in tomorrow when I hope to report on some actual racing action. Feel free to use one of the many internet video sources to form your own opinions. Adios.

     


     

     

    Greetings from your breadman in York, NE. I never take a direct path from my humble abode to the Knoxville Nationals. This year is no exception. July 29 was spent at the Thunder on the Hill show at Grandview. The 30th at the Action Track at Kutztown. I had the a flight to Kansas City on the 31st from Baltimore at 6:15am, so I didn’t sleep at all after Kutztown. Thanks to the controversial Kevin Eckert for following me home and keeping me awake until it was time to leave. Contrary to recent allegations from a pugilistic videographer, he didn’t steal anything during a 2 night stay at my crib. Needed sleep was had on the first leg of my flight to Chicago. My KC arrival was followed by a drive to Lincoln, NE where my track chaser addiction led me to a figure 8 race at the fair at the Lancaster Event Center. As is often the case these days, novelty events like this outdraw traditional racing. Hopefully, the short track promoters of the world will rethink the status quo and retool their shows enough to keep the sport ahead of extinction. Further proof of Armageddon reared it’s ugly head last night , where the once mighty Belleville Nationals drew a meager 14 Silver Crown cars and 24 Jayhusker TQ midgets after luring 23 midgets to their opening night. Where this event once drew 100+ midgets enabling the track to split the field for preliminaries, it now draws so few that support classes have to be added to make for a more complete show for your dollar. The fact that the Silver Crown cars are no more than a support class here is further proof that these 2 classes and the event are way too close to extinction. Where you once needed an advance ticket just to get a seat, the ample seating was less than half full on a beautiful night. My reason for returning to Belleville was getting a chance to watch racing on the inner, quarter mile. I was stoked to see TQ’s using it, as it’s usually cruisers or some such class. The need for a support class filled my track chasing needs, while saddening me simultaneously. It pains me to watch what was such a stellar event slip into obscurity. I’ve yet to tire of watching midgets and Silver Crown negotiate the high banked circle. That joy dwindles as the field thins and spreads out quickly, the haves separating from the have nots. Even a dragged out USAC show was completed before 10:00pm. Chris Windom was more than half a lap ahead when his steed gave up the ghost on lap 43 of 50. Cody Swanson benefited from Curb team misfortune to take the win and pad his point lead. None of the 8, surviving cars were setting a “blistering” pace at race’s end, unless you were referring to their tires. The worn surface had turned unraceable with just a minimum of racing. Midgets as a whole need to reign in the costs of fielding a competitive ride. Poweri remains as the strongest club, and they don’t draw all that well. USAC remains locked in a past going nowhere. ARDC has seen their strong resurgence regress back to former levels. NEMA, RMMA, Badger and Washington midgets flounder in relative anonymity. Ozark and Texas groups are no longer heard of. BCRA barely fills a niche in CA. If nearly 300 entries can be found at the Chili Bowl, how is it the regional groups suffer so much? Instead of trying to out spend the competition, the top teams need to be meeting with them in an effort to save the sport. When the last of us diehards stop coming to watch, the well heeled will have no playgrounds left to play in. The rich seem to be so short sighted in every faction of life. I guess I should expect no more in racing.

    The Action Track shows remain a pleasant surprise with their success. Crowds have retained a healthy level all year, while the pit area overflows every week. That success appears to have led to an unhealthy cockiness that has seen them schedule too much racing for the time constraints they are under. Starting the events earlier on a Wednesday night is detrimental to growing the crowd as is ending past their 10:30 curfew. Lengthy delays in the final 600 feature led to a 4 hour plus night, while drawing the ire of a neighbor(s) that had local police nearly shutting the place down before completion. One of those events found a car catching fire, with slow reacting officials arriving with 2 fire extinguishers they didn’t appear capable of using. Compounding their ineffectiveness was their attire consisting of short sleeve shirts and shorts. The flames were large, and they appeared rightfully scared as they retreated from flare ups in the blaze. Thankfully, the driver was able to exit before harm was done. Moments like that make me appreciate the safety crews at Knoxville, quite possibly the best in racing. Adding to the length of the show is the “need” to interview the top 3 finishers of each feature upon completion. With 4 races on the docket, that added 45 minutes to the show they didn’t have. Having that done literally in front of the crowd is a nice touch if you have time. I doubt that any of the fans will mind if you skip it on a Wednesday night. It is the actual racing they are coming to see. That racing, especially the 600’s, is usually quite good. Why risk the future of the track by needlessly going over your time limit. Learning to live with your neighbors is a much better strategy than pissing them off. I’m just saying.

    Speaking of the Action Track regime, there’re rumors circulating they’re considering purchasing or lrasing the recently shuttered Evergreen Speedway. Talk is they will cover the third mile of pavement with dirt and either add to or move their current deal. Evergreen has a checkered past to be sure, with a sad pattern of closing and reopening under various factions, all sure they can turn the joint around. Real success has never occurred with the amount of competition they face racing and otherwise in a less than stellar location. Mahoning has always been more accepted by the pavement racers. Dirt racing would go up against Big Diamond no matter the night chosen. In spite of the current shortcomings of BD, assuming you can steal away their business is arrogant and risky. The track is too big for their Action Track classes except for possibly the Speedsters, making transferring that show implausible and further away from the remnants of the Reading Fairgrounds faithful that fuel Kutztown success. Twenty miles to Kutztown is more conducive to attendance than 80 miles to Evergreen. Other groups appear to be interested in Evergreen. There never seems to be a shortage of dreamers that think they can do a better job. Reality tends to slap that taste out of their mouths after the deed is signed and they find out running a race track is different in many ways from other businesses. I greedily hope the dirt covering comes about, as track chaser rules would allow me to count it as a new track. I’d be even happier if someone found the way for Evergreen to be a profitable venue. Good luck to whomever agrees to try.

    The most recent ARDC/TSRS doubleheader at Grandview was another artistic success, with 305’s providing an incredible 4 way battle for the win. Alas, as in the past, only a few hundred witnessed it. These shows deserve the support of all open wheel fans, yet get very little. Dropping the $15 admission to $10 would be a step in the right direction. Pit admissions already assure the breaking even point. Why not try to increase the profit margin by trying any and all promotional tactics. There appears to be nothing to lose and everything to gain. Better package deals with the Saturday night races would be a logical first step. The last of these shows for 2014 is scheduled for Aug. 31. A tough sell on a holiday weekend with many other options. I sure hope this series gets another year to try and grow. It deserves a successful fate.

    Good friend, Liz MacGee, and her late companion, Al Jones, have shared their hospitality and introduced many a fan to the Knoxville Nationals. The past few years she’s been accompanied by teenager and Hunterstown gokart competitor, Troy Wagaman. I’m not sure if that will be true this year, as Troy has advanced to a 358 sprint at Lincoln. His first top 10 finish nearly gave Liz a heart attack. I will understand if he stays home to race, but will miss him just the same. Liz and Al (I sure miss you, Bro.) are the kind of people that make the Nationals the great event it is. It’s the people that bring me back year after year. Good racing is just a bonus, and there’s been plenty of that over the years. I’ve sat in Section W, row 25, seat 24 since they opened the backstretch grandstand, and I will as long as my knees let me climb that high. See you next week.

    The day before the Nationals I intend to attend the TORC show at the Buffalo Chip Campgrounds in Sturgis, SD. What better way to precede the party that is Knoxville than the party that is the biker rally in Sturgis. It’s probably not wise to start Knoxville in an exhausted state, but what the heck. I intend to try and report every day from the Nationals, but no promises. If not, a lengthy effort will follow. Until next time I will be wondering if this is the year the “Anyone but Schatz” banner flies over the Marion County Fairgrounds. He’s earned it. Adios.

     

    7/19/14

    Greetings from your breadman. I have to start this effort by apologizing to Dale Blaney for giving his brother, Dave, credit for all his accomplishments in my last piece. I’d like to blame it on the keyboard, but the v is 5 spaces removed from the l. The Low Rider doesn’t receive all the notoriety and respect he deserves as is. My mistake can only compound the problem. A recent charge from 17th to 3rd at Lernerville’s Silver Cup against the best the WoO has to offer was yet another example of the prowess of Lou Blaney’s younger son. He was strong as well at the Doty Classic at Limaland. He’s well on his way to an ASCoC title, and while some might snicker at his perceived lack of competition, my recent stint viewing that bunch during Ohio Speedweek has me deeming such a deal worthy. It would be interesting to see how Dale would fare on the WoO tour with some deep pocketed team. Today’s dry slick world would be right up his alley. Only Donny Schatz puts a slippery center to better use in this era of weight limits and tire rules. I usually consider Dale as one of the dark horses at Knoxville. I hope I’m present when he steps out of that shadow.

    Speaking of Limaland, I had a great time at that recent Doty race. Attending a great, one division show at a first class venue while surrounded by friends from coast to coast made my second visit to this racy joint in less than 2 weeks something I need to repeat. The whole show was done by 10:00, something only possible when the ever more prevalent, back gate mentality is taken out of the equation. No offense to other divisions, but the fans of the featured class have little interest in seeing anything else than what they prefer. That’s especially true at a midweek show. I think the huge crowd on hand speaks for that. Running out of seats and parking when you have lots of both has to be a good thing. In this environment when there are too many “special” shows and closing speedways, it was nice to be a part of a success. Hard work and preparation will still win out. The Doty race had plenty of both., a reflection of the man that presented it. Many consider the Doty race a nice start to the King’s Royal weekend. I’d go as far as saying the appetizer is better than the entree, all things considered. Of course that might be some of the euphoria left over from having some of that fine, track ice cream brought to me by Levi Crowe. Moose tracks rules.

    The Silver Cup at Lernerville was yet another example that midweek shows have no need for filler divisions. They used to run the street stock class to fill the down time, but I’ve yet to hear anyone complain since they’ve been removed from the show. Again, no disrespect meant toward the streeters. There’re nights when they can steal the show. If a midweek show is supposed to be truly special, the headliners will have to do it themselves. It’s what the fans expect when they plunk down the increased dollars charged for same. Having a perceived, lesser class stealing the thunder can be a detraction from the main draw. Can that be a good thing? The established, midweek shows have stood the test of time because they do many things right. They need to stay ahead of the curve during the current economic situation. The increase in ticket prices for these specials has got to have a negative impact on a track’s regular show and those of surrounding speedways. These things tend to be cyclical, and I believe we’re currently in a period of over saturation. With weekly tracks dropping like flies, adding midweek dates and competing with yourself too often seems counterintuitive. The Silver Cup has consistently been successful in spite of the lousy weather thrust upon it. The bright sun had many scrambling for shades rarely needed at this event. Management had to be pleased with the large throng that responded to the pleasant conditions. The twin 30”s with all on the lead lap at the end of the first feature inverted to start the second makes this a special unlike all but the Trophy Cup. People wonder every year how long the format will be retained. Here’s a vote for keeping the status quo. Had the top of the track not gone away, the second race would’ve surely exceeded the first in action, and the first might’ve approached legendary status had the inopportune reds and yellows not killed it’s momentum.

    The 2 WoO shows gave me a couple chances to converse with the sanction’s announcer, John Gibson. I don’t get to do that enough with my friend of 30 years. We talked of the many differences between the current, WoO caravan and his first days selling programs for Ted Johnson. Gone is the humble minivan, replaced by a couple haulers worthy of the top teams in racing. Results that used to have to be phoned back to Dallas for enhancement and distribution are now almost immediately sent to all sources world wide from a laptop. As we conversed in the Lernerville pits, a fan stopped and asked John to autograph a t-shirt already adorned with many a driver’s scribblings. The fan said “You are part of the show, after all”. I couldn’t agree more. Like all good announcers, John does his homework. He researches the info of the locals he might be calling. He keeps abreast of the doings of his regulars. He does his very best to make sure all parts of the show are properly represented. His thanks for same is to way too often be taken to task by the clueless in social media. That college boy selling programs has transformed into one of the best announcers in the business today. Allow me to alter one of his signature calls. You wanted the best, he calls them 4 abreast. Often imitated, rarely duplicated, my favorite show in the booth, John Gibson.

    Speaking of the booth, I was with the Grandview Speedway in-car radio guy, Mark Garman, when he got a call from the regular scoreboard and lap counter operator informing him of her absence for that night’s racing. Faced with the task of assuming the added duties, “the Shark” pleaded with me to fill in. I balked for an hour, but with no other real plans I opted to ride along to Bechtelsville. It was time for this breadman to go over to the dark side (just kidding) of racing, and become a minor official at a racing program. Up to the booth I climbed, where I was given some simple instruction on how to operate the machinery. I was seated between the announcer and the head scorer, feeding off them both as needed. To say I learned a lot of behind the scenes activity at a race is a gross understatement. I’ve always taken for granted many of the actions I now know these people have to deal with quickly under stress. I truly had no idea how many variables and situations are thrust upon them every minute cars are trackside. Even a minor electrical glitch barely threw them off kilter. It did briefly take me out of the game until Mr. Garman worked his magic. Trouble keeping up with the changing positions was conquered by feature time. It didn’t help that the racing was so good that the positions were in a constant state of flux. The only downer of the deal was even though I had a great view of the track from my elevated perch, I couldn’t really watch the racing as I needed to concentrate on all things occurring near the front of the pack lest I lose focus of my duties. Quite a shame, as the racing was as good as I’ve become accustomed to at Grandview this year. The PA Speedweek show was easily the best show I’ve seen this year as the 60 lap modified feature blew away a really good sprint car race. I digress. I’m really glad I took Mark up on his offer. The perspective I gained far exceeded the wage I earned. I want to thank Penny, Jill, Vicki, Jeff and Mark for patiently and graciously guiding me through the task at hand and making me feel like a wanted part of their team. Make no mistake. They are a team that enhances the overall enjoyment of the show without the fan fare they deserve. They don’t get to enjoy the racing they love so the rest of those in attendance can do so. It takes special people to do so. Grandview is lucky to have them.

    The final stop on a recent trip west was at the Kil-Kare Speedway in Xenia, OH. A $20 bill gained you entrance to a 4 division show followed by a school bus, figure 8 race. It was standing room only by starting time. Concession lines were continuously long during the 4 features for the regular classes. Fans watched with little fan fare or emotion until it was time for the busses. All fans returned to their seats, and a notable buzz grew in the crowd. No one left after the regular racing. This crowd was created by the busses. Seven of the oversized steeds took to the narrow course. It wasn’t long until the inevitable collision occurred at the X. One bus struck another in the rear and flipped it on it’s side. The crowd went absolutely nuts. This was what they plunked down their hard earned money to see. The kids were especially thrilled. Is this the future of short track racing? Are these novelty events the only way for tracks to generate a profit? It scared me to see the kids virtually ignoring the actual racing while going bonkers over little more than a live action, video game. How will we develop the race fan of the future if they show no signs of enjoying the traditional racing. Total prize money paid out was minimal compared to traditional, special shows. Surely most of the increased admission price went straight to the profit margin. Who could blame a short track from diverting from traditional racing towards a more viable, profitable show? I wouldn’t, though I sure hope all the struggling short tracks find ways to step up their programs to stave off this possibility. Time will surely tell.

    The next 2 weeks should be quiet for me, as they will be followed up by 11 days that will include the Knoxville Nationals. I’m hoping to give my daily thoughts after entering Marion County. The Days Inn in Newton will be my temporary office. I hope to squeeze in 1 more effort before that, time and energy willing. Plans include the Silver Crown cars at Belleville the preceding week among other venues. The weather will steer me, as usual. Adios.

     

     

    7/4/14

    Happy Independence Day, everyone. The holiday usually marks the beginning of racing’s busy season. If that’s the case, I might as well raise the white flag now. The past 3 weeks have been more than hectic enough for me racing and personal wise. Most importantly, my niece, Amy Spindler, graduated from the Massachusetts Hospital School, and now begins the next chapter in her life. Making that more special is Amy’s battle with all her disabilities attributed to her having cerebral palsy. The many surgeries, one this week, have done little to curb her spirits, nor kept her from being the happiest person I know. My problems pale in comparison to hers. She, and her fellow students have often been an inspiration and tonic for me. I am so proud of and honored to have known them. I wish the Class of 2014 nothing but happiness and success. As for Amy, I love you and you go, girl!

    While in New England, I looked for some racing that would interest me. The Bentley Warren Classic for ISMA supers at Oxford Plains Speedway fit the bill. Adding to the event was the return to the driver’s seat by Bentley, himself, after a 4+ year absence. It was like riding a bike, as he was up to speed from the first hot lap session in Chris Perley’s backup. He parlayed that practice into a 10th place finish. Not bad for a tavern owning senior. That tavern with his name is located in Arundel, ME, and is a biker bar of note that had a rally that same weekend purported to have been expecting 1,000+ that weekend. Two busloads of his clientele made the trip to the race to watch their hero. The dead ringer for Rob Halford of Judas Priest drew my attention more than once. Only his New England accent gave me pause. The racing itself on the paved, circular third, was entertaining in all 4 divisions other than the 32 (yes, 32) car, late model feature that bred yellow after yellow after the first, fabulous 25 laps. I expected little of the 75 lap super race with “Liquid” Lou Cicconi on the pole, but Mark Sammut and Doug McKennedy challenged quickly and dropped the brand new 61 to second for a while before succumbing in lapped traffic. Supers at full song remain the most exciting and exotic division racing on macadam. Somehow they stay 1 step ahead of extinction, though the 17 car field I saw makes me wonder how much longer. Two side notes, if you will. If you arrive way too early as I did, you might use the Oxford Casino, 5 miles east of the track to kill some time. I managed to break even. The track also has a stand alone, candy store that sells a wide variety of candy bars and bulk candy. It struck me funny that there was little room for the kids, as the majority of the patrons were AARA members. I went for the Hershey’s Cookies and Cream bars. Yum!

    The next day was spent at the debut of the brand new road course at Thompson Intl. Speedway. NASA club racing was the attraction for the groundbreaking event that gave me an easy number on my track list. They have sunk a lot of money in this deal they hope will more than supplement property revenue. Check it out if like that kind of thing.

    I drove home from CT to be picked up by the Gater Racing News bloggers, Bruce and Patsy Eckel, and Auto Racing Records web master, Will White, for a ride to RFK Stadium in Washington DC for a Global Rally Course race in the parking lot on a mixed surface of dirt and pavement with jumps for factory backed rally cars. You may have seen these guys during X-Games coverage in recent years. These cars are not a soccer mom’s Subaru, being highly sophisticated , high powered weapons. The show was well attended, but I doubt the lengthy delays between the few, very short races was enough to bring them back. Even the freeloaders watching from a nearby bridge left after 1 race. While we could see the entire course from our perch after standing to see over everyone else doing so, I preferred this event as I saw it presented at the Dirt Track at Charlotte last year. Many of my worst, racing, pet peeves reared their ugly head here, but I will hold them in check for a future column. You might want to darn a fire proof suit to read that one.

    We slipped out of the Capital and made out way to the TSRS and ARDC show at Grandview Speedway. Not before an excellent meal at Cheddar’s in York, PA that made Patsy smile. This show was not the artistic success it’s debut last year was. That being said, I still think this is a sound concept that should be successful if they keep the admission price at last year’s level. They might want to offer their Saturday night crowd a discount rain check deal to get them to sample the racing fare the following night. There’s no harm in trying something that isn’t “how we’ve always done it”. That’s a mantra racing can ill afford to keep.

    After 2 days to get current personally, I joined Baron von Thrifty, Rich Rauser, for my first return to OH Speedweek since 1996. Atomic Speedway was the venue where 3 other divisions joined 62 ASCoC entries for a long night of racing on a racy surface topped by a nasty cushion just a few inches from the wall. Four letters can explain what was to follow. HAUD! Today’s younger drivers rarely have to contend with such conditions, and struggle when they encounter them. Jac Haudenschild was raised on and excels on them still at the ripe, old age of 57? Haud may be his own worst enemy at times, but he remains 1 of the most exciting, entertaining drivers in sprint car racing. It’s a shame he rarely removes his wing, as there’s a new generation of wingless drivers he could be schooling. 62 cars was an unexpected pleasure in this era of lower car counts. Being reminded of it constantly by an exuberant announcer for 3 days is not. Hearing that same guy falsely claiming they’re “3 abreast” in the corner of your choice is a lousy trend spread by many of today’s announcers. Stop it! You’re not doing radio and the crowd isn’t blind. Stop insulting our intelligence. We know what we’re watching. Sorry. One of those pet peeves slipped in. Sharing a blanket with Brady Bacon’s wife and mother was an unexpected pleasure, as was running into OKC’s Ron Ruyle Sr. whose cowboy hat has absorbed dirt from many a fine speedway over the years. The icing on the cake was being the recipient of lodging and hospitality from Rhonda, John and Levi Crowe from Chillicothe. Thanks a bunch. And for their fellow residents of OH, a warning. Young Levi has received his learner’s permit, and is now behind the wheel. Just kidding, little brother. They made a good time better.

    The action shifted to Fremont Speedway the following night, where we were down to 50 cars. That didn’t mean a reduction in quality, as the field remained stout. This my first return there since Kevin Eckert, Guy Smith and I started the weekend where Team Defiance was born oh so long ago. We followed the Fremont race with appearances at Sandusky , Michigan Intl, Millstream and Bryan Speedways in a 24 hour period without purchasing a single ticket. Details can be found in The Book of Sleaze should it ever be written. Fremont has always slicked off. I know it and accept it. Such a surface favors “the Low Rider”, Dave Blaney. His history of success there bears that out. He has always had the patience and a Donny Schatz-like ability to master a middle groove others don’t occupy. It works for him. It kept him out of a dip in turn 1 that foiled many of his rivals. A tricky top side contributed to his march forward, while creating many yellows that killed the momentum this race teased us with. 305’s and trucks had similar problems, with the trucks having the best feature of the night. Wish it wasn’t so, but that’s racing sometimes. I sincerely doubt it will be so long between return visits this time.

    The ride to Limaland was halted by a stop at Kathy’s Korner in Fostoria, OH for some excellent coconut cream pie. Lee’s Chicken in Lima also preceded my first visit to Limaland since they flipped sides years ago. What we now have is 1 of the finest facilities in racing. The original incarnation was anything but. All that remains is the dust that is prevalent in O-dry-o. Fortunately, that dust avoided us for all 3 nights of our mini tour. The cushion was worn out in hot laps due to a very early start under the sun. Four cars crashed in qualifying, with numerous others hitting the backstretch wall as grip disappeared out of turn 2. It led to many a fine driver being victimized by the ASCoC qualifying system. The many stars starting in the back made all racing more entertaining, a concept often lost in these days of prima donnas believing they’re entitled to start up front not having to pass a single car. I digress. The race was an eerie repeat of the previous evening, as Blaney repeated his winning performance in a similar fashion. Vanquishing recent demons was Byron Reed who notched a podium finish reminiscent of old. Most watchable was James Mcfadden, who I feel has the potential to be the best Aussie driver ever. A tall task, indeed. I’m anxious to see how his career pans out. We were down to 2 divisions this evening, with UMP modifieds providing equal entertainment. A large crowd was on hand on a hot day that I’m told will pale in comparison to the gathering for the Brad Doty Classic. I’ll let you know, as I intend to attend. Brad, himself, was present. A class guy, always willing to converse with fans and competitors. Having an ice cream stand available on a hot day was most appreciated. I’m still waiting for mine, Levi. Many more of the OH contingent joined us in the stands as the car count dropped to 45. A sign of the economic times, I guess. The quality remained high all through the week, however. I still prefer quality to quantity while greedily preferring both. Fans lament the lowering of entries for races local and national. I fear the day the quality follows suit.

    I went almost directly from OH to PA Speedweek when I stopped at Path Valley Speedway. The second ever promotion for former driver, Fred Rahmer, has to be considered a qualified success in many ways. He did a better job than many veteran promoters currently do. He must have called in many favors as 44 sprints and 30+ winged 600’s filled the pits. Many were rewarded with extra cash and contingencies available do to the hard work of all involved. The hot, beautiful day drew a capacity crowd. The racing itself was “okay” highlighted by a late, Lucas Wolfe charge that fell just short of an ever widening Greg Hodnett 27. I love the event and thought processes going into it. My problems come from the venue it’s presented in. It’s just not large or capable enough to handle a crowd large enough to make it a must-see event. There aren’t enough seats (even though small sections were added), and those they do have haven’t been maintained or have aisles. I counted 6, added port-a-johns that inadequately supplemented the disgusting, permanent men’s room with ONE non-working urinal. I can’t speak for the ladies, but I fear the worst. The spectator area has little, if any, lighting, making traversing the many pitfalls on the grounds quite hazardous. Both of these issues are compounded on a long, hot day where a big crowd has nothing to but drink alcohol or otherwise. I took a spill in an unseen hole, and I never consume alcohol. Concession lines were constantly long, and too much was scheduled forcing fans to miss some racing to procure sustenance. Parking isn’t the greatest with ingress and egress to the joint through 1, narrow gate leading to a narrow back road, making for lengthy delays in leaving. Adding Steve Post was a nice touch, but Postman, you didn’t look good when you told us the “stock cars” (none present) were returning to the garage area. (ditto) Too much time residing in Charlotte? You did get to make the call of the German Shepherd taking a dump in the infield. I can only guess where that stands among your announcing career “highlights”. Don’t get me wrong, brudda. You’re still head and shoulders above the majority of announcers I’m subjected to. I was spoiled by Ruffner, Singer, et al at an early age. I hope Rahmer continues to expand on the promotional side of the guardrail. He raises the bar in a stagnant group. That can only be a good thing. I just wish he had a better venue to present this show. I just don’t know of a better option available within the limited travel distance PA Posse members are willing to travel. Two nights later, Grandview drew a meager 22 cars for a similar event, and that’s an average of a 2 hour drive for most of the competitors. I know I won’t be back at Path Valley until improvements are made to the facility. Can’t afford or want any more scars.

    I still have a Grandview tale to tell about some of the best racing I’ve seen this year. I need to hit the road for my meandering path to Limaland, wherever that leads. I’m still mulling it over, with Canada and MO yet to be ruled out. Adios.

     

     

     

    6/13

    Greetings from your breadman. It’s been an interesting 2 weeks. May 31 found me attending a rare for me regular show at Grandview Speedway. My history there goes back to the 60’s when I saw the Reading Rocket, Russ Smith, win a flathead race long before the thought of erecting a catch fence had occurred. Being a half hour from home, I often used the joint as a weather option during the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. The photo and writing days since have led to a mostly adversarial relationship with management that keeps me from singing their praises, deserved or not, while limiting my appearances. One or 2 Thunder on the Hill shows for fellowship purposes is all I tend to squeeze in. Last year I did a regular show with some out of town friends, and found it curiously refreshing. A ride offer by my neighbor tempted me, and out the door I went. I was rewarded with 1 of the finest regular shows I’ve seen for a while. Three classes ran 8 heats, 1 consy and 3 features in a timely manner, while producing some outstanding racing. The sportsman class closed the show at 10:03 with a yellow free, 25 lapper. There weren’t more than 6 yellows waved the entire evening. Outstanding! Three of the top 5 in the modified race started 20th or further back. The racing was clean and exciting. I’d be hard pressed to find fault or ask for more. Once might be a fluke. Twice might be the start of a trend. I doubt I’ll take much coaxing to make it three’s the charm.

    The following night was spent at the Bedford Speedway for an Appalachian Speed Week late model show. I spent the night feeling a cold come on, while being subjected to not so good racing on a rough, dry, dusty surface. Today’s mega haulers kept the backstretch from view, lessening my enjoyment even further. Surely a better parking plan can be formed pitside to improve the view. Too many yellows that caused too many unnecessary caution laps on a very large track dragged the show late into a Sunday evening. The event stood as a stark reminder why so much time had elapsed between visits. The next stretch could be even longer.

    The USAC Eastern Storm is a mini series anticipated yearly by many of my friends and I. Traveling an hour or 2 to get a wingless sprint car fix is preferable to the day or 2 it takes to go to Indiana or west. My luck in attending these events is less than stellar. The cold I just spoke of had me too sick to make the first show at Grandview. I wish I hadn’t sucked it up to go to Lincoln. A weather forecast for rain after 10 didn’t deter us. Should’ve been plenty of time to get in the first co-sanction of the 2 oldest sprint car groups, USAC and URC. Alas, the forecast got worse as we drove to the track. Still time to get it in before 9:30, or so I thought. To their credit, the track did alter the schedule somewhat. Just not enough. They could’ve moved all the traveling USAC stuff ahead of all the local URC races. They didn’t. They could’ve done away with time trials and used a draw. They didn’t. They could’ve dropped a totally unnecessary semi. They didn’t. Had they just started the A when they started the semi, they probably would’ve gotten it in unless unforeseen reds dictated otherwise. They had a real shot. They didn’t. No disrespect to URC, but the vast majority of the fans in attendance were there to see USAC. The URC race could be rescheduled. Not so for USAC. It’s funny how no thought was given to finish things on the open for USAC Friday night. Tickets had already been sold. I doubt that many on hand intended to attend the sacred cow in Mechanicsburg over the completion of this show. It was not a local crowd, per se. Any option that would’ve prevented what transpired was preferable. Any fan with a smart phone could draw up radar that showed the show was doomed. I made that same call an hour before the rain came. As the track went into a “holding pattern”, fans were left to their own devices trying to ride out a weather pattern they couldn’t beat. Some fans used those smart phones to call the track office to get an update. Some were told to gather at the ticket booths for refunds. Word of that spread, and lines lengthened. All this in a steady rain, mind you. When I asked an acquaintance why they were forming lines, I was told of imminent refunds. I expressed my doubts of same, and retreated to my nearby, dry car. From there I saw the shade at the ticket window lowered. There would be no refunds or explanation given. Twenty more minutes went by before it was announced that the show was deemed complete and would be finished before the 2015 race. Contractual obligations with the sanctioning bodies was the justification given for the lack of refunds or rescheduling. What a crock. Once you place an employee on the phone telling fans refunds can be had, they need to be. It doesn’t matter if that wasn’t true. Someone needed to step up and take responsibility for the error, if it was such. Even a token gesture would be welcome. None has been forthcoming. As I look at my useless rain check, I see no mention of what that ticket entitled me to. Don’t remember seeing it posted on the ticket booth. I guess we can now all assume that we fans take all the risks. The sanctioning bodies have their contracts. The track and/or promoters think so little of the fans that they just make decisions up as they go along regardless of how it affects those that pay the bills and generate the profit. The promoters get to sit on the admissions for a year and use it to generate income. The teams have to wait a year to attempt to recoup their expenses, if they’re able to return at all. And the fans? They’re in a similar boat, albeit with some holes in the bottom. The real sad part is that all of this could’ve been avoided with some better decision making. Did I mention the lengthy hot lap sessions containing 7 or 8 cars? ARGH!

    I passed on New Egypt to recover for Port Royal. Watching a sprint car at full song at the Port never gets old. Wingless versions, even more so. Adding ARDC to the show nearly doubles your pleasure. Steve Drevicki may have dominated the midgets, but 2nd through 7th was some really fine stuff highlighted by Steve Buckwalter finding a preferred line through 3 and 4. Not to be outdone, Robert Ballou turned first lap misfortune into a charge from the rear to 4th that had many in the grandstand standing in amazement. He has truly earned his Madman nickname over the years, and the respect of most of the crowd that night.

    Susquehanna came with a sorrier forecast that doomed them from the start. Bedford’s early cancellation was just a prelude to Susky’s fate. They had no real shot, but when hot laps commenced, the fans flocked to their seats like moths to a flame. Time trials would be completed before the inevitable rain would take the last show of the tour away. The wise fans stayed in the parking lot as I did, not willing to purchase a ticket for a doomed show. At least Todd Fisher has given those that did buy in the option of using their rain checks at any show remaining in 2014 with any difference in price refunded. That’s what’s good for the fans, making it good for business. The day wasn’t a total loss, as a stop at nearby Rock-it Pizza always puts a smile on my face.

    This weekend has me thinking Bear Ridge Speedway in VT for some Sprint Cars of New England might quench my racing thirst. I’ve been absent from the Home of the Coupes for quite a spell. Sprint cars and midgets added to an already fine show makes this a desirable choice, I hope. Adios.

     

     

    5/31

    Greetings from your breadman. In the beginning of the year when the schedules started coming out, the ASCS Gulf South presented a 3 race, Memorial Day weekend at 3 tracks new for me in Texas. Getting new tracks in Texas on a Friday and Sunday is hard enough. Getting them with sprint cars had me booking flights to Houston. Even the South Texas Speedway dropping the Sunday show didn’t matter, as the Golden Triangle Raceway Park picked up the date and added the Southern Sprint Series 305’s to boot. Having the ASCS national series off that weekend got me hoping some of their regulars might drop by. Johnny Herrera, Matt Covington, Aaron Reutzel, Brandon Berryman and Brandon and Blake Hahn did just that. Sam Hafertepe Jr. and Travis Rilat also added to the quality of the field. Paul Solomon one-upped everyone by making his first ever American starts, his being from Melbourne, Australia after all. Other than a plethora of unnecessary support classes and a general lack of efficiency by those running the shows, I was in Heaven. Here’s the skinny.

    I nearly didn’t make it to or fro from Houston, as there were weather delays each way. A freak hailstorm passed over my Wyomissing abode just as I was ready to depart for the Baltimore airport. Golf ball to baseball size stones created millions of dollars of damage in my area without warning. A secondary storm hit as I approached York, PA that stopped traffic on the opposite side of US 30 I was driving on. I didn’t check into my Houston motel until 1:30am. Coming home found worse delays as storms and flash flooding created havoc with flights. My departure time changed 6 times, causing me to finally enter my driveway at 4:40am the next morning. Sheesh! I’m getting too old for this. As for the racing?

    The Cotton Bowl Speedway lies outside of Paige, TX, and is a new, 3/8 mile of light brown dirt. As expected, it’s quite a nice facility with many fan amenities. Odd to me were corners that were nearly flat entering and exiting, with the only real banking coming in the apex of the corners. Add a tricky cushion, and finding a consistent line to run gave the joint character the 29 sprinters had to deal with. Herrera disposed of Rilat after a stoppage for the erratic Blake Hahn that turned a fabulous charge to 2nd into a destroyed race car after missing his line. Reutzel made a late pass for 2nd. A disappointed Rilat settled for 3rd in the Saumere 3c. Other highlights of the evening were conversing with a group of Albany, NY ex patriots, one of which was wearing a Lebanon Valley Speedway t-shirt, (I never thought I’d be telling modified stories in TX.) and downing the largest cheeseburger I’ve ever purchased at a race track. The 3 support classes presented some better then average racing, all before the sprint finale. I was still tired from the previous travel day. A near midnight finish made possible by an hour late start whupped my butt. Pre-race fuel was had at Lost Pines BBQ in nearby Giddings, TX sure hit the spot.

    I awoke too late for local breakfast, so I headed toward the Shady Oaks Speedway in Goliad, TX. Driving through La Grange gave me a ZZ Top vibe, but no breakfast. Schulenberg provided Frank’s Restaurant, a legendary, local joint that more than adequately filled the need. A stop in Victoria to procure lodging preceded the 20 mile drive to the Shady Oaks Speedway that is aptly named. Many trees dot the property that looks more like a campground than a race track. There’s even a fishing pond with a bridge outside turns 3 & 4. This is truly 1 of the prettiest race track settings I’ve ever seen. The track itself is a fairly rustic, 3/8 mile paper clip with dark, sharp corners. The sharpness of turn 1 caused many a spin, with the proper line on the verge of losing it. To their credit, the first time visiting sprinters adapted well as the evening wore on. The previous night’s carnage lowered the sprint count by 3 to 26. Once again, 4 support classes filled the tree lined pits, while providing decent racing. Ironically, a track sponsor gave away a large cooler at a track where you’re not allowed to bring in any food or drink. That led to 1, long line at the concession stand that required a 20+ minute wait most of the evening. Blake Hahn went from zero to hero with a masterful, aggressive run to victory that just added to the mystery of this young driver. His flashes of brilliance makes me shake my head when he steps on his. I hope he finds a way to pull it all together on a more consistent basis. Watching him do so is mighty entertaining. Matt Covington led early, but dropped to 4th as his engine deteriorated. Rilat and Reutzel swapped spots earned the previous evening. Kolt Walker garnered his best finis of the weekend with a 5th, followed by Herrera in 6th from 18th. Another long night found me on the midnight train lodging. Even a Motel 6 bed is comfy when fatigue takes over.

    The 3rd night came at Golden Triangle near Beaumont, TX. Back when the Lone Star Speedway opened (Sammy won in the Old Milwaukee car.) I parked next to a banker from Beaumont that shared some Jack Daniels with me and regaled me with Golden Triangle stories. I’ve wanted to, yet never have been able to fit this track in until now. Alas, it appears that the track has worn since those long ago tails. A newer set of aluminum bleachers appears to have replaced an earlier, wooden version, but little else seems to have changed. The long, concession lines from the previous evening followed me here, causing me to miss some support class heats. The track is a real quarter on the inside of dark, TX dirt. The ASCS allegedly asked for more water leading to a 90 minute late start. That led to rearranging the running order of the classes and the elimination of the intermission. Yeah! The 23 sprints were moved to the 2nd feature of the night, and still finished at midnight. Kudos to whoever put up the money to let all 23 cars start while eliminating the B-main. Herrera started on the pole, but was being blown away by Rilat until his steed quit halfway through. Covington and Brandon Berryman also dropped Hollywood before he stormed back for the win and a $500 bonus for taking 2 of the weekend events. There were 34 of the 305’s on hand, and their feature was 4th, ending at 12:30 with 2 features to go. And out the door I went.

    This was my 2nd time I spent a weekend in TX with the ASCS Gulf South, and found myself quite content doing so both times. I want to thank Kolt Walker, Klint Angelette, Ray Allan Kulhanek, Channin Tankersley, Tommy Bryant, Travis Elliott, Chris Sweeney, Harli White, John James, JJ Simmons, John Pate, Brandie Jass, et al, and the many support drivers that provided proper entertainment no matter the time of night. Four of the support features went non-stop over the weekend. You can’t ask for much more.

    This past Wednesday I accompanied Mark Garman to the Action Track at the Kutztown Fairgrounds. They run speedsters, slingshots and wingless, 600cc micros on the banked 1/6 mile. This track is perfect for the 600’s that put on some incredible racing, and they get a bunch of cars from throughout the area every Wednesday during the summer months. Being in the center of town and directly across from Kutxtown University, they have an early curfew and a limited number of nights to race. I never come out of there disappointed. Even if the races are found lacking, and that rarely happens, the regular crowd that attends are some of the most knowledgeable diehards in racing, coming from many local tracks and a multitude of classes. That’s the appeal of the speedster class that features drivers from many tracks, dirt and paved, towing as much as 4 hours to run for $2000 to win. No points, just fun in a class that is relatively affordable racing wise. The top 4 were Billy Pauch Sr., Rick Eckert, Kenny Brightbill and Earl Paules, 2 dirt modified legends, an accomplished dirt late model driver and an asphalt modified champion. The increased banking allowed the top 3 to run 3 different grooves, often 3 abreast. The 600’s were briefly 5 abreast. You will get your money’s worth. You’ll eat well also, as 1 of the fair stands is open. I’m sorry I missed out on the new salt potatoes. Pups and pierogies filled in nicely. I hope to get back a few more times this summer.

    Not sure about the weekend, but the USAC Eastern Storm will dominate my time this coming week. It’s not the same as the USAC sprints coming to Reading on Indy car weekends at Trenton or Langhorne, but it’s nice to be able to scratch that wingless itch so close to home with many friends from around the country. It’s a chance to repay hospitality to those that have taken care of me over the years. A labor of love, for sure. Adios.

     

     

    5/16

    Greetings from your breadman. As usual, it’s been an eventful 2 weeks since I’ve expressed myself here. Mother’s Day, family gatherings and a Fitz and the Tantrums concert claimed some possible race time, as they should from time to time. That concert was held at Penn’s Peak, an incredible venue atop a mountain in the Poconos that holds a maximum of 2,000 fans. It won’t be my last visit, as I came away more than satisfied with the joint and the music. If neo-soul, alternative pop is your thing, give Fitz and his hard working, excellent band a listen. I’m glad I did. Kudos, also, to the Nightmare of 1927 that opened for them. Making time for my Mom and Mother-in law was a labor of love that I’ll never grow tired of. I’ve been very blessed to have had them in my life, and love them both dearly. As for the racing interspersed, you be the judge.

    The first weekend in May satisfied my track chasing needs. Six races at 6 new tracks for me in 3 different states in 3 days fed my addiction for such. Having 4 of them occur on a Saturday when the ducks all lined up time and direction wise led to what we in the hobby call a home run. They are rare in this hobby. Two races in 1 day is a double, 3 a triple and 4 at 4 different venues is hitting 1 out of the park in our lingo. Doing so without sacrificing the standards of the hobby like a select few of the newbies tend to do made it even more satisfying. That entitlement thing has infected too many things in racing and the world. Alas, the track chasing hierarchy has neither the stones or desire to preserve the integrity of the many, fine folks that started this, while placing his personal agendas ahead of such. It’s so frustrating, but I don’t let it keep me from enjoying such weekends. I know this is an open wheel site, but you may gain further insight into my psyche by reading on. It is all still racing.

    Having to be in Indiana on Saturday made it prudent to try an Ohio track on the way out Friday. Moler Raceway was chosen for it’s location near Cincinnati where a 5 division show was presented on a high banked quarter mile that was fast and rough. Being fairly new, it’s a decent facility, though I doubt it has enough seating to present a top, traveling group. They took 45 minutes after the heats to try and grade some smoothness into the surface to no avail. The ruts and holes tore pieces off many of the race cars, leading to many more yellows than the racing itself. “Insane” Duane Chamberlain used his super late model to show me the speed and potential of the racing there, dominating his heat and feature. I would love to see a better, quality field negotiate this place. Open wheel snobs only have a Sept. 19 TQ race to gage their opinion. They will really get around if the track doesn’t bounce them out. I certainly won’t rule out a future return visit.

    It was an early rise on Saturday to make the 11:00am start of legends and bandaleros on the inner, quarter-mile oval at Kentucky Speedway. Admission was free, needing only to sign a waiver to enter the infield through the tunnel. They had 2, small, bleacher sections set up, but I chose the warmth and comfort of my Camaro on a cool, blustery day. Five classes numbering from 4 to 8 ran a heat and feature wrapped around a 30 minute break. It didn’t take long to present a less than riveting show as I’d hoped. There were other fish to fry, so out the tunnel I went.

    On the way to Ft. Wayne I stopped at the Bryant Speedway, a kart track in the Indiana town of the same name. Senior champs were the only countable class by track chasing rules (don’t ask), and I was lucky to stumble upon a few entries. Again, there was no admission for spectators, and I positioned my Camaro beside the main bleacher section for a more comfortable view right before the 4:00pm starting time. The champs were the 9th division on the schedule, making the wait less tolerable. Karters are strange creatures. Three of the classes had only 1 entrant that still went out to “race” by themselves. Don’t see any fun in that. Having a 45 minute drive to track #3 and 2 hours to do so, left time for a fast food and petrol stop. I was halfway home.

    The Baer Field Speedway in Ft. Wayne was having a demo derby with a countable, figure-8 race scheduled for 7:00pm. A lawn mower derby scheduled to precede it was nixed when only 1 entrant showed. Unfortunately, the power wheels derby for kids was not. Having 4 to 8 years olds crashing battery powered toys crash into each other on purpose is not cute. It’s a miracle none of the tykes were hurt. It was close more than once. This may have been the worst idea I’ve ever seen implemented at a race track. The legal ramifications of a child being injured would surely close any track. Three figure-8 races followed with too few entries to make any excitement on the muddy pit laid out in the infield of the permanent paved ovals. Time limits were set and enforced to determine winners. One race only had 1 finisher. The $15 necessary to view this lack of entertainment seemed evne more steep after freebies.

    I left Baer Field at 7:50pm, hustling across Indiana to my final destination, the US 24 Speedway in Logansport, IN. I arrived at 9:05pm to find an abandoned ticket booth and all 5 features yet to be run .I couldn’t have asked for more, as the 4 classes of micros and Kenyon midgets rewarded my diligence with some excellent racing. Only 6 yellows waved with 2 features running non-stop. The Kenyon midgets were the third and best race. I wish I could tell you the driver’s name that almost pulled off an incredible win, but the anemic public address system couldn’t be heard above the roar of the racers. Not satisfied to follow his peers around the bottom of this fabulous eighth mile, he assaulted a tricky cushion with reckless abandon. Hit it right, he’d go forward. Miss it, and back he’d slide. His determination found him crossing under the white flag beside the leader. All went for naught when a lapped car shut down in front of him as he entered turn 1. He drilled the stalling car so hard, he damaged his steed beyond repair. Frustrated, he sat in his racer pounding the steering wheel. I was close enough to feel his pain, and applaud him for the incredible, entertaining effort he gave the meager crowd on hand. If anyone in the Kenyon group reads this, I’d appreciate learning his name. It made a long day that much more enjoyable. I was only there 70 minutes and loved every minute of it. The first green flag waved for me at 11:00am and the last checkered flew at 10:15pm. Mission accomplished.

    Sunday afternoon found me attending an autocross enduro at the Hilltop Speedway in Millersburg, OH. Hopefully, this stinker will remain my worst race of the year. I truly have nothing good to say about it. It’s races like that that make me question why I do these things just to add a number.

    On May 14 I washed the rest of that Ohio dust out of my mouth at the WoO race at Lincoln. WoO announcer, John Gibson, performed admirably the night after he personally watched his beloved Pittsburgh Penguins lose a 7 game playoff to the NY Rangers. Ever the professional, John made sure the large crowd received all the pertinent info on all 48 drivers pit side. And a quality field it was. While the forums tend to bash both the PA Posse and WoO bastions, you’d have to be an ignoramus to not appreciate such a large, talented field. The WoO and their 15 travelers have been putting on some great shows. Stevie Smith became the 14th feature winner they’ve had in 2014, and there’s still 2/3 of the season to go. Fans have been complaining about a decline in posse talent, but I’m here to tell you the young studs that have replaced the retirees have been acquitting themselves well. Fred Rahmer and Austin Hogue made their first WoO features in their first attempt. Tim Glatfelter laid down a quick time and parlayed it into a feature start. Gerard McIntyre Jr. nailed a solid 10th place finish. Kyle Moody also made the main. Considering that local cars took the top 2 spots, I fear the posse heads are going to howl above and beyond. And as usual at Lincoln, there was Brian Monteith. Sometimes I hate the Edge, as he makes me watch him instead of the battle for the lead. His exciting, driving style tends to draw your attention, and rightfully so, no matter what position he occupies. Congrats to Fast Freddie Rahmer on his first WoO victory as a car owner. His driver talked of a possible trip to Knoxville in August. I hope they make it so. Stevie Smith has always been good there. If the team continues to gel, they will be a factor there and any track they tow to. The second place Hodnett team is also gaining momentum just might continue this dual in Iowa. God help us all if the posse takes the Nationals. As a Pennsylvanian, I would sneakily enjoy that.

    There probably won’t be another column until after my ASCS Gulf South trip to Texas for Memorial Day weekend. It would be a gross understatement to say I’m really looking forward to it. I’ve had great success with previous such weekends. Might sneak in the WoO show at New Egypt first if the spirit moves me. Adios.

     

     

    5/1

    Greetings from your breadman. The weather just can’t stop using me for it’s amusement. Plans get tossed aside at an alarming rate as the weather’s unpredictability and the meteorologists inability to forecast correctly wreak havoc on race tracks and fans. Even my internet was lost the past few days as storms rolled through constantly. Hopefully the head hoser’s problems with Aol will not keep this effort from seeing the light of day, otherwise I may have to find a new internet provider. I’m not someone that accepts change very well, so I hope this reaches you by Mother’s Day if not much sooner.

    Normally I’ve been to a few shows at Lincoln by this time of year, but weather issues wiped out early opportunities and left it as the only viable option for me on Apr. 19. Fred Crouse and his band of merry sprint car fans offer me 1 of their reserved seats when I choose Lincoln, and threw in a ride as well. A designated driver can be a valuable asset, hence the offer that guaranteed party time for all. It’s a responsibility that I gladly welcome. My reward for same was a nice field of 29 410’s, 25 358’s and 10 streeters. The rain that plagued so many shows leading up to that night gave Lincoln what I call character. Two grooves were usable, with the top rewarding good choices and penalizing less than stellar lines. A yellow on lap 3 led to 2 others when the third place car sputtered at the cone, stacking up cars behind him. Positions 2-11 were affected to the delight of handicapped winner of the week prior, Alan Krimes, who took advantage of his good fortune to double his win total. The 87 had advanced to the front row without having to pass a single car. The majority of the fans around me voiced some serious displeasure with the starting at the cone policy, vociferously blaming the track and any driver they deemed responsible for the carnage. Make no mistake, the large crowds that attend Lincoln on a weekly basis are a passionate group to say the least. Entertaining shows at a decent facility on a regular basis have created an atmosphere rarely equaled in short track racing. While the carnage did drastically change the outcome, it gave us a consolation prize. The Edge, Brian Monteith, would restart at the tail, and use that tricky cushion as few can to charge back into the top 5. It’s nights like this that Monteith can be worth the price of admission all by himself. Having quality playmates that Lincoln provides on a weekly basis often makes for a good night of racing. The 358’s held up their end of the bargain, as their race was run as the track had reached it’s entertaining peak. I hope to get back to the Pigeon Hills on May 14 when the WoO invade. Join me early and enjoy the track cuisine. I recommend the beef brisket or crab cake sandwiches that will kick up a rooster tail in your mouth.

    Weather kept me local again the following Saturday, making last minute plans to join Karen and Mike Lavignia for my first visit of the year to Port Royal for the Bob Weikert Memorial. The Port has hosted this event for quite a few years, with this version paying $10,000 to win the 29 lapper. Next year’s version gets a bump in laps to 40, and a winner’s share of $15,000. That’s some pretty fair cabbage. The feature length matched the Weikert car’s number for the majority of it’s iterations. All drivers of the Beefmobile were mentioned in alphabetical order during intermission, and what a list it is. Three of those drivers, Paul Pitzer, Len Krautheim III and Danny Dietrich, signed autographs behind the grandstand pre- race alongside an early , restored version. Double D had a Weikert wrap on his 48 for the evening, and plans to do the same at this year’s Knoxville Nationals. That’s a nice gesture considering the car’s history there. The race was sanctioned by the All Star Circuit of Champions that had little presence at the event. No souvenir trailer was seen by me, a far cry from the days where conversing with Brigitte Emick was an anticipated part of the program. They did provide less than 10 invaders with mixed success. A steady 20mph wind made for arid track conditions. Thankfully, that wind was mostly at our back, keeping the fans from constantly brushing off dust. First car out set fast time, leading that driver, Greg Hodnett, to proclaim his 6th place heat inversion a tough deal even though he only needed to pass 1 car to get to the dash. I scoffed at the notion, yet Hodnett proved prophetic as he barely made it, while others in his situation failed in their task. It did set up a feature that would remind me of former glory along the Juniata River. Hodnett and Dale Blaney waged combat for the first 20 laps. Blaney was trying to copy a win the previous week. Their battle allowed Brent Marks, Chad Layton and Shane Stewart to join the fray on lap 15. The intensity level was on high, as the wind had blown off all the dust, leaving a variety of grooves from the very bottom to scarce inches off the wall. This was the Port Royal I so adored in the 80’s. Make no mistake, I love the quarter miles of the world. But when you can add the speed of a proper half to the action of a tiny bullring, Heaven can indeed be a place on Earth. Such was the case this night. Stewart was making his debut in the Larson/Marks car, and shook off enough rust to go from 4th to 2nd at 1 end, and back to 4th at the other. Hodnett finally found a little security after negotiating lapped traffic to an advantage . The other 3 never let up with Blaney having to go to a photo to claim second. While all this was transpiring, Danny Holtgraver had methodically and stealth fully risen to fifth. Had this year’s race been as long as next year’s, the finishing order would have no doubt changed in his favor, as he was coming. My group arrived at 5:00pm to find a mostly full parking lot filled with fans enjoying a rare, beautiful day. The atmosphere present turned a race into an event. You can’t ask for much more. I think it’s fair to say I’ll be adding this race to my 2015 schedule. I truly love traveling far and wide to attend different race tracks. I intend to do some of that this weekend. These past 2 weeks have reminded me that such travel isn’t always necessary to find racing nirvana.

    I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the improvements made at Port Royal since my last visit. Widening the track in turns 1 & 2 appears to have benefited the racers and racing. New walls and guardrails all around the track top to bottom have given the old girl a fresh, new look. Doing all this in 1 of the most unique settings in racing just adds to the experience. Seeing the track from the hill above town on Rt. 75 never gets old. Watching sprint cars charge down a backstretch literally across the street from actual residences that have history themselves impresses me as much now as it ever did. I talked briefly to a fan at the Port for the first time. We waxed nostalgic while I lamented the fact he’d never get to see racing from the old, covered grandstand that put fans right in the action. Somehow, I doubt he was disappointed. Neither was I.

    Perhaps the weather will actually let me follow through with stops in KY, IN and OH this weekend. That would allow me to regale you with tails of legend cars and figure 8’s and such. Or not. If you get to read this in time, I heartily recommend you take in the Wolford fish fry at the Lattimore Valley Fairgrounds on May 4. It’s a great time that benefit’s the EMMR. Makes for good food, fun and fellowship for a good cause. Adios.

     

     

    4/17

    Greetings from your breadman. My uncle’s funeral left no time for any serious traveling, so I accepted a ride to Selinsgrove with the Poirier posse, John Hoppel and Rich Rauser. An ESS non-point show was on tap, and my affinity for watching different sanctions made this an easy choice. Upon arrival, we kidnapped Steve Poirier’s head wrench, Kevin Loveys, for an assault on the buffet at Hoss’s Steak House, lest he run short on the energy necessary to perform his duties at the high level the “Fireball” has become accustomed to. Don’t know where Mssr. Poirier got that nickname, (explanations are welcome) but he needs a new one. Quebecois Clipper is my best to date, but suggestions will be entertained. French versions will require translation for accuracy of meaning. Anywho, After a gorgeous #28 was pulled from the hauler, the 55 of Patrick Vigneault followed suit. Joining forces for the trip from Quebec saved them $1000 in diesel fuel costs. I doubt that many in racing, myself included, had any idea that such was the case. When you factor in the many other costs, there’s no way any long distance traveler could entertain the notion of breaking even no matter how successful their evening was. I’ve seen many an “expert” on racing on any number of forums and message boards take teams to task for not traveling more. These teams had a 16 hour round trip. Posse guys going to Knoxville have double that. West coast teams, triple or more. The fact that short track racing has survived this economic madness is a testament to all involved. National and regional traveling series face even more ridiculous numbers. In spite of perpetually rising ticket prices, purses have not kept pace with rampant inflation. How can they? The lousy economy affects every facet of the sport to it’s future detriment. Four ESS teams came for the non-point show. More would’ve sucked it up were there points involved that do little for a team’s budget. It appears that race teams are mathematically challenged. That might be all that stands between racing and it’s extinction. Next time you notice a team that has come a long way to entertain you, take the time for an extra thank you. Better yet, slip them some coin for the fuel bill if you can.

    The Poirier team started the night on a good night when Steve notched a quick time award. His pulling an inversion of 4 for the heats set up a mark Smith chop across his right front that tore the pan hard bar from the chassis. Watching it flop up an down in turn 1 kept my attention for impending disaster that never occurred. The team’s anticipated, season opener ended in 10 laps, the broken steed disappointedly rolled back in the shared trailer. With an early quit to his duties, Mr. Loveys joined our brood in the grandstand. Participants rarely make great race watchers, but they do add insight you can gain nowhere else.

    Selinsgrove has been chastised by some for moving from 358’s to 360’s this year. URC did the same a while back. Lincoln, Trailway, Susquehanna and Williams Grove have stuck with the former. Ironically to me, Susquehanna, that runs the class infrequently, drew more entries this past Sunday than Lincoln or the Grove. I’m not sure what the Trailway numbers have been. Here’s the thing. I’m not sure what differences 2 cubic inches make, but I can’t believe it really matters in the overall scheme of things. It is imperative that racers learn to compromise for the good of the sport. I went to a 358/360 doubleheader at Selinsgrove last year, and guess what? The lap times were nearly identical, shooting down any argument of inequality, power or cost wise. Again, I remain open to enlightenment, and would love to hear all sides of this deal. Selinsgrove did have 26 entries, 4 of which brought by ESS, topping all but possibly Trailway. Just maybe it wasn’t such a bad move after all.

    Susquehanna ran 410’s and 358’s on Sunday. Susky has remained consistent over the years no matter who has run the joint. It remains a rustic joint, it’s steady deterioration a result of the reluctance of any owner in the time of my attendance to invest in meaningful improvements. It will be dusty. Veteran observers don’t wear clothes they fear will be ruined by the swirling, red cloud. Any inconveniences incurred will be made up by the good racing that takes place after all the powder has been lifted from the arid surface. Usually by feature time, 2 and 3 grooves are available for those skilled enough to take advantage. I can only imagine how many career wins Don Kreitz Jr. would’ve amassed had Susky remained a weekly, sprint car venue. He has truly been the master there, adding yet another late, race victory in entertaining fashion. I don’t think he gets near enough credit for a career better than some hall of famers. Adding to the delight of the fans that remained, Tyler Ross came from deep to win the 358 race that had constant changing of the top 5 positions. Kudos to all the racers that provided good racing on a weekend finally lacking in winter weather. Thanks, also to all my homies that helped erase the grief endured during the week. It was needed and appreciated.

    This coming weekend has me succumbing to my track chasing ways. Stock cars at Pike County in Raleigh, NC is the featured attraction on Good Friday. VSS at Eastside remains a viable, Saturday night option after karts at Ace Speedway. Could be time for a long over due chat with French Grimes. If only I could find that old t-shirt of his purchased years ago. It might even fit again. The look on his face when he saw me wearing it at Knoxville was priceless. Adios.

     

     

     

      4/9

    This past weekend showed me just how futile it can be to make racing plans. I drove to Richmond, IN on Thursday trying to make the drive to Lincoln, IL Speedway less daunting. That race was canceled as I drove. The POWERi race the following evening at Wayne County, IL Speedway had been unknowingly moved to Macon, IL. No matter. That, too, was canceled. Sprint Invader backup on Saturday in Maquoketa, IA was moved to Donnellson, IA that had them originally on Friday. No matter, as both nights were lost. Springfield, Callaway, LA and Valley raceways in MO all bit the bullet on Friday as did Jackson, MS and Moler, OH. Attempts were made to contact numerous others, but last year's contact info was no longer valid. That's an affliction that has contaminated short track racing forever, it seems. Accepting the hospitality of Brenda and Roger Ferrell for 2 nights in their Huntingdon, IN abode made better sense than further travel. Thanks, guys. Watching the debut of the WOFS figure 8 group at Anderson Speedway seemed more prudent than stock cars in either KY, TN, AR or LA. Not being so thrilled with the reconfigured Lawrenceburg eliminated that choice, though reports the next day made me think that might have been the best pick. Hard tires and cold temps kept a shorter than expected field from reaching their entertainment potential. At least the track moved the starting time up an hour trying to keep the small crowd as warm as possible. A most appreciated gesture had the show over by 9:00. It had been about 20 years since my last visit to Anderson. Sadly, it looked as if not one cent had been reinvested in the joint other than some pink paint on the walls. The track sits in a town that's lost most of the union jobs that ran the economy. Expecting more than basic survival may be too much to ask.


     

    Sunday afternoon weather was near perfect, making a return to the Salem Speedway to add the figure 8 track to my resume an easy choice. My track chasing addiction leads me down such a path when the tracks line up for me. A small crowd turned out to watch racing on the inner oval, making tails of financial difficulty believable. It would be a shame to see this legendary speed joint pass into the night. Then again, if this show represented the normal quality of the racing presented, the grim reaper might be lurking behind a tree on the nearby golf course, My first show there was a super modified race on the high banks. Not having my camera gear, my friend, Steve Koletar, lent me a spare unit. Right after positioning my self as the lone shooter in turn 1, Bruce Robey, I believe, had a water hose let go under the flag stand. The car rode the top of the wall into the corner, burst into flames and barrel rolled down the banking, coming to a stop in front of me. As the other photographers flocked to my position, queries were made to find out if I'd gotten the sequence on film. Even though I panned through to the end, only the first shot took as the batteries in the motor drive were dead. Dreams of an Open Wheel magazine debut were dashed immediately. I briefly entertained the notion of dashing my slinky buddy.


     

    With an early end to the Salem show, it was off to the Terre haute Action Track where USAC Silver Crown cars shared a show with UMP modifieds. My 5:50 arrival found me missing only the mod heats. Silver Crown hot laps got my juices flowing as these brutes were tossed hard into turns that showed signs of dryness. Qualifying followed, with the mod feature up first at 7:00. Ken Shrader made fairly easy pickings of the 23 car field, with Kenny Wallace furthering a NASCAR presence in third. Heavy dust took the whole field from view upon entering turn 1 at the start. An immediate yellow led to single file restarts after all other such shunts. The water truck made a much needed appearance between features. USAC sent 21 to the post, made up mostly of youngsters lacking the experience to handle such difficult rides. Three great green flag laps seemed to always be followed 6 or 7 yellow ones in a hundred lapper where all laps counted. The first 40 laps just seemed to tease, as the caution periods sucked the life and potential out of the deal. The last 60 laps were run on a rubber down surface that forced racers to the bottom. The advantage of a powdery cushion had long abandoned the Vigo County Fairgrounds. Cody Swanson was best suited to the conditions, winning by half a lap. An early ending and strategic parking made for a head start home. It was back to Richmond where I started.


     

    USAC really shot themselves in the foot when they let the Silver Crown division go to hell. I truly believe if USAC hadn't been so stubborn and given this class due diligence, the WoO may never have gained the foothold that propelled them toward being the #1 sprint car sanction. No arguments about real sprint cars don't have wings, please. Had USAC had the foresight to take this class to all the fine half miles dirt and paved, the best drivers would have followed suit. I saw them on the dirt halves of Tampa, Eldora, Manzanita, Flemington, Hagerstown and Williams Grove. I saw them on the dirt miles of Springfield and Nazereth. I saw them run pavement in Richmond, Phoenix, Newton, Pikes Peak and IRP. They were fabulous everywhere I caught them, and they were just scratching the surface of all the tracks available. I drooled at the thought of Jackson, MN, Irwindale, CA, Lacrosse, WI, Port Royal and Selinsgrove, PA, I-70 no matter the surface, Calistoga, CA , Thompson, CT and so on and so on. Didn't stop USAC from letting foolish pride ruin the deal. Better to align themselves with a NASCAR that kicked them to the curb soon after they realized USAC couldn't deliver. Those castrated beetles created for the super speedways were a farce. Terre Haute and Belleville last year have me believing the fork will soon be stuck in the class. It was once my favorite class. Now, the memories are getting harder to draw on. Surely the race at Syracuse, the worst dirt mile of all, will not be a step in the right direction. The cars are more suited to nearby Rolling Wheels.Oh, the pain.


     

    As the Salem show came to it's conclusion, I learned of the passing of my uncle, Art Kochel. His family went with mine to the first race I ever attended at the Reading Fairgrounds in 1960. Our families did so many times in those days. As he got older he would regale me with tails of the defunct Sanatoga Speedway. He loved to tell me “They used to rattle those boards”. I never got tired of hearing it no matter how many times he said it. The smile on his face told of his enjoyment of those moments. Who was I to stop him from saying it? This column is dedicated to the memory of the man I simply called “Uncle”. Hopefully, Selinsgrove and Susquehanna will bring new tails to tell next week. Adios.

     

    4/2/14

         Greetings from your breadman. During the time I had no place to write, I lamented same. Now that I have lots more time to write, I fail to do so. Maybe it was the looming deadlines that kept me weekly, preventing procrastination. My former editors would probably suggest that Mr. Holland just crack the whip for better, more frequent results. Actually, the one year anniversary of my wife’s passing and the final settling of her estate has dominated my recent time and drained my spirit and desire. With that in mind, I’d like to tell a few of her racing stories.

     

         Suz was a Jewish girl from Long Island that had never seen a race until she met me at age 36. Her first race was an URC race in Drummondville, Quebec.  The 8 hour drive to get there was nothing for me, but a rude awakening to what was to follow. I truly enjoyed trying to give her a crash course in racing. Her picking up the meaning of stagger and correctly referencing it during the program was further proof I had a keeper. She volunteered to make a trip to the concession stand, but returned empty handed and frustrated. Being in Quebec, all the signs were in French, the language spoken by the employees. We went back together, ending up with hot dogs, drinks and our first sampling of poutine. The racing was uneventful. The search for lodging afterwards was not. We ended up driving until 2:00am before I wearily gave up the ghost in a Vermont rest area. So romantic. We were rewarded the next morning with a fine breakfast in a small town where fresh maple syrup was poured on our pancakes. That afternoon was spent at New Hampshire International Speedway taking in racing on the road course. This was not my best racing weekend ever, yet somehow she stayed with me the next 15 years.

     

         We went to an SCRA race at the new Lakeside Speedway in Missouri one night. Suz always had a problem maintaining some semblance of the running order after a race started. That night she saw her first, horrific flip when Cory Kruseman flipped nearly the length of the backstretch before leaving the ballpark. Later in the A, she noticed an under funded car that had charged from last to second at the finish. She asked for the identity of the driver that had just performed the prodigious deed. When I told her it was the same driver that had the earlier crash, Kruser became her favorite driver. Half the racing shirts purchased from that time forward for her contained his image. Even our one cat bears his name. I never had to beg her to attend any race he entered after that.

     

         I was invited to a kart track, the Outlaw Speedway in Somerset, PA, for a media day. Suz got a big kick out of being signed in at a race for the first time. She got an even bigger thrill when offered a ride in the media race. To this day I think none of the kart owners were willing to test the stress limits of their steeds under my considerable girth. Anywho, the experience gave her a deeper understanding of the racing she had watched to that point. Her speedy learning curve was taken up a notch.

     

         Suz never could understand all the interminable delays inherent with a typical racing program. She told me once there was more time for people watching than racing. She did love watching the diverse crowds I exposed her to. Often she would bring a crochet project along to fill the down time. She felt uncomfortable bench racing with her limited knowledge. It wasn’t long before she became known as the crochet lady. It was rare when no one would strike up a conversation on her area of expertise. She became more comfortable after that. She was always amazed at the number of people that knew me or struck up a conversation with me no matter how far flung the venue. I wish I could tell her how many people have come up to me with kind words for her. The positive impression she made on people just reaffirms how lucky I was to have her in my life. I will always love and miss you, darling.

     

         A change in weather made for a last minute decision to attend the Williams Grove opener. Thirty 410’s contested a surface totally saturated with winter moisture. Said moisture never allowed the groove to widen even half the distance to the fence. The tricky cushion that developed provided the majority of the small amount of passing that took place on the evening. After a while, few contested it. All but Brian Monteith. Even “the Edge” gave up the ghost after factoring in the risk versus reward factors. Corey Haas led comfortably before breaking. Greg Hodnett looked like a sure winner before his brakes abandoned him. That left the race Gerard McIntyre’s for the taking. His slowing to avoid back markers allowed the next 4 cars to catch up, but fall short. It made for a good, early season win for the young man. I know. Every win’s a good one. Stevie Smith started his tenure with Fred Rahmer with a second. Rahmer may be even busier since he “retired” now that he’s a 3-car team owner and burgeoning promoter. Folks I know are already talking up his PA speed week show at Path Valley. Most impressive was Trey Stark’s return to central PA from his Washington home that netted a 6th place finish. He’s caught my eye at numerous venues across the country, and seems destined for a nice career pendant on some more seasoning he seems wanting to accrue. Not so rosy a destiny appears to be in the 358 class in central PA. Fourteen showed for the opener dominated by Adrian Shaffer. The class’s expenditures have outgrown the purses they race for. Openings in the 410’s made by driver retirements and fewer teams have made it more sensible for some of the 358 teams to move up. Spending 2/3’s the cost of a 410 and running for 20% of their purse is more of a mathematical nightmare than ever. 305’s, gents. 305’s.

     

         Speaking of 305’s, Tony Moro, the promoter of the Iowa State Fairgrounds, is trying to grow that class. He had a meeting where he invited car owners and drivers and other area promoters to try and hash out a common set of rules. Roger Hadan of Eagle Raceway attended, as he, too, wants to grow the class. That type of thinking is just 1 of the reasons he won the 2013 promoter of the year. There appeared to be some of the usual griping, if you trust the message boards. Every car owner seems to have one thing they don’t like. Often that’s the only part they’d have to change. The biggest complaints always come down to motors and tires. A URSS owner I talked to last year put the dollar range per motor in that club between 8 and 14 thousand dollars. 14 is already too high, yet teams resist every attempt to reign in the numbers. I truly believe that sealed motors with a low cost spec head is the only way to save the teams from themselves. Engine builders need to lower their profit margins for the good of the sport. If they can’t make decent money without charging affordable prices, they should find another business. The overall business plan for the sport can’t afford to stick by the status quo. As for tires? A durometer rule should be presented to all the manufacturers along with  a maximum price. I’m sure at least one tire maker will step up to the plate with the desired product. The heck with all those that don’t want to follow. Thank you, Tony Moro, for trying. I hope it all works out for you. I hope even more that the state fairgrounds track is shortened to a third mile or so. That would be a step toward affordability for all involved. Seeing such an awesome facility reach it’s potential would be fabulous.

     

         The weekend coming remains in flux for me. The weather just won’t stop messing with my plans. USCS at Toccoa, GA was washed away last weekend. POWRi has moved it’s Saturday date from Wayne County in Illinois to Macon. The Sprint Invaders have moved their Maquoketa, IA show to Lee County in Donnellson, IA. Lincoln, IL and Terre Haute, IN remain for Friday and Sunday. Attempts to bookend the racing with St. Louis Cardinal baseball in Cincinnati and Pittsburgh look to be weather threatened. My new track desires might lead me to Kentucky stock cars, but Macon midgets will be hard to drive by. Last time I was there for midgets I had to pull a USAC official that wasn’t paying attention out of harm’s way in the infield. Terre Haute could be the last chance I give the USAC Silver Crown cars. What was once my favorite division is now just a caricature of it’s former self. How sad. How maddening, considering USAC could’ve made this the premier class on dirt with even a modicum of forward thinking. Salem’s afternoon show might be squeezed in on Sunday, time permitting. No disrespect intended, but I hope I don’t end up at the ASCoC show at Attica. It will be hard for me to support a series that doesn’t even release it’s schedule to the public. How does that happen with all the resources to do so these days? Once again, feel free to converse with the guy in the red Camaro with PA plates should you cross it’s path. Adios.

     

     

    3/10/14

    Greetings from your breadman? That title may not apply much longer, as I have my first job interview in more than 34 years coming up. How crazy am I, when I’m more worried that being hired could drastically change my racing schedule? Fortunately, my addiction to breathing methanol fumes isn’t strong enough to affect my common sense. A steady income is required to follow this sport at any level. The ever rising price of gasoline will ensure that the costs of racing and everything else will follow suit. The inevitable inflation will stifle the economy and make it even tougher for racing to prosper. Now, more than ever, rules need to be tightened and strictly enforced. Shows also need to be tightened up to a manageable 3 hours or less, while becoming more entertaining. Qualifying, whether it be group or single, should be the first to go. All it does is waste time while leading track surfaces to deteriorate. If you want to entertain your fans, you need to give them more racing for their dollar. And please don’t hesitate to do so with fewer divisions with fuller fields. Racers need to realize they need to entertain us. They are not, nor ever have been entitled to start up front. So many have forgotten that the racers and the fans need each other. Both groups need the track operators that need to make a profit to continue providing the events we crave. Yet none of these factions want to give an inch for the overall good. Fans are no longer able to afford an entire season of spectating. The meager number of track schedules released so far are optimistically dotted with high dollar specials. Fans will be forced to choose between 1 special a month or 4 regular shows. Early season special shows in the southeast and west coast have been dotted with $40 or similar admission prices. The DIRTcar group and their top divisions lead the way in that regard. Just like some race teams find themselves in early season, financial woes, many fans are in the same boat. Those familiar with my writing history know I’ve been preaching this for years. It’s frustrating that racing seems no closer to a solution, with the obstacles mounting exponentially. I can’t remember a track handing out a questionaire to fans as they enter in an attempt to figure what they want in a program. Awarding some simple prizes for doing so should elicit more responses. Same goes for the track web sites that go woefully neglected in many ways. Racing keeps making the same bad assumptions because “we’ve always done things that way”. The madness. There’s a better chance of changing Washington politics than there is of changing racing. Feel free to send your ideas my way. I’ll be happy to present any thought provoking ideas here.

    Recently I spoke of Bryan Clauson winning the Chili Bowl in the car that started the Swindell streak at that event. I had read and heard more than a few times that the winning car had such a history. Sources for that information were those I’ve trusted for a long time. Hence, I went with that info. Imagine my surprise upon receiving an email from the crew chief of that Dooling 63, Rusty Kunz, telling me it’s not so. He, too, has read and heard those details, and wondered how such false info had become accepted fact. The 2014 CB was the 8th appearance in the event by that car. It had previously been driven by Boston Reid, Jon Stanbrough, Brad Loyet, Danny Lasoski, Jerry Coons Jr. and Nick Knepper. The car was powered by a 4 year old engine, and had many lightweight parts and carbon fiber body panels added for this year’s event. Hiring Bryan Clauson to drive the steed combined with the changes to produce a winning effort. Those that have accepted and spread the false info, myself included, have done a disservice to a deserving team. My apologies if I attributed to that. Kunz even told me that some are calling for an asterisk to be put behind Clauson’s name like he was using some kind of PED like in other sports. Are you kidding me? Make no mistake about it, Bryan Clauson is offered the good rides he gets because he deserves it. He’s earned those rides with previous success. That’s a pretty nice, talented group of guys that preceded him in that ride. Clauson was the shoe that brought the car to victory lane. Any doubt of his ability should be dashed by his fine finishes in winged cars, most recently in AZ. This was just another example of the power of the written word, and how it can used or misused. Thank you, Rusty, for reading and responding. Quite frankly, it was a hoot hearing from you no matter the reason. You and the teams you’ve represented have provided many entertaining moments over the years for me. Thanks. As for anyone else that might take issue with me? Don’t hesitate to question me. I’d rather be accurate above all else.

    It’s hard not to notice the early season success of Rico Abreu. He swept the opening ASCS weekend at Cocopah, and followed it with a win in the Silver Cup final in Chico. To say he’s a rising star is a vast understatement. I watched him win a Gold Crown prelim at Granite City last October, and continue to be more impressed with the little, big man every day. If I’m lucky, his ability will peak during my first visit to the Trophy Cup at Tulare in October. It’s time I experienced all the hype that show has produced to this point. My only previous appearance at Tulare introduced me to Kyle Larson and his talent and family. It also featured an epic battle between Haud and King Kinser. Expectations will be through the roof by October. Reuniting with Nor-Cal friends will help ease any let down or disappointment.

    The eastern sprint car openers remain plagued by the incredible winter we’ve endured here in PA. More snow is expected in 2 days, probably adding to the problem. Williams Grove colleagues of mine jonesing for a race of any kind attended a late model show this past weekend at Smokey Mountain Raceway in TN. A family medical situation in DE was all that kept me from joining them for the 10 hour, one way drive. I believe USCS has an event scheduled there later in the year. It’s a racy joint that should present a fine sprint car show if that’s your preference. Did I mention it’s also a high speed joint if you feel the need for speed.?

    The first weekend in April has the POWERi midgets at the Lincoln and Wayne County Speedways in IL on Friday and Saturday. MOWA sprints and Badger midgets are also on the Lincoln card. You can cap the weekend at the Terre Haute Action Track with a USAC dirt champ show. Now that’s an open wheel weekend. If only we could get USAC or the track to let us in on a time schedule for that Sunday show. How can you announce a show without having a time schedule? That USAC has needed some real leadership for most of my adult life. I’m fairly sure that’s no longer possible in my lifetime. Had USAC done things the “right” way, we’d never have heard of the World of Outlaws. It was never a fair fight between them and Ted Johnson. Ted never allowed himself to be held back by the status quo USAC was so reluctant to relinquish.

    Weather could steer me to USCS at Hohenwald, TN on Saturday. Southern stockers further south would be preferred. Should you see a portly fellow behind the wheel of a red Camaro with PA plates, stop and say hello. Adios.

     


    Greetings from your breadman. Another dose of fresh snow overnight further erased the rear view mirror image of Florida warmth and sunshine. Computer woes that preceded my 4 day excursion continued for a couple more days after returning. Hopefully that is all remedied and this effort will get back to the regularity I envisioned. My chance meeting with the head hoser at East Bay has me believing I’ve settled in the right place. To the chagrin of some, I hope we have a mutually beneficial arrangement. That should get my former editor, Dave Kittey, to laugh  out loud. He, alone, knows what lies ahead for Mr. Holland. Should you happen to attend an event at the scheduled to re-open Dog Hollow Speedway, ask Dave for some sample stories. He loves telling and embellishing them. Even more so if I’m present. I hope the new team there succeeds in making Jim Michny’s dream reach fruition.

     

         I almost didn’t make it to Florida. Overnight snow arrived to coincide with my drive to the airport. I was proceeding steadily toward Philly on an unplowed and unsalted highway when the guy in front of me decided our pace was too slow. As he tried to pass the car in front of him, he lost control and fishtailed across in front of me. My turning to avoid him caused me to swerve like a rookie street stocker, eventually ending on top of a snow banked formed by a month of plowing. None of my 4 wheels touched the ground as I straddled the accumulated crest.  Fortunately, a PENNDOT truck stopped 45 minutes later to attach some chains and yanked me out in time to make my flight. Many thanks to that unnamed driver that saved my bacon. No thanks to all those that blew their horns or hollered derogatory remarks as they drove by. No thanks to the jerk that started it all that continued on his way oblivious to the situation he created. Humanity at it’s finest.

     

         I know this is an open wheel site, but I don’t live by that type of racing alone. Allow me to fit in a few stock car details, if you will. My first race of the trip was the Battle on the Beach on the backstretch at Daytona. I missed this show last year, and with this being the last time they would be presenting it, the track chaser in me made this a priority. In spite of the abundance of room behind the grandstand, all parking was done on the apron of turns 1 & 2 of the big track after circling around to the front and entering through a construction maze. After asking an attendant if I could park any closer, he tersely told me I should’ve arrived earlier. Two minutes later he offered to move me closer for a tip. He denied my offer of the tip of my shoe. The racing itself had more yellow than a bin full of lemons, yet was still an improvement over last year’s televised debacle. The premise for the event was a good one. The site chosen to present it was not. NASCAR’s trying to keep the show moving by holding off throwing the yellow flag and placing drivers in jeopardy was an unacceptable travesty by a sanctioning body that continues to lose touch with the reality of the racing they present.

     

         Night 2 was spent at the Volusia County Speedway for a UMP late model/DIRTcar modified doubleheader. The racing was the best I saw all week, with the 2, A-mains having only 1, early caution. That did not erase the sickening in my stomach  caused by paying $39 for a general admission ticket. $39? Really? I don’t mind race tracks making money. Racing will go away if they don’t. But there’s a fine line between being successful and being greedy and taking advantage of the teams and fans that support you.  DIRTcar crossed that line big time. The other 3 shows I attended were all $25 admissions If such an admission policy is necessary to present such a show, that show should probably not be presented. Doing so did more harm than good in the eyes of many I talked to.

     

         Night 3 found us chasing USAC sprints to Bubba’s Raceway Park in Ocala. A 33 car, 1 division show was presented at the odd shaped 3/8 mile clay playground piled atop a paved base. That asphalt base allows for little to no drainage, making any amount of rain a deterrent to running a show. Track prep has always been a problem there. Underneath that asphalt is the original, oiled dirt surface that is environmentally unfriendly. It’s a tough deal. Ol’ Bubba had even had a tarp created to try and shield the surface from Mother Nature.. It’s a work in progress. While I give Mr. Clem credit for spending lots of cash to try and remedy the problem, I can’t abide by his constant rants when things don’t go his way.  He just seems to go out of his way to burn every bridge he crosses, while assuming none of the blame for lighting the match. He’s lucky that racers will follow the money like moths do a flame. That won’t last forever. I hope he figures things out before the track goes under again. It’s an exciting place that deserves a better fate. I was in the bottom row behind the flagstand for the first hot lap session. Eight laps later I was covered head to toe with sandy clay that took an hour to get out of my hair. The grin on my face made it all worthwhile, as I realized I was doing something so special to me. Watching sprinters on a damn fine dirt track. For a brief moment, winter was gone. Racing season had truly begun.

     

         A special note at Bubba’s was Dave Darland making his 1000th USAC feature combining sprints, midgets and champ cars. It was a reminder how lucky we as fans have been to have had such a talented, class act to entertain us over the years. They made a presentation to Dave during the show. Photographer, Max Dolder, tried to encourage the crowd to cheer  a driver that deserves our support. Thank you, Dave, for the many entertaining moments over the years.

     

         Another story in the pits was Texas driver, Nathan Moore. At the age of 31, Nathan has quit his job to pursue his dream of running the entire 2014 USAC sprint schedule. He’s doing so on a shoestring budget with the help of his dad while towing his steed on an open trailer. The idea is as whacked as it is applaud able. I happily bought 1 of his t-shirts knowing the money would go directly toward purchasing a new, right front wheel broken in a shunt on the track. It’s easy to buy a star’s shirt. Do Nathan a favor and support him any way you can as he chases his dream. Hopefully, my neighbor and I can help him cut expenses if he makes it to the Eastern Storm. It will be worth it trying to help someone who will truly appreciate it.

     

         Night 4 we intended to return to Bubba’s, but afternoon rain forced an early cancellation. I guess the tarp needs some tweaking. East Bay dodged a front that disbanded as it passed over the  clay by the bay, and 51 , winged, 360 sprints presented night 2 of the Ronald Laney Memorial. Alas, the threat of rain left the track in the rubber down condition from the previous evening. Haud was the last to leave the top (go figure) in the A before joining the rest on the bottom. It’s a shame ERP couldn’t be prepared to suit the quality, diverse field on hand. I’m sure the sparse crowd on hand was happy just to see a race, my bunch included.  Wayne Johnson won the event fairly easily, but even he couldn’t lap another car after the track rubbered down. I hope Wayne doesn’t regret his decision to run the All Stars in 2014, as stories persist that the 2013 point fund has yet to be paid. It’s no wonder the 2014 schedule has yet to be released if that’s the case. Ah for the good old days when down time at an All Star race could be spent at the souvenir trailer conversing with Bridgette Emick. Further diluting the All Star deal was Christopher Bell leaving the Holbrook 83 after 3 races to rejoin his 360 team at the ASCS races in Arizona. What looked like a bright, resurgent 2014 with the All Stars is dimming by the minute.

     

         Before heading to East Bay, my bunch stopped “down on the farm” for some grub. A patron noticed our racing shirts and walked over to chat, wondering where that Hagerstown Speedway  that adorned my buddy Bruce’s apparel was. That led to our learning that this gent was from Rock Rapids, IA, and talk of tracks I’ve attended in that area. He explained that he used to race up until an accident at the end of the 1989 season ended his driving career. The resultant broken back kept him from defending his 1989, Huset’s Speedway, 360 sprint title. His name? Bill Klosterebuer. What are the chances of such an encounter? How lucky was I to have it? By the end of our chat his wife had joined us. We directed them to the scheduled race that night at Volusia which was the closest race to where they were staying.  That race was cancelled as we drove to East Bay. I hope Bill’s group learned that before venturing over. It was a pleasure meeting them. It’s the moments like that that enhance these racing experiences.

     

         Before heading to Florida, I attended the Battle of Trenton in the Sun Bank Center in Trenton, NJ. This was an AARN/Lenny Sammons promotion of indoor TQ and slingshot racing on the floor of a hockey rink. Make no mistake, this is not stellar racing, being more akin to a demo derby with fancier cars. Remember that more yellow than a bin of lemons statement earlier? It’s more of a social event to break up the winter. However, you’d think they’d be better at presenting these shows after 12 years. Fans were left standing outside in the cold 15 minutes after the stated door opening time. Employees were in position to take tickets that kept pointing to their watches while being inexplicably unable to do their job. The speakers at the turns 3 & 4 end of the arena were inoperable. I made an official aware of the problem to no avail. One of the trackside announcers came down to our end to ask a question. He got no response because we couldn’t hear what he was saying, and then made a disparaging gesture and walked away in disgust. Real classy.  Worst of all was the lack of attention initially given to a slingshot driver hurt in an accident. It had to be 10 minutes until proper emergency responders were able to access the driver for extrication. They spent that entire time trying to realign the field. With the cars continuing to circle the track, there was no way to cross and give aid. Why was no one available in the infield? That this situation was allowed in the state of NJ where racing is scrutinized more than any state is unbelievable. Any thought of returning for night 2 was dashed by this lackluster show and the thought of paying another $24 admission and $10 parking fee.

     

         I end this effort by thanking Bruce and Pat Eckel for their hospitality in Florida. The Gater Racing News bloggers offered me accommodations in their time share  condo while transporting me to and from the races. Check out their “A Typical Weekend” column at the Gater News web site. I’m lucky to have such good friends. Until next time I’ll be wondering if the area openers will happen before Easter. Adios.

     

     

    Left over chili and other stuff.

    I have a bit of time before the Super Bowl starts, and thought it to be as good a time as any to catch up after a hectic couple of weeks. It’s hard to believe it’s been 5 years since I went to Tampa, FL to see my beloved Arizona Cardinals lose a heartbreaking game to the Steelers in the Super Bowl. That day remains my favorite sporting event experience as a spectator ever. In spite of my team’s loss, that weekend was a tremendous experience where my emotions were on a roller coaster ride of extremes. I have rarely felt so alive. What has that got to do with racing, you ask? I drew many comparisons on Chili Bowl weekend. I’ve been to a handful of CB’s, but none since it has grown to it’s current stature. It has become an event unlike any other in the racing world. There’s no other place where you can see so many talented drivers from many other divisions assembled in a common class to test each other’s skills. That common thread also assembles as varied a group of race fans from all around the world as you will find. Unite those 2 factions in 1 building under 1 roof, and you have the makings of an unparalleled event. The bonds formed during that week are worth the price of admission no matter how extreme they’ve become. Make no mistake about it. Attending the CB for a week has become an expensive proposition. I wish I could say the purse has kept pace, but it remains a paltry sum when factored in with the monetary success of the event. I digress. When MavTV decided to broadcast the CB live, I thought it a great opportunity to have a bunch of folks over to watch. Very few of my friends have access to the channel, and my doing so led to an event now known as Gordypalooza. Five invitees were kept away due to an overnight ice storm that closed some mountain roads. 33 others, including 1 coming from almost 5 hours away made the trip. What transpired is what I have likened to an indoor Williams Grove infield gathering. There was good food, racing and fellowship. And yes, there was chili. (Thank you, Johnny Hoppel.) We even had a cake baked in the shape of the local Dravicki midget with icing graphics (Thank you, Gail Sassaman.) that looked worse for wear than any car that crashed at the event after it was hacked apart and devoured. Only the roll cage and nerf bars were inedible. Even my 2 cats were drawn into the moment, and were unusually sociable from the get go. Animals can sense favorable environments, and this was definitely one of those. Fans from many classes of cars attended. That made the bench racing as good as what was presented on the screen. And that was some pretty good stuff. Fact is, reports from the entire week could make an argument for the best CB ever. I read my friend, Ken Wagner’s column on his CB experience here on Hoseheads. It’s full of stories of family and friends and what makes the CB more than just a race. Those things are much more important than what transpired on the track. My reason for telling you this is that I wish all the things that tend to divide the racing community can be put behind us. They seem so trivial in comparison. Here’s hoping we can all get out and enjoy the 2014 season in a manner that leads to some great memories such as the CB tends to provide.

    If you are looking for a definitive rehashing of the CB, I suggest you go to www.sprintcarstats and read Kevin Eckert’s blog that goes into incredible detail about the results of many teams on hand. The guys in the H, I and J races deserve coverage, and this is the only place where you can read any detail of same. Hats off to my buddy for being able to amass such a large body of work and being able to present it for our spectacular, spectating pleasue. You may not agree with Kev’s views and opinions, but he is the most extensive historian we have.

    You may have seen that the flagman at the Ft. Wayne Rumble was struck on his infield perch. With that in mind, I wonder why the CB flagger is still allowed to work from the track surface without any type of protection. Sammy Swindell’s inadvertent passage through the infield should be proof enough of the folly of doing so. I realize there is no way to totally protect anyone involved with a racing event. However, I hope the CB organizers will consider other options before next year’s event. It makes too much sense not to. In this day and age, there’s no good reason to expose a flagger to unnecessary danger.

    Much has been made about the Swindell incident. Even more has been made about his racing with the leaders afterwards. Losing a lap for any reason doesn’t remove the right of any participant to continue to try and improve his position. That would go against the grain of a very basic racing principle. The object of racing is to better your position from green to checker. I would remove the move over flag from every flag stand. It’s every racer’s job to pass every other driver in your way. No one should be entitled to the kind of advantage a move over flag provides whether the next driver is on the same lap or not. Drivers and fans need to stop crying about it. It should always be an integral part of racing.

    I didn’t know that Bryan Clauson’s winning car was the first, custom built car Sammy used to win the CB until after the event. No disrespect meant to Bryan, but as far as I’m concerned the Swindell streak continues. It’s often been said that a large number of CB entrants could win in 1 of those cars. I know that Clauson is more than talented enough to accomplish that. Still, his win will help perpetuate that belief in the eyes of many. I have so badly wanted to see the CB won by an actual midget racing team like it used to be. I just wish it hadn’t taken an if you can’t beat them, join them strategy to do so. It will happen sooner or later.

    Time to watch the game. I humbly predict a 23-16 Seattle win. Take it for what it’s worth. Adios.

     

     

    Holidaze.

    The past few weeks have been hectic, to say the least. The stretch between New Year’s Eve and this past Sunday was as busy as any time during race season. Family and friends dominated my time. No complaints, as I’m lucky to have them. My first warning of busy times arrived via face book that Kevin Eckert would come knocking on Dec. 31. His doing so led to near constant reminiscing about racing and shared travels traversing the past 40+ years with the man that retains more knowledge of that period than anyone I know. The names dropped during his visit ran the gamut from most famous to the most obscure. Allow me to dwell on the happenings.

    Kevin arrived on the 31st with an invite to the Mega Motor Sports party hosted by it’s head, Milt Acquilini. Grandview Speedway jack of all trades, Mark Garman, arrived minutes prior, and joined us for a mini Hell Patrol reunion. The commentary while watching Lynn Schaeffer’s Thunder in the PA Mountains DVD was biting with a level of sarcasm that no other group could achieve. What a great time.

    The aforementioned Milt, has worked on and owned race cars for 40 years. He started by helping Dick Tobias and his family for many a moon. His being hired to wrench an AJ Ernesto midget led to his buying a dirt champ car driven by Jack Hewitt and Mike Hess, et al. He sold that car to a team from Kentucky that he still goes on the road to support. He’s also reunited with Rich Tobias as the head tech guy at the Action Track at Kutztown. In his spare time he assists Dave Darland as his schedule permits. The stories he tells are long and entertaining, but none are as good as the one he tells when as a Shillington Police officer he delivered a baby in his squad car. Choosing gears, shocks, stagger and air pressure has got to be a lot easier than that.

    Christmas day led to a family gathering where I presented a Brady Bacon t-shirt to a friend. That normally wouldn’t be a big deal, except for the circumstances involved in it’s purchase at the Oval Nationals at the PAS. The shirt had a year end clearance price of $10, a bargain worthy of Baron Von Thrifty. I handed the girl what I thought was a ten, but was actually a hundred. The woman seller ran after me after discovering the mistake to give me my change. She didn’t have to. Many wouldn’t have. Her honesty made my day at a time my faith in humanity was waning. I learned her name later in the evening. Thank you, Xia Xianna Bacon, for your honesty and good deed. I hope this gets back to you, as it was most appreciated.

    Two days after Christmas, I took my mom to Frederica, DE to visit her sister. Such visits lead to discussions of the past. When the subject of racing comes up, my uncle likes to wax nostalgic about the many nights he spent at the defunct Sanatoga Speedway. Stock cars and midgets circled the near flat , quarter mile of asphalt encircled by a wooden fence that was very close to the seats. My uncles says they used to “rattle those boards”. I never tire of hearing him tell me with a big grin on his face. I just wish someone could tell me for sure that I saw a race there. My inability to remember keeps that shuttered speedway off my track list. Anybody see me?

    New Year’s Day was spent at the home of Becky and Woody Lando, after an invite was extended to join them for pork and sauerkraut. I was drawn like a moth to a flame. As usual, the topic du jour was racing during breaks in the football action. Subjects chosen were enhanced by the presence of former Reading Fairgrounds official, George Martin. Rehashed most often were the antics of Dick Tobias as he tried to circumvent the weight and height rules at Reading. Kudos to the Lando’s young son, Adam, who went out of his way to keep my Diet Mountain Dews cold and available. I hope he enjoys seeing his name here as much as he enjoys rides in my Camaro. Good friends. Good food. Good stories. Good times.

    Eckert now works for the Arizona Museum of Auto Racing. He lives for his stats and the preserving of racing’s past. We share a love of racing museums, and their importance to racing’s future. I have a brick in the NSCHoF and have donated to other smaller venues upon visitation. Trying to keep Kev’ entertained, I suggested a visit to the Eastern Auto Racing History Society digs in Orefield, PA. A late call to proprietor, Paul Weisel, led to a private walk through the following day. Most of the displays refer to the local racing scene. Allentown, Dorney Park, Nazereth, Reading, Harmony and Evergreen Speedways are represented by photos, programs, restored cars and lots of other memorabilia. There’s also a Jim Shirey super modified, Stewart midget and former Steve Stapp. Edmonds Midwest super from out of the area among many other cars on display. Really cool were a pair of seats recovered from the Allentown Fairgrounds that you can sit in for a photo op if you so desire. I declined an invite to do so, fearing my girth might wreck a piece of history. What made this visit better than previous ones was being able to follow two, serious historians around the exhibits while amazing, historical info spewed forth. I felt like a bystander in an EF Hutton commercial. Some will tell you it’s rare that I just shut up and listen. This was one of those times. I urge you to visit and support the auto racing museums across the land. Please hit the donation jar on the way out, or donate what you can via their web sites. Allowing such places to disappear would be very sad indeed.

    Before he left for the Chili Bowl, Kev’ and I attended the AARN Motor Sports show in Oaks, PA. I hadn’t been to this show since it was located in Ft. Washington, PA. Little has changed but the locale. It used to be a place to gather season schedules from the local tracks, but their participation seemed to be at an all time low. Many beautiful race cars were on display, but seeing tham stationary does little for me. Other than the memorabilia sellers in the back, most of the vendors are geared toward the racers themselves. Racing “celebrities” appear throughout the weekend for interviews and autographs. That’s never interested me. What brought me back was the chance to converse with local folk my traveling rarely allows. I fear such shows will follow the racing periodicals and run a descending course to oblivion. The internet makes much of the show’s offerings unnecessary. There’s been talk that the Reading Racing Reunion at the Fairgrounds Fair Mall on the site of the former Reading Fairgrounds has probably run it’s course. The economy hasn’t been kind to the mall with many vacancies in the property. No customers means no traffic for those that wish to display their wares during the show. I’ll probably still go to the York Fairgrounds show, but only in the hope of running into French Grimes to discuss future column material. If you enjoy these shows you better get out and support them. It’ll be too late when they’re gone.

    I spoke last time of what I believe is the importance of 305’s to the survival of sprint car racing. The day before the AARN show I learned that the TSRS group was tossed from the New Egypt Speedway schedule for asking for a purse increase. NES will continue to have 305’s on their schedule under the “guidance” of the NERS that will adhere strictly to the Race Saver rules established by French Grimes for the original purse offered. Just what we needed. Yet another example of how those involved in racing are incapable of compromise for the good of the sport. I have no doubt that many racers will support both groups, making those that decide to pick sides look foolish. Midget racing in this area has a similar history. Dissention in ARDC begot SMRC which begot ESMRA. Bobby Cicconi made a nice accounting for himself by pilfering all three. The fields of cars in all three sanctions were woefully inept, made so by the stubborn few in charge that stood by their guns for political reasons fathomable only to them. It took ARDC many a year to climb out of the hole that was dug by a selfish few. I have a suggestion for TSRS and NERS. Get together and hash this out before the season starts. It makes too much sense not to.

    The Chili Bowl has begun as I write this. I hope you get to enjoy it in person, on the net or on MavTV. Looks like 30+ will join me in my humble abode for the MavTV deal. It’s probably a good thing my neighbor is in Florida for the winter. I need her driveway for parking anyway. Here’s hoping an actual midget driver on an actual midget race team wins the thing. I probably have a better chance to win the lottery. Adios.

     

     

     

     

    This and That

    First and foremost, thanks to all that welcomed me back to this writing deal. The kind words were appreciated more than you know. Don’t worry about me getting a big head. A couple already pointed out mistakes, with one suggesting some needed proofreading. In my defense, I can only say when I wrote elsewhere I was always up against deadline and had someone do so after it was sent. I was quite spoiled, mind you. I will try to do better. I also stated the Madras Speedway was 2 hours west of Portland, OR. If that were true, the track would be in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. That would probably make the cushion more difficult at high tide, while guaranteeing there would be no dust problem. The track is actually 2 hours EAST of Portland in Oregon’s arid center. Madras is so obscure that no one caught that gaffe. It’s obscurity called out to me for years. Knocking that track off of my hit list was as satisfying as the event was enjoyable.

    It was announced that James McFadden will be the shoe of the Gaerte 3G in 2014. I’m looking forward to see how that pairing works out. When I was in Australia 2 years ago, McFadden was the reigning WSS champ and on his way to a repeat. I got to see him race 4 times, and each time his on track action had the hair on my neck at attention. He was also a very personable guy willing to interact with fans of all ages. The WSS often took the opportunity to interview he and Brooke Tatnell in front of fans before, during or after races. The good natured bantering between the 2 was fun for listeners while remaining playfully respectful. McFadden would tease “the old man” by telling him how his beating him that evening was a given. Tatnell would remind the young stud that he taught him many things, but not everything. The battles were epic. It was a welcome part of the show put on by a WSS group that has always been better at promoting than their American counterparts no matter who has been running their shows. I digress. Upon returning to the States, I often told anyone that would listen that some American car owner needed to steal this Aussie talent away. Last year he got to run bunch of races in the Jenkins 55, a good but financially limited ride compared to some. The first couple nights here in central PA didn’t garner the desired results. The PA Posseheads were not impressed and vociferously told me so. A night at Grandview changed everything. Greg Hodnett won that night, but not before a great battle between he, Mark Smith and McFadden. There was lapped traffic and incredible sliders with Smith trying to maintain a line against the cushion. The space between Smith’s car and the wall might have been 1 inch wider than a sprint car. That was enough for McFadden to put 4 wheels above that curb through 3 and 4 and sweep around Smith for the lead at that time. The crowd groaned “OH” all at once in disbelief of what they’d just seen. I’m sure Smith never saw him coming. Needless to say, he made many a Posse fan that night. It was by far the best racing move I saw all last year. While it’s almost certain I’ll see him at Knoxville, his presence just might draw me back to Ohio Speed Week.

    Speaking of Knoxville, they’ve announced that the Nationals A main will remain 50 laps in 2014. I wish it wasn’t so, as the extra 20 laps just rubber up the joint beyond the point of good racing. The Nationals are my favorite event, period. What drew me to it was the fact that the biggest sprint car race of the year was decided in 30 laps of fury. No stroking, pit stops, fuel mileage runs, lucky dogs or previsionals. You had to race and earn your way into that A, and then race the piss out of your car to earn the prize. The 30 laps always had the hares out front setting a torrid pace, yet there was always someone methodically moving through the field as the track came to them. It often made for a climax leaving the crowd wanting for more. Those finishes led to the building of the backstretch grandstand that would eventually be sold out as well. That hasn’t happened for a few years for economic and other reasons. Changes were made to the program in hopes of recapturing the magic and attendance. Progress is slow. Scrambles were a bad idea and unnecessary risk to good cars that have come and gone. Last year’s format was a step back in the right direction. Fifty laps just bring too many unwanted variables into the equation. Flat tires and fuel stops are not entertaining. On the other hand, 30 laps of flat out fury do it for me. Some traditions are worth preserving.

    Speaking again of Knoxville, there should be little doubt in anyone’s mind that Donny Schatz is the master of that domain. Many thought he could not still win the event last year after being relegated to the B main. I warned the doubters he probably had everyone just where he wanted them. Having 50 laps and a pit stop allowed him to pace himself and not abuse the car. I truly believe he could’ve won the race in 30 laps. There just wasn’t any reason to do so. He didn’t win the WoO tital in 2013, but he won the most races. Many of those were the highest paying to boot. In spite of his accomplishments, I feel he doesn’t get near the respect he should. Part of that, I feel, is that he’s never had a real rival, no disrespect meant to the drivers he races against. AJ had Parnelli, Dickson had Bettenhausen. Kinser had Steve and Sammy. None of Schatz’s peers have maintained a period of excellence that matches Donny’s during his. It would be a shame if history looked less fondly on Schatz because of that. He has earned enough notoriety and respect that it wouldn’t surprise me if a “Anyone but Schatz” banner flew above the Nationals. That would be a high honor, if you ask me. And while I’m at it, late model teams should be real glad he only views there class as a hobby. The race fan in me would love to see some top late model team enter him in one of their big races. Since the WoO sanction both classes, doing so seems like a natural promotion. Make an exchange deal offering a late model driver a ride in a big sprint race. Never mind. It’s much easier to blame everything else for the empty seats than it is to do some actual promoting.

    Last year found me attending more 360 sprint car races than ever before. ESS, Patriots, URC, SOS, CSCS, SOD, NRA and ASCS National and Northwest were sanctions that entertained me. The 360’s were a class started as an affordable alternative to the out of control spending being done in the 410’s. It didn’t take long for the 360 speed junkies to follow their 410 brother’s path. down the road to the point that short tracks can’t afford them. They are so blinded by their addiction that they just expect fans to continue to pay ever increasing admission costs and track operators to just forego profitability and increase their purses. Blindly doing what the racers want is akin to letting the tail wag the dog. It doesn’t make sense or work that way. If short track racing is going to survive the downward spiral it’s in, racers are going to have to reign in their uncontrollable spending. Nothing bugs me more than listening to an owner or driver complaining about the costs of racing while standing outside his million dollar hauler. Many of these participants don’t even take advantage of the hauler’s ability to satisfy a sponsor that just might help fill that spending gap. All that square footage that could be used to advance their team, yet many of these haulers are plain white. Too much trouble to help themselves. The madness. This brings me to the emergence of the 305 class. Once again, rules are set in place to limit the spending while trying to save the racer from himself. Sounds like déjà vu all over again. French Grimes was one of the first to come up with a decent set of rules with his RACESAVER series. He established pockets of same around the country with an idea that was solid if the rules were enforced. With success, moderate as it was, comes those that always think their ideas are better. 305’s can now be found coast to coast. I wish I could tell you the rules were identical. Similar, yes. Identical, sadly no. I expect the class to grow for a while. The 410 and 360 guys’ continued resistance to common sense will see to that. Will the 305’s find a gps that steers them down a better path? History dictates otherwise. The new way to overspend these days is with shocks. Some teams have more invested in their shock packages then the owners from 40 years ago had in their whole car. Add in the engines, tires and fuel to the cost of transporting and you have budget madness that has little shot to add up. Please, 305 owners. Band together for the better of the sport. Tou might be the last, best chance to save sprint car racing from itself.

    Speaking of the 305”s, I saw them provide excellent shows at 2 far flung venues. The first was a show combined with the ARDC midgets at Grandview Speedway. They tried an experiment where all the 305 participants were paid $150 no matter where they finished. Not being able to garner extra cash for passing did not detract from the racing whatsoever. The action was great. Some might look down their noses at the 305’s, but the reality is with the blight of racing surfaces that aren’t dry slick, you don’t need all that power to provide competitive racing. It’s a shame there was such a paltry crowd watching what might become a Sunday night staple in 2014. We had good racing at a reasonable price. I hope you join me in supporting them.

    Nearly 1500 miles away I caught a URSS show in LaCrosse, KS at the Rush County Fairgrounds. A nice field of 26 cars using a passing point system put on an entertaining show until a severe thunderstorm claimed the last 13 laps of the A main. There was easily enough passing for even the most snobbish sprint car fan. This was my second time watching this group race, and both times I came away with a wry grin on my face. The cold, hard fact is that the URSS saved sprint car racing in the western plains states. With the travel distances between tracks being so great, they had to come up with truly economical rules to compensate for transporting expenses exceeded only by the WoO, USAC and ASCS. If they can do it, there’s still hope for the rest of the country. If only they listen.

    I’ll wrap this up by wishing everyone a happy holiday season. This is that aggravating time of the year schedules and info are slow in coming. Hopefully, our patience will be rewarded. Adios.

     


     

    Welcome to the return of Directory Assistance. My name is Gordy Killian. I’m what is known as a track chaser, a person that tries to see racing at as many different tracks as possible. My current track total stands at 1366 tracks. Those tracks lie in five Australian states, New Zealand, England, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, six Canadian provinces and all 50 states. My first race came at the age of 5 at the Reading Fairgrounds. Flathead and modified coupes were the early fare, with moves to many other classes to follow. I would read about other parts of the racing world in NSSN, AARN and Illustrated Speedway News while dreaming about visiting these far flung joints. My Dad made infrequent forays into central PA to see the bugs at Williams Grove, but the bargain that was Reading  kept him home with occasional visits to closer modified tracks such as Nazereth, Hatfield, Allentown and Flemington. Acquiring a driver’s license and a car changed everything, and I’ve been on the road ever since. Reading started running modified/sprint car doubleheaders in the early 70’s, and a driver named Steve Smith in his Black Bandit number 19 blew me away by running laps like I’d ever seen at Reading. I sprint car fan sitting near me told me “If you thing that was good, you should see him run Lincoln”. I took his advice the following Saturday, and have been a sprint car fan ever since.  My love of open wheel racing has expanded ever since, leading me to the majority of famed tracks and events for same around the globe. My first purchase of a National Speedway Directory at Rolling Wheels Raceway in 1975 opened my eyes to how much racing there really was out there. Thank you, Allan Brown and Nanette Ferguson. My racing horizons expanded significantly outwards ever since. A buddy of mind attended a photography school from which I “borrowed” what he learned. I bought equipment and started shooting races in the 80’s. That led to my submitting photos to Speedway Scene. A couple years of that led to my writing an opinion column called Directory Assistance. The object of that was to share my journeys while trying to assist others that wanted to follow an NSD path. On many an occasion I would interject some very strong opinions about just about any subject in the racing world. Bashful I’ve never been. Differences with my editor led to my ending the deal. A bit later a mutual friend told me that the editor of RPM Racing News, Dave Kittey, would like me to restart my column in his paper. We had a wonderful relationship that lasted until AARN bought his subscription list. Some of the RPM writers were retained. I was not for reasons I was never given. It was their choice, and I respect it. Now Mr. Holland put out feelers for new writers here on Hoseheads, and he has accepted my request.  As much as the loss of the majority of racing papers saddens me, it’s time I tried the forum that’s replaced them. I hope you enjoy my efforts. Feedback is always welcome even if we disagree. Bob Jones of Williams Grove and Todd Fisher of Susquehanna have woken me in my sleep to chew me out for things I wrote. It’s been a fun ride, for sure.

     

         The year 2013 started badly for me when my wife, Susan, passed away. Hitting the road made for good therapy. Re-uniting with and making new friends are what make track chasing the hobby I love more than any other. I have been blessed by getting to meet so many great people around the globe. One of those was Jon Evans, the Australian racing journalist that recently passed away.  Tom Schmeh of the NSCHoF introduced me to Jon in 1997, and he went out of his way to help with my first trip down under later that year. While there Jon introduced me to many an Aussie character that I’ll never forget. That trip remains the single , most enjoyable trip I’ve ever taken. It 26 days of heaven and adventure. We crossed paths infrequently since then, but I’m grateful for the those opportunities. RIP my Aussie brother.

     

           This year contained a number of highlights. An early one occurred over Memorial Day weekend when Dick Rauser and I headed to a multi-sanctioned 360 show in Waynesfield, OH. A stout field of cars gave us a great show on a cold night at a rough track that made consistent lines impossible. It wasn’t the most efficient show I’ve ever seen as too many classes made for a long night. Our patience was rewarded by a feature where there was too much action to watch. It was a great start to a great weekend.

     

         The following day we drove to the 141 Speedway in Francis Creek, WI for an IRA show on an egg shaped quarter covered with decent clay. This was my second IRA show of the year, as I was fortunate to see Bill Balog beat Mike Kertscher by 0.007 of a second 2 weeks prior. What an awesome little race track. The odd shape makes hitting the right setup difficult and makes for varied lines and great action. Helping matters is having a very underrated IRA group putting on the kind of quality show I’ve come to expect from them. Balog is the class of the group, but the cast of characters chasing him is getting better. “Rookie”, Jeremy Schulz, looks to have a bright future. Enhancing our experience was an outstanding concession stand that sells fabulous burgers and ribeye sandwiches to die for. Add cheese curds to make a true culinary delight.

     

         We spent Memorial Day at a WoO show at Lawrenceburg Speedway. It was my first visit there since casino money was used to renovate the old girl. What we saw, and I use that term loosely, was one laned and follow the leader in a thick shroud of dust. That’s something that should never happen with a field of cars so talented. When they moved all that dirt, they tore the very sole out of what used to be one of the finest dirt tracks I’ve ever been to. My first visit found me walking the pits and watching some teenager rolling in the mud making adjustments under his mount. He fared poorly against the All Star Circuit of Champions that night , but has had a pretty good career since. His name? Jeff Gordon. A rain storm hit just before another arrival. My photographer friend, Kevin Wertz, stood between turns 3 & 4 in mud up to his knees to get some great, wingless shots.  It was foolish, for sure. But we saw that river bottom clay at it’s finest that night. Back then a track didn’t have to be dry slick to make it racy. That’s rarely the case these days. What was the original high groove is now the low groove in the current configuration. Moving higher cost drivers positions. Sometimes “progress” is very detrimental. I hope it’s not always that way.

     

         The beginning of July had me headed to the Pacific Northwest for some ASCS action. First up was a Northwest Speedweek show at the Coos Bay Speedway  in Oregon where my first contact was with Kevin Eckert in the parking lot. We sat together the rest of the night, catching up during breaks at one of the narrowest dirt tracks I’ve seen. The 4 abreast parade lap was in jeopardy, but pulled off. Sitting on the other side of me in my top row perch was the track promoter running his show from there with a walkie-talkie. A drag strip lies between the grandstand and the dirt track. Two fans decide that strip would make a fine viewing area, and plopped down in 2 lawn chairs on the wrong side of the wheel fence. I’m not sure if anyone would’ve noticed had I not pointed it out. I would not have wanted to explain it to the insurance company had something bad happened. Travis Rilat joined us at intermission. Regretfully I could not provide him with the concession recommendation he asked for. He ended up with a 4th place finish. Cam Smith went on to a first ever sprint car win that night. Watching a driver accomplish such a thing never gets old.

     

         A week later I attended an ASCS National Tour race at Billing Motorsports Park. As I stood behind my Washington rental I heard a guy say “He’s from Washington. Let’s give it to him.” Two gents approached offering a free pass to the show. A friend of theirs was sponsoring the event, and they gave their last pass to me. It led to my sitting with 6 new friends for the night. We ended up being the last fans out of the grandstand. The racing was pretty good, but the bench racing was outstanding. It was ironic that Jason Johnson won the main. Earlier I had met his wife, Bobbi, and newborn son, Jaxx. The win led to Jaxx’s first appearance in victory lane. I also ran into my buddy, Scotty Cook, who has held many positions in the racing world over the years. The look on his face when he saw me was priceless. I will always cherish those chance encounters.

     

         The following night the same show moved to the Great Falls Speedway, a track with one of the worst parking lots I’ve encountered. The track sights above the city, and the grandstand gives you a great view of the town below. This show turned into my race of the year. Four different drivers led at least twice during the last two laps, with Tony Bruce Jr. tearing the win from the grasp of the other three on the last corner. Two of those drivers came from row 10. For those four drivers to put on that kind of a show on one of the darkest tracks I’ve ever been to is even more remarkable. Montana may epitomize the term, rural, but hospitality should be what it’s known for. The only downer was driving on a road where they were applying stone that put multiple nicks in my rental’s windshield.  The replacement cost was painful, but still less than the cost of rental insurance.

     

         I ended that trip at the Madras Speedway, 2 miles west of Portland, OR in the middle of nowhere. There lies a quarter mile dirt track that features sprint cars among their 4 divisions. They get between 8 & 10 weekly, but here’s the deal. They alternate weekly between winged and wingless. I don’t know anywhere else that does that. And no one complains about it, or gets uppity about which way is better. I’ve often giggled when winged fans argue with their wingless counterparts. The fact is that both are capable of providing greatness while being equally capable of complete stinkers. Most tracks have a penchant for one or the other. Few provide an equal playing field for both. The search for the latter keeps me on the road. Feel free to join me in my quest. I look forward to it. Adios.  

     

       Contact Gordy at rpmgordy@aol.com

     


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