Racin' & Internet Stuff:

                                      By Tom Avenengo

                                         Volume # 86

                                            12/22/2011

 

 

First:

I’d like to take this time to wish all of my readers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

 

Second:

If you recall, last week, towards the end of my column I had this, about some problems at home:

A few more problems on the home front.  It seems that for the second time in a couple of weeks, the little lady isn’t quite feeling up to snuff.  I’m, in a way, cutting this weeks column a little short because we’re hoping to get her to see a doctor on Wednesday morning to see what is what.

 

Note:  The doctor thinks it is just some kind of intestinal virus.  He’ll know more when he gets more results back from the blood work.  We have an appointment for noon this coming Friday so she can get a CAT scan on her neck, above the thyroid gland.”

 

The results of the blood work were great.  That viral “bug” seems to finally be going away.  The CAT scan shows the problem to be a cyst, and no cancer.  An appointment for January 4th to another doctor on that deal and what will be done is scheduled.

 

As for me – the results of my going to see the Vascular and Endovascular Surgeon yesterday, Wednesday, are:  He sees no problem with the up-coming procedure of having the stent put into my aorta, inside the aneurysm.  It actually is in two parts so it can go from the aorta then branch into the arteries that lead to the lower extremities.  Date for it is February 9, 2012, and it’s about a two-hour procedure.  I should be able to return home the next day.

I’ll have a CAT Scan done this coming Tuesday so a more up to date measurement of the aneurysm can be made.

 

 

Third:

Johnny Heydenreich news:

Anyone who would like to send John Heydenreich a get-well card or note is encouraged to do so and may address it to him at 137 Proprietors Crossing, New Canaan, Conn. 06840. He is staying with his girlfriend there while he recuperates. For those who don't know, John was injured in an auto accident in the early-mornin...g hours of Monday, Dec. 5 near Greenville, N.C., while he was coming back from PRI and headed to IMIS. His injuries include a broken right arm (now plated); a bunch of cracked ribs on his right side; a shattered ankle; a broken fibula in his right leg (now plated) and about 80 stitches in his forehead that were needed because he went through the windshield of his mom's van, which was totaled. We think the crash occurred because he fell asleep at the wheel. He hit a moving semi (not a parked one according to some forums) while they were going over a bridge. Luckily the sides of the bridge kept him on the bridge, or he might not have made it. (He did not go over the bridge and into water, like some forums reported.) Anyway, he was unconscious when found, but he came to and was life-flighted to a hospital in Greenville, where he was listed as John Doe for awhile until they figured out who he was. He has since been discharged from that hospital and he's in Connecticut now. Today (Dec. 15) he had an operation in Conn. which went fine. After he recuperates some more he faces a 6-hour surgery sometime in January, which is also planned for a hospital in Conn. So please keep Hot Rod in your prayers. Thanks!

 

 

Fourth:

Sheriff Joe Arpaio:

I know you’ve heard of him, right?  Well, it seems that our government isn’t all that happy with what the Sheriff is doing, and they are really into busting his b*lls.  Guess what?  I’m with Representative Steve King on this one!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9UO8ogI1mc

Rep. Steve King Defends Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio

In part:

"Prominent Congressman Rep. Steve King (R-IA) is defending Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio against  Justice Department charges of committing “civil rights violations” against Latinos  in Maricopa County.

Thomas Perez, head of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division – and a former board member of Hispanic hate group CASA de Maryland, unexpectedly released the report on December 15. Some observers, including Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu, believe the sudden release of  results of the 3+ year investigation was timed to distract from the one-year anniversary of the murder of Border Agent Brian Terry, for which Eric Holder’s DOJ was directly culpable, through their disastrous ‘Operation Fast and Furious’. 57 Congressional Representatives and one senator have called for Holder’s resignation over the bloody debacle.

King rejected allegations that Arpaio has been engaged in racial  profiling and carrying out strong-handed patrols along the Arizona border aimed  at stopping illegal immigrants. “I’ve been to visit his operation,” King says in the video, adding: “There is not a profiling operation that I can see.”

King characterized the Justice Department allegations as “a political agenda that’s working against a man who stands up for the law.”

King said that the allegations from  department’s civil rights division were the latest attempt to destroy Arpaio by the “open  borders crowd” who oppose any and all attempts to secure the border and enforce immigration laws.  King singled out La Raza and MALDEF as being among those behind this war on the Sheriff.

“I defend Joe Arpaio,” King said. “I think he needs to continue with the  tent city. And I think the Department of Justice should not be using themselves  as a tool, a political tool, to push back against people that are working to  enforce the law.”

Thank you Rep. King, for standing with Sheriff Joe and the rule of law!”

Link:  http://standwitharizona.com/blog/2011/12/17/rep-steve-king-defends-arizona-sheriff-joe-arpaio/

 

Then, there’s this, also in favor of the Sheriff:

ICE agency report puts serious dent in Eric Holder’s DOJ case against sheriff Joe Arpaio

Report:

"On Thursday Eric Holder and the Department of Justice filed suit against Arizona’s Maricopa County Sheriff’s office run by the outspoken and flamboyant Joe Arpaio who’s made it a personal crusade to uphold U.S. immigrations laws when the feds won’t.

Eric Holder and the Obama Administration are applying the full weight of the federal government’s resources into trying to stop the new Arizona immigration law, but that’s only one of the multi-front attacks they’ve setup to make sure states are stripped of their ability to enforce U.S. immigration laws. Now the DOJ is suing the most active and largest sheriff’s office in Arizona (Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s office has 189 officers) by extending an investigation into alleged civil rights violations.

Back in March of 2009 the DOJ informed sheriff Arpaio that a probe was underway to investigate what the DOJ claimed were “alleged patterns or practices of discriminatory police practices and unconstitutional searches and seizures.” This is where things get sticky for Eric Holder and the Obama Administration.

Six months prior to this investigation the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE) had already conducted its own investigation of sheriff Arpaio’s office and not only gave it a clean bill of health, they actually gave a raving review. The report said things like “The OI and DRO supervisors consider the conduct and performance of the MCSO … officers to be professional and meeting the requirement of the MOA.” And that they considered the working relationship between the feds and the sheriff’s office to be “excellent” and that cases brought by the sheriff’s office to be “high quality.”

The DOJ then got caught with its pants down when more government documents were uncovered under the Freedom of Information Act that suggests politics may be at the root of the investigation. Sheriff Arpaio’s lawyers found a March 11, 09 e-mail, that was sent just after the Justice Department investigation was announced, from an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency employee to John P. Torres who was at the time the acting assistant secretary of ICE. The email said: “Did you see this?” attaching a news report on the investigation. “Yes,” Torres responded a few minutes later. “Interesting politics at play.”

Thursday’s DOJ lawsuit against sheriff Arpaio is for Arpaio’s allegedly failing to cooperate fully in the probe, despite the fact there has already been an ongoing probe for over a year and a half now and not a single charge has been levied against Arapio or his office by the DOJ for violating anyone’s civil rights.

With the new evidence found in the case by Arpaio’s lawyers including the Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s raving reviews, emails hinting at this being a politically motivated case and the fact a year and a half investigation has not found one civil rights violation, Eric Holder and the Obama Administration appear to be legally and politically in trouble again."

From:  http://daytontribune.com/ice-agency-report-puts-serious-dent-in-eric-holder’s-doj-case-against-sheriff-joe-arpaio/75961/

 

 

Fifth:

There’s been an investigation into the accident that took the life of Dan Wheldon – the one at the Las Vegas Speedway.

Las Vegas investigation:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=531vxkNbHOs

And:

http://www.rpm2night.com/threads/transcript-dan-wheldon-crash-investigation-news-conference.5482/#post-5782

 

 

Sixth:

2012 IndyCar schedule takes shape

 

Well, maybe.  As far as I knew, it was supposed to be finalized by now.

 

Here it is, as of 12/19/2011:

 

1) March 25: St. Petersburg, Fla. (street circuit)

2) April 1: Barber Motorsports Park (permanent road course)

3) April 15: Long Beach, Calif. (street circuit)

4) April 29: Sao Paulo, Brazil (street circuit)

5) May 27: Indianapolis Motor Speedway (oval)

6) June 3: Detroit (street circuit)

7) June 9: Texas Motor Speedway (oval)

8) June 23: Iowa Speedway (oval)

9) July 8: Toronto (street circuit)

10) July 22: Edmonton (street circuit)

11) Aug. 5: Mid-Ohio SportsCar Course (permanent road course)

12) Aug. 19: Qingdao, China (street circuit)

13) Aug. 26: Infineon Raceway (permanent road course)

14) Sept. 2: Baltimore (street circuit)

15) Sept. 15: Auto Club Speedway (oval)

 

Note:  From what I've been reading, there has to be at least 16 races for the IZOD sponsorship to continue.  As you can see, there are only 15 shown.  Of those 15, I (and a lot of others) can't see Baltimore happening again, so now it would be down to 14.  And if you look, you'll see only Indianapolis, Texas, Iowa and Auto Club Speedway (California) as the only ovals.  And EIGHT street circuits?  Look close, folks, not one race scheduled for here in the Northeast area – not even at Watkins Glen!   There are quite a few disgruntled Indycar fans - that's for sure, and as much as I've gotten away from Indycar racing, I'm one of them too, what with the Series going more and more away from oval tracks.  And why in the hell do they have to go to friggin China, anyway?  Doesn’t China get enough of our money as it is?  Geez!  Check out some of the comments on the two links I'm supplying, below.  On the first one, scroll down to under the article.

 

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20111219/IRL/111219905

 

http://www.trackforum.com/forums/showthread.php?158704-2012-Schedule

 

 

 

Seventh:

Keeping with the Indycar stuff – here’s a PR I received from Anne Fornoro concerning the A.J. Foyt race team:

AJ Foyt Racing Hires Mike Conway To Drive No. 14 ABC Supply Indy Car

HOUSTON  December 20, 2011—AJ Foyt Racing has hired Long Beach Grand Prix winner Mike Conway to drive the No. 14 ABC Supply Honda in the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series.

Conway, who won the Long Beach Grand Prix in his 26th IndyCar start, brings strength on the road courses to the team.  In 2011, he qualified in the top-10 six times on the road and street circuits, which is also where his four top-10 finishes came.

“With the Series having twice as many road courses as ovals, we looked for a driver who is fast on those tracks and Mike has certainly proved himself in that area,” said A.J. Foyt. “I’m looking forward to working with him,” adding with a chuckle, “I may even be able to give him a little advice when it comes to the ovals.”

“First of all I’d like to thank 2MB Sports Management and AJ Foyt Racing for making this deal come together. I can't wait to start work with the AJ Foyt Racing team and to drive the No. 14 ABC Supply Car.  It's going to be an exciting season with the new cars and multiple engine manufacturers. Hopefully we can hit the ground running with off season developments and be quick out the box.  I’m counting the days until the first test and the start of the season,” commented Mike Conway. 

Conway made his first start in the IZOD IndyCar Series in 2009 driving for Dreyer-Reinbold. Towards mid-season he began capitalizing on his brilliant potential with several top-10 finishes before scoring his first podium –a third place finish at California’s challenging Infineon Raceway.

In 2010, he was in position to post his fourth top-10 finish in six starts but on the final lap of the Indianapolis 500, he collided with a suddenly slowing Ryan Hunter-Reay, launching Conway into the catchfence resulting in season-ending injuries to his leg and back.

Signing with Andretti Autosport in 2011, Conway dispelled all doubts about his return to the cockpit with a strong fourth place qualifying run in the season opener in St. Petersburg and an incredible drive in the Long Beach Grand Prix. In that race, he qualified third but dropped to 21st after a problem on the first pit stop. Conway fought his way back to lead the final 14 laps after executing a couple of textbook passes on frontrunners Ryan Briscoe and Dario Franchitti, who finished second and third.

The British Racing Drivers Club recently awarded the Innes Ireland Award to Conway in recognition of his inspiring comeback from his 2010 Indy 500 accident. The award is given to the driver who best displayed the qualities of courage and sportsmanship epitomized by the late Innes Ireland, a British Formula 1 driver who was badly injured in the 1961 Monaco Grand Prix. He recovered to win three Grands Prix the same season including the U.S.  Grand Prix at Watkins Glen.

En route to Conway’s burgeoning IndyCar career, the 28-year-old Briton won several championships, triumphing in British Karting, the 2004 Formula Renault UK Series as well as the British F3 International Series in 2006. Conway captured the Macau Grand Prix in 2006 becoming the first British driver to do so since Darren Manning won it in 1999. Manning drove for the Foyt team from 2006-2008.

In 2007 and 2008, Conway raced in the very competitive GP2 Series (previously named Formula 3000), the feeder series to Formula 1. Conway, who won a sprint race in the streets of Monaco in 2008, also served as a test driver for the Honda Formula 1 team during that time.

"We all have big expectations for the upcoming season, and Mike shares our passion for getting the team back in victory lane,” Larry Foyt said.  “There is no doubt he has a ton of talent and, when combined with A.J.'s experience, I think we can accomplish great things together."

Foyt’s ABC Supply team will take delivery of its 2012 Dallara this week and expects to start testing in early February.

 

 

Eighth:

OK, I’m an old phart, and I can recall when we had the Rose Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Orange Bowl and a few others, but man, I kinda think they’ve gone overboard with bowl games.

Teams in bowl games coming up, as of 12/20/2011 with records of 6-6:

Marshall, Arizona State, Purdue, Iowa State, Mississippi State, Wake Forest, Texas A&M, Northwestern, Vanderbilt, Illinois, Florida, Ohio State and Pittsburgh.

Teams in bowl games with records of 7-5:

Nevada, North Carolina, Missouri, Western Michigan, North Carolina State, Louisville, Air Force, Texas, California, Washington, Iowa, Utah, Auburn and SMU.

 

And, believe it or not, UCLA, with a record of 6 wins and 7 losses is in a bowl game, too!

Question:  Really, is that the best they can do as far as getting teams with winning records into bowl games?

 

 

Ninth:

Borgers PR

Media Contact

Bob Snyder

bobsnyderphoto@enter.net

 Paving Underway Ushering In A New Era At Borgers Speedway

 Construction is well underway at Borgers Speedway and crews from Northeast Site Contractors  are at this moment touching up the stone work and paving will start Monday morning.  The track looks awesome and when finished will take on the appearance of  a mini NASCAR track.  There will be a eight foot inside apron with a white line and grooved area eliminating the need for tires in the turns.  The entire first turn exit lane will be paved and there will be Jersey barriers by the light poles in the turns plus the infield will be either sodded or planted with grass.  These guys with Northeast Site Contractors really know what they are doing.

 Anyone planning on stopping by please stay out of the pit area.  There may be construction vehicles working and there are open trenches where the drains were laid and construction work has started on the garage.  Everythng can be seen if you drive up the road to your left to the spectator area.  By all means please do not enter  the track or infield area.

Divisions and rules are being discussed and will be posted as soon are they are finalized.  The Wingless 600 Sprints will be run  with the dirt car rules.  I have been flooded with requests from the Indoor 600 Sprints  and there will be a seperate division for the Indoor 600 Sprints.  Slingshots will also be headlined along with the Sprints.  TQ Midgets are also in the plans.

 The track has not been enlarged and the banking has not increased.  There have been concerns by some people of excessive speed and if this is an issue it will be addressed.  The speeds will increase but people in the know that I have talked to feel the increase will not be that dramatic.  If it is an issue we can impliment a gear rule if necessary.  Private testing will be done prior to the two weeks of practice in April and any determinations will be made prior to the first race.  We absolutely will not let speeds get out of control as to pose a danger to the racers. 

 The early show will consist of Karts and Micro-Stocks and the feedback from these racers has been overwhelming.  Keep in mind it is crucial to finish the early show by 3:30 p.m.  The tow vehicles and trailers will have to clear the pit area but anyone wishing to stay will not have to pay for an additional pit pass or grandstand pass. 

 Glenn Borger is determined to make Borgers Speedway a state of the art facility  and the "Greatest 1/7 Mile Asphalt Speedway In The United States.  Plan on being a part of a "New Era" of racing in the northeast in April of 2012.

 

Tenth:

There’s a thread on the Dirt Track Digests about how those that subscribe to area racing papers are getting late deliveries.  Here’s what one poster had to say:

 

the reason the post office is going under is congress.the usps is mandated to pre fund retirees health benefits 75 years into the future over a 10 year period. thats a cost of 5.5 BILLION DOLLARS per year the post office has to give to the government. this law was passed in 2006 when social security was tapped out and about to go under, so president bush decided to tap the postal service. IF the usps did not have to prefund that money they would have shown an average profit over the last 5 years of 2.5 BILLION DOLLARS. As far as your aarn being late 99% of the time the blame can be put on the usps, jobs have been cut so that now people are doing the work that 3 people were doing and if certain work doesn't get done it gets pushed back to the next day or whenever they get to it. I SEE the delayed mail daily,advertisements for sale that ended last week are getting delivered the following week as far as the aarn your best bet is to call your local postmaster and ask for a publication watch to be put on the paper it the has to be logged when the paper is received in their office and when it's delivered.
here is ralph naders take on how the usps is being abused by its own government

http://www.nader.org...ds/USPS-ltr.pdf

 

 

  

 

Eleventh:

 

Some thoughts on health:

 

Is a Low-Salt Diet Healthy Or Harmful?

http://health.yahoo.net/experts/dayinhealth/low-salt-diet-healthy-or-harmful

 

Are Antibiotics Making Us Fat?

http://health.yahoo.net/experts/dayinhealth/are-antiobiotics-making-us-fat

 

Dangers of Energy Drinks

http://health.yahoo.net/experts/dayinhealth/dangers-energy-drinks

 

Surprising Facts About Smiling

http://health.yahoo.net/experts/dayinhealth/science-smiles

 

Do You Really Need a Yearly Checkup?

http://health.yahoo.net/experts/dayinhealth/do-you-really-need-yearly-checkup

 

What Does Your Tongue Say About Your Health?

http://health.yahoo.net/experts/dayinhealth/what-does-your-tongue-say-about-your-health

 

 

 

 

Twelfth:

 

Not such good news, I'd say!

 

House Republicans wage pushback on payroll tax cut as political power grab continues

 

Everyone in Congress wants to extend the current payroll tax cut, which affects 160 million Americans. But the issue over how long to extend the cut--and how to fund it--has set the stage for a last major political battle in Washington for 2011.

 

Republicans are now arguing that Senate-passed legislation to extend the cut for two months beyond its scheduled expiration on Dec. 31 is insufficient, and simply "kicks the can down the road," in the words of Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio). And to express their disapproval formally, House Republicans elected to bypass a vote Tuesday on the Senate's plan, calling instead for the House and Senate to form conference committees to reconcile the chambers' dueling versions.

 

But is this fight worth it for the Republican party?

 

"I'm honestly speechless about the whole thing," Republican consultant Matt Mackowiack wrote in an email to Yahoo News Tuesday.

 

"I think that many people agree with [political observers] the politics are extremely dangerous," Ron Bonjean, Republican strategist and former House advisor, told Yahoo News.

 

Republicans in the House are taking a major risk by blocking legislation that has already received bipartisan approval in the Senate--something Democrats have been noting at length as the standoff continues.

 

"Republicans in the Senate voted for this--39 of them did," House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said on the House floor Tuesday, referencing Saturday's 89-10 vote in favor of the Senate legislation. "Ninety percent of the Senate voted for this in a bipartisan way... they're afraid it will pass," she said of Republican House leaders. The notion that "Republicans are afraid the bill will pass," became a widespread talking point among Washington Democrats  this week.

 

"Stop playing politics with peoples' lives," Democratic National Committee chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) said Tuesday.

 

President Obama made a surprise appearance Tuesday to hammer that message home during White House Press Secretary Jay Carney's press briefing.

 

"We have more important things to worry about than politics right now," "saving face," or "figuring out internal caucus politics," the president said. "People are counting on us to make their lives just a little bit easier...  We owe it to them to come together right now and do the right thing."

 

Republicans, meanwhile, are arguing that Democrats and the White House are doing the bare minimum by settling for a two-month extension.

 

"We believe all Americans deserve certainty," Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) said on the House floor Tuesday. "...The  president himself said it would be 'inexcusable' not to extend the payroll tax cut for a year."

 

With the Senate in recess, Republican House members are able to contrast their work in Washington with the record of their Senate Democratic counterparts, who have already left town for the holidays.

 

"You have said many times that Congress must do its work before taking vacation," Boehner wrote in a letter Tuesday to the president asking him to call on the Senate to produce a year-long deal.

 

Republicans are also making the case that the two-month extension is potentially dangerous.

 

Republican members are using an ABC News story published Monday to bolster that argument. "Officials from the policy-neutral National Payroll Reporting Consortium, Inc. have expressed concern to members of Congress that the two-month payroll tax holiday passed by the Senate and supported by President Obama cannot be implemented properly," ABC News White house correspondent Jake Tapper wrote.

 

So how does this end?

 

If both chambers of Congress convene a conference and hammer out a compromise, then Republicans can claim a big victory--and proceed to make the argument on the campaign trail that the GOP pressed for long-term results in the quest to secure greater economic certainty for Americans.

 

But Democrats in the Senate on Tuesday signaled they would not bend to the House Republicans' demands and have no plans to take part in a cross-chamber conference on the bill.

 

And if a conference does not come to pass, several scenarios might emerge. Republicans could wait on the conference, let the tax cuts expire and blame Democrats for deciding not to hold a conference and remain on vacation. Or GOP lawmakers could wait on the conference, let the tax cuts expire and field flak from Democrats for creating gridlock. Alternatively, Republicans could elect not to let the cuts expire and vote on the Senate-passed version in the 11th hour--an outcome that Bonjean called a "remote" and "very unlikely."

 

Meanwhile, Democrats' resistance to the conference plan demonstrates that they believe they have the upper hand and this will work out in their party's (as well as the president's) favor.

 

"Boehner needs to get his House and Tea Party in order or the Republicans will feel the wrath of the middle class at the ballot box," Democratic strategist Jill Alper cautioned in an email to Yahoo News. "This debate will no doubt buoy the President's standing and the Democratic party."

 

The White House estimates that if the cut expires Dec. 31, middle-class American families will pay an average of $1,000 more in taxes in 2012.

 

The above was found here, on Tuesday, December 20, 2011:

 

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/house-republicans-wage-pushback-payroll-tax-cut-political-190832878.html

 

 

 

 

Thirteenth:

Did you realize that yesterday, Wednesday, December 21, 2011 was the first day of winter and also the shortest day of the year?  Well, let me say that it has always been so – December 21st.  My large desk calendar says the 21st is the first day of winter, but tonight on the news on TV, they were saying that tomorrow – Thursday is the first day of winter.  Hmmm???

 

 

Fourteenth:

On Wednesday, both the wife and I got our 2012 increases in our Social Security monies information.  We’ll end up with $88.00 more a month over what we received this past year or two.  I, like most of those on Social Security was hoping for a little more, but hey – at least it’s a little more.

 

 

Coming up:

The AARN's annual Motor Sports show - January 20th, 21st & 22nd, 2012.

Greater Philadelphia  Expo Center At Oaks 100 Station Ave. Oaks, PA 19456

For GPS use this address:

1601 Egypt Road  Phoenixville, PA 19460 (Upper Providence Township)

484-754-3976

http://www.aarn.com/motorsports2012.html

 

Atlantic City Indoor Race 2012

February 3rd & 4th, 2012

Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall  2301 Boardwalk  Atlantic City, NJ 08401

http://www.aarn.com/acindoorrace2012.html

 

West Springfield, MA Motorsports Expo

 

Are you aware that the West Springfield, MA Motorsports Expo is returning?  It will be held at the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield, MA on March 2, 3 & 4 in 2012.

It’s website:  www.needforspeedexpo.com

 

 

Banquets:

 

Orange County Fair Speedway Banquet from their website:

 

2011 OCFS Awards Banquet - January 7th, 2012

Posted: November 21st, 2011

 

Saturday, January 7th @ 5:30pm

@ Kuhls Highland House

 

For ticket info contact Bob Perran at 352-503-3847

 

Accord Speedway Banquet info from their website:

 

BANQUET UPDATE:

In an effort to be sensitive to the economic environment a decision has been made to change the venue for the 2011 banquet.
The 2011 Award Banquet is being held at the Brookside Manor in Middletown NY on March 3, 2012. A buffet dinner with cash bar for $40 per person. It will be open seating-with reservations for tables of 10. The top 10 drivers in each Friday division will be honored as well as Mid Week Madness drivers. As per our rules, drivers must be an Accord Speedway member and must attend the banquet to receive their award.
reservation form CAN BE FOUND IN THE “FILE” SECTION
 

http://www.accordspeedway.com/

 

 

2nd annual OCFS Motorsports Show March 30th - April 1st. Entry forms and vendor applications available soon. Any questions feel free to ask here or call the speedway office at 845-342-2573 or ocfsmotorsportsshow@yahoo.com

 

Note:  The above was posted on Facebook by Ken Reed.

 

 

 

 

Found on Jayski’s website:

 

Zippy back with Stewart? UPDATE 3 as Competition Director: hearing that Greg Zipadelli, currently the crew chief for #20-Joe Logano, could be headed to Stewart-Haas Racing in the future. Greg Zipadelli would take over as the crew chief for #14-Tony Stewart, who he won two Sprint Cup titles with [2002, 2005]. Current #14 crew chief, Darian Grubb, would move into Bobby Hutchens old position of director of competition [NOTE: Grubb didn't and left the team and is now at JGR as #11-Hamlin;s crew chief]. Hutchens and Stewart-Haas recently parted ways. Hutchins was Stewart-Haas Racing's Director of Competition and Stewart said they are looking for a replacement. Matt Borland was promoted to vice president of competition and is serving as Stewart-Haas Racing's interim director of competition. Stewart said recently that "once that position is filled, the director of competition will report to Matt."(6-21-2011)

See past denials and news on my #20 Team News page.

UPDATE 3 –

Zipadelli Named Competition Director for Stewart-Haas Racing: Greg Zipadelli, winner of two championships and 34 victories as a crew chief in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, has been named competition director at Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR). He will work with Vice President of Competition Matt Borland and oversee the #14 and #39 teams, while also building the #10 team for which Danica Patrick will run a 10-race Sprint Cup schedule with in 2012. Zipadelli comes to SHR from Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) where he served as crew chief for the #20 team since 1999. It's where the 44-year-old from Berlin, Conn., began a 10-year tenure with Tony Stewart, the co-owner of SHR along with Gene Haas, founder of Haas Automation. From 1999 through 2008, Zipadelli was Stewart's crew chief, with the duo winning Sprint Cup titles in 2002 and 2005 while claiming 33 victories and 10 poles. When Stewart left JGR following the 2008 season to form SHR, Zipadelli stayed and spent three years as the crew chief for Joey Logano, where he helped deliver Logano's first career Sprint Cup victory on June 28, 2009 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon. "We're very proud to have Greg Zipadelli join Stewart-Haas Racing," said Stewart, the three-time and reigning Sprint Cup champion. "Greg and I have a long and successful history together. I know him and he knows me, and we both know what it takes to build race teams. We took our time in searching for a competition director because it's an important role with a lot of responsibility. Greg knows all that goes into the job, understands the importance of teamwork and communication across all levels of the organization, and is ultimately someone I have a great deal of trust in."

The addition of Zipadelli to the SHR family is a reunion on two fronts  Stewart, of course, but also with Steve Addington, who spent 2004-2008 at JGR and is now Stewart's crew chief at SHR with the #14 team. (Tony Gibson serves as crew chief for the #39 team and driver Ryan Newman.)

"Joe Gibbs always says that you win with people, and Tony Stewart is a winner," Zipadelli said. "We won a lot together at Joe Gibbs Racing, and it was a sad day when he left. But Tony had an unbelievable opportunity with Stewart-Haas Racing, and he's obviously made the most of it. To become a part of what he's already built, but to do it in a new role with a new set of responsibilities, was a challenge I wanted. I really appreciate Joe and J.D. Gibbs for all that that they've given me over the years and for allowing me to seize this opportunity."(Stewart-Haas Racing)(12-16-2011)

 

Friday’s announcement that Greg Zipadelli will be the new competition director at Stewart-Haas Racing was not a surprise, but the veteran did drop one major bombshell: Zipadelli also will be Danica Patrick’s crew chief in the Daytona 500.

Patrick will run a 10-race NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule in 2012, starting at Daytona in February. Ultimately, a permanent crew chief for Patrick will be hired, but initially Zipadelli will pull double duty until the right crew chief is found. That could be in the middle of 2012 and could be after the 2012 season is over, Zipadelli said Friday morning.

SHR’s decision to have Zipadelli on the pit box was a very recent one, he said.

“I have not talked to her. It’s been talked about,” Zipadelli said of the move to have him work with Patrick. “But a lot of this stuff just happened in the last 48 hours.”

As for Patrick’s prospects, Zipadelli was bullish.

“She’s got more determination than most people, she has confidence in her own ability,” he said. “... The big thing is the want and the desire and there’s no question she has that.”

As for being a fill-in crew chief, Zipadelli added, “It helps with the withdrawal of being off the (pit) box.”

 

New Crew Chief for Logano: Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) announced that Jason Ratcliff has been named crew chief for its #20 Sprint Cup Series team, replacing Greg Zipadelli who is leaving the organization to pursue an opportunity with Stewart-Haas Racing [Competition Director]. "We appreciate everything Greg has done for us here at Joe Gibbs Racing. He has been a big part of our success, but we felt the timing was right to make this transition for our race team which allows Greg the opportunity to pursue a director of competition position with Tony (Stewart)," said Joe Gibbs, owner of Joe Gibbs Racing. "We also felt that the timing was right to bring Jason (Ratcliff) to our Cup operation. He is a proven leader with a tremendous track record in our Nationwide program and we think he and Joey will work well together."

Ratcliff spent the previous seven years as crew chief for JGR's #18 Nationwide Series team. No team has been better over the past three seasons as the team won two consecutive NASCAR Nationwide Series Owner's Championships in 2009 and 2010. They narrowly missed out on a third consecutive title this past season finishing just a few points off the pace in second. Over the past three seasons JGR's #18 Nationwide Series team has won an incredible 30 races, with 68 top-five, and 85 top-ten finishes. In addition, they have led an astonishing 6,124 laps over that time.(Joe Gibbs Racing)(12-16-2011)


Best Buy to sponsor Kenseth?:

Roush Fenway Racing and #17-Matt Kenseth appear to be well on their way to securing the Best Buy sponsorship for 2012, according to sources familiar with the situation. The Roush organization has pledged to run Kenseth, the 2003 Cup champion, without sponsorship but has been working hard to find funding for the driver coming off a three-win season where he placed fourth in the Cup standings. Kenseth's primary sponsor Crown Royal opted not to sponsor a race team in 2012. Best Buy's sponsorship of #43-AJ Allmendinger at Richard Petty Motorsports was for 24 races in 2011. RPM has not announced any sponsorship for the #43 car for next season. An RPM spokesman said the team would have no comment on its sponsorship search.(SceneDaily)(12-15-2011)

UPDATE:

Best Buy Co., Inc. announced a new sponsorship deal for the 2012 Sprint Cup Series Season. Best Buy will serve as primary sponsor of Carl Edwards' #99 Ford for two races and the Matt Kenseth #17 Ford for nine races. In addition, Best Buy will serve as associate sponsor for each. "Best Buy is thrilled to announce this new NASCAR sponsorship deal with Roush Fenway Racing," said Drew Panayiotou, senior vice president of marketing for Best Buy. "Roush Fenway Racing is a great fit for Best Buy Racing. NASCAR continues to be a relevant way for us to connect with our customers. Our goal is to reach our target audiences in a meaningful way, while maximizing the value of our marketing and sponsorship investments." Best Buy has been a NASCAR sponsor for the past 7 years.(Best Buy)(12-20-2011)

AND:

Richard Petty Motorsports statement: "We have had a successful and rewarding relationship with Best Buy for the past few years and appreciate all they have done for us," stated Richard Petty, co-owner of Richard Petty Motorsports. "Although it is very disappointing that Best Buy is changing directions at this late date, we wish all of our friends there the best in their future endeavors. Our plan has always been to run a two-car team in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in 2012 and we are continuing down that path," said Petty. "We have several partners that remain committed to the #43 team. We will move forward and explore all of our options in regard to the #43 program in the coming weeks."(RPM)(12-20-2011)

 

TAG Heuer Eyewear sticks with Kurt Busch:


TAG Heuer Eyewear announced Thursday that it has re-signed 2004 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Kurt Busch to a multi-year contract extension in his role as an ambassador for the company and its eyewear products. Busch, who joined the TAG Heuer family at the beginning of 2010, works effectively to bring exposure to the brand and its products as well as aid in retailer development. Busch exclusively wears TAG Heuer sunglasses and is featured in Eyewear print, billboard, in-store and Internet advertisements. He will continue to display the TAG Heuer Eyewear logo on the racing helmet that he wears in NASCAR competition (as well as in other forms of motorsports). In 2011, TAG Heuer created a Kurt Busch collector edition sunglass that was made available at U.S. retailers. "Kurt has truly been an excellent ambassador for the TAG Heuer Eyewear brand," said Guillaume Pottecher, president of Premiere Vision, the U.S. distributor for TAG Heuer Eyewear. "TAG Heuer is affiliated with leading personalities and properties around the sports and entertainment world and Kurt fits that role perfectly. He is unquestionably one of the premier talents in NASCAR and in his work for us on every occasion he has gone above and beyond what we could expect of him. We very much look forward to the future together with Kurt."(SPEED)(12-15-2011)

 

NASCAR looking at banning driver-to-driver communications:

NASCAR is expected to revise its policy on in-car radio communications, including a possible ban on drivers communicating with other drivers over their in-car radios for at least restrictor-plate events in 2012. The sanctioning body is reviewing its current policy, which does allow driver-to-driver radio contact, a series spokesman said, and expects to have a revised policy in place in 2012. The practice was used heavily during the restrictor-plate races as drivers worked in two-car tandems. The drivers would use one spotter and be able to communicate with each other. NASCAR is expected to make other rule changes in hopes of getting rid of the two-car drafts at Daytona and Talladega. Smaller spoilers and different cooling systems are the most likely changes.(SceneDaily)(12-15-2011)

 

Lender begins foreclosure proceedings on Mayfield's property:

Suspended NASCAR driver Jeremy Mayfield's financial troubles got worse this week as his mortgage lender has begun foreclosure proceedings on his approximately 400-acre property in North Carolina. Mayfield took out a $3.1 million mortgage in July 2006, and his lender alleges that he has failed to make his payments, according to the foreclosure filed Tuesday in North Carolina Superior Court in Newton, N.C. That has resulted in the lender, Carolina Farm Credit, to call on Mayfield to pay the balance of $2.387 million plus more than $340,000 in interest and fees, according to the filing. A hearing on the foreclosure is set for Feb. 7.(more at SceneDaily) and see past news on the Jeremy Mayfield page.(12-15-2011)

 

Changes for restrictor plate racing at Preseason-Testing: Preseason Thunder Testing for the Sprint Cup Series is Jan. 12-13-14 at Daytona International Speedway for final preparations for 2012 Speedweeks, in particular, the running of the 54th annual Daytona 500  Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012. Rules package is a result of information gathered during recent tests at Talladega (October) and Daytona (November) the new rules package includes:

Smaller radiator - Maximum of 2 gallon capacity

Smaller overflow tank - Maximum capacity of ½ gallon

Radiator inlet is moved up closer into the front center bumper area

Rate reduction in the springs  softer springs

Smaller rear spoiler

Base line restrictor plate of 29/32 inch (1/64 inch larger than plate size for the 2011 Daytona 500)(NASCAR)

 

AND NASCAR has issued a new technical bulletin to its Sprint Cup teams, detailing major changes to cooling systems for 2012 Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway in an effort to better regulate tandem drafting. According to Chris Paulsen, president and owner of C&R Racing Inc. -- which manufactures nearly all of the radiators used in NASCAR's premier series -- the sanctioning body will be significantly reducing the size of the radiators and changing the location of the grille openings before the cars return for Daytona testing in January. "[Sprint Cup Series director] John Darby is implementing a two-gallon maximum radiator size," Paulsen said. "So in other words, the big, huge five-gallon radiators everybody's running will be down to two. And that accumulator can was a one-gallon max volume. It's going down to a half-gallon-sized can." The idea is to make the cooling systems less efficient, Paulsen said, forcing the cars to run in open air to keep water temperatures down. "We'll probably see some result from that, but it's not going to be huge, mainly because they've got these things figured out now," Paulsen said. "But it's still going to have an effect. The bigger effect is going to be moving the grille opening up to the bumper fascia area. Because now when they're tucked up behind another car, they're really going to kill all the air. So I think they're on the right track with that. They'll get the result that way."(NASCAR.com)(12-16-2011)

 

NASCAR looking to regain digital rights:

NASCAR is close to reaching an agreement to buy its digital rights back from Turner Sports, a move that could see the sanctioning body manage its own digital business as soon as 2013. Specific terms of the pending agreement were not available, and sources said the deal is not expected to be official until next year. It's not clear how much NASCAR will pay to reclaim its rights, but sources said it would be in the mid-eight figures. The move puts NASCAR in a stronger position to sell its media rights, which are expected to go on the market next year. NASCAR's current eight-year, $4.48 billion media deal with Fox, ESPN and Turner ends in 2014. The company is preparing to put those rights up for sale, and its executives know that any network that bids on TV rights will also want digital rights to stream races online. Though NASCAR is moving now to reclaim its rights, Turner will continue to run NASCAR.com for at least a year. That will give NASCAR time to build up an infrastructure that can support and manage its digital assets independently. The group will hire staff to oversee the site and likely base the group in Charlotte. NASCAR has been looking to reclaim its digital rights for some time. The sanctioning body sold its interactive rights to Turner in 2000. In 2008, it extended that partnership through 2014. But in recent years, NASCAR officials began to regret taking a big paycheck from Turner rather than controlling the sport's digital future. During the last few years, senior NASCAR officials, who declined to speak on the record, complained that the deal was so restrictive that even simple digital initiatives were difficult to undertake. For example, if NASCAR wanted a Facebook page or Twitter handle, it had to get Turner to create or approve them. The sport and its tracks also couldn't create mobile applications without Turner's approval.(Sports Business Daily) - subscription required.(12-20-2011)

 

Max Jones joining Earnhardt Ganassi:

Max Jones is joining Earnhardt Ganassi Racing. Jones most recently was president and general manager at Richard Petty Motorsports but left RPM in the fall of 2010. He is expected to serve as team manager at EGR, a role previously held by Tony Glover from 2000 until he was released at the end of the 2011 season. Jones was a longtime general manager at what is now Roush Fenway Racing and before then had a successful road-racing career. He was also a former co-owner of Yates Racing.(Fox Sports)(12-20-2011)

 

Allmendinger to Penske? Ragan to the #43? UPDATES:

Rumors floating around that A.J. Allmendinger could be headed to the #22 Penske Dodge and David Ragan to the #43 RPM Ford. If true Allmendinger moves over from the #43 RPM ride and Ragan moves from the sponsorless possibly closed up #6 Roush Fenway Racing Ford.(12-21-2011)


UPDATE:

AJ Allmendinger will be named the driver of the #22 Sprint Cup car at Penske Racing on Wednesday, a source close to the situation told ESPN.com. Allmendinger finished 15th in points this past season driving the #43 Ford for Richard Petty Motorsports. He became available after RPM lost primary sponsor Best Buy to Roush Fenway Racing. Allmendinger will replace 2004 Cup champion Kurt Busch, who reached a "mutual'' agreement to leave Penske Racing after a 2011 season in which he had several profanity-laced run-ins with the media and his team. He was picked over David Ragan, who interviewed with the Dodge team and sponsor Shell Pennzoil shortly after Busch was released. Ragan could be a candidate for the 43. He also could drive for Phoenix Racing, with which he had a tentative agreement before pursuing the 22.(ESPN)(12-21-2011)


UPDATE 2:

Penske Racing has named AJ Allmendinger as the driver of the team's #22 Shell-Pennzoil Dodge Charger for the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Allmendinger, who has competed in the Cup Series since 2007, is coming off a strong season that saw him finish 15th in the series standings while battling for a position in the Chase for the Championship. The 30-year-old native of Los Gatos, Calif., earned one top-five, 10 top-10 and 22 top-15 results in 2011 while driving the #43 car for Richard Petty Motorsports.

"AJ is a very talented and motivated driver and we believe he will be a terrific fit with our team," said Roger Penske. "He has shown great promise and consistent results on the track over the last few seasons and working with Todd and the Shell-Pennzoil Dodge team will allow him to take the next step and compete for race wins and a spot in the Chase in 2012."
"Shell and Pennzoil are extremely pleased by Penske Racing's selection of AJ Allmendinger to drive the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Dodge," said Lisa Davis, President of Shell Oil Products U.S. "AJ has consistently demonstrated great potential and continuous improvement as a driver, and with Penske's track record, our employees and customers can look forward to seeing him contending for wins and ultimately a championship in the NASCAR Cup Series. We know he will represent our brands well on and off the track and we look forward to a successful 2012 with AJ behind the wheel."(Penske Racing)(12-21-2011)


UPDATE 3:

Statement from Richard Petty Motorsports: "Richard Petty Motorsports has released AJ Allmendinger to pursue other opportunities within the sport," stated team Chief Executive Officer Brian Moffitt. "AJ is a talented driver whom we all enjoyed working with and we wish him the best." Our plan remains to run a two-car team in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in 2012 and we are continuing down that path," said Moffitt. "We believe there are several very talented drivers who are still available and would embrace the opportunity to get behind the wheel of the legendary No. 43 Ford Fusion. We continue to move forward and are optimistic about the future of this race team."(RPM)(12-21-2011)

 

Computer theft compromises NASCAR driver & crew info:

NASCAR has informed more than 1,000 drivers and crew members that a laptop computer containing social security numbers, driver's license numbers and other personal information was stolen last month from an employee of Aegis Laboratories, the company that oversees the sanctioning body's substance abuse testing program. Aegis administers planned and random drug tests to NASCAR license holders throughout the season, screening samples for banned substances and reporting back to the sanctioning body. The laptop computer was reported stolen on November 22nd, but many licensees were not informed of the theft until this week. NASCAR Director of Communications Kerry Tharp said the stolen laptop contained no medical or lab records, only driver's license and Social Security numbers. He said there have been no reports of any identity theft, adding, "in all likelihood, the person who stole the laptop sold it at a local Pawn Shop without ever knowing what was on it." Since the computer file in question was created in 2009, NASCAR and Aegis have instituted a new data-processing system that prevents such an incident from happening again. Aegis is revising its security procedures, encrypting data on laptop computers, and retraining affected employees on confidentiality and security procedures. Aegis has also agreed to supply all involved parties with two years of complimentary credit monitoring. NASCAR said it "apologizes to the affected individuals for this unfortunate incident involving one of our vendors, and we are pressing Aegis to do everything necessary to mitigate this situation."(Sirius Speedway)(12-22-2011)

 

Could Kurt Busch run Nationwide for Kyle?

Word is Busch declined RPM's offer to be considered for the # 43 ride ending speculation the controversial driver would bounce back from his Penske departure with at least a 1A-type team ride. Busch has remained publicly quiet on what exactly he does have up his sleeve for next year and behind. He went on a very aggressive media blitz immediately after he and Penske parted ways and assured everyone there was interest on many fronts for his talents. There is speculation he is indeed following through on his thought of walking away from NASCAR for at least a year and running an NHRA Pro Stock car for the 2012 season, an off-shoot of his enjoyable time at last year's Gatornationals. But with little brother Kyle's Nationwide Series ride still open, many believe the Busch boys will indeed team up for next season in a combined NWS-truck series program out of the KBM stable.(Motor Racing Network)(12-22-2011)

 

Bruno Senna considering NASCAR?

Bruno Senna is considering NASCAR as a back-up option should his F1 journey end for now. That is the claim of the Italiaracing website, in the wake of the Brazilian's loss of his Renault/Lotus race seat. It is rumored Senna, 28, could return to the team's reserve role for 2012, but Italiaracing said NASCAR is another option, where his countryman Nelson Piquet Jr headed after his own F1 career foundered in 2009. Senna's fabled uncle Ayrton was F1's last fatality in 1994, when Bruno was 10.(SPEED)(12-22-2011)

 

 

Going back, in time – in racing history:

Note# 1:  Most of the following information was found here: 

http://www.wheelsofspeed.com/history.html

 

Note: 2:  Yes, most of this info is mostly from Open Wheel racing from “Back in the day”.

 

Covering the days from December 23rd  to December 31st – might as well finish out the year, right?

 

DECEMBER 23

1931

Jim Packard ... Born ... Driver from 1956 to 1960. Ran IMCA Sprints, ARDC and USAC Midgets, USAC Sprints and Indy Cars.

1936

Todd Gibson ... Born ... Supermodified, USAC Sprint and Indy Car driver from the 1960's to 1979.

1952

Bob Cicconi ... Born ... ARDC Midget, USAC Midget, Sprint, Mini-Indy Super Vee and Silver Crown driver from the 1970's to 1990's.

1987

Will Kreitzer ... Died ... Wilbert A. Kreitzer passed away at the age of 59 from cancer. Will built, managed and promoted the famous Silver Spring Speedway in Mechanicsburg, PA. for a quarter of a century before turning the reins over to his son Alan Kreitzer in 1980.

2009

Crocky Wright ... Died

His Obituary:  http://www.wheelsofspeed.com/report/12_23_2009-1.html

 

DECEMBER 24

1917

Wimpy Ervin... Born ... A former midget and sprint car driver from Bloomfield, NJ. who raced in the 1940's, 50's and early 60's.

1941

John Hubbard... Born ... Johnstown, Pennsylvania driver who raced ARDC Midgets, USAC Sprints, Silver Crown and Indy Cars along with stock cars.

1942

Eddie Leavitt... Born ... Sprint car driver from the 1970's & 80's. He was inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 2001 and was in the Knoxville Raceway Hall of Fame. He was a two-time National Sprint Car Champion.

1946

Bobby Olivero... Born ... A former driver in the USAC Championship Car series. He raced in the 1976-1978 seasons, with 17 career starts, including the 1977 Indianapolis 500. He finished in the top ten 11 times, with his best finish in 5th position in 1977 at Ontario. In 1979, Olivero was the USAC Silver Crown Series champion. Earlier in his career, he won the 1975 CRA Sprint Car championship.

1977

Johnny White... Died ... USAC sprint & Indy car driver from the 1960's. He was paralyzed from a Sprint Car accident at Terre Haute, IN., in 1964 just 2 weeks after being named the Indy 500 Rookie of the Year.

 

DECEMBER 25

1878

Louis Chevrolet... Born ... AAA driver 1905 to 1923. He was a co-founder (with William C. Durant) of the Chevrolet Motor Car Company, which was acquired by General Motors and is their bestselling brand nationwide and in many cases synonymous with General Motors itself. Louis also competed in the Indianapolis 500 four times, with a best finish of 7th in 1919. Younger brother Gaston won there in 1920 in a car Louis built, and brother Arthur also competed twice.

1993

Fred "Jiggs" Peters ... Died ... Jiggs started racing Midgets in 1948, winning the ARDC championship in 1951. He then moved into Sprint Cars. In 1955 he unsuccesfully attempted to qualify for the Indy 500 in a Scopa-Offy. Equally at home on dirt or asphalt, he tried to qualify for Indy again in the Lee Glessner Offy in 1957. Short on speed on the first weekend, he was fast enough on the second to qualify but he chose to come home to NJ to run locally to make money as opposed to sitting in Indy for the whole month of May without an income. He was very good in long distance races and won numerous times at long tracks like Trenton, N.J. and Langhorne, Pa. He was injured at Bedford Speedway in 1969 in a URC Sprint Car race and retired after that. He continued to stay involved by running the pit gate at Grandview Speedway for promotor Ed Darrell. He also was very involved in numerous Old Timer Clubs until his passing.

 

DECEMBER 26

1917

Tex Keene ... Born ..He was an ARDC driver who ran several races with NASCAR in the early 1950's.

1991

Budd Olson ... Died ... New Jersey Stock Car driver from the 1940's, 50's and 60's. From local dirt tracks to NASCAR, Budd Olsen built a solid reputation, first as a driver and then as one of the leading race car builders in the region.

 

DECEMBER 27

1901

Joe Russo ... Born ... AAA driver from the 1930's.

1951

Greg Leffler ... Born ... A former driver in the CART Championship Car series. He raced in the 1980-1983 seasons, with 13 career starts, including the 1980 Indianapolis 500. He finished in the top ten twice, with his best finish in 6th position in 1982 at Riverside. In 1979, Leffler was the USAC Sprint Car Series Champion.

 

DECEMBER 28

1884

Ralph Mulford... Born ... AAA driver 1910 to 1926.

1909

Stubby Stubblefield... Born ... AAA driver from the 1930's Ran the Indy 500 from 1931 to 1934. His best finish was 5th in 1933. He was killed in a practice crash for the 1935 Indianapolis 500.

1913

Steve Truchan... Born ... AAA driver 1946-50

1921

Nelson Stacy... Born ... Stacy was ARCA Champion for three years 1958, 1959, 1960, prior to entering Winston Cup racing when he was over 40. An "Old Man" for a rookie by today's standards. He still managed to win the World 600 and two races at Darlington and Martinsville before his health caused him to slow down after only 3 years in NASCAR.

 

DECEMBER 29

1916

Tony Bonadies... Born ... A very popular midget car driver, Tony Bonadies' career spanned over twenty-four years during which he competed in more than one thousand races. Although he never won the ARDC Midget Championship, he was ranked amongst the top six in seven out of his last eight seasons in the series' final classification table, and he was twice the title runner-up. He entered the Indy 500 three times, but failed to qualify in all attempts: in 1955 and the following year his times aboard a Kurtis 3000D - Offenhauser were simply not quick enough, and in 1957 he wrecked his Kurtis 500C - Offenhauser at the Turn 4 at the northwest end of the track during practice and had to withdraw from the race. Bonadies was taking place in an ARDC midget race at the Williams Grove Speedway on 05 July 1964 when, as he pitched his Frankenfield - Offenahuser into a slide at the entrance to Turn 1, the right rear axle of the car snapped. The vehicle barrel rolled several times and then got airborne. Tony was thrown to the ground and died instantly.

1969

John Rostek ... Died ... A NASCAR driver from Fort Collins, CO. Despite racing in just six Nextel Cup Series events in his career, Rostek earned one victory, one pole and three top-tens. Five of his six races came in 1960, when Rostek debuted at Daytona, racing in the Daytona 500 qualifier. But a crash on the fifth lap would end his chances of a good finish and making the 500, finishing 39th. But his rebound was amazing. In his next race, Phoenix, Rostek took the lead midway through the event, led 58 laps and pulled away to a shocking victory. He proved it was no fluke later in the year, finishing 3rd at Hanford and 7th at Montgomery after leading seven laps and starting on the pole. Rostek's final race came in 1963, racing at Riverside. Starting 27th in the forty-four car field, Rostek seemed poised for another top-ten finish before a late crash sidelined him to 16th. He also raced with the USAC Stock Car Division from 1958 to 1964.

Note:  I’m not positive, but I’m pretty sure that race at the Montgomery, N.Y. Airport, in 1960, was the only NASCAR race held there.

 

1980

A.J. Fike ... Born ... USAC & NASCAR driver.

 

DECEMBER 30

1911

Walt Brown ... Born ... AAA driver from the 1940's and early 50's who ran in 3 Indy 500's with a best finish of 7th in 1947. He died in a race at the Williams Grove Speedway (PA) July 29, 1951.

1999

Johnny Moorehouse... Died ... USAC driver from the 1950's

 

DECEMBER 31

2005

Johnny Herrera won the Roger McCluskey Classic Sprint Car race over Charles Davis Jr, Jerry Coons Jr, Damion Gardner and Josh Pelkey at the United Sports Arizona USA, Tucson, AZ.

2006

Jesse Hockett won the Roger McCluskey Classic preliminary Sprint Car race over Casey Shuman, Jerry Coons Jr, and Jon Stanbrough at the United Sports Arizona USA, Tucson, AZ.

 

 

 

 

 

News from the AARN:

http://www.aarn.com/

 

From their December 13th issue:

 

The December 13th issue is the last one for the AARN for 2011.

 

There was a head-on photo of Tony Stewart racing the “Munchkin” Midget, indoors, on page 26.  That same photo has also come out on Facebook, and I’ve saved it.  It will be copied and pasted at the end of this column – the second photo.  Surprisingly, Tony is wearing an open face helmet.  Hmmm?

 

Floyd Santee is the new promoter at Mahoning Valley replacing Doug & Gena Hoffman.

Note:  It’s rumored that Hoffman will be promoting the Bridgeport N.J. track.

 

Joe Padula, Jr. has a 3-year contract to promote the races at the Bedord, Pa. Speedway.

 

Si Allen has executed a purchase and sales agreement for the Legion Speedway in NH.  Wally and Janine Brown will run it and Sunday twi-light programs will be the norm.  Sportsman, a mid-level class and 4 cylinders will run weekly, with Sprint Cars and Mini Sprints on occasion.

 

Chad Knaus and John Roberts, from SPEED TV will both be attending the AARN’s Motor Sports Show in January.  And late word out is that Matt Kenseth will also be there on Saturday the 21st.

 

It’s been seven years since the mile track at Nazareth ran it’s last race.  Man, how the time flies!  The question is:  What will become of that track?  From what I can gather, it really isn’t dead as far as it ever being a racetrack, again.  Time will tell.

 

USAC Sprint will be here in the East in 2012.  Grandview on 6/5, New Egypt on 6/7, Big Diamond on 6/8 and Port Royal on 6/9.  What I find rather disturbing is that they will not make an appearance at Williams Grove.  Wonder why?

 

In this weeks AARN, they had point standings from 500 different classes and 100 different race tracks, along with some short articles about some of the champion drivers.

 

The two-page center section had the whole schedule for the up coming AARN Motor Sports show.

 

Lenny Sammons:

Mr. Sammons makes mention that Jimmy Horton is looking for a ride for 2012, since Dick Biever has parked his # 14 Modified.  He also was questioning whether Bridgeport will open in 2012, but seems to think it will.

 

Ernie Saxton:

In the past, Mr. Saxton hasn’t fared all that well when he attempted to race.  So, racing a car has dropped down to # 2 on his “Bucket” list, with Bungee jumping taking over the # 1 spot.

Michael Waltrip has been practicing on the Daytona Road Course, getting ready for the 24-hour race.  He’ll co-drive a Ferrari 458 GT with Travis Pastrana and Rui Aquas, a road racing veteran.

M. Saxton was making note that the promotional team for the Indycar race last year at Baltimore, is claiming that the city is charging them for a lot of things that were to be included in the deal at no cost.  Again, on this – time will tell.

 

Brett Deyo:

Brett says that Ryan Godown will be a regular at New Egypt in 2012 and will be in the seat of the John Chemidlin owned # 747 Modified.

 

Todd Heintzelman:

He continues the discussion on how the Pennsylvania Sprint Car tracks will do their handicapping for 2012.  My head spun a little trying to figure out what was what with that.  He also continued his review of the 2011 Sprint Car season in Pa.

 

Stephen Bubb:

His column was titled:  “Merry Christmas Jerry Reigle”.  Quite a bit in it about how he and Jerry became such close friends over the years, and how he (along with countless other, I’d say) miss Jerry.

Stephen goes on to say that the Grove will keep admission at $5.00 in 2012 for the Saturday Night Series.  There will be weekly “meet & greet” with the drivers and some drivers, along with their cars will be available for the fans to talk to and check out their cars, prior to the nights racing.  On that Saturday Night Series, the cast MUST be legal.  If a team gets caught with illegal equipment, they’ll lose their points for the whole season.

Note:  I’d love to see more tracks do that.

 

Toby LaGrange:

Toby has a “Christmas Wish List”.

1.     Control money in racing.  Instead of say - $2,000.00 to win a feature, make it $1,000.00 to win and $500.00 to take the green.

Note:  Somehow, my simple math comes up with:  Once two drivers        get $500.00 to take the green, you’ve used up that extra $1,000.00.    Dunno if that one would work.

2.  Car counts continue to increase.

3.     Quick and efficiently run programs.

4.     Promotion – every track should have a “Kids Club”, spectator races, “Pack the Track” nights and even bicycle races for the kids.

Note:  Not sure about the spectator races – might be an insurance problem there.

5.     Unity is needed and more on that when the AARN returns in January.

 

Ken Kuhlman:

Covered a good part of the racing career of Alan Johnson.

 

There were two listed from racing that have left us –

Noted racer Joy Fair, 81, winner of over 700 short track features in 12 states and Canada, passed away on December 10th.  His racing career spanned 50 years.  And Don Rouse, 82, a vintage race car participant and an ACOT member from Parsippany, N.J. left us on December 6th.

 

 

 

Former Oakland Valley Speedway (Dirt Oval) runners:

It seems like I missed one for last week – one I never even thought of checking out – the Indoor Go-Kart race that was out in Indianapolis that Tony Stewart won the “Pro race” at.

This, from Bob Krummel, father of Brian Krummel:

“Tom, old man Krummel here. I'm always amazed at how you find out what former OVRP racers do weekly at the various tracks that they now race at and report it in your column. Just to bust your chops (for fun), but you missed one this week. I know you like going to mylaps, so check out the results for 2011 Indy Karting Classic, Yamaha supercan heavy class. They spelled his last name wrong, but it's him. Don't feel bad, he didn't even tell me he was going.

He went with Mike Doty racing to help two Indy Car racers in the Pro Race. Brian brought his tire grinder to clean the rubber and coke syrup off the tires. Apparently no one else did, nor did they know how. A.J. Almindinger noticed the enhanced performance of the Indy guys as a result of grinding the tires, and wanted to borrow the grinder. No problem, take it, only he was doing it all wrong. The kid had to give him lessons on the proper way. Almindinger went faster. Tony Stewart took notice and borrowed said grinder from A.J. And, well, the rest is history. After the races, Brian went to get grinder from J.J., he sent him to Tony's pit for the grinder, only to find Stewart telling everyone how "he" discovered tire grinding. Brian didn't say much, but got Tony to autograph his trophy. I think all the guys with the 9 second laps had tires cleaned with that grinder. So, there ya go, a local boy helped Tony win at "Indy".

Just a little racing story for you.

Bob”

My Laps for the above:  http://www.mylaps.com/results/showevent.jsp?id=739699

 

Also:  I’ve heard rumors that Billy VanInwegen might be driving a Tobias Slingshot in the Indoor races in Atlantic City.  As I said – “rumors”.

 

 

Racing and television:

 

CLICK HERE FOR U.S. LISTINGS WITHOUT THE SPEED CHANNEL (PDF FORMAT)

http://www.racefantv.com/xUSTV-NS.pdf

 

And this: CLICK HERE FOR U.S. LISTINGS WITHOUT NASCAR (PDF FORMAT)

http://www.racefantv.com/xUSTV-NN.pdf

 

Also this one:  CLICK HERE FOR A PRINTABLE PDF VERSION

http://www.racefantv.com/xUSTV.pdf

 

As for any telecasting of the Chili Bowl:

 

"Chili Bowl on TV:

As of now, it looks like it will NOT be telecast on a tape delay on SPEED TV. Kinda figures, I guess? I've seen postings on the Internet and also on Facebook that the telecast will be tape delayed on CBS and then on CBS Sports.  CBS Sports is the correct one.

 

Asking about CBS Sports on the Track Forum, I was led to this link:

http://www.cbssportsnetwork.com/schedule


What you have to do is type in your zip code and who is your cable provider. I'm supposed to get CBS Sports on channels 457 & 467."

 

 

 

More racin’ stuff:

 

From a PR on December 21st:

 

Tom Skibinski

Public Relations

(585)350-8997

tskibinski@rochester.rr.com

 

Canandaigua Motorsports Park Stays DIRTcar In 2012, 305 Sprints Added

DIRTcar charter member track continues affiliation for 36th straight season under Corcoran

 

Canandaigua, NY – December 21, 2011 – As it has done faithfully for the past 35 years, Canandaigua Motorsports Park will once again fly the DIRTcar banner when the Ontario County Fairgrounds' gates swing open to kick off the 2012 race season in April.

 

Continuing to headline the action-packed Saturday night show at the 'Land of Legends' will be the ground-pounding Original Pizza Logs Big-Block Modifieds along with a complete card of NAPA Sportsman, Parts Plus Street Stock, Klein Steel Direct Pure Stock and Community Car Care of Waterloo New Legends Sportsman. The 49th season of racing at the storied Routes 5 & 20 half-mile clay oval will also mark the debut of 305 Sprint Cars, currently slated to run on a bi-weekly basis (rules & regulations, purse structure, race format coming out soon).

 

“There were a lot of factors that affected the decision to stay with the DIRTcar rulebook,” remarked Jeremie Corcoran, who officially begins his sophomore season promoting CMP as soon as the new year arrives. “Maintaining a top-flight field of cars, providing an entertaining program for our fans and doing what was in the best interest of my family are the primary concerns. All these were met and much more, so our only direction right now is fast forward until the cars hit the track in April.”

 

With the Dec. 17 awards banquet officially bringing the 2011 campaign to a close, the beginning of a brand new season is less than four months away. The 2012 CMP opener has been tentatively set for April 14, with practice held during the week prior.

 

Check out www.canandaiguamotorsportspark.com often as further information for the upcoming season will be posted throughout the winter months. Send along a note to fan@canandaiguamotorsportspark.com to join the e-mail list, or register with http://www.twitter.com/Canandaigua_MSP to keep up-to-date on-line and through text messages on cell phones via Twitter.

 

To discuss marketing opportunities available at the track in 2012, please contact Jeremie Corcoran via cell 315-374-2839 or e-mail jeremiecorcoran@yahoo.com.

 

Canandaigua Motorsports Park is proud to salute several sponsors and corporate partners that continue to bring its fans the best Saturday night racing show in the Northeast. Listed alphabetically are DIRTcar series sponsors GM Performance Parts, Hoosier Racing Tire, VP Racing Fuels; division sponsors Community Car Care of Waterloo, Klein Steel Direct, NAPA of the Finger Lakes, Original Pizza Logs, Parts Plus of Macedon; contingency sponsors ABC Supply (Bradco), Five Star Race Car Bodies, Promotion Custom Metal Fab, Summit Auto Group, Wrisco Industries; event sponsors American Equipment, A-Verdi Storage Container, Cobra Motorhomes, Commercial Roofing & Sheetmetal, Corvettes by Turner, Currier Plastics, D.C. Rauscher Motorsports, Empire/Beck’s Recycling, Finger Lakes Radio Group, Honeoye Auto Parts, Mark’s Pizzeria, North Eastern Pool & Spa, Ontario County Fairboard, Payne’s Construction, Payne’s Tiltbed Service, Sherwin-Williams Paint Store of Canandaigua, Stalker Web Design, Victor Excavating & Landscape, WCNY Radio, Wilkins RV, Xtreme Lubricants; and promotional partners Coors Light-Molson-Twisted Tea, Dig Safely New York, HEP Sales, Labatt Blue/Blue Light, North Main Lumber, Regional Int’l Truck & Trailer, Rockauto.com.

 




 

 

I get e-mails:

 

I can’t recall just when it was that I received the following – has to be maybe 4 or 5 years ago?  A short comical story of “Christmas with Louise”

 

 

Christmas with Louise

 

As a joke, my brother used to hang a pair of pantyhose over his fireplace before Christmas.  He said all he wanted was for Santa to fill them.

What they say about Santa checking the list twice must be true, because every Christmas morning, although Jay's kids' stockings were overflowed, his poor pantyhose hung sadly empty.

One year I decided to make his dream come true.  I put on sunglasses and went in search of an inflatable love doll.

They don't sell those things at Wal-Mart.  I had to go to an adult book store downtown.  If you've never been in an X-rated store, don't go.  You'll only confuse yourself.  I was there an hour saying things like, "What does this do?" "You're kidding me!" & quote:  "Who would buy that?"

Finally I made it to the inflatable doll section.  I wanted to buy a standard, uncomplicated doll that could also subsistute as a passenger in my truck so I could use the car pool lane during rush hour.

Finding what I wanted was difficult.  Love dolls comes in many different models.  The top of the line, according to the side of the box, could do things I'd only seen in a book on animal husbandry.  I settled for "Lovable Louise".  She was at the bottom of the price scale.  Hey, I am cheap, you know!  To call  Louise a doll took a huge heap of imagination.

On Christmas Eve, with the help of an old bicycle pump, Louise came to life.  My sister-in-law was in on the plan and let me in during the wee morning hours, long after Santa had come and gone.  I filled the dangling pantyhose with Louise's pliant legs and bottom.  I also ate some cookies and drank what remained of a glass of milk on a nearby tray.  I then went home and giggled for a couple of hours.

The next morning my brother called to say that Santa had been to his house and left a present that had made him VERY happy, but left the dog confused.  She would bark, start to walk away, then come back and bark some more.  We all agreed that Louise should remain in her pantyhose so the rest of the family could admire here when they came over for the traditional Christmas dinner.

My grandmother noticed Louise the moment she walked in the door.  "What the hell is that?", she asked.  My brother quickly explained, "It's a doll."  "Who would pay for something like that?", Granny snapped.  I had several candidates in mind, but kept my mouth shut.  "Where are her clothes?" Granny continued.  "Boy, that turkey sure smells nice, Gran", Jay said, trying to steer her into the dining room.  But Granny was relentless.  "Why doesn't she have any teeth?"  Again, I could have answered, but why would I?  It was Christmas and no one wanted to ride in the back of an ambulance saying, "Hang on Granny, Hang on!"

My gandfather, a delighful old man, with poor eyesight, sidled up to me and said, "Hey, who's the naked gal by the fireplace?"  I told him she was Jay's friend.  A few moments later, I noticed Grandpa by the mantel, talking to Louise.  Not just talking, but actually flirting.  It was then that we realized that this might be Grandpa's last Christmas at home.

The dinner went well.  We made the usual small talk about who had died, who was dying, and who should be killed, when suddenly Louise made a noise that sounded  a lot like my father in the bathroom in the morning.  Then she lurched from the pantyhose, flew around the room twice, and fell in a heap in front of the sofa.

The cat screamed.  I passed cranberry sauce through my nose, and Grandpa ran across the room, fell to his knees, and began administering mouth to mouth resuscitation.  My brother fell back over his chair and wet his pants, and Granny threw down her napkin, stomped out of the room, and sat in the car.  It was, indeed, a Christmas to treasure and remember.

Later, in my brothers garage, we conducted a thorough examination to decide the cause of Louise's collapse.  We discovered that Louise had suffered from a hot ember to the back of her right thigh.  Fortunately, thanks to a wonder drug called duct tape, we restored her to perfect health.

Louise went on to star in several bachelor party movies.  I think Grandpa still calls her whenever he can get out of the house.

 

This article was submitted to a 1999 Louisville Sentinel contest to find out who had the wildest Christmas dinner.  This won first place.

 

 

 

 

 

Some non-racing stuff:

 

A column or two back, I made mention of how one might be forced to give monies back to those that run Medicaid, after one passes away, in New York State, that is.

 

Here’s a little something on that, and why it might not happen:

 

Better With Age: New state law means new strategies must be devised

In part:

"Public outcry from seniors, their families, advocacy groups and even public officials may well lead to the repeal or modification of the new regulations expanding the state's right to demand repayment for Medicaid regardless of your intentions to leave your estate to your wife and children. In line with my overriding strategy to "hope for the best and plan for the worst," it is now time to look at our estate planning and elder law planning assuming that the new burdensome regulations are here to stay. In my previous column, I discussed how the new regulations seem to point to the Irrevocable Living Trust as the most beneficial planning tool. But there are many other vehicles that need to be looked at anew.

Placing children on the deed

By far, the most common method for avoiding probate and protecting your home from Medicaid liens is placing your children on your deed while you retain a life estate allowing you to live there for life. This also has the bonuses of allowing you to keep your STAR exemption and giving your children a "stepped up basis" when they inherit your home, minimizing high capital gains taxes for them if they later sell the home. While there is some minor downside, these are far outweighed by many benefits of the deed with retained life estate.

Apparently, with the new regulations, the state showed that it thought this was too good a deal for seniors. So now, when you die, before your children can get your home, the state can use that life estate to pay itself back for services you might have received from Medicaid. This is especially brutal since the No. 1 reason that people come to elder law attorneys such as myself is so that they can pass on their most valuable asset, their home, to their children.

The state can take a lot away

How much can they take? The state can take up to the value of your life estate in your home at the time of your death. Since a life estate is worth much more at age 60 than at age 95, the exact percentage of the value of your home that is at risk will be determined by your age when you pass away. It could be 30 percent, it could be 10 percent. To add to the uncertainty, the state has no specific time limit for asserting its claim, which may make it difficult or even impossible for your children to sell the home if you have ever been on Medicaid.

At this point, when you visit your elder law attorney to review plans that you have in place or to commence planning (which should now be done as soon as possible), your age may be determinative. If, for example, you are well into your 90s, the lower value of your life estate would point to simply keeping it as part of your elder law plan.

One ingenious solution

There are other options to be considered that can, at least at this point, eliminate government intrusion into your life estate, such as placing your home in an Irrevocable Trust.

The negatives here would be the five-year look-back period for Medicaid (since it is considered a gift) and placing your STAR exemption at risk.

An ingenious solution was inspired by our superb tax attorney, Mark Krohn, of utilizing a family Right-to-Occupy Agreement instead of a deeded life estate.

According to Krohn, this would not only allow you to live in your home for life but also retains your STAR exemption and your stepped-up basis saving potential taxes for your children.

From an elder law point of view, if you already have a deed with a retained life estate and exchange it for a family Right-to-Occupy Agreement, my position is that this should not be considered a gift for Medicaid purposes since, value-wise, it's an even exchange.

If it is not a gift, there is no Medicaid penalty and no waiting for five years."

A little more on this can be seen if you go here:

http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20111218/BIZ/112180313

 

 

 

Is this true # 1:

 

From an e-mail I received:

 

We keep waiting patiently for the Media to open this bag of worms, which most seniors are aware of,,. and have reached that point where we feel we must send this reminder on to one and all.

Don & Betty

 

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT

THE ONLY THING WRONG WITH THIS CALCULATION IS THEY FORGOT TO FIGURE IN THE PEOPLE WHO DIED BEFORE THEY COLLECTED THEIR SOCIAL SECURITY!!!! WHERE DID THAT MONEY GO ?????????????

This was sent to me, I am forwarding it because it does touch a nerve in me..

 

This is another example of what Rick Perry called "TREASON in high places" !!!

 

Get angry and pass this on!

 

Remember, not only did you contribute to Social Security but your employer did too. It totaled 15% of your income before taxes. If you averaged only $30K over your working life, that's close to $220,500.

 

If you calculate the future value of $4,500 per year (yours & your employer's contribution) at a simple 5% (less than what the govt. Pays on the money that it borrows), after 49 years of working you'd have $892,919.98.

 

If you took out only 3% per year, you'd receive $26,787.60 per year and it would last better than 30 years (until you're 95 if you retire at age 65) and that's with no interest paid on that final amount on deposit! If you bought an annuity and it paid 4% per year, you'd have a lifetime income of $2,976.40 per month.

 

The folks in Washington have pulled off a bigger Ponzi scheme than Bernie Madhoff ever had.

 

Entitlement my butt, I paid cash for my social security insurance!!!! Just because they borrowed the money, doesn't make my benefits some kind of charity or handout!!

 

Congressional benefits ---- free healthcare, outrageous retirement packages, 67 paid holidays, three weeks paid vacation, unlimited paid sick days, now that's welfare, and they have the nerve to call my social security retirement entitlements?

 

We're "broke" and can't help our own Seniors, Veterans, Orphans, Homeless

 

In the last months we have provided aid to Haiti , Chile , and Turkey . And now Pakistan ......home of bin Laden. Literally, BILLIONS of DOLLARS!!!

 

Our retired seniors living on a 'fixed income' receive no aid nor do they get any breaks while our government and religious organizations pour Hundreds of Billions of $$$$$$'s and Tons of Food to Foreign Countries!

KEEP PASSING THIS AROUND UNTIL EVERY ONE HAS READ IT.....

 

They call Social Security and Medicare an entitlement even though most of us have been paying for it all our working lives and now when it’s time for us to collect, the government is running out of money. Why did the government borrow from it in the first place? Imagine if the *GOVERNMENT* gave 'US' the same support they give to other countries.

 

Sad isn't it?

 

99% of people won't have the guts to forward this.

 

I'm one of the 1% -- I Just Did.

 

In God We Trust

 

 

 

 

 

Is this true # 2:

 

 I have no idea where they come up with this stuff, really!

 

Obama Regime Warns All Americans: IF YOU FIGHT US YOU WILL DIE!

 

In part:

 

“In one of the most stunning reversals of human rights in modern history the Federal Security Service (FSB) is reporting today that the Obama regime has issued a blunt warning to all American citizens that, in essence, states that any one of these once free people who dare to oppose their government they will be immediately killed and offered no chance to defend themselves before a Court and/or jury of their peers.”

More on this can be seen, if you’re interested, by going here:

http://www.thetotalcollapse.com/obama-regime-warns-all-americans-if-you-fight-us-you-will-die/

 

 

 

Video time # 1:

 

USAC Silver Crown Series | DuQuoin (IL) Fairgrounds | September 4th, 2011

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXgF_tng5LM

 

 

Video time # 2:

 

For Christmas – John Berry and Oh Holy Night.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zq9c4C2573o

 

 

 

 

Photos:

 

I’m posting a photo - or more, a week for a while.  Majority of them will be from “Back in the day”. 

 

Note:  The photos are not available on Dirt Track Digest, only on New England Tractor - http://newenglandtractor.com/racereport/

 

Here's a photo of the start of a 100-mile Midget race at the mile track in Milwaukee, from “Back in the day” - late 50’s maybe early 60’s.  Notice the crowd.  Under that, I've put in a link to a 25-mile midget race at Milwaukee from 2006.  Again, notice the crowd.  Kinda sad, isn't it?  Might it be that the crowd suffered because there was a lack of “Indy” and Sprint Car drivers in the midgets?  On the pole, in that 100-mile midget race is Rodger Ward.

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJZ5ykXaAMs&feature=related

 

And, the photo of Tony Stewart with open face helmet:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Closing with these – continued from last week:

 

                   MOSES AND THE RED SEA

 Nine-year-old Joey was asked by his mother what he had learned in Sunday School.

 'Well, Mom, our teacher told us how God sent Moses behind enemy lines on a rescue mission

to lead the Israelites out of Egypt . 

When he got to the Red Sea , he had his army build a pontoon bridge and all the people walked across safely. 

Then he radioed headquarters for reinforcements.  

They sent bombers to blow up the bridge and all the Israelites were saved.'

'Now, Joey, is that really what your teacher taught you?' his Mother asked.

'Well, no, Mom.  But, if I told it the way the teacher did, you'd never believe it!'

 

                                                                                         

     THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD

A Sunday School teacher decided to have her young class memorize

one of the most quoted passages in the Bible – Psalm 23. 

She gave the youngsters a month to learn the chapter.

Little Rick was excited about the task - but he just couldn't remember the Psalm.  

After much practice, he could barely get past the first line.

On the day that the kids were scheduled to recite Psalm 23 in front of the congregation,

Ricky was so nervous.  

When it was his turn, he stepped up to the microphone and said proudly, 

'The Lord is my Shepherd and that's all I need to know.'

 

                      UNANSWERED PRAYER

The preacher's 5 year-old daughter noticed that her father always paused and bowed his head

for a moment before starting his sermon.  One day, she asked him why.

'Well, Honey,' he began, proud that his daughter was so observant of his messages.

'I'm asking the Lord to help me preach a good sermon.'

'How come He doesn't answer it?' she asked.

                       BEING THANKFUL                                                                 

 A Rabbi said to a precocious six-year-old boy,

'So your mother says your prayers for you each night? That's very commendable. 

What does she say?'

The little boy replied, 'Thank God he's in bed!'

                      UNTIMELY ANSWERED PRAYER

 During the minister's prayer one Sunday, there was a loud whistle from one of the back pews.

Tommy's mother was horrified.   She pinched him into silence and, after church, asked,

'Tommy, whatever made you do such a thing?'

Tommy answered soberly, 'I asked God to teach me to whistle and He did!'

 

More of these in my next column

 

 

 

May “Guardian Angels” sit on the shoulders of all of our race drivers and race fans, and guide them safely around the tracks!

Drive safe! 

As usual, you can reach me at:  ygordad@yahoo.com