Racin'
& Internet Stuff:
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
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
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
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
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
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."
Fifth:
There’s been an investigation into the accident that took the life of Dan Wheldon – the one at the Las Vegas Speedway.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=531vxkNbHOs
And:
Sixth:
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:
2) April 1:
3) April 15:
4) April 29:
5) May 27: Indianapolis Motor Speedway (oval)
6) June 3:
7) June 9: Texas Motor Speedway (oval)
8) June 23: Iowa Speedway (oval)
9) July 8:
10) July 22:
11) Aug. 5: Mid-Ohio SportsCar Course (permanent road course)
12) Aug. 19:
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
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
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.
In 2010, he was in position to post his fourth top-10
finish in six starts but on the final lap of the
Signing with Andretti Autosport in 2011,
The British Racing Drivers Club recently awarded the
Innes Ireland Award to
En route to
In 2007 and 2008,
"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
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
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
"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:
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
For GPS use this address:
484-754-3976
http://www.aarn.com/motorsports2012.html
Atlantic City Indoor Race 2012
February 3rd & 4th, 2012
Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall 2301 Boardwalk
http://www.aarn.com/acindoorrace2012.html
Are you aware that the
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:
http://www.accordspeedway.com/
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
"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
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
1941
John Hubbard... Born ...
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
1977
Johnny White... Died ... USAC sprint & Indy car driver from the 1960's.
He was paralyzed from a Sprint Car accident at
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
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
DECEMBER 26
1917
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
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
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
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
Note: I’m not positive, but I’m pretty sure that
race at the
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,
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,
News
from the AARN:
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
Note: It’s rumored that Hoffman will be promoting
the
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
USAC
Sprint will be here in the East in 2012.
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
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
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
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
Former
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
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
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:
Tom
Skibinski
Public
Relations
(585)350-8997
tskibinski@rochester.rr.com
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 '
“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.
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
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
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:
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
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:
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
When
he got to the
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!'
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