Rick Hendrick understands you don't mess with a good thing. That's perhaps why one of his top priorities was to sign potential four-time champion Jimmie Johnson and sponsor Lowe's Companies, Inc. to long-term contract extensions, something that was announced Friday at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

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BILL REED
THE GAZETTE
November 19, 2009 4:52 PM


As I zipped the fire suit over my bulging belly and pulled the helmet over my Coke-bottle glasses I thought that maybe, just maybe, I had finally found my sport.

Dreams of shooting a jumpshot in the NBA or smacking a homer at Coors Field are long gone, but if a geezer like Mark Martin can be a professional race car driver, why not me?

Such were my thoughts as I prepared to race around the one-mile oval at the Pikes Peak International Raceway, under the tutelage of the expert drivers with the Richard Petty Driving Experience. The company makes its money by feeding the dreams and adrenaline needs of regular schlubs.

Sure, I was a little intimidated that some other students had raced professionally, while my biggest victory is smoking a 7-year-old at Mario Kart Wii.

And my blood pressure rose a bit as we discussed what to do in the event of brake failure or a car fire.

Still, I held out hope that I might discover a latent talent in the curves of that race course. I imagined them asking me to join the staff after my deft run, and perhaps landing a sponsorship deal.

The Richard Petty Driving Experience allows you to drive a real stock car, by yourself, which is a lot of fun but doesn’t seem wise. You follow a seasoned driver, and if you are able to stay consistent and controlled behind him, he keeps speeding up as you go around.

I focused on the bumper of the lead car and began rolling down pit road. Gaining confidence, I switched into second gear…and stalled.

They started me up again. Realizing what he was dealing with, my lead driver took off slowly.

In my defense, driving on an oval is not like driving on a straight highway. I felt like I was flying, but my lead driver was mashing on the green tail light that means “speed up Grandpa.”

Really, I tried. But my tendency toward caution held me back. The same tendency caused me to switch gears into neutral far too early as I rolled back onto pit road after my eight laps of glory.

My car rolled at a painfully slow pace, and I could see the frustration on the faces of the pit crew as I crept along, parked in the wrong place, and then had to be yanked out of the car. It was a fitting end.

The experts can hit 140 mph on this track with these cars. The other students cranked it up to 115 mph. Me, I topped out at 97 mph..

So, reluctantly, I crossed yet another sport off the list of possibilities. Such is the curse of giant dreams and midget abilities.

But I’ll have more respect for NASCAR drivers when I sit on the couch, crack open a beer and switch on the TV Sunday afternoons.

—

Call the writer at 636-0226.

Dick Baty Recovering

Dick Baty is resting at home recovering from a blood clot that was found in his lung. Dick was one of the supermodified drivers at the Englewood Speedway back in the day. He drove the #88 supermodified with the ERA at the 1/3 mile Englewood Speedway.

Best wishes for a full recovery.

Kurt Hansen’s Race Central Radio on Mile High Sports Radio AM 1510

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BILL REED
THE GAZETTE
November 19, 2009 4:46 PM

Amy Atwater tore off her racing helmet, the adrenaline still pumping. She had just finished a spin around the Pikes Peak International Raceway’s oval in a stock car, courtesy of the track’s new partner, the Richard Petty Driving Experience.

Her drive signifies the operation’s shift into a new gear, as the track is being transformed from a spectator venue to a motorsports mall where regular folks get to participate.

“It’s a pretty fundamental change to go from spectators to participation,” said PPIR spokesman Vince Salas. “It’s one thing to come and sit in the grandstands; it’s a whole other thing to sit behind the wheel.”

Or, as Atwater said to friends in the flush of excitement: “It’s scary as hell but it’s fun. We can definitely sell that, over and over.”

Atwater works for Destinations Services Corp., a company that helps places like The Broadmoor book activities for guests. That’s the type of partner track owners are recruiting as they seek to become an “exhilaration destination.” They see the PPIR as a natural extension of the region’s tourism draw and reputation for adventure sports.

Just off I-25, on the stretch between Colorado Springs and Pueblo, the PPIR has been host to crickets chirping rather than motors revving in recent years.

The spot held a horse track for decades, until developers broke ground in 1996 on a $35 million racing facility. But owners struggled to consistently attract the big-name events that bring in the serious dough. International Speedway Corporation bought the track in 2005, then shuttered it, and it sat dormant for three years.

Private investors — led by finance banker and CEO John H. Molloy, real estate developer Guy Kathe and car dealer Bob Brockway — pounced in 2008. They bought the neglected track for $9 million, Molloy said, and spent $3 million revitalizing the raceway and infrastructure.

Besides capital, the owners brought a new vision.

“At the end of the day, the business of fun is still a business,” said Molloy, who specializes in sports finance. “We want to be here for a long time. The development plans are past my lifetime.” Forget about living and dying on a few NASCAR or IndyCar races. Instead, create a place where gearheads can hang out year-round. Think of it as a country club for car lovers, or a shopping mall full of motorsports goodies. They tore out most of the bleachers — leaving seating for 10,000 — and began to court the retail outlets for their mall. Effectively, the PPIR is now a rental facility.

People who want to drive can come and catch a ride in the Legends cars run by Griffith Speed & Customs, or in the stock cars run by the Richard Petty Driving Experience. Go 4 It Racing Schools is offering classes at the track. And the Speedway Driver Search reality-TV show is filming at PPIR.

Professional drivers are using the track to test their machines, Molloy said, and area car clubs are renting the PPIR to stretch out their classic cars and hot rods. He said the track had logged 215 event days this year through Oct. 31.

“There’s nothing that competes with PPIR right now,” said Tony Di Censo of the Southern Colorado Mopar club. He just booked the Rocky Mountain Muscle Car Classic at the track next June.

He said the attraction is a race track that club members can drive on, plans for a drag strip, and options like the Richard Petty Driving Experience that give people more to do and see at a car show.

Drivers have flexibility because the 1,300-acre PPIR has several race courses, including the one-mile oval, a 1.3-mile oval road course, a second road course that should be finished in 2010, and a 12-acre slab of asphalt tailor-made for drifters.

That acreage brings up the second half of the new owners’ equation: real estate development.

Molloy imagines a gas station (that also sells racing fuel) along the interstate, a hotel and restaurants. He wants to develop “Garage Mahals” where car enthusiasts can store their beloved vehicles next to a track and have “man cave” hangouts for their tinkering.

“Both sides have to work,” Molloy said of the motorsports mall and the real estate development. “And if they do, they will feed off each other and make it much more viable.” The PPIR has begun discussions with the city of Fountain, hoping to have the entire site annexed into the city. A portion of the land is in unincorporated El Paso County. Molloy said they can offer the city sales tax revenue and jobs, while the city could offer support ranging from water to police and fire protection.

Lisa Cochrun, economic development director for Fountain, said she is excited about the possibilities. She believes the track is an unusual community feature that’s been sitting idle for too long.

““I think it has huge potential to help from Pueblo to Colorado Springs,” Cochrun said.

Marty Snider, Special to NASCAR.COM

(November 20, 2009) -- Ok, now it's really over. The chances that Jimmie Johnson does not finish 25th this week at Homestead-Miami are so very slim that on Sunday it's all but a stone cold lock that we will be celebrating the four-time champion Jimmie Johnson. So this week instead of sorting the championship contenders into tiers, we are handing out Chase grades for the 12 participants as we wrap up the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup season.

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Jimmie Johnson A+

How can you give Jimmie Johnson any other grade? Year after year he and Chad Knaus have proven they know how to work it in these final 10 races. No matter what their situation coming into the Chase is, they deliver when the money is on the line. I agree with Mark Martin, not enough credit is given to not only Johnson's talent but also how hard he works at his craft. Unlike a lot of other drivers in this sport, Johnson is often present at the shop and involved with his team almost on a daily basis. Chad Knaus publicly gets a lot of credit for the 48 team's success, as well and he should. Knaus doesn't necessarily out-work other crew chiefs, he often just works smarter and with such a different approach. Almost to a habitual fault, Knaus studies races and analyzes them unlike anyone I have ever worked around. Clearly that effort put in by both guys has resulted in developing one of the best tandems to ever participate in this sport.

Now the question that will be asked from now until next year's Chase...how long can they keep it going? Honestly the only team that can stop them at this point is themselves. I've seen it happen over the years to the best...from Kirk Shelmerdine and Dale Earnhardt, Sr, to Ray Evernham and Jeff Gordon. They only thing that stopped those dynasty's was themselves. Kirk Shelmerdine decided he wanted to be a driver and Ray Evernham was offered a once in a lifetime opportunity to own his own team. To this point in their careers, Johnson and Knaus' attention has been fully on their job. Some day that will inevitably change. It may be that Johnson will have children, Knaus might decide to get married or someone might make either one of them (or both of them) an offer to leave Hendrick they cannot refuse. Who knows what the reason might be, but this dynasty too shall pass. And no matter what you think of Johnson's dominance now, I promise, as a NASCAR fan, one day you will look back and think with a smile, "man I remember when those guys were unbeatable." We should appreciate the history we are witnessing while it's here.

Mark Martin A

Speaking of history, Mark Martin's Chase run of 2009 deserves a little credit in the history books. Had Talladega been one lap shorter the story coming into the final race of the season might have a much different tone, with Martin likely being the champion instead of Johnson. As it is though it looks likely that for the 5th time in his career Mark Martin will finish 2nd in the final championship standings.

Much like his teammate Jimmie Johnson , behind wheel, Martin has been spectacular in the Chase. But unlink the 48 team, I feel like the crew chief on this team doesn't get enough credit for the team's success. Alan Gustafson is one of the true young talented crew chiefs in this business, quietly ranking among the best. Not only did Gustafson turn out cars equal to Knaus throughout the Chase, in a few cases you could make the argument he was a step better. Martin didn't have nearly the racing fortune that Johnson did in the Chase as evidenced by his Charlotte and Talladega wrecks, neither of which were Martin's fault. So when you talk of Martin's 2009 success make sure you include Alan Gustafson in that conversation.

For Martin, as much as anything, his positive attitude each week during the Chase proved that at age 50, he's still a force to be dealt with in this sport and the things that used to bring his mood down (poor finishes, the media, and the grueling schedule) don't seem to bother him as much as they used to. Look out in 2010 for 51-year-old Mark Martin and his hotshot crew chief Alan Gustafson, they might be even better than this year's version.

Juan Montoya A

I realize that some people will look at this grade and question why it is so high and once again accuse me of giving Juan Pablo Montoya too much credit but you have to keep in mind and fully understand what Montoya accomplished in the 2009 Chase. Out of the nine Chase races so far, JPM has achieved a career best finish in six of those nine races. I don't care what you thought about Montoya heading into the Chase, you have to admit, that's impressive. Throw into that mix that his team brought brand new cars to the track four times in the Chase and he had career best finishes in all four of those races and that makes it even more impressive in my opinion. With the Earnhardt-Ganassi guys building better cars each week and the now solidified relationship between Montoya and veteran crew chief Brian Pattie getting better each week too, this combo could prove to be one of the toughest to beat in 2010.

Denny Hamlin A/F

I checked with my high school English teacher and she said, since it's my program, I can give an A and an F at the same time and that's what I think Denny Hamlin deserves for the Chase. If you were to grade the 11 team based simply on performance and on-track speed, they deserve an A. I would bet that if you asked Jimmie Johnson who he would dread racing heads up for the championship the most he would say Hamlin because Hamlin is one of the few drivers who has been able to keep up with Johnson each week and often, Hamlin was a little better than Johnson. The only misstep in the performance category was Dover where they finished 22nd, aside from that race, the speed was there every week in the Chase. So for that part of the program, Hamlin and crew chief Mike Ford get an A.

And now for the rest of the story...silly mistakes and broken parts. You can't have that happen in the playoffs and expect to win a championship. Hamlin's miscalculation while racing for the lead at California started the roll of misfortune, followed by blown engines at Charlotte and Talladega. And it always seemed as though the problems caught them in races where they very well could have won. At California, Charlotte and Talladega they were arguably one of the best cars in each race. Those opportunities lost in the Chase earn you an F. They are simply unacceptable.

The bottom line, though, is that something positive clicked with the 11 team this year. Hamlin was a little more dedicated, JGR had their usual strong equipment and the 11 team was terrific on pit road. This team is on the verge of being a top-level team along side the 48, if they can just keep the little things from costing them in big races, they can win a championship.

Jeff Gordon B

Some will argue that Jeff Gordon deserves a lower grade but how can you say that for a guy who will likely finish 3rd in the final championship standings? The one argument against that is that the 24 team did not really improve in the Chase. Their program was strong at the intermediate tracks during the season, just as it was in the Chase. Outside of where you expected Gordon to run well there were no real spectacular races. The one race that will haunt Gordon in the 2009 Chase is Texas, a race they should have taken advantage of Johnson's problems and they could not. Had they performed better there Gordon still might be in the championship conversation.

The one question I get all of the time is, how many years can Gordon stay at this level of performance? My answer is honestly still a few. Listen, Jeff Gordon still has plenty in the tank. Like it or not, Gordon will be a championship contender once again next season and for a few years to come after that as well.

Tony Stewart B

I'm trying to stick with grading people just on the Chase but for this one I will make an exception. Tony Stewart deserves an A just for making the Chase with his first year team, but the performance in the Chase was really not what many had expected, especially after being rather dominant mid-season. I have to admit that I thought when the season started it would be tough for Stewart to get one car, much less two, into the Chase but Stewart (as per usual throughout his career) was able to prove most of us in the media wrong. Once in the Chase, Stewart was decent but not great. Even in his one Chase win at Kansas, Stewart did not have the best car in that race. But the bottom line is that Stewart made the Chase and was a championship contender much quicker than anyone expected. Look out for this team in 2010.

Kurt Busch B-

I know some people will look at this grade for Kurt Busch and think...what? Believe me, their grade is well earned. The 2 team deserves high marks because of their win at Texas during the Chase but really mostly because of what they had to overcome in this 2009 Chase. Granted the win did not hurt but with Pat Tryson announcing right before the start of the Chase that he would be leaving after the season it would have been easy for everyone in the camp to give up on 2009 and turn their attention to 2010. Instead the team stayed dedicated to their 2009 goals and they were able to keep themselves in the top six of the championship standings every week of the Chase. Penske team President Tim Cindric probably does not get nearly the credit he deserves for his leadership with this team. Sure, Cindric is the leadership face of the Penske IRL teams but day-to-day at the shop he focuses on all of the Penske teams. It certainly didn't hurt that Cindric was able to stay with the NASCAR teams each week during the Chase since the IRL season was complete. I'm not saying that Cindric deserves the credit for the on-track performance (that certainly goes to Busch, Tryson and the team) but at a critical time, someone needed to step up as a leader for this team and Cindric quietly played a key part in keeping things together when they could have very easily come unglued.

Kasey Kahne C+

If you were shocked by the previous grade you're probably floored by this one...no it's not a typo. Let me start by saying, I know the Chase performance of the 9 team probably does not deserve a C+ mark, with just four top tens and four finishes of 32nd or worse in the Chase. But I would also argue that the behind the scenes picture at Richard Petty Motorsports is much uglier than we all know. The mere fact that Kasey Kahne and Kenny Francis were able to show up at the track and still deliver some decent results deserves a ton of credit in my opinion. Firing 50 people the week the Chase starts? All told by the end of the year approximately 200 people who started the year at RPM will likely be out of a job? Can you imagine going to work in that environment? How can you be dedicated to winning a championship when people you work with are losing jobs left and right? You have to wonder if you are next and what kind of job can you do then? Sure, I understand the business side of this industry and layoffs are sometimes necessary but what has taken place late this season at RPM has been a travesty. So in that context, the 9 team actually hasn't been that bad have they?

The rough part is that with all of these layoffs, the soon to be merger with Yates Racing and all of the change this team will have gone through in 12 months, it's hard to imagine Kahne having a tremendous amount of success in 2010. The one thing that is for sure, this team is not trending in a way that would indicate they will be a championship contender next season.

Ryan Newman C

If you base it off recent performances it might be tempting to give Newman a lower grade but this really has been a tale of two Chases for Newman. The first half of the Chase went fairly well, starting with two top tens but lately it has been rough going culminating last week with Newman leaving the track saying "nothing went right this weekend." Throw in an upside down ride at Talladega and it would seem as though this has been a bad Chase for Newman. But if you take a step back and are truly honest with yourself, it might not be so bad. Was this team really supposed to make the Chase in their first year of existence anyway? So just by being in the Chase is the battle not already won? Plus not only did they make the Chase but the 39 team ran fairly well at times. So my take is that this team did surprisingly well by not only making the Chase but also setting themselves up to be a perennial Chase player. The one thing I am sure Newman would love to have though is a good run this weekend at Homestead, nobody wants to wrap the season on a bad string of races. There's one shot left to fix that.

Greg Biffle D

Carl Edwards D

I've gotta be honest, it is very, very, very tempting to give these teams an "F." But in handing out the year-end Chase grades I have never given an "F" because if you make it to this level you are not a failure no matter how bad things are...but how can you give Roush Racing any other grade for the 2009 Chase? Granted, Greg Biffle had the best car at the Kansas race a few weeks ago but finished 3rd and Carl Edwards did finish sixth at California a few weeks ago, amazingly still his best finish so far in the Chase. Really? Those are the Roush Chase highlights we are talking about? Is that what they want to hang their "hat" on in the off-season? That is not the Roush Racing we have come to appreciate over the years.

I get emails all of the time that Jack Roush should just blow up the organization and switch all of the personnel around in an effort to shake things up. The best thing Roush could do honestly? Nothing, at least for now. If it was one or two teams that were behind then that scenario might work. But the problem is that the entire organization is in a slump. The best thing Jack Roush and team President Geoff Smith did a few years ago was put Robbie Reiser in charge of the performance side of the team. The worst thing they can do is deviate from that plan now. I know it sounds goofy considering the lack of performance this year but trust me, Reiser is the best man for the job, so leave him alone and let him do his job. Give Reiser time to work some personnel and performance magic. If Roush management gives Robbie Reiser the latitude to do his job they way he wants, there is no way that Roush Racing will be down in the dumps this far next year. I may eat those words in 2010, but knowing how hard Robbie Reiser works and the effort he will put in this off-season, I doubt it.

Brian Vickers D-

Sticking with my promise, I am not going to give anyone an F but...wow, where did this team go? Was Brian Vickers even in the Chase? It baffles me how this team stormed into the chase with nine straight finishes of 12th or better and then followed that up with only two finishes better than 12th and zero top tens in the Chase itself. What happened? This team is true mystery heading into the 2010 season. Should we expect the team that bowled their way into the Chase? Or will we see the team that failed to show up during the Chase? I bet this team will spend the next two months wondering the same thing.

Happy Birthday to newly hitched Bubba (Super Stock23x)!!!!!

Hope its a good one buddy!!!!

:cheers: (since i cant drink, have 1 for me)

Briggsy

Lonnie Wheatley, TUCSON, Ariz. (November 19, 2009) – The 42nd Annual Kronik Energy Western World Championships presented by Old Tucson Studios kicked off with Sammy Swindell and Jerry Coons, Jr., racing to victory lane in Thursday night's 25-lap qualifying features atop the 3/8-mile USA Raceway clay oval.

Sprint Car legend Swindell bested the Lucas Oil Sprint Cars presented by K&N Filters ranks in the 25-lap winged main event to earn the pole position for Saturday night's $15,000-to-win championship finale, with Coons decimating the Discount Tire Co. ASCS Canyon Region ranks for the pole in Saturday's $5,000-to-win main event.

With 64 drivers taking part in Thursday night's Old Tucson Studios preliminary action, including 39 winged competitors and 25 wingless racers, the second half of the Western World field will take to the track in Friday's Kronik Energy Qualifying event.

Lucas Oil Sprint Cars presented by K&N Filters (Winged)

After making a last-lap pass of Sam Hafertepe, Jr., to win the night's third winged Sprint Car heat race, Swindell drew the pole position for the main event with 15-year-old northern California shoe Justyn Cox alongside.

With Swindell jumping the first start, the field stacked up on the second start with fourth-row starter Cale Conley getting turned around to bring out the caution. It got worse for Conley on the next try when he got into a flipping Sean McClelland on the backstretch, with both McClelland and Conley done before a lap was in the books.

With the green flag finally flying, Swindell gunned into the lead with fifth-starter and current Lucas Oil Sprint Car points leader Shane Stewart racing into second past Johnny Herrera upon the completion of the second round.

Swindell and Stewart reached the tail of the field after just six laps and raced through traffic until the caution flew after eleven laps when Herrera clipped an infield tire and spun to a stop in turn two.

Stewart kept pace with Swindell over the next ten-lap stretch of green flag action with the lapped car of Brady Bacon in between the pair until a final caution flew after 21 laps for Seth Bergman, who came to a stop in turn three.

Stewart disposed of Bacon on the final restart and while he kept pace with the fleet Swindell on the top side of the track, was unable to mount a charge. Swindell flashed underneath the checkered flag aboard Tom Rolfe's Parker-powered No. 10 for his third career Lucas Oil Sprint Car feature win.

Runner-up honors aboard Paul Silva's Wesmar-powered ProBilt Construction/Palmero Properties No. 57 A.R.T. proved good enough for Stewart to put a virtual lock on the $60,000 Lucas Oil Sprint Car championship.

Moving into fifth when Herrera spun on the eleventh round, Wayne Johnson charged up to third on the ensuing restart and kept the Fisher-powered FattFro Motorsports No. 14aj Maxim in the show position the rest of the way, with Gary Wright working up to fourth in the final rounds aboard Scott Brown's ASI-powered Lubbock Wrecker Service No. 9x Maxim.

Ricky Logan rounded out the top five in the Lucas Oil No. 10a, with Jack Dover, 13th-starter Sam Hafertepe, Jr., and 19th-starter Paul McMahan earning starting positions in Saturday's main event by finishing sixth through eighth, respectively.

Jesse Hockett raced from 20th to ninth, with Lucas Wolfe completing the top ten.

Conley, W. Johnson, Swindell, Wright and Herrera topped heat race action for Thursday night's 39 winged competitors, with Bergman and Bacon winning the "B" Mains.

Discount Tire Co. ASCS Canyon Region (Non-Wing)

Tucson, AZ, native Jerry Coons, Jr., left little doubt about his first career American Sprint Car Series feature win by unleashing a dominant performance in Thursday night's 25-lap Discount Tire Co. ASCS Canyon Region main event at USA Raceway.

Coons took the checkered flag aboard Rex Foster's No. 32 entry with more than a half-lap advantage, lapping all the way up to seventh in the process. And, if not for a red flag eleven laps into the race, Coons likely would have lapped the entire field.

While he probably didn't need it, Coons caught a break before the green flag even flew on the feature field when scheduled pole starter Travis Rilat pulled to the infield when a leaking fuel valve ignited. The fire burned through Rilat's safety belts, forcing him pitside and moving Coons to the pole position.

Moving alongside outside front row starter and current ASCS Canyon Region points leader Charles Davis, Jr., Coons gunned into the lead and had opened up half-lap advantage in just a handful of laps as Daniel Hutto, R.J. Johnson and Rick Ziehl moved past Davis.

Slicing through traffic, Coons lapped up to eleventh by the time the red flag flew after eleven laps when Dalten Gabbard went yard in turn four. Gabbard walked away uninjured.

With several lapped cars between Coons and Hutto, it was more of the same over the final 14 circuits as Coons circled the oval at an unmatched pace.

While Coons ultimately took the checkered flag on the heels of the trio battling for positions fifth through seventh, the battle for position behind him was wild with Robert Ballou wasting little time racing from fifth into second after the lap 12 restart.

Ballou held the runner-up spot to the line, with Arkansas shoe Tim Crawley charged from the 19th starting position to claim the show position.

After exiting a heat race when his Yeley-owned mount ignited, Jon Stanbrough transferred through "B" Main action along with Crawley and then raced from 18th to fourth in the feature with Ziehl rounding out the top five.

Davis was sixth, while R.J. Johnson took the seventh and final lock-in position to Saturday night's main event as the final car on the lead lap.

Stevie Sussex was eighth, with Casey Shuman and Joshua Hodges competing the top ten.

42nd Annual Kronik Energy Western World presented by Old Tucson Studios
Thursday Night's Old Tucson Studios Qualifier Results

USA Raceway – Tucson, AZ

Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters (Winged Cars)

Heat Races (Top 16 in Passing Points to "A" Main; Balance to 2 "B" Mains):

Heat One (8 Laps): 1. 3c-Cale Conley, 2. 94-Danny Wood, 3. 57-Shane Stewart, 4. 13-Jesse Hockett, 5. 93-Dustin Morgan, 6. 22b-Ben Gregg, 7. 2m-Mike Melwicks, 8. 77m-Billy Chester III.

Heat Two (8 Laps): 1. 14aj-Wayne Johnson, 2. 57x-Lucas Wolfe, 3. 1p-Curtis Evans, 4. 23-Seth Bergman, 5. 3s-John Carney II, 6. 7-Darren Long, 7. 22j-John Gaston, 8. 94z-Zach Zimmerly.

Heat Three (8 Laps): 1. 10-Sammy Swindell, 2. 15h-Sam Hafertepe, Jr., 3. 53-Jack Dover, 4. 3d-Paul McMahan, 5. 99-Brady Bacon, 6. 9-Gary Taylor, 7. 41w-Joshua Williams, 8. 44k-Koty McGullam.

Heat Four (8 Laps): 1. 9x-Gary Wright, 2. 5h-Justyn Cox, 3. 15-Bud Goodwin, 4. 93k-Brent Kronfuss, 5. 6-Ronnie Clark, 6. 8x-Mike Wells, 7. 71-Bob Schaeffer, 8. 66-Jessica Van Dyke.

Heat Five (8 Laps): 1. 45x-Johnny Herrera, 2. 10a-Ricky Logan, 3. 1-Sean McClelland, 4. 99j-Jake Ossenfort, 5. 45-Martin Edwards, 6. 22-Jesse Baker, 7. 5az-John Van Horn.

"B" Mains (Top 3 From Each Advance to "A" Main):

First "B" Feature (12 Laps): 1. 23-Seth Bergman, 2. 3d-Paul McMahan, 3. 22b-Ben Gregg, 4. 9-Gary Taylor, 5. 93-Dustin Morgan, 6. 2m-Mike Melwicks, 7. 94z-Zach Zimmerly, 8. 22j-John Gaston, 9. 99j-Jake Ossenfort, 10. 41w-Joshua Williams, 11. 45-Martin Edwards, 12. 77m-Billy Chester III.

Second "B" Feature (12 Laps): 1. 99-Brady Bacon, 2. 13-Jesse Hockett, 3. 7-Darren Long, 4. 6-Ronnie Clark, 5. 22-Jesse Baker, 6. 8x-Mike Wells, 7. 5az-John Van Horn, 8. 15-Bud Goodwin. DNS: 71-Bob Schaeffer, 44k-Koty McGullam, 66-Jessica Van Dyke.

Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series Western World Thursday Prelim Results (Top 8 Lock into Saturday's "A" Main):

“A” Feature (25 Laps): 1. 10-Sammy Swindell, 2. 57-Shane Stewart, 3. 14aj-Wayne Johnson, 4. 9x-Gary Wright, 5. 10a-Ricky Logan, 6. 53-Jack Dover, 7. 15h-Sam Hafertepe, Jr., 8. 3d-Paul McMahan, 9. 13-Jesse Hockett, 10. 57x-Lucas Wolfe, 11. 94-Danny Wood, 12. 3s-John Carney II, 13. 99-Brady Bacon, 14. 22b-Ben Gregg, 15. 7-Darren Long, 16. 5h-Justyn Cox, 17. 1p-Curtis Evans, 18. 93k-Brent Kronfuss, 19. 23-Seth Bergman, 20. 45x-Johnny Herrera, 21. 1-Sean McClelland, 22. 3c-Cale Conley.

Lap Leaders: Sammy Swindell 1-25.

Discount Tire Co. ASCS Canyon Region (Non-Winged Cars):

Heat Races (Top 16 in Passing Points to "A" Main; Balance to "B" Main):

Heat One (8 Laps): 1. 29-Travis Rilat, 2. 32-Jerry Coons, Jr., 3. 50-Charles Davis, Jr., 4. 77m-R.J. Johnson, 5. 78-Chris Bonneau, 6. 62-Stevie Sussex, 7. 88-Tim Crawley, 8. 11-Seainn Hendricsen, 9. 25c-Don Grable.

Heat Two (10 Laps): 1. 20-Robert Ballou, 2. 7k-Bruce St. James, 3. 97-Casey Shuman, 4. 19-Andrew Reinbold, 5. 96-Carson Ditsch, 6. 8az-Jordan Stetson, 7. 1-Jon Stanbrough. DNS: 5d-Jerry Johnston.

Heat Three (10 Laps): 1. 74x-Joshua Hodges, 2. 8-Daniel Hutto, 3. 77-Dalten Gabbard, 4. 41-Rick Ziehl, 5. 48T-Thomas Ogle, 6. 51-Cody Cambensy, 7. 6c-Rex Calderwood, 8. 17-Steve Spiak.

"B" Main (Top 4 Advance to "A" Main):

"B" Feature (12 Laps): 1. 48T-Thomas Ogle, 2. 1-Jon Stanbrough, 3. 88-Tim Crawley, 4. 11-Seainn Hendricsen, 5. 25c-Don Grable, 6. 17-Steve Spiak, 7. 8az-Jordan Stetson, 8. 5d-Jerry Johnston. DNS: 6c-Rex Calderwood.

Discount Tire Co. ASCS Canyon Region Western World Thursday Prelim Results (Top 7 Lock into Saturday's "A" Main):

“A” Feature (25 Laps): 1. 32-Jerry Coons, Jr., 2. 20-Robert Ballou, 3. 88-Tim Crawley, 4. 1-Jon Stanbrough, 5. 41-Rick Ziehl, 6. 50-Charles Davis, Jr., 7. 77m-R.J. Johnson, 8. 62-Stevie Sussex, 9. 97-Casey Shuman, 10. 74x-Joshua Hodges, 11. 8-Daniel Hutto, 12. 7k-Bruce St. James, 13. 19-Andrew Reinbold, 14. 48T-Thomas Ogle, 15. 11-Seainn Hendricsen, 16. 96-Carson Ditsch, 17. 51-Cody Cambensy, 18. 77-Dalten Gabbard, 19. 78-Chris Bonneau, 20. 29-Travis Rilat (DNS).

Lap Leaders: Jerry Coons, Jr. 1-25.

Will win a record 12th national series title when race ends

Joe Menzer, NASCAR.COM

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (November 19, 2009) -- Rick Hendrick sat with drivers Jimmie Johnson and Mark Martin situated to either side of him at a long table on an elevated stage Thursday at the posh Hyatt Regency hotel.

More...

The special occasion Thursday afternoon was the Cup Series championship contenders press conference, and folks were there to talk mostly about history.

Yes, Jimmie Johnson almost certainly will make some Sunday in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He needs only to finish 25th or better -- regardless of what Martin does -- to secure an unprecedented fourth consecutive championship.

And if Johnson somehow slips up and Martin erases the formidable 108-point deficit he is facing heading into Sunday's Ford 400, Martin would make history by becoming the oldest driver in history to win a championship.

But Hendrick was the only one on stage Thursday already assured of putting his name and his organization on a new page in the NASCAR record book. With both Johnson and Martin in his employ at Hendrick Motorsports, Hendrick already knows that his ninth Cup championship is in the bag -- as well as his 12th overall championship in NASCAR's three national touring series.

Only the former Petty Enterprises has won as many Cup titles, and no one has won more overall. Hendrick entered this season tied with Richard Childress Racing for most overall NASCAR championships.

"I would have to say this is probably as good as it gets," Hendrick said. "You know, to have the three cars in the points where they are right now [Jeff Gordon, another Hendrick driver, is third behind Johnson and Martin], having the championship as owner going into Homestead already secured, we've won a lot of races ... this has got to be as good as any season we've ever had."

It comes, remarkably, in Hendrick Motorsports' 25th season as an organization. What began as a one-car operation that appeared it might not be long for NASCAR's top series in 1984 has through the years transformed into what legendary driver Bobby Allison insisted Thursday was the greatest of all time.

Asked after Thursday's news conference where Hendrick Motorsports ranked amongst all the racing organizations that have fielded teams and won championships throughout NASCAR's 61-year history, Allison didn't flinch with his answer.

"First of all, Rick Hendrick is leading. He's first," said Allison, who won one championship, in 1983, while driving for several different owners from 1961 through 1988. "He's done an incredible job. I can only wish I had driven for Hendrick somewhere along the way. I would like to think if I had, I would have done better than I did -- and to begin with, I did pretty good.

"Hendrick has the people skills where he could have been a real big help to me. If you go back and look at my career, I won races and got fired -- several times. Some of that was my fault. Not much, but at least a little, tiny bit. And Rick probably could have helped me with that part of it."

That is, after all, what everyone says about Hendrick and why they think he has been so successful. He is a people person to a Superman's degree. Martin said last weekend at Phoenix that he believes he sees "a little bit of Rick in everyone who is employed at Hendrick Motorsports."

On Thursday, Martin further explained that astute observation. He said it is all about communication with and respect for each other -- and about wanting to please the man in charge because no one wants to let him, or anyone else in the organization, down.

"I've never known an organization that wants to win more for the boss," Martin said. "It feels like to me they want to win more for him than they even do for themselves. You know, that's just a testament to what a guy Rick is."

Johnson added: "Rick has had to make a lot of decisions for a variety of employees at every level. Somehow, some way, what he possesses in connecting with people, looking for the right skills, the desire, the drive that an individual may have to perform well and do well, there's something that he can see and recognize. I think it speaks volumes to the company and the success of the company.

"He can pick something up, pick something out, know how to weave it into a group of guys that are all very good at what they do as well, and kind of piece everything together."

Hendrick said he traces the current level of success for his organization back to 1999, when Ray Evernham, who had been the highly successful crew chief for Jeff Gordon, left Hendrick Motorsports to start his own team. Gordon had won three championships with Evernham, but the other teams in the Hendrick fold had often struggled to keep up (despite Terry Labonte also winning a championship).

"I told 'em all that we were going to start working together more in 1999 when Ray Evernham left. I said, 'We're going to work together; this is the way we're going to do it. If you want to do it here, fine; if you don't, that's OK but you'll have to leave because that's the way we're going to do it,'" Hendrick said.

"I had been sick [with leukemia], and Ray went out to do his own thing. We had one Cinderella team, and the other guys were just kind of on their own. Teams were located in buildings that were on the same property, but they didn't work together."

That was about to change, and did rather quickly. Soon the teams that now are the No. 24 of Gordon and then No. 48 of Johnson were working closely together out of one shop, and the ones that now are the No. 5 of Martin and the No. 88 of Dale Earnhardt Jr. were working out of another nearby in the same complex.

"Ken Howes, our director of competition, had been talking about how the engineers were really going to be leading the charge in the future and how we needed to put all the engineers in one place. You couldn't have them cubby-holed up with one team or another," Hendrick said.

"I'm not taking all the credit for this idea, mind you. Don't misunderstand me. But I was the enforcer."

Today Hendrick seems as proud that the two drivers sitting to either side of him on Thursday's stage are willing to work together amicably on a regular basis along with the other HMS drivers as he is that they are battling each other for a championship.

"I don't know anything other to say than I'm just like that kid who was given a football when he was 5 years old. He admired everybody, but never really thought he would play in a Super Bowl or win a championship," Hendrick said.

"I'm not a driver; I'm not a crew chief. But I've been able to experience championships with those guys. To see guys like Jeff come along and have the success he's had, and Jimmie. I get a lot of joy out of watching those guys reach the success level that they have. And a guy like Mark Martin, I just wish I had [employed] him about 10 or 15 years ago."

Jacob Hawkins 2009 Arizona Modified Midget Champion

Mark Taylor, Special to NASCAR.COM

(November 19, 2009) -- The final race of the 2009 Cup Series season is on tap at Homestead-Miami Speedway this weekend. The annual running at the 1.5-mile true oval has been the final race of the season for some time now, and the drivers have become used to racing at the South Florida track with a "finishing target" in mind.

More...

With Jimmie Johnson needing to finish only 25th or better to clinch the title, it could have some significant impact on his fantasy racing value as well as some other drivers looking for measuring stick finishes in the Ford 400. If past seasons are any indication, this race should truly be up for grabs.

However, the Ford teams of Roush Fenway Racing have enjoyed a good share of the success and champagne in Victory Lane at HMS. Roush drivers have won the past five races at Homestead. That could change this season, but we still expect to see a fair number of Roush teams within the top 10 on Sunday afternoon.

Time Listed Is Eastern Standard:



FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20

12:30A-1:00
espn2
NASCAR Now, HD, R

1:00A-1:30
VS
Quest for the NASCAR Sprint Cup

11:00A-11:30
SPEED
NASCAR Live from Homestead-Miami Speedway, HD

11:30A-1:00P
SPEED
NASCAR Sprint Cup PRACTICE, Ford 400, Homestead-Miami Speedway, Homestead, FL, HD, L

1:00P-3:00
SPEED
NASCAR Nationwide Series PRACTICE, Ford 300, Homestead-Miami Speedway, Homestead, FL, HD, L

1:00P-2:00
HD Theater
World Rally Championship, Acropolis Rally of Greece, June 12-14/09, HD, R

3:00P-5:00
espn2
NASCAR Sprint Cup QUALIFYING, Ford 400, Homestead-Miami Speedway, Homestead, FL, HD, L

5:00P-6:30
SPEED
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series QUALIFYING, Ford 200, Homestead-Miami Speedway, HD, L

6:30P-7:30
SPEED
NASCAR Nationwide Series FINAL PRACTICE, Ford 300, Homestead-Miami Speedway, Homestead, FL, HD, L

7:30P-8:00
SPEED
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series SETUP, Ford 200, Homestead-Miami Speedway, HD, L

8:00P-10:30
SPEED
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Ford 200, Homestead-Miami Speedway, HD, L (expect green at 8:18P)

10:30P-11:30
SPEED
Trackside (NASCAR) from Homestead-Miami Speedway, HD, N

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21

12:00m-1:00A
SPEED
Building the NASCAR Hall of Fame, R

12:30A-1:00
espn2
NASCAR Now, HD

1:00A-4:00
SPEED
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Ford 200, Homestead-Miami Speedway, Nov 20/09, HD, R

3:00A-4:00
HD Theater
World Rally Championship, Acropolis Rally of Greece, June 12-14/09, HD, R

6:00A-7:00
HD Theater
World Rally Championship, Acropolis Rally of Greece, June 12-14/09, HD, R

11:00A-11:30
SPEED
NASCAR Live from Homestead-Miami Speedway, HD

11:30A-1:30P
SPEED
NASCAR Nationwide Series QUALIFYING, Ford 300, Homestead-Miami Speedway, Homestead, FL, HD, L

1:30P-2:30
SPEED
NASCAR Sprint Cup PRACTICE, Ford 400, Homestead-Miami Speedway, Homestead, FL, HD, L

3:00P-4:00
espn2
NASCAR Sprint Cup FINAL PRACTICE, Ford 400, Homestead-Miami Speedway, Homestead, FL, HD, L

4:00P-4:30
espn2
NASCAR Nationwide Series COUNTDOWN, Ford 300, Homestead-Miami Speedway, Homestead, FL, HD, L

4:30P-7:30
espn2
NASCAR Nationwide Series Ford 300, Homestead-Miami Speedway, Homestead, FL, HD, L (expect green at 4:45P)

5:00P-6:00
HD Theater
Isle of Man TT, Highlights 1, HD

7:30P-8:30
SPEED
Trackside Special Edition (NASCAR), season-end special from Homestead-Miami Speedway, HD, L

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22

4:00A-7:00
espn2
NASCAR Nationwide Series Ford 300, Homestead-Miami Speedway, Homestead, FL, Nov 21/09, HD, R

4:00A-5:00
HD Theater
Isle of Man TT, Highlights 1, HD

10:00A-11:00
espn2
NASCAR Now, HD, L

10:00A-10:30
SPEED
NASCAR Performance from Homestead-Miami Speedway, HD, N

11:00A-11:30
SPEED
NASCAR in a Hurry from Homestead-Miami Speedway, HD, L

11:30A-2:30
SPEED
NASCAR RaceDay, preview of today’s Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, HD, L

2:30P-3:15
ABC
NASCAR Sprint Cup COUNTDOWN, Ford 400, Homestead-Miami Speedway, Homestead, FL, HD, L

3:15P-7:00
ABC
NASCAR Sprint Cup Ford 400, Homestead-Miami Speedway, Homestead, FL, HD, L (expect green at 3:30P)

5:00P-6:00
VS
Lucas Oil Motorsports Hour, Endurocross #3, Florence Civic Center, Florence, SC, Sept 12/09

5:00P-6:00
HD Theater
Isle of Man TT, Highlights 2, HD

6:00P-7:00
VS
Lucas Oil Motorsports Hour, ASCS #09, Knoxville Raceway, Knoxville, IA, Aug 8/09, N

7:00P-8:00
HD Theater
World Rally Championship, Acropolis Rally of Greece, June 12-14/09, HD, R

8:00P-9:00
HD Theater
World Rally Championship, Rally Poland, June 26-28/09, HD, N

8:00P-9:00
SPEED
NASCAR Victory Lane, Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, HD, N

9:00P-10:00
SPEED
Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain, HD, L

10:00P-11:00
SPEED
The SPEED Report, HD, L

10:00P-11:00
espn2
NASCAR Now, HD, L

11:00P-12:00m
HD Theater
World Rally Championship, Rally Poland, June 26-28/09, HD, R

11:00P-12:00m
espn2
NHRA Lucas Oil Sportsman Series, Pomona Raceway, Pomona, CA, Nov 15/09, HD

NASCAR.COM

(November 19, 2009) -- Jamie McMurray has been tabbed by Earnhardt Ganassi Racing to drive the No. 1 Chevrolet in 2010, the team announced on Wednesday.

More...

The EGR opening came about when Martin Truex Jr. signed with Michael Waltrip Racing on July 7.

McMurray, who will team with Juan Montoya under the EGR banner, said he is looking forward to reuniting with some familiar faces.

"I am really excited about this opportunity with Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, as I think Juan Pablo and Martin have shown this season [that] their equipment is as good as anyone's in the garage. I am really looking forward to getting behind the wheel of their cars and once again competing for a NASCAR championship.

"It will also be fun to work with some of the people that I worked with when I was there a few years ago."

McMurray -- reunited with team owner Chip Ganassi for whom he drove from 2003-05 -- has driven the past four seasons for Roush Fenway Racing. However, because of the impending four-car limit imposed by NASCAR for the 2010 season McMurray was free to negotiate with other teams.

Roush Fenway Racing will have Matt Kenseth, Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards and David Ragan in its stable next season.

"To be able to sign a veteran driver with the talent and experience of Jamie was important to us," Ganassi said. "We know Jamie and understand what makes him tick as a driver. We had a lot of success with Jamie in the early part of his career and are looking for more of the same.

"We also think he will be a tremendous compliment to Juan Pablo Montoya as well. The duo of McMurray and Montoya creates a very formidable team as we look to continue the momentum that has been established this year in our chase for the championship."

Bass Pro Shops / Tracker Boats will return as sponsor of the No. 1 Chevy.

McMurray drove the 2002 season's final six races following neck injury to Sterling Marlin that ended the veteran's challenge for the championship after Kansas race in September.

McMurray, who has three wins in 257 starts in the Cup Series, made his series debut on Oct. 6, 2002, at Talladega, then won his second start a week later at Charlotte by holding off Bobby Labonte on the final lap.

McMurray's most recent victory came Nov. 1 at Talladega. He has 30 top-five finishes and 80 top-10s in the Cup Series. His best finish in the point standings is 11th in 2004.

McMurray's victory in the Nationwide Series on Oct. 26, 2002, gave him the distinction of becoming the 100th driver to win a series race.

Butch posted the schedule, Im thinking their will be additions like Dwarfs, 600s, Late Models, mod Lites, and Mini Stocks

Knowing that the internet is ever-changing and people like to get the information and connect with friends in different ways we at BigWestRacing.com like to offer different ways for our members to connect with us.

We have now created a Big West Racing Facebook page and we humbly ask that you become a fan that we can connect on FaceBook as well as here on BWR. :up:

Therefore, you can now interact with Big West Racing on the following outlets:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• RaceShout

World of Outlaws: Sprint Cars 2009 features twelve popular dirt tracks, including Knoxville Raceway and Eldora Speedway. In addition to this, there are five specially made Arenas created exclusively for the multiplayer matches (2-player split screen and up to eight players online.)

Release Date: Feburary 2010

http://ps3.ign.com/objects/143/14333873.html

Wo0t!!

can someone point me to some cheap head rests, under armpit arm sticking forward rest things, and body rests?

i heard we need full containment seats but id rather just upgrade mine v. buying a new one.

also, is the neck doughnut gonna work next year or do i need a hutchinson or hans.

thanks,
nic

C.A.R.C. GENERAL MEETING TONIGHT NOV 18TH AT 7:00PM. WILL BE AT GOMEZ ON PARK AVE - 38TH & I-25. WILL HAVE NEW RULE BOOKS, CAR AND MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE.

GENERAL MEETINGS ARE OPEN TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES.

NEXT DATE FOR GENERAL MEETING WILL BE DECEMBER 9TH, 2009

USAC SUPER LICENSE CHAMPIONSHIP DOWN TO FINAL RACE

The annual "Super License Championship" has become one of USAC's most contested prizes in recent years.

This year is no exception with the champion yet to be crowned after the November 26 "Turkey Night Grand Prix" at Irwindale, Calif.

More...

The prize is a USAC "Super License," good for competition in USAC's various racing series in 2010. Points are awarded only for feature positions in all USAC National events during the calendar year and the driver amassing the largest point total is the winner.

Cole Whitt of Alpine, Calif. holds a 34-point lead over Jerry Coons Jr. of Tucson, Ariz. entering the final event. A total of 60 points are available at Irwindale.

Tracy Hines won last year's "Super License" by just three points over Levi Jones, with Coons only seven points behind. Coons was the 2007 titlist and Josh Wise won the honors in 2005 and 2006. Jay Drake was the 2004 champ, while J.J. Yeley was a runaway winner in 2003 after also claiming the 2001 and 2002 honors. Hines wore the inaugural crown in 2000.

The "Super License" will be presented at the USAC "Night of Champions" Banquet at the Indiana Roof Ballroom in Indianapolis, Ind. January 8.

-credit: --USAC--

Ok, so I guess I'm confused. I think that I remember Scotty and staff saying that ONLY factory sealed G.M. 604 engines with "box stock" 650 cfm carbs. would be allowed.(for those electing to run the crate engine) This was brought up in front of all competitors at a pit meeting. However,there seems to be exceptions to this "rule". There are several front running cars(imagine that) that either missed that pit meeting, or chose to ignore the message that was conveyed.

I just browsed the classifieds and.......
My question is.... Can someone take a G.M. 604 from Burt Chevrolet, transport it to Dave Capriotti, or any other engine builder, buy a V.D.L carb. and race against the competition that is actually playing by the rules for yet another year?

I believe that the G.M. 604 engine is the best thing to happen to short track racing since beer and hot dogs. But once you allow the engine builders to get their hands inside of them its a futile effort for all involved.