“Chicagoland: AJ Foyt Racing preview - Motorsport.com” plus 4 more |
- Chicagoland: AJ Foyt Racing preview - Motorsport.com
- Magazine never short of newsworthy - San Bernardino County Sun
- 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Schedule Released - Who Won
- MOTORCYCLES: Two-time champion Penhall to race at Industry Speedway - San Gabriel Valley Tribune
- AUTO RACING PACKAGE: Auto Racing Glance - Newsday
| Chicagoland: AJ Foyt Racing preview - Motorsport.com Posted: 26 Aug 2009 04:36 PM PDT Ryan Hunter-Reay: ABC Supply No. 14 Dallara/Honda/Firestone * Ryan Hunter-Reay on Chicagoland: "I enjoy racing at Chicagoland; it makes for some great racing as the fans will tell you. The key for us is to go back there with a car that's similar to the one we had at Kentucky and make a good race car out of it. I think the most interesting part of this weekend will be to see what teams are doing with the 300 lbs. of available downforce. At Kentucky there were quite a few different approaches and ours was somewhere in the middle. As far as the track goes, I've heard there are some new bumps. Chicagoland races like a big track whereas Kentucky races a little bit smaller. I think it's because Chicagoland has more banking, but I'm not sure. I just know that some 1.5s feel like they're a mile long and others feel like they're 2 miles long." * RHR on racing at night: "I think it's great for the fans. On the track, it's the same for the drivers--night or day--but for the fans, everything looks a lot faster at night. There is one challenge associated with racing at night, though. On the in and out laps, it's hard coming off the oval at 200 mph onto the access road which isn't really lit up very well. You have to be very fast around the access road coming into pit lane and when you come off a very well lit oval onto a darker area that is flat with no banking, it is definitely difficult. One advantage to racing at night is that the track changes less because you don't have as much of a temperature fluctuation." * Vitor Meira to be at Chicagoland: Meira, who hasn't missed a race in the States since his first one back at Watkins Glen, will be at Chicagoland this weekend. Although he isn't driving, Meira works as a teammate to Hunter-Reay; they discuss the track, car set-up and race strategy with team owner A.J. Foyt and chief engineer Adam Schaechter. * IZOD spokesman Ryan Hunter-Reay will be appearing at the Macy's department store located at 111 North State Street; Chicago, IL 60602 on Thursday, August 27 from 5:00 - 7 p.m. * On Sunday morning A.J. Foyt will fly to Indianapolis along with some of his crew to watch their first Red Bull Indianapolis GP motorcycle race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Foyt had planned to go last year but Hurricane Ike hit Houston hard and he cancelled his plans to attend. It appears that weather won't be a factor in this year's race on Sunday. * Past performance at Chicagoland Speedway: Hunter-Reay finished ninth last year after starting 16th. In his first appearance at the track in 2007 he started 12th and finished seventh. The Foyt team's best finish came in 2001 when Donnie Beechler finished fifth and A.J. Foyt IV posted the team's best start in 2004 which was sixth. -credit: ajfr  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Magazine never short of newsworthy - San Bernardino County Sun Posted: 26 Aug 2009 10:12 PM PDT 1 For 50 years, the feats and achievements of NHRA competitors have been chronicled in National Dragster. No other sport in the country has a weekly publication strictly devoted to its competition. Each week - actually 48 weeks these days - National Dragster supplies the NHRA membership a detailed report of not just events on the Full Throttle Drag Racing Series but every aspect of sportsmen racing across the country. To celebrate the National Dragster milestone, there is an exhibit at the Wally Park Motorsports Museum at Fairplex. There are 25 covers on display in addition to feature stories of the some of the sport's most colorful individuals. "We owe our success to the dedicated staffers and those individuals at NHRA," said Adriane Ridder, NHRA vice president-publications. "Also a huge, huge, huge thanks to Paula Gewertz for her work in putting this together." There have been 13 editors of the publication. The first, Dick Wells, and current, Phil Burgess, were on hand at Wednesday's opening. "Our common bond was the influence of Wally Parks," Burgess said of the sanctioning body founder who passed away in 2007. "We all wanted to please Wally and not get those memos in red ink. "The ones in black ink were OK." There are about 40 employees at the publication, which goes to press Wednesday and usually is in the mail by Friday. There's not much time for its reporting staff to fill the pages following Sunday's final eliminations.The exhibit will be on display through the 2010 Winternationals, ending speculation that the museum would close its doors and move by year's end. It is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., $7 general admission; $5 for seniors and those with Auto Club membership and free to NHRA members.
2 It may not be as important as the Daytona 500 or the Brickyard 400, but the night race at Bristol Motor Speedway is one of the most-awaited events on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule. In an era when tracks are discounting tickets and unable to sell the available inventory, Bristol once again had a packed house for Saturday's Sharpie 500. Jeff Byrd's staff, of course, left no stone unturned in that effort as many in the front office stormed various parts of Tennessee selling race tickets at various locations. Perhaps one of the most unusual aspects of the race was the introduction of drivers. Those who made the field introduced themselves to the crowd and were accompanied by music they chose themselves. The song titles were as varied as the drivers themselves. Mark Martin, at 50 the oldest driver in the field, chose the AC/DC tune `For Those About to Rock', one of three songs from the group. Kid Rock and the group Nickelback also were the choice for three drivers. "We even had some drivers select a line from a particular song," said Lori Worley, the Bristol media relations director who was charged with collecting the list. "Some drivers knew right away and it took weeks for some to select their tunes. "It's the first time any track had done it and we received a lot of help from NASCAR." Among the more unusual selections were Kanye West ("Amazing") by Kyle Busch, Smash Mouth ("All Star") by Juan Pablo Montoya, Michael Jackson ("Billie Jean") by Reed Sorenson and Toby Keith ("As Good As I Once Was") by Michael Waltrip. 3 Auto Club Speedway has come up with a pair of ticket packages sure to please racing fans who happen to be American League baseball and/or rodeo fans. The Fontana track and the Angels have teamed for a promotion for a ticket to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Pepsi 500 as well as a ticket to any Angels home games in September, including a Sept. 23 game against the Yankees. This package cost $75, with a Sept. 17 deadline, and includes: - A $35 reserved ticket for the Pepsi 500 and pre-race pit pass. - A field box seat for any of the Angels home games in the month of September, including Pepsi 500 Day at the ballpark on Sept. 23. - One admission ticket to Fiesta Angels, the Latino heritage celebration, on Sept. 26 at Angel Stadium. For bull-riding fans, the Speedway and the Professional Bull Riders have combined for an offer that will expire Sept.11. The $69.99 package (a $158 value) includes: - A $35 reserved ticket for the Pepsi 500 and pre-race pit pass. - A one-day ticket to the Dickies Invitational at Citizens Business Bank Arena on Sept.26-27, which also includes a PBR dirt pass.
4 For racing fans who viewed the 2008 Auto Club 500 on a Monday at Fontana, the word "weeper" took on an added meaning. As one may recall, heavy rains saturated the grounds of the old Kaiser Steel mill, and whenever the sun came through water rose to the surface. These "weepers" made if difficult to race. Add Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, Pa., as the latest weeper victim. Rain forced delays at the NHRA Toyo Tires Nationals on Friday and Saturday and another on Sunday. Track general manager Lex Dudas quickly issued an apology to fans, sponsors and racers and committed to "fixing the problem." By the time NHRA returns next year, the track will extend the concrete pad from 550 feet to the 1,000-foot mark of the track. The asphalt surface will be milled two inches and new asphalt will be installed for 700 feet.
5 With four Late Model races remaining on the Orange Show Speedway schedule, it's becoming a shootout among five drivers. The Late Models are part of Saturday night's show in San Bernardino that also will include Street Stocks, Pro 4s, Legends Cars, vintage open-wheel Sprint Cars and Western Racing Association Midgets. Jim Conklin, Ryan Daniel and Kevin James all have led the Late Model standings this season, with Daniel in first heading down the stretch. He leads James by four points while John Mattie is in third 24 points behind the leader. Conklin is fourth, 40 points behind Daniel, and Toni McCray is fifth, another four points behind. James, the 45-year-old Union Pacific Railroad conductor, has been the most consistent driver with one victory and just one finish out of the top five. In Street Stocks, five-time champion Johnny Russo leads reigning champion Kyle Meyer by four points. ... It's Law Enforcement Appreciation Night on Saturday at Toyota Speedway in Irwindale, with all sworn and administrative law enforcement personnel admitted free. On the card will be a twin-feature for Super Late Models, Super Stocks, Mini Stocks, S2, Bandoleros and a train race. With seven wins in 11 races, Nick Joanides of Woodland Hills leads the Super Late Model standings and is sixth in the country. In Super Stock, Larry Cerquettini of Redlands leads Ken Brown of Cherry Valley by 26 points. ... Inland Motorsport Speedway will feature scratch and handicap motorcycle racing Friday night beginning at 8. Under the handicap system, the fastest riders, such as Mike Faria and Shawn McConnell, start 50 yards behind the less-experienced riders. Promoter Jason Bonsignore revived the handicap portion because of fan demand. ... Perris Auto Speedway is dark this Saturday and next. Racing resumes Sept. 12 with stadium off-road racing Series and Sept. 19 for the Jack Kindoll Classic for USAC/CRA Sprint Cars.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Schedule Released - Who Won Posted: 26 Aug 2009 12:54 PM PDT Wednesday, August 26, 2009 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Schedule Released by Anthony Vestal GLENDORA, Calif. -- Its the newest and most spectacular drag racing venue on the tour, and in 2010 zMAX Dragway in Concord, N.C. will play host to two NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series events. The new event is one of several exciting changes NHRA announced today as the worlds largest motorsports sanctioning organization revealed its 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series schedule. The state-of-the-art dragstrip in the Charlotte, N.C. metro region will be the setting for two events: one in the spring and one in the fall, with an inaugural event added to the schedule on March 25-28, and the third annual NHRA Carolinas Nationals set for Sept. 16-19.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| MOTORCYCLES: Two-time champion Penhall to race at Industry Speedway - San Gabriel Valley Tribune Posted: 25 Aug 2009 08:05 PM PDT The most famous name in speedway motorcycle racing has been called upon to save the sport at Industry Speedway. Two-time world champion Bruce Penhall, who became even more famous when he joined the cast of the television show "CHiPS" will return to racing his motorcycle tonight at the Industry Hills Expo Center's Grand Arena. "He's doing this to help me," track promoter Jeff Immediato said. "I had to think outside of the box. He said in the past he has turned down 25 grand to do this in Europe. He told them, `No means no.' But he said he would do it to help me." Penhall, who helped Immediato take over promoting the track last year, said Tuesday that he wants to help out his friend and the sport. "My family said, `Are you insane?' My friends said, `Can you get me free tickets?' " Penhall said. "I wanted to do my little bit to help out. We want people to come out and be happy with what they see." Immediato said he was seriously considering ending the season early at the speedway, which has been racing on Wednesday nights at Industry for six years. "I told the riders (on Aug.12) that if they didn't show up, we'd close the doors down," Immediato said. "We had about 24 riders and the count has been dwindling." Sixty-three riders raced last Wednesday. "I know times are tough with the economy, but we have to get people here and that's to think outside of the box," he said. "I figured the only way to really make a huge change now is with the crowd, and the only way I knew was to beg BP to do something he has for 20 years said he wouldn't. Bruce is coming to my aid."Penhall, who has not ridden a bike since he did a four-lap tribute in England four years ago, will not race against the Division 1 racers. He will do 15 minutes of hot-lap riding and will have a surprise special event, which he will not even tell Immediato what it involves. "Hey, I'm 52-years old," Penhall said. "I'm old and I'm a little out of shape. I would need three or four weeks of training and that's not where I'm at. I'm not sharp at all." Penhall won world titles in 1981 and '82 and immediately announced his retirement from racing. He said he last did anything remotely close to tonight's racing more than a decade ago. He spent one hour in a closed practice session on Tuesday night. "Once you know the basics of riding speedway, it's not hard to get right back at it," he said. "But I'm nowhere near ready to trade elbows with the regular guys. There's a big difference." Penhall will be joined by 47 other speedway legends, including Rick and Gene Woods, Billy Hamill and Brad Oxley. Hamill, from Monrovia, won the 1996 world championship and the Woods and Oxley have won numerous U.S. titles. Preliminary racing begins at 7 p.m. with the main events starting at 7:30. (626) 962-8811, Ext. 4456  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| AUTO RACING PACKAGE: Auto Racing Glance - Newsday Posted: 26 Aug 2009 07:39 AM PDT Site: Montreal. Schedule: Saturday, practice, qualifying (ESPN2, 9-11 p.m.); Sunday, race, 2:30 p.m. (ESPN2, 2-6 p.m.). Track: Circuit Gilles Villeneuve (road course, 2.709 miles). Race distance: 200.466 miles, 74 laps. Last year: Canadian road-racer Ron Fellows splashed his way to victory in the first NASCAR points race run on grooved rain tires. The event was cut from 74 to 48 laps because of heavy rain, flooding and poor visibility. Last week: David Ragan raced to his second Nationwide victory of the year, holding off Roush Fenway teammate Carl Edwards at Bristol in a two-lap sprint to the finish. Fast facts: Kyle Busch leads the season standings with 3,900 points, followed by Edwards (3,652) and Brad Keselowski (3,597). ... Jacques Villeneuve is driving the No. 32 Toyota on the track named in honor of his late father. ... Mike Wallace will drive J-D Motorsports' No. 01 Chevrolet for the rest of the season, replacing Danny O'Quinn Jr. ... Edwards and Marcos Ambrose will co-drive Doran Enterprises' No. 77 Ford DP on Friday in the Grand-Am race. Ambrose won the Nationwide road-course race at Watkins Glen on Aug. 8 for his first NASCAR victory. Next race: Degree V12 300, Sept. 5, Atlanta Motor Speedway, Hampton, Ga. On the Net: http://www.nascar.com ___ Site: Joliet, Ill. Schedule: Thursday, practice; Friday, practice, qualifying (Speed, 5-6:30 p.m.), race, 9 p.m. (Speed, 8:30-11:30 p.m.) Track: Chicagoland Speedway (oval, 1.5 miles). Race distance: 225 miles, 150 laps. Last year: Inaugural event. Last week: Kyle Busch won at Bristol for the second straight year, easily holding off Matt Crafton. Busch has three series victories this year. Ron Hornaday Jr. finished third, ending his series-record winning streak at five. Fast facts: Busch is trying to complete a career sweep at Chicagoland Speedway. He won the Sprint Cup and Nationwide races last year. ... The 51-year-old Hornaday, a six-time winner this year for Kevin Harvick Inc., leads the season standings with 2,458 points. Crafton is second with 2,247, followed by Mike Skinner (2,153). Next race: Lucas Oil 200, Sept. 5, Iowa Speedway, Newton, Iowa. On the Net: http://www.nascar.com ___ Last week: Kyle Busch completed a season sweep at Bristol Motor Speedway, holding off Mark Martin in a frantic four-lap sprint. Busch has four victories this season. Next race: Pep Boys Auto 500, Sept. 6, Atlanta Motor Speedway, Hampton, Ga. On the Net: http://www.nascar.com ___ Site: Joliet, Ill. Schedule: Friday, practice, qualifying (Versus, 6-7 p.m.); Saturday, race, 9 p.m. (Versus, 9-midnight). Track: Chicagoland Speedway (oval, 1.5 miles). Race distance: 300 miles, 200 laps. Last year: Helio Castroneves won the season finale for his second victory of the year, while Scott Dixon finished second to win his second series championship. Last week: Dario Franchitti won the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma, leading from start to finish. The Scot has four victories this season. Fast facts: Ryan Briscoe leads the season standings with 497 points, four more than Franchitti with three races left. Dixon is third, 20 points behind Briscoe. ... Franchitti held off Dixon on the final lap at Chicagoland in 2007 to win the series title. Next race: Indy Japan 500, Sept. 19, Twin Ring Motegi, Motegi, Japan. On the Net: http://www.indycar.com ___ Site: Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium. Schedule: Friday, practice (Speed, 9-9:30 a.m.); Saturday, practice, qualifying (Speed, 8-9:30 a.m.); Sunday, race, 8 a.m. (Speed, 7:30-10 a.m.). Track: Spa-Francorchamps (road course, 4.35 miles). Race distance: 191.415 miles, 44 laps. Last year: Ferrari's Felipe Massa was declared the winner after McLaren's Lewis Hamilton was penalized for cutting a corner late in the race. Hamilton finished 14.4 seconds ahead of Massa, but was penalized 25 seconds. Last week: Brawn GP's Rubens Barrichello raced to his first victory in five years, holding off Hamilton in the European Grand Prix in Valencia, Spain. Barrichello has 10 career victories in Formula One. Fast facts: Brawn GP's Jenson Button, a six-time winner this year, leads the season standings with 72 points. Barrichello is second with 54, followed by Mark Webber (51.5) and Sebastian Vettel (47). ... Massa was seriously injured in Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying July 26 when he was hit in the helmet by debris and crashed into a tire barrier at 120 mph. He returned home to Brazil after surgery to repair multiple skull fractures and hopes to return to racing at the Brazilian Grand Prix in October. Next race: Italian Grand Prix, Sept. 13, Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, Monza, Italy. On the Net: http://www.formula1.com ___ Last week: Bob Tasca raced to his second Funny Car victory of the season, beating Mike Neff at Maple Grove Raceway in Mohnton, Pa. Larry Dixon (Top Fuel), Jeg Coughlin (Pro Stock) and Eddie Krawiec (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won. Next race: Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, Sept. 2-7, O'Reilly Raceway Park, Clermont, Ind. On the Net: http://www.nhra.com ___ ARCA RE/MAX SERIES: Ansell Cut Protection 150, Saturday (Speed, 6:30-8:30 p.m.), Chicagoland Speedway, Joliet, Ill. On the Net: http://www.arcaracing.com AMERICAN LE MANS SERIES: Grand Prix of Mosport, Sunday (Speed, 3-6 p.m.), Mosport International Raceway, Bowmanville, Ontario. On the Net: http://www.americanlemans.com GRAND-AM ROLEX SPORTS CAR SERIES: Montreal 200, Saturday (Speed, 2-4:30 p.m.), Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal. On the Net: http://www.grand-am.com WORLD OF OUTLAWS: Sprint Car: Friday-Saturday, Castrol Raceway, Edmonton, Alberta. Late Model: Friday, Fayetteville Motor Speedway, Fayetteville, N.C.; Saturday, Screven Motor Speedway, Sylvania, Ga. Super Dirtcar: Thursday, Lebanon Valley Speedway, West Lebanon, N.Y. On the Net: http://www.worldofoutlaws.com FIRESTONE INDY LIGHTS: Chicagoland 100, Saturday (Versus, Monday, 4-5 p.m.), Chicagoland Speedway, Joliet, Ill. On the Net: http://www.indycar.com Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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