“Driver remains a long way from racing in Cup series - HamptonRoads.com” plus 4 more |
- Driver remains a long way from racing in Cup series - HamptonRoads.com
- Motocross: High-flying 9-year-old soars past peers - Carroll County Online
- Racing Returns at Drew County Speedway - Who Won
- Racing motorcyclist whose friend died in crash faces misdemeanors - Zanesville Times Recorder
- Camera & Autograph Night at SSP's Stock Car Saturday Night SSP This ... - Who Won
| Driver remains a long way from racing in Cup series - HamptonRoads.com Posted: 18 Aug 2009 08:49 PM PDT As Carl Long washed someone else's Sprint Cup car, he couldn't help wondering when he would race again. Or if this might be as close as he gets to NASCAR's top series. Having served his suspension for an oversized engine, he still hasn't found a ride. The only offer he's had was with a Nationwide team that wanted him to pull into the garage shortly after the start of the race. Start-and-park is what it's called. Operating his own team again isn't an option. His team can't race again until it pays NASCAR $200,000 to cover the fine. Long can't afford that. The donations he has received from fans in 44 states and four countries covers about 10 percent of the fine. So last Thursday, Long was at Front Row Motorsports' shop near Statesville, N.C., washing the car John Andretti drove at Watkins Glen earlier in the week. The night before, Long helped put the decals on Andretti's car for this past Sunday's race at Michigan International Speedway - another in which Long did not compete. "Basically, the message to me is that NASCAR doesn't want me in Cup," Long said, referring to the size of the fine. "My motivation to go race has never been this weak. Even when I was a 6-year-old kid playing with Matchboxes and Hot Wheels, I always wanted to race. I've always tried to find a way to race." Few fans noticed Long until May's All-Star race weekend, when his engine was found to be too large. NASCAR allows a maximum of 358 cubic inch displacement for engines. Long's was 358.197. NASCAR fined his crew chief $200,000 and suspended Long and his wife - she's listed as the team's owner - for 12 races. Because the crew chief couldn't pay the fine, the team assumed the penalty. Many fans decried the punishment. They said NASCAR was picking on a low-budget driver, one who delivered pizzas to fund his racing early in his career and later would dig through trash for spare parts. NASCAR, though, has a long-standing policy of issuing severe penalties for infractions involving tires, fuel or the engine. Richard Petty received one of the largest fines at the time - $35,000 - for an oversized engine in 1983. Two years ago, NASCAR fined Michael Waltrip's crew chief $100,000 for illegal fuel. He and the vice president of competition were indefinitely suspended and the team and its driver were docked 100 points. The National Stock Car Racing Commission, which heard the first of Long's two appeals, explained why it sided with NASCAR in this case: "While it is tempting to consider penalties that this driver and team can more-readily bear, the sport would not be well served by having a sliding scale of penalties calibrated to a given team or member's resources." Another appeal reduced Long's suspension from 12 to eight races, but the fine remained. "This has probably... (been) the worst three months of ever having stuff go wrong," said the 41-year-old who has driven in 23 Cup races since 2000. The Roxboro, N.C., native is open to racing in anything from ARCA to Late Models. Fans have tried to help. They've contributed anywhere from 50 cents to $500. Dan Harvey of Lebanon, Tenn., gave $500 and said his motorcycle club is looking into a poker run to help raise more money. "Shame on NASCAR," said Harvey, who's never met Long but has since spoken with him. Chesapeake's George Miezejewski read about Long's fine and was incensed. He donated $25. "What they did to him was not fair and not right," Miezejewski said. The money comes in at a slower pace, and Long knows he probably won't be able to pay the fine unless he gets a sponsor. That's not likely in this economic climate. Thus, he faces another question: What to do with the fan donations if it doesn't cover the fine? "If I have to, I may have to send it back to the people who sent it if I don't think there's a way we can use it for the purposes they wanted me to use it for," Long said. Soon, work beckons. He finishes washing the car. Then it's off to replacing the gas tanks on the team's hauler. This keeps him close to the sport, but with what he can't have in plain sight.
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| Motocross: High-flying 9-year-old soars past peers - Carroll County Online Posted: 18 Aug 2009 08:56 PM PDT As the days of summer wind down and Labor Day approaches, children across the state of Maryland will begrudgingly trudge back to school with stories of summer adventures. But when they sit at their desks and write the obligatory "What did you do over the summer?" essay, it's a good bet that 9-year-old Shawn Rothstein, of Sykesville, will have a story unlike those of his classmates.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Racing Returns at Drew County Speedway - Who Won Posted: 18 Aug 2009 10:26 AM PDT Drew County Speedway Tuesday, August 18, 2009 Racing Returns at Drew County Speedway MONTICELLO, Ark. -- On Saturday night, August 22nd, it's LA Graphics Nite presented by Cliff Ferrell featuring the ground-pounding O'Reilly Pro Modifieds, lightning-fast Super 8 SportMods, hammer-time Piggly Wiggly Hobby Stocks, ultra-crazed Trade Wynds Motorcycle Accessories and Apparel of Stuttgart Cruisers, freakin' Street Stocks, and those always mighty-fine Mini Stocks.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Racing motorcyclist whose friend died in crash faces misdemeanors - Zanesville Times Recorder Posted: 17 Aug 2009 04:54 PM PDT ZANESVILLE The Zanesville Police Department has charged a motorcycle rider with reckless operation and not wearing a helmet after a crash that took his friend's life. Adam McPherson, 21, of South Zanesville, was charged Tuesday afternoon. McPherson was riding his motorcycle alongside another rider, Darren Leopold, 20, who attempted to pass a vehicle on Linden Avenue and crashed into a car early Sunday morning. Leopold was pronounced dead at Grant Medical Center later that morning. Detective Randy Ritchason said McPherson admitted he and Leopold were riding their bikes in excess of 110 mph as they sped south on Linden Avenue after leaving The Barn that morning. The pair were weaving in and out of traffic, according to Sgt. Chris Phipps, who observed them leave the parking lot of the bar and race down the street. Phipps attempted to catch up to the pair, but Leopold tried to go around Christina McHenry, of Kentucky, as she pulled into another parking lot off Linden. Leopold was ejected from his bike, according to Capt. Mike Baker. Ritchason said he interviewed McPherson on Monday after he followed up on some leads and was able to locate him. Both charges are misdemeanors. Ritchason said McPherson was charged with not wearing a helmet because a rider has to wear one during the first year they ride a bike. McPherson is scheduled to appear in Zanesville Municipal Court on Monday. Services for Leopold will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at the Corner Stone South Church in McConnelsville with burial following at the McConnelsville Cemetery. Calling hours are 3 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Matheney Funeral Home in McConnelsville. kthompson@nncogannett.com  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Camera & Autograph Night at SSP's Stock Car Saturday Night SSP This ... - Who Won Posted: 14 Aug 2009 02:34 PM PDT Friday, August 14, 2009 Camera & Autograph Night at SSP's Stock Car Saturday Night SSP This Weekend; AMA Motorcycle Racing on Sunday NEWBERRYTOWN, Pa. -- Racing action returns to the Susquehanna Speedway Park this weekend on Saturday night, August 15 at 7:00 p.m. featuring the popular Camera & Autograph Night. Racing action will include the Late Models, Street Stocks, Xtreme Stocks, Legends Cars and the Speedway Auto Sales Mini Vans. The popular annual Camera & Autograph Night is an event in which all fans will have the opportunity to meet their favorite drivers with their cars on the frontstretch before the feature events begin. Saturday night will also be the second York County Racing Club Night of the season at SSP.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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