Monthly Archives: February 2016

Arena Racing USA – Military Appreciation 200

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Richmond, VA – Every so often during the off season while we are waiting for the asphalt racing to get back underway we like to try and get out and about to cover more local racing. Tonight, we find ourselves planted in the Richmond Coliseum for some good ole Arena Racing. For those who may not know what Arena Racing is, first I invite you over to their website www.arenaracingusa.com. Arena Racing is an indoor racing event with mini cup sized cars racing on a high back aluminum track with speeds around 50 M.P.H. Drivers from all over the region fighting for a $5,000 points pay out at the end of the year.

The races are set up very similar to a dirt track. Qualifying is held earlier in the afternoon as well as practice. Two or more heat races are set by lap times. Drivers then race 50 laps to set the field the feature event – a.k.a The Top Dog race. Top six finishers from each main earn a spot in the top dog race. Importance of getting in the Top Dog? Simple – POINTS.

A – Main

Of course packed with fast cars as well as those up their battling for points. Points leaders Camden Testerman showed his strength early on in the event holding the lead till just past the halfway mark. Cody Carlton – who was so dominate last year – started shotgun on the field but was able to climb up to the second position. Things got interesting from there on. As Testerman was working his way around lap traffic out of two, the rear of the car stepped out on him, causing Carlton to make contact and out of no where, Connor Medeiros running third plows into the both of them.

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NASCAR Announces Nominees For NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2017, Landmark Award

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Hall of FameDAYTONA BEACH, FL — Legendary engine builders, crew chiefs, owners, drivers and the most recognizable voice in motorsports. The talents, eras and levels may differ, but all share a common thread. They shaped NASCAR, and on Wednesday, they were recognized as nominees for the highest honor the sport bestows – enshrinement into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

 

NASCAR today announced the 20 nominees for the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s Class of 2017, as well as the five nominees for the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR. Included among the list are five first-time nominees, all legends who made excellence a habit through their various contributions to the sport.

 

Among them are record-holding four-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Ron Hornaday Jr.; the man with the most car owner wins in NASCAR national series history with 322, Jack Roush; former all-time consecutive starts leader Ricky Rudd; legendary motorsports broadcasting pioneer Ken Squier; and three-time premier series champion engine builder and three-time Daytona 500-winning crew chief Waddell Wilson. For a full list of nominees, please see below.

 

The nominees were selected by a nominating committee consisting of representatives from NASCAR and the NASCAR Hall of Fame, track owners from both major facilities and historic short tracks and the media. The committee’s votes were tabulated by accounting firm Ernst & Young.

 

From the list of 20 NASCAR Hall of Fame nominees, five inductees will be elected by the NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Panel, which includes a nationwide fan vote on NASCAR.com. Voting Day for the 2017 class will be Wednesday, May 25.

 

Added to this year’s list of Landmark Award nominees is Janet Guthrie – the first female driver to compete in a NASCAR premier series superspeedway race. The four returning nominees for the Landmark Award are H. Clay Earles, Raymond Parks, Ralph Seagraves and Squier (more on each below). Potential Landmark Award recipients include competitors or those working in the sport as a member of a racing organization, track facility, race team, sponsor, media partner or being a general ambassador for the sport through a professional or non-professional role. Award winners remain eligible for NHOF enshrinement.

 

Following are the 20 nominees for induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, listed alphabetically:

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Qualifying, Check. Duels, Check. Daytona 500 – Bring it On!

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 18: Chase Elliott, driver of the #24 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet, leads the field to the green flag to start the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Can-Am Duels at Daytona International Speedway on February 18, 2016 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Sarah Crabill/NASCAR via Getty Images)

DAYTONA BEACH, FL – FEBRUARY 18: Chase Elliott, driver of the #24 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet, leads the field to the green flag to start the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Can-Am Duels at Daytona International Speedway on February 18, 2016 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Sarah Crabill/NASCAR via Getty Images)

As it says above, lets bring on the Daytona 500 ladies and gentleman! The starting grid for Sundays 58th annual Daytona 500 was finalized in last night two Can-Am Duel races that saw their fair share of twists and turns. Few starting positions were changed marginally after the two races were complete; others saw teams rolling out their back up machines.

Before I go any further, I have no gripe about the duels and the chance you have to tear some stuff up. Honestly, the only issue I have is time trials are run in the afternoon to set the two duel races that are run at night, which ultimately set the field for a race that beings in the afternoon. I get it, its all about having the most TV viewers on a Thursday. I can’t tell you how many I missed growing up or had to watch again because I had my mother record it on VHS going through middle and high school.

For the most part the racing was pretty tame, of course with the exception of a few wrecks that sent a few teams running to pull the back up car down. NASCAR’s most popular driver, however, was not one of them. Having one of the more dominate cars all Speed Weeks, Dale Earnhardt, Jr lead all but the entire race Thursday night, coincidently winning on the fifteenth anniversary of the tragic lose of his father at the very same track.

“I knew how important it was to keep it [the lead],” Jr. said after the race. “I had to do everything I could, get pretty aggressive at blocking and getting in front of them and trying to not allow them to get up on the quarter panel. They [Logano & Harvick] had a great car. I know that’s evident. But this car is something special.” Not only did the win earn him a trip to the honorable Gatorade victory lane, but secured his third place starting position for The Great American Race!

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Open Practice Day On March 5 One Of Most Important Days Of The Year For South Boston Speedway Drivers

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SOUTH BOSTON, VA – Teams will shake off the winter weather and head back to South Boston Speedway as the season unofficially cranks up with the traditional open day of practice on Saturday, March 5.

The season officially begins at South Boston a week later, Saturday, March 12 with the Danville Toyota NASCAR Whelen Late Model Twin 100’s program with racing action in five classes.

The open practice, which is open to the public at no charge, is one of the biggest days of the year for teams in every division, even though there will be no checkered flags waved or trophies handed out.

“This test is really important due to another long winter where the track gains a little more character. It gives us a chance to fine tune the cars with other cars out there putting down rubber,” said Peyton Sellers, former NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national champion and former South Boston champ. “It also helps fine tune the drivers’ reflexes from the off season.”

Bobby McCarty won a Late Model race last season and finished fifth in the 2015 points standings, but despite all those laps and all that success he’ll get as much track time as possible on March 5.

“Mainly it’s just getting used to being back in the car again after the offseason and seeing where you stack up against the rest of the competition,” said McCarty. “That’s going to be especially big with all the rule changes this year.”

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Breaking News: Racers and Fans Alike Set Your Calendars for April 9th – Racing Set To Return To Langley Speedway in 2016

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Social Media and talks around the water cooler have been ramped the past couple months all discussing one thing – Langley Speedway. Who, up until now, has been hanging around in limbo on if she was going to open her doors for the 2016 season. Drivers were expressing concern about where they were going to race, with potential sponsorship issues. Fans and the community concerned enough to create a Facebook page to rally support for the track.

 

Well folks, I have news for you and might want to clear your calendar for April 9th 2016. I have, under very good authority, as well as reliable sources, who have asked to remain anonymous at this point in time, telling me a deal has been made to secure the future of the historic Langley Speedway with the first race being run Saturday, April 9th.

 

This is a developing story and more details will be released here at The Weekly Racer as they are made available to us!

2016 NASCAR Fun Facts & Changes to Hit This Season – What are your thoughts?

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Photo: NASCAR Images

Photo: NASCAR Images

Alright, so there has been plenty of time by now at least to get updated on what all is going on around the NASCAR community. Other than the fact that we are just a few short weeks away from racing – makes your heart all warm and fuzzy doesn’t it! If you have been keeping up with Race Hub, or NASCAR Radio, or even following along on various social media you have seen quite a few changes to the sport we love. Chase formats for the second and third tier, caution clocks, rules package changes, and the most recent change, the charter system.

NASCAR

 

Charter teams

We all knew this was coming at some point in time. If you didn’t then you probably live under a rock or, simply just did not want to accept the fact. 36 teams were issued what NASCAR is calling a “Charter,” this is a 9-year agreement between the teams and NASCAR and it guarantees you a starting position in EVERY race on the Cup circuit.

The foundation of the system was built on three key components, as stated by Rob Kaufmann in a press conference earlier this week, participation, economics, and governance. The teams that were issued a charter were done so based on evaluation over the last three’s of the teams performance. Yes, team owners had a say in the system itself, but not who were given the charters. The charters, much like any type of business or property in the world, can be bought, sold, and even transferred (only once per car per five year period). See folks, before you jump on he high horse of “NASCAR is going down the shitter,” or “All these changes are stupid,” take a step back, and a deep breath and realize there are people in place to think of this stuff. In addition teams will have to remain competitive to keep these charters as NASCAR has made that clear that is one of the stipulations.

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Sorenson, Theme Park Connection Join MB Motorsports for Truck Series Season Opener

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MOORESVILLE, N.C. (February 5, 2016) – Reed Sorenson will team with MB Motorsports and Theme Park Connection for the season-opening race for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series on Feb. 19 at Daytona International Speedway.

This will mark Sorenson’s first ever Truck Series start. The 30-year-old Peachtree City, Ga. native has competed at the NASCAR national level since 2004. He is a winner of four NASCAR Xfinity Series races and made 234 career starts in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

Trip Bruce will serve as crew chief for Sorenson’s No. 63 Theme Park Connection Chevrolet Silverado.

REED SORENSON, Driver, No. 63 Theme Park Connection Chevrolet:

“This is a really solid opportunity for me and the whole MB Motorsports team to score a win at Daytona. Having worked with Theme Park Connection in the past, I know they’re great partners. I’m grateful for the team and Theme Park Connection allowing me the chance to go Truck racing.”

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