Tag Archive: Racing News

New Tracks Highlight Return Of NASCAR XFINITY Series Dash 4 Cash

  New Tracks Highlight Return Of NASCAR XFINITY Series Dash 4 Cash Potential $1M Bonus For Drivers And Fan Sweepstakes Highlight Program DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 25, 2015) – Three new tracks headline the “Dash 4 Cash” program as it  returns for the seventh consecutive year, and first as part of the NASCAR XFINITY Series. Dover International Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway and Darlington Raceway will debut as part of the program, while Indianapolis Motor Speedway will return in 2015. Designed to highlight the unique competition between championship-eligible NASCAR XFINITY Series drivers, the highly recognizable program will potentially result in $1…

Halmar International Signs On As Lead ‘Hard Clay Open’ 2015 Sponsor For April 7 At Orange County Fair

  Joining United Pump & Tank And East Coast Speed/ECS Auto; Four-Car Halmar Racing Team To Include Modifieds Of Mike Ricci, Rich Ricci Jr. & Willy Auchmoody, Crate 602 Sportsman Of Matt Janiak MIDDLETOWN, NY – The kickoff event to the 2015 Short Track Super Series Fueled By Hi-Tek has a new marquee partner. Halmar International has signed on as the title sponsor of the ‘Hard Clay Open’ at Orange County Fair Speedway on Tuesday, April 7 (rain dates: April 8 and 9). The ‘Hard Clay Open’ is headlined by a 50-lap big-block/small-block Modified event boasting a $5,000-plus winner’s share, $1,000…

NASCAR National Series News & Notes – Atlanta

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES Logano Aims For Rare 2-fer Joey Logano followed up his career-year of 2014 with a stirring win in the Daytona 500, becoming the second youngest driver to win the Great American Race at 24 years old. Now he looks to accomplish another rare feat: Back-to-back wins in the season’s first two races. It’s only happened five times since the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ inception in 1949, the last by Matt Kenseth in 2009. The five drivers to do it: Marvin Panch (1957), Bob Welborn (1959), David Pearson (1976), Jeff Gordon (1997) and Kenseth. Logano has a…

WARNER BROS. FILM “FOCUS” FEATURES VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (Feb. 24, 2015) - Race fans will recognize the familiar sound of a Verizon IndyCar Series car when heading to theaters Feb. 27 to catch the opening of "Focus," a Warner Bros. Pictures film starring Will Smith and Margot Robbie. Scenes with Verizon IndyCar Series cars were shot at NOLA Motorsports Park, which hosts the inaugural Indy Grand Prix of Louisiana on April 12, across the Mississippi River from New Orleans. Indianapolis 500-winning team owner and former Indy car driver Bryan Herta of Warren, Mich., and Carlos Muñoz, the 2014 Sunoco Rookie…

EAST BAY “SWEEP” NEXT TARGET FOR AMSOIL SPRINT STARS; BALLOU, BACON, DARLAND (#23) POST OCALA VICTORIES

Rounds four, five and six of the 2015 AMSOIL USAC Sprint Car National Championship unfold this week at East Bay Raceway Park in Gibsonton, Fla. with races Thursday, Friday and Saturday at the 1/3-mile dirt oval.   The final three events in the "Winter Dirt Games VI" mark USAC's first appearance at East Bay since Damion Gardner's two-race "sweep" in 2010. A "sweep" of this year's three races will be worth a $5,000 "Triple Crown Challenge" bonus posted by the East Bay race organizers. A driver who can win two of the three would earn a $500 bonus.   Early…

Stewart-Haas Racing Names Regan Smith Interim Driver for No. 41 Team at Atlanta

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. – Stewart-Haas Racing has named Regan Smith interim driver of its No. 41 Haas Automation Chevrolet SS for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race weekend Feb. 26-March 1 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Smith will begin driving the No. 41 car during the open test session on Thursday. The race on Sunday will be Smith’s seventh Sprint Cup start at Atlanta. His most recent Sprint Cup start at the 1.54-mile oval was on Sept. 2, 2012 when he finished 14th. Atlanta will be Smith’s second race in the No. 41 car. He drove the Haas Automation Chevrolet to a…

BALLARD SETS A SCHEDULE OF 25 RACES FOR 2015

Sicklerville, NJ (February 23, 2015) – After looking at series and track schedules, Brett Ballard from B&M Motorsports has set an ambitious racing agenda for the upcoming season. The Pennsville, NJ native is planning to race in twenty five races in 2015. “It will be a slightly different schedule in 2015 versus the past few years. I am preparing to run events at several area tracks this year including Big Diamond, Bridgeport, Delaware, Georgetown and New Egypt. I plan to have two cars available this year. One will be a Crate Sportsman while the other will be a Small Block…

Risk Vs Reward; Is Sell On Saturday Worth Missing Sunday?

By: Pete MacDonald Something happened this past Saturday that has been building up for many years and unfortunately happened on our biggest stage of the year. On Lap 111 of the NASCAR Xfinity Series Race at Daytona Kyle Busch and Erik Jones made contact bunching the field up staring a chain reaction that caused a multi-car pileup sending Kyle Busch into the infield wall head on. Busch would  be in obvious pain which we later found out was a compound fracture of the right leg and a broken bone in his left foot, his return to racing is indefinite right…

DARLAND STRETCHES USAC NATIONAL WIN STREAK TO 23 YEARS WITH OCALA WIN

(Ocala, Florida)...Dave Darland added to the most impressive streak in USAChistory on Sunday night at Bubba Raceway Park, as he added another AMSOILNational Sprint Car win to his list to make it 23 consecutive seasons with at least one win in a USAC National series.  The Lincoln, Indiana veteran scored the victory on the third of three consecutive nights at the 3/8-mile "D"-shaped dirt track in Ocala, Fla. as part of "Winter Dirt Games VI" which resumes this week on Feb. 26-27-28 at East Bay Raceway Park in Gibsonton, Fla.   Darland's all-time record 54th National Sprint Car win came in…

Daytona 500 Notebook

Feb. 22, 2015   By Reid Spencer NASCAR Wire Service Teammates’ engine failures didn’t worry Logano’s crew chief DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.—Daytona 500 winner Joey Logano might have been sitting on a powder keg, but crew chief Todd Gordon wasn’t about to worry about it. On Lap 161 in Sunday’s 57th running of the Great American Race, the engine in the No. 2 Team Penske Ford of Brad Keselowski exploded. Fifteen laps later, Ryan Blaney’s engine did the same thing. Under the circumstances, Logano might have had misgivings about his own power plant, given that the failures had just taken a…

Logano Caps Spectacular Race with Daytona 500 Victory

By Reid Spencer NASCAR Wire Service   DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.—The record will reflect that Joey Logano won Sunday’s 57th Daytona 500 under caution, when a multicar wreck on the backstretch forced NASCAR to wave the yellow flag as Logano led the field into the final corner on the second lap of a green-white-checkered-flag finish. But the notation of that final caution does no justice to the memory of a race that produced some of the most scintillating restrictor-plate racing in the history of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. From a restart on Lap 182 of a scheduled 200, fans standing—not…

Jeff Gordon Sits on the Pole, Crashes, and Finishes 33rd; But is Still Smiling?

By: Pete MacDonald Jeff Gordon had one of the fastest cars down here during Speedweek’s at Daytona International Speedway after sitting on the pole for his final Daytona 500; it seemed that everything surrounded the 4-Time Sprint Cup Champion this week. Gordon would run up front early and often in The Great American race leading 87 of the 200 scheduled laps. Gordon would be involved with the final caution of the even that also ended the Daytona 500 when Austin Dillon made contact with the Left-Rear of Gordon triggering a multi car incident down the backstretch on the final lap…

Joey Logano Takes Down Daytona 500

By: Pete MacDonald Middletown, CT’s Joey Logano won the 57th Annual Daytona 500 under caution on Sunday over a hard-charging Kevin Harvick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. and all but punched his ticket to the 2015 NASCAR Chase to the Cup. The final caution occurred when Austin Dillon made contact with Pole-Sitter Jeff Gordon coming off of Turn 2 triggering a multi car incident as the field headed down the backstretch on a Green-White-Checkered after the 51 of Justin Allgaier blew up and crashed in the Tri-Oval with just three laps to go. It was the second win in the Super…

Ryan Reed Gets First XFINITY Win at Daytona; Crash Sidelines Kyle Busch for Daytona 500

By Reid Spencer NASCAR Wire Service   DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.—With a spectacular last-lap move to the inside, not to mention a timely shove from Roush Fenway Raceway teammate Chris Buescher, Ryan Reed stormed to his first NASCAR XFINITY Series victory in Saturday’s Alert Today Florida 300 at Daytona International Speedway.   “Oh, my God, we won Daytona!” exulted Reed, who has overcome a diagnosis of Type I diabetes to drive full-time in the XFINITY Series.   Buescher finished second, .089 seconds behind, with Ty Dillon, Austin Dillon and Brad Keselowski claiming positions three through five. Keselowski was leading at the…

Williams a Surprise Winner of DIRTcar Nationals Finale at Volusia

BARBERVILLE, Fla. - Feb. 21, 2015 - Neal Williams shocked a capacity DIRTcar Nationals crowd on Saturdaynight by pulling off the upset win in the 50-lap Super DIRTcar Series Big-Block Modified finale at Volusia Speedway Park. It was the biggest win of the Pittsgrove, N.J., driver's career as he pocketed the $5,000 check and picked up his first Gator trophy. "This is just unreal," Williams said. "To get my first Super DIRTcar series win down here against these boys is unbelievable." Larry Wight had to go to a backup car prior to the feature, but he survived to finish in…

Clanton Completes DIRTcar Nationals Domination With Unprecedented Fourth Victory In Five Events At Volusia Speedway Park

Photo Courtesy of woolms.com BARBERVILLE, Fla. - Feb. 21, 2015 - Putting an exclamation mark on his tremendous DIRTcar Nationals performance, Shane Clanton of Zebulon, Ga., led the final 19 laps ofSaturday's World of Outlaws Late Model Series main event to claim his fourth victory in five races at Volusia Speedway Park's annual week of Super Late Model racing. The utter domination solidifies Clanton's recovery from a dismal 2014 season the saw the 39-year-old racer go winless on the WoO LMS for the first time since the national tour was restarted in 2004. Looking for his first ever WoO LMS…

2015 DIRTcar Nationals Notebook Day Seven

2015 DIRTcar Nationals Notebook Day Seven By: Brooklyn Kennedy   -What an ending to a great week of racing at Volusia Speedway. Saturday night was by far the most entertaining night of racing of the week. There was the most action in both the Late Models and Modifieds then there had been to date. But it was also Championship Night so there should have been.   -The Late Model feature was just an outstanding feature event. To watch Tim McCreadie, Shane Clanton, Scott Bloomquist, and Jimmy Owens going at it for the lead for the majority of the race was…

AMSOIL USAC NATIONAL SPRINT CAR RACE RESULTS: February 21, 2015 – Ocala, Florida – Bubba Raceway Park – “Winter Dirt Games VI”

  QUALIFYING: 1. Chase Stockon, 32, 32/TBI-14.475; 2. Robert Ballou, 12, Ballou-14.593; 3. Carson Short, 21, Short-14.637; 4. Zach Daum, 5D, Daum-14.698; 5. Shane Cockrum, 66, Wade-14.706; 6. Kevin Thomas, Jr., 17RW, Dutcher-14.768; 7. Brady Bacon, 69, Dynamics-14.882; 8. Bryan Clauson, 41, SST-14.882; 9. Chris Windom, 2, Lein-14.911; 10. Kyle Cummins, 14.927; 11. Aaron Farney, 14.936; 12. Dave Darland, 71P, Phillips-14.938; 13. Justin Grant, 40, Hery-14.984; 14. Chad Boespflug, 5, Baldwin-15.106; 15. C.J. Leary, 30, Leary-15.118; 16. Casey Shuman, 2x, Barnhill/Dodd-15.136; 17. Tracy Hines, 4, Hines-15.160; 18. Brady Short, 11P, Pottorff-15.185; 19. Chris Gurley, 11, Walker-15.296; 20. Kyle Robbins, 17R,…

Special Event Ticket Renewal Period Rescheduled For Ohsweken SpeedwayBeginning Feb 25

(February 21, 2015)  - The ticket renewal period for Ohsweken Speedway's 2015 Special Events originally scheduled to begin on Monday, February 23 has been rescheduled and will begin Wednesday, February 25. Those who purchased their tickets online last year and already have an account with TicketForce will be able to renew their tickets at http://ohswekenspeedway.ticketforce.com beginning at 9:00am onWednesday, February 25. Renewals can also be done by phone between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday at 519 717-0023 beginning on Wednesday, February 25. Please leave a detailed message if your call goes to the answering machine, and your…

2015 DIRTcar Nationals Notebook Day Six

A Trip To Bubba Raceway By: Brooklyn Kennedy     -I was really looking forward to my first trip to Bubba Raceway especially with them running the USAC Wingless Sprints. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement.   -USAC had a strong showing of cars at 32 and the way the show was run was a slap in the face to a national touring division. There seemed to be no organization between the push trucks and track officials. The amount of time it took to push the cars off and proceed from one event to the next was…

Clanton Continues Conquering DIRTcar Nationals Dirt Late Model Events

  Photo Courtesy of dirtcar.com BARBERVILLE, Fla. - Feb. 20, 2015 - Shane Clanton is making the DIRTcar Nationals his personal playground, winning on Friday night for the third time in four races this week at Volusia Speedway Park after Rick Laubach had earlier secured the Super DIRTcar Big-Block Modified Series feature win. Clanton set quick time and started on the pole for the 50-lap World of Outlaws Late Model main event. He was rolling through the corners at the half-mile dirt oval with ease, but Dale McDowell charged forward from the seventh starting spot and swept past Clanton for…

World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series Races West on March 4-5 for FVP Outlaw Showdown in Las Vegas

CONCORD, N.C. - Feb. 20, 2015 - The two-night FVP Outlaw Showdown at The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway returns Wednesday and Thursday, March 4-5, as the kickoff to the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series' annual western spring swing. FVP, a premier producer of high quality original equipment auto products, has a longstanding relationship with the Outlaws, and has become a key part of bringing the The Greatest Show on Dirt to the fans in Las Vegas during the entertainment capital's biggest week of racing each year. FVP is also the title sponsor for the two-day destination…

Hendrick Motorsports Duel Double Up, Danica vs. Denny, and Ryan Blaney Make Thursday Night Interesting In Daytona

By: Pete MacDonald The fact of the matter is this, if you drive a Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet down at Daytona International Speedway this weeks, odds are that you’re fast.  Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson sat on the front row this past Sunday during qualifying. After Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmie Johnson swept the Budweiser Duels last night, Hendrick cars now start 1-2-3 for this Sunday’s Daytona 500.  “I’m so glad to be able to get through tonight in one piece cause I know this car is that good”, said Earnhardt Jr. in Victory Lane Thursday night after winning duel number…

Northeast Wingless Sprints

Thursday Daytona Notebook

Notebook Items: - Jeff Gordon teases occasional return after 2015 - Waltrip, Hamlin show off golf skills - Few take advantage of Thursday practice DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.—Never say never.   Though Jeff Gordon has left the door cracked ever so slightly when it comes to a possible appearance on the track after 2015, he’s more likely to end his competitive role in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series racing at the end of the season.   “I have too much respect for other drivers that have ended their career or said they were going to end their career of driving the Cup…

Earnhardt, Johnson complete Hendrick sweep of Daytona Duels

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.—DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.—Hendrick Motorsports swept the front-row starting positions for Sunday’s Daytona 500. Apparently enjoying the feeling, HMS then swept Thursday’s Budweiser Duel at Daytona twin 150-mile qualifying races. Dale Earnhardt Jr. came from his last-place starting position to win Thursday night’s first Budweiser Duel at Daytona 150-mile qualifying race at Daytona International Speedway, as unsung heroes behind him diced their way into the 57th running of the Great American Race (1 p.m. ET on FOX). Jimmie Johnson, on the pole for the second Duel and already locked into the outside of the front row for the Daytona…

Friesen Ices Super DIRTcar Series Foes at DIRTcar Nationals

BARBERVILLE, Fla. - Feb. 19, 2015 - For the third consecutive year, Stewart Friesen captured the second night of Super DIRTcar Big-Block Modified Series action at Volusia Speedway Park's annual DIRTcar Nationals on Thursday night. Friesen, the defending event champion, swiped the lead from three-time series titlist Matt Sheppard en route to winning the 30-lap feature, marking the sixth time in his career he's won in the Sunshine State. "We had a great race car," said Friesen, defending Syracuse 200 winner from Sprakers, N.Y. "We worked a lot of bugs out last night and learned a lot of stuff about…

Clanton Cruises To Second World of Outlaws Late Model Series Victory Of 2015 At Volusia’s DIRTcar Nationals

BARBERVILLE, Fla. - Feb. 19, 2015 - Shane Clanton of Zebulon, Ga., continued his tremendous start to the 2015 season with a dominating display in Thursday's DIRTcar Nationals A-Main at Volusia Speedway Park. Clanton, the 39-year-old World of Outlaws Late Model Series veteran, led every lap ofThursday's 50-lap race to earn his second WoO LMS victory of the season and his second victory during the 2015 version of Volusia's six-day stretch of Super Late Model racing. "This shows how hard we worked over the winter to get where we're at," said Clanton, whose only opposition came in the form of…

2015 DIRTcar Nationals Notebook Day Five

2015 DIRTcar Nationals Notebook Day Five By: Brooklyn Kennedy -It was a very chilly night at Volusia on Thursday. With it being in the low 30s for most of the racing action, there really was a decline in fan count from the past several days. I think with the final two days seeing warmer race time temperatures and having the same two divisions running, it kept a lot of fans home.   -Shane Clanton is having a heck of a week so far. He scored his second Late Model win of the week after holding off some tough challenges from…

Gordon’s ‘Great American’ Goodbye

  Staff Report NASCAR Wire Service   Jeff Gordon kicked off his final full-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season the best way he possibly could – by winning the Daytona 500 Coors Light Pole.   The 43-year-old will attempt to launch his farewell full-schedule campaign in even grander fashion in Sunday’s 57th running of “The Great American Race” (1 p.m. ETon FOX) by becoming the 10th Daytona 500 winner to visit Victory Lane from the pole.   “I can't think of anything cooler than to start this season, the Daytona 500, my final Daytona 500, final full season, on the…

INDYCAR NEWS AND NOTES – Feb. 19, 2015

Verizon IndyCar Series and Mazda Road to Indy headlines: Drivers showcase athleticism at NFL Combine Chevrolet renderings of road/street aero kit Karam to start opener at St. Pete Jakes added to Schmidt Peterson Motorsports lineup Author John Green happy with his fantasy INDYCAR team Of note: Wilder adds punch to home state event Krewe of Bacchus hosts drivers on Officer's Float Drivers to attend screenings of "Focus" movie Winterfest begins at NOLA 1. Drivers showcase athleticism at NFL Combine: Josef Newgarden and Sage Karam were invited to the home of the Indianapolis Colts for the NFL Combine, where hundreds of…

Wednesday Daytona Notebook

  Wednesday Daytona Notebook   Notebook Items: NASCAR modifies Daytona qualifying format for XFINITY, Trucks Patrick goes to backup car NASCAR clarifies Chase eligibility   Feb. 18, 2015   NASCAR modifies Daytona qualifying format for XFINITY, Trucks   By Reid Spencer NASCAR Wire Service DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.—Why have a five-minute qualifying session if no one is going to use the full five minutes? That was one of the rationales NASCAR considered in streamlining the time trial process for the NASCAR XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series for events to be held at Daytona International Speedway this weekend. The first round…

2015 DIRTcar Nationals Notebook Day Four

Yesterday’s notebook was cancelled due to rain just like the races. Two inches of rain fell at Volusia Speedway on Tuesday, which forced the cancellation. With that amount of rain the track crew did a fantastic job of getting the track race ready today. The surface was perfect, especially for the Late Model feature. -The first thing I noticed as I arrived at the track was Rick Laubach working on his car all by himself. It’s great to see a driver taking the extra time to put so much effort into preparing the car. It paid off in the long…

Bloomquist Masters Volusia Speedway Park To Earn 10th Career DIRTcar Nationals Victory

BARBERVILLE, Fla. - Feb. 18, 2015 - Scott Bloomquist rekindled his love affair with Volusia Speedway Park Wednesday night. The veteran 51-year-old racer from Mooresburg, Tenn., mastered the half-mile oval's tricky clay surface during Wednesday's DIRTcar Nationals A-Main, leading all 40 laps of the caution-free race for a $10,000 DIRTcar Late Model victory. "I love this racetrack," said Bloomquist, who recorded his 10th career DIRTcar Nationals triumph as Volusia closed out its stretch of DIRTcar-sanctioned action ahead of three straight nights of World of Outlaws Late Model Series programs Thursday through Saturday. "It's so demanding and has so much character.…

Stafford Motor Speedway 2015 Sneak Peak

By: Matthew Wiernasz Stafford Motor Speedway kick off their 2015 season with the 44th annual NAPA Auto Parts Spring Sizzler on the weekend of April 26th featuring the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour as their race will be 200 laps. There will also be the SK Modifieds, Late Models, SK Lights, Limited Late Models, DARE Stocks, U.S. Legends Cars, and the Mr. Rooter Truck Series. Bobby Santos will look for his third win in a row in the NAPA Auto Parts Spring Sizzler. It will also be the first of four appearances for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. They will visit…

Champion Oil Decreases Pricing

(Clinton, MO / February 16th, 2015) Champion Oil, a major player in development and manufacturing of semi-synthetic and full synthetic motor oils, announced that effective this week there will be a general posted price decrease of branded motor oils and lubricants on select SKU's. “Champion is pleased to be one of the first in announcing the decrease costs of our products to the market,” stated Karl Dedolph, Global Sales Director at Champion Oil. “It gives us great pleasure at this time and, in part because of falling crude oil prices, to help our distributors with pricing advantages who will pass…

THE STARS OF CHIP GANASSI RACING

SCOTT DIXON TONY KANAAN CHARLIE KIMBALL THE MODERATOR: We are joined by 'The Veterans,' Scott Dixon and Tony Kanaan. We have the stars of Ganassi Racing. We also have Charlie Kimball joining us. Tony and Scott, been busy already this year. SCOTT DIXON: Yes. Obviously excited to be talking about IndyCar and kicking it off and getting ready for the season. Testing for us, we've had a few weeks off, looking forward to the new aero kits, Chevy showing a little bit of theirs today. Hopefully we get to see Honda's sometime soon. Yeah, obviously starting off the year in a winning way, which is always exciting. The…

The Next Generation

An interview with: JOSEF NEWGARDEN GABBY CHAVES SAGE KARAM THE MODERATOR:  We have what are billed as The Next Generation, drivers who had successes in a variety of our ladder series. Sage. SAGE KARAM:  I'm going to start this off by saying I have an announcement that I'm going to be at St. Pete in the Chip Ganassi No. 8 car, GE LED sponsorship.  Really looking forward to that.  Looking forward to getting in the series again.  Yeah, let's get the series going. THE MODERATOR:  Going back to Florida with more good news. SAGE KARAM:  I'm always in Florida, which…

The Stars of Andretti Autosport

RYAN HUNTER-REAY MARCO ANDRETTI CARLOS MUNOZ THE MODERATOR:  These are three gentlemen who had tremendous success here.  We saw Ryan at the museum.  Carlos has been Rookie of the Year.  Marco has done exceedingly well here with some great finishes. Ryan, we'll start with you.  You come back to this place.  A whole new perspective, I would think, as the defending champion of the event, and also as a gentleman who has won the Verizon IndyCar Series. RYAN HUNTER-REAY:  It's a tremendous accomplishment for the team and for myself personally to be an Indy 500 winner.  We feel like we're…

2015 DIRTcar Nationals Notebook Day Two

  By: Brooklyn Kennedy   -After night one of the Late Models at Volusia, I have a new found appreciation for them. They were fast and inches away from the inside wall all night long. The speeds were incredible and they put on a great show.   -Donny Schatz stayed at Volusia after the World of Outlaw Sprints left for home, to race his Late Model. Night one for Schatz was a huge disappointment as he ran back of the pack all night long and failed to qualify. After looking like he had a handle on the Late Model at…

2015 DIRTcar Nationals Notebook Day One

By: Brooklyn Kennedy -It was nice to see Kasey Kahne in the pits at Volusia Speedway. The hands on presence of the team owner certainly played into the success of Brad Sweet and Daryn Pittman during the weekend. -Daryn Pittman looks to be the early championship favorite picking up a win and the overall Nationals championship, although it will be a dogfight between him and Donny Schatz to the end with Brad Sweet playing the dark horse. -I think this will be the first of many feature wins during the season for Brad Sweet. His rebound to take the lead…

Bowyer Goes Off, Black Helicopters And A Four-Time Champion Comes Out On Top Sunday In Daytona

By: Pete MacDonald Photo Credit: NASCAR/Getty Images It seems that just about everybody except Jeff Gordon bashed NASCAR for the group qualifying sessions on Sunday. People forget that it was changed to draw more interest into qualifying and the fact of the matter is this, we all tuned in so who is the fool in all of this? I like Michael Waltrip's idea for group qualifying on the plate tracks, Practice Friday, Your practice times line up Heat Races for Saturday, Qualify 1-36 through the Heats and fill in 37-43 with provisional's. NASCAR has always said they didn't utilize heat…

Ocala Sprint Timetable Moved Back One Day

  "Winter Dirt Games VI" is moving back one day as a result of the cold temperatures and rain moving into Florida today and tomorrow. This week's AMSOIL USAC Sprint Car National Championship schedule at Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala, Florida now opens with an open practice Thursday night, followed by racing Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Times remain the same for Friday and Saturday, while warmups on Sunday night will begin at 6 pm.   Defending AMSOIL USAC Sprint Car National Champion Brady Bacon leads the series into the 2015 openers, which will be followed the next week by races…

A New Chapter For Team Penske

An interview with: WILL POWER JUAN PABLO MONTOYA HELIO CASTRONEVES SIMON PAGENAUD THE MODERATOR:  Juan, good to have you back in an IndyCar.  Had a pretty good 2014. JUAN PABLO MONTOYA:  Yeah, it was okay.  At the beginning we sucked, I knew we were going to suck, so that was okay.  At the end of the year I felt I was doing a really good job.  Still felt like we were miles off in qualifying.  I have to really work at that. I thought our race pace was good.  Just need to put it all together. THE MODERATOR:  You got…

Gator Raid: Kasey Kahne Racing Caps off Stellar 2015 DIRTcar Nationals

BARBERVILLE, Fla. - Feb. 15, 2015 - Kasey Kahne Racing with Mike Curb capped off a stellar 2015 DIRTcar Nationals Sunday night with a World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series feature win, the team's third of sprint week, and the coveted 'Big Gator.' Brad Sweet, the 2014 Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year, gave his team its final feature win of sprint week after battling Paul McMahan. Sweet started the A-main in fifth and quickly began his ascension through the field. He drove his Ollie's Bargain Outlet car to third following the scrum on the first lap and got past…

Richards Claims Milestone 50th World of Outlaws Late Model Series Victory With First Series Triumph Of 2015 At Bubba Raceway Park

OCALA, Fla. - Feb. 15, 2015 - Josh Richards' long wait for his 50th career World of Outlaws Late Model Series victory is finally over. More than 15 months after wrapping up his third WoO LMS championship with his 49th series victory in the tour's 2013 season finale, Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., topped a back-and-forth battle with Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., midway through Sunday'sBubba Army Winter Nationals finale and pulled away from Shane Clanton of Zebulon, Ga., during the race's closing laps to claim a $10,175 triumph at Bubba Raceway Park. The 26-year-old Richards reached the 50-win milestone with…

Successful NEPA Race Car Show Wraps Up at Laurel Mall

(WEST HAZLETON, Pa. 2-15-15) The 2nd Annual NEPA Race Car Show presented by B. Swartz Transport of Lehighton concluded its week-long stay inside the Laurel Mall in West Hazleton and to say it was an unqualified success would be a huge understatement. Pride, passion and perfection can be seen everywhere among those who displayed their race vehicles. And, never mind some bone chilling weather as each day of the show there was noticeably more foot traffic according to mall management. Area race fans flocked to check out the striking assortment in anticipation of the soon-to-start 2015 race season here in…

Schatz Perseveres to Score First Win of 2015 World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series Season

BARBERVILLE, Fla. - Feb. 14, 2015 - Nothing could keep Donny Schatz down Saturday night as he looked for his first World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series victory of 2015 on night five of DIRTcar Nationals sprint week at Volusia Speedway Park. A solid night turned to potential disaster for the Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing driver when he developed engine trouble during his second place Dash run. "We broke a valve spring in the dash with two laps to go," Schatz said. "We could have taken the chance to run the engine." The team opted not to and began the scramble…

Heckenast Overcomes Challengers To Claim First World of Outlaws Late Model Series Victory In Saturday’s Bubba Army Winter Nationals A-Main

OCALA, Fla. - Feb. 14, 2015 - Frank Heckenast Jr. refused to be denied again. The second-year national traveler nearly saw another chance at his breakthrough World of Outlaws Late Model Series victory slip through his fingers Saturday night at Bubba Raceway Park when Shane Clanton snuck by him late in the 3/8-mile oval's 50-lap race. But instead of settling for another near-miss, Heckenast, 26, of Frankfort, Ill., dug deep and willed himself back to the lead one lap later. The 2014 WoO LMS Rookie of the Year held off both Clanton of Zebulon, Ga., and hard-charging Josh Richards of…

Billy Moyer Dominates the East Bay Winternationals Finale

TAMPA, FL (February 14, 2015) - Billy Moyer picked up his third victory of the week in the 39th Annual East Bay Winternationals on Saturday Night. Moyer pulled away late to win for the 26th time in his Hall-of-Fame career at East Bay Raceway Park. Moyer survived a side-by-side tussle with Jimmy Owens to take the win in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series sanctioned event.   Defending LOLMDS National Champion, Don O'Neal, finished second, followed by Jonathan Davenport, Owens, and Jared Landers.   Owens led the first 28 laps of the 50 lap main event with Moyer following…