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  • The Future of NASCAR – Spotlight on Jeremy Clements

    The Future of NASCAR – Spotlight on Jeremy Clements

    Jeremy Clements is following a racing family tradition and is determined to add his name to the legacy.

    His grandfather was the acclaimed NASCAR owner and crew chief Crawford Clements and was a big influence.

    “My racing background goes all the way back to my grandfather Crawford Clements.  He was a crew chief for Rex White and Buck Baker in the 1960s and they won a championship. So he’s the one who got all this started.”

    He got his first go-kart when he was seven and won 47 feature events before moving on to dirt track racing. He began racing four cylinders on dirt in 1999. During the next three years he won over 50 feature events and two track championships.

    In 2002, he progressed to the Late Model division winning nine races and the championship at Cherokee Speedway.  He also made his first ARCA Series start at Talladega Superspeedway.

    In 2003, he competed in late models and made five ARCA Series starts capturing three top-ten finishes.  He also became one of the youngest drivers to ever qualify for a NASCAR Nationwide Series race.

    He continued racing in the ARCA Series and the Late Model division in 2004 but his career came to a screeching halt. On July 24th while racing at 311 Speedway in North Carolina he was seriously injured. The drive shaft on his late model car broke and came through the car injuring his right hand.

    The doctors told him it looked like a bomb had exploded in his hand.

    “It just about took my hand off,” he said. “I had to have 10 surgeries and they sewed my hand to my hip for about a month. They did a skin graft, a bone graft and they took tendons from my foot to make it all work again.”

    His doctors told him he would never race again.  He was devastated.

    “That’s all I’ve ever done with my life and all I hope to do. It scared me to think I might not be able to race again.”

    What he didn’t find out until later is that his doctors had initially considered cutting off his hand.

    It took him a year to recover but he was determined to prove the doctors wrong. A year later, he was back doing what he was meant to do.

    In 2008 and 2009 he worked with Joe Gibbs Racing practicing and qualifying for Kyle Busch or Joey Logano when they were not available due to scheduling conflicts. There was a possibility of starting a third team for him but unfortunately he was not able to find the sponsorship money to advance his career with the organization.

    He now drives for Jeremy Clements Racing. It’s a family business owned by his father Tony and his Uncle Glenn. It’s a daily struggle to compete with the well funded teams and their bevy of sponsors but Clements has never backed down from a challenge.

    The team operates on a race to race basis. The money is usually just enough to keep them going but not enough to provide him with the competitive edge that a corporate sponsor could provide.

    Here’s an example of the issues they face each race weekend. For the race in Darlington they were allowed to have six sets of tires but they came to the track with only two. They used one set for practice. The second set was used for qualifying and to start the race.

    They get their remaining tires from the Cup teams who give them the tires after they have used them for practice.

    They also use a different engine from most teams.  The newer engines have more horsepower, torque and are about 30 pounds lighter.

    “It’s difficult,” he says. “But if you’re not here, you’re going to be forgotten. We’ve got a good team. We just need sponsors to help with these kinds of obstacles.”

    “Money buys speed.”

    But don’t think he’s not grateful.

    “I appreciate the opportunity to do this. I just want to be able to keep going.”

    Look for Clements in his No. 51 Chevrolet on Memorial Day Weekend as NASCAR begins their campaign, ‘NASCAR Unites – An American Salute,’   to support the U.S. military and their families.

    Jeremy Clements Racing gave fans the opportunity to honor loved ones, friends or themselves during the race. These names will be displayed on the deck lid of his car for the May 26th Charlotte race. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point base.

    They are also proud to have Rick Harrison of ‘Pawn Star’ fame as their primary hood sponsor for the race. Harrison will serve as Grand Marshall for the Nationwide History 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

    For more information on Jeremy Clements, please visit JeremyClementsRacing.com

  • Chad Hackenbracht is Making a Name for Himself On and Off the Track

    Chad Hackenbracht is Making a Name for Himself On and Off the Track

    [media-credit name=”Photo Credit CGH Motorsports” align=”alignright” width=”246″][/media-credit]In spite of his difficult to pronounce moniker, up and coming 20 year old racer Chad Hackenbracht has been making a name for himself on and off the track.

    Hackenbracht definitely made a name for himself on the track at Talladega by leading laps at the end of the race and pushing Brandon McReynolds, son of former crew chief and FOX broadcaster Larry McReynolds, to his first ARCA win.

    The driver of the No. 58 Kindify Chevrolet Impala led 38 laps and was leading when the white flag flew. Unfortunately, Hackenbracht was a sitting duck at the front of the field and had to settle for a third place finish in the International Motorsports Hall of Fame 250 when all was said and done.

    This was Hackenbracht’s fifth career top five finish and his best finish ever at a superspeedway.

    “I knew we had a good chance at winning for sure,” Hackenbracht said. “But you don’t want to be in the lead at a superspeedway.”

    “You’re a sitting duck with no friends at all,” Hackenbracht continued. “So, they got me on that last restart. I tried to back up to them but they wound up getting around me.”

    While rivals on the track, Hackenbracht and McReynolds have been good friends off the track. And they planned on working together in the draft during their superspeedway competitions.

    “Brandon and I talked about pushing each other since the tandem racing began at Daytona,” Hackenbracht said. “Ever since then, we tried to work together but never got the opportunity until the Talladega race.”

    So, how has McReynolds paid Hackenbracht back for that winning push, which has brought great attention to both racers’ names, at Talladega?

    “He hasn’t given me anything,” Hackenbracht said with a laugh. “He called me after the race and thanked me.”

    “He said we could go get some lunch or dinner or hang out,” Hackenbracht continued. “He has thanked me a lot and really that’s all you can ask for.”

    “Obviously with Brandon being Larry Mac’s son and me pushing him to the lead, we’ve both gotten a lot of exposure,” Hackenbracht said. “So, when they talk him, they’re also talking about me.”

    “We’re getting some good press out of it for sure and hopefully making a name in the garage area.”

    Hackenbracht certainly had mixed emotions after the ARCA race, even with his third place finish. Among those emotions were elation for his friend, sadness that he was not in Victory Lane, and a little bit of anger all at the same time.

    “Right after the race, I was actually kind of upset because the 16 came up and damaged our car,” Hackenbracht said. “He decided to come up and block us after we were right next to him.”

    “Third is good because it helps us go after the championship,” Hackenbracht, who is third in the ARCA point standings, continued. “You always want to be in Victory Lane but it will happen when it’s supposed to happen.”

    Hackenbracht has also been making a name for himself off the track as well. The young driver was chosen to do the Hoosier tire test at several newly paved tracks, as well as fulfilling a great deal of sponsor and charitable appearances.

    “We did the Hoosier tire test,” Hackenbracht said. “We were the only team that went up and tested the tires on the new surface.”

    “We also did that a few weeks ago in Michigan, as well as at Pocono,” Hackenbracht continued. “Michigan was very similar to the old track as far as conditions.”

    “It had a lot of grip and is a lot faster,” Hackenbracht said. “We were actually only two tenths off of the Cup speeds in the ARCA cars.”

    “Pocono also looks great,” Hackenbracht continued. “I can’t complain about that at all. It’s smooth and fast too.”

    Hackenbracht has become a bit of a rock star off the track as well, between all of his sponsor visits and charities.

    “Before Talladega, we went to Fort Bragg and did a show car appearance,” Hackenbracht said. “I had never once been on a base before and I didn’t realize it was like a whole other town.”

    “It was great to meet the troops and spend time with them.”

    “That Thursday of Talladega, we went to Fort Rucker and it was so nice to meet people and get my name out there,” Hackenbracht continued. “Another thing that I’ve started to do is with the RAD (Race Against Drugs) program. They’re going to have a go kart thing where kids get to race against us ARCA racers.”

    “At ‘Dega, as soon as I got out of the car after finishing the race, I rushed everybody out and went to the hauler, changed my clothes and went outside the track to the International Motorsports Hall of Fame to sign autographs for different kids with the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind,” Hackenbracht said. “That was fun to speak with a bunch of different kids.”

    “It was hectic getting right out of the car but it was really fun.”

    While Hackenbracht likes to go fast and finish well on the track, making a name for himself and causes he cares about off the track is something that is vitally important to the young driver.

    “That’s one thing I really like to do is the off-track stuff, whether it’s autographs or just meeting people,” Hackenbracht said. “I love meeting new people and you never know where there connections will lead.”

    Although it is early in the season, Hackenbracht has been enjoying making a name for himself on and off the track. And he just knows that his team will be the next ones in Victory Lane.

    “We’re getting closer to finally closing the deal on the win,” Hackenbracht said. “It’s been a long time coming.”

    “We’ve had dominant performances but bad luck or other problems have gotten in the way of the win,” Hackenbracht continued. “It’s definitely been a good season so far.”

    “Hopefully we will continue to go in the right direction.”

     

     

  • Brennan Poole Leads ARCA Points Standings Despite Adversity So Far

    Brennan Poole Leads ARCA Points Standings Despite Adversity So Far

    [media-credit name=”Venturini Motorsports” align=”alignright” width=”200″][/media-credit]Leading the points standings may look like it was easily accomplished on paper by having solid finishes. However, for ARCA Racing Series points leader Brennan Poole, it wasn’t as easy as it looked as the team has had its fair share of adversity already this year.

    At Daytona, Poole had to start 33rd and finished the race in the seventh.

    “It was my first time on Superspeedway,” he comments. “I learned a lot and had a lot of fun.”

    The following weekend at Mobile, he blew the motor on the first lap of practice so he got no practice and barely got in line to qualify. Despite that, the Venturini Motorsports team was able to qualify seventh and finish seventh.

    At the third race of the season at Salem, the clutch broke right when Poole went out to qualify so the team had to change the clutch and Poole had to start the race from the back of the pack.

    “I ended up finishing third so I know we had a great run there and the car was really strong,” he says. “That was great and kept building on the points lead.”

    The last race at Talladega, Poole had to start fourth due to qualifying being rained out and being based on owner’s points. However on lap 11, Poole was involved in the wreck and substained some minor damage to the front of the car. The team kept making pit stops to make repairs, at one point running in the 22nd position, and came back to finish in eighth at the end of the race.

    “I think we’ve had a great start to the year,” he says. “We’re only four races in and finished in the top 10 in all four races and we’ve had some setbacks that we have had to overcome. All in all, it’s been a great a year.

    “My team has done a great job helping me as a driver to overcome some of the things I’ve had to deal with and we’ve just been able to come through and it’s been a great start to the year.”

    There doesn’t look to be anything slowing down Poole in the future either as he heads to Toledo Speedway, which is right up his alley as it’s just like the tracks he used to race in Late Models.

    Last year, Poole was leading on the last lap when he was turned around by Ty Dillon on the last lap. This year, Poole is looking for victory as he is taking the same car back again this year.

    “I feel confident about it – going to have the same crew chief, Billy Venturini,” he says. “I think we’re going to be in the contention when we go there. Plus, Toledo is just a great track. It’s a lot of fun and growing up, I’ve ran Late Model stuff the last three years before getting into the ARCA Series and it just reminds me of a lot of the Late Model tracks that I ran on. It’s kind of a comfort zone for me because I’m very comfortable about tracks like that and the short track style.”

    Keeping with the short tracks, the sixth race of the schedule is at Elko Speedway.

    “Another place I feel confident about because it’s the place I have the most experience,” he continues. “Then Pocono and Michigan. Pocono, last year, we saw on the pole, led a big chunk of the race and finished fifth so we got a couple of tracks that are good tracks for us and I’m just excited. I love racing, I’m a competitor and I’m just looking forward to getting to some of these places.”

    Poole got interested in cars and racing after a trip to Toys R Us at the age of two. His dad took him there to buy him a plastic golf set for his second birthday as his dad wanted him to be a golfer.

    “I got in one of those plastic little battery powered corvettes and was driving around the store so my mom convinced my dad that he had to get it for me,” he says. “I loved cars, I played with cars all the time. at the time, my dad was working in auto repair and one of the managers at the store he worked at told him about quarter midget racing, which was five miles from the house we lived in at the time in California. He took me out there when I was four. We watched the race that night and he asked me if it was something I wanted to do and I told him yeah. So for my fifth birthday, he got me a car and I’ve been racing ever since.”

    [media-credit name=”Venturini Motorsports ” align=”alignleft” width=”225″][/media-credit]From there, Poole kept moving up the ranks and began racing UARA Late Models in 2009, winning rookie of the year. The following season, he won six races, including three in a row, and caught the eye of Venturini Motorsports General Manager Billy Venturini.

    “He tried to get me into a car in 2010, but we just couldn’t get anything worked out,” Poole says.

    In 2011, Poole started his own team with his father to continue late model racing.

    “It’s tough ‘cause my dad lives in Texas; I live out here by myself,” the 21-year-old continues. “So the team was run out of Hickory with people we worked with the year before. We were running UARA at Hickory and Billy came out to watch that night and we just had an incredible night. Ended up winning the race and Billy called us and wanted us to come meet with him again. We ended up reaching something where I could get into the car in 2011.”

    In his first start at Salem Speedway, Poole found victory lane and has been enjoying the experience ever since.

    “It’s just been a blessing,” he says. “God’s always opens up the doors for me at the right time, at the right place, always put me in the right position. Just keeping my trust in him every day and he seems to be in control.”

    This year marks a special year for Venturini Motorsports as it is their 30th year. Poole jokes it’d be neat to win the championship as Bill Venturini’s last championship came in 1991, the year that Poole was born.

    “They’re a great family,” he adds. “I spend a lot of time with them being here by myself. I don’t know a lot of people so I’m always here at the shop – I’m at the shop right now. It’s just a great family. It’s a family organization – Billy’s uncles, aunts and cousins are all involved in the team. I think that’s what makes them such a strong organization. It’s just been fun working with them. I’m just happy to be a part of it.

    “I got to race Billy’s old paint scheme at Daytona and Talladega, maybe a few more times this year. so that’s been kind of an honor to drive the old blue and orange paint scheme. I just feel blessed to be a part of it. It’s just been a lot of fun.”

    Being at Venturini Motorsports within their driver development program, Poole is right now the most experienced on the team.

    “It’s kind of funny ‘cause I’ve only ran seven ARCA races to this point,” he says. “It sounds weird to say but as the 21-year-old, I’m the guy that has the most experience so it’s been fun to have younger guys come up to me and ask me questions. It’s just kind of cool. I’ve never really been in this position before; I’ve always been the guy looking for advice. But here, there are so many young guys.”

    Poole has had a great time with his teammates so far at Venturini as he’s been impressed by Erik Jones, who finished fifth at Salem Speedway at the age of 15. He has also become close friends with Ryan Reed.

    “We’re close in age so we have a good relationship together; we play xbox together at night,” he says. “We race against each other on the computer. We have a pretty good relationship and I think we just go over things together a little bit. I think it’s been a help for me and a help for him as well. It just helps when you’ve got someone close in your age group cause you help support each other.

    “At the end of the day at Venturini Motorsports, we’re all pulling for our teammates. We want to win because we’re all competitors, but we’re happy if another person wins the race ‘cause we all know how hard it is to win one of these races. It’s extremely tough. You win a race at the ARCA level, that’s pretty impressive.”

  • David Ragan Talks Talladega, Darlington and Just Plain Going Nuts

    David Ragan Talks Talladega, Darlington and Just Plain Going Nuts

    [media-credit name=”www.davidragan.com” align=”alignright” width=”200″][/media-credit]David Ragan, driver of the No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford, has had so much going on, from an intense run at Talladega to his upcoming race at historic Darlington, that no one would be surprised if the young driver was also going just plain nuts.

    After a scorching weekend at ‘Dega, where drivers not only battled heat in the race car to heat in their engines, Ragan managed to escape relatively unscathed to score his first top ten of the 2012 season.

    “That was a track that we had circled at the beginning of the season and a track that I’ve performed well as has Front Row Motorsports,” Ragan said. “At restrictor plate racing, when you run in a pack and when you can draft with other cars, it puts everyone on more of an equal playing field.”

    “I felt like if we went down and didn’t make any mistakes, we would have a chance for a top-10 and that’s exactly what we did,” Ragan continued. “It was good to get a top-10 finish and hopefully we can improve on that for the rest of the year.”

    Ragan certainly seems to have a knack for the superspeedways, a talent that has enabled him to keep his cool in spite of the craziness that often ensues at restrictor plate tracks.

    “I’ve been fortunate enough to drive some good race cars over the years, with Ford engines and Roush prepared cars,” Ragan said. “You have to be patient and not push the issue.”

    “You have to make the best decisions possible and we’ve always been able to come out of the superspeedways clean.”

    Ragan recognized that some drivers were driven a bit batty by not only being back in the pack but also by trying to manage their temperature and pressure gauges.

    “I think there were some issues with overheating and you just had to manage them,” Ragan said. “We were all fighting the same issues, all 43 cars.”

    “It is annoying and it is frustrating,” Ragan continued. “But it’s just another element that makes NASCAR racing what it is.”

    “I’m partial to the pack racing,” Ragan said. “I think it’s more fun for the fans.”

    “I have an open attitude either way but I am partial to the pack racing because I’m a fan and that’s what I’d like to see.”

    With the pack in back of him, Ragan is ready to tackle the track dubbed ‘Too Tough to Tame’ this weekend.

    “I think we need to finish on the lead lap,” Ragan said of his Darlington plans. “We need to race the race track and run our own race. I think a top-15 to a top-20 would be a solid day for us.”

    Ragan also fully plans to let himself go just a little nuts at Darlington for the race weekend. He will have Peanut Patch Boiled Peanuts as the primary sponsor on his car for the historic Bojangles Southern 500.

    “McCall Farms, with their division the Peanut Patch, is going to take a dip into the NASCAR world and be the primary sponsor on the No. 43 car,” Ragan said. “I grew up in Georgia where there were a lot of peanuts planted near the cotton. So, I’m a big boiled peanut fan.”

    “They’re located right down the road from the race track,” Ragan continued. “They have a lot their employees that are going to be coming to the track.”

    In addition to the peanuts, a definite concern at the race track for those who are superstitious, Ragan will also be driving a green race car, a color that again is one that is shunned by most. But neither seems to both the young driver in the least.

    “I’m not a big superstitious guy but maybe if they see us in their rear view mirror in the peanut car, they’ll get out of our way,” Ragan said.

    For any fans that want to join Ragan in going nuts this weekend, the Peanut Patch is running a special promotion on Front Row Motorsports Facebook page. All fans have to do is upload a video stating whey they want to “Go Nuts for David Ragan.”

    “I haven’t seen any of the videos but I’ll have to check it out for sure,” Ragan said. “I don’t know who has the final say but I’m sure I can check it out and then hopefully influence whoever that’s going to be.”

    Ragan is also balancing his nutty schedule on the track with his many off-track activities. The young driver is involved in everything from volunteer work with the Shriners to some old fashioned asphalt racing.

    “I just completed one of the final steps in Free Masonry to become a Shriner,” Ragan said. “So, hopefully by summer we will be an official Shriner and a member of the Oasis Temple here in Charlotte.”

    “We’ll also be at the Summer Shoot Out at the Shrine 100 in August.”

    “We’re in the process of putting together another asphalt late model to do some racing around the southeast later in the year,” Ragan said. “I’ll drive and we run a young kid from Texas Andy Hogan and his next race is in Huntsville, Alabama next weekend.”

    Ragan freely admits that his season has been a bit crazy to date. But in order to combat that, Ragan said strongly that consistency is the key.

    “The season’s been OK,” Ragan said. “I’d give us a B minus.”

    “We need to be more consistent,” Ragan continued. “We’ve been able to achieve some of our top 20 goals but we can certainly be more consistent.”

    “And as long as we can keep getting better, that’s a good thing.”

    Ragan fully intends to capitalize on his seventh place finish at Talladega with another good run at the ‘Lady in Black.’ And if he wins, Ragan predicts all kind of going nuts.

    “We were all happy to get that good run at Talladega,” Ragan said. “But we need to continue to expect to get those good finishes.”

    “You’ll see us get real crazy if we’re able to catch the checkered flag for one of these races.”

     

  • The Psychology of Talladega

    The Psychology of Talladega

    [media-credit name=”Steven Iles” align=”alignright” width=”188″][/media-credit]While every track is unique, there are certain tracks on the NASCAR circuit that can just get into a driver’s head. This weekend’s track, Talladega Superspeedway, seems to be one of those, especially given its speed, intensity and the infamous ‘big one’ that so often occurs.

    “There are certain things in the 36 race season that are special,” Dr. Jack Stark, a performance psychologist practicing in NASCAR as well as other sports, said. “Obviously Daytona is special. I think Bristol has some special appeal and there are a number of tracks that do.”

    “But superspeedways and restrictor plate racing, especially at Talladega, is always special.”

    Another interesting psychological aspect of Talladega, as well as other superspeedways, is that literally anyone can win. The prime example of that according to Dr. Stark is Trevor Bayne’s victory at last year’s Daytona 500.

    “You can be 20th with two laps to go and win it,” Stark said. “That’s another thing that is unique and keeps people glued to their seats until the end.”

    Dr. Stark also credits the action at Talladega as making it especially challenging from a psychological perspective. But he believes that this weekend’s race may be especially action packed given the fact that some drivers who have been struggling this season to date may be trying very hard to turn their luck around.

    “It’s been kind of a strange year so far because a lot of top drivers have had bad luck and struggled at various tracks,” Stark said. “So, yes, there will be some drivers that will be pressing.”

    “Every driver has tracks where they run better, whether it is a short track, an intermediate track or a superspeedway,” Stark continued. “Some of the young guys just like to go fast and there are others who have been on dirt that like the sliding around.”

    “But at this track this weekend, the drivers will be definitely going hard.”

    One of the teams that may be pressing for the ‘Dega win most diligently is Hendrick Motorsports, who as a team have been trying to score that elusive 200th victory for the organization ever since the green flag dropped at Daytona.

    But Dr. Stark, who has served as the team psychologist at HMS for the last eleven years, acknowledges that there is constant pressure to succeed at that organization.

    “There’s always pressure on them to win,” Stark said. “In some respects, it’s come pretty easy in the past.”

    “Last year, there were three drivers in the Chase but this year, the team doesn’t have a win,” Stark continued. “It’s frustrating and disappointing to the organization as it is so used to doing better.”

    “The team has had some good luck and bad luck but not enough luck to win yet.”

    Dr. Stark acknowledged that one driver in particular in the Hendrick organization especially feels the brunt of the psychological pressure of coming to the Talladega race weekend. But he also feels strongly that the driver and crew chief combination in place for that team will be the key to overcoming that pressure packed race.

    “I don’t think there is another athlete in the world that has the following and the high hopeful expectations of the fan base that Dale Earnhardt, Jr. has,” Stark said. “It’s quite amazing to walk through the garage and look at the fans who just want him to win so badly.”

    “So many people root for him and care for him and he is a special guy who doesn’t want to let them down,” Stark continued. “Everybody puts a ton of pressure on him for different reasons.”

    “Stevie (Letarte) is absolutely the perfect crew chief for Dale Junior,” Stark said. “I think that was one of the more brilliant moves that Rick Hendrick ever made.”

    “The relationship between a driver and crew chief is all about chemistry and they spend more time together than with your spouse or girl friend,” Stark continued. “So, you’ve got to be really, really in sync.”

    “Stevie is a great people person and handles Junior beautifully,” Stark said. “Stevie and Dale Junior will be ready for Talladega this weekend.”

    In addition to his work with Hendrick Motorsports, Dr. Stark has further advice and counsel for all of the 43 drivers set to compete in the Aaron’s 499 at Talladega this race weekend. First and foremost, he counsels the drivers must put any negative feelings right out of their minds.

    “The driver just has to block out any negativity he or she may have about the track,” Stark said. “There is a feeling that you may have the best car but it’s a crap shoot at the superspeedways.”

    “So, some drivers convince themselves that the racing there is not so much a function of skill but of luck,” Stark continued. “I try to convince drivers that it is a strategy race too.”

    “Let’s figure out how to do this because you can be in the back and draft up and you can play the strategy game and win.”

    Dr. Stark also acknowledges that lurking in the back of every driver’s mind at the superspeedways is that element of danger. He said it has been especially present since the recent passing of Dan Wheldon in the IndyCar Series in a horrific crash at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last fall.

    “You’re going such high speeds and things can happen,” Stark said. “It’s interesting from a psychology point of view.”

    “Each driver has their own defense mechanisms,” Stark continued. “Some act like they are not into it but what I find is that every one of them wants to win and are very intense about it.”

    “Some seem nonchalant and others seem very focused,” Stark said. “It all depends on their personality and is a function of past experiences at the track.”

    “It’s their way of coping,” Stark continued. “Some guys have to keep busy and joke around to prepare, while others are listening to hip hop music. Each has their own approach and I have to be careful not to judge their coping mechanisms.”

    “The Dan Wheldon tragedy had a huge impact on a lot of people,” Stark said. “Nobody quit driving because of it but it is in the back of everyone’s minds.”

    “I do think down the road we may see drivers not driving to the Mark Martin age,” Stark continued. “If you really dug into it and talked to those who retired recently, many have promised their spouse that they would stop driving.”

    Another stressful element of the sport, even though the season is young with just nine races under the drivers’ belts, is the demanding schedule imposed on all involved. Dr. Stark acknowledges that is another important element that must be managed from a psychological perspective.

    “Some of the stress is not just the danger but the demands of the sport,” Stark said. “NASCAR is the most demanding sport that I’ve ever been a part of and I’ve been a part of every sport, from basketball, football, hockey, the Olympics.”

    “NASCAR is just the most difficult.”

    So, what would Dr. Stark’s sage counsel be for the drivers that are headed off to Talladega, one of the most physically and psychologically demanding tracks on the NASCAR circuit, for this race weekend?

    “I counsel drivers to try to drive intensely relaxed,” Stark said. “I know that is a dichotomy, but you have to relax in the intensity.”

    “It’s definitely all about pacing yourself,” Stark said. “You will definitely need a relaxed intensity at Talladega this weekend.”

  • Michael Annett Is Flying High Yet Under the Radar

    Michael Annett Is Flying High Yet Under the Radar

    [media-credit name=”Photo Credit: Phil Cavali” align=”alignright” width=”172″][/media-credit]At Texas Motor Speedway, Michael Annett scored his second top-10 and fifth top-15 finish in just six races with his new team, Richard Petty Motorsports. And with that good run, he officially moved up two spots to fifth in the Nationwide Series point standings.

    Yet, as high as the young driver of the No. 43 Pilot Flying J Ford Mustang is flying early in the season, he still is very much under the radar in a series dominated by the likes of veteran Elliott Sadler, reigning champ Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., up and comer Austin Dillon, and Danica Patrick.

    “To me, that’s how I’ve lived my whole life,” Annett said. “Even when I played hockey growing up, I never did anything outlandish.”

    “I was just the guy that got the job done,” Annett continued. “That’s pretty much my M.O. and how it’s been for me in my racing career.”

    Although flying under the radar so far this season, the new Richard Petty Motorsports driver has had some impressive initial success, especially with his recent run at Texas. Annett finished ninth, rebounding from running into a lapped car and taking advantage of the lights going out at the speedway.

    “We probably could have won the race if I hadn’t run into a lapped car,” Annett said. “But I loved it when the lights went out because we were overheating and getting ready to pit.”

    “So, I liked that the lights brought out the caution,” Annett continued. “The whole night was about overcoming adversity, so to come out ninth and to see the guys faces with a top ten finish, it was cool.”

    Annett also contributes his early success at Richard Petty Motorsports with the team’s affiliation with Roush Fenway Racing, particularly in light of their driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. winning last year’s Nationwide championship.

    “I think the success started with what Roush Fenway built last year with the championship and the relationship we have with them,” Annett said. “That partnership is huge.”

    “At Texas, we unloaded and we were close but we were still missing a little bit,” Annett continued. “To be able to go and talk to the No. 6 team and use some things they found, it’s just a huge advantage to us.”

    In spite of early success at Richard Petty Motorsports, the reality for Annett was that he had to make a difficult  transition rather abruptly when his former team, Rusty Wallace Racing, shut down at the end of last year due to lack of sponsorship.

    “It was definitely tough, very unfortunate and a testament to the economic times,” Annett said of the demise of his former team. “They couldn’t find a sponsor for Steven (Wallace) with 5-Hour Energy leaving.”

    “Rusty said he didn’t want to do it out of his pocket,” Annett continued. “So, the month before Daytona, they announced they were shutting down and we had to go find a place to race.”

    Fortunately for Annett his long-time sponsor, Pilot Flying J, stuck with him and gave him the opportunity to seek out another team. He was especially pleased when Richard Petty Motorsports ended up being one of the teams interested in him.

    “I’m definitely blessed to have Pilot as a partner that I’ve had since I’ve started racing,” Annett said. “That enabled me to go to other teams and when I went to Richard Petty Motorsports, it just felt right.”

    “It felt like a family, listening to Richard (Petty),” Annett continued. “He and I saw eye to eye on everything and it felt right.”

    Annett said it hit him how fortunate he was to be with Richard Petty Motorsports when he and the team went out for their first race together at Daytona in the Drive4COPD 300.

    “It’s funny,” Annett said. “It didn’t hit home to me until Daytona when Richard (Petty) was standing on one side and Dale Inman on the other side, both giving me pointers before I got into the car.”

    “And all I could think was ‘this is crazy,’ Annett said. “I’ve ridden on the plane with Richard and talked to him and the best way to put it is that I’m blessed. It’s pretty cool.”

    The other ‘cool’ discovery for this low-key driver was his new crew chief at Richard Petty Motorsports, Philippe Lopez.

    “I had no idea about Philippe Lopez before this season started,” Annett said. “His name got brought up and I didn’t know a thing about him.”

    “When I asked around, there is always somebody who doesn’t like somebody, but not one person had anything bad to say about Philippe,” Annett continued. “That’s pretty cool.”

    “From Daytona to now, there hasn’t been one mechanical problem and his confidence on the radio is huge,” Annett said. “It’s been a really good relationship.”

    After his strong run at Texas with his new crew chief and team, Annett will have another off-weekend before heading to Richmond International Raceway next weekend for the NASCAR Nationwide Series 250.

    “Richmond is one of those tracks that I’ve struggled at,” Annett said. “But each time, we go back, I get better.”

    “I think I finished 11th or 12th last time so if I crack the top-10, I know that we’ll have had a good race,” Annett continued. “At Richmond, if you get the right car, you can come out of there with a top-5 or a win.”

    Yet even with his impressive start to the season and in spite of having total upheaval in his team, the young driver is not one often mentioned in the Nationwide Series discourse.

    “I don’t mind it, but I worry more about the guys on the team because I want them to get the credit they deserve,” Annett said. “I was hoping that at Daytona when Dale Jarrett started talking about me that would be the start of things.”

    “But I’ve fallen back into my old ways of just getting my job done, under the radar,” Annett continued. “But where we finish and the results will show themselves.”

    “And if they want to talk about us, they will,” Annett said. “My guys still know I’m driving my butt off for them and they’re doing the same back to me.”

  • Ward and Jeb Burton Continue a Family Tradition of Racing

    Ward and Jeb Burton Continue a Family Tradition of Racing

    Photo Credit: Tanya Hall

    Ward Burton has always had a special relationship with “The Rock.” His first win in the Cup Series was in 1995 at Rockingham Speedway. He has a total of nine top ten finishes at the track in the Cup Series and also scored his first Nationwide Series win there in 1992. At the time, his wife was pregnant with their son, Jeb.

    Burton retired in 2007 but this past weekend, Ward was back with his son Jeb at the historic track. Jeb made his second Camping World Truck Series start Sunday at the speedway. During the race he fought his way back from a 27th starting position to score an eleventh place finish.

    I talked with Ward and Jeb Burton Saturday morning to gain some insight into how the two worked together as a team. It was obvious from the start that Jeb respects his father’s driving expertise. He even watched some tapes of his Dad racing at Rockingham Speedway in preparation for his race at the track.

    Jeb admits that most of the time he feels like “the best way to learn is just to do it myself.” But he’s also smart enough to take advantage of his Dad’s experience. “When I was running late models and my car wasn’t where it needed to be, I would put Dad in it to see what he thought. He would get it running right and make me look good.”

    Ward is heavily involved in his son’s career and often also gives him advice during the race. Sometimes the two agree and sometimes Jeb’s crew chief Trip Bruce has to act as mediator.

    “When we’re running good everything is fine,” Jeb says.

    However, when they are having a bad day, his Dad can get a little intense. Jeb is quick to point out that “it’s only because he wants me to run well.”

    Jeb is scheduled to run the next three races in the Camping World Truck Series. The goal is to run as many races as he can but for now, sponsorship is limited.

    When I asked what he felt he needed to improve upon, the answer was simple. “I need more seat time. I need to be in a racecar every week.”

    He also feels that it’s important to test, especially on the larger tracks where he has no experience. Another important factor is “understanding the vehicle and working with the crew chief. If you can get that chemistry right, it makes everything easier.”

    As we ended the interview so Jeb could get ready for practice, I asked him what he would consider a good finish at the conclusion of this race. He quickly said “a top 12.” After the race ended Sunday afternoon, I congratulated Jeb on meeting his goal. But like a true racer, he wasn’t satisfied with his finish, believing he could have done more.

    Jeb is currently scheduled to run the next three races in the Camping World Truck Series. While he works on getting more sponsorship, Jeb will continue to run late models.

    Now it was time to hear the other side of the story as I sat down with Jeb’s dad, Ward Burton.

    I asked Ward if he had encouraged or discouraged his son when it came to racing.

    “I didn’t really do either,” he told me. “He came to me about wanting to start racing motorcycles. I had given him go-karts and all that when he was a lot younger but he pretty much made the decision that it was something he wanted to do. He got into motorcycles real quick, went to go-karts and pretty much progressed from there.”

    The biggest challenge for Ward is learning how to be on the sidelines.

    “Oh, definitely I’ve had to learn all over again. You’ve got the danger factor and you’ve got the not in control factor. You’re trying to learn how to communicate. Instead of doing, it’s how to do. It’s quite different. Having a father and son relationship while it’s going on, like any father-son relationship, can certainly add some complications,” he said, laughing.

    “I did it to my Dad; my Dad probably did it to his Dad,” Ward continued. “You know when your Mom or Dad says something to you, you don’t take it the same way as when somebody else says it to you even if it’s said the same or meant the same. Sometimes it’s hard to take something that is meant as constructive criticism, constructively.”

    Communications can also be tricky when it’s a father on one side and a son on the receiving end of those communications. Ward tries to let the crew chief handle that side of things.

    “I try my best but sometimes it’s not possible. That is definitely the best way. It took me a while to learn that and I’m still learning. At the same time, if I see something going on with anybody on the team including Jeb, I’m not going to sit back without trying to be helpful.”

    Jeb’s career is a work in progress and something that Ward works on every day. He believes in his son and what they can accomplish together.

    “I’ve been working vigorously, along with others, to find opportunities for Jeb. He’s got a window in which I can possibly be productive and help him. That window is not forever. I can’t solely make it happen.”

    His commitment is unwavering.

    “I know that if I get the opportunity with a company I don’t feel like anybody can do a better job for that company on and off the track than Jeb and I can. I honestly believe that. But I have to have the doors open to prove it to them.”

    “We certainly appreciate State Water Heaters and they’ve gotten us to this point. They’ll be an associate for the rest of the year. But I want to be racing with Jeb after Dover.”

    Ward and Jeb Burton make a formidable team and are determined to add another chapter to the Burton legacy in NASCAR.

  • Pocono Preps for Tire Test and First Race without Patriarch

    Pocono Preps for Tire Test and First Race without Patriarch

    [media-credit name=”Photo credit: Pocono Raceway” align=”alignright” width=”200″][/media-credit]Pocono Raceway, thanks to the mild winter, has been abuzz with activity, including a total track repave and preparations for the upcoming tire test at the end of this month.

    Yet all of these activities have been undertaken with an eye to heaven and under the watchful eye of the late ‘Doc’ Mattioli, the track patriarch who passed away earlier this year.

    “The repave was pretty much a top to bottom reconstruction of the track,” Brandon Igdalsky, President & CEO of Pocono Raceway and grandson of ‘Doc’ Mattioli, said. “We went all the way down to the base of the track and put three or four more new layers.”

    Similar to the recent repave done in Michigan, Pocono track officials realized that, after sixteen years of wear and tear, it was time to get some new asphalt down on the ‘Tricky Triangle.’

    “The asphalt had just lived its life and it was just time to do it,” Igdalsky said. “It was 16 years old and a lot of use on it with the race and all the other events throughout the year.”

    “That all adds up over time, as well as the freeze/thaw cycles we get each year takes its toll.”

    While Igdalsky checked out the pavers used by some of the other tracks, he finally decided, for many reasons, to use someone closer to home for the repave.

    “We talked to the pavers that did the ISC and the SMI tracks,” Igdalsky said. “There’s a couple companies out there that both of them use.”

    “But with all the scheduling of the other tracks getting done, it wasn’t going to work out,” Igdalsky continued. “We have a relationship with a local, major paving operation here in Pennsylvania.”

    “They came in and did a fantastic job.”

    And was the repave costly?

    “It cost a lot,” Igdalsky said simply, with a chuckle. “It’s a hefty chunk of change. I’ll leave it at that.”

    But best of all, the repave has made the 2.5 mile track even faster than it was before.

    “I took a lap on the new surface and it’s smooth and fast,” Igdalsky said. “I can put my Tahoe into Turn One a lot faster than I could before.”

    “If I can do that in my Tahoe, I can’t imagine what they’ll be able to do in a Cup car.”

    While Igdalsky predicts the repaved track will be fast, Igdalsky refrained from predicting exact speeds that may be reached on the new asphalt.

    “The grip in Turn Three is so much better now,” Igdalsky said. “So, if they can get through Three and get a nice smooth run and they were hitting that 205 mph speed before, I can see them running at least five miles an hour faster.”

    “When we repaved in 1995 and when they came back that following June, they were seven miles an hour a lap faster on average,” Igdalsky said. “So, if we can get five or six miles per hour on the new asphalt per lap, the average lap time will be good.”

    “I’m excited to see what they’re going to do when they get here in two weeks, especially seeing the speeds they were getting in Michigan.”

    While Igdalsky may be excited about the speeds, he admitted that he has been a bit worried about getting the repaving done in time for the scheduled Goodyear tire test.

    “It definitely kept me up at night,” Igdalsky admitted. “I’ve been worried about getting the repaving done before the tire test and we got it done.”

    “Now it’s a matter of how it will react to the test and how the drivers are going to like it.”

    The all-important tire test has been scheduled for April 24th and April 25th at Pocono Raceway. Goodyear engineers will test a variety of compounds that will determine the best tires to be used for the June 10th Pocono 400.

    The drivers tentatively scheduled to participate in the Goodyear tire test at Pocono are Jamie McMurray, Kasey Kahne, Joey Logano, A.J. Allmendinger, and Aric Almirola. The drivers will represent all of the major teams, from Hendrick Motorsports to Richard Petty Motorsports.

    The test is open to the public and fans will be permitted to watch both days of testing from the grandstands free of charge.

    “We’re going to do some stuff with the drivers coming in but we don’t know how the schedule will go,” Igdalsky said. “It’s Goodyear’s show and they dictate what we do and don’t do.”

    “Goodyear is all about getting these tires tested and figuring out what they’re going to use and not use,” Igdalsky said. “It’s a pretty busy day for the Goodyear guys as well.”

    As the Pocono President and staff prepare for the tire test, they are also in full preparation mode for the race. Yet all of these preparations are being done with somewhat heavy hearts as everyone at Pocono continues to fill the void left by the passing of patriarch ‘Doc’ Mattioli.

    “As we move into a new chapter at Pocono Raceway, everyone is excitedly nervous,” Igdalsky said. “We’re all biting our nails for good weather but we’ve got some help with my grandfather up in heaven.”

    “He’ll do his best come June 10th to give us a nice, exciting weekend.”

    Igdalsky said that it has certainly been different at the track without the dominant presence of his grandfather.

    “Strange is an understatement,” Igdalsky said about the atmosphere without ‘Doc’. “I really miss my weekly sit-downs with him and going over everything with him.”

    “Personally, I miss him more than anything in the world,” Igdalsky continued. “And I know as a staff we miss him terribly.”

    “That first race is definitely going to be hard for everybody,” Igdalsky said. “Not seeing him up there on the Victory Lane stage for the start of the race will be like nothing we’ve ever experienced before.”

    In spite of the grief, however, Igdalsky and his family take great comfort in knowing that although ‘Doc’ is gone, Rose Mattioli will still be present throughout the race weekend.

    “We’re putting her to work this year,” Igdalsky said of his grandmother. “She will definitely be there.”

    “Once we’ve past the tire test, we’re into worrying about the race and the show it’s going to put on,” Igdalsky said. “So, June 10th at 7:00 pm when all is said and done, I’ll be happily cracking a bottle of champagne, toasting the heavens, and celebrating.”

  • Ryan Reed works hard to promote JDRF and Ryan’s Mission

    Ryan Reed works hard to promote JDRF and Ryan’s Mission

    [media-credit name=”Venturini Motorsports” align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]In February 2011, Ryan Reed was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes and was told that he would never be able to race again. However, after getting in contact with a doctor through IndyCar driver Charlie Kimball, he was told that it was possible.

    Now a year and three months later, Reed finds himself behind the wheel of the No. 15 JDRF car for Venturini Motorsports in the ARCA Racing Series. After two races this season, he sits sixth in points after finishing 12th at Daytona and Mobile.

    When he’s not behind the wheel of a racecar, Reed is spreading word about JDRF and Ryan’sMission. JDRF is the world’s largest funding provider for research towards curing, treating and preventing T1D and its complications. Ryan’s Mission is a non-profit organization that Reed formed to help build awareness, become a role model and positively touch the lives of others.

    Reed spoke of both JDRF and Ryan’sMission, talking about events that he has taken part of so far this year and some future events…..

     

    Ashley McCubbin: How has it been for you working with JDRF?

    Ryan Reed: JDRF has been unbelievable to work with. We’ve done so many incredible events so far this year and the relationship couldn’t anymore organic and we’ve just both have enjoyed all the great things we’ve done together. I mean, I really feel like we not only have been achieved great things so far, but the things we’ll be able to do in the future are even better.

     

    AM: Why did you want to get behind JDRF to begin with?

    RR: It kind of really happen organically. We were testing for the ARCA race in Daytona in December, Advanced Auto Parts contacted us and said we have a little girl named Makayla who wants to meet you and just figure out how you’ve compete with the disease. I said absolutely, and we were trying talking about JDRF. I had been talking about it for 10 minutes and I wanted to figure out how to get involved. I had my foundation and all, but we weren’t getting far. So when I got the chance to meet this little girl, I thought it was great.

    So when we talked about JDRF, I thought it was pretty cool and wanted to learn more about them. Their headquarters are inNew Yorkand my dad was inNew Yorkin December and he said he’d stop in there and drop off my portfolio and see if they want to do anything with me. They were like so excited and ever since, it’s just been an amazing relationship and everything has been good and had good intentions.

     

    AM: If you could, talk about why it is important for you to spread the word about JDRF.

    RR: Well, I mean being a T1D (Type 1 Diabetic), it obviously hits close to home. It’s important to me because they’ve done amazing things up to this point – obviously there’s no cure yet, but the medical advances they’ve participated in are just unreal.

     

    AM: How did Ryan’s Mission come about?

    RR: That was actually very near after I was diagnosed – well, I was first told I wasn’t going to be able to race, but then was told I’d be able to. Right after that, I knew I wanted to do this. I know other kids are being told that they won’t be able to do things and only some are lucky enough to find doctors that are as supportive as mine and able to still chase their dreams. So Ryan’s Mission was formed almost immediately and I just wanted to show kids and spread that message and not be held back.

     

    [media-credit name=”Ryan Reed Racing” align=”alignleft” width=”266″][/media-credit]AM: I know you’ve been to some Checkers Hockey Games and some games in Bakersfield, California over the past couple of months. How has that experience been for you spreading word about Ryan’s Mission and JDRF?

    RR: That’s been so much fun. I was a hockey fan growing up, played road hockey growing up, and followed the local hockey teams. I’ve always been a fan of the sport so to combine the two, fan of one sport, passion for the other, it’s just really a lot of fun just to be there. Then to be able to have all these kids come up to me and tell them how I inspire them and how much whenever they don’t want to take their shot and their parents tell them but, ‘Ryan takes his shots. If he can do it, then you can’ and they say okay. It’s unbelievable to hear and such a motivation on-and-off the track to keep doing my part in my career not just for myself, but for those kids to continue watch and get inspired.

     

    AM: I noticed lots of kids wanted to come by, meet you, get your autograph. How is it for you talking to the kids?

    RR: Any time a driver has fans, it means a lot to them. Any driver will tell you how much the fans mean to them and how fortunate they feel to have fans. Espically with my group of fans, they’re so loyal. They have unconditional ties to me, whether I win, lose or draw, with the T1D and they’re so supportive and all they want to do is help and they want to learn. Anytime a little kid comes up to me to get an autograph, I have a connection with them, so I think in my case, it’s a little bit different. Whether it’s a Type 1 Diabetic fan or not, it means a lot to me.

     

    AM:  Last month, I know you met with Congressman Kevin McCarthy. Talk about that experience, but also how important it is to have his support with the Special Diabetes Program.

    RR: That was really cool. That was the first time I had done anything with the Remember Me Campaign. So when I got the call to do that, I was really excited. When I showed up there, Kevin was a great guy, really down to earth. First thing we do when I walked in, we talked about racing. So we talked about racing for a bit and then I started telling him all the great things that JDRF has done. He was so supportive; he really a great guy. It was a lot of fun and a good experience.

    I think there was three or four of us, myself included, kids with Type 1 Diabetes from all ages. There was a little girl, a little eight years old boy – it was great to watch the whole Diabetic community come together and raise awareness and hopefully find a cure. The funding from that is crucial to JDRF so we all felt it was a obligation to go there and perform and show Kevin why it is important.

     

    AM: This weekend, I know that the showcar will be at the Long Beach Grand Prix. It may seem odd to some to have it at an IndyCar event, but maybe talk why you would want to have it there.

    RR: Long Beach isn’t a NASCAR event, but it’s a beautiful car that gets a lot of attention and it’s just another tool to raise awareness for JDRF. That’s kind of one of my goals is to just to raise awareness for JDRF. It’s a cool looking racecar, they look at it, do a little research on JDRF and learn more about diabetes, it’s for the better.

    A lot about what Ryan’s Mission is about is I really want diabetes to not be taboo. It does have a stigma about it and I don’t want that. I want people to be educated; I want people to understand it. A kid reaches to try and take a shot at the dinner table, people want to freak out. It’s just something that you have to deal with; it’s not a big deal. I think any kid that they don’t want to be treated weird or different because of it. A kid has asthma – people don’t freak out when he pulls out his inhaler. I want it to be accepted and like I said, I don’t want it to have a stigma.

     

    [media-credit name=”Ryan Reed Racing” align=”alignright” width=”255″][/media-credit]AM: I know the LA. Car Connection Cool and Classic Car Show is coming up later this month. Talk about being involved with that and helping Alec Buckner with his quest to raise money.

    RR: That is going to be really fun. L.A. Car Connection is a really great group of people with some cool cars. I actually got to drive a Ferrari when I was hanging out with them in L.A. when I was hanging out with them in L.A. one day. So that’s going to be a lot of fun, as well as raising money for JDRF. Like I said, it’s going to be a fun and great all the way around. It’ll be great to have people come out, have fun and look at some cool cars.

     

    AM:  While you’re in Salem, I know the Walk JDRF Charlotte RIC Walk to Cure Diabetes will be going on. Talk about how important it is for you to have Ryan’sMissioninvolved with that.

    RR: The walks are great; they have all them all over the country. The walks are a great awareness tool, as well as a way to raise some funding to help find a cure. That’s always a fun experience. To have the Ryan’s Mission team involved with that, it’s going to be great. It’s really important to have Ryan’s Mission out there and show our support and how dedicated we are to JDRF.

     

    AM: Looking at the schedule with you racing and the appearances, it seems it never stops. How do you keep it all balanced?

    RR: That’s definitely tough – I’ve got my family, my girlfriend – I feel it’s such an opportunity and obligation to raise awareness and use the gift that God’s given me to do some good. I find time for it all, epically trying to work out and stay mentally right for the racecar. It’s just one of my challenges. I don’t have to wake up and go to an eight-to-five job. When I’m not traveling, I get to go to the gym in the morning and have a different lifestyle. I can deal with the bad – I’m not saying its bad at all, but it can be draining with all the travel, but it’s definitely so rewarding and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

     

    AM: Mid May, there’s the JDRF Celebrity Golf Tournament. Talk about the event and what fans can expect.

    RR: I got the call to do that and I was really excited. I had never picked up a golf club before so I was a little nervous. I actually found a new passion. I went down and got a lesson in golf and have been playing the past couple of weeks so hopefully I’ll be ready. It’s going to be a ton of fun playing on a beautiful golf course.

     

    AM: Thoughts going into Salem…..

    RR: I’m really excited. We had a couple weeks to prepare and I’ve been in the gym everyday getting myself ready. Everyone’s hungry – we’ve had a break these past five weeks. Everyone’s going to be hungry when we get out there to perform and no one wants to have this race and go there and struggle. I feel everybody at Venturini Motorsports, myself included, has worked hard over this break and we’re all going to go there with our guns loaded. If we can stay on all eight cylinders, we’re going to be tough to beat.

     

    Some of the future events:

    • The showcar will be on display at the Long Beach Grand Prix IndyCar event this weekend (April 14/15th)
    • April 22nd: L.A. Connection Cool and Classis Car Show
    • April 28th: JDRF Charlotte RIC Walk to Cure Diabetes
    • April 29th: JDRF Promotion at Salem Speedway Fan Zone
    • May 1st: JDRF Promotion at Birmingham Baron’s Baseball Game
    • May 16th: JDRF Celebrity Golf Tournament
    • June 14th: Ford-JDRF Promotion at Michgan Int’l Speedway
    • June 16th: JDRF 24 Hour Hockey Game – Skating for a Cure
    • July 21st: JDRF Music Concert Series Promotion – Chicago
    • July 26th: JDRF Indianapolis Promotion
    • August 4th: JDRF Promotion at Pocono Raceway Fan Zone

     

    To learn more about Venturini Motorsports, check out http://www.venturinimotorsports.com.

    To learn more about Ryan Reed, check out http://www.ryanreedracing.com.

    To learn more about JDRF, check out http://www.jdrf.org.

    To learn more about Ryan’s Mission, check out http://www.ryansmission.org.

  • Sam Hornish Jr.: I feel like we’re going to continue to work hard

    Sam Hornish Jr.: I feel like we’re going to continue to work hard

    [media-credit name=”Simon Scoggins” align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]After not having the warranted success at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series level, Sam Hornish Jr. took a step back to the NASCAR Nationwide Series to spend some more time learning. Hornish proved his talent last year, winning the second last race of the season at Phoenix. Now he enters the 2012 season, ready to run the full schedule.

    So far, it hasn’t gone as well as he would’ve hoped as he sits sixth in points, 54 points behind Elliott Sadler.

    “We would’ve liked to have better results so far,” Hornish says. “But all in all, we’ve shown that we’ve got an opportunity to take a big step forward moving on out so looking forward getting through our couple off-weekends here and getting back to racing.”

    Once he gets back going, Hornish is hoping to win some races and contend for the championship.

    “I feel like we’re going to continue to work hard and try to get the results we want out of it,” he says. “We really have a good opportunity to bring a couple sponsors along, with Alliance Truck Parts and WURTH Group. They’re new to racing and sponsoring anything, so we have the opportunity to bring them along.” He adds that he hopes to make the transition back to the Sprint Cup Series.

    Hornish made the move over to NASCAR full-time in 2008, driving for Roger Penske.

    “It’s been a good relationship so far,” he says of the partnership with Penske. “Roger has always been really good to me and we started off back in 2003. When we started off, we had a couple goals in mind – we achieved the first couple, and now we’re working on the next one.”

    One of the benefits to the Nationwide Series program at Penske is Hornish can lean on teammate Brad Keselowski, but he says that it works both ways as he can also help Keselowski if he is having problems.

    “I kind of look at it that we’re both in the same boat and that we’re doing everything we can do to learn as much as we can to be successful,” he adds.

    In continuing to work at his NASCAR career, one of the biggest lessons he learned in racing as a whole about attitude plays a huge factor.

    “There’s a lot of about your attitude and a lot of about persistence and not wanting to give up and to continuing learning,” he says. “Racing is ever evolving; I believe you have constantly willing to learn and try new things. I guess that all goes with your attitude; you got to be willing to do those things. You got to have a good attitude, embrace the positives and remember a bad day at the race track is always better than a good day anywhere else.”

    The 32-year-old started in racing, running go-karts to have something to do with his dad.

    “All of the sudden it was 30 weekends a year and we were traveling all over the United States and Canada,” he says. “I continued to move up to ladder and eventually found myself in open wheel and after I achieved everything I wanted to achieve over there, I decided I wanted a new challenge and moved over to run stock cars.”

    While racing in open-wheel, he won three IndyCar championships and the 2006 Indianapolis 500. Of the transition, Hornish says one of the biggest differences between open wheel and stock car is the people.

    “In NASCAR, it’s called “stock car” racing, but there’s a lot more lien in the rules and what you’re allowed to do – geometries, set-up of the cars – that you’re not allowed to do in IndyCar,” he explains. “IndyCar is more of a spec race, where everybody has the same car. There’s sometimes when there’s different engines, but the package is the same and it’s really hard to gain advantage. Over here, it’s really easy to get yourself lost if you’re not doing the right things, just ‘cause there are so many things that you can change with the car itself. With all those things that you’re changing, you have to have the right people to be able to make the changes to help you move forward and allow you to kind of learn the things you need to be successful.”

    Hornish says one of the biggest racing memories in his career was the Indianapolis 500 win, but there are also plenty of other good memories.

    “There’s a lot of my favorite memories that don’t necessarily coincide with a win,” he says. “There just more of a good day at the track or involved in racing. Racing has always been a family sport for me; it started out as something to do with my dad. Now I take my family to the race track with me and hopefully some point in time, I can have the roles reversed when I’m watching somebody else race. But we’ll see how that all plays out.”

    Besides spending time with family away from the track, Hornish enjoys building and restoring things.

    “I restored a 108 barber chair a year ago and two years ago for Christmas, I redid my dad’s 1950 Swing Bicycle that he had,” he says.