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Other series racing

  • Numbers Don’t Lie: Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300 Field Full Of Winners

    Numbers Don’t Lie: Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300 Field Full Of Winners

    MARTINSVILLE, Va. (October 3, 2011) – Just how solid is the field for this Sunday’s Virginia is for Racing 300 Late Model Stock car race at Martinsville Speedway?

    Well, as the old saying goes, the numbers don’t lie.

    Philip Morris, the defending event winner, and the 2011 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national champion is entered. So is Lee Pulliam, who finished third in the final NWAAS national standings and C.E. Falk, who finished fourth.

    Frank Deiny Jr. (ninth) and Nate Monteith (10) give the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300 entry list two more members of the national top 10. That means half of the top 10 national finalists are entered, and that’s with only about half of the anticipated entry forms received so far.

    “The competition level here week in and week out is so much more advanced than what I see in other parts of the country,” Morris said after a recent test session “We know we can expect the best competition anywhere right here at Martinsville Speedway next week.”

    The number of total wins this season from the 50 or so entries received so far is staggering, an amazing 147. Thirty of the drivers entered so far have at least one win apiece and six are in double digits. Roughly 100 entrants are expected by the weekend.

    Four-time national champion Morris leads the way with 20 wins, with 19 coming at South Boston Speedway and one at Motor Mile Speedway. Pulliam piled up a track-record 16 wins at Motor Mile Speedway and a total of 17 overall while Anthony Anders had 15 victories at Greenville-Pickens Speedway in South Carolina.

    Falk and B.J. Mackey each totaled 11 wins on the season, Falk racing primarily at Langley Speedway and Mackey at Caraway Speedway. Nate Monteith was right behind with 10 wins at Kingsport Speedway.

    Practice and time trials are scheduled for Saturday, October 8. Only the fastest 22 cars will make the field through qualifying with the remainder of the 42-car field filled through four 25-lap heat races beginning at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, October 9. The top five finishers from each heat race will transfer to the 200-lap feature.

    Tickets are $20 for adults and children 12-and-under are free for the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300 on October 9. Tickets for qualifying on October 8 are $5. Tickets for qualifying day are on sale at the ticket office only.

    Fan gates will open at 9 a.m. on October 8 and 9. Tickets for the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300 may be ordered by calling 1.877.RACE.TIX or visiting www.martinsvillespeedway.com.

  • Barry Beggarly Wins ASA Member Track National Championship

    Barry Beggarly Wins ASA Member Track National Championship

    ASA RACING CONGRATULATES “THE SOUTHERN GENTLEMAN” AS THE 2011 JOE GIBBS DRIVEN RACING OIL ASA MEMBER TRACK NATIONAL CHAMPION

    Barry Beggarly wins National title; Chrissy Wallace wins West Region Championship

    DAYTONA BEACH, FL (Thursday, September 29, 2011) – In 16 events this season, he had five wins, four seconds, two thirds, four fourths, and one fifth place finish at an ASA Member Track that had many talented drivers and fantastic on-track battles every weekend. It was no surprise when earlier today, ASA President Dennis Huth contacted Barry Beggarly, the 2011 Late Model track champion at Ace Speedway, an ASA Member Track in Altamahaw, NC, to congratulate him as the 2011 Joe Gibbs Driven Racing Oil ASA Member Track National Champion.

    “Well that is a super accomplishment,” Beggarly said when Dennis Huth called him. “It is a great honor, especially at my age to be the National Champion.”

    Beggarly becomes the first driver to win two national weekly series national championships. “I am jubilated right now, it is a great honor being the only one to win an ASA Member Track National Championship and a NASCAR Weekly Series National Championship,” Beggarly exclaimed.

    Beggarly not only had the best average among the 2011 ASA Member Track champions but had the best among close to 400 drivers contesting for the National title. The Pelham, NC resident finishes the 2011 season with a national average of 4.9416. His consistent finishes, with his worst being a fifth place finish, gave him an average finish of 2.5000.

    Ace Speedway helped Beggarly with his National Championship by having an average of 15.75 cars per event.

    As the ASA National Champion, he will receive a tryout with Joe Gibbs Racing. His tryout will be announced at a later date. He will also get a one-on-one meeting with JD Gibbs, President of Joe Gibbs Racing and possibly Coach Joe Gibbs himself. He will also get an up close tour of Joe Gibbs Racing.

    “Congratulations to Barry Beggarly on his outstanding season at Ace Speedway,” JD Gibbs said. “Everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing is looking forward to meeting and spending some time with this great champion. It will be an exciting experience for everyone.”

    Beggarly was in a tough point battle with Jason York all season long. In fact, only two points separated them going into the final event on Saturday, September 24. Beggarly finished second that night to Jeb Burton while York finished fourth, allowing Beggarly to secure the track championship. Winning the trackchampionship and being an ASA Member in good standing were two of the requirements needed to be eligible for the National title.

    This is the fourth Ace Speedway track title for Beggarly. His previous track championships came in 1990, 1993 and 1996. This is also his second National Title as he won the NASCAR Winston Racing Series title in 1993. He won that title with a tiebreaker over Dennis Setzer. He also won track titles at Orange County Speedway in Rougemont, NC and South Boston Speedway in South Boston, VA. He was also named one of the All-Time Top 25 drivers as part of the NASCAR Weekly Series 25th Anniversary in 2006.

    Chrissy Wallace had an exciting season at Lebanon I-44Speedway. She became the first female to not only win a feature event but also win a track championship. Her National average of 4.5541 makes her the 2011 West Region ASA Member Track Champion.

    As the West Region champion, Wallace will receive a unique one-of-a-kind jacket from SpeedNetDirect.com, the official tabulator of the Joe Gibbs Driven Racing Oil ASA Member Track National Championship.

    “To win the track championship at Lebanon I-44 Speedway and be the West Region Champion is a huge accomplishment for this year,” Wallace said earlier today. “Considering I sat out of the late models for three years and going to a new track, I had a blast doing it. I told my dad if I don’t have anything set up, I would like to go to Ace Speedway next year and run against Beggarly and go for the National title.”

    In 19 events, Wallace had six wins, 12 top-five and 16top-ten finishes with an average finish of 4.4737. Lebanon I-44 Speedway had an average car count of 15.4211.

    “Congratulations to Barry Beggarly as our fourth Joe Gibbs Driven Racing Oil ASA Member Track National Champion, Zack Franks for finishing second overall, and Chrissy Wallace as the West Region Champion and finishing third overall, and everyone else that finished in the top-ten,” Dennis Huth, ASA President said. “Beggarly had a very impressive season when you look at his statistics. He joins Cary Stapp, Tommy Cloce and Bryan Wordelman as an ASA Member Track National Champion. It is also a personal pleasure to, once again, present Beggarly with a National title like I did in 1993.

    “A special thank you goes out to all of the ASA Member Tracks and competitors for their participation this season and we look forward to doing this again in 2012,” Huth continued to say. “A big thank you goes to Joe Gibbs Racing for presenting their unique prize of a tryout with our National Champion for the fourth year in a row.”

    Fans can look at their favorite driver statistics by visiting SpeedNetDirect.com’s Championship Insider at www.championshipinsider.com. It is a free membership site, sign up today!

    Drivers from participating ASA Member Tracks across the United States have chosen one of their divisions as their premiere divisions. Those drivers in the premiere division, who are ASA members in good standing, will compete at their ASA Member Track to first win their track championship. Once they accomplish that goal, they will then be matched up against the other premiere division champions to determine the National Champion.

    ASA has once again teamed up with speednetdirect.com to create a proprietary point system that is much like a batting average in baseball. Some of the factors used to create an average are wins, number of cars passed, finishes, car count, and number of events. No one knows what has more of a factor over another.

    Race fans and competitors can follow the standings on http://www.speednetdirect.com. The opening page shows the current track point leaders that would be eligible for the National Championship if it ended today. The East and West Region standings give a complete listing of all of the drivers participating this season.

    Past National Champions are Cary Stapp, Thunderhill Raceway (2008), Tommy Cloce, Adirondack Speedway (2009), and Bryan Wordelman, Rocky Mountain Raceways (2010).

    Joe Gibbs Driven Racing Oil, sponsor of the American Speed Association NationalShort Track National Championship, is the same oil developed and used by Joe Gibbs Racing. The team sells the oil so racers across the country can have access to the latest technology in racing lubricants.

    Joe Gibbs Racing is one of the premier organizations in NASCAR, currently fielding three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams, two NASCAR Nationwide Series teams and a driver development program. Based in Huntersville, N.C., and owned by Joe Gibbs – a three-time Super Bowl champion as head coach of the Washington Redskins and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame – JGR has competed in NASCAR since 1992, winning three Cup Series championships and more than 80 NASCAR races,including three Brickyard 400s and the 1993 Daytona 500.

    The ASA Member Track program sanctions dirt and asphalt short tracks along with road courses around the United States, as well as a variety of regional and national touring series. For more information call (386) 258-2221, or send an email to info@asa-racing.com. The latest news and information from all the racetracks and tours involved in the ASA can be found by visiting www.ASA-Racing.com.

    JOE GIBBS DRIVEN RACING OIL

    ASA MEMBER TRACK NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

    FINAL STANDINGS

    1. Barry Beggarly (Ace Speedway) – 4.9416

    2. Zack Franks (Newport Motor Speedway) – 4.7075

    3. Chrissy Wallace (Lebanon I-44 Speedway) – 4.5541

    4. Shelby Stroebel (Meridian Speedway) – 4.2425

    5. Mike Reichenberger (Norway Speedway) – 4.2121

    6. Michael Hale (Rocky Mountain Raceways) – 3.9751

    7. Ronnie Rihn (Marshfield Motor Speedway) – 3.4958

    8. Mark Mackesy (State Park Speedway) – 3.3718

    9. Ryan Stiltner (Lonesome Pine Raceway) – 2.5051

    10. Mark Shackleford (Orange Show Speedway) – 2.2495

  • Chrissy Wallace Comes Into Her Own With Two Championships

    Chrissy Wallace Comes Into Her Own With Two Championships

    Although Chrissy Wallace may be from a famous racing family, including Uncle Rusty, Uncle Kenny, cousin Steven and dad Mike, she is definitely  coming into her own, especially with two championships now under her belt.

    [media-credit name=”Photo Credit: Julian LeBallister” align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]The 23 year old racer scored the I-44 Speedway Track Champion title, as well as the championship of the ASA West Regional Series. In the latter, Wallace made history as the first female champion ever.

    “It’s a huge honor,” Wallace said. “It means so much to me. I still have butterflies in my stomach from being so excited.”

    Although her own racer, Wallace is still following in her family’s footsteps, especially her father Mike, with these two championships.

    “Years ago, my dad did the same thing,” Wallace said. “He won the track championship at I-44 Speedway and then he won the West Regional Championship.”

    “It means a lot because of the whole family but at the same time it means a lot to me,” Wallace said. “I’ve never achieved a championship before.”

    Wallace’s championships are even more impressive due to her team’s limited budget, as well as the staffing.

    “There is so much support and effort that we’ve put into that car all year,” Wallace said. “We have one guy that works on our car full-time. My uncle and his son help me at the race track.”

    “So, to achieve what we have is beyond my goals,” Wallace continued. “My goals at the beginning of the year were to finish in the top five in points and be able to win one race.”

    “We wound up winning two championships and six races.”

    Wallace has also been able to leverage her success, scoring a ride in the final ARCA race, the Toledo ARCA 200, presented by Federated Car Care, in Toledo, Ohio on October 16th for Cunningham Motorsports. The deal came about quickly, thanks to some sponsorship from her famous father and family.

    “After I won the championship, Cunningham Motorsports and Paul Andrews did not have anybody running their car,” Wallace said. “They had Dakoda Armstrong that had been running their car on and off this year.”

    “They didn’t have a sponsor so they came to my dad and said, ‘Look we know your daughter needs an opportunity and she would be a very good person to be in our car,” Wallace continued. “But we need sponsorship.”

    “Pretty much we pieced together a deal to where my dad helped fund the deal along with a few more sponsors and some that we’re waiting back for a response.”

    “This means so much to me,” Wallace said. “It’s finally something that I’ve been able to achieve to help my career go even further.”

    Although Wallace has never been to Toledo, she has raced in the ARCA ReMax Series before. In her previous two efforts, she finished ninth at Talladega and was in second at Pocono before crashing out of the race.

    “It will be my first time ever at Toledo,” Wallace said. “I’ve never seen the race track, never practiced, nothing.”

    “We’re going to go to test next week at a track similar to Toledo,” Wallace continued. “We’ll spend the day testing.”

    While Wallace has her hands full as champion of two series, as well as some upcoming racing, her future remains uncertain. And, like all young racers, the future is contingent on sponsorship.

    “Right now we don’t have anything set in stone due to sponsorship,” Wallace said. “We have talked to certain truck teams that feel that they can help me out through the year to where I could possibly run seven Truck races for next year.”

    “If we don’t have a sponsor, we will run the Late Model Series full-time,” Wallace continued. “If we find the sponsorship, I would run at least seven Truck races, and some ARCA races and perhaps even some Nationwide races.”

    Who might Wallace consider as the most ideal sponsor for her and her career?  She has some interesting and creative thoughts for sure.

    “Honestly my ideal sponsor is a company like Maybelline or Victoria’s Secret, a female based sponsor that will be behind me and know that I can market them,” Wallace said. “I can help them as much as they can help me.”

    “Even something like Tampax would be a great sponsor,” Wallace continued. “It’s never been on a race car and all the guys would never have it on their cars.”

    “But I want a female-based or female-driven company as a sponsor,” Wallace said. “Of course, I’d be happy to have any other sponsor, but a female driver with a female-based  company directed to females would help me out more.”

    “I want to be able to market somebody and give them the value back they are giving me,” Wallace continued. “I really think that it would work out well.”

    Although now one of many up and coming female racers, from most recognizable Danica Patrick to Johanna Long and Jennifer Jo Cobb to name a few, Wallace feels she is definitely unique.

    “Honestly I’ve had the chance to race against some of the other female drivers,” Wallace said. “What’s different for me is that I have the talent, I have the passion and I have the wins and the championships to prove it.”

    “I have more seat time too,” Wallace continued. “I think I have more of a driven goal than some of the others do.”

    Wallace is indeed driven in all that she does and refuses to give up, in spite of sponsor struggles.

    “I’ve been working hard trying to stay in the NASCAR Series since I was 19 years old,” Wallace said. “I’ve got to set my goals really high and try to over-achieve them.”

    “I never want to under-achieve, I only want to over-achieve.”

    “My main goal is that I want to start off in the Truck Series, win the Rookie of the Year and move my way up to be the first successful female as a NASCAR driver,” Wallace said. “I have to thank my family, all my fans and the sponsors that have helped me throughout my career.”

    The young driver definitely credits her family as one of her primary supports. Yet having that famous last name can also add even more pressure to the mix.

    “A lot of people expect things about of me because of having the last name of Wallace,” Wallace said. “I want to be the first successful female NASCAR driver.”

    “ I want to be in the Cup Series and I want to win the championship,” Wallace continued. “So, I do put pressure on myself.”

    “To make it to the level of achievement that my family has means a lot to me,” Wallace said. “There are not enough words to say what all this means to me because I haven’t figured out the right words yet to make it sound right.”

     

  • Darrell Wallace Jr. and Max Gresham Duo Winners at Dover

    Darrell Wallace Jr. and Max Gresham Duo Winners at Dover

    There were dueling victory lane celebrations after the final NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race, the Dover 150, at the Monster Mile.

    [media-credit name=”Gary Buchanan” align=”alignright” width=”222″][/media-credit]Darrell Wallace, Jr., driving the No. 6 US Army Toyota for Revolution Racing, scored his third win of the season in the final race, while Max Gresham, fielding the No. 18 Live Oak Plantation Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, finished off the season as champion.

    Although one a race winner and the other a champion, both drivers were equally emotional about their victories. The win was especially powerful for Wallace due to a loss he suffered in his personal life last weekend.

    “It was an emotional win for me, especially losing my uncle this past Saturday,” Wallace Jr. said, “It was tough.”

    “I put his name over my name on the door,” Wallace continued. “He was riding shot gun with us and he’s the one who put us in Victory Lane.”

    Wallace not only enjoyed the racing at the Monster Mile, but the trophy too.

    “This race was fun,” Wallace said. “I love this track.”

    “Dover is my favorite track, not just because I won but because it teaches you a lot, how to pass cars, go fast and turn laps,” Wallace continued. “But I’m more tired from carrying this thing (Miles the Monster trophy) around than racing out on the track.”

    Wallace is just seventeen years old, with his ‘big 18th’ birthday coming up next Saturday. Under the tutelage of Andy Santerre, former Busch North champ, and with the support of the US Army as sponsor, the young driver has also been responsible for half of the wins for Revolution Racing this past season.

    “Revolution Racing and the US Army not only got us to Victory Lane today, but also got us three wins and three poles and getting us to the race track each weekend we had a race,” Wallace Jr. said. “It just goes to show how ‘Army Strong’ we are.”

    As strong as Wallace was, there was one stronger car and driver in the field, at least as far as the championship. Max Gresham, who ran every lap of the season, was officially crowned the K&N Pro Series East champ.

    “This has been the best season I’ve ever had,” Gresham said. “It will be a good one for the records book for a long time for ourselves.”

    “You can’t ask for anything better than that,” Gresham continued. “It’s been a great year for us.”

    “To be a NASCAR champion is the biggest thing and pretty much the only thing I’ve ever wanted to do when I started racing,” Gresham said emotionally. “And now I am.”

    Crew chief Bryant Frazier seconded his driver’s assessment of the winning season. In addition to this championship, Frazier is also best known for being Tony Stewart’s first crew chief.

    “Wow, this is an awesome day,” Frazier said. “It’s been something coming all year.”

    “Max has done an excellent job,” Frazier continued. “It’s a testament to the Gibbs and everyone who works throughout this sport.”

    Steve Desouza, Vice President of Nationwide and Driver Development for Joe Gibbs Racing, also spoke of his pride for the driver, as well as the pride he had for the team in Gresham’s K&N Pro Series East championship.

    “Speaking on behalf of the Gibbs, what an honor to be part of this Series,” Desouza said. “It’s been a great development series for us.”

    “We’re really proud of Bryant and Max and the job our entire group has done,” Desouza continued. “Max is an incredible talent and our guys have worked very hard for the championship this year.”

    Gresham’s major competition for the championship, Brett Moffitt, looked like he might have a chance to pull off the upset, leading the race in the waning laps. Moffitt, in his No. 00 AAA/Michael Waltrip Racing machine, however, blew a tire and hit the wall to finish 21st.

    “It was unfortunate for him that he blew that right front tire but good for us,” Gresham said of Moffitt. “As soon as it happened, there was a big sigh of relief and we just slowed down and finished third.”

    “I’ve never been happier finishing third.”

    Both Gresham and Wallace Jr. acknowledged that not only are they winners, but they have also both learned many lessons throughout this race season. And one of those lessons is that patience is a virtue.

    “I think the biggest lesson that I’ve learned this year is patience,” Gresham said. “It’s definitely played a lot into finishing every lap and finishing top five and top ten as much as we did.”

    “Not letting my nerves get the better of me and staying calm, being patient and not pushing the issue was the key.”

    “The lesson that I’ve learned is to not get in over my head like in situations like today,” Wallace Jr. said. “Just a lot of patience, car control and everything there is to racing.”

    “I’ve still got a lot to learn.”

    With the race win and championship now in their rear view mirrors, both Wallace Jr. and Gresham took a moment to think about their futures. But for both winning drivers, that future is uncertain at present.

    “I don’t know yet what I will do next year,” Wallace Jr. said. “When I do, I’ll let you know.”

    “Hopefully by winning this race, we’ve opened some eyes and opened some ears.”

    “Watching Max since he has been with us, he has learned to race well,” Desouza said of Gresham’s future. “I would venture to say that you’ll be seeing him in Nationwide and more than likely in Cup in the future.”

    “He’s done a great job and he’s done a nice job of bringing this group together and applying it on the race track.”

    Following Darrell Wallace Jr., race winner, were Dale Quarterly, Max Gresham, Eddie MacDonald, and Andrew Smith as the top-five finishers. Benny Gordon, Ryan Gifford, Brandon McReynolds, Dylan Presnell and Jeff Anton rounded out the top ten.

  • Toyota Driver Gresham Takes East Series Title

    TOYOTA DRIVER GRESHAM TAKES EAST SERIES TITLE Clinches Championship at Dover Season Finale

    DOVER, Del. (September 30, 2011) — Max Gresham clinched his first career NASCAR K&N Pro Series East (NKNPSE) driver’s championship after finishing third in Friday’s race at Delaware’s Dover International Speedway. Gresham, a Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) development driver, had two wins and 11 top-10 finishes in 12 races this season.

    The 18-year-old Griffin, Ga.-native posted victories at Georgia’s Gresham Motorsports Park (June 11) and at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (July 15). Along with his two wins, Gresham finished second once and was third on three occasions.

    Gresham’s title also marked the second owner’s championship for JGR in the series. “I can’t explain how I feel right now,” said Gresham, after the season finale.

    “I can’t thank these Joe Gibbs Racing guys enough. They put an awesome car underneath me today and they’ve put an awesome car underneath me all year.” With Darrell Wallace Jr.’s win at Dover, Toyota drivers have visited victory lane in all 12 NKNPSE races this season.

    Camry drivers recording those 11 wins include Brett Moffitt (three), Sergio Pena (three), Wallace (three), Gresham (two) and Matt DiBenedetto (one). It marks the fifth NASCAR regional series driver’s title for a Toyota driver.

    Along with Gresham’s title, Ryan Truex earned two NKNPSE driver’s titles in 2009 and 2010, and Eric Holmes captured the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West (NKNPSW) championship in 2008 and 2010.

    “We have always maintained that any of our success in NASCAR is a direct result of the hard work by our teams and drivers,” said Lee White, president of TRD, U.S.A. (Toyota Racing Development). “This season of competition in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East has demonstrated that all our Toyota teams have worked very hard to earn so many wins in what has become a very competitive series. We’re very proud of Max Gresham’s championship and are proud to have him and Joe Gibbs Racing as part of the Toyota program.” Toyota drivers have previously captured four driver’s championships in two of NASCAR’s premier series — Todd Bodine (2006 and 2010) and Johnny Benson (2008) in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS), and Kyle Busch (2009) in the Nationwide Series.

    This year, Busch and fellow Camry driver Denny Hamlin are currently competing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Chase championship playoff, while Timothy Peters is currently fourth in the NCWTS standings — 25 points out of first-place with six races remaining.

    Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. is the marketing, sales, distribution and customer service arm of Toyota, Lexus and Scion. Established in 1957, TMS markets products and services through a network of nearly 1,500 Toyota, Lexus and Scion dealers which sold more than 1.76 million vehicles in 2010. Toyota directly employs nearly 30,000 people in the U.S. and its investment here is currently valued at more than $18 billion.

  • Darrell Wallace Jr. earns the win, Max Gresham crowned champion at the Monster Mile

    Darrell Wallace Jr. earns the win, Max Gresham crowned champion at the Monster Mile

    Darrell Wallace Jr. earns the win at the Monster Mile

    Gresham crowned NASCAR K&N Series East Champion

    Sept. 30, 2011

    [media-credit name=”Gary Buchanan” align=”alignright” width=”222″][/media-credit]With five laps to go in Friday’s NASCAR K&N Pro Series East season finale, a whole bunch was hanging in the balance. Brett Moffitt was leading Darrell Wallace Jr. If he won the race, he might win the championship. But he was losing the grip, lap by lap. Meanwhile, series leader Max Gresham was trying to hold off Dale Quarterly, because if he fell too far back, he’d lose the championship.

    But by the time there were four laps left, everything changed.

    Moffitt’s right front tire let go and he crashed into the wall, sending Wallace on his way. Meanwhile, Gresham’s parameters switched from “drive for your life” to “just finish.” He did, and Gresham took the 2011 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East championship, while Wallace picked up the race win, becoming the first African American to ever win the pole and a race at Dover.

    “It was an emotional win, especially for me, losing my uncle this past Saturday,” Wallace said. “I put his name over mine on the door, and he was riding shotgun with us. He’s the one who put us in Victory Lane.”

    It was not a surprise to see Wallace up front. He had whipped the field in practice and qualifying – he ran a full 1.3 miles per hour faster than the competition in qualifying, which is an eternity by NASCAR standards. But he collided with teammate Sergio Pena early in the race and had to deal with some damage that put him two laps down.

    However, the 17-year-old driver felt he’d grown a lot this season, and he put that growth to good use in confronting the situation.

    “I’ve learned to not get in over my head in tough situations like today,” Wallace said. “I had a little damage and I thought our day was over with. But I persevered and my team persevered, and we were able to come back to the top.”

    Meanwhile, Gresham celebrated his series championship alongside Wallace. Leading by just 21 points following Moffitt’s win in last week’s race, Gresham had no room for error – at least, not until Moffitt gave him some.

    “Once Brett took the lead, at that point we had to do what we had to do to finish third,” Gresham said. “And if that meant racing as hard as we had to, that’s what we had to do, because we had to finish third and we knew it. As soon as [Moffitt’s tire blew], it was just a big sigh of relief.”

    But for a while there, Gresham’s own car was worrying him a bit.

    “Those last 10, 15 laps, I definitely had a bad vibration,” he said. “I wasn’t sure what it was. The last few laps there during the caution I was just shaking the car down because I knew something wasn’t right. It was a good thing I didn’t have to race for position at that time, I could just ride the last three laps out and not have to worry about it.”

    Gresham drives in the Joe Gibbs Racing developmental program, and his crew chief, Bryant Frazier, was Tony Stewart’s first crew chief when Stewart joined the team in 1998. Frazier was extremely proud of his latest young driver.

    “He did exactly what we set out to do this year – be patient at times, drive hard when we need to, and win races,” Frazier said. “He ran every lap that the K&N Series ran this year, so that’s a testament in itself. Max has done a great job and this team has worked so hard all year long as a group. It’s just been a wonderful year, and that’s all a testament to Joe Gibbs Racing. There wasn’t a time this year where I couldn’t go to a Nationwide or a Cup crew chief and they wouldn’t give you an answer. That’s part of what makes this company as great as it is.”

    At age 18, Gresham is now a NASCAR champion, and he’ll be right there with the big names at NASCAR’s awards banquet later this fall.

    “It means everything in the world right now,” he said. “I have big stuff happening in the next week and I don’t even know what it is right now. To be a NASCAR champion is pretty much the biggest thing I wanted to do when I started racing, and now I am. This is as sweet as it could be right now.”

  • Driving from the Paddock

    Driving from the Paddock

    9/23/2011 – By David Martinez

    Good day fellow readers. It’s been a couple of months now, where there has been little activity inside a cockpit for me. From driving Champ Car, A1GP or ALMS, to being outside the car (Coaching, Engineering and directing a team). It has been a temporary big change due to the lack of sponsorship to continue my career, and it hasn´t been easy.

    [media-credit name=”csmteam” align=”alignright” width=”240″][/media-credit]Used to being the center of attention, while driving amongst huge crowds chanting my name, or being popular amongst friends and family who knew me as “the race car driver”, to working in an office as a project manager like an average person. It has been like living 2 different lives and I am grateful for everything I´ve learned.

    Though I might sound old, I´m a 29 year old Mexican driver that has raced all around the world and climbed all the steps in the Road to Indy. I have learned many new things outside of racing. I have also learned many things about racing, without even being in the car. There is one thing I have learned for sure though: my racing career is far from over, It is actually just beginning.

    When you´re the star driver in a team, this is what you actually think on a good day. “ Damn, I must be really good to be going this fast,” and in a bad day “wow, this car must really suck”. Being outside the car, makes you realize everything that revolves around a driver´s performance. It makes you think how much mechanics, engineers, friends, family , fans, etc are part of this moment. After all this inactivity, this is what I have come to realize. It´s not just me driving that car. It´s my team, my family, my friends, my country. We are all racing together for a purpose, we are creating synergy where 1+1 = 3.

    I will from now on, keep you a part of my story on our way back to the IZOD Indy Car Series in 2012 with the Racing for Mexico program.

  • Championships in the balance for CORE autosport at Petit

    ROCK HILL, SC, Monday, September 26, 2011: 1000 miles.  That’s what will determine two championships for CORE autosport.  Both the team and driver championships are up for grabs – the sole focus of the first-year Le Mans Prototype Challenge (LMPC) team and its star drivers Gunnar Jeannette and Ricardo Gonzalez.

    The final race of 2011 – the 10 hour / 1000-mile Petit Le Mans presented by Mazda – will be the ultimate test for what has been a ground-breaking American Le Mans Series (ALMS) season for the two-car CORE autosport team. In eight races, the CORE squad has racked up two wins, nine podium spots and three pole positions.  The efforts have put the team in championship contention – just three points separate Jeannette / Gonzalez from driver leader Eric Lux and two points are needed to catch the Genoa LMPC team.

    Another challenge for CORE autosport will be the re-introduction of the 60mm engine air restrictor in the LMPC class, 10mm smaller than what was run in the majority of the 2011 events.  With the additional restriction of air flow to the engine and the resulting power loss, the team and drivers will have to re-adjust driving style and pit strategy to compensate. This will be vital in a combined field of U.S. and European entries comprising 53 cars.

    Leaving nothing to chance, the CORE autosport team returned to the Rock Hill shop after its podium showing at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca on September 17 to prepare the #05 Composite Resources / Bayshore Recycling ORECA FLM09 and its sister car, the #06 Composite Resources / Excel Consultants entry.

    Driver lineup for the Petit Le Mans includes Jeannette and Gonzalez with Rudy Junco in the #06 – a combination that produced podium finishes at the season-opening Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring and penultimate Laguna Seca Round. Jeannette has run nine Petit Le Mans races with a variety of teams and considers Road Atlanta his “home” track, Gonzalez finished third in the LMPC class in the 2010 event and Junco has never run at the track before, but tested well at the circuit earlier this year.

    The #05’s lineup will mark the return of veteran driver Ryan Dalziel, who will join team principal Jon Bennett and Frankie Montecalvo. Dalziel has been constantly connected to CORE autosport throughout 2011 as a consultant to the team, and also drove the #05 to a second-place LMPC finish with Bennett and Montecalvo at Sebring.  Dalziel is ready to take on the Petit Le Mans the team after a thrilling final round Grand-Am Rolex Series victory at Mid-Ohio.

    Qualifying for the Petit Le Mans Powered by Mazda will be aired live on ESPN3.com on Friday, September 30 at 2:55 p.m. EST, with live race coverage on ESPN3.com on Saturday, October 1 at 11:15 a.m. EST.  ABC-TV will televise a tape-delayed highlight of the event on Sunday, October 2 at 4 p.m. EST.   International viewers can see the event live on MotorsTV, Rogers Sports Net, Fox Sports Middle East and Fox Latin America Networks.  Live radio broadcasts are available at www.americanlemans.com.

  • MISTAKEN IDENTITY? GREER WINS SUPER CHEVY SHOW WITH BOWTIE-POWERED FORD

    BRISTOL, Tenn. (Monday, September 26, 2011) – While it may have looked like a Ford ending the day in the Super Chevy Show Victory Lane during Sunday’s Bracket I competition at Bristol Dragway, a Chevy engine sat under the hood of Van Greer’s Ford Escort.

    That engine, which powered the blue Ford to the win, was all that was needed to make the car eligible for competition last weekend.

    Greer, of Kingsport, guided the Ford/Chevy hybrid to victory over Tim Church of Wilkesboro, N.C. late Sunday evening in Thunder Valley. Greer left the line with a .023 reaction time and completed his run in 6.700 sec. (6.68 dial-in) at 102.76 mph. Church left with a stellar .009 light, but was a little further from his dial, running a 5.020 elapsed time on a 4.98 dial-in.

    Another Bristol regular, Brandon Bailey of Glade Spring, Va., took his machine to the win over Dandridge’s Corey Smith in Bracket II on Sunday when Smith broke out in the final round, running faster than his dial. Bailey had a .065 R.T. and a 9.786 E.T. (9.77 dial-in) at 70.73 mph on his winning pass. Smith had a .106 R.T. and a 9.547 E.T. (9.56 dial-in) at 73.05 mph on his losing attempt.

    Justen West from Dunn, N.C. found his 1969 Camaro in Victory Lane in Sunday’s DOT action, sending Thunder Valley veteran Steve Foley back home to Barbourville, Ky. empty-handed. West’s round consisted of a .106 R.T. and a 13.070 E.T. (13.05 dial-in) at 99.16 mph. Foley had a much better .034 light, but couldn’t run down West, turning in an 11.881 E.T. on an 11.77 dial at 110.10 mph.

    Chase Wagner of Willow Springs, N.C. defeated Roan Mountain’s Garrett Freeman in the final round of Junior Dragster Division I, despite Freeman running dead on. Wagner had a .066 R.T. and a 9.182 E.T. (9.16 dial-in) at 70.26 mph on his winning run. Freeman came off the line with a .118 R.T. and ran dead on with a 9.100 E.T. at 69.46 mph.

    Newport’s Tyler White won Jr. Dragster Div. II when his opponent, Allison Eads of Bristol, Va., turned on the red light in the final round. White had a .061 R.T. and a 7.984 E.T. (7.90 dial-in) at 81.57 mph on his final run of the day.

    Fans were treated to an exciting day of bracket racing, exhibition racing, a car show, swap meet and car corral. The Bristol event once again was one of the largest on the circuit and underscored Bristol fans’ dedication to the annual event.

    Nitro-powered Pro Mods, Jet Dragsters and a monster-truck match race highlighted Saturday evening’s Fas Mart Thunder Valley Mayhem.

    Bristol Dragway concludes the 2011 season with Fas Mart Street Fights on Saturday, Oct. 1. Racing begins at 1 p.m. with racing until 9 p.m. Anyone can race for just $5.

    For more information about Thunder Valley events, please call (423) 764-DRAG or visit www.bristoldragway.com.

    ###

    Speedway Motorsports is a leading marketer and promoter of motorsports entertainment in the United States. The Company, through its subsidiaries, owns and operates the following premier facilities: Atlanta Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Infineon Raceway, Kentucky Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Lowe’s Motor Speedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway. The Company provides souvenir merchandising services through its SMI Properties subsidiaries; manufactures and distributes smaller-scale, modified racing cars and parts through its 600 Racing subsidiary; and produces and broadcasts syndicated motorsports programming to radio stations nationwide through its Performance Racing Network subsidiary. The Company also equally-owns Motorsports Authentics, a joint venture formed with International Speedway Corporation to produce, market and sell licensed motorsports merchandise. For more information, visit the Company’s website at www.speedwaymotorsports.com

     

  • Ron Silk Makes Whelen Modified Magic with Third Win

    Ron Silk, driver of the No. 6 TS Haulers/Calverton Tree Farm Chevrolet, made three times a charm with a win in the New Hampshire 100 on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. Silk, from Norwalk, Connecticut, started the race from the pole.

    [media-credit id=62 align=”alignright” width=”239″][/media-credit]This was Silk’s second career victory at the ‘Magic Mile’, his third win of the season and his seventh career win.

    “The car was really great right from the beginning,” Silk said. “After we didn’t make any adjustments at the pit stop, I was happy with the car. It got a little bit better throughout the race and I was able to get up there to the lead.”

    Silk said that pit strategy was important throughout the race, especially with the green flag runs, as well as the red flag rain delay.

    “It was definitely the right time to pit,” Silk said. “It went green for awhile. It would have been pretty tough to wait longer to take tires and get back through the field.”

    “I was confident,” Silk continued. “We’ve had a good car here all year.”

    Todd Szegedy, behind the wheel of the No. 2 Wisk Detergent/A&J Romano Construction Ford, finished second. This was Szegedy’s second win at New Hampshire and his 14th top-10 in 19 starts at New Hampshire.

    “Second is a phenomenal finish for us,” Szegedy said. “But we certainly didn’t have a second place car.”

    “We’ve got our homework to do,” Szegedy continued. “It’s fortunate we got second place but why were we so far off and basically struggled. It was a struggle for me to stay in the top five.”

    “That green-white-checkered, we started fourth,” Szegedy continued. “I had momentum and I knew I could push Ronnie. But I had absolutely zero for him.”

    The third place finisher was Justin Bonsignore, from Holtsville, New York. The driver of the No. 51 M3 Technology Chevrolet scored his best finish ever at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

    Bonsignore was the 2010 Sunoco Rookie of the Year on the Whelen Modified Tour. He finished fourth in August, so this third place finish was also his career best.

    “It was pretty eventful,” Bonsignore said. “The air cleaner came off about 20 laps in and we rode around until the yellow came out for the rain.”

    “We replace that and took tires then and that put us a little bit behind,” Bonsignore continued. “We stayed out and the car was good.”

    “Luckily that last restart, we mixed it up on that last lap and came home third.”

    “We’re only a second year team,” Bonsignore said. “I’m really proud of what we’ve built.”

    “To be contending for wins is really cool to do.”

    As is tradition at New Hampshire, the race had its share of drama. One source of drama was the weather, with sprinkles breaking out on the track, delaying the race.

    The other source of drama was for the only Cup driver in the competition. After his win disqualification at the last Modified race, Ryan Newman, who qualified fourth, blew the engine of his No. 77 Aggressive Hydraulics/Menards Chevrolet.

    Newman finished a disappointing 28th out of 29 spots, after the tell-tale smoke flowed from his race car on lap 60 of the race.

    The final drama of the race had to do with the points battle for the Whelen Modified Series championship. Szegedy came into the race leading the points by 12 points over Silk.

    “It’s a lot of fun, especially battling with a guy like Todd Szegedy,” Silk said. “He’s a good friend of mine.”

    “I kind of kept tabs on him throughout the race today and when I saw he was second, I said ‘Damn, I’m not going to gain too many points today.’

    “It’s going to go right down to the wire it looks like,” Silk continued. “It will go right down to the world series there at Thompson (International Speedway).”

    “This is how you win a championship,” Szegedy, the other points challenger, said. “You’ve got to use your head, stay out of trouble, and I’m being a nice guy because I want to win that championship.”

    After Silk, Szegedy and Bonsignore, rounding out the top five were Ted Christopher, driver of the No. 36 Al-Lee Installations, and Eric Beers, behind the wheel of the No. 45 Horwith Freightliner/John Blewett, Inc.

    Erick Rudolph, Zane Zeiner, Mike Stefanik, Matt Hirschman and Eric Goodale rounded out the top ten. Stefanik, who finished eighth, was the ‘comeback kid’ after spinning and going a lap down early in the race.