Testing SpeedwayMedia.com

Category: Other Series Racing

Other series racing

  • FAS MART THUNDER VALLEY MAYHEM FEATURES THRILLS, CHILLS AND MUCH MORE

    BRISTOL, Tenn. (Wednesday, September 21, 2011) – For the greatest thrill show around, head to Bristol Dragway Sept. 24 for Fas Mart Thunder Valley Mayhem presented by Beef O’ Brady’s Family Sports Restaurant. With flames, destruction and extreme speed, no other event in the region comes close to matching Thunder Valley Mayhem.

    Thunder Valley Mayhem, known for its thrill-a-minute action, will include some of racing’s craziest machines and outrageous personalities in an evening of edge-of-the-seat entertainment.

    Nitro-Powered Pro Mods will square off in one of the wildest shows on four wheels. Fans who have not seen the Pro Mods in person will not want to miss this. The pilots of these nitro-belching rockets have their work cut out as the cars fight them down the entire length of Thunder Valley.

    Fans not only will be treated to action from the Pro Mods, the high-speed excitement continues with lightning-fast passes by flame-throwing jet dragsters. These dragsters are capable of intense fire shows and can blaze their way down the track at speeds nearing 200 mph.

    New to this year’s show is a monster truck match race. While these massive machines are known for their ability to destroy, they have plenty of horsepower to propel them down Bristol Dragway at unbelievable speeds for a 10,000-pound monster.

    Always a crowd favorite, Team FMX returns with mind-bending freestyle motorcycle tricks which will have everyone on their feet pushing them to do their craziest stunts, while Transaurus, a mega dinosaur who likes the taste of metal, will show up to tear trashed cars to shreds.

    Thunder Valley Mayhem exhibition runs are slated for 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Saturday evening.

    Those in attendance will have plenty to keep them busy all weekend. The event, held in conjunction with the Super Chevy Show, will showcase the region’s best bracket racers in exciting head-to-head racing action.

    Fans also will get to see a spectacular selection of some of the best classic and modern Chevys. The Keisler Engineering car show is one of the biggest and best Chevy and General Motors car shows around. Additionally, anyone interested in locating new products for their restoration project will want to visit the Performance and Restoration Marketplace. If that hard-to-find part is nowhere to be found, the car corral and used parts swap meet is definitely the place to go.

    For extreme excitement and entertainment, Fas Mart Thunder Valley Mayhem presented by Beef O’ Brady’s is just the ticket.

    Spectator admission is $20 for Saturday’s activities. Saturday’s admission ticket includes admission to the Super Chevy Show. Children 10 and under are only $5.

    For more information about Fas Mart Thunder Valley Mayhem presented by Beef O’ Brady’s, please call (423) 989-6900 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

    THUNDER VALLEY LOGO HEADER-02b_aiCS

     

  • CORE autosport leaves Laguna Seca on podium,LMPC championship heats up

    MONTEREY, CA, Saturday, September 17, 2011: Despite a solid podium finish in a gruelling six-hour event today – sometimes the hunted becomes the hunter. Such is the case for former Le Mans Prototype Challenge (LMPC) championship points leaders CORE autosport with one race left in the 2011 American Le Mans Series (ALMS) season. After a three-race podium drought, the #06 Excel Consultants / Composite Resources ORECA FLM09 of Ricardo Gonzalez, Gunnar Jeannette and Rudy Junco finished in second spot in the LMPC class (sixth overall).

    The sister #05 Bayshore Recycling /Composite Resources machine of Jon Bennett, Frankie Montecalvo and Andy Wallace finished in fourth spot (eighth overall). These solid results from the first-year team was not enough to hold onto the lead for the ALMS LMPC driver and team championships, a place they’ve held since the beginning of the season.

    With one race left in the 2011 season, CORE autosport drivers are three points behind race winner Eric Lux and the team is two points behind Lux’ Genoa racing team. The ModSpace American Le Mans Monterey presented by Tequila Patrón eventat Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca began with young Montecalvo behind the wheel of the #05 in fourth on the grid and Gonzalez in the #06 in second.

    By the time the field circulated the 11-turn, 2.238-mile circuit, Gonzalez was in the lead, which he was able to maintain until the end of his nearly two-hour stint. Montecalvo worked the #05 up to second spot prior to turning the car over to team owner Jon Bennett. Taking over from Gonzalez, Junco held onto the lead until the 2 hour and 45 minute mark, when #89 Kyle Marcelli took the first spot. For the remaining hour and fifteen minute stint for Junco he rallied from a low of fifth spot to bring the car in third to turn over to Gunnar Jeannette.

    The #05 with Bennett ran strongly, but got caught in traffic and he handed the car over to former Le Mans 24 Hour champion Andy Wallace in fourth position, which due to a series of accidents and caution periods, would be where Wallace finished out the race. Once behind the wheel of the #06, Jeannette immediately worked his way to second spot behind the #63 Genoa car driven by former teammate Elton Julian, and then began a battle between the two for first place that lasted until there were only 28 minutes to go.

    It was at that point when Jeannette elected to pit for fuel and rear tires, thinking that he could make up the time between he and the Genoa car, which also had to stop for fuel if the race were to remain green.

    Unfortunately for CORE autosport there was a yellow flag with a mere 16 minutes remaining and the Genoa team, made up of Eric Lux, Elton Julian and Michael Guasch was able to make it to the end of the race without stopping for fuel. Jeannette tried to make up the time between the two entries and fought traffic but his efforts were denied by a mere 0.329 seconds.

    The final race of the 2011 season is the American Le Mans Series finale, the Petit Le Mans Powered by Mazda, on Saturday October 1. The ten hour or 1000-mile event held at Road Atlanta pays more points than almost any other race during the season, so the CORE autosport team still has a solid chance to take dual 2011 championships.

  • Karam Receives Rookie of the Year Honor After Successful Star Mazda Season

    Karam Secures Seven Top-Ten Finishes and Two Poles During Rookie Season

    INDIANAPOLIS (Sept. 19, 2011) – Andretti Autosport driver Sage Karam finished the 2011 Star Mazda Championship Presented by Goodyear with two race wins and the prestigious Rookie of the Year award.

    In his first season in the competitive Star Mazda series, Karam had a total of seven top-five finishes, including three podiums, and secured two pole positions throughout the year. The up-and-coming young driver finished fifth in championship points standings. In June, Karam led 93 of 98 laps around the Milwaukee Mile to record his first victory of the season. He won his second race with a 7.8-second lead at Iowa Speedway.

    Karam, a 16-year old native of Nazareth, Pa., won the 2010 Cooper Tires Presents the USF2000 National Championship Powered by Mazda driver championship with Andretti Autosport, scoring nine victories in 12 starts during the season. He also helped Andretti Autosport clinch the USF2000 team title, its first championship since re-branding in 2009.

    Zach Veach, Andretti Autosport driver in the 2011 USF2000 series, joined Karam for the final two rounds of the Star Mazda Championship. Veach, a 16-year-old from Stockdale, Ohio, secured a third place podium finish at the final race of the season at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

    Sanctioned by INDYCAR, the Star Mazda Championship is one of two series part of both the Mazda Road to Indy ladder system and the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development driver program. As the 2010 USF2000 championship winner, Karam received a sponsorship package from Mazda valued at $350,000 to help him advance to the Star Mazda series in 2011 as part of the Mazda Road to Indy program.

    For more information, visit www.AndrettiAutosport.com and www.StarMazda.com .

    J-F THORMANN, CHAIRMAN, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER,

    ANDRETTI AUTOSPORT:

    “We are extremely proud of everything Sage [Karam] has accomplished this year in the Star Mazda Championship. Moving up from USF2000 was a big step for both him and the team, and he handled the learning experiences of the good and bad very well. He worked hard and deserved the Rookie of the Year award. With his talent and with a year’s experience, we are certain he will be successful next year as well and has an even better shot at the championship title. We were also pleased with Zach’s [Veach] quick adjustment to the Star Mazda car in these last two races and his podium finish this past weekend. We are looking forward to next year in the Mazda Road to Indy.”

    SAGE KARAM, DRIVER, #88 TEAM MAZDASPEED/COMFORT REVOLUTION:

    “This season had a lot of ups and downs. There were a lot of great moments, though, and definitely a lot of learning experiences. No one expected a win or podiums, so I think we have to be happy with our results. The MAZDASPEED/Comfort Revolution team at Andretti Autosport did an awesome job throughout the year. Even for the races that we didn’t finish in the top-five, I know we were all working our hardest. But that’s just part of learning. I’m honored to be named Rookie of the Year. It’s been a lot of fun this season, and hopefully we can come back stronger for the championship next year.”

    ZACH VEACH, DRIVER, #77 TEAM ZAKOSI DATA BACKUP:

    “Coming from USF2000 with Sage [Karam] as my teammate last year, I jumped at the chance to become teammates again. We work really well together, so he was a big help when I started to run the Star Mazda car. I have to thank Andretti Autosport for allowing me to have this experience and move up the Mazda Road to Indy ladder one rung at a time. It was great to get some seat time before next season, when we can make another run for a Star Mazda win.”

    -END-

    About Andretti Autosport

    Based in Indianapolis and led by racing legend Michael Andretti, Andretti Autosport fields multiple entries in the IZOD IndyCar Series. Andretti Autosport also campaigns multiple cars in Firestone Indy Lights, the Star Mazda Championship and in the USF2000 National Championship. The company boasts three IZOD IndyCar Series championships (2004, 2005 and 2007), two Firestone Indy Lights titles (2008 and 2009), one USF2000 championship (2010) and has won the Indianapolis 500 twice (2005 and 2007). For more information, please visit www.AndrettiAutosport.com.

  • Todd Szegedy Lucky in Lime Rock and Hopefully in Loudon

    Todd Szegedy Lucky in Lime Rock and Hopefully in Loudon

    Todd Szegedy, driver of the No. 2 Wisk Detergent/A&J Romano Construction Ford in the Whelen Modified Series, was given a penny that brought such good luck at this past weekend’s race at Lime Rock Park that he not only started on the pole but also ended up in Victory Lane.

    [media-credit name=”Photo Credit: hometracks.nascar.com” align=”alignright” width=”262″][/media-credit]Without a doubt, Szegedy is hoping that his precious penny will continue to bring good luck at this weekend’s race at the ‘Magic Mile’ in Loudon, New Hampshire.

    Szegedy got lucky at Lime Rock when he met Mrs. Griffin, a fan participating in a hospitality event prior to the running of the Whelen Modified 66/99 Presented by Town Fair Tire at Lime Rock Park.

    “We went to a meet and greet and they asked me and my crew chief questions,” Szegedy said. “At the end of the meet and greet, she came up to me and gave me a penny.”

    “She said this was a lucky penny and she had given it to another driver and he won the race and won many more after that.”

    “I’m a superstitious guy so it’s tough for me to accept those kinds of things,” Szegedy continued. “But I took it and put it in my pocket and left it there for the race.”

    “Maybe it brought me good luck, I don’t know,” Szegedy said. “But I still have that lucky penny and I’m going to hold onto it.”

    It actually took more than just luck to pull off this race win, from an uneventful start to a crazy late race restart.

    “The first half was somewhat uneventful and I just got into the early lead and that set a nice pace,” Szegedy said. “Basically we knew that we were going to have a fuel stop at Lap 20. So, I just hit my marks and tried not to make any mistakes until we had that first caution.”

    “When we had a late caution, that’s when a lot of the action began,” Szegedy continued. “We had a great pit stop and came out in fourth.”

    “Some guys took two tires but we took four,” Szegedy said. “So, on the restart, a lot of the mayhem happened.”

    “There were a lot of cars going through the dirt and I went through the dirt a few times,” Szegedy continued. “It was pretty exciting and I’m sure it was fun for the fans to watch.”

    “Eventually we went on to win, but it was a tough effort,” Szegedy said. “We definitely overcame a lot in that race.”

    Szegedy said of all of his races this season, this was his toughest, especially since it was on a road course where discipline is king. Yet in spite of worrying about his fuel pressure, which was dropping at the end, his luck held out to that checkered flag.

    “In road racing, it’s very easy to make mistakes,” Szegedy said. “I went off the track twice.”

    “When I put new tires on the car, it was really tight and when I tried to take a turn, I just went straight like I had a flat tire,” Szegedy continued. “I had to keep my cool and pass these guys when I could.”

    “At the end, we started losing fuel pressure so I was thinking ‘Oh my God, we’re going to run out of fuel,’ Szegedy said. “I didn’t know if I was going to win until I took that checkered flag.”

    “It was a very nerve-wracking race for sure,” Szegedy continued. “Without a doubt it was quite a release when I crossed that finish line. It was a well-earned win for sure.”

    With Lime Rock behind him, Szegedy now turns his attention to racing at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon. And he has his work cut out for him and his team, changing out his road race car to one that can tackle an oval so he can take on the ‘Magic Mile’  mayhem.

    “First of all, it’s a lot of work to turn the car around, from a road course to an oval track,” Szegedy said. “So, we’ll be working pretty hard until Wednesday.”

    “Loudon is another nail-biting race because you never know who is going to win until that last lap,” Szegedy continued. “In every race, I’ve ever been in at Loudon, there are always late race passes and last lap crashes and exciting finishes.”

    Szegedy actually won at the last Loudon race, however, it came at the expense of Ryan Newman, who was disqualified after a ‘flagrant foul’ was called by NASCAR for illegal engine issues in the car.

    “The first Loudon I ran this year, I finished second but I ended up winning because Newman was disqualified,” Szegedy said. “We got the trophy and we got the cash.”

    “Everybody runs in the grey area but if it’s blatant, it should have been definite disqualification,” Szegedy continued. “NASCAR made the right call on that.”

    “I felt bad for Ryan though as he didn’t know,” Szegedy said. “But, hey if it’s blatant, then disqualification fits the crime. I think it should be that way with anybody.”

    Will Newman be Szegedy’s biggest competition this week at the New Hampshire 100 at Loudon this weekend? Szegedy actually thinks that there many who can give him a run for his money, including Newman, as well as some of the other Whelen Modified Series regulars.

    “There are quite a few guys that are my competition,” Szegedy said. “I cannot even name them all.”

    “I couldn’t even tell you who will be the top dog because it’s always different,” Szegedy continued. “You just never know at Loudon.”

    “I’m excited to go there.”

    With his luck at Lime Rock and hopefully more of the same at Loudon, Szegedy acknowledged that he has had one of his luckiest seasons ever.

    “Without a doubt, we’ve accomplished what we wanted to accomplish and more,” Szegedy said. “We’ve won races. We’re now in the points lead.”

    “It’s been an absolutely amazing season,” Szegedy continued. “Whatever happens from here on out, happens. We’re happy with what we’ve got right now and we’re going to continue to do what we’re doing.”

    In spite of that confidence, will Szegedy have his lucky Lime Rock penny with him at Loudon?

    “I definitely will have it in my pocket,” Szegedy said. “Without a doubt.”

  • DER RACING SERIES CROWNS SEASON CHAMPIONS IN THUNDER VALLEY

    BRISTOL, Tenn. (Monday, September 19, 2011) – Maryville’s Chris Johnson wrapped up his second consecutive DER Racing Series Super Pro championship last weekend at Bristol Dragway, while Thunder Valley veterans Tim Griffith and John Nelson Jr. earned titles in Pro and Sportsman, respectively.

    Chester Lay earned the Trophy category championship, while Ben Knight brought home the Motorcycle division. Dylan Howard won Junior Dragster Division I, while another Dylan, Dylan Kiser, took home Jr. Dragster Div. II.

    By the time Saturday was over, five of the seven eventual points champions made it to final round, with four standing in the Winner’s Circle, highlighting the importance of gaining every possible point toward the championship.

    Griffith, of Cedar Bluff, Va. claimed the Pro win over a red-lighting Larry Barr of Johnson City. Griffith’s winning run had a .039 reaction time, and a 7.488 elapsed time (7.47 dial-in) at 89.39 mph. Bristol’s Nelson Jr. took the Sportsman category, defeating Don Evans of Abingdon, Va. Nelson Jr. came off the line with a .030 R.T. and finished his run with an 11.329 E.T. (11.30 dial-in) at 115.02 mph.

    Bristol’s Knight boosted his championship hopes when Mike Conley of Jonesborough turned on the red-light in the final round. Knight left with a .083 R.T. and sailed through the line in 6.178 sec. (6.23 dial-in) at 116.17 mph.

    Howard of Corryton raced to the Div. I win on Saturday, posting a .056 R.T. and an 8.952 E.T. (8.95 dial-in) at 72.52 mph to oust Roan Mountain’s Gracie Freeman.

    Landon Stahl of Boone, N.C. earned the Div. II win over Kiser, with a .017 R.T. and an 8.282 E.T. (8.23 dial-in) at 79.23 mph. The final round effort aided Kiser in his championship hunt, however.

    A pair of Newland, N.C. competitors faced off in the final round of Super Pro on Saturday, with William Daniels getting the best of Vance Houston. Daniels turned in a stellar .003 R.T. and a 7.118 E.T. (7.09 dial-in) at 94.20 mph to come out victorious.

    Bluff City’s Bill Roberts won Saturday’s Trophy division with a .223 R.T. and a 15.160 E.T. (15.12 dial-in) at 89.49 mph over Roan Mountain’s Chrystal Freeman.

    Ironically, after Saturday’s impressive showing, none of the season champions made it to the final round on Sunday.

    Knoxville’s Travis Nelson earned the Super Pro win on Sunday, taking a time slip featuring a .014 R.T. and a 4.854 E.T. (4.85 dial-in) at 141.77 with him to the Winner’s Circle. Chuck Chism from Asheville, N.C. earned the Pro category win on Sunday. He and his opponent, Cody Spears, broke out, with Chism a little closer to the dial. Chism had a .072 R.T. and an 8.402 E.T. (8.41 dial-in) at 78.38 mph to claim the win.

    Spears came up better in Sportsman action, earning the win over Evans who came up short in the final round for the second day in a row. Spears’ final run had a .034 R.T. and a 13.521 E.T. (13.51 dial-in) at 96.36 mph. Bryce Acuff of Knoxville won Sunday’s Motorcycle division when Elizabethton’s Chris Johnson turned on the red light in the final. Acuff had a .007 R.T. and a 6.349 E.T. (6.37 dial-in) at 105.61 mph to earn the win.

    Blountville’s Carson Brown defeated Joseph Denton from Bristol, Va in the final round of Jr. Dragster Div. I. Brown used a .084 R.T. and a 9.054 E.T. (9.04 dial-in) at 72.68 mph to earn the win. Rogersville’s Gabe Ellison earned the Jr. Dragster Div. II victory after Tiffany Howard of Corryton ran faster than her dial. Ellison had a .076 R.T. and a 7.979 E.T. (7.96 dial-in) at 82.02 mph.

    Freeman avenged her Saturday Trophy category loss by earning Sunday’s victory. She came off the line with a .252 R.T. and raced through the finish in 16.036 sec. (15.92 dial-in) at 83.83 mph.

    Bristol Dragway and the DER Racing Series congratulates all of the champions and race winners from the 2011 season. Thunder Valley returns to action with the Sept. 23-25 Super Chevy Show presented by GM Performance Division. The event is highlighted by the Sept. 24 Fas Mart Thunder Valley Mayhem presented by Beef O’Brady’s Family Sports Restaurant.

    For more information, please call (423) BRISTOL 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

    * *

    THUNDER VALLEY LOGO HEADER-02b_aiCS

     

  • DRAGWAY OFFICIALS ANTICIPATE HUGE SUPER CHEVY TURN OUT; Car Show and Swap Meet Participants Asked to Use BMS South Entrance

    Car Show and Swap Meet Participants Asked to Use BMS South Entrance

    BRISTOL, Tenn. (Monday, September 19, 2011) –* Last season, Thunder Valley hosted one of the most successful and well-attended Super Chevy Shows of the year. In 2011, Bristol Dragway officials look to make the event even bigger.

    To help streamline the registration process, Dragway and Super Chevy officials ask that all Keisler Engineering car show and Thompson metal swap meet and car corral participants use the South Entrance of Bristol Motor Speedway when arriving for the Super Chevy Show presented by GM Performance Division. The South Entrance is located on Highway 11E/Volunteer Parkway.

    For more than 30 years, Super Chevy Show has been known for some of the most exciting bracket and exhibition racing in the country and this year is no different.

    Bracket racers will flock to Thunder Valley to take part in exciting racing action in Bracket 1 (Super Pro), Bracket 2 (Pro), DOT and True Street, while Pro Mods, jet cars, monster trucks and much more will keep the strip hot during the pro shows.

    Fans also will get to see a spectacular selection of some of the region’s best classic and modern Chevys. Chevy die-hards will be impressed with the attention to detail given to these show machines. The Keisler Engineering Super Chevy car show is one of the biggest and best Chevy car shows around and bowtie fans will not want to miss it.

    Anyone interested in locating new products for their restoration project will want to visit the Performance & Restoration Marketplace. If that hard-to-find used part is nowhere to be found, the Thompson Metal car corral and used parts swap meet is definitely the place to go.

    Mix in the excitement of Fas Mart Thunder Valley Mayhem presented by Beef O’ Brady’s Family Sports Restaurant on Saturday night, September 24 and this show is a can’t-miss event. During Mayhem, fans should prepare themselves for the ultimate evening of entertainment, including fast machines, extreme thrills and edge-of-the-seat excitement.

    Thunder Valley Mayhem exhibition runs will take place at 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, while the Pro Mods and jet dragsters will run again on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.

    For extreme excitement and entertainment, the Super Chevy Show and Fas Mart Thunder Valley Mayhem is the place to go.

    Gates open Friday at 9 a.m. with racer tech inspection. A Test and Tune session is scheduled for noon.

    Gates open at 8 a.m. on Saturday with Car Show registration and tech inspection also beginning at this time. Time trials take place from 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Saturday’s bracket racing begins at 2:30 p.m.

    Saturday’s Fas Mart Thunder Valley Mayhem has two pro show sessions scheduled for 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.

    Sunday gates open at 8 a.m. with car show registration from 8 a.m. – 10:30 p.m. Tech inspection also beings at 8 a.m. A Racers for Christ chapel service is slated for 8:30 a.m. Time trials will run from 9 a.m. – noon. Sunday’s bracket race rolls off at 12:30 p.m. with Sunday’s Pro Show featuring the Pro Mods at 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.

    Spectator Admission is $10 Friday and Saturday and Sunday for $20 each. Saturday’s admission includes Thunder Valley Mayhem. A weekend pass is available for only $30. Ages 10 and under are $5 per day, or $10 for the weekend. Full hook-up camping is available for $100.

    ###

    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

    Member of the National Motorsports Press Association and others

    THUNDER VALLEY LOGO HEADER-02b_aiCS

     

  • Scott Steckly Wins Komatsu 300 at Riverside International Speedway, Extending Points Lead

    After a fierce battle, it’d be Scott Steckly coming out on top in the Komatsu 300 presented by Wilson Equipment at Riverside International Speedway on Saturday to take the victory and extend his points lead.

    “It was the best day possible,” the driver of the No. 22 Canadian Tire/MotoMaster Dodge said. “We were the fastest car in practice, won the pole and won the race. I can’t ask for much more than that.”

    Steckly had a racecar driver’s dream day as he was the quickest car in practice and in qualifying.

    “Last year, we came in here and were fastest in practice and qualifying, but came up a little short in the race and finished second,” he stated. “We came here to win the race and my crew came up with a little different pit strategy than what we did last year and it worked out for the best.”

    The victory marks his third of the season and the 11th of his career as the 2008 series champion goes for his second championship. He now leads DJ Kennington by 94 points.

    “We didn’t come here looking to protect the points lead,” Steckly commented. “We wanted to leave here with as big of a lead as possible going into Kawartha. Earlier this year, we lost 80 points at Saskatoon, so we came into the race looking to expand the lead, not protect it.”

    The final 100 laps went green, which worked against Shepherd as he would’ve like to come down pit road for right-side tires.

    “It would have been nice to get a caution there toward the end to get new right sides, but you never know how that might have worked out,” Shepherd, who scored his third top-five of the year in six starts, said.. “With the way it worked out, I could catch (Steckly), but I was never going to get around him. There just wasn’t enough left.”

    Donald Chisholm would get a series best finish, racing on his home track, after passing Kennington for third.

    “Obviously, I wanted to get around (Kennington), but tapping him like that was not intentional,” Chisholm commented. That’s not how I had it planned. It was great, though, to turn in a good performance here at home.”

    Kennington would finish fourth with Kerry Micks in fifth. J.R. Fitzpatrick would get sixth, followed by Jason Hathaway, Ron Beauchamp Jr., Chris Raabe and Mark Dilley.

    The race was slowed due to caution just two times for 32 laps while the lead changed hands eight times among four drivers with Steckly leading a race-high 194 laps.

    The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series closes out the 2011 season on Saturday, Sept. 24 in the Kawartha 250 at Kawartha Speedway in Fraserville, Ont.

  • ARCA: Max Gresham and Mason Mingus and Ready For Salem Speedway

    ARCA: Max Gresham and Mason Mingus and Ready For Salem Speedway

    Max Gresham is ready to get back behind the wheel of an ARCA Racing presented by Menards series car as he will team up with Venturini Motorsports for the Ford Dealers Fall Classic at Salem Speedway in Indiana.

    “I’m excited to go back to Salem,” Gresham said. “It’s been a good track for me. I won a pole at Salem in my first ever ARCA race and we ran really well this past spring in the No. 25 Venturini car. I like going back to tracks where I have run well in the past. It’s great when you go with a team like Venturini Motorsports because they always run well there too. My Venturini Motorsports teammate, Brennan Poole, won the spring race at Salem. Hopefully, we can go in and get my first win in ARCA this season with them this weekend.”

    Gresham hasn’t found the winning success like his teammate Poole, however he has come close. In Jne, Gresham finished second at Michigan International Speedway and last month, finished sixth at Pocono Raceway after winning the pole.

    “I for sure love the high banks and high-speed race tracks,” Gresham added. “They tend to suit my style and things seem to work out for me at them. It’s a lot of fun to throw an ARCA car right up against the wall at a place like Salem. It’s definitely a challenge, but when the race is over, you think ‘wow, that’s a lot of fun.’ Salem is a challenge, but it’s really enjoyable.”

    Despite the lack of ARCA starts this year, Gresham has been busy as he drove the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota to a fifth-place finish in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East event at Greenville-Pickens Speedway last weekend, holds a 65-point lead in that division’s championship standings.

    With no pressures of having to work about the points, Gresham only has one thought on his mind.

    “The expectations are the same as they always are,” Gresham said. “Billy Venturini and his guys are going up there to win. That’s what they do and that’s what I am going to try to do for them.”

    Meanwhile for Mason Mingus and Win-Tron Racing, a good run is the key for their effort as Mingus will be making his first ever ARCA Racing Series start.

    “I have heard a lot about Win-Tron racing and seen that they have had a very good track record in the past,” he said. “That helps me to have confidence that I will be able to adjust very quickly because they will have a good car when they show up to the track. I’m just thankful for the opportunity.”

    This 16-year-old does come with experience as he has raced in the Champion Racing Association Super Late Model Series and is a former winner at Salem Speedway in the Ken-Ten Series in June 2010.

    Salem Speedway definitely ranks near the top of the list of my favorite tracks to race at,” the Brentwood, Tennessee native said. “I have only been able to race at Salem one time, but I had a lot of success there. It is a very tough track to race on but as long as we are able to save tires and have a consistent car it is a lot of fun.

    “Being that this will be my first time in an ARCA car it will be a big learning experience. I intend to be patient throughout the race and take opportunities when they come. Although it will be a different experience than driving a late model I will do everything I can to be competitive enough to win the race.”

    Win-Tron Racing this year has ran with a mixture of drivers as Mingus marks the fifth different driver to drive the No. 32 Champion Brands Toyota Camry this year.

    “It’s always exciting to bring a driver to ARCA for the first time,” Win-Tron Racing co-car owner Nate Thiesse said. “Mason comes to our team on the heels of a healthy season in the CRA Super Late Model Series and an extensive resume that resonates back years. Obviously, his experience at Salem will play into our advantage initially as far as him getting up to speed, but he’s up against some competition he’s never had to face before and a car he is unfamiliar with.

    “Despite those scenarios, there is potential for him to earn a lot of respect and potentially gleam in the limelight. While we know that our team is capable of winning races, we haven’t set our expectations that high for Mason. We just want him to learn, have fun and hopefully we’ll leave somewhere inside the top-10. If we can do that, we’ll consider the weekend a great success.”

    While they are just looking to have a good solid night, a win is something that is very well possible.

    “We’re not saying that Mason can’t win the race on Saturday night,” Thiesse added. “We just don’t want to put that kind of pressure on him in his first race. Salem though is a track where strange things have happened and a place that has bred first-time winners, so anything is possible. The biggest goal for this weekend is for him to be safe, have fun and bring the car home in one piece.”

    The Kentuckiana Ford Dealers ARCA Fall Classic by Federated Car Care (200 laps / 111 miles) is the 17th of 19 events on the 2011 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule. Practice begins Saturday, September 17 with an hour and a half practice session planned from 1:05 p.m. – 2:35 p.m. Menards Pole by Ansell qualifying is slated to begin at 4:00 p.m.

    The field will take the green flag later in the evening at approximately 7:15 p.m. The event will not be televised but race coverage including live timing and scoring throughout the 1,329th race for the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards since it was formed in 1953 will be available through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at arcaracing.com presented by ARCANation.com. All times are local.

  • No. 11 of Canadian Tire Series Schedule: Komatsu 300 at Riverside International Speedway

    No. 11 of Canadian Tire Series Schedule: Komatsu 300 at Riverside International Speedway

    [media-credit id=4 align=”alignleft” width=”200″][/media-credit]

    For race no. 11 of the 12 race schedule, the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series will be heading to Riverside International Speedway in Antigonish, Nova Scotia for the Komatsu 300 presented by Wilson Equipment on Saturday, Sept. 17 at 4:30 p.m. AT. This marks the series’ fifth visit to the 0.333 mile oval that has been designed based upon Bristol Motor Speedway’s configuration.

    In the past, weather has been a factor as the race has been postponed a day twice in the previous four events.

    Like last week at Barrie Speedway, everybody will have their eyes on the championship battle between Scott Steckly and DJ Kennington. Steckly, who won the championship in 2008, currently leads the points, 69 points over defending series champion Kennington after the Wild Wing 300 last Saturday.

    Steckly has ran decent on the 0.333-mile oval in the past, scoring a second place finish last year. Before that, he only had one other top-10 at Riverside, which came in 2007 with a sixth place finish. He has also led a total of 182 laps at Riverside.

    In contrast, Kennington won last year’s race and finished third in his track debt in 2007. He has led a total of 194 laps, also.

    Other drivers who have won at Riverside include Mark Dilley, Andrew Ranger and Don Thomson Jr.

    Coming off his third career win at Barrie Speedway, Dilley is looking for another solid weekend to possibly crack the top five in points. He won the inaugural series race at Riverside in 2007 and has since finished fourth, third and eighth.

    Thomson Jr. won at Riverside in 2008 while finishing third last year. Thomson is looking for his eighth series win and is hoping experience from leading 53 laps at Riverside over the years will help.

    Ranger, who has been running a limited schedule this year, is not scheduled to participate in this weekend’s action.

    While everybody will have their eyes on the point standings and the lead pack, another battle going on is the Rookie of the Year battle. Currently, L.P Dumoulin leads Isabelle Tremblay by two points, John Farano by seven and Steve Mathews by 13. According to the mathimatics of the award, all of these drivers have a possibility to still win it.

    The rookie points system is a simple one. The top-finishing rookie driver earns 10 points, the next collects nine points and so on down the line to one. Should there be more than 10 rookies in the field no driver earns less than a single point.

    Originally this year, Dumoulin was only going to run the road courses, though the rookie standings have him now running the final oval events of the year.

    “(Oval racing) is really different from road courses,” the Trois-Rivieres, Quebec native. “The driving style and car setups are nothing alike, but I enjoyed it. All of the teams have been really helpful with information. That was a big help.”

    Meanwhile for Tremblay, it has been something that’s been on her mind all year.

    “That was one of our goals from the beginning,” Tremblay, who scored her best career finish of eighth at Mosport earlier this year, said. “We’re in good position to win it with a little luck.”

  • NCAT: Frustrations Take Over Barrie Speedway, Penalties Handed Down

    NCAT: Frustrations Take Over Barrie Speedway, Penalties Handed Down

    [media-credit id=4 align=”alignleft” width=”200″][/media-credit]

    NASCAR announced that two NASCAR Canadian Tire Series drivers and three crew members have been penalized as a result of rules violated at Barrie Speedway on September 10thafter racing was over.

    J.R. Fitzpatrick and Kerry Micks were found in violation of Section 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock-car racing – aggressive driving and excessive speed on pit road after the race) of the 2011 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series rule book.  They are both on probation for the final two races of schedule and remain on probation till September 28, 2011. Both drivers sped down pit road after an on-track altercation on the final lap where Micks spun out Fitzpatrick due to earlier contact.

    Matt Vanderwal, crew chief for Don Thomson Jr. was found in violation of Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock-car racing – involved in an altercation (fighting) in another competitor’s pit area) and 9-4 (the crew chief assumes responsibility for the actions of his team members). Vanderwal has been fined $500, suspended from the final two races and placed on probation until December 31, 2011.

    Josh Turner, crew member for No. 3 of Jason Hathaway, and Chad Turner, crew member for Don Thomson Jr., were both found in violation of Section 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock-car racing – involved in an altercation (fighting) in another competitor’s pit area). Both have been fined $500, suspended from the final two races and placed on probation until December 31, 2011.

    The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series returns to the track this weekend for the Komatsu 300 presented by Wilson Equipment at Riverside International Speedway in Antigonish, Nova Scotia.