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Tag: Bryan Clauson

  • In memoriam: 2016

    In memoriam: 2016

    As we await the arrival of a new year, let’s look back at those who perished this past one in the world of auto racing.

    From Pierre Levegh’s Mercedes launching into the stands resulting in the death of 84 people (including himself) in the 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans at Circuit de la Sarthe, which remains the deadliest accident in auto racing history, to Wolfgang von Trips’s Ferrari sliding up an embankment and killing 15 spectators (including himself) in the 1961 Italian Grand Prix at Monza, we’ve come a long way from the days of racing when death was commonplace.

    Nevertheless, the advancements in technology and safety procedures won’t ever diminish death’s specter over the world’s most dangerous sport. The 2016 season was no exception.

    This list is limited to drivers who’ve died in racing competition. Any others who were killed during active competition, such as spectators, officials, photographers and etc, are excluded. Drivers and other notable personalities who died outside of racing competition will be noted separately.

    All information on these drivers comes from MotorsportMemorial.org., with some outside research done through other outlets.

    • On March 3, Kenny Michalak was killed in a high-speed wreck at a drag race facility in Texas. The 63-year old was testing at Houston Motorsports Park when the tail end of his vehicle started swaying back and forth, according to eyewitnesses. His car sped off the track and collided with a row of barrels. Deputies with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office said Michalak was dead before paramedics arrived.
    • On March 20, Jason Lumpkin died in a wreck at Kansas International Dragway. The 34-year old Texas native was competing in the eighth round of the 2016 M&H Tires Import Face-Off National Race and Show Series when his car slid into a guardrail and flipped over multiple times. He was pronounced dead a few hours later (The Wichita Eagle).
    • On April 3, Steve Cabelo perished in a hard wreck in Southern France. The 45-year old French native was competing in the opening round of the 2016 French Hillclimb Championship when he lost control of his car before crossing the finish line, slammed a light pole and ended in a tree (whether the car crashed into the tree itself or landed on the tree’s branches, I couldn’t determine because the sources for his death are in French). He was pronounced dead at the scene. Cabelo’s death was only the second in the event’s 47 year history.
    • On April 10, Ronnie Davis succumbed to injuries sustained in an accident sustained the prior evening. The 66-year old Georgia native and three-time IHRA World Champion and reigning PDRA Champion just completed a qualifying run for the PDRA Spring Nationals at Rockingham Dragway when his car shot across the track, slammed into the guardrail and barrel-rolled down the track. He was taken to Moore County Regional Hospital in Pinehurst, North Carolina and then relocated to UNC Medical Center in Chapel Hill (Racer.com).
    • On April 19, Charlie Floyd died from injuries sustained in a dirt late model crash four days earlier. The 26-year old Ohio native was racing for second in the AMRA Dirt Late Model A-main final at Southern Ohio Speedway in Wheelersburg, Ohio when he was caught up in a multi-car wreck on the frontstretch, leading to him barrel-rolling several times before coming to a stop. Spilt fuel caught fire with him inside. EMT’s put out the fire quickly, but Floyd was trapped in his burning car for several minutes. He was taken to a local hospital, followed by an airlift to Cabell Huntington Hospital in Huntington, West Virginia with burns on 80 percent of his body.
    • On May 8, Wong Teck King was killed in a drag race on an airport runway. Also known by the pseudonym “Ah Sing Spoon,” the 37-year old lost control of his vehicle on his final run at Miri Airport in Sarawak, Malaysia. It skidded off the track and flipped several times before coming to a rest in an orchard. He won the race but perished shortly after he was admitted to the hospital.
    • On May 21, Joe Haag died of injuries sustained in a Kansas Antique Car Association exhibition race. The 75-year old Lincoln, Nebraska native was a well-known car restorer and racing enthusiast who operated the Speedway Motors Museum in Lincoln. He was running warm up laps at Junction Motor Speedway when he collided with another car that had hit the wall. Eyewitness reports said Haag was traveling at a reduced rate of speed when he hit the other car. His car rolled over three times and he sustained serious injuries. He died shortly after admission to Bryan Medical Center West in Lincoln.
    • On August 7, Bryan Clauson perished from injuries sustained the night before in a dirt midget race. The 27-year old Northern California native was in the middle of what he called “The Chasing 200 Tour, Circular Insanity” (he was attempting to run 200 races in the 2016 season, including the 100th Indianapolis 500) and stop 116 was the USAC National Midget Championship’s 39th Annual Belleville Midget Nationals, of which he was the defending race winner, at Belleville High Banks in Kansas. Right after taking the lead, Clauson’s car climbed the guardrail in turns 3 and 4 and flipped “heavily,” before his car was struck by Ryan Greth’s car. He was airlifted in critical condition to Bryan Medical Center West in Lincoln where he passed away the following night (USA Today).
    • On August 24, Matt Schuh died following an accident at a Wisconsin speedway. The 27-year old resident of Manitowoc, Wisconsin was taking part in a heat race at Manitowoc County Expo Speedway when his car crashed into the infield guardrail. This stopped the race 45 minutes to facilitate repairs. A press release by the Manitowoc County Coroner’s Office said an autopsy performed on August 25 “revealed no significant injuries, and it was likely a medical issue which caused death prior to the car versus barrier impact.” It also stated that alcohol and drug use wasn’t suspected, although it would take another four to six weeks for toxicology results (The Herald Times Reporter & WBAY 2). We reached out to Curtis Green, department director of the Manitowoc County Coroner’s Office, for more information and he responded with the following, “The cause of death is undetermined. The manner of death is natural.”
    • On September 4, Wojciech Szumski was killed in a rally race in Poland. The 40-year old Polish native was taking part in the 2016 Rajd Tarmac Masters rally event in Southwestern Poland as a co-driver when the car left the road at high speed and crashed into a ditch. He was pronounced dead at the scene, while the driver, Paweł Goś, suffered only a fractured arm.
    • On September 10, Shane Unger died from injuries sustained in a dirt late model race at Eldora Speedway. The 35-year old Rossburg, Ohio resident was caught up in a multi-car wreck in turn 3 on the final restart of the second heat of the World 100 where his car hit the outside concrete wall drivers-side. EMT’s were quickly on the scene and he was taken to Mercer County Community Hospital in Coldwater, Ohio. He passed away shortly after admission.

    It’s also worth noting that seven spectators, a team member, an official and a photographer were all killed in racing-related accidents.

    We also lost a number of prominent individuals away from active racing competition, but still had a major influence on the world of racing.

    On January 25, Rex Robbins, founder of the American Speed Association, died following an extended illness. Founded in 1968 at Anderson Speedway, Robbins led the ASA and turned the asphalt late model series into a national touring series that spawned the careers of drivers such as Mark Martin, Alan Kulwicki, Jimmie Johnson, Rusty Wallace, Dick Trickle and many more.

    Barney Hall addresses the media in the deadline room at Daytona International Speedway, the track at which he called his last NASCAR race as the voice of the Motor Racing Network in July of 2014. Photo: Chris Graythen/NASCAR via Getty Images

    On January 26, Barney Hall, longtime radio broadcaster for the Motor Racing Network, died from surgery complications at the age of 83.

    Having called his first Daytona 500 in 1960, Hall was a fixture on radio dials for five decades and his voice became synonymous with NASCAR racing.

    “Barney’s (Hall) impeccable delivery and incredible storytelling skills left an indelible mark on the sport that he so clearly loved,” said NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France. “His legacy remains through an honor that rightly carries his name – the Squier-Hall Award for NASCAR Media Excellence. It will remain a constant reminder of the skill and passion that Barney brought to his work.”

    Hall mentored a great number of radio and TV broadcasters in the racing industry today, such as Eli Gold (lead radio announcer of Alabama Crimson Tide football) Mike Joy (multiple outlets, most notably lead announcer of NASCAR on CBS and NASCAR on FOX), Allen Bestwick (longtime MRN announcer and NASCAR broadcaster, now general sports broadcaster for ESPN), Dave Moody (lead MRN turn announcer and host of SiriusXM Speedway) and so many more.

    If you want a taste of how great a broadcaster he was, look up a video called “Barney Hall: ‘The Voice of MRN’” on YouTube. It’s a tribute piece done by RacingOne.com that’s a few years old, but it still demonstrates just how incredible the man truly was.

    On February 10, Lennie Pond died of cancer at 75. The resident of Chester, Virginia started as a modified racer on dirt and asphalt in Virginia before moving to late models. Eventually, he found his way to the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. He had mild success beating out Darrell Waltrip for rookie of the year in 1973 and a career-best fifth-place points finish. On August 6, 1978, Pond set a new NASCAR record for the fastest 500-mile race (which was later broken by Mark Martin) and scored his first career victory in the Talladega 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.

    On August 29, Betty Jane France, the matriarch of the France family, died at 78. She was an executive vice-president and assistant treasurer of NASCAR and chairperson of the NASCAR Foundation. Best known for her humanitarian work, the NASCAR Foundation awards the Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award to a NASCAR fan(s) that “honors the unwavering commitment that Founder and Chairwoman Emeritus Betty Jane France demonstrated with philanthropic and community efforts throughout her life,” states the NASCAR Foundation on their website.

    On October 5, Brock Yates, renowned automotive journalist and creator of the Cannonball Run cross-country road race, died of complications related to Alzheimer’s at the age of 82. He was a pit reporter for a number of NASCAR races on CBS in the 1980’s, but it was his columns in Car and Driver, of which he was the longtime executive editor, that gained him notoriety. He went after the 55-mph speed limit on the U.S. Interstate Highway’s, the arrogance of safety advocate Ralph Nader and even the American automotive industry and its management.

    The bottom line is we must strive to advance safety, but not forget racing will always be a dangerous sport. However, that’s part of the draw of auto racing. We want to see drivers push the boundaries of speed and control for the sake of sport, so long as it doesn’t end with a driver in a body bag.

    To put it another way, we don’t want to see the lion tamer get eaten, but we want to see him stick his head inside the lion’s mouth.

  • The View From My Recliner – Racing Fans are the Best

    The View From My Recliner – Racing Fans are the Best

    It’s taken me about a week to get my thoughts together. I have read the thoughts of many about the loss of Bryan Clauson and the racing community continues to show how they come together in times of tragedy.

    You saw it when we lost Jason Leffler. You saw it when we lost Kramer Williamson and we saw it with the loss of Bryan Clauson.

    One example was the scoring pylon at Indianapolis Motor Speedway that displayed just the name Bryan Clauson, the Monday following his death, as a gesture of respect.

    When I saw Ricky Stenhouse Jr. pace the field at the Knoxville Nationals in Clauson’s winged sprint car, it sent chills up my back. After hearing that people were lined up on Thursday to get Clauson T-shirts two hours before the trailer opened, I was amazed. Seeing pictures of Danica Patrick selling Clauson T-shirts shows how much he meant to her.

    To top it off, there was an auction at Knoxville to raise money for the Clauson family and Tony Stewart was Tony Stewart. He bid $32,000 on Bryan’s favorite helmet and immediately gave it back to Clauson’s fiancé.

    Everything that has happened since we lost Bryan Clauson has been 100 percent Class Act.

    The special acts continued. All the XFINITY cars had BC’s initials on them this weekend and it was announced Monday that Stenhouse will run the same Fastenal paint scheme that Clauson ran when he drove in NASCAR. It shows how much Bryan Clauson was respected in the NASCAR, IndyCar and Dirt racing communities.

    Robin Miller said it best; Bryan Clauson was a bad ass racer and will truly be missed.

    Let’s take a breath, collect our thoughts and start moving forward.

    It’s Bristol week and we will see the next phase of trying to fix what Bristol allegedly screwed up. It used to be one groove on the bottom and to pass someone, you had to basically punt them out of the way. Now, since they put down new concrete and changed the banking, everyone is running around the top. We will see how “shining” the bottom groove does. I hope it makes Bristol a two-groove track and we will see passing and not punting.

    Harlow’s prediction for Bristol: There will be at least one five-car pileup. The NBC broadcast team will barely mention the Tennessee – Virginia Tech football game coming up on Sept. 10 because the game is on ABC. We will have a surprise winner on Saturday night. Kyle Larson wins the Bristol night race and qualifies for the Chase.

    Enjoy the races, keep the Clauson family in your prayers and we’ll talk soon when I share the View from my Recliner.

    Bryan Clauson decal to run on NXS cars at Mid Ohio

  • The Final Word – Watkins Glen provides a near perfect Cup race, while tragedy strikes in Kansas

    The Final Word – Watkins Glen provides a near perfect Cup race, while tragedy strikes in Kansas

    If there is anything we learned from Sunday it’s that NASCAR needs more road courses. Hell, just another visit to Watkins Glen would do. On a track that appeared built for the bulky-fendered beasts, with breathtaking aerial camera shots, and with lots going on from start to finish, this is about as good as NASCAR gets. Okay, Denny Hamlin won, but other than that it was almost perfect. Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski came next. Maybe the race was not all that great after all.

    It sure was not for Martin Truex Jr. It appeared he had a final charge left in him on that final lap. That was before Keselowski spun him, leaving his opponent just a bit peeved, though it appears they came to a civilized resolution post-race. Truex finished seventh, but with a win already in the can the result as not as crucial as it was for some.

    We watched to see if Chris Buescher might make up the six points between himself and a Top 30 placing that would activate his win at Pocono into a Chase ticket. He did not. He and David Ragan both took turns contemplating disaster and while Ragan finally got hauled off before the end, the gap had narrowed by only three points. Buescher is not Kyle Busch or Tony Stewart, and his equipment is not quite the same, so moving from 31st to 30th in the standings is not so automatic. Maybe at Bristol. Maybe.

    Another winner not currently in the Chase could mess things up a bit. A.J. Allmendinger was fourth on Sunday in a race he dearly wanted to take. In fact, a win is just about the only way he is going to make up the ground between 20th and where he needs to be.

    Kyle Larson took a hell of a ride when Allmendinger bumped him out of the way as they headed toward the finish line. That left him 29th, while Jamie McMurray was eighth. So, if Buescher makes up the necessary ground on Ragan over the next four events, Larson’s Chase spot disappears, and he would find himself 30 points out of the hunt if, but more like when, McMurray becomes the new bubble boy.

    Keselowski takes over top spot in the standings, both in wins and in points, as a late crash left Kevin Harvick in 34th for the day. However, unless there are some surprises forthcoming of major proportions, the Chase contenders are set. Only if Buescher fails to move up or someone currently outside the Chase wins at Bristol, Michigan, Darlington, or Richmond, we pretty much know who will be there. Kasey Kahne won at Bristol in March of 2013. He could use another one on August 20th when action resumes.

    As we take this break from the action, we remember Bryan Clauson. The 27-year old, a former NASCAR Nationwide driver, three-time Indianapolis 500 competitor, and 3-time USAC National Midget Series Champion, died this weekend after a midget race accident in Kansas.

  • Thoughts On Bryan Clauson’s Passing

    Thoughts On Bryan Clauson’s Passing

    It’s weird when a racer dies and you look at their birth and death dates. Granted, it’s a given in motorsports that despite our best efforts to ensure the safety of our drivers, no matter how evolved the safety features are, no matter how strong the integrity of the car is, no matter how well everyone did their job making sure the car was the very best it could be, there are going to be freak accidents and drivers will be hurt and on a few tragic occasions killed.

    But still, looking at Bryan Clauson’s birth and death dates, it’s jarring. June 15, 1989 – August 7, 2016. He wasn’t even a year younger than me. At 27, he should still be around, continuing to solidify his status as a racer’s racer, getting behind the wheel of anything and everything and beating the competition senseless. He was an excellent driver and had the fan following, the respect of his peers, and the trophies to prove it. This guy was supposed to be the next Steve Kinser or Danny Lasoski.

    Yet here we are, early in the morning of August 8, 2016, mourning the loss of another fantastic racer. It’s not right. It makes no sense at all.

    I used to be so jealous of this guy when I first heard of him during my sophomore year of college. While I was up to my neck dealing with classes and homework and things of that nature, this guy was taking the green flag at places like Texas and Daytona and doing an excellent job behind the wheel at that. His NASCAR career may not have bloomed, but his resume was pretty impressive.

    He won the Turkey Night Grand Prix in 2009 and 2010. He won the Chili Bowl in 2014. He was a three-time (2010, 2011, 2015) USAC Midget champion. He was a three-time (2010-’12) USAC National Drivers Champion. He was a two-time (2012-’13) USAC National Sprint Car Series champion. He was a prolific Sprint Car and Midget driver, in case you couldn’t tell.

    But there’s much more. Not only did he make three starts in the Indianapolis 500, but he became the first driver to win a feature race the same day as running the Indianapolis 500 this year when he wheeled a Sprint Car to victory at Kokomo Speedway just hours after finishing 23rd in the Indy 500. It’s also pretty neat to point out that he also managed to lead a few laps at Indy as well.

    Of course, can’t forget the 2016 “Circular Insanity” Tour. The gist of it was simple: Compete in 200 races in 2016, including wingless Sprint Cars, Midgets, World of Outlaws Sprint Cars, and the Indianapolis 500. Traveling from track to track in an RV, Clauson’s plan epitomized the old-school racer’s mantra of “race anything, anytime, anywhere.” That’s what was so awesome about him. He loved racing, no matter what, and also happened to be damn good at it.

    Yet now he’s gone.

    You think about the fallout. You think about his family, including his fiancee Lauren. Your heart breaks for them because you can’t even fathom just how great and terrible their loss truly is. You think about his fellow competitors. You think about the Midgets they were racing when he crashed and you can’t help but wonder what, if anything, can be done to prevent another tragedy like this from happening.

    It’s an ugly whirlwind of confusion and emotion and heartbreak. It will never pass over or go away completely. The most it will do is mellow out, maybe subside a bit. But two years, three years down the road our hearts will still be heavy when we think about Clauson and what could have been.

    We’re going to mourn, and there’s no set time on that. All we can do is keep our eyes straight ahead, stay strong, and soldier on until we see the sun rise again. I’m sure it’s what he would have wanted. Until then, my heart goes out to the Clauson family. Race in peace, Bryan.

  • CLAUSON, EAST, HAGEN TOP DECEMBER 7 “NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS”

    CLAUSON, EAST, HAGEN TOP DECEMBER 7 “NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS”

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE	NOVEMBER 23, 2012
DICK JORDAN

CLAUSON, EAST, HAGEN TOP DECEMBER 7 “NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS”
JOHNSON, MENZIES, LOVELL & DeJONG TOP TORC HONOREES

	The “Night of Champions” USAC National Awards Dinner is scheduled for Friday night, December 7, at the Indiana Roof Ballroom in downtown Indianapolis, Ind. Champions of USAC’s 2012 racing series will be honored during the gala evening.

	Bryan Clauson of Noblesville, Ind. has locked up his third consecutive USAC National Drivers Championship and among his championship awards are a scholarship from INDYCAR. Clauson also secured USAC’s 2012 AMSOIL National Sprint Car title.

	Bobby East of Brownsburg, Ind. will be celebrated as USAC’s Traxxas Silver Crown and Darren Hagen of Riverside, Calif. emerged as the 2012 Mopar National Midget Car Champion.

	Ricky Johnson of Trabuco Canyon, Calif., Bryce Menzies of Las Vegas, Nev., Brad Lovell of Colorado Springs, Colo. and Mitchell DeJong of Temecula, Calif. will be honored as 2012 USAC TRAXXAS TORC Off-Road Truck Champions presented by AMSOIL. Johnson claimed the Pro 4x4 title, while Menzies won the Pro 2WD crown, Lovell is the Pro Light 2WD titlist and DeJong won the inaugural Pro Buggy championship..

	The affair will be held again this year in conjunction with the International Motorsports Industry Show (IMIS), which will be held December 6-8 at the Indiana Convention Center, located just one block south of the banquet facility.

	In addition to the various series championship awards, numerous other performance awards are part of the ceremonies as well as special recognition awards.

	USAC’s Mopar .25 Midget “Generation Next” Champions will also be featured at the banquet, which gets under way with a cocktail hour at 6 pm and dinner to follow at 7.

	Reservations for this special evening are being accepted until November 30 by Nikki Wilke at the USAC headquarters at nikki@usacracing.com or by calling 317-247-5151 (Ext. 214). Tickets for the banquet are priced at $60 each.

	Emcees for the affair are renowned broadcasters Jim Tretow and Pat Sullivan.

	The Indiana Roof Ballroom is located at 140 W. Washington Street in downtown Indianapolis.

  • USAC Amsoil Sprint Cars End Show With A Bang.

    The Bubba Raceway Dirt Army 3 day USAC Amsoil Sprint Car show was cut to two days by mother nature with the second night being rained out by torrential rains. The rains left the track a soggy wet marsh that track officials and the Sprint car drivers themselves worked all day to make race able. And man were they successful with the closest A main finish in Bubba Raceway history coming between Darren Hagen and Bryan Clauson. The margin of victory .092 seconds.

    There was no doubt that the track was going to be fast and the show was going to be furious when the top 3 qualifiers all broke the old track record that was set by Brady Bacon (14.366) on Friday. Darren Hagen broke it first with a lap of 14.282. Levi Jones broke it immediately following with a lap of 14.123. Finally the last qualifier of the night, Justin Grant broke it for the final time with a lap of 14.018.  Cars coming dangerously close to the record included Jon Stambourgh, and Cody Swanson.

    The four heat races were hard fought and no holds barred events that showed the skills and the determination of all in the field. Four wide was the standard of the day and the power slides were simply breath taking. The four winners, Casey Shuman, Brady Bacon, Chase Stockon, Bud Kaeding would all breathe a sigh of relief knowing their transfer positions were secure.

    The B Main was not short on excitement with it’s 6 transfers being Kevin Thomas Jr, Cody Swanson, Wes McIntrye, Hunter Schuerenberg, Robert Ballou, and Mitch Wissmiller. Kyle Cummings would take a provisional to start the A Main.

    Coleman Gullick who had earned a front row starting spot had to give up that spot and start at the back of the field when he could not find a replacement rocker arm and had to go to a back up car to start the race. Gullick would manage to finish 13th but never was a factor the rest of the evening.

    The A Main was a hard run race with some of the closest racing I have seen in a long time. Two and three wide throughout the pack. The battle of the night was between Bryan Clauson and Darren Hagen. Clauson tried numerous times to take Hagen on the low side pulling up even but not able to make the pass. Hagen held his line until the last lap when he moved to protect the bottom out of three. Clauson then dived to the top and pulled even with Hagen down the front stretch the pair touched right before the start finish line forcing Clauson into the wall at the start finish line and spinning him down into the infield in turn one. Hagen’s margin of victory over Clauson was .092 seconds. Clauson who was unavailable for comment walked away from the car uninjured.

    Also in a tight battle all evening were Silver Crown Champion Levi Jones and Jason Grant. Although for they were battling for the 3rd position, the battle couldn’t have been more heated. Grant flexed his muscle in the final 3 laps to finally pull ahead of Jones for the 3rd spot with Jones coming home a very very close 4th.

    Also running tonight in Scraven Georgia was the second night of the UNOH ASCOC series. And the A main was incredible. With 15 laps to go the Winged Sprints had already run 53 laps on the track and were forced to stop and fuel the cars under the red flag for a 4 car crash in turn 1. When the green flag flew again the cars at the front of the pack were on a mission. Lead by Jason Sides the top 5 started slicing around the track. On the back stretch Joey Saldana made a daring pass on Tony Stewart. Stewart went high into 3 and took the position back and began his march to the front taking the lead on the next to last lap, Stewart never looked back and took the race in convincing style. When you stop to consider that the track was frozen due to temperatures in the low 30’s it was an incredible feat of driving. “It’s not ideal racing conditions. There is ice on the bottom down there. I am real appreciative of everyone who stuck it out with us here.” Stated Stewart in victory lane. When he was asked if he was holding something back there in the beginning he said, “I wish I could say I was. But the car just came around. I’ve worked my guys to death the last few days. I couldn’t do it without them.”

    So ends an incredible weekend of racing and we look forward to yet another next weekend. Many thanks to 3 Wide Life whose broadcasts enabled millions to watch the racing in Florida who could not afford to travel there. Your coverage was incredible! Also thanks to the Dirt Vision folks who broadcasts from Scraven Georgia save a few audio difficulties allowed people all over the world to enjoy the UNOH ASCOC competition and the WoO late models as well. Congratulations to all the winners. Incredible job to all the competitors and teams.

    One note of correction from my piece on Friday. I misunderstood the announcer on Friday when he announced where the electric midget was built. The electric midget was built in Columbus, OHIO by Columbus Electric Motorsports, in cooperation with USAC, and with the support of CAR Technologies LLC. I apologize for the error to my readers and the Columbus Electric Motorsports company for the error.

  • USAC Amsoil Sprint Cars Start Season in High Gear

    The first points race of the USAC Amsoil Sprint Car series is in the books. Tonight was the first race of the season and the first of a 3 night show at Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala Florida. The USAC stars were out in force with names like Bryan Clausson and series champion Levi Jones in the field.

    The qualifying of the 30 car field was smooth and uneventful save for one accident involving Jake Simmons who hit the wall and over turned following his second lap of qualifying. Simmons crawled from the car under his own power and walked away. He was however, unable to make call for his heat race and was done for the evening.

    Fast time went to Bryan Clauson with a lap of 14.409 seconds around the 3/8ths mile track. Clauson broke team mate Levi Jones record set last year with his run.

    The 30 car field ran 4 heat races with the top 4 transferring to the A main and a B main with the top 6 transferring to the A main.

    The heat races were hotly contested races with three and four wide competition through out the pack. Heat race winners included Brady Bacon, Jon Stanbrough, Damien Gardner, and Casey Schuman.

    The B Main was action packed event that was won by Justin Grant with a hard charging Chris Stockon coming home 2nd. The B main would set up an interesting scenario when Chris Windom would spin out of the final transfer spot with just 5 laps to go. Unable to climb any further than 7th, Windom would be forced to take a provisional to get into the A Main and start next to last.

    The A main was a fast paced event that ran with only one caution until lap 25 of the 30 posted laps. The hot dry track had begun to take rubber out of four and passing became difficult. On lap one Silver Crown Champion Levi Jones spun coming out 4 and collected two other cars. All cars were able to continue but it forced a complete restart with the three cars involved going to the back of the field.

    Damien Gardner lead for nearly the whole race only giving up the lead briefly on lap 25 when the caution flew for another series of spins out of turn 4. After 4 attempts the field finally went green and Gardner took the point for the final time. Brady Bacon ended up 3rd but paced Gardner for most of the race fading in the last 3 laps.

    Gardner whose A main victory is his 5th out of 6 attempts in Florida, made the victory seem effortless with the exception of the restart when he briefly lost the lead to Bacon.

    The final finishing order for the opening night of the season was: 1) Damion Gardner 2) Jon Stanbrough 3) Brady Bacon 4) Darren Hagen 5) Bryan Clauson 6) Bud Kaeding 7) Dave Darland 8) Casey Shuman 9) Kevin Thomas 10) Justin Grant 11) Chris Windom 12) Levi Jones 13) Tracey Hines 14) Robert Ballou.

    Silver Crown Champion Levi Jones made a courageous recovery after his 1st lap spin finishing 12th.

    Also on the card tonight was the unvieling of an electric midget built in Columbus Indiana. The car was driven around the track by Casey Shuman. The car which made almost no noise at all, seemed to have enough power to slide it sideways and get it’s front wheel off the ground out of four. The midget is the only car of it’s kind and Shuman seemed pleased with it’s performance. “If they can build a few more of them we can take them out and see how they stand up.” He stated.

    Tomorrow nights action begins at 6 PM EST and can be viewed via live stream pay for view at

  • Kevin Swindell Takes Chili Bowl Hat Trick

    The Chili Bowl went off without a hitch. Although its spirit was dampened by the loss of one of its young stars, Donnie Ray Crawford, in a domestic violence situation. More so than other series I have covered the young man’s loss was felt strongly by not only competitors but fans and officials a like. So much so that in his memory they increased the main event by 5 laps to make it 55 his car number and used his car as the pace vehicle to start the race. The only other showing of grief that even comes close to what I saw today was the grief seen in Rockingham in 2001 after the loss of Dale Earnhardt.

    The last day of the event saw 19 races starting with the K mains and progressed up to the A main. 4 cars transferred from each race until the D mains when 6 cars transferred and finally the 12 from the 2 B main features filled the last 12 spots of the 24 car field of the Chili Bowl.

    The biggest surprise of the day was the Chili Bowl Rookie of the Year winning his B Main in commanding fashion. Richard Vanderweerd won his feature event by a straight away over 2nd place RJ Johnson. Though he didn’t make it into the top ten in the A main when the dust cleared, he showed himself to be a very talented and gifted young man.

    The fore gone conclusion of the day, that a Swindell would win the Chili Bowl. And one did. Kevin Swindell pulled off the Chili Bowl hat trick in a race that was interrupted by on only one caution flag for Levi Jones tumble in turns one and two. Jones who was uninjured in the crash never returned to the fray. From that point on the pole sitter dominated the race. From the green flag to the checkered flags Kevin Swindell lead every single lap.

    Kevin’s only challenge for the race came from his father Sammy. The elder Swindell made several hard charges at his son until he got tangled up with a lap car and broke the left rear shock and damaged the front axle. For most competitors that would have been the end of their day. Sammy Swindell however is not most competitors and he finished the final 6 laps in a car that was not capable of making any further challenge for the lead.

    Third place went to the young lion, Kyle Larson. This young man is going places. Even though he never mounted a serious challenge to the Swindells, he held off all comers otherwise and finished third in a dominant 5 car advantage over Danny Stratton, who came in 4th. This youngster can slice and dice and bicycle a midget as well as the much more experienced drivers he was competing against. His personable and likeable personality fills the picture with a great deal of fan presence.

    The remainder of the top 10 were not surprises either. With the exception of Kyle Larson they were all very experienced Midget drivers and Chili Bowl Competitors. 5th place went to Bryan Clauson. 6th to Brad Sweet, 7th to Cory Kruzeman, 8th to Jerry Coons Jr, 9th to Ricky Stenhouse Jr and 10th to Tony Stewart.

    The day was a long one. The main event was almost anti climatic. But the real story of the Chili Bowl wasn’t who won or who lost instead it was about the strength and determination of the human spirit when faced with grief and pain. The character and emotional strength it took for every one of those competitors today to get in those cars and carry on was a testament to the affection and respect they had for their fallen friend. Somewhere in the back of their minds each and every one of them realized that though they might not want to carry on with this it would be the ultimate show of disrespect to Donnie Ray Crawford to pack up and go home without trying. It’s not how he would have wanted it. He was there with them every single lap. Cheering them on to victory and consoling them in their loss. No doubt the young man marveled at the respect he was given by heroes like Kevin Swindell, Sammy Swindell, Bryan Clauson and Tony Stewart. But it is the way of the sport. It is the way that we say good bye. But even then not really good bye just see you at the next track.

    Last note of interest Joey Moughan was released from the hospital this morning after remaining for observation over night with no serious injuries.

  • Kruseman cruises to 7th Friday Victory at the Chili Bowl

    Kruseman cruises to 7th Friday Victory at the Chili Bowl

    [media-credit name=”Mike Holloway” align=”alignright” width=”196″][/media-credit]The final day of qualifying for the Chili Bowl went off with very few hitches but one very scary crash. Half way through the 4th qualifying race Joey Moughan’s Black 77 clipped the berm and slid on its side into bale of hay. He was then was launched up into the catch fence where it became tangled in the fence. The right rear wheel was over the top the fence and the car was held in the fence by the right front tire and wheel upside down. After working for several minutes, track safety workers were able to extricate Moughan from the car. He was awake and alert and able to follow commands. He was transported along with family to an area hospital where at last word he was undergoing a precautionary CAT scan.

    The racing tonight was fierce. Perhaps more so than any other night of the event so far. With big name drivers like Joey Saldana, Bryan Clauson, Jac Haudenschild, Levi Jones, Cory Kruseman and Brad Loyete all competing for a locked in position in the Chili Bowl A-main.

    Winning his 7th Friday night A main and securing a spot was Cory Kruseman. He ran strong, clean fast races. He was smart and strong with his passes using caution when in traffic and doing what he had to do to win.

    The “Wild Child” Jac Haudenschild was the surprise of the night. Wheeling his way into the A main with the flair and flamboyance we have come to expect from Jac. Always the showman his skills were sharp and his car control precise. Starting from the back of the A main he worked his way almost into transfer position finishing just one position shy in 4th.

    The two stand outs of the night were without a doubt, Levi Jones and Bryan Clauson. Clauson who announced he will be participating in the rookie orientation for the Indy 500 and attempting to qualify for that race this year came home a strong 3rd after falling back after nearly stalling the car  in traffic.

    Levi Jones, who is driving for Shane Hmiel in the Chili Bowl, showed strength and skill sets that were stronger than his 27 years should have allowed him. He flat out gutted Clauson going 3 wide to take over 2nd in the A main and nearly over took Kruseman at the checkered flag coming out of 4 when Kruseman struggled to get through lapped traffic. Finishing a very strong and charging 2nd Levi will no doubt make his presence known on Saturday night.

    Joey Saldana  finished third in his qualifying race to make the A main. He was never a factor after starting deep in the field and becoming mired in traffic and slower cars. But it was his skills behind the wheel that made an otherwise unsuccessful race a site to see. Saldana used his ability to control the car in tight traffic and control a car that was bicycling or teetering on two wheels as it goes around the corner to maintain a respectable finish of 15th, considering he himself said, “I don’t know anything about a midget. I really don’t know a whole lot about what I am doing out there so I am not sure that I am giving my crew enough information to help me. But we are having a good time anyway.”

    The draw for the 12 lock ins was held immediately following the A main tonight. The 12 locked in drivers will start the main event tomorrow in the following line up.

    1. Kevin Swindell
    2. Kyle Larson
    3. Sammy Swindell
    4. Cory Kruseman
    5. Danny Stratton
    6. Shane Cottle
    7. Levi Jones
    8. Ricky Stenhouse
    9. Brad Sweet
    10. Tony Stewart
    11. Bryan Clauson
    12. Michael Pickens

    The remainder of the field will be filled with the eliminating races starting with the K main tomorrow at 1230 CST. The main event will be a 50 lap event with a field made up of the very best of the best. It is an event that people have traveled from all over the country to see and have followed over radio broadcasts from all over the world. CBS announced that it will televise the event on April 14th.

    Other news Winged Sprint Car driver of the year was announced tonight and Jason Meyers took the honors. As well as the USAC series announced it will be returning to West Memphis on their national tour. It is the first time back to Memphis area for the sprint cars since 2004. The date for the event is Sept. 8th.

    The alphabet soup day for the Chili Bowl begins at 12:30 PM CST tomorrow with the running of the first K main. There will be 2 all the way up to the B main and the event will finish up with the main event for the Golden Driller at approximately 10 PM CST. It is possible to climb into the A main from the K main. It’s not an easy run and you would have to finish in the top 3 of every race to get there. But it is possible so if your favorite did not make the top 12, don’t give up. The Chili Bowl is far from over.

  • The Battle For The Golden Driller Begins in Tulsa

    The Battle For The Golden Driller Begins in Tulsa

    [media-credit id=30 align=”alignright” width=”200″][/media-credit]The Chili Bowl Midget Nationals began in Tulsa Oklahoma today. The event is a week of hard core racing. This year’s event garnered over 500 driver entries. Each driver is bidding for a Saturday night A Main starting position.

    The activities began with the first group of qualifiers running heat races and qualifying races and on into C main, B main, and A main features. The top 4 from the qualifying races qualified for the A main and the C and B main transferred their top 4. The A main transfers its top 3 finishers into the Chili Bowl on Saturday Night.

    Each day of qualifying leading up to the Chili Bowl on Saturday Night will feature the same process of qualifying races up to the A main. Saturday will fill the field with transfer positions from consie races from those that did not qualify the first 4 nights.

    The Midget race car for those who are new to open wheel and dirt racing, are 1000 lbs and 72 inches long. They run 4 cylinder engines that produce approximately 300 – 350hp.

    Midgets came into being in 1933 and are not intended to run long distances. The average length of a race being 20 – 25 laps. The horsepower to weight ratio of these cars makes them both powerful and exciting to watch. Their short wheel base however, makes them prone to roll over crashes which made it necessary to add the roll bar system in the early 70’s.

    The Chili Bowl is their Super Bowl race. It is held in Tulsa Oklahoma at the QT Center. The names that hold the Golden Driller are impressive in their own right. Names like Sammy Swindell, Kevin Swindell, Tony Stewart, and Tim McCreadie top the list. It’s those names and their car owners that create the first night draw with the Race of Champions.

    In order to be in the Race of Champions you must have won a Golden Driller or been the car owner of someone who has won the Golden Driller. This year’s field was 14 cars. The starting positions were drawn for drivers by children selected from the stands. For the 4th year in a row Sammy Swindell drew the pole position. Returning to the Chili Bowl after a 3 year absence Tony Stewart started tail end Charlie in 14th in the 14.

    Stewart arrived late yesterday and missed the practice and hot laps and so was climbing in his Spike chassis Chevy Performance Chevrolet number 14 for the first time when the Champions took the track for a few hot laps just before the Champions features.

    The race was an action packed high energy highly contested event that saw Sammy Swindell take an early commanding lead. Son Kevin Swindell made a hard charge on the outside to catch the elder Swindell and started around him on the high side when a caution came out for Jason Leffler getting upside down. Leffler was not injured and the green came back in very short order. Stewart was charging through the field and was up to 6th when the caution again flew for a spin on the front stretch. When the green came back out Kevin Swindell charged hard to the outside and Sammy dived low to the bottom coming out of 4 to hold off the charge and took the checkers. Stewart finished 7th. Ricky Stenhouse Jr who was also slotted to run the race experienced mechanical difficulties and never started the race. Bryan Clauson of TSR finished 6th.

    The A main was a hard fought return to grass roots racing. After an evening of difficulties Kyle Larson charged hard to the front taking the lead from George Ramey on lap 18 and he never looked back. Ricky Stenhouse Jr challenged briefly for the lead in heavy traffic but could not catch the charging Larson and finished in 2nd securing a place in the Chili Bowl feature on Saturday. The transferring drivers were in 1st place Kyle Larson, 2nd Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 3rd Michael Pickens.

    The action picks up again tomorrow evening at5:30 CSTwith notables like Bryan Clauson, Tony Stewart, and Kevin Swindell running their qualifying races.