Youngest "E" Gets Behind Wheel Chichester, UK
Twenty year old Taylor Earnhardt, the youngest daughter of seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Dale Earnhardt, climbed behind the wheel of her father's famous No. 3 GM Goodwrench Chevrolet at The Goodwood Festival of Speed recently. Held annually since 1993 at The Goodwood Estate in Chichester, England, the event showcases race cars both old and new competing in demonstration and competition runs up a nine-turn 1.16-mile hillclimb circuit. This year's gathering included a number of NASCAR stock cars in honor of the 50th anniversary of Daytona International Speedway.
The daughter of Dale and Teresa Earnhardt completed two runs in the first day of the 17th annual festival in the Richard Childress Racing No. 3 Goodwrench Chevrolet, the one in which Earnhardt won his 76th and final Cup race at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway in October 2000.
"It was a great experience driving my dad's race car today," said the youngest Earnhardt. "There are so many great race cars and race drivers here and I was honored to be able to run with them." Courtesy NASCAR
Indy Show Hitting Its Stride Indianapolis, IN
Set to take place December 2-3, 2009, at the Indiana Convention Center, The International Motorsports Industry Show (IMIS) is hitting its stride with more than half of the exhibitor spaces already sold. Billed as the "hard-core" racing trade show, the two-day event will focus squarely on the oval-track racing marketplace. Show management recently held a cocktail party at Parnelli Jones private museum with 15 prospective exhibitors among the invited guests. Former Director of Operations and Vice President of CART, Kirk Russell joined IMIS as coordinator of the IMIS Safety Conference while show management also signed Tony's Stewart's True Speed Communications as their public relations agency of record. For more information on the show or to register visit
www.imis-indy.com. IMIS
$10K To Win Just Bring Your Street Stock To OK Enid, OK
On September 24-27 Enid Speedway Park will hold its 14th annual $10,000-to-win Street Stock Nationals. Billed as the richest Street Stock race in Oklahoma history, the event is the brainchild of former Enid promoter, Curley Hill and boasts a total purse of $50,000. "The original idea was to have a race that promotes the real grassroots of our sport. It gives Street Stockers a chance to run for some really big money," says current promoter Lonnie Colville.
The three-day show starts on Friday with heat races and qualifications, Saturday features more of the same, then Sunday they'll run a last chance qualifer as well as all the features. The A-Main pays $750 to start. Not bad by any stretch of the imagination. For more information check out www.enidspeedwayparkllc.com or call 580/554-0459. COMP CAMS
Stewart & Johnson Big Winners At Blaney Memorial Burghill, OH
Fresh off his Coke Zero 400 win, Tony Stewart joined Jumpin' Jack Johnson by winning their respective features in Sharon Speedway's inaugural Lou Blaney Memorial Classic. The combination Big Block Modified and 410 Sprint Car event memorializes Blaney who died this past January at the age of 69. The father of two well known racers (Dave and Dale), Blaney began racing in 1958 and kept going through part of the 2004 season. Lou's wife of 49 years, Kate, said they never counted Lou's victories, but she said they are more than 600. In addition to Stewart, other Sprint Cup drivers at the show were Kasey Kahne and Dave Blaney. Courtesy Nascar
Mittler Bros. Names New President Wright City, MO
Mittler Bros. Machine & Tool Inc., a leading supplier of professional fabrication tools and special industrial machinery, recently announced the appointment of Jay H. Lutz to the position of President, effective immediately.
In his new role as president, Mr. Lutz will oversee all sales, marketing, manufacturing, and customer facing activities for the company. A native of St. Louis, MO, Mr. Lutz advanced through progressively more responsible technical and managerial positions at leading brake systems and vehicle testing automotive companies. Most recently he served as Chief Operating Officer of Smithers Scientific Corporation in Akron, OH. Mr. Lutz holds a BSME from Missouri University and an MBA from Indiana University. Mittler Brothers Machine & Tool
New Shangri-La Opens To Packed House Tioga Center, NY
Back in 2005, Earl Paules and Jim Lamoreaux both won final events held at Tioga Motorsports Park. On Saturday, July 4, Paules (Mighty Modifieds) and Lamoreaux (ASA Late Models) made history by winning the first feature events at The New Shangri-La II Motor Speedway, an ASA-sanctioned track. The new concrete track is built on the site of the old Tioga facility. If the grandstands were any indication, pavement racing is alive and well in upstate New York. Check out the near sell-out crowd. DENNIS HUTH
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CRA South Season Is Cancelled Salem, IN
The newly formed Southern Division of the CRA Super Series became the second asphalt Super Late Model Series to call it quits during midseason. In early July CRA officials announced that they were suspending the inaugural season of CRA South Series citing economic factors as the primary reason for the closure. The CRA South Series was started during the off-season to expand the CRA concept into the Deep South, but only 12 cars showed up for the first event in April at Watermelon Capital Speedway. The Southern Pro Late Model Series is the other Super Late Model sanction to cease operations this year. That Series suspended its schedule after a May race, also at Watermelon Capital Speedway. CRA
NASCAR Mods On Speed Loudon, NH
NASCAR recently announced that the Whelen Modified Tour's New Hampshire 100, which will be contested on Saturday, September 19, at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, will be broadcast by Speed TV on Thursday, October 15 at 3 p.m. The track has been a staple on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour's schedule since the facility opened in 1990. The September date will mark the 50th all-time race at New Hampshire for the Tour, which is in its 25th season of competition. In addition, NASCAR also announced that the inaugural UNOH Perfect Storm at Bristol Motor Speedway, a 150-lap combination race between the NASCAR Whelen Modified and Whelen Southern Modified Tour, will also be broadcast by Speed. That air date is August 19 at 7:00 p.m. Courtesy Nascar
New Racing & Sports Center Charlotte, NC
The Charlotte City Council has approved a rezoning request that will allow developer Simon Weber to build a $50 million racetrack and amateur sports complex on the 135 acre Metrolina Tradeshow Expo grounds in north Charlotte. Dubbed the Metrolina Speed and Sports Center, the 40,000 square foot complex is set to include a rooftop skateboard park, 200-room hotel, a progressively banked asphalt track, a karting facility and a "drifting" course. The current property houses a flea market that would remain on the site.
In the 1960s, Metrolina operated as Speedworld and was also known as the Charlotte Fairgrounds Speedway. The Center is slated to open in May 2010 to coincide with the opening of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Simon Weber
360 Sprint Car Bonus Program Mooresville, NC
Roush Yates Engines, the same engine builder that won this year's Daytona 500 (as well as a bunch of other NASCAR races), recently announced an amazing 360 Sprint Car bonus program. If you run one of its new Roush Yates 360 motors in your Sprint you have the chance to nab a second engine. Set to take place at this year's 42nd Western World Sprint Car National Championships in Tucson, AR, November 19-21, the bonus covers both winged and non-winged categories. Here's how it works. Get your Roush Yates-powered Sprint ready, enter the Western Worlds, win the A-Main in your division and Roush Yates will give you a second 360 motor. Now what Sprint Car driver wouldn't love that? For more information contact, Jeremy Anderson at Roush Yates Engines 704/658-1540, Ext. 220 or JAnderson@RoushYates.com. Roush-Yates Engines