American Racing News - Issue 5b

NASCAR INDYCAR DRAG RACING MOTORCYCLES DIRT TRACK ASPHALT OFF ROAD ROAD RACE

Volume 1 Issue 5

A DenKel Media Publication

Photo of the Month

Confetti rains on Joseph Newgarden after Iowa Corn 300 - Shawn Gritzmacher

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Cover & This Page: Photo Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images

Bench Racer

By Dennis Keeley

A Sad Day

...

We were going to feature Bryan Clauson on the cover of this issue and had it planned for well over a month. Some of you may have even remember the cover pictured here in our promos, but after the tragic event this past weekend, we pulled the story out of respect for Bryan and the loved-ones he left behind.

Everyone here at Den Kel Media send our prayers to the Clauson family.

American Racing News is a bright,bold, colorfull glimpse into the world of racing in the USA.

I did not know Bryan. I never had the honor of meeting him, so the only things I knew about him is what crossed my desk. I do know that reports of Clauson’s victories were too numerous to count.

Stories and photos of his black and green cars could’ve filled every issue all by themselves.

Each issue will bring you a variety of series,stars and cars (or bikes) that make us die hard racing fans.

Nobody could honestly doubt his skill as a driver. Anytime his hauler pulled into a track, everyone knew he was the guy to beat.

Subscriptions and back issues are available at americanracingnews.com

It is clear that Bryan was much more than just a great driver.

The one thing that really stood out was how fans and even other competitors loved Bryan. It is clear that Bryan was much more than just a great driver. He left a lasting impression on most everyone that he came in contact with.

If you have a press release that you would like to submit for consideration, please send it to: denkelmedia@usa.com

DenKel Media DIGITAL PUBLICATIONS

__________________________ Bryan Clauson June 15, 1989 - August 7, 2016

denkelmedia@usa.com

BRAD WINS FUEL-MILEAGE GAME

By Reid Spencer | NASCAR Wire Service | Gettty Image

SPARTA, KY – Brad Keselowski had his mojo working in Saturday night’s Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway. Saving just enough fuel to get to the finish line, Keselowski eked out a heart-thumping victory over Carl Edwards to win his second consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race and his third at Kentucky Speedway.

But this was not the same bumpy, abrasive Kentucky Speedway where Keselowski went to Victory Lane in 2012 and 2014. This was a repaved, reconfigured 1.5-mile intermediate track fraught with treachery, especially when combined with the lowerdownforce aerodynamic package in use for the race. Keselowski got to the finish line .175 seconds ahead of Edwards, who made up a deficit of more than six seconds in the final 10 laps but couldn't quite get to Keselowski's rear bumper on the final lap.

When Keselowski took the checkered flag, his fuel cell was dry. The driver of the No. 2 Team Penske Ford didn’t have enough gas to do a celebratory burnout, and he needed a push from a safety truck to get to Victory Lane.

Keselowski took the lead from Kevin Harvick after a restart on Lap 200 and held it the rest of the way, except for Lap 261, when Matt Kenseth took the top spot and immediately came to pit road for fuel.

By then, the die was cast for Keselowski, who was committed to finishing the race without another fuel stop.

"It's a testament to our guys to have the fuel mileage that we did to be able to get back what I burnt early in the run and get the Miller Lite Ford in Victory Lane. Usually these repaves are kind of my Achilles heel, but to get a win here at Kentucky… I know it's been a good track for us in the past, but this isn't the same Kentucky, I can tell you that. These cars were tough to drive today, but a good tough. This was a hard-fought battle, and I'm really proud of everybody on the 2 crew to get win number four and take that first place."

Martin Truex Jr. dominated the first two-thirds of the event, leading 128 laps. Truex had taken the lead off pit road on Lap 196, but NASCAR sent him to the rear of the field for passing Harvick on the entry to pit road. For the last 68 laps, Truex drove like a madman, advancing from 23rd to as high as third before pitting for fuel and finishing 10th.

"It wasn't my night on that deal," Truex said. "It's frustrating, we had the car to beat. We came out with the lead and they took it away from us. It's just the way it goes, I guess."

NASCAR PR | Getty Images

Never one to mince (or soften) words, Tony Stewart had plenty to say after his win Sunday at Sonoma Raceway, a victory that saw him move Denny Hamlin in Turn 11 of the final lap.

His victory in the Toyota-Save Mart 350 put the Stewart-Haas Racing driver and co-owner on the verge of qualifying for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. After missing the first eight races of the season with a broken back, Stewart faced a difficult post-season path. Sunday's win was the crucial first step to getting there. Since Stewart has a win, he just needs to finish the regular season in the top 30 in the points

standings. He is nine points behind 30th-place Brian Scott with 10 regular-season races remaining.

Here's what Stewart said in a wide-ranging post-race interview.

On the last lap - You can't crack the door open with me on the last corner of the last lap and expect me to not take it. I'll kick the door in or drive a bulldozer through it to keep it open. When you're in a scenario like that, I don't know if I'm going to get another scenario or opportunity to win another race the rest of the year. We're going to try, but knowing that that could be the difference between making the Chase or not making the Chase, I wasn't going to be cordial in the exit of the corner and I roughed him up pretty

good. If it has been a street fight, he'd have had two black eyes after that.

On his post-race talk with Hamlin - Probably one of the best parts and one of the parts I'll probably remember most about this race was before I got to Victory Lane and Denny leaning in there and the first thing he says is “I'm so damned proud of you.� That meant the world to me. I mean, I told him right after that, and I said, " You know I had to do that,' and he goes, " I know.'

On crew chief Mike Bugarewicz - I've had some awesome crew chiefs, but that's something I'm really proud of, that Mike, he will sit there the night before the race, he won't go out, he won't go with me to dirt races and he won't go play when we took crew guys to Six Flags last night and he stayed home and did

homework. He's so detail-oriented on that, and all my crew chiefs have been, but they all have their own different style, and that's something about Mike that I really respect and appreciate.

On the nature of the race - Normally by the time you leave here you're so mad at everybody, and all I do, I go back and I sit in the transporter and take a shower in there and sit for a half hour because I don't want to see them at the helicopter pad because I'm so mad at a dozen guys, and I'm like, " I can't whip them all at once.' ... Normally we have five cautions in the last 10, 15 laps. We had one, and it was for a car that was stopped off the side. It wasn't even for a wreck. I would say it was probably a pretty good race.

On his team - My guys have been through this whole disastrous roller coaster the last three or four years

and never backed down. They've never quit on me.

There's days I've quit on myself and they're the guys that send you text messages and call you when you get home like hey, this isn't over. I'm proud for them, and it meant more for me to get it for them than for myself."

On NASCAR's future - You see Ryan Blaney and Chase Elliott, there's two guys right there that are filling seats that got this under control. I got in trouble enough one day that I got invited to fly down to Daytona Beach, Florida, and go to (NASCAR Chairman & CEO Brian France's) office ... and I was only in there for 10 minutes and then I got to drive back and fly home. But I remember him telling me, and I'm only saying this because it's the truth, he was right, and it was something that resonated. He was like, you're not bigger than the sport. You're a star in the sport, but there were stars before you and there's stars coming after you. With Jeff (Gordon) and I leaving, Chase Elliott is going to win a championship, and if the Wood Brothers keep going the way they are, Ryan Blaney is going to win a lot of races, too, and potentially win championships. ... The sport is healthy, trust me.

On

the emotional nature of his win - This place has meant a lot to me. If I don't win another one, it's cool to win the last one here. If it doesn't happen again, it's cool. I'll be all right if this is the last place I win one. I'm going for more, just for the record. I'm not saying I'm laying down, I'm saying if that's the only one I get this year, then I'll be content. But I don't think -- I think you've known me long enough, you guys know that I don't lay down for anything. All you've got to do is just give me that little bit of hope, and I'll run with it.

MATT KENSETH SURGES LATE FOR NEW HAMPSHIRE WIN

By Reid Spencer (Edited) | NASCAR Wire Service | Getty Images

LOUDON, NH -- In a race that saw many of the usual suspects go into hiding in the closing laps, Matt Kenseth battled to the front of the field from the 18th starting position and pulled away after a late restart to win Sunday's New Hampshire 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Winning for the second time this season and for the third time at the Magic Mile, Kenseth crossed the finish line 1.982 seconds ahead of Tony Stewart, who solidified his position in the top 30 in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings -- and therefore in the Chase -- with the runner-up finish.

"You're always pleased to be in Victory Lane," said the 44-year-old Kenseth, who won for the second straight time at the 1.058-mile flat track and for the 38th time in his career. "The farther down the road you get, the better they feel for sure. Thanks to everybody at Joe Gibbs Racing -- I've said it a million times, but I'm blessed with this opportunity to be over here with the guys I get to work with.�

Kenseth, who recovered from an early glitch on pit road after his No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota was blocked in its stall, took the lead from Kyle Busch on Lap 271 of 301 and held it the rest of the way, despite three subsequent cautions and restarts.

Even though Kyle Busch held eighth place in the late going, his finish was disappointing.

Busch led a race-high 133 laps and restarted third with 11 laps left, but lost ground in a fight for fifth with Biffle and dropped two more spots thereafter.

Stewart, however, was delighted with the effort of his team. He and first-year crew chief Mike Bugarewicz exchanged texts dealing with setup notes on Saturday night, after Stewart flew to Ohio to oversee the Kings Royal sprint car race at Eldora Speedway, which he owns.

When he returned to Loudon for Sunday's race, his No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet was markedly better than it had been in Saturday's two practice sessions.

Getting his opportunity to drive the No. 88 Chevy when Earnhardt was sidelined with concussion-like symptoms, Bowman had a top-10 run going until contact with Edwards' Toyota on pit road started tire issues that culminated in Bowman sliding into Kurt Busch's car in Turn 3 on Lap 271.

Ah, the romance of the Verizon IndyCar Series. It is wonderful to be part of the color, glamour and excitement of these incredible races.

That moment when all the cars sit side by side on the grid before a race is very special. The sun dances off the cars and pit gear. The uniforms are bright and vibrant.

From the stands or on television, it is a swirl of color and the pulse quickens.

Then the flash of green and the scream of the engines. Inches apart and closer they fly in formation. No one gives quarter. Then the pit stops, the choreographed 7 seconds where the team interlocks to pick up a few thousandths of a second if possible. The timing, the tactics.

Then the end and winner’s circle.

It’s joy and smiles and again the kaleidoscope of color. Elsewhere,

By Paul Page | IndyCar PR

other celebrations happen with other teams who have met a different goal they sought. And the disappointment of those who tried as hard as possible. It’s INDYCAR! Wouldn’t you love to do that?

Hold on a second. All the glory comes after heavy payment.

Consider these weeks in midsummer. Drivers are constantly being pulled from all directions with appearances and sponsor commitments and yet their key job racing and testing. It is constant. But think about the people, the team members.

One race right after another.

Go to a race in a romantic place – of course, you don’t see much other than the track and your hotel room –

and come home. Not so fast.

Crews are at the track at first light. They are the last to leave and it is not uncommon to work into the night.

While winners are celebrating and we are talking about results, the crews are taking everything apart and loading the transporters. The trucks drive overnight, sometimes straight to a test as is the case this week with everyone going Thursday to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course ahead of the next race July 31, The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio.

When races run back-to back, it gets harder. After a race, teams hustle their cars back to the shop in Indianapolis, North Carolina, outside Chicago – wherever they are based – scramble to fix any crash damage, get the car set

up for the next race and head back on the road on Wednesday or Thursday. Load the car and send it to be all set up Friday morning at the next event.

And when it’s only a shop week, the long hours are tough. Again, assuming you didn’t wreck the car.

These crew members have families and private lives and try to balance both. But racing requires this dedication and they are happy to give.

Again, the price is heavy. The life is unpredictable in a wide variety of ways.

INDYCAR is at the pinnacle of racing, but not without sacrifice, dedication and devotion. Is it worth it? These hard-working crews think so.

INDYCAR DRIVERS HAVE THEIR OWN FAVORITE MEMORABILIA

By Phillip B. Wilson | IndyCar PR (Edited)

Verizon IndyCar Series drivers are often asked to sign items for fans’ memorabilia collections.

But what kind of memorabilia do the drivers themselves cherish?

A sampling of drivers from the 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil in May provided a wide array of answers when they were asked their most prized piece of memorabilia.

Marco Andretti, Andretti Autosport: “One of the coolest things I have is something my grandfather, Mario, gave me for my helmet collection: his retirement Speedway helmet, his ‘Arrivederci Speedway’ helmet from the last year he was in competition. I have a Michael Schumacher podium helmet, but Grandpa is definitely first. I’d be in trouble otherwise.” (Marco is shown above with the retro-looking helmet he wore in this year's Indy 500, an homage to the helmet grandfather Mario wore when he won the race in 1969.)

Bryan Clauson, Dale Coyne/Jonathan Byrd’s Racing: “I have a Bobby Unser painting that’s signed by Bobby and Roger Penske. That’s kind of cool. Something else I have from a U.S. serviceman, he sent me an American flag that flew over the air fields in Afghanistan.”

Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing: “A signed Bruce McLaren picture. That’s probably the coolest one. I don’t know what year it’s from. It’s probably from the ’60s.”

Alex Tagliani, A.J. Foyt Enterprises: “A signed Scott Dixon helmet.”

Graham Rahal, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing: “I’ve got Tiger Woods’ first caddie jersey, I knew his caddie ‘Fluff’ (Mike Cowan), and I have the caddie jersey bib that ‘Fluff’ gave to me, signed by Tiger to me, which is pretty unique.”

Ryan Hunter-Reay, Andretti Autosport: “I have a Michael Schumacher Nomex shirt that I like. I have a cool helmet collection with Will Power, James Hinchcliffe, Rubens Barrichello. They all have value to me.”

Carlos Munoz, Andretti Autosport: “I had a picture from when I went to my first Indy car race at Fontana (California, Auto Club Speedway) in 2000. I went to that race and printed a picture with Michael Andretti and with Juan Pablo Montoya. I was a little kid. I look at that and it’s good memories.”

VOLUNTEERS MAKE RACING LIFE BETTER FOR DRIVERS AND FANS ALIKE

By Jeff Pappone | IndyCar PR

They may get little recognition outside a tight circle of racing insiders, but every Verizon IndyCar Series fan should take a minute to thank the volunteers who ensure their sport is both safe and more enjoyable.

These unsung heroes are such an important part of race weekend that drivers often take time out of their busy schedules to ensure they give them a personal thank you.

“These volunteers are amazing. They don't get paid and it's not easiest work, either, because they are sitting out in the hot sun or rain, and they are very good at their jobs, so I have a lot of appreciation for them,” said No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet driver Will Power.

“When I was in Mid-Ohio last year, I went for a walk and met a couple of corner workers who were staying in motorhomes. They had also volunteered at the Indianapolis 500, they'd been around the sport for years and they knew the sport so well.”

There are two distinct sets of volunteers working at all 16 races on the 2016 Verizon IndyCar Series schedule.

First are the marshals who make sure the drivers and fans stay safe during the race.

“You can't go racing without the corner workers and safety crews — it's literally impossible,” said Kevin Savoree, president of Green Savoree Racing Promotions that promotes the Honda Indy Toronto and two other events on the schedule. “They just all have a

love of racing and take their role very seriously and always do a great job.”

“We can never be thankful enough for these guys for their efforts and hard work,” said Sebastien Bourdais, driver of the No. 11 Team Hydroxycut-KVSH Racing Chevrolet.

“All around the world in racing there couldn't be events without the volunteers, and we rarely talk about them but we should a little bit more because we wouldn't be racing without them.”

The second important group is the 300 event volunteers and 25 team leads who help with off-track with logistics, from managing car and foot traffic and helping fans find their seats to running the Honda Indy Toronto's social media feeds during race weekend.

Those who volunteered at Exhibition Place lined up weeks before the race and all the available spots were filled about a month before the green flag flew. Some are so dedicated that they spend their own money to travel to more than one event and serve as volunteers.

“We have volunteers from events that go to different ones,” said Savoree, whose group also promotes the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg and The Honda Indy 200 at the Mid-Ohio Sports at Course.

“We have some folks from St. Pete who come up to Toronto and vice-versa. They like to help the fans and help people and make their experience better. We are really blessed to have such great groups.”

For the last eight NHRA races in a row, Pro Stock driver Shane Gray has wheeled his Valvoline/Nova Services Chevrolet Camaro to a top-half qualifying berth, signifying he has a racecar fully capable of winning the race.

But so far victory has remained just beyond his grasp, a situation he’d like to correct at this weekend’s Toyota NHRA Sonoma Nationals.

“We’ve had our chances, and I think we’re showing now, at times, that we can run up front and take on anybody,” Gray said, “but we haven’t been able to punch one through yet. That just proves how tough it is at the top level of the sport. Wins and losses are measure in thousandths of a second and you have to be perfect.

“In the past when we’ve won races, you know it gets hectic right afterwards with meStory | Motor Racing Press Photo | http://www.graymotorsports.com/

dia obligations and winner’s circle photos and all that, it can be a whirlwind of activity, but I always try to remind myself and the guys to stop and embrace that moment. It’s very hard to come by and so fleeting; you have to physically stop and enjoy it.”

During his long run of qualifying success, which started when Dave Connolly returned to the team as crew chief after a stint driving a Top Fuel dragster, Gray has powered through to the semifinals four times.

“When you get that close to your goal, it’s exciting,” Gray said. “But you have to also remember that the other three cars left in the fight are running really well that particular weekend. We’ve had two drivers from one team win 13 of the first 14 races, but that streak got busted last weekend in Denver,

which gave the rest of us in the chase pack a reason to fight that much harder. Those two have been dominant but they’re not unbeatable.”

In six years of racing in the Pro Stock category, Gray has reached 12 final rounds, winning four times. To date, Sonoma Raceway is not on the list of places where he’s scored.

“We’d love to win this race, no doubt,” Gray said. “It’s a great track in one of the prettiest places in the country. It’s a long way from home for us Carolina boys but we have won in Pomona and Las Vegas before so maybe the West Coast suits us. We’ll just keep doing what we’ve been doing. I know things will fall our way soon.”

Team Kalitta Announces Expansion with Lee, McLeod Team Kalitta has announced the addition of a third Funny Car with driver Paul Lee beginning at the NHRA Keystone Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway later this fall. Lee will campaign the McLeod Clutches Toyota Camry Funny Car for Kalitta Motorsports for the last four events on the 2016 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule.

Jim Oberhofer and Nicky Boninfante will combine for the tuning decisions on Lee’s Funny Car. “I am beyond excited to be joining Kalitta Motorsports as part of their team,” said Lee, who has been driving Funny Cars for more than 25 years.

The expansion will allow Kalitta Motorsports to run a fifth team for the first time in its history.

Lee will join teammates Doug Kalitta, driver of the Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster; J.R. Todd, driver of the SealMaster Top Fuel dragster; Del Worsham, driver of the DHL Toyota Camry Funny Car; and Alexis DeJoria, driver of the Tequila Patron Toyota Camry Funny Car in the field for the last four 2016 events.

Lee will be piloting Worsham’s 2015 championship car with the DHL team acquiring a new Bounty Hunter chassis for the latter part of the season. He will own the equipment, but it will be run out of the Kalitta Motorsports Ypsilanti, Michigan-based shop.

“We are really pleased to be able to partner with Paul in this capacity,” said Oberhofer, vice president of operations, Kalitta Motorsports.

“He will be owning equipment that is proven. It is a great way for Team Kalitta to expand business and get Paul to the track in a top-notch team at an affordable rate with an experienced crew.”

Lee, who resides in Orange County, Calif., is the president of McLeod Racing LLC, a global leader in automotive and clutch driveline technology based in Orange County. He started drag racing at age 18 in his home state of New Jersey. Lee drove Top Alcohol Funny Cars from 1988 until 2005 and won three NHRA national event titles and one divisional race. Lee stepped up to nitro Funny Cars in 2005 and has run as quick as 4.007 at nearly 318 mph in Chuck and Del Worsham’s Funny Car.

NHRA | Team PR

Mopar and Pennzoil will sponsor the NHRA Top Fuel dragster driven by Leah Pritchett at select events in 2016 and debut the blue Omega M on her Don Schumacher Racing entry at the 37th annual Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals, July 22-24, at Bandimere Speedway in Denver.

The announcement brings the Mopar brand back to winning roots first fueled by drag racing icon “Big Daddy” Don Garlits, who captured the majority of his Top Fuel championships and event wins under Mopar Hemi power.

The new Top Fuel machine also expands the Mopar presence in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.

The brand now serves as a sponsor in three of the four NHRA Pro classes, including Matt Hagan’s NHRA Funny Car and Pro Stock entries piloted by Erica Enders and Jeg Coughlin Jr., and also remains deeply involved in supporting NHRA Sportsman racers, introducing last year the next generation of

its modern-day package car, the Mopar Dodge Challenger Drag Pak. “We are extremely excited to team up with our partners at Pennzoil in our return to competition in the Top Fuel class,” said Pietro Gorlier, head of parts and service (Mopar), FCA-Global. “A key part of Mopar’s DNA has always been going fast at the track.

We welcome Leah Pritchett to the Mopar team and will cheer her on as she drives us forward in Top Fuel.”

The association with Pennzoil extends an already robust global business relationship between the two brands.

Shell supplies bulk and packaged oil and transmission fluids for Mopar in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and many additional countries throughout the world, and Pennzoil is the approved factory-fill for Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram vehicles. Pennzoil is also a major associate sponsor on Hagan’s Mopar Express Lane Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car.

“Pennzoil has not only a long and storied history as a supporter of motorsports but specifically an impressive sponsorship of a roster of amazing drag racers, including legends like Don Prudhomme and Eddie Hill,” said Jesse Campos, director of OEM marketing, Shell Lubricants. “The partnership with Don Schumacher Racing provides Pennzoil with the ability to test existing and new motor oil technology developed by Pennzoil’s industry-leading scientists in order to gain insights from the track and to aid in the production of innovative lubricants for consumer vehicles in the future. This is coupled with the growth of the NHRA audience on FOX Sports 1 and the timing of Leah’s relationship with Pennzoil to begin at Denver, which will feature the first live network coverage of NHRA on FOX and mark the first time an NHRA event ever will be broadcast live on one of the four major networks. We are honored to have Leah carry our brand forward with DSR and Mopar for 2016.”

Scotty Pollacheck Swimming with the Big Fish Now!

Pollacheck is the latest NHRA twowheel racer to join the Nitro Fish team.

A month ago, Pollacheck faced an uncertain future following the sudden loss of his primary backer, but this new marketing partnership with Nitro Fish owner Kenny Koretsky will allow the popular Oregon-

based pro to continue his pursuit of the NHRA Mello Yello world championship. After five of 16 events, Pollacheck is ranked No. 9 in the highly competitive class.

“On very short notice, we lost support for our program, and we were probably looking at running one or two more races before we’d have

to park the bike,” said Pollacheck, a five-time national event finalist.

“We were in a really tough spot, but while we were racing in Englishtown, Kenny heard about our predicament. He asked if there was anything he could do to help, and we were able to sit down and very quickly come to an agree-

ment. I can’t begin to explain how thrilled I am to represent Nitro Fish. I feel like we’re capable of doing some great things together.”

Though his bike will feature a different look, he will continue to race as a member of Scott and JoAnne Smalley’s UPI Performance

team, which also includes Michael Ray. UPI will continue as an associate sponsor on Pollacheck’s bike, and Matt Smith Racing will continue to supply the team’s V-Twin engines.

A native of Medford, Ore., Pollacheck counts among his career

highlights earning the 2003 NHRA Pacific Division championship. He also rode the KillaCycle, the world’s fastest electric motorcycle.

Since joining the NHRA Mello Yello tour in 2012, Pollacheck has posted four straight top-10 finishes, including a best of sixth in 2013 and 2014.

Straight Line

By Jim Jack

Only Those Who Dare…Drive the World Forward The men and women who drive highpowered drag racing machines are incredibly daring—to say the least. Visual experience suggests it takes plenty of intestinal fortitude to step on the gas and accelerate to over 100, 200, or 300 mph in three or four seconds.

Accepting the challenge to drive fast is a daunting encounter for the faint of heart. It’s quite a feat… if you can take the heat…while in the driver’s seat…the finish line you expect to meet…in only a thousand feet…hopefully a win light there to greet…anticipating a feeling that’s oh so neat…unlike a heartbreaking defeat…holding the trophy is clearly a treat.

In the world of motorsports—which encompasses a very minute part of world history—there are driver’s who were record holders, won championships, or became famous. These individuals drive the competition to want to be better in their chosen endeavor.

Therefore, the drive to excel drives many people to achieve greater success.

One of the reasons for history class in school is not only to inform, but to inspire others to learn about the great people who’ve paved the way. Without any knowledge of past champions in their respective fields, i.e. science, medicine, astronomy, writing, and motorsports, how would we know what these people dared to do—some exploring the unknown?

The word dare means; to be brave, take a risk, challenge something. As a drag racing driver, you take risks, and bravely challenge to go faster than

anyone. Drivers become daring because they have faith in their racing machine. Therefore, daring to understand the Gospel is also something revealed by faith.

Progress—not dare—should be made daily in all avenues of life. Many people simply take the easy road, as it looks like the way of least resistance.

But daring to make eternal waves— where it will benefit the lives of others—is the proper path to drive on.

People like Galileo, Sir Isaac Newton, Jonas Salk, George Washington Carver, Abraham Lincoln, dared to drive the world forward with their gifts and influence, leaving a legacy for all to remember.

Others like Noah, Abraham, Moses, John the Baptist, and Jesus, were people who dared to change the world in their specific way…that affects what we do and say…how we work and play…reflecting a glimpse of an authentic Son ray…better than finding a needle in the hay…as they blessed us to live for a future day.

We’re all called to do much more than we know this very day. We were not created to hang around for a few decades then disappear without a trace of impacting others. Do you dare to drive the world forward? Do you dare to make a difference? Do you dare to accept a challenge? Do you dare to bravely step out in faith?

Names like Ron Braaksma, Don Ermshar, Clinton Anderson, Kyle Walker, and Sonny Jones, were men who dared to drive the world of drag boat racing forward.

Or these names, Peter, Paul, James, and Joseph, were men who dared to drive the world of eternal life forward.

They weren’t shy. They weren’t worried about risking their necks. They weren’t afraid of what others would say or do to them. They accepted the challenge and went for it. They bravely dared to walk down the narrow road.

They were bold… hot, not cold… preached what they were told…were not made of fools gold…their spirits were tightly rolled…on their feet was found no mold…their words no one could hold…they were solidly in the eternal fold.

If you have the opportunity to drive the world forward, will you go for it or will you pass? If you have the choice of becoming a world champion racer, or world renowned minister of the Gospel, which would you choose? If you choose racing, you could become famous. If you choose ministry, you could become a mighty warrior known throughout heaven.

But, you could choose both, and be known as someone who made an eternal decision to serve God in racing, killing two birds with one stone…with no reason to moan…no need to break a bone…or behave like Al Capone…or raise your voice tone…no need for a second mortgage loan…you’ll simply end up in the unequaled zone.

I dared to take that initial step of faith twenty seven years ago, and with that decision, God placed me in the seat of His best hot rod, handing me the keys

to the car…gave me a vision to drive far…didn’t worry about ending up on a sand bar…said it’s much better than shooting under par…I may have to go to war…in God’s eyes I [we] become His star!

If we go way back into the history of motorsports, the vehicles were primitive and dangerous to drive. No safety regulations, no safety gear, and no fear of the consequences while daring to go fast, but these warriors bravely and lovingly drove the racing world forward.

Love is what drives the world to a place of peace and comfort. Love motivates and transforms the most rebellious heart into a pliable and surrendered heart. When you read of murderers and adulterers, liars and cheaters, ungrateful and unforgiving people in the Bible whose lives were eternally changed, it wasn’t because they were special. It was because the love of Christ came into their lives, and they bravely dared to venture out— obedient and changed!

Believers live by faith and not by sight, so it is not a visual experience that compels us to dare to trust Christ with our eternal destination. Seriously think about how many millions upon millions of people over the last two thousand years have dared to make that simple choice.

When I dared to follow Jesus, family and friends first thought I’d dared to take some exotic drug, but my choice has proved over the years I made life’s very best decision: Grace made it completely fair…you may have to dodge an ugly stare…my soul did not tear…it was the Trinity and not a pair…it was a choice made with care…a decision by some standards quite rare…but stand with me if you dare?

What drives a driver? The horsepower, the G force, the adrenalin, the

noise, the aroma, the physical and mental preparation, the thrill of victory, the thought of being a champion?

What drives a chaplain? Daring to never stop listening and learning from God’s Word. Daring to allow godly thinking to shape their attitude. Daring to keep believing, and loving Christ. Daring to have the confidence and stability that only comes from growing strong in their faith. Daring to be thankful at all times while rejoicing in the Lord.

What drives a loving God? Some may say, how dare a loving God to allow suffering, pain, and tragedy in the world He supposedly governs? How dare He have the right to say Christ is the only way? How dare a loving God create both heaven and hell? How dare a loving God sacrifice His only Son? Tell me: Would you dare to sacrifice your only son to drive the world forward? It wasn’t a double dog dare that drove Jesus to suffer and die for you and me. The flogging and crucifixion of Christ was a bloody, messy, scary scene—not for the faint of heart, but done for you and me!

I dare you to carry Christ’s love—and cross—to your family, friends, crew, and neighbors. If you accept that dare; you’ll never regret investing in Christ!

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose,” (Jim Elliot). I dare you to trust Christ as your Lord and Savior?

Here’s a question. Why did Jesus Christ dare to choose Judas Iscariot as one of His twelve disciples, when He knew Judas would betray Him? Because our Creator loves each one of us the same, so now think about this, why would Jesus dare to choose you or me? He dares to risk the chance of us becoming disobedient, while daring to love us unconditionally, not be-

cause of who we are, but because of who He is!

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us,” (Romans 5:8 NIV). If you dare not to accept Christ, you’ve wasted more than life on earth.

Jesus dared to drive the world forward: He told the story…so you and I don’t have to worry…it was truthful, painful and gory…but in the end we get to be with Him in glory.

Jesus dared to drive the world forward: He lived the perfect life…to do away with human strife…He came for us to be the Bridegrooms wife…knowing His Word will cut deep like a sharp knife.

Jesus dared to drive the world forward: In our place He died…in pain He barely sighed…with humility, but no pride…or you and I would have fried…or tried to hide…maybe even lied…unable to fully abide…for sure denied…but by His grace we are verified.

Jim Jack served with RFC for more that 28 years as a chaplain, Field Ministry Director, Series chaplain for several associations, and as the Operations Director.

Jim has been writing this column for the Drag Boat Review out of Oklahoma since 1998.

Straight Line is about drag racing and God (and often using music lyrics) written for racers. It combines all of those themes and is for anyone.

Credit | Sammy Halbert Racing PR

Sammy Halbert Joins Wieblers Harley-Davidson Team for Remainder of 2016 AMA Pro Flat Track Season GRAHAM, Wash. (July 21, 2016) - Sammy Halbert has announced he will be joining forces with Wiebler’s Harley-Davidson® for the remainder of the 2016 AMA Pro Flat Track Season. Halbert parted ways with the BriggsAuto.com team following the Lima Half-Mile.

Halbert will ride the Wiebler’s Harley-Davidson XR750s for the first time at the Ashland, OH HalfMile on Saturday, July 23, before making the team’s AMA Pro Flat Track debut at the Charlotte Half-Mile on Saturday, July 30.

“I appreciate the support Briggs Auto provided me during our time together. Despite the success we had, it was clear the team’s chemistry was off and it was time for change,” said Halbert. “Moving to a new team mid-season isn’t ideal, but I’m really looking forward to working with the Wiebler’s team and finishing this season out on a winning note.”

Halbert won the 2016 AMA Pro Flat Track season opener at Daytona Beach, Florida and led the GNC1 championship points through the first four rounds.

He currently is 3rd in points behind Bryan Smith and Jared Mees.

“We are very excited for the opportunity to have Sammy Halbert ride the Wiebler’s Harley-Davidson XR750 for the rest of the season. We're looking forward to the move and to a strong finish this season,” said Brett Wiebler of Wiebler’s Harley-Davidson. “Sammy brings years of experience to the race team and has proved on the race track that he is a winner.”

Jeffrey Carver, Jr. joins BriggsAuto.com race team for the remainder of the Pro Flat Track season The BriggsAuto.com race team has announced the recruitment of Jeffrey Carver, Jr. to replace Sammy Halbert as pilot of the team's Harley-Davidson XR750 for the remainder of the 2016 AMA Pro Flat Track season. Carver will make his debut on the No. 23 BriggsAuto.com/Martin Trucking/Evel Knievel Museum machine at the CHDDA Charlotte Half-Mile on Saturday, July 30.

Carver turned pro in 2008 and joined the elite ranks of the Harley-Davidson GNC1 presented by Vance & Hines class in 2011. No stranger to victory, the Illinois native has six GNC2 wins to his credit and earned his maiden GNC1 victory at the Castle Rock TT in 2013. Fans can expect Carver to quickly come up to speed with his new team.

"I am super excited to have the opportunity to be a part of the Briggs racing team and to work with the legendary Johnny and Sarah Goad," said Carver. "An opportunity like this shows that hard work does pay off. I'm looking forward to creating a good relationship with the team and getting better every weekend. Looking for the W!" The mid-season change will give Carver and veteran tuner Johnny Goad the opportunity to spend the rest of the season honing their race craft in preparation for the 2017 AMA Pro Flat Track season.

Over the last 40 years, Johnny and his wife Sarah Goad have fielded dozens of successful AMA Pro Flat Track efforts under the JSC Racing banner. Johnny has spent more than 50 years on the flat track circuit as a rider, tuner and engine builder. He was named Tuner of the Year in 1993 after fielding a championship-winning Honda RS750 piloted by racing legend Ricky Graham.

"We'd also like to thank Russ and Ilene Briggs for supporting the team," Goad continued. "With Jeffrey on board, we hope to bring home a few victories for the BriggsAuto.com team soon.

BRIGGSAUTO.COM RACE TEAM PR | Photo by Chris Hinkle

AMA Pro Racing Officially Launches New Clothing Line, American FlatTracker DAYTONA BEACH, FL – AMA Pro Racing is proud to announce the official launch of American FlatTracker, a new pro flat track motorsport-themed apparel line developed in partnership with Howe Enterprises.

The apparel, frequently worn by fan-favorite AMA Pro Flat Track athletes, consists of a wide variety of retro-styled shirts, jackets, hats, accessories and more. Retail pricing ranges from $10.00–$59.99.

“American FlatTracker marks a new and exciting era for AMA Pro Flat Track,” said Michael Lock, CEO of AMA Pro Racing and AFT Events. ”By launching this stylish line of Flat Track-inspired apparel, we’re giving fans the ability to express their passion for this incredible sport both on and off the race track.”

Fans can view and purchase American FlatTracker apparel online by visiting:

www.AmericanFlatTracker.com.

Eli Tomac came out early to lead for a few laps but would ultimately take second in moto 1. (Photo: Simon Cudby)

Marvin Musquin found his best 450 career overall at Spring creek going 3-2 for second on the day. (Photo: Simon Cudby)

450 CLASS OVERALL RESULTS Ken Roczen (1-1)

Trey Canard (6-6)

Marvin Musquin (3-2)

Andrew Short (8-8)

Eli Tomac (2-3)

Benny Bloss (7-10)

Christophe Pourcel (5-4)

Justin Barcia (9-9)

Justin Barcia (4-5)

Phil Nicoletti (14-7)

Ken Roczen worked to get around Eli Tomac in moto 1, and after he did he would not be caught. (Photo: Simon Cudby)

Photo | Neil Cavanah

Brady Bacon, fresh from claiming the “Indiana Sprint Week” championship, has spurted to a comfortable lead in the USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship standings. The Broken Arrow, OK. driver now holds a 170 point lead over defending series champ Robert Ballou.

Bacon’s fourth-place finish in Sunday night’s “Don Smith Classic” at the Terre Haute Action Track assured his team – Dynamics, Inc. – of winning the famed $3,500 Bridgeport Rocker donated by long-time USAC supporters John and Terri Youngs of Vincennes, Ind. The team also earned the $5,000 championship share of the Indiana Sprint Week point fund.

Chase Stockon of Fort Branch, Ind. captured Sunday’s Terre Haute finale, which was delayed from Wednesday

by rain. He led all 30 laps in the Superior Tank & Trailer/Dewig Meats DRC/Fisher, beating Ballou, Tyler Courtney, Bacon and Aaron Farney.

Stockon’s victory concluded a sevenrace series which featured seven different feature winners! That marked the first time since 2001 that ISW produced no repeat winners!

Brady Short of Bedford, Ind. won Thursday’s race at Lincoln Park Speedway in Putnamville, Ind. He led the final 19 laps in the Sipes Body & Glass/Indiana Stone Works Maxim/Spec to beat Stockon, Chad Boespflug, Ballou and Thomas Meseraull.

Brent Beauchamp of Avon, Ind. earned his first-ever USAC feature victory Friday at Bloomington Speedway. He

wheeled the Concrete Connection/Brownsburg Mufflers Spike/J & D to the “Sheldon Kinser Memorial” win, emerging from a torrid duel with Dave Darland in the first 20 laps. He led the final 11 laps to beat Bacon, Darland, Kevin Thomas Jr. and Meseraull.

Carson Short of Marion, Ill. became the fourth brand-new USAC Sprint winner in the ISW series Saturday at Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt. He led all 30 laps in the Total Field & Environmental Services/RASS Restoration DRC/Spec to beat Kyle Cummins, Stockon, Ballou and Jarett Andretti.

SE/B & W Auto Mart Hard Chargers last week included Ballou (twice), Meseraull and Jerry Coons Jr. ProSource Fast Qualfiers were Courtney, Boespflug, Josh Hodges and Bryan Clauson.

CRIBBS, SAUNDERS CROWNED 600 SPRINT CHAMPS SHILLING, SAUNDERS TAKE PLYMOUTH FINALES USAC’s 600 Sprint Champions were crowned Saturday night as the Open and Restricted classes concluded their 2013 campaigns at Plymouth (Ind.) Speedway.

Billy Cribbs of Muncie, Ind. and Garrett Saunders of Lakeville, Ind. emerged as the inaugural champions of the TRAXXAS USAC 600 Sprint series.

Cribbs took third in the Open finale behind winner Randy Shilling and Rodney Stealy. While Craig Ronk and Ryan Kline rounded out the top five in the 20-lap feature led wire to wire by Shilling.

Saunders passed Bud McCune on lap three and went on to win the 15-lap Restricted feature over McCune, Nick Katrakis, Nicholas Schaefer and Garrett Pearson.

LARSON BOUNCES BACK TO WIN AT ELDORA DIRT TRACK ROSSBURG, Ohio -- Battling back from all kinds of adversity, Kyle Larson sailed away on a late race restart with 16 laps to go to win the fourth annual Aspen Dental Eldora Dirt Derby 150 at Eldora Speedway.

"It means a lot, especially losing the way I did the two years I ran," said Larson from Victory Lane. "Thanks to everyone on this GMS Racing team, DC Solar for coming on-board for this, this is very special for them. I knew running a blue No. 24 I had to run hard here at Eldora. Rico (Abreu) does a really good job in a Sprint car with that. I had to put on a show.

The win didn't come easy though.

Larson took the lead from last year's runner-up Bobby Pierce following the second caution on Lap 35 and appeared to be in control of the event, but while leading, Larson spun in Turn 4 on Lap 52 to bring out the fourth caution of the night.

Feature Story | American Racing News |

Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images

Adding fuel to his fire, Larson was docked one lap by NASCAR for intentionally causing the yellow after spinning and stopping on the race track.

Two cautions later, however, Larson found himself back on the lead lap courtesy of the free pass and his mission to rally from the back to the front began.

Chasing down Pierce for the race lead, Larson took advantage of Pierce's transmission being stuck in fourth gear to take the lead with 30 laps to go, Pierce attempted to take the lead back three laps later, but slammed the outside Turn 4 wall, ending his night and bringing out the final caution of the event.

Despite a late race charge from Bell on the restart, Larson pulled away as the laps dwindled away and earned a 0.767-second advantage to win his second NCWTS race in his 12th start.

"I guess I didn't really hold him (Pierce) off, he slid in there and hit the wall and got a flat I think," Larson said.

"I hated that I couldn't race with him, but I was happy when he was out. I almost gave it away again after that restart. I went to the middle of three and four in third gear and I missed a shift off Turn 4 and Bell got into my back bumper. Thankfully, he wasn't inside of me, because he would have got the lead there and probably would be standing where I am."

Bell, last year's winner, was disappointed with second but knew he gained crucial points towards his championship chase.

"Tony (Stewart, Eldora Speedway owner) did an awesome job with the race track tonight," said Bell. "It was really technical, it was really tough to get around and it was really fun, too. Kyle's been trying to win this race for a long time and it was cool for him to win tonight. The guys at KBM ( Kyle Busch Motorsports) worked really hard to put me in this position. I was disappointed we couldn't repeat."

Feature Story | American Racing News |

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Rico Abreu, driver of the No. 98 Safelite Au to Glass/Curb Records Toyota, had his struggles at Eldor a Speedway Photo by Brian Lawderm ilk/Getty Images

Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images

USAC PR | RYAN SELLERS PHOTO

Carson Short continued the roll of first-time USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car winners into victory lane Saturday night at Tri-State Speedway, becoming the fourth different driver to pick up his initial career series victory in the first six races of the 29th edition of Indiana Sprint Week.

On this night, USAC celebrated its 10,000th sanctioned event since its debut in January of 1956. Starting from the pole position for the 30lap event on this momentous occasion was the 20-year-old Short, unrelated to Thursday night's winner at Lincoln Park Speedway Brady Short.

Short bolted to the lead in the first turn at the start, sliding up in front of fellow front row starter, Jarett Andretti for the race lead on the opening lap.

As Short began to distance himself from second-running Andretti, TriState Speedway favorite Cummins was able to sneak by Andretti for the second spot with a move on the inside of turn two.

Both Short and Cummins occupied the middle groove on both ends of the racetrack, setting a blistering pace as both entered lapped traffic.

With ten laps remaining, Short would have to weave his way through a bevy of slower traffic with the Haubstadt master, Kyle Cummins hot on his trail as the laps wound down.

With lapped cars running high, low middle and everywhere in between, Short had to be nearly perfect as he worked his way through the nooks and crannies in the back of the field while simultaneously

being shadowed and hounded by Cummins.

With just five to go, Short almost saw the race slip through his fingers after getting extremely sideways at the exit of turn four. Short momentarily sliced down on Cummins' inside line, forcing Cummins to back off the throttle, which slowed his momentum as Short regained control and maintained his place atop the leaderboard.

During the final laps, Short hit all of his marks correctly and was able to maneuver around a handful of lapped machines with relative ease to collect not only his first career series victory, but his first ever sprint car win of any kind, in his Indiana Sprint Week debut of 2016 over Cummins and Chase Stockon.

Sanders in seventh heaven at Silver Dollar Nationals REENWOOD, Neb. (July 23) -- As he had been in the last six main events at I-80 Speedway's Silver Dollar Nationals, Rodney Sanders was the hottest driver on the track Saturday night.

But after two nights of racing in 100-degree weather, the 26-year-old native of Happy, Texas, couldn't afford to be too hot.

Nevertheless, he had to contend with his teammate and girlfriend's father, Jason Krohn, from start to finish.

"There wasn't much choice," Sanders said after winning the feature-his seventh straight in the sixth running of the crown jewel event for the United States Modified Touring Series. "I thought I might burn up my engine if I

ran high on the track, but he was low and I had to find something to get in front and stay in front."

A restart on the next lap saw Sanders zip around the outside of Krohn to retake the lead.

Sanders, the 2013 and 2014 USMTS national champion, led all but one of the 42 laps, but despite his pole start was never able to rest with Krohn breathing down his neck.

Krohn stayed glued to Sanders' rear bumper but never found a way to regain the top spot as 'The Rocket' sped to his seventh USMTS victory of the season and 71st of his career.

After winning the ten-lap dash earlier in the evening, Krohn drew the number two chip which put him on the outside of Sanders on the front row.

"This is my favorite track, and I love to race here," said Sanders, who collected $5,000 for his efforts.

Sanders got the jump to take control at the start of the race, but Krohn showed him the nose of his machine dozens of times.

Krohn, who captured his first and only USMTS national championship crown in 2007 to end Kelly Shryock's streak of eight consecutive titles, made his move with nine laps to go and slid up in front of Sanders to lead lap 33.

Krohn crossed the finish line in second in his first start in 2016 with the USMTS Casey's Cup powered by S&S Fishing & Rental.

Cade Dillard held off Jason Hughes for the third position with Johnny Scott charging from 14th on the grid to round out the top five, followed by Terry Phillips, Matt Dotson, Zack VanderBeek, Jeremy Rasmussen and Daniel .

Steve Streimer and Ernie Francis, Jr., collect TA3 and TA4 victories at Brainerd Gar Robinson and Paul Fix celebrated the Fourth of July weekend in style with race victories at Brainerd International Raceway (BIR). Steve Streimer and Ernie Francis, Jr., were also victorious with wins in TA3 and TA4 classes.

The weekend featured two 100-mile Trans Am races around the 2.5-mile competition course at BIR: The Ryan Companies Muscle Car Challenge, an independent TA2 race, and a TA, TA3, TA4 multi-class race, the Ryan Companies Independence Day Classic, with both comprising Round 5 of the 2016 Trans Am Championship.

For Robinson, in the No. 74 Pura Vida Tequila/ 74 Ranch Resort Chevrolet Camaro, the TA2 race saw him start fourth and make his way up to the front of the field over the first 15 laps, while fending off challenges from Justin Haley, Lawrence Loshak and Tommy Archer over the second half of a race that saw the top eight cars nose-to-tail for the vast majority of the time. Robinson would hold the lead until the 35th lap when the course went under yellow for a multi-car incident.

For Robinson, the defending TA2 champion, the victory is his second of the year and pushes him into first position in the championship points standings as the season approaches the halfway mark. Robinson was joined on the podium by Tommy Archer, driver of the No. 54 ECC/KolarChev.com Chevrolet Camaro, and Dillon Machavern, in the No. 24 Heritage Motorsports Ford Mustang, who finished second and third, respectively.

The TA2 top five was completed by Lawrence Loshak, in the No. 5 Pennzoil Platinum/ MOMO/ ETE Reman Chevrolet Camaro, and Tony Buffomante, in the No. 34 Mike Cope Racing Ford Mustang, who finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

The top 10 also featured Shane Lewis, Adam Andretti, Keith Prociuk, Cole Carlson and John Atwell, in that finishing order.

Paul Fix, behind the wheel of the No. 50 StopFlex.com/TheCarCoach.com/Chevron Techron Chevrolet Corvette, started the multi class race in sixth position and quickly surged through the field claiming second position after only two laps of green racing— settling into a race-long pursuit of pole sitter Cliff Ebben, in the No. 36 Stumpf Ford/McMahon Group Ford Mustang, that lasted until the final lap. With barely a minute remaining in the race, the No. 36 of Ebben, who then had a second gap on Fix, began to smoke and slow, leaving Fix to make the pivotal pass in turn four on the final lap en route to the checkered flag.

Fix was joined on the podium by Ebben, who was able to maintain second position until the checkered flag, and David Pintaric, in the No. 57 Kryderacing Chevrolet Corvette, who finished second and third, respectively. The podiums marked the second of the year for both, with Ebben now holding second in the points with 110 and Pintaric in third with 107.

The TA class top five was completed by Jim McAleese, in the No. 03 McAleese & Associates Chevrolet Corvette, and Simon Gregg, in the No. 59 Derhaag Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette, finishing fourth and fifth. The top ten saw Kerry Hitt, Claudio Burtin, Tim Rubright, Amy Ruman and Mickey Wright, all feature in that finishing order.

Ruman maintains the championship points lead with 137 to her name despite a ninth place finish, the result of a pit stop after having lost power steering due to an impact from another car on the first lap.

Story & Photos | Rinker Racing BAY CITY, Mich. (June 26, 2016) – The always-challenging waters of the Saginaw River, where the Bay City River Roar is held, make it an especially difficult race to finish, and also a very rewarding race to win.

After qualifying second and fourth, AMSOIL drivers Terry and Rob Rinker prepared for the upcoming qualifying heats. Rob Rinker Bay CityThe rough waters had damaged a battery in the #10 boat, prompting the stellar AMSOIL crew to go to work replacing the battery in time for Rinker to start from the launch area behind the fleet of competitors. Rinker wasted no time carving through the pack to earn valuable third-place points in the qualifying process.

Rob Rinker also experienced electrical issues during the race, finishing seventh.

Reversing the order of the heat-one finish lineup for the second heat always creates an exciting race. On the start of lap four AMSOIL driver Rob Rinker suc-

cumbed to the treacherous waters of Bay City, barrel-rolling in turn one.

The boat landed right-side-up with minor damage; Rinker escaped unharmed. The race was restarted and completed with the #10 AMSOIL boat finishing in the third position.

Podium Bay City 2016Once again the AMSOIL crew went to work on necessary repairs to get the #30 AMSOIL boat back in the competition.

The Team AMSOIL boats lined up in the second and eighth positions on the start dock and, as the flags dropped, the #10 boat of Terry Rinker jumped to the lead. Rinker held a comfortable lead to the halfway point of the race when, on lap 15, AMSOIL teammate Rob Rinker was attempting a pass for the fourth position and fell victim to the Saginaw River, barrel-rolling off a wave in turn one. Uninjured and still right-side-up Rob Rinker and his boat were brought to the ramp and retired for the day.

With a comfortable 10-boat lead reduced to only feet between the boats for the restart, a slight hesitation on the motor firing was all it took for the #53 boat of Greg Foster to gain the lead. Covered by spray in the first turn of the restart Terry Rinker was also overtaken by the Series point’s leader, Tim Seebold. Rinker remained close to Seebold until lap 25 when the #16 boat experienced power-trim problems, enabling the AMSOIL machine to retake the second position for the finish of the race.

Brownsburg, Indian - Despite winning ten races and a pair of championships over the course of the last two-and-ahalf seasons, Kody Swanson consistently played second fiddle to his brother, Tanner, each time the USAC Silver Crown division came to Lucas Oil Raceway.

But on Thursday night, Kody finally became first chair, ending Tanner's stranglehold of the .686-mile paved oval and his run of five wins in the last six races at the track, dominating all 100 laps from the pole in a new (to him) racecar in the "Rich Vogler/USAC Hall of Fame Classic."

Kody, of Kingsburg, California, hit the track in a different machine than he usually pilots, which also sported different colors. The DePalma Motorsports team recently acquired the former RFMS Motorsports car, driven by A.J. Fike in recent years, after irreparably damaging the primary, familiar white #63 at Gateway Motorsports Park in June. On this night, though, Kody's car was completely black, except for the red lettering that adorned the nose

Story & Photo | ARCA.COM

and tail tank of the machine. "The Man in Black," as Kody would be known throughout the night, was on a rail from the get-go, setting ProSource Fast Qualifying time to earn the pole starting position.

The pomp and circumstance prior to the start of the main event was abundant with 12 new members joining the class of 2016 during a ceremony held on the front straightaway. Steve Butler, Russ Clendenen, Jimmy Davies, Willie Davis, Bob Higman, Tommy Hinnershitz, Dick King, Rick Mears, Pat O'Connor, Kevin Olson, Tony Stewart and Bob Tattersall all joined the immortal list of those who have been enshrined as one of the legends for their contributions to USAC throughout their careers.

After the fifth annual USAC Hall of Fame induction ceremony concluded, it was time to get down to business. At the drop of the green flag, Kody spurted out front to take the advantage on the opening lap.

Tanner, who started fourth, was not

far behind, taking third from 1999 series champ Ryan Newman after the former Daytona 500 winner slid up and pancaked the wall, but kept on moving, at the exit of turn three on lap four.

As had happened time and time again throughout the night, Kody got a good jump on the restart, pulling away to create a seven-car-length interval between the two by the time the pair had crossed under the white flag.

Entangled in traffic on lap 24, Kody chose to split the lapped cars of David Bryne and Shane Cottle at the exit of turn two, then slide down below to overtake both Shane Cockrum and Casey Shuman in turn four to maintain his gap over a closing Tanner, who chopped Kody's lead by a half-second.

Kody would not be deterred on the final lap, defeating Tanner by 0.768 seconds to finally return to victory lane at Lucas Oil Raceway for the first time since July of 2011 With this victory, Kody retook the point lead by seven markers over Chris Windom.

Photo | Jeremy Rhoades

Jennerstown Speedway after a nine-year hiatus proved to be well worth the wait.

Jennerstown, PA – ISMA's return to the Jennerstown Speedway after a nine-year hiatus proved to be well worth the wait. A quick thunderstorm just prior to feature time rolled in and out but it did not dampen the excitement that proceeded it.

In a seventeen minute, twenty-eeight second, 50 lap feature, only one short yellow flew to slow the action. The side by side racing and lead swapping out front, left the fans who stuck with it, in awe. Early leader Dave Shullick Jr, lost his spot to Mark Sammut, got it back one lap later and then lost it again

to Mike Ordway Jr., but regained it in the same lap. When Ordway Jr.'s 61 shut down on lap 32, Mike Lichty, moving up from ninth, became the challenger and he was able to take over out front on lap 33, never to give up the spot. He took the checkered 17 laps later for a $4,200 payday.

Lichty, who won the ISMA opener at Oswego, became the only repeat feature winner this season and he was quick to credit the people involved. Said Lichty after the race, “This was just an awesome job that was done by everybody.

After we got here I realized how I had forgotten how quick this place is. We weren't that good in practice. We were on extremely old rubber and I noticed a lot of people were out there on new rubber. I was really too concerned then about how fast the speed was. I was more concerned about how the car was. I figured it we were going to practice on old rubber, that was where the car was going to be later on in the race. Everyone just worked hard. We missed time trials just a little bit as the car was

a little off. The heat race was really good and then the car was good, good, compared to everybody else in the feature. The car was a little loose but compared to everyone else obviously we were the quickest race car.

“I just can't thank Craig Reed and Reed's Salvage, Dianna, Carol, Raven, my father with PATCO enough. Then we have a pretty good deal with the Ohio people, Dickie and Dave, our crew back home.. we kind of bounce the car back and forth from shop to shop.

My father, Mark, John, everybody who helps out there, BJ being in Pennsylvania, and we have a shop in Oswego with Dave Syrell and Greg. So this is for all of them. They all work so hard. And, finally a big thanks to Dennis and Level Performance too for the horsepower.

This is the second win for the team this year, hopefully we can get more.”

Dave Shullick Jr. who also has one win on the ISMA trail this year, fought hard to make Jennerstown his second, but fell one spot short.

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