Pocono Recap and Labor Day Weekend Preview

After a busy several weeks of summer travels, I took a couple off from the racing world. Now I will be gearing up for a couple more weeks on the road before waiting patiently for a couple major short track events to conclude the year.

The initial weekend of August meant an annual stop to Pocono Raceway for the Saturday portion of their race weekend, which included NASCAR Sprint Cup Series qualifying, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series qualifying and race and the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards race. As was the norm in this area weather was an uncertainty, but the ugly stuff held off just in time for the victory lane ceremonies for the ARCA race that concluded the afternoon. It was very enjoyable to see two first time winners, Joey Coulter and Chad Hackenbracht in the Truck Series and ARCA respectively. The quality of racing was as usually expected at the 2.5 mile tricky triangle, which resulted in some spread out single-file racing. However, the restarts were quite the show with a couple altercations in the Truck race and Coulter making quite the maneuver for the eventual win. The ARCA race was a little more exciting, also as expected despite there surprisingly being only one caution. It was neat to see the Hackenbracht crew roll the dice and steal away the win from June winner Brennan Poole and the experienced and always hard to beat Venturini Motorsports crew. I left the track feeling satisfied as the rain began to pour down.

Driving away from the storm, I made the decision to head an hour west to Mountain Speedway for an annual stop at the 1/3 mile track for some Saturday night racing. My first time attending a race at this track was in 2007, a late model race which had a turnout of 28 cars. Fast forward to 2012 and the same amount cars turned out across five divisions, including a "race" with one Bandolero. The main event for the night was a 75 lap, double points, $1,500 to win Sport Modified cone race which had a nine car field. Despite the low car counts, the racing was as good as it could probably be. The four car late model race was probably the most interesting of the night and the open-wheel TQ Midgets always put on a show. Unfortunately, it's kind of simple to tell why the competitors and the fans (there had to be less than 200 in the stands) have been slowly dropping off over the years. When arriving at the track nearly a half hour after gates were scheduled to open, there was a line because no one was available to work the ticket booth. Apparently there was an accident on the highway that caused a few of the workers to arrive late, but you would think there could have been some kind of backup plan. In addition, the food seemed a little excessively greasy and the spiders and their webs appeared to make a home for themselves in and around the restroom facilities. I don't like to talk negatively about tracks normally especially as long as they are still in operation and since I am aware that it takes a committed team of staff and mostly volunteers to keep a short track going from week to week, but it's sad to see such a promising place a few years ago in a slightly discouraging condition it is in today. If I don't hear of things improving, I probably will not return next year.

I am kind of glad I bypassed attending Pocono the day after, since the weather was very uncertain and the Cup race ended up being shortened. Seemed like a very dangerous situation that mother nature brought before everyone, and I was saddened to hear about the unfortunate events following the race. Still would have been neat to see the race to the rain and I would like to see Jeff Gordon win a race in person someday before his career is over.

The following weekend I made my first trip of the year to Mahoning Valley Speedway in Lehighton, Pennsylvania. I do not understand why it always seems to take me so far into the year before I head out there, because this is probably one of my favorite tracks. The 1/4 mile circular bullring produces sub-10 second laps for most of the modified field as well as ongoing side by side racing, which is better than Bowman Gray in North Carolina's quality of racing in my opinion. The triple 25 lap modified races produced three different winners, the supporting local divisions put on some great races and once the first feature started the show kept moving. First year track promoter Floyd Santee and the staff there have certainly done an exceptional job making this place enjoyable for the fans and competitors. I am definitely going to try my best to make it back up there at least once or twice more this year.

The last couple weekends I spent some time away from the track, but now it's time to get back at it again and the schedule I have planned surely will make up for it. My Labor Day weekend will consist of three races in four days (weather permitting), starting with a trip down to Ace Speedway in Altamahaw, North Carolina for their Friday night ASA-sanctioned local divisions. Defending ASA Member Track and former NASCAR Winston Racing Series national champion Barry Beggarly will be among the competitors in the field for the twin 50 lap late model stock car features. On Saturday, I will make the short trip to one of my personal favorite tracks Orange County Speedway to see the CARS Pro Cup Series, the Allison Legacy Series and the Rolling Thunder Modifieds. All three series have somewhat struggled with car counts this season, but have produced some good racing and this weekend should be no different. Pro Cup has recently signed Rev-Oil as their series sponsor and looks toward a bright future with that announcement. After a short break on Sunday consisting of some other sightseeing, it will be back to Ace for their Labor Day event. The Madhouse divisions will be on hand including some of the top southern modified racers as well as the USAC Eastern Ignite Midgets.

The weekend after will be an event that I was not originally planning on attending, but from discussions in recent weeks I will finally be attending my first Piney Lasky Memorial race at Motordrome Speedway. I will have the chance of meeting and doing anything I can to assist the Super Cup Stock Car Series for their 50 lap season finale as a guest of Joe Schmaling and the supporters of the series. Four drivers have a shot at the title: currently winless Indiana veteran Jimmie Crabtree, June Motordrome winner Kevin Kromer, two-time defending champion Jody Harrison and his uncle Harvey Harrison. I'll also have the chance to witness the 100 lap TBRA Late Model Series race, which should feature over 30 cars including points leaders George Skora III and Matt Barndt, veteran area racer Glenn Gault Jr., defending Piney winner Jimmy Carter from Ohio, track points leader Neil Brown and North Carolina invader Colt James. I'm really looking forward to and thankful for this opportunity, and perhaps there is the potential for some more of the same in 2013!

Next month I will be putting together a post a little different than the usual. It will be a preview for the Pro All Stars Series All American 400 at the legendary Nashville Fairgrounds, but will be a summary of several statistics I am compiling regarding the teams that will be expected to be competing. I plan on being their the entire long weekend, and can't wait to cross this historic track off my bucket list.

Jam-Packed June

It has been nearly three months since I last posted, but it is great to be back! I needed to take a brief hiatus due to some moderate travel for work and to sort out some odds and ends at home, plus a couple blog ideas never really panned out.

With one third of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season complete, I would personally rate it as slightly above average overall. There have been some promising aspects about 2012, but at the same time some things have been a little discouraging. I think the decrease in number of cautions has benefited the sport despite the fields getting strung out a little more. That’s the way racing should be. Drivers and crews should have to work to get towards the front more often than being set up with late race cautions that bunch the field and change the strategy. At the same time, the statistics from this season seem to be showing a trend where the gap between the “powerhouse” teams and the teams trying to rise up in the series tends to be a growing a bit. Last year we saw five first time winners. This year those drivers have combined for zero top fives and seven top tens in the first twelve races. The most discouraging example has probably been Tommy Baldwin Racing. The year started off fairly smoothly for them, gathering sponsorship after some favorable finishes as well as their alignment with Stewart-Haas Racing in order for Danica Patrick to have a guaranteed spot in the races she competes in. In recent weeks though it seems like the team has been struggling to even finish a race, and leaves us wondering what is going on with this “collaborative partnership.” It has been a bit alarming to see the lack of driver/team progression for the most part so far this season.

On the other hand, arguably the most competitive and promising of the top NASCAR divisions has been the Camping World Truck Series. At a glance, the top five in the current standings looks like a collection of recent ARCA seasons. It has been great to see some new faces challenging for victories, while some of the veterans have been adjusting to new teams and equipment. What would be promising to see is that some of these top drivers get recognized and receive the proper funding to further their racing careers towards the top of the sport. We all know that the Dillon brothers are set with a positive future, but it would be nice to see names like Buescher, Kligerman, Lofton and Peters challenging in the near future for Sprint Cup rookie of the year as well. It would be a huge step up compared to the dismal contests for that award recently.

After that brief analysis, it is time to move on for the remainder of this post and look ahead to the month of June. This particular month is probably going to be my most ambitious travel schedule to date. The second weekend of the month I will be traveling down to Virginia to see the PASS South Super Late Model Series compete at South Boston Speedway. Some notable names have won in the series and currently lead the standings. Kyle Grissom won last time out at Concord for the second time in 2012 and him as well as Ross Kenseth will be tough to beat in the 150 green flag lap race. A host of other competitors should be there as well as the "Bad Boys with the Bad Fast Toys" invade the 4/10 mile oval. In addition, the Late Model Stock Cars will be on hand for twin races. Up and comers Lee Pulliam, Peyton Sellers and current track point leader Matthew Bowling should be among those on hand to race. The MAD modifieds will also be competing, which is a fairly new regional series racing in IMCA-style open wheel modifieds. While I am down for the weekend I plan on doing a little bit of sightseeing, perhaps at Occoneechee State Park and nearby lakeside town Clarksville, Virginia.

The following Friday, I will be taking the day off work to make the four hour drive west to Motordrome Speedway. The track plans to have their five division weekly program as well as the Super Cup Stock Car Series. When the stock car touring series visited there last year, Todd Peck's team and hauler did not arrive until the local features began for the evening. Luckily for him, qualifying was rained out due to a passing shower and lined up for the feature on the outside front row as the team suited up. Without a lap of practice, Peck won the race. If they return this year they will definitely be the car to beat, although it is not certain if they will be there to defend as they prepare for their first Truck Series start of the season at Iowa Speedway in July. Whether they show up or not there will be some other forces to reckon with, such as two-time defending series champion Jody Harrison and teammates JJ Pack and television personality Stephen Cox. The series has gained some steam recently with Cox's production company producing nationally televised broadcasts promoting its grassroots form of racing. I will be heading back Saturday and possibly even stopping off at Lincoln Speedway to see some dirt track sprint car racing on the way home.

The last week of the month will perhaps be my biggest trip so far, as I will be flying out to Las Vegas for the first time ever! I plan on using the first few days to play in a couple poker tournaments and most likely see a show one night. Then on the weekend, I will be detouring out to California (also a first) and seeing a SRL Southwest Tour Series race at Madera Speedway. These are super late models very similar to the PASS Series cars. I am very anxious to see the competitors in this series compete, many of which competed back in the NASCAR Southwest Tour days when those races were televised. When I head back to Nevada for a couple last days I also plan on doing some more sightseeing, which of course has to include the Las Vegas Motor Speedway complex. Should be extremely fun and I am really looking forward to it.

So that is the month of June in a nutshell. I'll be sharing photos and videos from much of the action throughout the month. Should be quite the experience. Hopefully the weather cooperates!

Here Comes 2012!

Welcome to the new year everyone.  I don't know about everyone else, but I'm already getting set to see some racing.  I've had the chance to watch some of SPEED's online stream of Daytona Testing.  It's a nice feature that they offer and it is a delight not to have to put up with a handful of commercials every few minutes.  I believe I have reached my quota for the number of times I've heard the words Danica and Twitter already.  I might have to start extra early this year listening to the races on MRN so that I know what's actually happening on the track during a race.

Before I start going into some of my ambitious plans for 2012, I thought I would recap the last few weeks at the poker tables.  The last time I posted, I left off down some from the Biloxi trip after pretty much no luck at all.  Things turned for the better back home, as I five-way split a small grand-prize tournament and then went to Atlantic City and cashed in an invitational tournament.  I still ended up behind for the year, but the late 2011 winnings sure did make up for some disappointments earlier in the year.  January has started off alright as well winning a couple of nightly prizes already.  Things are looking up for the time being.

Now it's time to shift gears once again to the world of racing, starting with the annual PA Motorsports Show next weekend.  For the casual fan it might appear to be a little sparse when it comes to the driver appearances compared to other years, which may perhaps be in part due to the NASCAR Acceleration and Hall of Fame induction taking place the same weekend in Charlotte starting this year.  However, the show as always plans to offer several cars on display as well as the latest information available regarding area tracks, regional touring series, parts suppliers and much more.

A couple weeks after the show will be the annual Atlantic City Indoor Races.  Once again droves of competitors have signed up to compete across four different divisions, including defending Gambler's Classic race winner Ted Christopher and former NASCAR Busch Series and Truck Series champion Johnny Benson.  Benson is my pick to win this year, not because of his recognizable name but because of his recent open wheel experience and success in ISMA supermodifieds.  The TQ midgets are not the same, but I think his proven versatility and the fact that he will be driving for former winner Lou Cicconi will get him to the front.  I will be at the track both Friday and Saturday night this year, and will have videos and photos to share from both Atlantic City and the Motorsports Show.

While I continue to pass the time through the late winter and early spring, I will be continuing to make some plans for the remainder of the year.  I'm currently waiting patiently for the World Series of Poker schedule to be released in order to plan my first ever visit to Las Vegas this summer.  I'm hoping I can coordinate the schedule so I can ride out to California for a few days and maybe see an SRL Southwest Tour race.  Also, it was recently announced that the Pro All Star Series will be sanctioning the All American 400 at the historic Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway and the distance will return to its traditional 400 laps.  I most certainly will be planning some sort of trip around this race weekend in early October.  As usual some other somewhat local races will be peppered in throughout the summer and in between the major trips, but many exact dates remain to be seen until more official schedules for 2012 have been released.

This Is Not The New 1992, Plus The Final 2011 Trip Preview

What Stewart has accomplished in turning around the former Haas CNC Racing team in such a short time is remarkable, but it still does not even compare to what Alan Kulwicki accomplished in 1992. Stewart has aligned himself with some phenomenal partners since day one, and it is obvious that some of the support came from those around him in these concluding races. I’m not throwing Stewart or his team under the bus as he is one of the most talented and versatile drivers we have seen in recent history. However, there is no argument that Stewart himself, the group from Haas Automation as well as many other corporate sponsors and the assistance from Hendrick Motorsports had already been established and had the luxury of investing a vast amount of funds in order to prepare for this moment. I do not consider Stewart an owner/driver. In my mind, he is a driver/partner.

The last owner/driver champion, Alan Kulwicki, turned a college education and impressive driving skills at the local level into a NASCAR championship in less than a decade. Clearly he gathered the support from a well-rounded team and highly engaged sponsors along the way, but he did this with very little personal funds and without a teammate or satellite team’s expertise. Even if he had the opportunity to consult with similar teams in the garage it would not have been entirely possible, because those were the teams in which he had to race against for the championship in the end.

Going back to 2011, there’s no doubt that Sunday’s race had a phenomenal conclusion. There’s not much in racing that is more exciting than seeing two of the finest competitors push their cars to the limit in order to achieve the victory. The problem I still have is how the champion has been decided in recent years. From a statistical standpoint, some of the numbers just don’t make sense. Stewart earned the least number of top five finishes among champions since 1950 (back when they only had 19 races), which equates to only 25% of this year’s 36 races. I believe that the unique competition in auto racing is entirely different than most other sports, so why try to make it like several of the others and add a playoff format? These teams are competing in a 36+ week marathon to be the best in the sport. From my perspective, the driver that completes the season with the most consistency should be the champion and it’s highly doubtful that my opinion will ever come to any other conclusion.

Now I will be moving on in just over a week to see a race where no points, only bragging rights are involved: the 44th Annual Snowball Derby weekend at Five Flags Speedway. Before I head there I will be stopping in Biloxi, Mississippi for a few days as part of a trip I won a few months back. I’ll be checking out a few of the casinos, playing in a poker tournament and since I’m so close perhaps driving into Louisiana for the first time in my life. Then it will be off to Pensacola, Florida where for the second straight year I plan to attend many of the week's events leading up to the 300 lap race on Sunday. Five Flags Speedway holds 3 nights of supporting races as well as a green flag party on Wednesday night where fans can meet the drivers and listen to live music. There's also the Fast Eddie's Snowball Showdown on Thursday night where fans can race against some of the drivers in go-karts. Speed51.com kicks off the week's festivities on Tuesday night at the local Beef O' Brady's restaurant with a radio show featuring many of the drivers as guests.

I’m going to try and put together a Snowball Derby preview video beforehand if time permits, and plan to upload photos and videos nearly every day during the week. Stay tuned to http://www.youtube.com/ajcrdstr24!

Ups And Downs

To say my last several weeks have had their ups and downs is an understatement.  Luckily, most things have ended on the upside...mainly on the racing and poker front.

The month of July finished off on a positive note with a beautiful night for some short track racing at the little 1/8 mile Clyde Martin Memorial Speedway in Newmanstown, Pennsylvania.  The Micro Sprints put on a great show as usual, and I left the facility satisfied and looking forward to the next weekend's festivities.

What I should have known was that going to a race for a fifth weekend in a row and not having precipitation interfere was too good to be true.  Heading to Pocono Raceway on the first Saturday of August for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and ARCA doubleheader, there was only a 30% chance of rain throughout the afternoon.  During the first few laps of the Truck race following NASCAR Sprint Cup Series qualifying, that changed to 100% fairly quickly.  After a few hours standing under the bleachers, the racing was finally called and rescheduled for Sunday morning.  We even tried to ride out less than an hour west to Mountain Speedway, but when the haulers are driving in the opposite direction as you it is never a good sign.  On the way home we were trying to coordinate how to make it back to the track at such an early hour on Sunday, but as we found out via a visit to the Pocono web site it wouldn't occur at all.  The track required fans to purchase tickets for the Cup race, which also had an iffy weather forecast, and a $25 credit would be rewarded if a Saturday ticket was purchased.  I was not happy with the circumstances, but what can you do against mother nature and also the fact that fans like me that attend only on Saturday are in the minority.  My Saturday ticket will be exchanged at no charge for one of the Saturday races at Pocono next year, but now that I know what the consolation plan is when the races get rained out I probably won't attend again after next year unless I can get some sort of deal for the entire weekend.

Not letting the weather get me down I made a trip to see more races just two days afterward, although the track was just a fraction of the size of Pocono.  I went to the Reading Fairgrounds for Kart and Slingshot racing.  While the $10 probably wouldn't have been worth the admission to the fair, in my opinion, the racing made it well worth it.  It was great to see some grassroots racing once again with the drivers going for the checkered flag just as much as the NASCAR guys.  For instance, one driver battling for the lead in the Slingshot consolation race lost control of his car, got his right side tires on the wall, kept going and still finished in the fourth and final transfer position to the feature without the aid of a caution.

The following weekend was a break from the racing world and a trip back into the poker realm.  Unfortunately, it would end in heartbreak and would continue a three month slump of failing to make any profit at the poker table.

The events during the next week would begin to improve.  It would start with a second place finish in a small poker game and minimal, but reassuring money won during the middle of the week.  As the weekend came around, the weather looked excellent for the Modifieds 100 lap appearance at Mahoning Valley Speedway as part of their Modified Poker Series.  The last two races for this series ended in photo finishes.  There would not be one this time around, but over 10 lead changes between the two leaders Earl Paules and Don Wagner wowed the fans, as well as the weekly local divisions which were all on hand this past Saturday evening.

Mahoning Valley Speedway Modified Poker Series 100

Mahoning Valley Speedway Local Racing

The day after was a rainy one, which meant it was a good afternoon to play some more poker.  I drove to a tournament in which I qualified for where the top 10 finishers would win vacation prize packages.  Some pigs must have been flying with that rain, because I dodged every bullet to make it to the finish.  I was initially considering using the three day, two night package for a trip to Las Vegas next summer, but after thinking things through I'll probably want to go there on my own terms and for a longer period of time.  I'm seriously considering choosing the trip to Biloxi, Mississippi later in the year and after my stay there driving nearly two hours east to Pensacola, Florida to take in the Snowball Derby festivities for the second year in a row.  Overall, it was a great weekend...which happened to be my birthday weekend by the way!

Things are definitely looking up, although my car just broke down and I'm trying to figure out a way to get to Atlantic City this Sunday for a tournament that I also qualified for by finishing in the top 10 this past Sunday.  We'll see what happens going forward, including potential trips to Big Diamond Raceway and Mountain Speedway during Labor Day weekend.  Wish me luck!

Old Dominion Speedway NASCAR Day/Youth For Tomorrow 150 Video Footage

NASCAR Day/Youth For Tomorrow 150
July 23, 2011
Old Dominion Speedway - Manassas, Virginia

NASCAR Day events including Freestyle Motocross demonstrations, monster trucks, show cars, live music and autograph sessions featuring NASCAR and local drivers as well as a few Washington Redskins players all leading up to the 150 lap Late Model Stock Car Event benefiting Joe Gibbs' Youth For Tomorrow foundation.

Features for the UCAR, Legends Car and Bandelero local divisions as well as the Virginia Sprint Car Series.

Post race interviews with the first and second place finishers in the Youth For Tomorrow 150 Late Model Stock Car race.

Driver introductions for the Youth For Tomorrow 150 Late Model Stock Car race.

April Showers Bring...May Showers?

While many of the major racing series across the country have managed to avoid the recent miserable weather across much of the Eastern half of the United States, it has been a rough start to the 2011 season for many local tracks. Some tracks in the area I live have canceled or postponed at least half of their events for the year so far! It has to be putting a dent in the tracks' and competitors' pockets when showers pop up nearly each and every weekend.

Luckily, after several consecutive days of wet weather the sky was sunny and clear for my first visit to Port Royal Speedway. This dirt track had a couple unique features such as a grassy fan accessible infield where you can bring the kids, the frisbee and the family dog for a bit of a day at the park feel at the race track. The flag stand was about three-quarters of the way down the front straightaway, which gave potential for some competitive and fast racing to the line. Despite all of this and some great side by side racing, I quickly remembered why I am not as fond of dirt track racing compared to asphalt short track racing. There were frequent delays due to the soft track from the recent weather, and a noticeable and potentially dangerous groove was forming at least from what I could see into turn one. This and the numerous red flags for clean up following wrecks made me want to go back to the closest asphalt oval where if the track is dry then it's time to go racing!

Mother nature played some havoc during Indianapolis 500 bump day qualifying this past weekend. That is fine and it's all part of the Indy 500 strategy, but what angered me was that almost immediately when the rain drops started falling the announcers part of the online broadcast I was listening to started naming off possibilities in which Danica Patrick could buy her way into the field. Is this what professional auto racing has come to? Buying your way into such a prestigious race like this and punishing those who worked hard to correctly strategize and make the field fair and square? Also, I think it would be a major slap in the face to former open wheel greats such as Emerson Fittipaldi, Al Unser Jr. and Bobby Rahal who all at one time had to deal with the frustration of missing the field for their biggest race of their season.

One of my goals in life has always been to travel to the Hoosier state for the entire month of May, and as that possibility draws closer to one of these years a situation such as this actually happening would completely change that goal. Luckily, it will not happen this year and it looks to be one of the most competitive Indy 500s in years! Ganassi and Penske could possibly be dethroned and many drivers making one off appearances have a realistic chance, much like how it used to be. I'm going quite a bit out on a limb and predicting Ed Carpenter to win in the Sarah Fisher Racing ride. He has been fast the entire month and why not choose the Greatest Spectacle in Racing for a breakthrough win. Don't count out veteran Dan Wheldon, the pole winner Alex Tagliani or former Indy 500 champion Buddy Rice among others either.

Shifting to the Coca-Cola 600, I'm thinking it will be one of the top drivers this year that will be the favorite. Carl Edwards was strong last weekend with his in win the All-Star race, but Jimmie Johnson is my pick to win the longest race of the year. Despite its longevity, this race always has the potential for a first time winner. Maybe Marcos Ambrose, David Ragan, A.J. Allmendinger or Ricky Stenhouse, who will make his debut subbing for Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne, will breakthrough into victory lane. It would be nice to see a driver that hasn't won in awhile take the checkers, such as Bobby Labonte or Mark Martin.

As I sit on my couch for in my opinion the biggest overall day of racing during the year, I will be hoping for some precipitation free and less severe weather as we approach the summer months...during the weekends at least. I'll be taking a break from traveling to the races during the early summer due to some other events going on. One of these events will be a trip to The Borgata in Atlantic City to play in another poker tournament during their Summer Poker Open. I haven't decided which one I will play yet, but I am leaning towards the newly introduced bounty tournaments. The format of this is you are given a "bounty" chip as part of the tournament fee and every time you knock a player out you earn another chip. Each chip that you earn is worth a specified sum of money, regardless of whether you cash in the tournament.

My next post will report on my results and provide a preview of my various racing journeys during the months of July and August. Until then, take care and stay dry!

Less Than A Month Until THE RACE!

Most might refer to the 2011 Daytona 500 as potentially the race of the year even though we're not even a month into the official racing season, and while NASCAR is off to a positive start with the excellent competition in the Cup and Truck Series I think the best stock car race of the year might not even be NASCAR sanctioned.

The Pro All Stars Super Late Model Series has continued to gain momentum each year since adding its presence in the Southeast in 2006 during the demise of the old NASCAR Southeast/All Pro Series, and in 2010 they announced the country's richest asphalt short track race to take place at the Historic North Wilkesboro Speedway on April 9, 2011. The winner will take home, at a minimum, $75,000 for the victory in this 300 lap race. A PASS Series regular will receive a bonus and with supporters signing up to sponsor nearly a third of the race's laps, the victor could easily see a 6 figure payday. The drivers and teams have come calling with over 70 entered from all over the United States and Canada, and more are expected.

As a fan, once this race was announced and it was assured that this event would take place, I began to plan my trip. Now that the preliminary racing events from the winter months have taken place, I'm ready to head South! Before I go into the plans for my trip, I'll briefly recap the latest two events I attended. The 26th Annual Racing Legends Reunion and Car Show took place in late February at the Fairgrounds Mall in Reading, Pennsylvania. I don't recall ever going to this show before and was quite surprised about how much there was to offer and see. Photos can be viewed here: https://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2067223&id=37801386&l=47282190cc. The following weekend I attended the Laurel Mall Racing Show in Hazleton, Pennsylvania for the second straight year. This show was smaller than the previous year and turned out to be a bit disappointing. Photos from this show can be viewed here: https://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2067427&id=37801386&l=7b8f986673.

I've done quite a bit of sightseeing in the past, but this trip might be one of the best. In addition to "The Race," there will be a transporter parade through North Wilkesboro, plenty of practice sessions, qualifying, heat races and a 100 lap Modified race to witness from Thursday through Saturday. Outside of North Wilkesboro, my travel plans will include but are not limited to the Richard Childress Racing and Hendrick Motorsports race shops, the Sam Bass Gallery and the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte. I like the move of the Hall of Fame induction to January, but I wish they would have done it a year sooner so I could see the second class when I visit. Nevertheless, it's going to be an excellent time!

There's a lot of preparation for a trip like this even as a fan, but I will make sure I tune in to see some NASCAR short track racing with Bristol and Martinsville coming up. I've also been getting back into playing some more poker in recent months and have a couple tournaments coming up for some nice prizes (perhaps some travel money for North Carolina!) Lastly I'll be making my picks and paying close attention to the NCAA College Basketball tournament as always. My pick to win it all is dependent on one player. If Kyrie Irving comes back, I have a feeling Duke will be hard to beat for two championships in a row. If he doesn't, Ohio State will easily be the favorite to win it all.

Next month I'll be back to share photos and videos from North Wilkesboro and preview my next trip which I'm trying to put together for the end of April.

If I Ran A Racing Series

I hope everyone is staying warm. Spring and the racing season are just about officially around the corner! Before I delve into the topic my title states, I wanted to share that the Motorsports 2011 show and the Atlantic City Indoor Races were once again a success and a great time. Photos from the show can be viewed at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2066219&id=37801386&l=0c43f11051 and videos from the races can be watched at http://www.youtube.com/ajcrdstr24.

Now, for the main topic. I came up with this idea after reading the numerous articles prior to, during and after NASCAR announced their changes for 2011. Many are clearly not my own original ideas, but I think put together these would make for a competitive racing series. Since I'm not close to knowledgeable with cars themselves, this is mostly an overview regarding the competition:

- Practice - An hour and a half to two hour practice session, which takes place prior to qualifying. If the practice session is postponed due to inclement weather, the qualifying session will be replaced with a practice session and the speeds will set the order for the race.

- Qualifying - Slowest car in practice qualifies first, fastest qualifies last. If a car does not practice a specified number of laps, it will not be eligible to qualify. A pre-determined amount of cars, depending on the race track's size, will qualify for the race. In the event that qualifying is canceled, practice session speeds will set the order for the race.

- Provisionals - Up to 4 provisional starters will be added to the field. A team must be in the top 25 in points and have competed with the same driver for at least 90% of the races to be eligible. A team can use up to 2 provisional starts a year.

- Last Chance Race - To set the remaining 4 spots in the field, a short distance last chance race will be held. Teams will be paid a small sum of money for competing in this race. I stress small so that it will not benefit a team to start and park in the race. To transfer into the field, the driver must finish on the lead lap. In the unlikely event that less than four cars finish the scheduled distance, then only the drivers that finish will transfer into the field.

- Race - Declared official once one lap more than half the race has concluded. Caution laps due to weather will not count. A pre-determined limited number of tires may be used per car in each race. Sharing tires between teams will be forbidden. Drivers will not race back to the caution, but there will not be a lucky dog/free pass rule. Lapped cars that are determined to be running a comparable pace with the leaders are allowed to hold their track position under caution and prior to the double-file restart. They are also allowed to pit on the same lap as the leaders. Pit stops for tires under caution will be disallowed during the last 10% of the race distance and will result in a two lap penalty, unless a flat or flat-spotted tire can be proved. Caution laps will count, except during the last ten laps. In other words, ten non-consecutive green flag laps must be run to finish the race.

- Post-Race - If a technical infraction is found or a team breaks any other unlawful rules, they will forfeit all points and money won for the weekend. A post-race autograph/meet-and-greet session will take place following victory lane festivities. Post-race should allow the fans, teams and drivers to embrace the race that just took place. Drivers shouldn't have to race out to catch their plane and fans shouldn't have to race out to beat traffic. Drivers will be required to participate, but of course exceptions will be made in the unfortunate event where a driver is forced to seek further medical attention following the race.

- Points - Will be rewarded in a fashion where first will receive the most points and last will receive the least, as it is with most stock car racing series. Bonus points will be rewarded to lap leaders, but laps under caution will not count towards bonus points. The driver leading the most green flag laps will receive a further bonus. Due to the close competition in this day and age, qualifying points will not be rewarded. The driver with the most points at the end of the season will win the points championship.

- Money won - Similar to golf, poker tournaments and major short track races across the country, the winner of the race will win a larger sum of the money. 2nd through last will receive a slightly decreasing amount of money. The driver who wins the most money (contingency money not included) at the end of the season will be rewarded with a further bonus as well as the money won championship. The top 20 in points will also receive bonuses via a point fund.

- Rookie of the Year - A driver is eligible for rookie of the year if they competed in less than seven races in the series or another series of a pre-determined higher or same level during previous seasons. A driver will lose their eligibility if they fail to attempt at least 90% of the races during the season. If no eligible driver meets the aforementioned criteria, then there will be no rookie of the year award. The rookie with the most driver points (same as what determines the points champion) will win the rookie of the year award.

To sum things up, I think it would be advantageous to have both a points champion and a money won champion. Rewards would go out for both winning and consistency. From various short track races I've been to recently, I think that a race not ending until ten non-consecutive green flag laps are completed is a better idea than multiple green-white-checkered finishes. While racing back to the caution is quite unsafe, I still think that a driver should earn their lap back rather than receive a free pass. I strongly object to a driver winning rookie of the year for only competing in approximately half the races. I also dislike when a race is decided based on pit strategy very late in the race. As important as the pit crews are, I think the drivers should have to earn the victory on the race track and I think it's thrilling to see them wheel an ill-handling car on older tires for the win as well. A driver should have to earn their way into the field, but I don't think there is anything wrong with a mulligan or two. Bad weekends happen. Most important of all, the races take place mainly because of the fans. Their ticket purchase should give them the right to meet the drivers and personalities no matter high or low the level of racing is.

Love them or hate them, those are the ideas that I think would work the best. Next time, I'm sure I'll be talking about some more racing related subjects. I'll also talk about my preparation for attending the big race at North Wilkesboro Speedway in April.

It's Almost Snowball Derby Time!

As I sit at my computer typing this blog, I keep counting down the days for what might be the single most exciting trip of my life! On Tuesday, November 30 I will depart the Harrisburg International Airport and connect to a flight to Pensacola from Charlotte. Amazingly, it will be my first time outside the eastern time zone. After arriving in Pensacola, I will ride in my first official rental car to my hotel and from there it will be time to check out the many attractions Pensacola, Florida has to offer and the several events going on all week leading up to the 43rd Annual Snowball Derby. I will document the entire trip with my camera and flip video, posting photos and videos for everyone to see when I get back.

If you are unfamiliar with the Snowball Derby, it is a who's who of short track super late model racing with a bit of NASCAR flavor. Current NASCAR drivers David Ragan, David Stremme and Landon Cassill as well as Truck Series drivers Ryan Sieg and Johanna Long will be there competing. Although defending race winner Kyle Busch will be busy attending the NASCAR banquet, he will still have a presence fielding two cars for the race. Future stars with some familiar last names Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney and Ross Kenseth will be there contending for the win. Former winners of the 300 lap race Augie Grill, Clay Rogers, Eddie Mercer, Dave Mader III and perhaps Bobby Gill will all be there. Other notables among the current 55 entries include former ARCA champion Tim Steele, current ARCA driver Grant Enfinger, ASA Midwest driver Dan Fredrickson, former Kevin Harvick Inc. driver Cale Gale just to name a few. A couple drivers who have a ton of laps at Five Flags Speedway but have come up short from winning the Snowball Derby will be there to try again: Wayne Niedecken Jr. and David Rogers.

The night preceding the big race will be a 100 lap pro late model race called the Snowflake. Currently approximately 65 cars are entered including many of the names that will headline the Snowball Derby. Among the drivers doing double duty will be Mike Garvey, Stephan McCurley, Johanna Long, Ryan Crane, Bubba Pollard, Josh Hamner, Chase Elliott and Augie Grill. Modifieds, Super Stocks, Sportsman and Bombers will all be on hand for feature races during the week as well.

Predictions for Snowball Derby: How can you go against the 14 year old phenom Chase Elliott who has 12 wins in a late model in 2010? I think he will be taking the biggest win of his career so far at the Snowball Derby. Ross Kenseth will turn in an excellent second place performance with 2010 USAR Pro Cup champion Clay Rogers finishing third. My dark horse pick is Donnie Wilson. This Oklahoma driver has not won any races of this magnitude, but he has someone who has calling the shots. Freddie Query has been his crew chief all year and they have steadily improved race after race. The feel good story will be if David Rogers, after years of trying, would make it into victory lane.

Predictions for Snowflake: The double duty drivers will reign supreme as Mike Garvey, who has won two recent pro late model races and I think he will be able to take home his third during the Snowflake 100. Fan favorite Johanna Long will finish second and Georgia driver Bubba Pollard third. Kenzie Ruston will be my dark horse for this race. She hasn't really had the finishes to show for it, but she has run very well in some of the late model races she has competed in this year. The feel good pick would go to Eddie Mercer as this may quite possibly be his last Snowball Derby week as a driver.

Predictions for Homestead: Jeff Gordon wins and becomes the first full time driver to win at every Cup track he's competed on. Despite the silly chase format, Kevin Harvick finishes 2nd and wins the championship anyway when Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin finish just outside the top ten, giving Richard Childress Racing their first Cup championship since they won it with Dale Earnhardt in 1994. Finally, after the major set back of the week when Furniture Row Racing's hauler was involved in an accident going back to the race shop, the team regroups and Regan Smith gets his first top ten since his win at Talladega in 2008!

Babbling About Television Ratings

It's a given that week after week the television ratings for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races continue to sag. Given the arguments about the economy with less people investing in cable and satellite television, opinions that the radio announcing team is better than certain television networks and the presentation of television coverage (with all the commercials) taking a hit; let's set those aside and look at a couple other factors that I feel are making a major impact.

I do not like comparing NASCAR to other professional sports, but for the television aspect it must be viewed this way. NASCAR, much like all professional sports, has several teams/drivers/players a fan can pick from and some have a greater fan base over others. For instance, in Major League Baseball how many times do you hear the phrase: this outcome "will reduce the TV ratings" whenever mainstream teams such as the Yankees, Phillies, Red Sox or Braves fail to make the World Series? The answer to that question brings us to NASCAR. Dale Earnhardt Jr. has been by far the Most Popular Driver over more than half of the last decade. With millions of fans, his continuous fading away from a chance at wins and championships over recent years has to be impacting the sport in a negative way, as many slowly turn their backs and lose interest.

I think while the culture of individualizing sports players/drivers into big stars through fan bases, contracts and endorsement deals has definitely made professional sports what they are today, it is no doubt killing them at the same time. Some members of these fan bases focus on their one particular team and could care less about the rest of them, and when their team is out of the running they change the channel to find other entertainment. Whatever happened to people watching sports for the sheer enjoyment of it? Less and less people seem to be interested in the underdog story anymore. Society has pushed this selfishness onto many of us, leaving us saying "if my team's not winning, then it doesn't matter!" Obviously, when I say many or most I'm referring to mainly the casual fans. The hardcore sports fans tend to stick with their sport through thick and thin.

The one exception appears to be the NFL, which continues to thrive in the ratings category. Just think that no matter who is playing, millions of people look forward to the Super Bowl each year. To add to it, gatherings occur throughout the season for Monday night, Sunday night football, etc. no matter what teams are in the limelight (of course I am aware in areas around the major cities there normally is a spike in interest). NASCAR has some elements similar to it, but in addition to the tracks' promotions I think NASCAR and the television networks need to strive a little more to make each of their races their own major event. More needs to be done than the posts on NASCAR.com's homepage or the 15 second commercial that airs. Some random person off the street will most likely be familiar with the Daytona 500 or Brickyard 400, but would they know what the Lenox Industrial Tools 301 in Loudon is unless they live in the New England area? Trying to think from the casual fan's mindset, it just seems like some of these races are just another weekend at some track that looks different from the last one they were at. How is that supposed to convince more people to watch?

NASCAR should take some aspects from the marketing efforts of the NFL, or even other successes such as the Olympics or college basketball's March Madness and learn something about making themselves something absolutely unique as possible once again. Make it something that anybody that just has a glimmer of interest can't miss. I'm just tired of seeing events generalized and the officials wondering why their ratings are down every week. The answers are right in front of you. Do something about it!

NASCAR On South Park

Before I begin, I would honestly say that I am quite the South Park fan. While some of their humor can be considered vulgar, derogatory or sometimes childish; most often they successfully and brilliantly put a hilarious spin on pop culture and make some things questionable in the world today pretty funny.

That was not entirely the case with the "NASCAR" episode of South Park. In no way was I offended by their take on their views of auto racing; however, I would like to critique the episode without going into too much detail and ruining it for anyone who hasn't seen it yet.

This particular episode could have been about just about any subject and I would have been slightly unimpressed. It appeared that they just slapped an episode together in a few hours and said "here you go, Comedy Central!" Obviously I'm not referring to the visual aspect of the show (which always sort of looks to be thrown together in a short amount of time, haha!), but more the substance and plot of the episode.

In retrospect, maybe the creators should have done some research such as reading articles about what has been going on recently, or even read various fans' blogs all over the Internet criticizing some moves NASCAR has made recently and somehow factor it into the episode. They've done the same thing with hundreds of other topics for years and kept audiences laughing over and over again.

I wouldn't even mind if they completely tore NASCAR apart as long as they did it the right way, which normally involves me laughing and saying "that's true!" It was unfortunate that I went into the evening looking forward to this episode and ended up for the most part disappointed.

All is good though. I'm sure they will be back to their normal ways next week...when they make fun of Jersey Shore.

I Honestly Never Thought I Would Say This, but...

...I went to the historic North Wilkesboro Speedway to watch some live racing! After experiencing the 2008 Daytona 500, I thought nothing would ever top that. Then, just over a year later I went to the reopened Rockingham Speedway and thought nothing would ever top that. Now I've been to the first stock car races at North Wilkesboro since 1996 and I've come to the conclusion that it just keeps getting better! The short track in the small North Carolina town may not have had as much three wide racing or hype as the Daytona 500 or didn't have Andy Hillenburg's rejuvenation and the speed of Rockingham, but it was the best overall race weekend atmosphere I've ever witnessed. Great food, great competitors and most importantly a great turnout of great fans were on hand and that's all North Wilkesboro needed to make it a successful first weekend back. Smiles were on everyone's faces throughout the entire race day. The only minor complaint I had was the old scoring pylon was not operable and it was a little hard to follow how many laps were complete during green flag racing. Initially I thought the old NASCAR Winston Cup Series painted walls were going to make the place look a little run down, but it along with the old 76 gasoline ball on pit road gave the track a very nostalgic look that you just don't see at almost any race track anymore. I literally cannot wait to go back for the 300 lap Pro All Stars Series Super Late Model race in April 2011! Photos from my trip can be found at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2061668&id=37801386&l=5ec159c551 (you do not need to be a Facebook member to view the album). Videos from the racing action can be found on my YouTube page: http://www.youtube.com/ajcrdstr24.

And now...it's time to wind down for the next few months. I've been paying a moderate amount of attention to the NASCAR ranks, but haven't had a chance to watch or listen to any races from green to checker. Speaking of which, does anybody else mute their ESPN/ABC TV broadcast and listen to the MRN radio broadcast instead? In the news, I saw that Justin Allgaier has been set free by Penske to seek other options. How can Roger Penske do this?! Allgaier has proved that he is the most talented stand-alone Nationwide Series driver and has proved he is quite the versatile driver winning the ARCA championship a few years back with wins throughout his short career on short tracks, intermediate tracks, superspeedways, dirt tracks, road courses and even Pocono! If someone doesn't sign this rising star for 2011, something is completely wrong with NASCAR and I will be completely baffled about what can be done to save the future from going down the tube. Hopefully he doesn't go the same route as talent like Stephen Leicht and virtually disappear from the sport. On the other hand, I hope he doesn't go the Landon Cassill route and take one-race start and park rides with underfunded teams. Good for Landon getting his name out there, but there has to be a better way although I'm not sure what that could be. Auto racing has something that no other sport or competition experiences. Sure you need to have a bankroll if you want to aspire to be a professional at just about anything, but the bankroll needed for a professional racing career is astronomical when you compare it to just about anything else. Maybe that's what makes it so fascinating yet frustrating at the same time. It might be too early to be worried about this entire subject, but I sincerely hope that I'm not the one saying I told you so at Daytona in 2011.


Like I said before, I will pretty much be winding down getting into a bit of a save mode. I have one major poker tournament coming up in October where approximately the top dozen players will get invited to another tournament in Atlantic City where various prize packages will be offered. After that I'll be counting down the days until I get to fly down to Pensacola, Florida for the 43rd Annual Snowball Derby! More details about this upcoming trip to follow...

2011 Schedule Analysis and Other Exciting Happenings

I don't have much to gripe about regarding the last few weeks' happenings, but one thing I wanted to talk about is some of the schedule changes for the three major NASCAR series in 2011. Here's my summary of wins and fails:

- Kansas 2nd date: I'm torn between whether this is a WIN or FAIL. I don't really think they or any other 1.5 mile track with one date on the schedule deserves a second date, but technically it is replacing a California race date which suffered with sub par crowds and less competitive races. The June date is also a plus. The Midwest location is good and the new casino traffic could increase crowds much like I'm sure it does with Las Vegas and Dover; however, I would think Iowa should have been in the running for a Cup date. It has a Midwest location as well and it would put another short track on the schedule.

- Kentucky date: I'll have to go with this being a WIN. Excellent location, or so I've heard, for a race to be held and that along with the July date should attract a decent crowd. I'm not a big fan of Bruton or 1.5 mile tracks, but this race should be a pretty good one.

- Only one California date: WIN! The move of their only race back to late March should be a good thing, and maybe it will even attract some more fans to the races. Moving Phoenix to the old California date should also be a WIN, maybe a little bit reminiscent to the old Copper World Classic days.

- Only one Atlanta date: FAIL, but not necessarily NASCAR's fault. I think the track would be much better off if they had stuck with the original configuration and didn't convert it to the cookie cutter tri-oval format. When they lost the season finale they haven't really been able to rebound back either. Deletion of the March race is most likely a good thing, especially with the weather problems there have been in the past.

- Chicagoland date change: FAIL! It may be NASCAR's second largest market, but isn't that the case for most sports? It may attract fans to the race track, but I don't see any TV ratings increasing.

- Late July & August races being pushed back a week: WIN, but that might just be me being selfish. Now I get to see the annual micro sprint races that I go to every year during the last Saturday of July AND get the option of going to Pocono the following weekend to see the Truck Series and ARCA compete on Saturday. The races are back to the way they originally fell. The only downside is the Cup Series last break will be July 24. That's a lot of consecutive racing.

- Nationwide addition of Iowa race: WIN! Iowa gets rewarded after some large crowds and great racing. Now, if only the Cup Series would get a date and maybe you could hear or read the words SOLD OUT for once!

- Nationwide addition of Chicagoland race: FAIL! What is the point of this? Why not just run a second Kansas race with the Cup that weekend. If this is the start of their stand-alone plan to get less Cup drivers to compete for the championship then that is a FAIL as well, especially since none of the actual race dates conflict.

- Other Nationwide Schedule notes: Montreal moved to the same weekend as Michigan will take away from the prestige of the event a little, but on the other hand it will be a nice alternative for that weekend. One other note, two off weekends in a row in October? Why not go back to Martinsville or another short track that used to be on the schedule back in the series heyday instead?

- Truck Series notes: Overall schedule is still a FAIL. Way too many holes in the first half of the year. They tried to patch it a little bit with Darlington in March, but that doesn't make too much sense either. That may be an awfully cold race weekend for the fans. One Truck Series date is still TBA and it would be nice to see them go back to their roots with an additional short track race, but it's looking like they're going to Kentucky for a second time which doesn't make much sense. To sum it up the Truck Series will once again have great racing, but the schedule is quite unsatisfactory.

I have a couple more comments to add about this past weekend's races at Montreal. First of all the competition hasn't been the greatest to say the least regarding the Nationwide Series recently, but this is the race that I end up missing? Great finish and congratulations to Boris Said III and the entire RAB Racing crew. It's great to see a team like this in victory lane, and it can very well be the biggest upset since David Gilliland won at Kentucky a few years back. I hope the nice paycheck will keep RAB Racing around for awhile, and maybe the powers that be at Zaxby's may now think twice about not keeping their racing sponsorship predominantly within the family.

Prior to the Nationwide race was the Canadian Tire Series race, which also had an exciting although more controversial finish. If you didn't see it or hear about it, please go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hba5ntCOLaw or to user Battalionfan888's YouTube page. My impression is there's a difference between payback for slight contact and dumping someone. Sounded and looked like there was a little favoritism from the officials and the crowd; however, the initial contact probably kept the officials from doing anything about it. There's been quite a conversation about this going on all year regarding Keselowski vs. Edwards, and it looks to be evident in other series as well.

Things have been a little quiet recently on the local front, as I'm gearing up for the return of racing to North Wilkesboro Speedway! Earlier in the month I enjoyed some 358 sprint and late model racing at Williams Grove Speedway featuring Kasey Kahne, Tony Stewart and Kyle Busch. The NASCAR drivers got schooled! I went to Sundance Vacations Speedway during my birthday weekend and as always had a good time at the 1/3 mile track north of Hazleton, Pennsylvania up in the mountains. Videos from the racing action can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/ajcrdstr24. I also finished eighth in a Borgata qualifier tournament that same weekend and won the runner-up prize of $50 cash. It's better than nothing I suppose. It doesn't look like there will be any major poker tournaments coming up until October or November.

Next up will be the return of racing to North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Carolina for the first time since Jeff Gordon won a NASCAR Winston Cup Series race there in 1996. The always exciting Pro All Stars Series along with the Allison Legacy Series, Limited Sportsmans and Stadium Stocks will be there Labor Day Weekend for the Labor Day Classic 200. The PASS South cars will be running 200 green flag laps and a fairly large turnout is expected. I'll have photos and video footage available after I get back.

Should We Start Keeping Track of Crew Chief Victories?

Ok...so the title is a little sarcastic, but seriously! Has anyone else noticed that the winners of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races in 2010 have been decided by mixed pit strategies in the end much more often than in the past? A team's pit crew plays a HUGE part in the overall performance during any given race weekend, but with late race cautions it's becoming a fact that one little mistake or one little gamble is the difference between a crew chief looking like a genius or a complete idiot. In the end it results in the best car sometimes not even having a chance to win. When the rain started falling after what ended up being the final pit stops during Sunday's race at Pocono, the announcers started comparing Sam Hornish staying out on the track to Dave Marcis' win at Richmond in 1982. I was barely a thought in 1982, but there's a huge difference. While he may not have battled for the lead, Marcis was one of a handful of cars that was in contention for the win. Hornish lost a lap on at least one occasion on a 2.5 track and ran around 25th the entire race with an ill-handling car and the team perhaps made a lucky gamble. As it turned out, the race went back to green and Greg Biffle who's team also made a gamble in the pits had the all important clean air and pulled away for the win. Congratulations to his team, but with these sometimes gutsy calls it takes out teams who stuck with their plans for four tires and fuel from contention. Where or should they draw the line? I have never looked at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series as a 20 lap dash with an inverted field, but it sure is starting to look that way sometimes. One way to alleviate this is to not permit these teams from pitting for tires under caution after a certain point of the race. It would cut costs with teams possibly saving them at least one set of tires, and the end of the race would be more in the drivers' hands trying to handle their race car on old tires.

These sudden winners are also making the chase more of a crapshoot than it already is. To date, Biffle has been in contention for the win at most a couple occasions while Jeff Gordon has been in contention at least a half dozen times. However, due to the current rules Biffle will start the chase ten points ahead. If they're going to include the bonus points for winning the race, why not also include the bonus points for leading laps? It's ridiculous that Carl Edwards has led only six laps all season and currently will start the chase with as many points as guys like Jeff Burton and Jeff Gordon who have led hundreds of laps during the season and ended up unlucky at the end of the race! Based on my calculations, with laps led included after 21 races the start of the chase would like this:



Notice that instead of what would normally be a 50 point difference between first and twelfth, there would be a 130 point difference. However, 130 points is still a margin that can be made up in ten races. Also, with laps led points maybe we could see some more intense challenges for the lead during the middle stages of races and not so many teammates letting each other by to lead some laps. One thing that so far would not make a difference this year, but I think should be reflected in the chase as well are points penalties. If a team gets penalized prior to the chase, why should they be allowed to start with a clean slate? Just look at how 2007 would have started for example:



Notice despite having the most wins Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson are mid-pack to start off the chase due to their 100 point penalty earlier in the season. After the chase races the final point standings would have looked like this:



No major change in the final standings, right? However, the final points margin actually ended up being smaller. Maybe if NASCAR would have factored in laps led and penalties then maybe it would quiet many of the naysayers that think Johnson or Gordon cheated their way to the top two in points that year, or say that Bowyer didn't deserve third in points. This system would show teams earning their championships based on performance more than it does now. Why won't NASCAR look at a system like this that encompasses more than just one stat or a silly elimination format?

On the local side of things, mother nature butted into the night's racing action at Motordrome Speedway and postponed the last two local races. Luckily they were able to get the first two local shows and the Super Cup Stock Car Series race in, which turned out to be some decent races with some old names from the Pro Cup Series competing. Perhaps the biggest name in the field was Todd Peck, and unfortunately they suffered mechanical problems prior to the green flag and weren't even able to start the race. Videos from the trip can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/ajcrdstr24. Two weeks later I made an annual stop at Clyde Martin Memorial Speedway and for the first time in three years we didn't haven't to put up with any rain delays. The weather and the micro sprint racing were great!

Thanks to the encouragement from a friend, I have made a spur of the moment decision to attend the Battle at the Grove at Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania on Thursday, August 4. This night of racing will feature Kasey Kahne and Tony Stewart racing sprint cars and Kyle Busch racing a dirt late model. From there, I might go to Sundance Vacations Speedway north of Hazleton, PA for some local racing a couple weeks later. Possibly more videos and another blog post coming in late August.

Empty-Handed, But At Least The Future Looks Good

There are various subjects to talk about in this blog edition. Unfortunately, I came back from Atlantic City empty handed. I played in the $300 + $50 No Limit Hold'Em Poker Tournament on Tuesday, June 22nd, and for seven hours the deck of cards was extremely cold to me. I managed to hold on to about 35th place out of the 191 that started, which I feel was very respectable considering the cards I was dealt and the very few maneuvers I was able to make with the cards I did have. Despite not cashing it was a very enjoyable experience. The only thing I'll have to do differently next time will be to change my mindset a little bit on how a play certain hands. After playing free tournaments and $100 and less cash tournaments for the past five years, I found out that playing a $300 tournament is a very different game. People respect your raises and I feel like I could have made a couple more maneuvers with some hands that I decided to fold, or not raise so much when I had a good hand. Would it have made the difference between making the final four tables and making it into the cash? Probably not, but you never know with the game of poker. It was definitely a learning experience and I left Atlantic City satisfied with how I played. I'll be saving up some money to head down there another time. Back home the game of poker has worked out well for me, making a profit in every game I played in during the last week. The Pennsylvania table games are opening for business during the month of July, but I'm trying to stay away for the moment, avoiding the crowds and saving a few bucks. I'm entered in a couple more invitational tournaments in the coming weeks, which offer some more prize packages including Atlantic City trips so we'll see how I do in them. One of them that I'm proud to say I've qualified for the third year in a row for is the Venue Leader Tournament. I qualified for this through a bar I play a free game at just about every week and I accumulated the most points for 2009. In the past couple years, this tournament has offered prizes to all the finishers at the final table and the winner has received a Borgata prize package valued at approximately $1,000.

Moving over to NASCAR News, I must say that I'm very discouraged with some of these things Brian France has to say about what they are considering for the chase. Elimination format? Jumbling race tracks around each year? Why would they want to do this? I can't stand when they start comparing racing to other sports, saying that an elimination format would be similar to College Basketball March Madness. No, it won't be. Competition in racing has NOTHING to do with other sports and should not be compared to them. Instead of trying to find a way to boost interest in the season finale, why not help the individual race tracks some more and focus on each individual race? The more they focus on the end of the season, the more the ratings and fan interest in races throughout the rest of the season will continue to decline. Shuffling or revolving dates around in the chase will not work either. NASCAR has set itself apart for being the unique sport to hold it's "Super Bowl" during the beginning of the year at the Daytona 500. Now, they're thinking about trying to revolve dates around like the NFL does for their season finale? It will not work and I don't know how they expect to generate increased interest in this besides on television. Sponsors have commitments to the current last race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Many fans count on the race in their area to be in a certain specific date range each year so they can plan accordingly and purchase tickets. It's not the same as other sports. NASCAR fans don't have half the season as home games; at most they have two. A maneuver like this would price out several fans, which I assume would decrease the attendance at races even more.

Despite some of the questionable moves NASCAR is considering and the almost non-existent rookie battle in 2010, the next generation of possible NASCAR competitors looks very promising. Three sons of current NASCAR competitors have especially caught my eye over the last couple years: Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney and Ross Kenseth. All three, while they most likely have more funding, media training and are getting an earlier start than many competitors, are proving with their performance on the short tracks that they are the drivers of the future while keeping a very level-headed and often times humble demeanor. The thing I like most about these three is the steady approach that their families are taking in moving them up the racing ladder.

- Most notably is Chase Elliott, son of 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup Series champion Bill Elliott. He has taken the Super Late Model world by storm with several wins in recent months. With support from Ford, Aaron's and Red Bull, just about any good driver should be running well in that equipment, but Chase isn't getting overly cocky about his performance and appears to be learning something every time he takes to the racetrack. And who better to have as a mentor than his dad Bill? His young age of 14 will allow him to continue to gain track time before he's able to move up to the next level at 16 and then to the top NASCAR levels if he's ready at age 18.

- Ryan Blaney may be the more underfunded of the three with his dad, NASCAR competitor and former USAC and World Of Outlaws champion Dave Blaney, providing support pretty much for the entire race team. However, he has definitely caught my eye as the one to watch for in the next few years. I had the chance to see Ryan for the first time in 2008 at Caraway Speedway in Asheboro, North Caroliona when he was making one of his first PASS South Super Late Model Series starts. He qualified about mid-pack, but kept his car in one piece and finished sixth. The next year I saw him race at Orange County Speedway and at one point he held a half lap lead. Unfortunately, he was involved in an altercation not of his own doing which led to a cut tire and an unfavorable finish. In 2010 he has been one of the drivers to beat in the PASS series, nearly lapping the field at the season opener in Dillon, South Carolina and winning once more to date. This is another example of a young driver who is taking his time to move up. He has spent nearly three years in super late models and him and his dad have even discussed some dirt track racing in the near future. By the time Ryan is ready to make the next step, he will already be a well-seasoned short track racer.

- Ross Kenseth is probably the one that I know the least about, but he is the son of 2003 NASCAR champion Matt Kenseth. In my opinion, he quietly came onto the stock car racing scene in 2007 when he began competing in the Big 8 Late Model Series, which I believe is a limited late model series in the Midwest that competes in some shorter distance races. He was fast qualifier that year in October at LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speedway in Wisconsin, and claimed two wins in 2008. In 2009, he won the series championship. Later that year, he gained some recognition when he qualified his super late model on the outside pole for the 2009 Snowball Derby. While being involved in a couple minor altercations, Ross brought his car home to a 12th place finish completing all 300 laps. Matt Kenseth finished last in his first Snowball Derby in 1995. In 2010, Ross has moved up to the ASA Midwest Tour and won for the first time in the second race of the season. In the tour's most recent race at Madison International Speedway in Wisconsin, he finished third to his father and Midwest short track legend Steve Carlson. Ross will run the balance of the series schedule and also has a few trips South planned, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him run one more season with the tour in 2011 while traveling a little bit more when he can before making the move to the next level.

My racing travels will take me next to Motordrome Speedway in Smithton, Pennsylvania to see the Super Cup Stock Car Series along with the track's local racing divisions on Friday, July 16. The Super Cup Stock Car Series was formed in late 2007 after escalating costs chased out some teams from the USAR Pro Cup Series. It's a very low cost and low profile racing series that I look forward to seeing for the first time. The current point leader is Todd Peck, who's uncle Tom Peck raced in the NASCAR Busch Series for many years. I once again will be capturing video footage and will upload it to my YouTube account. A couple weeks later I will be making an annual stop at the local Clyde Martin Memorial Speedway North of Lititz, PA to see some Micro Sprint races with some friends. I will not be taking any video or pictures as I've decided to just take in the racing for the evening.

So Close Yet So Far Away

The title is the main theme for this blog post, as it pertains to many aspects in the poker and racing world. My first example unfortunately once again is in the poker world. I qualified for a tournament which occurred over the weekend where the top three finishers win prize packages to the Borgata in Atlantic City valued at $2,000 for first and $1,000 for the runners up. I fought through the field of 80 players and nearly six hours later arrived to the final table of eight. I was down in chips compared to most of the other players and knew it was going to be an uphill battle. I made it pretty far, but once again got unlucky and came up short finishing fifth. It gets frustrating being so close to winning a major prize, but I've been keeping my head up. It's excellent practice for the real thing, which will occur Tuesday, June 23 when I go to the Borgata with my own cash and play in a $300 tournament. My recent finishes keep me optimistic because if I play as well as I have and dodge some tough luck there is no doubt in my mind that I can make it into the cash.

Being so close yet so far away can sometimes be a good thing. This past Saturday night was a prime example. The weather forecast looked iffy, but my friend and I made the two hour drive to Mahoning Valley Speedway to see some local racing as well as the Seven Card Stud Modified 100. Everything was going fine until early evening when the clouds started closing in during the heat races. Then during the preliminary features the thunder started rumbling, and during and following the 4C Super Modified race lightning was seen appearing to be striking behind the trees right outside the track. Things looked grim. The Modifieds came out for their pace laps and on the wave lap the raindrops started coming down. Fans including my friend and myself started briskly walking to our cars. Modifieds were called into the pits. However, before we made it to my car the rain suddenly stopped. Modifieds were called back onto the track and we headed back to the stands. The rain diminished to some drizzle and then a few minutes later came to a stop. We had dodged a bullet. The rest of the night was precipitation free and full of lots of side by side action. Videos from the night's racing can be found at http://www.youtube.com/ajcrdstr24.

A driver that has been the class of the field in the series that they race in is a prime example of someone who has been so close yet so far away from making it in NASCAR's top series: Clay Rogers. In my opinion, this guy is the number one short track driver in the country that deserves another shot. He has won three USAR Pro Cup Series championships with three different teams and is running circles around the competition with a fourth different team in 2010. He's had his chance in the NASCAR Nationwide and Truck Series, but I don't feel he's had a legitimate opportunity to show what he can do. In 2001, the then 20 year old received the call to drive for Robbie Reiser when Cup Series rookie Matt Kenseth couldn't drive the stand-alone events. At this time, Rogers only had one full year experience in these types of cars and struggled much like Ricky Stenhouse and Colin Braun have in the Nationwide Series this year. His other full time opportunity came mid-season in 2007 in the Truck Series. However, the team he drove for Spears Motorsports closed their doors following the season and Rogers never had much of a chance to show his talent on the track with a team that was on it's way out of the series. What impressed me the most was in 2005 when he drove for the underfunded Glynn Motorsports team. He had a fourth and eighth place finish and only failed to complete two laps in five starts. He even competed in the Nationwide Series finale that year for the same team and finished 14th on the lead lap, moving up from 33rd starting position. Unfortunately, once again, the team closed up in 2006. His impressive finishes in recent years in one-off starts with ARCA should be turning somebody's head as well. If I was an owner or a sponsor this guy would be the first person on my radar, and I'm baffled why he hasn't received the nod to move up to a top series with a top team.

NASCAR's latest announcements and rumors regarding their cars are an example of an organization being so close yet so far away. They're finally getting it. The current STOCK cars look absolutely nothing like anything you would drive on the street and it seems like they're finally going to change some things around with the splitter and perhaps switch to the pony car models. It may not be exactly what NASCAR in the past was all about, but it's a way better option than the Fusion and Impala which are not very comparable to the Thunderbirds and Monte Carlos of the past. Even if these new cars are a success and eventually result in less of an expense for the teams, there is still a lot that needs to be done regarding cost containment. The disconnect between the main three series and all of the developmental, short track touring and grassroots series is outrageous. I miss the days when the K&N Pro Series (then Winston West and Busch North) teams could run semi-competitively in front of a live national audience with the Cup and Nationwide Series a few times a year when they came to their neck of the woods. Besides the tape-delayed broadcasts of their races where has the exposure gone? How does NASCAR expect anyone besides a multi-millionaire businessperson or a kid with a vast amount of financial backing to make the giant leap to the top three series in the future? At this moment, the expansion or even stability of NASCAR (there is always team attrition) are looking bleak. Just look at the manufacturer involvement in stock car racing in recent years:

- Besides Penske, there is ONE competitive Dodge team in the top three series, Jason White. However, Mopar has a vast involvement in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series with nearly half the field driving Dodges, sponsorship of the Mopar Fast Five Award and primary sponsorship of one of the full time drivers.

- Despite struggling GM's gradual movement away from NASCAR the Chevrolets are still strong, predominantly because of Hendrick and Childress equipment. However, they helped produce the new Chevrolet Camaro body that races in the Sunoco National Tour: a model that they wouldn't even approve to race in the Nationwide Series! GM Performance Parts is also a sponsor with the series and I believe they have at least some involvement in the development of their spec engines.

- Ford's decline in involvement is evident with their performance in the top three series, especially the Truck Series where their only remaining long time representative Rick Crawford's team recently stopped competing due to a lack of funding. However, they announced that they will have a contingency program with the American Canadian Tour for teams that support their Ford crate engine program.

- Even Honda is entering the world of stock car racing, but through the development of a new body and fuel injected engine in the ISCARS series. Fuel injection is being considered for the future of NASCAR. Even though the cars and motors differ shouldn't NASCAR be paying more attention to and endorsing this concept?

The only manufacturer that seems to be keeping up with their involvement is the youngest of NASCAR's manufacturers: Toyota. As you can see from the examples, the manufacturers are continuing involvement in stock car racing throughout North America while they gradually reduce support in the most advanced series. It's very interesting because years back the short track series were saturated with General Motors products and none of the other manufacturers were providing any support. Now it appears to be going in the reverse direction. Something is wrong! If NASCAR worked more with the manufacturers and the lower-level series to explore technology that is more cost effective, maybe the manufacturers, sponsors and most importantly the fans would regain interest and more teams would be capable of advancing into NASCAR's mainstream!

As I digress finally, the next race I'll be going to is so close yet so far away. In fact, I'm not 100% sure when and where I'll be going next. Chances are I'll be traveling a few hours west to Motordrome Speedway near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania during the month of July. They have a few special events to pick from during the month: the Super Cup Stock Car Series visits on the 16th, ISCARS on the 23rd and the ARCA Truck Series will be there on the 30th.