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August 2014 Vol. 18, No. 4

2014 USA Nationals Review/Preview2014 USA Nationals Review/Preview

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Pictures fromthe past

August 2014

August 2014

The MidwestRACINGRACINGRACINGRACINGRACING

ConnectionAugust 2014Vol. 18, No. 4

P.O. Box 22111St. Paul MN, 55122

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PublisherDan Plan

Contributing WritersShane CarlsonDale P. DanielskiEric HuenefeldStan MeissnerJacklyn Daniels-NuttlemanKris PetersonDean RellerJason SearcyCharlie Spry

PhotographersJim Ambruoso (815-623-3200)Martin DeFries (651-346-1199)Doug Hornickel (920-563-0993)Mark Melchiori (414-463-0131)Bruce Nuttleman (612-860-6622)Vince Peterson (612-419-6372)Stan Meissner (651-428-4717)Mary Schill/Forte Design (608-792-1317)Jerry Zimmer (715-792-2174)

The Midwest Racing Connection is published six timesduring the summer racing season by

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reprinted without permission. Subscriptions are $20for six issues. Call 651-451-4036.

Cover photos by: Martin DeFries, Getty Imagesand Bruce Nuttleman.

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Racing According to PlanRacing According to PlanRacing According to PlanRacing According to PlanRacing According to Plan

Publisher's Note

continued on page 16

Full moon racing

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Stan Meissner photo

Throughout my entire life as a race fan, there have alwaysbeen strange happenings that occur during race nights thathappen to fall under a full moon. In past years, I’ve seencars rollover, cars start on fire, tracks suffer power outagesand a whole list of strange things that all seem to happenwhen there is a full moon. There’s really no rhyme or reason

to it. Crazy things just seem to happen when there’s a fullmoon.

This year was no different. July 12th was one of the fullmoons for 2014, and boy did things get crazy. I read reportsof a nearby dirt track that had a few on track & off trackaltercations, drivers escorted from the facility, phenomenalside-by-side racing and some calls from the tower thatweren’t received well at the track. The show I went to on thenight of the “Supermoon” had some of the craziest crasheswitnessed all year, phenomenal battles on the track and alsohad a call from the tower that caused a chorus of boos fromthe stands. I can honestly say I’ve never heard that manyboos from a crowd that were directed towards the officials; afew drivers over the years, but not the officials.

Despite what you may, or may not believe, there really areno black & white rules when it comes to officiating most ontrack incidents. In the overwhelming majority of the casesthese days, it’s not the flagman that makes the call. He’sjust the messenger. Please don’t shoot the messenger.There has always been, and always be, judgment calls inshort track racing. It’s just the way it is. Sometimes they’reright, and sometimes they’re wrong. All we can ask for isconsistency. Consistently right or consistently wrong.

Either way is fine with me, aslong as we know what to expect.

When crazy things like this takeplace, it gets people talking;some good talk and some badtalk. There’s a phrase that P.T.Barnum is often credited withsaying; “There’s no such thingas bad publicity.” Some maydisagree, but bottom line; therewere a lot of people were talkingabout short track racing the firstfew days following the July 2014full moon.

Bad publicity aside, the one itemthat stood out for me this past

August 2014

NASCAR Insight

Shane Carlson

Reflections From a Wide-Eyed Race Fan

I recently had the opportunity of a lifetime to attend theNASCAR Camping World Truck Series and Verizon IndyCarSeries races when they shared a weekend at Iowa Speedwayon July 11th and 12th, and it only confirmed that coveringracing is what I want to continue to pursue as a career.

Thanks to this paper (The Midwest Racing Connection),Iowa Speedway granted me credentials to go down to Iowaand see what it’s really like to cover big-time racing series. Itwas a totally different vantage point to watch a race from, asI was shoulder-to-shoulder with team members from bothseries behind pit wall, observing the action on the track.

Though I had been to Iowa Speedway before for variousNASCAR Nationwide Series and Truck races, I had neverwitnessed an IndyCar race in person. I’m now an IndyCarfan. The raw speed they carry is mind-numbing.

Now, this may surprise some people, but I thought thecoolest part about the whole weekend wasn’t the racing,

rather, the preparation in the lead-up to each respectiverace. The trucks raced on Friday, with IndyCar the followingnight, and it was fun to observe the careful adjustmentsbeing made to racecars and trucks in the garage area.

The truck garage seemed like a laid-back environment whilethe trucks made their way through tech inspection, butteams were all business once the green flag dropped.

The Kyle Busch Motorsports team trucks of Eric Jones andBubba Wallace were out front most of the night, with RyanBlaney making a late charge to finish second in his BradKeselowski Racing Ford.

In the Indy race the next night, 2014 Indy 500 championRyan Hunter-Reay stole a win from fan-favorite TonyKanaan, who had the best car all night. Hunter-Reay pittedfor four fresh Firestones under caution with three laps to goand drove through the field to get the win. The thrillingfinish is something no one expected, but it sure got peopleout of their seats. (As if race fans use seats anyway).

I also spent Saturday afternoon, before the IndyCar racestarted at the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and Museumat Knoxville Raceway. Any race fan needs to make the tripthere. It is well worth your time, and though I only spent an

afternoon there, I could spend several more there soaking inopen wheel dirt racing’s rich history.

I can’t wait to go back to Iowa Speedway for the Nationwideand K&N races in early August, and report back. It was agreat experience to be down in the trenches of those twoseries, and hopefully that will be my career one day. Racinghas been my biggest lifelong passion, (an addiction somepeople may say) and it probably seems cliché’ but thatweekend in Iowa is one I will never forget.

Rainier Ehrhardt/NASCAR via Getty Images

wwww.speedtalkon1360.com

The veiw seen by Shane Carlson from high above Iowa Speedway during the NASCAR Truck/Incy Car weekend

August 2014

Racing Nuggets

Jacklyn Daniels-Nuttleman

Attitude is Everything

Racing Nuggets continued on page 17

It’s the unexpected in life that brings out the best or theworst in people. No one goes to the race track intending tohaul their car home on a flatbed, looking like a mangledmess. Some racers act like lunatics when that happens, andlash out at anyone within a six-foot radius. Others becomemore withdrawn, pulling a big gulp from a can of beer at theend of the night, eyeing their car and making a mental list ofwhat it’s going to take to fix their machine.

The old saying, “You can’t control what happens to you,but you CAN control how you react to it,” applies to racingand to life in general. How we respond in the face of anunpleasant or tenuous situation speaks volumes about us.It’s incredibly hard to make a conscious effort to always putyour best foot forward, but it’s worthwhile to try. You neverknow who could be watching—a potential sponsor, a co-worker or boss, your kids, or someone else who may holdyou in high esteem. You don’t want to ruin your reputationwith a childish outburst triggered by an emotionally chargedsituation.

My husband is more of the quiet guy, who internalizesthings that irritate him. Case in point: that dreaded healthscare and upcoming colonoscopy that I wrote about lastmonth. He didn’t care that I wrote about it. He has finallycome to the realization that it is important for everyone tohave that vital check-up, and if his story will encourageothers to take that step—well, he’s in favor of that. Quietguys will surprise you that way from time to time.

However, he really surprised me when we were in thewaiting room.

“You’ll want to empty your pockets of any valuables, Mr.Nuttleman, and let your wife hold them,” said the nurse whowas about to take my husband for his colonoscopy.

Toby obliged by stuffing his thick mitts into his jeans, thenhanding me a large stack of shock packers and a little shocktool. I married a motorhead, what can I say?

Admittedly, it wasn’t so much what he handed me thatstruck me, as it was the look in his eyes. I saw fear in hisgaze, as he gave me a quick peck on the lips and shuffled offbehind the nurse. I wasn’t accustomed to seeing that in hissteely blue peepers. My heart sank and I prayed that hewould be one of the many patients that wakes up from theprocedure with no recollection of anything—except havingto drink that God-awful gallon of GoLytely that I mixed withCrystal Light Lemonade last night.I waited. And waited, listening half-heartedly to theconversations of others who had loved ones there for thesame screening. Surprisingly, it wasn’t all just “older” folkswho were in for the “backend-look-see.” The ages variedand they weren’t all men either.

About an hour later, the same nurse appeared and smiledsweetly as she called my name to come back with her. I wasled to a little room, where Toby was laying on his side,wrapped up in a blanket, with an IV plugged into his hand.There were monitoring wires hooked up to him as well; veryreminiscent of the emergency room heart scare weexperienced in June. He appeared to be sleeping, butassured me that he was “just resting his eyes.” The nursegiggled and told him that he could get dressed now, if hewanted to, and informed us that it’s recommended that hepass some gas before leaving after this procedure.

Toby’s eyes fluttered open upon that directive andimmediately, released another one of his epic bursts offlatulence. His eyes were twinkling and the corners of hismouth turned upward with delight. Some things never getold for him, I suppose. The nurse cheered for his musicalabilities. I buried my face in my hands in utterembarrassment.

It wasn’t much longer and the doctor came into the room,closing the door behind him. He informed us that he hadfound two polyps and removed them, which is fairlycommonplace during a colonoscopy. I was both surprisedand pleased that Toby only had two. But it was the doctor’snext sentence that sent my mind reeling.

“We also found a tumor.” What?! I looked over at Toby,who was nodding his head with his eyes closed, like he wasjamming out to a song. Was he still THAT drugged up andnot hearing what I thought I heard? I whipped my head backover to the doctor and frowned. He repeated the wordsagain, as it was painfully obvious that I was in denial andperhaps Toby was too.

“We found a tumor. It’s about an inch in size.”

A ringing started in my ears, as the doctor continued to fillus in on the nature of the tumor. In his experience, andbased upon the appearance of the tumor, he believed it wasmalignant. They planned to perform a biopsy, which would

give us a definitive answer. By the next day we would knowif we were about to embark on a new journey—battlingcancer.

Waiting for the phone to ring with news from a doctor isgrueling torture. It is astounding the crazy scenarios that aworried mind can concoct. The call finally came late thatnext afternoon. The tumor is malignant. Toby has cancer.

It hadn’t even been a full week since the initial find andalready we were scheduled for a slew of appointments togather information and insight so doctors could formulate aplan of attack. The next step was to have a CT scan done, tosee if there was cancer in other areas, or if it was localized tothis one tumor. Have I mentioned how much waiting sucks?Things were running behind at the hospital, so we got thescan done a half hour later than scheduled, a trend whichcontinued to snowball as the morning melted into afternoon.

It’s hard to get overly angry when appointments of thisnature run late. I refer you to the earlier part of this story,where how one responds to adversity speaks volumes. Forall we knew, doctors either needed more time to consultother patients and their families who were facing a horribleprognosis, or perhaps more time was required to read testresults to ensure proper actions were taken in someone’streatment. Hell, for all we knew they were pouring overToby’s scan longer than anticipated to be certain of what itrevealed. I’d rather not hurry them along on that endeavor,so it’s best to zip one’s frustrated mouth, and findsomething to busy the mind.

For me, that meant grabbing reading material in the examroom where we were waiting. The selections are apparentlyquite specialized and limited in the colorectal department. Ilearned more about the treatment and prevention ofhemorrhoids than I care to admit.

The exam room door opened, breaking up the reading of thehemorrhoid booklet. It was the doctor who will beperforming the surgery on Toby’s cancer. He was tall andslim, a snappy dresser with glasses, who reminded me of acharacter from a 60s James Bond movie; only he wassporting a white medical coat.

He was engaging as he spoke and explained the findings.The good news was that the CT scan did not reveal anyother cancer inside of Toby. I literally felt the huge weightof worry lift from my chest, as Toby and I exchangedrelieved looks. The doctor went on to say they couldn’teven see the tumor on the scan, which he explained wasgood news too, as that indicated just how small it is. Of

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August 2014

Stan Meissner

The Inside Dirt

The Inside Dirtcontinued on page 7

My attention was diverted from racing to some extentduring the month of July due to other obligations. Aremodeling project that my wife and I started last Augustneeded my attention. In addition to the home project I’vegot a two month old grandson that I hadn’t seen for amonth. We’ve all been there so I’m sure most of you canrelate.

I spent the Fourth of July weekend taking in Forest Lake’slegendary celebration at the Legion, visiting with relativesand doing some work on the house. The following weekendI traveled with VIA, my daughter’s partner’s band, to avenue called the Red Carpet in St. Cloud. No motel roomswere trashed and no televisions were thrown out of thewindows. I’m too old for that and probably too old for theafter gig party but I toughed it out until 4:30 am. Aside fromgiving a local DJ an earful when three Twin Cities bands lostthe battle of the bands to thelone St. Cloud entry Ibehaved myself. I did mybest impression of a sportsdad and got in the “ref’s”face when our team didn’twin. Somebody forgot to tellme that all of these bandmembers are friends whofrequently appear on thesame card and they don’tbattle each other in the mudand the blood and the beerafter a setback like wrongedracers.

On Saturday morning we leftthe motel around 10:30 amand headed back to ForestLake. My plan was to attendnight two of Saint CroixValley Raceway’s OpenWheel Nationals but I wasn’tsure it would happen as wedrove home throughpersistent light rain most ofthe way home. After sayingmy goodbyes to my son andVIA’s singer/songwriter Itied up a few lose endsaround the house then

rounded up the cameraequipment and headed to thetrack.

The radar looked threateningand nobody would haveblamed me if I had held backto see what was going tohappen before heading toSCVR. People like to rip onsocial media posts andsuggest that Facebookflaming is responsible fortrack closures. I beg to differ.As a kid I heard plenty ofthings in the garage andunder the grandstand thatwould make today’s internetflamers blush. I don’t thinkit’s a good idea for people tobash tracks, drivers andofficials on social media butwe’ve all had our moments ofweakness so I won’t cast thefirst stone. I believe that if a track offers a fast movingentertaining show, has good food, clean concessions andrestrooms and treats fans and competitors with respect theywill succeed. A track has to be located in an area where thelocal economy can support the average working man orwoman who wants to field a race car so location is a factor.

If one or two complainers criticize a track on social media Iconsider the source and blow it off as the complaints of afew malcontents. If I’m constantly reading about one gaffafter another, bad calls, slow running shows, etc., then Isurmise that there might be something to the complaints andmaybe the promoter should take a look in the mirror before

pointing the finger at social media. After all, no sport takesmore negative heat on social media than our Vikings but ifsocial media could have put them out of business they’dhave been gone a long time ago.

A persistent light shower hit SCVR around 5 pm andcontinued (In my estimate) for about an hour. The car countlooked pretty light at 5pm, Rice Lake and Cedar Lake hadalready canceled and fans in the stands and tiered parkinghad plenty of elbow room. In the pit area people could beseen checking radar and calling friends and family updatingthem on the prospect of getting the race in. A late arrivingcaravan of race cars and fans saved the night thanks to our

modern means of communication,specifically social media. Yes, I trulybelieve that social media helped tomake this night a success. When thesystem finally blew past us skiescleared to a brilliant blue and thehumidity dropped. It was a beautifulnight for racing.

There was an incident in the pits onFriday night that resulted in at leastone driver being suspended and abystander who tried to break it updinging his shoulder. The racing wastight and furious on the bullring and afew tempers flared but nobody got outof hand on night two. Racing wasgreat in all divisions, especially theUMSS Traditional Sprints. The driversput on a heck of a show with a last laplast straightaway pass that gave RobCaho Jr. the win. The Advantage RVModified tour brought a few travelersto SCVR, most notably Mike“Superman” Stearns who races out ofHecla, South Dakota. I had met Mikesome years back on one of my outstateexcursions so it was fun to catch back

Open Wheel Nationals Advantage RV Modified Feature top threeSaturday July 12. Andy Jones (left), Jesse Glenz (center) and Mike

“Superman” Stearns (right).

Scotty Thiel took advantage of a Rice Lake IRA rainout to swap engines and go 360racing on night two of the Open Wheel Nationals. The change of destination paid off.

Stan

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Stan Meissner photo

August 2014

up with him. Jesse Glenz took the win with Andy Jonestaking second place and Mike Stearns finishing third. It wasgood to see Andy and his father Dennis again. Dennis saidthey haven’t been getting out much with the car so theywere happy with their performance. Dennis has been goingthrough some health issues so it was good to see himhelping out with the car. Racing is great therapy.

I’ve read some comments from people who are concernedwith the UMSS (w) car counts this season. Generally thetwo-day events would draw mid twenties to thirty cars butwe haven’t been seeing that this season. Friday of theOpen Wheel Nationals saw 18 cars with Knoxville racersBrooke Tatnell, Carson McCarl and Davey Heskin inattendance. We lost those three drivers to the KnoxvilleRaceway where they ended up joining the rainout list alongwith CLS and RLS. The IRA had been scheduled to run atRice Lake on July 12 and Scotty Thiel took the opportunityto drop a 360 in the #64 and head over to SCVR. The trippaid off as Thiel continued his mastery of the SCVRbullring. The UMSS (w) car count dropped off to 14 onnight two but the racing was excellent. Hopefully whatwe’re seeing is simply a momentary late summer lull andwe’ll see the counts on the upswing for the remainingshows.

On July 19 I decided to hit the home project again and spentthe day putting oak stairs and risers in our split levelentryway. At the end of the day I paused for a few welldeserved barley pops and decided to order the KnoxvillePPV. I couldn’t recall how the site was designed from thefirst and only time I had used their service. After aconsiderable amount of pain I finally found an obscure textline that led me to the page where I had to enter my creditcard info. I wish that I could report that all went well fromthat point on but that was not the case. The Cushion lostaudio for seven minutes during the 410 B Main and half ofthe 305 A Main. The video locked up again at the start ofthe 410 A Main and at one point the audio was lost for anextended time. The cost of the broadcast was only $15 sothe money wasn’t an issue but the 410 A Main is the bigshow and the reason I made the purchase. In their defensethey did offer a replay after the conclusion of the races. OnMonday I got an email offer of 50% off the July 26broadcast or a 50% discount if I would not be available towatch on the 25th. I chose the 50% refund as I didn’t expectto be home the following Saturday. I love racing but thenext time I’m home bound I might decide to opt for Netflixand avoid the frustration. Probably time will heal my hardfeelings but it was a rather frustrating experience. I’m surethe beer was a factor in my login difficulties but it hadnothing to do with the technical problems later that evening.

On Friday it was back to live racing at the Saint Croix ValleyRaceway where the UMSS winged cars appeared in whatwas billed as the Dan Grams Memorial. Grams was anArlington IMCA racer who passed away several years agoin a highway accident. Dan had been venturing out anddoing some UMSS racing before his passing so there aretwo annual memorials in his memory, one at the ArlingtonRaceway and the other at Saint Croix Valley.

The night produced another exciting UMSS TraditionalSprint Car Feature with Cam Schafer besting the field atSCVR and Brooke Tatnell starting on the pole and taking thewinged Feature. Ryan Olson debuted a new car and wonthe WISSOTA Midwest Modified Feature. SCVR dodged

the threatening weather andmanaged to get their show indespite some occasionaldrizzle.

Saturday July 26 dawned asa beautiful sunny day for theCedar Lake Speedway’sannual Summer SprintSpectacular. The Pro Stocksand Hornets were given thenight off to make way forUMSS winged and non-wingSprints. Cam Schafermanaged to sweep theweekend in the UMSSTraditional Sprints and RickKobs scored his first everUMSS win in the wingedSprints. Jason Gross won aModified Feature thatsomehow managed toproduce two flips on the firstlap, something that took theSprints an entire night ofracing in two divisions toaccomplish. A J Diemel wonthe NASCAR Late ModelFeature and in the “whatelse is new” category JasonVandecamp won theNASCAR Midwest ModifiedFeature.|I mentioned that SaturdayJuly 26 dawned as abeautiful sunny day but thatwas not the case everywherein our region. Cedar Lakefans watched an aweinspiring thunderhead to thenorth and east of the track.The storm we were watchingpassed over the Rice LakeSpeedway where trackofficials were forced toevacuate the stands after thecompletion of only onefeature.

Next up on my racingschedule will be night two ofthe USA Nationals (nightone gives way to a 45thclass reunion). I also planon attending the KoubaMemorial at the Saint CroixValley Raceway on SaturdayAugust 16 which will be thefinal “Thunder in the Valley”appearance of the UMSSwinged Sprint Cars at thefacility. Some yet to bedetermined weekly showswill be added to the equationas well.

See you at the races!

The Inside Dirt continued from page 6

Keith Tourville got caught up in an incident through no fault of his ownduring his heat race on night two of the Open Wheel Nationals.

Rob Caho Jr. won the Traditional Sprint Car Feature with a thrillinglast lap pass on Saturday at the Open Wheel Nationals

Jason Vandekamp picked up the Midwest Modified win during the St.Croix Valley Raceway Open Wheel Nationals

Stan Meissner photo

Stan Meissner photo

Stan Meissner photo

August 2014

Auto Racing Facts,Auto Racing Facts,Auto Racing Facts,Auto Racing Facts,Auto Racing Facts,

Observances andObservances andObservances andObservances andObservances and

OpinionsOpinionsOpinionsOpinionsOpinions

Dale P. Danielski

Racing Facts, Observances and Opinionscontinued on page 9

Some things never change and in this case that’s a goodthing. Shawano Speedway, Shawano, WI., has been runningvirtually the same race program at the ½ mile clay,Fairgrounds oval for probably 25 years now which appearsto be the main contributor to their success and longevity.

I don’t get to the speedway as often as I would like butwhen I do I’m always impressed with the race program. Theshow featuring Late Models, Modifieds, Stock Cars, SportMods and Mighty 4’s started at it’s advertised time of 6pmand ran smooth and efficiently from there on. Racing wascompetitive in all divisions and even produced a photofinish in the headlining division, the Late Models. PaulParker, son of the famed Pete Parker led nearly the entire

race but a late closing Nick Anvelink, the son of long timeracer Terry made things extremely close at the end of 20laps. With the two racing side by side the last lap uponcrossing the stripe it was almost too close to call. Almost.After a lengthy review it was determined that Parker was thewinner by about an inch over Anvelink with Dough Blashe,Troy Springborn and Justin Hirt rounding out the top 5finishers. Maybe the fact that generation after generation ofrace driver appears at the speedway year after year is thereason for the track’s success all this time. You’re looking at2nd, 3rd and even four generations of driver having andcurrently competing at the track which has created a greatfan identity with the participants. Helping in that capacity isthe fact fans can be practically hands on with many of thedrivers as numerous race teams are pitted right behind themain grandstands. It’s common to see drivers conversingwith these fans throughout the evening. With what I sawthis would be a great idea for other tracks to pick up on asthere is no better way for new fans to get interested in thesport than with an up close and personal conversation.

Something else worth considering for other tracks isShawano runs their headliningevent, in this case the Late ModelDivision feature, earlier in theprogram rather than last as toomany other dirt tracks do. Theresult tonight was a great featurefinish due in large part to there stillbeing a track surface left to race inmulti-grooves.

All in all a fun night at theSpeedway and heading back homehaving seen an entire raceprogram before 10pm. That’sanother thing more tracks shouldconcentrate on, getting theirprograms over with at a

reasonable hour. Shawano does it well and it shows as agreat crowd was on hand for the event. With that in mindwe’ll look forward to attending another event there in thenear future.

Speaking of dirt racing it was off to the Mississippi ThunderSpeedway, Fountain City, WI., for a show there on a recentFriday. An extremely racy surface held up well and on thisnight the big winner was Brad Waits who won the ModifiedFeature. Josh Angst put up a good fight, as the two racedside by side for numerous laps, but had to settle for 2nd atthe stripe.

La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway, West Salem, WI., hasgotten some shows in here this month with NASCAR LateModel Feature winners being Brad Powell, (2) Todd Korishand Steve Carlson. Carlson again the most consistent of theLM drivers is leading the track point standings by arelatively comfortable margin over Powell and Mike

Dale's Pictures from the past

Some Things Never Change

Pete Parker doing some racing at the Deer Creek Speedway, Racine, MN., in 2002. Steve Laursen racing his wing thing #19 at what was then theMonster Hall Raceway of Unity, WI., July 23rd, 2002. Laursen won the Open comp race and took home 4 Grand in the process.

Consistency has kept Steve Carlson atop the pointsat LaCrosse Speedway

Dan Plan photo

August 2014

Koeneke. Both Powell and Koenecke had feature races theydidn’t finish and that is the difference in the standings asCarlson has finished them all.

Here and there…26 NASCAR Late Models raced during theFair here atLa Crosse Fairgrounds July 19th which is thehigh water mark for the year…Other winners atShawano Speedway, July 5th were Travis VanStraten, Stock Cars, Lucas Lamberies, SportMods, Matt Oreskovich, Modifieds and JoshuaSlowinski in the Mighty 4’s Division roaring allthe way from last to the lead in just 12laps!...Winners at Mississippi Thunder July 18th

besides Waits included Bobby Fort Jr., in PureStocks, Ben Anderson in B-Mods, Curt Myersin Super Stocks, Shaun Mann in Street Stocksand John Severtson in the Hornet Division …InTUNDRA Series Super Late Model action at LaCrosse Fairgrounds it was Reagan May takingthe 40 lap feature win. For May it was the firsttime ever at the Speedway and that probablyhelped the driver in not knowing the things youaren’t supposed to be able to do at the track.One being racing most of the event in the outside groove.Adam Royle had ample opportunity to pass May on theinside but just couldn’t pull it off placing 2nd. DonnyReuvers, Ty Majeski and Dalton Zehr rounded out the top5. And for those who aren’t in the know and with a namelike Reagan not very revealing, May is a femalecompetitor…A regular race program was held along with theTUNDRA Series and it was Majeski taking his La Crosse carto the 25 lap NASCAR late Model win. Majeski won a duelwith leader Cole Howland to take the win while SteveCarlson sneaked into 2nd with a lap to go. Howland ended upa disappointing 3rd with Matt Henderson and Brad Powellthe top 5…Brian Hesselberg after struggling most of theyear finally won a race at Lax and it was the one that countsthe most, the 15 lap Sportsman Feature. Jamie Dummer was a

Bonus picture from the past

Marv Marzofka #91 racing his Ford Torino atDells Motor Speedway in 1971.

close 2nd with Justin Millikin 3rd…Black flags and otherinfractions seem to be behind Jason Bolster as he won the15 lap Thunderstox Feature. With the win Bolster has alsotaken the lead in that Division’s point standings…TyMajeski at 19 years of age, Reagan May just 20, ClaireDecker and her sister Natalie, who have won Super LateModel main events this year appear to currently be the newwave of young drivers making their mark in the sport.

Hopefully they enjoy the success they are having at thislevel and don’t think it is an automatic ticket to big leagueracing which we know is of course bringing huge dollars tothe table for a chance to compete…Johnny Gilbertsonoffered up a sizeable reward for the winner of the TUNDRASeries Feature at Lax. Sizeable in the form of a 6’10" trophyto the victor of the event Reagan May.

In the quote of the column department, “It hasn’t hit me yet,maybe this is just a dream I won this race.” Reagan May’sreply after being asked how she felt after winning theTundra Series Feature at La Crosse, July 26th.Looking back at racing at the Dells Motor Speedway, Wis.Dells, WI., on July 17th, 1971 it was Marv Marzofka winningthe Late Model feature event followed by Bill Retallick,

Marlin Walbeck, Jim Back and Dave Field.The semi-feature went to Norm Bartnickwith consolation race honors going toLarry Ravenscoph. Heat race victors wereRon Backburg, Dick Bentley, PeteMahlum and Jim Back. The Trophy Dashwas won by Dick Trickle with fast timehonors going to Trickle at 14:52 secondsaround the 1/3 mile paved oval. That wasa new track record which eclipsed the oldmark set by Trickle two weeks earlier at14:74. July 16th, 1971 found MarvMarzofka winning the 20 lap Feature at LaCrosse Interstate Speedway, West Salem,WI. Marzofka bested Larry Behrens andLarry Anderson for the win. Semi-featurehonors went to Don Grant, while heat racevictors were Fred Beckler, LyleNabbefeldt and Anderson. The TrophyDash was won by Rich Somers.

News, notes and comments welcome toDale P. Danielski at Starmaker Multimedia967 10th Ave N Ste A, Onalaska, WI 54650,at 608-783-5827 or [email protected] ,www.starmakermultimedia.com

Racing Facts, Observances and Opinionscontinued from page 8

The Liquid Nitro 600 Mod Touring Series is a brand-new,affordable, dirt racing series in 2014. Comparable tomicro-sprints, the 600 mods use technology based off of600cc Suzuki motorcycle engines. The chain-drivenmachines are equipped with an aluminum body, modeledafter the Northeast Big Block and Small Block Modifieds,and are capable of running over 80 mph.

Prior to racing in the LNTS, did you have any racingexperience?Before 600 mods, I raced go-karts for a few years, andthen I hopped into the 600 mod. It’s a good transitionand the cars are really fun to drive overall.

What’s the upfront cost of running in the series, andwhat are the week-to-week costs?Usually, you can pick up a used car anywhere from$5,500 to $7,500, and then weekly maintenance is justyour basic stuff like oil, air filter, and then just gothrough the car and check it over. Really, as long as youdon’t beat it up and wreck stuff, it’s not much at all.

What tracks do the series visit, and how many racesmake up the schedule?We run at Fayette County Speedway, Upper IowaSpeedway, Cresco Speedway, and Mississippi ThunderSpeedway for the touring races. The touring scheduleconsists of 16 races, but including open races, we’ve gotabout 40 on the calendar this year, and had opportunitiesto run even more.

What has been the highlight of your season thus far?First night out, we had a feature win, and then followed itup with a couple top-fives, so we’ve had a lot of fun sofar, and I really can’t complain.”

Do you plan to use this series as a stepping stone, orwhere would you like to go with your racing career?We use the 600 mods as a stepping stone. We didn’twant to go from a go-kart straight to a B-mod or an A-mod. It’s been good because I can get used to the open-wheel racing and the speeds. I want to run a B-mod,which we plan to do full-time next year, and then we’ll gofrom there.”

600 Mod Touring SeriesDriver Profile:Cole Denner

By Shane Carlson

Reagan May picked up a TUNDRA win atLaCrosse Speedway

August 2014



Dean & JasonTalkin' Racin'

Dean Reller

A Powerful Tool That Isn’t InYour Toolbox

Thousands of years ago, man invented fire. It’s said thatlater that day, he invented barbecue. Fire, while feared at theracetrack, is a valuable tool that we overlook its value. Wecook, build, manufacture and control with it to make nearlyeverything we have. Conversely, we destroy, dismantle,burn or injure things with it as well. Controlled, it is one ofthe greatest tools that mankind has. Uncontrolled, it can beone of the most destructive things we’ve ever discovered.

Flash forward in time and we have something not quite asspectacular, but a very similar type of tool that mankind hascreated. It’s called Social Media. That comes in severaldifferent forms, but can be used to create as well as destroy.The only problem with this tool is the successes or failuresaren’t as immediately visible. As a race promoter, that beinga track, driver or fan, it is one of the greatest things to comealong in years. The ability to interact is immediate. A personcan find out not only who won, but can see pictures andvideos just seconds after it happens. People cancongratulate, thank and celebrate great moments in aperson’s life very freely. Racetracks and teams can use thispositive engagement to promote races and race teams cangenerate excitement and build fan bases. Not really thoughtof as a tool, like a wrench or a screwdriver, it’s veryimportant for racing and its value is literally, virtually un-measurable.

However, the flip side of the coin and like that of fire, socialmedia has the ability to destroy and dismantle. Negativethoughts and comments on social media can be verydestructive causing damage that could also be virtually un-measurable. Recently, it was reported that negative falloutdue to social media, partially contributed to a racetrack’sfailure. Although there was more than one factor that was toblame, it was certainly an eye opening moment that some

thoughts and comments posted through social media coulddo that. A bad night at the racetrack happens. Things break,stupid things happen and once in a while it seems thateveryone is out to get you. As a race official and mediamember over the years, I can personally attest that yousometimes have one of those nights where you wished itrained and you could just go home. Fortunately, those daysare few and far between and the good days alwaysoutnumber the bad.

I’m not advocating people to just post positive onlycomments, but I caution everyone to consider choosingtheir words carefully. Comments posted are virtual, but thepeople who read them are human. One character flaw tohumans is that we make mistakes. In retrospect, a splitsecond decision that happens during a race happens all thetime. There are no do-overs or replays, it happens and ithappens quickly. Comments and reactions are equally asquick and social media magnifies them. So I caution peopleto take a breath before posting critical comments. Much likethat other tool (fire), let’s use social media to light the wayand not get burned.

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trackratphotos.vfcfunding.comtrackratphotos.vfcfunding.comtrackratphotos.vfcfunding.comtrackratphotos.vfcfunding.comtrackratphotos.vfcfunding.com

August 2014

2014 Event Schedule

AUG 4-10 Dakota County Fair DisplayAUG 9 Wisconsin International RacewaySEP 13 Marshfield Super Speedway

Natalie Bartyzal waves the checkered flag for theannual Cedar View Electric match race at Elko

Speedway. Martin DeFries photo

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August 2014

The Inside Dirt continued on page 17

Photo Gallery

Paul Paine lead the points from opening night through mid-season at ElkoMartin DeFries photo

Steve & Mike Carlson carry the American flag at LaCrosseBruce Nuttleman photo

Three-wide Pro Stock action at Cedar Lake SpeedwayCal Naughton Jr. photo

The flaming pool jump at Rockford SpeedwayJimmy Ambruoso photo

Jimmy Kouba battles for position with Rob Caho Jr. at St. Croix Valley RacewayStan Meissner photo

Bandolero's ready for race action at Elko SpeedwayMartin DeFries photo

August 2014

Photo Gallery

Keith Tourville in action at St. Croix Valley RacewayStan Meissner photo

The world's oldest teenager (Jerry Eckhardt) races with J. Herbst at SlingerMark Melchiori photo

Rockford Sportsman drivers pose for a photo prior to their main eventJimmy Ambruoso photo

Race Fans enjoying the July issue of MRC at LaCrosse Fairgrounds SpeedwayBruce Nuttleman photo

The Outlawz getting ready to role at LaCrosseBruce Nuttleman photo

Thumbs up from "Wildman" Clay Galagher at Cedar Lake SpeedwayCal Naughton Jr. photo

August 2014

With driver nicknames such as The Real Deal, TheKentucky Colnolel, The Moweaqua Missile, Chubzilla,Smooth Operator, Mr. Smooth, Newport Nightmare, orBlack Sunshine, what’s not to like about Dirt Late Modelracing in this day & age?

The 2013 version of the USA Nationals at Cedar LakeSpeedway saw Tim McCreadie take home over$50,000.00, and pick up the most prestigious Dirt LateModel win to date in his career. Local driver A.J. Diemelled the first half of the event, before retiring near the half-way point with engine trouble.

With the recent announcement by the NDRL indicatingthey have ceased operations, the opportunity for severaltop guns in the Dirt Late Model racing world nowpresents itself with an open weekend on their schedule.Many of these drivers now hope to add their name to thelist of drivers that make it into the Saturday night show.

Along with 3-days of racing action, there are many otheritems that take place over the course of the weekend.

Items such as the FansFund luncheon with the driversthat are trying to make their way into the USA Nationalsat Cedar Lake Speedway, Apple River Tubing, TroutFishing, or golf, there’s enough going on over thecourse of the weekend to make it a memorable weekendyet again for everyone in attendance.

USA Nationals Past Winners1988 Billy Moyer1989 Billy Moyer1990 Billy Moyer1991 Rick Aukland1992 Billy Moyer1993 Billy Moyer1994 Jack Boggs1995 Jack Boggs1996 Jimmy Mars1997 Rick Aukland1998 Donnie Moran1999 Scott Bloomquist2000 Davey Johnson2001 Dale McDowell2002 Rick Eckert2003 Scott Bloomquist2004 Brian Birkhofer2005 Dale McDowell2006 Scott Bloomquist2007 Brian Birkhofer2008 Scott Bloomquist2009 Jimmy Mars2010 Scott Bloomquist2011 Josh Richards2012 Darrell Lanigan2013 Tim McCreadie

2014 USA Nationals Review/Preview

Vince Peterson photo

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McCreadie on his way to the win in the 2013 version of the USA Nationals

The fans fill the stands each year in anticipation of the pre-race activites (left photo), McCreadie hoists the coveted USA Nationals trophy high into the air (right photo)

August 2014

August 2014

Bruce Nuttleman photo

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Publishers note from page 3month on full moon night was seeing a few drivers chargefrom the back of the pack to the front of the pack. I’ve seenthis several times through the years of watching racing.Drivers somehow just seem to find that little extra incentivewhen they know they have extra work cut out for them.Sometimes they’re just angry, and other times their justhungrier for the win. During this year’s Scott KingeryMemorial race, several drivers had to charge from the backof the pack; Conrad Jorgenson had to start in the back dueto a wreck in the heat race, Jeff Partington elected to start inthe back for additional prize money, Ted Reuvers suffered aflat tire while battling for the lead and had to restart at therear of the field, and Jeremy Wolff, well let’s just say Jeremywas leading and sent to the back of the field with 8 laps togo and leave it at that.

Watching all of these drivers work their way to the front ofthe field is what short track racing is all about; passing cars.In the end, it was Conrad Jorgenson getting the win after ahard fought battle with Michael Gilomen, with Reuvers

waiting for the slightest mistake and Wolff charging backthrough the field. Jorgenson and Gilomen went side-by-side,banging doors, tires smoking, sparks flying and the wholenine yards, with none of it being intentional. It was just tooguys fighting for every inch of the track. This was the typeof stuff you typically only see in the movies. To me, thefinish in this race overshadowed anything else that mayhave happened over the course of the night.

Now, if you’re a casual racefan, and simply can’t make it tothe track every weekend, hereis one piece of advice. Find thedates on your calendar of anyfull moons for the rest of thisyear, and while you’re at it,look for dates of full moons forall of next year. Circle thosedates on your calendar andthen find a short track toattend. You’ll be amazed at

what you see, and you will not be disappointed.

Miscellaneous news and notes:We made our second ever visit to the World Modified DirtTrack Championships at Deer Creek Speedway recently.With $17,000.00 on the line, the USMTS drivers definitelyturn up the heat when trying to make the show. We wereonly able to attend the opening night show of the three-day

event, but may need to look further into spending a fewmore days on site for 2015. Rodney Sanders was theopening night qualifying feature winner, after battlingthrough lapped traffic with Terry Phillips. While most inattendance were on hand to watch the 75 USMTS cars onhand, we really enjoy seeing the USRA Iron Man StockCars. These cars look like they have too much motor, toolittle tire and stock suspension and put on a heck of a show.

The finish of the Scott Kingery Memorial race at Elko Speedway with Jorgenson narrowlybeating Gilomen to the stripe, with Reuvers just behind

Rodney Sanders and Terry Phillips atDeer Creek Speedway

USRA Iron Man Stock Cars at Deer Creek Speedway



August 2014

Raceway Park fans and supporters:As we reach the mid-point of the 2014 racing season, Iwould like to take the opportunity to thank all of the driversand crew members, my co-workers at Raceway Park, and allthe race fans who have sent me e-mails and phone callsasking how I’m doing and showing surprising amounts ofsupport and encouragement regarding my announcing. Ihad no idea that I had such a positive influence on so manypeople as Raceway Park’s event announcer, and I amhonored to call all of you my friends.

The last time I saw most of you was at the Racewaychampionship banquet. I was not at my best at that gettogether, having lost my mother to her multi-year fight withAlzheimer’s just one day before the banquet, which becameapparent when I broke down during my closing commentsthat night. My dad’s passing less than a year earlier, andthe closing of Raceway Park only added to the exhaustivestress I was going through. Having the support of that“second family” of Raceway Park drivers and fans is one ofthe things that helped me get through that time, and I’mhappy to say that I am now back at the top of my game. Atthat final banquet I told you that I was not finished withannouncing, and I am holding true to those words. I canguarantee that you will hear me back behind the microphonein the near future at several area events.

The comments I’ve received from so many people sinceRaceway Park closed have been very encouraging. I didn’t

know I was so recognizable. I was recently at an event at theSummit Brewery in St. Paul, where a gentleman came up tome with a big smile on his face and said “I know you! You’rethe big announcer from that race track in Shakopee that wason the news!” We talked local racing for over 15 minutes,and the guy was genuinely thrilled to be talking to me. Heasked for an autograph, and then took out his Smartphoneto ask for a photo. The same thing happened several weekslater when I was at a show at the Medina Ballroom, where Iwas spotted by another Raceway Park fan. I was asked tosign several more times at the recent ARCA race at Elko. Tobe honest, in the last year I’ve signed more autographs andhave been in more selfies than I ever was back when I was aradio DJ, and have learned that if I go someplace I need tohave a black Sharpie in my pocket.

The show of support I’ve received from local race fans hasbeen amazing, to say the least, and with that I say thankyou, and it’s great to hear from and see so many RacewayPark friends. As I said earlier, I had no idea that I had somuch positive influence on so many people as RacewayPark’s Event Announcer.

Thanks again, and I’ll see you at the races!

— Kevin Busse“The Voice of Raceway Park”

Greetings from “The Voice of Raceway Park”




course, for me that had a bad side too. What if thereare other tumors, just too small to be seen on thescan? I kept my fear to myself. No need to rain on thepositive parade of news here.

The good doctor pulled up pictures of the tumor,which were photographed during the colonoscopy.Toby had a giant grin on his face, as I turned severalshades of grey. I’m squeamish, and he was enjoyingthis. I swallowed hard and looked at the screen; thetumor looked like a big squishy skin tag. A wave ofnausea washed over me as proceeded to swallow hardin an effort to keep lunch contained in my stomach.Toby laughed and the doctor must have noticed theblood had drained out of my face, so he moved thepictures off of the screen. Toby was entitled toenjoying someone else’s discomfort at this point, so Ijust squeezed his hand to acknowledge his delight.

We’re not out of the woods yet, as there will still beanother exploratory exam with ultrasound, which willdetermine if it will be a quick and fairly easy surgery,or a more involved one that will have Toby laid up fora while. Nonetheless, we have what seems to be thebest-case-scenario for the outlook to eradicate thecancer, as the words, “very curable” passed thedoctor’s lips during the conversation. It’s anotherreason to breathe easier.

It’s also another reason to continue to beat the drumof early detection through colonoscopy exams. Icannot stress enough to all of the racing familyreading this just how important that particular check-up is. Toby may not say it, but he knows damn wellthat if his brother, Kevin and I had not pressed him tohave the exam, he would likely be battling for his lifein a matter of a few years.

Now more than ever, given the string of healthconcerns he’s experienced, Toby knows the valueand importance of listening to his body and his wife.(He won’t admit to that last one, if you ask him.)Think about it—would you rather avoid what youperceive to be embarrassing, or have your life cutshort because you can’t get past the awkwardthought of the exam? Be brave. Male or female—thisexam is important. You can’t control what happens toyou, but you CAN control how you react to it. Andsometimes, being PROACTIVE instead of reactive isthe best medicine…literally.

Racing Nuggets from page 5

August 2014

Going in Circles

Charlie SpryIn racing circles, it is not at all unusual to see secondgeneration drivers on the track, even some third generationdrivers. However, it is unusual to find fourth generationdrivers. One such family that can claim this is the Adamsfamily, who race at Columbus 151 Speedway on Fridaynights.

Youngest of the group and a true fourth-generation driver isthirteen year old Mckayla Adams, who is now in her secondyear of racing in the Bandit class (four cylinder) cars at thetrack. Her proudest achievement thus far is in winning someheat races, but it goes beyond that, as she has made greatstrides in improving her driving over her rookie year in 2013.She is a force to be reckoned with in every race, and isbecoming a much smoother driver. She has also raced withboth her Mother and Father in the same division onoccasion, and noted, “It’s kind of nerve wracking racingwith Dad, I get a little nervous. I don’t want to mess upwhen I am alongside him or anything. What is really cool isthat my Great Grandfather raced, my Grandfather races, myDad races, and now it is me that carries the tradition on.”

Dad is none other than late model racer Tory. Tory beganracing back in 1991 in the International (four cylinder, reardrive) cars here at Columbus. He moved onto late modelracing in 2002, and his favorite memory is winning a 50 lapfeature here at Columbus, to go along with several otherfeatures that he has won at the track. As far as racing hisDaughter, he pulls no punches, saying, “I race her as hardas anyone. There is only one checkered flag and I want it asbad as anyone.”

Grandfather is Bobby Adams, who raced late model in the1970’s at many tracks. Bobby was not afraid to travel tocentral Wisconsin to race as well, as you might find him atWausau, ‘Sands, Dells or anywhere else in the area. He was

the 1976 CWRA Rookie-Of-The-Year, and was proud of hisopportunity to race against some of the greatest to comeout of Wisconsin. “Dick Trickle used to give me gas money.I didn’t have the money, and he was good to us,” SaidBobby. Bobby also had unique sponsorship from singerFreddy Fender at one time. “I don’t know how much longer Iwill be going to the tracks,” Said Bobby, “But it is fun rightnow watching everyone.”

Great-Grandfather would be Kenny Adams. Kenny got theball rolling, racing back in the 1950’s at tracks in the area.“He used to race for Connie Bambrough,” Said Bobby. “Hewas doing a stunt one day at the old Verona (Wis.)Raceway. After racing that day, he took an old car and wassupposed to run it off a cliff, jumping out at the last moment.He couldn’t get the door open and he went down with thecar, losing his life. I was just a little kid, and I wanted to runto my Dad, but they wouldn’t let me.”

Even though there are sad memories connected to racing,this family chose to honor each past generation bycontinuing doing the sport that they all love. That is what itis all about, and the great thing about our sport. Best wishesto all of the Adams’ as they continue on!

Most local racers spend most of their careers racing acertain type of car, usually never deviating from asphalt todirt or from dirt to asphalt. Someone may start out in Banditsor hobby stocks and progress to sportsman to limited late tosuper late, and some may run strictly open wheeled racingmachines their whole careers. What is unusual, is to seesomeone compete in both open wheel and fendered racers,and go from asphalt to dirt and back and forth. One suchversatile driver is Machesney Park, Illinois driver Jason Dull.

Jason is currently competing in the Bandit class at theRockford Speedway on Wednesday nights, but also doessome open wheel stuff when funding allows. He began hisracing career at the age of 16 in the former “Jammin’Slammer” class at Rockford. “I got my permit to go racingjust as soon as I could,” Said Jason. “I turned 16 inDecember, and I didn’t want to wait at all, but my Momthought better of it and I ended up waiting until May of thatyear before I could get it.” The Slammer cars were big oldfour door sedans without even having roll cages in them. Ispent two years racing in that class, won four features in mysecond year, and finished second in points.”

After this, Jason got into the four cylinder Hornet class atRockford when that started in 1999. His Dad, Ken, wasracing midgets at that time, and Jason also did some racing

in them, mostly at Sun Prairie. The team had the misfortuneof having their garage burn down in 1999, which was a hugesetback. Jason then bought a mini-indy car in 2000, andbegan doing more open wheel racing. “I had trouble keepingthe Polaris motors together, but it was always fun. I stillalways had a Hornet car around to race, and would do thatas often as I could.” Jason was a busy guy, as he still wouldrace midgets wherever and whenever he could, and was therookie-of-the year in the Badger Midget Racing Associationin 2004. One year he ran in 39 races throughout the season,and has raced many, many tracks, and has competed in theprestigious Chili Bowl in the past. He still enjoys thegrassroots type of race car, and has done many fourcylinder enduros, raced with the Illini Midget group, BadgerMidgets, micro-sprints, mini- indys, Hornets, Bandits, andnow also in the American Short Tracker division, which isthe premier four cylinder division at Rockford. He has seensuccess in every car and surface he has driven, all atcountless tracks.

What is his favorite victory of all time you may ask? “Thenext one.” Said Jason. How does he go from racing a Hornetcar to a midget in perhaps little turnaround time to preparefor the vast differences? “I try to compartmentalize, focusstrictly on whatever my next race is going to be in whatevertype of car. “I try to think only of the next event and beprepared for that, then move on after. Some of the changeshe has seen in racing include the big differences now in theBandit class. “The differences are huge. It used to be a carthat was stock with safety improvements, and noweveryone knows exactly what to do to get the most out of

Going In Circles continued on page 19

August 2014

the cars. The times are much faster and the cars aredifferent.”

Some other things that Jason feels proud of, includewinning at least one preliminary event each year since2005, winning a feature in his Hornet/Bandit car atColumbus one year, winning at least one feature eachyear that he has raced in the Illini Midgets, and comingback from a highway accident in 2012 and winning hisvery first race after coming back from injury.

It is fun to watch Jason race in whatever car he may bein. He is smooth in any type of racing vehicle, and hasthe “can do” attitude, also having fun with his racing,which is what everyone should be doing. Watch forJason, you just may see him racing someplace whenyou least expect it. He will race any type of car on anysurface.Quote of the month from Jim Tate Jr., who alsofeels the same way. “I’d race a lawn mower on Jell-O!”

Going In Circles continued from page 18 ABC Raceway Hall of Fame Inductions

ABC Raceway in Ashland Wisconsin recently inducted their inaugural class to thespeedway's Hall of Fame. One of the recipients was former USAC and ARCA competitor

Bob Brevak, shown here with track president Kurt Beeksma presenting

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The Right Place at the Right Time

Just one week after being sent to the back of the pack while leading, Jeremy Wolff found himself in the right place, at the right time. Wolff wasrunning just behind the battle between Brent Kane and Conrad Jorgenson (left photo) when contact sent the two leaders spinning. Wolff capitalized on

the situation and took the win. Wolff followed up his first Elko win with his second in a row the following week.(Martin DeFries photos)



August 2014

Motorsports publisher Coastal 181 announced today thewide release of its latest title, “The People’s Champ: ARacing Life,” by Dave Darland. The autobiography of oneof open-wheel racing’s most successful and popular racerswas written with well-known journalist Bones Bourcier. Thebook charts the course of Darland’s racing life, fromQuarter-Midgets and local Sprint Cars through hisremarkable and ongoing professional career, includingchampionships in all three of USAC’s national divisions –Silver Crown, Sprint Cars, and Midgets. No mere chronological retelling of a great driver’s climb,Darland discusses the rivalries that helped shape his career,the code of conduct he races by, the magic of his sport’sbiggest events, and the joys and stresses of being ahusband and father in a sport that requires frequent traveland intense focus. The book is annotated with reflectionsfrom “eyewitnesses” who have known Dave through theirown personal and professional relationships, whether as carowner, mechanic, rival driver, or family member. Darland’sstory is illustrated by dozens of color and black and whitephotographs and includes a foreword by another championand longtime friend, Tony Stewart. And Dave Darland is not done yet. Darland celebrated thelaunch of the book on July 12th at Kokomo Speedway bywinning that night’s Indiana Sprint Week feature andsetting a new track record.

COASTAL 181 ANNOUNCES RELEASE OF DAVE DARLANDAUTOBIOGRAPHY

“The People’s Champ” is available online atwww.coastal181.com or by calling Coastal 181 at 877-907-8181 toll free.

Coming in the next issue of

Fall Special Preview, Photo

Gallery, Columns & More

www.theracingconnection.com

Two Weeks of Hard Work and Determination

Jerry Gille suffered this spectacular crash at Rockford Speedway early in the month of July and walked away uninjured. After just a few weeks ofhard work and determination, the Gille team returned to competition with the car looking all shiny and new.

(Jimmy Ambruoso photos)

August 2014

August 2014

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August 2014

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August 2014

2014 usa nationals review/preview2014 usa nationals review ... · night of the “supermoon” had...

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