For the 2012 racing season, ARCA Racing Series officials made the decision to lower the age limit from 16 to 15. The new rules would allow drivers that were 15 years old and older to run short tracks, while waiting till they turned 18 to run the bigger tracks.
Early in the season, all eyes are on Tony Stewart and his Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) team following the late domination last year and so far this year. At Martinsville this past weekend, Newman added to the win column to give SHR their third win in the first six races.
At a track where short-track tempers mix with history and old time racing, here is what was surprising and not surprising from the 63rd running of the Goody’s Fast relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway.
After starting on pole, Sebastian Saavedra remained strong throughout the day to win the 40-lap Grand Prix of America at Barber Motorsports Park. It marks his fourth victory in the series, his first on the season.
Back when he was driving for his late father’s team, Dale Earnhardt Jr. said Hendrick Motorsports was the biggest reason he couldn’t break though for a win at Martinsville.
The shortest track on the circuit, the oldest track on the circuit, but Martinsville delivered a short track shot in the arm for NASCAR’s faithful. It was a shot that the power house of Hendrick Motorsports had a bad reaction to.
Much like in Race 2 a few hours earlier, Pato O'Ward benefitted from another driver's misfortune on the final restart to sweep the day at the Milwaukee Mile. Also Alex Palou won his fifth title.
Turner made the first statement of the weekend by pacing each Qualifying session. Her time of 2:18.740 placed her well ahead of Cannon’s 2:21.082, with the title combatants separated by 2.3 seconds.
Don’t tell the principal, but Max Garcia may have earned the right to skip school Monday after his stirring first career INDY NXT by Firestone victory Sunday at the Milwaukee Mile.
