Just a Simple Question
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[/media-credit]Just call me a little inquisitive. For years, NASCAR has talked about the 200 mph standard. We’ve heard for years that the “insurance” NASCAR carries would not tolerate anything over the 200 mph limit, and yet speeds reached nearly 220 mph at Michigan this week and lap times at well over 200 mph. What gives?
I mentioned this before without much comment, but the new pavement at Michigan International Speedway has given us speeds we haven’t seen since 1985. Those of us who have been around for awhile remember the runs by Buddy Baker and Bill Elliott that gave us those speeds at Daytona and Talladega in those days and how NASCAR couldn’t tolerate that much speed because of “insurance.” Well, these days it is a completely different story.
In the words of NASCAR official Robin Pemberton, this was not a concern because the speeds would diminish in time. Oh, really? No restrictor plate was needed according to Pemberton because it would get slower and slower as time went on. What happened to the 200 mph limit? Did the insurance companies just waive that or we’re they lying to us?
Way back in the 1980’s, when bobby Allison took out the front stretch catch fence at Talladega, all the talk was about insurance. The insurance people would not allow these races to go beyond that magic number, and now we’re hearing that no one is concerned about it. That’s interesting considering that Michigan, like Daytona and Talladega, are owned by International Speedway Corporation. What makes the difference? Is it the high banks of the other two tracks or is that Michigan is a relatively flat track? Not much information is coming from the folks in Daytona Beach, but it is a question that needs to be asked.
I’d like to hear some explanation. Either it is insurance or something else, but we need to know. I have no problem either way, but it just makes sense that if insurance companies, something I deal with in my everyday life, had a problem with these speeds at the two high-banked tracks, would have a problem at Michigan. Let’s just say that it doesn’t make sense. I love high speeds, but several drivers have expressed a concern. Time for someone to fess up.
Kevin Swindell leads practice for RainEater Wiper Blades 200 at Michigan
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[/media-credit]After winning the previous two ARCA Racing Series events with Brennan Poole, Venturini Motorsports looks to continue their streak through Michigan International Speedway as Kevin Swindell led the practice session. It marked the first practice on the newly-repaved track for the ARCA cars.
Swindell, the three-time defending Chili Bowl Champion, topped the charts with a best lap of 37.278 seconds. If Swindell is able to lay down that lap during Friday’s qualifying session, he will be beat Cale Gale’s track record by 3.5 mph. In total, five drivers beat the track record in the practice session.
Swindell is set to drive the No. 55 Curb Records Toyota in eight events this year, including Talladega, Michigan, Pocono, Chicagoland Speedway, New Jersey Motorsports Park, the Illinois State Fairgrounds, the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds, and Kansas Speedway
Coulter Motorsports teammates Joey Coulter and Matt Lofton were second and third on the charts. Coulter was excited about the racing this weekend, knowing it’d be exciting after the re-pave.
“It’ll definitely be fast, which we saw in the test session last month, but it’ll allow us to run multiple grooves with less tire ware,” Coulter commented. “If we keep our Chevy out of trouble, I know we’ll be in contention at the end to win.”
Kyle Larson was fourth in practice, driving for Eddie Sharp Racing in his ARCA debut. Larson was signed to an Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing Development Driver contract after winning 22 major professional feature races last year, including victories in the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series (WoO), all three United States Auto Club (USAC) National Divisions and the American Sprint Car Series (ASCS).
Cunningham Motorsports’ Alex Bowman rounded out the top five. Roulo Brother’s driver Chris Buescher was sixth, followed by Venturini’s Ryan Reed, ThorSport Racing’s Frank Kimmel, CHR’s Chad Hackenbracht and points leader Brennan Poole.
There were several incidents during the 95-minute practice session, but nothing too serious.
Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell begins on Friday at 10 a.m. with the 100-lap, 200-mile race at 5 p.m. The race will be aired live on SPEED. ARCARacing.com featuring live timing and scoring coverage for both the qualifying session and the race.
Practice Results
ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards Event #8
Michigan Int’l Speedway, Brooklyn MI, 6-15-12
RainEater Wiper Blades 200, Practice Results
| POS | NO | DRIVER/HOMETOWN | TEAM & CAR | TIME | SPEED |
| 1 | 55 | Kevin Swindell/Germantown TN | Curb Records-Venturini Motorsports Toyota | 37.278 | 193.143 |
| 2 | 61 | Joey Coulter/Miami Springs FL | RipIt Energy Drink-Darrell Gwynn Foundtn Chevy | 37.623 | 191.372 |
| 3 | 16 | Matt Lofton/Roxboro NC | Strutmasters.com Chevrolet | 37.667 | 191.149 |
| 4 | 6 | Kyle Larson/Elk Grove CA | ESR Chevrolet | 37.885 | 190.049 |
| 5 | 22 | Alex Bowman/Tucson AZ | 13 abc/abc 12-St. Jude’s-eBay Motors Dodge | 37.919 | 189.878 |
| 6 | 17 | Chris Buescher/Prosper TX | Roulo Brothers Racing Ford | 38.182 | 188.571 |
| 7 | 15 | Ryan Reed/Bakersfield CA | JDRF Ford | 38.269 | 188.142 |
| 8 | 44 | Frank Kimmel/Clarksville IN | Ansell-Menards Toyota | 38.319 | 187.896 |
| 9 | 58 | Chad Hackenbracht/New Philadelphia OH | Michigan Apples Chevrolet | 38.390 | 187.549 |
| 10 | 25 | Brennan Poole/The Woodlands TX | Venturini Motorsports Toyota | 38.488 | 187.071 |
| 11 | 92 | Brennan Newberry/Bakersfield CA | NTS Motorsports Chevrolet | 38.664 | 186.220 |
| 12 | 35 | Nelson Canache/Caracas Venezuela | Venezuela Tourism Chevrolet | 38.706 | 186.018 |
| 13 | 52 | Tom Hessert/Cherry Hill NJ | Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet | 38.713 | 185.984 |
| 14 | 99 | Brandon Davis/Huntington Beach CA | Roulo Brothers Racing Ford | 38.903 | 185.076 |
| 15 | 04 | Larry Barford Jr./Denton MD | First Mariner Bank-Trauma Doc Dodge | 39.354 | 182.955 |
| 16 | 97 | Juan Carlos Blum/Guadalajara Mexico | Carter 2 Motorsports Dodge | 39.380 | 182.834 |
| 17 | 66 | John Blankenship/Williamson WV | Coal America’s Energy Toyota | 39.506 | 182.251 |
| 18 | 32 | Aleks Gregory/Baton Rouge LA | Mosquito Patch Toyota | 39.624 | 181.708 |
| 19 | 12 | Jared Marks/Napoleon OH | Premium Energy VIP-SRT Motorsports-UNOH Dodge | 39.659 | 181.548 |
| 20 | 88 | Buster Graham/Lafayette LA | Buffalo Wild Wings-Batter’s Dream Ford | 39.798 | 180.914 |
| 21 | 68 | Will Kimmel/Sellersburg IN | Clarksville Schwinn & Cyclery Ford | 39.888 | 180.505 |
| 22 | 95 | Michael Leavine/Bullard TX | WRL General Contractors Ford | 40.158 | 179.292 |
| 23 | 20 | Tom Berte/New Berlin WI | CGS Premier-StayTuned Customs Chevrolet | 40.650 | 177.122 |
| 24 | 40 | Roger Carter/Sunfield MI | Carter 2 Motorsports Dodge | 41.066 | 175.328 |
| 25 | 3 | Mike Buckley/Ann Arbor MI | ETS-Kelly Tire Chevrolet | 41.300 | 174.334 |
| 26 | 5 | Bobby Gerhart/Lebanon PA | Lucas Oil Slick Mist Chevrolet | 41.730 | 172.538 |
| 27 | 23 | Spencer Gallagher/Las Vegas NV | Allegiant Air Chevrolet | 41.881 | 171.916 |
| 28 | 7 | Kent Schenkel/Huntington IN | Schenkel Racing Dodge | 42.076 | 171.119 |
| 29 | 02 | Josh Williams/Port Charlotte FL | SW Florida Cable Construction Ford | 43.166 | 166.798 |
| 30 | 69 | Korbin Forrister/Cedartown GA | Tilted Kilt Ford | 43.821 | 164.305 |
| 31 | 48 | James Hylton/Inman SC | Radon.com Ford | 44.673 | 161.171 |
| 32 | 06 | Tommy O’Leary/Cygnet OH | Wayne Peterson Racing Ford | 45.172 | 159.391 |
| 33 | 0 | Brad Smith/Shelby Township MI | Wayne Peterson Racing Ford | 45.226 | 159.200 |
| 34 | 34 | Darrell Basham/Henryville IN | Darrell Basham Racing Chevrolet | 46.596 | 154.520 |
| 35 | 10 | Rick Clifton/Circleville OH | BASF Chevrolet | 46.735 | 154.060 |
Josh Williams looks for respect after back-to-back top 10s
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[/media-credit]While a win is the main thing that a racecar would like to have, they’re also looking for something else – respect. Last year, Josh Williams began in his trek in the ARCA Racing Series and the finding respect, it wasn’t as easy as the finishes weren’t there. However, with his second straight top 10, competitors are beginning to take a look at Williams and recognize his talent.
Now heading into the running of the RainEater Wiper Blades 200 at Michigan, Williams is hopeful that will continue as with it being a wide track, there’s lots of room to race hard and get another solid finish. After all, the last race track the ARCA cars raced at – Pocono Raceway – was wide and fast, too.
“The Pocono finish did a lot for us,” William says. “We literally were able to take a new car, thrash it together, take it to Pocono, make some aggressive changes throughout the weekend and bring the team home a run. It was an awesome feeling, because we’re just a small group – trying to make big dreams come true.”
The race at Pocono marked Williams’ first ever race on a Superspeedway and he did well, finishing 10th. He’ll be tested again this week as this marks his first ever start at Michigan.
“Michigan’s a bigger story this weekend,” the 18-year-old continues. “It’s a huge place, smaller than Pocono, but I think horsepower is going to be key. We’re going to give it our all and we’re bringing the same car that we used at Pocono, because we feel that with the rules change this car will once again help us.”
With it being his first trip to Michigan, he isn’t quite sure what to expect as some have said it’ll be a calm race, well others have said it could be a crazy race.
“At Pocono, there were times you saw guys out there by themselves and others just racing the heck out of one another,” Williams adds. “I think you will see the same on Friday afternoon. That in truth will make it a great spectacle for the fans. Hopefully it will be as fun behind the wheel as I’m expecting it to be.”
If Williams wants to continue on and keep gaining that wanted respect, he will need some sponsorship as he has yet to lock down that key piece yet. With being a family-backed team, they are currently on a limited budget.
“We have some stuff here and there, but nothing permanent,” Williams explains. “Everyone’s trying, it’s hard out there – but we’re a family first and foremost – so we’ll just keep digging and hashing things together like we did at Pocono last week and if we don’t – we’ll have a good run that will give us some spark to go out there and let someone know that we have a great home for them. I know I wouldn’t be sitting where I am right now if it wasn’t for my parents.”
Williams hopes that sponsorship comes as he’s sitting pretty good in the points as he is currently 10th.
“I think it’s pretty big, even after missing a race that we’re sitting inside the top-10 again,” Williams explains. “My parents are the ones that deserve a lot of the credit and the huge dedication and countless hours by the crew too. We unite as one – one big family and that’s how we plan to stay through the thick and thin the rest of the year.”
Brandon Crumbie is ready for Barrie Speedway after a top five at Sunset
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[/media-credit]In the first race of the inaugural OSCAAR Modified season at Sunset International Speedway in Innisfil, Ontario, Brandon Crumbie finished fifth in the feature after starting seventh following a fourth and a sixth in the qualifying heats.
Crumbie is one of the 16 drivers that showed at Sunset last month to take a chance with the new series. Crumbie said he made the decision after deciding to take a season off from running Late Models. With a modified in his garage, the decision was easy.
“When I heard about the class and the schedule, it was a great opportunity to race and still have some weekends off,” the driver of the No. 72 California Daves Complete Auto Body, Amsoil (Al Prichard), Alliston Signs, Akn Automotive and Homeland Auto Service Modified says.
“Basically we had the car in the garage and we were actually going to take a season off from Late Model,” Crumbie says. “So when I heard about the class and the schedule, it was a great opportunity to race and still have some weekends off.”
Last season, Crumbie spent most of the year running a Late Model at Varney Motor Speedway, which is one of the seven different tracks that the modifieds will hit this year. Amongst the tracks, Crumbie is excited to go to Kawartha Speedway and Delaware Speedway.
“I’ve never raced at them and these mods sound like they are gonna fly at those tracks,” he adds.
This will mark Crumbie’s first season running a Modified so the expectations right now are to win rookie of the year and get a good finish in points.
“I think we have a really strong car right now after testing at Sunset and Barrie,” he adds.
Crumbie got started in 2001 after watching his dad run a derby van event at Barrie.
“When we were there, we saw the mini stocks running,” he tells the story. “The next year we built the Chevette and my dad drove it because I was too young. In 2003, I ran my first full season in Pure Stock fours.”
Behind the scenes, it was his family and friends helping him every step of the way. He thanks his A-Team for helping him out, which includes Dave, Will, Spencer, RJ, Ben, Justin and his fiancé Erica.
He adds that what drives his passion to race is that it keeps him out of trouble.
Entering his ninth season of racing, the Beeton, Ontario native has already had plenty of memorable moments.
“My first win in the Chevette I’ll never forget,” he says. “Next would be the championship at Barrie and I’ll never forget the rollover at Varney in the Late Model, getting it back for the second with a lot of help.”
For the driver that calls his racing hero Tony Stewart, he says that those wishing to go racing should not get discouraged when things get tough and just keep trying.
Outside of racing, his interests including water sports, go-karting, biking and anything that goes fast.
Race No. 3: Clarington 200 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park
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[/media-credit]While the opening two races of the 2012 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series season have been on road courses, this weekend marks the first oval race of 2012, taking place on the half-mile Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP).
When the series was there back in May for the opening race on the 2.459-mile road course, J.R. Fitzpatrick emerged the winner after a thrilling battle with Scott Steckly and D.J. Kennington. While Fitzpatrick has three wins on the road course, his best finish on the oval is a second which came in 2010. In four starts at CTMP, the Cambridge, Ontario native has three top 10s and a pole, which came last year.
Fitzpatrick’s crew chief Don Thomson Jr. is the all-time win leader on the oval with a total of two wins. Thomson teamed up with Fitzpatrick at the beginning of the season.
Coming into the weekend, Fitzpatrick leads the points, one point over Andrew Ranger. This year’s CTMP race will mark Ranger’s first start on the oval since winning in 2009. Though he is on a roll as he has finished in the top five in his last five series starts and has finished in the top 10 in 24 of his last 25 series starts.
2011 Series Champion Scott Steckly won the 2011 edition of the race at CTMP and currently sits third in points. In five starts on the oval, he has finshed in the top 10 three times. Steckly is known for being consistant as he has had four consecutive top-five finishes dating back to last year and has scored a top 10 finish in six of his last seven series starts.
Steckly’s young teammate L.P. Dumoulin will make his first start on the oval after starting the year with back-to-back top fives on the road courses to sit fifth in points. Though he was the 2011 series rookie of the year, this just marks his fourth career oval start.
The last previous CTMP race winner not mentioned yet is Kerry Micks, who won the 2008 version, but will not be behind the wheel of the No. 02 this weekend. He is only running the road course events this year while series veteran Mark Dilley runs the ovals. This weekend marks his 2012 series debut at a track where he’s finished well before as he finished runner-up in 2007 and 2008. However, in his last three starts at CTMP, he has only one top 10.
Another driver looking forward to this weekend’s race at CTMP is D.J. Kennington, who currently sits third in points. Kennington finished second and fifth at the two road course events this year, though finds his comfort zone on the ovals.
“It’s not that I don’t like I don’t like road racing because I do,” Kennington comments. “It’s very challenging, but I’m just more comfortable on ovals.”
The St. Thomas, Ontario native says he’s off to a decent start to the year with only being seven points behind points leader Fitzpatrick.
“I think we had a top-three car at ICAR, but we made a few mistakes,” he says. “Third in the opener was solid. Anytime you can beat Andrew Ranger (fourth place) on a road course, that’s a good day.”
It’s no secret that Kennington is more successful on the ovals as 10 of his 11 series-career wins have been on the ovals. He has yet to reach victory lane at CTMP, with his best finish being third, which he got in 2008 and 2009. Last year, he finished in fifth.
“It’s a tough track. None of the turns are alike. I’m not sure I’ve ever hit the same mark twice in a row,” he notes. “I think I won a CASCAR race there in 2005, but for one reason or another we haven’t gotten a NASCAR win there.”
While most drivers are involved in single-car operations in the Canadian Tire Series, Kennington runs a multi-car team that sees him prepare cars for both Noel Dowler and Jason White.
“It’s kind of a double-edged sword. Sometimes I wish we didn’t have three cars to get ready, but sometimes it’s good to turn your attention to something else,” he comments. “It’s really a good way for us not to obsess on our own stuff.”
Last year, White finished 15th at CTMP driving one of Kennington’s cars while Dowler makes his CTMP debut this weekend.
Dowler is one of eight drivers making their CTMP debut as Steve Côté, Ray Courtemanche Jr., L.P. Dumoulin, Larry Jackson, Martin Roy, Howie Scannell Jr. and Mike Scholz are also slated to make their first start on the half-mile oval.
Meanwhile, Jeff Lapcevich will make his 41st career start this weekend at CTMP, looking to improve on the eighth place finish he got last year on his third start on the oval. With this being Lapcevich’s first full-time NASCAR season, it looks good so far as he currently sits sixth in points.
With this being the first oval of the season, it sets the tone for the rest of the year as it gives everybody a preview of what to expect going forward. It also begins a three-race oval stretch as the next pair of races – Delaware Speedway and Motoplex Speedway – are both on ovals.
