Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Will Motovation Propel Carl Edwards to the 2015 NASCAR Championship ?

                                         Carl Edwards Profile and Prediction for 2015

This is the time of year when we start looking back on the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup season and looking at the new 2015 lineup for the potential champion. Always a lot of driver movement, sponsor movement, crew chief changes and even car manufacture changes.
  #4 Kevin Harvick was no fluke on winning it all in 2014. If you intelligently look at his track record since being thrust into the most popular seat in NASCAR when Dale Earnhardt Sr. died in the Daytona 500 in 2001 and then filled that seat like a seasoned veteran and said all the right things for his new team and sponsors. The classic battle with Jeff Gordon just a few races into the season for a photo finish win took all the pressure off his back to start his NASCAR top level career on the right foundation.
 Harvick won his share of races and attracted some real big sponsors for RCR and his racing feuds and actions always put him on the first few pages of the racing media reports. Some say he spread himself to thin with the Nationwide Series and being a owner in the Camping World Truck Series during this next segment of his career. Did it take away the total commitment that is needed to be a Sprint Cup Champion ?
 He changed his business plan and downsized his workload in the two lower series and also put him self into the conversation of leaving RCR Racing for a better deal or being a owner/driver. He always insisted he would be loyal to Chevrolet and his new sponsor Budweiser.
 It got to a point he was quoted that it was a job coming to work and that attitude would not warrant a championship season with the competition level around him in NASCAR.
 Stewart/Haas saw a opening to sign Harvick who brought Budweiser with him to add to Tony's championship organization for the 2014 season. This kept Harvick in a Chevrolet with his friend and some Hendrick power.
 Harvick excelled and it was just what the veteran needed to motivate him and his hidden drive to win his first Sprint Cup Championship. Led the most laps in 2014 and peaked at the right time with the new format of winner take all. 4 car race team with two former champions did not hurt his chances.
  That being said, this scribe observes the same pattern with Carl Edwards leaving Roush/Fenway in a Ford to join Gibbs Racing as the 4th member in a Toyota for the first time.

Carl joins his former champion teammate Matt Kenseth along with Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin for a all-star lineup and partners on and off the track. Arris will pickup 17 races, Stanley Tools for 12 races. Sport Clip for 2 races and Subway wants to keep their relationship with Edwards. Sports Clips will be the primary sponsor at New Hampshire in July and at Texas in Nov. Subway comes over from Roush/Fenway Racing, no word how many races they will be a primary, but usually they do a 6 race deal. Todd Berrier comes over from Furniture Row Racing as the Director of Inspections for JGR. Darrien Grubb moves over from JGR's #11 team to be Edwards crew chief in 2015
 The new team will run the #19.
 Carl Edwards was born Aug. 15,1979 and at 36 is in his prime to finally win the championship.
 Edwards started late by today's standards at 24 in 2004 and competed in 13 of the 36 race schedule and racked up a top 5 and 5 top tens. He than proceeded to run the next 360 races to become Ford and Roush/Fenway top shoe after Kenseth left for ($) greener pastures at JGR Racing in 2013
 2005 ranked third, 2008 ranked #2 with 11 million for the year and the heartbreak of the 2011 Sprint Cup season of ending up in a tie with Tony Stewart and losing the championship at Homestead while garnering another 11 million in his run. 3 legitimate chances and coming up just a little short.
 The racing rumor mill always said that Edwards stayed at Roush/Fenway and Ford with his old school loyalty and turned downed more lucrative contracts in his career along the way. Matt Kenseth leaving and a aging Jack Roush with now new partners calling some of the direction may have figured into his decision to move on for one last payday and a legitimate opportunity to win a championship.  I personally think he did the right thing in moving in 2015 to a new team, manufacture, crew chief and should have the same jolt of adrenaline and the excitement of the new challenge that Harvick achieved in 2014.
 11 years, 373 starts, 23 wins, 108 top 5's, 187 top 10's, 13 poles and led 4,862 laps.
No matter what the final standings say in 2015, do not worry about Edwards joining a soup kitchen after his racing career. He has proved to be a shrewd negotiator and is signed through 2017 and has amazed $74 million in his career earnings. Edwards is also in the fraternity of having won in all the top three NASCAR divisions, 23 Sprint, 38 Xfinity and 6 Camping World Truck series wins in his stellar racing career.


 

Monday, January 19, 2015

New England Pro 4 Modified Banquet Honors 2014 Competitors

  The 2014 Pro 4 Modified season saw some of the best racing in its long illustrious history and when the final tally came in, owner/driver Phil Lausier of Hudson, NH was crowned the 2014 champion. His Boston/Bruins paint schemed number 07 visited victory lane two times, earning him the 2014 title.

   Mechanic of the year in the Pro 4 division was Kris "Skirt" Swain
  
  Tom Royer of Swanzey, NH was even more successful in the Pro 4 Mod. Lites bring home 6 first place trophies in the season long schedule, thus earning him the Pro 4 Mod Lites championship.
 Royer also collected the Lites Division "Mechanic of the Year" hardware.

 Other Awards handed out were:

Most Improved was Norm Wrenn III

"Rookie of the Year"  Pro 4 Modified Division Derek Robbie

"Rookie of the Year" Pro Modified Division Lites   Doug Heservey Jr.

The Hard Luck award went to Derek Robbie

"Sportsman of the Year" award went to Ken Ouellette  

 Top 10 Pro 4 Modified Division
            
  1.  07 - Phil Lausier
  2.  1M  Norm Wrenn III
  3.  27   Derek Robbie
  4.  93   Randy Clark Jr.
  5.  07X Robin Berghman
  6.  32  Dan Fresh
  7.  73  Randy Cabral
  8.  11A Dan Meservey Sr.
  9.  07X  David Berghman
  10.  5    Dan Heservey Jr.
Pro 4 Modified Lites Division
  1  80L Tom Royer
  2  21L  Mark Charette
  3  97L  Casey Ouellette

Story and Photos by Crystal Snape

Monday, January 12, 2015

Mr.Rooter New England Truck Series Banquet

On Saturday night I had to make a decision on which one of the 4 Racing Banquets scheduled on this night to attend. I decided on the New England Truck Series at the Imperial Room in Danielson, Conn.
  This was the closest to my residence and with hosting the Saturday and Sunday broadcasts of the "Outdoor Scene" it was a perfect fit. Plenty of free parking and just a short trip from the major highway and the ballroom was very nice. Between 90-100 attended with a constant watch of the Patriots Football current score at every table on a cell.
 Cheese and crackers then a full buffet that did not skimp. Two types of Salads, Carving Roast Beef, Carving Ham, Stuffed Pork roll, Stuffed Codfish, Greens, Pasta and Sauce, Rice and Fresh Fruits, excellent Coffee and Ice Cream for Desert.
 The banquet was well organized and kept moving at a hilarious pace with a strange list of awards.
Door prizes, raffles and a 50/50 and a lot of special plaques to thank a lot of people who make up this growing fraternity of racers.
   For instance,
                  Most likely to not need a body guard award: D.J McGouran ,gift a very funny hat that he agreed to wear at the "Icebreaker"

                  Most likely to get a BOO-BOO award: Josh Springer, gift a box of bandaids & lollipop.

                  Most likely to need repairs award:  Mike Parker, gift was a  Gummy Bear Duct Tape.
            
                 Most likely to shoot someone award: inspector Michelle Pard, gift was a squirt gun.
    
                 Most likely to peddle their A_ _ thru the pits award to Cory Coates, gift was a horn.

 Lorraine Pard, Series Director, has surrounded herself with quality people to continue the phenomenal growth of the series which travels on a tour throughout New England and for 2015 the group will start at the "Icebreaker" then will even venture to Bethel, New York and the Wall Stadium in New Jersey to go along with the series first road course event at the Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park on Sept.12th, 2015
 Looking at the other tour type divisions, I would have to say theirs is the most aggressive and the group continues to add different types of tracks for their loyal traveling racing fan base.
 Last year in 2014 thirteen races were on the schedule and two were lost because of mother nature interfering. This year again 13 different size race tracks and leaving holes in the schedule for hopefully racing at least twice at the Waterford Speed Bowl, Conn.(Litigations) and any other venues such as Stafford Speedway, Conn. With the just announced series major sponsor agreement with Vin Beedle's Mr. Rooter the task at Stafford Speedway should help open up the door to a racing date since the track runs no regular weekly truck division.
 The tri-track series point part of the schedule was won by Cory Coates, 2nd Andy Lindeman, 3rd Glenn Noll
   The "Sportsman of the Year" award was won by driver Pete Cayer to a very loud applause.

   The " Rookie of the Year" award was won by Tyler Chapman

   The top eight positions were honored,     Starts   Wins  Top 5's   Top 10's
           1st  519    Andy Lindeman (6th)        11        3         10            10
           2nd 517    Cory Coates                      11        2           7             9
           3rd 488   Bert Ouellette                     11        0           3             7
           4th 488   Glen Noll                            11        0           5            10
           5th 474   D.J.McGouran                    11        0           3             8
           6th 470  Tyler Chapman                    11        0           2             8
           7th 468   Mike Parker                        11        0           0            11
           8th 449   Chris Coryl                         10        0           5             9
       Other drivers with wins in 2014 Allen Coates 2, Chris Turbush 3,  Roger Turbush 1

Andy Lindeman, a 28 year police force member drove many different trucks on the way to the 2014 championship and now has 6 to his credit. Chris Coryl had 5 championships and will now leave the series to pilot a modified. He did state if any one needed a experienced shoe just give him a call.
 I heard through the grapevine that Stafford female driver Kaitlyn Brice, connection (Joey Gada)could be fielding a truck in 2015 and also Kendall Metcalf and Erin Solomito. Stay Tuned for any up-dates.

Most of the Mr. Rooter stable of drivers and champions who will also pilot a truck in selected races were in attendance and I was moved by champion Keith Rocco working the tables to raise some funds for another teams (Ted Christopher) crew chief, Mike O'Sullivan who has just experienced another bad run with his health after coming back to anchor another championship for T.C.
 The racing fraternity is really tight when someone is in need.
Awesome time had by all, photo by Passing Bird Photography

Author, Host W. Gauvin Barber WNRI.COM " Race Chatter", photo Passing Bird Photography

Pete Cayer, "Sportsman of the Year"photo by Passing Bird Photography

Fantastic Award Banquet photo credit Passing Bird Photography

Race Director Lorraine Pard and 2015 Series Sponsor, Vin Beedle, Mr. Rooter
photo by Passing Bird Photography.

2015 New Series Logo unveiled at end of the night.

3rd place Bert Ouellette, 2nd place Cory Coates, 1st place Andy Lindeman
photo credit Passing Bird Photography
photo credit W.Gauvin Barber

photo credit W.Gauvin Barber

photo credit W.Gauvin Barber

Driver Cassandra Coates, 8 races, 12th in points and a cast member of the "Woman in Racing" 2014 on the 'Race Chatter" WNRI.COM
photo credit W.Gauvin Barber

2014 Hardware photo credit W.Gauvin Barber

photo credit W.Gauvin Barber

Race Director Lorraine Pard runs a great ship.

Director Lorraine Pard and 5th place D.J.McGouran
photo W.Gauvin Barber

Director Lorraine Pard and 3rd place Bert Ouellette
photo credit W.Gauvin Barber
Director Lorraine Pard and the 6th time Champion. Andy Lindeman who gave a class act acceptance speech tonight.
photo credit W.Gauvin Barber

Director Lorraine Pard and runner-up Cory Coates
photo credit W.Gauvin Barber
Vin Beedle, Mr Rooter new series sponsor.
photo credit W.Gauvin Barber

p.s. my photo of 4th place, Glen Noll did not come out.


Friday, January 9, 2015

Historic Racing Returns to Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park's Oval Track

  The 2015 season will mark the 75th anniversary of the Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park, so it is fitting that it would also see the return of historic racing on the 5/8 mile oval track, for the first time since 2012. The historic oval invitational will be a two day event held on Friday and Saturday, May 15-16, 2015

The races are open to any race cars built before 2000, and will include Midgets, Sprints, TQ Midgets,Super Modifieds, Champ Cars, Vintage Outlaws, Stock Cars and more.

 The event will also feature a Hot Rod & Classic Car Show on Saturday morning from 10 am until 2 pm. The cost to display a car is $10.00, which includes grandstand admission for the event.

Spectator prices, entry fees and more information can be found on our website www.thompsonspeedway.com or by phone at 1-860-923-2280. Be sure to follow us on Facebook,Twitter and Youtube.
all photos by W.Gauvin Barber



Thursday, January 8, 2015

I Still Miss Him. Do You ?

It dos not seem possible that Dale Earnhardt Sr. left our world at the Daytona 500 in 2001 14 years ago.