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Track Changes Force World of Outlaws to Cancel Race at Tucson
posted by Mike Neff
Thursday February 9, 2012
Unavoidable issues with venue lead to cancellation of March 3 event at USA Raceway CONCORD, N.C. – Feb. 9, 2012 – The World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series has cancelled the Wildcat Shootout originally scheduled for March 3 at USA Raceway in Tucson, Ariz., because of permitting issues resulting from the recent change in track management. Anyone who purchased advanced tickets will be contacted in the near future, and all tickets purchased will be refunded in full. The World of Outlaws will now start its West Coast swing on Thursday, March 8, at The Dirt Track at Las Vegas. Following that event, the Outlaws will have seven races in California throughout the month of March, beginning with the SoCal Showdown on Saturday, March 10, at Perris Auto Speedway. Tickets for most of the events can be ordered online by clicking WorldofOutlaws.com/tickets or by calling 877-395-8606. For tickets to Las Vegas, click LVMS.com and for tickets to Thunderbowl Raceway, click ThunderbowlRaceway.com.
Rolex 24 Standings Through 21.5 Hours (1pm EST)
posted by Phil Allaway
Sunday January 29, 2012
DP: GT:
Rolex 24 Standings Through 18.5 Hours
posted by Phil Allaway
Sunday January 29, 2012
DP: GT:
Rolex 24 Standings Through 11 Hours
posted by Phil Allaway
Sunday January 29, 2012
DP: GT:
Standings after 5 Hours 50 minutes
posted by Phil Allaway
Saturday January 28, 2012
DP: GT:
Standings After Regulation Sprint Race Distance (2 hours, 45 minutes)
posted by Phil Allaway
Saturday January 28, 2012
DP: GT:
Grand-Am to Add B-Spec Events Later in 2012
posted by Phil Allaway
Saturday January 28, 2012
On Saturday, Grand-Am Road Racing officially announced the creation of a new series that will act as the teritary division for the organization. The series will simply be referred to as “B-Spec.” The new B-Spec class is designed to be a very inexpensive way for brand new organizations to get involved with racing, and for existing organizations to cultivate new talent at a minimal cost. No professional drivers from any series will be allowed to participate in any B-Spec races. The B-Spec series will race four cylinder subcompact automobiles. Five manufacturers have already signed on to provide vehicles for the series. Those are Mazda with their 2, Honda with their Fit, Ford with their Fiesta, Mini with their Cooper and Kia with their brand-new Rio. As for how expensive these cars will be, Mazda would have prospective teams purchase a new Mazda 2. These start at roughly $15,000. From there, there would be a $2600 package that teams would have to buy from Mazdaspeed Motorsports. Finally, there would the all-important safety equipment (roll cage, racing seat, safety harness, fire extinguisher, etc.). The total cost per new car would be somewhere between $20,000-$30,000. Grand-Am brass are quite confident that the series will be a great fit in the organization. “This new form of Grand-Am racing will attract new racers and in the process, new fans,” said Mark Raffauf, Grand-Am’s Managing Director of Racing Operations. “The cars are cool and the competition will be door-to-door, which should be a lot of fun for everyone – a nice fit with what Grand-Am already has happening at every event.” The B-Spec class will race at six tracks later this season starting with Homestead at the end of April. Subsequent rounds would be held at New Jersey Motorsports Park, Mid-Ohio, Watkins Glen (during the Six Hour weekend), Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and Lime Rock Park. Events will be 30-45 minutes in length with no pit stops. The new series has been likened to the Renault Cup, a spec-series of Renault Le Car’s (and later Renault Alliances) back in the 1980’s. However, it more closely resembles IMSA’s International Sedan Series, which featured Acura Integras, Plymouth Horizons, Volkswagen Golfs, and the 1980’s version of the Dodge Charger, amongst others.
Ryan Dalziel Wins Overall Pole for Rolex 24, Brumos Racing on GT Pole
posted by Phil Allaway
Friday January 27, 2012
One of the sport’s legendary racetrack owners, spearheading the last independently-owned Sprint Cup facility has died. Dr. Joe Mattioli, 86, passed away Thursday afternoon at the Lehigh Valley Hospital Center after a lengthy illness. A dentist by trade, the patriarch of one of the most influential NASCAR families staked the biggest portion of his reputation on racing, constructing the 2.5-mile Pocono Raceway in Northeast Pennsylvania and convincing the most popular series in the country to stage races there. Constructed in the early 1960’s, the “Tricky Triangle” as it’s become known has hosted a total of 68 Cup Series events, beginning in 1974. Pocono Raceway is also home to a successful driving experience, a mainstay for the ARCA Series (two races per year) and has recently hosted one Camping World Truck Series event per season. Open-wheel cars also once graced the asphalt at a facility that has grown to hold over 100,000 fans. But Mattioli’s legacy reaches far beyond the racetrack. His land in Northeast PA is now home to a 25-acre solar energy system, made up of 40,000 American-made photovoltaic modules that will produce more than 72 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of energy over the next 20 years. Opened in 2010, it makes the raceway the largest solar-powered sports facility in the country, spearheading NASCAR’s push towards protecting the environment and renewable energy. A Navy medic during World War II, Mattioli went to Temple University in Philadelphia, PA through the G.I. Bill and established a successful dental practice in the area. Investing in real estate during the ensuing decades allowed him to accumulate wealth and establish the funding necessary to build the racetrack, which now has expanded to include nearby lodging year-round among other projects, past, present and future which have helped boost the economy in the Pocono Mountain Region. “‘Doc’ was a true leader in every sense of the word,” said the Mattioli family in a statement. “As a visionary, he brought an unknown sport into an alien place, where he along with his unstoppable will and undeniable tenacity built one of the biggest monuments of sports. His passion for his projects was only overshadowed by his deep love for his family, which he gave to all of us hand over fist.” For years, other corporations have looked to buy the speedway and the surrounding land but Mattioli would never sell. That leaves Pocono one of just three tracks on the NASCAR schedule not owned by NASCAR-linked International Speedway Corporation or Bruton Smith’s Speedway Motorsports, Inc. (Indianapolis and Dover are the other two). Mattioli also steadfastly clung to the track’s 500-mile distances, a tradition that was only recently changed for 2012. The good doctor leaves behind his wife Rose – the couple was married 63 years – three children, seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. In August, 2011 he had retired from his role as President of the Raceway and left the day-to-day operations in the hands of grandchildren Brandon, Nick, and Ashley Igdalsky. There are no plans to sell the facility in the wake of his death; in fact, it was left in a trust so the track will remain in family hands for generations to come. “They can’t touch it,” he said last year in a conversation recounted by Brendan Gaughan Thursday on SiriusXM’s NASCAR channel. “They’re going to learn how to run it or starve.” Chances are, with the great teacher the grandkids had to learn from success, not starvation will be the modus operandi for years to come.
Statement On Dr. Joe Mattioli's Passing
posted by Thomas Bowles
Friday January 27, 2012
From the family of former Pocono Raceway owner and president, Dr. Joseph Mattioli… It is with the upmost remorse that we announce that Dr. Joseph Mattioli passed away this afternoon. His loss has left with each of us an unbearable sadness, which we’ll bear with us for the rest of our lives. “Doc” was a true leader in every sense of the word. As a visionary, he brought an unknown sport into an alien place, where he along with his unstoppable will and undeniable tenacity built one of the biggest monuments of sports. His passion for his projects was only overshadowed by his deep love for his family, which he gave to all of us hand over fist. Beyond our family, he had a true love and admiration for the wonderful members of his North Eastern Pennsylvania Community. He had a great respect for all of the great people that laid the foundations of prosperity before him, and an even greater hope for the future of our area, which he believed lies in its youth. He leaves not only his family, but also everyone he’s ever met with an insatiable desire to take life by the horns. He always lived life on his own terms He did it his way. “Every man’s life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he lived and how he died that distinguish one man from another.” – Ernest Hemingway He died loved, respected, and admired.
SunTrust Racing, TRG fastest in Opening Practice for Rolex 24
posted by Phil Allaway
Thursday January 26, 2012
When the track opened up for practice at 10am Thursday morning, the teams were ready and raring to go. Many of the teams had new equipment to come to grips with, while others were using older, proven machinery. Unfortunately for Starworks Motorsport, their new equipment let them down before they even got onto the track. A failure in the Ford powerplant was found on pit road before the car even saw the track. As a result, they were forced to miss the first session while they changed the engine. The other 13 Daytona Prototypes managed to make their way onto the track and set times. The results more or less kept in line with the Roar Before the 24 test. The SunTrust Racing No. 10 Chevrolet Corvette DP driven by Max Angelelli turned in the fastest lap with a time of 1:41.952 (125.706 mph). This is about six-tenths of a second slower than the fastest test times. However, temperatures are just about 80 degrees at the track. Second was the No. 01 BMW Riley DPG3 for Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. The car, driven by Graham Rahal, posted a lap at 1:42.086 (125.541 mph), a tenth and a half slower than the Corvette. Third was the No. 99 Gainsco/Bob Stallings Racing Chevrolet Corvette DP driven by Alex Gurney with a 1:42.199 (125.402 mph). Juan Pablo Montoya in Ganassi’s No. 02 and John Pew in the Michael Shank Racing No. 60 Ford Riley DPG3 rounded out the top-5. In GT, Spencer Pumpelly in the No. 67 TRG Porsche 911 GT3 Cup set down the fastest lap of the session right at the end of the session. His lap of 1:49.867 (116.650 mph) was less than two-hundredths of a second faster than Dirk Muller in the No. 94 BMW M3 for Turner Motorsport. Third in class was the Paul Miller Racing No. 48 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup driven by former Porsche factory driver Sascha Maassen with a 1:50.078 (116.426 mph). Sebastian Asch in the No. 17 Burtin Racing with Goldcrest Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 Cup was fourth fastest, while Emil Assentato in the No. 69 FXDD Ferrari 458 Italia rounded out the top-5. |
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With no reason to update the rankings (unless you think going on vacation messes up Jimmie Johnson’s mojo), we thought we’d do something a little different this week. There are nearly 30 tracks on the schedules of the three major touring series of NASCAR. But just as they’re all sorts of shapes and sizes, every fan ranks them a little differently. Each one has a favorite, and defends their logic in discussions at the office, while watching at home, and even in the stands on race day.
So we’ve decided to spawn a little debate ourselves. Our pundits have ranked their favorite tracks, and we’ve compiled the top 15 of them to give you a sense of what they’re looking for in a speedway. The number one track will be of little surprise to anyone, but the rest of the list has a very thorough mix of different styles. Where does your venue fall? Read below to find out … and then let us know if you think we got it right.
How The Rankings Are Calculated: Frontstretch does our power rankings somewhat similar to how the Associated Press does them for basketball or football — writers on staff will vote for the Top 20 on a 20-19-18-17-16-15… 3-2-1 basis, giving 20 points to their first place driver, 19 for their second, and so on. In the end, Mike Neff calculates the points, adds some funny one-liners, and … voila! You have one batch of power rankings to serve to our fans.
| FRONTSTRETCH POWER RANKINGS: TOP 15 NASCAR TRACKS | |||
| Rank | Track (First Place Votes) | Points | Series |
| 1 | Bristol (2) | 160 | Cup / N’Wide / Trucks |
| Racin’ The Way it Oughta Be! Or used to be. Even though nobody throws their helmet or footies in retaliation anymore, cage rattling and ambulance slapping has never been better than here. | |||
| 2 | Daytona (2) | 148 | Cup / N’Wide / Trucks |
| Great races, big time tradition. Daytona’s always hard to top … even with an occasional pothole or two. | |||
| 3 | Richmond (2) | 147 | Cup / N’Wide / Trucks |
| It’s a short track! It’s a superspeedway! It’s the best of both worlds. | |||
| T – 4 | Martinsville (2) | 146 | Cup / Trucks |
| Paper-clip Perfection, one of the few throwbacks and links to the past of the sport. The shrubs in the turns make it our Wrigley Field, the only track on the circuit where we’ve raced every year since 1949. Pink hot dogs, grandfather clocks, trains, and even the bump and run… there is literally something for everyone. | |||
| T – 4 | Darlington | 146 | Cup / N’Wide / Trucks |
| The Track Too Tough To Tame usually is, and that’s why it’s so great. It’s a rite of passage for any driver, and a “must have” on the NASCAR schedule for eternity. | |||
| 6 | Dover | 107 | Cup / N’Wide / Trucks |
| The Monster Mile was one of the few tracks to have a white-knuckle race with the CoT. A bit of a roller-coaster (the races are usually a 10 or a 1 with no in-between) but we’ll take that bet anytime at the casino next door. | |||
| 7 | Talladega (1) | 101 | Cup / N’Wide / Trucks |
| Built with the express purpose of hosting 200 MPH+ stock car races. Even in the midst of the most mundane of seasons, ‘Dega always delivers. | |||
| 8 | O’Reilly Raceway Park | 97 | N’Wide / Trucks |
| The big trophy may be over at the Brickyard, but the real racing at Indianapolis in the summer happens at a short track just a few short miles away. | |||
| 9 | Atlanta | 96 | Cup / N’Wide / Trucks |
| It used to be the best intermediate. Now, it’s simply fighting for survival. What gives? | |||
| 10 | Iowa | 87 | N’Wide / Trucks |
| Still not enough races under its belt to move it right to the top of the list… but if they keep having finishes like last year? It’s well on its way. | |||
| 11 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | 79 | Cup |
| Sure, the stock car field might get strung out and you can only see a little over half of the 2.5-mile oval from even the best seat. But it is the still the most famous racetrack on the planet, and a “bucket list” destination for any gearhead worth his salt. | |||
| 12 | Charlotte | 72 | Cup / N’Wide / Trucks |
| It’s been at the core of the series for most of its life and still puts on some good shows. We just wish they had never heard of the word “levigate” … | |||
| 13 | Watkins Glen | 69 | Cup / N’Wide |
| The type of track that always offers a surprise ending, and who doesn’t appreciate that – even if they don’t like road courses? | |||
| 14 | Sonoma | 56 | Cup |
| Road courses are a “love ‘em, hate ‘em” type of thing. But everyone loves Wine Country … right? | |||
| 15 | Pocono | 46 | Cup / Trucks |
| Shaped like a triangle and in the middle of nowhere, it’s an ode to Indy, Milwaukee, and the old Trenton Raceway. How cool is that?! | |||
| Also Receiving Votes: Memphis (45), Phoenix (43), Texas (40), New Hampshire (37), Homestead (36), Gateway (29), Las Vegas (22), Nashville (20), Michigan (20), Kentucky (13), Montreal (12), Kansas (11), Berlin (7), Chicagoland (6), Road America (5), Fontana (3). | |||
| Writer Voting Panel: Phillip Allaway, Brock Beard, Thomas Bowles, Bryan Keith, Tony Lumbis, Mike Neff, John Potts, Vito Pugliese, and Kurt Smith. | |||
This Week on the Frontstretch:
Mirror Driving: Rebuilding Denny Hamlin, Kurt Busch, Penske, And The NASCAR Banquet’s Future
The Only Thing Mutual? Penske, Kurt Busch Both Stand to Lose Big
Who Gets An Early Christmas Gift? Sorting Through Potential Busch Replacements
Burned At The YouTube Stake: How Technology Brought Busch Down
2011 NASCAR Driver Review: Justin Allgaier
2011 NASCAR Driver Review: A.J. Allmendinger
2011 NASCAR Driver Review: Aric Almirola
2011 NASCAR Driver Review: Marcos Ambrose
2011 NASCAR Driver Review: Michael Annett
2011 NASCAR Driver Review: Greg Biffle
2011 Driver Review Schedule
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