Ricky Stenhouse - Aug 9 Kamp Motor Speedway Result Null and Void
Some may have noticed that soon after the running of the August 9 USAC Midget Week event at Kamp Motor Speedway, USAC results showed that Ricky Stenhouse took the chequerd flag in 7th position and he was awarded Championship points for doing so. Less than 24hrs later, Stenhouses name was removed from the Feature race finish list and points for finishing in that position also removed. Dick Jordan, USAC VP/News & Communications explained what happened:
USAC Competition Rule #9.10 (C) states that in order to accept a "provisional" starting spot, the car entrant MUST use the driver of record in preliminary events as the driver in the provisional position, unless the driver of record is incapacitated through injury. This exception is at the discretion of the Chief Steward.
Since Stenhouse missed the feature and the provisional was offered to car #51, the driver of record for car #51 was Chuck Gurney Jr.
We were not informed until the car was pushed off for the race that a replacement driver was in the cockpit, namely Stenhouse. This violated the above-stated rule, thereby relegating that car null and void for that event.
Some may have noticed that soon after the running of the August 9 USAC Midget Week event at Kamp Motor Speedway, USAC results showed that Ricky Stenhouse took the chequerd flag in 7th position and he was awarded Championship points for doing so. Less than 24hrs later, Stenhouses name was removed from the Feature race finish list and points for finishing in that position also removed. Dick Jordan, USAC VP/News & Communications explained what happened:
USAC Competition Rule #9.10 (C) states that in order to accept a "provisional" starting spot, the car entrant MUST use the driver of record in preliminary events as the driver in the provisional position, unless the driver of record is incapacitated through injury. This exception is at the discretion of the Chief Steward.
Since Stenhouse missed the feature and the provisional was offered to car #51, the driver of record for car #51 was Chuck Gurney Jr.
We were not informed until the car was pushed off for the race that a replacement driver was in the cockpit, namely Stenhouse. This violated the above-stated rule, thereby relegating that car null and void for that event.
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Pickens Urban Force Replacement Driver Dan Lensing Shines
Last June, when Michael Pickens and the Urban Force Team parted company, it was far from a friendly parting. At the time, Pickens said that he had quit the team as “there is no direction and no one with a clue what is going on with the race car ”. The Urban Force Team hierarchy hit back with “Pickens showed no commitment and he has a major attitude problem”. Since then, both parties have moved on, Pickens returning to dirt racing and the Urban Force team hired 23 year old Dan Lensing to pilot their Late Model car. Checking the Madison International Speedway results at www.mylaps.com, shows that with Lensing at the wheel of the Urban Force Late Model he has had 5 race day Feature starts with the team, finishing 10th - 4th - 3rd - 3rd - 5th - 3rd.
Last June, when Michael Pickens and the Urban Force Team parted company, it was far from a friendly parting. At the time, Pickens said that he had quit the team as “there is no direction and no one with a clue what is going on with the race car ”. The Urban Force Team hierarchy hit back with “Pickens showed no commitment and he has a major attitude problem”. Since then, both parties have moved on, Pickens returning to dirt racing and the Urban Force team hired 23 year old Dan Lensing to pilot their Late Model car. Checking the Madison International Speedway results at www.mylaps.com, shows that with Lensing at the wheel of the Urban Force Late Model he has had 5 race day Feature starts with the team, finishing 10th - 4th - 3rd - 3rd - 5th - 3rd.
'For the Record'
With Michael Pickens recently picking up his first USAC victory there seems to be some confusion as to just how many other Kiwi drivers have won USAC Feature races. For the record, Barry Butterworth became the first Kiwi, and non American, to win a USAC Feature race when he won at Haubstadt August 24, 1979. Graham Standring became the 2nd Kiwi driver to do so when he won at Kokomo August 8, 1990.
Butterworth’s win at Haubstadt was remarkable - In the 40 lap event he qualified to start from grid one. Taking the lead from the green, by lap 29 when the only caution of the race was displayed, Butterworth lead 2nd place runner Sleepy Tripp by ½ a lap on the clay ¼ mile track and had lapped all but 5 of the other runners including eventual 1979 USAC Champion Steve Lotshaw, who finished 6th. When the chequered was thrown Butterworth finished ¼ lap ahead of Tripp (2nd), Rich Vogler (3rd), Bob Wente (4th) and Mel Kenyon (5th), these 4 drivers having previous won 9 USAC Midget Championships. In true modest Butterworth fashion, Barry, who won the majority of his NZ races starting from the rear grid, first words after the event were, “anyone can win from the front”!
When Standring won at Kokomo, he beat home, Russ Gamester, Terry Wente, Roy Caruthers, Johnny Cofer, P.J Jones, Eric Gordon, Larry Rice, Dan Ford and Mel Kenyon.
With Michael Pickens recently picking up his first USAC victory there seems to be some confusion as to just how many other Kiwi drivers have won USAC Feature races. For the record, Barry Butterworth became the first Kiwi, and non American, to win a USAC Feature race when he won at Haubstadt August 24, 1979. Graham Standring became the 2nd Kiwi driver to do so when he won at Kokomo August 8, 1990.
Butterworth’s win at Haubstadt was remarkable - In the 40 lap event he qualified to start from grid one. Taking the lead from the green, by lap 29 when the only caution of the race was displayed, Butterworth lead 2nd place runner Sleepy Tripp by ½ a lap on the clay ¼ mile track and had lapped all but 5 of the other runners including eventual 1979 USAC Champion Steve Lotshaw, who finished 6th. When the chequered was thrown Butterworth finished ¼ lap ahead of Tripp (2nd), Rich Vogler (3rd), Bob Wente (4th) and Mel Kenyon (5th), these 4 drivers having previous won 9 USAC Midget Championships. In true modest Butterworth fashion, Barry, who won the majority of his NZ races starting from the rear grid, first words after the event were, “anyone can win from the front”!
When Standring won at Kokomo, he beat home, Russ Gamester, Terry Wente, Roy Caruthers, Johnny Cofer, P.J Jones, Eric Gordon, Larry Rice, Dan Ford and Mel Kenyon.
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2007-08 New Zealand and Aussie Race Schedules
Springs Promotion recently amended their 2007-08 racing schedule, sadly there are only 12 meetings spread over 20 weeks with just 9 Saturday meets.
FULL SPRINGS SCHEDULE
Some of the Australian major race dates for the 2007-08 season have recently been released, including:
NOVEMBER
3rd Tyrepower Parramatta City Raceway - SSS - Speedcar Super Series
10th Avalon Raceway - SSS
17th Charlton Raceway, Toowoomba - SSS
DECEMBER
15th Murray Bridge Speedway - SSS
JANUARY
12th Avalon VIC - AGP
19th Lismore - NSW TITLE - SANSW
26th Charlton Raceway, Toowoomba - SSS
FEBRUARY
22nd Kwinana - AUSTRALIAN SPEEDCAR CHAMPIONSHIP
23rd Kwinana - AUSTRALIAN SPEEDCAR CHAMPIONSHIP
Springs Promotion recently amended their 2007-08 racing schedule, sadly there are only 12 meetings spread over 20 weeks with just 9 Saturday meets.
FULL SPRINGS SCHEDULE
Some of the Australian major race dates for the 2007-08 season have recently been released, including:
NOVEMBER
3rd Tyrepower Parramatta City Raceway - SSS - Speedcar Super Series
10th Avalon Raceway - SSS
17th Charlton Raceway, Toowoomba - SSS
DECEMBER
15th Murray Bridge Speedway - SSS
JANUARY
12th Avalon VIC - AGP
19th Lismore - NSW TITLE - SANSW
26th Charlton Raceway, Toowoomba - SSS
FEBRUARY
22nd Kwinana - AUSTRALIAN SPEEDCAR CHAMPIONSHIP
23rd Kwinana - AUSTRALIAN SPEEDCAR CHAMPIONSHIP
Western Springs Speedway News
Driver contract sign-up for Western Springs competitors is Friday September 28th at the Western Springs club rooms.
Practice dates for all classes are October 13 and 27, starting at 2pm. With the Springs National Series events being run at the November 2nd meeting, most of the top competitors are expected to be at these practice meetings. Brad Mosen will return home from the USA at the end of the month and will most likely compete at the practice meets but Michael Pickens will not arrive home until late October and miss both these events.
Driver contract sign-up for Western Springs competitors is Friday September 28th at the Western Springs club rooms.
Practice dates for all classes are October 13 and 27, starting at 2pm. With the Springs National Series events being run at the November 2nd meeting, most of the top competitors are expected to be at these practice meetings. Brad Mosen will return home from the USA at the end of the month and will most likely compete at the practice meets but Michael Pickens will not arrive home until late October and miss both these events.
Kiwi Drivers Find the Going Tough
2007 has seen a record number of Kiwi Midget drivers competing in Midget events in the USA. Along with Brad Mosen and Michael Pickens, who are still racing in the USA, Lance Beale, Scott Buckley, Shaun Insley and Bryce Townsend travelled to the States and have recently returned home to New Zealand.
Lance Beale, who drove as team mate to Brad Loyet was forced to cut his tour short after suffering an eye injury when he flipped the 05 car at Belle Clair Speedway, August 8th. From the 9 race meetings that Beale competed in he failed to transfer into any of the night’s Feature races.
Scott Buckley and Bryce Townsend had their race plans severely disrupted soon after arriving in the USA. With their NZ built Aggressor cars being held by US Customs and not being released until the day before the Belleville Nationals being run, both drivers were really on the back-foot from the start of their 2007 USA tour.
Buckley’s best results came at Angell Park August 5 when he won his heat race and finished 5th in the nights feature race. With his car suffering mechanical problems at some of the other 8 meetings he competed at, Buckley was unable to qualify for any other Feature race.
Townsend did best of the three Aggressor team drivers, winning heat races at Kamp Speedway and Gas City. Originally scheduled to have 17 race day starts Townsend’s tour was cut to just 9 meetings after the delay with getting his car released and 3 rained out meets. In the 5 Feature races Townsend qualified for he withdrew from each one of them.
Insley might be considered to be the unlucky one of the Aggressor team drivers. With the all important marble drew being held, (lucky dip!) to determine starting spots for the heat races at 5 of the 6 meetings he competed at, Insley seemed to end up on the bad end of the draw. The only Feature race that Insley made was at Angell Park Aug 5 but he came unstuck on the first lap when he flipped.
At his first USA start of his 2007 tour, Mosen was thrown right in the deep end when he raced at the annual Night Before the 500 race at ORP on pavement. Three weeks later he was back there, both times failing to qualify for the nights Feature race. On reflection, asking any youngster from NZ, having his first Midget pavement start, to race at ORP, was a no-brainer and ‘wiser heads’ might have opted for him to start his pavement career at the USAC Regional Series events at Mt Lawn or Anderson? From his 20 starts (18 on dirt) Mosen has qualified for 15 Feature races, finishing in the top 10 5 times, his best placing being at the USAC event at Angell Park on August 26th where he finished 2nd to Michael Pickens.
Pickens 2007 USA tour plans started back in NZ last January with the fund raising event, “Pickens 4 NASCAR”. the event raised more than $50,000 from his supporters giving him a golden opportunity to ‘buy rides’ as a stepping stone towards a career in NASCAR. Pickens early 2007 plans were to race on pavement for the majority of the season and to do a few dirt shows at the end of his tour. Things turned sour for the NZ Champion with his acrimonious split from the Urban Force Late Model Stockcar Team in June. Back on dirt, Pickens form has been a mixed bag, from his 15 starts, he has placed top 10 6 times, DNF or DNQ 8 times, his best placing being at Angell Park August 25 where he won the USAC Feature race.
2007 has seen a record number of Kiwi Midget drivers competing in Midget events in the USA. Along with Brad Mosen and Michael Pickens, who are still racing in the USA, Lance Beale, Scott Buckley, Shaun Insley and Bryce Townsend travelled to the States and have recently returned home to New Zealand.
Lance Beale, who drove as team mate to Brad Loyet was forced to cut his tour short after suffering an eye injury when he flipped the 05 car at Belle Clair Speedway, August 8th. From the 9 race meetings that Beale competed in he failed to transfer into any of the night’s Feature races.
Scott Buckley and Bryce Townsend had their race plans severely disrupted soon after arriving in the USA. With their NZ built Aggressor cars being held by US Customs and not being released until the day before the Belleville Nationals being run, both drivers were really on the back-foot from the start of their 2007 USA tour.
Buckley’s best results came at Angell Park August 5 when he won his heat race and finished 5th in the nights feature race. With his car suffering mechanical problems at some of the other 8 meetings he competed at, Buckley was unable to qualify for any other Feature race.
Townsend did best of the three Aggressor team drivers, winning heat races at Kamp Speedway and Gas City. Originally scheduled to have 17 race day starts Townsend’s tour was cut to just 9 meetings after the delay with getting his car released and 3 rained out meets. In the 5 Feature races Townsend qualified for he withdrew from each one of them.
Insley might be considered to be the unlucky one of the Aggressor team drivers. With the all important marble drew being held, (lucky dip!) to determine starting spots for the heat races at 5 of the 6 meetings he competed at, Insley seemed to end up on the bad end of the draw. The only Feature race that Insley made was at Angell Park Aug 5 but he came unstuck on the first lap when he flipped.
At his first USA start of his 2007 tour, Mosen was thrown right in the deep end when he raced at the annual Night Before the 500 race at ORP on pavement. Three weeks later he was back there, both times failing to qualify for the nights Feature race. On reflection, asking any youngster from NZ, having his first Midget pavement start, to race at ORP, was a no-brainer and ‘wiser heads’ might have opted for him to start his pavement career at the USAC Regional Series events at Mt Lawn or Anderson? From his 20 starts (18 on dirt) Mosen has qualified for 15 Feature races, finishing in the top 10 5 times, his best placing being at the USAC event at Angell Park on August 26th where he finished 2nd to Michael Pickens.
Pickens 2007 USA tour plans started back in NZ last January with the fund raising event, “Pickens 4 NASCAR”. the event raised more than $50,000 from his supporters giving him a golden opportunity to ‘buy rides’ as a stepping stone towards a career in NASCAR. Pickens early 2007 plans were to race on pavement for the majority of the season and to do a few dirt shows at the end of his tour. Things turned sour for the NZ Champion with his acrimonious split from the Urban Force Late Model Stockcar Team in June. Back on dirt, Pickens form has been a mixed bag, from his 15 starts, he has placed top 10 6 times, DNF or DNQ 8 times, his best placing being at Angell Park August 25 where he won the USAC Feature race.
PlanetStream.tv to Webcast Western Springs Events
PlanetSteam.tv and New Zealand’s Western Springs Promotion have plans to webcast all 12 meetings of the 2007 - 2008 Western Springs racing season. Race fans from around the World will be able to subscribe to the pay-for-view events on a race-by-race bases or subscribe to watch all events in a ‘package deal’. PlanetStreams webcast coverage of last seasons International events from Western Springs and Ruapuna was outstanding and for race fans unable to attend the race meets at the Springs it’s the next best thing to ‘being there’. More details of PlanetStreams coverage and pricing will be available soon.
PlanetSteam.tv and New Zealand’s Western Springs Promotion have plans to webcast all 12 meetings of the 2007 - 2008 Western Springs racing season. Race fans from around the World will be able to subscribe to the pay-for-view events on a race-by-race bases or subscribe to watch all events in a ‘package deal’. PlanetStreams webcast coverage of last seasons International events from Western Springs and Ruapuna was outstanding and for race fans unable to attend the race meets at the Springs it’s the next best thing to ‘being there’. More details of PlanetStreams coverage and pricing will be available soon.
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Kiwi Midget car owner Michaell Quin has picked up the Badger title, ‘Midget car owner of the year’. Quin and his regular USA driver Brad Kuhn teamed up to win 6 Badger Feature wins for the season. Quin won the title 276 points ahead of the Waelti-Schulenberg team. Kuhn won the Badger Midget Series driver Championship ahead of Brandon Waelti, Mike Hess, Davey ray and Jerry Coons jnr.
