Iowa Speedway May Add Additional Open Wheel Races/ Knoxville Takes the Step Up to the Next Level/ AJ Foyt IV Out of Ride/ Chirping in My Hoopty/ Danic
Iowa Speedway May Add Additional Open Wheel Races
Iowa Speedway is a little less than five months away from the first race of their inaugural season and already; they are planning for the 2007 season and beyond. The 2006 season schedule opens with the Hooters Pro Cup Series and all three USAC National Divisions on opening weekend.
“We are very excited about the USAC Silver Crown, National Sprint and Midget Series coming to Iowa Speedway and being a part of our Inaugural Weekend,” said Iowa Speedway General Manager Todd Melfi in an email interview. “It will prove to be a spectacular weekend of excitement and great racing for everyone in attendance.”
The 7/8 mile tri-oval could add the Indy Racing league to its lineup of events in 2007.
“We have been in discussions with IRL and in fact have received a letter of intent for a race in '07 pending a successful compatibility test,” said Melfi.
The IRL test is scheduled for August 2nd. The track paving process, weather permitting, will begin the first of June and should be completed by July. The 7/8 mile tri-oval will be compound banked from 12, 13, 14 degrees in the turns with 4 degrees on the backstretch and 10 degrees in the tri-oval. Construction crews at the facility have finished the dirt work and as we have previously reported, infield buildings as well as the press box and luxury suites can be seen sprouting out of the ground of what once was a former cornfield. Iowa Speedway will be the first track in the country to utilize the New-Age SAFER Barrier System. The new system does not have a concrete wall behind it. Instead, the SAFER Barrier System is free standing on a concrete slab. The facility is also working to add other racing series to its lineup
“While we have not been in detailed enough discussions with NASCAR about any possible races in the future, our hopes are to get (Iowa Speedway) built and to let them see what will be the nicest racetrack in the country and hopefully we can secure some races looking ahead to 2007.”
Images of the construction project can be viewed by visiting www.iowaspeedway.com.
Knoxville Takes the Step Up to the Next Level
Just 28 miles south on highway 17 from Iowa Speedway, Knoxville Raceway is planning to take their product to the next level.
The “Sprint Car Capitol of the World” this week hired Brian Stickel as Director of Marketing and Sales. This move is in step with what Tony Stewart talked about last week in an interview you saw first here on this website.
“Even if they (referring to dirt tracks across the United States) only run through 100,000 or 150,000 people through their grandstands a year, that is very important because it is the same amount of people they run through on one Cup weekend at a lot of tracks,” stated the owner of Eldora Speedway. “At that small of a level, it is an affordable price for corporate America that can make a huge impact on the sport.”
Tony Stewart is working to gain the attention of corporate America and show them the value of investing in marketing programs with Eldora Speedway for a fraction of the cost of a larger NASCAR program.
Stickel and his co-workers at Knoxville are planning on doing the same. I put in a call today to the former Pacific Division Director for the National Hot Rod Association, but he was in Kansas City, already at work, pounding the pavement.
“Knoxville Raceway is an icon in Motorsports,” said Stickel in a news release. “Anyone who knows anything about racing has heard of this track and the tradition behind it. I am just happy to be a part of it and I hope I can be a positive influence for the facility.”
Knoxville Raceway opens with a bang next weekend as the World of Outlaws Sprint Series rolls into town. The track opens for practice this weekend.
AJ Foyt IV Out of Ride
Sources with Braun Racing have confirmed to me that A.J. Foyt IV is out of the driver’s seat of the No. 38 Great Clips car. An official announcement of Foyt’s departure could come as early as Wednesday. Braun Racing recently merged with Akins Motorsports. The teams fielded Dodges for Foyt who is under a developmental contract with Dodge. The 38 team will begin using Chevrolet cars this weekend forcing the grandson of Open Wheel legend A.J. Foyt out the ride because of the conflict with Dodge. NASCAR Busch North Series driver Ryan Moore will take the reigns of the No. 38 Chevrolet this weekend at Phoenix International Raceway. Moore is under a driver development contract with Dale Earnhardt Inc.
Chirping in My Hoopty
I think most racing affiliated people have done it, put the gas to a rental car. Kyle Busch allegedly did it last week near the Richmond, Virginia airport and was ticketed for reckless driving. It is something we have been guilty of and is something that maybe we need to stop. “Chirping” the tires sets a bad example to kids and adults. It also adds to the stereotype that racers are dangerous people to be around. The practice of ragging out the rental car can also do damage to someone else’s property, which all car rental customers eventually pay for. I can’t say I have never done it, I just think now is a good time for racers to set a good example.
Danica Patrick Autobiography
She has only been driving in big time auto racing for a little bit over a year but already Danica Patrick is releasing her autobiography. The book, “Danica Patrick: Crossing the Line,” due out in May, chronicles Patrick’s life as she shares stories from the track and insights into her personal life.
“Writing a book is a situation that I didn’t think would come up so early in my life,” said Patrick in a news release. “I’m imagining that people think it’s quite funny that I have a book out about my life that was finished when I was 23. I guess some people thought I had a story to tell, and I do.”
The book, written with Laura Morton, will have photos for those of you in East Tennessee. (Yes, I just took a swipe at people on the other side of my home state.)
On the subject of women, photos and racing, don’t forget to nominate who you think is the best race babe. Nominations are accepted by emailing me at johnsonbjv@aol.com. Leave me your comments about why your favorite gal is the best and I may post them on this website. The voting will begin next week.
Images appearing in this blog property of R.E. Technologies.
Iowa Speedway is a little less than five months away from the first race of their inaugural season and already; they are planning for the 2007 season and beyond. The 2006 season schedule opens with the Hooters Pro Cup Series and all three USAC National Divisions on opening weekend.
“We are very excited about the USAC Silver Crown, National Sprint and Midget Series coming to Iowa Speedway and being a part of our Inaugural Weekend,” said Iowa Speedway General Manager Todd Melfi in an email interview. “It will prove to be a spectacular weekend of excitement and great racing for everyone in attendance.”
The 7/8 mile tri-oval could add the Indy Racing league to its lineup of events in 2007.
“We have been in discussions with IRL and in fact have received a letter of intent for a race in '07 pending a successful compatibility test,” said Melfi.
The IRL test is scheduled for August 2nd. The track paving process, weather permitting, will begin the first of June and should be completed by July. The 7/8 mile tri-oval will be compound banked from 12, 13, 14 degrees in the turns with 4 degrees on the backstretch and 10 degrees in the tri-oval. Construction crews at the facility have finished the dirt work and as we have previously reported, infield buildings as well as the press box and luxury suites can be seen sprouting out of the ground of what once was a former cornfield. Iowa Speedway will be the first track in the country to utilize the New-Age SAFER Barrier System. The new system does not have a concrete wall behind it. Instead, the SAFER Barrier System is free standing on a concrete slab. The facility is also working to add other racing series to its lineup
“While we have not been in detailed enough discussions with NASCAR about any possible races in the future, our hopes are to get (Iowa Speedway) built and to let them see what will be the nicest racetrack in the country and hopefully we can secure some races looking ahead to 2007.”
Images of the construction project can be viewed by visiting www.iowaspeedway.com.
Knoxville Takes the Step Up to the Next Level
Just 28 miles south on highway 17 from Iowa Speedway, Knoxville Raceway is planning to take their product to the next level.
The “Sprint Car Capitol of the World” this week hired Brian Stickel as Director of Marketing and Sales. This move is in step with what Tony Stewart talked about last week in an interview you saw first here on this website.
“Even if they (referring to dirt tracks across the United States) only run through 100,000 or 150,000 people through their grandstands a year, that is very important because it is the same amount of people they run through on one Cup weekend at a lot of tracks,” stated the owner of Eldora Speedway. “At that small of a level, it is an affordable price for corporate America that can make a huge impact on the sport.”
Tony Stewart is working to gain the attention of corporate America and show them the value of investing in marketing programs with Eldora Speedway for a fraction of the cost of a larger NASCAR program.
Stickel and his co-workers at Knoxville are planning on doing the same. I put in a call today to the former Pacific Division Director for the National Hot Rod Association, but he was in Kansas City, already at work, pounding the pavement.
“Knoxville Raceway is an icon in Motorsports,” said Stickel in a news release. “Anyone who knows anything about racing has heard of this track and the tradition behind it. I am just happy to be a part of it and I hope I can be a positive influence for the facility.”
Knoxville Raceway opens with a bang next weekend as the World of Outlaws Sprint Series rolls into town. The track opens for practice this weekend.
AJ Foyt IV Out of Ride
Sources with Braun Racing have confirmed to me that A.J. Foyt IV is out of the driver’s seat of the No. 38 Great Clips car. An official announcement of Foyt’s departure could come as early as Wednesday. Braun Racing recently merged with Akins Motorsports. The teams fielded Dodges for Foyt who is under a developmental contract with Dodge. The 38 team will begin using Chevrolet cars this weekend forcing the grandson of Open Wheel legend A.J. Foyt out the ride because of the conflict with Dodge. NASCAR Busch North Series driver Ryan Moore will take the reigns of the No. 38 Chevrolet this weekend at Phoenix International Raceway. Moore is under a driver development contract with Dale Earnhardt Inc.
Chirping in My Hoopty
I think most racing affiliated people have done it, put the gas to a rental car. Kyle Busch allegedly did it last week near the Richmond, Virginia airport and was ticketed for reckless driving. It is something we have been guilty of and is something that maybe we need to stop. “Chirping” the tires sets a bad example to kids and adults. It also adds to the stereotype that racers are dangerous people to be around. The practice of ragging out the rental car can also do damage to someone else’s property, which all car rental customers eventually pay for. I can’t say I have never done it, I just think now is a good time for racers to set a good example.
Danica Patrick Autobiography
She has only been driving in big time auto racing for a little bit over a year but already Danica Patrick is releasing her autobiography. The book, “Danica Patrick: Crossing the Line,” due out in May, chronicles Patrick’s life as she shares stories from the track and insights into her personal life.
“Writing a book is a situation that I didn’t think would come up so early in my life,” said Patrick in a news release. “I’m imagining that people think it’s quite funny that I have a book out about my life that was finished when I was 23. I guess some people thought I had a story to tell, and I do.”
The book, written with Laura Morton, will have photos for those of you in East Tennessee. (Yes, I just took a swipe at people on the other side of my home state.)
On the subject of women, photos and racing, don’t forget to nominate who you think is the best race babe. Nominations are accepted by emailing me at johnsonbjv@aol.com. Leave me your comments about why your favorite gal is the best and I may post them on this website. The voting will begin next week.
Images appearing in this blog property of R.E. Technologies.
posted by Blake Johnson at 5:10 PM
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