Who’s Loonier than Robin Miller?/ Kasey Kahne on the WoO/ Kasey Kahne’s New Girlfriend/ Qualifying Rained Out Again at Indy/ Flashbacks of Chopper 5
Who’s Loonier than Robin Miller?
As someone who writes the news for you to read here on a daily basis, I will be the first to tell you that you can’t believe everything the media feeds you (including this site, I do get things wrong from time to time). It seems that Robin Miller believes that NASCAR is out to ruin the Premiere Racing Association Big Car Series. Last night on Wind Tunnel, Miller stated in a phone interview that:
“Mike Bliss was supposed to be there (at Wednesday’s opener at IRP) but NASCAR threw in a truck test Wednesday night… NASCAR is in bed with USAC and they don’t want this series to do any good… NASCAR sees it as competition and they would like to see it go away faster than see it start.”
Robin Miller missed this one bad. The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series doesn’t even hit the track at Charlotte until 11:30am Thursday according to the series event schedule posted on the Lowe’s Motor Speedway website, http://www.lowesmotorspeedway.com/NEXTEL_schedule/ and also at www.TruckSeries.com. NASCAR tested the Cup and Busch Series on the new pavement at Charlotte earlier this month. They are letting the Truck Series try out the new surface to alleviate any tire problems. The only Truck Series events that take place Wednesday are the parking of haulers and opening of the credential office. Robin Miller did correctly report that Jason Leffler will race there for George Snider.
Secondly, there is NO RIFT between the PRA and USAC. Both are competitors. In several interviews I have conducted with both Jason McCord and Jason Smith, the two say they are not out to get USAC or try to hurt the sanctioning body. For their part, the folks I have talked to at USAC view the PRA as competition but are not out to get the PRA either.
Regardless of Robin Miller’s “conspiracy theory,” the drivers who have committed reads to the inaugural PRA event reads like a Who’s Who of Open Wheel champs. The PRA says Dave Steele, Dave Darland, Tracy Hines, Paul White and Jimmy Kite are scheduled to race at IRP Wednesday night. It only costs $20 to get in. Did you hear me, only $20! The race will also feature performances by the Dane Clark band. Jason and Jason promise to have the race over and the fans on their way home at a decent hour. If you miss this show, you are loonier than Robin Miller.
Kasey Kahne on the WoO on Wind Tunnel
Kasey Kahne was the featured guest on Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain Sunday night. The World of Outlaws Sprints team owner was interviewed in front of one of his WoO cars. Kahne was asked about Darlington race and how the season is going. Kahne is 8th in points and has won two races. He told Despain that testing in the off-season has prompted the turnaround in finishes from 2005 to 2006. So why did Kasey Kahne move his team from the National Sprint Tour to the World of Outlaws?
“We were never really to sure what we were going to do,” Kahne told Wind Tunnel viewers. “We wanted to go with the series that made the most sense for our race team. Joey has a family and the guys on our team have a family. It made the most since. They (WoO) have a point fund at the end of the season. They have great schedules with the tracks they go to. I thought the Outlaws was the place for Kasey Kahne Racing. Joey Saldana is doing a good job and those guys are working hard. Hopefully when they start winning races, they will win a lot.”
Kasey Kahne’s New GirlfriendIn of the biggest items that people Google for that land on our site are the words “Kasey Kahne Girlfriend.” While (to my knowledge) Kahne is not publicly dating anyone, a girl in New Jersey thought she should ask the young Open Wheeler out.
Tonight on Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain, “Alissa from New Jersey” called and asked if Kasey Kahne would go to Prom with her. Kahne smiled and said that he never went to Prom. Adding, “I’m too old now.” Kasey Kahne did say he would go with her if he wasn’t so busy.
To see Robin Miller’s misguided rant and Kasey Kahne get proposed, tune into Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain Monday at 2am and 10am eastern on SPEED.
Qualifying Rained Out Again at Indy
Rain again got the best of today’s activities at Indy.
Only half the field made it onto the track for practice before the rain came again
All 33 positions for the Indianapolis 500 will be filled Saturday May 20th.
Sunday May 21st will be Bump Day. Practice is scheduled for Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.
ESPN is scheduled to televise Saturday’s qualifying live at 5pm eastern. The network will have a wrap up program at 7pm that same day.
Dan Weldon Fastest in Brief Session
Teams turned their best times of the month Sunday in a brief practice session at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Dan Weldon led the pack turning a time of 39.3592 at an average of 228.663 mph.
Team Penske driver Sam Hornish Jr. went around the historic oval turning a time of 39.4357 at an average of 228.220 mph.
Two time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves was third turning a time of 39.4931 at an average of 227.888 mph.
Danica Patrick was 17th in the short session. Not all of the drivers made it out onto the track for the session.
1 Dan Wheldon (10) 228.663 2 Sam Hornish Jr (6) 228.220 3 Helio Castroneves (3T) 227.888 4 Scott Dixon (9) 227.274 5 Dario Franchitti (27) 226.960 6 Tony Kanaan (11) 226.389 7 Ed Carpenter (20) 225.262 8 Bryan Herta (7) 225.190 9 Scott Sharp (8) 225.147 10 Tomas Scheckter (2) 225.091 11 Michael Andretti (1) 224.970 12 Marco Andretti (26) 224.884 13 Townsend Bell (90) 224.779 14 Vitor Meira (4T) 224.761 15 Kosuke Matsuura (55) 223.690 16 Eddie Cheever Jr (51) 223.054 17 Danica Patrick (16) 222.720 18 Buddy Rice (15T) 222.362 19 Jeff Simmons (17) 221.065 20 Felipe Giaffone (14) 220.722 21 Buddy Lazier (5) 220.233 22 Al Unser Jr (31) 219.151 23 PJ Chesson (91) 218.082 24 Marty Roth (25) 215.792
Flashbacks of Chopper 5
As a former co-worker used to say, “You can stab it with your steely knives but you just can't kill the beast.” He was right. I spent ten years in TV news and from time to time I get a call from my former employer asking for a little assistance. This happened last week when the TV station needed file video from my personal archives for a story celebrating 10 years of their news helicopter “Chopper 5.” I gladly responded, spending part of Thursday afternoon in their newly refurbished newsroom. (Nice Digs!)
The video I dubbed off from then was part of a highlight reel I created for pilot Miles Dunagan who at that time was leaving to go work for Dale Earnhardt, Sr. (Miles would later return to Memphis.)
Wheels Up Landing at Memphis International Airport with Miles.
Police chase with Jim York (who now flies News Chopper 3).
Little boy rescue on the banks of the Mississippi River with Miles. (The Memphis Police Aviation Unit found the young lad surrounded by his two dogs.)
We won an Emmy® award as well as an Associated Press award for our work on this story. Yes TV was fun and I do miss it from time to time. The flying part was the best. Here is the link to the full story. http://www.wmctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=4899198 Click the video link to watch.
Images appearing in this blog courtesy of SPEED, Wind Tunnel With Dave Despain, IMS Productions, ESPN2, WMC-TV and BJV Archives.
As someone who writes the news for you to read here on a daily basis, I will be the first to tell you that you can’t believe everything the media feeds you (including this site, I do get things wrong from time to time). It seems that Robin Miller believes that NASCAR is out to ruin the Premiere Racing Association Big Car Series. Last night on Wind Tunnel, Miller stated in a phone interview that:
“Mike Bliss was supposed to be there (at Wednesday’s opener at IRP) but NASCAR threw in a truck test Wednesday night… NASCAR is in bed with USAC and they don’t want this series to do any good… NASCAR sees it as competition and they would like to see it go away faster than see it start.”
Robin Miller missed this one bad. The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series doesn’t even hit the track at Charlotte until 11:30am Thursday according to the series event schedule posted on the Lowe’s Motor Speedway website, http://www.lowesmotorspeedway.com/NEXTEL_schedule/ and also at www.TruckSeries.com. NASCAR tested the Cup and Busch Series on the new pavement at Charlotte earlier this month. They are letting the Truck Series try out the new surface to alleviate any tire problems. The only Truck Series events that take place Wednesday are the parking of haulers and opening of the credential office. Robin Miller did correctly report that Jason Leffler will race there for George Snider.
Secondly, there is NO RIFT between the PRA and USAC. Both are competitors. In several interviews I have conducted with both Jason McCord and Jason Smith, the two say they are not out to get USAC or try to hurt the sanctioning body. For their part, the folks I have talked to at USAC view the PRA as competition but are not out to get the PRA either.
Regardless of Robin Miller’s “conspiracy theory,” the drivers who have committed reads to the inaugural PRA event reads like a Who’s Who of Open Wheel champs. The PRA says Dave Steele, Dave Darland, Tracy Hines, Paul White and Jimmy Kite are scheduled to race at IRP Wednesday night. It only costs $20 to get in. Did you hear me, only $20! The race will also feature performances by the Dane Clark band. Jason and Jason promise to have the race over and the fans on their way home at a decent hour. If you miss this show, you are loonier than Robin Miller.
Kasey Kahne on the WoO on Wind Tunnel
Kasey Kahne was the featured guest on Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain Sunday night. The World of Outlaws Sprints team owner was interviewed in front of one of his WoO cars. Kahne was asked about Darlington race and how the season is going. Kahne is 8th in points and has won two races. He told Despain that testing in the off-season has prompted the turnaround in finishes from 2005 to 2006. So why did Kasey Kahne move his team from the National Sprint Tour to the World of Outlaws?
“We were never really to sure what we were going to do,” Kahne told Wind Tunnel viewers. “We wanted to go with the series that made the most sense for our race team. Joey has a family and the guys on our team have a family. It made the most since. They (WoO) have a point fund at the end of the season. They have great schedules with the tracks they go to. I thought the Outlaws was the place for Kasey Kahne Racing. Joey Saldana is doing a good job and those guys are working hard. Hopefully when they start winning races, they will win a lot.”
Kasey Kahne’s New GirlfriendIn of the biggest items that people Google for that land on our site are the words “Kasey Kahne Girlfriend.” While (to my knowledge) Kahne is not publicly dating anyone, a girl in New Jersey thought she should ask the young Open Wheeler out.
Tonight on Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain, “Alissa from New Jersey” called and asked if Kasey Kahne would go to Prom with her. Kahne smiled and said that he never went to Prom. Adding, “I’m too old now.” Kasey Kahne did say he would go with her if he wasn’t so busy.
To see Robin Miller’s misguided rant and Kasey Kahne get proposed, tune into Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain Monday at 2am and 10am eastern on SPEED.
Qualifying Rained Out Again at Indy
Rain again got the best of today’s activities at Indy.
Only half the field made it onto the track for practice before the rain came again
All 33 positions for the Indianapolis 500 will be filled Saturday May 20th.
Sunday May 21st will be Bump Day. Practice is scheduled for Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.
ESPN is scheduled to televise Saturday’s qualifying live at 5pm eastern. The network will have a wrap up program at 7pm that same day.
Dan Weldon Fastest in Brief Session
Teams turned their best times of the month Sunday in a brief practice session at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Dan Weldon led the pack turning a time of 39.3592 at an average of 228.663 mph.
Team Penske driver Sam Hornish Jr. went around the historic oval turning a time of 39.4357 at an average of 228.220 mph.
Two time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves was third turning a time of 39.4931 at an average of 227.888 mph.
Danica Patrick was 17th in the short session. Not all of the drivers made it out onto the track for the session.
1 Dan Wheldon (10) 228.663 2 Sam Hornish Jr (6) 228.220 3 Helio Castroneves (3T) 227.888 4 Scott Dixon (9) 227.274 5 Dario Franchitti (27) 226.960 6 Tony Kanaan (11) 226.389 7 Ed Carpenter (20) 225.262 8 Bryan Herta (7) 225.190 9 Scott Sharp (8) 225.147 10 Tomas Scheckter (2) 225.091 11 Michael Andretti (1) 224.970 12 Marco Andretti (26) 224.884 13 Townsend Bell (90) 224.779 14 Vitor Meira (4T) 224.761 15 Kosuke Matsuura (55) 223.690 16 Eddie Cheever Jr (51) 223.054 17 Danica Patrick (16) 222.720 18 Buddy Rice (15T) 222.362 19 Jeff Simmons (17) 221.065 20 Felipe Giaffone (14) 220.722 21 Buddy Lazier (5) 220.233 22 Al Unser Jr (31) 219.151 23 PJ Chesson (91) 218.082 24 Marty Roth (25) 215.792
Flashbacks of Chopper 5
As a former co-worker used to say, “You can stab it with your steely knives but you just can't kill the beast.” He was right. I spent ten years in TV news and from time to time I get a call from my former employer asking for a little assistance. This happened last week when the TV station needed file video from my personal archives for a story celebrating 10 years of their news helicopter “Chopper 5.” I gladly responded, spending part of Thursday afternoon in their newly refurbished newsroom. (Nice Digs!)
The video I dubbed off from then was part of a highlight reel I created for pilot Miles Dunagan who at that time was leaving to go work for Dale Earnhardt, Sr. (Miles would later return to Memphis.)
Wheels Up Landing at Memphis International Airport with Miles.
Police chase with Jim York (who now flies News Chopper 3).
Little boy rescue on the banks of the Mississippi River with Miles. (The Memphis Police Aviation Unit found the young lad surrounded by his two dogs.)
We won an Emmy® award as well as an Associated Press award for our work on this story. Yes TV was fun and I do miss it from time to time. The flying part was the best. Here is the link to the full story. http://www.wmctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=4899198 Click the video link to watch.
Images appearing in this blog courtesy of SPEED, Wind Tunnel With Dave Despain, IMS Productions, ESPN2, WMC-TV and BJV Archives.
posted by Blake Johnson at 11:30 PM
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