From RascalOutlaws.com:  11 cars in the pits (at Columbus 151 - JD) and ready to race on Friday July 23. The weather was questionable but nobody could question the dedication this group of racers has and they were rewarded with a night of no rain.  Friday is hard for many as some in the group drive a long way just to race. The great people at Columbus have always been great to work with and got everyone who was there before the end of qualifying out on track and timed in. Even the late arrivals were allowed on track after the timing system was removed just to shake the cars down (just who might that have been??? - JD). Columbus is a great track.

With a large group (?- JD) of cars we were able to run separate heats for each division. As the 6 mini mods hit the track for their 8 lap heat, they lined up inverted by time...In a surprise drive move the seat of the number 1 was filled with Justin Lindeman who also had his Rascal car in the pits...Up next was the 6 lap sprint for the Rascal cars. Tim Roach was to lead the field but in an incredible ballsy move he chose the outside lane and challenged everyone by giving them the fast low lane.. That sounds a lot better than I screwed up and forgot where I was supposed to start. When the green flew it was Roach to the lead for the first laps but soon an overheating issue would force him off. Vern Brown, Kyle Lynn, Jason Dull and Josh Felder put on an incredible show for the fans with close exciting racing. Dull was inpressive jumping into the Lindeman car with no seat time and finishing third. Jason is a former FIRA driver who has recently been racing midgets but as tonight showed, if it has wheels, he will drive the heck out of it.

The combined feature had each group inverted but still separated with the Rascal cars out front followed by the Mini Mods. The starts of this division are always exciting with the groups separating but with passing and close racing everywhere. Out front it Roach  on point but not for long. The Kid Kyle Lynn was on a mission and was soon to pass. The moisture in 3 and 4 was always in play and made for some excitement as the cars tried to avoid this area. As the 4, 38 and 17 raced hard lap traffic brought the group together again but the 4 was too fast tonight and would not relinquish the lead. As Brown and Roach dueled contact was made out of 4 as Roach got into the wet and started to come around. Brown had no where to go and the contact sent Roach to the pits with major damage and Brown was slowed with issues. (we avoided that and finished 2nd - JD).

See you at the Sunday Aug 1 Lions Club Race.

 
From Dick Jordan:
The United States Auto Club has announced several schedule modifications to the 2010 Silver Crown Championship slate, including the addition of the “Rollie Beale 150” at the Toledo (Ohio) Speedway October 16 and the rescheduling of the rain-postponed “Sumar Classic 100” at the Terre Haute (Ind.) Action Track, now scheduled for October 9. Along with these announced schedule additions, the Oswego, N.Y. race originally scheduled August 4 has been cancelled.
“We are pleased to announce the series’ debut at Toledo, which has been an exciting racing venue for our pavement sprints and midgets for many years and the new date for the “Sumar Classic 100,” added Jason Smith. Senior Vice President of USAC Racing. The return of the “Sumar Classic” to Terre Haute continues a tradition begun in 1995 while the Toledo race builds on USAC’s heritage at the Ohio oval while inaugurating a brand-new Silver Crown tradition on the popular season-ending date at the Speedway.”
Beale won the USAC National Sprint Car Championship in 1973 and recorded 32 feature victories during his USAC career. In addition, he competed in numerous USAC Silver Crown races and served for several years as USAC’s Silver Crown and Sprint Car Chief Steward.
The USAC Silver Crown Championship Series now turns its focus to the August 12 race at Berlin Raceway in Marne, Mich., another race new to the USAC schedule in 2010.
 
 

From MADISON, Ill. — Officials with Dover Motorsports, Inc., the owners of Gateway Int’l Raceway, have announced that they will not seek NASCAR Nationwide or Camping World Truck Series dates from NASCAR in 2011. “This was a difficult decision in light of the many years of earnest and continued efforts on everyone’s part to develop a viable market for these events in one of our nation’s greatest cities,” said Terry Harmeson, vice president and general manager of Gateway Int’l Raceway. “We remain committed to fulfill the balance of our 2010 schedule including our October 23rd NASCAR Nationwide race which will provide our fans the opportunity to see Danica Patrick compete here for the first time. We also plan to explore various ways to change the economics at Gateway both from the revenue and expense side.”
Gateway Int’l Raceway has hosted NASCAR-sanctioned events since 1997, when Elliott Sadler won the first NASCAR Nationwide Series race held at the facility. The track added a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event to its schedule the following year.
The track added a second Nationwide date this season when Dover Motorsports shut down Memphis Motorsports Park in Tennessee prior to the start of the season.
“We have a group of extremely dedicated and talented employees who make Gateway a great destination and we deeply appreciate all the support we have had from the racing community over the years — from racing fans and drivers to sponsors, team owners and sanctioning bodies,” said Denis McGlynn, president and CEO of Dover Motorsports, Inc. “However, economics dictate that we evaluate all of our options for this facility, including its possible sale.”
Most recently the track played host to a NASCAR Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series doubleheader, which ended with a controversial last-lap crash during the Nationwide Series race that saw Carl Edwards hook Brad Keselowski into the outside wall on the front stretch as the pair raced to the checkered flag on the last lap.

 

From Jayski: -Ryan Newman and #11-Denny Hamlin were the two Sprint Cup drivers fined by NASCAR for making disparaging comments about the series, multiple sources told ESPN.com. Neither driver could be reached for comment. Newman was fined first and Hamlin second, the sources said. The sources would not confirm which statements made by the drivers were responsible for the fines, but both drivers have been outspoken on several issues.

Jeff Gordon will have a new spotter starting this weekend at Pocono Raceway, a move the team believes will help the four-time NASCAR champion snap the longest losing streak of his career. Hendrick Motorsports hired Jeff Dickerson Wednesday, moving quickly to grab the spotter after he unexpectedly parted ways last week with #18-Kyle Busch. Dickerson had been with Busch since his early days at HMS, and the driver often credited Dickerson for guiding him on the track to several victories. Crew chief Steve Letarte said after listening to tapes of Dickerson, he believed the spotter could be the key to helping Gordon close out races. Gordon is winless since Texas in April 2009, a span of 49 races. Dickerson replaces Shannon McGlamery, who began spotting for Gordon at the start of the 2007 season. McGlamery still will be a mechanic at Hendrick Motorsports, building the cars for Gordon and teammate Jimmie Johnson. "Shannon is a very good spotter, but I think Jeff Dickerson is one of the best," Letarte said. "The spotter is the third musketeer on the radio, and when he became available, I listened to a lot of tapes, I did a lot of research, and although the timing was short, I recognized his style will help us build upon our continued communication improvements."

JTG Daugherty Racing announced that 2000 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Bobby Labonte will take the reins as driver of the #47 Toyota Camry for the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 36-race schedule. "JTG Daugherty Racing is a solid race team that has come close to winning races with Marcos Ambrose and I'm looking forward to developing our new partnership in 2011," Labonte said. "The team is thriving and their technical alliance with MWR (Michael Waltrip Racing) is intact. It's great to have next year already set in stone so when this season ends we can begin focusing on next year right away. Everything is in place and we have all the right ingredients to win races together."
Labonte's credentials speak for themselves. The Corpus Christi, Texas native is a 21-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winner with 26 pole awards, 114 top-five and 199 top-10 finishes. Team owners Jodi and Tad Geschickter and Brad Daugherty are pleased Labonte accepted the offer to drive the JTG Daugherty Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series entry as they enter their third full-time season of competition at Daytona International Speedway on February 13th...This announcement follows Marcos Ambrose's decision to part ways with JTG Daugherty Racing at the end of the year, which was confirmed on Tuesday by team officials.

Jack Roush remains hospitalized in serious, but stable condition following a plane accident at Wittman Air Field in Oshkosh, Wisc., yesterday. He is currently under observation for facial injuries sustained in the accident. His passenger, Brenda Stricklin, was treated and released from a Wisconsin hospital this afternoon. The entire Roush organization would like to thank everyone for the outpouring of support and well wishes. Those wishing to make a charitable donation in the name of Jack Roush are encouraged to contribute to Speedway Children's Charities at www.speedwaycharities.org. Please identify your contribution as "Jack Roush" in the notes section.

Sirius NASCAR Radio's Sirius Speedway with Dave Moody has learned that Marcos Ambrose will replace Kasey Kahne in the #9 Ford at Richard Petty Motorsports next season. Ambrose said he has no "Plan B" in place for 2011 and could even return to his native Australia if another Sprint Cup opportunity does not surface. Highly placed sources tell Sirius Speedway that a deal with RPM is "95% done," though there is no definitive word on who might sponsor the effort. Ford Racing Marketing Manager Tim Duerr declined to comment specifically on the report today, but said the automaker has longstanding ties with Ambrose. "Marcos started with Ford and Ford brought him to NASCAR," said Duerr. "He bleeds Ford blue, and we would love to see him back in a Ford next season. I don't think that Marcos has a signed Sprint Cup ride for next season at present. It all depends on him, a sponsor and a team putting something together, but I am optimistic that we will see Marcos back in a Ford next season." A spokesman for Richard Petty Motorsports declined to comment today, calling the report "speculation."

The family known in Wausau for its racing roots suffers the loss of its home in Rib Mountain. Ron and Joan Wimmer's home on Hummingbird Road was destroyed by fire. The Rib Mountain deputy fire chief says the fire likely started in the garage a little after 4pm. Tuesday at the Wimmer's home. It destroyed a car inside, and quickly spread to the rest of the house, damaging another car parked outside. "The garage appears to be a total loss. The house, we're going to try and get in and get some personal affects," said Matt Savage, the Rib Mountain Deputy Fire Chief. Three people were inside. And escaped safely. One was treated for smoke inhalation, and released. Two dogs were also rescued. The source of the fire is still being speculated. The house sits on ten acres, and has several nearby buildings. Firefighters contained the fire to the house and close trees. Savage said the concern of the fire spreading beyond the house was minimal but was an issue. Ron and his son, Scott, own State Park Speedway. This Thursday marks the annual Larry Detjens race at State Park Speedway. Scott races in NASCAR'S Nationwide series. His brother, Chris, competes on the ASA circuit