ARCA series heading to dirt track of the Illinois State Fairgrounds
Stock Car Racing History
http://www.agr.state.il.us/isf/webcam/midway.php?webcam=1&cam=11
Live feed from the ARCA race at Illinois State Fairgrounds
Forum Activity for @jim-wilmore
Stock Car Racing History
ARCA series heading to dirt track of the Illinois State Fairgrounds
Stock Car Racing History
Again, the ARCA series races Aug. 18 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. From Speed51.com "
Springfield ARCA Race to Air on NBC Sports Network Aug. 23
ARCA 8/16/13
Television coverage of stock car race at the Illinois State Fairgrounds returns after a long absence as the NBC Sports Network brings their cameras to the capitol city to record for later broadcast the ARCA Racing Series Presented by Menards 51st Allen Crowe 100. A large field of cars has entered the 51st Crowe 100 with each team and ARCA officials hoping to showcase this unique dirt track event for a worldwide television audience. The Springfield Mile was the site of the first live telecast of a national championship race when ABC brought their cameras to the Illinois State Fair in August of 1968 as part of the legendary Wide World o Sports program. Previous Springfield championship races received some television exposure, usually in the form of highlights or a condensed broadcast as part of the Wide World of Sports show. Fans can welcome NBC Sports to the Illinois State Fair on Sunday, August 18 during the running of the Allen Crowe 100 which is slated to begin at 1:30. The race is set for telecast on NBC Sports August 23 at 11 p.m. (ET)
ARCA series heading to dirt track of the Illinois State Fairgrounds
Stock Car Racing History
Last Saturday night's ARCA race at Berlin Raceway, Marne, Michigan which can be seen Tape-delayed on NBC Sports Network August 15 at 11 PM ET
ARCA series heading to dirt track of the Illinois State Fairgrounds
Stock Car Racing History
With all the hoopla over the Camping World Truck Series racing on dirt at Eldora none of the big racing news mentions much, if anything, about the ARCA race on the .4 mile clay oval of the Illinois State Fairgrounds, racing since 1983. You can catch the Tape delayed raceon NBC Sports Network August 23 at 11 PM ET
ARCA has been racing on dirt for years but it never got the attention that Tony Stewart's race got at Eldoro. Clint Boyer acted like it was the greatest thing since ketchup on hotdog, like it was a novelty yet, the ARCA series has been racing on dirt for YEARS and gets little notice.
I'm just as guilty, it wasn't until recently that a friend started working with rookie driver Bill Cataniathat I've taken notice. Now, I think I'm jumping ship from NASCAR Cup to ARCA to watch a more diverse style of racing, from asphalt and concrete ovals, road courses, and DIRT!!
This past weekend the ARCA series raced at the famed and hollowed ground of Berlin Raceway, Marne, Michigan which can be seen Tape-delayed on NBC Sports Network August 15 at 11 PM ET. ARCA has been racing at Berlin since 1958, one year longer than DIS, there is so much rich history with the ARCA series, it deserves so much more recognition than it gets.
updated by @jim-wilmore: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
Racing History Minute - August 12, 1951
Stock Car Racing History
Sorry for going off in another direction with Tim's story, just touched nerve.
Racing History Minute - August 12, 1951
Stock Car Racing History
Being a native of the Great Lake State I've seen the rise and fall of Detroit and I'll tell ya, it's been a long slow illness starting around the big oil embargo's of the early 1970's. Detroit was rich with cars and money up until about 1970 when bigger became better but, bigger was also more costly to operate and then, the big OPEC oil embargo kicked off and having a big giant Chrysler New Yorker suddenly became a burden. However, the car companies couldn't see the storm on the horizon, the couldn't see the risk, they were too busy making money to pay any attention to the oil crisis and boy did it ever come to bite them in rear end later on. Detroit just kept pumping big cars out all the way to 1980 before they realized that the Japanese auto makers were producing smaller, more efficient cars and their sales and popularity were increasing. Nope, Detroit was still hung over and on their backs. In the 1980's Detroit starting experimenting with smaller cars but the quality of craftsmanship had slipped, the UAW was bleeding the automakers dry, quality assurance had their hands tied with worker rights. Many auto plant and parts factories employees had become lazy and careless and the quality and reliability of U.S. autos had fallen to an all-time low. Bad management and lack of vision kept the engineers immobile. Still, the foreign cars were out performing in reliability in so many ways; Honda and Toyota were simply a better bang for the consumer's buck. After some miserable attempts to build smaller, more efficient cars, Detroit lagged way behind and sales started to dip. Oh, there were many loyal American's to the U.S. auto makers, but more and more consumers were spending their money overseas. By the 1990's Detroit finally started to wake up but the damage was done, foreign auto sales were out selling U.S. auto sales in many areas, and the quality of U.S. autos was still subpar. It wasn't until about 1997 that Ford engineers started producing some good solid reliable engines; the quality improved, the body styles were more aerodynamic, the interior less bulky and more user friendly. However, bad politics and UAW policies were still dragging Detroit down the path of destruction. Union leaders demanded more money thus further increasing the cost to build better cars. The Motor City will never be the thriving industrial powerhouse it once was, the global market has taken root. Detroit needs to reinvent itself before it can ever start to rebuild, if they don't foreign businesses are going to go in and buy up all the cheap land for sale and create a new Detroit, one that no longer relies on the automobile to employ the masses, the auto parts suppliers that use to employ tens of thousands are all but disappearing. Detroit is a dead city, much like the tobacco farms of the south, the land is for sale and CHEAP! It's a perfect storm for a takeover, lets hope it's American ingenuity that prevails and rebuild before some other foreign investorseizesthe opportunity.
Ya never know where that road will lead to?
Stock Car Racing History
Thank you Dave, I'll let Chad know Bill has a growing following.
Ya never know where that road will lead to?
Stock Car Racing History
Tim, you find excitement wherever you go...who you foolin' LOL
Ya never know where that road will lead to?
Stock Car Racing History
Dave, that's not a bad start for the first time. Of course it's no testimony to the super speedways but hey, he finished, a few laps down, but he finished. His Race Director, Chad York was a Specialist (E-4) in my last platoon in the army before I retired. Chad was a young ambitious lad, always respectful, always helpful, but not a butt kisser by no means, he did his job without looking for praise. I'm very happy that we've kept in touch, as have many of my soldiers and peers, Chad will be a great director for the team. When I got the text last night it read, and quote: "Hey Buddy, I'm here in your old stomping grounds, Berlin Raceway as Race Director for an ARCA team." I'm thinking, "ya right" but sure enough, there's ol' York having the time of his life. He knows how much I enjoy racing, I'm sure he's a little pleased that I'm pleased...ya see, those boys were like sons to me, accept I had to put them in harms way if called so you had to separate your feelings and replace it with trust and obedience. Chad and my whole platoon left for Iraq and Afganastan shortly after my retirement, I nearly stayed in long enough to take them myself but it just wasn't the plan. Besides, I was replaced by a very competent NCO, I felt much better about exiting the Army knowing they'd be in good hands.
Ya never know where that road will lead to?
Stock Car Racing History
Thanks Patsy, it was time well spent. Racing had overwhelmed my relations with my family the past few years, this year I've devoted my time and energy to them and it has been rewarding beyond expectations. I've missed racing a lot but, nothing can replace my family. Besides, I've gotten more accomplished around the house in the last 6 months than I have in the last six years. ToINCLUDEworking on the car and gettingready to build a shed to house it.