Forum Activity for @andy-denardi

Daytona Re-Development Program looks awesome

Current NASCAR

I think the changes will be a good thing, especially taking out the lower rows where debris is likely to land. I think they said that they were adding new seats higher up, but that's just bluster to conceal the fact that attendance is down.

They just repaved so there's no chance of reducing the banking and getting rid of restrictor plates. It seems like a bad decision not to do that but I guess they didn't have the cash at the time. I'm glad that they have to do this with their own cash and I'm on record as not in favor of any government entity subsidizing the creation/maintenance/upgrade of any privately owned sports facility.

Daytona Speedway is the figurehead for stock car racing and needs to keep up with the times. I'd rather that they improved things for the average fan, but I know that the majority of the money will go towards suites, TV facilities and retail outlets.

As for the "$600 million five-year improvement program for the 13 ISC tracks", I don't believe that there will be any major improvements anywhere but Watkins Glen. Darlington isn't a major market, Martinsville is already perfect, Fontana, Kansas & Chicago are boring tracks that won't last through the decade. But if there's a hint of Formula 1 money coming back to Watkins Glen, ISC will be slobbering the same way that Indianapolis did.

Racing History Minute - June 18, 1955

Stock Car Racing History

Racing at Fonda Speedway started in September 1927 and they ran six events between then and 1939. The first race in 1927 was AAA sanctioned but with so few events it doesn't sound like they were at all successful. It wound back up by fits and starts in 1948 and things finally came together in 1953. A 1/8 mile drag strip operated in 1957, they upgraded to a 1/4 mile in 1959 and held runs through 1968. Shirley Muldowney's drag racing career started on the Fonda dragstrip in 1958. Tony Stewart plans to run a 410 sprint car race there next month. The owners have never threatened to move the track to Chemung if they didn't get a tax break. They still haven't paved Fonda, and as of 2007, there were still 32 dirt tracks in operation in New York state compared to only 12 paved ovals.

DON PRUETT, THEY SPELL HIS NAME WRONG IN THE NASCAR LINE-UPS(PRUITT)

Stock Car Racing History

This is the 5th different thread you've started on this topic since May. Can you hold it down to once a month?

Fireball Roberts 62 Pontiac

Vintage Oval and Road Course Racing

Holman-Moody was bought up by John Holman's son and they are building and restoring cars. Since they invented the wheel, they probably have them or know where to get them.

http://www.holmanmoody.com/

Racing History Minute - June 16, 1951

Stock Car Racing History

It appears that there were five Henry Js in that race. In fact, in the other lane, in the gap between the Cadillac and Henry J is another Henry J.

GONE TO SOON

Stock Car Racing History

Jason's boy needed him more than god ever will. I'm glad that Jason was able to get some recognition during his lifetime.

Racing History Minute - June 13, 1954

Stock Car Racing History

Bowman-Gray had a Grand National race for several years that featured foreign cars called the International 200. The last one was 1963 or 1964. I think it was their gimmick because I find no record of foreign cars in other races. The race was seemingly open to any foreign cars that wanted to enter, up to and including Volkswagen. Granted, horsepower isn't a big help on a 1/4 mile track, but it's hard to picture a Beetle competing against the Hemi.That photo of the #126 Dodge and the #27 is either from another race or Racing Reference is incorrect. That's an Austin-Healey, not a Jaguar. The #72 convertible MG shown racing Keller's Jaguar is also not listed on in Racing Reference. The photo clearly shows a Linden Airport banner, so we're in the right place. Every photo I've seen of the winning Jaguar shows that paint scheme, so I think it's the right race and the right car.Those Hudsons must have been some kind of race car because Eubank's 2nd place car was on the same lap and there were two more in the top ten only a lap down. The Jaguar was running at least 170 horsepower and good race tires would have been available for it, although probably narrower than the American cars. Even on a two mile course, I wouldn't have expected the American cars to keep up after fifty laps.

WONDER IF A CHEVY VALVE SPRING WOULD FIT IN Toy-Auto MOTOR

Stock Car Racing History

Smokey would probably have the problem solved by now. It would be highly illegal, but NASCAR would let him run for the sake of the show until something better could be found. Other than that, I think Toyota won't be stuck the whole season like Bud Moore was; they'll be good before the chase.

Toyota doesn't have much experience with fast cars. Nearly all of their campaigns since 1968 have failed. The bright spot for them is NASCAR, and they'll hammer on this in order to remain in the bright spot. They got lots of money for engineers, and the top brass will be fully behind it. Flatheads and small blocks were production engines and they had thousands of people hopping them up over dozens of years. To the best of my knowledge, Toyota has never built a V8 except for this race engine. You'd be screwed too if you had to rely on Michael Waltrip for half your program.

Racing History Minute - June 9, 1966

Stock Car Racing History

Well then Kyle Busch should go on the Pearson plan. In my opinion, he has the talent to dominate but it seems certain that nobody needs to worry whether he's in the chase or not.

I wouldn't want to go back to the days of teams demanding show money, it's unfair to the majority of teams. One of Tim's race minutes had an example where Richard was getting paid as much to show up as to win the race. We already have guys that lay back all season until the chase.

At the current salaries, drivers should be hurt too bad by running a partial season. It would give guys a chance to run a few different series like they used to. Contracts prohibit running different sanctions now, but I think the drivers could push back if they knew they had the time to run other races. The teams could still run the full season if they wanted to. They still have team championships don't they? But they could run a few different drivers. Some small teams already do, and it's been working out for MWR. I could easily see Tony Stewart cutting back his schedule and having Newman run the #14 most of the season.

Racing History Minute - June 9, 1966

Stock Car Racing History

Eight wins in ten races. The Jimmy Johnson haters don't know how good they got it.

Races back then were made more interesting because you didn't have the same top drivers show up every week. Sometimes only Petty would show up and the start-and-parkers had a chance for a win. A big event would be really special because all the best drivers showed up, even guys from other sanctioning bodies.

With all of the money these guys are making, you'd think they'd want to take a few days off. There aren't many full-season sponsors, so Jeff Gordon might only drive the ones where Axalta was on the fenders. Danica can drive just the ones where the fans voted her in.