Saturday night racing

A couple hundred people show up every other Saturday night at Ona Speedway to catch up with friends and see a night of local racing.

Last Saturday, fans got an added treat with the Super Cup stocks, which included local driver Jake Keaton. Yes, after a few weeks' absence, "Jake the Snake" was on Ona asphalt for three races.

Brenda Pitts, the Super Cup scoring director, said Jake's become her newest son. She also said at the series tryouts, the young man from Barboursville won, and gained a spot in the series.

After taking a position in my usual spot in the bleachers under the press/announcer box, looking around I didn't recognize anyone and they all had on R/E headsets with mouthpieces. Family members of the Super Cup drivers. Then, Brenda came up and asked if I'd like to be a scorer for the night. Sure, why not?

She handed me a clipboard with a name and car number. All it said was "Jake" and "10." Did I really need to ask who the driver was? Serendipity. The local blogger got the local driver.

It was not necessarily a good night for young Mr. Keaton. He DNF'd the Super Cup race around lap 50 of 100. Shoot. In front of the home crowd, no less.

He came back in the Modified race to finish 4th, and took the checkered flag in the Classics division. OK, it didn't toally redeem the night, but it ended better than it started.

Winner of the Super Cup race was a teenager, Todd Peck. It was his first series win, and obviously his first win at Ona Speedway. Keeping with tradition, when you take your first Ona checkered flag, you get to wear the Jester Hat of trackside reporter Mike Gue for a victory lane photo. But the hat's been altered. It now lights up. Yes, there are photos from Jim Ellis Photography on the Ona Speedway Web site.

Other winners at Ona on Aug. 16th were Hobby Stock, Gary Queen; Modifieds, Thomas Mays; Classics, Jake Keaton; Street Stock, David Bell; and U-Car, Keith Watson.

Racing continues Saturday, Aug. 30 at Ona Speedway, with a Kids Bike Race before the featured events.

Notes on the Glen

Give me a B-O-R-I-S!

Yep, despite the rain, my buddy Boris Said will be driving this weekend at The Glen for Petty Enterprises. Woo-Hoo!

Ford has given Boris the OK to run the Dodge for Petty. Like has happened so many other times in the 2007 and 2008 seasons, Boris’ chance to qualify or his awesome qualifying runs were doused by a rain-out, Friday was just the most recent.

In an article on Scene Daily this afternoon, Kyle Petty said he hopes Boris can get in their car and tell them how they need to tweak it for road courses. He’s looking for constructive comments, not positive and not necessarily a win, just how to make the package better.

They know who’s the go-to guy on the road course.

Now, since qualifying got rained out, that puts the other Kyle, Busch, that is, on the pole.

And that puts Tony Stewart at 9th. Not an impossible place, very probable, really.

Plus, he does have six road course wins, with four of those at The Glen.

It’s time to git-r-done, Tony! You’ve been close, so close, but not over that line first.

While on the subject of Tony, I would be remiss, and all you Tony-haters would claim prejudice, if I failed to mention the return of bad-boy behavior at Indianapolis.

He was his big-hearted, benevolent self early in the evening before the Silver Crown race, meeting with ill children and giving major help to the K-9 units of the Indiana State Police.

Then, he snapped, shoving a race official, ripping the electronics of his head and throwing it to the ground, going nose to nose and toes to toes. It’s quite the popular video on You Tube. And as they say in the hockey world, he probably spoke fluent French, too.

My thought is he’s a passionate guy when it comes to racing. He just couldn’t keep the beast completely under control.

Anger management classes (again) anyone?

News and notes from

If you noticed, there was no Keaton on the track at Ona Speedway last weekend.

Simple explanation. Jake Keaton has a ride in the Super Cup Stock Car Series and was racing at Lonesome Pine Speedway in Virginia.

Yep, Jake is now one of the registered drivers in the new series, which incidentally, will be making a stop at Ona Speedway Saturday, August 16, with a 100-lap feature race.

That night, all other classes will race, except the Late Models.

*****

Happy Birthday to #27 Late Model car owner R.Z. Hill – his 68th cake day. He got a pretty good ribbing all night long about it being his birthday, but he exacted his revenge on everyone when driver Eric Maynard bested Harvey Harrison and Shane Koontz for the win.

Not a bad present for Hill.

*****

And speaking of Shane Koontz, he put on quite the show Saturday night in what was the best race I’ve seen him drive to date.

Starting from the pole, he led a good bit of the race, but was passed by Maynard. Then, it was the battle for second with Harvey Harrison. So Shane finished 3rd, not quite 2.5 seconds behind Harrison and almost 4 seconds behind the race winner Maynard.

*****

And finally from Ona Speedway, you gotta love the Kids Bike Races. They’re just soooo cute – the bitty kids, sometimes with training wheels. They always get about a half-track lead before track spokesman Mike Gue lets the big kids take off. And yes, they catch up before turn three.

I don’t pull for the big kids, let their parents and buddies do that. I don’t have kids, just a pit bull. So I scream like crazy for the tiny riders. “Go little people, go!” or “Keep pedaling little riders!” and when they cross the start-finish line, they each get a big “woo-hoo!” from me, sitting underneath the press box.

Back in Indiana

I'm not one for "unnamed" or "sources close to the situation," but ESPN reported last night Ryan Newman has a verbal agreement with Stewart-Haas Racing.

Duh. Haven't we been saying that for two weeks now?

J.D. Gibbs said over the weekend they don't have sponsorship for a fourth car, so that flies out the window. But there were, and I suppose still are, possibilities at Petty Enterprises and Gillette Evernham.

But look at the advantages of Stewart-Haas.

First off, lots - and I do mean lots - of press coverage.

Next, it's two heartland racers getting together. One is pretty outspoken, but maturing. The other is grounded, quieter and already mature. One is streetsmart, the other seriously booksmart. That works well together.

The two Indiana boys are philanthropic, serious givers. Tony's we've discussed here already. Newman and his wife Krissie compiled and published Pit Road Pets, to benefit their foundation which focuses on animal welfare and no-kill shelters.

Both are poised and polished spokesmen for sponsors. Tony's done great commercials for Home Depot. Or Ryan and the Alltel spots calling other drivers to say the race is cancelled. And don't you hear the Gillette Young Guns yelling "New-man!" when you think about the name?

And for Newman, his buddy and former crew chief Matt Borland is competition director for Stewart-Haas. That's a good pairing, period, considering all but one of his wins has been with Borland. They were a hot team when I started watching NASCAR. I was greatly impressed by the gambles - and wins - on fuel mileage. Maybe they fudged the tanks, maybe not, but they won.

On the negative, there is pressure to succeed. Plenty of pressure to succeed, for both drivers.

All Hoosiers, all the time. Now if they could only run Hoosier tires...

Jimmie 'n Randy teaming up for Truck Series race at Bristol

Randy Moss has a seriously big name driver for his truck team Aug. 20 in the O’Reilly 200 at Bristol.

Jimmie Johnson will make his debut in the Craftsman Truck Series in the #81 Kobalt Tools Silverado.

Yes, that’s THE Jimmie Johnson, two-time, defending Sprint Cup Series champion.

OK, I’m impressed. The fleet-footed, sure-handed, high-leaping one has one of the the sport’s top drivers in his truck, with a sponsor. Lowe’s does has a vendors contract with Kobalt, and Jimmie and Chad made those really funny commercials for the tool company.

Before you get too excited, remember, Jimmie doesn’t race trucks and Jimmie hasn’t raced trucks. Anything could happen.


But this will get Randy Moss Motorsports some serious face time with the media and camera shots during the race.

So, tip of the hat, er ball cap, to Randy.

Photos thanks to the Associated Press and Lowe's Racing.

NASCAR auction to benefit Autism groups

The guys in NASCAR are always generous with their time and money. Some have taken time to autograph items for a benefit auction in Huntington.

Here is your chance to snag some collectibles and do good at the same time.

The local Autism Service Center, Autism Society and Autism Training Center at Marshall University, have a number of NASCAR items for auction – many autographed - to raise money for the groups. All money raised will remain in the Tri-State for services.

The auction will be 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 2 at Adkins Auction on 14th Street West in Huntington.

You can also make bids by e-mail to Elaine and Bill Harvey at bandeharvey@comcast.com.
Two items have minimum bids, others are no reserve.

Take a look at the list and if you see something you like, contact the Harveys.

Autographed items:
Jeff Gordon, Inaugural 1994 Brickyard Official Truck 1:24 diecast, paired with 1994 Brickyard Official Pace Car (limited edition of 25,000, unsigned) Minimum bid: $200. (Pictured on this page)

Elliott Sadler, 2 Race for Hope (Autism) yellow hats. (Pictured on this page)
Greg Biffle, Army National Guard Jacket, size large. (Pictured on this page)
Casey Mears, Army National Guard Jacket, size large.
Casey Mears, 1:24 diecast #25 National Guard (Pictured on this page)
Dave Blaney, 1:24 diecast #22 CAT racing
Dale Jarrett, framed poster #28 Havoline car (Pictured on this page)

Unsigned items:
Dale Earnhardt #3 Career Commemorative Plaque. Minimum bid: $100 (Pictured on this page)

1:24 diecasts, limited editions of National Guard #25 and National Guard #16

1:64 diecast, National Guard #16
National Guard hats, #88 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
National Guard shirts, #88 Dale Earnhardt Jr., size large
Jim Beam Racing golf shirt, size large
Blue Lizard Racing shirt, size extra large
Old Spice Racing shirts, size extra large
Richard Petty shirt, white, size extra large
Richard Petty shirt, black, size small

There is also a National Guard muzzleloader rifle for auction, camouflage in color.

Tony Stewart Foundation, helping others

Tonight will be a special night at O’Reilly Raceway Park. There will be a USAC Midget and Silver Crown double header, PLUS a presentation by and for the Indiana State Police.

The Tony Stewart Foundation teamed up with Vest ‘N Police Dog Protection, www.vestnpdp.com, to provide customized bullet resistant and knife resistant vests for the dogs. Tony will present 30 of the vests to the ISP tonight. The photo of the K9 with a vest is from the Tony Stewart Foundation website, www.tonystewart.com.


An officer and his dog will demonstrate the vests and an attack on a perpetrator, who will be Tony’s sister, Natalie Repenning. And she volunteered to be the person attacked by the dog.

Say what you will about Tony – brash, outspoken, honest to a fault, speaks what’s on his mind and doesn’t care what you think. He may not care what I think, but I think inside, he’s a pretty good guy.

The TSF was also a sponsor and partner in the 2008 Mutt Strut at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in April. I’d been reading about that at www.IndyPaws.com. There are photos there from the Strut, too.

Tony’s mom, Pam, was grand marshal for the Strut and rode in the pace car ahead of the doggies. She waited at the start-finish line to personally greet all the walkers, quad- and bi-ped (4-footed and 2-footed). There were 3,500 people in the walk, which raised money for the Indianapolis Humane Society, www.indyhumane.org. Just pawesome!

The Tony Stewart Foundation raises and distributes funds to help care for chronically ill children, drivers injured in motorsports activities and other charitable groups protecting various animal species.

We all know how much money Smoke raises and gives to Victory Junction Gang Camp, but he does much more. He’s hosted Make A Wish kids in his Turn 2 Suite at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He’s built playgrounds with his sponsor Home Depot. The list just keeps going.

You can be a part of this giving heart with gifts to the Foundation. You can find out more about the Foundation at www.tonystewart.com.