The Chrome Horn - Champ Trail with Phil Smith

Champ Trail - March 8, 2016


  Now that Florida Speedweeks are over the clock is ticking in the northeast as there are only five weeks before the Men that live by the Grace of God and 600 horsepower get it on for the 42nd Annual Icebreaker at the Thompson Motorsports Park. The will take place on April 8-10, featuring the first championship race of the season for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour (NWMT). The Icebreaker this year has been expanded to twelve divisions of racing, and will once again include the popular Fan Appreciation party on the track on Sunday morning before the second day of races begins.

  Ryan Preece continued his education in the NASCAR Infinity division. On Saturday in his first visit to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Preece made it through 2 rounds of qualifying starting a solid 20th place.
  During the Boyd Gaming 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Ryan did not have the start he would have hoped for. Ryan bounced off the wall coming out of turn 4 on lap 2 and bounced into Corey LaJoie sending Corey into a spin through the inner oval. The rest of the race went much better for Ryan, while Ryan finished the race 3 laps down he stayed out of trouble ending up with an 18th place finish out of 40 starters.

  Racing web site Speed51 recently conducted a poll concerning likes and dis-likes of race fans. It was voted that the Thompson Motorsports Park, aka Thompson Speedway was one of the top five favorites of fans and competitors. It was also voted that Shawn Monahan of the New London-Waterford Speedbowl, was one of the top five promoters of short track racing.

  Congratulations to Keith and Cassie Rocco on the birth of their second child as baby Giuliana decided she was ready to join the world! She arrived at 9:32am weighing in at 5 pounds 13 ounces and is 19 inches long and looks just like her brother.

  On the speedway stock market scene last week all three speedway stocks ended the week in the green. Leading the way was the International Speedway Corporation which went up 0,51 to 35.50. Speedway Motorsports went up 0.67 to 18.94 and Dover Entertainment went up 0.11 to 2.26. NASCAR tire supplier Goodyear went up 2.28 to 32.53 while NASCAR fuel supplier Sunoco (Energy Transfer) went up 2.61 to 29.33 and NASCAR cup sponsor Sprint went up 0.49 to 3.82. The car manufacturers had a positive week. Toyota went up 4.41 to 109.55, General Motors went up 1.74 to 31.37 and Ford went up 1.12 to 13.59. In the home improvement sector, Lowes went up 1.29 to 70.39 and Home Depot dropped 0.60 to 125.66. The big team’s sponsor’s stocks were all positive. Fedex went up 8.53 to 145.91 while Coca-Cola went up 3.25 to 176.87, McDonalds went up 0.12 to 117.18, Target went up 2.70 to 81.13 and Aarons Rentals went up 0.83 to 23.47.

  On the tube this week:

  Thursday, March 10

7:00 AM, NASCAR America, NBC Sports Net
5:00 PM, NASCAR Race Hub, FOX Sports 1
5:00 PM, NASCAR America, NBCSN
6:00 PM, NASCAR Race Hub: Jeff Gordon, FS1

  Friday, March 11
7:00 AM, NASCAR America, NBCSN
11:00 AM, 100,000 Cameras: Daytona, FS1
11:30 AM, NASCAR Xfinity Series Phoenix Practice, FS1
12:30 PM, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Phoenix Practice, FS1
2:00 PM, Untold Stories: Daytona, FS1
3:00 PM, NXS Phoenix Practice, FS1
4:30 PM, Beyond the Wheel, FS1

  Saturday, March 12
10:00 AM, 100,000 Cameras: Daytona, FS1
10:30 AM NSCS Phoenix Practice, FS1
11:30 AM NXS Phoenix Coors Light Pole Qualifying, FS1
1:00 PM NSCS Final Phoenix Practice, FS1
2:00 PM NXS FOX Pre-Race Show, FOX
2:30 PM NXS: Axalta Faster. Tougher. Brighter. 200, FOX

  Sunday, March 13
12:00 AM NXS Race Re-Air, FS1
1:30 PM, NASCAR RaceDay, FS1
3:00 PM, NSCS FOX Pre-Race Show, FOX
3:30 PM, NSCS: Good Sam 500 Race, FOX
11:30 PM NASCAR Victory Lane, FS1

   That’s about it for this week from 11 Gardner Drive, Westerly, and R.I.02891. Ring my chimes at 401-596-5467.
E-mail: smithpe_97_97@yahoo.com.

Phil Smith has been a columnist for Speedway Scene and various
other publications for over 3 decades.
 

Source: Phil Smith / Champ Trail
Posted: March 8, 2016

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