Champ Trail - February 13, 2018

  Central Florida came alive with the sound of racing engines this past weekend as the green flag flew for Modified racing at the Bronson Speedway on Saturday night. Ryan Preece started his speedweek with a bang as the throttle stuck on his TS Haulers mount causing hard contact with the wall and a trip out of the track. Preece was not hurt but his mount suffered a bent frame. Twelve cars were on hand.
  Matt Hirschman more than made up for last years tangle with Ryan Preece as he scored a convincing win in the 50 lap Modified Speedweek opener. Hirschman took the lead from Craig Lutz with ten to go. Lutz finished second with Patrick Emerling, third. Ronnie Williams and Eric Goodale rounded out the top five.

  The Daytona International Speedway hosted ARCA Series qualifying on Fri, Feb 9. Natalie Decker was the pole sitter. New Englander Andy Seuss in the Robert Our entry was 25th. The Monster Energy Cup cars entered the garages. There were 40 entries for the Daytona 500. Michael Self won the multi-wreck ARCA 200. Andy Seuss finished 19th.
  Brad Keselowski won the Advance Auto Parts Clash at Daytona on Sunday. Joey Logano finished second. Alex Bowman won the pole for the Daytona 500.

  Modified racing at New Smyrna began on Monday, Feb 12.

  In some good news for those who can’t make it to Florida Fanschoice.tv will live broadcast New Smyrna events on Friday and Saturday, Feb 9 & 10 plus all events on Monday thru Friday, Feb 12 thru 17.

  The New London (CT) Day reported last Tuesday, Feb 6 that Waterford CT town officials on Monday agreed to review the town's 25-year-old noise ordinance after residents debated noise produced at the New London-Waterford Speedbowl, with neighbors claiming the race cars' rumbling is a health hazard while Speedbowl supporters argued the complaints are overly exaggerated.
  "I-395 is louder than the racetrack," longtime driver and current manager of the facility, George Whitney, told the RTM. "We do have a schedule. We never run past midnight."
  In a 14-6 vote, the RTM agreed to send the issue to the Public Health, Recreation and Environment Standing Committee in the coming weeks. "I think it would be fair, if residents feel it greatly affects their lives, to give them an opportunity to speak, and to hear from both sides," RTM Member Susan Driscoll, D-4th District, said.
  Andy Gathy, a lifelong resident of Butlertown Road "exactly next to the Speedbowl," said nationwide debates on the issue often boil down to "annoyed inhabitants versus car enthusiasts."
  But he noted the Environmental Protection Agency, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Occupational Safety and Hazard Administration recognize noise pollution as a health hazard.
  When the New London-Waterford Speedbowl was opened in 1951 it was out in the middle of no where. Only a couple of dirt roads were close to the track with the exception of Route 85. Since then, over 65 years has passed. Land has been developed, trees have been cut and now people who live near by bitch and moan because of the noise. It seems to me, if the trees were not cut and still held leaves it would be a lot quieter out there!

  On the speedway stock market scene last week all three speedway stocks ended the week on the negative side. The International Speedway Corporation dropped 2.60 to 43.50 while Speedway Motorsports dropped 0.53 to 19.59 and Dover Entertainment dropped 0.07 to 1.88. NASCAR cup sponsor Monster Beverage dropped 3.74 to 62.89 and NASCAR tire supplier Goodyear dropped 4.36 to 29.99 while NASCAR fuel supplier Sunoco (Energy Transfer) dropped 0.90 to 18.29. Two of the three auto manufacturers had negative results for the week. General Motors went up 0.46 to 41.46 while Ford dropped 0.18 to 10.53 and Ford dropped 0.18 to 10.53. In the home improvement sector, Home Depot dropped 9.85 to 184.12 and Lowes dropped 4.43 to 97.17. For the most part the big teams sponsors stocks were down with the exception of Aarons Rentals which went up 0.30 to 39.46. McDonalds dropped 8.58 to 160.80, Coca-Cola dropped 16.95 to 182.29, Target Department Stores dropped 0.50 to 72.45 and Fedex dropped 20.55 to 235.32.

  On the tube this week:

  Tuesday, February 13
6:00 PM, NASCAR Race Hub, Fox Sports1
6:00 PM, New Smyrna Modifieds, Fanschoice.tv

  Wednesday, February 14
5:00 PM, NASCAR Race Hub, FS1
6:00 PM, New Smyrna Modifieds, Fanschoice.tv

  Thursday, February 15
2:30 AM, NASCAR Race Hub, FS1
5:30 AM, Classic NASCAR - 1993 Daytona 500, FS1
11:30 AM, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Daytona practice, FS1
2:30 PM, NCWTS Daytona practice, FS1
3:30 PM, NASCAR Race Hub - Weekend Edition, FS1
4:30 PM, NCWTS Daytona final practice, FS1
5:30 PM, NASCAR RaceDay, FS1
6:00 PM, New Smyrna Modifieds, Fanschoice.tv
7:00 PM, Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Cam-Am Duels, FS1
10:00 PM, Classic NASCAR - 1988 Daytona 500, FS1
10:30 PM, Classic NASCAR - 1993 Daytona 500, FS1

  Friday, February 16
3:30 AM, MENCS Cam-Am Duels re-air, FS1
12:00 PM, NASCAR Xfinity Series Daytona practice, FS1
1:00 PM, MENCS Daytona 500 practice, FS1
2:00 PM, NXS Daytona final practice, FS1
3:00 PM, MENCS Daytona 500 practice, FS1
4:00 PM, NASCAR Race Hub - Weekend Edition, FS1
4:30 PM, NCWTS Daytona qualifying, FS1
6:00 PM, New Smyrna Modifieds, Fanschoice.tv
7:00 PM, NASCAR RaceDay, FS1
7:30 PM, NCWTS Daytona race, FS1
10:00 PM, Classic NASCAR - 1998 Daytona 500, FS1
10:30 PM, Classic NASCAR - 1988 Daytona 500

  Saturday, February 17
2:30 AM, NCWTS Daytona race re-air, FS1
4:30 AM, MENCS Daytona 500 practice re-air, FS1
5:30 AM, MENCS Daytona 500 practice re-air, FS1
6:00 PM, New Smyrna Super Late Models, Fanschoice.tv
7:30 AM, NCWTS Daytona race re-air, FS1
9:30 AM, NXS Daytona qualifying, FS1
11:00 AM, NASCAR Race Hub - Weekend Edition, FS1
12:00 PM, MENCS Daytona 500 final practice, FS1
1:00 PM, NASCAR Race Hub - Weekend Edition, FS1
2:00 PM, NASCAR RaceDay: XFINITY, FS1
2:30 PM, NXS Daytona race, FS1
5:00 PM, NASCAR XFINITY Post Race, FS1

  Sunday, February 18
1:00 AM, NXS Daytona race re-air, FS1
3:30 AM, MENCS Daytona 500 final practice, FS1
7:00 AM, Classic NASCAR - 1979 Daytona 500, FS1
8:30 AM, Classic NASCAR - 1988 Daytona 500
9:00 AM, Classic NASCAR - 1993 Daytona 500, FS1
9:30 AM, Classic NASCAR - 1997 Daytona 500
10:00 AM, Classic NASCAR - 1998 Daytona 500
11:00 AM, NASCAR RaceDay, FOX
1:00 PM, MENCS NASCAR Pre-Race, FOX
2:30 PM, MENCS Daytona 500, FOX

   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: February 13, 2018