World of Outlaws Sprint Cars Set for the NAPA Rumble

World of Outlaws Sprint Cars Set for the NAPA Rumble

The Outlaws head to I-96 Speedway on Saturday, June 2, for Michigan’s only race

 

LAKE ODESSA, Mich. – May 24, 2012 – The World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series is ready to rumble at the new and improved I-96 Speedway.

After reconfiguring the track from a half mile to the fast 3/8-mile oval during the offseason, the NAPA Rumble – the World of Outlaws lone event in the Wolverine state – is set for Saturday, June 2.

“Those are usually the good races for us whenever we go to places in an area that doesn’t have a whole lot of sprint car racing,” Lucas Wolfe said. “I think it’s always good to go to those events and that’s the only race in Michigan this year.”

It will mark the sixth consecutive year and eighth out of the last 10 seasons that the Outlaws have competed at the semi-banked track.

“It’s always a good weekend when you get to a track that we’ve been to a few times that we’ve had some decent speed at,” Wolfe said.

The track record of 14.834 seconds was established by Joey Saldana in 2010. Saldana claimed the first World of Outlaws event at I-96 Speedway in 1995 and six other drivers have picked up a feature win since.

Steve Kinser, who leads the current Outlaws points, has won a series-best four events and Jason Meyers took two victories. Jason Sides, Craig Dollansky, Stevie Smith and Sammy Swindell are also winners at the facility.

“It’s a unique track,” Kerry Madsen said. “I always look forward to going there. I think we can run well there, so I’m pretty excited about I-96.”

Cody Coughlin coming home to race JEGS.com stock car

Cody Coughlin coming home to race JEGS.com stock car

COLUMBUS, Ohio (May 24) – Cody Coughlin and the JEGS.com late model stock car team return home to race at Columbus Motor Speedway in this weekend’s CoughlinCars.com 100 JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour race.

Columbus is the home track for Coughlin and JEGS, which is based in nearby Delaware, Ohio. Columbus Motor Speedway is also where Coughlin, 16, began racing .25-midgets before moving to stock cars at the half-mile track.

“I’m really looking forward to this weekend,” Coughlin said. “I get to race in front of my home crowd, which is always neat. I expect there will be a lot a family members, friends and a bunch of people from JEGS there, too. I can’t think of a better place to get things going for us this year.”

The defending Howie Lettow Rookie of the Year for the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour, Coughlin finished 12th at Columbus a year ago in what was his second start on the JEGS series. Coughlin hopes to improve on that finish his second time around.

“I’ve always felt comfortable at Columbus Motor Speedway and the whole facility,” Coughlin said. “I’ve spent a lot of time there as a fan and have made a ton of laps around there, probably more than any other track.

“I can still remember the first time going through the gate when I was younger, and to think how far I’ve come in such a short period of time is pretty amazing. It would be great to be competitive there and run up front and hopefully challenge for a win.”

Coughlin and his entire family – dad John, mom Di and sister Kennedi – have been active at Columbus, a track that promotes family-style racing through the efforts of track owner Jeff Knuckles. The facility has been in the Knuckles family since the 1940s when John Knuckles and a group of motorcycle friends carved it out of the Ohio land. John’s son, James, took over in 1971, with James’ son, Jeff, currently running the facility.

“The Knuckles are a racing family, just like ours, and they always put the racers and fans first,” Coughlin said. “I feel truly blessed to represent JEGS and our family this weekend and I’m going to try my best to do everyone proud.”

Pit gates open at 12:30 p.m. Saturday in preparation for the 100-lap race. Practice is scheduled for 3 p.m., with qualifying at 6:15. The race program is slated to start at 7 p.m. and also includes local Late Models, Modifieds, Sport Stocks and Compacts.

INDYCAR SERIES AEROKIT REGULATIONS

INDYCAR RELEASES IZOD INDYCAR SERIES AEROKIT REGULATIONS TO MANUFACTURERS

INDIANAPOLIS (May 24, 2012) – INDYCAR re-introduced engine manufacturer competition for the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series season, and chassis competition will debut in 2013.

INDYCAR, the sanctioning body for the IZOD IndyCar Series, has set a May 25 deadline for prospective aerodynamic kit suppliers to commit to the program for 2013 and 2014. INDYCAR released final regulations to interested companies May 14.

The aero kit concept was announced along with the introduction of the 2012 Dallara chassis in July 2010 to allow visible bodywork diversity. Cars will be differentiated by their shape, with the car name incorporating the supplier for brand identity.

“We’ve had great interest from multiple companies,” said Will Phillips, vice president of technology, INDYCAR. “Some companies may see this as exciting training for their engineers or as a means to showcase their hardware for aerodynamic development. Others, such as automotive companies, may see this as a way to enhance their North American brand presence.”

Approved suppliers will design and develop the aero kits, and upon INDYCAR approval, may charge teams a maximum of $75,000 per complete kit.

Areas open for development for road/street/short ovals include sidepods, front- and rear-wing endplates, flaps and the engine cover. The Speedway configuration includes sidepods, front- and rear-wing endplates and the engine cover.

No IZOD IndyCar Series entrant may run more than three homologated aero kits within the two-year period, with one being the 2012 Dallara road/street/short oval and superspeedway aero kit.

A list of approved suppliers will be announced in June by INDYCAR, with on-track testing tentatively scheduled for January 2013.

Can anyone stop Turner’s ‘big pig’ Nitro Harley at Pittsburgh?

Can anyone stop Turner’s ‘big pig’ Nitro Harley at Pittsburgh?

Undefeated Turner looking to continue domination at Pittsburgh Nito Jam

NEW ALEXANDRIA, Pa. (May 24, 2012) – It certainly doesn’t look like anything in the two wheel drag racing community right now.

And that is exactly the way Jay Turner likes it.

When Turner created the nitro-powered bike now known as the “big pig” last year, he was told it was too big and too different to be successful. But after three months of racing, four consecutive Nitro Jam victories and lap-after-lap of consistent runs, it seems Turner is the one laughing now.

Jay Turner’s innovative ‘big pig’ Nitro Harley has been dominating the class

“It has been quite a learning curve, but it is running great right now,” Turner said. “At first we were out there trying to set the world on fire, but we tuned it back a bit to get nice consistent passes and right now we are really happy with where we are at. Once we get this thing where it needs to be we will turn it back up and really make some noise.”

The seemingly bulky ride, with its considerably wider wheelbase and lengthy frame, has proven itself on the track with quick, consistent laps and a nice, smooth ride. And after two stops in San Antonio and Baton Rouge, Turner also has four shiny new trophies to attribute to his new ride as he currently sits first in points with an 8-0 win-loss record.

“The biggest difference is the wheelbase. It is a foot longer and it is completely different than anything we have ever had,” Turner said. “But we built it to be different. We wanted to stick our necks out and build something that is going to be much better or much worse. At first we really thought we had built something worse, especially with the way people were putting it down, but right now we are starting to think this thing is the way of the future. Suddenly everyone is admiring this thing and asking questions.”

Turner is undefeated in Nitro Jam competition in 2012 with four wins

Turner, of Julian, N.C., will admit that at first it was a completely different animal as he got used to a completely different routine, one that involved lengthy burnouts and a “pusher” to roll him back into position, but now he says it is like riding a bike – or in this case a motorcycle.

“When I first got on it it was completely different,” Turner said. “There are lots of bells and whistles that keep me pretty busy and it has pipes on both sides which also gives it a different feel. Being bigger and heavier we also do a burnout past the tree and it has to be pushed back into place. But once it goes it goes. It doesn’t spin the tires and our 60 foot times are awesome. And above all else, the fans like it with the big burnouts and fire coming out both sides.”

So far in 2012 Turner’s best pass in Nitro Jam competition has been a respectable 6.470, 211.01, but that, he says, will soon change.

The current IHRA Nitro Harley world record is 6.278 seconds set by Doug Vancil in 2002. The speed record sits at 221.85 mph, also set by Vancil in 2001. But if Turner has it his way, that record will be his by the end of the year.

Turner will look to continue his winning ways at the Pittsburgh Nitro Jam June 1-2

“We are excited to turn this thing loose and get after it,” Turner said. “It has plenty left in the motor and when we turn it up we are going to shoot for a five second pass. That is our ultimate goal.”

Next up for Turner and the Nitro Harley gang is a trip to Pittsburgh Raceway Park for the Pittsburgh Nitro Jam June 1-2, followed by the IHRA western swing in Salt Lake City, Utah and Edmonton, Alberta in late June and early July. During that stretch Turner hopes to slowly tune the bike toward a record pass and hopefully by the end of the summer have his name added to the record books.

Until then he is happy with his role as a pioneer in the fan-favorite class and looks forward to continuing to reinvent the already thrilling class.

“People really thought that it was too big and that it would not run. Now everyone is pretty much blown away that we got it running as quick and fast as we have,” Turner said. “This thing has opened up new avenues and if the economy ever turns around I think you will see more like this being built. We already have plans to build a second one ourselves.

“This is the first in a line. We can improve this and make this the baddest bike on the block.”

Kinsers Welcome World of Outlaws Return to Indiana

Kinsers Welcome World of Outlaws Return to Indiana

Steve and Kraig Kinser have won seven Outlaws events at Kokomo Speedway

 

KOKOMO, Ind. – May 23, 2012 – For the Kinsers, quite possibly the First Family of sprint car racing, Indiana is home.

Therefore, the World of Outlaws return to Kokomo Speedway on Tuesday, June 5, for the third round of the Kasey Kahne Challenge is relished by Steve Kinser and his son, Kraig, who are both in the top six of the championship standings.

“I love running for everybody in Indiana,” Kraig said. “I have a lot of good friends there, so it definitely makes it nicer. You get to see a lot of people at the race track you don’t get to see all summer long. It’s definitely a nice feeling when you get to the race track and have that atmosphere around you.”

It’s a little more than a 100-mile drive from the Kinsers shop in Bloomington to the semi-banked, quarter-mile oval, where the Kinsers have combined to win seven World of Outlaws features.

Kraig picked up his lone win in 2005 and Steve was victorious in the Outlaws first event at Kokomo in 1978 as well as in 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987 and 1988.

“It’s always nice to be able to run a couple of hours and race,” Steve said. “I’ve only got to run there a couple of times since they changed the race track from what it was when I started. It’s definitely to the better. It’s a good, racy race track.

“The last two times I’ve been there they’ve banked the track. It used to be really flat. It’s completely different from what it was. It’s a lot better race track from what it used to be.”

World of Outlaws Sprint Cars Wrap-Up Northeast Swing

World of Outlaws Sprint Cars Wrap-Up Northeast Swing

 

 

CONCORD, N.C. – May 23, 2012 – This week’s episode of 4Wide.TV kicks off with the wrap-up of the Northeast Six Pack, where the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series completed the final three events in New York and Maryland. We start off with highlights from Rolling Wheels Raceway Park in Elbridge, NY on Wednesday night, where Paul McMahan put on a dominating performance, ending his night in victory lane.

Next up , Orange County Fair Speedway in Middletown, NY where on Saturday night, Steve Kinser took his momentum from Williams Grove and put the #11 machine in victory lane. The Outlaws loaded up and headed straight to the Hagerstown Speedway in Hagerstown, MD for a Sunday night shootout on the half-mile. Craig Dollansky was the man to beat, setting a blistering lap in time trials, winning his heat race from the fourth starting position, and led the Ollie’s Bargain Outlet presents the Kasey Kahne Challenge brought to you by O’Neill Race Gear from green to checkers. We’ve got all the highlights from the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series’ busy Northeast swing, including victory lane interviews with McMahan, Kinser and Dollansky.

Plus, Sammy Swindell, Cody Darrah, Kraig Kinser, Donny Schatz and Dollansky talk about the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series returning to The Dirt Track at Charlotte this weekend.

Also, you’ll hear from World of Outlaws Late Model Series driver Mike Marlar as he previews the series’ highly anticipated return to Tyler County Speedway in Middlebourne, WV this weekend.

To wrap up race coverage, we’ll show you just how close the points are at this point in the season for the World of Outlaws Sprints, Late Models, Super DIRTcar Series Big Blocks, and the UMP Late Models and Modifieds. See who is atop each of the standings right here at 4Wide.TV.

Make sure to check out the site for the Hot Thread of the Week, the video of the week and the photo of the week. Plus, we’ve got the dirt track racing Twitter feed that brings you non-stop news and notes from around the racing world.

If you are looking to follow the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series,World of Outlaws Late Model Series and the Super DIRTcar andDIRTcar Series, DIRTVision will have free live audio from six different events this weekend. Check out DIRTVision.com for start times and more information.

Also, be sure to watch the World of Outlaws Sprint Cars from The Dirt Track at Charlotte on SPEED this Friday night at 8:00 p.m. EST.

INDYCAR SEASON TO DATE

Season to Date:
 Will Power won back-to-back-to-back races at Barber Motorsports
Park and the streets of Long Beach, Calif., and Sao Paulo, Brazil.
 Helio Castroneves won the season opening Honda Grand Prix of St.
Petersburg.
 Helio Castroneves, Will Power and Ryan Briscoe have won poles this
season. Power won the pole at St. Petersburg and Sao Paulo,
Castroneves won the pole at Barber and Briscoe won the pole at Long
Beach.
 Three drivers (Rubens Barrichello, Katherine Legge and Josef
Newgarden) started their first career IZOD IndyCar Series race at St.
Petersburg.
 Two drivers – Power and James Hinchcliffe– have finished in the top-
10 in each event.
 Drivers from six different teams are in the top-10 in points entering
Indianapolis.
 There were a season-high seven race leaders and nine lead changes in
the season opening race at St. Petersburg and in the third race of the
season at Long Beach. There were also nine lead changes at Barber
Motorsports Park.

Milestones & Records:
 Should Dario Franchitti win the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series
championship, he will join Sebastien Bourdais as the only drivers to win
four consecutive Indy car titles. Bourdais won four-straight Champ Car
titles from 2004-2007.
 Should Dario Franchitti win the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series
championship, he will join A.J. Foyt as the only drivers to win five Indy
car titles in his career. Franchitti, who won the title in 2007 and again from
2009-2011. Foyt won seven championships in his career.
 With a victory in 2012, Scott Dixon will extend his streak of consecutive
seasons with a win to eight.
 With his next win, Scott Dixon will take sole possession of 11th place on
the all-time wins list. Dixon is currently tied with Johnny Rutherford with
27 wins.
 With his next victory, Dario Franchitti will tie Paul Tracy and Sebastien
Bourdais for seventh (7th) on the all-time wins list with 31 wins if neither
Bourdais nor Tracy wins before he does.
 Helio Castroneves needs three earned poles to reach 40 career poles in his
Indy car career. Castroneves won the pole earlier this year at Barber
Motorsports Park.
 Dario Franchitti needs four earned poles to reach 30 in his career.
 Scott Dixon needs three earned poles to reach 20 in his Indy car career.
 With one pole in 2012, Scott Dixon will extend his IZOD IndyCar Series
streak to six consecutive seasons.

The Dirt Track at Charlotte

World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series at a Glance

The Dirt Track at Charlotte

CONCORD, N.C. – May 21, 2012 – As the World of Outlaws recently surpassed the quarter point to the season, a couple of familiar faces have placed themselves atop the standings.

Steve Kinser, a 20-time Outlaws champion and the series winningest driver, has won two of the last four races en route to an 18-point advantage over three-time champion Sammy Swindell.

The duo and a strong contingent of champion-caliber drivers head to the Circle K NOS Energy Outlaw Showdown at The Dirt Track at Charlotte on Friday night for the season’s first televised race. The event will be broadcast live on SPEED beginning at 8 p.m. (EST).

Additionally, the World of Outlaws have partnered with Cell Phones for Soldiers as part of its “Outlaws Give Back” charitable initiative. Every fan with an adult paid admission ticket who donates a cell phone will receive a free fan pit pass upgrade to the Circle K NOS Energy Outlaw Showdown.

WHEN

Friday, May 25, at The Dirt Track at Charlotte in Concord, N.C., for the Circle K NOS Energy Outlaw Showdown. The front gate is scheduled to open at 4 p.m. with an autograph session at the main concourse at 4:30 p.m. Hot laps are slated for 6:15 p.m. and qualifying at 6:45 p.m.

WHERE

The Dirt Track at Charlotte is located at 5555 Concord Pkwy. South in Concord, N.C. Click on the link for a map ( http://g.co/maps/vqu5p).

ABOUT THE TRACK

The Dirt Track at Charlotte is a semi-banked, 4/10-mile oval. The track record of 11.889 seconds was established by Jeff Shepard on Oct. 6, 2001.

Iconic Funny Cars headline Pittsburgh Nitro Jam June 1-2

Iconic Funny Cars headline Pittsburgh Nitro Jam June 1-2

Legendary ‘Chi-Town Hustler’, ‘War Eagle’ among stars of Steel City event

NEW ALEXANDRIA, Pa. (May 21, 2012) – They are two of the most iconic race machines in drag racing history.

And on June 1-2 the legendary “Chi-Town Hustler” and “War Eagle” AMSOIL Prostalgia Nitro Funny Cars will do battle alongside three additional nitro classes and a full exhibition show during the Throwdown in the Steel City at the Pittsburgh Nitro Jam at Pittsburgh Raceway Park.

The famous ‘Chi-Town Hustler’ will be among the stars of the Pittsburgh Nitro Jam

Sparking memories of a time long ago when Funny Cars ruled the drag racing world and wild, anything-to-win match racing was how it was done, these two iconic nitro-powered nostalgia Funny Cars will do battle alongside defending series champion, world record holder and Pennsylvania native Peter Gallen in the “Poverty Stricken” Monza and Mike McIntire in the “McAttack” Camaro. The 2012 Pittsburgh Nitro Jam will mark McIntire’s first tour of duty since suffering a terrible crash at a Canadian event in July of 2011.

Behind the wheel of the “Chi-Town Hustler” will be veteran pilot Troy Martin who owns both the original 1973 machine and the replica version he built from the ground up that he will be racing in Pittsburgh. The 47-year-old Prototype Specialist for DePuy Orthopedics has long been obsessed with the world of high horsepower machinery and to have an opportunity to pilot such a famous ride has been a dream come true.

“It is such an honor to get to drive a car with such history,” Martin said. “In 2003 I bought the original 1973 ‘Chi-Town Hustler’ from Bob Gibson and restored it for shows and nostalgia races. That is about the time that nostalgia racing really started to explode. And as the speeds and ETs that the new nostalgia Funny Cars ran began to go up, we decided to park the original car and build a replica for preservation and safety reasons.

“We built the car and run it in tribute of the three men Farkonas, Coil and Minick behind the original car to show and preserve the colorful history of the Funny Car era.”

Three-time IHRA World Champion Dale Pulde will pilot his famous ‘War Eagle’ machine

The “Chi-Town Hustler” legend began in the mid-60s when three guys from Chicago, John Farkonas, Austin Coil and Pat Minick, built the beautiful ride and turned it into the premier match racing car of its day. The trio traveled the country putting on shows and earned the support of the fans with monster burnouts and fierce runs culminating with multiple championships.

Today, Martin enjoys keeping that rich history alive by returning the Hustler to its roots, match racing some of the biggest names in the business including the “War Eagle” whom Martin will face in Pittsburgh. And while Martin tries to live up to the high reputation earned under the “Chi-Town” name, his opponent in Pittsburgh will be non-other than the original driver of the “War Eagle” himself Dale Pulde. A three-time IHRA world champion, Pulde recently returned to the seat of his famous ride and looks forward to seeing these two incredible machines once again doing side-by-side burnouts to the joy of fans both young and old.

“We had the honor of meeting Dale and racing him for the first time last year,” Martin said. “Getting to meet and talk with him and many of the icons of the sport has been the best part of owning and racing the ‘Hustler’. Dale is still at the top of the field in nostalgia Funny Car racing which will make for an incredible show in Pittsburgh.”

Reigning Nitro Jam champion and Pennsylvania native Peter Gallen will defend his home turf

Also in action in Pittsburgh will be defending series champion Peter Gallen behind the wheel of his famous purple and gold “Poverty Stricken” Monza. Gallen is the all-time Nitro Jam wins leader in AMSOIL Prostalgia Nitro Funny Car and the world record holder in both ET and speed. He will be joined by Ohioan Mike McIntire in the “McAttack” Camaro in his triumphant return from injury nearly a year ago. Gallen and McIntire split the weekend at the 2011 Pittsburgh Nitro Jam.

“We have raced with Peter Gallen a couple of times and he is the king right now,” Martin said. “He and his crew are first class and are always the car to beat.”

And with such a strong field Martin admits that, as much fun as it will be competing against such a stout field, he would just as much enjoy sitting back and enjoying the show from the stands.

“I envy the fans that will get to see all of this incredible racing from the stands. It will certainly be an incredible show,” Martin said. “Still, I have driven many race cars in the past 30 years, but driving the Hustler is definitely the highlight of my driving career and I wouldn’t trade this for the world.”

The AMSOIL Prostalgia Nitro Funny Car field will be one of four nitro-powered classes. The nostalgia Funny Cars will be joined by Pro Fuel Dragsters, Fuel Altereds and the Pittsburgh Nitro Jam debut of Fuel Altered. The evening will culminate with one of the “biggest” drag races in the world as the legendary Grave Digger monster truck battles the 30,000 horsepower “Shockwave” jet semi.

Don’t miss the Pittsburgh Nitro Jam June 1-2 at Pittsburgh Raceway Park. For more information visit www.nitrojam.com.

Bristol Spring Fling 20′s a good learning experience for Troy Coughlin Jr.

Bristol Spring Fling 20′s a good learning experience for Troy Coughlin Jr.

BRISTOL, Tenn. (May 21) – For Troy Coughlin Jr., racing against the toughest drivers in the nation at this weekend’s K&N Spring Fling 20’s at Bristol Dragway was the perfect way to continue his education on the finer points of E.T. bracket racing.

Although wasn’t able to get his hands on one of the $20,000 top prizes, the third-generation racer did manage a respectable Round 4 finish in Sunday’s final event. More importantly, he believes the experience and knowledge he gained was priceless.

“I learned so much this weekend,” Coughlin said. “I try to learn something new every time I’m at the track but this weekend was different. Tony Collier [veteran JEGS crew member] wasn’t here with me and I decided to take more responsibility for setting my dial-in. Bristol Dragway is a fantastic track but it’s very tricky because it’s surrounded by mountains and the wind swirls and the temperature can change very quickly. You really have to stay on your toes. I made some mistakes this weekend but I also learned a lot that will help me at future events. No matter what, I plan to take a more active role in dialing-in this car from now on.”

During the four-day marathon, Coughlin was able to rely on crew members Rick Rossiter and Nick Gaylord to keep his JEGS.com dragster running smoothly. He was also gained some valuable insight following a brief phone call to his uncle, Jeg Coughlin Jr., who was competing in the Pro Stock and Stock classes at the NHRA Dollar General Summer Nationals in Topeka, Kan.

“I spent 15 minutes on the phone with Uncle Jeg and he set me straight on a few things,” Coughlin said. “Jeg gave me a little advice on the thought process he uses when he’s racing and it was a big help. He told me about some of the questions he asks himself and it was eye-opening. I definitely feel like I’m a better racer now than I was even a week ago.”

During the popular K&N Spring Fling 20′s event, which features four days of high-dollar E.T. bracket action on a 1,000-foot race course, Coughlin reeled off a string of second-round finishes before advancing to Round 4 in Sunday’s final race.

“It seemed like every time I was good, my opponent was just a little better,” Coughlin said. “That’s the way these big races are. You have to be almost perfect.

“Even though we didn’t win, I did have a great time. [Promoters] Peter Biondo and Kyle Seipel do a great job with this race and it was awesome to see the turnout they had. I’m already looking forward to coming back next year.”