NASCAR: Jimmie Johnson Pre-Texas Press Conference

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
DICKIES 500: TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
NOVEMBER 6, 2009

JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE'S/KOBALT IMPALA SS met with media and discussed the race track at TMS, his relationship with Jeff Gordon, going for a fourth championship, and more. Full Transcript:

KERRY THARP:  Finishing up this morning with our Chase driver press conferences, Jimmie Johnson, driver of the No. 48 Lowe's Kobalt Tools Chevrolet.  Currently our points leader here at Texas Motor Speedway.  He's got one win, six top fives, nine top 10s.  Three to go in the Chase, what's your outlook this weekend here at Texas?  

JIMMIE JOHNSON:  Man, I'm excited for the weekend.  I really have enjoyed this racetrack.  We've been very competitive the last two years basically here.  Just showing up today, I mean, our goal is to try to sit on the pole.  Come Sunday, we want to win the race.  The way our mile-and-a-half program has been, we'll be very competitive on Sunday.  Finished second in the spring race to Jeff.  
So I know the company is going to be strong.  My teammates are going to have good cars.  We'll just get out there and race for it.  
I think the track has aged a lot.  The bumps are good.  The asphalt is wearing out.  We're running higher and higher on the racetrack.  One and two seem difficult to run on the top and make it work.  But things are going well.  
Certainly happy with where we are in the points.  It's not really going to change what we do over the next few weeks.  In my opinion, the only way strategy would come into play in being concerned about finishing in a certain spot would be in Homestead.  
So until then, we're going for maximum points every time we're on track.  

KERRY THARP:  We'll take some questions.  
Q.        Are you bringing back the car that you finished second here in April or is this the car maybe you won at Charlotte?  Is this a chassis you've had success with this year or did you bring a new car out?  

JIMMIE JOHNSON:  I don't know for sure.  After Charlotte, Chad and I had a conversation about bringing that car here.  I'm not sure if it made it.  Then with that in mind, I'm not sure if that's the car we ran here in the spring or not (laughter).  
The COT anymore, we do have a couple cars that we work through, but it's not like the old cars where there's specific tracks that we could take a body to and the body was designed for certain things.  
Anymore, I really lose track of what car we take where (laughter).

Q.        I want to ask you something that Jeff had talked about at Martinsville.  He was asked about the relationship with you in the sense of he brought you long and you've denied him wins and championships.  How does that not boil under the surface?  His comment was, In 15, 20 years we'll be better friends than what we are even now.  He does say that it makes you hungrier, you want to push harder to do everything you can to go out there and beat him, so it's affected our friendship.  We're competitors on the racetrack.  I'm not going to pat him on the back and say how great he is when I really want to beat him, but at the end of the day I respect him.  A lot of people look at the relationship between the two of you as the buddy type.  To hear Jeff say that, does that surprise you?  Is that an accurate description?  How does winning affect a relationship in the garage?  

JIMMIE JOHNSON:  In some ways it surprises me; others it doesn't.  There's no doubt that over the last few years competition has been more intense.  We've been racing for championships.  It was a lot easier when I was a rookie needing assistance and help.  We spent a lot of time together then.  I guess we were both single and not married at that point, too, having a lot of fun.  So that certainly helped.  
But, you know, I think we still have a very strong friendship.  He's probably right in the respect that as competitive as we are, what we're racing for, what we're both trying to accomplish in our professional careers, it does strain the friendship side.  
I'm not sure if 'strain' is the correct word.  There's less focus on the personal side and the friendship side.  It's more of a working relationship.  
I look to him and give him a lot of credit over the years, how the friendship and the working relationship has worked.  As a young guy coming in, I think he being the veteran, the wiser one of the two of us, more experienced, depending on how he handled things would set up how I would react and act myself.  I looked to him for so many things.  
Through it all, there's been a great deal of respect.  It's still there today.  I guess at some point he's probably right, I think our friendship will be closer when we're both hanging the helmet up and retired and things like that.  
But there isn't any issues with our friendship.  We're still great friends.  Our lives have changed a lot.  He's married.  I'm married.  He has a young daughter he's raising, all that kind of thing, too.  I don't think that the competition has been responsible for all of it, you know.  
There's just been things change in life, you go different directions, all that.  The respect is still there.  I think that shows.  That's the most important thing.
 
Q.        Could you imagine being a role reversal down the road, if you bring somebody on, he starts beating your tail?  

JIMMIE JOHNSON:  I really do look at those things.  I'm well aware that things have gone great for the last three years.  I'm obviously hoping for a fourth.  But at some point I won't be that guy.  It will be somebody else.  Somebody else will be doing it.  I've always been aware of those things through my career.  I've been very fortunate to race with and been mentored by other champions and guys that have been very successful.  To watch how graceful they've been, Rick Johnson, Gary St. Amant, Jeff Gordon, there's been a lot of guys through the years that have worked with me.  I've been aware of that.  
I've always in the back of my mind said, That's how I want to kind of handle things, be and act.  I do pay attention to that.  I am aware of it.  
When that day comes, I hope I can handle it as well as the guys I've respected growing up have, because it won't be easy.  Losing sucks.  We all hate it.

Q.        Three weeks ago at Charlotte, there was a lot of talk about the perfect weekend for you and Chad.  Knowing the drive you have, how important would it be for you personally to be the first driver since the Chase was implemented to clinch it before the series got to Homestead?  

JIMMIE JOHNSON:  It would be really nice to do that.  I'm not mentally planning for that.  I'm still trying to race this weekend and next weekend as if we're behind in points, you need maximum points, because you just never know.  I know you guys get tired of hearing this, but anything can happen.  I feel if we start focusing on an average position where we need to finish, do some things that are different than what the 48 car does, we will set ourselves up for a problem.  
So if things go right over the next two weeks, right now we're in a position where we would be clinched.  If we can go out and outrun the 24 and the 5 the next two weeks, we'll let that into our minds then.  
Right now I'm just trying to keep the blinders on and stay focused on maximum points.  I'm certainly not going to do stupid things on track, take a lot of unneeded risk.  But I've always been a believer of playing offense.  Whenever we have played defense, we've done a miserable job.  I'm going to keep playing offense, being aggressive, have the momentum going forward instead of trying to hang on wherever I'm at on track, whatever the points situation may be.  

Q.        When you look back at this season, how closely your teammate Jeff Gordon has been in the championship hunt, he's had more second-place finishes than I can count.  Do you find it surprising the only race he won so far this season was here at a place where he had never won before?  

JIMMIE JOHNSON:  I guess I haven't thought of it, but I am surprised to hear that.  He's only won one race this year?  Heck, I would have never guessed that.  Yeah, he's had a great year, been up front so much, I assumed that he'd won more races.  
What, Mark has five or six, something like that?  

KERRY THARP:  Five.  

JIMMIE JOHNSON:  I wouldn't have thought that.  I know it meant a lot to him here to break his streak, to win at this track.  As we know, this track has been pretty tough on him over the years.  I'm sure he's drooling at this opportunity.

Q.        A lot of the guys you compete with for this championship, they're heavily invested in the Nationwide Series or they have ownership interests in national series, the Nationwide or Truck side.  You don't have any of that.  Does that give you an edge of some sort?  Does that allow you just to sharpen your focus on the big prize in this series because you don't have all these other things going on that maybe a lot of your competitors do?  

JIMMIE JOHNSON:  At times I felt like I may have been missing some opportunities.  I think there was a period of time where running a Nationwide car did help the Cup car.  Obviously, since we've been on the COT, it's not that world anymore.  
There was a period of time where I thought I was missing something, an opportunity there, a chance to be on track more, things like that.  
But for one, I'm not very good in a Nationwide car.  So it's no fun to go run in the car, run 15th all day long, beat up my confidence, then hop in the Cup car and do great with all the extra horsepower.  That's one aspect to it.  Then the other side of it is, I've never been too interested in being a car owner.  I've had a lot of great opportunities from Nationwide, Truck, motocross, rally car, off-road teams.  Especially as time goes on, there's more and more opportunities there.  I don't want to do something, I don't want to enter into a business relationship or into another part of my professional career in an area that I don't have a lot of knowledge in.  
I'm finally good at something.  Why dilute that?  Why start doing a lot of other things, do it half-assed?  I'm not saying in the future those opportunities would be more appealing if I wasn't driving a car.  But just right now, man, I'm finally good at something.  It's taken me 34 years to get to this point.  
I don't want to dilute it.  
I like having a little extra free time, spending time with my family, my wife, traveling a little bit, keeping some available kind of mental space so that when I get in the Cup car, I'm not irritated, whatever it may be.  I think it kind of helps with the whole mindset I have, as well.  I have plenty to do, but I'm not so overworked that I just have a short fuse and things frustrate me, that kind of thing.  
So I do also have three, hopefully four years of proving to myself that this formula's working really well and to not change anything.  So all those things kind of add up.

From GM

KEENAN HARRIS CAPTURES ONTARIO F1200 ROOKIE OF THE YEAR HONORS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - November 6, 2009 - Canadian-based BGR-TLM Racing - Team Grote is proud to announce that Keenan Harris has won the Ontario F1200 Championship Series Rookie of the Year!

During the 2009 season, Harris amassed 9 podiums, and finished top five in 14 of 18 race events.

This was BGR-TLM Team Grote’s second consecutive F1200 Rookie of the Year, with Harris delivering the same solid performance, in the same #5 car, as alumni Alex Ellis in 2008 who also won F1200 ROY honors, then in 2009 made the jump into FBMW Americas.

“My first season of racing open wheel cars in the F1200 Championship Series was a valuable learning experience”, stated Harris. “I learned so much competing against veterans like Mike Iamundi, Andrew McMurray, Eric Barrett, and Phil Wang. I would like to thank key people for this season’s success; mechanic Devan Matkovich; DAG Aaron Lang, and the rest of the BGR-TLM Team Grote crew for working hard all season long. I would also like to thank team sponsors Grote and Amsoil. Most important, I would like to thank my competitors for a great season and all the track marshals, who as volunteers, suffered through some horrendous weather all during the 2009 season.”

Director of Driver Development Dave Matkovich commented, “Aside from mechanical issues at Calabogie, Keenan was in the fight up front, from the first green flag, right up to the final checkered flag, during the entire season. He adapted very quickly from 4-stroke Karting where he was also very dominate. Much like 4-stoke Karting, the F1200’s are all about perfect lines, carrying momentum, and patience. Keenan adapted very quickly and applied a lot of the race craft he had learned from 4-stroke into piloting the F1200’s. It was immediately apparent that he had that key trait which was patience during those long battles that occur during F1200 races. Make no mistake, veterans like Iamundi, McMurray, Barret, Wang, Tronchi, and Rogers made sure he had to earn any top five finishes, and in many cases, gave Keenan the atypical F1200 rookie mistake training he needed to learn. What was great to watch this season was that Keenan applied the lessons and it was rare that the veterans would try the same tactics twice and succeed. He was a pleasure to have on the team and we know he will succeed as he moves up into higher levels of open wheel racing.

BGR-TLM Team Grote Racing will be contesting the 2010 F1200 Championship Series, running a multi-car team, and chasing down their 3rd consecutive Rookie of the Year, as well, hoping to also acquire their first F1200 Champion to add to an impressive 40+ podiums since running a multi-car team in 2007

Canada's Premier Formula Car Development Team, BGR-TLM Team Grote Racing, was formed in 2008 via partnership of two of the nations leading junior race car teams. Under the guidance of BGR team principal Brian Graham, and TLM principals Gerry Merz, Dave Matkovich and Chris Tanser, the new alliance features a three-tier program for its drivers via the Ontario F1200 Championship, Ontario Formula Ford Challenge and the Pro F2000 Championship Series. The goal of this development team is to provide Karters and other young drivers the opportunity to learn and develop as they progress up the motorsports ladder within BGR-TLM Team Grote Racing.

See: http://www.tlmracing.com/ http://www.briangrahamracing.com/ http://www.grote.com/

UPS, BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF AMERICA UNVEIL NEW PAINT SCHEME FOR DAVID RAGAN’S NO. 6 FORD FUSION

DALLAS, Nov. 5, 2009 – NASCAR driver David Ragan and the UPS (NYSE:UPS) team will have an extra 4.5 million fans cheering them this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway when Ragan gets behind the wheel of his No. 6 Ford Fusion, which will sport a new paint scheme that reflects UPS and Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s (BGCA) UPS Road Code safe driving program.

The UPS Foundation, the charitable arm of UPS, introduced a national program this year in collaboration with BGCA to teach the company’s industry-leading safe driving techniques to teens. Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens, but UPS and its world-renowned drivers are making an effort to change that with the help of BGCA and Ragan.

“UPS drivers are among the safest on the road. The Road Code program gives us the opportunity to use our nationally recognized safe driving training to directly impact a need in our communities and prevent teenage deaths,” said Ken Sternad, president of The UPS Foundation. “This special paint scheme captures our commitment to driving safety, starting with teens at local Boys & Girls Clubs, and sharing it with UPS NASCAR fans.”

The new car design for the Texas race incorporates BGCA’s logo, along with handprints from members of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas who are participating in the UPS Road Code program. The paint scheme was unveiled in a special trackside event featuring Ragan and these Club teens.

“Our entire race team is excited about the special Boys & Girls Clubs of America design we’re running this weekend,” said Ragan. “This is definitely a change from the normal look of our UPS car, and it’s always fun to give the fans something new to get excited about. This car is certainly going to stand out on track and hopefully help bring some awareness to Boys & Girls Clubs of America and the UPS Road Code program.”

Ragan became a spokesperson for the UPS Road Code program this season, supporting the program through a series of video and audio public service announcements that are available online and have been broadcast on radio stations nationwide. He's also been visiting some Boys & Girls Clubs near racing cities, speaking to the UPS Road Code teens about the importance of safe driving.

“Safety is a priority for me on and off the track, and being on the road is something that needs to be taken seriously,” continued David. “It’s easy to get distracted when you’re in the car, but you need to be really focused when you’re behind the wheel of a vehicle.”

“We are extremely grateful to The UPS Foundation for bringing UPS Road Code to our teens, providing access to important safety training utilizing state-of-the-art simulators,” said Roxanne Spillett, president and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of America. “The paint scheme for David’s car is outstanding. It truly captures the essence of our Clubs, our kids, and our dedication to their safety.”

Teens, parents, and others interested in learning more about safe driving and UPS Road Code should visit http://www.ups.com/roadcode?Wt.mc_id=Nascar. And for regular updates on UPS Road Code, safe driving tips and other UPS news, sign up for the UPS Twitter channel at twitter.com/ups_news.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of America
For more than 100 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (www.bgca.org) has helped kids “BE GREAT,” providing hope and opportunity for those who need it most. Today, more than 4,300 clubs serve some 4.5 million young people through club membership and community outreach. Known as The Positive Place for Kids, Boys & Girls Clubs can be found throughout the country and on U.S. military bases worldwide, providing young people 6 to 18 years old with guidance-oriented character development programs conducted by trained, professional staff. Clubs positively impact lives and help young people reach their full potential as productive, caring citizens. Key programs emphasize leadership development; education and career exploration; community service; technology training; financial literacy; health and life skills; the arts; sports, fitness and recreation; and family outreach. In a recent Harris Survey of club alumni, 57 percent said the club saved their lives. National headquarters are located in Atlanta, Ga.

About The UPS Foundation
Founded in 1951 and based in Atlanta, Ga., The UPS Foundation’s major areas of focus include community safety, nonprofit effectiveness, economic and global literacy, environmental sustainability, and diversity. The UPS Foundation pursues these initiatives by identifying specific projects where its support can help produce a measurable social impact. In 2008, The UPS Foundation directed more than $100 million in philanthropy to charitable organizations worldwide. Visit community.ups.com for more information about UPS’s community involvement.

Ryan Litt bound for the sunny south

By Tommy Goudge (November 5, 2009) – While many area sprint car racers are finished for the year, Ryan Litt still has two more events left on his calendar.  The twenty-two year old will make the trip from London, Ontario to Concord, North Carolina this weekend for the North/South Shootout on November 7, before finishing his season at Florida’s Citrus County Speedway on November 14. 

Ryan will race in both events behind the wheel of a DeCaire Motorsports entry as a teammate to Tampa Bay Area Racing Association champion Troy DeCaire.

“(I’m) looking forward to the road trip, and really excited to be driving for Terry DeCaire,” says Ryan. “Hopefully we can get the car working good, and put it up front. It will be a bit of a change running a different car – I’m hoping to get comfortable in it quickly.”

The North/South Shootout event at Concord is now in its seventh year, and features one of the biggest races of the year for NASCAR tour-type modifieds, along with the CRA Super Series and the TBARA Sprint Cars.

“It should be a really big event,” says Ryan. “They have some good classes running with us, like Modifieds and Late Models, and from what I hear it's a really nice facility.”

Concord is indeed an excellent facility with seating for 8,500 along with many other amenities, and it’s also a unique challenge for the racers.  The half mile track is a tri-oval and produces very high speeds.

“It does look like a tricky track to figure out with the dog leg down the back stretch,” says Ryan. “I'm sure after a few hard laps we'll be close.”

After the Concord event, a few days of rest and relaxation in Florida are in store before Ryan gets behind the wheel of a sprint car one last time in 2009.

“From Concord we are going down to the Tampa area to hang out for a few days, and then we’re running a TBARA race at Citrus County Speedway,” says Ryan. “From what I hear (Citrus County Speedway) is a tight bullring.  I like that close-quarters racing, but I realize a lot of it has to do with starting position and luck so we'll hope for the best.”

While Ryan has competed against some of the regular TBARA drivers when they’ve traveled up north, these events will mark the first time he has competed with the TBARA series.  Both tracks are also new venues for Ryan, and he’ll be competing for the first time in both states.

“There are some really tough drivers in TBARA and some really strong cars,” says Ryan. “I really hope we can show up well, build off this and run more often down south next year.  I have to thank my family and all my sponsors for the support on this trip - I couldn't do it without them.”

REPORT: Danica set to sign with JR Motorsports

From ESPN:

IndyCar Series and crossover media star Danica Patrick is nearing completion of a two-year contract with JR Motorsports, the NASCAR Nationwide Series operation owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr., and a source close to the negotiations described the talks as being "in the final phase."

A second source close to the situation confirmed the deal is moving forward, saying "talks are moving in a very positive direction and it would probably be a surprise if it didn't happen."

Full story and video at the link above

F1: Toyota quits

From CBC.ca

Toyota is pulling out of Formula One racing, the world's largest automaker announced Wednesday, saying it needs to cut costs and focus on its core business.

"Based on the current economic environment, we realize we have no choice but to withdraw from Formula One," Toyota president Akio Toyoda said at a news conference in Tokyo. "This has been a very painful decision for the company."

...

Toyota made its F1 debut in 2002 but never won a grand prix. The team's best result was in 2005 when Jarno Trulli finished second in Malaysia and Bahrain.

Toyoda said the team's poor results were not a factor in the decision to leave the sport.

"Our decision would not have changed even if we had a victory," Toyoda said. "The fact that we are unable to give our drivers a chance to compete is very sad."

Full story at the link above

SÉRIE ACT CASTROL ANNOUNCES 2010 SCHEDULE

Waterbury, VT---- The American Canadian Tour (ACT) announced an aggressive schedule for the 2010 season on the ACT Castrol Series. Fans of the popular series will see an increase to 12 events, or three additional events from the past couple of seasons.

"We continue to have increased interest from the promoters in Quebec, Ontario, and even Maine for our ACT Castrol Series. For 2010 we have added Autodrome Ste-Felicien in the Lac St. Jean region, and third events are scheduled for both Autodrome Ste-Eustache and Riverside Speedway (formerly Autodrome St-Croix)," said Tom Curley the President of the ACT.

A July date will be added to the Ste-Eustache schedule and the new Riverside Speedway will host the "$40,000 CAN-AM Confrontation by the Seaway" in August.  The 200-lap event on the 5/8th mile speedway will join both the ACT from the US and the ACT Castrol competitors in dual point divisional races.

Curley reported that the management of Riverside agreed to a major renovation program with the scenic racetrack located along the St. Lawrence River if ACT would sanction the dual division event. " A complete re-paving of the racetrack, with major improvements to the pits and pit road, convinced us that this was good for ACT racing and racers on both sides of the border, as well as Riverside Speedway, but most of all for the great fans of the Quebec City area," said Curley.

The 12-event schedule will also include return visits to Autodrome Montmagny, Capital City Speedway in Ottawa, and the very popular Autodrome Chaudiere. Chaudiere will also present the third annual Showdown for the best of the Castrol and US teams with a hefty $5,000 to win and minimum $1,000 for all 22 teams that represent the two ACT divisions.

ACT Castrol teams will also run full ACT rules, which will enable them to compete on many special events in the US throughout the 2010 season, including the prestigious Oxford 250 in Maine, along with major events held at Airborne Speedway in Plattsburgh, NY and the famous Thunder Road in Barre, VT. In addition, it is highly anticipated that ACT will announce a return to the New Hampshire Motor Speedway, which will include invitations to various Castrol Série teams.

The 2010 Série ACT Castrol campaign will open at the Autodrome Ste-Eustache on Saturday, May 22, 2010.

                **********************************
2010 Série ACT Castrol SCHEDULE

#      DATE         DAY           TRACK                       LAPS

1      MAY 22      SAT           Ste-Eustache              100

2      MAY 29      SAT           Montmagny                        100

3      JUN 05       SAT           Chaudiere                  150

4      JUN 12       SAT           Capital City                 100

5      JUN 19       SAT           Riverside                    100

6      JUL 03       SAT           Montmagny                        250

7      JUL 10       SAT           Ste-Felicien                135

        Jul 18           Sun              Oxford                             250             

8      JUL 26       MON          Riverside                    100

9      JUL 31       SAT           Ste-Eustache              100

10     AUG 07      SAT           Chaudiere                  150

11     AUG 14      SAT           Riverside (COMBO)          200

        Aug 28          Sat               Chaudiere (SHOWDOWN)     200                       

12     SEP 26       SUN          Ste-Eustache              300

For additional information contact the ACT office at 802.244.6963 or media@acttour.com

2010 COBRA JET MUSTANG CONTINUES THE EVOLUTION OF TURNKEY RACE CAR PROGRAM

LAS VEGAS – Since its victorious introduction at the NHRA Winternationals in 1968, Ford’s Cobra Jet Mustang has created a legacy of power, performance and triumph.

The 40th Anniversary 2008 Cobra Jet Mustang lived up to the legend of the original, duplicating the NHRA Winternationals victory in 2009 and dominating drag strips across the land.

Today, Ford Racing unveiled the 2010 Cobra Jet Mustang at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show, which marks the continued evolution of the CJ as a factory-produced turnkey race car. In honor of the SEMA introduction, Ford Racing built and unveiled a one-of-a-kind “SEMA Special” silver Cobra Jet complete with a charcoal Cobra Jet graphics package.

“The 2008 Cobra Jet was a great car, it did everything we wanted it to do,” said Brian Wolfe, director, Ford North American Motorsports. “We’re really proud of the car, but then again we’re always trying to make the next one better.

“With the 2010 Cobra Jet, we had the luxury of a longer development cycle and the result is absolutely stunning. Where the 2008 Cobra Jet was an extremely potent starting point for NHRA Stock competition, the 2010 will enhance the car further. We are all excited to see the new Cobra Jet in competition.”

For decades, the Mustang has been the preeminent car in many forms of racing, including drag racing. The 2008 Cobra Jet Mustang added to that legacy this season with high- profile wins at the NHRA Winternationals and U.S. Nationals, and by setting numerous track records across the country.

The 2010 Cobra Jet, like its predecessor, is a factory-built race car that is intended for NHRA Stock and Super Stock racing. The goal for the 2010 Cobra Jet was to enhance the race features to further make its own place in NHRA history. The 2010 CJ will come with all of the features of the 2008 car with enhancements that include options for a full race-prepared automatic or manual transmission, drag race-specific shocks and springs, manual steering and brakes, 8.50 certified rollcage, and an Aeromitive return-style fuel system with trunk-mounted fuel cell.

Additionally Ford Racing engineers have developed for the 2010 Cobra Jet a factory-first launch control/rev limiter that will allow drivers to preset the rpm after they stage the car. When they are ready to leave, all they do is put the throttle pedal to the floor; they don’t have the engine speed to free rev. Previously, the launch control/rev limiter was only available as an aftermarket option.

Much like Ford Racing’s previous Mustang FR500S race car, the Cobra Jet Mustang will get its start at the Auto Alliance International (AAI) assembly plant in Flat Rock, Mich. The entire 50-car run of 2010 Cobra Jets will be built on the same production line that produces the 2010 Ford Mustang production car. Production of Cobra Jets will commence in January, with delivery of all vehicles expected in the first quarter of 2010.

All of the additional parts and pieces for the CJ can be found in the Ford Performance Parts catalog. And since the Cobra Jet is produced from a base V-6 Mustang, any consumer can turn his Mustang into a Cobra Jet by purchasing the parts from the Ford Performance Parts catalog.
The 2010 CJ car features a choice for customers between two supercharged engines or three normally aspirated engines (pending NHRA approval). These options will allow the Cobra Jet to be eligible for more classes in the NHRA, as well as competition with other sanctioning bodies, including NMRA, NMCA, PSCA and IHRA.

All 50 of the 2010 Cobra Jet Mustangs have already been ordered by Ford dealers for delivery to customers. For those customers who missed out on the limited run of 2010 Cobra Jets, Ford Racing has set a goal to provide future versions of the Cobra Jet.

About Ford North America Motorsports
Ford North America Motorsports, based in Dearborn, Mich., is responsible for major racing operations in North America, including NASCAR (Sprint Cup, Nationwide Series, Camping World Truck), Grand American sports car racing, NHRA drag racing, USAC midget car racing and the Ford Racing Mustang Challenge for the Miller Cup. Ford North America Motorsports also oversees the development and marketing of Ford Racing Engines and Performance Parts, the outreach programs with all Ford Clubs and Ford enthusiasts, and the marketing of the Ford Racing brand through initiatives such as Team Ford Racing. For more information regarding Ford Racing’s activities, please visit www.fordracing.com.

2010 Cobra Jet Mustang Specs
Base vehicle content:
430hp 5.4L DOHC Eaton TVS Supercharged engine – small changes from 2008
6-speed manual transmission – carryover from 2008
8.50et NHRA certified roll cage
NHRA Stock Eliminator legal interior
3,280 lbs
Unique trim and appearance package
Drag race wheel/tire combination
Cobra Jet graphics package
New spring/damper tuning
Low-drag brakes
9" rear axle
Aeromotive fuel system

Optional vehicle content
Aluminum block 5.4L DOHC Twin-Screw supercharged engine (470hp)
5-speed Liberty manual transmission
Race prepped automatic transmission
3,220 lbs (est. with aluminum engine block)
Naturally aspirated engine combinations – 4.6L 3-valve, OHV 427cid, OHV 352cid (3050lbs estimated curb weight with N/A engines)
All engine combinations are pending NHRA approval

Rick Young's 'Rick at the Races' Oct. 30 through Nov. 1, 2009

PIC 1  Yours Truly at FMP

PIC  2  Panoramic view of Five Mile Point Speedway

PIC  3  I Spotted this sticker in the pits

PIC  4  The back straight at FMP

PIC  5  From the center at FMP

PIC  6  600cc Xcel Mods in action

PIC  7  IMCA Mods in action

PIC  8 to 17  MODIFIED Action

PIC  18   Victorious Stewart Friesen scales the catch fence

PIC  19   Stewart Friesen in the FMY Victory Lane

PIC  20   First Three at FMP LtoR McCreadie, Friesen and Johnson

www.rickattheraces.com

RICK @ the RACES (30 Oct to 1 Nov)

1 Nov      Five Mile Point Speedway , (Binghampton) NY

My weekend started with a unscheduled early finish from work at Friday Lunchtime. Earlier in the week during the course of my work day, I lost my footing on a piece of uneven ground and twisted my ankle. Usually , when things like this happen I assume it will be all OK once the initial soreness goes away, but not this time.

By Thursday night I was having a hard time walking on it, so made hasty arrangements to finish work early on Friday and have it checked out at my local hospital. After spending most of Friday afternoon at the Cornwall (Ont) hospital, the X rays showed no broken bones , so it was strapped up and I was given a prescription for some anti-inflammatory pills. This meant my racing agenda for the weekend could go ahead as planned.

At 6-30 am my buddy Roger Aubin picked me up from my place in Cornwall in his Ford Escape and we set off for the US border and our destination, the Five Mile Point Speedway near Binghampton NY. It was the last big ROC DIRT SERIES race of the year and featured a 100 lapper for Modifieds.

Racing was set to begin at 5-00pm but we wanted to get there early. Once again it was another rain soaked journey down through Up State NY which only relented once we got south of Syracuse. We arrived at the track at 12-30, there were very few cars in the parking lot and the first person we bumped into was Andrew Harpell, the promoter.

He told us that the radar showed a big storm was on its way ( probably the one we drove through!) and the race had been postponed until 2-00pm on Sunday, when sunnier weather was predicted. This meant 'plan B' had to go into action, and we would now drive down to the Bridgeport Speedway in New Jersey. We would see the Saturday night racing there , then return to Five Mile Point on Sunday.

Andrew was very amiable and even phoned Bridgeport for us, to see if it was still running. The word was affirmative but he advised us to keep checking on the status as the forecast for that area was much the same. We left Five Mile Point and drove about 15 miles south into Pennsylvania to the Flying J Truck Stop at Gibson, where I checked on Bridgeport once again.

This time it was bad news, they had also decided to pull the plug , and postpone until the next day. We now had two choices, either return home 'empty handed' or book into a cheap motel and wait it out.

From the Flying J , we returned to New York and a very helpful lady at the NY Welcome Center booked us into a good low budget motel in Binghampton. It turned out to be the perfect night to be stuck inside watching TV . At 8-00pm on the SPEED CHANNEL the RITE AID 200 from SUPER DIRT WEEK at SYRACUSE was being shown . It was followed at 10-00pm by the 'Prelude to the Dream' ( from Tony Stewart's Eldora Speedway in Ohio, where some of the NASCAR SPRINT CUP drivers take part in a DIRT LATE MODEL race in aid of charity) It was all great stuff, and a good way to relax and rest my ankle !

On Sunday we were at the track by 10-30 and already the race haulers were starting to fill the pits. Early arrivals were Brett Hearn , The Gypsum Team (Pat Ward and Larry Wight) and Vinny Salerno with his # 4 car for Tim McCreadie.

Once the cars were ready for warm ups I found a comfortable spot on the center where I could sit while not taking photos. I bumped into Jeff Nichol a photographer I first met back in 2006 at  ( what is believed to be) the first European Style RallyCross held in the USA which was staged at Glad Rag Speedway NY.

The ROC Modifieds were joined on the program by IMCA Mods and the 600cc Xcel Mods which I witnessed for the first time, last week at the Black Rock Speedway. I stayed on the center for the heats then retired to the stands to watch the rest of the show.

Sole Canadian driver Stewart Friesen from Niagara on the Lake, (Ont) started on the front row next to Rochester NY's Danny 'the Doctor' Johnson. The 100 lapper was split into two 50 lap segments with a mandatory fuel stop at the half way point. Instead of counting cautions after 'x amount of laps' which is the norm for extended length races, the laps become 'live' after the yellow's had been displayed five times. I like this idea, it acts as a kind of 'wake up call' to the drivers when they can't settle down and get on with 'green flag' racing.

The lead changed a number of times during the first 50 laps but Friesen was back at the front at the end of 'part one'. Earlier hard chargers had been Hearn , Johnson, and local hero Bobby Pucket, but impressive moves up the pack had come from Mike Ricci, Matt Shephard and Tim McCreadie.

The second half got underway with Friesen still dominating while 'the Doctor' tried everything he new to get passed. The Canadian was having nothing of it, and protected his lead,  attack after attack. It was a really thrilling race which included plenty of 'three car wide' battles and as the checkers fell Friesen remained at the front. Still on his tail was Danny Johnson, while Tim McCreadie had moved into third.

At this point I left my seat by the start/ finish line to get some Victory Lane pictures . In NASCAR drivers style the ecstatic Friesen jumped out of his car and scaled the catch fencing to wave the checkers to the crowd.

The sensible 2-00pm start, meant the show was over by 7-30pm, and we were soon on our way up I81 for the four hour drive home. I was back at my place in Cornwall, bang on Midnight.

PSERRA RACING OPENS NEW DEALERSHIP

Stouffville, Ontario – Pserra Racing is proud to announce C2 Kartsport of Smith’s Falls, Ontario as the newest dealer of the world-renowned Birel chassis line. Located in the small town just minutes from the Lombardy Kart Track, C2 Kartsport will begin selling the full line of Birel chassis and Freeline components from their 1,100 square foot shop. C2 Kartsport is owned and operated by the Lombardy Kart track operators Gord Costello and Rick Clark. The two have a passion for karting and a love of competition, something their customers can thrive on.

“I am proud to announce C2 Kartsport as the latest dealer of the Birel chassis line,” comments Peter Serravalle, owner of Pserra Racing, the exclusive distributor of the Birel chassis line in Canada. “Rick and Gord have built a great track and now adding a kart shop stocked with Birel product will be great for everyone in the 613 area code.”

The eastern province duo is also very excited about the new venture. C2 Kartsport is currently working on the final touches for the warehouse and showroom at the Smith’s Falls location. C2 Kartsport is a Rotax distributor and service centre stocking all the latest Rotax parts and accessories along with engine building support from the Pserra Racing engine shop. Along with supporting two-cycle programs, C2 Kartsport will be supporting local four-cycle racers with the supplies and equipment they need. As the 2010 season kicks into gear in the spring, C2 Kartsport will be providing trackside support at all Lombardy Kart Track events.

“We are very excited about taking on the Birel line. Gord (Costello) has been running one for the last six years and really likes the product,” comments C2 Kartsport partner Rick Clark. “It is great that Peter (Serravalle) has resurrected the Birel line here in Canada.”

Cody Schindel of Autosports Media Group, one the sports best photographers, recently wrote in an eKartingNews.ca article:

Kart Lombardy is a track worth visiting for everyone from family oriented racers to experienced professionals. Costello and Clark have done an excellent job from start to finish and have been rewarded with a facility that will be respected by many. Just a couple hours outside the GTA, this beautiful facility should play host to regional competition in the near future. Being planted right in the middle of Kingston and Ottawa, it could also play host to an Ontario-Quebec battleground. So if you’re ever in the area, or have an odd race weekend off, travel to Kart Lombardy and check out Ontario’s newest karting facility.

Along with a new dealership in Ontario, Pserra Racing is putting the finishing touches on a new dealership in Quebec and news releases should follow shortly. Also, Pserra Racing has worked with the Birel Factory in Italy to bring back the very popular AM29 chassis. This chassis is a proven race winner in four-cycle Honda competition, and many requests have come in looking for this model that is for sale now and is on the way from the factory in Italy.

“Our plan is to continue to build out the Birel chassis line in Ontario and Quebec,” comments Peter Serravalle, team principal of Pserra Racing. “The Birel chassis works amazing here in North America and with having great drivers we can really test our equipment for set-ups and engine tuning.”

The Pserra Racing engines department performed well in 2009, helping pace a number of drivers to top results in 2009. Pserra engine power would help Darren White take the 2009 BSRKC Rotax DD2 championship. Garret Grist would use Pserra power take the 2009 ASN Canada FIA Rotax Junior National Championship and the 2009 BSRKC Rotax Junior title. All Pserra Racing engines are built in house, prepped and then dyno tuned for quality and performance.

The next on track event for the Pserra Racing crew will be the SuperKarts! USA SuperNationals, being held in Las Vegas, Nevada in mid November. Drivers listed so far include Federico Montoya, brother of NASCAR drive Juan Pablo Montoya, Michael Vincec, Christopher Ernst and Spencer Todd. Also the team is currently putting the final touches on their Florida Winter Tour program and interested drivers from across North America are encouraged to contact Pserra Racing for more details.

For more information on Pserra Racing, the 2009 SuperNats and the Birel chassis line go to http://www.pserraracing.com/ or call Peter Serravalle at 416.989.035. Pserra Racing’s full range of products including Beta Tools, MyChron, Molecule, Birel and more will be showcased at the shop.

For more information about the Lombardy kart track and more visit http://www.lasfair.ca/ and click the karting info link. Look for he C2 Kartsport website coming soon.

North Wilkesboro Speedway Reopens

SOUTH BOSTON, Va. (October 31, 2009) – North Wilkesboro [N.C.] Speedway, a cornerstone in stock car racing's foundation and a track that occupies a special place in grassroots racing fans' hearts, will reopen next year with a coveted date in the USARacing Pro Cup Championship Series, it was announced Saturday during the drivers meeting prior to the series season finale Strutmasters.com 250 at South Boston Speedway.

Scheduled for Oct. 3, 2010, the race will be on the traditional fall weekend that for many years hosted NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series from NASCAR's inception in 1949 until the track closed after its fall race in 1996. Its two Cup dates were then moved to New Hampshire and Texas. But with the dawn of the 2010 racing season, the 0.625-mile track will again assume its rightful place in the stock car racing community.

“We are extremely pleased to be the first national touring racing series to return to the true roots of stock car racing,” USARacing Managing Partner Larry Camp said. “We know the people of Wilkes County and the surrounding area of North Carolina have missed stock car racing on this storied track.

“All of us at the USARacing Pro Cup Series are proud to be a part of this rebirth. Personally, I know the Staley family, Junior Johnson and the many stock car racing purists will mark Oct. 3, 2010, as a red letter day in the sport. I know Benny Parsons would be extremely proud of (his wife) Terri for helping return stock car racing to the county that he and his family so dearly loved.”

In addition to Mrs. Parsons, the new ownership group consists of Alton McBride Sr., Alton McBride Jr., Dave Ehret, John Burwell and Bosco Lowe.

With the addition of North Wilkesboro Speedway, the USAR Pro Cup Series schedule contains five tracks that played key roles in NASCAR's first 50 years. The series travels to Hickory [N.C.] Motor Speedway on May 1, Rockingham [N.C.] Speedway on May 15, South Boston Speedway on June 12 and for the season finale on Nov. 6, and Bristol [Tenn.] Motor Speedway on Sept. 11. Gresham Motorsports Park, site of the USAR Pro Cup Series season opener on March 27 and a Championship Series race on Oct. 23, is on the site of the old Peach State Speedway in Jefferson, Ga., which hosted NASCAR Cup races in the late 1960s.

“We are very excited to add the historic North Wilkesboro Speedway to the 2010 USARacing Pro Cup Series schedule as this completes our 2010 schedule and adds another high profile venue to our already impressive list of quality and historic tracks,” Vice President and Series Director Jimmy Wilson said. “In addition to North Wilkesboro, we have solidified our date with Hickory Motor Speedway, moving it earlier in the season compared to years past. This is truly a schedule everyone can get excited over.”

The USAR Pro Cup Series 2010 schedule has the nation's premier short-track circuit visiting a dozen venues in eight states. The series' return to Bristol Motor Speedway, the reopening of North Wilkesboro Speedway, and a companion race with NASCAR's Nationwide Series at Iowa Speedway on July 30 highlight the 16-race schedule that boasts a five-event Championship Series.

Joining Gresham Motorsports Park, Bristol Motor Speedway and North Wilkesboro Speedway as added venues for the 2010 season are New Smyrna Speedway in New Smyrna Beach, Fla., on April 17; Lake Erie Speedway in Erie, Pa., on June 26; and Salem Speedway in Salem, Ind., on July 10.

The USARacing Pro Cup Series, formerly Hooters Pro Cup, is owned by Interstate Investment Group and is based in Concord, N.C. IIG is comprised of Jack McNelly, Gary Kale, Carl Hubbard, Chip Lofton and Larry Camp, who serves as the managing partner. For more information on the USARacing Pro Cup Series, go to www.usarprocup.com. 

From Sharon Griffin // USARacing