09.30.11: Just minutes after the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule was announced Riverside International Speedway announced its 2012 IWK 250 weekend date as July 20-21; Riverside hosts its race on NASCAR's annual July off-weekend, historically inviting a NASCAR driver to enter the IWK 250. Since 2007 the IWK 250 has hosted Regan Smith, Aric Almirola, Ricky Craven, Marcos Ambrose, and David Reutimann...
09.30.11: Michael McLaughlin, a licensed crew member for the No. 23 team in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, has been indefinitely suspended from NASCAR for violating the sanctioning body's substance abuse policy. On Sept. 27, McLaughlin was found to have violated Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and 19 (violation of the NASCAR substance abuse policy) of the 2011 NASCAR rule book.
09.28.11: 'Tis the season when regional racing news starts to slow - so if you have tips or news please let us know by email, including your name and a daytime phone number (in case we have questions). The email address is admin@checkerstowreckers.com...
09.28.11: Pattie Petty, wife of Kyle Petty, has revealed she has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, along with the message she won't let it stop her from efforts to help kids with chronic illnesses through the Victory Junction camp she and Kyle have built. Petty said she first linked her symptoms (depression and mood swings) to the death of her son, Adam, 11 years ago, but more recently developed trembling in her hands, which ultimately led to the Parkinson's diagnosis last week. Pattie Petty is currently spearheading efforts to raise funds to build a second Victory Junction Camp in Kansas City.
09.28.11: NASCAR will unveil the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule via its social/digital channels today at noon ET followed by a one-hour question-and-answer Twitter chat session involving NASCAR (@NASCAR) and NASCAR Senior Vice President of Racing Operations Steve O'Donnell (@odsteve). A special hashtag – #2012Schedule – will accompany each tweet, and followers are encouraged to use it as well. As always, the hashtag #NASCAR also will be used. The 2012 schedule will be posted in its entiretly on this site tomorrow...
09.27.11: Matt Kenseth's wife Katie crashed her Bandolero car Monday at Charlotte Motor Speedway while practicing for a charity race. According to Kenseth's "Tweet" last night she has a broken scapula, bumps and bruises...
09.24.11: Petty International Raceway has posted a pro stock expected entry list for today's Carnahan Property Management 150, including Shawn Turple, Mike Stevens, Marty Prevost, Gary Hicks, Dave O'Blenis, Terry Dugay, Leonard Boutilier, Shawn Pierce, Steve Halpin, Chris Hughes, Frank Fraser Sr, Kent Vincent, Kevin Moore, Dan MacKay, John Flemming, and Pete Miller.
09.23.11: The Bandolero Cars race at Petty Int'l Raceway Saturday has a new title "The Atlantic Canadian Bandolero Shootout" and will be an INEX national event. As many as 20 cars are expected to run the race pitting the best young drivers in New Brunswick against the best young drivers from Nova Scotia. The show starts Saturday at 3 p.m. and will feature five divisions total: pro stock (150 lap feature), sportsman (50 lap feature), street stock (first time this year at Petty), 4 Cylinders, and Bandos...
09.23.11: NASCAR will implement two rule changes for next month's running of the Good Sam Club 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway. The size of the restrictor plate that teams will use to prepare and practice for the race will increase by 1/64 inch and is now going to be 57/64 inch diameter. This will provide the teams with an additional 7-10 horsepower. Additionally, the pressure relief valve on the cars' cooling system will be recalibrated to reduce the pressure by approximately eight pounds per square inch from last April's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Talladega. "After the last few superspeedway races, we've heard many drivers express their desire to open up the size of the restrictor plate some and we thought the time was right to do that," said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president, competition. "We anticipate these revisions in the rules package for Talladega will help continue to provide competitive and exciting racing for the fans."
09.22.11: Antigonish's Donald Chisholm will compete in this weekends NASCAR Canadian Tire Series (NCATS) season finale at Kawartha Speedway in Ontario; Chisholm is fresh off a career-best third-place finish in the NCATS Komatsu 300 at Riverside Int'l Speedway last Saturday...
09.20.11: John Flemming fans will be interested to know they can now purchase Flemming's new t-shirts online at www.flemmingmotorsports.ca...
09.16.11: Darcy Graham, a longtime good friend of the late Scott Fraser, is holding an Oktoberfest Party in Scott's memory. The event is set for Saturday October 1 from 3 p.m. to 1 a.m. It wll be at Graham's Nodar Farm in Upper Stewiacke and will see fun and games in the afternoon, Oktoberfest food from 4 to 6 p.m., and a barn dance featuring music by "Soulshine" starting at 9 p.m. There will be several games, draws, a silent auction, and more to raise funds for the IWK Children's Hospital and donated in Scott Fraser's memory. Non-serviced camping is available on-site. Admission is just $40/family, $15/person, or $10/person for the dance only. To make a donation for the silent auction, for tickets, or for more information, please call 902.671.2011.
09.16.11: Next season Richmond International Raceway will feature NASCAR racing April 26-28 and September 7-8. The spring weekend features the second annual Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown and the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race on Thursday night, April 26; the NASCAR Nationwide Series on Friday night, April 27 and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series on Saturday night, April 28. The Saturday, September 8 date again features the final NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event before the Chase cutoff, rendering the Wonderful Pistachios 400 as the "One Last Race to Make The Chase." The weekend begins Friday, September 7, with the NASCAR Nationwide Series race.
09.16.11: The Glenora Wine Cellars U.S. Vintage Grand Prix presented by Welliver marked the finale of the 2011 race season at Watkins Glen International and the historic road course is already looking ahead to 2012. WGI is proud to announce that during the weekend of August 9-12, The Soul of American Road Racing will host the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for the 27th consecutive time on Sunday, August 12. The Zippo 200 NASCAR Nationwide and Canadian Tire 200 GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series races will both return on Saturday, August 11. Moved from the traditional weekend a season ago, this is the second-consecutive year that Watkins Glen International is set to host NASCAR the second weekend of August.
09.15.11: Saint John's Lonnie Sommerville is just one point out of second spot in PASS North SLM point standings. Sommerville is hot on the heels of muti-time series champion Ben Rowe; Johnny Clark leads the standings by 101 markers. Three events remain to determine the series title: this weekend at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway, September 24 at White Mountain Motorsports Park, and October 1 at Oxford Plains Speedway. Complete PASS North point standings [here]...
09.14.11: Petty International Raceway is selling lap sponsorships for the Carnhan Property Management Pro Stock 150 on September 24. Lap sponsors and purchase information to-date can be found online [here]...
09.12.11: Two members of the Ray Evernham Racing team were hurt Saturday night at Bridgeport Speedway in Logan Township, NJ. The team was working on the car in the pit area when an out-of-control car missed their pit and struck the REE car in the pit area. Douglas Fisher was treated and released at Cooper University Hospital in Camden, NJ. Scott Fisher remains in the hospital in serious condition. He is awake and alert, and is in good spirits with his family. The medical team is addressing serious injuries on his legs and feet.
09.10.11: The PASS North SLM race scheduled for White Mountain Motorsports Park in New Hampshire on Saturday night has been postponed to Sunday September 11...
09.08.11: Petty International Raceway has added an event to its 2011 season with September 24 being announced as the date they will host a pro stock 150, sportsman 50, 4 cylinders, street stock, and Bandoleros. Start time and other details to be announced in the coming days...
09.08.11: Rockingham Speedway (North Carolina) is pleased to announce that Richmond County and the city of Rockingham, N.C., will once again be home to NASCAR-sanctioned racing with the addition of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Good Sam Roadside Assistance 200 on April 15, 2012. Rockingham Speedway, affectionately known as "The Rock," will begin safety improvements to its race track this fall. One improvement will include the installation of a Steel and Foam Energy Reduction barrier, known as the SAFER barrier system, which is a required feature for all top three tier NASCAR-sanctioned race tracks to help improve driver safety. Additional upgrades will be made to the track's scoring system and pit road, as well as other aesthetic improvements.
09.07.11: Amherst Nova Scotia teenager Ryan Mackintosh will make his Maritime sportsman debut at Centre for Speed's Atlantic Championships in October. Mackintosh, who has focused his racing efforts in North Carolina the past two seasons, tested the O'Blenis car this spring and did well. Mackintosh will stay in North Carolina over the winter months to pursue some Allison Legacy and Legends racing; if all goes well with the sportsman race he may look at a limited sportsman schedule in the Maritimes in 2012...
09.05.11: Sunday's rained out Sprint Cup race at Atlanta Motor Speedway can be seen on TSN2, Tuesday at 1:30pm at/12:30pm et/ 9:30am pt. The race is being broadcast LIVE on Sirius Satellite radio Channel 90.
09.01.11: Scotia Speedworld's Weekly Racing Series 2011 Awards Banquet will be held October 29 at the Best Western Glengarry in Truro, NS. Call 902.481.2514 for more info.
