Auto City 07/31/2010, the next week and how to get new blood.

autocity07312010
Originally uploaded by terrybankert

If you want to see working men and women at play go to a stock car race.




Being new to my status as a short track stock car fan   I wonder where  I have been. Lets just say it was in part  that I was uninformed.

Uninformed about the  following  that drivers have, the battle on the track, no sense of the personal efforts required of drivers to put a car on the track and no knowledge of the rules and technical requirements of racing.

I read with interest the national news about the decline of NASCAR and the young male fans base. No time to educate me here about series, and the culture of the local track.  I do not know if it appies to  the local tracks.

I will point out there is little to read to "learn up".That was a mouth ful to get to this.

If you want new fans to stay  make an effort to explain what is happening during a race to a new fan. There is a presumption we know. 

How are classes decided? Engine size etc.

What inspections can result in a disqualification and  what are these inspections.

What is the point system? 

What does the  driver  top in points get  at the end of the year? Whats the prize.

What does a driver get when they win a figure 8 or a feature.  When the  big "series?" come in like Legend, how is that organized?

 Are they owned by one corporation putting on a show or is this a national race. Get my point.  If you want new fans coming back let them know  whats going on. Don't talk to the fans like your a private club.

If you want young men get young women there. Show the battle of driving and provide access points for new drivers to learn how to put a car on a track and drive.

Well that just my opinion.

OTHER NEWS

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Is it time to send Dale Earnhardt Jr. packing?

After some early success with his new team, Earnhardt has really done nothing. He stole a race victory at Michigan on fuel millage, but outside of that the results have been pitiful.





http://www.nilesstar.com/2010/08/05/scott-novak-is-it-time-for-junior-to-move-on/



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Two of Michigan's top dirt Late Model drivers are scheduled to make their return to the Mt. Pleasant Speedway tonight.

Rusty Schlenk, a Jackson native and driver of the No. 91 UMP Late Model, along with Pinconning native Jeep Van Wormer, who drives the No. 55, are those slated to compete in tonight's Sunoco American Late Model Series' $2,000 to win special.






http://www.themorningsun.com/articles/2010/08/06/sports/srv0000009024638.txt



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Remember when stock car racing was a big-time sport? Considered major league in every aspect, from the quality of the drivers to the number of the sponsors to the inability to get a good seat for a big race?

Those days are gone.

http://www.southtownstar.com/sports/cronin/2536000,072710sptcronin.article
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Speculation is mounting that Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, which has seen sagging attendance for its two Sprint Cup Series races each year, might lose one of the stock-car events as NASCAR prepares to shuffle its schedule for 2011.



http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-0805-nascar-fontana-20100805,0,771416.story

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NASCAR is losing young men? What, and pigs fly? It's true, though, and that's one reason the owner of 13 speedways is seeing its stock down for 2010. Other rural businesses are doing better, however........
When the flag dropped at Daytona last February, there wasn’t a single rookie behind the wheel. The last time that happened, the New York Times reported, was never.


http://www.dailyyonder.com/young-men-abandon-nascar-and-other-business-news/2010/08/01/2868

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AUTO CITY SPEEDWAY
Saturday August 7
Tribute Topless Mod Race to Greg Yost




“Mod 50” featuring the Dart Mods,



Modern Concrete Street Stocks,



Mt .Morris-Clio Herald Pure Stocks,



Spaulding Insurance Virtual 6 & Bob Kern’s Krazy 8’s



Special VIP Guests are Dart Machinery, Budweiser, &



O‘Guinn Family Funeral Home

Grandstand prices are $15 Adults, $5. kids 12-6 & 5 and under FREE

First 100 people who Wear purple will get a



hat sponsored by Hoosier Tire



Happy hour is between 5:00-7:00pm



Come Early and Stay Late


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DIXIE MOTOR SPEEDWAY
 
Friday, August 6th


BIG ONE VIII



Dixie Cup Triple Crown

Series Round III - Outlaw

Super Late Models



4th Annual Mid-Michigan

Dixie Challenge 100



AND



Auto Value / Bumper to

Bumper Super Sprints

Series



PLUS: Street Stocks,

Bombers, and Figure 8s



Pit Gates Open: 12:00p.m.

Practice Begins: 3:00p.m.

Grandstands Open: 5:00p.m.

Qualifying: 5:15p.m.

Racing Starts: 7:30p.m.



Adults (18-59): $22.00

Seniors (60 and Over): $20.00

Teens (13-17): $18.00

Children (6-12): $8.00

Kids (5 and Under): FREE

Pit Passes: $25.00

A great Victory for the Chevy Caprice Mike Wine #24... DSCN1458

DSCN1458
Originally uploaded by terrybankert

There's an old adage in stock-car racing that the car that wins Sunday, sells Monday, and by returning to their roots and racing cars that look like the ones on display in the show room, the auto manufacturers figure that it's a move that can only help increase the Monday rush to purchase.




http://www.windsorstar.com/sports/NASCAR+unveils+stock+look/3334919/story.html

Look for Chevy Sales to go up!

Good times at Auto City Speeedway DSCN0987

DSCN0987
Originally uploaded by terrybankert

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NASCAR handed down penalties Tuesday to the No. 88 team that competes in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for a rule violation committed last week at O’Reilly Raceway Park.

The penalties come as a result of the team violating Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4-J (any determination by NASCAR officials that the race equipment used in the event does not conform to NASCAR rules); and 20A-12.3T (unapproved left front shock absorber) of the 2010 NASCAR Rule Book. The violation was discovered in post-race inspection on July 24.

Crew chief Tony Eury Sr. has been fined $10,000, while owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. and driver Aric Almirola have been penalized with the loss of 25 championship owner and 25 championship driver points, respectively.

http://www.racintoday.com/archives/19865?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+RacinToday+%28Racin%27+Today%29




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AUTO CITY SPEEDWAY

Saturday JULY 31st -7:00

Auto City Super Stocks, Modern Concrete Street Stocks,

Spaulding Insurance Virtual 6 & Auto Value Legends,

Spectator Drags and Kiddy Stocks

Gates open at 4pm Racing at 7pm

Grandstand prices are $15 Adults, $5. kids 12-6 & 5 and under

Any adult fan, male or female wearing a skirt gets in for $8.00

& Sunday August 1st

THE NIGHT OF “MAXIMUM DESTRUCTION

Presented by Suski Chevrolet-Buick of Birch Run

Thrills, Chills And Spills For The Whole Family

Will Be The Order Of Business As Auto City Speedway Will

Showcase A Fun Filled Family Night Of Destruction, Entertainment And Edge Of Your Seat Racing Excitement!!

Racing Are Mt. Morris-Clio Pure Stocks, in the “Pure Stock Special” Spaulding Insurance Hornets, Spectator Drags

Bob Kern’s Auto Repair Krazy 8’s, Trailer Races,

Skidmore Skid Kars, School Bus Figure-8 Races,

Chain-gang Races, Push Car Races, Car Hurling and more

Adults General Admission $18.00 &

Kids Under 12 Are Free Racing is at 6pm-

come early to avoid the lines

& starting July 19th stop into Suski Chevrolet Buick of Birch Run

for discount coupons for Maximum Destruction




http://www.autocityspeedway.com/








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We worry when we read this week in the New York Times that television ratings for NASCAR in the important young men demographic (19-34 years old) declined by 29 percent last year.
http://www.yourdailyjournal.com/view/full_story_home/8896655/article-Cars--bootleggers--The-real-story?instance=homesecondary_opinion_left_column


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Purdue Research Park-based Swift Enterprises Ltd. is working with the Great American Stockcar Series to produce a high-performance green fuel for next week's race at the Iowa Speedway. Co-owner John Rusek says SWIFT/FUEL has a higher energy density than traditional racing fuel, which allows drivers to race longer and make fewer pit stops.





http://www.insideindianabusiness.com/newsitem.asp?ID=42827




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DIXIE MOTOR SPEEDWAY LAST WEEK



Kyle Maize won the bombers 20-lap feature. Mike Wines and Andrew Burton took the heat races. Ray DerMiner won the figure eights 13-lap feature.






http://www.mlive.com/sports/flint/index.ssf/2010/07/clios_nick_clemens_had_a_big_n.html






NEXT EVENT:
Friday, July 30th
Classic Car Cruise
Night at the Races

Pro Late Models, Modifieds,
Pro Stocks, Bombers,
and Figure 8s

Pit Gates Open: 2:00p.m.
Practice Begins: 3:00p.m.
Grandstands Open: 5:00p.m.
Qualifying: 5:15p.m.
Racing Starts: 7:30p.m.

Adults (18-59): $12.00
Seniors (60 and Over): $10.00
Teens (13-17): $8.00
Children (6-12): $5.00
Kids (5 and Under): FREE
Pit Passes: $25.00


http://www.dixiemotorspeedway.com/






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SLIDE SHOW

Let's take a look at some major players in NASCAR's current era who "have not" always found the sport to be kind and those who just enjoy the ride.

We will also see an example of those who are becoming by-products of this huge, high-dollar sport.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/425418-nascar-those-who-have-and-those-who-have-not






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July 2010 Mass Destruction at Auto City.

DSCN1230
Originally uploaded by terrybankert

DumpmySpouse.com Couple get dumped.

AUTO CITY SPEEDWAY 07/17/10 DSCN1900

AUTO CITY SPEEDWAY 07/17/10 DSCN1900
Originally uploaded by terrybankert

THIS IS WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT!
STOCK CAR RACING AND FANS.
One said on the facebook community group Stock car racing "Surprised at how empty the stands were at the Indy Brick Yard 400. They lost the fan base. We gave up on NASCAR when it became WWF. Nic wishes they would go back to real stock car racing." Another on the same site said "Watched the Brickyard 400 on ESPN this afternoon and it seemed like the TV Commerical Ads 400! ESPN should be embarassed by this! One of the most premier events in stock car racing and they mostly show TV commericals? COME ON!!! And NASCAR can't figure out why they are loosing veiwership? Also, Marty Reid has to go! Put Allen Bestwick in the booth!!"

You cannot beat the local track expierence.

#80 asks his dad for directions! Answer, just turn left.

DSCN2107
Originally uploaded by terrybankert

As a new fans Lynn and I had another very enjoyable nite at Auto City Speedway. This is an environment where some have a scanty epidermis!(SE) Its fun to watch.
SHORT SLIDE SHOW
Name the driver with (SE)! Where to start!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30366181@N05/sets/72157624578005668/show/



--OTHER STUFF--

There has been a lot of talk about Jimmie Johnson winning a third race in a row at Indianapolis Motor Speedway today or Juan Palbo Montoya making amends for his speeding goof on pit lane in 2009 that robbed him of victory.



http://www.freep.com/article/20100725/SPORTS16/7250518/1064/Sports16/Martins-turn-to-win-Brickyard

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BRICKYARD

http://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/

2010 PHOTOS ,Indiaapolis Motor Speedway
http://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/brickyard400/galleries/default/

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Dreams gone up in a Puff of Dust!

Dreams gone up in a Puff of Dust!
Originally uploaded by terrybankert

DIXIE MOTOR SPEEDWAY 7/17/2010
How many other drivers dreams are going up in a puff of dust because NASCAR has told the drivers to have at it? Mabey none. Fans want the excitement and the drivers want to deliver. Where is the line?

Assumption of the Risk. When it comes to legal liability for injuries to spectators, courts have been reluctant to hold stadium owners and sports teams responsible for injuries that were a reasonably foreseeable result of the sport itself. This includes foul balls (even bats) flying into the crowd at a baseball game, and hockey pucks that sail over the rink's safety glass and into the stands. And it likely would extend to any injuries suffered by spectators at Talladega on Sunday. [8]

In fact, the track at Talladega is notorious for being one of the more dangerous of the 22 tracks in the NASCAR series, according to the Associated Press: "Horsepower-sapping restrictor plates are used at Daytona and Talladega -- NASCAR's two fastest -- to combat the high speeds. . . As a result, the cars all run the same speed, and the field is typically bunched tightly together. One wrong move by a driver can cause a massive accident."[8]


ARE THE TRACK OWNERS LIABLE?

Exploration of certain state tort immunity statutes is quite interesting and relevant. These

laws protect stadium owners from liability except for gross, willful, wanton or reckless acts
(as opposed to ordinary negligence).[5]

In 2001, NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt, died in a crash at Daytona International Speedway.52 In 2006, Rookie Indy Car driver Paul Dana died after a two-car crash at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the same track where John Nemechek died

1997.5352 Frank Pellegrini, Dale Earnhardt-Why We Chose Him, TIME.COM, Feb. 23, 2001, http://www.time.com/time/pow/article/0,8599,100437,00.html.

53 ESPN.com, IRL Rookie Dana Dies From Injuries Sustained in Crash, Mar. 27, 2006, http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/news/story?seriesId=1&id=2384873; see John Donovan, Hitting Too Close to Home, CNNSI.COM, May 13, 2000,

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/motorsports/news/2000/05/12/nemechek.
 [5]


Edwards managed to survive the Talladega crash. His car flipped at over 15 feet into the crowd’s protective fence, and neither he, nor anyone in the crowd, sustained any serious injuries. The track’s medical director, Dr. Bobby Lewis, calls the crowd’s injuries minor saying that they were “mostly bumps, bruises, contusions and possible fractures.”

The collision involved Brad Keselowski and Dale Earnhardt Jr. The incident fired up with the finish line in sight with Edward’s in the lead when he and Keselowski sped past Ryan Newman and Earnhardt. When Edwards attempted to block Keselowski’s move ahead, the move sent his car flipping over Newman’s hood and into the protective fence. Keselowski managed to pull through Edward’s crash and sped on to win the race.

When Edward’s car’s stopped flipping, he jumped out his window and ran across the finish line. [1]
 
 

[1] 04/27/2009

http://www.collegenews.com/index.php?/article/seven_fans_are_injured_from_airborne_nascar_crash_042938282828282832/



[5]

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/30486233/


[8]

http://blogs.findlaw.com/injured/2009/04/nascar-fans-injured-at-talladega-spectator-safety-and-the-law.html

Child support, child custody, alimony, grandparent, divorce questions? Consider contacting Flint Divorce attorney Terry Bankert 810-235-1970,
http://attorneybankert.com/




DMS STOCK CAR RACING 07/23/2010*********
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Over the last several years, the 33-year-old has worked his way up through the racing ranks and he is currently in first place in the bombers at Dixie Motor Speedway in Birch Run. "We're having a great year at Dixie," Cam Hiltz said.
http://www.mlive.com/sports/flint/index.ssf/2010/07/otisvilles_cam_hiltz_is_in_the.html

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NASCAR responded this year with several changes. It encouraged drivers to stay aggressive with a "boys, have at it" policy, introduced double-file restarts that packed the leaders up front on restarts and removed lapped cars, extended overtime finishes, standardized most start times and swapped the cars' rear wings with more traditional spoilers.
http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jul/22/sports/la-sp-nascar-brickyard-20100723
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In a NASCARseason littered with crumpled cars, temper tantrums and aggressiveness sometimes bordering on recklessness, Sprint Cup points leader Kevin Harvick said he begins each race making one broad assumption.*…it is legislated mayhem. NASCAR instituted rules changes designed to inject more excitement into the sport, especially late in the races, and then before this season gave the drivers virtual free rein to have at it…..

Listening to the fans

Prompted by lagging attendance and TV ratings, NASCAR in the past year has responded to fan complaints by altering the way it restarts and finishes races. Both have supplied much-needed drama but at the same time have contributed to the carnage.

In June 2009, double-file restarts were instituted. Instead of the lead-lap cars lining up nose-to-tail in the outside lane with lapped cars to the inside, the leaders are lined up side by side at the front. Predictably, especially late in a race, the restarts become a free-for-all.

http://www.indystar.com/article/20100723/SPORTS0109/7230307/1052/SPORTS01/Tempers-flare-after-NASCAR-s-have-at-it-decree
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“The line between intentional and unintentional when it comes to wrecking others is actually wider than what you might think. “

http://www.mstrc.com/index.php?showtopic=33742&pid=201799&st=0&#entry201799
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Juan Pablo Montoya was pretty sure he was innocent at Indianapolis Motor Speedway last year.
http://www.freep.com/article/20100723/SPORTS16/7230308/1365/Sports/Juan-Pablo-Montoya-feels-good-at-Indy-but-can-he-win-there
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A victory in Sunday's Brickyard 400 would make him the first to win in an Indy car and a stock car at Indy.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/motor/nascar/2010-07-22-unawed-juan-pablo-montoya-seeks-historic-win-at-indy_N.htm
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DIXIE MOTOR SPEEDWAY

Friday, July 23rd
Eastern Michigan Food Bank
Night / College
Grocery Kart Races

HUGE 6 in 1 Show
Pro Late Models, Modifieds,
Pro Stocks, Street Stocks,
Bombers, and Figure 8s

Pit Gates Open: 2:00p.m.
Practice Begins: 3:00p.m.
Grandstands Open: 5:00p.m.
Qualifying: 5:15p.m.
Racing Starts: 7:30p.m.

Adults (18-59): $12.00
Seniors (60 and Over): $10.00
Teens (13-17): $8.00
Children (6-12): $5.00
Kids (5 and Under): FREE
Pit Passes: $25.00
http://www.dixiemotorspeedway.com/component/content/frontpage

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AUTO CITY SPEEDWAY
July 24 Coca-Cola Night-

July 31- Spaulding Insurance Night-Skirt Night

August 1- Maximum Destruction "Sunday" presented by Suski Chevrolet Buick of Birch Run

August 7-Greg Yost Topless mod tribute race

http://www.autocityspeedway.com/












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