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May News Archive
May 2nd
DuBois, Pa.-The on-and-off showers at the South Boston Speedway put an premature end to Benny Gordon's plans just one position short of his goal, finishing first. It also proves the old adage "the fastest car does not always win."
"We had a very fast car", said Benny. "The car was dialed in right off the truck. We made very few changes on Friday or Saturday and we posted the fastest time in practice both days. A couple of shock changes and that was it. We set a new track record and took our first pole for the year."
The race plan Benny and Crew Chief Dan Glauz prepared was for Benny to take the lead on the first lap, stay out front and pit early in the race to take advantage of the exceptional tire wear from the BFGoodrich Tires g-Force radials. The trend for the races this year has shown this to bethe winning strategy.
The plan began well with Benny taking the lead with the wave of the green flag. He set the pace for the field for the first 17 laps until the first caution of the night flew. Benny pulled the Samuel Metals Johnny Suzuki, ADG, Predator Performance Ford into the pit to the attention of his pit crew. The team quickly changed tires sending Benny back out on the track in sixth place.
Knowing there was over 225 laps to the checkered flag, Dan began a steady stream of reminders to Benny. "I need you to conserve your tires and let the field cycle through their pit stops", said Dan. Benny paced himself being patient taking positions when he could without driving thecar hard. This is a racing mode he is not familiar with. "The car was so good I really wanted to drive it to the front as quickly as I could." said Benny. "It was very fast through the corners with extremely fast exit speed. The 6N car was in the in front but he needed to pit and I knew Dan was right. I was taking my time working my way back to the lead. "
Benny's forward progress was hampered with four more caution flags due to wrecks and a rain shower. "It was difficult to pace yourself when we run so few race speed laps," said Benny. "I think we ran just 14 or 15 laps at any one time then we had to slow down for another caution."
Rain set in at lap 99 sending the cars to turns three and four to wait out the rain. The race crews covered their cars and the drivers got out to discuss their progress. The service and emergency vehicle headed to the track to dry it out. The on and off rain showers continued and the track drying vehicles made more laps on the track than the race cars.
After about a two-hour delay the drivers returned to their cars to make laps and to help dry the track. By that time the spotters crowded on the turn one tower.
The skies opened up with heavy rain preventing any chance of drying the track.
"Our pit strategy did not include rain." said Benny. "We knew it was out there but the predictions said it would be later in the evening. Unfortunately, my patience cost us a win tonight. I guess we are going to have to bring a weather man to the races now."
In attendance for the race were several very important supporters of the North South Race team. Present were the Samuel Metals Chief Executive Officer Mr. Wayne Bassett and his wife Judy along with Johnny Dangerfield of Johnny's Suzuki. "We are very privileged to have our sponsors here for our first divisional race," said Benny. "Having them is a great inspiration to our team. We have grown stronger as a team having such fine sponsors helping us. I know that our strong performance so far this season is a direct result of their commitment to our team."
About Samuel
The Samuel Company is a family owned metal processing and distributing company headquartered in Ontario, Canada with more than 80 facilities located throughout Canada and the United States and more than 4500 employees. For more information about Samuel, please visit www.samuel.com.
DuBois, Pa.-The on-and-off showers at the South Boston Speedway put an premature end to Benny Gordon's plans just one position short of his goal, finishing first. It also proves the old adage "the fastest car does not always win."
"We had a very fast car", said Benny. "The car was dialed in right off the truck. We made very few changes on Friday or Saturday and we posted the fastest time in practice both days. A couple of shock changes and that was it. We set a new track record and took our first pole for the year."
The race plan Benny and Crew Chief Dan Glauz prepared was for Benny to take the lead on the first lap, stay out front and pit early in the race to take advantage of the exceptional tire wear from the BFGoodrich Tires g-Force radials. The trend for the races this year has shown this to bethe winning strategy.
The plan began well with Benny taking the lead with the wave of the green flag. He set the pace for the field for the first 17 laps until the first caution of the night flew. Benny pulled the Samuel Metals Johnny Suzuki, ADG, Predator Performance Ford into the pit to the attention of his pit crew. The team quickly changed tires sending Benny back out on the track in sixth place.
Knowing there was over 225 laps to the checkered flag, Dan began a steady stream of reminders to Benny. "I need you to conserve your tires and let the field cycle through their pit stops", said Dan. Benny paced himself being patient taking positions when he could without driving thecar hard. This is a racing mode he is not familiar with. "The car was so good I really wanted to drive it to the front as quickly as I could." said Benny. "It was very fast through the corners with extremely fast exit speed. The 6N car was in the in front but he needed to pit and I knew Dan was right. I was taking my time working my way back to the lead. "
Benny's forward progress was hampered with four more caution flags due to wrecks and a rain shower. "It was difficult to pace yourself when we run so few race speed laps," said Benny. "I think we ran just 14 or 15 laps at any one time then we had to slow down for another caution."
Rain set in at lap 99 sending the cars to turns three and four to wait out the rain. The race crews covered their cars and the drivers got out to discuss their progress. The service and emergency vehicle headed to the track to dry it out. The on and off rain showers continued and the track drying vehicles made more laps on the track than the race cars.
After about a two-hour delay the drivers returned to their cars to make laps and to help dry the track. By that time the spotters crowded on the turn one tower.
The skies opened up with heavy rain preventing any chance of drying the track.
"Our pit strategy did not include rain." said Benny. "We knew it was out there but the predictions said it would be later in the evening. Unfortunately, my patience cost us a win tonight. I guess we are going to have to bring a weather man to the races now."
In attendance for the race were several very important supporters of the North South Race team. Present were the Samuel Metals Chief Executive Officer Mr. Wayne Bassett and his wife Judy along with Johnny Dangerfield of Johnny's Suzuki. "We are very privileged to have our sponsors here for our first divisional race," said Benny. "Having them is a great inspiration to our team. We have grown stronger as a team having such fine sponsors helping us. I know that our strong performance so far this season is a direct result of their commitment to our team."
About Samuel
The Samuel Company is a family owned metal processing and distributing company headquartered in Ontario, Canada with more than 80 facilities located throughout Canada and the United States and more than 4500 employees. For more information about Samuel, please visit www.samuel.com.
Rain Halts Gordon's Plans - Finishes Second at South Boston
May 23rd
Auburndale, Fla. - The old saying, "The more things change, the more they stay the same," comes to mind. When Derrick Kelley last competed at The Milwaukee Mile, there was a Clinton in the White House, Brett Favre had the honor of being a Super Bowl Champion and Kelley was driving in the Hooters Cup Series, a Super Late Model division.
That was 1997.
When Kelley returns to the West Allis, Wis., track for Saturday's Sears Auto Center 150, he'll face the best of the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series, Favre can continue to celebrate the honor of being named the cover boy for the Madden NFL '09 video game, and, well, there will be another Clinton trying to make it to the White House.
However, while politics and football won't kick into high gear until the fall, Pro Cup racing will be as exciting as ever this weekend because the Sears Auto Center 150 will be the first of two regular-season events this year in which both of the series' divisions will compete on the same track.
"It's great to have a combination event like this," said Kelley, pilot of the No. 21 NGA Hooters Pro Golf Tour Ford Fusion. "We're aiming to win a championship this year, and that means we have to be able to stack up against the best from both of the Hooters Pro Cup divisions."
Kelley finished 16th in that Late Model race in 1997. But since it was so long ago, that track experience probably won't be the Comeback Motorsports driver's key to having a successful run this time around.
For that, he and Comeback owner Tim Gainey will be looking for good performances from everyone on the team.
"We've got an excellent group of guys working with us this year, from crew chief Darrin Shaw on down," Gainey said. "When everybody contributes, a race team can't help but have a good run."
And that's what happened on April 19. Kelley finished sixth at South Boston and could have come home even higher in the field had the Sears Auto Center Northern Division opener not been ended early due to rain.
"South Boston was a good start for us," Kelley said. "But we want to be even better at Milwaukee.
"Those ads you used to see for Old Milwaukee beer may have said, 'It doesn't get any better than this,' but we want to improve every time we come to the racetrack."
About Comeback Motorsports
The name of the Comeback Motorsports team carries a lot of meaning for driver Derrick Kelley and team owner Tim Gainey. For Kelley, "comeback" is about rejuvenating a USAR Hooters Pro Cup career that's seen him collect 26 Top Five finishes and 45 Top 10s in only 107 starts. For Gainey, though, the word is even more meaningful. He was seriously injured in an industrial accident 13 years ago, losing most of his right leg and forcing him to use a wheelchair or crutches to get around today. The injury has made Gainey a tireless supporter of making racing accessible to everyone, and he wants fans with mobility issues like his to know that they are welcome at all Hooters Pro Cup events.
For more information about Derrick Kelley and Comeback Motorsports, please visit www.comebackmotorsports.com
Auburndale, Fla. - The old saying, "The more things change, the more they stay the same," comes to mind. When Derrick Kelley last competed at The Milwaukee Mile, there was a Clinton in the White House, Brett Favre had the honor of being a Super Bowl Champion and Kelley was driving in the Hooters Cup Series, a Super Late Model division.
That was 1997.
When Kelley returns to the West Allis, Wis., track for Saturday's Sears Auto Center 150, he'll face the best of the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series, Favre can continue to celebrate the honor of being named the cover boy for the Madden NFL '09 video game, and, well, there will be another Clinton trying to make it to the White House.
However, while politics and football won't kick into high gear until the fall, Pro Cup racing will be as exciting as ever this weekend because the Sears Auto Center 150 will be the first of two regular-season events this year in which both of the series' divisions will compete on the same track.
"It's great to have a combination event like this," said Kelley, pilot of the No. 21 NGA Hooters Pro Golf Tour Ford Fusion. "We're aiming to win a championship this year, and that means we have to be able to stack up against the best from both of the Hooters Pro Cup divisions."
Kelley finished 16th in that Late Model race in 1997. But since it was so long ago, that track experience probably won't be the Comeback Motorsports driver's key to having a successful run this time around.
For that, he and Comeback owner Tim Gainey will be looking for good performances from everyone on the team.
"We've got an excellent group of guys working with us this year, from crew chief Darrin Shaw on down," Gainey said. "When everybody contributes, a race team can't help but have a good run."
And that's what happened on April 19. Kelley finished sixth at South Boston and could have come home even higher in the field had the Sears Auto Center Northern Division opener not been ended early due to rain.
"South Boston was a good start for us," Kelley said. "But we want to be even better at Milwaukee.
"Those ads you used to see for Old Milwaukee beer may have said, 'It doesn't get any better than this,' but we want to improve every time we come to the racetrack."
About Comeback Motorsports
The name of the Comeback Motorsports team carries a lot of meaning for driver Derrick Kelley and team owner Tim Gainey. For Kelley, "comeback" is about rejuvenating a USAR Hooters Pro Cup career that's seen him collect 26 Top Five finishes and 45 Top 10s in only 107 starts. For Gainey, though, the word is even more meaningful. He was seriously injured in an industrial accident 13 years ago, losing most of his right leg and forcing him to use a wheelchair or crutches to get around today. The injury has made Gainey a tireless supporter of making racing accessible to everyone, and he wants fans with mobility issues like his to know that they are welcome at all Hooters Pro Cup events.
For more information about Derrick Kelley and Comeback Motorsports, please visit www.comebackmotorsports.com
Kelley ready to return to Milwaukee after more than a decade
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