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 On
Thursday February 17th NASCAR unveiled the addition of regional and touring
series to 2013 Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway. It was
disclosed that for the past two years NASCAR and UNOH (University of
Northern Ohio) representatives have been working to pull together a plan
that would bring local racing to the limelight of Daytona.
The official announcement included information on a Monday and Tuesday venue
for NASCAR’s regional and touring series that would fall on February 18th
and 19th, 2013. Included in the event are the NASCAR K&N Pro Series, NASCAR
Whelen Modified tours, and the Late Model division of the NASCAR Whelen
All-American Series. The non-punt events will be televised by Speed
providing to the Home Track series well earned media exposure for their
inaugural “UNOH Battle At The Beach”.
A temporary flat oval approximately 3/8 to 4/10ths of a mile will be set up
on Daytona’s Superstretch (between turn two and three) to host the races.
 Phil
Kurze, Whelen Engineering Vice President of Motorsports Engineering has
worked closely with NASCAR to grow the sport of racing at Home Tracks and
its fan base. So it was very appropriate that Kurze be present at this
announcement.
“I just cannot wait. I wish it was this Monday and this Tuesday,” said Kurze
following the official media release. “I thought that the induction of
Richie Evans into the NASCAR Hall of Fame was one of the greatest things for
short track racing. This is right up there with it.”
Kurze and Whelen have supported racing at the local home tracks. This is now
an opportunity to help them expand their support of racing. “We are going to
be able to bring grassroots short track racing to Daytona and have people
see what we are all about. We are a member of the NASCAR family and we are
the foundation of NASCAR. Having everybody come together and recognize that
and have us included in Speedweeks the way that we should be, I am very
excited about it.”
 Phil
Moran, crew chief of the #2 NASCAR Whelen Modified, brought the UNOH
sponsored modified to the official “Battle of the Beach” announcement at
Daytona International Speedway. “I think that this is great. When you start
out in the grass roots as we do with the Modified, K&N Pro Series and Late
Models it is a great opportunity to showcase our drivers, our talent that we
have on the crew and the people working on the cars.” Moran stated about the
proposed plan for Home Track racing at Daytona Speedway.. “There are
sometimes that I have a hard time getting guys to come to the races. I do
not think that I will have a hard time telling them to come to Daytona. They
will be tickled. I am really looking forward to it.”
Reflecting on it does Moran have any concerns about racing at Daytona?
“The proposed track being a flat four-tenths sort of reminds me of Spencer.
So as far as I am concerned myself, Todd (Szegedy) is a pretty good driver
on a flat track. So I think that we will be OK. “
For more details on the announcement go to NASCAR Home Track
http://hometracks.nascar.com.
WORLD SERIES TRADITION
CONTINUES AT NEW SMYRNA SPEEDWAY
While Opportunity
Knocks at Daytona International Speedway
by
Denise DuPont
Running parallel with February Speedweeks at Daytona there has been a yearly
tradition for Modifieds to head to Florida to compete in the World Series of
Asphalt Stock Car Racing at New Smyrna Speedway. Over the years teams have
come to New Smyrna to not only compete but to also shake out their equipment
for the upcoming race season.
The 2012 World Series tradition has continued with both Tour Type and SK
teams running eight nights under the lights. The sparks have been flying and
tempers are at bay as modifieds run in the close quarters. In the end we
will see if we have a new Champion or if an existing one adds another notch
to their belt.
With the official announcement of including the ground pounders in the
famous racing on the beach, what were some of the drivers at New Smyrna
Speedway feedback on the “Battle At The Beach” opportunity:
Ryan Preece
“That is going to be awesome. Who cares if it on a flat track, it is
twenty-thousand to win. I think that it is awesome that we are all going to
be able to run Daytona. I think that it is going to be fun. It is going to
be real short track racing at its best.”
“I think that it is nice I think that Daytona had a lot to do with it. They
needed something to do on Mondays and Tuesdays. I think that it is going to
bring a lot of short track people down and it is going to bring it back to
how it use to be. Short track racing is where everybody is from and I think
that it is important that they keep it alive.”
Patrick Emerling
“I think that it is cool that NASCAR is doing this for us. I hope that the
track itself is going to be a good track to race on. Usually flat tracks are
my worst type of tracks. I do not like flat tracks.”
“I am also glad that they are giving us some TV time. A purse of
twenty-thousand dollars is definitely really good to hear. We usually have
purses that are not close to that. So that is pretty good. I think that it
will get more people down. But more I would like to know what the purse will
be for tenth, eleventh or twelfth spot. When we know more information it
will sure get more guys down here”
“So far I have heard some mixed thoughts about it. But I think that most
people are pretty excited about it. I will probably be there because we
usually come to Florida anyway. We will see how it goes and how it is put
together and how things go in our future.”
Kevin Goodale
“It seems like a great opportunity. It might be a bit of a haul to get down
there for the race. It will be exciting if nothing else. My brother (Eric
Goodale) thinks that it is cool.”
“If we were already down here for New Smyrna racing and run over there to do
the race that would be OK. But I do not know. I have not heard all the
details and have not looked into it. It should be pretty cool just to be at
Daytona with the modifieds to get some publicity. That would be good.”
Eric Goodale
“I do not know. I think I need to win a race first and then I will worry
about that. From the announcement it sounds pretty cool. I am interested to
see how it all plays out. But I need to win a race first.”
“My 2013 goal is to win a NWMT race and be an automatic locked into a
starting spot at Daytona. I definitely do not want to try to qualify. I just
want to be a for sure starter if that is the case.”
Cole Powell
“We definitely will be there. We are going to run Bristol this summer and as
long as the car is still rolling. Twenty thousand to win – that sounds
pretty cool. It is a pretty good purse. There are not that many races that
have that kind of purse so we definitely will go to that for sure.”
Ted Christopher
“It sounds good as long as I do not miss many nights here (New Smyrna
Speedway World Series). I would like to see all the details though before I
decide what to do.” |
