The Chrome Horn - Champ Trail with Phil Smith

Champ Trail - November 17, 2015


  The dark cloud that hung over the finish of the recent North-South Shootout continues to hover. Justin Bonsignore, who crossed the finish line in second spot behind Matt Hirschman when the checkered flag was displayed was declared the event. Hirschman was placed to the end of those on the lead lap at the finish because his crew worked on his car during a red flag period in the closing moments. Just about everybody who has been in and around racing knows that working on cars is just not allowed. Hirschman's crew alleges that they were given permission to plug a leaking tire. Race director Tom Fox has denied this. Prior to the restart Fox was forced to leave the speedway in order to make a flight connection that couldn't be avoided. It was suggested to event promoter Darren Hackett that the race be red-checkered and not restarted. Hackett decided to run the event to its completion. Aware that a violation of race procedure had occurred, Hackett failed to place Hirschman at the tail of the lead lap.

  The 2015 Northeast racing comes to a conclusion next weekend, November 27, 28 and 29 with the running of the annual Turkey Derby at the Wall Stadium in New Jersey. The weekend will be highlighted by the running of the Modified tour type Turkey Derby 150 on Saturday.

  In the process of launching an ad for season tickets the Stafford Motor Speedway has revealed at least two of the Whelen Modified Tour events for 2016. The Annual Spring Sizzler will be run on Sunday, April 24 and the Fall Final will be held on Sunday, October 2. That being said, its a good bet that the Thompson Speedway Ice Breaker will run on Sunday, April 10 and the season ending World Series will run on Sunday, October 16. The Thompson dates are purely speculative at this time.

  The wheels of progress continue to turn at the New London-Waterford Speedbowl. General Manager Shawn Monahan says one of the many improvements to be made will be the replacement of the Armco Barrier that has outlived its usefulness. Monahan also stated that he will seek out local business' to bolster existing purses. As far as special events go, Monahan said that the Whelen Modified Tour Series will return to the shoreline oval most likely in May. The Tri-Track Series will also be back as well as the Valenti Modified Series. Monahan also hinted that a few Thursday night events are planned which will feature Saturday night divisions who would in turn get the following Saturday night as a break. For the most part Monahan, track owner Bruce Bemer and their staff have done an outstanding job of keeping the Speedbowl alive and prospering.

  It looks like the Tri-Track Open Modified Series is alive and well and is good to go in 2016. As part of Open Wheel Wednesday on June 29 the Seekonk Speedway will host the series for the third straight year. The event will pay $10,000 to win.

  In NASCAR Sprint Cup racing, Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. advanced to the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship finale after surviving a long Sunday that ended with a rain-shortened race at Phoenix International Raceway. The race was delayed nearly seven hours by a series of storms, forcing the penultimate race in the Chase to start under the lights at the mile oval. More rain forced NASCAR to called it after 219 laps, with Harvick second behind winner Dale Earnhardt Jr., Busch fourth and Truex 14th.

  On the speedway stock market scene last week, all three speedway stocks finished the week on the negative side. Taking the biggest slide was the International Speedway Corporation which went down 0.78 to 34.12. Speedway Motorsports dropped 0.32 to 18.35 and Dover Entertainment dropped 0.08 to 2.24. NASCAR cup sponsor Sprint dropped 0.15 to 4.18 while NASCAR fuel supplier Sunoco (Energy Transfer) dropped 2.39 to 39.62 and NASCAR tire supplier Goodyear dropped 1.09 to 31.89. The car manufacturers didn't fare any better. Ford dropped 0.60 to 13.92, General Motors dropped 1.44 to 34.31 and Toyota dropped 1.65 to 121.27. In the home improvement sector, Home Depot dropped 5.98 to 120.00 and Lowes dropped 3.05 to 70.09. Big team sponsor's stocks were, for the most part, negative. McDonalds dropped 3.34 to 109.97, Coca-Cola dropped 2.17 to 176.78, Target Department Stores dropped 5.23 to 71.89, Aarons Rentals dropped 1.17 to 23.97 and Fedex dropped 4.27 to 158.11.

  On the tube this coming week:

  Thursday, November 19

6:00 AM, NASCAR America, NBC Sports Net
7:00 AM, NASCAR America, NBCSN
9:30 AM, How It's Made-Impact Wrenches, Marble Sinks, Plantain Chips, NASCAR Cars, SCI
5:00 PM, NASCAR America, NBCSN
6:00 PM, NASCAR Race Hub, FOX Sports 1

  Friday, November 20
6:00 AM, NASCAR America, NBCSN
7:00 AM, NASCAR America, NBCSN
9:00 AM, NCWTS Homestead practice, FS1
12:00 PM, NSCS Homestead practice, NBCSN
1:30 PM, NXS Homestead final practice, NBCSN
4:00 PM, NCWTS Homestead qualifying, FS1
5:30 PM, NASCAR America Live, NBCSN
6:00 PM, NSCS Homestead qualifying, NBCSN
8:00 PM, NCWTS Homestead race, FS1
9:00 PM, Undercover Boss - NASCAR, Oprah Winfrey Network

  Saturday, November 21
12:00 AM, Undercover Boss - NASCAR, OWN
3:30 AM, NCWTS Homestead race re-air, FS1
10:00 AM, NSCS Homestead practice, CNBC
11:00 AM, NXS Homestead qualifying, CNBC
12:30 PM, NASCAR America Live, NBCSN
1:00 PM, NSCS Homestead final practice, NBCSN
2:00 PM, NASCAR America Live, NBCSN
2:30 PM, NXS Homestead race, NBC
6:00 PM, NASCAR America, NBCSN

  Sunday, November 22
11:30 AM, NASCAR RaceDay, FS1
1:30 PM, NASCAR America Sunday, NBC
2:00 PM, NSCS Countdown to Green, NBC
3:00 PM, NSCS Homestead race, NBC
7:00 PM, NSCS Post Race Show, NBCSN
8:00 PM, NASCAR Victory Lap, NBCSN
10:00 PM, NASCAR Victory Lane, FS1
11:30 PM, NASCAR Victory Lap re-air, NBCSN

   That’s about it for this week from 11 Gardner Drive, Westerly, and R.I.02891. Ring my chimes at 401-596-5467.
E-mail: smithpe_97_97@yahoo.com.

Phil Smith has been a columnist for Speedway Scene and various
other publications for over 3 decades.
 

Source: Phil Smith / Champ Trail
Posted: November 17, 2015

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