In recent years, I’ve mentioned pre-season site visits to prominent racing shops in southwestern Ontario. Last week, Linda and I were at it again. We went to Anna Mae’s Restaurant in Milbank (ON), so I thought I would stop at four-time NASCAR Canada Series champion Scott Steckly’s race shop, just down the road in Milverton.
WOW, what a beautiful setup. Scott built his great race shop about eleven years ago and then added his mechanical repair garage, 22 Automotive, about five years ago right next door.
Scott’s son Kyle has a very busy schedule this year as he is running 10 ASA Stars National races in the U.S. for Rette Jones Racing, the full APC schedule, six specials in Ontario and five Pro Late Model races in the U.S.
Kyle currently sits ninth in the ASA points with 1 top ten. (Jo Lawrence sits a stout 22nd after having only run one of the two races).
After the disqualifications of the three Penske cars from the season’s first IndyCar race, Roger Penske has announced that Team Penske president Tim Cindric as well as some other senior members of the team have been suspended for the next two IndyCar races.
Inside Track contributor Mary Bignotti Mendez has a great, in-depth feature on this here.
My question is, ‘how long were the tech inspectors suspended for missing these infractions in pre-practice, pre-qualifying, pre-race and post-race technical inspections?’ Fair is fair, after all!!!
Here’s a funny story from last week. My son Paul recorded the Cup race at Kansas and added enough time to cover a late start/rain delay.
With 8 laps to go… his recording ended!! He told me that I should have seen the expression on his face!! Ouch, what a finish to miss!!
Last Friday was opening night at Delaware Speedway in London (ON). General Manager Dave Graham has done a great job with the venue.
It was like pulling into a golf course with the grass so perfectly cut. On top of that, 102 cars showed up with exactly half competing in the fast-growing Bone Stock class. Parking was definitely at a premium in the pit area.
NASCAR Cup Series: Thirty-eight cars qualified for the Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway on Sunday during the Throwback Weekend.
Tyler Reddick (Toyota) grabbed the pole over Brad Keselowski and Chris Buescher (both in Fords).
Stage 1 went green all the way with Kyle Larson getting the stage win. On lap 122 John Hunter Nemechek spun for the first race caution of the race likely from the flat right front tire. On the restart Martin Truex got moved up and hit Ryan Blaney for another yellow. On lap 163 Zane Smith spun on the front stretch. Tyler Reddick won Stage 2.
On lap 255 Kyle Larson spun on corner entry from a flat left rear tire. At the flag Ford finally gets a race win with Brad Keselowski getting the win over Ty Gibbs (Toyota) and Josh Berry (Ford). Larson continues to lead the points now by 30 over Truex and by 39 over Denny Hamlin.
Their next race is the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro, Sunday at 5.30 and 8 P.M. on TSN 5.
NASCAR Xfinity Series: Thirty-eight cars started the Crown Royal Purple Bag Project 200 (ya just gotta love THAT name!!) Saturday at Darlington Raceway based on points after qualifying was rained out Friday. Cole Custer (Ford) started on the pole ahead of Chandler Smith and Sheldon Creed (both in Toyotas).
On lap 11 William Byron had a flat tire and got into the Corner 4 wall. On lap 20 there was a ‘competition’ caution to check tire wear after the overnight rains. Cole Custer had to come back in to make sure all his wheel nuts were tight. Justin Allgaier won Stage 1.
Allgaier also won the caution free Stage 2. On lap 102 Haillie Deegan had a right-rear tire explode ripping the rear quarter panel off the car. She spun down to the inside wall. I haven’t seen a tire do that much damage to the back of a car in a long time.
A.J. Allmendinger had electrical problems on the restart and his in-car camera showed him really animated! That’s the kind of driver that owners look for, a man with passion. On lap 123 it appeared that Parker Retzlaff lost a motor in corner 2 and a couple of cars back of him Kyle Sieg spun (in the oil??).
At the flag, Allgaier made it three for three (stages) ahead of Austin Hill and Cole Custer. In the points Hill leads Custer by 3 and former points leader Chandler Smith by 5.
Their next race is Charlotte, Saturday, May 25.
NASCAR Craftsman Trucks: Thirty-two trucks attempted qualifying for the Buckle Up South Carolina 200 at Darlington Raceway and Nick Sanchez (Chev) got the pole (but had to start from the rear after non-approved changes – a right-rear hub) over Corey Heim and Taylor Gray (both in Toyotas). Canadian Stewart Friesen (Toyota) started 11th.
Things weren’t looking good when the first camera shot of the track showed rain drops on the camera lens. The start was delayed by a little over two hours while the track was being dried.
Stage 1 went almost caution free except for Kyle Busch looping it on lap 3, then repeating it ten laps later. Corey Heim got the Stage 1 win.
Stage 2 also went almost caution free except for Spencer Boyd spinning off Corner 4 on lap 67. William Byron got the Stage 2 win.
On lap 101 Chase Purdy, Colby Howard and Zane Smith got together on the front stretch for a caution. On lap 143 Jack Wood spun in Corner 1. At the flag it was Ross Chastain over Sanchez and Ben Rhodes. Friesen ended up 14th.
In the points Eckes leads Heim by 14 and Sanchez by 57. Friesen sits 13th.
Their next race is North Wilkesboro, Saturday at 1.30 P.M. on Fox Sports Racing.
Formula One: Their next race is Imola, Sunday at 8.55 A.M. on TSN 5.
IndyCar: Twenty-seven cars qualified for the Sonsio Grand Prix Saturday on the Indianapolis Road Course, and Alex Palou nabbed the pole ahead of Christian Lundgaard and Will Power.
The start was like feeding time at the zoo as all the cars braked at the end of the front straight to make the right turn into the infield.
Several cars got together at the back of the pack and got off onto the grass but kept going.
Things ran smoothly, with the exception of the numerous and expected ‘offs’ onto the grass, until lap 66 when Luca Ghiotto spun in the middle of the infield and came to a stop.
At the flag it was Palou over Power and Lundgaard, almost the way they started.
In the points Palou takes over the lead by 12 on Power and by 25 over Scott Dixon.
Their next race is on the Indianapolis 500, Sunday, May 28.
IMSA: First and foremost a very, very, very special thank you to NBC for broadcasting the race with professional announcers. REV TV was still using the brutal B-Team!!!! In qualifying for the race at Laguna Seca there were only three classes with 34 cars.
In GTP the van der Zande/Bourdais Caddy won the pole followed by the Caddy of Derani/Aitken and the BMW of Krohn/Eng. At the checker it was the Penske Porsche of Tandy / M. Jaminet.
In PRO a similar success of General Motors as the Corvettes of Milner/Catsburg and Garcia/Sims were one two followed by the Pfaff Motorsports McLaren of Kirchhöfer/Jarvis. The two Multimatic Mustangs of Tincknell/Rockenfeller and Hand/Mueller started 8th and 9th.
At the finish it was another Porsche win with the Heinrich/Priaulx duo winning over the Pfaff McLaren of Kirchhöfer/Jarvis and the Corvette of Milner/Catsburg.
In GTD the Lamborghini of Marcelli/Formal won the pole ahead of the BMW of Foley/ Gallagher and the Mercedes of Ward/Ellis. At the flag it was the Ward/Ellis Mercedes for the win over the Foley/ Gallagher BMW and the Adelson/Skeer Porsche.
The points had not been posted at press time.
Their next race is Detroit, Sunday, June 1.
24 Hours of LeMans: This legendary event takes place June 15 & 16.
NHRA: Their next race is Route 66, Sunday at 4 P.M. on Fox Sports Racing.
IROC: Their first race is July 20 at Lime Rock Park.
NASCAR Canada Series: Their first race is at Mosport (CTMP), on Sunday. Also on track at CTMP this weekend are the Nissan Sentra Cup, the FEL Motorsports Sports Car Championship Canada presented by Michelin, Emzone Radical Cup Canada presented by Michelin, Super Production Challenge and the Toyo Tires F1600 Championship.
APC Series: The United Racing Series APC Late Model Series heads to Sunset Speedway on Saturday, May 18 for its first race of the 2024 season, the Dayco 100. Also on the card are the Can-Am TQ Midgets (25 laps) and the OSCAAR “Just Foam It” Modifieds (40 laps).
Ontario Sportsman Series: Their next race is at Delaware, Friday.
Delaware Speedway: 102 cars showed up for the season opener last Friday and exactly half of them were Bone Stocks the fast growing entry level class.
Bone Stocks: Heats were won by Colin Willems, Justin Colver, Matt Langford and Sterling Roberts. The Consi went to Taylor Everest. The main was won by Langford ahead of Jason Craig and Mitch Rawlings.
V/8 Stocks: Heats were won by Doug Stewart and Chad McGlynn. The feature was won by Stewart who had been black flagged twice for going quicker than the 21.10 index and he was followed by Shawn McGlynn and Kaden Patrick. Interesting that all three cars were Late Model in appearance.
Super Stocks: Heats were won by David McCullough and Trevor Colver. The main was won by Colver over Carson Nagy, Andrew Ferreira, Steve Book and Hudson Nagy.
Late Models: Heats were won by Ron Beauchamp and Patrick Freel. The main was won by Gary Adriaensen over Jaden Chapman, Beauchamp, Jesse Kennedy and Lloyd Rawlings. With two laps to go leaders Ray Morneau, on the inside, and Kyle Steckley, on the outside, got together and spun. Ray continued but Kyle was done.
Their next race is Friday with the Ontario Sportsman Series.
Ohsweken Speedway: Their next race is the AIM Recycling & Cadman Equipment Night Friday.
Flamboro Speedway: Their next race is Saturday.
Southern Ontario Motor Speedway (Buxton) : Their next race is Saturday.
Full Throttle Motor Speedway: Their next race is Saturday with Fireworks!
Grand Bend Speedway: Their first race is Saturday, June 1.
Grand Bend Dragway: Their next race is this weekend.
St. Thomas Dragway: Their next race is Saturday.
Toronto Motorsports Park: Their next race is the Victoria Day Weekend Spectacular this weekend.
Shannonville Drags: Their next is June 9.
Any comments can be sent to Dave Mathers via email at motionman@rogers.com or by Facebook Messenger.
