Speed51.com's Quick News Archive
Entries From 2/10/09 Through 2/17/09
Matt Hawkins Passes Away
SHORT TRACKS - 2/14/09
Matt Hawkins, one of the brightest young stars of the short track world, has passed away at the age of 21. Hawkins lost his life after an incident involving an accidental gun discharge Friday night in Georgia.
On the track, Hawkins had built up an amazing resume. He won in his first career starts in both the ARCA RE/MAX Series and USAR Pro Cup Series - a seemingly-impossible accomplishment that may never be matched. He also won numerous Pro Late Model races in the Southeast and finished in the top three of the Snowball Derby for the last two seasons.
Off the track, Hawkins was known for being an especially kind, polite and personable young man. He might have seemed quiet at first glance, but Matt was one of those people who you couldn't help but to become quick friends with.
Hawkins was definitely a friend to all of us here at Speed51.com and we will miss him greatly. We offer our thoughts and prayers to all of his family and friends.
51 Radio's New Smyrna Speedway Coverage Set for 7:30pm
SPEEDWEEKS - 2/14/09
Speed 51 Radio's live broadcast of tonight's Pete Orr Memorial 100 Super Late Model race at New Smyrna Speedway (FL) will kick off at 7:30pm ET. To listen, go to RaceTalkRadio.com and click on the “Listen Live” button on the upper right portion of the website.
Patrick Sheltra Hurtin' But Plannin' To Be Back at Salem
SPEEDWEEKS - 2/12/09
Patrick Sheltra took one of the hardest hits in recent memory at Daytona Int'l Speedway on Saturday during the ARCA RE/MAX Series event. But you can never keep a good racer down. Sheltra was at Volusia Speedway Park on Wednesday night watching his Dirt Late Model compete with Shannon Babb behind the wheel. Sheltra said he was extremely sore and was wearing a back brace, but plans to compete in the next ARCA event in Salem, IN in a month-and-a-half (April 5).
Dirties Doing Daytona in Style on DirtTrackDigest.com
SPEEDWEEKS - 2/12/09
They call themselves "The Dirties," but the boys at DirtTrackDigest.com have been cleaning up as far as the coverage from 14 nights of racing during the WinterNationals at Volusia Speedway Park. Check them out to find out who won in what division and how. Volusia closes out the week with Northeast DIRT Mods as well as WoO Dirt Late Models.
SPEED Channel Wrapping Up New Smyrna Coverage
SPEEDWEEKS - 2/12/09
The TV Cameras will be at New Smyrna Speedway once again on Thursday night. This time Bob Dillner, Sara Jane Hunt and the crew will be finishing off a feature on some of the short track racers competing during the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing. The SPEED crew will also be following Ben Kennedy at New Smryna as he competes in the Florida Truck Series Thursday night. Ben is the great-grandson of Bill France, the founder of NASCAR.
PASS to Sanction Late Model Trucks in the South
PASS - 2/12/09
PASS has announced that it will sanction a Late Model Truck division in 2009. The PASS Late Model Trucks will be the support division for the PASS South Super Late Models at eight to ten races in 2009. The majority of the PASS late model truck races will be 75 laps in length.
ARCA Drivers Sheltra & Hollenbeck Released from Hospital
ARCA - 2/10/09
ARCA RE/MAX Series drivers Larry Hollenbeck and Patrick Sheltra, involved in a late race accident during Saturday's Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 at Daytona Int'l Speedway, have been released from a local hospital to the care of their personal physicians. Sheltra sustained a compression fracture in his fourth vertebrae after the lap 74 incident in the first ARCA race of the season. Sheltra, with the help of a back brace, has begun his recovery mode for the next couple weeks before following up with family physicians with the intention of gaining clearance to run the next ARCA RE/MAX Series race at Salem Speedway on April 5.
ARCA Rookie Coulter Going SLM Racing at New Smyrna
SUPER LATE MODELS - 2/10/09
ARCA RE/MAX Series rookie and former USAR Pro Cup driver Joey Coulter has announced intentions of competing in the Super Late Model events at New Smyrna Speedway (FL) this week. Coulter finished 23rd in last weekend's ARCA season opener at Daytona.
Newman to Make Three Whelen Mod Tour Starts in 2009
WHELEN MODS - 2/10/09
Shawn Courchesne of "The Hartford Courant" has reported that NASCAR Sprint Cup Star Ryan Newman will make three NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts in 2009 in the #7NY car owned by Kevin Manion and Gary Putnam. Newman will enter the two WMT races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway as well as the Tour's debut at Bristol Motor Speedway in August. Newman piloted the same car to victory lane on Monday night at New Smyrna.
It's Official: DiBenedetto Signs With JGR
ARCA - 2/7/09
Joe Gibbs Racing made it official on Monday; 17-year-old Matt DiBenedetto, a former UARA-Stars Series regular, has signed to a develelopment contract with JGR. The current plan calls for DiBenedetto to test in JGR’s NASCAR’s Camping World East Series program and run in yet to be determined number of races beginning this spring. In addition, Matt will continue to drive in other series to assist in his development.
Patrick Sheltra and Larry Hollenbeck Hospitalized After Wreck
ARCA - 2/8/09
During one of the many incidents during the ARCA RE/MAX Series event at Daytona International Speedway (FL) yesterday, Patrick Sheltra and Larry Hollenbeck both had to be taken to a local hospital. According to ARCA's website, both were to remain there overnight and the families of each driver said they are in good spirits. Speed51.com wishes a speedy recovery to both drivers.
James Buescher Conquers Daytona ARCA Event
ARCA - 2/8/09
One of the best ways to avoid the "big one" at Daytona is to stay out front. That's exactly what 18-year-old James Buescher did most of the way to win the wild ARCA RE/MAX Series Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 Saturday afternoon at Daytona Int'l Speedway. Buescher, who led the final 44 laps in the Kevin Cywinski-owned Wolfpack Toyota, held off NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rookie Joey Logano in a one-lap shoot-out to earn the biggest victory of his career. click here for more on ARCARacing.com
Mike Garvey Makes Daytona 500 Bid
SPRINT CUP - 2/7/09
Short track veteran Mike Garvey is one of over 50 drivers battling for the starting spot in the Daytona 500 this week. Garvey is driving the #73 Dodge and is sponsored by his longtime backer Jani-King. Garvey last competed in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2006, when he made four starts. In 2007, he competed in the USAR Pro Cup Series and lately he had been coaching young talent in the sport.
It's Another Kimmel Topping The Speed Charts at Daytona
ARCA - 2/7/09
Will Kimmel topped 28 drivers who participated in a limited impound practice session at Daytona International Speedway on Friday evening in preparation for Saturday's Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 ARCA RE/MAX Series race. The third-generation racer, son of eight-time ARCA RE/MAX Series Crew Chief of the Year Bill Kimmel and nephew of nine-time ARCA RE/MAX Series Champion Frank Kimmel, posted a time of 48.958 seconds for a speed of 183.831 mph. He was followed on the final practice agate by Brian Scott, Bill Baird, Michael Phelps and Mario Gosselin.
Dexter Bean Skips East Series for Cup Series
CW EAST / ARCA / SPRINT CUP - 2/7/09
Former ARCA competitor Dexter Bean is a car owner in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Daytona this week. With a possible shortage of cars in the Cup garage this season, Bean scrapped his plans to go East Series racing and instead will field a car in Cup for the foreseeable future. Former ASA Challenge champ Kelly Bires will be in the car at Daytona and California and Bean will attempt to make his Cup debut at Las Vegas.
Schrader is First to Enter Lowe's Dirt Late Model Event
DIRT LM - 2/6/09
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series veteran
Kenny Schrader is one of the first competitors entered in the fourth annual
Circle K Colossal 100 at The Dirt Track @ Lowe's Motor Speedway March 27-28.
SPEED to Record Feature at New Smyrna Friday Night
SPEEDWEEKS - 2/6/09
Speed51.com has learned that the SPEED cameras will be at New Smyrna Speedway for its Speedweeks "kickoff" tonight. SPEED's Bob Dillner and producer Sara Jane Hunt will be recording a feature piece to be aired during the network's Speedweeks coverage to bring fans a closer look at all the racing during Florida Speedweeks, not just that at Daytona Int'l Speedway. Dillner tells us plans are to be at New Smyrna at least one additional night, but that the crew will also visit Volusia Motorsports Park and Orlando SpeedWorld.
Newman Definitely "In" Mod at New Smyrna Next Week
SPEEDWEEKS - 2/6/09
Speed51.com has learned that Ryan Newman will definitely drive a Modified at New Smyrna Speedway. Newman spoke to our crew yesterday and indicated that he will race on Monday and Tuesday. Co-car owner Gary Putnam shook down the car himself at New Smyrna on Thursday.
New Look Here at Speed51.com
51 - 2/4/09
It is a new season of racing, so here at Speed51.com, we decided to take the site to the chassis jig, the fab shop and finally the painter's bay and decal shop to reskin the site for 2009. We hope you like the new look and feel here at Speed51.com.
While we have launched the new look on the front page, it will take a bit to get the other sections reskinned to the new look. Please be patient with us during the transition.
Carter is Quickest in Opening ARCA Practice at Daytona
ARCA - 2/5/09
Matt Carter was fastest among 54 ARCA RE/MAX Series drivers who participated in a five-hour-long practice session at Daytona International Speedway on Thursday afternoon. Michael Annett, James Buescher, Joey Logano, Ryan Fischer and Brian Scott were the next quickest on the speed charts.
Monroe Motor Speedway Joins NASCAR Ranks
TRACKS - 2/5/09
A gleaming new state-of-the-art short track located in northeast Louisiana has joined the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series. Monroe Motor Speedway, a .375-mile concrete oval banked at 12 degrees, embarks on its first full season with NASCAR sanction on March 7. The track hosted initial events late last year to prepare for 2009.
The speedway will host weekly events on Saturdays. The Late Model division will be the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series featured division. The uniqueness of the facility is made emphatic by its concrete surface. It is the only “hard surface” oval in the four-state radius around the track.
Deal Finalized on New Ownership of SRL Southwest Tour
SRL - 2/5/09
As the SRL Southwest Tour Series teams ready themselves for the series ninth season of competition, a deal has been finalized to change the ownership of the SRL. Founded in 2000, as the SRL Late Model Wild West Shoot Out, the series changed its name to the SRL Southwest Tour Series in 2008, and as of today the Collins Family, who formerly owned Mesa Marin Raceway now hold “the keys” to the series. For nearly a decade the SRL Southwest Tour Series has been under the guidance of Steve Fensler, who will remain as part of the SRL team for 2009.
Mod Racer Tim Brown Eyes NASCAR Nationwide Debut
SMT - 2/3/09
Southern Modified standout Tim Brown plans to make his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut at some point this season for Rick Ware Racing. The team also fields entries for Derrike Cope and Stanton Barrett.
Ryan Newman Driving Manion-Putnam Mod at Smyrna?
SPEEDWEEKS - 2/3/09
Sources tell Speed51.com that Ryan Newman is being considered to drive the #7 Modified owned by Kevin Manion and Gary Putnam at New Smyrna Speedway on Monday and Tuesday during Florida Speedweeks.
