Trackside Now: 7th Annual SpeedFest – Lanier National Speedway – 1/28/11

5:55

That wraps things up for today’s practice. We thank you for joining us, and again we are sorry there were no practice speeds. We will have speeds tomorrow as the rest of the track staff will be here and we will also have all hands on deck for the second day of SpeedFest. Again thanks to our presenting sponsor Headman Husler Headers for sponsoring our Trackside Now coverage. Goodnight!

5:42

Hantz never made the trip. We got word from CRA that he will not be racing this weekend. The Super Late Model race is the first of the CRA Southern 6-Pack. Ryan blaney won the Championship last year.

5:40

Comment From B.Hooven

What happened to Scott Hantz?? Or did he not even make the trip?

5:38

Pro Late Models are on the track to finish up the day. Right now there is one lone car on the track.

5:33

Super Late Model are done for the day. We can tell you that the 72 of Scott Hantz will not be here tomorrow.

5:16

Allen Karens leads Ben Kennedy in practice. (51 Photo)

5:13

The track is really heating up with cars as we wind down the day of practice at Lanier. We will have more practice time tomorrow as well.

5:12

Don’t forget to join our Facebook to get up to the date information, photos and results on the short track racing world. Our page is facebook.com/speed51

5:08

The yellow flag is out for the 96 of Ben Kennedy who stopped low in turn four. He will get a push back to the pits.

5:03

Speed51.com has a new stock of t-shirts! The brand new Speed51.com T-Shirts, designed by Threewide Clothing Company, have just rolled in and are ready to be purchased by fans of the website everywhere.
For just $20.00 you can be part of the Speed51.com team. Shirts can be purchased at WearThreewide.com via credit card. Fans can also pick up their new Speed51.com T-Shirts this weekend at SpeedFest at Lanier Nat’l Speedway (GA) or “Smyrna Speedweeks” on February 10-19 at New Smyrna Speedway (FL). If purchasing at the track, customers must pay cash to any of the Speed51.com crew.

5:03

Super Late Models are on the track for the final time today.

5:03

Hedman Husler Hedders is the presenting sponsor for Speed51.com’s Trackside Now Coverage this weekend here at SpeedFest. Hedman Husler Hedders Manufacture performance exhaust manifolds, mufflers, tubular exhaust manifold systems and street rod headers. For more information check out www.hedman.com or call 770-664-8880. Get know as a real Husler!

5:01

David Ragan get’s ready for the final round of practice. (51 Photo)

4:58

We have seen about 10 here today.

4:58

Comment From Guest

how many trucks are on site?

4:50

Trucks are now on the track for their last round of practice.

4:48

Dave and Ryan Blaney look over their Super Late Model. (51 Photo)

4:42

Matt Kenseth and his son Ross look over the Late Model. (51 Photo)

4:25

We are in the final minutes of this Pro Late Model practice. At 4:30pm we will have Legends and Trucks on the track. At 5pm it will be the final hour for the Late Models.

3:54

We have 32 Super Late Models here and 21 Pro Late Models today for practice. We are heading to the pits and will be back with more.

3:45

Ross Kenseth is here at Lanier for the first time. (51 Photo)

3:42

Dwayne Buggay is here and on the track for the first time today. He will race both a Pro and Super Late Model.

3:38

Bubba Pollard has been a busy little bee today with both of his Late Models. Pollard is driving two Grand American Race Cars out of the Ronnie Sanders shop. We have heard several teams say they are one of the quickest teams here.

3:22

Bowen has run several races here in a Late Model, but they don’t run Late Models here weekly.

3:22

Comment From Guest

is Anderson Bowen a Lanier regular?

3:21

Don’t forget to join our Facebook to get up to the date information, photos and results on the short track racing world. Our page is facebook.com/speed51

3:17

We get this question a lot at Speed51. The basic answer is the motor. Pro Late Models have less power than Super Late Models. In some cases a Pro Late Model can be a better car on some tracks. Without going into all the engine rules that’s the best way to look at it.

3:17

Comment From David Martin

What is the difference between the Pro Late Model and the Super Late Model?

3:08

Pro Late Models are back on the track for another round of practice.

3:07

Anderson Bowen’s Pro Late Model at speed. (51 Photo)

3:07

The Measmer Jr. car is a brand new Shark Car built by Shane Tesch. Last year Bobby Gill drove the BDI Hamke Race Car.

3:07

Comment From Guest

is the car Bobby Measmer is in the same one Bobby Gill drove at last years Derby?

2:57

We know that many people have asked, but there are NO transponders on the cars today.

2:55

Chase Elliott has been on and off the track a bunch in two race cars. (51 Photo)

2:45

2:44

We spoke with Chase Elliott who is missing a day of school to be here today to test. Elliott, now 15, had an amazing season last year with 13 wins including the Winchester 400. We know he will be tough here this weekend.

2:43

Austin Hill will not take laps today in his Late Model, but it is parked in the infield.

2:41

Pro Late Models on the Grounds Today:
1 29 Anderson Bowen
2 71 Kyle Benjamin
3 28 Tom Schuette
4 04 Jerrod Foley
5 8 Eddie Hoffman
6 4 Erik Jones
7 39 Kenzie Ruston
8 18 Bubba Pollard
9 10 Greg Simpson
10 88 Roger Reuse
11 9 Chase Elliott
12 20 Brian Campbell
13 23 Dalton Grindle
14 6 David Ragan
15 33 Will Prance
16 24 Austin Hill
17 02 Jeff Kummer
18 61 TW Fisher
19 89 Sean Shalvoy
20 38 Shane Sawyer

2:38

Super Late Models are back on the track for another round of practice.

2:37

Bobby Measmer Jr. in the Dillner Hughes Racing number 151. (51 Photo)

2:37

Bobby Measmer, Jr., who works for the NASCAR team of Stewart-Haas Racing, is wheeling the #51 Chevrolet this weekend, but for a newly named effort between Speed-TV’s Bob Dillner’s BDI Racing and Kevin Hughes, who owns Hughes Motorsports. The two organizations have collaborated to form Dillner-Hughes Racing (DHR).

2:32

clip_iphone_Fri Jan 28, 2011 13:32 pm.mp3 Play

2:26

Today has been clean from incident; however we just had a truck nose it into the pit wall coming off turn four. There will be a little bit of clean up from the mess. The trucks will have a 100 lapper here tomorrow night.

2:23

2:19

This weekend Speed51.com will have live radio coverage of both Sunday feature events as the Pro Late Model will go for 150 laps and the Super Late Models will go off for 200 circuits. Both can be heard live on RaceTalkRadio.com as Bob Dillner, Adam Mackey, Matt Dillner and Elgin “Stat Boy” Traylor will be on the broadcast.

2:16

He did. Last season Jurkovic got the car and many people could tell right away it was an old KBM car.

2:15

Comment From B.Hooven

Did Boris Jurkovic buy a KBM car? Looks like he just slapped his numbers on one of their cars.

2:12

Joe Ross and Boris Jurkovic battle in practice. (51 Photo)

2:10

Jody Lavender is always good for a quote and he said this to us earlier today.

“Our crew is not into the whole spare parts thing. If something breaks we are pretty much done.”

Lavender is a low buck racer who led over 240 laps last year in PASS South in only six starts. He posted three top finishes on a limited budget.

2:03

Jody Lavender in practice. (51 Photo)

2:03

For just $20.00 you can be part of the Speed51.com team. Shirts can be purchased at WearThreewide.com via credit card. Fans can also pick up their new Speed51.com T-Shirts this weekend at SpeedFest at Lanier Nat’l Speedway (GA) or “Smyrna Speedweeks” on February 10-19 at New Smyrna Speedway (FL). If purchasing at the track, customers must pay cash to any of the Speed51.com crew.

1:59

Comment From Sonny

Watching them practice it’s going to be some great racing.

1:59

Legends cars and Trucks will have the track for the next half hour.

1:59

South Bend, Indiana’s Tyler Roahrig is in the Welch & Wilson #14.

1:57

1:56

PHOTO: The son of former Cup champs are parked next to each other. The 25 of Ross Kenseth is son Matt and the 9 of Chase Elliott is the son of Bill.

1:54

Comment From scorer27

I wish I was there hanging out with you guys this weekend but I will be in Valdosta. Thanks for being there to keep us informed.

1:53

Travis Kittleson works the sunny track here in practice. (51 Photo)

1:53

Comment From RCH

Thanks for covering so many events! Appreciate it! … Go Hoffman!

1:53

Mason Mingus practiced yesterday at Lanier Nat’l Speedway, but went back home to TN to compete in a High School wrestling tournament. He will return for Sunday’s race.

1:52

At this point we have seen 30 Super Late Models on the track today.

1:52

PHOTO: Former CRA Super Series champ Chuck Barnes Jr. is in the 98 car for Mason Mingus today.

1:50

1:43

We also said that Greg Simpson is doing double duty, but that is not the story. There are three Simpson cars here, but Mike Garvey will pilot the Super Late Model number 10.

1:42

Pro Late Models are on the track now as we can add Shane Sawyer to the roster of Pro drivers.

1:40

Photo:Car owner Richie Wauters working on the engine of the #5 of David Ragan after a fire under the hood today.

1:39

1:37

Comment From roush/fenway

Thanks for the coverage from us guys here @ roush fenway working today

1:37

Comment From John

Lets go Hoffman bring it back to Illinois!

12:31

Kyle Benjamin is another driver who was not on the Super Late Model list. He will also be doing the double this weekend.

So right now we have: Bubba Pollard, Chase Elliott, Kyle Benjamin, Greg Simpson, Brian Campbell, Eddie Hoffman, and Jerrod Foley doing both races. We are heading to the pits to take photos of these next practice rounds.

12:28

Right now Bubba Pollard, Chase Elliott, Jerrod Foley are just a few of the cars on track here in Super Late Model practice.

12:27

The pits are full of Late Models already here on a Friday. (51 Sports)

12:26

We know that many people are going to ask, but there are NO transponders on the cars today. We might have some on the Pro Late Model cars this afternoon, but the Super Late Models are running off the watches today in practice.

12:23

Comment From Mike Ray

Thanks Speed51.com for the coverage his weekend,peace,out!

12:21

We just got word from the pits that there was a fire under the hood of David Ragan’s number 5 Super Late Model. The result was because of a broken fuel line. Everything is under control now. Ragan will do double duty this weekend as he will drive for Richie Wauters in the Super Late Model race and his own car, which won here a few weeks back, in the Pro Late Model race.

12:16

Two-time SpeedFest Pro Late Model Champon Greg Simpson comes in on an open trailer. (51 Photo)

12:14

Don’t forget to vote for the 2010 51 awards. The staff at 51 and several accredited members of the media helped us formulate the nominations and now it’s time for you the fans to speak your voice. Voting continues through Monday January 31st.

12:13

We think we are also close to 20 Pro Late Models as well. We are still working on the list.

12:09

Not all the drivers on this list are here today. We had a rough count of 25 Super Late Models in the pits.

12:09

Pre-Race Super Late Model Entry List
00 Casey Caudill
04 Jerrod Foley
09 Randy Gentry
4 Derrick Griffin
5 Aric Almirola
7 Erik Darnell
8 Eddie Hoffman
9 Chase Elliott
10 Ryan Blaney
12 Travis Kittleston
14 Tyler Roahrig
15 Spencer Wauters
18 Bubba Pollard
20 Brian Campbell
23 Jimmy Weller
25 Ross Kenseth
27 Joe Ross
29 Allen Karnes
32 John Long
36 Anthony Anders
51 T. J. Reaid
53 Boris Jurkovic
64 Garrett Evans
67 Daniel Hemric
72 Scott Hantz
81 Travis Dasow
83 Cale Gale
92 Jason Hogan
96 Ben Kennedy
98 Mason Mingus
118 Dave Mader
115 Jody Lavender
151 Bobby Measmer Jr.

12:04

Super Late Models are coming out onto the track now. Kyle Benjamin and Paul Kelley are the first two. Kelley was not on the entry list, but will race this weekend with the Senter race team.

12:02

Today’s Schedule for Practice
10am – Pits Open

12pm – Super Late Model

12:30pm – Pro Late Model

1:00pm – Super Late Model

1:30pm – Pro Late Model

2:00 – Legends

2:15pm – Trucks

2:30pm – Super Late Model

3:00pm – Pro Late Model

3:30pm – Super Late Model

4:00pm – Pro Late Model

4:30pm – Legends

4:45pm – Trucks

5:00pm – Super Late Model

5:30pm – Pro Late Model

6:00pm End of Practice

12:02

DISCLAIMER: All updates posted on Speed51.com’s Trackside Now are property of 51 Sports, LLC and may not be duplicated in any form unless prior permission has been given by 51 Sports, LLC.

12:00

Good Afternoon and welcome to Speed51.com’s coverage of the open practice day for the 2011 SpeedFest at Lanier National Speedway in Braselton, Georgia. We will be here live all weekend with Trackside Now coverage as we lead up to the big Late Model shows on Sunday.

Lanier Nat'l Speedway, SpeedFest

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