APRIL 30: BIG NIGHT AT SOUTHSIDE SPEEDWAY!!

* * * April 30 * * * Southside Speedway is pleased to announce it will host The Denny Hamlin Foundation Night on Thursday, April 30.

Drivers will include: TONY STEWART, DENNY HAMLIN, KYLE BUSCH, JOEY LOGANO and CURTIS MARKHAM. They will be racing in the Late Model Sportsman Division, along with our own local weekly drivers. Details about this event, such as ticket prices and sale dates, will be announced as they become available. Sign up for the Speedway website's email list to keep up-to-date on this and other events at the Toughest Short Track In The South!
(Note: Drivers, Dates and Times are always subject to change)

Visit www.southsidespeedway.com for more information, to sign up for email updates and for pictures from last year's event.

The Best And Worst of 2008

The 2008 NASCAR Season has had its fair share of award-winning moments. It has also had a few that I personally would like to forget. So as I was writing out my Christmas cards and checking my list to Santa one last time to be sure I told everyone on my list just what I wanted, I thought I’d take a minute to recall some of 2008s best and worst moments.


Best:
10. Tony Stewart Forms His Own Team - While Smoke’s departure from Joe Gibbs Racing is quite sad, the idea of him owning his own team is quite a good thing for the sport. For once, a driver was thinking past his own career and took control of his destiny. Stewart nabbed fellow Hoosier Ryan Newman away from Penske Racing, returned to his Chevy roots and adopted his former boss’s work ethic and practices. While I question his decision to join forces with Gene Haas, I do commend Stewart for his vision and wish him the very best of luck with his new venture.


9. Kyle Busch Donates $100,000 To Help Sam Ard - After tying Sam Ard for 10 victories in the Nationwide Series this season, NASCAR’s resident bad boy donated $100,000 towards helping the ailing Ard to aid in making his every day life a bit easier. The moment left me in tears. For all the criticism Busch has drawn from fans, competitors and the media, this moment shows that Rowdy is very human and has a good heart. To Kyle it was nothing major, but to Sam Ard and his wife it was priceless. Racking up 21 victories falls short to the act of kindness that Kyle Busch showed to one of the sport’s finest. Say what you want about the Candy Man, you can’t deny that he is a selfless, caring man who deserves fewer boos and more applause.

8. Reed Sorenson Signs To Drive # 10 GEM Ride- Finally Reed Sorenson will be seen for the true talent that he is. At Ganassi Racing, he was the poster boy for wasted talent. His true abilities have never been realized and he has been overlooked since his 2006 Rookie season. He has been the third in line for equipment, personnel and time, but now that he is joining Gillette Evernham Motorsports, Sorenson will finally get first class equipment and the finest crew members and the attention he deserves. Sometimes drivers get what is due them and Reed Sorenson certainly deserves his chance in the spotlight. I can’t wait to see him shine.

7. David Stremme Gets Sprint Cup Ride - After getting the boot from his full time NEXTEL Cup ride at Ganassi Racing, Stremme was sent back to the Nationwide Series and Rusty Wallace Inc.’s # 64 car. While Stremme was successful there and a great mentor to teammate Steve Wallace, it was clear that Stremme still deserved a ride in the premier ranks. Well, with the decision to go to newly formed Stewart Haas Racing, Ryan Newman paved the way for Stremme’s return to Sprint Cup racing and Penske South’s # 12 Dodge. Patience is definitely a virtue and one that David Stremme proved pays off in a very big way. Welcome back to Sprint Cup David Stremme, you have been greatly missed.

6. Yates Racing Operates Without Full Time Sponsorship - The fact that the once thriving Yates team got to the point that it could not secure sponsorship for its two cars is not a high point. But the fact that both Travis Kvapil and David Gilliland were able to run the full 2008 season and finish in the Top 35 in points with limited funds shows just how talented these two guys are and that while things have changed since Robert Yates’ retirement from the sport, they will be back and better than ever. And with Paul Menard coming on board for 2009, the future looks bright. To Yates Racing and it’s never say never attitude and proving that sponsorship comes with persistence and talent, I must give due props.

5. Joey Logano Makes His Long-Awaited NASCAR Debut - Sliced Bread had been touted as the next best racecar driver. When Logano turned 18 on May 24th, he was finally old enough to enter the big leagues and what he did in his debut season was nothing short of spectacular. He won his first pole award in just his second start in the series and captured his first victory in just his third start. He has taken NASCAR by storm and the heir apparent to the two-time championship winning Home Depot #20 Toyota only promises to get better. For making NASCAR exciting and lighting it up with his angelic smile, a giant Thank You to Joey Logano. Welcome to NASCAR Sliced Bread. We’ve been waiting for you.

4. Carl Edwards vs. Kevin Harvick - Following a crash that effected Kevin Harvick’s finish that was clearly Carl Edward’s fault, Harvick retaliated in the media by calling Edwards a pansy. Apparently the well muscled Edwards didn’t appreciate being thrown under the bus, so he left a note on Harvick’s plane to accentuate the point. The fight that followed in the garage area was spectacular. There was no clear winner but seeing Harvick in a choke hold will forever be one of my favorite moments of 2008. Note to self: Don’t call Carl Edwards a pansy unless you want to find yourself in a death grip.

3. Sam Hornish Jr Assists Ryan Newman Back To Pit Road - After spinning out and struggling to get restarted, Ryan Newman was stranded on the race track. Then came teammate Sam Hornish Jr, who thinking not of himself but of his fellow driver, got behind Newman and pushed him to pit lane. It was the ultimate act of selflessness and sportsmanship and simply left me humbled. If only more men took a page from his book perhaps this sport would be quite different. Sam Hornish Jr, a gentleman and a total class act.

2. Kyle Busch Antagonizes Junior Nation - After causing Dale Earnhardt Jr’s early demise from a race, Busch drew the ire of every member of Junior Nation. From then on, when he won a race, and that was often, he did his now signature bow to the crowd just to infuriate them further. For his guts and class, I salute Kyle Busch. It takes a real man to stand up to the sport’s most popular driver and his legion of followers. Kyle Busch, my hero.

1. Brad Keselowski vs. Denny Hamlin at Lowe’s - During an on-track dispute between Hamlin and Keselowski, Keselowski drove up underneath Hamlin and raised his wheels up off the track. Hamlin then retaliated by hitting the #88 car in the left front fender, causing slight damage. This infuriated team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr, who took it upon himself to retaliate and hit Hamlin from behind. But it was the action after the checkered flag waved that makes this my favorite moment of 2008. Keselowski’s entire crew swarmed Hamlin the second he climbed out of the car and the brawl was classic. When interviewed, Hamlin said that he would have preferred to talk to Brad face to face instead of dealing with the crew. Instead of coming off like a hero, the NAVY driver looked more like a princess afraid to face the dragon alone. Then came the best quote ever. “If you throw a rock I’m going to throw a concrete block back” Thank you Denny Hamlin for making 2008 the BEST season EVER!

Worst:
10. Denny Hamlin Spends Night In Hospital After Talladega Crash - Undoubtedly the scariest moment in a Denny Hamlin fan’s season, seeing the Fed Ex Toyota driver grimacing while being put onto a stretcher, and then hearing of his overnight stay in an Alabama hospital is one moment I hope to never repeat again. Thank God for the COT car, safety equipment, safer barriers, and safety workers. Good riddance to crashes, equipment failures and all the like for Denny Hamlin and the JGR Fed Ex team.

9. Michael McDowell’s Terrifying Crash At Texas - The relatively unknown McDowell made quite a name for himself following his death defying tumble during qualifying at Texas. Miraculously, McDowell emerged from the wreck unscathed and even had a smile on his face during the interview. Welcome to NASCAR Michael…it’s a rocking good time.

8. Carl Edwards Makes Runner-Up A Theme - Coming up short is never easy. But doing it twice in both the Nationwide and Sprint Cup series has got to burn a little. I can’t help but think that had it not been for that 100 point penalty early in the season would things be different? Edwards has nothing to be ashamed of and the way he handled both situations shows what a class act he truly is. I would be proud to see him as the 2009 Champion for both series. He is the epitome of sportsmanship and is a gentleman in every sense of the word.

7. Mark Martin Signs Deal With Hendrick Motorsports - I’ve heard of taking dinosaurs out for display, but some are best left in the museum. Mark Martin is making one last run at a Championship before he finally retires. The only bright spot is that Casey Mears was relieved of his shadow duties in the No. 5 car at HMS for greener pastures at RCR. The fourth team at Hendrick Motorsports hasn’t been successful well, ever, and to think that Mark Martin is going to find success in the shadow of Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr, the sport’s three biggest egos, is simply tragic and laughable. It gives a whole new meaning to Silly Season.

6. Sprint Cup Series Banquet Broadcast on ESPN Classic - For some reason NASCAR felt it best to broadcast the much anticipated Sprint Cup series banquet on ESPN Classic and then replay it on ESPN2. In my town, no one even has ESPN Classic and the only way to get it is to subscribe to the highest tier of programming. I love my NASCAR but my love has a limit and it also has a price tag. NASCAR needs its fans and they need them to be happy. Put the banquet, which is after all for me, on a channel that I can easily get.

5. Denny Hamlin’s Media Massacre - After his brawl with Brad Keselowski’s NAVY crew at Lowe’s, Denny Hamlin became public enemy number one for tangling with the NNS’ golden boy, or atleast the wanna be golden boy. Then when he criticized his crew and declared that he didn’t deserve to be in the Chase after a poor finish at Michigan, the fire began to burn a lot hotter under Hamlin’s feet. Kyle Petty, who had his own conflict with Hamlin in 2007, began crucifying the Fed Ex driver at every turn, declaring Denny Hamlin a spoiled brat who didn’t deserve to be in a race car. With his 8th place finish in the Chase, Hamlin proved that not everything you hear in the media is true. And with Kyle Petty’s departure from NASCAR for a lesser racing series, it just goes to show that Karma is cruel and sometimes it is better to just keep your opinions to yourself. Sometimes lessons are learned a little too late.

4. Kyle Busch Finishes 10th In Chase - After dominating the first 26 races of the season, NASCAR’s resident bad boy fell flat to equipment failure and then became his own worst enemy when he let frustrations get the better of him. Everyone falls but it’s those who are able to rebound that show their true grit. Fortunately Rowdy Busch is still young and has plenty of time to learn from this mistake.

3. Joe Gibbs Racing Crew Chiefs Caught Cheating - Talented and extraordinary crew chiefs Dave Rogers and Jason Radcliff were caught cheating following a test of the horse power of the Toyota engines. Due to near-dominance of the Nationwide season, NASCAR held a test and both crew chiefs were caught with magnets on the gas pedals of their cars. The two were then suspended indefinitely. It was an incident that did not slow down the JGR drivers as they went on to further success with interim crew chiefs on top of the pit boxes.

2. NASCAR Changes The Bud Shootout Format - In an unprecedented act of ignorance, Brian France announced that there would be major changes to the Budweiser Shootout for 2009. Previously, the Pole Award Winners from the previous year and former winners of the Shootout were automatic entrants in the season’s kick off race. Now Pole Awards hold no merit and the top points holders for each manufacturer will be in the race. A very poor choice and one that has destroyed the qualifying process and the race that once drew great attention. If it isn’t broken, why does Brian France find the need to fix it?

1. The Tragic Loss of Brienne Davis - The NASCAR Community lost one of its own this year when NASCAR Inspector Brienne Davis was killed in a single car crash. It left a void in the hearts of those who knew her and even those who didn’t know of her until they heard of her tragic death that will never be filled. She paved the way for women everywhere to find their place in the sport of kings and left a legacy that will never be forgotten.

The 2008 NASCAR season was without question an amazing one for all three series. Johnny Benson narrowly edged out Ron Hornaday for the very last NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Title, Clint Bowyer won the Nationwide Series Title and Jimmie Johnson won a historic third NASCAR Sprint Cup Title. Carl Edwards finished second in two series and Kyle Busch schooled every driver in the sport with his impressive 21 wins. 2009 promises to be another for the record books.

Share your best and worst memory from the 2008 season. I can’t wait to see what you all remember that I may have forgotten or not even noticed.

What's So Unusual About Dominance?

In the above picture you see the amazing TEAM of Joe Gibbs Racing that is responsible for winning Joe Gibbs Racing the 2008 Owner's Championship for the No. 20 Toyota. JGR Teammates Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch were selected to drive the season dominating car for the races they were best suited to and did it ever pay off. Big time.

Rookie phenom Joey Logano was being kept in the wings to become the heir apparent to the ride that would eventually be his. There was just one small problem. Sliced Bread wasn't old enough to pilot the No. 20 until May 24th. So the veteran drivers of team the entire Nationwide garage has chased all season long stepped up in a big way for their team.

It's been slated that JGR's approach to its Owners Championship is unusual. Wow, jealousy makes people say crazy things. Excuses and reasons are a dime a dozen but this one is certainly the most colorful I've ever heard. So, the fact that all 4 drivers in a stable were able to climb behind the wheel of the same car and get the same stellar results is odd. Interesting philosophy.

Perhaps the fact that even after the suspension of crew chief Dave Rogers, the team didn't slow down one bit makes it an even more bitter pill to swallow. The entire team stepped up to the plate and showed its qualifications. While the No. 18 car of Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch was the more dominant of the JGR cars after the addition of Logano, the consistency never waivered.

Seeing 4 drivers that get along, look out for one another and strive to bring out the best in each other is definitely something unusual in today's fiercely competitive racing. But it only showcases the caliber man that Joe and JD Gibbs put behind the wheel of their cars. Anyone can hire a race car driver. But when an owner hires a man to do the job, the results are incredible.

Just ask the guys shaking their heads trying to figure out what happened this season. There is such a thing as teammates. There is such a thing as being a gentleman and the drivers of JGR are the finest caliber gentlemen ever to hit the sport of auto racing. There isn't a more deserving group of guys than the ones that earned this trophy.

I've watched Denny Hamlin mentor Joey Logano in a way that leaves me in awe. Joey's first race, Denny was talking to Logano on the radio and his encouragement was breath taking. The entire team is there for each other in the same way and it's refreshing. There is no competition. The other drivers need to take notice and see how it's done.

After winning the pole for the Nationwide series race at Phoenix, Denny Hamlin was more concerned about teammate Joey Logano than he was about himself. That's just Denny but it's also the entire JGR team. Always looking out for each other and doing whatever it takes to help their friend shine if they can't.

In this day and age of fierce competition and struggles to find sponsorship for up and coming superstars, Joe Gibbs Racing and it's champion drivers prove that it truly is a team effort to be successful. It wasn't just one driver. While Kyle Busch has the majority of the wins, he didn't capture them all and he is fully aware of the efforts of his fellow drivers. Perhaps if more teams built their organizations the same way Joe and JD Gibbs have with the caliber of man behind the wheel that they possess the sport would not only be better off, it would be spectacular.

Joe Gibbs Racing Qualifying Report

The Joe Gibbs Racing Qualifying Report Presented by Interstate Batteries
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series – NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race
Date: May 16, 2008

Event: NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race (non-points event)

Series: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series

Location: Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway (1.5-mile oval)

Pole Winner: Kyle Busch of Joe Gibbs Racing (121.956 seconds at 132.835 mph)
JGR Lineup: Kyle Busch (1st, 121.956 seconds at 132.835 mph)

Tony Stewart (12th, 124.816 seconds at 129.791 mph)

Denny Hamlin (20th, 157.594 seconds at 102.796 mph)

Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 M&M’s Toyota, led the three-car Joe Gibbs Racing contingent in time trials at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway by qualifying on the pole for Saturday night’s NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. Busch’s time of 121.956 seconds at 132.835 mph – which included three timed laps around the 1.5-mile oval with a four-tire pit stop – placed him first among the 21 drivers already eligible for the All-Star race.

"Man, I can’t thank these guys enough at Joe Gibbs Racing. Steve Addington (crew chief) and all these guys that work on this car do such an awesome job for me,” said Busch, who will make his third career appearance in the All-Star Race on Saturday. “They gave me a great race car that ran three phenomenal laps and gave me great pit stops. They were solid on pit road and that’s all you need in this kind of deal. Proud of the effort.”

Busch’s Joe Gibbs Racing teammates – Tony Stewart in the No. 20 Home Depot Toyota and Denny Hamlin in the No. 11 FedEx Freight Toyota – qualified 12th and 20th, respectively. Stewart timed in at 124.816 seconds at 129.791 mph while Hamlin stopped the clocks in 157.594 seconds at 102.796 mph.

“Our run really didn’t mean anything because we had to change a motor so we have to go to the back anyway,” said Stewart, who has participated in each All-Star Race since joining the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series as a rookie in 1999. “We basically did it just to go through the motions. I got 12 laps of practice, so not real sure what to expect for tomorrow. We broke a part in the motor that kept us from getting it changed before practice was over, so we never got to go back out and really didn’t get anything done today.”

“Our car was just a little bit free on our run,” said Hamlin, who in qualifying for his second career start in the All-Star race, spun while coming to pit road. “You run a lot faster under these conditions, so you’re carrying more speed. You’re not necessarily going to stop faster, so we probably should have moved our point back a little bit.”

Jeff Gordon will start next to Busch on the outside of row one, as he qualified second (122.494 seconds at 132.251 mph). Kyle’s older brother – Kurt Bush – qualified third (123.157 seconds at 131.539 mph), while Martin Truex Jr., (123.328 seconds at 131.357 mph) and Greg Biffle (123.406 seconds at 131.274 mph) rounded-out the rest of the top-five.

As far as manufacturers went in All-Star Race qualifying, Toyota took the top spot thanks to Busch’s pole-winning mark. Chevrolet was next best at the hands of Gordon. Kurt Busch carried the flag for Dodge, while the top Ford came via Biffle.

The All-Star Race gets underway on Saturday, May 17 at 9 p.m. EDT after the undercard Sprint Showdown is completed. SPEED will carry live, high-definition coverage of both events beginning at 7 p.m.

A supernova of racing talent will again descend upon the Field of Dreams that is Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, on June 4 when the dirt that made champions out of A.J. Foyt and Mario Andretti hosts today's racing stars at the fourth annual Old Spice Prelude to the Dream.

For those not lucky enough to grab a seat for the dirt late-model race featuring more than 25 world renowned drivers as they battle for dirt supremacy, HBO Pay-Per-View will present the event live to the entire nation. Proceeds from this telecast will support construction of Victory Junction Gang Camp II in Kansas City, as well as the Tony Stewart Foundation external link.

The list of drivers reads like a who's-who of NASCAR's elite. Tony Stewart, Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Clint Bowyer, defending race winner Carl Edwards, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth, Mark Martin, Bobby Labonte, JJ Yeley, Jeff Burton, Ryan Newman, Bill Elliott, Dave Blaney, Aric Almirola, Ken Schrader, Kenny Wallace, former driver Red Farmer, Gillette Evernham Motorsports co-owner Ray Evernham and NHRA drivers Ron Capps and Cruz Pedragon are all scheduled to compete in the charity event. All will pilot 2,300-pound dirt late-model stock cars capable of putting out more than 800 horsepower.

For those who want to see the Old Spice Prelude to the Dream in person, tickets are available online at www.eldoraspeedway.com or by calling the track office at (937)-338-3815. But act fast - the race has sold out in each of it's three previous years.

For those not lucky enough to grab a seat for the dirt late-model race featuring more than 25 world renowned drivers as they battle for dirt supremacy, HBO Pay-Per-View will present theevent live to the entire nation.The live, commercial-free broadcast will begin at 7 p.m. ET with an immediate replay and subsequent replays throughout the week and the following weekend. HBO Pay-Per-View's racing telecast has a suggested retail price of $24.95 and is available to more than 61 million pay-per-view homes. HBO Pay-Per-View is the leading supplier of event programming in the pay-per-view industry. Ordering information and up-to-the minute racing information is available at www.hbo.com.

"The Prelude is a fun, but unbelievably competitive race," said Stewart, a multi-time racing champion and proud owner of Eldora Speedway. "Last year's race was probably the best yet as Carl Edwards held off Kyle Busch and Jeff Gordon for the win."Eldora has always tried to go above and beyond for its fans, and last year with the addition of HBO Pay-Per-View, people across the country got to see what racing at Eldora is all about. HBO Pay-Per-View is back this year, and thanks to our partners at Old Spice, we're ready to top the $800,000 we raised last year."Corporate involvement, along with the commitment of the best racecar drivers in the world, has allowed us to create an event that is as exciting as it is charitable. Experience is everything when it comes to dirt-track racing, and there won't be a better way to spend a Wednesday night in June."

"Old Spice has been a proud sponsor of Tony Stewart since 1999, helping him look and smell good both on and off the track, even after his car hits the dirt at Eldora," said Carl Stealey, associate marketing director for Old Spice. "Sponsoring the Prelude to the Dream is a natural fit for the brand, and we're thrilled to help such a good cause."Drivers from all types of disciplines, some with lots of dirt-track experience and others with hardly any, will participate in hot laps, qualifying, heat races and the 30-lap feature on the half-mile clay oval, all of which will be televised live."2007 was our debut for this prestigious event," said Tammy Ross, vice president, HBO Pay-Per-View & Sports. "We are thrilled to once again distribute this event live, without commercials, on pay-per-view so fans can see the top drivers in the world compete on dirt at Eldora to benefit a worthy cause."With no points and no pressure, the Old Spice Prelude to the Dream is a throwback race, allowing drivers to step back in time and compete for the reasons they all went racing in the first place -- pride and a trophy. And they'll do it on the same surface that racing legends Foyt and Andretti competed on nearly 50 years ago.

Other interesting storylines include:

• Johnson's return to dirt: Johnson is very familiar with racing on dirt, just not on clay and not while going in circles. Johnson's racing pedigree began with motorcycles and off-road trucks before transitioning to stock cars in 1998.

• Dirt veterans vs. dirt neophytes: Stewart, Gordon, Kahne, Newman, Blaney, Bowyer, Elliott, Farmer, Yeley, Schrader and Wallace grew up on dirt tracks, while Burton, Busch, Harvick, Almirola, Hamlin and Martin spent the majority of their racing upbringing on asphalt.

• What happens when a drag racer has to turn the steering wheel?: Capps is a 12-year veteran of the NHRA and Pedregon is a 14-year NHRA driver, where straight-line runs or more than 300 mph are commonplace. They'll have to turn right to go left as they sling their dirt late models around Eldora.

"Tony Stewart's support has been huge for Victory Junction," said Kyle Petty, who together with wife, Pattie, founded the Victory Junction Gang Campexternal link in memory of their late son Adam. "Tony was one of the first drivers to get on board with us, and beyond the money he and his foundation has donated to the camp, he's brought notoriety, which has helped fuel interest in the camp. Now, there's so much interest that four years after opening the camp in Randleman, N.C., we need to open a second camp."The Victory Junction Gang Camp II in Kansas City will allow us to serve more kids, but also allow more kids from the West Coast and the middle of the country to enjoy camp. If a family is in California or Nevada or Washington, the costs to get them to North Carolina are almost double. By having a second Victory Junction Gang Camp in Kansas City, we'll be able to bring what we've built in North Carolina a little closer to kids in the rest of the country."What last year's Prelude did for the camp was unbelievable.

It was an incredibly cool event that raised a lot of money. Tony Stewart has always been a big supporter of the camp, and the event that he's created with the Prelude and its broadcast on HBO Pay-Per-View has become one of the camp's biggest contributors. And as we get ready to break ground on Victory Junction Gang Camp II in Kansas City, the Prelude's impact on our overall goal at Victory Junction -- enriching the lives of children with chronic medical conditions or serious illnesses -- is even greater."Kansas City-based Sprint, a key partner to the Old Spice Prelude to the Dream since the event's inception in 2005, also has been a long-standing supporter of Victory Junction Gang Camp and its initiatives.