The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) was scheduled to race at Maple Grove Raceway in Mohnton, Pa., over the weekend, but Mother Nature thought otherwise. It poured down rain all day Friday and then most of the day on Saturday…until they postponed the race until after Dallas. Go figure! The weather always seems to work that way.
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and the Nextel Cup Series both raced at New Hampshire International Speedway on Saturday and Sunday. This was the Craftsman Truck Series first race in three weeks, while the NASCAR Busch Series had the weekend off.
The Ringers supporting teams of Billy Ballew Motorsports and Orleans Racing both had top-10 qualifying efforts, but only one of those teams was able to score a top-three finish at the end of the 200 laps.
Brendan Gaughan donned his alma mater, Georgetown University Hoyas, on his No. 77 Dodge at New Hampshire on Saturday in hopes of scoring a win and donating the winnings to the Georgetown’s Woodstock Theological Center and University Alumni House. But on lap 70, his hopes were destroyed. Another competitor got into Gaughan as he was on the outside of them, sending him hard into the wall, ending his day and relegating him to a 34th-place finish.
After releasing Kevin Grubb from the driving duties of the No. 15 Billy Ballew Motorsports Chevrolet, Ballew put his part-time racer and Nextel Cup regular Kyle Busch behind the wheel at New Hampshire. Whenever Kyle gets behind the wheel of the No. 15, he usually posts a great finish and New Hampshire was no exception when he brought the No. 15 home in third.
New Hampshire marked the first race in the Chase to the Nextel Cup, but Penske Racing South’s two drivers Kurt Busch and Ryan Newman were not included in the festivities. Both drivers had a turbulent year on the Nextel Cup circuit, plagued many times by handling problems. Both Penske teams are using the remaining races in 2006 to sort out their problems and look ahead to the 2007 season.
On Sunday, Newman ran as high as second in the race, but never had the right race conditions to show what their No. 12 Mobil 1 Dodge was capable of doing. They settled for a 12th- place finish, while his teammate Kurt Busch finished 19th.
I need to give props to some other Ringers supporting racers this week. Quintin Crye won the USAC California Ford Focus dirt feature on Saturday night at Bakersfield Raceway in Bakersfield, Calif.; Jason Statler picked up the California Civil War Series race at Petuluma Speedway (Calif.) on Saturday night; Country Joe Racing’s rookie driver Blake Bjorklund picked up his first career ARCA RE/MAX Series win at Salem Speedway on Saturday night. Ringers’ drivers Justin Allgaier, Chuck Barnes, Jr. (who scored his first ARCA win in his first start at Toledo Speedway only weeks ago) and Billy Venturini finished third, fourth and fifth, respectively.
The NHRA heads to the Lone Star state and the Texas Motorplex in Ennis this weekend for the O’Reilly NHRA Fall Nationals, but I am trekking back to Eldora Speedway for Mopar Thunder, better know as the 4-Crown to most, to check out USAC’s three premiere series (sprints, midgets and silver crown cars) and the Eldora modifieds.
About Ringers Gloves
Ringers Gloves, Official Gloves of NHRA and title sponsor for the Ringers Gloves Pro Bike Battle, is a full-line manufacturer of high-end, task specific gloves, SFI 3.3/1, 3.3/10, 3.3/20 racing gloves, UnderX protective undergarments and rdigs pit boots.
Keep up with your favorite Ringers racers in ‘06 by logging onto www.ringersgloves.com for photos and highlights!
