Midwest Racing Roundup by Tom Botos 6-28-10
Hello race fans as I write this I am cooked and
sunburned from the races Sunday afternoon at Salem (IN)
Speedway. I waht to go to Lincoln Park (IN) Speedway tonight
for the UMP Summer Nationals but I look like a red lobster
and my legs are in pain from the burns so I may have to set
this race out and look forward to this upcoming weekend of
racing to celebrate our nations Independence.
My Midwest Racing Driver of the Week is Dane Laster
of Indianapolis,IN. He is currently a driver in the IOFS
International Outlaw Figure 8 Series. Dame is driving the
#13 car in teh ssries and his nickname is "Bartman". dane
grew up going to races with his parents at was was then
Indianapolis Raceway park and Lincoln Park Speedway in
Putnamville,IN. Dane Laster was a crewman for a former 3
Hour World Figure 8 Champion Fred Bear Jr. Dane bought an
ARCA Series car for $7000 and attempted to qualify but did
not make the race. Dane says if money was not an issue he
would race in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Dane built a
street stock and raced in one Kimmel Street Stock Series
event at Kentucky Speedway. In the Firecracker 200 Street
Stock race Dane wrecked as he hit the dip in turn two at
Salem Speedway and was T-boned by another car luckily his
car absorbed the impact and Dane was unhurt. Many fans were
shocked as he walked away from that massive hard hit with no
injuries. dane finished 17th in a street stock race at
Winchester (IN) Speedway. Dane started out out in the hornet
division at the Indianapolis Speedrome but after talking
with him on the phone he seemes to enjoy figure 8 racing the
most! dane owns the #9 car of Andy Shirley and the #56 car
of Jimmy Vincent so they field three cars for the IOFS
International Outlaw Figure 8 Series! Dane says Plymouth
(IN) Speedway is his favorite track currently on the IOFS
series schedule. According to Dane the average cost to race
each weekend with the cost of fuel,meals and admission fees
is about $400 for each racing event event. Dane is by no
means is not getting rich racing but he does all he can to
put as my drivers on the track as he can. Dane has two more
motors without cars in his posession. I think it is great
that he helps out fellow drivers realize there dream and
gove them the resources to put them on the track! It is for
this reason that because of Dane Laster's love for the sport
that is auto racing he is my Midwest Racing Driver of the
Week!
I am very pleased to announce we have a new
columnist/writer on board at
www.mwracingnews.com its is Scott Rozner whom I selected
as my Midwest Racing Fan of the Week last week in this
column. Scott's column is called "The Inside Track" and I
look forward to readimg his column in the future as he gives
us the "inside scoop" as to whats going on at tracks like
M-40 Speedway and Galesburg Speedways in Michigan. i feel
the more columnists we have at the tracks each night gives
us a different view and perspective on the racing scene at
each track that we cover. I think fans enjoy this kind of
column and I hope I am right on this!
My Midwest Racing Fan of the Week is John Courson
originally from Warsaw,Indiana. John is the crew chief for
late model driver Charlie Cotton who competes at New Paris
(IN) Speedway. John's home track is New Paris (IN) Speedway.
His favorite drivers are Tony Stewart,Paul Tracy and Charlie
Cotton. John would like to go to M-40 Speedway and Kalamazoo
more if they were nearby. John enjoys watching the HOSS
Hoosier Outlaw Sprint series when they roll into New Paris
Speedway. John has travled as far as mid ohio to watch the
INDYCAR series on pavement. John is in favor of all tracks
allowing in small coolers for the race fans. Joh would
improve how judgement calls are made by race directors and
condense qualifying time to allow more practice time to
improve car set-ups. John feels that by having more pratice
will improve the quality of racing at every track. John
would also align all division rules allowing cars from
north,south,east and west as well as from other tracks to
improve overall car counts and the racing as well!
John has been a race fan since 1976 and his favorite
divison is the Street Stock Division. John likes how street
stocks are built from the ground up and are not "built by
buying things out of a catalogue".
John Courson has a message below to his friends
involved in auto racing.
"I miss Tommy Davis,Tim Davis and Jerry Cannon being
at New Paris Speedway every week"."To the fans love us or
hate us we love seeing you in the grandstands every week
your the reaon we do this week in and week out"."The racing
community is a different breed of people and will help each
other when the chips are down and you are in need" "most
drivers will help each other out but once we pull into the
concrete arena it is every man for himself and friendships
go out the window until the race is over" Thanks to Lisa
bahne and Dessin Rink for allowing us to use your cars and
Charlie,Rose,and Kevin for this opportunity to crew chief."
I cannot think of a better way to spend 20 plus weekends a
year than at New Paris Speedway!"
I want to wish "Ledhead Bob Hughes" a very happy
birthday celebration this weekend at New Paris. Bob was a
Midwest Racing Fan of the Week and is devoted to the racing
each week at New Paris as well. Bob has a street stock car
that he is slowly working on in between family and work
commitments. Bob said he is taking his time getting the car
done and he says "When this car is done it will be done
right and will be competitive" "I am not going out on the
track unless the car is capable of winning"
Saturday Night at Anderson Speedway the CRA
Sportsman 75 was won by a former New Paris Speedway driver
Charlie Hanna. The race was fast and furious as Joe Beaver
and Wes Russell Jr got together and both were sent to the
tail thus handing the win to Charlie Hanna. the Sportsman
feature was great with lots of battles and bumping and
banging going on.Al Cook Jr. and Derrick Griffin were in the
top ten but simply ran out of laps. I wonder what would
happen it it was a 100 lap race?
On Sunday at Salem (IN) Speedway Rich Fenwick won
the very first ever IOFS Outlaw Figure 8 Series race. Twenty
three cars started the feature with R.J. Norton and Doug
Greig finishing second and third respectively. Frankie
Kimmel won the Super Stock Feature and Brian Bayer won the
Street Stock feature after Bayer squeezed Winston Wood into
the wall. Winston Wood recovered from the scrape from the
wall to finish second.
Coming this weekend at Anderson Speedway is Figure 8
Madness with school bus figure 8s and train figure 8 races
on the track. The IOFS International Outlaw Figure 8 Series
will compete Sunday July 4th at Anderson Speedway with the
train and school bus figure 8s.
Saturday July 3rd will be the 41st Annual Raintree
100 for late models paying $2000 to the winner! Thunder cars
and Hornets will be support classes saturday Night.Any
news,notes or comments please email me at
indybear37@yahoo.com Gotta go see ya at the Races
