Memory Lane Event, Dinger, Product Testing & Miscellaneous Stuff

Circle This on Your Calendar


On Sunday October 14^th all race fans visiting Memory Lane Motorsports & Historical Automotive Museum will have the opportunity to meet with some of racings greatest stars! A special event is being held to honor legendary car owner Bud Moore, and will be a great time for all in attendance! Memory Lane Museum features on display Bud Moore’s original 1982 Dale Earnhardt Wrangler T-Bird that won the 1982 CRC Darlington 500! Also, the museum features many original items used by Bud Moore during his successful racing career. Bud Moore along with many of his racing comrades will be in attendance to meet with fans as they get to see the cars that made these drivers and personalities famous, items only featured on display at Memory Lane Museum.
Other racing personalities expected to be at the event, in addition to Bud Moore, are Bobby Allison (1983 NASCAR Champion), Donnie Allison, Neil “Soapy” Castles, Greg Moore (Bud’s son), Ted Musgrave (Craftsman Truck Champion), Dick Trickle, Rex White (1960 NASCAR Champion), and possibly other racing greats!


Admission to the event is $10.00 for adults, children ages 6-12yrs $6.00, and children 6-under free with adult. Admission covers the cost of museum entry and the meet and greet with the personalities in attendance.


Holy Smokes Mission & Ministry of Lake Norman Fellowship will be serving barbeque and other concession items, proceeds benefit their ministry as they serve the local community in need. Old Timers Racing Club will be selling 50-50 raffle tickets and have drawings for door prizes.

　
Dinger Released, Is that Bad?


By now most folks know that Dinger was released by Penske because of his false positive test results. Is that such a bad thing for him? Not really. The 2^nd greatest driver of the 20^th century and team owner AJ Foyt has stated that he’ll hire Dinger for the 2013 season in IndyCar. Foyt’s been a good judge of character over his many years of racing and being involved in the racing industry. He’s also been involved with NA$CAR over the years and knows all too well how NA$CAR and the France family work. So for Foyt to be willing to hire Dinger tells me just how much he thinks of what both NA$CAR and Penske have done.


Michael Shank, co-owner of the IndyCar team that Dinger co-owns, has said that he’s looking for sponsors for a car to put Dinger back on the track next season. So it looks like Dinger has a couple of options for his future.


Dinger & Adderall


It appears that in an interview with BSPN, Dinger admitted he took one pill of Adderall that a “friend” gave him. So that tells me that the “stimulant” that Dinger came up positive for was amphetamine and methamphetamine based on the results that Mayfield got when he was taking Adderall which was prescribed to him and tested by “wonderful” Aegis Labs.


And you have to wonder about the timing on this too. Dinger’s contract was coming up for renewal. Dinger has been going through a pretty rough divorce with his wife. His “friend” gives him Adderall and then 2 days later he’s tested by NA$CAR? Coincidence? Sure. Or his supposed “friend” dropped a dime on him after he took the Adderall. Makes me think of an old story that’s moral is “People who crap on you aren’t always your enemy and people who pull you out of crap aren’t always your friend”.


More on the “Active Ingredient” in Energy Drink


Long time race fan Terry happens to have worked as a chemist for a number of years for a rather large company and here’s what he had to say on the “smoking gun” I found in regards to Dinger’s false positive:


Phenylalanine (also sometimes as l-phenylalanine, where the l-signifies as I recall the ability of the pure isomer form to refract light (a symbol of the purity or activity of the pure form), or the chirality around one of the predominant carbon compounds) is a sweetener and here are a few links. It is also a derivative of aspartame:


http://www.weightlossresources.co.uk/diet/healthy_eating/artificial_sweeteners.htm
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/phenylalanine-000318.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspartame



Sorry to get so technical, but that is what happens when one studies darn near 4 or 5 years of chemistry. (I have a Masters in Synthetic Organic Chemistry from W&M).


But then again, with NA$CRAP and the others referring many times to classes of compounds, it can be difficult to be sure we are talking about the same thing. One sure way: get the CASRN (Chemical Abstracts Services Registry Number: like a social security card for a chemical) or the DEA registration number for it. Of course when there is overlap between FDA & DEA, we can surely expect nothing is done correctly. Some drugs are controlled by DEA, and others are regulated; some are by FDA where a health benefit (risk) is also available. DEA usually assigns a registration # (different than a CASRN and depends upon the class of regulation or restriction, based on its potency or ability to do harm (or again benefit) but where substance abuse is also likely to arise).



So unless we can look at the actual report, methods used, limits of detection, purity etc. darn difficult to make any sense of any of it. And that is what gives everyone room for cover.



Hilarious Iowa Stat


Darrell Wallace Jr, Brett Moffitt, and Ryan Blaney collectively have 8 starts in the Busch Series. All finished ahead of NA$CAR’s new "messiah", the Queen of Hype, who has 44 starts in the Busch Series. And who gets the hype? It sure isn’t Darrell, Brett, or Ryan.


Hyped Road Course “Expert” Versus Real Road Course Expert


Watkins Glen saw the media really hyping the Queen of Hype as being a road course expert and yet even with her spotter yelling in her ear to “go wide”, the Queen of Hype plowed into Ryan Truex as his car came rolling back towards Turn 1. Sam Hornish Jr, who’s not exactly a road course specialist finished 3^rd. Cousin Carl, who’s known more for winning on ovals than road courses, won the Busch Series race at Watkins Glen. Underfunded Mike Bliss finished 14^th. So how can these non-experts miss wrecks and actually finish a road course race and the so-called “road course expert” not? That’s the million dollar question.


Some have offered up the excuse that the Queen of Hype had nowhere to go. I’ve seen several drivers in the past cut across grassy areas on road courses to avoid wrecks on both road courses and oval tracks. Apparently driving through the grass is something that is beyond the Queen’s capabilities as she’s wrecked numerous cars on ovals which could’ve been avoided simply by going down through the infield grass on the ovals tracks. Instead she prefers to run head-on into other cars on the track or the retaining walls. I’ve seen Robby Gordon go airborne through the “bus stop” and through the grass to avoid an accident and keep on going. Ron Fellows, a road course ringer, didn’t have any problems making it through that first turn on the first lap and he got beat by drivers who aren’t road course ringers. The Queen’s rookie teammate made it through the first turn and managed to finish 24^th despite tearing up his car going into the “bus stop” later in the race.


It’s high time the media stopped making up excuses for the Queen of Hype and call it like it is. She is, at best, a mediocre mid-pack driver out of the 15 competitive cars that run every weekend in the Busch Series.



Product Testing: Harco Brands Cleaning Wipes


I don’t do product testing very often but when I do I like to put things through their paces. I had never heard of Harco Brands cleaning products until a box of them showed up on my doorstep. Each one came in a plastic container and contained 30 wipes. So I put them through some home-style testing. The first one I tested out was the HarcoHome household cleaner. My grandson left us a bit of a surprise when he got into some maple syrup and left it on the cabinet doors and kitchen floor. The wipes did a great job of removing the sticky mess. So I decided to try them on the range hood above the stove. They did an excellent job of taking care of the sticky grease that had accumulated on it. Nice not having to keep using and rinsing a cleaning rag or sponge repeatedly to remove the mess. I also used the wipes on the refrigerator where my grandson had left an assortment of fingerprints and also on his high chair after he had eaten lunch and made a mess.


One product called HarcoMarine Miracle Wipes were originally designed for use on boats but as I don’t own a boat, I put them to use on some other things. They’re designed to be used on decks, galleys (kitchens for you landlubbers), plastic, fiberglass, vinyl, and other materials. Since we have a fiberglass tub and shower, I used them on that and they did an excellent job of cleaning them up. As I have a fiberglass cover on the bed of my truck, I decided to give them a try on that as they’re designed to remove bird droppings and they worked as advertised. Since the car washes tend to miss a spot between the cab and bed cover, I had an slight accumulation of mold and the wipes did a great job of removing the mold. I also had an old printer in my office and used the wipes to remove the accumulation of sticky fingerprints my grandson had left on it when he was trying to help me print out some paperwork. The lemon scent makes them pleasant to smell.


Since my disability I’m somewhat limited on the mechanical work I can do so I got my son to lend me a hand on testing out the HarcoAuto Miracle Wipes. He put them through their paces on several repair jobs involving his truck, lawnmower, and weed-eater. They did an fantastic job of removing the grease and oil that were on the equipment and they removed the dirty grease and oil that my son accumulated on his tools and hands during the repair jobs. He said that the HarcoAuto wipes worked better than Gojo and other hand cleaners on cleaning his hands and because they were in the form of a wipe they made cleaning up his tools particularly easy.


Being an artist with a grandson and pets around, I can’t exactly use oil-based paints or paints that need to be thinned out using petroleum thinners or turpenoid products and can‘t use varnish because of the fumes and toxicity. So I use acrylic paints. My grandson likes to use markers and crayons when he creates his “masterpieces”. And there are times when my grandson and I collaborate on an art piece. Usually when he spills some paint I’m using or grabs a brush and applies some of his strokes to a canvas, floor, or table top. I used the HarcoPaint wipes to help clean up the spilled paint, marker strokes on a plastic table top, crayon marks on an oak table, and dried paint on some of my paintbrushes. Being a little more environmentally friendly than thinners and petroleum products, the paint wipes did a great job of cleaning things up. As my grandson says, “Good job Gumpy”.


I also found that they are multi-purpose. The Auto & Pro Wipes can be used in the garage. The Pro & Paint wipes can be used to clean up printing and paint messes. The Marine & Household wipes can be used in cleaning up greasy or sticky kitchen messes and can be used in the bathroom. Nice to have something that can do more than one cleaning job. Like any product, be sure to read the labels and follow the instructions. For tailgaters and campers where space can be a premium, you might be able to save some space since some of the wipes can be used for the same cleaning job.

Ramo Stott Memorabilia Stolen, Sam Ard Auctions, Drug Testing & More

Ramo Stott Memorabilia Stolen
　
From: Corrie Stott Racing
Reward for the arrest and conviction for the slime bags that broke into my parents property in Iowa. Lots of "Ramo Stott" memorabilia was stolen...If anyone has information please drop me a message.... just want to keep the heat up on this !!!!
I will keep posting this until the scum comes to the surface !　

To the younger race fans, Ramo Stott probably doesn’t ring any bells but to the older fans, Ramo is probably better known because of his racing in USAC, ARCA, IMCA, & NASCAR before it became NA$CAR. Ramo also sat on the pole of the 1976 Daytona 500. If that race doesn’t sound familiar, then you haven’t been following the sport very long. Check out the links to find out a little more about the Ramo Stott and the 1976 Daytona 500.
　
Should you have any information regarding the stolen Ramo Stott memorabilia, you can contact Corrie Stott through his Facebook account, his web site, or yours truly.
　
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1976_Daytona_500

http://wwnboa.org/ramo.htmhttp://wwnboa.org/ramo.htm

http://www.dirtfans.com/RamoStott.htmlhttp://www.dirtfans.com/RamoStott.html　
　
More Sam Ard Memorabilia Being Sold

There are 3 more items on E-Bay that Sam is auctioning off in order to help pay his medical bills and there will eventually be a total of 7 trophies that will be auctioned off to help keep a roof over his and his wife’s head. NA$CAR is aware of Sam’s situation as both the NA$CAR VP of Racing Operations and the Minister of Propaganda have both received tweets about Sam’s situation in the form of a link to Dave Moody’s article about Sam. So they can’t deny they are ignorant that Sam needs help. They may be ignorant of many other things but not that Sam and his wife Jo are in desperate need of help.


http://cgi.ebay.com/TROPHY-WON-SAM-ARD-HICKORY-SPEEDWAY-1981-/380333059664?pt=Vintage_Sports_Memorabilia&hash=item588d9dee50

http://cgi.ebay.com/LAST-SAM-ARD-SIGNED-NASCAR-WINSTON-CUP-MEDALLION-/380333035226?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item588d9d8eda


http://cgi.ebay.com/PLAQUE-AWARDED-SAM-ARD-1973-LONESOME-PINE-200-/380333044823?pt=US_Racing_Fan_Shop&hash=item588d9db457


Drug Testing and NA$CAR
Graham Light, NHRA VP of Racing Operations, that stated everyone is on the list to be tested, and he's been checked several times each year himself. NA$CAR’s rules state that all officials are subject to testing and those officials include Faux King Brian, Mafia Mike, and others and yet there appears to be no testing of them despite their own rules calling for it. And yes, they are aware of it. It was brought to their attention on twitter. So how hard can it be? If the NHRA can do it, why can’t NA$CAR and their officials?
　
Racing at Talladega
　
I think this pretty much sums it up:
　
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njWNwWqX9qc
　
Have You Figured It Out Yet?
　
Every week, the driver of the #24 car is selected as the pizza fan favorite. That same driver is sponsored by a major cola company that owns that same pizza company. Is it a coincidence that he “wins” that honor week after week?
　
BZF Lawsuit Over Taped Phone Conversations Flawed
　
It’s my understanding that under NC law that as long as one part, in this case the ex-Mrs. BZF, is aware that the conversations are being recorded they’re legal. So Faux King Brian has no grounds on that one. As to extortion, I’m not sure whether or not that is true however, based on the Imperial Ego and its past history, I have no doubt he has probably made some admissions to things he shouldn’t have. He could’ve admitted to not paying child support and alimony, his dalliances during his marriage to the former Mrs. France, his illegal campaign contributions made in other peoples’ names, possible legal favors done for him in the Florida courts in return for certain considerations, some much speculated upon drug use, or other things which could cause him either extreme embarrassment, discomfort, or maybe even result in some jail time if publicly revealed. It could also be a sympathy ploy on his part to gain the support of divorced men who feel their ex-wives took them to the cleaners. Or, he plain and simply doesn’t want those tapes admitted and is trying any desperate measure and accusation he can to keep them out of the lawsuit proceedings he has currently going on with his former wife.
　　
　
　
　

Sam With Two of His Trophies

　

Help Sam Ard, Jeremy Mayfield on Race Hub, Musgrave Returning, NHRA Legal Problems, & Blind Drivers

Help Needed ASAP For Sam Ard

Right now, 2-time Busch Series champion Sam Ard and his wife Jo could use some big time help with repairs on their house and getting some major appliances replaced as the ones they have are on their last legs. As you know, Sam is suffering from Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Diseases and outside of what he gets from the VA and Social Security, they have no other income since NASCAR doesn‘t have any sort of pension or medical plan for those that gave their all. So if anyone out there is in the construction or appliance business near the Pamplico, SC area and can lend them a hand, let me know and I’ll put you in touch with them.

Jeremy Mayfield on Race Hub

Jeremy Mayfield is supposed to be on Race Hub Tuesday night at 7:00 PM. Of course, all it takes is one phone call from Daytona to put the kibosh on it. But should it actually happen, it’ll be interesting to see if the interview is about Jeremy’s legal battles or if it’s an announcement that he’s going to be racing again as there’s been a rumor once again about him and IndyCar.

Why the Big Push on Practice?
　
Think back over the last few years and the Booth Bozos stating week in, week out that somebody had won practice. They were laying the groundwork for this season‘s qualifying. It doesn’t take a marketing genius to figure that one out. Plus, as qualifying is now “important”, it gives the tracks and sanctioning body yet another way to gouge the fan who shows up to watch practice. Some tracks will start charging the fan to watch practice or up the price on the tickets for practice by another $10-$25 over and above what‘s currently being charged, not including the shipping, handling, and processing fees which add another $20 to the cost of the ticket.

And what about the actual times and speeds? Will the teams, media, and fans at home be able to keep track of them independently or will we have to take the word from Mafia Mike in Race Control that the speeds are what they say they are? After all, JPM is still waiting on that printout for his speeding penalty at Indy he was promised. And there have been cases of inspectors ignoring modifications made right under their noses and Race Control moving up positions of wrecked cars on the track to make sure certain drivers made it into the play-offs by moving them up another position or two even though their car was way behind other wrecked cars even before the wreck. So here’s yet another opportunity for manipulation by the sanctioning body to help out their Chosen Ones.

Who’s to Blame?
　
When the 2011 season wraps up and the excuses start pouring out on why the grandstands were empty and the TV ratings were worse than last season, who will be blamed for it? Will it once again be the economy? Dale Jr’s performance? Jimmy Johnson winning 6 in a row? The non-Kool Aid drinking media telling the truth? Or will some new scapegoat be blamed? Think about it, write down your choice on a piece of paper, and tuck it away until after the season and see if you were right. The one excuse you won’t see being offered up? The sanctioning body and its leadership.

Poll Results - Bud Shootout
　
Based on the last poll I ran regarding the Bud Shootout and whether or not the rules changes will affect viewership, 38% will watch it, 28% won’t watch it, 19% won’t watch the Shootout or any other NA$CAR event, and 14% aren’t sure. My thanks to all who participated in the poll.
　
Twitter Traffic
　
According to some Twitter traffic from Bob Pockrass, the 2010 finances were released by NA$CAR’s conjoined twin ISC and they don’t look pretty. “ISC has release its 2010 financials. When looking at base operations, net income down 19% from $90.6M to $73.2M”. “Total ISC revenues down 6.9%; Admissions revenues down 17.9%”.
　
Dustin Long sent this tweet out about the Truck Series:

NASCAR.com streaming of Truck races continues partnership with Speed in having Speed content on the website.
　
The NHRA Could Face Legal Issues 


Unlike NA$CAR, the NHRA is supposed to be a non-profit organization. However, according to Marcus S. Owens, senior member of the law firm Caplin and Drysdale who filed the complaint, “It appears to be operated for the benefit of those who run the show, much the way a business is operated for the people who own the business.” The complaint contends the majority of the NHRA’s revenue is derived from nontraditional sources for a trade association. The NHRA is supposed to be representing the drag racing in and before Congress and government agencies. The complaint alleges the NHRA puts most of its focus on holding public, televised races which appears to violate various IRS rules regarding non-profit organizations.
　
I guess we’ll see how this works out with the IRS or if lobbying and “the greasy palm quiets the wheel” makes the complaint go away.

Ted Musgrave to Run This Season?
　
Based on what Ted has written on Facebook, he’s working on a deal to run the 2011 season using some Roush-prepared Fords in the Busch series. It sure would be good to see Ted back on the track. Ted’s one of the few drivers left who has a set of brass ones to call things the way he sees them and does so. There’s not many drivers who’d park a car and walk away from a ride like Ted did back in November 1999 when he walked away from the #75 car because the team owners wouldn‘t listen to what Ted had to say about improving the car and team performance.

Carnival Game

I do like how Shawn Courchesne described the new points system and the changes for the 2011 season. It’s like a game of 3 card Monte. And he also brings up some very valid points regarding the regional series like the Busch East, Winston West Series, and the Modified Series not being mentioned. Are they also affected by these rule changes? Faux King Brian seems to have forgotten about those series. But then, he can barely remember the Craftsman World Truck Series. Yes, that’s what Faux King Brian called it during his babbling at the HOF in Charlotte.

Blind Drivers Getting a Chance to Drive

While I think it’s interesting that technology could possibly allow blind drivers to return to the roads at some future point or maybe even race, the fact that these two articles disappeared from where they were originally reported from makes me wonder if somebody in Daytona Beach was wanting to make a big PR splash with this idea or if they simply wanted it squashed.

Google originally found them at MSNBC but apparently they removed them from their site, it's not even relocated or in their archives and links from MSNBC's own search engine are broken.

Nothing quite like having a free media to report what’s happening in the world. 

http://www.thehindu.com/sport/motorsport/article1134106.ece?css=print

http://www.suite101.com/content/daytona-hosts-blind-driver-challenge-demonstration-at-rolex-24-a338445