Throwback Thursday

It's fun looking through The Herald-Dispatch archives to see what's happened in the local racing scene over the years. 

For this week's Throwback Thursday, we present some NASCAR stars at Ona Speedway in 2002. 

Anybody know this guy? 

 

NASCAR driver Michael Waltrip signs autographs for fans who waited for hours Saturday, July, 27, 2002, at the Ona Speedway in Ona, W.Va. Waltrip and fellow drivers Sterling Marlin, Steve Park and Ken Schrader attended the event. (AP Photo/The Herald-Dispatch, Tim Johnson)

 

 

Starting off the next 50 with a bang, and a crash...

The 50^th season of Ona Speedway got underway Saturday with a bang. And a crash, some engine revving and general Saturday night short track mayhem.

Just in case you missed it, the Classic division was out first and the 25-lap race took nearly an hour to run, thanks to two drivers, Chumpy Brumfield and Jeremy Williams.

How someone didn’t get black-flagged is beyond me. A spin, a bump, then a bigger bump and a swing through the infield for a face-off. After a brief cooling off where officials were running between the two cars and disqualifying them both, the two drivers were allowed back into the race to the back of the field.

What the what? Hey, NASCAR changes the rules in the middle of a race, why can’t Ona?

Almost 40 minutes and three caution flags later, the race was over with Terry Brumfield taking the win, followed by John Morton and Chumpy Brumfield who had been disqualified and let back in.

So the tone is apparently set in that series. I have a feeling this feud isn’t over.

In the 6 Cylinder any car class, the 4 cars entered finished like this: Bryce Keyser, Doug Harvey, Gary Cassidy and Shawn Perry (DNF).

The huge U-car class runs two heats before the main frame. Now, by the time the Main Frame was ready to run, it was well after 10 p.m., and frankly, I missed it.The weather was cold and I got tired. Sorry, fans, I'm not as young as I seem.

But top finishers in the two heats were Joe Workman, Chris Deskins and Kevin Gillespie in the first and the second, Glen Foster, Kenny Fletcher and Frankie Osborn.

The Late Model feature was a runaway with local driver Jake Keaton returning to Ona Speedway in the familiar #10. Keaton took the early lead and kept it throughout the race. Several restarts gave the #12 of Grey Harvey a good chance to overtake Keaton, but that didn’t materialize.

Next up at Ona Speedway is June 8 when the Clayton Homes 100 night will feature U-cars, 6cyl Any Car, Street Stock, Hobby Stock, Classics.

Gates open at 5 p.m.; racing starts at 7 p.m. Cost $10 for adults, $7 for ages 11-17 and free for ages 10 and under. Free parking. Concessions are available. Visit www.hughes-motorsports.com. Rockabilly Hall of Famer, Sleepy LaBeef will be the pre-race concert that night.Wow, wonder how that would happen? It's not like Ona Speedway manager Dave Hughes played guitar for LaBeef. Hmmm.

Pillow Pets won't make the impact any softer, Trevor

During the week in Charlotte before the All-Star, my friends and I did a lot of shop-watching. Not shopping. Shop-watching.

We love going to the team shops and watching the crews prep cars for the next week, or the week after or the week after....you get the gist.

While we were at Roush-Fenway perusing the cars in various stages of production, one of my friends asked about wrapping versus painting the cars for aerodynamics. Some drivers prefer paint, some like the wrap.

So, in honor of that, and how fortuitous for me, RFR posted a video today about wrapping Trevor Bayne's #6 Pillow Pets Ford Mustang for this weekend's racing.

Without further comment, here - in less than 2 minutes - is how a car gets wrapped!

Behind the fence

Have you ever been in a NASCAR garage? No? Well, let me tell and show you a thing or two.

Most of all, it’s crowded. I mean really, really crowded. There are fans. Then you have sponsors and their entourages and other invited guests. Next, but certainly not least, there are the people who are actually working – media of all sorts, drivers, crews, caterers and NASCAR officials.

Put the sea of humanity in a fairly small space considering what’s packed into the area behind the fences, which includes team car haulers, drivers and owners’ motor homes, TV trucks and folks who are camping in the infield. It’s just crazy, I tell you.

Pit passes are one thing. Garage or Hot Passes are another.

Prepping Danica's tires

Stroll along pit road and watch the teams set up war wagons, prepare all the tires they will use during a race and generally get ready to do battle on the track. Occasionally a team owner will come by and check on things, especially the closer to race time it becomes. I’ve seen Jack Roush, Richard Childress and Rick Hendrick all come by and climb topside of the wagons.

But in the garages, there’s a lot of work happening in a short time span. It’s like you and me going to work in the morning. We work in cubicles, they work in garages with hundreds of people milling in and out, walking in front of you, and taking photos of your every movement. The main rule is, it’s their house, don’t interfere. Don’t talk to them and don’t get in the way. These folks move 4 tires weighing at least 70-pounds each at any one time on a dolly, or 2 90-pound gas cans in a wagon. And even bigger, a 3,200-pound stock car is being moved back and forth. They’re mighty good at what they do and make it look effortless.

Every car goes through inspection before a race. If they fail any part, no matter how minute, the get pulled out, looked at again, sent back to the stall to fix it then go through the tech again. The time can get tight on crews trying to correct something NASCAR officials say just isn’t quite kosher. There are templates for both sides and the top to place on the car to make sure they fit.

You know when a driver takes off a helmet and beans another car? Not that it's ever happened before. Or maybe was a bit too aggressive in the watchful eyes of NASCAR? They get called to the big red truck. But it's not really red. It's big and black and has the series logo on the side.Yup, this is it.

So, in this blog offering are some Pit Road and Garage photos for you from the All-Star Challenge at Charlotte on May 18.

Bless those bikes

For the 3rd year, Beard Mortuary will hold it’s Blessing of the Bikes for all motorcycle riders. The event will be Saturday, May 25 at the funeral home, located at 3001 3rd Avenue, Huntington, W.Va.

Local ministers will lead the prayer over bikers, their machines and the riding season, asking God for a safe year.

The free motorcycle ride is open to bikers beyond the borders of Huntington. All riders, all makes and types of bikes are welcome.



Before you say to yourself, "eww, creepy," a couple of the funeral directors there are bikers.

This event also promotes fellowship and a sense of community, said coordinator Shane Ritchie, who is a funeral director and biker. 

Riders are asked to arrive at 11:30 a.m., and the blessing will begin at noon. Following the brief service, there will be an escorted ride through the streets of Huntington, he said.

This family-friendly event will also provide free food and refreshments, complimentary ride bells for all bikes and prizes and raffles. T-shirts will also be available.

Donations will be accepted for the Huntington City Mission Project Hope.

For more information, contact Shane at 304-522-8253 or visit them on Facebook www.facebook.com/beardmortuarywv.

For your Memorial Day weekend planning . . .

Looking for car shows and races for the coming weekend? Making plans for Memorial Day motor madness?

Here are a few places you can satisfy your inner racer, other than with video games.

There are plenty of car shows, including a HUGE one in downtown Huntington on Memorial Day weekend.

If you need speed, Ona Speedway will open for the season under new management.

So, if you aren't going to Charlotte for the Coca-Cola 600, find your place in the stands and streets locally!

Weekend of May 24 - 26
Friday, May 24
Cruzin on the Plaza - Downtown Huntington, W.Va.; continues through Sunday, May 26. Car Show registration $25 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Pullman Plaza Hotel. Meet and greet with Jack O’Shea, 7 to 9 p.m. 304-691-5414.

Saturday, May 25
Cruzin on the Plaza - Downtown Huntington, W.Va.; Car Show registration $25 from 9 a.m. to noon. Car show on 3rd Avenue 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Pit Row Kids Zone, 9th Street 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Clear Channel Kickin’ Radio Roundup, live entertainment, games and music, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Live concert on Pullman Square 7 to 10 p.m. 304-691-5414.
Charlie Betts Memorial Race - Kanawha Valley Dragway Park, Southside, WV. Featuring: dragsters, junior dragsters, show and shine car displays, beat the heat cars. Gates open at noon; admission $10 for spectators, children 12 and under free with paid adult. 304-675-6760 www.kanrace.com.

Sunday, May 26
Cruzin on the Plaza - Downtown Huntington, W.Va.; Car Show 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on 3rd Avenue. Scenic Road Tour through Cabell County, 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Clear Channel Kickin’ Radio Roundup, live entertainment, games and music, noon to 4 p.m. Awards Ceremony, Pullman Square at 3 p.m. 304-691-5414.

Season opener
Ona Speedway will open the season at 5 p.m. Saturday, May 25. Dave Hughes and Hughes Motorsports are in charge of the facility and the first night will be the Vernon Craddock Memorial.
There will be live music, food available in the concession stands, free WiFi and a play area for the kiddos.
Classes running will be Late Models, Modifieds, Classics, Hobby Stocks, 6-Cyl Stocks and U-cars. The series is now called the Hughes Motorsports Stock Car Racing Series.
Gates open at 5 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults; $7 for children ages 11-18; and children 10-years and younger are free. Pit passes are available for $25 and an All-Access admission is $30 which includes the pits and grandstand seating. Parking is free.

Car shows are starting - local racing season is upon us

Warm weather has finally arrived and we'll see how long it stays around. Memorial Day is quickly approaching signaling the unofficial start of a gearhead's favorite time of year - CAR SHOWS!

This weekend has a couple of shows on tap in Ashland and Huntington.

Friday, May 3
Downtown Live - Downtown Ashland, Ky. Registration fee $5. Door prizes and a 50/50 drawing. Cars, trucks and motorcycles welcome.

Saturday, May 4
Crusing with Tri-State Streetrods, McDonalds and HIMG - HIMG parking lot at US Route 60 and 29th Street; 5 p.m. to dusk. Registration donations. Door prizes and a 50/50 drawing. No alcohol allowed. 304-416-0205.

Whether you have a car, truck or cycle to show off, it's a good time. You can stroll around the cars, search out your favoriteMustangcars, talk to the owners and the folks who baby those machines and keep them in pristine condition.

Was my favorite car in that last paragraph subtle enough? Yep, I love the Mustang. I may drive something else, but can't get enough of the Mustang.

Ready to race, yet?
If racing is more your style, either as a driver or spectator, Ona Speedway is getting ready to drop the green on May 25. Yes, May 25, the weekend when 150,000 people converge on Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Coca-Cola 600. And the pre-race concert will be Trace Adkins.

Saturday, May 25
Ona Speedway will have live music, just not Trace Adkins. But they will have free WiFi! OK, it's not quite the same, but it is a perk! If you are bringing children, there will be a play area for the kiddos.

There will be live music, food and beer available, free WiFi and a play area for the children.

Classes running will be Late Models, Modifieds, Classics, Hobby Stocks, 6-Cyl Stocks and U-cars. The series is now called the Hughes Motorsports Stock Car Racing Series.

Opening night will be the Vernon Craddock Memorial Race. 

 Gates open at 5 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults; $7 for children ages 11-18; and children 10-years and younger are free. Pit passes are available for $25 and an All-Access admission is $30 which includes the pits and grandstand seating. Parking is free.

Dave Hughes and a passel of volunteers have been readying the track, pits, concessions area and grandstands, and mowing the massive parking field every Saturday. If you want in on that fun, just show up at the track on Saturday morning after 9 a.m.