Are you really the owners?

I found this in my inbox Monday morning as a comment on the Ona Speedway season being cut short.

I hope this is really from the new owners. Now, has the track been sold again? Whoever sent this to me, please call me at The Herald-Dispatch or send another e-mail with contact information so I can verify this.

"August races are still planned under Billy Roses' management. There is going to be a season finale on Oct 13th which will include the Mountaineer 100 (100 lap race) for late models with a $1000 purse. This race will be put on by new owners/managers to show next years potential.

New Owners"

This is why I don't like anonymous posting. If you are Bill & Lynn Bauer, who are listed as the owners of the track, step up and contact me or our Sports Editor Rick McCann. Or, if you've sold the track again, same thing. Step up and go public.

Yeah, yeah, private business deals, I get the picture, but don't leave the fans you do have coming to the track out of the loop. Some very successful businesses in the Huntington region have very public and visible owners. They are out in the town, meeting the people and doing good for the community.

Now if you're going to take the month of September and early October to make some improvements, I have a few suggestions.

Mow the parking field! When the grass is up to my knees, I don't especially like walking through it. Put a few nails in the bleachers so they don't flap, flop and stay loose. Loose is on the track, not in the stands. And a little paint couldn't hurt, either.

So, what's the plan? I'm sure other racefans have some suggestions on how to make the local track experience better for us all.

Faith Motorsports visiting Huntington

Morgan Shepherd and his Faith Motorsports team will be in the Huntington area July 29 and 30, at a local church and then the Tri-State Fire Academy.

On Sunday, July 29, Morgan, his team and car will be at 26th Street Baptist Church, located at 2510 10th Ave., Huntington. There will be a cookout at 4:30 p.m., followed by gospel music at 6 p.m., and an ice cream social at 7:30 p.m. Morgan will share his testimony during the concert.

The following day, his team will participate in a Race Rescue Technology course for area firefighters, EMS attendants and local race track rescue crews.

They will be joined by Brett Rowe of Barboursville who races in the NBS for Revelocity Racing, and local drivers Hubie Hatfield (modifieds) and Jake Keaton (late models).

Both events are free to the public. However, to take part in the rescue class, registration is necessary.

Morgan is the oldest regular NASCAR driver at age 65 and has races for decades in the NEXTEL Cup (formerly Winston Cup) and the NASCAR Busch series. His #89 car boldly proclaims "Racing With Jesus."

Join racefans for Indy

If you don't have a place to watch the Brickyard Sunday afternoon and you want to make some new friends, come by Hillbilly Hot Dogs on 3rd Avenue in Huntington after 1 p.m.

The newly-formed racing fellowship at New Life Church in Huntington, will gather to watch the race at Sonny and Shari's place. The food's always good (and plentiful), the ice tea typically southern and the atmosphere interesting. The kids can look around, color specially printed Hillbilly Hot Dog pages or play on the Hillbilly Stage out back.

Or, if they're trained right, watch the race and cheer on their favorite driver. We all know their driver is actually your driver, because you've taught them from the womb who that would be and baby shower gifts included onzies of that driver and team color.

Come on by, there will be a few race-related door prizes to be given away, compliments of the Huntington chapter of the Official NASCAR Members Club. You can always find out more about local trips to the track and race viewing parties at the chapter website through www.nascar.com. Go to the ONMC link and search Huntington, WV on the chapter locator.

Ona Speedway shutting down season early

Here’s the notice on the Ona Speedway web site:

“Due to business reasons, the 2007 Ona Speedway season will end with the August 18, 2007, race.

Plans for the 2008 season are in progress with Bill & Lynn Bauer who purchased the race track this year.

Please be sure to show you support for local short track racing and join us on August 4, August 11, and August 18, 2007, for FAST, FAMILY, FUN!”

More than that I don’t know.

The newly-formed racing fellowship at New Life Church will be visiting the track on August 4 and 11 for evenings of fun.

I called for Billy Rose yesterday to make sure those dates would remain viable, but I didn’t get a call back. I’ll keep trying, though.

Now you REALLY need a scorecard

Who’s racing where and just exactly when did Teresa E. and Bobby G. start talking merger and controlling interests? Before or after the Teresa Tango with stepson Dale Jr.? Ginn had a lot to bring to the table - Mark Martin and lots of shiny new (costly) equipment

Let’s see who’s driving for who this weekend?

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is still driving DEI with Martin Truex Jr. and Paul Menard this weekend at Indy.

Kyle Busch is still driving Hendrick Motorsports with teammates (yes, they still consider him a teammate, at least that’s what Jeff Gordon said in Pittsburg a couple of weeks ago) Gordon and Jimmie Johnson.

Mark Martin and Regan Smith are, uh, well, at DEI, but Bobby Ginn is listed as the car owner.

Sterling Marlin and Joe Nemechek are out in the cold and you may as well add Smith to that bunch for all intents and purposes.

The Ginn merger maxes out DEI with four Cup teams.

Wasn’t it the beginning of the current NASCAR season Bobby Ginn said he was in this for the long haul? He put money into a driver (Martin), airplanes and building a seven-point shaker rig.

What a windfall for DEI! She has come into some big-money assets from Ginn.

Ginn, I believe, discovered buying a race team is greatly different that purchasing and flipping real estate which has been his forte. It takes a lot of money to buy and a lot more money to be and stay competitive.

Chat live with Boris Said

Hey all you Saidheads! There is a live online chat with Boris tonight (Wednesday) from 7:30 to 8 p.m. EDT, according to Ryan Lake at Watkins Glen International. Saidhead Deb on the west coast has passed the information along.

Ryan said he’s seen the Saidheads at the Glen and wanted everyone to know about the opportunity.

The chat link activates between 7:20 and 7:25 p.m. at the track’s fan forum, www.theglen.com/forum/index.cfm and at the homepage, www.theglen.com.

He said to note that you will only be able to see the text posted from the time you are logged in. If you join and initially don’t see text, Ryan said not to worry.

OK all you Saidheads, let’s support Boris online tonight!

Remember,

Who said? Boris Said!

Bye-bye Bud

Hendrick Motorsports announced a little while ago Dale Earnhardt Jr. won’t be bringing Budweiser with him to his new team next season.

Rick Hendrick said in a statement Friday afternoon "We have agreements in place with sponsors for the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, which prevent us from having a relationship with Budweiser," team owner Rick Hendrick said in a statement. "Honoring our commitments is important to us. The trade-off is missing an opportunity to bring Budweiser, a marquee brand synonymous with NASCAR and its fans, into the fold.

Bud will remain a major sponsor, just not for Junior.

Dang. And I love that “Mad Max” commercial. “Just ‘cause I got Bud ON the car doesn’t mean I got Bud IN the car,” he says to those "crazy mutant, desert, guys."

Junior weighed in on the matter, too.

NASCAR.com reported, "To climb into that red Budweiser car each weekend has always been a privilege," Earnhardt Jr. said. "Although Budweiser and I will be unable to continue our partnership beyond this season, I remain committed to driving for Bud the rest of this year, and will continue to make it my beer of choice.

"I'm a race car driver. All I can do is drive as hard as I can for my fans and sponsorship partners, and give my best effort each weekend."

ESPN.com is reporting Pepsi wants a shot at Junior and Budweiser is negoting to possibly sponsor Kasey Kahne's red #9 at Evernham.

Dang. More commercials messed up there, too. Those Nationwide stalker girls are pretty funny.

On Fast Talk a week or so ago, talk turned to cars, sponsors and numbers and how fans can separate them.

Not so sure there, either.

When you see the #2 Miller Lite car who do YOU think of? Rusty Wallace.

Ooops, he retired. It's Kurt Busch in there now.

#88? Dale Jarrett. Ooops, he's in a #44 Toyota. Still UPS, but #44. The list could go on and on.

No matter who drives the #8 or red Budweiser car, you'll think Dale Earnhardt Jr. You know you will.