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.

The Next Stock Car Star

A local racer wants to get in the development program at Michael Waltrip Racing and needs our help!
Jake Keaton of Barboursville, W.Va., has been a fixture on local tracks for quite a few years and has entered a Facebook and Twitter contest “Peak Stock Car Dream,” to earn one of 10 spots in a three-day racing school.

The school is another competition in itself and the winner gets more training and the opportunity to be licensed and qualify for the chance to be the Next Stock Car Star as a Michael Waltrip Racing development driver.

But for Jake to get there, people need to click this link:

http://peakstockcardream.com/contestant-bio.php?CID=277

When you get there, “like” it, Tweet it, “share” it and watch the video on the page. There are links for each of them.

Jake gets points for each of those and you can do this five times each day.

 

Just to be fair, there are a lot of drivers who have entered  including Joshua White from Charleston, WV and a couple of hopefuls from Corbin, KY. 

So, peruse the entries, make you choice, hopefully for a driver from Barboursville. 

Click on, race fans, click on…

Fontana fun

Ah, the traveling peeps.

Their last stop was sunny southern California at Auto Club Speedway. They sent along photos from their seats, of themselves in those seats, and various other adventures of the day like posing on pit road, a place which after the race garnered much attention.  

Of course, they were first hand witnesses to the post race melee. Depending on where you sit, your view of pit road can be not so great. At home, we saw every punch and heard every 7-second delay comment from the always amusing, often fiery, Tony Stewart. That would be the Tony we have missed since he became a team owner.

And no penalties – points or cash – for anyone. When you get called to the big red truck after a race, you expect a penalty or two on Tuesday. But not on this Tuesday. When the race incidents break into fisticuffs after drivers climb out of the cars, the Peeps turn to each other and in unison say, “Mr. Stewart to the big red truck. Calling Mr. Stewart to the big red truck,” followed by much laughter and discussion of money and points. Just insert whichever driver is involved in whatever happened. Gordon, Bowyer, Busch (either one), Harvick.

Now, when you are at the track, you have to check Twitter for updates from the teams, but the RaceViews are generally set on certain drivers, not the broadcast. So, texting was fast and furious after the race.

But, here are the photos, courtesy of Peep Roberta Hunter. Sista, hopefully I’ll see ya in May in Charlotte!