Kyle Larson met with the media recently and discussed his upcoming Indianapolis 500/Coca-Cola 600 double.
The question was asked. If the Indy 500 starts on time and you’re well into it and it rains briefly, who makes the call on whether you stay in Indy or come to Charlotte?
“Yeah, hopefully that doesn’t arise,” Larson said. “But I’m not sure who the one is to make that call. I’m sure there’s a window of time that when it gets to a certain point I have to leave because the Coca-Cola 600 is the priority that weekend and chasing another NASCAR Cup Series championship is the priority.
“Yeah, I just hope that doesn’t come about (laughs). Tony Kanaan is there for reserve, if something like that does happen, to fill in for the (Indy) 500. But yeah, just pray that doesn’t happen.”
Question: You mentioned Tony Kanaan is the reserve driver for the Indy 500. We know that Kevin Harvick is going to be in the car for practice for the All-Star Race. Do you have a backup driver in case something happens and you can’t make it for the All-Star Race or you can’t make it for the Coca-Cola 600, who’s going to be in that car and racing?
“No, I haven’t heard that yet,” Larson said. “No. … I don’t know, I’m not sure. I guess maybe those are all last-minute calls I think, or we’ll probably just like try to manifest a perfect weekend in our minds (laughs). Maybe behind the scenes, they’ve been working on that. I think it all depends on weather and stuff; kind of forecasting what that might look like and maybe plans will change. But no, I don’t know.”
Being able to do something that not many people get to do here the next few weeks, what are you looking most forward to, or even intrigued about what these next couple of weeks might be like?
But yeah, I think I’m just excited to learn something new.”
Bob Weikert Memorial tix on sale
Reserved seats for the Saturday-Sunday Bob Weikert Memorial at Port Royal Speedway are on sale NOW by clicking here
Kubota High Limit Racing’s High Rollers will meet the PA Posse for the first time in 2024, but the fun doesn’t end there! Here’s a small taste of what we have going on at this year’s Bob Weikert Memorial:
Saturday Kid Zone, 3-6PM (Located behind the suites, there will be basketball, cornhole, coloring, temporary tattoos, glow sticks, driver interaction, FREE ice cream courtesy of Frozen Farmer, and more.
Saturday Pre-Race Show featuring Brad Strawser and Kendra Jacobs, 4:00PM (Located in the commercial building).
Sunday Indianapolis 500 Watch Party, 12PM, Green flag at 12:45PM (Located in the commercial building. You must have a ticket to the race to enter! There will be special Indy 500 giveaways, raffles, and more!)
Post Race Concerts:
Weikert Golf Tournament (Friday)
Cornhole Tournament (Saturday, 11 a.m.)
Weikert Golf Cart Raffle
Pioneer Pole Buildings sweetens pot
Pioneer Pole Buildings will toss $2,000 into the feature winner’s payoff if a Pennsylvania 410 sprint driver beats the cream of the crop when the KUBOTA High Limit Sprints invade the Grandview Speedway on Tuesday night. This will mark the first event of the 2024 NAPA Auto Parts Thunder on the Hill Racing Series.
Levan Machine & Truck Equipment present the RICH MAR Florist event showcasing a 35 lap feature event paying $20,000 to the winner, plus an additional $2,000 if the winner is from PA. Race time is set for 7:30 PM and in the event of rain, we will use Wednesday night, May 29 as the rain date.
As an added attraction, the Modified and Sportsman Vintage cars will join the show and each division will compete in a 15-lap feature event. These two added races will be positioned during the show when the sprint car teams need a little extra time to prepare for the next race.
The Keystone State Quarter Midget Racing Club that races in Schnecksville, Pa., will offer a pre-race display and take part in opening night ceremonies on Tuesday.
Silly season, again?
Stewart-Haas Racing was the center of attention during NASCAR silly season in 2023, and that won’t change this year. The NASCAR Cup Series team is rumored to possibly sell at least one of its charters ahead of the 2025 season. Following Michael McDowell’s announcement that he will leave Front Row Motorsports, silly season has been gaining steam, with a notable story brewing regarding Stewart-Haas Racing.
According to Sportsnaut’s Matt Weaver, Stewart-Haas Racing’s entire building and operation in the Cup Series is said to be on the market. This means Stewart-Haas Racing could be looking to exit the Cup Series completely. As of now, nothing has been reported or changed hands, but the NASCAR team could be on the way out ahead of 2025.
It would be a shocking end to Stewart-Haas Racing’s tenure in the Cup Series, which could closely resemble Chip Ganassi Racing’s departure as they sold its operation to Trackhouse Racing. Just like in 2023, Stewart-Haas Racing will again be the center of conversations. However, this could represent the end of Stewart-Haas Racing’s time in the Cup Series.
The Athletic’s Jordan Bianchi has taken a look at rumors about the 2025 schedule:
Nothing is yet certain for the 2025 Cup schedule, but NASCAR sources indicate that they hope to announce it this month.
NASCAR’s desire to hold a points race outside the United States, something it hasn’t done since 1958, is well documented. I don’t understand why there is such interest by NASCAR in out of the country events.
The likeliest candidate this time is Mexico City, where the Xfinity Series raced for four years (2005-2008) and where Formula One has competed since 2015.
If NASCAR does race in Mexico City next year, that means an opening must be created in the schedule. How will NASCAR do that?
By dropping the spring Richmond race, according to industry sources.
In recent weeks, another venue has emerged as a viable candidate [for the Clash], industry sources say: Bowman Gray Stadium. My own thinking is that track is too small to offer good racing for NASCAR Cup racers.
This is for children only. At least I think so. I get a kick out of it.
What could possibly go wrong if a skunk was in the pits at an auto race?
New children’s book
“The Trouble with Howard,” a children’s book based on a real-life story about auto racers Howard and Anita Millican and their pet skunk, is available now through the website TheTroubleWithHoward.com and at select retail outlets.
The 48-page hardcover book is a collaboration between author and motorsports veteran Lee Anne Patterson, a native of Atlanta, and acclaimed racing illustrator Roger Warrick of Hamilton, Ohio.
The story is based on the experiences of driver and mechanic Howard Millican and his wife, Anita. The latter became the first woman licensed IndyCar mechanic in 1980. She was also the first woman to go over the pit wall during pit stops at IndyCar races as a pit crew member. She was the jack “man.”
The book promotes gender equality and encourages girls to tackle STEM careers. It also suggests how to handle bullies and ways to display good sportsmanship.
In addition, it inspires compassion towards animals. A portion of the proceeds will go to animal rescue operations.
Patterson wrote the book for children who are 5 to 8 years old. Each page carries Warrick’s colorful illustrations like a picture book. It is sure to resonate with auto racing fans of all ages as well as others with no knowledge of the sport.
The book chronicles the story of an injured wild skunk who was treated and adopted by Howard and Anita Millican before they were married. They named him “Trouble.” He travels with the couple from race to race, but never sprays anyone. Most of the racers learn to like Trouble with the exception of Jack, a driver who uses not-so-nice moves on and off the track.
One day Jack scares Trouble out of the tractor-trailer the Millicans use to transport their race car to events, and Trouble becomes lost. Scared and tired, he eventually finds a hiding place in the co*ckpit of Jack’s race car. He’s still hiding in it when a race starts.
On the last lap Jack gives Howard’s race car a shove in an effort to win. Terrified, Trouble runs up Jack’s chest. Jack loses control of the car and they crash.
Howard wins the race. Trouble and Jack are both unhurt, but Trouble sprays Jack.
Howard, Anita and Trouble celebrate in victory lane. Showing good sportsmanship, Howard gives Jack several cans of tomato juice to use to try to alleviate the odor from being sprayed.
The book is available to ship now. It carries a suggested retail price of $18.50.
“The Trouble with Howard” is published by Ground Effects Marketing, Inc. Its ISBN number is 979-8-9902067-0-0. For more information visit TheTroubleWithHoward.com.
Bloomsburg racing issue
The town of Bloomsburg, Pa., is at odds with those trying to present auto racing at their fairgrounds racetrack according to Shawn Wood in The Daily Item.
The 2024 racing season at the Bloomsburg Fair Raceway was to be a celebratory one.
The racetrack located on the property of the Bloomsburg Fairgrounds turns 100 this year.
Instead, a court-ordered injunction has silenced any celebration. While there will be no open-wheel motorsports activity at the track this season, promoter Brian Wawroski is optimistic that racing can return in the future.
The temporary halt to the racing activity came when the town council changed the noise ordinances that had been in place since 2010.
“We are very optimistic about the racetrack, but the judicial wheels turn very slow,” he said. “We gave the town the information that we were repurposing the old track along with the plans, and they gave us the approvals and told us that we didn’t need a building permit at first. So we didn’t get one, and when were already a year into racing, they said that we needed one.
“So, we got a building permit and, in the midst of that, they changed the zoning and the noise ordinance to 65 decibels and took the fairground out of the rule and the exception to the grandfather clause.”
At one of the public meetings, Wawroski was asked if they could get the racing under 65 decibels. According to Google, normal conversation is between 50 and 65 decibels, and normal laughter is 65-75 decibels.
“I told them that we couldn’t even talk in this room under 65 decibels,” he said.
The battle for auto racing at the Fairgrounds is far from over.
Ernie Saxton is an auto racing contributor for MediaNews Group. He co-founded the Eastern Motorsports Press Association, served as public relations director for Grandview Speedway for 47 years, and is in multiple halls of fame for his promotion and journalism related to the sport. He has announced races at more than 100 tracks, and he is the only person to have announced a race at Madison Square Garden. Email him at ESaxton144@aol.com.
