STLRaceChicks' Blog

ENGLISHTOWN, N.J. – Funny Car driver Scott Kalitta, 46, died Saturday from multiple injuries suffered after his car went out of control and crashed in a high-speed racing accident at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park during the fourth and final round of qualifying at the Lucas Oil NHRA SuperNationals.

Kalitta was extracted from his car by NHRA emergency services officials and transported to Old Bridge Township Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

Kalitta, a two-time NHRA POWERade Series Top Fuel champion and one of only 14 drivers in NHRA history to earn victories in both premier nitro categories, earned 18 victories during his career, his last coming in Chicago in 2005 in Top Fuel.

Kalitta earned most of his racing success in Top Fuel, where he claimed back-to-back world championship titles in 1994 and 1995. He retired from racing in 1997, sitting out most of two seasons before returning for a 10-race campaign in 1999. He sat out three more seasons following that brief stint and then returned again in 2003, joining cousin Doug as a second driver for the family's two Top Fuel dragsters. 

Kalitta started his pro career in Top Fuel in 1982, running limited events for four seasons before moving to Funny Car in 1986 for his first full-season of competition. He returned to that category fulltime in 2006. He posted a runner-up finish two weeks ago in Chicago, his 36th career NHRA final round appearance.

Kalitta is survived by his father, legendary NHRA racer and team owner Connie Kalitta; wife, Kathy; and sons Corey, 14, and Colin, 8.

Release from NHRA courtesy WhoWon.com

The impending reunification of Champ Car and IRL is certainly the hot topic of the day in motorsports. Of course, no one would know by the lack of attention given this subject by local media, but this could be a major turning point for American Auto Racing. My Dad and I talked about it at length over lunch at Cracker Barrel yesterday and had some interesting thoughts on the topic.

Since the news broke on Friday that IRL and Champ Car are close to reaching a reunification agreement, many teams, tracks and media have released statements regarding their opinions on the topic. I have read many of those statements, and right now, it seems the most negative feedback I have seen is from the tracks that were set to run Champ Car events but will lose their dates because of conflicts with the IRL schedule. The teams, at least publicly, seem to be embracing the idea, but you just never know what they are saying behind the scenes.

In my opinion, I would love to see these two come back together stronger and better than before, but it is going to take a LOT of work. The damage done by the split runs deep and has been left to fester for twelve long years. People don’t forget that kind of stuff over night. They also don’t forget the way both of these sanctioning bodies have turned their backs on domestic talent while embracing every foreigner on the planet. Is it any wonder that guys like Sam Hornish have defected to NASCAR? I don’t think so.

It used to be the dream of every American Midget and Sprint Car racer to drive in the Indy 500 someday, but that day is long gone because no one gives them a chance to prove themselves on that level anymore. Instead, these drivers are now working their way up through the ranks of NASCAR who (and I hate to admit this because I’m just NOT a huge NASCAR fan) has welcomed these up-and-coming drivers and showcased them in a very positive way. For all its faults, NASCAR has the largest fan base of any sport and those fans support their drivers regardless of on track performance, or off-track antics.

 IRL/Champ Car have come off as snobby and elitist and that is a huge turn off for fans. It is going to take a major PR campaign and a large dose of contrition and sincerity to bring fans back to open wheel racing. If they want to do it right, they will take a page from the books of guys like our local POWRi promoters, the World of Outlaws and yes, even NASCAR, and study them well before making their next move.

One has to wonder if these two entities can put their egos aside once the negotiations are complete and the real work begins. When one looks at the situation in light of a divorced couple getting re-married, the chances of things working out for the long haul are pretty slim. Will these two be able to play well together after their long separation? Only time will tell.

In conclusion, I say bring back open wheel racing, but do it the right way. Continuing on the current paths of either IRL or Champ Car will spell certain disaster for American Open Wheel racing. And while they are at it, put the engines back in the rear of the cars where they belong!

Each January, racers from all over the country, representing many forms of motorsports, converge on Tulsa, Oklahoma for the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals.

The Chili Bowl is by far the biggest racing event on the winter calendar. With most dirt and asphalt tracks in hibernation mode in all but the most temperate of climates, racing indoors is the only viable option. With that in mind, two of dirt track racing's top promoters, Lannie Edwards and Emmett Hahn took a gamble over twenty years ago that has turned into much more than just another Midget race.

This year's entry list was comprised of 285 drivers from 29 states, Canada and Australia. Among these drivers were NASCAR Cup champions, Drag racers, Dirt Late Model and Kart drivers in addition to those who routinely turn laps in open wheel machines. Men and women and drivers of all ages from mid-teens to early seventies filled an impressive list of who's who in motorsports today.

Missouri boasted 17 pilots, while 29 Illinois drivers made the trek to the Sooner state. Many of these drivers run our local tracks as a part of the O'Reilly POWRi Midget Series and a few were able to play the alphabet soup game and work their way up through four grueling nights of qualifying in order to claim a spot in either of the "B" or "A" Main events.

Roughly 14,000 fans make up the crowd of this sold-out-by-May event, and untold numbers of others listen to the races via internet broadcasts or get updates through blogs and forums. In fact, so many people logged onto the Chili Bowl web site this year that the server crashed and was down all day on Saturday. This year, for the first time in history, both C-Mains, both B-Mains and the A-Main were all broadcast live via HBO Pay-Per-View on Saturday night. That's how we watched it, and the network did a wonderful job of bringing us all of the racing action, behind-the-scenes interviews and commentary that we were hungry for. The broadcast lasted almost four solid hours, and was well-worth the $25 price tag.

The following is a list of the Missouri and Illinois drivers and how they fared in the 2008 Chili Bowl. Many of these drivers and others will be on hand this Saturday at the DuQuoin Fairgrounds for the first POWRi Indoor Series Midget race of the season. Along with the Midgets will be the POWRi Micro Series. All will race indoors at the DuQuoin Indoor Center. With temperatures outside predicted to be in the twenties this weekend, it's time to warm up to some winter time indoor racing!

Illinois (29) – Joey Moughan (2m), Kevin Olson (4ko), Zach Daum (5d), Patrick Bruns (5x), Austin Brown (7a){Made it to the "B" Main], Dan Mecum (8m), Jay Mounce (12m), Tim Siner (15)[Made it to the "B" Main], Chris Windom (17)[Made it to the "B" Main], Kenny Brown (17b), Levi Jones (20J){Finished 11th in the "A" Main], Lee Beckwith (21s), Derrick Myers (25x), Donnie Lehmann (31), Davey Ray (33), Jeff Davis (d33), Mat Neely (35)[Made it to the "B" Main], Tyler Robbins (35T), Don Hammer (45), Daniel Adler (50), Mike Hess (51), Nick Knepper (55k), Bubba Altig (67a)[Finished 24th in the "A" after a warm-up incident], A.J. Fike (69), David Gough (75x), Kellen Conover (76), Justin Allgaier (86), Dave Camfield, Jr. (86c)[Made it to the "B" Main], Rich Camfield (87c).

Missouri (17) – Jesse Stovall (00s), Hunter Schuerenberg (1h), Tony Roney (1T), Robby Ross (4R), Bill Allen (5a), Joey Montgomery (5c), Brad Loyet (05)[Made it to the "B" Main], Danny Lasoski (05L)[Made it to the "B" Main], Joe Boyles (7b), Doug Frye (7c), Eric Todd (7T), Will Pierce (10T), Steve Stroud (21x), Jesse Hockett (29L)[Finished 12th in the "A" Main event], Joe Walker (37J), Andrew Felker (73F), Todd McVay (89JR).

It's offical. Tri-City Speedway has ushered in a new era of racing in the St. Louis area.

After several weather delays, the gates opened on the 2007 racing season at Tri-City Speedway in Pontoon Beach and it looked as if every driver and fan in the area turned out to see what all the fuss was about.

With the pits filled to capacity, a tightly packed parking lot, and grand stands bursting with people, it was clear that all of the hard work the Gundakers have put into this facility was well worth it. The new 3/8 mile, high banked track has everyone standing up and taking notice. The show moved along very well, and the action was lightning-fast.

My Dad and I made the trip over by ourselves, and had a really good time. We got there about a half an hour after the gates opened, and haulers were backed up all the way to the road. It was clear that parking would be at a premium, but they managed to squeeze everyone in. The new pit area outside of turns three and four helped a lot.

I walked around and took quite a few shots of various things, which you can see on our web site. I'll post a few here on Fox2 as well. One of the more interesting vantage points was from inside the flagstand. I've been to most areas of the track before, but this was my first time to take in the best view in the house! It was fun being up there for the opening festivites, which included a parade of beautiful classic race cars.

There was a lot of excitement in the air, and I know folks will be talking about opening night for weeks to come. After watching Late Models boogie around that track, I can't wait to see how the Sprint Cars do on it. We'll find out on May 4th when the World of Outlaws come to town.

The track, the lights, all of the other changes that have gone into this track have really made it a premier facility.  It's too bad local media doesn't cover big events like this, but I'm glad we have this blog to help get the word out. www.girlsgoneracin.com

By www.girlsgoneracin.com  
 

PONTOON BEACH, Ill. -- With just two days to go until opening night, anticipation is at an all-time high at Tri-City Speedway. 
 

Some of the changes are obvious, even to the casual fan. The brand new 3/8 mile track with its ten degree banking and sweeping turns, lit by Musco lighting and surrounded by a concrete wall looks fabulous.  The new 42' x 60' beer garden will be a great place to hang out with friends while enjoying a night of racing.  
 

But the changes at the facility go far beyond the cosmetic.  
 

This week, Tri-City welcomes a new sponsor in Dynamic Transit, a trucking company based out of Granite City.  Dynamic Transit has over three hundred trucks, and will be a major sponsor, adding to the purse for two of the weekly divisions.  Late Models will now pay $1,200 to win, while Modifieds will receive $700 to win and $100 to start.  
 

Another exciting announcement is that the Factory Stock division will now be sanctioned by United Midwestern Promoters (UMP).  The UMP Factory Stocks are an affordable 4-cylinder class, and with sanctioning, drivers will now be eligible for national points besides their weekly track points.  This division will help new and up-and-coming drivers make their way into racing.  
 

Drivers in all classes will now be able to get their Sunoco race fuel in-house.  Just look for the big new Sunoco sign above the pump. 
 

Tri-City Speedway will definitely be the place to be on Friday nights, for drivers and fans alike. Major improvements over the winter have turned Tri-City Speedway into a premier racing facility.  These changes would not be possible without great companies like All Purpose Erectors, who installed the lighting and Glawson's Concrete who put up the new concrete wall.  
 

In another attempt to properly launch the new season, it is only fitting that the honor of "Little Miss Tri-City Speedway" be bestowed upon a deserving fan.  Watch for details about this contest as they become available soon. The new era of racing begins on Friday, April 6 with Kenny Wallace racing his Modified.  Gates open at 5:00 with racing starting at 7:30. 
 

Tickets are: 
Adults (General Admission) $10.00 
Children 12 & Under (always FREE at every event) 
Senior Citizens (62 and up) and Military $8 
General Admission Gates Open 5:00 

Pit Gate Opens 5:00 
Hot Laps 6:45 
Racing at 7:30 
 

More information is available at www.tri-cityspeedway.net

Trees are blooming, flowers are poking their heads up after their winter slumber, birds are chirping merrily outside my window and all of that points to only one thing:  It's almost racing season!  

There are a whole lot of great opportunities on the horizon for motorsports enthusiasts in St. Louis.  It's time to get off the couch and head to your local race track to support the greatest sport on dirt.  The Girls Gone Racin' dirt divas are more than ready for racing season to begin.  We've already had our fill of televised NASCAR and are anxious to get out for the up close and personal thrill that is what makes grassroots racing so great.  There is nothing to compare with the roar of the engines, the smell of spent fuel and the great people we meet each season. 

Over the winter, I made some cosmetic changes to the blog and web site, since there wasn't a whole lot of actual racing to keep me busy. Today I added a slide show that uses several of the photos we shot last season and I think it turned out really well.  I also found time to put together a web site for the all new Ozark Mountain Midget Series which kicks off their inaugural season in May. 

Here is some of what is on the menu for the first week or so of the 2007 racing season in St. Louis: 

Belle Clair Speedway will be one of the first tracks in the St. Louis area to open the gates for 2007 with their first weekly racing event scheduled to take place on March 30.  Racing will include UMP Late Models, Modified and UMP Sportsman and Allied Pure Stock. 

March 31 will be opening night for the Ken Schrader and Ray Marler owned I-55 Raceway in Pevely, Missouri.  The weekly racing there consists of Late Models, Modifieds, Sportsman and Pro Stock divisions. 

On Friday, April 6 racing season officially kicks off at Tri-City Speedway in Pontoon Beach with the first running of Late Models, Modifieds, C.A.R.S Late Models, Street Stocks and Factory Stocks.  It's Kenny Wallace night, and Herman himself will be on had racing his dirt Modified. Rain caused a few problems before the season even began, delaying opening night at Tri-City by one week.  They have been scurrying to get the final touches on the new track design, lighting, concrete wall and all the other loose ends that need to be knotted beforehand.  Don't miss the opportunity to see history in the making on this first night of racing on the new track.

Morgan County Speedway in Jacksonville, Illinois also opens on April 6 with a $1,000-to-win 360 Sprint Invader race, as well as Late Models and Street Stocks.  This will be the first year for the former Jacksonville Raceway to be under new promoters Bill West, Jr. and Kim West. 

Heading on into next weekend, Saturday, April 7, will see the return of the World of Outlaws Sprint Cars to I-55 Raceway.  This will be the first night out for Girls Gone Racin' and there is a good chance that my pal Spring won't make it to this one.  She is laid up with some serious back problems and until she gets those straightened out, traipsing through the infield trying to catch racing action with her camera is out of the question.  It will be up to me to get the best shots I can, take notes and get everything on our blog and web site the next day.  With my new camera lens and way too much time since my last race, I think I'm up for the challenge.  Hopefully, the weather will cooperate for racing and a little tailgating beforehand.  

Get out and support your local racing!  
www.girlsgoneracin.com

The Grassroots Gospel:  The Gundaker Family 

 

The Grassroots Gospel is a Girls Gone Racin’ series celebrating the drivers, promoters, fans and others who contribute to the preservation of the grassroots Motorsports effort and its traditions.  It is intended as a tribute to the people who believe in the importance of maintaining the foundation of American auto racing. 

 

Here in St. Louis, the Gundaker name is well known in two circles.  One sees it everywhere from billboards, to yard signs to tractor trailers.  If you have purchased real estate here, there’s a good chance that you have used their services. To local race fans, the Gundaker name is less about down payments, equity and interest rates, and more about competition, excitement and the thrill of dirt track racing at its finest.  

 

Three years ago, G&G Motorsports, which consists of Kevin Gundaker and his Dad, Gordon, purchased what some would consider an historic racing facility.  Tri-City Speedway, in Pontoon Beach, Illinois is a dirt facility that opened in 1961 and consisted of a half-mile track surrounding a quarter-mile track.  

 

At the time of purchase, the facility was in need of quite a bit of TLC.  The Gundakers dove into the task and learned fast the true meaning of sweat equity.  Instead of spending the winter bending sheet metal for his famous number 11 Late Model, Kevin spent hundreds of hours cleaning and painting, hauling off debris and old pieces of machinery.  The beat-up old trailers that used to be an office and a catch-all were replaced by new buildings to house the track’s hard-working staff.  The pit gate was moved, making it easier for haulers to negotiate the pits.  And everywhere you look, from shirts to building accents, you see patches of Kevin’s trademark color:  Purple.  

 

Kevin and his wife, Tammy attended promoters’ workshops, met with marketing people, and held drivers meetings. They hired staff members, discussed changes to the classes, nights of operation and a multitude of details that even they had not anticipated.   

 

By opening night 2005, they were ready.  

 

That first year was just the beginning of the learning process, and Tammy will be the first to admit that they made a lot of mistakes along the way.  At times it was overwhelming and exhausting, but they survived and put what they had learned to good use.  

 

Last year was better as they took what they had learned in their rookie season and began to apply it.  Then they began to really work on the bigger improvements they wanted to make, ones that were more than paint brushes and brooms could fix.  

 

This year the fruit of those labors is obvious to everyone, whether you walk through the gates, or fly overhead. Not only have they moved race night from Sunday to Friday, but the track has been completely re-configured.  Gone are the half-mile and the quarter-mile circuits, and in their place is a wonderful 3/8 mile high-banked track that ought to challenge drivers and thrill fans. A new concrete wall is in the works, and to top it off, all new Musco lighting is going in this week and should be shining brightly by opening night, March 30.  

 

Along with all of the changes at Tri-City comes a new addition to the G&G Motorsports family.  Earlier this month, they became the proud new owners of Lake Ozark Speedway in Eldon, Mo.  Lake Ozark will run on Saturday nights and will certainly keep the Gundakers hopping, burning up the pavement between St. Charles and Eldon.  

 

The Gundakers are committed to preserving the grassroots racing effort here in the Midwest, and for that we should all be thankful.  Without the efforts and hard work of people like them, those of us who love racing would continue to see dirt tracks meet the fate of others, like St. Charles Speedway and 67 Raceway Park.  

 

So now you have even more good reasons to get out and support your local racing. Do your part to keep the tradition alive. It’s great entertainment for the whole family!

(Val) At the beginning of the World Series between the Tigers and the Cards, my former boss and I made a bet. He now lives in Detroit, and works for Roush Performance (part of the Roush Racing family) and our bet was pretty open. Whoever won had to send something representative of their area to the other. My thoughts ran the vein of how would I ever get away with shipping a case of Bud, and my hopes went to seeing a Roush Mustang pulling into my driveway. Ha!

Well, this afternoon my payoff arrived. In the mail was a big kraft envelope and inside was a Michigan magnet, a Mustang DVD and, drumroll....a card featuring the Roush Race cars, signed "To Val, Congrats Cardinals! Jack Roush." What a trip! I totally cracked up. This is definitely the best bet payoff I have ever received!

Thanks to my buddy JC in Detroit. Better luck next year with your Tigers....not! :)

I'm posting a photo of the card in my album so you should be able to see it soon.

(Val) HARTVILLE, Mo. – Tonight is the kick off of the 4th annual Outlaw Kart Fall Nationals and Spring and I are here to take photos and see what the karting scene is all about. So far, we have met several nice folks and are getting a huge kick out of these kids in their driver suits. Oh, and we’ve already sampled the grilled burgers too. Yum!

We hit the road about 11:30 this morning after a detour to FedEx to pick up some sample trading cards and business cards that Spring had printed up. They turned out great and I think the traders will be a huge hit. I know how much I enjoy my son’s little league pictures, and so I can’t imagine why parents wouldn’t want a good photo of their kid with his or her race car.

The trip down went really fast, but that’s mostly because Spring is a race car driver at heart. I tried not to sneak too many peeks at the speedometer, but when I did, it was dialed in at a comfortable 80mph. Despite the speed, and Spring’s tendency to eat with one hand, talk on the phone with the other and steer with her knee, she never once made me nervous. I teased her with the nickname of Dalena Earnhardt, but I don’t really think it’s going to stick.

We had a nice chat about last night’s Cards victory over those nasty ol’ Mets and from the sound of it, we would have had a good time watching it together. Oh well, we have at least 4 World Series games coming up, so maybe we can plan to watch one of those instead.

The farther south we drove, the prettier the colors became. I was down here only about a month ago, and I can’t believe how much things have changed. Of course, on my last trip it was cloudy and rainy, and today the sky was picture-perfect blue, so that certainly helps.

I can hear cars warming up from our table here in the concession building, and the temperature is dropping fast. A space heater was on my list of things to pack, but when I went to look for it, I couldn’t find it, so I think I’m just going to have to tough it out.

Spring is out taking pictures during hotlaps, and I can’t wait to see how they turn out. She was very excited to see these little cars, and has been wishing Caleb was here all afternoon.

We have had several folks stop in to see what we were doing and everyone seems to be pretty interested. I’m anxious to see just what kind of business we actually do. Could be overwhelming, or just the opposite, none at all. Either way, we have already decided that this trip is all about having fun and enjoying our last race adventure of the year.

LEBANON, Mo. -- 1:51 AM

Well, we survived it! The road back from Hartville to Lebanon is about 35 miles and we were fortunate because we had a big ol' tractor trailer leading the way. We figured if there were any deer alongside the road, he could take care of them for us.

Right now, Spring is polishing off her apple walnut snack from McDonald's. She's trying to get me to split the last cookie with her too. Since they go well with wine, I think I'll go ahead.

What a fun night this was. I am exhausted, but I know I won't be able to sleep for a while be cause the adrenaline rush is still going strong. Things worked out really well. Spring spent the whole time out shooting, and I stayed at our table printing proof sheets, taking orders and printing pictures. The crowd was awesome and the photos Spring took were fabulous. Everyone loved her work and was glad to see us and we already have our invitation for next year. We will be back.

The track really did undergo a major transformation to go from horse arena to kart track and we spent a little time out in the middle during the hotlaps sessions. There were a lot of little bitty kids racing these karts, and they are really something to watch. You can tell that they just eat it up and the parents I met were right there cheering them on and doing whatever it took to keep them going. What a blast.

We both wish we could stay for tomorrow night's races, but it's just not meant to be as Spring has a big family shoot to do. We're putting this event on our calendar for next year though. What a fun time! And maybe next year we'll actually get to race against each other. That would be SO cool!

Here at the hotel, we celebrated our last race of the season with a glass of wine and these McDonald's chocolate chip cookies. There's nothing like $3 wine in plastic cups from the Days Inn, let me tell ya!

We hope everyone has enjoyed our adventures this season. I know I have had a great time. This blog and our web site will not be idle, however, so please keep checking up on us even during the cold winter months.

A huge thank you goes out to Dustin Arnall and everyone at the Hartville Saddle Club Speedway for making us feel so welcome and at home. We really enjoyed getting to meet so many fun people! We will have lots of photos up ASAP, and Spring is actually blogging at the same time I am so you'll get her perspective shortly.

(Val) Yes, the weather is growing cooler and the Cards are one step away from another trip to the World Series but for my pal Spring and I, this weekend means one last chance to hit the road and go racing.

When we first came up with the concept for Girls Gone Racin’ one of our goals was to experience new kinds of racing, and we did that right out of the gate by checking out drag races at Gateway back in May. This weekend will be a different experience entirely as we head to the small town of Hartville, Missouri for the 4th Annual got milk? Outlaw Kart Fall Nationals at the Hartville Saddle Club Speedway.

Hartville is about 35 miles south of Lebanon and the other 51 weekends of the year when the Saddle Club is not being used as a Speedway, it is actually a horse arena. I stopped there on my way back from Springfield last month just to check out the place, and it was hard to picture cars racing there, but the more I hear about it, the more excited I am to see how this place transforms into an actual speedway. To say the least, I am intrigued.

I had never heard of the got milk? Fall Nationals before we met up with Dustin Arnall down at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Missouri back in September. We were there doing some work for Weld Racing and Dustin told us about the event and invited us to come down to take some pictures. In the three years the Nationals have been in existence, they have never had a professional photographer in to shoot the races, so Spring will be the first.

So far, the weather looks good for Friday and our plan is to head out bright and early in the morning so we have time to set up shop when we get there. We will be printing some photos on site, which has proved to be a bit of a challenge to set up, but I think we finally have it figured out. Spring has done little league team pictures for years, and we thought it might also work well to offer this kind of service to race car drivers. Who wouldn’t want a nice shot of them with their car? We have no idea the kind of response we will get, but we figure it’s worth a shot and we really have nothing to lose, so why not?

Anyway, we’ll be out and about one last time for 2006, watching Outlaw Karts, meeting new people and just doing what we love to do. As for me, I’m just excited to see how this place transforms from a horse arena into a racing venue! There are drivers coming from as far away as California, and some full-sized Sprint Car guys will be in attendance too, so that ought to really liven things up.

However things turn out, I know we will have a good time. It’s been a while since Spring and I have hung out together, and we’ve both had a busy couple of weeks. It will be nice to get away for a while and see what kind of trouble we can get into.

Check back here on Saturday (or sooner if the hotel has wireless) and we will share all the details of this latest adventure.

Hartville or bust!

(Val) All I can say about this weekend's racing is, if you missed, I feel sorry for you. (And that goes double for my pal Spring!)

What a great night of race action at Tri-City last night! After last year's down and dusty event, I was a little worried about how this one might go. Running those big 410 Winged Sprinters on the quarter mile can be truly destructive to even the most well-prepared surfaces. The worry was unfounded because even though the track got a little dusty by the 410 feature, it stayed darned good all night long.

We had a van load of folks with us for the races last night, two of which had never seen Sprints and Midgets before. They definitely got their money's worth! With 36 Sprints and 38 Midgets, along with oodles of Micros, the pits were filled to capacity. Arriving at the track with little time to spare before hot laps, I quickly made my way around to the drivers I needed to see. The driver's meeting was in full swing, so I hung around there for a little bit, then chatted with Jerry Coons, Jr. who was in need of a ride. He later piloted the number 11D that had been driven by Doug DeWitt at Belle Clair the night before, but only for part of one race, and then DeWitt was back behind the wheel. Not sure what happened there.

As I made my way around, an unfamiliar voice called out to me, and since I didn't know they were actually speaking to me at the time, I looked behind me to see who they were talking to, and then found out they really were talking to me after all! The man behind the voice was Tim Siner, who is the driver of the number 15 Midget and he wanted to talk to me about the Girls Gone Racin' site, plus introduce me to his wife, Melissa, and his Dad, Jim Sr. This all turned out pretty nicely, since I had actually been looking for them so I could drop of a couple of prints of two of my favorite photos. They had already seen the pictures on Girls Gone Racin' and the Fox 2 site, so I was pretty excited.

The Siners are really nice folks, and I loved getting to meet them. Later, in the infield, I met Jim Jr., who works for the POWERi Series and we had a nice chat too. Seems like they are really liking this October racing and I can't blame them! The car counts have been amazing, and the crowds weren't too shabby either.

Despite the fact that I was on my own in regard to photography for the evening, I had one of the best nights of the year because everyone made me feel so at home. There have been many times where I wonder what the heck I think I’m doing out there, and so often I just freeze up when I want to talk to someone. It has nothing to do with being star-struck or intimidated, and everything to do with just being a naturally shy person. Lucky for me, I get over that pretty quickly once I get to know someone.

Being at Tri-City is always like going home to me anyway because it’s been a part of my life since I was born, and going back is such a great opportunity to visit with old friends. Of course, part of the fun is meeting new folks too, and I got to do a lot of that over the weekend.

The pictures I took on Sunday night were not as good as the shots I got on Saturday. I think it had a lot to do with the lighting and just not having as many choices as to where I could stand. There were quite a few photographers in there, and I had to try and find a place where no one was in my way, and I wasn’t in theirs. There are some keepers, but over all, the ones I got on Saturday just turned out better. This photography thing is a learning experience, and I figure out something new every time I do it.

One of the highlights of Sunday night was finding out that Dale Blaney was there in a 410 Sprint. I hadn’t seen him at Tri-City in years, probably not since the last time the All Stars were there. We got to talk for a few minutes, mostly about the track his family owns, Sharon Speedway in Ohio. It was a challenging year for them, but I think that’s been the story at a lot of tracks around the country. Dale is a really nice guy, and didn’t seem to mind a bit when I asked for a photo. It made my night to see him take the feature win just a short time later.

Overall, this was a great way to end the racing season, but I wish Spring had been there to share it because I know she would have enjoyed it a lot. The bad part would have been the one big five-car pile-up in the Midget feature, but knowing everyone walked away would have made things ok.

Here in St. Louis, I know that the Cards putting away the Padres was the big sports news this weekend, (Yay Cards!) but for us diehard race fans, the real action was just across the river. Although only a fraction of people saw the racing compared to those who watched the ballgame, but I think if you asked any of them, they would agree that we were the real winners this weekend.

(Val)If you call yourself a race fan and live anywhere within 200 miles of the St. Louis metropolitan area, yet failed to attend last night's POWERi Midget races at Belle Clair Speedway, you committed a class A felony. Fortunately, there's still a chance to redeem yourself tonight, but just remember, it's the only chance you're going to get.

Our original plan was that Spring, my Dad, my son and I would attend the night's races together, but that fell apart when my son got a "better" offer (he's 13 and not a huge race fan) and Spring came down with some nasty bug. So then there were two.

Dad and I have been to many races together over the years, traveling all over the midwest and we have a great time with just us two, so it didn't break my heart to get some one-on-one time with him. I did, however, feel bad that Spring felt so lousy and had to miss out on catching up with folks and missing the action. Hopefully, the pictures I took will help ease that just a little.

We got to the track in Belleville, Illinois, which is part of the old Fairgrounds, during the ninth inning of the Cardinals game, which was tough to abandon because we thought they might stage a comeback. Turns out we didn't miss anything and the final score was just where we left it.

It was an absolutely gorgeous day, and promised to be a cool evening, so we were ready for it with jackets and warm clothes. We wouldn't need any of that until much later in the evening. Trucks towing haulers were already in the pits and unloaded, and more kept coming while we walked around. Even more arrived as we talked to POWERi promoter Kenny Brown about the Series, which started about five years ago. He's very pleased with the growth of the organization and really has a heart for every facet of the sport. Kenny was a busy man last night, and a big part of that was just trying to find space in the pits for all the cars! All-in-all, there were over 100 open wheel cars in the pits. They were everywhere we turned, and I commented to my Dad that it was like going on an Easter egg hunt trying to find them all.

At 6:00 the cars took the field for hot laps, and we headed to the infield to take advantage of the last rays of sunlight. Although I like this speedway a lot, as do the drivers we talked to, it’s not an easy one to shoot at when the sun is going down. Finding the few areas that didn’t have shadows was tough, but with the last batch of hotlaps (figures!) my Dad pointed out what turned out to be the sweetest spot there.

I managed to get some really decent shots with just my Pentax K100D set to “sport” mode and the zoom lens that came with it. Taking pictures of race cars in motion is an acquired knowledge, and as I’ve said many times, I’m just an amateur so that’s not the only thing I have to learn. I did manage to get a lot more good shots on this night than I have all season, so I think something must finally be sinking in.

Once Midget hotlaps were done, we dashed on out of there, and since the sun was fully behind the grandstands, there wasn’t much more I could do anyway. We wandered the pits a little more, then went on in and found a place to sit and enjoy the action.

Because of a rain out back in June, the first races of the night were a make up semi-feature and feature, followed by the regular night of racing. It was definitely an action-packed evening and there were no dull moments to be found. The track was in good shape and didn’t get dusty until late in the program.

Dad and I made an interesting observation last night too. Between races, it was really comfortable out, and there was no wind, but when those cars got going it cooled off in a hurry, and the flags were standing straight out. It was almost as if the races generated their own cold front.

There were a couple of tangles during the night, and one pretty nasty crash that actually happened because of a yellow. One car checked up in a hurry, and the car behind it, driven by Randy Bateman, caught a tire and did several barrel rolls through turn one. We checked on Randy, and he was ok, but still had a bit of fuzzy vision in one eye. The car didn’t really look all that bad to the casual observer, but in the pits, we found that the frame was bent, and a front axle was being replaced in order to be able to get it in the hauler. Bateman was supposed to be bringing his 410 Sprinter to Tri-City tonight, but it seemed pretty doubtful after that.

The evening was a lot of fun and we found ourselves ready for more. Fortunately, tonight’s menu ought to help in that area. I just talked to Tammy Gundaker at Tri-City, and at 11:30 this morning there were already some thirty haulers lined up to get into the pits. I warned her to park them in tight because if they get the cars from Belleville, plus the guys who raced at Terre Haute and Farmington last night, they will be packed like sardines in Tri-City’s pits.

Like I said in the beginning of this post, if you missed it last night, you still have one shot left. There’s a lot of competition for sports viewing on TV today, but days like this will be few and far between so take advantage of this great weather and get out to the track. If you’re really afraid of missing something, bring along a radio and listen to the football, baseball game or NASCAR race, but get out and enjoy this while you can.

Photos from last night's racing are pending Fox 2's web team's approval, but hopefully they will be live soon. Until then, I have a couple in the Girls Gone Racin' blog and am getting ready to get more on that site and on whowon.com.

(Val) This weekend marks the end of the local racing season for me, and for most of the race tracks. There are still a few specials on the schedules, like demolition derbies and such, but this is the last weekend for regular shows in the area so after Sunday it's time to put away my race boots until spring. (Okay, I'll leave them out until after the big Outlaw Kart event down in Hartville, but that's it!)

In a nutshell, this is the perfect sports weekend in St. Louis. With the Cards playing on Saturday afternoon, and hopefully wrapping up the series against the Padres, that leaves the evening open to head out to the local dirt track. For the Girls, it will be Belle Clair Speedway for their O'Reilly POWERi Midget event. I would expect a good field of cars for this race, as it is the second-to-last points event of the year. The finale is Sunday night at Tri-City, and we'll be at that one too. The weather is shaping up to be outstanding, which is exciting since the last time we were at Tri-City the temps were close to 100 and the humidity wasn't much lower.

We will be wandering the pits before the races both nights, talking to drivers and teams and taking those all-important photographs.

My out-of-town Girls Gone Racin' partner, and RaceFan co-worker, Ashley will be at the NASCAR races at Talladega all weekend and she will be posting about her adventures there. Her first post went up bright and early this morning and she had me laughing as I read it. I have already urged her to continue her tale as soon as possible. Ashley is fortunate enough to be in possession of a "hot" garage pass so she will be about as close as a person can get to the action without actually putting on Nomex and a helmet. She will have to follow the NASCAR dress code though: Long pants, close-toed shoes and no shoulders showing. Wow, what I wouldn't give to get that code enforced at my kid's high school!

Ashley was supposed to interview Kasey Kahne yesterday, but things got a little crazy due to some mixed up scheduling. There are several other drivers on her list though, so we should be able to get something up on the GGR site about them. We talked this morning about taking a decent camera along so she will have some good shots for us to use. Keep your fingers crossed race fans! Along with the driver interview sessions, there is a book signing today for Janet Evanovich's new book Motor Mouth and Ashley is going to talk to the author about her just-released book which has a NASCAR theme.

So yes, it will be a busy, but fun weekend. And after the racing, the work begins as we update the girlsgoneracin.com site with stories and photos about the events. Be sure to check that out when you get the chance. Good luck to all the drivers this weekend, and keep it safe!

The Cards clinch, the Rams roar, and the Home Depot Team gambles, leaving Tony Stewart to roll to a win on fumes at Kansas Speedway.

Sunday sports don't get much better for this sports fan.

Congrats to all and thanks for the excciting day!

(Val) A cold front is headed our way, and the leaves are starting to show their fall colors, which makes me think, “dang, racing season must be almost over!”

Well, it is almost October, and for all intents and purposes, the regular season racing is winding down at tracks all over the country. The year-end wrap ups and final point standings are coming in by the dozens and we are frantically trying to get everything current on the news site, whowon.com.

But just because the regular season is coming to an end doesn’t mean the action is over. There are some great local events still on the horizon, as long as the weather cooperates.

For Spring and I, October is filling up fast. We have three events, two of which are back-to-back, not that we mind. Originally, we were headed up to Kansas Speedway this Sunday for the NASCAR Nextel Cup Banquet 400, but those plans have fallen through and it looks as if we will spend the afternoon at the mall, shopping for clothes for Jesse’s senior portrait shoot.

Next up on our list of events are the Midget Races at Belle Clair Speedway on Saturday, October 7th, but I am deeply conflicted over this because they are running this show the same night as the Queen’s Royal at Saint Francois County Raceway. Spring really wants to catch up with our friend Brent Nausley who will have his Midget, driven by Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. in the event, which is fine with me. Belle Clair is a great little track, and I know we will have fun, so I’m looking forward to it. SFCR, we’ll catch you next year!

The next night, we will be at Tri-City Speedway for their Sprint and Midget event, where we hope to talk to some of the drivers we have had the chance to meet this season. It should be a great race, and since the quarter and half-mile tracks will be re-configured into one 3/8 mile track during the off-season, this will be the last time for the 410 Sprints on the half mile. I will miss seeing them there, but I know that the big track is dark in spots, and has the reputation of being an engine killer, so the new track will be a great replacement. I’m sure that Kevin and Tammy Gundaker will pull out all the stops when it comes to making this long-awaited improvement.

After Tri-City, we will take a little break from racing as Spring heads to one part of the country and I head to another for a few days. Once we return, we will be gearing up for what will probably prove to be our busiest event of the season.

The folks at the 4th Annual Got Milk? Winged Outlaw Fall Nationals have asked us to come down and cover their event. They have never had a professional photographer shoot this show, and I know that Spring considers it an honor to be asked. We will be providing on-site printing of 4x6 photographs, with the option of being able to order larger sizes and packages on line. With just the two of us covering the photography, sales and printing, I think we will be hopping.

This two-day event is in the small town of Hartville, MO, about 35 miles south of Lebanon. They tell us this is the second biggest event of its kind in the nation, and from what I’ve been reading on the message boards, I believe it. If you would like to know more about this event, check out the Outlaw Kart Racing forum on www.swmoracing.com We will also have press releases posted on WhoWon.com as they become available.

Unfortunately, Spring and I will only be able to make the first day of this event, but we hope that if things work out, they will ask us to come back next year and do it again. Right now we are trying to get all of our preparations in order for what equipment to bring, how to price the photos, etc. It’s kind of crazy, but we’re enjoying it. I am also talking to a company about creating some stickers and banners for us, so we’ll see how that goes. In addition, we are looking at trying to find someone to do some shirts for us, so if anyone out there does embroidery and would like to give us a bid, please drop us an email!

The Got Milk? Fall Nationals will be our last “official” event of the year, however, Spring is headed out to Phoenix in November for the NASCAR Nextel Cup race there. It looks like we may have a chance to actually get her into the garage area for this one, and if we do, expect some great photographs. We’ll know the week before the race, so we’ll be sure to share the news.

As for me, I am still tossing around the idea of joining my co-workers at the Performance Racing Industry Trade Show in Orlando in December. I went a few times when it was still in Indianapolis, and I sure wish they would move it back! My fear of flying is keeping me grounded, so even though the racing during the event is very tempting, I will probably end up staying home while I hold down the proverbial fort.

Finally, we have been invited to be interviewed on a KGKI Radio Thursday Evening Race Report radio show out of Florida and are currently working on finding a date where we are both available. It will be a Thursday evening, and the shows are broadcast on the internet, so we’ll post all the information here when things are finalized. My co-worker, Ashley, will be a guest on the show tomorrow night. Log on to kgkiradio.com and give it a listen!

We are working on a year in review piece that we hope to have up shortly after our last race of the season, and then it will be time to start working on next year’s schedule. You may see the two of us huddled over my laptop at an area Bread Co. trying to figure out where to go and what to do. If you do, be sure and say hello!