From the Crossville Chronicle – Crossville, Tn. Friday October 5, 2007
By Joe Dunn / joe@onpitroad.com
After a wild and crazy race and the most controversial finish in memory at Kansas Speedway, the Nextel cup teams head to the high banks of Talladega Super Speedway. This will also be the first restrictor plate race for the COT.
Following last weeks race at Kansas, the points for all the Chase contenders changed with the exception of Denny Hamlin who remains in 12th place. Jimmie Johnson is the leader heading to Talladega, followed by Jeff Gordon and Clint Bowyer.
Robert Yates Racing announced this week that Mike Wallace will drive the 88 car replacing brother Kenny. No explanation was given for the change. Bill Davis racing has entered Jacques Villeneuve another Formula One ace with intentions of moving to Nascar. In a surprise move Nascar approved Villeneuve after a recent testing session. Sam Hornish will also attempt the race in a Penske car.
Remember “The Rock”? North Carolina Motor Speedway in Rockingham, NC was the scene of many heart pounding close finishes. One of Nascar fans beloved ‘old’ tracks. The Rock closed a few years ago after it was sold to Speedway Motorsports Inc. as part of a lawsuit settlement over a second race date for Texas Motor Speedway. International Speedway Corporation had already stripped one of the tracks dates for a second California date in 2003. Tuesday, the Rock went up on the auction block, with Race car driver, instructor and one time actor Andy Hillenburg placing the winning bid of $4 Million. Hillenburg, who operates the Fastrack Racing School, plans to bring racing back to the Rock. Rumor has it that the Arca/Remax series will run a race at the Rock in the fall of 2008. Hillenburg also intends to pursue other Nascar dates for the track, in the Craftsman Truck Series as well as the Nascar Busch series.
In local action, Spring City Raceway held their $1,000 Limited Late Model event last Saturday with Crossville’s Sam Williams taking home the big check. Following Sam across the line were Ruben Mayfield and Randy Runyon. Crossville’s Chad Pugh won the Front Wheel Drive feature.
This Saturday Wartburg Speedway will run a non points race and also present trophies to the season Champions. Spring city is slated to run their normal race schedule.
Crossville Raceway, which closed in August, this week announced that they will conduct an Open House / Awards Banquet at the track on Thursday October 25, 2007. The gates will open to the public at 5 PM with the Awards presentation to begin at 6:30 PM. The track management is also planning to conduct a drivers / owners meeting before the end of the year to discuss 2008 rules and racing schedule.
