www.weeklyracingseries.com
2004 Regional Page
2003 Regional Page

Previous Page   INDEX   Next Page

TOP DIVISION II DRIVERS BATTLE AT I-80 IN NASCAR DODGE WEEKLY SERIES

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (June 7, 2005) – I-80 Speedway at Nebraska Raceway Park attracted the top two drivers in the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Division II point standings this week.

For a second time this season – division leader Chris Spieker headed west to the track in Greenwood, Neb., after Iowa’s Adams County Speedway was rained out on Saturday, June 4. Spieker, of Massena, Iowa, added to his division points lead with a 20^th-place finish in Sunday night’s feature at I-80.

The battle for the win at I-80 featured a typical struggle between brothers – Ed and Joe Kosiski. While Ed won the race, Joe’s runner-up finish was enough to move him from fourth to second in the division standings. The Omaha, Neb., driver trails Spieker by 58 points – 506 to 448.

NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Divisional point standings are calculated using each driver’s best results from any races held at tracks within their division. Adams County Speedway and I-80 Speedway are both in Division II, meaning drivers can race at both tracks and accumulate points towards the title.

Third ranked Travis Sharpe, of North, S.C., closed in on the division lead by scoring his fourth late model victory of the season with a win at North Carolina’s Concord Motorsport Park.

Another driver in the top 10 of Division II who added to his win column this week was Pete Anderson Jr. – who scored his second consecutive victory and his third of the season in the Western Late Model division at his hometown track of Stockton (Calif.) 99 Speedway. Anderson retained eighth in the standings.

DRIVERS GAIN GROUND ON LEADER IN NASCAR DODGE WEEKLY SERIES DIVISION II

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (June 1, 2005) – Drivers on both coasts gained ground on Midwesterner Chris Spieker in NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Division II competition over the Memorial Day Weekend.

Spieker, of Massena, Iowa, continues to lead the division with 474 points – despite being idle over the long weekend.

Eric Richardson, of Bakersfield, Calif., moved from third to second in the standings – with 382 points – after being credited with a 10^th-place finish at his hometown track of Mesa Marin Raceway on Saturday. He had raced in second place behind his cousin and eventual race winner, Brian Richardson, for a majority of the 100-lap late model event – but spun after contact from the third-place car on the final lap.

Travis Sharpe, of North, S.C., climbed from fifth to third in the Division II standings, meanwhile, with 380 points. He also experienced contact on the last lap of his race. Sharpe led much of the late model race at Concord Motorsport Park, but contact from the second-place car left him to slide high on the track and settle for the runner-up spot.

Fourth in the division rundown this week is Joe Kosiski of Omaha, Neb., also with 380 points.

Two drivers in the top 10 of the Division II standings scored wins over the Memorial Day Weekend. Jay Noteboom of Orange City, Iowa, notched his third consecutive win at Park Jefferson Speedway, and Pete Anderson Jr., picked up his second victory of the season on his hometown track of Stockton (Calif.) 99 Speedway. Noteboom moved to fifth in the Division II standings, while Anderson moved to eighth.

For More Information, Contact:

        Jeremy Davidson, NASCAR Public Relations, (386) 681-4173 or jdavidson@nascar.com

NASCAR DODGE WEEKLY SERIES: DIVISION II TOP 10

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 24, 2005) – The race for the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series championship is underway at tracks across North America. The following is a rundown of the top 10 drivers in Division II.

No. 1 – Chris Spieker (Adams County Speedway, Corning, Iowa). Hometown: Massena, Iowa. Points: 474. Previous ranking: 1. Spieker added plenty of points to his total last weekend, after a third-place finish at Adams County Speedway Saturday and a 12^th-place finish at I-80 Speedway on Sunday. The 12^th-place result seems low for this multi-time track champion, however, Spieker was awarded 20 bonus points for the race, helping him expand his lead in the Division II point standings.

No. 2 – Joe Kosiski (I-80 Speedway at Nebraska Raceway Park, Greenwood, Neb.). Hometown: Omaha, Neb. Points: 380. Previous ranking: Not ranked. Kosiski, a former NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series national champion and part owner of I-80 Speedway, jumped to second in this week’s Division II point standings after a seventh-place run at his home track last Sunday.

No. 3 – Eric Richardson (Mesa Marin Raceway, Bakersfield, Calif.). Hometown: Bakersfield, Calif. Points: 340. Previous ranking: 4. Richardson’s two wins highlight a season in which he’s recorded six consecutive top-five finishes at Mesa Marin Raceway. Richardson has his work cut out in the track’s next event, a 100-lap race for NASCAR Late Models May 28.

No. 4 – Jeff Strunk (Grandview Speedway, Bechtelsville, Pa.). Hometown: Bethel, Pa. Points: 328. Previous ranking: 5. While tracks throughout the Northeast were rained out last weekend, Strunk’s home track at Grandview Speedway remained dry and this three-time track champion recorded his fourth top-five finish.

No. 5 – Travis Sharpe (Concord Motorsport Park, Concord, N.C.). Hometown: North, S.C. Points: 322. Previous ranking: 3. Sitting in the shadow of nearby Lowe’s Motor Speedway, Concord Motorsport Park was silent last weekend and Sharpe’s record of three wins and five top-five finishes was not enough to hold his position in the point standings.

No. 6 – Robert Barker (San Antonio Speedway, San Antonio, Tex.). Hometown: Boerne, Tex. Points: 306. Previous ranking: 6. Despite winning his feature event last weekend at San Antonio Speedway, Barker remained in sixth place in the Division II point standings. While he didn’t advance his position in the points, Barker did collect a $1,500 bonus from San Antonio Speedway. Barker brought in $1,000 from the track’s “May Madness” program and an additional $500 for winning the race after he agreed to start in the back of the field.

No. 7 – Jay Noteboom (Park Jefferson Speedway, Jefferson, S.D.). Hometown: Orange City, Iowa. Points: 274. Previous ranking: 8. Noteboom’s second Late Model victory at Park Jefferson Speedway helped him advance to seventh in this week’s Division II point standings.

No. 8 – Stuart Cornick (Watsonville Speedway, Watsonville, Calif.). Hometown: La Selva Beach, Calif. Points: 230. Previous ranking: Not Ranked. One of many new faces on the Division II leaderboard this week, Cornick earned his position after recording his third win in Watsonville’s Super Stock class last Friday.

No. 9 – Greg Hardee (Myrtle Beach Speedway, Myrtle Beach, S.C.). Hometown: Longs, S.C. Points: 228. Previous ranking: 7. Hardee had the weekend off last week and dropped to ninth place in the standings as a result, but returns to action May 28.

No. 10 – Jerry Nichols (Shasta Raceway Park, Anderson, Calif.). Hometown: Anderson, Calif. Points: 224. Previous ranking: Not Ranked. Nichols took the top spot at Shasta Raceway Park last weekend and vaulted to 10^th in the Division II point standings. 

Outside the Top 10: 11. Pete Anderson Jr., Stockton 99 Speedway, Stockton, Calif., 222 points, 12. Stacey Gerken, Lorain Speedway, South Amherst, Ohio, 202 points, 13. Jeremy Lapainis, Edmonton (Alberta) International Raceway, 160 points, 14. Martin Marcoux, Autodrome St. Eustache, St. Eustache, Quebec, 114 points, 15. Eldon King Jr., Holland (N.Y.) International Speedway, 112 points, 16. Pete Vanderywest, Delaware (Ontario) Speedway, 60 points, 17. Mike Leaty, Spencer Speedway, Williamson, N.Y., 60 points.

For More Information, Contact:

        Jeremy Davidson, NASCAR Public Relations, (386) 681-4173 or jdavidson@nascar.com

NASCAR DODGE WEEKLY SERIES CREW MEMBERS TO BE HONORED

IN $20,000 CRAFTSMAN MECHANIC OF THE YEAR CONTEST

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 19, 2005) – The top mechanics in American short track racing will be honored with NASCAR’s annual Craftsman Mechanic of the Year contest.

For the 20th season, crew members who participate in the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series, NASCAR’s national championship program for weekly racing, will “go to the polls” to select the Craftsman Mechanic of the Year.

NASCAR-licensed members can use the ballot that appears in the July issue of NASCAR Insider, the official NASCAR membership publication that appears inside Dick Berggren’s Speedway Illustrated magazine, to vote for the top mechanic in any NASCAR-sanctioned class at any participating NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series track. Members can also participate in the Craftsman Mechanic of the Year contest on NASCARmembers.com, NASCAR's official membership web site.

"It's important to honor the competitors in the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series with the Craftsman Mechanic of the Year award because they get the job done using Craftsman tools,” said Touré Claiborne, director of motorsports for Sears. “They demonstrate each week that Craftsman is tough enough for the most demanding mechanics in the world, under some of the most demanding conditions.  These racers are some of our best customers, and some of our best ambassadors."

Craftsman, the Official Tools of NASCAR, sponsors the award and selection process that offers more than $20,000 in cash awards.

The mechanic receiving the most votes at each individual track becomes that track’s local Craftsman of the Year Award winner. Craftsman rewards that winner with a $100 bonus and a $350 tool credit for the purchase of Craftsman tools.

Using the same vote totals, the local winners with the greatest number of votes in each of the four NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series divisions becomes the divisional Craftsman Mechanic of the Year Award winner. Each of the four divisional award winners receive a $2,000 cash bonus, a 36-inch Craftsman Professional Tool Box including chest and cart valued at $2,500, in addition to the local awards.

The four finalists will be reviewed by a select panel convened by Craftsman and NASCAR, who will determine the 2005 national Craftsman Mechanic of the Year. The national award winner will be announced at the series’ awards banquet in Nashville, Tenn., in November.

Bonus awards for the national Craftsman of the Year award winner have increased to a total of $8,100. The amount includes a $6,000 national award, a $2,000 NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series divisional award, and a $100 local track award.

Craftsman provides travel and accommodations for all four divisional award winners to attend the banquet and receive their honors. The 2005 NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series awards ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, November 5, at the Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville.

QUICK STUDY: SPIEKER ADDS TO NASCAR DODGE WEEKLY SERIES DIVISION II POINT LEAD AT I-80 SPEEDWAY

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 17, 2005) – Chris Spieker is quickly learning to use NASCAR’s new format for the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series to his benefit.

After Iowa’s Adams County Speedway was rained out on Saturday, May 14, Spieker headed West to I-80 Speedway at Nebraska Raceway Park in Greenwood, Neb. In a Sunday night feature at I-80, Spieker recorded a 10^th-place finish and extended his lead over Leon Zeitner, who also races at I-80 Speedway, in the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Division II point standings.

NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Divisional point standings are calculated using each driver’s best results from any races held at tracks within their Division. Adams County Speedway and I-80 Speedway are both in Division II, meaning drivers can race at both tracks and accumulate points towards the title.

At North Carolina’s Concord Motorsport Park, meanwhile, Travis Sharpe and Buster Bennet Jr. have swapped positions with Sharpe taking the third spot in the Division II standings this week. Sharpe, of Park North, S.C., and Bennet, of Monroe, N.C., both have three wins and identical point totals (322), but Sharpe has recorded better race finishes on two other occasions, giving him the advantage this week under NASCAR’s tie-breaking policy.

While Spieker, Zeitner, Sharpe and Bennett jostle for Division II bragging rights, another driver is boldly charging up from the bottom of the leaderboard. Jeff Strunk, a three-time track champion at Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsville, Pa., jumped six positions to fifth place in this week’s Division II point standings. Strunk, of Bethel, Pa., finished seventh in last Saturday’s Dirt Modified race at Grandview, but was awarded 20 bonus points under NASCAR’s format for providing extra points for drivers in larger (i.e. more competitive) fields of cars.

Twenty-nine Dirt Modified teams competed at Grandview last weekend, giving Strunk a real run for his money and a healthy portion of NASCAR bonus points in the process. Strunk’s 58 divisional points (38 points for seventh-place finish plus 20 bonus points) helped him become the biggest mover in this week’s standings.

NEW FORMAT, FAMILIAR FACES: CHRIS SPIEKER LEADS NASCAR DODGE WEEKLY SERIES DIVISION II STANDINGS

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 10, 2005) – The NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series began the 2005 season with a new format for its annual championship race and one perennial title contender has emerged on top of the point standings as the season gets underway.

Chris Spieker, a two-time Adams County Speedway track champion from Massena, Iowa, leads the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Division II standings with 318 points. Spieker, who has recorded one win and four top-five finishes in his first five starts at Adams County, leads Concord (N.C.) Motorsport Park driver Buster Bennet Jr. by a 30-point margin in the Division II standings.

Bennet, of Monroe, N.C., is within striking distance of Spieker’s lead but just four points in front of third-ranked Eric Richardson, who competes at Mesa Marin Raceway in Bakersfield, Calif.

The NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series championship will be decided under a new format in 2005, in which drivers receive points for each feature event they compete in, in each track’s top class. Drivers can earn 50 points for a win, 48 points for second place, 46 for third place and so on. In addition, bonus points are awarded to drivers with a greater number of cars in the field at their home track. Drivers who compete in a race with between 15-20 cars receive 10 bonus points each, while drivers competing in fields of 21 or more cars receive 20 bonus points each.

Participating tracks are grouped into four divisions, which are not based on geography and contain 15-17 tracks each. Divisional points will be tallied until the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series season concludes Sept. 18 and the driver with the highest point total in the division wins the divisional championship. Each of the four divisional champions can collect a $25,000 bonus for the title.

Division II is also home to the series’ three Canadian race tracks, represented in the Division II point standings by Jonathan Bouvrette and Jeremy Lapainis, who are ranked 13^th and 14^th this week.

EDMONTON INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY JOINS NASCAR DODGE WEEKLY SERIES

EDMONTON, Alberta, Canada (April 22, 2005) – Edmonton International Raceway, a quarter-mile (0.40225 km) asphalt oval located in Wetaskiwin, Alberta, Canada, has joined the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series for the 2005 racing season. Edmonton becomes the third Canadian race track to join NASCAR, following Delaware Speedway in Ontario and Autodrome St. Eustache in Quebec, which both joined the series in 2004.

"As we grow NASCAR's international racing programs, the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series has proven to be an excellent fit for our partners in Canada," said Richard Buck, NASCAR Director of Racing Development, Canada. "Edmonton International Raceway is another great addition to the series and we could not be more pleased to add this facility to the NASCAR lineup. Teams and drivers at Edmonton will soon be racing for their first NASCAR championship, and we welcome them to the NASCAR family."

Edmonton International Raceway is one of nine oval tracks in the province of Alberta. The track is located 30 miles (48.2 km) from Edmonton, the sixth-largest city in Canada. The track hosts 10 different racing divisions on Saturday nights. Edmonton’s Late Model class will be NASCAR-sanctioned in 2005, and its drivers will be eligible for the $25,000 (U.S.) NASCAR divisional championship. A total of $1.7 million (U.S.) in point fund awards is distributed to NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series competitors annually.

Beginning in 2005, NASCAR has created a new format for the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series. Tracks are grouped into one of four divisions – Division I, Division II, Division III and Division IV. Drivers compete for a divisional championship by accumulating championship points at events held at tracks within each division.

Edmonton will be placed in Division II, which also includes Adams County Speedway in Corning, Iowa, Autodrome St. Eustache, Concord Motorsport Park in Concord, N.C., Delaware Speedway, Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsville, Pa., Holland International Speedway in Holland, N.Y., I-80 Speedway in Greenwood, Neb., Lee USA Speedway in Lee, N.H., Lorain Speedway in South Amherst, Ohio, Mesa Marin Raceway in Bakersfield, Calif., Myrtle Beach Speedway in Myrtle Beach, S.C., Park Jefferson Speedway in Jefferson, S.D., San Antonio Speedway in San Antonio, Texas, Shasta Raceway Park in Anderson, Calif., Spencer Speedway in Williamson, N.Y., Stockton 99 Speedway in Stockton, Calif. and Watsonville Speedway in Watsonville, Calif.

In 2004, NASCAR announced a multi-year operational and marketing agreement with the Canadian Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (CASCAR). NASCAR has also formed NASCAR Canada, a partnership with TSN that established a Canadian base of operation in Toronto, as well as NASCAR Mexico, based in Mexico City.  These new offices support local racing and extend the marketing of the sport to borders north and south of the U.S.

NASCAR is the top-rated motorsport on Canadian television, and TSN is the most preferred viewing destination.  The Canadian fan base is six million strong with Canadians considered among the most passionate NASCAR fans, according to the 2004 Ipsos-Insight NASCAR Canada Brand Tracker Survey. A significant number of Canadians have attended a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race.

Ø                   A history of NASCAR racing in Canada … NASCAR’s premier series, known today as the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, has held two events in Canada. The first was on July 1, 1952 in Stamford Park at Niagara Falls, Ont. Buddy Shuman won the event in a Hudson Hornet. The second race was run at the Canadian National Exhibition Speedway in Toronto. Lee Petty won the race in an Oldsmobile. This race was Richard Petty’s first race in NASCAR’s premier series.

Some Canadian drivers who have participated in NASCAR races include Earl Ross, the 1974 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Rookie of the Year and Roy Smith, a four-time NASCAR Grand National Division, West Series champion. Dick Foley from Montreal also raced in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series and competed in the first Daytona 500. In the 1950s, Norman Schihl raced in the old NASCAR Convertible Division.

Autodrome St. Eustache owner Claude Aubin is a popular racing figure in Quebec and also a familiar figure in the history of NASCAR. Aubin was the NASCAR North Series champion in 1978 and raced at traditional NASCAR venues including Martinsville and Daytona during his driving career.

Canadian tracks held races in most NASCAR divisions (hobby, sportsman and modifieds) going back to the 1950’s.  Tracks such as Bouvrette Speedway in St. Jerome, Que., Drummondville Speedway and Riverside Speedway in Montreal, Fury Speedway in Fabreville have held NASCAR sanctions in the past.  The West Series has raced at Western Speedway in Victoria, B.C., Westwood Speedway in Vancouver, B.C. and Langley Speedway in Langley, B.C.

For More Information, Contact:

      Jeremy Davidson, NASCAR Public Relations, (386) 681-4173 or jdavidson@nascar.com

      Loretta Thiering, Edmonton International Raceway, (780) 467-9276 or speedway@telusplanet.net.

NASCAR DRIVERS PRAISE NEW NASCAR DODGE WEEKLY SERIES FORMAT

Former Weekly Series champions Bowyer, Labonte, Christopher and Wertz speak out on changes

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 18, 2005) – NASCAR has announced a new format for the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series, which will now feature a traditional championship point system to determine four divisional champions and the overall national champion. The points format, in which drivers will be awarded 50 points for a win, 48 points for second place, 46 for third place and so on, replaces the 15-year-old Competition Performance Index (CPI), which ranked drivers and determined the championships via a statistical index.

Another significant change to the format is that a driver’s best 16 finishes will be counted towards the divisional and national championships. Previously, drivers needed a minimum of 18 starts to be eligible for the championship, and all of their results were counted. Drivers will also receive bonus points for competing at tracks with a greater number of cars in the field, rewarding those drivers who race at NASCAR’s most competitive weekly short tracks.

Prior to the Hershey’s Take 5 “300” NASCAR Busch Series race at Daytona International Speedway, NASCAR Busch Series drivers Clint Bowyer (No. 2 ACDelco Chevrolet) and Justin Labonte (No. 44 Coast Guard Chevrolet), both graduates of the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series, shared their views on the new system.

“The Weekly Series is a great stepping stone for any racer with aspirations to go on [to NASCAR’s national series],” said Bowyer, a former Lakeside Speedway (Kansas City, Kan.) track champion and 2002 NASCAR Midwest Regional champion. “I felt like I was ready when I moved up [to the NASCAR Busch Series]. And I was prepared when I got there.

“I think the new system is going to be good. I think a lot more will become of it, and it’s going to be a lot harder, that’s for sure.”

Labonte, son of NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series veteran Terry Labonte (No. 44 Kellogg’s Corn Flakes Chevrolet), raced a limited NASCAR Busch Series schedule in 1999-2000 but never cracked the top five in 22 starts during that period. He gave his career a fresh start by returning to his racing roots in 2003.

“If it wasn’t for short track racing, I definitely wouldn’t be here,” said Labonte, who won the Caraway Speedway Late Model track championship in 2003. “I went back to Caraway and started all over again. I learned a lot and it helped attract the Coast Guard to sponsor me, even today. They were really paying attention in how I was running at the local level, and it helped a lot.”

Since returning to the NASCAR Busch Series, Labonte recorded his first victory at Chicagoland Speedway and finished a career-high 35^th in the point standings last season.

“I was never really smart enough to figure out the CPI thing,” Labonte quipped. “So, it’s kind of cool to see that they’re changing it. It looks like a really neat deal with all of the different divisions.”

Labonte and Bowyer’s sentiments were echoed by two of the top drivers in the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series today. Mark Wertz, of Virginia Beach, Va., is a two-time NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series regional champion from Langley Speedway in Hampton, Va.

Ted Christopher, of Plainville, Conn., was the 2001 NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series national champion and remains a formidable competitor at NASCAR tracks throughout the Northeast. Wertz and Christopher joined Bowyer and Labonte on stage at the Daytona International Speedway media center, to discuss NASCAR’s new format for the Weekly Series.

“In 2003, when we realized we had a shot at winning the region, I really made myself a math professor and figured out the CPI Index,” said Wertz. “Last year, I had it down to a tee. We had it down pretty good but it was very intense. This year’s new formula looks a whole lot easier and it’ll be easier to keep track of.”

Christopher, who also competes on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, said the old system was tough to figure out, even for a championship-winning driver.

“I can remember when we won the national championship, we weren’t even on the radar screen because we didn’t have the track points lead,” said Christopher. “Back then, you could have won tons of races, but if you weren’t leading the track points you couldn’t lead the region. We ended up getting into the lead right at the end. I never paid attention to it because my job was to win races.”

Wertz and Christopher applauded NASCAR for the changes, citing the flexibility to race at more than one track, and the bonus points applied to the most competitive tracks.

“The thing that’s really neat is, maybe I can shoot for a Friday night race, or if we rain out on Saturday we can go and race somewhere on Sunday,” said Wertz. “We can jump in another car and go do that. We’ll definitely look at that. As far as doing anything different, the only thing you’ve got to do is drive your car to win. That’s how we’re going to approach this season.

“You don’t want to go to a track with just 10 cars,” said Wertz. “You’re going to hunt for the tracks with the biggest car counts. This whole program will draw more attention because people will start noticing the drivers who are looking for competition.

“If you’re going to beat that competition, you’ll get more credit instead of just staying at your home track and beating the same cars every week,” said Wertz. “Now that there are other tracks in our division where I can race and still get points, it’ll be nice to go there and race instead of being relegated to one track.”

NASCAR Vice President Jim Hunter said the new format will encourage close racing. “We designed this system to reward the drivers who compete at tracks where the competition is toughest, and not where it’s weakest,” said Hunter.