James McFadden (83) passes Buddy Kofoid at Lincoln Speedway.
It’s time for our weekly Friday morning tour of the racing world. From Hot Rounds to the Main Event, here’s what’s on our minds this week.
Hot Laps: Nothing but respect
The fact that Dale Earnhardt Jr. showed up for a press conference to announce that one of his riders had joined another team says a lot about Josh Berry as a person—and Earnhardt, too.
Qualifying: Toyota Man
Anyone who didn’t expect Buddy Kofoid to end up in a 410 sprint drive supported by Toyota Racing Development hasn’t been paying attention for the last four years. With Kofoid’s new teammates James McFadden and Aaron Reutzel, Roth Motorsports is already a winner this season.
Expect more victories with Kofoid aboard the #83jr.
First heat: The meat market
I love the names of some of the races that appear in the SPEEDSPORT.tv weekly program guide.
One thing that got us laughing this week was Tony’s Meat Market Night at Big Diamond Speedway in Pennsylvania. Imagine this: “And they roll into turn three on the last lap, winner is awarded a pound of ribeye steaks and second place is awarded a bologna sandwich. Oh, and these are bone-in ribeye steaks, by the way.”
Second run: Mile Man
Sometimes in our sport we hear that racers lose their nerve at a certain age.
37-year-old American flat track racer Jared Mees has certainly not lost his luck. Mees has won three races in a row on one mile circuits. The latest conquest came at the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds in Illinois last weekend, where Mees claimed his 26th win over a 1.6km course.
Third run: Right turn
CARS Tour Champion Carson Kvapil will make his Trans-Am series debut this weekend at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.
Kvapil will drive the #8 Camaro for Scott Lagasse Jr.’s Team SLR alongside Thad Moffitt and Dylan Machaver in the TA1 class competition.
Fourth run: Electric Avenue
It’s electric. The FIA Formula E World Championship makes its only US appearance of the season this weekend at Portland (Ore.) Int’l Raceway. It’s the ninth trip to the United States for the series, which has made its home in Brooklyn in recent years but previously ran in Miami and Long Beach.
Dash: Stay out of the limelight
Sometimes officials in motorsports, such as stick-and-ball, tend to jump in the middle of good old-fashioned racing and change the narrative of a particular event.
Folks, it’s always best to decide things on the track and not in the tower or the tech trailer.
B Main: Climb this mountain
Racers from around the world have gathered in Colorado Springs, Colorado for the 101st running of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, which will take place Sunday afternoon along the famous 12.42-mile road to the 14,115-foot summit of Pikes Peak. The competition is held in six classes, with practice and qualification taking place throughout the week.
The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is the second oldest race in America after the Indianapolis 500.
Feature: More than a speed week
The 33rd Annual PA Sprint Speedweek features 10 nights of racing over a period of 11 days, beginning Friday night at Williams Grove Speedway and ending July 3 at Port Royal Speedway. Williams Grove, Port Royal and Lincoln Speedway are each two stops on the tour. The June 30 round at Williams Grove features the best payout day with $20,000 for the winner.
Steve Smith won the first Speedweek title in 1991. Fred Rahmer has 13 Speedweek crowns and Brent Marks is the reigning Speedweek champion.
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