NOVEMBER NEWS
Miami Race
By: Wayne
Auton
"It's hard to believe that we just have one race
to go in the 2009 season. This year heading into
the season finale we'll know one thing, Ron
Hornaday Jr. is the champion. Hornaday was able
to lock up his record fourth title last week at
Phoenix which was pretty cool to see. His third
title in 2007 tied him with Jack Sprague for the
most in the series. It's amazing to see Hornaday
become the series' first four-time champion.
"Even though we have the
driver champion squared away, the owners' title
is still up for grabs. Kyle Busch has had an
incredible run in the #51 Toyota for Billy
Ballew Motorsports. That team is only 60 points
behind the #33 KHI Chevy team and DeLana
Harvick. Those two teams are going to be
fighting hard to bring that title home. After
all, the two titles have never gone to two
different teams. In the series' 15-year history,
it has always belonged to the driver champion
team.
"Racing at this 1.5-mile
track will show off some side-by-side and
three-wide racing. The trucks will carry high
speeds down the straightaways and through the
turns. It's been a great season. We've
seen Hornaday set and break records as well as
new drivers like Brian Scott, Colin Braun and
Timothy Peters notch their first wins.
Most of the teams will be looking forward to the
upcoming holidays and some time off. But by
about two weeks into the off season, everyone
will be ready to get back to racing.
"So as they say, anything can
happen and at Homestead, the unexpected always
seems to happen. What is guaranteed is a great
show for the South Florida fans that will pack
the stands and for those watching on SPEED,
they'll get to see these trucks race under the
lights one last time for 2009."
Owners' Title Still
On Line As Trucks Roll To Miami
Ron
Hornaday Jr. might have clinched his fourth
series title at Phoenix but one thing's left on
the table for the season finale this weekend at
Homestead-Miami. For the first time in the
series' 15-year history, the coveted owners'
championship remains undecided.
Billy Ballew Motorsports' #51
Miccosukee Resorts/Graceway Pharmaceuticals
Toyota, piloted this season in 15 events by Kyle
Busch, is only 60 points behind the #33 VFW
Chevy owned by DeLana Harvick. Busch has
collected seven wins, five of those coming in
his last six starts.
"I can't close the gap, I've
got to take that gap," said Busch. "Hornaday is
going to go and try to win the race. They've got
the driver's championship locked up, so if they
go out there and try to win the race and are
successful at that, then we can't catch them.
But if they go out there and have problems,
whether it's a wreck or engine or a tire – it
could be anything. It's going to be hard to do,
but hopefully we can battle it out and have a
good, strong run and see if we can't beat them."
"It's not over by far," said
Hornaday. "We're racing Kyle (Busch) for the
owners' points, that's the true goal. That
shows how great our team is. We're going to do
everything we can to hold him off down at
Miami."
Should Ballew win, it would
be the first NASCAR championship for the owner.
The title would be the second for Kevin Harvick
Inc. owners Kevin and DeLana Harvick with
Hornaday.
Hornaday making 250th start; magic # for Owner's
Championship - 9th
Ron
Hornaday is arguably the most recognizable
driver in the Truck Series. When he climbs
behind the wheel of the #33 Longhorn Kevin
Harvick Inc. Chevrolet this weekend at
Homestead-Miami Speedway, he will make his 250th
career Truck Series start. DeLana Harvick left
Phoenix 60 points ahead of Billy Ballew and the
#51 truck for the 2009 NASCAR Camping World
Truck Series Owner's championship. Hornaday's
magic number this weekend at Homestead-Miami
Speedway is ninth. No matter what Kyle Busch
does if the #33 team can finish in the ninth
position [or better] they will win the Owner's
championship for Kevin and DeLana Harvick.
Sad News
Richard "Dick" Mysliwiec, lifetime resident of
Grand Rapids, "won the feature race"after 82
years, Friday night, November 13, at his home,
surrounded by the love and appreciation of his
family. He was also the promoter of
Berlin Raceway, which he ran with brothers Chet
and Chuck for 50 years. Visitation will be held
at St. Anthony of Padua Church, 2510 Richmond
St., NW, on Sunday, from 6 to 8 p.m. and Monday,
5 to 8 p.m. with a Vigil service at 7 p.m. Mass
of Christan Burial will be celebrated on
Tuesday, November 17 at 11 a.m., Reverend
Richard Host, Celebrant. Interment will be at
Resurrection Cemetery.
Complete Obit
Harvick wins race; Hornaday clinches
championship
Great
night for Kevin Harvick Inc. as following a
green-white-checkered restart, that ultimately
concluded under caution, #4-Kevin Harvick held
off second place finisher #51-Kyle Busch to win
the Lucas Oil 150 at Phoenix Int'l Raceway; his
fifth victory in 100 NASCAR Camping World Truck
Series races.
This is Harvick's second victory and fifth
top-10 finish in 2009. #33-Ron Hornaday Jr.
clinched the 2009 Camping World Truck Series
championship with his fourth place finish.
Rounding out the top ten were; #15-Aric Almirola,
#33-Ron Hornaday Jr., #13-Johnny Sauter, #5-Mike
Skinner, #25-Mike Bliss, #88-Matt Crafton,
#24-David Starr, #60-Stacy Compton. There were 5
lead changes among 4 drivers, with 7 caution
flags for 26 laps.
Hornaday wins
2009 Driver Point Standings
#33-Ron
Hornaday Jr. retook the points lead following
Milwaukee in late June and never looked back.
Hornaday with 3,815 points now stands 215 points
ahead of second place #88 Matt Crafton and has
clinched the 2009 Championship. This is
Hornaday's fourth Truck Series Championship.
Rounding out the top ten in points are; #5-Mike
Skinner, #30-Todd Bodine, #16-Brian Scott,
#6-Colin Bruan, #24-David Starr, #17-Timothy
Peters, #14-Rick Crawford.
Eddie Sharp Racing To Continue Winning
Legacy In 2010 With New Faces
Eddie Sharp Racing dominated the 2009 ARCA RE/MAX Series
season, earning the championship with second year driver
Justin Lofton. Throughout the season, Lofton, behind the
wheel of the No. 6 ESR prepared Toyota, scored five pole
awards, six race wins, 15 top-five and 19 top-10
finishes spanning the season's 21 events.
The question now is, who will carry on the
tradition? 23-year-old Lofton, in addition
to his crew chief Mark Rette, who earned the
Cometic Crew Chief of the Year award in 2009,
will be moving to NASCAR Camping World Truck
Series competition leaving the
championship-winning ride vacant. "As much
as I hate to see either one of them go, it's
what we do. It's what motivates me to not only
take on the challenge of helping these drivers
move on, but to put together an entire team
worth of people. It's motivating and it's a
positive thing. It shows the caliber of people
that come here," Sharp said.
Regardless of who has come and gone over the
last few seasons, one thing has remained the
same, the top competition bred from within the
Eddie Sharp Racing race shop. Since its
inception in 2005, the Denver, North
Carolina-based ESR organization has set itself
apart from the competition by becoming the place
for up and coming talent.
Though he makes it looks easy these days as he
leads his three-car stable, car owner
Sharp's rise within motorsports was at times
daunting. Rather than taking on a four-wheeled
speed demon for his introduction, Sharp took a
different route, that by the way of water,
racing hydroplane boats in his native Florida.
It wasn't long however before Sharp ventured
into the cockpit of a stock car and his career
followed the familiar racing path into North
Carolina. In 1993, Sharp made his NASCAR debut,
running two races in what was then known as the
Busch Series.
With Ken Schrader and Johnny Benson as
mentors, Sharp then started his own team in the
American Speed Association, a short track
division that bred racers such as Benson, Mark
Martin and Rusty Wallace. For
complete Story -
click here.
Sad News
Mr. Roger V. Bradley, aged 90, formerly of
Marne, passed away peacefully at his home
Wednesday, November 11, 2009. Roger was preceded
in death by his wife, Dorothea and son, Chris.
He is survived by his wife, Vivian; children,
Elaine (Larry) Swanson, Scott (Nancy) Bradley,
and Meredith Bradley; grandchildren, Robin
(Todd) Barker, Rebecca (Brian) Cisek, Benjamin
Bradley, Jessica Bradley, and Joel Bradley;
great grandchildren, Mason and Hayden Barker;
stepchildren, Nancy (Ron) Williams, Bob (Dorrie)
Friederich, and Laurie (Scott) Wally; several
step grandchildren and great grandchildren;
brother, Floyd (Mary) Bradley; sisters, Florence
Anderson, Eleanor Poelstra, Ardith (Dick)
Lindgren, and Esther (Don) Anderson; and many
nieces and nephews. Funeral Services Saturday
11:00 a.m. at the Marne United Methodist Church.
Rev. Patricia Brook officiating. Burial Rosedale
Memorial Park. Visitation Friday 2:00 to 4:00
and 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Throop Funeral Home
Coopersville and Saturday one hour prior to the
service at Church. Memorials to the Chris
Bradley Memorial Fund c/o Coopersville Area
Foundation, P.O. Box 205, Coopersville, MI
49404. An online guest book may be signed at
www.throopfh.com. Throop-Coopersville
837-8161
www.throopfh.com
Congratulations!
The JBFC would like to congratulate the family
of Eddie Vanderlaan on his induction into the
Berlin Raceway Hall of Fame. Wife - Donna,
Son - Doug and daughters Sheryl and Darla.
Eddie was inducted along with his brother,
Gordon and nephew, Bruce Vanderlaan.
Sheryl is a
long time supporter of the JBFC. Besides
stuffing and sealing envelopes, picking up mail,
etc - she gave up her recliner when Johnny got
hurt this summer!
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A look back at the purple #17
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Bruce, Gordy, Sheryl and
Eddie
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Chuck and Sheryl with the
plaques
Congratulations, Sheryl!
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Up Next - Phoenix
The NASCAR Camping
World Truck Series returns to the track where it
all began in 1995 for the next-to-final race of
the season. The Lucas Oil 150 marks the 19th
time the series has visited Phoenix
International Raceway.
Last year's race saw both
championship contenders — Ron Hornaday Jr. and
Johnny Benson — involved in accidents.
When the checkered flag finally waved, the pair
went to the season finale separated by just
three points.
Kevin Harvick (#4 Chevy) is
the defending winner of the Lucas Oil 150.
Harvick bids to become the series' first
four-time winner at Phoenix International
Raceway. Five drivers have posted multiple
wins at Phoenix. Three — Harvick, Hornaday and
Mike Skinner — will compete in this year's race.
The 2009 Annual Driver’s Banquet Honors the Best
of Berlin Raceway
Berlin Raceway’s
Driver’s Awards Banquet was held on Friday night
at the Pinnacle Center in Hudsonville.
Champions were crowned, accomplishments were
awarded and four were inducted in to the Hall of
Fame.
The evening started out with the
Hall of Fame induction of Gordon VanderLaan,
Eddie VanderLaan and Bruce VanderLaan, each
representing Berlin Raceway at every stage of
its evolution. Track Historian Dick Lee was also
inducted in to the Hall of Fame.
It was then time to honor the
champions of each division. Ross Meeuwsen, of
Zeeland, was named Coors Light Late Model
Champion for the second year in a row after
winning 3 races and posting 10 top 5's and 11
top 10's. Wyoming’s Ray VanAllsburg won 1 race
and scored 9 top 5's, 13 top 10's on his way to
his first-ever Engine Pro Super Stock
championship; his previous best finishes in the
division was third twice. Brian Tillema, of
Byron Center, continued his domination of the
Kerkstra Services Pro Stock division by winning
three championships in a row; he accomplished
that feat by claiming 2 wins, 14 top 5's, 15 top
10's. The Burnips Equipment 4-Cylinder
Champion, Dan Reimersma of Ada, gave a new
definition of domination in that division,
posting 5 wins, 10 top 5's, 12 top 10's, 7 fast
times and only one finish outside of top 10.
Finally, the first female series champion was
recognized in the new Young Gun division; Kelsey
Steele of Coopersville took top honors with 2
wins and 5 fast times on the season.
The top 12 in each division were
also awarded point-fund monies and trophies in
the ceremony hosted by one of the track’s public
address announcers, Matt McKenzie and it
included several videos and still pictures set
to music to capture the scenes and excited that
was the 2009 racing season at Berlin Raceway.
Complete Story
Busch wins at Texas
#51-Kyle Busch
held off a hard-charging #88-Matt Crafton to win
the WinStar World Casino 350 at Texas Motor
Speedway. This is the fifth consecutive win in
races run by Busch this season; his seventh this
season, his first win in a truck at Texas.
Crafton finished second. Rounding out the top
ten were #33-Ron Hornaday Jr., #30-Todd Bodine,
#6-Colin Braun, #13-Johnny Sauter, #16-Brian
Scott, #5-Mike Skinner, #24-David Starr,
#14-Rick Crawford. There were 10 lead changes
among 7 drivers with 3 caution flags for 14
laps.
Battle For Owner's Points
Despite finishing
17th in the Mountain Dew 250 fueled by Fred's at
Talladega Superspeedway, Ron Hornaday Jr. (#33
VFW Chevrolet) continues to sit on a
comfortable, 202-point lead over Matt Crafton
(#88 Menards Chevrolet) with three races
remaining in the 2009 season. But
Hornaday, along with team owners Kevin and
DeLana Harvick, are casting anxious looks over
their collective shoulders.
Kyle Busch's (#51 Miccosukee
Resort/Graceway Pharmaceuticals Toyota) sixth
victory of the season cut Kevin Harvick Inc.'s
lead in the coveted series owners' championship
to just 100 points. Busch has been red-hot
since ending Hornaday's five-race victory streak
at Bristol Motor Speedway on Aug. 19. In fact,
Busch hasn't lost in two months, going
four-for-four in races entered with the Billy
Ballew Motorsports team.
"(Matt) Crafton isn't our
worry," said Hornaday, who is on the verge of
locking up a record fourth championship. "We are
worried about the #51 (Busch). He is fighting
for the owners' points, and he's the guy we're
racing, too."
For Hornaday and the Harvicks,
this week's WinStar World Casino 350 couldn't
come at a better time. Hornaday is the defending
winner of the race. He also won the 1.5-mile
track's spring race in 2008. Busch
finished second to Hornaday in both of last
year's TMS races. "Texas has really become a
great place for us the last two years," said
Hornaday. "I used to struggle at Texas, but
(crew chief) Rick Ren and the #33 guys have
really gotten a good setup for the truck."
Hornaday finished 19th at Texas in June after
leading 52 laps. "I'm excited to go back
and try to get the finish we left there in the
spring," he said.
The Ballew team, it should be
noted, is peaking. It celebrated its first
one-two finish at Talladega with Aric Almirola
(#15 Graceway Toyota) as the runner-up. "Is it
(a championship) possible? Yes, but it might not
be probable," said Ballew, a 14-season series
team owner. "We'll give it our best effort and
see where it shakes out."
Up Next - Texas
The NASCAR Camping
World Truck Series heads back to Texas Motor
Speedway for the second time this season on Nov.
6. The 1.5-mile track has hosted the series a
record 23 times (Martinsville has 22), and twice
a season for the last 11 years.
In June, Todd Bodine moved
into sole possession of the most TMS victories
with five when he beat Matt Crafton (#88
Menards Chevy) by 1.321 seconds in the
167-lap race. Crafton left the race with the
points lead. Bodine's Germain
Racing team also leads all teams with
five victories.
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