Thru Noggles Goggles .::. October 3rd

Thru Noggles Goggles — 03 October 2012

“National Speed Sport News” reports on the funeral services of its founder:

The family and friends of Chris Economaki were joined by heavy hitters from the motorsports industry Tuesday morning at the Nativity Church here, paying their final respects to the Dean of American Motorsports Journalism. Economaki, who was well known for his more than 60 years as editor of “National Speed Sport News” and for his decades of work on television with ABC, CBS and ESPN, died Sept. 28 at age 91.

With four-time Indianapolis 500 winner A.J. Foyt among the pallbearers, Economaki was celebrated with a Catholic Mass presided over by longtime open-wheel racing supporter Father Phil DeRea.

The ceremony concluded with Ken Squier, a colleague of Economaki during his days working races on CBS, and a longtime friend of the family, presenting a Eulogy that not only recognized Economaki’s role in the motorsports and journalism role, but provided moments of levity with the telling of two of Economaki’s funnier stories. In the end, Squier said Economaki “not only knew what the readers wanted, but he could tell the readers why it was important to them.”

And it was important to many in the industry to pay their final respects. IndyCar and Nascar team owner Roger Penske was on hand as was his longtime employee Walt Czarnecki. Drivers David Donohue, Skip Barber and Drew Fornoro (and his wife Anne) were among those in attendance while Pocono Raceway’s Rose Mattioli, New Hampshire Motor Speedway President Jerry Gappens, Rockingham Dragway owner Steve Earwood and IndyCar’s Steve Shunk were also on hand.

Mario Andretti and team owner Rob Dyson were among those who paid their respects on Monday evening. The guests were greeted by Economaki’s daughters, Corinne and Tina.

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Attention Collectors:

Good news. This ad came states that in recent months, 1/18 scale models have become hot items once again. Wow, maybe my 32 1/18th scale model roadsters are in vogue after all !!

Collectors are excited that Replicarz has resurrected and upgraded the old Carousel 1 die cast tooling and announced some great new models for this year and beyond. They also presented us with all new resin models of the Brawner Hawk and the soon to be released Marmon Wasp. Spark Model’s beautiful 1/18 scale resin models continue to sell out almost before they arrive.

Minichamps occasionally delivers gems like the Jaguar XKR GT3 that arrived here last month. Their 2011 Formula One releases are stunning. And the new Hot Wheels Elite Ferrari 458 Italia is impressive (3 versions in stock). AutoArt’s Jaguar E-Type Roadsters and beautiful new Alfa Romeos – the 1967 33 Stradae Prototype (one left at the pre-release price) and the TZ2 – have been well received.

And we’re just getting started. Late September saw the arrival of the first of two long-awaited 1/18 Martini Porsche 936/77 diecasts from TSM, the #3 Ickx / Pescarolo machine, along with a pair of LeMans winners in resin from Spark – the 1968 #9 Gulf Ford GT40 and 1986 #1 Rothman’s Porsche 962C. The Ford GTs disappeared in a heartbeat, as did nearly all of the Porsche 962Cs and 936/77s.

In the next 4-6 weeks, we expect the arrival of these new 1/18 models. You can order by clicking on the links:

TSM Model

#4 MARTINI PORSCHE 936/77 – 1977 LeMANS WINNER

$188.00 – Order HERE

Replicarz

#31 BOBBY MARSHMAN – HOOVER MTR. EXP. LAYDOWN ROADSTER

1961 INDIANAPOLIS 500

$149.99 – Order HERE

Replicarz

#1 JIMMY BRYAN – BELOND SPECIAL LAYDOWN ROADSTER

1958 INDIANAPOLIS WINNER

$149.99 – Order HERE

TSM Model

#5 JACKIE STEWART – TYRRELL FORD 006 – 1973 WORLD CHAMPION

$140.00 – Order HERE

Looking out a few months, we’ve received notice from Spark that three significant 1/18 resin replicas will be released around the end of the year. As always with 1/18 Spark models, supplies are limited and advance orders are strongly recommended – especially for the Jim Clark Lotus.

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For the seventh straight year, the RaceFanNetwork will produce live audio and video streaming of the “2012 RoboPong 200 Presented by Bridgestone” from the New Castle Motorsports Park, the weekend of October 13th & 14th.

A sixty minute Qualifying Wrap-Up show is planned on Saturday from 5:30 – 6:30pm Eastern with Sunday’s flag-to-flag coverage of the the 4-hour+, 200 mile event, anchored by RaceFanRadio’s Charlie Brown, Greg Wright and Indy 500 veteran driver Alex Lloydplus numerous guest appearances from the drivers and personalities who are scheduled to attend. The race day broadcast will launch at Noon Eastern on Sunday with a sixty minute pre-race special.Follow us on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/RoboPong200

Latest Details at: New Castle Motorsports Park

“This is one of the coolest karting races in the country and we’re proud to be a part of it for the seventh straight year,” says Charlie Brown, founder of the only music and motorsports radio station of its kind. “Fans get to see some of the best karters in the country compete with top names from IndyCar, Indy Lights and numerous other series…it’s the Rolex 24 of karting!”

Drivers scheduled to compete from the IndyCar Series include: 2009 RoboPong Winner Ed Carpenter and 2010 RoboPong Winner / 2006 Indy Lights Champion Jay Howard plus current IndyCar driver Josef Newgarden and Firestone Indy Lights driver James Davison. There will be numerous interesting team combination’s including 2008 RoboPong Winner Billy Lewis as well as karting champs Jacob Knueven, Shinya Michimi, Kevin Martz and the “World Record Holder of the Most Miles Completed by a Single Kart Racer in 24 Hours”, Trey Shannon as well over 50 multi-driver teams competing for the Dan WheldonCup and $10,000.00 First Prize.he RaceFanNetwork and RaceFanRadio.com have been producing live event broadcasts for the last eight seasons as well as content for the WKA, Rotax, CKI, USAC, IndyCar, Intercontinental Trophy Cup Series, National Speed Sport News, the Performance Racing Industry Show and various motorsports series since it logged on in June of 2006. With live on-site promotion and production plus in-studio live and pre-produced shows, the only “music and motorsports 24/7” station of its kind features unique sound bytes from over 500 drivers, fans and motorsports personalities.

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Alley Talk:

Only a 400 miler for Pocono? It is more like the Triple Crown is now a double and three quarter crown. (In twitterese would that be the 2TQ Crown?)

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Hope to see you at the Jungle Park reunion on Saturday, October 13th. You bring the beer and I’ll have the sandwiches. Got a new story to tell you about the old grandstand there.

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How about that total amount raised for Jeff Bloom? Unbelievable. Congratulations Race Chasers !!! Barry and Jon, you’ve created a wonderful thing here and filled a void for us You are to be commended by the race gods.

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Interesting Fact (another in a series): Three-time Indy 500 starter Ray Crawford (23rd/1955 and 1959) is the only person to complete the entire 12 hours of Sebring without a co-driver. The sanctioning body of the American Automobile Association gave him special permission in 1955.

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The United States Auto Club has this announcement:

Race fans can access a FREE review of the September 22 “4-Crown Nationals” USAC event from Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio through usacracing.tv now through Thursday at 5pm. The event can be viewed free of charge by registering on USAC’s website at www.usacracing.tv/usac_live.cml?cmd=register.

Covered are the USAC Traxxas Silver Crown Championship, USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car and USAC Mopar National Midget races at the half-mile dirt oval. Three different drivers resulted in victories in the feature events.

“We hope USAC fans enjoy this FREEVIEW of the always exciting 4-Crown Nationals from Eldora Speedway, states USAC Executive Director James Spink. “Our partners at IMAVEX have worked hard on developing this new media platform for our drivers, crew members, sponsors and fans, and this FREEVIEW is a great way to show case the exciting new platform.

The event marked the 31st annual running of one of America’s most spectacular racing weekends and comes on the heels of Kyle Larson’s sweep of last year’s event.

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Memorable Quote: “Open wheel cars are much more difficult to master than stock cars.” Chris Economaki.

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Didja know that there have been 745 drivers to start the Indianapolis 500 through the 2013 event? ***********************************************************************

Eric Bunn of the United States Speed Association sends TNG these four Press Releases:

The Mel Kenyon Midget Series Championship is on the Line October 6. When the Mel Kenyon Midget Series competitors line up for qualifying at Anderson Speedway on Saturday October 6, it will be knives, forks and spoons between series point leader Travis Young and runner-up Dameron Taylor. Every time the two drivers hit the track they will be seeking a point advantage over each other. Young leads Taylor by a scant 39 championship points.

The two drivers have been trading points for the entire season. Both Young and Taylor have earned points for winning races, setting fast time, finishing well in their heat races and leading laps. USSA’s point system re-wards drivers for performing well in all facets of the event allowing both drivers to take advantage of the point distribution.

“I have a bigger point lead than I thought I would three races ago. The dirt races went better than I thought they would,” said point leader Young. Young won his first dirt race on August 25th while Taylor was making his first ever starts on dirt at US 24 Speedway. Young and Taylor each performed better than projected to pull away from Jessica Bean and Cordy Horn in third and fourth spots respectively. Young described his feelings going into the October 6 Anderson Speedway race, “I’m excited for the final race. I know what I have to do so as long as I keep my nose clean and don’t have any mechanical problems we should be fine. The last race is going to be tough. I’m going to come to Anderson with a shot and will battle to the checkered flag. There will be tons of excitement,” Taylor said in assessing his title chances.

Young has already clinched the Mel Kenyon Midget Series Indianapolis Speedrome Challenge title and Taylor has wrapped up the Simpson World Indy Rookie of the Year award for 2012. Bean and Horn are separated by just 24 points in the race for third spot in Mel Kenyon Midget Series points. Their battle is just as fierce as Young’s and Taylor’s, making each part of the Anderson race important to them as well. During the series last visit to Anderson Speedway on May 23, the two drivers tangled exiting turn 4 while racing for position.

2012 USSA Racing Schedule

Mel Kenyon Midget Series

April 21 Saturday Indianapolis, IN Nick Hamilton

April 29 Sunday Anderson, IN Nick Hamilton

May 12 Saturday Indianapolis, IN Travis Young

May 23 Wednesday Anderson, IN Dameron Taylor

May 25* Friday Indianapolis, IN Travis Young

June 1* Friday Indianapolis, IN Rained out

June 8* Friday Indianapolis, IN Travis Young

June 15* Friday Indianapolis, IN Jessica Bean

June 22* Friday Indianapolis, In Travis Young

June 29* Friday Indianapolis, IN postponed extreme heat

July 6* Friday Indianapolis, IN postponed extreme heat

July 13* Friday Indianapolis, IN Cordy Horn

July 20* Friday Indianapolis, IN Dameron Taylor

July 27* Friday Indianapolis, IN Canceled

August 3* Friday Indianapolis, IN Canceled

August 11 Saturday Logansport, IN Jessica Bean

August 25 Saturday Logansport, IN Travis Young

Sept 8 Saturday Logansport, IN Scotty Simpson

Oct 6 Saturday Anderson, IN Anderson Speedway

Nov 3 Saturday Brownsburg, IN Pit Stop BBQ & Grill

Awards Luncheon

* MKMS Indianapolis Speedrome Challenge Events

USSA Sprint Car Special Events

April 29 Sunday Anderson, IN Aaron Pierce

Glen Niebel Classic 100-Laps

June 16 Saturday Anderson, IN Aaron Pierce

…and more

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In late news, Jessica Bean was involved in a crash in her Ford Focus car at Gas City I-69 Speedway on Friday September 28. She was taken the IU Medical Center in Muncie, IN and admitted for observation. Bean was released on Saturday. She is currently 3rd in Mel Kenyon Midget Series Championship Points.