First, let me apologize for the lack of photos. The SpeedZone camera gave up the ghost today. A moment of silence...
STL native and former POWRi champ Brad Loyet had a great Friday night with a dominating heat win and a third-place finish in the A-Main, putting him in the final race Saturday night. Loyet ran (and beat) some of the top names in the sport and has a very real chance of bringing the Golden Driller to the Gateway City.
Tim McCreadie continues to improve and sources tell me he is out of the hospital. T-Mac does not have health insurance and for fans who wish to donate some well-needed cash to his medical fund, visit GatewayRaceway.com and click on the McCreadie story where you can find more information on how to donate.
While we're talking about T-Mac, a shoutout to James Spink and USAC for all the help they are providing Tim. USAC is NOT the official sanction of this race, yet they are doing everything they can to help a racer in need. You don't see a lot of that in other sports.
When you're watching NASCAR on Sundays, it is sometimes hard to recognize just how truly talented these drivers are. Kasey Kahne reminded me tonight why he is racing with some of the biggest names in the sport. He came from near the back during one of the heat races to win and while that's impressive, it's HOW he did it that is noteworthy. Not only did he drive it like he stole it, he made the other drivers overdrive and make mistakes, giving him the win. You want to see REAL artistry on the track? Watch these guys race dirt. Drivers like Dave Blaney may not be too impressive in the Cup Series, but the former Chili Bowl/Knoxville Nationals winner and World of Outlaws champion was, and still is, a sight to see on the dirt.
Be sure to check back tomorrow for the final edition of the Chili Bowl diary and head over the SpeedZoneRadio.com tomorrow night for a special Chili Bowl edition of the O'Reilly Auto Parts SpeedZone. And don't forget, the SpeedZone returns to 590 the Fan Saturday, Feb. 7, at 9 a.m. for a TWO-HOUR season kickoff show.
Good night from Tulsa.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Chili Bowl Diary: Get Well Soon, T-Mac
Former World of Outlaws Late Model Series/Chili Bowl champ and friend of the show Tim McCreadie was seriously hurt Wednesday night in a scary crash here at the 23rd Annual Chili Bowl in Tulsa. He broke two vertebrae, but does not appear to need surgery.
The injuries are not life-threatening and from what I'm told, Tim is in good spirits despite the fact he was a solid pick to win the mid-winter classic again this year driving a Wilke-Pak Toyota-backed machine. Best wishes from the SpeedZone to Timmy, who is expected to be out of action for at least two months.
Another interesting part to this story is the reaction from two-time Chili Bowl winner Tony Stewart. Stewart and T-Mac have been adversaries on the track, most notably last year at the Knoxville Late Model Nationals, which McCreadie won. Smoke was one of the first people to visit McCreadie at the hospital and, according to sources, told the racer anything he needed, Stewart would provide.
THAT'S what racers do for each other.
In other news...
One of the great things about motorsports is the respect of the fans. Tonight, during the National Anthem, all action stopped during the singing of the Star-Spangled Banner. Not just trackside, but all throughout the building, including the pits and merchandise alley. You could hear a pin drop as the anthem was being sung. You don't see a lot of that in other sports.
Justin Allgaier, the 2008 ARCA RE/MAX Series champ and Springfield, Ill. native has been hot all week, including a dominating heat win tonight. He finished third at this event in 2007 and with Stewart and McCreadie out of the picture, this could be Allgaier's year to win the Golden Driller.
Check out SpeedZoneRadio.com Sunday for a special website-only Chili Bowl wrap-up show featuring exclusive interviews from the drivers.
Finally, the O'Reilly Auto Parts SpeedZone returns to 590 the Fan KFNS Saturday, Feb. 7, with a special two-hour season premiere. You won't want to miss it.
The injuries are not life-threatening and from what I'm told, Tim is in good spirits despite the fact he was a solid pick to win the mid-winter classic again this year driving a Wilke-Pak Toyota-backed machine. Best wishes from the SpeedZone to Timmy, who is expected to be out of action for at least two months.
Another interesting part to this story is the reaction from two-time Chili Bowl winner Tony Stewart. Stewart and T-Mac have been adversaries on the track, most notably last year at the Knoxville Late Model Nationals, which McCreadie won. Smoke was one of the first people to visit McCreadie at the hospital and, according to sources, told the racer anything he needed, Stewart would provide.
THAT'S what racers do for each other.
In other news...
One of the great things about motorsports is the respect of the fans. Tonight, during the National Anthem, all action stopped during the singing of the Star-Spangled Banner. Not just trackside, but all throughout the building, including the pits and merchandise alley. You could hear a pin drop as the anthem was being sung. You don't see a lot of that in other sports.
Justin Allgaier, the 2008 ARCA RE/MAX Series champ and Springfield, Ill. native has been hot all week, including a dominating heat win tonight. He finished third at this event in 2007 and with Stewart and McCreadie out of the picture, this could be Allgaier's year to win the Golden Driller.
Check out SpeedZoneRadio.com Sunday for a special website-only Chili Bowl wrap-up show featuring exclusive interviews from the drivers.
Finally, the O'Reilly Auto Parts SpeedZone returns to 590 the Fan KFNS Saturday, Feb. 7, with a special two-hour season premiere. You won't want to miss it.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Chili Bowl Diary
Be sure to come back here Thursday for the beginning of my Chili Bowl Diary. You'll also want to check out SpeedZoneRadio.com frequently over the next few days for exclusive photos and interivews from one of the biggest races of the year.
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