Slingshot News & Other Stuff...

You Know You've Been Around For A While When...

Paging through last week's issue of AARN got me to thinking...I'm gettin' old.

Not that I feel old, but I've come to the realization that I've been involved in the local racing scene for quite a while now, and I was 35 when I got started.

What brought me to this realization? The fact that I'm seeing drivers who I had the pleasure of introducing and writing about when they were just beginning their racing careers, now jumping into the so-called "big leagues" of auto racing. And I can provide some excellent examples...

In 2003 and 2004 I worked at the Mahoning Valley Speedway as the announcer and p.r. person. I remember a very young Kory Rabenold, from Slatington, Pa., winning races and a championship in the Four-Cylinder Stock Car division.

Kory and his parents, Buzzy and Pat, are great people. And Kory quickly displayed considerable talent behind the wheel of his black No. 63 Pinto.

Last week Rabenold, after some fairly rapid success in an asphalt modified followed that brief jaunt in Four-Cylinder competition, took to the superspeedway in Daytona. Kory attempted to qualify for the ARCA ReMax Series event. He timed 56th out of the 65 entries for that race, falling short in his quest to make the starting line-up. But the now 19-year old turned laps at Daytona!

Rabenold intends to compete in as many 2008 ARCA events as possible. For all the details on Kory's excellent adventure in Daytona, refer back to last week's AARN and read the terrific story written by Dino Oberto on page 21.

I remember watching Tom Hessert III blast around the local dirt ovals in a Micro-Sprint. The Cherry Hill, NJ wheel-twister then moved on to USAC Sprint Cars and Midgets. In 2005 and 2006, while I was working with the ARDC, Tom brought his MAACO sponsored midget to Susquehanna and Big Diamond to compete with our club when USAC had some breaks in their schedule.

Hessert ran well in those shows, finishing in the top five on a couple of occasions. And last weekend, Tom Hessert III qualified 11th for that ARCA race on the 2.5 mile superspeedway in Daytona.

But Hessert was not content to simply qualify well. Tommy ran in the top six during the early stages, then took the lead when the front-runners pitted on lap 20-something. Hessert proceeded to set the pace for 21 tours, holding off five-time Daytona winner Bobby Gerhart in the process.

Tom finally made his pitstop, which relegated him near the rear of the cars on the lead lap, but he roared back to finish sixth in his first career start with the Automobile Racing Club of America. ATTABOY, Tom Hessert!

Ryan Preece was just a little kid when I first met him. The ATQMRA midgets ran several races at Mahoning during the two years I worked there, and Ryan was steering 600cc Micro-Sprints at the time. He and his dad towed a Gary King creation, built for asphalt, to Mahoning to battle the TQ midgets on the quarter-mile. And Ryan, despite his youth, spanked the TQ's on a few occasions.

Preece is now buckling into those high-powered missiles they call asphalt modifieds. This week, he is competing in the 42nd Annual World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at Florida's New Smyrna Speedway. He will also take part in this year's NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and, when his schedule permits, gas a Tim Bertrand-owned NEMA Midget at several of New England's pavement tracks.

Funny story about Ryan Preece: strolling through the pits at Mahoning one night, I stopped at Ryan's hauler to chat with him and his dad. During the conversation, I became very curious about Ryan's exact age. He looked like he should still be in elementary school.

I had to ask..."Ryan, just how old are you?"

Ryan stared back at me with a slight smile and a very quizzical look in his eyes. He didn't say anything, but his dad quickly jumped in with a response.

"How old would you like him to be? We have several different birth certificates in the truck," he explained, grinning.

I replied that I didn't care about his age, other than being curious. As long as it was okay with ATQMRA and Mahoning Valley Speedway, it didn't matter to me. But I thought Mr. Preece's answer was pretty comical.

By the way, Ryan was 12 (I think; or he could have been 14) at the time. His age then, as now, doesn't really matter because this kid's a real racer.

Finally, although I'm sure I could come up with additional examples, there is Pottstown, Pa.'s Bret Guzik.

For the past couple of seasons, Guzik has been throwing his 600cc Micro-Sprint into the corners at Lanco's Clyde Martin Memorial Speedway, along with appearances at other local race tracks. Bret notched his first career 600cc victory last summer at the Clyde, and he accumulated more heat race triumphs than anyone else in that class at Lanco.

This year, though, the youthful charger will climb into something much heavier, and much faster, than a 600. Bret Guzik is going from Micro-Sprints on dirt to Late Models on pavement. Bret will guide the Cat Iron Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo on the NASCAR Whelen All American Series for asphalt late models.

Guzik has already tested his Monte Carlo at Hickory Motor Speedway in NC. He will return to Hickory for a two-day test session in March, just before Easter. Actual competition for Guzik will begin at the Lake Erie Speedway in northwestern Pennsylvania on May 24.

The Cat Iron team plans to venture out to Lake Erie for several shows, including those on June 7, 21, and 28. Bret will make about 12 to 15 events at Lake Erie this season, along with Whelen All American Series races at other venues.

Guzik's new ride can be seen at Motorama this weekend (at the Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg, Pa), and at the upcoming Reading Racing Reunion from February 24th to March 2nd. The Reunion will be held, as always, at the Fairgrounds Square Mall in Muhlenberg Township. Both Motorama and the Reading Racing Reunion will also feature many "small cars", such as Micro-Sprints, Slingshots, Midgets, 600cc Modifieds, etc.

Guzik and his team have partnered with the Racing Against Drugs campaign. They will be handing out information and speaking on behalf of this program throughout the season, wherever the Cat Iron Racing Late Model signs in for action.

For additional information on Bret Guzik and his plans for '08, log on to bretguzikmotorsports.com.

These kids are makin' me feel old, but I wish them the very best as they set out to conquer new challenges in their racing careers.
**************************
More news from the Slingshot Banquet held on February 2nd...

Slingshot founder and Speedway Entertainment head honcho Rich Tobias addressed the banquet attendees after all of the awards had been distributed. Tobias admitted he was very proud of the Slingshot division (after all, he created it and watched it grow from nothing to the status it enjoys today, with cars and tracks and tours all over the USA), and he is very pleased with the fact that it is still growing.

Tobias disclosed that a new regional tour has been added for this season. The Great Lakes Region will debut in Wisconsin and Minnesota. Deer Creek Speedway in Wisconsin will host a National event, and there is talk of a two-day National taking place at that track in early September.

Rich and Mike Feltenberger have "tweaked" the point system for the National Tour. Drivers may now use their weekly track points, along with points earned in events designated as "Nationals", or points earned in Regional Tour events. In the past, BOTH weekly and regional points were allowed, but no more. Starting in 2008, drivers have to choose one or the other if they are running for the National Tour Championship.

Tobias feels this will open things up for drivers who compete in regions outside the northeast. For the past three seasons, the National Champion has come from the northeast (either the Mid-Atlantic or Empire Regions). Drivers from the Gulf Coast Region were at a disadvantage because they didn't have as many "Tour" races in which to earn points. Using just their weekly track points, along with points earned in the Nationals, will enable them to make a solid bid for the title.

"I believe this levels the playing field a bit," noted Tobias. "I feel we could definitely see a National Champion come from an area outside the northeast this year."

It's understandable why Rich would like to see a National Champion emerge from Georgia, Alabama, or Wisconsin. He (and his company, of course) build all the Slingers, and a champion who resides somewhere other than Pennsylvania or New York would be good for business.

Not that business is bad, mind you. Tobias and his crew are having trouble keeping up with all the orders for new cars, new bodies (there is a brand new Slingshot body that has been mandated for 2008 competition), and motors. Rich had to add some extra manpower just to manufacture all of the cars, bodies, and motors.

Word on the street is that older bodies will be allowed to start the season - as long as you've ordered a new one and are waiting for it.

For more information, log on to slingshotbytobias.com.