Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Smith Targets Strong Start To 2009 Season

Moses Smith (16) finished fifth a year ago in the spring event at All American Speedway in Roseville, Calif., and notched another top-five finish when he returned to the historic Northern California track in October for the season finale. Terry Thomson/NASCAR


As Moses Smith (No. 16 HASA Pool Products/White Flyer Toyota) enters his third full season of competition in the NASCAR Camping World Series West, he has steadily advanced in becoming a contender on the stock car racing circuit. After closing out last season with a best-ever third-place finish – the Tempe, Ariz., driver topped that by launching his 2009 campaign with a runner-up finish.


Smith hopes to keep his momentum rolling as the series heads to All American Speedway in Roseville, Calif., for the Toyota/NAPA AUTO PARTS 150 on Saturday, April 4.

The historic fairgrounds track has quickly become a popular venue for Smith, who registered top-five finishes in both events there last year. “Roseville seems to work for us,” he said. “We’re definitely excited to go back there. I finished third there at the end of last year. It would be nice to move up on the podium.”


Coming off a second-place finish in the season opener at Thunderhill Raceway in Texas, Smith acknowledged that following that up with another strong performance would be a great way to start the year. “If I can duplicate the second-place I had in Texas, that would be awesome,” he said.


Smith, who celebrates his 33rd birthday on Monday (March 30), credits a variety of reasons for his recent success. “I don’t know if I could pick one thing to sum it up,” he said. “I’ve been trying to learn from guys in the series like Mike David and Eric Holmes, guys that just know what it takes to get it done. I’ve been trying to learn from those guys and work with my new crew chief Mario Isola. Things are really coming together – between all those people, my teammates and fellow competitors. Everybody’s been kind of helping me along. I can’t just attribute it to one thing.”


Smith credits the scheduling of the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown in late January with helping him stay sharp in the off season and helping him carry his momentum from one season to the next.


“It kept us busy and kept our minds in the game,” Smith said.


As he prepares to return to Roseville, a tight .333-mile oval known for a lot of contact, Smith knows it will require plenty of patience to get a good finish.


“Last year, we just tried to be patient for as much of the race as we could and tried to save our equipment for the last 25 to 40 laps,” he said. “I think that’s what it takes. It’s easy to get caught up in the moment early on in the race and tear your equipment up. I think you’ve just got to be patient and stay competitive, but make sure you save your equipment.”


That approach differs from the strategy used in open-wheel formula racing, where Smith competed prior to coming to the NASCAR Camping World Series.


“The formula car racing was real similar to some of the late model stuff, where you only have 50 laps to get the job done,” he explained. “It took me a while to kind of get used to taking my time.”


As he returns for his third year in the series, all with Bill McAnally Racing, Smith’s passion for stock car racing remains as strong as ever. “I’ll tell you, I still love driving formula cars, but you can’t beat this racing,” he said. “Racing a stock car in the West Series is just second to none. The racing is so tight and so intense. I’m really digging it.”


While he is optimistic about his chances at Roseville, Smith declines to offer a prediction for the event.


“I try not to predict too much stuff,” he said. “Once you start planning too far out, you get kind of mixed up once you get there. We left off well there last year, so I’m expecting we’ll pick up where we left off. I’m expecting a good run.”

Monday, March 30, 2009

All American Speedway - News & Notes


The race … The Toyota/NAPA AUTO PARTS 150 is the second event in a 13-race schedule this year for the NASCAR Camping World Series West. The series is slated to return to the historic Northern California track for its season finale on Sept. 26.

The procedure … The starting field is 24 cars, including provisionals. The first 20 cars will qualify through two-lap time trials. The remaining four spots will be awarded through the provisional process. The race will be 150 laps (50 miles).

The track … All American Speedway is a .333-mile paved oval with eight degrees banking in Turns 1 and 2. Turns 3 and 4 have progressive banking, beginning at 10 degrees and graduating to 14 degrees. The track hosted five NASCAR Camping World Series West events between 1977 and 1982, when it was a quarter-mile oval, and two races last year.

The records … Qualifying: Paulie Harraka, Oct. 25, 2008, 87.953 mph, 13.630 seconds; Race: Jason Bowles, Oct. 25, 2008, 49.634 mph, 1 hour 3 minutes 12 seconds.


Entry List

0 Paul Pedroncelli, Jr., Sonoma, Calif.
1 Jim Inglebright, Fairfield, Calif.
2 Mike David, Modesto, Calif.
3 Wes Banks, Oakdale, Calif.
5 Johnathan Hale, Rio Linda, Calif.
6 Jason Bowles, Ontario, Calif.
10 Jim Warn, Aurora, Ore
12 Paulie Harraka, Fairlawn, N.J. *
14 Phil Dugan, Meridian, Idaho
15 Jack Sellers, Sacramento, Calif.
16 Moses Smith, Tempe, Ariz.
17 David Mayhew, Atascadero, Calif.
20 Eric Holmes, Escalon, Calif.
21 Blake Koch, West Palm Beach, Fla. *
26 Greg Pursley, Newhall, Calif.
31 Jim Marchino, Modesto, Calif.
34 Jonathan Gomez, Twin Falls, Idaho *
61 Brett Thompson, Jerome, Idaho
88 Jamie Dick, Albuquerque, N.M.


Click Here For Events Page

Moses' Late Model Debut

Moses Smith Brings Out The Red Flag
Moses got the opportunity to participate in a Late Model race on March 28th. Unfortunately, NASCAR Race Mom had a prior engagement and was not able to attend. However, thanks to the forum at Racing West, NRM was able to keep up on the action.

Moses qualified in a decent sixth place. He was moving up the field and in third place, when on lap thirty-four, the throttle stuck and Moses hit the wall in turn one hard. Not only was he was airborne; his racecar climbed the fence and brought out the Red Flag.

Interview with Driver, Moses Smith:

Q - Moses you qualified 6th, but it looked like your Late Model was running very well. Please let the NASCAR Race Mom readers know what happen that caused you to bring out the red flag?

Moses - The #28 NAPA Toyota Camry was awesome. I just bit of a little more than I could chew in qualifying. I actually tied for 5th, but started 6th because the other car qualified before me. The race was going very well, I was able to get by a few cars before the throttle stuck open on one of the restarts. I tried everything, but was carrying too much momentum, and made contact with the wall in Turn 1…

Q - Are you injured at all?

Moses - I am fine. My neck was a little sore on Sunday. Thank Gawd I was wearing my Hans Device

Q - Did you learn anything that will help you next week in your NASCAR Camping World Series West race?

Moses - Well, since the last time the West Series was there, the track has changed a little, but I think just getting some seat time was key. I am excited to head back there this weekend.

Q - Will there be another Late Model Race in your near future?

Moses - I hope so. It was a lot of fun running the late model. I am not sure what this crash is going to do to our budget.

Q - Is there anything you would like to tell our readers, your fans?

Moses - I hope everyone can make it to Roseville this weekend…I will do my best to put on a better show!

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Camping World Series Hopeful – Victor Pfluger

Arizona native and NASCAR hopeful, eighteen-year-old Victor Pfluger is ranked 5th among 36 drivers from across the country in the 2009 Local Track category on the influential David Smith Motorsports scouting report. While Victor has caught the eye of NASCAR talent scouts and competitors alike, he is actively seeking sponsorship for the 2009 season to take his career to the next level. Without an immediate source of sponsorship funding, Pfluger may not be able to continue the record-setting performances that have been a trademark of his racing career.

Though he's been scouted by some of the biggest race teams in NASCAR, Victor understands the financial reality of making it into big-time auto racing. Coming from a family of very modest means - his father is a truck driver, Victor is desperately searching for sponsorship money to be able to race again this year. "I would like to find a sponsor so I can keep my career moving forward. This season, I would like to run a mix of races with the Camping World Series, ASA Midwest Tour and ASA Late Models. Eventually, I would like to be picked up by a Camping World Truck team and work my way up to Sprint Cup."

Interview with Victor Pfluger – 2007 ASA Speed Truck Challenge Champion

1. Victor, will you please tell the "NASCAR Race Mom" readers how you came to know Moses Smith?

A: I've known of Moses since I got into racing in 2000. When you grow up racing in a town like Phoenix, the people who are very good become well known. I actually met Moses in 2004. We were both rookies. We were racing at Las Vegas and he needed plumbing parts for his truck. We had everything he needed and loaned him the pieces. From that point on, we knew each other and over time became friends.

2. Do you have a favorite Moses Smith story or secret?

A: Hmm ... Well, having known Moses for as long as I have, there are a lot of stories. Probably one of the most memorable ones is when we raced against each other in the Camping World West race at Infineon Raceway in June 2006. It was my first Camping World Race ever and I chose the road course because that is a strong point for me. The weekend did not go well for me and I had some issues that prevented me from getting any practice time. My only time on track before the race was qualifying. I qualified into the field and went racing. About halfway through the race, I had another incident which put me a lap down. Now, Moses is the only other driver I know at this event. When I came out of the pits I was just in front of Moses. When Moses caught me to lap me, there was a miscommunication between our spotters and Moses got into me, spinning me through the dirt and putting the final nail in the coffin for my day. It was too ironic. Just one of those racing deals, and Moses called the next Monday and apologized. He was a class act about it.

3. What are your plans for 2009?

A: My plans for '09 depend on finding sponsor dollars. If I can get some sponsor help, I would like to do either the ASA Late Model series or the USAR Pro Cup series. Otherwise, I can't afford to do much of anything.

4. What do you think about the NASCAR Camping World Series West?

A: The Camping World West series is a good ladder series for someone who can't afford to race on the east coast and wants to provide good exposure for their sponsors.

5. What has been the highlight of your racing career so far?

A: I've been lucky to have had many great moments in my career. From winning my first race, to winning my first championship, to winning a late model race against Ron Hornaday. I have to say that the race with Hornaday, while being the biggest win of my career, was also one of the most fun races I have ever run. Ron, myself and his teammate spent the better part of 35 laps running 2- and 3-wide trying to decide who would win. Eventually I was able to put the slide job on Ron and bring home the win.

6. Who is your favorite NASCAR driver?

A: I have a lot of favorites because I appreciate the different attributes each driver has and excels at. I like how Hornaday could push his car 100% from the start. I like the cool calm consistency that Johnny Benson uses to win. I like how Tony Stewart can drive a car to the max regardless of any ill handling issues.

7. Where do you see yourself five years from now?

A: Five years from now I would love to be in the middle of my second Nationwide season in a car capable of winning the championship. In the five year span, I would like to have won a USAR Pro Cup championship and Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year.

8. What is your best attribute as a driver?

A: I feel that one of my best attributes as a driver is my ability to manage my equipment. I can take a car, good or bad, and drive it to the front while still having enough grip in the brakes and tires to be quick in the last few laps when others are falling off.

9. How can fans contact you?

A: My fans can contact me through my website, my Twitter account, and of course my Yahoo fan group.

10. What can you offer potential sponsors and how can they contact you?

A: Any interested sponsor would gain a chance to advertise in one of the most popular sports in America. Depending on what would best suit their needs, we can run in a specific market area that they would like to target and can even offer national television exposure. Another option for someone looking to get involved is to become an investor in my career. I can be reached through my website, for anyone interested in becoming a supporter.


Information provided by Rebecca Gladden

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Life In Regional Series Can Be Very Rewarding...

They don't make millions, but benefits outweigh negatives
By Raygan Swan, NASCAR.COM



They don't make millions, have high-dollar endorsement deals or charge insulting fees for autograph sessions. They certainly don't wear Hollywood-sized sunglasses during interviews or wax their eyebrows before their hero card photo is taken.

These men still wear mustaches and buy their own Wranglers. They walk to their race cars with their wives, not a publicist with a clipboard. And they drink whatever the hell they want to.

They are the backbone of NASCAR's grassroots racing series, the veterans who choose a simpler existence over the high-maintenance lifestyle today's NASCAR Cup Series drivers endure.

Often overlooked by today's news media in favor of modern day racing heroes, the short-track veterans and regional racers are still deserving of accolades. Fans of all ages still want to know about the men who whooped up on Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch back in the day.
The series in which these veterans race, NASCAR's developmental series, is the foundation of NASCAR. Without them, you don't have the training grounds for the sport's three national series: Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Camping World Truck.

It's where the young drivers come to learn and the veterans are there to dole out the tough lessons and send them on their way with great pride. But some misinformed folks like to refer to these men as 'lifers,' older guys passed their prime unable to reach the big leagues -- has-beens if you will.

After hearing their stories, you'll realize it's quite the contrary. These veterans enjoy a greater personal satisfaction, spend more time at home with family and have the freedom of self expression without persecution.

They have a good life but are by no means lifers.

Click here for their stories...


Monday, March 23, 2009

NASCAR Top Developmental Series To Be Televised by SPEED In 2009

NASCAR announced the broadcast schedule for the 2009 NASCAR Camping World Series race schedule on SPEED. It features coverage of NASCAR’s top developmental series on the leading cable network dedicated to motorsports.

The 22-race calendar kicked off with the NASCAR Camping World Series West opener from Thunderhill Raceway in Kyle, Texas. The March 14 race will air on SPEED Thursday, April 2. (Moses Smith finished the season opener on podium in second place.)

The races will be aired as a one-hour special each Thursday at 3 p.m. ET. (see complete schedule below)

“The NASCAR Camping World Series features the NASCAR stars of tomorrow locked in exciting, wheel-to-wheel competition,” said George Silbermann, NASCAR managing director of racing operations. “This comprehensive schedule allows fans to tune in the same time every week and catch all the action from their favorite track. Our partnership with SPEED provides an exceptional platform to showcase the tremendous talent as they tackle the challenging mixture of short tracks, road courses, and speedways.”

The annual East-West Challenge at Iowa Speedway Sunday, May 17 will air on Thursday, May 28. The last two years, fans have tuned in to watch the best NASCAR Camping World Series drivers from both coasts go head-to-head in addition to competing against one of the top drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. In 2007, then-16-year-old Joey Logano outran Kevin Harvick, and last year Brian Ickler held off the challenge from Kasey Kahne. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Kyle Busch has already committed to run this year’s event.

The SPEED coverage will include 12 NASCAR Camping World Series West races, beginning with the season opener and concluding with the season finale at All American Speedway in Roseville, Calif., which will be run Saturday, Sept. 26 and air Thursday, Oct. 8.

The NASCAR Camping World Series East broadcast schedule will cover all 11 races beginning with the opener at Greenville Pickens Speedway in Greenville, S.C. The opener, scheduled for Saturday, April 11, will air Thursday, April 16. The season will conclude Friday, Sept. 25 at Dover International Speedway and the race will be broadcast Thursday, Oct. 1.

CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE NASCAR CAMPING WORLD SERIES TELEVISION SCHEDULE

Friday, March 20, 2009

Hasa Team On Podium With A Second Place Finish

The No. 16 Hasa Pool Products Toyota team has made huge gains in their finishing results at Thunder Hill Raceway in Kyle, Texas. Last season, driver Moses Smith finished in sixteenth. On March 14, 2009, Smith showed he had the skills to put the Hasa Toyota Camry at the top of the charts during the practice. He went on to drive hard to the front after qualifying in eleventh.


On the last restart of the race, the first three rows drove into turn one, hard and side-by-side. Moses took the green flag in fifth position for the final “Green, White, Checkered Finish.” The inside groove proved to be advantageous this Saturday night as Moses managed to skillfully weave his way through the confusion and into second position for the checkered flag.


Moses Smith, with his best ever finish in the Allstate Texas Thunder 150, also earned the Coca-Cola “Move of the Race" award for improving his eleventh place on the starting grid into an exciting second place finish.


The Bill McAnally Racing entry is second in the chase for the championship. This was Smith’s best finish in the NASCAR Camping World Series West since he made the transition to stock car racing two years ago.


“We’re thrilled with the outcome of this race,” said Smith. “It’s been a rough week. We lost an important member of the Hasa team. Unexpectedly transport driver Mike Curry passed away last week. The Hasa team dedicated this race in honor of his memory.”


“I’m so proud of the Hasa/White Flyer Toyota team,” said Smith. “They gave me a great Camry for this race. Crew Chief Mario Isola has been a great addition. In spite of the cold temperature and rain in Kyle this weekend, the team persevered. They didn’t give up and it showed with the results.”


The Texas AllState Texas Thunder “150” will be televised on April 2, 2009 on SPEED Channel at noon PST. The next scheduled NCWS race will be on April 4th at All American Speedway in Roseville, California. For ticket information, please visit www.allamericanspeedway.com.


BMR would like to thank the continued support of our race partners. For more information on Bill McAnally Racing and our race partners, please visit our website at www.billmcanallyracing.com. For more information on Moses Smith, please visit www.mosessmith.com. You can visit our sponsors’ websites at www.hasapool.com, www.whiteflyer.com, and www.tcitransportation.com.


information provided by Kaye Reshaw

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Winner of the NASCAR Camping World Series West - Plantronic Discovery 925 Contest

The NASCAR Camping World Series West - Plantronic Discovery 925 Contest receive a nice response. A total of 313 comments were left before the 2009 NASCAR Camping World Series West opener in Kyle, Texas.

The fashion-conscious headset is not only sleeker than average, but its comfortable and lightweight design makes it a pleasure to wear all day. The 925 has a diamond-shaped ear piece and a narrow V-frame microphone boom. Measuring 2.7 x 1.0 x 0.9 inches and weighing a less than half an ounce, the black and silver unit feels extremely light in your hands and in your ear.

Without any further ado, the winner of this modern marvel was Melissa (selected by random.org). Melissa's entry was a "tweet" left on Twitter. Twitter is a free social messaging utility for staying connected in real-time. Congratulations Melissa!

The depth of some of the entries was amazing.

Firecracker said... Moses finished the last seven laps of the Toyota All Star Showdown, this year, with a flat right rear tire, coming in 12th out of a starting field of 40 drivers. Why to hang, Moses!!! ;)

Dree said... Moses received his career break competing in a limited schedule of Formula Mazda events in 2001.

superdavefive said... The NASCAR Camping World Series West was formerly known as the NASCAR Winston West Series, NASCAR Grand National Division, Autozone West Series and the NASCAR West Series.

Excellent participation - I would love to send the authors of these three comments a Moses Smith Racing Mouse Pad as a consolation prize.

Thanks to all who participated in this giveaway. NASCAR Race Mom hopes to sponsor more contests in the near future - if you have any suggestion as to how to improve the experience, please leave me a comment.

Monday, March 16, 2009

Moses On Manifold Destiny w/ Mojo Nixon

Manifold Destiny w/ Mojo Nixon Mondays 8 pm – 10 pm ET

MoJo Nixon"Join the irrepressible wildman Mojo Nixon as he gets back to the racing roots of his youth with a wheel gripping thrill-ride of redneck ruminations that celebrate the world of NASCAR."

Moses Smith, driver of the #16 Hasa Pool Product/White Flyer Toyota Camry in the Camping World Series West, NASCAR’s top developmental series, is scheduled to appear on Manifold Destiny tonight at 8:30 pacific time.

Moses just returned from the Thunder Hill Raceway, in Kyle, Texas. He finished the 2009 season opener in second place.

“It was pretty exciting,” added runner-up Smith. “We started eleventh and knew we had a long night ahead of us. We were slow and steady out there and just kept digging. We ended up second, which was really good. It would have been nice to win and dedicate the victory to our truck driver, Mike Curry, who passed last week, but I think he'd happy with our second.”


Sunday, March 15, 2009

A Second Place for the #16 Hasa Pool Products Toyota Camry Team

Moses parked his #16 Hasa Pool Products Toyota Camry in Victory Circle with a second place finish in the NASCAR Camping World Series West season opener in Kyle, Texas.

A Second Place for the #16 Hasa Pool Products Toyota Camry Team

On the last restart of the race, race leaders Mike David and Eric Holmes roared side-by-side around the tight 3/8-mile with Greg Pursley nipping at their heels. Moses took the green flag in fifth position. On the second lap of the exciting Green, White, Checkered finish, David, Homes, and Pursley took the white flag and charged into turn one. David’s car spun as they came through turn two, leaving Moses to weave his way into second for the checkered flag.

Podium at Kyle West race: Moses Smith (L), Greg Pursley (C) and Eric HolmesMoses Smith, with his career-best finish in the Allstate Texas Thunder 150 also managed to earn the Coca-Cola “Move of the Race" award by improving his eleventh place starting position into the second place finish. In an emotional interview, Moses dedicated his race to Mike Curry, the #16 truck driver. “The team was really trying to win this race for Mike Curry, our truck driver who passed away last week. He would have loved this – we had a really good run.” Moses explained.

Mike Curry had been the Hasa Pool Products truck driver, team member, and friend since Moses signed on with Bill McAnally Racing two years ago. He will be greatly missed, not only by the team, his family and friends, but by all those who came to know him throughout the NASCAR Camping World Series.

The next NASCAR Camping World Series West race will be held at the All American Speedway in Roseville, California on April 4, 2009.

Friday, March 13, 2009

'At The Track' Allstate Texas Thunder 150

Thursday, March 12, 2009

NASCAR At The 31st Annual Western Pool and Spa Show


NASCAR Driver Moses Smith has a busy weekend ahead of him. The Hasa Pool Products driver, is displaying his race car at the 31st Annual Western Pool and Spa Show on March 12 through March 14, 2009. With attendance topping 10,000, the Annual Western Pool and Spa Show has become one of the premier pool and spa industry trade shows in the United States. Yet it still remains faithful to its original purpose - to educate and train pool and spa service technicians and the trade while giving manufacturers and distributors the opportunity to reach this very specific and influential portion of the swimming pool and spa industry.

Moses Smith, the driver of the #16 NASCAR Camping World Series West Hasa Pool Products Toyota finished the 2008 season in sixth place. In the season finale at the All American Speedway in Roseville, California he recorded his career best finish and visited Winner's Circle in third. He went on to be named the NASCAR Camping World Series West Most Popular Driver of 2008.

Saturday, the Hasa Pool Products Toyota team, led by veteran crew chief, Mario Isola will take the green flag in the "AllState Texas Thunder 150" at Thunderhill Raceway in Kyle, Texas on March 14th. The 150-lap event will feature a 26-car field under the lights with the main event beginning at 8:45 pm. For ticket information, please visit www.TexasThunder200.com.

NASCAR Camping World Series West - Fantasy Racing Game

RacingWest Fantasy Racing Game

There is no better way to get involved and familiar with the Camping World Series West, one of NASCAR's Top Developmental Series, than to participate in a Fantasy Racing Game. This innovative fantasy racing game brings together the excitement of driver selections and the satisfaction of strategizing. You will accumulate points based on your NASCAR Camping World Series West Drivers' real-life performance. The best thing about this game is that it is easy to play!

Before each race the player (you) will be allotted $200,000 fantasy dollars each. A player will use his/her money to "hire" 5 drivers to compete for them in the next upcoming event, without exceeding the $200,000 budget. Each player must select exactly 5 drivers. You may spend up to $200,000, but you do not necessarily need to spend every dollar.

Driver prices are value based on his/her actual performance over the last 5 events. Drivers who have competed in fewer than 5 events in the select series, will have his/her performance averaged based on what is available. If a driver has never competed in the series before, than that driver will be in the lowest price tier. Driver prices will change throughout the season, depending on the individual performance, as well as the performance of the rest of the field. Drivers who have not competed in the series within the past 2 years will also get a performance penalty, severity depends on the number of years out of the series.

Moses Smith #16Each player must make your selections for each event before noon the day of qualifying. After each event, your driver selections are cleared out and the player is allotted another $200,000 dollars for the next event. Each player may make as many driver changes as they wish, before the selection close at noon the day of qualifying.

There is no cost to play any of RacingWest's fantasy racing games; just click here. {You will need to register.} Pick/Change Drivers; see Other Player Picks or review the Game Rules. If you want to see my pick for the upcoming season opener in Kyle, Texas, just scroll to the bottom of the player picks page to locate my username - zwriter. Can you guess who I picked as my favorite driver?

NASCAR Camping World Series West - Plantronic Discovery 925 Contest

Just Two Days Remaining

UPDATE:
Wow this contest is really taking off. Some of the participants are simply repeating what another contestant has already submitted . NRM will accept that as a valid entry as long as you don’t keep repeating the same fact each day.

However, other entries do not comply with the requirement in rule #2 and do not constitute a valid entry. For example – “I really want to win this contest” is not a valid entry. Counting it would not be fair to the participants who are following the rules.

NASCAR Race Mom is very pleased with the response and the strength of some of the comments:

lisagee said... A Regional Division may provide a competitor with an entire career, or the gathering of valuable experience to move through the NASCAR ranks--- This I did not know.

Sharon Thayer said... holds the title as the youngest member of the San Diego Karting Associates Board of Directors.

valerie2350 said... bell racing is one of his associate sponsors

Great Job! I will be sending the authors of these three comments an autographed Moses Smith Hasa Hat. Please have fun with this contest - thanks and best of luck to all.

* * * * * * * * * * * *


To celebrate the approach of the 2009 NASCAR Camping World Series West Season, NRM will be conducting a contest. The grand prize is a Plantronic Discovery 925. (Thanks to Slash Gear for this wonderful prize!)

This fashion-conscious headset is not only sleeker than average, but its comfortable and lightweight design makes it a pleasure to wear all day. The 925 has a diamond-shaped ear piece and a narrow V-frame microphone boom. Measuring 2.7 x 1.0 x 0.9 inches and weighing a less than half an ounce, the black and silver unit feels extremely light in your hands and in your ear.

Winning a Plantronic Discovery 925 (ARV $150.00) is easy. Here are the rules.

Giveaway Guidelines:
  1. Giveaway ends after the first Camping World Series West Race (approximately March 14th, 2009).

  2. You can earn three entries per day:

    a. Leave comment on this post with one Camping World Series West fact or a fact about my favorite CWSW driver – Moses Smith or a fact about your favorite CWSW driver.

    b. Become a blog follower AND leave a daily comment that you are following this blog. and please include your blog identification. (Important - your comments become your entry for the random drawing - be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry to count.)

    c. Get one extra daily entry if you tweet, stumble or digg about this contest – limited to one per day. (Be sure to come back and comment here with to link to your tweet, stumble or digg, to document how you spread the word) (1 entry daily)

    You can enter by any method or all three (for a total of three entries per day) – it is up to you. You do not have to become a blog member; of course I would be honored if you did become NASCAR Race Mom blog follower.

    You can also follow me on twitter but you do not get an entry for that.

    ***** For a “one – time” only ***** extra Bonus Entry: posted about this contest or provided a link to the NASCAR Race Mom from your website or blog, THEN leave a comment here with the location of that post.

    Important - Each entry must be left in a separate comment.

  3. Make sure there is a way for NRM to contact you - if your email address is not on your profile or you are not a blogger, you may leave it in your comment. NRM hates to have to disqualify a potential winner because there is not a way to contact that winner – I will need your email address to contact you, should you be the winner.

  4. The winner will be chosen by Random.org.

  5. The winner will be announced on this post and be notified by email; if the winner does not respond WITHIN 7 DAYS, another winner will be chosen.

  6. NASCAR Race Mom not responsible for missing or incorrect contact information.
Best of Luck to all contest participants.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

NASCAR CWS West - Thunderhill Raceway

The NASCAR Camping World Series West is set to kick off its 2009 season with the Allstate Texas Thunder 150 at Thunderhill Raceway in Kyle, Texas, on Saturday, March 14.

It marks the fifth consecutive year for Full Throttle Productions to put on the series event at the .375-mile Texas track and the second time for the series to launch its season at the facility just south of Austin.

Two drivers from California’s Central Valley account for the past three championships in the NASCAR Camping World Series West. Eric Holmes of Escalon took the title in 2006 and 2008, while his long-time friend and rival, Mike David of Modesto, was the 2007 champion. Both drivers have tasted success at Thunderhill, with Holmes scoring two wins there and David winning a Coors Light Pole Award there.

Although Holmes and David would like to continue that trend in keeping the championship between them, other drivers are focused on claiming the 2009 title as the West’s oldest stock car circuit celebrates its 56th season.

One driver leading the title charge is Jason Bowles of Ontario, Calif. Bowles gave Holmes a fierce challenge in 2008 – matching his four race wins and five Coors Light Pole Awards, but coming up 48 points short in the championship standings. While Bowles returns with car owner Bob Bruncati and championship crew chief Bill Sedgwick, the team’s appearance is different as they change to No. 6 on their brightly-colored Sunrise Ford-sponsored Ford.

Holmes, meanwhile, remains with Bill McAnally Racing – behind the wheel of the No. 20 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota. David also remains in familiar surroundings, competing in his ninth season in the series for car owner Randy Lynch in the No. 2 Bennett Lane Winery entry.

Other series veterans expected to challenge for the title this season include Jim Inglebright of Fairfield, Calif., in the No. 1 ESEF Apparel/Jelly Belly Chevrolet; Moses Smith of Tempe, Ariz., in the No. 16 HASA Pool Products/White Flyer Toyota; and Brett Thompson of Jerome, Idaho, in his familiar No. 61 Rich Thompson Trucking Chevrolet.

Several hard-charging second-year drivers are also expected to be in contention this year. They include the 2008 Sunoco Rookie of the Year, Jeff Barkshire (No. 46 Centennial Batteries/SPE Dodge) of Auburn, Wash.; Jim Warn (No. 10 MJ2 Racing/Gran Prix Imports Chevrolet) of Aurora, Ore.; Jamie Dick (No. 88 Viva Auto Group/Johnnie Walker Performance Center Chevrolet) of Albuquerque, N.M.; and Wes Banks (No. 3 Valvoline Ford) of Oakdale, Calif.

Long-time competitor Jack Sellers of Sacramento, Calif., is celebrating his 25th season in the NASCAR Camping World Series West this year. Sellers – who has campaigned a multi-car effort of Jack Sellers Racing for many of those years – had Johnathan Hale of Rio Linda, Calif., behind the wheel of a second car for 10 events in 2008 and is returning with the talented teenager in a second car for 2009.

A talented West Coast veteran driver plans to step up his schedule in the NASCAR Camping World Series West this year, after running select events in recent years. Greg Pursley of Newhall, Calif., returns to the series where he ran full time in 2002. In the meantime, he won the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national championship in 2004. He also added to his racing resume with a win in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Super Late Model race at the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown in 2007.

Expected to compete for the Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award this year are several drivers who have already tasted a bit of success in the NASCAR Camping World Series West – Jonathon Gomez, Paulie Harraka and Blake Koch. Gomez, of Twin Falls, Idaho, registered top-10 finishes in both series starts he made last year. Harraka, of Wayne, N.J., set fast time and finished sixth in the season finale, one of three series events he competed in during 2008. Koch, of West Palm Beach, Fla., also captured attention in that event – qualifying fourth quickest.

Moses Smith #16 Hasa Pool Products/White Flyer Toyota

Monday, March 9, 2009

Thunderhill 3/14/09 Entry List

Car
Driver, Hometown
1
Jim Inglebright, Fairfield Calif.
2
Mike David, Modesto Calif.
3
Wes Banks, Oakdale Calif.
5
Johnathan Hale, Rio Linda Calif.
6
Jason Bowles, Ontario Calif.
9
Bow Carpenter, San Antonio Texas
10
Jim Warn, Aurora Ore
12
Paulie Harraka, Wayne N.J. *
15
Jack Sellers, Sacramento Calif.
16
Moses Smith, Tempe Ariz.
17
David Mayhew, Atascadero Calif.
20
Eric Holmes, Escalon Calif.
21
Blake Koch, West Palm Beach Fla. *
26
Greg Pursley, Newhall Calif.
31
Jim Marchino, Modesto Calif.
34
Jonathan Gomez, Twin Falls Idaho*
61
Brett Thompson, Jerome Idaho
88
Jamie Dick, Albuquerque N.M.
TBA
Jeff Barkshire, Auburn, Wash.



* Rookie

Thunderhill Raceway 03/14/2009 Event Page

Mike Curry - Rest In Peace

It is with great sadness that the Moses Smith Racing Team has to announce that Mike Curry, driver of the No. 16 Camping World Series West Transporter, passed away unexpectedly last Thursday, March 5th, 2009. He has been our truck driver, team member, and friend since Moses signed on with Bill McAnally Racing.

Mike will be greatly missed, not only by the team, his family and friends, but by all those who came to know him throughout the NASCAR Camping World Series.

I will never forget his smile and willingness to do whatever it took to get the task done. Our sincere condolences go out to Mike's wife Diana and to his family and friends.

Click here if you would like to leave "Prayers and Support For Mike Curry."

Funeral Services are scheduled for:
11am Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Church of Jesus Christ / Latter Day Saints
1510 West Century Blvd.
Lodi, CA 95242

Sympathy cards can be sent to:
BMR, attn: Curry Family
8636 Antelope North Road
Antelope, CA 95843



Kyle Busch To Run Camping World Series Event



Kyle Busch, the winner of the recent NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Shelby 427 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, will race at Iowa Speedway. Busch, who has won nine of 39 Cup Races since moving to Joe Gibbs Racing in 2008, is scheduled to compete in Newton Sunday, May 17, in the NASCAR Camping World Series East/West Challenge.

Busch said he’s looking forward to racing at Iowa Speedway. “Iowa Speedway is an amazing race track with exciting racing and its going to be a great show for the fans,” Busch said. “For some reason, Iowa Speedway has a history of somehow picking the winner of the All Star race in Charlotte by inviting a Cup guy out to run their race. I hope the tradition continues for us this year.”

The NASCAR Camping World Series East/West Challenge has drawn large crowds to Iowa Speedway in its first two seasons. In fact, the race is increasingly popular with NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers since the last two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers – Kevin Harvick and Kasey Kahne – each won the million dollar NASCAR Sprint Cup Series All-Star Challenge in Charlotte the night before competing at Iowa Speedway.

The word is out: if you want to win a million dollars in Charlotte, race in Iowa the next day.

The NASCAR Camping World Series drivers have shown their ability to hang with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stars. In 2007, Harvick was bested by then 16-year-old rising star Joey Logano. Last year, Kahne finished runner-up to Brian Ickler. This year, Busch will look to break that trend.

“The fans in Iowa are so awesome, the facilities are first class and the staff is top notch,” Busch said. “Not only will we be running the Camping World Series race, but we'll be back to run the Nationwide Series race as well, on our way to a Nationwide championship. We expect the Camping World race to be highly competitive and full of side by side racing with some of the best talent out there. I'm bringing my ‘A’ game to the race and I hope for a lot of fans in the stands making some noise. See everyone soon and thanks again to the staff at Iowa Speedway for extending the invitation for us to participate and I can't wait to see all of the fans packed in for the race!”

Iowa Speedway CEO Stan Clement, who enticed Busch to race at Iowa Speedway, said Busch’s arrival adds excitement to a race that is already a favorite among racing fans.

“We’re delighted to have Kyle Busch at Iowa Speedway to jumpstart our 2009 racing season,” said Clement, “there’s nobody more competitive in racing right now – he’s the ‘best of the best.’ ”

With his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win Sunday at Las Vegas, Kyle Busch has won three of the eight points races held this year in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

The NASCAR Camping World Series is the top level of the NASCAR Developmental Series and is made up of the two regional tours, the East and West, competing with identical race cars similar in appearance and design to those cars used in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. The East and the West meet only once during the season with points on the line – at Iowa Speedway in May.

Camping World, the country’s largest RV and outdoor retailer, became the title sponsor of the NASCAR East/West Series last year and continues the tradition of developing talented young drivers as well as sponsoring the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series beginning this year.
Track Release

Moses Smith #16In last year's East vs. West race, Moses Smith was the fastest West Series’ driver in the final practice session at Iowa Speedway and only 2/10th off the record. In a close qualifying session, Moses put the No. 16 HASA Pool Products / White Flyer Toyota in row twelve. Only 44 drivers would start the 200-lap race. Moses finished the race in sixth place for the West Drivers (seventeenth overall).



Saturday, March 7, 2009

25 And Counting For Sellers

Jack Sellers
West veteran doesn't let age slow him down

At NASCAR’s premier developmental level, the NASCAR Camping World Series serves as a stepping stone to many young drivers with aspirations of competing on a national stage. But for one driver, the series is his racing home and has been for nearly a quarter of a century.

Jack Sellers, who will turn 65 this summer, will be celebrating his 25th season when the NASCAR Camping World Series West kicks off its 2009 campaign with the Allstate Texas Thunder 150 at Thunderhill Raceway in Kyle, Texas, on March 14.

While he is three times as old as some drivers hoping to launch their racing career in the series, the good-natured Sellers does not let age be a deterrent.

“I didn’t start until I was 41 years old,” he said. “So, I was kind of over the hill when I started. But I was not one of the oldest. We had Hershel McGriff, Bill Schmitt and Jim Robinson … and there were a slew of other guys that had been in the series for a while.”

Sellers has competed in 220 events since his first series race in 1985. He is approaching Bill Schmitt’s modern era record of 237 series starts, a mark that he could break midway through the 2010 season. While acknowledging that goal, Sellers prefers to focus for now on the 2009 season.

“I’m looking forward to another good season,” he said. “We’re very optimistic. We’re probably more prepared now than we’ve ever been.”

“It just goes to show that sometimes it takes a quarter of a century for you to get your act together,” he said with a chuckle.

Sellers has registered 32 top-10 finishes, with a career-best seventh-place finish on four occasions. He has finished in the top 10 of the championship standings seven times, with a career mark of fifth in points in 1993.

“It’s like a life-long effort,” Sellers said of competing in the West’s oldest stock-car racing circuit. “I’ve watched this series evolve a long way from what it was 25 years ago to what it is now.”

While he’s seen many developments, the changes in safety have been among the most important in his viewpoint, according to Sellers.

“I’m very pleased with how the safety has grown,” he said. “When I first started in the series, you didn’t always walk away from a car wreck like you do nowadays. The cars are so much safer. I don’t give that a second thought any more. And I’ve hit a few walls.”

Sellers was known early in his career as the Coca-Cola Cowboy – due in part to his trademark cowboy hat and his family’s ownership of the Coca-Cola bottling plant in his hometown of Sacramento, Calif. While racing might appear as a hobby for some, it is a big part of life for Sellers.

“Although it’s only 13 to 15 weekends a year, it still takes quit a bit of your time – even though I’m not the one (actually) working on the car,” he said. “It does take a lot of your time, though it’s primarily a weekend deal.”

Sellers began competing in the NASCAR Camping World Series West, which was then known as the NASCAR Winston West Grand National Series, after being approached by series veteran John Krebs for sponsorship.

“John came to me and wanted a sponsorship about 26 years ago,” Sellers recalled. “I helped him out with a few things. In those days it was some gasoline, sodas and some T-shirts.”

The following year, Sellers decided to give the series a try and rented a race car from Krebs. One of his first races was on the quarter-mile oval in Stateline, Idaho.

“I had two of his crew members,” Sellers said. “We went up there. Back then, you did not have radios or communications. I had a flat tire and didn’t even know it was flat. I kept driving it and finally my crew had me black flagged. I came in and my arms were like butter.”

Sellers has been more than just a competitor in the NASCAR Camping World Series West the past 24 years, however, often stepping forward to support the series or a fellow competitor in need.

“There were times when the series just didn’t have enough cars,” he explained. “So, off and on we’ve had a second or third car going.”

When Sellers brought an additional car to an event, he did not always know who would drive it.

“One of the more prominent drivers that I put in for his first race in the series was Ron Hornaday (Jr.),” said Sellers.

“His first race was in one of my cars at Saugus. I got down there and didn’t have a driver and he was there,” Sellers recalled of his multi-car effort for the 1989 event at the now-shuttered race track in Santa Clarita, Calif.

Other times, Sellers came to the assistance of a driver in need of some help. Among those was Bill McAnally, who has since built his own multi-car race team and won four series championships. After vandals destroyed McAnally’s only race car and equipment just before the 1994 season opener, Sellers stepped in.

“He was left with nothing,” Sellers said. “So, we gave him one of my cars to race.”

Sellers continues to provide opportunities to others – such as Johnathan Hale, who competed in a second Sellers entry in 10 events last year and is returning as part of a two-car tandem this season. For Hale – a talented second-generation competitor who experienced success as a 17-year-old rookie in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model class at All American Speedway in Roseville, Calif., in 2007 – it was a matter of being in the right place at the right time.

“We were just practicing (at Roseville) a year ago in the winter and he and his dad happened to be there,” Sellers said. “We put him in the car to see how he would do. Then, we started practicing with him more and more.”

One thing led to another and Hale was soon competing in the NASCAR Camping World Series.

While his enjoyment of racing keeps Sellers coming back year after year – he seems to also thrive on seeing those around him, like Hale and members of their team, enjoy being part of the sport.

“It kind of gets in your blood and is hard to give up,” Sellers said. “I’ve been meaning to give it up for four years. But the crew is still with me and we’ve got two guys coming on. I’ve still got the basic skeleton crew of Mark (Posey), Kevin (Williams) and Charlie (Silva) and sometimes Billy (Croucher) and John (Krebs). I’m doing it as much for them as for me, in fact more so for them. But I still enjoy it. It’s not easy to say, ‘okay, that’s enough.’ It’s just not that easy to do. I’ve been meaning to.”

Asked how he would like to be remembered when he does finally retire, Sellers responded, “About the only thing they’re going to remember about me is that I was there an awfully long time,” he chuckled. “You could call me Last Man Standing.”
By Kevin Green, NASCAR

Friday, March 6, 2009

Looking Forward To The Season Opener At Thunderhill

Moses Smith Moses Smith, the driver of the No. 16 Hasa Pool Products Toyota Camry, begins his third season in the NASCAR Camping World Series West. The Bill McAnally Racing driver finished sixth in the chase for the series championship last season and is looking for his first series win. The first race of the season will be the "AllState Texas Thunder 150" in Kyle, Texas on March 14th.

"This year is going to be awesome," said Smith. A recent addition to the No. 16 Hasa team is veteran crew chief Mario Isola. He was the crew chief of the No. 20 BMR entry beginning in 2003 working with drivers Jim Inglebright, Clint Bowyer, Kerry Earnhardt and IRL driver Sarah Fisher. His accomplishments include a NASCAR West Series championship in 2007.

"I am really looking forward to our first official race of the season," continued Smith. "This 3/8th mile track is challenging with no wall on the back straight away, so it always makes for good racing." At Smith and the Hasa team's last visit to Thunderhill Raceway, Smith was third quick in second practice and qualified the No. 16 HASA Pool Products Toyota on the outside of row four to start the 150-lap race. He ran solidly in the middle of the pack thru six cautions when at lap 124, he and a competitor made contact after battling for position for several laps. A great driving effort by Smith kept the No. 16 HASA Pool Products Toyota on the pavement, but not without damage to the front of the car. On the white-flag lap, the damaged oil cooler let go, coating his tires with oil, making the No. 16 Toyota virtually impossible to drive. Moses briefly went off-track after he spun in the oil and was struck by a competitor. He quickly regained control finishing the race in sixteenth and on the lead lap. Smith left the 2008 AllState Texas Thunder third in the chase for the championship.

The Hasa Toyota team will take the green flag in the "AllState Texas Thunder 150" at Thunderhill Raceway in Kyle, Texas on March 14th. The 150-lap event will feature a 26-car field under the lights with the main event beginning at 8:45 pm. For ticket information, please visit www.TexasThunder200.com.

You can visit our sponsors' sites Hasa Pool Products, White Flyer, and TCI Transportation.

For more information about Moses Smith, please logon to Moses Smith Racing.

For more information on Bill McAnally Racing and our race partners, please visit their website.

Written by Kaye Reshaw


Monday, March 2, 2009

Shelby 427 - Dream NASCAR Weekend

Boy was NASCAR Race mom was dog-tired last night. The Shelby 427 was an exciting race in spite of the record fourteen cautions. I was fortunate enough to watch the race from Jamie McMurray’s hospitality tent. The IRWIN Industrial Tools hosts insured that the day was filled with an abundance of free food and beverage. The catering was very tasty and top notch.

Jeff Hammond’s stop by the hospitality was both entertaining and educational. Jeff Hammond joined Fox Sports at the end of the 2000 Winston Cup season. Jeff contributes to the race coverage on Fox and FX with booth announcers, Mike Joy, Larry McReynolds and Darrell Waltrip. When he took over the microphone, his charisma quickly became apparent. NRM will cover his appearance in more detail in a future post.

Then the driver of the #26 Irwin Industrial Tools Ford stopped by for a meet and greet. Unfortunately, Jamie McMurray was not feeling well. Nevertheless, he stayed for photos and questions. “We did not qualify the way we wanted,” Jamie informed us “but we believe we have everything figured out and should have a good car for the race.”

The tour of the pit area was my favorite part of the weekend. I was wearing my brand new #60 Roush Fenway Nationwide jacket. A mob surrounded Jack Roush as he attempted to make his way through the pits. It was apparent he was not having a good day. However, he was not too busy to sign my jacket. My new friend, from East Coast Custom Cycles was able snap a photo. So now I have the ultimate NASCAR fan souvenir. Once thing for sure, that jacket will never be worn again.

We watch the beginning of the race in the stands; super seats – 3I row 19. We had a great view of the start finish line and the pit entry area. We listened to Jamie McMurray on the track scanner. He is much like my son Moses, in that he does not say much on the radio. “Car’s a bit tight,” or the “the car’s good,” is about all we heard. However, he never let on that he was not feeling well and steadily moved though the field.

By the end of the race the McMurray was running in the top ten. He managed to finish ninth and moved up six positions to sit twenty-second in the championship points. Back in the hospitality tent we were all cheering the green, white, checkered finish.

Then my dream NASCAR weekend was over. As the limo town car whisked us away from the Las Vegas Motor Speedway to return us to the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, I glanced out the back window only to spot Richard Childress patiently waiting behind us in a golf cart. How surreal . . . . maybe my dream is not yet over.