NASCAR Race Mom - Who Are You?

I was asked to write an introduction as to who I am and what my aspirations are. Well my blog NASCAR Race Mom is pretty descriptive; nevertheless, let’s see if I can be just a tad more detailed. I am a slightly older person who has been blessed with a super family and magnificent life. Rather than my life slowing down after retirement last year, it has actually metamorphosed into a more hectic pace.

My husband of thirty-five years is very understanding and supportive of all my activities. I have two wonderful and productive grown sons. My youngest, Zachariah is the owner of a successful plumbing company. He lives just ten miles down the road, so I am able to interact with him almost daily.

My oldest son, Moses races in the Camping World Series West. He also runs his own race shop and online parts store. Moses began his racing career at a young age in karting. He set himself apart from his competition on and off the track. Winning the California State Championship proved his abilities on the track, while also holding the title as the youngest member of the San Diego Karting Associates Board of Directors. Moses was always a very focused and serious kid.

At a young age, Moses moved into full size cars the hard way; first as a mechanic for the Skip Barber Racing Schools and other professional race teams, then as an Instructor. This allowed him to learn the intricacies of the sport while biding his time to get behind the wheel.

Moses received his career break competing in a limited schedule of Formula Mazda events in 2001. Moses parlayed the limited schedule into becoming one of the top Formula Mazda drivers. He missed the 2002 Star Mazda Series North American Championship by a single point.

In 2006, with the encouragement of his current sponsor HASA Inc., Moses made the switch to NASCAR by competing in a limited schedule in the NASCAR Grand National West Division. Last year, he finished sixth in the points for the Championship. He finished in the top-five three times and collected ten top-ten finishes.

Equally, if not more important, Moses was awarded the prodigious ‘Most Popular Driver in the NASCAR Camping World Series West’ award. What made this award so special was that fact that over 7,500 fans took the opportunity to vote for the award via the NASCAR.com website. It was an excellent topper to my son’s sophomore season in NASCAR.

Now that brings me to my aspirations for 2009. I believe that with the honor the fans bestowed on our driver, came an added responsibility to all the fans who voted for him! In preparations for the 2009 season, in an effort to keep up with the technology of computer networking, I have recently published my own blog, to inform and involve all the Camping World Series West fans.

Once the 2009 racing season starts, it is my colossal plan to do ‘up-to-the-minute’ updates from the hotels and tracks. I want to be able to interview a driver at 8:00 a.m. and have that interview up on the internet by 8:15 a.m.

It is my hope that fans can leave questions in the comment section (I.E. Is Johnny B’s car fixed and ready to race) and I can find the answers to their questions and respond immediately.

I sense that this interactive blog ‘at the track’ design is new and innovative in the NASCAR Circuit and could propel itself to the leading edge within the first few races! My major drawback is that my laptop is a bit outdated, but I can overcome that obstacle.

So there you have it – who I am and what I plan on doing. Please feel free to visit my blog and leave a comment on my 'at the track' coverage. If you ask me a question, I will attempt to find the answer for you! I will also be posting photos and possibly some video.

I launch my ‘at the track’ coverage this weekend at the Toyota Speedway in Irwindale. The sixth edition of the Toyota All-Star Showdown promises to be an exciting two day event.

Moses Smith and the Hasa/Toyota Team Ready for NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown

by Kaye Reshaw

It seems like a very long time since Moses Smith and the No. 16 Hasa Pool Products Toyota Camry team competed at the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown. The last event was held in 2007 in which Smith was involved in an accident ending his race early. Smith, who drives for Bill McAnally Racing (BMR), comes to this race after finishing sixth in the chase for the 2008 NASCAR Camping World Series West and recording two top-ten finishes at the Toyota Speedway in Irwindale, California.

“I am looking forward to going racing again,” said Smith. “It is nice to have the showdown right in the middle of the off season; it kind of breaks it up. Hopefully this year’s showdown will be better than the last.”

New to the No. 16 Hasa Toyota team but not to BMR is crew chief, Mario Isola. He was the crew chief of the No. 20 BMR entry beginning in 2003 working with drivers Jim Inglebright, Kerry Earnhardt and IRL driver Sarah Fisher. His accomplishments include a NASCAR West Series championship in 2007. This is the first race he will team up with Smith and the Hasa team.

“I am looking forward to working with my new crew chief Mario Isola,” continued Smith. “We tested together towards the end of December, and things went very well. We seemed to hit it off. I’m looking forward to getting out there and contending for the win at the Showdown.”

The NCWS race, the “NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown” will be on January 23-24 at the Toyota Speedway in Irwindale, California. Thirteen drivers have each already secured a spot in the by winning a NASCAR Camping World Series race this year. Other positions in the starting lineup will be determined through time trials, which are slated for 6 p.m. on Friday, and limited provisionals for NASCAR Camping World Series regulars. Rounding out Friday’s activity for the NASCAR Camping World Series will be a “Last Chance Open” race at 9:10 p.m. that provides drivers one final opportunity to make the final 40-car starting grid for Saturday’s feature race.

The 250-lap event for the NASCAR Camping World Series features a 40-car field, is set to take the green flag at 8:31 p.m. Both nights’ races will be televised live on SPEED. All time listed are Pacific Time. Check your local listings.

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. For more information on Hasa Pool Products please visit www.hasapool.com.

This will mark the sixth edition of the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown at Toyota Speedway. The exciting competition on the fast half-mile has become a staple of the all-star weekend. In addition to the Camping World Series event, the schedule will include a NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Super Late Model and Late Model features. The graduated banking — between six and 12 degrees — at the state-of-the-art-facility produces multiple racing grooves that make for thrilling side-by-side racing.

The NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown weekend features two nights of live coverage on SPEED, which has broadcast the event in each of its first five years. It will be part of a packed weekend on SPEED that includes the Rolex 24 at Daytona sports car event.