Editor’s Note: In a nod to our 90 years of history, each week SPEED SPORT will look back at the top stories from 15, 30 and 60 years ago as told in the pages of National Speed Sport News.
15 Years Ago — 2010
News: After announcing a new engine formula beginning in 2012 that brings back the turbocharger, the Innovative, Open-Wheel, New, Industry-Relevant, Cost-Effective Advisory Committee discussed its reasons for the change Saturday at Texas Motor Speedway.
The new engine formula will allow manufacturers to produce engines with a maximum of six cylinders as well as maximum displacement of 2.4 cubic liters. The ethanol fueled engines will produce between 550 and 700 horsepower to suit the diverse set of tracks on which the IZOD IndyCar Series competes and will be turbocharged to allow for flexibility in power.
The series will explore a variety of new technologies that will address engine recovery, hybrids, fuel conservation and development of green initiatives.
“About two and a half months ago we decided one of the biggest decisions that IndyCar would make in this decade would be its next car,” said lndyCar Series CEO Randy Bernard. “One of the first things we felt would be very important would bring some of the top minds in our industry together to allow them to help in this process. I can tell you we looked at more than a hundred people for this committee and I’m very proud of the folks that we picked for it. I can tell you they’ve worked very hard. Their opinions have not always been the same, but they’ve come to some great conclusions so far we believe.
“I also want to say that this process has been a very diligent one. Our time process has been very short because there isn’t a lot of time. There’s been debate, but there have been decisions. We feel it’s very important to maintain our position as the fastest and most versatile racing car in the world. We want to pose relevant challenges to which the automotive industry faces today.”
Winners: Levi Jones had a pick week during USAC’s Eastern Storm tour for sprint cars, winning three out of four feature events.
Jones claimed victories at Grandview Speedway, Lincoln Speedway and New Egypt Speedway, while Chris Windom claimed victory at Big Diamond Raceway.
Jones claimed the 40-lap event at Grandview Speedway June 1, wrestling the lead from Chris Windom.
The event was named the Jesse Hockett Classic in honor of the USAC star who lost his life recently in a work-related accident.
It took Jones until lap 29 to reel in Windom, and the two drivers swapped the lead four times before Jones sealed the deal. In the closing laps of the race, Bryan Clauson and Damian Gardner moved past Windom, with Dave Darland completing the top five.
On a historic night in the Pigeon Hills, Levi Jones kept his perfect Eastern Storm record intact in the club’s first sprint-car race at Lincoln Speedway.
Jones set fast time and picked up the victory in the 40- lap, S6,000-to-win feature.
It was a good night for the Lincoln regulars, too.
Johnny Mackison Jr. came from 15th starting spot to cross the line in fourth. and two-time defending track champ Brian Montieth, in a wingless sprint car for the first time, finished fifth.
“We’ve kinda hit our stride,” said Jones. “We’ve figured out our shock package with the Penske stuff. and our Kistler motors are running great. The guys don’t ever let anything fall off this 20 car, so it’s a pleasure to drive it.”
Jones made it three-straight victories at New Egypt Speedway — the first USAC National Sprint Car race held in New Jersey in 32 years.
Jones. who won the first two events of Eastern Storm aboard the Tony Stewart Racing Bass Pro Shops’ Armor All Maxim/ Kistler Chevy, set fast time with a 15.726-second lap.
After advancing from fourth to second on lap six aboard his No. 20 entry, Jones set his sights on race leader Chase Stockon. A caution flag on lap 21 of the 40-lap event for the stopped Casey Shuman entry in turn four allowed Jones the chance to close on Stockon’s bumper.
Stockon had his hands full on the restart as Jones hounded him for the lead. It didn’t take Jones long to complete the move. Passing Stockon on lap 24 in what proved to be the final lead change.
Chris Windom secured second for the second-consecutive evening. Bryan Clauson came home third, followed by Dave Darland and Stockon.
30 Years Ago — 1995
News: Embroiled in a battle with the rival Indy Racing League for the future of Indy car racing in North America, IndyCar announced its 1996 schedule last Saturday, which includes expansion into virgin territory.
Among the highlights of the schedule is an oval-track race at Rio de Janiero, Brazil — the first trip to South America for the Indy cars since a race at Rafaela, Argentina in 1971.
The 16-race schedule was announced Saturday by Andrew Craig, president and chief executive officer of lndyCar.
One race missing from the series is the 80th Indianapolis 500 on May 26, which will be part of the rival Indy Racing League that begins competition next season as an all-oval series. The Indianapolis 500 has never officially been an IndyCar race because it was sanctioned by the United States Auto Club, but it has awarded PPG points since 1983.
Though downplayed in the announcement release, PPG will continue as the series sponsor next year, according to Craig.
Interesting is that IndyCar has scheduled no races during the month of May, but moved its Road America race to the same weekend traditionally used by the New Hampshire Int’l Speedway which recently announced an alignment with the IRL.
Winners: Robby Gordon has been considered one of IndyCar racing’:) most exciting drivers with his hard-charging, aggressive style. In Sunday’s ITT Automotive Detroit Grand Prix, the 26-year-old Gordon made it look easy as he started on the pole and led the final 35 laps to score his second career victory.
Gordon defeated Jimmy Vasser by .345 seconds in a race that saw the top seven cars drive the final 34 laps without passing each other.
Gordon averaged 83.499 mph in his Valvoline Reynard/Ford-Cosworth around the 2.1-mile street course at Belle Isle in front of 62,707 fans.
Scott Pruett was third followed by Michael Andretti and defending PPG Indy Car World Series champion AI Unser Jr.
By winning the race from the pole, Gordon collected a $105,000 Marlboro Pole Award in addition to his first place winnings. IndyCar does not release prize money, but according to sources, it is believed the winner of each race receives $90,000, including a $20,000 franchise payment.
That would make Gordon’s payday a lucrative $195,000. Although there was no passing of any significance for the final 34 laps, Gordon had enough excitement for one weekend, as he was involved in three separate crashes during practice or qualifications on Friday, Saturday and Sunday morning.
Earlier in the day, during Sunday morning’s warmup session, Gordon’s Reynard/Ford-Cosworth had an accelerator stick, causing it to crash into a tire barrier. The contact damaged the nose and the left-front suspension, but his crew was able to repair the damage.
“Maybe the crash was my fault,” Gordon said. “We have some circumstances that happen on street circuits and you just have to deal with them. That is where my crew is very good. They are behind me 110 percent and if I make a mistake, they will fix the car. They told me they will fix the car any day as long as we qualify on the pole and win the race. The credit has to go out to those guys this weekend because they did put the car back every time to its position and If you are going to have accidents, you want to have the in practice.”
60 Years Ago— 1965
News: The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing presented its 1965 industrial Award of Excellence to The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. for its development of a racing tire with a built-in spare which is now required as a major safety factor in NASCAR high-speed racing.
Describing the tire as “one of the most significant safety advances in the history of auto racing,”
NASCAR President William H. G. France presented the award to Goodyear Board Chairman Russell DeYoung at a press luncheon.
The NASCAR Award of Excellence has been given previously to Buick, Chevrolet, the Columbia Broadcasting System for its coverage of racing, Pontiac and Ford, which has received the award twice. In general, the auto companies received the award for engineering achievements.
The LifeGuard tire assembly, patterned after a tire-within-a-tire principle used by Goodyear in passenger tires for the past 30 years, was introduced to the Grand National racing circuit in February just prior to the running of the 500-mile championship race at the Daytona International Speedway.
Three months later, France announced that NASCAR’s National Racing Commission has ruled that all cars on the four major high-speed stock car racing tracks-at Daytona, Darlington, Charlotte and Atlanta-must use inner safety tires on all wheels in practice, qualifying and racing.
The ruling was welcomed by race drivers competing on these four tracks, where speeds range from 150 to 180 miles per hour. The inner safety tire takes over if the outer tire blows or is punctured, and the driver is able to control his speeding car to a safe stop. Danger of a crash into the track retaining wall or into other speeding cars is lessened considerably.
This, France said, “provides a broader and much-needed margin of safety on the high-speed NASCAR tracks.”
Winners: Norm Nelson, a 25-year veteran or racing, captured the United States Auto Club’s 200-mile stock car race before a paid crowd of 10,057 at Greenwood Roadway here Sunday.
The 44-year·old Racine, Wis., automobile shop owner, caught Paul Goldsmith, early leader, in the pits on the 63rd mile of the race then beat his Munster, Ind., rival by a scant 11 seconds on the lap.
The triumph was a $2,335 payday for Nelson, who hauled down $1,835 for his first-place plus accessory money. Goldsmith collected $1,350 for second; Don White of Keokuk, Ia., $975 for third; and Bob Isaac of Catawba, N. C., $750 for fourth.
Only a dozen of the 19 starters were still running at the finish over the 3-mile, twisting, hilly course. Both the polesitter, Dave Pearson and popular Jim Hurtubise, on the sidelines.
Pearson, stalled in the pits after the opening lap because of a 10-cent bolt broke on the control arm in his suspension system, made a game bid to get back into the race, after needing 20 laps of precious time for repairs.
He averaged 85 mph laps, twice hitting 150 mph through the radar speed trap before a water pump broke and forced him in for keeps at the end of his 41 laps.
