Hot Laps: Newman Returns
The Rocket Man is back. I was one of many who believed Ryan Newman would never run a NASCAR Cup Series race. It appeared he would be happy to race occasionally in SRX, frequently in Tour-type modifieds and maybe pick up a Silver Crown ride here and there.
But the 45-year-old, 18-time NASCAR Cup Series winner has signed on to drive a Rick Ware Racing machine in a limited schedule of events, beginning this weekend at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway.
Newman has never raced a Next Gen car.
Qualifying: He’s Not Alone
ARCA team owner Billy Venturini, who has not raced since 2007, but he’s returning to the cockpit to compete in the May 10 ARCA Menards Series East race at Michigan’s Flat Rock Speedway. Venturini, 47, who has one ARCA victory, always wanted to race at the flat, quarter-mile bullring and will now get his chance, driving his own No. 20 Toyota.
Rain Delay: Trivia Question
Nine drivers who have previously won the Indianapolis 500 are entered in this year’s event. Can you name them?
Answer in parting shot.
First Heat: Buddy Kofoid
It’s going to be interesting to see where and when Buddy Kofoid turns up next after his split with Crouch Motorsports, which has hired Cory Eliason to replace Kofoid.
Kofoid, who has backed by Toyota much of his career and spent a good portion of it driving midgets (and a few sprint cars) for Keith Kunz Motorsports is without a doubt one of the most talented open-wheel racers in the country.
Second Heat: That’s A Big Field
ASA STARS National Tour officials have capped the field for Tuesday night’s event at North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway at 55 cars. The race kicks off a full week of racing at the revitalized North Carolina short track and will see some of the best racers in the country in action.
Casey Roderick and Ty Majeski, who won the first two races of the season lead a field that includes NASCAR national touring series drivers Erik Jones, Chase Elliott, Carson Hocevar, Sammy Smith, Noah Gragson, Grant Enfinger, Majeski, Chandler Smith and Daniel Suarez.
For the majority of the NACAR drivers, it’s a chance to get some track time before the weekend’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series or NASCAR Cup Series events. The field also includes late model standouts Augie Grill, Matt Craig, Stephen Nasse, Bubba Pollard, Austin Nason, Derek Griffith, Derek Kraus, Derek Thorn and Williams Sawalich.
Third Heat: Look Out For Rico
There’s a lot of big money on the line in sprint car racing this summer, and it looks as if Rico Abreu may be in line to win a lot of it.
After two World of Outlaws events at Ohio’s Eldora Speedway, Abreu looks like he’ll be the man to beat when the Eldora Million takes place July 12-13 at the historic half-mile dirt track. Abreu picked up his third WoO victory of the season May 6 at Eldora after finishing second the previous night.
He’s been fast everywhere and has always been a contender at Eldora, where he’s won two of this last three starts.
Dash: Gragson-Chastain
I didn’t have Noah Gragson on my bingo card as the first Cup Series driver to physically confront Ross Chastain.
Last Chance Race: Run Them All
As heartbreaking Eli Tomac’s Achilles injury is on the eve of what would have been a third Monster Energy Supercross title, I like that he wasn’t given a do-over or anything like that. His body didn’t make it through all 17 races, so someone who made all those starts, gets the title.
That’s the way it used to be in most racing before we started granting exemptions and offering show-up points and things like that.
Feature: He’s Still Young
It’s not exactly the same thing, but … Tony Stewart has won two Top Alcohol Dragster races this season. He will turn 52 years old on May 20. NHRA legend Eddie Hill earned his first Top Fuel victory at the age of 52 in 1988. Hill had vast drag racing and boat racing experience on his side and went on to win 13 NHRA national events.
Hill was the 1993 NHRA Top Fuel champion at the age of 57 — 30 years ago.
There’s still plenty of time, Smoke.
Parting Shot: The Indy Nine
The nine Indy 500 winners entered in the 107th running of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing are:
Helio Castroneves (2001, ’02, ’09 and ’21), Scott Dixon (2008), Tony Kanaan (2013), Ryan Hunter-Reay (2014), Alexander Rossi (2016), Takuma Sato (2017, ’20), Will Power (2018), Simon Pagenaud (2019) and Marcus Ericsson (2022).
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