Motor Sports Weekly News

By: Drew Hierwarter

Have no fear fellow race fans and dear readers everywhere, the long winter doldrums are almost over. We’re going to make it! In just a little over two weeks from now the sound of racing engines will once again reverberate from our television sets and all will be right with the world.

Normally at this time of year we would be talking about Daytona testing. The daily speeds would be posted on the internet and race fans would be comparing their favorite teams to one another. But late last year, in an effort to save race teams some money, NASCAR placed a ban on all testing at sanctioned tracks, including Daytona. So things have been very quiet so far and the only racing news has been somewhat bad. Some teams have been absorbed into others while some have had to close their doors. Hundreds of employees have lost their jobs. It’s been a tough winter for everyone.

However, just like it always has this time of year, optimism is growing as we get closer and closer to the first firing of race engines. In just a little over two weeks from this writing we have the “Toyota All-Star Showdown” from Irwindale Speedway near Los Angeles and the “Rolex 24 at Daytona” from, obviously, Daytona International Speedway.

The “Toyota All-Star Showdown” gathers the best short track racers from around the country for a two day, no points, no pressure, all out shoot out to see who’s the best. Last’s years winner Joey Logano will be returning to defend his title and gain some bragging rights over rival, friend, and teammate at Joe Gibbs Racing, Marc Davis. The two day event gets under way Friday, January 23^rd with the main event on Saturday night. Check your local listings, as they say.

That same weekend, January 24^th and 25^th, we are also treated to the annual “Rolex 24 at Daytona”. The twice-around-the-clock race always draws the top talent from around the world and many different forms of racing to the sunny shores of Florida for this prestigious event. From NASCAR Sprint Cup stars like Jimmie Johnson, Juan Pablo Montoya, and Casey Mears to Indy 500 veterans like Jimmy Vasser, Dario Franchitti,  and media favorite Danica Patrick. Former Trans-Am champion, Indy car vet, and sometimes NASCAR competitor Scott Pruett will be just one of the drivers hoping to bring Chip Ganassi Racing a record fourth overall win.

Just two weeks after Daytona, the NHRA drag racing season gets under way with the 47^th annual NHRA Winternationals at Pomona. That Saturday night our attention will be directed back to Daytona for the Budweiser Shootout and the first race for NASCAR Cup cars of 2009. And then it’s less than two weeks until the 2009 NASCAR season gets officially under way with the preliminaries leading up to the 50^th running of the Daytona 500.

So, hang in there race fans. I know things look pretty dark right now but there’s light on the horizon and before you know it race cars will be used in anger once again and all the bad stuff of 2008 will be forgotten.

Only 34 days until the Daytona 500!