Episode 424
April 30, 2023
Spud Speedway Announces
Additional day added to Feed the County Weekend to honor the memory of John Swanberg. The event will now be Saturday and Sunday with Brian’s Ride Motorcycle event plus show, bouncy house for the kids, music by Star City Syndicate, food, fireworks and fun for the whole family.
Dustbowl Sponsored by Outlaw Mowing, Maine Teaser Video:
County Man on the NASCAR circuit with McDonalds
Steve Doody, Washburn, is making the rounds as the showcar driver of the #23 McDonalds cup car driven by Bubba Wallace. He has hosted a “Bubba’s Block Party” at Richmond Raceway which included live bands and ten-second pit stop demonstration by Bubba Wallace’s pit crew. The Chicago race may include another “Bubba’s Block Party”.
Steve Doody at Richmond Pit stop demonstration by Wallace’s pit crew.
https://www.facebook.com/1230643765/videos/pcb.10231935210743057/1410548759702458
As part of the Dover race, Tyler Reddick the driver of the 23XI #45 Toyota and Bubba Wallace the #23 cup car made appearance at a local McDonalds promoting the local Ronald McDonalds House. (Steve Doody photo)
Despite today’s rainout, the Monday noon start-time may allow me to listen to the race where Tyler Reddick wheels this special paint scheme promoting Ronald McDonalds houses. (23 XI Racing photo)
The biggest event for Doody will be NASCAR’s newest street race in Chicago July 2, 2023, The Grant Park 220. Chicago is McDonalds headquarters and hope to bring their best show to the unique venue, the streets of Chicago. Doody will be providing more details as the date approaches. He and his wife/showcar partner Becky are on their way to Kansas Speedway, Kansas City, Kansas for the AdventHealth 400 May 7th.
Kody Swanson made new team debut at Anderson Speedway 500 Sprint Tour opener
Mission Foods sponsored artist sketch of Doran/Binks Motorsports #77 to be driven by Kody Swanson. (Jim Gardner Bullet Impressions image)
Doran Binks joint press release. Lebanon, Ohio (March 29, 2023) Seven-time and reigning USAC Silver Crown driving champion Kody Swanson will attempt to extend his all-time record of series titles to eight in 2023 in a combined team effort between Kevin Doran and Dan Binks.
Swanson’s route to the 2021-22 Silver Crown championships came via a split effort between Doran Racing on pavement and Dyson Racing on dirt. This year’s combo will put the Kingsburg, Calif. driver under the same roof with a single team for the full season on both dirt and pavement, a scenario Swanson hasn’t been in since competing full-time for Nolen Racing in 2020.
Doran Binks Racing will be based at Doran Racing’s headquarters in Lebanon, Ohio, and will sport primary sponsorship from Mission Foods, the leading producer of tortillas in the United States and the manufacturer of a variety of authentic Mexican products. Glenn Farms will be the team’s associate sponsor and the cars will return to the 77, which Swanson utilized with the team during his 2021 championship season.
Doran Binks Racing plans to compete in all 14 USAC Silver Crown races in 2023. As a seven-time champion, Swanson’s 37 victories make him the winningest driver in the history of this series.
Swanson, a native of Kingsburg, Calif., who now lives in Indianapolis, won three races on the way to the 2022 USAC Silver Crown title. In August, he beat his own world speed record for a traditional USAC Silver Crown car with a speed of 146.699 miles per hour during qualifying at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Ill.
“I’m excited about this year and the season ahead,” Swanson exclaimed. “This is a tremendous opportunity to work together with some great friends and talented racers and do it all out of the same building. I’m thankful for the chance to partner with the Mission brand and hope to represent an iconic company well while competing for wins and championships.”
While Swanson has already cemented himself among the USAC greats throughout his career, Doran and Binks are both legends in endurance sports car racing.
Doran has won the Rolex 24 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway as a crew chief, a team member, a team manager, a car owner and even as a car manufacturer. Prior to fielding cars under Doran Racing, he had many victories with the late Al Holbert, a five-time IMSA Camel GT champion; the MOMO Ferrari team, and Doran Lista Racing.
Dan Binks, of Brighton, Mich., was the crew chief for Corvette Racing’s factory sports car team for nearly 20 years. Under his direction, the team won the 24 Hours of Le Mans six times and numerous IMSA championships. A retired Dan Binks at work on one of the racing Corvettes he helped shepherd to victory lane now racing in the Historic Sports Car Race Series. (Kathy M. Rose photo)
Prior to becoming one of the most recognizable faces of Corvette Racing, Binks won IMSA GTU races with a Mazda RX-7 with various drivers, enjoying great success in Trans Am and even was a crew chief for Roush Fenway Racing in NASCAR.
Recently Binks was recognized by the National Corvette Museum as a 2023 inductee into the 25th Anniversary Hall of Fame making him one of only 24 members in the Racing category since the founding of the Museum in 1998.
Here is what his award bio said, “Dan Binks is a racing crew chief, fabricator, and do-it-all competitor. For nearly two decades starting in 2002, Binks was a vital member of the Corvette racing team. During his tenure, the Corvette squad scored over 100 race victories, including six class wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, three at the 24 Hours of Daytona and 11 at the 12 Hours of Sebring. While Binks retired from the Corvette team in 2020, he did not slow down. In his Brighton, Michigan shop, he prepares the cars he once raced professionally for vintage events, restores race cars, and builds engines.”
Swanson finished fifth in the season opener at Anderson Speedway. The race was won the second year in a row by Kule O’Gara who led all 75 laps. Taylor Fern was second, Dakoda Armstrong third, Billy Wease fourth followed by fifth place Kody Swanson. Swanson won the pole position and started sixth after the field inversion.
The USAC Silver Crown series opens with the 20th running of the Sumar Classic on Sunday, May 7, 2023, at the Terre Haute Action Track, Terre Haute, Indiana. This is a 1/2-mile dirt oval.
Sting Ray Robb Update
UpNorth Motorsports is following the career of IndyCar rookie, Sting Ray Robb for the 2023 season. Robb is driving the #51 BioHaven sponsored car for Rick Ware Racing with Honda power.
Sting Ray Robb driver #51 BioHaven Honda in the NTT IndyCar series (Penske Entertainment – Chris Owens photo)
Results so far
March 5 St. Petersburg Grand Prix Qual 23 Finish 16
April 2 Texas Motor Speedway Qual 23 Finish 25
April 16 Long Beach Grand Prix Qual 21 Finish 18
April 30 Barber Motorsports Park Qual 23 Finish 27
Next race is the GMR Grand Prix on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course May 13. And the biggie….the 107th Indy 500 May 28, 2023.
Autocross is coming to Loring in August 3-5, 2023
The Cumberland Motor Club (CMC) announced that the 14th Annual Mega Autocross at the former Loring Air Force base will be August 3-5, 2023. Friday the 3rd will be a test and tune day followed by two days of competition Saturday and Sunday.
I light of the future event I thought you might like this video by CMC member Brian Prince may give some insight into prep of his sweet-sounding Austin Healey Sprite for the autocross season.
Brian Prince video posted to CMC 1/21/23.
https://www.facebook.com/1410501773/videos/1263468947860689?
Let’s go racing,
Tom Hale
Soli Deo Gloria (Matthew 5:16)
