Sting Ray Robb working with junior race car builders

Episode 416

January 1, 2023

Building Indy type model race cars with grandkids and Sting Ray Robb

Christmas 2021 featured wooden airplane models put together by Hale grandchildren for display at Camp HiLo, Madawaska Lake, Maine. For 2022, I designed a kit featuring a model that resembles an Indy racer. My design looks somewhat similar to a 1972 All American Racer Eagle built by Dan Gurney, one of my racing heroes.

Sting Ray Robb, future IndyCar driver reflecting on his 2022 Indy Lights season. The series is now the Indy NXT Series. (SR2 photo)

My grandkids were each given a kit to assemble and paint in their favorite race colors. Sting Ray Robb, the future IndyCar driver and second place driver in the 2022 Indy Lights Series Championship from Payette, Idaho, was asked to be their honorary driver.

Sting Ray accepted with pleasure. Robb also produced a short video declaring his pleasure with being chosen their honorary driver. Some SR² swag was sent to the kids along with signed hero cards. The grandkids were thrilled that a real IndyCar driver took his time to be part of this project.

HTF Motorsports Indy race car model kit designed for grandkids. The wheels, axles, and hubcaps are made of birch and were purchased from Woodpecker Supply. Axle spacers were cut from 1/4 tubing. All other wood parts are made from red pine from Hale Tree Farms woodlot and milled by Jim Flavin, a local woodworking craftsman. (HTF Motorsports photo)

The dry assembled racer was displayed to the budding Indy race car builders. Like any race cars careful assembly along with custom fitting of certain parts was and will be necessary. The model is designed to show some Motorsports STEM ideas as well. (HTF Motorsports photo)

Around the family dining table is where many important memories are made. Left to right on left side of table, Soren and Lila. Right side front Lydia and Caleb in background. Each grandchild received a complete kit for them to assemble and decorate. (HTF Motorsports photo)

Viewing the video produced by Sting Ray Robb just for the budding builders. Left to right, UpNorth Motorsports writer and Grampy Hale, Caleb with Sting Ray Robb hat and shirt. Lydia, Soren and Lila with their new SR2 t-shirts. Son-in-law Christian prepares lunch in background. (HTF Motorsports photo)

Holding their dry assebled Indy racers with their Sting Ray Robb swag, left-to-right Soren, Caleb, Lila and Lydia. When we get together in February, they must have models assembled and possibly painted. (HTF Motorsports photo)

Click below to see video from Sting Ray Robb:

Video (9)

End of Era as Jere Humphrey steps away from Tame the Track Snowmobile Tour

Jere Humphrey on right, did not confine himself to promoting snowmobile racing only. Here he congratulates Last Chance Motorsports 150 winner Austin Theriault along with Theriault’s father Steve on left. This was at Spud Speedway in Caribou. (Last Chance Motorsports photo)

In a statement from Humphrey posted this afternoon, he announced his retirement from race promoting after 23 years in the business. His statement follows:

“With the beginning of 2023, Tame the Track Snowmobile Tour would like to officially and publicly announce to all our race teams, sponsors, family & friends, after twenty-three years of hosting and promoting snowmobile races for talent levels of all ages, the current owners are finally resigning from the organizational side of the sport, whether is Vintage, Trail and Kids, SnoX, Cross Country, Radar Runs, Hillclimbs, or otherwise!

Our first ever snowmobile event was held in 1999 at the Northern Maine Fairgrounds in Presque Isle, Maine labeled as the Star City SnoX.

Years of friendship was developed & appreciated. As with most events held throughout the State, we met some wonderful people over the years. The SnoX event was no different, as Randy Petrin & Tim Lessard dominated all the top Pro Divisions, racing on Arctic Cats.

Over the past six years, with the Touring Series, which held an average of 10 sled races per season throughout the entire Pine Tree State, was able to help several Maine Snowmobile Clubs raise extensive funds through sled racing events to assist with their ITS Trail systems.

One of the best TTT events held during our final 2022 winter season, race teams helped raise and donate over $12,000 for a single-day race event, which was co-hosted by the Littleton Playground Committee.

So many memories, stories that could be shared endlessly. Most importantly, thanks to the hundreds of race teams, families and the business sponsors that made our success possible.

Lastly, I would be remiss not to praise Nancy Haggerty and all her multiple friends and helpers who volunteered over the years. Nancy spent endless hours, time, and resources behind the scenes for 14-straight years at a thankless type of scenario, for everyone to enjoy motorsports; whether it was truck pulling, go kart, stock car racing, snowmobile racing, mud runs, tuff trucks and much more.”

Humphrey urged fellow racers and fans to continue to support motorsports efforts of others. He wrote, “Big Valley Sno Club of Island Falls and Scot Walker plan to continue offering Vintage, Trail, and Kids Endurance Races, during 2023.

Good Luck to all the race teams and families that support the sport. Thanks for the years of support and the millions of memories”.

All the best to Jere and Nancy after pouring their lives into motorsports promoting for 23 years. The road has never been smooth and without hiccups, yet you overcame. Thank you from me and all enthusiasts around the state and region. Hope to see you around. God bless.

Will a Chili Bowl winner come out of this garage

One of my favorite parts of being the writer of UpNorth Motorsports is interviewing some of the people that I may have seen on tv or watched in action at the races. Seeming to come out of the blue was a chance to talk for 1/2 hour with one of the most famous crew chief/mechanics in sports car racing, Dan Binks.

Dan Binks on left with his son Phil on the right at Daytona International Speedway November 2022. Phil is the crew chief on the Chip Ganassi #01 GTP car which will be debuting at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona later this month. (Kathy Rose photo)

When he was 8 or 9 years old, he was working on his father Phil Binks Bug Eyed Sprites or Fiat race cars. His father made it clear nothing was off limits in regard to Dan working on the race car.

Shortly after graduating from James Madison High School, Claremont, California, on invitation from Jim Bailey manager of the Phil Conte Race team Binks began doing every job that was required to campaign, prepare, transport, and race the team cars.

Binks went to work for Clayton Cunningham Racing in 1985 with a Mazda RX-7. He met his friend Tommy Kendall when Kendall raced the Mazda to two GTU championships.

Cars and Concepts race team was next and then Roush Racing where Binks once again teamed up with Kendall and won a couple Trans Am Championships. Recently Tommy Kendall remarked, “”For my money, he’s the greatest crew chief of all times.”

In 2002, Binks went to Pratt and Miller in New Hudson, Michigan where he worked for 18 years until his retirement in 2020. Pratt and Miller campaigned the Chevy Corvette in IMSA as well as the WEC. He helped lead the team to 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans class victory as well as the triple crown of sports car racing, The Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona, Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, and 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2015. This was the first since 2000.

Which leads me to the Chili Bowl January 9-14, 2023. Last year Dan Binks went to the Chili Bowl helping out another race team. That experience cemented in his mind what his future motorsport’s goal would be.

When someone recognized him at last year’s Chili Bowl and asked what a sports car racer was doing out of his territory, Binks replied, “Do you think winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans is easy? That is the hardest race I have ever competed in!”.

Binks assured me that he wants to be in charge of his own equipment as well as powerplants. He said he races to win. He described himself as “confident and annoying at times”.

Earlier this season Binks purchased two midget cars from Tim Clason. They were transported to his shop in Brighton. Michigan where he not only builds race engines, but now race cars for his Binks Motorsports team.

Dan Binks with his two Midget chassis purchased from Tim Clason. Inside secret…the #4 car driven by Kody Swanson will feature a 4-cylinder Binks engine. The #3 car will have another Binks engine only it will be a 3- cylinder version. Both are based on GM blocks. (Binks Motorsports photo)

Binks mentioned that he looks forward to the challenge posed by the Chili Bowl with its 350-plus entrants. He called the race the last frontier for racing with its limited rules. He likes playing outside of the box!

Kody Swanson will be kicking off the 2023 race season at the 37th Annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl with the Dan Binks #4P midget The #3P midget will be driven by Darin Naida. (Binks Motorsports graphic)

Let’s go racing,

Tom Hale

Soli Deo Gloria (Matthew 5:16)

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