SEMA Racing News

SEMA eNews, Vol. 11, No. 19 - May 08, 2008
ROOKIE PRACTICE LAPS OPEN THE INDY 500 AND OTHER RACING NEWS

A BIG NIGHT: Tony Stewart Racing was the big winner Saturday night. The team owned by two-time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart saw its newest driver, Donny Schatz, win the World of Outlaws race at Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway, while Levi Jones wheeled Stewart’s USAC sprint car to victory in USAC’s first-ever race at Brownstown (Indiana) Speedway. Also at Brownstown, Ronnie Combs won the UMRA three-quarter-midget race in a car owned by Stewart, while Steve Barnett drove the Indiana veteran’s crate late-model to victory at Brownstown as well.

THE NEW AND THE OLD: Seventeen-year-old Joey Logano turned in a dominant performance to win the Carolina 500 ARCA RE/MAX Series which reopened Rockingham (North Carolina) Speedway after four years.

SIGNED: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Carl Edwards signed a three-year contract extension to remain with Roush Fenway Racing.

ON THE POWER: Former Champ Car driver Will Power was quickest on Opening Day at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but Alex Lloyd jumped to the top of the speed charts on the second day of rookie practice. The veterans were set to hit the track for the first time on May 6 in anticipation of Pole Day on Saturday.

RELEASED: Veteran IndyCar crew member Larry Curry was released as team manager of Vision Racing. He was replaced by Keven Kukuliwicz, who has been with the team for many years.

1,000: Fifteen-time NHRA Funny Car champion John Force earned his 1,000th round victory during Sunday’s NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series event at Gateway (Illinois) International Raceway. However, Force lost in the second round and Tim Wilkerson won the event.

RENOVATIONS: Martinsville (Virginia) Speedway will undergo more than $2 million worth of renovations, including the installation of a state-of-the-art scoreboard prior to the October 19 NASCAR Sprint Cup event at the .526-mile oval.

POWER RANKINGS: With a pair of top-five finishes in two NASCAR races, Kyle Busch remained at the top of the National Speed Sport News Power Rankings. The National Speed Sport News Power Rankings, which are published weekly in the 74-year-old motorsports publication.

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