Dodge Track Bar

The Annual Scott Thompson Memorial at VSP this Saturday

BARBERVILLE, Fla. -- This Saturday night at Volusia Speedway Park marks the 6th Annual Scott Thompson Memorial as the United Dirt Late Model Challenge Series and the Daytona Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram Fiat Late Models will go 50 laps in search of a $3800 to win payout on The World's Fastest Half Mile. The 50 lap late model race will headline a night of action that includes The Daytona Machine Shop Sportsman Division, the Daytona Sportswear Street Stocks, the Volusia Speedway Thunder Stocks, the Sparkle and Shine Car Wash Challengers, and will also include the All Quality Products Mini Stock Division.

21 year old racer Scott Thompson lost his life tragically on May 12th of 2006. The year before he had charged to the top of Volusia Speedway's Late Model Division and was the defending champion at the time of his passing, and he was also competing for Rookie of the Year honors for 2006 with the National Late Model Series. The five previous Scott Thompson Memorial races at VSP have been dominated by Ocala's Ivedent Lloyd Jr, who has taken the trophy home with him four out of five times. The only previous installment of the race not won by Lloyd was in 2008 when Johnny Collins claimed victory.

This year's race will again be a United Dirt Late Model Challenge Series event, attracting racers who are shooting for points in the series as well as those wishing to honor Scott Thompson and his family by competing in this prestigious event. Koury Engines has put up a $380 bonus to the leader of lap 38, in honor of the number of Scott Thompson's famous late model, and VP Racing Fuels will award a 55 gallon drum of top quality racing fuel to the Fast Qualifier for the event. And depending on which racers are on hand to battle for the $3800 check that will be made out to the winner of the 50 lap race, and the very unique "hunting themed" trophy that will go to the victor, anything can happen on the track.

And while a lot will be happening on the racing surface, fans and racers will be thrilled with many additional contests and surprises that will happen outside of the racing action. Brian's Bar-B-Que will be judging the annual Bar-B-Que cooking contest, which will award prizes donated by some of Volusia Speedway's top sponsors. There will also be a Tailgate Contest sponsored by Daytona Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram Fiat, and focused on the Daytona Dodge fan section located in turn 2.

Tough Weekend for Kurt Busch and Dodge at Michigan | Red Letter Dodge

Busch said.  “It’s always tough when you earn a pole position and can’t take advantage of it during the race.  Our Shell/Pennzoil Dodge Charger was just too inconsistent today to contend for a race win.  We were a solid top-10 race car, but just couldn’t get (it) dialed in enough to run with the leaders.  We ran 198 laps inside the top 10, finished 11th after getting nudged out on that last restart.  It was really a seesaw day for us.”

Mechanical grip was the major issue for the 2004 series champion.  A solid top-10 car for nearly the entire race, Busch and crew chief Steve Addington used multiple air pressure, track bar and wedge adjustments searching for the right combination.

 

“It seemed like our car would be good for the first five laps of a green flag run, and then once the track

 

With his 11th-place finish, Busch dropped one position to seventh in the Sprint Cup driver standings – 41 points behind the leader.

 

Looking for his second win in four Sprint Cup races, Michigan-native Brad Keselowski turned a poor qualifying effort into early race motivation.   Starting 41st, he gained 21 positions and raced his Miller Lite Dodge Charger into the top 20 by lap 15.  Unfortunately for the recent Kansas winner, a fast race car didn’t multiply into race results.

 

Running 18th, Keselowski brought out the race’s third-caution on lap 81 when he blew a right-front tire after making contact with the outside retaining wall.  The incident dropped Keselowski 13 positions for the restart on Lap 89.  With the loss of track position and a damaged front-splitter, Keselowski could only manage to run as high as 21st position, fell a lap down, took a wave around on the race’s final caution on lap 192 and finished 25th.

 

“Obviously we had a poor qualifying effort that forced us to start at the rear of the field,”

I suppose as long as Kurt can get in the Chase and then will all the races after that then this is fine.  In addition, as long as Brad can make it into the Chase, then that is all that matters right now.  Jimmy Johnson always looks bad at first and then wins the Championship at the end year after year after year after year.  I do not think Brad should run in the Nationwide series anymore.  At any rate, I heard that Ralph Gilles is now in charge of the SRT programs and the director of the Canadian division is now CEO of Dodge.  Good, maybe he will offer more colors (high impact) to the product line across the board for all vehicles and make the Charger really look like a Charger. Hopefully, he can listen to the customers.