www.canamracing.org www.canamracing.org en-us www.canamracing.org/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=642
www.canamracing.org/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=641

www.canamracing.org/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=640

www.canamracing.org/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=639 www.canamracing.org/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=638



The Martinsville, Va short track is notorious for their red hed dogs at 2 bucks apiece. Another distinction is that dreaded paperclip shaped track that makes a driver crazy. Nine warriors showed to tackle this tiny bullring. They tuned and tweaked their rides hoping to get hold of that famous Grandfather Clock at the end.

Steve Biddle driving the #51 Motrocraft Ford Fusion would be the one to look out for when he posted a stunning 19.999 sec. time to win the Pole. Closest to Steve would be Joe Szot in his #33 Chevy Impala SS with a great time of 20.006. Right behind Steve and Joe came Kent Thomas' #19 Toyota Camry with a sweet 20.013. As you can see by these times it was gonna be a battle.

A battle it was indeed and a couple of early on incidents shrunk the field some. 250 laps around this little paperclip made for some exciting racing. Steve would lead most of the laps with Joe and Kent hot on his trail. At the end there was but 3 warriors standing. Steve Biddle would lead everyone across and get that Grandfather Clock. Kent Thomas tried valiantly to prevent that coming in second. Surprise to all was Ray Chandonnet in the #61 Mohegun Sun Casino Chevy Impala SS coming in third 2 laps down. Congrats Steve for a great performance!

This is Ray RamJam Chandonnet CanAm' staff reporter eating his last red hotdog before leaving Va. and heading to the desert in Phoenix to report again.

www.canamracing.org/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=637



There was a party atmosphere in the garage area. One of the ten drivers to compete was celebrating his birthday in what he hoped would be a low key way. Once the word got out the key became high. Normal heckling about old and dinosaur prevailed throughout the hour practice session.

Things got serious quick during qualifying however when newcomer Ben Manning driving the #70 Chevy Monte Carlo dazzled everyone with a time of 15.915 to sit on the Pole. MSRL's Ron Blackwell came close to deseating Ben with a fast 15.976. Not to be outdone the birthday boy, Jack Martel slipped into the third slot with a great 16.150.

After a brief warmup period it was time to do battle for 250 hard laps. There were a number of cautions in this race and most of the drivers were blaming it on the setup they had to drive. It seemed though that most cautions flew at the end of tire runs when things got real slick.

Drivers fought hard and there were a lot of lead changes throughout the 250 lap ordeal. At the end the battle was going to be between 5 cars. #43 Tony Oscar would work his way back to the lead lap and be right in the thick of things. #70 Ben Manning who had been strong all night long. #35 Kevin Adamson who stayed up front with the lead pack the whole time. Another hard charger who overcame being laps down # 90 Val Wuthrich and #03 Jack Martel driving for Roger Penske in the #12 Verizon Dodge Charger. Rubbin' Is Racing was the word of the day aand it provided for a spectacular finish. Jack Martel got his birthday present by way of a trophy and a pocket full of money taking the checkers in fine fashion. H/B Jack!

This is Ray RamJam Chandonnet signing off. have a great week !
www.canamracing.org/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=636



Eight brave warriors unloaded at the Bristol Motor Speedway and prepared to do battle in Thunder Valley. An hour of feverish adjusting and tweaking preparing their cars for both qualifying and racing was impressive. By the looks of things this was going to be one highly competitive event.

The biggest surprise of the day was Ray Chandonnet driving the Mohegun Sun #61 Chevy Impala SS posting a sweet 15.626 time to take the Pole Position. Joe Szot tried to prevent that and came close posting a great time of 15.665, a mere 3 one hundred off Ray's time. Right behind Joe Tony Oscar posted a 15.683, 5 one hundred off of the Pole.

The race was just as expected as well. With but one caution early on in this 250 lap grueling event many lead changes and multiple green lap pitstops had everyone biting their nails. Six of the eight competitors got to lead a lap. Tony Oscar posted the fastest lap of the race with a blistering 15.809 time. Steve Biddle, coming from the back of the field soon showed he'd be the force to reckon with when he lead the most laps(148) and brought his #51 Motorcraft Ford Fusion home for the win. Congrats Steve on a well deserved win.

www.canamracing.org/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=635




Eight mighty gladiators manned their bright shiny chariots in the balmy heat of Atlanta preparing to do battle. They pampered and adjusted their steeds for an hour getting them ready and fine tuned to be the last one standing at the end.

It looked as though MSRL's Kent Thomas would be the force to reckon with this day. Kent driving his #19 Toyota chariot posted a blazing 31.792 seconds lap to win the Pole Position for the race. Right behind Kent we found the #33 Chevy of Joe Szot 31.831 and close behind Joe came the #77 Chevy of Gord Carter 31.863. With a mere 9ths seperating these 8 warriors it was going to be one heck of a race.

Track conditions changed soon after the race got under way and so did the setup of Kent Thomas's ride and he struggled each pitstop to get it back on a rail. Joe Szot took the green with one stategy in mind. For Joe this was to be a one stop race. He would nurse his tires and chassis and hope to make it to the end a winner. All the other drivers made 2 or more stops which cost them valuable time.  Joe almost had his strategy bite him in the shady area when a last minute yellow flew and a green white checker would decide the outcome of the race. Old "Lucky" Rich Haynie driving the #57 Chevy beamed as his pitcrew outdid themselves getting Rich out of pitrow 1st. Joe and Rich fought bitterly when the green flew. Joe would manage to get by Rich and cross the Finish Line 1st becoming the last man standing......Kudos Joe Szot!

This is Ray RamJam Chandonnet wishing all a great week and we'll see you agion in 3 weeks in Martinsville VA.




www.canamracing.org/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=634



Eight transporters unloaded their precious cargo in Atlanta. The drivers took to the track for their one hour practice at 8:00pm ET. Frantic little ants adjusted and tweaked the chassis to get the most speed out of their cars. There was no one particular standout during practice so this reporter suspects that some fudging on the times put up was being done.

When it came time to qualify it was obvious that these cars were maxed out. MSRL's Steve Biddle driving the #51 Ford Fusion posted a steamy 29.922 seconds. Hot on Steve's trail was Ray Chandonnet in the #61 Chevy Impala SS with a time of 30.151. And right behind Ray came Rich Haynie's #57 Chevy Impala SS with a 30.272.

A long 160 lap event called for some strategy to be put into place. Would the car be set up for a lot of cautions? Would it be set up for long green flag runs with green flag pitstops? Those that chose for the former were elated early on when a couple of early cautions flew. But as the drivers settled in it became long green flag running with multiple green flag pitsops putting a smile on some other drivers faces. One of those drivers, Tony Oscar, driving the Petty Racing #43 Dodge Charger was smiling ear to ear as he crossed the Finish Line on lap 160 with hardly any tires left. WTG Tony, congrats on a job well done.

This is Ray RamJam Chandonnet reporting to you from Hotlanta. See you in two weeks at Bristol.

www.canamracing.org/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=633




A bright sunny day just a few miles outside of all the glitter and glamour of Sin City found seven drivers ready to mix it up in the Nationwide Series cars. The one hour practice session went well. The drivers tweaked their setups and were ready to qualify.

Rich Haynie's #57 Chevy Monte Carlo SS set the bar for the others with a hot 29.519. Kevin Adamson worried Rich posting a 29.591 in his Tim Horton #35 Chevy. A strong third place time was set by your's truly Ray Chandonnet with a respectable time of 29.657.

During warmup the drivers were able to fine tune their rides for the race. The green flag flew right at 9:20 ET and they were off to the races. Multiple lead changes made for some exciting racing. It looked like Ray Chandonnet driving the #61 Smith & Wesson Chevy made the best adjustments before and during the race and led most of the laps. But as we all know that last lap is the one most important. Ray had set his car up for the long run and it had been paying off in dividends. A late caution however put Rich Haynie at the advantage since his was great on short sprints. With a green white checker finish Haynie was able to get around Chandonnet handily and take the checkers. Ray refused a post race interview so I'm left to assume he was not a happy camper. Rich however was and told this reporter he sure was glad to see that yellow flag fly. Congrats Rich Haynie, job well done.

This is your roving CanAm reporter Ray RamJam Chandonnet signing off. See you at Bristol.