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CanadianRacingOnline.com Section => Race Setups => From the Past => Topic started by: CanadianRacingOnline on September 12, 2008, 01:59:01 PM

Title: Here is a great picture from years before.
Post by: CanadianRacingOnline on September 12, 2008, 01:59:01 PM
Don Thompson & Ken Schrader

(http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/3254/020630donschraderff9.jpg)
Photo Credit: Speedway Marketing Inc.

I remember this race and I will never forget Tony Stewart freak out after he wrecked Schader.

Title: Re: Here is a great picture from years before.
Post by: ernie on September 12, 2008, 06:14:21 PM
That was an excellent weekend. Schrader called it the 24 hours of Cayuga on IWC. LOL Cayuga was packed, Don Thompson Jr and Matt Kenseth put on a great show at the end with Kenseth just squeaking out DTJ. Tony's punt of Schrader in turn three was an omen of things to come with him later in the year, the crowd loved it though. I remember a little controversy when CASCAR wanted the NASCAR guys to run their qualifying tires for their pre-feature race where only the NASCAR guys raced. The NASCAR guys wouldn't take to the track unless they had new skins because they didn't want to be at a disadvantage for the feature since all the cars had to start on the qualifying skins. That shows what kind of competitors they are. It was kinda funny listening to CASCAR on the scanner with them saying that they were going to show these NASCAR guys who is running the show. Well guess what....they got new tires LOL. I think they quickly came to the realisation that 10,000 people didn't show up to see their TV heros get shafted. All the drivers walked through the crowd behind the grandstands signing autographs before the race. Great weekend all around.
Title: Re: Here is a great picture from years before.
Post by: CanadianRacingOnline on September 12, 2008, 06:21:14 PM
Yes it was a great show I have a ton of respect for Benson he was out there all day talking to people. Schrader is a true race he was working on his car all day and Tony is a true cry baby sicking the security on us so we couldn't take pictures of him. We had every right to be in the pits taking pictures. He complained about the car all day.

Next time they run a event like that tell the drivers you are going to set of fireworks before all drivers have finished. As some started to check up as there was a huge amount of smoke on the track from the fireworks.

It was a great day of racing.

Title: Re: Here is a great picture from years before.
Post by: ernie on September 12, 2008, 07:43:28 PM
I think Tony was pre meds then  ;) He did put on a good show on Saturday night with the winged cars though. Man those things fly! The other thing I remember was how freaking hot it was all weekend  :P Also that Cayuga thought everyones ass was 12" wide!  ;D
Title: Re: Here is a great picture from years before.
Post by: crewchief47 on September 12, 2008, 08:13:53 PM
My butt is still sore from that day, and I had a cushion(was out of the pit crew scene during that time). 
Title: Re: Here is a great picture from years before.
Post by: CanadianRacingOnline on September 12, 2008, 08:33:55 PM
I will see if I can dig up some of the photo's I got that day. I didn't get to many as I spent a lot of the day talking with Johnny Benson.
Title: Re: Here is a great picture from years before.
Post by: rossevans30 on September 12, 2008, 08:38:31 PM
Funny how almost everyone was at that one...

I will never forget how Kenseth took a crappy car and won with it. The rest of the NASCAR guys you could see we frustrated with the inferior setup cars, and drove the tires off them and fell of that pace. Kenseth's lap times I bet were not a tenth different during the whole race. He took a crappy car, drove it at excactly the pace it needed, to maintain the pace and squeek out a win. Prefection...

Without a doubt, that was the best piece of technical driving I have ever, or probably ever will see..
Title: Re: Here is a great picture from years before.
Post by: ernie on September 12, 2008, 08:51:27 PM
Thompson ran wheel to wheel with Kenseth the whole time. He did a great job. We were in turn 4 1 and had a great view of both of them coming onto the frontstretch door to door and sideways lap after lap. Thompson is a great driver and probably turned it up a knotch or two to beat the hired guns.

Schrader did mention the crappy shocks on IWC a year later when Kenny Wallace was doing a recap of his weekend at Cayuga. I think the next year had Wallace, Geoff Bodine and Sterlin Marlin. Wallace drove part of the race with his door flapping in the wind and if I remember correctly he was forced to start in the back because his car had a 50/51 weight front to rear instead of 50/50.

I was trying to remember who the cup guys were at Cayuga the first shootout. If I remember correctly there was 6 of them.
Tony Stewart
Ted Musgrave
Johnny Benson
Ken Schrader
Matt Kenseth
Dave Blaney
Musgrave had alot of experience at Cayuga and just about ran away with it early until he broke.
Title: Re: Here is a great picture from years before.
Post by: kcbc on September 12, 2008, 09:08:27 PM
that all of them.. i was there and got to talk to most of them.. i think the only i didn't get to talk was tony stewart... however i did get a picture with him...I remember getting a picture with Ted musgrave just before the race for the nascar drivers and he put his hand on my shoulder and i was able to talk to him just before the race... I will never forget that night
Title: Re: Here is a great picture from years before.
Post by: CanadianRacingOnline on September 12, 2008, 09:42:46 PM
I know why yu dind't get to talk to Tony KCBC he was to busy crying about the car and hidingin the trailer or talking to the girlfriend in the stands in the pit. He had just took out Schrader and he stormed off to the trailer and then he came into the pit stands where I was and Tony's & Matt's girlfriend were sitting.

Some guy beside me started yell tha Stewart was big cry baby. Tony turned around to look at the guy and the guy turned away and Tony started giving me a dirt look as he thought I was yelling at him.

It was funny. Yes Great Battle with Matt and Don.
Title: Re: Here is a great picture from years before.
Post by: kcbc on September 12, 2008, 09:49:58 PM
actually i believe i got the picture just before he was introduced... there was a bodyguard or something who poked his face right in the middle of the picture... now i remember why i never really liked him..
Title: Re: Here is a great picture from years before.
Post by: rossevans30 on September 13, 2008, 04:15:10 AM
Thompson ran wheel to wheel with Kenseth the whole time. He did a great job.

No it was Thompson's race to lose... It took Kenseth most the race to catch him.. Only when Kenseth was within a few car lengths did Thompson push his car a bit too much, and lost the handle, allowing Kenseth to pass.

As I said in my last post, it was perfection on the part of Kenseth. Thompson was 99.9%.

That race not only showed the skill of Kenseth, but it also showes how good, and underrated the CASCAR guys are...

Kenseth did beat Thompson, but it took Thompson's skill to put Kenseth to the test..

The other event of that day for those who rember. Tony took out a mod (sorry going back a few years, I beleive it was a mod) and set the track record with it. The owner of that mod (sorry forgot his name) was out hot lapping with Tony in the sister car, and put it into the wall trying to keep up with Tony...
Title: Re: Here is a great picture from years before.
Post by: crewchief47 on September 13, 2008, 08:29:55 AM
I remember Kenseth being very hot that year in cup too.  All the little things were coming together and it was one of his best seasons in cup.
Title: Re: Here is a great picture from years before.
Post by: ELP441 on September 13, 2008, 08:49:39 AM


The other event of that day for those who remember. Tony took out a mod (sorry going back a few years, I believe it was a mod) and set the track record with it. The owner of that mod (sorry forgot his name) was out hot lapping with Tony in the sister car, and put it into the wall trying to keep up with Tony...

You're close ross..... Stewart took out a supermodified owned by Brad Lichty. I wasn't there but remember reading about it & how he acted throughout the entire weekend.
Title: Re: Here is a great picture from years before.
Post by: rossevans30 on September 13, 2008, 02:32:44 PM


The other event of that day for those who remember. Tony took out a mod (sorry going back a few years, I believe it was a mod) and set the track record with it. The owner of that mod (sorry forgot his name) was out hot lapping with Tony in the sister car, and put it into the wall trying to keep up with Tony...

You're close ross..... Stewart took out a supermodified owned by Brad Lichty. I wasn't there but remember reading about it & how he acted throughout the entire weekend.

In fairness to Tony, I remeber him coming up to the fence to meet with the fans. You have to remeber with a guy like that, he attracts a mob around him. Whereas a guy like Benson doesn't, and you could as Evan did get one on one time with him. I imagine its very hard when you are mobbed all the time.

Tony made that supermod dance. I would rather watch him hot lap, than shake his hand. So for me it was worth it that he was there, for that alone...
Title: Re: Here is a great picture from years before.
Post by: CanadianRacingOnline on September 13, 2008, 03:43:35 PM
Sorry Ross he was whinning about the car we were taking pictures from a distance and there was maybe free media people there and he had the security tell use to leave. All the Nascar drivers had equal equipment to race with. It wasn't like he had a unsponsored CASCAR drivers car. That was one of his whinning days.

Not saying he is a bad driver as he is a good driver.

Title: Re: Here is a great picture from years before.
Post by: ace on September 13, 2008, 03:51:23 PM
Couple of things...

#1) The car Kenseth was in WAS a GOOD car. It was a race winning Kevin Dowler piece.

#2) The weight issue with Wallace was that he was .01% off on the rear weight.
Title: Re: Here is a great picture from years before.
Post by: biscuit72 on September 13, 2008, 04:09:45 PM
Tony came up to me and gave me an " at a boy" for winning the Vintage mod feature on the  saturday night. Looked at the car for 30 seconds and said That's some cool old sh*t
then he was wisked away by his posse
Title: Re: Here is a great picture from years before.
Post by: B.A.R. on September 13, 2008, 06:29:53 PM
Look closely at that picture.
It was taken seconds after Donny had punched Shrader in the mouth for complaining about the shocks.
(Notice Kenny's upper lip- it is already swollen from the force of Donny's mighty left punch)

NOT !!

As for Tony complaining about the car, he had a right to.
The last guy to drive the car he was in was Alex Nagy about 4 year's prior to that night.
Don't think the Cup Guys had equal equipment.
Matt's ride was a great piece from Dowler and basically a new car.

The best part about that whole race was the last 200 feet.
Great job by both Donny and Matt not to get together coming out of 4, and you could tell Donny was giving it everything he had.

After that race it was deemed possable to pass on the high side at Cayuga thanks to the talent's of Kennsith.
Title: Re: Here is a great picture from years before.
Post by: TommySalami on September 14, 2008, 01:02:12 AM
Tony made that supermod dance. I would rather watch him hot lap, than shake his hand. So for me it was worth it that he was there, for that alone...

I did the opposite of what most people probably did that weekend...I had no interest in the Sunday portion...I went for the Supers, and then went home.  Seeing Tony in a Super was great...

Just for the record though, nobody put their car into the wall trying to keep up with him.
Title: Re: Here is a great picture from years before.
Post by: rossevans30 on September 14, 2008, 01:06:21 AM
Tony made that supermod dance. I would rather watch him hot lap, than shake his hand. So for me it was worth it that he was there, for that alone...

I did the opposite of what most people probably did that weekend...I had no interest in the Sunday portion...I went for the Supers, and then went home.  Seeing Tony in a Super was great...

Just for the record though, nobody put their car into the wall trying to keep up with him.

I forgot it was a 2 day event, if it was. But whatever day was the CASCAR race, Tony was hot lapping before the race, with the owner of the cars also on the track. Tony's times were faster, the owner was really pushing it to keep up. He hit the wall hard, and it took time to get him out.

That certainly happened, I guess it was whichever day you were not there....
Title: Re: Here is a great picture from years before.
Post by: TommySalami on September 14, 2008, 10:21:37 AM
I know about the incident you are talking about...Wade Litt was the driver who hit the wall very hard and pretty much destroyed his car...He did not own the car Tony was driving.  Brad Lichty owned the car Tony drove...and he wrecked because something broke on the car, not because he was "trying to keep up with Tony". 

The incident happened on the Sunday when they were doing a demonstration run before the CASCAR race.  The ISMA race was run on the Saturday night, June 29, 2002, and Mike Ordway won it in Clyde Booth's #61.  Lou Cicconi was 2nd, and Joe Gosek got 3rd by a foot over Chris Perley...They had to review that on video to determine who finished 3rd.  In his heat race that night, Tony started inside row 3, and was into 2nd before the first lap was completed...He made a spectacular move on the frontstretch at the drop of the green that I will never forget...
Title: Re: Here is a great picture from years before.
Post by: Derek on September 14, 2008, 11:22:06 AM
Tommy - you're the only other person i've seen mention
Tony's move on that green flag.  I'm always impressed with
a driver that recovers when things go wrong.  In this case,
several cars very quickly seemed to start checking up in
front of him, and I really couldnt believe that he avoided it
all by diving to the inside.  Not only did he avoid a wreck
that many lesser drivers wouldn't have avoided, he moved
up several spots.  Say what you want about him, he can
drive.
Title: Re: Here is a great picture from years before.
Post by: rossevans30 on September 14, 2008, 11:30:54 AM
I know about the incident you are talking about...Wade Litt was the driver who hit the wall very hard and pretty much destroyed his car...He did not own the car Tony was driving.  Brad Lichty owned the car Tony drove...and he wrecked because something broke on the car, not because he was "trying to keep up with Tony". 

Sure it didn't break after the hit? ;)

Tony was setting the faster lap times, in a borrowed car on a track he hadn't run before. Wade was clearly pushing the car, so it was my assumption. Who wouldn't want to say they beat Stewart, but on the flip side, to be beat in your house by a guy without many lap there... Tony made it look effortless, Wade who I am assuming is a top driver in that class got beat. Perfect example of why I thought Tony was there, and couldn't care less who's hand he shook if any...

Add in that green flag pass that I wasn't there for...

Sometimes we treat drivers like they are a cartoon superhero, where its more important to meet batman, than what he does. Take Dale Jr. His popularity far outwieghts his skill... Some guys are judging Tony as if he was your friend over at your house for a party, not as a driver who's work is done on the track..
Title: Re: Here is a great picture from years before.
Post by: TommySalami on September 14, 2008, 11:52:38 AM
I know about the incident you are talking about...Wade Litt was the driver who hit the wall very hard and pretty much destroyed his car...He did not own the car Tony was driving.  Brad Lichty owned the car Tony drove...and he wrecked because something broke on the car, not because he was "trying to keep up with Tony". 

Sure it didn't break after the hit? ;)

Tony was setting the faster lap times, in a borrowed car on a track he hadn't run before. Wade was clearly pushing the car, so it was my assumption. Who wouldn't want to say they beat Stewart, but on the flip side, to be beat in your house by a guy without many lap there... Tony made it look effortless, Wade who I am assuming is a top driver in that class got beat. Perfect example of why I thought Tony was there, and couldn't care less who's hand he shook if any...

It was a demonstration race...they weren't actually "racing"...and Tony had run that car on that track the night before.  Wade was a journeyman part-time Supermodified driver who had success mainly in the Can-Am Midget division...He wasn't pushing as hard as possible to beat Tony...trust me...The car was put back together and sold shortly thereafter, as Ryan's career started to take off...and since I do Ryan's PR, I've heard the story a few times... ;)
Title: Re: Here is a great picture from years before.
Post by: B.A.R. on September 14, 2008, 02:36:17 PM
Man you guys love to make up storeys !!
Your weekend storey is 1/3rd right - 1/3rd wrong- and 1/3rd B.S. to say the least.

I was working on the car with Tony, it was one of Brads.
The car in practice was junk and Tony and I made the call to change the rear springs, as well, once we proved it was the right call in practice, Dave McKnight copied our setup for the race.
Brad did hit the wall..that night during the race..came onto pit road and it was half ass repaired. Brad went back out and said the thing could not be driven at all.
Brad pitted and called it a night.

Tony's restart, that shot him to the inside was done as a move he used to use back in the Silver Crown days, and he came on the radio and said to me " Watch This ".
Both of us got a good laugh out of it, but seriousally, went back to racing.
Stewart came up quickly on a top 10 car about 5 laps later and was trying to get by him, but the guy wouldn't let him go- so Tony put the horn to him coming off of 4 and the guy spun around about 4 times, but still saved it without stalling the car or hitting anything!!

During that incident, Stewart came on the radio and said to me that he had lost the steering. We pitted 2 laps later only to find the power steering hose had split, so we parked it for the night- BUT, we were capable of winning, in Brad's back up car.

The deal where everyone saw the car that Tony was driving that weekend, back out on the track to run about 15 laps for show... was not Tony in the car !!
We were all sitting in the motor home shooting the shit and Matt was saying something about how fast the Supers were, and how cool it would be to drive one.

Schrader then said to Benson- hell Johnny I cant believe you never drove one seeing that your old man was a Super Star in those cars.
Stewart then said to Johnny...your going to drive it and left the trailer to go and talk to Brad about putting Benson in the car for a couple of laps, returning about 10 minutes later with the okay.
We buckled Johnny in and out he went...
According to Benson, it was the thrill of his life and could not believe the horse power!!

There you go- the truth, and...... the rest of the storey !!
Sorry to spoil everyone's gosip !!   
Title: Re: Here is a great picture from years before.
Post by: ernie on September 14, 2008, 02:47:46 PM
B.A.R - That is why this site is so great and why I signed up! We get to hear from the horses mouth as they say. (Not calling you a horse  ;) ) Knowing the inside poop is what fans like me live for and is what makes racing more than driving around in circles as non-race fans say. Thanx for your insight and keep it coming  :D
Title: Re: Here is a great picture from years before.
Post by: TommySalami on September 14, 2008, 02:51:28 PM
Man you guys love to make up storeys !!
Your weekend storey is 1/3rd right - 1/3rd wrong- and 1/3rd B.S. to say the least.

...and what exactly did I say that was "wrong" or "BS"?  There WAS a demonstration race with some Supers on the Sunday afternoon, and Wade Litt DID smash his car up bad that day.

Also, since you mentioned Johnny Benson, it should be pointed out that Johnny has since gone on to compete in a handful of Supermodified races in one of Brad Lichty's cars, and has been very fast each time out...He was 6th in the Star Classic last night in fact.
Title: Re: Here is a great picture from years before.
Post by: AdamRoss on September 14, 2008, 02:57:02 PM
That crash for Wade Litt was a HARD hit. That was a crazy weekend.

The part I remember the best was the reaction of the NASCAR drivers when they were told they'd have to run their race tires in the charity event. It would have meant an extra 10-20 laps on their tires compared to the CASCAR guys, and they almost all decided they weren't running the charity race. A number of complainers surrounded Novotny about it. This was all happening right behind the stage set up for all the ceremonies.

I'd be curious as to whether the security was Tony Stewart's idea, or Mitch Mortimer's. I've been to alot of dirt races Stewart's been at, and there's really very little fan fare around him. Cayuga was the only time I've seen security around him.
Title: Re: Here is a great picture from years before.
Post by: B.A.R. on September 14, 2008, 03:21:06 PM
I wasn't saying your deal was B.S.- I was reading everyones side of the storey and watching guys saying  - no thats not how it went- it went like this.
And yes I know Johnny has gone onto running several Super shows across the country, and not just in one of Brad's car's either.
Its like he has found a new toy he loves to play with and anytime someone asks him to jump in, he is there.
Could be a great way to retire from Cup for him.
Just buy a Super and go run at home, Berlin MI.

Adam's point about security is so so true... hell in order to get into the Motorhome in the infield where the guys were sitting, they had to have Stewart visually prove it was me to let me in.   I know this was not the Cup guys idea, as they pointed out that Mitch was playing watch dog with all of them all weekend.
More then likely Mitch didn't want anyone talking to them and asking them how much money they were getting paid because he had marked the number up by 200% so he could pocket some coin !! 

   
Title: Re: Here is a great picture from years before.
Post by: Derek on September 14, 2008, 04:03:47 PM
Interesting inside info B.A.R. - thanks.  Your comment
about 'watch this' on the restart may have been a
different instance than the one that Tommy and i were
referring to.  I was mentioning the original start, where
2 cars (i think 2) were checking up on the inside line
(the outside was accelerating normally).  He may have
planned the dive there as well, but if he hadn't moved
down, he would have hit them.  Here are a few shots
from the night (more on www.racepulse.com from 2002).

(http://www.racepulse.com/images/photos/2002302p4ac-m.jpg)

(http://www.racepulse.com/images/photos/2002250p4-m.jpg)

(http://www.racepulse.com/images/photos/2002251p6-m.jpg)

(http://www.racepulse.com/images/photos/2002309p1-m.jpg)
Title: Re: Here is a great picture from years before.
Post by: TommySalami on September 14, 2008, 04:04:59 PM
To the best of my knowledge, Johnny has only ever run for Brad Lichty in a Super...That will change soon though as Johnny had Extreme Chassis build him a car, and he will be debuting it soon...Not sure if it will be done for the end of this season, or whether he will run it for the first time next spring...
Title: Re: Here is a great picture from years before.
Post by: B.A.R. on September 14, 2008, 04:22:24 PM
Good shots by Derek !!
Title: Re: Here is a great picture from years before.
Post by: TommySalami on September 14, 2008, 04:29:37 PM
Interesting you mention trying to get the car to stick on the inside...that has always been a characteristic of Tony's no matter what kind of car he is in...For the Supers at Cayuga, the inside groove was never the preferred groove, but he made it work really well...coming out of turn 4, he was frequently getting close to putting the left front into the grass...