NM Motorsports Report September 2023

COVER PAGE COWBOY CERRONE

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When a Judge looks at your car they look at 5 areas to include: Body; Paint; Engine; Interior and Undercarriage. Many shows do not look at the undercarriage just because of the trouble in bending down or kneeling and some shows use the undercarriage as a tie breaker at times. All the indoor large car show events almost always judge undercarriage and many or most of the cars display their cars up in the air with mirrors and lights to highlight.

In this article we will look at 2 areas to include Body and Paint.

BODY The body of the vehicle is obviously the largest area of the car and issues are typically easily seen from a distance to up close. Judges look at the overall condition of the body include the alignment of all body panels against each other. They are looking for clean same size gaps between doors and fenders as well as the rear quarter. As well they look at Panel gaps, hood to fenders, deckled to quarters and on a truck tailgate to bed and cab to bed as well. This is typically called Fit and Finish by Judges and Car Owners. Consistency of those gaps from the front to the back of the vehicle is important and can gain the owner points. If the bodywork is custom or modified, all the modifications will be analyzed for the quality of the work, not just the quantity of work. There are times where a car is heavily modified and has many cool features but the quality of the work is low level and a vehicle with much less mods wins because of their quality of work. In addition, when judging the body on a vehicle, they are looking at the installation of parts such as all the trim, emblems, lights, bumpers and grille assemblies, glass, as well as the quality and condition of each piece. Quality detail of emblems and the condition of the chrome and polished pieces is of utmost importance as these complete the work done on a vehicle and add the finishing touches to a restoration or modified car.

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PAINT The quality of the paint is one of the most difficult and time consuming parts of any vehicle build. The paint will be observed and reviewed from top to bottom and front to back including all the hidden areas such as door jams, rockers, hood and deckled jambs and hidden areas. The paint will be evaluated to check for such things such as and not limited to orange peel, runs, overspray, metallic or pearl inconsistencies, etc. Stripes and graphics will also be rated based on the quality of the work. Graphics are usually applied prior to the clear coat and then are buried with several coats of clear. Today there are now many brand new vehicles that enter events and as we all know most factory paint jobs have an abundance of orange peel on the vehicles. Whether you have a modified car or a new car, they all can be color sanded and polished to perfection. In fact when judging newer cars having a professional color sand and polish your vehicle can make the difference in winning the show as most new car owners do not go to this trouble. Keep in mind that the body and paint are the largest areas and will give the car owner the most points when done well, so take the time and assure you complete this area with the utmost of care.

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Zia Chapter of the Antique Motorcycle Club of America

By Thaison Garcia / Steve Maes The idea of preserving the perfect antique motorcycle holds a special place in each individual's heart. The perfect motorcycle is something abstract that can only be explained from one vintage enthusiast to the next. Over the last fifteen years, the guys from Rust Is Gold have been fortunate enough to play a part in the vintage scene, either from racing vintage motorcycles, restoring motorcycles or the local moto-meetups held at RIG once a month. As the years have passed a sad fact has become obvious - one that we have all wanted to ignore, just like old age itself. The painful truth is that what was once a thriving vintage motorcycle scene just a few years ago has started to dwindle. Not so many years ago, at any motorcycle event, one would expect to see more carbureted bikes than fuel injected, and just as many kickstart to electric start bikes. Unfortunately, as older enthusiasts, we have to embrace the inevitable that the vintage motorcycle scene in New Mexico is slowly fading - much like the pen to the poet or the marble to the child.

There is however, still a glimmer of hope in New Mexico when it comes to antique and vintage bikes. A small light lies beholden to a few individuals across the state of New Mexico that make up the Zia Chapter of the Antique Motorcycle Club of America. Thaison, from Rust is Gold was first introduced to the club by one of its members Tom Antreasian. Tom made his way through the doors of the first Rust Is Gold Coffee location five years ago. At the time RIG was a new concept to Albuquerque that was fighting just to keep its doors open and make believers out of the Duke City.

Like any small business owner, Thaison was quickly burning out working six days a week as a middle school teacher, running a coffee shop, while also building and racing motorcycles along with soon to be business partner Steven Maes.

spoke Thaison quickly realized that Tom was one of those rare individuals with a great mind for motorcycle history, and a wealth of knowledge both technical and historical. Tom had mentioned that there were a handful of other vintage collectors from the Zia Chapter he should meet. So they took the forty-five minute drive south together to the small town of Socorro. Arriving at what initially looked like an abandoned airplane hanger, they were met by a large, jolly fellow named Sam Lukens. Sam had a cigar in his mouth and extended his hand and an invitation into the unassuming building.

He was depleted and in need of a spark of inspiration, when over a cup of coffee he was given some hope by Tom. As they

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As the door opened Thaison was struck with awe and left speechless - he had walked into a vintage time machine. One with a full bar and all of the industrial machines you could imagine or hope for. Along with mills and lathes from the 40’s and 50’s, there were rare tools, signage and antique motorcycles, ranging from BMW’s, and Triumphs to turn of the century Harleys and more. It was as if Jay Leno himself said welcome to my garage but everything is used and built by the members at hand. After a few hours of inspecting every motorcycle in the shop and asking every

question imaginable the group smoked cigars and Thaison was given the opportunity to ride one of Sam’s 60’s Triumphs.

Heading back to the Duke City, Thaison was fully invigorated and inspired to keep the vintage motorcycle scene alive but it would be hard to convey the full magnitude of what he had seen. As he drove home into the night and back into the city lights, he told himself he had to make sure to stay in contact with the club as much as I could, not just for the motorcycles but for the comradery which the Antique Motorcycle Club brings. He knew he had to take Steve down as soon as he could as the only way to fully understand the wealth of history in the club was to actually meet the members and see the motorcycles in person. A short time later Steve was introduced to Tom Atresian who they found shared a background in design and a love for Bultaco Motorcycles.

The Antique motorcycle club was founded in 1952 with the Zia Chapter getting its charter in New Mexico in 2015. With a few key members like Sam, Tom and Jimmy Allison all residing south of Albuquerque the club meets at Sam’s workshop in Socorro. They get together once a month to talk or restore vintage motorcycles. With sixty to seventy members residing in the whole state, there’s no need for patches to be worn or crazy initiations, the only requirement is a love for the classics. Once a year they hold a vintage swap meet and motorcycle ride, either north to south of NM or east to west. There is a small annual membership fee of forty dollars, that pays for the bi-monthly publication and website.

The Motorado Motorcycle Show will be held Sunday, September 24 in El Dorado, New Mexico just east of Santa Fe. The Zia Chapter of the Antique Motorcycle Club of America will be hosting a swap meet in conjunction with the event. Rust is Gold Coffee will be coordinating an organized ride out to the event with kickstands up from the coffee shop at 9:00 AM Sunday morning. Please visit: https://www.zia-amca.org/ for more information about the club and www.rustisgoldcoffee for information on the ride.

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ALBUQUERQUE DRAGWAY'S 60TH ANNIVERSARY

BY PAUL FIELDS

PHOTOS COURTESY OF PAUL FIELDS & CHRIS GRAVES

After the dust and fumes finally settled on Albuquerque Dragway's 60th Anniversary event, the track record had been broken multiple times, the ET record had been broken, more than 25 funny cars had been down the 1/8 mile and memories that will last a life time had been made.

I've been doing media for Funny Car Chaos for more then 5 years and along with the vast majority of the people I've spoken with all agree, this one was something special.

Going in, the general consensus was the record wouldn't fall untill Q2 but 2022 champ, Kirk Williams, stunned everyone with a 3.93 in the 1st pair, taken home a whopping $6,000 and the title of first to the 3's.

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The record was eventually taken by A field winner, Keith Zimmerer, with a mind blowing 3.83 and the MPH record had been set my Shawn Lawson at 200.00.

The B field was full of tough competition but in the end New Mexico's own Ray Stringer took the win and now has a 3-0 record at Chaos in 2023.

The C field was won by Justin "Hot Rod Herbie" Herbst with his Executioner Corvette Funny Car. All in all a very successful weekend of racing in the Duke City and in less than 48 hours, a 2024 date had been released.

The 30th anniversary jr invitational was also held at funny car chaos and in the end Ashlee Moreno took the win against brianna boogle.

The weekend was full of surprises and the stands were packed all weekend.

If you haven't been to a chaos race, its a must attend.

Find more info and www.funnycarchaos.com

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An Interview with Bob Cockerham

By David Swope Dave: I wanted to ask you, what It's like to be involved with two dealerships that have such loyalty of brand. Starting VW. I'm sure everybody's owned a bug at some point. What's it like to deal with VW, parts, VW enthusiasts, and kind of the evolution over time.

Bob: It's a great question. Volkswagen, I think as a brand, I don't know that I've ever seen a brand that has so many loyal followers to it and that almost everyone you talk to at least some point in their life has a really cool story about Volkswagen and we see it every day. We have customers commitments, back in high school or I did this or I did that. I had a beetle or I had an old rabbit or I had something and have a good story you know about Volkswagens so Volkswagen has quite a bit of that. Often, we are also one of those customers, quite a bit.They are looking to kind of reconnect. I think with maybe a part of their past which kind of makes it neat.

Dave: I think the bus was pretty iconic.

Bob: Yes, in fact we've got a new bus coming the ID.buzz. Phones are ringing off the hook. I think it's just the fact that they get to see something that reminds them of a time in their life when things were different.

Dave: How are they accepting the “electric” part to the vehicle. The electric version seems like he hasn't missed a beat.

Bob: Yeah, it’s got old bus written right on the side of it. I mean, it looks exactly like it. It's a very iconic shape and they did that specifically. I think it kind of hit a nerve with the loyalists out there. Then of course, all electric, it'll have a heater, an air conditioner. They'll have brakes, all the safety equipment and all the things you would expect inside a new car. We think that car will be out next year. That car will get here and get moving because we have lots of people, they've raised their hands. They're interested. It's great.

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An Interview with Bob Cockerham

By David Swope Dave: That's a contrast to the Mazda enthusiasts that seem to be very loyal the Miata and doing a lot of racing with it. One of the neat things is there is an abundance of parts. What a driving experience!

Bob: That’s a good thing. We have two Brands, we're really grateful that we have two Brands. They are as diabolically different in both in product and customer base. We are involved in the Miata Mayhem in October, those people love those cars, there's really nothing like that car for what they're doing. It's just a great car and then we have the new Miata owner. That's looking for luxury, they're looking for all the safety equipment, they're looking for a great style in a Japanese built car. JD Powers rates that car right next to Lexus in terms of fit and finish. We've got that Japanese car buyer and invariably you still hear the stories about an old Miata, an old B2000 pickup truck or an RX8. Most of the Mazda stories have been about performance. You know how well the car drives and handles. It has good performance given the size of the engine small engine, yet they seem to always be able to be real performance driven. So, totally different automobiles, totally different spectrums, but certainly enthusiastic about both Brands. I don't get a lot of customers that go from Volkswagen to Mazda or Mazda to Volkswagen. It does happen but oddly if someone's a Volkswagen customer, they stay a Volkswagen customer Also, if someone's a Mazda customer, they stay a Mazda customer.

Dave: Would you talk a little bit about the importance of Genuine VW & Mazda Parts?

Bob: We have we have a couple websites, and we sell parts. Oddly enough, here in Albuquerque. New Mexico, we sell parts all over United States. I don't think there's a single state that we haven't sold parts to online. We've got RealMazdaParts.com and RealVolkswagenParts. com. Those orders come in 24 hours a day and we ship them out. It's all factory part stuff. I mean there's plenty of aftermarket parts, there's plenty of sources to buy that aftermarket part but sometimes you just need a factory part inside the car to make it run the way you want it to run, and this is a good source for that. We do quite a bit of business all across the United States with that.

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FROM DEANNA POHL

Moriarty MX

is a practice and race facility, located at 38 Martin Road, in Moriarty, NM. The tracks sits right off of I-40, and makes an amazing site for those traveling through our area. We run a full race series each year, from March through October. Race weekends take place on the first weekend of each month. We also run a winter series and practices, as weather permits. We are currently on Round 3 of 5 of our Fast “5” Best of the West Race Series and are looking forward to the 2024 season.

But we aren’t even close to the new year, yet. There is still so much more to do at MMX, in 2023.

Coming up, we have our 8th annual Halloween celebration and 2023 Award Ceremony, which is a race weekend, with practice on Saturday and races on Sunday. This takes place on October 28th and 29th. On the following weekend, November 4th/5th, we are looking forward to the District 45 AMA Moriarty MX New Mexico State Motocross Championship. MMX is the only AMA sanctioned track in New Mexico, and we are excited to bring this event to our riders, each year. This event drops the gate on some of the best riders from New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Texas, and beyond, who will compete to become the real, New Mexico State Champion. Riders earn AMA National points, and are also given an official AMA #1 plate. This race is a three moto format, with practice and Moto 1 on Saturday, and Moto 2 and 3, on Sunday. Champions will be awarded at the end of the day on Sunday.

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Moriarty MX takes pride in consistently evolving. A brand new track design is built each year for all to enjoy. We believe that change is the only way to create strong skilled riders, who are ready for different types of tracks and challenges. Preparing our riders for regional and national races each year, is a huge priority. The track is always fully prepped and watered, for each scheduled event.

MMX takes pride in being the only track in the state who has regularly scheduled practice days. We are open on Wednesday evening’s (weather and time change dependent), and on most Sunday’s, if it is not a race weekend. Scheduled practices are posted weekly on our social media pages.

Riders can find our season schedule, and any other scheduled events, on our Facebook or Instagram pages. Spectators are always welcomed and encouraged. We are available to answer questions through direct message on either social media outlet.

Our next event is the Fast “5” Best of the West Race Series Round 4, taking place on September 23rd and 24th.

Moriarty MX would like to thank all who have supported and continue to support us, throughout the years. We could not do what we do without you.

The best times are yet to come, we hope you all will join us for the ride!

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S

even decades ago, the excitement for auto racing in the Land of Enchantment was at an all-time high. A new track had just been built on Eubank Boulevard by the name of Speedway Park and soon became the only place in the area to catch the thrill of dirt track oval racing. Although many names were pivotal in the infant years that helped to create the motorsports foundation that Albuquerque stands on today, the Malcolm family was one of the first to tackle the sport’s local boom from a business perspective.

The first purpose-built racetrack in New Mexico was Navajo Speedway, which opened in 1926. It would later go through a name change to First American Speedway before closing its gates in 1940. Besides the old fairgrounds, the city of Albuquerque struggled to find a permanent home for racers until 1947 when Cormit Speedway, a high-banked quarter mile, was built. One year later, the Rio Grande Sports Bowl was also operational, giving fans and competitors a second choice to get their racing fix in the metro.

These two tracks were relatively short-lived, however, with Rio Grande Sports Bowl shutting down just two years later and Cormit Speedway (later called Sandia Stadium) closing for good in 1954.

CHICK MALCOLM - 1950

Racing in Albuquerque would change forever in 1950 with the birth of Speedway Park. The new facility was truly ahead of its time; brought to fruition thanks to volunteers from the newly formed driver’s group called the New Mexico Motor Racing Association. It was during this same year that NMMRA elected their first official president, Charles “Chick” Malcolm.

Chick Malcolm was best known in town for starting his successful towing business, Malcolm Wrecker and Garage Service. Malcolm Services Inc. was one of Albuquerque’s first towing operations. Chick was famous for naming each of his tow trucks, starting with “Sad Sack” and “Kilroy,” which were a pair of surplus military 4x4s. Every rig was beautifully dressed in red, white, and blue; finished off with their notorious catchphrase “Pulling for Malcolm!” Chick’s racing career only lasted a couple of seasons, but he supported racing like no other and will forever be acknowledged as a major pioneer of the sport.

DAVID MALCOLM AT ASCOT PARK IN CALIFORNIA - 1977

It wasn’t too long before David Malcolm followed in his father’s footsteps both in racing and business. David began his own racing career in enduro go karts, picking up wins and championships across the nation notorious tracks like Michigan International Speedway, Indianapolis Raceway Park, and Daytona International Speedway. By 1973, David had moved up to the Sprint Car division and recorded even more success at tracks across the southwest. After a string of chilling wrecks in the late 70s, David made the decision to hang up the helmet in 1979 to focus on his family and the towing business.

David flips "out of the park" at Ascot - 1977

From Malcolm’s Towing Calender featuring The ECCA car, Wayne Miller’s Jud Phillips car - 2008

In recent years, David has shifted his focus to a new chapter in life. Malcolm Services Inc. has since been transformed into a premium RV and vehicle storage facility, with indoor and covered parking available for RVs, boats, trailers and more. Furthermore, David has dedicated countless hours to restore several historic cars including his famous No. 8x House of Carpets Special and the “Brickyard Hauler,” a tribute to the pioneers of Indy.

The Malcolm family’s contribution to the success, growth, and preservation of sprint car racing in New Mexico is remarkable and it is our job to make sure that their hard work is recognized for many generations to come.

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STORY CONTINUES ON PAGE 22

CENTER COWBOY

R FOLD CERRONE

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hile Cowboy headlines the team and mans the driver seat, the brothers bring their marketing repertoire, social media prowess, and navigational ingenuity to the team to help Cowboy reach that podium finish consistently. Cowboy Cerrone, the original BMF and driver for BMF Racing, isn't afraid to consistently push the limit of his vehicle in desert racing. The “Co-Dog” seat, manned by Eric, is special because of the need to have trust, communication, and a speed of their own to repair any small hiccups during the race. This is what makes BMF Racing so special. Each member not only brings a certain expertise to the team, but brings familiarity and certainty that can’t be found just anywhere. BMF Racing has raced many races in a variety of vehicles over the years but most prominently, their Can-Am Maverick built by S3 Powersports.

Alongside Cowboy is his son, Dacson Danger, who is getting into racing with his youth UTV. He is the youngest kid to have ever ran the youth Mint 400 race. Thanks to BMF Racing’s sponsors Canam, Monster, VP, Toyo, KMC, and many others, You can expect to see BMF Racing at races like Best in the Desert, the Mint 400, Baja, STORR, DP4, and most recently Nitro Cross.

As anyone in the racing scene knows a race team is incomplete without a competent head mechanic to prep the race car before every race. After meeting him at a local Powersports shop, Cowboy noticed the talent, creativity, and reliable expertise of Ryan Bowen.

From his meticulous research, to his rigorous work ethic, Cowboy knew he’d found the right man for the job. The new opportunity for the then 22 year old sprouted into an incredible journey, as Ryan has accompanied the crew on two years worth of professional races all over the western United States. This partnership provided exponential amounts of opportunity for Ryan to chase his dreams of not only being involved in the racing scene as a mechanic, but also as a driver. Ryan built his own Can-Am race car using some scrap parts from Cowboy’s car. All in Thanks to their local sponsors Sandia Trailer, Pizza Barn, Shorty’s BBQ, Visual Dreams Embroi-

dery, & Action security Iron, Ryan and his Co-Dog Dillon Leblanc have been on the track multiple times, racing in the STORR and Best in Desert racing series alongside BMF Racing, with two podium finishes and currently in the lead for the 2023 STORR UTV Sportsman Championship. Also established

by Ryan and endorsed by BMF Racing and Cowboy himself, Apex Powersports & Racing, is a soon to be opening premiere UTV racing shop for all off road and racing enthusiasts to repair, upgrade, and learn from racing experts.

BMF Racing and APEX have had a goal of being the powerhouse of the offroad racing scene since their inception. While they work hard in harmony to chase this dream, there will always be one purpose in mind when the teams hit the track, win.

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BY SUSAN WADE

PHOTOS COURTESY OF NHRA.COM

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ith her Aug. 13 victory at Topeka, her 45th, Erica Enders pushed herself to the edge of motorsports glory. Without counting her 2004 sportsman-grade Super Gas victory, Enders is just one away from matching three-time bike champion Angelle Sampey as the most decorated woman in motorsports, not just in drag racing.

With another victory, a 47th, she’ll own the distinction outright.

It especially remarkable, considering most racing entities besides the Camping World Drag Racing Series are struggling with how to promote and develop women drivers. Winning races and championships has been commonplace for decades. (Think Shirley Muldowney, Alexis De Joria, Karen Stoffer, Rhonda Hartman Smith, Hillary Will Hines, Ashley Force Hood, Courtney Force, Melanie Troxel, Shelly Anderson Payne, and a handful of others dating back to pioneers Paula Murphy, Shirley Shahan Bridges, Lucille Lee, and Lori Johns).

“It’s pretty awesome to join the winningest female, Angelle, and then of course, Shirley [Muldowney], who’s one of my heroes, paved the way for all of the girls nowadays and a tough woman who has offered a lot of solid advice for me,” Enders said. “It’s a goal I set as a child, that I wanted to be the best race-car driver on the planet, not just female. To be one ahead of my idols means a lot to me.”

In order to realize her big dreams, Enders had to go through some nightmares, too.

“People on the outside don’t understand necessarily what it takes and don’t necessarily understand what it takes from you, either,” Enders said.

She has experienced roadblocks and speed bumps: short-lived sponsorship deals, the occasional run-in with an on-track rival, the heartbreak of a broken car at the starting line in the final round, losing close races, red-lighting, and being tricked by malfunctioning electronics telling her she won when she didn’t. The Texas A&M business-management and marketing major has learned lessons about corporate cunning that has made clocking nearly perfect reaction times and hitting shift points precisely seem like a piece of cake.

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“There’s a lot of emotion that plays into it,” Enders said. “I look back to our first championship. I remember [Pro Stock Motorcycle champion] Eddie Krawiec coming up to me before the final round and saying, ‘Whatever you do, don’t cry.’ I had that in the back of my mind – and I’m not a big crier, anyway. But to give your whole life to something from the time I was eight years old – and the things my dad and mom sacrificed to allow my sister and me to do what we want for a living and chase our dreams, sacrificing their own . . . It’s been a really long road, and it’s not easy at all. There have been way more valleys than peaks. I talk about it all the time, but I feel that story is so important. You preserve, and you never give up.

“There are so many people who stab you in the back and pull the rug out from underneath you along the way. And it has nothing to do with gender. It’s how this world works.

It’s very cutthroat, and it’s very challenging, honestly, to be a part of it,” she said. “But I love what I do, and I love the guys I get to do it with every week. So I’m honored to be a champion and represent a sport I love, that I’m so passionate about, and have given 30 years of my life.

“It’s a dream come true. So many people have made this possible: my dad [Gregg Enders], the Good Lord above, Richard Freeman . . . The key to this program is the people who stand behind it, starting with Richard Freeman but also Rick Jones, Mark Ingersoll, Rickie Jones.

All these guys jump on deck and help me so much. Most importantly, they believe in me. That gives me all the confidence in the world,” Enders said. “For all the time my guys sacrifice from being with their kids and their wives, it means the world to me. I’m glad that we did this together as a family.”

The family reunion will continue into mid-November with the U.S. Nationals to close the regular season, then six Countdown to the Championship races.

And Enders said, “I don’t feel like I’m close to being done yet, so it’s not just a goal to get to that number. It’s to surpass it by a lot and just keep rolling. If we can secure our sixth world championship in the future, the only person that would have more than us would be [the late] Bob Glidden, so we’d be tied with Warren Johnson [the six-time champion and 97-time winner]. So it’s a really cool place to be in as just a little girl who had big dreams.”

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IndyCar championship becomes clearer wh i le

NASCAR’s playoff race

amps up after Indy weekend

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Photos Courtesy of Indycar.com & NASCAR

By John Haverlin For the fourth consecutive year, IndyCar and NASCAR shared the famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway for a triple-header weekend, which featured all the races on the Grand Prix course.

IndyCar ran its 14th race of 2023 on the second weekend of August, ending with a result that is all too familiar -- a Scott Dixon victory.

This win, however, was no easy accomplishment. Dixon spun on Lap 1 of the Gallagher Grand Prix as he evaded the contact that teammate and points leader Alex Palou, championship contender Josef Newgarden, and Romain Grosjean made in the back of the field.

Dixon raced on a different strategy that played into one of his greatest strengths- fuel conservation.

On Lap 60 of 85, Dixon pitted while running in the top 10, hoping the race would stay green until the finish. Three laps later, pole-sitter and leader Graham Rahal was forced to pit as he was losing ground on Dixon and surrendered the lead to the New Zealander.

On the alternate strategy, Dixon was tasked with staying ahead of Rahal, who was racing on the primary black tires, in the closing laps. He did so en route to his first win of 2023 and 54th of his career.

pionship 4 at Phoenix in November.

On the Cup side, Michael McDowell led 54 of 82 laps to earn his second career victory in NASCAR’s top level. McDowell has now won the Daytona 500 and at the Brickyard -- that’s two places that are as good as any across the world to take trophies home.

Chase Elliott finished second, and the window is closing fast on his opportunity to make the playoffs. The same goes for his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Alex Bowman and Trackhouse Racing’s Daniel Suarez, who both won races and made the postseason in 2022.

McDowell became the 13th driver to win and clinch a playoff position as Race No. 1 at Darlington is approaching fast.

McDowell’s career is possibly at its peak right now. The Arizona native had part-time opportunities with Michael Waltrip Racing as a rookie, then became a start-and-park driver for various teams through the early 2010s, and has now fomented himself as a weekly contender with a Front Row Motorsports team that has a fraction of the budget many of the other Cup teams have.

The Indy win was a tremendous triumph for himself and his No. 34 team, so before he put thought into the playoff picture, he made sure to enjoy the moment he was in.

“I haven’t let the Playoffs set in yet because winning here has been so cool,” he said post-race. “I think tomorrow or Tuesday, when we think about Watkins Glen, and we think about how we don’t have to just crush every Dixon has won in 19 consecutive seasons now and is second in the element, that we can just go there title hunt behind Palou. The deficit is 101 points, but with three races left, including the double-points finale at Laguna Seca, there is and go for the win and have fun, no counting out Dixon as he pursues championship No. 7. which I think we can do, it’s going to Later that Saturday at IMS, Ty Gibbs took the checkered flag in the be a big relief.

NASCAR Xfinity Series race. Gibbs is the defending series champion but is running for points in the Cup Series as a rookie, so Sam Mayer’s P2 result garnered him the best finish of an Xfinity regular. "But right now, I’m not feeling that — I haven’t got to the Austin Hill and Justin Allgaier finished fourth and fifth, respecPlayoffs yet. I’m tively, and they sit first and third in the standings. John Hunter just enjoying today Nemechek is second with the most wins at this point in the season (five), so it appears these three may be favorites to reach the Cham- so far.”

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or the second straight season, the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series championship will be decided amongst the four finalists live, on-stage at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina, on September 26th, 2023.

After 14 races in the 2023 Regular Season, there are 10 drivers still in the running for the title. Nine of those drivers claimed their place in the eNASCAR Playoffs by winning one of those 14 races, while only one spot was claimed by a driver without a win.

The nine winners include Bobby Zalenski (Joe Gibbs Racing), Michael Conti (JR Motorsports), Casey Kirwan (XSET), Tucker Minter (Team Dillon eSports), Jordy Lopez (Team Dillon eSports), Steven Wilson (Stewart-Haas Racing), Garrett Lowe (Jim Beaver eSports), Michael Guest (23XI Racing) and Jimmy Mullis (Rise eSports). The lone driver in on points was Nick Ottinger (William Byron eSports).

Last season, Kirwan was able to win his first title and take home what was a

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newly-minted Dale Earnhardt Jr Championship Trophy that night in October.

Kirwan defeated Zalenski, Wilson and Graham Bowlin in the 2022 title bout. The announcer panel of Evan Posocco, Blake McCandless, Alan Cavanna and Camille Salazar Hadaway were joined by NASCAR on NBC’s Dale Earnhardt Jr and Steve Letarte live at the venue as well. The stage was set right at the foot of the famous Victory Road display, one of the first things that visitors will come across when entering the NASCAR Hall of Fame. It is expected that this will all be the same for this season as well.

At least one new driver will battle for a championship this season, that being Lowe, winner at Michigan International Speedway in the eNASCAR Playoff opener on August 15th. The other two Playoff races will commence on August 29th at Dover Motor Speedway and Phoenix Raceway on September 12th. The finale, despite being a race held in

Charlotte, will take place on the virtual track at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the site of the majority of the championships in the 14 years of iRacing’s Driver’s World Championship.

For the remaining three spots, there are three champions that will be looking for their second career titles in Kirwan, Ottinger and Conti. No matter what way it falls when the season is over, Conti is committed to retirement at season’s end, promoting his #ItsBeenGr8 you throughout the season. There have been many special paint schemes that have adorned the No. 8 Chevrolet, perhaps the most special one coming at Michigan when he honored his mother, Gina, who lost her fight with Pancreatic Cancer four years ago.

Conti’s title came in 2014, while Ottinger’s was in 2020 and Kirwan’s just last season. All three are more than capable of claiming another trophy, but they’ve got an incredible group of drivers all looking for their first ever championship in the series, some that have been trying for years and others giving it their first go in their first career season in the series.

If you’re looking for someone who is due one, look no further than Mr Championship 4 himself, Bobby Zalenski. Despite making the Championship 4 in five of the six seasons that it’s been in play, dating back to 2017 when Zalenski joined the series as a rookie, the driver of the No. 18 has yet to hoist the championship trophy.

He’s come close a few times, but Zalenski has never been on top at season’s end just yet.

One might also argue for Mullis, Lowe or Guest, three veterans of the series that have flirted with the top ranks for years, this season perhaps their best chance to date. Mullis has had the most success in terms of wins, but hasn’t made the playoffs in as many seasons as Lowe has despite running more seasons. Guest, meanwhile, just collected his first ever win in his 106th career start, a moment long overdue.

In terms of new blood, Wilson is pretty new in terms of years, this only being his third, but if he were to make it to Charlotte, he would have done that twice now. Wilson isn’t the newest driver by any means in the title fight, however. That distinction belongs to two rookies, both teammates in every sense of the word, that being Lopez and Minter. Both are taking on a playoff battle in their first seasons in the series.

Whoever makes it will have the challenge of winning it all in front of an audience, possibly on a simulator that they aren’t completely comfortable with. The pressure is on. We know we’ll see Lowe later in September, but which three will join him for the chance at winning $100,000? Be sure to stay tuned to each broadcast on Tuesday night at 9:00 pm ET. Follow iRacing for when they release more details about the live championship event on September 26th.

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OH MY GOD

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t was quiet and calm on a beautiful evening in Cuba, New Mexico but something was on the rise as dirt bike and motorcycle enthusiasts were coming from all over New Mexico, Colorado, Texas and surrounding states preparing for the battle in the desert for the famous Oh My God 100 desert race. Saturday kicked off with the kids racing and the pre-run for the adults.

Sunday was the big event and was a beautiful day of racing for the historic running of the Oh My God. if you ever get a chance to get on your dirtbike and would like to start desert racing, make sure to visit the New Mexico Race Collective page on Facebook.

Special thanks to the MotorZobras MC and to Cuba and Sandoval County Fire and Rescue.

Photos provided by Doomsday Racing and Outlaw Desert Racing.

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The power of the pen, microphone and camera.

The media landscape can certainly provide promotion, advancement and opportunities to reach an intended target and audience.

But if not done right, it can do damage. It can even cancel people.

In the motorsports realm, the media can certainly do a lot of good. Depending on the team, driver, and celebrity status, teams can be picky and choosy on whom to talk to.

Paying drivers to talk to media At its core, media and news are around to help facilitate greater conversations. The job of the media is to inform the public. Most, if not all journalists, would agree the ethical behavior of reporters is the lifeline of maintaining credibility. Of course, the biggest component to that is being able to share information that is truthful, without bias, displays all sides of a story, and lets the viewer/reader form their own opinions from the facts presented. Some drivers welcome as much media coverage as they can get, but some will refuse to speak to certain outlets, or limit their availability. Should drivers be paid to talk to reporters? Would this change the opportunity to have drivers talk more? There are issues within this realm. At its core, it would disrupt the credibility of organizations willing to pay for coverage, and would create the potential for a bidding war. Plus, the content created may not be as authentic.

Personal insight Covering the sport for the greater part of 13 years, there have been some great one-on-one moments with TV personalities, drivers, owners, as well as countless press conferences, scrums and “walk-and-talks.” I won’t name drivers, but I do feel like some A-list drivers see talking with some outlets as high risk, low reward, and I could definitely see the argument for it. It would make sense that a driver would talk with national television outlets before anyone else, because in theory, they would be able to get the biggest reach. I’ve noticed it is the same with the national radio outlets that cover the sport. Many of the print/online organizations can still get great reach, but often, the numbers may dwarf in comparison to the impressions reached through multimedia means. I think this is where we have seen journalists get creative and innovative, posting recorded interviews to their social media pages and YouTube -- helping the journalist/organization have a bigger voice and reach more people, especially if the information/interview is timely.

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magine a child who barely rides a two-wheeler, strapping in and putting the pedal to the metal. Many families in Albuquerque do just that! All year long there is Quarter Midget racing going on somewhere in the United States. Weather it is indoor or outdoor, it’s exciting.

In Quarter Midget Racing, the kids get trained by our Novice trainer right from the beginning. Here they are taught the basics: flags, line-up, driving skills, etc. Safety is the utmost importance because we are dealing with our kids! Helmets up to the standards of the big guys, neck brace, arm restraints, seatbelt harness system, driving gloves and racing suit are the norm and safety is always MANDATORY. Families can choose to participate on local, regional or national levels. Our local club, RoadRunner Quarter Midget Association, RRQMA, has over twenty families as members. In 1999, the club started with just three families. Our local races are held at Sandia Motorsports Speedway, Albuquerque, NM. We have fourteen local point-series races and are host to two large regional races each season.

The benefits of Quarter Midget Racing are virtually immeasurable. Few other sports permit all members of the family to participate as much. In addition to preparing and maintaining the race car, Mom and Dads help run the races and the clubs.

The kids learn sportsmanship and a genuine respect for the rights of other drivers. It develops coordination, a sense of timing and the ability to plan ahead. Once the green flag has dropped, they are on their own. Kids learn to play hard and also learn that rules must be observed. Rule infractions result in penalties or disqualification.

The program helps the drivers gain self-reliance, confidence and self-esteem while learning respect for themselves and other. It is a life teaching experience! Come enjoy some exciting racing. Admission is always free!

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BY SYDNEE HAMBLIN PHOTOS BY WHM PHOTOGRAPHY, NBC SPORTS, JONATHANDAVENPORT.NET

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orn in Blairsville, Georgia on October 31st, 1983; Jonathan Davenport has grown to become a dominant name in late model racing. He was introduced to racing by his father, where he would ride in the car during wheel packing. While his career is full of championships and crown jewel wins, it hasn’t been without the highs and lows many drivers face in their careers.

Davenport began his racing career in go-karts at the age of 7, where he won his first ever race. Over the next few years he collected 4 track championships before moving up to the “stock light” go-kart division. At 10 years old he started racing Mini-stocks where he claimed over 30 wins and one track championship in the division. In 1996, Jonathan began racing asphalt legends and started to branch out in the Southeast region to race more. By 2001, he had collected over 100 total legends wins, 2 regional championships, and 1 state championship in Georgia.

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After the 2001 season, Davenport scaled back his schedule and returned home to race a super late model. He continued to race locally in Northern Georgia, and the Carolinas until 2009 when he teamed up with the Rumley Racing #6. During the 2009 season, Jonathan competed in his first ‘‘Dream 100’’ at Eldora speedway where he finished 17th. The following season, he captured wins with the World of Outlaws late models, Lucas Oil late models, Southern Allstars, Southern Allstars East, Southern Nationals, NLMS, & FASTRAK series.

Of his 24 total wins in the 2010 season, more than 10 of them paid $10,000 or more to win. The momentum

of this season carried through the next seasons, in 2012 he took on his first full season with the Lucas Oil late model series where he won rookie of the year honors.

His successes continued to grow until the 2015 season.

In 2015, he entered 60 races, and had 23 wins, 37 top 5s, and 42 top 10s. Originally the 2015 season was supposed to be another scaled back season, but after having early successes that left him sitting high in the points standings early in the season, Davenport and Rumely Racing decided to keep going for as long as they were winning.

They ended the season with over $700,000 in winnings and the Lucas Oil late model championship.

Since 2015, he has collected two additional Lucas Oil championships, and a total of 5 “World 100” titles at Eldora speedway. Despite his overwhelming success in late models, all of his previous seasons cannot add up to Davenport's 2022 season.

What had started out as a chase of large paydays, the focus was always set on the Eldora Million in June 2022. Every race was a learning experience leading up to the largest payday in Late Model history. Davenport was victorious not only in the Eldora Million, but in 23 other races raking in a total of over $2 million dollars in earnings.

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2023 has also seen a series of successes, including a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start, a NASCAR Cup Series start. Davenport finished 14th and 36th in his NASCAR starts respectively. Most recently Davenport was invited to race with Tony Stewart’s Superstar Racing Experience race at Lucas Oil Speedway in Missouri, where he won the race in just his first time in the car.

You can catch Jonathan Davenport racing late models around the country throughout the remainder of the 2023 season.

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