Home > Blogs > Local Auto Racing (Skip to blog navigation.)
By John Bombatch
| Saturday, May 10, 2008, 12:21 AM
Congratulations goes out to a pair of female Miami Valley racers.
MEGAN RITENOUR, of Miamisburg and SLOAN HENDERSON, of Franklin were both named among 18 finalists for the 2008 Lyn St. James Project Podium scholarships.
The scholarships are intended to help young female racers “achieve racing and business success.”
St. James is a retired veteran road racer who is one of five women to have qualified for the Indianapolis 500. She was the 1992 Indy 500 Rookie of the Year.
Female racing drivers from 13 states and Germany were named. Each applicant submitted their driving qualifications, sponsor information and a written essay which outlined their goals, racing plans and why they need support.
Ritenour is competing in the Super Cup Stock Car Series and the ARCA Lincoln Welders Truck Series. Henderson competes in the INEX Legends and Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana Legends Tour.
Joining Henderson and Ritenour as finalists for this year’s scholarships are:
* Renee Dupuis, Glasbury, Conn. — NASCAR Whelen Modified Series
* Kaley Engstrom, Rhome, Texas — Brazo Mini Sprint Association
* Natalie Fernaroli, Raymore, Mo. — TAG USA Kart
* Diana Harker, Gainesville, Ga. — NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster
* Kate Harker, Gainesville, Ga. — NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster
* Brandi jass, Bryan, Texas — Brazos Mini Sprint Association
* Kristy Noll, Amherst, N.Y. — WKA Jr. Restricted Dirt Karts
* Samantha Nield, Jensen Beach, Fla. — NHRA Altered Dragster
* Ashley Parlett, Harrisburg, N.C. — 260 Sprint Cars
* Leah Pruett-LeDuc, Cherry Valley, Calif. — NHRA Funny Car/Super Comp
* Kayla Sewell, Henderson, Nev. — NHRA Sportsman
* Trista Stevenson, Pocahontas, Ill. — NASCAR Late Model
* Samantha Taylor, Bonney Lake, Wash. — USAC/QMA/IKF/ASCA Series
* Miranda Throckmorton, Coatesville, Ind. — All-Star & Midwest Circuit of Champions
* Lynsey Tilton, Martinsville, Ind. — USAC Midgets/Mini Sprints
* Jackie Weiss, Hessen, Germany — Karts/Formula BMW
Project Podium is an offshoot of St. James’ Women in the Winner’s Circle Foundation and Driver Development program. Project Podium plans to award $55,000 in racing scholarships this year.
The finalists are currently being evaluated by a select panel of female business and auto racing personalities, including St. James, NASCAR driver Erin Crocker and current Formula Atlantic Championship managing director Vicki O’Connor.
Scholarship winners will be announced in late May.
Permalink
| Comments (0)
| Post your comment
By Michael Cooper
| Tuesday, May 6, 2008, 10:49 AM
Todd Bowsher is a proud father of a baby girl.
The Harmony Township ARCA driver’s wife, Alfie, delivered a girl, Ashlynn Rennee Bowsher on Sunday, May 4 at 11:56 a.m.
Ashlynn Renee Bowsher weighed 7 pounds, 3.6 ounces and was 20.5 inches long.
Congratulations to Todd and Alfie Bowsher, as well as Jack Bowsher and Associates Racing team.
Permalink
| Comments (0)
| Post your comment
By John Bombatch
| Friday, May 2, 2008, 11:53 PM
In Clearcreek Township, just a few miles north of Ma’s Kitchen restaurant in Red Lion and tucked away on a side street sits the home of NHRA Competition Eliminator veteran Rick Brown.
The four-time NHRA national event champion has been racing for over 40 years, but perhaps his biggest victory came April 27th at Atlanta Dragway in Commerce, Ga.
Despite difficulties in getting a transbrake release button mounted somewhere in the car where the sleeve of his racing jacket wouldn’t accidentally set it off (and then forgetting that he’d moved the button on his next run), Brown qualified 24th in the 32-car field.
He lucked out in the first round. Jenny Treadwell’s machine broke during the burnout and so Brown got a free pass. But the starter imediately lit up the starting tree and Brown, now out of his normal starting routine, momentarily forgot where he’d moved the transbrake button. (The crew moved it from the floor to the steering wheel.)
By the time he’d found the button, he’d spent two long seconds on the starting line. Hey, he won. I should cut him some slack. I lose my pen about once a day, and nobody moves it but me.
Anyhow, Brown made up for his error by looking ahead. Overnight, he and his crew decided to make some drastic changes to the car’s setup in order to account for the 89-degree temperature and 70-percent humidity.
Brown lost me when he got into telling me about air density and barometers. But his years of experience and reams of paper records told him to make the change.
Crewmen Tom Perdue (of Peebles) and John Smith (of Springboro) changed to some slower tires (radials to bias-ply, I think he said), switched up the transmission gearing, and put in a different rear-end combination too.
And during his “down” time, Brown was relentlessly practicing with his new transbrake button. He wasn’t about to be fooled again … and he wasn’t!
In round two, Brown took out Berwyn, Pennsylvania driver Charlie Greco with a .0216-second margin of victory.
Louisiana’s Craig Bourgeois was Brown’s next victim in round three. Brown was slower off the line by about 4/1000ths of a second, but won by .0037-seconds! That’s roughly 11 inches.
In round 4, Brown beat a fellow Ohio driver (Avon Lake’s Pat Ross). By the way, Ross’ son works for the Buckeye Concrete Pumping Co. in Middletown. Another close margin of victory, this time Brown piloted his dark-red Don Rettich Racing Chevy to a .0246-second margin (about 6 feet). That put the 55-year-old hot shoe in the finals against one of the best Sportsman-class drivers around — David Rampy.
Rampy has three NHRA world titles and two IHRA titles to his credit.
The NHRA named Rampy No. 42 on it’s all-time Top 50 list of drag racing drivers a few years ago while they were celebrating their 50th anniversary. Brown says Rampy’s one of the best, ever.
Well, on this day, Brown beat Rampy. With a .07-second jump at the start, Brown won by 0.0518 seconds! That worked out to about 13 feet.
It truly was Brown’s day. Moments after he crossed the finish line, he felt a vibration in the car.
When he came back to the paddock area, he’d learned that a $5-dollar transmission seal had popped loose and transmission fluid was leaking everywhere.
Whether it’s with a transbrake button at the start, or if a small seal ring decides to pop loose after the race, timing is everything!
Congratulations Rick on a memorable win in Atlanta.
Permalink
| Comments (0)
| Post your comment
By John Bombatch
| Friday, May 2, 2008, 11:38 PM
Well, except for that “better looking” comment. My picture looks like I just did a lap at Indy, but forgot to wear a helmet.
Greg, myself and Springfield News Sun gearhead Mike Cooper are excited about the opportunity to bring local motorsports the attention it so deserves.
There’s a reason that many of today’s superstars raced in the Miami Valley area. It’s an area loaded with incredible race tracks and plenty of driving talent. What better place to test your skills than against some of the finest hotshoes around?
My bet is that Greg will be your contact for the Dayton area and north. Mike’s the likely source for racers east of Dayton, and I’ve got the Hamilton-Middletown and parts south of Dayton covered.
Having worked for an Indycar team (TrueSports), for a major race track (The Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course) and a major racing series (the Indy Lights Series), I’ve got a solid bit of knowledge about the sport. But racing is one of those deals where you just can’t learn enough.
There’s names and faces out there who work behind the scenes that I’d love to talk to and learn about. And there’s stories out there in the bleachers each weekend who I’m sure have a story to tell or a recipe to swap.
We’ll be out at the tracks, from Edgewater to Eldora and many places in between. And I hope to see you there!
John
Permalink
| Comments (0)
| Post your comment
By Greg Billing
| Tuesday, April 29, 2008, 04:05 PM
If you’re reading this blog, chances are you’ve found our new web page dedicated to local auto racing. John Bombatch and I look forward to bringing you the most comprehensive racing covering in the Miami Valley. But no matter how fast we drive, we can’t be at every track for every race. That’s where we need your help.
Do you know a driver or team that’s on the fast track to success?
Do you know someone competing out of the area whose worthy of a little ink?
Do you know someone who has a cool job in the auto racing industry?
John and I would love to hear about them. Just drop us a line.
Also feel free to say hi if you see us out at area tracks. Our headshots are to the right. I’m the good looking one above. John’s the better looking one below me.
I think I can speak for John when I say I’ve met a lot of great people at area tracks and it never ceases to amaze me the impact the Miami Valley has — and continues to have — in racing all over the country.
We’ll see you at the races!
Permalink
| Comments (3)
| Post your comment
By Ken Paxson
| Wednesday, April 16, 2008, 11:35 AM
By John Bombatch
Camden driver Travis Gregg is back in business in open-wheel racing.
Gregg recently tested two Firestone Indy Lights Dallaras at the Friday, April 11 test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Gregg agreed to help the Sam Schmidt Motorsports team shake down their car in the morning session. And he shook things up pretty well. Gregg ran faster times in the SSM No. 34 car than regular driver Jon Brownson.
Gregg’s time and speed of 48.1021 seconds at 187.102 mph was 12th quickest overall among the 24 recorded times. Brownson’s best lap was 21st quickest.
Later in the day, Gregg teamed up with Pittsboro, Ind.-based Team Moore and went even faster. He had the no. 2 machine up to 48.0531 seconds and 187.293 mph, the eighth fastest lap of the session.
Former Indycar Series driver Jeff Simmons was 14th quickest in the same car.
“I’m really happy with my run,” Gregg said. “It’s a good feeling to know that I was able to run the fastest times in both cars.”
Team Moore owner Mark M. Moore seemed impressed with Gregg’s run, too.
“I believe Travis did an excellent job in our car late in the afternoon,” Moore said in an e-mailed statement. “He posted that time when most everyone had done their quicker times in the morning. We plan to run Travis in the upcoming Freedom 100 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Carb Day in May. Travis will surely be a contender for the race victory.”
The Friday test was the only time drivers had to test at IMS until the teams return to the famed speedway for practice and qualifying on May 22. The Freedom 100 will be held May 23.
Permalink
| Comments (0)
| Post your comment
Back to top
More entries...
What do you think?
Be the first person to comment on Two locals part of St. James Scholarship Program...