The Kez Invades Toledo Speedway
August 28, 2008
On Tuesday, at the Toledo Speedway, while Steve, Charlie and I were preparing for the On Pit Row radio show, I could hear the sounds of a car outside on the track. It was ‘rumored’ that Brad Kesolowski was testing. I decided to go check it out and possibly capture a picture or two of the guys on the track.
The track is right outside of building where the show is broadcast. So I stepped out the door, into the track facility, and I looked over towards the pit area and sure enough, there was a Hendrick Motorsports hauler. As it turns out, the rumor was true. Brad and teammate Landon Cassill were both testing cars.
The #5 was running most of the laps while I was there. Brad’s #88 was being busily adjusted in the back of the track. He did eventually, get his car out for some laps right before dark.
I found a nice spot in the front stretch where there was a hole in the fence just wide enough to fit my lens through and waited. It wasn’t long before Cassill’s car came around turn 4. I felt the ground rumble, then the whoosh of the wind as the car went flying by within 4 feet of where I was standing. It was a little scary and I had to fight the urge to jump back when the car got that close; even though there was a wall and a chain link fence protecting me. It was also electrifying and an incredible rush.
A man came up to me and told me Brad and Landon had been there since 7:30am. We chatted a bit about how Kesolowski specifically wanted to come to Toledo for testing because it was a track he was familiar with and he needed to work on his short track program.
Mostly though, he wanted to warn me about the dangers of standing so close to the wall. I thought about the dangers involved with racing…even testing. I was done anyway, but I thought, I’d rather go out doing something I loved than wasting away alone in a nursing home. It was a good afternoon.
Photo credit: BethAnne Heisler - ON PIT ROW
ARCA Angels is Driven to Help
August 22, 2008
Sometimes things just feel right. Today, ARCA and our company, Bench Racing Productions are announcing the launch of a cause marketing effort to be known as ARCA Angels.
The program will run for eight weeks in conjunction with ON PIT ROW and INSIDE ARCA sponsored by Team Glock Racing, the two radio programs that are co hosted by Steve Wronkowicz and Charlie Turner from the Toledo Speedway Bar & Grill each week.
“We are just trying to help,” said Mark Gundrum, Vice President of Marketing and Communications for ARCA. “There are people who are associated with ARCA and the sport of auto racing who need help, and we have formed a small group of people who are willing to help if they
can.”
You can read the entire ARCA press release here.
We’re proud to be a part of the ARCA Angels effort and we hope to help continue the good work far beyond the initial eight week promotion. We presently have plans for several different fund raising activities, many of which will center around the live broadcasts of the radio shows. But we want to include the internet community in the program too. If you have any suggestions, please let us know.
We have wanted to get ON PIT ROW and OnPitRow.com involved in some kind of charitable program for some time now. As NASCAR observers, there is a tendency to immediately think of Victory Junction Gang Camp or one of the many driver foundations. They all support great causes. ARCA Angels is a start-up. Something to help build from the beginning. We are directing the help towards three specific situations. It will be great to see, from close up, how the efforts benefit those who need it. As I said, this just felt right, right from the beginning.
Steve and Charlie Do the Dirt
August 16, 2008
The ARCA RE/MAX Series returns to the one mile dirt track at the Illinois State Fairgrounds for the Allen Crowe 100 on Sunday August 17th.
Steve Wronkowicz and Charlie Turner will call the race live for the ARCA Radio Network. We hope you listen live starting with Sim Factory Pole qualifying at 10:45 am. The race coverage will start at 12:30pm.
Go to arcaracing.com and listen live!
Chrissy Wallace ON PIT ROW Today!
July 29, 2008
Three and a half hours of racing talk - we call it Bench Racing - kicks off live today at 5 pm EDT with a visit from Chrissy Wallace. Chrissy, daughter of NASCAR star Mike Wallace, has been campaigning in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series but this weekend she’ll take over the very competitive ARCA RE/MAX Series Toyota of Hattori Racing for the ARCA RE/MAX Pocono 200. That car has been fast everywhere it’s been this season so Wallace should be a real contender at Pocono.
Also ON PIT ROW today are scheduled guests, Booty Barker, crew chief of the Stewart-Haas Racing #66. There’s plenty to talk to Booty about from tires to team stuff.
Veteran NASCAR writer Dustin Long will join us as well to talk about the weekend at Indy and the weeks ahead.
INSIDE ARCA will feature the winner of Saturday night’s ARCA RE/MAX 200 at Berlin Raceway - Scott Speed. Speed has his hands full with Pole sitter Justin Allgaier and ARCA legend Frank Kimmel. It was great. Steve and I were at Berlin to help call the race for ArcaNation.com. What a blast.
Our ARCA Insider, Phil Parsons will stop by as will Patrick Donahue, crew chief on Scott Speed’s Red Bull Toyota. And later, NASCAR’s David Stremme will join us during the INSIDE ARCA SHORT TRACK REPORT to talk about his appearance this weekend for a CRA Super Series late model race at historic Toledo Speedway.
Listen live starting at 5pm EDT right here at OnPitRow.com!
Live from Berlin Raceway it’s the ARCA RE/MAX 200
July 26, 2008
The Pit Crew is hitting the road again this weekend.
Steve Wronkowicz and ARCA’s Don Radebaugh will call the race and I’ll call the pit road action for the ARCA Radio Network, live today, Saturday July 25, from Berlin Raceway in Marne, Michigan.
Last night’s Craftsman Truck Series winner, Johnny Benson, is the owner of Berlin Raceway. Berlin is a unique track. A bit under a half mile in length, with virtually no straight-a-way and no retaining wall along the backstretch.
We’ll start the day with live coverage of Sim Factory qualifying, starting around 4:30 pm EDT.
A thirty minute pre-race show for the ARCA RE/MAX 200 will start at 8 pm, with the call of the race to follow. You can listen to all of it live at arcaracing.com.
Photo credit - arcaracing.com
Live from Cayuga Motor Speedway!
June 26, 2008
There’s a real Buzz around the ON PIT ROW garage this week. The ARCA RE/MAX Series has announced their plan to provide live streaming audio coverage of the Cayuga ARCA RE/MAX 250 to begin at 1:00 PM EDT this Sunday June 29th.
It’s all part of a plan to webcast the seven 2008 ARCA RE/MAX Series races that will not be carried on live TV, beginning with the 250 lap event from Cayuga Motor Speedway.
My partner Steve Wronkowicz will call the race and I will be there, along with ARCA’s Don Radebaugh to provide color commentary and reports from the infield. We’re pretty pumped!
Make sure you tune in the live webcast, starting at 1:00 pm Sunday. Go to arcaracing.com where Team Glock Racing will present the call of the race and live timing and scoring as well.
Photo credit: BethAnne Heisler - ON PIT ROW
Heading for the (Irish) Hills
June 12, 2008
As Steve, Charlie and I prepare for our quest to MIS tommorrow and I was planning my picture taking agenda, I recalled some unforseeable events from last year that made the experience exceptional. My photo op with Richard Petty comes to mind (he wanted to be shot in profile), turning around to almost be run down by Mark Martin heading… somewhere…and who can forget Steve’s ‘Little Tiff’ with Jeff Gordon (I know he never will). Can’t wait to see what tommorrow will bring.
Photo: Beth Anne Heisler On Pit Row
Larry McReynolds Belongs ON PIT ROW
May 6, 2008
The ON PIT ROW guest line-up today is headed by a guy who belongs. Fox Sports NASCAR analyst and veteran crew chief Larry McReynolds returns to talk about last week at Richmond and the up coming Darington and Charlotte weekends.
Speaking of Richmond, we’ll talk to Dan Lowry, winner of the Crown Royal contest that made him the title sponsor of the Dan Lowry 400 at Richmond International Raceway.
Kerry Tharp, NASCAR’s Director of Competition Communications will join us as well.
Listen live starting at 5 pm EDT right here at OnPitRow.com.
Starting at 7pm, INSIDE ARCA is loaded too. Carolina 500 winner Joey Logano will tell us about his dominating victory at The Rock. This is our first chance to talk to Joey and we have plenty of questions.
Our ARCA Insider Phil Parsons will be here as will regular guest Patrick Donahue, crew chief for Eddie Sharp Racing. It was a tough weekend for ESR. We’ll ask Patrick what happened.
We get a preview of the ARCA RE/MAX Series’ race at Kentucky Speedway next Saturday with Tim Bray, Director of Communications for the Speedway.
The night of ON PIT RADIO will wind up with the ARCA Short Track Report and a visit from ARCA Lincoln Welders Truck Series’ Nick Gullatta, winner at Winchester last weekend
Join us at the Toledo Speedway Bar & Grill or tune your radio to Fox Sports Radio 1230 am in Toledo or on the net at OnPitRow.com.
ON PIT ROW & INSIDE ARCA Doubleheader Dynomite Today at 5
April 29, 2008
Bobby Allison is a tough act to follow. Add to the Hall of Famer a roster of Boris Said, ARCA Insider and former Talladega winner, Phil Parsons, ARCA Iowa winner Matt Hawkins and Red Bull crew chief Patrick Donahue….. Well Steve had a big show to live up to. And he did!
Today - with prayers to the live radio gods - ON PIT ROW will have David Ragan to talk about a week that included a road course in Mexico, plate races in Talladega and short track testing in Toledo.
Later we’ll have Yates Racing driver David Gilliland and one other surprise guest. You’ll have to tune in or come on out to the Toledo Speedway Bar & Grill for that one.
INSIDE ARCA will feature ARCA RE/MAX Series points leader Matt Carter, a return visit from Patrick Donahue - this time as the crew chief of the Kansas 150 Grand winning #2 driven by Scott Speed.
Our ARCA Insider Phil Parsons will be here for his weekly look into the ARCA RE/MAX Series and Kansas Race winner Scott Speed will join us as well.
Rounding out the night of ON PIT RADIO is the ARCA Short Track Report with guests Michigan Motorsports Hall of Famer, Gary Lindahl and ARCA Lincoln Welders Truck Series points leader Steve Christman to talk about his win at Anderson Speedway.
So what are ya’ gonna do next week Steve?
UPDATE: The surprise guest was Andy Hillenburg, owner of The Rock - Rockingham Speedway - and is Andy ever pumped for this week’s Carolina 500! Did you know that they are going to start 50 ARCA RE/MAX cars in that race? Can’t wait.
Photo credit: Icon Sports Media, Inc.
Talladega Sunrise Part 2
April 26, 2008
Race Day. Up at 5:00am. Shower. Breakfast. Coffee, eggs, grits, ham with red eye gravy. I arrive at the track at 7:00am. We meet in the Media center coffee, doughnuts and cookies are available for the drivers and friends and family who have come along for support.
Check-in includes showing the confirmation letter and signing a one page release form. I have no clue what I really signed, I could’ve been giving away all my worldly possessions to some freaky cult. Aside from the check-in tables, there were about 20 rows of chairs in the room facing an approximately 52” flat screen TV on which they were running a DVD overview/ad for the Dale Jarrett Racing Adventure.
At 7:30am they asked us to have a seat. The future drivers were easy to spot -they sort of had that deer-in-the-headlights stare. I was strangely calm. When they started the class, I listened intently to how to find my line, when to shift, how to pass (there would be five other drivers on the track) and most importantly how to avoid kissing the wall. Each driver also would have an in-car instructor. He would be there to give me hand signals on how to drive and maybe a nudge or two to keep me in line. I studied the chart that had the hand signals on it that I would be receiving while on the track. Thumb left; move down; Thumb right: move up; Thumb up: Speed up; Thumb down: Slow down; Fist: Brake; One finger: Shift into first; Two fingers: Shift into second; Three fingers: Shift into third etc. After the class, everyone headed to the pits and were given a ride in the dualies to get the feel for the track. When you are down on the apron, Talladega looks like a wall. My first thought while riding around the apron was ‘No way I’m gonna be driving up there!’ Next my instructor drove up on the 33deg bank and stopped the truck dead. He wanted to show that it would not fall off the steep bank. I, however, had to hang on to the hand strap to keep from ending up in the instructor’s lap. I attentively watched how he moved on the track and got the feel for how to follow the line.
Afterwards, I headed over to the pit area to be fitted for a fire suit and helmet. Then, I went to a table that asked the one and only question of the day : “How tall are you?” I am apparently the same height as Joe Nemecheck because I was assigned to his car. The day was overcast and drizzly and there was a wet spot on the track that needed to be dried so
we were delayed until it was cleaned up. In the meantime, the instructors took all the friends and family members for rides around the track in the dualies. Finally, the time had come. I donned my skull cap and helmet and climbed into Joe’s car and the instructor told me to push the clutch all the way to the floor to make sure I could reach. Then the pit crew
strapped me in (although the guy in charge of connecting the buckle across my crotch was hesitant to reach down and latch me in.) ‘Uh I gotta ….’ He said, and gestured towards my nether regions. I chuckled and replied ‘Strap ‘er in!’ He gave the device one last pull and reached over and turned the ignition on. The car rumbled to a start. The pit crew walked
around the car giving it a final once over then gave the ‘O.K’ to move out.
The next thing I saw, was my instructor’s index finger in my peripheral vision (The sign to shift into first) I was on my way. I drove around the apron gaining speed ; Thumb right; up I went. The Thumbs up: Oh man! Here I go! I pushed my foot down and felt the car speed up. 100mph. I watched the wall coming at me as I constantly guided the wheel left. 120mph.
Lap2: The wall seemed to always be directly in front of me. Keep steering left. At that moment, I was totally convinced that I would hit the wall soon. I felt the icy coldness that turns into paralyzing fear. ‘OMG!’ I thought, ‘I can’t do this! Get me the Hell off this track before I kill myself!’ But then, I remembered that icy road in Kentucky and all the fear melted away. The instructor gave the wheel a little nudge and I focused on my line.
Lap 3: I settled in and started to get the hang of where to move the car. 150mph.
Lap 4: Thumb Left. My car is merrily moving up the track where it wants to be and now I have to move it down to pass someone. Slight nudge. ‘O.K! O.K! I’m moving! Whew! That’s over!’ I’m thinking, ‘I’m nervous out here with five other drivers, I can’t imagine what it would be like with 43 cars out here. Wow.’ I consider the fact that in most sports the participant is pretty confident that they will walk away after it’s over. A race car driver knows there is always a chance they won’t.
Lap 5: Thumb Up. I push down on the accelerator. At this point, the lines on the track appear like dots. Very focused. My instructor gives a nudge to the right on the wheel. I am suddenly right up against the wall. You know - where they said not to go. WTF? Then…
Lap 6: Thumb Up Going faster. Thinking about the speed. The car in it’s line. Checkered Flag. 163mph. Thumb Left. I veer down onto the apron. Thumb Down. I take my foot off the accelerator and feel the car coast.
Turning into the pits. Hard Fist: I put my foot on the brake and come to a stop just barely missing a flustered pit crew member. I’m laughing. My instructor is laughing. He says, “It’s not as easy as it looks!” I reply, “Oh Hell No!”
Photo credit: BethAnne Heisler - ON PIT ROW
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Charlie Turner »
I'm Charlie Turner co-host of the syndicated, mostly NASCAR radio show On Pit Row. Thanks for stopping by OnPitRow.com and the Bench Racing with Steve and Charlie blog. Oh yeah, Steve is an idiot.
Steve Wronkowicz
I am co-host of the syndicated radio show: ON PIT ROW. Charlie likes to call me an "idiot". I'm not an "idiot"; I just prefer not to let the facts get in the way of my opinions.
