• Home
• The Show
• The Crew
• Bench Racing
• Fast Lap
• Contact Us
• Advertise With Us

Subscribe

• NASCAR
• Sprint Cup
• Drivers
• Nationwide Series
• ARCA Remax Series
• NASCAR Headlines

The Kez Invades Toledo Speedway

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

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.

Larry McReynolds Belongs ON PIT ROW

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

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.

Inside the ARCA RE/MAX Series special guest

In the preview post for yesterday’s ON PIT RADIO night at historic Toledo Speedway I mentioned a possible, surprise guest. Well that guest was Ron Drager, president of ARCA.

Ron joined us on the Speedway stage and shared with our audience the state of the ARCA RE/MAX Series including the extension of the series sponsorship agreement with RE/MAX through the 2011 season. He pointed out that, despite the rather depressed state of the housing and real estate market, RE/MAX sees the value of motorsport sponsorship via ARCA’s top series.

There was much more to the interview. There will be a podcast of the entire show at ARCA’s website soon. We’ll let you know when it’s up.

Photo credit: BethAnne Heisler - ON PIT ROW 

ON PIT ROW adds new ARCA shows on Tuesday nights

Bench Racing Productions, parent company of ON PIT ROW, has agreed to produce a ninety minute radio show focusing on the ARCA Remax Series as well as local racing action at ARCA owned Toledo and Flat Rock Speedways.

INSIDE THE ARCA REMAX SERIES and INSIDE THE ARCA SHORT TRACKS will debut on Tuesday, April 8, 2008 at 7pm ET and can be heard live via the internet at www.arcaracing.com. The show will also be broadcast, on a taped delay basis, in Toledo, Ohio on Fox Sports Radio-1230-WCWA at midnight on Wednesdays.

Steve and Charlie, The Pit Crew, will be joined weekly by the stars and personalities that make up the ARCA Remax Series from 7 to 8pm. Then at 8pm the focus shifts to the local racing scene of Toledo and Flat Rock Speedways. Track announcer, Gary Lindahl, will join The Pit Crew to review race results and follow the local teams and drivers and their stories.

The new block of ARCA programming will join ON PIT ROW; being broadcast live from the Toledo Speedway Bar and Grill, located just off the front stretch of Toledo Speedway on Benore Rd in Toledo, Ohio. Fans, race teams and sponsors are encouraged to attend the live three and a half hour broadcast to talk racing and take advantage of food and drink specials, sure to add to the party atmosphere.

photo credit: Icon Sports Media

Copyright © 2008 Bench Racing Productions, LLC. · All rights reserved.
Content may not be duplicated, or redistributed without express written permission.

OnPitRow.com | Bench Racing | Fast Lap | About Us | Contact Us
Terms Of Use | Privacy Policy | Advertise with us!