Old School Racing Meets New Age Media

TALLADEGA, Ala. - The old school dirt upon which professional stock car racing was built will play host to today’s racing stars when the third annual Nextel Prelude to the Dream presented by Old Spice takes place June 6 at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio. And for those not lucky enough to grab a seat for the dirt late model race featuring 25 world renowned drivers as they battle for dirt supremacy, HBO Pay-Per-View will present the event live to the entire nation. Proceeds from this ground-breaking telecast will support the Victory Junction Gang Camp and the Tony Stewart Foundation.The all-star race will feature such racing icons as Tony Stewart, Juan Pablo Montoya, Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kahne, Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth, Mark Martin, Denny Hamlin, Bobby Labonte and more. All will pilot 2,300-pound dirt late model stock cars capable of putting out over 800 horsepower.

The live broadcast will begin at 7 p.m. ET (4 p.m. PT), with an immediate replay and subsequent replays throughout the week and the following weekend. HBO Pay-Per-View’s first ever racing telecast has a suggested retail price $24.95 and available to more than 61 million pay-per-view homes. HBO Pay-Per-View is the leading supplier of event programming in the pay-per-view industry. Ordering information and up-to-the minute racing information is available at www.hbo.com.

“This is going to be a fun, but unbelievably competitive race,” said Stewart, a multi-time racing champion and proud owner of Eldora Speedway. “Eldora has always tried to go above and beyond for its fans, and that’s something we plan to continue with this event being offered live on HBO Pay-Per-View to racing fans across the country.

“Nextel continues to back the event as title sponsor, and Old Spice has stepped up to present the live broadcast of this year’s race to ensure substantial charitable support toward the Victory Junction Gang Camp. Corporate involvement, along with the commitment of the best race car drivers in the world, has allowed us to create an event that is as exciting as it is charitable. Experience is everything when it comes to dirt track racing, and there won’t be a better way to spend a Wednesday night in June.”

In addition to the aforementioned drivers, Ryan Newman, Bill Elliott, Clint Bowyer, Dave Blaney, Kyle Petty, Aric Almirola, Kyle Busch, Ron Capps, Ray Evernham, Red Farmer, Elliott Sadler, Ken Schrader, Kenny Wallace, Mike Wallace and J.J. Yeley have also committed to the Nextel Prelude to the Dream presented by Old Spice.

Drivers from all types of disciplines, some with lots of dirt track experience and others with hardly any, will participate in hot laps, qualifying, heat races and the 30-lap feature on the half-mile clay oval, all of which will be presented by HBO Pay-Per-View.

“Since 1991, HBO Pay-Per-View has been associated with the biggest stars and the best events the sport of boxing has had to offer,” said Mark Taffet, HBO Senior Vice President of Sports Operations & Pay-Per-View. “In that same tradition of excellence, we are delighted to feature the world’s greatest drivers in such a unique race from legendary Eldora Speedway in support of Victory Junction.”

With no points and no pressure, the Nextel Prelude to the Dream presented by Old Spice is a throwback race, allowing drivers to step back in time and compete for the reasons they all went racing in the first place – pride and a trophy. And they’ll do it on the same surface that such racing legends as A.J. Foyt and Mario Andretti competed on nearly 50 years ago.

Other interesting story lines include:

· Jeff Gordon’s Return to Dirt: Gordon hasn’t raced at Eldora in 16 years, when he won the Midget portion of the 1991 USAC Four Crown Nationals.

· Juan Pablo Montoya’s Trifecta: Montoya could become the first driver to win the Indianapolis 500, the Grand Prix of Monaco and the Nextel Prelude to the Dream presented by Old Spice.

· Dirt Veterans vs. Dirt Neophytes: Stewart, Gordon, Kahne, Newman, Blaney, Bowyer, Elliott, Farmer, Schrader, Yeley and the Wallace brothers grew up on dirt tracks, while Montoya, Busch, Harvick, Almirola, Hamlin, Kenseth, Labonte, Martin, Petty and Sadler spent the majority of their racing upbringing on asphalt.

· What Happens When a Drag Racer has to Turn the Steering Wheel?: Capps is a 12-year veteran of the NHRA, where straight-line runs over 300 mph are commonplace. He’ll have to turn right to go left as he slings his dirt late model around Eldora.

“Having Tony’s support has been huge for Victory Junction,” said Petty, who together with wife Pattie founded the Victory Junction Gang Camp in memory of their late son Adam. “Tony was one of the first drivers to get on board with us, and beyond the money he and his foundation has donated to the camp, he’s brought notoriety, which has helped fuel interest in the camp. It’s just one more example of how when we’re on the track we’re fierce competitors, but off the track we’re all united in trying to improve the lives of others, especially children. I’ve always admired his charitable work and it’s an honor to again be a part of this year’s Nextel Prelude to the Dream presented by Old Spice.”

For those who want to see the Nextel Prelude to the Dream presented by Old Spice in person, tickets are available online at www.eldoraspeedway.com or by calling the track office (937) 338-3815. Act fast – the race has sold out the past two years.

Kid Rocket Back on Track

A weekend trip to the Midwest helped Josh Richards get his groove back.

The 19-year-old star shook off the struggles that had been plaguing him in recent weeks by registering back-to-back top-five finishes in World of Outlaws Late Model Series competition. He finished third in Friday night’s 50-lap event at Farmer City (Ill. ) Raceway and was fourth in Saturday night’s ‘Boswell Brawl 50’ at Indiana’s Kamp Motor Speedway.

Best of all, ‘Kid Rocket’ was one of the biggest movers-and-shakers in both events. He started 10th at Farmer City and 11th at Kamp.

“The last couple races we had some bad luck, ” Josh said after completing the weekend’s action. “Now things are getting back to going well, so hopefully it keeps going. ”

Josh’s Mark Richards Racing-owned Seubert Calf Ranches/Ace Metal Works/TSR-Tony Stewart Racing/Petroff Towing/MCB Motorsports Rocket Chassis No. 1 suffered some battle scars during Friday night’s race on a rough springtime track at Farmer City – its right-side door was caved in and a header broke off following an early-race encounter with Jimmy Owens – but he charged forward to score his best WoO LMS finish since winning the season opener on Feb. 17 at Florida’s Volusia Speedway Park.

“I didn’t know the race was actually over, ” said Josh, who never saw the checkered flag displayed because he was so focused on his battle to keep third place. “But I was glad it was over. I had some pizza before the race, and I felt like I was gonna throw up the whole race.

“The pizza was good, ” he added with a smile, “but I ate too much and the track was rough, so that wasn’t too good on my stomach. ”

In Saturday’s first-ever WoO LMS event at Kamp, Josh and his crew weren’t happy with their car’s performance after he transferred to the A-Main with a third-place finish in his heat. So they made wholesale changes to the machine that ended up paying off.

“We ran a swing-arm car last night (at Farmer City) and all the way up to feature time tonight, ” said Josh. “After the heat we switched to our normal stuff, a four-link setup. I’m not real comfortable with that swing-arm deal yet, so we switched to our normal stuff so we don’t end up getting ourselves too far back in the points.

“Come feature time, we weren’t as good as we should’ve been, ” added Josh, who reached fourth place with a pass of Shannon Babb on the white-flag lap. “But I could maneuver a little better than some of those guys, and that helped a lot. ”

Josh’s strong weekend moved him into a tie with Francis for fourth in the WoO LMS point standings, 38 points behind co-leaders Babb and Clint Smith.

The WoO LMS is idle until the five-race ‘Monster Midwest Tour’ kicks off on Wed., May 9, at the Davenport (Iowa) Speedway Quarter-Mile, but Josh will be busy this week. On Thursday (May 3) he’ll travel to Paducah (Ky. ) International Raceway for a ‘NASCAR Night’ program that will see him serve as crew chief for Nextel Cup star Tony Stewart, who will make his first start of the season in the Bass Pro Shops, Tracker Boats, Rocket No. 20 dirt Late Model he plans to run in selected events. Then, on Friday and Saturday (May 4-5), Josh will visit Kentucky Lake Motor Speedway to run his blue No. 1 in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series ‘99’ event, a two-day show topped by a 99-lap, $24,999-to-win feature.

Kahne Accepts Nextel Prelude Late Model Challenge at Eldora

ROSSBURG, OH - Kasey Kahne, NASCAR’s 2004 Nextel Cup Rookie of the Year, has turned many laps at Eldora Speedway over the years, in winged and non-winged open wheel race cars, but none in a full-bodied Late Model. That will change on Wednesday, June 6, as Kahne joins nearly two dozen other drivers from the NASCAR circuit to compete in the Nextel Prelude to the Dream.Kahne has been following the unique Prelude since its inception in 2005, but his schedule has never allowed him to participate.

Quips Kahne, “the Nextel Prelude to the Dream has been the most prestigious new short track event created in the past several years. I know it started three years ago as a special event, all-star type of event that featured a lot of NASCAR drivers. Everyone talks about running in the event and what it would mean to beat the best drivers on dirt.”.

Getting in the event was important to Kahne. “I told Evernham Motorsports to make sure my schedule would allow me to join the field this year, as I have never raced in the Prelude, or even a Late Model at Eldora Speedway. Beating the best, like Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart, on dirt, would be awesome and I am looking forward to the opportunity.”

Not only is Kahne anxious, but so is his team owner - Ray Evernham. Evernham, noted for his exploits behind the wheel of an East Coast open wheel pavement Modified, drove from 1979 through 1983; with numerous wins to his credit.

The Nextel Prelude will allow him the opportunity to once again jump behind the behind of a race car; albeit on an unfamiliar dirt surface.

Kahne and Evernham have some stiff obstacles ahead of them, as the field also includes the likes of defending event winner and two-time NASCAR Cup champion, Tony Stewart, four-time Cup Winner Jeff Gordon and yet another Cup champion - Matt Kenseth; among others.

Behind the wheel of borrowed dirt Late Models, the night could prove to be interesting, as some of the drivers have never been on dirt before, and others have limited experience. Following a brief hot lap session, each driver will be given two timed laps to determined placement into one of three qualifying heat races. Finish positions from this heats will determine the starting line-up in the subsequent 30 lap finale.

Tickets for the June 6 Nextel Prelude to the Dream are available online at www.eldoraspeedway.com or by calling the track office at 937.338.3815 during normal business hours.

No Surprise Here

It seems those guys at NASCAR have pretty thin skins, and since they make the rules, they get to decide who plays and who doesn’t. This morning, the #20 team wasn’t allowed to unload their car until Tony had met with nascar, apologized for comparing nascar with professional wrestling, and promised to show up for future post race interviews.

Then to show their acceptance of his apology, they fined him 10 grand and put him on probation until the end of the year. Of course, they say that the fine & probation are for missing the press conference, and not for his saying they fix races.

Lee Spencer is a senior NASCAR writer for FOXSports.com., Here’s a few comments from her column today.

‘The drivers are sick of being persecuted by NASCAR after voicing an opinion or expressing a concern in public. They’re tired of the at-track officiating that follows, whether it’s not passing first inspection, being delayed during practice or by the convenient debris cautions that seem to pop up on a whim.

The funny thing is, the TV cameras failed to find the debris — even at the insistence of Darrell Waltrip in the booth. If NASCAR wants to manipulate the action why not throw a competition caution? After all, isn’t that what it is?

For a sport that used to revel in its history, the new regime has forgotten its roots. And the core fans are dropping as fast as Smoke sped out of Phoenix.

Border Wars Battle Begins Tongiht

ROSSBURG, OH - With a dirt surface being the only common denominator, bragging rights for members of the USAC (United States Auto Club) Sprint fraternity are up for grabs this weekend with the running of Border Wars XIII. Gas City I-69 Speedway hosts leg number one tonight, while Eldora Speedway concludes the unique battle tomorrow night.Designed to include contrasting speedways along the rival Indiana/Ohio borderline, Border Wars was developed in 1995 between the late Roger Holdeman of Winchester (IN) Speedway and Earl Baltes, former owner of Eldora (OH) Speedway.

True to that concept are the current Border War hosts. Gas City’s tight quarter-mile configuration and low banking is just the opposite of Eldora’s massive one-half mile oval with steeply banked turns. Both produce tremendous non-winged racing, but require completely different chassis set-ups and driving styles -thus the perfect scenario for an ultimate challenge such as Border Wars.

USAC refers to it as a ‘battle within a battle’, as not only are the drivers competing for valuable points towards USAC’s National Sprint Series title, but for points towards the Border Wars championship. The Border Wars title is an earmark of versatility for the winning driver.

Shane Cottle emerged victorious in last year’s Gas City chase, while Rob Chaney came out on top at Eldora, with Jerry Coons consistent enough to capture the Border Wars title. It was Coon’s first such title, in a series that has an impressive list of champions.

Tony Stewart, two-time NASCAR champion and current Eldora owner, captured the first title in 1995, while Brian Tyler heads up the list with four championships (1996, 1997, 1998, 2000. Tracy Hines, who now drives for Tony Stewart racing and will be in the fold this weekend, has three titles (1999, 2002, 2003), with Jay Drake, now crew chief for Stewart’s open wheel teams, a double winner in 2007 and 2005. Prior to heading south for NASCAR competition, J. J. Yeley wore the Border Wars crown in 2001.

Eldora Speedway News

Eldora Speedway News
KAHNE ACCEPTS NEXTEL PRELUDE LATE MODEL CHALLENGE AT ELDORA

ROSSBURG, OH April 25 — Kasey Kahne, NASCAR’s 2004 Nextel Cup Rookie of the Year, has turned many laps at Eldora Speedway over the years, in winged and non-winged open wheel race cars, but none in a full-bodied Late Model. That will change on Wednesday, June 6, as Kahne joins nearly two dozen other drivers from the NASCAR circuit to compete in the Nextel Prelude to the Dream.

Kahne has been following the unique Prelude since its inception in 2005, but his schedule has never allowed him to participate.

Quips Kahne, “the Nextel Prelude to the Dream has been the most prestigious new short track event created in the past several years. I know it started three years ago as a special event, all-star type of event that featured a lot of NASCAR drivers. Everyone talks about running in the event and what it would mean to beat the best drivers on dirt.”.

Getting in the event was important to Kahne. “I told Evernham Motorsports to make sure my schedule would allow me to join the field this year, as I have never raced in the Prelude, or even a Late Model at Eldora Speedway. Beating the best, like Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart, on dirt, would be awesome and I am looking forward to the opportunity.”

Not only is Kahne anxious, but so is his team owner - Ray Evernham. Evernham, noted for his exploits behind the wheel of an East Coast open wheel pavement Modified, drove from 1979 through 1983; with numerous wins to his credit.

The Nextel Prelude will allow him the opportunity to once again jump behind the behind of a race car; albeit on an unfamiliar dirt surface.

Kahne and Evernham have some stiff obstacles ahead of them, as the field also includes the likes of defending event winner and two-time NASCAR Cup champion, Tony Stewart, four-time Cup Winner Jeff Gordon and yet another Cup champion - Matt Kenseth; among others.

Behind the wheel of borrowed dirt Late Models, the night could prove to be interesting, as some of the drivers have never been on dirt before, and others have limited experience. Following a brief hot lap session, each driver will be given two timed laps to determined placement into one of three qualifying heat races. Finish positions from this heats will determine the starting line-up in the subsequent 30 lap finale.

Tickets for the June 6 Nextel Prelude to the Dream are available online at www.eldoraspeedway.com or by calling the track office at 937.338.3815 during normal business hours.

Nextel Prelude to the Dream Entry List Announced: Stewart, Gordon, & Montoya Highlight List

ROSSBURG, Ohio – Eldora Speedway’s much heralded Nextel Prelude to the Dream has gained even more momentum with this week’s announcement of the participating talent, which will feature a lineup of no less than five former NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series champions.

Eldora’s owner, Tony Stewart, has announced that this year’s edition will take place on Wednesday, June 6. It will again be sandwiched between the June 2 World of Outlaws Built by The Home Depot event and the $100,000 to win Dirt Late Model Dream June 8-9.

Following the successful and highly popular format used each of the past two years, Stewart will welcome many of his Nextel Cup brethren and other racing notables for an evening of dirt track competition on the nationally recognized half mile clay oval. The talent will again be placed behind the wheel of fast and powerful Late Model race cars.

Headlining that list and making his first return to the dirt surfaced Eldora oval since 1991 is four-time Nextel Cup champion Jeff Gordon, driver of the No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet. In that visit to Eldora 16 years ago Gordon left victorious, as he won the Midget portion of the USAC Four Crown Nationals.

Stewart, with his long history of dirt track accomplishments – including last year’s Nextel Prelude trophy – will join Gordon as a former Nextel Cup champion. Recognized for his prowess behind the wheel of the No. 20 Home Depot Chevrolet fielded by Joe Gibbs Racing, Stewart will have to fend off the challenges from the impressive roster of drivers that includes a mixed bag of dirt track experience. Some of the drivers have Eldora roots, some are Nextel Prelude returnees and others will be on the Eldora high banks for the very first time.

Rounding out the list of former Cup Series champions who will compete in the Nextel Prelude to the Dream are Matt Kenseth (2003), Bobby Labonte (2000) and Bill Elliott (1988).

With impressive credentials as the 2005 Nextel Cup Rookie of the Year, Kasey Kahne will join this year’s mix of drivers. And while new to the event, Kahne is not new to Eldora. He has a 2003 All Star Sprint victory at Eldora on his ever-expanding resume. Also joining the Nextel Prelude field and making their Eldora debuts will be Juan Pablo Montoya, Clint Bowyer, Ray Everham, and Kyle Busch.

Also in the fold is inaugural Nextel Prelude to the Dream winner Kenny Wallace, veteran dirt racers Ken Schrader and Dave Blaney, and Nextel Prelude returnees Mark Martin, Kevin Harvick, Aric Almirola, Mike Wallace, Ryan Newman, JJ Yeley, Kyle Petty, Denny Hamlin, the ageless Red Farmer and drag racing standout Ron Capps.

Wearing his proverbial track owner hat, Stewart beams with pride when he reflects upon this event.

“The Eldora legacy is to go above and beyond for its loyal fans. The Nextel Prelude to the Dream carries on that tradition. Nextel has returned to partner with us, and with some of the best race car drivers in the world competing on the hallowed dirt of Eldora, it promises to be another memorable night.”

Stewart, hinting at even greater news in the coming weeks, stated, “Stay turned for a huge event-related announcement in a couple weeks and a list of additional star attendees.”

Tickets for the 2007 Nextel Prelude to the Dream, which sold out each of the past two years, are now available online at www.eldoraspeedway.com or by calling the track office (937) 338-3815.

Misfortune Knocks Richards From Contention in Circle K Colossal 100

SHINNSTON, WV – Josh Richards departed The Dirt Track @ Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C., on Saturday night with disappointment written all over his face.

But that’s understandable, because the 19-year-old star known as ‘Kid Rocket’ was in the thick of the battle for the $50,000 top prize in the Circle K Colossal 100 until misfortune ended his bid.

Josh moved from the fifth starting spot to second in just 11 laps and was pressuring Chris Madden for the lead when his race came to a sudden end on lap 25. He pulled up lame in turn two when his Mark Richards Racing Inc.-owned Seubert Calf Ranches, Ace Metal Works, TSR-Tony Stewart Racing, Petroff Towing, MCB Motorsports, Rocket Chassis No. 1 had its power-steering cylinder break from the rack-and-pinion.

“We definitely had an awesome car,” said Josh, who was credited with a 28th-place finish in the second annual event. “We ran our swing-arm car and tried some different setups, and I think we had a legitimate shot to win.

“I wasn’t even pushing the car too hard. I just got to second and ran right there with Madden, trying not to wear my stuff out.”

Despite his heartbreaking exit, Josh praised The Dirt Track’s racing surface.

“The racetrack was in excellent shape,” said Josh, who survived a rough-and-tumble heat race on Friday night to finish second and transfer to the Colossal 100. “It was a little brown on the bottom, slick through the middle, and had a cushion on the top. That’s the way every racetrack should be for a big race.”

Josh’s Colossal 100 trip capped his busiest racing week since February. Wet track conditions postponed his scheduled World of Outlaws Late Model Series visit to New Egypt (N.J.) Speedway on April 13, but subsequent tour events at Virginia Motor Speedway and Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pa., beat the tough Northeast weather. He finished a solid sixth in the 50-lap ‘Rumble on the River III’ at VMS and salvaged a 14th-place finish in the ‘Showdown in Sarvertown 50’ at Lernerville.

Josh felt great about his chances in the Lernerville event thanks to his third starting spot, but his hopes were dashed on the original start when a scrape with Robbie Blair sent him crashing into the inside wall on the homestretch. He returned laps down to collect as many points as possible, but the car needed a new front clip put on it at the Rocket shop before Josh ran it at The Dirt Track.

The Colossal 100 was a World of Outlaws Late Model Series event, but it offered only show-up points so Josh’s DNF didn’t hurt him in the points battle. He currently ranks seventh in the standings – 34 points behind co-leaders Shannon Babb and Clint Smith – entering this weekend’s tour doubleheader at Farmer City (Ill.) Raceway (Fri., April 27) and Kamp Motor Speedway in Boswell, Ind. (Sat., April 28).

Be Careful Little Hands

Back in my youth we sang a song in Sunday School that included the verse,

O be careful little hands what you do.
O be careful little hands what you do.
For the Father up above is looking down with love
So be careful little hands what you do.

In the case of Juan Pablo Montoya, he either never sang, or doesn’t remember the song. The Father in his case was NASCAR and it wasn’t love they were looking down with.

NASCAR announced Wednesday that Montoya, driver of the No. 42 Dodge in the Busch Series, has been fined $10,000 and placed on probation until Dec. 31 because of an inappropriate gesture made during a practice session on April 19 at Phoenix International Raceway. Montoya was in violation of Section 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing) of the NASCAR Busch Series rule book.

While 10 grand is chump change to these guys, it’s still a reminder that actions, even minor ones, have consequences. Even for Juan.

Knoxville Preview

INDIANAPOLIS - For Paul McMahan and the rest of the World of Outlaws (WoO) Sprint Series competitors, this Saturday’s event at Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway will kick off the annual pilgrimage to the crown jewel of winged sprint car racing, the Knoxville Nationals.The No. 20 Tony Stewart Racing/Bass Pro Shops/Eagle team has a long-standing reputation of success at Knoxville including back-to-back Knoxville Nationals victories in 2003 and 2004.

TSR driver McMahan hopes to continue the success of the No. 20 team at Knoxville by earning not only his first victory of the 2007 season, but his first win at the legendary 1/2-mile raceway. In last year’s 46th annual Knoxville Nationals, McMahan crossed the finish line in 11th.

McMahan and the No. 20 TSR/Bass Pro Shops/Eagle team enter this weekend’s racing action ranked 10th in the WoO Sprint Series Championship standings. The team has earned one top-five finish and five top-10 finishes thus far in 2007, putting McMahan only 296 points behind series leader Donny Schatz. The team has also won one B-main and one dash event in 15 races.

Quotes from Paul McMahan, driver of the No. 20 TSR/Bass Pro Shops/Eagle:

Describe your first look at Knoxville Raceway from inside the cockpit.

“My first event at Knoxville was the Knoxville Nationals, the biggest event of them all. I remember sitting in my car, strapped in, waiting to be pushed off. You really absorb everything in your first event at a track like Knoxville. There weren’t any suites at that point, or any grandstands on the backstretch. I remember being in awe of the number of cars that were in the pits and the number of people that were in the stands. It was surreal. To be sitting in a racecar about to compete at a place like that is something you don’t forget. The event itself is huge and it just continues to grow. It’s an amazing facility.”

How do you expect the Chevrolet engine to perform on the big, sweeping turns at Knoxville?

“Knoxville and Eldora are tracks that really give you a good opportunity to find out where your engine program is. Tracks of that size and tracks that require a lot of horsepower are great tests. I think we’re going to be fine. We just got a new Chevrolet engine from Kistler Engines a couple of weeks ago. It was the one we ran at Eldora earlier this month. We qualified really well with it and if the track is good and we get a decent number in the qualifying draw, we’ll be in good shape to possibly get our first win of the year for Bass Pro Shops.”

It seems as if Knoxville Raceway offers great racing action for competitors and fans alike. Would you agree?

“Things can change at Knoxville in the blink of an eye. You’re always looking ahead for anything that could happen but you really have to be on your toes. It also depends on who is in front of you when you’re racing. It can get pretty wild if you get into a group of lapped traffic that’s trying to sort itself out. The great thing about Knoxville is that it’s big and wide which gives us an opportunity to race four-wide. You never know what you’re going to get with a race at Knoxville, but it’s a sure bet that it will be entertaining.”