On Sunday, January 25th, several small block super teams met at Lighthouse Lanes in Oswego, N.Y. to discuss the 2009 season.

N.O.R.A. president Steve Reynolds kicked off the meeting with discussion about the traveling events that are being put together for the small block supers. Cast in stone as of this date are a Friday, June 19th race at Spencer Speedway, and a Saturday, September 12th race at Oswego Speedway, during Race of Champions weekend. This Sept. 12th race was originally scheduled to be the date of the NORA event at Shangri-La2 Speedway, but with the announcement of RoC being scheduled on that date, NORA was forced to change. NORA board member Barry Kingsley has been in contact with SL-2 rep Amy Stilson about a new date, but that has not yet been confirmed. It is expected that another date will be scheduled soon for NORA’s appearance at the brand new facility.

That date may be on Saturday, June 27th, as Oswego Speedway is scheduled to be closed on that night, because of the local graduation weekend in the area. Currently that June date is being considered by NORA brass for an event at either Shangri-La2, OR a return to Adirondack International Speedway. Stay tuned for more schedule announcements soon. Spencer Speedway is interested in a second NORA event. Adirondack is trying to work out one NORA event, as is Chemung Speedway. For more information, watch the official NORA website at www.norasbs.blogspot.com , or read this blog. Or contact president Steve Reynolds at steve@inkspotinfo.com.

A few sponsors have stepped up for the 2009 season to contribute to the NORA purse structures. Look for a formal announcement of season sponsors soon. Chris Porter’s www.sbsracingnews.com and Andrews Auto are two of the business contributors who are confirmed at this time. All races should pay a minimum of $500 to win, and $100 to start every NORA race in 2009. A point fund was also discussed, but competitors seemed more interested to keep the money in the weekly purse.

At least fifteen teams were represented at the meeting, with optimism and enthusiasm looking great for the 2009 season. Oswego Speedway announcer Roy Sova and tech team Mike Bozzuto and Brenda Rice also attended the meeting.

Officers for the ‘09 edition of NORA were elected / nominated at the meeting, as well. President Steve Reynolds, VP Sue Delong, Secretary Casey Danzer, and Treasurer Jayne Danzer will steer the ship in 2009. Board members include Barry Kingsley, Dave Cliff Sr., Rob Pullen, Craig Danzer, and J.J. Andrews. A membership drive and fundraisers will be organized soon to contribute to the NORA bottom line. Points will be kept, and top finishers will be awarded trophies at the end of the season for their competition. Race lineups will be determined by a draw at every race, with a draw for heat starting position, then a redraw for the feature.

Tom Aaserud then took the reins for the second part of the meeting, which was a discussion about small block super rules and representatives at Oswego Speedway. Aaserud, along with Eddie Horne and Wayne White were division reps in 2008. Ballots were passed out to vote for two reps for 2009.

Aaserud also discussed a proposed program for a rule that would allow the purchase of only two tires per week for the small block supers. Through some research with Hoosier, Aaserud has found a scanner that would read bar codes on the tires, and allow strict supervision, effectively cutting the yearly tire bill in half for the teams who purchase new tires every week. More research and discussion will be held on this subject, but the owners and drivers were very interested in pursuing this matter. This excellent find by Aaserud may help teams substantially in the future by helping to limit costs.

Head tech Mike Bozzuto spoke about some rule ideas and concerns for the 2009 season. Bozzuto is committed to keeping a level playing field for 2009, and made it very clear that tech will be much more thorough this year. Weight rules will be strictly enforced, carburetors will be closely checked, use of tire softener will earn a one year suspension, and engines will be inspected for lightweight parts. “Buy some gaskets!”, Bozzuto warned.

The NORA small block supers are moving toward a successful 2009 season, that could involve as many as six races. A very important general membership meeting will take place on Sunday, January 25th, at Lighthouse Lanes, starting at 11:00AM. Many subjects will be discussed with the members, including schedule, purse, and election of officers.

Recent meetings have secured dates for two races, while negotiations are still ongoing for as many as four more events. So far, a Friday, June 19th date has been secured for Spencer Speedway, and a Saturday, September 12th date has been secured for Shangri-La2 Speedway.

President Steve Reynolds has also been in contact with Paul Lyndaker, of Adirondack International Speedway, about a return race during the ’09 season. Reynolds and others also met with John White, owner of Spencer and Chemung Speedways, regarding a possible race at Chemung Speedway, as well as a second race at Spencer Speedway. It is also hoped that NORA will once again appear at the Race of Champions, held at Oswego Speedway in September. Although the schedule is not solidified as of Jan. 12th, it is expected that the complete schedule will be nailed down by the end of January.

Please attend the January 25th meeting, as it will be very important to the new NORA season. For any questions, please contact president Steve Reynolds at 315-532-2693, or e-mail steve@inkspotinfo.com.

This will not be my normal racing oriented blog. Yes, racing will be included in this entry, but I’ll talk about many subjects that are on my mind. I’m thinking bigger picture right now. I’ll do the racing stuff first, so you can tune out after that if you’re bored by the personal stuff.

RACING -
Oswego Speedway - I think ‘09 will see a resurgence of the supermodified division at Oswego. Don’t get your hopes up for 24 car fields, but I think an average of 20 a week is a strong possibility. The Xtremes will be well piloted, but will not dominate the season, despite hogging the top three spots at last year’s Classic. The Hawks were off a little in ‘08, but ‘09 will see several different winners, in all types of cars. The small block super division will suffer in numbers this year, maybe less than the supers on several weeks. Parity, rules enforcement, and the economy are a few reasons for this fact.
My own racing plans will be a lot like my 2008 schedule. I’ll race my small block 3-4 times, and if I finish with all top tens, and zero wrecks like I did in 2008, that will be enough for me. And I’m committing to supporting any NORA races that are scheduled for ‘09. Even if it’s on a weekend that I can’t attend, I will loan my car out to a qualified driver to stock the field.
My own racing plans as a fan will find me at every race at Oswego, with the exception of one or two shows if it conflicts with a vacation or my daughter Chelsea’s graduation. I want to attend more races at Brewerton this year, because I haven’t seen a bad race there in years. I’ll make several other races during the season, and may even take another shot at Super Dirt Week this year. As of right now I am not planning a trip to Bristol in ‘09.

Other sports - Minnesota Vikings - they immediately flunked out of the playoffs, losing to the Eagles. Unfortunately, even though I’ve been a Vikings fan forever, I’m honest enough to admit that… they still suck. I don’t want that to be true, but I’ve got eyes. Maybe next year they’ll get their act together. I hope so. I deserve it - I’ve got a lot of time invested in these guys. They have improved for three years in a row now, so maybe they have a shot next year.
Syracuse Orange - that’s another story. The hoops team is in a great position for Sweet Sixteen or better this year. Coach Boeheim is still a great coach, and the boys will easily win 25-27 games this year. They’ll lose some games that they shouldn’t (because that’s coach’s only shortfall - that he can’t always seem to get the guys properly motivated to put forth their total effort for each game. He’s always had that problem), but they’ll win some games that they shouldn’t. Like U-Conn this year. And the SU Football team? Not so much. I’m not feeling this Doug “Maroon” guy. He’s yet another career assistant, like the last guy, who didn’t have the tools to pull it together as a head coach. I sure hope I’m wrong, because I never miss an SU football game on TV.

Now some other subjects that I’m not very educated on, but that won’t stop me…
Economic outlook - The news would have you believe that 2009 will be a horrible year for these United States of America. We’re constantly being told how bad the economy is. “Economic downturn”, according to the media. And it may be true. But guess what - we’ll work it out. It won’t be easy, and will require a lot of changes for all of us. But we’ll still function day to day. We’ll find a way to get what we need. We’ll live our lives. I promise. It’s all about perception. And perspective. If we tell ourselves we’re all going down with the ship, then we will. I choose to stay optimistic, with the thought that tough times only make you stronger in the long run. Five years from now, we’ll look back on the perceived “tough ‘09”, and laugh. Maybe three years. Or two. We’re a smart, hard working country of people, that got a little lazy. Time to work on that.

President Obama - He may not have been my first choice for president. I don’t know if he has the experience to lead our country. But that doesn’t matter now. He’s our president, and I’m on board with him. I must support him, and be confident that he’ll find a way to get the job done. We elected him. He’s our guy. Time for his shot.

Health - I’ll continue to work on my personal health. I got rid of 70 pounds in 2008, and I’ll shoot for another 30 in ‘09. It won’t be easy for a junk food and adult beverage lover, but I’ve got help. My whole family - even my dog - is also losing weight with me. We’re on our way to making 2009 our healthiest year in ten years.

Kids - my three teenagers, 16, 17, and 18, are turning into adults before my eyes. They’re great kids, and bring us a lot of joy. But I’m finding out quickly that adult kid stress is ten times harder than the stress of having younger kids. The pressure now is in helping them turn into positive members of society, that will add something to the world. That’s a huge transition from coddled kid. Hopefully the stability of their childhood will help them make the right choices as they grow. That’s our most important challenge as parents - raising well-adjusted, honest, loyal, people who accept responsibility for their actions and mistakes, learn from them, have good relationships, and are always good to others. Ask me in 5-8 years how we did… “Life may change us, but we start and end with family.” (From a Dove Chocolate wrapper.) I’ve got three great kids, and you would enjoy having a conversation with any one of them.

Marriage - I would never recommend that anyone ever get married at 20 years of age. It’s crazy - I don’t know what we were thinking of. It was a crap shoot at best. But by a stroke of luck, we grew up with the same goals and ideals, and it worked perfectly. I could not be any happier in my relationship after almost 24 years of a great marriage. My lovely wife April gets better looking every year, and treats me like a king. She tolerates my racing habit, and gives me freedom to have fun every day, whether she’s with me, or letting me hang with my buddies. (Including an Atlantic City trip in two weeks, and a trip to Vegas with Chalupa during Super Bowl weekend.) Recent events have reminded me how happy and fortunate I am. I’m a lucky man.

And finally, my writing plans for the year. I’ll of course stick with Gater Racing News as long as they’ll have me. I’ve been with Gater for I don’t know how many years - 20ish? Not even sure. In the past couple of years I’ve decided that the Patricks actually like what I do - not just tolerate it. I would love to know how many people read my words nationally, but I bet it’s a lot more than you realize. This blog is the perfect addition to my Gater column. It allows me to break some scoops immediately - I can update it from my i-Phone no matter where I am. I have a lot of fun spouting off here. It also allows me to be a little emotional sometimes, like I’m doing here today. I enjoy writing for the Oswego Speedway Eagle program, and will certainly do that again in ‘09 if I’m asked. I got a kick this year out of writing for Chris Porter’s www.sbsracingnews.com website. My SuperStar of the Week articles drew some laughs, and torked a lot of people, which is what I do. And in 2008 it was a huge personal accomplishment to do a story that featured our own small block supermodified drivers in Syracuse’s Post Standard newspaper. The first of its kind. It was so exciting to see quotes from and press for all of my buddies in the Post Standard. A big deal, in my opinion!

I have given a lot of thought since the end of the season about my writing style going forward. I work very hard on it, and give people a lot of information and opinions about local racing, and especially the drivers and teams at Oswego Speedway. I keep Oswego and it’s teams very much in the public eye. Also, I’ve always not taken myself or my column very seriously, focusing on cracking jokes and busting peoples’ chops. While that is fun, and I’m aware that many people “get it”, the down side is that you never see a serious journalist cracking wise like I do. Because of that, I’m not taken seriously. I can only assume that that is the reason why in over twenty years of writing I have never been recognized for my efforts. So do I change my style, be more serious, act like a real journalist, and maybe win some award some day for writing? I’ve thought about that a lot lately. I had a choice to make: stay the same, or change to be more appreciated by the masses?

Here’s the verdict: Nope! I’m not changing. I don’t do this for a living. I’m not looking for a career as a journalist. I do this for my entertainment, as well as the people who “get it”. Don’t take yourself too seriously, and I won’t either. I’m very happy with what I’ve done for this sport, and I think you’d miss me if I was gone. I have a lot of good stuff in my column - not just jokes. 2009 calls for more of the same - news, fun, dumb jokes, actual useful information, needling, and limited appreciation. I’ll keep enjoying what I do - and I hope you do, as well. Like me or hate me, please appreciate my passion for the sport. I’m doing good work.

My only pay? Your comments - let me know what YOU think. Click on the “leave a comment” link below. You don’t need to register. Send me an e-mail at JJcqracing@aol.com. Or tell me when you see me. Thanks for reading!

Formed several years previous, the dormant USA Racing (United Supermodified Association) has been reactivated by some concerned supermodified teams. The most recent general membership meeting was held on November 23rd at Lighthouse Lanes in Oswego, N.Y., and was very well attended. Thirty plus people attended the private meeting, representing 22 supermodifieds and over 17 teams.

USA’s goals are to support and strengthen the non-winged supermodified division at Oswego Speedway. Currently ISMA and MSA winged supermodified teams have strong representation, and the USA goal is to keep the non-winged supers growing and healthy, as well. A USA board of seven has been formed, and a two man tech team will work in conjunction with Oswego’s head tech Mike Bozzuto to keep all supermodified s legal. The USA board is as follows: President - Bob Hoefer. Vice President - Pat Strong. Secretary / Treasurer - Kathy Hoefer - Board of directors - Jake Ratcliff, Mike Foster, Chuck Handley, and Bobby Gangwer. Engine builders Doug Holmes and Skip Onmacht have been recruited to assist with technical inspections and rule enforcement.

Several topics were discussed in the nearly two hour meeting. One subject that commanded a lot of interaction was rules infractions and disqualifications. The board has compiled a list of five rules infractions that they felt should warrant a DQ, and put that up for discussion. Those top five were:
1. The use of tire softener.
2. Left side weight rule.
3. Total weight rule.
4. Cubic inch rule.
5.Traction control.
Although the USA organization does not have the authority to enforce rules or impose punishments, it would seem that a united organization of the majority of supermodified teams would be strongly considered as a viable voice by speedway management. USA’s recommendations will certainly be strongly considered, as speedway management has shown in the past willingness to make decisions and rules based upon the majority of what the competitors would prefer.

Other rules items discussed included:
- Should competitors be forced to purchase their tires on race day, to eliminate use of tire softeners? It was discussed that top five teams from the previous week, plus anyone who had not raced the previous week would have to purchase their tires on race day.
- Tail section width was discussed. A rule was proposed by the speedway to change the width of the tail sections, but the majority of the teams voted to request to keep the tail section width as it stands.
- The use of aero tubing in the construction of the chassis and some bolt-on parts created a lot of conversation. The current rule was read, but wasn’t clear cut enough to make a definite determination. The subject was tabled. USA may find a better way to clarify the rule, so it is less vague in the rulebook for future construction.
- Side panel height was a concern for some of the teams. It was felt that a side panel higher than the bottom of the driver’s helmet could be a hazard.
- A “protest form” will be developed by the board, for suggested use in 2009. This form will be submitted by a driver or owner, to follow up on a rules infraction concern that someone may have. The form will be kept confidential, but will be kept in a USA file for future reference, in case another team has a similar concern in the future.
- A pre-season inspection will be recommended. Each car should pass an inspection prior to the start of the season, to assure that the season begins with every car within the rules.

A few other ideas were discussed about some other subjects which were not related to rules:
- It was discussed that the speedway point fund may be included into the weekly purse, as opposed to at the end of the season. The speedway has agreed to contribute $2,000 a week toward this purse addition. A competitor has also offered to match that $2,000 / week offer, which could bring the purse up to the $16,000 - $18,000 range weekly. This CONCEPT would get at least $500 minimum into every car’s purse every week. This program is still very early in the planning stages, and is a work in progress. Most of the teams expressed great interest in this concept, which will be discussed much more in the future.
- Some discussion was also held about how that extra purse money should be distributed. In the top finishing positions, or further back?
- Extra tow money was discussed for traveling teams from MSA or ISMA to help cover expenses from a long tow to compete at Oswego Speedway.
- There was some discussion about asking that the $10,000 to win event be turned into a $5,000 to win event, with the other $5,000 to be distributed throughout the balance of the field. However, it is unlikely that the same “buzz” would be created for a $5K race vs. a $10K race, and would probably bring less fans. The vote was fairly even, so this idea will be discussed more in the future.

USA teams will meet again on January 11th to discuss these and other ideas for the betterment of non-winged supermodified s at Oswego Speedway. More information on the purse / point fund concept will be available at that time, and the 2009 schedule should also be available at that time.

Larry Lee and John “Luther” Gray are once again planning a bus trip for the Atlantic City indoor races on Friday, January 16th. The bus leaves on Friday morning, and comes home on Sunday, January 18th. The races take place on Friday and Saturday evening at Boardwalk Hall.

This trip has become an annual winter racing excursion for many central New Yorkers, as well as several race fans who drive from all around to ride the “AC Party Bus".

Several non race fans also ride the bus down, to take advantage of the AC gambling and nightlife. Larry also arranges lodging at the local Super 8, just off the Boardwalk, which is a great location. He is always able to secure several rooms, at a great discount. Of course you may stay wherever you like, but that resource is available by contacting Larry Lee.

Prices are based upon the amount of participants. For this year, the rising popularity may require two busses. Sign up now - a great time is always had by all.

For further information, call Luther at 315-342-3792 / luther@luthermotorsports.net or
Larry Lee 315-343-9099, or hammerlee99@verizon.net.