Raceway Rant
Thursday, March 6, 2008
AJ Takes a Back Seat in NASCAR
Lynne Tibbet
Not sure if everyone has heard but our local guy, AJ Allmendinger, has been replaced in the Red Bull Toyota Camry on the NASCAR circuit by Mike Skinner.
It's too bad for AJ, who is a native of Los Gatos. He will likely jump back into the mix soon, but the Red Bull folks need to make races, and AJ has not been able to qualify at Daytona and Las Vegas (California was rained out). Keep good thoughts for AJ. Skinner, by the way, is a pseudo-local from Susanville in Lassen County.
I had a chance to attend the NASCAR race in Las Vegas last weekend and had an interesting sighting. A fan who was standing in the Neon Garage, which is located directly above the NASCAR garages. He placed his hat on a fishing rod and lowered the line into the garage, hoping a NASCAR driver would reach up and sign it. That's about as innovative as it gets.
The AMA Superbike Series kicks off this weekend with the legendary Daytona 200. Suzuki's Mat Mladin, the most decorated rider in AMA history with six Superbike crowns, will return and looks as strong as ever, despite being 35 years old. Look for him to battle with teammate Ben Spies all season for the crown. There are rumors Spies will jump to MotoGP soon, while Mladin will likely stick with Superbike for a couple more years. The series visits Sonoma for the Kawasaki AMA Superbike Showdown, presented by Supercuts, May 16-18.
If interested in meeting some NHRA drivers this weekend, head out to the Infineon Raceway Kart Center. We'll have Top Fuel drivers Rod Fuller and Cory McClenathan and Pro Stock Bike rider Mat Guidera racing against some fans in a charity event. Admission is free so come on by to see your favorite stars on the POWERade circuit.
Hope all is well!
