Shawn Courchesne | Auto Racing

Give Me The Car, Just Don't Make Me Join The Commune Too

The question came as a bit of surprise.

“So you think Joe Gibbs Racing is going to Toyota?”

It was at that point that I realized I had just unknowingly just joined a sort of weird fraternal order.

On Wednesday I got the chance to enjoy the sick pleasure of going out to buy a new car.

I’m one that somehow at the same time loves and hates the whole process of buying a new car.

Objectivity Be Damned: I’m Cheering For Jimmy Blewett This Weekend

So NASCAR is heading out to bask in the glitz and glamour of Hollywood this week at California Speedway and what am I doing? I’m heading to NASCAR country.

Yes, it’s that time of year when racing duties clash directly with football duties.

So it’s a trip down Tobacco Road on tap for me this weekend with the University of Connecticut football team opening the season in Durham, N.C. against Duke.

In racing parlance, UConn should be stinking up the show Saturday against Duke, which comes into the game riding a 20-game losing streak (the longest in Division I-A) and a reputation as one of the worst programs in college football’s top ranks. Should be a fun time. 

Keith Rocco Takes SK Modified Feature At Thompson

Keith Rocco of Wallingford was up to the task of extra laps Thursday at Thompson International Speedway.

Rocco, of Wallingford, held off national short track points leader Woody Pitkat of Stafford to win the 50-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series SK Modified feature at Thompson.

Bert Marvin of Waterford was third.

In the 25-lap Late Model feature it was Tommy O’Sullivan of Springfield, Mass. besting Rick Gentes of Woonsocket, R.I. with Jay Stuart of Preston finishing third.

The New Formula: Jacques Villeneuve Ready To Test The NASCAR Waters

The seeming new world order of NASCAR was again on display this week.

Former Formula One world champion Jacques Villenueve spent Monday and Tuesday at Chicagoland Speedway testing for Bill Davis Racing’s Craftsman Truck Series team in preparation for his series debut for the team at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sept. 22.

Bill Davis Racing officials announced Tuesday that Villeneuve will compete in the final seven events of the Craftsman Truck Series season and could possibly make his Nextel Cup Series debut this year. Seemingly all indications are the Villeneuve will likely be running full-time in the Nextel Cup Series next season for Bill Davis Racing.

Hoping A Little Time At The Track Can Put A Smile On Both Of Our Faces

A week ago, early Friday morning on Aug. 17, I was driving home from Thompson International Speedway. It was early in the morning, 2:30 a.m. or thereabouts. Most nights I’d make the drive home from Thompson over the darkened back roads of Northeastern Connecticut with the MP3 player hooked up and the tunes blasting. But not on that night.

My fingers never made a move toward turning that radio on. I drove home in silence, my mind racing in a million different directions. My concentration lapsed so harshly that at one point I found myself lost somewhere in Woodstock despite the fact that I was meandering a route home that I had driven countless times before.

Mansfield Motorsports Park Ready For Modified Tour/Busch East Doubleheader Saturday

Despite continued flooding issues in Northern Ohio, officials at Mansfield (Ohio) Motorsports Park say they are ready to host the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and Busch East Series on Saturday at the track.

Below is the press release published on the track's website on Wednesday concerning the situation there.

Could Flooding Affect Modified Tour And Busch East Events Saturday At Mansfield?

The Whelen Modified Tour and Busch East Series are scheduled to return to action Saturday at the Mansfield Motorsports Park in Mansfield, Ohio.

How ready the track will be to host the two divisions is the question.

On CNN tonight there was a story about major flooding problems in Northern Ohio and the first place they showed footage from was Mansfield.

More Rain In Michigan Could Mean High Drama For New Hampshire

Let it rain, rain, rain in Brooklyn, Michigan.

New Hampshire International Speedway is now one day closer to being booted out of the Chase for the Nextel Cup lineup.

And really, is that such a bad thing?

The Nextel Cup Series 3M Performance 400 was postponed for the second consecutive day Monday because of steady rain at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn.

NASCAR Deems Tragic Thompson Event Complete; Todd Szegedy Declared Winner

The event that claimed the life of Whelen Modified Tour driver John Blewett III was declared officially completed by NASCAR officials on Monday.

NASCAR declared Todd Szegedy of Ridgefield the winner of the New England Dodge Dealers 150 Thursday at Thompson International Speedway. The race will be recorded as being stopped with 107 of a scheduled 150 laps completed.

Blewett, 33 of Howell, N.J, was killed in an accident while racing for the lead with his brother Jimmy, 26, also of Howell, just after a restart on lap 107.

Woody Pitkat of Stafford, running in fourth at the time of the restart, was also involved in the accident.

Could NHIS Be On The Outside Looking In At The Chase?

According to a story SpeedTV.com story, there is a chance if NASCAR’s efforts to get a makeup race in at Michigan International Speedway this week are unsuccessful it could bump the Sept. 16 Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway out of the Chase for the Nextel Cup lineup.

Sunday’s 3M Performance 400 at Michigan was rained out and is scheduled to go today at noon, though rain is in the forecast for the Brooklyn, Mich. area again today and Tuesday.

According to the SpeedTV.com story: “A senior NASCAR official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told SPEEDTV.com Sunday morning that if the 3M Performance 400 at Michigan International Speedway is totally rained out this week, it could become the final race in the Chase for the NASCAR Nextel Cup.”