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THE HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL
Sprint cars headed to Cordeie;
Brannen tests wen at Kentucky
It’s like a go-kart. That’s
how Pete Walton,
founder and president
and owner of the O’Reilly
Auto Parts/
United Sprint
Car Series,
describes the
handling of
the organiza
tion’s cars.
Of course
then he adds
the caveat
they also
weigh in at
m
RACING
NOTEBOOK
Compiled by
Don Moncrief
1,300-1,400 pounds (that’s
still about 2,000 pounds less
than a NASCAR ride), have
a 700 horsepower engine and
with their distinguishable
large spoiler go in excess of
140 mph.
Other than that - as if
that didn’t make them
world’s apart - they handle
the same.
To see those real differ
ences first-hand means to
visit Watermelon Capital
Speedway Saturday where
the USCS will be racing.
The organization will be
making their annual trip to
the Cordeie track locked in
a tight points battle, Walton,
and with its popularity on
the rise.
“We’ve grown from 21 cars
to 26 this year,” he said, add
ing they, in their ninth year,
are like NASCAR in that
they have plenty of “young
guns” - six of their top 10
in points are 19 years old.
“And we’re getting a lot of
exposure. We have a weekly
spot on the SPEED Channel
Johnson goes for three straight at Darlington
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -
As the most vener
able track on the
NASCAR Nextel Cup
Series schedule, Darlington
Raceway’s designation as
a NASCAR
tradition is a
given. But tra
dition doesn’t
mean staid
ness.
The egg
shaped, 1.366-
mile oval is
on the cusp of
establishing
several new
traditions,
with Saturday
night’s Dodge
( NEXITEL)
NOTEBOOK
Compiled by
NASCAR
Next:
Darlington,
Saturday, 7
p.m., FOX
Charger 500 being the first
of those firsts.
The 10th event of the 36-
race schedule, the Dodge
Charger 500 marks the first
Saturday-night event in
Darlington history.
It’s also the first Darlington
event under the lights; last
November’s race was the first
use of Darlington’s newly
installed system, but that
event began in late afternoon
daylight and ended under the
lights.
This weekend also is his
toric on its own: The May 7
date is Mother’s Day Eve, a
proper juxtaposition.
Realignment has re-shaped
the Cup schedule in recent
seasons, but Saturday’s
event coincided with another
tradition - the Mother’s Day
holiday. It’s a traditional off
day for NASCAR’s national
series, and the Dodge Charger
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Sprint cars like the one pictured will be the main draw at
Watermelon Capital Speedway in Cordeie Saturday.
where they show video high
lights and list our points
standings.”
Gates for the event are
scheduled to open at 4 p.m.,
with racing slated for 7:30
p.m.
In addition, the speedway
will hold its regular pro
gram featuring racing in
Pure Stock, Super Street,
Mini Stock, Legends and
Bandoleros divisions. (See
coupon at bottom for a dis
count.)
PICKING UP SPEED: Testing
appears to be going well
for Elko’s favorite son Walt
Brannen as he prepares to
run in the ARCA RE/MAX
Series Harley-Davidson of
Cincinnati 150 May 14 at
Kentucky Speedway.
Following testing Monday
he was eighth fastest out
of 31 cars testing. He was a
little more than two miles
slower than Stuart Kirby
500 not only preserves that
tradition, it’s also helping
establish
a new one
- night rac
ing at the
“Track Too
Tough to
Tame.”
“I don’t
think I’ve
tamed her,”
said Jimmie
Johnson,
who
JOHNSON
won both 2004 events at
Darlington. “I’ve become
decent friends with her and
we’ll just try to keep it that
way.”
So how appropriate that
the track that’s spawned so
many traditions and legends
is serving up its latest con
tributions on Mother’s Day
weekend?
This weekend marks the
49th Cup spring event at
Darlington, a track whose
nicknames - “The Lady in
Black” among them - hint at
the combination of reverence
and exasperation that often
accompany its mention.
A reminder: Darlington
owes its unique configura
tion to the preservation of a
long-gone fishing pond out
side Turns 3 and 4, which
are tighter than Turns 1 and
2.
Its pebbly pavement - com
bined with wind-blown sand
from nearby South Carolina
coastal plains - gnaws tires.
The 2004 debut of SAFER
walls, while very welcome,
didn’t soften the threat of
who turned a lap of 171.756
but he was less than a sec
ond from joining three driv
ers tied after circling the
track in 31.790.
Brannen’s time was 31.940
and his
speed was
169.067:
Also
promising,
his speed
was also
almost six
miles per
hour faster
in the eve
ning session
BRANNEN
than it was in the morning.
AROUND THE TRACK(S):
Macon National Dragway
will be closed Sunday for
Mother’s Day while at Silver
Dollar Raceway in Reynolds,
they will hold their fourth
leg in the Jerry Barker
Chevrolet ET Series. That is
slated to begin at 3 p.m.
the “Darlington Stripe,” the
telltale right-side scrapes
that await cars venturing too
close to Darlington’s walls.
“It’s still tough,” said Kyle
Petty. “They have been say
ing it forever, but it’s the
truth, Darlington is a tough
track. It’s the one track that
everyone wants on their
resume, too.
“It has been around so long,
and so many of the greats in
our sport have raced on it.”
HONORING MOMS: Darlington
Raceway officials and many
drivers plan to honor the
sport’s mothers this week
end. Saturday night’s Dodge
Charger 500 leaves Sunday,
May 8 - this year’s Mother’s
Day holiday - free to spend
with mom. Still, track offi
cials are yielding Saturday’s
traditional starting com
mand duties to a group of
drivers’ mothers.
Together, these moms
will say, “Sons, start your
engines!” rather than,
“Gentlemen, start your
engines!” Scheduled to par
ticipate thus far are Jeff
Gordon’s mother, Carol
Bickford; Tony Stewart’s
mother, Pam Boas; Ryan
Newman’s mother, Diane
Newman; Dale Jarrett’s
mother, Martha Jarrett;
Kyle Petty’s mother, Lynda
Petty; Brian Vickers’ mother,
Ramona Vickers; and Scott
Riggs’ mother, Susie Nolff.
Kyle Petty is taking an
extra step: An image of
Lynda Petty will adorn his
car, along with a suitable
shade of pink.
Lie detector validates hole-in-one claim
By STEVE PAJAK
Sacramento Bee
They’re golfers, not crimi
nals.
But that didn’t stop Bob
Fleming, Marc Arcuri,
Dan Condie and David
Schumacher from wanting
justice in the court of public
opinion.
So they put their money
where their mouth is, hir
ing the senior polygraph
examiner from the San
Diego Police Department at
a cost of $3,950. He deter
mined they were telling the
truth regarding the suc
cessive holes-in-one they
say Fleming, Arcuri and
Condie made April 13 on
the 15th hole at Antelope
Greens in Antelope, Calif., a
Sacramento suburb.
“I have no question in
my mind that they’re being
honest about what they did
what they said,” said Paul
Redden, a polygraph exam
iner for 24 years who said
he has administered 6,950
exams.
Schumacher, the witness
to the event estimated at
odds of 27 trillion to 1, pur-
NOTEBOOK
From page 1B
sponsors.
For SIOO donors can be
prize sponsors. Businesses
and individuals can buy
advertising space in the
tournament program.
Hole sponsorships are
also available for $250.
For more information,
call Pat Thomas at (478)
328-7926.
JUNIOR CUNCS ABOUND: Tis
the season to sign up chil
dren for golf clinics hosted
by the various courses in
the county.
Waterford hosts its 2005
junior clinic June 7-9. The
cost is S6O per child.
PGA professional Tommy
Wood will work with age
groups 6-8 at 9 a.m., ages
JIL MACON REGIONAL
MMimD
Help solve A Crime
742-2330 • 1-877-68 CRIME
(27463)
Rewards of up toHflOO - Remain Anonymdtts!
5 r Bill |
Christopher Allen Underwood
Wonted for violation of probation
(for VGCSA-possession of
methamphetamine)
L.KA: 2200 block of Elberta Road,
WR
* y JP'
Darius Walker
Wanted for violation of probation tfor
possession of marijuana with intent to
distribute, DUI-alcohol/drugs)
LKA: 500 block of Marshall Avenue. WR
Andrew Tremaine Whitehead
Wanted for violation of probation (for
theft by receiving stolen property)
LKA 100 block of Keith Drive,
WR
fM jHk
Kevin Williams
Wanted for violation of probation (for theft by
shoplifting, false statement/writing)
LKA: 200 block of Red Fox Run.
WR
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sued the test and recruited
Redden. He said it was the
final step the group could
take to solidify their polar
izing claim.
“This is a once-in-a-life
time deal, and there’s only
one chance to verify it,”
Schumacher said. “If we
tried to do this six months
down the road, it wouldn’t
have the same impact.”
The examination Friday
used a computerized poly
graph instrument that indi
cated and recorded relative
changes in blood pressure,
rate and strength of pulse
beat, skin stimulus and
breathing pattern as well as
an activity sensor to moni
tor movement.
The individual two-hour
examinations were digitally
recorded, Redden said, so
should someone want to
hire their own polygrapher
to confirm the conclusions?
“Bring it on,” he said.
Two examiners reviewed
the results Monday and con
curred with the conclusions,
Redden said.
Fleming wasn’t gung ho
over the polygraph idea, feel-
9-12, 10 a.m. and 13-up at
11 a.m.
Houston Lake has
planned two clinics; June
15-16 and July 12-14 with
play days June 8 and 29 and
July 6 and 20. Cost for golf
members is SBO per child,
social members SIOO and
non-members $l2O.
The Pine Oaks Summer
Junior Golf Academy is
scheduled to begin May 31-
June 3.
The junior golfers will
attend four classes during
the week at a cost of S6O.
The classes are limited to
16 paid juniors per age
group.
The Landings' junior golf
clinic runs from May 31 to
June 2. The cost is S6O for
Michael Ed VandcrhofT
Wanted for violation of probation (for
speeding)
LKA: 100 block of Nancelon Circle,
WR
Jp' .■*
Sean C. Watkins
Wanted for deposit account fraud
LKA: 100 block of Margie Ave.,
WR
fjP
Conswella Williams
Wanted for DUI-alcohol. improper turn, failure
to appear/contempt of court
LKA: 11 (K) Kathleen Bynum Road,
WR
m - sss WB&yS
Cody Richard Wilson
Wanted for violation of probation (for
cruelty to children)
LKA: 700 block of Arrowhead Trail.
WR
WEEKEND, MAY 7-9, 2005 ♦
ing no disbelievers would be
swayed and it would serve
no purpose, he said.
“Once we did it, I was
glad we did,” Fleming said.
“Whether it influences any
one or not doesn’t matter at
this point.”
As for people who spec
ulate that no one would
fork out that kind of money
over something so frivolous
without a yet-to-be-revealed
financial incentive, he only
could shrug.
“There is no pot of gold
out there,” Fleming said. “I
wish there was.”
The bulk of Redden’s
work is criminally based,
some involving pre-employ
ment and infidelity, he said.
He has heard of colleagues
who have been called to
test contest fishermen. But
trying to verify golf claims
is a first.
The golfer in him is
swayed by the test results,
he said.
“Some strange things
happen on the golf course,”
he said. “And all of them
passed without any prob
lem.”
members and $75 for non
members. It is also spon
soring a four-week summer
golf program June 6-27 at
a cost of sllO for members
and $l2O for nonmembers.
Perry golf pro Mark Baker
also has plans for a summer,
clinic but has not finalized
those yet.
FREE AT LAST: PGA pro
fessionals Bill Goggin and
Krag Woodyard will offer
free 10-minute lessons May
21 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in
conjunction with Golf Digest
and PGA of America’s “Play
Golf America.”
To schedule a lesson, call
923-5222, ext. 2. Walk-ups
on the day of the lessons
will be accepted on a first
come, first-served basis.
j/dSK \
Allen Vollmer
Wanted for violation of probation (for DUI)
LKA: 100 bliK'k of Briarwood Drive,
WR
f? m
j'fL
Melissa Ann Wells
Wanted for theft by receiving stolen property, theft by
deception
LKA: 100 block of Ridge Court. Kalhleen
mm
Dexter M. Williams
Wanted for violation of probation (for
entering auto)
LKA: 200 block of Tabor Drive, WR
STS
SB
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Terrell Woods
Wanted for violation of probation (for
theft by taking motor vehicle)
LKA: 100 block of Northwind Court.
WR
3B