(FROM THE…MAY 19, 2008…) THE U.S.A.C. NATIONAL MIDGET SERIES HEADED TO THE ..LAND OF CHEESE FOR 3 SHOWS AT 3 DIFFERENT ASPHALT TRACKS THEY HAD NEVER SEEN BEFORE WITH THE "THREE-FER" OPENER ON  FRIDAY…AT LA CROSSE, WISCONSIN…WHERE IT WAS DAVE DARLAND TAKING THE…FLAG-TO-FLAG WIN AHEAD OF FAST QUALIFIER KODY SWANSON…2ND…AND…TRACY HINES 3RD… TUCSON’S…JERRY COONS, JR…FINISHED…7TH…IN THE MAIN… A SIDE NOTE…TELLS US THAT SHANE HMEIL…(REMEMBER HIM???…THE NASCAR DRIVER WHO RECEIVED A…LIFETIME SUSPENSION…FOR …DRUG USE…) WELL SHANE…IS BACK IN RACING AND WAS THE…3RD FAST QUALIFIER…THE 2ND HEAT RACE WINNER AND…HE ALSO RAN…4TH…IN THE MAIN…(PERHAPS THIS KID…HAS GOT HIS LIFE STRAIGHTENED OUT…AND WE…HOPE SO)… ON SATURDAY…IT WAS…OFF TO THE…"HIGH BANKS" OF…LEGENDARY… SLINGER SPEEDWAY WHERE 36 MIDGETS…TOOK TO THE FASTEST ¼ MILE TRACK IN THE BUSINESS…AND SAW TRACY HINES…SET A NEW TRACK RECORD IN QUALIFYING…WITH A LAP OF…10.845 SECONDS…TO LEAD A GROUP OF A DOZEN DRIVERS WHO BROKE THE…11 SECOND BARRIER… WHEN THE RACING COMMENCED...IT WAS…CALIFORNIA’S…BRAD GALE-RIDGE…LEADING ALL 50 LAPS ON THE WAY TO THE WIN AHEAD OF… GLENDALE’S…CHAD BOAT…IN 2ND…AND…FAST QUALIFIER…TRACY HINES…WHO TRANSFERRED FROM THE SEMI…IN THE 3RD SPOT… TUCSON’S JERRY COONS, JR…HAD A FORGETTABLE NIGHT…ENDING UP…12TH…IN THE SEMI… AND THEN ON SUNDAY…IN…DANICA-LAND… ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS…IT WAS BRIAN OLSON FOLLOWING UP HIS…"SEMI" WIN WITH A CHECKERED FLAG IN THE FEATURE AS HE WON AHEAD OF…BOBBY EAST…IN 2ND…AND…DAKOTA ARMSTRONG…3RD… GLENDALE’S CHAD BOAT HAD A PRETTY STRONG NIGHT QUALIFYING 3RD QUICK AND FINISHING 5TH IN THE MAIN..WHILE …TUCSON’S…JERRY COONS, JR…WON HIS HEAT RACE…AND FINISHED 10TH IN THE MAIN… NEXT UP FOR THE…NATIONAL MIDGETEERS…WILL BE…MORE ASPHALT …THIS SATURDAY NIGHT IN THE…63RD ANNUAL…"NIGHT BEFORE THE …500"…AT…INDY RACEWAY PARK… THE…WINGED SPRINTERS OF THE WORLD OF OUTLAWS…FINALLY FOUND SOME…DRY RACING WEATHER…IN PENNSYLVANIA LAST WEEK SCHEDULING…3 SHOWS…IN 5 DAYS…AND IN THE RETURN TO ACTION ON…THURSDAY AT WILLIAMS GROVE SPEEDWAY…IT WAS 20 TIME… W.O.O. CHAMP…STEVE KINSER…PICKING UP THE…38TH FEATURE WIN OF HIS CAREER…AT THE TRACK AND…HIS 544TH CAREER…OUTLAW WIN… AS HE TOOK THE CHECKERED FLAG AHEAD OF…RR-AZ ALUM…DONNY SCHATZ…2ND…AND…JOEY SALDANA…3RD… ON FRIDAY…STILL AT WILLIAMS GROVE…SURPRISE…SURPRISE…THE RAIN MOVED IN AND POSTPONED THE SHOW UNTIL…SATURDAY NIGHT …WHICH DIDN’T PROVE ANY DRIER…AND THE SERIES SUFFERED THEIR…9TH RAINOUT…IN 15 TRIES…IN 2008…(BRUTAL ON THE BUDGET) AND THE FINAL OF THE 3 RACES…IN 5 DAYS…WENT DOWN IN… MIDDLETOWN, NEW YORK…LAST NIGHT…WHERE…IS GOING ON…AS WE SPEAK…(IF IT’S NOT RAINING…THAT IS)…IN… ELDBRIDGE, NEW YAWK… SO…NOW YOU HAVE ALL THE OUTLAW NEWS…THAT’S OUT THERE… THE…NASCAR GRAND NATIONAL WEST AND GRAND NATIONAL EAST SERIES…CONVERGED ON NEWTON, IOWA…FOR A 200 LAPPER ON SUNDAY WHICH WAS WON BY BRIAN ICKLER…AHEAD OF MARK DAVIS …IN 2nd…AND…KASEY KHANE…(YES…THAT…"KASEY KHANE")…3RD OTHER…"NOTABLES"…IN THE FIELD…INCLUDED…JEFFREY EARNHARDT …IN 5TH PHOENIX’S MOSES SMITH…10TH…AND…EX-BIKE BOY…RICKY CARMICHAEL…22ND… THE…GRAND AM SERIES CONTESTED THE…250 MILE…"RUM BUM"… SHOW …AT…LAGUNA SECA ON SATURDAY…WHICH WAS WON BY…RYAN DAL-ZIEL…AND…HENRI ZO-GAIB…IN THEIR BEEMER  FINISHING AHEAD OF THE PONTIAC OF MARC GOSSEN & JIM MATTHEWS...IN 2ND…AND…THE LEXUS OF…SCOTT PRUETT & MEMO RO-JAS…IN THE FINAL PODIUM SPOT… PHOENIX’S…DARREN LAW…AND…CO-DRIVER…DAVID DONOHUE…DROVE THEIR PORSCHE TO THE 5TH SPOT…THEIR BEST FINISH OF THE 2008 SEASON… THE…GRAND-AM-ER’S…WILL DO IT AGAIN…OVER THE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND…AT…LIME ROCK…IN…CONNECTICUT… RR-AZ…WILL BE OFF…NEXT MONDAY NIGHT…MAY 26TH  MEMORIAL DAY BUT WE WILL BE BACK IN TWO WEEKS…ON MONDAY NIGHT… JUNE 2ND …TO CELEBRATE OUR…549TH BROADCAST… 92ND INDY 500 QUALIFYING…FINAL 22 OF 33 SPOTS "FILLED." LAST FRIDAY’S RACIN’ COLUMN…IN THE ARIZONA SOCIALIST REPUBLIC …BY…THE "SPINDOCTOR" MICHAEL KNIGHT…DEALT WITH…PHOENIX’S J.J. YELEY…AND HIS…STRUGGLES…TO KEEP HIS JOB IN THE CUP SERIES…&…AS USUAL…A WORTHWHILE READ THIS FRIDAY ZONIES WILL BE TREATED TO A…PLETHORA OF INDY 500 OBSERVATIONS INCLUDING A PIECE ON…INDY 500 WINNER  PHOENIX’S…BUDDY RICE AND THEN A "SPECIAL INDY 500"… RACEDAY REPORT…ON SUNDAY…COMPLIMENTS OF THE "SPINDOCTOR" …WHO IS BACK AT INDY DIGGIN’ UP ALL THE GOOD STUFF…TO KEEP YOU…AND US…INFORMED…CHECK IT OUT AND…CHECK OUT THE "SPINDOCTOR"…MICHAEL KNIGHT’S…NEW … BUSINESS OF DRAG RACING COLUMN…AT WWW.DRAG RACING ON LINE.COM…UNDER THE…"ALL BUSINESS"…TAB…AND LASTLY …BE SURE TO VISIT… MICHAEL KNIGHT’S …RACING BLOG…AND IT IS A…GREAT ONE …THIS WEEK…AS THE…"SPINDOCTOR…TAKES THE MEDIA…TO TASK … ESSENTIALLY FOR…BEING LAZY… INACCURATE…AND…ANYTHING BUT …OBJECTIVE…REALLY GOOD STUFF…& THE EASY WAY TO GET THERE IS THRU THE…RACING ROUNDUP.COM …"LINKS" PAGE AS USUAL…TONIGHTS RACE RECAPS…LOCAL…NATIONAL…& THE MINUTIAE…CAN BE FOUND AT THE RR-AZ WEBSITE AT… RACINGROUNDUP.COM… AND THAT’S IT…HAPPY MOTORING  (FROM THE…MAY 12, 2008…) THE U.S.A.C. NATIONAL MIDGET SERIES WILL HEAD NORTH…AND WEST  FOR A TRIO OF RACES NEXT WEEKEND…ALL ON ASPHALT TRACKS …AND ALL FOR THE 1ST TIME BEGINNING ON FRIDAY AT LACROSSE, WISCONSIN…AND THEN IT’S OFF TO THE…"HIGH BANKS" OF…THE LEGENDARY SLINGER SPEEDWAY…ON SATURDAY…AND THEN ON SUNDAY…IT’LL BE…CHAD KNOUSE’S HOMETOWN TRACK IN… ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS…(THREE…VERY FAST…AND LIKELY DANGEROUS TRACKS…FOR MIDGETS)… THE U.S.A.C. NATIONAL SPRINTERS…SHOWED UP AT…BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA SPEEDWAY FRIDAY NIGHT…WHERE THEY WERE GREETED BY RAIN AND WET GROUNDS…AND THE SHOW WAS CANCELLED… SO EVERYONE THEN HEADED TO TONY STEWART’S…RACE PLACE… ELDORA SPEEDWAY FOR A SATURDAY NIGHT SHOW WHICH…SAW…36 SPRINT CARS CHECK IN…AND IN THE END IT WAS…TRACY HINES TAKING THE WIN AHEAD OF BRADY BACON…IN 2ND WITH…SHANE COTTLE…3RD… TUCSON’S…JERRY COONS, JR…HAD A SO-SO- NIGHT AS HE QUALIFIED 2ND…WON THE 2ND HEAT RACE…AND FINISHED 11TH IN THE MAIN… WHILE YOUNG…CHAD BOAT QUALIFIED…8TH QUICK…AND FINISHED… 7TH…IN THE MAIN… THE DRIVER WHO HAD THE…WORST NIGHT AT ELDORA HAD TO BE…BRADY SWEET…WHO "FLIPPED"…NOT ONCE…BUT…TWICE… NEXT UP FOR THE…NATIONAL SPRINT CAR GROUP…WILL BE A…100 LAPPER…AT…ANDERSON, INDIANA…ON…WEDNESDAY…MAY 21ST… FOLLOWED UP BY A…THURSDAY NIGHT…30 LAPPER AT THE…ACTION TRACK’…IN…TERRE HAUTE, INDIANA… FOLLOWING A…2 WEEK LAYOFF…THE U.S.A.C./C.R.A…"CAL SPRINTERS" …RETURNED TO ACTION AT…"WEASLEY NAMED"…PERRIS SPEEDWAY… SATURDAY NIGHT…WHERE IT WAS DANNY SHERIDAN…COLLECTING THE WIN…AHEAD OF…DAVID CARDY…2ND…AND…GARRETT HANSEN…IN THE 3RD SPOT… THE WEST COAST… "410" BUNCH WILL TAKE ANOTHER WEEK OFF… NOW…BEFORE RUNNING BACK TO BACK SHOWS…AT TWO TRACKS… OVER THE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND… THE…WINGED SPRINTERS…OF THE…WORLD OF OUTLAWS…BEGAN THE WEEKEND IN…BEACH, ILLINOIS…FRIDAY NIGHT…WHERE THEY WERE… RAINED OUT…FOR THE…7TH TIME IN 13 TRIES THIS SEASON…BUT THEY DIDN’T GIVE UP…AS THEY TOOK THEIR RACE CARS TO…PADUCAH, KENTUCKY…ON SATURDAYIN SEARCH OF DRY WEATHER AND THEY IN FACT…GOT QUALIFYING AND…A PAIR OF HEAT RACES IN…BEFORE THE RAINS CAME AND…CANCELLED THE SHOW FOR THE 8TH TIME THIS YEAR. THE…OUTLAWS WILL CONTINUE TO CHASE…DRY WEATHER BEGINNING…TOMORROW NIGHT AS THEY HAVE 4 SHOWS…(TUESDAY – THURSDAY – FRIDAY & SUNDAY) SCHEDULED…IN THE KEYSTONE STATE…VS. THE…PENNSYLVANIA POSSE… THE A.R.C.A. SERIES…SPENT…SATURDAY…IN KENTUCKY…CONTESTING A…150 MILER…THAT SAW…FORMER…"OPEN WHEELER"…RICKY STENHOUSE…FINALLY PASS…EX- F-1-ER…SCOTT SPEED…ON THE 3RD…GREEN-WHITE-CHECKER...FINISH…TO EARN THE WIN SPEED FINISHED 2ND…WHILE…RYAN FISCHER…COMPLETED THE PODIUM… PHOENIX’S…GABI DI CARLO…FINISHED IN THE 25TH SPOT…AFTER STARTING…29TH… NEXT UP FOR THE A.R.C.A. BUNCH…WILL BE A TRIP TO…"HOLY TOLEDO" SPEEDWAY…NEXT SUNDAY…WHERE IT’LL BE 200 LAPPER...TO DETERMINE THE WINNER… CHEVROLET'S…ALL-NEW…MIDGET RACING ENGINE…WAS UNVEILED LAST WEEK…AND THE NEW PURPOSE-BUILT…FOUR-CYLINDER CHEVY RACING ENGINE WILL INITIALLY POWER TONY STEWART RACING’S… LEVI JONES AND…TRACY HINES…AND WILL BE AVAILABLE TO ALL COMPETITORS THROUGH INDEPENDENT ENGINE BUILDERS. THE NEW…METHANOL-BURNING 166CI (2.7-LITER) ENGINE PRODUCES MORE THAN 350 HORSE- POWER…THE LIGHTWEIGHT…INLINE…FOUR-CYLINDER ENGINE…EMPLOYS AN ALUMINUM BLOCK AND CYLINDER HEAD WITH TWO VALVES PER CYLINDER…PER USAC RULES,…THE ENGINE IS EQUIPPED WITH MECHANICAL FUEL INJECTION AND UTILIZES AN ELECTRONIC IGNITION SYSTEM. FOLLOWING ON THE HEELS OF THE…I.R.L. & CHAMP CAR…REUNIFICATION …IT NOW LOOKS LIKE TOP LEVEL…ROAD RACING SERIES THE…ALMS (AMERICAN LE MANS) AND THE MORE FAMILIAR GRAND AM SERIES… MAY BECOME ONE AND THAT IS ONE…"MARRIAGE"…THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE… WE’LL KEEP YOU…LEFTY-RIGHTY"…FOLKS POSTED…AS WE LEARN MORE AND THAT’S IT…HAPPY MOTORING (FROM THE…MAY 5, 2008…THE "CINCO DE DRINKO" SHOW) THE A.M.A. SUPER-CROSSERS…WERE IN VEGAS…SATURDAY NIGHT…FOR THE…2008 SEASON ENDER…AND IT WAS…YAMAHA’S…CHAD REED… PICKING UP HIS 9TH WIN…IN 17 OUTINGS ALONG WITH THE SUPERCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP…THE 2ND OF HIS CAREER… AS USUAL…HONDA RIDER…KEVIN WINDHAM…RAN 2ND…THE SAME POSITION HE OCCUPIES IN THE SEASON ENDING POINT STANDINGS… WHILE…ANDREW SHORT…ALSO RIDING A HONDA FINISHED 3RD...IN THE…VEGAS FINALE… IN THE…125cc LITES" CLASS…IT WAS…SUZUKI’S…RYAN DUNGEY… PICKING UP HIS 2ND CONSECUTIVE WIN…WHILE…RYAN VILLOPOTO…RODE HIS…KAWASAKI…TO THE 2ND PLACE FINISH…AHEAD OF…HONDA’S…TREY CANNARD…3RD… THE U.S.A.C. NATIONAL SPRINTERS…SHOWED UP AT THE…1/4 MILE DIRT TRACK IN BROWNSTOWN, INDIANA…FOR THE 1ST TIME IN THEIR HISTORY ON SATURDAY…AND IT WAS REIGNING…NATIONAL SPRINT CAR CHAMP…LEVI JONES…TAKING THE…INAUGURAL WIN AHEAD OF… BRADY SHORT…IN 2ND…AND…DUSTIN MORGAN…3RD… 3RD HEAT RACE WINNER…JERRY COONS, JR…OUT OF TUCSON…AFTER LEADING THE OPENING TWO LAPS OF THE FEATURE…FINISHED IN THE 7TH SPOT… NEXT UP FOR THE…NATIONAL SPRINT CAR GROUP…WILL BE A FRIDAY SHOW…IN…STEVE KINSER’S…HOME TOWN OF…BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA …FOLLOWED BY A SATURDAY SHOW AT…TONY STEWART’S…ELDORA SPEEDWAY…THE NEXT NIGHT… THE…WINGED SPRINTERS…OF THE…WORLD OF OUTLAWS…HEADED TO …MISSOURI...FRIDAY NIGHT...FOR…ROUND #12 OF THEIR…82 RACE SCHEDULE…AND ON SATURDAY…THEY DRAGGED IT TO…KNOXVILLE, IOWA …FOR THE…13TH SHOW OF THE 2008 CAMPAIGN…AND THE STORY IS ONLY…HALF GOOD…AS THE…W.O.O.- ER’S…WERE RAINED OUT FOR THE 6TH TIMES…IN 12 TRIES THIS SEASON…ON FRIDAY…BUT ON SATURDAY… AT…KNOXVILLE…IT WAS…RR-AZ ALUM…DONNY SCHATZ…BURNING UP THE JOINT…AS HE SET FAST QUALIFYING TIME…WON HIS HEAT RACE… AND THEN SET A…"NEW KNOXVILLE SPEEDWAY…TRACK RECORD…IN THE 25 LAP MAIN…CROSSING THE FINISH LINE…JUST 7 MINUTES AND 14 SECONDS…AFTER TAKING THE GREEN FLAG…ON THE HALF MILE TRACK JOEY SALDANA…RAN 2ND…WITH…JAC HAUDENCHILD…COMPLETING THE PODIUM… THE…OUTLAWS…WILL LOOK FOR DRY WEATHER…NEXT FRIDAY…MAY 9TH AT…TRI-CITY SPEEDWAY…IN ILLINOIS…FOLLOWED BY A VISIT TO PADUCAH INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY…IN KENTUCKY ON SATURDAY… AFTER BEING "DUMPED" BY NASCAR A FEW YEARS AGO…ROCKINGHAM SPEEDWAY…WAS BACK IN ACTION…SUNDAY…WITH A 500K EVENT… FOR …THE A.R.C.A. SERIES…THAT SAW GIBBS RACING’S…JOEY LAGANO …COMPLETELY DOMINATE THE RACE…FROM THE POLE…AND…ALL THE WAY THROUGH…AS HE FINISHED AHEAD OF…KENNY SCHRADER…IN 2ND…AND…ROUSCH RACING’S…RICKY STENHOUSE…3RD… A PRETTY BORING RACE…ESSENTIALLY DETERMINED BY WHO HAD THE "BIGGER" RACING BUDGET… ANYWAY…PHOENIX’S…GABI DI CARLO…FINISHED…25TH…AFTER STARTING …32ND… 10 DRIVERS COMPLETED…ALL 4 PHASES OF THE…INDY 500…ROOKIE ORIENTATION PROGRAM SPEEDWAYOVER THE WEEKEND…AS THE TRACK OPENED FOR THE…92ND RUNNING OF INDY 500... 11 ROOKIES AND TWO-TIME INDIANAPOLIS 500 STARTER…MAX PAPIS… WHO ALONG WITH DAVEY HAMILTON…MUST COMPLETE A REFRESHER TEST…COMBINED TO COMPLETE 661 INCIDENT-FREE LAPS. ALL INDY 500 ROOKIES MUST PASS A…4-PHASE…ORIENTATION PROGRAM…DEMONSTRATING CONSISTENT CAR CONTROL…FOR 10 LAPS EACH…AT 4 INCREASING LEVELS OF SPEED. WILL POWER…WAS FASTEST…WHILE OTHER INDY ROOKIES ON THE TRACK INCLUDED… INCLUDED…JAIME CAMARA…JAY HOWARD…RYAN HUNTER-REAY…ALEX LLOYD…HIDEKI MUTOH…GRAHAM RAHAL… ORIOL SERVIA…E.J. VISO…AND JUSTIN WILSON…PASSED ALL 4 PHASES. ENRIQUE BERNOLDI COMPLETED 3 PHASES AND MAY COMPLETE THE 4TH PHASE…AT ANY POINT LATER IN THE MONTH. AND THAT’S IT…HAPPY MOTORING