Counting Down the Days

The 2007 Chili Bowl has come and gone (congrats Tony!) and now we are counting down the days and weeks to our first live race of 2007. So far it looks like that will be a World of Outlaws Sprint Car race at I-55 Raceway on April 7. Being as that is my 23rd wedding anniversary, I had to ask my hubby if he would mind celebrating at a race, and he willingly agreed to the arrangement. So, as long as the weather cooperates, I guess we are good to go.

Until then, we will continue to muddle through the cold and snow while we patiently wait for spring time and fair temperatures. As a last resort, we will most likely get together for the Daytona 500 and maybe even another NASCAR race or two before the real racing season gets underway.

In local news, it looks like our friends Kevin and Tammy Gundaker will now have double the promotional duties starting today. Over the weekend, they finalized a deal to purchase Lake Ozark Speedway in Eldon, Missouri. Lucky for us, they run 360 Sprints and since this is a track I've never seen, I am more than anxious to make the trip down. Congratulations to the Gundakers and best wishes on the new endeavor!

Before I forget, I need to thank someone who really helped us out. Check out the new logo on the web site if you haven't already. A big "THANK YOU" goes out to Chris and his company 87 Design for the new design. We love what he did and we are happy to be working with him. Be sure to check out his place on MySpace when you get the chance. Thanks, Chris!

Chili Bowl Serving #4: Spicin' it up

Tonight's races are going on despite nasty weather all over the midwest. Inside the Tulsa Expo Center, dirt is flying like nobody's business. It will be exciting to hear stories about the races, and what's going on with folks trying to get where they need to be.

Back here in Missouri, real life is more exciting than the movies, or any race could ever be.

Earlier this week, a young man was kidnapped from near his home in Beaufort, MO. This afternoon he was found, alive, and as if that was not miracle enough, along with him was another young man who had been missing since October of 2002. It's an amazing discovery, and when I first saw the news flash across my tv screen, I thought I was seeing things. When the story was confirmed, I cried.

All week long our family has prayed for Ben, and each day I have followed the news, hoping to see positive news. When it finally happened, the news was even better than the scenario I had imagined. Wow.

So yeah, I guess going to the Chili Bowl would have been fun, although I wouldn't want to have to deal with the weather. For me, being right here at home finding out this wonderful news is better than any race I could be watching.

Of course, I still want to hear all about it, and I'm looking forward to all of tomorrow's news stories. This has to be one of the best-covered events of the racing season, no doubt.

Ben Ownby FOUND!

Ben Ownby, of Beaufort, MO has been missing since January 8.

Contact: FRANKLIN COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT 636-583-2567

ABDUCTION INFORMATION

Case Number:
Date Last Seen: Monday, Jan 8th, 2007
Time Last Seen: 3:30pm
Location Last Seen: Beaufort, MO

INCIDENT INFORMATION

Victim got off bus after school approx 1530 hrs and was walking home and did not arrive. White Nissan pickup with camper shell seen in the Beaufort area.

VICTIM

Name: William "Ben" Ownby
DOB: 1993-12-06
Age: 13
Race: white
Gender/Sex: M
Hair Color: brown
Eye Color: blue
Height: 4' 10"
Weight: 100
Clothing: st louis rams hooded windbreaker and blue jeans
Other: wears glasses

Type: Nissan compact pickup
License: unknown unknown
Description: white older model nissan compact truck with white camper shell. Vehicle has "Nissan" in black block letters on upper left corner of tailgate. Last seen in the Beaufort area.

Ozark Mountain Midgets Ready to Roar!

The new Ozark Mountain Midget Series logo.

(Thanks to Dustin Arnall for keeping us in the loop about this exciting new series!)

HARTVILLE, Mo. -- Starting in 2007 will be the Ozark Mountain Midget Series for Sportsman Midgets. The series is a spin-off of the Illini Racing Series in the Chicago area.At this point, the series will race strictly on dirt.

Schedule will be limited to tracks no larger than 1/3 mile. 1/4 miles are perfect for us. OMMS is based in Southwest Missouri.

Any 4 cylinder midget or upright mini sprint (13" wheels, bladder, and no wings) is legal.

An engine restriction formula is in place to keep OEM type engines and older midget packages competitive with any engine package currently used in midget racing.

Chassis specs are in place to keep older cars competitive.

Mickey Thompson sportsman DOT tires are the series spec. The tires lack of grip balances out the competition to an amazing level.

With this rules package, 20 year old cars frequently win races/ Quad 4 spec engines frequently win championships.

Two tracks are already on board to provide an 18-25 race schedule in 2007.

Complete schedule coming soon. Waiting to see final schedule for SMRS, MARA, POWERi, & MOLS. We do not want to schedule on top of any other groups in this region if at all possible.

At this point we expect 16-22 cars on opening day. This is not an optimistic #, this is reality.

IF YOU THINK YOUR EQUIPMENT CAN'T BE COMPETITIVE, WE WILL CHANGE YOUR MIND!

Here is where to find more info about the newly formed OZARK MOUNTAIN MIDGET SERIES.

Dustin Arnall, President 417-741-7815 djbarnall@centurytel.net
Neil Gamble, Board Member 417-369-3751
Chris Talburt, Board Member 417-861-5992 jatalburt@aol.com

Complete rules and Illini Series history http://www.illiniracingseries.com/

We will use the Illini Series car/engine rules 100% word for word. Format info and contact info will be different.

OMMS website coming soon!

Special Thanks to Bill Allen at Dallas County Speedway in Urbana, MO and Greg Clemmons at Grand River Speedway in Urich,MO for providing a place for this series to grow!

Chili Bowl Serving #2: Tossed Salad?

Tonight is night number two of the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals at the Tulsa Expo. We're looking for all you fortunate folks who made the trip to fill us in on all of the details. Otherwise, links to results and related stories will be posted right here Thursday morning.

Remember to click on the "Comments" link below to share your impressions of the big event!

Chili Bowl Pre-Qualifier News & Notes

TULSA, Okla. -- Bubba Altig was victorious in the first night of the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals, taking that win on the last turn of the last lap just to make things really exciting.

You can read the entire story, get the results and view photos here:

http://www.whowon.com/sresults.asp?SanctionID=0&StoryID=210647

For even more news and information about the event, check out www.chilibowl.com or go to:

http://www.whowon.com/ResultsDates.asp?TrackID=843

More stories will be posted throughout the day today, and all through the week, so check back often.

Chili Bowl Serving #1: The Appetizer

Here it is at last, the first day of th 2007 Chili Bowl Midget Nationals at the Tulsa Expo Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Haulers are parked, tickets are sold out and race fans from all over the country will be packing the place to the rafters.

Practice starts at 11:00 CST this morning and no doubt folks are hungry enough for racing in these bleak winter months that they will come for practice and stay right through tonight's races.

We're ready to hear from you folks down in Tulsa. Be sure to click on that itty bitty "Comments" link at the bottom of this post to add your thoughts.

While many of you are enjoying tonight's kick off in Tulsa, I will be at a high school basketball game cheering for my alma mater, which is now my daughter's school. Maybe not quite as exciting as Midget racing, but a different type of fun all its own.

Below are a few of my favorite Midget photos from this past season, and all of these cars are registered to be racing at the 2007 Chili Bowl Midget Nationals. Good luck guys!




Tim Siner, Waterloo, Illinois



Doug DeWitt, Sunnyvale, California



Mike Hess, Riverton, Illinois



Nick Knepper, Belleville, Illinois



Brent Nausley's #52, driven here by Randy Bateman. To be driven at the Chili Bowl by Joey Montgomery of Farmington, Missouri

Hunka Hunka Burnin' Chili

Well here it is, January 8th again and me and the King (Presley, not Petty) are celebrating our birthdays together. Of course, I'm the only one getting any older and one of these days, I'll actually catch up with, and pass him, God-willing.

I've talked to several people today who are packing their gear and heading for Tulsa, and I have to say that I am green with envy. That's way better than the kind of green Spring is experiencing today as she deals with an ear infection and the flu. Get well soon, chickie! I guess it's a darned good thing we didn't get tickets to the Chili Bowl after all.

With that said, it's been an interesting day of posting news of sadness and that of excitement. The passing of NASCAR legend Bobby Hamilton has been one of the top stories of the day in the sad department, while big news of sponsorships, new sanctions, big rides and all the other silly season stuff is filling up the ol' email box. I've been posting them almost as quickly as they arrive and they have been showing up in surprising numbers for January, let me tell you. Usually I am working hard to stay busy this time of the year, but not today! As usual, for all the latest racing news, check out www.whowon.com

Along with the news, schedules are rolling in as well. Tracks and sanctions are starting to nail down their dates, and so are the GGR girls. Just today I confirmed at least a half dozen dates for the 2007 calendar, all of them Winged Sprints in the bi-state area. Already lined up for this year are several POWRi Midget races, a possible NASCAR race at Talladega and maybe even a run up to Knoxville for the Midget Nationals. And just for fun, an ASA Challenge Series event at I-70 Speedway has been thrown into the mix. No drag races so far, but you just never know. Of course, we will wrap up the season back in Hartville, Missouri for the Fifth Annual got milk? Fall Karting Nationals. Speaking of Hartville, I talked to Dustin Arnall just this afternoon, and he will be making a big announcement of his own soon. Not to spoil the surprise, but I think local Midget fans will be very happy!

Of course, thinking of Midgets leads me back to the good ol' Chili Bowl. With a record number of entries (last I saw the number was 275), and an extra night of racing with tomorrow night's qualifier, things are bound to be exciting in Tulsa this week. I hope that many of you will remember to share your thoughts and comments here as the week progresses, as we are really excited to see how it goes. Remember, we want your pictures too! Feel free to email them to us at girlsgoneracin@sbcglobal.net.

To those of you heading out, drive safely and enjoy the races!

P.S. I received a link to an absolutely adorable web site today. If you're into racing (if you found us, you must be!) and love dogs, then check out www.racerdogs.com. Beautiful artwork and the cutest racing t-shirts ever. Great work!

Chili Bowl Drivers and Lady Ann Doin’ Donuts

(Courtesy Dennis Michelsen)

CHICAGO, Ill. -- Join hosts Lori Munro and Dennis Michelsen as they welcome Chili Bowl drivers Shannon McQueen and Michelle Decker to the show. In addition Lori and Dennis will be taking a virtual road trip to the amazing “Land of Velocity” and meet artist Ann Boyer LePere. (“Lady Ann”) Cue up house band “Tar and the Nicotines” and let the fun begin. If it’s Monday at 8pm eastern, it’s time to make the donuts with Lori and Dennis on RaceTalkRadio!

http://www.doindonuts.com

Meet Shannon McQueen The first female driver to win the Budweiser Outlaw Nationals, Shannon is also the only female driver to race on pavement and dirt at the same time. "I'm a pretty simple person really. I work hard as a CPA to fund my racing. All I ever wanted was a chance to make it." This twenty-seven year old from Tehachapi, California has quite a racing resume. This will be her third trip to the historic Chili Bowl Midget Nationals.

Meet Michelle Decker Hailing from Guthrie, Oklahoma thirty-three year old Michele Decker has been involved with racing most of her life. Michelle runs both classes of sprint cars at her local track and will run her second "Chili Bowl" this year. "They are evil little machines but so much fun to drive,” exclaimed Decker. Michelle works for a mortgage company when she is not busy working on her own racecars.

Meet Lady Ann Boyer LePere Hear ye, hear ye, thee royal court is in session with Lady Ann Boyer LePere presiding. This grandmother of three is an amazing realist painter who spends most of her time working on commissioned portraits. Explore her "Land of Velocity;" the mixture of speed and fantasy are blended into a sort of NASCAR renaissance fare in the wondrous imagination of this creative lady.

Doin’ Donuts Every Monday Night 8-10pm ET A dog named Carbon Super Sport doing commercials? Show hosts blowing up people’s stills? Finding out who ain’t getting any in NASCAR? This provocative racing show will entertain, enlighten, and yes sometimes confound you! Sit down, strap in, and sound off for two hours of high-octane fun NASCAR-style with Lori Munro and Dennis Michelsen every Monday night on “Doin’ Donuts!”

Do you have a product that needs the best commercial spokes-pup in the business? Put Carbon Super Sport to work for you today! Please contact Dennis Michelsen for details on how Carbon can get consumers wagging their tails for your product!

Sponsorship opportunities are available for the 2007 season on many of the RaceTalkRadio shows. Contact us today and learn how our radio shows, websites, and newsletter can be put to work for you!

In Racing, as in Cooking, Preparation is Key

Much like a chef preparing ingredients for a big batch of chili, car owners and teams must ready their cars for any big race. The Chili Bowl is one of the biggest races of the year to prepare for and the close quarters, large number of entries and type of facility (indoor) make for many challenges.

(The team works on the #52 car after the crash at Belle Clair in October.)

Car owner Brent Nausley shared a little insight about his team's preparations with me today. He will be entering two cars into next week's competition. Car #52 will be driven by Joey Montgomery and #50 by Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Both cars will carry Girls Gone Racin' stickers, so keep your eyes open!

Here are a few insights from Brent, to whom we give thanks not only for sharing this background information with us, but for the friendship we have been priviliged to share. Thanks Brent!

Good morning,

Well we had alot to do to the 52 due to the crash at Belle-Clair, [Oct. 7, driven by Randy Bateman. See photo.] we have repaired the chassis, the rear end had to be repaired, along with a lot of bolt on parts. I took the motor to Dynotech to have it checked on the dyno and everything for it is back and the car is together. The 50 car is still waiting for the motor today. Ricky Jr is bringing it up from Memphis and we will put the 50 together when he gets here.

I try to gather and load as many spare parts as I can for the trip. I also go through every thing on the cars to make sure they are in good shape. I replace parts that are worn. I clean every thing up and Harold repairs and repaints the body work.

It is a lot of work, but this race isn't like any of the other races because there are so many things that reduce your chances to win. The amount of competitors on the track increase the chance of tearing up the car, but the list of great drivers who come each year makes this race special. So the opportunity for me to take my cars makes it special for me.

The uniqueness of the race for preparation is the amount of cars on the track wearing it out. The track being indoors doesn't have weather affecting it but is does dry out and with all the races ran on it it does wear down. We have found it to be consistent though, it is dry slick. The motors also run a little different indoors and we have to work on that.

I don't have a good camera any more but I will get some kind of picture.

We appreciate you writing about the team and following it. I know you will enjoy it when you make the race.

Brent

P.S. Harold and Debbie bring alot of food and take care of the meals. They make the trip a whole lot more comfortable.

Pass the Chili My Way, Baby!

Hey, Mama always said, "Don't cry over spilled chili," right? Something like that anyway. Well, if you're like Spring and I, and can't make it to Tulsa for the biggest event of the winter, that doesn't mean you can't experience the excitement just like everyone else.

We just got this press release today from the folks at Racin' Boys, (Racin' Boys and Girls Gone Racin' hmmmm) letting us know that they will be doing a live broadcast right from the Tulsa Expo. So next week, instead of sitting around wondering which briefcase holds the million dollar prize, or who will get to hear the Donald's famous farewell, fire up the computer and log onto the internet to get all of the Chili Bowl information you can stand.

Many thanks to Bryan Gapinski at Racin' Boys for this report:

Chili Bowl Broadcast Times Set

TULSA, Okla. -- Fans unable to attend the sold-out 21st annual O'Reilly Chili Bowl Midget Nationals at the Tulsa Expo Raceway on January 9-13, can hear all the action via the internet. The event can be heard only on the internet at www.racinboys.com . It’s the second straight year RacinBoys.com will provide the live audio webcast of the country’s premier indoor racing event.

Fan1st.com will be the title sponsor for the broadcast. Fan1st.com allows ordinary fans to become a part of the sponsorship of a car by putting their name in the logo that goes on the car at the track. In 2007, Dave Blaney will be driving the Fan1st.com car in the NASCAR Busch Series.

The RacinBoys, Scott Traylor and Kirk Elliott, are co-hosts of a popular Saturday morning Midwest regional motorsports show called "Track Talk with The RacinBoys" on the countries Largest all Sports Radio station the 50,000-watt Sports Radio 810 WHB in Kansas City, Mo.

The Racinboys will be again joined by Bryan Gapinski, well-known open wheel racing announcer. Gapinski has been involved in previous broadcasts of the Chili Bowl, in the area of television, simulcast, radio/webcast and video. Gapinski is also the media director for the Badger Midget Series and founder of the National Midget Driver of the Year.Veteran sprint car announcer Scottie Cook has been added to the broadcast team for 2007, and will head up the Saturday afternoon ‘alphabet soup’ feature coverage. More than 35 hours of action concludes with the 50-lap championship feature on Saturday night, January 13. More pit and trackside interviews are planned as well as Saturday pre-race ceremonies.

The evenings broadcasts will start on Tuesday at 6:30 pm CST (local-Tulsa time), Wednesday-Friday Jan. 10-12 at 5:30 pm CST. The broadcast of action on Saturday will tentatively begin at 12:00pm CST. Stay tuned to www.racinboys.com for any updates.

The broadcast team will be joined by three lucky fans Dan Anders (Wednesday), Melissa Lazzaro (Thursday) and Bill Morrow (Friday). The trio were the highest bidders to receive a fan package and the opportunity to announce a heat race during the evenings events, that was recently held on eBay. Rod End Supply also recently signed on as a broadcast sponsor.