Returning to the dirt track first visited for a mid-1930s fair date to watch last week’s World of Outlaws sprint-car gentry satisfy a May rainout was a pleasant experience. Orange County track management was courteous, efficient and helpful. Though the old track’s infield was a veritable swamp, its half-mile oval was in perfect shape and boulevard smooth with nary a ripple. After personable Australian youngster Kerry Madsen broke the track record in qualifying by 59/1000 of a second, he revealed he “never lifted,” meaning he never backed off the throttle the entire qualifying lap. This prompted me to quiz WoO regulars Donny Schatz, Steve Kinser and Craig Dollansky on “not lifting,” and all agreed the Middletown track was so good that night, they too ran some laps without lifting. The sanctioning body provides each car with a $300 transponder for qualifying which times to the thousandth of a second, thanks to a three-foot trench dug under the start-finish line in which a receiving aerial is buried. Costs were on my mind as I slogged the muddy infield inquiring of engine life (eight-10 races before internal attention needed says Schatz) and other topics of interest. Chevy power was dominant with only one Mopar sighted and nary a single Ford on the grounds. Many car owners expressed interest in, and some with concern over, a potential rule change that would narrow top wings and flatten them next year. Some say this will increase engine wear. No change in the 1,375-pound minimum weight (including driver) is anticipated. If series’ owner DIRT Motorsports does mandate WoO sprint-car rule changes for 2008, here’s my recommendation: Make cockpit side covers illegal! Doing this would make sprint cars look as they did years ago, thus allowing fans to watch their heroes at work, something they no longer can see thanks to today’s high cockpit sides. There were 30 cars on hand, representing eight chassis makers with 16 Maxims heading the list over J&J’s four. Others included three JEI, three Eagle and lone examples from Rocket, XXX, Buckley and Kramer. If any of these singletons was homemade, it was not made known. The wealth of interesting data supplied by WoO P/R chief Tony Veneziano revealed after 67 A-feature races and two preliminary-features run so far this year, defending champion Donny Schatz (with 16 victories) headed the prize money roster with $376,250 in winnings with Joey Saldana (12 victories) at $327,225 in total money won. Though sixth in points, Steve Kinser’s $225,400 was third on the prize money list. The top 12 drivers had all won more than $100,000 while the 20th place driver had banked $43,465. Daryn Pittman’s Wednesday night victory here may have jumped him over Danny Lasoski to third-place in money won so far this season.                    

It is ironic, tragic is perhaps a better word, to describe what has befallen John Force, the standout drag-racing champion, who now forcibly reclines at home recovering from broken bones suffered in a high-speed crash. These will keep him away from the cockpit for the rest of this year. Force’s misfortune came amid his enthusiastic efforts to make not only his own cars, but all of those in drag racing, safer triggered by the recent on-track death of his friend and teammate Eric Medlen. After Medlen’s fatal crash Force went to great lengths — and expense — in upgrading the construction and safety of the cars he, his teammates and daughter drives, while exhorting one and all in the sport to look more intelligently and thoroughly at safety. By the way, Force’s driving daughter Ashley topped the “Hottest Athlete” poll conducted by America Online, beating out football ace Tom Brady and the IRL’s Danica Patrick.

Out in California where everyone is mourning the death of drag-racing pioneer Wally Parks, another racing stalwart, Shavenau (Shav) Glick, the retired LA Times sportswriter who long favored auto racing, is in declining health. Shav is now restricted to his residence. Over the years Glick’s writings contributed to the success of not only major West Coast motorsport events, but local short tracks as well.

On the NASCAR scene, the money Dodge spent sponsoring the Nextel Cup Charger driven by Kasey Kahne will now be divided among all Dodge teams next season says Mike Accavitti, director of Dodge brand marketing. Dodge has been the prime sponsor of the No. 9 and No. 19 Gillett-Evernham entries since 2001. Budweiser now comes to the Kahne machine as sponsor…The Dover victory by Carl Edwards — though tainted — marked NASCAR win No. 100 for car owner Jack Roush…Two-time Cup champion Darrell Waltrip, now retired, has gone on record saying Dale Earnhardt, Jr., in his first race for Rick Hendrick — next February’s Daytona 500 — will be the winner, while forecasting at least six 2008 victories for NASCAR’s most popular driver…Dietrich Mateschitz, owner of everything Red Bull, including racing teams, is reportedly upset with Toyota and rumors would have one believe his cars, driven by A.J. Allmendinger and Brian Vickers, could soon have Chevy power…Deliver or depart. Tis sed those edible backers of Michael Waltrip’s No. 00 wheeled by David Reutimann are not happy and will depart at season’s end…Who is not watching? The opening round of this year’s Chase for the Championship attracted more than 100,000 spectators to the New Hampshire track for its 26th consecutive NASCAR sellout, yet the race drew the lowest TV rating since 2003.

The Atlantic Coast Old Timers group recently showed on successive nights at upstate New York tracks, Lebanon Valley and Fonda, before ending its Silver Anniversary season at the Bennington, Vt., Car Show in mid September. The ACOT club conducted 30 events during the year, attracting drivers young and old and 372 cars, averaging 13 open-wheelers per event. Regular runners included 80-year-old Bobby Hart while Bruce Carmen of Shafstbury, Vt., won the points champion over Al Migenault and Allen Wiltse who tied for second. Others in the top 10 included Bill St. George, John Givens and Ken Gowey (tied for fourth place), Lou Fray, Eric Wiltse, Carl Fink, Bill Goodfellow and Archie Banks tied for eighth place with Tim Leary and John Cahill tying for ninth and Ken Usted 10th. All will be honored at the annual ACOT banquet Oct. 28th at Rom’s Restaurant in Sturbridge, Mass. Call (518) 732-7539 for tickets.     

We admire Indy Racing League driver Danica Patrick’s interest in, and commitment to, safety. In connection with a 2008 sponsor contest she will give driving tips to its 15 winners, who then will be cleared to drive the IRL’s single-seat speedster around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Pole Day next May.

Helio (Twinkletoes) Castroneves enjoyed a different kind of victory on last week’s “Dancing with the Stars” TV show. The two-night telecast matched professional dancers with celebrity amateurs. Opening night the men were the pros and on the final night the professionals were the ladies with the double Indy 500 winner easily twirling his lovely partner Julianne Hough to top men’s night honors. It was surprising how clumsy on the dance floor noted entertainer Wayne Newton appeared. Opening night was big for ABC, attracting 21.2 million viewers, a million more than last year.

Heading into the final weekend of NASCAR Whelen All-American Series weekly racing competition, Wisconsin driver Steve Carlson held a 12-point lead over Connecticut modified ace Woody Pitkat in the fight for the national championship. Carlson races late models at LaCrosse Speedway, while Pitkat competes at Thompson Int’l Speedway and Stafford Motor Speedway in Connecticut. Defending national champion Philip Morris, who races at Motor Mile Speedway in Virginia, ranks third.