Kroger, ORP Sign Up For 27th Year

INDIANAPOLIS — O’Reilly Raceway Park officials announced today that Kroger has renewed its title sponsorship of the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at ORP.  The Kroger 200, benefiting Riley Hospital for Children, will be held July 26.
The 27 years of race sponsorship is the longest continuous race sponsorship in the history of NASCAR.
The Kroger 200 NASCAR Nationwide Series race is the culmination of three nights of racing that constitutes the Kroger SpeedFest race weekend.  SpeedFest kicks off July 24th with the JD Byrider Night of Speed on Thursday and the running of the USAC Silver Crown Series TourHendricksCounty.com 100 and the Toyota Challenge Racing Classic USAC Midget Series race. On Friday, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will thrill the crowd with tight racing and bumper-to-bumper action for 200 laps.  The weekend concludes with the 27th-annual NASCAR Nationwide Series Kroger 200 July 26th.

Best Buy To Sponsor Sprint Cup At Dover

DOVER, Del. — Best Buy has signed on to sponsor the June 1 NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Dover Int’l Speedway during the Autism Speaks weekend May 30-June 1.
In its second-consecutive year partnering with Dover Int’l Speedway, Autism Speaks will receive a portion of the tickets sold for the Sprint Cup Series race. In addition, Autism Speaks will receive all proceeds from tickets for the Emerson Drive concert May 31, two auctions and a track walk immediately following the NASCAR Nationwide Series race May 31.
For more information, visit www.doverspeedway.com.

Williams Grove Renames Race For Late Owner

MECHANICSBURG, Pa. — Williams Grove Speedway announced that the sprint-car event slated for Sept. 26-27 has been renamed the Morgan Hughes National Open in honor of the former speedway owner who owned the track from 1971 until his death earlier this year.
The event formerly called the Williams Grove National Open will offer a $50,000 winner’s purse for the third-consecutive year and is sanctioned by the World of Outlaws. It is also slated to be televised live on Speed.
Former title sponsor Cleveland Brothers will now be a presenting sponsor.

East Has Deal With Developmental Driver

SPEEDWAY, Ind. — Seventeen-year-old Auston Harris has been signed by Bob East to a driver development contract that will have Harris contesting three races in a USAC Ford Focus midget. Harris, who started racing dragsters at the age of 8, is scheduled to compete at Anderson Speedway May 14, Mount Lawn Speedway May 22 and Plymouth Speedway May 28.
“The folks at Ford asked me to test Auston in March last year and I was impressed by his natural ability, but more by his attitude and maturity,” said East, who has a history of USAC race and championship wins with drivers like Tony Stewart and Bobby Labonte. “I have a hunch that he’s a real talent and now I will be able to confirm that.”

Tickets Go On Sale For Hoosier Hundred

INDIANAPOLIS — USAC Silver Crown cars will run the 56th-annual Hoosier Hundred on the famous one-mile dirt oval at the Indiana State Fairgrounds on May 23.
The day will consist of practice at 5 p.m., Silver Crown qualifying at 6 p.m.  and races at 8 p.m. 
Last year’s Hoosier Hundred was cancelled due to weather; the 2006 winner was Josh Wise.
Tickets are on sale now for reserved grandstand seats. For more information, visit www.hoosierhundred.com or call (317) 239-5151.

Nationwide, Kentucky Speedway Reach Deal

SPARTA, Ky.  — Nationwide Insurance, first-year title sponsor of the NASCAR Nationwide Series, will be the Official Auto, Home and Life Insurance of Kentucky Speedway through 2010, according to a newly formed corporate partnership.
Financial terms were not disclosed.
Nationwide Insurance will highlight its partnership by encouraging agents and associates to celebrate Nationwide Day on June 14 for the NASCAR Nationwide Series Meijer 300 Presented by Oreo at Kentucky Speedway.

Old School Racing Postpones 1st Season

MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Old School Racing has cancelled plans for the 2008 launch of its inaugural season and now plans to begin racing in 2009.
According to a release from Old School Racing, the postponement of the inaugural season of OSR will allow a partnership to form that will make the OSR bigger and better for the drivers, crews and fans. Although there will be a delay in the beginning of the series, the series will be about more than just the competitive nature of the drivers. The series will become much more of an event to celebrate the pioneers that molded modern racing, rather than just a race with drivers from the past.
The new partnership between OSR and the soon-to-be-named partner has not been completed, but plans have already begun to move forward for the 2009 debut of the redesigned OSR program.

Van Houten Takes Over Brainerd Drag Strip

BRAINERD, Minn. — Bob Van Houten was named drag manager at Brainerd Int’l Raceway. He started his new position this week.
Van Houten’s history with BIR dates back to 1977, when he was hired to help start a formal drag-racing program. He was still at BIR in 1981 when the NHRA first started making BIR a stop on its NHRA Nationals circuit. He eventually left the track to pursue other opportunities in 2000.