NASCAR Race Hub, the one-hour daily program that airs on Fox Sports 1, will come to an end next month. That is somewhat of a surprise.
The final show will air June 11. Fox Sports employees were informed of the show’s future just a couple days before the announcement though it had been rumored.
NASCAR Race Hub debuted Oct. 12, 2009. The first show, which was then aired on the Speed channel, was hosted by Adam Alexander and Krista Voda. It moved to FS1 in 2013.
Alexander has been a favorite and I always enjoyed time spent with him at Langhorne and other locations.
Bugs Stevens celebrates 90th
A very special person had a major milestone birthday on May 11. Carl S. Berghman, known to many as Bugs Stevens, turned 90. Stevens is a three-time NASCAR National Modified Champion. Drop the champ a card. His mailing address is Tockwotton on the Waterfront, 500 Waterfront Drive, Number 330, East Providence, RI 02914.
Carl ‘Bugsy’ Stevens is a four-time Stafford Modified track champion and a three-time NASCAR National Modified Champion. Stevens, who has 72 wins, all on asphalt, is the only driver to win track championships on both dirt (1966) and asphalt (1968, 1971, and 1974). During his career at Stafford, he drove for John Koszela, Sr. on dirt and then on asphalt for Len Boehler, John ‘Sonny’ Koszela, Jr., Joe Brady, and he closed out his Modified career in the Garbarino Brothers Mystic Missile.
Starting in 1967, Stevens and Boehler racked up three consecutive NASCAR Modified championships. In addition to the New England circuit, the pair raced at the Albany-Saratoga Speedway in Malta, NY, Catamount Stadium in Milton, VT, Utica-Rome in Vernon, NY, and at Trenton.
Stevens backed off in 1970 as a Grand National ride materialized. After a split season, he returned to the Modifieds where he stayed until he retired in 1987.
During his short stay in the south, Stevens raced at Charlotte, Darlington, and Atlanta.
Always popular with the fans, Stevens, at one time, had over 500 people in his fan club. He was a promoter’s dream. Whenever he was advertised to be racing, he would bring at least 800-1,000 fans.
In addition to his national championships and four titles at Stafford, Stevens also recorded track titles at Norwood (2), Seekonk (3), Thompson (2), Albany-Saratoga (1), and Catamount Stadium (1). He won major events at Trenton, NJ, and was a seven-time winner at Martinsville, VA.
As a fitting tribute, Stevens was inducted into the New England Antique Racers Hall of Fame in February 1998 as well as being voted one of the Fifty Greatest Modified Drivers of All-Time at Stafford.
I doubt this will happen but he should be considered for the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
IndyCar wants to stay non-political
With a presidential election approaching in November, the IndyCar Series has made the decision to distance itself from the contest and disallow political branding on the cars that compete under its sanction at the upcoming Indianapolis 500.
It has been learned one entry was filed for the May 26 race with the intent of promoting both Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and former president Donald Trump on the car’s bodywork. According to the series, the request was denied.
“IndyCar does not approve sponsorships associated with elected officials, candidates for political office or political action committees,” an IndyCar spokesperson told RACER magazine.
With north of 300,000 fans packing themselves into the giant Indianapolis Motor Speedway facility, the Indy 500 serves as the largest single-day sporting event in the world — a natural attraction for those seeking to promote presidential candidates through branding on a car at IndyCar’s most watched and most attended race.
Considering the charged and often divisive spirit of politics, the call to leave the run for the White House out of next month’s “Greatest Spectacle In Racing” is a wise one for a series that is not burdened with an excessive number of fans when compared to NASCAR and Formula 1. Rather than risk appeasing half of the crowd and viewing audience and driving away the other half, IndyCar has asked the unnamed team to present its car with more traditional motor racing sponsors for the 108th Indy 500.
In another recent IndyCar-tie-in with Trump, he was asked to give the command to start engines for March’s $1 Million Challenge at California’s The Thermal Club.
The potential appearance by the 47th president was arranged by the leadership of the exclusive Thermal road racing facility, and was part of the broadcast plans until it was nixed for unknown reasons the night before the Sunday race.
The entry list for the 108th Indianapolis 500 is now down to just 34. A lack of sponsorship support forced Abel Motorsports to withdraw their entry for the May 26 race. I can remember be at a few Indy 500 races when there were more than 70 entries.
The Big Series kicking off soon
The first racing program of The Big Series is set for June 9 at historic Orange County Fair Speedway marking the 105th year of auto racing in Middletown, NY. In addition to a full card of dirt track Modified, Sportsman, and Street Stock races, it’s also Doug Dulgarian’s 18th Annual Nostalgia Night, with race cars from the past on display as well as a large contingent of drivers returning to the track they helped make famous ready to greet fans, swap stories, and sign autographs.
Current era Big-Block and Small-Block Modified drivers will compete together — with the Small-Block entries receiving an equalizing weight break — in a series of qualifying races to set the 24-car field for the 30-lap feature race. DIRTcar rules will be in effect and drivers may apply DIRTcar home track status if appropriate.
Both Sportsman and Street Stock divisions will race under the auspices of 2023 OCFS rules. Qualifying races will determine the 24-car starting field for the 20-lap Sportsman feature. A 15-lap Street Stock feature race is planned, with qualifying heats added depending on the number of entries.
This is an open event; there are no required sanctioning groups. A series point system has been established with the top-three drivers in points at the conclusion of The Big Series races guaranteed starters in the 65th Eastern States Weekend races. Open practice sessions are scheduled prior to each The Big Series race with details to be announced.
Activities surrounding Doug Dulgarian’s 18th Annual Nostalgia Night will open the June 9 program. Spectator and pit gates will open at 2:00 pm. Nostalgia Night driver autographs will take place between 3:00 pm and 5:00 pm. Race cars will be on the track beginning approximately 5:00 pm. Following qualifying, the Modified feature will be held first.
Adult General Admission for June 9 all Stands or Drive-In is $20, Seniors 62+ $15, Children 12 and under $2. Party Deck $30 per person. Enclosed Tower Seats $50 per person (make advance reservations). All Pit Passes $35.
Toth snags first win
Joe Toth of Upper Makefield, Pa., wheeled his Sweetwater’s Marina Riverdeck-sponsored Sportsman entry to his first win of the season last week and that victory came at Delaware International Speedway. He was a huge winner last season with more than a dozen wins and a few championships in the Belmont Garage of Langhorne entry. There are more wins planned for this season.
Other events
Friday will have Big Diamond Raceway in Pottsville, Pa., offering a 7:15 p.m. show that includes a $5,000 to win Modified feature along with wingless Sportsman, 602 Crate Sportsman and Rookie Crates. In addition the Eastern Museum of Motor Racing will show off some Vintage race cars.
Lincoln Speedway in Abbottstown, Pa., offers a May 18 show that honors Fallen Firefighters. 410 Sprints and 358 Sprints will make up the doubleheader night event.
Bridgeport, NJ, Speedway usually active on Saturday nights is not scheduled this Saturday.
Grandview Speedway will be presenting another NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series program on Saturday, featuring the T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modifieds and T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman.
The show will include qualifying events for both classes leading up to the 30-lap T.P. Trailer Modified feature and the 25-lap feature for the T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman.
The program will also include the 30-lap T.P. Trailer Modified feature race that was postponed by rain on May 11. That feature will be the first Modified race of the evening.
The Saturday program will also see the second of the monthly fan participation Trivia nights, where questions about Grandview Speedway racing will be asked, and fans will be able to win some cool prizes, tickets for upcoming race events, or gift cards. The trivia night contests are very popular and a lot of fun!
Also on Saturday, New Egypt, NJ, Speedway offers a huge show of Modifieds, Crate Sportsman, NEWS Sprints, 4 Cylinders and Rookies. Green flag waves at 6 p.m.
Foley Action Track in Kutztown, Pa., has a May 21 show featuring STSS Modifieds and 600 Sprints. Warm ups are set for 6:15 p.m.
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Ernie Saxton is an auto racing contributor for MediaNews Group. He co-founded the Eastern Motorsports Press Association, served as public relations director for Grandview Speedway for 47 years, and is in multiple halls of fame for his promotion and journalism related to the sport. He has announced races at more than 100 tracks, and he is the only person to have announced a race at Madison Square Garden. Email him atESaxton144@aol.com.
