7
IN CONTENTION FOR JEG'S SPORTSNATIONALS CROWN
After the completion of the Jegs.com NHRA Cajun SPORTSnationals
at No Problem Raceway Park in Belle Rose, LA, seven racers
are in the running to win the Jeg's Crown.
Mike Ashley (Pro Mod), Michael Johnson (Comp), Hugh Meeks
III (Super Stock), Jeff Strickland, Mike Coughlin (Super
Comp), Scotty Richardson (Super Gas) and Sid Norwood (Super
Street) can win the prestigious award by getting a second
win at the Jeg's Northern SPORTSnationals in Columbus, OH,
July 28-31.
The trophy was handcrafted by artist Dan Dreisbach, who
also works as a fabricator for Team Rahal. [4-27-2005]
HUMPY SPEAKS
Today, O. Bruton Smith's Speedway Motorsports, Inc. reported
first quarter 2005 total revenues of $95.3 million, net
income of $14.0 million and diluted earnings per share of
$0.32, reaffirmed its earnings guidance for the full year
2005 of $2.15 to $2.25 per diluted share, and announced
a stock repurchase program.
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Lowlights
for the first quarter 2005 versus the first quarter 2004:
total revenues decreased 22% or $26.8 million to $95.3 million;
net income decreased 43% or $10.7 million to $14.0 million.
In the quarterly Speedway Motorsports Earnings Conference
Call with investors, SMI President Humpy Wheeler said they
are looking at ways to grow usage of their tracks by creation
of a new type of racecar called "Crash", a kind
of a hybrid of big cars and Monster Trucks to approach the
kid's market for short track racing.
"It's not wrestling, but it's not too far from it,"
quipped Wheeler.
SMI is also looking into Drifting and the Sport Compact
world in an effort to grow their business.
Wheeler added, "There's something out there on the
horizon, we just don't know what it looks like yet. Maybe
it'll produce half the revenue that a (Nextel) Cup weekend
would. We gotta get those younger folks interested in racing."
The Agent has to ask if Humpy and the SMI guys are looking
at drag racing for potential growth? [4-27-2005]
A FEW STATS AFTER VEGAS AND BEFORE
BRISTOL
DRO statistician, Jim Hawkins, sent the Agent a few interesting
notes.
1) Seven TF drivers and four FC drivers have average mph
over 320
2) The two Vegas races continue to rank the worst in "good
elimination side by side" runs in TF. At the recent
event, only four pairs of TF cars out of 15 pair made a
decent race of it
3) In FC there have been six holeshot win/losses...Gary
Scelzi has been on the losing side of half of those
4) In PS, there have been six red-light win/losses...WJ
has been on the winning side of half of those
5) John Force and Robert Hight have not been outrun yet
this year, when not going up in smoke or shutting off, but,
both drivers have four losses attributed to a shut-off or
up in smoke run
6) Impressive elapsed time averages...4.589 in Top Fuel
and 6.758 in Pro Stock. [4-27-2005]
