nancyshanno
Enthusiast
Speed World Challenge GT race Round 4 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Charlotte, NC. 5/24/07 the Woodhouse Performance scoop.
I love rumors, don’t you? No shortage exists on why Jimmie Johnson was a “No Show” in the much promoted NASCAR driver to enter the SPEED World Challenge race at Lowe’s Speedway in Charlotte. After Jimmy Johnson announced he was running a Cadillac CTS-V for General Motors back in Feb., the hype created was awesome. Taking queue on their lead and to create a bit of rivalry for our over dog friends: “Hey, why not Kasey Kahne in a Dodge Viper!?” says our mktg dir. Delayne Hunt. Months and phone calls later, we announce Kahne to drive one of our Woodhouse Performance Dodge Vipers, (thanks goes to Ray Evernham of Evernham Motorports for his generous support.) Jimmy got snookered, if you don’t show, you lose.
Today is World Challenge GT race day; it is also qualifying for the NASCAR Nextel Cup Coke 600. We (the WC series) is here because of the marketing genius of Humpy Wheeler who recognized the quality show World Challenge has and asked SCCA to put it in with NASCAR qualifying.
It’s 7:00 AM, all of the GT series drivers are gathered for their drivers meeting, all but two, Jimmie J and Kasey K, nowhere to be found, the phone rings, it’s Ray, “Kasey overslept but he’ll be here” as he walks away extolling in a soft voice, ‘I hope none of us forget how we got here” Cool, Kasey rolls in, plenty of time for Crew Chief Rick Maxwell to acclimate him with the car and the team. Wow; trying not to be, I am impressed; he is young, handles himself professional yet humble, acts a bit nervous, but focused and polite, all 138 lbs, does his photo justice, looks as handsome as Jeff Courtney, they could be brothers.
Noon now, still no Johnson, rumors are all over the map; what’s up? It’s on everyone’s mind. OK to the chagrin of our GM brethren we have compiled a list of the top ten reasons Jimmie Johnson ended up a “no show”:
1. He heard Kasey was coming.
2. He stayed in bed, caught on his beauty sleep so his stand up cutout compared with Kasey.
3. The Cadillac was the wrong color, clashed with his sunglasses
4. Same car his grandmother drives, did not want family discord.
5. Knuckled to threats from Caddie owners on getting tossed out of the Jimmie Johnson fan club for age discrimination.
6. Heard Dodge was gonna open up a can of wup-ass on him.
7. It’s a media ploy, he was the negotiating tool for Cadillac to get a competition adjustment with the SCCA. Bribery works, but not dependable.
8. Left his favorite driving gloves at home.
9. Ate the night before in the Cadillac hospitality tent, spent the day with the Tijuana trots.
In spite of this, what a race. Hi-lites or …..not.
Just one story: Standing next to the race cars on pre-grid, people are wandering by, looking at the cars, many women, all ages, eyeballing the car with Kahne’s name on it. One young pretty thing comes over and says: “Hey, is this the car Kasey is going to drive?” “Yes”, (don’t say anything, she was not blond either.) “Would you tell me when he gets here? I’m in love with him, he just doesn’t know it yet.” Oh my, there’s more, but no time here.
OK, one more: The grandstands, they were about half full when Nascar left the track for us. The mission: deliver a show good enuf to stay for at 9pm on Th. Guess what, all the way to half time in the world challenge race, most of them standing, yes, standing and cheering. Intense, competitive, colorful, with all different cars. And it didn’t hurt that we wrecked or broke about half the field. The price of sho-biz, right?
Bob Woodhouse for Woodhouse Performance.com and the following team members Rick Maxwell, Delayne Hunt, Nancy Shanno, Ashley Wick, Erik Messley, Eddie Martin, Jeff Courtney, Brian Vinson, Brian Smith, Larry Smith, Steve Woodhouse
Watch the SPEED channel on
Saturday, June 2
GT series at - 3:00 p.m. Eastern
Also go to SPEEDTV.COM click on auto racing for 2 min video of Kahne in the Woodhouse Dodge Viper making his first standing start plus 20 still photos under the lights.
Video hi lites of the race within a day or two will be on our sponsor websites below..
Kenda Tires - a leading manufacturer for specialty and automotive tires. www.kendausa.com
ProMPI – 20,000 items with your name on em. www.prompi.com
MPI Coin – Specialists in coin products. www.mpicoin.com
Kicker Car Stereo – the world leader in high-performance mobile audio gear. www.kicker.com.
Badger Tire and Wheel – A leading Distributor/Manufacturer/Assembler of recreational trailer products. www.badgercomponents.com
Go here to get the entire race results:
Series Website: www.world-challenge.com
I love rumors, don’t you? No shortage exists on why Jimmie Johnson was a “No Show” in the much promoted NASCAR driver to enter the SPEED World Challenge race at Lowe’s Speedway in Charlotte. After Jimmy Johnson announced he was running a Cadillac CTS-V for General Motors back in Feb., the hype created was awesome. Taking queue on their lead and to create a bit of rivalry for our over dog friends: “Hey, why not Kasey Kahne in a Dodge Viper!?” says our mktg dir. Delayne Hunt. Months and phone calls later, we announce Kahne to drive one of our Woodhouse Performance Dodge Vipers, (thanks goes to Ray Evernham of Evernham Motorports for his generous support.) Jimmy got snookered, if you don’t show, you lose.
Today is World Challenge GT race day; it is also qualifying for the NASCAR Nextel Cup Coke 600. We (the WC series) is here because of the marketing genius of Humpy Wheeler who recognized the quality show World Challenge has and asked SCCA to put it in with NASCAR qualifying.
It’s 7:00 AM, all of the GT series drivers are gathered for their drivers meeting, all but two, Jimmie J and Kasey K, nowhere to be found, the phone rings, it’s Ray, “Kasey overslept but he’ll be here” as he walks away extolling in a soft voice, ‘I hope none of us forget how we got here” Cool, Kasey rolls in, plenty of time for Crew Chief Rick Maxwell to acclimate him with the car and the team. Wow; trying not to be, I am impressed; he is young, handles himself professional yet humble, acts a bit nervous, but focused and polite, all 138 lbs, does his photo justice, looks as handsome as Jeff Courtney, they could be brothers.
Noon now, still no Johnson, rumors are all over the map; what’s up? It’s on everyone’s mind. OK to the chagrin of our GM brethren we have compiled a list of the top ten reasons Jimmie Johnson ended up a “no show”:
1. He heard Kasey was coming.
2. He stayed in bed, caught on his beauty sleep so his stand up cutout compared with Kasey.
3. The Cadillac was the wrong color, clashed with his sunglasses
4. Same car his grandmother drives, did not want family discord.
5. Knuckled to threats from Caddie owners on getting tossed out of the Jimmie Johnson fan club for age discrimination.
6. Heard Dodge was gonna open up a can of wup-ass on him.
7. It’s a media ploy, he was the negotiating tool for Cadillac to get a competition adjustment with the SCCA. Bribery works, but not dependable.
8. Left his favorite driving gloves at home.
9. Ate the night before in the Cadillac hospitality tent, spent the day with the Tijuana trots.
In spite of this, what a race. Hi-lites or …..not.
- <LI class=MsoNormal style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo7">Mentally and physically draining, a 20 hour day that packed in two practice sessions, qualifying, the race, reloaded and gone by 1AM. <LI class=MsoNormal style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo7">Heavy carnage in the first half of the race, lost a lot of cars from contact, second only to the amount of Corvettes that broke. <LI class=MsoNormal style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo7">One rumor, Johnson was afraid of ruining his reputation in a slow car since Cadillac’s posture is that their cars are not competitive. Cadillac placed one and two. Fluke? Integrity and racing, an oxymoron? Am I the *****? <LI class=MsoNormal style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo7">Woodhouse/Kenda/ProMPI team driver, Jeff Courtney sank to the back of the grid at the start, stalled it, then motored back to 5th position, career best, followed by Kasey in 6th. <LI class=MsoNormal style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo7">Kahne posted the 5th fastest race lap with less than an hour of seat time. His high for the night: loved the standing start. <LI class=MsoNormal style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo7">Lost front runners Archer and McCann due to car contact and equipment issues. <LI class=MsoNormal style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo7">Fourth place finisher Rob Foster privateer home boy, doing awesome. <LI class=MsoNormal style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo7">Woodhouse Performance, led by Rick Maxwell is gaining experience and putting out reliable race cars.
- Watch K-Pax/3-R, they are flying under the radar, huge potential to be the season champs with Randy and M. Galatti.
Just one story: Standing next to the race cars on pre-grid, people are wandering by, looking at the cars, many women, all ages, eyeballing the car with Kahne’s name on it. One young pretty thing comes over and says: “Hey, is this the car Kasey is going to drive?” “Yes”, (don’t say anything, she was not blond either.) “Would you tell me when he gets here? I’m in love with him, he just doesn’t know it yet.” Oh my, there’s more, but no time here.
OK, one more: The grandstands, they were about half full when Nascar left the track for us. The mission: deliver a show good enuf to stay for at 9pm on Th. Guess what, all the way to half time in the world challenge race, most of them standing, yes, standing and cheering. Intense, competitive, colorful, with all different cars. And it didn’t hurt that we wrecked or broke about half the field. The price of sho-biz, right?
Bob Woodhouse for Woodhouse Performance.com and the following team members Rick Maxwell, Delayne Hunt, Nancy Shanno, Ashley Wick, Erik Messley, Eddie Martin, Jeff Courtney, Brian Vinson, Brian Smith, Larry Smith, Steve Woodhouse
Watch the SPEED channel on
Saturday, June 2
GT series at - 3:00 p.m. Eastern
Also go to SPEEDTV.COM click on auto racing for 2 min video of Kahne in the Woodhouse Dodge Viper making his first standing start plus 20 still photos under the lights.
Video hi lites of the race within a day or two will be on our sponsor websites below..
Kenda Tires - a leading manufacturer for specialty and automotive tires. www.kendausa.com
ProMPI – 20,000 items with your name on em. www.prompi.com
MPI Coin – Specialists in coin products. www.mpicoin.com
Kicker Car Stereo – the world leader in high-performance mobile audio gear. www.kicker.com.
Badger Tire and Wheel – A leading Distributor/Manufacturer/Assembler of recreational trailer products. www.badgercomponents.com
Go here to get the entire race results:
Series Website: www.world-challenge.com
