Sunday, August 20, 2000
AUTO RACING INSIDER
IRL big draw for Kentucky Speedway
Cincinnati has been obsessed with new Paul Brown Stadium, so Kentucky Speedway wants to remind everyone about next weekend.
Mark Cassis, speedway general manager, said more than 50,000 seats are sold for next Sunday's Indy Racing League event, the Belterra Resort Indy 300 (2:30p.m., ESPN).
Cassis said 30,000 tickets have been sold for Saturday's “support” race, the ARCA Blue Grass Quality Meats 200 stock car race (2:30 p.m., Speedvision, tape-delay).
“We expect between 50,000 and 60,000 for the IRL race, which would make it one of the largest crowds for the IRL outside the Indy 500,” Cassis said.
The Speedway could challenge its attendance record of 63,750, set June 17 for its grand-opening NASCAR Craftsman Truck race.
The IRL race is believed to be the first Indy-car event in Greater Cincinnati since World War I.
The IRL is dwarfed by NASCAR these days, but the novelty of an Indy race appeals to Cincinnati's sizable open-wheel fan base. That, plus the newness of Kentucky Speedway, should make for a large crowd.
Cassis said some “temporary” luxury suites will be added because of corporate demand.
More from the speedway:
• Chairman Jerry Carroll expects to learn soon whether the speedway gets a NASCAR Busch race for 2001. Tracks generally are notified before NASCAR publicly announces its schedules. So far, no word.
• IRL driver Billy Boat set a speedway record with a practice lap of 218.620 mph last week, edging Sarah Fisher's record of 218.517.
LATE RAY: Greg Ray, the 1999 IRL points champion, is new at this. Most professionals begin in go-karts or quarter-midgets as youngsters, but Ray didn't drive a race car until he was 25 years old.
Ray's family was in the marine business in Texas, and he still owns one of the largest boat rental facilities in the country. His first foray into racing was at a driver's school in Denver in 1991.
Today, the 34-year-old Ray owns an IRL season title and three consecutive front-row starts at the Indy 500, including the 2000 pole. He will drive in the IRL race at Sparta, Ky., this week.
“I was in a hurry-up mode because of my age,” Ray said after a recent practice at Kentucky Speedway. “Racing was something I dreamed about all my life, but I just didn't have the opportunity for a long time.”
So this debunks the theory that you must start young?
“I think we're all predisposed to something,” Ray said. “Some of us have the natural ability to play basketball or football. Some people are mathematically inclined. Some guys sit down at a piano with no formal training, and in a few weeks it's like they've played for years.
“With race cars, for me, that's what it was. I've worked hard, but it was something that came very natural.”
FULTZ LEADING: Blue Ash native Jeff Fultz continues to lead the NASCAR Slim Jim All-Pro season points race. Fultz finished fourth in last week's race at Greenville, S.C.
LOCAL SCENE: The 30th annual Gravelrama is next weekend (Aug. 25-28) in Cleves. It is the largest four-wheel event in the U.S.• Lawrenceburg Speedway, plagued by rain all season, will try again next Saturday with races including USAC's Thunder and Lightning Sprint division and UMRA three-quarter midgets, which have been training grounds for drivers such as NASCAR's Tony Stewart.
“We've only had five races this year because of rainouts,” track operator Greg Staab said.
• Cincinnatian Don Louden, son of Tri-State Dragway owner Bob Louden, stands 10th in the IHRA Stock Eliminator drag standings.
Tom Groeschen covers auto racing for The Enquirer. E-mail: tgroeschen@enquirer.com
Sports Stories
Grand opening for Paul Brown Stadium
Bengals 24, Bears 20
Warrick promises more leaps into crowd
Warrick familiar with reverse
Bengals finally capitalize in red zone
Players: Opening night 'electrifying'
Bears-Bengals Stats
Stadium chow gets standing ovation
SULLIVAN: Bengals give fans hope
DAUGHERTY: The Man focuses on The Game
BRONSON: Thank you, Mike Brown
List of 'firsts' at Paul Brown Stadium
Opening Game Notebook
Reds 7, Pirates 1
Box, runs
Bichette sheds goat horns
Five outs no sweat for Reyes
Reds' 'Doc Hollywood' likes inside view
UC defense dominates scrimmage
