SALISBURY, N.C. – Lucas Sipka survived a steep learning curve to record a top-10 finish in his Open division debut on Wednesday night at Millbridge Speedway.

Sipka, who jumped from Box Stocks right into the premier class for outlaw karts at the sixth-mile dirt oval, started 12th and battled back from three spins and contact with the turn-one wall to finish 10th.

Driving Kyle Beattie’s No. 21 SKE Chassis house kart, Sipka ran solidly during the early laps and found the second groove during a mid-race green flag run, picking off several positions before contact with the outside concrete spelled an end to his night with just two laps left.

Just before the crash, Sipka was running eighth – the highest position he had been in all night long.

“The whole night, honestly, was amazing … right up until I found the wall,” Sipka told SPEED SPORT. “We did pretty well on the start, even though I made a rookie mistake and flooded the engine on the green flag, but the rest of me restarts were fine, I felt like. I was making up positions and felt comfortable.

“Then the car just sucked around on me in turn one. I don’t know exactly how – I didn’t jam the brakes or anything – but it went spinning and the next thing I knew, I was in the wall and pretty much tipped her over,” Sipka added. “Thankfully, it stayed on four wheels and wasn’t damaged too badly. It’s certainly not the way we wanted to end our night, but I’m trying to take the positives out of it.”

Though Sipka had to retire from the feature after 18 of the 20 laps, he was trying to soak in as much knowledge as he could throughout the night, qualifying 14th and then finishing sixth in his heat race.

The higher speeds of the 500cc Open engines were a big part of Sipka’s on-track education Wednesday.

“It’s just a completely different thing than anything I’ve raced before here,” Sipka noted. “It’s just so much faster than anything else. The Opens are a lot harder to control, but I think with some more practice and some more seat time I’ll be able to get the hang of it.

“I was having to learn everything on the fly. The starts were crazy, passing is so much harder (than in Box Stocks) … it’s just a completely different ballpark because I’m racing against people who had done it for years and the competition level is that much higher,” he continued. “Going from running up front to fighting in the back is a little discouraging, but I have to remember that I’m new at this level and I have to expect these kinds of challenges.”

Sipka even battled rough seas as a car owner on Wednesday night, as the Box Stock he piloted last year finished second in a dead-heat photo finish with Tyler Conover at the controls earlier in the evening.

“I couldn’t win for losing all night,” Sipka joked. “But I’m proud of Tyler; he did a great job for us. It’s just hard to see one slip away in a finish that was as close as that one was. It was exciting to watch, though.”

Though his maiden Open division voyage didn’t go exactly as planned, Sipka’s anticipation for his second time out is just as high – if not even more so – compared to his first start on Wednesday night.

“I’m very ready to do it again,” Sipka grinned. “Hopefully the next one ends up better than this one did.”

The post Sipka Battles Through Millbridge Open Debut appeared first on SPEED SPORT.

FARMER CITY, Ill. – Due to rainfall around the Farmer City area, World of Outlaws and Farmer City Raceway officials have decided to cancel Thursday’s Illini 100 practice session for all classes.

Friday and Saturday’s events are still on as scheduled at their original start times. Tomorrow, pit gates will open at noon, grandstands at 1 p.m. and hot laps at 6:30.

General admission tickets will be available at the gate, $30 for Friday-only, $35 for Saturday-only, $60 for the 2-day package. Pit passes are $35 for Friday, $40 for Saturday and $70 for the 2-day band.

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INDIANAPOLIS – Karsyn Elledge will welcome a new sponsor to her Tucker-Boat Motorsports midget team this weekend, as iRacing jumps onboard to back the 18-year-old driver at Kokomo Speedway.

The subscription-based racing simulation company will be featured as part of a blue, black and red paint scheme on Elledge’s No. 1, as she takes to the quarter-mile bullring for the Kokomo Grand Prix on Friday and Saturday.

Elledge has already turned laps at the virtual Kokomo quarter-mile as she prepares for her debut at the real-life version of the historic facility this weekend.

“To be able to run Kokomo on iRacing and be more ready for the two days I’m about to run there is pretty cool,” said Elledge. “It gives you a sense of calm, in a way, because I’ve never raced at Kokomo – I’ve only ever watched races there. Just to be able to see the race track from a somewhat-firsthand perspective and get a feel for it on iRacing gives me a little more peace of mind going into the weekend.”

Elledge, the granddaughter of seven-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion Dale Earnhardt, has a substantial family connection with the iRacing brand.

Her uncle – now-NASCAR on NBC analyst Dale Earnhardt Jr. – was one of the early pioneers of the service and won the inaugural race in what is now the eNASCAR Peak Antifreeze iRacing Series, the highest division of NASCAR-sanctioned competition on the iRacing simulation.

“Obviously, Dale has been on iRacing for a pretty long time, and as I was growing up and he realized that I was taking racing pretty seriously, he would mention here and there that they needed to get me set up on iRacing,” noted Elledge. “Finally, I got my own (gaming) computer, and Steve (Myers, iRacing’s Executive Vice President and Executive Producer) was great in helping me to get a membership and everything that I needed to be ready and to be a part of it.

“I’m going to be honest, I’m not the greatest at iRacing … so for me it has been more about getting on the track and just making laps, learning visual cues and things like that,” Elledge laughed. “For a while I couldn’t even make two laps on the sim at the Chili Bowl, but it’s been a great teaching tool for myself and for a lot of drivers and I’m proud to have them onboard with us this weekend.”

More than anything, Elledge is ready to put her recent NOS Energy Drink USAC National Midget Series memories behind her and make some positive magic this weekend at Kokomo, after her recent flip during the Shamrock Classic at the Southern Illinois Center in DuQuoin.

“I’m still a little bit nervous after what happened, because you never like to tear up race cars and bump your head like I did, but I’m ready to get after it again,” Elledge said. “I’m ready to go into a summer full of racing and have a lot of fun, because this is when the USAC season really starts picking up again.

“The last time we raced was a whole month ago, so I’ve been sitting here waiting on it and this weekend is finally the time we get to go out and try for better results again. That’s comforting for me.”

The post iRacing Backing Elledge & TBM At Kokomo appeared first on SPEED SPORT.

MADISON, Ill. – Gateway Motorsports Park officials have confirmed that its NTT IndyCar Series and NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series events will take place on the same weekend in 2020.

NASCAR released the 2020 Truck Series schedule earlier this week and announced the seventh annual Gateway Truck Series event will take place on Friday, Aug. 21, 2020. The fourth annual Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline for the NTT IndyCar Series will be held on Saturday, Aug. 22, 2020.

“As soon as NASCAR released the Gander Outdoors Truck Series schedule on Wednesday, we were deluged with calls and messages from fans regarding the two events,” said Chris Blair, Gateway Motorsports Park’s Executive Vice President and General Manager. “With the many changes affecting the overall Monster Energy Cup, Xfinity Series and Gander Outdoors schedules, we appreciate the cooperation between IndyCar and NASCAR to allow us to produce this great weekend of racing.  Our fans will be treated to two action-packed days and we are working to provide entertaining content both on and off the track all weekend long.”

While the final schedules have yet to be determined, the single-day Truck Series race will run in conjunction with IndyCar practice and qualifying throughout the day on Friday. In addition, Gateway officials are working closely with the Indy Lights Series, Indy Pro 2000 Series and Vintage Indy Registry’s Icons of Open Wheel program.

“Our event will continue to evolve so that we are never presenting the same show twice,” Blair added. “We want to keep things fresh and exciting for our fans and we believe this is a major step forward in our goal of growing our St. Louis Speed Festival. We are working with more racing series and sanctioning bodies than ever before and are fully engaged on a very diverse schedule for the future.”

Additional details regarding the 2020 event weekend will be released in mid-September as final series schedules, ticket information and additional show content are confirmed.

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Former New Zealand winger Israel Dagg has announced his retirement from rugby at the age of 30 after failing to recover from a knee injury.

The 2011 World Cup winner played 66 Tests for the All Blacks and also won Super Rugby titles with Canterbury Crusaders in 2017 and 2018.

"Unfortunately my dream career has come to an end," said Dagg, who scored 26 international tries.

He was named as one of the five best players at the 2011 tournament.

Dagg scored four tries during the event but missed the 2015 World Cup triumph in England through injury.

New Zealand Rugby chief executive Steve Tew described Dagg as "one of the greats of our game".

"He was an excitement machine on the rugby field and fans knew when he got the ball in his hands that anything could happen," Tew added.

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Argentina international Marcelo Bosch will leave Premiership club Saracens at the end of the season.

The 35-year-old centre has featured 130 times for the north London side since joining from Biarritz in 2013.

Bosch has helped Saracens win three league titles and the European Champions Cup in 2016 and 2017.

"I want to remember this time of my life with a smile on my face, and feel blessed to have lived here the past six years," he told the club website.

Bosch, who won 39 caps for the Pumas between 2007 and 2015, added: "It's been magnificent and I'm very grateful.

"I arrived at the age of 29 and if you told me at that time that I would still be here I wouldn't have imagined it.

"It will be sad to leave because when you have made amazing memories then it's hard to let go."

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BRISTOL, Tenn. – After 19 years as a broadcaster on NASCAR television broadcasts, Darrell Waltrip has confirmed he is calling it a career.

Waltrip, a three-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion during a driving career that spanned 29 years, confirmed in an interview with The Tennessean Thursday that he’ll end his broadcast career when he calls his last race for FOX on June 23 at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway.

“I could’ve waited until Charlotte or somewhere else down the road, but it’s been hanging over my head,” Waltrip told The Tennessean. “I just wanted to clear the air, let people know what my plans are and then other people can make plans accordingly. Like who’s going to take my place or is somebody going to take my place?”

Waltrip ended his NASCAR driving career at the end of the 2000 season when he made the last of 809 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The following season he joined FOX as an analyst, a position he has held for the last 19 years.

His first race as a broadcaster for FOX was a memorable one, for good and bad reasons. He got to watch his younger brother, Michael Waltrip, drive to victory in the 2001 Daytona 500. It was overshadowed, however, by a crash on the last lap of the race that would ultimately claim the life of seven-time series champion Dale Earnhardt.

At 72 years old, Waltrip’s trademark “Boogity, boogity, boogity” phrase that he exclaims at the start of every race he covers has become his calling card.

Waltrip said he plans to spend more time with family following his retirement. His daughter Jessica gave birth to his granddaughter 14 months ago and he admitted that served as a wakeup call.

“A big wake-up call for me was when our first grandchild was born 14 months ago and I would come and go and it was just like when I’d watched my girls grow up,” Waltrip said. “They grew up at the racetrack and they were grown and married before I hardly knew it.”

Beyond spending time with his family, the 84-time NASCAR Cup Series race winner has not announced any addition plans for his future.

“Darrell has been the heart and soul of the FOX NASCAR booth since day one, so it’s incredibly bittersweet to know this is his final season,” said Eric Shanks, FOX Sports CEO & Executive Producer. “DW’s unmatched charisma and passion helped FOX Sports build its fan base when we first arrived at Daytona in 2001, and he has been the cornerstone of our NASCAR coverage ever since. We look forward to celebrating DW at Sonoma.”

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Sterling Marlin, a two-time Daytona 500 winner, underwent deep brain stimulation surgery earlier this week at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

The surgery, the third of four surgery stages, is a treatment for Parkinson’s disease. Marlin was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2012.

“On behalf of my father and our family, I would like to thank each and every one of you that have been supportive of my father throughout the years. It truly means the world to all of us,” said Marlin’s daughter, Sutherlin Marlin. “Parkinson’s is a roller coaster physically and emotionally for both the individual and family. After considerable thought, research and consultations with numerous doctors and specialists, my dad decided to undergo deep brain stimulation surgery. We ask that you send prayers for a successful final surgery and recovery.”

Deep brain stimulation delivers electrical pulses to brain cells to decrease symptoms. It is the most commonly performed surgical treatment for Parkinson’s.

Marlin underwent the first of the four surgeries on March 11. Once the final surgery is completed, recovery is expected to take four months, but can vary depending on the patient.

The 61-year-old Tennessee native made 748 starts in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series during his career, which spanned 33 years. He earned 10 victories during that time, including two in the Daytona 500 in 1994 and ’95.

The best seasons of his career came in 2001 and 2002. He won four times in two years and finished third in the Cup Series standings in 2001. He led the series standings for most of 2002 before an injury to his neck late in the year ended his season.

After running his last NASCAR Cup Series race in 2009, Marlin returned to his roots. He’s raced weekly at Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville in Tennessee for the last several years despite battling Parkinson’s disease.

According to a statement released by his race team, the goal is for Marlin to return to racing once he recovers from the deep brain stimulation surgery.

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LAS VEGAS – When Ken Black first formed KB Racing in 2001, one of the things he stressed to Greg Anderson was the importance of performing well at his home track, The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

The four-time world champion has responded in impressive fashion over the years, winning eight times in Pro Stock at the facility.

The veteran will now have a chance to become the winningest driver in NHRA history at the track at this weekend’s 20th annual DENSO Spark Plugs NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. After struggling through the first three races of 2019, Anderson also hopes to get his NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season on track in his Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro at a race that has taken on new life since it went to the four-wide racing format a season ago.

“This track has become one of our bright spots and we’ve always had good luck there,” said Anderson, who has 91 career Pro Stock wins. “Last year was unreal (with the four-wide setup). The track was fantastic, it was a huge crowd and it turned out perfectly. You had four great lanes and a packed grandstands. The two races here are (Black’s) most important races, and we have to do well and put a smile on his face. It makes it important to do well and adds some pressure, but we’ve always kind of liked that.”

Steve Torrence (Top Fuel), J.R. Todd (Funny Car) and Vincent Nobile (Pro Stock) were last year’s winners of the event. It is the fourth of 18 races during the NHRA Pro Stock season and marks the only four-wide race of the year for the class. Anderson has grown to be a fan of the biggest spectacle in drag racing, embracing the uniqueness of the race, and hopes it provides a spark to his season.

He suffered two first-round losses to open the year before picking up his first round win of the year in Gainesville, where he also qualified second. Currently sitting outside the top 10 in 11th place in the competitive Pro Stock ranks, Anderson hopes it’s something he can build on heading to an important race of the season.

“As the season started, we kind of struggled and got lost with my car,” Anderson said. “We didn’t have a good set-up and come Sunday we struggled. I think we figured some things out Gainesville, but on Sunday I dropped the ball as a driver. The good news is the car performance is there and we expect to contend again. It’s a matter of me getting my head right as a driver, but I can fix that and I’m confident we have a good car.”

With a new 18-race schedule in 2019, eight races now follow Vegas before the Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship begins. It’s nowhere near a dire situation yet, but with the class getting a six-week break following this weekend before returning in mid-May, Anderson wants to take momentum into the prolonged time off. It won’t be easy facing off with the likes of KB Racing teammates Jason Line and Bo Butner, the current points leader, Jeg Coughlin Jr., Erica Enders and Alex Laughlin, but Anderson has always performed well in these types of situations.

“With a shorter season, you can’t get behind and we’ve gotten a little behind,” Anderson said. “We can’t afford to fall any further behind. There’s more than 10 capable drivers of qualifying for the (Countdown to the Championship) and I’m not in the top 10 right now. We cannot throw away any more races, so we have to make the most of this weekend.”

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