2013 season in review part 1.

Well just got the new Thunder in the PA Mountains DVD from Lynn Shaffer and once again he has out done himself. Being someone who has bought every one of his season in review tapes/DVDs since 1986 it has always been something I look forward to watching once Christmas comes. I have since transferred all the older tapes to DVD and since I just got the new one figured I would keep track of my thoughts and let you guys know what I am thinking while watching the year that was. Here is is the first half thoughts of 2013.

-Are we the only area in the country that races in the snow? If we are are we just that die hard, or are we just that retarded?
-First 2 races of the season at Lincoln Speedway and we have 4 bad flips. Early rust or just driver stupidity?
-Only in Pennsylvania can we go to a race 1 week in the snow and the next week be standing around in T Shirts.
-How is it Cole Duncan invades our area and pulls of the win at Lincoln and nobody remembers it at the end of the season?
-Fred Rahmer wins a feature event 24 yrs in a row at Williams Grove Speedway. One of many records Fred owns that will never be beat.
-Mark Coldren's flip at Port Royal opening night....#WOW
-Why are opening day/night races always a wreck fest?
-Holy glass surface Port Royal.
-Why have the 358's not been running the top at Lincoln Speedway like the old days? Was it the tires? -Was it lack of track prep? Combination of both? How bout lack of balls by the drivers? Hmm
-Miss seeing Doug Eash run at Lincoln Speedway.
-Robbie Kendell will win a 410 race in 2014. #firstprediction
-How has Pat Cannon been so much faster then everyone else in a 358>
-Holy Blocking "Bad" Chad
-If Logan Wagner starts on the pole (and good chances are he will since everyone does) he WILL win a race in a 410 in 2014 #secondprediction
-Austin "Thin Man" Hogue. #Loveit
-Some people whether driver/car owner/ or track should not let some people race sprint cars.
-Holy Dry Slick Williams Grove
-If the 360's always race like the do when I see them in person or on this tape, I will skip every race they are at in 2014. #wreckfest
-Holy Dust storm Big Diamond
-Anyone remember why Doug Esh got the nickname "The Hammer"?
-Brian Montieth will win double digit feature events at Lincoln Speedway in 2014. #3rdprediction
Was there any bigger upset then Jason Shultz beating Pat Cannon for Championship at Selinsgrove Speedway?
-Wish the 358's could race at Williams Grove #choochoo
-Glad to see Scott Geasy winning races in the Sportsman division #gooddude
-1 hr into the DVD and I'm still waiting to see anything other then the front row wins and wrecks at Port Royal.
-Wow just saw a hell of a feature from Port....Oh Wait....that was from the midget feature
-Going to miss seeing the Trone 39 at our local tracks in 2014.
-Still think it was a racing deal between JB & Jeff at Lincoln Speedway.
-Eric Tomecek always runs better and wins races AFTER he cuts his afro. Coincidence? #dontthinkso
-Roaring Nob looks like a neat track to see a race at.
-Still dont see how YOU drive over a guys front end going into turn 1 and then blame the other driver. Oh wait Some drivers do no wrong in their or their fans eyes. #thatswhatIhear
-Chase Dietz is going to be a good one as he gets older
-Only way to beat Cannon? #Blowup
-Bruce Ellis sucks
-Holy Dust storm Trail Way
-Hi Grandma Kendell
-Another 360 race and more flips
-Love me some cute red heads. Thanks Lynn.
-Was there any 2 drivers this past year that raced more 1/2 for the win the Jeff Rohrbaugh and Brad McClelland? #doubtit
-Holy Tin Fence Port Royal!!!!
-"The Dude" Should not have gotten the ride in the Zemco car in 2013.
-And for the record Danny...YOUR NOT POSSE!!!!
-The Danny Dietrich/Jimmy Seigel race at Lincoln Speedway was the most exciting WINGED race of the 1st half of 2013.
-How many people remember that neither of them won that race?
-Still waiting for that free Sweatshirt I was offered that night after the race when a certain race team saw me wearing my Danny Dietrich sweatshirt?
-Has anyone ever had a worse VL Interview then Chandler Leiby?
-Going to miss seeing Brent Marks running here locally every week in 2014.
-2 wins = 2 YCRC Plates. #YouGoGirl
-How has "The Godfather" NOT won a race in almost 3 year?
-Another 360 race and another 6 flips.
-WOW USAC at Grandview kicks ass.
-WOW USAC at Susquehanna Speedway kicked even more ASS and was the most exciting sprint car race of the 1st half of 2013.
-I'm sorry but sprint cars should not be racing at Bridgeport Speedway. Track is way to fast. #NotTheOnlyOneWhoThinksThat
-Still waiting to see that Awesome race at Port. #JustSayin
-Holy Demolition Derby 305's
-Kevin Nouse telling Williams Grove Speedway to #SaveTheCushion

Well there we go folks my thoughts of the first half of the 2013 racing season. Will be watching the 2nd part of Thunder In the PA Mountains shortly and I will post all of my thoughts on the second half of the racing season.

As always feel free to post your comments here on the site (Dont be a puss and sign your real name to your comment) Tweet we @BillMcIntyreIII or email me your thoughts at boogermac420@inbox.com. Would love to hear from you to hear your thoughts on the 2013 racing season. Till then have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year Folks.

Lance Dewease is the new driver of the Dietz 14, but is that a good fit for Lance?

So it was announced yesterday that Lance Dewease was hired as the new driver of the C.C. Dietz #14 sprint car. Now I tweeted the news yesterday after local sports reporter Jeremy Elliot reported it, and made the comment that I wished Lance all the luck in the world in his new ride HE was going to need it. Now I have taken some flac for this because I'm not being positive or I am "Putting down one of the Nicest teams around". Hell I was told I have no respect for anyone. Really? My answer back was I was just sharing my honest opinion on this subject. Now let me explain a little bit more for people like Mr. Baker who claim I have no respect for anyone.

Did I make this comment to show disrespect towards one of the nicest guys in the pit area? NO!!! Did I make this statement towards the 14 to show disrespect? I guess you can look at it that way.

 Let me ask you all a little question. How can 3 drivers get in that car and look so God awful in it? Kevin Nouse has been the only driver that made that car go fast, and that's a testament to how good the 2013 Williams Grove 358 Track Champion is as a driver. Are you telling me with a straight face that Brian Leppo looked good in that car? If you are I must have been drunk because I sure as hell didn't see it. Maybe Brian just forgot how to driver after getting out of the Keen 17 car after Mr. Keen passed away last year. But here is something to think about....Brian looked good in winning a race at Lincoln in the 17 car, jumped into the 14 car and could not get out of his own way while going backwards every week  (Of coarse that's only when it finished a race and not being hauled off the track on a wrecker), only to jump into the 51 at the Williams Grove National Open last year and almost win the darn thing.   Now lets look at this years driver Gerard McIntyre Jr. While not in the same league as Mr. Nouse or Mr. Leppo as far as career accomplishments go, G-Mac is a 3 time winner in the 410 division. That kid (and yes he is still just a kid) finished the 2012 season running top 3 in the last 3 races at Lincoln Speedway, only to once again like Brian not be able to get out of his own way while going backwards every week.

Now is that the teams fault? Maybe!!! Reports from different sources claim that the 14 team would not listen to the drivers when it came to setting up the race car. Now ask yourself how can a driver make a car run good and win races if it's not set up for them to drive? Makes you look at Brian's stint in the car and sort of wonder if it was Brian driving over his head that lead to that many wrecks or was it not liking the way the car was set up and not being able to do anything thing about it but try and make chicken salad out of chicken shit every week while in the car.

 Gerard looked like a rookie most weeks but when he jumped in the family 16 car for the 358/360 challenge race he finished a strong 3rd. When asked by myself the following week how it felt to run up front and get some confidence back all he did was smile and say "It was nice to have a good car to drive" Hymmmm?

Now how does this all lead to Lance and what I said on Twitter?

What happens if Lance gets in the car and the team acts the same way? Would they be that stupid? I would hope not for the teams sake. They have one of the arguably top 3 best drivers of the past 20 years in their car. The man has won every big race in our area and is coming of a season where he had only 2 wins, but finished in the top 10 54 out of 67 races he ran. THAT'S LEAVES ONLY 13 TIMES LANCE DID NOT FINISH IN THE TOP 10!!!! How could you not listen to a driver that good.

For the sake of the team I hope they listen and the team runs up front every week. I hope they come out the box fast and put it in victory lane opening day at Lincoln Speedway. I will be the 1st one to stand up and admit I was wrong, but It's not up to me, its up to Lance and the 14 team to prove me wrong, and for Lance to do that he is going to need a lot of luck.

BEST OF LUCK LANCE, if anyone can do it, ITS YOU.

Feel free to let your feeling be known. Am I off base in the way I'm looking at this? Leave your comments in the comment section  (Be a man and sign your name I always do) or feel free to tweet me @BillMcIntyreIII as I do my best to respond back to everyone.

With that have a great weekend,
Bill McIntyre