Mindy's Monday Minute

Racing Round-Up from Past Weekend's Events

Moorpark, Calif. - (June 12, 2006) It's supposedly summer, but Mother Nature seemed to think different as she brought brisk temperatures and rainy weather to Joliet, Ill., during the CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals at Route 66 Raceway over the weekend. The Nextel Cup Series and ARCA RE/MAX Series also endured chilly temperatures throughout the weekend in the Pocono Mountains.

NHRA CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals; Route 66 Raceway, Joliet, Ill. Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Matt Guidera rode his Rocklin Motorsports Buell to his first-career final round in Joliet on Sunday. However, youngster Ryan Schnitz was awarded the win, even though he had the quicker time. Guidera red lit at the Tree and handed Schnitz his first win of the season (fourth of his career).

Kurt Johnson has tolerated an unpredictable 2006 season. KJ has had two DNQ's (Gainesville, Columbus) this season, but his luck has started to turn around as of Topeka.
KJ appeared in his second consecutive Pro Stock final and took on King Demon Crown winner Greg Anderson.
KJ posted an awesome reaction time over Anderson and using that to his advantage, took home his second win of the season at 6.646/207.46 mph. Current Top Fuel point leader Melanie Troxel is starting to lose her padded lead. She took on Doug Kalitta in finals, but was disqualified for crossing the center line at the 330-foot mark.
While she still holds the lead, she sits only 71 points ahead of Kalitta heading into Englishtown this weekend.

Ringers would also like to congratulate Ringers racer Frank Manzo for taking home top honors in the Jeg's Allstars Championship in Top Alcohol Funny Car on Sunday. This marks Manzo's fifth Allstar TAFC championship.

NASCAR Nextel Cup Series, Pocono 500; Pocono Raceway, Long Pond, Pa. The Ringers Gloves supporting team of Penske Racing South continues to improve on their 2006 campaign in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. Busch, who started on the outside front row, led a total of 31 laps, seven different times throughout the 500-mile race, finishing second. His teammate Ryan Newman piloted his No. 12 Alltel Dodge to an 11th place finish.

Both drivers gained position in the Nextel Cup point standings. Busch now sits in 17th, while Newman is right behind him in 18th. Both drivers were scheduled to race the Nextel Prelude to the Dream at Tony Stewart's Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio on Wednesday, but inclement weather led to the cancellation of the night's festivities and the postponement of the race until September 6.

NASCAR Busch Series; Federated Auto Parts 300; Nashville Superspeedway, Lebanon, Tenn.
Two drivers protected with UnderX by Ringers competed in the Busch Series race just outside of Nashville on Saturday night, however only one of them completed laps.

Paul Menard was the driver to complete every lap in the race, bringing home another top-five finish in 2006, in fifth place. Jason Leffler didn't have the luck that Menard did. On the pace laps prior to the drop of the green flag, Leffler's oil pump belt fell loose causing the engine failure and resulting in a 43rd place finish.

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series; Sam's Town 400; Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, Texas
Three separate Ringers Gloves supporting teams appeared in the Sam's town 400 at Texas Motor Speedway on Friday night.
The highest finishing of them all was a truck of the two truck team of Green Light Racing.
Chad McCumbee was behind the wheel of the No. 08 Green Light Racing Chevrolet, bringing it home in ninth. His teammate for the race, Butch Miller, piloted the No. 07 across the finish line in 31st.
Billy Ballew Motorsports driver Kyle Krisiloff drove his No. 15 ditech.com Chevrolet home to a 19th place finish, while Orleans Racing driver Brendan Gaughan finished 26th.
About Ringers Gloves
Ringers Gloves, Official Gloves of NHRA and title sponsor for the Ringers Gloves Pro Bike Battle, is a full-line manufacturer of high-end, task specific gloves, SFI 3.3/1, 3.3/10, 3.3/20 racing gloves, UnderX protective undergarments and rdigs pit boots. Keep up with your favorite Ringers racers by logging onto www.ringersgloves.com/) for photos and highlights!