|
New Page 1
Phil Pash's Up & Down the Rock Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2009 (Vol. 4, No. 7) Explanation--For a while, anyway, I'm going to try something different: All four columns will be under the Up & Down the Rock heading, plainly labeled so you won't have to do a lot of searching. Material usually found in the Great Outdoors, World of Wheels and Simply Sports will be included in the one column. If the new plan doesn't work like I want, we'll go back to the old way. Comments are always welcome to phil@philpash.com. * * * A Different Christmas Poem--I don't know who wrote this; I wish I could tell you the name because he or she deserves credit for a touching work. I received it as an e-mail from a friend, and obviously feel it's worth sharing:
The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.
Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.
The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.
My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.
The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know,
Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.
My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.
A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.
"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"
For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts.
To the window that danced with a warm fire's light
Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,
I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night."
"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.
No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
My Gramps died at ' Pearl on a day in December,"
Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas Gram always remembers."
My dad stood his watch in the jungles of ' Nam ',
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.
I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.
Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white, and blue... an American flag.
I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.
I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.
I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother.
Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."
"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
"Give you money", I asked, "or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son."
Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.
To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled,
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us." * * * Random Thoughts--After months of closed-door negotiations and behind-the-scenes "cash for cloture" deals, Harry Reid's government takeover of health care cleared a major milestone. In the pre-dawn hours, Reid got the 60 votes he needed to ram the bill through on a strict party line-vote and the Senate is now moving toward a Christmas Eve vote. When Democrats began pushing their version of "reform," they promised lower premiums with no additional taxes and no reduction in Medicare benefits. What did they deliver? Increased premiums for many Americans, higher taxes and nearly $500 billion in cuts to the Medicare coverage many seniors rely on. ... It still isn't too late to have an impact on this debate. All it will take is for ONE reasonable Democrat to vote no to stop Reid's takeover of your health care. ... Tareq and Michaele Salahi are not the first couple to get into the White House without the proper credentials; they just followed in the footsteps of Michelle and Barack Obama. ... Rep. Parker Griffith, a conservative Democratic Congressman from northern Alabama, announced Dec. 22 he is switching from the Democratic to the Republican party. "I am pro-business, pro-life, pro-Second Amendment and have worked hard to support our space and defense programs and represent our Alabama values," he said. "However, as the 111th Congress has progressed, I have become increasingly concerned that the bills and policies of the Democratic leadership are not good for Alabama or our nation." He added that he needs to "stand with a party more in tune with my beliefs and convictions." Griffith, who is in his first term in the House, has one of the most conservative voting records of any Democrat in Washington. He has voted against several of the Democrats' signature issues, including the $787 billion stimulus, the controversial Cap and Trade energy bill and health care reform legislation. In August, he said he would not vote for Nancy Pelosi to be speaker again, telling the Huntsville Times, "I would not vote for her. Someone that divisive and that polarizing cannot bring us together." ... President Obama's approval rating dropped to a new low of 50 percent, as Americans continue to be unhappy with the poor economy and are skeptical about his plan for health care reform, a new ABC News/Washington Post poll found. Obama's overall approval rating dropped 6 points in just the past month in the ABC/Post poll. When it comes to the president's key initiative, health care, a majority of 53 percent disapprove. And 52 percent disapprove of his handling of the economy. Obama recently provided his own analysis of his first year, telling Oprah Winfrey on a Christmas special that he earned "a good, solid B-plus." More like an F. ... Why didn't the so-called mainstream media jump on this? It is an inconvenient time for Al Gore to be fudging numbers on global climate change, said the Web site Sphere. With the specter of the "Climategate" e-mails hanging ominously over the Copenhagen climate change summit, the former vice president told a crowd there one scientist had predicted the polar ice cap would have no summer ice in five to seven years. "These figures are fresh. Some of the models suggest to Dr. Maslowski that there is a 75 percent chance that the entire north polar ice cap, during the summer months, could be completely ice-free within five to seven years," Gore told the audience. But the scientist Gore quoted, Dr. Wieslaw Maslowski of the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif., told the Times of London he never said such a thing. "It's unclear to me how this figure was arrived at," Maslowski told the Times. "I would never try to estimate likelihood at anything as exact as this." The scientist said Gore's statement about the pole being "completely ice-free" was not in line with his current predictions, which are dramatic enough without being pumped up. Maslowski said his research shows 80 percent of the north polar ice will melt in the next six years, but he expects some ice to remain beyond the year 2020. In an e-mail to Sphere, Maslowski added if the Arctic melting trend of the last 15 years continues, the "main reduction of sea ice volume may take place within the next five to seven years," which would affect the global climate. Gore's office later admitted to the Times the figures weren't actually all that "fresh," but were instead based on a conversation Gore had had with Maslowski several years ago. * * * News, Notes on Gun Control and Other Such Nonsense--The U.S. Supreme Court handed Beretta U.S.A. and the firearms industry another victory by rejecting the Brady Center's appeal of Adames v. Beretta U.S.A. Corporation challenging the constitutionality of the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA). The PLCAA is the 2005 federal law passed by Congress in response to the flood of reckless lawsuits brought by the Brady Center on behalf of anti-gun mayors seeking to hold members of the firearms industry liable for the criminal or unlawful misuse of their products. This is now the third time this year the Supreme Court has denied a challenge to the PLCAA backed by the Brady Center. In March 2009, the Brady Center was also involved in the appeals of Lawson v. Beretta and City of New York v. Beretta, both of which the Supreme Court refused to hear. The latest Supreme Court decision in the Adames case is another stinging setback to the Brady Center's failed anti-gun political agenda to destroy the individual right of Americans to keep and bear arms--a right the Supreme Court declared last year in Heller was protected by the Second Amendment. The Adames lawsuit was filed by the Brady Center on behalf of a family seeking to hold Beretta responsible for the tragic shooting death of their son, caused solely by the criminal acts of a teenage boy who gained unauthorized access to his father's unsecured service pistol. The case was originally dismissed by a Chicago trial court, subsequently reinstated in part by the Illinois Court of Appeals, and then ultimately found to be barred under the PLCAA by the Illinois Supreme Court. By its decision, the Supreme Court found it unnecessary to consider the Illinois Supreme Court's well-reasoned decision that held the PLCAA was both constitutional and clearly applicable to this lawsuit. Representing Beretta in the case was Craig Livingston of the Livingston Law Firm, who after being notified of the Supreme Court's rejection of the appeal remarked, "And so ends a long legal battle--from the trial court in Chicago, through the Illinois appellate courts and all the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court--which served only to confirm what has been known since May 5, 2001, namely that this tragic shooting death was caused not by any defect in a Cook County Corrections officer's Beretta pistol, but rather by its reckless misuse on that fateful day by his teenage son." Lawrence G. Keane, senior vice president and general counsel of the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the trade association for the firearms industry, applauded the Supreme Court rejection of the Brady Center's appeal, stating, "Frivolous and unsupported lawsuits such as Adames that attempt to force manufacturers of firearms to pay for the crimes of others over whom they have no control are precisely what the PLCAA is designed to stop." ... The Associated Press recently asked candidates for Illinois governor questions about gun-control legislation. Here are highlights of their answers. QUESTION: "Would you sign or veto legislation banning the sale and possession of semi-automatic assault-style weapons in Illinois?" REPUBLICANS--Adam Andrzejewski: "Would veto a ban on semiautomatic 'assault weapons' in most circumstances. It comes down (to) law abiding citizens having the right to defend their life, liberty and property." Bill Brady: "I am opposed to any further restrictions to the ownership of firearms as guaranteed in the Bill of Rights and would veto legislation banning the sale and possession of semiautomatic weapons." Kirk Dillard: "Without having more sufficient detail, including the definition of an "assault-style weapon," and for what circumstances the use of these weapons would be approved, this question is difficult to answer." Andy McKenna: "I believe in the Second Amendment and law abiding citizen's right to own firearms to protect their families and for sporting purposes. Dan Proft: "I would veto such legislation. ... I believe arbitrary gun bans are unconstitutional and would oppose such bans." Jim Ryan: "I would sign it provided it was narrowly drawn and did not violate our 2nd Amendment rights." Bob Schillerstrom: "I would sign constitutionally sound legislation banning assault weapons in Illinois." DEMOCRATS--Dan Hynes: "I would sign legislation banning the sale and possession of semi-automatic assault-style weapons in Illinois. Pat Quinn: "I would sign legislation banning the sale and possession of semi-automatic assault-style weapons." William "Dock" Walls: "I would sign such legislation." GREEN--Rich Whitney: "If it truly and accurately defines assault weapons in a manner that does not impair the rights of lawful gun owners to possess firearms for defensive purposes, and respects the rights of legitimate gun collectors, then yes, I would sign it." QUESTION: "Would you sign or veto legislation allowing concealed-carry for handguns?" REPUBLICANS-- Adam Andrzejewski: "I would sign it. ... Law abiding citizens have this right." Bill Brady: "Constitutional rights should be afforded to eligible, law-abiding Illinois citizens, and therefore concealed carry should be legalized." Kirk Dillard: "With proper training and thorough background checks, and dependent upon the exact language drafted in the legislation, I could support allowing concealed-carry for handguns as almost every other state in the nation has done." Andy McKenna: "I am opposed to concealed-carry legislation." Dan Proft: "I would sign right to carry legislation." Jim Ryan: "I would veto. I believe reasonable people can differ on this issue but on balance, drawing from my experience as a law enforcement official, I believe we are better off without concealed-carry." Bob Schillerstrom: "I would veto legislation allowing concealed carry for handguns. I am a supporter of the Second Amendment; however, I do not believe that concealed carry is a solution for reducing crime in the State of Illinois." DEMOCRATS--Dan Hynes: Hynes didn't take a position on concealed carry in general but did say he opposes a new law letting people bring concealed guns into someone else's home if they have permission. Pat Quinn: "I would veto legislation allowing concealed-carry for handguns." William "Dock" Walls: "I would veto conceal and carry legislation." GREEN--Rich Whitney: "I would sign legislation allowing concealed-carry or open carry -- although ... I would prefer that any such legislation allow individual counties to opt out if they so chose." * * * Danica at Daytona for ARCA Test; NASCAR and Its Media Salivating--Think NASCAR isn't desperate for a "bump" from any participation by Danica Patrick? Her merchandise already is available at nascar.com Superstore, and she hasn't done a thing yet. Her NASCAR career will likely begin in California where she is scheduled to race in the Nationwide Series race at Auto Club Speedway on Feb. 30 she announced Dec. 17. She is then scheduled to follow that with a race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway the following week. However, the option exists she may enter the season-opening Nationwide race at Daytona. Patrick, now a veteran of the IZOD IndyCar Series, will start her stock-car career in ARCA during Speed Weeks at Daytona. She will do that to show NASCAR officials she can compete in stock cars on big tracks. If things go well in the ARCA race, Patrick may attempt to qualify for the Nationwide race at DIS. Patrick said she will concentrate on the Indianapolis 500 with her Andretti Autosport IndyCar team but then plans to run some NASCAR events during the IRL season after that. The plan is to run the full IndyCar schedule. She said she would like to run about a dozen Nationwide races this coming season and, yes, the hope is to get to Sprint Cup some day. The press conference was attended by Dale Earnhardt Jr., co-owner of JR Motorsports, the team for which Patrick will drive. Also there were her crew chief, Tony Eury Jr., and Kelley Earnhardt Elledge, president and general manager of JRM. JR Motorsports will leave it up to Patrick as to when she will make her series debut. "The biggest decision to be made, Danica is going to make," JR Motorsports director of competition Tony Eury Sr. said. "She doesn't know what to expect. I think she wants to wait until after the ARCA race. She wants to do good. She doesn't want to start off with negative press. If she thinks she can be in the Nationwide race and be a competitive car in the race, I think you'll see her there running. If she doesn't think she's quite ready for that after the ARCA race, I don't think you'll see her there. ... Whatever her decision is, we'll be prepared for it." Patrick, who has just one victory and 16 top-five finishes in five IndyCar seasons, said she's still got a long list of goals for that series--including winning the Indianapolis 500. "I still love IndyCar, and I still want to win the Indy 500--I really want to," she said. "I had a feeling years ago that I'm going to win this race, and I still think I will." ... The ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards wrapped up a three-day test at Daytona Dec. 20 as IZOD IndyCar driver Danica Patrick took the first step in transitioning to full-bodied stock cars. Patrick worked with crew chief Tony Eury Jr. and the JR Motorsports team to prepare for her upcoming stock-car debut in the Feb. 6 Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200. On Sunday afternoon, Patrick posted her weekend best of 49.442 seconds/182.028 mph, placing fifth among 29 drivers who participated in the Sunday afternoon test. Patrick and her team also spent portions of Sunday making simulated pit stops. The three-day test drew drivers from the world over, with Venezuela's Milka Duno, India's Narain Karthikeyan and China's Darryl O'Young joining U.S. and Canadian drivers. Mikey Kile, who plans to run the full 20-race ARCA schedule in 2010, recorded the fastest time of the weekend with a 49.164 second/183.061 mph lap Dec. 19 while drafting with Venturini Motorsports teammates Steve Arpin and Alli Owens. Owens, a Daytona Beach native, joined Patrick as one of a record 10 females who participated in Daytona testing, recording the fastest time by a female (49.192 seconds/182.957 mph) during Saturday afternoon's draft. The Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 will be live on SPEED beginning at 3 p.m. Central Feb. 6. Patrick's stock-car debut at Daytona was cut to four laps Dec. 18 when rain delayed then wiped out the first session of the test. Patrick's No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet was one of 26 cars that got on track and her best lap was her fourth--51.095 seconds/176.108 mph. Kile was fastest in 49.804/180.708. Justin Lofton, the 2009 ARCA champion, won the pole for last year's event with a lap in 49.418/182.120. For the weekend, Patrick ran no less than 227 laps, or 567.5 miles. On Dec. 20, the 92 laps she registered were considerably more than the next-most number, run by Joey Coulter, a 2009 ARCA rookie who covered 59 laps. Patrick's best lap of the weekend came in the draft in her primary car. According to Tony Eury Sr., Danica took advantage of the wet conditions Dec. 18 to continue the breaking-in process with the crew that began at a two-day test last weekend at Walt Disney World Speedway. JR Motorsports' Nationwide driver Kelly Bires made only a few laps there to set up its two cars before rain began falling, wiping out the rest of the day. In more than four hours of running the second day, Patrick only got out of the car once, Eury said, which impressed him. The team, which had two cars at Daytona solely for Patrick's use, was confident enough in her progress that Bires was left in North Carolina, Eury said. After she left the drivers' meeting, Patrick and Eury Jr. took several laps around the speedway with ARCA official Terry Kibbler, part of the sanctioning body's safety team. "I got more from the ride around the track in the van than I did in the sports car," Patrick said. "Because you don't get any perspective on the whole track, and you get no rhythm for that because you're driving a road course, basically. It was nice for me to ride around in the van and get reference points." ... Milka Duno, with whom Danica has had words in IndyCar, was slated to test for Nationwide owner Todd Braun. No plans have been announced yet for Duno to contest the ARCA season-opener in February. "My goal was to reach open-wheel racing in the United States and the Indy 500," said Duno. "I just completed my third season in IndyCar and this year I decided not to once again pass on an opportunity to get behind the wheel of a stock car." * * * Road America Gets Milwaukee's Nationwide Race--Less than a week after announcing the Milwaukee Mile had been dropped from the 2010 Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series schedules, NASCAR found a way to ensure Wisconsin will continue its 17-year streak of playing host to Nationwide races next year. The sanctioning body announced Dec. 21 the addition of Road America, a 4.048-mile, 14-turn road course near Elkhart Lake, Wis., to the 2010 schedule. Slated for June 19, the Road America race takes the place of the event at the Milwaukee Mile after the state of Wisconsin was unable to find a satisfactory promoter for the race. NASCAR has made no announcement on the future of the truck race. Just in case you're thinking about Danica Patrick, the IZOD IndyCar Series is at Iowa Speedway the weekend of June 20. The Nationwide race will be run the day before the June 20 Sprint Cup road-course race at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., giving drivers who participate in both series a long commute (as was the Milwaukee Mile) and back-to-back races on distinctly different road-course venues. That doesn't bother Wisconsin driver Paul Menard. "It's a really great race track," said Menard, a native of Eau Claire. "It's in a very picturesque setting in the Wisconsin countryside. It has every kind of corner you can imagine. When I was a kid, my dad would take me to Road America. The fans love it there. By the second practice, I'm sure everyone will be up to speed because the drivers are so good in the Nationwide Series. Braking will be the hardest aspect. Strategy will play a big part in this race. I'm really excited about running there." The Nationwide Series hasn't raced at Road America, but NASCAR has. On Aug. 12, 1956, Tim Flock won the Cup Series event there in the only other national series NASCAR race held there. To prepare for June's event, teams will be allowed an extra day of practice on June 17 before official race weekend activities begin the following day. The vision of Road America grew out of the dreams of a man named Clif Tufte. A trained civil engineer, Tufte spent almost a year planning one of the world's finest and most challenging road courses. Tufte's dream became a reality in April 1955 when the track was carved out of 525 acres of Wisconsin farmland. By Sept. 10, 1955, the track's first SCCA national race weekend was held. Millions of dollars in improvements have been made throughout the years. * * * Milwaukee Mile Is Gone for 2010, Maybe Forever--Dave Kallmann, auto racing writer for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, wrote the following column for the RacinToday.com Web site: You can't feel sad for a race track. It has no heart. It's really nothing more than asphalt and concrete and steel, hotdog wrappers, beer stains, tire bits and dust. So that empty feeling, that sorrow, must be for memories of the Milwaukee Mile that will continue to fade. For the echoes of cheers powerful enough to overpower engines, the likes of which may never be heard again. For the oldsters who can say they whooped it up when A.J. went wheel to wheel with Parnelli or they were on hand to see Jim Clark make rear-engine history. And for the youngsters who never had a chance to see the next Foyt, the next Andretti, the next Earnhardt or Wallace or Dixon or Patrick blister the asphalt under a bright summer sun. She is gone, folks. Finished, at least for now. For 106 years, the Mile was a part of an international racing culture, built earlier than Indy and rightly claiming to be the oldest continuously operating speedway in America. Now, after a fruitless search for a person or group to promote races, she'll sit mostly silent next summer. The board of directors for State Fair Park, the grounds on which the track is located, finally admitted defeat Wednesday (Dec. 16). There will be no major racing in 2010. The Indy Racing League pulled out in August, and now NASCAR will follow. There'll be a few car shows perhaps and some Sprint Cup Series testing, no doubt, considering the Mile is no longer a part of any of the three national series. Maybe some regional stock-car series will rent the track and put on a race in front of a few hundred fans. But the Mile has too much history to call that a life. While no one in any sport cares to concede, this has been a long time coming. The board members will continue to be torn up mercilessly by fans and talk-radio screamers. While they share in the blame it's impossible to keep track of every misstep, mistake and incidence of mismanagement. For starters, the place got old, racing changed and the Mile struggled to keep up. A crowd of 20,000 may have been good for a USAC race in the 1960s, but those numbers stopped making money in the 1990s, if not sooner. Even with a redone grandstand and 40,000 seats--which, by the way, were rarely full--how could the Mile and its blue-collar market possibly compete against the 150,000-seat stadiums in Las Vegas and the Dallas and Chicago markets? Had anyone in the 1980s foreseen NASCAR's boom and had the track been a one-owner facility rather than a venue rented by a state-affiliated landlord to a promoter tenant, the Mile might have boomed with it. Instead NASCAR took its premier division to another small oval in an underserved market, Phoenix. The promoters at the time were businessmen brothers Frank and Dominic Giuffre. They didn't get along with park management and ruffled feathers at CART before ultimately being ought out before 1992. Following them in running the Mile were: Indy-car team owner Carl Haas; State Fair Park, itself; Milwaukee Mile Holdings, a group that promised other development; and Claude Napier, who bought a reprieve for 2009 but never had the money to cover his debts. Since June, when Napier's Wisconsin Motorsports laid off its staff and locked up its office, State Fair Park has negotiated with four potential promoter groups, and at least twice a deal seemed imminent. But one group, Historic Mile LLC, couldn't bring together the financial backers it promised it would have, and then the Giuffres walked away abruptly. They say the fair board changed the deal on which both sides had agreed; the fair folks contend the Giuffres misrepresented their group and then simply pulled out. Through all of this, the bottom line remains the same: the bottom line. As a business entity, the Mile hasn't made sense for years. State Fair Park is charged with being self-sustaining, yet it was forced to underwrite as much as $3 million in annual debt recently. None of the potential promoters could see a way to make money. For racing of significance to get another shot at the Milwaukee Mile, someone with deep pockets and more interest in their legacy than their paycheck could come along. NASCAR and the IRL both like the market, and both want to return as long the checks don't bounce. Or the local tourism folks and businesses could rediscover how the track had benefited them, the state could realize what a quality-of-life asset they've lost and an eager promoter could find a way to work with all of them. That's a long shot but probably the best one to exist. As someone who spent parts of 20 summers at the Mile, I'm disappointed with what's come about, of course. There've been days from hell with gales, rainstorms, hailstones, impending deadlines and frustrating exchanges with angry drivers and clueless folks who were supposed to be helping. But I've been privileged to see Rick Mears exit Turn 4 so smoothly, to chat with Dan Gurney and Mario Andretti, to watch Matt Kenseth develop and to follow Paul Newman as he nervously paced pit lane. It's OK to be angry. It's natural to be melancholy. But if you're going to feel sorry, do so for the laborers who couldn't afford to go to the track once their jobs were wiped out by the encroaching Rust Belt, for those who risked life and limb there in the name of entertainment and for the people who won't be able to enjoy the next 106 years at the Mile. And whatever you do, remember. Memories, it seems, are all that's left. ... The operators of the Milwaukee Mile announced Dec. 16 the scheduled 2010 NASCAR Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series races will not be held at the track. The track is operated by the Wisconsin State Fair Park Board, which has not been able to secure a promoter for the 2010 season. The truck race was scheduled for June 18, with the Nationwide race scheduled for June 19 at the historic 1-mile oval, which opened in 1903. NASCAR is looking at replacing those races on the schedule. "We have learned the promoter cannot meet the terms of their agreement," NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said in a statement. "NASCAR was aware of this possibility and we have been working on alternate opportunities on the 2010 schedule for both series and will announce those soon." NASCAR's sanction had been with a group that the fair board had a letter of intent with to promote the races, but that deal fell through in early November. "For the past seven years, the Wisconsin State Fair Park Board has been committed to maintaining and underwriting national racing at the historic Milwaukee Mile race track," the board said in a statement. "Since 2003, the Fair Park has subsidized race operations from $1 million to $3 million each year. This money has come from revenue generated by visitors to the State Fair and other events held at the Park. The Fair Park has invested these substantial amounts in an effort to keep two national race weekends at The Mile. However, even the profitable NASCAR race weekend does not generate sufficient revenue to cover the costs of the other races as well as promoter operating expenses. It saddens us to say there will not be a national race held at the Milwaukee Mile for the 2010 season." The Fair Park Board has spent the last six months in negotiations with four potential promoters and reduced its licensing fee from $1.8 million in 2006 to a proposed $90,000 in 2010. The board stated NASCAR even referred to the board a group that had extensive experience and knowledge of racing, but that group declined to move ahead with the contract because the margin for profitability was too thin. "Any possibility for a profitable operation would be eliminated if the promoter accepted liability for future track improvements," the board stated. "While the Fair Park will continue to fund $1.5 million each year of track debt service, regardless of whether there is a national race, the Fair Park cannot take on the financial responsibility for additional track improvements." The track will remain open for car clubs and driving schools with the hopes of securing NASCAR races in 2011, the board's statement said. The Milwaukee Mile is the second track that was on the Nationwide and truck series schedules that will not conduct races next year. Memphis Motorsports Park closed last month. World of Wheels, NASCAR--Jimmie Johnson being named Male Athlete of the Year by members of the Associated Press did a lot for auto racing. At last the stick-and-ball crowd is conceding race car drivers are athletes, which they have not always done in the past. Johnson, the first driver in NASCAR history to win four consecutive titles, received 42 votes from editors at U.S. newspapers which are members of the AP. Tennis star Roger Federer (30 votes) and Olympic sprinter Usain Bolt (29) were the only other athletes with totals in the double- digits. Although Tiger Woods was named Athlete of the Decade, the golfer received only nine votes for Athlete of the Year. He was tied with NBA star Kobe Bryant and slugger Albert Pujols in fourth place. Woods, who was ranked No. 1 in his sport but failed to win one of golf's majors this season, was never a top contender -- even before the sex scandal that unraveled his personal life following a Nov. 27 traffic accident. For Johnson, the first race car driver to be named the AP's Athlete of the Year in its 78-year history, the award is the validation he's been waiting for since he began his historic run in 2006. "We'd been wondering the last few years, 'When is this going to hit?'" he said. "It seems like the answer is now. The wave is finally peaking, and we don't know where it's going to take us. The fourth straight title takes it out of our sport and makes it a point of discussion -- like, 'Wow, a race car driver won this thing.'" The 34-year-old Californian has had Rockford native Chad Knaus as his crew chief ever since he started Sprint Cup racing. The march into the record books has attracted attention for Johnson far beyond NASCAR's insulated garage. HBO Sports' award-winning "24/7" program has tabbed Johnson for a four-episode series that will chronicle his preparation for the 2010 season-opening Daytona 500. And he received widespread attention earlier this month when he donated $922,000 in educational grants to 26 schools in California, North Carolina and Oklahoma. Now comes the AP honor, which Johnson said reinforces what he's always believed -- that even though he's a race car driver, he's "100 percent" an athlete. Johnson recently signed a five-year deal to drive for Hendrick through 2015, and Knaus has predicted the team can keep up its rate of success over the next several years. ... Jimmie Johnson made more history Dec. 16 when he was named Driver of the Year for the third time in his career. Johnson, who won his fourth-straight Sprint Cup championship in 2009, joins Mario Andretti, Darrell Waltrip and Jeff Gordon as three-time winners of the prestigious DOTY award. Johnson also won in 2006 and 2007. In its 43rd year, the DOTY is the oldest award of its kind. The award is voted upon by a panel of 20 auto-racing writers and broadcasters. Drivers from all major American racing series are eligible. In a secret ballot, voters gave Johnson 13 votes. Kyle Busch received two and Mark Martin received one. Four votes were not tabulated this year. Johnson will receive a trophy and a Tissot watch. Last year's DOTY went to Tony Schumacher, the Top Fuel champion in NHRA. ... Steve Addington will serve as crew chief for Kurt Busch's No. 2 Dodge team in Cup, Penske Racing said. Addington, 45, most recently worked as crew chief for Kurt's younger brother, Kyle, at Joe Gibbs Racing. Kyle and Addington combined for 12 Cup wins the past two seasons. Kurt Busch, with crew chief Pat Tryson, finished fourth in the 2009 standings. Tryson announced before the end of the season plans to move to the Michael Waltrip Racing team of Martin Truex Jr. next season. Kurt Busch won two races and posted 10 top-five finishes and 21 top-10s in 2009, his best season since his 2004 championship year. ... Nationwide champ and full-time Cup driver Kyle Busch said he will field at least two Toyotas in the 2010 Camping World Truck Series under the Kyle Busch Motorsports banner. Busch will drive the No. 18 Miccosukee Resort & Gaming Toyota whenever the truck series runs in companion with Cup. For the non-companion races, the No. 18 will be driven by 24-year-old Brian Ickler. Running the full schedule for KBM will be 20-year-old Tayler Malsam in the No. 56. Busch, who won seven 2009 truck races for owner Billy Ballew, thanked another owner, James Finch, for facilitating the sponsorship from the Miccosukee Tribe of Florida for the No. 18. That sponsor was on Busch's trucks fielded by Ballew for the past two seasons, when the pair won 10 races. Busch said Miccosukee would be on his truck for the full 25-race schedule. Malsam's truck will have sponsorship from Talking Rain for an "undetermined number of races," Busch said, "with other opportunities available on that truck." Former series champion Johnny Benson was at the announcement, but Busch said sponsorship negotiations to put Benson in a third full-time truck couldn't be finalized in time for the conference. General manager Rick Ren, who led Ron Hornaday to two of the past three truck championships at Kevin Harvick Inc., said the team still was working on hiring crew chiefs for the two trucks. "Everyone knows how much I love to race, and the Camping World Truck Series is one of my favorite places to race, so to be a team owner in this series is a perfect match," said Busch, who has won 16 truck races and a combined 62 races in NASCAR's top three divisions. "We started KBM two years ago with the Late Model program and this seemed like the next natural step. I'm also very pleased with our driver lineup, having young and talented guys like Tayler Malsam and Brian Ickler." Busch said "having the right people in place" would prevent him from being distracted from his Cup responsibilities with Joe Gibbs Racing. As key personnel, Busch cited Ren and veteran Emmett Byrd, who was hired from the former Xpress Motorsports to be operations and marketing manager. Busch recently purchased the assets of Xpress Motorsports, a winner in June at Dover and among the top 10 in 2009 points. KBM will operate from the Xpress shop in Mooresville, N.C., until its new shop, also in Mooresville and currently under construction, is completed. Malsam raced his first full season in 2009 and finished 12th in points with 10 top-10 finishes. Ickler made 11 starts in 2009 with two top-fives and three top-10s. ... Life will go on at Billy Ballew Motorsports after Kyle Busch. Busch has driven a part-time schedule for Ballew since 2005 and won 16 races in 62 starts for the team owner. Ballew said he plans to run a full season in 2010 with Aric Almirola, one of several drivers to share time with Busch last season in the No. 51 Toyota. Almirola made 14 of his 16 starts for Ballew in the organization's No. 15 Truck. Ballew expects to name a sponsor for Almirola soon but isn't sure which of the two trucks Almirola will drive. Ballew hopes to name a sponsor and driver for his other team by Jan 1., early enough to participate in a Toyota test at New Smyrna Speedway in Florida Jan. 12-13. Richie Wauters, crew chief on the No. 51, will return to his post, but the team is waiting on sponsorship before filling the vacancy left by No. 15 crew chief Doug George, who is leaving for Kevin Harvick Inc. Ballew said candidates for the second truck include 2005 series champion Ted Musgrave, who didn't compete in 2009 after parting ways with HT Motorsports late in the 2008 season. Ballew also said Steve Wallace, who is expected to run a full season in Nationwide for Rusty Wallace Racing, could also run a part-time truck schedule for the organization. ... Kevin Harvick Inc. announced Dave Fuge and Doug George have joined the organization's truck series program. Fuge will lead the No. 33 Chevrolet driven by four-time series champion Ron Hornaday and George will serve as crew chief of the No. 2 Chevrolet, which will feature several Cup drivers throughout the 2010 season. Fuge joins KHI as a two-time series championship team owner with Xpress Motorsports in 2002 and 2003 with drivers Mike Bliss and Travis Kvapil of Janesville, Wis. George, a former driver who won Touring Division championships in the Featherlite Southwest Tour in 1990 and Winston West Series in 1995, most recently served as crew chief for Kyle Busch and Aric Almirola at Billy Ballew Motorsports, where he won with Busch this season. ... NASCAR.COM staff members picked champion Ron Hornaday (four votes) as Camping World Truck Series driver of the year over Kyle Busch (three votes) and Matt Crafton (one). ... Tony Stewart will drive a car fielded by Australian speedway legend Garry Rush alongside four-time World of Outlaws champion Donny Schatz in a series of events at Tyrepower Parramatta City Raceway in Sydney, Australia, over the holidays. Stewart will take to Tyrepower for the first time Dec. 26 for the Valvoline Australian Sprintcar Grand Prix and a few days later (Dec. 29) will compete in the Hogs Breath Sprintcar International. On Jan. 2-3, Stewart and Schatz will be joined by All-Star Series champion Tim Shaffer and fellow American Jason Johnson, along with Australia's best, including Brooke Tatnell, Max Dumesny, Robbie Farr, Ryan Farrell and Kerry Madsen, to battle for the $50,000-to-win Scott Darley race. Stewart is a two-time Cup champion with 37 wins, including four in 2009 as an owner/driver. He has been a standout on oval tracks for the past 20 years with numerous championships along the way including a trifecta of USAC titles (midget, sprint car and Silver Crown) in 1995. He won the IndyCar championship in 1997. ... Ray Evernham is helping build a Ronald McDonald House in Charlotte, donating $250,000 toward the effort and announcing he was joining the board that oversees it, reported the Charlotte Observer. The Ronald McDonald House provides housing and other necessities of life for families whose children are hospitalized with serious illnesses. Evernham, now an analyst on ESPN-ABC's NASCAR coverage and part owner of a Cup organization, said he became familiar with the Ronald McDonald House in 1992. His son, Raymond John Evernham, was then 1 and had been diagnosed with leukemia. The son is now 19 years old. ... Officials of Rusty Wallace Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing announced the formation of a technical alliance between the two teams, under which JGR will provide RWR with technical support for the development of Nationwide Series Toyota race cars. In the past two Nationwide seasons, RWR has fielded a pair of Chevrolets and in 2009 was the only team with multiple drivers to finish in the top 10 in points. For the 2010 season, the team will campaign factory-backed Toyotas, with engines provided by Triad Racing Development. ... CJM Racing owners Tony and Bryan Mullet announced the team has suspended its Nationwide plans for next season. CJM's No. 11 Toyota made 35 starts in 2009 with five top-five finishes and 12 top-10s. Seven drivers made starts for the team, including a season-high 21 by Scott Lagasse Jr. Other drivers included Trevor Bayne, Kelly Bires, Mike Bliss, Denny Hamlin, Andrew Ranger and Brian Scott. CJM Racing began in 2006 with four starts in Cup. It raced in Nationwide 2007-09 with six top-five finishes and 20 top-10s in 87 starts. ... Richard Childress Racing will run a fourth car in the 2010 Daytona 500, the No. 07 Chevrolet that finished 21st in the 2009 Cup owners' standings with driver Casey Mears. But beyond that, the car's schedule will be determined by sponsorship, the lack of which put Mears on the job market at the end of 2009. Mears will drive the car at Daytona, where it's a guaranteed starter in the lucrative season opener, "unless he gets another full-time ride." If Mears isn't available, another driver would be selected. ... Roush Fenway Racing has promoted Mike Beam to competition director and shuffled its crew chief lineup for the 2010 Nationwide Series. Crew chief Ben Leslie will be paired with rookie Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Eddie Pardue has been tapped to lead Colin Braun during his first season in the series. Mike Kelley will remain with Carl Edwards. ... Truck series driver Rick Crawford is looking for a new sponsor and crew chief for 2010. Crawford said his Circle Bar Racing team recently parted ways with crew chief Kevin Starland and needs a sponsor to replace International Truck and Engine Corp., which won't return. Crawford, 51, all but ruled out a return to the company's flagship No. 14 truck he's raced since his first Truck season of 1997 if he doesn't sign a sponsor before next season. Crawford said Circle Bar's second team with the No. 10 truck driven this past season by rookie James Buescher is up for sale. Buescher announced late last season he was leaving the team for a full-time ride in Nationwide with Phoenix Racing. ... Jay Robinson Racing said the Nationwide team may not return for 2010. Driver Kenny Wallace said last month he would drive for the team for the full schedule, though only eight races had been sold. Team owner Robinson, however, said the team "does not have a deal for 2010 at the time." Wallace has driven for JRR for most of the last two seasons, with U.S. Border Patrol as the sponsor. But Robinson said the Border Patrol may not return for next season, leaving Robinson searching for other sponsors. * * * World of Wheels, IZOD IndyCar Series--IZOD IndyCar Series driver Ryan Briscoe was married to ESPN anchor Nicole Manske (formerly of Roscoe) on Dec. 19 in Maui, Hawaii. The couple kicked off their tropical wedding celebration Dec. 18 by treating their guests to a traditional luau celebration. The following day, the Team Penske driver and Manske said their vows during a cliff-side ceremony under the Hawaiian sunset. Following the ceremony and a beach-side dinner, guests were treated to a club-like "after party" that featured a 12-foot ice martini bar, an ice cream sundae bar and the couple's favorite indulgences--french fries for Manske and salt and vinegar chips for Briscoe. Briscoe, who finished third in the 2009 IndyCar standings after he recorded three wins and four poles for Team Penske, proposed to Manske last year during the holidays when the two were vacationing at the Great Barrier Reef in Briscoe's home country of Australia. The couple chose Hawaii as the location for their wedding because it was roughly the midpoint between their two hometowns of Sydney, Australia (Briscoe) and Roscoe (Manske). The newlyweds will spend their honeymoon in Fiji before visiting Sydney for a few days. The couple will then return to their home in Charlotte, N.C. ... A two-week event schedule for the Indianapolis 500 potentially opens the door to additional entries for 2010 and beyond and an added IndyCar race in May 2011. Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials announced Opening Day will be May 15, with the 33-car field filled during what's sure to be non-stop qualifying May 22-23. The green flag for the race is noon (CDT on ABC) May 30. The streamlined schedule, which includes Miller Lite Carb Day on May 28 (final IndyCar practice, Firestone Freedom 100 race, Pit Stop Challenge, Miller Lite Carb Day concert), still offers three weekends of on-track action for spectators. Daily practice is scheduled for May 15-21 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. (CDT). A two-day Rookie Orientation Program at the outset remains, but those drivers will be joined by veterans on the track. A more cost-effective schedule had been requested by multiple teams, and the 2010 version reflects a reduction in the total number of days in Indianapolis. There is a six-hour loss of track time (12 hours of qualifications but the addition of six hours of practice). The 500 last followed a two-week format in 1998-2000. Format details for four-lap qualifications will be announced early in 2010. Drivers will compete for the PEAK Motor Oil Pole Award (and its $100,000 prize) on May 22. Team Penske's Helio Castroneves started from the pole and went on to become the sixth driver with three victories. Both days of qualifications will be broadcast by VERSUS. The series leads into the 500 with the Road Runner Turbo Indy 300 on May 1 at Kansas Speedway. IRL officials said if the May schedule is similar for 2011 they would entertain adding a race (Phoenix, Milwaukee, New Hampshire ovals?) to bridge the two-week gap and ramp up to the Indy 500. The series kicks off the 2010 season with a street race in São Paulo, Brazil, on March 14 (with Barber Motorsports Park on April 11 being the other new venue on the schedule). The U.S. opener is March 28 on the streets of St. Petersburg, Fla. Kansas is the first oval on the calendar. ... Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials are offering fans who buy race tickets a chance to own pieces of the bricks that were used to pave the 2.5-mile track in 1917. On Dec. 17, 100 years after the final brick was put down, fans who buy four reserved race day tickets to any track event in 2010 will receive a plaque containing a replica of the contract used to purchase the bricks and a casing of original brick pieces from the racing surface. The offer is valid on new purchases only for new or existing IMS ticket customers. All plaques will be shipped at a later date. The track hosts three major events, including the NASCAR Sprint Cup Brickyard 400 on July 25. The other races are the Indianapolis 500 on May 30 and the Red Bull Indianapolis GP on Aug. 29. Tickets can be purchased online at www.imstix.com, by calling (800) 822-INDY outside the Indianapolis area or (317) 492-6700 locally 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday, or by visiting the track's ticket office. ... Officials from Chevrolet and Indianapolis Motor Speedway unveiled the Camaro SS as the Indianapolis 500 Pace Car at the Speedway's Hall of Fame Museum. A Camaro first paced the 500 in 1967 when the Camaro made its debut. Camaro has since paced the race in 1969, 1982, 1993 and 2009. This year's pace car features an Inferno Orange Metallic paint scheme with White Diamond rally stripes that travel from the front to the rear over the top of the body, as well as extending to the interior dash. The design is a modern interpretation of the original rally stripe that debuted on the 1969 Indianapolis 500 Pace Car. This year's pace car is equipped with a stock 400 horsepower V-8, an RS appearance package and leather interior with Inferno Orange interior accents. The safety strobe light system has been built into the rear window (no rooftop light bar). ... Go Daddy Group Inc. CEO Bob Parsons announced the Scottsdale, Ariz.-based domain name registrar would donate $500,000 to UMOM New Day Centers' capital campaign to build a wing onto its existing downtown Phoenix facility that will be named the Danica Patrick GoDaddy.com Domestic Violence Center. UMOM New Day Centers, which has served the community through a variety of programs geared toward the homeless and at-risk families since 1964, provides shelter, counseling and other resources to victims of domestic violence. Patrick, who recently announced a two-year (plus option) deal to remain with Andretti Autosport in IndyCar with primary sponsorship of the No. 7 entry from GoDaddy.com, said she was pleased to support the center's efforts to strengthen and empower women. The company also donated $100,000 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Arizona, enabling the group to fund the dreams of 20 critically ill children. ... Dreyer & Reinbold Racing has named Larry Curry as general manager and competition director and Chase Selman as operations manager. Curry joined the team in July 2008 and brought more than 30 years of experience to Dreyer & Reinbold. Selman, who has been with the organization eight years, will oversee the day-to-day needs of the team as well as handle coordinating shop projects, paint schemes and paperwork. ... The Indy Racing League has launched the "Road To Indy," a defined developmental ladder system incorporating the Cooper Tires Presents the USF2000 National Championship powered by Mazda, the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear and Firestone Indy Lights. Drivers from each of the affiliated series will have the opportunity to progress to the next level through participation in programs put together by each series or the IRL, which will sanction USF2000 National Championship races. All three series will race on ovals, road courses and temporary street circuits and program participants will have the opportunity to showcase their drivers and teams in front of IndyCar teams and owners each year. In 2010, all three series will join IndyCar at race weekends in St. Petersburg, Fla., March 26-28 and Iowa Speedway June 18-20. Additionally, all four series will conduct events Memorial Day weekend in Indianapolis--USF2000 and Star Mazda at O'Reilly Raceway Park at the "Night Before the 500," while Indy Lights (Firestone Freedom 100) and IndyCar (Indianapolis 500) at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Drivers and teams in the affiliated series also will receive access to the promotional efforts of the IRL. ... Charlie Kimball, who finished 10th in the Firestone Indy Lights championship as a rookie in 2009, has signed with AFS Racing/Andretti Autosport for the 2010 season. Kimball, 24, a native of Camarillo, Calif., posted two top-five and eight top-10 finishes in 15 starts. Kimball made one previous start for Andretti Autosport at Zandvoort in 2008 as part of the team's A1GP effort under the Team USA banner. Kimball is the second driver signed by the team for 2010. Englishman Martin Plowman was announced as an AFS Racing/Andretti Autosport driver Oct. 10. Drivers competing for the team have won the past two Indy Lights titles (J.R. Hildebrand in 2009 and Raphael Matos in 2008). ... Michael and Marco Andretti of Andretti Autosport assisted 40 youngsters from the Dayspring Center (an emergency shelter) in filling their holiday wish lists Dec. 14. Following a pizza party, each child was provided a $200 Meijer gift card to purchase items--for themselves or gifts--plus $20 to select a toy to donate to the Toys for Tots program. Andretti Autosport recently received good news as Venom Energy drink, part of the Dr Pepper Snapple Group, extended its contract to be the primary sponsor for Marco's car for four years. ... Bryan Herta Autosport owners Bryan Herta and Steve Newey are moving their Firestone Indy Lights program to a new headquarters for the 2010 racing season. BHA, a technical partner and tenant of Vision Racing in its debut season, will occupy a race shop on the northwest side of Indianapolis that formerly housed Fernandez Racing. * * * World of Wheels, Formula One--F1 great Michael Schumacher reportedly agreed to come out of retirement to drive for Mercedes in 2010. German newspaper Bild said on Dec. 23 the seven-time champion, who retired in 2006, signed a one-year contract at the team's offices in Brackley, England, on Dec. 22. Schumacher will reportedly earn $10 million. Schumacher, who won five championships for Ferrari, has been heavily linked with a move to the former Brawn GP team, which won last year's drivers and constructors titles. Schumacher would join Nico Rosberg to form an all-German lineup after 2009 champion Jenson Button left for McLaren and Rubens Barrichello joined Williams. The 40-year-old Schumacher attempted a temporary comeback in August to replace injured Ferrari driver Felipe Massa but a serious neck injury sustained in a motorcycle accident kept him from driving then. Schumacher, who won his two earliest world titles at Benetton, will also be reunited with team principal Ross Brawn, who was part of each of Schumacher's championships. Schumacher is F1's most successful driver with 91 race wins in a 16-year career. He had been working as an adviser to Ferrari since his retirement, although the Italians said he was free to return. ... Mercedes GP has signed a long-term agreement with Malaysia's national oil company Petronas to become the title sponsor of the F1 team. Financial details or the length of the deal were not disclosed. The new Silver Arrows and Petronas branding will appear on the Mercedes car when it makes its track debut at Valencia on Feb. 1 for the first of the preseason tests. Petronas also sponsors the Malaysian GP, which is schedule for April 4 at the Sepang International Circuit. Mercedes-Benz has returned to F1 racing under its own name for the first time in 55 years by buying Brawn GP. ... The World Motor Sport Council has approved a new points system for the expanded 13-team F1 championship starting next season. Race winners will earn 25 points instead of 10 and the top 10 will receive points instead of eight. The change, which was proposed by the F1 Commission and ratified by FIA, is to accommodate the three extra teams on the grid. Second-place drivers will earn 20 points, then it will go 15, 10, 8, 6, 5, 3, 2 and 1. ... All 13 F1 teams will unveil their 2010 cars in a joint launch in Valencia, Spain, in January, exact date to be announced. But it will take place just before the first testing session of the season at the Cheste Circuit in Valencia. ... Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen will race for Lotus when the Malaysian-backed F1 team returns to the grid next season. Both former Toyota driver Trulli and Kovalainen, 28, who was replaced by F1 champion Jenson Button at McLaren, signed three-year contracts, Lotus boss Tony Fernandes said. Fernandes, an airline mogul who is backing the team, declined to provide financial details. Lotus last raced in 1994 and will join four other new teams for the 2010 season -- USF1, Campos, Sauber and Manor, which will compete as Virgin Racing. Trulli, 35, was left without a drive after Japanese team Toyota's exit from F1 in order to cut costs and focus on its core auto-making business. A former Jordan and Renault driver, Trulli has competed in 216 races since his debut for Minardi in 1997. The Italian's lone victory came at the 2004 Canadian GP. Kovalainen began his F1 career in 2007 with Renault before switching to McLaren in 2008. His only win came at the 2008 Hungarian GP. Fernandes said Malaysia's Fairuz Fauzy will be the team's third driver. ... The private equity arm of Britain's Lloyds Banking Group has bought a stake in the new Manor GP team. Lloyds TSB Development Capital says Manor GP represents an attractive investment opportunity because it is "well-placed to capitalize on the huge commercial opportunities presented by F1." The company did not give the terms of the investment but The Financial Times reported it to be worth about $16.2 million. Manor will compete as Virgin Racing, and will operate with the lowest budget in F1, Virgin chairman Richard Branson said at the official unveiling of the new team and drivers Lucas Di Grassi and Timo Glock. Glock, the former Toyota driver, had already announced he was joining the team, but official confirmation of Di Grassi was made at the London launch. Di Grassi spent two seasons in GP2 and as a test and reserve driver with Renault. Branson, whose Virgin group backed Brawn GP in its triumphant debut season last year, now wants to build a successful team from scratch. Using the slogan "a new team for a new era," Virgin aims to challenge with a budget of $65 million. "Last year with Brawn they started the season as a David and it ended it as a Goliath," Branson said. "So we searched around for another great team, another David team, we have one and we will see how it goes. The new era is seeing the costs of entry come down. This team will be the lowest-budget team in Formula One." ... Nelson Piquet Jr. plans to complete a second NASCAR truck series test next year as he continues to ponder options for his career. The former Renault F1 racer tested for Red Horse Racing in October and attended the NASCAR events at Phoenix in November, holding talks with several teams and series officials, while exploring new opportunities. According to a report in USA Today, Piquet plans to take his NASCAR apprenticeship further with another test for the same squad, this time at the half-mile New Smyrna Speedway in Florida Jan. 13-14. ... Campos team president Jose Ramon Carabante says the Spanish squad is still in talks with Pedro de la Rosa to fill the second seat for its debut season. But Carabante conceded Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado and Russian Vitaly Petrov are the most likely candidates to partner Bruno Senna next year. Carabante, whose team's car for 2010 will be built by Dallara, said Campos is aiming to build its own chassis in the future. He also said the team is in talks with Ferrari over an engine deal for 2011. "Our intention is to have Ferrari engines after a year with Cosworth. It's all progressing well," he said. ... Renault is staying in F1 after agreeing to sell a "large stake" in the team to a private investment firm to keep the cars on the grid in 2010. The French carmaker had been weighing whether to pull out of F1 following a crash scandal that led to the departure of former team principal Flavio Briatore. After the proposed sale to Luxembourg-based Genii Capital, Renault said in a statement the two companies would operate the team together. The team will still race under the Renault name, using Renault engines. Neither Renault nor Genii elaborated on the size of the stake to be sold, though reports said it could be as high as 80 percent. Gerard Lopez, the businessman behind Genii Capital, said restrictions on spending in F1 had made it a more attractive investment for new owners. Genii said it intended to run the team on a restricted-budget model, similar to that of Virgin Racing. Renault's reputation was damaged by the crash scandal, which caused it to lose sponsorship deals with insurance companies Mutua Madrilena and ING. There had been speculation Renault would follow Honda, BMW and Toyota out of F1 because of the economic downturn. Robert Kubica of Poland, previously at BMW, is expected to race for Renault in 2010. But because of the uncertainties surrounding its future, the team was forced to put on hold its search for a second driver. Renault said it will continue as engine supplier for Red Bull next season. * * * World of Wheels, Rockford Area--Quarter-mile, high-banked Rockford Speedway will launch its 63rd consecutive season of racing on Saturday afternoon, April 10, with a 200-lap enduro. The 33rd annual Spring Classic is set April 18 and the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series season opener will be Saturday night, April 24. Open practice sessions are slated April 3, 17 and 22. A driver orientation meeting will be March 5 at Forest Hills Lodge. Highlights of the 2010 schedule, which will be released in February: April 10, 200-lap Enduro; April 18, 33rd annual Spring Classic; April 24, 63rd season opener; June 5, World Famous Trailer Race of Destruction; June 16, Wild Wednesday racing begins; July 3-4, 10,000 Watt Fireworks Extravaganza; July 10, Mid-Summer's Night Scream; July 24, ASA Late Model Series North All-Star 100; Aug. 7, World Famous Figure 8 Trailer Race of Destruction; Sept. 11, NASCAR Whelen Championship Night; Sept. 18, Night of Thrills; Oct. 1-3, 45th annual National Short Track Championships; Oct. 16-17, 19th annual Bahama Bracket Nationals; Oct. 24, Goblin 250 Enduro and Demo Derby. For additional information including ticket packages, contact the speedway box office at (815) 633-1500 or visit www.rockfordspeedway.com. ... The BRP Big 8 Series presented by Gandrud Chevrolet Late Models and Mid-American Stock Car Series will open their 2010 seasons April 18 during the 33rd annual Spring Classic at Rockford Speedway. The Big 8 Late Models will utilize a progressive format for the first time in series history, culminating in a 58-lap main event, while the Mid-Am stocks will contest a 50-lap feature as well as preliminary events. * * * World of Wheels, Odds & Ends--Ford's racing operation in the United States has a new boss. Jamie Allison, a 22-year Ford veteran with experience in engineering, product planning and marketing, has been named director, Ford North America Motorsports, effective Jan. 1. Allison, who most recently has been Ford Performance Group Manager, will replace current director Brian Wolfe, who has been named to a new position in global product development. Allison, who has been part of the Ford Racing management team for just over six years, joined Ford Motor Company in 1987 after graduating from the University of Michigan-Dearborn with an electrical engineering degree. He later returned to earn a MBA in marketing from the same university. Under Allison's leadership, the Ford Racing Performance Parts business was transformed by offering ready-to-race vehicles for production-based racing, Performance Packs and new vehicle modifications for enthusiasts. The team also partnered with Shelby Autos on the launch of new Shelby performance vehicles, and created the Ford Performance Group as an outreach to Ford Clubs--all of which reinvigorated Ford's support of performance enthusiasts. ... American Le Mans Series champion team Highcroft has signed Simon Pagenaud, who formerly drove for its rival De Ferran Motorsports. Pagenaud will join Highcroft's lead driver David Brabham in the team's LMP Acura next season. He replaces Scott Sharp, who will concentrate on his new GT Ferrari team in 2010. Pagenaud, 25-year-old Frenchman, won the 2006 Atlantic title, ran in Champ Car with Walker Racing's Team Australia and also was part of Peugeot's LMP1 program this year. Highcroft recently announced it would become Honda Performance Development's lead squad in the ALMS next season, using a version of the LMP2 Acura modified to suit the championship's new combined prototype class. De Ferran's team has yet to announce its 2010 plans. It had originally hoped to continue in ALMS and add an IndyCar program. ... American Le Mans Series GT2 champion squad Flying Lizard Motorsport has announced it will continue with a two-car Porsche team for 2010 and will retain title-winning drivers Jorg Bergmeister and Patrick Long. Darren Law will become team boss Seth Neiman's full-time teammate in the second car alongside the Porsche factory duo of Long and Bergmeister. Flying Lizard has beaten Risi Ferrari for the GT2 title the past two years, but expects to face even tougher competition in the new combined GT class in 2010 as the BMW and Corvette new programs gather strength. ... Mail Terminal Services shipped more than 130,000 cards to troops overseas through its "Mail From Home" program during the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, announced Rodger Comstock, president and CEO of MTS. This number exceeded the goal set this year of 125,000 cards. In all, since MTS launched the program in 2006, more than 330,000 special cards have been distributed to military personnel in countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan as part of the company's support of Jack Beckman, who races the Valvoline/Mail Terminal Services Dodge Funny Car for Don Schumacher Racing. ... ORECA will run a 2010-spec customer Peugeot 908 in the Le Mans 24 Hours and the Le Mans Series next season. The French manufacturer has selected Hugues de Chaunac's team, which already runs a pair of Courage-ORECAs in the LMS and at Le Mans, for its second customer outing--following the Pescarolo team's entry of a single 908 at Le Mans this year. ... American Speed Association announced a new racing series that will take place at the Phakisa Freeway Circuit in Welkom, Free State, South Africa. The National African SuperSeries (NAS) will feature five races, including the annual Free State 500k event. Two of the events will take place during the spring season and the fall season in South Africa. These events will be short sprints culminating with the second annual Free State 500k event in 2011. "The interest for stock car racing in South Africa has been incredible," said Dennis Huth, ASA President. "We already have many parties interested in buying the cars that are on their way over to Phakisa for the Jan. 31 event. We have more cars we can send over as the interest continues to grow." A schedule will be announced at a future date. More at www.ASA-Racing.com. Cases of CWD Still Being Found in Illinois, Wisconsin--Nine more cases of chronic wasting disease have been found in Rockford-area deer, raising the total to 266 since 2002, according to the Illinois DNR Web site. As of Dec. 2, new CWD positive tests had been found in fiscal year 2010 (July 1, 2009-June 30, 2010) in these counties: Boone 4, DeKalb 2, McHenry 1 and Winnebago 2. Testing continues. Total CWD cases by county since 2002: Boone 99, DeKalb 30, LaSalle 1, McHenry 21, Ogle 3, Stephenson 1, Winnebago 111, total 266. 2009 CWD cases by county: Boone 9, DeKalb 4, McHenry 4, Ogle 1, Winnebago 12, total 30. Total CWD cases by fiscal year: 2003-14, 2004-51, 2005-31, 2006-51, 2007-42, 2008-38, 2009-30, 2010-9, total 266. ... The Wisconsin CWD total of positives was 1,210, as of Dec. 12, with 155,633 samples analyzed since 2002. All the positives are in the CWD management zone, basically southern Wisconsin. Thirty-eight new cases have been found so far in 2009, out of 3,644 samples analyzed: Dane County 4, Iowa 22, Lafayette 1, Richland 1, Rock 6 and Sauk 4. Total CWD cases by county since 2002: Columbia 11, Dane 328, Grant 2, Green 2, Iowa 683, Jefferson 2, Kenosha 1, Lafayette 11, Richland 4, Rock 76, Sauk 36 and Walworth 54. The Wisconsin counties of Grant, Lafayette, Green, Rock, Walworth and Kenosha border Illinois and the Illinois counties of Jo Daviess, Stephenson, Winnebago, Boone, McHenry and Lake. ... Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a fatal nervous system disease known to naturally infect white-tailed deer, mule deer, moose and elk. It belongs to the family of diseases known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE) or prion diseases. Though it shares features with other prion diseases, like mad cow disease in cattle and scrapie in sheep, it is a distinct disease known to only affect members of the deer family. CWD has been discovered in wild deer, elk, or moose in 11 states and two Canadian provinces. It is characterized by loss of body condition, behavioral abnormalities and death. Research suggests humans, cattle and other domestic livestock are resistant to natural transmission. While the possibility of human infection remains a concern, it is important to note there have been no verified cases of humans contracting CWD. The disease was long thought to be limited in the wild to a relatively small endemic area in northeastern Colorado, southeastern Wyoming and southwestern Nebraska, but has recently been found in several new areas across the North American continent. The disease also has been diagnosed in commercial game farms in several states and provinces. More about CWD at http://www.cwd-info.org or the Web sites of the Illinois and Wisconsin DNR. * * * $13 Million Earmarked To Fight Carp Before They Reach Lake Michigan--Federal officials said Dec. 14 they would use $13 million in Great Lakes restoration funds to step up the fight against invasive Asian carp, reported the Associated Press. Lisa Jackson, head of the Environmental Protection Agency, said the money will be used for engineering projects to prevent the carp from slipping into Lake Michigan near Chicago. They include closing conduits and shoring up low-lying lands between the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal -- which leads to the lake -- and other waterways. The ravenous carp have been migrating northward in the Mississippi and Illinois rivers for decades. Scientists say if they get into the Great Lakes, they could gobble up plankton, interrupt the food chain and devastate the $7 billion fishery. Federal and state officials poisoned a six-mile section of the canal this month to prevent the carp from getting closer to Lake Michigan while an electrical barrier was taken down for maintenance. They have promised to consider other measures. Michigan officials are preparing a lawsuit demanding at least temporary closure of shipping locks on the canal, part of a roughly 300-mile waterway linking the lake with the Mississippi. That's opposed by tug and barge companies that haul millions of tons of iron ore, coal and other cargo on the waterway. While debate on a long-term plan continues, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will use some of the newly-designated funds to block potential bypasses between the sanitary and ship canal and two nearby waterways believed already to have Asian carp--the Des Plaines River and the I&M Canal. Scientists fear the carp might be washed from those waterways into the sanitary and ship canal above the electrical barrier during flooding caused by heavy rains. The rest of the money will provide DNA testing in hopes of determining how far the carp have advanced, Corps spokeswoman Lynne Whelan said. Congress this fall appropriated $475 million to kick off a comprehensive restoration of the Great Lakes, including cleanup of contaminated harbors, wildlife habitat improvements and crackdowns on runoff pollution and species invasions. The $13 million to battle the Asian carp will be drawn from that fund, which President Barack Obama requested. The fund has "given us what we need to significantly and immediately reduce the risk of Asian carp reaching the Great Lakes and destroying such a valuable ecosystem," Jackson said. Officials with federal agencies involved in the carp battle met with members of Congress who pushed for spending up to $30 million over the next year. "I want to be clear that our work on this is not done and we'll continue to aggressively work to protect the Great Lakes from this dangerous creature," said Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich. "Allowing the Asian carp into the Great Lakes is simply unacceptable." Henry Henderson, Midwest director for the Natural Resources Defense Council, said the planned spending was worthwhile but a stop-gap measure. Environmental groups want to sever the link between the Great Lakes and Mississippi systems created by engineers more than a century ago. "We need a permanent solution, not a series of ad hoc barriers," Henderson said. * * * Some Folks Still Remember, Find This Web Site-- Ken Grabbert of Loves Park does really nice-looking fish sculptures and reproductions through his business, Ken's Fish Studio, 908 Short St., Loves Park. The phone number is (815) 633-9434. Samples of his work can be seen on his Web site, www.fishsculpture.net. Ken recently sent me an e-mail: "Long time no hear ... I just happened to come across your site and thought I'd drop you a line. I've got to admit I've kind of missed your unbiased articles. How are you doing? Just fine I hope. I have been deeply involved up to my gills in fish. Yes, still doing some fish taxidermy but more so into fish reproductions and my 'one-of-a-kind' fish sculptures. Hope to hear from you soon and take care." Grabbert added, " I'm still at Rockford Products, for 35 years with a few left before retirement. My passion is fishing and recreating fish in various mediums. Will be doing that well beyond retirement. Things you love to do isn't really work now, is it? But it keeps us going." Some Folks Still Remember, Find This Web Site, Part II--Paul Rust of Rice Lake, Wis.,
sent an e-mail recently: "I have several of Charlie's Micromatics including some he has gone through for me. I came up with your site looking for Charlie and thought you may know if he is still doing any repair. Just purchased a 1900 in need of repair." Rust was talking about Charlie Booker, who repairs fishing reels and is owner of the Cycloid brand of fishing reels, including the Micromatic. I hadn't talked with Charlie in a while, so I gave him a call at (815) 398-1074. He used to be located on Broadway in Rockford, but now works out of a building behind his home. The building's address is 3437 Southworth Court, which is off of Sandy Hollow near the 11th Street intersection (right off the U.S. 20 Bypass on Rockford's south side). Now 76, Charlie says he's "still fixin' 'em" after suffering a "mini" stroke a few years ago. Of course, he added, Cycloids don't take a lot of fixing. I wrote several stories on Cycloid and Charlie back in the day. The reels were ahead of their time. They were built with brass gears (not plastic or some pop metal) and as direct drive they are exceptional for back-reeling, probably a lost art in fighting fish. I have acquired several over the years, but Charlie said he knows of one Rockford man who at last count had 54. Lang's Sporting Collectibles, Inc., on its Web site oldfishingstuff.com, in March 2008 talked about a Cycloid that sold on eBay: "A Cycloid Micromatic casting reel with maroon sideplates and NIB sold for $256." That indicates they went up in value because in January 2004, that same Web site said: "A fairly common Cycloid Micromatic, as new, but in box received 24 bids before selling for $210.50." In fact, there is one for sale right now on eBay until Dec. 19. The plate on this one says "Cycloid Corporation, Belvidere, Illinois." I could go into my basement and rummage through dusty file boxes (which would set off my allergies) for clippings on the background of Cycloid, but as I remember the company was started in Belvidere, moved to Chicago and then purchased by Charlie, who moved it to Rockford. It remains Rockford's only still-active fishing reel company, and at one time a lot of fishing equipment was made in Rockford. * * * Great Outdoors, Rockford Area--Rockford Hawg Hunters BASS Chapter will kick off the club's 2010 fishing year with a meeting Jan. 11 at 7 p.m. at the Gander Mountain store, Perryville Road, Rockford. Those interested in finding out about bass fishing or joining a bass fishing club are invited to attend. Topics will include the 2010 tournament schedule as well as preparation for the 23nd annual Rock River Open Team Bass Tournament. More information from Mark at (815) 765-2056 or Jeff at (815) 742-5532 or go online to www.basshawg.com. ... A wild game dinner is scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 31, at the Knights of Columbus #4400, 1813 E. Cass St. in Joliet. Event is from 1-6 p.m. and open to the public. Tickets are $10 per person and a full cash bar is available. For advance tickets, call Shane at (815) 726-8696 or e-mail kc4400@yahoo.com. ... Free Spirit Siberian Rescue will host a day-long free sled dog event on Jan. 10 at Starved Rock Lodge, Highways 178 & 71, Utica. Educational seminars will be held in the LaSalle Room, where guests can learn about the characteristics of Siberian huskies and their relatives. Sled dog demos will take place in front of the lodge throughout the day. Seminars will be at 11 a.m. and 1 and 3 p.m. Outdoor sled dog demos will be at noon, 2 and 4 p.m. More information from Kathy Casstevens, Director of Marketing, Starved Rock Lodge, (815) 220-7363, www.starvedrocklodge.com or e-mail: kcasstevens@starvedrocklodge.com. ... Bloomington Normal Bass Club is inviting all Faithful Fishermen to its Jan. 6 meeting at 7 p.m. in the Times Past Inn for Chili Night. More information from Terry Brown at (309) 452-0313. Great Outdoors, Around Illinois--Denny Sands of Shabbona is one of four individuals with decades of dedicated commitment to promoting outdoor recreation and stewardship selected for induction into the Illinois Outdoor Hall of Fame, a program of the Illinois Conservation Foundation. Also selected were Alfred Hayden, Dahinda; John "Jack" Jadel, Wilmette; and Mary Jo Trimble, Carterville, from among dozens of nominees submitted by citizens from throughout Illinois. They will be inducted during ceremonies at the annual Illinois Outdoor Hall of Fame Banquet on Saturday, March 13, at the Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles. Sands' love of fishing has helped tens of thousands of other anglers enjoy enhanced fishing opportunities in Illinois for three decades. Sands was the founding president of the Shabbona Lake Sportsman Club, which has conducted projects and provided support to enhance the fishery and recreation opportunities at Shabbona Lake State Recreation Area in DeKalb County since 1982. Sands has conducted fishing seminars, raised funds for fish stocking efforts and promoted Shabbona Lake as the Muskie Capitol of Illinois. Sands developed a detailed map of the lake to promote Shabbona as a fishing destination, and he and his daughter host a Web site promoting fishing and recreation opportunities. Since his retirement from the DeKalb County Sheriff's Department, Sands has operated Lakeside Bait, Tackle & Boat Rental at Shabbona Lake. For more information on the Illinois Outdoor Hall of Fame Banquet, contact the Illinois Conservation Foundation, One Natural Resources Way, Springfield, IL 62702-1271, phone (217) 785-2003, or check the ICF Web site at www.ilcf.org. ... Hunters in the 2009 Illinois muzzleloader hunt harvested a preliminary total of 4,697 deer Dec. 11-13, compared to 4,310 taken during the 2008 muzzleloader season, and is the third-highest total on record, behind 2006 (5,973) and 2005 (4,879). Top county harvest totals for 2009 were in Pike 221, Fulton 124, Jo Daviess 114, Hancock 109 and Jefferson 103. Both firearm and archery hunting opportunities are still available prior to the end of the 2009-10 deer hunting seasons Jan. 17. The expanded seven-day split late-winter firearm antlerless-only deer hunt and special CWD season are Dec. 31-Jan. 3 and Jan. 15-17 in select counties. The statewide archery deer season continues through Jan. 17. Permits are available over the counter through DNR Direct license and permit agents for each. More at www.dnr.state.il.us/admin/deer.htm. Totals in Rockford-area counties with 2008 listed first and 2009 second: Boone 10-7, Carroll 51-56, DeKalb 8-17,
Grundy 18-23, Jo Daviess 112-114, Kane 5-3, Kankakee 12-14, Kendall 10-14, LaSalle 55-71,
Lee 21-47, McHenry 20-18, Ogle 46-58, Stephenson 44-37, Whiteside 34-50, Will 22-26,
Winnebago 29-23 and totals 4,310-4,697. ... The new Tri-County Chapter of Quail Forever (QF) plans to focus its efforts on improving quail habitat in Montgomery, Shelby and Christian counties. It's the 15th QF chapter started in Illinois. More from Brad Storm at (217) 343-2136 or e-mail bkstorm@pwr-net.coop. To learn more about joining or starting a Quail Forever chapter in Illinois, contact Tim Caughran at (618) 467-2586 or e-mail tcaughran@quailforever.org. * * * Great Outdoors, Around Wisconsin--State conservation officials should re-evaluate their deer population formulas and stop encouraging hunters to kill antlerless deer, hunters and lawmakers said during a Madison hearing Dec. 17, reported the Associated Press. The hunters and lawmakers pounded away at the DNR for hours, blaming the agency's herd control measures for a weak November gun hunt. The agency's overzealous strategies have led to so many dead deer they have put Wisconsin's $1 billion-a-year deer hunting heritage is in jeopardy, they said. "We run the risk of ruining this state's great deer hunting tradition for our sons and daughters," said Tom Kleiman, a Kewaunee hunter and member of Northeastern Wisconsin Concerned Deer Hunters. DNR Secretary Matt Frank told lawmakers the agency knows hunters are frustrated. The agency suspended its contentious earn-a-buck strategies going into the 2009 hunts and has proposed raising the population goals in more than a dozen hunting zones in 2010. "I know there is frustration out there," he said. Deer hunters have seethed about the DNR's regulations for decades. But that anger exploded in November after hunters killed only about 195,000 deer, down 29 percent from 2008. They insist the DNR has inflated herd estimates for years. The agency based its herd control strategies on those estimates, including earn-a-buck regulations, which require a hunter kill an anterless deer before taking a buck, more antlerless tags and extra seasons wrapped around the traditional November hunt. The moves have devastated the herd and left hunters empty-handed, they say. Legislators heading into an election year have tapped into the uproar. Senate Majority Leader Russ Decker, D-Weston, called earlier this month for every DNR employee involved with deer management to be fired, a move Frank rejected. The state Assembly and Senate natural resources committee set up the hearing to listen to the DNR's explanations. Hunters, many dressed in camouflage and blaze orange, jammed the room. Lawmakers took turns telling Frank how hundreds of their constituents are fed up with the agency. Sen. Neal Kedzie, R-Elkhorn, said he has compiled 385 pages of complaints. Rep. Amy Sue Vruwink, D-Milladore, said constituents asked her if they could get their license fees back because they didn't see any deer this fall. One hunter after another insisted the DNR's deer population figures are flawed. The herd hasn't been large enough to support reduction strategies for almost a decade, they said. "Do they actually go outdoors? Do they look?" Jeff Mitchell, a hunter from Brodhead, said outside the hearing. "You have to quit shooting so many does." Ron Kulas, legislative liaison for the Wisconsin Bowhunters Association, told the DNR to bring in third party experts to review their population formula. The agency also needs to study how predators such as wolves and bears have affected deer statewide, he said. "It has everything to do with math, statistics, counting," Kulas said. Rep. Scott Gunderson, R-Waterford, questioned why DNR's biologists didn't realize the reduction strategies were working years ago, especially since hunters started telling the agency they weren't seeing deer in the woods. He said it would make sense to scale back to only the 9-day traditional season for five years. Frank acknowledged the herd has shrunk in some areas, due in part to recent harsh winters and agency herd control strategies. The deer harvest across the upper Midwest is down this year, he added, noting Minnesota saw a 12 percent decline and Michigan a 10 percent to 20 percent drop, he said. He noted the agency dropped earn-a-buck requirements across much of the state going into the 2009 hunts, reduced antlerless tags, tabled a plan to extend the 9-day hunt to 16 days next year and has proposed higher population goals in 13 management zones next year. The agency also is working to improve population calculations and hopes to research predator impacts and deer deforestation, Frank said. "I think we are listening," he said. "Look at our actions." ... Whitetails Unlimited, Wisconsin's largest organization of deer hunters, is urging the Wisconsin legislature to override Gov. Jim Doyle's veto of Assembly Bill 138, which would make the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board responsible for appointing the DNR secretary. Doyle's veto retains the practice of making the DNR secretary a political appointment. "We are urging all sportsmen and women in Wisconsin to contact their state senators and representatives and let them know they want the DNR secretary to be appointed by the NRB board, and to remove this important appointment from the political arena," said WTU President Jeff Schinkten. "Gov. Doyle's stated position for 14 years, long before he became governor, was the DNR secretary should be selected by the Natural Resources Board, and we're disappointed that when he had the chance to make this happen he inexplicably does an about-face. The more we can remove the DNR from politics, the better off the state will be. The management of natural resources needs long-term vision. The problem is that politics has a very short-term attention span," said Schinkten. "Whitetails Unlimited does not have a history of becoming involved in specific legislative proposals, but this is a different matter. For 67 years the Wisconsin DNR secretary was selected by the Natural Resources Board, and this bill returns to that system. This is a structural change that makes the DNR secretary more accountable to the citizens of Wisconsin, rather that a political appointment loyal to whomever the current governor happens to be," said Schinkten. Wisconsin residents can find contact information for their representatives on the Legislature's Web page, www.legis.state.wi.us. ... A son of former Roman Catholic priest James Groppi, Milwaukee civil rights activist in the 1960s and 1970s, is completing field training as a Wisconsin DNR warden, according to a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel story. Matt Groppi, 26, served tours in Iraq and Afghanistan with a Sheboygan-based Army Reserve military police company. The newspaper said "... it's one more stop on a journey for Groppi that started with a love of nature and the outdoors and grew into a desire to serve and protect." Groppi, whose father died when he was 2, began fishing in Lake Michigan when he was a boy. As he grew older, he thought the perfect job would be working to protect wildlife and habitat. He figured the best way to become a warden was to follow the path many wardens take and earn a degree in conservation at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Growing up in Milwaukee with a famous name, Groppi was often asked about his father and mother, Peggy Rozga, who was also very active in civil rights and now is an English professor at UW-Waukesha. As a staff sergeant, Groppi's daily duties kept him busy on Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan. But in his spare time he worked to promote conservation in Afghanistan, a country where terrorist bombings, poverty and lack of infrastructure have pushed natural resources low on the priority list. Using the Wisconsin DNR's strategic plan to maintain wildlife populations and habitats, Groppi created a PowerPoint presentation he gave to a group working to promote and develop Afghanistan's new national park--the country's first--in Bamiyan Province. According to Wikipedia, James Groppi left the priesthood in 1976 and had three children with Dr. Margaret Rozga. Groppi, born in the Bay View neighborhood on Milwaukee's south side, was ordained to the Roman Catholic priesthood in June 1959. He later studied for the Episcopal priesthood, but abandoned that. In late 1979, Groppi became a bus driver for the Milwaukee County Transit System--a job he had held in the 1950s to help put himself through seminary--and remained in that capacity until his death in 1985. * * * Great Outdoors, Across the Nation--A male mountain lion was shot Dec. 14 near Marengo, Iowa, by a deer hunter participating in Iowa's second shotgun season, said the Iowa DNR. Raymond Goebel Jr. of Cedar Rapids was hunting with a group four miles southwest of Marengo, which is west of Iowa City. The group had decided to sit around 3:30 p.m., and watch for deer on the move. Goebel looked over his left shoulder and something caught his eye about 15 yards up in a tree. He looked through the scope on his gun and couldn't believe what he was seeing. About 30 minutes passed when another hunter in the group a short distance away stood up. Goebel waved him over and pointed to the figure in the tree. After discussions about the legality of shooting it and gaining approval from the landowner, Goebel shot the cat. Brad Baker, state conservation officer with the Iowa DNR, said the mountain lion weighed about 125 pounds, and although originally thought to be a female, biologists later confirmed it was a male. This is the first confirmed sighting in Iowa in more than five years, and the fourth mountain lion killed in Iowa. Mountain lions have no protection in Iowa and while the Iowa DNR does not encourage people killing a lion they come across, it is not against the law. Goebel said he plans to have a full body mount of the mountain lion. The DNR will receive the stomach contents, and tissue and blood samples for DNA analysis. ... The cougar making the rounds of the northern suburbs of Minneapolis-St. Paul the past couple of weeks apparently headed east to Stillwater, said pioneerpress.com. The cougar was last spotted crossing Washington County 5, north of Minnesota 36, around 10 p.m. Dec. 11, said Dan Stark, wolf specialist for the Minnesota DNR. The cougar was headed east, he said. Officials believe the cougar spotted in Stillwater is the same animal that had previously been spotted in Champlin and Vadnais Heights. "I think it's unlikely that there is more than one cougar roaming around the Twin Cities," Stark said. "Based on the track size, they seem pretty consistent." The prints were "very large" and measured more than 5 inches across, according to police reports. A DNR conservation officer who documented the tracks reported they were 3 1/2 to 4 inches across, Stark said. Some of the tracks showed gaps of about seven to eight feet, where it appeared the animal had been running; other tracks were three feet apart, where it appeared the animal had been walking, police said. ... Missouri Department of Conservation officers have made 2,000 arrests statewide for illegal deer poaching this season, saying the number is typical. But St. Louis-area agent Chris Morrow says there's been an increase in the number of cases of spotlighting--when poachers shoot deer after shining bright lights at them. Poachers also are engaging in the illegal activity of shooting deer from the road. He said agents have found deer left dead with their heads or antlers removed. Poachers face up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine. Repeat offenders face suspension of hunting and fishing privileges. ... Making its debut six months ago, a free online carp-fishing contest is available at www.BigFourCarp.com. TOKS Big Four International says more than 30 sponsors are involved, raising the annual prize total to nearly $50,000. There's no entry fee nor monthly subscription fee, said the organizers, and anglers fish their own waters. ... Scott Sandusky of Arnold, Mo., caught a Missouri state record brown trout out of Lilleys' Landing on Lake Taneycomo, Brnaons, Mo. At 37 inches long and 24.75 inches in girth, the lunker weighed 28.8 pounds, roughly a pound heavier than the previous record. Missouri Department of Conservation officials at the Shepherd of the Hills Hatchery certified the fish, caught just below Cooper Creek. More at http://lilleyslanding.com or www.ozarkanglers.com. ... The Iowa Department of Natural Resources will begin using a new electronic system to issue 2010 hunting and fishing licenses that will make it faster and easier for hunters and anglers to get the privileges they want. The new system begins testing at select vendors across the state in early 2010. The current electronic licensing system, which began in late 2000, is at the end of its technological life. The tag printers have aged to the point where most replacement parts are unavailable when equipment breaks down. The DNR has been working on the new license system for about two years with contractors converting the old mainframe into a new Web-based system that is more customer-friendly. The new system will allow customers and retailers to see current license availability and have quota numbers available in real time, rather than requiring a retailer to complete a transaction before knowing if a license was available to purchase or the quota had been filled. With the start of the new system comes a new administrative fee structure. The cost to build and operate the new system has increased since the first electronic license system was installed in 2000. The DNR has a contract with Active Outdoors to build and maintain the system that is paid for by the sale of each privilege. The cost to customers will increase by $1.50 per privilege and will begin on Dec. 15 for 2010 privileges. ... Students at Iowa's Oskaloosa High School have formed the first high school chapter of Pheasants Forever. The ground-breaking chapter, known as the Oskaloosa Pioneering Ringnecks, will help future land stewards gain valuable conservation experience through planning, fund-raising and hands-on wildlife habitat project work. The chapter will operate like any PF chapter, retaining 100 percent decision-making control over its locally-raised funds. Mike Goudy is the faculty advisor, reachable at goudym@oskaloosa.k12.ia.us or contact John Linquist at jlinquist@pheasantsforever.org. ... Mossy Oak pro staff member Shelby Free won the 2009 Women's World Championship at the World Duck Calling Contest in Stuttgart, Ark., Nov. 27-28. Free, a 17-year-old high school senior from Stuttgart, has been competing in duck calling contests for eight years. She won her first Women's World Championship in 2006, second in 2008 and now in 2009. Due to contest rules, she will be retiring from this competition at the ripe old age of 17. In addition to competing in duck-calling contests, Free also enjoys duck hunting with her dad, cheerleading, competition dance, softball, water skiing and being active in her church youth group. ... In a historic show of solidarity, recreational and commercial fishermen will gather together on the steps of the Capitol on Feb. 24 from noon until 3 p.m. in an organized demonstration against the negative impacts of the Magnuson Stevens Conservation and Management Act (MSA), the federal fisheries law which was revised in January of 2007. Coordinating the march under the flag of United We Fish, rally organizers are hoping to see a large show of force in defense of coastal communities. For more information, call 888-JOIN-RFA or visit www.joinrfa.org. ... Anglers Insight Marketing LLC (AIM) announced dates for its 2010 Pro Walleye Series tournaments: May 20-23, Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron and Saginaw River, Bay City, Mich.; July 1-4, Green Bay and Lake Michigan, Green Bay, Wis.; and Aug. 12-14, Lake Oahe and Missouri River, Akaska, S. D. More at www.aimfishing.com or Anglers Insight Marketing, P.O. Box 110, Plymouth, WI 53073, phone (920) 526-3399. ... Members of Boat Owners Association of the United States (BoatU.S.), in a multiple-choice opinion poll asking for their Christmas gift wishes, had a new global positioning system (GPS) as the No. 1 choice with 22% of all votes, while a new boat and foul weather gear came in second and third, respectively. More at www.BoatUS.com. ... The newspaper outdoors writing fraternity lost two more scribes when long-time journalist Pete Thomas of the Los Angeles Times was let go as part of another round of layoffs and Angus Phillips' final column was published in the Washington Post, said Alan Clemons of the Fishing Wire. "Best wishes to both, and a prayerful request to the two newspapers' managers to replace them with experienced, knowledgeable voices to reach the audiences left lacking by their voids." ... In the Web world, the new GoFISHn.com flipped its switch as the latest social networking site for anglers. The site says it is "where anglers connect to swap fishing stories and pictures, share angling tips and find fishing guides and services." ... A steadily improving United States Biathlon Team posted historic silver and bronze medal winning performances at a World Cup competition in Ostersund, Sweden, as the team gains world attention leading up to the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia. Tim Burke of Paul Smiths, N.Y., made history twice. His silver performance in the 20km individual competition tied the best World Cup finish ever for a U.S. Biathlete and Tim followed that by capturing the bronze in men's 10km sprint. Burke's bronze marked the first time a U.S. Biathlete has ever reached the podium in the sprint competition--and the first time Americans have won silver and bronze in the same competition. The U.S. Biathlon Team has been called the most improved in the world by Olympic and Biathlon experts. Michael Dixon, Eurosport TV biathlon commentator, recently proclaimed, "The United States Biathlon Team is the most improved in the world. It won't be long before a moment of brilliance brings them to the podium for their first Olympic medal." ... The Eddie Eagle GunSafe Program, NRA's groundbreaking gun accident prevention course for children, has surpassed yet another milestone by reaching its 23rd millionth child. Created in 1988 by past NRA President Marion P. Hammer, in consultation with law enforcement officers, elementary school teachers and child psychologists, the program provides pre-K through the third grade children with simple, effective rules to follow should they encounter a firearm in an unsupervised setting: "If you see a gun: STOP! Don't Touch. Leave the Area. Tell an Adult." More than 26,000 educators, law enforcement agencies and civic organizations have taught the program since 1988. More at www.nrahq.org/safety/eddie. ... Maryland hunters finished the 2009-10 two-week deer firearm season with a harvest of 44,804. The preliminary figures include 15,447 antlered deer (522 sika deer) and 29,357 antlerless deer (618 sika deer). This year's total is nearly identical to the 2008-09 tally of 44,837 deer. The antlered harvest declined approximately 2 percent compared to last year while the antlerless total increased by about 1 percent. Maryland's two-week late muzzleloader season opens Dec. 19 and closes Jan. 2. More at www.dnr.maryland.gov. ... IS Outdoors Digital Magazine really is an outdoors magazine like you would buy on a newsstand or in a book store, except it's available through your computer. Go to www.isoutdoors.com. ... A November 2009 survey revealed more than half of anglers and hunters base their purchasing decisions on brand loyalty. According to HunterSurvey.com and AnglerSurvey.com, conducted by Southwick Associates, 53.8 percent of hunters and 51.6 percent of anglers agreed they prefer continuing their use of the same, quality brands. Survey respondents also indicated the influence of "other experienced anglers or hunters" was an important factor when deciding what product brands to purchase. Nearly 53 percent of anglers and 50 percent of hunters agreed they rely on the advice and opinions of other experienced sportsmen and women. Results suggest opinion leaders in the fishing community are more influential than their counterparts on the hunting side. --30-- | |
|
|
