Published: August 26, 2008 10:24 pm            

DE LA BASTIDE: Legends, late models top card at Anderson

Logano takes big step in his career.

The Legends cars take the spotlight this weekend for the annual Grant Fritz/Greg Dietzen Memorial race at Anderson Speedway in a race that has always proved to be entertaining.

The 100-lap race is named in honor of the late Grant Fritz, who’s father Larry was a staple with the Legend cars in Central Indiana, and Greg Dietzen, a competitor at the track and a friend to all racers.

This is one of the longest races in the country for the Legend cars and drivers from Tennessee, North Carolina, Ohio and Illinois are expected to compete for honors.

What makes this a unique race is that for the drivers, it is always a challenge to compete on the high-banked quarter mile oval. There is plenty of side by side racing and with an expected good field of cars, the outcome could remain in doubt until the final circuits.

Local driver John Robbins will be looking to hold off the invading drivers on Saturday, which includes Volunteer State hot shoe David Moyes III who has been a consistent winner at Anderson Speedway. Another driver to watch will be Bryan Knuckles of Ohio.

Saturday racing starts at 8 p.m. and the speedway is hosting a night of thrills on Sunday including several novelty races including School Bus Figure-8’s, a trailer race and rollover contest.

Winchester Speedway is hosting seven divisions on Labor Day highlighted by the Champion Racing Association late models in a 100-lap feature, which is considered a tune-up for the Winchester 400 in October.

Heading the field is Scott Hantz and Boris Jurkovic, who are battling for the point’s lead, Alabama driver Stanley Smith and defending race winner Jeff Fultz.

Regulars with the series looking to pick-up a win include Brian Rievely, John Van Doorn, Kenny Tweedy, Jeff Lane and Jason Dietsch.

Racing on Labor Day starts at 1 p.m.

In other racing news

Joe Gibbs Racing announced this week that 18-year-old Joey Logano will take over the seat in the Home Depot Toyota left vacant when Tony Stewart left to become a part-owner in a Sprint Cup team.

Logano is from the Northeast and got his start in racing in go-karts, quarter-midgets and Legend cars. He has won at every level and is expected to make a number of Sprint Cup starts as the 2008 season winds down.

He will join the experienced crew that took Stewart to two NASCAR championships. It will be interesting to see if the young Logano can score a victory this year or if everyone have to wait until next year for him to make an appearance in victory lane.

With only two races left before the chase for the Sprint Cup championship, the two hottest drivers continue to be Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards. They both have momentum currently, but a lot can happen over the 10 races in the chase. Don’t count out Jimmie Johnson for a third title.

I was surprised NASCAR officials didn’t penalize Busch and Edwards for their post-race antics at Bristol. Edwards executed the bump and run to perfection to record the win, a move which Busch took exception. On the cool down lap Busch several times slammed into the side of Edwards’ Ford, who returned the favor by spinning Busch’s Toyota.

I guess it was a case of no harm, no foul.

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.