“AUTO RACING PACKAGE: Auto Racing Glance - ESPN.com” plus 4 more

AUTO RACING PACKAGE: Auto Racing Glance - ESPN.com
2009 NASCAR Camping World schedule and standings - ESPN.com
Midvale man shot twice - ksl.com
Wilmington company stays busy keeping delivery trucks rolling on time - Star News Online
Watery Joyride and a Lazy Day - Flathead Beacon

AUTO RACING PACKAGE: Auto Racing Glance - ESPN.com

Posted: 02 Sep 2009 07:59 AM PDT

All Times EDT

NASCAR

SPRINT CUP

Pep Boys Auto 500

Site: Hampton, Ga.

Schedule: Saturday, practice (Speed, 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m.), qualifying (Speed, 4:30-6:30 p.m.); Sunday, race, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN, 7-11:30 p.m.).

Track: Atlanta Motor Speedway (oval, 1.54 miles).

Race distance: 500.5 miles, 325 laps.

Last year: Carl Edwards raced to the seventh of his series-high nine 2008 victories, beating the resilient Jimmie Johnson by 2.684 seconds. Johnson overcame an early pit-road speeding penalty that left him a lap down in 30th place.

Last race: Kyle Busch completed a Bristol season sweep, holding off Mark Martin on Aug. 22 in a frantic four-lap sprint. Busch has four victories this season.

Fast facts: The race is the first night Sprint Cup event at the track. ... Points leader Tony Stewart, second-place Jimmie Johnson and third-place Jeff Gordon have clinched spots in the 12-man Chase with two regular-season events left. Denny Hamlin (fourth at 3,141), Edwards (3,110) and Kurt Busch (3,103) are in position to wrap up spots, while Ryan Newman (2,995), Greg Biffle (2,986), Juan Pablo Montoya (2,975), Mark Martin (2,971), Kasey Kahne (2,963) and Matt Kenseth (2,945) are tying to hold off No. 13 Kyle Busch (2,911), Brian Vickers (2,906) and Clint Bowyer (2,833). ... Kurt Busch won the March race at the track for his lone victory of the year.

Next race: Chevy Rock & Roll 400, Sept. 12, Richmond International Raceway, Richmond, Va.

On the Net: http://www.nascar.com

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NATIONWIDE

Degree V12 300

Site: Hampton, Ga.

Schedule: Saturday, practice, qualifying (Speed, 2:30-4:30 p.m.), race, 7 p.m. (ESPN2, 6:30-10 p.m.).

Track: Atlanta Motor Speedway (oval, 1.54 miles).

Race distance: 300.3 miles, 195 laps.

Last year: Matt Kenseth held off Kevin Harvick by about three car-lengths in a green-white-checker shootout. Kyle Busch led 153 of the first 170 laps, but blew a tire and hit the wall. The race was run in March.

Last week: Carl Edwards won the road-course race in rainy Montreal, passing Marcos Ambrose on the final turn after the front-running Tasmanian hit the rumble strips and slid sideways. Edwards has three victories this year and 23 overall in the series. The race was the longest in series history at 3 hours, 49 minutes, 19 seconds. It was slowed by 11 cautions and went two extra laps.

Fast facts: Edwards has cut Busch's series lead to 192 points with 10 races left, gaining 147 points in the last two races. ... Brad Keselowski signed a deal Tuesday with Penske Racing to replace David Stremme next year in the Sprint Cup series. ... Edwards won in 2005, and Jeff Burton swept the 2006-07 races.

Next race: Virginia 529 College Savings 250, Sept. 11, Richmond International Raceway, Richmond, Va.

On the Net: http://www.nascar.com

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CAMPING WORLD TRUCKS

Lucas Oil 200

Site: Newton, Iowa.

Schedule: Friday, practice; Saturday, practice, qualifying, race, 9:45 p.m. (Speed, 9:30 p.m.-midnight).

Track: Iowa Speedway (oval, 0.875 miles).

Race distance: 175 miles, 200 laps.

Last year: Inaugural race.

Last week: Kyle Busch won at Chicagoland Speedway, holding off Todd Bodine on a restart with seven laps to go. Busch has two straight series victories and four overall this year. Busch won Sprint Cup and Nationwide races at the track last year.

Fast facts: Ron Hornaday Jr. leads the points races and has a series-high six victories, including a series-record five in a row. The 51-year-old Hornaday has a series-record 44 wins and a record three season titles. ... Hornaday was 2,593 points. Matt Crafton is second with 2,373, followed by Mike Skinner (2,277) and Bodine (2,169). There are nine races left. ... Austin Dillon is making his series debut in Richard Childress Racing's first truck entry since 1999. Dillon is Childress' grandson.

Next race: Copart 200, Sept. 12, Gateway International Raceway, Madison, Ill.

On the Net: http://www.nascar.com

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NHRA FULL THROTTLE

Mac Tools U.S. Nationals

Site: Clermont, Ind.

Schedule: Friday, qualifying; Saturday, qualifying, Sunday, qualifying (ESPN2, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m., 5-7 p.m.; Monday, final eliminations (ESPN2, 1-6 p.m.).

Track: O'Reilly Raceway Park.

Last year: Tony Schumacher capped a historic performance, beating Doug Kalitta in the Top Fuel final en route to his sixth season title. Schumacher set Top Fuel records for wins in a row (6) and a season (11 -- a mark he pushed to 15). He also tied Joe Amato's career class victory standard (52) with his seventh U.S. Nationals win and third in a row. Robert Hight (Funny Car), Dave Connolly (Pro Stock) and Steve Johnson (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won.

Last event: Bob Tasca raced to his second Funny Car victory of the season, beating Mike Neff on Aug. 23 at Maple Grove Raceway in Mohnton, Pa. Larry Dixon (Top Fuel), Jeg Coughlin (Pro Stock) and Eddie Krawiec (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won.

Fast facts: The event ends the points races for the 10 spots in each division in the six-race Countdown to 1. Tony Pedregon tops the Funny Car standings with 1,292 points, followed by Ron Capps (1,219), Ashley Force (1,128) and Tasca (1,008). Cruz Pedregon is 10th with 801 -- giving him a 31-point advantage over Matt Hagan and 38-point edge for the final spot. Antron Brown leads the Top Fuel standings with 1,435 points, followed by Dixon (1,248) and Schumacher (1,194). Clay Millican is 10th with 682, three points head of Joe Hartley for the final spot. ... Schumacher has three victories this year to increase his Top Fuel record to 55.

Next race: NHRA Carolinas Nationals, Sept. 18-20, zMax Dragway, Concord, N.C.

On the Net: http://www.nhra.com

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INDYCAR

Next race: Indy Japan 300, Sept. 19, Twin Ring Motegi, Motegi, Japan.

Last week: Points leader Ryan Briscoe won the fourth-closest finish in series history, beating Scott Dixon by 0.0077 seconds at Chicagoland Speedway. Briscoe has three victories this season for Penske Racing. With two races left, Briscoe has a 25-point lead over Dario Franchitti and a 33-point advantage over Dixon.

On the Net: http://www.indycar.com

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FORMULA ONE

Next race: Italian Grand Prix, Sept. 13, Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, Monza, Italy.

Last week: Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen held off Force India's Giancarlo Fisichella in the Belgian Grand Prix, the Finn's fourth victory at the track in five years. Raikkonen, the 2007 world champion, won for the first time since the 2008 Spanish GP.

On the Net: http://www.formula1.com

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OTHER RACES

ARCA RE/MAX SERIES: ARCA RE/MAX 200, Friday, Toledo Speedway, Toledo, Ohio; Monday, Southern Illinois 100, DuQuoin State Fairgrounds, DuQuoin, Ill. On the Net: http://www.arcaracing.com

WORLD OF OUTLAWS: Sprint Car: Friday-Saturday, Skagit Speedway, Alger, Wash.; Saturday, Monday, Gray's Harbor Raceway, Elma, Wash.; Tuesday, Cottage Grove Speedway, Cottage Grove, Ore. Late Model: Saturday-Sunday, Tri-City Speedway, Franklin, Pa. Super Dirtcar: Sunday, Cayuga County Fair Speedway, Weedsport, N.Y.; Monday, Rolling Wheels Speedway, Elbridge, N.Y. On the Net: http://www.worldofoutlaws.com

U.S. AUTO RACING CLUB: Silver Crown, Sunday, DuQuoin State Fairgrounds, DuQuoin, Ill. Sprint Car: Saturday-Sunday, Calistoga Speedway, Calistoga, Calif. Midget: Saturday, Angell Park Speedway, Sun Prairie, Wis. On the Net: http://www.usacracing.com

This story is from ESPN.com's automated news wire. Wire index

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2009 NASCAR Camping World schedule and standings - ESPN.com

Posted: 02 Sep 2009 07:59 AM PDT

Feb. 13 -- NextEra Energy Resources 250, Daytona Beach, Fla. (Todd Bodine)

Feb. 21 -- San Bernardino County 200, Fontana, Calif. (Kyle Busch)

March 7 -- American Commercial Lines 200, Hampton, Ga. (Kyle Busch)

March 28 -- Kroger 250, Martinsville, Va. (Kevin Harvick)

April 25 -- O'Reilly Auto Parts 250, Kansas City, Kan. (Mike Skinner)

May 15 -- N.C. Education Lottery 200, Concord, N.C. (Ron Hornaday Jr.)

May 29 -- AAA Insurance 200, Dover, Del. (Brian Scott)

June 5 -- Winstar World Casino 400K, Fort Worth, Texas (Todd Bodine)

June 13 -- Michigan 200, Brooklyn (Colin Braun)

June 19 -- Copart 200, West Allis, Wis. (Ron Hornaday Jr.)

June 27 -- MemphisTravel.com 200, Memphis, Tenn. (Ron Hornaday Jr.)

July 18 -- Built Ford Tough 225, Sparta, Ky. (Ron Hornaday Jr.)

July 24 -- Camping World Truck Series 200, Indianapolis. (Ron Hornaday Jr.)

Aug. 1 -- Toyota Tundra 200, Lebanon, Tenn. (Ron Hornaday Jr.)

Aug. 19 -- O'Reilly 200, Bristol, Tenn. (Kyle Busch)

Aug. 28 -- EnjoyIllinois.com 225, Joliet, Ill. (Kyle Busch)

Sept. 5 -- Lucas Oil 200, Newton, Iowa.

Sept. 12 -- Copart 200, Madison, Ill.

Sept. 19 -- New Hampshire 200, Loudon, N.H.

Sept. 26 -- Qwik Liner Las Vegas 350

Oct. 24 -- Kroger 200, Martinsville, Va.

Oct. 31 -- Mountain Dew 350, Talladega, Ala.

Nov. 6 -- Lone Star 350, Fort Worth, Texas.

Nov. 13 -- TBA, Avondale, Ariz.

Nov. 20 -- Ford 200, Homestead, Fla.

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Driver Standings

1. Ron Hornaday Jr., 2,593

2. Matt Crafton, 2,373

3. Mike Skinner, 2,277

4. Todd Bodine, 2,169

5. Brian Scott, 2,154

6. David Starr, 2,110

7. Colin Braun, 2,096

8. Dennis Setzer, 2,065

9. Rick Crawford, 2,051

10. Terry Cook, 2,015

11. Timothy Peters, 2,014

12. Stacy Compton, 2,011

13. Tayler Malsam, 2,000

14. Johnny Sauter, 1,972

15. James Buescher, 1,870

16. Jason White, 1,789

17. T.J. Bell, 1,775

18. Kyle Busch, 1,704

19. Chad McCumbee, 1,654

20. Norm Benning, 1,308

This story is from ESPN.com's automated news wire. Wire index

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Midvale man shot twice - ksl.com

Posted: 02 Sep 2009 08:21 AM PDT

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MIDVALE - Police are searching for a gunman who shot a Midvale man twice.

Investigators say the shooter walked up to a group of people gathered at a courtyard on Wasatch Street around 9:45 p.m. Tuesday, pulled out a handgun and started firing.

One man was hit twice, once in each leg. He was taken to the hospital in serious condition but is expected to be OK.

Witnesses say the gunman fled in a 2005 red Chevrolet pickup truck.

Police believe the shooting may have stemmed from an ongoing dispute between the shooter and his victim's family.

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Wilmington company stays busy keeping delivery trucks rolling on time - Star News Online

Posted: 02 Sep 2009 07:59 AM PDT

This is where Carolina Fleet Maintenance springs into action.

"Production plants will put our delivery in the assembly lines the same day we deliver it and if they don't have it, they shut down," said Bobby Hill, manager for FedEx Freight's Leland service center. "If something breaks down on our trucks, I have to have it back up and running immediately. It's not like we have all day to get something fixed."

Before he hired the young Wilmington company, Hill had become frustrated with mechanics taking too long to respond and repair.

Hill grabbed Carolina Fleet Maintenance's number off a brochure, he said.

"We gave them a couple trial jobs, and I mean within minutes they were here," Hill said.

The company is now the sole mechanic for FedEx Freight.

Carolina Fleet Maintenance LLC is a mobile, onsite truck and auto repair and maintenance company with two unlikely owners - a former sales and marketing executive and his wife, a stay-at-home mom whose only exposure to semis was from a distance at her dad's lumber yard.

The couple, Steve and Rhonda Schwarz of Hampstead, bought the dealership from Fleet Services International in Atlanta after seeing the company's ad in the newspaper promising a recession-proof, low-overhead opportunity with high market availability, no royalties, free training - and no mechanical experience necessary.

"It made sense to me. Everybody has to drive," said Rhonda Schwarz. "There may not be as many trucks on the road right now, but those on the road have to keep running. If they're not running, they're not making money."

Entreprenuer.com lists repair service businesses of any type as one of the top three small businesses to own in a recessionary economy.

Fleet Services has more than 100 subsidiary dealerships across the country.

"They weren't looking for mechanics; they were looking for sales and marketing and office experience to run the business," said Steve Schwarz. "My background was sales and Rhonda's was office management."

With one truck and Rob Stone- an 18-year diesel mechanic, Carolina Fleet Maintenance launched in November 2008, covering five counties and quickly landing major accounts like FedEx Freight and Childcare Network.

"It's all about service. People are always looking to make their life easier," said Steve Schwarz.

He gave an example of an electrician who would have been forced to give up a half day of work to take is truck in for repair.

"His service engine light came on and he needed an alternator and a new battery," Steve said. "He kept on working while we repaired his vehicle on the job site, so there's no down time for him."

The company just added a second truck and mechanic so Stone, or Big Rob as he is known, can spend more time at FedEx.

"If there's a part coming in, he'll come in early and repair it so we can have that truck go out that same morning," said FedEx's Hill.

Stone keeps an inventory of parts specific to FedEx trucks, so when a blinker or tail light goes out, he's already got it in stock.

"We don't want our drivers getting pulled because a tail light's out when they've got 20 stops left and they're pushing the clock," Hill said.

Steve Schwarz sees growth for his company.

In the next 10 years he envisions Carolina Fleet Maintenance with multiple service trucks on the road, several full-service repair shop locations and plenty of mechanics.

To make it happen, Schwarz said, many cold calls will have to be made and many more brochures sent out.

"You're constantly thinking about it. You'll be driving down the road and see a truck and say, 'We need to call on them,' " said Rhonda Schwarz.

Though owning your own business takes hours of work, it also has certain perks, the couple said.

Schedules can be tweaked, so Rhonda and Steve can go to their son Evan's football games and watch their daughter, Kelsey, cheer. Plus, their golden retriever, Pender, (named after the county) gets to come to the office.

"Truck sales are down, but service is up," said Steve.

And Rhonda added: "We're trucking right along, as they say."

For more information, go to www.carolinafleetmaintenance.com.

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Watery Joyride and a Lazy Day - Flathead Beacon

Posted: 02 Sep 2009 07:31 AM PDT

Tuesday 9/1

8:17 a.m. A child on Willow Glen Drive was chomped by the family cocker spaniel. The child's parent called to ask questions before taking the dog to the shelter.

9:21 a.m. Someone on Foy's Lake claims that a mysterious individual took a personal watercraft from the homeowner's dock, drove it until it ran out of gas and left the craft in the middle of the lake. The reporting party retrieved the vessel without assistance.

10:19 a.m. A "foreign" female subject sat suspiciously in her car in Hungry Horse, arousing the suspicions of a passing pedestrian. Although the reporting party could hardly understand her speech, it was eventually discovered that the lady was merely eating her lunch.

10:34 a.m. A female subject sat on the roadside with four suitcases in tow near an Evergreen box store. The individual was gone when authorities arrived.

11:25 a.m. One woman sent threatening text messages to another somewhere in Flathead County.

12:24 p.m. A woman called to report that her son's friend may have stolen a chainsaw from her garage.

12:25 p.m. An adult male individual attempted to steal a diet drink from an Evergreen box store.

1:19 p.m. A man brought his truck into a local auto repair shop, claiming that the last mechanic he visited had charged exorbitant fees. The man then went on to indicate that he had caused his previous mechanic grievous bodily harm. Authorities are investigating the credibility of this claim.

1:45 p.m. An intoxicated transient attempted to get money from passers-by at an Evergreen box store. The panhandler was invited to move along.

2:20 p.m. Someone called to report that a man on a bicycle repeatedly pulled out in front of cars near Echo Lake. The reporting party stated that the bicyclist must have "had a death wish."

3:15 p.m. In the Lake Blaine area, someone intentionally drove on a brand-new driveway that was awaiting asphalt.

4:30 p.m. Someone stole a bottle containing $200 worth of change from a home on Foxhill Drive.

5:42 p.m. A resident of Parliament Drive arrived home to find that his shed had been opened and a hedger stolen from within. The hedger was later located at a nearby pawn shop.

5:58 p.m. Two intoxicated men strolled down Highway 35, posing a major hazard to them and passing motorists.

6:34 p.m. Numerous items were stolen from the Hungry Horse Fire Hall, including a rack from a fire truck.

7:51 p.m. Someone called to report that a man wearing white shorts and no shirt had been sitting on a picnic table near Foys Lake since early in the morning. Although the reporting party found this extremely strange, the man expressed that he was "just enjoying the day."

8:27 p.m. Two rifles and a pistol were stolen from a home in Whitefish. The homeowner suspects that a house sitter committed the crime.

9:24 p.m. A resident of Hungry Horse claims that his neighbors harass him. All parties involved were duly counseled.