THE COUNTDOWN HAS BEGUN...

2011 NORA SERIES SPONSOR

2011 NORA SERIES SPONSOR

Thursday, January 15, 2009

For Immediate Release

The NORA Small Block Supers are moving toward a successful 2009 season, that could involve as many as six races. A very important general membership meeting will take place on Sunday, January 25th at Lighthouse Lanes at 11am. Many subjects will be discussed with the members, including schedule, purse and election of officers.

NORA is working on a schedule that compliments the Oswego Speedway schedule to make it conducive for the teams that will be racing for points on NORA and at Oswego Speedway. Recent discussions have secured dates for two races, while negotiations are still ongoing for as many as four more events. So far, a tentative Friday, June 19th date has been set for Spencer Speedway, and a Saturday, September 12th date has been secured for the new Shangri-La II Speedway. Also, NORA may return to Adirondack International Speedway during the 2009 season. A recent meeting with John White, owner of both Spencer and Chemung Speedways was productive regarding a possible race at Chemung Speedway, as well as a second race at Spencer Speedway. It is also very likely that NORA will once again appear at the Race of Champions, held at Oswego Speedway in September. Sponsorship discussions are proceeding very well and it is expected that a complete schedule will be released by the end of January.

Also for 2009 NORA will have a new site on the web: http://norasbs.blogspot.com/. This will be the official blogsite for NORA so check here often for more news. This site is still under construction, as as the season progresses there will be more features added. As you may also notice, there is a message board that is available for anyone to utilize, but you will first have to register as we want to make it a more pleasant experience for everyone. You can also keep up with all the latest SBS news by visiting one of our sponsors for 2009 at www.sbsracingnews.com.

Please plan to attend the meeting on January 25th as it will be very important to have your input for the new NORA season. For any questions, please contact President Steve Reynolds at 315-532-2693 or email steve@inkspotinfo.com.
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ON THE CLOCK

Our second installment of "ON THE CLOCK" features the driver who was the SBS Rookie of the Year in 2010...Mike Bruce. Mike's demographics look like this: he just turned 19 on March 18th, is single, and a Freshman at Alfred State studying for an Associates Degree in Motorsports Technology. He has been racing since the 7th grade (only 7 years) and has one feature win to his credit in the Mod Lite division. This will be his second season behind the wheel of a SBS. Previous experience include go karts and the aforementioned Mod Lites. His rookie season at Oswego produced one heat win and an 8th place finish in the season-long points race for the SBS division. Mike's parents Frank and Jackie are huge supporters of his racing, and he gives them all the credit. "My parents have gone far beyond making me happy, they support me 110%. I couldn't ask for a better set of parents-my dad does everything he can and more for me to be able to race, and my mom supports our every move. My brother, Robbo, has also been an important part of my career. Hopefully he will be getting into racing this year and I hope he wants to follow in my footsteps and be the second Bruce to be rookie of the year at Oswego Speedway in another year or two. He has done tons and sacrificed a lot for me to be able to race as much as I do. My sister Brittany has also been a huge supporter of my racing." Near the end of the 2010 season, the Bruce family purchased the former Shawn Walker #68, which will be renumbered #22 for the 2011 season. Mike lists his brother Robbo as the crew chief, with mom Jackie as "the cleaner" and dad Frank and former car owner and now teammate Rob Pullen (#2) as "the brains of the project". Sponsors of the #22 for 2011 include C's Farms, Woodchuck Saloon, Bruce Electric, Pullen's Plumbing, FFB Chassis (Mike's car is a 2005 model) and Bob Bruce. When asked who or what got him interested in racing, Mike told me that as he was growing up his parents always had the racing on tv, and when he became old enough (age 3-4), his dad started bringing him to Oswego. He would sit in the grandstands with his mom or sister and watch his dad in the pits working with Jeff Holbrook, Dave Trytek and Bob Magner, who he states are the drivers he looks up to the most. Dave Trytek and Jeff Holbrook gave him his first go kart, one that was hanging on their wall and weren't doing anything with. He eventually raced the "road course" inside the pit area of Oswego, and travelled to Avon once with a travelling series. Graduating to the Mod Lite division he ran at most of the dirt tracks in Central NY, as well as Evans Mills, Utica-Rome and Canandaigua. Evans Mills was the site of his first (and to date, only) feature win with the Mod Lite. Bruce considers the Pullen Deuce his best ride so far; "He (Pullen) gave me the chance to open some eyes, and Rob probably didn't even know my first name when we talked about my driving. I guess he got a good vibe and trusted me, as we picked up the car the day after we talked." When asked what he would consider his best moment in racing, Mike immediately says it was opening night at Oswego last season: "We started scratch in our heat. Being a rookie, I just wanted to keep my nose clean and see what happened; I found myself racing with Brian Sobus (who I later found out was a great shoe in the SBS division), and when the checkered flag fell, I had finished 3rd--I was excited! Starting mid-pack for the feature right behind Steve Abt, I once again just wanted to keep my nose clean and hope for a good finish. Getting the green and going into turn one for the first time in a feature, there's a wreck. I followed Abt through a hole and missed it..I was a little more excited. A few laps later, another wreck on the front straight with cars everywhere, and I somehow found another hole and got through that one, too, although it was a little closer. After the second wreck and things settled down, I found myself in 5th place, running with drivers like Abt, Mike Bond, Brian Sobus and Dave Cliff...I was very excited." He continues, "my worst moment came shortly after that (he estimates 15 minutes later) when I got a bump from behind and hit the inside hub rail, knocking out the toe. I pitted and when I came back out, I was a little angry. We ended up getting tangled up with a couple of other rookies ending my night. When I came back into the pits, I looked at my car owner's (Pullen) face and I don't think he was the happiest man alive with me because I just wrecked his race car...he was actually pretty understanding, because he had wrecked it plenty of times himself." Other than your dad, do you have anyone you consider a mentor? "Well, without my dad, I wouldn't be half the person I am now. I would also say Bobby Magner-he was one of the drivers I remember coming up to me my first race at Oswego and he told me to quit biting my nails because I made myself look nervous. He loosened me up and gave me a lot of good advice, too." In closing, when asked what the future holds for him, Mike put it plain and simple..."Right now, my future hasn't been decided. I'm hoping to be in a Supermodified; it would be nice to go further than that and drive for someone else, but times are tough these days and free rides are becoming slim, so who knows what's going on in the future." You can be sure of one thing, though....Mike Bruce is a talented young man, and with the right amount of skill and luck, he will grace the podium many times at Oswego and on the NORA circuit, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him follow in the footsteps of his mentors Holbrook, Trytek and Magner from the ranks of the SBS to the Supers in the near future.


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BSP Images

BSP Images
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Oswego Speedway

Oswego Speedway


Hotlap Action 5/29/10

Hotlap Action 5/29/10
Tim Barbeau being chased down the front straight by Andrew Schartner and Mike Bond. Photo by Sue Delong

Racing Action 5/29/10

Racing Action 5/29/10
As Mark Castiglia roars down the front straight, he's followed by Jason Simmons, Chris Proud and Steve Abt. Photo by Sue Delong

Heat Race Action 5/29/10

Heat Race Action 5/29/10
The Small Blocks crank it up to take the green flag in heat race action Saturday. Schartner, Kingsley, Gates, Danzer, LaFave and Bruce hustle out of turn 4. Photo by Sue Delong

Vern LaFave Returns to the SBS Ranks 5/29/10

Vern LaFave Returns to the SBS Ranks 5/29/10
photo by Sue Delong

Steve Abt

Steve Abt
photo by Sue Delong

Feature Fiasco-Tony White Memorial, 5/29/10

Feature Fiasco-Tony White Memorial, 5/29/10
Guard Nearbin sits crosswise on the front straight as Vern LaFave does a brake check to avoid hitting him. Andrew Schartner's #18 sits nose first into the inside hub rail as rookie Dennis Richmond threads his way through the chaos. Photo by Sue Delong