News
1/26/12
Just wanted to let everyone know that I'm still digging. There likely won't be much action for us this year unless I catch an occasional ride from Oogie or others, but we will once again be working towards the future. Times are hard all around right now and the world of racing, being inherently costly to begin with, is a very hard place to survive for teams, tracks, and sponsors. While many are closing their doors and hanging up the helmet, Randy Orme Racing will not go quietly into the night. We will do what it takes, as long as it takes, to rebound, build, and grow into one of the premier short track teams in the country. I welcome those that have stood with us to continue along for the ride, and I sincerely hope that individuals that can make a substantial difference will eventually feel stable enough to become a part of our program. There are a great many things I love about this earth, but I simply cannot exist as my full self without racing in my life. The same grit is present in all our team members, so I can promise that there will be much more to see of us in the future. Hopefully in the not-too-distant future. -Scotty Orme
11/13/11
All of Indiana's sprint car races are over and all the major wingless championships have wrapped up for the season, so the "2011 Winner's Circle" page is now complete. Congratulations to all the 2011 feature winners and champs, and congratulations to Bryan Clauson on his 2nd USAC National Driver's Championship! Right now, there's really no news to report for Randy Orme Racing. As of right now, 2012 looks to be another off-the-track building year unless something falls from the sky in the next few months. The website will likely not be updated until after the first of the year unless there's any breaking news. So, that being said, we'd like to wish all of you a Happy Thanksgiving, a Merry Christmas, and a wonderful New Year.
10/24/11
Week 5 of our on-the-road sponsorship campaign was a pretty easy one. 150 miles around Louisville seemed like a vacation after some of the trips we've been on. You would not believe how much I want to get the Sprint car on track next season. We have all the pieces in place, but unless we sign a couple of big sponsors before long, 2012 is going to be a lot like this season. Keep rooting for us guys.
10/20/11
We put another 600 miles of sponsorship campaigning behind us yesterday with a trip to Columbus, OH. I don't know how much rainfall Ohio has had this year, but if they were below average, they made up for it yesterday.
10/16/11
The entire motorsports community was saddened by the loss of Indycar star, Dan Wheldon, in today's IRL finale at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.
10/12/11
Once again, we set out early yesterday morning for another day of our epic sponsorship search. This time, we travelled just over 450 miles and covered the Nashville, TN area. Will we secure the funding we need in time? Will we have to wittle a motor out of wood!? Will we be forced to pull the car to the track by horse and buggy?!?!? Is there a company just waiting for a program like ours?!!!!!!!? WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT!!!!!!??????? Tune in next week for the next exciting episode.
10/4/11
We logged another 300+ miles of searching for potential team sponsors for 2012. Today's trip took us through the southwestern portion of Indiana; through Tell City, Evansville, Jasper, French Lick, and back. We had several more E-Proposal requests, so I would definitely consider today a success.
9/27/11
We left at 6:30am this morning and returned around 7:00pm after a day of sponsorship campaigning that took us across 500+ miles of the southeastern portion of Indiana. In the next few weeks, we will be embarking on similar road trips in search of the funding needed for 2012. We generated a fair amount of interest today, so hopefully we will be experiencing some positive results. Wish us luck.
9/21/11
You'll notice a couple of subtle changes to the site, most notably, the "Our Story" page which is a quick history of R.O.R. condensed into a few paragraphs. Also, be sure to check out the "2011 Winner's Circle" page as the season winds down. I am beginning to add track and series Sprint Car champions at the bottom of the page.
9/16/11
I have redirected the home page of the site, so to continue to access the "Copperhead Custom Shop" art store, simply click on it's name in the menu at the top of the screen.
Since my last post, we have continued researching and pursuing poetential sponsors, both in traditional fashion and as a part of our "Hoosier 600" program. Our marketing packages have continued to evolve over the past few weeks and will hopefully become instrumental in securing the needed funding to go Sprint Car racing next season. In other news, Dad and I attended a Sprint race at the Lincoln Park Speedway two weekends ago to talk to some of the driver's and learn a little more about the sport we're moving into. The track, located in Putnamville, IN, put on a very good show that evening. It will likely be one of the first places we visit with our Sprint once we're up and running. While there, I got a chance to meet my Sprint Car hero, Jon Stanbrough, which was also pretty dang cool. We'll keep on working and hopefully have some good news for you guys real soon. Stay tuned.
8/24/11
You'll notice a new portal screen when you log onto the website. I have added a separate section of ScottyOrme.com entitled: The Copperhead Custom Shop. It is a store where you can view and purchase various creations. I currently only have Wood Burnt flat artwork with a variety of themes, but I plan to eventually build and modify some electric guitars, guitar parts, and who knows what else. There is a link to the Custom Shop in the menu of the racing site, so be sure to check it out. For you strictly-racing-fans, just continue to click on the "Randy Orme Racing" logo on the first page, and it'll take you right back home. Now, back to Project: Hoosier 600.....
8/19/11
After almost a year, we finally caught up with Tony Stewart yesterday at an autograph session for J.D. Byrider in Louisville. I had him sign my "Tony Stewart Rookie of the Year" award, so I can mark that off my list! I also gave him an information packet on myself and the team. Maybe someday I'll actually get a chance to talk to him for a little bit and get some advice from someone who's already made it to where I hope to go. Be sure to check out the "2011 Sprint Car Project" album on the "Photo Gallery" page for some pictures from the autograph session.
8/5/11
One final picture has fianally been added to the "#16 TQ Midget 2010" Photo Album on the "Photo Gallery" page. Scroll down to the last photo on the third page for a photo with long-time sponsors, Henry and Pat Durbin of KFC - Corydon, IN. Also, be sure to visit the "Videos" page. I have uploaded a sneak peek of our sponsorship campaign that we are currently working on. More details about Project: Hoosier 600 will be given during the remainder of the season.
7/18/11
Randy Orme Racing is now on Facebook.com. Click the link on the "Home" page and check us out. I have posted another YouTube clip of USAC Sprint Car Racing action from Ocala, FL. Since we're not hitting the track much this season, I figured I'd keep you entertained with footage of the cars we are moving into. Head to the "Videos" page and enjoy.
6/22/11
Howdy race fans. We are currently in the beginning stages of launching one of the most ambitious sponsorship searches in motorsports (I've never heard of anybody doing it). We are in the planning and researching phase right now, and will begin a several-month-long campaign in the next few weeks. I'll give more details once things get under way. Hopefully, if this idea works (and it is a crazy one), we will have our Sprint Car team up and running strong for the 2012 season. Wish us lots of luck, we're going to need it.
6/4/11
No big news to talk about at the moment. We're currently cleaning out the shop, organzing, and selling old parts to make a little room and spare change for our sprint car efforts. Stay tuned.
5/22/11
We were back in action with the Goffs again last night at the Montpelier Motor Speedway (one of my favorite TQ tracks). We had to overcome the usual adversity. A broken ground wire on the battery kept our #2 machine from turning any laps in practice, so we were a little behind on the setup for the newly-reconfigured dirt track. I started outside pole in my heat race, but couldn't get the car to turn into the corners very well, and I slipped back to 4th by the finish. We started 10th in the 20-car field for the feature. We had made some changes to the car after the heat that turned out to be the right moves. The car handled perfectly. Unfortunately, my starting spot put me back in some very heavy traffic. I picked the wrong lane to follow on the start, and got freight-trained on the inside. I fell back to 15th, before falling in line and moving forward again. Despite the amazing performance of the #2 car, I had trouble getting around the guys between me and the front. Looking back at it on video, I see where I could have pushed it in a little farther here, or gotten a little more aggressive there, but that's the way it goes sometimes. A good heat finish is important in these races. We had a great heat last weekend, and in turn, we were running 4th in the feature. This time around, I slipped up in the heat, and got stuck mid-pack in the feature. All in all, I'll give the car an A+, the driver a B-, and for luck we'll go with a D. We've had some computer issues this week, so it'll be a few days before we get any video up (it is some pretty cool footage, though). It will probably be a little while before we hit the track again, so in the meantime we'll get back to working on sprint car sponsorship and cleaning the shop. Once again, I can't thank Oogie and the entire Goff Racing crew enough for the opportunity, and I'm looking forward to when we get to go at it again.
5/19/11
Just got a call from Oogie. We're going to be back in action this Saturday at Montpelier! Weather permitting, that is. Wish us luck!
5/15/11
Looks like we'll be sitting at home today. I just recieved a call that tonight's race at Kokomo has been cancelled due to rain, which is pretty disappointing considering how good Oogie's #2 car was at Brownstown last night. Rain clouds danced around us all evening, but we were lucky enough to get the show in between showers. I got a pretty good draw for the heat race and joined a 4-car breakaway at the front. The car was pushing badly in practice, but seemed to be just about perfect in the heat. I was solidly in the 4th spot trying to find a way around the #50 of Ron Combs, when the #23 flipped off of 2 and brought out the red. On the restart, Combs slipped under the #19 of fellow Goff driver, Patrick Wolf. I was able to squeeze my way under Wolf coming off of 2. He drove hard around me going into 1 on the next lap, but I was able to cross over and pass him back off of 2. I finished a strong 3rd, while teammate Jason Goff took the heat race victory. My finish in the heat race put me inside the 3rd row for the feature. The race had a pretty clean start and I was able to move right into the 4th spot. The car was pushing in the center of the corner, so I stiffened up the right rear shock during a red flag for another flip. I remained in the 4th spot after the restart, keeping pace with Combs in 3rd, and staying comfortably ahead of Wolf in 5th. A few laps later, we had yet another red flag for the flipped #24 on the front stretch. Once again, I was running solidly in 4th after the green dropped again. Then, coming off of 4, the car kicked out of gear like it did at North Vernon. With the #2 being set up quite a bit different than the #16 was last year, I don't know if I'm not getting the car locked in gear good enough, or what. I was able to jam it back in gear in 1 & 2, but the car started loading up and dying on the next lap around. I wasn't quick enough to get it back under power before I came to a stop on the backstretch, bringing out the yellow. I was confident that I could probably get back to where I was running in the closing laps. Here's where the frustration comes in. Despite the fact that UMRA allows drivers one restart, if they spin, stop, or wreck, Brownstown Speedway officials would not let me continue. Oogie argued with them, but in the end, we had to park in the infield. This was, in our minds, a completely wrong call. So, in the end, we had the race taken away from us, which is a shame considering we had a top 3-4 car. But, that's how it goes sometimes. All in all, I had a great time. The #2 is a phenominal machine and a blast to drive. I'm still just greatful for the opportunity to race with the Goffs. I will be returning to action for the Goffs off and on this season, trading the ride back and forth with some of the teams' veteran drivers. I don't know which race I'll be running next, but it will be posted here when I find out. The "Videos" page has been updated with footage from last night's heat race, so be sure to check it out. In the meantime, I am going to get back to work searching for sponsors for our sprint car efforts that will hopefully get up and running next season.
5/8/11
Happy Mother's Day to all of you Mom's out there! Don't forget to check out the "2011 Winner's Circle" page to see who's tearing it up on the Indiana Sprint Car scene.
5/3/11
Check out the "Videos" page for some clips from Saturday night's race at North Vernon. I have also updated the "Results" and "Schedule" pages. All of you Sprint car fans be sure to take a look at the "2011 Winners Circle" page for this weekends winning drivers. I'd also like to thank H&R Block of Corydon, IN and Mel & Gina Markins for their continued support in 2011.
5/1/11
I woke up Saturday morning pretty bummed that I was going to be sitting home while races were going on all over the place without me. However, things quickly turned around when I received a call from Oogie Goff asking me if I'd be interested in driving his #2 TQ Midget in the UMRA race at the Twin Cities Raceway Park in North Vernon, IN. Accepting the offer was an easy decision. The Goffs operate the most decorated team in UMRA racing. Many drivers would do about anything to get a shot in one of their five machines. Our night started off a little slow. During hot laps, the car was cutting out when I'd move past half throttle. After the problems persisted in the heat race, the team replaced the fuel pump and fixed our issue. I started in the last row in the feature race. After a few laps of getting the feel for the red #2, I began to move forward. I made it up to the 8th position when I hit a rut and the car slipped out of gear. I had to be re-fired, so I was sent to the back once again. In the remaining laps, we were able to make it back up to the 8th spot, for a satisfying first run. The best news is that following the feature, I was invited to return to the #2 car in the upcoming races at Brownstown and Kokomo! The #2 won at both of those tracks last season, so it's up to me to have my game face on when we roll through the gates. I can't thank Oogie enough for this opportunity. I have added an "On-Track 2011" album to the "Photo Gallery" page for shots of any action that we get to see this year.
4/30/11
12:45 P.M. - I just got an offer an hour ago to drive one of Oogie Goff's TQ's tonight at North Vernon!!! Wish us luck!
4/27/11
I have added a few new pictures of my sponsors and I to the "2010 TQ Midget" album of the "Photo Gallery" page. There are also a couple of new pictures in the "2011 Sprint Car Project" album.
4/23/11
All dirt sprint car races in the state of Indiana have been rained out for the second weekend in a row, so you won't find any new winners on the "2011 Winner's Circle" page. Mother nature is has got her game face on this month. I'm thinking of equipping our Avenger chassis with an Evinrude and switching the Hoosiers for skies. We should be able to dominate the early spring races in 2012. Have a happy Easter everyone!
4/12/11
I have added a "2011 Winner's Circle" page to the site. Check back each week to see who won the weekend's wingless dirt sprint car races in the state of Indiana. These will be the guys I'll have to beat to land in the winner's circle when we get our sprint program off the ground.
4/1/11
I would consider yesterday's trip to the Mid-America Trucking Show a success. We were able to make several new contacts in the trucking industry and passed out several marketing proposals for 2012. There was a lot of positve feedback and interest this year. Hopefully our weeks of preparation for the event will lead to some mutually beneficial partnerships that will allow our team to continue to grow towards its potential. I have added a "Marketing Opportunities" page to the site with contact information for anyone interested in unique marketing programs with Randy Orme Racing.
3/12/11
The team is currently getting organized to attend the Mid-American Trucking Show in Louisville at the end of the month. The show is our biggest sponsorship hunt of the year. I have been busy putting marketing proposals together for the past few days. We're hoping that our sprint car project is successful in attracting some helpful sponsorship dollars to get us off the ground for next season.
2/25/11
I apologize for the lack of news lately. I have been fighting an ear infection and a variety of complications from it for the past month. I'm seeing some improvement though, which is great, considering it is about time to re-organize the race shop from the clutter of the off-season. The UMRA TQ deal I mentioned in the last post is probably not going to work out, due to the fact that the owner has decided to sell his car as well. I have discussed full Midget rentals with a variety of USAC team owners in the past few weeks, but I haven't found anything that would work out yet. I am hoping to get 3 or 4 races in a TQ again this season. There are some tracks I would like to revisit without the stresses of the Rookie of the Year title. We will be building on our sprint car program throughout the year. It will be a slow process, but I have big plans for Randy Orme Racing's future. If any big news comes up, you'll find it right here. Stay tuned.
1/30/11
I don't have any offical news for 2011 just yet. The team has been spending the winter discussing options, attending trade shows, and catching up with sponsors. It is still uncertain whether or not our new sprint car will see action this season, though I am hoping to get a little seat time with it late this year. We are however, currently discussing a potential deal to run a partial schedule with the UMRA TQ Midgets again, but nothing has been decided for certain. We are awaiting a phone call to discuss things further. Stay tuned. - I have also posted a new clip of my 2010 highlight reel on the "Videos" page. The last video was freezing up halfway through. I had to remove the intro, but everything is working now.
1/12/11
Check out the "Videos" page for a 2010 highlight video I put together. It will be used as a promotional video in searching for rides, sponsors, etc.
1/4/11
Happy New Year ya'll! I've added a few new pictures to the #16 TQ Midget Album of the "Photo Gallery" page, so be sure to check them out.
12/16/10
2011 Season Announcement: After a year of combined efforts with Koontz Racing to win the UMRA Rookie of the Year title, Randy Orme Racing will return to fielding it's own cars in 2011. We have purchased a rolling Sprint Car chassis (yes, you read it correctly; Sprint Car). We acquired everything we need to go racing including spares with the exception of a motor. We plan to gradually build the car over the first half of the 2011 season and hopefully get a temporary motor in the car to get on track and get a little experience. R.O.R plans to develop into a dedicated Sprint Car team over the course of the next few seasons with our sights set on the Midwest Sprint Car Series, USAC, Indiana Sprint Week, the high-banks of Eldora Speedway, and the Knoxville Nationals. We hope to attract enough attention with our own efforts to find rides for me with bigger teams in the future. This will be quite a challenge for our little team, but we plan to take it one step at a time until we can become a successful sprint car operation. I have added pictures of the new car in the "2011 Sprint Car Project" album of the "Photo Gallery" page. I have also added an awesome video clip on the "Videos" page of USAC Sprint Car action from Perris Speedway as well a new "Sprint Car Racing" page that describes what this sport is all about. There will be a lot of big things happening over the next few months, so stay tuned.
12/8/10
We are currently working on plans for 2011. We will not be returning to the UMRA in the #16 car next season. Koontz Racing is switching from a 3-car TQ Midget team to a 1-car full Midget team, fielding a car for owner, Michael Koontz. Our Randy Orme Racing team has it's sights set on a specific class of car next season, but it will be a matter of securing sponsorship. In the meantime, I hope to hop an occasional ride with other car owners throughout the season. Hopefully, we will have a better idea of the direction we're headed in after the first of the year. Thanks again for all of the support this season. We hope you have a very Merry Christmas and a great New Year!
11/24/10
Check out the sports section of today's "Corydon Democrat" for an article written by Brian Smith, about our rookie season in the UMRA. Have a happy Thanksgiving everyone!
11/14/10
The 50th Anniversary of the UMRA TQ Midget Series officially came to a close last night at the club's awards banquet in Shelbyville, IN. The entire Koontz Racing team had a successful 2010 season, which showed during the presentation. As the driver of the #16 car, I recieved the "Tony Stewart Rookie of the Year" Award, a trophy for 7th place in the overall standings, a trophy for 8th place in the Pavement Championship, and an award for perfect attendance at all 21 UMRA events. My Mom, Dad, and I also recieved the Sportsmanship Award along with the Hamm Racing family. Michael took home 4th place in overall driver points, 7th place in Pavement points, Car Owner Points Awards, and the President's Award for his outstanding work and dedication to helping the UMRA grow and acheive a great deal of success in it's 50th year. Check back often for new pictures and news regarding the 2011 race season.
10/27/10
Check out this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4_TOfTH3D4, for a highlights clip from Meek's Video of the Kokomo Klash. The clip has footage of the Thunder Car, Mini Sprint, and UMRA TQ Midget Races from the night. The UMRA highlights include a good shot of the pileup that nearly took us out of the race.
10/17/10
I have added a few new pictures to the "Photo Gallery" and posted videos clips of the heat and feature on the "Videos" page.
10/17/10
Our 2010 season ended in dramatic fashion in Friday night's season finale at the Kokomo Speedway. We headed into the race 8th in points, 23 points ahead of Jon Steed in the Rookie of the Year standings. Things started off smoothly. It was clear in our practice session that we had a fairly strong car that didn't require many setup changes throughout the night. We started 3rd in our heat race, briefly fell to 4th, and then moved back up to 2nd. I made a mistake coming off of turn 2, and slipped back to 4th, where I would finish. Jon ended up 5th in his heat, which in turn put me 27 points ahead going into the feature. We started 3rd row on the outside, got a great start, and slipped into 4th. The car was VERY fast. I was in a 3-car battle for third when the #92 spun in front of me. With nowhere to go, I slid into him hard with my right side, and was then nailed in the left-rear by the #78. Our little pileup was struck again when the #10 plowed into the back of us. When my car came to a stop, I was facing the fence with the #78 at rest on top of my #16 car. Needless to say, the points situation was in danger seeing as Jon's #7 emerged untouched. Fortunately, despite heavy damage including a severely bent left-rear wheel and a flat right-front tire, my car was able to restart and soldier on. Even with the damage, I maintained a competive pace for the first few laps after the restart with Jon running 2 spots ahead of me. A few laps later, my right-front shock came off as a result of the wreck. This made things increasingly more difficult. I was forced to slow my pace and limp the remainder of my car home. Staying out on the track with the damaged #16 not only allowed us to move up to 7th in the final overall point standings, but it meant that we also clinched the 2010 UMRA "TONY STEWART ROOKIE OF THE YEAR" title!!!!!!! It was a tremendous relief after all of the mechanical failures at the beginning of the season and the hard-fought comeback through the summer months. To add icing to the cake, Michael jumped to 4th place in the final point standings despite flipping in the feature. I've got to thank teammates, Dickey and Mark, for driving all the way to Kokomo to be a part of the crew in our final showdown of the season. I also want to thank Mom and Dad for all of their hard work this season and there unwavering support of my dream, Andrea for her support these last few races, Mamaw and Dal for all of their good luck wishes and support, all of my fans that have cheered me on this season, ApplianceZone.com for coming on board as an awesome hands-on primary sponsor this season, long-time sponsors: H&R Block of Corydon, IN, KFC of Corydon, IN, Trusty & Sons Tire Co., Mel & Gina Markins, Sandy's Nu Look Beauty Salon, Garmon's Farm, and Pennzoil 10 Minute Oil Change, Koontz Racing sponsors: Lineal Contracting, Woods Electrical Contractors, North American Race Gear, and Leader's Edge LLC, Tommy Vest, Mike Manifold, and The Goff Racing Team for all of their help and advice this year, Kenny Miller for his wicked-awesome motors and advice, and the UMRA racers and club members for providing awesome competition and welcoming us as a part of the family. Most of all I want to thank Michael Koontz for making this year possible and doing everything possible to put me in a competitive ride. He took a chance on a young racer he'd never even met, giving me a chance to do what I couldn't have otherwise, and I cant' thank him enough. The 2010 race season has been an incredible experience. We will likely return to the UMRA in 2011. News will be posted here as decisions are made about next season. The "Results" page has been updated as well as the "Points" page with final overall point standings and final pavement series point standings. New videos and pictures will be added soon.
9/27/10
The "Points" and "Results" pages have been updated. I have added a video of Saturday night's heat race to the "Videos" page. The heat started off extremely well, but had a rather disappointing ending. It's still a cool clip though. We've got a little off time before Kokomo. I plan to take my time making sure the #16 is reading to kick some tail, and also do a little thinking and planning for 2011.
9/26/10
We finally gave ourselves a little breathing room after last night's 50-lap feature at the Mt. Lawn Speedway. I started on pole in my heat race, led the first lap, ran 2nd for the next several, and then slipped up on the last lap and fell to 4th. I had a really good start in the feature, but got tangled up in a traffic jam in turn 3 on the first lap, got spun out, and was sent to the back. Nothing like making things interesting. I quickly got back by the #7 car and after a couple of laps passed the #4 and #28. The remainder of the race was pretty much follow-the-leader. I ended up 11th, but put 4 positions between myself and Jon. We should be heading into the finale at Kokomo with a 23 point rookie lead. I'm excited to end the season on dirt!!! Stay tuned.
9/20/10
The "Points" and "Photo Gallery" pages have been updated.
9/19/10
The Rookie of the Year battle was intense last night at Anderson Speedway. The fastest track on the circuit made for an exciting backdrop for the hottest rivalry in the series. I learned something in the first practice session that helped us find a ton of speed. I was 7th fastest in the 2nd session, 7 tenths faster than my Rookie competition, Jon Steed. I made a mistake in qualifying, but still managed a 9th place effort which gained me an extra 2 points. After a very intense battle, Jon held me off in the heat race and gained a few points back. The car wasn't quite as perfect in the feature, but it was enough to get the job done and finish 10th, ahead of Steed's #7 once again. Only 2 more races to go. We head into the final pavement race of the year with an 8 point lead. Michael brought the #17 machine home in 7th. The "Results" and "Videos" pages have been updated.
9/14/10
The "Points" page has been updated.
9/12/10
We had another interesting night at the Decatur County Fairgrounds. The car was awesome all night long, but it didn't seem like we could catch a break early on in the day. After the inverts and some rough on-the-track luck, we started the feature in the 16th posistion. About 5 laps into the race, there was a wail of a pileup in 1 & 2. I was able to sneak through and came out the other side in 8th. After a few laps I passed Michael for the 7th position. We were able to hold on to 7th, finishing one spot behind Brandon Gray in the Koontz Racing #18 car. Michael had a strong run going, but got caught up in a wreck late in the race. We lost a few points in the Rookie Standings, but we held the lead with our feature finish. The "Results" page has been updated. There will be a new video posted a little later today. There are two pavement races up next on the schedule. Stay tuned.
9/8/10
Only 4 races remain on the 2010 UMRA schedule. Two of which are on pavement and two on dirt. This Saturday is one of the biggest events on the UMRA schedule: Greensburg's "Fan Appreciation" event at the Decatur County Fairgrounds. I made my TQ debut last year at Greensburg in Koontz Racing's #18 car, and had a strong run during this year's fair race in the #16. We are hoping to increase our Rookie of the Year point lead and give ourselves a little more room to breathe. The #16 team will be dedicating this event to the ASPCA (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). During the autograph session, along with autograph cards and ApplianceZone.com Racing T-Shirts, we will be handing out information about the ASPCA and ASPCA wrist bands. I will also be donating my portion of the winnings to them. Greensburg is one of my favorite tracks and the ASPCA is one of my favorite charities, so I'm pretty excited about this weekend. Wish us luck!
9/4/10
A few new pictures have been added to the "Photo Gallery".
8/29/10
"Points" standings have been updated.
8/29/10
Last night's race at the Mt. Lawn Speedway in New Castle was another interesting one. We tried a slightly different setup in the first practice session, and the #16 car let us know real quick that it didn't like the change. The car was laying over waaaay to hard on the right-rear and I had the car up on two wheels in turn three at one point. A light breeze would've probably flipped the car over. We made some big changes througout the night and made the car 100% better. We qualified 10th, finished 5th in our heat, and ended up 10th in the feature after avoiding a traffic jam caused by a car running on a flat right-front that refused to pull off the track. The track was much faster for the feature, and we were off quite a bit on gearing, but we'll know better next time. The major success of the night was that we extended our Rookie of the Year point lead by a few points and recieved the Rookie of the Race award. Michael had another solid night, qualifying 5th, finishing 3rd in his heat, and 7th in the feature. Another highlight of the night was the fact that it was Mt. Lawn's fan appreciation weekend. After qualifying, all of the fans came down to the infield to get autographs, talk with the racers, and check out the cars. Our UMRA TQ midgets seemed to be one of the crowds favorite divisions. We'll have a rare week off next weekend, and return to action on September 11th for fan appreciation night in Greensburg. I have updated the "Results" page. New videos will be posted later today.
8/21/10
Tonight's race at Brownstown has been rained out. Major bummer. I've added some pictures from North Vernon to the "Photo Gallery"
8/15/10
The UMRA visited the biggest, fastest dirt track on the schedule last night at Twin Cities Raceway Park in North Vernon, IN. We had another solid night at a track we had only seen briefly in '07. Our 5th place finish in the heat race put us pretty far back for the feature. The field had a pretty clean start, but the red came out a few laps into it when the #80 and #18 got into a pretty good wreck in 1 and 2. I nearly spun trying to avoid it and got tagged in the side by the #12, but we got away without any damage. A few laps after the restart, I got too big of a head of steam in 1 and 2, and spun out on the bottom. After that little slip, I had a long way to go and a short time to get there. I ran the high line for a few laps and made up a couple of spots. We had another caution, and I got a good jump on the restart and took another position. Fortunately, my rookie of the year competition made a mistake late in the race and also spun out. This allowed me to extend my point lead ever so slightly. We brought the car home in 9th after a very exciting feature. The "Results", "Points", "Photo Gallery" and "Videos" pages have all been updated.
8/9/10
A few new pictures from Anderson have been added to the "Photo Gallery".
8/9/10
The "Points" page has been updated.
8/7/10
It is currently 4:05 am, and it has been a very, very long day. The afternoon started off kind of ugly when our tow vehicle broke down on the side of I-65. After hitching a ride from a Bartholomew County police officer to get parts and trying everything we could think of, we still couldn't get the truck rolling. Fortunately, Michael was able to swing by and pick up me, mom, and the car on his way to the track. Dad had to stay behind and wait on a wrecker to tow our rig back home. We managed to survive the evening without one of our key team members, but it made things a little more hectic. The car wasn't very happy in practice, and despite changes, got much angrier as the night went along. We qualified 9th and finished 5th in our heat race. Michael's night went south when his motor let go in qualifying, taking him out of the remaining events. In the feature, the car drove worse than a Freightliner tri-axle, but we were able to finish 8th. I've got to thank Michael and Mike for all there help getting us to the track, Mom for doing two jobs at the track, and Dad for driving hundreds of miles to get our rig home and come back in time for the last 4 laps of the Feature. Awesome team. The "Results" page has been updated. We won't have any new videos this week. Circumstances didn't give us the opportunity to get much good footage.
8/2/10
You may have noticed that the site has been down for a few days. I apoligize for the inconvenience, but we're up and running again! Here's what you missed: Thursday night we competed in the fair race at the Brownstown Speedway. After a dumb mistake on the driver's part in the heat race (which I prefer not to discuss), we started at the tail for the feature. After 25 laps and a whole lot of chaos, We came sliding across in 9th place at the finish. Saturday night at the Montpelier Motor Speedway (my favorite TQ track) went especially well. I started 5th and finished 3rd in the heat race, which put me mid-pack on the outside for the start of the feature. It was quite an action-packed event. There were five of us battling for position behind a slower car at one point (this allowed the top 5 cars to break away). I finally got around some of the mayhem, and proceeded to chase down the leaders. I ran out of time and finished 6th - which is my best finish of the season so far. The best news is that the finish put me back into the Tony Stewart Rookie of the Year points lead by 13 points!!! I would also like to congratulate Kellen Conover for a heat win and a 2nd place feature finish at Montpelier in the Koontz Racing #18 car. Check out updates on the "Videos", "Results", and "Points" pages.
7/25/10
The "Points" page has been updated.
7/25/10
We're gaining ground in the Rookie of the Year standings week after week. Last night's race at the Mt. Lawn Speedway in New Castle, IN was a pretty good success. New Castle has been a difficult stop for us ever since our first visit there with the mini cup in '04, but this time around we were able to come away with a satisfying top 10. We ended up 5th in our heat and 9th in the feature. Michael and I dueled all night. I got the best of him in the heat, but he passed me back in the feature. We've got 2 great tracks coming up this weekend (Brownstown and Montpelier) so we'll focus on keeping the momentum rolling. The "Videos" and "Results" pages will be updated later today.
7/22/10
The #16 car is locked and loaded for Mt. Lawn Speedway this Saturday. New Castle's challenging pavement track is always a tough stop on the schedule, but I'm more confident than I've ever been, and excited to take another swing at the place. I also want to mention that we will be competing at Brownstown Speedway next Thursday night. The people at the track were impressed with the UMRA enough to invite us back for their fair race. Should be fun.
7/18/10
The "Points" page has been updated.
7/17/10
It was a hot one in Bartholomew County! That kind of temperature makes grown men in firesuits question their sanity. Our #16 team had another solid effort at the flat, paper-clip-shaped fairgrounds track. We started 5th in our heat and finished 3rd, barely missing 2nd. In the feature, we started 9th, fell back to 12th, and moved back up to finish 9th. It was another great points weekend and gives us a good shot of confidence heading into another pavement race at New Castle next weekend. The "Results" page has been updated, and I should have a couple of videos posted later today.
7/14/10
UMRA has made some changes to the last three races on the schedule this year. We will be racing a rain-make-up event at Anderson Speedway on September 18th. Our 50-lap event at the Mt. Lawn Speedway has been pushed back a week to September 25th. As our season-ending event, the UMRA has been invited to be a part of Kokomo Speedway's 4th annual "Kokomo Klash". We will be racing on day 1 (October 15th) of the three day event. Also on the schedule that night are non-wing sprints, midgets, and 600cc mini sprints.
7/13/10
Pictures from Brownstown have been added to the "Photo Gallery".
7/11/10
The "Results" and "Points" pages have been updated after Brownstown. Be sure to check out the "Videos" page this week. We've got footage from the Greensburg heat and feature, and the Brownstown feature, all of which came out really well. I also tried an experiement with my in-car camera at Brownstown and pointed it at me inside the cockpit. It's not a great view, but still relatively entertaining.
7/11/10
2:32 a.m. - Pretty exciting weekend! At Greensburg, the car was awesome right off the trailer. We made minimal changes and had a good car all night. The opposite was true at Brownstown. The car was not very happy at all during the heat race. We basically threw out our original setup and started over for the feature. It was a gamble, but the changes worked really well. We ran a little conservatively for the first few laps until I found a groove that the car and I were both happy with. Once we found it, we set sail and made up a lot of ground...fast. I didn't realize how good the car was until I saw the video and saw the distance I put on the cars behind me and the distance I made up on the cars in front of me. Unfortuately, I got a little over-excited going into turn 3 to take the 8th position when I spun the car out. I headed to the tail for the last few laps, but was able to pick off a couple of spots and move back to 12th. We had a couple of mistakes (driver related, therefore more easily fixable) this weekend, but all-in-all we learned a lot, and had a couple of great runs. We also closed the gap considerably in the rookie standings. I'll have more updates later tomorrow....or, uh.....tonight.....ah, whatever. These early mornings / late nights are hard to keep straight!
7/10/10
3:03 a.m. - We just rolled in from the fair race at Greensburg. It was quite an evening. I started on pole for my heat race and was able to bring it home in 2nd behind Ron Combs in the Tony Stewart-owned #50, and ahead of Michael in the #17. Our strong heat race run put us in the 7th starting spot in the feature. We got a decent start and settled into 6th position for a few laps until the #80 got out of shape down the front stretch and spun going into 1. I cut the car hard trying to avoid him and spun myself out in the process. The end result was a pretty good sized pileup that ended with the #13 on his lid. Fortunately for us, despite being run over by two or three cars during the wreck, our #16 car was still in perfect working order. However, because of being involved in the incident, we had to restart on the tail. (I do love a challenge, though). I picked off several positions, working my way forward. I had made it back to 13th when I was knocked out of the way by the car behind me. This kicked me back to 15th with two to go. I got a heck of a run on the #51 in the center of 3 & 4 on the last lap, and was making the pass down low, when he cut to the bottom. We touched, and I came across the finish line on two wheels. Overall, it was a pretty fun night (and a good points night). We'll get up in a few hours and get the car ready to go at it again in Brownstown. Stay tuned.
7/7/10
I have added a few new pictures to the "Photo Gallery" from Montpelier.
7/4/10
Happy 4th of July, everybody! After a frustrating start to our 2010 season, we have finally found light at the end of the tunnel. The changes we made last week chased away whatever gremlin was lurking around inside the #16 car (which is a relief, because we didn't really have anything left to change). We were able to run both practice sessions back to back (a total of 15 laps) without any problems. Previously, the car was unable to go much past 8 laps without shutting down. We had a very strong run in the heat race, and started mid-pack in the main event. The car handled perfectly throughout the feature. I had worked my way to 10th and was fighting for 9th, while running about 5 positions ahead of my rookie competition. Now, the bad news. (C'mon, it's never that easy, right?) We had a caution with about three laps to go. While coasting around under caution, my car began to vibrate....violently. With such a short distance left, I chose to hope that it would go away (we racers are an optimistic bunch when it's down to the wire). The car accelerated alright, but before we made it to turn 1 something in the drive line gave up and cut our celebration short. We found out this morning that the drive shaft snapped inside the torque tube. While this was a disappointing turn of events, we were still happy to be rid of the strange problems that have plagued us all year. The drive shaft is a quick fix. We'll put things back together and head into next weekend charged and ready to take back our place on top of the rookie standings. Montpelier was kind to the whole Koontz Racing team. In addition to our turn-around, Michael was able to pick up his first heat race win and finish 5th in the feature, moving him up to 5th in the point standings. The #18 car was piloted to a 4th place finish by full Midget racer, Kellen Conover. I have also updated the "Points", "Results", and "Videos" pages.
6/30/10
New pictures have been added to the "Photo Gallery".
6/29/10
The "Results" and "Points" pages have been updated.
6/27/10
All the kings horses and all the kings men can't figure out what is wrong with the #16 car. The issues that have plaugued us every weekend of this race season returned during the Rushville Nationals, and took us out of the feature both nights. Drivers and crew members from several teams lent their time to trying to help last night, but nothing worked. Throughout the weekend, we changed the battery, ingnition box, fuel lines, filters, coils, ignition switch, and fuel cell vents and still got nowhere. We have a few more things to try this week before we start running out of parts to change and things to check. The #18 car will likely be on standby next week at Montpelier as my backup so I can maintain my standings in the rookie points if the #16 should continue to experience problems.
6/21/10
The "Points" page and "Photo Gallery" have been updated.
6/20/10
Happy Father's Day!! Overall, I'm going to call last night's race at the Mt. Lawn Speedway in New Caslt, IN a success. Of course we had our typical New Castle luck (radio mount came loose, brake fluid mater cylinder cap came off, rear brake pads fell out, set screw on throttle mount stripped out). That being said, our fuel problems did not show up, and we were able to unofficially propel ourselves back into the lead of the Rookie of the Year Standings even though the car jumped out of gear and took us out of the feature. I'm very happy to have things back on track headed into next weekend, which happens to be our season's biggest event: the Rushville Nationals. I will have some new videos posted later today.
6/13/10
Last night's race at the Anderson Speedway was rained out after qualifying. We were able to run to practice sessions and one qualifying session without any issues, so it looks like our fuel issues may be fixed. A rain date for Anderson will likely be scheduled. I have posted an In-car camera clip of qualifying on the "Videos" page. I have also added a page entitled: "Legacy of the Rodeo Man". This page contains a poem of the same name by Baxter Black. A shortened version of the poem appeared in the movie "8 Seconds". I like to read these words before every race. I haven't found anything that better captures the moments before the green flag. It not only applies to bull riders, but racecar drivers, tractor pullers, dirt bike racers, or any form of competition involving man and machine. Check it out.
6/10/10
We are two days away from our first pavement race of the season at the Anderson Speedway, and things are gradually coming together. We just finished up re-routing the enitre fuel injection system on the #16 ApplianceZone.com car. We have changed everything we can possibly think of to fix our problems from the past two races. I will have everthing finished up tomorrow. Cross your fingers and wish us luck.
6/7/10
I have added some new pictures to the "Photo Gallery" and upload three new videos from Rushville.
6/6/10
The word of the weekend was: "Frustration". Our first visit to the tight little bull ring that is Rushville began pretty well. I ran a fairly conservative qualifying lap trying to avoid rookie mistakes and was able to time in 10th fastest (1/2 second off the pole). The lineup for the heat races was inverted, but by halfway, I had moved up to 3rd. Unfortuately in my pursuit of the 2nd position, our problems from Kokomo returned, and the car basically shut down. We tried a few fixes for the feature, but the same thing happend. The good news is that several club members lent their time to trying to figure out the problem (thanks especailly to Tommy Vest). The best conclusion was that the fuel was heating up to much and vapor locking. We are currently running a fuel log (which adds to the problem by re-circulating warm fuel). This week, I plan to completely re-plumb the entire fuel injection system and bypass the fuel log. We will likely also put a insulator between the fuel pump and the engine block. Hopefully this will eliminate our problem and set us up for a stong run on pavement at Anderson on Saturday. Michael was able to soldier on and grab a 7th place finish, earning him the Hard Charger of the Race award. I have updated the "Results" and "Points" pages and I will have videos up in a couple of days. In other news, the UMRA was able to raise $530 for Riley's Children's Hospital at Rushville this weekend!
6/4/10
The #16 should be ready to take on Rushville tomorrow night. Our fuel issues seem to be taken care of, so hopefully that's behind us. I'm looking forward to ApplianceZone.com's debut with the team this weekend. Rushville is the Daytona of TQ Midget Racing in Indiana, and a track that should fit my driving style. Should be a good weekend!
5/27/10
Announcement: I would like to welcome ApplianceZone.com on board as the primary sponsor of the #16 car for the remainder of the 2010 season. Appliance Zone is one of the fastest growing companies in the online appliance parts industry, and I'm proud to be the newest member of their motorsports program. Check them out at www.ApplianceZone.com and www.ApplianceZoneRacing.com .
5/27/10
Pictures from Kokomo have been added to the "Photo Gallery".
5/24/10
7:45 pm - The "Results" and "Points" pages are updated (not that they're really anything to see this week). I will have videos of the heat race uploaded in the next couple of hours. You'll get to see the heat from inside and outside the car, including the little tractor tire incident.
5/24/10
3:44am - Our trip to Kokomo Speedway looked very promising early in the event, but ended up being yet another bout with misfortune. In hot laps, the car wouldn't run the bottom, but seemed pretty comfortable up high, which was convenient because I had that lane all to myself and was getting a wail of a launch down the straightaways. I passed the rookie test last weekend and was allowed to start in whatever position I drew for the heat race. As it turned out, I drew a number close to the tail anyhow. After all, there's no sense in making anything easy. As the heat got started, it looked like we were moving about as well as anybody. I picked up a position on lap 2, and quickly caught the next guy in line. I was working to make the pass coming off of 4 on the next to last lap when I hooked a rut on the bottom that directed me straight into one of the tractor tires on the inside of the track. Fortunately, It must have been a small model of tractor. Anyhow, I nailed the tire and went airbourn in what probably looked like the perfect Grave Digger jump in a Monster Jam event. I landed back on my wheels, and survived with a bent steering arm and a missing coil spring mount. That little incident put me at the back for the feature, but we had a strong car. At the start, I passed several cars by shooting to the inside in 1 & 2. One of these cars happend to be Michael in the #17. The boss didn't go down without a fight though, and we traded positions for the next few laps while reeling in sprint car driver Travis Welpott, who was piloting the Koontz Racing #18 this weekend. Our fun was cut short when the caution came out for a spin on the backstretch. This is where the disappointment begins. Under caution, my car began to choke and sputter (lack of fuel, loading up on fuel, I don't know - I just drive the dang thing). Anyhow, I puttered around working with the fuel shutoff valve, but was unable to bring the car back to life beyond even pace lap speed. So yet again, I headed for the infield before the feature was complete. Michael joined me a couple of laps later when his front panhard bar came loose. We've got a car that can turn some heads if we can just get it to the finish and lay down the numbers in black and white.
5/22/10
Tonight's race at Montpelier Motor Speedway has been cancelled due to overnight rains that pretty well flooded the pit area. We will be heading to Kokomo Speedway tomorrow as scheduled.
5/21/10
The newspaper article featuring our race team that appeared in last week's Corydon Democrat is now available to view on the "Media" page of this website. If you haven't had a chance to read it yet, go ahead and click!
5/17/10
Check out the "Photo Gallery" for pictures from Bloomington and Brownstown by UMRA's trackside photographer.
5/16/10
Our first double header weekend ended up a little disappointing. Yesterday morning, we were able to fix the problem we experienced at Bloomington. It turned out to be a loose fitting on the high speed valve of the fuel log, which caused the motor to starve for fuel. Last night we headed to Brownstown Speedway hoping to shake off our string of bad luck. The car was pushing like a dump truck in our hot laps session, but we were able to get it to turn a little better for the heat. It wasn't quite there, but our heat race run suggested that we might have a pretty good run in the feature. Things got complicated when rain moved in and completely drenched the track shortly after the heat. It took over two hours to get the show rolling again, and by then the racing surface had morphed completely. We made minor adjustments that helped, but didn't suit the new surface quite as well as we would have liked. I started the feature next to last because of the whole rookie-to-the-tail thing, which meant I had a long way to go and a short time to get there. This put me behind cars that weren't as fast as us, but just fast enough, that I had a difficult time getting by them. A short ways into the race, another rookie in the #7 car drove deep into 1 and spun right in front of me. I had the choice of hitting the tractor tire in the infield or sliding into the #7, and based on past experience and the fact that the #7 put me in the position to begin with, I just slid into him. This, in turn, folded my right side nerf bar into my right-rear tire, ending our race. Once again, we were in position to top the rookies and fell out with some bad luck. Michael once again finished a strong 7th, and Ryan took top rookie honors with a 12th place finish. I've got to thank Mark Davis, for all his help in the pits last night. I also want to thank everybody that came to watch, and Mom and Dad for everything they do in the pits. The crew is working together extremely well this season. The good news is that next weekend I have been deemed worthy of shedding the bothersome rookie curse, and I will be allowed to start where I qualify, instead of the tail. I have updated the "Results" page and added a few new videos from this weekend, including some in-car footage from Brownstown. The in-car view is pretty cool, but doesn't represent the true speed very well. It surely doesn't look like 70+ mph straightaway speeds. I should have points standings and pictures added in a couple of days.
*8:48 pm - Current Point Standings are now posted. With last week's heat races at Montpelier tallied in, I am sitting in 12th and leading rookie standings by 6 points.
5/15/10
1:46 am - We just got back from Bloomington. Things started off very well. We ran well and finished 3rd in our heat. That would have started us in the neighborhood of 7th for the feature, but since I'm still in rookie break-in stage, I had to start near the back of the 19-car field, in 15th position. I quickly moved up to 12th and was the highest running rookie by a mile for the majority of the race. Unfortunately, about half way through the event, the car sputtered and died coming off of turn 4. We were able to re-fire, but the car died again on the restart. We plan to get up in a few hours and start searching for the problem. We suspect a clogged fuel filter or injector. Hopefully this will be a quick fix, and we can get the #16 ready for Brownstown tomorrow night (well technically tonight I guess). In other news, Michael started pretty far back in the pack, but quickly moved through the field for a pretty good finish. I'm not sure what position he ended up in just yet. Ryan made his debut in the #18, and was just getting more comfortable when he spun out and tipped over in turn 4. Both car and driver emerged unscathed. Stay tuned.
5/13/10
We are locked, cocked, and ready-to-rock for Bloomington tomorrow night. I've been looking forward to competing there for a long time. We've got several fans coming up to Brownstown on Saturday. I've got nothing to lose and everything to prove, so I intend to put on a good show. Should be an exciting weekend.
5/12/10
Check out the sports section of the Corydon Democrat for an article on our race team by sports editor, Brian Smith.
5/11/10
I just added pictures of all three of the Koontz Racing machines on track at Montpelier. Check 'em out.
5/9/10
We were able to run hot laps and heat races last night at Montpelier Motor Speedway before rain set in and cancelled our feature event. It did, however, prove to be a valuable experience since it was my first time on track in the #16 car. I was very pleased with the car's performance. We were a little too free, especially off the corner, but that's nothing a 1/2 turn here and there can't fix. I was very impressed with the performance of our Honda powerplant. I've got to tip my hat to Kenny Miller, for putting together a wail of motor. I was fighting for 2nd in the heat race when my throttle linkage fell apart one lap shy of the checkers. Michael was dominating the heat in the #17, but spun off of 4 late in the race and rolled the car over. The car and driver were a little banged-up, but otherwise fine. Ryan's dad, Jim, was able to get the #18 car on track in Ryan's absence for a much-needed test run. It looks like all three cars in the Koontz Racing stable will be capable of some great performances this year. Be sure to check out the "Videos" page for a clip of the heat race that includes Michael's flip. I will have our in-car camera working at the next race. Next weekend will be our first double header of the season and the closest thing we will have to a "home" game. We will visit Koontz Racing home track, Bloomington Speedway, on Friday, and the #16 team's closest track, Brownstown Speedway, on Saturday. Both venues are a couple of the finest dirt tracks in the state.
5/5/10
I have added a few more pictures of the new car to the "Photo Gallery" page. The #16 looks pretty good with all the decals on it.
5/1/10
Tonight's race at Montpelier was cancelled due to rain. The race has been moved to next Saturday. We were finally able to move the #16 car from Koontz Racing in Bloomington to it's new headquarters here in Central. The car will be housed here most of the season, to make weekly maintenance and setup a little easier. The extra week before our first race will give me a chance to get the car better prepared for it's debut. I have posted a couple of pictures on the Photo Gallery page (I appologize for the quality). We'll have better pictures up soon.
4/27/10
The cars were not ready for the dyno last night. We are hoping to get them to the dyno before Saturday. The #18 car was fired for the first time last week and we were able to fire the #16 last night. We had a few leaks, but for the most part the driveline should be ready to rock. We have a few odds and ends to finish up on the #16, but it won't take long. It is unlikely that we will get to test at North Vernon tomorrow night, based on weather and the fact that my car is pretty much the only one ready. Weather permitting, we will be ready to start our season this Saturday at the Montpelier Speedway.
4/2310
We just got back from a much-needed vacation in the Smokey Mountains. The trip was great, but it's about time to get down to business. The Koontz Racing cars are nearing completion. My Dad and I are headed to Bloomington in the morning to get the #16 close to finished. If everything goes well, we will dyno on Monday, test at North Vernon on Wednesday, and race our first points race at Montpelier on Saturday.
4/7/10
UMRA's 50th season is shaping up to be pretty exciting. In the fall of '09, the UMRA announced a new title sponsor: The Dutch Mill Amish-style buffet in Milroy, IN. The owners of the Dutch Mill are excited to be a part of our series this year. Former UMRA competitor, Tony Stewart, has come aboard as the sponsor of the Rookie of the Year program. Tony won 11 races with our club before moving into USAC, IRL, and eventually, NASCAR. I'm extremely excited to be eligibe for the Tony Stewart Rookie Challenge. The highest finishing rookie from each race will get a bonus and at the end of the year, the rookie that has accumulated the most points will be UMRA's Rookie of the Year. The 2010 schedule will also keep things interesting this year. Like USAC, we have a very diverse lineup of tracks that are both paved and dirt, high-banked and flat, and range from 1/4 mile to 3/8 mile in length. Our premiere event is the two-day Rushville Nationals in June. We will be racing at county fairs throughout the summer and we will also run at some of Indiana's finest speedways, such as Bloomington Speedway, Kokomo Speedway, Brownstown Speedway, and Anderson Speedway. We wil also have a Fan Appreciation night at Greensburg in the fall. There should be a lot to talk about in 2010!
3/29/10
Koontz Racing's #18 car has changed drivers once again. Ryan Koontz, cousin of team owner Michael Koontz, will pilot the #18 machine this season. Ryan is an accomplished AMA Light Supercross racer and will be racing on four wheels with us for the first time. I think Ryan will be a great addition to the team, and I look forward to racing with him.
3/20/10
Check out the Photo Gallery. I have added new photos to "The Driver 2010" gallery, and created an "ASPCA 2010" gallery. My dad and I got a chance to knock the rust off today at the French Lick / West Baden Indoor Go-Kart track. If you ever get the chance, try it out. The karts are fast, and the track is a blast. Visit www.flwbindoorkarting.com for more info.
3/15/10
We would like to welcome Koontz Racing sponsor, Woods Electrical, and Randy Orme Racing sponsor, Superior Signs by Melissa, back on board for our 2010 campaign with the #16 car. Also, we have moved the order date on T-shirts up to March 24th.
2/23/10
This season, we will be taking orders for T-shirts. Check out the new "Fan Gear" page for more information. The order deadline for the fan T's will be March 31st.
2/21/10
This season, I will be using our racing program to raise awareness for the ASPCA, The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The ASPCA works to rescue animals from abuse, pass humane laws, and share resources with animal shelters nationwide. Check out www.ASPCA.org for more information.
2/16/10
News on the Copperhead Mowdown Lawn Mower Race has been updated. This year's Mowdown will be held on May 29th due to the busy UMRA schedule. Check out the Mowdown pages of www.ScottyOrme.Mysite.com for more info and the 2010 rules sheet.
2/4/10
I am proud to indroduce some of the new Koontz Racing team sponsors I will be working with this season. Lineal Contracting, Leader's Edge, and North American Race Gear have helped to make my partnership with Koontz Racing possible. I sported their logos for two races last season in the #18 car, and will do so again in the #16. Thanks a million to you guys. Visit the "Sponsors" page to check out all of our great sponsors this season. I have also made several additions to the links page including sponsors, tracks, and charities, so check it out too since you're here!
2/2/10
I would like to welcome several of my longtime Randy Orme Racing sponsors back on board with me in my first season with Koontz Racing. H&R Block of Corydon, IN has been with me since the very beginning and will follow me to Koontz Racing for their 7th year of sponsorship. KFC of Corydon, IN has been with me since my rookie season in Mini Sprints and will join me for my rookie season in the UMRA. Mel and Gina Markins and Sandy's Nu Look Beauty Salon, two great sponsors that joined in 2005 are excited to continue their support. Pennzoil 10 Minute Oil Change will be my official oil supplier for a 5th year, and Trusty & Sons Tire Co. will have it's logo on my car for it's 6th season. And of course, Garmon's Farm will remain a huge part of my racing adventures. I can't thank all of you enough. Check out the new logos and links on the "Sponsors" page. In the next few days, I will be announcing some of my new sponsors from the Koontz Racing team.
2/1/10
It turns out that Koontz Racing will be expanding to a 3-car operation after all. The #18 will be a sort of satellite team, based at Koontz Racing, but owned by Rod Armes and piloted by his son Steven. I will be moving to the new #16 car (which, I hear, is an upgrade from the #18). Stay tuned for details on sponsors, car colors, and more information in the coming weeks.
1/16/10
Michael encountered a disappointing turn of events in the Chili Bowl qualifier Thursday night. His engine expired during hot laps, preventing him from starting in his heat. The fact that those things happen is the major downside to the world of auto racing.
1/14/10
The 2010 UMRA TQ Midget Schedule has been released! Some of the locations are still to be determined, but all of the dates, and most of the race locations are now listed on the "Schedule" page. The 2010 schedule includes 26 events on both dirt and pavement tracks. Their won't be much down time, but I can't wait to get going!
1/11/10
For you fans that are getting a little bored during the off-season, I have added three new clips to the "Videos" page. These Randy Orme Racing classics include a Mini Cup feature from my first year of racing, my last Mini Sprint Race at Thunder Valley, and a "Spills and Thrills" video. Hope you enjoy. There are also a few new pictures in the Photo Gallery.
1/4/10
My car owner, Michael Koontz, will be competing in the 24th annual Chili Bowl Midget Race in Tulsa, OK next week. Michael will be piloting the #76K Midget owned by Kellen Conover. He is slotted to compete in Thursday's (1/14) qualifier against racing stars like Kasey Kahne, Tracy Hines, Jason Leffler, Sammy Swindell, Terry McCarl, PJ Jones, and more. Best of luck to ya, buddy!!! I'll post an update next week.
12/24/09
The team would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
12/7/09
I have added a links page that will grow to include just about any website that is related to what we are doing in the world of racing. There are a few key sites listed now, and more will be added throughout the off-season.
11/25/09
Have a Happy Thanksgiving everybody.
11/16/09
Welcome to www.ScottyOrme.com! I have been working on this new website for the past couple of weeks. It is a long way from done, and there will be more to come. You will be able to continue to visit www.ScottyOrme.mysite.com for info on the 2004-2009 seasons as well as the Copperhead Mowdown lawn mower races. This new website will feature all of the latest news and information on my racing career as I compete for the UMRA TQ Midget Rookie of the Year award and run a few select races with the 'ol .38 Special Street Stock in 2010. Some of the new features you'll find on this site are the "Photo Gallery" and "Video" pages. The Photo Gallery will feature the latest pictures as well as a sort of pictorial history of our racing adventures. The Video page (by far, the coolest new addition) will feature footage of my races next season. So, for all of you that haven't made it to the track, you will finally get to see us in action. For now, I have posted a TQ Midget race from Bloomington and a clip of the Anderson Enduro 200 as examples of what I'll be up to. Info on the 2010 season will be posted as soon as it's available. Stay tuned....
