Website Designed, Hosted & Maintained by RACE22.com
Website Designed, Hosted & Maintained by RACE22.com
Rodney, Speedy and Ace Speedway ...
Welcome to RACE22.com ... The Home of Late Model Stock Car Racing ... RACE22.com
RODNEY COOK #14
Cook Tells His Side.....
Rodney Cook has had a great season, 8 wins at Franklin County Speedway finishing 3rd in the points, and going for his 3rd championship in a row at ACE Speedway getting wins there along the way. But what had been building for the last few weeks all came to a head last Friday night at Ace, and Rodney is not a happy man to say the least. I gave him a call to see what he thought about the situation.......
Corey Latham: Rodney, this Corey with RACE22.com, so what's this I hear about your illegal carburetor, illegal crate engine and you not going back to Ace Speedway?
Rodney Cook: Yeah, you know man, it's just been leading up to this. It's bad you've been over there all year running, and you know Speedy (Faucette) has been whipping up on everybody pretty good all year. And then right before the chase started, we got our car working pretty good, and was racing good with them. I won the week before the chase started, and the week of the chase, and the next thing ya know Speedy and them starts crying and gets the track on me, and that's when they whipped out that chassis dyno thing, which isn't that accurate anyway, and then they started putting weight on me, and that's just not right. Anyway, Friday night Speedy's car was too low in qualifying, they tried and tried to get the roller under it but it wouldn't go. I didn't say anything and they went on. After qualifying, they came and told me I needed to go back to the scales, somebody was saying I was light. So I had to roll my car all the way back to the scales. I put it on there and they all saw I weighed 3179, they had made me add 125 pounds because of the crate motor. So that showed them I was right on my weight.
CL: Sounds like the night started off exciting.
RC: I'm not done. When I rolled the car back after I was found right, I asked the official about the #37 (Faucette) being too low, if they are gonna check me. He said that my fuel cell was low at the start of the year, and I told him that 4 other cars were too that night, and the #37 was one of them, don't throw that up in my face. He said this is they way it was gonna be tonight, the #37 gets to hold the pole, blah,blah,blah. Anyhow, right after that, one of his crew guys shot me the bird, and that's set a fuse off in me. Here we are screaming at each other from 4 pits away.....man it just wasn't right.
Johnny Fogleman (official) came down and talked to us both individually and everything was cool. I said I don't have a problem with him. Well we raced and Speedy won, Robert (Turner) finished second, and I finished 3rd. Robert was all over Speedy for the win, but played it cautious. In the drivers meeting Robert (drives AND is a head official) told everybody to be courteous because we have a tight points battle going on. Robert made the comment on the PA system after the first race that he didn't try to win that race because he didn't want to mess Speedy up for that. Well we started the second race, and man, on the very first lap, I was coming out of 4 and was on the flat, and Robert hooked me in the left rear quarter, and turned me sideways all the way down the straightaway, I didn't get off of him until the flag stand and when it did it over corrected me and sent me head on into the wall......on the first lap.
CL: Good Gosh.
RC: Yeah.... I was like, here you have a tech man, running his mouth the way he was running it about being courteous, and
Cook Tells His Side.....
Rodney Cook has had a great season, 8 wins at Franklin County Speedway finishing 3rd in the points, and going for his 3rd championship in a row at ACE Speedway getting wins there along the way. But what had been building for the last few weeks all came to a head last Friday night at Ace, and Rodney is not a happy man to say the least. I gave him a call to see what he thought about the situation.......
Corey Latham: Rodney, this Corey with RACE22.com, so what's this I hear about your illegal carburetor, illegal crate engine and you not going back to Ace Speedway?
Rodney Cook: Yeah, you know man, it's just been leading up to this. It's bad you've been over there all year running, and you know Speedy (Faucette) has been whipping up on everybody pretty good all year. And then right before the chase started, we got our car working pretty good, and was racing good with them. I won the week before the chase started, and the week of the chase, and the next thing ya know Speedy and them starts crying and gets the track on me, and that's when they whipped out that chassis dyno thing, which isn't that accurate anyway, and then they started putting weight on me, and that's just not right. Anyway, Friday night Speedy's car was too low in qualifying, they tried and tried to get the roller under it but it wouldn't go. I didn't say anything and they went on. After qualifying, they came and told me I needed to go back to the scales, somebody was saying I was light. So I had to roll my car all the way back to the scales. I put it on there and they all saw I weighed 3179, they had made me add 125 pounds because of the crate motor. So that showed them I was right on my weight.
CL: Sounds like the night started off exciting.
RC: I'm not done. When I rolled the car back after I was found right, I asked the official about the #37 (Faucette) being too low, if they are gonna check me. He said that my fuel cell was low at the start of the year, and I told him that 4 other cars were too that night, and the #37 was one of them, don't throw that up in my face. He said this is they way it was gonna be tonight, the #37 gets to hold the pole, blah,blah,blah. Anyhow, right after that, one of his crew guys shot me the bird, and that's set a fuse off in me. Here we are screaming at each other from 4 pits away.....man it just wasn't right.
Johnny Fogleman (official) came down and talked to us both individually and everything was cool. I said I don't have a problem with him. Well we raced and Speedy won, Robert (Turner) finished second, and I finished 3rd. Robert was all over Speedy for the win, but played it cautious. In the drivers meeting Robert (drives AND is a head official) told everybody to be courteous because we have a tight points battle going on. Robert made the comment on the PA system after the first race that he didn't try to win that race because he didn't want to mess Speedy up for that. Well we started the second race, and man, on the very first lap, I was coming out of 4 and was on the flat, and Robert hooked me in the left rear quarter, and turned me sideways all the way down the straightaway, I didn't get off of him until the flag stand and when it did it over corrected me and sent me head on into the wall......on the first lap.
CL: Good Gosh.
RC: Yeah.... I was like, here you have a tech man, running his mouth the way he was running it about being courteous, and
SPEEDY FAUCETTE #37
And for Speedy's part ...
Speedy Faucette has certainly had a great season at Ace Speedway this year and in many people's eye's he should already be crowned the champion, of course if not for the "chase" format that Ace employs. Faucette has dominated all season and after having a dominant season he's found himself in a tight points battle after the championship points were reset near the end of the season, putting the top 12 in points very close to one another. Let's read what he thinks about the crazy goings on at Ace Speedway .......
Corey Latham: Hello Speedy this is Corey with Race22.com I have spoke with Rodney about the events that took place in the Late-Model event leading up to the season finale, and wanted to get you thoughts on the situation
Speedy Faucette: Okay that sounds good. Lets start with the motor issue, on the ace speedway website it states that NO Ford or Dodge Crate motors are approved. Back in May Rodney had a problem with his built motor so he decided to put a sealed ford crate racing engine. But its not and never has been approved for ace speedway. No one at ace speedway will tell me who approved the motor. I decided to put a crate motor in my car and bring it ace and they told me they weren't going to allow me to race with that motor.I didn't think that was very cool. They have tore my car down countless times this year,100% legal every time. I guess if a guy wins and sets on the pole as much as I do I must be cheating,But apparently not because I pass tech.
CL: Rodney did say that they tore your car down alot this year.
SF: There was one night they did not tech any of the top three cars, But as soon as I got out of the car the officials surrounded me and patted me down like I was going to jail. They took my helmet and my Hans device, wouldn't even let my crew touch the car. The officials pushed my car to the infield.
CL: Were they looking for traction control ?
SF: Yes, I'm not hiding nothing all my wires are out where everyone can see them. Anyone who runs traction control needs to find another sport. The officials went as far as to bring a fish finder this year they said it would scramble traction control. Needless to say I won that night.I can get around any track shaped like ace martinsville two years ago I drove from 23rd to 5th by half way under green flag racing. That wasn't a fluke. If I had money to go other places to race I would. Ace is a two tire deal and 15 miles from my house.
CL: What happened before the race a couple weeks ago I heard you and Rodney almost got into it?
SF:They brought the crate motor back and for some reason they are not carrying the weight they should be. It all started about a month ago when Jerry Scott one of Rodneys' buddies, he walked up to the scales while I was on them and checked out what my cross weight was and all. I didn't take very kindly to that especially since after he walked away from the scales he went right to Rodney's trailer and started spilling the beans. Well from that point on everytime Cook's car was on the scales one of my guys were there watching. For instance Rodney had come in from his qualifying run and came across the scales he didn't weigh but 3120 that's what the track wrote and that's what my crew seen. We went to the
And for Speedy's part ...
Speedy Faucette has certainly had a great season at Ace Speedway this year and in many people's eye's he should already be crowned the champion, of course if not for the "chase" format that Ace employs. Faucette has dominated all season and after having a dominant season he's found himself in a tight points battle after the championship points were reset near the end of the season, putting the top 12 in points very close to one another. Let's read what he thinks about the crazy goings on at Ace Speedway .......
Corey Latham: Hello Speedy this is Corey with Race22.com I have spoke with Rodney about the events that took place in the Late-Model event leading up to the season finale, and wanted to get you thoughts on the situation
Speedy Faucette: Okay that sounds good. Lets start with the motor issue, on the ace speedway website it states that NO Ford or Dodge Crate motors are approved. Back in May Rodney had a problem with his built motor so he decided to put a sealed ford crate racing engine. But its not and never has been approved for ace speedway. No one at ace speedway will tell me who approved the motor. I decided to put a crate motor in my car and bring it ace and they told me they weren't going to allow me to race with that motor.I didn't think that was very cool. They have tore my car down countless times this year,100% legal every time. I guess if a guy wins and sets on the pole as much as I do I must be cheating,But apparently not because I pass tech.
CL: Rodney did say that they tore your car down alot this year.
SF: There was one night they did not tech any of the top three cars, But as soon as I got out of the car the officials surrounded me and patted me down like I was going to jail. They took my helmet and my Hans device, wouldn't even let my crew touch the car. The officials pushed my car to the infield.
CL: Were they looking for traction control ?
SF: Yes, I'm not hiding nothing all my wires are out where everyone can see them. Anyone who runs traction control needs to find another sport. The officials went as far as to bring a fish finder this year they said it would scramble traction control. Needless to say I won that night.I can get around any track shaped like ace martinsville two years ago I drove from 23rd to 5th by half way under green flag racing. That wasn't a fluke. If I had money to go other places to race I would. Ace is a two tire deal and 15 miles from my house.
CL: What happened before the race a couple weeks ago I heard you and Rodney almost got into it?
SF:They brought the crate motor back and for some reason they are not carrying the weight they should be. It all started about a month ago when Jerry Scott one of Rodneys' buddies, he walked up to the scales while I was on them and checked out what my cross weight was and all. I didn't take very kindly to that especially since after he walked away from the scales he went right to Rodney's trailer and started spilling the beans. Well from that point on everytime Cook's car was on the scales one of my guys were there watching. For instance Rodney had come in from his qualifying run and came across the scales he didn't weigh but 3120 that's what the track wrote and that's what my crew seen. We went to the
ROBERT TURNER
TRACK OFFICIAL
Ace Speedway's perspective ...
Robert Turner is a former and off and on current racer at Ace Speedway in the Late Model Stock Car division. He is a tech man for the track primarily for the other divisions to try and keep people from claiming favortism and as you can guess that hasn't really worked out. Turner gives us the Ace Speedway perspective from what's been going on this season ....
CL: Hello Robert, this is Corey Latham with Race22.com. I have talked to Speedy and Rodney about the events that took place in the Late-Model event leading up to the season finale, and wanted to get your thoughts on the situation.
RT: That's fine, what do ya want to know?
CL: Well first, let's start off with Rodney. He feels that the track is simply picking him out, pretty much trying to run him off making up engine rules as you go...
RT: Well, that is pretty much his perspective, but it's a lot more complex than that. To keep from being long-winded about it, ACE Speedway goes by the NASCAR Late-Model rule book. And the speedway has added the Chevrolet crate engine in great detail, as to what you can do to it to be able to run it. And the Ford crate engine is technically not allowed, unless you submit the engine part #'s and whatnot to be approved. And supposedly his engine was approved by, I guess Gary Dickerson.
CL: That's what he said, he said it was approved by Gary but Gary isn't over there anymore is he?
RT: Your right. Gary has had some health problems and wasn't there but for just a few of the first races. From what I hear he is doing OK, but just can't come back to the job. That really put a burden on us, we didn't have a LMSC tech man, and your LMSC tech man needs to be the sharpest knive in the drawer. He needs to be up on everything car wise, engine wise, whatever. But anyway, I'm put in a predicament where we have the Chevrolet crate engine, everybody is complaining that it's got too much power, others are complaining the Ford crate motor has too much power. So we bring in a chassis dyno, to figure out where we're at, and more importantly is there anything that needs to be done, are any of these claims ligament or are they just hot air. And if they are hot air, and the dyno shows it, we can put this thing to bed and go on with the rest of the year. Or if it is bad enough, do we need to do something now or is it something we can live with through the year and address it in the rule book for next year.
CL: Sounds fair enough, how did the dyno go?
RT: First off, the crate engine was given a weight break to begin with, because it was believed to of been lesser power than the NASCAR built motor.
CL: Well that turned out to be different though didn't it?
RT: Why else would you give a weight break unless you though you think the engine is down on power? the crate engines were given a 50lb weight break, vs. the LMSC built motor, plus they also have roughly a 40lb advantage on weight because they run aluminum heads. And the carburetor was different. What the carburetor deal was, the crate supposedly didn't have as much torque off the corner but more straightaway speed, where as the built motor was the other way around because it's got more motor than it does carburetor. So you've got 2
TRACK OFFICIAL
Ace Speedway's perspective ...
Robert Turner is a former and off and on current racer at Ace Speedway in the Late Model Stock Car division. He is a tech man for the track primarily for the other divisions to try and keep people from claiming favortism and as you can guess that hasn't really worked out. Turner gives us the Ace Speedway perspective from what's been going on this season ....
CL: Hello Robert, this is Corey Latham with Race22.com. I have talked to Speedy and Rodney about the events that took place in the Late-Model event leading up to the season finale, and wanted to get your thoughts on the situation.
RT: That's fine, what do ya want to know?
CL: Well first, let's start off with Rodney. He feels that the track is simply picking him out, pretty much trying to run him off making up engine rules as you go...
RT: Well, that is pretty much his perspective, but it's a lot more complex than that. To keep from being long-winded about it, ACE Speedway goes by the NASCAR Late-Model rule book. And the speedway has added the Chevrolet crate engine in great detail, as to what you can do to it to be able to run it. And the Ford crate engine is technically not allowed, unless you submit the engine part #'s and whatnot to be approved. And supposedly his engine was approved by, I guess Gary Dickerson.
CL: That's what he said, he said it was approved by Gary but Gary isn't over there anymore is he?
RT: Your right. Gary has had some health problems and wasn't there but for just a few of the first races. From what I hear he is doing OK, but just can't come back to the job. That really put a burden on us, we didn't have a LMSC tech man, and your LMSC tech man needs to be the sharpest knive in the drawer. He needs to be up on everything car wise, engine wise, whatever. But anyway, I'm put in a predicament where we have the Chevrolet crate engine, everybody is complaining that it's got too much power, others are complaining the Ford crate motor has too much power. So we bring in a chassis dyno, to figure out where we're at, and more importantly is there anything that needs to be done, are any of these claims ligament or are they just hot air. And if they are hot air, and the dyno shows it, we can put this thing to bed and go on with the rest of the year. Or if it is bad enough, do we need to do something now or is it something we can live with through the year and address it in the rule book for next year.
CL: Sounds fair enough, how did the dyno go?
RT: First off, the crate engine was given a weight break to begin with, because it was believed to of been lesser power than the NASCAR built motor.
CL: Well that turned out to be different though didn't it?
RT: Why else would you give a weight break unless you though you think the engine is down on power? the crate engines were given a 50lb weight break, vs. the LMSC built motor, plus they also have roughly a 40lb advantage on weight because they run aluminum heads. And the carburetor was different. What the carburetor deal was, the crate supposedly didn't have as much torque off the corner but more straightaway speed, where as the built motor was the other way around because it's got more motor than it does carburetor. So you've got 2
CLICK HERE FOR THE
REST OF THE STORY
CLICK HERE FOR THE
REST OF THE STORY
CLICK HERE FOR THE
REST OF THE STORY
DISCLAIMER ... The above are direct quotes from the drivers or track officials in question. Special Thanks to Rodney Cook, Speedy Faucette and Robert Turner for being open and honest with reporter, Corey Latham. Another Special Thanks goes out to Corey for doing an awesome job on these interviews. We hope you enjoy the "Original News" RACE22.com is providing ... you can't get that anywhere else on the internet for sure!