Bloggin' is Racin'

This week's local racing schedule (April 24-26)

Fort Worth area tracks and dragways. If the forecast calls for inclement weather, check the track Web site or call the track to make sure the racing is still on schedule:

Dirt tracks
Cowtown Speedway (Kennedale)
April 25 (Saturday): Cowtown Sprints and Demolition Derby; Winged 600s, Cowtown Modifieds, Limited Modifieds, Street Stocks and Bombers also on the program.
Schedule: Grandstands open at 5 p.m.; racing starts at 7 p.m.
Tickets: $12 for adults; $5 for ages 6-11; $2 for ages 3-5; children under 3 are free with adult ticket. Tickets can be purchased in advance at the track website at no additional cost.
More info: www.cowtownspeedway.com
Phone: 817-478-9952

Kennedale Speedway Park
April 25 (Saturday): Full racing program
Schedule: Gates open at 5 p.m., racing starts at 7 p.m.
Tickets: $10 for adults; $3 for children 6-11; children under 6 are free; $25 for pit passes
More info: www.kennedalespeedwayprk.com

Grand Prairie Speedway
April 24 (Friday): Outlaw Modifieds ($650 to win), Limited Modifieds, Street Stocks, Bombers and Mini Stocks
Schedule: Grandstands open at 6:30 p.m., racing starts at 8:30 p.m.
Tickets: $10 for adults; $5 for children 6-11; children under 5 are free; $25 for pit passes
More info: www.gpspeedway.com
Phone: 972-264-5800

Boyd Raceway
April 24 (Friday): SST Sprint Cars, IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Stock Cars, IMCA Southern Sport Mods, IMCA Hobby Stocks and Mini Stocks
Schedule: Gates open at 6 p.m.; racing starts at 8 p.m.
Tickets: $10 for adults; $5 for children 6-11; children under 6 are free; $25 for pit passes
More info: www.boydraceway.net
Phone: 940-433-5587

Heart O’ Texas Speedway (Elm Mott)
April 24 (Friday): Heats and features for IMCA Modifieds, IMCA SportMods, IMCA Hobby Stocks, Street Stocks and Pure Stocks. Features only for Cruisers, Junior Mini Stocks, Twisters and Texas Wing Modifieds
Schedule: Racing begins at 8 p.m.
Tickets: $10 for Adults; $8 for Seniors (age 60 and above) and students (12 and over or college ID); $3 for children 6-11; children under 6 are free; $25 for pit passes
More info: www.heartotexspeedway.com
Phone: 254-829-2294

Abilene Speedway
April 25 (Saturday): Picture and Autograph night and 305 Sprint Cars; IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Stock Cars, IMCA Hobby Stocks, IMCA Southern Ltd. Sportsmods and Late Models also on the program
Schedule: Gates open at 5 p.m., races start at 8 p.m.
Tickets: $10 for adults; $8 for military members; $5 for children 6-12; children under 6 are free; $25 for pit passes
More info: www.abilenespeedway.com
Phone: 325-692-8800 or 325-537-4494

281 Speedway (Stephenville)
April 25 (Saturday): IMCA Southern SportMods, IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Stock Cars, IMCA Hobby Stocks, Street Stocks, Compact Cruisers and Dwarf Cars
Schedule: Gates open at 6 p.m., racing starts at 8 p.m.
Tickets: $10 for adults; $3 for children 6-12; children under 6 are free; $25 for pit passes
More info: www.281speedway.com
Phone: 254-965-3092

Devils Bowl Speedway (Mesquite)
April 25 (Saturday): Free admission to residents of these cities: Garland, Sachse, Wylie, Rowlett, Rockwall, Heath and Royse City. Super Sprints, USA Modifieds, Late Models, Street Stocks, USA Limited Modifieds.
Schedule: Gates open at 6 p.m., racing starts at 8 p.m.
Tickets: $10 for adults (reserved an additional $2); $5 for students ages 12-15; $2 for children 6-11; children under 5 are free; $25 for pit passes
More info: www.devilsbowl.com
Phone: 972-222-2421

Asphalt track
Red River Speedway (Wichita Falls)
April 25 (Saturday): Chargers, Mod 4s, Thunderstocks and Hornets
Schedule: Gates open at 6 p.m., racing starts at 8 p.m.
Tickets: $10 for adults; $8 for seniors, military and students (HS or college ID); $5 for children 7-14; children under 7 are free
More info: www.redriverspeedway.net
Phone: 972-221-3200

Dragways
Texas Raceway (Kennedale)
April 24 (Friday): King of the Hille, Pro Mods, Fun and Grudge
April 25 (Saturday): Junior Spring Fling (two-day event)
April 26 (Sunday): Street Wars and Run What Ya Brung
More info: www.texasraceway.com
Phone: 817-483-0356, metro 817-572-3580

North Star Dragway (Denton)
April 24 (Friday): Fun N Grudge
April 25 (Saturday): Summit ET Points Series No. 4
More info: www.northstar-dragway.com
Phone: 940-482-9998

Texas Motorplex (Ennis)
April 25 (Saturday): O’Reilly Bracket Series No. 3, Good Guy Challenge No. 2
More info: www.texasmotorplex.com
Phone: 972-878-2641

This week's racing schedule

Courtesy of The Associated Press
All times Central

NASCAR Sprint Cup
Aaron’s 499
Site: Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway (2.66-mile tri-oval, 33 degrees in turns)
TV schedule: Saturday, qualifying, (Speed, 10 a.m.); Sunday, race (Fox, noon)
Race distance: 500 miles/188 laps
2008 winner: Kyle Busch
Fast facts: Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Casey Mears were penalized for intentionally bumping cars after the race at Phoenix International Raceway. NASCAR put both drivers on probation for the next six races, starting with Talladega, but neither was fined or lost any points. ... Jeff Gordon leads all drivers with 12 restrictor-plate wins, one ahead of Dale Earnhardt. ... Talladega is in its 40th year.
www.nascar.com

NASCAR Nationwide
Aaron’s 312
Site: Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway (2.66-mile tri-oval, 33 degrees in turns)
TV schedule: Friday, qualifying (Speed, 10:30 a.m.), Saturday, race (ABC, 1:30 p.m.)
Race distance: 311.2 miles/117 laps
2008 winner: Tony Stewart
Fast facts: Kyle Busch took the series points lead from Carl Edwards last weekend, and leads the series with 1,075 points. Edwards is third, 47 points back. ... Jason Leffler has five top-10 finishes in his last eight races, including a second last week in Phoenix. ... Joe Nemechek, who has two wins at Talladega, will make his first series start there since 2005.
www.nascar.com

NASCAR Camping World Trucks
O’Reilly Auto Parts 250
Site: Kansas City, Kan., Kansas Speedway (1.5-mile tri-oval, 15-degrees banking in turns)
TV schedule: Saturday, race (Speed, 4:30 p.m.)
Race distance: 250.5 miles/167 laps
2008 winner: Ron Hornaday Jr.
Fast facts: Kyle Busch will be in Talladega, leaving the points open, and likely to be taken over by Todd Bodine, Ron Hornaday Jr. or Mike Skinner. ... Brian Ickler will take over for Busch in the No. 51 truck. ... Kansans Jennifer Jo Cobb and Chase Austin will race. Cobb has raced at Kansas twice previously, while Austin is making his debut.
www.nascar.com

IndyCar Series
Road Runner Turbo Indy 300
Site: Kansas City, Kan., Kansas Speedway (1.5-mile tri-oval, 15-degrees banking in turns).
TV schedule: Saturday, qualifying (Versus, 5 p.m.); Sunday, race (Versus, 3 p.m.)
Race distance: 300 miles/200 laps
2008 winner: Dan Wheldon
Fast facts: Helio Castroneves, recently acquitted of tax evasion charges, will be running his first oval race since winning at Chicago last September. He’ll race at Indy next month and compete in as many races as he can in hopes of winning his first IRL season championship. ... Indianapolis Motor Speedway announced 40 entries for the May 24 Indianapolis 500, with a total of 77 cars eligible to compete for the 33 starting spots. Twenty-two cars have no drivers listed yet. Defending champion Scott Dixon and former winners Castroneves, Dan Wheldon and Dario Franchitti are listed, as are Danica Patrick and Sarah Fisher, who runs her own team. Venezuelan Milka Duno, who drove the past two years, is not on the list.
www.indycar.com

Formula One
Bahrain Grand Prix
Site: Sakhir, Bahrain, Bahrain International Circuit (road course, 3.37 miles, 15 turns).
TV schedule: Saturday, qualifying (SPEED, 6 a.m.); Sunday, race (Speed, 6:30 a.m.)
Race distance: 191.53 miles/57 laps
2008 winner: Felipe Massa
Fast facts: Ferrari is off to its worst start to a Formula One season in 28 years. Star Felipe Massa was running as high as third in the Chinese Grand Prix before an electrical failure, while teammate Kimi Raikkonen finished 10th. It was the first time since 1981 that Ferrari had gone three races into a season without a single point. ... Massa has won the past two Bahrain titles. ... After a 1-2 finish in Shanghai (Sebastian Vettel first and Mark Webber second), Red Bull is second in the constructors’ standings after three races, trailing Brawn GP by 16.5 points.
www.formula1.com

Fort Worth's Massey earns first No. 1 in Top Fuel

NHRA rookie and Fort Worth native Spencer Massey has taken his first No. 1 spot in Top Fuel qualifying, becoming the only driver to supplant one of the overnight leaders at the Summit Racing Southern Nationals in Commerce, Ga.
Massey laid down a 3.820-second pass at 311.20 mph at Atlanta Dragway on Saturday to move past Morgan Lucas. Read more here.
The other No. 1 qualifiers for Sunday's race were Ashley Force Hood (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle).
In Funny Car, Force Hood's 4.073 at 310.95 from Friday held up for her first No. 1 of 2009 and the fourth of her three-year career.
The No. 1s in Pro Stock (Anderson with a 6.557 at 210.93 mph) and Pro Stock Motorcycle (Hines, 6.877 at 195.03) were track records they set on Friday.

-- The Associated Press