2008 Local Drivers News

April 17, 2008

Former Delaware Driver Inductee to The NorthEast Modified Hall of Fame Driver Inductees & Special Award Winners

With over 30 years experience in the Motorsports industry, Charlie Langenstein is a very well known and respected name throughout the racing circles, worldwide.

With well over 250 feature wins and countless track and series championships in the Northeast Dirt modified ranks. Charlie is destined to someday be added into the Dirt Motorsports Hall of Fame. Championship caliber drivers such as Larry Voss, Jimmy Horton, Brett Hearn, the legendary Will Cagle and Kenny Brightbill just to name a few have benefited in the unique way that Charlie maintains and preps a race car for competition.

At a very young age Charlie was taught by Delaware racer Walt Breeding (a successful race car driver and car builder in his own right) on the fabrication and design of race car engineering.

From the go-kart racing industry to the famed Indy car and NASCAR racing series and all racing divisions in between, Charlie has left his mark.

At the age of 19 while still attending high school, Charlie was able to take the entire month of May off from his school work to work for Danville, Illinois Indy car driver Larry “Boom Boom” Cannon at the famed brickyard at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the 1980 Indy 500. While the team was lacking the major funding it took to be a threat for the win, they were able to qualify 14th fastest for the 500. Unfortunately the race team had engine woes that resulted in a 33rd place finished. After graduation from high school Charlie remained a vital part of Cannon’s Indy car Team for 2 more years!

Through out the years Charlie continued to hone his racing skills and worked under some of the best in the business with a goal to someday set his own mark in the sport.

With this being said Charlie, a self taught race car engineer has successfully designed and built many race car components and race car chassis designs to set the bench mark in Motorsports today. In 1997 Charlie designed and built a NASCAR (then Winston Cup) chassis for Petty Enterprises in Level Cross, North Carolina with driver Bobby Hamilton that won in its 3rd time on the race track at the famed Rockingham Motor Speedway in Rockingham, N.C. in the fall race in 1997.

Charlie’s ideas and business plans were also successful in building “production line” fleets of race cars for the race car driving school industry and for entertainment in the “show car” markets world wide. He was instrumental in working with famed race engineer, car builder and race car driver, Mark Alderson of Brownsburg, Indiana in the development of an all steel frame monococ Indy car chassis for the race car driving industry. They also together designed the worlds first 2 seater Indy car for the Motorsports and entertainment industry. This idea was also copied by many Championship Indy car teams and race car manufactures which today is very instrumental in race car driving training and public relations projects and movie production industry as well.

Charlie not known for letting much grass grow under his feet has also been successful as a race team crew chief, team manager, driver development programs, race car engineering, preparation, set-up, fabrication, design, & public relations.

Charlie’s newest baby is his PPE corp. (Performance Products Endorsements).

Charlie works closely with many Motorsports and high performance and product manufactures to help promote, test, and evaluate and market new ideas and racing concepts to the Motorsports industry.

Charlie has been in involved in the NASCAR Busch (now Nationwide Series) and Sprint (Winston Cup /Nextel) Cup Series for the past 20 years. He has won the 1989 Busch Grand National Championship and 1990 Rookie of the year in Winston Cup with driver the late Rob Moroso.

Since 2000 Charlie has worked for Hendrick Motorsports starting with the 25 cars and driver Jerry Nadeau. Since 2002 Charlie has worked for the Hendrick Motorsports drivers Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson.

While Charlie maintains his highest priority and full time commitment as the mechanical supervisor for Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson Sprint cup teams. In 2006 and 2007 Charlie was instrumental part of Jimmie Johnson’s NASCAR Nextel Cup Championship Team.

2008 will be an exciting year for Charlie Langenstein.

Charlie will come out of semi-retirement as a race car driver and will drive a Bandalaro in the outlaw division at the 10 race Summer Shoot-out Racing Series at the Lowes Motor Speedway starting in June. He will drive for KAR Racing in a car owned by his lovely wife Beth.

Charlie is proud to announce with help from HL Motorsports of Concord, N.C. that he has received major sponsorship from Red Devil Energy Drink and is looking forward to show casing the energy and talent it takes to race for the series championship. His complete race plans and sponsorship announcements can be found shortly on www.karracing.net.

2008 will also be memorable for Charlie, as he works with the Hendrick Motorsports staff and teams 24&48. The 48 team with driver Jimmie Johnson are defending NASCAR Sprint Champions and are trying to pull of the 3 peat, or possibly make a run for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship with 4 time champion Jeff Gordon.

With a 1-2 finish in the championship in 2007 the bar has been set very high.

Charlie’s “golf game” will be driving the Kar Racing Bandalaro chasin the championship

And representing Red Devil Energy Drink and his many racing partners including HL Motorsports.

Charlie stated that Red Devil Energy Drink has giving me the Energy to chase these goals set forth and with out a doubt Charlie will be up for the Challenge.

Mod Lite and Jr Mod Lite East Bay Results

"A" Main » 30 laps » February 22nd, 2008 Mod Lite Results

1 Tim White 93 – – – – –
2 – Erik McKinney 118 – – – – –
3 – Rod Jones 11 – – – – –
4 – Steve White 76 – – – – –
5 – Mikey Hay 22 – – – – –
6 – Tyler Reno 78 – – – – –
7 – Eric Bacon 26M – – – – –
8 – Ryan Charland 10C – – – – –
9 – Matt Hay 70X7 – – – – –
10 – Kevin McKinney V75 – – – – –
11 – Brian Menefee 22M – – – – –
12 – John Leahy 8 – – – – –
13 – Jay Dye 40 – – – – –
14 – James McKinney 17 – – – – –
15 – Sparky White 16 – – – – –
16 – Shawn Sliter 71 – – – – –
17 – Brian Peterson 82 – – – – –
18 – Mike Morvill 6 – – – – –
19 – Barry Lasosky 567 – – – – –
20 – Eric Hay 40L – – – – –
21 – Kenny Meadows 10T – – – – –
22 – Calvin Musser 10CM – – – – –
23 – Dennis Lamphier 6G – – – – –
24 – Charles Chapmond 9C – – – – –

"B" Main » 12 laps » February 22nd, 2008 Mod Lite Results

FIN STA DRIVER NUM
1 – Brian Peterson 82 – – – – –
2 – Eric Hay 40L – – – – –
3 – James McKinney 17 – – – – –
4 – Kenny Meadows 10T – – – – –
5 – Todd Canter 9T – – – – –
6 – Joel Huggins X50 – – – – –
7 – Rick Brubacher 67 – – – – –
8 – Lynn Knepper 10K – – – – –
9 – Brandon Gray 48B – – – – –
10 – Adam Leslie 15 – – – – –
11 – Eric Henrickson 66F – – – – –
12 – Rick Risinger 4 – – – – –
13 – Kevin Nicolino 25 – – – – –
14 – Paul Klager 1 – – – – –
15 – Tyler Bradshaw 15B – – – – –
16 – Shane Casto 18 – – – – –
17 – Tex Myers 8B – – – – –
18 – Brandon Dennis 10 – – – – –
19 – Jamie Gilbert 53 – – – – –
20 – James Watson 34 – – – – –
21 – Andy Tallmann 18T – – – – –
22 – Matt Hall 3RV – – – – –
23 – Jeff Asher 7 – – – – –
24 – Jacob Lash 83 – – DNS – –

RACE WINNER NUMBER
02/22/08 – Mod Lites & Crate Late Models - Day 2
"A" Main Tim White 93
"B" Main Brian Peterson 82

Division Jr Mod-Lite
Race "A" Main
Laps 12

FIN STA DRIVER NUM MAKE LAPS STATUS PTS/BON/AUX/PEN MONEY
1 – Brandon Sturgis 10 – – – – –
2 – Dylan Evans 80 – – – – –
3 – Clint Chalabala 44 – – – – –
4 – Ty Short 8 – – – – –
5 – Alan Knepper 1K – – – – –
6 – Jimmy Wills 22W – – – – –
7 – Tyler Hughes 8H – – – – –
8 – Donald Ackenbrach 91 – – – – –
9 – James Hill 1 – – – – –
10 – Bryan Green 11 – – – – –
11 – Kyle Cole 946 – – – – –

RACE WINNER NUMBER
02/22/08 – Mod Lites & Crate Late Models - Day 2
"A" Main Brandon Sturgis 10

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Jordan Watson in Victory Lane at Georgetown 2006

Joseph Watson in Victory Lane at Georgetown Speedway 2006

Both photos by Bruce Walls

Watson Brothers Step Up to Big Block Modifieds.....Heading to Florida For Speed Weeks

By Bruce C. Walls

MILFORD, DE-After two successful seasons racing Crate Modified cars, Milford, DE brothers Jordan and Joseph Watson are moving up to Big Block Modified cars this season. Last year they finished first and second in Crate car competition with 19-year-old Jordan leading the way at Georgetown Speedway in Georgetown, DE and Bridgeport Speedway in Bridgeport, N.J.
This year they will be competing in the weekly points series at Delaware International Speedway in Delmar, DE Saturday nights. Their plans for the 2008 season include trips to Bridgeport Speedway in Bridgeport, N.J. to compete in special events scheduled there and to some Pennsylvania tracks for additional seat time and experience.

“Moving up to Big Block Modifieds is part of the natural progression,” their father and co-owner Glenn Watson explained. “They will gain a new level of experience running the Big Block Modifieds. These cars are quicker on the starts and a lot faster when they get going.”

Jordan’s getting an early start to his 2008 season. Piloting his Uncle Jamie Mills’ Big Block Modified car, Jordan will be competing in the 2008 Dirt Car Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, FL (February 13th – 16th). There he’ll be battling against some of the country’s best dirt racers in the Advanced Auto Parts Modified division. It will be his first experience racing a Big Block Modified car.

His 18-year-old brother Joseph already has some Big Block Modified experience. Last year he raced the car at Bridgeport and Delaware International Speedway. “Big Block Modifieds are different then the crate modified cars. You have to learn how to be careful on the throttle it’s a lot quicker and it’s easy to spin the back tires,” described Joseph, a Milford High School Honor Roll Senior. “It will be interesting to see what Jordan will do against the big boys.”

“It’s going to be something different,” described Jordan who has Mills Brothers Markets, IG Burton Chevy of Milford, M&E Barbeque of Florida and Blue Hen Speed Shop of Milford owned by Jamie Mills sponsoring him for this race. “I’ve got to get use to the car and motor. Everybody says it takes time to learn to drive one. Hopefully I’ll be use to it when I get back here to Delmar. “I’ll be racing some of the best dirt racers in the country like Brett Hearn, Danny Johnson, Pat Ward and Jimmy Horton. Out of the 40-racer field there are 15 drivers that can win.”

Wednesday February 13th Jordan and the rest of the Advanced Auto Parts Modified racers will practice on Volusia County Speedway Park’s huge ½-mile clay oval circuit. Thursday they qualify for heat race starting positions. Friday they will begin battling in heat race competition preparing for the championship showdown Saturday February 16th.

“I’m sure it will be fast,” Jordan said. “It should be about two-seconds faster than the crate car. My goal is to make the mains one or two nights and to get use to the Big Block motor.”

Soon after returning to Delaware they will begin weekly points competition at Delaware International Speedway. The speedway will hold test and tune day April 5th. The following Saturday will be the track’s season opener. Bridgeport’s open practice for all classes will be Saturday March 26th. Saturday April 9th begins their weekly points series. “Bridgeport is a big track and it’s hard on motors,” Jordan explained. “We’ll go there for some of their big shows, but we won’t be there every week.”

According to Joe maintenance on the Big Block motor is a lot different. “You have to go over these Big Block motors with a fine tooth comb,” he described. “We’ll be alright when the track has moisture, but it will be a lot different when it’s dry. When it’s dry you have to watch the throttle to make sure you don’t spin the back tires. I think my experience last year helped me because I know how the motor is, I just have to work on getting my foot and brain to work together to keep the tires from spinning.”

Joe went on to say that, “I think the first month we need to work on cracking the top 10. We’ll start picking off a few of the top 10 after the first month and then get some top five’s and hopefully some poles so we’ll be starting in the front.”

Supporting them through sponsorship this season are Courtland Manor, Wilkins Fuel, Watson Auction, Mills Brothers Markets and Remax Twin Counties. To grow you business through marketing with Watson Boyz Racing call their Director of Marketing Bruce Walls at 302.537.7223 or Co-Owner Glenn Watson at 302.422.2392.