Race fans got more than they bargained for at the end of Saturday's NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at New Hampshire when two of the pit crews slugged it out on pit road.
Since there was no clear winner in the fray, Las Vegas Motor Speedway has invited both teams to settle the matter Saturday night before the start of the Qwik Liner Las Vegas 350. Speedway officials have invited the Germain Racing crew of Todd Bodine and the Red Horse Racing crew of David Starr to square off in a tug of war as part of prerace activities.
"I'm sure both of those teams left New Hampshire feeling that nothing was settled," Las Vegas general manager Chris Powell said. "They were nice enough to entertain the fans at New Hampshire with some extracurricular activities, and we just want to afford these teams the opportunity to get their aggression out before the race in Las Vegas this Saturday night. We're happy to supply the rope."
There was no immediate word if the teams would accept the invitation.
For those who missed it, Bodine was spun out by Starr near the end of the Camping World RV 200 and retaliated by ramming the rear of Starr's truck on the cool-down lap after the race. When a member of Bodine's crew confronted Starr on pit road, an altercation ensued between the teams that drew a throng of NASCAR officials.
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HORSE RACE: Reigning NHRA Pro Stock champion Jeg Coughlin Jr. knows a thing or two about winning.
Coughlin has four series titles to his credit as well as 53 national event victories. So, when he picked Badlands Nitro to win the Little Brown Jug harness race, which takes place Thursday in Coughlin's hometown of Delaware, Ohio, people with horse sense took notice.
The handlers of the horse with the decidedly drag racing-themed name invited Coughlin for a visit on the eve of the five-day 63rd annual Little Brown Jug slate of races that began Sunday. It was their way of saying thanks for helping Badlands Nitro become the prohibitive favorite in the half-mile race that is the second leg of pacing's Triple Crown.
"If he can win a half-mile race, just a little of his mojo should help me out tremendously on the quarter-mile," said Coughlin, currently third in the pro stock rankings. "I think we're in for a horse race of our own down the stretch of the Countdown to 1, so I'm going to root for Badlands Nitro to take the win this week and then we'll try to follow up in Dallas."
Since its inception in 1946, the Little Brown Jug has been the setting for many of the fastest half-mile performances in harness racing history.
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TITLE TIME: The Daytona Prototype and GT championships will both be settled Saturday when the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series visits the 24-turn, 4.486-mile Miller Motorsports Park circuit in Tooele, Utah.
