Champion season opener is canceled

NASCAR isn't the only racing organization to be plagued by weather this season.

Champion Motor Speedway in Carson City has also suffered at the hands of the weather gods. Media day was postponed for a week, and last night's season opener also had to be canceled due to wet weather conditions. I certainly hope that we're into a more normal weather pattern next weekend so local race fans can get a look at the positive changes that have been wrought at CMS in the off-season.

Revised seating and a new concessiosn menu will add to fan comfort and fun. The Dale Earnhardt Memorial Park kids' play area will feature bounce houses provided by Fun Jumpers of Carson City. Later in the season, the world's largest sprint car jungle gym will appear at the facility as well. Plan to take Mom to CMS next Saturday night as an early Mother's Day treat.

There's some sad and disturbing news out of the Winston West series, as one of its stars was noticeably absent from the Fontana race last weekend. Austin Cameron didn't miss the race through a poor qualifying effort, or because of a race-related injury. No, Cameron, as apparently fit and healthy as any young athlete, was sidelined by something that strikes terror into the hearts of otherwise fearless competitors: cancer. With virtually no warning, the 26-year-old driver from El Cajon, California, was diagnsosed with Lymphoblastic Lymphoma, a form of Leukemia.

Cameron's racing career has been put on hold while he undergoes chemotherapy to combat the condition, which has a better than 50 percent survival rate. Please send your prayers and best wishes for a speedy recovery and the continuation of his already successful racing career.

Official practice for the Indy 500 will open today with pole day qualifying scheduled for this coming Saturday. It's one of the smallest fields of cars in recent memory, and the Indy Racing League may be hard-pressed to fill the 33-car field if there is much attrition during practice and qualifying.

What are the reasons for the decline in entries for the May classic? For one thing, the economy has been sputtering the past couple of years, causing many sponsors to tighten budgets that formerly distributed lsargesse on entries in the 500. For another, the IRL's apparent success in attracting big players in the engine wars may prove to be a Pyrric victory. Honda and Toyota have moved their battle from the Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) venue to the IRL series, and in so doing have seriously raised the cost of racing in the IRL. Many formerly marginal teams, faced with rising costs and diminishing sponsorship dollars, simply can no longer afford to compete. And with many well-funded former CART teams now in the IRL, there's virtually no hope that a privateer entry can win the 500.

It was announced last week that the Indy ranks would grow by one. Team Rahal has tapped Jimmy Vasser, who drove for Rahal in the CART series last year, to team with Kenny Brack in the 500. Vasser will have only one shot at qualifying, on the final day, due to his CART commitment in Germany on the first weekend of Indy time trials.

And one more piece of good news from the Brickyard: Team Penske driver Gil de Ferran, injured at Phoenix, has been medically cleared to practice this weekend.

Local racing on tap for next weekend: Champion Motor Speedway hosts a shootout Saturday night between the Northern Nevada Super Late Models and the Central California Pro Stocks in the Sierra Mountain Superseries challenge. Also featured will be Legends, Hornets, and Les Schwab Street Stocks, as well as bicycle races for the kids. Gates open at 5 pm, racing starts at 7.

Earlier in the day the Super Outlaw Karts of Nevada kick off their season at Thunderbowl Speedway in Mound House, with heat races startings at 11:15 am and mains at 1:15 pm. And finally Reno-Fernley Raceway offers 3/8 mile dirt-track action with IMCA Modifieds, Street Stocks, Hobby Stocks and Modified Minis. Gates open at 3 p.m. and racing starts at 6.

Roger Diez is the Nevada Appeal Motorsports Columnist.