Saturday is Atlanta Motor Speedway’s biannual Scout Day at the Races, when all Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts in uniform are admitted free for the day’s festivities, including the Nicorette 300 Nationwide Series race. New for this year will be a Pinewood Derby demonstration in front of the Petty Grandstand after the conclusion of the Nicorette 300. Sprint Cup owner Ray Everham and broadcaster Mike Joy will host the event, and all scouts participating will receive a commemorative certificate and a T-shirt that says “I raced at Atlanta Motor Speedway.” To get prepared for the big day, there was a special media flight of the Pinewood Derby held Friday morning in the media center, which was won by five-year-old Will Lanford, son of Atlanta Fox 5 sportscaster Buck Lanford. He clutched the winning Fox-5 “sponsored” car long after the end of the contest, and later had his carved wooden trophy autographed by Sprint Cup driver Carl Edwards. The beautifully carved trophy was actually created by Atlanta Motor Speedway’s own Grandstand Supervisor, Shaun Kelley, an accomplished woodworker.(AMS PR)(3-8-2008) UPDATE jayski.com #7 finishes 3rd: Motor Racing Outreach and Speedway Children’s Charities conducted the first autotrader.com Pinewood Derby event Saturday at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Nearly 100 Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts braved the chilly weather to watch the Nicorette 300 and race their cars down the 30 foot extruded aluminum track. Sprint Cup Series team owner Ray Evernham built two sleek entries, which were awarded to the winning scouts. Every scout received a “I raced at Atlanta Motor Speedway” T-shirt and certificate. In the MRO class for NASCAR participants’ family members, Christian Yates raced his #28 to a one car length victory over John Hunter Nemechek’s #78 Furniture Row entry, with Scott Joy’s jayski.com #7 an inch behind in third, and Skylar Riggs’ #66 fourth. Macy Waltrip, Layne Riggs, Todd Gilliland, and Emilia Reutimann also competed, racing cars that they and their dads had built. A variety of strategies were employed. Waltrip’s car was “loose” and benefitted from a tire change, while graphite lube was a hot commodity among drivers trying to keep up with Yates’ “horsepower”. Joe Nemechek served as honorary starter, From FOX Sports, Mike Joy was race director and Matt Yocum was finish line judge. Proud crew chiefs included Doug Yates, Michael Waltrip, David Reutimann, Scott Riggs, David Gilliand, Ray Evernham, Nemechek and Joy. MRO President Billy Mauldin presented the awards. The next event is planned for Charlotte in May.(3-9-2008)
