If you’re a fan of hot rods and classic and exotic cars, it’s definitely your time of year in northern Nevada. As you read this, the Silver Dollar Car Classic is celebrating its 21st year in Carson City.
If you hurry, you can get there in time for the Kiwanis pancake breakfast that closes at 10:30, then stroll through Mills Park and check out the cars parked underneath the cottonwood trees while you listen to classic rock ‘n roll. The show continues through Sunday.
Then a new event takes place on Monday evening, starting at 4 p.m. It’s the Iron Rebels Car Show, a fundraiser to fight cancer in honor of local racing legend Tom Shelton. The show is for pre-1972 vehicles, and is being held at Shelton Racing, 3600 Challenger Way in Carson City, off old Hot Springs Road. Then Hot August Nights will take over the area for the rest of the week, with cruising in downtown Reno and Victorian Square, as well as the Grand Sierra, Atlantis, Peppermill, JA Nugget and other properties. The Nugget will also host drag racing, and the poker run will transit Carson City on the way to Minden. If you’ve got a lot of cash burning a hole in your pocket, visit the Barrett-Jackson Auction at the Convention Center and pick up a classic ride. Check out the Hot August Nights website for a detailed calendar of events.
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In NASCAR news, Kyle Busch is on a tear in the Sprint Cup Series. His victory at Indy upped his win tally to three out of the last four races, and put him within whispering distance of 30th in points, which would make him eligible for the Chase. He sits 32nd, just 23 points behind Justin Allgaier, the current 30th ranked driver in the standings. With six races to go before the Chase cutoff. Busch’s amazing record since he returned from an injury sustained in the Daytona Xfinity race is due in part to driving skill and determination, but also due to being on what seems to be the best team in NASCAR right now. All four Joe Gibbs Racing drivers have won this season, and all four are going to in all likelihood make the Chase. Toyota is having its best year in the series, with its first Indy win a major milestone. Toyota is looking to expand to additional teams in 2016 and beyond, with Furniture Row the most prominent target. However, Michael Waltrip Racing may not be a Toyota team next year. Yes, Silly Season is under way early this year!
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The second Pocono race is this weekend, and it’s possibly Jeff Gordon’s best chance to secure that elusive win. Gordon leads the standings at the tricky triangle with six victories in the record books. Kyle Busch, by the way, has never won there. Martin Truex Jr. took the checker at the June Pocono race and would like to sweep, but the No. 78 team’s recent performance hasn’t been as dominant as it was earlier in the season. Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski, Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Kasey Kahne have also won at Pocono in recent years.
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The all-conquering Mercedes Formula One team got a rude shock at Hungary last Sunday. After qualifying on the pole, Lewis Hamilton got dive-bombed at the start by the Ferrari of Sebastian Vettel, who went on to win. After making uncharacteristic on-track mistakes, both Hamilton and teammate Nico Rosberg failed to finish on the podium for the first time all season. Hamilton retained his points lead with a sixth-place finish to Rosberg’s eighth. The series is now on its summer hiatus, and returns to action on Aug. 22 at Spa Francorchamps in Belgium.
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The IndyCar series is racing at Mid-Ohio this weekend. Charlie Kimball, the 2014 winner, is still looking for his first 2015 victory. But the driver to beat is his Ganassi teammate Scott Dixon, who has won five of the eight Mid-Ohio races since the series returned to the track in 2007. The IndyCar series will wrap its season at Sonoma on August 31, and will lose President of Competition and Operations Derrick Walker, a long-time fixture in American open-wheel racing.
