Keselowski wins Nationwide race at Talladega

Just in the nick of time, Brad Keselowski was approved to drive in Sunday's Aaron's 312 Nationwide Series race at Talladega Superspeedway. Perhaps polesitter Kevin Harvick wishes he hadn't make the field, given that Keselowski was the major obstacle to Harvick becoming the first driver to win a Nationwide and a Sprint Cup race on the same day. Earlier on Sunday afternoon, Harvick had won the Aaron's 499 Cup race.

Photos by Brad Chase for Motorsport America

All Harley Drag Racing - Phoenix, AZ

Right now, the AHDRA is at Atlanta Dragway (April 30 - May 2).

But until we post photos - here are some action photos from the previous week in Phoenix, AZ.

Photos by Brian Williams.

Angel City Rally
We got a big thank you from all the winners that won the drawing for free weekend passes. Motorsport America had a great time at the Angel City Rally as well. Here's our photos of the mid-April event. The weather was perfect for our first trip to this bike rally. We'd heard so much about it from one of our own, Rodney, about his trip last year, we wanted to experience it for ourselves.

In this little western-style town sat more bikes than you could count in an afternoon. So after a few wide shots with the camera, we checked out some of the vendor's merchandise and added a bit of bling to our outfits. We headed down to the pavilion and stage area in the middle of town and watched bike games and contests the rest of the afternoon.

Veterans and First-Timers Win at SGMP
Despite racing with heavy hearts after losing one of their own to a freak early-morning accident, American Drag Racing League (ADRL) competitors still managed to turn in thrilling, record-setting performances for the Apr. 23-24, ADRL Hardee’s Georgia Drags VI at South Georgia Motorsports Park (SGMP).

Veterans Jason Scruggs and Mike Castellana led the way with wins in Pro Extreme and Pro Nitrous and Ashley Owens absolutely dominated the Pro Extreme Motorcycle class from start to finish all weekend long. Extreme 10.5 and Extreme Pro Stock produced first-time winners in Todd Moyer and Steven Boone, respectively, as did the Pro Jr. Dragster class won by Jordan Arnold in near-perfect fashion.

ADRL: South Georgia Motorsport Park
Fans and Fun

Great to see the turnout by all the fans as SGMP in Cecil, GA for the ADRL Hardee's Georgia Drags VI April 23 & 24. The weather cooperated with the event and racers to an extent.

Here are MSA photos by our staff, Fred Hanyon and Leon McVay.If you see yourself in one of the photos, tag it on your FaceBook page!

Barklage Crashes Hard in Q2
ADRL: South Georgia Motorsports Park
Friday, April 23rd - Cecil, GA

Cody Barklage of Lake Ozark, Missouri, was uninjured in a heavy crash into the right wall of South Georgia Motorsports Park (SGMP) during round two of Pro Extreme qualifying for the ADRL Hardee’s Georgia Drags VI.

“It made a pretty abrupt turn and I cocked the (steering) wheel back, but there really wasn’t much I could do for it,” the young driver told the SGMP crowd in an interview with ADRL announcer Bret Kepner.

Check back for more photos of the day here at Motorsport America. Photos by MSA Staff.

AMA Suzuki SuperBike Showdown
Young Wins American SuperBike Race Two at Road Atlanta
In what could be termed as destiny, Blake Young on his Rockstar Makita Suzuki took an extremely hard fought and popular win in race two of the Suzuki SuperBike Showdown at Road Atlanta on Sunday, April 18th.

Josh Hayes on the Team Graves Yamaha passed Young's Rockstar Makita Suzuki teammate Tommy Hayden on lap four and Young and Hayes put on a display of clean, hard fought motorcycle racing of the highest possible quality all the way to the end of the 20 lap AMA Pro National Guard American SuperBike race.

Cardenas Doubles with Race Two Win at Road Atlanta
As the afternoon sun shone on the beautiful Road Atlanta road course, the second of two AMA Pro Daytona SportBike presented by AMSOIL took to the track to see if they could improve on what was a spectacular show on Saturday.  For the many fans in attendance, the field of 31 Daytona SportBikes did not disappoint.  And at the end of another spellbinding race it was yesterday's winner, Martin Cardenas, who took the win on his M4 Monster Energy Suzuki.

Sam Memmolo's Annual Car Show
April 17th in Villa Rica, GA

This year's Sam Memmolo Charity Car & Motorcycle Show was a great day to be a classic car owner OR a pet owner. The annual event raises money for the Douglas County Humane Society.

There were plenty of hot rods, classics, custom cars, trucks and motorcycles of display. The program for the day's events included a silent auction, a dog show and several exhibits, vendors, great food and entertainment.

Stix Bar and Grill - Villa Rica, GA
Thursday Bike Night: April 15, 2010
Photos by Fred Hanyon, MSA

Motorsport America was out at Stix Bar and Grill in Villa Rica, GA on Thursday night for the weekly Bike Night.  This place is one of the best venues we've visited and by far the nicest place in Villa Rica to grab a cold beer and play pool. 

Women's Professional Billiards Association Touring Pro's  Monica Webb and  Helena Thornfeldt are the owners and welcome all bikers to join them every week for live entertainment, beer and drink specials.

NHRA: Morgan doesn't need
Las Vegas to know he's a lucky guy

LAS VEGAS (April 14) -- Pro Stock veteran Larry Morgan doesn't need to get on a hot streak in one of Las Vegas' famous casinos to prove he's living a charmed life. Instead, he only needs to look at his sleek red, white, and blue Lucas Oil Ford Mustang in the pits of The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. "No doubt about it, I'm a lucky guy," said Morgan, second only to Warren Johnson in number of Pro Stock starts with 480. "To have Forrest and Charlotte Lucas and all the great people at Lucas Oil supporting this program, to have Ford Motor Company doing all the things they've done for us in the last year trying to get Fords back in the game, to have the dedicated professionals on this race team, man, it's all pretty awesome." (Photos by MSA Staff)

AMA DragBike: Elmer Trett Nationals
Atlanta Dragway, Commerce, GA
April 10-11. 2010

AMA DRAGBIKE returned to Atlanta Dragway for the 19th Annual MTC Elmer Trett Nationals, the second stop in the eight-race motorcycle drag racing championship series.

Castroneves tide rolls in Alabama
By Dave Lewandowski
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Team Venom Energy race strategist Kyle Moyer was "looking for a yellow" to aid race leader Marco Andretti. It came, but too late to help the Andretti Autosport driver from seeing the dual checkers for the second time in his IZOD IndyCar Series career. Instead, the No. 26 car had to pit for a 3.3-second splash of 100 percent fuel-grade ethanol on Lap 82 of 90, relinquishing the lead to Team Penske"s Helio Castroneves. That"s all it took in a race full of fuel strategy and excitement " with all 25 cars running at the finish for the first time in IZOD IndyCar Series history, only two brief full-course cautions breaking up the lap dashes and a crowd double that of any event previously held at Barber Motorsports Park (53,555; three-day total of 84,126) cheering on every lap.

NASCAR/Phoenix: Two Tire Call Helps Newman End Winless Drought
Saturday, April 10th - It was a game of numbers-two and four. Capitalizing on a late caution that extended Saturday's Subway Fresh Fit 600 three laps past its scheduled distance of 375 laps, Ryan Newman and crew chief Tony Gibson snatched victory from Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch with a two-tire call under the final caution.Both Busch and Johnson took four tires on Lap 373, under caution for Scott Riggs' blown tire in Turn 4 one lap earlier. Gordon, who took two tires and left pit road with the lead, spun his tires on the decisive restart on Lap 377, allowing Newman to surge into the top spot.

Pruett, Rojas Win Porsche 250 Before Large Crowd at Barber
On Saturday, April 10th Memo Rojas and Scott Pruett rolled to a dominating victory in Saturday's Porsche 250 before an estimated crowd of 25,000 at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, AL, while problems hit two of their traditional rivals in the battle for the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 Daytona Prototype championship. Pruett took the checkered flag 6.870 seconds ahead of Ozz Negri, giving the No. 01 TELMEX Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates BMW Riley its second consecutive victory. Photos by MSA Staff

Will Power Sets Pace in Opening Day Practice at Barber Motorsports Park
Will Power, who has dominated the early portion of the 2010 IZOD IndyCar Series season with his two races victories and a pole start, topped the combined practice (two sessions) time sheet as teams began preparations for the inaugural Indy Grand Prix of Alabama presented by Legacy Credit Union. The Australian recorded a best lap of 1 minute, 11.1856 seconds in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske car on the 2.38-mile Barber Motorsports Park circuit. Tony Kanaan, who has started sixth and second the first two races in the No. 11 Team 7-Eleven car for Andretti Autosport, was second (1:11.3011).

Atlanta Motor Speedway:
Let’s Get Ready for Friday Night Drags!
Season Opens April 30
The 2010 Friday Night Drags & Show-N-Shine season will open on Friday, April 30th. This will be the first full night of drag racing and show-n-shine competition. Fifteen divisions of drag racing including the Super Pro, Pro, Street Outlaw, Sportsman, Truck Advanced, Truck, Domestic Advanced, Domestic, Pro Four, Tuner, Sport Compact, Super Bike, Dirt/Harleys, ATV and the new Radical division for all the wide open ATVs, go karts, legends and other vehicles that do not fit into any set division. Opening night will feature a full night of practice and eliminations with trophies awarded to the main event winner in each division. There will not be any points awarded towards the season championship awards.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series:
Milestone Weekend For Edwards, Sadler At Phoenix
Carl Edwards and Elliott Sadler will each make milestone NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts this Saturday night, in the Subway Fresh Fit 600 at Phoenix International Raceway. Edwards will make his 200th NASCAR Sprint Cup start, and Elliott Sadler will make No. 400. Edwards has enjoyed success in his short time racing at NASCAR’s top level. Through the first 199 races, Edwards has 16 wins, 61 top fives and 102 top 10s. Sadler’s career began with two races in 1998, before joining the series full-time in 1999. A member of the inaugural Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup class in 2004, that season was also his best career year. In 2004, Sadler had two wins, eight top fives and 14 top 10s – all career highs.