Bullet crew members continue to gather at the race shop a couple of times a week to work on the Predator chassis. "Our goal is to have the car ready for Winchester or Myrtle Beach," stated Team Manager Bill Harkins. The car will be ready sooner than that, but not in time for South Georgia, and since we have no experience at Langley, Winchester seemed the most likely choice Going back to Bullet's early days with the ProCup Series Winchester Speedway has been a favorite of the team. We thought it might be of interest to our fans and friends to read a little bit about Winchester Speedway's storied past.

It has a legendary feel, and rightfully so. It was the world's first half-mile oval race track and, to this day, remains one of the steepest and fastest half-mile tracks in the country. Its every nook and cranny has seen many of the legends of short track stock car racing, and all of racing in general, pass over it at one point or another. It has seen some of the best racing moments in stock car racing, some of the worst accidents and plenty of heart-warming and heart-breaking moments.

Winchester Speedway history starts in 1916 with Frank Funk. The track was the first half-mile oval in the United States, which was made out of a clay surface. It is the oldest running short track in operation, and falls second to the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway as the oldest speedways still under operation. The first season began with three scheduled events. The first show was much less than a success, which carried over into the track's second race, where only a few fans returned.

 

The track has always been and remains a staple for both stock car and open wheel racing. Some of the best drivers in the country regularly flock with some of the best sanctioning bodies in the country to the "super-speedway short track" to help hone their skills. Some of the top drivers in stock car racing; Mark Martin, Rusty Wallace, Mike Eddy, Bob Senneker, Jeff Gordon, Mike Cope and Scott Hansen, have all made Winchester Speedway their home at some time. The track's 37 degree banking is one of the steepest in motorsports and is known as the "World's Fastest 1/2 mile".

So, now you know a little bit about Winchester (if you were not familiar with it) and can see why we have some affection for the place. Well, the history and all, but we also ran well there, so that might have something to do with it too. The team is continuing to look for a driver and sponsor that fits with their racing style and the program they have to offer. Any interested parties can either email the team at bill@bullet11racing.com or by calling 216-514-3375.

When the 2008 season ended for the USAR Hooter's ProCup, it also meant, at the time, the end of the Series as we had all come to know it. Mr. Brooks' legacy to his son and the other men on board that fateful flight to Bristol in 1992. The motto of the series was:

"We Race in Their Memory"

The Hooters Pro Cup Series was created following the tragic deaths of 1992 Winston Cup Champion Alan Kulwicki, Dan Duncan, Charlie Campbell and Mark Brooks, son of the late Hooters of America CEO Bob Brooks, in a plane crash on their way to Bristol, Tennessee. Alll of these men were lost doing what they loved to do, and the Hooters Pro Cup Series is a living tribute to them.

But, following Mr. Brooks' death in July, 2006, things began to change with the series, and within two years it appeared that the series was going to be a part of racing history's past. It also signaled a time for Bullet Racing to evaluate their position. Team Manager, Bill Harkins, had decided he was ready to something different with his weekends; there were other callings - a young family, exploring the hills and valleys onboard an ATV or just not being on the road. So, sadly, the decision was made to discontinue racing operations at the Cleveland based shop.

In the meantime, there was a lot of activity going on down South to find a buyer for the series, putting together a schedule for 2009 and moving the operation to North Carolina.

The series had a new breath of life, and the team began to rethink their decision to quit racing. After many long talks with the core crew members, it has been decided to go on racing and begin the search for a driver and sponsor.

"I really did think we were done racing," Bill Harkins reflected. "I had made my mind up, as had most of our crew that we would be spending our summer doing anything but traveling the highways on weekends going to races." "But, I was approached by our team owner to make sure that is what we really wanted to do, and other crew members began having second thoughts as well."

So, here the team is today, spending every night at the shop putting the car into race ready condition. The schedule for the series will be taking the crew to many familiar tracks, and a few new venues for a Northern based team. The first race is scheduled for April 4th at Concord Speedway, Concord, North Carolina; a track frequented by the series over the years.

Right now the team is reviewing resumes of drivers and sponsors with the hopes of making a decision by the end of February. Interested drivers can leave a message at the shop 216-514-3375 or by sending an email to bill@bullet11racing.com.

Check back for updates as the inagural event of the USARacing Series approaches.