TERRE HAUTE —
The recent announcement from NASCAR regarding the approved body styles for the 2013 Sprint Cup Series follows extensive wind-tunnel testing that was a year in the making.
The sanctioning group’s attempt to get its car body styling more in line with that of its stock manufacture models comes at the cost of many man hours of testing and putting the results to use on potential new creations that show up later at the race track.
Sullivan County native Brett Andrew is familiar with these factors. In his role as an aerodynamist, Andrew has had a first-hand approach in the testing sessions that led to NASCAR’s final approval of several models.
In his lengthy employment with Ford Motorsports, Andrew has been actively involved with the wind-tunnel testing at the Auto Research Center in Indianapolis, where the racing bodies are tested at 40-percent scale.
From that point, the test results are ultilized in a full-scale model at Ford’s test center in Charlotte, N.C. From there, the scene can switch to Marietta, Ga.
Andrew’s involvement in racing dates back to earlier roles with Pagan Racing in his Indy Racing League (IRL) days. This came following his outstanding basketball playing days — first at North Central High School in Farmersburg, then at Danville (Ill.) Community College and later at Marian College in Indianapolis.
While the bulk of his efforts are aimed at Ford’s NASCAR’s Sprint Cup and Nationwide series endeavors, his experience has not been limited to stocks cars.
He’s also been involved with John Force’s Funny Car program in NHRA, Jack Roush’s Mustang entry in the Grand Am series and Daytona Prototypes machines.
NASCAR approved the Ford Fusion for 2013 following tests that got underway last August. The test included more than a half dozen 8- to 10-hour sessions.
When not in a test session, Brett likes to join his dad Glenn to run UMP dirt modifieds at Indiana short tracks. His active schedule this past weekend included running the mods at Bloomington Motor Speedway on Friday night, spending time at the soccer field with his family that resides in Brownsburg on Saturday and Sunday and a flight to Charlotte late Sunday night.
The Ford facility had to be beaming, considering Marcos Ambrose’s Sprint Cup win at Watkins Glen earlier in the day.
The wild finish at Glen on Sunday only strengthens the belief in this corner that the stockers would make for a great show at Indianapolis. With the sagging fortunes and ho-hum racing that plagues the current Brickyard 400 format, how could a change not help?
As radical as the idea might seem to Speedway traditionalists, the idea of such a move was entertained a few years back. The concept included festival-type seating around sections of the track’s existing road course. Unfortunately, the concept never made it past those making the final call.
One can only imagine the kind of show that Tony Stewart, Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon and Boris Said, to name a few, might deliver on a twisting IMS road circuit.
• Names in the news — It finally had to happen, but it was disappointing to see that legendary Steve Kinser missed his first Knoxville Nationals in 34 years over the weekend. It’s not a sign that Kinser might be slowing down, just that the competition in the World of Outlaws is so close these days.
Sammy Swindell joined Kinser on the sidelines Saturday night. Donny Schatz won the Nationals, his sixth win over the last seven years.
• First it was Ray Morgan’s surprise reemergence on the Wabash Valley sprint scene what with his team’s surprise win in the USAC Indiana Sprint Weeks race last month at the Terre Haute Action Track.
Now several of Morgan’s former Valley sprint-car competitors are back on the scene. Wil Newlin jumped back behind the wheel of his family’s UMP Modified earlier this season. Eric Burns is back in a sprinter.
Eric joins fellow Brazil racer Doug Heck in the sprints at Paragon on Saturday nights. Center Point’s John Nicoson also has been out in his sprinter this season. And don’t be surprised if the name of Seelyville’s Dusty Wright doesn’t rejoin the group in the near future.
Joe Buckles can be reached by e-mail at Joe Buckles4@frontier.com.
Sports
TRACKSIDE: Brett Andrew plays role in developing NASCAR's new body styles
- Sports
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Got it: Rex first baseman #29 Kurt Kudrecki fields a ball hit down the first base line during game action against the Quincy Gems Monday night at Bob Warn Field.
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Loss drops Rex into first-place tie
In a battle for first place in the West Division of the Prospect League baseball standings, the Terre Haute Rex fell just short Monday night at Bob Warn Field.
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Seven players from Terre Haute Rex taken in Major League draft
Seven players who are alumni of the Terre Haute Rex in the past four years achieved their dream of becoming professional baseball players when taken in the Major League Baseball draft earlier this month.
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RAMBLIN’ RECK: Catching up on some things
Catching up — on all-state softball honors and a new basketball coach in Illinois.
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METRO ROUNDUP: Hutson comes home, has personal best
Kylie Hutson returned to her home town Saturday to set a personal outdoor record, clearing 15-feet-5 in highlighting the Sycamore Open pole vault competition at Marks Field.
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Checking in with cancer survivor
The last time the Tribune-Star visited with Amy Bagnoche, July of 2012, she was fighting back tears talking about her own battle with breast cancer and the battles that others were facing.
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Post 346 rebounds to win Terre Haute Invitational
It’s an interesting dance that Wayne Newton Post 346 and Evansville Pate Post 265 have developed in American Legion baseball’s Terre Haute Invitational, and the last waltz was saved for the host team Sunday.
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DeNato proves IU can pitch too
Joey DeNato dispelled the notion that College World Series newcomer Indiana is all about offense.
The junior left-hander threw a four-hitter and the Hoosiers looked mighty comfortable at TD Ameritrade Park while beating Louisville 2-0 on Saturday night. -
Metro roundup: Givens, Mundy win two-man golf tournament
Scott Givens and Tim Mundy maintained their first-day lead to win the Show-Me’s Two-Man golf tournament concluded Sunday at Rea Park
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Goatee, Bertoli ran away with Spring Athlete of the Year
When honoring athletes after a season of excellence, the phrase “what might have been” doesn’t usually come up.
But in the case of Terre Haute South’s Jackson Bertoli and Terre Haute North’s TaPring Goatee – the Tribune-Star’s Athletes of the Year for spring sports – there’s an air of unfinished business despite obvious recent successes.
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TODD GOLDEN: Golf ... the beast within?
Like many sports fans, my interest in professional golf is confined to the four major tournaments. Many prefer the Masters, some like the back-to-roots British Open, but I’ve always liked the U.S. Open the best.
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Loss drops Rex into first-place tie
- Local Interest
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Score: Post 346 runner #6 Jacob Johnson scores after a collision with the Pate catcher in the fourth inning Sunday afternoon.
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Post 346 rebounds to win Terre Haute Invitational
It’s an interesting dance that Wayne Newton Post 346 and Evansville Pate Post 265 have developed in American Legion baseball’s Terre Haute Invitational, and the last waltz was saved for the host team Sunday.
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METRO ROUNDUP: Wayne Newton 2-1 on young season
Wayne Newton Post 346 improved to 2-1 in American Legion baseball with a late 8-3 victory over Effingham on Thursday night.
Craig Peters was winning pitcher for Post 346 and T.J. Decker and Cody Thornton led a 16-hit attack with three hits each. -
Rex looking to return to pitching dominance Sunday against Springfield
During a 7-1 start and franchise-best seven-game winning streak, Terre Haute Rex pitching was the catalyst. Through eight games, the Rex led the Prospect League with an earned-run average of 1.11.
Even after giving up 10 runs Friday night in a 10-6 loss to the Quincy Gems, the Rex (7-2) are still the league leader in ERA at 2.09. -
FROM TERRE HAUTE TO THE MAJOR LEAGUES: Former Scamore hurlers doing well in White Sox system
Brian Omogrosso was promoted to Chicago and appeared in 11 games. The big right-hander compiled a 5.14 earned-run average in 14 innings of relief. He struck out 14 and walked seven.
- COLLEGE REPORT: Wabash College All-American relay team has TH flavor
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Post 346 rebounds to win Terre Haute Invitational
- High School
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Goatee, Bertoli ran away with Spring Athlete of the Year
When honoring athletes after a season of excellence, the phrase “what might have been” doesn’t usually come up.
But in the case of Terre Haute South’s Jackson Bertoli and Terre Haute North’s TaPring Goatee – the Tribune-Star’s Athletes of the Year for spring sports – there’s an air of unfinished business despite obvious recent successes.
- Post 346 opens tournament with two victories
- North boys move up to 13th in golf state finals
- Big hill to climb for North golf
- Top of her game
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- College
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Indiana starting pitcher Joey DeNato (23) celebrates throwing out Louisville's Coco Johnson (20) at first for the second out in the bottom of the ninth inning in an NCAA College World Series game in Omaha, Neb., Saturday, June 15, 2013 (AP Photo/The World-Herald, Ryan Soderlin) MAGS OUT; ALL NEBRASKA LOCAL BROADCAST TV OUT
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DeNato proves IU can pitch too
Joey DeNato dispelled the notion that College World Series newcomer Indiana is all about offense.
The junior left-hander threw a four-hitter and the Hoosiers looked mighty comfortable at TD Ameritrade Park while beating Louisville 2-0 on Saturday night. -
Etherington, Moore happy to be with ISU basketball
Not even two weeks into their college experience, Indiana State freshmen men’s basketball players Alex Etherington and Demetrius Moore stood sentinel as 115 kids ran around them collecting basketballs and getting autographs at the Greg Lansing Basketball Camp on Thursday.
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ISU's Johnson invited to World University Games
Indiana State senior Felisha Johnson will be traveling the world this summer after being named to represent the United States in the women’s shot put at the World University Games in Kazan, Russia.
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FROM THE PRESS BOX: Close, but no cigar, theme for ISU sports in 2012-13
When I covered my first event of Indiana State’s 2012-13 season — ISU’s opening football game at Indiana — I was the first one in the press box at IU’s Memorial Stadium. I’m never the first one in the press box.
Maybe the prospect of ISU’s season had me so pumped that I decided to get it started close to three hours early? (Or more truthfully, maybe I was over-vigilent about predicted traffic horrors on the Indiana 46 bypass that never came to pass.) -
Q&A: ISU football coach Mike Sanford ready for fall
It’s hard to believe, but Mike Sanford has already been Indiana State’s football coach for six months.
Time flies, but Sanford’s task of preparing for his first season in charge of the Sycamores comes with few breaks.
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DeNato proves IU can pitch too
- Sports Columns
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RAMBLIN’ RECK: Catching up on some things
Catching up — on all-state softball honors and a new basketball coach in Illinois.
- TODD GOLDEN: Golf ... the beast within?
- Trackside: Midgets could be on rise in Wabash Valley
- RAMBLIN’ RECK: South grad helps VU to national golf title
- FROM THE PRESS BOX: Close, but no cigar, theme for ISU sports in 2012-13
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RAMBLIN’ RECK: Catching up on some things
- Pro Sports
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Colts not standing pat in looking toward 2013 season
Indianapolis Colts second-year general manager Ryan Grigson has quickly earned a reputation as someone who isn’t afraid to shake things up a bit.
- Deacon Jones of famed Fearsome Foursome dead at 74
- Seeking elite status
- Luck having fun with his first OTAs
- Colts hoping for more high marks on draft picks
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Colts not standing pat in looking toward 2013 season
- Terre Haute Rex
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Got it: Rex first baseman #29 Kurt Kudrecki fields a ball hit down the first base line during game action against the Quincy Gems Monday night at Bob Warn Field.
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Loss drops Rex into first-place tie
In a battle for first place in the West Division of the Prospect League baseball standings, the Terre Haute Rex fell just short Monday night at Bob Warn Field.
- Sliders’ frustration against Rex continues
- Sanchez stays hot to lead Rex to victory
- Rex fall at home to Sliders
- Rex looking to return to pitching dominance Sunday against Springfield
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Loss drops Rex into first-place tie
- Colts
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Colts not standing pat in looking toward 2013 season
Indianapolis Colts second-year general manager Ryan Grigson has quickly earned a reputation as someone who isn’t afraid to shake things up a bit.
- Landry believes he'll acclimate to Colts system
- Colts in harmony with new coordinator Hamilton
- Pagano amazed by collection of veterans
- Opening Day: Terre Haute Rex host Quincy
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Colts not standing pat in looking toward 2013 season
- Auto Racing
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Winner's kiss: Tony Kanaan of KV Racing Technology kisses the yard of bricks at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday. Kanaan won his first Indianapolis 500 Mile Race on Sunday and kissed the bricks as part of a tradition at the Motor Speedway.
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Kanaan can: Tony Kanaan finally wins Indy 500, ends heartbreak
Tony Kanaan had been so close so many times in the Indianapolis 500 until Sunday. Now he’s a winner.
- Crowd, competitors erupt in celebration for Brazilian driver
- Rookies fare well in 97th running of the Indy 500
- Top guns, again
- Looking for Indy breakthrough, Kanaan enjoying role as team mentor
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Kanaan can: Tony Kanaan finally wins Indy 500, ends heartbreak
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Obama: NSA Secret Data Gathering 'Transparent'
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