Andretti to help toast Harmon

When Albert Harmon, owner of Harmon’s Tire and Service Center in Ellsworth, asked distributor Bob Hepp if administrators at Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC could supply something special for Harmon Tire’s 60th anniversary, he had no idea what the company would provide.

None other than Automotive Hall of Fame driver Mario Andretti, the only driver to ever win the Daytona 500 (1967), the Indianapolis 500 (1969) and the Formula One World Championship (1978).

Andretti will appear Friday, Oct. 20 in Ellsworth to share in the Harmon’s anniversary celebration.

He will do a presentation on tire and driver safety at Ellsworth High School from 9-9:45 a.m.; attend a reception with community leaders at Harmon’s Tire from 10-11 a.m. and will meet fans, sign autographs and give away a custom Firestone go-kart between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. at Harmon’s.

Youngsters ages 8-16 can register to win the go-kart at Harmon’s through 4 p.m. Oct. 19.

Harmon said he was thrilled to have Andretti celebrate the company’s 60th anniversary.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime deal,” said Harmon. “I was overwhelmed when they told me they could send Mario Andretti if I could put a program together.”

Andretti is the spokesman for the Bridgestone-Firestone safety program and Harmon said his company has “built up a very good working relationship” with Bridgestone-Firestone over the years.

Harmon knows Andretti and he and his wife, Barbara, had dinner with Andretti in Nashville several years ago at a Bridgestone-Firestone company function.

“He’s a very fine gentleman. He has a very upbeat voice. He is very proud of what he and his family have accomplished,” said Harmon.

Andretti won four Champ Car points championships and the IROC (International Race of Champions for drivers in all the major series) title in 1979.

He also finished second with son Michael in the 24 Hours of LeMans.

Michael Andretti won the CART championship in 1991 and was the runner-up on two other occasions.

Michael’s son, Marco, drove for his father’s Andretti-Green team in the Indy Racing League and became the youngest ever winner of an Indy Series race when he captured the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma (Cal.) this past season at age 19.

He also finished second in the Indy 500 as Sam Hornish Jr. passed him on the last lap.

He was the IRL’s Rookie of the Year and his Andretti-Green team will have Danica Patrick on board next season.

Mario’s nephew, John Andretti, has been a longtime driver in the NASCAR Nextel Cup series, but he’s primarily driving in the Busch series this season.

PASS 400 weekend to resume

Rain limited the number of qualifying races held at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway in Scarborough during the second annual Pro All-Stars Series 400 weekend a week ago.

So, tonight, the remaining qualifying and consolation races, a 75-lap Wildcat feature and one of the two Modified features (30 or 40 laps) will be held beginning at 6.

Then, starting on Saturday at noon, a full card of racing will include the second Modified feature (30 or 40 laps); a 100-lap Limited feature; a 100-lap Outlaws race, a 50-lap last-chance race and the 300-lap North Super Late Model feature.

“If it rains on Friday, we’ll do everything on Saturday and we’ll probably have the 300-lapper sometime between 4-5:00,” said PASS President Tom Mayberry.

He said the drivers who were scared away by the inclement weather last weekend and missed the heat races will still get a chance to qualify for the 300-lapper by starting at the back of the pack during the consolation races.

As has been the case all season long, any PASS Super Late Model driver who has won a race this season can’t start higher than 11th place for the feature.

“The fans don’t want to see the fastest car start on the pole and drive off into the sunset,” said Mayberry. “They like to see them pass cars and work their way to the front. It has added to the races.”

They have heat races instead of time trials this year and drivers earn points based on their finishes in the heat races.

“That makes them race hard in the heat races,” said Mayberry.