Opening Night Excitement

Is there anything more exciting than Opening Night at your favorite race track? Seriously.  The only thing I can think of that I can get this pumped about is probably the the first day of deer season.


You know guys have been cooped up all winter and are itching to race, just as you or I have been cooped up all winter and are itching to SEE a race.  You know, more times than not, the track's going to be tacky with hammer-down balls-to-the-wall racing.  You know you're going to see a lot of your racing buddies you haven't seen in months.  And you know you're going to find some way to enjoy yourself no matter what the racing is like and no matter how cold it might be.


For me, it's kind of like the first day of gun season.  Your heart's beating just a little more.  Your ears are perked up and listening for every sound...even if it's just a squirrel shuffling through the leaves.  You're cold, but you manage to sit tight and not move a muscle in anticipation of what might be coming around that old logging road just off to your right.  You've seen a couple nice bucks on the trail cam.  A few of them were just too far out reach during bow season.  And now, you're ready for that wide-ranked, high-tined 11 point to come walking under your treestand. 


I don't know about you, but things like that get my blood pumping.  


For those of you going to an Opening Night at your favorite race track this weekend, enjoy it.  And don't forget to say "thank you" to the drivers and track officials who are "puttin' on a show" and giving you an evening full of entertainment.  

PREVIEW: Attica Opener

Not too many years ago, I wasn't a fan of Attica Raceway Park in Attica, OH.  It may have been because they only ran a Limited Late Model division with their two classes of Sprints.  Or maybe it was because I seemed to have trouble obtaining media credentials every time I went there.  


Or perhaps I just never really gave them a fair chance because of those things.


Anyway you look at it, I'm a fan now.  A big fan.  As a matter of fact, I went to Attica nine times last year.  Nine!  To put that in perspective, in one single season, I have NEVER gone to a track I didn't work for more than five times. Never.


That is...until Attica last season.


There's a few different reasons I try not to attend too many races at one single track in a season.  One of the biggest of which is the fact that I don't want to "overstay my welcome".  Because I'm fortunate enough to obtain media credentials at almost all the events I go to, part of me feels like I shouldn't "overuse" that pass.  Although I always try my best to give the tracks (and their drivers) as much exposure as possible, it's hard to not feel a little, um, "shy" about being at one track so often.  And I think if you ask any member of the media, they are likely to say the same thing.


With that in mind, I didn't realize until just a few minutes ago that I attended nine shows at Attica last year.  I was guessing the number was more like five or six.  While I do keep track of all the races I go to, I don't keep a running tally.


There's several reasons that number was so high last year.  Being an hour from home, it's an easy Friday night target.  In addition, they run a tight ship and get fans out at a decent hour.  I'm almost positive I didn't leave the track later than 11:00pm in those nine visits last season.  That's impressive.


Then there's Director of Operations Rex LeJeune.  Rex and I became friends about four years ago...around the same time Attica made the decision to go with a full-blown Late Model division and get it sanctioned by UMP.  Rex has welcomed me to Attica with open arms and has become one of my favorite people to work with.  He cares a great deal about the track, the fans, and the drivers and that passion shows.  Since Rex and I have become friends, the aforementioned credentials problems have been non existent.


The other reason Attica has quickly risen to the top group of my "favorite tracks" list is simple. The racing is absolutely outstanding.  Side-by-side is the norm at Attica and, with a pill draw format (and redraws for the feature), you're almost assured to see a good race.  Last year, they averaged 29 Late Models per race, and the winner's average starting spot was 7.25.  In addition, they only had two Late Model feature winners start on the front row.  TWO!  Very few tracks can lay claim to an accomplishment as great as that.

Jon Henry led the way with eight A-Main wins at Attica in 2011.  The "Steel Driver's" most impressive accomplishment was his June 3rd victory, where he rallied from his 16th starting position to grab the win over 17th-starting Jeff Babcock.  Despite being held winless in 2011, Ryan Missler is the three-time and defending Late Model Track Champion at the 1/3-mile fairgrounds oval.


Attica is one of just a handful of tracks to feature both Super Late Models AND 410 Sprints.  The racing is solid and the program is typically run off without a hitch. Announcer Brian Liskai is sharp in rattling off drivers, hometowns, and sponsors.  The people are friendly and the atmosphere is strong.  If these are the things you like in a race track, you need make it a point to get to Attica's season opener this weekend.


Racing is slated to begin at 7:45pm Friday evening.  If Mother Nature spoils the party Friday night, they'll use their early-season Saturday raindate with racing starting a tad earlier at 7:00pm.


A few drivers who like to pop in and visit Attica occasionally won't be at the opener. George Lee will be out of town while Garrett Krummert, Doug Drown, and Rocky Owens aren't ready yet.  Alan Vochaska is putting a new motor in his car, and Brian Ruhlman is just getting his Late Model finished.


But if Attica does indeed get to race Friday night, look for Henry and Missler to be joined by Russ King, Ryan Markham, and Justin Chance among others to contend for the Late Model win.  


Nevertheless, Attica's season opener will not disappoint.  To say I'm excited for their season to start would be an understatement.  I can't wait.

Trivia Tuesday UPDATE

Still no winner in this week's Trivia Tuesday...of course, when I featured a track that doesn't run weekly, I expected it to take folks a few days to figure out.


Remember, the rules for playing Tuesday Trivia are listed below.  Make sure you give both the track name AND location.

BREAKING NEWS: Danica Patrick Driving Jon Henry's Car at Prelude

When Eldora Speedway announced that Danica Patrick would be racing in their Feed The Children Prelude to the Dream on Wednesday, June 6, many folks began asking which Dirt Late Model driver would be fielding a car for the popular female racer.  The answer is 2011 Eldora Speedway Late Model Champion Jon Henry.

During the last several months, parties from Jon Henry Racing and Danica Patrick's team have been working diligently to get the deal in place.  Patrick was looking for a top notch ride and Henry was looking for a popular driver.  When an agreement was reached, both sides were excited about having Patrick race for charity in one of the country's premier Dirt Late Model events.

"What an awesome opportunity!" said Henry.  "To have Danica drive my car at the Prelude is really special.  My team and I are certainly looking forward to it and I know Danica is too."

“I raced on dirt once before in a go-kart when I was young, but that’s about it. It’s going to be a challenge for sure, but I know Tony has offered to help in any way possible. I’m excited about it, but I’m also nervous,” Patrick said in an Eldora Speedway press release. “It’s a totally different style of racing, so I’m not sure what to expect. But, it’s for a great cause with Feed The Children benefiting from the money raised this year, so I’m ready to give it a shot.”

Henry, a two-time Sunoco American Late Model Series Champion, last fielded a car in the Prelude to the Dream in 2010.  The driver of his car that year was another worldwide motorsports star, Travis Pastrana.  Pastrana finished 23rd in his dirt track debut, but stated the opportunity to race a Dirt Late Model was something he'd never forget.

For more information on Jon Henry, visit his website at www.jonhenryracing.com.

TRIVIA TUESDAY: Name This Track

Welcome to this week's version of Trivia Tuesday!  The first person to correctly identify this race track wins a free t-shirt from our sponsor Wide Open Graphics of Lima, Ohio.  

Trivia Tuesday Rules:

• Must be a blog follower to guess (see instructions below on "how to follow this blog")
• No more than two guesses per follower
• Must respond to this post using your "follower name"
• Contest ends this Friday at 5:00pm.  If no one guesses correctly by then, the name of the track will be revealed during next week's Trivia Tuesday.
• As always, we ask that previous contest winners give others a chance to win.  Please wait 30 days before entering another contest.  :)

Congrats to Julian Roberts from Pittsburgh, PA who correctly named last week's mystery track as Five Mile Point Speedway in Kirkwood, NY.

Provisionals: Enough Is Enough

You'd almost have to be living under a rock to NOT notice all the provisionals sanctioning bodies are using now.  One recent race in particular, I noticed that five of the 27 starters took some sort of series/track/emergency provisional.  Seriously?! That means over 18% of your A-Main lineup didn't even race their way into the show.


Over 18%!!  Enough is enough.


Let me preface by saying this...  I know that, to an extent, provisionals are somewhat needed for a series to be successful anymore.  It's sad, really.  Over the last 15 years, drivers have convinced themselves they need the safety net of a provisional to fall back on should they have problems in a prelim.  And sanctioning bodies have convinced themselves that drivers won't follow their series unless they have the aforementioned safety net.


I've worked for a few sanctioning bodies during my time.  I get that.


But what I don't get is the unnecessary need for so many provisionals.  I mean, honestly, there is not a reason why a race with 27 starters needs to have nearly one-fifth of its field made of drivers who didn't actually qualify for a spot in the in the main event.  


You're robbing other, worthy drivers of a spot in the show.  


And what's up with the emergency provisional?  When did this become a necessity for drivers?  You've got a chance to turn a solid qualifying lap.  Then you've got a chance to make the show through your heat, which is lined straight up from qualifying.  If you don't race your way in through your heat, you've got a chance to make the show through the B-Main.  If that doesn't happen, you've got a provisional.  And then you've got the emergency provisional on top of that...??  What gives here?  Counting qualifying (and, yes, I do count qualifying), you've already had FOUR chances to make the show.


Enough is enough.


Not all provisionals are bad, though.  I'm all for giving the local drivers and weekend warriors an extra shot at making the big dance.  Provisionals for the top driver in a track's points standings help bring more of that local talent to a big race.  And I miss the days where there was a provisional for the "longest tow".  It added a little flavor and character to the event, didn't it?


But now, everybody and their brother starts the season off with, basically, more provisionals than he should/would ever have to use over the course of a season.  For me, as a fan, it take a lot of fun out of racing.


Enough is enough.


If nearly one-fifth of your A-Main starters are there because they took some sort of provisional, you REALLY need to reevaluate your program.  Let drivers race their way into your show.  That's what's fair and that's what people really want to see.


And if you think otherwise, the only person you're really kidding is yourself.

Indiana Icebreaker Preview

Occasionally it's the heat, occasionally it's the rain, but more times than not, weather is usually a factor when it comes to Brownstown's two major races, the Indiana Icebreaker and the Jackson 100.  Such is the case again this weekend with a 50% of the wet stuff for the Lucas Oil sanctioned 15th Annual Indiana Icebreaker at the 1/4-mile fairgrounds oval.  Remember, inclement weather forced this race to be postponed last year.


The weather forecast, combined with the announcement to start Hot Laps at 4:45pm, makes for an interesting Saturday in Brownstown, IN.  On one hand, you have an opportunity to wait out the rain with such an early start time.  With a high temp of 68 and a low of 48 predicted for Saturday, it won't necessarily be cold, but a rain shower would certainly make it feel much cooler than 68.


But let's hope for the best.  Say it doesn't rain and the show runs off without a hitch with Hot Laps starting right at the scheduled time of 4:45pm.  That's an awful lot of racing taking place in the daylight.  And this is an event draws a lot of cars.  As a matter of fact, the Indiana Icebreaker has had over 60 entries five of the last six years.  60 cars hot lapping, qualifying, and running heats on a daylight surface? Yikes.

Brad Neat won the season opener at Brownstown.  (Steve Alcorn photo)

History shows us, however, there's little need to worry about a lock-down Brownstown surface this early in the season.  The chance for a track to rubber up is always there - at any track on any night, Brownstown included - but for that to happen this early in the season would be a little out-of-the-ordinary.


The other thing to keep in mind is the fact that Brownstown is one of those race tracks whose size and shape allows for side-by-side racing whether it's black-slick or hammer-down.  Admittedly, I like it a little better when guys have to flat foot it and go balls-to-the-wall.  But, to be honest with you, I'm a RACE fan, and if a black-slick track provides good, side-by-side racing, then I'm fine with that too.


Who are the contenders heading into Saturday's race?  Well, let's start with the obvious.  Don O'Neal, fresh off his Spring 50 win at Florence one week ago, is a good bet for ANY race at Brownstown...any race that isn't a foot race, of course.  The Team Zero cars of Scott Bloomquist and Jimmy Owens are usually front runners at Brownstown, so expect them to be in the mix, especially if the track slicks off.

Scott Bloomquist is the defending winner of the Indiana Icebreaker.  (Jeremey Rhoades photo)

One other driver to keep an eye on is Brad Neat. The Dunnville, KY pilot, now racing on his own again, won the season opener at Brownstown on March 10th and has a history of running well there, dating back to the his days with the Battle of the Bluegrass Series.


If you're looking for the odds-on favorite, go with O'Neal.  If you're looking for a darkhorse, go with Neat.  If you're looking for the answer no one wants to hear, go with Mother Nature.


I'll be keeping my fingers crossed they get this one in.  Brownstown's got themselves a good, hard-working, passionate staff there.  I know they'll do everything they can to get this show in.

Top 10 Craziest Things... #8

#8  –  Crowley’s Ridge Raceway 7/3/04

What Happened:  Sometimes, the craziness isn't what happens at the track. Instead, it's what happens leading up to the visit.  In a nutshell, this wild road trip took an unexpected journey through southeastern Missouri and northern Arkansas.  Fighting off Mother Nature and mosquitoes the size of buzzards, we were able to credit ourselves with two races in one night.

After hitting Union County Speedway in Liberty, IN on Friday, July 2, 2004 myself and my old college roommate Joe Gainey packed up my 1999 Grand Am for a wild road trip that was to incorporate 9 races in 9 days.  Set out to conquer the racing world, we were west-bound and down for a seven-hour journey to Pevely, MO’s famed I-55 Speedway.  An overcast, rainy Saturday would hinder our spirits, although we made good use of my new cell phone by constantly calling the track to see if they were racing.  In addition, we quickly found my mother to be a much-needed asset, serving as our “on-call meteorologist” (remember, in 2004, we didn't have smartphones, or really, any way to access the internet while driving).  Less than 15 miles from the track, we received the word that I-55 had been rained out.

With Mom keeping a watchful eye on the radar, we were guided to “head south”.  With our trusty National Speedway Directory in hand, we made an impromptu, last-minute, mad dash down Interstate 55 and landed nearly two hours south of our original destination at the new Poplar Bluff Speedway in Poplar Bluff, MO.  Arriving just in time for their early starting time of 6pm, we sat on the backstretch and watched them tick off heat race after heat race in a relatively timely fashion as Mother Nature’s dark and dreary storm appeared to get closer and closer.  Just a couple races shy of intermission, what can best be described as a tropical downpour fell upon us as we slopped through the pits to the parking lot and into our car.  Noticing the time was still early (7:30pm), we rocketed out of the pits in a hurry and fired up the cell, ringing up the on-call meteorologist who guided us to continue going south.

The National Speedway Directory listed Crowley’s Ridge Raceway as being 1/4-mile dirt track located in the city of Paragould, AR.  Following Late Model driver Brian Richie through the backroads of unfamiliar territory, we were lucky to find this little 1/5-mile hole-in-the-wall that is nestled deep within the woods on northeast Arkansas, nearly 10 miles away from Paragound and, seemingly, any type of civilization.  We arrived at the track just in time for the intermission fireworks display.

Wearing nothing on my feet but sandals, mosquitoes as big as vultures picked apart my feet like they were fresh roadkill on a sunny afternoon.  The facility hadn’t seen a lawn mower or a weed eater since Christ was a carpenter, and the payouts were only slightly better than the proverbial “hot dog and coke” as our new-found friend Mr. Richie won the race (after tagging the tail of the field) and pocketed a whopping $200 and a free tire for his efforts.  Restarts were a free-for-all as the waterhead flagman waved the green as cars exited turn two, and the entire program seemed to be nothing short of unorganized chaos.  Now being well over three-and-a-half hours from our original destination, we finally found comfort in a run-down Days Inn in downtown Paragould.  Thanks to Brian Richie and his crew, who gave us directions on how to get out of the race track and back to civilization.  Also, it’s worth noting that a tornado would rip through Paragould the day after we left, killing two people and injuring several others.

Looking Back:  And to think this is how we STARTED our road trip.  Actually, Joe and I like to reflect back on this excursion quite often.  Without a doubt, this is one of the best racing stories I have ever been a part of.  Also ironic is the fact that we ended up nearly 4 hours south of our original destination.  I remember us calling Crowley’s Ridge at least three times to get directions on how to get there.  They were giving us roads that weren’t on the map.  Thank God we were able to follow Brian Richie, even though he was driving well over 70mph at night down these Arkansas backroads.

Congratulations!!

Congratulations to Julian Roberts from Pittsburgh, PA who correctly identified this week's mystery track as Five Mile Point Speedway in Kirkwood, NY.  On March 31, 2007, Five Mile Point became my 100th track to see a race at.


Julian will receive two free general admission passes to any regular show at I-77 Raceway Park this season.  Congrats!

Trivia Tuesday UPDATE

Still no winners in this week's Trivia Tuesday.  Please remember that you must be a blog follower and respond to the original post (and not Facebook or Twitter) in order to win.  Complete rules are available on the original post below.


Since we've gone a day without a winner, I'll post another pic for everyone.

Remember...   the first person to correctly ID this track gets two general admission passes to any regular show at I-77 Raceway Park in Fairplain, WV this season.

TRIVIA TUESDAY: Name This Track!

I'm upping the ante this week.  The first person to correctly identify this race track wins two general admission passes to any regular show this season at I-77 Raceway Park in Fairplain, WV.  

Trivia Tuesday Rules:

• Must be a blog follower to guess (see instructions below on "how to follow this blog")
• No more than two guesses per follower
• Must respond to this post using your "follower name"
• Contest ends this Friday at 5:00pm.  If no one guesses correctly by then, the name of the track will be revealed during next week's Trivia Tuesday.
• As always, we ask that previous contest winners give others a chance to win.  Please wait 30 days before entering another contest.  :)

Congrats to Chad McVey from Belpre, Ohio who correctly identified last week's track as Susquehanna Speedway Park in Newberrytown, PA.

Spring 50 Random Thoughts

• I got to sit outside with a t-shirt on and watch a race in the middle of March.  Absolutely no complaints from this guy.
• Was it a rough and tumble race track?  Yes.  Is it usually a choppy track for this race?  Almost always.
• With 33 official entries for the race, I was a only tad off on my car count prediction of 35-40 cars.
• I was, however, correct on my predictions that Don O'Neal would be hard to beat and to "keep an eye on any driver with a 'Club 29' decal on their car". Lanigan was strong, as everyone expected.
• Hat tip to Bobby Pierce.  He certainly lived up to his nickname ("Smooth Operator") for the duration of the feature.  Nice job, young man.
• As for the big accident on the backstretch on lap 2, chalk that one up to a combination of two guys racing hard and the ruts coming off turn two as the video clearly shows O'Neal's car bounce a little sideways into the path of Rattliff.
• I hated to see Eric Wells lose a motor.  He was certainly the fastest car there...at least through the heats.
• That had to be the biggest crowd Florence has ever had for the Spring 50. I'll go as far as to say it looked more like a Ralph Latham Memorial crowd.  
• Was anyone else surprised to see Duane Chamberlain in the Engle #15?  Maybe I missed that announcement during the offseason.
• Hat tip to the King Family for running a tight program with potential inclement weather on the way.  I know they would have liked to spend some time on the track at intermission, but I also understand their hands were somewhat tied, as we all saw the lightning off to the southwest.
• Nice to see Wayne Chinn back in action.  
• I thought RJ Conley looked really strong early, but simply held his own for the second half of the race. Maybe he was just being conservative given the track conditions.
• I could have sworn I saw a Leprechan with a bull horn running around in a green suit.
• If you stuck around for the Modified feature, you had to be impressed with Jeff Babcock's 18th-to-2nd run.
• Equally impressive was Joey Kramer.  The guy's just a damn good wheelman.
• I had a great time.  You can't put a price tag on socializing with friends and getting to see a lot of people you haven't seen in over five months.  I also hate it that so many good cars got torn up.  Let's hope everyone is able to rebound in time for their next race.

Following The Blog; Facebook, Twitter, & More...

Hey everyone... just wanted to send you all a few reminders that folks have been asking me about...


HOW TO FOLLOW THIS BLOG - A few people have emailed me and asked...   "how do I follow this blog?" and the answer is simple.  Just click "Join This Site" in the lower left-hand part of this page.


SHARING ON FACEBOOK/TWITTER - For those who have asked about sharing these on Facebook and Twitter the answer is a big YES.  Just click on the respective Facebook/Twitter icon at the end of each blog to post the link to your personal page and/or account.


EMAIL UPDATES - If you would like to "subscribe" to this blog (receive an email each time it is updated), simply enter your email address in the bar near the top of the page and click "submit".


That's it for today.  Go out and take in a race this weekend and I'll be back with more on Monday.  


DJ

Spring 50: What We Do/Don't Know

Florence Speedway's Spring 50 is upon us.  The temps look great (Intellicast is calling for a high of 77 and a low of just 59) and if Mother Nature let's the King Family get this one in, it should be a damn good show with a pretty talented field of drivers. Let's take a look at what we know and don't know heading into Saturday night's race.

Eddie Carrier Jr. turns away Don O'Neal in the 2011 Spring 50. (Jeremey Rhoades photo)

WHAT WE DON'T KNOW:  Will the track surface be the "black ice" that Florence has become known for, or will it be the tacky hammer down surface that always seems to show up this time of year?
WHAT WE DO KNOW:  This was one of the mildest winters on record...and it's been 70+ degrees every day this week (and somewhat windy at times).  Depending on the weather Friday and Saturday, we might see a more "tradition" look to Florence Speedway this weekend.


WHAT WE DON'T KNOW:  Where will the winner start?  
WHAT WE DO KNOW:  No matter what the track surface is like, you can typically race anywhere at Florence.  Remember, Jeep Van Wormer rallied from the 20th starting spot in 2009 to get get the $5000 paycheck.  And he did this after starting 14th and winning the second consolation race.


WHAT WE DON'T KNOW:  What will the car count be this year?  
WHAT WE DO KNOW:  The car count was surprisingly low last year with 28 entries. However, the previous two years' car counts were 42 (2010) and 57 (2009).  Look for the number of entries to rebound from last year's tally...I'm predicting between 35-40.


WHAT WE DON'T KNOW:  Who are the early favorites to win this race?  
WHAT WE DO KNOW:  Don O'Neal has won the Spring 50 four times in the last 13 years. Also, keep an eye on any driver with a "Club 29" decal on their car.

WHAT WE DO KNOW:  Defending race winner Eddie Carrier Jr. will not be there racing.

WHAT WE DON'T KNOW:  Will Little Eddie be there incognito?  Hmmm...


WHAT WE DON'T KNOW:  What's going to happen Saturday night?

WHAT WE DO KNOW:  Whenever you go to Florence Speedway, it's usually a good time...I hope to see a lot of folks there supporting this early-season show.

Hey Hey Cinderella

If you're like me, you've either (A) found a live feed of the NCAA basketball tournament on your computer, (B) got every TV within a 2,000 square foot radius tuned into the games, or (C) suddenly got "sick" and went home at lunch.


Anyway you look at it, most of us love March Madness...and ALL of us love a Cinderella.  While I think we can all agree that the glass slipper doesn't fit as much in Dirt Late Model racing as we'd like, there have also been some pretty special upsets over the years.

Roger Warrick photo from www.dirtfans.com

The one that probably always stands out more than any other is Randy Boggs' unheralded win in the 1987 World 100.  But let's not forget about a few other remarkable runs over the years.

Marshall Green's 1997 DTWC win was widely considered a huge upset at the time, especially considering Green was relatively unknown outside of the southeast region. Jared Landers' win two years ago in the Topless 100 was certainly an upset win and one that younger fans likely won't forget anytime soon.  Let's not forget about Terry Phillips' 1999 Show-Me 100 victory.  While some will argue that it wasn't an upset because Phillips was basically a "regular" at West Plains, a look at the competition will tell a slightly different story.

And, although they weren't wins, Steve Smith's runner-up finish in the Eldora Million (2001) and Jerry Rice's bridemaid honors in the 2006 Sunoco Race Fuels North/South 100 are worthy of some recognition as well.

No matter who your favorite driver is, there’s no arguing the fact that we all love a Cinderella.  Here’s to hoping the glass slipper fits a time or two in 2012.  

#9 - Top 10 Craziest Things...

Editor's Note - This blog is the second of a 10-part series that will appear over the course of the next several weeks.  This series counts down the "Top 10 Craziest Things I Have Ever Seen At A Race Track".

_______________

#9  –  Lake Cumberland Speedway 7/22/06

What Happened:  In a truly bizarre final five laps, the top three cars took each other out on lap 36 (of 40).  16th-starting Scotty Earl then found himself on the point, despite having a broken control arm on the left front.  Meanwhile David Webb, who went to the tail of the field for bringing out a caution on lap 18, was charging his way back to the front of the field.

At Lake Cumberland Speedway in Burnside, KY on July 26, 2006, a stellar field of 36 O’Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass competitors was trimmed down to 24 cars with Chris Combs and Victor Lee on the front row of the “Rumble on the Lake 40” with Combs getting the early race advantage.  Lee wasted no time showing his strength as he stormed to point on lap 3 with Combs, David Webb, Timmy Yeager, and Justin Rattliff in tow.  Rattliff took fourth from Yeager on lap 4 as the caution flew one circuit later for a slowing Aaron Hatton.

Webb took advantage of the Delaware double-file restart and nabbed second spot away from Combs.  As Rattliff and Yeager continued to duel, that duo would surpass Combs shortly thereafter, dropping him to fifth.  With Webb hounding Lee for the lead, 7th-starting Mike Marlar became a factor moving himself into fourth on lap 10.  A lap 12 caution for Johnny Wheeler kept the field tight with Lee showing the way ahead of Webb, Rattliff, Marlar, and Yeager.

On the restart, Webb raced side-by-side with Lee for the top spot as Marlar moved to the outside of Rattliff and stole third momentarily as that pair ran door-to-door as well.  Behind them, 16th-starting Scotty Earl was quietly picking his way through the field as he grabbed the 6th position on lap 15.  On lap 18, Webb raced hard into turns one and two in a bid for the lead, but quickly stabbed the brakes and spun his car to a stop in an effort to keep from taking out race leader Victor Lee.

With fast qualifier Webb now at the tail of the field, Lee would have Rattliff, Marlar, Earl, and Combs in his rear view mirror for the lap 18 restart.  When racing resumed, Marlar shot the outside of Lee while Rattliff went to the inside.  The three-wide battle for the top spot would see Marlar credited with leading lap 19 and Rattliff at the helm one circuit later.  Lee would be shuffled back to fourth as early race leader Chris Combs found a new breath of life and roared into the third position just after the halfway point.  Just a few circuits later, Earl would power his mount into fourth as Lee faded to fifth.

Rattliff, who was showing left front suspension damage to his ride, somehow managed to stay on the point and maneuver his way through the back of the pack.  With 10 laps to go, Marlar and Combs closed the gap on race-leader Rattliff while Scotty Earl, who was also showing severe damage to his left front, held down the fourth spot with Dustin Neat now in fifth.  Behind them, 17th-starting Larry Gray used the ultra racey surface to move into 7th while both David Webb and Johnny Wheeler cracked the top 10 after their spins earlier in the race.

As the final 10 laps ticked away, Marlar and Combs swapped the bridesmaid honors back and fourth as they continued to close back in on Rattliff.  With just four laps remaining, 5th and 6th-running Dustin Neat and Bobby Carrier Jr. would be caught up in an accident eliminating both drivers from the race.  On the restart, Rattliff led Marlar, Combs, Earl, and Gray to the Delaware double-file restart with David Webb, Mike Jewell, Victor Lee, Johnny Wheeler, and Anthony Adams now rounding out the top 10.

When racing resumed on lap 36, Marlar went high in a bid for the lead with Combs applying the pressure on the bottom.  The complexion of the race would change one lap later when Marlar and Rattliff made contact coming off turn four and collected the third place car of Combs.  Marlar would be black flagged for working on his car outside the designated “hot pit” as Rattliff fell to the tail of the field and Combs retired from the event.

With his left front suspension damage, 16th-starting Scotty Earl suddenly found himself at the front of the pack.  David Webb had worked his way back through the field after his lap 18 spin to inherit second with Larry Gray now third, Victor Lee fourth, and Mike Jewell fifth.

Earl brought the field to the green and led the pack into one and two as Webb darted to the inside and Gray shot to the outside in a three-way bid for the lead.  With two laps to go, Webb motored ahead of Earl bringing Lee with him.  As teammates Earl and Wheeler contested in a fierce battle for third, Webb received the white flag with Lee glued to his rear decklid.  Lee would take a look inside of Webb on the final circuit, but Webb’s momentum carried him back in front of Lee and onto to the win.  In a wild dash to the finish, Lee would cross in second with Wheeler third, Jewell fourth, Earl fifth.

Looking Back:  Nothing that happened at “Hardgrove’s House of Hell” ever surprised me, but this race certainly threw me for a loop.  According to my notes, this race actually had three different leaders on lap 36 (due to cautions and restarts and whatnot).  The fact that Webb was able to pull off the win is somewhat amazing.  It’s also worth noting that this was the second race that my wife (then girlfriend) Jayme had ever been to.

Trivia Tuesday WINNER!

Congratulations to Chad McVey of Belpre, Ohio who correctly identified this week's mystery track as Susquehanna Speedway Park in Newberrytown, PA.  He'll receive a free t-shirt courtesy of Late Model driver Josh Scott.  We'll have another track for you to ID next week!

TRIVIA TUESDAY: Name This Track

Can you name this race track?  The first person to correctly do so wins a free t-shirt courtesy of Weston, Ohio Late Model driver Josh Scott.  


Congrats to Corey Wooten from Sidney, Ohio who correctly identified last week's track as Brown County Speedway in Aberdeen, SD.

Trivia Tuesday Rules:

• Must be a blog follower to guess (see instructions below on "how to follow this blog")
• No more than two guesses per follower
• Must respond to this post using your "follower name"
• Contest ends this Friday at 5:00pm.  If no one guesses correctly by then, the name of the track will be revealed during next week's Trivia Tuesday.
• As always, we ask that previous contest winners give others a chance to win.  Please wait 30 days before entering another contest.  :)

Who's Racing Where?

Yesterday, I read over the Brownstown (IN) Speedway results from Saturday night's season opener.  As someone who didn't follow the forums and Facebook pages to get an idea as to who was going to be there, I was pleasantly surprised at the regional diversity in the 22 Late Models in attendance.

In a way, it took me back to my childhood.  Long before we had a Facebook, Twitter, and a bazillion racing forums, I would sit in the stands on opening night at Tyler County (WV) Speedway and watch the haulers come in the long driveway behind me, often impressed by the strong contingent of Late Models on hand for the first race of the year.


Undoubtedly, there would be a few surprises...maybe Mike Balzano or Steve Shaver would stop in - not just on opening night, but on ANY night - and try to win one against a tough group of locals.  Or maybe not.  Maybe it would just be a solid showing of talent from outside the local area...drivers towing in from Elkins, WV or Zanesville, OH or ever the Pittsburgh, PA region.


I miss that.  I miss the element of surprise...the suspense of not knowing who could show up at a track on any given night.  I mean, it still happens occasionally.  I think we all know that.  It's just that some of the "fun" has been taken out of it with driver schedules and, even more so with everybody and their brother starting up a list for "who's going to race at what track on which night".  


Don't get me wrong.  I'm as thankful as anyone for the luxury of all those racing forums.  And God knows I use Facebook and Twitter as much as the next person.  I just miss the suspense of pulling into track and being surprised as to who might show up on any given night.

Florence Speedway's Spring 50

My favorite Spring 50 memory?  With a stellar field of 57 cars on hand for the 2009 race, Jeep Van Wormer rallied from his 20th starting spot to get the win over Steve Francis and Darrell Lanigan.  Why did Van Wormer have to start 20th, you ask?  A flat tire knocked him out of his heat and forced him to started 14th in the second consolation race, which he also won.

As I look at the Intellicast.com weather forecast for Union, KY next week, I see highs in the 60s and 70s every day.  This HAS to get people amped up for Florence Speedway's $5,000-to-win Spring 50 coming up next Saturday, March 17th.


The Spring 50 is usually high on everyone's priority list for a number of reasons. Unless you've ventured to Florida for Speedweeks, this is typically the first race of the year for a lot of people.  That alone is enough to get race fans and drivers from as far away as Iowa and Wisconsin to gather at the 1/2-mile oval.

What's the other reason the Spring 50 is so popular? The quality and diversity of drivers (for a $5,000-to-win show) is unbelievable.  Take a look at the drivers who entered last year's race: Don O'Neal, Scott James, Chad Simpson, (race winner) Eddie Carrier Jr., Rusty Schlenk, John Gill, Bobby Pierce, and Rod Conley just to name a few. Talk about a wide range of wheelmen!

The drivers who entered the 2010 Spring 50 were even more diverse with Matt Miller, Jeep Van Wormer, Brian Shirley, Jason Feger, Dan Schlieper, and Mike Marlar among the drivers added to the majority of the group listed above.

In short, if the mild winter and recently warm temps have you itching to get out of the house and take in some good racing, may I recommend Florence Speedway's Spring 50 next Saturday, March 17th.  My family and I will be there. 

Top 10 Craziest Things I've Ever Seen...

Editor's Note - This blog is the first of a 10-part series that will appear over the course of the next several weeks.  This series will count down the "Top 10 Craziest Things I Have Ever Seen At A Race Track".

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#10  –  Tyler County Speedway 7/7/01

What happened:  In a race that no one would soon forget, people to this day still believe that Sonny Conley, who was credited with the win, was really a lap down in the Firecracker 40.

Steve Davis and I were the co-announcers at Tyler County Speedway in Middlebourne, WV at the time.  The $3,000-to-win Firecracker 40 was one of the more prestigious events on the track's schedule.  

In the Late Model A-Main, a caution with about 10 laps remaining brought the field to a halt in turns three and four.  Up front, leader Bill Childers had been setting a torrid pace, lapping into the top 10.  Just past the halfway point, Sonny Conley was within just a few car lengths of going a lap down.  Conley somehow found a groove on the high side of the track and immediately began blistering around the competition.  With an extremely dusty track surface, tons of two and three-wide racing, and 19 of the 20 starters still on the tight 1/4-mile bullring, Conley’s high side heroism went completely unnoticed by the crowd as he roared past both the lapped traffic and the frontrunners and stormed into the lead just before the race’s only caution with about 10 laps to go. 

As the field was realigning and preparing for the green, the late Bill Childers (who, again, everyone assumed was the race leader) stopped on the backstretch … not because of a problem with his #03, but to inform track officials that he was not the leader of the race.  Much to the disbelief of the fans and even the track staff, Childers continued to insist that Conley was the race leader.  After scorers went back and checked their score sheets, they indeed found that Conley was not a lapped car.  Instead, the New Martinsville, WV native had gone from nearly being lapped to leading the race in a matter of just a few laps!  Conley would go on to claim the win, amid a showering of boos from the Tyler County Speedway fans, who were certain that an error had been made and that Childers had actually won the race.

Looking Back:  Thank God I have a video tape of this race because, to be very honest with you … I wasn’t convinced that Sonny Conley was on the lead lap when that caution came out.  I distinctly remember sitting in the press box with the scorers, Gary Marks and Jack Shutts, while the confusion was going on.  NO ONE in the booth knew or realized that Conley was the leader.  He went from nearly being lapped to being the leader of the race in about 8 laps.  

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!

Congrats to Corey Wooten for correctly identifying this week's mystery track as Brown County Speedway in Aberdeen, SD.  He'll receive a free t-shirt courtesy of the good folks at Wide Open Graphics in Lima, Ohio.  We'll have a brand new mystery track for you to guess next Tuesday.