RACING VACATION 2014: Playing the Rain Game

With my flight set to leave Columbus tonight at 7:15pm, the stalking of the weather forecast for the racing trip is in full force.  It never fails...every time I plan some sort of racing vacation, I'm always trying to dodge wet weather.

Friday night's show at Fairgrounds Speedway in Cortez, CO should have no problems with a predicted high in the upper 80's and cooler temps once the sun goes down.  This is a huge plus considering Fairgrounds is the only track in a four-state region racing tomorrow night.  Saturday's CDM Late Model show at Arizona Speedway should have no problems either, with a sweltering high of nearly 110 degrees predicted.

The Tuesday and Wednesday USMTS Modified shows in Texas are my biggest concern right now with scattered thunderstorms predicted in the area of both events.  With temps in the 90's and high humidity, the chance of a t-storm is always there...but I'm hoping at least one of these shows is able to get in.  Both the Tuesday race at Heart O'Texas and the Wednesday show at Devil's Bowl are currently staring at a 30% chance of rain.

Looking on ahead just a little, the final two races at Diamond Mountain, UT and Aztec, NM look good with no chance of rain, at least for now.  That having been said, I never put too much stock in a forecast more than a few days out.

We'll see what happens with the midweek Texas racing.  Obviously, given the fact those races are on a Tuesday and Wednesday, a rainout at both venues would be devastating to say the least.

RACING VACATION 2014: Part 2

In less than a week, I'll be 1200 miles from home on my long await summer vacation.  The trip will span nine days and will include six races at six tracks in five different states.  To say I'm excited would be a huge understatement.

The first stop will be Fairgrounds Speedway in Cortez, CO on Friday, June 20th.  A regular racing program is scheduled with IMCA Modifieds headlining the card.  Little info is available on Fairgrounds, but they're the only track racing in a four-state region so they get the nod for the opening night of my trip.

Fairgrounds Speedway in Cortez, Colorado.  (track photo)

Saturday, June 21st I'll hope across the Four Corners state lines to Arizona.  A CDM Late Model show is on tap at ET Motopark's Arizona Speedway in Queen Creek.  With daytime highs well about 100 degrees for the Phoenix-area 3/8-mile track, you'll likely find me hanging out in the air-conditioned car as long as possible.  "Oh, it's a dry heat", every says.  Doesn't matter.  100+ degrees is HOT any way you slice it.

After a few days off, I'll make the trek to the Lonestar State for a pair of USMTS Modifieds show at Heart O'Texas Speedway in Elm Mott on Tuesday, June 24th and the historic Devil's Bowl Speedway in Mesquite on Wednesday, June 25th.  Heart O'Texas is a 1/4-mile bullring which, from everything I've seen, provides some absolutely outstanding racing.  On the contrast, Devil's Bowl is a big, D-shaped half-mile, but is also the home to some fantastic side-by-side action.  I've been asked to help with some post-race coverage of the USMTS shows, in which I'm extremely honored to do.

The impressive grandstands at Devil's Bowl Speedway.  (track photo)

From there, it's a long journey northwest for a Wild West Tour Modified race at Diamond Mountain Speedway in Vernal, UT.  A scenic, 3/8-mile facility located in the northeast part of the state, Diamond Mountain only races five weekends out of the year and is one of only two tracks racing in the "four corners" states on Friday, June 27th.

The trip wraps up on Saturday, June 28th with a regular racing program at Aztec Speedway in Aztec, NM.  Aztec rose to fame after being included on the original Dirt Track Racing game for the computer.  The 1/3-mile oval is hosting a regular show featuring Late Models and Modifieds among other classes.  

Cars in the staging lane at Diamond Mountain.  (track photo)

If all goes as planned, this epic trip bring my Track Chasing totals up to 180 tracks and 42 states ... leaving just Connecticut, Rhode Island, Mississippi, Louisiana, Idaho, Montana, Alaska, and Hawaii as the only states I will not have seen a race in.

Let's just hope Mother Nature cooperates...

RACING VACATION 2014: Part 1

It's hard to believe it's almost here, but my 2014 Racing Vacation is just over a week away.  If all goes as planned, the trip will afford me the opportunity to see six races in nine days covering five different states.  Of course, the key phrase there is "if all goes as planned".  It seems like, thanks to Mother Nature, my racing vacations never go as planned.

Three years ago, a four-day weekend road trip to the plain states was washed out on the second day forcing us to call an audible and drive six hours out of the way.  With a USMTS Modified show at Muskogee, OK's Thunderbird Speedway rained out early in the morning, I was able to find RPM Speedway in Hays, KS...the only race track in a four-state region running that night.  An MLRA Late Model rainout in Mayetta, KS the following night forced us to venture north to Eagle, NE to see one of the best weekly program I have ever witnessed.

RPM Speedway in Hays, KS.

Then, in 2012, a perfectly laid-out plan to hit the northeast would cover six days of racing in six different states.  The roadtrip started off well, with visits to Brewerton, NY, Bear Ridge, VT,  went sour halfway through when Maine's Oxford Plains Speedway narrowly missed beating the rain (the first heat of the night was in the lineup chute). The rainout meant we had to go back the following evening, which also meant the planned trip to hit a race in Connecticut wasn't going to happen on this adventure.

Bear Ridge Speedway in Bradford, VT

Last year, I was fortunate enough to combine a work-related presentation with a racing trip and visit the Pacific Northwest.  This trip was practically doomed from the get-go when a second day rainout at Grays Harbor, WA detoured my plans to a remotely-located grassroots facility some six hours away.  To top it all off, my planned destinations in Montana and Idaho also looked grim, so I had to reroute my final destinations to sunny California and Nevada.

Fernley 95A Speedway in Fernley, NV

I'm holding out hope that this year's trip will buck the trend of past years, knowing full well an unplanned rainout could happen at any given time.  Nevertheless, it's full steam ahead and, starting tomorrow, I'll preview the six tracks on the upcoming agenda.

Lookout southwest...DJ's coming your way!

Five Weekend Afterthoughts 7/30/12

Jon Henry has made the tough decision to cease his racing operation for the rest of 2012.

1.  With the loss of financial backing, standout Ohio driver Jon Henry has made the tough decision to park his #15 for the remainder of 2012.  The decision, as mentioned in his press release, was a tough one but also a decision "The Steel Driver" knew he had to make.  After completing the grueling UMP Summer Nationals "Hell Tour", Henry was left with two motors than needed tuning as well as upgrades to his 2012 Rocket Chassis.  With his impressive resume, the move will undoubtedly make Henry one of the most sought-after "free agents" in the sport.

2.  Ryan Gustin captured the $25,000 World Dirt Track Modified Championship Saturday night at Minnesota's Deer Park Speedway.  However, the bigger story of the weekend was the bombshell announcement - just 24 hours from the start of the main event - that a group of sponsors had stepped up and added $30,000 to the feature's purse!  The Mod industry is absolutely BUZZING about this, and rightfully so.  Will we ever see something like this in the Dirt Late Model ranks?  We can only hope.

3.  Eldora's "Summer Shootout" for the USAC Sprints went off without a hitch and the racing was pretty darn good too.  At one point, Robert Ballou had come from 23rd to 3rd until mechanical woes forced him pitside with just four laps left.  Chase Stockon completed a 20th to 4th run which kept the fans on their toes and, until the yellow on lap 46, Bryan Clauson was sizing up Dave Darland for a potential last lap pass.  All-in-all it was an excellent show which most folks should have been happy with.  

4.  Don O'Neal won his 10th Lucas Oil race over the weekend when the series made a visit to Hagerstown (MD) Speedway.  If it wasn't for Jimmy Owens banging out top five after top five, "The Real Deal" would most certainly be a solid title contender ... even more of a contender than he is now, being 350 points behind ever-consistent Owens.

5.  A lot of the buzz this weekend was about DirtonDirt.com's live broadcast of this weekend's 25th Annual USA Nationals at Cedar Lake (WI) Speedway.  I'm fortunate enough to be a part of the broadcast team again, along with Ben Shelton among others.  I'm not usually one who gets on here and "encourages" you where to spend your hard-earned money, but trust me when I say that this broadcast is well worth the investment.