Notes: Waycross takes plunge back into Supers
The new red clay at Waycross. (Brian McLeod)
It's been a long time since Waycross (Ga.) Motor Speedway has been the talk of the national Dirt Late Model scene, but the southeast Georgia oval takes a crack at re-entering that conversation this weekend with the $10,000-to-win Battle of the Swamp. The first full-fledged, Super Late Model event in 10 years at the half-mile track is slated to feature a showdown between Hall of Fame drivers Scott Bloomquist and Billy Moyer along with a host of other top contenders from the Southeast for the May 6-8 event.
For most drivers, they'll find a completely new surface at Waycross, once one of the regional tracks that stuck with the oil-packed dirt that was so asphalt-like they actually painted lines on the surface. This year the 59-year-old track features a new red clay surface that's more like a traditional dirt track.
Waycross has hosted some notable events in its last stretch of Super Late Model racing through the late '90s. It was the site of Earl Pearson Jr.'s first career Hav-A-Tampa Dirt Racing Series victory in '96, a $10,000 payday, and the site of Chris Madden's first major victory in the Barry Wright house car, a $5,000 victory on the short-lived Southeast Motorsports Series.
Action begins at Waycross on Thursday with Super Late Model practice and a special for the pure stock division. Super Late Model competition begins Friday with time trials and heat races, while Saturday's action will be highlighted by the $10,000-to-win 50-lap main event. Among other divisions, Limited Late Models are also in action with a $2,500-to-win program on Friday and a $3,000-to-win program on Saturday.
Two-seater rides are part of the fun, too. Besides rides in two-seater Late Models from 1-5 p.m. on Saturday, fans who pre-registered at one of the event sponsors, Walker-Jones Chevrolet in Waycross, have a chance to take the green flag for the main event in a pair of two-seaters. For more race details, visit the race website or track website. — From staff and track reports
WISCONSIN DRIVER KILLED IN ATV ACCIDENT: George Scheffler, a long-time Dirt Late Model racers from Waukesha, Wis., died April 30 in an all-terrain vehicle accident near Town of Knight, Wis. He was 65. The founder of Suburban Drywall, Scheffler piloted a No. 10s Late Model, mostly in UMP-sanctioned competition in Wisconsin and Illinois. Scheffler's sons Russ and Rick are also regular drivers on the Wisconsin Late Model scene, and they competed the night following their father's death in the Wisconsin Dirt Late Model Association weekly opener at Plymouth (Wis.) Dirt Track. During the national anthem at Plymouth, George Scheffler's grandson Taylor drove his No. 10s around the track in tribute to the late racer. — From staff reports
LUCAS OIL SERIES DELAYS BECKLEY, CHANGES MISSISSIPPI VENUE: The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series has announced schedule changes for two upcoming races. The first series visit to Beckley (W.Va.) Motor Speedway, originally scheduled for May 14, has been postponed until July 1 until the track completes improvements to the grounds, facility and catchfences at the 3/8-mile oval. That gives the series a three-race, four-night Independence Day weekend along with July 3-4 events at Muskingum County (Ohio) Speedway and Portsmouth (Ohio) Raceway Park. In other scheduling news, the $20,000-to-win event on July 9-10 originally set for Columbus (Miss.) Speedway has been moved across town to Magnolia Motor Speedway. Both tracks are promoted by Johnny Stokes. — From series reports
DTWC TICKETS WILL PROVIDE FOR PIT ACCESS: Adult grandstand tickets for the 30th annual Dirt Track World Championship will, for the first time, double as full-access pit passes for the Oct. 14-16 event at West Virginia Motor Speedway in Mineral Wells. "I really wanted to make the 30th running of the DTWC special for the fans, and with the pit pass, the fans will get a chance to walk around the pits and get an up close and personal look at the cars and some of the other things that fans in the stands don’t get to see normally," said race promoter Carl Short. Tickets are now on sale for the $50,000-to-win event with a $10 discount on advance tickets. Adult tickets are $45 and tickets are $15 for children 7-12 (children 6-and-under are free). For information on ordering tickets, visit the race website. — Brian Tidball
DIRT LATE MODEL TOURS TOP NO-STREAK AWARDS: Two Dirt Late Model tours were top the 2009 standings among more than 300 racing series in the Auto Racing Analysis No Streak Award results. ARA analyzed results to find which tours had the most races without any driver winning consecutive races. The Tennessee-based Southern Regional Racing Series topped the list with 20 races without a back-to-back winner, while the Mississippi State Championship Challenge Series had 19 races without back-to-back winners. Overall, 46 tours among 306 ran the entire 2009 season without consecutive winners. — From staff reports
TOCCOA GETTING NEW PROMOTER: Just days after the track website reported the closing of Toccoa (Ga.) Speedway, the website was updated with news the track would remain open under new promotership. The 3/8-mile oval that touts itself as Georgia's oldest track will be dark for two weekends and scheduled to race again on May 22. A verbal agreement is scheduled to be inked on a contract May 9, according to long-time track reporter Richard Pearson. — From track reports
34 RACEWAY RESCHEDULES FREE GRANDSTANDS NIGHT: Rain washed out 34 Raceway's plans for a free night of racing for fans on April 24 and May 1, but the West Burlington, Iowa, track has rescheduled it for May 29. Fans get free grandstand admission with $12 pit passes. May 29's racing features IMCA Late Models along with the Ideal Ready Mix Sprint Invaders. — From track reports
NATIONAL SPEEDWAY DIRECTORY APP AVAILABLE: Racing fans looking for modern forms of the National Speedway Directory have more choices with a new iPhone app and a redesigned website for the publication now owned by Frost Motorsports. The Track Guide app — released on April 30 and available for iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad — provides racetrack information, complete search functions and the ability to call tracks, find directions or connect to the track websites. The NSD website has also been updated at speedwaysonline.com with expanding information on every North American racetrack and more than 230 circuits. Among the new features are the ability for fans to quickly locate tracks or race near them, weather with each track listing and social media updates. In addition, the standard paperback version of the National Speedway Directory is available. To buy the book, call (847) 853-0294. — From staff reports
OHIO TRACKS TEAM UP TO OFFER WEEKEND BONUS: Nearby Ohio tracks Lakeville Speedway and Hilltop Speedway in Millersburg are offering a $500 bonus to drivers in 2010 who can sweep weekend Late Model races at the two tracks. Any driver who wins a Friday feature at Lakeville and can duplicate the feat on Saturday at Hilltop receives $500 and a weekend total of $2,500. Victories must be back-to-back and rained out events don't count. — From track reports
ODDS AND ENDS: Calvin Cheek, a long-time figure in Tennessee Dirt Late Model racing and a Rockwood, Tenn., businessman, died at his Rockwood home on May 3. He was 64. Cheek was a former owner of Crossville (Tenn.) Raceway and fielded race teams for Randy Weaver, among other drivers. Among other drivers making appearances in Cheek's No. 23 were Bob Pierce, Stan Massey, Rex Richey, Vic Hill and Billy Ogle Jr. ... Bill Altman completed his purchase of Mercer (Pa.) Raceway Park on April 30. Few changes are expected at the 3/8-mile oval formerly owned by Vicki Emig. ... The Midwest DIRTcar Late Model Series has added bonuses for long-traveling drivers. Drivers traveling at least 200 miles one way to series events will earn no less than $250 if they start the feature; drivers traveling 300 miles earn no less than $300. ... Kankakee County (Ill.) Speedway is hosting a $5,000-to-win event for asphalt-style Late Models on Aug. 28-29. ASA Late Model Series and SuperPro Late Model Series competitors will face off in 2,700-pound cars that aren't allowed to use lift bars or birdcages, and can only be raised for ground clearance. ... BMP Speedway in Billings, Mont., isn't opening for the 2010 season. ... Friendship Motor Speedway in Elkin, N.C., is under the new management of general manager Keith Clonch and promoter Andy Johnson. ... Adult admission for Thursday's NCRA-MARS event at 81 Speedway near Wichita, Kan.? Just $9. ... Bluegrass Speedway in Bardstown, Ky., has added a National All Star Racing Association event for June 19. The June Jam will pay $3,000 to the winner and replace the NASRA event rained out at Bluegrass on April 24.
