This site's future

After four seasons worth of "general" racing coverage, I've decided that it's time for a change.

You may have noticed I've quit posting results. Some tracks post nothing for days and even with transponders at some places, information is incorrect or slow coming. Sometimes drivers names are spelled wrong, sponsors names are incorrect.... No, it's not everyone in every case, but I would say it happens often enough to become an annoyance. Maybe I'm too picky.

I've lamented before about all the technological advancements such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace (if anyone's there), and the near ubiquity of text messaging being underutilized, and the halfway attempts are essentially worse than not doing it at all. Again, not everyone at every time.

The problem is, the downturns in the economy have forced many tracks to do more with less and one thing I've seen a LOT less of is advertising and press releases, despite all these new tools. Frankly, I don't have the desire to hunt the basics like results and upcoming event down and edit it like I used to, and to be honest - it wasn't what people were reading on the site anyway.

So, I'm going to focus the new site on two things: editorials and photos. There will be regular updates, news from tracks, and race recaps - but different in that they'll be from my point of view.

Writing my own pieces are probably the part I do best. So, the updates will be frequent, in many cases shorter, covering a variety of subjects, from interviews to thoughts on the food at the concession stand. Given my racing background I think the best way to start is with what I have a genuine interest in: dirt racing at the top level specifically sprints, modifieds and late models. Those classes will be the focus of this site in 2010, and races featuring those classes will dictate my schedule next year.

One of the other things I'm wanting to do is take my photography to the next level. After some feedback from professional sports photographers, one comment is that I need to focus more on the human element. To do that I need to specialize a bit...I also need to spend time off the track, and thus missing some classes. Speaking of photography, I need to improve order fulfillment dramatically. But I also believe in editing images and not dumping the entire memory card online. To do that I need to spend more time working on images and less on editing press releases and such. Therefore it will be my best work, fully edited and available to order online in 2010. Click and buy, from the printer straight to you - ASAP. And possibly, I'll include gift items in that as well.

So does that mean "Heartland Race NEWS" isn't so much that - if it only covers certain classes? Maybe, but a name change is likely anyway. In fact I've already purchased the domain name I plan to relaunch under. I'll announce it soon, continue posting here until it's ready and cross post between the two sites shortly after the release.

It's been an enjoyable four seasons and I think this new approach will keep me going for several more.

Jason

My Issue with the "Entry Level"

Here's my beef with so-called "low budget, entry level" racing.

For the sake of discussion I'll define that as a point where a car could be purchased with disposable income, or MINIMAL sponsorship by the overwhelming majority of people of median US Household income - if they wanted to.

My issue: there's no incentive to move up. One of the issues mentioned frequently by promoters is that the "high budget" classes aren't replenishing their ranks. People aren't raising their own game to the next level - at least not in classes that are SO easy to get into.

Here's the problem: they're not given any incentive to. Remember when the hornet/tuner/sport compact first broke onto the scene around here? Hell, for your old compact and $800, you could have that "racing experience" under the lights and in front of the fans.

It was supposed to be fun. A chance to go out and do the same thing the "big boys" did, if only just to be there. In fact, so nobody would take it too seriously, a fan from the stands could come down with a wad of money and buy that car.

Of course, sanctioning bodies had to get in to collect license fees, with some of the tax doled back as "point funds," and crowning "champions." All of a sudden people took what was supposed to be fun, and entry level...seriously. People were now building up motors, arguing over claims, taking each other out, fighting in the pits because whatever took place on the track cost them points.

Remember the first year of compacts at Eagle in 2006? An attempted car claim resulted in a...kerfuffle...and a promoter in the back of a police cruiser.

Entry level. Racin' for fun.

Uh huh. Sure.

If you want to replenish your numbers, quit rewarding your support class teams for not moving up. Give them incentive to move! So...why not give the sportmod champion an A-Mod motor and whatever it takes to get racing (I didn't say instant win) in the next level? Push the teams to move ahead and support your classes that drive FRONT GATE numbers.

Or, if you have to, give disincentive. IMCA will already not let anyone licensed in a higher division to run the compacts. Here's another: don't let drivers languish in that division. Now, maybe some people could never afford a hobby stock, sport mod, etc. Fine. Let 'em run.

But...I'd make it a little less attractive to remain.

Say, after a driver scores a lifetime total of I don't know...1500 IMCA points, they're no longer eligible for track titles, season end awards, regional, or national championships of any kind. You can let them race any night they want. Heck, give 'em a point average and line 'em up like usual, but set a limit. Or, for any driver over 18 - they can race only three seasons before having to move up, with the same limits as I just mentioned.

There should be no "multi-time champ" in ANY class deemed as "entry" level.

Why this? Because, as even IMCA says...it's, well...entry level.  I don't like people using the entry-level argument when trying to defend the class without admitting that entry level should be just that. And yes, I'm beating the term into the ground in the hopes that every time you hear it you cringe. Once you've "entered" it's time to move on. In the end, it will improve the overall quality of the show.

Now there are other issues. One, the compacts are so cheap it's tough to sell the used car and have any money to move up. A Hobby Stocker could sell off a decent car and have a fair chunk toward a modified for example. Two: I've heard from many people that the front wheel drive experience is too different from the rear wheel drive world outside. But this can be overcome by the determined racer.

The problem lies in the fact promoters allow that steady back gate money to plod its way in each week.

But if promoters are truly worried about replenishing their premier classes, they need to think further ahead and offer other incentives besides just upping the purse. It's time to create a culture of incentive and achievement, not just one of participation.

2010 Thoughts, Pt. IV

This should be the last part of what's become a rather lengthy series.

Of course, Eagle's schedule generated the most firestorm on the message boards. And, on cue, the inevitable class warfare began...fueled by a single - and in my opinion, legitimate - issue raised by a sprint car driver. Other comments, reinforcing that statement followed, with the expected rebuttal of "without (fill in the non-sprint class), you'd have no sprint cars, etc. etc., etc."

Well, if I were to tell you what I've heard, from those with close connection, about sprint cars and their importance at Eagle, egos will make sure that the pro-sprints wouldn't believe me and the anti-sprint (or pro-fenders, if that's what makes you happy) wouldn't believe what they heard. Let's just say, the sprint class is important at Eagle and Eagle is important to the sprints.

But if it doesn't sustain itself it won't matter one way or the other (that's my take). Each class is important, but in some cases for very different reasons.

If you can get past the class warfare outer shell, the real issue is the length of program. I've said it subtly before, but I'll be blatant now. I don't like the addition of a fifth class.

In the Eagle thread, the Rest of the Dirt's Ron Meyer coined the term "hard sit," being that no matter when you start there's going to be a lot of butt time before the show's over. IF the 10:30 goal is met, a 6:30 start still means 4 hours in the seat...frankly that's too much show. Die hards will tell you they love it - but that's only if they like what's out there. I've said it before, I don't like five classes. I don't like four.

But, it's not my track and I don't pay the bills.

Moving on...

- When the unsubstantiated argument comes out on the message board, you know the thread no longer will produce anything useful. You know what I mean, opinion expressed as fact. The aforementioned class warfare debate is a good example. "Most of the fans are there to see (fill in your favorite)" is a great one. Got numbers? Back it up. I get sick of that.

- Anyone who tells you sprint racing is dying needs to look at the 2010 ASCS Midwest Schedule. At the time, I counted 21(!) shows outside of the 360 Nationals at Knoxville. That's more than a season's worth of weekly racing at most tracks. Rumors of the demise are greatly exaggerated.

- Anyone else notice scarcely a mention of the fact the Outlaws aren't on Eagle's schedule?

I'll have a 2010 Wish List, and some changes I'm making in 2010 as well.

'10 Schedules Released

Several tracks/sanctions have released their schedules. Check 'em out:
I-80 Speedway: http://neracewaypark.com/I80Speedway/schedule.php

Eagle Raceway (along with a lively discussion):
http://www.dirtdrivers.com/messageboard/messagedetail.asp?trackid=1&distype=1&gid=&mmid=&mid=243615&pmid=243615

ASCS Midwest (via Oval Operations):
http://www.ovaloperations.com/2009/12/16/2010-tentative-ascs-midwest-schedul
e/

Butler County Motorplex

http://www.dirtdrivers.com/messageboard/messagedetail.asp?trackid=4&mid=243830&pmid=243830

And I thought I got too close to the action...

Check out this photographer from an NHRA drag race. Pics are from the London
Daily Mail.

http://tinyurl.com/yeg9w9h

If my wife saw that and the car didn't kill me...she would.

2009 JMS Awards Banquet Recap

From Jessica Goldfuss, Junction Motor Speedway

With the completion of the 2009 racing season at Junction Motor Speedway,
honors and awards were presented for the many JMS drivers on December 12,
2009. The York Holiday Inn Convention Center held the banquet where there
was wonderful food provided by Angela Spencer, Banquet Manger; Zach Oseurm;
Crystal McKillip, Applebee's General Manger; Debbie Dumpert, Banquet
Self-Coordinator; Rhonda and Rich Baines, bartending; with the Holiday Inn
Banquet staff cooking and catering. Favorably, Holiday Inn also provided
hotel rooms for the points Champions of each division. Beautiful flowers
were the centerpiece of each table, provided by Debbie Dumpert, which
represented the memory of Barb Nunnenkamp, Manager of JMS in the time of
2003 to 2008.

There were many door prizes given out throughout the night which were
sponsored and donated from many area businesses. Action Images, owned by
Photographer, Jerry Jacobs, created the JMS driver cards that were placed on
every table. Each card had information about the Points Champions in each
division. Pictures at the banquet were taken by Jon Pedersen, the official
JMS Photographer. Trophies and plaques were provided by NASCAR, Inc. and
Crossroads Awards in York, Nebraska.

Special guests that were in attendance were NAPA owners from Sutton,
Nebraska; Randy, Kathy, and Micah Veleba for Sutton Auto Supply. They were
also in representation of other NAPA businesses that sponsored the NASCAR
Stock Car and NASCAR Hobby Stocks divisions. Those stores included; Action
Auto Supply in Geneva, Action Auto Supply in Hebron, Action Auto Supply in
Fairbury, Beck's Auto Parts in Edgar, Rasmussen NAPA in York, and the NAPA
Distribution Center in Omaha, Nebraska.

General Motors and GM Performance Parts were represented by Jim Miller, the
Wholesale Parts District Manager of Kansas City, KS and Grant Lindsey of
Dallas, TX. They were proud sponsors of the NASCAR Late Models for the 2009
season and handed out $4,500 in contingency awards for crate engine feature
winners and other crate late model engine participants at Junction Motor
Speedway. Winners of these contingency awards were, Bill Leighton Jr- $500,
Matt Buller- $900, Tom Svoboda- $400, Andrew Kosiski - $700, Clint Benson
-$400, Mike Wallace- $300, Lester Siebert - $200, Ray Baughn - $200, Andy
Wilkinson -$200, Al Humphrey- $100, Randy Hall -$400, and Mike Svagera-
$100.

The awards presentation began with the Four Cylinder Division which the
Track Owner, Delmar Friesen, honored each driver who was top ten in point's
standings. Beginning with tenth place was Jarrod Aspegren, Lance Hiebner
(9), Sheldon Sandall (8), Charles Wergin (7), Bill Wiarda (6), Chad Carlson
(5), Josh Aspegren (4), and Rodney Nosker (3). Runner-up was the 2009 Rookie
of the Year- Mallet Meyer, with Cale Wiarda from Aurora, Nebraska, driving
the 15w receiving the 2009 4 Cylinder Points Championship.

In the 2-Man Cruiser Division, Pat Hersh and Mike Whitten were 10th, Tim
Hessheimer SR and Tim Hessheimer JR (9), Jordan Inderlied and Jake Hedden
(8), Tyler Mark, Scott Nuttelman /Brandon Ahlquist (7), Ken and Drew Barry
(6), John Miller and Greg Ekeler (5), Brent Kassik and John Miller (4),
Allen Zimmerman and Ethan Vogler (3) and also took the 2009 Rookie of the
Year Award. Receiving second place in the Cruiser division was Greg Kenley
and Jeremiah Harris with 358 points. Achieving their second Points Champion
Title for this division was Vic and Josh Jacobitz from Nelson, Nebraska,
driving the 69J cruiser.

The NASCAR Hobby Stocks had awards handed out by Randy, Kathy, and Micah
Veleba who represented the NAPA Sponsorship of the division. In tenth place
was Andy Sole- $118.45, Brandon Wergin- $125.82 (9), Tom Dunker-$133.20 (8),
Andy Lovegrove- $144.26 (7), Shane Schneider- $155.33 (6), Zach Reicks-
$195.09 (5) Brian Klein- $234.84 (4) and also the 2009 NASCAR Hobby Stock
Rookie of the Year. Rocky Zimmerman took third in points with $295.91, and
Brent Kassik placed Runner-up in the division with 684 points and was
awarded $328.28. Jason Wilkinson, driving the number 27, attained the Points
Championship with 700 points and with the amount of $506.57 in the combined
JMS Points Money and NASCAR Contingencies.

The NASCAR Stock Cars also sponsored by NAPA Stores for 2009 presented these
drivers for the top ten in points: Ernie Reiss- $129.05 (10), Cory Dumpert-
$140.66 (9), Brent Drohman- $152.28 (8), Herbert Slough -$219.71 (7), Ronald
Veleba- $262.14 (6), Brant Beam- $310.38 (5), Jason Van Winkle -$333.61 (4),
Justin Mohler- $376.04 (3); receiving Rookie of the Year for 2009 and also
Runner-up was Kyle Dumpert, being paid $412.66. Taking the Points
Championship and a total of $825.32 was also the Hobby Stocks Champion,
Jason Wilkinson, driving the number 52 Stock Car from Neligh, Nebraska.

The NASCAR Modifieds were sponsored by Steele Rubber Products from Denver,
North Carolina. There wasn't, however, a representative from Steele in
attendance at the banquet. Finishing tenth in points at Junction Motor
Speedway in this division was Brett Behrends-$143.89, Kyle Vanover- $211.44
(9), Daniel Neeman-$229.00 (8), Shane Stutzman- $305.33 (7), Dean Wilkinson-
$331.66 (6), Jon Thompson- $366.77 (5), Andy Wilkinson - $401.88 (4), Scott
Styskal- $528.22 (3), and Robert (Buzz) Wilson achieving second place in
points with earnings of $745.77. Winning the 2009 Championship in the NASCAR
Modified division was Brandon Blochlinger from Concordia, KS, who received a
total of $1,491.54 in NASCAR Contingency and the JMS Points Fund.

Finally, the NASCAR Late Models by GM Performance Parts were awarded for top
ten in points. Ryan Pedersen from Sutton, Nebraska was awarded Rookie of the
Year in this Division. Micah Veleba was granted $393.96 for tenth place in
points, Randy Hall - $461.55 (9), Andy Wilkinson - $529.13 (8), Tom Svoboda
- $655.51 (7), Donald Gimpel - $731.89 (6), Lester Siebert- $817.03 (5),
Andrew Kosiski - $1002.23 (4), Matt Buller - $1428.60 (3), and Mike Wallace
- $2246.19 for Runner- Up in the Premier Division. Winning his second
consecutive championship title with JMS and also finishing fourth in the
Nation in NASCAR points was Bill Leighton, JR with earnings of $3,492.38 in
the JMS Points Fund and NASCAR Contingencies.

In conjunction with the NASCAR Late Models division, several drivers were
awarded for being top 500 in the Nation. From highest to lowest was 4th-
Bill Leighton, 10th- Matt Buller, 14th- Mike Wallace, 17th- Lester Siebert,
18th- Andrew Kosiski, 70th- Tom Svoboda, 172nd- Randy Hall (also receiving a
State Rookie Award), 228th- Andy Wilkinson, 232nd- Donald Gimpel, 452nd-
Micah Veleba, and 485th- Mike Svagera.

Junction Motor Speedway and the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series provided a
total of $21,913.60 in all four NASCAR classes for the points fund
distribution.

In conclusion the Junction Motor Speedway Staff was acknowledged for their
efforts in making 2009 a successful season. In attendance at the banquet
were track owners Delmar and Ardenna Friesen who were also honored for a
Crystal Bowl Trophy from Schweitzer's Custom Engraving in Milford, Nebraska
for having attained their Fifth Season at the end of 2008. Mike Chapin was
recognized with duties of line-ups and back gate security; Jason Friesen
with scheduling; Crystal Friesen with points, scoring, records, and stats;
Brad Nunnenkamp as the Director of Competition; Jon Pedersen working the
gift shop, website, and pictures; Cathy Pedersen with the gift shop; Jessica
Goldfuss- JMS Office Manager and Scoring; Julie Robinson with Concessions
management and as groundskeeper, Linda and Danielle Carroll in Concessions,
and Vanee Holtmeier with front gate admission. Wayne Dake announced at
Junction Motor Speedway weekly and was the Emcee for the evening. Also in
attendance with him was his wife, Jan Dake who helps with various tasks at
the track. These dedicated individuals are among 55 or so JMS employees.

To finalize the evening Delmar inducted his 2010 schedule to the racing
audience and announced the changes and additions to the year. Because the
schedule is still brand new and tentative, it is possible that there may be
more changes and additions in the upcoming months. Additions to the track
are B-Mods as well as changes of 4 Cylinders running on the big track
instead of the small track. The NASCAR Late Models will also be running
every Saturday night including the nights when SLMR Late Models come to
Junction Motor Speedway.

On behalf of Junction Motor Speedway, and Track Owner and Promoter, Delmar
Friesen, thanks to all drivers, crews, employees, families, and friends who
attended the 2009 banquet. In addition, we appreciate all drivers who
support and race at our track and we look forward to seeing everyone in the
2010 racing season!

2010 Thoughts Pt. III

My original plan was to talk more about support classes and new series, but the release of the World of Outlaws 2010 schedule changed that.

-Unless changes are made, for the first time in 26 seasons, Eagle Raceway will not be hosting the World of Outlaws sprint cars. For that period, the Eagle Nationals were the track's showcase event, and one of the top stops on the tour, especially in the 90's and early 2000's. In that period, the WoO would make two stops annually. But now, with costs rising and ticket sales slowing the once premier show has become a burden to the promoters. Traditionally a two-day program, the show dwindled to a single-day, co-promoted venture. This season's cold, wet and troublesome program, with both support class races being called, and the feature being a single lane, bottom of the race track contest that looked more like an F1 parade, was a coincidentally sad back story to how far the show had regressed. 2009 marked the first year in as many as I can remember when a full field of 24 didn't take the green flag. Other races in recent years have been marked by rubber-down, single lane enduros where he with the most tire remaining won.

I can tell you that from my period working for Eagle that the World of Outlaws stops were often make or break for the season. At times, crowds were tremendous. It was the biggest show of the year and in most cases, the most financially rewarding. But, toward the end of my tenure (2005), it was an albatross around Craig Cormack's neck. I can remember trashing thousands of WoO tickets afterwards. Not pretty.

Not all was bad. Not even most of it. Perhaps some of the greatest races I've watched out at Eagle occurred during the WoO's run. Haudenschild's September Sweep, Schatz's eighth-row to first record run...there were some awesome shows. Even uneventful races still had all the pomp and circumstance to make it worthwhile. Plenty of stories abound about drivers partying with the locals afterward, WoO staff socializing with the Eagle crew - it was a festive atmosphere that usually complimented the bullring excitement, but survived any level of show on the track.

To be fair, 2009 saw the tightest points battle in series history. Also, word is that WoO, to reduce travel expenses, asked tracks to pony up for multi-day shows, and the 2010 sked reflects this.Totally understandable.

According to someone close to the track's management, the word was that Eagle would be allowed a one-day show, but Roger chose not to. All history aside, to borrow from Doug Wolfgang, "today you're a hero, tomorrow you're zero." It seems from Eagle's perspective, there have been too many zeros (and sub-zeros) to make up for all that history.

That said, while I understand the reasons, I hate to see the WoO go. I've made several friends in the Outlaws, and had a blast being part of the new organization when Cormack was the VP of Race Operations with the series. I think the series is trying to move forward. The switch to Goodyear tires will ultimately be wise in my opinion. I think it will help make it more competitive. I also think the WoO care about putting on a better race program. They're one of the most efficient in the business. But it's hard to sell a $30-40 ticket these days at a dirt track.

And, in many places the WoO is THE show, with huge crowds. I think at Eagle times have changed. With the addition of new classes, and the drop-off in numbers and competitiveness in the sprints, I think the general crowd has moved away from its sprint-centric past and diversified. I still believe that the crowd is mostly sprint, but the numbers are far fewer than before. With that comes less interest, less die-hards, and less friends of them to come out for the big event. I also believe that the interest in the event dwindled with the advent of Baseball and Hockey, and the near exclusivity of a Nebraska Football ticket. The WoO aren't one of the "big shows" around Lincoln anymore.

Perhaps most of all, I think that the average fan has gravitated to endless, mindnumbing what-did-Jimmie-eat-for-lunch coverage of Na...Nas....Nasss....(I can't say it)....NASCAR for their racing fix, and that a short drive to Kansas Speedway for the annual Sprint Cup show (with its expensive ticket packages) now supplants the dirt track as the "vacation race," and the local scene means little to them.

In 2010, Junction Motor Speedway will do the same as it did with the USAC Midgets and pick up Eagle's forsaken WoO show. A change of scene might do everyone some good, but trying to pull enough fans to make it pay off, being 60 miles from the half-million population base that couldn't sustain the show at Eagle (or I-80) will be a challenge. You can't just jam this with back-gate support classes and hope to make money. However, a creative effort could make this a success. 

Ostensibly, Eagle's summer showcase event will be a two-day Lucas Oil ASCS National 360 Sprint event with Tony Bruce Jr. going all Terry McCarl with driving/owning/promoting duties. As far as racing goes, if the Nebraska Cup, the ASCS Specials at I-80 and BCM are any indication, race wise it should be a humdinger. Will it pull in best of times-Outlaw crowds? Probably not - but it doesn't have to. A 3-4000 ticket show will be plenty. There could be more fan interest as the locals will go toe-to-toe with the touring stars at what should be a much easier on the wallet ticket price. As Roger Hadan showed with his Labor Day giveaway and Ed Kosiski showed with the Late Model/Sprint combo and Nitro Circus show this season, it doesn't require the Outlaws to hit a revenue home-run anymore. 

Part IV coming soon

Special Fund Created to Help Holliman Heal

(Jason: I want to keep this up at the top for a while - check below for updated content)

Jetmore, Kan. (November 11, 2009) - On July 25,2009 Tadd Holliman, driver
of the #23R 360 Series Sprint Car was involved in a devastating racing
accident at Eagle Raceway in Lincoln, Neb. Holliman, of Beaver Lake, Neb.,
suffered six broken ribs, a bruised lung, concussion, and a broken right
upper arm.

Since the accident, Holliman has been undergoing multiple medical treatments
as well as extensive physical therapy and has been unable to return to work.

To help defray his medical expenses a special fund has been established
within the Steve King Foundation. Any funds donated to the foundation and
earmarked for Holliman will be provided directly to him and his family.

Donations are being accepted through the Steve King Foundation to help the
Holliman family cover the medical expenses. All contributions are
tax-deductible.

Donations can be made online at
www.SteveKingFoundation.org or mailed
to

Steve King Foundation
24583 NW 208 Rd
Jetmore, KS 67854

Please note Holliman on the check.

About Tadd Holliman
Holliman is a third generation driver and was often seen competing against
his father, Terry, at Eagle Raceway, his home track. He was voted the "most
improved driver" at Eagle Raceway in the mid 1990s. His all time favorite
race is the Chili Bowl, each January in Tulsa, Okla. Tadd and his wife
Darla have four children, ranging from 7 to 20 years old.

About The Steve King Foundation
The Steve King Foundation was formed to help individuals involved in dirt
track racing across the country by providing financial assistance to
drivers, pit crew members, racing officials, track operations personnel or
the immediate families of those individuals who are injured, struggling with
a severe illness or die. The foundation, a 501(c)3 will also contribute to
organizations and facilities dedicated to improving the safety of the sport
when additional funds are available.

More information can be found at
www.SteveKingFoundation.org

2010 Thoughts, Pt. II

- Longtime sprint car owner/sponsor Ivan Tracy floated the idea of a limited, 'bare-bones' 360(ish) wingless sprint class, with the idea of complementing existing racing and keeping costs low to promoters and teams. It was promoted in the spirit of the creation of the original "Modified" sprint at Midwest Speedway in the 1980's. For more on the birth of the 360 Sprint, visit Ryan Tunks' Midwest Speedway Preservation Society website.

As nice as it may seem, I'll borrow from the words of the late firearms Guru, Marine Colonel and Historian Jeff Cooper: it's an "ingenious solution to a non-existent problem." Cooper was not talking about racing but rather semi-automatic pistol development, feeling that there was no need for complex modifications of an existing design when with proper use, and mindset, the existing design worked just fine.

But I see the development of yet another class as the same thing. Here's why:

- I don't see any pent-up demand for limited, limited wingless sprint car racing. There have been plenty of calls across the grandstands, pits and message boards for wingless sprint cars but they have all centered on the "real deal:" wingless 410 racing as you see at I-80 each August, and across the Midwest on the USAC trail. The 2007 experiment of wingless 360 racing at Eagle was certainly a 'no harm, no foul' deal, but nobody seemed to care there were no shows in 2008 save for a less than noteworthy WDRL support show. Remember, when the 360's started at Midwest, there was no real sprint racing on a weekly basis. Most of the Nebraska crews were running Knoxville regularly. This filled a niche, and if you've read any of Bob Mays' books, a hole in the SE Nebraska racing community, where sprints/supermodifieds were not just popular, but a part of local culture.

- Again, while it's not designed to compete with the winged 360 class, why wouldn't it? I still feel that these sub-classes draw from the "upper" class, creating mediocre fields in both and experience shows this especially in late models and modifieds. Why, with sprint counts being at a 10-year low, would we want to fracture the class now?

By the way - 305's anyone?

The silence is deafening.

Look, I recognize costs are escalating in 360 racing. A top of the line 360 motor can run as much as a top of the line 410 motor did ten years ago. I get it. But this isn't the solution.

- To that point: If as Ivan said, there are cars sitting idle, why can't they be raced now? Really, since Gambler brought out the downtube car in the late 80's how much has the sprint car really changed? Why, couldn't one get one of these frames and start adding to it? If the car is too old, why race it now under any rules? I don't know how many times I have to say this, but why do people confuse "affordable" with "being able to afford the point champ's equipment?" I have tremendous respect for a guy like Josh LaPage, who, scrounged, scrimped and put a car on the track and ran it against "the big boys." Yeah, he's still green and finding his way, but damn...racing around here could use more of him. This is going to come off as confrontational and maybe it is, especially if the question isn't being answered honestly: how much of the effort to contain cost is a true concern about saving money and how much of it is really just an effort to bring costs to a level where once top ten teams can NOW afford to be able to outspend/outequip everyone else? I'm dead serious about that. Maybe it's my cynical nature, but I rarely believe this is a campaign for the greater good but instead to lower the bar and make the good "great."

- To THAT point: the existent problem in my opinion is not so much money, it's that the field isn't being replenished. In the 80's and 90's the typical path was often race mini sprints at Waverly or Hastings, then get in the big car at Midwest and Eagle. I'm going to miss a TON of names, but here's a few: Divis, Boston, Lowery, Alley, Dover, etc., etc., etc. I'm not even CLOSE to naming half. But you get the point. But consider, especially in the case of Billy Alley and Jack Dover. They didn't stick around long. Enough time to get the feel of the bigger car and then moving on to potentially greener pastures. Before that, the upgrade generally meant they became the permanent veterans of the local field. But in this age of making the big time before 25, most talent doesn't see weekly racing as a long term goal. Many are looking to become the professional racer, not a weekend warrior. Contrary to the time after Jeff Gordon, the dirt track was an acceptable settling point as it was for many names. Champ cars, sprint cars, midgets were perfectly fine ways to "race to live." In a MotorSport magazine (the BEST racing magazine out there) article, Mario Andretti recalls his dirt car days with fondness, even racing them as late as 1974, where he won the USAC championship - five years AFTER his Indy 500 victory, three years after winning the '71 South African Grand Prix for Ferrari, and only one year before departing full time to Formula One!  But it's not that way anymore, and the success of dirt track stars in NASCAR has made it arguably worse for dirt track racing as its stars depart quickly, which in turn, leaves fields smaller and smaller as veterans retire. (Sound familiar, local sprint fans?)

The thing is, I don't see the "farm system" of the 80's and 90's coming back. So for that, we head to the "Everything old is new again" department

- I believe with about 70% certainty that given the economy we'll see the 360 class go the way of the Super Late Models at I-80. While I have NOTHING to back this up, my gut says that most of the sprint races future teams will compete in will be run under the ASCS banner at regional tracks, with - like the SLMR series, several stops at the old "home" track. But, I believe that ASCS purses have to go up (particularly at the back end), and instead of the state fair races of old, there are more big money shows like the $5000 to win Nebraska Cup and $2000 to win 9/11 Tribute at Butler County mixed in. My other feeling is that supply and demand will take over, with less of a supply of sprint races, demand increases with potentially bigger crowds (and bigger front gate takes to build up the purse).

- I forsee, like the late models have been for quite some time, the growth of the 'semi-professional' racer: the person or teams not necessarily racing to eat - but can make time to essentially race at will, at least locally. I'm thinking currently of Billy Alley, Chad Humston, Ryan Roberts and Jack Dover as examples, but many race teams can do that already. Look at how many modified teams hit 2, 3 nights a week regularly? It's not out of the question for many of the race teams out there. If not a personal career, one could certainly make a decent "racing career" as a so-called regional outlaw.

- And as much as I used to say that the ASCS regional series was irrelevant with Eagle's strong show back in the early 2000's (and I still think I was right then), I think the times have changed such that the regional series is the future, with the increase in number of shows rumored for 2010. I believe it so much, that I'm hitching my wagon to that and will devote most of my time to it next year. And before anyone I debated with in the early 2000's says "I told you so," take it easy. You had nothing to back it up and the reason I think this has more to do with the Bear-Stearns collapse or closer to home the collapse of local 410 racing than your insight. I could say Nebraska will win the Big XII this year, and if I lucked into being right, that doesn't entitle me to a place on ESPN, OK?

Having just spent the last page discounting the wingless idea, I'm not writing it off completely.

Part III - coming soon.

Saathoff wins Vegas Duel in the Desert

Saathoff hits jackpot with IMCA Modified checkers
at Las Vegas Motor Speedway’s Duel In The Desert

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Nov. 14) – He’s had a lot of big wins during his
IMCA Modified career, but none of them paid better than the one on
Saturday night.

Johnny Saathoff passed Ricky Alvarado on the 36th of 40 laps Saturday
night at Las Vegas Motor Speed way, then held off Terry Phillps to
take the $7,777 Duel In The Desert checkers.

An event record 262 Modifieds, representing 23 states and three
Canadian provinces, were on hand for the IMCA season-ending special
at the half-mile dirt oval. Alvarado, Dominic Ursetta and Scott Drake
rounded out the top five.

Chris Abelson started on the pole but slid high and watched Alvarado
take the lead away on just the sec ond lap. Saathoff, the 2004 race
winner, was quickly in contention from his eight starting spot and
locked onto Alvarado’s back bumper in lap 15.

Bob Moore and Phillps did their best to stay in the chase, but
Alvarado and Saathoff made it a two-car race. The feature passed
midway before the first yellow came out, when Kellen Chadwick rolled
to a stop on lap 21, but the rest of the pack couldn’t take advantage
of the restart.

A spin by Steve Arpin with six to go resulted in a pile-up that
knocked out Brad Pounds, national champion Dylan Smith and Zane
DeVilbiss.

Alvarado got out of line following the ensuing restart, giving both
Saathoff and Phillips the opportunity they were looking for to get
by. Saathoff crossed the stripe three car lengths ahead of Phillips.

Winners of 12 last chance races on Saturday joined top four finishers
from two qualifying features both Thursday and Friday in the 28-car
starting grid. The previous event record of 221 Modifieds had been
set last year.

Alvarado took charge on the third circuit and led to the finish of
the Wild West Shootout. That field included top 20 point drivers from
the EQ Cylinder Heads Wild West Northern Tour and Rotating Right Wild
West Southern Tour.

Paul Stone advanced nine spots but ran out of time to reel Alvarado
in and settled for second in the 20 lapper. Lance Mari ran in front
the first two circuits and ended in third. Tyrone Yazzie and Jimmy
Reeves rounded out the top five.

Two drivers kayoed by an early crash when the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars
made their first-ever appear ance at LVMS last year went at it again
Saturday, and a last-lap pass gave Trent Murphy the $777 win over
Kevin Opheim.

Robby Rosselli set the fast pace before giving way to Murphy
following a lap eight restart. Opheim buzzed by on the next lap and
ran at the front while Murphy, Rosselli, Joe Flory and Cary White
jostled back and forth.

Murphy finally got the best of the battle and caught Opheim on lap
19. Rosselli, Flory and White were scored in that order behind the
front pair.

Stephenville Starter Southern Region champion Rex Higgins was sixth.

Feature Results
Modifieds
1. Johnny Saathoff, Beatrice, Neb.;
2. Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.;
3. Ricky Alvarado, Delta, Colo.;
4. Dominic Ursetta, Arvada, Colo.;
5. Scott Drake, Webb City, Mo.;
6. Eddie Belec, Lakewood, Colo.;
7. Bobby Hogge IV, Salinas, Calif.;
8. Jeremy Mills, Garner, Iowa;
9. Paul Stone, Winton, Calif.;
10. Chris Abelson, Sioux City, Iowa;
11. Will Brack, Mead, Colo.;
12. Shane Stutzman, Milford, Neb.;
13. Darrick Klima, Belleville, Kan.;
14. Vern Jackson, Waterloo, Iowa;
15. Jason Brees, Strasburg, Colo.;
16. Brandon Carley, Farmington, N.M.;
17. Bob Moore, Sioux City, Iowa;
18. Steve Arpin, Cornelius, N.C.;
19. Brad Pounds, Bakersfield, Calif.;
20. Dylan Smith, Osceola, Neb.;
21. Zane DeVilbiss, Farmington, N.M.;
22. Sonny Wahl, Mohave Valley, Ariz.;
23. Jeremy Payne, Springfield, Mo.;
24. Jay Steffens, North Platte, Neb.;
25. Grant Junghans, Manhattan, Kan.;
26. Kellen Chadwick, Oakley, Calif.;
27. Justen Yeager, Green River, Wyo.;
28. Jay Noteboom, Hinton, Iowa.

Fourth annual Holiday Horsepower Drive

The fourth annual Holiday Horsepower Drive to provide Christmas presents to the Children at Children’s Hospital in Omaha kicked off on Sunday, November 1 with the “Second Annual Racing with the Stars” karting event at Velocity Indoor Karting in Omaha. This year’s event saw some drivers traveling great distances to participate in the event.

Drivers who participated in the event included: Brian Birkhofer, Kyle Berck, Josh Most, Andrew Kosiski, Bill Leighton Jr., Jake Kaser, Bryant Goldsmith, Jack Dover, Stu Snyder, Tad Holliman, Ryan Kitchen, Dylan Smith, Jake Neal, Mark Noble, Corey Dripps, Al Hejna, Jeremy Tibben, Rick “the Racer” Stephan, Brian Blessington, Chad Fegley, Nate Weiler and NASCAR development driver Kendell Lopez.

The event gave local fans and kart drivers a chance to race against local and regal area drivers. At the end of the night 4 fans and the fastest 4 drivers along with defending race champion Jack Dover would race in a 25 lap feature. That event turned out to be quite exciting with Dover coming from his ninth and last starting position to pass Jake Neal for the win just a couple laps from the checkers.

The drive will continue to raise money and acquire gifts for their annual gift wrapping at Quaker Steak and Lube in Council Bluffs followed by the always heartwarming trip to the hospital which will take place on Saturday, December 19. In three years the Holiday Horsepower Drive has raised over $63,000 for Christmas gifts for the patients at the hospital plus purchasing much needed equipment for the hospital.

If you would like to support the Holiday Horsepower Drive and help make sure the patients at Children’s Hospital have a wonderful Christmas, please call Buddy Ray Jones at (712)-256-5876, (712)-256-5278 or (402)-517-8144. Donations can be dropped off at:

Holiday Horsepower Drive
c/o Joe’s Karting
2121 South 32nd Street
Council Bluffs, Iowa 51501

Tickets On Sale Now For Belleville 100

BELLEVILLE, Kan. (Nov. 4) - The ticket window has swung open and race fans
can now purchase their seat for the Belleville 100 and be a part of history
at a one-of-a-kind event at a one-of-a-kind venue.

Race fans and competitors alike are already looking forward to next year
when the nation's top Modified drivers on dirt converge on the famed
Belleville High Banks for the inaugural running of the Belleville 100.

A century in the making, the three-day celebration of speed and skill will
be held on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, July 2-4, 2010, at the "World's
Fastest Half-Mile Dirt Track."

Tickets for next year's blockbuster event officially went on sale Sunday,
and judging from the response from both competitors and fans since the
format of the event was revealed in September, Belleville 100 officials
expect a lot of seats to be "gobbled up" prior to the Thanksgiving holiday.

Next year on Friday, July 2, the Modifieds take on the Belleville High Banks
with heat races, "B" mains and a 40-lap "A" main carrying a $5,000 top prize
and $500 to start. The top-10 finishers will be locked into Saturday night's
thrilling finale.

Saturday, July 3, will feature another round of qualifying events, followed
by a 15-lap non-qualifiers "A" main with drivers racing for $2,000 to win
and $300 to start. The thrilling conclusion will be the 60-lap championship
"A" main with 30 cars starting three-wide on the big half-mile clay oval
with $10,000 earmarked for the winner and a minimum of $1,000 for each of
the starters.

But that's not all ... the pole sitter for Saturday's championship "A" main
will have the option of starting dead last in the field and a whopping
$100,000 paycheck if he/she can win from the 30th starting position.

Dozens of contingency prizes will also be awarded during the event, plus a
Halfway Leader Award, Hard Charger Award, Hard Luck Award and more.
Attendees can also look forward to a gigantic fireworks display to round out
the Independence Day celebration.

Sunday, July 4, will include a dazzling auto thrill show and other
entertainment suitable for a 100-year celebration of auto racing, including
the Pig 100 - a not-so-light-hearted special event featuring real live pigs
and a shot at $500 for one lucky participant. The Sunday date is also being
held in reserve as a rain date for Friday or Saturday.

Only reserved seat tickets will be offered for the Belleville 100. Tickets
are $33 per night in lots of three nights (single day tickets are not
available). Family/Group ticket packages will also be available to the first
60 groups that order. Fans and/or businesses that purchase at least 10
tickets will be named a lap sponsor for Saturday's 60-lapper, be listed in
the souvenir program, receive mentions by the p.a. announcer and also get
VIP access to drivers and infield prior to Saturday's finale.

As if that wasn't enough, one name will be drawn from the first 1,000 ticket
buyers to win a new high-definition big screen television.

Belleville 100 tickets make a nice Christmas gift or stocking stuffer for
that racing friend or family member.

Tickets can be purchased by calling 402-761-3676 or by checking out the
"Downloads" section at www.belleville100.com on the World Wide Web. Entry
forms, rules and additional information can also be found on the Official
Website of the Belleville 100.

For more information about the Belleville 100, contact Wayne Dake via email
at wayne@belleville100.com or call 402-440-3977.

2010 Thoughts, Pt. I

Thank goodness I'm a football fan or I'd be bored during the off-season. Come February, I'm in a sporting funk. NBA basketball doesn't do it for me, and I quit watching NASCAR after they threw Bill Simpson under the bus following Earnhardt's death. I never felt any need to return to a series that has less flavor and is tougher to digest than a piece of microwaved butt steak. I laughed when NASCAR's bogus "Chase for the championship" registered a colossal FAIL this year for the same reason it was created in the first place - the fact that the other teams can't compete with one driver.

(insert sound of grinding gears here)

While I am born and bred to bleed Husker Red, I'm not as big a college football fan. My interests in college football extend to how it affects Nebraska. Outside of that, it's good for when nothing else is on and the worst college football beats the best of baseball any time. My football interest actually lies with the NFL. I'm a fool for the NFL (though I'm not a fantasy football guy) I read the wires daily; "Every day is like Sunday" and while I'm sure Morrissey had no visions of the pigskin when he penned the song, he seemed to have no problem cashing the check for the NFL Network commercial.

Speaking of money, don't give me any bullsh*t about college football being for the "love of the game." It's about money. Just stand next to Tom's palace at the terminus of Vine Street in Lincoln and tell me it isn't about money. When you see college teams with better facilities than the pros (save for Jerry's World in Dallas), you're damn right it's about money.

Update: the WAC hired a PR firm to make the case for a Boise State BCS trip. I'm sure it was all about school pride...

But I have no beef with that. Just admit what it is. So, it doesn't mean I'm not a Husker fan, it's just I don't buy the NCAA's "amateur" whitewash. At least the NFL admits its cash DNA. You want love-of-the game football? Then go watch a Div III or NAIA game.

But this isn't a rant about college athletics, or the merit of one sport over another. But let me draw some parallels.

Money. Racing wouldn't exist without it.

And, money is the reason the promoters are in the business of even putting these events on.

I'm not the only one to decry back gate promoting. Back gate promoting gave birth to the "support class." And it gave birth to more classes. Pretty soon, a track owner found out it was easier to just add more classes to the program than try to get an increasingly picky audience to come in to the grandstand. Sanctioning bodies found that if their own rules failed to control costs to where there wasn't growth in a class, just add another class, with just a little more restriction. You've created infinite growth, right? Something for everyone!

And hey, it's a hell of a lot easier to just add another class than to take the grief of drivers and owners bitching, much less having to actually drum up fan support, right?

Enough already. I'm not that old, but I'm old enough to remember two classes of stock car: the late model - looking more like today's Pro-Am and the "Street Stock" - like the hobby stocks of today. I'm all for creating classes out of necessity: the 360's and 410 sprints are a good example. The costs between the two were just TOO far apart. I'd argue the same about "Super" and "Limited" or "Grand National" late models. Same reason.

But the one that gets me is the SportMod. The IMCA SportMod, and you know they'll never admit it, is the IMCA's answer to its failure to control costs with the original plan for the IMCA Modified's creation in the 1970's.

Let's go back to the original plan. Wasn't the paltry out of pocket expense of a motor claim supposed to keep other teams from building up motors? Weren't the draconian limits on tires/chassis/suspension supposed to keep those motors from hooking up to the track, if the claim failed, or wasn't enforced due to fears of retribution?  Problem is, that's precisely what happened. 

It didn't work, and IMCA recognized that they might as well make the class more of a race car than a car that raced (to explain the difference, look up the Sport Compact rules) and opened up the rulebook to make the class more like "late model lite" than the original design. Personally, I LIKE the 'new' modified - far from the original creations that took to Eagle in 1985 that often resembled dogs scurrying on linoleum more than racing.

However, now came the inevitable escalation in costs. The SportMod is an attempt to get the cost containment plan right. Instead of a claim, racers can opt to install a claim-free crate motor instead. Other rules keep things in check. It's a good idea.

But...

My first experience with SportMods was as a support class at I-80. I have to confess, I found them, well, tedious. The sound of a pegging rev-limiter just doesn't do it for me. Worse than restrictor plate racing. But that was the big track. Seeing them this year on the 1/3 miles of Butler County and Eagle changed my opinion. Especially the Eagle go-round where a full field of 30+ took the track. These guys moved, throwing it into the corners, sliding out, just like the big brothers that followed them later.

"Which ones are these?" came the question from one of the Eagle officials after the SportMods finished their warmups and the "A" Mods came to the track. The answer back was that one could tell the difference because the SportMods had a spoiler.

The spoiler. That's the difference. SportMod drivers should take that as a compliment. Now, obviously there's a lot more, and the seasoned fan/observer will be able to tell the difference. But the casual fan? It's just more modifieds. That could be good or bad, depending on your preferences.

I've said before, I don't like similar classes running on the same card. I'll summarize:
- it dilutes the field, taking from the "A" group
- one could get into an "A" level modified, for the costs of buying a sport mod (I DIDN'T say you could buy Dylan Smith's or Jordan Grabouski's Modified, I said you could buy a legal A-mod)
- disincentive to move up into the classes, that, in the end are what draws fans that are more than friends and family of drivers. I have yet to see a flow upward to the A mod ranks.
- fan confusion: those few casual fans can't / don't care about the differences as they're too subtle on the outside. Even diehards don't care.

It seems, that Eagle will be running SportMods in 2010 as part of its Saturday night show. I'm not keen on that for the reasons I've listed above, especially as I feel it may dilute what is arguably the most competitive Modified show in the country.

RUMOR has it, from a credible source, that IMCA offered Eagle a monetary incentive to run the "fastest growing class." Even without incentive, 20-25 sport mods at $20/crew person are a quick way to make money...a lot more than the $20 per sprint car crew with a lot more purse payout.

Eagle, which makes concerted effort to speed the program along, has enough time trying to make the 10:30 end time goal as is. The Sprint drivers and fans (and I) have complained that starting first and ending last leaves too much time in the middle. This won't help. So...what's the reasoning here if there's no incentive or if it isn't about money?

Or...is some other change is coming? Maybe I'll figure out why I started talking about the NFL later.

What's Up

Nothing much right now - but I've had issues with email lately. LOTS of spam for some reason. Trying to get the filter tweaked has been a mess.


Bear with me. I've got a few things, mostly just some off-season thoughts.

Monster Bash this weekend at Lancaster Event Center

The track is looking great for this weekends go-kart races! It is going to
be a fun time! Remember, the pit stalls are first-come first-serve so make
sure you are there early. Registration is from 9-10. Hotlaps are at 11.
Racing starts at 12. We hope to see everyone there! For any questions feel
free to contact the track office.

track office: 342-3453
track cell phone: 659-3301
www.neracewaypark.com

Unique Format Revealed For Inaugural Belleville 100

BELLEVILLE, Kan. (Oct. 12) - A one-of-a-kind event at a one-of-a-kind venue
is what race fans and competitors alike can look forward to next year when
the nation's top dirt modified drivers converge on the famed Belleville High
Banks for the inaugural running of the Belleville 100.

A century in the making, the three-day celebration of speed and skill will
be held on Friday-Sunday, July 2-4, 2010, at the "World's Fastest Half-Mile
Dirt Track" located in Belleville, Kan.

The first documented auto race held in Belleville was July 4, 1910. While
other locations may have staged an auto race on a dirt oval prior to 1910,
Belleville is the only venue to have sustained 100 calendar years of auto
racing.

"This is a remarkable achievement which deserves to be celebrated by any one
who wishes to participate," said event promoter Wayne Dake, whose passion
for the history of racing in Belleville is shared by many others in the
racing community. "Passion and drama will be strikingly evident at the
Belleville 100."

On Friday, July 2, the Modifieds take on the Belleville High Banks with heat
races, "B" mains and a 40-lap "A" main carrying a $5,000 top prize and $500
to start. The top-10 finishers will be locked into Saturday night's
thrilling finale.

Saturday, July 3, will feature another round of qualifying events, followed
by a 15-lap non-qualifiers main with drivers racing for $2,000 to win and
$300 to start. The thrilling conclusion will be Saturday's 60-lap "A" main
with 30 cars starting three-wide on the big half-mile clay oval with $10,000
earmarked for the winner and a minimum of $1,000 for each of the starters.

But that's not all ... the pole sitter for Saturday's "A" main will have the
option of starting dead last in the field and a whopping $100,000 paycheck
if he/she can win from the 30th starting position.

Dozens of contingency prizes will also be awarded during the event, plus a
Halfway Leader Award, Hard Charger Award, Hard Luck Award and more.

Attendees can also look forward to a gigantic fireworks display to round out
the Independence Day celebration.

Sunday, July 4, will see the running of the Pig 100 (details forthcoming), a
dazzling auto thrill show and other entertainment suitable for a 100-year
celebration of auto racing. The Sunday date is also being held in reserve as
a rain date for Friday or Saturday.

Only reserved seat tickets will be offered for the Belleville 100. Tickets
are $33 per night in lots of three nights (single day tickets are not
available). Family/Group ticket packages will be available to the first 60
groups that order. Fans and/or businesses that purchase at least 10 tickets
will be named a Lap Sponsor for Saturday's "A" main, plus be listed in the
souvenir program and receive mentions by the p.a. announcer.

From the first 1,000 ticket buyers, one name will be drawn to win a new
high-definition big screen television.

Tickets for grandstand reserved seating go on sale Nov. 1. Officials are
expecting a sold-out grandstand by late January, so get your tickets ordered
early. Belleville 100 tickets make a nice Christmas gift or stocking stuffer
for that racing friend or family member.

The entry fee for competitors is $150 if received or postmarked by Nov. 30,
and includes car, driver and two crew members. After Nov. 30, the entry fee
will be 240. Pit Passes for each night are $40.

One driver's name among the first 100 pre-entered teams will be randomly
drawn to win a 2010 BMS Modified chassis. Furthermore, fuel vouchers will be
presented to team that arrive with an "open" trailer and a Belleville 100
decal on the rear body panel.

Three members of the first-, second- and third-place finishers will each
receive hand-crafted Belleville 100 awards.

Entry forms and grandstand tickets will be available Nov. 1 by calling
402-761-3676 or at www.belleville100.com online.

For more information about the Belleville 100, contact Wayne Dake via email
at wayne@belleville100.com or call 402-440-3977.

Guest Editorial: A Special Bootleggers Run

Gary Dominguez wrote this piece that's a great example of getting and
keeping the fans involved, and the lessons that could be learned on the
local level.

- - - - -

A Special Bootleggers Run

By Gary Dominguez

First and Foremost, I would like to thank Roger and Michelle Hadan or Eagle
Raceway for putting on this event, and for giving me the opportunity to meet
NASCAR greats Casey Mears, Bobby LaBonte, Jimmie Spencer, Michael Waltrip,
and of course the King: Richard Petty.

While admittedly, I am not a huge NASCAR fan, and don't usually get "star
struck", the impression these five gentlemen left may convert me. When I met
their plane at the airport, I was greeted with a huge smile, handshake, and
a "Nice meeting you, A'hm Richard Petty". The others followed suit.

I also got the honor of being "chewed out" by Michael Waltrip when my friend
Amie asked him for a picture, and I balked because we were running a little
behind, and needed to go. Mr. Waltrip said "sure, come over here". Amie
turned to me and said "see Gary, I told you so". Waltrip looked at me and
said "Ya Gary, What's the matter with you!?" He followed that with a big
grin.

While we were greeting on the airport tarmac, Mr. Waltrip noticed about 4
airport employees standing at the edge trying to get a look at the
celebrities. He pointed, and yelled over to them "Hey! What do you think you
are doing over there? Come on over here and be sociable!" The employees
eagerly made haste. The smiles they left with were immeasurable.

Once we got to the track, I didn't see them again until after their last
race to give them a ride back to their bus. Waltrip and Spencer rode with
me, and were elated about how neat the track was, and the facility was one
of the best they had ever seen. They were just as enamored with the
experience of being there, as we were to have them.

This brings me to the whole point of this article. These 5 gentlemen are
true ambassadors to their sponsors and their sport. It was not so much
meeting them as it was the feeling you got when you left. They actually made
you feel like you mattered to them. I left with a huge "warm fuzzy" from the
pleasure of meeting them. My point? These guys fly private planes like you
and I drive to work every day, and they still have time for the fans that
make them who they are. I would love to see that happen on a local level.

Too many times I see cars loaded up and heading for the pit gate before the
features are over. Too many times have I seen drivers giving autographs like
they are doing the fans a big favor. Most memorably was July 4th when a
certain once mighty traveling sprint series that made a stop at Eagle
Raceway. They have no room to be prima donnas when they make people pay $35
to see 14 cars. We need to make time for our fans, and take examples from
these five legends who have more right to arrogance than we will ever have,
but choose not to.

Some shining stars that come to mind are the Bryan Race Team, Billy Alley,
Dylan Smith, and Rik Gropp. Whether you love them or not, an example should
be taken from them on how to treat or most important commodity, our fans. If
everyone followed their example, we could end up with a lot more local race
fans. I could spend a lot more time telling you how they do it, but that
would make a long article even longer.

If these 5 legends can make the fans feel good about seeing them, then why
can't we as a local racing family do the same? I welcome your comments on
how to make local racing grow. Please email me at
gary.dominguez@woodsbros.com.

About Gary: Gary Dominguez is a long time ambassador for racing in the SE
Nebraska area. Gary is the founder of Midwest Racers Autograph Day, the
largest annual pre-season gathering of racers and fans in Nebraska, and
presents annual seminars to racers on gathering and keeping sponsorships.
For 2009, Gary sponsored and drove the official Eagle Raceway pace car.

Post #1,501 - An unabashed, unashamed sprint car fan

Well, finally I've gotten around to writing another editorial, and it will be a personal "letting out;" a more frank, biased and perhaps pointed.

Let's get to the point: I like sprint car racing more than any other form of dirt track racing. And, I'm not ashamed to admit it.

It's the trendy thing to do to slam sprints and their fans. Some try to do it from the lofty perch of extended bleacher time while claiming “they like every class.” Some of it is deserved, some of it is just lame piling on or worse, some attempt to grandstand their way to status as the champion of “the common man.”

The fact is I've met VERY few people who say that don't have a bias toward or against one class, and of those...I can count on one hand the number of people that aren't full of it. We all have our biases, our likes and dislikes – it's what makes us human.

I started going to races as a kid in the late 70's being a fan of the late models – not the wedges on wheels of today, but real late model cars, vehicles that would be “pro-ams” or open street stocks today.

When I moved to Lincoln in 1980, the following summer I was introduced to the class of cars that grew to be a big part of my life: sprint cars. Midwest Speedway birthed what was to become the dominant class of sprint racing: the 360 cubic-inch sprinter. The “modified sprints” as they were known were in ways, similar to the sport mods of today: limited motors, limited suspensions, often they were second and third-hand cars. Indeed, some cars had bolt on roll cages.

My dad hooked up with Dennis Diekmann's bunch and painted, worked on then later became part owner of the team. A few years later, he followed in the footsteps of his father, owning a race team for the next 16 seasons. During that time he also served as president of the Nebraska Sprint Car Association, briefly ran a sprint-oriented parts business, ran a true 410 “Outlaw” team and later joined Craig Cormack in the purchase/operation of Eagle Raceway. I was along for that time, and even later after he left Eagle in 1999.

So reason one: Sprint cars have been a major part of my life, and I'm not going to make any concessions or apologies for them. Fact is, sprints are the fastest thing on dirt, and that's been told time and again. But speed is not all of it. They are much more than that to me.

Reason two: sprint cars are and always were pure race cars. They NEVER started their lives as a grocery getter, the family hauler, and certainly not as an “econobox.” A street legal sprint car is a novelty – street legality is a stock car's heritage, hence the name! Yes, I realize that there is nothing stock about today's NASCAR racers, today's late models, and very little even for the modern day “spec” racer: the IMCA modified.

Reason three: I enjoy the simplicity of a sprint car. Suspensions are simpler, and at the upper echelon, the tricks are known to everyone. It's the driver, it's the crew chief, and it's that simple four wheels, frame and a motor. Yes, I'm oversimplifying, small deviations and errors show up big when everyone's matched up. But a lot of what you see is what you get. Tire choice and bar choice aside, there aren't many secrets. No need to cover up the back suspensions, hide the motor, it's all out there.

That brings me to reason four. You see the driver. Wingless fans will point to that as one of their favorite parts of that niche. I would agree that lack of the hunk of metal makes it much more a human vs. machine experience. That said, I don't see its presence that much of a deterrent. But either way, you SEE the person behind the wheel. I guess that's why I have a soft spot for topless mods, too. Go look at some of the old pictures, especially in the pre-cage days. Like a bucking cowboy, these guys are wrestling their own mechanical bulls, and for a lot longer than eight seconds.

Five: if tires lasted, the fastest way around a corner is by drifting it. Even asphalt cars drift slightly, the goal to be just enough not to oversteer. Long before The Fast and the Furious, dirt trackers, especially sprint cars and midgets were drifting without style points and judges. The only judge was the checkered flag. A sprint car in a slide is a hell of a sight, much more than the front wheels turned in, bank-off-the-other-guy understeer of a stock car or worse – the left rear end floating of a compact as the front end is digging into the ground. Sorry – it's not my thing. And by the way – I DO enjoy today's modified and late model as they do much the same thing. That, to me is what real race cars do. The car goes its fastest because it was made to, not in spite of what it was made to do.

Six: history. Hell, I could write pages about that. Bob Mays wrote entire books . They hit me emotionally, and that's all I need to say.

That's but a few of the reasons – not to mention the personal relationships and experiences I've had while being part of the sprint car community.

You could have your own opinions: you could point out how sprints have annoying tendencies to flip, spin out and take so long to push start. You could say sprint car guys bitch a lot (but I could argue the other side as well – need I do a dirtdrivers.com message board tally)?

You could probably write as much against sprints as I did for them. That's your opinion and you're entitled to it. If you drive one of the cars I spoke against, I don't dislike you – in fact I've made several friends outside the sprint ranks. I don't even hate your form of racing. In fact I'll tell you that IMCA “A” Modifieds are my second favorite cars on dirt tracks.

But I do have a favorite, a clear favorite and I refuse to make apologies.

Photos

Well, during a server change with my web host, a lot of my photo galleries
were affected by the rebuild. The links should be the same, some of the work
done on each album was lost - but what do you do?

Maybe it's the impetus to start the launch of the new site....

Interestingly, this is my 1,500th post to the site.

IMCA Modifieds headline October Fest at Beatrice

BEATRICE, Neb. (Oct. 5) – IMCA Modifieds headline the big late-season
show at Beatrice Speedway this Friday and Saturday, Oct. 9-10.

Both October Fest features for the open wheeled division pay $1,500
to win and are qualifying events for the 2010 Fast Shafts All-Star
Invitational ballot.

Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks both
run for $400 to win each night. Friday’s Mach-1 Sport Compact feature
will pay $150 to win.

An open practice session for all classes will be held from 6-9 p.m.
on Thursday, Oct. 8.

Gates open at 4 p.m., hot laps are at 5 p.m. and racing starts at 6
p.m. on Friday. Gates open at 3 p.m. on Saturday, with hot laps at
5:30 p.m. and racing at 6:30 p.m.

Pit passes are $25 each day. Grandstand admission is $14 for adults
and $5 for kids $10 and under.

More information about October Fest is available by calling promoter
Toby Kruse at 515 231-5444, the track hotline at 402 228-2264 or the
track office at 402 223-3158.

Rain date is Oct. 11.

Dylan Smith wins IMCA Modified Nat'l. Title, Rech Takes Compact Crown

VINTON, Iowa (Oct. 2) - A division-best 28 feature wins and bonus
points from three local track titles paved the way for Dylan Smith's
first national IMCA Modified championship.

The Osceola, Neb., driver edged Garner's Jeremy Mills by five points
for the title. Mills won 25 features and was the only driver in the
division with four track crowns to his credit this season.

Smith's banner season also included the championship in the
ButlerBuilt Central Region and Boone County Raceway, I-80 Speedway
and US 30 Speedway crowns.

Also capturing national titles were Dustin Smith of Lake City in the
Sunoco Stock Cars, Neil Stevens of Bing ham Lake, Minn., in the KSE
Racing Products Sprint Cars, Jesse Sobbing of Glenwood in the Karl
Chevrolet Northern SportMods, Garrett Rech of Davey, Neb., in the
Mach-1 Sport Compacts and John McNeil of Denton, Texas, in the GM
Performance Crate Models.

Shannon Anderson of Atlantic and Keith White of Little River Academy,
Texas, defended their titles in the Sunoco Hobby Stock and Southwest
Racing Specialties Southern SportMod divisions, respectively.

The point season for all eight classes ended on Sept. 27. Standings
become official at noon on Monday, Oct. 26.

Dustin Smith became the third driver to win national IMCA crowns in
different divisions. The 2004 Hobby Stock king bested three-time
champion Mike Nichols of Harlan and defending champ Rod Snellenberger
of Pulaski, Wis., in the drive for this year's prize.

The track champion at Buena Vista Raceway, Marshalltown Speedway and
Shelby County Speedway, Smith won 23 features. Nichols was tops in
point standings at Dawson County Raceway and I-35 Speedway LLC and
had 26 wins; Snellenberger was track champion at Shawano Speedway and
won 25 times.

A dozen feature wins gave Stevens the inside track toward his second
career national title in the winged class. Also the 2005 champion,
Stevens was first in points at both Arlington Raceway and Redwood
Speedway.

Sobbing is the third straight driver to earn both the national title
and rookie of the year honors in the Northern SportMod division in
the same season. He won 20 features and raked in the maximum 60 bonus
points for track titles at I-80, Iowa State Fairgrounds Speedway and
Shelby County.

Runner-up Tyler Frye of Belleville, Kan., had 27 wins and was first
in the standings at Beatrice Speedway and Minneapolis Raceway. Kevin
Sather of Ankeny was third after winning 26 times and leading point
races at Marshalltown and Stuart.

Anderson won an IMCA single division season record 43 features this
season, a title difference-making dozen more than runner-up B.J.
Dauer of Marquette, Kan. Both won four track crowns and earned the
maximum number of bonus points.

The son of five-time national Stock Car champion Jeff Anderson,
Shannon topped point standings at Buena Vista, the Iowa State
Fairgrounds, Shelby County and Stuart Speedway in repeating as Jet
Racing Northern Region king.

White's fourth career Southern SportMod prize came by virtue of his
20-9 advantage over Chris Meyers of Eunice, N.M., in feature wins.

While White was champion at Heart O' Texas, Meyers topped points at
both Cardinal Motor Speedway and Lady Luck Speedway. Jeff Turner was
third with 18 wins and the Boyd Raceway title to his credit.

Rech won nine Sport Compact features this season and was the only
national champion not to have won a local track title as well this
season. He was runner-up at Eagle Raceway and at Butler County
Motorplex.

McNeil topped a pair of Crate Model main events and also won the
track championship at Kennedale Speed way Park.

All five Modified drivers winning ButlerBuilt regional titles did so
for the first time.

Mills scooped up the North Central Region prize. The 1998 national
Hobby Stock champ, Mills earned track titles at Algona Raceway, Buena
Vista Raceway, Hancock County Speedway and I-35 Speedway.

White did double-division duty, capturing the South Central Region
trophy. He was track champion at Heart O' Texas Speedway and
Kennedale Speedway Park.

Eastern Region king Kevan Cook of Constantia, N.Y., ruled at
Brewerton Speedway and Skyline Raceway.

Justen Yeager of Green River, Wyo., reigned in the Western Region.
He'd also won the EQ Cylinder Heads Wild West Northern Tour.

White collected 25 Modified checkers for a total of 45 multi-division
sanctioned wins in 2009.

Cook was a 17-time winner this season. Yeager won 14 features.

Bloomfield, N.M.'s Rex Higgins is champion of the Stephenville
Starter Southern Region for Stock Cars. He won 11 features and was
first in the point race at Fairgrounds Speedway.

Charles Cosper of Belton, Texas, repeated as champion of the
Stephenville Starter Southern Region for Hobby Stocks. The 281
Speedway and Heart O' Texas king won 14 features.

Dauer paced the points at Minneapolis Raceway, RPM Speedway, Thomas
County Speedway and WaKeeney Speedway.

Joining Sobbing as national rookies of the year are Gabe Tucker of
Carbon, Texas, Modified; Phil Holtz of Manchester, Stock Car; Dylan
Book of Adel, Hobby Stock; Dustin Sargent of Cleveland, Minn., Sprint
Car; Steven Abbey of Comanche, Texas, Southern SportMod; and Jeff
Davis of Lincoln, Neb., Sport Compact.

Top ButlerBuilt Modified regional rookies are Tucker in the South
Central; Tim Ward of Mesa, Ariz., in the West; Shane Hiatt of Rising
City, Neb., in the Central; Chris Stein of Davenport in the North
Central; and How ard Jones of Freeville, N.Y., in the East.

Steffan Carey of Bloomfield, N.M., is Stock Car ROY and Joe Williams
of Waco, Texas, is the Hobby Stock ROY in the Southern Region.

David Murray Jr. of Oberlin, Kan., had set the previous single-season
record with 41 Modified wins in 2004. The single-season multi-
division feature win mark is 47, established by Dave Trauernicht of
Beatrice, Neb., in 2001.

Kevin Blum of Colona, Ill., was national champion and Ryan Giles of
West Des Moines the top rookie in the IMCA Late Model division. Final
point races for that class were Aug. 30.

All IMCA champions and rookies of the year will be honored during the
national awards banquet on Saturday, Nov. 28 in Lincoln, Neb.

UNOFFICIAL Top 10 Standings

Modifieds - 1. Dylan Smith, Osceola, Neb., 1,248; 2. Jeremy Mills,
Garner, Iowa, 1,243; 3. Keith White, Little River Academy, Texas,
1,235; 4. Kevan Cook, Constantia, N.Y., 1,221; 5. Jordan Grabouski,
Beatrice, Neb., 1,206; 6. David Murray Jr., Oberlin, Kan., 1,192; 7.
Justen Yeager, Green River, Wyo., 1,189; 8. Max Cor poron, Marion,
Iowa, 1,185; 9. Corey Lagroon, Salina, Kan., 1,185; 10. Scott Hogan,
Vinton, Iowa, 1,185.

Sprint Cars - 1. Neil Stevens, Bingham Lake, Minn., 790; 2. Keith
Beckler, Litchfield, Minn., 720; 3. Dwain Wilmes, Kasota, Minn., 710;
4. Bruce Allen, Mankato, Minn., 709; 5. Chris Graf, Glencoe, Minn.,
686; 6. A.J. Stevens, Bingham Lake, Minn., 679; 7. Brandon Allen, St.
Peter, Minn., 668; 8. Brad Lund, Fairfax, Minn., 653; 9. Curt Lund,
Redwood Falls, Minn., 615; 10. Richard Smith, Mankato, Minn., 608.

Stock Cars - 1. Dustin Smith, Lake City, Iowa, 1,247; 2. Mike
Nichols, Harlan, Iowa, 1,228; 3. Rod Snellen berger, Pulaski, Wis.,
1,218; 4. Kevin Opheim, Mason City, Iowa, 1,206; 5. Cory Struckhoff,
Kensington, Kan., 1,202; 6. Abe Huls, Carthage, Ill., 1,193; 7. Trent
Murphy, Jefferson, Iowa, 1,183; 8. Mike Jergens, Plover, Iowa, 1,180;
9. Damon Murty, Chelsea, Iowa, 1,170; 10. Kelly Henderson, Minot,
N.D., 1,164.

Hobby Stocks - 1. Shannon Anderson, Atlantic, Iowa, 1,260; 2. B.J.
Dauer, Marquette, Kan., 1,260; 3. Charles Cosper, Belton, Texas,
1,206; 4. Allen Montgomery, Fort Worth, Texas, 1,198; 5. Devin Smith,
Lake City, Iowa, 1,197; 6. Austin Davis, Benkelman, Neb., 1,189; 7.
Eric Stanton, Hartford, Iowa, 1,180; 8. Michael Mur phy, Jefferson,
Iowa, 1,162; 9. Frank Paul, Kewaunee, Wis., 1,133; 10. Matthew
Crowell, Clearwater, Kan., 1,133.

Northern SportMods - 1. Jesse Sobbing, Glenwood, Iowa, 1,243; 2.
Tyler Frye, Belleville, Kan., 1,238; 3. Kevin Sather, Ankeny, Iowa,
1,237; 4. Austin Kaplan, Ankeny, Iowa, 1,202; 5. Scott Davis, Madrid,
Iowa, 1,197; 6. Tim Jorgenson, Seymour, Wis., 1,183; 7. Travis Van
Straten, Hortonville, Wis., 1,182; 8. Eric Arne son, Oconto Falls,
Wis., 1,160; 9. Luke Wanninger, Jefferson, Iowa, 1,134; 10. Jim
Hendricks, Council Bluffs, Iowa, 1,126.

Southern SportMods - 1. Keith White, Little River Academy, Texas,
1,205; 2. Chris Meyers, Eunice, N.M., 1,205; 3. Jeff Turner, Kaufman,
Texas, 1,199; 4. Ronnie Welborn, Princeton, Texas, 1,179; 5. Zach
Hamilton, Farmington, N.M., 1,164; 6. Steven Abbey, Comanche, Texas,
1,158; 7. Gabe Tucker, Carbon, Texas, 1,157; 8. Robert Black, Waco,
Texas, 1,118; 9. Matt Winnett, Colbert, Okla., 1,104; 10. T.J. Green,
Robinson, Texas, 1,088.

Sport Compacts - 1. Garrett Rech, Davey, Neb., 1,156; 2. Gary
Peiffer, Troy Mills, Iowa, 1,140; 3. John Sed lachek, Eagle, Neb.,
1,130; 4. Allen Rice, Minneapolis, Kan., 1,100; 5. Justin Wacha,
Vinton, Iowa, 1,086; 6. Jeremy Noonan, Lincoln, Neb., 1,072; 7. Jeff
Davis, Lincoln, Neb., 998; 8. Mike Simpson, Ashland, Neb., 978; 9.
Nicholas Hintz, Lincoln, Neb., 915; 10. John Irvine, Omaha, Neb., 831.

Crate Models - 1. John McNeil, Denton, Texas, 818; 2. Jay Bransom
Jr., Burleson, Texas, 787; 3. Damon Hammond, Burleson, Texas, 759; 4.
Charlie Wilson, Sanger, Texas, 737; 5. Ronnie Davis, Hurst, Texas,
556; 6. Darryl Campbell, Everman, Texas, 488; 7. Eric Winnett, Fort
Worth, Texas, 467; 8. Ronnie Pennington, Saginaw, Texas, 401; 9.
Steven Saunders, Bellevue, Neb., 319; 10. Robert Ferron, Venus,
Texas, 315.

A Site For all Race Fans

If you haven't been there yet, check out this great site with articles and photos from racing's past.

Former Hawkeye Racing News editor Kyle Ealy and Omaha World Herald writer Lee Ackerman have put together a collection of articles from 10, 20, even 50 years ago, presented as a "this week in history" format, along with commentary about racing's past, so it's regularly updated with "fresh" material. It's a great approach to historical information.

Just go there:

Midwest Racing Archives

Eagle Bootlegger's Run Oct. 3

The final event of 2009 at "America's Home Track" Eagle Raceway, the Bootleggers Run Race of Champions, will be held on Saturday October 3rd.

The fastest 1/3 mile dirt track in the country will host NASCAR icons Casey Mears, Michael Waltrip, Bobby Labonte and Jimmy Spencer competing in two eight-lap Late Model races.

As a bonus attraction, "The King" Richard Petty will also be in attendance. Mr. Petty does only a handful of appearances each year, so this is very possibly a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see him.

The support classes for the evening will be IMCA Modifieds, Sport Mods and Hobby Stocks. There will be a draw for starting positions.

Reserved seating is available at just $20 for those 6 and up, but will be limited to the first 3962 requests.

General admission seating will be only $15 for those 6 and older.

Tickets can be ordered by calling the office at (402) 238-2595 (a $2 processing fee will apply) or by visiting participating NAPA stores. Prices for "day-of" tickets are $25 for reserved seating and $20 for general admission seating.

Children 5 and under are free with a paid admission (1 child per paid admission).

Autograph vouchers will also be sold for $5 each, but will be limited to 1200 total autographs and will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis. Purchaser will be guaranteed one of five driver autographs per voucher using a lottery based system. The autograph session will run from 5:30 to 6:30 (rain or shine).

Pit gates open at 2:30. Pit passes are just $20.

The front gates will open at 3:00. There will be live music from 3:00 until 5:00.

A press conference will be held from 4:30 until 5:30 (rain or shine).

Hot laps for the IMCA Modifieds, Sport Mods and Hobby Stocks will begin at 5:30 with heat races for those classes starting at 6:30.

Hot laps for the Race of Champions will be at 6:55 and the feature races start at 7:00. Post race interviews, photos and etc. will be done immediately following them.

Feature races for the IMCA Modifieds, Sport Mods and Hobby stocks are scheduled to take the green flag at 7:15.

Drivers and times are subject to change due to NASCAR scheduling or flight delays.

Come out and see how the NASCAR boys handle the dirt high-banks!!!!

Greg Cooper Benefit

Follow up:

There will be a fund raiser at I-80 this weekend for the Cornhusker Classic. You can make donations and/or purchase window decals in honor of Greg. If you are unable to attend, you can still make contributions to the Greg Cooper Benefit Fund at TierOne Bank. If you are interested in purchasing window decals, please email: s.biltoft@yahoo.com

* * *

On Friday, September 4th, while at the car races at State Fair Park,
Greg lost his balance while leaning on the top rail and fell backwards
off of the bleachers. He was taken to BryanLGH West with critical head
injuries.

According to the carepages.com site set up for him, he passed away recently.

A benefit fund has been set up at TierOne Bank and deposits may be
made at any branch or mailed to:

Greg Cooper Benefit Fund

TierOne Bank
P O Box 83009
Lincoln NE 68508-2083

Greg was the car owner/driver of #37 ProAm and raced primarily at I-80
Speedway. He began racing a Friday Night Flyer at Eagle, Columbus and
Beatrice. After several years of being just a race fan, he started
back up in the ProAm division at I-80, winning the Rookie of the Year
Award in 2002, Cornhusker Classic in 2004 and finishing the 2009 ProAm
Season 8th in points.

Look back at a big weekend

I'm going to kick off a run of editorials here. Well, maybe a "few" more than a run. I'm starting with a look back at what was one of the biggest weekends for sprint car racing in Nebraska.

Unfortunately, the 9/11 tribute race at Butler County Motorplex got off to a wet start. I, along with several others read the message boards in disbelief when the track reported only recieving sprinkles after a line of storms went through the vicinity. But, upon arriving at the track the reports were true as we kicked up dust in the pits. The news wasn't good, as I and others stared at their smart-phones watching the impending storm moving closer. The sky darkened, drizzle, then a slow soaking rain fell on the track. BCM promoter Jacy Todd was adamant about outlasting the storm, but practicality set in and the race was postponed to Sunday afternoon.

The $5000 to win Nebraska Cup greeted 52 sprinters, with a stellar field. To give an idea of the competition: the A feature was stocked with at least 15 A feature winners/championship winners/series winners in 2009 that I could name off the top of my head. Despite the actual number being iffy - the fact that the field was packed with talent is not. Here's another tidbit, ASCS N. Plains (and soon Midwest) champion Jason Danley, four-time track champ Mike Boston, former ASCS 360 Nationals, Eagle and Knoxville track champ Billy Alley and ASCS National Tour winner and 2008 NE Cup champ Jack Dover all had to qualify through B features! Nobody "lucked" into the A.

What I love about 360's, especially the likes of Eagle and BCM is that a dry track doesn't mean lock-down to the bottom. The surface was very racy and the slide-fest back and forth battle between eventual winner Tony Bruce, Jr. and Jesse Hockett left fans agape at the action. There was plenty of action throughout the field. Like this, and this, and this, and...well, as Bruce said, "What a race, if anybody here didn't like that one, then you're not gonna like any kind of racing."

THIS event showcased what 360's are capable of on the short track and harkened back to the halcyon days of the early 2000's with 40 cars and a dozen feature winners. Yes Virgina, Santa can run a wing. More on this later.

Let it be known, I'm not just sprint-centric. The Modified feature, as it usually is at Eagle, was pretty darn good too.

Butler County didn't disappoint. A PERFECT day greeted fans and racers, a 180 from Friday. A somber tribute to 9/11 victims and first responders was brightened by the "Husker Copter" owned by Midwest Medical Transport bringing in the trophies, and a flyover by vintage aircraft. Twenty-nine strong sprints were on hand. A dry track remained racy with the sprint heats coming off without major incident.

Topless Modifieds were on hand for a $911 winner's share. I like today's IMCA Modified. But I wish they'd always run without the lid, though according to some, the setup is quite different.

Unfortunately, things were delayed after a NASTY crash in turn four when a chain of sport compacts crashed into a stopped car on the track. The wreckage took some time to clear up.

Kyle Berck took out most of the front runners at Eagle Saturday with a rare mistake, he made up for it by pulling away to take the modified feature.

The A once again, saw a dry but racy track. Much like Saturday the action was furious throughout. Chad Humston dueled pole-sitter Brian Brown briefly until establishing a comfortable lead. The show was watching Brown and Mike Boston put slide after slide on each other dueling for the runner up spot. Tony Bruce, Jr. had to qualify from the B but worked his way up the field and finished fifth.

It was some of the most intense action I'd witnessed all season.

Thumbs up:

- Roger Hadan and Jacy Todd, let's not forget: without their willingness to "go big" this weekend wouldn't have happened. Both were willing to take a risk.

- The Nebraska Cup committee, headed by Lori Dover who worked hard to generate interest in the two shows. A bounty of contingency prizes awaited drivers, many of whom came as a result of committee encouragement. The first "Miss Nebraska Cup" contest elicited huge response from the fans.

- The BCM tribute to the soldiers, fallen, and first-responders was very fitting and well done.

- The drivers and teams who decided to forgo races closer to home to make the trip up to Eagle and face the competition. Tony and Chad took the money, but the fans were the winners this week.

- Well, the fans - a late arriving crowd turned an iffy count into a respectable one at Eagle, with a solid group making the trip to the cornfields of Butler County on a Sunday night. Good attendance both nights.

- The quick-responding Butler County safety crew. They were quite literally, on top of every incident within seconds of it happening.

- Jason Danley - claiming the Midwest Region championship along with his Northern Plains title. What's impressive is that unlike a lot of "touring" series, the Midwest region had 13 of 15 scheduled events. That's a full season at some tracks.

- The push trucks. Getting a 52-car show rolling like it did is no small feat. BCM races were kicked off in no time. The bunch that pushes off in Nebraska is one of the best anywhere and they do it with only a handful of trucks.

- The decision to go topless with the Modifieds. I really like those things. Each track running mods needs to do it once. It's great to see the driver work.

- What can be done with good competition. I tire of criticism of winged sprint cars. Yes, you can get lock-down nights like the World of Outlaws. But, seeing what a strong field can do on a multi-groove track like this weekend and the earlier races at I-80 should remind fans what these are capable of, and they race like NO other class on dirt. It also confirms my preference for a dry track come feature time.

- Tony Bruce Jr. just seems like one of the most amiable, friendly but tough as nails behind the wheel kind of guys out there. Count me as a fan.

- Chad Humston and Mark Burch putting the Banana Wagon at the forefront of 360 racing again.

Thumbs down (oh come on, you expect me to be nothing but sunshine?):

- Unnecessary delays. The Miss NE Cup competition was the chunk of a 47-minute Eagle intermission. The 40+ minute Butler County break was unnecessarily long, especially since the show got started late and was started early due to the Sunday night reschedule. I understand the unforeseen delays with the opening ceremony, and the compact wreck afterward was certainly beyond control. But, the intermission was something that should have been cut given the circumstances - 10 minutes to water the track then get going. While listening to the radio I could tell 26 compacts in the A at Butler were too much and it seemed to overwhelm the scorers at times causing delays. Maybe I care too much about that stuff - but it's my site.

- Accusations of "fixing" the aforementioned pageant. The bellyaching afterward was just silly and doesn't merit any further comm....

- Sprint drivers demanding tow money. I'm sorry, but NO 360 driver merits tow money.

Butler County 9/11 Tribute Race Photos

Photos from the Butler County 9/11 tribute race are online. Sprints and Modifieds.

Butler County 9/11 Tribute Race Photos

Eagle Nebraska Cup Photos

Photos are online from Saturday's Nebraska Cup. Sprints and Modifieds.

Eagle Nebraska Cup 9-12-09 Photos

I-80 Cornhusker Classic

Shelby County's Tiny Lund Memorial sports six IMCA divisions

HARLAN, Iowa (Sept. 14) - Six IMCA divisions fill the card for the
Tiny Lund Memorial Nationals at Shelby County Speedway.

Total purse for the 18th annual special this Friday and Saturday,
Sept. 18-19 at Harlan tops $50,000. The Modified feature pays $3,000
to win and is a quali fying event for the 2010 Fast Shafts All-Star
Invitational ballot.

Late Models race for $2,500 to win, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars for $2,000
to win, Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods and IMCA Sunoco Hobby
Stocks both for $1,000 and the Mach-1 Sport Compacts for $500.

National, regional and Smiley's Racing Products State points will be
awarded to Modified, Stock Car and Hobby Stock drivers. National and
state points are at stake in the Northern SportMod and Sport Compact
divisions.

Tow money will be paid to drivers who compete both days but don't
make their feature. Modified and Late Model non-qualifiers will get
$100, Stock Car non-qualifiers get $75 and Hobby Stock, SportMod and
Sport Compact non-qualifiers each get $50 tow.

Feature winners from the track's Dwight Wrich Memorial held Aug. 1
who don't qualify through their heat or "B" races will receive
provisional starts.

A Thursday, Sept. 17 practice session starts at 7 p.m. and will be
followed by a free supper served to purchasers of $10 pit admission.

Friday's race program begins at 7 p.m. and includes heat races for
all divisions and pole dashes for Modifieds, Late Models and Stock
Cars. Pit passes are $25 and grandstand admission is $10 for adults
and $6 for students.

The Saturday program starts at 6 p.m. and sports "B" features and all
main events. Pit passes are $30. Grandstand admission is $15 for
adults and $10 for students. Kids 10 and under get in free both nights.

Rain date is Sunday, Sept. 20. Camping and shower facilities are
available on the fairgrounds.

More information is available at the www.racescs.com website.