Just about the time you think you have me figured out, That's the time that I pull off one of my illogical trips. I was not able to travel to Vegas this year for the Duel in the Desert but I didn't want what was likely to be one of the last racing weekends of the year to go unfulfilled. So, after some digging, I discovered a race that perked my interest. It included Late Models and Modifieds and the chance to travel to a track I had never been to before.
Long story short, on Saturday, November 11, I made the trip to the Lake Cumberland Speedway in Burnside Kentucky for the Finn Watson Memorial Race for Late Models which was a part of the Schaeffer's Oil Iron Man Championship Series. The Brucebilt Performance Iron Man Modified Series was also racing as well as the KDRA Super Stocks and Stock Four Cylinders.
As it turns out, while this would be my first official race at Lake Cumberland, I had been to the track before although my memories of the visit are rather foggy. Many years ago, after a rain out at Brownstown Indiana Speedway, we made a banzai run to a race in Kentucky, only to get rained out for the second time on that date. Details of the trip are foggy, but I'm sure the track had a different name back them and looked somewhat different and I think we even took a different route last time, but I suspect many of the roads in the Somerset Kentucky area have been changed since that visit so many years ago.
The one thing that stuck out in my mind from that trip many years ago that tripped my memory immediately was when I saw the grandstand at Lake Cumberland. I have never in my life seen a set of grandstands that have as steep a pitch as the ones at Lake Cumberland. Seriously, they are almost straight up and down and a real challenge for anyone to scale. The top row sits in the lower stratosphere and the migrating geese were actually flying lower than I was seated! This might be just a slight exaggeration but as close as you sit to the track, I felt like I was watching a race from a hovering helicopter. It is remarkable and only if you get the chance to experience it can you fully relate to what I'm trying to impart.
The track is a D shaped oval with quite tight corners entering turn one and leaving turn four. The back straightaway is one sweeping corner and a wall surrounds the track with another wall on the inside of the track. There is pit space in the infield but not near enough to hold all the cars so many pit outside of turn one in a rather rolling field and on up the hill that leads toward the Hardgrove residence. The field was rather soft and several of the big rigs got stuck and had to have some help re positioning themselves. The red clay of the race track slicked off quite quickly, producing some dust but a smooth racing surface. Interestingly, the track was watered on this day by a fire truck provided by the Burnside Fire Department, which might have been another first.
Lake Cumberland Speedway has a rather unique back drop perhaps unlike that of any other track in America. Just outside the parking lot sits a monstrously high pile of sawdust. What produces all this sawdust is rather interesting. The Kingsford Charcoal Company has a huge plant in Burnside Kentucky, one of four that they operate in this country. For fifty years, Kingsford has operated this charcoal plant which currently employees one hundred twenty five people and operates twenty four seven and produces immense clouds of steam from stacks into the Kentucky air.
Lake Cumberland Speedway has had a rather checkered past with the track opening and closing several times with various names to address the track as. Brandon Hardgrove this Spring announced that the track would reopen this year with weekly racing being featured after the track has set vacant for a period of time. Harold Hardgrove was the original owner of the track and ran it on several occasions until his passing recently. In fact, the track is known as "Hardgrove's Hardcore House of Mayhem", a name they seem to relish.
Cars were called to the line right at the advertised time of 5 pm to start hot lapping. Unfortunately, all four classes would be time trialing on this night. So, even though the Modifieds group qualified during hot laps, the Late Models qualified two or three at a time while the Super Stocks and Four Cylinders also qualified two at a time, it was still nearly 6:30 pm before the first race hit the track. It just seems almost impossible to start a race program on time if time trials are involved. And just to please Jeff Broeg, even though he wasn't in attendance, all the races were started straight up off the times. To make matters worse, the pa system wasn't very effective so finding out who were the quick qualifiers were was a guessing game. However, I must say that once this task was completed, the program was run off in an efficient manner with the races hitting the track in quick fashion. The only thing that slowed them down was that they only had one wrecker who seemed to be MIA every time they needed him and he had to be tracked down.
Chris Tilley's Schaeffer Oil Series was the featured division on this night, as Late Models usually are at this track. Five grand was on the line for the forty lap feature winner with thirty four Late Models signing in to race. Most of the drivers were from the Kentucky and Tennessee area but there were also a few cars from Indiana, Dakota Knuckles from Virginia and Illinois' Bob Gardner. Victor Lee was quick qualifier and as a driver that I have enjoyed watching over the years, I was hoping for him to put on a show like he did in qualifying. However, he blew his motor four laps into the first heat and was done for the night. Four heats and two B features set the twenty three car starting field for the Late Model main.
Steve Smith missed his heat race and ended up taking a provisional, a decision he may have regretted later when he ended up on his lid four laps into the main event. The feature race itself had plenty of action with Kent Robinson and Jackie Boggs doing the battling in the early going. Robinson led the first few laps and then was passed by Boggs. A yellow saved Robinson but Boggs was later able to again make the pass.
When Boggs jumped the cushion in turn two, Robinson tried to pass him on the inside but a lapped car was in the way and then made contact. Robinson was turned and while he restarted the race, he soon pulled off with damage. Boggs then had to fend off challenges from Michael Chilton the rest of the race and while Chilton came close, it was Boggs taking the win.
Jeff Watson had his Late Model fitted with new tin that resembled one of his father Finn's most recognized cars as it looked in 1985. Finn started his racing career in 1963. The #P1 Paul's Pipeline special was a tremendously successful car in its time and while I don't think I ever saw Watson drive that car, I do remember the #P1 cars. Watson's tin didn't stay good looking for too long as he was involved in the same wreck as Smith and the sheet metal was badly damaged on the car.
Thirty three Modifieds were on hand for their grand to win event. After Shaun Flannary set fast time, the same qualifying method as for the Late Models was used. Tyler Nicely chased Timmy Payne for several laps until he took over the lead. Once in front, he was pressured heavily by Flannary but he never flinched as he drove on for the win.
KDRA Super Stocks produced two heat races and saw Robbin Perkins and Tyler Collis battle for several laps until Collis took over and drove on for the win.
Why they are called Stock Four Cylinders I will never know as they appeared to be anything but Stock. They had twenty seven of them with everything from rear wheel drive Mustangs to some front wheel drive cars too. I looked like about three different classes racing together as they had everything from stock appearing cars to some of the Mustangs that were slab-sided and sported huge spoilers. Pole sitter Tyler Hayes went on to take the win.
The races themselves were pretty good and it was certainly a chance to see a whole bunch of drivers that I would not have seen at any other time during the year. The track seemed to race fairly well but with the format that started the fast cars right in front, that almost always limits the passing that occurs. The crowd seemed pretty good for a cool November night and they pleased the majority of the spectators by running the Late Model feature first. This also alleviated any congestion leaving the grounds as most "bailed" after the Late Models and Mods were done.
Thanks to Brandon Hardgrove and Chris Tilley and their staffs for their help. Hardgrove announced that Lake Cumberland will run a full weekly schedule in 2018.
Sunday, November 12, 2017
Sunday, November 5, 2017
Erb and Gravel Take Close Wins to Wrap Up World Finals Action
Saturday, November 4th the World Finals wrapped up at the Dirt Track at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The Saturday program would be similar to Friday night's show with the only difference being that the Sprint Cars and Late Models would flip flop the running order for their division's program with the Late Model feature being the last event on the card while on Friday night the Sprint Cars would be the last event on the card. Big Blocks would again run double Last Chance events while the other two classes would run a full program of heats, last chance events and then their main events.
The field of race cars was very similar to Friday night's event, with only a handful of cars not running as the result of either serious mechanical failures or from crashes. Friday night's worst accident saw Sadie Siegel pound the first turn wall with her Sprint Car and a walk through the pits before the racing started revealed that the car had already been stripped down to its bare frame. Blown motors on Friday night also took care of several Late Models, Big Blocks and a couple of Sprint Cars too.
Perhaps track management took to heart all the complaints about the horrible dusty conditions that prevailed on Friday night as the track was considerably wetter to start the racing on Saturday night. Of course that didn't last too long but even in the long run it made the track better which the drivers commented on throughout the night. The weather conditions were different too which probably played a part in the different track conditions. It was cooler on Saturday and heavily overcast, two things that certainly would help the track.
For those of us sitting on the back chute, we were certainly grateful for a strong Northeast breeze which sent the dust rolling into the main grandstand. Those folks weren't too pleased however and a number of them filtered around to the back chute to watch the show. Persistent horrible dust conditions seem to be a staple of this track and despite trying all manner of things to reduce the problem, it still remains just as bad as it has always been.
The Big Blocks came to the grid first for their main event. The Super Dirt title was still in the balance as the last feature of their season began, but Matt Sheppard was not about to let it slip from his fingers. After being fortunate enough to redraw the pole, he led all the way in the forty lap main to win both the feature race and guarantee himself the Super Dirt title. He had some pressure in the early going from Keith Flach with three yellows in the first sixteen laps keeping things pretty bunched.
However, the last twenty four laps went green and Sheppard pulled away from the pack as he won rather comfortably. This was not the greatest weekend for the Big Blocks as quite frankly, their racing was much of the follow the leader variety and the side by side racing was at a minimum.
Donny Schatz had already guaranteed the Sprint Car title but he was aiming for his two hundred and fiftieth Outlaw win, which would have been quite the way to wrap up his season. Schatz took the lead early after starting third but he wasn't able to shake Brian Brown and David Gravel. The first few laps were plenty rocky with several crashed that included a four car flip in turn one after a stacked up restart.
The last half of the race went nonstop and Schatz seemed to be in control, even though Gravel was running him close. David made a couple of slider attempts to pass in the last five laps and nearly pulled off the move, but each time Schatz would regain the lead.
Schatz' biggest problem at the end was a couple of lapped cars that didn't seem to be able to decide where they wanted to run. Schatz had to pause briefly and Gravel used the opportunity to shoot past for the lead. Schatz tried to come back using the low side off turn two but there was nothing there and he lost ground as Gravel drove on for the win. Of course most in the crowd were pleased as Schatz wins too much for some, but I prefer that exceptionalism be rewarded, not scorned. For those that hope for Schatz' Outlaw win streak to be put to an end in 2018, Gravel is likely their best hope.
Despite the last lap pass for the win in the Sprint Car main, for the second straight night the Late Models put on the best show from start to finish. The Late Model feature was another dandy with five cars in the lead pack right down to the finish, just like on Friday night. Again it was Mike Marlar that led from the start with the field again chasing him. Shane Clanton and Dale McDowell were the early drivers chasing Marlar but then they were exchanged for Jimmy Owens and Brandon Sheppard. With most of the drivers running the low side, Sheppard was pounding the cushion, short track Illini style. He made have made it work for the second straight night but for the fact that he got way too high in turn four and gave up one position and a bunch of time. Owens took Sheppard's place ramming the cushion but he could only make it work to a fashion that allowed him to retain his place.
Marlar started to slow a bit just as he had the night before but after fighting off a couple challenges, it looked like on this night he might be able to hold on. However, Dennis Erb really picked up the pace and he was able to get under Marlar off turn two with just a few laps left. Just as Erb does in winning most of his races, he's never spectacular or "showy" but more often than not, he's there at the end. If ever there was a "Mr. Consistency," it would be Erb. It proved to be a great win for him and an excellent way to wrap up the season, although on a roll, Erb will likely head to Alabama for racing next weekend at a track that fits his style.
Just as surprising as the strong runs both nights by Marlar, Erb and Owens were the poor showings by Don O'Neal, Darrell Lanigan and Scott Bloomquist among others.
This event continues to grow every year. It was announced that Thursday night's crowd was the largest ever for the Thursday night race, the Friday night race was a near sellout and Saturday the place was a complete sellout of tickets. While off the top of my head I don't know what the grandstand seats, it is a huge grandstand and the number of people in the pits also is astronomical.
This event has to be a huge money maker for the World Racing Group as I would guess that the only races that perhaps have more people in attendance are some of the events at Eldora and while this race pays a nice purse, it doesn't come anywhere close to what those races pay. It would be nice if the management would thank the racers by upping the purse for next year's event as there seems to be no indication that the spectator turnout will start to level off.
For those that have not been to this race as of yet, I can't think of a better chance to see the three biggest divisions that the World Racing Group sanctions all together on one big stage. Most of the best cars in all three classes are on hand and this is one of the few race tracks in the country that can properly present such a race. There are also tons of other racing related things to do in the greater Charlotte area.
I need to sent out a special thanks to Shaun Johnson of the Charlotte Motor Speedway staff for his help setting me up for the weekend and also Don Stodola of G Force Racing Gear for his help too.
One last thing to be noted. I'm typing this from the passenger seat of a car as we hurtle our way home from North Carolina on some of the roughest interstate roads known to mankind, so if you find an occasional keyboarding gaff or spelling error, take pity.
The field of race cars was very similar to Friday night's event, with only a handful of cars not running as the result of either serious mechanical failures or from crashes. Friday night's worst accident saw Sadie Siegel pound the first turn wall with her Sprint Car and a walk through the pits before the racing started revealed that the car had already been stripped down to its bare frame. Blown motors on Friday night also took care of several Late Models, Big Blocks and a couple of Sprint Cars too.
Perhaps track management took to heart all the complaints about the horrible dusty conditions that prevailed on Friday night as the track was considerably wetter to start the racing on Saturday night. Of course that didn't last too long but even in the long run it made the track better which the drivers commented on throughout the night. The weather conditions were different too which probably played a part in the different track conditions. It was cooler on Saturday and heavily overcast, two things that certainly would help the track.
For those of us sitting on the back chute, we were certainly grateful for a strong Northeast breeze which sent the dust rolling into the main grandstand. Those folks weren't too pleased however and a number of them filtered around to the back chute to watch the show. Persistent horrible dust conditions seem to be a staple of this track and despite trying all manner of things to reduce the problem, it still remains just as bad as it has always been.
The Big Blocks came to the grid first for their main event. The Super Dirt title was still in the balance as the last feature of their season began, but Matt Sheppard was not about to let it slip from his fingers. After being fortunate enough to redraw the pole, he led all the way in the forty lap main to win both the feature race and guarantee himself the Super Dirt title. He had some pressure in the early going from Keith Flach with three yellows in the first sixteen laps keeping things pretty bunched.
However, the last twenty four laps went green and Sheppard pulled away from the pack as he won rather comfortably. This was not the greatest weekend for the Big Blocks as quite frankly, their racing was much of the follow the leader variety and the side by side racing was at a minimum.
Donny Schatz had already guaranteed the Sprint Car title but he was aiming for his two hundred and fiftieth Outlaw win, which would have been quite the way to wrap up his season. Schatz took the lead early after starting third but he wasn't able to shake Brian Brown and David Gravel. The first few laps were plenty rocky with several crashed that included a four car flip in turn one after a stacked up restart.
The last half of the race went nonstop and Schatz seemed to be in control, even though Gravel was running him close. David made a couple of slider attempts to pass in the last five laps and nearly pulled off the move, but each time Schatz would regain the lead.
Schatz' biggest problem at the end was a couple of lapped cars that didn't seem to be able to decide where they wanted to run. Schatz had to pause briefly and Gravel used the opportunity to shoot past for the lead. Schatz tried to come back using the low side off turn two but there was nothing there and he lost ground as Gravel drove on for the win. Of course most in the crowd were pleased as Schatz wins too much for some, but I prefer that exceptionalism be rewarded, not scorned. For those that hope for Schatz' Outlaw win streak to be put to an end in 2018, Gravel is likely their best hope.
Despite the last lap pass for the win in the Sprint Car main, for the second straight night the Late Models put on the best show from start to finish. The Late Model feature was another dandy with five cars in the lead pack right down to the finish, just like on Friday night. Again it was Mike Marlar that led from the start with the field again chasing him. Shane Clanton and Dale McDowell were the early drivers chasing Marlar but then they were exchanged for Jimmy Owens and Brandon Sheppard. With most of the drivers running the low side, Sheppard was pounding the cushion, short track Illini style. He made have made it work for the second straight night but for the fact that he got way too high in turn four and gave up one position and a bunch of time. Owens took Sheppard's place ramming the cushion but he could only make it work to a fashion that allowed him to retain his place.
Marlar started to slow a bit just as he had the night before but after fighting off a couple challenges, it looked like on this night he might be able to hold on. However, Dennis Erb really picked up the pace and he was able to get under Marlar off turn two with just a few laps left. Just as Erb does in winning most of his races, he's never spectacular or "showy" but more often than not, he's there at the end. If ever there was a "Mr. Consistency," it would be Erb. It proved to be a great win for him and an excellent way to wrap up the season, although on a roll, Erb will likely head to Alabama for racing next weekend at a track that fits his style.
Just as surprising as the strong runs both nights by Marlar, Erb and Owens were the poor showings by Don O'Neal, Darrell Lanigan and Scott Bloomquist among others.
This event continues to grow every year. It was announced that Thursday night's crowd was the largest ever for the Thursday night race, the Friday night race was a near sellout and Saturday the place was a complete sellout of tickets. While off the top of my head I don't know what the grandstand seats, it is a huge grandstand and the number of people in the pits also is astronomical.
This event has to be a huge money maker for the World Racing Group as I would guess that the only races that perhaps have more people in attendance are some of the events at Eldora and while this race pays a nice purse, it doesn't come anywhere close to what those races pay. It would be nice if the management would thank the racers by upping the purse for next year's event as there seems to be no indication that the spectator turnout will start to level off.
For those that have not been to this race as of yet, I can't think of a better chance to see the three biggest divisions that the World Racing Group sanctions all together on one big stage. Most of the best cars in all three classes are on hand and this is one of the few race tracks in the country that can properly present such a race. There are also tons of other racing related things to do in the greater Charlotte area.
I need to sent out a special thanks to Shaun Johnson of the Charlotte Motor Speedway staff for his help setting me up for the weekend and also Don Stodola of G Force Racing Gear for his help too.
One last thing to be noted. I'm typing this from the passenger seat of a car as we hurtle our way home from North Carolina on some of the roughest interstate roads known to mankind, so if you find an occasional keyboarding gaff or spelling error, take pity.
Saturday, November 4, 2017
Williamson, Sheppard and Schatz Top World Finals, Friday Edition
After a Thursday night of qualifying and a few Big Block heat races, the World Finals at The Dirt Track at Charlotte Motor Speedway kicked into full action on Friday night, November 3rd with a nearly full program in all three divisions.
Big Blocks would run Last Chance races and their forty lap main event while the Late Models and Sprint Cars would have full shows including heats, Last Chance Qualifiers plus feature races, the Late Models going fifty laps and the Sprint Cars thirty.
With only an abbreviated program on Thursday night, the attrition rate among the three class was very minimal. In the Big Blocks, Jimmy Horton, who blew up a motor on Thursday night, borrowed a back up car from Pat Ward to race in the feature race on Friday. Justin Rasey, who pounded the wall in turn four on the last lap of a heat race on Thursday night loaded his car up and watched the action on Friday so they were down one car.
In the Late Models, only Chris Ferguson did not return so there were seventy four Late Models trying to make the main event.
And in the Sprint Cars, they actually gained a car as John Price, who was on hand on Thursday night but had mechanical issues prevent him from getting on the track, tagged the back of a Sprint Car heat so there were fifty three of them looking to qualify for the feature race.
Qualifying for any main event was a brutally difficult assignment as the qualifying races were all very short in length, not many cars moved up and the fields were both big and very talented. For example, the Big Blocks ran two Last Chance Qualifiers with thirteen cars in each and only two moving into the main over a ten lap distance. The Late Model heats started twelve or thirteen cars for an eight lap race with only the top three moving on and of course, the lineups were straight up off time trials. Then they ran three Last Chance races that started about twenty cars apiece with only two moving into the mains. The Sprint Cars use their regular Outlaw format so they run dashes after redrawing the top two in each heat and the dash sets up the front six rows for the main event with the other qualifiers falling in behind them.
They did start big fields of cars for the main events with twenty nine Big Blocks taking the green, thirty one Late Models starting the Late Model main and with thirty cars taking the green, perhaps the biggest field of Sprint Cars to race a main event that I have seen in a long time. Of course, a cynical person might say that one reason there are so many cars in the main event fields, and this holds particularly for the Late Models, is that so many of their series regulars failed to make the show through the normal means that they had to take a provisional to start the main event. Of course, only a cynical mind would come up with that.
The Big Blocks are the only division where the World of Outlaws title is still undetermined with both Donny Schatz and Brandon Sheppard having already guaranteed titles in their respective divisions. In the Big Blocks, defending champion Matt Sheppard holds a thirty something point lead over Billy Decker as the two come into their final weekend of competition. Sheppard's story is one of the most amazing of any racing season as Sheppard was battling for the point lead until he was suspended for two races following an on track scuffle following an incident with another competitor. He fell all the way back to ninth in points but when he returned, he was "on fire" as he won a stretch of consecutive main events and fought his way back into the point lead, even though it was tenuous coming into the last weekend over veteran Billy Decker.
Sheppard started on the pole and led the first few laps of the Big Block feature, which was slowed three times for yellows in the first five laps.
On the next restart, Sheppard didn't get a good one and Mat Williamson shot past him for the lead. They then ran off the last thirty five laps nonstop and Williamson did a great job of holding off Sheppard for the win. Several times Sheppard got close in traffic but each time the young Canadian driver would hold on and he would cross the line with a couple car lengths on Sheppard at the finish. Decker started tenth and worked his way up to third at the end, so those two will go into the final night of racing in 2017 with the title still undecided.
The Late Model feature was truly the only really entertaining race of the night. With only two yellow flags in the fifty lap distance, it was a good battle right down to the end. Mike Marlar took the early lead with Jimmy Owens chasing him. Dennis Erb, Josh Richards and Dale McDowell were also in the lead pack. Marlar was able to maintain the top spot but Owens was never far behind. Follwoing a yellow flag, Erb was able to move into second and he set up the chase on Marlar.
Brandon Sheppard, who had started sixth but faded back a bit was now on the move as he raced to get into the top five while at the same time, Richards, in a near look alike car, started to fade just a bit. As the race started to get near the thirty five lap mark, Marlar started to have some handling issues with his car and he was slower coming off the corners. Erb began to close on him and as Marlar was slowing down the top runners, Owens, McDowell and Sheppard were all closing up on him.
It was at this point that Sheppard made the move of the night as with most of the front runners racing low through the corners, Sheppard threw his car to the high side of the track and it stuck. He quickly began to reel in the top three at an alarmingly quick pace and before we knew it, suddenly the top three were running in a bunch.
Erb tried his best to get under Marlar but at the same time, Sheppard had a full run on the top side and he blew past both drivers to take over the lead, a lead he would extend over the last few laps as the Outlaw point leader did a nice job of saying the day for the regulars over the Lucas Oil invaders and others. Erb, Marlar, Owens and McDowell completed the top five in what was a good race.
Schatz continued to show why he is the ten time Outlaw Sprint champion as he came from behind to make a remarkable pass that guaranteed him the feature win. Billy Balog, the Wisconsin driver, likely raised his notoriety on this night as he won a heat race, then a dash and led the first few laps of the feature race.
A "shoot out" to Balog who's family lives only about forty miles from me and who's father I used to watch race full bodied cars back "in the day." When Balog moved back to Wisconsin from Alaska and started his stateside racing career, he hung out at the local tracks while he was building his racing operation and partnered with local sponsors as he started his Sprint Car career. Then he discovered the IRA and everything built from there.
Balog had the Madsen brothers chasing him early in the race while Schatz, who always seems to start slow in every race, worked his way back up into contention. Schatz runs a different line than everyone else at this track, much lower on the track and when he is able to make it work, allows him an open passing lane as most of the cars are up beating on the cushion.
That's what he did again on Friday as he was able to drive under both the leaders who were battling each other and traffic and he cleared them all in one mighty move. After that, he led the rest of the way with just one yellow with six laps to go to bunch the field. He got away clean following that restart and really wasn't challenged the rest of the way. Ian Madsen finished a strong second while Dave Blaney showed he still has got the moves as he came from tenth to third in the Minnesota based Motter car. Kerry Madsen and Joey Saldana completed the top five.
Unlike other years, there wasn't the slew of wrecks that have often been a part of this race. While there were a couple of hard contacts with the wall, only one car got upside down during Friday night's action.
One thing that I must mention that you probably won't read or hear about any place else is the horrible conditions that the spectators have to endure at this race. The dust problem at this track is absolutely terrible. Friday night's show was certainly for me among the top five dustiest races I have ever been to. While the track may remain racy for the drivers, the dust situation in the grandstands is almost unbearable. Many times it is impossible to even see what is happening on the other straightaway or identify cars because the dust is so bad. You walk out of the track literally coated in red dust from heat to toe. It makes watching the races miserable at best. Yet, everyone just seems to take it as a part of the show and while they might roll their eyes a bit at the conditions, no one seems to say much. I guarantee you that if a similar situation occurred at any track in the Midwest, a near riot would likely take place and spectators simply would not tolerate such miserable racing conditions. Truly it is a disgrace that World Racing Group allows such conditions to exist at their premier event of the year and seems to be uncaring about making any improvements to the situation. I saw Tom Derry walking around the area where I was seated before the show started but I'm willing to bet that once the action started, he was up in the air conditioned, glassed in VIP section, not in the "real folks" section where we were all getting "sand blasted". This place is jam packed with people and there aren't even enough seats to go around for everyone. But I can guarantee you that all the fans on hand watching are "hard core" fans because any casual fan that would come out for this race would never attend another race in their life, based upon what they would have to endure and how they would look and feel by the time the night was completed. I, for one, will have to seriously consider whether or not I want to put up with this again for another year because it is so bad that it makes the racing not even fun to watch. But, just like track management is counting on, by Saturday night I'll have put my objections aside and I'll be out in the "sandstorm" for more of the same, at least for one more night.
Big Blocks would run Last Chance races and their forty lap main event while the Late Models and Sprint Cars would have full shows including heats, Last Chance Qualifiers plus feature races, the Late Models going fifty laps and the Sprint Cars thirty.
With only an abbreviated program on Thursday night, the attrition rate among the three class was very minimal. In the Big Blocks, Jimmy Horton, who blew up a motor on Thursday night, borrowed a back up car from Pat Ward to race in the feature race on Friday. Justin Rasey, who pounded the wall in turn four on the last lap of a heat race on Thursday night loaded his car up and watched the action on Friday so they were down one car.
In the Late Models, only Chris Ferguson did not return so there were seventy four Late Models trying to make the main event.
And in the Sprint Cars, they actually gained a car as John Price, who was on hand on Thursday night but had mechanical issues prevent him from getting on the track, tagged the back of a Sprint Car heat so there were fifty three of them looking to qualify for the feature race.
Qualifying for any main event was a brutally difficult assignment as the qualifying races were all very short in length, not many cars moved up and the fields were both big and very talented. For example, the Big Blocks ran two Last Chance Qualifiers with thirteen cars in each and only two moving into the main over a ten lap distance. The Late Model heats started twelve or thirteen cars for an eight lap race with only the top three moving on and of course, the lineups were straight up off time trials. Then they ran three Last Chance races that started about twenty cars apiece with only two moving into the mains. The Sprint Cars use their regular Outlaw format so they run dashes after redrawing the top two in each heat and the dash sets up the front six rows for the main event with the other qualifiers falling in behind them.
They did start big fields of cars for the main events with twenty nine Big Blocks taking the green, thirty one Late Models starting the Late Model main and with thirty cars taking the green, perhaps the biggest field of Sprint Cars to race a main event that I have seen in a long time. Of course, a cynical person might say that one reason there are so many cars in the main event fields, and this holds particularly for the Late Models, is that so many of their series regulars failed to make the show through the normal means that they had to take a provisional to start the main event. Of course, only a cynical mind would come up with that.
The Big Blocks are the only division where the World of Outlaws title is still undetermined with both Donny Schatz and Brandon Sheppard having already guaranteed titles in their respective divisions. In the Big Blocks, defending champion Matt Sheppard holds a thirty something point lead over Billy Decker as the two come into their final weekend of competition. Sheppard's story is one of the most amazing of any racing season as Sheppard was battling for the point lead until he was suspended for two races following an on track scuffle following an incident with another competitor. He fell all the way back to ninth in points but when he returned, he was "on fire" as he won a stretch of consecutive main events and fought his way back into the point lead, even though it was tenuous coming into the last weekend over veteran Billy Decker.
Sheppard started on the pole and led the first few laps of the Big Block feature, which was slowed three times for yellows in the first five laps.
On the next restart, Sheppard didn't get a good one and Mat Williamson shot past him for the lead. They then ran off the last thirty five laps nonstop and Williamson did a great job of holding off Sheppard for the win. Several times Sheppard got close in traffic but each time the young Canadian driver would hold on and he would cross the line with a couple car lengths on Sheppard at the finish. Decker started tenth and worked his way up to third at the end, so those two will go into the final night of racing in 2017 with the title still undecided.
The Late Model feature was truly the only really entertaining race of the night. With only two yellow flags in the fifty lap distance, it was a good battle right down to the end. Mike Marlar took the early lead with Jimmy Owens chasing him. Dennis Erb, Josh Richards and Dale McDowell were also in the lead pack. Marlar was able to maintain the top spot but Owens was never far behind. Follwoing a yellow flag, Erb was able to move into second and he set up the chase on Marlar.
Brandon Sheppard, who had started sixth but faded back a bit was now on the move as he raced to get into the top five while at the same time, Richards, in a near look alike car, started to fade just a bit. As the race started to get near the thirty five lap mark, Marlar started to have some handling issues with his car and he was slower coming off the corners. Erb began to close on him and as Marlar was slowing down the top runners, Owens, McDowell and Sheppard were all closing up on him.
It was at this point that Sheppard made the move of the night as with most of the front runners racing low through the corners, Sheppard threw his car to the high side of the track and it stuck. He quickly began to reel in the top three at an alarmingly quick pace and before we knew it, suddenly the top three were running in a bunch.
Erb tried his best to get under Marlar but at the same time, Sheppard had a full run on the top side and he blew past both drivers to take over the lead, a lead he would extend over the last few laps as the Outlaw point leader did a nice job of saying the day for the regulars over the Lucas Oil invaders and others. Erb, Marlar, Owens and McDowell completed the top five in what was a good race.
Schatz continued to show why he is the ten time Outlaw Sprint champion as he came from behind to make a remarkable pass that guaranteed him the feature win. Billy Balog, the Wisconsin driver, likely raised his notoriety on this night as he won a heat race, then a dash and led the first few laps of the feature race.
A "shoot out" to Balog who's family lives only about forty miles from me and who's father I used to watch race full bodied cars back "in the day." When Balog moved back to Wisconsin from Alaska and started his stateside racing career, he hung out at the local tracks while he was building his racing operation and partnered with local sponsors as he started his Sprint Car career. Then he discovered the IRA and everything built from there.
Balog had the Madsen brothers chasing him early in the race while Schatz, who always seems to start slow in every race, worked his way back up into contention. Schatz runs a different line than everyone else at this track, much lower on the track and when he is able to make it work, allows him an open passing lane as most of the cars are up beating on the cushion.
That's what he did again on Friday as he was able to drive under both the leaders who were battling each other and traffic and he cleared them all in one mighty move. After that, he led the rest of the way with just one yellow with six laps to go to bunch the field. He got away clean following that restart and really wasn't challenged the rest of the way. Ian Madsen finished a strong second while Dave Blaney showed he still has got the moves as he came from tenth to third in the Minnesota based Motter car. Kerry Madsen and Joey Saldana completed the top five.
Unlike other years, there wasn't the slew of wrecks that have often been a part of this race. While there were a couple of hard contacts with the wall, only one car got upside down during Friday night's action.
One thing that I must mention that you probably won't read or hear about any place else is the horrible conditions that the spectators have to endure at this race. The dust problem at this track is absolutely terrible. Friday night's show was certainly for me among the top five dustiest races I have ever been to. While the track may remain racy for the drivers, the dust situation in the grandstands is almost unbearable. Many times it is impossible to even see what is happening on the other straightaway or identify cars because the dust is so bad. You walk out of the track literally coated in red dust from heat to toe. It makes watching the races miserable at best. Yet, everyone just seems to take it as a part of the show and while they might roll their eyes a bit at the conditions, no one seems to say much. I guarantee you that if a similar situation occurred at any track in the Midwest, a near riot would likely take place and spectators simply would not tolerate such miserable racing conditions. Truly it is a disgrace that World Racing Group allows such conditions to exist at their premier event of the year and seems to be uncaring about making any improvements to the situation. I saw Tom Derry walking around the area where I was seated before the show started but I'm willing to bet that once the action started, he was up in the air conditioned, glassed in VIP section, not in the "real folks" section where we were all getting "sand blasted". This place is jam packed with people and there aren't even enough seats to go around for everyone. But I can guarantee you that all the fans on hand watching are "hard core" fans because any casual fan that would come out for this race would never attend another race in their life, based upon what they would have to endure and how they would look and feel by the time the night was completed. I, for one, will have to seriously consider whether or not I want to put up with this again for another year because it is so bad that it makes the racing not even fun to watch. But, just like track management is counting on, by Saturday night I'll have put my objections aside and I'll be out in the "sandstorm" for more of the same, at least for one more night.
Friday, November 3, 2017
World Finals Commence at Charlotte
Thursday night, November 2nd, the Textron Off Road World Finals kicked off at the Dirt Track at Charlotte Motor Speedway. In an all World of Outlaws sanctioned event, the Sprint Cars, Late Models and Big Block Modifieds all went through opening night exercises as they started their qualifying procedures in preparation for two nights of racing action on Friday and Saturday.
All three classes went through qualifying laps on Thursday with the Sprint Cars running single car qualifying against the clock, the Late Models going three and four apiece against the cloud also while the Big Blocks ran group qualifying against everyone else in their heats with the heats being split into either four or five car waves.
Class totals found that fifty two Sprints signed in, along with seventy five Late Models and forty seven Big Blocks. All three totals are slightly higher than the 2016 race produced.
The weather was spectacular with perhaps the best night ever for this event in its history, a race that has been plagued from time to time with rain issues.
This is one race that features the best of the best with most of the top drivers in all three classes in action. The top twenty one drivers in WoO Sprint points were on hand before we got to a couple of absentees in Dominic Scelzi and Rico Abreu. The top nine in Late Model points are here with the concussed Frankie Heckenast being the only top ten runner not on hand. After that the next missing driver was sixteenth place Donald Bradsher who actually had Jonathan Davenport in his car until Davenport moves over to his new Lance Landers ride starting next week. The top ten in Big Block points are on hand with the first absentee being Stewart Friesen who is racing a Truck with NASCAR this weekend.
With nearly one hundred and eighty cars in the upper and lower pits in total and nearly every single one of them going up and down the road in an impressive toter or semi, just walking through the pits is quite the experience. The amount of spectacular equipment is truly mind boggling and even better than either Arizona or Florida as all the big classes are on hand all at once. Along with all the drivers that are on hand, lots of other top notch drivers are seen roaming the pits catching up on the latest developments in technology from all the builders but busy making deals for the 2018 racing season which will start in just a few short weeks. Now days there isn't much of a gap between one racing season and the next and many are already making their preparations for either/or Arizona or Florida.
Thursday night's program is a bit different than most you will see as qualifying is the big thing with all three classes doing their qualifying for both Friday and Saturday night's program on Thursday. The Sprints and Late Models do two full sets of time trials with each one setting the field for one of the two nights of racing while the Big Blocks, who seem to be treated somewhat like the "red headed stepchild", do group qualifying as stated earlier and then they participate in two rounds of heat races that determine starting positions and B feature lineups for both Friday and Saturday night's racing.
For those of us that aren't big fans of time trials, it's one of those "grit your teeth and bear it" kinds of nights as the time trials for so many cars seem to drone on nearly forever. Fans come and go, drifting in when their special class hits the track and then either heading for the pits to roam or to souvenir lane to do the same while the other classes are going through their exercises.
Once they start the qualifying, track officials don't touch the track. No watering or other such nonsense takes place once the first car hits the track as they figure the conditions are the same for everyone and by splitting the qualifying into groups, there is no big advantage to either drawing a low or high number. Reinforcing that is the amazing ability of this track to not "give up" as the laps continue to be laid down as it seems to stay remarkably consistent. That would be proven out later, especially in the Sprint Car ranks.
David Gravel was quick qualifier in the first round of Sprint qualifying, turning a lap at 12.530. However, the truly amazing thing was that Trey Starks would be quick qualifier in the second go round, turning a lap at 12.606, less than a tenth of a second slower than Gravel. However, Starks was the fifty first driver to qualify in the second round of time trials and nearly one hundred cars timed in between the two, yet the track basically remained just as it was much earlier! You just don't see that happen very often, if at all. There were also several other events that went on between the two rounds of Sprint qualifying including the first round of Late Model time trials!
Donny Schatz had two solid rounds of time trials and one of the surprises was Billy Balog as the Wisconsin driver was in the top three for both sets of qualifying.
Two sets of Late Model qualifying found Mike Marlar set the pace in the first round at 14,385 and Josh Richards top the boards in the second round at 14,536. Both the Sprints and Late Models will run six heats on Friday night with last chance races to grid the rest of the starting fields. It goes without saying that a lot of great cars and drivers will be sitting on the sidelines when the feature races start.
The Big Blocks are really under the gun on Thursday night. Not only do they qualify but they also run heat races to set the starting fields for both Friday and Saturday so the only true racing action presented on Thursday night is two rounds of heats for the Big Blocks. Their night is very risky in that any problem in qualifying or one of the first rounds of heats could severely affect their entire weekend.
This came to light twice in the Big Blocks as both Brett Hearn and Jimmy Phelps, top runners both, had trouble in first round time trials and had to go to back up cars. Not being able to qualify in the second round, both had to start in the back of both their heats and neither qualified for the main event so both are looking at two Last Chance races in the next two nights and hope to squeak their way into the mains.
The lone racing of the night, the Big Block heats, were very disappointing events. Two sets of five heats for each night's qualifying found that the win of all ten started in the front row and there was virtually no passing at all in any of the heats. Certainly part of that was due to the straight up heat race lineups and also in part that the track remained fast with a healthy berm that most of the drivers were running off of, which made passing that much harder. Knowing how exciting the Big Blocks can be, the heats were a major disappointment. Hopefully the track will slow down and widen out for the racing the rest of the weekend which is likely since with no qualifying, not everyone will be running in the same groove all night and there will be more actual racing which helps to widen out the track. With the tedious portion of the weekend now behind us, the hope is that things will pick up dramatically for the weekend. Certainly that will likely be the case as the best in the business are on hand here in all three classes.
All three classes went through qualifying laps on Thursday with the Sprint Cars running single car qualifying against the clock, the Late Models going three and four apiece against the cloud also while the Big Blocks ran group qualifying against everyone else in their heats with the heats being split into either four or five car waves.
Class totals found that fifty two Sprints signed in, along with seventy five Late Models and forty seven Big Blocks. All three totals are slightly higher than the 2016 race produced.
The weather was spectacular with perhaps the best night ever for this event in its history, a race that has been plagued from time to time with rain issues.
This is one race that features the best of the best with most of the top drivers in all three classes in action. The top twenty one drivers in WoO Sprint points were on hand before we got to a couple of absentees in Dominic Scelzi and Rico Abreu. The top nine in Late Model points are here with the concussed Frankie Heckenast being the only top ten runner not on hand. After that the next missing driver was sixteenth place Donald Bradsher who actually had Jonathan Davenport in his car until Davenport moves over to his new Lance Landers ride starting next week. The top ten in Big Block points are on hand with the first absentee being Stewart Friesen who is racing a Truck with NASCAR this weekend.
With nearly one hundred and eighty cars in the upper and lower pits in total and nearly every single one of them going up and down the road in an impressive toter or semi, just walking through the pits is quite the experience. The amount of spectacular equipment is truly mind boggling and even better than either Arizona or Florida as all the big classes are on hand all at once. Along with all the drivers that are on hand, lots of other top notch drivers are seen roaming the pits catching up on the latest developments in technology from all the builders but busy making deals for the 2018 racing season which will start in just a few short weeks. Now days there isn't much of a gap between one racing season and the next and many are already making their preparations for either/or Arizona or Florida.
Thursday night's program is a bit different than most you will see as qualifying is the big thing with all three classes doing their qualifying for both Friday and Saturday night's program on Thursday. The Sprints and Late Models do two full sets of time trials with each one setting the field for one of the two nights of racing while the Big Blocks, who seem to be treated somewhat like the "red headed stepchild", do group qualifying as stated earlier and then they participate in two rounds of heat races that determine starting positions and B feature lineups for both Friday and Saturday night's racing.
For those of us that aren't big fans of time trials, it's one of those "grit your teeth and bear it" kinds of nights as the time trials for so many cars seem to drone on nearly forever. Fans come and go, drifting in when their special class hits the track and then either heading for the pits to roam or to souvenir lane to do the same while the other classes are going through their exercises.
Once they start the qualifying, track officials don't touch the track. No watering or other such nonsense takes place once the first car hits the track as they figure the conditions are the same for everyone and by splitting the qualifying into groups, there is no big advantage to either drawing a low or high number. Reinforcing that is the amazing ability of this track to not "give up" as the laps continue to be laid down as it seems to stay remarkably consistent. That would be proven out later, especially in the Sprint Car ranks.
David Gravel was quick qualifier in the first round of Sprint qualifying, turning a lap at 12.530. However, the truly amazing thing was that Trey Starks would be quick qualifier in the second go round, turning a lap at 12.606, less than a tenth of a second slower than Gravel. However, Starks was the fifty first driver to qualify in the second round of time trials and nearly one hundred cars timed in between the two, yet the track basically remained just as it was much earlier! You just don't see that happen very often, if at all. There were also several other events that went on between the two rounds of Sprint qualifying including the first round of Late Model time trials!
Donny Schatz had two solid rounds of time trials and one of the surprises was Billy Balog as the Wisconsin driver was in the top three for both sets of qualifying.
Two sets of Late Model qualifying found Mike Marlar set the pace in the first round at 14,385 and Josh Richards top the boards in the second round at 14,536. Both the Sprints and Late Models will run six heats on Friday night with last chance races to grid the rest of the starting fields. It goes without saying that a lot of great cars and drivers will be sitting on the sidelines when the feature races start.
The Big Blocks are really under the gun on Thursday night. Not only do they qualify but they also run heat races to set the starting fields for both Friday and Saturday so the only true racing action presented on Thursday night is two rounds of heats for the Big Blocks. Their night is very risky in that any problem in qualifying or one of the first rounds of heats could severely affect their entire weekend.
This came to light twice in the Big Blocks as both Brett Hearn and Jimmy Phelps, top runners both, had trouble in first round time trials and had to go to back up cars. Not being able to qualify in the second round, both had to start in the back of both their heats and neither qualified for the main event so both are looking at two Last Chance races in the next two nights and hope to squeak their way into the mains.
The lone racing of the night, the Big Block heats, were very disappointing events. Two sets of five heats for each night's qualifying found that the win of all ten started in the front row and there was virtually no passing at all in any of the heats. Certainly part of that was due to the straight up heat race lineups and also in part that the track remained fast with a healthy berm that most of the drivers were running off of, which made passing that much harder. Knowing how exciting the Big Blocks can be, the heats were a major disappointment. Hopefully the track will slow down and widen out for the racing the rest of the weekend which is likely since with no qualifying, not everyone will be running in the same groove all night and there will be more actual racing which helps to widen out the track. With the tedious portion of the weekend now behind us, the hope is that things will pick up dramatically for the weekend. Certainly that will likely be the case as the best in the business are on hand here in all three classes.
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