Every race track, racing series and promotional team, no matter how hard they try and no matter how skillful their efforts, occasionally produce a "clunker." That's why even as Volusia Speedway Park puts on excellent races for multiple divisions of racing, night after night for weeks on end, they occasionally have one of "those nights" where things just don't play out as they might have hoped.
Such was the case on Tuesday night, February 10th when the USAC Sprint Cars were hosted for their finale plus the UMP Late Models ran their second of three week night events. And in the case of Tuesday night, the problem was simple and basic, they just didn't get enough water into the racing surface and it rubbered up quickly and repeatedly, despite a couple of efforts to bring the track back to life.
Things started out on a strange note for the night when large clouds of smoke began drifting over the track from the West and when fire equipment starting moving past the track and helicopters were spotted flying by toting large baskets to catch water, it was clear that a fire was raging West of the track.
This area is tinder dry this year with many fire hazard warnings posted so it was not surprising that something could break out. The announcement that highway 40 was closed due to smoke, the main road between Daytona and Ocala and one that runs right by the track, was a bit distressing to those planning to head back West after the show, but it was reopened before the night was over. The smoke was very heavy over the track for awhile and I was concerned that I might suffer a wild fire induced cancellation which would be the second for me this year and certainly some kind of international record for sure. Fortunately, things settled down and I didn't have to challenge the record books!
Tuesday night was the second and final night for the USAC Sprints before they move on to Ocala for the weekend while the UMP Late Models were competing in the second of their three appearances before the World Of Outlaws moves in to supplant them.
Twenty seven Sprints with only Brian Ruhlman not returning made up their field while the Late Models were again at fifty six, gaining two drivers while also losing two, the most notable being Brian Shirley who went home down two motors already during Speed Weeks despite the fact the Late Models are just getting started with at least three more weeks or grinding racing left for them.
Timing first, the Sprint Cars for the first time probably ever turned faster qualifying laps than the Late Models as that's how fast the track gave up. The quickest Sprint was nearly three tenth faster that the quickest Late Model when last night the Late Models, with something to get hold of, were nearly a second quicker. The quickest qualifier for the Late Models was also a surprise with South Dakota's Blair Nothdurft being the fastest, surely the first time he has recorded that honor here.
The Sprints ran three heats and a B Feature to set up their main event while the Late Models ran their UMP produced program of six heats and three B Features to qualify for their main.
A couple long track prep sessions that made the show nearly an hour longer than the previous night really didn't help the situation much as the Sprints reported that the track was starting to lock down during their thirty lap main event, although that wasn't nearly as apparent to me as when the Late Models took to the track.
C.J. Leary started on the pole for the Sprint Car feature, their biggest of the two nights and one that would bring the winner twelve grand along with the drivers fighting for a big Gator. Leary lead the first five laps when the lone yellow of the race and indeed, the only feature race yellow for the Sprints in two nights of racing, took place.
On the restart, Jake Swanson powered past Leary to take over the lead and once he got the top spot, he pulled away from the field with authority. He was just much faster than the field and no matter the track conditions, there was no one that was going to catch him on Tuesday. It didn't hurt that the race remained under green but he continued to expand his lead, working the slower traffic well.
By the later portions of the race, he had a full straightaway over the pack as he continued to sashay through the slower cars. There was a good battle for second for many laps with Logan Seavey running second and Kevin Thomas Jr trying his hardest to get past. This may have shown the track conditions best as Thomas Jr seemed faster but he just couldn't find a line that would allow him to make the pass.
As they battled for position but far back from the leader, Justin Grand, Leary, Briggs Danner and Brady Bacon were in a tight group also racing for position.
The last twenty five laps of the race ran off nonstop and Swanson continued to dominate, driving to a resounding win, his second ever with USAC. Seavey held off Thomas Jr for second while also earning himself the big Gator as the overall winner. Grant and Danner completed the top five. Bacon passed the most cars as after losing a motor early, he rebounded from eighteenth to finish sixth.
With the Late Models taking to the track last, there was not much left for them to race on and it quickly showed as the field lined up quickly in single fashion order and pretty much rode around. Hudson O'Neal started on the pole which made him a favorite to begin with, much less track conditions. He took the lead early with there being a rush to line up behind him. Cody Overton, who has been a revelation so far this week, wormed his way up from the third row to take second with Ricky Thornton Jr next in line.
The single yellow flew with eight laps completed when Max Blair slowed with tire issues and on the restart, Thornton Jr went for it. He pulled out of line and when for the win and nearly pulled it off but he came up just short, running out of momentum before be could get by both Overton and O'Neal and in fact, came together quite hard with Overton who while he has been fast so far this week, has already had his share of run ins with other competitors.
By the time Thornton Jr found a hole in the train to pull in on, he was out of the top five. O'Neal then rode around, going just fast enough to keep challengeres behind him while not going so fast so as to wear out his tires or catch the back of the pack, which would have been a problem given they were all running the same line and not wanting to move.
Overton briefly battled with Ryan Gustin for second with Gustin nearly getting by but in the end, he settled for third. Brandon Sheppard and Tim McCreadie were next in line. All twenty four drivers that started the event were still on the track at the finish, which surprised me given the fact that often drivers pull off when they are going no where to save their equipment but I guess they figured they had already ruined their tires just by running a few laps as drivers were reporting they were wrecking tires in the eight lap heat races alone!
Wednesday night UMP officials tinker with the format once again. This time all drivers will qualify and then be divided into three groups. No heats will be run and all will get to race one of three feature races, their only competition of the night. The problem being that these races are I believe scheduled to be only twenty laps and that hardly gives time for anyone to make a move, much less produce much passing.
The Dirt Car Big Blocks will also make their first of four straight nights of racing on Wednesday with a full program for that group also on the card.
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