Short Track Roundup (10/08/97)
8 October 1997
Mobile, AL - It is hard to believe that it is already October and the racing season is on the downswing with fewer races left on the schedule each week. But don't tell that to the dirt Late Model crowd, because they are busier than ever. We'll start with them as we take our weekly look back at the week's action around the short tracks.The Bluegrass 100 in Bardstown, KY offered a big purse with $15,000 going to the winner and it was Bob Pierce who took home the biggest check of his career as he led John Gill and Steve Russell to the checkered flag. *** The Magnolia State Championships were held at Jackson Speedway, MS and Johnny Virden got the biggest win of his career as beat out Bill Frye and Mike Boland for the title. *** At Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap, TN homestate driver Ronnie Johnson took the win and the $10,000 winner's check as he was followed to the checkers by Rex Richey and Freddy Smith. *** In Rome, GA they held the Quickdraw 100 and Skip Arp came from the rear after a flat tire to take the win. Marshall Green was second with Jeff Smith third. *** The Alabama State Championships were held at East Alabama Motor Speedway in Phenix City, AL and Glenn Brewer won the Late Model title ahead of Bobby Thomas. Finishing in third after taking 14th the previous night at Rome was Jimmy Sharpe who started the Consolation race at the rear and also started the feature at the rear. Scotty Nipper won the Late Model Sportsman Title and Steve West and Jeff Landrum finished one-two in the Limited Late Model race, but both were found illegal which handed Harold Haskins the title. *** In Many, LA Ricky Ingalls was the winner as the SUPR cars held their next-to-last race. Doug Ingalls finished in second spot with David Ashley third. *** The STARS series went to Portsmouth Raceway Park, OH and Bart Hartman claimed the win, holding off Steve Francis and Todd Andrews. ** Bart did it again at Hagerstown, MD the next night as he beat Kenny Pettyjohn and Rodney Franklin in the Octoberfest 350. *** Cleveland, TN was the site of the Tennessee Fall Classic where David Millians was the victor. Next across the line were Paul Tims and Greg Skinner. *** At Clarkesville, TN the UMP feature saw Randy Sellars take the checkers over Gary frost and Chuck Porter. *** MLRA went to Fayetteville, AR for the 6th Annual Fall Classic at Thunder Valley Speedway and Alan Vaughn left with the winner's share of the purse as he led Jeff Floyd and Terry Phillips to the line. *** In the WISSOTA Winter Nationals at Brown Speedway, Aberdeen, SD, Randy Schilling took the win with Mitch Johnson in second and Steve Laurson coming home third. *** The final ALMS race was held at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, OH and John Mason claimed the win ahead of John Lawhorn and Shane Yoder. *** Peoria, IL was the site for the Illinois State Championships and Todd Bennett was the victor as he out-dueled Frank Schilling and Brian Birkhofer. *** At JAX Speedway in Jacksonville, FL David Browning took the feature win.
In Open Wheel action Jack Hewitt took up where he left off at the 4 Crown Nationals by romping to two wins in the Terre Haute Action Track Nationals in Terre Haute IN. Hewitt beat Dave Darland in the Midgets and then led Kevin Thomas to the line in the Sprints. Thomas had crossed the line first in the Midget race, but was light at the scales. Leonard Lee was the Winged Sprints winner. *** Earlier in the week in Bloomington, IN, Hewitt also captured the NAMARS/MARA Midget title at Racin Fest as they completed a rain delayed program. Tony Elliot took the sprint car win. *** The Frigidaire All Stars wrapped up their season at Eldora with Dean Jacobs taking the win, Kenny Jacobs was second and Tyler Walker third. This is the second year that Jacobs has won the season ender. *** The World of Outlaws went to Williams Grove, PA for the Williams Grove National Open and Sammy Swindell finally won the race that has eluded him for so long as he beat Jac Haudenschild and Mark Kinser in the preliminary event and then led Mark and Stevie Smith to the line in the finale. Swindell still leads the points with Dave Blaney in second. Smith announced that his new sponsor for 1998 will be Ingersoll-Rand. *** The NARC cars visited Petaluma, CA and Randy Tiner took the win there with Bobby McMahan second and Bud Kaeding third. Brent Kaeding wrapped up the season points championship. *** At Perris Speedway, CA Troy Cline took the lead on the final corner to steal the win in SCRA action. The man he passed was Steve Ostling while Richard Griffin was third. *** The ASCS Sprinters went to South Texas Speedway in Corpus Christi where Gary Lee Maier was the winner ahead of Ronald Laney and Travis Rilat. *** Columbia Motorsports Park in Lake City, FL was the venue for the TBARA Sprints and Wayne Reutimann beat Wille Staffer and Kipp Board for the win.
The asphalt Late Model scene was busy too with ASA in Salem, IN for the Midwest 300 where Mike Miller took the win as he led the most laps and then held of Steve Carlson and Steve Holzhausen for the victory. Kevin Cywinski clinched the ACDelco Challenge Series points Championship with a seventh place finish. *** TIDA went to Longhorn Speedway, Austin, TX for their finale and John David Jr took the lead with 5 laps left to take the win over Patrick Lawler and Mark Schulz Jay Watson won the Series Championship for the second year in a row and Bubba Naumann was the Rookie of the Year. *** The All Pro Series visited Concord Motorsports Park, NC where Terry Brooks was the winner. Hal Goodson finished in second and Daniel Johnson was third. *** The Goodies Dash cars were at USA International Speedway, Lakeland, FL and David Hutto got the win over Christian Elder and Mike Swaim Jr. *** Johnny Kay was the winner in the USAR Sportsman Series Shootout at the same track with Wayne Morris second and Ricky "D" Rubin third. *** Airborne Raceway, Plattsburg, NY hosted the Bond Late Model Sportsman Shootout where Joey Laquerre was the winner. In the Sportsman feature race, Brian Hoar beat Dave Whitlock and Mike Bruno, with Bruno wrapping up the series Championship. *** At Oktoberfest 97 in Lacrosse, WI the ARTGO portion was won by Terry Baldry with Jim Weber second and Mark Eswein third. *** At Senoia Raceway, GA it was Roger Delp taking the win over Frankie Farmer and Wayne Hansard. *** Mike Colabucci was the winner of the Old Dominion Speedway, VA 200 lapper. *** The Winston West cars were on the road course at Sears Point where Butch Gilliland took the win as he out-turned Sean Woodside and Jay Sauter. *** At St. Augustine, FL the feature winner was Tuck Trentham. *** The PARTS Trucks wrapped up their season at Lanier International Raceway in Braselton, GA with Coon Ayers pointing the way to the finish.
That wraps up our weekly look back at the short track action of the past week and as you can tell there is still plenty of racing going on all over the country. This weekend go on out to your local track and see some of the best racing you could hope to find. The week ahead promises plenty of action and we will be back to recap it all next week. Have a Ball, Ya'll!
John Kaiser -- The Auto Channel
