Catching Up

I have been to four races in the past five nights, and will add another one this evening yet you are not seeing my usual "Back Stretch" reports from these events. When I am announcing I find it hard to take notes like I normally do and therefore I don't have all of the normal info that I would to write a blog like I usually do. So, real quick, allow me to catch up and at least give you brief descriptions of the racing that I have witnessed in these past five nights.

Friday night was the annual appearance at the Davis County Fair in Bloomfield for the Shottenkirk.com Sprint Invaders. Heavy rains in the two days before had left the track quite a mess, but with the hard work from the fairboard and its volunteers they somehow got the facility into racing condition. Turns one and two took longer to pack in than anticipated so racing did not start until well after eight o'clock, but the Sprint Cars and Sport Mods then put on an efficient and entertaining program with Chris Martin and Jason McDaniel taking the wins. For Martin, who just recently celebrated his 18th birthday, it was his first win in the midwest after having won his first sprint car feature at the age of 15 in Antioch, California.

Saturday was the 50th Season Celebration at 34 Raceway in Burlington with cars from the past on display in the parking lot beforehand and plenty of racing for only $1.50 admission that night. I enjoyed talking with old friend Ron Jackson as he stood near the restored car that he drove to the track championship here in 1967. Jackson was not the only legend from the speedway's beginning on hand as Mike Niffeneggar was there, Bill Newman, Bob Lane and many, any more. It was also an honor to shake the hand of the man who announced the first ever race at 34, George Rogerson whose son Rusty handled the PA duties for the vintage cars during the evening and told several great stories. The heat kept the crowd down a little more than I expected, but it was still a great evening of memories of the past while making new memories for the future. I look forward to handling the announcing chores at 34 this coming Saturday night.

Yesterday and Today; Ron Jackson stands next to the restored car that he drove to the 1967 track championship at 34 Raceway near Burlington. Jackson also won the first-ever All Iowa Points Sprint Car Championship in 1967.

Sunday night I took a business client to Dubuque for her first dirt track experience and after suffering through way too many yellow flags in the Sport Mod and Stock Car features, the Modifieds and Late Models saved the day with some typical Dubuque Fairgrounds Speedway action. I look forward to returning to Dubuque on Thursday July 30th when the Shottenkirk.com Sprint Invaders will join the IMCA Late Models and IMCA Modifieds for what should be a fantastic night of racing during the fair!

Last night (Tuesday) I made the trip north to Britt to join Bill Wright on the microphone for the FVP National Sprint League show at the Hancock County Fair. Bill Balog fought off an early challenge from Ian Madsen and went on to score his first victory on the new series. The IMCA Sport Mods were also in action and it gave me my first chance to hear Chad Meyer and he immediately moved into my "top five" list of announcers. Racing at the Hancock County Fair continues this Friday night where a Stock Car driver could win as much as $5,000. It was also nice to chat briefly with promoter Joe Ringsdorf who was always so supportive of our efforts with the NKF Tour about fifteen years ago.

After spending the night in Clear Lake I headed to Fort Dodge to catch the upstart Mount Pleasant Panthers play their third game in the program's first ever appearance in the State High School Softball tournament. The girls were 18-19 before Regional Play started, but then knocked off two ranked teams to make it to Fort Dodge. They gave third-ranked Winterset all they wanted before falling 6-3 in the first round, but then bounced back to defeat a tenth-ranked Waverly-Shell Rock team on Tuesday. Today's game was for fifth-place and was against conference rival Fairfield who scored the final run in a time-shortened game to win 4 to 3. Still a great showing for coach Troy Mears and the Panthers and something tells me that they will be back in Fort Dodge again very soon.

I have just finished my lunch here at Jethro's and will now head out to the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines where the FVP National Sprint League will bring 410 c.i. winged sprints back to the fabled speedway for the first time in many years. Hopefully you will come out and join us.

Then on Thursday night I will be back in the stands with notebook in hand as the World of Outlaw Late Models and MOWA Sprints will hopefully pack them in at the Quincy Raceway!

See you on the Back Stretch!