I have a love/hate relationship with racing this time of year. I love to check out the results from Speedweeks and the early season special events down south, but I hate that it still seems like so far off to the time when we will first get out to the tracks in Missouri, Iowa and the other nearby states. The good news is that we are now less than three weeks away from the March 14th event at Springfield Raceway and the Missouri and "All Iowa" season will just gain momentum from there......as long as Mother Nature cooperates! Race fans also have the opportunity to catch the USMTS opener at McCool Junction Nebraska the first weekend in March and the following week Staley's Mods will be at Caney Valley and Humboldt in Kansas. I'm actually hoping to make the trip to Caney prior to checking out the track in Springfield for my first time.
Back to the results from this weekend, I saw that Mike VanGenderen of Newton picked up an IMCA Stock Car win at the Icebreaker in Abilene Texas. There were more drivers from our area down there as well and I am looking forward to the next installment of TapFan's Tours (found on the home page of PositivelyRacing.com) for the full report. The Green Valley Speedway in Gadsden, Alabama, held its annual Bama Bash this weekend on the high-speed 3/8th-mile red clay oval. Ray Cook continued his domination of early season events in Dixie as he picked up the Super Late Model main ahead of Randy Weaver, Dale McDowell, Clint Smith and Tony Knowles. Eric Turner of Hermitage, Missouri, was impressive once again coming home in the sixth spot as he seems well prepared for a breakout rookie season in the Late Models. Story City Iowa's Jeremy Grady finished 18th in the main event.
The Crate Late Model feature was captured by veteran driver Ronnie Johnson ahead of Jason Hiett and Billy Mayo. Dustin Griffin is listed in the 14th spot and I am going to assume that this is the young driver out of Camp Point, Illinois, who runs weekly in the IMCA Late Model division at Quincy. Bobby Dauderman, the 2008 Crate LM track champion at Tri-City Speedway finished 19th.
If you are interested in what is going on at the Lee County Speedway in Donnellson go to their website at http://www.leecountyspeedway.com/ and take a listen to their podcast. Promoter Terry Hoenig and announcer Dewain Hulett are calling me tonight for an interview to talk about PositivelyRacing.com, Shiverfest and other items......it is the "other items" that has me a bit worried! :)
Monday, February 23, 2009
Sunday, February 15, 2009
PositivelyRacing.com Coverage Area Drivers Speedweek Recap
As I settle in for the start of the Daytona 500 I wanted to continue to recap the performances of our coverage area drivers down in the Sunshine state.
Darren Miller picked up the win on the opening night for the UMP Late Models at Volusia on Monday night and then followed that up with a seventh place run later in the week. John Anderson made the show on Wednesday night and finished 14th.
Terry McCarl wrapped up a solid trip down south as he finished 7th in the World of Outlaws show at Volusia on Sunday night, then finished fifth and second (to Daryn Pittman) at East Bay's 410 sprint shows on Tuesday and Wednesday. Bronson Maeschen finished 11th and 12th at East Bay.
The Modifieds took center stage at East Bay for four nights Wednesday through Saturday and Ray Guss Jr. was a top contender throughout. "The River City Hustler" set quick time on Thursday and Friday over a field that topped seventy cars each night. Guss made the main event all four nights as he had posted two thirds, a fourth and an eleventh-place run. Mike Hansen, who finished 10th in the 2008 All Iowa Points, was second quick to Guss on Friday night and finished 21st in the feature that night. Scott Drake made the show three of the four nights and was in the top ten twice with runs of 7th and 9th. Tommie Seets Jr. finished 6th on Friday night, Mike Harrison was 10th on Wednesday and Mark Noble was 15th on Friday.
Rodney Wing, the owner of Whynot Motorsports Park in Mississippi, won the $8,000 finale at East Bay Saturday night.
Hunter Rasdon of Jonesboro Arkansas (104th in th 2008 All Missouri Modified Points) picked up the $1,500 Modified feature win at Winterfest in Winchester Tennessee on Valentine's Day. You can find Rasdon often at Malden Speedway.
When we get our next update on the schedules posted you will see two new additions on the Weekly Racing page as Audubon Speedway in western Iowa will be running on Friday nights and Bethany Speedway in northwest Missouri will give it a go on Sunday nights in 2008. Hopefully the PR.com crew can make it to both of these tracks sometime this season. (Saturday February 28th update: Scott Traylor and Kirk Elliott better known as the Racin' Boys (see their link on our links page) are reporting that the Bethany deal has already fallen through)
Gotta go, can't be long until DW says "Boogity, boogity, boogity!"
Darren Miller picked up the win on the opening night for the UMP Late Models at Volusia on Monday night and then followed that up with a seventh place run later in the week. John Anderson made the show on Wednesday night and finished 14th.
Terry McCarl wrapped up a solid trip down south as he finished 7th in the World of Outlaws show at Volusia on Sunday night, then finished fifth and second (to Daryn Pittman) at East Bay's 410 sprint shows on Tuesday and Wednesday. Bronson Maeschen finished 11th and 12th at East Bay.
The Modifieds took center stage at East Bay for four nights Wednesday through Saturday and Ray Guss Jr. was a top contender throughout. "The River City Hustler" set quick time on Thursday and Friday over a field that topped seventy cars each night. Guss made the main event all four nights as he had posted two thirds, a fourth and an eleventh-place run. Mike Hansen, who finished 10th in the 2008 All Iowa Points, was second quick to Guss on Friday night and finished 21st in the feature that night. Scott Drake made the show three of the four nights and was in the top ten twice with runs of 7th and 9th. Tommie Seets Jr. finished 6th on Friday night, Mike Harrison was 10th on Wednesday and Mark Noble was 15th on Friday.
Rodney Wing, the owner of Whynot Motorsports Park in Mississippi, won the $8,000 finale at East Bay Saturday night.
Hunter Rasdon of Jonesboro Arkansas (104th in th 2008 All Missouri Modified Points) picked up the $1,500 Modified feature win at Winterfest in Winchester Tennessee on Valentine's Day. You can find Rasdon often at Malden Speedway.
When we get our next update on the schedules posted you will see two new additions on the Weekly Racing page as Audubon Speedway in western Iowa will be running on Friday nights and Bethany Speedway in northwest Missouri will give it a go on Sunday nights in 2008. Hopefully the PR.com crew can make it to both of these tracks sometime this season. (Saturday February 28th update: Scott Traylor and Kirk Elliott better known as the Racin' Boys (see their link on our links page) are reporting that the Bethany deal has already fallen through)
Gotta go, can't be long until DW says "Boogity, boogity, boogity!"
Friday, February 6, 2009
A few thoughts on a sunny, warm February day in Iowa....
Must give credit where credit is due, I absolutely loved the press release generated this week by Jeff Nun, the Public Relations Director for the United States Modified Touring Series. The release titled “USMTS Implements Stimulus Package” was a perfect fit for the times. Check it out at one of the sites on our links page. Todd & Janet Staley’s series kicks off on March 6th & 7th at Junction Motor Speedway in McCool, Nebraska.
We have picked up a few compliments this week as more of you are finding out that PositivelyRacing.com now exists out here in cyberspace. Your comments are always welcome at news@positivelyracing.com.
The first ten days of racing down in Florida has been hampered by colder than normal temperatures, but it looks like the action has been as hot as usual with some exciting late race heroics by the winners. Several drivers from our coverage area are in action in the sunshine state:
Jesse Hockett has made the most noise so far as he picked up the $12,500 winner’s check at East Bay’s Ronald Laney Memorial for the 360 c.i. sprints. Terry McCarl was the All Stars 410 sprint winner at last Saturday’s show in Ocala. McCarl was in the hospital just before the event with kidney stones and went ahead and raced even though he had yet to pass them. Believe me, I know from experience what Terry had to overcome when it comes to the stones! Danny Lasoski was the runner-up to McCarl at Ocala and has posted a fourth and tenth place finish as the All Stars moved forty miles to the east this week at Volusia. Bronson Maeschen made the show on Thursday night out of a field of forty-five sprinters and finished 18th.
In the Modifieds Mike Hansen of Alton picked up a podium finish last night (Thursday) at Volusia as he took third behind Austin Dillon (the 18-year-old grandson of Richard Childress) and NASCAR star Ken Schrader. Brad Waits finished fourth in the Tuesday opener at Volusia and Scott Drake was fifth at Ocala last Saturday. With around eighty cars in attendance each night at Volusia this week just making the 28-car feature field is an accomplishment and Michael Long has done it two out of three nights and Tim Karrick once. Other area drivers making the effort include Terry McClintock, Roger Moser, Tommie Seets Jr. and Brent Mullins.
In the Late Model ranks only Darren Miller and Jesse Stovall have qualified for a feature this week at East Bay with the Lucas Oil Late Models. Decorah’s Tyler Bruening just missed making the show on opening night as he finished one spot out a transfer in his heat and then wound up sixth in the B-Main. Mike Collins is also in action at East Bay.
Hermitage Missouri driver Eric Turner continued his early season tour of the south as he wheeled his Super Late Model to a seventh-place finish at the Winter Classic in Columbus Mississippi. Veteran driver Ronnie Johnson won both the Super Late Model and the Crate Late Model feature.
I was saddened today to learn of the passing of William Thye of Burlington. Bill was the father of Modified driver Darin Thye and was always a fixture in the pit area. I have met a lot of great people around the racetracks over the past thirty years, but I have to say that Bill Thye ranks right near the top. He will be greatly missed by many, rest in peace William.
We have picked up a few compliments this week as more of you are finding out that PositivelyRacing.com now exists out here in cyberspace. Your comments are always welcome at news@positivelyracing.com.
The first ten days of racing down in Florida has been hampered by colder than normal temperatures, but it looks like the action has been as hot as usual with some exciting late race heroics by the winners. Several drivers from our coverage area are in action in the sunshine state:
Jesse Hockett has made the most noise so far as he picked up the $12,500 winner’s check at East Bay’s Ronald Laney Memorial for the 360 c.i. sprints. Terry McCarl was the All Stars 410 sprint winner at last Saturday’s show in Ocala. McCarl was in the hospital just before the event with kidney stones and went ahead and raced even though he had yet to pass them. Believe me, I know from experience what Terry had to overcome when it comes to the stones! Danny Lasoski was the runner-up to McCarl at Ocala and has posted a fourth and tenth place finish as the All Stars moved forty miles to the east this week at Volusia. Bronson Maeschen made the show on Thursday night out of a field of forty-five sprinters and finished 18th.
In the Modifieds Mike Hansen of Alton picked up a podium finish last night (Thursday) at Volusia as he took third behind Austin Dillon (the 18-year-old grandson of Richard Childress) and NASCAR star Ken Schrader. Brad Waits finished fourth in the Tuesday opener at Volusia and Scott Drake was fifth at Ocala last Saturday. With around eighty cars in attendance each night at Volusia this week just making the 28-car feature field is an accomplishment and Michael Long has done it two out of three nights and Tim Karrick once. Other area drivers making the effort include Terry McClintock, Roger Moser, Tommie Seets Jr. and Brent Mullins.
In the Late Model ranks only Darren Miller and Jesse Stovall have qualified for a feature this week at East Bay with the Lucas Oil Late Models. Decorah’s Tyler Bruening just missed making the show on opening night as he finished one spot out a transfer in his heat and then wound up sixth in the B-Main. Mike Collins is also in action at East Bay.
Hermitage Missouri driver Eric Turner continued his early season tour of the south as he wheeled his Super Late Model to a seventh-place finish at the Winter Classic in Columbus Mississippi. Veteran driver Ronnie Johnson won both the Super Late Model and the Crate Late Model feature.
I was saddened today to learn of the passing of William Thye of Burlington. Bill was the father of Modified driver Darin Thye and was always a fixture in the pit area. I have met a lot of great people around the racetracks over the past thirty years, but I have to say that Bill Thye ranks right near the top. He will be greatly missed by many, rest in peace William.
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