“Behind the Checkered Curtain”
By Mike Leone

Pin your ears back and hold on. Don’t push the panic button now. Here we go again…

Is Greg Hodnett simply the nation’s best local racer? Hodnett backed up last year’s two-day sweep of the World of Outlaws at Ted Johnson’s favorite track- Lowe’s Motor Speedway by doing another two-day drubbing of Ted’s boys at Delta, Mississippi on October 17 & 18. Ironically, Delta Bowl replaced Lowe’s on this year’s third weekend of October. Hodnett finished off his year a week later by adding another 10-grand to Apple Motorsport’s racing fund by winning the Octoberfest at Hagerstown, Maryland for his 25th score of 2003.

Only at Hagerstown’s Octoberfest would you see the flagman sitting on a stool during the features. I just can’t picture Knoxville’s Doug Clark sitting for the Nationals.

Does anyone else find it disturbing to see an ad for traction control in the December issue of Flat Out? Why is a magazine that’s promoting sprint car racing at the same time taking money from a company, that I won’t even name, that for all intents and purposes trying to ruin racing? Somehow I can’t believe you’d see that ad if Kevin Eckert was still the editor. Unfortunately though I think traction control is here to stay in all forms of auto racing due to its near impossibility of detection. Wonder if Jan Opperman ever thought about traction control? Isn’t technology wonderful.

Remember ASCOF (American Sprint Car Organization and Fans)? This group folded before it even took off a few years ago. Trying to lease tracks to put on your own sanctioned high-paying events just doesn’t work out financially. This was also the same time when the ill-fated WoO Gumout Series was starting out.

Can you believe it will be 10 years this spring since Howard Michaels revived Mercer Raceway Park from the dead? The track has come a long way since then and so has Mike Lutz. Lutz, who now calls Mercer home, celebrated his biggest career accomplishment November 15 accepting the championship accolades for ESS. Despite his success, Lutz will once again be ride-hunting for the upcoming season.

Since ’94, Lutz has drove more cars at Mercer at 12 than the 10 years the track has run. The list includes in numeric order the Norton Southard 00, Jim Siciliano Y5, Powell Family 27, P.J. Kerr 32, P.J. Kerr’s second entry 32K, Todd Bauer 45, Fred Scott 45, Mike VanDusen 58, Dick Bulling 68, Andy Lutz, Sr. 86, Chuck Steinbrick 92, and the John Toth 96. During that time, Lutz also drove and won in one of the most famous ride’s America, the Bob Weikert #29, though not at Mercer.

What do Mike Shearer, Chad Hill, Gary McCollum, and Jason Jacoby all have in common? All four drivers scored “feel-good” first wins of some sort during the 2003 western Pa. sprint car season. This is what all the hard work, all the blood, sweat, and tears is about- it’s every racer’s dream.

Shearer’s first career win came June 20 at Lernerville then backed up that win by adding a second less than 24 hours later at Mercer. Hill’s emotional first career sprint car checkered flag came a week later at Lernerville and was dedicated to his ill father, who was fighting cancer and wanted his son to win one for him. McCollum’s win on July 26 was his first ever in a 410, first career at Mercer, and first of any kind in eight years for the 39-year racing veteran. Jacoby won his first career Tri-City score in front of his hometown fans on August 17 and more importantly became the first driver in over two years to beat Ed Lynch, Jr. and Rod George in a regular race event.

Is the latest craze sweeping the east coast to put dirt on existing asphalt tracks? That’s what’s going on at Evans Mill (NY) and Clearfield (PA). If the All Stars’ have anything to say about it that same asphalt-to-dirt transformation would give them a February show at Desoto (FL). Maybe PPMS and Motordrome promoter, Red Miley, will covert his Motordrome back to dirt again. It could be like Volusia (FL), where you need the National Speedway Directory to keep track of their two tracks.

Speaking of Clearfield, can the Clearfield/DuBois area support more dirt tracks? With Central Pa. Speedway going to dirt on Friday nights and the continuing rumors of the new Thunder Mountain Speedway opening up in nearby Knoxdale added to the already existing Saturday night Gambler’s Raceway Park in Clearfield and Hummingbird Speedway in nearby Falls Creek. For years, the former Hidden Valley Speedway (Gambler’s) struggled being the area’s only dirt track. Are there that many cars and fans to go around? One has to wonder who’s going to suffer here.

Hard to believe the same Mansfield, Ohio (a track that went the other way, dirt-to-asphalt) that a few years ago hosted year-round holiday races that played to sparse crowds and car counts in a not so pleasant environment will now host a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event at a place that will seat 15,000 in twentyofour. I’ll never forget their handwritten menu board at their concession, which included “Bowels of Chili” and “Crackers & Chews,” sitting in front of a huge jar of pickles.

Sitting in the shadow of downtown Indy is the Indianapolis Speedrome. The 1/5-mile flat asphalt oval is rightfully named as bleachers surrounding the entire speedway, which was established way back in 1941. With a stadium-like atmosphere that includes lined parking spaces, folding chairs for much of its seating, $2 hot dogs, $3.50 cheeseburgers, $2 water, and $3 beer, you know you’re in the city. A pass-out gate and signs that include bans on coolers and video cameras only confirms the fact. This is definitely not a track you’d see in Pennsylvania.

On November 8, Speedrome accounted for my 68th track I’ve seen races and 10th different state. Speedrome hosts action three nights a week and has replaced Thursday night NAMARS with Wednesday night USAC in 2004. The trio of divisions will include USAC Regional Midgets, Ford Focus Midgets, and Kenyon Midgets. According to Speedrome’s website, “If you pass the Visteon factory, the Navistar factory or spot a vegetable and fruit stand, you're near the Speedrome.”

Just outside “The City of Brotherly Love” across the bridge and border lies Bridgeport (NJ) Speedway. The only thing that resembles Philadelphia is the size! We’re talking every bit of 5/8ths. It makes the inside ¼-mile track look like a go-kart track. Hard to believe a track that can draw from 2 million people from in its backyard of Philadelphia, Camden (NJ), and Wilmington (DE) struggles like it does. In all likelihood, the majority do not know it even exists on its sandy outskirts.

Promotional guru, Bob Miller, put on “The Great Turkey Chase”/Big Show III as a tribute to the late promoter George Wingate on November 15. What a turnout of cars and fans for mid-November! 77 big-block modifieds and 58 sportsman modifieds along with a great crowd. Miller is heavily involved with URC and also promotes the “Thunder of the Hill Series” as well as other eastern events.

Surprisingly, the track held up quite well for daytime racing as two and three-wide racing was featured all day long. As hard as it’s to believe, Brett Hearn was beat from the pole position. Doug Hoffman raced from the eight starting spot to make a nice inside move of Hearn off turn four on lap 20 to beat the DIRT star in the 50-lap $4,000 to-win event.

Passing really was the story of the day. Frank Cozze came all the way from 18th to place third. Pat Ward came clear out of the C main, the back of the B, and then raced from 28th in the feature to an eighth place finish. Ward’s new teammate, Billy Decker, dropped out of the feature early on. It will be tough to get used to Decker not in the Randy Ross 91.

The star-laden field also included Bob McCreadie (Mills 30), Danny Johnson, Billy Pauch, Jimmy Horton, Kenny and Keith Brightbill, Tim Fuller, Ricky Elliott, Jimmy Chester, Duane Howard, Keith Hoffman, Kevin Hirthler, and many other winners made this a tough task just to qualify for the feature. Gotta love the name of sportsman racer, Dominick Buffalino, Jr.

Philly cheese steak, fried turkey legs, and barbecue ribs were just sampling of their menu. Of course I went with the Philly! Bridgeport goes down as race 85 for the season, career track #69, and state #11.

Always remember, the race season doesn’t have to end if you don’t want it to. You think about that and until next time, fan mail can reach this author at mleone@infonline.net.

- posted by Deon @ 10:55 PM

 
After a two-year absence from internet writing, I’m back. I’m not going to bore you with an intro like others may, as I’m sure most of you know who I am.

This column won’t be a rehash of results or earth-shattering breaking news. It’ll be like the name of the column implies- “Behind the Checkered Curtain”. A back-stage pit pass you might call it. It’ll take you behind the story or race. I’ll get you to think and question. To be honest, I’m tired of reading the same old stuff and I do miss penning a column; so let’s hit it.

In my 20 years or so of being a “Motorsports Junkie” never do I remember a season like this past one. All it takes is one four-letter word to describe 2003: rain. It came early and often and it never left. With a record number of rainouts and more than a dozen or more threatening nights at most speedways, the 2003 season was a tough one for promoters just about everywhere.

Path Valley (PA) Speedway, who runs at least two nights per week, had 33 washouts and who knows how many threatening nights, which is even worse by killing front-gate attendance and concession/vendor sales. It just may have been the straw that broke the camel’s back at well-known Winchester (IN), Interstate 79 (WV), and Five Mile Point (NY) Speedways, whose future at this point looks bleak.

Case in point…Fayette County (IL) Speedway’s “Brownstown Bash,” which was attempted to be put on by Brian Thompson. Thompson leased the track for the scheduled October 25 event that was to feature sprints, late models, e-mods, and 600 micros. Rain of course won take #1 despite what forecasters were saying was to be a “weak cold front” with little precipitation.

Take #2: November 1; weather forecast: mostly cloudy mid 60s. Actual weather: cloudy, afternoon showers, barely mid 50s. Nonetheless a great field of cars are assembling through the mud-hole pit area. Then comes the unpredicted rain. Now we’re towing some of the trailers out the pit area by a tractor after cancellation #2 comes.

Thompson won’t quit though. Sunday is calling for sunny skies and upper 70s. He tells everyone gates will open at 9 a.m., hot laps at noon, and racing at 1 p.m. Hey the weatherman was actually right; Sunday’s weather is nicer than most of the days were all summer. But guess what, now the entire grounds are more suitable for a mud bog than for racing after the rains lasted well into Saturday evening.

With bright sunny skies, no one even questions that they’re racing, and now Thompson has to stand at the gate and tell everyone that tows in again, “Sorry boys, the grounds are too wet”. Thompson tells me “Three gut-wrenching days of this makes me want to puke. I don’t care if I ever see another f-ing race again.” Anyone wanna be a promoter? Think again.

Is Hagerstown’s (MD) “Octoberfest” becoming one of the biggest event’s in the Northeast? This year’s record fan and racer turnout was quite impressive. While the $10K to-win carrot for the sprints, big-block modifieds, 358 modifieds, and late models is certainly enticing, it’s the season ending tradition that keeps the fans and drivers coming back.

What other event can pay $300 to-start for 100 laps (50 for the sprinters), $0 for non-qualifiers, still charge an entry fee and boast 249 cars? It’s quite amazing. Whatever it is, it keeps local modified racers like George Hobaugh and Dave Reges coming back year after year. The two-day $30 grandstand admission is probably one of the best bargains of the year. Fans usually see a good 358 race, which is always first. Unfortunately each feature from thereafter becomes increasingly follow the leader as drivers try to keep their cars planted on the bottom. The difference in nighttime to daytime racing at Hagerstown is literally night-to-day.

My recent visit to Ohio Valley (WV) and Midway (OH) Speedways confirms my suspicions that people in southern Ohio and West Virginia in general are a different breed. Their mindsets, accents, and the general surroundings tells it all. But if you think the Mountaineer state is bad, take a drive through Bill Clinton’s Arkansas sometime.

Is there any excuse today for a speedway not to have a website or to have someone send out press releases? It amazes me how many tracks that don’t and the lack of updates on many. Websites like Whowon.com posts every press release from every go-kart track right up to Daytona, WoO, F-1- you name it. I find it very troubling that people turn down free PR.

Hard to believe that STARS/Renegade DirtCar is now part of the Xtreme Dirt Car late model fold and will be known as the Northern Xtreme DirtCar Series Glad to hear Bret Emerick will be staying on. Hard to find a better guy to run an organization. Emerick is still one of the best and most knowledgeable announcers out there, and always writes a good press release.

I wish someone would just buy the WoO and DIRT and get it over with. I’m tired of all the hype and listening to Ted Johnson and Glenn Donnelly continue to dispel rumors or go on and on about the proposed buyout. I can just here Boundless’ accountants now telling CEO Paul Kruger, “Congratulations you are the proud owner of the World of Outlaws. Your only assets are the name WoO and a whole lot of goodwill that you’ll be amortizing over the next 40 years.”

Sprint Car and Midget has evolved into one stout periodical. I commend Doug Auld for his efforts. His writings are usually dead on. I find myself agreeing with him more than just about anyone out there. For many years, I never thought there would be anything better than Open Wheel. Nothing’s finer than seeing a glossy mag with a sprinter on the cover sitting in the snail mailbox.

Is there a better writer and historian of sprint car racing than Kevin Eckert? If there is I’d sure like to know who. If you’re like me, you’ve followed his unique writings in Open Wheel to Trackside to his Flat Out creation, to his fledgling Openwheeltimes.com. His plethora of information and writings can be mind-boggling. I find myself reading and re-reading. If Eckert ever gets his way, Openwheeltimes.com will be an encyclopedia of sprint car racing.

Does any else besides me miss Mike Lysakowski’s Penn-Ohio Oval Track Annual? From 1995-1999, Lysakowski’s publications were a great keepsake that thoroughly recapped the year through track and series’ points standings and great photos. I have yet to see a better yearbook-type racing publication. In today’s electronic age, it’s very tough to make a go at programs and yearbooks.

Is it just me or is there anything cooler than seeing a sprint car going down the highway on an open trailer being pulled by an old pick-up truck? Seeing Indiana’s Tom Busch parked at the Econo Lodge and traveling down I-70 was a neat sight. Maybe I’m just starting to show my age.

Out of breath from the first time back at it. Electronic mail still flows to the inbox at mleone@infonline.net.

- posted by Deon @ 4:23 PM