Lonnie Wheatley, LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (September 22, 2022) – The countdown is well into single-digits as I-30 Speedway’s 35th Annual COMP Cams Short Track Nationals presented by Hoosier Tires is just one week away.
And it’s already an impressive slew of entries that are set to gather for the $15,041-to-win Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour event that takes place atop the high-banked, quarter-mile clay oval next weekend.
The 35th STN weekend kicks off Thursday night, September 29, with the ASCS Mid-South sanctioned 15th Annual “Ralph Henson Tribute” that offers up a $5,646 winner’s share. The 2022 I-30 Speedway track champion will be determined that night as well and punch a free pass into Saturday’s STN finale if needed.
The STN officially gets under way on Friday, September 30, with preliminary action that culminates with $1,500-to-win “Twin 20s” before going into the Saturday, October 1, STN finale that wraps up with a $15,041-to-win, $1,100-to-start championship finale.
Feature money for just the two STN nights of action is approaching $70,000 at a minimum of $69,891.
Three past event winners are already included among the entries including Blake Hahn, Tim Crawley and Wayne Johnson.
Reigning Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour champion Hahn of Sapulpa, OK, has topped three of the last four editions of the STN including last year’s edition.
Tim Crawley, who leads the way by far in career STN championship feature starts at 24 (Gary Wright is next at 18), looks to add another win to his triumph in 1998 as he enters the closing stretch of his retirement season. Crawley has raced into the last six STN finales.
Coming off a win in the Hockett/McMillin Memorial, Oklahoma City’s Wayne Johnson tries for a second STN triumph as well after picking up the win in 1997. Johnson’s last top-five STN run was a fourth-place finish in 2014.
Several other top contenders are among the current entries include current I-30 Speedway points leader Derek Hagar, who posted back-to-back STN prelim wins in 2019 and 2020, reigning Knoxville 360 Nationals champion Aaron Reutzel, past STN podium finishers Howard Moore (3rd in 2018) and Dale Howard (2nd in 1999) along with other past STN championship finale starters Marshall Skinner (11 starts) and Matt Covington (4).
Pre-entries submitted by Tuesday, September 27, are $100 and include a free two-day driver pit pass. Entries after September 27 are $100 with no pit pass included. The entry form is available at https://www.i-30speedway.com/downloads/get.aspx?i=760397.
After going back-to-back in 2018 and 2019, Hahn made a lap 39 move past Jordon Mallett and then beat defending STN champ Sam Hafertepe, Jr., to the stripe for his third STN crown in 2021.
Mallett and Hafertepe, Jr., topped the preliminary “Twin 20’s” on Friday night to set the stage for Saturday’s finale.
Hahn’s triumph matched Steve Kinser’s three STN titles in the early years of the event while Hall of Famers Sammy Swindell and Gary Wright lead the way with five and four victories, respectively.
Other drivers with multiple STN wins include Paul McMahan and Tony Bruce, Jr., with single wins posted by the likes of Hafertepe, Jr., NASCAR star Christopher Bell, reigning World of Outlaws champion Brad Sweet, Jason Meyers, Jason Johnson, Tim Montgomery, Jason Sides, Mike Ward, Tim Crawley, Wayne Johnson, Pete Butler, Terry Gray and John Gerloff.
The Pertinent Info:
The What: 35th Annual COMP Cams Short Track Nationals presented by Hoosier Tires.
The Where: I-30 Speedway (Little Rock, AR). I-30 Speedway is located seven miles southwest of Little Rock off I-30 Exit 126 (Alexander Road).
The When: September 29 through October 1, 2022.
Thursday, September 29 - $5,646-to-win ASCS Mid-South sanctioned “15th Annual Ralph Henson Tribute
Friday, September 30 – 35th Annual Short Track preliminary that culminates with $1,500-to-win “Twin 20’s” with top two from each feature locking into the STN finale.
Saturday, October 1 – 35th Annual Short Track Nationals championship finale.
The Format: Friday’s preliminary event will be contested under a derivative of the All Star Circuit of Champions format, with group qualifying establishing heat race lineups with an invert of four in each heat race. The Friday preliminary will conclude with “Twin 20’s”, a pair of $1,500-to-win 20-lap “A” Main events.
The top two from each of the “Twin 20’s” will be locked into Saturday night’s “Dash for Cash” and the championship main event.
Friday events points accumulated will be carried over to Saturday night, with another set of heats utilizing passing points added to the Friday total to set the championship feature lineups. The top two in combined points from Friday night and the Saturday heat races with join Friday’s four lock-ins in the Pack Building Materials “Dash for Cash”. The next eight in points will occupy STN championship feature positions 7-14 with the balance of the field in “B” and “C” Mains. Three will transfer from both “B” Mains to set the 20-car feature field. The 21st position is reserved for this year’s I-30 Speedway track champion if necessary.
The Feature Purse:
October 1, STN Finale: 1st - $15,041, 2nd - $7,500, 3rd - $5,000, 4th - $2,500, 5th - $2,000, 6th - $1,700, 7th - $1,600, 8th - $1,500, 9th - $1,450, 10th - $1,400, 11th - $1,350, 12th - $1,300, 13th - $1,200, 14th - $1,150, 15th - $1,100, 16th - $1,100, 17th- $1,100, 18th - $1,100, 19th - $1,100, 20th - $1,100.
September 30 STN Preliminary “Twin 20’s”: 1st - $1,500, 2nd - $750, 3rd - $650, 4th - $625, 5th - $600, 6th - $550, 7th - $525, 8th - $500, 9th - $450, 10th - $400, 11th - $350, 12th - $325, 13th - $300, 14th - $275, 15th - $250, 16th - $250, 17th - $250, 18th - $250, 19th - $250, 20th - $250.
The Past Winners:
2021-Blake Hahn
2020–Sam Hafertepe, Jr.
2019-Blake Hahn
2018-Blake Hahn
2017-Sammy Swindell
2016-Sammy Swindell
2015-Rained Out
2014-Christopher Bell
2013-Sammy Swindell
2012-Paul McMahan
2011-Sammy Swindell
2010-Brad Sweet
2009-Tony Bruce, Jr.
2008-Tony Bruce, Jr.
2007-Jason Meyers
2006-Jason Johnson
2005-Tim Montgomery
2004-Gary Wright
2003-Gary Wright
2002-Paul McMahan
2001-Jason Sides
2000-Mike Ward
1999-Gary Wright
1998-Tim Crawley
1997-Wayne Johnson
1996-Pete Butler
1995-Gary Wright
1994-Terry Gray
1993-John Gerloff
1992-Rained Out
1991-Steve Kinser
1990-Sammy Swindell
1989-Steve Kinser
1988-Steve Kinser
The Tickets: Advance two-day tickets are $45.
Day of show prices are $20 on Friday and $30 on Saturday.
Children under 12 are admitted free on both nights.
To order tickets or for more information, check online at https://i-30speedway.com/short-track-nationals/ or call the track at 501-455-4567.
Pit passes are $40 on both Friday and Saturday. Driver pit pass for Friday and Saturday is included in the $100 entry fee if submitted by the deadline.
The Broadcast: If you can’t make it to the STN to catch all the breathtaking action in person, no need to fret as you can catch it all live online at www.floracing.com.
For more information regarding I-30 Speedway’s Short Track Nationals, check at www.i-30speedway.com or call the track at 501-455-4567.
- Bryan Hulbert on Sep 22, 2022
- Article Date: 9/22/2022