Lonnie Wheatley, TEXARKANA, Ark. (October 24, 2023) – A new chapter will be added to Short Track Nationals lore this weekend.
After becoming a staple at Little Rock’s I-30 Speedway beginning in 1988 and evolving into a crown jewel event of winged 360-ci Sprint Car racing, the 36th edition of storied Short Track Nationals takes place this weekend for the first time at Texarkana 67 Speedway.
The weekend gets underway Thursday night with the ASCS Mid South’s 16th Annual Ralph Henson Memorial, featuring a $4,646 winner’s share.
Then it’s full steam ahead into the 36th Annual COMP Cams Short Track Nationals presented by Hoosier Tires & Ark-La-Tex Lawn and Landscape on Friday and Saturday under the ASCS National banner.
Friday’s preliminary card culminates with Twin 25-lap feature events, with both winners collecting $1,500 and the top two in each feature locking into Saturday night’s $20,000-to-win STN championship finale.
With points carrying over from Friday’s preliminary action, a full set of Saturday night heat races will add points as well to set the balance of the evening’s championship feature events.
The entry count currently stands at 64, with John Carney II and IRA champion Brenham Crouch among the latest adding their names to the entry list.
Accomplished El Paso, TX, native Carney II, who scored a career-best STN finish of fourth in 2019, teams with long-time car owner Minks Motorsports for the weekend while Lubbock’s Crouch tackles the event for the first time after capturing the 410-ci Interstate Racing Association championship in the upper Midwest to cap off his first full season in 410-ci Sprint Car action after a year of Midget competition last year.
They join a loaded field of competitors vying for the weekend’s $20,000 winner’s share, including past event winners Sam Hafertepe, Jr., Sammy Swindell, Blake Hahn, and Wayne Johnson among others.
Hafertepe, Jr., brought the curtains down on I-30 Speedway last year with his second STN triumph in the past three years after he and Aaron Reutzel posted preliminary feature wins the previous night.
Hafertepe, Jr., joined Paul McMahan and Tony Bruce, Jr., as two-time Short Track Nationals winners with other multiple-time champions including Blake Hahn and Steve Kinser (three times each) and Sammy Swindell and Gary Wright atop the charts with five wins each.
Single time STN champions include Christopher Bell, Brad Sweet, Jason Meyers, Jason Johnson, Tim Montgomery, Jason Sides, Mike Ward, Tim Crawley, Wayne Johnson, Pete Butler, Terry Gray and John Gerloff.
The Current Short Track Nationals Entries:
0-Mike Vaculik (Hot Springs, AR)
1-John Carney II (El Paso, TX)
1-Brenham Crouch (Lubbock, TX)
1-Sean McClelland (Tulsa, OK)
1d-Prestin Dalton (Millington, TN)
1jr-Steven Russell (Rochester, IL)
2-Brekton Crouch (Lubbock, TX)
2-Chase Porter (St. Joseph, MO)
2-Jason Shavers (Canton, MS)
2c-Wayne Johnson (Oklahoma City, OK)
2T-Todd Bradford (Arlington, TN)
2w-Whit Gastineau (Moore, OK)
3-Howard Moore (Memphis, TN)
4c-Tuesday Calderwood (Goodyear, AZ)
6-Koty Adams (Haughton, LA)
6-Christopher Townsend (La Porte, TX)
G6-Cody Gardner (Benton, AR)
7c-Chris Morgan (Topeka, KS)
7s-TBA
8-Brad Bowden (Hernando, MS)
8m-Kade Morton (Coweta, OK)
9jr-Derek Hagar (Marion, AR)
10-Landon Britt (Memphis, TN)
10k-Dewayne White (Byhalia, MS)
12-Jeffrey Newell (Tulsa, OK)
12h-Harli White (Lindsay, OK)
12w-Dale Wester (Ovilla, TX)
12x-Garet Williamson (Columbia, MO)
13-Chase Howard (Nesbit, MS)
14-Jordon Mallett (Greenbrier, AR)
14T-Tim Estenson (Fargo, ND)
15h-Sam Hafertepe, Jr. (Sunnyvale, TX)
21m-Spencer Meredith (Hernando, MS)
22m-Rees Moran (Tulsa, OK)
22x-TBA
23-Junior Jenkins (Greenville, TX)
23w-Conner Wray (Olive Branch, MS)
26-Marshall Skinner (W. Memphis, AR)
27J-Joseph Poe, Jr. (Scott, AR)
36-Jason Martin (Liberal, KS)
41-Casey Merrell (Springtown, TX)
43-Mark Smith (Sunbury, PA)
44-Ronny Howard (Nesbit, MS)
44-Chris Martin (Ankeny, IA)
45-Mark Huddleston (Genoa, AR)
45x-Kyler Johnson (Quinter, KS)
47-Dale Howard (Byhalia, MS)
47s-Sammy Swindell (Germantown, TN)
50yr-J.J. Hickle (Quilcene, WA)
52-Blake Hahn (Sapulpa, OK)
55b-Brandon Anderson (Glenpool, OK)
71-Channin Tankersley (Arlington, TX)
71b-Brady Baker (Alexander, AR)
79-Gage Montgomery (Fredericktown, MO)
85-Josh McCord (Bossier City, LA)
87J-Jace Park (Overland Park, KS)
91-Michael Day (Farmersville, TX)
91-Zach Pringle (Benton, AR)
91a-Ernie Ainsworth (Bartlett, TN)
95-Matt Covington (Glenpool, OK)
122-Lane Warner (Bloomfield, MO)
132-Jamie Manley (Memphis, TN)
187-Landon Crawley (Benton, AR)
938-Bradley Fezard (Bonnerdale, AR)
Pre-Entry Deadline
Pre-entries for the 36th Annual COMP Cams Short Track Nationals presented by Hoosier Tires & Ark-La-Tex Lawn and Landscape submitted by Tuesday, October 24, are $100 and include a free two-day driver pit pass. Entries after October 24 are $150 with no pit pass included. Entries may be submitted at https://www.67speedwayoftexarkana.com/driverinfo/.
There is no pre-entry for the Ralph Henson Memorial.
The Pertinent Info:
The What: 36th Annual COMP Cams Short Track Nationals presented by Hoosier Tires & Ark-Law-Tex Lawn and Landscape.
The Where: Texarkana 67 Speedway (Texarkana, AR). Texarkana 67 Speedway is located east of Texarkana to I-30 Exit 7, then 0.5 miles southeast on SR 108 then 2.6 miles northeast on US 67.
The When: October 26-28, 2023.
October 26 - Ralph Henson Memorial
October 27 – STN Preliminary action culminating with Twin 25-lap features.
October 28 – STN Championship culminating with $20,000 to win finale.
The Mufflers: Leave ‘em at home, no mufflers required for the event.
The Format: Thursday’s Ralph Henson Memorial will be contested under standard ASCS Mid-South Region format with one of top three finishers eligible for Saturday STN provisional if needed.
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-25 lap features that each offer up $1,500 to win.
The top two from each of the Twin 25-lap features will be locked into Saturday night’s Pole Dash and the championship main event.
Friday event 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 Pole Dash. 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 a top-three Thursday night finisher if necessary.
The Past STN Winners (All previous events contested at Little Rock’s I-30 Speedway):
2022-Sam Hafertepe, Jr.
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 Past Ralph Henson Memorial Winners (All previous events contested at Little Rock’s I-30 Speedway):
2022 – Aaron Reutzel
2021 – Derek Hagar
2020 – Mark Smith
2019 – Tim Crawley
2018 – Derek Hagar
2017 – Tony Bruce, Jr.
2016 – Derek Hagar
2015 – Tim Crawley
2014 – Jordon Mallett
2013 – Cody Gardner
2012 – Dale Howard
2011 – Zach Pringle
2010 – Zach Pringle
2009 - Jeff Swindell
2008 – Gary Wright
The Feature Purse:
Thursday: 1. $4,646, 2. $1,250, 3. $1,100, 4. $800, 5. $700, 6. $600, 7. $500, 8. $400, 9. $300, 10. $250, 11. $250, 12. $250, 13. $250, 14. $250, 15. $250, 16. $250, 17. $250, 18. $250, 19. $250, 20. $250.
Friday (Twin Features): 1. $1,500, 2. $750, 3. $650, 4. $625, 5. $600, 6. $550, 7. $525, 8. $500, 9. $450, 10. $400, 11. $350, 12. $325, 13. $300, 14. $275, 15. $250, 16. $250, 17. $250, 18. $250, 19. $250, 20. $250.
Saturday: 1. $20,000, 2. $5,000, 3. $2,500, 4. $2,200, 5. $2,000, 6. $1,700, 7. $1,600, 8. $1,500, 9. $1,400, 10. $1,350, 11. $1,300, 12. $1,200, 13. $1,150, 14. $1,100, 15. $1,000, 16. $1,000, 17. $1,000, 18. $1,000, 19. $1,000, 20. $1,000.
The Tickets:
Thursday: Pits $35. Grandstand for Adults $25, Military $20 (with ID), Kids 6-11 $5 accompanied by an adult and 5 and under free.
Friday: Pits $35. Grandstand for Adults $25, Military $20 (with ID), Kids 6-11 $5 accompanied by an adult and 5 and under free.
Saturday: Pits $40. Grandstand for Adults $30, Military $25 (with ID), Kids 6-11 $5 accompanied by an adult and 5 and under free.
Driver pit pass for Friday and Saturday is included in the $100 entry fee if submitted by the deadline.
Tickets will be available at the gate each day with gates with grandstands opening daily at 5:00 p.m. Debit/credit cards are accepted at the front gate and concessions.
Free camping is available on a first-come, first-served basis along the west side tree line with no water or electrical hookups.
The Broadcast: If you can’t make it to the STN, watch live at https://flosports.link/3ECzSVP.
For more information regarding the 36th Annual COMP Cams Short Track Nationals presented by Hoosier Tires at Texarkana 67 Speedway, check online at www.67speedwayoftexarkana.com, call 870-648-5688 or email tcrawley87@yahoo.com.
- Bryan Hulbert on Oct 24, 2023
- Article Date: 10/24/2023