(Image Credit: Dusty Weigert)
Lonnie Wheatley, LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (October 7, 2015) – For general society, this tenth month of the year is most commonly referred to as October. But, in Sprint Car racing circles, it is best known as “Short Track Nationals” month.
It’s no different in 2015, with the 28th running of the event set for October 29-31 following the Third Annual Short Track Nationals Open on Wednesday night, October 28.
Per usual, the final weekend of October is when the full attention of the racing world shifts to Little Rock’s I-30 Speedway in central Arkansas for the 28th Annual COMP Cams Short Track Nationals presented by Hoosier Tires.
With a $15,000 winner’s share and $2,000 just to start the Saturday night STN championship feature with more money spread through the middle of the feature field, the event annually attracts the best of the best in Sprint Car racing with more than $100,000 distributed over the course of the weekend.
Several drivers have already pounced on the entry form available at http://www.i-30speedway.com/flyers/2015STN.pdf, with Jason Sides and Terry McCarl among the earliest.
Entries submitted by October 19 are just $150 with entries after that date at $250.
The Wednesday night STN Open will offer $2,000 to win and $200 to start with the top four finishers eligible in order of finish for an STN provisional if necessary. If the Wednesday night STN winner also wins Saturday’s STN finale, Dixon Road U-Pull-It will award a $1,500 bonus on top of the winnings.
Sides, a World of Outlaws veteran and frequent STN competitor from Bartlett, TN, ranks as one of just 17 drivers to have triumphed in the Short Track Nationals with a victory in 2001.
Altoona, Iowa’s McCarl, a seven-time track champion at Knoxville Raceway, made his first STN appearance a memorable one by coming away with an eighth-place finish amongst a field of 105 competitors in 2013, tops among that year’s STN rookie crop.
Tyler Thomas, who was the second-best STN rookie in 2013 with a 13th place run, is also among the early entries along with other past STN feature starters to file early entries including three-time starter Ernie Ainsworth, Brandon Hanks (who guns for a third consecutive STN feature start this year) and Alex Sewell.
Last October, Norman, Oklahoma’s, Christopher Bell became the youngest winner of the premier 360-ci Sprint Car event by taking the checkered flag in the 40-lapper after taking command following a mid-race restart. Bell raced on to victory lane ahead of current ASCS National Tour points leader Aaron Reutzel with the rest of a powerful top five including Brian Brown, Wayne Johnson and Kevin Swindell.
The Pertinent Info:
The What: 28th 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: Thursday, Friday and Saturday, October 29-31, 2015. $15,000 to win the STN finale on October 31 with $2,000 to start the STN championship feature. Race time is 7:30 p.m. each night. Rain date is November 4-7. The $2,000 to win and $200 to start Second Annual Short Track Nationals Open kicks off all the action on Wednesday, October 28, at 7:30 p.m.
The Format: Approximately half the field will take to the track in the Thursday night qualifying event, with the other half in Friday’s qualifying event. The popular format of heats and qualifying races will once again be in place on the Thursday and Friday qualifying nights. The top 14 in cumulative points from heats and qualifiers will be locked into that night’s main event, with two or three “B” Mains, depending upon car count, contested to fill out the qualifying night feature field.
The top three from each qualifying night will be locked into Saturday night’s $15,000-to-win, $2,000-to-start STN Championship Finale. Those six drivers will battle it out in Saturday’s Dash for Cash to determine the alignment of the front three rows of the championship main event.
The balance of the field will redraw on Saturday to set lineups for eight (8) “Saturday Night STN Showdowns”. With passing points in effect, points will be added to qualifying night point totals (heats, qualifying races and features) with the top eight (8) in total points advancing to STN feature starting positions 7-14.
The next 36 in total points will go to three “B” Mains with the remainder of the field to three “C” Mains. Top finishers from “C” Mains will move on to “B” Main action, with the top two from each “B” Main moving on to the STN finale.
Wednesday’s Short Track Nationals Open will have no impact upon Thursday, Friday or Saturday lineups, with the exception that the top finisher among Wednesday’s top four that is unable to qualify for Saturday night’s STN finale will be offered a provisional.
Wednesday’s STN Open will include heat races lined up by pill draw with passing points in effect that will set lineups for the “B” Main(s) (multiple “B” Mains if necessary depending upon car count) and “A” Main.
The Past Winners: Christopher Bell (2014), Sammy Swindell (2013, 2011 and 1990), Paul McMahan (2012 and 2002), Brad Sweet (2010), Tony Bruce, Jr. (2009 and 2008), Jason Meyers (2007), Jason Johnson (2006), Tim Montgomery (2005), Gary Wright (2004, 2003, 1999 and 1995), Jason Sides (2001), Mike Ward (2000), Tim Crawley (1998), Wayne Johnson (1997), Pete Butler (1996), Terry Gray (1994), John Gerloff (1993), Steve Kinser (1991, ’89 and ‘88). 1992 finale was rained out.
The Tickets: Advance tickets for either three or four nights are on sale through Monday, October 26, no advance sales after that. Single night tickets are not available in advance. Tickets ordered in advance are just $64 for all four nights (Wednesday through Saturday) or $53 for three nights (Thursday through Saturday) with $1 off if paying cash.
Day of show prices are $16 on Wednesday, $21 on Thursday and Friday and $29 on Saturday.
Children's tickets will be available at the event only for just $2 on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and then $5 on Saturday.
To order tickets in advance or for more information, call the track at 501-455-4567 or e-mail orders to raceytlc@sbcglobal.net.
Pit passes are $30 on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and $35 on Saturday.
The Trade Show & Midway: This year’s rendition of the Short Track Nationals will also include the Eleventh Annual Short Track Nationals Trade Show & Midway. Fans, drivers & crews will have the opportunity to visit vendor displays, which opens at noon on Wednesday and then at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The deadline for guaranteed vendor space is Monday, October 26. Inquiries regarding vendor space should be directed to dssm93@msn.com.
For more information regarding the 28th Annual COMP Cams Short Track Nationals presented by Hoosier Tires, contact I-30 Speedway at 501-455-4567 or check online at http://www.i-30speedway.com/shorttracknationals.html.
- Bryan Hulbert on Oct 07, 2015
- Article Date: 10/7/2015