PUTNAMVILLE —
Opening night at one of the midwest’s premier short track operations can be like no other time of the year.
A chance for the fans and racers to shake off the long off season doldrums while ushering in a new campaign filled with high expectations amid an air of uncertainty that goes with weekly short-track racing.
Such was the scene at Lincoln Park Speedway over the weekend where the Putnamville facility hosted a near-capacity fan turnout and a pit area filled with over 100 racers and their machines.
For promoter Joe Spiker the evening couldn’t have gone much better. His biggest challenge on the night: finding enough parking spots for the overflow crowd.
The pits were lined with a stellar field of sprints-modifieds-sportsman and bombers. According to Spiker 108 in all. Not bad for what some say is troubled times in the sport.
On the sprint car side — an open date for most sanctioning groups — meant a stellar field for Spiker and his fans. The field resembled as much a USAC show as that of a regular Saturday night LPS show.
One that contained the likes of Jon Stanbrough, Dave Darland, Robert Ballou and Bryan Clauson. To no one’s surprise the “outsiders” pretty much stole the show.
Stanbrough coming on strong near the end of the 25-lap main event to notch what is expected to be one of many feature wins in his new ride in 2012.
The most impressive drive of the night however came from Clauson who stormed from deep in the field to challenge for the win in closing laps. If the feature had gone a 30-lap distance there many who felt the outcome would have been a different.
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n Pit notes — The pits were lined with an abundance of sharp appearing race equipment. From the sprints to the bombers the bright color schemes and detailed fabrication of the creations were indeed eye catching.
Unfortunately that will take on a different look all to quickly in the rough and tumble ways of grass-roots racing.
Touring the crowded pits revealed the racy appearing Franklin chassis super stock creation of veteran racer Slick Griffin. The Brazil racer now with five decades of being behind the wheel is shooting for a track title in 2012.
Close by was the multi-car operation of Carmichael Racing with the familiar No. 92 modified and super stock machines of the father-son team of Kenny Carmichael and Kenny Jr. Notably missing were the sprint cars that fell the way of the team’s downsizing in the off season. Spirits were high on the night for the North Terre Haute based operation on the heels of their one-two finish at Farmers City, Ill., the previous night.
Among the strong sprint car contingent was a pair of teams from West Terre Haute. Sporting a youthful appearance but plenty of potential and enthusiasm was Seth Parker in the No. 38 R&R Trucking Sprinter and Braylon Fitzpatrick in the No. 3 Fitzpatrick Racing that fields cars for the talented dual of Braylon and Blake Fitzpatrick.
Already with a couple of USAC shows under their belts this season the number 32 sprint car machines of Chase Stockon looked as immaculate prepared as ever. The Sullivan County native plans campaigning a full USAC schedule this season.
Along the stock car pit lane were the colorful and detailed mods of Wes McClara and CJ Bryan. McClara a former Wabash Valley native notched a solid second place finish in the modified feature.
He spends most of time these days molding the bodies for the Rocket Racecar mods. He has nearly a dozen customers who field his creations.
Bryan sporting a modified and bomber in his pits. Both dressed in striking livery which is to be expected from a professional sign man.
n It was nice to see a familiar No. 71 Newlin Racing race car in the pits. The sharp appearing modified of not “Wil The Thrill” but brother Wayne who is in his second season of running the mods.
Wayne noted that big brother is itching to get back in race car so it wouldn’t be a big surprise to see one of the most popular and hard charging drivers to run the area short tracks back in action soon.
All-in all a great start to a new season. With standing-room-only turnouts at Brownstown and Flora, Ill., already this season all signs point to a banner campaign.
One can only hope that positive momentum will continue to the Action Track season opener April 22. The Action Track phone number was omitted in last week’s scheduling column. That new number is (812) 232-4040.
Joe Buckles can be reached at jbuckles4@frontier.com.
Trackside
TRACKSIDE: Near-capacity crowd turns out for opening night of racing
- Trackside
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Trackside: Midgets could be on rise in Wabash Valley
With Indiana Midget Week taking center stage this week at Wabash Valley ovals, it’s time to talk midget racing.
More specifically, it’s time to examine its status in the Hoosier State and what the future might hold for one of open wheel’s most competitive but yet overlooked forms of racing.
It’s no secret the mighty, little midgets have suffered from hard times in recent years. Spiraling engine costs and resulting smaller car counts have led to a sharp reduction in the number of races for the midgets.
Terre Haute Action Track supporters of the midgets know first hand. They lost their popular Hut Hundred a few seasons back and hope of them returning to the local half-mile clay oval remains a question mark. -
TRACKSIDE: Bad weather gives time to reflect
With weather-related issues continuing to plague the Wabash Valley racing scene, the lack of on-track activity presents an opportunity to offer an overall assessment of the 2013 campaign to date.
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TRACKSIDE: Burton’s death shows tragic side of racing
The tragic chain of events that had unfolded the previous night at Bloomington Speedway had cast a pall over what should have been an enjoyable night of racing at LPS.
Word had circulated the Putnam County racing facility that earlier in the day that young Josh Burton had succumbed to injuries from an accident the night before at Bloomington.
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TRACKSIDE: Chase Stockon hopes momentum stays with him in Terre Haute
Momentum, an element that can be as elusive to a race driver as that perfect setup, can spell the difference in winning or running at the rear of the pack.
It’s a force difficult to achieve and maybe even harder to maintain. One learns quickly to make the most of the opportunity when it comes his way.
It’s something Chase Stockon will carry with him coming into today’s Jim Hurtubise Classic at the Terre Haute Action Track.
Only days following the biggest victory of his young and promising career, the $10,000-to-win USAC feature at Lawrenceburg, Stockon followed that up with another rich payday this past weekend at Tri-State Speedway. -
TRACKSIDE: Stanbrough continues points chase after recent skirmish with rival
Veteran sprint car driver Jon Stanbrough has never been one to hide his distaste for chasing point championships. It simply doesn’t bode well with his style of racing.
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TRACKSIDE: Brett Andrew plays role in developing NASCAR's new body styles
The recent announcement from NASCAR regarding the approved body styles for the 2013 Sprint Cup Series follows extensive wind-tunnel testing that was a year in the making.
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TRACKSIDE: Stockon takes giant step forward in USAC
One of the more impressive and welcomed storylines of the recently completed Indiana Sprint Week was the emergence of area driver Chase Stockon on the national sprint car scene.
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TRACKSIDE: Indiana Sprint Week rises above heat, rain, poor economy
The 25th annual version of Indiana Sprint Week is now officially in the record books and the latest chapter will go down as one of the most successful in recent years.
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TRACKSIDE: Late models may have no long-term future in Indiana
Reflecting on what was billed as the biggest week of the summer for dirt-track stock-car racing … while preparing to shift gears for the busiest week of the year for non-wing sprint-car racing in the Wabash Valley.
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TRACKSIDE: Summer heat has made this ‘The Hell Tour’
It is fittingly billed as “The Hell Tour” for many of the Midwest’s leading late model stock car drivers and their crews.
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TRACKSIDE: Retired driver LaJoie spreads the word of safety
In his roles as past driving champion and television analyst, Randy LaJoie has rightfully earned the reputation as a major contributor to the sport of auto racing.
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Trackside: Stanbrough on track at midseason
When veteran driver Jon Stanbrough ushered in a new season in Florida back in February, he found himself facing a pair of unfamiliar challenges.
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TRACKSIDE: Clauson bucks the IndyCar trend
On the surface, the distance from the dirt oval at Lincoln Park Speedway to the massive, paved Indianapolis Motor Speedway may appear only a few miles apart.
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TRACKSIDE: USAC Midget Classic not nearly as revered as it once was
It might be three years removed from its birthplace but the Hut Hundred USAC Midget Classic still holds a special place in the hearts of Wabash Valley racing buffs.
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TRACKSIDE: What could have been: Indy’s folklore got richer this week
It’s a question that will linger for years and only add to the folklore of the Indianapolis 500.
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TRACKSIDE: Sprint car event could generate close racing
One of the hottest and most competitive weekends of the 2012 motorsports season gets under way tonight at the Terre Haute Action Track with the scheduled running of the Tony Hulman Sprint Car Classic.
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TRACKSIDE: Mulling over the biggest weekend in motorsports
We’re approaching what has traditionally become one of the busiest and most prestigious weekends in all of motorsports.
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TRACKSIDE: Helfrich: Short-track racing has good future
When questions arise regarding the current state of sprint car racing, whether they be at the local or national level, one doesn’t have to search much further for the answer than veteran promoter Tom Helfrich.
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TRACKSIDE: Near-capacity crowd turns out for opening night of racing
Opening night at one of the midwest’s premier short track operations can be like no other time of the year.
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TRACKSIDE: Racing season has promise
With several “test and tunes” sessions and season openers having already taken the green flag, it’s a sure sign the Wabash Valley racing campaign is shifting into high gear.
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TRACKSIDE: Valley racing showed best, worst of times in 2011
A look back on the 2011 Wabash Valley auto racing season reveals the best and worst of times the sport has to offer.
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TRACKSIDE: Menard's victory at Brickyard momentous for family, race fans
Who says one of those familiar bright fluorescent-colored Menards race cars can’t find its way to victory lane at Indianapolis?
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TRACKSIDE: After a delayed start, the Terre Haute Action Track gets season cranked up
Its arrival may have been delayed by several months — for a host of reasons — but the 2011 Terre Haute Action Track season is finally out of the blocks.
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TRACKSIDE: Changes come up on Indiana racing scene
With the highly anticipated USAC Indiana Sprint Week sprint card on tap at the Terre Haute Action Track tonight and the Tony Hulman/Don Smith Classic and a host of events leading up to the Brickyard 400 looming on the horizon, it would appear that it’s the best of times for Wabash Valley racing buffs.
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TRACKSIDE: Fortunes of dirt track racing at Action Track can be written in the dust
In the 40 plus years of covering motorsports, it would appear the process of writing this weekly race column would come together rather routinely.
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TRACKSIDE: Auto racing in May in Indiana runs on history and tradition
Possibly nowhere in the sports world does history and tradition play such a key role in an event’s success and future as that found in auto racing.
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TRACKSIDE: Wabash Valley racing ready to take green flag — even Action Track
Despite having already lost several bouts to the elements, the 2011 Wabash Valley motorsports season has taken the green flag and will soon be shifting into high gear on several fronts.
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TRACKSIDE: Fitzpatrick on track to continue impressive start to racing career
One of the top stories on the Wabash Valley motorsports stage last season was the emergence of Blake Fitzpatrick as a legitimate front-runner on the national sprint-car scene.
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Frightening finish to season at Terre Haute Action Track
The 2010 Terre Haute Action Track season came to a climactic close over the weekend. Unfortunately, the campaign closed on a near-tragic note for the second consecutive year.
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Trackside: Attractive USAC sprint car card this weekend
With the area circle track season rapidly drawing to a close, fans will have a pair of attractive USAC sprint car cards to attend this weekend. Back-to-back shows at Lincoln Park Speedway and Terre Haute Action Track not only offer fans a final opportunity to see the sprints in action one final time, but they also serve as pivotal stops in the chase for the USAC sprint car drivers championship.
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