Over the years, race fans have deservingly earned the reputation of being among the most loyal and forgiving in all of sports. Especially when it comes to dirt track racing.
A pair of admirable traits that were tested to the limits with last weekend’s running of the Sumar Classic at the Terre Haute Action Track.
Depending on one’s perspective the event either offered the best or worst in dirt track racing.
About the only thing those in attendance probably could agreed on was that the 100-lap main event was the longest they’ve have had to endure in many years at the local oval.
Not since the early morning fiasco served up in the THAT Classic midget event back in 1996 have fans been forced to bear as much as they did Saturday night.
When a night goes as bad as it did Saturday, fans want and deserve answers why it takes two-and-half hours to run a 100-lap feature. If hadn’t been for the yeoman efforts on the part of John Berg, the only wrecker operator on the scene, the marathon affair would have been red flagged for the night.
When forced to sit through 19 caution periods for everything from spinning cars, several which were the same culprits on more than one occasions, broken track equipment and blinding dust, one tends to forget 12 lead changes.
No matter how gullible race fans can be, they deserved better than what they got Saturday night. Track and USAC officials had better hope fans have a short memory by the time the Hut Hundred rolls around next month.
The long faces among USAC officials late Saturday night came on the heels of a very difficult 72-hour stretch for the Speedway-based sanctioning body.
Their “new generation” Silver Crown cars drew an embarrassing short 14 car field at O’Reilly Raceway Park two nights earlier. Only six cars were on the track at the end of the 100-lap race.
On a more positive note, one would have been hard pressed to find a more deserving and appreciative winner over the weekend than that of Bud Kaeding.
Its unfortunate that Kaeding’s and Shane Cottle’s stirring two-car battle throughout the night for the most part took a backseat to the longevity of the event.
Now a six-time feature winner at the Action Track, Kaeding seemed overjoyed with his winning drive in the Sumar. Probably no driver in USAC recognizes the rich tradition of winning at the Action Track more than the second generation racer.
“This ranks up there with anything I’ve had before. To win here at Terre Haute after [the track] bit me when I flipped and had to sit out two months in 2002 is phenomenal,” said the California racer.
“For it to be a Silver Crown win makes it all that more special,” he said.
The win netted Kaeding an $8,000 paycheck and the Silver Crown points lead as his nearest for the points title, Brian Tyler, was an early retiree Saturday night.
Not surprisingly Kaeding viewed the way the evening played out on a much brighter note than most.
“I know the fans had to sit for a long time because of the decision to water the track. At the end of the day they probably saw one of the best Silver Crown races in the last 15 years. There was a lot of passing, a lot of racing out there.”
He now has sights on a much sought after a win in the upcoming Hulman Classic.
“Winning that one would mean a lot. I’m a good friend with Ed Carpenter and the Hulman George family. I’ve never won the Hulman Classic, what with all its tradition. To that do that would rank right up there as one of my biggest wins.”
Trackside
Joe Buckles: Action Track fans prove their loyalty
- Trackside
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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. -
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TRACKSIDE: Changes come up on Indiana racing scene
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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
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TRACKSIDE: Fitzpatrick on track to continue impressive start to racing career
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Frightening finish to season at Terre Haute Action Track
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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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Trackside: Sadler’s wreck brings up memories for Terre Haute racer Sizemore
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