Park Jeff draws 114 cars for opener
Posted: Friday, May 09, 2008
Passenger vehicles aren't the only ones affected by inflated fuel prices.
With racing fuel (gasoline) right at $5 a gallon and the methanol that powers the brawny Modifieds racers at $3.50 per gallon, dirt track auto racing is taking on a more local flavor.
"A lot of guys are staying closer to home these days,'' says Denny Moore, the promoter at Park Jefferson Speedway in Jefferson, S.D. "The cost of transporting to tracks all over the place has just become too prohibitive and guys can't afford it.
"But one of the consquences is that increased competition will result at tracks like ours at Park Jefferson.''
Moore was certainly pleased that 114 cars registered for opening night at Park Jeff last Saturday.
"We've had 130 cars a couple times on special nights, but the car count was very good for our opening night,'' said Moore. "Any time you get over 100 cars, that's a plus for fans.''
Hinton hotshoe Reese Coffee won the IMCA Modifieds feature last week, holding off Mike Hansen of Alton.
Also impressive on opening night was Dan Van Bruggen, the Hospers driver who steered his Dodge-powered No. 42 to victory lane in the IMCA SportMods class.
The promoters at Raceway Park (formerly Interstate Speedway) had hoped to run a Late Models division, but only two cars registered for opening night last Sunday.
"We had a core group of drivers who had indicated to us they would run, but that didn't happen,'' said Bob Coney Jr., a longtime associate of racing at the high-banked facility in Jefferson.
Track officials didn't panic.
Instead of the Late Models, Raceway Park has added a Modifieds division -- that's A-Mods in addition to the B-Mods.
The A-Mods at the non-sanctioned track will follow IMCA rules and there will be no engine claims.
Raceway Park has moved up its Sunday evening competition start to 6:30, 30 minutes earlier than in the past.
After shutting down IMCA operations midway through last season, Blackbird Bend Speedway just west of Onawa resumes non-sanctioned competition with its season opener tonight (7:30).
The track will feature Late Models and also run B-Mods, Hobby Stocks and the Lil Enjun entry class.
Get the lead out?
Not in Canadian racing. The Canadian government has ignored warnings from health officials and extended a regulatory exemption that will allow race cars and other competition vehicles to use leaded gasoline for two more years.
Stock car and drag racers will have until Jan. 1, 2010, to stop the use of leaded fuel, which has been banned for use by all other passenger vehicles in Canada since 1990.
Formula One, IndyCar and NASCAR racing circuits (including NASCAR Canada), of course, no longer allow leaded fuel.
Plenty of tickets remain for Iowa's premier auto race, the Indy Racing League's Iowa Corn Indy 250 June 22 at the Iowa Speedway in Newton.
"The gas prices are so high and the economy's weak right now,'' said Rusty Wallace, the designer of the Iowa Speedway. "But, I'll tell you what we do have, one of the best IndyCar Series races you're ever going to see because you've got Danica Patrick, Marco Andretti and Helio Castroneves.''
Last season's Iowa Corn 250 drew nearly 36,000 fans to the 7/8ths-mile track, located just across I-80 south of Newton, but advance ticket sales are lagging behind last year's pace.
There were parking and routing problems during last year's inaugural running and rain added to the woes. Speedway officials have graveled over grassy parking areas, however.
Wallace feels strongly that the Newton race will include the Indy 500 winner.
"The biggest thing of all, though,'' said the track's designer, "is unification.'' The Indy Racing League and Champ Car World Series have merged after splitting 12 years ago.
Castroneves is one of just five drivers to win back-to-back Indy 500s, but has gained even more fame last year, winning on "Dancing With the Stars.''
Patrick became the first woman to win an Indy Car race, taking the checkers in the Japan 300 last month.
NASCAR Sprint Cup stars Kasey Kahne and Kyle Busch will run in the NASCAR Camping World Series East/West Challenge May 18 at the Iowa Speedway. Kahne will also drive in the NASCAR Sprint Cup All-Star Challenge in Charlotte, N.C., on May 17.
Already 55 cars have entered in the Newton event and the field could grow to 65.
Journal sports writer Steven Allspach may be reached at 71-293-4207 or e-mail steven.allspach@lee.net.
With racing fuel (gasoline) right at $5 a gallon and the methanol that powers the brawny Modifieds racers at $3.50 per gallon, dirt track auto racing is taking on a more local flavor.
"A lot of guys are staying closer to home these days,'' says Denny Moore, the promoter at Park Jefferson Speedway in Jefferson, S.D. "The cost of transporting to tracks all over the place has just become too prohibitive and guys can't afford it.
"But one of the consquences is that increased competition will result at tracks like ours at Park Jefferson.''
Moore was certainly pleased that 114 cars registered for opening night at Park Jeff last Saturday.
"We've had 130 cars a couple times on special nights, but the car count was very good for our opening night,'' said Moore. "Any time you get over 100 cars, that's a plus for fans.''
Hinton hotshoe Reese Coffee won the IMCA Modifieds feature last week, holding off Mike Hansen of Alton.
Also impressive on opening night was Dan Van Bruggen, the Hospers driver who steered his Dodge-powered No. 42 to victory lane in the IMCA SportMods class.
The promoters at Raceway Park (formerly Interstate Speedway) had hoped to run a Late Models division, but only two cars registered for opening night last Sunday.
"We had a core group of drivers who had indicated to us they would run, but that didn't happen,'' said Bob Coney Jr., a longtime associate of racing at the high-banked facility in Jefferson.
Track officials didn't panic.
Instead of the Late Models, Raceway Park has added a Modifieds division -- that's A-Mods in addition to the B-Mods.
The A-Mods at the non-sanctioned track will follow IMCA rules and there will be no engine claims.
Raceway Park has moved up its Sunday evening competition start to 6:30, 30 minutes earlier than in the past.
After shutting down IMCA operations midway through last season, Blackbird Bend Speedway just west of Onawa resumes non-sanctioned competition with its season opener tonight (7:30).
The track will feature Late Models and also run B-Mods, Hobby Stocks and the Lil Enjun entry class.
Get the lead out?
Not in Canadian racing. The Canadian government has ignored warnings from health officials and extended a regulatory exemption that will allow race cars and other competition vehicles to use leaded gasoline for two more years.
Stock car and drag racers will have until Jan. 1, 2010, to stop the use of leaded fuel, which has been banned for use by all other passenger vehicles in Canada since 1990.
Formula One, IndyCar and NASCAR racing circuits (including NASCAR Canada), of course, no longer allow leaded fuel.
Plenty of tickets remain for Iowa's premier auto race, the Indy Racing League's Iowa Corn Indy 250 June 22 at the Iowa Speedway in Newton.
"The gas prices are so high and the economy's weak right now,'' said Rusty Wallace, the designer of the Iowa Speedway. "But, I'll tell you what we do have, one of the best IndyCar Series races you're ever going to see because you've got Danica Patrick, Marco Andretti and Helio Castroneves.''
Last season's Iowa Corn 250 drew nearly 36,000 fans to the 7/8ths-mile track, located just across I-80 south of Newton, but advance ticket sales are lagging behind last year's pace.
There were parking and routing problems during last year's inaugural running and rain added to the woes. Speedway officials have graveled over grassy parking areas, however.
Wallace feels strongly that the Newton race will include the Indy 500 winner.
"The biggest thing of all, though,'' said the track's designer, "is unification.'' The Indy Racing League and Champ Car World Series have merged after splitting 12 years ago.
Castroneves is one of just five drivers to win back-to-back Indy 500s, but has gained even more fame last year, winning on "Dancing With the Stars.''
Patrick became the first woman to win an Indy Car race, taking the checkers in the Japan 300 last month.
NASCAR Sprint Cup stars Kasey Kahne and Kyle Busch will run in the NASCAR Camping World Series East/West Challenge May 18 at the Iowa Speedway. Kahne will also drive in the NASCAR Sprint Cup All-Star Challenge in Charlotte, N.C., on May 17.
Already 55 cars have entered in the Newton event and the field could grow to 65.
Journal sports writer Steven Allspach may be reached at 71-293-4207 or e-mail steven.allspach@lee.net.
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