Delayed Diary

By Kevin Eckert

August 25, 2009 Knoxville, Iowa: A very comfortable place. This is after all, birthplace to the biggest race on the sprint car planet, now known as the 49th annual SuperClean Knoxville Nationals presented by Lucas Oil. The sleepy little town of 7500 has forever welcomed those who love racing, be they fans or competitors. I first visited from Pennsylvania in 1984, saw a party goin’ on and have been up to my ears in it ever since.

Knoxville is not as friendly as it used to be. By experiencing Belleville Midget Nationals and Knoxville Nationals in three successive Saturdays, I detected a distinct difference in the “welcome” extended in Kansas and Iowa. Kansas cops created presence but interrogated few. By the end of the Knoxville Nationals, writers cramp came from the endless scribbling of seatbelt violations ($20 + $90 in “court costs”), rolling through a stop sign, failing to signal, stepping on public property with beer ($150), riding four wheelers or golf carts on city streets and if all else fails, public intoxication. Blame it on the economic times if you will. But between overzealous police, no-passing races extended to 40 and 50 laps (reducing Sprint Cars to Sprint Cup), Knoxville may kill the golden goose. Nationals paid $900,000 this year and will top one million in 2010.

The post-Nationals shift from center of the universe to Iowa cow town afforded time to process data and construct this colossal column. I love to write these things. It has seldom felt like work. But to reiterate, they run secondary to the data. Some use my search engine for answers on a daily basis. When those answers are one Saturday behind, it bothers me. More advertising allows more travel that makes more races go unprocessed. Knoxville Nationals completed 20 races in 23 nights, a personal total that does not include Indiana Sprint Week, a season highlight that must be discussed. So after driving from Indy to Haubstadt to Cameron to Butler County to McCool Junction to Belleville, riding back to Cameron, driving to Lincoln to ride to Sioux Falls and back before three weeks (and counting) in Iowa, I’ll touch on each day in reverse.

August 17 Oskaloosa, Iowa: The gavel came down on indiscretions from a Highway 92 roadblock. Much love to lawyer Larry Ball Jr, son of the “3B” owner who fielded Jim Grafton, John Sernett, Jerry Richert Jr, Jeff Tuttle and Max Dumesny at Nationals. Lazlo kicked my court appearance to hug Nationals. Sometime around Christmas when all this happy horseshit is over, I shall elaborate further. Until then, Big Brother may be reading. The bitter pill of American Justice persuaded me to skip Sprint Bandits on I-80 in Nebraska. Wingless sprint cars on those big banks are a sight I have yet to see. I-80 revealed who would be Bandits. There were Jeff’s Jam-It-In Storage units for Bryan Clauson and Caleb Armstrong; Indiana Underground drillers Josh Wise and Casey Riggs; Scott Benic brought Dave Darland; Glenn Crossno fielded Levi Jones; Jim Whiteside went with Hud Cone; Jack Yeley tapped Justin Grant before J.J arrived; and Mike Martin brought Bob Foster’s car. Jesse Hockett, Robert Ballou, Casey Shuman, Kyle Robbins and Coleman Gulick (from the east) and R.J Johnson and Jody Wirth (from the west) brought regular rides while Matt Mitchell drove for Maxwell Industries of Ventura. I-80 inflicted second-degree burns that sent Damon Gardner home. To keep USAC talent from the $10,000 offered by Bandits in Kansas City, USAC invoked rare non-point status for the Dick Gaines Memorial at Lawrenceburg. It must’ve burned Kevin Miller that “his” drivers would fly from “his” champ car race at Springfield, Illinois to a Ron Shuman Classic organized by Emmett Hahn and Tommie Estes Jr. In regard to Darland and Levi, it worked because they left TNT for The Burg, where Jerry Coons copped 10k. Brady Bacon reinforced himself as one of America’s most versatile by beating Bandits at Greenwood, Oklahoma City and the richest win (10k) of his 19 years in Kansas City. In six weeks, the boy from Oklahoma owns victories with a wingless 360, winged 360, POWRi midget and wingless 410. Rain ruined Brady’s quest for a Creek sweep of Bandit 410 and SMRS midgets on August 20.

August 16 Knoxville, Iowa: This is not Rock Rapids. The 49th annual Knoxville Nationals was supposed to be over. I schemed to catch Rapid Bandits and Osky court on consecutive days despite a sinking feeling that rain might upset the apple cart. Sure enough, Nationals concluded Sunday instead of Saturday, and the first wingless 410 feature ever in Rock Rapids got flushed so fast that Jeff Walker and Clauson got to watch Donny Schatz snare 150k for a fourth straight summer. Adding to the list of things choking the life from Nationals is Donny’s domination. Knoxville Raceway is a full half-mile that allows cream to rise. Or as harmaniac Max Dolder says, “The big horse gets up and runs away.” Schatz has been Chief Big Horse for some time. Adding five or ten miles helps no one but Donny, the only outlaw to consistently grow faster as each race wears on, and the only one who truly looks forward to lapping the locals. Fear that tires might shred by the end of 40 laps washed away with the rain. Eleven miles of B-main was Sunday’s only prelim and as always, one of the week’s best races. Jac Haudenschild chewed on Chad Kemenah, turned the nose wing on his pink panther, yet ran away anyhow. Jason Meyers cleared cars by three lengths and looked strong in the 40 until a flurry of problems. Danny Lasoski erupted through the B, then 12 more spots to Hard Charger of the final. There was $472,500 alone in the A-main. The renaissance of Stevie Smith brought Zemco to I-55 and pole of Nationals. Stevie jousted with Joey Saldana until tucking behind Bud Nine. Tyler Walker carried his record Golden State season to Iowa, got slid by Shane Stewart in turn two, crossed abruptly and clipped the right front of Steve Kinser, who pulled a phenomenal wheelstand out of harm’s way in time for Brian Brown’s saving stop. Schatz tried the bottom but could not equal Saldana or Smith until they slowed for late traffic. When the leader glimpsed STP red, Joey was behind Jason Johnson entering turn three. Up in the chair, Saldana slid Johnson, who instinctively headed for the bottom of four to nearly collect Schatz. Saldana lost the left panel from his nose wing. It lodged against the car and never hit the ground. Would he have been black-flagged from 75k for three dollars in tin? “No,” said competition director John McCoy, “We don’t do that here.” Schatz passed Saldana on lap 35. Joey resisted briefly. Stevie Smith took third for $37,500. In 19 Nationals, Stevie cracked the final 16 times and finished 12 among the Top Ten. Fourth-place (26k) was the biggest bank of Tim Kaeding’s career. Fifth-place Shane Stewart lost a few friends on his way to 21k. Randy Hannagan hammered him under caution Wednesday and Kraig Kinser fumed at the way Stewart shaved him Sunday. Kraig looked better on Thursday than he has in two years. Surprise car owners on the final grid were Pennsylvania natives Jim Nace and Bernie Stuebgen. Nace mailed an entry for Trevor Lewis, who opted for 360 races instead. Jim tapped Jason Solwold, who stuck a Canadian 360 team in last year’s final and Nace Six in row five. Indy Race Parts brought Paul McMahan back to the 410 spotlight assisted by Marion County cult hero, “Front Row Bob” Hubbard of Memphis. Hubb is back on good terms with Paul Sides. “He grabbed my ball,” Bob said. Fans of Two Sides Motorsports know this as a sign of affection, much like dogs do.

August 15 Knoxville, Iowa: We got as far as the C-main when rain raised its ugly head. The E-main is traditionally a time for the unlucky to perform on the big stage. Indiana’s Bill Rose knows where his bread is buttered. He made $600 for winning the E, and another $750 for reaching 13th in the D-main. Add another grand from World Challenge and it is easy to see why Rose and Daron Clayton shun races without wings. Clayton was 33 of 49 fastest but won a Wednesday heat for a $1000 start, added another $2000 from Saturday’s B-main and emerged as Rookie of the Year for $1500, which is not bad for someone who was scalpin’ tickets on Friday. Always astute Danny Smith summed up Nationals by saying, “You can run like shit and still make money.” As we stood in Saturday’s rain, Smith calculated a two-night gross of $6500. Sunday would see him miss the final by four spots yet add 4k. It was worth $3000 to be Mr. Sprint Car after eleven nights of Southern Iowa Speedweek, so Kaley Gharst stripped wings for the first time since East Bay ‘07. Back under cover, Gharst got first in the D, which transferred one extra to replace Brad Sweet, obligated to Salem to seek a USAC midget championship. Osky brought non-wing faces to Knoxville to enjoy fun (girls) and frolic. Sweet wore a perpetual grin beside his boss Kasey Kahne, who drank Bud at the Dingus Lounge that bears his billboard. Brad and Levi Jones were reluctant to return to another pavement date of minimal interest. In the C, Colorado’s Rick Montgomery slammed the second corner steel as rain fell. After track packing, Wayne Johnson and Billy Alley transferred. Taking two from 22 is cruel. Then it rained again. Once the wet stuff stopped, the party resumed in turn three amid dire promises that foul weather would create a Monday conclusion. I realize everyone with a phone, laptop or TV has a current weather map. But until technology determines which way the wind will blow, predicting rain is no more valid than predicting winners.

August 14 Knoxville, Iowa: Non Qualifier format improved. In the past, 51-100 started straight-up by points in five heats that could not have been less exciting. This year, 48 cars split three ways for 15-lappers that inverted six to transfer eight and were infinitely better. Sweet passed Cody Darrah to win one and passed Daryn Pittman to lead again until Sammy Swindell took 5k. Knoxville stat rat Bob Wilson will call it Sammy’s 42nd A-main victory at Knoxville. I disagree, because if the fastest 50 are ineligible and the winner lands in the C, Friday’s feature is a glorified D. Wilson does not count World Challenge because it is by invitation, like the Race of States and Mystery Features of past Nationals which Wilson does count. Open Wheel Times has never counted any part of Nationals Non Qualifier Night an A-main win, though they pay extremely well. Knoxville soothes the discomfort of unloading at three for ten o’clock scrambles by handing 5k to Skip Jackson and 7k to Schatz. Ryan Anderson was ecstatic to make prelim feature (1k), third in the C (2k) and first in C-scramble (3k). World Challenge was a week highlight. Australian native building Vortex wings in Prairie City (Iowa), Lynton Jeffrey earned 10k ahead of Terry McCarl and Kerry Madsen, who battled to the final corner where Shane Stewart circled them both. Kerry hobbled on a left foot broken by a charity softball slide into second base. The gritty Aussie refused a cast or an excuse.

August 13 Knoxville, Iowa: A.J Mottet is my pal. To prove it, he asked me to judge a bikini contest at his infamous Dingus Lounge. Eight exuberant ladies from seven states danced for a distinguished ten-person panel that included Mr. & Mrs. Dennis Moore Jr (dressed as Hugh Hefner and playmate) and Mr. Madsen. At a thousand to win, it seemed like serious business until I noticed Moore sketching what a contestant might look like naked. Then it seemed more like high school as we snickered below our master of ceremonies, Savage Bad Monkey. Brad Haudenschild’s sister Lindsey talked Brad’s fiancée Brittany into competing and the girls from Ohio swept $1500. Third-place received $300 for creative use of Simpson shoulder straps. Making a Knoxville name has been South Dakota’s Dusty Zomer. After two seasons in 360s and three in 410s, he teamed with Ed Gifford to win three weeks before Nationals. Seventeen-G timed 13th fastest and drove from row three to third in its heat to secure pole to a prelim that went 25 green. “Zoom Zoom” led five miles before Tim Kaeding captured 12k. Kaeding was without the services of Guy Forbrook, fired four days earlier. Guy’s final act played in Pevely, Missouri at the Ironman 55. He preferred to have been in Knoxville sharpening Tim’s set-up for Nationals. When the rear broke at I-55, Forbrook loaded the car. Five hours later, Tim made Knoxville’s turn three soirre. Dennis Roth gathered Beef eaters and decided that his driver wanted to race more than his mechanic. Ray Brooks was retained and Sonny Kratzer joined as co-crew chief. After last summer’s Lasoski split, Forbrook has seen two contenders implode days before Nationals.

August 12 Knoxville, Iowa: From our campground nook 100 yards from turn four, 800-horsepower engines were heard warming before hot laps. And then it rained. It is doubtful that another half-mile has the volunteer vehicles to withstand such a storm, but Knoxville did. The first heat started at midnight. It inverted four rather than five rows, “The Carl Wilson Rule” in reference to the rookie Kiwi that triggered a train wreck. Still, none of the fastest 13 could transfer. The first two heats had wrecks knock out first and second quick Cody Darrah and Cale Conley. In his second week with Dean Bruns as crew chief, Craig Dollansky closed on the lead until Western Australia’s Greg Hall crashed in turn four. Dollansky piled in to effectively extinguish any realistic shot at winning the Nationals. Jason Johnson led Tim Shaffer until Tim squeezed by for 12k around 2:30am, roughly when the post-Dingus wave reaches turn three. Schatz slapped the wall in his heat and had to win the B, which used to be suicide at Nationals until this era when quick qualifiers stumble. Donny drove to seventh to still align himself nicely for Saturday.

August 11 Oskaloosa, Iowa: Mario Andretti paid his first visit to the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame into which he was inducted in 1996. Mario made the hall on stature and dirt racing as a whole (he was great on the miles) because sprint success equaled less than ten wins. He was in Knoxville to unveil the STP J&J that Donny Schatz would drive 40 years after Andretti wore the colors to win the Indianapolis 500. Schatz later said that Mario phoned to let Donny know how a World Champion does not associate with losers. Schatz car owner Tony Stewart was at the STP press conference, joking about phoning A.J Foyt to say how he had lunch with “the greatest Indy Car racer in history.” After spending Sunday in Michigan, Stewart flew back to join Schatz in victory lane. Tony’s guest was Jessica Zemken, the New York doll who jetted to Quebec to place third at Autodrome Drummond. I slowed my stride to watch Jessica paint her toes. Ultimate Challenge contained more passing in the first heat than an entire Front Row Challenge, with or without rain. The last heat (qualifier) finished four-wide! Savage crashes came with the ticket too. Brad Sweet threw his tail six stories in the air, and Travis Rilat’s wife wants to forbid Travis from trying a fourth Ultimate crash in four years. Southern Iowa Speedway withered a bit by feature but ended in drama. Darland led the quest for Benic’s fifth Ultimate conquest as Hockett stayed close on the cushion. Dave slowed slightly in traffic and Jesse slid him cleanly. Darland stalked Hockett to the final corner where he tried to pinch The Rocket behind Henry Clarke, near winner of the Belleville Nationals. Hockett had none of that and won 15k by half a second. He turned doughnuts in front of Dave, who joined for synchronized spinning. Jesse’s voice cracked as he recalled Osky ‘04 when Hockett and his late cousin Daniel McMillin lost 30k in an event Jesse simply calls “The Dickie Race.”

August 10 Oskaloosa, Iowa: Front Row Challenge remains the best one-night party in sprint racing. The infield brings to mind the Flemington Fairgrounds of my youth. Tireless promoter McCarl is generous with gifts like ButlerBuilt steering wheels, beads and gimmicks like a foot race between heat winners. We crowded too close to the finish as Sam Hafertepe flattened one drunken girl. Bronson Maeschen won a Hepfner top wing. Damion Gardner got a Winters rear. Rain made mud sports. Females rinsed clean to attract lechers. An errant stage diver got shipped. The groove on the half-mile was reduced to one. Monday may have seen less passing than anything all year. But it beat the weather and added to the Iowa file of Sammy Swindell. His first Hawkeye State success came in 1977 for Davis Electric in Des Moines. In ‘81, Sammy used Nance Speed Equipment to beat Outlaws at Boone. The Mickow Corporation (TMC) backed victories in three Farley features. The rest of his 39 Iowa wins came in Marion County.

August 9 Knoxville, Iowa: Mother Nature is a stone cold bitch. After the catastrophe of May midgets, I expected no surface, no cars and no interest in the first wingless USAC sprint race at Knoxville in 27 years. Though happy to be wrong (Dunkin dug the dirt and Ultimate fans arrived early), it deepened the pain of rain. Speculation says 44 cars warrant a second chance in 2010. Sunday was the first night in four that I did not close down The Dingus. All that Jim Beam and coke and never once did it occur to ask South Australia’s Trevor Green why he was not racing. Trev blew through Indy for Kings Royal. Gang Green at Nationals included Danny Reidy and his sister Jana from Northern Territory and Simona Nanovich but not Green’s brother Steve, still busy with the Parramatta estate of Brian Healey. Missing the most recent World Series for shoulder surgery, Reidy made camp between the barns in a shaggin’ wagon that Trevor called “a straw hat on wheels.” Nick Speed was also implicated. Nick worked on the 2005 ride that Kevin Swindell sailed out of Eldora. When the time came to ship Nick’s nice shirts to New South Wales, Sam tossed ‘em all in a dumpster. “Those guys cost me enough money,” he muttered.

August 8 Knoxville, Iowa: Proponents of 360 racing point to a variety of winners as proof that bigger engines favor bigger teams. But when first-place pushes ten grand, 410 professionals find 360 engines that exhort their superiority. After he was done defeating Brian Brown for a second straight night, McCarl climbed from 410 Maxim to 360 Maxim and led all 25 laps to a sweep worth 13k. From my library outside turn two, Hall of Fame curator Tom Schmeh estimated Saturday attendance at 10,000. Ironman 55 kept a few in Missouri, though Darrah did arrive to out qualify everyone. Conley clocked a new 360 record of 15.9 in the West Virginia teenager’s first night at Knoxville. He was perhaps the first Mountaineer State hillbilly at Nationals since the “Weirton Wild Thing” Mark Cassella came in 1995 with the Guzzo 77.

August 7 Knoxville, Iowa: McCarl moved from row four to shadow Brown, adjusting his line to skunk him on the last corner. One hundred and eleven cars carried a transponder through the Knoxville 360 Nationals. Knoxville 410 Nationals topped out at 107. Fresh from six races in 16 Pacific Northwest nights, Travis Rilat reached third trailed by Sam Hafertepe, returning to ASCS roots after getting stiffed out of Outlaw sponsorship from Fusion.

August 6 Knoxville, Iowa: My first Knoxville 360 Nationals in five years. Rain in 2004 shoved these Nationals from June to August, where it enabled especially thirsty people to party for ten straight nights. Well, straight is not correct. Dale Blaney brought Hammons 360 and Fisher 410. He was slated for row three of a 360 prelim for which he failed to fire. In his first 410 Nationals in five years, Blaney earned eighth for 10k. Wayne Johnson consciously cut 360 starts by relinquishing the green Hammers to fellow Okie vet Danny Wood but like McCarl, Wayne will find a 360 when Ten Grand is available in his hometown. Hockett helped broker an Ott that passed another Okie in Shane Stewart for 3k prelim win for the FattFro 14.

August 4-5 Knoxville, Iowa: South of town on Highway Five since 1994, St. Louis native Kris Krohn has lived in a dilapidated house we affectionately call the Krohn Zone. Out back with the rabbits and squirrels is a perfect place to lay low. Kris shoots video for Knoxville Raceway Weekly (free at http://www.knoxvilleraceway.com/) when not monitoring Cardinal baseball. Is the baseball bat beside his bed for security? “I knock walnuts around,” he explained, “try to hit a cow.”

August 3 Lincoln, Nebraska: The collection of artifacts housed by Bill Smith in a three-story museum alongside his Speedway Motors parts palace rivals either Hall of Fame in Canton or Cooperstown. If I had a dollar for each time we said “Wow!” I could buy a Buck Rogers lunch box. First thing through the door was a lifesize Smokey Yunick. Alongside his exhibit was Curtis Turner’s convertible, which was too ironic since my most recently-read biographies were of Smokey and Pops. Speedy Bill was pictured at the 1969 Big Car Racing Association banquet with his champion Jan Opperman in velvet coat and acid-eater eyes. The purple Maxwell that took Terre Haute in ‘76 for Jan and Bill was alongside the mechanical rabbit that won the 1970 Knoxville Nationals for Lincoln’s own Joe Saldana. There was the purple Four-X driven by Doug Wolfgang in ’79, Rodeo Bar car of Rollie Beale, Grant King 27 that carried Greg Weld and Jackie Howerton in ‘72, STP Plymouth that won Dover for Art Pollard in ‘69, and the Mallard from which Jim Hurtubise pulled Miller Beer rather than a qualifying attempt for the Indy 500 of 1972. I could fill a column with what is housed off of O Street. Olympic Stadium is recreated! Mike Lindbeck, Leslie Goodhue and I extend extreme gratitude to Bob Mays for explanations, patience, and three books about Big Cars. In another case of irony, we arrived at http://www.museumofamericanspeed.com/ through Waverly, home to Wavelink Raceway Park. I told Mike and Les about visiting that track (called Cornhusker) in 1996 to sell mini sprint photos between Eagle USAC and Greenwood ASCS dates. That day in Waverly was when I met Rik Forbes, who reminded me of it some Chili Bowls ago. In three floors of museum, there is but one modified midget, donated by Forbes. In its seat is a photo of me and him from that Sunday afternoon in ’96, which blew my mind.

August 2 Sioux Falls, South Dakota: This was a tough out. Just before dawn, I exited the Belleville Nationals to drive across the Nebraska line to Les and Mike’s motel in Hebron. They awoke to follow me to Speedway Motors, where I parked my car and climbed in their rental to sleep as much as corrugated I-29 did permit. McCarl started outside pole and kicked ass. Terry did lose the initial start to Tim Shaffer before the first devastating crash curtailed Mark Dobmeier and Greg Wilson. Connecticut rookie David Gravel greeted the concrete outside turn two. Chad Meyer made a mess at the other end. Huset’s Speedway is aesthetically perfect but a mite narrow. Heavy black dirt made it extra narrow. McCarl finally caught traffic and twice, Daron Clayton thwarted Terry’s attempts to lap him as the Steel City Outlaw closed. Shaffer made a dive at Ten Grand that succeeded in surrendering second to Hafertepe. Mike and Les wanted to hit the pits to see Doug Wolfgang, whom they had not seen since his last Gold Cup of 1990. But it rained again.

August 1 Belleville, Kansas: Saturday afternoon’s conclusion to Friday’s preliminary was as ugly as a swine barn. Belleville High Banks are a big circle that could not be tougher on tires or engines. Pistons burn and rods release each time cars reach the racetrack. This afternoon atrocity was the conclusion to a Friday prelim postponed by torrential rain. It used more tires than a Brickyard 400. Clauson took two and won anyway. Terry Goodwin pitted twice and was back to fourth. The big half-mile (banking reduced recently) was graded and watered and did bounce back to resemble something befitting Belleville which, like Eldora, means up on The Fonz. By the end, turns three and four had a groove and a half while the south end was the passing happened. In tonight’s dash, Bryan broke the primary Esslinger but because the prelim was not an official USAC event (as per Dick Jordan), a second Spike was entered free from penalty. Clauson put the spare on the cushion to win $12,500. Sweet returned from Newton to shadow Bryan. “It’s The Bullet versus The Big Cat,” hyped Rob Klepper. Everyone knows a bullet beats a big cat.

July 31 Belleville, Kansas: For approximately the 88th time this season, All Star witch doctor Guy Webb revised his schedule. Tonight was supposed to have his club in Mayetta, Kansas on Thunderhill, which Webb was to lease. Sensing that Belleville might want All Stars to stay after USAC delivered exactly eleven midgets, Guy struck a deal to make Belleville a two-night stand, snuffing Thunderhill. This did not please our man John Koss, who revised his own schedule from Mayetta to Denison, Iowa. Last night on the frontstretch, Tim Kaeding would not commit to being back until he and Forbrook saw the All Star purse. There was fear that Webb might accept less than standard one-day pay but such was not the case when savage rain trapped us in the beer garden. Since we were already wet, it seemed natural to follow five girls into a hot tub, leading to my favorite line of this entire odyssey: “Didn’t this girl have pants on when she came in here?”

July 30 Belleville, Kansas: “Handle it,” Guy Forbrook told Tim Kaeding about Terry McCarl. “If you let him push you around, he’ll keep doing it.” McCarl visited the Roth pit to belabor last night’s contact in Cameron, Missouri. Forbrook objected to the screaming example Terry set for his teenage sons. “Like Kevin Swindell,” I said. “Exactly,” Guy replied. “That kid has more talent than anyone but nobody wants him because of his dad.” Last year’s Belleville Nationals saw Kevin cut through the A-main. A year later, no one called. McCarl mauled the track record (14.35) and took off. To some surprise, Madsen ran him down and whistled by to make $5000 but lose an engine and rear in the process. In a year when Belleville raised first-place from 10k to 12.5, USAC made a mess of the Nationals. Despite waning pavement relevance, USAC insisted on playing for 18,000 NASCAR fans at Iowa Speedway, so they split Belleville prelims between those with pavement rides and those without. Savvy observers were incensed. But to those at the North Kansas Free Fair who see one event per year, all appeared well. Rusty Kunz was asked how Belleville could raise its car count. Aligning all the schedules (essentially forcing people to chase points) was his answer. Belleville is a sacred proving ground that should remain relatively free of restrictions, Rusty felt. Kid brother Keith Kunz almost won with unheralded Henry Clarke and proclaimed, “We have $50,000 engines that nobody’s buying.” Midgets have always been insanely expensive yet today’s shrinking rosters reflect more the perception of factory engines and factory teams.

July 29 Osborne, Missouri: I had a decision to make. I could remain at Junction Motor Speedway for a second night of POWRi midgets or catch All Stars by returning to U.S 36 where Dick Rauser, Keith Barto and Koss met Mike and Les. I chose the latter, stashing my Ford at the Bel Villa for eastern passage to St. Joseph, where we found Shane Stewart and Pockets Silva. They said a second 410 was on loan from the Kirkpatricks who brought Shane to Dirt Cup. All Stars at U.S 36 were not what they could have beenm beginning with Garry Brazier’s crash with Matthew Reed. Shoving the still groggy Reed reinforced why Brazier has few fans. Shaffer was long gone until skidding through Gravel. Kaeding cut McCarl off twice before Terry turned him in turn two, spinning himself too. After the checkered, Kaeding rammed McCarl, who prompted security. Bonzai Bruns was at U.S 36 to assist Greg Wilson before joining Dollansky at I-55. G-Dub lead until Hannagan became the fifth man to win with Outlaws and All Stars in 2009. Schatz, McCarl, Stevie Smith and Dale Blaney did it first.

July 28 McCool Junction, Nebraska: Junction Motor Speedway is another wide-open venue for midget racing. You know if they touch wheels, midgets will roll a while. Fortunately, it failed to happen. Steve Lewis was back as car owner unable to stay away from Belleville. His famous white Number Nine was preened by Rusty Kunz for Darland, who drove for POWRi prez Kenny Brown at 36 and Butler. Brad Loyet led 18 of 25. To watch him over a four-race span is to see why Brad’s abrupt “lane closures” (Dan Drinan term) make others edgy. Loyet skipped 36 to keep Badger points and ran the rim around Junction until beaten by low-groovin’ Brady Bacon, who was credited as the first “wing guy” at U.S 36. “I’m a wing guy now?” he replied. ASCS says so. And like a wing pro, Brady found the bottom before any of the tire-buzzin’ thrill seekers upstairs. ASCS directors Tommie Estes II & III stopped after breaking new ground in Oregon and Washington. Bacon initially intended to follow them to the Pacific Northwest until a Fourth of July disagreement and fiscal reality helped Tel-Star stay east of Vegas. Kuhn copped third but won tomorrow. Fourth was Josh Wise, who ran 36 but skipped Butler along with Pedregon crew chief Garrett Andrews of Competition Suspensions Inc. Patterned after the Sprint Car Recovery Team of southeastern Missouri, POWRi packs its own push trucks. Imagine three Workin’ Woodies.

July 27 Rising City, Nebraska: Speedway Motors was alive. Racers were three-wide at the parts counter and more midgets cluttered the parking lot than a Badger race. Six miles down a dirt road, Butler County Speedway is patterned after Eagle Raceway and a finer template would be hard to find. Some of midget racing’s greatest races were Tuesdays at Eagle before Belleville. Now midgets race on four tracks within 250 miles of Eagle but not Eagle, where present promoters see no sense in midgets. Who can blame them? We love the little doodlebugs but getting a good field together is tough. Butler was an excellent assortment but when Coons started the Wilke Spike outside pole, it was all but over. A quality field is needed to reach traffic and when they did, it was six-wide pandemonium! Butler County accounted for the best batch of racing in my entire four weeks. Coons kicked ass for Speedway Motors by winning the Ron Hughes Memorial in a walk over Clauson and Kuhn, who used spare Tucker and Weirich wagons. Butler was the first race in the Koss vacation from Schenectady, New York and Sasquatch was delighted to find Jaager Bombs offered in the middle of a cornfield.

July 26 Osborn, Missouri: U.S 36 Speedway was what lured me 444 miles overnight from Haubstadt, Indiana. For the first time in seven years, mighty midgets screamed around a banked bullring that The Outlaws circle in nine seconds. First rig on the strip belonged to J.J Yeley, who made a paid appearance between NASCAR dates in Kentucky and Michigan. I turned on the TV to process results with Brickyard in the background and pondered Yeley’s cultural distance from 36 to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. One week after Brickyard 2008 was his last Cup start until just recently. J.J was summoned to U.S 36 by Kemper promoter Scott Pennington for a POWRi program that did not disappoint the large crowd. J.J led until Brad Kuhn took it away. Yeley dogged Kuhn hard, lifting the left front against the cushion to cut inside the Benic Beast just as its engine fell to three cylinders. Yeley drew inside for a final slide worth 5k.

July 25 Speedway, Indiana: When hillbillies toss empty Old Milwaukee in my yard, NASCAR is near. “Why no White Expo?” was the question provoked by last week’s Black Expo. Maybe it’s because we already have Brickyard 400, a good reason to flee. A better excuse was the MSCS sprints and POWRi midgets rescheduled for Tri-State Speedway from Fourth of July. I packed the car as if I might not return until Gold Cup, which is still in play. A glorious day turned to shit when two kinds of Cone got washed for good. Unexpected daylight drew me through Fairfield, Illinois and the hellish roar of a tractor pull that reminded of Kevin Doty’s MARA midget win on that soil in 1985. POWRi voice Jim Childers recalled a Fairfield Fairgrounds too unsafe for a second date. I drove clear to Rocheport, Missouri to sleep along the Katy Trail. It looked like a little artist colony and Rocheport revealed itself as responsible for William Least Heat Moon, author of the book Blue Highways that seems to mirror my own “road less traveled” philosophy.

July 18 Haubstadt, Indiana: Tri-State Speedway is still my favorite. I know that Kokomo regularly exceeds it but I’m not ready to dismiss 20 years of Tri-State thrills for a couple of Kokomo campaigns. The finale to Indiana Sprint Week was epic. Levi Jones ran the rim and Clauson stayed with the bottom, carrying the left front most of the way and bouncing across the infield markers. “I wish he would’ve stayed in Charlotte,” Jones joked after winning the Tri-State race and Indiana Sprint Week title worth 5k.

July 17 Bloomington, Indiana: Bloomington Speedway needs help. It has hosted too many lackluster parades around the grass. Mike Miles has wonderful clay (much is thrown where no one can use it) that he makes very wet. On race night, Mike is the lone Indiana operator unwilling to devote an hour to revitalize. It would not take much; maybe a slight scratch to bring Clear Creek to the surface. In this feature, Levi thought he was on the bottom before Clauson slipped under for 5k. Miles had another lousy race but did allow free use of his pavilion for the gala seventh birthday celebration of Sully Layne Eckert, enjoying the company of kids belonging to Jay Drake, Derek Davidson and Rob Hart. Jay has not endeared wife Heidi to his idea of racing a champ car at Richmond or Oswego.

July 16 Indianapolis, Indiana: I skipped Kamp like a tramp with no gas money. If I had camped at Terre Haute last night, I’d have extended north to Benton County. But since I rode home, Benton was not on the way to Bloomington. Dean Mills and Mickey Dale (warming my heart with a stack of 1976 USAC newsletters) came through the door to say how I missed the best race of Sprint Week. Ask ten people who won and five will say Cole Whitt and five will say Darland, as indicated by USAC transponders.

July 15 Terre Haute, Indiana: The Terre Haute Action Track was back on Indiana Sprint Week. In a stroke of good timing, it fell during the Vigo County Fair. I wanted to press blue ribbons on farm girls but thought better. Action Track’s infield is like a city park where people throw Frisbees and footballs over coolers. Turn three is a fun place to watch heat races thunder through on three wheels. Who was G1? That was Hunter Schuerenberg, who won his heat for Tom Gorby, proprietor of America’s Best Value Inn. Justin Henderson handled G1 at Kings Royal and Knoxville Nationals. During the semi, I moved to turn four and ate dust. For the feature, I followed Bob Shutt to the old covered grandstand entering turn one. From that seat, Terre Haute was a good race, though not for first-place because Brad Sweet administered a Mopar beat down. To get under Cole Whitt takes time and Coons showed the patience of a champ to secure second. Jerry races right.

July 14 Indianapolis, Indiana: Still using the two-night break in Indiana Sprint Week to retrieve data, I reluctantly skipped the Indiana Midget Week raindate at North Vernon. There would be few cars but perhaps more surface. However, hot laps began in billowing dust, bringing the water truck. Tracy Hines led 24 of 30 before Bobby East earned the win. Sixteen nights later, East led his Belleville prelim for 17 of 20 when his Ford ate itself. When an engine dies at Belleville, everyone can hear it.

July 13 Indianapolis, Indiana: Monday was a day of recovery and a day for a stupid son to forget his mother’s birthday. Sorry mom. I thought of her when Mario visited Knoxville. Back in ’69, an Andretti autograph session occurred at the Firestone dealer in our Phillipsburg, New Jersey home. I was incapable of noticing a hero’s snub but mom was not, nursing a grudge for years. Only recently when Mr. and Mrs. Fred Brubaker applied Thermal Sun Screen in Mario’s Villa Montona in neighboring Nazareth did she let it go. On the day before Knoxville Nationals, Helga’s second son Steve was reading an Andretti story from Sports Illustrated at the Krohn Zone. I mentioned how Mario was to visit Knoxville to unveil the Schatz STP Special. Seeking that schedule, I told Steve that Andretti would appear in 15 minutes. Eckert was out the door to greet the United Racing Club’s greatest graduate.

July 12 Kokomo, Indiana: California’s Jimmy Sills was in the house. The new Kokomo speed bowl bears little resemblance to the flat quarter that Sills last saw through the cage of one of Dave Calderwood’s midgets. In 1985, Jimmy crossed third at Kokomo for Fred Marks and Les Kepler against the World of Outlaws represented tonight by mechanics Jim Carr, Bonzai Bruns and Duece Turrill. Sills was tutor to Ryan Kaplan, knocked out before one corner in an ugly double flip with Nic Faas. Many piled on Nic (he did deliver the blow) but Ryan did change lanes. On the last lap of the B, Damion Gardner thought he was one spot out and veered straight at Ballou, who yielded before ramming Demon post-race. Entering the pit area, bumpers locked. Robert said he was dragged and Gardner said he got pushed. What was indisputable was how Robert got zapped by Pace Electronics. In the scrum, Ballou’s car owner Bernie Stuebgen saw his girl Betsy pushed by The Demon’s crew chief Davey Jones, who was fined. USAC initially disqualified Ballou (Jeff Bland belted into Indy Race Parts 71) before Bill Carey changed his mind. Stuebgen’s ex-drivers gave him fits. His driver of Sprint Weeks ’03-04 was Gardner before Bernie took Thomas Meseraull to the ’07 Oval Nationals. He was irritated at T-Mez for turning Ballou over at Gas City last night. To maintain points for the VKCC team of Hockett (off to Seattle), Stuebgen put “Pac Man” together for because Ballou’s car owner Dallas Mulvaney sat Sprint Week out. Kokomo heats were outstanding as usual but the top went away in the A. Chad Boat ran the bottom to a fourth straight Kokomo conquest. Clauson claimed second and Jon Stanbrough dragged the middle to third. My new favorite drag racer since Don “The Snake” Prudhomme is J.R Todd, who chased Indiana Sprint Week with a rented motorhome that formed a vital third wall to keep The Frolic free from poachers. J.R tagged Brad Sweet as “Big Cat” and followed his roommate clear to Kansas. Kokomo fans stopped to meet the rare black man in motorsports only to be stalled because he was fixing me a drink.

July 11 Gas City, Indiana: It is advantageous to live in a state small enough to allow a person to wait until late in the day before deciding on outdoor activity. The second day of Indiana Sprint Week dawned wet. Gas City showed real spirit. Its surface was outstanding for heats but did dump several cars. After the Jiggs dig, the A-main was less lively. Darren Hagen led 22 of 30 until breaking the Kunz car. Levi took over and thanked The Lord and The Frolic. Did that mean He has a problem with Hagen? “Yes,” Jones said. “Hagen’s a hypocrite.” I guess only Mel Kenyon could preach God’s love while slapping wheels with the sinners.

July 10 Lawrenceburg, Indiana: The Dearborn County Fairgrounds was stuffed as the large amount of large motor homes increased. Indiana Sprint Week again opened with the Robbie Stanley Classic, prompting me to bring a Stanley shirt. I had no real idea what to do with it. I considered presenting it to the winner if he was small enough. Darland won but he’s too big. I thought of finding a girl to model it but in the end, did the right thing (as suggested by Andrew Quinn) by donating to the Dayton Auto Racing Fans to benefit injured drivers. Quinn waved me to the camper of Irvin King, who bestowed a case of Yuengling lager to become my first West Virginia hero since the racing blacksmith, Jim Kirk. USAC leader Kevin Miller roamed The Burg snapping photos of campers ignoring time trials. Perhaps the format forced on him at Osky made an impression because double Bandit heats would set the Dick Gaines Memorial. If he had vision behind sucking NASCAR tit, Miller would slice asphalt like a tumor and create a calendar that could earn a man a living in USAC. It is tough to show flaws to people who spent millions of dollars but Lawrenceburg Speedway is too fast for its own good most nights. Its heats were the worst of Sprint Week and Midget Week. In the feature, Darland started outside pole and held off Clauson, who got booed for saying Dave used all the choice real estate.

Indiana Sprint Week remains the best reason to live in Indiana. It is important to reiterate how lucky we Hoosiers are to have such a rare and rewarding form of racing in such abundance. As mentioned, sometimes it takes travel to appreciate home. Other times, it takes people from Australia or Canada to remind what lies in our backyard. Old timers like me may wax about some golden age until we’re blue in the face. But make no mistake: these are the good ol’ days. Indiana Sprint Week was another festival of fantastic races followed by all-night Frolics ‘til the cows came home.

The defense rests.

Ok