Bristol Motor Speedway
Notebook: Weather shuffles Tennessee slates
From track, series and staff reports
Everything you've heard about March's schedule for Dirt Late Model specials in Tennessee, erase it from your memory. Weather and schedule changes have dramatically changed race dates and Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap, Tenn., has come out of the shuffle with three consecutive $10,000-to-win, 100-lap events over a nine-day stretch.
Anticipating wintry weather, StormPay.com Speedway in Clarksville, Tenn., postponed on Wednesday its March 7-8 Tuckassee Toilet Bowl Classic until March 21-22. The race pays $10,000 to the winner.
Volunteer itself rescheduled its season-opening Spring Thaw (originally scheduled for Feb. 29-March 1) for March 21-22. The Advance Auto Parts Thunder Series event pays $10,000 to the winner. But Volunteer has swapped sprint cars for Late Models on the preceding weekend.
After the Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series events were scrubbed for March 14-15 — weather kept the track from being able to prepare the facility for the high speeds of sprint cars, a series release said —�the track has decided to run a pair of unsanctioned 100-lap Late Model events.
The Running of the Bulls on March 14-15 will feature a pair of $10,000-to-win events including time trials, heats, consolations and feature races both nights. Volunteer has also scheduled an open practice for March 13. — From track reports
COLUMBUS POSTPONES REBEL CHALLENGE: Forecasts of cold weather and precipitation also forced Columbus (Miss.) Speedway to postpone the seventh annual Brown Engineering Rebel Challenge, originally set for March 7-8. The event, made up of $1,500-to-win preliminary features on the opening night and a complete $7,000-to-win program for the second night, will likely be rescheduled for the late summer or fall. Check DirtonDirt.com's March schedule for other weekend postponements. — Ben Shelton
CLASH ROOKIE CLASS ANNOUNCED: Two-time GM Performance Big 10 Shootout champion Chris Ferguson of Gastonia, N.C., tops nine drivers who have plans to run for the Carolina Clash Super Late Model Series Performance Parts Rookie of the Year title. Ferguson, 18, has been standout in crate Late Model action the past few seasons and won his first career Super Late Model start last season. Six rookie contenders hail from North Carolina with two from Georgia and one from Virginia. Other contenders: Terry Lumley of Swainsboro, Ga., a former Swainsboro Speedway champion; Daniel Baggerly of Rural Retreat, Va., a teammate to Larry Blankenship; Tim Allen of Kannapolis, N.C., last year's Carolina Speedway champion; Shane Riner of Savannah, Ga., a former winner of Oglethorpe Speedway Park's Showdown on the Coast; Ricky Boahn of Puppy Creek, N.C., a modified standout; Craig Shuffield of Fayetteville, N.C., a former modified champ; and Scott Neighbors of Bunnlevel, N.C., a former Dublin (N.C.) Speedway champ. — From series reports
WINCHESTER GRABS SIX PACK: Winchester (Tenn.) Speedway has drawn more than a half-dozen sponsors for its Six Pack Shootout Series, six special events throughout the season at the quarter-mile track. “It’s exciting with putting down new clay in the off-season and having a goal of creating a better racing facility with series like this," said speedway owner Darrell Day. Besides race purses, which range from $1,500-to-win to $2,500-to-win, the miniseries will pay $10,000 in cash and awards from a point fund. Race dates are set for March 22, April 26, May 17, July 12, Aug. 2 and Sept. 6. — From track reports
ODDS AND ENDS: Whynot Motorsports Park near Meridian, Miss., has set the $15,000-to-win Fall Classic for Oct. 24-25. ... Crossville (Tenn.) Raceway is retreating to Friday night racing in 2008 after a stint on Saturday nights. Crossville will run Late Model Sportsman weekly while hosting several Super Late Model events, including the Southern Regional Racing Series and Advance Auto Parts Thunder Series races.
