National notebook
Notes: Cooley makes triumphant return
Mississippi racer Eric Cooley. (Rocky Ragusa)
Less than a month after thinking his season might have been ended prematurely by a frightening highway accident that destroyed his hauler and much of his equipment, Eric Cooley of Fulton, Miss., made a triumphant return to Dirt Late Model competition last Friday night.
Cooley, 26, was victorious in Friday’s 25-lap Super Late Model feature at Moulton (Ala.) Raceway Park — ironically, the track he was traveling to in late July when he experienced his harrowing accident.
“On July 21 we were headed to Moulton when an older gentleman in a pickup truck pulled out in front of our hauler,” Cooley recalled. “To keep from slamming into him, we had to hit the ditch.”
As a result, the team’s stacker hauler flipped over as Cooley and his crew were tossed about the truck. Fortunately, everyone in the toterhome only suffered a few bruises and cuts.
“It could’ve been so much worse,” Cooley said, “so I was thankful that no one was seriously injured.”
The same could not be said for Cooley’s transporter and his cars. Most of his equipment was destroyed in the rollover, sapping his morale.
“Honestly, I almost just called it quits because it was so disheartening,” Cooley recounted. “However, my team owner (Norman Bryson), my team, my sponsors, and my family wouldn’t let me give up.”
With a laugh, Cooley added, “I’m glad they stayed on me because I love this stuff and wouldn’t know what to do if I wasn’t racing on the weekends.”
Cooley couldn’t written a better script for his first race back behind the wheel. Driving his Clements-powered Barry Wright No. 33B at Moulton, he timed third-fastest among 14 entries in qualifying and started third in the 25-lap A-main. He jumped into the lead on the fourth lap and steadily extended his advantage during the remaining 21 circuits to capture his second win of the season.
“Just to get back to the track was a huge undertaking, and I definitely want to dedicate this win to everyone who helped me rebound so quickly,” Cooley stated. “I really can’t thank Norman Bryson enough for his amazing support, and I also want to give a big shout out to Clements Racing Engines for getting me a new powerplant ready so fast.” — Ben Shelton
Locals eye Merritt WoO success
The World of Outlaws Craftsman Late Model Series invades Merritt Speedway in Lake City, Mich., this weekend for the Keyser’s Great Lakes Shootout doubleheader featuring a $6,000-to-win event on Saturday night and a $15,000-to-win finale on Sunday evening.
When the national tour’s travelers take to the quarter-mile oval, they can expect to face some tough competition for the local contingent. The track
Last year hometown hero Eric Spangler was able to fend off the big dogs to claim his first-ever WoO victory after a hard-fought 25-lap weekend opener. Nick Kurtz, another Merritt regular, finished second in front of 2016 WoO champion Josh Richards, who acknowledged the challenge provided by the Wolverine State racers.
“These locals are just tough watching them,” said Richards, who went on to capture the ensuing night’s finale. “They know how to get around this track. It’s so different than what we’re used to. It’s so small … they were doing a great job.”
Michigan’s Rich Neiser also recorded a standout run at Merritt last season, finishing third in the 50-lap headliner. It marked the second time that Neiser placed third in WoO action at Merritt, duplicating his effort in the 2013 event that saw him cross the finish line in a near three-wide bunch with winner Tim Fuller of Watertown, N.Y., and runner-up Spangler.
“I represented Michigan the best I could,” Neiser said last year, “and, as far as I’m concerned, I won the thing.”
Spangler, who lives just 10 minutes from Merritt, demonstrated how much his ’16 WoO victory meant to him by his reaction in victory lane.
“Wow!” Spangler simply exulted after his first-ever national-tour triumph. “Great!”
Spangler currently sits first in Merritt’s weekly points standings by 59 points over fellow track regular Andrew Terrill. The pair — along with additional track standout such as Brandon Thirlby, who enters the weekend on a three-race win streak at Merritt, Dona Marcoullier, Neiser and Kurtz - are sure to be at the top of the list of locals to beat when Keyser’s Great Lakes Shootout kicks. — Kayla May
Dirt-track racing on the big screen
Some well-known entertainers are part of the cast of a feature film that began shooting this week in Alabama.
Country music star Shania Twain, Michael Madsen, Toby Sebastian and Kevin Dunn have joined the cast of John Travolta’s racing movie “Trading Paint,” according to a report in the Variety trade publication. In the movie, Travolta portrays a down-and-out dirt track racing legend who is drawn back into the winner’s circle after his son, an aspiring driver, joins a competitor’s racing team and incites an intense and dangerous competition between father and son. Sebastian (“Game of Thrones”) plays the son of Travolta’s character.
“It’s well know that dirt track racing is one of the most exciting sports in the world and it’s also one of the most dangerous,” said co-producer Andrea Iervolino. “Our story is rooted in that high-speed danger but also very much character driven, and this is where having someone of John’s caliber and gravitas pays great dividends.”
Principal photography launched this week in Alabama with shooting scheduled through mid-September at several Alabama locations.
Odds and ends
Talladega (Ala.) Short Track reported Wednesday evening that former Ice Bowl winner Ross Martin was injured in an out-of-state motorcycle accident. No details of his condition were announced. … Merritt Speedway and drivers are rallying behind Late Model racer Peni Lalonde of Lake City, Mich., who is undergoing treatment for stage-four lung and liver cancer. The track is holding a Sept. 2 50-50 drawing with proceeds going to Lalonde and along with proceeds from sale of doorpanels from drivers such as Rich Neiser, Brandon Thirlby and Eric Spangler at the same event. Make separate donations at gofundme.com/peni-lalonde-cancer-treatment. … Prior to the 40th annual Yankee Dirt Track Classic on Sept. 2 at Farley (Iowa) Speedway, the facility’s promotional group will host a past champions roundtable discussion in the Palace Ballroom. The gathering of past winners — including Verlin Eakers, Fred Horn, Ken Walton, Gary Webb, Jeff Aikey, Steve Boley, Denny Eckrich, Jeremiah Hurst, Tyler Bruehning and Joel Callahan — will begin at 2 p.m. (following a charity auction) and is free of charge to all fans.
