Introducing The Jefferson State Racing News Blog

 

Talking About Racing In The State Of Jefferson

Welcome to the newest blog in The DCRR Racing Media family. I've been interested in the idea of a State of Jefferson for a while. We get into politics when I talk about why, but I think it boils down to representation of the people. There's a reason why the northern counties in California and even some of the Southern counties in Oregon have a growing interest in forming what at this time would be the 51st State of Jefferson. Right now there's talk about other new states being created in this country, and that could ultimately lead to the State of Jefferson finally coming into existence.

We know about incorporating politics into the title of our racing media identity. The original meaning of the DC in DCRR was Delta County. At the same time the movement was gathering momentum to rename West Pittsburg, California to Bay Point, people "over the hill" on the east side of Contra Costa County were talking about creating a new county called Delta County. This is because East Contra Costa County was growing so rapidly and people felt their needs weren't being met by the current political infrastructure. Delta County never happened, but the State of Jefferson could happen eventually.

In 2016, we created a new racing blog called Jefferson Racing News, which was created to cover the racing scene from Douglas County all the way down to Placer County. Depending on the sources, all of these counties have had people expressing an interest in the State of Jefferson, and we liked the idea of doing a blog for racing that covered what could be the 51st state. As our media effort grows, we are looking to rebrand the other blog, depending on what happens in the next year. As nothing has been decided yet, we'll just leave it there for now.

This didn't change our desire to have a blog covering racing in the State of Jefferson. This time around, we decided to go with more of a Jefferson State look with our logo and put state in the title. Hence, Jefferson State Racing News is what we went with. We're not necessarily committing to a regular weekly media effort. Currently, our DCRR Racing News blog handles the weekly stuff, and this blog would serve more for special racing articles that are catering more towards the proposed 51st state.

What's interesting is not all state capitals have race tracks, but the state capital for Jefferson is Yreka. Siskiyou Golden Speedway has been around for at least 60 years. In fact, they even have a smaller track there at the fairgrounds location for Outlaw Karts. This is the training ground for the next generation of racers who will go on to compete at the bigger track. Siskiyou Golden Speedway is an IMCA sanctioned track. They've run IMCA Modifieds and IMCA Sport Modifieds, but currently the former division doesn't have a date on the schedule. The Sport Modifieds have become the headliners.

It's interesting to look at what an IMCA sanctioned State point race might look like in the 51st State of Jefferson. If you go all the way down south, you have Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico. Butte County is a part of Jefferson, as well as Glenn County, which includes Orland Raceway. Orland isn't a track with IMCA sanctioning, although they do have the occasional visit from the Sport Modifieds. Yuba County is included in some people's versions of the State of Jefferson, and they have Marysville Raceway. The track has a thriving IMCA Sport Modified division

In the center of the State of Jefferson, not only do you have Yreka, but you have American Valley Speedway in Quincy and Diamond Mountain Speedway in Susanville. They represent Plumas and Lassen counties, respectively. Both tracks feature the IMCA Modifieds and Sport Modifieds. In Southern Oregon, there is Southern Oregon Speedway, located in White City in Jackson County. They also feature IMCA Modifieds and IMCA Sport Modifieds. 

Depending on the map you go by, Douglas County, which features Douglas County Speedway in Roseburg and Coos County, which features Coos Bay Speedway in Coos Bay, also are located in Jefferson State. Roseburg's track is unsanctioned, and Coos Bay is a NASCAR track. They do run Modifieds and Sport Modifieds there, although they are currently unsanctioned.

Undoubtedly, the biggest IMCA Sport Modified name residing within Jefferson is Jorddon Braaten. When he shows up at Southern Oregon Speedway or Siskiyou Golden Speedway, he's immediately the driver to beat in Sport Modified competition. Likewise, the Sanders brothers, Matt and Isaac, are fast when they go to those two tracks. From further down south, you have Brian Cooper and brother Todd Cooper, who compete at both Marysville and Chico. Occasionally, you see them in Yreka, but you're more apt to see Yuba City's Jimmy Ford make the trip there and the Medford track. From Susanville and Quincy, Craig Nieman and Richard Longacre offer tough competition.

The IMCA Modified division could certainly use more places to race. At one time, they were thriving at Yreka. Last year they had anywhere from a half-dozen to 12 cars on average, but management felt they needed a break. Chico also featured a Modified class for years, but it too was disbanded a few years back. They feature Sprint Cars as does Marysville Raceway. They have a pretty good circuit going between the Quincy and Susanville tracks, and Southern Oregon Speedway remains committed to the division.

They don't get much better than Mark Wauge, a seven-time Medford champion. Mark has run Late Models for the past couple of years but is returning to his Modified roots. Two-time Yreka and Medford champion Albert Gill likes supporting both the Medford and Yreka tracks, as does multi-time Yreka champion Nick Trenchard. Ryan McDaniel was displaced when Chico stopped running the class, but he is the reigning Susanville champion. He likes to travel wherever he can and is always a factor. In the Susanville and Quincy area, Chris Nieman and Chase Nieman are both champions who travel between the two tracks. Riley Simmons is another driver who offers tough competition. The State of Jefferson would surely have an interesting IMCA point battle.

Some of the tracks in the region don't get a bunch of attention. This includes the newest member of the racing community, Mountain Valley Raceway. This track is located in Trinity County at the fairgrounds in Hayfork. This is their 10th Anniversary season. A little over a decade ago, Clyde Cordell had a dream to do something with the dormant race track, and Stock Car racing was what he had in mind. It took a couple of years to make it happen, but it did. Sadly, Clyde passed away before he could see his vision become reality.

In Clyde's honor, the biggest race of the year happens during the Trinity County Fair. It's the Clyde Cordell Memorial race. When you win this race, not only are you competing for increased prize money, you also get your name added to the perpetual trophy. Everybody wants that honor. Last year, Freddie Leeper got the win. Since the names are all listed on the trophy, at least you know that bit of Hayfork racing history. The track does things a little bit differently and isn't as organized as some tracks. Much of its history is either lost or not easily available to view, and that's a shame. DCRR Racing Media has attempted to document as much as we can.

Currently, Josh Smith is the promoter there. A couple of years ago, they got the attention of Bakersfield area racing enthusiast Jerm Smith, who had helped promote special events and had a hand in keeping Rocky Hill Speedway in Porterville going for a few years. He liked what he saw in Hayfork and relocated there. He was hoping to help them take the track to the next level. Sadly, he passed away last year. Josh Smith is a proud resident of Hayfork and one of the original drivers when the track opened a decade ago. He's counted as a two-time Hobby Stock champion.

For many racers, including Josh, it's about family. He still races occasionally, but it's more about his son Chayce Smith competing in Outlaw Karts these days. Josh and his boy travel all over to compete, but he's also a bit concerned that his hometown dirt track continues. Therefore, he threw his hat in the ring to promote this year. One of the things he did was cut a smaller Outlaw Kart track in the infield. It needs work. However, Josh knows the value of getting kids involved in the sport. They had a Kart track there before, and if he has his way, they will have one that is even better than the one they originally had.

In Hayfork, they feature Hobby Stocks and Mini Stocks. When the drivers show up in force, both classes can get double-digit counts. Even if there's only a half-dozen cars in each class, they still go out there and race. You can rest assured that a win is still a win and it matters to them. They are also in the process of developing a Sport Modified class. They are currently unsanctioned, but they would like to build it to a level worthy of sanctioning one day. They like the idea of bringing anything there that drivers want to race. This would include Sprint Cars, Dwarf Cars or just about anything. If you're willing to go racing in Hayfork, they can make a place for you.

One of the neat things about the Trinity County Fairgrounds track is the scenery. You're actually pitting among the trees like you're out in the woods. The setting is perfect for one of the track's staple divisions, Enduro cars. This division features just about any make or model of car you can imagine. They've even had vans out on the track. It's a combination of a Destruction Derby and a race. The object is still to make as many laps as you can, but there is contact. When you get to the last car on the track, you have your winner.

Frequently, this division brings the biggest number of competitors. This is probably because it's the most affordable way into the sport. Smith is trying to figure out a way to promote it even bigger and better and may have a championship season for the class this year.

Before the race, the track gets watered down, they line the drivers up from a standing start and turn them loose. Last weekend was a practice day, and Smith had the inspiration of putting up $500 in a winner take all Enduro battle. Driving for Chayce Smith Motorsports, Bennett Gooch took a turn behind the wheel of one of these cars and outlasted the other six competitors for the win. 

Bennett was out there to give the track a little bit of coverage through his YouTube show. They've had media attention from outside the area in the past as they try to get more exposure. After getting the win and posing with his unique winner's trophy, Bennett promptly handed the $500 check over to young Chayce Smith to put into his Outlaw Kart program. There's no doubt that we'll see Chayce Smith on the big track one day. Actually, he has driven his Outlaw Kart around that track, but we are talking Hobby Stocks or maybe even a Modified by then.

If there is one thing the track needs to work on, it is putting out information on who is competing and full race results. They've had lots of photos through the years, but depending on the year, you may see something or nothing at all as far as race results are concerned. This might have something to do with the fact that they don't have a big crew doing the job. They have enough people to keep the gates open and keep the show going, but Josh Smith is hoping to change that by hiring people to do other jobs. 

Hayfork has the potential to host a big special event that attracts people from throughout the State of Jefferson and beyond. It needs planning, good sponsorship and media exposure. In the meantime, they'll keep doing their thing on any given Saturday night. The season will get started on May 15th with Hobby Stocks, Mini Stocks, Modifieds and Enduro cars

One of the better known tracks in the State of Jefferson is Shasta Speedway in Anderson, California. When things were really going well for the place, they were NASCAR sanctioned and would have huge events that attracted racers from throughout the Western States. In recent years, the track has fallen on hard times. They do race a little bit each year, but much like Hayfork, you don't hear a lot about who is winning, how many cars are there or any of that.

Promoter Dave Twyman stepped in to keep the gates from closing a few years ago and has had his struggles. At times, events have to get canceled whether it's because of the heat or some other reason. However, the show still goes on there. Family is certainly a theme in motorsports, and what they like to do in Shasta is have the drivers line up on the front straightaway during intermission and let the kids meet their heroes. You can find pictures on the Shasta Speedway Facebook page. The regular divisions there include Bombers, Hornets and Legend Cars, but they like to bring touring groups such as the BCRA Midgets, NCMA Sprint Cars and the bigger INEX Legends of the Pacific races.

A few weeks ago, they had one of the traveling groups come in and headline the show. It was the North State Modified Series. Based in the 51st State of Jefferson, this division is booked for multiple visits, and they delivered an impressive 16 car field on this occasion. Kyle Tellstrom was tough to beat last year during the pandemic season. He picked up where he left off in the most recent race by getting the win ahead of Scott Winters, Ian Elliott, Keith Bloom and PJ Pedroncelli. The North State Modified Series has a Facebook page and a website, so you can get all of the information on what they do.

Sadly, Shasta Speedway only has a Facebook page and no website. Though they use the MyLaps electronic scoring system, it's not often they put the finishes up for people to see. At the most recent event, they delivered about a dozen Legend cars and a half-dozen bombers. We haven't gotten any information on the Hornet division, and we couldn't tell you who got the Bomber win as that information hasn't made its way through any source we have. However, Carlee Austin picked up the win in the Legend Cars race.

Some will say Shasta has the best pavement track in the State of Jefferson, but others will dispute that. In Mendocino County, they have Ukiah Speedway, and up in Douglas County, Oregon, there's Douglas County Speedway in Roseburg. That track also hosts an ARCA West Series event every year. Some will include Lake County in the State of Jefferson, and they have a rather nice pavement track as well. This year, David Furia of Furia Motorsports took over the duties of promoting Lakeport Speedway, which had been run by the NCRA for over 50 years.

Furia has been developing a nice program at Ukiah Speedway, featuring the Limited Modifieds, Bombers, Jammers, Jalopies and 4 Cylinder Modifieds. The same classes go to Lakeport along with visits from the Legends Cars and Bandoleros. At this time, there are no North State Modified Series races on the schedule at either track, but Furia has been known for putting up money and running Open Modified races with success. They had a modest but successful opening at Lakeport last week with the Modifieds being won by Sierra Furia and the Bombers being won by Charley Tour.

The Bombers have the North State Bomber Series, which Furia was instrumental in creating. In addition to Lakeport and Ukiah, they also have a date at Shasta. Over in Humboldt County in Eureka is Redwood Acres Raceway. There are also included in the 51st State of Jefferson. They have been fortunate enough to get North State Modified Series Events and also have one of these Bomber Series races. On any regular night, they feature Late Models, Bombers, Mini Stocks, Roadrunners and Legend Cars, and those five divisions will be opening the season this Saturday night. They have a limited schedule this year, but the show continues on. They were one of the few tracks last year that crowned champions despite being negatively affected by the pandemic.

Southern Oregon Speedway has undergone a management change, and the facility is undergoing renovations under the new promotional team of Southern Oregon Motorsports. This is covered elsewhere in this blog post, but the Medford area has a long and storied tradition of racing that goes back into the 1950s. In fact, they've had several different race tracks during that time, some of which only ran for a couple of years. The most notable and successful among them was the Medford Raceway at The Posse Grounds. It ran throughout the 1950s until May 22nd of 1989. The decade of the 80s ended with the closure of that track.

It took seven years, but John Skinner was able to build the current Southern Oregon Speedway track in White City, Oregon. This year is actually the 25th Anniversary season. After Skinner departed, Promoter Mike McCann introduced Late Models and Limited Sprints to the program and brought back the Late Model Lites. He also made an effort to finally get some promotion behind the Hornet class. These four divisions will be on the roster this year at various times along with IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Modifieds, Pro Stocks and Southern Oregon Dwarf Cars. The scheduled opener is on May 29th and will feature the IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Modifieds, Late Models and Hornets.

The Southern Oregon Dwarf Cars and Outlaw Pro Stocks also race at Siskiyou Golden Speedway in Yreka. The track sort of counts on the traveling groups that come in. Currently, the only locally based divisions they have are the IMCA Sport Modifieds, Mini Stocks and a fledgling division known as the Jefferson State Jalopies. Yes, division creators JJ Smith and Karl Bernstein took inspiration from the 51st State of Jefferson when naming this division. In fact, the #1x car is their Jefferson State Tribute Car, driven by Marilyn Yawnick to the championship in 2019.

Yawnick has been an instrumental player in helping keep the show going, especially in the later years of the track's promotion through the Siskiyou County Motorsports Association. What's left of the SCMA is now building an RC track in Montague, California, and Kevin Barba has come in to keep the dirt track going. They've had a couple of events this year and had over 40 cars compete a couple of weeks ago. There are some shows that should be big in the coming weeks, including Saturday's IMCA Sport Modified, Outlaw Pro Stock, Southern Oregon Dwarf Car and Mini Stock event. On Memorial Day weekend, they have the Outlaw Pro Stocks joining forces with the Tri State Pro Stock Challenge Series for the Billy Geyer Memorial race. May 29th and 30th will surely be occasions to mark on your calendar.

Jeff Olschowka entered the picture at Diamond Mountain Speedway in Susanville in a similar fashion to Barba. The program was in danger of closing at the Lassen County Fairgrounds, but he came in, made some improvements and had his first year during the pandemic. Furthemore, he was able to have fan attendance for most of those races. There weren't very many tracks that could bolster that claim. IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Modifieds, Hobby Stocks and Mini Stocks are at the heart of what they do in Susanville, and there is frequently a better than average purse attached to the program. At various times, you're going to see Pro Stocks, Sprint Cars and Dwarf Cars there as well.

We're just doing an introductory column here, but we could certainly talk about other tracks in the State of Jefferson. Some of those tracks have been included in our race review articles on our DCRR Racing News blog this year. We will close with Cedarville and the story of Alturas Speedway. Cedarville Speedway is located at the Modoc County Fairgrounds. As with some of the other tracks in the central Jefferson area, you don't hear much about what they do outside of the area. Cedarville has a nice Stock Car history, but much of that is probably lost unless it's archived in the pages of the local newspaper there.

The last good run they had was about 20 years ago when a local Street Stock organization was keeping it alive. There's been rumors that the group was trying to reorganize to do something, but it may have been put on hold when the pandemic hit. Also about 20 years ago, there were the occasional Late Model Tour races that went over with some success. There are some good racers who have competed there in the past, not the least of which was Gordon Russell Sr. His son, Gordon Russell Jr, has competed in the Pro Stocks in recent years and was a part of the old Nevada Pro Stock group.

Gordon introduced the Gordon Russell Sr Memorial race as a way to pay tribute to his father, but he got the inspiration to bring this race to Cedarville. The idea was not just to remember his father, but all of the people who helped make Cedarville Speedway the special place that it was. Like all of the others who competed there, Gordon has fond memories of the old days. They were able to hold races from 2017 -2019 (Won by Shawn Natenstedt, Jay Sears and Scott Lenz), and they attracted nice fields of Pro Stock drivers for the big money. Even the Hobby Stocks generated good support for an increased purse.

Things seemed to be going well, and Gordon was on his way to planning the 2020 installment of the race. Unfortunately, the pandemic shut down the Modoc County Fairgrounds. This special race, which had attracted nice crowds, was not going to happen. Currently the race is circled on the calendar for June 12th. It would be a Tri State Pro Stock Challenge Series event with Hobby Stocks in support. The Tri State Pro Stock Challenge Series features racers from throughout California, Nevada and even Oregon and would surely put on a good show.

We like seeing people trying to promote auto racing in the 51st State of Jefferson or anywhere, for that matter. Cedarville has been long overdue to get the race track going again, and even Gordon felt like the Pro Stock race he was promoting could be a catalyst to create a more regular show there in the future. If and when he's able to put the Gordon Russell Sr race back on the track and we get back to some sort of normalcy, maybe things will proceed and more racing will happen there in the future.

What's interesting is the Cedarville track wasn't the only the track in the area. If you look at the satellite maps, you can still see the outline of an old dirt track in Alturas that is off of the Highway 115. This is because the Alturas Speedway was built around 1958 and ran on and off through 1980. They ran a Stock Car program, and Gordon's father was one of the competitors. You can still find some articles on those races in the pages of the old Racing Wheels Newspaper. It does beg the question. This track has just been sitting in the weeds for 40 years. Nothing has been built in the area and the location doesn't seem to have a neighbor problem. Therefore, could racing be brought back to Alturas Speedway again?

We don't know if and when the 51st State of Jefferson will become a reality. As the political landscape has shifted, we are hearing of other new states possibly being created in the near future. The movement to create a State of Jefferson is well over a century old, and the idea hasn't gone away. Some will say that the State of Jefferson is a state of mind, and they may be right. However, it's a state of mind that can help bring the 51st State of Jefferson into reality. Much like the other 50 states in the union, the people of the State of Jefferson like to go auto racing.

Diamond Mountain Speedway Season 

Is Just Getting Revved Up 

Susanville, CA...Diamond Mountain Speedway has put four races into the books, and it has been very exciting so far. In his second season as promoter, long time racer Jeff Olschowka is still offering the fans a nice variety of divisions. The core four classes on the roster continue to be the IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Modifieds, Hobby Stocks and Mini Stocks. The track has also seen visits from the Battleborn Sprint Cars of Nevada and the Northern Nevada Dwarf Cars.

With a bit of increased prize money on the line for the IMCA Modifieds to kick things off on April 2nd and 3rd, the car count increased to 28 cars. This meant they would need a B Main on both nights. Shawn Natenstedt started on the front row for the opener and held off point leader Riley Simmons to get the victory. Past champion Chris Nieman, Mitch Murphy and Tyson Blood made up the balance of the Top 5 that night. Nevin Kennemore had to win the B Main ahead of reigning champion Ryan McDaniel and Albert Gill just to get into the show. It was Wade Kennemore, Natenstedt, Simmons and Gene Kay winning the heat races.

A night later, Simmons took it up a notch, but he had to work to earn the feature win. He started back in the seventh row and worked his way to the front of the pack before winning ahead of Gill, Chris Nieman, Blood and Jimmy Lipke. Nevin Kennemore again had to win the B Main to get into the show with Simmons and Wade Kennemore following in second and third. Jason Pestka, McDaniel, Gill and Kay were the heat race winners.

A dozen drivers turned out for the third event on April 10th, and McDaniel found the Winner's Circle ahead of Simmons, Chris Nieman, Nevin Kennemore and Wade Kennemore. Mark Skender and Matt Murphy got the heat race wins. The most recent race on April 17th found Simmons turning the tables on McDaniel and holding him off for the victory as Chris Nieman, Zach Fettinger and Nevin Kennemore rounded out the Top 5 in the 17 car field. Simmons, Scott Foreman and McDaniel were the heat race winners. After four races, Simmons leads Chris Nieman by six points, McDaniel by 13 and Nevin Kennemore by 22.

The IMCA Sport Modifieds continue to show progress with an increasing car count, and 19 drivers came to race at the April 2nd opener. Past Marysville champion Phillip Shelby started on the second row and held off Tyler Rodgers to get the win. Past champion Richard Longacre, Colton Chew and Jimmy Ray Huffmon rounded out the Top 5 that night. Longacre, Rodgers and past champion Jason Emmot picked up the heat race wins. A night later, Grass Valley visitor Andrew Peckham started on the front row and held off Longacre for the win. Chew, Shelby and Huffmon made up the balance of the Top 5. Shelby and Chew won the heat races.

They delivered a field of 14 cars for the April 10th race, and reigning champion Craig Nieman won from the pole. Huffmon came from the last row to finish second ahead of Emmot, Shayna Nieman and Joe Pearson. Craig Nieman and Longacre won the heat races. The most recent race saw 14 competitors once again. Chew came from the sixth row to score an impressive victory over polesitter Andy Welch. Marysville visitor Jimmy Ford, Longacre and Pearson rounded out the Top 5. Heat wins went to Dennis Crook, Welch and Emmot. After four races, Chew leads Longacre by five points, Shayna Nieman by 11 and Pearson by 12.

The track pays better than most when it comes to the Hobby Stock division and attracts a good field of racers. For the April 2nd opener, they had 18 cars. Oregon's Jeff Marson started on the front row and won that race with reigning champion Randy Boyd of Nevada coming from the sixth row to finish second ahead of fifth row starter Nick Boucher, Jesse Yankee and Aaron Flournoy. Flournoy, Marson and Boucher won their respective eight lap heat races. The next race saw Nevada racer Royce Goetz charging from the fourth row to take the lead from Randy Boyd and collect the $400 paycheck. Boyd settled for second ahead of Marson, Robert Warf and Yankee. Marson, Royce Goetz and Carl Barlow grabbed the heat race wins.

There were 13 competitors for the April 10th race, and Royce Goetz and Jacob Dias came from the third row for the 1-2 finish. Barlow, Dan Dieter and Douglas Weeks rounded out the Top 5. Flournoy and Rocky Goetz picked up the heat race wins. Management decided to offer $1,000 to the winner on April 17th and attracted a strong field of 18 competitors. Royce Goetz grabbed the big prize by battling front row starter Dias for the win. Rocky Goetz finished third ahead of Flournoy and Barlow. They ran two sets of eight lap heat races, and the wins went to Dieter, Royce Goetz, Dias and Boyd. Deiter and Dias won both of their heat races. Dias leads Dieter by three points in a close championship battle as Boyd is nine points back, and Flournoy is 12 points out of the lead in fourth.

The Mini Stocks produced a 10 car field for their April 2nd opener, and reigning champion Kate Robertson came from the last row to win ahead of Suzie Schmitt, Johnny Moya, Robert Feller and Andy Hast. Robertson and Tony Quinonez won the heat races. A night later, Robertson wrapped up the double win weekend by holding off fifth row starter and multi-time Orland champion Tom Davis for the win. Quinonez, Moya and Feller rounded out the Top 5. Davis and Anthony Esquaville won the heat races.

Robertson continued to roll on April 10th. She bested the 10 car field from her pole position start. Boucher came from the fifth road to finish second ahead of Davis, Feller and Bob Kelly. Robertson and Davis picked up the heat race wins. The most recent race on April 17th saw Schmitt snap the Robertson win streak. Quinonez finished second ahead of Matt Canada, Moya and Joe Marlow. Robertson and Davis picked up the eight lap heat races, but Davis was disqualified in the Main Event. Robertson leads the standings after four races by eight points ahead of Moya. Feller is nine points out of the lead in third and four ahead of Schmitt.

On the big opening weekend of April 2nd and 3rd, there were over 100 cars in the pits. This was assisted by an appearance of the Battleborn Sprint Cars and the Dwarf Cars. The Sprint Car race on the 2nd saw Orry Stevens come from the third row to win ahead of Bruce Ferrier, Nick Purdy, Josh Bolt and Larry Tachovsky. Ferrier and Stevens got the heat race wins.  They gained a car at 10 competitors a night later, and Ferrier started on the front row to claim the victory ahead of Grasen Tenora, Stevens, Purdy and Bolt. Purdy and Tenora picked up the heat race wins.

A half-dozen competitors showed up for the Dwarf Cars on the 2nd, and Joe Frock followed up the heat race win with a Main Event triumph. He started in the third row and won ahead of Chris Cristiano, Glenn Sciarani, Dillon Kintz and Justin Schilling. Frock picked up heat race and Main Event wins a night later. He again came from the third row to win the feature race ahead of Cristiano, Sciarani, Dillon Kintz and Nathan Howard.

Much like last season, the car count continues to be solid at the Susanville track. They return to action with another doubleheader weekend on May 7th and 8th that will feature the IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Modifieds, Hobby Stocks and Mini Stocks. For further information, go to www.dmspeedway.com or look for the Diamond Mountain Speedway Facebook page.

 

 

Southern Oregon Speedway Releases Schedule 

For Its 25th Anniversary Season

Medford, Oregon...April 15...After some worry within the racing community in the Medford area about the future of the track, they got the good news a week ago. A group of people, led by Travis Hoppes, formed a racing association with intent of saving Southern Oregon Speedway. They got the keys to the gates on April 8th and quickly started the cleanup process needed to begin to get the track ready for what will be it's 25th Anniversary season. 

Believe it or not, it was 25 years ago when John Skinner completed construction of the facility and opened its gates for racing. The racing enthusiasts in the area hadn't had weekly racing since the closure of Medford Raceway in 1989, and they were delighted that it returned in 1996. Skinner guided the place through 20 years as the promoter, and during the first 10 of those years, the track had a program that rivaled any place on the West Coast.

On April 12th, speedway management released their tentative schedule. They asked the racing community a week earlier who wanted to race, and what divisions they represented. They were met with overwhelmingly positive response from people across multiple divisions who wanted to support the track. As it turns out, all of the divisions featured in 2019 will get a shot to go racing on the 3/10 mile clay oval at least a time or two this year.

The track will continue with its IMCA sanctioning, making it the ninth season that it has had its Modified and Sport Modified divisions under the banner of the oldest sanctioning body in the United States. The Late Model and Limited Sprint divisions, which had been founded and built up over the previous five years, both return, along with another division revived in the last five years, the Late Model Lites. Also making the schedule this year for some races are the Pro Stocks, Mini Stocks, Hornets and the Southern Oregon Dwarf Cars.

The new staff is trying to assemble all of the needed parts to make it possible to open as planned on Memorial Day weekend, May 29th. The event has been billed as a "soft opening" and will feature the IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Modifieds, Late Models and the Hornets. Management will be rotating all of these divisions, as has been done in the previous five years. In this way, they are hoping to get a similar result, meaning stronger car counts on the nights a particular division is booked. Rather than racing every week, many drivers use weeks off to do other things or repair their equipment. This is all about providing the fans the best racing experience on whatever nights they choose to spectate.

On May 5th, the Limited Sprints make their return along with a visit from the Southern Oregon Dwarf Cars, IMCA Sport Modifieds, Pro Stocks and Hornets. One of the track"s signature events returns the following week. It will be the Eighth Annual Roger Haudenshild Tribute race, which will feature the IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Modifieds, Late Models and Hornets. Mini Stock fans will get their first glimpse of the class on June 26th, joined by the IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Modifieds and the Pro Stocks. 

The track had its first big Late Model show in years back in 2019, and the new management has revived an old classic event, the Battle of the Borders. This two-day extravaganza happens on July 2nd and 3rd and will feature Late Models on both nights. The Late Model Lites will be there on both nights, with the Pro Stocks competing on July 3rd. The Side by Sides are a new attraction that the track will have on multiple occasions, including July 2nd. In fact, they are doing a Father's Day extravaganza for the class on June 19th.

On July 23rd and 24th, the Lon Skinner Memorial returns to the schedule. The 22nd running of this event will feature the IMCA Modifieds and Sport Modifieds on both nights. The Friday show will also include Limited Sprints, while the Southern Oregon Dwarf Cars compete on Saturday. On August 14th, the track will host the Rocky Nash Memorial, featuring the Tri State Pro Stock Challenge Series. Joining them will be the Limited Sprints, Late Model Lites and Mini Stocks.

A highlight on the schedule will take place on Labor Day weekend, September 3rd and 4th. It will be the fourth running of the R Charles Snyder Salute. The IMCA Modifieds will headline on both nights with the IMCA Sport Modifieds joining them along with the Limited Sprints and Side by Sides on Friday night. The Saturday show will also include the Late Models, Late Model Lites and Pro Stocks, making this yet another big event to circle on your calendar.

September 11th will be the first Championship Night, featuring the Late Models, Limited Sprints, Late Model Lites and Mini Stocks. The second Championship Night happens on September 18th and will feature the IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Modifieds, Pro Stocks and Hornets. Wingless Sprints have been penciled in for September 25th along with the Side by Sides and a special backwards race. The track leaves room for the possibility of some activity in October that is to be determined, and as always, the schedule is subject to some adjustments that may be needed.

There will be lots of activity happening as the new promotional team will also be ushering in a new era of MX racing at the track that was created within the last few years under the previous management. Also, the Outlaw Kart track has been given its most ambitious schedule in years, which features the usual classes on May 21st and has a schedule that goes all the way into October. More details will be forthcoming.

Thanks to the pandemic situation, the 2020 season never happened. Without fans being allowed, the previous management didn't see a way to make it viable, and this caused them to ultimately walk away after a four year run. They left in place some good building block divisions that the new team will try to build upon. 

For those keeping score, the last champions were crowned in 2019. They include Mike Wheeler (Limited Sprints), Trent Elliott (Late Models), Zach Fettinger (IMCA Modifieds), Jorddon Braaten (IMCA Sport Modifieds), Greg Arnold (Late Model Lites), Josh King (Southern Oregon Dwarf Cars), David Steele (Mini Stocks) and Dylan Sauer (Hornets).

Upon announcing that they were taking over the track, Hoppes defined the tasks assigned to the other board members in the interest of providing a good racing experience for fans and racers alike. The team includes Southern Oregon Racing Hall of Famer Dane Smith, Jon DeBenedetti, Brian Bowman, Albert Gill, James Anderson and Travis Snyder. 

Work has already begun in making preparations for the coming season. There's much to be done to make sure the Outlaw Karts can get their season started on May 21st and the big track will be operational on May 29th. However, the team is confident that everything will be ready to go. You can keep up to date by following the Southern Oregon Speedway Facebook page. A new web page will be forthcoming, and you can find out that information when it's available by going to the aforementioned Facebook page.

Southern Oregon Speedway Tentative 2021 Schedule

May 29th - Grand Opening soft start - IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Modifieds, Late Models, Hornets

June 5th - Limited Sprints, IMCA Sport Modifieds, Southern Oregon Dwarf Cars, Hornets, Pro Stocks

June 6th - Test and Tune

June 12th - Roger Haudenshild Tribute - IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Modifieds, Late Models, Hornets

June 19th - First Annual Father's Day Side by Side Extravaganza

June 26th - IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Modifieds, Pro Stocks, Mini Stocks

July 2nd - Battle of the Borders, Late Models, Late Model Lites, Hornets

July 3rd - Battle of the Borders, Late Models, Late Model Lites, Side by Sides

July 10th - IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Modifieds, Pro Stocks, Hornets

July 11th - Test and Tune

July 17th - Jackson County Fair 

July 23rd -21st Annual Lon Skinner Memorial - IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Modifieds, Limited Sprints

July 24th - 22nd Annual Lon Skinner Memorial - IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Modifieds, Southern Oregon Dwarf Cars

July 28th - Test and Tune

July 31st - Late Models, Pro Stocks, Late Model Lites, Mini Stocks

August 1st - Test and Tune

August 7th - Special Event TBA

August 14th - Rocky Nash Memorial - Tri State Pro Stock Challenge, Limited Sprints, Late Model Lites, Mini Stocks

August 15th - Test in Tune

August 21st - Limited Sprints, IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Modifieds, Hornets

August 28th - Limited Sprints, Late Models, Pro Stocks, Mini Stocks

September 3rd - R Charles Snyder Salute - IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Modifieds, Limited Sprints, Side by Sides

September 4th - R Charles Snyder Salute - IMCA Modifieds, Late Models, Pro Stocks, Late Model Lites

September 8th - Test and Tune

September 11th - Championship Night 1 - Limited Sprints, Late Models, Late Model Lites, Mini Stocks

September 18th - Championship Night 2 - IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Modifieds, Pro Stocks, Hornets

September 25th - Wingless Sprints, Backwards Race, Side by Sides

Fall Season TBA

Side by Side Racing

Tuff Trucks

??Mud Drags??

 

Outlaw Pro Stock Association Returns For 10th Season

Klamath Falls, Oregon...In the Southern Oregon and Northern California area, Outlaw Pro Stock racing has been a staple class. You can trace its origins in the Medford area to the Sportsman division that branched off from the Street Stocks at Medford Speedway, and the Pro Stocks were an integral part of the rosters offered when Southern Oregon Speedway opened in 1996. In fact, it wasn't uncommon to see them deliver fields of 30 or more cars and have the best supported division of the night back in those days.

Siskiyou Golden Speedway was able to feature the class through the years as well. When the Medford track closed, several of the Sportsman racers ended up in Yreka supporting what was a really healthy division at the time. In the early 2000s, a group of Pro Stock racers, led by the Flowers family, were ardent supporters of Worden Speedway. The track is actually not far from where current Outlaw Pro Stock President Scott Flowers lives, but it's been dormant for over 15 years now.

As happens with divisions of all kinds, they see a decline in numbers over time. Race tracks sometimes make tough decisions to drop certain classes from their lineup. This is what occurred in 2012 when Southern Oregon Speedway management at the time decided that they would go ahead and drop the Pro Stocks as they added the IMCA Sport Modifieds. This caused a fracture in the lineup as a few of the drivers went ahead and joined the new Sport Modified class. That left the rest of the Medford and Klamath Falls racers fighting to keep Pro Stock racing alive.

At the time, two of the important figures in Medford fighting for the cause were former President Arlen Heath and Maurie Skaggs. The association running Siskiyou Golden Speedway at the time offered the Pro Stocks a lifeline by booking them for several races, and the Outlaw Pro Stock Association was officially born that year. Though the door wasn't open for them to go back as a group to the Medford track in 2012, drivers did support a race or two. By remaining united, the Outlaw Pro Stock Association eventually did get included on the 2013 schedule at Southern Oregon Speedway and have had at least some dates there every year since.

By sticking to their guns and keeping the rules sensible and affordable, a remarkable thing happened with the association. By 2015, they offered some of the strongest car counts at the Medford track as the numbers even went into the 20s. The division in decline just a few years earlier was now growing and in demand. The fact is, fendered Stock Car racing such as the Pro Stocks offer has always produced some exciting racing, and people want to see it.

The champion honor roll for the group is a who's who of some of the best drivers you'll find in the area. Ken Irving is a long time supporter of Pro Stock racing and won the 2012 and 2014 titles. Dave Everson could be very difficult to beat at Medford and has since moved on to Super Late Models. However, he won the 2013 championship before moving on. In 2015, a rising young star named Jeffrey Hudson, son of long time Pro Stock supporter Jeff Hudson, became the youngest champion in the group's history at 15 years old. Hudson is currently competing for the IMCA Modified championship in Cottage Grove and was a Southern Oregon Speedway Sprint Car Rookie of the Year before that.

Another long time supporter of Pro Stock racing, Steve Borror, decided to run for points in 2016 and proved rather dominant in claiming the honors that year. Speaking of dominant, Dr Scott Lenz decided to throw his hat in the ring in 2017. A past champion at Southern Oregon Speedway who started his career at the old Medford track, Lenz was also difficult to beat en route to championship seasons in 2017 and 2018. He might have won it again in 2019, but the steady Scott Flowers finally broke through to win a championship. He repeated that accomplishment last year, while also being crowned Yreka track champion for the second-straight year.

Flowers and his family have been about as big of supporters as you'll find for racing. They have multiple cars and have in years past supported Street Stock/Enduro racing as well. Though the competitive fire burns and winning is the goal, Scott is happy to enjoy a good night at the track. In 2019, he finally notched his first career win. In general, you'll find him finishing in the Top 5 unless mechanical issues sideline him. He won a race last season, but it wasn't as easy to win. In fact, the competition level was so high that they produced seven different winners in the eight races held in Yreka.

Despite it being a pandemic year and tracks struggling to get open, there were only less than 10 cars once in the eight Yreka races, and that was a nine-car field. They were otherwise always in double digits with a high of 14 cars, while also delivering a field of over 20 competitors in head-to-head competition with the NASCAR Sportsman Late Models in Coos Bay on one occasion. This all added up to some of the best racing on the program on any night the Outlaw Pro Stocks were part of the deal.

In the end, Scott Flowers won the championship by 42 points. Flowers only missed the Top 5 in one of the eight races held, and his finishes included four seconds in addition to the win. With that kind of consistency, it's difficult to beat him for the championship. Matt Harlow gave it a good run in second, and it was somewhat of a milestone year for him as well. Harlow recorded his first ever win with the group and was in the championship hunt all the way to the end. His win came at the season opener. Colby Hammond nearly get the win that night before settling for a career best second.

A look at the list of winners finds that rookie Darek Alford drove the former Scott Lenz car to his first win as well. Johnny Cobb, who has been competing with the group since it started, got his first win, and Jeff Haudenshild recorded only his second triumph with the group. From Chico Silver Dollar Speedway, two-time track champion Phil Marino was also a winner. The Tri State Pro Stock Challenge Series joined the Outlaws at the Coos Bay event and one of their regulars, Jesse Gonzalez, got that win. Scott Flowers and Johnny Cobb finished third and fourth that night, respectively.

As usual, Scott's son James Flowers did well in points, but it was a difficult season for him with mechanical issues taking him out of the action at times. His season best third place finish helped him in finishing third, one point ahead of Hammond and two points in front of Cobb. Alford ended up topping the rookie board and finishing three points out of fifth in the end. Haudenshild, Denny Burtenhouse Jr, Scott Bennett and Steve Borror rounded out the Top 10. Borror didn't run for points, but he bears distinction as the only driver with two feature wins. He won the final two events of the season in Yreka.

The fact is, just about anybody in this group can win on any given night. Rick Lukins came the closest to winning without taking the checkered flag in first. Like Hammond, he had a season best second place finish. Hammond had one second place finish as well as one third with the group. Scott Bennett didn't race every week, but he managed to grab one third place finish as did Ken LaPlant. All of these hard chargers will be out to get into the winner's circle when the season begins.

The Outlaw Pro Stock Association doesn't have the schedule on their website yet, and this may be due to the fact that they are negotiating for dates in Medford as that track has finally released a schedule. Pro Stocks appear on the schedule several times there, but the association will likely select some races as they've already booked several races in Yreka and don't like to run two weeks in a row when it can be avoided. It's very possible that the Rocky Nash Memorial Tri State Pro Stock race in Medford on August 14th and the R Charles Snyder Salute on September 4th will be included. They have been supporting the Roger Haudenshild Tribute race in Medford, but the June 12th date doesn't include them. As has happened in the past, the Haudenshild family may designate another date to honor Roger with Pro Stock racing, though that hasn't been announced.

They return to Coos Bay Speedway in another head-to-head battle with the NASCAR Sportsman Late Models on July 24th. Otherwise, they will kick things off in Yreka on May 1st, and the Yreka schedule also includes May 15th, Memorial Day, May 29th and 30th, June 19th, July 10th, August 28th, September 11th and September 25th. The Memorial Day weekend event will be a Tri State Pro Stock Challenge race, but the association has indicated they will throw full support behind this race. It is anticipated that the field will grow well into the 20s for the doubleheader weekend.

There's been a bit of a resurgence in Pro Stock racing, and one thing that shouldn't be lost in the discussion is the importance the Outlaw Pro Stock Association has played in this resurgence. If those drivers back in 2012 had given up on the cause, the effort would have gone away completely. Some of the other things happening now probably wouldn't have. The association remains budget minded in their rules, and they have a good group of drivers from the Klamath Falls, Medford and Yreka areas giving them good support. May 1st will see them kick things off at Yreka. You can find more information by going to the Outlaw Pro Stock Association Facebook page.

 

2021 Schedule
May 1 Yreka
May 15 Yreka
May 29-30 Billy Geyer Yreka
June 19 Yreka
July 10 Yreka
July 24 Coos Bay
August 14 Medford
August 28 Yreka
September 4 Medford
September 11 Yreka
September 25 Yreka
Schedule subject to updates

2020 SEASON POINTS STANDINGS

1st: Scott Flowers 552

2nd: Matt Harlow 510 

3rd: James Flowers 476

4th: Colby Hammond 475 

5th: Johnny Cobb 474

6th: Derek Alford 471

7th: Jeff Haudenshield 367

8th: Denny Burtenhouse 300

9th: Scott Bennett 268

10th: Steve Borror 245 

11th: Ricky Lukins 223

12th: Arlen Garrison 169

13th: Ginny Flowers 161

14th: Pablo Duran 146

 

Outlaw Pro Stock Champions
2012 Ken Irving
2013 Dave Everson
2014 Ken Irving
2015 Jeffrey Hudson
2016 Steve Borror
2017 Scott Lenz
2018 Scott Lenz
2019 Scott Flowers
2020 Scott Flowers

Is Another Stock Car Division In The Future 

At Southern Oregon Speedway?

Medford, Oregon...We like to engage in speculation from time to time. Oftentimes, we can read the trends happening in the sport, see something coming and are able to predict it. In this case, there is a trend happening in the sport, but the main goal at Southern Oregon Speedway right now is to just get the gates open. With Southern Oregon Motorsports and Travis Hoppes promoting this deal, they are currently making big improvements to the facility.

When it comes to scheduling in 2021, they had to look around at everybody else's schedules. They tried not to book on top of anything big, and that left them just making the best of things. One thing Hoppes did do was include every division that was a part of the program in 2019 on this year's schedule. This also included the Pro Stock division, which has only had one championship season at the track since the division was dropped from the regular rotation prior to the 2012 season.

It's known that there are anywhere from a dozen to 15 Pro Stocks in the area, though who will actually bring their cars to the track is anybody's guess. This was attempted in 2017 to lackluster support, but things may be different now. The Pro Stocks are having a bit of a resurgence, and management felt the time was right to reinstate this division and apparently will have another go at keeping championship points. It's not really a bad thing to give these guys an opportunity. You only truly fail by not trying.

The Pro Stocks were a staple class at the Medford track when it opened in 1996. In fact, they frequently delivered the biggest car counts back in those days. When Promoter John Skinner opened the gates, he picked the IMCA Modifieds, Pro Stocks and a new Mini Stock class to build the program around. They added Sprint Cars and other things to the mix, but they were in a very good position. They were frequently attracting over 100 cars in the pits with the combined divisions. It was the land of milk and honey at the time.

At the old Medford Raceway, they had Stock Cars and Street Stocks, but an offshoot of the Street Stock division was the Sportsman class. These three divisions continued until the track closed in 1989. The Street Stocks were somewhat brushed aside or forced to compete with the Sportsman division as many drivers were forced to go to Yreka to get their racing fix. Therefore, when Skinner opened the gates in 1996 at Southern Oregon Speedway, Street Stocks were not included. He didn't think they were needed, and he wasn't necessarily wrong in that assessment.

Despite the fact that many tracks on the West Coast in 1996 still had a thriving Street Stock division, the drivers with Street Stocks who were determined to race in Medford could upgrade a little bit and compete with the Pro Stock class. Contrary to rumor, the track didn't have an official Street Stock division as such, but those drivers were welcome. In fact, there was some discussion around 1999 of creating a Street Stock division so that those drivers could be competitive in their own class. The idea was eventually abandoned.

Again, when you get the kind of numbers they had at the time, nobody's necessarily complaining. However, you know how the old saying goes. What goes up, must come down. The numbers at the track began to decline after a stellar 10-year run. By the time 2010 came around, management was open to different ideas. This included taking a hard look at the Street Stock class. By that point, Cottage Grove, Willamette, Sunset and Coos Bay had Street Stocks, and these cars didn't evolve much from what they were in the 1990s, contrary to the direction the division took in California. What they call Hobby Stocks is closer to what Oregon calls Street Stocks.

It first materialized as a Enduro class in 2010. These were cars that were pretty much Street Stocks, and the division got a little bit more structure in 2011. For four years, they kept points in Medford, and this is the division that launched the racing careers of Duane Orsburn, Jorddon Braaten and Miles Deubert. In fact, these three drivers won the championships with Orsburn doing it twice. Another notable driver to get his start in this class was Garrett Dees, who now competes with the Late Models.

The numbers started to peak in 2012, and they were able to get it up to double digit car counts. Unfortunately, management couldn't resist tinkering with the rules. Drivers had what they had, and some of the drivers just walked away at that point. By 2014, when Deubert won the title, the division was a shadow of its former self. Though the cars were still in the area, management gave up on the effort prior to the 2015 season. At the time, John Skinner was just trying to complete his 20 year run in the hopes that he could get reimbursed some of his investment in building the place as per the initial contract. He was about to get an unpleasant surprise, but that's another story.

The Street Stocks did make a return in a bigger way after that. Two big Iron Giant Street Stock Series races were booked, and one of them had over 20 cars. Fans got a taste of the excitement that these fendered Stock Cars can offer. Management was keen on booking two Street Stock races in 2020. They had one scheduled, but the pandemic saw to it that the gates never opened at Southern Oregon Speedway. By 2015, the Street Stock division at Yreka also faded away. At various times, management talked about doing something again, but nothing ever came to fruition.

Fast forward to 2021. Street Stocks are still delivering strong numbers at Cottage Grove and maintaining their presence at Coos Bay. They have been renamed American Classics at Sunset Speedway and will continue to be there along with Willamette Speedway. There are people in Medford who have voiced an interest in this class. Recently, Ryan Nelson talked about having a car. The Nelson family supports Mini Stocks, Hornets and Sport Modifieds, but they like the idea of having a Street Stock division as a step between Sport Modifieds and Mini Stocks.

Two California Street Stock drivers, Jesse Skidmore and Shannon Collins, both have moved up to Oregon in the last few years. Collins still competes in the class they call Hobby Stocks in California. Skidmore ended up getting a Sport Modified. In both cases, the drivers voiced an interest in supporting something in Medford if it were added. Right now, all that's going on is the occasional conversation with the racers, and the track is doing what they have to do with the classes that have already been established. However, there is that nagging question.

Could a Street Stock division be added to the Southern Oregon Speedway lineup in the future? Pro Stocks have been reinstated, and the track will be looking to see how those numbers evolve. They have a pretty big lineup of divisions and have released the intended payouts, but there's something to consider. This is a new management, and we've just been through the pandemic that shut everything down. We still don't know what the numbers are going to be in all of these classes. Things can change in the next few years, and the door may be open for Street Stock racing.

Even some of the Mini Stock competitors, such as two-time Medford and two-time Yreka champion David Steele, have expressed an interest in running a Street Stock, but nothing suitable has been created. Many of the drivers who have competed in the Mini Stocks don't necessarily like the move up to the IMCA Sport Modifieds, and that makes a Street Stock division attractive. Recently, Yreka management has put out feelers again, but this may be a case of following the leader. Yreka would be more apt to make such a move if Medford made it first.

Some people might say that the Street Stock division's time has passed, but they would also advocate for a fendered Stock Car division. While the Street Stocks have a good presence in Oregon, the IMCA Stock Car division has emerged on the West Coast. Willamette and Sunset Speedways will offer the division this year, and Sunset has gone as far as to book a 100 lap race on July 4th that will pay $5,000 to win. The division is also growing in California as Hanford and Bakersfield have been joined by Antioch and Merced this year. Things are happening.

One of the attractive things about the IMCA Stock Cars is the very sanctioning body they bring. You'll find that many Oregon racers are more apt to support racing if there is a sanctioning behind it, at least when it comes to Modifieds and Sport Modifieds. It seems inevitable that Willamette and Sunset will be joined by Cottage Grove in IMCA Stock Car racing within the next few years, and that could lead to Southern Oregon Speedway doing it. It could very well be that the IMCA Stock Cars will eventually find a home at Southern Oregon Speedway after management assesses how things go in the next couple of years.

It's about offering variety to the fans. The desire in Medford is to keep the IMCA Modifieds and IMCA Sport Modifieds going strong, because Modified racing has been a staple class since the gates opened there. However, fendered Stock Car racing has been there right alongside the Modifieds, and they also have a fan base. The addition of the Pro Stocks for so many races this year shows that management knows that fans are interested, but the Stock Car discussion will also continue as Street Stock and IMCA Stock Car advocates make their voices heard. It will be interesting to see where this leads in the future.