Justin Zoch's Upper Midwest Ramblings
Thursday, May 4, 2006
Sometimes we find exhilaration in the strangest of places. Unabashedly, I’d admit that my trip to Davenport to see my first National Sprint Tour was coaxed primarily by curiosity about the series rather than the prospects of seeing a great Sprint Car feature. I’m no fan of half-miles, with a few notable exceptions like Knoxville, Jackson, Terre Haute and a few others, and a flat half-mile deep in the heart of late model country that normally caters to the doorbanger crowd is pretty far from my cup of tea.
With 26 cars on hand, primarily made up of NST cars and Knoxville regulars and World of Outlaws regular Joey Saldana, with local Michael Strader and Sprint Invader Dave Anderson the only other entrants (each of whom were the only two to miss the A-main), a slow-arriving crowd filed into the stands to watch hot laps produce dust from the right rears. It wasn’t looking to be a great night. But, as I said, this was my first opportunity to see the newly formed NST and I figured it was worth the six hour drive just to check it out. “Worth it it was,” to quote Yoda.
Following qualifying, during which Shane Stewart claimed quick time over Steve Kinser, whose stumbling motor still produced second-quick time, the first heat rolled onto the track to a suddenly swelled grandstand. I’ll admit to being fully skeptical that a Tuesday night show, during the school year nonetheless, would work in the hardened stock car stronghold of eastern Iowa, and was very impressed with the attendance. Following the feature, I have few doubts that the stands will be equally full, if not more so, on June 14 when the NST returns to Davenport.
Minus the fact that Danny Lasoski carved up the field and won by over half a lap, or 13.5 seconds, whichever impresses his dominance upon you more, the feature was a stunner. Throughout the A-main, Jason Sides maintained second with a bent left wing panel over Steve Kinser, who was masterful on the bottom in turns one and two and Jason Solwold, who was masterful on the top in turns three and four. Throw Tim Shaffer, Saldana and Jason Meyers into the mix and there was a six car battle for second through seventh raging behind a pack of lapped cars that were battling for position around the narrow half-mile. At the checkereds, it was Lasoski, Sides, Shaffer, Kinser and Solwold. The box score shows Lasoski from the pole in a yawner but that isn’t half of it. This would have been a remarkable race on the tiny track in the infield of the half mile but when one considers this battle raged on a narrow half-mile that played extremely fast on Tuesday, it was breathtaking. Best race I’ve seen this year? Maybe, maybe not, but it’s in the conversation.
As for my impressions of the NST, it was a very well organized show with some lengthy delays due to the lack of a support class, more on that in a minute, but the Brownfield family certainly has the respect of the racers and knows how to run a professional, no frills race program. With all the talk of taking racing to the next level in the past year, I have not seen anything at either an NST or WoO show this season that is particularly revolutionary but the NST did throw in some nice touches, such as letting the dash winner have lane choice for the A-main and letting kids pull pills for dash positions.
Again, back to the support class, there was some confusion in the 305 ranks regarding whether they were to attend this show or the June date. They were to run the ¼ mile in the infield, which was prepared for them, and they will be running it in June. Apparently, an informal fan poll was taken whether to run the ½ or the ¼ come June and fans screamed louder for the big track. Which considering Tuesday’s show versus the rubbered-up Gumout show on June 27, 2000, I agree with the masses. Paul McMahan won that show but struggled on the half-mile this time around, finishing 12th.
Rumors continued to swirl surrounding a possible point fund and influx of cash flow into the NST if all of the drivers sign long term contracts with the organization. No one seemed particularly willing to discuss the matter and only a handful of teams have been confirmed as signing the contract. It will certainly play itself out in the coming weeks.
Tidbits
Brian Paulus pulled out all the stops for Davenport, including a brand new Maxim Chassis and Kistler engine. The team struggled to 21st in qualifying but salvaged the night by moving forward to 14th. Paulus has had a tough season, junking a car at Susquehanna in non-sanctioned action last week and losing an engine at the Grove on Friday…Joe Beaver did not have his 410 engine ready to race on Tuesday night but brought his 360 anyway. He was sort of obliged. His wife, JoAnn, is Fred Brownfield’s niece. Beaver finished last after pulling off early…Jason Solwold looked very fast in the Leonard Lee wrenched R19 and nearly passed Jason Sides for second at one point and was narrowly nipped at the stripe by Steve Kinser for fourth. Solwold will reportedly run the three World of Outlaws races at US36, 81 Speedway and Huset’s this weekend…Knoxville will run the 305s as the companion class to the WDRL Late Models on Friday May 12, just as planned last weekend. That is the rain date for the canceled show. October 7 has been announced for the Knoxville World of Outlaws make up…Craig Carey passed along a note last week that he’ll be running for MSCS Rookie of the Year honors this year, in addition to his Midget duties. Unfortunately, his debut was rained out last Saturday at Lincoln, Illinois. Best of luck to Carey in the ‘big cars’, one of the hardest gassers in the little cars…Time is running out to get into the Knoxville Raceway Pick Five Fantasy Challenge, or any division for that matter. Go to www.shorttrackin.com to get signed up. There are several prizes available and winners will be published in winter issue of FlatOut Magazine.
That’s it for today. Looking forward to a jog around the lake, a nap and a Twins sweep of the Royals this week before heading out onto the road for the can’t miss World of Outlaws show at US36 on Friday, Knoxville’s weekly tilt on Saturday and Huset’s rescheduled Outlaws stand on Sunday, which starts at seven this weekend instead of five. Keep me posted of the comings and goings at Justin@mompub.com.
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