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Plot Twists Abound On CSN Weekend – But For Some – It’s Not Over Yet.
Kennedale TX (10/12/09) by DarinShort.com. On a weekend that left track management, teams and race fans questioning any value in the weather forecasting system, the Cowtown Sprint Nationals (CSN) concluded Sunday with wild racing action, plot turns and ultimately, a final evil twist from Mother Nature.
But then on the other hand, the CSN has not yet concluded for some.
Where to start…the best way would be at the beginning:
Thursday night’s practice went off without a hitch, with 87 degree temperatures and smooth-as-glass track conditions greeting race teams…and the “90% forecast severe afternoon and evening thunderstorms” never materialized until late overnight.
After Thursday’s overnight gully-washer, all weather forecasts proclaimed “green flag conditions the entire weekend, with beautiful fall conditions of sunny and 70 degree temperatures.”
So instead of scrapping the weekend, Cowtown track management pulled together and worked around the clock to whip the facility back into shape for racing on a one-day delayed basis; with the fully scheduled program on tap.
Kennedale Speedway Park officials also joined in on the effort by volunteering their track equipment and work force to double up with the Cowtown effort. Several times in the past seasons both tracks have worked together in their individual times of need; and KSP’s help over this past three day period is greatly appreciated.
The result in that decision to move forward with the complete event was race fans from Washington to Connecticut, 210 drivers from 15 states all converging upon the ¼ mile speed plant…and spilling into KSP’s pit area for Saturday’s kick-off; including a 2009 Texas state record of 71 sprint teams.
Saturday’s assured promise of “beautiful, sunny and 70 degree temperatures” must have been predicted for an entirely different zip code, as cool and cloudy conditions prevailed the entire day. Luckily for fashion stylist Rachel Zoe, none of her clients were attending this event; as they would have certainly ended up on the “What Was She Thinking?” list in the tabloids.
This first twist in the weather led to some soft spots in the corners, as the unscheduled vertical water didn’t have a chance to bake out of the track evenly; which made for unpredictable and wild racing action throughout the night.
Wheelie-popping and bicycling action could be found the entire night, and although some drivers did end up on their lids, no drivers were reported injured throughout the entire CSN weekend.
During the Saturday night sprint feature, fourth place starter TBJ (Tony Bruce Jr.) reeled in the 2008 November Sprint Shootout winner, Tim Crawley, and blasted by for the opening night $2,000 win.
Fantastic racing action was witnessed in all racing divisions and several fan and driver comments are noted later in this recap.
Then, Sunday morning, everyone woke up to expectations of an iron clad forecast of “partly cloudy and mid-60 temperatures”…only to find light drizzle, clouds and temperatures in the 50’s. The track could have easily pulled the plug and sent everyone home cancelling the $8000 to win CSN finale.
But they didn’t.
They worked even harder to whip the pits and racetrack back into the best shape possible, considering the conditions.
Sunday afternoon’s event kicked off about an hour later than originally advertised under dry cloudy skies, and hearty race fans witnessed 10 incredible sprint car races that were all completed setting up the championship feature event. A total of five topless modified and winged 600 final qualifying events were also completed, setting up their final feature lineups.
There were a few sprint cars that ended up on their lids during qualifying action, as a direct result of the tricky surface. But Sammy Swindell’s heat race drive, from last starting spot, to win, reminded race fans how he became a 3-time World of Outlaws champion and 5-time Chili Bowl’s champion. It was his first ever Cowtown appearance.
After a rough start to the CSN on Saturday night when collected in a heat race accident, Sam Hafertepe Jr. was extremely quick on Sunday afternoon and qualified well up in the championship finale.
That’s when Mother Nature dealt a very wicked blow to the race fans, teams and track management.
All of the sudden, several green blotches began appearing on the weather radar, yet without any precipitation forecasted to be a factor.
With just one qualifying race on the track separating the start of the sprint A-feature, a steady light unscheduled vertical water fell on the speedway. After about 15 minutes, it became apparent that it was going to impossible to complete the event with the City of Kennedale’s strictly enforced Sunday night curfew of 10PM.
Knowing there was no perfect solution to the situation that developed, the track management and ASCS officials agreed that since this was an ASCS series point’s event, there were no viable reschedule dates; and the track then decided to pay the entire advertised sprint feature payback to the drivers and not reschedule the race.
Since this race was lined up by how drivers qualified, the track management felt that the purse money should be broken up by starting positions.
The top 6 qualifiers equally split the total payback of the top six finishing positions in the race. In other words, each of those six drivers received $3,250 for their qualifying starting spot without having to turn a lap in the feature. Then, the next six qualified drivers (7th-12th) split equally the next six finishing positions purse money (each received $775); 13th-18th starters received $467; and $400 starting money was paid to the final six qualifying drivers. The entire advertised purse of $29,350 was awarded to those 24 drivers that had qualified for the race.
The track added another paying position in the feature race with the “2008 past champions provisional” to Brian Brown, and he was awarded $400 for his 25th starting place position.
That now left a solution being needed for the Topless 100, Topless Limited Modified Championships and Winged 600’s Championship.
The vast majority of those drivers are from this region. So, the decision was made to postpone the conclusion of their events to Thursday, November 12th; which is the night before the November Sprint Shootout, featuring all three of those classes.
Cowtown is going to host a “Fan Appreciation Night at the Topless 100” on Thursday November 12th; which will be the conclusion of the October 11th events.
This night includes two Limited Modified qualifiers, and all three championship features: The Topless 100 for Modifieds, the 40-lap Topless Limited Modified Championships and the 30-lap Winged 600’s Championships. No new race entries will be allowed, and drivers not previously set in the remaining qualifying grid are not allowed to compete.
Grandstand tickets for Fan Appreciation Night at the Topless 100 are selling for $0.00. That is not a misprint. Ticket prices for grandstand admission on November 12th are zero dollars for all age groups, regardless if you were in the grandstands on October 11th or not.
Each competing team that is pre-qualified for this event will be assigned six pit passes for that evening’s event at no charge. The track has a list of those drivers and teams will sign in by car number to receive their November 12th pit passes upon arrival that evening.
This event will replace the practice night set for the November Sprint Shootout. An alternate practice night date will be announced for the NSS if one becomes available.
All events on November 12th will be paying the complete advertised purse set for October 11th. Pit gates will open at 5pm and grandstands will open at 6pm. Hot laps will be at 6:30pm and races at 7pm. Those that had purchased reserved seats for October 11th will still have access to the reserved section from that event on November 12th.
Any driver that is qualified for the November 12th program (the drivers of the two Limited Modified last chance qualifiers and all drivers in the Topless 100, Topless Limited Modified and Winged 600’s) but cannot return to compete on November 12th can receive the advertised event starting money payback by notifying the track by email only, at [email protected] on or before October 31st. Those drivers not available to return will then have their payback sent to them the following week by mail and their names will be removed from the November 12th line up and free pit pass list.
In other words, if you are a Limited Modifed driver that is scheduled to start the last chance qualifier, but you cannot return on November 12th, you can email the track with your notice to withdraw the rescheduled event and receive $50. Limited Modified pre-qualified A-feature drivers not able to return can request their payment of $200 starting money. The Winged 600’s can receive $150 if they cannot return. The Topless Modifieds can request their starting money of $300 if unable to return for November 12th.
Again, no additional drivers or starting positions will be filled on the November 12th event. Each of the two Limited Modified last chance qualifiers will advance six cars to the feature starting field, regardless of any ‘no-shows’ for the November 12th event; as those drivers already opted to take their starting money instead of returning, so the total purse will remain the same regardless.
In light of this past weekend’s events, the track management has received notification from Ringling Brothers it will be receiving a certificate for its juggling prowess. We will post it at the next event.
Race fans and teams will be rewarded for their patience, understanding and love of racing with the running of the Fan Appreciation Night at the Topless 100 on November 12th.
In summary, from everyone at Cowtown Speedway, we would like to thank everyone for hanging with us down to the ending moments of the Cowtown Sprint Nationals.
We’re all disappointed that we weren’t afforded a bit of more time from Mother Nature to complete the entire event on October 11th, but we did everything in our power to come up with the best scenario possible given the set of parameters we were dealt.
Since the next Cowtown event is scheduled after Halloween, hopefully Mother Nature will not have any additional wicked tricks up her sleeves, and this recent weather madness will stop.
Next up at Cowtown Speedway will be the season ending ‘Holy Grail of Open Wheel Racing’ with the running of the November 12th ‘Fan Appreciation Night at the Topless 100’ and the November 13-14th November Sprint Shootout, featuring $7000 to win the Sprint finale. $2000 will be going to each of winners of the ASCS2 Series division’s finale presented by Eagle Chassis; $2000 to win modifieds and $1500 to win limited modifieds.
This event also concludes the www.SouthernMonthOfMoney.com 5-race sprint schedule.
Complete November Sprint Shootout event details can be found at www.CowtownSpeedway.com as well as ticket information, entry forms and more.
“Quotables and Notables” from the CSN weekend:
One fan commented: “The slugfest on Saturday night’s Modified qualifying feature between sprint car ace Sam Hafertepe Jr. and modified sensation Clyde Dunn Jr. was the best modified race I’ve ever seen.”
Speaking of Hafertepe, he commented that “There was more than one time in the qualifying feature I thought I was going to ‘sprint car flip’ that modified out of the ballpark.”
Both of Hafertepe’s cars (sprint and modified) were lettered up with the upcoming WoOFest on October 24th at Lone Star Speedway in Kilgore TX. Lone Star Speedway was a co-title sponsor for the CSN, and 100% of their sponsorship money was pumped directly into the CSN event purse.
Another fan noted: “I’ve been to about 50 race events in 2009, and the action here this weekend tops all of them.”
2009 Knoxville Raceway 410 Sprint track champion Johnny Herrera stated: “I haven’t been on a track that ‘Cowboy Up’ since Chico California several years back. We had a good car, but just caught a rut at the wrong time here and there, keeping us from getting the job done.”
Brady Bacon must have flipped his car on four or five separate occasions in his heat race…but never actually got upside down in any of them…in his intense drive to advance through the field – which he did much to the delight and amazement of the crowd. His non-winged racing experience clearly came into use at several occasions in the race.
Racing journalist Bill W added: “While some tracks I’ve been to allow their facility to remain unchanged year to year, it’s refreshing to return to Cowtown to see improvements being made.”
Veteran sprint driver Terry McCarl said: “We were at the All Star race when Travis Rutz was injured, and my sponsor and my team want to do what we can to help speed his recovery and get him back on the track.” And help they did. Terry donated 50 embroidered team hats and primary sponsor, Big Game Tree Stands provided a grand prize drawing to a randomly drawn recovery effort donator. And when that name was drawn, the winner was donning nothing other than a Big Game Tree Stands hat to boot.
Washington’s Seth Bergman was also a primary catalyst in the Travis Rutz recovery effort, and donated a large supply of his team apparel. This was his first-ever visit to Cowtown Speedway and quickly adapted to the tricky, fast racing surface and qualified 8th in the championship finale.
After the event was derailed Sunday night, Seth commented: “You have no idea how bad I wanted to run that feature race tonight. Yes, the track was tricky, but I think we would have had something for the big dogs starting in front of us.” Seth also stated his intent to return to Cowtown for the November Sprint Shootout on Nov. 13-14; so hopefully he’ll get chance for redemption then.
Seth’s family plans to fly into the DFW area this weekend to attend the Devil’s Bowl Winter Nationals, and at that time, they will tally the results of the Travis Rutz recovery effort from Cowtown and announce the result.
Travis Rilat’s car was decked out in a special CSN event wrap provided by team and CSN sponsor ShopTheBOSS.com. The familiar #29 was replaced with the number “50 Off” in line with the BOSS’s slogan, “50% Off Floors And More.” But it didn’t stop there. Travis also received a custom Simpson fire suit which was a black-tied tuxedo on the front side and “Buddy the Beaver” who is the moniker of Shop The BOSS on the back side.
Travis Rilat commented similarly to Seth Bergman, in that: “You guys did everything you could do to get this show in this weekend, and I really wanted to get out and race for the championship. It’s a shame the weather turned at the very end and spoiled what would have been an exciting race for the fans.” His comments also mimicked several other team owners and ASCS officials.
Several of the sprint drivers commented that they really felt they had the car to win the race, and were very dejected, both verbally and visually, when the rains rolled in before the feature squashing those dreams, in what was sure to be a fiercely battled event.
A newly formed partnership with the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram is providing race fans and teams excellent online video and images from this and many other Cowtown events. Click http://startelegramsports.typepad.com/motorsports and there you will find links to daily CSN recaps, as well as past Cowtown events.
One final comment came from track promoter, Bo Rawdon: “I’ve been racing and promoting for over 30 years and I’ve never before felt stress like this brought on by weather. I’m confident that collectively our track team made the right calls throughout the weekend from start to finish, and although the weather forecast and weather reality were two different things, we did the best we could do, and that’s nothing to be ashamed of.”
Complete results from the CSN will be posted soon at www.CowtownSpeedway.com in the results section.
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