This message was edited on
October 16, 2010 at
02:01:18 PM by KOP
OCRS SPRINT CARS
FEATURED AT 45TH ANNUAL ENID WINTER NATIONALS
By: John Lemon
Tulsa, Oklahoma (October 14, 2010)
– The 2010 racing season is at its climax for the sprint cars of the
Oil Capital Racing Series and the very warriors that
manhandle their powerful racing machines are set for one final
battle of the season. The venue will be at the Enid Speedway
in Enid Oklahoma on Saturday October 23rd for the 45th
running of the “Enid Winter Nationals”.
Promoter Ed Beckley took over the promotional duties at
Enid Speedway earlier this season and he is continuing Enid’s
long history of running one of the longest consecutive special
events anywhere in the country. OCRS sprint cars have been a part of
the Enid Winter Nationals in recent history and Beckley is
continuing that trend. “The Enid Winter Nationals was
legendary with open wheel racing back in the day with the Super
Modifieds and it was tradition and traditional races usually are
legendary. We want to bring that feel back to Enid and the OCRS is
by far the most competitive sprint car racing in the Mid West today
and I will be looking forward to watch them on this new red rocket
clay” commented
Beckley. The versatile promoter went on to say: “With the end of the
year race on a track that no one can call their home track, this is
going to level the playing field. This should be a terrific way for
the OCRS to showcase their action packed series and spectators can
watch the drama.”
The red clay Beckley speaks of was added this year. It is bright
red, much like that found at the Lawton Speedway in Lawton Oklahoma.
When asked how the response has been regarding the new surface,
Beckley replied: “The ‘Red Rocket Clay’ as I call it, is just
that. Faster than the track has ever been – racey. 3 to 4 wide
racing is the normal photo and it happens lap after lap. With the
new clay, we also banked it more and when I come back next year we
are going to add some more. After this race, these drivers will be
amazed at the gear they will pull in their cars. The fastest racing
in Oklahoma just got faster with a touch of good old Oklahoma red
clay!”
The past two years have seen drivers win their first (sometimes
only) A Feature race of the season at the Winter Nationals. Will
2010 produce the third year in a row for a driver looking to take a
turn in victory lane? In 2008, it was Owasso’s Matt Sherrell
taking the 43rd annual event after knocking on the door
to victory lane most of the year. Last year, 40 sprint teams went to
battle and it was Stillwell’s Rafe Essary saving the best for
last by claiming a $3,000 paycheck for his last attempt to snare a
trophy for his personal collection.
Several drivers who have yet to visit victory circle, have done
well in 2010 and are looking to accomplish what Sherrell and Essary
accomplished the past two seasons include:
Tim Kent: The Bristow Oklahoma driver has had some solid
top five finishes in 2010 and if not for a couple of mechanical
misfortunes that befell him, Kent may have picked up a win this
year. The #79 sprinter has the tools it needs to run up front.
Terry Easum: With his racing stable out of Inola
Oklahoma, the 2010 OCRS ‘Rookie of the Year’ contender has been one
of the closest to victory lane of the drivers yet to make it. Easum
was a strong second at Tri-State Speedway in May to Essary and a
victory isn't out of the question.
Kyle Clark: Clark is just on
the threshold of his first OCRS main event win. The youngster from
Sand Springs did win a non-OCRS sanctioned main event at Creek
County Speedway earlier this year and like Easum, he had a second in
an OCRS event at Mid-America Speedway back on 7/31.
Shayla Waddell: The soft spoken young lady from Oklahoma
City does all her talking with her right foot. Claimant of 3 top
five finishes this season, Waddell has won two main events at the
now defunct State Fair Speedway, thus she would surprise nobody if
her first OCRS win were to come during this years Winter Nationals.
Look for the bright purple #88 to sail around many of the boys.
Kacee Frazier: Making only her second start since
suffering a non-racing injury earlier this season, the racer from
Tulsa is like Waddell in that both are quiet around the pits and she
smashes the gas pedal. That was proven when she won a non-OCRS main
event at Creek County Speedway prior to her injury. Now back on
track, look for Frazier to find the rhythm she had before sitting
out a spell.
Fred Mattox: “Squeaky” hasn’t cracked the top five yet but
his determination and his consistency is unparalleled. The Drumright
Oklahoma racer is sixth in the OCRS points chase and three spots
ahead of those, whom like himself, have competed in all the races on
the schedule. Those drivers in order are: Waddell, Kent and Clark.
Of the previous drivers mentioned for possible first time winners,
Mattox would be the longest shot on the board to get their first win
but rest assured, such a win would be a popular achievement amongst
his peers.
OCRS main event winners in 2010 that are expected to compete for
this special event include:
Jamie Passmore: The Rose Oklahoma kingpin has won 8 of 22
OCRS features. Passmore has also locked up the 2010 OCRS
championship, his third straight title. A major threat to win
anywhere, anytime.
Whit Gastineau: Oklahoma City charger is a winner of 5
OCRS events out of the 12 he entered. He is always a threat to park
in victory lane when the #2w rolls off the trailer.
Mike Goodman:
Former series champion that hails from Tulsa, Goodman took 3
checkers in 2010. By his standards, Goodman looks at 2010 as an “OK”
season. A victory at Enid is how he wants his team to enter the off
season.
Rafe Essary: A 2 time main event winner from Stillwell is
looking to make Enid his third conquest by defending his Winter
Nationals championship. Very capable of accomplishing such a feat in
a well prepared machine.
Danny Smith: Another 2 time winner from Sand Springs,
Smith is always a force to be reckoned with when he hits the track.
A teammate to Clark, Smith’s presence is always felt when he enters
the field.
Travis “Hollywood” Jenkins: The Broken Arrow shoe won his
only OCRS feature in 2010 at the house of his sponsor, Mid-America
Speedway. A teammate to Goodman, to win at another track would suit
Hollywood just fine.
While Passmore has sewn up the title for 2010 and with 95 points
possible to be earned in an event, there are several positions that
can change including the runner-up spot where Essary leads Goodman
by 80 markers. The most watched points battle will be the final
showdown for the 2010 Brodix Cylinders / Broken Arrow Lawn &
Garden
‘Rookie of the Year’ honors. Skiatook’s Brady Demeree enters the
Enid race only 42 points ahead of Terry Easum. The winner of this
battle gets a new set of racing heads from Brodix. This will be the
battle within the battle.
Pit gates for the OCRS event open Saturday at 2pm
Drivers meeting will take place at 3:30pm
Hot Laps and Spectator gates open at 4:30pm
Racing starts at 6pm
Track Directions:
Go 2.5 miles north of US HWY 412 on US HWY 81 then 1/2 mile east on
West Oxford (Garfield County Fairgrounds).
Phone information: (620) 225-3277
Website Information:
www.dodgecityraceway.com
www.ocrsracing.com
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