By T.J. Buffenbarger
Charlotte, MI — (09/01/2001) — Sprints on Dirt during their 21st year returned to the site of the very first SOD event at the Crystal Motor Speedway. 28 sprint cars checked in for the third and final appearance of the Sprints on Dirt at the Crystal Motor Speedway during the 2001 season. Sprints on Dirt president Duane Turner notes that it is actually the smallest car count the series has had at Crystal Motor Speedway during the past three years, which is one of the most popular stops on the tour. With many 360 groups in the upper Midwest struggling to have full fields, Sprints on Dirt seems to carry a full roster wherever they go.
* * *
45 loads of new clay were put on the racing surface two weeks prior to the SOD sprints coning in for action at Crystal. Early on the track appeared as it used to 10 years ago. The surface was very wet early on with the sprint cars having to wheel pack. It was nice for a change seeing sprint car wings covered with mud clods. The track held a decent cushion all night with very little dust.
At least one truckload of the clay ended up on Jerry Whitney’s automobile while wheel packing the racetrack. After the clay was cleared off the car the piled was about the size of a sprint car front tire and wheel.
The banking has changed over the years at Crystal as well as the track now resembles Attica Raceway Park’s original 1/3-mile configuration before that speedway was banked up considerably more over the past few years.
* * *
Ford engines have becoming more popular with Sprints on Dirt with two Ford powered machines at Crystal on Saturday night. Jerry Whitney has switched to ford powered machine along with Steve Irwin. Irwin was in a car formerly driven by Craig Keel.
* * *
One unique thing now done at the Crystal Raceway is giving kids rides aboard school busses normally used for school bus races during the year. Kids win rides aboard the bus on lucky number programs, and get tours of the pit area, and even get to watch a race from the infield. Promoter Ron Flinn came up with the idea trying to figure out what to do with the busses that are only used once a year for the school bus races.
The school bus had a very hairy moment during a street stock event when the field was given the green flag in turn four while the bus was in turn two. Flinn did a great job getting the bus off the track just in time for the field to zip by on the outside. The bus then exited the track off turn three while the field raced around under the green. Needless to say those kids got a little extra for their bus ride on this night.
* * *
Tim Norman had his 360-sprint car on hand Saturday night. Norman won a feature earlier in the season at Crystal, which was 17 years after the win during his SOD Championship year in 1985.
Norman also reports that Joe Gaerte will be back in the 410-sprint car on Friday and Saturday night at the Fremont Speedway with the All Star Circuit of Champions. If things go well that weekend Gaerte might even run during the Hoosier Fall Classic at the Lawrenceburg Speedway.
Gaerte is only running the car part time though; so do not look for him to make a return to full time racing. The team also will not upgrade their open trailer, as it has become the team’s trademark.
* * *
Something that has not changed over the year is the tremendous number of cars at Crystal. Over 159 cars checked into the pit area on Saturday night for what was actually a three-day show at Crystal Raceway. Six “B” feature events and a fireworks display were put on before the sprint feature was pushed onto the racetrack.
* * *
Joe Bares was sporting on of Spike LaComb’s signature narrow sprint wings with the small sideboards on the right side Saturday night. Bares used to watch LaComb’s children while he raced until Spike suffered a horrific accident at the I-96 Speedway in Lake Odessa, Michigan. Spike has remained involved though in the sport and has helped Bares with his spring car team.
“Spike is still my biggest supporter. He still has a car, and I’ve been using it for a parts car. He cannot come out to the races with me however because his son is now racing a modified at the Winston Speedway in Muskegon, Michigan.”
Bares has had a tough rookie season that continued with looking strong, but still unable to transfer to the feature event.
* * *
Three weeks ago John Naida brought in Tim Crawley to help with Naida’s new Avenger Chassis. Crawley ran Fremont Speedway and was rained out at Limaland Motorsports Park during his stay. The work paid off at Owendale as Naida won the feature event using a similar setup he had run with Crawley in the car at Fremont. Naida will be heading to Georgia after the Sprints on Dirt season ends to run some 360-sprint car events.
* * *
Gregg Dalman, who was fifth place points and only a few points behind the leaders, detonated an engine during time trials. Dalman said he would have to investigate the damage, but could be out for the rest of the season.
* * *
Dain Naida set a new 360-sprint car track record at Crystal Motor Speedway with a lap of 12.540 seconds around he 1/3-Mile Oval. The all time track record at Crystal though, which probably will not be broken anytime soon, is still held by Kenny Jacobs set aboard Tim Hughes sprinter during an All Star Circuit of Champions event at a blistering 11.859 seconds.
* * *
Tim Norman has been returning now is the only driver to have scored Sprints on Dirt victories in three different decades at the Crystal Motor Speedway. Norman has won at Crystal during the 1980’s, 1990’s, and now during the 2001 season.