From Lonnie Wheatley
TULSA, Okla. (October 21, 2010) – Another day equaled another handful of entries filed for I-30 Speedway’s 23rd Annual COMP Cams Short Track Nationals presented by Hoosier Tires, which takes place next weekend on October 28-30. The current count stands at 97, with entries from 20 different states as well as Australia among the mix.
Two potential race-winning favorites, Wayne Johnson and Tim Kaeding, are among the latest entries for the $15,000-to-win, $2,300-to-start event that features the Lucas Oil ASCS presented by K&N Filters National series with all three nights featured on a tape-delay basis in one-hour presentations on the VERSUS Network.
While Johnson continues his comeback from injuries, race fans will also be treated to the return of Travis Rilat’s No. 29 Sprint Car to the track for the first time since his injuries with none other than California ace Tim Kaeding at the wheel.
Making a return from severe foot injuries suffered in July, Wayne Johnson returned to the seat for the first time this past weekend in Lucas Oil ASCS action at Devil’s Bowl. After a few tentative early laps, the 1997 Short Track Nationals champion quickly returned to form and followed up an eighth place run in the Friday prelim with a fifth-place run in the Devil’s Bowl finale.
A native of Oklahoma City, Johnson has started 12 STN championship finales since 1993, only trailing Gary Wright at 15 and Tim Crawley at 14 over that duration. Johnson earned runner-up honors last year, chasing only back-to-back STN champion Tony Bruce, Jr., at the checkered flag.
While not as experienced at the Short Track Nationals, Kaeding will be equally spectacular aboard Rilat’s familiar No. 29 entry.
Sidelined by severe burns suffered in Washington several months ago, Rilat has exceeded expectations by being able to leave the Seattle hospital a couple of months ahead of schedule and continues extensive recovery from his Texas home.
Rilat, a past Lucas Oil ASCS National champion seven-time STN championship main event starter, met with numerous friends and fans for the first time since his accident at last weekend’s Devil’s Bowl Winter Nationals as he took in all the action.
While Rilat’s potential return to the seat is still in the distance, he explained that, “Some of my guys were getting antsy and wanting to put the car out there for STN. We wanted to put someone in it that will stand on it, that’s gonna do whatever he’s gotta do to win it. Tim Kaeding is that guy.”
Kaeding’s lone STN appearance in 2006 left a lasting impression, sailing off the track in spectacular fashion on the final round while running second in one last-gasp effort to make a run at eventual winner Jason Johnson.
Several other entries were received on Thursday, including that of Colorado’s Chad Corken along with STN rookie contenders Davey Heskin of St. Michael, MN, and Gary Floyd of San Angelo, TX.
Fans can purchase advance tickets by calling 501-455-4567. Advance tickets are just $45 for all three nights of wild racing action.
The Pertinent Info:
The What: 23rd Annual COMP Cams Short Track Nationals presented by Hoosier Tires.
The Where: I-30 Speedway (Little Rock, AR). I-30 Speedway is located seven miles southwest of Little Rock off I-30 Exit 126 (Alexander Road).
The When: Thursday, Friday and Saturday, October 28-30, 2010. $15,000 to win the STN finale on October 30, with $2,300 to start the STN championship feature. Race time is 7:30 p.m. each night. Rain date is November 4-6. Test ‘N Tune session on Wednesday night, October 27. All three nights will be taped for later broadcast on VERSUS and MavTV.
The Past Winners: Tony Bruce, Jr. (2009 and 2008), Jason Meyers (2007), Jason Johnson (2006), Tim Montgomery (2005), Gary Wright (2004, 2003, 1999 and 1995), Paul McMahan (2002), Jason Sides (2001), Mike Ward (2000), Tim Crawley (1998), Wayne Johnson (1997), Pete Butler (1996), Terry Gray (1994), John Gerloff (1993), Steve Kinser (1991, ’89 and ‘88) and Sammy Swindell (1990). 1992 finale was rained out.
The Entries: While the pre-entry discount deadline of October 17 has come and gone, post-entries for the 23rd Annual COMP Cams Short Track Nationals presented by Hoosier Tires may still be filed for $250 by calling the track at 501-455-4567 or at http://www.i-30speedway.com/2010stnflyer.pdf.
#0 Jason Martin (Liberal, KS)
#01 TBA
#1b Tim Law (White Hall, AR)
#1m Sean McClelland (Tulsa, OK)
#1p Curtis Evans (Norborne, MO)
#1s Sammy Swindell (Bartlett, TN)
#1x Gary Taylor (Snohomish, WA)
#03 Joe Wood, Jr. (Oklahoma City, OK)
#3a A.G. Rains (West Memphis, AR)
#3g Darren Long (Elida, OH)
#3m Mark Shirshekan (Farmington, MO)
#3s John Carney II (El Paso, TX)
#3x Brooke Tatnell (Sans Souci, NSW)
#4b Eric Baldaccini (Keller, TX)
#4s Tommy Snellgrove (Little Rock, AR)
#5g Dave Glennon (Casselton, ND)
#5l Eric Lutz (Sioux Falls, SD)
#5m Miranda Arnold (Sedalia, MO)
#6h Kyle Hirst (Loomis, CA)
#6k Chad Kemenah (Findlay, OH)
#7tw Brandon Wimmer (Fairmount, IN)
#7w Wade Human (Marion, AR)
#8tw Kent Lewis, Jr. (Willis, TX)
#8x Chris Williams (Memphis, TN)
#9h Derek Hagar (Marion, AR)
#9w Lane Whittington (Denham Springs, LA)
#9x Gary Wright (Hooks, TX)
#10a Ricky Logan (Little Rock, AR)
#11c Dakota Carroll (La Monte, MO)
#11m Justin Melton (Flower Mound, TX)
#11x Chad Corken (Highlands Ranch, CO)
#12h Jerrod Hull (Sikeston, MO)
#12t Joe Young (Benton, AR)
#14k Kyle Bellm (Nixa, MO)
#14m Jordon Mallett (Greenbrier, AR)
#14z Jessica Zemken (Sprakers, NY)
#17b Ryan Bickett (Ramona, SD)
#17bb Brad Bowden (Hernando, MS)
#17g Bruce Griffith, Jr. (Highlands, TX)
#17w Brad Welborn (Princeton, TX)
#18 Tony Bruce, Jr. (Liberal, KS)
#18h Mike Hess (Springfield, IL)
#19 Klint Angelette (Thibodaux, LA)
#21b Brian Brown (Grain Valley, MO)
#21t Ray Allen Kulhanek (Conroe, TX)
#21tx Brandon Schure (El Paso, TX)
#21v Taylor Velasquez (Turpin, OK)
#22h Randy Hannagan (San Jose, CA)
#22s Robbie Standridge (Springfield, IL)
#22y Dennis Yoakam (Lima, OH)
#23 Darryl Wills (Deer Park, TX)
#26 Marshall Skinner (West Memphis, AR)
#27 Andy Shouse (Oklahoma City, OK)
#28 Jonathan Cornell (Sedalia, MO)
#29 Tim Kaeding (San Jose, CA)
#30 Brandon Corn (Hearne, TX)
#31 Brandon Berryman (Missouri City, TX)
#32 Justin Barger (Montrose, NY)
#33 Mark Huddleston (Mesquite, TX)
#36 Jonathan Beason (Broken Arrow, OK)
#40 Junior Jenkins (Greenville, TX)
#41 Jason Johnson (Eunice, LA)
#46 Jan Howard (Byhalia, MS)
#49 Brad Sweet (Grass Valley, CA)
#50z Zach Chappell (Talala, OK)
#51b Beau Smith (Texas City, TX)
#51L Lee Sowell (Nesbit, MS)
#53d Jack Dover (Springfield, NE)
#53j Justin Jackson (Bryant, AR)
#55 Jason Solwold (Burlington, WA)
#56 Davey Heskin (St. Michael, MN)
#57 Shane Stewart (Bixby, OK)
#58f Gary Floyd (San Angelo, TX)
#58w Wade Oliver (Southaven, MS)
#59 Marty Stanford (McKinney, TX)
#60 Eric Sandage (Alexander, AR)
#69 Larry Howery (Hearne, TX)
#71 Channin Tankersley (Highlands, TX)
#72 Sherman Davis (Sand Springs, OK)
#74e Claud Estes (Godley, TX)
#75 Tyler Blank (California, MO)
#76 John Ricketts (Burleson, TX)
#77x Wayne Johnson (Oklahoma City, OK)
#83 Tim Shaffer (Aliquippa, PA)
#84 Ben Wagoner (Emden, IL)
#85 Jerry Bell (Garland, TX)
#87m Brian McClelland (Broken Arrow, OK)
#87r Aaron Reutzel (Clute, TX)
#88 Tim Crawley (Benton, AR)
#89g David Gravel (Middlebury, CT)
#91 Darren Stewart (Bixby, OK)
#93m Dustin Morgan (Tulsa, OK)
#93s Chris Sweeney (Channelview, TX)
#94 Danny Wood (Norman, OK)
#95 Matt Covington (Glenpool, OK)
#99 Brady Bacon (Broken Arrow, OK)
#165 Haley Arnold (Sedalia, MO)
The Series: A premier stop on the Lucas Oil ASCS presented by K&N Filters National trail, Jason Johnson, Brady Bacon and Shane Stewart are currently locked in a torrid three-way duel for the series $60,000 championship chase, with Tim Crawley, Jack Dover and the ten other full-time Lucas Oil ASCS National teams vying for their share of the $250,000 points fund.
After the STN the Lucas Oil Sprint Cars will finish out the year at Las Cruces’ Southern New Mexico Speedway (November 12-13), Tucson’s USA Raceway (November 18-20) and then Las Vegas Motor Speedway (November 26-27).
Current top 20 in Lucas Oil Sprint Car points: 1. Jason Johnson (Eunice, LA) 2,919, 2. Brady Bacon (Broken Arrow, OK) 2,847, 3. Shane Stewart (Bixby, OK) 2,780, 4. Tim Crawley (Benton, AR) 2,643, 5. Jack Dover (Springfield, NE) 2,622, 6. Tony Bruce, Jr. (Liberal, KS) 2,573, 7. Zach Chappell (Talala, OK) 2,504, 8. Kyle Hirst (Loomis, CA) 2,397, 9. Danny Wood (Norman, OK) 2,379, 10. Ricky Logan (Little Rock, AR) 2,364, 11. Matt Covington (Glenpool, OK) 2,268, 12. Darren Long (Elida, OH) 2,103, 13. Dustin Morgan (Tulsa, OK) 2,095, 14. Channin Tankersley (Highlands, TX) 2,019, 15. Gary Wright (Hooks, TX) 1,690, 16. Justyn Cox (Clarksburg, CA) 1,513, 17. Austen Wheatley (Lake Stevens, WA) 1,344, 18. Brian Brown (Grain Valley, MO) 1,290, 19. Travis Rilat (Forney, TX) 1,152, 20. Johnny Herrera (Albuquerque, NM) 873.
The Josh Howard Determination Award: Once again, Bossier City, Louisiana’s Shed Road Auto Parts will present a top wing and nose wing courtesy of Lightning Wings to a driver that battles through adversity over the course of the intensely competitive weekend.
The Trade Show & Midway: This year’s rendition of the Short Track Nationals will also include the Sixth Annual Short Track Nationals Trade Show & Midway. Fans, drivers & crews will have the opportunity to visit vendor displays, which opens at noon on Thursday and then at 9 a.m. on both Friday and Saturday. The deadline for guaranteed vendor space is Monday, October 25. Inquiries regarding vendor space should be directed to dssm93@msn.com.
The Tickets: Advance tickets are on sale through Wednesday, October 27, no advance sales after that. Tickets ordered in advance are just $45 for all three nights. Day of show prices are $15 on Thursday and Friday and $25 on Saturday. To order tickets in advance or for more information, call the track at 501-455-4567 or e-mail orders to info@I-30speedway.com. Children’s tickets will be available at the event for just $2 on both Thursday and Friday and then $5 on Saturday. There is a $1 per ticket surcharge for orders placed via credit/debit cards. Pit passes are $30 on both Thursday and Friday and $35 on Saturday.
STN on TV: All three nights of action at the 23rd Annual COMP Cams Short Track Nationals presented by Hoosier Tires will be taped for later broadcast on VERSUS and MavTV. Air dates, according to www.motorsportshour.com, are currently set for December 5 at 6:00 p.m. ET (October 28 event), December 11 at 6:00 p.m. ET (October 29 event) and December 12 at 6:00 p.m. ET (October 30 STN finale).
For more information regarding the 23rd Annual COMP Cams Short Track Nationals presented by Hoosier Tires, contact I-30 Speedway at 501-455-4567.