By Lonnie Wheatley
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (October 25, 2012) – For the second year in a row, Mother Nature interfered with the opening night of I-30 Speedway’s Short Track Nationals.
Light rains evolved into steady showers and then heavy rain to put the halt on Thursday night’s 25th Annual COMP Cam Short Track Nationals presented by Hoosier Tires six laps into the night’s fifth and final heat race.
With the track oversaturated for the night, the balance of the Thursday night qualifying program will resume at 6:00 p.m. Friday night with the final four laps of the final heat followed by the five Qualifying Races, two “B” Mains and 25-lap “A” Main. The Friday night qualifying event will follow.
Jan Howard topped Thursday night’s opening heat race from the front row outside in front of 7th-starter Sam Hafertepe, Jr., Gary Taylor wired the field in the second heat, Jason Johnson posted a dominating win in the third heat and Paul McMahan did the same in the fourth heat. Greg Wilson was leading the way in front of Brady Bacon and Christopher Bell six laps into the fifth heat when the skies opened up during a caution for a turn four tangle involving Mark Huddleston and Rickey Hood.
Forty-four cars were on hand for the opening portion of the 25th Annual Short Track Nationals. The second half of the field will take to the track following the completion of the first qualifying event.
25th Annual COMP Cams Short Track Nationals presented by Hoosier Tires Thursday Night Results:
Heat Races:
First Heat (10 Laps): 1. 46-Jan Howard, 2. 15h-Sam Hafertepe, Jr., 3. 21w-Wes Wofford, 4. 58w-Wade Oliver, 5. 23s-Seth Bergman, 6. 22h-Randy Hannagan, 7. 74e-Claud Estes, 8. 11c-Matt Covington. DNS: 17g-Cody Gardner.
Second Heat (10 Laps): 1. 4t-Gary Taylor, 2. 49-Shawn Dancer, 3. 2-Dustin Morgan, 4. 21T-Ray Allen Kulhanek, 5. 17w-Cole Wood, 6. 10-Terry Gray, 7. 45x-Johnny Herrera, 8. 0m-Andy McElhannon, 9. 09-Timmy Thrash.
Third Heat (10 Laps): 1. 41-Jason Johnson, 2. 28-Jonathan Cornell, 3. 11m-Justin Melton, 4. 39s-Kevin Swindell, 5. 35-Jimmy Hurley, 6. 16-Koty Adams, 7. 93-Chris Sweeney, 8. 57c-Kyle Chady, 9. 66-Geoff Dodge.
Fourth Heat (10 Laps): 1. 01m-Paul McMahan, 2. 39c-Travis Rilat, 3. 9jr-Derek Hagar, 4. 3h-Brandon Hanks, 5. 23b-Brian Bell, 6. 36b-Jonathan Beason, 7. 19-Klint Angelette, 8. 64-Scotty Thiel, 9. 18-Tony Bruce, Jr.
Balance of program postponed to Friday six laps into fifth heat race. Heat Five running order – w20-Greg Wilson, 99-Brady Bacon, 40b-Christopher Bell, 5k-Jerry Kamer, 1x-Rickey Hood, 33-Mark Huddleston, 76-John Ricketts, 21k-Ryan Kitchen (DNS).