By T.J. Buffenbarger
College football refers to at least one week per season where different conferences all seem to have their rivalry games. One could argue this week in sprint car racing could be referred to as rivalry week as several different series are co-sanctioning events and tracks are holding races that draw in outside racers.
• The World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series and the Pennsylvania Posse renew their long standing rivalry Saturday night at Williams Grove Speedway. World of Outlaws point leader Donny Schatz already has a win this week in Pennsylvania at Lernerville Speedway going into the Grove while Stevie Smith, who won a World of Outlaws show in Pennsylvania earlier this year at Lincoln Speedway, stayed home from the Kings Royal to tune up for the Outlaw weekend at the Grove driving for Fred Rahmer. The weekend at Williams Grove does not need any more hype other than Posse vs. the Outlaws.
• The UNOH All Star Circuit of Champions heads up to Wilmot Raceway to take on the Bumper to Bumper Interstate Racing Association on Saturday. Two of the most dominant drivers in their respective series, Dale Blaney and Bill Balog, will go head to head on the IRA’s home turf. Sunday the All Stars deal with another rivalry as they head to Huset’s Speedway where there regulars will be looking forward to a $5,000 winners share up for grabs. Saturday also kicks off Thunder Through the Plains tour, and despite what I wrote earlier in the week about the western part of the tour being a whimper, Tim Kaeding and several other teams are expected bring the Thunder to the tour that has its own separate point fund. Even though many of the competitors that have run the All Star tour so far this season are passing, there should be enough cars for interesting programs on the Plains tour.
• Ohio and Michigan have a long standing rivalry between the neighboring states. The Engine Pro Sprints on Dirt presented by ARP and the K&L Ready Mix National Racing Alliance will renew their friendly rivalry on Saturday at Crystal Motor Speedway. Dustin Daggett is fresh off a win on NRA turf at Eldora Speedway on Saturday, but SOD has gone winless in the SOD / NRA co-sanctioned event the past two years thanks to Randy Hannagan. This time Hannagan might be suspended, but with drivers like J.R. Stewart, Max Stambaugh, Butch Schroeder, Jared Horstman, and company NRA is still the favorite going into Saturday’s race. The SOD drivers led by Daggett, Ryan Ruhl, and Dustin Daggett look to thwart the invasion of their turf by the NRA Invaders on Saturday.
• Knoxville Raceway does not have a sanctioning body for Saturday’s race, but its close enough to Nationals that visitors are starting to pop in. Sammy Swindell and Rico Abreu lead the parade of visitors into town tuning up for the Knoxville Nationals. Swindell and Abreu add to what is already a deep pool of talent when it comes to the 410 division at Knoxville Raceway. Terry McCarl currently leads the 410 sprint car point standings going into Saturday even though Mother Nature has been the newsmaker at Knoxville after three straight rain outs. With a better forecast slated for Saturday hopefully Knoxville can get the race in and have a nice tune up for the Nationals.
• Indiana Sprintweek doesn’t immediately make one think of rivalry, but the local Indiana teams that run weekly at places like Lincoln Park Speedway, Bloomington, and even drivers that regularly compete in MSCS shows at Tri-State Speedway would like nothing more than a USAC victory during sprint week. All participating tracks in sprint week are dark this week, leaving the Hoosier state’s focus on the Sprint Week shows.
• The most under rated but possibly entertaining rivalry race of the weekend is taking place at Waynesfield Raceway Park featuring Buckeye Outlaw Sprint Series. Waynesfield runs non-wing sprint cars on a weekly basis with a strong car count that regularly requires a large B-Main even when BOSS is in action on the same night. Putting
Waynesfield and BOSS together along with a contingent of Indiana cars that may not want to take on sprint week and Waynefield has the potential for a huge field of cars on Saturday.
Even if you are not near one of these rivalry races this weekend get out and head to a race track. There are lots of great races taking place all over the country and the weather should be nice.