From Lonnie Wheatley
Little Rock, AR — (October 7, 2014) — It’s an event that has thrived upon urgency. The urgency to excel every time cars hit the track where every position counts. It has built the electric atmosphere that annually draws scores of race cars and race fans to the Short Track Nationals at Little Rock’s I-30 Speedway.
That will be even more evident with this month’s 27th rendition of the crown jewel 360-ci Sprint Car racing event that offers up $15,000 to win and $2,500 just to start the October 25 STN finale.
It will be more evident in a change to the Saturday night portion of the event that runs from October 23-25 after the Second Annual Short Track Nationals Open kicks off the week’s intense racing festivities on Wednesday, October 22.
While the qualifying night format will remain the same with a full slate of heat races, qualifying races, “B” Mains and “A” Main on both Thursday and Friday, Saturday’s enhanced card offers action from the first green flag of the night up to the final checkered flag.
With the top three from each qualifying night locked into Saturday night’s Dash that sets the first three rows of the STN finale, the balance of the field will redraw to determine starting positions in eight “Saturday Night STN Showdowns”.
With passing points in effect for the STN Showdowns, points will be added to qualifying night point totals with the top eight in total points earning STN feature positions seven through 14.
The next 36 in points will go to three “B” Mains with the balance to three “C” Mains. The top finishers from the “C” Mains will move on to “B” Main action with the top two from each “B” Main moving on to the STN finale.
The enhanced format will result in 16 action-packed races for Saturday night including the Dash, more than the alphabet soup format of 10 races over the past three years yet still fewer than the format that produced 20-21 Saturday night races in 2009 and 2010.
The result is an ideal slate that gives fans more bang for their buck with races that count each time out, while also allowing those racers that may have struggled through a difficult qualifying night a better opportunity to make it through the field and potentially advance to the big show.
Entries for the prestigious event have been flowing into the I-30 Speedway track office at a steady pace with an update on entries to follow later in the week.
Entry forms for the Short Track Nationals are available at http://www.i-30speedway.com/flyers/stn2014.pdf or by calling 501-455-4567. Entries submitted by October 14 are just $150 with entries after that date at $250.
The Wednesday night STN Open will offer $2,000 to win and $200 to start with the top four finishers eligible in order of finish for an STN provisional if necessary. If the Wednesday night STN winner also wins Saturday’s STN finale, Dixon Road U-Pull-It will award a $2,500 bonus on top of the winnings.
Last October, Sammy Swindell bested a field of 105 competitors for his third STN crown, racing to the checkered flag ahead of up-and-coming Christopher Bell, Anthony Nicholson, Johnny Herrera and Shane Stewart.
The Pertinent Info:
The What: 27th 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 23-25, 2014. $15,000 to win the STN finale on October 25 with $2,500 to start the STN championship feature. Race time is 7:30 p.m. each night. Rain date is October 30, October 31 & November 1. The $2,000 to win and $200 to start Second Annual Short Track Nationals Open kicks off all the action on Wednesday, October 22, at 7:30 p.m.
The Format: Approximately half the field will take to the track in the Thursday night qualifying event, with the other half in Friday’s qualifying event. The popular format of heats and qualifying races will once again be in place on the Thursday and Friday qualifying nights. The top 14 in cumulative points from heats and qualifiers will be locked into that night’s main event, with two or three “B” Mains, depending upon car count, contested to fill out the qualifying night feature field.
The top three from each qualifying night will be locked into Saturday night’s $15,000-to-win, $2,500-to-start STN Championship Finale. Those six drivers will battle it out in Saturday’s Dash for Cash to determine the alignment of the front three rows of the championship main event.
The balance of the field will redraw on Saturday to set lineups for eight (8) “Saturday Night STN Showdowns”. With passing points in effect, points will be added to qualifying night point totals (heats, qualifying races and features) with the top eight (8) in total points advancing to STN feature starting positions 7-14.
The next 36 in total points will go to three “B” Mains with the remainder of the field to three “C” Mains. Top finishers from “C” Mains will move on to “B” Main action, with the top two from each “B” Main moving on to the STN finale.
Wednesday’s Short Track Nationals Open will have no impact upon Thursday, Friday or Saturday lineups, with the exception that the top finisher among Wednesday’s top four that is unable to qualify for Saturday night’s STN finale will be offered a provisional.
Wednesday’s STN Open will include heat races lined up by pill draw with passing points in effect that will set lineups for the “B” Main(s) (multiple “B” Mains if necessary depending upon car count) and “A” Main.
The Past Winners: Sammy Swindell (2013, 2011 and 1990), Paul McMahan (2012 and 2002), Brad Sweet (2010), Tony Bruce, Jr. (2009 and 2008), Jason Meyers (2007), Jason Johnson (2006), Tim Montgomery (2005), Gary Wright (2004, 2003, 1999 and 1995), 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). 1992 finale was rained out.
The Tickets: Advance tickets for either three or four nights are on sale through Monday, October 20, no advance sales after that. Single night tickets are not available in advance. Tickets ordered in advance are just $61 for all four nights (Wednesday through Saturday) or $51 for three nights (Thursday through Saturday) with $1 off if paying cash.
Day of show prices are $15 on Wednesday, $20 on Thursday and Friday and $28 on Saturday.
Children’s tickets will be available at the event only for just $3 on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and then $6 on Saturday with a $1 cash discount per ticket.
To order tickets in advance or for more information, call the track at 501-455-4567 or e-mail orders to raceytlc@sbcglobal.net.
Pit passes are $25 on Wednesday, $30 on both Thursday and Friday and $35 on Saturday.
The PPV: Can’t make your way to Little Rock, AR, for this prestigious event? Once again you can still catch every lap of the action on your computer via live Pay-Per-View. Just check out www.shorttracknationals.com for pricing and ordering information. Orders are being taken now.
The Trade Show & Midway: This year’s rendition of the Short Track Nationals will also include the Tenth Annual Short Track Nationals Trade Show & Midway. Fans, drivers & crews will have the opportunity to visit vendor displays, which opens at noon on Wednesday and then at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The deadline for guaranteed vendor space is Monday, October 20. Inquiries regarding vendor space should be directed to dssm93@msn.com.
For more information regarding the 27th Annual COMP Cams Short Track Nationals presented by Hoosier Tires, contact I-30 Speedway at 501-455-4567 or check online at http://www.i-30speedway.com/shorttracknationals.html.