By Lonnie Wheatley
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (October 17, 2014) – The clay will be flying in furious fashion by this time next week as nearly 100 of the nation’s top Sprint Car drivers battle it out for the $15,000 winner’s share at I-30 Speedway’s 27th Annual COMP Cams Short Track Nationals presented by Hoosier Tires.
With entries still arriving at a feverish rate, 65 drivers from 17 states as well as the Canadian province of Ontario have already submitted entries for the crown jewel event that takes place October 23-25 after Wednesday night’s $2,000-to-win Second Annual Short Track Nationals Open.
A handful of past STN champions are among the current entries including Tony Bruce, Jr., who went back-to-back in 2008 and 2009, along with Jason Johnson, Tim Crawley, Wayne Johnson and Terry Gray.
The entry list is filled with numerous top contenders looking for a first STN title next weekend including the likes of Christopher Bell (STN runner-up each of the past two years), Kevin Swindell (taking the wheel of the Donnie Cooper No. 01 entry that has reached victory lane on three occasions) and numerous series and track champions from across the land.
And with entries still coming in by the hour, here is your first look at this year’s Short Track Nationals entry list….
#0 Glenn Styres (Ohsweken, ONT)
#0m Jake Martens (Fairview, OK)
#00 Dane Lorenc (Bowmansville, NY)
#01 Kevin Swindell (Germantown, TN)
#03 Joe Wood, Jr. (Oklahoma City, OK)
#1m Sean McClelland (Tulsa, OK)
#2 A.J. Bruns (Lincoln, IL)
#3a A.G. Rains (West Memphis, AR)
#3h Brandon Hanks (Burlison, TN)
#4J Gary Taylor (Snohomish, WA)
#5 Eric Lutz (Sioux Falls, SD)
#5r Jerod Roller (Olive Branch, MS)
#7m Chance Morton (Coweta, OK)
#8 Alex Sewell (Broken Arrow, OK)
#8m Kade Morton (Coweta, OK)
#9jr Derek Hagar (Marion, AR)
#9p Parker Price-Miller (Kokomo, IN)
#9$ Kyle Clark (Tulsa, OK)
#10b Mitch Brown (Brantford, ONT)
#10g Terry Gray (Bartlett, TN)
#10m Morgan Turpen (Cordova, TN)
#12w Dale Wester (Ovilla, TX)
#14k Kyle Bellm (Nixa, MO)
#14m Jordon Mallett (Greenbrier, AR)
#15h Sam Hafertepe, Jr. (Sunnyvale, TX)
#15J Jeremy Middleton (N. Little Rock, AR)
#16 Anthony Nicholson (Bartlett, TN)
#17 Josh Baughman (Odessa, TX)
#17b Ryan Bickett (Ramona, SD)
#17g Cody Gardner (Benton, AR)
#17T Channin Tankersley (Highlands, TX)
#18 Tony Bruce, Jr. (Liberal, KS)
#19 Klint Angelette (Thibodaux, LA)
#21 Kevin Hinkle (Cabot, AR)
#21b Brian Brown (Grain Valley, MO)
#21bx Brandon Hinkle (Cabot, AR)
#21T Ray Allen Kulhanek (Conroe, TX)
#23 Seth Bergman (Snohomish, WA)
#23m Lance Moss (Cherryville, NC)
#26m Marshall Skinner (West Memphis, AR)
#28 Jason Keith (Fredericktown, MO)
#31b Christopher Bell (Norman, OK)
#32b Taylor Tidmore (Hernando, MS)
#33h Mark Huddleston (Genoa, AR)
#38 Rick Pringle (Benton, AR)
#40 Howard Moore (Memphis, TN)
#41 Jason Johnson (Eunice, LA)
#43 Matthew Bauldwin (Little Rock, AR)
#45x Johnny Herrera (Albuquerque, NM)
#47 Eric Riggins, Jr. (Charlotte, NC)
#49 Shawn Dancer (Delphos, OH)
#52 Blake Hahn (Sapulpa, OK)
#74e Claud Estes (Godley, TX)
#77x Wayne Johnson (Oklahoma City, OK)
#82z Dusty Zomer (Brandon, SD)
#87b Jason Barney (Brewerton, NY)
#87r Aaron Reutzel (Clute, TX)
#88 Tim Crawley (Benton, AR)
#91a Ernie Ainsworth (Bartlett, TN)
#94 Jeff Swindell (Bartlett, TN)
#95 Matt Covington (Glenpool, OK)
#99j Jerrod Hull (Sikeston, MO)
#99J Blake Jenkins (Alexander, AR)
#199 Ryan Bowers (Ham Lake, MN)
#X Charlie Louden (Camden, AR)
The pre-entry discount of $150 expired with entries filed or postmarked by October 14, with post-entries for the 27th Annual COMP Cams Short Track Nationals presented by Hoosier Tires filed for $250 by calling the track at 501-455-4567 or at http://www.i-30speedway.com/
Fans can purchase advance tickets by calling 501-455-4567. Advance tickets are just $51 for all three nights of STN action of $61 for all four nights that also includes Wednesday night’s Second Annual Short Track Nationals Open. And, those unable to make the trip to Little Rock can still catch every lap of action as it happens live on Pay-Per-View. PPV details and pricing are available at www.shorttracknationals.com.
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/