Lonnie Wheatley
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (September 30, 2016) – With the premier event in 360-ci Sprint Car racing just around the corner, the format for the $15,000-to-win COMP Cams Short Track Nationals presented by Hoosier Tires set for November 2-5 at Little Rock’s I-30 Speedway has been determined.
In a departure from recent years, this year’s edition of STN will no longer feature split fields on the qualifying nights. This year, all cars will be eligible to run on Thursday and/or Friday night after a Wednesday night Test ‘N Tune.
The Thursday and Friday qualifying nights will feature a full card of heats, qualifiers and feature with the top three in each night’s “A” Main locking into the Saturday night STN finale. And, this year the lock-in pay has been bumped to $500 to assure a minimum take of $2,500 for the weekend along with a starting spot among the front three rows of the $15,000-to-win, $2,000-to-start main event.
Each driver’s top qualifying night score will set the grid for Saturday night heat races that will award more points to set the balance of the championship night feature lineups as more than $100,000 will be paid out over the weekend.
STN entries have already started rolling in, with entry forms for the event available at http://www.i-30speedway.com/flyers/2016%20STN%20Flyer.pdf. Entries received by October 26 just $150, with entries after that at $250.
The entry fee of $150 will include the driver’s pit pass for Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The late entry of $250 does not include driver pit pass.
Entry fees may be submitted on PayPal as well with a $5 processing fee just as with paying via credit/debit card. Checks, money orders and cashier’s checks are accepted and may be mailed to I-30 Speedway c/o Pit Road Bar & Grill, 13219 Interstate 30, Little Rock AR 72209, made payable to Tracey Clay.
Three-day advance tickets to the 29th Annual COMP Cams Short Track Nationals presented by Hoosier Tires at I-30 Speedway are available for just $55 cash or $57 if paying by PayPal or credit/debit card.
Tickets on day of show will be $20 on both Thursday and Friday and then $28 on Saturday with an added $1 processing fee per ticket for those paying by credit/debit card. Children’s tickets are just $2 on both Thursday and Friday and then $5 on Saturday. Children’s tickets are not sold in advance.
Pit passes for the event will be $15 for the Wednesday Test ‘N Tune, $35 on both Thursday and Friday and then $40 on Saturday.
Now a top contender with the Camping World NASCAR Truck series, Christopher Bell still reigns as the defending STN champion after beating Aaron Reutzel and Brian Brown to the stripe in 2014 to become the youngest winner in event history at just 19 years of age.
Bell joined a prestigious list of STN winners that includes names such as Swindell, Kinser, Sweet, Meyers, McMahan, Wright, Crawley, Bruce, Jr., a couple of Johnsons and more.
The Pertinent Info:
The What: 29th 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: November 2-5, 2016.
The Format: All competitors will be eligible to compete on either or both of the Thursday and Friday qualifying nights (no split field) after a Wednesday night Test ‘N Tune.
The top three from each qualifying night will be locked into Saturday night’s $15,000-to-win, $2,000-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 will be aligned in Saturday night heats according to their top qualifying night score. More points will be awarded in Saturday heats to set the balance of the Saturday night feature lineups.
The Past Winners:
2015-Rained Out
2014-Christopher Bell
2013-Sammy Swindell
2012-Paul McMahan
2011-Sammy Swindell
2010-Brad Sweet
2009-Tony Bruce, Jr.
2008-Tony Bruce, Jr.
2007-Jason Meyers
2006-Jason Johnson
2005-Tim Montgomery
2004-Gary Wright
2003-Gary Wright
2002-Paul McMahan
2001-Jason Sides
2000-Mike Ward
1999-Gary Wright
1998-Tim Crawley
1997-Wayne Johnson
1996-Pete Butler
1995-Gary Wright
1994-Terry Gray
1993-John Gerloff
1992-Rained Out
1991-Steve Kinser
1990-Sammy Swindell
1989-Steve Kinser
1988-Steve Kinser
The Tickets: Advance tickets for either three nights (Thursday, Friday and Saturday) are on sale for just $55 if paying cash or $57 if paying via PayPal or credit/debit card.
Day of show prices are $20 on Thursday and Friday and $28 on Saturday plus a $1 processing fee per ticket if paying by credit/debit card.
Children’s tickets will be available at the event only for just $2 on Thursday and Friday and then $5 on Saturday plus a $1 processing fee per ticket if paying by credit/debit card.
To order tickets in advance or for more information, check online at www.i-30speedway or call the track at 501-455-4567.
Pit passes are $15 on Wednesday, $35 on Thursday and Friday and then $40 on Saturday. Driver pit pass for Thursday/Friday/Saturday is included in the $150 entry fee if submitted by the October 26 deadline.
The Trade Show & Midway: This year’s rendition of the Short Track Nationals will also include the Eleventh 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, November 1. Inquiries regarding vendor space should be directed to dssm93@msn.com.
For more information regarding I-30 Speedway’s Short Track Nationals, check at www.i-30speedway.com or call the track at 501-455-4567.