By Bryan Liskai
WAYNESFIELD, Ohio – Waynesfield Raceway Park will host one of the final sprint car races in Ohio for 2019 when the 2nd Annual Bob Hampshire Classic hits “The Field” Saturday, Oct. 12 featuring the FAST 410 Sprint Series, the Buckeye Outlaw Sprint Series (BOSS) non-wing stars and the USAC D2 Thunder Midgets joining forces with the AMSA Mini Sprints for a non-wing matchup.
The event honors the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame car owner and mechanic who resides in nearby Alvada, Ohio. Hampshire has owned a race car since 1979 and has earned numerous feature victories with drivers like Jack Hewitt, Jac Haudenschild, Greg Wilson, Johnny Beaber, Keith Kaufman, Rick Ferkel and many others. Recently, he teamed up with as a mechanic with driver Kody Swanson to win four USAC Silver Crown championships. Hewitt drove Hampshire’s famous #63 to the 1985 All Star Circuit of Champions title and USAC Silver Crown titles in 1986 and 1987.
“We want to pay respect to one of the greatest sprint car mechanics ever. When I was growing up Bob Hampshire’s cars were always THE car to beat around our region,” said Waynesfield Promoter Shane Helms.
The event is the final race of the year for the FAST series with Cole Duncan coming in as the point leader, having six overall wins in 2019 as of this press release. Lee Jacobs, Tyler Gunn, Jordan Harble and Cody Bova round out the top five in series’ points.
FAST has appeared three times at Waynesfield in 2019 with Monrovia, Indiana’s Justin Peck, Vienna, West Virginia’s Cale Conley and Plano, Texas’ TJ Michael scoring the wins. NASCAR star Christopher Bell, who won the inaugural Bob Hampshire Classic in 2018, has indicated he will be back to defend his title at Waynesfield on Oct. 12.
For the BOSS sprints, their only appearance at “The Field” in 2019 came during the 11th Annual Jack Hewitt Classic where Milford, Ohio’s Cody Gardner scored his first ever sprint car win. However, 2010 and 2011 Waynesfield champion Matt Westfall currently sits atop the series’ points and as of press time would earn the BOSS title by taking the green flag at Atomic Speedway Saturday.
Local driver Dustin Ingle, who cut his teeth racing at Waynesfield, sits third in BOSS points, with Kory Crabtree and Dustin Webber rounding out the top five. Waynesfield’s 2013 track champion Dallas Hewitt sits sixth in the standings.
The 50-lap FAST feature will reward the winner $5,630 and just making the feature will earn a driver $630 – the significance being Hampshire’s race cars all carried the number 63. The BOSS feature winner will earn the series’ standard $1,500 to win. The USAC D2 Thunder Midgets/AMSA Mini Sprints will pay $500 to win the feature.
Also, in the FAST feature, the hard charger – the driver who advances the most positions from their original starting spot – will earn an additional $63 for every position. Also, the crew chief of the winning FAST feature car and the crew chief of the winning BOS feature machine will each earn $630 in honor of Hampshire.
Pit gates will open at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12 with general admission gates opening at 4 p.m. Racing will get underway at 6 p.m. Tickets for the Bob Hampshire Classic are $18 for adults (11 and up); $16 for senior citizens (62 and up); with kids 10 and under admitted free. Pit passes will be $35.
For more information go to www.waynesfieldracewaypark.net, or on Facebook by liking Waynesfield Raceway Park, or on Twitter by following @OfficialWRP.