By Lonnie Wheatley
TEXARKANA, Ark. (September 25, 2023) – 
After 35 years of action at Little Rock’s I-30 Speedway, the 36th edition of the crown jewel 360-ci Sprint Car event is set for next weekend, October 5-7, at Texarkana 67 Speedway with a $20,000 payday earmarked for the winner of the Saturday, October 7, finale.
The event kicks off with the 16th Annual Ralph Henson Memorial on Thursday, October 5, with the 36th Annual Short Track Nationals officially taking place on Friday and Saturday.
Among the 39 drivers on the early list of STN entries are defending race champion Sam Hafertepe, Jr., along with other past winners Blake Hahn and Wayne Johnson.
Sunnyvale, TX, shoe Hafertepe, Jr., scored his second STN triumph in the past three years by topping last season’s final event at I-30 Speedway. With five STN preliminary feature wins as well, Hafertepe, Jr., has posted seven career top-fives and nine top-tens in ten STN championship feature starts.
Sapulpa, Oklahoma’s Hahn went three-for-four from 2018 to 2021 with back-to-back wins in ’18 and ’19 and then a third STN crown in ’21. Hahn finished among the top-five in the STN finale for the fifth year in a row last October.
Oklahoma’s Johnson is seasoned STN veteran with 17 career STN championship feature starts, only behind Tim Crawley (25) and Tim Crawley (18). Johnson added his tenth career top-ten finish with a seventh-place run last year with his lone STN triumph taking place in 1997.
Three other drivers among the current entries have posted wins in STN preliminary feature action including Derek Hagar, Jordon Mallett and Sean McClelland.
Along with Hafertepe, Jr., Hahn and Johnson another eight currently entered drivers raced into last year’s STN finale amongst a field of 87 competitors including current ASCS National Championship points leader Jason Martin (8th), Hagar (9th), Garet Williamson (10th), Matt Covington (12th), Dale Howard (13th), Mallett (14th), Howard Moore (16th), Steven Russell (17th) and Cody Gardner (18th)
The Current Short Track Nationals Entries:
0-Mike Vaculik (Hot Springs, AR)
1-Sean McClelland (Tulsa, OK)
1d-Prestin Dalton (Millington, TN)
1jr-Steven Russell (Rochester, IL)
2-Chase Porter (St. Joseph, MO)
2c-Wayne Johnson (Oklahoma City, OK)
2T-Todd Bradford (Arlington, TN)
3-Howard Moore (Memphis, TN)
4x-Brad Bowden (Hernando, MS)
6-Koty Adams (Haughton, LA)
G6-Cody Gardner (Benton, AR)
7c-Chris Morgan (Topeka, KS)
9jr-Derek Hagar (Marion, AR)
10-Landon Britt (Memphis, TN)
10-Brock Lemley (Sedro Woolley, WA)
10k-Dewayne White (Byalia, MS)
12-Jeffrey Newell (Tulsa, OK)
12x-Garet Williamson (Columbia, MO)
13-Chase Howard (Nesbit, MS)
14-Jordon Mallett (Greenbrier, AR)
15h-Sam Hafertepe, Jr. (Sunnyvale, TX)
22m-Rees Moran (Tulsa, OK)
23w-Conner Wray (Olive Branch, MS)
26-Marshall Skinner (W. Memphis, AR)
36-Jason Martin (Liberal, KS)
43-Mark Smith (Sunbury, PA)
44-Ronny Howard (Nesbit, MS)
44-Jason Howell (Ft. Worth, TX)
45x-Kyler Johnson (Quinter, KS)
47-Dale Howard (Byhalia, MS)
52-Blake Hahn (Sapulpa, OK)
55b-Brandon Anderson (Glenpool, OK)
71b-Brady Baker (Alexander, AR)
79-Gage Montgomery (Fredericktown, MO)
91-Michael Day (Farmersville, TX)
91a-Ernie Ainsworth (Bartlett, TN)
95-Matt Covington (Glenpool, OK)
98p-Miles Paulus (Marshall, MO)
938-Bradley Fezard (Bonnderdale, AR)
Pre-Entry Deadline
Pre-entries for the 36th Annual COMP Cams Short Track Nationals presented by Hoosier Tires & Ark-La-Tex Lawn and Landscape submitted by Monday, October 2, are $100 and include a free two-day driver pit pass. Entries after October 2 are $150 with no pit pass included. Entries may be submitted at https://www.67speedwayoftexarkana.com/driverinfo/.
There is no pre-entry for the Ralph Henson Memorial.
The Pertinent Info:
The What: 36th Annual COMP Cams Short Track Nationals presented by Hoosier Tires & Ark-Law-Tex Lawn and Landscape.
The Where: Texarkana 67 Speedway (Texarkana, AR). Texarkana 67 Speedway is located east of Texarkana to I-30 Exit 7, then 0.5 miles southeast on SR 108 then 2.6 miles northeast on US 67.
The When: October 5-7, 2023.
October 5 – Ralph Henson Memorial
October 6 – STN Preliminary action culminating with Twin 25-lap featues.
October 7 – STN Championship culminating with $20,000 to win finale.
The Mufflers: Leave ’em at home, no mufflers required for the event.
The Format: Thursday’s Ralph Henson Memorial will be contested under standard ASCS Mid-South Region format with one of top three finishers eligible for Saturday STN provisional if needed.
Friday’s preliminary event will be contested under a derivative of the All Star Circuit of Champions format, with group qualifying establishing heat race lineups with an invert of four in each heat race. The Friday preliminary will conclude with Twin-25 lap features that each offer up $1,500 to win.
The top two from each of the Twin 25-lap features will be locked into Saturday night’s Pole Dash and the championship main event.
Friday events points accumulated will be carried over to Saturday night, with another set of heats utilizing passing points added to the Friday total to set the championship feature lineups. The top two in combined points from Friday night and the Saturday heat races with join Friday’s four lock-ins in the Pole Dash. The next eight in points will occupy STN championship feature positions 7-14 with the balance of the field in “B” and “C” Mains. Three will transfer from both “B” Mains to set the 20-car feature field. The 21st position is reserved for a top-three Thursday night finisher if necessary.
The Past STN Winners (All previous events contested at Little Rock’s I-30 Speedway):
2022-Sam Hafertepe, Jr.
2021-Blake Hahn
2020–Sam Hafertepe, Jr.
2019-Blake Hahn
2018-Blake Hahn
2017-Sammy Swindell
2016-Sammy Swindell
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 Past Ralph Henson Memorial Winners (All previous events contested at Little Rock’s I-30 Speedway):
2022 – Aaron Reutzel
2021 – Derek Hagar
2020 – Mark Smith
2019 – Tim Crawley
2018 – Derek Hagar
2017 – Tony Bruce, Jr.
2016 – Derek Hagar
2015 – Tim Crawley
2014 – Jordon Mallett
2013 – Cody Gardner
2012 – Dale Howard
2011 – Zach Pringle
2010 – Zach Pringle
2009 – Jeff Swindell
2008 – Gary Wright
The Feature Purse:
Thursday: 1. $4,646, 2. $1,250, 3. $1,100, 4. $800, 5. $700, 6. $600, 7. $500, 8. $400, 9. $300, 10. $250, 11. $250, 12. $250, 13. $250, 14. $250, 15. $250, 16. $250, 17. $250, 18. $250, 19. $250, 20. $250.
Friday (Twin Features): 1. $1,500, 2. $750, 3. $650, 4. $625, 5. $600, 6. $550, 7. $525, 8. $500, 9. $450, 10. $400, 11. $350, 12. $325, 13. $300, 14. $275, 15. $250, 16. $250, 17. $250, 18. $250, 19. $250, 20. $250.
Saturday: 1. $20,000, 2. $5,000, 3. $2,500, 4. $2,200, 5. $2,000, 6. $1,700, 7. $1,600, 8. $1,500, 9. $1,400, 10. $1,350, 11. $1,300, 12. $1,200, 13. $1,150, 14. $1,100, 15. $1,000, 16. $1,000, 17. $1,000, 18. $1,000, 19. $1,000, 20. $1,000.
The Tickets:
The Tickets:
Thursday: Pits $35. Grandstand for Adults $25, Military $20 (with ID), Kids 6-11 $5 accompanied by an adult and 5 and under free.
Friday: Pits $35. Grandstand for Adults $25, Military $20 (with ID), Kids 6-11 $5 accompanied by an adult and 5 and under free.
Saturday: Pits $40. Grandstand for Adults $30, Military $25 (with ID), Kids 6-11 $5 accompanied by an adult and 5 and under free.
Driver pit pass for Friday and Saturday is included in the $100 entry fee if submitted by the deadline.
Tickets will be available at the gate each day with gates with grandstands opening daily at 5:00 p.m. Debit/credit cards are accepted at the front gate and concessions.
Free camping is available on a first-come, first-served basis along the west side tree line with no water or electrical hookups.
The Broadcast: If you can’t make it to the STN to catch all the breathtaking action in person, no need to fret as you can catch it all live online at www.floracing.com.
For more information regarding the 36th Annual COMP Cams Short Track Nationals presented by Hoosier Tires at Texarkana 67 Speedway, check online at www.67speedwayoftexarkana.com, call 870-648-5688 or email tcrawley87@yahoo.com.