By Lonnie Wheatley
TEXARKANA, Ark. (October 17, 2023) – Mother Nature may have foiled the initial attempt at the running of the 36th Annual COMP Cams Short Track Nationals presented by Hoosier Tires & Ark-La-Tex Lawn and Landscape.
But all systems are go for the event to take place at Texarkana 67 Speedway next Thursday, Friday and Saturday, October 26-28.
The weekend kicks off with the ASCS Mid-South sanctioned $4,646-to-win Ralph Henson Memorial Thursday night, October 26.
That simply whets the appetite for what is to follow on Friday and Saturday as a $20,000 winner’s share is earmarked for the victor of the 36th Annual Short Track Nationals that is contested on Friday and Saturday night, October 27-28, under the ASCS National banner.
While defending Short Track Nationals champion Sam Hafertepe, Jr., swept through this past weekend’s final Devil’s Bowl Winter Nationals in Mesquite, TX, is was Liberal, KS, native Jason Martin walking away from the event with his first ASCS National Championship.
Martin raced into his second career STN championship finale last October at I-30 Speedway and finished the event off with an eighth-place finish, matching his previous STN best in 2017.
Hafertepe, Jr., and Martin will be joined by a field that continues to swell with the Pre-Entry Registration deadline extended to October 24 after the initial postponement. Those pre-registered by October can enter for just $100 with a driver pit pass for two nights. Entry after October 24 is $150 with no complimentary driver pit pass.
The field currently stands at 63 entries with past STN champions including Hafertepe, Jr., Sammy Swindell, Blake Hahn and Wayne Johnson. Another pair of entries are field by past STN winning car owners including Howard Moore in the Rains Motorsports No. 3 and a yet to be determined driver in the Sides Motorsports No. 7s.
Sunnyvale, Texas shoe Hafertepe, Jr., brought the curtains down on Little Rock’s I-30 Speedway by topping last year’s Short Track Nationals finale for the second time in three years after he and Aaron Reutzel posted preliminary feature wins the previous night.
Hafertepe, Jr., joined Paul McMahan and Tony Bruce, Jr., as two-time Short Track Nationals winners with other multiple-time champions including Blake Hahn and Steve Kinser (three times each) and Sammy Swindell and Gary Wright atop the charts with five wins each.
Single time STN champions include Christopher Bell, Brad Sweet, Jason Meyers, Jason Johnson, Tim Montgomery, Jason Sides, Mike Ward, Tim Crawley, Wayne Johnson, Pete Butler, Terry Gray and John Gerloff.
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)
2-Jason Shavers (Canton, MS)
2c-Wayne Johnson (Oklahoma City, OK)
2T-Todd Bradford (Arlington, TN)
2w-Whit Gastineau (Moore, OK)
3-Howard Moore (Memphis, TN)
4-Tuesday Calderwood (Goodyear, AZ)
4-Chase Johnson (Penngrove, CA)
6-Koty Adams (Haughton, LA)
6-Christopher Townsend (La Porte, TX)
G6-Cody Gardner (Benton, AR)
7c-Chris Morgan (Topeka, KS)
7s-TBA
8-Brad Bowden (Hernando, MS)
8m-Kade Morton (Coweta, OK)
9jr-Derek Hagar (Marion, AR)
10-Landon Britt (Memphis, TN)
10-Brock Lemley (Sedro Woolley, WA)
10k-Dewayne White (Byhalia, MS)
12-Jeffrey Newell (Tulsa, OK)
12h-Harli White (Lindsay, OK)
12x-Garet Williamson (Columbia, MO)
13-Chase Howard (Nesbit, MS)
14-Jordon Mallett (Greenbrier, AR)
14T-Tim Estenson (Fargo, ND)
15h-Sam Hafertepe, Jr. (Sunnyvale, TX)
21m-Spencer Meredith (Hernando, MS)
22m-Rees Moran (Tulsa, OK)
23-Junior Jenkins (Greenville, TX)
23w-Conner Wray (Olive Branch, MS)
26-Marshall Skinner (W. Memphis, AR)
27J-Joseph Poe, Jr. (Scott, AR)
36-Jason Martin (Liberal, KS)
41-Casey Merrell (Springtown, TX)
43-Mark Smith (Sunbury, PA)
44-Ronny Howard (Nesbit, MS)
44-Chris Martin (Ankeny, IA)
45-Mark Huddleston (Genoa, AR)
45x-Kyler Johnson (Quinter, KS)
47-Dale Howard (Byhalia, MS)
47-Sammy Swindell (Germantown, TN)
50yr-J.J. Hickle (Quilcene, WA)
52-Blake Hahn (Sapulpa, OK)
55b-Brandon Anderson (Glenpool, OK)
71-Channin Tankersley (Arlington, TX)
71b-Brady Baker (Alexander, AR)
79-Gage Montgomery (Fredericktown, MO)
85-Josh McCord (Bossier City, LA)
87J-Jace Park (Overland Park, KS)
88-Austin McCarl (Altoona, IA)
91-Michael Day (Farmersville, TX)
91-Zach Pringle (Benton, AR)
91a-Ernie Ainsworth (Bartlett, TN)
95-Matt Covington (Glenpool, OK)
98p-Miles Paulus (Marshall, MO)
122-Lane Warner (Bloomfield, MO)
132-Jamie Manley (Memphis, TN)
187-Landon Crawley (Benton, AR)
938-Bradley Fezard (Bonnerdale, 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 Tuesday, October 24, are $100 and include a free two-day driver pit pass. Entries after October 24 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 26-28, 2023.
October 26 – Ralph Henson Memorial
October 27 – STN Preliminary action culminating with Twin 25-lap features.
October 28 – 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 event 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, watch live at https://flosports.link/3ECzSVP.
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.