The Hoosier Race Report: Race Weekend Re-visited

By Danny Burton

Danny Burton’s Hoosier Race Report appears courtesy of OpenWheelRacers.com

Just the other day I was fortunate enough to receive word that a gentleman I know and respect, namely Tim Wolfe, had been named Race Director at the beleaguered Terre Haute Action Track. Race fans, especially those of the Action Track, are, or should be, breathing easier after they learn of this. All we can go on is Tim’s track record.

For the past five years Tim has been the heart and soul of the UMP Wolfpack Modified Challenge, which has grown into one of the premier touring series in this part of the nation. His series has attracted modified racers from 10 states and you can count on the Wolfpack crew to visit at least three or four different Hoosier tracks this year.

Tim is telling us that THAT’s opening race will be May 19 with USAC sprints headlining. The USAC Silver Crown division invades the half mile dirt oval on June 2 for the Sumar Classic. And at the end of June, watch for the King of Indiana Sprint Series. USAC returns on July 19 for Indiana Sprint Week. September 8 will see the Hut Hundred, featuring USAC Midgets. As of now, the season will close with the Fall Harvest Classic on October 5-6 with USAC Sprints. I’m pretty sure that this schedule is not complete. I won’t bother to speculate about what other races will be run. Let’s only assume that there will be more scheduled at some point fairly soon.

Saturday night USAC show at Eldora was scrubbed thanks to, surprise, an excessive amount of rain. Darke County, Ohio residents must have been considering building arks. But my own Plan B worked out as my son-in-law, grandson and I joined a few thousand of our closest race buddies to mosey down to the Brownstown Speedway for the Icebreaker 75.

Here and there were a few sprint car/open wheel fans, including the grandson, who was sporting his “I Wanna Be a Non-wing Sprint Car Driver When I Grow Up” t-shirt. My buddy Doug has his usual Steve Kinser t-shirt on.

Landon became the fifth generation of my family to attend this track. We ended up sitting on the grass in front of the bleachers by turn four. As I watched this youngster cavort about with his checkered flag, it occurred to me that this could have been me about 50 years ago. This is one of the great things about racing, as it could be with many other sports. I can think of many worse family traditions than taking your kids and/or grandkids to a race.

Billy Moyer showed the kids the quick way around as he took home to Arkansas the $10,000 prize money. 72 dirt late models were on hand, as the schedule commenced about an hour early. This paid off at the end as the main event was over by 10:00.

This coming weekend will see Anderson, Brownstown, Kamp’s, Twin Cities, Jeffersonville, and Salem among Indiana short tracks racing. I’m planning on making my way to Salem and, if the weather forecast is correct, winter clothing will be a good bet.

Hiding my Brand X cell phone from NASCAR, I’m…

Danny Burton

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