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Tri State Outlook
column by Duane Hancock
Where has the month of August went? WOW, what a
fast month. I know time usually seems to fly Knoxville
week and the week after but man, it has flew past this
entire month. The thing that sucks, you now the racing
season is winding down once you get home from
Knoxville. Its been since the first of the month since
I wrote a column, was just way too busy catching up
after Knoxville. Oh yeah, plus I stopped at the lake
for 3 days on the way home. Oops, was hiding that
little bit of info. I won't send much time on
Knoxville since it is so covered. It was good getting
back to the Nationals after missing last year. The
Nationals are still pretty fun, even if the racing is
off a little. The qualifying nights are still the best
nights there and there was some passing. Not as much
as in years past but still some decent racing and
passing. The Friday show being moved to Saturday noon,
made it a 1 lane track. Well, actually the track had 2
grooves until, for some unknown reason when they
wanted to push the show, the track crew came out and
made it a 1 lane track by their so called maintenance.
There was some actual passing in 2 groove before the
crew touched the track. After that it was a huge dust
bowl 1 lane parade. Saturday's show was alright. T Mac
had some good runs at Donny and made a race out of it
for a while. If Joey could of stayed 3rd in points
after the scrambles, he just might of won. It was a
good time and always is. It is what you make it. There
is plenty of stuff to do and people to meet or mingle
with and some good times to be had yet. I got to meet
Sticker Man on here and sat behind bspeil or I think
that is how he spells it. Brad gets as wild at the
track as he does on the message board. Of course, I
hit the usually fun stuff, Dingus, Hi Vee parking lot,
band after the race, the 2 am chicken BBQ, breakfast
at Hi Vee at 5 am before we headed home for the night,
and the Ohio Day at the VFW, what a wreck I got that
day, lol. For a last minute throw together trip, it
was a good one with plenty of fun.
Last weekend it was back to Waynesfield for the
next to last regular show of the season. A decent
field of car were on hand. The track was decent again,
a little drier than I have seen before but still I
good shape and very racy and still tacky. 24 sprints
and 28 mini sprints were on hand. Only 6 cars were in
a sprint car heat so the racing wasn't was good as I
have seen there but wasn't bad either. Mark Hery,
Corey Smith, Andy Conley, and Mike Miller took the
heat wins. Steve Ott looked to have a heat win in the
bag until he did a tommy tipover type of flip coming
off turn 4. Steve just got on the hammer and the car
unloaded in the heavy stuff and just bucked like a
bronco for a second and he did a slight flip. Once he
got back on all 4's, Steve rejoined the race and got
back into a transfer spot. Steve Simon took the B. The
20 lap sprint car A started off pretty wild. 1st Mike
Dunlap spins on the start. 2nd start, the front row of
Mike Miller and Andy Conley tangle, just coming to the
chalk line, for the green and end up in the wall
before even getting to the flag stand. Lee Stark and
Mark Hery was collected as well. Miller was a DNF. The
Smith bros now made up the front row. We all pretty
much could see the writing on the wall already. Corey
beat bro Dustin into turn 1 on the star and was
looking for another win. The only thing slowing him
was a few cautions for some spins. Steve Ott has
looked impressive the few times I have seen him at Gas
City and was looking good for his 1st visit to WMP.
Ott was closing fast and probably could of got past
Smith in lapped traffic or if the race was a little
longer. Ott actually looked faster that Corey the last
few laps but could not make a real attempt at a pass.
Corey Smith wins again over Ott, Jason Shields, Jon
Nelson, and Broc Burton. A good A Main. One thing I do
wish the WMP staff would do is make the non wing A
Mains at least 25 laps. 20 laps on a 1/4 mile just
isn't enough. I like the place and have seen some
great racing there and haven't had any complaints,
besides the guys taking way too long the other night
to get in line when they have 1 way radios, but one
change 1 would like to see in more laps in the sprint
car A Main. That is my suggestion box note for the
year there.
The mini sprints were putting on a wild show. The
heats were pretty much run aways but the B and A was
tight battles and wild racing. Before a lap was
complete in the A Main, 3 cars flipped at once in the
same accident. I have never seen mini sprints flip
like that. Then, the next crash we could of did
without. Hank Zimpfer took a nasty tumble, just past
the flag stand. Hank was Care Flighted out of the
track. I hear he should make a 100% recovery but it
will be a while. Not a 100% sure on this but I hear he
has a crushed vertebra and some bruised lungs. Lets
hope Hank makes a full recovery. Josh Yenser and Jared
Horstman had a good battle after that. Horstman has
won quite a bit at WMP and Yenser was trying to end
that. The last 10 laps were nonstop and the 15 year
old Yenser held off a charging Horstman. Rod Henning,
Hud Horton, and Devon Dobie rounded out the top 5.
With all the flooding in Ohio, this weeks races are
already canceled at Waynesfield and Limaland Motor
Sports Park. WMP was going to see Jack Hewitt return
to the cockpit and have a little benefit raffle for
Hank Zimpfer. There should be a rain out date
announced soon on that one. Limaland will just finish
of the season next Friday night.
UPCOMING:
Friday: MASS Bloomington IN, AVSS Spartan MI
SATURDAY: USAC Sprints Sharon OH
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