Lonnie Wheatley, LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (October 15, 2012) – As the days click away towards the 25th running of the COMP Cams Short Track Nationals presented by Hoosier Tires at Little Rock’s I-30 Speedway, the pre-entry deadline is this Wednesday.
Those entering the prestigious event by Wednesday, October 17, can save $100 on the entry fee. The entry fee for those entering by the deadline is $150. Those entering after that date will be $250. Entry forms are available athttp://www.i-30speedway.com/flyers/stn_2011.pdf or by calling 501-455-4567.
The entry count has already surpassed the half-century mark with it expected that the final count will be similar to last year’s total of 100 competitors.
Set for October 25-27 after a Test ‘N Tune session on Wednesday, October 24, more than $100,000 in purse money will be distributed over the weekend with the winner of Saturday night, October 27, 40-lap STN Championship finale pocketing $15,000. All those making the cut for the STN Championship finale will earn a minimum of $2,500.
Last year, Sammy Swindell became just the fourth multi-time STN winner by besting a field of 100 competitors for his first Short Track Nationals championship since 1990. Others that have claimed multiple STN honors include four-time champion Gary Wright (1995, 1999, 2003, 2004), Steve Kinser (1988, 1989, 1991) and Tony Bruce, Jr. (2008, 2009).
Other past Short Track Nationals winners include Brad Sweet (2010), Jason Meyers (2007), Jason Johnson (2006), Tim Montgomery (2005), Paul McMahan (2002), Jason Sides (2001), Mike Ward (2000), Tim Crawley (1998), Wayne Johnson (1997), Pete Butler (1996), Terry Gray (1994) and John Gerloff (1993). The 1992 edition fell victim to rain.
The Pertinent Info:
The What: 25th Annual COMP Cams Short Track Nationals presented by Hoosier Tires.
The Where: I-30 Speedway (Little Rock, AR). I-30 Speedway is located seven miles southwest of Little Rock off I-30 Exit 126 (Alexander Road).
The When: Thursday, Friday and Saturday, October 25-27, 2012. $15,000 to win the STN finale on October 27 with $2,500 to start the STN championship feature. Race time is 7:30 p.m. each night. Rain date is November 1-3. Test ‘N Tune session on Wednesday night, October 24.
The Format: The format introduced last year will once again be in effect. Approximately half the field will take to the track in the Thursday night qualifying event, with the other half in Friday’s qualifying event. The top three from each night will be locked into Saturday night’s $15,000-to-win, $2,500-to-start STN Championship Finale. Those six drivers will battle it out in Saturday’s Dash for Cash to determine the alignment of the front three rows of the championship main event.
Beyond that, drivers will be lined up on Saturday night in twin “B” Mains, twin “C” Mains, twin “D” Mains, twin “E” Mains and “F” Mains if necessary. Four drivers will transfer from each “F” to “E”, “E” to “D”, “D” to “C” and “C” to “B”, with seven advancing from each “B” Main to form the 20-car STN championship main event field.
The popular format of heats and qualifying races will once again be in place on qualifying nights. The top 14 in cumulative points from heats and qualifiers will be locked into that night’s main event, with two or three “B” Mains depending upon car count contested to fill out the qualifying night feature field.
Points earned in qualifying night heat races, qualifiers and features will set Saturday night’s feature lineups.
The Past Winners: Sammy Swindell (2011 and 1990), Brad Sweet (2010), Tony Bruce, Jr. (2009 and 2008), Jason Meyers (2007), Jason Johnson (2006), Tim Montgomery (2005), Gary Wright (2004, 2003, 1999 and 1995), Paul McMahan (2002), Jason Sides (2001), Mike Ward (2000), Tim Crawley (1998), Wayne Johnson (1997), Pete Butler (1996), Terry Gray (1994), John Gerloff (1993), Steve Kinser (1991, ’89 and ‘88). 1992 finale was rained out.
The Tickets: Advance tickets are on sale through Wednesday, October 24, no advance sales after that. Tickets ordered in advance are just $45 for all three nights. Day of show prices are $15 on Thursday and Friday and $25 on Saturday. To order tickets in advance or for more information, call the track at 501-455-4567 or e-mail orders to racing@I-30speedway.com. Children’s tickets will be available at the event for just $2 on both Thursday and Friday and then $5 on Saturday. There is a $1 per ticket surcharge for orders placed via credit/debit cards. Pit passes are $30 on both Thursday and Friday and $35 on Saturday.
The PPV: Can’t make your way to Little Rock, AR, for this prestigious event? For the first time ever, this year you can still catch every lap of the action on your computer via live Pay-Per-View. Just check out www.shorttracknationals.com for pricing and ordering information. Orders are being taken now.
The Trade Show & Midway: This year’s rendition of the Short Track Nationals will also include the Eighth Annual Short Track Nationals Trade Show & Midway. Fans, drivers & crews will have the opportunity to visit vendor displays, which opens at noon on Thursday and then at 9 a.m. on both Friday and Saturday. The deadline for guaranteed vendor space is Monday, October 22. Inquiries regarding vendor space should be directed to dssm93@msn.com.
Vendor List:
NSCHoF&M – How would you like to win a turn-key Eagle Motorsports/Don Ott powered sprint car?! The National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum of Knoxville, Iowa will bring their raffle car to display and fans can purchase their ticket for a shot at an amazing prize, a brand new, turn-key sprint car. You can also chat with Museum staff to learn more about the car. Click www.sprintcarhof.com to visit them online.
Brady Bacon Racing – Already with a dozen feature wins under his belt in 2012, Brady Bacon will certainly take the STN by storm, and their track support vehicle will be there to keep fans outfitted with their latest looks. Check out www.bradybaconracing.com for an advance preview of their apparel offerings.
Jason Johnson Racing – Stop by to visit with Bobbi Johnson in the nicely appointed and fully stocked racing apparel trailer for The Ragin’ Cajun. The former event winner has plenty of styles available, especially moving into the cooler time of the season – such as the STN. Clickhttp://jasonjohnsonracing.com to peruse their latest track looks.
Outlaw Wings – Outlaw Wings produces high performance racing wings for dirt racers all over the world. When down force is the name of the game, Outlaw Wings has the wing you need! Visit them at www.OutlawWings.com and in the pits on STN weekend.
Swindell Motorsports – Outfitted with every imaginable piece of apparel a sprint car fan could want, Swindell Motorsports will have their massive display located outside the fenced area between the pit shack and main concession stand. Stop by and say hello to Amy and she will hook you up with a great new look!
SuperShox – Located in Grayslake Illinois, Super Shox has been dedicated to building high performance shock absorbers with extreme durability at a reasonable price since 1997. Each year more racers make the switch to Super Shox – and it shows – with wins and championships; including the past four Chili Bowl champions and past two Kings Royal winners. Click www.supershox.com for more information.
High Vista Video Productions specializes in producing professional sprint car racing videos. They will be on hand showing highlights from racing events throughout the country plus taping the STN. You can also purchase the tapes there at the show. Please visit www.highvistavideo.com for a free preview.
Arizona Motorsports Promotions are returning this year to the STN Midway offering exciting racing apparel and merchandise to fans and drivers. Make sure to stop by and say hello to Dearl while you are there.
Kear’s Speed Shop of Tiffin, Ohio returns to the STN Trade Show for the fourth straight year. Synonymous with sprint car racing and servicing racers for over 40 years, Kear’s will be bringing their track support parts truck. They service a wide range of chassis brands; and if you need something specific brought to the STN, it is recommended that you call in your order ahead of time. Click www.kearsspeedshop.com for details. Stop by their mobile track support vehicle to say hi to Shirley, and that Darin sent you!
Lightning Racing Wings services sprint and micro teams with top quality wings and returns to the STN for the 5th year. Each wing is built car’s specifications and is constructed from aircraft quality aluminum. They will be on hand with both product and support. If you have any wing needs in the meantime, please contact them at www.LightningWings.com for more information.
BA Racing Gear returns with a wide range of racing apparel, die cast cars and more. Their ever-expanding line of merchandise is a big hit with fans wherever they travel to. BA Racing Gear is based out of Kansas City. Click www.badassracinggear.com for a look at their online home.
Action Sportswear from Dallas, TX has been producing top-of-the-line racing apparel for drivers and special events for over 25 years and has been an STN vendor on several occasions. They’ll be selling a variety of racing apparel including past event t-shirts. Visit http://actiontshirts.com/ to check out several of their designs.
Slade Shock Technology will be at the 2012 Short Track Nationals. SST – a cutting edge sprint car shock and bump stop technology company formerly based in North Carolina has relocated to Fostoria, Ohio. The move allows SST to be more centrally located to our core market – dirt track sprint cars – making it possible for us to attend more events throughout the year. SST will be on hand for the practice night as well as all 3 nights of the STN. As always SST offers it’s “Game Changer” bump stop kits, full service technical support including repairs & revalving done at the track, complete dyno services and new shock sales. For more information about our services and products, visit www.sladeshocktechnology.com or contact Eric Slade at 704-232-1127.
For more information regarding the 25th Annual COMP Cams Short Track Nationals presented by Hoosier Tires, contact I-30 Speedway at 501-455-4567.