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P/SUNNY Temp: 38 °F Wind: CLM at 0 mph Saturday, April 26, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend April 18, 2003 Speedway opens season this weekend By DON HUNT Mail Tribune WHITE CITY — The Southern Oregon Speedway kicks off its seventh season this weekend with no thoughts of slowing down. Promoter John Skinner has 24 events on tap at the one-third mile clay oval, beginning with Saturday night’s season-opener. Gates open at 4 p.m. with time trials scheduled for 6 and the main racing to follow, weather permitting. Despite Oregon’s sagging economy, the speedway set an attendance record last year, averaging 1,500 fans per event. "Race tracks seem to be recession proof," Skinner says. "People save enough money to find their way to the track." This year’s racing menu looks to be the best yet. The track will play host to a pair of Northern Sprint Tour races, the Art Pollard Memorial, the Dwarf Car West Coast Nationals, the Gene Romero Flat Track (motorcycle) Series, the Lon Skinner Memorial modified race, the fourth-annual Bud Cup late model race and a new event called the 410 Golden State Sprint Challenge. The latter event, set for June 17, will feature many of the top sprint car drivers in Oregon, Washington and California, not to mention two-time World of Outlaws champion Sammy Swindell. The race will have a purse exceeding $17,000. "That race will be similar to a World of Outlaws event," Skinner says. "They’ll be running the 410 (cubic inch) motors, just like the outlaws do." Skinner also hopes to add some spice to the Lon Skinner Memorial, named in honor of his late daredevil father. The modified race will feature a winning purse of at least $3,000 and should lure many of the top modified drivers on the West Coast. The sprint, modified and pro stock classes remain unchanged. The higher-priced mini stock cars will combine with the super truck class to form a new super four-cylinder division. The mini stock division will continue to run but more as a true beginning class. "We want it so you can go to the wrecking yard, buy a car, put a cage in it and be competitive," Skinner says of the mini stock class. "We want you to be in the car for less than $1,000, which is why we have a claim on them for that amount." The popular sprint cars are scheduled to run eight times, in addition to the three special sprint events. A host of drivers will be showing up in new cars, including defending modified points champion Jon DeBenedetti. DeBenedetti, who won just one main event last season but had six second-place finishes, will be driving a Performance Chassis that was built in Severville, Tenn. DeBenedetti has spent the last two months installing the motor, transmission, rear end, exhaust system and other key components of the car. "It’s going to be a lot different than the car I drove last year, mainly in the suspension area," says DeBenedetti, who won dwarf car titles in 1998, ’99 and 2000. "The new car is a lot more adjustable. "I think it’s going to be faster but also more sensitive to adjustments. The learning curve is coming, I can feel it." Former points champion Mark Wauge, Jeremy Richey and Jim Thomas will also hit the track with new modified cars. Jim Walker, Jr., the winningest driver in Rogue Valley stock car racing history with 143 victories and eight points titles, will be back to compete in the pro stock class but is also building a modified car. Walker is hoping to work out a deal with the Ron Martin Racing Team, which sponsors cars for DeBenedetti, Tom Glover and Markey James. Glover will race one of Martin’s modified cars Saturday but will put more emphasis on a new late model car that will compete on the Fourth of July and during the Bud Cup race in late September. Glover will also race the car twice in Yreka, Calif., and eight times on a West Coast late model circuit. "There’s going to be a huge learning curve with that car," Martin says. "They make the most sophisticated modified car look like a Tinker Toy." Reach reporter Don Hunt at 776-4469, or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search M Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy Website Feedback A D V E R T I S E R S