Weather Plays Games with Local Racing Efforts

From the Crossville Chronicle - Crossville, TN. Wednesday May 7, 2008

By Joe Dunn / joe@onpitroad.com

The Dirt tracks of East Tennessee are facing a formidable opponent so far in 2008. We all recognize that the economy is slowing to a crawl and prices, especially fuel are running out of control. But the one thing track owners can’t prepare for is Mother Nature.
Crossville Raceway got in their third racing event of the season Friday, but the threatening skies and the threat of rain kept some fans and drivers away. No Crossville never did get rain, in fact it was a perfect night for racing. But fans and drivers are more leery of spending that precious fuel if they think there is a chance of a rain out. The Crossville track has been much more fortunate than many of the other area tracks.
This week Crossville Raceway will again make the fans, especially the KIDS, part of the show with Nickel Night. All the kids in the grandstand will be invited at intermission to go down on the track in search of nickels that the track workers will be spreading on the front straight. This is the third fan event so far, last week fans were invited to bring their street vehicles onto the track for a best of three, one on one single lap competition. It was all pick up trucks Friday with the winner taking home a big trophy. Two weeks earlier it was the KIDS foot races on the front straight. With 2 age groups competing four winners took the big prizes while all participants got track souvenirs.
The Mountain Raceway in Maryville has managed to get in only one of seven scheduled racing programs, all due to rain. They will try again this week with an Advance Auto Parts Thunder Series $3,000 Super Late Model Race, along with their regular weekly program.
Wartburg Speedway has been able to get in three of the five scheduled events so far. They will be hosting the Southern Regional Racing Series in a $3,000 Super Late Model race that was postponed from April 11.
Spring City Raceway has managed to fair better than most of the Saturday tracks getting in four races so far this year. They will run their regular weekly racing program Saturday.
411 Motor Speedway in Seymour has been able to get in five races so far. They will run a regular weekly racing program Saturday.
Tazwell Speedway has managed to get in three of seven scheduled events so far. They will run a regular weekly program this Saturday.
Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap has managed to get in just three of nine scheduled events. They will run a regular weekly racing program Saturday.
With the cost of fuel and the general economy down even Nascar has seen a drop in their attendance figures this year. So if you’re a race fan, or you have never tried it and are looking for an inexpensive night out for the family, why not head on down to your local dirt track this weekend. You just might find that you really have been missing some great entertainment right in your own back yard.