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The stage is set for Siskiyou Motor Speedway in Yreka to have playday on Sunday.  The word was out that as of Wednesday morning things were looking good to make this happen.  On April 8th, racing starts with some IMCA Modified, O'Reilly Auto Parts IMCA Sport Modified and McDonald's Mini Stocks racing.  Sunday will be a great opportunity to get some laps and make sure things are ready to go for the opener.

The biggest buzz is in the IMCA Sport Modified class where the car count was in double digits most nights last season, and some young and talented racers like 2015 champion Colt Boswell, Ryder Boswell, D.J. Bottoms and Colton Cheffey competed.  Cheffey ended the year on such a hot streak that he is already being called one of the favorites to win the championship.  Jimmy Lipke is the reigning champion, and he might just have something to say about that.  Sunday is sure to have some Sport Mod drivers getting seat time, and that should include Mike Colson.  Colson is the latest Mini Stock driver to move up, and he recently had his car on display at the car show.

We're not sure what to expect in Modifieds when the season opens, but the fact that Yreka is the only show in the area on the 8th may help matters.  The Mini Stocks should maintain their numbers, and we're sure to see drivers in both classes getting Sunday practice.  Don't be surprised if the Outlaw Pro Stock Association is also represented.  They have eight races in Yreka this year as their home track, and the first one is set for April 22nd.  Of course, the Billy Geyer Memorial is on May 6th, and indications are that car count will be much stronger for that show this year.

Fast Freddy Hay indicated that he might be in Yreka to make some laps.  The popular 70 something year old leadfoot was third in points with a win in Yreka in 2015.  A flip in Chico in March last year left him with a broken neck.  It's understandable that Fred wants to get behind the wheel for practice to make sure he's comfortable after his year off.  Hay has been racing for several years, and this includes Stock Car racing before getting into Dwarf Cars.  It probably won't take long before he's comfortable again.

Twice this season. the Late Model Lites are coming to Yreka.  This division was all but dead before Medford brought it back in 2016.  The racers rallied behind the cause and grew the count to ten by the season finale.  When Yreka announced a willingness to try other classes if they couple produce at least four cars, Eric Aos and Danny Prewett were two of the most vocal racers in wanting to do it.  Lee Doty contacted speedway management and booked the dates on June 3rd and July 22nd.  The group changed their name from Super 4's to Late Model Lites this year due to the fact that so many of them have Late Model chassis with 4 cylinder motors.  We've been told that there are still a few drivers in the area with cars, and Sunday gives them an opportunity to make some laps.

The Hornets were the targeted class when the "can we get four cars" announcement was made, and a few of the Medford drivers reacted positively to the idea.  The only date on the calendar is April 22nd, but that's likely to increase depending on support.  We haven't heard of any drivers in the Yreka area building cars, but it's likely to be happening as this is being written.  We do know that the fastest Hornet in Medford, Joby Shields, is ready with a beautiful race car.  Shields won four times last season and ranked third in the final standings.  Hornets might be just the thing to grow in Yreka.

 

The stage is set in Coos Bay for the NASCAR era to begin.  The track was once NASCAR sanctioned some 20 years ago, before Chuck Prather came in and threw dirt over the pavement.  In the 1970's, Coos Bay hosted some NASCAR West races.  When Drake Nelson came in to promote, he knew something was needed right out of the gate to spark some excitement.  He decided on the NASCAR announcement, which he recently admitted he hoped would lead a few racers from Willamette and Cottage Grove to Coos Bay.  What will happen remains to be seen, but Saturday will be the opener.

There were at least three Late Models at the recent car show in Coos Bay, though we're not sure if two time Late Model Sportsman champion Wayne Butler is moving up to Super Late Models.  This would seem to be the perfect time for that as car count probably won't be huge.  Butler is definitely a talented enough racer to win some Super Late Model races.  Though Late Model car count has not been huge for most shows in recent years, the track could get 8-12 competitors for most shows.  The area has enough competitors to make that happen if drivers and crews aren't spooked by the NASCAR license.  NASCAR has been known to work with its Whelen All America Series family of tracks on improvements to their facilities.

Chuck Bracelin is a feature winner in recent seasons and a driver to contend with on race night.  We know the projected local roster is anywhere in the 15-20 car ball park, though we aren't sure who has cars and wants to race.  Toby McIntyre was a feature winner multiple times last season and won the 2016 championship.  We're not sure of the status of 2014 champion Trina Post.  2016 point runnerup Thor Kristenson should be back, and Tom Parry is another veteran racer to watch for.  With nothing happening anywhere else, you might just see drivers coming in from out of town, and that could include 2016 champion Nathan Augustine and third ranked competitor Kristy Grout.

Nelson has his work cut out for him trying to stabilize car count.  The Sportsman division last year could get ten cars, but often the 2-4 Street Stock racers would run with them.  The Sportsman class is now NASCAR Division II, while the Street Stocks are Division III.  Hornets were usually in the 10-16 car range and come in as NASCAR Division IV.  Indications are that they should still do pretty well, while the Mini Outlaws are Division V.  The Sprint Cars will run without sanctioning, and there has been speculation as to their future at the track.  All of these divisions and the Side By Side UTV's kick things off this Saturday night.  Optimism is high that this will be the start of good things for the track.

This is literally being added to this column moments before posting   Nelson made the request last night for at least six IMCA type Modified drivers to come race this Saturday night for a purse that would pay $500 to win and $100 minimum to start.  Seven time Medford champion Mark Wauge has been rallying the troops all morning, and thus far has 2014-2015 Medford champion Albert Gill, Cottage Grove champion, Curtis Towns, James Welshonse, Jake Mayden, Ryan Baker and James Anderson committed to going.  Nelson has said that he will made a final announcement as of 6:00 PM on Friday.

The Late Model movement is gathering steam at Southern Oregon Speedway.  We now know of ten cars.  Past Street Stock champion Steve Lemley just got his new car, and the car he had been preparing is ready to sell.  He's anticipated for the April 29th opener.  John Dees recently posted pictures of his car, and it's looking good.  The Bob Dees car was ready for its body.  We've also heard from both Nathan Augustine and Kristy Grout.  For those who have been calling for more Late Model racing in Medford, you're about to get your wish with a ten race schedule.

From the rumor mill comes word that Dwarf Car ace Kalvin Morton may actually see some action in the Kendall Oil Sprint Car division.  Given what he's done in Dwarf Cars these past few seasons, you can't argue the fact that he is ready if he gets the chance.  Morton still has his Dwarf Car, and he also has an IMCA Sport Modified.  One thing about Kalvin is that he's going to race hard in whatever he drives.

Some beautiful IMCA Modifieds are in the works in the Medford area.  We've already reported that Andy Freeman has a car from the shop of Clay Daly.  Bob Thomas Racing has a beautiful Modified as well.  Not to be outdone, Ray Kniffen Jr. was showing off his new colors for this year.  This could be the year that we'll see some new stars emerge in IMCA Modifieds at Southern Oregon Speedway.

Since getting his new car through Ryland racing in California, reigning IMCA Sport Mod champion Mike Medel has been showing it off at every opportunity.  As he approaches 20 years of competing at the Medford track, Mike revealed in a recent interview that he's never had a new car before.  He reported that all went well when he participated in the Shaw Racing School not long ago in Merced, and he had his beautiful race car all lettered and on display at the recent car show at the mall in Albany.  Mike is looking forward to the possibility of making more practice laps before the season kicks off at Southern Oregon Speedway on April 29th.

Other news has been slow to trickle in from Southern Oregon Speedway.    It was just reported that Tylor Ray and Anthony Kniffen will be racing a Hornet this season.  Indications are that car count could increase in that division this season. We've heard through the Neon Mafia Team that Kristopher Mix and Andrew Hall are getting ready to race.  Mix is also helping Dwarf Car star Ryan Smith get his car ready.  Though we aren't hearing much from the three champions of the group, Bob Burkett, Gary Anderson and David Steele, we're pretty sure all three drivers are getting ready.  They aren't ones to do much talking on social media.  Burkett will do some Mini Stock racing while also moving up to Late Model Lites.

As for the track itself, it's pretty wet, especially in the very green pit area.  The winter winds knocked a few trees over and took down a sign and the pit board, but that's all fixable.  The track should be ready to go for the April 29th opener, and if the sun comes out more, there's no reason a playday on either the 15th or the 22nd can't happen.

Down in Hayfork, the Hobby Stock drivers were pleased with the news that a racing tire will be allowed this season.  While Josh Smith continues to completely go over the former Bill Kasper car, a few of the Hayfork racers went to Marysville a couple weeks ago.  Past Clyde Cordell Memorial winner Burl Richardson finished second ahead of young up and comer D.J. Case.  Russ Newman had second until fading late, but he did win his heat race earlier in the evening.  There is lots of excitement in the area as Hayfork gets ready for a new season.

Orland Raceway made the big announcement at the beginning of March that they would be running a Wingless Gas Sprint Car class.  Orland has had a Sprint Car class at part of the program since 2001 when Paul & Carol Turner were the first promoters to follow the lead of Antioch Speedway by adding Spec Sprints.  Within a couple of seasons, car count hit double digits, and other tracks wanted the class.  When the Turners left in 2007, the track went dark for about a year.  Revolving door promoters made it a challenge getting the class going, and one promoter made the class a ladies division for a season.

When Mike McCann entered the picture in 2013, his idea was to open up the motors to injectors as a way to spark more interest in the class.  There were some big moments, and the track even hosted a Hunt Series race under McCann's leadership.  Adam Zachary kept the division for his one season, but count stayed in the 5-8 car range that year.  Pure Stock veteran Rich Hood dropped the class last year when he took over as promoter, but he added it this year as Wingless Gas Sprints.  However, rules haven't been clarified.  It's been speculated that in the interest of keeping costs down, these cars will go back to two barrel carburetors and run on gas, but that hasn't been confirmed.

The announcement was noticed by four of the Top 5 drivers from 2015, including Bill Hopper, Tony Richards, Ryan Owens and Jeremy Wilson.  Hopper was the champion for the second straight season, though unlike other division champions, he was never officially honored with a championship trophy.  Richards is a past champion at the track.  These drivers are interested, but they are hoping they won't have to make a bunch of changes to what they had in 2015 to go racing.  We're still waiting on clarification on rules and other matters.  There is a place for the class in Orland, and there's lots of potential to get it back on track.  Keeping the rules affordable is a great idea, but you need to walk a fine line and not alienate drivers who are willing to support the show.

12 Tidbits From The Jefferson Area

1-Coos Bay Speedway has gone NASCAR.  It's been years, but the track was once a NASCAR venue.  They even hosted some NASCAR West races on the pavement track.  All of the Stock Car classes will be NASCAR from Division 1 to Division 5.  In order, they are Super Late Models, Late Model Sportsman, Street Stocks, Hornets and Mini Outlaws.  There is speculation that even though the track still has Sprint Cars, their future in Coos Bay is uncertain.  The lack of inclusion in NASCAR may be a surprise.  San Jose Speedway used to put NASCAR sanctioning on its Super Modified division, but perhaps this class does not fit into the plans?

The Super Late Model champion will most likely pocket $6000 for the title, eclipsing the Willamette championship by $1000.  This is because any driver who never had a NASCAR license will automatically be considered a rookie.  It's not likely that any driver currently on the roster ever held a NASCAR license.  Drake Nelson recently speculated in the Coos Bay newspaper that there would be some drivers from the Lebannon area that would bypass Willamette to race at Coos Bay.  We haven't heard any news other than what Jerry Schram put on the Willamette page.

Because Schram has represented the largest base of Late Model drivers in Oregon in recent years, he has secured Knothole Markets as a sponsor and with Hoosier Tires can pay $5000 for the champion all the way down to a minimum of $500 for 14th in points.  The track will also continue to pay $1000 to win its weekly program provided a minimum of 14 cars are present.  It's $750 below that and if the car count gets high enough, it goes up to $1250 to win.  Weekly entry fee is $100 for the drivers.  Schram is betting that most racers will stay put and run locally when that is an option.

Back at Coos Bay, drivers in Division 1 are expected to pay $200 for a NASCAR license.  Division 2 and lower is $100 and crew will either buy a license or pay extra for a weekly pit pass.  Drake Nelson is all in with NASCAR, and he is gambling that this will increase his car count.  In addition to a $3000 track championship, $2000 State title and $1000 "Rookie Of The Year" honors for the top class, Division 2 pays $1000 for the champion and also pays on down to tenth, Division 3 pays $500 for the title on down to tenth and Division 4 will pay $300 to win on down to tenth.  The weekly Super Late Model pay is $500 to win and $750 for 18 or more cars.  On April 1st, we get our first look at NASCAR sanctioned Coos Bay Speedway.

2-It's been reported that a Late Model Speedweek idea was pitched for 2017, rather than Sprint Cars.  Of course, Sprint Cars remain that class, and Modifieds are doing well with their popular Speedweek Tour.  The belief is that with Late Models in Willamette, Cottage Grove, Coos Bay and Medford, this idea could have been a winner and they would have at least had the car count the struggling 360's have.  Ultimately, Schram committed to the Sprint Car Speedweek at Willamette and Banks, and the series continues.

3-Limited Sprint Cars are being given what could be their biggest opportunity ever.  The Medford movement with Limited rules for the Kendall Oil Sprint Car Series will allow for an increase in support at the track with an infusion of new talent.  The purse was set to remain at $700 to win, but there's been an effort through sponsorship to attempt to increase that to $1000.  The man pushing the hardest for this is past Limited Sprint champion and many time Medford feature winner David Hibbard.  It is believed that this will jump start the car count and give Medford its best Sprint Car presence in years.

In Cottage Grove, the Limited Sprints serve a dual purpose.  Some drivers are encouraged to race with the slightly faster 360's as that field sometimes can't get ten cars without the extra support.  They also ensure that there's a Sprint Car race of some kind happening there every week.  Management was not pleased to hear that Medford not only will pay $700 but may be paying more to win and start.  No announcement has been made regarding purse in Cottage Grove, but the division does have a point fund sponsor.  It's been predicted that the purse may go up to $700 to win in an effort to keep the locals and encourage the Roseburg area racers to keep coming.

4-There are some questions about what the IMCA Modified car count will be at Yreka and Medford this year.  Yreka's class just about died last season with the exception of their three special programs.  With most of the locals not racing, it was Medford support that helped make the other shows go.  However, Yreka is doubling down on the class this year.  Medford's numbers were not spectacular.  They opened strong, did better at the Haudenshild, dropped to a paltry four cars, had a good Speedweek, coasted to the Skinner Race and ended with ten cars.  The cars are there, but will they support even with an IMCA sanctioning?

Both tracks are on the upswing with their Sport Modified divisions.  Several younger drivers are in Sport Mods at Yreka now, and that is a trend that is expected to continue.  There's a lot of optimism in the air for what's yet to come.  In Medford, the class seems poised to start producing regular double digit car counts for the first time, which would be an indication of the shifting balance of power.  Ultimately, numbers always dictate where these things go, but the Sport Mod show at both tracks should be good this year.  As for A Modifieds, Cottage Grove and Willamette should continue to do well, and it could always rebound in Medford.

5-There might have been some confusion in some people's minds about Pro Stocks in Medford, but this class will use the same rules and have their own race.  They are not being forced to join the Late Model class, which is currently generating lots of interest from different drivers.  This will be a "getting established" year for both fendered Stock Car classes, but optimism is high.  A Late Model class has never really been cultivated in Medford since the old track closed, and there's serious interest in building this up.  Likewise, there's a desire to rebuild the Pro Stocks as one of the track's core classes.

Because the Outlaw Pro Stock Association booked a nice schedule between Medford and Yreka, drivers will not lack for racing opportunities.  There are three noteworthy races in the first few months.  Yreka and the OPSA will host the big Billy Geyer Memorial on May 6th, Medford hosts the Roger Haudenshild Tribute on June 3rd and the Gordon Russell Sr. Memorial race will be hosted by the Nevada Pro Stock group in Cedarville, California on June 24th.  The only conflict in schedules between the OPSA and Medford is May 20th.

6-Yreka management noticed that they had some Kart dates scheduled on top of Medford on Friday night and decided to fix that.  The revised schedule is free of conflict.  The two Friday night Kart venues run an every other week schedule, and that means Kart racers can pursue championships at both tracks without fear of missing any races this season.  Yreka got Facebook talking earlier this year after they added Hornets for at least one date and Late Model Lites for two.  Both classes are on the roster at Medford, which is the track that brought the Late Model Lites class back from the brink last season.  The class grew last season, and some of the racers wanted to give Yreka a try.

What is interesting is that Yreka continues to try to book a schedule that avoids conflicts with Medford, and there are still those who are pushing for some sort of unity between the two tracks in the future.  You can't avoid conflicts when you are both Saturday night venues, but if one switched to Friday nights, it could make things interesting.  The Lon Skinner weekend in Medford is the week in question where Yreka has booked both Modified classes.  At this point, there are no discussions between the two tracks, but you never know about the future.

7-Orland Raceway promoter Rich Hood seems to be on a year to year basis as he enters his second year calling the shots at the track.  They had released a schedule back in January, but it was recently better defined to include the popular Fan Appreciation night and Schmitke Race For A Cure.  There are also two double point shows.  Pure Stocks, Mini Stocks, Mini Trucks and Micros Sprints are the core classes, but Hood raised some eyebrows with the inclusion of the Wingless Gas Sprint Cars.  This was a division that was part of the track for over a decade.  Following the successful launching of Wingless Spec Sprints in Antioch in 1999, the class was added in Orland a couple of years later.  There are cars in the area, and it's hoped that those drivers get back on board.

8-Word out of Roseville was that Bill McAnally withdrew his bid for the track when he couldn't reach a satisfactory agreement to run the track.  Rick Poppert wanted to walk away, but he agreed to stay on for another year to ensure that the racing program continues on the popular Placer County paved oval at the fairgrounds.  There's been speculation on where it will go from here, but the good news is that the season will continue on with the core Street Stocks, Bombers and F4's along with various visiting classes.

9-Another track popped up on our radar in Oroville, California.  Actually, we've heard a few Marysville racers refer to it in the past.  A group of Flat Track Motorcycle racers is putting it all together. They had been trying to make something happen in Manteca and then ran races in Prairie City last year.  The track is coming together and it will be a place for Motorcycle racers to compete this year.  It's interesting to see how tracks keep popping up in California when you consider it's supposedly not a popular state for racing.

10-Meetings seem to have been common over the last month at many Jefferson area tracks.  Shasta Speedway had an official's meeting to fill positions last week and a driver's meeting later that week as they gear up for a better season this year.  Just reopening the track after such a late start last year was a big victory for Promoter Dave Twyman.  Likewise, Hayfork Speedway had a meeting to discuss rules and get ready for an exciting 11 race season.  There seems to be quite a bit of driver enthusiasm there this season, and several racers recently brought their Hobby Stocks to Marysville.

Diamond Mountain Speedway in Susanville had a meeting and is getting closer to playday.  They have their usual ten race season planned, and they're having a fan contest to design a new logo for the track t-shirt and other things.  Management of the Lassen County Fairgrounds based facility became the latest to add IMCA Sport Modifieds to a roster that includes IMCA Modifieds, Strictly Stock Cars and Mini Stocks.  It should be another great season there this year.

11-Lovers of NASCAR will probably appreciate the NASCAR K&N West Series.  All American Speedway will still host a race on October 14th.  This is listed on both the series and track websites.  Not on the track schedule at Douglas County Speedway is the NASCAR K&N West Series visit on August 26th.  However, the official series website has it listed.  We can only assume the people in Roseburg will make that official to their fans in the near future as tickets are sure to sell.  Shasta Speedway lists June 17th as a tentative date for the NASCAR West Series, but this has not been confirmed on the series website as of yet.  This date is just what promoter Dave Twyman needs to really get the buzz going in his effort to turn things around there.




12-The Pacific Sport Modified Series has been slow to get support.  Steve Kerstulovich has gotten 15 drivers to sign up as of March 29th.  It's worth noting that he dropped the IMCA Modifieds this year to focus on IMCA Sport Modifieds and helping the class grow.  He even lobbied for the division to be included in all eight IMCA Modified Wild West Speedweek races.  Only Cottage Grove declined to add the class to either race.  The point fund Steve gathered through sponsorship last season actually paid them more than the IMCA State championship.  Hopefully the drivers will get on board with this as it is another way to promote the division.

There had been talk about expanding this series into California, but the support wasn't really coming in.  At the same time Kerstulovich held his meeting to discuss PSM plans for this season, Brian Cooper and Jerry Bartlett had a meeting of their own in the Marysville area.  They launched the West Coast Sport Modified tour to amazing results.  Over 40 drivers signed up, and sponsorship has turned this into a better paying show for this division with a nice season ending banquet and point fund. 

Unfortunately, Chico and Merced races have already rained out, and they are worried that Petaluma on April 8th will go next.  There has been discussion of what to do, including adding a race at Chico on May 12th since they will be in Marysville on the 13th.  At one point, it looked like Yreka and Medford could be included, but Medford moved the Haudenshild race back a week.  This prevented the two race Yreka-Medford weekend that made the possibility of coming further north so attractive.  You also never know what the weather is going to do.

In one final point, Yreka is scheduled to kick things off with a playday on Sunday, April 2nd, weather permitting.  The season opener will be on the 8th with the core IMCA Modified, O'Reilly Auto Parts IMCA Sport Modified and McDonald's Mini Stock classes.  In Medford, Southern Oregon Speedway has a playday on April 15th and another one on the 22nd if that gets rained out.  On the 29th, Late Models, IMCA Sport Modifieds, Pro Stocks, Mini Stocks, Valley Stor-All Late Model Lites and SODCA Dwarf Cars will all be in action to kick off the season.

IMCA Sport Modifieds Preparing For Best Year Yet 

At Southern Oregon Speedway

White City, Oregon...The IMCA Sport Modifieds are back for their sixth season at Southern Oregon Speedway, and good things are anticipated for the division.  Their arrival in 2012 was a bit controversial as an attempt was made to merge the track's Pro Stock class into the Sport Modifieds, which hadn't gone with IMCA just yet.  Three Pro Stock stars, Mike Medel, Rob Fitzsimmons and Bob Nelsen were on the first roster, joined by Modified racer Dwayne Melvin.  All but Nelsen are back this year.  Nelsen has sold his car to Fitzsimmons.

The whole reason for Sport Modifeds was the idea that there is a plethora of Modified chassis out there that may not quite have what it takes in the Modifieds, but they can be competitive with the Sport Modifieds.  As some Modified drivers may get a bit discouraged or feel they don't have the budget to be as competitive as they might like, they decide to park. The Sport Modified division gives them a chance to get back out there and be competitive.  It also offers drivers looking to compete a less expensive path to go Modified racing.  The fourth year under IMCA sanctioning gives the drivers a national set of rules as well as track, state and national points.

As luck would have it, Southern Oregon Speedway is the home track of Oregon State champions Jorddon Braaten and Mike Medel.  Braaten was the IMCA State champion last season and won over a dozen races on the circuit.  In fact, he also won the Pacific Sport Modified Series championship.  Some people consider Braaten to be the best Sport Modified racer in the state, and he is definitely hard to beat on race night.  Even if he could be the favorite to win it this year, the competition level is at an all time high for this class headed into this season.

2015 IMCA State champion Mike Medel is the defending track champion.  Mike is looking to not only repeat as champion but win more often.  To achieve that goal, he has a new car this season.  Like Braaten, Medel is a dedicated racer who likes to test his skills against the best drivers on the circuit, and he also won on the road last season.  You might be looking for a Braaten-Medell battle up front, but these two drivers won't be alone.

David Marble was a force in the Mini Stock division with a championship and many feature wins to show for it.  In his rookie season in Sport Modifieds last year, Marble battled for Main Event wins and picked up three Trophy Dash victories.  However, David isn't content to finish near the front of the pack in the Main Event.  He earned several feature wins in the Mini Stocks, and he will be a good bet to win his first Sport Mod feature this season.

Rob Fitzsimmons is no stranger to winning races.  He has won in both the Pro Stock and Sport Modified ranks and finished second in the Sport Modified standings back in 2012.  Bob Nelsen picked up a pair of victories in the car last season, and Fitzsimmons has the skill to get to the Winner's Circle again this year.  Another driver with a win last year was 2012-2013 division champion Dwayne Melvin.  Whether or not he puts himself in the point battle this season, Melvin will be a threat to win any time he comes to race.

Toby Judd was a welcome addition back in the Sport Modifieds last season.  Like Marble, Judd is a one time Mini Stock champion (2012) with several feature wins to show for it, and you have to believe he will make his presence known this year.  Yet another past Mini Stock champion (1998), Rich McCoy was fast last season after debuting the "Lightning McQueen" paint job with a feature win that night.  He is also a past Modified feature winner, and will be as fast as anybody out there.  Another driver that will be a threat is multi time Top 5 Dwarf Car point competitor Kalvin Morton, who had a feature win in one of his few starts last season. 

The talent level is higher than it's ever been in Sport Modifieds, which is good news for the fans.  Coming off of their Top 5 point seasons, A.J. Parker and Willie McFall will be back to try to get to the winner's circle this year.  Parker was rumored to be in a new car this year.  His teammate, Tony Bartell, who is a past Late Model Lites feature winner, will be back as well.  Shane Everson, Bob  Thomas and Randy Fernandes are among the others to watch for this season.  Plus, some top notch talent from elsewhere will be paying the track a visit or two during the season.

The IMCA rules package will keep the class competitive, and the fans will be treated to an exciting 11 race season.  After playdays scheduled for April 15th and 22nd, the season kicks off on April 29th and continues with visits all the way through the point finale on September 9th.  Will Medel, Braaten or Melvin win another championship, or will a new driver join them on the champion's podium this season?  Come out to the track this season and find out.  For further information, go to www.southernoregonspeedway.com.

2017 Southern Oregon Speedway IMCA Modified Schedule

April 15 Playday
April 22 Rain Out Make Up Playday
April 29
May6
May 13
June 3 - Roger Haudenshild Tribute
June 17
June 24 - Wild West Speedweek
July 8
August 12
September 2 Lon Skinner Memorial
September 3 Lon Skinner Memorial
September 16


Past IMCA Sport Modified champions.

2012  Dwayne Melvin
2013  Dwayne Melvin
2014  Jorddon Braaten
2015  Jorddon Braaten
2016  Mike Medel

Previous Feature IMCA Sport Mod Winners 2014-1016

May 2, 2014:  Jorddon Braaten
May 9, 2014:  Jorddon Braaten
May 22, 2014:  Bob Nelsen
May 30, 2014:  Matt Duste
June 20, 2014:  Jorddon Braaten
June 29, 2014:  Jorddon Braaten
August 1, 2014:  Jorddon Braaten
August 29, 2014:  Jorddon Braaten
September 5, 2014:  Jorddon Braaten
September 6, 2014:  Jorddon Braaten
September 19, 2014:  Jorddon Braaten
September 26, 2014:  Glen Severson
May 3, 2015:  Bob Nelsen
May 17, 2015:  Jorddon Braaten
May 31, 2015:  Jorddon Braaten
June 7, 2015:  Jorddon Braaten
June 14, 2015:  Rob Fitzsimmons
June 21, 2015:  Jorddon Braaten
June 28, 2015:  Rob Fitzsimmons
July 3, 2015:  Jorddon Braaten
July 26, 2015:  Matt Duste
August 2, 2015:  Jorddon Braaten
August 9, 2015:  Jorddon Braaten
August 23, 2015:  Bob Nelsen
August 30, 2015:  Jorddon Braaten
August 31, 2015:  Jorddon Braaten
September 6, 2015:  Jorddon Braaten
September 27, 2015:  Jorddon Braaten
May 7, 2016:  Jorddon Braaten
May 28, 2016:  Todd Cooper
June 11, 2016:  Fred Ryland
June 18, 2016:  Jorddon Braaten
June 25, 2016:  Bob Nelsen
July 4, 2016:  Jorddon Braaten
July 30, 2016:  Jorddon Braaten
August 27, 2016:  Rich McCoy
September 3, 2016:  Bob Nelsen
September 4, 2016:  Howard Law
September 10, 2016:  Mike Medel
September 17, 2016:  Dwayne Melvin

IMCA Modifieds Back For 22nd Season 

At Southern Oregon Speedway

White City, Oregon...IMCA Modifieds are back once again for ten races at Southern Oregon Speedway.  The IMCA sanctioning returns in both the Modified and Sport Modified classes.  The racers prefer this because it keeps the class running under a universal set of rules that are used throughout the country.  Plus, the point structure allows them to compete not just for a track championship, but Oregon State, Western Region and National championships as well.

When Southern Oregon Speedway opened back in 1996, the track featured the Modified class.  For a while, they ran with wings on the top.  As time went on, the track tried other sanctioning bodies before settling on IMCA sanctioning in recent years.  The Modifieds also became the chosen division for the track's marquee race, the Lon Skinner Memorial race.  This race has been a featured event every year since the track opened.

Some of the very best racers in Oregon and Northern California Modified racing hail from the Medford area.  The fans have been entertained by such hard chargers as Don Estremado, Tom Glover, Dave Duste, Bruce Rayburn, Jon DeBenedetti, Brian Poppa and Mark Wauge through the years.  The fact that the field was so stacked with talent that you never knew who would win from week to week made Southern Oregon Speedway the place to be on Saturday night.

It's an exciting time for the IMCA Modified division as new stars have been emerging in recent years, led by Albert Gill.  Gill isn't exactly a new racer.  He has come up from the Pro Stock ranks to win back to back Modified championships in 2014-2015.  Gill has been one of the strongest supporters of the track and IMCA in recent years.   Though he fell back a couple spots in the Top 5 last season, his impressive feature win and Trophy Dash victory in the same night serves as a reminder that he is still a force to be reckoned with.   He is also a two time Yreka champion in recent years.  As good as he is, the best may be yet to come for Gill.

James Welshonse was a star of Street Stocks and Mini Stocks before a brief foray into Sport Modifieds.  In his rookie season last year, he had a knack for winning Trophy Dashes as he competed for "Rookie Of The Year" honors.  In the finale, James made a big statement by riding the outside groove all the way to first place, and he only lost the track championship by two points to Mark Wauge in the end.  He is certainly a driver you can't ignore in the battle this season.

Another driver to keep an eye on is Jesse Bailey.  He's certainly been one of the front runners during the previous four seasons with multiple Main Event wins and four consecutive Top 5 seasons.  Jesse missed some races last year in his fifth place effort, but he still scored two third place finishes and one second, along with a Trophy Dash win.  If he goes all in with the schedule, he could just be the driver to beat in the championship race. 

Ray Kniffen Jr. is ready to race this season.  The Kniffen family has been a part of racing in Medford for years, and Ray redid his car to be more competitive last year.  He nearly won a Main Event, settling for a close second.  Then, he suffered an injury at the Lon Skinner Memorial and brought in Pro Stock champion Scott Lenz to drive.  Unfortunately, Lenz saw a win slip away in the finale when the second place driver went for an opening that wasn't there.  Kniffen is back this year and will be a threat to win when he's there.

After a Top 10 point effort in 2015 and a Top 3 season in Street Stocks before that, Brett Provost sat out the 2016 season, but he's coming back this year.  Past Top 3 point runner Jeremy Ohlde was prepared to make a run at the championship before a work related injury sidelined him prematurely last year.  He's also planning to comeback this season.  The last time we saw Andy Freeman race, he was picking up a win in  September off 2015.  He's also a past Pro Stock feature winner, and he has a new car this season.

The reality is that the talent pool is loaded in the IMCA Modifieds as there are some big stars to watch for from time to time, if not regularly.  Nick Trenchard, Brian Poppa and Mark Wauge are all champions.  Wauge is the most decorated Modified champion in speedway history with seven titles and about 50 feature wins, while Poppa bears the distinction of winning Modified and Pro Stock championships in the same season.  Poppa was the inaugural Wild West Speedweek champion.  Trenchard is a Lon Skinner Memorial winner and Yreka champion.

Monte Bischoff, C.J. Putnam, Matt Duste, Brian Bowman, Zach Fettinger, Bo Shields, Duane Orsburn, Jay Poppa, Lloyd Speer and Kyle Casson are all threats to win on any given race day.  The fact is that it's difficult to even predict who might be the driver to beat in this year's championship battle.

Point racing kicks off on May 6th.  The ten race schedule has some big dates, including the Roger Haudenshild Tribute on June 3rd, the Wild West Speedweek race on June 24th and the Lon Skinner Memorial Race on September 2nd and 3rd.  Last season was a wide open affair with eight different winners in nine races.  Who will lay claim to the first IMCA Modified victory of the season?  We'll find out on May 6th.  For further information on the IMCA Modified division and other happenings at the track, go to www.southernoregonspeedway.com.

2017 Southern Oregon Speedway IMCA Modified Schedule

April 15 Playday
April 22 Rain Out Make Up Playday
May 6
May 20
June 3 - Roger Haudenshild Tribute
June 17
June 24 - Wild West Speedweek
July 22
August 12
September 2 Lon Skinner Memorial
September 3 Lon Skinner Memorial
September 16

Most Recent IMCA Modified Feature Winners

1996  Tom Glover
1997  Dennis Silva
1998  Tom Glover
1999  Don Estramado
2000  Mark Wauge
2001  Jay Hinton Jr.
2002  Jon DeBenedetti
2003  Jeremy Richey
2004  Brad Alfrey
2005  Mark Wauge
2006  Brian Poppa
2007  Mark Wauge
2008  Justin Holt
2009  Mark Wauge
2010  Travis Peery
2011  Mark Wauge
2012  Mark Wauge
2013  Dustin Knight
2014  Albert Gill
2015  Albert Gill
2016  Mark Wauge

Past Southern Oregon IMCA Modified Feature Winners

May 3, 2014:  Albert Gill
May 10, 2014:  Tom Berry Jr.
May 31, 2014:  Jesse Bailey
June 7, 2014:  Kevin Hewitt
June 21, 2014:  Albert Gill
July 3, 2014:  Nick Trenchard
July 26, 2014:  Albert Gill
August 16, 2014:  Collen Winebarger
August 30, 2014:  Nick Trenchard
August 3, 2014:  Nick Trenchard
September 6, 2014:  Jeremy Richey
September 27, 2014:  B.J. Wild
April 18, 2015:  Jesse Bailey
April 25, 2015:  Albert Gill
May 2. 2015:  Albert Gill
May 9, 2015:  Scott Lenz
May 30, 2015:  Nick Trenchard
June 13. 2015:  Jesse Williamson
July 4, 2015:  Mark Wauge
July 18, 2015:  Brian Poppa
August 1, 2015:  Mark Wauge
August 15, 2015:  Jon DeBenedetti
August 22, 2015:  Mark Wauge
September 5, 2015:  Kellen Chadwick
Septeber 6, 2015:  Bobby Hogge IV
September 19, 2015:  Andy Freeman
September 26, 2015:  Nick Trenchard
May 7, 2016:  Mark Wauge
May 28, 2016:  Mark Wauge
June 4, 2016:  Duane Orsburn
June 11, 2016:  Ryan Scott Gaylord
July 16, 2016:  Albert Gill
August 27, 2016:  Monte Bischoff
September 3, 2016:  Jeremy Richey
September 4, 2016:  Bobby Hogge IV
September  17, 2016:  James Welshonse   

Late Models Prepare For 10 Race Season 

At Southern Oregon Speedway

White City, Oregon...The Late Models will be competing at Southern Oregon Speedway this season.  Promoter Mike McCann booked a six race season last year for the Open Stock division, which was open to several different types of Stock Cars.  However, the majority of support came from the Late Model side of things.  After assessing the situation and taking the drivers' thoughts into consideration, McCann has booked an exciting 10 race season for the Late Models this year.  It's the most ambitious schedule for this class in the history of Southern Oregon Speedway.

Rules will be in line with the other tracks in the state to make it possible for drivers to come visit when their own schedules allow.  They will compete for a guaranteed purse, which features a $500 to win first prize, and they will earn championship points.  The purse money is currently equal to what the two closest tracks to Medford offer.

The track has booked a play day for April 15th and a backup playday for April 22nd in case of rainout.  The season kicks off for the track on April 29th, and Late Models are one of the featured classes.  The May 6th and 13th dates mean the Late Model division opens with three races in a row.  After just one race in June (June 10th), There will be two races in July (July 1st and 22nd), two races in August (August 12th and 19th) and the final two races of the season (September 9th and 16th).

Once again, Bob Dees and Mike Linder lead the class into a new season  Dees was supportive of the track's Late Model effort that took place within the last 10 years, but it ended when he was the last driver standing.   Dees and Linder battled for last season's championship, but Bob had his best finish at the last race of the season with heat race and Trophy Dash victories before placing second in the Main Event.  Two time winner Linder settled for second in the standings.

Joining these two hard chargers will be Bob's two sons, John Dees and Garrett Dees.  John was excited to make his division debut a couple races into the season, and he also made a couple of trips out of town with his two teammates.  John finished third in final points.  Garrett Dees had competed in Street Stocks for a few seasons and was one of the last drivers left when the Medford effort ended in 2014.  In fact, Garrett has indicted that he might compete in the Road To The Iron Gian Street Stock race at Medford on May 20th.  He made his Late Model debut in the season finale.  Despite having to use his Street Stock motor, Garrett still finished third in the feature.

Garrett Dees wasn't the only driver making his debut in last season's finale.  Dustin Knight not only made his first start that evening, he served notice to the competition that he will be a force to be reckoned with this season.  Knight has spent the last several seasons as a star of Super 4 racing at Roseburg and other tracks, and he has Pro Stock and Modified championships in Medford..  For the finale, Knight won both his heat race and the Main Event by a wide margin.  Some people are already calling him the driver to beat this year.

Nathan Augustine may have something to say about that.  The 2016 Coos Bay champion made one appearance with teammate Kristy Grout, who is also anticipated this year.  He ended up clean sweeping the show with wins in his heat race, the Trophy Dash and Main Event.  Word is that he has a new car this season.  Should he make a run for the championship, he will be another driver to watch.  Grout, meanwhile, finished third in points at Coos Bay last season.

Several drivers are preparing to join the roster this season.  One of these competitors is Don Garrett Jr.  Garret and Linder have a connection as two drivers who were there at the beginning of the Limited Sprint Car movement almost 25 years ago.  Micro Sprint Car collector and historian Rick Hazen, a past Madras Speedway Modified champion, is planning to make some starts this year.  A little over a decade ago, Hazen picked up his first Late Model win at Willamette Speedway in a huge field of cars.  It was only his ninth start.

Frank Hazen is another Late Model veteran anticipated for some races.  A busy work schedule kept past Street Stock champion Steve Lemley from racing last season, but he should be making his return this season.  Word is there are other drivers preparing cars, some of whom will be familiar names to Medford racing fans.

Though Late Models haven't raced for a championship at Southern Oregon Speedway for very many seasons, the class has made several appearances through the years.  Past champions include Chris Salyer and Roger Lorenizini Jr. (2008), Andy Freeman (2009) and Jeremy Richey (2010).  Through the years, there have been Oregon Late Model Tour races as well as the big open shows that used to end the season.  As the new Late Model effort continues to grow, there is potential for some big events to come to the speedway once again.  This will be the year that Late Models establish themselves as part of the program.  It should be an exciting season.  For further information, go to www.southernoregonspeedway.com.

2017 Southern Oregon Speedway
Late Model Schedule
April 15 - Playday
April 22 - (Rain Date Playday)
April 29
May 6
May 13
June 10
July 1
July 22
August 12
August 19
September 9
September 16

2016 Southern Oregon Speedway
Top 10 Late Model Points
Bob Dees  136
Mike Linder  131
John Dees 48
Nathan Augustine  39
Dustin Knight 35
Garrett Dees 30
Miles Deubert 29
Jeffrey Hudson 28
David Schmidt 26
Kristy Grout 24

Past 30 Southern Oregon Speedway Late Model Feature Winners
June 11, 2007:  Trevor Glaser
July 14, 2007:  Jason Wines
April 26, 2008:  Rob Mayea
May 17, 2008:  Casey Vitale
August 2, 2008:  Chris Salyer
August 16, 2008:  Jeremy Richey
August 23, 2008:  Chris Salyer
September 13, 2008:  Chris Salyer
September 27, 2008:  Jeremy Shank
April 25, 2009:  Dane Smith
July 3, 2009:  Jim Whisler
September 25, 2009:  Nick Bartels
September 26, 2009:  Richard Papenhausen
April 24, 2010:  Jon DeBenedetti
June 26, 2010:  Trevor Glaser
July 31, 2010:  Jeremy Richey
September 23, 2010:  Clay Daly
September 24, 2010:  Mark Carrell
May 21, 2011:  Trevor Glaser
June 25, 2011:  Trevor Glaser
July 30, 2011:  Clay Daly
September 23, 2011:  Bob Mayea
September 24, 2011:  Richard Papenhausen
July 28, 2012:  John Campos
September 28, 2012:  Jon DeBenedetti
September 29, 2012:  Richard Papenhausen
June 4, 2016:  Mike Linder
June 18, 2016:  Mike Linder
July 30, 2016:  Nathan Augustine
September 17, 2016:  Dustin Knight

OTRO Hardtops Are Returning To 

Southern Oregon Speedway

White City, Oregon...The Old Time Racers of Oregon are coming back to Southern Oregon Speedway.  OTRO President Vic Bridges and Promoter Mike McCann have set a schedule that will have the group visiting eight times this year.  The OTRO has raced primarily on the pavement through the years, but they have been more willing recently to give dirt track racing a try.  Last season, Bridges and McCann made an agreement to run some races in Medford and see how it went.  The group had fun and supported the track five times.

The OTRO is bringing old time Hardtop racing to a new generation of fans.  It's all about fun.  The group isn't worried about points or crowning champions.  Everybody is a winner for bringing their beautiful vintage race cars to the track.  The cars all run bodies generally from the 1930's.  They are mostly Sedan and Coupe bodies and run on V-6 powered motors.  Since everybody ran on slicks on the pavement and they have a good tire deal, slick tires are what they use.

This makes for an interesting night early on as the track is still coming in.  The show always starts with a Trophy Dash, and during the course of last season, OTRO made sure everybody got a chance to run one.  The first race was the liveliest as Chris Mehrer piloted the unique red pickup of Bill Trotter.  After an early spin, he came back and won that race.   The track was still tricky in the heat race, and Mehrer found that out the hard way as he clobbered the wall exciting Turn 4.

The group generally fielded a half dozen cars last season, and the Trotter family accounted for three of them.  In addition the the pickup truck, Bill Trotter drove his red 1936 Plymouth Coupe.  Dusty Trotter fielded another 1936 Plymouth Coupe with Wylie Prowell behind the wheel.  Between these three cars, they had four Trophy Dash wins, and Mark Minter drove Bill Trotter's Coupe to a dash and feature win in the same night.  Minter will have his own pink 1929 Model A Ford Coupe at the track this year.

Vic & Louise Bridges have a couple of cars on the roster, and we saw their beautiful 1933 Dodge Coupe last season with Trevor Thomason behind the wheel.  Trevor accounted for four feature wins, but he had his hands full with Trotter and Prowell in last year's finale.

Brian Crouch supported the show last year in his 1935 Chevy Sedan, and Jimmy Del Castille finished as high as second last season in his 1934 Ford Sedan.  Gary Barber supported the first couple of races in his 1936 Chevy Coupe.  He has sold the car, but we will reportedly see it this year along with others, including Rhett Lange, Dean Cast and Stanley Garboden.  Word was that the Augustine Racing Team has a car of their own in the works.

Hardtop racing is alive and well in Oregon, and Southern Oregon Speedway is excited about hosting eight races for OTRO this season, starting with their first visit on May 13th.  For further updates on the happenings at the speedway, go to www.southernoregonspeedway.com. 

2017 Southern Oregon Speedway OTRO Hardtop Schedule

April 15 - Playday
April 22 - Rain Out Make Up Playday
May 13
May 27
June 10
June 17
July 1
July 22
August 5
August 19

Southern Oregon Speedway Is The Second Chance 

For Medford Racing

White City, Oregon...It was 1996.  There was anticipation in the air in the Medford area.  The fans wanted to watch a race without making a long trip down the road.  The racers wanted to go racing without worrying about a long trip home after the races.  Then, it happened.  The gates opened and everybody flocked to Southern Oregon Speedway.  The community had racing once again, and those early years were the golden years.

Many people probably don't know the great heritage of racing we've had in Medford.  In the late 1940's, not too far down the road in Ashland, there was racing for 14 years.  About four years after Ashland opened, Medford Speedway opened in 1951, and it remained in operation for almost 40 years.  There was even a second Medford Raceway, and the remnants of that track can still be seen behind the over grown black berry bushes.  The racing community was saddened when the property owner pulled the plug on Medford Speedway in late July of 1989, two months before the season was scheduled to close.

In a case of the old promoter crossing paths with the new promoter, the Skinner family moved their scheduled big race that season to Riverside Speedway in Cottage Grove.  Mike McCann was the promoter at that time.  After that, the racers scattered to different tracks or just parked their race cars.  The racing dream was apparently over.  Before walking away a couple years before the track closed, Promoter Dennis Huth was negotiating to put a race track near where Southern Oregon Speedway currently sets.  Huth could see what was coming.

There were people looking to put a race track on the Jackson County Sports Park property, and that idea picked up steam.  John Hughes had been actively looking for people to put in a race track there, and it was Darrell Cooper who came along with a plan.  A deal was struck, but during that time, Cooper had the same idea that had been proposed by McCann.  He wanted to put dirt on Douglas County Speedway in Roseburg.  Cooper was looking to sell.  Fortunately, John Skinner was looking to buy, and Skinner built what became Southern Oregon Speedway.  Medford got a second chance at racing.

Sometimes we in the racing community don't realize how lucky we are that we have a race track in our back yard.  When the earthquake hit Klamath Falls in the early 1990's, that track closed and never reopened.  There's no more racing in Eugene.  Great traditions in California, such as West Capital Speedway in Sacramento, Vallejo Speedway and San Jose Speedway closed with no replacement at another location offered.  Southern Oregon Speedway gave Medford racing a second chance, and it enters its 22nd season of continued racing.

The early years were golden.  Packed grandstands, full pits.  Everything a race fan could want.  Even ten years in, it was strong.  People appreciated what they had.  Racers wanted to race.  Fans wanted to spectate.  The track's signature race was the Lon Skinner Memorial Modified race, but there were other events too.  The track built up a reputation for good racing on one of the nicest facilities in the state of Oregon.  It peaked in 2005, which was a season hit with way too many rainouts.  The next couple of seasons weren't all that bad either.  Then, things started too change. 

Regardless, the show went on, because there was always somebody who cared enough to keep the place going.  You hear the passion in the comments of the people.  They love Southern Oregon Speedway.  It might come out in frustration where there's a misguided comment because something didn't go the way they wanted.  That's the thing about being a racing fan.  It's not just entertainment or a sport, it's a passion.  It's part of who we are.  Where the racer is concerned, they spend the week preparing for those few moments when they get behind the wheel and do what they love.  When it goes well, it's one of the best feelings you can have.  When it goes badly, it's just the opposite.

The track has struggled these past six years, and last year was the first step in turning things around.  There's a lot of things to be done.  You hear the optimism in the comments.  One person lauded an announcement by saying that this would help make Southern Oregon Speedway great again.  Well, that's only part of what will make it great.  A promoter can book a schedule, have a good set of rules, a consistent way of doing things and a guaranteed purse that doesn't change, even if the car count slips a little bit.  We have all of that here and more.

However, the key to making Southern Oregon Speedway great again is the people.  The drivers coming out to compete.  You've got to give the fans a show.  It's about the memories made and having fun regardless of the outcome.  Somebody is going to write their name in the record books as a feature winner or maybe by winning their first heat race.  Somebody is going to add their name to the list of champions.  This is the year we also begin celebrating Medford Racing History with a Hall Of Fame Night (August 12th).  Everybody involved is what gives us a fighting chance to keep the show going.  When we succeed, we do so because of everybody.

The fans are a key to making Southern Oregon Speedway great again.  We can't run a show without them.  We work to make this a show they want to come and watch.  Whether that's the good racing on the track every week, a reasonable ticket price at the gate, good food and quick service at the concession stands, information that keeps them up to date on the happenings or the special events.  We want to make attending a race here something people want to do on a Saturday night.  When we succeed in our goal, things get better from there.

It could have all ended in 1989.  We could be going on 30 years without a race track, but people wouldn't let it end that way.  Medford racing returned.  We got our second chance with Southern Oregon Speedway.  When we open the gates to a program of Late Model, IMCA Sport Modified, Pro Stock, Valley Stor-All Late Model Lites, Mini Stock and SODCA Dwarf Car racing on April 29th, and even before that, the process of rebuilding the racing program into something special again continues.  The beautiful thing about a night of racing is that you never know what will happen.  As long as the gates continue to open at the race track, there's a chance for something special to happen.

My Thoughts On Turning A Struggling Program Around

 The views expressed in this column are purely those of the editor of Jefferson Racing News

I've been around racing long enough to know what a good show really is, at least in my opinion.  I'm talking about full fields of race cars.  Some race fans divide themselves into camps.  They will claim to be Stock Car people or Sprint Car people.  Give me a full division where they have to compete just to make the Main Event, and I can appreciate that.  This includes Hornets and Dwarf Cars, two of the divisions most looked down upon by hard core Stock Car and Sprint Car people.  Hornets are too slow for them, and I haven't quite figured out the deal with the Dwarf Cars.  I think this is a class people may not come to see, but many times they leave impressed with them if they give them a chance.

I lean towards Stock Cars.  For one thing, I don't like the push start thing with Sprint Cars and the extra time taken to get them going.  If a Sprint Car show goes badly, your show comes to a halt.  In the days where 40 of them showed up, that's another issue.  It used to be just them booked at a show or only one other class.  When they don't hit a certain car count level, promoters add more divisions.  As a reporter, I've noticed there's an air about some of the big dollar teams, not all of them, that I don't particularly care for.  My home track in Antioch was a Stock Car track that put on the occasional big Sprint Car race, and it worked.  Sprint Cars packed the house, and that's why they came back.

Even with my Stock Car leanings, I helped start the Wingless Spec Sprint class at Antioch that started to take off in California.  Why?  I saw the need for something like this.  It took the self starting aspect of Stock Cars, not to mention the motor, and applied it to Sprint Cars.  Purists scoffed at that and called it a bastard class.  But, the racers wanted it.  Drivers who might never have been able to afford a Sprint Car got one of these, old Sprint Car veterans came back to this class, Stock Car drivers made the switch and this became a gateway class for the Outlaw Kart racers.  Injected Sprint Cars have benefited from the existence of this class.  I prefer to think of myself as a racer, and racers just want a good show in any division out there.

The good old days of racing offered one or two classes, and there were B and even C Mains in both of them.  By the 1990's, some tracks were already up to three or four divisions to make a field.  A leader in that trend was Petaluma, and that was done for the noble purpose of giving the Baylands racers a home track.  Of course, the promoter made a ton of money off of those early years.  So what?  Promoters have two reasons for doing what they do.  They want to bring racing to the fans and make money as well.  A racer knows the work that goes into preparing one race car.  A promoter has to prepare a whole facility, and that takes work.  It's full time for most of them.  Also, a lot of promoters are barely getting by in 2017.

From 1998 to 2000, we were spoiled at Antioch.  We were on to something.  At times, we were getting about 130 cars in the pits.  It was generally a five or six division show, and at least four of them would have B Mains regularly.  When you get B Mains, it means the Main Events will usually have the best drivers in the field.  It means you earn what you get.  It means the Top 10 drivers in points really are the cream of the crop, and the Top 5 are championship quality.  It means the champion really earned that title.  Car count faded away there and at many tracks on the west coast.  It's one of the reasons I walked away.  The sport had become a shadow of itself.  In 2017, we have champions in some classes who earned the title by being there every week.  Much more than a 12 race season for a class and car count suffers.

I came to Medford to try to make a difference, and the fans who go back to the old race track and the beginning of Southern Oregon Speedway know what a good show is.  Car count was through the roof.  You had B and C Mains.  You had packed stands.  The paper boasts 2000-3000 fans on a regular basis, and packed Modified, Pro Stock and Mini Stock classes.  The track never really cultivated a Sprint Car or Late Model program the way they could have, especially the Late Models.  With Modified count so big, I understand with the Late Models.  The Sprint Cars are a head scratcher.  At the very least, a Limited Sprint class could have been started then and there.  It already existed and went to Yreka.

John Skinner was the man.  Look, I know the people say things about him.  I've been reading the history, and I understand some of the complaints.  Nobody's perfect, but he opened that track.  The first five years were golden.  The first ten made that track the place to be.  It peaked then by then, had a couple of good seasons after that, and then the decline set in.  From 2010 to 2015, it went from bad to worse.  You can pick a division, and there were horror stories.  It's easy to pile on and say this guy did this and that guy did that.  I look at each person who ran that place for John and say that at least they tried to do something.  What was the alternative?  Close the gates?

This is my perspective, and not an official statement from anybody other than me and DCRR Racing Media.  The Super 4's division was screwed up to the point that drivers walked away with fingers in the air.  Some went to Roseburg.  A potential Late Model effort had been botched from the start.  Street Stocks were added, were growing and then people who thought they'd make it better messed up the rules.  I notice the Klamath Falls presence there feeling the pinch, which is significant.  Somebody had the bright, but misguided idea to force Pro Stocks into the new B Modified division, drivers rebelled and formed the Outlaw Pro Stock Association.  Can you say stupid?  Why not start a B Mod division and let it stand on its own merits?  A Pro Stock association never should have happened, but do I blame the drivers for starting it?  No.  They just wanted to race, and they wanted to race Pro Stocks.

Sprint Cars?  Medford is in the shadow of Cottage Grove, even at two hours away.  Our current promoter was the man who brought Sprint Cars there.  He has always known the importance of having a Sprint Car program to go with your Stock Car program.  But I just don't think management ever truly understood that.  They never really cultivated that the way they should have.  2010 had the last track champion, Chadd Noland, before Mike got there.  It slowly faded in 2011 with no champion crowned.  It's worth noting that Vern Wheeler Jr. went down with that ship as the leader.  In my humble opinion, Vern is a real racer, and I respect him.  He understood what was being done last season, and he and his son supported and took heat from racers for doing that.  There is so much I could say about that certain leader who stirred the pot so badly.  Let me think for a moment.

The glory days of the Modifieds faded as the track brought in IMCA sanctioning.  Was it better off as a UMP track?  I don't know, but I do know there were more cars.  With some of these drivers, you have "Goldilocks Syndrome" with some of their opinions.  The track is too wet.  We don't get paid enough.  Use the raceceivers.  Give us more dates.  They had all of that in 2015.  Do you want to know how many racers showed up when John paid $1000 to win the opener?  Six cars.  We generally had ten for a regular show, but only four showed up one night.  Really, the question becomes, do you want to race?  You have two tracks in your area that want you, and you support neither of them the way you should unless they throw $1000 to win or more at you.  Look at the grandstands.  Think.  The money is not there for that.  Support the show, build the program and things could change. 

Medford has some of the very best Modified drivers Oregon has to offer, and they all still have cars.  What happens is you have family needs.  It's not cheap to run these cars and you end up parking most of the time.  I understand.  In the midst of that, Sport Modifieds, also IMCA sanctioned, appear to be growing.  This is both good and bad.  Sport Modified drivers are in this class because they don't have the budget to run with the Modified drivers.  What do you suppose will happen with them as those big Modified names start showing up in Sport Modifieds?  Adding this class didn't fix the problem, it merely delayed the problem.  What do we do when it becomes a bigger issue?  Add E Modifieds?  Don't laugh.  Tracks are doing that.  It's a complex issue, but the cars are still out there.  We need them back at the track track again.

Sprint Cars were announced as returning to Medford in 2016.  It was probably Mike's first big decision.  At least one of them.  It met with resistance from the self appointed "guru" of the Oregon effort, who has lobbed insults through other people at Mike this whole time.  Nevermind that the next generation racer of this guy's family was able to start racing in this division at 12 years old because Mike permitted it at Eugene.  Nevermind the fact that the Cottage Grove effort exists because Mike started it.  Marysville, California has a solid show over 25 years later because Mike added it there.  But, Mike also looked at the attendance figures and said, "We don't have a big enough budget to pay big money yet.  We have to build this up first.  Who's with me?"

It was an open class, including 410's, but the odds of Dan Menne or Jason Finley coming to Medford for $700 to win was slim.  They may do it if they were shaking down a motor as some sort of glorified hot lap session, but they weren't coming.  They could if they wanted to.  360's and Limiteds were what was anticipated, but the "guru" rounded up the 360's and instructed them on why it would ruin Oregon Racing if this happened.  Short sighted, to say the least.  Oregon 360's are in a free fall.  Speedweek exists at this point mainly because enough California racers want to run it.  Left to Oregon alone, it's dead.  Cottage Grove has to fall back on running Limiteds to fill their 360's fields, and drivers are getting tired of that.  Limiteds have been the "red headed step child" of Sprint Cars in Oregon from the start, and this is the class that can help save Sprint Car racing here.  I still think a Wingless Spec Sprint class should eventually be considered, but now isn't the time.

Instead of looking at Medford's schedule and realizing that the dates didn't conflict with Cottage Grove's 360 effort last year.  Instead of realizing that this effort needs help and Medford could cultivate a division and build up the base.  Instead of letting it happen and just boasting that Cottage Grove had a bigger purse, the "guru" instructed everybody to not support it.  It would "hurt Sprint Car racing" if they did.  This is the kind of mentality that hurts racing.  Not every track in Oregon is in the position that Cottage Grove is in, but they are fighting to get there.  As a result, Wheeler, Wayne Kniffen, Jeremy Lowe, Bill Hopper, Mark Michelet and Todd Whipple were the only 360's willing to come race more than once.

So, what happened?  It faltered.  It was dead on arrival.  We had Sprint Cars on the schedule.  Just when it looked like we were gonna double in car count at our third race, one driver retired and two drivers headed to Cottage Grove to support the Limiteds.  One driver couldn't make it.  This was our first wake up call that this approach wasn't working and there was a call for Limiteds in Medford.  Fans want Sprint Car racing.  Some will just say throw money at it, but that doesn't work if the attendance can't support it.  It's a catch 22.  Get cars and attendance will go up.  Fans want to know that when you say cars are coming they will actually be there to race.  We ended with eight cars at the finale, it was decent for what it was and attendance went up.  It reaffirmed that Sprint Cars should be a part of the program.

The unpopular decision to some was the decision to go with a Limited rules package.  I stressed on this one myself, because I did not want to leave certain drivers who did support us on the outside looking in.  On the other hand, drivers are building cars for the other set of rules.  They aren't house hold Sprint Car names yet, but if they come race with us, they will be.  You have to start somewhere.  Touring groups are nice, and they can come to town, but the money has to be there.  Local people know the people from around town, so people will know these drivers when they come racing.  Many of these Limited Sprint racers have already been racing for years on the Outlaw Kart track.  This can grow and blossom into something special.

What frustrates me is the constant negativity people throw at this race track.  I understand it.  I really do.  Had I known what I was getting into last year, I don't know if I'd have even come here to try to help.  It was a mess.  But, I'm here now.  I want all of these classes to thrive.  I have hopes for every one of them.  We need Hornets and Mini Stocks to build up this show with new drivers.  This is why the Kart track matters so much too.  Pro Stocks are the closest thing we have to Street Stocks, and it's a 22 year tradition at this track.  Dwarf Cars put on a good show.  OTRO Hardtops?  Neat class.  Late Model Lites?  I'm amazed at how quickly this class has bounced back.  Late Models?  These guys are hungry to come race here.  Both Modified classes?  They are staple divisions here.  Their future is in their hands, and my hope is that they come race and help us build something.  Sprint Cars are the cherry on top.  Fans want them, but fans want car count.

Some people don't understand just how dire things have been at this race track.  We can't wave a magic wand at this place and instantly make it better.  We can try different things and see what happens, but it's up to the racers.  I'm at a loss as to how John made the 2015 season happen, and that's what we followed.  It was a struggle.  It didn't get there over night, and it's gonna take effort to rebuild it.  I have faith in the racers and the fans that we can turn this thing around, but it's not gonna happen unless we do it together.  I think we're about to see some real progress this season.