CENTRAL MISSOURI SPEEDWAY'S MEMORIAL MODIFIED MAYHEM DELAYED...FOR 22 HOURS!; WILL RUN THE ENTIRE WHOLE SHOW TONIGHT!
52 Top Drawer Mighty Modified Pilots Sign in, Even More Expected on Tonight's Rain Date!
by Tom Wilson-pma
Saturday, May 24th, 2003
Warrensburg, Missouri
With fully loaded pits containing 108 racers and a grandstand packed with fans, it looked as though all was set to go for Central Missouri Speedway's first "Big One' of the year, the 7th annual Odessa Pool, Patio and Spa "Memorial Modified Mayhem". But a 'mean mother' nature really got fickle this time!
Dodging daytime rains as the main storms split over Warrensburg, the rest of the radar reports were also positive. But the 'real weather', as it has been all spring, wasn't.
After completing a super-swift set of hot laps at the advertised time of 7:30 pm, 61 Country's singer and songwriter, Carlene Hall, entertained the crowd with her newest release and the national anthem. While the audience listened, the rain began to fall.
Immediately, track owner and director Earl Walls sent all of the push trucks and Limited Late Models to the speedway surface for instant track packing. Thirty minutes later, the track lost it's sheen and things were to again get underway; until another heavy shower spoiled the entire recovery effort. Not one lap was run under competition.
"The water was soaking in when we starting packing it, but when we got that next rain, it had reached its saturation point. The water was on top and staying there. We decided to go to our always advertised option to run it tomorrow night (Sunday)", explained Walls.
Fifty-two "Mighty Modifieds' were all signed in and set to go along with the LLM's, WOFC Sprint cars and Street Stocks. That number draw is already filed for tonight. The entire program is yet to be run . The racing card contains 14 heat races (6-10 lap qualifiers for the Modifieds), 4 for the Street Stocks and two each for the other two classes. The streeters will require a 'B' feature; for the modifieds a pair of 'last chance' events. With the 'A' features added, including the 40 lap, 24 car 'Mayhem' championship run, the race event total will be 21.
"We had one other rain-out in the seven years of running these holiday specials," Walls added. "When we had to go on Sunday, we had additional cars sign in on that night. We'll accept second night arrivals to enter, but they'll be lined up at the rear of the heats in staggered order. The ones that drew tonight are locked in to those positions.
Going for the 22k total purse, $2,000 Modified payoff are the "Home of the Mighty Modifieds" best against the rest from the Midwest.
CMS regulars "Fast" Richard Layne, CMS' six-time champion, Alan Deatherage, Movin' Dave Meyer, Jimmy Dowell, Smokin Joe Walker, 'chargin' Charlie Ebert, Terry Schultz, Dean Wille, Tom Charles, Jason Thompson and many more have found 'heavy hitters' knockin' on their doors.
The travelin' hot-shoes registered to challenge the 'home boys' tonight are 3-time consecutive NCRA Modified champion John Allen from Chanute, Ks, the biggest, past winner of CMS 'big ones' to date, Lone Jack's Chad 'the gater' Lyle, Basehor, Ks' Tim Karrick, Brookfield's Dale Marriott, the Hibner brothers from Chillicothe, Lee and Lonnie, plus Jefferson City's Bob Tesh.
What seems to be the most interesting pre-set qualifying heat set for tonight will be run by Dowell from the pole, Walker, Richard Layne, Terry Schultz, last week's winner Deatherage, Tom Charles and Tesh. From each heat, only the top three make it automatically to the championship event. The final six will come from the 'B' mains, 3 out of each.
Most all are expected to return. A few are leaving their trailers and cars in the pits overnight. Even Carlene Hall will return to sing the anthem yet again.
Of course the place, and the schdule are the same; gates open at 5 pm, hot laps at 7 with the first of many qualifiers off the line at 7:30.
Saturday's paying fans will be re-admitted with their ticket stubs, and for those that can now witness the event the admission prices are Adults-$12, Sr. Citizens-$10, ages 6 through 11- $8 and under 6 free. All pit passes from Saturday will be honored. The price for first pit comers will be $20.
For up-to-the-minute CMS racin' information, call the "Track Report" at 660.747.2166 or log-in at www.centralmissourispeedway.com
52 Top Drawer Mighty Modified Pilots Sign in, Even More Expected on Tonight's Rain Date!
by Tom Wilson-pma
Saturday, May 24th, 2003
Warrensburg, Missouri
With fully loaded pits containing 108 racers and a grandstand packed with fans, it looked as though all was set to go for Central Missouri Speedway's first "Big One' of the year, the 7th annual Odessa Pool, Patio and Spa "Memorial Modified Mayhem". But a 'mean mother' nature really got fickle this time!
Dodging daytime rains as the main storms split over Warrensburg, the rest of the radar reports were also positive. But the 'real weather', as it has been all spring, wasn't.
After completing a super-swift set of hot laps at the advertised time of 7:30 pm, 61 Country's singer and songwriter, Carlene Hall, entertained the crowd with her newest release and the national anthem. While the audience listened, the rain began to fall.
Immediately, track owner and director Earl Walls sent all of the push trucks and Limited Late Models to the speedway surface for instant track packing. Thirty minutes later, the track lost it's sheen and things were to again get underway; until another heavy shower spoiled the entire recovery effort. Not one lap was run under competition.
"The water was soaking in when we starting packing it, but when we got that next rain, it had reached its saturation point. The water was on top and staying there. We decided to go to our always advertised option to run it tomorrow night (Sunday)", explained Walls.
Fifty-two "Mighty Modifieds' were all signed in and set to go along with the LLM's, WOFC Sprint cars and Street Stocks. That number draw is already filed for tonight. The entire program is yet to be run . The racing card contains 14 heat races (6-10 lap qualifiers for the Modifieds), 4 for the Street Stocks and two each for the other two classes. The streeters will require a 'B' feature; for the modifieds a pair of 'last chance' events. With the 'A' features added, including the 40 lap, 24 car 'Mayhem' championship run, the race event total will be 21.
"We had one other rain-out in the seven years of running these holiday specials," Walls added. "When we had to go on Sunday, we had additional cars sign in on that night. We'll accept second night arrivals to enter, but they'll be lined up at the rear of the heats in staggered order. The ones that drew tonight are locked in to those positions.
Going for the 22k total purse, $2,000 Modified payoff are the "Home of the Mighty Modifieds" best against the rest from the Midwest.
CMS regulars "Fast" Richard Layne, CMS' six-time champion, Alan Deatherage, Movin' Dave Meyer, Jimmy Dowell, Smokin Joe Walker, 'chargin' Charlie Ebert, Terry Schultz, Dean Wille, Tom Charles, Jason Thompson and many more have found 'heavy hitters' knockin' on their doors.
The travelin' hot-shoes registered to challenge the 'home boys' tonight are 3-time consecutive NCRA Modified champion John Allen from Chanute, Ks, the biggest, past winner of CMS 'big ones' to date, Lone Jack's Chad 'the gater' Lyle, Basehor, Ks' Tim Karrick, Brookfield's Dale Marriott, the Hibner brothers from Chillicothe, Lee and Lonnie, plus Jefferson City's Bob Tesh.
What seems to be the most interesting pre-set qualifying heat set for tonight will be run by Dowell from the pole, Walker, Richard Layne, Terry Schultz, last week's winner Deatherage, Tom Charles and Tesh. From each heat, only the top three make it automatically to the championship event. The final six will come from the 'B' mains, 3 out of each.
Most all are expected to return. A few are leaving their trailers and cars in the pits overnight. Even Carlene Hall will return to sing the anthem yet again.
Of course the place, and the schdule are the same; gates open at 5 pm, hot laps at 7 with the first of many qualifiers off the line at 7:30.
Saturday's paying fans will be re-admitted with their ticket stubs, and for those that can now witness the event the admission prices are Adults-$12, Sr. Citizens-$10, ages 6 through 11- $8 and under 6 free. All pit passes from Saturday will be honored. The price for first pit comers will be $20.
For up-to-the-minute CMS racin' information, call the "Track Report" at 660.747.2166 or log-in at www.centralmissourispeedway.com
