Pits Packed with Participants!
by Tom Wilson-pma
Warrensburg, Missouri
Saturday, April 5th, 2003
When the gates swung open at Central Missouri Speedway in Warrensburg Saturday, fans, race cars and drivers took quick action to fill the stands and pits for the first of three 2003 season practice sessions.
Some new, some rebuilt and freshened plus a couple of racing machines that ended last year in such good condition that all they needed was a shine, put in four rounds of high-speed shake-downs.
The first competitor that rolled through the gate this year was Oak Grove’s Buddy Thompson, fielding an all new “Mighty Modified”. The first racer to hit the third-mile, high-banked clay oval was Gary Akers piloting his Street Stock.
Many new faces, never seen dressed in race car driver’s uniforms before, were anxious to give motor-sports a try. The veritable rookies on hand included Warsaw’s Mike McMillin from Warsaw, showing up with a fine, new ride which was Grover C. Hall’s championship sprint last season in the WOFC Sprint car division. In the Limited Late Model Super Stock class were Knob Noster’s Kyle Judd and Fred Harris from Boonville, while the new chauffeurs in the “Mighty Modifeids” included former drag racer David Farrow from Warrensburg and Andy Pfeffle from Blue Springs. New names included in the Street Stocks were Gary and George Akers, both from Lexington, Ryan Raybourn from Kansas City and California’s Blake Koetting.
Some observers thought that the day should be named the “Thompson Try-outs”; three racers that showed up together were Buddy, Jason and Hershel Thompson. However, the trio aren’t related. Buddy and Jason are modified runners while Hershel, still CMS’ ace official flagman, pulled in to take a few practice rounds in his Super Stock which he runs on Sunday nights at Double-X Speedway in California, Missouri.
While the cars and drivers tested their mettle, promoter and track owner Earl Walls and crew installed the new 40’ light poles. All six stanchions were in place and ready before the 3 hours of fast pacing were over.
CMS’ practice number two of three comes up this Saturday afternoon with the gates opening at 11 am, the first action tour at 1 pm. Admission is free in the back straight grandstands only. The final shake-down round will be the following week, April 19th ‘under the lights’.
The 7th Annual KOKO Radio/ “Sunoco Race Fuels Season Opener” starts it all for the Walls’ 10th consecutive season on the final Saturday night in April; the 26th.
For up to the minute information, call the “CMS Track Report” at 660.747.2166 or log in at:
www.centralmissourispeedway.com.
by Tom Wilson-pma
Warrensburg, Missouri
Saturday, April 5th, 2003
When the gates swung open at Central Missouri Speedway in Warrensburg Saturday, fans, race cars and drivers took quick action to fill the stands and pits for the first of three 2003 season practice sessions.
Some new, some rebuilt and freshened plus a couple of racing machines that ended last year in such good condition that all they needed was a shine, put in four rounds of high-speed shake-downs.
The first competitor that rolled through the gate this year was Oak Grove’s Buddy Thompson, fielding an all new “Mighty Modified”. The first racer to hit the third-mile, high-banked clay oval was Gary Akers piloting his Street Stock.
Many new faces, never seen dressed in race car driver’s uniforms before, were anxious to give motor-sports a try. The veritable rookies on hand included Warsaw’s Mike McMillin from Warsaw, showing up with a fine, new ride which was Grover C. Hall’s championship sprint last season in the WOFC Sprint car division. In the Limited Late Model Super Stock class were Knob Noster’s Kyle Judd and Fred Harris from Boonville, while the new chauffeurs in the “Mighty Modifeids” included former drag racer David Farrow from Warrensburg and Andy Pfeffle from Blue Springs. New names included in the Street Stocks were Gary and George Akers, both from Lexington, Ryan Raybourn from Kansas City and California’s Blake Koetting.
Some observers thought that the day should be named the “Thompson Try-outs”; three racers that showed up together were Buddy, Jason and Hershel Thompson. However, the trio aren’t related. Buddy and Jason are modified runners while Hershel, still CMS’ ace official flagman, pulled in to take a few practice rounds in his Super Stock which he runs on Sunday nights at Double-X Speedway in California, Missouri.
While the cars and drivers tested their mettle, promoter and track owner Earl Walls and crew installed the new 40’ light poles. All six stanchions were in place and ready before the 3 hours of fast pacing were over.
CMS’ practice number two of three comes up this Saturday afternoon with the gates opening at 11 am, the first action tour at 1 pm. Admission is free in the back straight grandstands only. The final shake-down round will be the following week, April 19th ‘under the lights’.
The 7th Annual KOKO Radio/ “Sunoco Race Fuels Season Opener” starts it all for the Walls’ 10th consecutive season on the final Saturday night in April; the 26th.
For up to the minute information, call the “CMS Track Report” at 660.747.2166 or log in at:
www.centralmissourispeedway.com.
