Lonnie Wheatley, LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (October 27, 2007) – An O'Reilly Short Track Nationals presented by Hoosier Tires record of 108 competitors from 21 different states as well as Canada have competed in the opening two nights of the 20th edition of the prestigious event at I-30 Speedway.
Six of those drivers enter Saturday night's $20,000-to-win STN finale with a certain ease of mind in knowing that they're locked into the front three rows of the lucrative feature. The other 102 competitors will fight it out for the remaining 14 starting slots through a full card of heat races, last chance races and qualifying races.
Locked in are Thursday and Friday night qualifying event winners Shane Stewart and Tim Shaffer along with the second and third place finishers from each night, including Jason Sides, Gary Wright, Zach Chappell and Jason Meyers.
The next 12 positions in Saturday's $20,000-to-win, $2,000-start STN finale (fifth through 18th) will be filled by those accumulating the most points in Saturday night's heat race, last chance and qualifying race action.
The tenth and final row will consist of the two drivers not already qualified that have accumulated the most points through their qualifying night along with Saturday night's point earnings.
Qualifying night points accumulated by each entrant, minus the six that are locked in, are as follows:
40R-Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. (Olive Branch, MS) 159.0
15h-Sam Hafertepe, Jr. (Sunnyvale, TX) 148.0
01-Paul McMahan (Nashville, TN0 148.0
40e-Ernie Ainsworth (Southaven, MS) 143.5
18T-Tony Bruce, Jr. (Liberal, KS) 141.5
12x-Robbie Standridge (Jacksonville, IL) 138.0
29R-Travis Rilat (Forney, TX) 136.5
12h-Jerrod Hull (Sikeston, MO) 136.5
w20-Greg Wilson (Benton Ridge, OH) 131.0
91-Darren Stewart (Bixby, OK) 130.0
1x-Don Droud, Jr. (Lincoln, NE) 129.5
41-Jason Johnson (Eunice, LA) 126.5
6b-Dale Blaney (Fowler, OH) 126.0
94J-Wayne Johnson (Oklahoma City, OK) 125.5
26-Marshall Skinner (West Memphis, AR) 125.5
11x-Garry Lee Maier (Cimarron, KS) 125.0
58-Wade Oliver (Milan, TN) 123.5
15b-Brad Bowden (Hernando, MS) 123.0
20e-Eric Lutz (Sioux Falls, SD) 123.0
35r-Ron Blair (Troy, OH) 123.0
7c-Chris Morgan (Topeka, KS) 121.5
3*-Kaley Gharst (Decatur, IL) 121. 5
29s-Shawn Sander (El Paso, TX) 120.5
53b-Joe Beaver (Knoxville, IA) 117.5
75J-Jesse Hockett (Warsaw, MO) 116.5
4x-Jan Howard (Byhalia, MS) 116.5
97-Mike Brecht (Leipsic, OH) 116.5
2d-Stu Snyder (Waverly, NE) 114.5
18w-Lorne Wofford (Alamogordo, NM) 112.0
03-Joe Wood, Jr. (Oklahoma City, OK) 110.0
R19-Scott Winters (Butterfield, MN) 108.5
8s-Steve Short (Farmington, MO) 106.0
29x-Brandon Berryman (Missouri City, TX) 106.0
74e-Claud Estes (Godley, TX) 105.0
7m-Kevin Ramey (Fort Worth, TX) 104.0
4am-Tyler Walker (Los Angeles, CA) 92.0
8x-Chris Williams (Memphis, TN) 92.0
10-Terry Gray (Bartlett, TN) 92.0
14c-Coleman Gulick (Binghamton, NY) 92.0
76-Jay Russell (Elwood, KS) 89.0
1m-Sean McClelland (Collinsville, OK) 89.0
15s-Nick Smith (Broken Arrow, OK) 89.0
88-Tim Crawley (Benton, AR) 87.5
7h-Lewis Jenkins, Jr. (Bryant, AR) 86.0
53d-Jack Dover (Springfield, NE) 86.0
6n-Dain Naida (Bellville, MI) 84.5
93c-Chris Sweeney (Channelview, TX) 84.5
14T-Tyler Brown (Vilonia, AR) 83.0
87T-Tim Montgomery (Fredericktown, MO) 83.0
3a-A.G. Rains (West Memphis, AR) 83.0
21p-Daryn Pittman (Owasso, OK) 80.0
86f-Josh Fisher (Smithton, MO) 80.0
1g-Cody Gardner (Benton, AR) 80.0
5$-Danny Smith (Sapulpa, OK) 80.0
87b-Brian McClelland (Tulsa, OK) 78.5
51s-Lee Sowell (Nesbit, MS) 77.0
21T-Tommy Bryant (Montgomery, TX) 75.5
2w-Kenneth Walker (Sapulpa, OK) 75.5
d12-Doc Sloan (Imperial, MO) 74.0
00-Danny Martin, Jr. (Sarasota, FL) 74.0
17b-Ryan Bickett (Ramona, SD) 74.0
75b-Tyler Blank (California, MO) 74.0
98-Andrew Korte (Centertown, MO) 71.0
51b-Mike Boston (Crete, NE) 71.0
7w-Wade Human (Marion, AR) 71.0
21b-Brian Brown (Grain Valley, MO) 71.0
59d-Dustin Morgan (Tulsa, OK) 69.5
28-Jonathan Cornell (Sedalia, MO) 69.5
12s-Jeff Swindell (Memphis, TN) 69.5
95-Matt Covington (Glenpool, OK) 68.0
25-Gary Taylor (Sapulpa, OK) 68.0
14k-Kyle Bellm (Nixa, MO) 68,0
38-Rick Pringle (Benton, AR) 68.0
39-Travis Rutz (Langley, BC) 68.0
b4-Eric Baldaccini (Keller, TX) 68.0
20-Josh Howard (Byhalia, MS) 66.5
64J-Johnny Miller (Burleson, TX) 66.5
71b-Robert Bell (Colfax, IA) 65.0
1p-Curtis Evans (Norburne, MO) 65.0
71J-John Jacob (Aurora, CO) 63.5
35h-Jimmy Hurley (Springfield, IL) 62.0
11T-Tyler Thompson (Cape Girardeau) 62.0
93b-Bob Schaeffer (New Castle, CO) 62.0
57x-Jake Peters (Sioux Falls, SD) 62.0
81-Jon Freeman (Salina, KS) 62.0
44-Ronny Howard (Southaven, MS) 62.0
32-Garry Bell (Cordova, TN) 60.5
13k-Lucas Wolfe (Harrisburg, PA) 60.5
69h-Larry Howery (Hearne, TX) 59.0
66-Kenny Taylor (Clinton, AR) 59.0
9JR-Derek Hagar (Marion, AR) 59.0
8w-Jeff Wingate (Centertown, MO) 56.0
94T-Steven Tiner (Elverta, CA) 53.0
5ma-Mallory Armfield (St. Joseph, MO) 53.0
2m-Bryce Vowan (Forrest City, AR) 50.0
51J-Jimmy Brooks (College Station, TX) 50.0
71T-Tim Simmons (Splendora, TX) 50.0
3b-Brad Greer (Coultierville, IL) 50.0
8z-Zach Pringle (Benton, AR) 47.0
6-Mike Dussel (Rising Sun, OH) 47.0
8c-John Carney, Jr. (El Paso, TX) 41.0
4T-Justin Sturch (Benton, AR) 41.0
Some Friday Side Notes:
---Friday night's STN prelim was among the diciest nights in event history, with action all around the track from stem to stern.
---A little bit of hatred and discontent inevitably rears its head somewhere along the way during an always intense STN. And when 16-year-old Derek Hagar launched off of Jason Meyers' right rear in the night's fourth heat race, the large crowd got a good example. After sailing off turn two, an unphased Hagar quickly climbed the bank and was in search of what he presumed to be his assailant, only to be turned back by track officials. Hagar returned for qualifying race action but missed the feature.
---The evening took an interesting turn in the next heat race, the fifth of six. And that set a tone for the unexpected the rest of the way. Mike Boston had the fifth heat well in hand when his front end gave way through turns one and two with no apparent contact. When second-runner Eric Lutz hesitated briefly, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., took quick advantage to take the win as Boston slid to the infield and out of harm's way. Boston, the 2007 Eagle Raceway champion, returned for qualifying race action only to have the left front give way again for no apparent reason nine laps in.
---In the next heat, I-30 Speedway track champion Zach Pringle had the field covered until a turn two infield tire jumped in front of his car and knocked the front end down on the seventh lap. Ernie Ainsworth was the primary benefactor, while the younger Pringle called it a night.
---Tulsa-area drivers Daryn Pittman and Brian McClelland were the ffith and ninth-best point earners through heat race action, respectively, and could secure a feature position with a respectable qualifying race effort. But when Pittman spun in turn two on the opening lap of the first qualifier and collected the 2007 American Bank of Oklahoma ASCS Sooner Region champion, both were done for the night.
--Perhaps it's a "51" curse. Neither Mike Boston nor Lee Sowell would disagree. While Boston's misfortunes have been documented above, Sowell returned after grenading an engine in Thursday hot laps. The Mississippi shoe was in command of the second qualifier until obliterating a rear end on the eleventh of twelve laps. The debris was costly, not only knockig Sowell out of the feature, but also cutting Tim Crawley's oil pan and forcing him pitside. Crawley had raced from seventh to second in his heat and was running third in the qualifier after starting eighth, sitting in prime position for a feature spot near the front. Instead, a frustrated Crawley was reduce to the role of spectator.
---After Nick Smith was deemed the culprit to a bad initial start to the fourth qualifier, Paul McMahan moved up a row to the front row outside and dominated. But right behind him, the sliders between Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., and Robbie Standridge ranked as some of the best action of the year. Meanwhile, a dislodged right rear wheel cover sent All-Star champ Greg Wilson to the tail. Wilson rallied to nip Nick Smith at the line for fourth. How critical was that last lap pass? It put Wilson in the feature and knocked Smith out. Wilson backed it up by charging from 17th to sixth in the feature.
---Extended an early exit from last year's edition of the Short Track Nationals, Illinois shoe Kaley Gharst provided his share of highlight reel footage on Friday. Working the top side of the track to perfection, Gharst fought off a determined Tim Crawley to win the fourth heat and then continued to abuse the cushion by racing from seventh to third in his qualifier. The Sprint Invaders champ was in the mix for a lock-in position before the cushion finally bit back in the feature, launching him upside down off turn four just a few laps into the feature.
---Nebraska's Jack Dover seemingly had a feature position in hand until he tapped Gharst's left rear with right front and looped it in turn three in his qualifier. Dover couldn't climb far enough back through the field to make the cut. In the same qualifier, Posse member Lucas Wolfe was on the verge of qualifying until getting loose in turn four in the final laps and making a brief infield excursion that sealed his fate for the night.
---Give the long tow award to Alberta Sprint Tour racer Travis Rutz, who made an unannounced 2,400-mile trip from Langley, British Columbia to Little Rock. While the weather conditions seemed somewhat chilly to the locals, the Canadian presumably enjoyed the relatively warm weather.
---Five drivers taking their first laps at I-30 Speedway raced their way into Friday night's feature, with Tim Shaffer obviously faring the best by taking the win aboard Doc Sloan's second entry. The others included New Mexico's Lorne Wofford (14th), Oklahoma's Joe Wood, Jr. (15th), Nebraska's Stu Snyder (16th) and Texas' Brandon Berryman (20th). After winning his qualifying race, ASCS Gulf South champ Berryman encountered engine issues and started tailback after being slated to start 14th. Berryman exited after six laps. When 18th through 21st were tied in points following heat and qualifying race action, Oklahoma City's Wood was added to the field as the 21st starter.
---All Gary Wright needs to do to lock up a fourth consecutive O'Reilly American Sprint Cars on Tour National championship, this one once again worth $50,000, is to take a green flag on Saturday night. Locked into Saturday night's Pack's Dash for Cash, consider it a done deal.
The question is, can Wright remain the only driver to score more than one STN triumph since 2003? Or will the likes of Shane Stewart, Tim Shaffer, Zach Chappell, Jason Meyers or one of 96 others become the 14th different winner in the illustrious 20-year history of the Short Track Nationals? Along with Wright, 2001 STN winner Jason Sides is locked in. Six other past winners, including Jason Johnson, Tim Montgomery, Paul McMahan, Tim Crawley, Wayne Johnson and Terry Gray, will be among the 102 vying for the final 14 feature starting positions.
---Suffering a compression fracture of his C5 vertebrae in Thursday night's qualifying race action, 22-year-old Josh Howard of Byhalia, MS, is scheduled for surgery at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday morning at a Little Rock hospital. The full extent of his injuries will not be known until the completion of surgery. Older bothers Dale Howard (32) and Jan Howard (29) have withdrawn from the balance of the weekend's racing action.
---Saturday's 20th Annual O'Reilly Short Track Nationals presented by Hoosier Tires at Little Rock's I-30 Speedway fires off at 7:30 p.m. For more information, contact the track at 501-455-4567.
Six of those drivers enter Saturday night's $20,000-to-win STN finale with a certain ease of mind in knowing that they're locked into the front three rows of the lucrative feature. The other 102 competitors will fight it out for the remaining 14 starting slots through a full card of heat races, last chance races and qualifying races.
Locked in are Thursday and Friday night qualifying event winners Shane Stewart and Tim Shaffer along with the second and third place finishers from each night, including Jason Sides, Gary Wright, Zach Chappell and Jason Meyers.
The next 12 positions in Saturday's $20,000-to-win, $2,000-start STN finale (fifth through 18th) will be filled by those accumulating the most points in Saturday night's heat race, last chance and qualifying race action.
The tenth and final row will consist of the two drivers not already qualified that have accumulated the most points through their qualifying night along with Saturday night's point earnings.
Qualifying night points accumulated by each entrant, minus the six that are locked in, are as follows:
40R-Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. (Olive Branch, MS) 159.0
15h-Sam Hafertepe, Jr. (Sunnyvale, TX) 148.0
01-Paul McMahan (Nashville, TN0 148.0
40e-Ernie Ainsworth (Southaven, MS) 143.5
18T-Tony Bruce, Jr. (Liberal, KS) 141.5
12x-Robbie Standridge (Jacksonville, IL) 138.0
29R-Travis Rilat (Forney, TX) 136.5
12h-Jerrod Hull (Sikeston, MO) 136.5
w20-Greg Wilson (Benton Ridge, OH) 131.0
91-Darren Stewart (Bixby, OK) 130.0
1x-Don Droud, Jr. (Lincoln, NE) 129.5
41-Jason Johnson (Eunice, LA) 126.5
6b-Dale Blaney (Fowler, OH) 126.0
94J-Wayne Johnson (Oklahoma City, OK) 125.5
26-Marshall Skinner (West Memphis, AR) 125.5
11x-Garry Lee Maier (Cimarron, KS) 125.0
58-Wade Oliver (Milan, TN) 123.5
15b-Brad Bowden (Hernando, MS) 123.0
20e-Eric Lutz (Sioux Falls, SD) 123.0
35r-Ron Blair (Troy, OH) 123.0
7c-Chris Morgan (Topeka, KS) 121.5
3*-Kaley Gharst (Decatur, IL) 121. 5
29s-Shawn Sander (El Paso, TX) 120.5
53b-Joe Beaver (Knoxville, IA) 117.5
75J-Jesse Hockett (Warsaw, MO) 116.5
4x-Jan Howard (Byhalia, MS) 116.5
97-Mike Brecht (Leipsic, OH) 116.5
2d-Stu Snyder (Waverly, NE) 114.5
18w-Lorne Wofford (Alamogordo, NM) 112.0
03-Joe Wood, Jr. (Oklahoma City, OK) 110.0
R19-Scott Winters (Butterfield, MN) 108.5
8s-Steve Short (Farmington, MO) 106.0
29x-Brandon Berryman (Missouri City, TX) 106.0
74e-Claud Estes (Godley, TX) 105.0
7m-Kevin Ramey (Fort Worth, TX) 104.0
4am-Tyler Walker (Los Angeles, CA) 92.0
8x-Chris Williams (Memphis, TN) 92.0
10-Terry Gray (Bartlett, TN) 92.0
14c-Coleman Gulick (Binghamton, NY) 92.0
76-Jay Russell (Elwood, KS) 89.0
1m-Sean McClelland (Collinsville, OK) 89.0
15s-Nick Smith (Broken Arrow, OK) 89.0
88-Tim Crawley (Benton, AR) 87.5
7h-Lewis Jenkins, Jr. (Bryant, AR) 86.0
53d-Jack Dover (Springfield, NE) 86.0
6n-Dain Naida (Bellville, MI) 84.5
93c-Chris Sweeney (Channelview, TX) 84.5
14T-Tyler Brown (Vilonia, AR) 83.0
87T-Tim Montgomery (Fredericktown, MO) 83.0
3a-A.G. Rains (West Memphis, AR) 83.0
21p-Daryn Pittman (Owasso, OK) 80.0
86f-Josh Fisher (Smithton, MO) 80.0
1g-Cody Gardner (Benton, AR) 80.0
5$-Danny Smith (Sapulpa, OK) 80.0
87b-Brian McClelland (Tulsa, OK) 78.5
51s-Lee Sowell (Nesbit, MS) 77.0
21T-Tommy Bryant (Montgomery, TX) 75.5
2w-Kenneth Walker (Sapulpa, OK) 75.5
d12-Doc Sloan (Imperial, MO) 74.0
00-Danny Martin, Jr. (Sarasota, FL) 74.0
17b-Ryan Bickett (Ramona, SD) 74.0
75b-Tyler Blank (California, MO) 74.0
98-Andrew Korte (Centertown, MO) 71.0
51b-Mike Boston (Crete, NE) 71.0
7w-Wade Human (Marion, AR) 71.0
21b-Brian Brown (Grain Valley, MO) 71.0
59d-Dustin Morgan (Tulsa, OK) 69.5
28-Jonathan Cornell (Sedalia, MO) 69.5
12s-Jeff Swindell (Memphis, TN) 69.5
95-Matt Covington (Glenpool, OK) 68.0
25-Gary Taylor (Sapulpa, OK) 68.0
14k-Kyle Bellm (Nixa, MO) 68,0
38-Rick Pringle (Benton, AR) 68.0
39-Travis Rutz (Langley, BC) 68.0
b4-Eric Baldaccini (Keller, TX) 68.0
20-Josh Howard (Byhalia, MS) 66.5
64J-Johnny Miller (Burleson, TX) 66.5
71b-Robert Bell (Colfax, IA) 65.0
1p-Curtis Evans (Norburne, MO) 65.0
71J-John Jacob (Aurora, CO) 63.5
35h-Jimmy Hurley (Springfield, IL) 62.0
11T-Tyler Thompson (Cape Girardeau) 62.0
93b-Bob Schaeffer (New Castle, CO) 62.0
57x-Jake Peters (Sioux Falls, SD) 62.0
81-Jon Freeman (Salina, KS) 62.0
44-Ronny Howard (Southaven, MS) 62.0
32-Garry Bell (Cordova, TN) 60.5
13k-Lucas Wolfe (Harrisburg, PA) 60.5
69h-Larry Howery (Hearne, TX) 59.0
66-Kenny Taylor (Clinton, AR) 59.0
9JR-Derek Hagar (Marion, AR) 59.0
8w-Jeff Wingate (Centertown, MO) 56.0
94T-Steven Tiner (Elverta, CA) 53.0
5ma-Mallory Armfield (St. Joseph, MO) 53.0
2m-Bryce Vowan (Forrest City, AR) 50.0
51J-Jimmy Brooks (College Station, TX) 50.0
71T-Tim Simmons (Splendora, TX) 50.0
3b-Brad Greer (Coultierville, IL) 50.0
8z-Zach Pringle (Benton, AR) 47.0
6-Mike Dussel (Rising Sun, OH) 47.0
8c-John Carney, Jr. (El Paso, TX) 41.0
4T-Justin Sturch (Benton, AR) 41.0
Some Friday Side Notes:
---Friday night's STN prelim was among the diciest nights in event history, with action all around the track from stem to stern.
---A little bit of hatred and discontent inevitably rears its head somewhere along the way during an always intense STN. And when 16-year-old Derek Hagar launched off of Jason Meyers' right rear in the night's fourth heat race, the large crowd got a good example. After sailing off turn two, an unphased Hagar quickly climbed the bank and was in search of what he presumed to be his assailant, only to be turned back by track officials. Hagar returned for qualifying race action but missed the feature.
---The evening took an interesting turn in the next heat race, the fifth of six. And that set a tone for the unexpected the rest of the way. Mike Boston had the fifth heat well in hand when his front end gave way through turns one and two with no apparent contact. When second-runner Eric Lutz hesitated briefly, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., took quick advantage to take the win as Boston slid to the infield and out of harm's way. Boston, the 2007 Eagle Raceway champion, returned for qualifying race action only to have the left front give way again for no apparent reason nine laps in.
---In the next heat, I-30 Speedway track champion Zach Pringle had the field covered until a turn two infield tire jumped in front of his car and knocked the front end down on the seventh lap. Ernie Ainsworth was the primary benefactor, while the younger Pringle called it a night.
---Tulsa-area drivers Daryn Pittman and Brian McClelland were the ffith and ninth-best point earners through heat race action, respectively, and could secure a feature position with a respectable qualifying race effort. But when Pittman spun in turn two on the opening lap of the first qualifier and collected the 2007 American Bank of Oklahoma ASCS Sooner Region champion, both were done for the night.
--Perhaps it's a "51" curse. Neither Mike Boston nor Lee Sowell would disagree. While Boston's misfortunes have been documented above, Sowell returned after grenading an engine in Thursday hot laps. The Mississippi shoe was in command of the second qualifier until obliterating a rear end on the eleventh of twelve laps. The debris was costly, not only knockig Sowell out of the feature, but also cutting Tim Crawley's oil pan and forcing him pitside. Crawley had raced from seventh to second in his heat and was running third in the qualifier after starting eighth, sitting in prime position for a feature spot near the front. Instead, a frustrated Crawley was reduce to the role of spectator.
---After Nick Smith was deemed the culprit to a bad initial start to the fourth qualifier, Paul McMahan moved up a row to the front row outside and dominated. But right behind him, the sliders between Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., and Robbie Standridge ranked as some of the best action of the year. Meanwhile, a dislodged right rear wheel cover sent All-Star champ Greg Wilson to the tail. Wilson rallied to nip Nick Smith at the line for fourth. How critical was that last lap pass? It put Wilson in the feature and knocked Smith out. Wilson backed it up by charging from 17th to sixth in the feature.
---Extended an early exit from last year's edition of the Short Track Nationals, Illinois shoe Kaley Gharst provided his share of highlight reel footage on Friday. Working the top side of the track to perfection, Gharst fought off a determined Tim Crawley to win the fourth heat and then continued to abuse the cushion by racing from seventh to third in his qualifier. The Sprint Invaders champ was in the mix for a lock-in position before the cushion finally bit back in the feature, launching him upside down off turn four just a few laps into the feature.
---Nebraska's Jack Dover seemingly had a feature position in hand until he tapped Gharst's left rear with right front and looped it in turn three in his qualifier. Dover couldn't climb far enough back through the field to make the cut. In the same qualifier, Posse member Lucas Wolfe was on the verge of qualifying until getting loose in turn four in the final laps and making a brief infield excursion that sealed his fate for the night.
---Give the long tow award to Alberta Sprint Tour racer Travis Rutz, who made an unannounced 2,400-mile trip from Langley, British Columbia to Little Rock. While the weather conditions seemed somewhat chilly to the locals, the Canadian presumably enjoyed the relatively warm weather.
---Five drivers taking their first laps at I-30 Speedway raced their way into Friday night's feature, with Tim Shaffer obviously faring the best by taking the win aboard Doc Sloan's second entry. The others included New Mexico's Lorne Wofford (14th), Oklahoma's Joe Wood, Jr. (15th), Nebraska's Stu Snyder (16th) and Texas' Brandon Berryman (20th). After winning his qualifying race, ASCS Gulf South champ Berryman encountered engine issues and started tailback after being slated to start 14th. Berryman exited after six laps. When 18th through 21st were tied in points following heat and qualifying race action, Oklahoma City's Wood was added to the field as the 21st starter.
---All Gary Wright needs to do to lock up a fourth consecutive O'Reilly American Sprint Cars on Tour National championship, this one once again worth $50,000, is to take a green flag on Saturday night. Locked into Saturday night's Pack's Dash for Cash, consider it a done deal.
The question is, can Wright remain the only driver to score more than one STN triumph since 2003? Or will the likes of Shane Stewart, Tim Shaffer, Zach Chappell, Jason Meyers or one of 96 others become the 14th different winner in the illustrious 20-year history of the Short Track Nationals? Along with Wright, 2001 STN winner Jason Sides is locked in. Six other past winners, including Jason Johnson, Tim Montgomery, Paul McMahan, Tim Crawley, Wayne Johnson and Terry Gray, will be among the 102 vying for the final 14 feature starting positions.
---Suffering a compression fracture of his C5 vertebrae in Thursday night's qualifying race action, 22-year-old Josh Howard of Byhalia, MS, is scheduled for surgery at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday morning at a Little Rock hospital. The full extent of his injuries will not be known until the completion of surgery. Older bothers Dale Howard (32) and Jan Howard (29) have withdrawn from the balance of the weekend's racing action.
---Saturday's 20th Annual O'Reilly Short Track Nationals presented by Hoosier Tires at Little Rock's I-30 Speedway fires off at 7:30 p.m. For more information, contact the track at 501-455-4567.
