Now that football is over and we're past the Chili Bowl and indoor events like the Battle at the Barn, and the World of Outlaws season is under way, it seems like I can focus on racing after a break. I'm excited for the breath of fresh air coming to the Hawkeye Ovals in 2012 with new management and promotors at Knoxville Raceway, Osky, and Iowa Speedway.
I think the message at Knoxville is that nothing is really going to change dramatically other than the Friday of the Nationals format. The purse and point structures are the same basically. But I have this feeling as the season goes we'll see something new in how the track operates. I have no idea what that might be, and have no insider info, but it's a gut feeling I have, or maybe I'm hoping for. But I sure hope the Marion County Fairboard considers new rest rooms this year as they are sub par for sure.
The changes at Oskaloosa have me excited. With Mike Van Genderen the new man in charge and bringing back IMCA rules I think it will help car counts, hopefully in the A-Mod division more than any. After a few years of only seeing a handful of modified's for a weekly show, it can't get much worse. Hopefully the IMCA rules entices some drivers from the Des Moines, Boone, and Marshalltown areas to come compete. The schedule has been expanded and there is a new website up and running at www.oskyspeedway.com. I'm hopeful that the Southern Iowa Fair is ready to step the racing program up a notch and I think they are off to a good start bringing in new energy with MVG. I'm not sure I'm a fan of this new four cylinder sport compact class, but the jury is still out. If they were going to add another class, why not add Late Models weekly similar to Des Moines where they race in the May, June, and July months? Just a thought. The Penn Central Mall in Osky will host their annual car show on March 23-25.
Iowa Speedway has a slightly expanded schedule with two NASCAR Trucks and two Nationwide Series' races while adding a weekend of races in September. I think adding another race in the fall is a bad idea once you're into football season. It didn't work well in the past, and I don't see it working any better now, but I guess we'll see how the crowd turnout is. Hopefully the ongoing legal battles between the Clement's and the Mannatt's over terms of the sale of the track doesn't spill over and affect the racing on the track. You can follow that story at www.newtondailynews.com and www.newtonindependent.com. It's an amazing facility in it's seventh racing season now and hopefully the track is rewarded for their patience in the coming year or two with a NASCAR Cup race.
The World of Outlaws started their season off this weekend in Florida. I'm still amazed that two time defending champion Jason Meyers is stepping back from the sport to be closer to home and family. It's the right thing to do, and I admire him for his decision. I don't know how the traveling circus of racers manage their personal lives being on the road so much. I can't imagine how many activities Steve Kinser must have missed with his three children. But with Meyers out of the points race it narrows it down to a dozen drivers; Donny Schatz, Joey Saldana, Craig Dollanksy, Steve Kinser, Kraig Kinser, Stevie Smith, Kerry Madsen, Chad Kemenah, Cody Darrah, Lucas Wolfe, Bill Rose. It's hard to pick against Schatz or Saldana but I'm really pulling for Joey this year. That guy deserves a few breaks to go his way, but he has the car and team to win it. I think Dollanksy is a serious threat to win as well. And of course it will be interesting to see how many times the true Outlaws (Sammy Swindell, Brian Brown, Terry McCarl, Jason Sides, Brad Sweet, and that guy Tony Stewart) show up to spoil the points race for someone.
ASCS has expanded their schedule this year to over 60 races but they are still racing on the western half of the US as they only venture east of the Mississippi river once for a race in Peoria, IL and do not venture into SOD Region in Michigan or Ohio. It almost seems like the ASCS is content to keep the western half of the US and let USAC, the WoO, All-Stars, IRA, Knoxville, and Pennsylvania have their own regions. But that leaves Knoxville right in the middle of all of them.
I'm so ready to see a race in Iowa on any of these Hawkeye Ovals! I'll be putting together my Knoxville season preview next.
