33rd Annual Camp Barnes Benefit with invaders of Kevin Hirthler & Billy Pauch Jr. in 2005
Photo by Lisa Binder
Rain! Rain! Go Away! Only Rain Weekdays!
June 25, 2006
By Bonnie Nibblett
Delmar, DE…..Yet another weekend with no racing; rain, rain, go away; come back on weekdays, not weekends. I wish it was that easy to request racing weather. The Delaware Motorsports Complex faced, just that last weekend with the rain on Friday and Saturday. The U. S. 13 Dragway, and the U. S. 13 Kart Club Track fell to the mercy of Mother Nature with rain all day. Saturday started off shaky for the ˝ mile clay oval events of stock car racing, however just a few light showers between 2 & 4 PM, with just enough to have too cancel; which then of coarse, no more rain fell until Midnight or so. Just as I said, I wish we could order perfect days to get our “NEED FOR SPEED” itch scratched. That’s very important to be filled or carried out; withdrawals aren’t pretty.
Rain is needed badly, and I love to have a nice shower in spring to turn the grass green, and plants all starting to bring bright colors in the world. Colors, that reminds me, all race cars sure look bright and colorful. Especially in oval dirt racing when the pack is tight for the start, and no cautions, and just opening up 2 wide, 3 wide…Oh! There I go again, drifting off about racing again. Lets’ see what has been going on between the rain drops.
Before last Saturday, only 2 event nights were rained out, but June has had 2 rain outs, June 3, and last weekend the 24th. So that really feels like more nights without racing. Big Block Modified action has been heating up. Tim Millman, 410, has claimed 3 wins so far, and “Jamie” Jamie Mills has too. Mills leads in points with 1020, Millman 888 points, H. J. Bunting has 875, Ricky Johnson 828, and in 5th is “Stormin” Norman Short, Jr. 819 points. Mills has a good lead, but anything can happen; second through fifth are pretty tight too. Other winners this year have been Robert Dutton in 888, and Johnson in 69 “Slow But Sexy”. Millman has won the last two events.
Late Model action has had some mighty fine action going on, with lead changes, and fast speeds. Richard Jarvis, Jr. and Ricky Whaley have made a few trips south to run and not racing for points this year at Delmar. They don’t always get to run every weekend at DIS so it is a treat when the guys are home. Kenny Pettyjohn has won 4 features, but in spite of that his points lead is not that far from the other drivers. Kenny has a total of 945 points and the Rookie Gary Simpson runs second with 875 points, only 70 points apart, 810 points goes to Donald Lingo, Jr. and David Hill with 760 total points.
Rookie Gary Simpson came from being a Big Block Modified since 1998, and switching to Late Model. Before big blocks, Simpson ran go-karts and claming a championship, then drove Modified Lites before BB days. Simpson has displayed a very impressive drive in the number 12K Late Model to own 7 top 5’s out of 8 features. Not bad for a Rookie; quite a few BB drivers have switched to late models as Tim McCreadie, Billy Decker, and GR Smith to name a few.
The AC Delco TSS Modified crate field has been just a strong as ever with a full field each race night and a total of 35 different drivers qualifying to run at DIS so far this year. Jack Mullins, Jr. has been strong again this year with 3 wins under his belt and leading in points with 830, Brad Trice runs second with 745, followed by Richie Walls, Sr. with 659 points, Mark Byram has 655, and 630 points goes to Bobby Watkins. Pretty close in points for some, and what a great show these guys perform each week. Watkins was the 2005 AC Delco TSS Modified Track Champion. Well just 2 weeks ago, Watkins shows up to the track with a TSS Late Model crate car and no Modified. So will Watkins may be branching out in the future with a bb late model?
Added this year to the Street Modified class is the TSS Late Model crate class; both cars run in the same feature, and have been set to make the cars equal as they can be. Dead eye even has the ageless Hal Browning, 46, leading in points with 800 digits; Brown changed to the crate motor this year. Tied with Browning is Rookie Joe Warren, 11, in a crate motor as well; Warren came from Modified Lites this year. Third has another Rookie, 16 years old of Ross Robinson, 7, with 685 points, Kelly Putz, 59, 630 points and Mike Wilson, 12, rounding out the top five with a grand total of 615 points.
This class has been growing each week just as the TSS Mod cars did their first year. Other rookies Kevin Scott, Jr. 12K, Travis Justice 23, Shane Sockriter 32, and Daniel Fielder 7. Daniel has been consistent, Justice is new, and Scott has finished in the top 5 & 10 last few weeks.
Modified Lite field has shrunk a bit with so many of the guys transforming to the crate classes. But the racing has been just as hot, with action from Tim White, Steve White, Brandon Dennis, Herb Tunis, Erik McKinney, and Aaron Bada all battling for the win. Tim has 3 wins as teammate Steve has 3 wins. Dennis has one win and Herb Tunis claimed the last Mod Lite win on June 17. Points leader Tim White 850, Steve White, 780 points, Tunis with 745, Dennis 705, and fifth has 680 points going to McKinney. Rookies Richie Wilson, Billy Mellon, and Jody Cahall holding their own each week.
July will be a busy month for the complex. Next Saturday, July 1, will be a great event going on for 4th of July weekend. The speedway will have the regular line up of all 5 classes racing, in addition to the mighty wing warriors of URC Racing Sprints present and a nice fireworks show. July 8, the regular 5 classes and Little Lincoln Vintage cars race.
Mark this date in your book, for Wednesday night, July 12, 2006 for the Super night of racing action brought to us by the Delaware State Troopers for the 34th Annual Camp Barnes Benefit. Always some invaders come to support the benefit along with the big dawgs from Delaware will go head to head in battle. Rain date will be Thursday, July 13. Come on out and support the cause and some fantastic racing for sure. Contact the track office for tickets at 302-875-1911, or check the web at www.delawareracnig.com. For the latest action at the track check the track hot line at 302-846-3968. Check for times and prices on the track web or www.redbud69racing.com, Gates usually open at 5PM but on URC night its 4:30 PM.
The U. S. 13 Dragway had to cancel last Friday night. The track switched from Sundays to Friday night action until the fall. One race has been set, with a lot of dragsters coming out. This Friday, June 30, the dragway will have fireworks show with Bad 8 & Summit ET Racing. July 7, Outlaw & Real Street along with Summit ET Racing, July 14 will be “Double Points”. Gates open 3:30 PM, time trials start 4:30 PM.
The U. S. 13 Kart Club Track should be running this Friday, June 30, and Saturday July 8, 2006 for the Delaware Dirt Divisionals Series. Friday night gates open at 5:00PM, racing at 7. State event on Saturday will open at 7AM. The kart track is looking to hire a track preparer for the track. Contact Richard Pearson at 302-349-5169 or email redbud69racing@aol.com or visit the tracks web at www.dekarting.net for more contact information or Redbud’s forum at http://redbud69racing.proboards2.com/index.cgi.
Don't forget to visit Redbud69racing.com’s forum and vote for the recipient of the weekly Redbud's Headache Award. Just look at the candidates and vote which one you think had a bad night at the track? So Mother Nature may have got us a few times lately, but lets hope that is the last cancellation all season. I can wish, right? See you at the track!