Reported by: Nathan Ledford

Tuesday, Feb 2, 2010 @06:34pm

The Monroe Motor Speedway will soon be for sale.

This comes just three months after it was revealed that investors hadn’t been paying on the loan they took out to build the track.

So what does this mean for the future of the speedway and its race car drivers?

The Monroe Motor Speedway was supposed to be the area’s hot new attraction and money maker when it first opened two years ago.

But in a month the track is to be sold by the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office.

And that has area race car drivers asking questions about their future in the business.     

Wendy Merchant says her husband has had racing running through his blood almost his entire life mostly on dirt tracks

“Started out in street stock cars on dirt and worked his way up to dirt late models,” said Merchant

But Merchant says her husband put money into a new car for the hard track when Monroe Motor Speedway moved in two years ago.

You see merchant’s car every time you open the phonebook.

“Drove out there and got it and worked on it and we were in the asphalt racing business,” said Merchant.

But the track built for speed could be slowing down for good.

A sign at the track says it will be up for sale on March 17.

Just one year ago the NASCAR Whelen All American Series announced it was bringing racing to the Monroe Motor Speedway. Now the track sits empty and its flags lay tattered on the ground.

In November BizCapital, the financial institution that put up the loan to build the track said the speedway hadn’t paid its note in six months.

Those notes totaled $30 thousand of the $4.5 million loan.

Now BizCapital wants its money

“I’ve spoken with them a couple of times; I don’t think I’ll be ready to speak to them until we get close,” said Speedway Board Member Gus Campbell.

Gus Campbell is on the board of directors at the Monroe speedway.

“Try not to look back; look forward and we’ve got a new business plan, new projections,” said Campbell.

But Campbell wasn’t clear what that plan actually is.

When BizCapital made their announcement in November, Campbell vowed to raise money to pay off the loan.

He says that plan hasn’t changed.

“We’re doing everything we can to raise the money,”  said  Campbell.

Until then race car families like the Merchants say they’ll leave the hard track race car in park.

“You can’t make yourself dive off there and invest money in a racing side if you don’t know if you have a place to race it,” said Merchant.

Campbell tells me that he plans on meeting with the speedway board of directors Wednesday to discuss what can be done to save the speedway, but he says right now he can’t really make any promises.

By Tom Blakeley

Saturday January 23, 2010, (Bradenton, FL.)  Today was the perfect day to have the annual awards banquet at Desoto Super Speedway.  The weather was great, the food was delicious, and there was no drama.  It was like the old days when families used to have huge family reunions, and everybody got along. 

It was great to see how excited the Magic 4’s got when they received trophy’s that were taller and bigger than they are.  The school bus figure 8 drivers were so appreciative of the track and staffs support all year long.  Friends having a beer with their racing buddies and race family.  Drivers breaking bread together, and telling stories about how they watched their fathers and grand father’s race at this track.  It was a real heartwarming experience. 

It was great to see the track owner John thanking the crowd for all of the cards, flowers, and well wishes he received when he had open heart surgery just last month. 

While 2009 was filled with challenges and issues we all seemed to have survived and are bravely looking to 2010 to be better for racing and for our families.   The following drivers will forever have the word “Champion” as part of their racing legacy; it can never be taken away.

The 2009 Champion’s List:

Super Late Model Division        Anthony Campi      Car # 81

Street Stock Division                   Dennis Wilson        Car # 42

Desoto Pro Trucks                                    Stephen Darvalics Truck  # 41

Open Wheel Modified                Bobby Baldwin       Car # 4

Rockem Sockem Bombers         Jody Collins             Car # 32C

School Bus Figure 8’s                   Ernest Helfrick       Bus # 4

Flyin 4’s Division                           Alex Patton             Car # 13

Magic 4 Division                            Brittany Barr          Car # 81

Modified Mini Division               Chad Rose                Car # 0X

Pure Stock Division                      Robert Crisp                       Car # 2

 The entire staff of ASA sanctioned Desoto Super Speedway congratulate the 2009 Champions for a great year.  The loyalty and commitment are what really makes for true Champions, and you all are true Champions.

 The 2009 Division Rookies of the year list:

Open Wheel Modified Division                       Kyle Cooper                        #40

Pure Stock Division                                  Andrew Moon        #31

Modified Mini Division                           Dennis Colletti Jr. #4

School Bus Figure 8 Division                 Robert Latinka       #47

Racecar Engineering Late Model         Richard Sapp Jr.     #44

Magic 4 Division                                        Dallas Troyer          #01

Flyin 4 Division                                          Dalton Baldwin      #4

Desoto Pro Truck Division                     Nick Hernandez     #37

Rockem Sockem Bombers                     Tom Blakeley          #96

 Congratulations to the rookies and we all look forward to great things from them in the future.

 The sponsor of the year went to Len McCue of Q Auto and Attorneys who sponsored the Pure Stock Division for 2009.  A big thank you goes out to Len McCue for his generosity and kindness throughout the year.

 The drivers that finished in the top of each division are to be congratulated on taking home a huge trophy for their hard work, commitment, and loyalty.

Racecar Engineering Hoosier Elite Late Model Division:

1. Anthony Campi  (Champion)                  car # 81
2. Joe Boyd                                                       Car # 5
3. Robert “Showtime” Yoho                                    Car # 0
4. Richard Sapp Jr.                                          Car # 44
5. Jeff Scofield                                                 Car # 21S
6. Brandon Anderson                                                Car# 21
7. Scott Holley                                                 Car # 1
8. Marty Pierce                                                Car # 75
9. Scot Walters                                                            Car # 55
10. Brad Bischoff                                               Car # 53

 Street Stock Division:

1. Dennis Wilson (Champion)                      Car # 42
2. Derek Lucas                                                        #88
3. Duane Best                                                          #3
4. Jimmie Best                                                        #67
5. James Nanney                                                   #6
6. James Brenner                                                  #57
7. Joey Barnes                                                        #66
8. Robert Haygood                                               #84
9. Jonathan Heidenthal                                       #27X
10. Will Elliott                                                           #9

Desoto Pro truck Division:

1. Stephen Darvalics (Champion)               #41                                        
2. Nick Hernandez                                          #37
3. Brent Huber                                                 #64
4. Lance Dubach                                             #77
5. Tyler Lau                                                       #12
6. Charlie Montgomery                                 #12
7. Danny Anderson                                        #50
8. Todd Bontrager                                          #8
9. Blair Pontious                                              #39
10. Michael Smith                                             #23

Open Wheel Modified Division    

1. Bobby Baldwin (Champion)                    #4
2. Ralph Bowman                                           #2
3. Pat Nanney                                                  #60
4. Kyle Cooper                                                 #40
5. David Grogan                                              #101
6. Edward Ditges                                             #1
7. L B Skaggs                                                     #71
8. Ricky Coffin                                                  #8
9. Bill Davis                                                       #15
10. John Shields                                                 #37

Rockem Sockem Bombers

1. Jody Collins (Champion)                           #32C
2. Steve Elder                                                   #42
3. Michael Crooks                                           #33
4. John Stewart                                               #2
5. Randy Spicer                                               #83
6. Todd Jacobs                                                 #44
7. Tom Blakeley                                               #96
8. Lou Russell                                                   #3
9. Clint Roberts                                                #95
10. Dean Butrum                                               #32

School Bus Figure 8 Division

1.  Ernest Helfrick (Champion)               #4

2. Peter Bohn                                              #11

3. Mark Jackson                                         #25

4. Michael Gamache                                 #0

5. Christopher Dodson                             #21

6. Robert Latinka                                        #47

7. Eugene Helfrick                                      #44

8. Larry Saffold                                           #88

9. James Volk                                              #76

10. Craig Jackson                                       #26

Flyin 4 Division

1. Alex Patten (Champion)                     #13
2. Randy Johnson                                     #1
3. Dalton Baldwin                                     #4
4. Rob Boos                                                            #21B
5. Jessica Ostrovskis                                 #91
6. Arthur Danielson                                  #38
7. Ken Paul Smith                                      #11X
8. Billy Carlbert Jr.                                                #11
9. Michael Gamache                                #85
10.  Brad Steger                                     #2

 Magic 4 Division

1. Brittany Barr (Champion)                  #81
2. Dallas Troyer                                         #1
3. Zac Campilonga                                                #30
4. Austin Cavey                                          #20
5. Joann Danielson                                   #38
6. Shanna Clark                                         #44
7. Mark Bartimac                                      #21
8. Amy Gamache                                      #85
9. Justine Carlbert                                     #11
10.  Kyle Best                                          #3

 Modified Mini Division

1. Chad Rose (Champion)                       #0X
2. Mike Birk                                                            #10
3. Dennis Colletti                                       #22
4. Andy Fischer                                          #22X
5. Richard Nelson                                      #80
6. Dennis Colletti Sr.                                 #21
7. Mitchell Webb                                      #6
8. Brian Dorer                                            #97
9. Marty Neikens                                      #70
10. Chris Zimmerman                          #29

Q Auto and Attorneys Pure Stock Division

1. Robert Crisp (Champion)                   #2
2. Troy Thiem                                             #18
3. Austin Craig                                           #10
4. Darrin Ellis                                              #71
5. Billy Carlbert Jr.                                                #47
6. Chelsea Lau                                            #13
7. Richard Shepherd Sr.                          #30A
8. Andrew Moon                                      #31
9. Mark Picklesimer                                 #17
10. George Bartimac                            #21X

Congratulations and Thank You to all the top 10 drivers and car owners.  The entire staff of Desoto Super Speedway appreciates you for your support, loyalty, and dedication.  The 2010 season is approaching and we wish everybody the best for the coming season.

New Smyrna, FL (January 31, 2010) Joey Gase and the SS Green Light Racing team had a heartbreaking finish to a very good day in Sunday’s rain-postponed Pro All Star Series WinterFest 150 at New Smyrna Raceway. On lap 104, Gase was caught-up in a wreck not of his making and was relegated to a seventeenth place finish.

Following an incident in Friday’s open practice, the SS Green Light team was forced to use an underpowered back-up car for Sunday’s race. Despite the horsepower handicap, Joey qualified in 18th place. With the help of his spotter and advice of crew chief Butch Miller, the young Iowan stayed clean through the first half of the 150-lap race and was sitting in the top-15 at the halfway break.

In the second half of the race, Joey started to assert himself in the outside grove and despite giving away several hundred horsepower, he was able to move into the top ten. Several on-track incidents bunched the field and Gase moved into the ninth place and looked to be in position for a solid finish. Following a restart on lap 104, Devin Jones and Tim Russell got together directly in front of the young driver and Joey could not avoid contact that ended his debut in the SS Green Light Late Model.

“They were all just wrecking there, I had no where to go. The whole track was blocked. I actually hit the outside wall and then got into the other cars.” Gase said. “I hate for Butch and the guys that we tore up these cars. It was pretty ridiculous the way some of the guys were driving. It was like every lap was the last lap during the second half of the race.”

“The car felt real good and I was adapting real well. We were pretty good on the outside,” Gase said. “I was really getting through the corners good and I could actually make up more than I was loosing in the straights.”

“It was really good working with Butch. I was learning a lot all weekend, he taught me a lot about braking and it helped our lap times a lot. If we can run this well when we come back for the ASA race, I think we should do pretty good.”

“I like our driver, he’s a good kid,” said crew chief Butch Miller. “Friday, I was pushing him hard to attack the corner and he got in just a little to deep and looped it.”

“In the race Joey did a good job,” Miller added. “He made huge improvements throughout the weekend. I think we’ll be pretty good there in March.

Joey Gase and the SS Green Light team will return to the New Smyrna Raceway on March 27th for the ASA Late Model Challenge Series opener. Plans are to run the entire 2010 ASA Challenge Series schedule.

For more on SS Green Light Racing, visit www.SSRacingonline.com or email: pr@ssgreenlight.com.

Several drivers will be in new or relatively new seats when the 2010 Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series arrives at East Bay Raceway Park in Gibsonton, Fla. for the “Bubba Army Sprint Nationals” February 8-10.

Dave Darland, Bryan Clauson, Tracy Hines, Chris Windom, Cole Carter, Kyle Cummins and Justin Grant are among early entries who will be “sorting out” new rides in the three-night non-winged spectacular at the 3/8-mile dirt oval on the south side of Tampa.

Darland will make his first appearance in the Keith Kunz sprinter in six years, while Clauson hops into the RWB Motorsports #2B vacated by Darland after the 2009 season. Hines will pilot an entry for Bob Parker, for whom he drove selected Midget races in 2009. Cole Carter and Kyle Cummins are entered in Steve Stapp entries and Justin Grant makes his debut in the Baldwin Brothers entry. Carter’s father Pancho and uncle Dana both piloted Stapp entries during their USAC Sprint car careers.

 The “Bubba Army Sprint Nationals” are part of the track’s 34th Winternationals and mark the first time USAC Sprint cars have raced on dirt in the Sunshine State since Rich Vogler’s victory at the Florida State Fairgrounds 23 years ago.

 Stapp’s entries continue a long tradition of family involvement in the sport. Steve ranks second all-time in terms of USAC National feature wins with 51, while Dynamics, Inc., who will field a car for Jerry Coons Jr. at East Bay, is the all-time leader at 74.

 A special “match race” for the news media in four-cylinder stocks is planned during Monday night’s (Feb. 8) activities, with the participants to be announced soon.

The Tampa races officially open USAC’s 2010 National racing calendar, which continues with a Silver Crown/Sprint/Midget tripleheader February 19-20 at USA Raceway Park in Tucson, Ariz. (the “Copper on Dirt”) and Sprint/Midget doubleheaders February 25 at Las Vegas, Nev. and Feb. 27 at Perris, Calif.

Camargo, IL (1-30-10) Ocala Speedway falls victim to the wet weather on night 2 of the O’Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions Winter Nationals, forcing officials to cancel the event for the evening (January 30, 2010). No makeup date has been scheduled. Ocala Speedway would like to thank everyone who participated to make this year’s Winter Nationals a success, look forward to a bigger and better 2011.

The 410 sprint cars will be back in action on Wednesday, February 3rd at Volusia Speedway Park. For all of the latest information on the O’Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions, visit www.allstarsprint.com.

by Tony Veneziano

CONCORD, N.C. — Double-file restarts and a new race format that guarantees youll see your favorite driver in at least one heat and main every night are among the fan-friendly changes World of Outlaws officials will unveil Feb. 5 at the Florida DIRTcar Nationals By University of Northwestern Ohio at Volusia Speedway Park.

Following meetings with team owners last November during the World Finals, and comments from fans over the past several years, a new race format and procedures have been adopted to pump even more excitement into The Greatest Show on Dirt. These changes will be under close watch by series officials, who will determine if any adjustments are needed.

The rivalry developing between Donny Schatz and Jason Meyers, the threat that Joey Saldana poses on the heels of his 20-win season and the news that Steve Kinser will be driving for Tony Stewart has anticipation at an all-time high for the 2010 season. And now, the World of Outlaws will become the only major venue in all of open-wheel racing where fans can see double-file restarts from the beginning of the night until the final checkered flag, with the leader being given lane choice. The familiar front-stretch cone will be left in the trailer as the leader will dictate each restart coming out of Turn 4.

In addition to double-file restarts which the series pioneered in the 70s and the elimination of the non-qualifiers race in favor of expanding the number of heat races should the car count dictate, the Dash will also get a facelift. The top two finishers from each heat race, in addition to the two fastest qualifiers who transfer through their heat, will advance to the Dash, which could see as many as 12 starters in a 5-heat format. A qualifying time based inversion of 4, 6 or 8 will determine the Dash lineup, and all drivers in the inversion will be interviewed in front of the crowd. The Dash finish will then set the lineup for the A-main.

Every year we listen to the fans and consider ways to make World of Outlaws events even more exciting, said World Racing Group CEO Brian Carter. Theres nothing more breathtaking than the start of a World of Outlaws race. Now, in adopting double-file restarts, every wave of the green flag throughout every race will be an incredible sight as a full field thunders out of Turn 4 and into the first corners side-by-side. World of Outlaws drivers are some of the most skilled racers in motorsports, and this will no doubt showcase their talent.

In an effort to further enhance fans experience, the allotted time in the work area has been reduced to one minute after a damaged car arrives, and under an open red flag only two crew members will be permitted to attend to the car. In time trials, all cars will take two laps no matter how many cars have signed in to race, unless weather is a factor.

One thing that has not changed from the first World of Outlaws race in 1978 is the post-race open pits. Even though at every fan at Volusia can sign in for a complimentary pit pass after purchasing a reserved or general admission ticket, the pits are remain open to everyone at the end of every World of Outlaws race to meet drivers for pictures and autographs.

A full week of Sprint Car action at the DIRTcar Nationals By UNOH kicks off on Feb. 2 with a test session, followed by two nights of racing under the All Star Circuit Champions banner (Feb. 3-4) before the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series takes center stage Friday through Sunday (Feb. 5-7).

Fans can now purchase tickets online by going to http://www.DIRTcarNationals.com, or by calling Volusia Speedway Park at 386-985-4402.

Race fans unable to make the annual trek south to Volusia need not worry. All 12 nights (Feb. 2nd-13th) will air LIVE on www.dirtvision.com beginning approximately at 7 p.m. each night.

by BJ Cavin

The final practice session for the O’Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions and the Florida Mini Sprints at Ocala Speedway went very smoothly on Thursday night, and drew a solid crowd of onlookers.  In addition, the number of teams in the pit area more than doubled as more racers arrived to challenge the historic old speedway north of the city.

The most notable new arrival was 4 time World of Outlaws Champion Donny Schatz and the Tony Stewart Racing Team.  Schatz came through the pit gate with his game face on, and wasted zero time in putting down some quick lap times as practice began.  Other new arrivals in the pits for the second night of practice included Doug Esh, Jac Haudenschild, Bob Femlee, David Gravel, and Jared Ridge.

Reports at the track during practice indicate that at least a couple of teams may be battling weather problems and bad road conditions in the country’s midsection, and are delayed in arriving in Ocala.  As of Friday morning there are still a few expected teams that have not arrived, and they will have to scramble to prepare once they get here.

Racing gets underway tonight with the pit gate open at noon, grandstand gates open at 5PM, and racing beginning at 8PM.  Qualifying will take place at 6PM.  A full list of prices and a complete schedule of Winternational events can be found at www.OcalaSpeedway.com by clicking the 2010 schedule link.

by Scott Cooper

CONCORD, N.C. — One week after U.S. Legend Cars International and Charlotte Motor Speedway announced the biggest Legend Cars race ever, competitor registration is now available online for the Legends Million at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com.

Scheduled for July 15 – 17 at the Mecca of Motorsports, Charlotte Motor Speedway, the Legends Million will feature a total purse of $1 million. The A-Main winner will take home a whopping $250,000 and the final spot in the feature event is assured $10,000. (more…)