Originally Posted by cmiracingvids:
I wasn't there but saw the video. Tony Stewart and Bill Balog battle with Stewart winning. IRA sprint cars at Sheboygan County Fairpark in Plymouth, WI.
Hated to miss that since i use to work at the track and it's only a couple miles from my house but i was in Indiana that night for racing!
Look for more great shows at Sheboygan County Fair Park in 2014 as they are re-doing the track. Looks good so far and if anybody needs accomadations let me know, we have room for travelers.
1.) The Lincoln Illinois Speed (Midget) Week show was excellent, and it was the worst one of the week. Macon was outstanding, but I think that the battle between drivers from 4th or 5th through 9th or 10th positions throughout the race at Jacksonville was possibly the fiercest I have ever seen between that many cars for those positions. Slide jobs, multiple position changes every lap, just insane. Absolutely astounding competition, aided by the fact that Michael Pickens was put out of his heat race on the first lap and had to work his way up through the "B" (which he won) and then started on the back of the Feature (finished 7th). That was fun to watch.
2.) The Saturday night midget feature at the Western World at Canyon Speedway. Even if it hadn't been for the last lap it would have been outstanding. At the white flag, it was clear that Bryan Clauson was too far behind Darren Hagen to have any chance of winning the race and the bonus for winning both the sprint and midget features. The distance he made up between the exit of turn 4 and the finish line for the win was just impossible. This is why we go to races.
3.) The Herb Barlow Memorial MOWA/POWRi races at Jacksonville were memorable, to say the least. POWRi put on a great show, but nothing, nothing (even the above-mentioned Western World midget finish) could top the MOWA finish in 2013. Christopher Bell crossing the finish line with his right side up on Bryan Clauson's left side was one of the wildest finishes I have ever seen, and the margin of victory (I was seated near the start/finish line and had no idea who won) made it all the more memorable.
4. Sprints at Kokomo and midgets at Little Belleville. While no one race stands out for me, there were so many great moments at those two tracks that there doesn't have to be a particular race to which I can point which gets my blood churning at the thought of going there. Just how many sprints wide can you go at Kokomo and how many midgets wide at Little Belleville? I think you measure the width of the tracks, the width of the cars, and add a couple of inches for clearance and you have the answer.
How about that 4 wide freedom 100 finish on carb day! Who could not forget that last lap! Also a vote for the Indy 500. It will be tough to repeat those two races in 14.
Originally Posted by Indy:
How about that 4 wide freedom 100 finish on carb day! Who could not forget that last lap! Also a vote for the Indy 500. It will be tough to repeat those two races in 14.
Yup, That was incredible, Even if I wasn't there in person. it was great to watch streaming
Some of my favorites from 2013, and I must say I thought the overall quality was as high as I can remember. Lots of really good races throughout the year, all over the place, with many different cars/style of tracks...
1. Western World Final Night - Canyon
2. Gas City Midget Week
3. Grandview Eastern Storm
4. Kokomo Midget Week
5. April Lawrenceburg USAC Sprints
6. Ocala Sprint Cars Night 1
7. Kokomo Smackdown weekend
8. Gateway Silver Crown
9. Four Crown Midgets - Eldora
10. Belleville Bash USAC/POWRi Midgets
Both Chili Bowl & Knoxville Nationals were great, but the finale taking rubber is a bummer. Those two just set such a high bar both on track and off.
Grandview Eastern Storm (There is a highlight video of the feature on gspvideo.com)
Kokomo Midget Week (Kyle Larson & Christopher Bell, enough said)
Haubstadt MSCS show during IMW - Stanbrough and KT Jr dueling it out for the W on the last lap.
Lincoln Speedway (PA) - Brent Marks, Stevie Smith, and Alan Krimes slice and dice for the lead in the second half of the race, with Stevie coming out on top with nearly a three wide finish (That race is on youtube also. Paposse racing does their videos)
Without a doubt it was the Eastern Storm race at Grandview Speedway for the Jesse Hockett Classic. Watching The Modern Day Cowboy knocking down the wall for 40 laps and a battle upfront with Clayton, Clauson and Jones. Levi said it best after the race when he said "if you did not enjoy that, you are not a fan of sprint car racing."
