Finally.
Or perhaps, to avoid a jinx, the Golden Triangle should say “we’re almost there.”
For the first time in five consecutive weekends, the area will be treated to dirt track racing when Columbus Motor Speedway hosts the twice-postponed Winter Classic Saturday night. Despite light showers in the Columbus/New Hope area, the forecast for Friday — open laps — and Saturday are rain-free.
“What little bit of rain we got will break up the dust,” said Lee Ray, who finished second in Street Stock track points last season and will compete Saturday.
While the Super Late Model drivers in the area will compete at Whynot (Meridian) in the Mississippi State Championship Challenge Series this weekend, Street Stock and Crate Late Model drivers will feature in Columbus in a pair of $1,200-to-win races.
“Paying $1,200 to win, I know a bunch of guys from Meridian who are coming this weekend,” said Kyle Shaw, Crate Late Model driver from Millport, Ala. “Plus, nobody within 80-100 miles of here has raced yet. There are a bunch of people itching to go somewhere, so it’ll be a full field in both classes. I’d imagine 30-40 Street Stocks.”
Though the majority of area racers haven’t yet hit the track, Ray got a jumpstart on Saturday’s race by competing in a $1,500-to-win Street Stock race at Whynot, where he finished third on March 14.
“I didn’t tear up nothing, so maybe I’ll come to Columbus on a good note,” Ray said
Ray is hopeful Columbus has a turnout like the one in Whynot, which had more drivers fail to qualify for the feature (26) race than actually make the field (24).
“I think we’ll have more than 30 cars show,” Ray said. “They’re starting to have more of the $1,200 and $1,500 races in the area. You’ll have them about once a month out here (at Columbus), but with there being more I’d imagine the tracks will get more drivers out.”
Columbus also will host 602 Late Model and Mini Stock races with $400-to-win features. The payout may be higher depending on the number of entries.
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