In the Groove

The plan has been to update this blog once I was fully recovered from the 50th Annual Knoxville Nationals. I think I failed to take into account my increasing age and its effect on my ability to "fully" recover.

The truth is, the 50th Nats was such a grand event, we may never completely get over it, at least not until another big one like that comes along. It brought to mind the Nationals of 1990, when Bobby Allen pulled off the upset of the decade. Given the historical significance of this year's event, we may be able to say that Tim Shaffer pulled off the upset of the century.

The racing was fabulous from the Thursday night beginning of 360 Nationals right until the double checkereds flew and the fireworks went off just before midnight on Saturday of 410 Nationals. And amazingly, we only suffered one night of rain in spite of major flooding and road closing obstacles many had to endure close by.

It was awesome to see so many "locals" shining throughout the week and a half. Most notably, how great is Davey Heskin running eighth and Brian Brown sitting on the pole of the granddaddy of all sprint car mains. Josh Schneiderman plugged away in the B-Main, gained a transfer to the A and posted a great showing too, as the only true Iowa driver in the field.

It's always great to see the grandstands both full and this year there were more seats filled than there have been in a while. Though it didn't rain as much as it could have, the heat and humidity were sweltering throughout the week and that was hard on some.

In my book, the 50th lived up to all the expectations we had. Though I am not a big fan of 50 laps for a sprint car race, that one sure had all the necessary dramatic components.

As a lifelong Sammy fan, I have to say I am still in awe of the way 20-some thousand people chanted his name in support when his tire blew out and flipped him over while leading late in the race. He really was the sentimental favorite of the week, having only won the one Nats in 1983. It would have been great to see him win, but his misfortune set up a real nail-biter. Just about all of those 20-some thousand probably would have had the big check made out to four-time defending champ Donny Schatz when he inherited the lead with a handful of laps to go. But when his motor sputtered on the restart, it became evident there was going to be a new and different ending to this one.

As for me, I would like to say a special thanks to all who made my week go so great. Those guys with the coffee hut really kept me going and I'm so glad they are around. My partner in live results, Bob Wilson, is still the best and everyone I work with in the pressbox is still family to me.

My forum on Women in Sprint Car Racing on Thursday was a hot one, with a standing-room only crowd packed into the Hall of Fame to hear female drivers Melinda Dumesny, Lisa French Engler, Erin Crocker Evernham, Kaylene Verville, Trish Dover, Casie Shilling, Dakota Carroll, Haley Arnold, Miranda Arnold, Kendall Higday and Michaela Dumesny. Those women are fantastic! Next time you are at a race and you see them, please tell them how wonderful they are.

In the Groove

As I write this, we are three nights into Southern Iowa Sprint Week. The 360 Nationals once again proved some of the best racing ever seen. Everyone knows I love the 360 class and I fail to understand why race fans don't come out to watch them more often. Fortunately, there was an awesome crowd all three nights this year.

The big win by Shane Stewart was definitely fairy tale, as he led only the last lap on Friday night, which was undoubtedly the best race of the weekend. He then inherited the lead from early favorite Chad Humston in the finale and cruised to the win.

It was heartbreaking for Humston, the Knoxville regular who started on the pole. With eight laps in, there was a caution for a blown motor on Brian Brown's car and it was discovered Humston had no brakes. Shortly after, the front end broke on his car and he was hit by Johnny Herrera. It was a devastating end of the race for Herrera too, who simply had nowhere to go as the hapless Humston couldn't control his car sliding down the track. Herrera got the best air of the weekend, nearly crashing victory lane a dozen laps early.

The 410 division always puts on a good show on the Saturday before Nationals, largely due to the influx of visiting drivers. Dale Blaney had a heartbreak in his visit when the wheel slid right off and he backed hard into the fence.

But I was most bummed for Erin Crocker, whose 360 Nationals was short-lived when she took a hard series of flips in her heat race. We'll hope for much better for her and all the other competitors as the 50th Annual Knoxville Nationals gets underway Wednesday night.

Crocker will be a star of the panel for my Women in Sprint Car Racing forum at the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and Museum on Thursday at 3 p.m. Come over to the museum and have the chance to hear from female drivers like Crocker, Melinda Dumesny, Lisa French, Kaylene Verville, Trish Dover, Casie Shilling, Dakota Carroll, Haley Arnold, Miranda Arnold, Kendall Higday and Michaela Dumesny.