Just Around The Corner

 

February 25, 2010

By Bonnie Nibblett

 

Delmar, DE…..That’s right the racing season is just around the corner.  It has already started with the Florida Winter Nationals the last few weeks.  Then, there was the kick off of NASCAR, Nationwide, and Camping World Truck Series this month.  So that gets a lot of people excited for the 2010 season.  Mmmm!  I can almost smell the burning rubber and exhaust fumes?

 

The Delaware Motorsports Complex has been working out all the details for the racing schedules.  The complex is the home of the U S 13 Dragway quarter mile strip,  Delaware International Speedway (DIS) a ½ mile clay oval and with the U S 13 Kart Club Track just on the left before you enter the main grounds or the complex.  The dragway schedule is complete and the speedway will soon be complete.  Be sure to check the tracks web site at www.delawareracing.com to view the schedules for 2010. 

 

The US 13 Dragway has set the first test-n-tune for this Sunday, Feb 28 and the next two Sundays providing the weather cooperates.  The first ET race is set for Sunday, March 21.  The dragway always kicks off the season on Sunday’s, and then switches over to Friday nights once school lets out.  This year the first Friday race is June 11. 

 

The speedway is still working out a few more specials before the schedule is posted.  They plan to hold a few special races, as last season with Topless Night, Wings & Things for different divisions are a few.  For now the test-n-tune is planned for April 3, 2010; the last couple years Mother Nature said different.  So hopefully we will get that in, but if not the season opener is Saturday, April 10.

 

This craving addiction to racing & motorsports NEED FOR SPEED is lurking in all of us to get started.  To see who is driving what divisions this year, who switched up from one class or another?  One driver as of now is Amanda Whaley, she will move up to the Super Late Model ranks and join her Father.  That should be fun to see!   

 

2009 Amanda started the year in the Crate Late Model and had a pretty successful season to claim 5 top 5’s and 6 top 10’s.  Amanda also received the Redbud69racing.com Rookie of the Year in the crate division with the highest points over all in the rookies in that class. .  She ran strong, competitive; clean all year plus the only girl in that division.  But this year she will go toe to toe with Super Late Model driver Staci Warrington. 

 

Warrington held her own in the super lates, this will start her 3^rd season.  She rounded out 6^th place in points last year.  So it will be supreme fun watching them on the track and the other big guns. 

 

Will the two oldest drivers return this year?  Favorite Hal Browning is planning to return to race in the super lates.  Eddy Pettyjohn made a few appearances and took home a win last year. 

 

The first URC (United Racing Club) Sprints are set to appear April 17.  The Wm. J. Cathell Memorial will be following Saturday night.  The WoOLMS (World of Outlaw Late Models Series) are on the schedule for Thursday, May 13, 2010.  They are the best of the best drivers in a touring late model series and always a crowd pleaser. 

 

This season local Austin Hubbard, of Seaford, DE, a teenager who ranks as one of the country's most exciting young dirt Late Model drivers.  After running part time with the WoOLMS in 2009 he was hired to replace Steve Francis as the driver of the high-profile Beitler Motorsports # 19 and will attempt the entire schedule this season.  Hubbard, just turned 18 yrs old on Feb. 17, and has already gained national attention in 2010 with a $12,000 victory on Jan. 30 at Georgia's Golden Isles Speedway.  Hubbard will also run his Hab-Nab Trucking # 11A when not racing with the outlaws. 

 

So that is just a little in sight of what we will have to look forward too soon.  Drivers are getting their stock cars ready, with new cars, sheet metal, paint schemes, sponsorships, and teams & crews are just a few things going on in the background for now.  Soon we can feed that NEED FOR SPEED cravings; hope this helps you get by?

 

The U S 13 Kart Club Track gets underway with the first club race on Friday, April 9.  Two practice runs are set for Friday night on March 19, and on Saturday, March 27, 2010.  Check out the tracks web at www.dekarting.net for more details.

 

Don’t forget to send in your sneak preview photos of your 2010 cars, karts, bikes, boats, anything you race, so fans can get a look at your racing vehicle for this year.  Send to redbud69racing@aol.com or call me to take pics for you?  Be sure to let us know your changes & plans for racing this year, too.  Hopefully, it will be another super year of racing. 

 

Be sure to check out redbud69racing.com for all your DE racing news.  Visit the largest message board on the shore at www.redbud69racing.com for Your Delaware and Surrounding Tracks Race News Plus NASCAR.   Check out the largest message board on the shore at http://redbud69racing.proboards2.com/index.cgi which is powered by Hab Nab Trucking of Seaford, DE and A1 Graphic and Lettering of Georgetown. 

 

The Delaware Motorsports Complex is located just one mile north of the MD / DE state line, 50 minutes South of Dover, DE and 30 minutes west from the beaches on Sussex Hwy.  For any questions contact the tracks office at 302-875-1911, open M-F 9AM-4PM.  See you at the track!