debwill Posted October 15, 2012 Report Share Posted October 15, 2012 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contacts: Debbie Williams, debbie@sa-speedway.com, 210-685-0400 (cell) Brian Bohlen, brian@sa-speedway.com Racers return to their home track at San Antonio Speedway SAN ANTONIO, TX (October 15, 2012) – There’s no place like home – or your home track – according to several of the racers who took their cars out for some practice runs at San Antonio Speedway (San Antonio, TX) this past weekend. Young and old racers, both rookies and veterans, are getting their cars and themselves ready to meet the challenge of driving at San Antonio Speedway (SAS) during the upcoming Octoberfast race that’s being held from October 18-20. In 1977, San Antonio Speedway had opened its gates for the first time and has held hundreds of Saturday night stock car races over the years. And then the gates closed unexpectedly in March 2007 due to code compliance issues. The racers were shocked about the closure, and most of them moved on to other tracks in Texas and the East Coast, at both dirt and asphalt venues. Even after the transition was made and life went on, they all still missed their home track at San Antonio Speedway. Then the rumors started several months ago about the track reopening. Many of the racers didn’t think that it would ever happen – hesitant to even imagine racing there again. However, much to their disbelief, the rumors came true. Unique Track Solutions LLC has spent the last few months bringing this amazing piece of history back to life, and the racers have gladly found their way back home. Robert Barker, who’s one of the veterans and winner of several championship titles, had the Wild Child Motorsports #97 Modified on the track on Saturday. “The car feels good on the track,” said Barker. “It’s not perfect yet, but we have a few more days to get it that way.” Eighteen-year-old Dillon Spreen was trying to get a better feel for the track. He will be doing double duty – driving both the red #81 North Park Toyota Pro Late Model and the #81 Modified. His younger brother, Brandon (15), will be piloting the #88 Schoena Tree Farms Street Stock. (Dillon) Spreen was a bit frustrated with his Modified on Saturday. “Both the Late Model and Street Stock are running good, but the Modified isn’t doing so well,” commented Spreen. “No matter what we try to do, we seem to be struggling to get it right.” Although Spreen has raced full-sized cars out of state, he had only raced a 3/4-size Allison Legacy car in the past at San Antonio Speedway. “Even though I had raced my Allison Car at this track, it handled so much differently than a big race car.” Yet another youngster, Mason Mitchell (19), is enjoying the challenges of San Antonio Speedway for the first time in his light blue #57 Pro Late Model. “My car is a little loose in the middle and doesn’t have a good bite off the turns, but I still really like the track,” said Mitchell. “I’m looking forward to the challenge of racing with more than 20 cars on this track. It’s 100% different from any of the other tracks that I’ve raced – in Houston (TX), Opp (AL) and Pensacola (FL) – due to the high banking in the corners and then going onto the flatter straightaways.” Young Brandon Gaither (17) took his first laps ever at San Antonio Speedway – and his first spinout – in his black #01 Street Stock. “It’s was so much fun to actually drive on a track that I had watched so much as a kid,” commented Gaither. “The engine would stutter a bit coming out of the turns and then the car would go really fast on the straightaways.” Gaither was really pleased with his track times, turning in an impressive fast lap time of 22.4 seconds around the half-mile. Kyle Sirizzotti is no stranger to the high banks at San Antonio Speedway. This 21-year-old veteran drives the red #93 Pro Late Model. “The track was fast and a little bumpy, but not that bad,” said Sirizzotti. “Sometimes the bumps will almost make you skate up the track in the corners. And the bump on the back straightaway somewhat throws your car to the left and right. But overall the track hasn’t changed that much.” Cody Smith, 23, has also driven lots of laps at San Antonio Speedway in the past. He will be returning to the track in his #15 Pro Late Model. “It’s loose coming off the turns – mainly coming out of Turn 4 due to some dirt on the track,” said Smith. “The bump on the back straightaway has always been there, but it’s worse now. Being back at San Antonio Speedway feels like Daytona – like (Richard) Petty and some of the old guys coming back to their home track where they started racing.” Brandon Bendele, 37, took his black #6 Freightliner car out to the track for a few laps on Sunday. Bendele is yet another seasoned SAS veteran and winner of several track championships. “Although the track feels the same, the car is pushing right now,” said Bendele. “The track has a few ripples, but it has the same handling characteristics. You have to get the car to pivot in the middle of the corners to be fast.” All of these racers will be part of the field of more than 120 race cars and trucks that have already entered this three-day event in seven classes – including the North Park Toyota Late Models, Modifieds, Trucks, Schoena Tree Farm Street Stocks, Tator Plumbing Chargers, Grand Stocks and Action Tree Service Lonestar Legacies. Practice sessions start on Thursday afternoon (October 18). On Friday (October 19), the agenda will include qualifying, heat races and a Grand Stock feature race. The grand finale will start on Saturday evening (October 20) and will include over 300 laps of feature races by six classes. North Park Toyota of San Antonio was just announced as the Official Dealer for San Antonio Speedway and will be sponsoring the Pro Late Model class for this event. San Antonio is a 1/2-mile, high-banked, asphalt oval track that is managed by Unique Track Solutions LLC. It is located at 14901 State Highway 16 South, San Antonio, TX 78264. Information on San Antonio Speedway may be found on the track website at www.sa-speedway.com or on its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/sanantonio.speedway. - - - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickHolt Posted October 16, 2012 Report Share Posted October 16, 2012 Well done, Debbie! It looks easy to write such a smooth flowing story, but it ain't easy! Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debwill Posted October 16, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2012 Thanks, Nick - means a lot coming from you. And, no, it wasn't easy - takes more time than most people realize. But I really enjoyed talking with the drivers and doing the story. I have another one coming out tomorrow. Would you believe Larry was my editor at the track yesterday? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Double D racing Posted October 16, 2012 Report Share Posted October 16, 2012 i bet ole larry would rather be in a car than doin editing..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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