Thursday, February 26, 2009

Troy Taylor will try to tame the field at the Texas World Dirt Track Championship

By Todd E. Jones of College Football Top Ten

The only do it once a year. Texas Motor Speedway General Manager Eddie Gossage called the NASCAR and IRL races his “bread and butter.” However, once a year, Gossage and the rest of the TMS crew put on the Texas Dirt World Dirt Track Championship at the speedway’s four-tenths, oval dirt track that sits just behind the backstretch of the big track. “Texas is the only state big enough to have its own World Dirt Track Championship,” said Gossage.

This weekend, February 27 and 28 in particular, is that once a year for TMS. On Friday, Modified and Limited Modified cars will run in qualifying races, after which championship races will be run on Saturday. Also on Saturday, the Southern United Professional Racing (SUPR) Late Models will join the Modified and Limited Modified cars by running their qualifying and feature races.

In the Modified division will be Fort Worth’s own dirt track legend, Troy Taylor. Taylor has captured over 1000 racing victories and has won 30-plus championships in his 29-year career. In 2007, Taylor captured the IMCA Lonestar Nationals at the TMS Dirt Track. He called that win his “Super Bowl” of racing. Taylor is coming off a runner-up finish at Cowtown Speedway’s February Fast 50 in Kennedale.

Taylor will be running an “outlaw” type of schedule this year in which he chooses races based on where he will have the chance to win the most money. He considers Cowtown Speedway his home track, but he expects to race throughout the country including Oklahoma City and the infamous Eldora Speedway in Ohio owned by NASCAR driver Tony Stewart.

The Southern United Professional Racing Late Models will also be racing this weekend. Reigning 2008 SUPR Rookie of the Year Kevin Sitton from Baytown, TX is expected to be here for the Texas World Dirt Track Championship, as is local driver Tom Lorenz.

TMS expects several states to be represented at the dirt races. Cars from as far away as North Dakota and as near as Fort Worth will be on hand. Other states represented include Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Nebraska, and Oklahoma. Tickets are $10 for adults on Friday night and $15 on Saturday. Children who are 12 and under can get in for $5 on either night. Tickets will be available at the gate ticket booth or fans can call the ticket office at (817) 215-8500. Opening ceremonies begin at 7:00 p.m. on both nights.

Media Day

TMS held their annual Media Day on Wednesday, February 25th. It seems that what was foremost on everyone’s mind was the economy. Gossage began the Media Day with a reassurance that motor sports will survive the economic downturn just as it did in 1974. He did say that the industry might have to “change back to the old school ways” of operating. Gossage pointed out some measures that TMS is taking to help fans including the continuance of free parking. Free parking is fan-friendly and prompted driver Tony Stewart to ask later, “Why would anyone charge for parking?” According to Stewart, the feedback he has received from fans has been that their struggle is getting to the race track considering the cost of gas, lodging, food, etc.

Stewart was definitely the star of Media Day. When he became available in a “break-out” session with reporters, there were plenty of recorders, microphones and pen-wielding members of the media hovering near the podium waiting for the chance to ask him a question. Stewart was asked many things ranging from the economy, to being a new NASCAR team owner, to the future of tires in the Sprint Cup Series. Stewart indicated that his moves to become a Sprint Cup team owner along with his USAC and World of Outlaw racing teams and his ownership of Eldora Speedway is having a plan for life beyond racing.

In addition to Tony’s achievements as a driver, Gossage also cited his success in helping them raise money for the Speedway Children’s Charity - Texas Chapter in 2008. Stewart’s “Smoke Show” fantasy camp helped raise $262,000, and Stewart has decided to host the “Smoke Show” for two days in an effort to raise $500,000. The money raised last year was beneficial in distributing grants to 121 Dallas/Fort Worth-area charities.

Other announcements at Media Day included the suspension of service fees on all ticket purchases via the internet and Ticketmaster outlets and phone centers to help fans save approximately $9.50 per seat. Gossage had already announced the creating of “Backstretch Buster” seats in December. The ticket office also plans to help fans by allowing them to create a personalized payment plan.

TMS is not just being financially responsible during this economically challenging time, but they are also planning to be ecologically responsible. Coca-Cola will handle a huge recycling program during the weekend of the Samsung 500 in April with the goal of collecting 15,000 pounds of goods for recycling. Last year, Coca-Cola collected 5,900 pounds of items to be recycled.

Finally, TMS will make sure fans will have music during the Samsung 500 weekend. Headlining the Amdro FireStrike Pre-Race show on April 5th will be the legendary rock group Foreigner. In addition to Foreigner, Texas’ own Pat Green will perform on April 3rd during the Samsung Mobile Rockin’ Roundup.

Pegasus News content partner - College Football Top Ten

Information courtesy of Texas Motor Speedway

Related stories

• Pegasus News week in view: Movin’ Out edition (Feb. 26, 2009)

See more stories in:

• Auto Racing
• Auto Racing > NASCAR