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Snowball Derby’s Back-to-Front Challenge will lead to big decision for one driver

The Snowball Derby is pavement short track racing’s biggest event for those who compete in the ranks of the Super Late Model machines. The winner will receive a first prize reward of $25,000, a year’s worth of bragging rights, and a lifetime of being introduced as a former winner of that race. But in 2020, crossing the finish line first and then surviving the post-race technical inspection process could become even more lucrative for one driver. Qualifying for the Snowball Derby is one of the most stressful activities in all of racing. The top-30 drivers(out of no fewer than 52…

Chase Elliott bringing spotlight to short track racing during off-season

Whether it be his intention or not, NASCAR Cup Series champion Chase Elliott is about to bring a fairly bright spotlight with him when he competes in two major short track events during this brief bit of down time prior to the restart of his regular job. The 25-year-old driver plans to race a pavement Super Late Model machine in the upcoming Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, FL on December 6th. He will then make his first ever attempt at the famed Chili Bowl Nationals in a Midget Sprint Car during the week of January 11-16 at…

Fairgrounds Speedway and All-American 400 steeped in racing history

One of America’s most historic races is set to take place this weekend at one of America’s most historic race tracks. The green flag will wave over the All-American 400 on Sunday afternoon(November 1st) not far from the State Capitol of Tennessee at the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway. It will be the 36th running for one of pavement short track racing’s crown jewel events. Indeed, this is an event and a venue steeped in history. Some of stock car racing’s most recognizable names have competed and won on this .596-mile paved oval. The likes of NASCAR Hall of Fame members Richard…

CARS Tour event at Hickory will look a bit different this year

In 2017 the Solid Rock Carriers CARS Tour introduced what has become one of the most popular events in all of pavement-based Late Model racing when the Throwback 276 came to fruition at the Hickory Motor Speedway. The Late Model Stock Car division and the Super Late Model division, both sanctioned by the CARS Tour, have since shared the spotlight with both classed contesting 138-lap feature races. But what has made this event so special and popular, aside from the competition itself, was the fact that teams schemed their racing machines to look like famous race cars from the past….

Is it more important to have a great car or a great driver?

Whether it be media members or fans, we all have a tendency to give certain drivers too much credit or too little credit when they win races. At the same time, there is a tendency by some to lavish all credit on the car and the team when a particular driver succeeds while offering little acknowledgement to the person behind the steering wheel. “Driver X wins so many races because he has the best car” is a phrase often used when it is believed that a person considered to be a less talented driver scores victories. Conversely, “Driver X is…

Gateway Nationals Further Uniting the Worlds of Dirt and NASCAR

This weekend’s Arizona Sport Shirts Gateway Dirt Nationals racing event held in the former home of the NFL’s Rams franchise when that team still played in St. Louis is bringing together two parts of the racing world that do not always fit on the same page. Competitors in Super Late Model, Modified, and Midget Sprint Cars will take to the make-shift track inside the Dome at the America’s Center for three nights of racing action beginning on Thursday. As part of that racing action, several very recognizable names from outside the ranks of dirt racing will be taking part. NASCAR…

Would You Want a Top Ride in a Lesser Series or a Lesser Ride in a Top Series?

Since there is not so much actual racing going on in the NASCAR world right now, use your imagination for a moment and pretend that you are an up-and-coming race car driver who has been labeled as a “can’t miss” prospect. However, this imaginary scenario has one major drawback. While you’re the hot name on the lists of several car owners, there isn’t room for you in the driver lineup with any of the sport’s elite teams. Certainly you want to strike while the iron is hot in terms of moving up to the next tier but the move you…

Drivers Looking to Claim a Crown Jewel in All-American 400

One of pavement short track racing’s premier events will take place this weekend when the 35th annual All-American 400 takes the green flag on Sunday, November 3rd in the state capital of Tennessee at the Fairgrounds Speedway in Nashville. This race along with the Snowball Derby at Florida’s Five Flags Speedway, the Winchester 400 at the Winchester(IN) Speedway, the Oxford 250 at the Oxford(ME) Plains Speedway, and the Winter Showdown at Kern County(CA) Raceway Park are considered among the the crown jewels of Asphalt Late Model racing. A simple glance at the list of past winners in the All-American 400…

Diverse lineup of drivers set for Easter Bunny 150 at Hickory

The 14th Annual Easter Bunny 150 for Pro All Stars Series Super Late Model cars is set to roll off on Saturday evening at Hickory Motor Speedway. The $5,000-to-win event looks to draw a diverse field of talented young up-and-coming drivers who will be doing battle with some of short-track pavement racing’s top veteran stars on the historic third-mile North Carolina track. The event will be broadcast on a Pay-Per-View basis by Speed51.com. Among those with a bit of history on their side, Preston Peltier has to be counted among the heavy favorites. The 41-year-old driver who hails from Harrisburg,…

Turn 2 Blog: Improving the Fan Experience with PRN’s Lenny Batycki

*Turn 2 Blog is a regular feature on InsideCircleTrack.com. Here, site operators Michael Moats and Richard Allen take turns offering their thoughts on the NASCAR and pavement short track racing topics of the day. In this edition of the Turn 2 Blog we will be discussing five topics regarding the improvement of the fan experience at local short tracks. We are happy to be joined by Lenny Batycki of the who hosts the popular “PRN at the Track” weekly radio show for the Performance Racing Network. Also, Batycki will serve as the track announcer for this weekend’s Folds of Honor…