The first indication Andy Adamcik knew an IMCA-sanctioned event would work at the Texas Motor Speedway Dirt Track was in early March.
Adamcik, who is the Dirt Track manager at TMS, asked the drivers that were participating in the Pro Cuts World Challenge Modified race at the Dirt Track how many of them raced IMCA.
“Six hands went up,” said Adamcik.
That was all Adamcik needed to start working on a way to work with IMCA officials, the tracks sanctioned in Texas and his bosses to run a sanctioned race at the TMS Dirt Track.
He knew there was a market for that type of event on the four-tenths mile dirt track because on that night in March there were nearly 200 Modified drivers in the pits, but most of those guys didn’t race IMCA events for one reason or another.
That meant there were hundreds of other racers who run IMCA-sanctioned events each week that would jump at the chance to race at TMS under the IMCA banner. After the weekend of Sept. 27-29, Adamcik’s idea looks like genius.
“We knew this was going to bring in a whole new slew of racers,” Adamcik said. “This was a big deal for IMCA because this was a marquee event for them at this type of facility.”
There were more than 300 entries in four different IMCA divisions on that September weekend, along with a special race for the Sprint Series of Texas, which runs 305 sprint cars. Plus thanks to a marketing deal with a local convenience store chain (Tetco), there were more than 12,000 people to watch it all happen on championship night. Not a bad start for a race that was only planned this year.
What made this work was the cooperation he received from the locally sanctioned tracks and officials with IMCA, notably Brett Root. That cooperation led to racers from nearly every part of Texas making the trek to north Fort Worth to race. They came from East Texas, West Texas, Central Texas and South Texas, all looking for the chance to take home some money and a trophy from TMS.
And all left knowing they will likely be back, along with a few more for next year’s event.
This year’s Devil’s Bowl Speedway Winter Nationals will have the added attraction of the ASCS Wesmar Challenge, where 26 ASCS racers will run for a brand new Wesmar Engine. The event is scheduled for Oct. 12-13, along with a full program for the O’Reilly ASCS tour.
Adamcik said that it is likely the TMS Dirt Track will have two events a year for a while. He said he would like to bring in a third event with another series in the future, but nothing has been finalized. He did add that companion events to Nextel Cup races will probably not happen again.
Congratulations to all the winners at the IMCA Lone Star Nationals: Jeff Turner (IMCA Stock Cars), Keith White (Sport Modified), Troy Taylor (Modified) and Chad Wilson (Sprint Series of Texas). Turner also won the IMCA National Stock Car crown.
Cowtown Speedway in Kennedale has added another late season event this year. The track will host the November Sprint Shootout on Nov. 8-10, with a $5,000 share for the winner of the sprint-car event. The event will use ASCS rules.
Kennedale Speedway Park has set the Showdown for Oct. 11-13, which will feature all of the track’s regular classes.
It’s been a while since I’ve written here so if you have any ideas or upcoming news events you want me to get in my next column please e-mail me at hayward@mrt.com.