Sizzler leads to hot action at Queen City
By By Steve Swogetinsky / special to The Star
May 28, 2004
It wouldn't be a surprise if the dirt track at the Queen City Speedway was still hot from last Saturday night's Summer Sizzler, which drew 34 Late Models to compete for $5,000.
No one walked away from the event complaining about not getting their money's worth. Before it was over, there were the qualifying laps followed by three B-Main races and the 50 lap Summer Sizzler.
Chris Wall, the leading candidate for Rookie of the Year in the Mississippi State Championship Challenge Series, took the lead from seven-time Mississippi State champion Mike Boland after a restart on the 11th lap, and never trailed. Wall was using a smaller engine and was able to gun it in the corners when Boland was having to hold back just a little with his full-powered engine.
But the Late Model competition was just part of the show. There were heat races and feature races in the Mini Stocks, Pure Street, Southern Modifieds, Modifieds, Late Model Stocks and the Cruisers. The action wasn't over until around 2 a.m. With that much racing action, it's amazing they got through that early.
Racing returns to Queen City Saturday night with the regular schedule of divisions. The driver's meeting is at 6:30 p.m., and the qualifying starts at 7.
Unlucky night for Lucky Keeton
One of the crowd favorites, Lucky Keeton, didn't make it to the big race because of engine problems.
"We started missing in the hot laps," Keeton said. "I changed the gears and tried to patch before qualifying.
"We also qualified and that would have given us time to work on the engine. We qualified ninth on seven cylinders. It's aggravating."
Before the first lap was counted, Keeton's car was out of the race. The car turned sideways and seemed to lose momentum and power. Afterwards, he found the problem.
"A nut came off (in the engine)," Keeton said. "We searched for it all night. We'll tear the engine down this week and see if there was any serious damage."
'Run for the mun' continues
at Tuscola Drag Strip
The four-week Cash Pay-out Series will enter its second week at the Tuscola Motorsports Drag Strip Saturday near Lena.
There is an automatic $500 payoff for the winner of the Big Tire Low E.T. Others are as follows: 10 and smaller: $300 Winner, $100 R/U; Radial Tire: DOT approved, $100, Winner, $50 R/U; Bikes: Stock, $200 Winner, $100 R/U; Bikes: Stretch, $200 Winner, $100 R/U.
The winners from each of the four weeks will have a runoff June 12 for the final $500 bonus money. The gates open at 3 p.m.
Southern All Stars
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. The O'Reilly Southern All Star Pro and Super Late Models will be at the Lanier National Speedway this weekend, but some of the competitors in both series will not be able to participate due to insurance regulations at the .375 mile oval. Any driver under the age of 16 will not be allowed to compete at the events at the Lanier National Speedway, according to Internet reports.
Southern Speedway
HATTIESBURG Herman Reynolds, a regular driver at Queen City on Saturday night in his No. 9 car, leads the Late Model standings in at the Southern Speedway in Hattiesburg. Reynolds has 242 points with David Molpus in second with 232 points. Molpus competed at Queen City in the Summer Sizzler.
