The 2008 season is underway, and much like last year, the same people are up front, Dossey, VanMeter, Harmon, Stewert, Carlson, the same big names from all over the country. Can one of the young guns like, Tunny, Hargraves, Turner, Hiene, Henson, Peters, or any other one make a big impact on the 2008 figure-8 season? Stay, tuned and we will be keeping a watchful eye on the old veterans, and the young lions of figure-8 racing throughout the 2008 season.
Speaking of the old veterans look for fromer World Championship runner-up and National Figure-8 Champion Rich Fenwick to make a return to part-time figure-8 racing in the very near future, maybe even this Saturday driving for Steve Brown in the new fenwick built car. This winter Brown purchases a brand new, state of the art figure-8 car from Fenwick for his driver Rodney Sizemore. Rodney, who drove the 2007 Greig car to a early season points lead last Sunday afternoon, hasn't shown much interest. So look for Fenwick to drive it himself, if Rodney does decide to drive the new car, which is planning on being tested this Thursday, look for Rich to jump into the old Sizemore car that he has been driving. No matter what car he is in, if Rich can capture his old fire and driving style he will be a force to reckoned with.
Also this Saturday marks the return on 2003 Modifed Champ, Johnny Hargraves, who was suppose to run a part-time schedule throughout the 2008 season, is now looking for sponsorship help to run the entire 2008 season, and contending for the chase and 2008 Rookie of the Year Honors. In the same that lil' brother drove in the 2006 season, and himself and Mike St. John drove late in the 2007 season, with a few modifications and upgrades, look for Johnny add to the excitment in the 2008 season.
Another Hargraves is schedule to make his late-model debut this weekend, Chuckie Hargraves, the oldest of the Hargraves boys has teamed up with Steve Frost to make his rookie run in 2008. Chuckie has raced in stocks, modifieds, hornets, and roadrunners throughout his many years at the track.
Also look for more appearances to add the late-model excitement, has veterans Jeff Hizer, Donnie Garrigus II & III, Artie B. Ware, Mark Harmon, Jerry Newkirk, Bill Tunny Jr, Charlie Oaks, and many other will soon make their names known for the 2008 season.
With opening days just merely hours away, there are still lots of questions to be answered. What will the car count be, who will be this season surprise, who will be this season biggest let down, is all the hype about the season worth it? Opening day seems to be less than up to par so far, at least for the late-models, with only a few cars seeing the track so far. Open registration saw Charlie Hargraves, Jon Lord, Bobby Whitaker, and Mark Tunny hitting the track. With the cars of Jimmy Kirby, Eddie VanMeter, and Rodney Sizemore rolling through inspection. Eddie VanMeter and crew have tested a few times, showing great pre-season speed, but having the bad luck bitting them each time. Jimmy Kirby was at the track Wednesday, and 2006 Champ Doug Greig was there on Thursday testing and tuning his new ride for the 2008 championship run. Has of right now few other appear to have their cars done. McMurtrey will not be running, the Tunny gang don't have engines yet for their cars, so the look ahead for opening day appears to be gloomy. But the season still looks bright. With some new faces, some old faces returning, and some invaders to stir up the mix, 2008 season looks like there could still be light at the end of the tunnel. The stockers on the other are in full force and high gear for the 2008 season, and the Indiana Shorttrack Championship Series.
So who will champion for 2008? someone new, or will Dossey or Tunny break Wayne Arnold record for most championships. What about Sizemore and Greig, past champions, can they find the magic one more time in 2008?
Who will surprise you in 2008, the invaders, Ware, Basham, Harmon, Newkirk, Loving, or a local boy Tunny, Hargraves, Kirby, White?
Will there anymore pop up surprises, Turner, St. John, Shakelford, Arnold, Rayburn?
What car builder will reign supreme, Fenwick, NASA, Tomizak, Rayburn, Greig?
Can the late-model series return to former glory, with Anderson, Jeffersonville, Irwindale, and Speedrome on the schedules?
So many questions, and only one way to answer them, let's go racing.
See you at the track on April 6th, and afterward follow the #74 and the Hargraves Racing Gang to BUGSY'S SPORT GRILL for delicious food, and lots of cold drinks.
This is a post dedicated to the upcoming season, the entry lists for the 2008 Speedrome season, the preseason rankings of the drivers based on the drivers past accomplishments, 2007 season, the car he is driver, and the schedule (amount of races) they are going to attempt to run throughtout the 2008 season. Also this post will have an updating entry list for the July 4th Anderson Race and also offer and preseason entry list for the 32nd Annual World Figure-8 Championship.
1st for the July 4th Anderson Race updated entry list.
This list is going to change as we get closer to race date, drivers will drop out, others will joins, but this is shaping up to be one of the biggest fields of cars for an Anderson race in a long time, stay tuned to www.Andersonspeedway.com for the entry forms, driver payout, and race rules.
Now for the preseason rankings, again, this is not meant to offend people, some top drivers will be ranked lower than normal due to the fact that they are not running a full season. So bare with me and here we will. This was based off of a 1-20 points scale for previous accomplishments, 2007 season, car, and 2008 schedule. (only using regular season, not including post season races)
Add these drivers to the list for possible out-of-towners to run the 3-Hour
stay up to date with all the figure-8 racing news with www.hargravesracing.bravehost.com
With the 2008 already underway after two races at the Citrus County Speedway in Flordia and the annual World of Wheels Carshow, the 2008 seems to have the feel of something huge. This season has more hype and and anticiapation than any other season. With many familair drivers returning and a few new faces emerging onto the scene the 2008 season appears to off to a great start. But the two things that have reach out a grapped the figure-8 racing world are the return of the outlaws to the Anderson Speedway on July 4th, and the anticiapation of the annoucment of the Indiana Asphalt Series from the Indianapolis Speedrome.
When rumors of the Anderson hit the internet word spread like wildfire, before we knew the race was on the schedule and had over 20 entries for the big return to the highbanks including some of the sports biggest names. After this happen the Speedrome announced the Indiana Asphalt Series, but gave now info. On March 1st the information will be released on the Speedrome website. Will the hype be worth it, who will the series be for, what tracks will the series be run at, what will the purse be, so many answers, and just a few more days to wait a find out.
With the 2008 season already having this much build-up it leads you to wonder, will this be the biggest year for the Speedrome to date, with many big names like Dossey, Tunny, McMuretrey, VanMeter, Sizemore, Hargraves, and all the rest, with so many new stockers, the car counts look to more than we have had for many years now. It appears that the Speedrome and Figure-8 racing are back on the right path. Hopefully this upcoming season can come through with all the hype surrounding it. So lets strap up, hammerdown, and hold on for the ride.
See you all in March for preseason testing, can't wait for the new season to start.
Be sure to check back later for more updates on the 2008 season, especially once the big news is released about the Indiana Asphalt Series. March 1st at www.speedrome.com.
Big news for the world of figure-8 racers, the Speedrome is set to release a new schedule for a new series, the Indiana State Championship Oval and Figure-8 Series. This sounds great, hopefully they can find a way to keep it more affordable, while having good payouts to increase car counts. Also set for the March 1st release date is the new tire rule for the Speedrome Late-Models and Stocks. Also something that they call 30 on 30 is set to be release soon. Lots of big news from the track that we have all grew to love, the Indianapolis Speedrome. Looks to be a great start to one of the biggest years to date at the old track. You can see these and a new preview video on the front page of the Speedrome website.
The World of Wheels is this weekend, be sure to come down and support your fellow racers Charlie Hargraves, Doug Greig, and Quiten White has they compete in the 2008 edition. Also there maybe more drivers and cars involved, but these three are for sure.
Be sure to continue your local figure-8 and speedrome racing boards, be sure to check out all of your figure-8 racing needs at www.figure8usa.com and www.hargravesracing.bravehost.com for news, rumors, photos, upcoming events, and past results.
Can't wait to see you all at the carshow, and at the Speedrome in March, we also plan on going to Anderson and Jeffersonville to test in March also if the weather permits.
Just on more thing be sure to check out the Hargraves Racing late-model at BUGSY'S SPORTS GRILL nest weekend on Daytona 500 weekend, weather permitting. Come enjoy great food, drinks, the race, and see the car. Located right down the road the Speedrome on Brookville and 465.
AND HARGRAVES RACING IN 2008
The 2008 season is quickly approaching, this season looks to be one of the biggest ones yet for figure-8 racing. With Speedrome heading the way with 24 regular season races and a few post season events included the 32nd World Figure-8 Championship. The Sportsdrome in Jeffersonville, IN is adding a few races to the 2008 schedule including a World 300 Figure-8 in the middle of October, this event will prove to be similiar to the 3-Hour, only for stock cars. The Irwindale Speedway has their annual West Coast World Finals on tap again for the end of 2008. Also the outlaws will return to Anderson Speedway for the time in many years. With this and lots of other things going on the 2008 season maybe the best one yet.
No for a few more news and rumors about the upcoming 2008 season.
We start will some news about RJ Norton Jr, after a great 2007 season, the Norton boys are headed modified racing it appears. RJ Jr, and RJ III will be running the USA Modified tour together, or that is the lastest word, look for RJ III to run a few stock car racing at the Speedrome in the old #57 Mike Moore car, and look for RJ Jr, to make a few appearances in his famed #69 late-model car at some of the bigger races including the July 4th race at Anderson, the Jake's 150, and the World Championship.
Long time Speedrome competitior Steve Frost will see an upgrade in the equipment for the 2008 season, Frost recently acquired the 2006 car of Fred Bear Jr, from the Hargraves bunch, after a few modifications from Rich Fenwick ir will be ready to go for the 2008 season.
Rodney Sizemore and Steve Brown have teamed up for another season after their sucessful 2007 campaign, the Rockket will be driving a brand new Rich Fenwick chassis for the 2008 season. The team also has the Greig car from the 2007 season, not sure if they plan to get another driver and field two cars, or if Rodney will have a back-up car for his run at the 2008 championship and the $10,000 bonus check.
The old man, Donnis Garrigus II is set for a few races for the 2008 season, DG2 has not competed regularly for many years, and last ran in the 2004 3-Hour. With son DG3 having a new NASA car built this will leave the old green machine open for a semi-comeback tour from on the most consistent and well liked drivers at the track.
Long time veteran driver Charlie Oaks, who cut his teeth at the Speedrome throughout the 80's and early 90's, and a great 10th place run the 1995 3-hour will appearently be back for a few races in 2008, Oaks who joined the Hargraves crew last season will be teaming with Johnny Hargraves to pilot the #34 for Hargraves racing during the 2008 season. The Hargraves team also purchased the #19 car formerly driven by Ronnie Rigdon to field a three car operation during the 2008 season.
With the 2008 World of Wheels Carshow just next weekend be sure to stop by and check out the new and improved #74 Hargraves racing Figure-8 car, also look for Casey White's boy Quentin and his Jr, Faskart, also Doug Greig is said to have his 2008 late-model at the show also, see you all there.
2008 Speedrome Regular Season Late-Models (in no order)
Entry List, so far for the JULY 4TH at the Anderson Speedway
this is the lost so far, both list will hopefully grow has we draw closer to the 2008 racing season.
The Red, White, and Blue series from the Anderson Speedway from the 1980 season to the 1988 season added excitement and thrills to the Anderson Speedway 3 times a years. Everytime these open-comp cars took to the track in front of huge crowds and big car counts. Hopefully the July 4th race at the fames Anderson Speedway will put us on the path to return of the old series. This is a licst of all the winners year by year of the short outlaw series.
1980 Race Winners
"KING" Kenny St. John - 3 (Indianapolis Speedrome)
Bob Fields - 1 (Anderson Speedway)
1981 Race Winners
"KING" Kenny St. John - 3 (Indianapolis Speedrome)
1982 Race Winners
Jim Fox - 2 (Indianapolis Speedrome)
"KING" Kenny St. John - 1 (Indianapolis Speedrome)
1983 Race Winners
Dick Henshaw - 1 (Anderson Speedway)
Jim Fox - 1 (Indianapolis Speedrome)
"KING" Kenny St. John - 1 (Indianapolis Speedrome)
1984 Race Winners
"KING" Kenny St. John - 2 (Indianapolis Speedrome)
Gene Cook - 1 (Anderson Speedway)
1985 Race Winners
Gene Houston - 2 (Anderson Speedway)
Billy Simmons - 1 (Flatrock Speedway)
1986 Race Winners
Darwin Blankenship - 1 (Anderson Speedway)
Gene Houston - 1 (Anderson Speedway)
Billy Simmons - 1 (Flatrock Speedway)
1987 Race Winners
Billy Simmons - 3 (Flatrock Speedway)
1988 Race Winners
(The Final Year is Currently Unavailable)
OVERALL SERIES CHAMPIONS
1980 - Kenny St. John
1981 - Kenny St. John
1982 - Kenny St. John
1983 - Billy Simmons
1984 - Kenny St. John
1985 - Billy Simmons
1986 - Gene Houston
1987 - Billy Simmons
1988 - (unavailable at this time)
1982 Broke Down
June 5, 1982 - by Bob Byrne - Anderson Speedway
Taking advantage of a tire slowly going flat on
Kenny St. John's car, Jim Fox stoved off a hard,late
charge by Herb Rose to win his second consecutive
50-lap Red Open Competition Figure 8 race.
St. John, who set a new 1-lap record of 12.139
seconds during time trials, and Fox traded the lead
back and forth for the first 7 laps before St. John
took command.
Rose, who never was worse than 4th at any time in
the race, began a late surge but was 50 feet behind
Fox at the checker. And even though St. John ran on a
flat tire, he managed to hang on for 4th place money.
Billy Simmons slipped past him on the final time around
to take 3rd.
June 5th, 1982 Anderson Speedway 50 Lap Race #1 (RED)
1st - Jim Fox 2nd - Herb Rose 3rd - Billy Simmons
4th - Gene Houston 5th - Gene Cook
June 26th, 1982 Anderson Speedway 50 Lap Race #2 (WHITE)
1st - Jim Fox 2nd - Herb Rose 3rd - Billy Simmons
4th - Kenny St. John 5th - Johnny Keller
August 7th, 1982 Anderson Speedway 50 Lap Race #3 (BLUE)
1st - Kenny St. John 2nd - Gene Cook 3rd - Rick Tharp
4th - Junior Shirley 5th - Herb Rose
TOTAL WINS
10 Wins - "KING" Kenny St. John
5 Wins - Billy Simmons
3 Wins - Jim Fox & Gene Houston
1 Win - Gene Cook, Bob Fields, Darwin Blankenship, & Dick Henshaw
TOTAL TRACK WINS
13 Wins - Indianapolis Speedrome
7 Wins - Anderson Speedway
5 Wins - Flatrock Speedway
These stats are curtesy of David Sink and the Anderson Speedway
Be sure to read other old race reports in the blog and the message board.
Welcome to another addition of the figure-8 blog, for this round we are discussing all the "BIG" figure-8 races from around the country for the upcoming 2008 season.
JANUARY
19TH 50 Lap, open-comp race at the Citrus County Speedway.
APRIL
18TH 1-HOUR Endurance Race at the Jeffersonville Sportsdrome, round one of the the Midwestern Series Championship.
MAY
3RD Double-Points at the Riverhead Raceway
17TH KEEP KOOL 100 at the Jeffersonville Sportsdrome
24TH 100 Lapper at the Flatrock Speedway
31ST TRIPLE CROWN at the Indianapolis Speedrome (3-25 lap figure-8s)
JUNE
7TH 2-HOUR IRONMAN Figure-8 at the Jeffersonville Sportsdrome
7TH Double Points at the Riverhead Raceway
21ST JAKE'S 150 at the Indianapolis Speedrome
28TH FIRECRACKER 50 at the Indianapolis Speedrome, fireworks night
JULY
4TH 50 lap OPEN-COMP Figure-8 at the Anderson Speedway
5TH TRIPLE-8 NIGHT, autograph night at the Indianapolis Speedrome
5TH TRIPLE 50's at the Jefersonville Sportsdrome (3-50 lap figure-8's)
19TH SONNY THOMPSON 100, Hall of Fame Night at the Indianapolis Speedrome
19TH National Crown at the Anderson Speedway
AUGUST
2ND TWIN 45's at the Jeffersonville Sportsdrome (2-45 lap figure-8's)
23RD PEPSI 100 at the Indianapolis Speedrome
23RD Double Points at the Riverhead Raceway
30TH 1-HOUR Endurance Race at the Indianapolis Speedrome, Championship Night
30TH FIGURE-8 MADNESS at the Jeffersonville Sportsdrome
SEPTEMBER
4TH-6TH WORLD FIGURE-8 CHAMPIONSHIPS from the Indianapolis Speedrome
20TH MIDWESTERN Figure-8 Championships at the Jeffersonville Sportsdrome
20TH OUTLAWS at the Jeffersonville Sportsdrome
OCTOBER
4TH North -vs- South Challenge at the Indianapolis Speedrome
10TH-11TH FIGURE-8 WORLD 300 at the Jeffersonville Sportsdrome
11TH 50 lap open-comp race the Citrus County Speedway
12TH (possible 2nd date for the outlaws at the Anderson Speedway)
NOVEMBER
15TH WEST COAST WORLD FINALS at the Irwindale Speedway
All of the dates are curtesy of the speedways websites, visit all of the from our links on the side of the page. I for one a extremely excited for the 2008 season, this looks like the biggest one yet for many tracks, and figure-8 begins to grow and expand to new venues, and new crowds all across the country. See you all in 2008.
Hopefully everyone had a very merry christmas and everyone will have a happy and safe news years next week, byt for now back to business. Just a few more rumors that have been circulating around for the past fews weeks.
2008 World of Wheels, last years the Hargraves bunch took home three top awards, this year they are returning with the same car, but a new surprising look for the team. Also rumor has it that Doug Greig will be entering one of his new cars along with Casey White and Nick Moore entering their newly built Greig Race Cars. Don't be surprised to see a few stockers also with Jimmy Swatts and possibly EJ Neat.
Steve Frost looks to upgrade next season at the Speedrome, he has purchased the 2006 car driven by Fred Bear Jr, to many feature victories from Chuck Hargraves, in hopes of returning to the steady front runner he was in the late 90's and early 00's. Frost had many good runs in 2007, including a World Championship Qualifying race win, but wants to return the the status that he held in past years. The car needs a lot of help, but it will be fast in 2008.
What would be an offseason rumor mill with out talks of a St. John, this year there are two in the news. Mike, who recently moved to Flordia to care for his ill father would like to make a comeback for a few races, but needs to find a solid and competitive ride. I wouldn't be surprised to see Iron Mike pop up for a few big shows in 2008, leading up the 32nd annually World Championships. Also the younger Tommy St. John, former winner in Sunoco Series is rumored to have a 5-7 race deal for the Speedrome in 2008. There hasn't been much follow up on this, this became hot topic when Tommy's CRA Team was sold late in 2007, could there be another generation of St. Joh at the Speedrome to carry on the family winning ways that Marvin, Kenny, Mike, and Jeff and laid down over the past many years. I say not to likely, but it is a possiblity.
Chris Harmon, the Jeffersonville 2007 Figure-8 King, winner of the regular season and Midwestern championships series is finally getting serious about an outlaw ride, look for Chris to finally make the move to follow in his father footsteps at the world championship in 2008. For the past few years his name has popped up closer to the race as looking for a ride, but this year his quest is starting early, so look for another top Sportsdrome driver to be at the 2008 World Championship.
Thats it for now, talk to you all after the new year.
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