Let’s start this week off with the social media comment of the week from E-Mod Driver Randy Smith: “One bad ass job tonight to all the I-35 workers”. The same can be said to all 83 race car drivers who came to compete in their respective classes. In this day and age of instant communication in one’s hand called the cell phone, and with numerous weather apps available, everyone, I-35 workers, race teams, track owners, and race fans were watching the radar.

Mother Nature was bearing down on us with weather, yet she was trying to also hold back the storms to allow us time to get the races in. With everyone working together we were able to get to 5 laps into the A Mod feature before the races had to be called for the night. That means on October 1 those in attendance will get the added benefit of watching the completion of the A Mod feature and the Sport Compact feature. These features will be run in the middle of the October 1 heat races as we will try to give the drivers a track as close to what they had to race on September 24.

Speaking of the track, let’s again turn to social media because drivers speak volumes about track preparation. From B Mod driver Bud Wilson – “Decent track for the feature” and from B Mod driver Doug Keller – “Track was really good”. A Mod drivers really wanted to finish their race because they loved the track. Track prep is track owner Mike Johnson who worked the track the following Sunday and Monday this past week and again on Thursday. Lots of laps with the sheep’s foot this past week and the track was packed tight.

Behind the Scenes thought process: When a track is packed that tight and has been raced on, and when we first got the light rain at the start of the A Mod feature, we had to wait it out. Moisture on that tight and slicked off of a track will make traction impossible and at I-35 Speedway we take safety seriously. We were also monitoring the storm for lightning for our fans safety. Therefore, the decision was made for safety reasons to pull the A Mods off the track, then Mother Nature stopped the moisture from the sky and we had not lost the track. We called the A Mods back to the starting grid and once they were all ready to race, we brought them back out onto the track and started the race. Unfortunately, the sprinkles came again and glazed the track and the race was stopped at the five lap mark, which is where we will resume the race this next Saturday.

Four more weeks of racing left to the 2016 season. Double features for two classes this week, the next week October 8 is the Show Me Spectacular (extra pay for the modified classes and extra laps), not open on the 15th, back for the last two weeks on October 22 and 29. Lots of great racing left, make your plans to be at I-35 Speedway, where you will always have a fun time.