Yuku free message boards

This coming Saturday, the 3/8-mile concrete track will roar back to life, hosting a season finale for the UARA Late Model Series. The decision to come to Kingsport was an easy one for UARA President Kerry Bodenhamer once the date became available after a cancellation by Coastal Plains (N.C.) Raceway.

"It's a real tight points battle and the champion will have to shine at Kingsport," Bodenhamer said. "I could have gone to Hickory, but that's the home track of our points leader Matt McCall. I think it is a more fair deal to come here."

He believes some of the local drivers will have a home track advantage, but that will be offset by the UARA regulars being more accustomed to longer races. He said it should be an interesting day with two-time Busch Series champion Jack Ingram serving as the race's grand marshal.

Much rides on the success of the event, named the cureCHM.org Presents The Courtesy Chevrolet, Anytime Fitness 150.

Track owner Joe Loven, who also owns the successful Volunteer Speedway dirt track in Bulls Gap, is considering a schedule of special events for the 2010 season. However, he first wants to see the level of support from the racers and local fans.

"We'll certainly take this under advisement," Loven said. "I never wanted to close the race track, but times are hard. I have my hands full with Volunteer, so I haven't taken the time to start it back up. If we can draw any interest, we will run some races."

Loven mentioned with the race teams, there needs to be a group of regulars willing to commit to Kingsport events. He appreciates the interest people have shown for the upcoming race. However, he doesn't want throw money into a losing proposition.

"I have to have a base of cars, and there are several things I have to have," Loven said. "If the community wants us and the racers want to support me, we'll race some more. But I'm not out here fighting it. I'm not a race promoter by trade anyway. I just like to watch racing."

Loven said he is open to suggestions, but is not interested in a straight-out lease. He did, however, have no qualms about leasing the track to Bodenhamer for Saturday's race, as their relationship goes back more than 30 yards.

"Joe and I were partners several years ago in a Busch car which Tommy Ellis, Butch Lindley and others drove," Bodenhamer said. "It seems fitting to come here. The more race tracks we can open back up and be successful, the better it is for everybody."

Several drivers were at a Wednesday test session including McCall, whose fast lap of 15.30 seconds was just .07 seconds off the track record set by Adam Dean in 2001.

Others at the test included local favorites - Wade Day, Wayne Hale, Nate Monteith, Mike Potter and Zeke Shell.

Monteith and Day were frequent winners at the track when it was still a part of the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series. As expected, their laps were closest to McCall's time. Monteith's best lap was 15.35 and Day's quick time was 15.37.

For Monteith, the Late Model Stock champion at Lonesome Pine (Va.) Raceway, it was nice to get back on Kingsport's concrete surface.

"I'm really glad to get some excitement back in here," said the Bristol driver. "I hope people will get behind it so Joe will look at getting this place going again. I would like to see this place, Newport and Lonesome Pine all work together, pooling the drivers, sponsors and all for a big weekly series. Everything I see is good that can come out of racing here."

He found the track presented a difficult set of challenges with the cars experiencing a lot of wheel hop in the middle of the turns and getting loose exiting the corners.

"This place is a whole lot rougher than I remember it," he said. "I don't know if it's the set-ups we now have with the more aggressive suspension combinations, but this place is way rougher. We just had to concentrate on getting the car smoother and calming everything down. We threw everything at it and we're close, but we need a little more (adjustment) to be where we want to be."

Mike Potter, the veteran from Johnson City, raced at Kingsport during its heyday. Back in the 1970s and 80s, the track frequently hosted top Late Model Sportsman races. Today's cars are lighter, more custom-built machines than the cars Potter raced back in the day. The track has also changed on a couple of occasions, going from an asphalt racing surface to a dirt track for a decade until being revived with the current concrete surface.

One change Potter noticed was a tighter arc with turns 3 and 4.

"It doesn't seem as racy to me as it did back then," Potter said. "Of course, I might have been a little racier back then. I was a little younger."

It will be Potter's first race since running a Nationwide Series event September 2008 at New Hampshire. He hopes Kingsport, which hosted three NASCAR Cup Series races from 1969-71, can be like it was in the glory days.

"I hope they can get it like it was before," Potter said. "I want to see the crowds out here, a lot of cars, where we can have some good times again."

Zeke Shell, also of Johnson City, turned his first-ever laps at Kingsport during the test session. For the 22-year-old, it was a great experience to be on a track where Richard Petty lapped the field in 1969 and won by two laps over James Hylton a year later.

"There's not another track I've seen that's like this," Shell said. "The track hasn't changed much all day. It was nice to see all the old gurus out here. They're all excited and like kids again. Wade, Paul (Shull) and all those guys used to dominate here."

Shell, who was among the top drivers at Motor Mile (Va.) Speedway this past season, said the track is in good shape considering the years of inactivity.

"The weather has taken its toll on the track over the years," Shell said. "There hasn't been any maintenance work, but overall the track has held up pretty good."

Qualifying for Saturday's race is scheduled for noon. An autograph session with the current drivers and some of the legendary drivers from the past will follow. The race is scheduled to start at 2 p.m.