Jonesin' in the snow and cold

By Greg Soukup

Several years ago (okay a LOT of years ago) I was contributing content to a racing website. One week I was sitting and watching it snow for the umpteenth time and I wrote an article that I titled “Jonesin’ in the snow and cold”. Considering that we are supposedly in the spring season, you would think that it was time for robins and blooming flowers and maybe even some dirt track racing; right??

Well, since last Saturday we were to have had the Rumble in the Bullring, but instead of April we had February with a high of 30 degrees and likewise a 30 MPH wind out of the north, that never happened. Now, we come to this weekend. Saturday was to have been the annual open house and practice night. So, what happens? Over 2 days we had April weather and November weather. Thunderstorms, rain, sleet and finally snow between Friday and Saturday. Again, scratch heading out to Eagle Raceway to get our first fix of racing action.

Being the continental jet-setters that we are, my wife and I hopped on the Concorde and flew to Paris for a nice breakfast on the Champs Elysees. Okay, okay; we went to Burger King, I got a haircut, we ran some more errands and headed home for the weekend. We sat and watched the rain become mixed with sleet and then turn to snow. Endless hours in front of the boob tube followed, numbing our minds. Unfortunately, it wasn’t bad enough that we forgot how badly we missed going to the racetrack.

I will admit to having said on more than one occasion that I was happy the racing season was over. But, within a week or two I always started wondering when the first race of the next season was.

So, here we sit, hoping against hope that Mother Nature gets back on her medication and allows the racing gods to smile upon us next Friday and Saturday as Auto Trans Matic presents the Icebreaker Challenge.

Friday night the front gates open at 6 PM with hot laps at 6:30 and racing at 7:30. Adult admission is just $12, youths 6-12 cost just $5 and children 5 and under are free. The Runner Freight IMCA Modifieds, Purdue University IMCA Sport Modifieds, Valentino’s IMCA Hobby Stocks and ATV Motorsports Sport Compacts will be competing.

The pit gates open at 4 PM with pit passes costing $25.

Saturday will be day 2, and once again the Runner Freight IMCA Modifieds and Purdue University IMCA Sport Modifieds will be in action as well as the IMCA Racesaver Sprint Cars and IMCA Stock cars.

Grandstand gates swing open at 4:30 PM. There will be an IMCA Modified and IMCA Sport Modified car show and autograph session in the courtyard from 4:30 to 5:30. Hot laps will kick off at 5 with racing starting at 6. Adult front gate admission is $15, youths 6-12 are $5 and children 5 and under are free.

The pit gates will open at 3 PM and pit passes will be $25.

So, is anyone else WAY past ready to head out for some fantastic racing action?? Or am I the only one Jonesin’ in the snow and cold?