So this past Saturday night my fiance and I made our first and last trip to Whittemore Speedway for the season. It was a great night of racing, lots of action, and good finishes. Then came the mini-stock feature. What a joke. There weren't a lot of fans left, but the 100 or so that included us waited around 30-40 minutes in the FREEZING cold, only to have the mini-stock race given the checkered flag before even completing one lap.

I understand, there were issues with getting the lineups correct, but to deny the fans a race after sitting there patiently waiting in frigid temperatures for over a half hour is ridiculous and I felt uncalled for. I was not the only one extremely upset when I left the track. I personally think the mini stock class offers some of the best racing, especially at a small track like Whittemore, because they can actually pass. If the reasoning for calling the race was because of a curfew at 11pm or something, I understand, but that wasn't what we were told.

Thanks a lot Whittemore, for ruining a great night of racing. Had I left after the lead sled feature, I would have been half way home by the time you made the bad call and cancelled the mini stock race.

I think I'll spend the last few weekends of the racing season driving an hour an 15 minutes to Dixie rather than 15 minutes to Whittemore.

I felt they made a bad decision last night with that feature too.It made alot of upset people,drivers and fans.On their website they have a posting apologizing to the drivers for last night and have started a new policy to use when they run into the situation they did last night.Looks like they have taken steps to avoid this type of disfunction in the future.

I see you posted the same on Whittemore's web page. Had you looked a bit youd have also read this:



"Whittemore Speedway would like to apoligize to the 4 cylinder drivers that were not at fault for the incompletion of their assigned laps, due to cautions and a couple drivers not being able to get into position before time limit expired.

Whittemore Speedway will implement a new procedure for front stretch line-ups. Line-up man will hold out the red flag-EVERYBODY WILL STOP FOR HIM. Line-up man will point you into your position. ANYONE THAT DOES NOT ADHERE TO STOPPING FOR THE LINE-UP MAN AND STAYING IN THE POSITION YOU ARE ASSIGNED WILL BE BLACK FLAGGED. This will be effective on 8/16/08 and discussed at the drivers meeting.

Pit board line-ups - WAY TO MUCH SCRATCHING OF TIMES IS GOING ON AFTER THE LINE-UPS ARE DONE. New procedure - You must scratch your time directly after qualifying, no later than 6:30. This will ensure that the tower and the pit board have matching line-ups."



I'm sure it was a difficult decision to make.

Guys this was not a curfew problem. We have the one lap per minute rule, 20 lap=20 minutes, it took 23 minutes to put 3 laps in the book, the prior week it took 24 minutes to get in 10 laps. This rule will be enforced for the rest of the year, also we have come up with a few things that should help this class on line ups, to help eliminate future problems. I am sorry for the fans and drivers that were not at fault. I am not sorry for ending the race per our rules.

Ron, you guys are doing an excellent job. The min. per lap rule is excellent and ends the races at a reasonable time.

I know everyone see things different but give the two gentlemen that wanted to play demo derby the next week off and these problems would be taken care of. Or maybe you could have given the wisiting Neons their own feature.

I know this isnt sugar coating it but it was what i saw.

sounds like someones mad that a visiting 16 yr old girl won her first feature...or is it because she is from a different track....or is it cause you were beat by a girl....must be pretty mad when you say give the vistors there own feature....what are you going to do on 9-20 when everyone comes from ac up there with there neons...the sleds didnt have a problem i was there.nor did the fs with tim near or nick locota being there.....we were all there to have fun.....

I WAS NOT AT WHITTEMORE ON SAT. BUT LOTS OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS WERE (MOST DROVE AN HOUR OR MORE TO GET THERE)..THEY WERE DISAPPOINTED THAT THE RACE WAS CUT SHORT ALSO.

THE EXCITEMENT OF WINNING A FEATURE SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT IS FELT AS DESERVED AFTER DRIVING YOUR BUTT OFF, HOLDING OFF EVERYONE ELSE TO WIN...NOT ONLY AFTER 4 LAPS.

KIND OF SHORT-CHANGED OR SHOULD I SAY "SHORT-LAPPED" THE DRIVER.

They had 4 or 5 green flag laps to get around her and they couldnt she did drive her butt off so let it go. It ant the way i want Paige to win her 1st feature but thats how it happen no differnet than nascar having a race call short do to rain. It was her 1st time ever on the track to not bad ah. If you would watch the heat race she held the same cars off to finish2nd.

Are we talking about Paige Amy? (I hope I got her name right) If so, good job. The last time you came to Spartan you weren't feeling very well and I think it was your dad that was going to drive your car. It doesn't matter how the win came about whether it be caution laps or if they had to call it for other reasons (sounds as if you had some green flag racing) a feature win is a feature win. I'm sure she didn't ask for the race to be called in order for her to win...Like I said good job Paige.

Caroline
Scorer @ Spartan/SMS

FIRST OF ALL YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE NASTY ABOUT IT...IN NO WAY WAS I REFERRING TO PAIGE'S DRIVING ABILITY!

I WAS COMMENTING ON THE TRACK SHORTENING THE RACE. ITS JUST NOT RIGHT TO SHORTEN A RACE..ESPECIALLY IF THE WEATHER IS NOT A FACTOR!

IF THE FANS IN THE STANDS ARE TIRED, COLD ETC. THEY CAN LEAVE..BUT HOW MANY (DIE HARD FANS) REALLY WANTED TO SEE RACING....THEY SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN IT!


THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 4 LAPS TO 15 OR 20!

THE TIME RULE WOULD NOT BE A FACTOR IF THE TRACK CREW DID THEIR JOB....THERE WERE NO MAJOR ACCIDENTS TO RUN OUT OF TIME.

Yes it's Paige Amy, and I was not there, but I know, your FIRST feature win is an amazing feeling no matter how it's won. I won my first ever feature on the night of the Mudslinger in 2003, and our race was shortened to 20 laps because of a delay with the super's. It felt like it was 100 laps though. Those laps that Paige had to hold all the drivers off, may have been only 6-7 laps, but ask her, it felt a lot longer. Congratulations Paige, you earned it, don't let anyone tell you different.

I really don't see what the big deal is? From what I understood, the rule that was inforced was agreed upon by the drivers, Am I right? There was a good 5-6 green flag laps that I lead, and could of been passed but wasn't. I had a lot of fun, and happened to get my first feature out of the deal. I will be attending the big race at the end of the year with my neon, maybe I'll have a couple more laps to prove that I can probubaly still do the same exact thing. I'd like to thank everyone at Whittemore for being so welcoming. I had a great time, and can't wait for the next.

Job Paige! Your getting better and better every week. You'll be winning more features soon. Hey your 1st feature should be the best dont let anyone belittle that. They'll have another crack at that neon in a month!

Chad D

The way i look at it, a feature is a feature whether its 2 laps or 20 laps. Then when it's your first one that just makes it that much better, Good job Paige, Sounds like to me they had plenty of time to pass you.

She drove well. If it had gone even 15 laps, Peek or Trinklien would have been leading. Nice to see a clean drivin female becomming a racer. My girlfriend and I met her family in the pits and they are great people. They are even related to the late Frank Amy who I cheered for when I was a kid at Whittemore. He lived North of Whittemore and Dad did farming business with him.

rules is rules, and if you drove per the rules, and won, then its a dubya on your record no matter how you look at it. and i hate to tell ya all you mustang drivers up here near whittemore, but the neon is comming for you, and itll make your car obsolete. remember that mazda that kyle tremble had? fwd ministocks are the future.