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 The day began with the power wheels for kids ages
three through nine. There were 20 cars provided by Shaner Promotions
for the event. A few other local children brought their own wheels
for the event.
The twenty cars provided had drivers decided by ticket drawing. As
the kids came down to claim their cars, the 20th car left was a pink
one. Shaner provides the helmets for the kids to wear, and of
course, the helmet was also pink.
The young male winner of the last ride protested slightly that he
was going to be put in a pink car and a pink helmet, but he did not
object enough to give away his ride.
The youngsters were permitted about 10 minutes of crash and bang
time, then they drove their wheels to the end of the track to be
loaded into the back of a trailer. The drive itself seemed to be
something close to a race as the kids rushed to get to the loading
zone to return their helmets and wheels to the promoter.
With the youth event completed, it was time to soak the track. Water
was provided by Atlanta Ag.
Lesleigh Bennett of Lincoln sang the National Anthem and then it was
time for the crashing and banging to begin.
Twenty cars participated in the Bone Stock Full Size class and a
whopping 27 cars participated in the Compact class. The Semi Stock
was much smaller with only seven cars participating.
With so many cars on the track in the first two classes, it was
crowded to say the least. As cars became disabled, left sitting
where they conked, it became difficult for the cars still running to
navigate the track. Therefore, on more than a couple of occasions,
the events were stopped so that disabled cars could be removed from
the track. Not every car was taken out, because working around the
disabled cars is part of the show, but when the active drivers can
not get their speed up because of all the obstacles, then something
has to be done.
Scott Goodman Excavating and P&W Pool’s provided the heavy equipment
for the removal of cars. Other local businesses that provided
services at the event included Ron’s Towing, RBG Towing, and Atlanta
FS.
The first class to enter the track was the Bone Stock. In this class
the 20 cars lined up on both sides of the track and when the green
flag flew it was instant mayhem.
As the cars crashed and banged into one another the Lincoln Rural
Fire department rushed in at least three times to put out small
fires. In some cases the car was then officially disabled, but from
time to time, the driver was able to restart the car and move
forward for a bit longer.
We say “move forward” but the fact is, most of the time the audience
watched these cars traveling at high rates of speed in reverse.
Several cars became so crunched up that the only thing left that was
even remotely recognizable was the cockpit of the car.
In the Bone Stock class the event, as always, came down to only two
or three cars still running and then it was a fight to the finish.
This time that fight was between cars 31 and 477.
The 31 was the smaller of the two, with the 477 appearing to have
once been a Lincoln. One would have thought that the extra-large car
would have the edge, but the 31 car was spunky to say the least. Car
477 pushed 31 hard, trying to get it completely out of the
competition area, then changed tactics and tried to smash it into
the large concrete barriers, the metallic gold 31 was not going to
give it up for love or money.
The two cars battled in reverse and also head on for several
minutes.
While it did take some time, the 31 finally delivered the fatal blow
to the 477 and the driver cried “uncle” so to speak, reaching out
the window and breaking off his stick, indicating the car was
disabled.
In a grand show of good-sportsmanship, the two drivers exited their
cars for a congratulatory hug before the big rigs moved in to remove
the debris.
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There were a number of small fires in each heat, but
the Lincoln Daily News “Too Close for Comfort” award goes to
Lincolnite Seth Goodman in the Compact class. Goodman was the victim
of what happens when a vehicle going forward at a high rate of speed
comes into contact with a vehicle going backward at a high rate of
speed.
When the number 4 Dinger car came flying backward into Goodman’s
high speed drive forward, the end result was the Dinger car backing
over Goodman’s 87 car. Dinger’s driver’s side rear wheel came to
rest in Goodman’s driver’s side front window, missing the driver by
mere inches.
Amazingly, when the two cars parted company both were still running
and went on to compete further in the Compact class.
There were several female drivers this year in the first two
classes. But the most impressive driver may have been Alicia Petro
who drove in the Compacts in a car sponsored by the Rusty Rail Bar
and Grill in Lincoln.
Petro finished third in the Compact class. She put on an impressive
drive, staying right in the thick of things until the moment her car
said “no more, I’m done.”
Even though it was a smaller field, the Semi Stock class was no less
exciting than the other two classes.
In the LDN, “Amazing but True” category it was the McCormick 4 car
that surprised everyone when the car literally blew up on the track.
With steam and perhaps a little smoke rolling from the car, it
surely had to have been the last of that competitor, but no. When
the air was cleared, the car restarted and went on to participate in
the battle for a few more minutes before giving up for good.
The number four, Coffey 17, and the Basso 22, were the last three
cars in the mix. In the end, four and 17 gave up the ghost at almost
the same moment leaving the 22 Basso as the heat winner.
Again, the showmanship between the drivers was very admirable. It
was the driver of the number four who made his way first to the
winner for a congratulatory handshake followed close behind by the
driver of the 17.
This week, the grandstand shows along with the Josh Turner concert
on the grass have been very well attended. Sunday afternoon was no
exception as the grandstand was packed and on the opposite side of
the track there was also a huge showing.
The crowd was loud at all the right times, showing the drivers that
they were really enjoying the show, and at the end of the night, it
seemed that everyone left happy and the 85th Annual Logan County
Fair ended with a bang, and a crash, and a boom, and a flame or two.
Good times.
[Nila Smith] |
