Humboldt Speedway

 Having driven the Jeep to Stillwater from Durango a few days ago, we then drove to Humboldt, KS without the camp trailer.  The Thursday USRA race was postponed due to excessive wetness (my term!), so we didn't go up til Friday.  Watched from the stands for that night's race, because Billy had driven down with Wade from South Dakota, Billy is very good in the pits and around the car in general, and the car was fully race ready.  

Oddly, in all the time we have spent following the USMTS Series, this was my first ever opportunity to watch a full race event from the stands with Lorna.  Glad for that, you get to see a LOT of racing from up there!  The team did ok, with a decent showing in the Heat race and a B-Main.  But not strong enough to make the show, on a night with 200 total cars entered, and 91 of them being in our division.  Again, only 24 cars make the Main.

We then ran Saturday morning as a USRA entry in the postponed Thursday show.      Similar competitive environment, and again did not make the show.  And this day is Casey's BIRTHDAY!!    Darn.

This place is packed again on Saturday, if you arrive after 5:00 p.m. for the 7:00 starting time, you will have to walk a ways to get in.  WE had to park outside the facility and climb through a fence just to get in to the parking area.  Crazy.

This night Casey does a little better to close out the weekend.  WINS his Heat race, so we avoid the B-Main and go straight to the Feature where we are guaranteed to start in the top ten.  Exactly which position depends on a pill draw.  This is done to improve "fairness", as some racers have found themselves in somewhat more (or less) competitive qualifying groups which were selected from an initial pill draw.

When it's Casey's turn to draw, there remains only a "1" pill and an "8".   We'll get one of those.   Happy Birthday, C,  he draws the "1".

WE START the richest race we have ever run - $20,000 to Win- in the front row pole position.   YAAAY!!

Casey really wanted to win this one, of course,  but there were lot's of guys behind us that had other ideas.  We ran really good,  Casey was great,  but this is a very strong field.  After a tough battle, for 60 laps, we end up 9th.  That's good. We'll gladly take a "top ten" any day.

So again we leave the track after 1:00 a.m.  We've been staying with daughter Anna (& Todd) in their camp trailer a few miles away in a small campground.

Very nice, quiet camp in town.  Lucky for that, as it would have been impossible to squeeze into the track camping area.

Sunday morning after breakfast (thanks again, Anna!) we drive the 4 hours back to Stillwater where we go straight to the Greenwood Tennis facility on the OSU campus.   Arrived in time to catch most of the Men's tournament  against Central Florida, and then stayed for most of the Women's games with TCU.

I don't recall anything like this at the University of New Mexico back in the 70's!!

Very nice complex, with twelve outside courts and abundant seating.  And if the weather isn't great, a large building with inside courts.

Fun to watch some very talented young players.

Next?    The race this coming weekend at West Burlington, Iowa has been cancelled.  Seems that they recently brought in new "dirt" to improve the track.  Word is that it wasn't a good move, that the track is so rough it is nearly "un-raceable".  

So instead USMTS has created a replacement race at the Hamilton County Speedway in Webster City, IA.  We've been there, and like that facility.  We'll be racing Friday and Saturday nights.

Let you know how THAT goes.

All for now

D & L

 Disclosure:  Tennis pics are from a prior Women's game.  Didn't have a camera at the Men's/Women's game on this weekend.  Just in case you were wondering about the lack of parity . . . .