By Sam Stoecklin, Track
Announcer
Warrensburg, MO
April 23, 2008
The
2008 CMS championship racing season is finally
here! These words are just what fans of the
high-banked dirt bullring have longed to hear for
several months. Even though recent wet and cool
weather led to the cancellation of two of three
scheduled practices, the pre-season car show and some
work at the track, there’s no need to worry as
track owners and promoters Earl and Susan Walls are
set to usher in their 15th year at the one-third mile
track for KOKO AM 1450 Radio Night on Saturday, April
26th. This weekend will also be Warrensburg
Chamber of Commerce night with discounted ticket
prices for Chamber members. Pit gates will
swing open at 4:30 with hot-lap sessions taking to
the track at 7 and flagman Hershel Thompson’s
first green flag of the year waving at 7:30.
Saturday night will mark the start of the 20-week
race season featuring the ‘Mighty’
Modifieds, ULMA Late Models, Street Stocks and
B-Modifieds. Defending track champions are
‘Smokin’ Joe Walker in the Modifieds, Brett
Rollert in the ULMA Late Models, Brian Johnson in the
Street Stocks and Scotty Martin in the B-Modifieds.
CMS
is known for running a quick-paced program chock full
of close-quarters racing action and 2008 will be no
exception to that rule. Earl Walls stated,
“We want to give the fans a good show and get
them home at a reasonable time, there’s nothing
worse than sitting around all night long waiting for
a race program to be completed. Back when I
drove a racecar, nothing bothered me more than
wondering why it was taking so long for the next race
to get started. At our track, race fans have
come to expect nothing less than a well-paced,
professionally ran program and our drivers know they
will be treated fairly and can always count on being
paid.”
One
of the more unique things about CMS is that fans can
sit on either side of the speedway. Seating
choices include getting up close and personal to the
action on the front stretch or sitting near the pits
on the backstretch. Fans of the track’s
pit-side seating will find new bleachers waiting for
them this weekend. “After many rain delays
the new grandstands will be ready for the fans”
stated Susan Walls. Other improvements include
over 20 loads of new dirt on the race surface, which
the track preparation crew has valiantly worked in to
the racing surface in between wet conditions.
Fans and drivers alike will visibly see the
difference in the banking and race surface. The
pit area also has new dirt and will be groomed to
make room for the expected large car counts,
especially for the special events to be held this
year. Other improvements include upgrades in
the steeple barn concession stand. CMS is
conveniently located just off Highway 13 four miles
north of the Highway 50 intersection in Warrensburg,
Missouri and is only 14 miles south of Interstate 70
from the Higginsville exit. If you want to see
the deepest pool of talented racers competing in
open-wheel modifieds you need only come to CMS,
period! One of the best things about CMS is its
convenient location right off of major
roadways. Don’t waste your family’s
precious gas money, come see what’s waiting for
you right in your back yard, we’re less than an
hour away from downtown Kansas City and even less of
a drive from Clinton, Sedalia, Odessa, Independence
and Harrisonville!
Even
though racing has yet to start at the speedway
several members of the CMS staff have already started
their race seasons. You can join promoter Earl
Walls, track official Karen ‘Boss Lady’
Darling, and track announcers and PR men Alan
‘Steeler’ Miller and SamOnTheMic each
Thursday at 7 p.m. on the CMS Webcast show at
www.racinboys.com. Special guests, driver
interviews, racing results, various commentary and
news from the pits are just a few things the on-air
staff discusses each week. Track announcers Sam
Stoecklin, Alan Miller and long-time Warrensburg
radio personality Marion ‘Woody’ Woods can
be heard each Wednesday evening at 5:30 on AM 1450
KOKO radio from Warrensburg for Central Missouri
Track Talk. Both the Webcast and radio show
have expanded to one-hour long this year!
Kenny’s
Tile has become the official sponsor for this
year’s action and the track is looking forward
to a long-lasting relationship with this new business
partnership. Kenny’s Tile is currently
taking applications for employment, interested
applicants are urged to call the main office and ask
for the Human Resources department to inquire about
employment. Visit them online at
www.kennystile.com or see the showroom for yourself
at 3303 Main St. in Grandview, Missouri. You
may also phone them at (816) 765-0400. For
information about race-night sponsorship at CMS call
Susan Walls at (816) 229-1338. For additional
CMS information call the Track Report line at (660)
747-2166 or visit the track’s Website at
www.centralmissourispeedway.net. Be sure to get
your season passes now, call Susan for more
details. There are passes available for
seniors, general admission and children.
You’ll find everything you need to know
regarding admission prices, the 2008 race schedule
and info concerning events and race status.
We’ll see you at the ‘Burg this weekend!
