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2009 SOUTHERN TRACK OF THE YEAR
Late Model Mark
PINSON, Ala. (December 22) - Santa Claus, steering his Trak-Star chassis sleigh with Pro-Powered reindeer, just dropped off the last Red Clay Report for 2009 under the tree here at Latemodelracer.com. What a interesting and wild year in the Dirt Late Model ranks in all regions. Before I announce the Southern race track of the year, I would like to wish all in the dirt nation a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from my family to yours. It is the time of the year for families and friends to gather and celebrate the season.
So here it is, the Latemodelracer.com track of the year for the Southern region, the super cool Whynot Motorsports Park in Meridian, Mississippi. There are many reasons in my view why I gave this track the accolades it deserves. I made my first and only visit so far to this track in the month of October for it's largest, and richest race all year, the superb Fall Classic.
I have always have been pridefull about finding new tracks without getting lost, being in transportation for 35 years, I like to know exactly where I am going and want to take the easiest and most direct route. Well, I blew it and added at least 25 miles to my trip. The trip from the mountains here at Dirt Late Model central looked to be around 190 miles, well it was if I had paid attention. I traveled for nearly 2 hours on I-59/20 South and across the Mississippi state line, shortly I was off the Interstate and heading South on Highway 45 looking for Highway 19 that should and was the first exit. Now, right at the time I should have been on Highway 19, I changed the CD for some new tunes. Rockin down the highway and not paying attention I drove for 20 minutes looking for the highway. I pulled over at a gas station and asked, where's Highway 19? The lady says, sir, it's back the other way some 20 miles,doh!!! So back I go, find the right exit, and head east to Whynot, yep, I blew it, I fired myself for getting distracted.
When you get to Whynot it has a unique entrance, you drive onto the grounds and stop at a booth, right then and there you pay your admission out of your car and proceed to park. Parking is very easy and orderly on some well groomed and spacious spots. From the parking lot everything is easily accesable and open. You don't go thru any gates or around any fences. While walking toward the front straight grandstands you can see the new and modern suites and tower that line the length of the grandstands. Everything here is clean and manicured. Sharply cut grass leading to the paved concession area. The concessions are very good, lines move fast and the prices are very easy on the billfold. Haven't we all experienced long food lines and after the long wait, tried to eat luke-warm or somewhat cold food? Not at Whynot, the food is smokin' hot and real tasty. The burgers and fries were stout!! The restrooms are new, squeaky clean, and spacious, all with hot water, good soap, and plenty of paper towels.
The track itself is a gem, a 3/10mi. semi-banked piece of perfection. It is very wide all the way around giving plenty of racing room for the Late Models. The dirt is really interesting compared to most red clay tracks in the South. It is more blond in color with a wisp of red to it. The clay comes from an area not to far from the track, in fact the clay came from this same area ever since the track was first built, back when it was Queen City Speedway. It is 99% rock free which is unusual to say the least. On this night of the Fall Classic it was billiard table smooth from top to bottom and had the perfect amount of moisture in it. The track has new and modern lights that illuminate this place in spectacular fashion. New catch fencing and walls surround the track keeping everything well contained. There is trackside parking in turns 1 and 2 with grandstand seating with suites above on the back straight, all modern and new. The frontstraight grandstands while not large, are well built, when you walk on them it doesn't feel like your surfing, like at other tracks. The officials booth is large and very functional. The announcers are excellent, the father and son team of Cory and James Murphy are top-notch and an absolute gas to hear. The pits are giant and can handle any large show, in fact the owner of the track lives in a house on the property and also built a shop that was a beehive of activity this race weekend, the welding torches were in full use. Everything for the racer is well laid out and easy, also a very professional track safety crew is on hand to keep everything safe, there is no shortage of wreckers as well.
Now to the man that is responsible for all of this, and this guy is really one cool dude. He is still a racer to this day, and with Whynot, the owner of one of the South's best track hands down, Rodney Wing. Mr. Wing took a huge gamble by coming in and reviving this closed for 8 years track. It was a mess, overgrown, falling down, needing a complete and very costly makeover. With the help of the community, racers, fans and friends, Rodney turned a dump into a diamond. Each year since the track was reopened things have picked-up, from car counts, fans in the stands, and the racing on the track. 2009 was said to be the best year so far, the night I went the car count was huge, the stands full and the racing just great. In it's short time back in the game, Whynot has fantastic reviews from all sides. The night I went, the racing was off the hook yet the track prep crew along with the race officials said they "missed" the setup on the dirt. If the track was off this night, a notion I did not agree with, I can only wonder how it is when it is right. Does this track need improvements? Not in my opinion, zero, zilch, nada!! Rodney says he would like to upgrade the front straight stands at some point. This place has a really cool feel to it, an electric atmosphere that you know something good is going to happen, it did this night, a great $15,000 dollar feature win by "Right Foot" Ronnie Lee Hollingsworth that lit up the crowd.
When the races were over and all the backslappin' ceased, I slowly walked out to the parking lot to the ole Dodge with a giant grin and complete satisfaction, it had been the perfect night!!! On the way home I made sure I payed attention and steered the Dodge the right way for the 190 mile drive home back to Bama. Rodney Wing and staff have done a incredible job of bringing a dead track back to life and ascending it's place in the racing world. So congratulations on being the Latemodelracer.com track of the year in the South. Whynot is no doubt a winner with Wing!!! See you all in 2010 and let us all support our local Dirt Late Model tracks, it's the best racing on dirt!!
Red Clay Report - 2009 Race Track Review Part 3
Red Clay Report - 2009 Race Track Review Part 2
Red Clay Report - 2009 Race Track Review Part 1
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