Racing is slated for Saturday
Twin Cities Speedway promoters Linda and Greg Kearns have tossed the gauntlet at the feet of Zeus.
They have slapped Odin's face with an iron glove and have drawn a line in the sand of Santharia and dared Grothar to step over it.
In short, the Kearns have boldly declared there will be car racing on Saturday, and no weather gods - not even the meterologists of the U.S. National Weather Service - can stop it.
“Yeah, I actually think we are going to turn some wheels in anger,” said Bob Burbach, media director for the raceway, located on Simpson Lane south of Marysville.
Gates open to the public at 5 p.m. Pacific sprint qualifying is set for 6:15. Racing is slated for 7 o'clock.
As many as 150 cars in five race divisions are expected for the much-delayed Twin Cities opener, which has been rained out for five-straight weeks.
The SORA 100s will join the regular points divisions of the Pacific winged sprints, the wingless speedway sprinters, the street stocks and mini-stock classes.
But Burbach said he does not expect the show to run that much longer than the race events of recent years.
“We know we're five divisions and I know it will be a tough row to hoe, but we do have some new heat race rules that will help us get through things faster,” Burbach said.
Among the changes is to run heat races with more cars. In the past, a third heat was scheduled when the car count reached 18 in any single division. This year, it will be 21 cars.
Burbach said the competition should be wide open, with three of the four champions not running full throttle this season.
Pacific sprint champion Brent Dothage, of Lower Lake, may run a limited shedule, Burbach said, but with or without him the competition should be tough.
Three-time champion Korey Lovell, who is seeking an unprecedented fourth title, returns, as does 2004 champion Mike Monahan and late charger Kevin Lovell, who needs a fast start to give himself a shot at that elusive first title.
Three-time champion Colby Weisz is racing in the Civil War Series exclusively and will not be running at Twin Cities Speedway.
The wingless sprinter champion Steve Stein, of Davis, has indicated he will run only a limited series, while street stock champion Andy Aust is not expected to compete at all.
The list of contenders in what has become the signature division at the quarter-mile clay is long and wide open, Burbach said.
Mini-stock champion Ken Reische finally won the title he chased for more than 15 years last season, and has sold his No. 20 hot rod and said he will only race one or two times this season. Robert Luster, of Marysville, enters the season as the favorite.
The forecast for Saturday has a possibility of rain.
Appeal-Democrat sports editor Todd R. Hansen can be reached at 749-4715. You may e-mail him at thansen@appeal-democrat.com.
