Go-carts thaw ice for local racing season

by Steve Swogetinsky / staff writer
The Meridian Star

March 22, 2006 11:44 pm

— The local racing season kicks off Saturday at the Causeyville Raceway with go-cart drivers competing for more than $10,000 in prize money in the annual “Ice Bowl” races.
Track owner Randy Rawson says the heat races will get under way at noon and the feature races should start around 2 p.m. These will be money races with no track points on the line.
The Ice Bowl races had been scheduled last Saturday, but were called off because of bad weather.
“We waited an hour or so, and then called it off,” Rawson said. “Then about an hour later, the weather let up and we could have raced. That’s something you never know about.”
Rawson said that 148 drivers had registered before the races had qualified last weekend, and he is looking for about the same number this weekend. Drivers from Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama and Louisiana were registered last weekend.
“You will have some of your better drivers from around the Southeast coming in,” Rawson said. “We call them the money chasers. The action will be a bit better than the regular Saturday night races.”
Causeyville will be running for the next three weekends. After this weekend, there will be a regular schedule of races on April 1. Then on April 8, the first Mississippi State Championship Challenge Series for go-carts will kickoff its summer tour.
“It will be set up the same way they do the Super Late Models,” Rawson said. “We will have series races in the South and North parts of the state over the summer to decide a champion.”
For more information about the series and the Causeyville Raceway, check their website at www.causeyvilleraceway.com.

Opening date
set for Whynot
It’s official.
The Whynot Speedway officially reopens May 6 with a full slate of racing action.
Track owner Rodney Wing reports that much progress has been made on the legendary dirt track which has been closed for several years. But, he added, there’s still plenty to do.
“Right now, we are still painting and putting up bleacher boards,” Wing said. “We are building suites on the back side. We are making some headway.”
Other than the opening date, Wing said he was not ready to announce his 2006 schedule.
“We are planning some big events, but we are still negotiating some things at this point,” Wing said. “Right now, we are planning a big two-day racing event on Labor Day that will pay $5,000 to win.
Wing said the track would be opened on April 22 and 29 for practice runs. More to come later.

Local drivers
shine in Columbus
The Super Late Models were on the warpath last weekend in the Majestic Metals race at the Magnolia Motor Speedway in Columbus.
David Breazeale claimed the victory in the 30-lap feature race. Local favorite Mike Boland led early/ Then Breazeale took the lead on lap six and held on. Boland had a strong third place finish. Jeff Floyd came in second with Bub McCool finishing fourth and Jamie Elam placing fifth.
Brandon Keeton of Meridian won first place in the Street Stock feature race. The son of longtime area driver Lucky Keeton, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Brandon in a Super Late Model before too long. James Elfring came in second followed by Terry King.
Another local driver, Steve Bryan, won the mini stock feature. James Hollis won the Open Wheel Modifieds while Terry Mosley took the Late Model Stock.
Action returns to the Magnolia Speedway April 15 with the running of the Budweiser Boll Weevil Rumble.

Intimigator early
leader in MSCCS
Chris Wall is the early leader in the Mississippi State Championship Challenge Series.
Two races into the season, the Louisiana alligator farmer and dirt track driver has a 30 point point lead on Scott Dedwylder of Clarke County, who has 230 points. The rest of the top 10 is as follows: 3) Jay Blair 225, 4) Anthony Rushing 180, 5) David Breazeale 175, 6) Scott Slay 165, 7) Marlon Wild 145, 8) Mike Boland 135, 9) Shannon Babb 135, and 10) Bub McCool 130.
Also in the running are local drivers Chad Thrash and Jimbo McDuffie.
The MSCCS is two races into its season. Wall won the March 4 opener at the South Mississippi Speedway, and Shannon Babb took the March 10 race at the Columbus Speedway.
There will be two MSCCS races this weekend. On Friday, the series will run at the Simpson County Motorsports Park with $2,000 to win. Then on Saturday, the action moves to the Swinging Bridge Raceway near Byram just outside of Jackson with $2,500 to win.
Editor’s note: If you have some information you would like to contribute to this weekly column, please e-mail it to Steve Swogetinsky at swog@hotmail.com.