ForovaliRacers,JulyisFirecracker400month

By Justin Melillo Junior Gaming and eSports Editor, Traxion.GG

The Firecracker 400 returns in 2023 after taking a year off in 2022. This community event is one of the largest on the iRacing platform, and it takes basically an entire month just to set the field. The race itself is a 160-lap feature, and both previous events have seen some absolutely wild results. With its return, this month has been all about the Firecracker, and it’s crazy to think of how this race has become such a hit.

In 2020, sim racing, namely iRacing, was soaring in popularity among sim racers and real-world racers alike. There was an eNASCAR boom, stemming from real racers taking their talents to the computer for a couple of months as the world was shut down and sports were on pause.

From that eNASCAR Pro Invitational Series grew many new events and series, one of which included eRacr. Founded by NASCAR drivers Parker Kligerman and Landon Cassill, eRacr was looking to not only capitalize on the esports boom, but also on a nostalgia boom that crept up right at the end of the inaugural Pro Invitational season.

You see, iRacing managed to add in a retro flair for the oval side of the community. While road racers were treated with historic racing machines such as the Lotus 49 and Lotus 79, oval enthusiasts really just had the current cars that would eventually be replaced by the newer models. That changed in June of 2020 with the release of the 1987 NASCAR

Elliott, tuned and tested with the help of NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Labonte, who drove those cars during his career. Another Hall of Famer, Dale Earnhardt Jr, also had a big role in bringing these cars into the limelight.

The combination of all of this led to the creation of the eRacr.gg Firecracker 400, a multi-week event for anyone in the iRacing community to take part in. Using the 1987 cars at what was the legacy edition of Daytona International Speedway, a track scan from 2007 that was replaced by a smoother model in 2011, Kligerman and Cassill looked to recreate the magic of the former Summer Daytona event from the 1980s, what’s now known as the Coke Zero Sugar 400 night race, but formerly the Firecracker which would run on the 4th of July.

Hundreds of sim racers signed up, but the main event could only hold a starting field of 43. From preliminary events on the first week in fixed setups that whittled the cluster to a field of 88, to a pair of qualifying nights the next week that would split the field in half, sending 43 hopefuls to the 400 and the rest to the 200-mile consolation a few days earlier, the last two weeks of the event contested with open setups, which meant these drivers needed to science speed out of their 1987 machines, the event had completely taken over the iRacing atmosphere.

In that first year, Brandon Kettelle found the magic he needed to score the victory in the 400. The following year, Michael Cosey Jr, with a shove from Dale Earnhardt Jr, was able to claim the big win in 2021. With the hype lingering for the 2022 show, it was a shame to see that neither Parker or Landon could commit to bringing it back, forcing the third iteration to be held in 2023 instead. Now that it’s back, it’s like it never left.

This year’s festivities saw more than 350 entrants, including 25 current eNASCAR drivers and some real-world flair once again, although it was unfortunate that the two-time starter in the race, Earnhardt Jr, was not able to make time for it this time around. Instead, we had hopefuls such as Conor Daly, Rajah Caruth, Garrett Smithley and Ryan Vargas in the Preliminary Round. Vargas was able to make the Top 88, qualifying for the Firecracker 200, unfortunately wrecking out of that early.

The 400 is set to conclude the month, which is unfortunately set for after this magazine goes into print, but it’s set to be another incredible race. This year’s race features both former winners - Kettelle stood on his Day 1 time in qualifying to advance which Cosey Jr made it harder for himself, opting to withdraw a time that would have put him in the field, racing the 80 laps of the Firecracker 200 on the 24th and winning his way back into the show in dramatic fashion.

Alek Martinez won the pole position and will take the Whitz Racing ‘Lastto-First’ Challenge with a chance to win an extra $10,000. The total purse is $12,500 excluding that bonus, with whoever wins pocketing $2,000 as well as the forever title of being one of eRacr’s Firecracker champions.

It’s hard to believe it was 25 years ago when NASCAR named the 50 Greatest Drivers ahead of the 1998 Daytona 500. It feels like just yesterday when life was in high gear and I was racing full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series.

To me it seems like an impossible task to pick 50 drivers, and feel fortunate to be in that first 50.

It was a great honor to be part of the original Greatest 50 Drivers NASCAR announced that year, and now to be included in the addition of the next 25.

A few weeks back, I was contacted by the people at NASCAR. They said they needed to send me something. I knew it wasn’t going to be a trip to the Bahamas, and I had heard about the expansion of the 50 list, but didn’t know what to expect.

Some time passed and I got a box in the mail from NASCAR. Inside was the NASCAR 75th logo printed on the inside of a nice box. Inside it was a piece of paper that congratulated me on being one of the 75 greatest drivers and that NASCAR would like to recognize my “outstanding achievements in stock car racing.” think these kinds of awards should be reserved for drivers no longer active. Some of the current drivers being honored have done plenty to be a part of the group, but these types of awards should be for people that aren’t active, but that’s my opinion and feelings.

Also inside the box, buried in some blue, yellow, and red zig-zag confetti was a 1:24 scale diecast with the 75th anniversary logos in a black-and-silver paint scheme.

It was neat to see the car and hold it. Other drivers being honored have received the same package in the mail.

It was nice to be recognized, but I’m really glad to see Sterling Marlin being honored on the list. He’s a fighter. It will be fun to reminisce with him and the many others that will be there.

It’s great to be in the number, but there’s so many drivers that are not in it that should be in it. Unfortunately, there’s times and situations where you can’t include everyone at the same time. Hopefully, in the long run, everyone that deserves to be on the list will get in.

My wife Lori and I will be in Darlington. As of right now, I have no idea what is planned. I’ve told NASCAR and the track to keep me busy signing autographs and shaking as many hands as possible.

Then, I will be back at the track the following week ahead of this year’s All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway. I will be there midweek for filming prior to the race weekend. What a cool track. I won in modifieds and Cup cars, and was the last driver to lap the field.

It is rare for me to go back to the track and do appearances, especially back-toback weekends.

I

If you have any Geoff Bodine memorabilia and are coming to the races at Darlington and/or North Wilkesboro, bring what you can, I’ll sign it! While we’re at it, let’s grab a picture too.

I usually sign autographs on the couch on Sundays while I’m watching the race and I’ll mail them back. Without the racefans, I wouldn’t have a career. I’m very thankful for you.

The best part for me will be to see all the drivers. When you stop being at the track, you stop seeing the people too, and you miss them. You miss the drivers, fans, the atmosphere. I’m hoping we have great weather and exciting racing.

If you’d like to partner with Geoff’s Journal, e-mail us at info@theracingexperts.net.

“America’sFavoriteShortTrack”NashvilleFairgroundsSpeedway

By Spencer Hill | Photos Courtesy of Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway

Just minutes away from the buzzing neon lights of Broadway in downtown Nashville, Tennessee lies the second oldest continually operating racetrack in the United States. Through its 119-year history, Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway has earned its title from adoring fans as “America’s Favorite Short Track.”

As you approach the speedway, you might be surprised at its location with housing all around, a new state-of-the-art soccer stadium shadowing turn 4 and a creek running parallel to the back straightaway. Although this is unusual for most short tracks that are still in operation today, it helps tell the story of the historic facility that first hosted “horseless carriages” and motorcycles in 1904 on a massive 1 1/8th mile dirt oval.

After many years of holding annual motor racing events to coincide with the Tennessee State Fair, racers received a 10-year lease from the fair board in 1957 in order to revamp the track and build a paved ½ mile oval with a smaller ¼ mile oval in the infield, sharing a front stretch. This would bring the NASCAR Grand National Series to Nashville for the first time in 1958, with Joe Weatherly winning the 200-lap race and $1850.

The speedway continued to boom in the 60s with frequent appearances from the “Alabama Gang,” Coo Coo Marlin and Darrell Waltrip. The featured divisions would make the move to the big track when lights were strung around the ½ mile in 1965. With additional success from added figure 8 and Tuesday night events, the track grew slightly longer, increased to 35 degrees of banking and acquired new grandstands after the 1969 season. This was short-lived however as the increased banking created dangerous speeds and track officials were forced to cut it down to 18 degrees shortly thereafter.

NASCAR made a departure from the fairgrounds in 1984 after multiple disputes with track management and the city of Nashville. Luckily, their new headliner, the Late Model Stock Car division, caught the eyes of future stars like Ster ling Marlin, Bill Elliott, Dale Earnhardt and more which kept the short track alive and well until NASCAR made a short return with the Busch and Truck Series in 1995 before those events made the move to the freshly formed Nashville Super Speedway in 2001.

With NASCAR again vacating the historic fairgrounds, the speedway went through a name change and encountered many struggles in the mid-to-late 2000s. The newly named “Music City Motorplex” had arguably its hardest year in 2009 when it lost its scheduled ARCA race to Mansfield and was forced to cancel its largest race of the year, the All American 400. It wasn’t until the 2012 season when the prestigious All American 400 made a return but the event has since returned to its glory it once had since the first race won by Butch Lindley in 1981. Every year, the best late model drivers in the world circle the All American 400 on their calendar and consider the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway race as a crown jewel event in the same category as the Snowball Derby in Pensacola, Florida.

StoryContinuesonPage36

Most recently, many of the drivers that have their eye on winning the All American 400 in 2023 participated in the North/South 100 Super Late Model race at Nashville Fairgrounds; the final tune up before the biggest race of the year. For the first half of the race, it seemed as if the defending All American champion, Stephen Nasse, was going to pick up another win on his season until pressure came from the 2019 track champion, Jackson Boone. Boone was on his way to his first-career super late model victory until heartbreak struck and a radiator hose blew on the No. 7 machine, bringing him to a stop on lap 92. The restart would relinquish the lead to 18-year-old NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver, Jake Garcia, who would hold off for his first late model triumph at Nashville.

The Fairgrounds has gone through many turbulent changes since 1904, but still to this day drivers and fans understand the importance of the speedway and the legacy that it has written in over a century of competition. With the North/South 100 in the books, all eyes and preparation point toward November 3rd-5th at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway as we wait in anticipation to see who will be the 39th winner of the All American 400.

STORY BY SYDNEE HAMBLIN • PHOTOS COURTESY FLORACING/SHARK RACING/WHM PHOTOGRAPHY

In his tenth season on the World of Outlaws sprint car tour, Logan Schuchart finally has his name in the history books. Crown jewel victories have seemed to elude the thirty year old driver from Hanover, Pennsylvania. Finishing in the top five at several of the Outlaws crown jewel events including the national open and the Kings Royal. However on July 13th, that all changed.

Schuchart currently drives the Shark Racing 1S owned by Grandfather and National Sprint Car Hall of Fame member Bobby Allen. Logan’s career began at the young age of eight when he started racing go-karts in Pennsylvania in 2001. That year he claimed rookie of the year honors in the 425 box stock class. He continued racing go-karts around Pennsylvania until 2008 when he made his sprint car debut at Trailway Speedway, claiming his first sprint car feature soon after on June 26th, 2009. In 2010, he became the youngest driver to win Lincoln Speedways 358 sprint car track championship. The following year Schuchart took on the regional 358 series in Pennsylvania, claiming the season championship and making his first 410 Sprint start. 2012 would be the young driver's first full year in 410 competition, where he was voted the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame 410 rookie of the year.

A few years later, Grandpa Bobby Allen decided that to be the best you have to race with the best, and the team set out on their first full season with the World of Outlaws sprint car series. Even though the team was undoubtedly the underdogs of the series, they quickly showed they were competitive and destined for victory. Perseverance was the name of the Shark racing team, being vastly under budgeted in comparison to the other touring teams. The team claimed several podium finishes in their first season before claiming their first victory in their second season at Cedar Lake speedway in Wisconsin. Over the next years, Schuchart and the Shark racing team quickly grew to be one of the front runners with the World of Outlaws.

Eldora speedway is no stranger to the World of Outlaws season year in and year out. The series racks up a total of four visits a season, making it one of the most visited tracks on the tour. Logan Schuchart is no stranger to victory lane at the historic track either. He’s racked up five total wins at the track including one earlier this year during the Let’s Race Two weekend in May.

While the Eldora Million was an unsanctioned sprint car event, the chance of winning the largest payday in sprint car history drew drivers and fans from across the country to the track. Boasting a crowd of over 30,000 people, it marked one of the largest crowds in Eldora history. The FloRacing sponsored event marked a points based format that started the night before with a twin feature night.

Drivers were awarded points based on finishing positions in each of their races. The lineup for the heat races of the Eldora Million were based on these points with the top three finishers of the heats transferring to the Million dollar feature. Heat race winners drew for their starting positions 1-6. Schuchart finished fourth in his feature on Wednesday which set him up to start on the pole of heat two on Thursday. He went on to win the heat race despite having a power steering issue. In the draw for starting positions in the feature, Logan had luck on his side and drew the pole position. Starting the 50 lap feature in the first position, Schuchart would go on to lead all 50 laps and claim the $1,002,023 paycheck in Victory lane. Carson Macedo and Brad Sweet rounded out the podium for the historic event.

Timeline of career:

2001 - Rookie of the year at Hunterstown Speedway - Age 8

2008 - 358 Sprintcar debut at Trailway Speedway

2009 - First full season in 358 sprints - first win June 26, 2009 at Trailway Speedway

2010 - First championship - Lincoln speedway 358 sprint track championship

2011 - first regional season - 358 Sprint regional championship

WoO debut

2012 - First full 410 Season

Speedway motors central Pa rookie of the year

Williams Grove speedway rookie of the year

National Sprint Car Hall of Fame Rookie of the year

2013 - First 410 victory at Lincoln Speedway in Pennsylvania

2014 - First World of Outlaw season

2016 - First World of Outlaw Win at Cedar Lake Speedway in Wisconsin

2017 - First win at Eldora

First Knoxville nationals A-feature appearance

2018 - First Knoxville Raceway feature win

2019 - 8 World of Outlaw feature wins

5th in WoO season points

2020 - 7 World of Outlaw feature wins

Second in WoO season points

2021 - 7 World of Outlaws feature wins

5th in WoO Season points

2022 - 4 World of Outlaws feature wins

Sixth in WoO season points

2023 (so far) - 3 World of Outlaws feature wins

Eldora million winner