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Saturday, April 29, 2000
Stock car series returns to CC Speedway
After extended absence, first of three scheduled ROMCO events opens today
From staff and wire reports
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| David Pellerin/Caller-Times |
| Tommy Grimes of San Antonio pilots his ROMCO Super Late Model Series car around the Corpus Christi Speedway track on Friday in preparations for today's scheduled races. |
Following a three-years-plus absence from Corpus Christi, a super late model stock car racing series returns to the city today.
The ROMCO Super Late Model Series makes the first of three scheduled stops at Corpus Christi Speedway. The 2-year-old racing circuit, dubbed the Texas Tornado Series, is patterned after the Texas International Drivers Association series. The TIDA disbanded three years ago.
Tonight's action is the third in this season's series. Previously, the tour raced at San Antonio Speedway and at Kyle's Thunder Hill Raceway.
Carol Yocum, co-owner of Corpus Christi Speeway, said the return of a late-model series is overdue.
"It means better exposure concerning stock car racing for both us and the sport," Yocum said.
Cars in the ROMCO series are scaled-down versions of the vehicles used on the NASCAR Winston Cup and Busch Grand National circuits, Yocum said. The late-models can complete the quarter-mile asphalt surface at the track approximately a second faster than the cars that race here locally, Yocum said.
"It's sort of like the monster trucks. We only have it here once or twice a year, and for people who haven't seen this type of racing, it's like seeing Terry Labonte," Yocum said. "Most of our cars don't get up to the speeds these do."
Former TIDA racers
Many of the former competitors in the TIDA series have joined the ROMCO circuit, started two years ago by TIDA veteran Robert Mullins.
Among the field of 25 drivers who will vie for 20 spots in tonight's 125-lap feature are three Corpus Christians - Johnny White, Jeremy Stanford and Mike Denman. Other drivers expected to compete are Tommy Grimes, who won the San Antonio race, and Chris Davidson, who won at Kyle.
"It's been a real struggle, but it feels good to get the second season going," Mullins said in a news release. "This is a big accomplishment. It was a dream last year, but we are doing more things right this year . . . "
Dwarf cars
Also included on tonight's card is the feature race of the Texas Dwarf Car Association. The five-eighths scale replicas of U.S.-manufactured autos, powered by four-stroke motorcycle engines, have become a popular attraction across the country in the past few years.
Admission to the event is $15 for adults, $6 for youths ages 6-12 with children 6-younger admitted free. Pit passes are $25 per person.
The speedway gates are scheduled to open at 4 p.m. with the late-model qualifying set to start at 6:20. The dwarf car heats are scheduled for 8 and 8:10 with the late-model series feature scheduled for 8:30. The dwarf car feature is scheduled to take place after the late-model feature.
The speedway is located on Flato Road off Business Highway 44, (Agnes Street). For information, call 289-8847.
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