By DAVID MILLER
Special to The Dispatch
Three weeks into what should have seen both Magnolia Motor Speedway and Columbus Speedway open their respective race seasons has resulted in yet another weekend of racing postponed due to inclement weather.
The Frostbuster 250 was officially called off Thursday, as track manager Johnny Stokes announced that the United States Sprint Car series will instead hold its own one-day show on May 29. Magnolia was originally slated to host the series, which would have included former NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers Kenny Schrader and Kenny Wallace, along with races in Super Late Models, Street Stocks, and Pro Stock divisions.
Stokes said he doesn’t recall a weekend when the season-opener was pushed back multiple times before calling off the event.
“The ice and the freezing, that makes it wetter and increases the time it’ll take to dry,” Stokes said. “We’ll wake up Friday sometimes before making the call. But this winter weather, it takes a long time to thaw out or dry up.”
Stokes said that canceling the race weekend wasn’t a significant blow to the track’s budget, as he’d rented the track to USCS organizers, who’d split admissions monies. The track, however, would have received all net concessions sales.
“It’s hard to say what we would have made this weekend,” Stokes said. “It’s not that bad, but we haven’t raced since October. We’re still missing money by not having it. [USCS] is disappointed, but they’ll be back this summer.”
Columbus manager Joe Ables knows the struggle.
Columbus canceled its opening race weekend, the Winter Classic, which was originally slated for Feb. 21. It had a tentative date for makeup this weekend, but since the Frostbuster at Magnolia was rained out on Feb. 28, Magnolia, which had slated this Friday and Saturday as its backup date for postponements, scheduled this weekend. The tracks typically do not hold races on the same weekends.
“This time of year, people are itching to go see a race,” Ables said. “They’ve been inside all winter.”
Ables said the postponement wasn’t a significant blow to his track budget either, mainly because of careful planning. Ables didn’t order any concessions or place radio ads prior to calling off the Winter Classic.
“I was blessed on that one,” Ables said. “Some of these races where you’ve spent two grand or better on all that, then boom, that day it rains and you still have all that stuff you have to pay for. You can’t take it back to Wal Mart and get your money back.”
While the rain, snow and ice have dampened excitement for racing for the last three weeks, Ables anticipates a large crowd for Columbus’ season opener next Saturday — the first race of the Mississippi State Challenge Championship Series, the state’s top Super Late Model Series that tours seven tracks. The track will also host weekly races in Limited Late Models, 602 Stocks, Street Stock and Mini Stock.
“I talked to (Super Late Model driver) Charles Thrash, and he said we ought to have a great car count in Super Lates because everyone is hungry for a race and looking for somewhere to go,” Ables said.
Magnolia will open its season with a MSCCS race, too, on March 21. The track will host weekly racing events that weekend, too.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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