Saturday marks end of North Star Speedway season

WASILLA — The 2010 summer racing season at North Star Speedway is approaching the finish line. The Wasilla-area speedway will host the season’s final day of racing on the asphalt Saturday, and track promoter Erika Bills is hoping Mother Nature cooperates.

“We’re really hoping this weekend is better,” Bills said Thursday afternoon. “We’re hoping to have a real good weekend.”

Three days of racing have been rained out this summer, and North Star has been forced to cancel races twice since July 24.

“I can’t run my cars in the rain,” Bills said.

So this weekend, with championships in a pair of classes still on the line, Bills and the North Star faithful are eager to see the sun shine.

Championships in the legends and bandolero classes should be decided once racing gets under way Saturday at 6:30 p.m.

Three drivers — Jeff Landrum, Kelly Sawyer and defending champion Mike Thomas — remain in the hunt for the legends title. Landrum currently leads Thomas by 62 points.

Only 22 points separate the top two drivers in the bandolero class. Carly Meacham sits in first, while Demi McDonald is right behind.

Alex Schwochert (mini stocks), Keith Jones (thunderstocks), Larry Theobald (baby grands) and John Simmelink (late models) have locked up their season championships.

In addition to the usual slate of racing, Bills said North Star will have a few special features for race fans. There is the annual mechanics race, where mechanics set aside the tools and take a seat by the wheel. The novelty events also include a shopping cart race, in which drivers race grocery store shopping carts around the oval track.

For more information, see northstarspeedway.com.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.

North Star Speedway

points standings

(As of Aug. 14)

Legends — 1. Jeff Landrum 1797; 2. Mike Thomas 1735; 3. Kelly Sawyer 1712; 4. Bryan Barber 1545; 5. Rodney Pucak 1396; 6. Bud Black 1344; 7. Aaron Creech 1204; 8. Andy Workman 1160; 9. Tim Workman 957; 10. Demi McDonald 854.

Mini stocks — 1. Alex Schwochert 1526; 2. Gene Smith 1092; 3. Jim Menard 1067; 4. Andy Schwochert 830; 5. Brandon Gross 627; 6. Mike Schwochert 205; 7. Stephen McElroy 89; 8. Teresa Page 38.

Thunderstocks — 1. Keith Jones 1982; 2. Jim Langland 1829; 3. Stephen McElroy 1586; 4. Stephen Movetti 1336; 5. Tia Jones 1258; 6. Gene Smith 451; 7. Artie Neimi 309.

Bandoleros — 1. Carly Meacham 1677; 2. Demi McDonald 1655; 3. Will McDonald 1535; 4. Cyrus Powers-Kyte 375; 5. Alex Butts 154; 6. Robert Meacham 142.

Baby grand — 1. Larry Thoeobald 1255; 2. Jeff Landrum 1197; 3. Tonya Klayum 1089; 4. Jim Menard 1023; 5. Danner Pruhs 332; 6. Chad Shandtede 120.

Late model — 1. John Simmelink 826; 2. Mike Braddock 689; 3. Dana Pruhs 666; 4. Allen Ulman 636; 5. Rob Tirpack 167.