The top Super Late Model dirt track drivers from Mississippi and Louisiana will be competing tonight at the Whynot Speedway.

The drivers of the Mississippi State Championship Challenge Series and the O’Reilly Southern United Professional Racing Series (SUPR), Louisiana’s version of the statewide traveling series, will be making a stop at Whynot, and the dirt is going to fly in this 40-lap race that will pay $2000 to the winner.

“We are expecting 40 cars, at least,” track owner Rodney Wing said. “Some of the best drivers from Mississippi and Louisiana are going to be here.”

That should include Chris Walls, who has won six of the last seven MSCCS races this season and leads the MSCCS standings with 1,513 points. In second place in the standings is David Breazeale, who broke Wall’s streak at the Pike County Speedway on May 28. Breazeale has 1,420 points to his credit and is followed by Jay Blair in third with 1,314 points, Scott Slay with 1,274 points and Bub McCool with 1,001 points.

Other top drivers who are expected to compete will be seven-time Mississippi State champion Mike Boland of Cuba, Ala., and David Ashley and Kenny Merchant of the SUPR series. I’m hoping that Jimbo McDuffie of Clarkdale will be out there, but heard he blew an engine last weekend and is questionable for this week.

Put the Super Late Models together with the regular slate of races in the Modifieds, the Pure Street and the Mini divisions, and it promises to be a great evening. The drivers meeting starts at 6:45 p.m., and the races start afterwards. And I don’t think they are going to get through at 10:30 p.m. or 11 p.m., either.

This is a rare Friday night event at Whynot, which usually runs on Saturday night. There will be no races at Whynot this Saturday night, but if you want to see some action, head east on Interstate 20-59 and catch the MSCCS race at the Talladega (Ala.) Short Track. The event id being billed as “The War Between The States II” and is a 50-lap race with $5,000 to win. Somebody could be making $7,000 this weekend, but they have their work cut out for them...



Who won’t

be racing. Friday

Ironically, one of the top drivers in Mississippi will be at the track but he won’t be competing. Track owner Rodney Wing says he will have his hands full putting the race on and won’t be in a car this weekend.

“It’s going to be our biggest night so far,” Wing said. “One day, I hope to get back to driving some. But it won’t be tonight.”

Wing has been too busy to drive competitively this year. He bought the Whynot Speedway property in January and has been working to get it ready for racing. That took several months and a lot of help from his friends. But the track looked great when it re-opened in early May.

“I’m pleased with what we have done, but we still have to work some of the bugs out,” Wing said. “I still get the itch to race. But I’m having to step aside right now.”

Wing , 27, has been racing for 11 years and owns his own race track. As a driver, he was the SUPR “Rookie of the Year” in 2000 and reigned as SUPR Champion in 2002. He competed in the MSCCS in 2004 and 2005, finishing fourth and third overall, respectively.

One night a couple of years ago, the MSCCS was running at the Queen City Speedway. Wing wrecked (or was wrecked). He exited the track, got in another car, and came back to compete for the lead again in just a few laps. He didn't win the race but it was close.

Wing said he is thinking about purchasing a two-seat Late Model car in the near future to: 1) start training drivers who want to learn to race on dirt; and, 2) give rides to fans who have never been in a race car.

“It’s something I’m looking at,” Wing said. “When you are teaching someone how to race, you really need a two-seat car so you can show them some things. And then there will be the entertainment part, too, where you give rides around the track.”



Spinning dirt …

- Racing action returns to the Magnolia Motor Speedway on Saturday night June 17, with the running of the 3rd Annual Governor’s Cup. The big event will be headlined by a $5,000 to win 60-lap Super Late Model Main event and is expected to draw an outstanding field of competitors. Interestingly, Rodney Wing was the winner of the first Governor’s Cup.