7/27/2013
Joshua Hodges
HMS Update - Knoxville Raceway
Every American sport has its list of iconic venues that are simply different than the rest. In football there is Lambeau Field and the Superdome; in basketball it’s Madison Square Garden and the Staples Center; in baseball it’s Yankee Stadium, Wrigley Field, and Fenway Park. In sprint car racing, that place is Knoxville Raceway. Its history in the sport is rich and the facility is one of the nicest in the country. It is a surreal feeling walking through the pits and just the thought of racing around that flat half mile is enough to send chills up your back. This weekend I have the privilege of racing there once again and I am ecstatic to get up on the wheel. Last year we ran a couple of weekly events and then the 360 and 410 Nationals. This year we look to do the same. Saturday night we will have the 410 Ostrich Racing Engine bolted in and I hope to re-familiarize myself with the special characteristics of Knoxville Raceway. We are also trying out some new Momentum Racing Suspensions Integra shocks so I am anxious to see if they can help us get a little bit better, especially in qualifying. All of this will be in preparation for next weekend’s 360 Knoxville Nationals. We will qualify Friday and then come back Saturday for the finale. Our plans after that are tentative, but we hope to race the Capatini Classic on Sunday next week along with the Front Row and Ultimate Challenge in Oskaloosa on Monday and Tuesday with ASCS and USAC. Then we will take Wednesday off and head back to qualify for the Knoxville Nationals on Thursday. Depending on how we end up we will run Friday and Saturday to cap off a stretch of 8 races in 9 days. There are a lot of people who have made this happen and I need to give special thanks to Royal Jones with Mesilla Valley Transportation and Chuck Jackson with Jackson Compaction. Also, thanks to our loyal sponsors and supporters: Napa Auto Parts, Momentum Racing Suspensions, Art’s Radiators, Keizer Aluminum Wheels, FK Rod Ends, ButlerBuilt Seat Systems, Smiley’s Racing Products, Ostrich Racing Engines, The Oil Medics, K & N Filters, Ortega’s Appliance, Conroy Pneu Control, Maxim Chassis, Vortex Wings, Wilwood Brakes, Hinchman Racewear, Impact Racing,Driver Websites, Benic Enterprises, Tim Palmer Graphic Design, and Paint by Steve.
Submitted By: Jack Hodges
