Poplar Bluff track plans still in the dark

The latest news from the new Poplar Bluff Speedway is that, basically, there is no news, aside from more waiting and more wrangling with the city.

Co-owner Jennifer Adamson, whose husband Keith is heading up the project, said Wednesday that the track continues to await final electrical and water hookups from the city of Poplar Bluff, just as it has for several weeks. Final touches around the track can be done in a matter of days, she said, but there's no rush because the city can't promise its part of work will be done soon.

"We're just kind of waiting to see what happens," Jennifer Adamson said. "The water and sewer has pretty much been run out to the track, but we just can't seem to get them to finish the electrical hookups.

"The city keeps putting us off. At this point, we're looking for solutions to avoid the city entirely."

The track, on the northeast edge of the city and within the city limits, already has called off its first planned big event, a Mid-America Racing Series late model event scheduled for late August. The owners have even considered using portable generators to power the track's lights and concessions equipment.

"The bottom line is that we need to be open," Adamson said. "We should've been open a long time ago.

"Within about four weeks we should know exactly what we'll have to do to open."

Around the area

Joey Mack of Benton, Mo., had his best weekend this year on the MARS circuit in events Friday and Saturday. He finished sixth Friday at Bolivar (Mo.) Speedway and third Saturday at I-44 Speedway near Lebanon, Mo. The weekend followed his fourth-place finish July 4 at Malden Speedway.

Terry Baker of Scott City was ninth and Danny Sissom of Cape Girardeau was 16th Friday in the UMP modified class at Paducah (Ky.) Raceway.

Hobby stocks will race for a special $300 top prize July 25 at Fredericktown Raceway. UMP late models will not compete that night.

St. Francois County Raceway's special event for winged sprints July 26 has gained the sanction of the National Championship Racing Association, a Midwestern group the track says will help draw more cars to the Farmington-area track. The event also is sanctioned by the All Star Circuit of Champions, an Eastern U.S. touring group.