Poplar Bluff track taking shape, but opener delayed

The developers of a new dirt oval track just outside Poplar Bluff, Mo., wanted to have the project finished and ready to open this month, but now say the opener will be pushed back until at least September.

Jennifer Adamson, one of the owners of the track, along with her husband, Keith, said Wednesday that the turns and straightaways on the track have been finished and are ready to be topped with a clay racing surface. Construction hasn't started yet on bleachers or buildings.

"A lot has come together in the past week, but we still have quite a few things to get done," she said. "At least the weather is cooperating now. That was holding us up for a while because the land was too wet to work on."

Their goal now, Adamson said, is to at least hold a few events as "trial runs" later this year while finishing touches are being made. She said the clay for the track should be chosen in the next few days; the original source for the track's surface was rejected because the clay was too rocky.

Adamson said the track's weekly Saturday night schedule is still likely to include late models, modifieds, a cruiser class and a possible street stock class, but she said public response has made them at least consider including sprints on a regular basis.

"We aren't ruling out anything at this point," she said. "We still want the other classes, but now we have a lot of people asking for sprints, too. We still have to weigh our options before we can give an absolute no."

Around the tracks

ATPR: Greg King of Sikeston, Mo., put on one of the best charges of the day in his third-place finish in Auto Tire and Parts Racepark's modified division. Racing for an increased $700 top prize, King lost a tire in an early battle for the lead, and after his crew changed it he lost another before the next restart. He returned to battle back from last in the final 16 laps to finish third behind Hall, who won for the fifth time in seven weeks, and runnerup Danny Sissom.

Robbie Standridge (sprints) and Dietrich Bollinger also were repeat winners, each winning for the fourth time this season.

FREDERICKTOWN: The quarter-mile track's return to racing after a month of repairs was delayed Friday by rain. The track will try again Friday.

JACKSONVILLE: Jerrod Hull of Sikeston won the sprint event Friday at the Illinois track. A day later, Hull finished second to Danny Smith in a GLOSS event at Quincy, Mich.

GATEWAY: Jay Musgrave of Cape Girardeau was third Saturday at the SCCA Formula Continental road race at Gateway International Raceway near St. Louis.

MALDEN: The track had its biggest late model turnout this year Friday when 21 signed in. Allen Rettig of Sikeston won for the fifth time this season.

MARS TOUR: Joey Mack of Benton, Mo., leads Dwaine Hottinger by two points in the series' rookie of the year chase. Over the weekend, Mack finished 11th at Muskogee, Okla., and fourth at Pocola, Okla.

PADUCAH: Billy James of Sikeston was fifth in the late model class Friday. He followed with a fifth-place run Saturday at Kentucky Lake Motor Speedway near Calvert City.

What's ahead

Paducah Raceway hosts the annual $5,000-to-win World 50 for late models Friday.

ATPR will host UMP-sanctioned late models ($2,000 to win) and IMCA-type modifieds ($600 to win) in a special event at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. Winston Cup racer Michael Waltrip and Craftsman Truck Series racer Brendan Gaughan will sign autographs. Info: (573) 545-9366.

SEMO Motor Speedway near Blodgett will not have an event this weekend. Instead, it will host karts and NMMA sprints at 8 p.m. Wednesday. Info: (573) 382-2423.