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Photo by Diane Cox
Tony Stewart keeps four wheels on the ground on a slick track at Tri-City.
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Photo by Diane Cox
Tony Stewart keeps his eyes focused on the track at Tri-City Speedway.
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Photo by Diane Cox
Three-time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart makes his way around the track in a heat race.
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Photo by Diane Cox
Feature race at Tri-City
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Photo by Diane Cox
Rico Abreu leads the pack in the start of the winged sprint race.
PONTOON BEACH — As Tri-City Speedway roars through its 10th season under the ownership of Kevin and Tammy Gundaker, big goals and plans have turned into more irons in the fire and bigger names in the racing community making the trip to the local dirt track.
This season Tri-City has hosted several large-purse events, but their facility has brought even larger names from the big stage of stock car racing — NASCAR.
“Drivers tend to return to their roots,” said Kenny Wallace on April 18 when he came back to race his UMP Modified. “This is my home track and I love coming back here to play in the dirt with some local guys, and the fans are always welcoming.”
Returning to a home track for NASCAR drivers like Kenny Wallace or Kenny Schrader is typically a day of fun and relaxation for them, a chance to go back to where they started from and just let loose.
For some drivers, such as NASCAR three-time champion Tony “Smoke” Stewart, returning to the dirt is a day of facing inner demons and possibly fears after he was involved in a season-ending accident on Aug. 5, 2013, while racing his winged sprint car on a NASCAR off day. Stewart was confined to a motorized scooter after suffering a compound fracture of the lower leg and was out for the rest of the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, keeping him out of the championship contention for the first time in 10 years. “Smoke” was able to start the 2014 season on schedule in Daytona in February but was not able to return to his winged sprint car until July 17 at Tri-City Motor Speedway in Auburn, Mich., where he surprised the crowd and himself when he brought home a win in his first outing. On Wednesday, July 23, Stewart hosted a sanctioned NASCAR Camping World truck series race at his own track at Eldora Speedway in Ohio, where Darrell “Bubba” Wallace took the checkered flag. A week of dirt racing and a win in his first step back in a winged sprint wasn’t enough for Stewart. In another surprise visit, racing fans learned “Smoke” had risen and made its way from Eldora Speedway to another Tri-City Speedway to get another taste of dirt on Thursday, July 24.
“Think of the thing you love the most, more than life itself, and then having it taken away for 11 1/2 months,” Stewart said. “That’s how I feel about returning to the dirt; this is my passion and where I belong.”
“Smoke” took first in his heat race at Tri-City Speedway, but toned down the speed as the dirt track developed a slippery dry slick which makes a dirt surface like walking on ice. Stewart finished the main feature in a solid sixth position in front of a welcoming and supportive crowd. Rico Abreu of Rutherford, Calif., made the trip to Tri-City Speedway to race his winged sprint and took the feature win.
“One of my best moments in racing was winning at Eldora Speedway,” Abreu said. “Winning the 4 Crown at a place like Eldora; it doesn’t get any better.”
For a driver to travel half the distance of the country to race for a few hours would seem unrealistic to most people, but to a stock car driver, it’s more than a hobby; it’s a lifestyle, a family. The dirt is where Dale Earnhardt, Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Carl Edwards and Clint Boyer started. The sounds and smells, the roar of the engines, and the fans in the stands are why dirt track racing is still one of the most challenging and rewarding sports.
Tri-City Speedway is investing in the community and giving back to the area by making additions to their program and property. Saturday, Aug. 16, is the tentative plan to open the new Tri-City quarter-midget track and open the doors to the new banquet center next to Tri-City Speedway at 5100 Nameoki Road.
“We have partnered with the Metro St. Louis Quarter-Midget Racing Association and are building the track for the future generations of drivers,” Tri-City Speedway owner Tammy Gundaker said. “We’re doing everything nonprofit and have set a goal to soon host the Quarter-Midget Grands now that we can meet all the requirements.”
Along with the quarter-midget track, Kevin and Tammy Gundaker has purchased the vacant bowling alley and are redesigning it into a banquet center, lounge and grill. Sand volleyball courts are being installed with a mini-league running from Sept. 3 through the end of October.
“We want to offer something new and different for our community while giving back and building up a new area,” Gundaker said. “We want to work with other local businesses and be able to provide services with our facility and ground; we have 43 acres.”
The Grace Center of Crystal City, Mo., has taken the Gundakers up on their community outreach by allowing the Gospel Tent Meeting to hold a revival in the large lot of grass in front of the racetrack on Nameoki Road. The tent will be set up Saturday, Aug. 2, and will be open every night for two weeks, with the exception of race nights on Fridays. This revival is non-denominational and will be conducted by evangelist Carl Duff. Local pastors and churches are invited. Services will start at 7 p.m.
Bigfoot has scheduled an event with Tri-City Speedway on Saturday, Oct. 11. Tri-City is offering a free open house from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. with a car crush demonstration at 1 p.m. The main event with Bigfoot begins at 4:30 p.m. with a pit party and the monster truck event with a general admission cost of $10 for all seats. Children are invited to “trick or treat” during the pit party.
“We have so much going at the track and it’s so exciting to open so many more opportunities to work with our neighbors and our community,” Gundaker said. “We’re thrilled these goals are finally being met and we can give back to our area.”
Tri-City is offering a fan appreciation night on Friday, Aug. 8, with fans paying half-price tickets and the nickel race for children. Tri-City also is giving away 50 free bikes to children on fan appreciation night.
“We are a family facility and this is a family sport,” Gundaker said. “We want to keep kids and parents involved with local racing; they are the future drivers.”
You can visit Tri-City Speedway online at www.tricityspeedway.net for ticket and event information.