ONA, WV-Following three straight off weeks for the summer break, the Ona Speedway roars back to life on Saturday, August 7th for Jeffers Transportation & Mays Transfer Night. This will be the first of 6 big races during the late summer and fall in what is set to be some of the best action of what has been a fantastic 2021 season. With the Season Championships on Saturday, September 11th, the battle for the points championships will take center stage on August 7th.
McCam Builders Modified Preview
The drivers in the McCam Builders Modifieds will be extra excited to hit the track on August 7th as their one off week was on July 10th, making their last race all the way back on June 26th. Teams have no doubt been busy tuning on their cars to get ready for the championship stretch and the race towards the Yes Chevrolet/Yes Ford Mountaineer 100. Defending track champion Andy Booten is the only Modified driver to win more than one race and has a steady 9 point lead in the battle for the track championship. With only 3 points races remaining, the rest of the field will be looking to make up ground on Booten Saturday.
Another cool storyline to watch Saturday will be seeing how Jacob Bell does in his second start of the season in the Greg Chandler owned #88 Modified. In his first start in that car this season back on June 26th, Bell took the lead on lap 13 and over the next 17 laps stretched his lead to over 10 seconds to win in one of the most impressive runs we have seen in recent memory. The car count in the Modifieds has picked up as the year has gone on with 11 cars starting the feature the last race. It will no doubt be another great show with the Mods on Saturday.
Greg Chandler Frame & Body Sport Mod Preview
Marty Powers and Rick Watson are locked into an intense battle for the track championship in the Greg Chandler Frame & Body Sport Mods. Powers has a one point lead over Watson headed into the August 7th event with only 3 points races remaining. These two have been neck and neck all season long and that battle will continue on Saturday. In what has been a class with a lot of parity, Watson is the only repeat winner in the class this season with 2 wins.
Rocky Top’s Pizza Street Stock Preview
Clark Perry, Chris Jividen, and Tommy Rowe are locked into a tight points battle for the Rocky Top’s Pizza Street Stock track championship. Perry, who is the only one of the 3 drivers to visit victory lane this season, has a 5 point lead over Jividen and a 10 point lead over Rowe. Perry and Jividen have both been extremely fast this season but both have experienced some bad luck. Rowe, in his first season in the Street Stock, has been consistent and building speed each and every week and finds himself right in the thick of the track championship battle. While these three will have an eye on points with only 3 points races remaining, drivers Clinton Thompson and Kenny Chapman will look to turn a streak of bad luck around and return to victory lane.
McCam Builders Classic Car Preview
The battle for the track championship in the McCam Builders Classic Cars has became intense the past several weeks with second generation driver Will Hass and 2019 track champion Brad Cooper tied for the points lead with only 3 points races remaining. Hass came out strong this year, winning the first 2 races. As the season has worn on, Cooper has picked up a ton of speed and visited victory lane back on June 26th Over the past few races, Hass and Cooper have battled it out on track in some clean, intense battles for position. It’s a championship race between these two that is sure to thrill the fans on August 7th and the rest of the season.
Contempo Trophy & Awards U Car Preview
The Contempo Trophy & Awards U Car class has always been highly competitive at Ona. This year that has been taken to a new level. Chris Deskins, Tim Cassidy, Keith Watson, and Danny Keyser have all grabbed wins in the class this year with Deskins the only driver in the class with multiple wins with 2. The battle for the points championship is just as competitive as Watson holds a 5 point lead over David Adkins, 6 point lead over Rebuen Fetty and Chris Deskins, and a 12 point lead over Cassidy. The August 7th race will be extremely important as it is the next to last points race of the year for the class. How they finish Saturday will make up the championship scenario on September 11th.
The reason that August 7th is the next to last points race is the VORES Compact Touring Series will be at the track on August 21st for the Freedom Used Autos Fly By 40 in what will be the largest compact race in the history of the track. This race will be a non-points race for the U Car’s with it being a sanctioned special event. That will make the August 7th race all that more important as it will be the final chance to get cars tuned for the big show on August 21st.
Southern Ohio Speed INEX Legends Car Pro Preview
It has been quite the year for Steve Swann in the Southern Ohio Speed INEX Legends Car Pro class. Swann leads the class in wins with 3 and has a healthy 19 point lead with 3 races remaining. A battle that has been setting up in this class is between Swann and Jake Keaton. Keaton has finished second in his first two Legends Car starts. One of those was to Swann and the other was to North Carolina driver Tyler Lester. The Legends always put on a good show at Ona and it will be another great show on August 7th.
Keaton’s Collision Center INEX Legends Car Semi-Pro Preview
The Keaton’s Collision Center INEX Legends Car Semi-Pro class has been unpredictable with some of the most exciting, wild racing of all the classes at the track. The points battle is tight in this class with Matthew Martin holding a slim 2 point lead over Newton Moore, 4 point lead over Zach Steele, 8 point lead over Dale Garrett, and a 9 point lead over Will Geer. Brad Bowen in 6th is still within striking distance at only 14 points back. Martin is the only driver with a repeat win in the class at two wins. The August 7th race will be another important race in setting up who will become the 2021 track champion with only 3 races remaining.
Chandler Auto Performance Crazy Compact Preview
Evan Proctor’s first career win back on July 10th setup a close battle for the track championship in the Chandler Auto Performance Crazy Compact division with only 2 points races remaining. Kassidee Bush has held the points lead for much of the season and holds a slim 4 point lead over Evan Proctor. Rex Burton has had an impressive rookie season, sitting 3rd in points, only 12 points back while Stacie Watson has rebounded to have a strong year after a rough opening race to be fourth in points, only 13 points back. Just like with the U Car class, the August 7th race will be extra intense as how this race finishes will setup the Season Championship race on September 11th.
Season of Parity
A huge storyline in 2021 has been the parity seen in most classes. Outside of the Late Model class where Jake Keaton has won every race, the Legends Car Pro class where Steve Swann has won 3 races, and the Crazy Compact class where Thomas Bailey has won 3 races, all other classes have only had only 1 repeat winner. Will see more first time winners this season on August 7th?
Times and Admission Prices
Pit gates will open on August 7th at 2:00 pm with practice from 2:00 pm until 5:00 pm. Qualifying will take place at 6:00 pm with racing at 7:00 pm. General admission is only $10 for ages 15 and up, $5 for ages 11-14, and free for ages 10 and under. All access pit passes are only $30 for ages 15 and up, $15 for ages 11-14, and free for ages 10 and under.
Thursday Practice
The speedway will be open on Thursday, August 5th for an open practice from 5:00 pm until dark. Pit passes are only $5 while the cost to practice a race car is only $20.
For more information visit www.onaspeedway.com.
