EDNA, Texas – After the rebirth of racing at Texana Raceway Park this season, the 5/16 mile, semi-banked, paperclip-shaped, black gumbo track held its first big event with the Summer Showdown. The event featured increased payouts for the four classes over the two-day racing show. The Limited Modifieds would run for $1,000 to win, while the Mod-Lites, Street Stocks and Pure Stock all featured a $750 to win pay out.

After closing midway through the 2015 season and remaining silent during 2016, Tony Blankenship approached the owner late in 2016 about renting the facility. Once an agreement was in place, Blankenship and really only two employees put together a schedule for 2017, with hopes of going on, while staying focused on the present.

The track has some innovations to keep everyone entertained and try to bring new racers into the fold. For the kids there’s the Texana School Bus rides during intermission. For potential racers the track has rent-a-cars available for anyone wanting to give it a try before jumping in with both feet. Coming ideas include kids riding in a racecar where some lucky 50-50 winner will get to pick his driver for a spin around the track in a two-seat racecar.

So far the year has been successful with all the classes having good car counts on their bi-weekly program. Blankenship, a former racer and car owner, has got TRP headed in the right direction, despite no track operating experience.

This weekend was their first shot at a big show, with an open practice on Thursday night, followed by two days of racing. Friday night’s action included heats and qualifiers to start to set the fields for Saturday big A-mains. Eight cars from each class will lock themselves in for Saturday, with others having another chance to make the field on Saturday.

Two Corpus Christi aces split Limited Modified qualifiers

It was a pair of hot shoes from Corpus Christi taking the honors for night in the Limited Modified along with three other drivers from each qualifier locking themselves into Saturday nights A-main.

In the first qualifier Lawrence Mikulencak got the lead early chased by Shane Hoefling, Broc Bowen and Marcus Mikulencak, who went three wide for second. Hoefling secured the spot and tracked down L. Mikulencak for the lead. Hoefling began putting the pressure on taking occasional looks low in the corners.

Mikulencak nearly gave up the top spot going too high in turns 1-2. Hoefling got a run alongside and dove low into turn 3, but got sideways and dodged an infield tire losing second. This gave L. Mikulencak in the Ace Transmissions, Young’s Auto Repair, 3-D Landscaping, Swenson Racing Shocks, All in Designs, Mattress Firm, Texas Battery, Spreen Racing Engines, Frankenstein II Chassis an easy run to the checkers.

Limited Modified A-qualifiers (top 4 from each)

A-qualifier 1; 87 Lawrence Mikulencak, 56 Broc Bowen, 63 Shane Hoefling, 03 Marcus Mikulencak, 63s Chase Sanchez, j55 Jason Edwards, 04 Jacob Burnett, 18 Larry Jernigan, 175 Jason Beckner, 10 Caleb Hudgeons

The second Limited Modified qualifier was all Steve Whiteaker jr. as he took command from the drop of the green pulling away from Corey Babbitt, Logan Schunka, Edward Oakes and Dustin Butcher. By halfway Whiteaker had built a huge lead on Babbitt, who had a gap back to the third place fight.

Schunka, Oakes and Butcher slugged it for the final spot as the lap clicked off. With two to go Butcher got alongside Oakes, but Oakes held the position. Up front it was Whiteaker in the DS&S Construction, Cotrell Racing, Performance Graphics, WW Bodies, Churchs Chicken,raceontexas.com, Nasty Cookers, Rhino Rearends, Fletcher Race Engines, Hughes by 89 Motorsports Chassis, cruising to the checkers.

A-qualifier 2; 89c Steve Whiteaker jr., 1 Corey Babbitt, 07 Logan Schunka, 99 Edward Oakes, 90k Dustin Butcher, 184 Brian Rye, 115 Jack Barfield, 174 Mickey Helms, 747 GW Hessong

Limited Modified heat (to set line ups for qualifiers)

Heat 1; 63 Shane Hoefling, 87 Lawrence Mikulencak, 56 Broc Bowen, 03 Marcus Milulencak, 63s Chase Sanchez, 175 Jason Beckner, 10 Caleb Hudgeons, 04 Jacon Burnett, j55 Jason Edwards, 18 Larry Jernigan

Heat 2; 07 Logan Schunka, 89c Steve Whiteaker jr., 99 Edward Oakes, 1 Corey Babbitt, 90k Dustin Butcher, 184 Brian Rye, 174 Mickey Helms, 747 GW Hessong, 115 Jack Barfield

In the Street Stocks it was a pair of local drivers scoring the wins in their 15-lap qualifiers.

The first was a rock ’em, sock ’em affair that was dotted with several cautions. At the start, Adrian Awalt got out front trailed by Jason Fitch, Adam Moyer, Justin Boop and Kyle Speer. A. Awalt would give up the lead with a spin in turn 4 giving the top spot to Fitch.

Just as Fitch began to get some distance on the field a caution restacked the field. On the restart Fitch got away clean while Moyer, Lynn Fox and Mickey Helms scrapped for second. At the checkers it was Fitch in the Energy Waste Rentals & Service Chevy with the win.

Street Stock qualifiers (top 4 from each to A-main)

A-qualifier 1; 23f Jason Fitch, 14m Adam Moyer, 35 Mickey Helms, 14 Lynn Fox, 76 Justin Airhart, 355 Justin Boop, 74 Travis Schmidt, 21 Lee Awalt, 17 Adrian Awalt, 29 Jason Jennings, 52 Kyle Speer, 77 Chris Shafer—dns

The second was quite a bit tamer with only one caution during the event. Michale Pesek got the early advantage over Jarrett Barber, Monty Chamberlain, Lucky Gilbert and Joe Boop. While Pesek and Barber checked out, Boop, Brad Hayes, Gilbert and Adam Perks fought for the lucky transfer spot.

Barber gave Pesek a run at the end as laps wound down. Barber was able get alongside Pesek for the lead with two to go. Pesek would hang on to the top spot for the win while Hayes out muscled the four-car pack to get the last qualifying spot.

A-qualifier 2; 22p Michale Pesek , 19 Jarrett Barber, 57 Monty Chamberlain, 5 Brad Hayes, 12 Adam Perks, 67 Joe Boop, 36 Lucky Gilbert, 69 Jason Bloom, 11k Shawn Kline—dns, 26 Ryan Lewis—dns, 4t Raymond Valenta—dns

Street Stock heats (to set line ups for qualifiers)

Heat 1; 23f Jason Fitch, 22p Michale Pesek, 14m Adam Moyer, 69 Jason Bloom, 29 Jason Jennings, 4t Raymond Valenta, 21 Lee Awalt, 26 Ryan Lewis

Heat 2; 57 Monty Chamberlain, 14 Lynn Fox, 19 Jarrett Barber, 52 Kyle Speer, 5 Brad Hayes, 35 GW Hessong, 36 Lucky Gilbert, 74 Travis Schmidt

Heat 3; 17 Adrian Awalt, 12 Adam Perks, 355 Justin Boop, 67 Joe Boop, 76 Justin Airhart, 11k Shawn Kline, 77 Chris Shafer

In the first Pure Stock qualifier two local drivers battled throughout the 15-lapper for the win. GW Hessong grabbed the lead on lap 1 pursued by Joseph Snow, Mickey Helms, Mason Casteneda and Edward Oakes. Snow kept the heat on Hessong for the lead and got the nose out front on lap 8.

The two continued to run door to door with Hessong regaining the lead on lap 9. With two to go Hessong slipped high in turn 3 giving Snow the opening he needed to slip past and go on to the victory in the US Army Chevy.

Pure Stock qualifiers (top 4 from each to A-main)

A-qualifier 1; 01 Joseph Snow, 32h GW Hessong, 28m Mason Casteneda, 3 Mike Moseley, 35 Mickey Helms, 7b Mark Bundren, 28 Jeremy Tremble, 08 Chance Frysak, 37 Erica Vaccaro, 355 Jason Fitch, 21 Edward Oakes

The second qualifier saw two of the Houston area young guns in the running for the victory. Beau Begnaud was out front by a nose as he ran side by side with Johnny Westfall on lap 1. Begnaud secured the spot on lap 2 leaving Westfall battling with Dylan Elasko.

Elasko got second from Westfall after an early restart. Begnaud and Elasko then were able to pull away from the pack as the laps clicked off. At the checkers it was Begnaud in the Trackside Motorsports, DRS Racing Shocks, Holy Moly Chassis.

A-qualifier 2; 32 Beau Begnaud, 41 Dylan Elasko, 34 Ryan Carlucci, 9 Johnny Westfall, 48c Martin Koehne, 99 Brice Baros, 15d Jamie Dear, 8 Ricky Konvicka, 14 Lloyd Williams, 19 Mike Horelka, 63j Joe Dee Johnson, 6c Nathan Corpus—dns

Pure Stocks heats (to set line ups for qualifiers)

Heat 1; 32h GW Hessong, 32 Beau Begnaud, 21 Edward Oakes, 48c Martin Koehne, 3 Mike Moseley, 19 Mike Horelka, 7b Mark Bundren, 63 Joe Dee Johnson

Heat 2; Johnny Westfall, 01 Joseph Snow, 34 Ryan Carlucci, 14 Lloyd Williams, 6c Nathan Corpus, 37Erica Vaccaro, 8 Ricky Konvicka, 08 Chance Frysak

Heat 3; 35 Mickey Helms, 41 Dylan Elasko, 28m Mason Casteneda, 15d Jamie Dear, 355 Jason Fitch, 99 Brice Baros, 28 Jeremy Trimble—dns

Corey Babbitt took off at the start of the 15-lap Mod Lite qualifier #1. He quickly pulled away from Josh Wetzel, Risk Adcock, Greg Sexton jr. and Taylor Hunter. Babbitt had a huge lead when caution brought the field back together. On green Babbitt quickly got away from Wetzel and Hunter wheel to wheel for second.

The two continued to fight it out with Hunter putting a slide job on Wetzel. Wetzel gave up the spot, and more with a spin and trip through the infield late. Meanwhile, Babbitt was cruising away building another large advantage to get the win.

Mod Lite qualifiers (top 4 from each to A-main)

A-qualifier 1; 99 Corey Babbitt, 3 Taylor Hunter, 3a Rick Adcock, 5 Christopher Hogan, 13 Greg Sexton jr., 25 Dylan Budnick, 12 Dillon Coyne, 10 Douglas Wright, 73 Brent Brocker, 11 Ken Busterbaum, 88 Josh Wetzel, 50p Robert Pollard

The second Mod Lite qualifier saw Todd Barrett jump out front, but red quickly waved after a multi-car tangle in turn 3. Duane Williams got the worst of it when he rolled his car in the melee. No one was injured, except some feelings.

Barrett again got the jump on green trailed by Bryan Henry, Aaron Stephens Scott Adams and Victor Vargas. Henry was able to snag the point on lap 4 from Barrett, then go on the checkers.

A-qualifier 2; 5j Bryan Henry, 1 Aaron Stephens, 15 Scott Adams, 15j Todd Barrett, 9 Nicholas Hunter, 22 Mike Christians, 34 Steve Pollard, 24 Victor Vargas, 50 Gerald Book, 65 Buck McFarlin, 99 Gary Buchanan, 40 Duane Williams

Mod Lite heats (to set line ups for qualifiers)

Heat 1; 88 Josh Wetzel, 15j Todd Barrett, 3a Rick Adcock, 22 Mike Christians, 3 Taylor Hunter, 40 Duane Williams, 50p Robert Pollard, 34 Steve Pollard

Heat 2; 15 Scott Adams, 13 Greg Sexton jr., 1 Aaron Stephens, 11 Ken Busterbaum, 65 Buck McFarlin, 25 Dylan Budnick, 99 Gary Buchanan, 10 Douglas Wright

Heat 3; 99b Corey Babbitt, 5j Bryan Henry, 5 Christopher Hogan, 24 Victor Vargas, 12 Dillon Coyne, 9 Nicholas Hunter, 73 Brent Brocker, 50 Gerald Book