PURKEY BRINGS IMPROVED PROGRAM TO THUNDER HILL
Six-time champion Al Purkey says that his racing program is “much improved” over 2009, a statement which ought to make his fellow MLRA competitors nervous. For the first time in his 30 years of racing, Purkey wheeled another owner’s car – Bill Koons of Omaha. By most standards, Purkey’s 2009 season wasn’t bad – two regional touring wins in 58 starts. By Al’s, however, it wasn’t great. “It was different,” the Coffeyville, KS resident said. “For the first time, my race car was 300 miles away and I couldn’t work on it every night. That was hard for me to get used to, and I think it affected my performance. So we made some changes over the winter and worked on our communication, and we’re much improved this year.”
The most major change was a switch back to Purkey’s familiar Shaw chassis from the Rockets that Koons owned. “Look, there’s nothing wrong with Rocket chassis,” he said. “They win all over the country, including around here. They’re great cars. But I think the Shaw has just always been a better fit with me and the way I like to drive. Larry has always been great to work with, and I know what changes to make on those cars to make them work. The last 10 years, we won one out of every five races in Shaw cars, and won two out of 58 last year.”
Although Purkey’s 2009 schedule did not include Thunder Hill, as the late models were absent from the high banks last year, one of his first races in Koons’ Rockets was at Thunder on the Hill in 2008. “That was a pretty decent weekend,” he told us. “We weren’t that fast on Friday, but we were running second on Saturday and catching [eventual winner Jesse] Stovall when a ball joint broke. The last few years, we’ve ran well at Mayetta but not finished that well. I like the place, though, and we won a TORA race there a few years back.” Purkey’s focus on a seventh MLRA title this year will bring him to the high banks twice: This Saturday, May 22, and in October for the two-day “Thunder on the Hill” program which will complete the 2010 MLRA tour.
Although MLRA is expected to bring over 30 late model stars to the Mayetta, KS, speedplant, they will also attract one of the nation’s top IMCA Stock Car drivers. Three-time IMCA National Stock Car Champion Mike Nichols, of Harlan, Iowa, won the Opening Night IMCA Stock Car feature at Thunder Hill, and on May 9th of this year became only the sixth driver in IMCA history to win 200 IMCA sanctioned features. Nichols said, “I like Thunder Hill. I had a great time there on Opening Night. To be honest,” he laughed, “I’m coming down to see the Late Model show as much as I am to race.” Nichols will face stiff competition from points leaders Eric Weyer, Jim Powell, and Tim Lange, among other drivers.
The MLRA Late Models will be joined by the weekly IMCA racing program of Modifieds, Stock Cars, Northern SportMods, and Hobby Stocks. In the Hobby Stock division, Levi Gunn leads the standings by only one point over Brian Stich, while in the Stock Car division, Eric Weyer maintains a scant 2-point advantage over Jim Powell. Kyle Olberding has an eight-marker advantage over Mike Taylor in the Northern SportMod class, and Justin Becker leads IMCA Modified points by 4 over two-time feature winner Jordy Nelson.
This Saturday, May 22, the Lucas Oil MLRA Late Models will join the IMCA Weekly Series at Thunder Hill. Pit Gates open at 4:00 PM, grandstand gates at 5:00 PM, with the driver’s meeting set for 6:15. Hot laps will hit the track at 6:30, with the first heat at 7:30 PM. Pit passes will be $30.00. Grandstand general admission is $15.00, Seniors 65 and up are $13.00 each, kids 6-12 are $10.00, and kids 5 and under are free. Thunder Hill Speedway is located at 11995 142nd Road in Mayetta, KS (2 miles West of US-75 and 142nd Road). For more information, please visit http://www.racethunderhillspeedway.com. |
