Thursday, June 29, 2000

checkered flag
Destruction Derby to be held Saturday at Abilene Speedway
Drag-strip meeting is tonight in Baird
By Ted Dunnam

A smashing good time will be had by all — or at least one — when the Prime Equipment Co., Destruction Derby is held Saturday night at Abilene Speedway.

The lone survivor of the event will pocket $750.

The destruction derby is just part of a busy slate at the Speedway. In addition to the regularly scheduled classes of cars, the V-8 sprint cars return.

At intermission, the Sweetwater Body Shop spectator races will be held. Fans may bring their car out of the parking lot for one-on-one single-elimination one-lap races with the overall winner receiving $50.

Gates open at 6 p.m. and races start at 8 p.m.

General admission is $8 for adults and $3 for kids ages 6-12. More information is available at (915) 692-8800 or (915) 698-4029.

Drag strip update

Star of Texas Raceway promoters Paul Lenker and Mike Dohrse are scheduled to have a meeting with the residents of Baird at 7 p.m. today at the community center.

The meeting is a continuing effort by Lenker and Dohrse to have an International Hot Rod Association-sanctioned national events track in the Big Country.

There are several IHRA tracks in Texas, but none host national events.

“The purpose is to let everybody know what about this track,’’ Dohrse said. “We’ve been invited by the leadership of Baird to make a presentation, and we’ll present facts about the track.

“It’s an exchange of information and I’m sure there will be a question-and-answer session afterward.’’

Dohrse said he and Lenker have been contacted by communities other than Baird.

“We don’t have anything set up with those towns,’’ Dohrse said. “We’re very impressed with Baird’s extremely positive can-do attitude, and by the population in general.’’

However, the door remains open elsewhere, Lenker said.

“I would say we’ve been solicited by people in every direction within a 20-25 minute radius of Abilene, and one as far as 40 miles away,’’ Lenker said. “They’ve given us a pitch and we’ve given them one.

“There have been offers of land and other amenities in every instance. Some of the efforts have been coordinated and others have just been expressing a strong interest. But in each and every case, they’ve contacted us first.’’

Contact assistant sports editor Ted Dunnam at 676-6771 or dunnamt@abinews.com. We are on the Web at sports.texnews.com.