ERNON — Tony Stewart Racing driver Ron Combs has been competing for 30 years and said Vernon’s Twin Cities Raceway Park track was the roughest dirt track on which he has ever driven.
The fact that it rained in the two days prior to the two three-quarter midgets features Sunday night had a lot to do with that. There was a makeup from a June 3 rainout that took place prior to the regularly scheduled race.
Combs, a Greensburg resident, and his Stewart racing teammate, Callie Wolsiffer of New Palestine, came into the night as the top two drivers in points in the UMRA King of the TQ Midget series. Wolsiffer was 12 points behind Combs’ 508 points with 496, and Wolsiffer said she should still be 12 points behind after the two races.
“It was probably a wash tonight,” Combs said.
Jason Goff started the night in third place with 466 points and won the first feature race. Wolsiffer placed fourth, and Combs took seventh.
Wolsiffer said the first race helped them get a feel for the track to adjust accordingly for the second one, but Combs said there wasn’t much drivers could do to adjust the cars for such a rough track.
“The main thing is to try and drive in as straight as you can and get out straight,” Combs said. “You don’t want to get the car crossed up sideways because the rut will just take you over. Our cars are so light that one bad rut will just flip you over.”
Wolsiffer ran into some problems early in the second feature which caused her not to finish. She got hit from the back on the start, causing her to slam into the car in front of her and bend her right front shock on the car’s bumper. She continued to race for a little bit before eventually pulling out.
“It was really rough to drive into the turn and stuff,” Wolsiffer said. “It won’t compress or release or anything; it’s just stuck. It was too rough, and then with the rough track, I didn’t want to stay out there and cause an accident or get myself hurt, so I just pulled in the infield. It happens.”
Goff didn’t finish the race either, which helped Wolsiffer keep the lead she has on him. Combs finished sixth in the second feature.
The next two races will be Sept. 22 and 23 in Putnamville. The final race of the series will be Sept. 29 at Bloomington Speedway.
