Opening Event At Lonesome Pine Raceway Attracts Large Field Of Competitors

COEBURN, Va. – Jeff Roark was a busy man Saturday morning.
There were tires to be mounted, parts to be sold and questions to be answered.

Such is the life of a short-track operator.

While the tasks were never-ending, Roark had reason to smile before the opening event of the 2009 racing season at Lonesome Pine Raceway. As weekly track operators struggle for survival, about 70 cars in six divisions showed up at LPR on Saturday.

“This is racing the way it used to be,” Roark said. “We’ve got a great car count and some real heavy hitters in our late model division.
“I’m excited.”

The Champion

Nate Monteith is the defending champion of the elite late-model class at LPR.

The 27-year-old Bluff City, Tenn., resident has built a diverse resume, and he’s still yearning for his big break at the top levels of the sport.
For now, Monteith is content to hone his skills on the high-banked 3/8-mile asphalt oval at LPR.

“This is as bad as I’ve seen the economy since I started in racing, but we’re going to keep battling,” said Monteith, who hopes to enter an ARCA series event at Talladega Superspeedway in three weeks.

Monteith and his partner, Ben Blessing, are the co-owners of Blountville, Tenn.,-based BAM Racing. As Monteith prepared for his practice run Saturday, he was surrounded by a talent-stocked field
featuring highly-hyped teen driver Dylan Presnell, John King and LPR veteran Keith Stiltner from Buchanan County. King, who lives in Kingsport, Tenn., is associated with a driver development program directed by NASCAR legend Bill Elliott.

“I guess everybody has cabin fever and wants to get back on the track,” Monteith said. “And you can tell that racing is changing around this year. “

Many short track devotees hope the empty seats for NASCAR races will eventually translate into a revival for the grassroots of the sport.

“[Sprint] Cup racing is kind of struggling, and a lot of people are cutting back on traveling,” Monteith said. “I’ve talked to several people that have given up their season passes to Bristol Motor Speedway. Hopefully, Lonesome Pine will benefit.”

A new rule allowing the use of old tires will save late-model drivers at LPR roughly $500 per event, while the practice of double-file restarts should promote more action. The price of admission also remains $10, plus track officials have introduced new ticket packages for families.

“Everybody is kicking in and supporting each other,” Monteith said. “The racing family works like that “

The Old Guard

James Kincer is one of the most familiar faces and voices at Lonesome Pine Raceway. His role as the pit announcer dates back to 1991.
According to Kincer, the key to the durability at LPR can be traced to the personal touch. Both Roark and track general manager Harold Crook have extensive motorsports backgrounds.

“Jeff and Harold have done a fantastic job getting all these drivers out,” Kincer said. “They understand that the economy is bad, so they are willing to work with folks.”

Kincer offered several reasons why LPR has been to able to weather the economic storm clouds and compete with more high profile tracks such as Motor Mile Speedway in Radford, Va.

“A [late-model] driver might win $5,000 at Motor Mile, but he has to spend $2,000 to be competitive,” Kincer said. “Lonesome Pine has various cost-saving rules, a sanctioning agreement with the American Speed Association, and a great insurance program.”

Lynn Peters knows the story of stock car racing in the coalfields from many angles. The former car owner and public relations man said the passion for speed can override many challenges.

“Racers are going to race regardless,” Peters said. “Here at Lonesome Pine, drivers are treated with respect by owners who know what they need.”

The Warriors

Freddie Taylor, Jr. has compiled a track record that would make any NASCAR driver envious. In addition to winning about 25 races in the modified four-cylinder and Charger classes, the 27-year-old ace mechanic from Abingdon, Va., has captured five track titles.

“I’ve been around cars my whole life and I’ve been racing since about 1998,” said Taylor, who tunes the cars of several competitors. “Everybody here is like family, that’s why we keep coming back.”

Like many of the LPR regulars, Taylor feels Saturday’s large car count is indicative of a trend among motorsports fans.

“I went to the Bristol [Sprint Cup] race and left halfway because I thought it was boring,” Taylor said. “I think racing is coming back to where it started, on the short tracks.”
Kingsport resident Jeff Bobo qualifies as a hardcore racer. For the past decade, Bobo has been a regular on the entry-level Pure 4 division. Bobo has even installed a small camera in the cockpit of his battered 1986 Dodge Omni to record the action for the video file-sharing Web site, YouTube.

“I can tell you the story behind almost every bump and bruise on my car,” Bobo said. “The people out here are dedicated. They want to support their track and have a lot of fun.
“What else are you going to spend your money on? Go racing. That’s what I’m going to do. It’s a cheap form of entertainment.”

The Boss

Track general manager Harold Crook, 65, swapped handshakes and laughs as he roamed the busy infield at LPR.

Crook took time to chat with the veteran of the LPR late-model gang, former NASCAR Winston Cup competitor and current West Virginia House of Delegates member Mike Porter of Princeton, W.Va.

“It’s great to see all these racers again,” Crook said. “We have beautiful weather and a big car count.
“These aren’t easy times for short tracks, but we feel blessed here.”

The primary goal for Cook is to fill the stands at the tradition-rich track.

“We’ve done everything we could to put together a good show,” Crook said. “I believe the fans will come. And once they see how good the racing is here, they will come back.”

Roark certainly shares that hope. He brought nine cars from his Jeff Roark Motorsports stable to LPR on Saturday. That JRM racing contingent includes Roark’s 16-year-old son, Caleb, and 11-year-old daughter, Courtney.

“We realize that people are suffering in this economy,” Roark said. “Instead of paying $100 for a Sprint Cup race, they can come here for $10.

“This is your bread and butter of racing right out here. It’s a good time.”

agregory@bristolnews.com | (276) 645-2544