I-30 Speedway Kicks Off 2K10 with Fourth Annual 600 Nationals!

Lonnie Wheatley, LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (February 25, 2010) – Little Rock’s I-30 Speedway closed out the 2009 season in top style with another rousing rendition of the ever popular Short Track Nationals featuring the Lucas Oil Sprint Cars.

Now, thanks to a curve ball hurled by Mother Nature last September, the high-banked I-30 Speedway will kick off its 2010 campaign with another high profile event in the form of the Fourth Annual 600 Nationals presented by Hoosier Tires on March 11-13.

Originally scheduled for last September 17-19 only to be postponed by torrential Arkansas rains, one hundred or so of the nation’s top 600cc Outlaw Micro Sprint teams will converge upon Little Rock’s I-30 Speedway in just two weeks to vie for the $8,000 winner’s share with each of the Saturday night feature starters collecting a minimum of $500.

The weekend also includes the Third Annual Landers Harley-Davidson $1,000-to-win Horizon Mini Sprint Nationals.

Following a Test N' Tune session on Wednesday night, March 10, two full nights of preliminary competition rather than the one night of previous years will lead into Saturday night's 600 Nationals championship finale. Originally posted as a $7,500 to win event, an extra $500 was added to the top spot courtesy of K&W Truck Repair in Searcy, AR.

All entries may compete on either of the qualifying nights or both of the qualifying nights, with the top four from each qualifying night main event locked into Saturday night's Pole Dash, which sets the starting grid for the front four rows of the championship finale.

All others outside the top four on each qualifying night will battle through a full card of heats and qualifiers to set the balance of Saturday night's main event lineup.

All non-qualifiers will collect $275 on Saturday night.

All paid entries from the originally scheduled September event will be honored with new entries accepted for just $150 until March 10. Entries submitted after March 10 will be $250.

The weekend also includes the Third Annual Landers Harley Davidson Horizon Mini-Sprint Nationals. The Horizon Mini-Sprints take to the track on both Friday and Saturday, with Friday's top six finishers locked into Saturday night's $1,000-to-win main event.

After topping the inaugural version of the event in 2006, Osceola's Travis Senter, Jr., defended his home-state turf for the second time in three tries by besting a field of 110 entries in 2008. Jerrod Wilson took the winner's loot across state lines to Oklahoma in 2007.

Pertinent 600 Nationals Information:

What: Fourth Annual 600 Nationals presented by Hoosier Tires & I-30 Speedway and Third Annual Landers Harley Davidson Horizon Mini-Sprint Nationals

Where: I-30 Speedway (Little Rock, AR). I-30 Speedway is located seven miles southwest of Little Rock off I-30 Exit 126 (Alexander Road).

When: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, March 10-13, 2010; Wednesday Test N' Tune session begins at 6:00 p.m.; Thursday, Friday and Saturday – gates open at 5:00 p.m., with racing at 7:30 p.m.

Entry Info: All paid entries originally filed for the September event will be honored. New entries postmarked by March 10 are just $150. Entries submitted after the March 10 pre-entry deadline will be $250. Entry forms may be obtained at http://www.i-30speedway.com/600nationals.html or by calling the track at 501-455-4567.

Admission: Wednesday Test N' Tune is free at the front gate. Adult admission is $5 on Thursday, $10 on Friday and $10 on Saturday. Children ages 6-12 are just $1 on Thursday and Friday and $2 on Saturday.

Wednesday Test N' Tune pit passes are $10. Thursday and Friday pit passes are $25 each night, with Saturday pit passes at $30. Three-night pit passes (Thursday, Friday and Saturday) will be available for $75.

Format: Once again, a version of the Sprint Bandits popular format of heats and qualifying races will be in place for all three nights of competition. Each night, Heat Races will be aligned according to the pre-race draw, with the passing points system in effect. A subsequent set of Last Chance Races followed by Qualifying Races, with passing points again in effect, will set each night's feature lineup.

The top four from Thursday night's feature and the top four from Friday night's feature will be locked into the championship feature event and will run in Saturday night's Pole Dash to determine the alignment of the front four rows of the 600 Nationals championship feature event. The top six from Friday night’s Horizon Mini Sprint main event lock into Saturday night’s Pole Dash, which sets the alignment of the first three rows of the main event.

For more information regarding the Fourth Annual 600 Nationals, check www.i-30speedway.com or contact the track at 501-455-4567.