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Back on track

Thunder Ridge brings good show to Craig Saturday night

Nate Waggenspack
HD Craig (No. 3) and Gregg Kolbaba (No. 55) jockey for position during the modified stock car race at Thunder Ridge Motorsports Park Saturday night. Craig won the race.
Nate Waggenspack

Results ...

Winners from Thunder Ridge Motorsports Park Aug. 25:

Hobby Stock: Andrew George No. 76

Super Stock: Don Hoselton No. 44

Modified: HD Craig No. 3HD

Late model: Jason Davis No. 29

Quotable

“We were talking in the pits and we decided we were just going to have fun out there. I don’t think any one of us was pushing it really, super hard, but everyone has stepped their game up. The track was probably the fastest it’s been, so it was a lot of fun.”

—Gregg Kolbaba, Thunder Ridge owner, about the races Saturday night

Quotable

“We were talking in the pits and we decided we were just going to have fun out there. I don’t think any one of us was pushing it really, super hard, but everyone has stepped their game up. The track was probably the fastest it’s been, so it was a lot of fun.”

—Gregg Kolbaba, Thunder Ridge owner, about the races Saturday night

Dirt track racing is still trying to get over the economic hump.



Saturday night was a more successful one at Thunder Ridge Motorsports Park, with 14 cars, five races and large crowds sticking around throughout, but track owner Gregg Kolbaba knows there is still potential for more.

“It felt like a regular race,” Kolbaba said. “If we had the car count up things would actually be pretty good.”



The biggest draw for the night was meant to be a race of late model cars, a variety that is more powerful than the hobby and modified stock cars most commonly seen at Thunder Ridge. Kolbaba said he had seven late model drivers who had told him they would be there, but only two showed up.

“For whatever reason, that’s the way it’s working right now,” Kolbaba said. “Rock Springs (Wyo.) had a sprint car race where they were supposed to have 20 cars. They only got seven. At Olathe it’s the same thing.”

While the late model race was not as busy as hoped, fans were still treated to competitive performances in the hobby stock and modified races, with drivers regularly making passes and contesting each other for the lead throughout.

In the hobby stock race, Andrew George of Steamboat Springs took first after starting in third position and making a couple key passes over the course of the 20 laps.

The modified race produced a similar result, with HD Craig coming from the back to win.

“We were talking in the pits and we decided we were just going to have fun out there,” said Kolbaba, who participated in the modified race. “I don’t think any one of us was pushing it really, super hard, but everyone has stepped their game up. The track was probably the fastest it’s been, so it was a lot of fun.”

While his late model show did not go as planned, Kolbaba said Saturday was still one of track’s better nights this season.

“We’ve had a little higher car count before, but everybody was having a good time,” he said. “It looked pretty decent over there with the spectators.”

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