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Shane Stewart Eyes Big STN Prize

The Kings Royal and the Ironman 55 are already among his 2015 triumphs. A Short Track Nationals victory to round out an already stellar year would look nice along with those.

It’s something Shane Stewart will have a chance to do as he makes his return to Little Rock’s I-30 Speedway for the 28th Annual COMP Cams Short Track Nationals presented by Hoosier Tires on October 28-31.

“That’s one race I’ve really wanted to win, I can’t wait for it,” the Bixby, OK, native says of the $15,000-to-win and $2,000-to-start event atop the high-banked, ¼-mile clay oval.

Stewart, currently ranked second in World of Outlaws Sprint Car points with Kings Royal and Ironman 55 triumphs among his nine victories this season, has been mighty close to STN glory on several occasions in the past.

Stewart has paced the Saturday night feature on at least three different occasions, including the opening 38 rounds of the 2007 edition only to settle for second after some last gasp Jason Meyers heroics.

That was one of four STN podium finishes for Stewart with another runner-up finish in 2003 to go along with a pair of third-place runs in 2009 and 2011.

A winner of two STN preliminary features in 2003 and 2007, Stewart most recently competed in the STN two years ago in 2013 when he added his eighth top ten finish in ten STN championship feature starts with a fifth-place run.

This time, Stewart will join forces with the Texas-based Scottie McDonald No. 88 Sprint Car team in a run for the $15,000 pay day.

It’s a combination that brought the curtains down on the 2014 Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour campaign with a Yuma triumph. They’ll try to duplicate that season-ending effort as the ASCS season ends with the Saturday night, October 31, 40-lap STN championship feature event.

It will be an effort against a field estimated to flirt with the 100 entry range, as entries (available at http://www.i-30speedway.com/flyers/2015STN.pdf) continue to pour into the I-30 Speedway track office.

Entries submitted by October 19 are just $150 with entries after that date at $250.

Last October, Norman, Oklahoma’s, Christopher Bell became the youngest winner of the premier 360-ci Sprint Car event by taking the checkered flag in the 40-lapper after taking command following a mid-race restart. Bell raced on to victory lane ahead of current ASCS National Tour points leader Aaron Reutzel with the rest of a powerful top five including Brian Brown, Wayne Johnson and Kevin Swindell.

The Pertinent Info:

The What: 28th Annual COMP Cams Short Track Nationals presented by Hoosier Tires.

The 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).

The When: Thursday, Friday and Saturday, October 29-31, 2015. $15,000 to win the STN finale on October 31 with $2,000 to start the STN championship feature. Race time is 7:30 p.m. each night. Rain date is November 4-7. The $2,000 to win and $200 to start Second Annual Short Track Nationals Open kicks off all the action on Wednesday, October 28, at 7:30 p.m.

The Entries: Entries are rolling in on a daily basis. Entry forms are available at http://www.i-30speedway.com/flyers/2015STN.pdf or by calling the track at 501-455-4567. Entries submitted by October 19 are just $150 with entries after that at $250.

The Format: Approximately half the field will take to the track in the Thursday night qualifying event, with the other half in Friday’s qualifying event. The popular format of heats and qualifying races will once again be in place on the Thursday and Friday qualifying nights. The top 14 in cumulative points from heats and qualifiers will be locked into that night’s main event, with two or three “B” Mains, depending upon car count, contested to fill out the qualifying night feature field.

The top three from each qualifying night will be locked into Saturday night’s $15,000-to-win, $2,000-to-start STN Championship Finale. Those six drivers will battle it out in Saturday’s Dash for Cash to determine the alignment of the front three rows of the championship main event.

The balance of the field will redraw on Saturday to set lineups for eight (8) “Saturday Night STN Showdowns”. With passing points in effect, points will be added to qualifying night point totals (heats, qualifying races and features) with the top eight (8) in total points advancing to STN feature starting positions 7-14.

The next 36 in total points will go to three “B” Mains with the remainder of the field to three “C” Mains. Top finishers from “C” Mains will move on to “B” Main action, with the top two from each “B” Main moving on to the STN finale.

Wednesday’s Short Track Nationals Open will have no impact upon Thursday, Friday or Saturday lineups, with the exception that the top finisher among Wednesday’s top four that is unable to qualify for Saturday night’s STN finale will be offered a provisional.

Wednesday’s STN Open will include heat races lined up by pill draw with passing points in effect that will set lineups for the “B” Main(s) (multiple “B” Mains if necessary depending upon car count) and “A” Main. A Dash for the top six in passing points will set the first three rows of the feature with at least $1,100 (400, 225, 175, 125, 100, 75) to be distributed among those in the Dash.

The Past Winners: Christopher Bell (2014), Sammy Swindell (2013, 2011 and 1990), Paul McMahan (2012 and 2002), Brad Sweet (2010), Tony Bruce, Jr. (2009 and 2008), Jason Meyers (2007), Jason Johnson (2006), Tim Montgomery (2005), Gary Wright (2004, 2003, 1999 and 1995), Jason Sides (2001), Mike Ward (2000), Tim Crawley (1998), Wayne Johnson (1997), Pete Butler (1996), Terry Gray (1994), John Gerloff (1993), Steve Kinser (1991, ’89 and ‘88). 1992 finale was rained out.

The Tickets: Advance tickets for either three or four nights are on sale through Monday, October 26, no advance sales after that. Single night tickets are not available in advance. Tickets ordered in advance are just $64 for all four nights (Wednesday through Saturday) or $53 for three nights (Thursday through Saturday) with $1 off if paying cash.

Day of show prices are $16 on Wednesday, $21 on Thursday and Friday and $29 on Saturday.

Children's tickets will be available at the event only for just $2 on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and then $5 on Saturday.

To order tickets in advance or for more information, call the track at 501-455-4567 or e-mail orders to raceytlc@sbcglobal.net.

Pit passes are $30 on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and $35 on Saturday.

The Trade Show & Midway: This year’s rendition of the Short Track Nationals will also include the Eleventh Annual Short Track Nationals Trade Show & Midway. Fans, drivers & crews will have the opportunity to visit vendor displays, which opens at noon on Wednesday and then at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The deadline for guaranteed vendor space is Monday, October 26. Inquiries regarding vendor space should be directed to dssm93@msn.com.

For more information regarding the 28th Annual COMP Cams Short Track Nationals presented by Hoosier Tires, contact I-30 Speedway at 501-455-4567 or check online at http://www.i-30speedway.com/shorttracknationals.html.

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