Bullet crew members continue to gather at the race shop a couple of times a
week to work on the Predator chassis. "Our goal is to have the car ready
for Winchester or Myrtle Beach," stated Team Manager Bill Harkins. The car
will be ready sooner than that, but not in time for South Georgia, and since we
have no experience at Langley, Winchester seemed the most likely choice
Going back to Bullet's early days with the ProCup Series Winchester Speedway has
been a favorite of the team. We thought it might be of interest to
our fans and friends to read a little bit about Winchester Speedway's storied
past.
It has a legendary feel, and rightfully so. It was the world's first
half-mile oval race track and, to this day, remains one of the steepest and
fastest half-mile tracks in the country. Its every nook and cranny has seen many
of the legends of short track stock car racing, and all of racing in general,
pass over it at one point or another. It has seen some of the best racing
moments in stock car racing, some of the worst accidents and plenty of
heart-warming and heart-breaking moments.
Winchester Speedway history starts in 1916 with Frank Funk. The track was the
first half-mile oval in the United States, which was made out of a clay surface.
It is the oldest running short track in operation, and falls second to the famed
Indianapolis Motor Speedway as the oldest speedways still under operation. The
first season began with three scheduled events. The first show was much less
than a success, which carried over into the track's second race, where only a
few fans returned.
The track has always been and remains a staple for both stock car and open wheel
racing. Some of the best drivers in the country regularly flock with some of the
best sanctioning bodies in the country to the "super-speedway short track" to
help hone their skills. Some of the top drivers in stock car racing; Mark
Martin, Rusty Wallace, Mike Eddy, Bob Senneker, Jeff Gordon, Mike Cope and Scott
Hansen, have all made Winchester Speedway their home at some time.
The track's 37 degree banking is one of the steepest in motorsports and is
known as the "World's Fastest 1/2 mile".
So, now you know a little bit about Winchester (if you were not familiar with
it) and can see why we have some affection for the place. Well, the
history and all, but we also ran well there, so that might have something to do
with it too. The team is continuing to look for a driver and sponsor that
fits with their racing style and the program they have to offer. Any
interested parties can either email the team at
bill@bullet11racing.com or by
calling 216-514-3375.
