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By:

Jerry Curry, Staff Writer

Jacob Robertson won the Ford Figure-8 races Friday and Saturday and was the fastest qualifier.

Young Chase Bohanon was the Bandeleros winner.

Max Olmsted won the Legends race Friday evening.

Brian Rose was the Salem Super Cars winner Friday.

Galen Clark was the Legends race winner Saturday.

Kade Cook was the Oval race winner Saturday.

The family of Red Worrall was on hand for the inaugural Red Worrall Big Bang 100 race for Ford Crown Vics.

Chuck Barnes, Jr. was the winner of the CRA/GAS Firecracker 200.

Ronnie Basham was winner of the Red Worrall Big Bang 100.

All photographs by Jim Michels

The Salem Speedway powered by the Hoosier Lottery was alive with racing for two days July 5 and 6. Some groups ran both days supporting the main feature races on the high banks.

A new format was introduced by setting a time limit on each race to help keep to the schedule. Basically, this amounts to about a minute per lap. Twenty-five laps/twenty-five minutes, which-ever came first. This did shorten a few races that were plagued with yellow flags. Red flag will stop the clock.

The first race Friday was the Bandoleros a entrant level group. These are scaled-down model cars with small motors with slow acceleration, but they can reach speeds of seventy miles per hour. The roof flips up so the driver can get into the car, they are that small. Winning that race was young Chase Bohanon.

Next was the next bigger division the Legend cars. The winner in that division was Max Olmsted; second place, Xavier King; and third place, Galen Clark.

Still on the small track were the Ford Crown Vics for Figure 8 excitement. The guy dominating the Ford Figure 8 races was fastest qualifier Jacob Robertson. Robertson won after holding off Alex Bube in a caution-free race.

Friday’s next raced moved to the high banks for the Salem Super Cars. This 25-lap feature was won by Brian Rose out of the Kimmel racing stable. Second was Jamie Mosley, and third Shayne Slider. These are retired ARCA race cars with crate engines to add to the close competitive race. All crate motors are the same.

The main feature was the inaugural Red Worrall Big Bang 100 for Ford Crown Vics. This race honored the memory of Red Worrall. He had a big impact on local short-track racing. He was also a giving person, and with that in mind the family started the Red Worrall Foundation. He was always there to help others in need. Worrall had also served on the Clarksville Town Council.

This race on the high banks for Ford Crown Vics paid $1500. The race was full of the usual excitement. The lead car was Ronnie Basham, driving the Jeff Roberts Ford, followed by Noah Allison and Chase Adams most of the race. It the last laps, when the pressure is on to go for it, Allison got shuffled back to eighth place. Basham won holding off second-place Dillion Kaelin and third-place Chase Adams.

Saturday’s race started with a short track Ford Crown Vic race for 25 laps on this flat track. Pulling out the win was Nick Cook; second-place Brandon Decker; and third-place, Nick Payne.

The second Ford Figure 8 with a 22-car field was again won by Jacob Robertson with Alex Bube second and third was Kyle LaFever. It was a three-car battle

The Legend cars returned Saturday with Galen Clark the winner, second Ashton Murello, and third, Xavier King.

The main event was the Washington County Tourist Firecracker 200 for the GAS/CRA cars. There were a few yellows in this race, but it lasted the whole 200 laps. Caution laps count in this race until the end so it doesn’t end under caution. In this race there was a competition stop at the half way mark for 10 minutes. A horn marks the time to start and blows again after the ten minutes is over. The crew can change two tires, make adjustments and add gas with the car still on the track.

The twist at the stop was a pill drawn for the top eight cars to draw for places in the restart. Chuck Barnes Jr, who lead most of the way, was second. He continued to dominate until the end. He had to hold off a very determined Brett Hudson that challenged him the last few laps. In the mix was Heath Helton who finished third behind Hudson. This was a 22-car field with 14 cars finishing on the lead lap. All restarts use the choose cone in all divisions. This symbol is painted on the track. Definitely shuffles the field at times.

At the Choose Cone a driver can pick which lane is wants high or low. The high side is usual best on the high banks but the low side the driver may gain positions.

The next race is the ARCA Menards series plus the GAS division on Saturday, July 27.

By Jerry Curry, Staff Writer

Salem Speedway, fueled by the Hoosier Lottery, will present "Semis on the High Banks" Saturday, June 22.

First there will be 10-lap heat races. Then, American Big Rig Racing Series will race for 30 laps on the High Banks of Salem Speedway.

The American Big Rig Racing Series is a traveling division. Supporting this group will be the popular On Site Plumbing Heating & Air 25-lap race on the small track.

The Scrappers will have a 25-lap Kidney Bean feature on the small track. Next, Mike’s Muffler & Brake Crown Vics on the High Banks for thirty-five laps of action.

Racing starts at 7 p.m.

Here are the entries for the TLG Peterbilt of Louisville 30. Notice that Brian “The Salem Slayer” is first on the list and more may join:

By Jerry Curry, Staff Writer

The Salem Speedway fueled by The Hoosier Lottery was the second leg of “The King of The High Banks.”

The first stop of this series, that includes the Vores Compact Tour, The Midwest Modifieds Tour and the CRA Street Stock/Diesel Boys Gas Series, was at Bristol Speedway in Tennessee. Collective points will be awarded at each track for the driver in each series. The three winners in each series will be the King and receive a ring.

The last time The Midwest Modified had been at the Salem track was June 6, 2009.

In that time things have improved, and Chuck Barnes Jr. set a new track qualification record at 17.332 sec. for an average speed of over 115 M.P.H.

Barnes Jr. also did double duty in his Gas car in a later race.

First on the high bank track were the VORES Compact Tour with a 40-lap race.

This race was plagued with a few yellows on lap 19, six cars collided between turns 3 and 4, taking out all six. Kyle Farmer, leading at the 31st lap, crashed in-between turns 1 and 2. Also, Justin Brown and Nick Cooper got together-- Brown had a broken left front wheel.

Jake Albright won the race with Nick Cooper second and third Chris Jennings third. The Vores series are front wheel drive cars.

The next series on the track were the Midwest Modified Tour. Matt Dimit of Ft. Wayne won, with Brett Hudson placing second and Danny Jackson third.

Chuck Barnes Jr., the fastest man of the day, had engine problems on lap 30 and finished 12th. Six cars of the 19 entries were on the lead lap.

The main and last event was the 75-lap CRA/GAS Street Stocks. The winning driver was Brett Hudson, second-place was Chuck Barnes Jr. and third-place, Dalton Conner. The 2023 champion Heath Helton was fourth.

Listed as Kid’s Night there were several things for the kids to do including bouncy houses and free kids' spectator rides. The kids could ride in the Fisher Towing Craftsmen truck or the ARCA Menards Series, two-seaters on the ½ mile during intermission.

The next race will be June 22 when the Semi’s return to the high banks. Supporting them will be the Crown Vics on the high banks as well as on the smaller track. Scrapper will also be present.

By Jerry Curry, Staff Writer

The world lost a race legend Tuesday, June 4, 2024.

Rugus Parnelli Jones passed away at 90 years old. He hailed from Torrence, California, where at one time he owned over 40 Firestone Tire Centers.

During the 60’s the high banks were proving grounds for future Indianapolis drivers. In 1960, 1961 and 1962, he won the USAC National Sprint Car Championship. Jones also won in other divisions and drove other car types.

He won sprint car championships by challenging the high banks like Winchester and Salem Speedway. After his retirement he is often quoted as saying that running the high banks was the craziest thing he’d done.

Running the high banks at Salem Speedway, he set a fast time on April 29, 1962. Also, in 1962 Parnelli was the first driver to break the 150-mile-per hour barrier in a front engine roadster at Indianapolis.

He when on to win the Indianapolis 500 in 1963 and almost won at the wheel of the STP Turbine in 1967. Jones was leading when a $6 bearing went out with three laps to go. A.J. Foyt went on to win this third Indy 500. That was Jones’ last Open Wheel run.

He continued in racing as a car owner. Jones had two sons to continue in the racing field, P.J. and Page.

He was the oldest living Indy 500 winner at the time of his recent death.

The #OpenWheelWarriors will return, after a 15-year hiatus, to the Salem Speedway, Fueled by the Hoosier Lottery, for the #UnitedMechanical40, which also serves as the 2nd event of the 2024 King of the High-Banks Triple Crown Series, presented by Mays Tire & Service Center on Saturday, June 8.

The #OpenWheelWarriors return, for the first time since June 6, 2009, to the famed 0.555 mile high-banked paved oval located north of the Indiana / Kentucky state line and west of Scottsburg in Salem.

The eventual series champion that season, Scotty Tomasik, scored the victory that day over former event winner at the track, Kyle Jones as Mike Carroll, 2005, #MMTpbWT champion Harold Scott and Joe Axsom were the Top 5.

The 40-lap feature, paying $3,000 to win and $700 just to start, will mark the 9th all-time appearance at the iconic facility in the Modern Era (2000-present).

Previous winners at Salem Speedway (Modern Era 2000-current) are
1. Rodney Scott 2
2. Tim Taylor 1
2. Bobby Murany 1
2. Gary Bedell 1
2. Brad Springer 1
2. Kyle Jones 1
7. Scotty Tomasik 1

More recently, the Modifieds did race at the historic speed plant in an unsanctioned event, back on April 3, 2022, as 1998 #MMTpbWT Champion Jeff Lane set the Modern Day Modifieds Track Record with an 18.733 = 106.657mph in qualifying. The now 60-year-old veteran from Knightstown then won the feature over his son, Colby Lane, and current Inline Tube Rookie of the Year Points Leader J.J. Schafer, who were the Podium Finishers
#UnitedMechanical40 Payout: 1st-$3,000, 2nd-$2,000, 3rd-$1,500, 4th-$1,250, 5th-$1,000, 6th-$975, 7th-$950, 8th-$900, 9th-$875, 10th-$850, 11th-$825, 12th-$800, 13th-$790, 14th-$780, 15th-$770, 16th-$760, 17th-$750, 18th-$740, 19th-$730, 20th-$720, 21st-$710, 22nd-24th-$700 to start.

Joining the #MMTpbWT combatants will be the CRA Street Stocks Series and the Vores Compact Touring Series. Racing will start at 7 p.m.

Can't make the trip? Watch LIVE on Racing America as the voice of the #MMTpbWT, Matt Prieur and the voice of track, Will Greenwell, have the call.

Reminder, a separate points standings are kept for the 2024 King of the High-Banks Triple Crown Series. After round one, which was back on April 6 at Bristol Motor Speedway (TN), Cody Stickler leads the way in the standings after sweeping both the Economy Auto Parts Fast Qualifier Award and then going to Victory Lane in the #OwossoSpeedway40.

A McIntyre Jewelry championship ring goes to the winner of the three-race mini-series, which concludes on Labor Day Monday, September 1, at Winchester Speedway (IN).

Additionally, the Pulver Asphalt Paving Winner’s Circle Program continues in Salem. The Winner's Circle Program will again feature points fund earnings (totaling $23,500) to be distributed throughout the 2024 campaign to the top 10 in the season long points chase after each and every event.

Here's How It Works

The Top 10 in the #MMTpbWT points standings going into each and every event will receive the "Pulver Asphalt Paving Winners Circle" points fund bonus with Incremental increases throughout the remainder of the season, after each and every race, as long as they remain in the top 10 in the season long points chase
Loyalty to the premier Open-Wheel Modified Tour in the Great Lakes / Midwestern Region of the flag throughout the 2024 campaign, results in points fund monies for the top
10 after each event, all the way up to the 19th Annual Run For The Gun 50 on Friday and Saturday, October 11-12, at Winchester Speedway (IN).

For Salem :
1. $200.00 (Matt Dimit)
2. $190.00 (Brian Nester)
3. $180.00 (Buddy Gray)
4. $170.00 (Greg Fullarton)
5. $160.00 (Andy Booten)
6. $150.00 (Thomas Mays)
7. $140.00 (Danny Jackson)
8. $130.00 (J.J. Schafer)
9. $120.00 (Cody Stickler)
10. $110.00 (Wesley Smith)

#MMTpbWT | #OpenWheelWarriors | #KingOfTheHighBanks | #UnitedMechanical40