Clarksville Speedway
Stays True
By Van Abernethy
PHOTO: VAN ABERNETHY
C
larksville Speedway may easily be described with an
assortment of portrayals, although the most authentic description
might simply be “picture of consistency” when referencing this
unsanctioned, eighth-miler located in the northwest Tennessee
town of Clarksville.
While the drag strip’s functions are often a carbon copy from one year to
the next, the rest of the surrounding property is a comprehensive spread
of oft-unusual entertainment. The vast acreage (which not only includes
the vintage, 50 year-old-drag strip) is also home to a dirt oval track and is
likewise the location of many other festival-type attractions including the
annual fair. Ironicially, every fun-filled product offering associated with
Clarksville is entirely presented and managed by William Scogin, who’s
behind this entire operation of entertainment.
“In addition to the pair of race tracks on the property, I also hold bike
rallies, flea markets, roller derbies, radio control car races, as well as a
large Christmas lights display. I don’t have any downtime,” says Scrogin,
who happily wouldn’t have it any other way. “I actually have a dirt racing
background, but when I bought Clarksville Speedway nearly 20 years ago,
I sorta got the drag strip as a bonus in the deal.”
His yearly schedule of events at the drag strip is where he declares the
aforementioned “picture of consistency” comes in to play.
“I don’t stray too far off our normal program of events at the drag strip,” he
insists. Any given season at Clarksville is comprised mainly of a Wednesday
night test and tune, followed up by Friday night bracket program.
“We’re nothing special, just a Friday night bracket track trying to pay the
bills,” explains Scogin. Aside from the bracket program, Scogin does feel as
though he stumbled upon a home run when he launched an event called
Midnight Madness, which actually begins just as soon as his bracket race
has ended. As the dial-in competitors are filing out the gate each Friday,
another crowd is pouring in, with intentions of grudge racing until the
wee hours of the morning.
Midnight Madness is a heavily attended ordeal and is mainly comprised
of import racers looking to grudge race against their buddies. Another group
of patrons that routinely show up are gear heads simply wanting to make
some test laps on their cars. The entire Friday show essentially amounts to
two events in one day, featuring a completely different crowd of fans and
participants through the gate. It also makes for an incredibly long day for
Scogin, who then opens the dirt oval track a few hours later on Saturday.
“Like I said, there’s no down time around here,” contends Scogin with
a laugh.
Each season, he opens the gates to test and tune as early as February
if the weather allows, while April kicks off the points series, which runs
through late October. Point-earning classes include Super Pro, No Box,
Street Trophy and Jr. Dragster. While he rarely strays from his normal
tried-and-true drag racing program, Scogin does plan on presenting a few
special bracket races in 2016. He calls the events “No Box - No Buy Back
Sundays,” of which he will contest four such events this season.
The payout structure is something he hopes will be inviting with a
guaranteed purse of $1,000 going to the winner, with no buy backs. Entry
fee is only $50.00. Clarksville will also present a more traditional No Box
race on August 14th, with a generous $3,000-to-win purse, with a $30.00
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entry fee, with buy backs permitted for this event.
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June 2016
DragIllustrated.com
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