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Outlaw Winter Nationals
Fuels Economy
By Bill Bixley Cycle News Writer
Riders pouring in from all
over for OK Corral Indoor Races
Hear that earth-rattling roar?
That's the sound of an estimated $3,000,000
twisting the throttle on the Shawnee area
economy, thanks to the Outlaw Winter Nationals
Indoor Race Series. The races thunder into the
small community of Harrah, Oklahoma this
Saturday January 20, 2006 for Round #4 of the 10
race series.
The famous Indoor racing championship at the
OK Corral this winter is generating noise, speed
and cash, officials say.
"It equates to a lot of people coming in from
out of town," said John Williams, director of
AMP’s revenue committee. "That means they're
staying in motel rooms, eating out and
purchasing fuel for their large transports."
Take competitor Cory Watson, for example. The
Dallas, TX resident arrived in Shawnee with his
son who also races and a friend Thursday. They
are staying through Sunday morning.
"I'm probably spending $250" Watson said,
listing on his fingers the cost of a motel room,
pit passes, food, fuel and extras.
Multiply $250 by about 1,200 -- the
approximate number of out-of-town racers team
members and fans for the 10 race points series
-- and you're already up to $3 million. Of
course, some people spend less than Watson.
Others spend much more.
In terms of traveling fans, Williams ranks
the Outlaw Winter Nationals Championship
alongside a local rodeo, basketball and football
game.
"It's a top-five event as far as economic
impact," he said. "You can just walk around the
parking lot and see license plates from Texas,
Kansas, and Arkansas." Indeed, from Texas to
Kansas, fans and racers come from all over.
"It's the best show on dirt indoors in this
area" said Joe Couch, who bought his tickets
earlier this month. "And it's gotten bigger
every year." Indoor Motorcycle Racing began at
the OK Corral in 1973. Shawnee, Oklahoma native
the late Randy Cleek won the first two Pro
Motorcycle races held at the OK Corral, which
was called Johnson’s Arena in those days. Some
people refer to it still as Johnson’s Arena or
the Mcloud Arena. The Indoor arena is located at
20450 SE 29th Street, it is ¼ mile West of
Harrah - Newalla Road on the south side of the
street.
Tickets are on sale the day of the race,
which begins Saturday January 20.
"It's a gathering of the clans and the fans,"
Williams said of the participants and
spectators. "These are hard-core racers and race
fans."
Now in its 5th year, the Outlaw Winter
Nationals is a series of races around a tight
indoor dirt oval inside the OK Corral Indoor
Arena. Racers drive dirt bikes, hot rod mowers,
dirt-karts and four wheeler Quads vehicles that
are audible from blocks away.
Close-proximity bleachers give rows of fans
the intimate experience of flying mud, blurring
speed and deafening noise. Ear-plugs are sold at
the concession stand for a quarter a pair. Many
times it becomes a handle bar to handle bar slug
fest.
Spectators like it because they can buy a pit
pass and get down in the oil and grime with the
race crews. Racers like it because they feel a
connection with the fans.
"The fans are one of the biggest reasons I
come back," said Bret Sowders, an AMA Grand
National Champion racer who won the Outlaw
Winter Nationals Open Pro Motorcycle title 2006.
This is his fifth time back.
Timing has a lot to do with the Outlaw Winter
Nationals high attendance. Not much else is
happening in the racing world in January.
Williams said that if organizers tried holding
the Outlaw Winter Nationals in July, a lot of
the fans would be watching NASCAR.
And Outlaw Winter Nationals racers, some of
whom participate in AMA GNC events, would be
busy with those events. But the first of the
year represents a new season and a fresh patch
of mud.
"Everybody's hungry to get to the racetrack,"
Sowders said.
Mustang, Oklahoma’s Austin Medrano leads the
points in two divisions. Medrano leads the
125/250 class and has a perfect score in the 85
Dirt Bike class by winning every round of the
series this season. Medrano who won last years
Five State Championship, the Curley Sutton
Memorial Race, and last seasons AMP Outlaw
Winter Nationals series will be defending his
title Saturday in Harrah. Tristian Keith from
Newalla is a local area favorite. He competes in
both the Dirt Bike and Quad divisions in four
separate classes.
With a cold snap and possibly snow expected
this weekend, Outlaw Winter Nationals organizers
say nothing will stop the action inside the
shelter of the OK Corral. Organizers remind
those attending to dress warm, there is a wood
burning furnace by the concession stand and
portable heaters in the pit area. Concessions
include plenty of Hot Chocolate and Hot Coffee,
plus racetrack favorites, hot cheeseburgers, hot
nachos and hot dogs.
"That's another big plus for the fans,"
Williams said. "We're fortunate to have a
facility like this so close to a large size
city."
Racing action takes place Saturday January
20, 2007. Four divisions of vehicles will be
racing on the dirt oval track indoors for cash
and awards. Those include HOT ROD MOWERS; ATV
4-Wheelers; Dirt Karts; Pro and Amateur
Motorcycles. One of the largest classes is the
new Xtreme Lites. Past American Motorcyclists
Association AMA 125 Motocross Champion Guy
Cooper, Stillwater, Oklahoma won the race held
last year at the OK Corral. Cooper beat out 30
other contenders for the win.
Area sponsors of the event include: O’Reilly
Auto Parts, A&A Yamaha, Baker Boys Yamaha,
Frank's Custom Trailers, Advance Auto, Daley's
Speed Shop, Universal Mobile Homes, Del City
Pick Up Parts, 3-R Fabrication, and Mark's
Machine Shop.
All qualifying and Features in 25 classes of
competition begin Saturday with hot laps
starting at 5:30, the heat races kick start at
7:30pm Saturday night. All nights of racing will
be recorded for later playback on the web site.
Information regarding entries and official
results is available online at
www.geocities.com/oreillydirttrack
By phone: 918-902-5786
Outlaw Winter Nationals Indoor Dirt Track
Races
Indoor Race Schedule for OK Corral: Jan 20, Feb
3, March 31, April 7, April 21
Gates open at 4pm
Hot Laps start at 5:30pm
Opening Ceremonies at 7:30pm.
Tickets at the Gate
Results from January 6 races at the OK Corral
Results AMP Outlaw Winter Nationals
OK Corral Indoor Arena
Harrah, Oklahoma
PW-B Beginner Dirt Bike
1. Cruz Castillo #4 (Hon) 2. Sebastian
Ellingsworth #64
PW-B Dirt Bike
1. Tyler Osborne #71 (Hon) 2. Devon Whitmire #10
(KTM)
PW- A Dirt Bike
1. Tyler Osborne #71 (Hon) 2. Devon Whitmire #10
(KTM) 3. Tristian Keith #15
65-A Dirt Bike Dec 23
1. Nathan Varano 2. Hunter Watson 3. Payton
Simpson 4. Tristian Keith
65-A Dirt Bike Jan 6
1. Tristian Keith 2. Tyler Osborn
85-A Dirt Bike
1. Austin Medrano 2. Chris Maddux 3. Dylan
Simpson 4. Austin Cluver 5. Payton Simpson 6.
Joel Allen 7. Nick Toon
125/250 Dirt Track Motorcycle
1. Justin Elswick 2. Austin Medrano 3. Dylan
Simpson 4. Payton Simpson 5. Anthony Varano
Open-A Dirt Track Motorcycle
1. Justin Elswick 2. James Eslinger 3. Jason
Walker 4. Charles Harter 5. Jerry Buie
Open Twin Vintage Motorcycle
1. Frank Bardaro 2. Craig Watson 3. Bill Watson
4. James Eslinger
Pro 600 Vintage
1. Kevin Ellingsworth 2. Fred Mears 3. Scott
Koonce 4. Roy Hinkle
Xtreme 10” Pit Bikes
1. Cordy Jones 2. Bret Sowders 3. Chad Kerrigan
4. Rick Lamb 5. Jack Hambrick 6. Leonard Ramsey
7. James Zeders 8. Jared Pattison 9. Jeff
Butterbaugh 10. Brock Holloway
Xtreme 12” Pit Bikes
1. Chance Osborne 2. Jared Enright 3. Bret
Sowders 4. Jared Joseph 5. Kyle Skaggs
Open Pro Singles
1. Bret Sowders 2. Bryan Collins 3. Chance
Osborne 4. Scott Koonce 5. Justin Whitney 6.
Mike Toon
PW QUAD-BB FOUR WHEELERS
1. Tony Opichka 2. Grant Welsh
PW QUAD-B
1. Tristian Keith 2. Tanner Rutledge 3. Kyle
Roberts 4. Frankie Bardaro 5. Devon Whitmier
PW QUAD-A
1. Cody Yelton 2. Tristian Keith 3. Zane Stevens
85 QUAD-B
1. Joe Cook 2. Kyle Roberts 3. Sara Reeves 4.
Logan Yelton
85 Mod Quad-A
1. Destin Sanders 2. Tristian Keith 3. Joe Cook
4. Cody Yelton
300 Blaster
1. Nathen Wells 2. Stephanie Dotson
250-A Quad
1. Brandon Cook 2. Derek Martin 3. James Friend
4. Donnie Foster
Open-A Quad
1. Dylan Toombs 2. Brandon Cross 3. Dallas Tully
4. Dan Malone 5. Joey Bernitsky 6. Chris Yelton
250 Pro Quad
1. Aaron Symonds 2. Gary Rhodes 3. Brian Davis
4. Shan Break 5. Steve Dotson 6. Cody Carden 7.
Brandon Cross 8. Trevor Portier
Open Pro Quad
1. Charley Webb 2. Brad Adkinsson 3. Ryan Early
4. Bret Hodges 5. Matt Damron 6. Trevor Portier
Dirt Karts
Beginners 5 to 7 year olds
1. Leighton Clift 2. Rebekah Roberts 3. Merideth
Overstreet
Jr 1 8-11 Year Olds
1. Bailee Clift 2. Jared Lawson 3. Grady
Chandler 4. Colby Chapman
Jr 2 12-14 Year Olds
1. Kindra Overstreet 2. Norris Morena
Hot Rod Lawn Mowers
1. Danny Portwood 2. Randy Marsee 3. Russell
Swartz 4. Mark Hall Donny 5. VanHorten 6. Mickey
Mantle 7. Joe Pease Jr 8. Joe Pease Sr.
Races are still on for Saturday. Schools are
closed, movie theaters are packed.
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