'Racing Nurse' mixes it up at Toledo Speedway

6/30/2006

Exiting her 4-cylinder stock car after driving in the 25-lap feature race at Toledo Speedway last Sunday, Sunnie Sweet said, "It's like driving through road rage in a circle!" It wasn't that Sweet, one of the "Racing Nurses," didn't have fun in her first feature, she just couldn't believe the intensity that her fellow racers had.

Even though there was much more bumping than what it looked like from the stands, Toledoan Sweet said she can't wait to get back in the Pub 51/Otterbein Portage Valley sponsored 1985 Pontiac Grand Am. "Everybody was so kind and helpful in the pits, but all that changes when we put our helmets on. But I expected no less. No mercy on the track."

The 4-cylinder stocks, the factory stocks, and the Flatrock B/C street stocks will be in action tonight at Toledo speedway.

Former Flat Rock Speedway street stock driver Rich McClinton is battling bone marrow cancer. In an effort to assist the family with the soaring medical costs, Carl Bumgardner of Royal Truck and Trailer Sales in Dearborn, Mich., has donated a complete, ready-to-go 4-cylinder race car, which will be raffled at Flat Rock Saturday, July 29.

Donations are $10 per ticket, and all proceeds go to the "Richie McClinton 99" Cancer Fund. The tickets will be sold at both Flat Rock and Toledo Speedway. The drawing will be July 29 at Flat Rock. The car is complete and ready to race in the ARCA 4-cylinder class, which competes at both Flat Rock and Toledo.

Rich McClinton began his fight against cancer some eight years ago. He has now been referred to the Sloan-Kettering Hospital in Manhattan, N.Y., due to the recent discovery of a rapidly growing tumor on his brain.

To purchase a ticket or make a donation, one may also write McClinton's nephew, Dan Maurer, at 3961 Pardee, Dearborn Heights, MI 48125.

The top Super Late Model teams in the Midwest will be racing at Toledo Speedway Sunday evening in the Sports Apparel and Collectibles Twin 100s. A cash purse of more than $40,000 has been posted for this event. The rain date is Monday night. Time trials are set for 5, and racing begins at 7.

Tomorrow night, Flat Rock Speedway will host Mountain Dew Night. The first-ever figure 8 train race is on the card, awarding $1,000 to the winner. The 250-lap Enduro race, paying $1,000 for a win, is also part of the show, along with the ARCA 4-cylinders and race car bowling. Practice is at 6, and racing begins at 7.

The rules for the train race are simple - stock cars, with only safety equipment added. The front car has the engine; the back car has the brakes. The front car must be a 4-cylinder. The two cars are chained together and the object of the race is to stay chained together and cross the finish line first.