FORT WAYNE, Ind. — Experimentation is one of the fundamentals of any successful racing program.
Race teams continually challenge themselves with suspension setups, tire compound choice and even driver changes. That desire to address challenge has transferred over to the Rumble in Fort Wayne management team, as for the first time in recent memory, the racing surface is being tackled during this year’s silver anniversary running of the race, December 29-30.
The two-day event will be broadcast live by SPEED SPORT affiliate Pit Row.tv.
“Don’t get me wrong, the racing inside the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum is good,” stated promoter Larry Boos, “but it is lacking the side-by-side, wheel-to-wheel action that once graced the syrup covered one-sixth-mile concrete oval, and we want to try and bring that back.”
The racers have noted that even though the track is concrete it is akin to dirt track racing, with the track conditions continually changing through the course of the long day of action that features midget, winged and non-winged 600cc midgets, fo-karts and quarter midgets.
Veteran dirt-track sprint car racer John Ivy races in multiple divisions at the Rumble and noted, “every time we hit the track, we just have to chase the rubber. What was there one race, will be completely gone the next time we are out there. It is the same thing that we hunt during the summer.
“Yes, it is a challenge, and it gets frustrating but that is what racing is all about; it gets exciting for us drivers and the fans like. I like this new approach being tested.”
“After watching the excitement of the racing action during the Atlantic City Indoor Championships, we approached Len and Davey (Sammons) and asked them what they did to the surface,” said Boos. “They were very gracious and willing to share as much information as possible to help us. So, we are taking that newly found knowledge and putting it to test.”
The base will remain soda pop syrup but will be layered throughout the weekend with a liquid rosin product like what is used at dragstrips throughout the country. The rosin is easy to apply and becomes ‘race-ready’ instantly.
“This new process will be initially tested during Thursday evening’s (Dec. 28) optional practice sessions, as we apply and test it,” Boos said. “The word of this testing has spread among the teams and they are anxious. We all are.”
Friday and Saturday each feature full racing programs for all of the divisions, with the Karts and Quarter Midgets highlighted during the afternoon, while the midgets and 600’s are showcased in the evening session.