By Anvil Welch
Globe Sports Writer
JOPLIN, Mo. —
Terry Beckham II is busy on two fronts in dirt-track racing.
Beckham, Webb City, is fired up after two wins in a new modified race car. He also is fired up as owner of the Joplin RC Speedway.
Joplin RC (short for remote control) Speedway is located seven miles north of Joplin on Mo. 43.
The Nitro Nationals will be held at RC Speedway on Friday and Saturday. Starting times are 7 p.m. on Friday and 5 on Saturday.
The Nitro Nationals will offer three classes — late model, modified and sprint. Ten cars start in a main event.
“Our very high-banked dirt oval is about 250 feet around,” Beckham said. “There is no charge for admission. We do have concessions. There is plenty of parking space.
“The racing is very close, very fast and very exciting,” Beckham said. “The Nitro Nationals will have some of the fastest cars in the Midwest.”
How fast?
“Well, in their one-eighth scale they can go 250 miles per hour,” Beckham said.
Beckham’s new modified is a TRE Race Cars by Bone (brothers Tony and Johnny Bone Jr. of Pea Ridge, Ark.).
“The last couple of years I haven’t raced much at all,” Beckham said. “I needed to hang out with the family more.
“But we have a good head of steam with those two victories,” Beckham said.
Beckham recently won at the Monett Speedway and won the A feature — worth $1,000 — at Muskogee (Okla.) Thunderbird Speedway on Saturday night.
Beckham started inside on the fourth row in the main event at Muskogee.
Beckham will return to Thunderbird Speedway tonight for a 7:30 modified special that will pay $1,500 to the A feature winner. The event is part of 2010 Comp Cams Sooner Speedweek presented by Southern Modified Promotions.
The series began at Meeker on Tuesday night and will continue Thursday night at Creek County Speedway at Kellyville, Friday night at Caney (Kan.) Valley Speedway and Saturday night at Mid-America Speedway in South Coffeyville.
