Title talk is still too early, area racer says

Southeast Missourian

Larry Hull sits just seven points out of the lead in the modifieds season points chase at Malden Speedway.

It's a fact that the racer from Old Appleton isn't following, at least not this early in a season still weeks away from the halfway point.

"Anytime I get out there, I like to think I'm running strong enough to be in the points race," Hull said, "but it's way too early to be worried about that. I knew we were in the top five, but I wasn't even sure at this point."

This season, his finish on the track's opening night was an indication of things to come: He won the opening-night feature race in March with the same car that won the track's 2001 points title. A week later he returned with a newer car and has finished second once, fourth twice and ninth once in the weeks since.

"We got a new car last year with the exact same setup and everything as the car we won the points championship with the year before," Hull said, "only it turned out the new car wasn't anything the same. I spent the winter trying to figure it out, and we finally just put a new suspension under it. We've gotten it going pretty fast now.

"Cars have personalities almost like people. You go out there and it's fine one night, then the next time it'll turn on you."

He'll try to improve upon last week's fourth-place run when racing resumes tonight. A strong finish in the fall could bring Hull another points title, joining the 2001 trophy from Malden and a 1999 title from St. Francois County Raceway near Farmington, Mo.

"I'll really start watching the points about halfway into the season," Hull said. "So many things can happen late in the year. For now we just want to hang in there and stay close."

Noteworthy

The mother of Brent Glastetter, the former modified-division racer from Southeast Missouri injured in a crash last month at a dirt track near Buffalo, S.C., said this week Brent underwent more surgery last week that included muscle and skin grafts. Therapy began Monday, and he'll likely need more surgery later this month.

Qualifying is later today at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway for Saturday's NASCAR Busch Series race, the Trace Adkins Chrome 300. Practice is at 1:30 p.m. Saturday's race is at 7 p.m. and will be broadcast live on the FX Network. Tickets remain available at 866-RACE-TIX. The track still has IRL, ARCA and Craftsman Truck events scheduled later this summer.

A modified-division event that a few area racers say they have their eyes on: A 50-lap event June 20 and 21 at Poinsett County Speedway near Harrisburg, Ark., worth $3,500 to win. Looking further ahead: A 100-lap event May 3 to May 8, 2004, will pay $100,000 to win for the modified division at Batesville (Ark.) Speedway, the track announced this week.

The World of Outlaws sprints will return to Tri-City Speedway near Granite City, Ill., for a rescheduled event June 22.

Rick Ruch of Perryville, Mo., won an event for the RAMS mini stock series at Fredericktown Raceway over the weekend. The same series is back at Fredericktown today and goes to Auto Tire and Parts Racepark on June 28@No Style:.