East Tennessee weather in early spring is predictably unpredictable
There’s a saying in the southeastern portion of the country, and pretty much everywhere else for that matter, that goes something along the line of “If you don’t like the weather around here, wait fifteen minutes and it will change”. One time of year in which that is definitely true around my home in east Tennessee along with other areas within this region is in the month of March. And for those who are fans, competitors, or promoters of dirt racing, that can be pretty frustrating.
This past weekend and the upcoming weekend provide excellent examples of just how bipolar Mother Nature can be this time of year.
The Ultimate Super Late Model Series/Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Series co-sanctioned Tennessee Tip-Off event at Smoky Mountain Speedway in Maryville, TN this past Saturday night enjoyed excellent weather with warm temperatures and clear skis that offered no chance for rain. As a result, fans and racers turned out in large numbers for that show. Likewise, the Southern All-Star Dirt Racing Series-sanctioned ‘March Madness’ race at Cherokee Speedway in Gaffney, SC also took place amid near perfect conditions. And like the race at Smoky Mountain, attendance was quite good.
However, the weather gods did not let those favorable conditions last long. 411 Motor Speedway in Seymour, TN was set to host the first visit of the 2022 season by the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series to east Tennessee this coming Friday and Saturday but a dreadful forecast has already thrown a wrench in those plans. Wind and rain are being called for later in the day on Friday with very cold temperatures and snow expected on Saturday prompting track and series officials to scrap the two-day event.
Smoky Mountain’s Tennessee Tip-Off has, on multiple occasions, been impacted by weather. Because of that, track owner Roger Sellers and the World of Outlaws CASE Construction Late Model Series agreed to move that body’s date from March to Labor Day weekend at the 4/10 mile oval.
So the question of why even bother scheduling races in March is often asked of promoters in the southeast as well as other parts of the country.
Virtually every dirt track would like to host one of the two national tours because those are races that typically draw great crowds and car counts. However, many of the races on those schedules are already locked in at historic venues with traditional events. As a result, tracks that have more recently been added to the national schedules could find themselves in a take-what’s-left type situation.
While the date given may not be optimal, it could be in the track’s best interest to take it anyway to show a particular series that the facility is serious about hosting big races. Perhaps then, a more favorable date might come open and the venue that had shown loyalty might get the opportunity to move to a better spot on the calendar when that happens. And of course, there will be some weekends like this past one to occur on occasion as well.
Even though it may seem like a gamble by a racing promoter to take on a big race in March, it could pay off in the end by getting lucky with the weather or receiving a better time for a race.
March Madness may be an exciting time for college basketball fans, coaches and players. But depending on what mood Mother Nature is in, it can turn out to be March Sadness for those who love racing.
Please consider also reading: “Here’s one way to tell that NASCAR Cup Series racing has improved“
Respond to this post on Twitter by following @RichardAllenIDR and @MichaelRMoats or by liking the InsideDirtRacing.com Facebook page.
Also, NASCAR and pavement racing fans can check out InsideCircleTrack.
