The latest edition of the Turn 2 Blog is presented by the American Crate All-Star Series.
*Turn 2 Blog is a regular feature on InsideDirtRacing.com. Here, site operators Michael Moats and Richard Allen take turns offering their thoughts on the dirt racing topics of the day from east Tennessee and beyond.
Richard: We just completed a weekend in which the weather actually allowed most of the events on the schedule to take place uninterrupted, which was very nice of Mother Nature. There were plenty of race stories and much to follow along with from Thursday all the way through Sunday as far as race winners and points battles were concerned.
However, some of the biggest news of the weekend may very well have occurred off the track as it was revealed that veteran driver Shannon Babb was supposed to slide into the driver’s seat of the famed No. 0 machine normally occupied by Scott Bloomquist. However, the Show-me 100 at Missouri’s Lucas Oil Speedway will not serve as the site of Babb’s 2019 debut in the car because of severe storms that blew through the Wheatland, MO area and did significant damage to the property forcing the postponement of that crown jewel event.
But indications are that there will be at least one other opportunity for Babb behind the wheel of the Sweet-Bloomquist Race Car prepared out of the Hall of Fame member’s shop in Mooresburg, TN as indications are that the Illinois native will drive that car in the Dirt Late Model Dream at Eldora Speedway in June.
Bloomquist suffered serious leg and hip injuries in a motorcycle accident earlier this year and has been sidelined for weeks.
Recently a video was posted on the @Bloomquist_0 Twitter account that showed Bloomquist sitting inside a race car’s roll cage turning a steering wheel back-and-forth as rehabilitation toward the time in which he will make his return to the race track as a competitor. No doubt many fans, tracks, sponsors, and the driver himself are all anxiously awaiting his next appearance.
But with all that said, there are a number of questions that will have to be answered once that return does occur. The first of which for me at least is how much racing will the famed driver do once he comes back. Obviously, the races he will run for the remainder of 2019 will be somewhat limited because the injuries received were significant and the recovery process will take time.
But on a long-term basis, I have to wonder if the time may be at hand for the 55-year-old to start scaling back. For a number of years Bloomquist has talked about the possibility of him focusing more on the bigger shows with larger payouts rather than running a series that may entail races far from home with more standard purses.
Could this be the time in which Bloomquist actually does drop from the tour racing scene in order to place even greater emphasis on the crown jewel races and those other events that offer $20,000 or more to the winner?
Scott Bloomquist
Michael: I certainly don’t know what his long-term plans are. We see this with a number of drivers that reach a certain age that say they are retiring or scaling back. Billy Moyer is a prime example of this. Drivers that basically race for a living feel they have to race as long as they can because there is no retirement plan in racing and they certainly aren’t going to go to their local Home Depot or Walmart to take a job. They think they need to or should quit, but usually don’t.
The other thing to consider is for many drivers, racing is a disease as far as they have to have it. I think this is more of the case with drivers that try to race for a living. Going back to the Moyer example, he says he is retiring and then sees he needs to be behind the wheel, even if it’s just for select events.
Going back to Bloomquist, he is one of the most driven, determined drivers I have seen in Dirt Late Model racing. I think he is plenty driven to make a come back and do it in a big way. Whether the long-term effect of his injuries allow him to do that is something we will have to wait and see. I do believe his primary focus now is just to get back in a race car.
Richard: You make an excellent point about the lack of a retirement plan in racing. And more, he is indeed a very driven individual. Oddly enough, this unfortunate situation might actually be something that would even further motivate him to return at full steam just to prove that a motorcycle wreck isn’t going to keep him down.
It’s no secret that Bloomquist loves the crown jewel events. And no doubt he will be pushing even harder in his recovery efforts to potentially make at least some of those races as that portion of the schedule approaches. As already stated above, Babb will drive the No. 0 machine for the Dream. While some rumors had Bloomquist returning to the driver’s seat at Eldora Speedway in June, the driver’s business partner- Cody Sommer- downplayed that in a piece posted to DirtonDirt.com and later stories have indicated that the driver’s doctors have convinced him to hold off on his return.
One thing I am going to be interested in watching no matter where and when he returns is the reaction from fans and competitors. Bloomquist has always been one of those personalities that draws a reaction when he hits the track with some loving him and others making him the object of their scorn. I want to see if he will be warmly received by all or if he returns immediately into the roll of hero to some and villain to others.
Aside from the obvious ability to be as competitive as always, what will you be looking for when the leader of Team Zero returns?
Michael: I will be looking at the performance after the first few races. Will there be long term success or will be there be a bit of a fall off after the adrenaline wears off? I’ll also be curious as to what kind of crew will be helping him. Someone close to the situation told me his crew chief, Cody Mallory, is no longer with the operation. Since there’s no racing income that is coming in, is this simply a short-term thing or is it permanent? I guess we will find out when the time comes.
Scott Bloomquist in the No. 0 machine
Richard: I would think his crew will be very important whenever Bloomquist returns to action. He has always been one of the more hands-on drivers in terms of getting the car set up. However, his mobility will almost certainly be limited which will not allow for all the bending and kneeling necessary for working on a race car.
But in a larger sense, I am interested to see how Bloomquist does as a car owner. In talking with others who drive the cars he has designed they point out that the machines are engineered to fit his particular driving style. As a result, I wonder how he will do watching someone else wheel the Zero.
Bloomquist may or may not drive for several more years but the end of his driving career will come at some point. This is going to be interesting to watch however many races Babb or anyone else drives that car.
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.com for more racing content.
