Magnolia Motor Speedway Lines Up 2009 Season
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The Cotton Pickin’ 100?
That is one of several races that are scheduled for the 2009 season at Magnolia Motor Speedway. The 3/8-mile dirt track hosts stock car action on 15 Saturday nights – usually two a month – from late March through mid-October.
“There is always excitement at this track, with plenty of get-down type of racing that includes cars beatin’ and bangin’ against one another,” says Johnny Stokes, general manager of Magnolia Motor Speedway. “A small, hard clay track like ours brings out plenty of thrills, and there are lots of them at Magnolia.”
The facility, nicknamed The South’s Premier Dirt Track, features racing for stock car divisions such as super late models, open wheel modifieds, late model stocks, street stocks and stingers. The super late models are the top division at Magnolia, and there are four major marquee races each season for drivers in that class.
“Those races are the Boll Weevil Rumble in April, the Governor’s Cup[cq] in June, the Firecracker 4 Crown Series in July, and the Cotton Pickin’ 100 in October,” Stokes says. “We also host a Lucas Oil Dirt Late Model Series event in July, with the 2009 race televised on the Speed Channel.”
Magnolia Motor Speedway is at the intersection of Highway 82 West and Highway 45 South, and general admission to the Saturday night action is $10. Drivers and anyone else who want to be in the pits pay a $25 admission charge.
As for Stokes himself, he not only runs Magnolia but also owns nearby Columbus Speedway. That particular track is a 3/10-mile, high-banked clay oval that is nicknamed The Baddest Bullring in the South.
“I’ve been a promoter at Columbus Speedway for eight years, and it just makes good sense that both tracks in this city should come together if racing is going to really prosper here,” he says. “So when the newest owners of Magnolia (Magnolia Motorsports Associates LLC) asked me to join their operation as general manager, it was a good business move for me and everyone involved to combine the efforts of both tracks.”
Stokes says the Saturday night scheduling will not conflict at the two tracks, thereby allowing drivers to be able to compete at both places if they so desire.
“The tracks are actually somewhat different racing surfaces, so drivers will need to adjust their cars and racing strategies at each venue,” he says. “As for myself, I want to ultimately promote the city of Columbus as the place to be when it comes to dirt track racing. Both Magnolia Motor Speedway and Columbus Speedway are excellent, heart-pumping facilities, and I am proud to be associated with both of them.”
Story by Kevin Litwin
