Tri State Pro Stock Challenge

The touring Pro/Super Stock group finally gets an Oregon race in over Labor Day weekend. Southern Oregon Speedway in Medford, OR hosts the group on both Saturday and Sunday.

Tri State includes California, Nevada and Oregon and uses a somewhat loose format to meet rules of the different dirt tracks and areas. There's everything from 2 barrelled very limited engine cars on asphalt slick takeoffs to unlimited cube steel high buck engines on 11" LM tires and everything in between. The thought behind the group's origin was to bring the different versions of the class together and it has worked out surprisingly well with winners from all the variety.

Until this weekend the shows have all been in Northern and Central California. Northern Nevada hasn't had a show for us in a couple of years as the Covid stuff played havoc with their tracks. Some haven't reopened and others are limping along with small car counts in all classes. Oregon guys rarely venture more than 50 or so miles from their home tracks and SOS had a needed change in promoters. That has caused a resurgence in the sticky 3/8 at Medford and we're glad to be invited back.

It's a 3-700 mile each way tow for most of the CA dedicated racers, most of whom are expected to show and The purse pays $1,500 to win and $150 to start the main each night. Winning would take the sting out of the fuel bill for the long haul and it's a chance to get out of the 105-112 temps California is experiencing and Medford is "only" expected to be around 97. Only a handful of races left in the series this season and we're looking forward to it.