Dodson AMX ready for PC Fair

The Dodson AMX Speedway is ready for its second event of 2020, and the group is excited to be a nighttime event at the Phillips County Fair on Saturday, August 1, at 5 p.m.

"It will be the first time that we have raced at night in eight years," Keith Cowan, President of Dodson AMX Racing said.

The event will also be combined with the Bash for Cash Demolition Derby, a merge that aims to keep the action rolling for spectators. Because the combined event will be longer than a typical day of AMX racing, their will be drivers competing at nighttime.

In addition to the lights in the foreground, the Dodson Speedway was able to secure and install three light stands donated by Hi-Line Rentals, a company based in Glasgow.

"The whole track will be lit up," Cowan said. "That was a big deal for us because the biggest hurdle was getting lights to light the track up."

The combined event will start with a couple of heats of races, followed by a heat or two of derby. The groups will continue taking turns in the arena until it's conclusion.

"Giving eachother breaks will help their derby and our racers time to do any work that we need to do on our cars to make the next race more entertaining," Cowan said.

He also said that those breaks allow competitors time to get their vehicles cooled down and in the best condition possible for the next round.

Though the event starts at 5 p.m., AMX racers will start their hot laps at 4 p.m.

In past year's the demolition derby had entertaining acts like local children competing in a little demo derby with battery-powered vehicles, but due to COVID restrictions, an event like that would not be possible.

"We are hoping that this works out well and that we can continue to do it this way and make one big event out of it," Cowan said.

Like other events during the PC Fair, Dodson AMX aims to encourage social distancing.

"The racers will not be six feet apart," Cowan said. "We will be rubbing and racing but as far as the spectators go its kind of the same throughout. As racers, we ask the public that if you're sick, please stay home. Respect all of us and respect your fellow people."

For many racers attending the Phillips County Fair, the Fair race will be their second race of the season and their main event of the year.

"The Fair Race seems to have the biggest bragging rights, it's all about who can win the Fair Race," Cowan said. "A lot of guys have won other races at different locations but the biggest bragging rights go to the Dodson Race."

Cowan said that part of the reason that the fair race is the biggest is because of the size of the crowd. He said that drivers can't always hear the crowd while craving but they see the crowd.

The event will have a Calcutta before their A-Main Race and the Demo Derby will hold a Calcutta for their championship. Cowan believes that they will not have a powderpuff race this year, but they may have a Pitman Race depending on the number of cars left after the Main Races.

Prize money will be awarded to winners at the events and if interest in joining the events, the Dodson AMX group will register drivers the day of races, but the group needs a heads up as soon as possible.