Window World Huntsville - News & Press

Southern Superstars drivers Brad Lemley and Mark Day have proven that bigger isn't better at Huntsville Speedway.

Both drivers have claimed Superstars victories this season at the legendary quarter-mile asphalt track even though their crate engines were more than a 100-horsepower less than the steel engines in most of the other cars.

A crate engine is a sealed motor designed to save racers time and money. The racer buys the motor from a manufacturer (GM, Ford and Chrysler), drops it into his/her car and goes racing. The big plus is that the racer could get a 400-plus horsepower motor for about $5,000 to $10,000. That's significantly cheaper than a typical built race engine.

The Speedway has always been known as a handling track due to the 16-degree banked turns, leaving the large horsepower engines at a slight disadvantage due to all the speed the cars turn, using up tires.

"The higher horsepower engines can't keep their cars sticking late in the race because they have used up their tires," Lemley, who won the last SS race here several weeks ago, said. "That's what happened in the last race. I waited until about 75 laps and then I took off and I was able to get around Jeff Letson, who tires gave up when the track got slicker.

"I would say the other engines have around 125 horsepower more than the crate engines, but it works against them at Huntsville Speedway. The crate engines are much cheaper and can be purchased around $7,500, while the bigger engines cost anywhere from $20,000 to $50,000."

Day also used a crate engine to lead the Southern Superstars short track series with three wins this season, including two at Sayre Speedway.

Lemley and Day will face off again in a special Sunday night Independence 100-lapper being billed as "The Event" at Huntsville Speedway. For the first time, the Sunday night show will feature the Southern Superstars, the Super Modified and the Super Trucks on the same program, along with all other local classes.

It will also be Lemley's first outing with his new "Hilltop Racing" team that includes friend and neighbor Marc Burleson.

"We had to come up with a name for our team and since we have our garage on Grant Mountain we thought Hilltop Racing said it all," Lemley said. "We've got a great pit crew consisting of Ray West, Mack Mason, Barry Kirkpatrick, Chuck Carver, Shane Pierce and Kevin McKee. They give their all for free. Michael and Melissa Edwards have really stepped up with their Window World sponsorship on my car and their Sport Fight X on Marc's car.

"But I couldn't do it at all without my family behind me. My wife Tanya, my son Bradley Reid, who is five years old, and our new addition to our family, Ross Nathan, who is only seven weeks old. It's great to be racing and following in my father's (Harold Lemley) footsteps."

Joining Lemley and Day in the 100-lapper will be Letson, Keith Cahela, Burleson, Chris Whorton, Chase Oliver, Clay Alexander, John Thomas, John Henegar Jr., Scott Dunn, Hunter Spivey, Chase Spadlin, Kenny Andrews, Phil Renfroe and Lee Hansard.

The 50-lap Super Modified will feature a showdown between John Thomas and Casey Bishop. Joining the twosome will be Junior Seymour, Phillip Price, Brandon Curren, Wade Redd, Wesley Davis and Gary Nix.

Heading up the Super Trucks will be Mitchell Walls, Chuck Tuck, Chris Wagner and his teammate Jimmy Wall, Parker Henegar, Shannon Berry, Jay McClure, William Weaver, Wesley Davis, Casey Clark and Toney Puckett.

Sunday night's will also include races in the Sportsman, Super Stock, Mini-Stock, Hot Shots, Buzz and Mod Lites classes. Time trials will begin at 6:30 p.m., followed by the first race at 7:30.

To honor the military for the Fourth of July, any military with an ID will be admitted friend along with a guest. A fireworks show will also be featured following the races.

Original article source: Ronnie White, AL.com.