Even though it snowed Saturday morning, spring is here.

Saturday, March 31, 2001

Even though it snowed Saturday morning, spring is here. There’s evidence of this at the race car and sports card show at OakPark Mall this weekend.

The race car show was sponsored by Chateau Speedway. The drivers were proudly displaying their cars and trophies they have won. Jeff Bauer, a stock car racer from Rochester, was standing valiantly by his rebuilt Chevy Nova.

"These cars are called street stock," Bauer said. "They are rebuilt and have the actual ‘skin’ of the Chevy Nova. I race at Lansing, Deer Creek and Kasson. I have been to South Dakota racing, too. Last year alone I raced at 14 tracks. This is my fifth year of racing."

The Chateau track in Lansing is slated to open April 13, but it probably won’t happen as there still is too much melting snow. Bauer wants to get out and race, but he is superstitious about the date of the opening race being on Friday the 13th.

Steve Clark, owner of Chateau Speedway, said the race track probably will open April 20.

"The race track is sandy so it should dry out relatively fast," Clark said. "We will be having a test and tune on April 14, weather permitting. This is open free to all spectators. The drivers bring their cars out and shake them down. It is just like driving a new car to see how it runs."

Besides the street stock cars, there were winged sprint cars. These are smaller and have wings that span on the side. They’re powered by motorcycle motors. Randy Kruger from Rochester was busy talking to passers-by about the small cars.

"I build and sell these," Kruger said. "They are fun to race. You can buy them through manufacturers like Bailey. These cars are air-oil-cooled."

Carla’s Finish Line store in the mall was the place to stop to find the memorabilia to go with the cars on display.

"Everyone thinks I would have raised the prices of Dale Earnhardt memorabilia after he died at the Daytona 500 on March 18, but I didn’t," owner Carla McCarthy said. "I kept my price the same. My business is better because of the car show today."

One of the spectators at the car show was Buck Lindquist. He has been going to stock car races since he was waist-high.

"The first time I went to Lansing to see the races I was with my parents and I took off," Lindquist said. "They wouldn’t go with me after that; I went alone. My parents would drop me off and come back and pick me up later by the highway. I love going to the tracks on Saturday nights."

The show continues at OakPark Mall today from noon to 5 p.m.

Call Sheila Donnelly at 434-2234 or e-mail her at newsroom@austindailyherald.com.