2010 Third Annual LTX Shootout - Event

It's hard to believe it has been over a year since the last LTX Shootout, but we are happy to report that the third annual LTX Shootout, which took place on September 4th, 2010 at Beech Bend Raceway in Bowling Green, Kentucky, was a great success! If you have never been to an LTX Shootout in the past, I need to get you up to speed on some of the behind the scenes particulars. First and foremost, it is important to understand that some large organization or a massive sponsor doesn't put on the LTX Shootout. On the contrary, its own community, a group of obsessed enthusiasts whose common goal is to give the LTX community a place to race and a place to gather, foots the bill for this event. Secondly, you have to understand that racers at the LTX Shootout are also the event directors, often returning from a run only to trade their helmets for a radio, helping coordinate the event and keep the classes moving along.

As you can imagine, running a small event like this doesn't come without its fair share of heartache and trepidation. In the months and weeks leading up to the Shootout there seemed to be many more questions than answers. People wondered aloud if the Beech Bend facility would be able to handle the LTX crowd and, more importantly, if enough people would show up in Bowling Green for the event to even take shape. In regards to event participation, the LTX directors and message boards were both afraid of a low car count and limited attendance for certain cars, as many racers seemed to break or run out of luck just days before the event.

As the sun rose, Beech Bend Raceway was ready to rock and roll, with excellent track prep, great staff, and helpful people willing to go above and beyond for the racers. Admittedly, the car count seemed a little low at first, with a final tally of 40 racers making it through tech. However, for the first time in the event's three years, the LTX Shootout felt much more like a solid, mature event than a small-time operation. After years of work, the event has really taken on a mind of its own and the quality of cars and racing has gone way above and beyond. From the initial drivers meeting to the final award ceremony, the LTX Shootout represents all that is great about this hobby: friendship, community, and fast cars.

Of course, the LTX Shootout is about much more than the community, it is, at its core it's mainly about heads-up racing and this year was certainly no exception with several cars running right up against the 8-second barrier. The highlight of the event was watching the two top dogs of the Outlaw class, Tony Shepherd and Tanner Bosnali, battle it out with every pass, each gunning for the LTX nitrous record. In fact, the racing was so tight in Outlaw that Tony and Tanner qualified just hundredths from each other, Tony running a 9.118 to Tanner's blazing 9.169 at 152 mph. For more information on the event, check out the following pages and make sure you start planning to attend next year, this is the place to be if you care about heads-up LTX racing!