Octane Fest in tight spot

Octane Fest is scrambling to fill its 2013 schedule.

The annual motorsports festival received bad news Thursday when the King of the West Sprint Car series cancelled its appearance for safety reasons, according to Fallon Convention and Tourism Authority Executive Director Rick Gray.

Gray said he received the news, which left him racing to rework the event’s advertising campaign, which includes radio, TV and seven billboards in Reno.

“We’re moving our Monster Truck and freestyle motocross show to Saturday,” Gray said. “That will be the anchor event this year.”

KOW was slated to run at Rattlesnake Raceway on June 7-8 but now is replaced by the Northern Nevada Outlaw Kart series. Gates open at 4 p.m. and racing starts at 6 p.m.

Gray said KOW officials including owner Dan Simpson previously inspected the dirt track at Rattlesnake and gave their approval. Since their decommitment, Gray said the announcement has left numerous sponsors upset.

“They didn’t feel our track was appropriate for their sprint car product,” he said. “It has kind of upset the apple cart with our partners, to a degree.”

Rattlesnake Raceway is in the midst of numerous upgrades to the track including installing additional bleachers, which KOW said was needed if the show were to be held in Fallon.

Rattlesnake, though, independently began upgrades to the track several months ago.

“They saw it (the track) and thought the track would be a great venue to race,” Gray said. “Rattlesnake is making all of those changes now … and would have been ready, in my opinion.”

As a result, Gray said the events must be reorganized and the Monster Truck Jamboree will now be the featured event. Originally, the Monster Truck show was slated for June 6, but has moved to 7 p.m. (gates open at 5:30 p.m.) on June 8.

Octane Fest will open with the Outlaw Karts and NHRA Lucas Oil Racing series at Top Gun Raceway on Friday. The action continues will a full slate on Saturday including IMCA modified racing at Rattlesnake at noon, the Maine Street Rumble Car Show from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and the Monster Truck Jamboree at 7 p.m. at the Churchill County Fairgrounds.

A new twist has been added to the freestyle motocross show, as riders from Nevada will take on their counterparts from California.

Saturday’s action at Top Gun is highlighted by a jet cars at 3 p.m. In addition, top dragsters, sportsman and more.

Sunday’s racing continues at Top Gun with the finals of the Lucas Oil Series and another run between the two jet dragsters. Gates open at 8 a.m.