By Jack Smith
Truckin' like the doodah man
Once told me "Gotta play your hand
Sometimes the cards ain't worth a dime
If you don't lay them down.
 Trucks, trucks and more trucks.
Some fans have said "we are over trucks, tired of hearing about trucks".
But like it or not, the trucks are here to stay for the foreseeable future. It's the top proving ground for youth. Who wants to run a local mini stock or street stock when you can go "on the road" and hang out with the big dogs.
Plus there is just something special about coming into town, being part of the "special show".
If you can afford it that is.
This past weekend we again had a clash of the competing truck series. Fastrucks had one of the "FMG Extravaganza" shows booked at Ocala for a Saturday show bringing the Pro's and the Kids. FASCAR featured their Pro Trucks at USA International Speedway in Lakeland.
The Fastruck Pros put 16 cars on the 3/8 mile track, while FASCAR Pro Trucks started 25 at the big track. The FASCAR Pro Trucks were the support race which followed 200 laps of Super Late Model racing, and probably three-quarters of the fans stayed to see the trucks.
 Billy Barstow, former Race Director with the Fastruck series, was in the pits for KARNAC.com and Short Track America interviewing drivers and others involved with the young truck series sanctioned by FASCAR. Barstow talked with a cross section of young drivers and with veteran truckers.
Keep in mind these youngsters are racers with the equipment, experience and driving ability to race with the best of the Sunshine State's top truck racers. And they are winning races, witness the points leader Scott Bishop and recent winner Kyle Eastham, both leaving you wondering how they see over the wheel.
"I still feel like the trucks are divided", Barstow said. According to Barstow's interviews with drivers over the weekend, there is an impression among some drivers that high dollar teams have a distinct advantage in the Pro Trucks series, and that if this is addressed more drivers will race them, instead of the Fastrucks.
Barstow also said "the Pro Truck series has everything going for it but needs a strong tech area and rules enforcement to be the top series."
 We spoke with Terry Roberts who heads the FASCAR Pro Trucks and he indicated the series is moving in the direction of more organization for the series, including possibly hiring a permanent Race Director and more tech people.
He indicated there is also work being done in the direction of procuring a title sponsor, though Roberts would not discuss the specifics yet. One of the big assets Roberts brings to the table in the truck racing game is his ability to create strategic marketing partners.
Earlier this year he finalized a major project which was a over a year in the making; that being the Bright House Networks package that created a Super Late Model series at New Smyrna and included the creation of a half hour weekly television show. Makes sense, since Roberts' other hat is that of Marketing Director for the FASCAR organization.
 Billy Barstow spoke on the record with many of the drivers at Lakeland and got their views on the state of their own racing as well as their opinions on the truck racing scene in general.
The following are brief recorded clips of those interviews, most are between 2-3 minutes, and together they give a very real picture of how the drivers feel about the state of truck racing in 2006. They also give an insight into how the youngsters view racing with people twice their age. Click on any link to listen.
Meet the Racers of the Pro Trucks:  ScottBishop - 14 years old and current points leader.
George Morales - former Fastruck racer is 29 points behind Scott Bishop. He weighs in on the truck controversy.
Kyle Eastham -Another young gun, winner of the big New Smyrna race on July 2.
Michael Pilla - a youngster in his first race at Lakeland, qualified fourth and finished fourth in the 50 lap event. Pilla has a female pit crew.
Jimmy Gill - ten year veteran wants to see changes in the truck series. Started outside pole and finished sixth.
Todd Bontrager - Says "it needs to be fixed" Todd is the driver of the familiar Budweiser #8.
Kim Sheffler-Bennett - Returns to Lakeland where she won on 2002. She talks about how much things have changed since 2002.
Bodie Boom - Talks about the future of truck racing in Florida.
Patrick Starpoli - His first USA International race. Another youngster having success with a fifth place finish. Talks about the strategy at Lakeland.
Jamie Skinner - Pole sitter and race winner in his return to Florida racing, Skinner before the race and then his thoughts after winning the race.
Barring rain outs causing schedule shuffling, the two truck series will not see another weekend this year where both are scheduled to race, which is probably a good thing for the racers and the fans.
Somehow though it seems inevitable that the truck controversy isn't going away anytime soon. We are told there are around 100 trucks out there across Florida. Maybe somebody could gather up all those guys and start another series.
Just kidding of course.
Keep on Truckin'!
More Photos from Lakeland, Click Here!
Song Lyrics from Jerry Garcia -Grateful Dead
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