Archive for Short Track
Tri-State RaceSaver® Series to Debut in 2010
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The 2010 Tri-State RaceSaver® Series will run at Bridgeport and New Egypt Speedways.
Delaware Valley sprint car fans will have something extra to look forward to in 2010 with the recent formation of the Tri-State RaceSaver® Series, featuring RaceSaver® 305 engine rules. The affordable RaceSaver® program has gained much attention and popularity nationwide over the past decade. The GM 305 ci motors crank out over 400 horsepower.
The 2010 TSRS schedule is expected to have a handful of events each at Bridgeport (NJ) and New Egypt (NJ) Speedways, with a possible one or two additional races at Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsville, PA. The 2010 season will likely allow for a transition phase for the Bridgeport Limited Sprints and the Super Sportsman Sprints that ran at New Egypt. Bridgeport hosted two RaceSaver® 305 events in 2009.
There will be a meeting for all interested participants (drivers, team owners, etc.) this coming Sunday to discuss the 2010 TSRS. (Note: Rescheduled to January 10 due to snow.)
When: Sunday, December 20 January 10, 1:00pm ET
Where: Neshaminy Mall — Uno Chicago Grill (Rockhill Drive side of the Mall parking lot)
Address: Route 1 and Bristol Road, Bensalem, PA, 19020
Point of contact for the TSRS is Joe Grandinetti (e-mail: racinjoe23@yahoo.com; phone: (215) 355-0510). Web site: http://www.tsrs1.com/new_page_2.htm
USAC Eastern Swing Kicks Off at Grandview
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The third annual USAC Eastern Swing is ready to kick off the week of racing with the first event for the USAC National Sprint Cars at Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsville, PA on Tuesday, June 2. Three other events will be held in Pennsylvania.
Grandview will feature two 25-lap features for the sprint cars, one a make-up from last year’s rain-out. Also on the card is the wingless ARDC midgets.
The tour will then move over to Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, PA on Wednesday, June 3, where ARDC will also be the companion series. Big Diamond Raceway in Minersville, PA will host the Thursday, June 4 race. The Eastern Swing wraps up Saturday night (June 6) with USAC Sprint’s first trip to the 3/8-mile Mercer (PA) Raceway Park.
Dave Darland leads Levi Jones by 12 points in the National Sprint Car championship. Jesse Hockett is in third, 18 points back.
If you’re in the area — come on out and check out non-winged sprint car racing. It’s awesome!
In the meantime, re-live some of the action from the first Eastern Swing in 2007:
Night 1 — Grandview Speedway
Night 3 — Hagerstown (MD) Speedway
New Egypt, Wall Ready to Go
Posted by: | CommentsHas this been the longest off-season or what? It feels like it’s been forever since I’ve been out to a race track. Fortunately the weather’s going to be nice this weekend so it’s time to get out and have some fun.
Saturday, April 18 is opening night for New Egypt (NJ) Speedway. The track has been slightly re-configured for the 2009 season and has all new clay. The new layout features wider turns and more banking. Opening day will consist of the third race of the Tri-Track Modified Challenge Series (race two at Bridgeport was rained out last week) for big-block modifieds, and Sportsman and Outlaw Stock features. Warm-ups begin at 5:15pm. In my experience, New Egypt is one of the nicest short track facilities in the area.
Turkey Derby XXXV was the only race run at Wall Stadium in 2008, but the track is back in action for the 2009 season.
And here’s some good news: after being dormant last year, Wall (NJ) Stadium will be re-opening in 2009 with a limited schedule. The season also begins this Saturday with a 100-lap race for the SK/Wall Modifieds, a pair of 25-lap features for Sportsman and Street Stocks, and two 20-lap features for Legends Cars and Factory Stocks. The main events begin at 7pm with qualifying in the late afternoon hours.
After last year we all thought the one-third mile, high-banked asphalt track was closed for good, but “Racing at the Jersey Shore” is back for 2009. The Open Tour Type Modifieds will be returning to Wall on Saturday, May 9 and Saturday, June 13. Late Model stock cars will make their first appearance at the track on Saturday, June 27. Turkey Derby XXXVI is scheduled for November 27 and 28.
So if you’re in the area, come on out to one of the tracks and enjoy the spring weather and some good, family-oriented entertainment!
URC, Bridgeport Open Seasons April 11
Posted by: | CommentsThe United Racing Company (URC) and Bridgeport (NJ) Speedway will open their 2009 seasons together this Saturday night, April 11. URC is celebrating its 62nd year of sprint car racing and will visit tracks in Delaware, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania this year.
Dave Ely won the URC opener at Bridgeport Speedway in 2008. Ely has moved to 410-sprint racing in PA for 2009.
Like last year, URC is kicking off its 26-race season at one of the fastest tracks on the circuit, Bridgeport Speedway in South Jersey. The big 5/8ths-mile dirt oval has hosted more URC races than all other tracks except Delaware International. Curt Michael is the defending series champion (with five straight championships).
In addition to the 25-lap URC feature, Bridgeport will open its 38th racing season with a 30-lap big block modified feature — the second race in the Tri-Track Modified Challenge Series. The first race, held at Georgetown (DE) Speedway on Saturday, was won by Jimmy Horton. Also on the card are races for the 358 and GM Sportsman divisions. Warm-ups begin at 5pm.
Bridgeport’s regular Friday night racing program of 270-cc and 600-cc micro-sprints and 4-cylinder stock cars also begins this week on the 1/4-mile.
For more information: URC Sprints, Bridgeport Speedway, Bridgeport 1/4-Mile.
Georgetown, Grandview Set for Season Openers Apr. 4
Posted by: | CommentsGeorgetown (DE) Speedway and Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsville, PA are set to officially open their 2009 racing seasons on Saturday, April 4.
The half-mile Georgetown Speedway will kick off its abbreviated season with the first race of the Tri-Track Big Block Modified Challenge Series. The ten-race series will be comprised of events at Bridgeport (NJ) and New Egypt (NJ) Speedways. The 35-lap race will share the card with Super Late Models, Crate Late Models, and Crate Modifieds. Warm-ups begin at 5pm. Later in the season, Georgetown will also host the United Racing Company Sprints on Labor Day weekend. More info at the track’s website: http://www.georgetownspeedway.com/.
Meanwhile in Pennsylvania, Grandview Speedway will open their season with a double header: a 40-lap feature for the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Modifieds and a 20-lap race for Late Model stock cars. Official competition begins on the third-mile banked track at 7pm. The Thunder on the Hill Racing Series will return to Grandview this season with a handful of special events, including the URC Sprints, ARDC Midgets, 410 Sprints / PA Speedweeks, and a double-header for the USAC National Sprint Cars. More info at http://www.grandviewspeedway.com/.
I’ve written about the importance of supporting our local short tracks this season; here’s our chance!
Manzanita Speedway Petition
Posted by: | CommentsThe announcement that Manzanita Speedway has been sold and is closing in mid-April was a surprise to many of us. The track has been purchased by Southwest Rigging, which plans to level the track. There’s a petition at www.savethetracks.com that aims to prevent its demise. Check out the site for more information. Then, click over to the petition and sign it when you get the chance. (Hat-tip to Ken for the heads-up.)
I’ve never been to Manzy myself, but being from New Jersey I’m familiar with tracks closing down. I remember watching sprint races at Manzanita on TNN during the winter time in the ’90s.
It’s hard to imagine that they’re going to bulldoze a historic track just to use the land to store crane equipment. One would think that with all the land readily available in Arizona, there has to be a better site for crane storage.
According to The Arizona Republic, it sounds like the track has succumbed to what has become a common thread in short-track racing: lagging attendance and noise complaints of an encroaching residential population. Nevertheless, it seems the owners will be raking in a substantial profit from the sale.
Southwest Industrial Rigging purchased Manzanita from co-owner Mel and son Bobby Martin for an amount the younger Martin said was between “$10 (million) and $20 million.” The Martins bought the track, which encompasses 38 acres on the southeast corner of 35th Avenue and Broadway Road, in August 2007 for $3.5 million.
“I haven’t slept two hours a night since we agreed to sell two weeks ago,” said Bobby Martin, who is 59. “I was 2 years old when I first came to Manzanita. My dad helped build the track (in 1951). I own race cars, and we’ve spent $1 million for renovations.
“I thought we’d get 10 years out of it before we’d have to sell it. But attendance is down 40 percent, and we lost ($468,465) last year.
“We still had enough money to last several years. It’s just that the nail in the coffin was some environmental issues involving dust and also noise complaints from neighbors. We knew eventually we’d get closed down because of it.”
Bobby Martin said fans have been understandably upset with the news.
“A lot of people have called us and expressed their dissatisfaction,” Martin said. “Everybody feels like we didn’t give racing people a chance to buy it, but I didn’t know anyone out there with that kind of money. And even if there might have been, you still had the environmental issues. The county had two pages of complaints against us.”
My suspicion is that it had more to do with the money than the “environmental issues,” but we may never know. Either way, it’d be a shame if the track is closed.
Manzanita Speedway Sold, Closing
Posted by: | CommentsManzanita Speedway, located just outside Phoenix, AZ, has been sold and will be ending operations after April 11, according to a report from Arizona’s Family (KTVK 3TV).
Manzanita Speedway, which is located at 35th Avenue and Broadway Road, has been sold.
The company that purchased the facility, Southwest Rigging, reportedly plans to level the track.
The facility opened in 1951 as a 1/4-mile dirt track. The half-mile track opened in 1954. The speedway hosts the USAC Copper on Dirt in February and is scheduled to run the World of Outlaws sprints on March 28.
The American Sprint Car Series (ASCS), which races primarily at Manzanita, announced plans to move its remaining dates for 2009 to USA Raceway in Tuscon, AZ and Hollywood Hills Speedway in NM.
