Check out New England’s dirt track scene at Racin’ Preview 2011
18th annual Portland Expo show set for Fri.-Sat., February 25-26
Portland, ME – New England still has an active dirt track stock car racing scene, though it has been reduced to a trio of quarter-mile oval tracks in recent seasons.
It’s been just over a quarter-century since historic Beech Ridge Motor Speedway in nearby Scarborough was paved over, a year since Vermont’s Champlain Valley Racing Association switched their two tracks to asphalt racing surfaces, and a few months since the apparent closure of Massachusetts’ Whip City Speedway.
But there’s still action aplenty throughout the stock car racing season, and three night a week worth at Bear Ridge Speedway, Big Daddy’s Speedbowl and Canaan Fair Speedway.
Bear Ridge Speedway, located in Bradford, Vermont, races every Saturday night at 6:00 p.m., with Sportsman Modifieds atop the weekly program. Second-generation track owner and operator Butch Elms swings open the gates for the 44th consecutive season on May 7 following one of the most encouraging seasons in recent history. Bear Ridge will display a Sportsman Modified race car and others at Racin’ Preview 2011.
Big Daddy’s Speedbowl in Wentworth, New Hampshire underwent substantial renovation last season under the direction of first-year track operator Mike Rivers, and will host Sunday weekly racing programs again in 2011, after a brief flirtation with a Saturday schedule toward the end of last season. Big Daddy’s display will feature a variety of dirt track stock car hardware. Canaan Fair Speedway completes the dirt track scene, hosting Friday night weekly events.
Sprint Cars of New England (SCoNE) is a touring series for the fastest dirt track racecars competing in New England, and they race at all three of New England’s remaining dirt tracks. The powerful, lightweight winged warriors are coming off their best-ever season, with record competitor participation. They’ll kick off their year at Racin’ Preview 2011 with a couple of the powerful, fuel-injected, winged racecars, plus a restored 1985 Doug Wolfgang sprint car that won 45 races in 1985, many of which were on the World of Outlaws tour.
Joining the dirt trackers at Racin’ Preview 2011 will be several paved racetracks, including Beech Ridge Motor Speedway, Oxford Plains Speedway, Star Speedway, Lee USA Speedway, Unity Raceway, along with touring classes with the Pro All Stars Series, Modified Racing Series, NELCAR Legends and other sanctioning bodies.
Current associate sponsors of Racin’ Preview 2011 include Racin’ Paper, R & D Racing and Fabrication of Limerick, Mainely Motorsports TV and Wayne Elston’s Speed Shop of Carmel.
Racin’ Preview 2011 at the Portland Expo is open from 4:00-10:00 p.m. on Friday, February 25. The show will go on between 9:00 a.m and 9:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 26. For more information or to obtain the remaining commercial display space call (603) 447-4251.
Sources: Racin Paper