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Waynesfield Raceway Park kicks off the 2019 area round-track season with the FAST 410 Sprint Series and the National Racing Alliance Sprint Invaders versus the area 305 sprints. Spectator gates open at 3 p.m. with hot laps at 4 p.m. and racing at 5 p.m.
The event is one of four on the Waynesfield schedule this season. Track owners Greg and Tami Shobe wanted to scale back the operation with farm duties and other commitments. Findlay’s Shane Helms reached an agreement to run the four races this season. In addition to Sunday’s race the track will also host the Jack Hewitt Classic on July 3 (featuring the Buckeye Outlaw Sprint Series, FAST and NRA), the Bob Hampshire Classic on Sept. 7 (410 sprints) and the Rick Ferkel Classic on Aug. 2 (410 sprints).
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“Greg simply didn’t want the work and stress of preparing a track every week any longer,” Helms told Brian Liskai, the public relations director at Attica Raceway and Fremont Speedway. “He has other jobs and his farm to run. I know he feels very bad for the teams that counted on running every Saturday and hopes they can continue to race at other area tracks. It was really a hard decision for Greg but I understand how he feels. I’m thankful he wants to work with me to put on some shows this coming year.”
Highlights from tracks around the area:
Eldora Speedway: The half-mile, dirt oval in Darke County kicks off its 66th season on April 27th with the Sunoco American Late Model Series, NRA Sprint Invaders, DIRTcar UMP modifieds and Eldora stocks.
The #Letsracetwo weekend follows May 10-11 with the World of Outlaws Sprints and USAC national sprints. Eldora is the only track in the country to host the two series on the same night.
NASCAR returns to Eldora on July 31 and Aug. 1 for the Eldora Dirt Derby.
For late model fans, the Dirt Late Model Dream is June 6-8 and the World 100 is Sept. 5-7. The two races are among the most coveted in the sport.
As for the sprints, the Kings Royal – also among dirt racing’s greatest events – is July18-20. The 4-Crown Nationals, featuring all three of USAC’s national series, ends the Eldora schedule on Sept. 27-28.
Shadybowl Speedway: The 3/10th-mile Champaign County track opens April 20 with late models, modifieds, street stocks and Buckeye FWD mini stocks.
The track is scheduled to host pair of former Daytona 500 winners when Michael Waltrip races with the Vores Compact Touring Series on July 20 and Sterling Marlin returns on July 27 to race with the late models.
Marlin is undergoing treatment for Parkinson’s disease, which he was diagnosed with in 2012. The deep brain surgery, done in four stages, delivers electrical pulses to the brain cells to decrease symptoms. Marlin underwent the third stage earlier this week.
The surgeries started on March 11 and are expected to last three months. He will return to racing once cleared by his doctors.
Kil-Kare Dragway: The NHRA-sanctioned Summit ET racing series takes to to the quarter-mile strip every Saturday.
Among the major events are the Judgement Day No Prep event featuring top racers from around the country on May 16, the All Diesel Outlaw diesel Super Series on May 31 and June 1, the Night of Fire on June 27 and the Labor Day Bracket Nationals on Aug. 30 and Sept. 1.
Edgewater Sports Park: The quarter-mile dragstrip in Cleves offers another season of Saturday racing.
Major events include All Out Live on June 1, Y-Block Nationals on June 8-9 and the Buffalo Soldiers on July 15.
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