Eldora Speedway — voted “My Favorite Track” for the fifth straight year by readers of SPEEDSPORT Magazine and speedsport.com — kicks off its 63rd season with a three-division show.
The Sunoco American Late Model Series, DIRTcar UMP Modifieds and Eldora stock cars take to the track at 4:30 p.m. for hot laps with racing at 6. Gates open at 2.
In addition to the track honor, Eldora also landed four events in the February survey’s top 10 list of My Favorite Race: The Kings Royal, World 100, Camping World Truck Series event and 4-Crown Nationals.
Here are five things to know about the upcoming racing season:
1. Xenia drag strip opens: Kil-Kare Dragway, nicknamed the House of Bite, fires the engines for the first NHRA Summit ET Racing Series event on April 23. Gates open at 9 a.m.
Until then, drag racers can test and tune their equipment with a pair of sessions on Saturday and April 21.
Points racing does not start until April 30.
2. CRA Triple Crown starts in DeGraff: Shadybowl Speedway hosts the first of three legs in the CRA Street Stock Series event April 23. That also serves as Shadybowl's season opener. (The other two legs of the Triple Crown are at Kentucky Motor Speedway on May 29 and Anderson Speedway on June 25.)
Shadybowl will be open Saturday at 3 p.m. for a test and tune session and again on April 20 with a 4 p.m. start.
3. Three events highlight Winchester schedule: Winchester Speedway starts its season June 24-26 with the popular ARCA/Old Timers' Weekend, a three-day event featuring the King of the Wings sprint cars, the ARCA Series and vintage cars on the track.
The Labor Day Stock Festival (Sept. 3-5) and the Winchester 400 (Oct. 7-9) are also scheduled at the high-banked, half-mile track in Indiana.
4. Edgewater running strong: The drag strip in Cleves was rumored to have been sold but is still in operation under Dick Weinle, according the strip's website. Edgewater, which has operated since 1954 and under Weinle since 1979, opens its season Saturday. Gates open at 2 p.m. with racing at 6:30.
Friday night offers a test and tune session from 5:30 p.m. to 10:30.
5. Questions surround Tri-State: The future isn't as clear for Tri-State Dragway in Hamilton. The track's website and Facebook page have offered no indication as to the track's plans for 2016. One Facebook comment did say an announcement could be coming soon. Stay tuned.
6. Waynesfield opener on tap: The area's best kept secret kicks up some dirt on April 23 with a full show featuring non-wing sprints, mini sprints, modifieds, trucks and compacts. The popular track in Auglaize County features a full slate on the 1/3-mile high-banked oval.
7. Final run for Columbus Motor Speedway: The 71st season at Columbus Motor Speedway will be the last. The track, which in 2015 had its best season in about nine years, is selling the land to the village of Obetz to help make room for an upgraded Columbus Crew practice facility and additional space for a major league rugby team. The track opens Saturday.
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