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From what I can tell there are changes ahead in 2019 but what exactly is still to be determined.Auburndale Speedway and Citrus County Speedway have recently released their 2019 schedules as well as 4-17.Auburndale goes to a twice monthly format and Citrus looks to somewhat copy its Full Throttle superlate event with a similar 100 lap event for the open wheel modifieds(but not quite at the ten grand payday.)The Rusty Wallace driving experience visits the Inverness oval in February with a 20 lap event included into the regular Saturday night show.The 4-17 website has given me problems loading so I'm not entirely sure of.The Wheelman Sportsman Series kicks off their 2019 season as part of Speedfest at Watermelon Capital Speedway in Georgia next month.They also have some events scheduled at Citrus County Speedway that are more laps than their traditional 50 lap format.Auburndales website mentions Sportsman events but not specifically Wheelman events so I would love to get a little clarification on that part.A new Florida Pro Truck series looks to be set to launch with stops included at New Smyrna and a June dirt track appearance at Volusia Speedway.I haven't got a look at Showtime Speedway's schedule but leaning on Robert Yoho's example from 2018 it's changeable on a moment's notice.Bronson speedway moves to a Friday night format but kicks off their 2019 season with their Tour Mod event still being scheduled as a Saturday night event.4-17 is ushering in a new modified division and New Smyna,well it's New Smyrna and you know the big events are spread between the Red Eye through the Governors Cup.Desoto still sits idle and waiting on someone to hammer out an agreement with John S. to bring it back to life.So what is the next big change for 2019? Buckle up and stay tuned.
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I'm hoping for a good 2019 but things are probably looking no better car count-wise than last year, if not worse... just getting way to expensive to race on a regular basis...
The Auburndale schedule reflects the change in attitude that there is no money to be made by owning and running a short track anymore... By running basically a big set of events each race night, it should attract a bigger crowd each time out... Other than a couple of races for the new Pro Truck Series, all the other races are regular Auburndale point events.... No Wheel Man Series this year. As usual, they will use the two Night of Destruction events to keep the track in the black and I cannot blame them for that. I, for one, am looking forward to this schedule as it gives me more time off and maybe even a chance to visit some other tracks during the year...
Auburndale and Showtime have worked out a deal where they will not be running classes against each other this year... Remains to be seen if this will last though LOL... You never know what Yoho will do...
Bronson going to Fridays is a real shot in the dark... Heck, it's tough enough for most teams to travel there on a Saturday, much less Friday... The only thing going for them is they don't have any direct competition on Friday... I love this little track and really wish they could have some success...
Plan to start my 2019 actually on December 28-29 over at Little New Smyrna Speedway watching the Little 500 Quarter Midget event. This is their first-ever big show with USAC sanction which should produce many more teams... There were just over 100 cars last year and should be even more this year. Nevertheless I have fun hanging out with some of my friends watching their grandkids race... Dang, I'm getting really old...
My first race of 2019 will be the Red Eye at NSS if it's not too cold... The 50/50 format for Super/Pro LM has cost them a few teams who don't want to travel for "just" 50 laps... Have to agree with them really because it costs just the same to run 50 as it does 100... They are running every class they have that night - a total of eight - that will certainly make for a long night and I really would not expect more than 10-12 cars in any class other than Sportsman... Again, the most fun I have here is not the racing but getting to see and hang out with old friends...
Then it's on to Auburndale for our first two races on January 26 featuring the Super Lates and February 9th with both Pro Trucks and Sportsman...
Speedweek is always up in the air for me as the weather dictates if I go to anything or not... Hope to attend a couple of the Living Legends of Auto Racing events then see a couple of nights at Volusia... Will probably make a trip to NSS a couple of times and certainly for the Modified Reunion and the Richie Evans Memorial the final Friday. Hopefully the Tour Mods will show up in numbers like they did last year... they held the show up last year as the other classes were way down in car count and I don't expect any better this year...
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Dave,I have an old high school and racing buddy who is involved in the Central Ohio Quarter Midget Association named Dave Young.I know he won't be there personally but I'm not sure if any of his group will be.I was thinking about riding over myself until he informed me today he wasn't coming down.Their group just earlier this month got under the USAC umbrella so I was hoping he might make it down since I hadn't seen him in over 30 years.Kids,grandkids,then maybe great grandkids.We're getting older and their all getting younger.sigpicComment
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I am really looking forward to the Red Eye 50/50 this weekend. Christmas is a blast, but it is done for a bit, so I am headed back to the track.
Hendry County is hosting a two day USCS show this month. That will be my first visit to that track, so it should be pretty cool too.Comment
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Planning on being in the seat much, Rex?Comment
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Ken Kinney who owns Hendry County has made massive improvements to the facility in Moore Haven after closing it for two years to do so.The pictures I have seen show a night and day difference.A little heads up though,unless the upgrades extended all the way out to highway 27 watch the drive in.The road into it was kind of a kidney bruiser.Originally posted by Boneman View PostsigpicComment
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For the first time since 1994, I find myself without a ride. Ok, so I still race karts with my son, but it is not the same. I sold my sprinter recently, and plan on coming back with something newer. My kid needs a ride too, so we'll get it worked out.
Meanwhile, my wife and I will be relocating to Palm Beach. It will be temporary, but I'll have the chance to visit Hendry, PBIR and Hobe Sound Karting.Comment
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It may be about time for vintage sports car racing (think T/A Camaro or Mustang, maybe even a {gasp, shudder} Javelin).
Jacko241 has all the details & is a great guy, if there is interest there.Comment
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With total respect to the vintage guys, I am not ready for that yet. I am planning on a new Diablo sprintcar. Fingers crossed!Comment
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Jacko still runs SCCA, too. Funny you mention a Javelin. I forget exactly what year it was, I think around 2005 or 2006, brother Jerome raced one in HSR when I was campaigning my 911 RSR. We were at Daytona. It was fairly stock, except for the required cage and a big honkin' AMC 401. The springs were so soft that on the banking it was dragging the oil pan, resulting in Kenny having to weld it up! We put some of those Pep Boys spring spacers in it, problem solved!Originally posted by OldSchool+ View PostJoe JacaloneComment
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Y'all were cutting edge: Coil bind & Pep Boys bump stops.Comment
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I am working on A spread sheet with all the tracks Schedules and races for the year when I get it together I will share.Comment
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Well taking a little peak ahead
And knowing that racing action is a little sparse in January I was marking my calendar for Auburndale on January 26th for their opening night Super late model event.And noticed 4-17 also has a Super late model race scheduled that night.Congratulations Florida tracks.You almost made it a full month into the new year without being scheduled on top of each other.sigpicComment
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