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'10 ABC Raceway Slate To Include Plenty Of Fun For All by Nick Gima 5/2/2010 Ashland, WI -- The Ashland-Bayfield County Racing Association has released its schedule for the upcoming summer's stock car racing season at the ABC Raceway. The schedule is packed full of events geared at attracting even the most casual fans on Saturday nights to the three-eighth-mile red-clay oval, where racing will be held for the 46th season. Association president Kurt Beeksma has been eager to point to several updates to the facility, as well as plans for an improved program, as reasons for fans and racers to come to the track this summer. One of those changes is the implementation of Raceceiver one-way radios that will allow on-track officials to communicate directly with the drivers, making for a quicker, more action-packed racing program. Much has been done already this spring to improve the racing surface itself, including a significant re-grading of the corners to widen the racing groove and improve drainage. "This will create a much more raceable surface," Beeksma explained, "that will hold up well throughout the entire summer." One of the projects that was completed prior to the end of last season was the addition of large on-track safety lighting, designed to alert racers of dangerous situations more quickly. For fans, the track's website, www.abcraceway.com, has been updated and is more user-friendly, and over 500 fans have already signed up on the track's new page on Facebook to follow the goings-on. "We feel that the efforts of our Board of Directors and work staff will provide a combination of hard-core racing excitement and family entertainment that is tough to beat for the price," he noted. The season kicks off at 10 am on Saturday, May 8, with the annual Car Show and Swap Meet at FastLane Motorsports, on Highway 2 East in Ashland. Fans can get an up-close look at the racing equipment, meet several of the drivers, and talk racing with the expert staff at FastLane as well as several representatives of the track. A special presentation of "Racenight," the weekly pre-race radio program, will air live from the show on WBSZ, 93.3 FM, from 10 am until noon. Action on the track begins the following Saturday, May 15, and will continue every Saturday night through August 28 - a total of 16 regular-season shows. Divisions that will run at the northern Wisconsin oval this summer include WISSOTA-sanctioned modifieds, super stocks and Midwest modifieds, as well as the track's own six-cylinders and pure stocks. The Raceway's traditional events aimed at younger fans include Kids' Meet the Drivers Night on June 5 and the kids' bike races on July 17. The "Preacher Feature," which was run at the track for the first time last summer, was such a success that it will again return, set for June 19, joined by the annual visit by the Northern Vintage Stockcar Racers group; the big mods will have that night off in Ashland. As a way of attracting new fans, the track will again bring back its popular "Jam the Stands" Night, this year slated for June 26. And the summer-ending Fan Appreciation Night on August 28 promises plenty of drama as racers vie for their final standings in the season-long points chase. Several special races will draw plenty of traveling racers to the speedplant, including the Super Stock Challenge on July 31 and the "Pure Excitement 25" pure stock special on August 21. One event that's always sure to draw lots of visiting hotshoes is the first of two Ashland stops by the Como Oil & Propane Series for WISSOTA Modifieds, which will be held on August 7. The nine-race, five-track series will be run in conjunction with Mid-mods and sixes that night. New to the ABC schedule this summer will be the track's AmsOil Qualifier event for WISSOTA-sanctioned racers, which will be run along with the Six-Cylinder Summer Sizzler on July 3. The Qualifier races will give local drivers the opportunity to race their way in to the prestigious Race of Champions at the WISSOTA 100 on September 15-18 in Huron, SD. Of course, the schedule would not be complete without the Red Clay Classic, set for Friday and Saturday, October 1-2. The 35th edition of this traditional special event draws mods, super stocks and Mid-mods, as well as the only 2010 appearance of the mighty WISSOTA-sanctioned late models, from several states and Canada for a chance at a share of a purse well in excess of $70,000. Also, the Red Clay Classic will again host the championship round of the Como Mod Series for the fourth straight season. Many great area sponsors will be involved with the racing action at ABC in 2010. Anderson Lubricants of Superior returns as a season-long supporter, joining a long list of Ashland-area sponsors such as Northern State Bank, the Ashland Area Chamber of Commerce, WITC-Ashland Campus, Little Caesar's Pizza, Xtreme Sign & Graphix and X-Wraps, WBSZ-FM, Bad River Lodge & Casino, Chicago Iron & Supplies, Ashland County Market, Northern Clearing, Inc, FastLane Motorsports & Custom Powdercoating, Como Oil & Propane, NAPA Auto Parts of Ashland & Washburn, the ABC Sportsman's Club, Pepsi, and Outlaw Sign & Graphics. Other generous businesses from outside the immediate area include Baxter's Speed Shop of Dorchester, Rivord Trucking of Superior, Birchgrove Campground of Iron River, Northstar Beverages of Hurley, and WIMI-FM of Ironwood. Prior to every race program this summer, "Racenight" will air live with up-to-date track news and weather information on WBSZ, 93.3 FM, from 4:30-6 pm. The grandstands open every race night at 5 pm, hot laps begin at 6:15, and the first green flag drops at 7 pm. The ABC Raceway is located 3-1/2 miles south of Ashland on State Highway 13 and one mile west on Butterworth Road. For raceday information call (715) 682-4990, or log on to the track's recently updated website, www.abcraceway.com. |
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