Hungry for Racing?

by Nick Gima

Ashland, WI -- By adding a sixth division to the regular weekly program, fans should already find the 2008 stock car racing schedule cooked up by the folks at the ABC Raceway to be very appetizing.

But add to that an early start date, eighteen race programs stuffed into a 16-week stretch, and the annual Red Clay Classic in late September, and every race fan can expect to be satisfyingly full from the action.

The northern Wisconsin speedplant will introduce the popular WISSOTA Midwest modifieds as part of its regular Saturday night menu, joining the WISSOTA-sanctioned modifieds, super stocks and street stocks, as well as the track’s own six-cylinders and pure stocks, when it opens for its first program of the season on May 10.

“The Midwest mods were well-received when they raced here (four times) over the past year or so,” stated Raceway president Kurt Beeksma recently. “The fans enjoyed the show they put on, and the drivers loved racing at our track.

“We think there will be a strong contingent of Mid-mods making our track their regular haunt on Saturday nights.”

Four race nights scheduled in May will be served as the season’s appetizers. A first-time offering by the track lands on May 17 and will honor members of the United States Armed Forces and National Guard by offering any member of our country’s military free admission.

The June course will kick off with one of the track’s most popular nights - the traditional Kids’ Meet the Drivers Night - on June 7. All young race fans will be welcomed onto the track’s front straightaway to meet their heroes and get an up-close look at the racing machines.

Closing June will be a special program in which track promoters hope to fill the house on “Jam the Stands” night, on June 28. A discounted admission price will be offered.

July is an especially busy month, filling fans’ plates with six programs over 24 days. The Como Oil & Propane Modified Series returns to Ashland for its third year with the first of two visits on Thursday, July 3, in a program that will also include an enhanced purse for the Midwest mods.

Fans then will be welcomed back two nights later, on July 5, for the kids’ bike races and a visit from the Northern Vintage Race Car group; the “big” mods will be given that night off.

On July 19 the track will again host its Street Stock Shootout, and on Friday, July 25, fans will get the chance to enjoy the AmsOil Late Model Series, featuring the premier division in all of WISSOTA. The Super Stock Challenge will also be held during that Friday special.

As the final course for July, the Six-Cylinder Summer Sizzler will be served up on Saturday, July 26.

The points chases will again heat up as August’s action is dished out, beginning on Saturday the second with the popular Pure Excitement 25 pure stock special, offering one of the biggest purses in the region for the entry-level division. The season concludes with Fan Appreciation Night on August 23, during which the track’s 2008 champions will be crowned.

The fans then get a month to digest all that before dessert is served - the 33rd annual Red Clay Classic on September 26-27. The Friday night part of the program will include heat race action for upwards of 200 late models, modifieds and super stocks, while Saturday’s action will feature final rounds of qualifying and over 100 laps of A-main action as the competitors vie for their share of a purse expected to exceed $65,000.

The racers will get a taste of an improved purse during weekly action, with a payout estimated at over $14,000 to be shared among what could easily be in excess of 100 competitors per night.

Also, in cooperation with other area tracks, The ABC Raceway will offer its drivers the opportunity to partake in a program called the “Triple Play Bonus.” Any driver competing in a WISSOTA-sanctioned division that wins three consecutive features in the same class during a calendar weekend will receive a $400 bonus - $100 each from ABC as well as Superior Speedway, Hibbing (MN) Raceway and Proctor (MN) Speedway.

Both modifieds and super stocks will be able to compete for the bonus at all four tracks, while Midwest mods can take a shot at the “Triple Play” at Superior on Fridays, Ashland on Saturdays and Proctor on Sundays. Late models can qualify at Superior, Hibbing and Proctor.

The price for dining on the action at ABC this summer will be $10 for fans ages 13 and older on all race nights except the Como Mod Series and AmsOil Late Model Series shows and the Red Clay Classic. Younger fans ages 12 and under will be admitted free. There will also be a ten-night “punch pass” offered, by which fans can pay $90 to enjoy nine regular-admission shows and then see a tenth non-special show for free.

Reserved seating will again be available to fans at Ashland, at $20 per seat. Only 550 of the over 2100 seats available in the main grandstands are reserved.

Those wishing to enjoy the show from the pit area will be charged $25 during non-special programs.

Another strong contingent of area sponsors have again come on board to support the Raceway’s activities in 2008. Those businesses include Little Caesar’s Pizza, WITC, the Ashland-Bayfield County Sportsman’s Club, Xtreme Sign & Graphix, Bad River Lodge & Casino, County Market, Rick Rivord Trucking, Fast Lane Motorsports, Heartland Communications, NAPA Auto Parts, Pepsi, Como Oil & Propane, Chicago Iron & Supplies, WIMI, Northern State Bank, Baxter’s Speed Shop & Custom Machining, and Auto Value Parts Stores.

“Just as the drivers do, we appreciate our sponsors’ support very much,” said Beeksma. “Without them, there’s not much chance of putting on a race program.”

Also, the track’s popular pre-race radio program, “Race Night,” will again air live before every race event from 4:30-6 pm with up-to-date track news and weather information. This summer’s shows, hosted by local radio personality Skip Hunter, will be aired on WBSZ, 93.3 FM.

The ABC Raceway will be represented at the annual Media Day activities in Proctor in early May, and the club will host a stock car show and swap meet on Saturday, May 3, at Fast Lane Motorsports on Ashland’s East End. A special edition of “Racenight” will air live from 10 am-noon from the event.

Weekly race programs will begin with hot laps at 6:15 pm, and green-flag racing action will start at 7. The facility 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 redesigned website, <www.abcraceway.com>.