Saratoga Season Opener

By Terry Guest 

With winter finally closing in, Saratoga Speedway is set to go for their 30^th year of racing this Saturday, May 7^th. Like in previous seasons, opening night will be finished with our amazing firework extravaganza. Also on the racing card are the Hornet cars. This year we will be seeing many new Hornet car drivers take to the track for the first time. Last year, the Hornet car class averaged 25-30 cars per night, with that number growing this upcoming season. Last years Hornet car champion; #02 Daryl Cahill, will be returning this upcoming season, trying to retain his championship planning. The Crash to pass cars will also be on the racing card. Last season we had the best car count that we have seen in many years, and early signs are showing that will continue over into the 2011 season. #2 Glenn Pinto will also be looking to retain his championship in the upcoming 2011 season. The Roadrunner class will see a new champion the upcoming 2011 season. The #28 Roadrunner which was driven by James Buchanan last year, will be driven by his son Andrew Buchanan this upcoming season.

The Hornet car point system has taken a complete overhaul from previous seasons. This year’s points championship will be split into 2; A championship, and B championship. If you end up in the A main which consists of the faster cars, all of your points on the night (qualifying and heats) will go into the A championship. If you end in the B main, all of your points will go into the B championship. At the end of the year there will be a B points champions, and an A points champion. There are also a few new rules in the Hornet class, which you can on the Speedway website. Admission prices this year will remain the same, which include HST.

May and June are shaping up to be a very exciting 2 months. May 14^th is our first showing of the O.T.R.A (Old Time Racing Association). May 21^st and 22^nd marks our first Monster Truck showing of the season. The Wilroc Sprint cars and the Wilroc Lites will be making their first appearance of the season on June 25^th. Make sure to mark your calendars for those special race nights. As many racers know, sponsors are very important and are a big reason why many young racers get the opportunity to race. The Coast Discovery Inn is one of many great sponsors that we have at the Speedway. The Coast Discovery Inn has sponsored the Speedway for over 12 years, sponsoring many races over those years. The D.I also offers a “Speedway rate” which is available on race days to our of town racers. They are also the home to the Saratoga Speedway banquet; so from everyone at Saratoga Speedway, we would like to thank the Coast Discovery Inn for all the great years, and we look forward to many more to come! 

Reminder - open practice this upcoming Thursday. $10 per car.