The long off season is FINALLY coming to end and the green flag will open the 2012 racing season at Speedway 660 this Saturday night! Between now and Monday, September 3rd there will be 17 race dates in the Geary Woods. The track will be humming with action every weekend except the long weekend in August, when we take a little break to get ready for the stretch run.
The Riverview Ford Lincoln Season Opener is always one of the most anticipated events of the year. It’s great just to get back to Speedway 660, to see the action, hear the sounds and smell the smells of short-track stock car racing.
It’s also a day to see some of the biggest smiles of the year! Everyone is just so excited about getting back to the track and a big part of it is shaking hands, renewing friendships and trading smiles as a new season begins.
Kids Day highlights week two and it’s always a happening! Then we host the only Canadian event on the Pro All-Star Series tour (June 9). Other 2012 highlights include a couple of big Sportsman races – The Martin’s Home Heating 100 (June 23) and the Firecracker 150 (Aug. 11). Speedway 660 is where the “BIG BOYS PLAY” and you can see the Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour 100 (July 7) and the Best of the Best 150 (July 28).
SpeedWeekend 2012 and the AutoValue 250, the biggest event of the season, will go on Labour Day Weekend. Throw in some weekly points racing and a couple of Enduros and it all adds up to another action-packed season at Speedway 660.
I am really glad that we will see more of the Hanwell Village Mart Bandolero and 4-Cylinder division drivers this year. Those two new divisions will race at every event, except when the PASS and Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tours come to town and at the Enduros. In just two short years the Bandos and 4 Cylinder divisions have become a big part of our racing family and have earned the opportunity to race more often.
As for the Riverview Ford Lincoln Season Opener, it’s always great to see all of the cars on the track, freshly painted and ready to race. It is also interesting to see who has moved from one division to another and to see the rookies take to the track for the first time.
One of the big movers in 2012 is Kenny MacKenzie. After making Speedway 660 his home track and winning the Sportsman championships in 2010 and 2011, “KennyMac” is moving onward and upward. That’s good news for competitors in the Martin’s Home Heating Sportsman Division, but will certainly make for interesting times in the Pro Stock Division.
I am sure the youth movement will continue at Speedway 660 in 2012. Last year we really saw a lot of youngsters come of age and it is great to see some of them move from Bandos and 4 Cylinders to one of our “Big Three” Divisions.
I almost forgot to mention the Street Stock Division. Today’s street stockers remind me of the “old school” style of racing I grew up with in the 60’s. Lots of bumping, lots of action and just plain exciting and fun to watch!
I hope you come on down to see us this weekend for the Riverview Ford Lincoln Season Opener. Make sure to tell your family, friends and school and work mates that Speedway 660’s 2012 season starts this Saturday evening at 7PM. We’ll see you at the races!
