By: Ron Burt
You would think in the off-season, we wouldn’t have much to talk about. It’s just the opposite. Tri-state racetracks are all busy making out schedules and making improvements to their tracks and facilities for spring.
The World of Outlaw Sprint Car Series (the greatest show on dirt) has just released their 2023 schedule. This year the series will compete on 36 tracks in 19 states and 87 nights of racing. They will make several stops in our area. The first will be May 5th and 6th at Eldora. On May 19th they return to Attica Raceway Park. July 11th they will run Attica for the Bob Doty Classic and have a tune up before the Eldora Kings Royal weekend, July 14th, and 15th. Their last stop in the area will be September 22nd when the series visits Eldora for the last time in 2023. The Knoxville Nationals will be August 8th-12th. If you had tickets last year, you can purchase this year’s tickets now before the general public.
The high banked half mile track at the historic Winchester Speedway will host Old Times Weekend, June 23rd-25th. This attracts vintage race car owners, collectors, and veteran drivers. In 2022 they had a large turnout of cars spanning several decades of racing with many divisions represented. The cars will be racing exhibition laps.
One of the most anticipated motorsports events of the season is upon us. Full-size race cars will be swapping paint inside an NFL football stadium this week during the Castrol Gateway Dirt Nationals. This is an indoor racing event held December 1-3 in The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis, the former home of the St. Louis Rams football team. This year’s event will feature two divisions, Super Late Models and Open Wheel Modifieds.
I have some breaking news and details are still coming in. I reported a couple of weeks ago the Midwest Supermodified Series was having trouble with race teams building new cars. It has been announced that the MSS and the ISMA have come together for a schedule for 2023. They haven’t used the word merger. I personally feel this is the only way the MSS can survive with the low car counts. Car owners from both sanctions have come to terms on this big block Supermodified series with a schedule, rules, point fund and season champion. The series kicks off at the famous Oswego Speedway in New York. The series will make stops close to us in Lorain Raceway Park, Sandusky Motor Speedway and Berlin Speedway. I hope this will be a shot in the arm for the MSS. Supermodifieds are the fastest race cars on asphalt half mile short tracks.
Until next week, keep your wheels down. Ron Out! ohiosportsblitz@yahoo.com
