Race Weekend Central

Keepin’ it Short – Highlight is on Short Tracks this weekend

Short Track racing is the backbone of racing in North America. It is the true roots of NASCAR Stock Car racing, even though there are only six races during the season which are on tracks less than a mile in length. This weekend is the highlight of that Short Track portion of the Cup schedule as the series visits Martinsville for the first of two dates on the calendar. Martinsville is one of two tracks that still exist from the original seven race schedule that NASCAR ran in the inaugural season of 1949 (North Wilkesboro still exists although it is dormant at this point in time). It is the only track that is still on the schedule today.

Martinsville, like so many other short tracks in the United States, is in a small community that derives a large portion of their economic prosperity from the track. Places like South Boston, Knoxville, Stafford, Rossburg and Alger gain so much of their identity from the race track and the race track pulls so much of its personality from the community. Martinsville symbolizes the local community right down to the trophy that is awarded. The grandfather clock that Martinsville awards to the winners of its races is made in a local shop by local craftsman. It speaks volumes about the ties to the community when that beautiful clock sits on the stage of victory lane in front of so many people who work their fingers to the bone to make the local community survive.

As the Cup series heads to the shortest track on the schedule, many of the other short tracks around the country are finally opening their doors for the racing season. Even though the weather has been less than spring like in many places, the cars will be hitting the track in anger on many of the small ovals throughout the Midwest and the Northeast. With the economy slowly but surely starting to actually turn around, it seems as though the racers are coming back to the local tracks more and more. While that is a great thing, the key to keeping these small tracks in business and helping all of the short track racing community to thrive is the fans. The fans of tracks like Flat Rock and Duck River and Meridian all need to get out and support their local racers and their local short tracks. The more people who show up to watch the races will help the tracks make improvements and keep their doors open.

The one other thing that local fans can do to help their local tracks, and the big tracks for that matter, is support the sponsors of racers and tracks. Even if you don’t spend money in an establishment who has a billboard at your local track, take the time to stop in and just say thank you. Letting a company know that you saw their ad or their billboard lets them know that their marketing dollars are being well spent. If every fan who goes to their local track on Saturday night would take the time to visit one sponsor just to say ‘Thank you’ the advertising dollars spent at local short tracks would double for the 2014 season.

When you watch the race at Martinsville this weekend remember that each and every one of the drivers started at a local short track. Go-karts, quarter midgets, 4-cylinders, whatever the case may be, they all started racing in front of small crowds on small tracks. When you go to your local track, you very well could be seeing the next superstars of NASCAR. Seeing drivers like Dylan Kwasniewski or Kyle Benjamin or Dawson Cram just might be giving you a glimpse into the future of NASCAR.

Whether you go to a local track this weekend or head to Martinsville, celebrate the cradle of racing on this true Short Track weekend. Thousands of drivers compete on the hundreds of short tracks across America each weekend, and they do it because they love to race, not because they make a penny at it.

This Weekend’s Short Track Racing Schedule

Friday 04/05/13 Antioch Speedway Antioch CA World of Outlaw Sprint Cars
Friday 04/05/13 Farmer City Raceway Farmer City IL World of Outlaw Late Models
Friday 04/05/13 Tri-City Speedway Pontoon Beach IL UMP Factory Stocks
Friday 04/05/13 Tri-City Speedway Pontoon Beach IL UMP Late Models
Friday 04/05/13 Tri-City Speedway Pontoon Beach IL UMP Modifieds
Friday 04/05/13 Tri-City Speedway Pontoon Beach IL UMP Pro-Crate Late Models
Friday 04/05/13 Tri-City Speedway Pontoon Beach IL UMP Sport Compacts
Friday 04/05/13 Jackson Motor Speedway Byram MS Lucas Oil Dirt Late Models
Friday 04/05/13 I-80 Speedway Greenwood NE ASCS Winged Sprints
Friday 04/05/13 Thunderbird Speedway Muskogee OK USMTS Modifieds
Friday 04/05/13 Golden Triangle Raceway Park Beaumont TX ASCS Winged Sprints
Friday 04/05/13 RPM Speedway Crandall TX Factory Stocks
Friday 04/05/13 RPM Speedway Crandall TX Limited Modifieds
Friday 04/05/13 RPM Speedway Crandall TX Street Stocks
Friday 04/05/13 RPM Speedway Crandall TX USRA Modifieds
Saturday 04/06/13 Montgomery Motor Speedway Montgomery AL Buzz
Saturday 04/06/13 Montgomery Motor Speedway Montgomery AL Mini Modifieds
Saturday 04/06/13 Montgomery Motor Speedway Montgomery AL SMARS Motorcycles
Saturday 04/06/13 Montgomery Motor Speedway Montgomery AL Street Stock
Saturday 04/06/13 Montgomery Motor Speedway Montgomery AL Super Stock/Truck
Saturday 04/06/13 Montgomery Motor Speedway Montgomery AL Vintage Nationals
Saturday 04/06/13 I-30 Speedway Little Rock AR ASCS Winged Sprints
Saturday 04/06/13 Riverside International Speedway West Memphis AR 305 Winged Sprints
Saturday 04/06/13 Riverside International Speedway West Memphis AR 600 Mini Sprints
Saturday 04/06/13 Riverside International Speedway West Memphis AR Late Models
Saturday 04/06/13 Riverside International Speedway West Memphis AR Modifieds
Saturday 04/06/13 Riverside International Speedway West Memphis AR Stock Cars
Saturday 04/06/13 Canyon Speedway Park Peoria AZ Bombers
Saturday 04/06/13 Canyon Speedway Park Peoria AZ Challenge Cup Sprint Cars
Saturday 04/06/13 Canyon Speedway Park Peoria AZ IMCA Modifieds
Saturday 04/06/13 Canyon Speedway Park Peoria AZ Mini Sprints
Saturday 04/06/13 Canyon Speedway Park Peoria AZ Pure Stocks
Saturday 04/06/13 Cocopah Speedway Yuma AZ Factory Stocks
Saturday 04/06/13 Cocopah Speedway Yuma AZ IMCA Modifieds
Saturday 04/06/13 Cocopah Speedway Yuma AZ IMCA Sport Mods
Saturday 04/06/13 Cocopah Speedway Yuma AZ Pro Stocks
Saturday 04/06/13 Cocopah Speedway Yuma AZ Street Stocks
Saturday 04/06/13 Speedworld Wittmann AZ USAC National Quarter Midgets
Saturday 04/06/13 Tucson International Raceway Tucson AZ ASCS Winged Sprints
Saturday 04/06/13 Tucson International Raceway Tucson AZ Factory Stocks
Saturday 04/06/13 Tucson International Raceway Tucson AZ Hornets
Saturday 04/06/13 Tucson International Raceway Tucson AZ Super Stocks
Saturday 04/06/13 Tucson International Raceway Tucson AZ X-Mods
Saturday 04/06/13 Bakersfield Speedway Bakersfield CA American Stocks
Saturday 04/06/13 Bakersfield Speedway Bakersfield CA Hard Tops
Saturday 04/06/13 Bakersfield Speedway Bakersfield CA Hobby Stocks
Saturday 04/06/13 Bakersfield Speedway Bakersfield CA Modifieds
Saturday 04/06/13 Bakersfield Speedway Bakersfield CA Street Stocks
Saturday 04/06/13 Calistoga Speedway Claistoga CA World of Outlaw Sprint Cars
Saturday 04/06/13 Kings Speedway Hanford CA West Coast Late Models
Saturday 04/06/13 Perris Auto Speedway Perris CA USAC/CRA Sprint Cars
Saturday 04/06/13 Placerville Speedway Placerville CA 360 Winged Sprints
Saturday 04/06/13 Placerville Speedway Placerville CA Dwarf Cars
Saturday 04/06/13 Placerville Speedway Placerville CA Limited Late Models
Saturday 04/06/13 Placerville Speedway Placerville CA Pure Stocks
Saturday 04/06/13 Stockton 99 Speedway Stockton CA SRL Southwest Tour Late Models
Saturday 04/06/13 Ventura Raceway Ventura CA USAC Western States Midgets
Saturday 04/06/13 Waterford Speedbowl Waterford CT Valenti Modifieds
Saturday 04/06/13 Gordon Park Speedway Augusta GA FASTRAK Pro Late Models
Saturday 04/06/13 34 Raceway Burlington IA 4-Cylinders
Saturday 04/06/13 34 Raceway Burlington IA IMCA Super Late Models
Saturday 04/06/13 34 Raceway Burlington IA Sport Mods
Saturday 04/06/13 Farmer City Raceway Farmer City IL World of Outlaw Late Models
Saturday 04/06/13 Highland Speedway Highland IL Outlaw Micros
Saturday 04/06/13 Highland Speedway Highland IL UMP Late Models
Saturday 04/06/13 Highland Speedway Highland IL UMP Modifieds
Saturday 04/06/13 Highland Speedway Highland IL UMP Sport Mods
Saturday 04/06/13 Highland Speedway Highland IL UMP Street Stocks
Saturday 04/06/13 Lawrenceburg Speedway Lawrenceburg IN USAC Sprint Cars
Saturday 04/06/13 Caraway Speedway Asheboro NC Hornets
Saturday 04/06/13 Caraway Speedway Asheboro NC Late Models
Saturday 04/06/13 Caraway Speedway Asheboro NC Legends
Saturday 04/06/13 Caraway Speedway Asheboro NC Limited Late Models
Saturday 04/06/13 Caraway Speedway Asheboro NC Mini Stocks
Saturday 04/06/13 Caraway Speedway Asheboro NC Southern Modified Lights
Saturday 04/06/13 Caraway Speedway Asheboro NC U-Cars
Saturday 04/06/13 County Line Raceway Elm City NC Late Models
Saturday 04/06/13 County Line Raceway Elm City NC Pure Stock 4 Cylinder
Saturday 04/06/13 County Line Raceway Elm City NC Pure Stock V-8
Saturday 04/06/13 County Line Raceway Elm City NC Super Stock 4 Cylinders
Saturday 04/06/13 County Line Raceway Elm City NC Thunder & Lightning
Saturday 04/06/13 East Lincoln Speedway Stanley NC Limited Sportsman
Saturday 04/06/13 East Lincoln Speedway Stanley NC Micro Sprints
Saturday 04/06/13 East Lincoln Speedway Stanley NC Renegades
Saturday 04/06/13 East Lincoln Speedway Stanley NC Stock 4
Saturday 04/06/13 East Lincoln Speedway Stanley NC Super Stock 4 Cylinders
Saturday 04/06/13 Hickory Motor Speedway Newton NC Limited Late Models
Saturday 04/06/13 Hickory Motor Speedway Newton NC Renegades
Saturday 04/06/13 Hickory Motor Speedway Newton NC Street Stocks
Saturday 04/06/13 Hickory Motor Speedway Newton NC Vintage Sportsman Racing Classics
Saturday 04/06/13 Hickory Motor Speedway Newton NC Whelen All-American Late Models
Saturday 04/06/13 I-80 Speedway Greenwood NE ASCS Winged Sprints
Saturday 04/06/13 Southern New Mexico Speedway Las Cruces NM Hornets
Saturday 04/06/13 Southern New Mexico Speedway Las Cruces NM UMP Late Models
Saturday 04/06/13 Southern New Mexico Speedway Las Cruces NM USRA Modifieds
Saturday 04/06/13 Southern New Mexico Speedway Las Cruces NM USRA Street Stocks
Saturday 04/06/13 Las Vegas Motor Speedway Las Vegas NV USAC Western Pavement Ignite Midgets
Saturday 04/06/13 West Siloam Speedway Colcord OK USMTS Modifieds
Saturday 04/06/13 Mercer Raceway Park Mercer PA FASTRAK Pro Late Models
Saturday 04/06/13 Duck River Raceway Park Wheel TN Modified Street Bomber
Saturday 04/06/13 Duck River Raceway Park Wheel TN Openwheel
Saturday 04/06/13 Duck River Raceway Park Wheel TN Outlaw Pony
Saturday 04/06/13 Duck River Raceway Park Wheel TN Pure Pony
Saturday 04/06/13 Duck River Raceway Park Wheel TN Rookie Pony
Saturday 04/06/13 Duck River Raceway Park Wheel TN Street Stock Bomber
Saturday 04/06/13 Duck River Raceway Park Wheel TN Super Late Models
Saturday 04/06/13 Duck River Raceway Park Wheel TN Two Barrel Late Models
Saturday 04/06/13 Tazewell Speedway Tazewell TN Southern All Stars Late Models
Saturday 04/06/13 Lonestar Speedway Kilgore TX Lucas Oil Dirt Late Models
Saturday 04/06/13 Royal Purple Raceway Baytown TX ASCS Winged Sprints
Saturday 04/06/13 Lonesome Pine Raceway Coeburn VA Iron Warrior
Saturday 04/06/13 Lonesome Pine Raceway Coeburn VA Late Models
Saturday 04/06/13 Lonesome Pine Raceway Coeburn VA Mod 4
Saturday 04/06/13 Lonesome Pine Raceway Coeburn VA Pure 4
Saturday 04/06/13 Lonesome Pine Raceway Coeburn VA Pure Streets
Saturday 04/06/13 Lonesome Pine Raceway Coeburn VA Super Streets
Sunday 04/07/13 Speedworld Wittmann AZ USAC National Quarter Midgets
Sunday 04/07/13 Waterford Speedbowl Waterford CT Valenti Modifieds
Wednesday 04/10/13 Millbridge Speedway Salisbury NC 125 Mini Outlaw
Wednesday 04/10/13 Millbridge Speedway Salisbury NC Beginner Box Stock Mini Outlaw
Wednesday 04/10/13 Millbridge Speedway Salisbury NC Box Stock Mini Outlaw
Wednesday 04/10/13 Millbridge Speedway Salisbury NC NBA Clone Go-Karts
Wednesday 04/10/13 Millbridge Speedway Salisbury NC Open Mini Outlaw

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