Scott Thompson Memorial Part of Big Florida Memorial Day Weekend.
By Jack Smith
It is that time of year again, Summertime is just around the corner, and while many Northern short tracks are just getting started, Florida competition is already heated up, and guaranteed to get hotter, just like the awesome weather.
East Coast dirt racing this weekend features the National Late Model Series in conjunction with Volusia Speedway Park. The speedway will run the first annual Scott Thompson memorial race at VSP, this Memorial Day Weekend, May 27, 2006.
This race will be in honor of Scott Thompson driver of the #38 Late Model that was the 2005 Late Model Division track champion at VSP, and was competing in the 2006 NLMS Bert Transmissions Rookie Of The Year Award. Scott tragically lost his life in a terrible automobile accident on May 12th of this year.
VSP Manager and promoter Dean Miracle along with NLMS Director Ray Miller stated This is the right thing to do in honor of Scott, as a great racer, but more importantly as a great young man.
On Friday night May 26, there will be an open practice for all divisions at the speedway, there will be a mini-carnival from 6pm-until, and then The Anthony Wilde Band will play from 9pm until.
This event is free to the public, and brought to the fans by Daytona Chrysler Dodge. The track expects to create an atmosphere of fun for the whole family, with a moon walk, slide, clowns, face painting, dunking booth, and many more fun activities.
Meanwhile, across the state and in sight of the downtown Tampa skyline East Bay Raceway Park will feature its own local late model racers, both Late Models and Limited Lates on Saturday night, plus limited sprint cars.
East Bay brings back Fan Participation races for this Memorial Day weekend event, always guaranteed to provide excitement for expected packed house. Fans will also see the Outlaw fours and Street Stocks at the fast-paced speedway in Gibson ton, Florida.
The asphalt racing action fires up on Friday night with Ocala Speedway highlighting the Florida Mini Cup Cars plus the regular Friday night racing divisions getting underway at 7:30 PM.
Orlando's Memorial Day Bash is headlined by the FASCAR Pro Truck Series, who will do battle for 50 laps on the lighting fast 3/8 mile. The rest of the program features a full slate of racing, with something for every race fan, including Super Late Models, Modifieds, Sportsmans, Super Stocks, Mini Stocks, Strictly Stocks, Jr. Stocks, Bandoleros.
Saturday night is going to call for some tough decisions for Florida fans who like to travel. Bronson Motor Speedway's Memorial Day Weekend will showcase the Florida Mini Stock Challenge Series and the Southern Sportsman Series both storming into Bronson on Saturday May 27th.
General Manager Tommy Dunsford said, "Both these series bring lots of cars and lots of racing action to the High Banks of Bronson Motor Speedway, plus our Bronson Lucky 7 Series Hobby Stocks, Thunder Stocks and Harvey Wallbangers will all take to the speedway."
The track will have an on track Autograph Session for the Florida Mini Stock Challenge Series and the Southern Sportsman Series drivers, who will come from every corner of the state. The Florida Mini Stock Challenge Series has had four winners in five races with only points leader Chris Thornton winning twice, one coming at Columbia and one recently at DeSoto. Both of the visiting series expect to bring nearly 30 cars, and perhaps more. Open Practice for all divisions will be held on Friday night May 26th 4-10 PM. Fan friendly Bronson Motor Speedway offers secure transporter parking and free camping to racers and race fans. Main Grandstands open at 5 PM on Saturday.
Back across to the other side of Florida on Saturday night, the Bright House Challenge Super Late Model series revs up New Smyrna Speedway for its second race in a seven race set for 2006. Patrick Conrad out ran David Rogers in the first time out for this series that has excited East Coast Fans and spawned a weekly television show on the Bright House Network. "FASCAR This Week" is featured on the Bright House On Demand Channel in the huge Central Florida Market and has already developed a loyal following of short track stock car fans.
It is also Fire Fighter Appreciation Night at New Smyrna Speedway, in honor of the men and women who protect the homes ands businesses from the ravages of the wild fires that have plagued Florida in this very dry winter and spring, particularly on Florida's East Coast.
Starting done South on I-75, the FASTRUCK racing series will entertain Charlotte County Speedway fans with the Fast Kids and Fastrucks, while an hour north DeSoto Super Speedway will host a Limitied Late Model 100 lap main event plus a street stock shootout, and several other local diviiosn.
Citrus County Speedway will see the Central Florida Sprint Cars, wild and crazy figure 8's plus many of the local classes.
If you continue up the Interstate to Lake City, you again have a choice of asphalt or dirt racing. The Lake City Speedway has been renamed the North Florida Speedway and features dirt racing including Modifieds, Hobby Stock, Street Stock, Pure Stock.
About five miles or so west of the dirt track is FASCAR's Columbia Motorsports Park, a track happily experiencing a resurgence of both fans and drivers in the area. The Memorial Day Weekend show will feature Super Late Models, Open Wheel Modifieds, Street Stocks, Pure Stocks, Hornets and always popular TQ Late Models.
Then there is Auburndale Speedway near Lakeland, where Sportsmans, Modified Minis, Street Stocks, Mini Stocks, Scramblers, and Road Warriors.
No matter where you live in Florida, this is a great weekend to support local short track racing, have a ton of good old fashioned fun in the Sunshine State, Friday night or Saturday or if you really want to be ready for the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday, get out both nights.
Whatever you and your family do this weekend, do it safely, and remember the reason for Memorial Day and say a prayer for our friends and neighbors stationed in far away dangerous places, doing their duty for our Country.
