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Thursday, January 28
Gearing up for Speedweeks
Tonight, East Bay Raceway opens its King of the 360 Sprint Car
Winternationals. It will be the first of eleven races held as part of their
Winternationals. It also signals the beginning of Florida Speedweeks. A
two and a half week carnival of sight, sound, and action. A swirl of flying
dirt and burning rubber. The painful face of failure or a victorious charge
under the checkers. All leading up to the ultimate climax: The Daytona 500
on February 14. In the words of John Facenda: "Victory is in the skies. A
season awaits with glory in her eyes."
East Bay leads the state in big time short track touring groups. They will
run 360 sprint cars on January 28, 29, and 30. The Hav-a-Tampa Late Models
will run February 3 for $10,000 to win with Stars Late Models running
February 4, 5, and 6. All Star Sprints close out the festivities with four
days of racing, February 10-13.
Volusia Speedway Park tops East Bay with fifteen races over ten straight
nights. The half mile dirt track will be in action all ten nights starting
on Feb 4 with five weekend races scheduled for the 3/8th's mile asphalt
track. All-Start Sprints, New York State D.I.R.T. modifieds, and the
Hav-a-Tampa Late Model share top billing on the half mile with other touring
groups filling the card. Two appearances by the Florida Pro Series top the
asphalt racing card with other classes racing nightly.
New Smyrna Speedway opens its 33rd Annual World Series of Asphalt Stock Car
Racing on Feb 5. NASCAR Tour Type and SK modifieds join Super Late Models
and Limited Late Models all nine nights on the high banked half mile. Other
weekly classes will be racing each night for a full card of racing.
Ocala Speedway has four shows scheduled Feb 10-13. Classic cars, Dwarf
cars, and the Florida Pro 4 modifieds headline the card each night with
lower classes making for a full program.
Thunder Cross Motorsports Park in Okeechobee welcomes the Northern All-Star
Late Models for two nights, February 5 and 6. They will be joined by a
$10,000 to win, 150 lap enduro on the 6th. Local classes will also be in
action both nights. The Northern All-Stars will then head to Palatka's
Putnam County Speedway Sunday Feb 7 for a night of racing action.
Columbia Motor Sports Park in Lake City will host a national event for the
Classic Cars Saturday, Feb 6 and Sunday, Feb 7. Other Florida tracks will
also host racing action.
Last but not least, Daytona will hold a plethora of races beginning with the
Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona this weekend, January 30 and 31. ARCA holds its
First Plus Financial 200 as a doubleheader with the Bud Shootout for Winston
Cup on February 7. Winston Cup and Busch Grand National time trials and
qualifying heats will take place during the week. NASCAR's Goody's Dash
series take to the high banks on Friday the 12th for 200 miles. The BGN
cars return on Saturday, February 13 for the NAPA Auto Parts 300. Finally,
Speedweeks will come to a close on Sunday, February 14 with the running of
the world's greatest stock car race, the 1999 Daytona 500.
The thunder of the opening lap. The raw power of a sprint car. The frenzy
of a green flag pit stop. The roar of a sellout crowd. The fury of a
trophy dash. From the Northeast, from the Midwest, from the Deep South they
come. All with one idea. Capture victory in the Sunshine State.
With over 50 races crammed into eighteen days, Florida Speedweeks will have
something for everyone.
-John Matthews |
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