By: Betty Glynn
The Illinois Valley’s largest outdoor sports arena will open the gates Saturday night after a long miserable winter locked up. The La Salle Speedway is about to embark on two decades of racing, under the Izzo family ownership, with a full packed schedule.
Closing out the rainy April with outdoor fun seems to be just what racing fans need to get out of the winter time blues. The season was set to open with a two day show on April 1st but Mother Nature cast a shadow of potentially inclement conditions and the World of Outlaws event organizers pulled the plug. This Saturday’s season opener will boast all four of the regular weekly UMP sanctioned classes of Late Model’s, Modified’s, Street Stock’s and 4 Cylinder Hornet’s all presented by Wicked Race Gear.
On May 14th, the Lucas Oil Late Models will take center stage for the $10,000 Jeff’s Enginemasters Spring Shootout. This first big event is slated to bring professional dirt racing stars to the area along with local hot shoes. At press time, legendary racer Scott Bloomquist leads the points race by a mere ten points over Don O’Neal. The Modified’s, Street Stock’s and Hornet classes will also compete with additional payout.
The first of four Fan Appreciation Nights is scheduled for the fourth night of racing with a special for both the Street Stock and Hornet classes. The half price admission of $5 draws a crowd.
For the first time ever, the Speedway will host two regular racing nights offering double points to the drivers. This could make for an interesting championship showdown as the points chases create quite the buzz while the season draws to a finish. Lil’ John Provenzano, last season’s Late Model title holder, beat out his son Mike for his final championship in his retirement run.
One change this season is the requirement of race receivers which can be purchased at the track. The race receivers will be mandatory for all Late Models and Modified racers. Receivers can be purchased for $100 at the speedway. They have been mandated at short tracks all over the country. This small communication device is revolutionizing the industry, making the sport safer for both the drivers and officials. The officials can warn drivers about accidents or debris on the track. It saves time by allowing officials to talk to all the drivers at the same time from line up to the completion of the event.
On June 20th, the ultra competitive UMP Summer Nationals tour will make their grand return to the ¼ mile clay speed arena. Former La Salle Speedway regulars, Jason Feger and Dennis Erb Jr. have found themselves nose to nose for the championship titles two years in a row. This season’s tour will undoubtedly provide the same level of rivalry within the best teams in the dirt track world.
Twenty three events provide something for all the racing fans. This track will play host to the Bob Tatersall Memorial USAC Midgets on September 2nd and Nascar Night on September 17th. The Bill Waite Memorial IRA Sprints on September 25th will honor local sprint racer Bill Waite who lost his life in an unfortunate accident while aiding a motorist on I80. Last season, the event was held but an early crash did enough security fencing damage to force the cancellation of the event.
The final night of racing will conclude for October 29th with the regular racing classes and a Boo Bash Halloween Party.
The pit gates open at 4:30 p.m., grandstands at 5pm with racing at 7:30pm. Adult tickets cost $10, children 11 and under are free, pit passes are $25. Special events have special ticket pricing. Additional information can be found at www. Lasallespeedway.com