Dirt Oval to Re-Open with Kentucky Blue Grass Bash on March 29-31
Paducah, Kentucky (03/20/18) – After a one-year hiatus Paducah International Raceway (PIR) is set to roar back to life in grand style. In just over a week, the 3/8-mile oval will light up the western Kentucky sky with the inaugural Kentucky Blue Grass Bash on Thursday-Saturday, March 29-31.
For the 2018 campaign, Tennessee businessman Phil Colwell has taken over the reins of the high-banked, clay oval. He’s made it clear that he wants to restore the facility to the grandeur that it once enjoyed.
“I’m very passionate about racing, and I believe that there’s still a huge potential for Paducah International Raceway to be successful with both weekly event and special races,” Colwell said. “I want the racers and fans in the area to know how serious I am about bringing the track back to life, so that’s why we decided to re-open with such a big special event.”
The inaugural Blue Grass Bash will feature nine divisions in action over the course of the three-day affair, and drivers from more than 13 states have already expressed an interest in taking part in the event.
“We’ve scheduled several divisions as part of the program, because we want to see which classes from the area have the most interest in running PIR,” Colwell noted. “This will give us a nice measuring stick on the divisions that we need to place the most focus upon for the upcoming season.”
Crate Late Models (NeSmith-style rules or UMP DIRTcar rules), Modifieds (UMP DIRTcar rules), Street Stocks (NeSmith style), and Southern Street Stocks (Batesville, Lucas Oil Speedway, and West Tennessee Hobby rules) will each compete for $3,000-to-win and $225-to-start with a $100 entry fee.
The four divisions above will qualify and run heat races on Friday. Consolation events and the feature events for each class will be contested on Saturday.
The payout for their respective features will be:
1)$3,000 2)$1,500 3)$750 4)$600 5)$550 6)$500 7)$450 8)$400 9)$350 10)$325 11)$300 12)$275 13)$260 14)$240 15-Last)$225
Pure Streets will compete for $1,500-to-win/ $150-to-start with a $75 entry fee. The B-Mods/E-Mods and 602 Sportsman divisions will each be chasing a purse that includes $1,000-to-win/ $100-to-start with a $50 entry fee.
Pure Streets and B-Mods/E-Mods will run heat races on Friday, and then consolation races and their finales on Saturday. The 602 Sportsman division will contest their complete program on Saturday night with heats and a feature.
The Front Wheel Drive (FWD) and Mod Lite classes will each run a complete program on Friday evening with the winner of each division receiving $500.
The weekend opens on Thursday, March 29 with an Open Practice Session from 5 p.m. – 10 p.m. All divisions are welcome.
On Friday and Saturday, the pit gate opens at 3 p.m. with grandstands opening at 5 p.m. Racing action is slated for 8:00 p.m. each night.
Grandstand admission each day is $10. Pit admission on Thursday night is $20. Pit admission on Friday and Saturday is $40 each night with a two-day pit pass available for $70.
“We’ve had racers and fans calling from as far away as Minnesota and Michigan, so I’m really excited about this event,” Colwell noted. “This is going to be a fun weekend, and it will definitely be great to see cars slinging dirt around the highbanks once again.”
For more information on this huge event, please contact Phil Colwell at 731-434-9832 or visit www.PaducahRacing.com and www.facebook.com/paducahracing/ .
Ben Shelton, Owner
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