Anxious drivers, fans, crew and sponsors await the beginning of the 2008 WISSOTA AMSOIL Dirt Track Series race season at many eastern South Dakota venues. I wanted to pass along some helpful scheduling information that will make you think twice about witnessing or participating in a great show at one of these racing venues.

Brown County Speedway in Aberdeen will begin its 2008 race season under the supervision of new promoter Al Malsam. WISSOTA Late Models, Modifieds, Super Stocks, Street Stocks and Brown County Speedway Pure Stocks will be in action on Friday nights at the 1/3-mile oval beginning on May 30, at 7 p.m. Weekly racing action will be the norm with a few special events to make note of.

The newly named Dacotah Bank 100 (formerly the Dacotah Rumble) will take place Friday and Saturday, July 11-12. In years past it paid the richest WISSOTA Late Model purse for any event and it is rumored to have a little different twist. Look for drivers to compete in two complete shows instead of one, with the winner receiving $3,500 each night. If a driver is able to win both shows, he would pick up another $3,000. I haven’t heard if this is fact or fiction, but drivers will be able to run for good money at BCS or at the Rumble Series event the same weekend in West Fargo, ND at Red River Valley Speedway (a $10,000-to-win, two-day show). Ideally, as a race fan, it isn’t a great thing with both shows going head-to-head against one another, but drivers might like the idea because instead of 24 getting a decent paycheck that weekend there will be 48 drivers hopefully bringing in some good money.

The following weekend the World of Outlaw Late Models will be in attendance for a $10,000-to-win show on Friday, July 18. BCS will also be a stop on the Dart Challenge Series for WISSOTA Late Models during the Brown County Fair on Wednesday, August 13. Season Championship will be held Friday, August 29 and the annual Winternationals will be held Friday and Saturday, September 26-27.

Orville Chenoweth and Dakota Promotions have put together a great racing schedule for the 2008 season at Dakota State Fair Speedway in Huron. The season will kick off with the annual car show on Saturday, April 19 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Wal-Mart/Runnings parking lot. The Test and Tune will then follow at 4 p.m. at the speedway, which will provide the WISSOTA Late Models, Modifieds, Super Stocks, Midwest Modifieds and Street Stocks time to knock off the rust and get a good setup on their cars for opening night.

Opening night will be on Saturday, April 26 beginning at 7 p.m. with five WISSOTA classes in attendance to honor Dale Wagner and Mearl Tschetter, two great racing friends who left us during the winter months. Saturday, May 17 will feature in a return visit from the NOSA 410 Sprints. WISSOTA Late Models and Street Stocks will also run.

Jack Link’s Snacks Challenge Cup VIII highlights Wheel Jam Weekend at the South Dakota State Fairgrounds on Saturday, June 6. WISSOTA Late Model drivers will battle for a $5,000 winner’s check as part of the Dart Challenge Series. WISSOTA Super Stocks and Street Stocks will also be in attendance.

Three weeks later, the ASCS National Sprint Cars will invade DSFS on Saturday, June 28 during Prostrollo General Motors Night at the Speedway. Support divisions include WISSOTA Super Stocks and WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds .

DSFS will host a Fireworks special sponsored by the local Elk’s and Sertoma club following the races on Saturday, July 5. All five WISSOTA divisons will be in attendance during American Bank & Trust night.

Season championships will be held on Saturday, August 16, sponsored by Coborns Superstore and racing will once again take place on Monday, September 1 as part of the South Dakota State Fair.

The biggest news of the off-season surrounding Dakota State Fair Speedway is the addition of the Central WISSOTA 100 in September. WISSOTA Late Models, Modifieds, Super Stocks, Street Stocks and Midwest Modifieds take part in the first-ever event at the Speedway. Look for more news and information about this event to be found at www.wissota.org.

Visit www.dakotapromotions.com to find out more about Dakota State Fair Speedway.

Casino Speedway in Watertown, SD will once again host AMSOIL Dirt Track Series action on Sunday nights beginning at 7 p.m. with WISSOTA Late Model, Modifieds, Street Stocks and Casino Cruisers on the card.

The season will kick off with the annual car show on Sunday, April 20 at the Codington County Extension building.

Opening night will be held two weeks later on Sunday, May 4. Race fans will notice a new addition to the Speedway; track staff took down the old concession building last fall and constructed a new one. Another new addition is additional parking south of the speedway. Look for this to be completed before the annual Summer Slam visit by the USMTS on Thursday, June 26. Look for 30 to 40 drivers from all over the U.S. and WISSOTA country in town to battle for the $2,000 winner’s check.

The Dart Challenge Series for WISSOTA Late Models will invade the speedway for the sixth consecutive year on Thursday, July 10. Drivers from South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Wyoming and Canada will be in attendance to try and capture the $2,000 top prize.

Season championship will be held on Sunday, August 31 and the final event of the season will host WISSOTA-sanctioned classes on Saturday, September 6. Racing divisions for the event in September will be announced at a later date. Look for more information regarding Casino Speedway at www.casinospeedway.com.

Interstate Auto Centers I-90 Speedway in Hartford, SD will once again host WISSOTA-sanctioned Late Models and Super Stocks weekly on Friday nights beginning April 25. First on the agenda, however, is their Parent Connection car show, which will be held Saturday, April 12 in nearby Sioux Falls, SD at Borrowed Bucks Road House parking lot. A Test and Tune is scheduled the following weekend on Saturday, April 19 beginning at 2 p.m.

Racing action will continue through the month of May and June beginning at 8 p.m. every Friday night. A few specials are also on tap in June at the 3/8 mile located two miles outside of Hartford. The divisions for a special on Tuesday, June 3 will to be determined at a later date. Hopefully it will include WISSOTA classes. I would love to see a stop by the Dart Challenge Series on this date because Late Model drivers will be in the area with two other Challenge Series stops later that week as well as a special on Wednesday, June 4 at Madison (MN) Speedway.

Area Modified drivers will compete against each other for a $1,000 top prize on Thursday, June 12, during the speedway’s third annual Modified Madness event. Last year, WISSOTA Modified pilot Tony Leiker was victorious against IMCA, USRA and other WISSOTA competitors. Midwest type Modifeds will also be on the card and WISSOTA Midwest Modified drivers are welcome to attend this unsanctioned event.

On Tuesday, June 24, the ASCS Sprint National Series will be in town for a $3,000-to-win show while a fireworks special will be held on Friday, July 4. Racing action will continue throughout the month of July until Friday, July 25, when racers and fans gear up for the second annual AMMI Summer Rumble. This is a must-see event with increased purses for the WISSOTA Late Models - $1,200 to win - and WISSOTA Super Stocks ($600 to win). In addition to those classes, a visit from the ASCS Outlaw Sprint Series will also take place.

The month of August is highlighted by the 10th annual Sprint Nationals, which will be held on Wednesday, August 10. Drivers from the ASCS Outlaw Sprint Northern Series will go head to head to see who is victorious and $1,500 richer. Season Championship will be held on Friday, August 29 for the WISSOTA Late Model and Super Stock divisions.

The third annual WISSOTA Super Stock Nationals will be held on Friday, September 5, when drivers from across WISSOTA country grapple for the $750 top prize. Visit www.i90speedway.com to stay updated on I-90 Speedway.

My first racing action of the year will hopefully be Thursday, February 28 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, NV, when I will watch a few of our WISSOTA Late Model drivers do battle in a $3,000-to-win Western All Starts event.

From there I will make my annual trek to Junction Motor Speedway in McCool Junction, NE to witness a few of our local WISSOTA Modified pilots do battle in two USMTS sanctioned events. I recommend getting rid of the rust and heading south to see some early racing action if time and money allows. McCool is always a good time as drivers’ battle for $2,000 to win Friday night and $3,000 to win Saturday.

Until next time hang on and turn left!