Photo Credit: Ashley McCubbin
In just 19 days, the gates will open to the 1/3 mile oval known as Sunset Speedway and open, and the first green flag will fly to kick off the 2016 season.
On the heels of an exciting season, Sunset Speedway is looking towards another strong year with a wide variety of racing options on their calendar. The series will have their four regular divisions once again for the majority of the year – Sauble Falls Tent and Trailer Park Limited Late Models, St. Onge Recreation Super Stocks, Graham Landscape Mini Stocks and Signs of Innovation Mighty Minis.
“We have registration numbers in – it’s pretty strong,” Dilley told Race Time Radio. “We’re in the mid-30s in the Late Models, high-30s in the Super Stocks, and the minis and mightys are in the mid-20s. (The Mini’s are) off from last year where the others are up, but it’s kind of going through a bit of a cycle. We’re pretty excited about the whole thing, and trying to get going is the main thing right now.”
As mentioned, the mini count is lower with a bunch of the front runners making the jump up to Super Stock, giving that field at least six rookies this year. Combining those six rookies with two returning veterans, along with the other returning front runners from last year, it promises to be a division to watch.
Though a bunch of fans will be watching the Late Models after Taylor Holdaway won 12 races and finished third in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Standings. While a bunch of fans will be watching to see if Holdaway repeats, a lot of eyes will be watching Tom Walters as the 30-time champion has announced that he will be retiring after this season.
“I believe it’s his 47th year and it’s kind of fitting with his car number being 47 so that’s exciting being a part of that,” Dilley said. “Taylor – he’ll be fast, there’s no doubt. They work on that program really hard. Dwayne Baker will be fast, Gord Shepherd, Mike Bentley is coming back, the Zardo boys are getting fast, the Hallyburtons – there’s a list that goes on and on in that class. It’s just some tough racing. I know Jason Hathaway is going to run some. It’s just the list is so deep of how good of teams, drivers, and cars that are there that every week anything can happen and one of the reasons why I love the double format. You don’t know from race to race what will happen, and it’s very exciting.”
They’ve also added a fifth division, the Avenue Auto Parts Super Late Models, which are set to run five events this year. Track General Manager Mark Dilley anticipates good car counts based on the names registered and calls fielded.
Outside of their own weekly program, the track will be hosting their second NASCAR Pinty’s Series event, as well as a Formula Drift event in the summer.
“That’s pretty crazy stuff,” Dilley said. “They came and tested. I’m excited to see how that goes. It’s the only time that they’re in Ontario qualifying for the World Championship so it should bring cars from all over.”
Ahead of the season opener on April 30, practice was supposed to kick off this weekend. However, it has been postponed as a result of the ground being soft.
“It’s just everything is so soft as it hasn’t had time to dry up,” he commented. “It’s still so soft and it hasn’t had any time to get any heat into the ground. It’s not really a frost problem – it’s just spongy underneath the ground.”
The first practice will now be next Wednesday, with a Saturday and Sunday practice to follow.
