Ransomville Releases 60th Anniversary Schedule
Story By: STEVE PETTY / RANSOMVILLE SPEEDWAY – RANSOMVILLE, NY – 2017 is the second season of operation of the Ransomville Speedway under the Atwal Family and it will be a special one as “The Big R” is celebrating its 60th Anniversary Season of racing in the hamlet of Ransomville. The 2017 season officially got started with the running of the 17th Hangover 150 in early February.
Car show season will kick off the month of March as the Ransomville Speedway will be represented at the 31st Motorsports Expo at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse the weekend of March 11-12. The cars and stars of the Big and Little R will take center stage at the Fashion Outlets of Niagara Falls USA the weekend of March 24-26 with the annual Ransomville Speedway car show.
The stockcars will hit the track for the first time season with the annual Test, Tune and Time for all drivers on Friday April 28th. The 358 Modified and Sportsman pole winners will each receive a 55gl drum of VP Fuel presented by VP Racing Fuels.
VP Racing Small Engine Fuels presents the 60th Season Opener on Friday May 5th featuring a full card of racing staring the Krown Undercoating of Ransomville 358 Modifieds, Investors Services Sportsman, KiPo Chevrolet Street Stocks, Gippsters Collision 4 Bangers and the Stevenson’s Hardware Novice Sportsman. The following week, May 12th, Martin’s Fantasy Island presents a full card of racing plus the first Spectator 1 on 1 race of the season. May 19th, Johnston’s Restaurant will present a full card plus a Street Stock mechanics race. The first Autograph Night of the year is set for Friday May 26th presented by United Materials LLC.
The month of June starts on June 2nd when A-Verdi Storage Containers and Johnston’s Restaurant presents the Patriot Sprint Cars plus the Sportsman, Street Stocks, 4 Bangers and Novice Sportsman. BlueCross and BlueShield of WNY presents Labor Night at the Races to benefit the United Way on Friday June 9th. Niagara Hardwood and A1 Landscape are also presenting sponsors that evening that will feature a full card of racing plus an open wheeled pit crew contest on a busy June 9th. On June 16th, WGR 550 presents a full card of racing plus a full fender pit crew contest. The popular Bicycle races will be presented on June 23rd as Scott Joy Trucking presents the racing card. June 30th, we will celebrate Independence Day with Fireworks as Farmer’s Insurance of Lockport, NY and HyTech Concrete presents and a full card of racing.
The heat of the summer comes in and on Friday July 7th, the JetPort Lounge presents a full card plus Kids Rides. Kids Power Wheel Races will be ran on July 14th as Regional Haulage will present the racing action. July 21st will be the 60th Anniversary Celebration presented by the Lewiston Chamber of Commerce. Sunday July 23rd, Budweiser presents “The Greatest Show on Dirt”, the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Cars makes its anticipated return to Ransomville for the first time in 20 years for the “Big R Outlaw Shootout”! A special $750 to win Sportsman race will also be on the card. Friday night action returns on Friday July 28th as the Sunset Bar and Grill presents a full card plus the second spectator 1 on 1 race of the season.
On Friday August 4th, Performance MFG Inc and Jeffery Machine present the Sid Jeffery Memorial, featuring a $1,000 to win Sportsman special plus the Modifieds, 4 Bangers, Novice Sportsman and the inaugural visit by the Pennsylvania Vintage Modifieds. The 33rd running of the Summer Nationals for the Big Block Modified Super DIRTcar Series will take place on Tuesday August 8th. Coors Light, Parco Buildings and Wendt’s Propane will present the racing action that will also include the Sportsman, Street Stocks plus the always delicious Ransomville Fire Department Chicken BBQ. Stirling Lubricants, Randy’s Smoke Shop and the FOAR Score Fan Club presents the racing program on Friday August 11th as well as the second Autograph Night of the year. Kids Rides will be held on August 18th presented by Crop Production Services, Firth’s Jewelers and the Barker Lions Club. The month of August will come to an end on August 25th as Moley Magnetics presents the second visit of the season by the Patriot Sprint Tour. The Patriot Sprints will be joined by the Sportsman, Street Stocks, 4 Bangers and Novice Sportsman.
The month of September kicks off with a 50 lap special for the 358 Modifieds presented by Tim Hortons, Labatt’s and Salerno’s Snowplowing and Landscaping. The 358 Modified and Sportsman track championships will be decided that night. Friday September 8th, Niagara Frontier Publications and WGR 550 presents the Sportsman Super DIRTcar Series come to town to start their Niagara Region weekend swing plus the crowning of the Street Stock champion. The season will come to a close the weekend of September 15-16 as Investors Services presents the annual King of the Hill (KoH) Weekend. Friday of KoH Weekend features the track championships crowned for the 4 Bangers and Novice Sportsman plus qualifying for the Street Stocks, Sportsman as well as a 4/6 cylinder Enduro. Saturday September 16th will see the twin 100’s for the Sportsman and Street Stocks with each paying $1000 to win! The 4 Bangers and Novice Sportsman will also be on the card on the Saturday portion of King of the Hill Weekend.
The season will come to a close on Saturday November 11th with the Ransomville Speedway Awards Banquet.
Thursday night racing returns to Ransomville Speedway this summer as go-kart action will take place on the ¼ mile “Little R”. The Thursday night go-kart program schedule will kick off on Thursday May 11 with heats beginning at 7:00pm sharp. Racing will take place every Thursday night until August 31st for Championship Night. There will be a Summer Break night off on Thursday July 20th. The popular Powder Puff will take place on Thursday August 10th. The go-kart banquet and non points fun race will be held on Sunday September 10th.
