RPW Exclusive: Predictions For 2019 Racing Season By RPW Staff Members

Column By: RACE PRO WEEKLY STAFF – Happy New Year to you and yours from all of us at Race Pro Weekly. We hope you’re enjoyed your Holiday season, stayed safe last night and are ready for a new year to begin.

The 2019 racing season is ready to unfold before us with exciting competition, new faces, new race places and much more. Here’s what the staff of Race Pro Weekly sees on the horizon with our predictions for the 2019 racing season.

John Meloling- Photographer

I’m hoping for more 358’s running this year with young drivers. Larger fields in that class will cut back some sportsman cars. I hope for more consistent rules enforcement in all the classes. In the Big Block ranks, I hope to see a few more winners. With good weather we should see larger crowds. I also hope some owners take some notes from some of the newer drivers working with marketing agents to promote themselves.

Mike Petrucci- Photographer

Ryan Preece made headlines in the NASCAR Xfinity Series over the past two seasons, but he also came home to run a modified when his schedule allowed. Making 11 starts and capturing two wins.

In 2019, Preece will be competing full time on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. It may not be a win that brings his name to the masses, but he will bring an exciting personality to his team and he will definitely find a way to be on camera. Preece has already demonstrated his potential to JGR; with strong performances this season he is likely to stay on their radar as well. He will be a reason for you to watch Cup races this year. He will also be a reason for you to head out to a modified event in New England this year.

Three events in Northern New England will reshape the asphalt modified landscape in 2019.

The Bullring Bash Quarter Mile Challenge will feature three events at two tracks known for close racing: White Mountain Motorsports Park (NH), and Thunder Road International Speedbowl (VT). These tracks haven’t hosted modified events in a while, so there was widespread fan demand for these shows.

Josh Vananda has put together an event team whose focus is to create a fun, fair competitive environment for both racers and fans. The three events will be unique promotions that take on an all-star format. Points will be awarded for finishes in each of three segments, and an event champion will be declared for each event. Racers can expect fair rules, great racing, a top-notch safety crew, and substantial purses.

These events will turn some heads in 2019 due to their unique format. The small tracks will equalize engine advantages, so expect to see at least five NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour teams, who have a month off between point events, use their spec engines alongside the open motor teams.

It will be a great excuse to travel north and eastward for a few weekends this summer.

Brett Deyo will be wildly successful in his first year of promotion at Fonda Speedway.

The Short Track Super Series visionary has the keys to one of New York’s most historic dirt tracks this year, and many eyes are on him and his staff to bring the 1/2 mile to its former glory. Deyo is increasing the purses and bringing in big shows. One of them will be a return of the Fonda 200. And Dollar Night on May 18th will be his best opportunity to pack the track’s grandstand full of fans.

Deyo is a media-savvy racing promoter who will work his absolute best to provide an affordable venue for fans to see a high-quality show. In order for his efforts to pay off, he will need the help of all of the track’s stakeholders. Drivers, owners and fans have had great things to say about the upcoming season, but the keyboard jockeys of social media have not been kind to the track’s past three promoters.

What the Track of Champions needs in 2019 is stability and commitment. Deyo has made the commitment, but the stability factor will depend upon everyone taking an open mind into opening night, and keeping things in perspective throughout the season.

This will be Fonda’s best chance at making it back — perhaps her only chance

John Douglas- Assistant Editor/Columnist

Next season is going to see many changes across the entire landscape of auto racing as a whole. From NASCAR’s new competition package to new owners at local dirt tracks to the possibility of 40 plus cars vying to qualify for the 33 spots in the 103^rd running of the Indianapolis 500. There’s plenty of juicy storylines to play out.

The only prediction I’m willing to make in these waning days of 2018 is that if you’re a race fan, there aren’t many excuses you’ll be able to use in 2019 as to why you aren’t entertained because there’s plenty to perk the ears up.

Dylan Friebel – Social Media Coordinator, Columnist, Photographer

Let me throw a number at you. $150,000. That’s how much Brett Hearn is rumored to lose if he races at Lebanon Valley in 2019 and not be the General Manager of Orange County. We all knew after 10 successful Big Shows, Brett can promote and has a strong future after the fire suit gets hung up. I think we all will be seeing the #20 at the High Banks for one event and one event only for 2019, Mr. Dirt USA, and we will see a new Big Block Champion for the first time almost all decade as well.

Matt Sheppard might lost his throne in 2019, if not for some misfortune from Rudolph in events, he would of won the crown, however look for Rudolph, Williamson, Decker, and Mahaney to get be serious contenders for the SDS Title.

Brett Deyo at Fonda. Wow what a bombshell. Well I think the 200 return to Fonda will be interesting, we are yet to see what will conflict with it, but with the Outlaw 200 have declining car counts for the last few years has shown don’t expect 80+ cars but its Brett Deyo. It’s going to be a show to see here in the Northeast.

Last but not least, hope everyone had a safe and sound holiday season and one thing is for sure, I will see you at a track in 2019 somewhere! Happy New Year!

Lucas Ballard- Photographer

My prediction for the 2019 racing season is that we will see more “big events” in upstate NY and all of the northeast, for that matter.

The northeast has plenty of dirt tracks that aren’t too far from anybody, no matter where you live. I feel like everyone in the north east could use a “Saturday night at the track” being that we have all of these great tracks so close to home.

Toby LaGrange- On Air Personality

My predictions for the 2019 season are very simple. The Albany-Saratoga Speedway will continue to have large crowds and car counts, Sprint Cars will continue to slowly gain more and more popularity with drivers and fans in New York, Super DIRT Week will continue to provide great racing and the Super DIRTcar Series and Short Track Super Series will be the best series in Dirt Modified land – depending on which one you prefer.

Rusty Rhoades – Columnist

Nationally, I think Kasey Kahne will be back on dirt in full force, winning both an All Stars feature and a WoO feature before 2019 ends…also Aaron Reutzel will lead the nation in 410 sprint car victories…

Modified wise, I think Erick Rudolph will be right there at the top of the SDS championship battle all year long and win the title when all’s said and done providing his plans and weather and whatnot allow him to be at every show.