Albany-Saratoga Unveils Diverse 2018 Schedule; Opening Night To Pay $7,500-To-Win
Story By: JO ANN DAVIES / ALBANY-SARATOGA SPEEDWAY – MALTA, NY – It’s finally here! The 2018 schedule for the famed Albany-Saratoga Speedway was announced today by track promoter Lyle DeVore and promises to be the most exciting schedule the track has offered since it returned to dirt in 2012.
The DIRTcar NE sanctioned speedway will play host to a number of visiting series and special promotion events that contain something for everyone—from the DIRTcar sanctioned Big Block Modifieds, Sportsman and Pro Stocks to visiting Patriot, CRSA and ELS Sprint Car Series events, King of Dirt 358-Modifieds, Sportsman and Pro Stocks Series, and Native Pride (previously known as Feather Foot)) Series events to DMA USAC Midgets.
Add to that list the weekly Limited Sportsman, Street Stocks and 4-Cylinder classes and you have the potential for some of the best dirt racing to be seen in the Northeast. All action for 2018 will begin with the “Spring Swap Meet and Track Tech and Safety Inspection” on Sunday, April 8. A second inspection date of Friday, April 13 is scheduled that will also include an early evening on-track practice session. Both dates are open for fans to come and watch their favorite drivers prepare for their opening night attack at the “Bring It! 2018 Season Opener.”
The opening night kicks off with the largest opening night purse in the Capital District and beyond, paying $7,500 to win for 44 laps of Modified racing. Sponsored by Bart Contracting (Copake, NY) and Schaghticoke Wines & Spirits (Schaghticoke, NY) the event is open to any DIRTcar licensed competitor. The feature lineup will be determined by a draw and has already generated a great deal of interest. With other New York Friday night DIRTcar tracks not opening until later in the spring, some of the top DIRTcar drivers, as well as drivers from Pennsylvania and New Jersey, have indicated interest in attending. There is a scheduled rain date of Tuesday, April 24, if necessary.
New to the schedule for 2018 is “The Tribute” event to be held Tuesday, June 12, honoring two track legends—#12A Jack Johnson and #61 C.D. Coville—icons from the pages of the speedway’s history. Both drivers are members of the DIRT Motorsports Hall of Fame and the NYS Stock Car Association Hall of Fame and helped to write the history of the sport throughout the Northeast.
“The Tribute” will have as its format heat races of 12 laps and a feature of 61 laps paying $6,112 to win. Many exciting activities for fans are being planned for this event and this is an event fans of all ages will not want to miss.
Two weeks later the second mid-week event—Brett Hearn’s “The Big Show 10”—a 100-lap Modified DIRTcar NE Series event, one of the best attended Series races on the DIRTcar schedule, will take to the track on Tuesday, June 26 (rain date of July 11). The best of the best in the Northeast will be in attendance and Hearn promises the fan experience will once again include some very unique activities.
Returning as a mid-week special event on Tuesday, August 14, will be the “Stampede at ‘Toga”
50 laps, $5,000 to win Short Track Super Series event promoted by Brett Deyo. Last year’s event drew 49 drivers for a night of ‘pedal to the metal’ racing that also included the very popular weekly Sportsman class. Last year’s winner was central New York invader Matt Sheppard and local runners are anxious to dominate at their home track and take the win in 2018.
The second annual “Stan Da’ Man” memorial tribute night to Lyle DeVore’s biggest supporter, his father Stan, is planned for Friday, July 27. The Modified race for that night will pay $3,200 to the winner. Also on tap that night is the Native Pride Series, sponsored by Ron Mensing that will be dedicated to the Street Stock division for 2018.
Visiting the four-tenths mile speedway will be the touring Sprint Car Series of the Patriot Sprints on Friday, May 25, the Capital Region Sprint Agency (CRSA) on Friday, July 13 and Friday, September 14, and the Eastern Lightning Sprints (ELS) on Friday, August 24.
Making their return for the fourth year are the DMA USAC Bear Speedway Midgets on Friday, June 22 and Friday, August 17. Each date will also include the regular weekly divisions. Each year local drivers have tried their hand in a Midget and provided some real excitement for the fans.
From opening night on April 20th to the Modified point finale on August 31 to the season finale on Friday, September 14, “The Great Race Place” will once again be the place to be on Friday nights. There is a reason drivers are willing to travel over three hours one way weekly to be in attendance each and every week. Weekly fans know why and are on the premises as early as noon waiting for gates to open at 5 p.m.
Promoter Lyle DeVore is anxious for racing to get underway and hopes to see everyone on April 20th to kick off the 2018 season! The full season schedule that includes ticket prices is available online at www.albany-saratogaspeedway.com or see below for all the great events planned for 2018 at AlbanySaratoga Speedway, “The Great Race Place.”
2018 ALBANY-SARATOGA SPEEDWAY SCHEDULE*
SUN, APRIL 8TH 2018 Spring Swap Meet & Track Tech & Safety Inspection Gates Open @ 12pm
FRI, APRIL 13TH Practice All Classes ~ Gates Open @ 3pm For Inspection ~ Practice 6pm-9pm ~ FRI, APRIL 20TH “Bring It” 2018 SEASON OPENER (Rain date 4/24) BART CONTRACTING presents $7,500 TO WIN MODIFIED SPECTACULAR Plus ALL WD
FRI, APRIL 27TH All Weekly Divisions & 4-Cylinders
FRI, MAY 4TH $600 to win Pro Stocks & All Weekly Divisions
FRI, MAY 11TH “HOOSIER MAMA” Mother’s Day Special ~ All Weekly Divisions Plus 4-
Cylinders
TUES, MAY 15TH Open Practice All Divisions ~ Gates Open @ 4pm ~ Practice 5pm-7pm $20 Pit admission ~ Free Grandstand Spectating
FRI, MAY 18TH “LAW ENFORCEMENT NIGHT” ~ All Weekly Divisions Plus “Native Pride Street
Stock Series”
SUN, MAY 20TH “SPRING VENDOR FAIR” ~ Watch the website and Facebook for details .
FRI, MAY 25TH MEMORIAL WEEKEND ~ Special Patriot Sprint Tour ~ WD ~ Modified & Sprint
Heats FEATURES ONLY All other divisions
FRI, JUNE 1ST “NYSSCA NIGHT” ~ All Weekly Divisions Plus 4-Cylinders ~ KIDS BIKE GIVEWAY
SUN, JUNE 3RD Electric City Riders, AMA Motorcycle & 4 Wheeler Races & Swap Meet NYS 4/10ths Championship Event
FRI, JUNE 8TH “Mark Hughes Sportsman Memorial” Event ~ All Weekly Divisions
TUES, JUNE12TH “THE TRIBUTE” ~ honoring 2 track legends–Super C.D. Coville and Jumpin’ Jack Johnson. 61 ‘Super’ laps and $6112 to win!! Plus Stone Motorsports/RCT Roofing Pro Stock
Feature
FRI, JUNE 15TH “HOOSIER DADDY” Father’s Day Special ~ All Weekly Divisions Plus 4-
Cylinders
FRI, JUNE 22ND DMA USAC Bear Ridge Speedway Midgets ~ All Weekly Divisions Plus 4-
Cylinders & “KIDDIE RIDES”
JUNE 26TH Brett Hearn’s “The Big Show 10” 100-lap Modified DIRTcar Series event plus Sportsman
FRI, JUNE 29TH MASSIVE 4th of July Celebration FIREWORKS!! A NIGHT HONORING THE
MILITARY – The Native Pride Street Stock Series & All Weekly Divisions Plus 4-Cylinders
FRI, JULY 6TH KING OF DIRT Sportsman Series ~ All Weekly Divisions
FRI, JULY 13TH CRSA SPRINT CARS ~ WD ~ Modified & Sprint Heats ~ FEATURES ONLY All other divisions
FRI, JULY 20TH DIRTcar Pro Stock Series Race ~ Native Pride Street Stocks ~ All Weekly Divisions ~ 4-Cylinders
WED, JULY 25TH Make-Up Madness ~ If Necessary Check Website & Facebook For Updates
FRI, JULY 27TH “STAN DA’ MAN’S” Night $3,200 TO WIN MODIFIED RACE ~ Native Pride Street Stocks ~ All Weekly Divisions
FRI, AUG. 3RD “NOSTALGIA NIGHT” Come Meet the Stars from Yesteryear ~ WD ~ Plus 4-
Cylinders
SUN, AUG. 5TH 2ND Annual Northeast Hot Rod Muscle Car Nationals ~ Featuring our Burn out Competition & Much More!!
FRI, AUG. 10TH KING OF DIRT Pro Stock Series & Meltz Lumber Street Stock Spectacular ~ WD ~ Plus 4-Cylinders
TUES, AUG. 14TH “STAMPEDE AT ‘TOGA” Plus Sportsman $5,000 to win
FRI, AUG. 17TH “AUTOGRAPH NIGHT” ~ DMA USAC Bear Ridge Speedway Midgets ~ All
Weekly Divisions
FRI, AUG. 24TH ELS Mini Sprints ~ Native Pride Street Stocks ~ All Weekly Divisions
FRI AUG. 31ST $3,000 To Win Modified Finale ~ Classic Muscle Parts “Street Stock Spectacular” $1000 to win! ~WD~ Plus 4-Cyl (Final Night of Points)
FRI, SEPT. 7TH “FIRE & RESCUE NIGHT” ~ KING OF DIRT Northeast Crate Nationals Small
Block Modifieds $2,500 to win sponsored by Tom Clothier Trucking for Suicide Prevention Awareness
FRI, SEPT. 14TH CRSA SPRINT CARS ~ Small Block Modified Nationals ~Limited Sportsman ~ Street Stocks ~ Plus 4-Cylinders
SUN, SEPT. 23RD “FALL VENDOR FAIR”~ Watch track website and Facebook for details.
SUN, NOV. 11TH Elmo’s Speed & Supply Fall Swap Meet ~All Gate proceeds go to benefit A-S Point Fund. Vendors set up at 7Am ~ Event from 9AM – 3PM
*Schedule subject to change
