Contributed by Krystin Bogan
Lance Mackey, Legends class driver, enters victory lane at one of the final races of the 2017 season.
After a long, cold winter, Alaska Raceway Park was off to a “hot” start. The season openers took place May 12th-13th and were welcomed by an excited crowd anxious to start the season. Drivers from both the IHRA drag strip and the NASCAR oval track have been preparing for months for opening weekend.
As always, the Raceway has an exciting lineup of events including flag drags, junior racing and a $10,000 payout for the Firecracker 100 NASCAR oval track race. Special guest driver, Ken Schrader, NASCAR Cup Series veteran, is scheduled to race in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series track Pruhs Construction Late Model class on June 30th. Schrader will also be signing autographs and taking photos with fans.
Drivers on the NASCAR side will see an increase in the number of cars on the track, which may double in size for some classes. The Raceway expects 30 Legends cars, making for some exciting race days. Growth in the Baby Grands class is partly in thanks to local Baby Grands dealership Fast 5 Racing created by Creech Motorsports and McGee Motorsports LLC. Fast 5 Racing is providing local equipment services for the Baby Grands racing class, making it easier for new drivers entering the sport.
Will Holden heating up the track in the Mod ET class on the drag strip side during the 2017 season.
Track director, Michelle Lackey Maynor, is also excited about this season and adds, “We anticipate another growth year at ARP, with many new cars coming out at both tracks. Thanks to our many sponsors, fans and racers, our facility continues to improve and provide the best in family entertainment. We look forward to seeing everyone again this season.”
Coming back to the track this year are events hosted by 49th State Street Rodders, 907 Diesel and Alaska Tuner Catalog. There are also couple new events to look forward to from Alaska Harley-Davidson and SCCA Autocross. A full list of events can be found at www.raceak.com or on the Alaska Raceway Park Facebook events page. Alaska Raceway Park’s 2018 season is off to a great start with more drivers, bigger winnings and lots of events that will keep the fans entertained throughout the season.
Any additional questions can be directed to Michelle Lackey Maynor, Operations Mgr./Drag Strip Race Director: 907-460-7223 or bl@raceak.com
For more information about Alaska Raceway Park, visit www.raceak.com or email kb@raceak.com. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
