Orange County Fair Speedway opens 104th racing season on Saturday, featuring dirt cars
The Orange County Speedway in Middletown will host regular-season dirt-car racing for the 104th year starting Saturday and running through Champions Night on September 9. The hard-clay oval will celebrate its long history on August 19.
The big block modifieds will take turns on six dates, starting on April 29. The 358 small block modifieds will compete six times, starting April 22. The sportsman division will race 14 times, starting with Saturday’s card that includes rookie sportsman and street stocks.
As usual, the Eastern States weekend from Oct. 20-22 has the biggest pay days of the year for all the racing classes, attracting drivers from all over the Northeast. Many of the same drivers should compete in the annual visit by the SuperDIRT Car Series on Sunday, May 7.
The Eastern States winners from 2022 include Matt Sheppard (big-block modified), Peter Britten (358 modified), Brian Krummel (sportsman), Jason Casey (pro stock), Jim Hajkowski (street stock).
Sheppard - the defending points champ - christened the season with a win in the Hard Clay Open last Saturday, part of the Short Track Super Series. Larry Wight, Matt Williamson, Dillon Steuer and Jack Lehner rounded out the top five. Nick Giaradini won the sportsman event, ahead of Krumme, Daryl Nutting, Cody Higbie and Tyler Johnston.
The Empire State Sprint cars visit on June 3. The Atlantic Coast Old Timers Vintage cars take part on July 1. The United Racing Club sprint cars compete on July 15.
The speedway will also host eight motorcycle racing events (primarily on Sundays). AMA Motocross will be held six times and the American Flat track series will take over July 7-8. The speedway will host AMA practices on Saturdays of race weekends from 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and Wednesday nights.
A recent addition to the track is Burnout Nationals, an opportunity for muscle cars and the like to churn up tire smoke and dust before adoring crowds. There will be six qualifier events during the season and the finals on September 30.
A schedule of events for May 27 and July 29 has yet to be determined.
Kids age 12 and under are admitted free to all events. For other ticket pricing, go to OrangeCountyFairSpeedway.net or call the office at 845-342-2573.
Nearby Accord Speedway will host a practice on April 28 and compete on Friday nights from May 5-September 8 (with Aug. 18 and 25 closed for vacation), ahead of its Oct. 28 Halloween Havoc and Nov. 25 Gobbler events.
Bethel Motor Speedway will conduct asphalt racing on most Saturday nights from April 15-Nov. 4.
Twitter: @Ken McMillanTHR
Regular-season schedule
Saturday nights, 6:30 p.m.
April 15 – Sportsman; Rookie sportsman; Street stock
April 22 – 358 small-block modified; Sportsman; Rookie sportsman; Street stock
April 29 – Big-block modified; Sportsman; Street stock
May 13 - Big-block modified; Sportsman; Rookie sportsman; Street stock
May 20 - 358 small-block modified; Sportsman; Street stock
May 27 – To be determined
June 3 – Empire State Sprint cars; 358 small-block modified; Sportsman; Street stock
June 10 - Big-block modified; Sportsman
June 17 - Sportsman; Rookie sportsman; Street stock; plus Enduros
July 1 - 358 small-block modified; Sportsman; Street stock; plus Atlantic Coast Old Timers Vintage
July 15 - Big-block modified; Sportsman; plus United Racing Club sprint cars
July 29 – To be determined
Aug. 5 - Sportsman; Rookie sportsman; Street stock
Aug. 12 - 358 small-block modified; Sportsman; Street stock
Aug. 19 – 104th Anniversary Night: Big-block modified; Sportsman; Rookie sportsman
Sept. 9 – Champions Night: Big-block modified; 358 small-block modified; Sportsman; Street stock
Eastern States weekend
Saturday, Oct. 14 – Practice night, all divisions
Friday, Oct. 20 – Day One; Short Track Super Series race
Saturday, Oct. 21 – Day Two; 358 small-block modified finals
Sunday, Oct. 22 – Day Three: 62nd Eastern States 200 big-block modified
Special shows
April 14, May 5, June 2, July 14, August 4, September 8 – Car show and Burnout Nationals qualifiers
Sunday, May 7 – Super DIRTcar series: Big-block modified; Sportsman
Saturday, June 10 – Tri-track Nostalgia Night; Big-bock modifieds; Sportsman
Saturday, June 24 – Diesels of New York Spring Fest
Sunday, July 2 – Bull riding rodeo
Saturday, July 22 – Monster trucks (Fair week)
Saturday, Aug. 26 – Diesels of New York Fall Fest
Saturday, Sept. 16 – Eve of Destruction, plus Sportsman exhibition race
Saturday, Sept. 23 – Clean Culture car show
Saturday, Sept. 30 – Burnout Nationals
Motocross schedule
AMA races follow 9 a.m. practice
Sunday, April 16 – AMA Motocross race day
Sunday, May 14 – AMA Motocross race day
Sunday, June 18 – AMA Motocross race day
Friday, July 7 – Amateur flat track race night
Saturday, July 8 – American Flat Track event
Sunday, Aug. 20 – AMA Motocross race day
Sunday, Sept. 17 – AMA Motocross race day
Sunday, Oct. 8 - AMA Motocross season showdown
This article originally appeared on Times Herald-Record: Orange County Fair Speedway racing modified sportsman street stocks
