By Jane Smith

(KNS) Racing season has opened or will be opening soon at all our Florida tracks. Not only will there be plenty of action every weekend but this year, more than any other year, we will see racing series running from one end of the state to the other.

If you have a Super Late Model, Late Model, Open Wheel Modified or Mini-Stock, this is your year to travel to a number of tracks in the Sunshine State.

Super Lates will have four series this year. The Florida Pro will also offer Super Late Models a number of races throughout the racing season with the opening race at Columbia Motorsports Park.

The Racecar Engineering Sunbelt Super Late Model Series will open it's season on March 30th at Citrus County Speedway.

The Sunbelt Super Series will have three races at USA International with the first on April 27 followed by July 20 and October 19. On September 28 and 29th, the Super Late Models will get their second chance at Sebring International and a road course race.

This year, the Triple Crown will not run for three consecutive nights but at three different tracks throughout the season. The first leg of the Triple Crown (Sunbelt Super Series) will be June 15 at Charlotte County Speedway. The second leg will be on July 20 at USA International Speedway with the final leg on November 9th at New Smyrna Speedway, which is also the biggest race of them all, the Florida Governor's Cup.

Five Flags in Pensacola, Florida will have the Snowball Challenge Series which will consist of five races on March 29, June 7, August 16, September 13 and October 11th concluding with the Snowball Derby on December 4th thru 8th.

The fourth Super Late Model Series is the All American Challenge Series which will run entirely at DeSoto Speedway. The opening race was on February 24 with Jimmy Cope as the winner and will run thru November 30th.

LATE MODELS
Late Models will see plenty of action with the Goodyear Challenge Series and the SARA Late Model Series. The Goodyear Challenge Series had their first race at USA International on February 24 with Jason Boyd as the winner.

The Goodyear Challenge will run at USA International Speedway, Orlando SpeedWorld, New Smyrna Speedway and Sebring International Raceway on the 28th and 29th of September. The SARA Late Model Series had it's opening race on February 16 at DeSoto Speedway and they will race at DeSoto Speedway, Charlotte County Speedway, South Alabama Speedway, Hialeah Speedway and tentatively Volusia Speedway Park ending their season on November 9th.

MINI STOCKS
For all the Mini-Stock drivers and crews, we have the Florida Mini-Stock Challenge Series which has it's opening race at Hialeah Speedway on March 23.

A number of races are planned this year but the biggest event for this division will be the Road Course race at Sebring International on September 28 and 29th where they will join the Racecar Engineering Sunbelt Late Models and the Goodyear Challenge Late Models. The Florida Mini Stock Challenge series will race 50 lap races with the last race of the year at New Smyrna Speedway and it will be a 100 lap race.

OPEN WHEEL
For the Open Wheel Modifieds, you have the Pro Mod Series and the SARA Open Wheel Modified Series. The Pro Mod series will open on March 16 at New Smyrna Speedway and will end on November 22 at Orlando SpeedWorld. The series has 10 races scheduled with one at USA International on July 20th. The SARA Open Wheel Modifieds will open their season on March 2nd at DeSoto Speedway with 12 races on their schedule going between DeSoto Speedway, Charlotte County Speedway, tentatively Volusia Speedway Park and a few to still be announced.

MORE SERIES ACTION
The SARA Pro Trucks made their debut on February 24 at DeSoto Speedway and will run DeSoto Speedway and tentatively Volusia Speedway Park ending their season on November 3rd.

And for those who want something different, there is always the Classic Auto Racing Series, Dwarfs (Mod Lites), Legends, and always a fan favorite TBARA Winged Sprint Series which run on New Smyrna Speedway, DeSoto Speedway, Hialeah Speedway, Sunshine Speedway, Charlotte County Speedway, Auburndale Speedway, Ocala Speedway, Orlando SpeedWorld, and Citrus County Speedway, ending their season on November 9th at Auburndale Speedway.

This year, 2002, promises to be a year where there is plenty of action not only at your local regular divisions but your Florida Series divisions. Whether it is Super Lates, Lates, Modifieds, Mini-Stocks, Trucks, Classic Cars, Legends (Mod Lites), Dwarfs, or TBARA Winged Sprints that tickle your fancy, you can be sure that they will be at a track near you during the 2002 racing season.

So, ladies and gentlemen, it is time to start your engines and get ready for some real action packed Florida racing series.

Jane Smith

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