The GoodYear Challenge Series Late Models are in the spotlight at Orlando Speedworld for Opening Night 2006.
Orlando Speedworld is set to open this weekend for its 32nd year of racing with two big race programs on Friday and Saturday.
Friday night will be the season opener for all FASCAR racing divisions except for the Super Late Models, who will see their first action the following Friday, March 24th with the First Annual Bruce Everett Memorial that will honor the fan-favorite low-buck racer who passed away after a long bout with cancer late last year.
The FASCAR Modifieds, Sportsman, Mini-Stocks, Super Stocks, Strictly Stocks and Junior Stocks will all be in action along with the first race of 2006 for the FASCAR Goodyear Challenge Late Model Series.
Defending Goodyear Challenge champion Rich Clouser will be back to defend his title in 2006 and again will be behind the wheel of the car owned and wrenched by FASCAR legend Bobby Sears.
Other drivers expected include the likes of A.J. Curelli, Sam Watts and Chuck Burkhalter while several new drivers will make their debut in the series.
One of those will be 2005 Florida State Legends Car Pro Division champion Jeremy Colangelo who will wheel a machine recently purchased from 2004 Series champion Jerry Artuso. Artuso will move up to the Sunbelt Super Late Model Series for 2006. Young Eric Cunningham will trade in his Mini Cup car for the much bigger Goodyear Challenge Late Model as well.
For the first time ever, race fans world-wide will be able to catch all the action from Speedworld Friday night via the internet. The evening's events will be webcast live by www.tvshowcaster.com starting at 8PM. The event is on a pay per view basis, but costs only $5.00, and can be ordered just by logging on to the website at any time.
"I can't recall any race track doing this before," says Speedworld General Manager Rusty Marcus. "It's amazing that anyone from Maine to California or in places like Japan, Brazil or Switzerland can log on and watch our little show as it's happening. Hopefully we'll do a few more of these this year," he says.
Also, fans who show up at the track on Friday night wearing green (since it happens to be St. Patrick's Day) will get two for one tickets at the front general admission gate.
There will be plenty of racing in the offing on Saturday night too as the 2006 season kicks off for the INEX/600 Racing Series classes among others.
Again, the RE/MAX Legends Cars will be back for a third year of Saturday night racing along with the Bandeleros. There will be a number of new drivers in both divisions along with at least one "recycled" driver.
Andy Logan of West Palm Beach was always a threat to win in the Legends Cars several years ago, then decided to go Late Model racing. Although he did reasonably well in LM, the time and cost of running that type of race car led Andy to "semi-retire" from racing a couple of years ago. Then he checked things out on some Saturdays late in the season. "Everybody was having such a good time out here, I just had to get one of these things again because I remembered how much fun I used to have," said Logan. Logan raced during the Winternationals in the Masters Division finishing fifth in points out of 30 drivers who raced.
Also on tap Saturday are the Florida Open Wheel Lite Cars, Pro Challenge racers, Hurricanes, Junior Stocks, and the Florida Cracker Classics (formerly the Classic Auto Racing Series). Speedworld's 2005 Sportsman champion, Jeff Wright, will be racing a Classic Car this year for car owner Kevin McGill.
The Daytona Antique Auto Racing Association will also be out on Saturday night for some great exhibition runs of vintage stock cars, modifieds, sprint cars and midgets.
Racing action begins on Friday night at 8PM with Saturday's program getting the green flag at 7PM.
There are many more events slated during the Spring at Speedworld including the John Potts Memorial 50 for the Sportsman cars on April 14th, a Super Stock 50 on April 28th, TBARA Sprints on May 12th, and the City Beverage/Budweiser Sunbelt Super Late Model 125 on May 19th.
It was announced this week that FAST Media Group has leased Speedworld on Saturday, April 22nd and will have the FASTRUCKS, FASTKIDS, FAST Late Models and FAST Drifters in action.
Speedworld then begins the summer with a bang as it will once again be Crash-A-Rama time on Friday night, June 2nd.
For information pertaining to upcoming events at Orlando Speedworld, feel free to call the track at (407) 568-1367.
