IT'S TIME TO RACE!!

February 4, 2008 First Practice at Ocala A Huge Success by BJ Cavin Rich Pratt gets going around the new dirt at Ocala during practice session. After a delay of a week thanks to rain, Ocala Speedway threw open the pit gate and allowed race cars onto the new clay 3/8ths mile D-shaped oval on Saturday afternoon and evening. And as the racers and their machines arrived, it became obvious that the staff at Ocala Speedway has some work to do before the next practice. Number one on that "to do" list is expand the pits! Cramped conditions were only a minor setback, and everyone in attendance seemed in agreement that the practice was a rousing success. In all a total of 153 cars made their way to Ocala Speedway for the first crack at breaking in the new clay. Tracks that have never been raced on are notorious for being nasty to get under control, but the general consensus among the drivers at Ocala was that after an initial break in period the track became wickedly fast and exciting to drive. At the end of practice there were a couple of holes which were to be expected, but the clay was extremely tacky and the overall surface was quite smooth. The comment that was heard over and over in the pits after practice was that the clay was excellent and the grip was phenomenal. Some drivers even reported that the grip was so good that it almost scared them. Ocala Speedway owner Michael Peters said later that the work would continue on the racing surface in order to make it even better. Virtually all of the racers who commented about the practice were happy with the facility and the track, and the only complaints were about the cramped quarters in the pits. A huge number of dirt racing fans also made their way to Ocala Speedway to watch the practice, and they were equally impressed. Race fan Dick Snyder from Belleview, who grew up watching racing on pavement, said that racing on dirt was going to be 10 times more exciting for him than watching racing on asphalt had been. Snyder added that watching the dirt fly and left front wheels hardly touching the track made him hungry for more, and that he would be excitedly anticipating the next practice, as well as opening night on February 29th. The last open practice session before the opening night at Ocala Speedway will be on Saturday, February 16th. The pit gate will open at 1PM with a drivers meeting and practice beginning at 4PM. That gives Michael Peters and the staff from Ocala Speedway just under two weeks to adapt to the exceptional number of cars and fans arriving at the first practice, and eliminate the minor inconveniences that were born of overcrowding. Peters says he is up to the task, and everyone will be ready to do it all again on the 16th. EDITOR'S NOTE: Real Racin USA (www.realracinusa.com) will carry the action from Ocala Speedway and the United Dirt Late Model Challenge Series on February 29 on Live Internet Radio Have an opinion on this story? Post a message on The Real Racin USA Florida Fan Message Board! or Email KARNACto send a letter to the editor!