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| All NEW Ocala Speedway Schedules Open Practice/Media Day this Sunday | by Dave Westerman
Ocala Speedway gears up for the 2003 racing season this Sunday with a big open practice session and media day.
Drivers not only from Ocala's six regular weekly racing classes, but from traveling series such as Sprints, Trucks, Classics, Open Wheel Lites and others are invited to this afternoon practice session which will be free to all participating drivers. All others will pay a $10 pit fee while the grandstands will be free of charge so that fans can come see the changes made over the Winter to the 51-year-old racing facility.
Ocala Speedway's new concessionaire, Ruben's Tex Mex, will be putting together a free meal to all participants as well. Ruben's will be providing high-quality concessions throughout the 2003 season, with Ocala Speedway being the first track in the area to provide tex-mex style food along with all the other regular fare you would expect to find, all at reasonable prices.
"Drivers, crews and fans who haven't been to Ocala Speedway since the close of last season won't recognize the place," said track GM Tim Christman. "We've put up new grandstands and a new tower, replaced the track lighting with new Musco lights, added a new catch fence for improved safety and a new flagstand as well, plus we've re-done the front entrance to make it easier for our fans to get in and out," he said.
New concrete walkways are being put in this week in the grandstand area and should be ready for this Sunday's practice session.
Fans will also notice that all of the trees and shrubs surrounding turns three and four are gone and dirt is being formed so that the bleachers currently on either side of the new grandstands can be moved there to create the new "Rowdy Crowd" section.
Areas left vacant by the moving of the bleachers will be turned into a picnic area and a spot where fans can watch from their own lawn chairs.
Gates open Sunday at 1PM with practice slated for 2-5PM. again, all drivers are admitted free and pit passes for all others are just $10 while fans can watch from the new grandstands for free.
A number of members of the local media will be in attendance to view the upgraded facility and meet the drivers and crews. Anyone with the media wishing to attend or get season media access should call Deanna at the Speedway at (352)622-9400.
Ocala Speedway opens its 51st season of racing on Friday night, March 7th, with all six regular classes being featured. Statewide personal accident and injury attorney Steven A. Bagen and his associates return to sponsor the Super Late Model Division for 2003. The Sportsman Class will be sponsored by Bellview's Diamond H Air and Heat, a long-time supporter of racing at Ocala.
Two area radio stations are getting involved for the 2003 season by sponsoring weekly classes. Classic Rock WIND-FM, which blankets all of North Central Florida from signals at 92.5, 95.5, and 107.9, will be sponsoring the Open Wheel Modified division while K Country 93.7, a big supporter in years past of racing at Ocala, has picked up sponsorship of the popular Street Stock class. Modified Mini Stocks and Four Cylinder Stocks are also on the opening night card.
On night two of the season, Ocala Speedway will host one of its biggest nights of the year as the Sunbelt Super Late Model Series makes its first visit to the track along with the popular Florida Mini stock Challenge Series... both on the same night. The Diamond H Air & Heat Sportsman, K-Country 93.7 Street Stocks, and Four Cylinder Stocks will also be racing that night.
Special season ticket packages and other event ticket packages are now available to fans at big discounts. To purchase these packages or for more information, stop by the speedway office or call (352) 622-9400.
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