Ocala’s Winternationals is THE Event This Weekend

by BJ Cavin- Ocala Speedway Media

OCALA, FL-  The eve of yet another Ocala Speedway Winternational event has arrived and anticipation is high that this will be the best Winternational season yet at Florida’s oldest speedway.  The O’Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions will open the 2011 festivities tomorrow, Friday, February 5th, with a wild night of alcohol fueled 410 sprint car action on Ocala’s D- shaped layout.  And as was the case in 2010, the Florida Mini Sprint Association will join the All Stars, providing their usual brand of competitive competition.  An affordable admission price coupled with a weather forecast for little to no chance of rain and warmer temperatures, make this year’s Winternationals at Ocala Speedway THE event to see in the state of Florida this weekend.

Speedway owner Mike Peters has made it his mission over the past three years to make the Winternationals at Ocala Speedway the most affordable chance that race fans will have to see the best of the best in 410 sprint car racing all in one place on one fantastic weekend of racing.  Friday night’s grandstand admission is a mere $20 for adults, and for that $20 every fan will get to see personalities from both the O’Reilly All Stars and the World of Outlaws compete together on the most challenging racetrack in the region.  Saturday’s admission is only $25 for adults, still well below what other venues are charging for practically the exact same show.

Fans who have come to Ocala’s last two Winternationals events will remember that the elements are as much a part of the memories as is the racing and the personalities.  Cold weather has been the norm so far in two previous Winternationals, but that will change for 2011 as temperatures are expected to be quite moderate.  According to Weather.com, Friday’s high temperatures will be up to a full 10 to 12 degrees higher than the high temperatures recorded on Thursday.  In addition, the showers and overcast skies that have been in the area for days are predicted to move out for Friday, allowing the warmer temperatures and letting the sun bathe the clay before rubber hits the dirt on Friday night.

On top of the drama and excitement created when the top names in sprint car racing all converge on Ocala Speedway on Friday, fans will also get a chance to witness what is called the “best kept secret in Florida racing.”

The Florida Mini Sprint Association is back for the Second Winternationals weekend in a row, after thrilling the crowd last year with hard fought, competitive racing action.  The mini sprints may be small, but they are capable of ripping down Ocala’s backstretch at close to 120 mph before blasting into the very tight and unforgiving turns 3 and 4.

Ocala Speedway will open the grandstand gates at 5 PM on Friday afternoon, and fans are urged to come early for the best seating.  Racing will begin at 8 PM with the O’Reilly All Stars and the Florida Mini Sprints hitting the clay for their heat races, with B-mains and feature racing to follow later in the evening.  For directions to Ocala Speedway, or for a complete schedule of Winternationals events scheduled throughout the month of February, please visit www.OcalaSpeedway.com.