It was a great night for racing at the Punta Gorda Speedway as they start the 2012 race season off early this year. This was the second race of the year that normally would start after the big Daytona race but speedway owner Kevin Williams decided to mix things up this year and start the season early. With so many visitors from up north, why not give them something to do on Saturday night when the weather is beautiful and then shut down during the summer for two months when it rains and the heat is unbearable at times. Williams also looks over the race card for the night and doesn’t mind changing things up to give the fans a great show and Saturday was one that had the fans on the edge of their seat the entire night. (more…)

Photos by Robert Howell – Was it going to work, opening up in January, for the 2012 season with just a month or so off, is it going to be to cold, did the race teams have time to freshen up their cars. Speedway owner Kevin Williams took a chance this year and decided to open up the new season early and then is taking a chance of closing down for July and Aug when it is the hottest and rains a lot. Let the drivers take time off to be with their families and a break from the hot summer months and lets just see what happens.

It was opening night and the weather was beautiful and fans came out in mass quantity to see some of the best super late model drivers in the state compete for 100 laps and they did not go home disappointed. (more…)

It was to be the last night of racing for the 2011 race season and three class championships were still up for grabs. The pits opened early, practice was just about done, when the track was covered with dark clouds and rain. What a way to put a damper on the last night of racing, some fans started to pull in and after two hours the rains slowed. After checking the radar and seeing the rain should be done, speedway owner Kevin Williams says, it is what it is, dry the track, open the gates and lets go racing. The track was dry, the fans came out and it was time to see what happens when it is a full moon and the last night for points. (more…)

Sunday morning the pits opened at 10:00 and the Front gates opened at 11:00 with track Chaplin Richard Stone holding a church service.

It was great to hear that everyone was having fun and though some parties were held till wee hours of the night or morning, everyone behaved them self very well. It was time to get the last show of the weekend going and some were feeling a little more sluggish than others but it was time to go racing. (more…)