Rain ruled the weekend’s racing outcomes, squashing all the planned activities in and around the Finger Lakes. LeFargeville was not immune either, with heavy rains swamping up the areas around Can-Am Speedway and canceling or postponing all elements of the the Thunder in the Thousand Islands
As a result, the Super DIRTcar Series, DIRTcar Northeast and Can-Am Speedway have canceled Saturday’s portion of the Thunder in the Thousand Islands events. While that segment of the card will not be made up, the DIRTcar Sportsman Series North Region event will be contested during Can-Am’s 50th Golden Jubilee opener on Friday, April 26.
DIRTcar shared additional ticketing information, saying those who bought tickets for the event through MyRacePass will not be charged.
The Super DIRTcar Series will be dormant until Sunday, May 26, racing the Heroes Remembered 100 at Weedsport Speedway. The next day, the Series makes its debut at Thunder Mountain Speedway in Lisle, chasing the laurels in the Thunder on the Mountain on May 27.
At this point, Anthony Perrego and Peter Britten will enter the Memorial Day Weekend doubleheader tied for the points lead. Darren Smith in third (-4 points) and stands as the defending Thunder Mountain track champion. Ten-time Series champion Matt Sheppard is fourth, seven points back.
A number of Super DIRTcar Series regulars will be racing with the DIRTcar 358 Modified Series at Fulton Speedway on Saturday, April 27 during Highbank Holdup weekend.
Outlaw Speedway lost the Cal Lane Memorial Spring Nationals; this marks their second straight double-header weekend that was dashed by rain. The Lane Memorial card will be contested Sept. 20 during the Fall Nationals program. Last year, the inaugural running of the Lane Memorial, was scheduled for spring time but was also shuffled to the fall due to weather.
Now, Outlaw Speedway focuses on the annual Mike Jackson Memorial — and not the five-day forecast — booked for this Friday, April 19.
The annual event memorializes Jackson, a former Modified, Crate Sportsman and 305 Sprint driver who also served a stint as the promoted of the then-Black Rock Speedway before the track was rebranded as Outlaw Speedway. Jackson, in a release from Outlaw, was described as one who “lived and breathed racing.” He passed following a battle with cancer in December 2020.
“Mike was a heck of a racer, and he left us too soon in life. The past several years since his passing I have put the Mike Jackson Memorial on the Outlaw Speedway schedule. This year it worked out that April 19 fell on a Friday so in his honor we will run the event that night,” said Outlaw Speedway owner Tyler Siri. “The past few years that we have hosted the Mike Jackson Memorial the turnout of Sportsman and Modifieds has been huge.
“Mike had a lot of friends that he ran against primarily in the 602 Sportsman and Modified Classes and we are gearing up for another huge car count in all 5 weekly divisions.”
The Crate Sportsman will be racing for $1,919 to win in their headline event. The modifieds will collect a $3,919 payday. Street Stocks will race for $1519. The Hobby Stock and Mini Stocks winners will collect $1,019 and will compete under “your track rules.”
This is the final scheduled event at Outlaw for the month of April. After the planned April 26 break, the track will return with the Roy Silvers Memorial, booked for May 3. The Silvers Memorial is the opening night for weekly points.
The Jackson Memorial has a mandatory minimum American Racer Tire compound rule, 44 and 48. Starting with the Silvers Memorial and the following two weeks into May, teams can run any American Racer compound to use up any leftover softer compound tires. Beginning with May 24, the track will go back to the minimum compound rule of American Racer 44/48.
New apparel inventory is in. Pit gates open Friday at 5 p.m. Main grandstands open at 5:30 p.m. Cars will start taking laps at 7 p.m. For more information, visit the tracks’ social media page on Facebook under OutlawSpeedwayLLC.
Utica-Rome Speedway will host testing Tonight
Utica-Rome Speedway dropped their testing plans over the weekend with the inclement weather.
The track will now host testing on both the half-mile and inside ovals.
All classes are welcome, including Modifieds, Crate 602 Sportsman, Pro Stocks, Limited Sportsman and Four Cylinders and any touring series cars. The inner oval will be prepared to welcome Allstar and Junior Slingshots and Small Car Wednesday entries.
Gates open at 5 p.m. Cars will start practice at 6:30 p.m. The track will host laps for about three hours. Pit admission is $35 (Non-Member), $30 (Member), $10 Kids (ages 6-12) and $2 Children (ages 5 and under). Grandstand admission is free. Pit licenses will be on sale, as well. Concession stands will be open, and vendors will be on hand with spare parts, Sunoco fuels and American Racer tires.
Utica-Rome will open for racing with their Honoring Alex event, set for April 19. Modifieds will chase a $6,800 prize, with the Crate Sportsman, Pro Stocks, Limited Sportsman and Four-Cylinders on the card. Gates open at 5 p.m., with hot laps at 6:45 p.m. and racing at 7:30 p.m. Adult general admission is $22. Adult non-member pit admission is $45 and members cost $40. The event will be broadcast live on FloRacing (www.floracing.tv). For details, visit www.utica-romespeedway.com.
