With fresh coats of paint and finely-tuned engines, dirt track drivers will return to North Central Speedway at 6:45 p.m. Saturday for the 2016 season opener.
It will be the first of 21 races at NCS this season.
Classes that will be running for the second year under International Motor Contest Association sanctioning include IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sportmods and IMCA Sport Compacts. This will be the first year for IMCA Hobby Stocks (formerly Pure Stocks) of running under IMCA.
Two other classes that run without IMCA sanctioning are NCS Supers and NCS Mod 4s.
"Our pure stocks are now IMCA Hobby Stocks and that will give them national points to race for and they will also be able to race at BRRP (Buffalo River Race Park in Glyndon) and West Fargo which just re-opened," NCS promoter KT Torbert said.
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The season will run from April 30 through September 17 when the NCS season championships close out the 2016 season. One big change in the schedule this year is that the Mighty Axe Nationals will run the weekend before Labor Day.
"We are doing the Mighty Axe a week earlier with racing Friday and Saturday night," said Torbert. "We are just making Labor Day weekend something a little different focus and there should be less competition with fellow tracks with the Mighty Axe being Friday and Saturday."
There will be a few new drivers including the possibility of the Arneson drivers who will be familiar to fans of racing at Brainerd International Raceway.
"The two Arneson sisters are looking at getting into sport mods and dirt track racing this year," Torbert said. "Returning drivers Billy Kendall and Aaron Johnson got mods, and Jake Haggeman got a sport mod, which is exactly why we switched to IMCA. The new generation is very talented and fun to watch move up."
Fans will also see a new beverage supplier as the track has switched from Pepsi to Coca-Cola for the season. There are also new rules in place for the fans being able to bring their own food.
"We are allowing fans to bring in their own food this year, absolutely nothing alcoholic though," Torbert said. "That has to remain in the back stretch with our liquor license and we would like to keep beverages to things due to diet or necessity."
In the off-season, there continued to be a new focus on dirt track racing and its connection with families that are looking for fun, clean entertainment.
"We are starting to look at what the future holds in dirt track racing and are proud of the shift we have created in how people look at racing and what it does for people and families and the sense of belonging it gives," Torbert said. "These drivers are extreme athletes. They have to practice and the biggest difference between the winners and everyone else is the work put in at home in the garage and the dedication to never give up and to keep fighting for the one thing everyone wants.
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"It's a wonderful experience where every family member will be entertained. The teenage girl can walk around and text and laugh and make fun of boys with their friends and develop a crush on their favorite driver. The brother can play catch behind the grandstands with their friends and try to create mischief. The dad can hang out and have a beer while voicing his opinion on what is happening on the track while the women talk about much more interesting things but just enjoy sitting out in the sun."
Along with five town nights where fans can get free tickets at participating stores, Torbert and owner Cliff Sasker also will be having a college night May 7. All Central Lakes College students showing an ID will get in for $3 and will have their own section in which to sit.
