ALGER — There will be a whole lot of new at Skagit Speedway this season.
An earlier start time, a wider track and different qualifying and restart procedures are just a few of the changes at the three-tenths mile high-banked clay oval.
“The biggest thing is we’re trying to make it as fan friendly as we can, and good for the racers,” Skagit owner Steve Beitler said on Thursday.
Weather permitting, Skagit Speedway opens its season on Saturday with the Haggen Food and Pharmacy Opening Night. Gates open at 5:45 p.m. with the first race at 7 p.m., a half-hour earlier than last year.
Scheduled to compete will be all four classes of the Foothills Toyota Tundra Racing Series — the addition of a series sponsor is another new change for 2008 — the 410, 360 and sportsman sprints and the outlaw hornets.
None of last year’s champions are slated to return for a title defense, which should make for intense competition on a track that has been widened and resurfaced with new clay.
“(The wider track) gives racers some more elbow room, which should make the racing more exciting,” Beitler said. “The cars today are going faster, and they handle so good, that they can run three- and four-wide in the corners.”
Two format changes should also serve to keep the racing exciting this season.
Lapped cars will restart at the back of the field following yellow or red flags in the final five laps of an A main, which will allow drivers on the lead lap a better chance to challenge for the win.
Also, drivers will have just one lap, instead of two previously, to qualify this season. Beitler said this change will help to keep the track raceable later in the evening, and added “for every 40 cars you qualify that’s 40 less laps on the track.”
The return of the World of Outlaws, considered by many to be the top sprint car series in the world, on Aug. 29-30 is just one of several highlights on the 2008 schedule.
The Jim Raper Memorial Dirt Cup is slated for June 19-21, the 360 Nationals will be held Aug. 1-2 and the fourth annual flat track motorcycle, kart and quad challenge will be Sept. 6.
The midseason championship for the weekly racing series is July 5 and the season championship will be Sept. 13. Both nights will include a fireworks show.
Added to the schedule this year — what Beitler called “a little something different for the fans to look at,” — will be open-wheel modifieds racing on June 14 and midget sprints on Aug. 16.
Steve Kilcup and Kevin Smith, last season’s 360 and sportsman sprint division winners respectively, will move up to the top-tier 410 sprint division this season. Joining them will be former 410 champions Barry Martinez and Jesse Whitney, as well as veteran Skagit drivers including Jason Bloodgood and Bob Stevens,
Challenging to earn the 360 crown this season will be established drivers including Rod Perkins and 2007 rookie of the year Blake Cook, as well as rookie Mack Brown, who raced at Deming Speedway last season.
In the sportsman sprint division, Kelleigh Johnson, Glenn Reinstra and Steve James will lead a group of second-year racers and rookies including Ryan Nootenboom and Kyle Oman.
Transponders have been added for the outlaw hornet division this season to help with scoring. Returning hornet drivers including Wendy Johnson, Freddy Vela and Jon Edwards will vie for the title.
Beitler said he was excited about the new changes at Skagit. Not even a less-than-ideal weather forecast for Saturday could deter Beitler, who said “If the weather doesn’t hold we’ll come back next week and do it again.”
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