Racing starts this weekend

Engines are revving at the Shasta Raceway in preparation for opening day on March 28.

This season in the track division, Hornets, Late models, Modifieds, Bombers, and Mini Stocks will take to the track in an attempt to win money, trophies and bragging rights among the top race car drivers in the region.

Every month there will also be a special event featuring derbies, memorial racing nights, vintage cars, midget cars, boat races, burn outs and more.

"This year, what we did schedule-wise is was we booked one big show per month," said Shasta Raceway promoter Rick Faeth.

"This will give the casual fans something to look forward too, the person who is not going to be there week in and week out," he said.

The special event weekend will also keep other-weekly racers repair and other costs down by shortening the season slightly, Faeth said.

These racers earn points at each event they participate in through qualifying laps, heat races and the main event. The drivers keep their eye on the prize not only the night of the race, but also try to earn the most points and become the overall points winner at the end of the season.

"As a promoter of the track, if I have twelve Bomber races, I would like to see twelve different Bomber winners. That's not realistic but as a promoter and track manager that's what you would like to see, is parody - not see one person dominate," Faeth said.

"The challenge is to keep costs down for racers and keep them competitive," he said.

Racing can be an expensive sport for the competitors any time, let alone in economically hard times. Faeth said he kept that in mind this season by lowering membership prices, pit passes and other costs.

Faeth said he's also stabilized the prizes for spectators, charging a flat $10 fee for adults.

"In a tough economic landscape people want to know that they are getting value," he said. "Shasta Raceway is the only professional sporting arena in Northern California on a weekly basis. We aim to give $1.25 value for every dollar."

During the off season, the Shasta District Fair, the Shasta Raceway Park and other entities embarked on a $17,000 crack repair project on the raceway track.

"What that's going to do is stabilize the racing surface for the next 5 to 7 years," Faeth said. "We also painted and renumbered each pit stall, and re-striped the track."

Race fans will also have the chance to score a new T-shirt blasted out of a newly purchased T-shirt cannon. Local businesses can contact the raceway to promote their businesses this way, Faeth said.

A racing schedule, results and other information can be found at www.shastaracewaypark.net.