It’s one of the fastest series in the sprint car circuit and they’ll return to Plymouth Speedway this weekend.
The Sprints on Dirt Series drivers will be at the Playground of Power to participate in the Bob Newton Classic this Saturday, Aug. 16.
Also on Saturday, the Swan Lake Resorts UMP Modified division will welcome former Kalamazoo champion Andy Bozell and his son Phil Bozell. Drivers in the Dickies Restaurant 600 Sprints and the Super Streets will also participate in this big night of racing.
The night shines the spotlight on one of racing’s most innovative minds. Bob Newton saw a need for better racing tires while he had a career as a race car driver. It was then when he and his wife, Joyce, started Hoosier Racing Tire in 1957. The business actually started in an old abandoned horse barn in South Bend when Bob and Joyce began producing their own race tires by re-treading street tires with softer compounds. Newton introduced the area’s first slick recapped (or retreaded) tire for racing. The tire has been featured in racing’s top series and continues to propel race cars to victories in many levels of racing today.
The Warsaw Hall of Fame presentations are planned during the intermission of this weekend’s action and on Aug. 23. This Saturday, sprint car drivers and owners from the Warsaw Speedway will be recognized. They include John Davis, Sam Davis and Paul Hazen. Jim Elliott will be posthumously honored. On Aug. 23, stock car drivers Jerry Baker, Tom Beezley, Jim Bucher, Bruce Hogue, Art Leiter, Alan Marsh, Ron McKenzie, Dan Prater and John White will honored. Art Smith, Dick Leiter and Loralee Shermin will be posthumously honored.
The familiar speedway for many area fans closed in 1990.
Just in case, a rain date for all presentations has been set for Aug. 23.
The gates will open at 4 p.m. and racing begins at 7 p.m. ET. Enjoy affordable concessions while you’re here and don’t forget to get your tickets for the Techworks Trailer Sales trailer raffle.
About Plymouth Speedway:
Plymouth Speedway features a three-eighths (0.375) mile banked dirt oval owned by Ed Kennedy. Four different classes of racing are featured: UMP Modifieds, 600 Open Sprints, Thunder Stocks, and Super Streets. Regular season races are scheduled in the months of April through August on Saturday nights with several special events including Late Models and Sprint Cars. For information, visit www.plymouthspeedway.net, follow Plymouth Speedway’s official Facebook page, @PlymouthSpeed on Twitter or email info@plymouthspeedway.net.
By: Anita Soltis
