I will post this on here too since I got an error message saying Rick Anges’ mailbox is full LOL… Several people I had on my e-mail list are kicking back as errors too, so if you have changed your e-mail or want to be included on the OSW mailing list, just send me an e-mail to announcerdave@usa.net…
ORLANDO SPEEDWORLD OPENS 40TH SEASON OF RACING FRIDAY NIGHT
It was in mid-April 1974 that Orlando SpeedWorld’s oval race track started
operation and Friday night’s season opener will mark the beginning of the 40th
anniversary celebration for the three-eighths-mile facility that has hosted
weekly racing events, major sanctioned races from the likes of USAC, All-Pro,
Florida Pro Series and many more plus the ever-popular Crash-A-Rama shows.
The adjacent drag strip began operating ten years earlier, in 1964, and both
were initially built and owned by Billy Herndon before being purchased by
Clyde Hart in late-1987. Clyde’s son Robert continued to operate the facility
until last year when Ozzy Moya took over the reigns.
The first race held on the oval track was a Limited Sportsman event won by the
late Ed Meredith in a 1965 Chevy Chevelle. The big race on opening day was
for Late Model stock cars and was won by the late Gene Johnson of Fort Pierce.
Johnson’s stepson, Doc McKinney, still competes at SpeedWorld to this day.
After a somewhat dismal 2013 plagued by some unforeseen management issues and
terrible weather, SpeedWorld is bouncing back with a vengeance this year.
Moya has named Donnie Vivier as General Manager and he will oversee day-to-day
operations of the track as well as helping promote the drag strip. Vivier
recently operated the highly successful Central Florida Racing Complex in
South Orlando. CFRC opened its doors in 2009 as the Central Florida Road
Course, and as it evolved, it developed into an autocross and drifting course
as well as a one-eighth-mile drag strip. Before long, it was one of the most
popular racing facilities in the State of Florida. But when Orange County
forced the dragstrip to be shut down in 2012, CFRC’s main source of revenue
was taken away from them. They attempted to keep afloat by continuing to host
autocross and drifting events, including sanctioned events by the national
drifting series Xtreme Drift Circuit. But it wasn’t enough, and the only
full-fledged racing facility to ever form within Orlando’s city limits had to
close. Interestingly, the CFRC facility provided young people with an
organized facility to allow them to do their racing there and not on the
streets. Apparently Orange County did not feel that was all that important.
Vivier now brings his expertise to SpeedWorld.
Along with stock car racing this year, Orlando SpeedWorld’s oval track is now
beginning to host organized drifting events and many of CFRC’s former drag
racing events are now being hosted by SpeedWorld’s drag strip which plans its
busiest year ever in 2014.
To make sure the stock car racing program gets back on its feet, Butch Carr,
Sr. has been brought on as track promoter. Carr has plenty of experience at
the track starting as a competitor in Mini-Stocks back in the early-1980s. He
has been helping to promote SpeedWorld over the past few years but has now
taken on the job full-time. “What we are going to do is get back to some
grass roots racing,” says Carr. “We are going to try and build up our lower
divisions, attract new drivers, and get the pit area filled up again. Once we
start putting on a quality entertaining show, then we can start working to
attract more fans to sit in the stands. It won’t happen overnight, but with
the support of the race teams and a little bit of sponsorship, we can get the
old girl back operating like she should be,” he said.
This Friday night will feature the Pro Trucks in action along with the Super
Stocks, Legend Cars, Strictly Stocks, and Four Cylinder Stocks. Several
sponsors have already put up a total of $225 for the Strictly/Four Cylinder
Stocks to race for. Although recent bad weather has put several “sprucing up”
projects behind including some repainting and re-paving of portions of the pit
area, the track is ready to go. Work on fixing the track lighting has also
been slowed by the weather but Sunbelt Rentals has come on board as a sponsor
and has provided SpeedWorld with extra lights for opening night.
Pit gates open Friday afternoon at 4 pm and grandstand gates open at 5 pm.
Racing starts at 8 pm. Adult grandstand admission remains at $12 with seniors
65 and older and military personnel with valid ID being admitted for $10. All
kids aged 11 and under get in free.
