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Sports Park Raceway ready to go

Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Lance Deal of Fort Dodge races on Sunday at Sports Park Raceway. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

Dating back to last season, Mother Nature has decided that racing wasn’t going to happen at Sports Park Raceway.

“We’ve been rained out nine straight times,” said Jason Vansickel who promotes Sports Park Raceway with Dave Doughty. “The way it’s looking now, we may be the only track in Iowa racing on Sunday. Car counts could be 100-plus with five classes.

“It feels great to finally be able to get rolling. It gets frustrating knowing you’re ready to go, but can’t.”

With weather looking like it will hold off on Saturday and Sunday, drivers should have the chance to hit the track after all the washouts as they compete in the “Battle At The Quarry.”

“We want to make sure people have a wonderful experience when they are here,” Vansickel said. “Once again this year we have almost every previous sponsor on board and gained six new ones.

“This community has been amazing when it comes to supporting the facility. Dave and I just love racing and love promoting races.”

With all of the rain Fort Dodge has seen in early spring, Vansickel and his team has been able to still put in a lot of work.

“It’s been a lot, getting everything ready with the continuous rain,” Vansickel said. “We still have a lot of work to do to the grounds, like install the new bleachers and we need to finish our new sign and move our scoreboard. All of our buildings have been fixed up with new siding and windows have been installed in our announcers stand along with new doors.

“We will also be revamping the band stage and grass area. We just have a lot of things to do once it quits raining.”

Gates will open at 4:30 p.m. with hot laps at 6:30 p.m. Pit pass will be $25.

Grandstand tickets are $12 for adults, senior/military are $10 with ID and kids 13 and are free.

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