For some, it feels like the 2023 race season just came to a close mere minutes ago. For others, it has seemingly been a long and grueling 6 months without the roar of engines at Maine’s biggest and fastest race track, Wiscasset Speedway.
The track is quickly approaching their 2024 season opener, which is slated for Saturday April 20th at 2:00 pm. As always, track owners Richard & Vanessa Jordan have been hard at work during the off-season making much-needed improvements to the speedway. This year’s upgrades included a new infield pit road, new pit stalls, a new fuel depot and an improved PA system for the pit area.
Every race track and series has a “silly season” where you see a lot of drivers coming and going from various divisions. It all kicked off at the conclusion of last season where former Pro Stock champion and Wiscasset veteran Kevin Douglass announced that he would be competing part-time in 2024 opposed to running a full schedule. He will be missed as a weekly competitor in the track’s top division, the Norm’s Used Cars Pro Stocks. The competitiveness will still remain in the division as multi-time track champion Josh St. Clair looks to defend his title from seasoned veterans Nick Hinkley and Logan Melcher. He also has to look out for standouts Matt Beers and Dan McKeage, Jr., two sophomores in the division who both scored their first feature victories in the division last season.
Brandon Bailey will also be making his long-awaited return to the Wood Pellet Warehouse Late Models after a two-year hiatus. Meanwhile, Todd Libby, a seasoned competitor at the now-defunct Beech Ridge Motor Speedway and Riverside Speedway Motorsports Park, will be joining the Gosline Insurance Super Streets alongside the infamous Beaver Norton. Fourth-generation driver Reed Reno will be continuing the Reno family legacy in the T&L Automotive Modifieds while his former 4-Cylinder Pro division “rival” Josh Hall advances to the Gosline Insurance Super Streets.
The 2024 season is sure to be action-packed and the track has made it their mission to make the season bigger and better than ever before, starting with the Coastal 200 on Memorial Day weekend. Traditionally a 2-day event, the track has extended it to 3 days this year with an on-track kickoff party featuring the Motor Booty Affair on Friday, May 24th, sponsored by Moody’s Collision.
Marquee events this season will also include the annual Strictly Shootout on September 28th and the infamous Boss Hogg 150 on September 1st, where the winner’s purse has increased to $15,000 with an overall race purse of $30,000.
In the words of track promoter Ken Minott, “This is a special time of year. It’s full of excitement and anticipation for the upcoming season. We can’t wait to throw the green flag on the 2024 season and hope to see the stands and pits full of both fans and racers this season”.
Join the Wiscasset Speedway team for their highly anticipated season opener this Saturday, April 20th at 2:00 pm. Grandstands open at 1:00 pm and as always, admission is just $5 for adults and free for kids ages 6 & under.
See you there!
