HOOSIER ADDS ADDITIONAL TIRE TO NLMT PROGRAM

As noted in a recent press release, Hoosier announced that it will be adding one additional compound to the National Late Model Tire (NLMT) Program for the 2024 season.

Hoosier has agreed to add the NLMT2.25 compound for the upcoming season. This addition will be a harder tire than the current NLMT2 and will be specifically designed to fill the gap between the NLMT2 and NLMT3.

The new Hoosier NLMT2.25 compound will be permitted at Hagerstown Speedway during the 2024 season in the Late Model Sportsman and Semi Late classes. Race specific tire rules will be posted at a future date for Super Late Models.

Refer to www.hagerstownspeedway.com/rules for exact Tire Rules.

HAGERSTOWN HAND SCORER INDUCTED INTO HALL OF FAME

By Doug Watson

Mechanicsville, MD- A crowd of nearly 200 drivers, sponsors and track representatives assembled for the 66th annual “MARF” Banquet this past Saturday at the Mechanicsville Moose Lodge. The highlight of the evenings festivities were the annual MARF Hall of Fame inductions that were given out to seven different people.

1992 Potomac Street Stock and 1998 Late Model Champion James Adkins Jr. headed 2023’s induction list that included, National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame and Auto Racing Club of Hagerstown inductee Rodney Franklin, former Winchester (Va) Speedway Semi Late and Roadrunner champion Steve Payne, current Winchester (Va) Speedway owner and promoter Greg Gunter, the husband and wife duo of Potomac Speedway’s Calvin and Linda Wright and the current head scorer at Maryland’s Potomac and Hagerstown Speedway’s Holly Watson.

It was an impressive list indeed, but one person in particular stood out to this writer among all the others, Holly Watson. Yours truly joined the staff of Potomac Speedway back in 1990 and five years later, my sister Holly joined the staff as well. Her first season consisted of running the tracks scoreboard but by 1996 she was soon under the guidance of Lisa Cameron Mann who was Potomac’s head scorer and track promoter Pete Cameron’s daughter at the time. A few years later Lisa stepped away from the sport and Holly graciously filled the role and the rest is history. Holly has also filled in at the Pennsylvania ovals of Bedford and Trail Way and many sanctioning bodies like, The World of Outlaw Late Model Series, Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, the United Racing Club Sprint Cars, the ARDC Midgets, The Central Pennsylvania Sprint Car Speedweeks, the RUSH Dirt Late Model Series, the Mid Atlantic Modifieds, the Steel Block Bandits Late Model Series and the old Mid Atlantic Championship Series (MACS) Late Models.

Actual hand scoring is slowly being replaced by electronic scoring, but she feels there is still a place for it. “Sometimes computers crash, and what happens then?” She offered. “Hand scoring is more of a back up these days to the electronic systems, but I feel it is a necessary tool to ensure the accuracy at any event, in any class.”

The Hall of Fame honor was very unexpected but well deserved. With scoring at any type of event that necessitates it, there’s not much room for error, but Holly takes it all in stride. “This award is truly an honor and something I will cherish forever.” With me, it was well deserved as Holly and I travel to the races every weekend together from March to October and our time together to me is priceless….congratulations big sister!!!

TWENTY-SIX DATES BOOKED FOR BUSY HAGERSTOWN SPEEDWAY CAMPAIGN

By Doug Watson

Hagerstown MD, (1/6/24)- Saturday March 23rd the fabled half-mile of Maryland’s Hagerstown Speedway will officially open for the first of twenty-six events to kick of the tracks’s 2024 season. In all, eleven different classes will appear at the track throughout the season that include, Super Late Models, Late Model Sportsman, Crate Late Models, Semi Lates, Pure Stocks, 410 Sprint Cars, PASS/IMCA 305 Sprints, Wingless Super Sportsman, E-Mods, Classic Cars and the EMMR Vintage Cars.

The Late Model Sportsman will see action in 15 events this season. Two Steel Block Clash events, a mini series with Potomac and Winchester Speedway’s, and the Hub City Nationals in September will highlight their season. Devin Hart took the 2023 track title in a division that featured 9 different winners. The Crate Late Models will have an increased schedule with 11 events. For the first time since 2021 and only second time in track history, The Crates will be a points paying class. Veteran Steve Lowery was champion that season and could lead the charge that featured five different winners in six events last season. The once featured attraction at Hagerstown for decades, the Super Late Models, will see action in four events. The Lucas Oil Dirt Late Model series will highlight in April along with the Appalachian Mountain speedweek event, the Frank Sagi tribute and the Durboraw/McBee tribute in August will be contested. Last years Lucas race was lost to weather, however the three above mentioned events were run and found local ace Gregg Satterlee scoring victories in all three events.

Hagerstown’s fastest support class the Semi Lates have been inked for 19 shows. Jason Stoner totally dominated the division in 2023 as he found victory lane in 10 of the 12 races for the class last season. Jasen Geesaman clicked for one feature win and would eventually outpoint Stoner buy a scant margin to collect his first ever Hagerstown track title. The “Dirty 30” in June and the Hub City Nationals in September will be special events for the class this season. The Pure Stocks, with their trademark three wide racing, will also see action in 19 races. The coveted “Eric Johnson Tribute” in July and the September Hub City Nationals are featured events. On the strength of 7 wins Keith Reed would collect the 2023 track championship with four other drivers finding victory lane, three of the four would be their initial Hagerstown feature win. The ultra competitive UMP E-Mods will also dot the Hagerstown schedule on 11 occasions. Between the Mods and the Crates, they will make up the backbone of the weekly four-division programs this season. The E Mods will also be a points paying division for only the second time ever at the track with their only points season to date came in 2016 and Mikey Corbin was crowned champion. Drake Troutman and George Dixon took the two Mod mains in 2023.

Always popular with the Hagerstown faithful are the open wheel shows. The 410 Sprint Cars will make their annual stop on July 4th for the Pennsylvania Sprint Car Speedweek event, which was a thriller last year that saw Brent Marks in victory lane. The IMCA RaceSaver/305 Sprints have really become a hit with fans with the influx of local drivers and the efficient shows they put on. The 305’s will see action 5 times in 2024, three races more than the two that were contested last year, with Hagerstown native Dylan Shatzer and Pa’s Logan Spahr scoring wins. For the third year in a row the Wingless Super Sportsman will be on hand for one event next season. The racing has been great with these self-starting machines and have produced two winners in Steve Wilbur (22) and Tony Jackson, amidst a career year, last season. The Classic Racing Series and the EMMR Vintage Cars round out a very diverse offering of classes at Hagerstown Speedway in 2024.