OHSWEKEN SPEEDWAY OPEN FOR PRACTICE MAY 3

Dirt track reopens after seven month off-season

May 2, 2024, OHSWEKEN, ON – The roar of race car engines fills the air Friday, May 3rd, as Ohsweken Speedway will host cars on track for the first time this year. Two practice days provide race teams the chance to test their race cars prior to the May 17th Aim Recycling and Cadman Equipment opening night.

In years past, the speedway grounds have been too saturated for activity on track on practice nights, but speedway General Manager Clinton Geoffrey is optimistic this time. “The facility is ready for the hundreds of people that will fill the pit area this week,” said Geoffrey. “If Mother Nature cooperates we are excited to see what our teams bring to the track this season.”

The 27th season-opener on Friday, May 17th, features a celebrity appearance by NASCAR legend Ken Schrader and the UMP dirt Modifieds vs Canadian Modifieds. Also highlighting the action that night will be Ohsweken’s regular four divisions – the Kool Kids-Corr/Pak 360 Sprint Cars, the Strickland’s 602 Crate Sprint Cars, the Middleport Mechanical Thunder Stocks and the HRW Automotive Mini Stocks.

“This is the first year since prior to Covid there has been no construction on any part of the racing surface,” said Geoffrey. “The teams are relieved to know the smooth track surface we provided last year should be the expectation from the very beginning.”

Ohsweken Speedway boasts the largest car counts of any Canadian race track, and early indications are the entry lists will be even longer in 2024. Practice nights not only provide race teams the chance to test their equipment, but they also provide the chance for Speedway equipment to be tested and staff members to freshen their skills. “We want to be a well-oiled machine on opening night on the May long weekend,” said Geoffrey. “We are proud that our long-time race director Doug Leonard moved on to work full time in the United States, so we have shuffled our team putting numerous people in new roles.”

Dave Hunsinger moves from the flagman to race director while young Carter Long climbs into the flagstand after serving as corner flagman for years.

Fans will recognize the familiar announcing team of Greg Calnan, Adam Ross and Geoffrey while staff in most other areas of the facility remain the same.

The 2024 Ohsweken Speedway schedule features a couple of must-see special events. Thunder on the Grand sees NASCAR Canada return to Six Nations July 11th with a $10,000-to-win 360 sprint car event highlighting the July 12th card. The third night of Thunder on the Grand will see the Canadian Flat Track Motorcycles along with Micro Sprints to cap off the three-day extravaganza.

The season concludes with a new format for the Northern Sprint Car Nationals from September 12th to 14th. Thursday, September 12th, will feature the Northern Thunder Stock Nationals. Friday’s program will showcase the Northern Crate Sprint Car Nationals with the ultimate race night coming Saturday, September 14th. The Northern Sprint Car Nationals will pay an unprecedented $2,000 to start and $20,000 to the winner.