START YOUR ENGINES

ENGINES START YOUR SYCAMORE SPEEDWAY BRINGS THE THRILL OF RACING CLOSE TO HOME By Vicki Martinka Petersen | Photo provided by Sycamore Speedway

Picture this: It’s a weekend night at Sycamore Speedway. Fans of all ages sit in the bleachers, the sounds of their cheers barely audible over the cars speeding around the oval clay track. Since 1963, this scene has played out over countless Friday and Saturday nights at Sycamore Speedway in Maple Park. The speedway hosts seven divisions — four on Friday, three on Saturday — during racing season, which runs from late spring to October.

“The Saturday drivers go a lot faster than the Friday drivers,” says Tiffany Olson, general manager and promoter. Olson notes the Friday races feature cars that are no longer road-worthy and converted into race cars, while the Saturday races feature completely fabricated race cars. While the Saturday division races see the same drivers compete every week, Olson says there’s more variety of drivers in the Friday divisions. “Some people just do a few tries at racing and quit, or they wreck their car and need time to rebuild,” she says. One thing attendees won’t see is an opportunity to drive the cars themselves. “A common misconception is that people can come here to race cars, but it’s not a go-cart track to run races,” Olson explains. Even though people can’t partake in the fun on the track, there are still plenty of ways they can get caught up in the action, like watching the drivers qualify for laps before the race. “The first hour or so after the gates open, we’re prepping the track and the drivers,” Olson says. The action isn’t strictly limited to race car enthusiasts. Both kids and parents alike come out and enjoy the races. “The best part of the show is it’s loud so if your kids are loud, no one will hear them,” Olson laughs. For the latest information about Sycamore Speedway, visit www. sycamorespeedway.com or its page on Facebook.

STARTING LINEUP

SUMMER EVENTS AT SYCAMORE SPEEDWAY

July 8-9, Monster Truck Throwdown: This event features monster trucks and dirt bikes doing skill racing like wheelies and big jumps.

July 16, Mid-Am Racing: For one night only, this series will feature drivers who normally race on asphalt tracks.

Aug. 6, Diabetes Awareness Night: A portion of the proceeds will go toward diabetes research.

Aug. 13, Back to School Bash: Kids under age 12 will be admitted for free. The event also will feature a backpack giveaway filled with school supplies to help kids get ready for the new school year. Sept. 30-Oct. 1, Harvest Hustle Days: The last weekend of the racing season features divisions doing back-to-back races leading up to the championship race. Throughout the season, drivers earn points each week based on where they place. Whoever has the most points at the end of season is named the champion.