Utica-Rome Speedway

Last updated

Utica-Rome Speedway is a 1⁄2-mile dirt oval raceway in Vernon, New York. It is known as the “Home of Heroes” and has been the home track of several NASCAR national champions. [1]

Contents

History

The Utica-Rome Speedway was built in 1961 by Joe Lesik as a flat quarter-mile asphalt track. [2] The asphalt was torn up in 1979 when the track was enlarged to five-eighths of a mile before settling at its current length in the late 1980s. [3] Over the years since, the facility has featured several other smaller track configurations, the most used of which being an inner oval for kart racing. This configuration existed between 2000 and 2002, but it has also returned in recent years. [4] Since promoter Brett Deyo and his company, BD Motorsports Media LLC, took over promotion of the track in 2021, the inner oval has made a return, hosting kart races on a biweekly basis throughout the season. [5] The track's nickname changed as well as a result of this. Before Deyo, the track was often colloquially and promotionally referred to as "The Action Track of the East", but has since dropped the moniker, most likely to distinguish itself from Seekonk Speedway in Massachusetts, which is also often referred to this way.

National Champions

The inaugural 1961 as well as the 1962 track championships were claimed by Rene Charland, who went on to become the only driver to win four consecutive NASCAR Sportsman Division championships (predecessor of the Xfinity Series). Two time national Sportsman Division champion Bill Wimble claimed track championships in 1966 and 1967. [6] [7]

NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee and 6 time NASCAR national modified champion Jerry Cook was the 1969 track champion, while fellow inductee and 9 time national champion Richie Evans won the track championships in 1972, 1973, 1974, and 1978. [1] [7]

Geoff Bodine, the 1986 Daytona 500 winner, was a 1977 track champion. Perennial NASCAR Truck Series contender Stewart Friesen won the track championships in 2004, 2007 and then 5 consecutive times from 2010 to 2014. [7]

Weekly Divisions

As of 2024, on a weekly basis, the speedway offers five divisions of competition. The track's premiere weekly division is the Modifieds, the same car used in both the Super DIRTcar Series and the Short Track Super Series. Unlike some other tracks and touring series, Utica-Rome permits both big-block and small-block modified configurations to compete together. The most populous division is the Crate 602 Sportsman division, often boasting 30-40 car fields week in and week out. These cars all use the exact same 375-horsepower GM Crate engine, theoretically making it much easier to get into and be competitive in as opposed to a Modified or a Sprint Car. [8] The third and final major division of competition is the Pro Stock division (not to be confused with a Pro Stock dragster), a full-fendered, purpose-built car that very much resembles a late model Stock car on dirt. The final two divisions include the Limited Sportsman, a rookie class for inexperienced Sportsman racers, and the Four-Cylinders, which are essentially front-wheel drive street cars with some safety modifications. [9]

Special Events

Over the years, the track has hosted a wealth of special races and played host to stops for multiple national touring series. For example, the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series visited the track in July of 2011, which was won by multi-time series champion and New York native Tim McCreadie. McCreadie also has a Modified win at the speedway in 2010. [10] Several Sprint Car touring series also visit the track. The All Star Circuit of Champions series hosted an event there each year from 2019-2023. Regional Sprint Car series such as the Empire Super Sprints and the Capital Region Sprint Association also make at least one visit per year. High Limit Racing are also scheduled to race there for the first time in 2024.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richie Evans</span> American racing driver (1941–1985)

Richard Ernest Evans, was an American racing driver who won nine NASCAR National Modified Championships, including eight in a row from 1978 to 1985. The International Motorsports Hall of Fame lists this achievement as "one of the supreme accomplishments in motorsports". Evans won virtually every major race for asphalt modifieds, most of them more than once, including winning the Race of Champions three times. Evans was elected to the NASCAR Hall of Fame on June 14, 2011. As one of the Class of 2012, Evans was one of the Hall's first 15 inductees, and was the first Hall of Famer from outside the now NASCAR Cup Series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway</span> Motorsport track in the United States

Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway is a motorsport racetrack located at the Nashville Fairgrounds near downtown Nashville, Tennessee. The track is the second-oldest continually operating track in the United States. The track held NASCAR Grand National/Winston Cup races from 1958 to 1984.

Concord Speedway was a motorsports facility located in the town of Midland, North Carolina, southeast of Concord, North Carolina. The complex featured a 1⁄2-mile asphalt tri-oval and a 1⁄4-mile asphalt oval.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour</span> American auto racing series

The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour (NWMT) is a modified stock car racing series owned and operated by NASCAR in the Modified Division. The Modified Division is NASCAR's oldest division, and is the only open-wheeled division that NASCAR sanctions. NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour events are mainly held in the northeastern United States, but the 2007 and 2008 tours expanded to the Midwest with the addition of a race in Mansfield, Ohio. The tour races primarily on short oval paved tracks, but the NWMT also has made appearances at larger ovals and road courses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dominion Raceway</span> Motorsport venue in the United States

Dominion Raceway is a motorsport complex currently operating in Thornburg, Virginia. The facility includes 4/10-mile oval track, a 2-mile road course, and a 1/8-mile drag strip. The track hosts NASCAR, SCCA, and Superkart events along with amateur road course and street racing events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mid-Am Racing Series</span> Stock car racing series

The Mid-Am Racing Series, formerly Mid American Stock Car Series, is an elite sportsman traveling stock car racing series in the Midwestern United States. The cars are based on a 108" metric stock frame, less costly suspension parts and a maximum of 358 cubic inch engine. The car's roll cage and chassis were made of a design very similar to the same chassis a previous design of NASCAR cup chassis, but have also included more modern safety features such as plated door bars and the "Earnhardt bar" which runs from the roof to the dash. The series runs primarily on paved racetracks but also appears on dirt and road courses. The series is the highest form of racing available to sportsman-style, GM metric chassis stock cars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Watertown Speedway</span> Inactive racetrack in Watertown, New York

Watertown Speedway was a 1/2 mile dirt oval raceway located at the Jefferson County fairgrounds in Watertown, New York. Located in the Thousand Islands region, it drew competitors and fans from both sides of the Canada–US border

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Macon Speedway</span>

Macon Speedway, located in Macon, Illinois is one of Illinois's premier dirt ovals. It is also one of the longest continuously-operating racetracks in the state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Modified racing</span> Racing events with modified factory autos

Modified stock car racing, also known as modified racing and modified, is a type of auto racing that involves purpose-built cars simultaneously racing against each other on oval tracks. First established in the United States after World War II, this type of racing was early-on characterized by its participants' modification of passenger cars in pursuit of higher speeds, hence the name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brockville Ontario Speedway</span>

The Brockville Ontario Speedway is a 3/8 mile dirt track in the city of Brockville, Ontario, Canada. It is located on County Road 29 about 10 kilometres (6 mi) northwest of Brockville. Commonly known as "The BOS", the track has been running a weekly racing schedule for most summers since 1969. The BOS has also run Go-Karts on Wednesday nights since 2005. They race on a smaller oval on the infield of the track.

Birch Run Speedway and Event Center, until 2017 known as Dixie Motor Speedway, is a 4/10 (.400) mile, progressively banked, D-shaped oval short track, with an adjoining 1/3 (.333) mile as well as a Figure 8 course located near Birch Run, Michigan. The speedway changed its name from Dixie Speedway to Birch Run Speedway in 2017.

Owosso Speedway is a 0.375 mi (0.604 km), progressively banked oval short track located east of Ovid, Michigan, between Ovid and Owosso, further east.

Rene Charland, nicknamed "The Champ", was an American stock car racing driver. He was a four-time champion of the NASCAR National Sportsman Division, now known as the Xfinity Series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orange County Fair Speedway</span> Speedway held in Middletown, Orange County, New York

Orange County Fair Speedway is a 0.625 mi (1.006 km) dirt oval speedway in Middletown, Orange County, New York. The facility holds weekly stock car races and demolition derbies during the summer months. The track was built in 1857 for horse racing at the Orange County Fair and staged its first automobile race on August 16, 1919. The fair began as an agricultural exhibit in 1843 and was permanently located in the Wallkill–Middletown area in 1857. The speedway is located at 239 Wisner Avenue in Middletown on land which was known as The Ogden Tract in the mid-1850s. It was originally a half-mile horse racing track known as the Harry Clay Oval, named after a race horse that was famous at that time. Over the years, the track was widened and lengthened to a true 5/8-mile race track.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ocean Speedway</span> Racetrack

Ocean Speedway, formerly known as Watsonville Speedway, is a dirt oval located in Watsonville, California, United States, at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds.

Fonda Speedway is a half-mile dirt oval track located in Fonda, New York. The track hosted NASCAR Cup Series races in 1955 and 1966 to 1968. It is home to the Fonda 200. The track hosts Saturday night races with Modified, Sportsman, Limited Sportsman, Pro Stock, and 4 Cylinder classes.

Jessica L. Friesen is an American professional dirt track racing driver. She primarily competes in sprint car racing, and has raced in series like the All Star Circuit of Champions and World of Outlaws. She will also compete part-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2023, driving either the No. 62 or a third Toyota Tundra truck for her family team, Halmar Friesen Racing. She is married to fellow dirt racer and NASCAR driver Stewart Friesen.

Richard (Dick) Nephew was an American stock car racing driver and national titlist of the NASCAR Sportsman Division.

William (Bill) Wimble was an American stock car racing driver and two time champion of the NASCAR Sportsman Division.

Robert "Bob" Zeigler was a driver and promoter of modified stock car racing. Equally adept at driving on both dirt and asphalt surfaces, he was recognized for his driving talent and respected for building a speedway during what many believe to be the golden age of stock car racing.

References

  1. 1 2 "Home track of Richie Evans and Jerry Cook up for sale". NBC Sports. Retrieved 2023-01-23.
  2. ↑ "Utica-Rome Speedway Joins NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series". Yahoo!sports. Retrieved 2023-01-23.
  3. ↑ "Utica-Rome Speedway for sale again". Times Telegram. Retrieved 2023-01-23.
  4. ↑ http://www.roamingtheraceways.com/RTR%20SECTION/TrackPhotos/USA-NY/31148b/31148b.html
  5. ↑ https://www.uticaromespeedway.com/?page_id=4802
  6. ↑ "NASCAR XFINITY Series Central". The Third Turn. Retrieved 2023-01-23.
  7. 1 2 3 "Modified Champions" (PDF). Utica-Rome Speedway. Retrieved 2023-01-23.
  8. ↑ https://www.uticaromespeedway.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Utica2023Crate602SportsmanRules.pdf
  9. ↑ https://www.uticaromespeedway.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/UticaRomeSpeedway2023FourCylinderSpecifications.pdf
  10. ↑ https://www.uticaromespeedway.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/URBBModifiedWinList.pdf

43°04′43″N75°30′58″W / 43.0786°N 75.5162°W / 43.0786; -75.5162

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.