Wet Week, Cold Forecast Forces ABC to Cancel
Ashland, WI, May 18 — A miserable week of cold, wet weather combined with an unpleasant forecast has forced track officials to cancel Saturday’s scheduled Salute to the Troops Night at the ABC Raceway.
Nearly six inches of rain, accumulating over the course of the entire week, has turned the three-eighths-mile oval into a quagmire, and with more rain and cool temperatures in the forecast, the Raceway’s Board of Directors had little choice but to call off the five-division PolyDome Dirt Track Series race program, which was to be sponsored by the Ashland Area Chamber of Commerce.
“We were discussing the (cancellation) matter as early as Thursday afternoon,” said Raceway Board president Eric Erickson, “and we all came to the same conclusion. With the amount of rain that has hit the area, and a strong chance of more to come, plus the cold temperatures expected, we didn’t think the conditions would make for an enjoyable show for our fans or drivers.”
The award-winning red-clay oval located just south of Ashland will next host the Interstate Racing Association’s 410 “outlaw” winged sprint cars on Saturday, May 27, in a program to be presented by the NAPA Auto Parts stores of Ashland and Washburn.
After a one-year hiatus, the 800-horsepower winged sprinters will make Ashland the tenth of their 35 stops on the southern Wisconsin-based touring series’ 2017 schedule, with speeds of over 100 mph expected to be the norm on the sticky red-clay surface. Billy Balog of Brookfield, the IRA’s all-time A-main victory leader, has claimed each of the three features the series has run at ABC, in 2011, ‘12 and ‘14. The series’ regular annual visit has also been rained out twice, and scheduling conflicts kept the tour from competing in Ashland last summer.
The Raceway’s WISSOTA-sanctioned Super Stocks and Midwest Modifieds, plus its Six-Cylinders, will join the sprinters for this special program. Last weekend Shane Kisling of Park Falls captured the Super Stock A-feature, Michael Truscott of Chippewa Falls did likewise in the Mid-Mod main, and Bubba Anderson of Trego led the way for the opening-night win in the Sixes.
Kevin Eder of Ashland (WISSOTA Modifieds) and Andrew Hanson (WISSOTA Pure Stocks) also collected wins in last Saturday’s season opener.
Hot laps will start at 6:15 pm, followed by timed qualifying for the IRA sprints. The racing action is slated to start at 7. For this special event, adult tickets are $22 each, and kids’ tickets will be priced at $8.
The ABC Raceway is located 3-1/2 miles south of Ashland on State Highway 13 and one mile west on Butterworth Road. “Z-93 Race Night” will air live each Saturday on WBSZ, 93.3 FM, and stream on www.wbszfm.com, from 4:30-6 pm with up-to-date track news and weather information. For raceday information call , or log on to the track’s website, www.abcraceway.com.
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