2024 ABC Raceway Season Opener Delayed One Week
by Nick Gima
Ashland, WI, May 17 – The Board of Directors of the Ashland-Bayfield County Racing Association met on Friday and, after consideration of the conditions of the grounds, made the difficult decision to cancel its 2024 racing season opener, to be presented by Northern State Bank, scheduled for Saturday, May 18.
Late-spring rains have made the facility almost inaccessible until late last week, when work crews put forth their first serious efforts to work the track, clean up and make repairs, and otherwise prep the grounds for the upcoming season. But the unfavorable forecast squelched any further efforts going into what should have been the opening weekend.
The opener program is now slated for Saturday, May 25, at the historic three-eighths-mile red-clay oval just a few miles south of Lake Superior’s Chequamegon Bay.
The change also prompted the Raceway Board to shuffle the schedule just a bit, moving the popular Kids’ Meet the Drivers Night, to be presented by Heartland Communications Group of Ashland and Iron River from the 25th to June 22, in conjunction with the track’s “Racing for a Reason” Community Night, presented by Northern Clearing Inc.
Combining the chance for fans of all ages to meet their favorite drivers on trackside with free grandstand admission should make for a great family-oriented, fun-filled night in June.
The 60th season under the direction of the Ashland-Bayfield County Racing Association will include racing in eight different divisions overall, including the five weekly offerings during most of its regular-season programs – WISSOTA-sanctioned Fuhrman Design Modifieds, Superior Floral Super Stocks, Lightning Storm Graphics Midwest Modifieds and Patsy’s Bar Pure Stocks, plus its own Berglund Design Six-Cylinders.
More information regarding the 2024 season schedule at the ABC Raceway is available on the track’s website, www.abcraceway.com, and via its FaceBook page.
ABC 5/18/24 opener cancelled
ABC Raceway – revised 2024 season schedule (all races on Saturdays except where indicated)
May 25 – rescheduled 60th season opener, presented by Northern State Bank
June 1 – FastLane Motorsports Northland Super Stock Series race 1, presented by NAPA Auto Parts (no Modifieds)
June 8 – FastLane Motorsports Northland Super Stock Series race 4, presented by Super One Foods
June 15 – Teacher Appreciation Night, presented by WIMI 99.7 FM (no Super Stocks)
June 22 – “Racing for a Reason” Community Night, presented by Northern Clearing Inc (free grandstand admission) and rescheduled Kids’ Meet the Drivers Night, presented by Heartland Communications Group
June 27 (Thurs) – Farm Stock Special, presented by White River Ag Products (no Pure Stocks)
July 6 – “Six-Cylinder Slam,” presented by Safari Tavern
July 13 – Renegade High Roller Series sprints, presented by Bad River Lodge, Casino & Convention Center (no Modifieds, Midwest Mods)
July 20 – kids’ bike races, presented by Chicago Iron & Supplies
July 27 – Hall of Fame Night, presented by Zar’s Bar & Banquet
August 3 – kids’ backpack night, presented by Ashland Area Chamber of Commerce and Ashland-Bayfield County Sportsmen’s Club (w Street Stocks)
August 10 – 4th annual “The 444 Memorial” WISSOTA Late Model Challenge Series / RaceXR.com Northern Storm special, with Modifieds and Midwest Mods, presented by Ashland Ford-Chrysler Center (non-points night)
August 17 – Mountain Dew Championship Saturday Night, presented by North Star Beverage
Sept 27-28 (Fri-Sat) – 49th annual Red Clay Classic powered by Enbridge (Late Models, Modifieds, Midwest Mods, Super Stocks)
Nick Gima
announcer / publicist / historian
ABC Raceway, Ashland WI
“home of the Red Clay Classic”