Dirt Capitol Prepares for April Events
HAGERSTOWN, MD – Following a bumpy March weather wise, Hagerstown Speedway/Dirt Capitol is ready to move onward and get into its scheduled April events. Several important/prestigious events are coming up.
April opens with the Easter weekend event on Saturday the 4th. A regular line up of Hoosier Tire Mid Atlantic Late Models, Malloy Ford Late Model Sportsman, K.Lynn Management Pure Stocks and Mason Dixon Auto Auction Hobby Stocks will compete. An Easter Egg Hunt will be held for the Kids Club at 4:30 with various prizes, crafts followed by pizza afterward.
The season’s first Test and Tune session will be held on Wednesday the 8th and runs from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Any cars from any track are welcome to participate. General Admission is free.
On Sunday the 11th, there are two important events scheduled. Late Models will compete in the Western Maryland Challenge between Hagerstown and Cumberland Speedways. $2,500 is posted to win this event. Additionally, the first of two Small Car Nationals Qualifiers (Home Track Rules) will be held for the Late Model Sportsman, Pure Stocks and Hobby Stocks. The “Van”Dit class will make its debut.
A recent addition to the schedule for April 18th is the “Salute to a Champion”, a special event to honor Rodney Franklin, the “Virginia Leadfoot.” Franklin wasn’t a point chaser but did win the 1997 and 98 Late Model Championship at Hagerstown. He was one of the top racers in the Tri State area during the 1980ies and 90ies.He’s won every major event held at Hagerstown. This will be a time trial 33-lap event with $4,301 to win. Franklin’s car number was #33 and Creed and Linda Calton’s car was #01 with Franklin driving their car until he retired. With $3,301, David and Connie Stultz have given $1,000 to make the $4,301 paycheck. Other money is still being collected to include lap money, hard charger, heat race winner money, and more.
Also included on the night of the 18th are the Late Model Sportsman, Pure Stocks, Hobby Stocks and the All American Outlaws.
April closes out on Saturday the 25th with a long time prestigious events, the 34rd Annual Stanley Schetromph Founders Day Classic, in memory of the gentleman who built Hagerstown Speedway. It will be a three division program with Late Model drivers taking on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series in a 50-lap event paying $10,000 to win along with the Late Model Sportsman and Pure Stocks.
Rain has won out three times since the 2010 event, wiping out the 2010, 2012 and last season’s race. Josh Richards won in 2011 and Jimmy Owens in 2013. Gary Stuhler leads all drivers with six victories in the prestigious event, followed by Rodney Franklin, who posted the win three times. Donnie Moran is the only other repeat winner with two to his credit.
All April events switch to the standard starting time of 7:00 p.m. with warm-ups beginning ate 6:30p.m.
Follow the speedway on Twitter and Facebook at Dirt Capitol LLC and also check out Ernie D’s Turn 5 on Facebook with information about events, driver’s interviews and more. The latest news, results, photos, schedule or rule changes can found be on the speedway’s website: www.hagerstownspeedway.com. Also check the website for any changes in weather conditions that may delay or cancel the program or contact the speedway office at 301-582-0640.
Photo Courtesy of French Fry Nation
