5/27/2019
Unfavorable Grounds Conditions Force ABC Raceway Cancellation
Ashland, WI – One would think that sunny skies and temperatures in the upper 60s would be conducive to favorable stock car racing conditions.
However, due to the fact that there have been precious few beautiful days like this past Saturday in northern Wisconsin, the grounds and track at the ABC Raceway were still so soft and saturated by the significant Spring precipitation that the Raceway’s Board of Directors voted to cancel Armed Forces Night on Saturday, May 25.
The program, which was to have been sponsored by the Ashland Area Chamber of Commerce, is the second straight postponement of the award-winning red-clay oval’s opening night for its 55th season of operation.
“This was a very difficult decision for our Board to make,” Raceway president Eric Erickson stated after Saturday morning’s closed-door debate. “Every one of us certainly wants to get the season going and put on a race program, but the argument that the condition of the grounds was not conducive to driver safety and fan enjoyment was also very strong.”
A vast majority of the Raceway’s pit parking area was quite soft and spongy as of Saturday morning, which would have made for difficult entry and exit for the race haulers. Much of the grandstand parking area was in similar condition, making access just as miserable for the fans.
The track itself was also deemed too soft and potentially unsafe to race on, in the opinion of the track prep crew, which has had a difficult time in recent weeks getting their heavy equipment onto the red-clay surface in order to properly prepare it.
The ABC Raceway’s schedule will undergo a bit of shuffling with the cancellation of the first two weeks of the season. On Saturday, June 1, the track will once again attempt to kick off the 2019 racing season in the Chequamegon Bay area, but the popular Kids’ “Meet the Drivers” Night program, to be presented by Little Caesar’s Pizza of Ashland, will be moved to Saturday, June 15, as part of the “Racing for a Reason” free admission night and charity fundraiser to be presented by Northern Clearing Inc and Heartland Communications Group.
The scheduled “Kwik-Trip 35” Advantage RV Mod Series regional touring event is still set for June 8, as are the 6th annual ABC Raceway Hall of Fame induction ceremonies on June 22 and the special Friday night Afco Shocks Race of Champions qualifiers on June 29.
A six-division program featuring WISSOTA Modifieds, Super Stocks, Midwest Modifieds, Pure Stocks and Hornets, and the ABC Six-Cylinders, will be presented for the June 1 show. Sponsorship for that night’s show will be announced later this week.
The grandstands will open this Saturday at 5 pm, hot laps will start at 6:15, and the first green flag of the season should drop at 7 pm. Admission for adults is $11 in the grandstands, and children ages 12 and under are admitted free when accompanied by a paying adult. The pit gate admission price is $25 per person.
“Race Night” will air on WBSZ, 93.3 FM with up-to-date track news and weather updates every 15-20 minutes from 4:30-6 pm. Coverage will also stream rain or shine on www.wbszfm.com and on the free Heartland Communications Group radio app.
The ABC Raceway is located 3-1/2 miles south of Ashland on State Highway 13 and one mile west on Butterworth Road. For raceday information call (715) 682-4990, or log on to the track’s website, www.abcraceway.com.
Article Credit: Nick Gima
