Portland, ME – Northern New England’s oval track stock car season is several weeks away, as the Daytona International Speedway gates swing open for the start of the NASCAR season.
Just days after the big 500 in Florida, the 18th annual edition of the region’s biggest wintertime stock car racing showcase, Racin’ Preview 2011 at the Portland Expo, opens its doors Friday, February 25 and Saturday, February 26.
A newcomer to the show this year is the New Meadows Ice Racing Association. There season may be getting underway at the time of this year’s Expo show, as they’ve been battling uncooperative ice conditions thus far in 2011. But when the racing gets underway it’s the fastest full-bodied racing action available in Maine.
The New Meadows ice racers, when competing with their “screw tires” gripping the ice on one of Maine’s frozen lakes, reach speeds of well over 110 miles per hour on the long, ½-mile-plus straightaway that makes up a part of a mile-plus road course-style racetrack. They also feature a more novice-geared class that runs on studded snow tires. Many of their events are of the endurance variety, contested at distances often over 100 miles.
The New Meadows Ice Racing Association joins many of the region’s traditional oval tracks and touring series at Racin’ Preview 2011, including Maine’s lone NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racetrack, Beech Ridge Motor Speedway in nearby Scarborough.
Doors at the Portland Expo open at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, February 25, with several autograph opportunities and other activities ongoing through 10:00 p.m. Saturday show hours are 9:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. A limited amount of commercial display space remains available.
For further information please call (603) 447-4251 or email racinpaper@racinpaper.com