Celebrate America by checking out fast cars

As the country gets ready to celebrate our independence once more, we are reminded of those iconic American things that make this country (and holiday) great. Fireworks, hot dogs, marching bands, bonfires and yes, auto racing. Get ready for the smell of burning rubber and the taste of sweet victory on the 4th of July, as the Mathew’s Ford Mid-Season Championships will be held this Saturday at the Sandusky Speedway.

The races, which will include sprint cars, modifieds, sportsman, street stocks, and spectator stocks, will begin at 6:30 pm on Saturday and last into the night. Gates will open at 3:30, and tickets for the event are $10 for adults, $5 for children 6-12 and free for children 5 and under.

Kevin Jaycox, owner/operator of the Sandusky Speedway, thinks that the upcoming event at the track will be a lot of fun, not to mention it provides a chance to reflect on the first half of the season and look ahead to the rest of the summer. “We’re going to honor the points leaders at the midway point of the season,” he said.

Not only is going to the track to watch some races always a good time, the Speedway is an excellent value for people trying to stretch their entertainment dollar. Jaycox said that a night at the Speedway is the “best entertainment for the price anywhere around,” and elaborated that a night of racing is quite a value because “it only costs $10 for 3-4 hours of entertainment.”

An explanation to those not familiar with the different racing divisions: there are several classes of cars that will race on a given night. Sprint cars are high-powered, open wheel cars, designed specifically for racing around an oval track. They are probably most easily recognized by the fact that they tend to slide around the track much more than traditional racecars.

Modified racing is pretty much what the name implies, cars that have been modified drastically from their original production template. Stock cars are generally passenger cars slightly modified but still maintaining the same basic capabilities as the car an average person would drive to work, while sportsman refers to a form of drag racing, albeit with cool cars.

This variety of race types means that fans may favor one race type over the others, which not only stirs up some friendly debate, but also provides an assortment of different styles to compare, contrast, and enjoy.

No matter what else happens at the event, it is often worth going just to see the looks on the faces of children as they watch drivers accelerate to ridiculous speeds, trade paint with rivals and spin out of control, until finally one driver crosses the finish and basks in the glory of victory.

In addition to general admission tickets, fans can also buy pit passes for twenty-five dollars, which will allow gear heads to get even closer to the action. Even for $10, though, the amount of entertainment seems well worth the price, whether for a diehard race fan or someone who just wants to try something new on a Saturday night without spending too much money. And what better way to finish what is sure to be a stirring and stimulating holiday weekend than getting the whole family outside to enjoy some good old-fashioned American auto racing.

When it’s all over, the event should leave everyone feeling good about what Jaycox called, “a great time, a good show, full of fast cars and great entertainment.”