HUMBOLDT — The field is growing for this week’s four-day modified blockbuster racing event at Humboldt Speedway.
According to Todd Staley, promotor of the inaugural King of America Modified Nationals, they now have 75 pre-entered drivers for the event. The event is sanctioned by Staley’s United States Modified Touring Series.
Qualifying for Saturday night’s feature race begins Wednesday at 7 p.m. Drivers register to qualify on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday. They all are after the $15,000 prize for winning Saturday’s main feature race.
“We’re not sold out for any night of racing,” said Rhenda Whitworth, who along with her husband Ron own Humboldt Speedway. “We’re looking for about 100 drivers in the modified division. We’ve also added the B-Mod division races for each night.”
Single day tickets are on sale each night of racing. Races start at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Races begin at 6 p.m. Saturday.
Tickets are $20 per person for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday for the grandstand. There’s also lawn chair seating areas. Saturday’s individual admission price is $25.
Four-day tickets are available for $75.
“We’ve been working for an event like this since taking over the track 21 years ago,” Whitworth said. “We’ve made upgrades every year and had a big push this year.”
The Whitworths purchased land around the Speedway to expand. A new larger pit area is south of the track. The north side area is now all fan parking.
There’s new bleacher seats added to the grandstand on the north plus a set of seats on the south side in front of the pit area.
“We’re excited around here. It’s been a lot of hard work. We finished the concession stand and restrooms in the pit area. That includes a shower for the drivers to use,” Whitworth said.
Earlier this year, Ron Whitworth told the Register of taking down a concrete wall to widen the track. He said they brought in over 600 loads of clay to reshape the track.
“These are things we’ve wanted to do for a long time. The purchase of the land south and east of the track made things possible,” Ron Whitworth said.
Now all that hard work is paying off for the Whitworths, their workers and the dirt track racing fans of this area.
Most of the biggest names in modified stock car, dirt-track racing will be at Humboldt Speedway this week. The top drivers in the USMTS are registered to run. Most have already run several races at Humboldt over the years.
