POSTED FEBRUARY 27, 2025

The Mottville Speedway will open for its 53^rd consecutive season of racing this Saturday and Sunday, March 1 and 2 with gates opening at 5 pm each night and racing action starting at 6pm.

This will be the earliest season opener ever for the ¼ mile paved oval. Pro Stocks will pay $150 to win, Mini Stocks $100, Street Stocks $100 and Mini Thunder Cars $50. Plus karts will be on hand.

Regular Saturday and Sunday night racing continues through November 30 and two special races will be run in December, a benefit race on December 6 and a special birthday race on December 13.

Four Fridays are also on the schedule, June 27, July 4, July 18 and August 8 plus Memorial Day and Labor Day.

The Midwest Classic Racers Dwarf Cars will return to Mottville for the first time since 1996 on May 10, July 26 and August 23. These are 5/8 scale of the old time coupes and capable of speeds approaching 100 miles per hour.

The Mottville Mini Cups will run their first race April 16 and will run a total 15 nights. These are the half scale of the NASCAR Winston Cup cars.

The 18^th Annual Indiana-Michigan Challenge cup is October 25 and 26 and the season championship points night is November 30.

All told 85 points nights and 3 non-points nights are schedule for 2003. Last year Mottville set a national record for most nights run in a season with 85.

Paul Scott was here Wednesday night to make sure we were running this week-end! Last Sunday he was the only one to show at the track as he did not get the word we had cancelled! We cancelled for several reasons-cold, drifting roads, lots of snow at track and  lack of ready cars. But this week-end is a points night and opening week-end and a definite go! Plus I shoveled snow around the bleachers, concession stand, rest rooms, steps and ticket booth and they are now clear of snow. Robert Sutton plowed the track Sunday and the sun since then has really helped!

Compared to a year ago we will actually be warmer! One year ago on opening night it was a high of 28, low of 20, high winds and wind chill factor well below zero! Now I am seeing predications of around 32-27 for a high and a low around 25-27.

We now have internet service at the track which will really help on getting the results, pp,  registrations and point standings posted faster after Friday night and Saturday night races. We have purchased a lap top computer brand new and state of the art! so after the races I will go to the office and email the items to the track where Rita will put them on the web site. On Sundays same procedure but will email them to Rita at her home. I think we have our updates on sooner than any track in our area and we want to keep that up in 2003!

In reading the Marc Times this week in Ron Shultz’s column about going to speed week I was shocked to find his wife, Carol, had died February 12 while fishing in Florida! She was only 52 and our prayers are with Ron! I believe a memorial service is being held this Saturday at 1 pm at the funeral home in White Pigeon.

I really want to watch the Busch Series Race at Darlington on March 15! My late brother, Lt Col Herbert T. Holden, knew Bobby Hamilton, Jr quite well and the US Marine Corps sponsors his car. Bobby sent flowers to the funeral home when Herb died. As a tribute to Herb, Bobby’s car will have Herb’s name on it at the Darlington race! Plus Herb’s widow and son will have special seats and heat sets to listen to driver and crew! The family really appreciates the kindness of Bobby Hamilton, Jr.

We have plenty of specials for the SS and MS this season! At least 4 times each class will run for $250 to win! Plus the 18^th Annual IMCC!

We did cut down on the number of nights for the Pro Stocks and in 2004 I think we can get this class down to mainly Sunday nights and perhaps under 30 nights per season.

I will try to be on our chat room at least twice per week this season. Generally Monday and Wednesday evenings from 8:30-9 pm. So if you have questions log in and ask me! As we get busier at the track I may not always be able to hold to this schedule but I will try to advise in this column each week when I will be on. In any case our chat room is monitored from 7-9 Pm Monday-Friday by a staff person so log in and try it! We have been having about 6-7 people per night on and you can learn some interesting stuff!

I think we are all set for opening night! Press releases have been sent to all area newspapers and I only need to put some salt out around the concession stand Friday night and I think we are good to go!

Opening nights are always extra exciting and this will be my 13^th opening night as the owner of the Mottville Speedway! Seems unreal how the time flies! I remember the first one in 1991 well! First Saturday of April and 70 for a temperature! Everything in the world went wrong after that!

Oh well, live and learn! Hope to see you at Mottville this Saturday and Sunday for opening week-end!