Northeast Motorsports Expo opens for 27th year
By Mike Lange
Staff Writer
AUGUSTA — Northern New England auto racing fans will get a preview of the upcoming season when the 27th annual Northeast Motorsports Expo opens for three days at the Augusta Civic Center on Friday, Jan. 9.
Five out of six of Maine’s oval tracks plan to have exhibits at the show including two karting tracks — Richmond Speedway and Thundering Valley in St. Albans — and the members-only Fantasy Speedway in Unity Plantation. Fantasy Speedway runs a limited schedule of restored vintage race cars during the summer. Spud Speedway in Caribou won’t make this year’s show, according to track owner Troy Haney.
Participants from Speedway 95 in Hermon at this year’s show include Sportsman driver Kris Matchett of Skowhegan; Street Stock ace Zach Audet of Skowhegan, who won the 2014 Sport Four championship; and Brewer High School freshman Lexi Road from the Stars of Tomorrow division.
Other exhibitors include New Hampshire International Speedway, Star Speedway in Epping, N.H.; Lee (N.H.) USA Speedway, the Pro All-Stars Series (PASS), the Outlaw Super Series, Owl’s Head Transportation Museum and Winterport Dragway.
The Heluva Good Pit Crew Challenge returns this year with a $750 top prize to the team that can change tires the quickest on a race car. Qualifying rounds will be held on Friday, Jan. 9 at 7 p.m. and at Saturday at noon, 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The finals will be Sunday, Jan. 11 at noon.
Town Fair Tire will also sponsor a track and tour pit stop competition on Saturday at noon; and Amsoil Four-Season Synthetic will host a media pit stop contest at 6:30 p.m. and a ladies-only competition round at 7:30 p.m.
The Maine Vintage Race Car Association and Maine Motorsports Hall of Fame will hold their second annual memorabilia silent auction on Friday evening with a live auction on Saturday from 2-4 p.m. All proceeds will go toward the organizations’ efforts to build a permanent hall of fame for its honorees.
Unity Raceway will also hold its annual rules meeting at the expo on Saturday at noon. The track will be leased by Nick Huff of Hampden for the second year after running three races at the oval in 2014. Tentatively, Unity Raceway will run 11 events from May 17 to Oct. 11.
For more information, schedules and admission prices, visit www.northeastmotorsportsexpo.net.