The 16th Annual Fred Dillow Memorial Race will be held Saturday at Portsmouth Raceway Park and this year’s race is looking to be bigger and better than ever.

The race a favorite among fans and drivers and it is one of Portsmouth Raceway Park’s most popular races of the year.

Dillow, who started racing in 1968 at local dirt tracks in the tri-state area, was diagnosed with leukemia 1989 and passed away Dec. 1, 1990. One of his fellow drivers, Delmas Conley, and a local promoter, Gary Cheek, approached the Dillow family about having a race in his memory and that’s how the event got started.

What makes this race different from most is sponsor money and prizes that are randomly placed throughout the field in all four divisions (late model, modified, limited late model and bombers) and the drivers are unaware as to where the bonus money is until the end of the night when they go to the payoff line.

Late Models will pay $4,000 to win, Modifieds $900 to win, Limited Late Models $900 to win and Bomber $500 to win.

A lot of good cars are expected to be on hand this year. In the late model division, Eddie Carrier, Jr., Jackie Boggs, Josh McGuire, R.J. Conley, Delmas Conley, Rod Conley, Chris Wilson and many other drivers are slated to compete.

Fred’s son, Steve, will be racing in the limited late model division. Aong with Steve Dillow will be John Melvin, Matt Melvin, Evyian Terry and several others.

Shawn Holliday, Greg Thompson, Danny Aldridge and Todd Robinson are a few of the local modified drivers who will be on hand, and Mike Mays and Jeremy Bretz are a couple of the local guys expected to be racing in the bomber division.

Sponsors for this year’s race are Valvoline, Engines, Inc., South Point, Grover Racing Engines, Ona, WV, Tri-America Contractors, Wheelersburg, Fields Excavating, Ironton, Abbott Home Care, Ironton/Oak Hill, Giovanni’s Wholesale, Ashland, Ky., Tax Associates, Ironton, Hawkeye Trucking, Leburn, Ky., Graphic Impressions, Hazard, KY, Cassell Racing Engines, Ironton, Wagner Rental & Supplies, Ashland, Ky., Pickett Concrete, Proctorville/Coal Grove, Off-The-Wall Kustom T’s, Mays Racing, Ironton, Bill Mason, Terry’s Mobile Glass, Ironton, EA Home Supply, Chillicothe, Les Boggs, Lawrence County Commissioner, BPI, Inc., Ironton, Holliday’s Quik Stop, Ironton, D&J Towing, Greenup, Ky., Ink Sensations, Kitts Hill, Jordan Heating & Air, South Webster, CP’s Parts & Racing Supplies, South Shore, Ky., Davey Potter, Blaze & Dallas Bradley, Tri-State Pawn & Jewelry, Ashland, Ky., America Lube, Ironton, Wilson & Son Motorsports, Ironton, Harmon Motor Sales (Honda Motorcycles), Ironton, R.I.C.-Racers In Christ, River Inn (formerly Ramada Inn), Portsmouth, Damon’s, Portsmouth, Exsell Realty Group, Portsmouth, Brenda’s Photography, Kitts Hill, The Hot Spot, Ironton, Heather Montroso, Century 21 Realtor, Ironton, 2Graf1c Distributions, Lucasville, Genesis Race Cars, Ashland, Ky., D&J Towing, Greenup, Ky., and Cox Wrecker Service, Berea, Ky.

Price of admission is 16 and up $12, 12-15 $5, 7-11 $2, 0-6 free and pit passes $22. Hot laps begin at 6:30 p.m. and racing begins at 8.

Dillow is survived by his wife, Edna, daughters Sherri (Mike) Willis and Susan Dillow, and son Steve (Michelle Dillow), grandchildren Shayne Willis, Brayden Dillow and Addison Dillow.

For additional information, visit http://freddillowmemorial.homestead.com/ or http://www.portsraceway.com