By Chuck Greenslate

PRP Publicity Director

 

Portsmouth Raceway Park is scheduled to go to open its 2016 season with two exciting nights of action over Memorial Day Weekend.

PRP’s Kickoff Classic is set for Saturday with the Fifth Annual Boone Coleman Memorial “Gator 50” scheduled to go down Sunday.

“All of the rain we’ve experienced this month has pushed our start date back a couple of weeks, so we are all very excited to get this season rolling,” PRP Promoter Donna Rayburn said.

“Even though we would’ve loved to have been racing the last week or two, I believe it will be well worth the wait.”

Saturday’s PRP Kickoff Classic will feature Late Models, Modifieds, Bombers, and Portsmouth Raceway Park’s newest division, Sport Mods.

Sunday’s Boone Coleman Memorial will be highlighted by a 50-lap Late Model Feature with the winner receiving $5,000 as well as a provisional starting spot in this October’s Dirt Track World Championship.

Also on Sunday’s card will be Modifieds and Limited Lates.

“We didn’t originally have a two-day program scheduled for Memorial Day Weekend, but because of our opener having to be shoved back a couple of weeks, we figured we’d make up for some lost time and give our fans and drivers plenty to look forward to,” Rayburn said.

This year will mark PRP’s 26th full season of action, and the 2016 schedule is filled with special events and high-paying programs.

Portsmouth Raceway Park will again host the Dirt Track World Championship. The 36th Annual running of this star-studded event will again be paying $100,000 to win.

The DTWC will mark the season finale for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, which is scheduled to visit PRP two other times in 2016, July 2, for the R.W. Rental and Supply “Independence 60” and Sept. 3 for the Pepsi 60 “River Days Rumble.”

Both the July 2 and Sept. 3 programs will pay $12,000 to win.

On Aug. 20, the always popular 22nd Annual Fred Dillow Memorial will also return to PRP along with Bozo’s “Just Give Me One Lap” Late Model Time Trials.

“All of the racers love the Dillow’s race,” Rayburn said. “Every driver in every division is eligible to win bonuses and door prizes on that night.”

This season, Portsmouth-area race fans will again be treated to a core group of events which have become staples at PRP, such as The Premiere Precast Products Limit Late Model Extravaganza on July 16, The Weaver’s Gas & Oil Bomber Shootout on July 30, The Keaton’s Collision Center Mod Squad Spectacular on Aug. 6, Vallery Chevrolet Kids Night on June 25, Vallery Chevrolet Fan Appreciation Night on Aug. 27, The Cletus Classic on June 11, and Pepsi Employee Night on Sept. 17.

PRP will again be hosting such divisions as the Giovanni’s Pizza Late Models, R.W. Rental & Supply Modifieds, O’Reilly Auto Parts Limited Lates, as well as M&M Inflatables Bombers.

However, there are a couple of new twists this season.

Sport Mods will become a standard class in PRP’s weekly racing card, and thanks to Lemley Motorsports, Boss Sprint Cars will make their first-ever appearance on July 23.

On Saturday, Portsmouth Raceway Park will have a benefit for Late Model driver Charlie Floyd, who passed away last month from injuries sustained in a crash at Southern Ohio Speedway in Wheelersburg.

PRP’s gates will open at 4 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday this weekend. For more details on PRP’s Memorial Day Weekend festivities and 2016 schedule, visit www.portsraceway.com and make Portsmouth Raceway Park your friend on Facebook.