PHOENIX, Arizona — The 2009 Manzanita Speedway schedule is hot off the press and the 35th Avenue and West Broadway track will be racing at least 55 nights this year. The Phoenix track opens its season in a big way as all three USAC divisions--Silver Crown, Sprints and Midgets-- will jump start their chase for national championships in the third annual Sands Chevrolet Copper on Dirt--February 20-21. All three divisions will be staging races on the famed half mile track. Last year's champions, Jerry Coons Jr. (Sprints and Silver Crown) and Cole Whitt (Midgets) hope to get off to a quick start.
Coons, who races out of Tucson, AZ. became only the fifth driver to win USAC's Triple Crown, joining Pancho Carter, Tony Stewart, Dave Darland and JJ Yeley. He won the midget title in 2007.
Chad Boat, the rookie of the year in both the spints and Midgets, hopes to better his finishes in last year's Copper on Dirt when he finished sixth in both divisions.
As soon as the Copper on Dirt event takes the checkered flag season openers and an appearance by the World of Outlaw sprint cars on March 28 take to the clay at Manzy.
The season opener for local sprints, midgets and mini sprints is set for March 7 while Super Stocks, Factory Stocks, Modlites and Lady Stocks begin their season March 13 and Late Models, IMCA Sport Modifieds and Dwarf Cars have season openers March 14.
The American Sprint Car Series have 16 dates at Manzy in 2009 with two of their point races will be in the NAPA Auto Parts/ Budweiser/Parker Store Western World Championships in November. The sprints have five races on the half mile track with the other 11 races on the one third mile oval.
The half mile will host a total of 17 races this year. In addition to the sprints the IMCA Dirt Modifieds will be on the big track twice as will the Late Models and Super Stocks. The Copper on Dirt and Western for the USAC sprints are also on the big track.
There are three weekends that the track will not be running, the first of which comes April 3 & 4 when NASCAR runs night races at PIR. The track will also be idle April 17-18. and again July 31 and August 1st.
There are also some other dates that are currently open but may be filled throughout the year.
FEB
Feb 19 Practice for Copper
Feb 20 "Sands Chevrolet Copper On Dirt"
Feb 21 "Sands Chevrolet Copper On Dirt"
Feb 28 TBA
MARCH
Mar 07 ASCS Sprints, Midgets, Mini Sprints
Mar 13 Super Stocks, Factory Stocks, Modlites, Lady Stocks
Mar 14 Late Models, IMCA Sport Modifieds, Dwarfs
Mar 21 ASCS Sprints, Modlites, Mini Sprints
Mar 27 Factory Stocks, Bombers, Dwarfs
Mar 28 "World of Outlaws" Mini Sprints
APRIL
Apr 03 NO RACES
Apr 04 NO RACES
Apr 10 Super Stocks, Dwarfs, Modlites
Apr 11 "Donnie Davis Memorial", ASCS Sprints ½, Midgets,
Mini Sprints, "Vintage Cars"
Apr 17 NO RACES
Apr 18 NO RACES
Apr 24 Factory Stocks, Bombers, Dwarfs, Lady Stocks
Apr 25 Late Models ½, IMCA Modifieds,Modlites
MAY
May 01 Super Stocks, Factory Stocks, Lady Stocks
May 02 ASCS Sprints, Midgets, Mini Sprints
May 08 Super Stocks ½,Bombers, Modlites
May 09 IMCA Modifieds, Factory Stocks, IMCA Sport Modifieds
May 16 Late Models, Mini Sprints
May 23 "Wayne Weiler Salute to Indy" ASCS Sprints (51 laps)
Midgets
May 29 IMCA Sport Modifieds, Factory Stocks, Bombers
Lady Stocks
May 30 IMCA Modifieds, Dwarfs, Modlites
JUNE
Jun 05 Super Stocks, Factory Stocks, Bombers, Lady Stocks
Jun 06 IMCA Modifieds ½, ASCS Sprints, Modlites
Jun 12 Factory Stocks, IMCA Sport Modifieds, Bombers
Jun 13 "Hank Arnold Memorial" ASCS Sprints ½, Midgets,
Mini Sprints
Jun 19 Super Stocks, IMCA Modifieds, Dwarfs
Jun 20 Late Models, IMCA Sport Modifieds, Factory Stocks
Jun 27 Super Stocks, Factory Stocks, Bombers, Lady Stocks
JULY
Jul 03 "Firecracker 40" ASCS Sprints, IMCA Modifieds ½,
Mini Sprints
Jul 04 NO RACES
Jul 11 Super Stocks ½, IMCA Sport Modifieds, Dwarfs
Jul 18 NO RACES
Jul 25 NO RACES
ASCS Sprints Modlites
Late Models Mini Sprints
IMCA Modifieds Desert Dwarf Car Club
Factory Stocks Lady Stocks
Super Stocks Manzanita Bombers
IMCA Sport Modifieds
AMRA Midgets
USAC Silver Crown Cars, Sprints, Midgets
World Of Outlaws
AUGUST
Aug 01 NO RACES
Aug 08 IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Modifieds, Dwarfs,
Modlites
Aug 15 Late Models ½, Factory Stocks, Lady Stocks
Aug 21 "58th Annual Anniversary Race Weekend"
IMCA Modifieds, Factory Stocks,
IMCA Sport Modifieds, Bombers
Aug 22 "58th Annual Anniversary Race Weekend"
ASCS Sprints ½, Midgets, Mini Sprints, Dwarfs
Aug 29 Late Models, Mini Sprints, Modified Midgets
SEPTEMBER
Sep 05 "NAPA Auto Parts Fan Appreciation Night"
ASCS Sprints, Midgets, Dwarfs
Sep 12 Super Stocks, IMCA Sport Modifieds,Factory Stocks,
Lady Stocks
Sep 19 IMCA Modifieds, Factory Stocks, Modlites
Sep 26 "Hall of Fame Vintage Classic", ASCS Sprints ½,
Midgets, "Vintage Cars"
"Motorsports Hall of Fame Induction"
OCTOBER
Oct 03 USAC Western Midgets, ASCS Sprints, Mini Sprints
Oct 10 "Buddy Taylor Memorial" ASCS Sprints ½,
Midgets, Mini Sprints
Oct 16 "IMCA Modified Nationals", IMCA Sport Modifieds,
Modlites
Oct 17 "IMCA Modified Nationals", Modlites
Oct 23 Factory Stocks, IMCA Sport Modifieds, Bombers,
Lady Stocks
Oct 24 ASCS Sprints, Mini Sprints
Oct 30 "Factory Stock Showdown", Super Stocks
Oct 31 "Factory Stock Showdown", Super Stocks ½, Bombers
NOVEMBER
Nov 07 Bomber Enduro
Nov 13 "NAPA Auto Parts/Budweiser/Parker Store
& 14 Western World Championships"
Nov 19 Dwarfs, Mini Sprints Practice
Nov 20 "Dwarf Cars, Mini Sprints Nationals"
Nov 21 "Dwarf Cars, Mini Sprints Nationals"
Nov 27 TBA
Nov 28 TBA
