Portland, Ore. The year 2000 dawns a new era for motorsports in the entire Pacific Northwest, as Portland Speedway completes 75 years of operation, and celebrates its Diamond Anniversary. Race fans will be treated to one of the most exciting racing seasons in the track's storied history, as this will be the last season for asphalt racing at the North Portland facility. The track is slated to return to its dirt roots at the mid-season point.
"We've come full circle at this grand old facility," says Ken Clapp, a retired Vice President for NASCAR. "She started out life as a dirt oval, had a half century run with asphalt, and now returns to clay. This is a significant evolution in motorsports entertainment, and we're proud to be a part of it."
Portland Speedway's President and General Manager, Craig Armstrong, could not agree more. "Dirt racing is where it all began and we are enthusiastic about bringing the World of Outlaws to town and introducing a new Friday night racing program on the clay in 2001," Armstrong stated.
The Speedway will feature a condensed asphalt racing program this year, ending the season on July 4 with a NASCAR Winston West Series race. This format returns the popular "Fast Friday" program, featuring the lightning quick NASCAR Weekly Racing Series Late Model Stock Cars and the Exide ShorTrack Limited Sportsman in exciting twin main event features. This ensures that the competitors can compete for regional and national NASCAR points championships. The popular Street Stocks, Bombers, and Figure 8 cars will round out each Fast Friday in a four division show. Three-time track and '99 NASCAR Weekly Racing Series Regional Champion Darren Shaw will not return to defend his crown, so the chase for that last asphalt Late Model Championship is wide open! There are only 13 Fast Friday shows before the asphalt is removed, so fans of the Speedway's pavement program will need to take advantage of every event offered in the first half of the 2000 racing season.
The season kicks off Friday, April 7, when KUPL presents The OPENING NIGHT "New Millennium Celebration", featuring the Late Models, Limited Sportsman, Street Stocks, and Bombers. Gates open at 5pm and racing begins at 7pm. Saturday, April 29, marks the last visit of the NASCAR Raybestos Brakes Northwest Series to the Speedway's legendary paved half mile in the running of the "GI Joes 150." The best drivers in the Northwest will duel for bragging rights as the final champion in this always-exciting, fender-rubbing, paint-swapping series.
Monday, July 3 will bring the annual Pepsi Crash Bang Extravaganza, which closes the season for the NASCAR Street Stocks, Bombers, and Figure 8 classes. An all out Destruction Derby and gigantic aerial fireworks display will end the traditional holiday show. Then on Tuesday, July 4, the stars of the NASCAR Winston West Series travel to Portland Speedway for the final time, running the "NAPA AUTO PARTS 200, a Tribute to Hershel McGriff." McGriff will crown his legendary driving career at the track where it all began for him 55 years ago. The Winston West event will be televised by Speedvision, and will feature the championship race for the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series Late Model Stock Cars. Following the race there will be a Groundbreaking Ceremony and 75th Anniversary Party to usher in the new era of clay track racing.
That new era begins Friday August 4, with a Grand Re-opening featuring the Hy-Per-Lube NORTHERN SPRINT TOUR and PRO-4 Modifieds on the brand new half mile clay oval. Then Friday, August 25, the event that is "The Greatest Show on Dirt," the Pennzoil World of Outlaws, rolls into town for a two-day festival of speed. These winged warriors have dazzled fans all across the country and will be set to light up the "new" Portland Speedway in the inaugural Baxter Auto Parts/Auto Value Classic. More than twenty five thousand fans are expected to attend this two-day event, with a sell-out predicted early.
September draws to a close this millennium season with a 300-lap Enduro on Monday, September 4, championship Flat Track Motorcycles on September 9, and a three day Stock Car Open beginning Friday, September 15, featuring Dirt Late Models, Grand American-type Modifieds, and Street Stocks on the half-mile clay oval track.
Race fans may log on to www.portlandspeedway.com for all the latest news and information about Portland Speedway's action-packed 75th Anniversary season or to order race tickets. Event tickets are also available at all GI Joe's Ticketmaster outlets or, for World of Outlaws, at 1-800-825-4832.
