DAYTONA BEACH, FL – Flat track enthusiasts in the northeast who had to journey to Weedsport, NY on the far side of Syracuse to catch racing action this past season won’t have to travel so far next year. The 18-race American Flat Track schedule for 2018 released recently has the coast-to-coast campaign wrapping up with a new event at the Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment facility in East Rutherford, NJ.
The Meadowlands Mile will be run Oct. 6 on the mile-long horse track, ending a seven-month season that begins March 15 with the Daytona TT at the Daytona International Speedway here. Staging an event in the shadow of the nation’s No. 1 media market is certain to bring the sport added exposure.
An event in Weedsport is planned as well with the New York Short Track on July 7. American Flat Track reports that Weedsport Speedway “recently received significant upgrades and is now hailed as one of the country’s finest dirt speedways.”
Also relatively close by will be the Williams Grove Half-Mile on Sept. 8 at the Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, PA.
The 2017 season marked the return of Indian to racing, with team riders Jared Mees, Bryan Smith and Brad Baker taking the top three spots at season’s end.
American Flat Track is entering its 66th season in 2018 and second year of TV coverage by NBCSN. Races have been streamed live for the past five years by FansChoice.tv. The 2018 schedule is posted here.
– By Bud Wilkinson