NASCAR Coming to Albuquerque's NAPA Speedway in September

 More than just the name has changed at NAPA Speedway for the 2012 racing season.

Jim Guthrie, president of the facility, announces that big changes are coming to Albuquerque’s only auto racing track and to demonstrate the new directions the track is tacking, a NASCAR regional race will be held there in September.

A NASCAR K&N West Series race will be the highlight of a three-day Trilogy of Speed. The NASCAR tour has added NAPA Speedway to the schedule of races in Colorado, Washington, Iowa, Utah, Arizona and California. The series starts and ends the year at Phoenix International Raceway and runs at Las Vegas Speedway in the middle.

The NASCAR West Series uses 4-year-old Sprint Cup cars that have heavy, steel bodies. The circuit started in 1954 as the Pacific Coast Late Model circuit and is in its 58^th season.

``This will be the biggest race held in Albuquerque,’’ says Guthrie, a former Indy-car driver who won an IRL race in Phoenix. ``This race will be part of making NAPA Speedway a place for family entertainment.’’

Drivers who have competed on the NASCAR K&N West Series include Ron Hornaday, Parnelli Jones, Hershel McGriff, Derricke Cope and Chad Little.

The NASCAR race will be the feature event for the Sept. 27-29 competition. The Trilogy of Speed will start on Thursday, Sept. 27, with Sprints, Modifieds, Mini-Sprints and Cruisers running on the dirt oval.

The big NASCAR cars will practice on Friday, Sept. 28, on the paved oval. Regular competition will be held for Legends and Bandeleros also.

The 150-lap main event will be part of a full show on Saturday, Sept. 29. Modifieds, S-Mods, Legends and Factory Fours also will be racing that night, creating a packed evening of auto racing.

Last month, NAPA Auto Parts, the biggest name in auto parts in stock car racing, would step in as the name sponsor, changing the name of the facility from Sandia Speedway to NAPA Speedway. The facility includes a paved oval, dirt oval, 2.5-mile paved road course, motorcycle mottocross track, motorcycle flat track and quarter-midget track.

Big changes are planned for the two ovals this season. Instead of running every Saturday night, 18 dates with two special events are planned.  Promotions for the season include fireworks, celebrity races, 50-cent hot dog nights, military nights and faith nights.

NAPA Speedway plans to offer a lot more than racing. A Kidz Zone, a midway with vendors and appearances by musical groups will be added.

Another addition will be a Racing Hall of Fame. Past drivers will be honored at a race and their photos will be hung permanently in the lounge area.

The dirt oval will run seven classes this year. Mini-Sprints, Hornets, Cruisers, Street Stocks, X-Mods, A-Mods and Sprints will all compete. On the half-mile paved oval, Unlimited Modifiieds, Extreme-Mods, Legends, Factory Fours and Bandeleros will run.

The oval racing season will start on April 28 with dirt track races. The first races on asphalt will be the Legends on Friday, May 11, with a full schedule on the pavement on Saturday, May 12.

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