Port Royal – Port Royal Speedway has been forced to cancel its already pushed back season opening weekend slated for March 20 and 21.

Continued rock-hard frozen ground and extremely poor grounds and track surface conditions have made the cancellation of the Friday practice session and Saturday opener a necessity.

“It’s clear as we are now a week away from what we had hoped to be the opener that there is just no way we can even think about using the grounds or track in a week,” Port Royal Promoter Steve O’Neal said.

This means the season opener is now slated for Saturday evening, March 28 at 6 pm when the 410 sprints, super late models and the Gray’s Auto & Towing 355-econo late models are again on the schedule.

March 28 will also be Camera & Autograph Night at the track when the purchase of a general admission ticket will gain fans access to the pit area for a limited time prior to warm ups.

The 410 sprint winner’s share for the opener recently increased from $3,500 to $3,600 in honor of late speedway champion Richard “Dick” “Pete” Swarmer.

Swarmer’s son Steve, a former competitor himself, has posted the $100 increase in honor of the elder Swarmer’s opening day victory some 50 years ago, in 1965.

The super late models will also compete for an increased payday in the opener, set at $2,000 to win.

Adult general admission for the show will be $15 with students ages 12 – 18 admitted for just $7.

General admission gates will open at 4 pm.

The possibility of a practice session at the track is being evaluated for the week of March 30 with an announcement regarding a date and time in the offing.

Season seats and passes remain on sale at the speedway office as well. Office hours are held Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays with times available on the oval’s website.

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