With the Estevan Motor Speedway season less than two months away, the local track is unveiling some changes for 2012, but some key issues still need to be resolved before the season opener on May 5.
At a members' meeting held on Monday, it was made known that the Northern Late Model Racing Association will not be touring this season, meaning the annual late model feature set for June 5 has been cancelled.
The possibility of bringing the association in for a one-day event was discussed, but the Speedway is actively looking for another special event to add to its schedule for that week.
The track had also hoped to host a sprint car event this year, but were told by the promoter that the tour was already going to Minot and that the two markets were too close together to host the same show in a short time frame.
In other news, the speedway is installing a new vertical leaderboard just before Turn 1. It will display the top four drivers in the current race as well as a lap counter.
EMS still needs to fill a pair of key positions, as the track has not found a technical director or a race director for the upcoming season, although it has a few leads on possible people for the technical director role.
Meanwhile, the circuit is starting up a new texting club so that members and fans can get race updates as quickly as possible. More information on the texting club is available at the speedway's recently revamped website, www.estevanmotorspeedway.com.
The track's tentative 2012 schedule is as follows: May 5, season opener; May 18, points night; May 26, Auto Value 3000 to win feature; June 15, points night; June 29, points night; July 10, Dakota Classic Modified Tour; July 21, points night; Aug. 10, points night; Aug. 25, Championship Night; Sept. 22, Pist'n'Broke Throwdown; Sept. 23, enduro race.
