Drivers from southeast Saskatchewan and across the midwestern United States will congregate in Estevan tonight for the first race night of the 2011 season at Estevan Motor Speedway.
There are lots of storylines for fans to keep an eye on as the Speedway opens its 12th season of operation.
For starters, most of the racing this year will be done on Wednesday nights, a decision made over the off-season in order to avoid competition with other weekend events and make things easier for volunteers.
The modified, hobby stock and street stock classes will all be contested this year.
Tyson Turnbull enters the season as the defending modified champion at EMS after taking the points title in a strange turn of events last season.
His older brother, Aaron, had led for most of the year, but an Aug. 16 disqualification took him out of the running and Tyson won his first race of the year on Championship Night to finish in top spot.
"It was unexpected, I'd say. I'd never won a race all year, so I didn't expect to be up there in points like that. I never really looked at the points," Turnbull said.
"Yeah, it was pretty awesome. I hadn't won a race in a few years and I really wanted to win one."
The younger Turnbull is bringing a new car to the track, to boot. He said it's more or less the same as his old one, with a Dodge engine, and the new wrap has a similar look.
As with any new vehicle, it takes time to adjust, something Turnbull found out when he spent time racing in Iowa and Minnesota over the past two months.
The Turnbulls, including dad Ed, along with Kody Scholpp, hit the road for some U.S. racing during the off-season.
"It's just a matter of getting used to it. It was probably the fastest car there the last couple of nights," said Tyson.
Dana Brandt is the defending champion in the hobby stocks after ripping up the Estevan circuit last year with 10 wins in 11 starts.
The Minot native broke several track records by winning the first eight hobby features last year, and he will surely have a massive target on his bumper this season.
Estevan's Rocky Alexander won the street stock championship last year.
The 2011 slate at EMS features 12 events, including five special race days.
Aside from tonight's season opener, the regular race nights are on June 1, June 15, June 29, July 20 and Aug. 10, along with championship night on Aug. 24.
The highlight will be the Estevan stop on the 22nd annual IMCA Dakota Classic Modified Tour on July 11.
"We've got the mod tour coming through and that's usually the big draw," said EMS treasurer Tim Fedyk.
Adding to the attraction is the fact that NASCAR veteran Kenny Schrader will race at the Speedway that night.
The Auto Value Fast 40 will be held two days before the mod tour stop, on July 9. The modified feature will pay $3,000 to the winner, $2,000 for second place and $1,000 for third. Auto Electric is the local sponsor for that race.
Another highlight will come July 26 when the Speedway hosts the All-Star Circuit of Champions, considered the second-biggest sprint car series behind World of Outlaws.
"It is the fastest car on dirt," said Fedyk. "The most exciting dirt racing there is, is sprint racing."
A late model feature will go ahead Aug. 16, and the 2011 season will wrap up Sept. 25 with the annual enduro race.
