51st raceway season begins

PALMER — Alaska Raceway Park is kicking off its 51st season of racing with the Mother’s Day opener, Hunison Memorial bracket racing, on May 10. Spectator gates open at 10 a.m. Prices, which include spectator parking, are $15 for adults, $12 for military and seniors, $10 for youths over 10, and free for children under 10. Food, beverages, T-shirts, and gift shop goodies are available, and the park has a new sound system. Flowers for the first 100 moms through the gate! Come out for speed, family, fun, and friendship.

Racers will compete for Hunison Cup trophies, given to the winners in memory of Bill and Jay Hunison, former champions. Summit SuperSeries Division 5 winner Jay Hunison was one of the first Alaska racers to compete in the International Hot Rod Association and won a divisional race in Cordova, Illinois. Bill Hunison was a KYUR Channel 13 manager and originally helped construct the racetrack.

Alaska Raceway Park is constructing a 1/3-mile paved oval track, which will open for racing late this summer. The profile of the track is staked, and it will be banked at 4, 8, and 12 degrees, below surface level, so spectators in the bleachers can see all the action. Proposed rules and regulations for late model, street stock, and mini stock are updated as of April 4, and available at akracewaypark.com.

Potential new racers are encouraged to read “Racing Your Car at Alaska Raceway Park 101,” available at akracewaypark.com via the “New Racers” link. The current track records to beat as of the 2014 season are as follows (must be backed up within 1 percent margin at the same event):

Nitro Altered class: 5.44 seconds at 279.5 mph (Jamie Bodenstadt); Blown Alcohol Dragster: 5.50 at 350.43 (R. W. Wilson); Blown Alcohol Funny Car: 6.240 at 229.86 and 6.15 at 228.00 (Jay Childs); Pro Mod: 6.650 at 214.14 (Steve Cook); Naturally Aspirated Dragster: 6.579 at 207.35 (Dave Mattison); Pro Nostalgia: 7.13 at 190.50 (John Dixon); Nitro Bike: 7.47 at 180.70 (Roy Rank); Diesel Truck: 11.04 at 123.5 (Brook Green); Snowmachine: 9.243 at 139.02 (Richard Coffman); Fastest Woman: 6.781 at 199.96 (Toni Prockish); Junior Dragster: 8.112 at 80.07 (Shelby Hattenburg).

For more information, visit akracewaypark.com.