Gearing up at North Star Speedway

PALMER - Amanda Palma needed a little coaching from her dad to get her legends class race car into gear Saturday, before taking some test laps during the pre-season test and tune day at North Star Speedway.

Palma, 22, was among the 25 other drivers eager to hit the track after a long winter of mechanical, body and chassis work.

Once on the track, Palma quickly showed the experience she had gained over the last three seasons racing in the bandelero class.

&#8220It's my first time in the legend car,” she explained. &#8220It will take me a while to get used to it, and how to get it into gear.”

Track race director Keith Akers said that is why he opens the track before the season.

&#8220We have a lot of new drivers, cars and people changing rides,” Akers said. &#8220By opening the track for a day of testing, drivers can adjust to new things without having to do it during a race.

In addition to adjusting to a new car, Palma is looking forward to racing against her dad.

&#8220He got a new car, so I got his old one,” Palma said. &#8220It will be fun to finally get to race against him.”

Al Palma isn't as excited about going head-to-head with his daughter.

&#8220People are hoping she'll be as aggressive as me,” he said. &#8220They're tired of me pushing them around, and want her to bump me a time or too. It will be fun.”

Amanda Palma was not the only driver taking advantage of the test day to adjust to a step up at the track.

Jim Adams worked as the crew chief for last seasons legends class champion, Bud Black. This season he will be driving the No. 33 Monte Carlo/Grand Prix hybrid late-model stock car.

&#8220It's a big change being the driver,” Adams said as he adjusted the carburetor in the pits. &#8220It will be fun to be behind the wheel this season for a change.”

Akers is excited to have Adams and other late model cars at the track this season.

&#8220Last year we didn't always have enough cars to hold a race for them each weekend,” Akers said. &#8220It looks like we'll have at least five or six of them running this year.”

Late models are the closest thing the NASCAR Nextel Cup cars seen on television. They feature a purpose built chassis and a 360 cubic-inch motor.

&#8220They are the fastest stock cars on the track,” Akers said. &#8220Having them out there every Saturday will make racing that much more exciting for the fans.”

North Star Speedway features six different classes of racing every Saturday - late models, baby grands, legend cars, four-cylinder mini stocks, eight-cylinder thunder stocks and bandeleros. The quarter-mile paved oval of North Star brings drivers in from the local area, as well as Fairbanks and Kenai.

Racing begins on Saturday, May 20 at the track, and will be held every weekend until Labor Day in September.

Northstar will host military appreciation weekend over the Memorial Day weekend, with free admission to all military personnel with military identification. In June there will be a 99-lap late model feature race, and fireworks will fly on the July 4 when North Star hosts the Alaska Sprint Cars

Series.

&#8220Another exciting thing at the track this season is the Kenai Lions Club quarter midget,” Akers said. &#8220They'll be racing on four different occasions, and it is always exciting to watch the young racers go around the track.”

Contact Darrell L. Breese at 352-2267 or at darrell.breeseatfrontiersman.com.