Junior Olympics, adult competitions at raceway this weekend

(This is a republication of a June 30 story with the correction of an error.)

PALMER — Alaska Raceway Park has something new to offer race fans during the holiday weekend.

The inaugural Junior Olympics is among the list of events hosted by the Butte-area drag strip during the July 4 holiday weekend festivities, which start today at the raceway.

The Junior Olympics, slated for today, features drivers ages 7-17 in the junior dragster class. Special prizes and participation awards will be up for grabs. The July 4^th weekend at ARP, sponsored by Tesoro, also includes the King of the Street and Gambler’s Bracket racing tonight.

In addition to Top Eliminator, Pro-Nostalgia, and Points races, Saturday and Sunday we are hosting International Blown Alcohol Association nostalgia funny cars from Canada. The Canadians will compete against Alaskan racers in the CAN-AK Challenge for cash, a gold cup, and bragging rights. Visiting racers include Sherrie Bonarchuk of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, who races her 1970 Superbird. Also two drivers from Webb Family Motorsports: Darrell Webb racing a 1970 Baracuda and Scott Bourdin racing a 1982 Corvette. Both drivers are from Edmonton.

ARP will also host nitro Harley racing.

The AA/FA Nitro-Altered Duel between Jamie Bodenstadt in his Alaskan Grizzly and John Dixon in his Trophy Hunter is what race fans have been waiting for all season. Bodenstadt, of a multi-generation Fairbanks racing family team, is the current track record holder: 5.44 elapsed time at 279.50 mph in the quarter mile in his nitro-altered. Jamie’s father, Gary, has been racing in Alaska since 1968 and co-owns Bodenstadt Family Racing with his wife, Sue. Jamie took first place in 1996 at the Fuel Altered Nationals. Brother Marty Bodenstadt is the crew chief, and Jamie’s wife, Angie, is the crew photographer.

John Dixon of Wasilla is gunning to beat Bodenstadt’s ARP and nitro-altered record. Racing at ARP since the mid-1990s, John has driven several cars through the years, most recently a 1948 Fiat Topolino in the Pro-Nostalgia class and is the current ARP recordholder in that class with a 7.13 elapsed time at 190.50 mph. In addition to guidance and help from Gary and Marty Bodenstadt, John’s crew includes Todd Elarde, Wes Foraker, Robbie Huck, Cameron Charlton, Justin Hill and Don Maynor.

Today gates open at noon and action starts at 1 p.m. Admission is $15 for adults, $12 for senior/military, $10 for youth agies 11-15 with adult, and children 10 and under are free. Saturday and Sunday, gates open at 10 a.m., and action starts at 11. Admission is $25 for adults, $20 for senior/military, $20 for youth ages 11-15 with adult, and children 10 and under are free.

Three-day wristbands will be available the a reduced price of $60. The Green Light Grill, the High Octane Lounge, and the gift shop, loaded with new merchandise, will all be open. There is also now toddler and youth apparel.

Limited camping is available in the pits area due to oval track construction, but there is plenty of space for free camping in the spectator lot.

Alaska Raceway Park will enforce the burn ban and the fireworks ban (fireworks are never allowed at ARP). Compressed gas grills only, No open flames are allowed.

For more information, visit akracewaypark.com.