Chillicothe, OH (Wednesday, March 29, 2023) - The old saying goes, “you’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t,” and there’s no better way to describe the job of promoting a race track; especially during the spring months. Atomic Speedway in southern Ohio has taken matters and put them into the fan’s hands the past two weekends, and it’s an approach that hasn’t been used very often.
The tactic all began on Saturday, March 25th when Atomic’s regularly scheduled program was washed away by weather. Around Noon on Saturday, the speedway posted that they would be willing to race the next day, on Sunday if the fans showed their support through pre-event online sales. The “Atomic Rain Dance” stipulated 1,000 pre-sale tickets for the track to open their gates for a Sunday afternoon show featuring 410 Sprints, Modifieds, and Sport Mods. Within roughly the first seven hours, the speedway had managed to sell over 500 tickets to the proposed Sunday afternoon show, however, the momentum stalled out and they were eventually forced to cancel the Sunday show and refund the pre-sale tickets.
This week, Mother Nature again showed her “ugly” side with heavy rain and high winds forecasted for Friday and Saturday night, the two nights Atomic Speedway was scheduled to host the Super DIRTcar Big Block Modifieds for the Rumble in the Hills featuring a $10,000 and $12,000 to win main event. With the travel the Big Block teams faced, the Speedway and Super DIRTcar officials pulled the plug on Tuesday afternoon. But, the track was again willing to give those die-hard fans a chance to race this weekend.
The worst of the rain is forecasted for Friday in southern Ohio with a fairly dry day expected on Saturday including partly sunny skies and 58 degrees. The tradeoff is the forecasted high winds on Saturday and Saturday night and a predicted overnight low of 28 degrees. This week, the track has upped the ante on trying to get the fans to support the show. The Atomic Speedway, April Fools Gold will be the track’s final attempt to use pre-sale tickets to force the show into existence. The show is scheduled for Saturday night with a built-in Sunday rain date if the track sees 1,000 pre-sale tickets. In addition to the reward of racing, the speedway has offered up additional incentives.
If the speedway gets 1,000 pre-sale tickets one fan will take home $500 plus an additional undescribed surprise gift and the first 100 people to purchase a ticket will receive an additional ticket to be used at a future regular event. The track will also give a $100 bonus to a random driver in each division.
If the speedway sells 1,500 pre-sale tickets the track will add Super Late Models to the show which already features OVSCA 410 Sprints, Modifieds, Sport Mods, and Legends. A lucky fan will leave with $750 and the surprise and the first 100 people to purchase a ticket will receive an additional ticket to be used at a future regular event. A random driver from each division will receive a $250 cash bonus.
Should the speedway sell 2,000 pre-sale tickets, a fan will take home $1,000 plus the surprise and the first 100 people to purchase a ticket will receive an additional ticket to be used at a future regular event. Then, a random driver from each division will receive a $500 cash bonus.
Fans who wish to support this show can click here to purchase tickets to the Saturday, April 1st event. Fans are encouraged to follow Atomic Speedway on Facebook and Twitter for up-to-the-minute information regarding this weekend’s show. The next regularly scheduled show is Saturday, April 8th featuring the FAST on DIRT Sprint Car Series, Steel Block Late Models, and Sport Mods. For more information, log onto www.AtomicSpeedway.net.
Story - Zach Hiser
Photo - Atomic Speedway