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| Mobile International Speedway is entering it's 55th year of racing in 2019. (Speed51.com Photo) |
IRVINGTON, Alabama -- Mobile International Speedway has announced a 2019 racing schedule that will put the spotlight on what the backbone of any short track should be: local division racing. For the first time in decades, there are no late models shows on the season schedule. There are, however, 16 weekends planned from March through November showcasing a very diverse crop of racing classes.
It’s no secret that attendance and car counts have been down at Mobile in recent years. In an effort to rectify that trend, this year’s schedule has put an emphasis on rebuilding the weekly local classes in lieu of hosting larger touring events across the span of the season.
“We want to turn that around,” said Mobile Speedway Promoter Kody Lyons. “We want to push to get it back to stronger numbers in each class.”
This year’s schedule will feature the entry level Pure Stocks and Sportsman coupled with the intermediate and more advanced Outlaw Stock and Pro Truck divisions. The asphalt winged Sprint Cars will be back, plus the return of a local Modified division, premiering on the April 20th race weekend.
“The schedule isn’t fully complete,” Lyons added. “It still won’t have any late models on it because we want to shift our focus toward the local divisions which have suffered these past few years on the Gulf Coast with car counts dropping.”
The season kicks off with the return of Bandit Big Rig Series, who will hold their season opener at Mobile on March 23rd. The Bandits came to Mobile in full force in 2018 and proved to produce a very entertaining show.
“We had the Bandit Series for the first time last night at Mobile,” said an excited fan giving a five star review of the event last March. “They DID NOT disappoint! They put on a heck of a show, and the drivers and crews were some of the nicest people I have ever met. I hope to see them back next year.”
Also announced on the schedule is the addition of a new event to Mobile Speedway. The Southern Pro Truck Nationals. Sanctioned by the Southern Pro Am Truck Series, this event is to be held in Irvington on May 25th. Pure Stocks and Sportsman will be the support classes on that weekend.
The Mobile 300 will continue in 2019. The inaugural Mobile 300 served as the season finale of the 2018 Southern Super Series, with Stephen Nasse emerging the victor. For 2019, there will be no late models on the Mobile 300 agenda, however, all six racing divisions will be featured over the two day event on November 1st and 2nd.
2019 Mobile International Speedway Schedule:
March 23 -- Bandit Big Rig SeriesMarch 30 -- Opening Night: Sprints, Outlaws, Trucks, Sportsman, Pure Stock
April 6 -- Outlaws, Trucks, Sportsman, Pure Stock
April 20 -- Sprints, Modifieds, Trucks, Sportsman, Pure Stock
May 4 -- Outlaws, Trucks, Sportsman, Pure Stock
May 18 -- Sprints, Modifieds, Outlaws, Sportsman, Pure Stock
May 25 -- Southern Pro Truck Nationals: Southern Pro Am Truck Series, Sportsman, Pure Stock
June 1 -- Outlaws, Trucks, Sportsman, Pure Stock
June 15 -- Outlaws, Trucks, Sportsman, Pure Stock
June 29 -- Sprints, Modifieds, Outlaws, Sportsman, Pure Stock
July 13 -- Outlaws, Trucks, Sportsman, Pure Stock
July 27 -- Sprints, Modifieds, Trucks, Sportsman, Pure Stock
August 10 -- Outlaws, Trucks, Sportsman, Pure Stock
August 24 -- Sprints, Modifieds, Outlaws, Sportsman, Pure Stock
September 7 -- Championship Night: Sprints, Modifieds, Outlaws, Trucks, Sportsman, Pure Stock
October 9 -- Mobile 300 Open Practice
November 1-2 -- 2nd Annual Mobile 300: Sprints, Modifieds, Outlaws, Trucks, Sportsman, Pure Stock
Mu opinion is that the reason people have lost interest is because of the every other week schedule, again just my opinion, mobile should focus on mobile and Pensacola should focus on theres, for years mobile has suffered while the other track gets the attention, again just my opinion
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