5/20/2022
Postman 68
Blog: Millbridge Pride
Over the years of travel and moving my “home track” situation has been fluid; and there is nothing better than having a home racetrack. It is that place where you know most of the racers, the ticket office and concession staff are familiar friendly faces, you sit near the same fans; it is simply a comfortable spot to take in racing.
I am proud to say that Millbridge Speedway in Salisbury, N.C. has become one of my home tracks.
Millbridge is a one-sixth mile clay oval that dates at least back into the 1980s. It had times of active racing and times where the track sat dormant. Talk to people who have been around the track for a while and some share about a rough and tumble place where it was about drinking, fighting and racing.
In 2011 Jeremy Burnett and some friends agreed to host Mini Outlaw Kart Series races at the track; the partnership dissolved, and it was Jeremy and his wife Ashly to the helm.
Three years later they bought the track.
Midweek racing has been a part of Millbridge tapping into the NASCAR and overall motorsports community, who is busy working on weekends. The Outlaw Karts were the headline class and over their early years the Burnett’s established the track well as they hit their stride as track operators.
In the early days one would hear mostly good reviews; tagged with “but they run too late for a school/work night.” But soon that criticism went away with efficient shows so folks could attend and enjoy on a “school night.”
Personally, I started seeing social media posts about races completed by 10pm. The word was getting around that the Burnett’s were running things well for those of us who prefer sleep to an all-nighter at the track. The thought of good local racing and an early night home first drew me to Millbridge.
It did not take too many visits for me to realize this was indeed a special place. Not only was it great to catch up with many in the NASCAR community in a more casual setting; but it also was a spot where strong racing talent was on display.
The shows were well run, and the facility was constantly getting upgraded. The track surface was great, land was purchased to expand the pits three-or-fourfold; and upgrades to the control tower and concession stand were all made.
Both from a facilities and operational standpoint Jeremy and Ashly were doing well; little did anyone know four or five years ago what was ahead.
A couple of things were happening in the racing landscape in North Carolina, largely driven by Millbridge. The Box Stock program was exploding with not only children of NASCAR and racing folks, but many non-famous families exploring racing.
Micro Sprints were added to the mix a few years back and to say that “took off” would be an understatement. Like the kids Box Stop program, Micro Sprint racing in the Carolinas led by Millbridge is exploding. And the racing is as intense as you will see anywhere.
The 2020 season brought another change, initiated by the COVID-19 pandemic. To achieve spacing and separation the Wednesday night program was split, with the kids Box Stock program on Tuesdays with Micros and Outlaw Karts on Wednesday. This separation played right into the goal of efficient shows, especially with the kids on Tuesday (school) nights.
The results: between 80 and 95 kids racing on Tuesdays and a field right around 40 (or more) Micro Sprints packing the pits on Wednesday.
Things were going well, and Ashly wanted to highlight what they had going on at Millbridge.
Last year they inked a deal with DIRTVision for the pay-per-view coverage of Millbridge. DIRTVision is owned by the World Racing Group (World of Outlaws) and is one of two major dirt track PPV platforms. This put the kids and the intense Micro Sprint racing on the same channel as the World of Outlaws. Millbridge is streaming worldwide.
That relationship between Millbridge and the World Racing Group (WRG) has grown. In December at the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Show in Indianapolis the WRG dropped a bomb – they were going to start promoting non-winged Sprint Car and Midget events. When the Midget schedule came out, there was Millbridge Speedway taking another big step.
The Xtreme Outlaw Midgets were to debut earlier this year at Farmer City Raceway in Illinois, but that rained out. That moved the inaugural midget event promoted by the World Racing Group to Millbridge Speedway for the Production Alliance Group Double Down Showdown this Monday and Tuesday Night.
The Midget industry has responded with an entry list of nearly 50, which will combine with 50 of more Micro Sprints for two big nights of racing. The world will be watching either at the track or on DIRTVision.
The track that was once about drinking, fighting, and racing is now known for racing – great racing; and will be “center stage” next week shining for all to see.
I have a lot of pride when I tell people Millbridge Speedway is one of my home tracks; as I travel the country the response is, “I have got to get there sometime.”
My reply, “yes you do.”
-Postman
Submitted By: Steve Post
