Season preview for this week highlights our region’s oval tracks. Despite the storms, rain, snow and maybe mud, their seasons will start within the next two months.

So right now drivers and their crews/helpers are working to get their cars and Outlaw Karts ready to go.

Before racing begins the tracks host tune and testing days, also called Play Days so drivers can get their edge back. Also it gives rookies a chance to see how their rides are and improve their skills.

Depending on the weather the Winnemucca Regional Speedway starts off with a Play Day on Saturday March 4, at 10 a.m. followed by a session starting at noon on Friday, March 17. Lovelock Speedway’s Play Day starts at 11 a.m. on March 11.

Rattlesnake Raceway in Fallon then has two Play Days starting at 9 a.m. for the cars and Outlaw Karts and those are on, March 18 and 25.

Starting at noon on April 15, American Valley Speedway in Quincy, California has its Play Day.

Last year had some close racing in the IMCA class at Rattlesnake Raceway. This year should be no exception.

Racing begins in earnest on April 1 as Rattlesnake Raceway in Fallon begins its season. The very next Saturday, April 8 at 7:30 p.m., Lovelock Speedway starts its 2017 season.

Lovelock Speedway is the second track in the region to begins its season in early April.

On Sunday, April 9 at noon Winnemucca Regional Speedway hosts its first race. For further information on this track please go to www.winnemuccaracing.com.

Battle Mountain Raceway also holds its Play Day on April 9 and this year will have Friday & Saturday shows with that beginning on April 15 and 16. For further information please go to, www.bmraceway.org.

American Valley Speedway (www.americanvalleyspeedway.com.) begins its season on April 29 while Tonopah Speedway has its play day on May 6 followed on the 13th by their first race, which is also Ladies Night.

American Valley Speedway also begins its season in April.

At present the website for both Tonopah and Rattlesnake Raceway are down but they can be found on Face Book. There schedules are listed at the end of this article.

When this article was posted neither Diamond Mountain Speedway in Susanville, California or Hawthorne Speedway has posted schedules as they are being worked on.

Fernley 95A Speedway has a very reduced schedule this year but on June 10 the track will host the 410 Sprint cars and on July 29 there is a Sprint Car Challenge with the BCRA Midgets. They too can be found on Face Book.

The Nevada Pro Stock Association is a traveling series that begins its season at Fallon on April 1 and even has some races in California at American Valley and Cedarville.

The Nevada Pro Stock Association usually provides some wild racing at every try it visits. Like this first turn scramble right after the green flag waved.

Friday and Saturday, August 4 and 5 are the annual Pioneer Days in Lovelock. The Nevada Pro Stock Association will be there on Saturday.

This year Fallon’s annual Octane Fest will be held on the weekend of June 11. The folks that run Rattlesnake Raceway now operate the festival but as of this date the full schedule hasn’t been released.

American Valley Speedway’s annual Sunday Fair Races is on Sunday, August 13 this year.

That’s it for now but in a month fans can go and experience all the excitement and thrills that short track racing offers.

• OTHER RACING NEWS

• Our sponsor Reno Motorsports is holding its annual tire sale so if you’re getting ready to start the motocross season, are a desert racers or looking to get back on the road or trail they are plenty in stock.

• NASCAR’s top series began their seasons this weekend at Daytona and three Nevadans were involved in two of the races. In Saturday’s Xfinity event, Brendan Gaughan started 18th and finished 5th.

When the wreck fest that was the Daytona 500 ended Kurt Busch won after a last lap pass despite being involved in one of the wrecks earlier in the race. His younger brother Kyle won the first stage was taken out of the race in one of the wrecks while Gaughan started 39th, was able to keep out of trouble and ended up 11th.

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We now have four very appreciated sponsors that are helping support this site.

The newest is familiar to anyone in the riding lifestyle. It’s PJ & Co Restaurant and Saloon located at 1590 Wells Avenue in Reno.

Good food, great place and they have Bike Night every Wednesday. For further information please check their website at, www.pjandco.net.

Concours Body Shop, owned by racer and race supporter Gil Grieve, is a business doing quality repair work on cars and trucks.

The business is located at 240 Telegraph Street in Reno and their website is, www.concoursbodyshop.net.

If you are into karting or want the most cost effective way to start racing then check out Nevada Kart Sport, our only full service kart shop in this region.

They are located at 1220 E. Greg Street in Sparks and their website is, www.nevadakartsport.com.

Into riding or racing a motorcycle? If so Reno Motorsports is for you as they have a full service shop as well as about anything a rider could want.

They are located at 964 Terminal way, by Mill Street and their website is, www.rms-renomotorsports.com.

Have a business targeted toward the motorcycle or motorsport demographic? Well we are looking for more sponsors. You can contact us either through the comment section of the site or our Face Book page.

• Rattlesnake Raceway 2017 Schedule

April 1st opener with Cars, Karts and Nevada Pro Stocks

15th race Cars, Karts, Nevada Pro Stocks and Kids Rides

29th race Cars and Karts

May

13th race Cars and Mud Bogs

27th race Cars and Karts

June

11th Octane fest Cars and Karts

17th race Cars and Mud bogs

July

4th race-fireworks Cars and Karts

15th race Cars, Karts and Kids Rides

29th race Cars and Karts

August

12th race Cars and Karts

26th race Cars, Nevada Pro Stocks, Mud Bogs and Kids Rides

September

9th Cars and Nevada Pro Stocks.

23rd race Cars and Karts

October

7th & 8th DTC Cars, Karts and Nevada Pro Stocks.

21st Kris Kringle Race & Banquet

• Tonapah Speedway 2017 schedule

May 6th – Test and Tune (Play Day)

May 13th – 1st race – Ladies Night!

May 27th – Butler Days! IMCA mods and Dwarfs $1000 to win

June 3rd – 3rd race

June 17th – 4th race

July 1st – 5th race

July 22nd – 6th race

July 29th – Family Fun Day! – Mud bogs and games, no racing

Aug. 5th – 7th race

Aug. 18th & 19th – Jim Marsh Classic, IMCA mods, $1000 to win each night

Sept. 2nd – 10th race

Sept 16th – 11th race

Sept 30th – 12th race – last race of the season, Fan Appreciation Night!