Brown County Speedway in Aberdeen set to open its season on Friday, May 17

The 70th season of racing at Casino Speedway in Watertown has arrived.

Promoters-owners Todd and Vicki Good have unveiled a 2024 schedule with 19 nights of racing, including the scheduled season-opening program this Sunday (Mother's Day) at the 1/4-mile dirt oval track that opened in the mid-1950s.

The program, scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m., will feature all six regular Casino classes (Wissota late models, modifieds, Midwest Modifieds, street stocks,Gen X (Limited) late models and hornets.

Admission is $15 for adults and $5 for children ages 8-13. Children 7-and-under wil be admitted free if accompanied by a paid adult.

"I'm excited to get racing again," Todd Good said.

A quick look at the Casino Speedway schedule

Casino's 2024 schedule calls for 16 Sunday night programs, one Tuesday night special and the season-ending seventh annual Autumn Classic on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 20-21.

Special Sunday programs include the ninth Casino Speedway Memorial on May 26, honoring the lives of Casino Speedway family members who have passed away in the past year; Marilyn Olson Memorial featuring the Structural Buildings Late Model Challenge Series on June 9; Rebel Midwest Modified Tour on June 23; B-Dubs Spring Summer Slam '24 (featuring NOSA/MSTS Sprints) on June 30; DRC.TV Street Stock Tour on July 21 and the Season Championships on Sept. 1.

The 14th USMTS Summersota Nationals are set for Tuesday, July 16. There is no Sunday racing program on Sunday, July 7.

Most of the racing programs are scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m. For results, schedule and other information, visit www.casinospeedway.com.

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Much the same and for good reason

The Goods are beginning their sixth season in charge at Casino Speedway and don't expect a lot of changes for this summer. The annual Casino Speedway Car Show and Test N' Tune were held on Sunday and Test N' Tune session for drivers was planned for Thursday.

"We did redo the race track. It is similar but more filled out," said Good. "We did it because the track was getting worn out a bit and needed some new dirt on it."

Many of the same drivers who fans have become accustomed to watching are expected to frequent the local speedway across this summer and that includes defending track champions Chad Becker of Aberdeen (late models), Joseph Thomas of Glydon, Minn. (modifieds). Tommy Nichols of Watertown (Midwest modifieds), Maria Broksieck of Goodwin (street stocks), Tony Croninger of Watertown (Gen X late models) and Adam VanDerostyne of Canby, Minn. (hornets).

The good dose of rainfall we've received the past few weeks didn't help with preparation for the season opener for the track, which was pushed back a week from the original schedule.

"It's been crazy, but I knew are having such a beautiful winter that we were going to run into some kind of trouble," Good said. "If Mother Nature don't play any games on us, we'll be ready for Mother's Day."

Brown County Speedway set to open May 17

Many of the Casino Speedway regulars also spend their Friday nights racing at Brown County Speedway in Aberdeen. Test 'N Tune sessions at BCS are scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday and 4 p.m. on Saturday in preparation for the track opener on Friday, May 17.

A 15-event schedule is planned and that includes three two-night events (Dakota Insurance Rumble on Friday and Saturday, July 19-20; Season Championships on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 23-24 and Big Buck Nationals on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 30-31).

The track will again feature five regular classes and regular racing on Fridays with a typical start time of 7 p.m. The classes include Wissota late models, Midwest modifieds, modifieds, street stocks and super stocks.

Defending track champions are Becker (late models), Taylor Schmidt of Bath (Midwest modifieds), Mike Stearns of Aberdeen (modifieds), Chris Serr of Aberdeen (street stocks) and Jeremy North of Huron (super stocks).

More information throughout the summer can be found at www.browncountyspeedway.org.

Other area tracks

Area drivers compete in a number of tracks throughout the Upper Midwest with many also compete at Fiesta City Speedway in Montevideo (Minn.), Madison (Minn.) Speedway, Miller Central Speedway and Dakota State Fair Speedway.

Fiesta City is scheduled to open on Friday and will hold mostly Friday night programs through the season championships on Aug. 23. Classes include pure stocks and Wissota late models, Midwest modifieds, hornets, super stocks, street stocks and modifieds.

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Madison is slated to open with a Memorial Day Special on Monday, May 27. The season continues through September with Saturday being the preferred night of racing. It will also feature seven classes of racing including pure stocks and Wissota street stocks, Midwest Modifieds, modifeds, Gen X Late models, hornets and super stocks.

Dakota State Fair Speedway in Huron has ran a very limited schedule for the past few summers and that will be the case again in 2024. Only four programs are scheduled (one in May, two in June and one in August).

Miller Central Speedway plans to open its season with a two-day season opener on Friday and Saturday, May 24-25. Typical classes at the track include pure stocks and Wissota late models, Midwest modifieds, modifieds, street stocks and super stocks. The schedule will feature primarily Saturday night racing programs.

Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on X (formerly known as Twitter) @PO_Sports or email: rmerriam@thepublicopinion.com

This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: Car racing preview for Watertown, Aberdeen and other area tracks