Motorsports fans are getting revved up for one of the biggest events of the season this, Saturday, September 11.
The Martensville A&W Valley Street Stock 100 is a tradition that just keeps getting bigger every year, according to Neil Schneider, marketing director for the Wyant Group Raceway and one of the track’s top drivers in the Sportsman division.
“The A&W Valley Street Stock 100 is one of our larger street stock events,” said Schneider. “It’s something that started years ago with a partnership between the City of Martensville, Saskatchewan, and its sister city, Martinsville, Virginia, USA.”
Martinsville, Virginia is home to one of the biggest and loudest NASCAR tracks on the continent. Stock car racing was born and nurtured in the Blue Ridge Mountains, and the state of Virginia takes its pedal-to-the-metal heritage seriously.
Naturally, that enthusiasm has rubbed off on its sister city. Martensville, Saskatchewan is just a stone’s throw north of Wyant Group Raceway, the most popular motorsports track in the province, so it was natural the two cities would share a common bond.
Schneider, a resident of Martensville, said this year’s edition of the A&W Valley Street Stock 100 is special because the top Street Stock racers from Alberta are in the mix.
“Over the winter we’ve been working with King’s Park Speedway in Regina and Hythe Motor Speedway in Hythe, Alberta to create a circuit,” said Schneider. “Two weeks ago the Street Stocks were in Regina, and Labour Day weekend they were scheduled to race in Hythe.
“They’ll finish off the border challenge at the Wyant Group Raceway in Saskatoon during the Martensville Valley Street Stock 100 on September 11.”
Schneider said Street Stocks are classic American-made, steel-bodied models like Chevrolet Monte Carlos and Camaros; Ford Thunderbirds, Cougars and Mustangs; and Pontiac Grand Prix and Firebirds.
Based originally on a domestic car with a minimum wheelbase of 101 inches, they have full roll cages and driver safety systems. A Street Stock chassis is limited to what was originally offered with the car from the factory without modifications. While these cars originally started life as a street driven automobile, they are lightened by cutting away all the inner body structures.
Limitations on engines and performance parts help keep big money from dominating and put everything in the hands of the drivers and crew, making Street Stock some of the most competitive racing anywhere.
Schneider said Street Stocks are a popular class, and offer spectators a lot of excitement.
“There’s a lot of side-by-side racing, tires squealing and the roar of the engines,” said Schneider. “It’s all about the adrenaline.”
This year, Street Stock drivers at Wyant Group Raceway include: #1 Scott Barrand, #22 Ryan Fredrickson, #37 Scott Kozak, #42 Kohl MacLaggan, #42 Kelsey Sheetka, #51 Criss Jeffries, and #81 Kurtis Houben.
Schneider noted that in addition to the Street Stock 100, the Saskatchewan Legends, Pro Trucks and Mini Stock divisions will be winding up their season points finals races on the September 11 weekend.
While the action at the track gets underway at 6:00 p.m., there’s a full day of activity in Martensville leading up to the big event. A Driver’s Breakfast from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. at the Martensville A&W offers fans a chance to meet the drivers and get pictures and autographs. The city’s largest Show and Shine begins at 11:00 a.m. and continues through the afternoon, with virtually all the Street Stock machines lined up along with hundreds of other classic vehicles on Martensville’s Centennial Drive. The busy thoroughfare in Martensville’s main business district is transformed into a massive car show that attracts entries from across the province. There’s no shortage of entertainment during the day.
Full race details are available online at www.wyantgroupraceway.ca .