COMMUNITY: Engines warming up at Independence

Editor's note: Ryan Clark is the track announcer at Independence Motor Speedway. From Vinton, Clark has worked at the track since 2000 and also handles the track's public relations and sponsorship sales and fulfills race director duties on race nights.

By Ryan Clark, community contributor

INDEPENDENCE - The 2013 season at Independence Motor Speedway will kick off in grand fashion next weekend.

Along with a rare Friday night special that includes the first appearance of sprint cars at the speedway in 20 years, the annual car show and test and tune session will be held on Saturday.

The first action on the track this year is the Open Wheel Shootout, a first-time event at the speedway highlighted by the first visit by the Brockway Mechanical & Roofing Sprint Invaders Series.

The series features touring 360 sprint car drivers from southeast Iowa and western Illinois.

In addition to the $1,200-to-win 360 sprints, a $500-to-win modifiers race and $300-to-win sportmods also are scheduled to compete.

The latter two divisions will compete under weekly track rules, but will not be sanctioned.

Grandstand admission is $15 for adults, $13 for seniors (62-and-over) and students (ages 12-17). Children 11-and-under will be admitted free if accompanied by a paid adult.

Pit passes on Friday will be $30.

Grandstand and pit gates open at 5 p.m., with a drivers meeting scheduled for 6:30, hot laps at 6:45 and racing to follow.

The annual Independence Motor Speedway car show will, once again, showcase the race cars on the streets of downtown Independence.

Driver registration will begin at 9 a.m. with the car show held from 10 a.m. until noon.

A number of streets in the downtown area will be blocked off to give race fans the opportunity to get a close-up view of this season's competitors and to meet their favorite drivers.

Competitors in each of the six weekly divisions are invited to attend - IMCA late model, IMCA modified, IMCA stock car, IMCA sportmod, IMCA hobby stock and IMCA sport compact.

Around noon, awards will be presented to three drivers in Best of Show (as voted by a panel of judges), Fan Favorite (as voted by fans in attendance) and Most Unique Graphics (as voted by fans in attendance).

Area youngsters are also invited to display their go-carts at this year's show.

A practice session will held at the speedway from 2 to 5 p.m., weather permitting. Fans will be admitted free into the grandstands for practice. Pit passes are $10 each.

Weekly racing at Independence begins April 27, the first of a scheduled 18 consecutive Saturday nights.

• Visit www.independencemotorspeedway.com for the latest information