The 1995 racing season officially gets under way this weekend. Here is a brief rundown of area tracks where many Carroll countians compete every week:
* Hagerstown Speedway, Hagerstown, Md. The Hagerstown Speedway will have its traditional East Coast Opener today featuring late models and super sprints. Race time is 2 p.m. The half-mile clay oval will have events on Sundays through April 9 before switching to Saturday nights. Its weekly program will feature the late models, the new late-model sportsman, pure stocks and four-cylinder pure stocks. Hagerstown switches to Sunday afternoons in September with the season ending in November.
* Lincoln Speedway, Hanover, Pa. The 3/8 -mile high-banked clay oval started its season yesterday. Lincoln Speedway draws many drivers from Carroll County and offers a three-division program of super sprints, semi-lates and thundercars every Saturday. Starting time is 2 p.m. through March 18 before switching to 7:30 p.m.
* Williams Grove Speedway, Mechanicsburg, Pa. Sprint car racing at the Grove is rich in tradition. The half-mile oval opens next Sunday. The Grove races Sunday afternoons until April 7 when it switches to Friday nights. It concludes the season the end of September with the Nationals.
* Trail-Way Speedway, Hanover, Pa. Probably the most popular oval track for Carroll County drivers, Trail-Way Speedway is a 3/8 -mile clay oval that offers micro-sprint racing every Friday night along with four- and eight-cylinder stock cars and street stocks. On Saturday nights, Trail-Way has two- and four-wheel cycle events. Opening night is the first weekend in April.
* Susquehanna Speedway, Newberrytown, Pa. The 3/8 -mile clay oval was purchased two years ago by a group of investors that included Mark Miller of Westminster. The track will open on Sunday, April 2, and switch to Saturday night programs on April 15. Small block modifieds headline the three-division program that includes street stocks and roadrunners.
* Winchester Speedway, Winchester, Va. Another 3/8 -mile clay oval, Winchester Speedway will open Saturday night, March 25, with late models, semi-lates, street stocks and four-cylinder stocks and race every Saturday night through Sept. 23.
* Potomac Speedway, Budds Creek, Md. Located in Southern Maryland, Potomac Speedway plays host to the late models, semi-lates and street stocks every Friday night. Its season opener is scheduled for March 24. On Saturday nights, Potomac races semi-lates, street stocks and enduro stocks.
* 75-80 Dragway, Monrovia, Md. The home track for most Carroll County drivers, the quarter-mile dragway operates Sunday afternoon in the spring before switching to Saturday nights in April. In June, 75-80 is in action on Friday nights as well. Opening day is March 12.
* Mason-Dixon Dragway, Hagerstown, Md. Another quarter-mile dragway located east of Hagerstown, Mason-Dixon starts its season today with a test-and-tune day. Its season opener is next Sunday. Mason-Dixon races Sunday through November with several Saturday dates.
* Monrovia Raceway, Monrovia, Md. An asphalt go-kart track next to 75-80 Dragway, Monrovia opens on Saturday with a practice day. A nonpoints race is scheduled for next Sunday. Monrovia races on Sundays until May, then switches to Saturday night under the lights. It returns to Sunday racing in October.
Peddicord honored
Last Tuesday, Cliff Peddicord was honored at South Carroll High School for his winning performance in the Sears Craftsman NED Bracket Finals at Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, Pa., in September.
Peddicord raced against high school students from 22 other tracks from Delaware to Canada to win the High School crown, one of the biggest titles in Sportsman racing.
Peddicord received a championship jacket, a trophy and a gold membership award from the National Hot Rod Association, good for admission to any NHRA event for the 1995 season.
South Carroll High School principal David Booz and auto shop instructor Larry Robinson accepted, on Peddicord's behalf, a $1,000 check from Sears Craftsman and NHRA for Peddicord's win.
Greg Xakellis, the NHRA's Northeast Division director, and Bill Wilcom, promoter of 75-80, presented the check and championship flag to the school.
Peddicord had been racing for only two months before he won the race.