Our 7th Annual NC Race Week is fast approaching!  Just 6 weeks away from our biggest race week of the year!  This years schedule will be quite a bit different than in the past due to the Iredell County Fair starting 3 days earlier and wanting us to run more races there!

We will kick off NC Race Week at the Iredell County Fairgournds on Friday September 2nd with the Beginner Box Stocks, Box Stocks, and the Intermediate Divisions.  The Beginners and Box Stocks will run a full program on Friday night.  Our intermediate class will just run practice, qualifying, and their heat races.  Their feature will be on Saturday Night.  Gates Open Friday at 5 Hot Laps at 6 and Racing at 7.

Saturday September 3rd will be the Intermediate B mains and their feature, as well as a full program for the Open Division.  Saturday Night the Intermediate division will pay $500 to win and the Open Division will pay $1000 to win.  Gates open at 3 with Hot Laps at 5 and Racing at 7.

Sunday September 4th will be the Millbridge Showdown, $2500 to win for the Open Class, and $500 to win for the Intermediates.  ALL classes will be racing at Millbridge on Sunday.  Gates will open at 4 with Hot Laps at 6 and Racing at 7.

Monday September 5th the Outlaw Karts will be off but the DNQ karts will be in action at the Iredell County Fairgrounds.  The IROC, BUSCH, and CUP karts will be racing.  Gates Open at 5 Hot Laps at 6 Racing at 7.  Payout and info will be release at a later date.

Wednesday September 7th.  The 7th Annual East Coast Nationals will be at the Iredell County Fairgrounds.  The Open and Intermediate Divisions will be the only 2 classes racing this night due to parking constraints there we will not be able to run all classes in one night.  The Open Division will pay $1500 to win and the Intermediate Division will pay $500 to win.  (If the schedule stays the same at the fair in coming years we will talk about rotating divisions for this night or possibly adding another night for the other two divisions)  Gates open at 5 Hot Laps at 6 Racing at 7

Friday September 9th  The Rednecks and Rebels Lawn Mower series will be in action at the Iredell County Fairgrounds.  Gates open at 5 Hot Laps at 6 Racing at 7.

Saturday September 10th  DEMO DERBY at the Iredell County Fairgrounds.  $2000 purse for the V8 and Compact car divisions.  Gates Open at 5 Crashing at 7!

We hope to see you all out at these events and if you need more information please feel free to ask us.  The Open and Intermediate Divisions will be an open tire rule for these races.  But we highly encourage everyone to run our spec Hoosier Tires!  We will have more information on the formats and prizes once the event gets closer!

Tomorrow night marks the return of “Wild Wednesday” at North Carolina’s Millbridge Speedway.  That means that Speed51 TV will be live on air from the exciting 1/8-mile dirt track and race fans all over the world will be able to watch for free.

The May 18 show is a race that you will not want to miss.  Millbridge Speedway owners Ashly and Jeremy Burnett said that they’re expecting enough Outlaw Karts to run a C-Main on Wednesday as a bunch of drivers and teams are showing up one week early to prepare for the QRC Speed51 Open.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series star Kyle Larson is expected to race on Wednesday night fresh off a strong second-place run at Dover International Speedway on Sunday.  NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver and two-time Chili Bowl Nationals winner Rico Abreu is expected to compete, as well as Tanner Thorson who is a three-time winner at Millbridge so far this season.

Those are just a few of the stars you can expect to see during Wild Wednesday for free on Speed51 TV, so make sure that you are in front of your computer tomorrow night to watch what is sure to be some incredible racing.

To watch Speed51 TV’s Wild Wednesday from Millbridge Speedway, all you have to do is be a basic subscriber to Speed51.com.  It costs absolutely nothing to register as a basic subscriber as well.  You can sign up now by clicking here.

The weather forecast for Salisbury, North Carolina is currently calling for a chance of rain.  The rain date for Wednesday night’s race is scheduled to be Thursday, May 19, and Speed51 TV would still be there to carry the action.

-Speed51.com Staff.

Rico Abreu has a knack for winning big races. He’s shown that two years in a row by winning the prestigious Chili Bowl Nationals. But Abreu has never won a big Outlaw Kart race. That’s why he’s gunning for the $5,151 check at the QRC Speed51 Open at Millbridge Speedway in Salisbury, North Carolina on May 24-25.

Abreu hasn’t fared all that well in the previous versions of Millbridge’s big May race, but this year he’ll be with a new team and expecting better results.

“To be honest I’ve been terrible the last two years I’ve gone,” said Abreu. “This year I’m racing for Jimmy Elledge and I think we’ll have a better chance of having some speed there.”

While Abreu’s May results at Millbridge haven’t been what he’s wanted, he has run well at the 1/5-mile oval in the past. He said he thinks that the better promotion from track owners Jeremy and Ashly Burnett has contributed to the increasing difficulty of winning at Millbridge.

“They’re just getting better and promoting great racing and having great events,” he said. “Some NASCAR drivers have gone out there and raced which has helped promote Millbridge racing too.”

Abreu, who is currently a rookie on the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series circuit, said that the QRC Speed51 Open is one of the top races on his bucket list because he’s yet to win a big Outlaw Kart event.

But he added that if he’s not the man to beat on the final Wednesday in May, then it might be one of his better friends that will be standing between the two ferns in victory lane.

“I think a Tanner Thorson or Kyle Larson are going to be the guys to beat,” said Abreu. “Logan Seavey is pretty good there. There’s a few good karts that always tend to go good at Millbridge so we’ll just have to see what happens.”

Race fans can watch Rico Abreu go for his first win in the QRC Speed51 Open by purchasing their Speed51 TV pay-per-view broadcast ticket here:

Racing kicks off at the Speed51 Open on Tuesday, May 24 with open practice and qualifying for the Open Division. Support classes including the Beginner Box Stocks, Box Stocks and Intermediate Class will run group qualifying and features only that night. Speed51.com will carry a live PPV video stream of these events.

Following the conclusion of the on-track action there will be an after-party featuring a live band.

Wednesday night’s schedule includes only the Open Division for the Outlaw Karts. Heat races are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. and will be lined up based upon Tuesday night’s time trial results. The top-four finishers in each heat race will be inverted with the winner going to the dash, second going to the A-Main and third on back going to the B, C and D Mains.

The Dash will be eight laps and the drivers will line up based upon the “revenge draw,” which allows drivers to draw for starting position and then assign that positon to another driver.

Following the Dash, B-Main, C-Main and D-Main features, the field will be set and the Outlaw Kart racers will buckle in to battle for the $5,151 top prize.

If you would like to be part of one of the rising forms of racing in the US, contact QRC Factory Karts through its website at www.qrckarts.com. JGR MX has all the latest products and parts for the Motocross industry; visit their website at www.jgrmx.com.

For more information on Millbridge Speedway, visit www.millbridgespeedway.com.

The most anticipated and richest Outlaw Kart race of the season may still be two weeks away, but already the entry list has it among the elite short track events in the country.  With dirt stars, NASCAR names and Outlaw Karting’s top talents all vying for the $5151 winner’s prize, the Speed51 Open is primed to be a can’t-miss short track event.

The Speed51 Open, which will be held at North Carolina’s Millbridge Speedway on May 24 and 25, has 60 Open Division entries.  Event organizers are already planning for that list to grow to perhaps 100 and beyond in the coming days.

“We are overwhelmed by the early response for this event. We are excited to have our biggest race in Millbridge history in just over two weeks,” Said track owner Jeremy Burnett.

The current Speed51 Open entry list is headlined by dirt standouts-turned-NASCAR stars Kyle Larson, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., and Rico Abreu.  More dirt talents that are known throughout the nation that will be competing in the Speed51 Open include Tyler Dippel, Hunter Richards, Nick Hoffman, Chase Briscoe and Tanner Thorson.

Those are just a few of the drivers who will look to unseat track favorites including Karsyn Elledge, Tom Hubert, Hunter Richards, Jimmy Elledge and Dylan Smith for the big-money during the Speed51 Open on May 25.

A big part of the enticement for drivers from throughout the United States and Canada that have already entered the Speed51 Open is the live video broadcast provided by Speed51.com.  Fans and families of the racers attending the Speed51 Open, who can’t make it to Millbridge Speedway, can watch the two-day live video broadcast.  Order now to take advantage of a special two-day live broadcast price.

Racing kicks off at the Speed51 Open on Tuesday, May 24 with open practice and qualifying for the Open Division.  Support classes including the Beginner Box Stocks, Box Stocks and Intermediate Class will run group qualifying and features only that night.  Speed51.com will carry a live PPV video stream of these events.

Following the conclusion of the on-track action there will be an after-party featuring a live band.

Wednesday night’s schedule includes only the Open Division for the Outlaw Karts.  Heat races are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. and will be lined up based upon Tuesday night’s time trial results.  The top-four finishers in each heat race will be inverted with the winner going to the dash, second going to the A-Main and third on back going to the B, C and D Mains.

The Dash will be eight laps and the drivers will line up based upon the “revenge draw,” which allows drivers to draw for starting position and then assign that positon to another driver.

Following the Dash, B-Main, C-Main and D-Main features, the field will be set and the Outlaw Kart racers will buckle in to battle for the $5,151 top prize.

More information about the live pay-per-view broadcast on Speed51 TV, as well as the event itself, will be announced soon.

If you would like to be part of one of the rising forms of racing in the US, contact QRC Factory Karts through its website at www.qrckarts.com.   JGR MX has all the latest products and parts for the Motocross industry; visit their website at www.jgrmx.com.

For more information on Millbridge Speedway, visit www.millbridgespeedway.com.

The $5,151-to-win QRC Speed51 Open is the biggest race in Outlaw Kart racing, and it will air live on Speed51 TV on May 24-25. If you can’t make it out to Salisbury, North Carolina’s Millbridge Speedway be sure to purchase the Speed51 TV pay-per-view for just $24.99.

That’s right, for $24.99 you get both nights of racing. Included in your Speed51 TV pay-per-view ticket is Tuesday’s preliminary racing action, plus all qualifying action for the Open division. Wednesday’s action included close to 80 Outlaw Karts looking for the $5,151 prize in the Speed51 Open.

Race fans can also buy each day separately as well. Tuesday’s price is $9.99 and Wednesday’s price is $19.99, making the two-day ticket a savings of five dollars.

Of course nothing can replicate the sounds, sights, and feeling of dirt in your face when you’re at the track, but the Speed51 TV pay-per-view broadcast featuring multiple cameras and all-star announce team is the next best thing.

So whether you’re planning on watching on Speed51 TV or in the stands at Millbridge Speedway, just don’t miss it because the QRC Speed51 Open is sure to be one of the best events of 2016.

The preliminary entry list for the QRC Speed51 Open will be released on Speed51.com on Friday, May 6 at noon ET.

Racing kicks off at the Speed51 Open on Tuesday, May 24 with open practice and qualifying for the Open Division. Support classes including the Beginner Box Stocks, Box Stocks and Intermediate Class will run group qualifying and features only that night. Speed51.com will carry a live PPV video stream of these events.

Following the conclusion of the on-track action there will be an after-party featuring a live band.

Wednesday night’s schedule includes only the Open Division for the Outlaw Karts. Heat races are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. and will be lined up based upon Tuesday night’s time trial results. The top-four finishers in each heat race will be inverted with the winner going to the dash, second going to the A-Main and third on back going to the B, C and D Mains.

The Dash will be eight laps and the drivers will line up based upon the “revenge draw,” which allows drivers to draw for starting position and then assign that positon to another driver.

Following the Dash, B-Main, C-Main and D-Main features, the field will be set and the Outlaw Kart racers will buckle in to battle for the $5,151 top prize.

If you would like to be part of one of the rising forms of racing in the US, contact QRC Factory Karts through its website at www.qrckarts.com. JGR MX has all the latest products and parts for the Motocross industry; visit their website at www.jgrmx.com.

Attention Teams.  We put this rules reminder together to point out some of our unique rules to Millbridge Speedway to get everyone informed before you show up to race with us this month!  Our full rule book can be found under the “Driver Info” tab on our website.

Rules Reminder

Attention teams:

With the QRC Speed 51 Open presented by JGRmx approaching we wanted to make sure everyone is aware of our rules at Millbridge Speedway.  They are on our website for download under the “Driver’s” tab.  I figured I would highlight some of our unique rules to our track so you are prepared before you show up.  There are more rules in the rule book but these are items we will be checking before you hit the track for qualifying.  So make sure they are right when you show up.  Track will provide you with a transponder.  However, you must have your own pouch.  We will have them for sale if needed.

Open Division

• 450 lbs weight rule with the driver
• No nose wings allowed. No lips or air directional devises allowed on the hoods.
• Right Side Panels cannot extend above the main cage and cannot extend back past the frame rail.
• RACECEIVERS are mandatory. We will be checking to make sure you have a working raceceiver while on the track.
• Drivers must be 14 years old or older unless pre-approved by track officials

Intermediate Division

• 250f must be stock stroke and stock bore.
• 250f karts must weigh 415 lbs with the driver.
• No right side panels allowed.
• 125 powered karts must weigh 350 lbs.
• 125 karts have a max CC of 135cc

Beginner and Box Stock

• Tires must be purchased through Millbridge Speedway or from SKE at the track. Tires may never leave the track or go inside your trailer.
• Tires must come off after the feature in the tire impound. If they leave impound you will be DQ’ed.
• Must run 87 octane pump gas. Baseline test fuel will come from the Raja Mart located at 3610 Mooresville Road. 

Transponder Location for All divisions below!   

Race Format

            Open Division

• The entire field will be split up into 2 groups (A and B) by pill draw. Group A will be heat races 1-4 Group B will be heat races 5-8.
• The top 4 qualifiers in each heat will be inverted. The top 2 finishers make the A main with the winner locking into the Dash.
• 3-5 go to the B main, 6-8 to the C, 9^th on up to the D and E mains if needed.
• The top 2 in each B main will go to the A main.
• There will be 2 provisionals for the A main. The fastest qualifier not to make the A main will be locked in.  The highest in Millbridge points (before drops) will also be locked into the A main.
• 3^rd through 12^th in each B main will get to run a 20 lap non qualifier race for $500 to win.

Intermediate

• Hotlaps will be qualifying for the intermediate division.
• The top 4 starters in each heat race will be inverted (Example. Fast qualifier will start 4^th in heat 1)
• Depending on kart count will depend how many heats and how many make it out of each heat to the A main.

SALISBURY, N.C. – Photo and recap by Race Chaser Online Managing Editor Jacob Seelman –

After having roughly “30 minutes of sleep the last two days” and making a last-minute, eight hour drive south from Indianapolis to race, USAC National Midget star Tanner Thorson made the odds pay off with a victory in Wednesday night’s headlining 500cc Open Class mini-outlaw feature at Millbridge Speedway.

Thorson led the final five circuits of the 20-lap A-main, passing Karsyn Elledge in turn one on a late-race restart and powering away to victory by three-quarters of a second over week two winner Tom Hubert after two more cautions gave the field one more chance at him.

“Man, we didn’t necessarily have the best car tonight,” said Thorson, who started fourth but methodically worked his way forward as the laps ticked off. “Ethan (Mitchell) is one hell of a shoe and he definitely walked away from us. I hated to see him get caught up in (a late-race crash with) lapped traffic there, but that’s racing.”

“We took the lead (with five to go) and our car was great after that. This kart has been solid the last few times we’ve had it out on track, and I can’t thank Bernie and Betsy (Stuebgen) at Indy Race Parts for allowing us to take these karts out without them and put them in victory lane.”

Elledge and opening night winner Mitchell led the field to the green flag at the start, and it was Mitchell who escaped from the outside lane to lead early on. By lap five, he had opened up an eight kart-length lead over Elledge as NASCAR Sprint Cup Series star Kyle Larson climbed from row four into the top five by the seventh round.

Less than two minutes were gone by the time the field reached the halfway point, and the green flag conditions were enough for Mitchell to build a three-second gap that it appeared he would never relinquish – until the five to go mark, when Zach Wolfe and Brandon Knupp tangled in turn four right in front of the leader, collecting Mitchell and ending his hopes at victory in the process.

“We were good right off the start, we were digging and I felt great, even though I’ve been sick all day,” Mitchell would say after the race. “Just … the lappers, man … they wrecked right in front of me and I had nowhere to go. We’re racing for points, so it’s about salvaging the bad days. We’ll get them next time.”

In light of the crash, Thorson was able to take advantage. He blitzed to the inside of Elledge on the restart, and as Elledge dropped back off turn two, she got sideways and spun into the pack. The ensuing calamity collected Nick Hoffman, Dylan Smith and Chaz Woodward on the backstretch and set up another restart with Thorson out front ahead of week two winner Tom Hubert and Larson.

Larson’s night would end two laps later, as he blew the motor in his No. 1K ParkerStore entry with three laps to go, drawing the night’s final caution flag.

Though Hubert set up on Thorson’s tail tank for the final dash to the finish, he was unable to capitalize and had to settle for a runner up finish.

Kevin Thomas Jr., running as a teammate to Thorson and making his first ever start in a mini-outlaw kart, rounded out the podium in third ahead of Buddy Wise and Clark Houston. NASCAR on NBC and SPEED SPORT TV personality Derek Pernesiglio was sixth.

Hoffman kicked off the night by setting quick time in two-lap qualifying around the one-sixth mile dirt oval, with a lap of 10.0806 seconds that was nearly two tenths faster than the rest of the 25 car field.

The Millbridge veteran followed that up with a win in the first heat, and was joined by Hubert and Thorson as heat race winners in their respective eight-lap runs. Chaz Woodward wired the 12-lap B-main to lead the trasfers into the “Big Show”.

Carson Kvapil in victory lane.
(Jacob Seelman photo)

Carson Kvapil wired a non-stop feature for the 250cc Intermediate class, surging to the lead from the inside on the opening lap and pulling out to a whopping 6.149 second advantage by the time the twin checkers flew over the field.

Alex Bodine was second, followed by Gage Painter, Ryan Israel and Ty Gibbs – the grandson of three-time Super Bowl winning coach and four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion owner Joe Gibbs.

In the Box Stock class, Brent Crews took the lead away from Wyatt Underwood just before the halfway point of the 20-lap A-main and ultimately held off week two winner Hunter Kohn to collect his first win of the 2016 Wednesday weekly series.

Caden Kvapil, Zac Israel and Tyler Letarte were the balance of the top five, while Underwood ended up in the outside wall after late-race contact with Gavin Boschele and dropped to 14th in the final rundown.

Nathan Meendering passed polesitter Jacob Monsour on the second lap of the 15-lap Beginner Box Stock main event, but when the pair came together and crashed in turn two with four laps complete, it opened the door for Tyler Dolack to take advantage.

Tyler Dolack grabbed a long-awaited first win at Millbridge Speedway on Wednesday night. (Jacob Seelman photo)

Though Meendering charged from the back of the field with the aid of two caution flags inside the final five laps, Dolack was able to hang on for his first win of the 2016 season and first career feature win at Millbridge Speedway.

Meendering finished second after contact with Kynser Flynn in the final corner, with Danny Dyszelski, Monsour and Ethan Burdett rounding out the top five. Flynn was relegated to ninth.

Millbridge Speedway returns to action on April 9 for their first Saturday show of the 2016 season, featuring the rising stars of short track racing in the fast and fearless winged mini-outlaw karts.