By Dave Grayson

Speedway Willow Springs recently released their 2016 schedule and it's apparent that the new racing season is going to, once again, generate a lot of action and family fun. The quarter mile paved oval is located within the 600 plus acre racing complex, Willow Springs International Raceway, located in Rosamond-California.

Speedway Promoter Andy D'Addario and the speedway staff has put together eight Saturdays, from March 26th until October 22nd, that is filled with multiple racing divisions along with special events, of a destruction-pure crazy nature, guaranteed to entertain their loyal fans.

Pacing the action on the new schedule will be the Hooper's Rear Service Elite Division. This action packed division is a special Speedway Willow Springs creation that allows late models, super late models, IMCA modifieds, Southwest Tour trucks and spec trucks to race together all under the auspices of a single rule book.

Also seeing plenty of action this year will be the So Cal Enduro Racing Series which, in a period of one year, grew in popularity at a rate that not even speedway and series officials could have anticipated. This series features very affordable racing with building costs for the cars estimated to be around $1,000. Their main events will again range from 50 to 100 laps this year. It's perfect for team owners on a budget and it's also a great way for a new comer to launch a racing career.

Also prominent on the Speedway Willow Springs schedule will be the Platinum Loan and Jewelry street stocks, Wayne and Dave's Automotive hobby stocks, mini stocks, skid plate racing and the legends X.

The legends X concept is brand new to the speedway and reflects the strong imagination of the speedway staff. It begins with the very fast legends car that greatly resemble roadsters from the 1930's and '40 era. The drivers will drive around the speedway's quarter mile oval but that's where their traditional form of racing ends. That's because the legends X race course also includes a series of left and right road course turns, located in the speedway infield, along with a run through a very challenging gymkhana X. Again, this is the work of some very creative people at the speedway.

That creative element also extends to special events such as the speedway's annual Destruction In The Desert. Promoter D'Addario and company love to destroy things in their infield area and, over the years, have created a series of very unique, challenging and even crazy events. This destructive tendency of extreme events includes: flag pole racing, redneck tire delivery, chain racing, backwards racing, the James Bond spin and the brand new concept they're calling rattle his cage which awards points to drivers for spinning out the car in front of them.

In a recent speedway press release, D'A'ddario said there would be something destructive and crazy during each night adding: "we are going to attempt to destroy something every race night this season! We have the best minds (if that’s what you want to call it), working on crazy and insane ways to make an absolute mess of our infield. Some of the injury inducing ideas that have come my way so far are pretty outrageous! Every race WILL feature something new you haven’t seen before."

The speedway team has also done an outstanding job of soliciting sponsorship for the 2016 season. Supporting the Speedway Willow Springs effort this year will be: Platinum Loan and Jewelry, High Desert Cellars, Misfit Motorsports, Pinnacle Peak Steak House, Lucas Oil Products, Hooper's Rear End Service, Wayne & Dave's Automotive, Studio Equipment Rentals, Adams Metalizing & Grinding, The Tire Store, Dezarov's Mobile Auto Service, Dominguez Mexican Restaurant, Scramblez, Street Customs, A To Z Signs, K&N Performance, Angels Touch Towing, Deist Safety, Abadak, KGG Electric, 10,000 RPM Clutches & Flywheels, Frank's Radios, Benz Sanitation, Linny White's Race Shop, Budweiser, Off Vintage Motorcycles and Rock Inn.

2016 RACE SCHEDULE
March 12th – Practice 12pm to 5pm
March 26th – Opening Day- Ray Cran Memorial – Southwest Tour Truck Series, So-Cal Enduro, Elite Division (Late & Super Lates, Mods, SWTT & Spec Trucks), Street Stocks, Hobby Stocks, Mini Stocks, Skid Plates. 1PM Green Flag.
April 16th – Day Race So-Cal Enduro, Elite Division, Street Stocks, Hobby Stocks, Mini Stocks, Skid Plates. 1PM Green Flag.
May 14th – So-Cal Enduro, Elite Division, Street Stocks, Hobby Stocks, Mini Stocks, Skid Plates.
June 4th – So-Cal Enduro, Elite Division, Street Stocks, Hobby Stocks, Mini Stocks, Skid Plates.
August 13th – So-Cal Enduro, Elite Division, Street Stocks, Hobby Stocks, Mini Stocks, Skid Plates.
September 17th – Southwest Tour Truck Series, Elite Division, Street Stocks, Hobby Stocks, Mini Stocks, Skid Plates.
October 1st – Southwest Tour Truck Series, So-Cal Enduro, Elite Division, Street Stocks, Hobby Stocks, Mini Stocks, Skid Plates.
October 22nd – 4th Annual Pumpkin Smash! So-Cal Enduro, Elite Division, Street Stocks, Hobby Stocks, Mini Stocks, Skid Plates.

Additional information about the speedway's 2016 season can be found at www.thespeedwayatwillowsprings.com