Written by Chris Moore

VERNON, NY – Friday night racing returns at Utica-Rome Speedway on August 23.

After a Saturday night special on August 17, the ‘Home of Heroes’ is back to its regular Friday night racing program as the 2024 season winds down.

The Friday night affair will be the first full weekly racing program for the Route 5 oval since Friday, July 26, after rainouts on August 2 & 9. A picture-perfect forecast is set for the night.

The 3 Bastards Brewing Modifieds headline the night of racing. Savannah, N.Y.’s Matt Sheppard continues to pace the Modified field on Friday nights.

Sheppard claimed the $4,000 top prize this past Saturday night, in the final F.X. Caprara Car Companies Thunder on the Thruway Series race of the season this past Saturday.

The M2 Metal Crate Late Models and Mohawk Valley Vintage Dirt Modifieds are both on the docket for the final time of the season as well.

The Taylor’s Trailer LLC Crate 602 Sportsman, Next Generation Graphix Pro Stocks, Fastline Performance Limited Sportsman, and Fonda Fair Four Cylinders round out the full night of racing.

Payton Talbot (Crate 602 Sportsman) and Andy Graves (Pro Stocks) stood on the top step of the podium in action this past Saturday night.

Gates open at 5 p.m., with hot laps at 6:45 p.m. and racing at 7:30 p.m.

Grandstand admission is $20. Seniors pay $18 (ages 65 and over) and Kids 11 and under are FREE.

Pit admission is $40 (Non-Members), $35 (Members), $10 Kids (ages 6-12) and $2 Children (ages 5 and under).

Wednesday night’s ‘Small Car’ event fell to rain.

Utica-Rome Speedway is located at 5591 NY-5 (Seneca Turnpike) Vernon, NY 13476. The official website is www.uticaromespeedway.com and the speedway can be reached by phone at 315.953.4097.  Like Utica-Rome Speedway on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @UR_Speedway.