News Director 
Story By: JOHN SNYDER / ORANGE COUNTY FAIR SPEEDWAY – MIDDLETOWN, NY – The official 73rd consecutive year of weekly stock car racing begins in earnest this coming Saturday evening, April 9 at the historic clay-surfaced, five- eighths-mile Orange County Fair Speedway (OCFS) in Middletown, New York.
Headlining the four division racing program will be the 33-lap, $3,300-to win “Tommy Meier” feature race for the United Rentals DIRTcar Big-Block Modifieds. Qualifying races will set the field for the season inaugural weekly feature race.
The entire night of racing is sponsored by Mike Sparta Trucking.
Tommy Meier, from Waldwick, New Jersey, has been a weekly competitor at OCFS for 36 years. He holds the distinction of having won races and championships in each of the track’s major divisions: Street Stock (1986), Novice Sportsman (1990), Sportsman (1991), Small-Block Modified (2003 and 2016), Big-Block Modified (2004, 2011, and 2016). Meier was also victorious in the 2015 Eastern States 200.
“Tommy has been a tough competitor ever since he started racing, I know that from experience of racing against him,” said Brett Hearn, OCFS Director of Motorsports. “He’s been a real asset to the sport in general and Orange County in particular.”
In addition to the United Rentals DIRTcar Big-Block Modifieds, the H.O. Penn Small-Block Modifieds have a 25-lap, $2,000-to win feature following their qualifying races. With as many as 20 drivers racing both Modified divisions, fans will be treated to a “double header” of high speed Modified feature races.
The extremely competitive Arkel Motors Sportsman division drivers will race in qualifying heats to determine the starting lineup for their 20-lap, $1,000-to win feature race.
To round out the evening’s program, the Precision Hydraulic & Oil Rookie Sportsman will go to the post for 15-lap feature for the track’s newest competitors.
For fans:
- Grandstand and Drive-In gates open at 4:00 pm.
- Reserved admission $26, General admission $20, Senior/Military discount $160, Party Deck $140 (minimum 2, maximum 4).
- As always, kids 12 and under are admitted free for racing events.
- For advance reserved seating, call the Speedway Office at 845-342-2573.
For competitors:
- Pits open at 2:00 pm.
- Pit admission $35, OCFS member $30.
- Racing begins at 6:30 pm.
