Orange County’s Tommy Meier Tribute Season Opener Pushed Back To April 16th Due To Rain

Story By: JOHN SNYDER / ORANGE COUNTY FAIR SPEEDWAY – MIDDLETOWN, NY – An April 9th late afternoon cloudburst that included solid precipitation hit Orange County Fair Speedway (OCFS) and ended any possibility racing that evening.

As a result, the official 73rd consecutive year of weekly stock car racing was postponed until this coming Saturday evening, April 16 at the historic clay-surfaced, five-eighths-mile track 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 co-sponsored by Mike Sparta Trucking and County Waste.

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, either the Precision Hydraulic & Oil Rookie Sportsman, or the NAPA Northeast Parts Group Street Stocks, or both divisions, will go to the post for 15-lap feature(s).

A decision regarding this will be announced early in the week and fans and competitors should check the track website for details.

For fans:

Grandstand and Drive-In gates open at 4:00 pm. Reserved seating admission or Drive-In parking $26, General admission $20, Senior/Military discount $16, Party Deck $140 (minimum 2, maximum 4).

As always, kids 12 and under are admitted free for racing events. For reserved seating or Drive-In parking, 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.