RPW Exclusive: The Big 3 Series Returns to “The Hard Clay” for Action-Packed 2026 Season
Column By; JOE PHILLIPS / RPW – MIDDLETOWN, NY – The Big 3 Series is making a return to Orange County Fair Speedway in 2026. Similarly to 2025, the series will consist of five races, plus the season-ending Eastern States Weekend. What started in 2024 as just a small race series has grown tremendously thanks to returning sponsors and the support of race fans.
All series races will feature the DIRTcar Modifieds, DIRTcar Sportsman and Pure Stocks.
The season kicks off the 2026 season on May 3rd for the “Season Opener” which is sponsored by M. Falanga Trucking. The action then continues on June 7th, when the Escape Powersports “Nostalgia Night” takes place. “Nostalgia Night” is always one of the most popular events at OCFS. Fans and other racers can catch up and meet older drivers and pioneers of the sport from the 1950’s era all the way to the current present day stars. Fan and driver meet and greets are the main event, accompanied by plenty of bench racing. Race car drivers love to share stories of experiences they had over the years and answer questions about their cars.
Speaking of cars, the Midway features many classic race cars, from the big car sprint era up to the victory speedway era. A variety of coupes, coaches, gremlins, and more cars all the way up to the early wide body modifieds will be on hand. Each car has its own specific features that make it unique, as this was when cars had to be built from the ground up and not purchased from a speed shop.
July 12th is the “Mid-Summer Heat” night, sponsored by Steve Dodd Plumbing. The Traverse Family street stock feature will be a highlight of the night. Many locals, and especially the old timers certainly are aware of the late Mike Traverse. Mike was a long time fixture at OCFS, preserving years of history on film. Mike also was a valued member of the Race Pro Weekly family and provided our outlet with various forms of content over the years.
Sunday, August 9th is the “107th Year Anniversary” race night, sponsored by Superior Remodeling. 107 years! Over an entire century has passed since James Benedict wheeled his Deusenberg powered machine to win the first automobile race on the horse track in Middletown. Just think, the residents of the surrounding areas have been hooked on the Hard Clay ever since!
September 20th is “Champions Night” for the 2026 season. The presenting sponsor has yet to be announced for this race night. It is worth noting that many of the nightly sponsors have supported the series since the series’ inception. This shows the incredible support the Big Series has in the surrounding community.
The season finale on October 22 kicks off the 65th Annual Eastern States Weekend. The Short Track Super Series is on Thursday night. Friday sees Modified Qualifying and the Sportsman feature. The 358 Modified race takes place on Saturday. To cap off the weekend, Sunday features the big one, the 200-lap main event for the Big-Block Modifieds.
After hearing some opinions about the track’s surface during the final two regular season races in 2025, General Manager Brett Hearn bought in Jamie Freisen to handle the track prep duties for Eastern States Weekend. With Freisen’s skill and knowledge, the track provided a multi-groove surface with lots of bite. Freisen will be back for the 2026 season to prepare and maintain the surface of the track.
Another project that the team at OCFS took care of was replacement of the trackside lights on the grounds. The track walls were also given a fresh coat of white paint, enhancing the speedway and the general atmosphere. While a lot of hard work has been put in, the speedway still shows its age in certain spots of the property. But again, the property itself is well over 107 years old! A few of these wrinkles add character and make for some uniqueness only found at OCFS.
Some were skeptical of the Big Series concept when it was first brought to the table. Three years later, the series has proven to be the model for successful racing in Middletown. The purses and bonus money are very good, and car counts are very strong, especially in the Modified class. Because of this, be sure to take part in the 107th year at the Orange County Fair Speedway. It is sure to be one for the ages!
For all general inquiries and questions pertaining to the Big Season 3, please contact Brett Hearn at (973) 670-1139 and/or Doug Dulgarian at (845) 283-8800. For marketing and sponsorship opportunities please contact Peter “Crackers” Reynolds and Justin Reed.
Be sure to get out and support your local racetracks!
