With just two weekends left in weekly local racing the chances to see the drivers who call our area home are dwindling. Thousands of local fans and hundreds of local drivers compete weekly and for those of you who have never been it can seem a little intimidating. So here is a guide to help you out with five basics you should know before hitting your local dirt track this weekend.

You will get dirty: This may seem like a no-brainer for hardcore dirt fans, but it is a reality of the sport. The clay surface that covers the racetracks dry out as the night progresses, so at some point there will be dust. Safety glasses or goggles can help.

That drying out of the racetrack however is what makes dirt racing so competitive. As the drivers race on the track it changes as it dries and the fast groove moves around unlike on asphalt. So finding the fast line around the track and beating your opponents to it can often determine the outcome of the race.

These racers are your friends and neighbors: Most local racers are not professionals. They have jobs just like you and I but during the season each racer has an additional job. Taking care and maintaining a race car means multiple nights in the garage working on the car.

Most racers work more than 40 hours a week so they can have money for the race cars. The faster you want to go the more money it costs. Most work overtime when they can, especially in the offseason so they can have extra money to put into their race cars. Race car drivers are some of the hardest working and goal-oriented people you will ever meet.

Racers work on their own cars: This is not NASCAR, Formula 1 or IndyCar. When something goes wrong at the track and needs fixing the driver and the crew are the ones that fix it. So not only do you need to know how to drive a race car and do it well, you also need to have a vast knowledge of how to work on the various aspects of these cars.

Nobody can know everything there is about race cars so usually each crew member will have a special skill. One person may be a motor tune wizard while another may be good at setting up the car or getting tires ready. Having crew members with different skills makes for a good team.

The fast cars start at the rear: The way weekly short track racing works is that the lineup for qualifying heat races and features is based on how the drivers have done in the last three weeks. The drivers who have done the best start at the rear while the drivers who have not done as well but support the track every week start at the front.

What this does is make for lots of passing. The faster cars usually get to the front and the slower cars have the chance to beat those fast cars if they can hold on to their up-front starting spot. Seeing a driver lead every lap in a feature in weekly competition does happen, but is not that common.

This is the best value for your racing dollar: Weekly racing admissions cost anywhere from $10-15 and most tracks let kids in for free when accompanied by an adult. Parking at local tracks is free, too, and food prices are not inflated like at most sporting venues.

Once weekly racing is done, September and October are all about big races and that means a higher cost to get in the gate so these low cost bargain shows are only around for two more weekends.

So come out, get dirty, watch your neighbors race and enjoy a fun night for less money than almost every other entertainment venue out there.

Weekend preview

FRIDAY



Brewerton Speedway

Events: DIRTcar Big Block Modifieds, DIRTcar Sportsman, STARS Mod Lites and Four Cylinder Championship Night.

Schedule: Gates open at 5:30. Racing at 7:30

Can Am Speedway (LaFargeville, N.Y.)

Events: Family Autograph & Backpack Night with DIRTCar 358 Modifieds, DIRTcar Sportsman, Pro/Street Stocks, Rookie Sportsman, Thunder Stocks.

Schedule: Grandstands open at 5 p.m. Racing at 7 p.m.

SATURDAY



Fulton Speedway

Events: DIRTcar 358 Modified series 50 laps, DIRTcar Sportsman, RUSH Late Models, Novice Sportsman plus King's Smash 'Em Crash 'Em Demo Derbies.

Schedule: Grandstands open at 5 p.m. Racing at 7 p.m.

Land of Legends Raceway (Canandaigua, N.Y.)

Events: DIRTcar Big Block Modifieds double points, DIRTcar Sportsman, Street Stocks, New Legends Sportsman plus Dirt Modified Nostalgia Tour.

Schedule: Gates open at 5 p.m. Racing at 7 p.m.

Oswego Speedway

Off until Classic Weekend

SUNDAY



ESTA Safety Park Dragstrip (Cicero, N.Y.)

Events: Summit E.T. Series Event plus Jr. Dragster Challenge.

Schedule: Gates open at 8 a.m. Eliminations by 2 p.m.

Utica-Rome Speedway (Vernon, N.Y.)

Events: DIRTcar 358 Modifieds, DIRTcar Sportsman, Pro Stocks and Rookie Sportsman.

Schedule: Gates open at 4:30 p.m.. Racing at 7 p.m.