Racing on the Radio Track Review: Devils Lake Speedway

Devils Lake Speedway (1/4 miles dirt oval)
Saturday Night Racing, 6pm
www.dlspeedway.com 

Classes: WISSOTA Midwest Mod, WISSOTA Street Stock, Pure Stock, Mini Trucks, Hornets, Slingshots

Admission Price: $15. A bit high for the premiere class being a Midwest Modified, but you know…inflation I guess.

Concessions: Prices seemed pretty fair, and the food appeared to be good. Pop was served as fountain drinks which is unusual, but I personally prefer fountain soda.  My only concern was was that the line moved awfully slowly. But it was the first race of the season.

Nacho factor: Nachos were good. Chips weren’t stale. Cheese was hot. I felt I was given a proportionally adequate amount of cheese. Price was either $3 or $3.50.

The facility: The speedway has a really cool vibe to it. It’s set in sort of a bowl with the grandstands on top of the hill. There’s a beautiful grassy area in between the stands and the fence. Great for kids to play and run around on in-between races. Plus, the Speedway Bar and Grill is an awesome spot to watch the race. The facility as a whole, however, could use a face lift. All the paint is chipped off the fence poles and grandstands, plus the wood is in tough shape. Plus there’s still junk all around from when a tornado came through last summer. With a little work, it would be beautiful. Bathrooms appeared somewhat new and clean. Hope you’re not gun shy though. Troughs are still a thing.

The racing: I have a hard time going to race track that doesn’t have a premiere level class on a regular basis (Modifieds, Late Models, or Sprint Cars), But most the racing was pretty fun to watch. The truck class was a bit of let down with their only being a handful, but I like the concept of that class. Everything else was great. The pure stocks were rubbing and slamming into to each other like they should. The top hornet driver has some sort of “intentional” problem, faded to the back, and then tried make his way to the front. The street stocks and Midwest mods battled hard all night too. It was worth the $15 admission and the 2 hour drive to get there. Average car turnout for the time of year.

Other notes: Not the speedway’s fault, but a nearby farmer was spraying anhydrous ammonia, and the wind sent it right toward the track. Not a pleasant thing. Excuse me while I go check for cancer. Very relaxed atmosphere, which makes it perfect for a Saturday night track.