The Woodworks Racing team, owned by Fred and Elaine Skaff of Haverhill, Massachusetts, recently announced its racing schedule for the 2005 NASCAR Grand National Division, Busch North Series season. Planning on running six races with the possibility of adding two more to their schedule, it'll be the most races the team has ever attempted. The Skaffs also announced the driver for the team for every race in 2005 is Tracy Gordon of Strong, Maine. Gordon, who split the driving duties with Fred Skaff last year, will be the sole driver of the team this year. Skaff will serve as team’s crew chief.

    Gordon will be driving the No. 33 Woodworks Racing Ford Taurus in the following races: Thompson (Connecticut) International Speedway - June 12; New Hampshire International Speedway - July 15; Motor Mile Speedway (Radford, Virginia) - August 20; Oxford (Maine) Plains Speedway - August 27; New Hampshire International Speedway - September 26; and Dover (Delaware) International Speedway - September 23. If all goes well, the team may add one or both of the two Stafford Motor Speedway (Stafford Springs, Connecticut) races (June 17 and August 10) to their schedule.

    The opening round of flat track motorcycle racing at the Jolly Roger Motorsports Park in East Lempster, New Hampshire had Troy Estabrook of Milford, New Hampshire winning the 250 Expert event. In the Open Expert class, it was Gregg Seraphin in for the win. Reportedly, the racing was "awesome" with lots of passing. It was a great first night.

    The New Hampshire Mini-Cup Racing Association (NHMCA) has announced Weekend Thunder.com will be the series primary sponsor in 2005. "Weekend Thunder" is the only pre-NASCAR radio broadcast talk show (1510 AM - The Zone) in the Boston, Massachusetts/Southern, New Hampshire market. The New Hampshire Mini-Cup Racing Association will now be known as the WeekendThunder.com Super Mini-Cups.

    Not only are Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut drivers challenging American Canadian Tour Late Model drivers from northern New England this season, now it's filtering down to the second tier ACT Sportsman eight-race tour. Chris Curtis of Rutland, Massachusetts is a new face in the ACT Sportsman line-up. Curtis finished second to Jason Bonnett of St. Albans, Vermont in the ACT Sportsman series race at Canaan (New Hampshire) Fair Speedway, recently.

    The Clear Channel Weekly Racing Series at Bear Ridge Speedway in Bradford, Vermont had Adam Pierson in the Mekkelsen RV 358 Modifieds as its first winner earlier this month. The pit area was over flowing and the grandstands were packed on opening night at the Ridge.

    The rash of rainy weekends has resulted in northern New England tracks taking several hits during the month of May. The ACT Late Model Tour "Sun Journal 100" at Oxford Plains Speedway last Saturday fell victim to rain and has been reset for Saturday night, July 30^th.

    Then, there was the season opening NASCAR Busch North Series "Whelen 150" at Lee (New Hampshire) USA Speedway which has been rained out three times – twice last weekend (Saturday and Sunday) and the original May 15^th date. A rescheduled date for the "Whelen 150" has not been announced.

    The next scheduled event for the NASCAR Busch North Series is set for Thompson International Speedway on Sunday night, June 12th, with "live" national television coverage in high definition on HDNet.

    Beech Ridge Motor Speedway in Scarborough, Maine, Unity (Maine) Raceway, Star Speedway in Epping, New Hampshire, Hudson (New Hampshire) Speedway and White Mountain Motorsports Park in North Woodstock, New Hampshire all lost race programs to rain last weekend.

    Riverside Speedway in Groveton, New Hampshire has scheduled a final Open Practice session this Saturday, May 28^th, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. According to management, things are progressing nicely at the Speedway as they close in on opening day, 2005. The IBG-PASS Pro Stock Series will be invading Riverside Speedway on Saturday, June 4th.

    Now, let's see what's on the northern New England racing schedule this very busy Memorial Day weekend. Hopefully, the weather will be good. We'll take it day-by-day. On Friday, Twin State Speedway in Claremont, New Hampshire kicks off the weekend with a seven-division NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series program of stockcar action at 7:00 p.m.

    Saturday will be busier. Bear Ridge Speedway in Bradford, Vermont offers dirt track Modified action at 6:00 p.m. The Canaan Fair Speedway paved track hosts the IBG-PASS Pro Stock Series with a 150-lap event plus support classes, all beginning at 6:00 p.m. Monadnock Speedway in Winchester, New Hampshire has a 50-lap feature for the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Late Models backed up by six other classes plus the ACOT Antique club beginning at 6:00 p.m. The Pro 4 Modifieds join the action at Star Speedway. Up north, White Mountain Motorsports Park has Late Models plus four other classes.

    Sunday's action in the north country has Devil's Bowl Speedway in West Haven, Vermont going with dirt track half-mile racing at 6:00 p.m. Thunder Road International Speedway in Barre, Vermont has a five-division ACT Weekly Racing Series program at 1:00 p.m. Twin State Speedway bounces back for a Sunday night program headed by the NEMA Midgets. Hudson Speedway has five classes of stockcars at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday and comes back Monday with Enduros and other classes also at 1:00 p.m.

    For the draggers, New England Dragway in Epping, New Hampshire hosts the IHRA Street Warriors all weekend. The bikers have flat track motorcycle racing at Jolly Roger Motorsports Park on Saturday at 5:00 p.m.