SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- After a week of turbulent weather conditions the 2011 race season opener at the Springfield Raceway has been bumped back a week. So the first race of the season will honor all area Emergency Service Personnel with free grandstand admission to the races.

Raceway officials wanted to recognize the men and women that are in the trenches everyday helping to make the Ozarks a better and safer place for us to live. Area police, firefighters and EMS personnel and a guest will be allowed free grandstand admission.

“These are the people that keep us safe on and off the racetrack and we wanted to thank them,” stated Springfield Raceway co-owner Jerry Hoffman.

Fans will be treated to 6 divisions of racing action as they compete for prize money and ever important points to see who will be crowned track champion in September.

The Transport Graphics Chase for the Championship features the USRA RHS Modifieds, Reliable Chevrolet B-Mods, Pepsi Factory Stocks, Casey's General Stores Midwest Modz, Missouri Legends Cars and Wheeler Metals Pure Stocks.

The USRA RHS Modifieds are the main event division at the Speedway and will find the competition level getting even higher than before as 2010 track champion Mitch Keeter of Webb City will lead a talented field of drivers going for the points title which goes thorugh Sept. 3. Last season Keeter put a halt to Jackie Dalton's winning championship stretch by 20 points after falling just a few short the previous season.

With the USRA sanction, it has attracted interest in many of the four-state area top Modified drivers including Springfield Raceway regular Erik Maggard of Springfield, hard charger Bobby Pearish of Oronogo, Turkey Classic winner Jody Tillman of Branson, young gun Brian Green of Pierce City, Webb City's Scott Drake, Terry Beckham II and many others.

For the month of April, the Springfield Raceway will be starting at 6 p.m. and move to a 7 p.m. starting time in May. Pit gates will open at 3 p.m. in April while the grandstand gate opens at 4, drivers meeting at 5, hot laps at 5:15 and draw will cut-off at 5:30.

Grandstand admission is only $10 for adults while kids ages 6-12 are $5 and under 6 are free.

RACEceivers are used at Springfield Raceway in all classes except for the Pure Stocks.

For more information visit the website at www.springfieldraceway.com or contact Jerry Hoffman at 417-673-7426.