AFTON – For the upcoming 2018 racing season at the Afton Motorsports Park, new is the operative word. As in new racing surface, new drivers calling Afton Motorsports Park their Friday night home, new drivers in the racing divisions that are in competition, new attitude, and new employees in a variety of positions.

This week, Afton Motorsports Park track preparation guru Mike Ford was able to remove all of the snow that was sitting on top of the all new blue clay racing surface. Now the hope is that Mother Nature will co-operate and become warmer, which will thaw out the grounds, and allow Ford and his crew ample time to work the all new racing surface into shape by the April 13 practice.

There is a new voice at Afton Motorsports Park. Barry Goodband, resident of Ithaca, NY, has been named as the track announcer this season. Goodband currently co-announces at the Thunder Mountain Speedway and is looking forward to his first full time head annoucing job.

Two time and defending ZMK Construction Modified track champion Andy Bachetti has informed Afton Motorsports Park that he will be calling Afton his home on Friday nights in 2018 and will be going for the three-peat.

Among the new modified weekly racers that will be calling Afton their Friday night home and look to knock Bachetti of his throne are Jeremy Smith, Craig Hanson, Travis Smith, Damon Decker, Tim Mayne, and Harold Humphrey.

New faces that will be looking to knock-off defending track champion Cody Clark in the Butler Auto Sales Crate Sportsman division are Randy Gates, Michael Robinson, Aaron Shelton, and defending American Racer Cup Sportsman champion Corey Cormier.

This year at Afton Motorsports Park, there will be some adjustments to how handicapping is done.

Of course the IMCA Modifieds will be adhering to their IMCA handicapping rules. The other five classes, however, will be drawing for the first two weeks of the racing season, with handicapping going into effect starting with week three of the racing season.

The new changes are any division in order to compete in heat races must have 12 racing machines registered. If there are less than 12 racing machines registered, that division will run extended hot laps and will run a feature only before intermission.

Depending on car count in each division, this will determine how many cars will be handicapped for the feature lineup. With the anticipation of larger car counts there is a possibility of consi’s being run this year and no more than 26 cars will start in a feature on a Friday night this year.

35 year track official veteran JR Kennerup, who was in charge of handicapping and scoring last year at Afton Motorsports Park, will be returning this year with additional duties as the Director of Media Relations. Kennerup was named to this position by Afton Motorsports Park track promoter Ron Ford.