It's been more than eight months since Chatfield's Jacob Bleess drove one of the best races of his young career at Deer Creek Speedway.
Bleess took the checkered flag on the final night of the 2019 United States Modified Touring Series Fall Jamboree back on Sept. 21, 2019.
That was the last time an official race was held at Deer Creek, the 3/8-mile high-banked dirt auto racing track near Spring Valley.
The wait for local racing will end this week, as Deer Creek will hold its season opener on Saturday night. However, the main gate will remain closed, as no tickets will be sold for the first night of points racing at the track in more than nine months.
All of the track's customary five classes -- USRA Modifieds, Wissota Super Stocks, Wissota Street Stocks, Wissota Midwest Modifieds and USRA B Modifieds -- will race on Saturday, with hot laps scheduled for 5:30 p.m. and racing to begin at 6 p.m.
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Though tickets will not be available, pit passes will be sold at the pit gate. Ages 5-and-under will be admitted for free, while a pit pass for anyone ages 6-15 is $15 and a pass for anyone age 16 or older is $30.
The track will open Thursday night for a practice session from 6-9 p..m. Pit passes Thursday will be $15 for ages 6-15 and $20 for ages 16 and older.
Track officials noted on its Facebook page Tuesday night that masks are recommended, but not mandatory, for everyone who attends.
While Saturday marks the first race of the season in southeastern Minnesota, racing in Iowa and Wisconsin has been business-as-usual for several weeks. Fans packed the grandstand at Mississippi Thunder Speedway in Fountain City, Wis., last Friday to see Winona's Josh Angst win the main event, the USRA Modifieds feature race.
Deer Creek's season opener was originally scheduled for April 25, but the COVID-19 pandemic wiped it out, along with three other scheduled points races and two special events -- the North Star Nationals, featuring the Lucas Oil Late Model Series (originally scheduled for May 16), and the USMTS Southern Minnesota Spring Challenge (scheduled for May 23).
Track officials from Chateau Speedway in Lansing posted on its Facebook page last Thursday that the track is still "a few weeks out" from being ready to race. "Please be patient with us," the message said, "it will be a few weeks out, we will try a test and tune (practice night). Thanks for your patience and we will post ahead of time."
