Kerry Davis is seeking his second straight USRA Modified track championship in 2016. (Kenny South Photo)(

KANSAS CITY, Kan.—It was a year ago that Don and Donna Marrs were prepping Lakeside Speedway for the first time as the only owners of Lakeside Speedway. Their first year had their ups and downs and they got through the season with flying colors. This Friday night, April 8, Marrs and company will open the gates for their second season.

As always opening night at Lakeside Speedway is always a festive occasion. It is one of the biggest nights of the year. This year there is an added cause to the evening.

On opening night this year the staff and officials at the historic facility in Kansas City, Kan., will be joining fans, competitors and crew members as we join together to Stand Up To Cancer.

Founded in 2008, Stand Up To Cancer is a groundbreaking initiative created to accelerate innovative cancer research that will get new therapies to patients quickly and save lives now. Since its inception, Stand Up To Cancer has raised more than $370 million to work tirelessly to end cancer now.

Lakeside is donating $1 from every ticket sold to Stand Up To Cancer on opening night. Fans will be able to take part in a memorable moment during the night where every person on the property will pause to Stand Up To Cancer. To learn more about Stand Up To Cancer, visit www.standup2cancer.org online, like them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/su2c, follow on Twitter atwww.twitter.com/su2c and check out their YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/user/SU2C.

After a practice session last week the racers, fans and employees of Lakeside Speedway are ready for the 2016 race season to begin. Nobody is more excited than Lakeside Speedway GM, Pete Howey.

“On a scale of 1 to 10, we are at a 15 right now of excitability,” said Howey, “We all can’t wait to get the season underway and watch the dirt fly.”

This season fans will see the classes that they have come to love at the fast half-mile track.

The USRA Modifieds, Holley USRA Stock Cars, Out-Pace USRA B-Mods and Grand Nationals are all back to fill up the lineup, but a new attraction has been added. This season fans will get another view of full bodied cars as a new class, Factory Stocks, have been put on the lineup card. This new class isn’t the only new thing fans will see this year.

“In 2016 we will have the return of the Factory Stocks to the weekly show,” said Howey. “We have the ULMA guys joining us a half-dozen times, a flat track motorcycle show June 4, the ASCS regional guys join us September 30, a two-day USAC show June 25 and 26, and the USRA Nationals are back in October.”

Lakeside Speedway has it’s own characteristic and the drivers know this. It’s a track that can be bad fast one moment and in a heartbeat turn you 180 degrees the opposite direction, if you are not careful. Howey and his Lakeside Speedway track prep crew have been working overtime this season too.

“The track has been reshaped back to the original design. The turns are banked and all the flat spots are gone,” said Howey, “The dips and high spots in the straightaways are gone, the track was fast and should be even faster now.”

As the fans get ready to come out on Friday night some questions will still be lingering even as race time approaches.

Will last year’s track champions be ready to defend their crowns? Brett Heeter had a great season in the Stock Car ranks last year. Will someone step up to the challenge and knock him off his championship run!

In the USRA Modified division, veteran Kerry Davis showed that he still had what it took to pull in another championship. Can Davis repeat in 2016? It’s been a feat only successfully handled by a few drivers.

In the Grand National division will a new face emerge as a superstar in 2016?

The Out-Pace USRA B-Mod division is anyone’s game. Ed Noll and Luke Nieman duked it out for the title in 2015, but the popularity and the competition level will only get better this season. Who will be the driver that steps up and takes control?

Fans, racers and sponsors should know one thing when they come to Lakeside Speedway! The racing action will be second to none. The best racing occurs on the river’s edge.

Friday night the pits open at 4:30 p.m., spectator gates open at 5 and racing begins at 7:30.

General admission seating is $12 for adults, $6 for kids ages 7-12 and children ages 6 and under get in for free. Military personnel, students and seniors over 62 get in for $10 with proper ID.

Terrace passes are $15 for adults, $8 for kids ages 7-12 and children ages 6 and under get in for free. Military personnel, students and seniors over 62 get in for $12 with proper ID.

Suites are $20 for adults or $10 for kids ages 12 and under.

Pit passes are $30 for ages 7 and older or $10 for 6 and under.

The Lakeside Speedway is a 4/10-mile semi-banked dirt oval located 1.0 mile west of I-435 (exit 18) on SR 5 (northwest of Kansas City, Kan.). For more information check out the track’s website at www.lakesidespeedway.net.