2008 has arrived!

The buzz is already beginning to build for what is shaping up to be one of the best seasons ever. With snow on the ground in the foothills and throughout the Treasure Valley, we are strategically placing the final touches on the 2008 Racing Calendar.

For those of you looking to get a sneak peak and block a few days off pertaining to several key dates for `08, here you go. The `07 Season will officially kick off on Saturday, April 12th, with the return of the Spring Warm-Up & Swap Meet and traverse through October, when the season comes to a close with Halloween Classic XV.

In between, there will be a multitude of terrific events. The major stops begin with the NAPA Auto Parts Ignitor Opener—Firebird’s longest running drag race on April 24th-27th. This year will mark the 38th year of one of the northwest’s premiere major events, and marks the start of the Lucas Oil Drag Race Series in Division 6. The race will feature the dramatic 250 mile per hour Top Fuel Dragsters, along with the exciting NHRA classes of Comp, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, Super Street, Sportsman Motorcycle, Top Dragster & Top Sportman, in addition to the Gold Cup categories of Super Pro and Pro.

By popular demand, the Famous Fox Hunt hits the Firebird track schedule on June 20th and 21st. A staple on the Firebird schedule for thirty years, this is the one event each season that gives free admission to all the ladies who attend.

Then August—the Granddaddy returns. Four days and nights of Fuel Dragsters, Fuel Funny Cars, Fuel Altereds, and Pro Modified Doorslammers will light up the night-time sky. The 37th Annual Pepsi Nightfire Nationals will take place on August 7th-10th. Joining forces with tracks in Bakersfield, Las Vegas and Fontana, the Nightfire will be aligned with the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum and the all-new Hot Rod Heritage Series. Valuable points will be on the line in both Top Fuel and Funny Car for our mid-Summer blockbuster. In addition, we’re excited to announce the return of the nationally acclaimed Bracketeer Series. Proud to be recognized as the oldest bracket tournament in the country, both professional and sportsman racers will converge on the Firebird facility from all over the western United States and Canada for a guaranteed cash purse that has grown to better than $170,000.

The month of October signifies one staple on the Firebird docket that is nearly more popular than any other event all season long. The NAPA Halloween Classic presented by Peterson Toyota will take place October 15th-19th. Be sure and block your vacation calendar for this baby `cause the 15th Anniversary of the Classic is guaranteed to be an absolute barnburner.

Other popular events throughout the span of the seven month season include the Oldies But Goodies Drags (6/7-8), Street Machine Shootout (6/28), Chevy Stars, Import Summer Jam, Fun Ford, World Cup, Northwest Mopar, Night Fever, Best of Detroit, and many, many other entertaining and action-packed stops. For those of you who follow the popular Club Challenge Series, the first race out of the blocks will occur on Friday night, May 2nd.  Furthermore, the track stages two of the top automotive Swap Meets in the intermountain west, the first previously mentioned on April 12th and the Fall bash on September 27th.

In addition, Firebird is proud to host one of the longest running High School Championships in the nation. The multi-race series presented by the United Dairymen, Western States/CAT and the U.S. Army has earned community wide support from a variety of entities ranging from school faculties to police departments. The first race in the series will be May 4th.

Firebird is also very excited to play host to the prestigious Summit E.T. Finals on August 28th-31st. This will mark the third time Firebird has hosted the event. We will be loading all the cannons for our “Drive for Five”, our goal to win a fifth team title. We plan to assemble the toughest 54-member team in Firebird history in an attempt to score a fifth Division 6 crown. To ALL FIREBIRD RACERS: Start making your plans today to earn a spot on Team Firebird when hundreds of racers come to western Idaho to compete in our own backyard.

Above and beyond all the Major and Specialty-type events that Firebird hosts each year, the Boise Muffler/Spangler Auto Body Gold Cup Championships will be offered in everything from Super Pro through Junior Dragster. Dating back to 1971, Gold Cup racing will return throughout the racing calendar this year.

The 2008 schedule will officially release in February.