2009 has arrived!

The buzz is already beginning to build for what is shaping up to be one of the best seasons ever. With snow in the foothills, we are strategically placing the final touches on the 2009 Racing Calendar.

For those of you looking to get a sneak peak and block a few days off pertaining to several key dates for `09, here you go. The `09 Season will officially kick off on Saturday, April 11th, with the return of the Spring Warm-Up & Swap Meet presented by American Classified and traverse through October, when the season comes to a close with the NAPA Auto Parts Halloween Classic XVI.

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 May 1st-3rd. This year will mark the 39th 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 be highlighted by all the exciting NHRA classes including 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 19th and 20th. A staple on the Firebird schedule for thirty-one 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 AA/Fuel Dragsters, AA/Funny Cars, and Pro Modifieds will light up the night-time sky. The 38th Annual Pepsi Nightfire Nationals will take place on August 13th-16th. Joining forces for the second year with professional class venues in Bakersfield, Las Vegas and Fontana, the Nightfire will again be aligned with the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum and the 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 $175,000.

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 7th-11th. Be sure and block your vacation calendar for this baby `cause this year’s 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 (6/13-14), Street Machine Shootout (6/27), 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, April 24th.  Furthermore, the track stages two of the top automotive Swap Meets in the intermountain west, the first previously mentioned on April 11th and the Fall bash on September 26th.

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 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 April 26th.

After winning the 2008 Summit E.T. Finals team championship, racer from Firebird will be very excited to compete at the 2009 race on Sept. 3rd-6th. The race will be hosted at Woodburn Dragstrip. Coined the “Six Pack Attack”, a full-team of Firebird racers will be gunning for a sixth team championship, so mark your calendars today for this special event over Labor Day weekend.

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 2009 schedule will officially release in February.

Image by Chris Wold.