MILLBRIDGE — During COVID-19 pivoting, Millbridge Speedway was forced to split racing night from just Wednesdays to add Tuesday nights for younger drivers. But the premier dirt track for Outlaw Karts and Micro-Sprints found it so successful that it will continue that format for this year, which opened the 2022 season March 8.

Owners Jeremy and Ashly Burnett now have about 13 years of running the track just off N.C. 150. Though Outlaw Karts and Wednesday nights are the track’s mainstay, they also have Saturday racing and have broadened offerings to include competitions in Legend cars, Micros, lawn mowers and Mini Cup cars.

Since so many of the people involved at the speedway are also involved in NASCAR, the midweek events give youngsters time to race while their parents can see them before they head out to weekend events on the bigger circuits. Over the winter, Ashly Burnett said they usually had one race a month, just so the kids don’t forget the skills they’ve picked up during the regular racing season, which runs to October.

Millbridge Speedway offers racing for 5- to-13-year-olds (Beginner Box Stock and Box Stock) on the Tuesday night lineup. Those 9 to 14 race Box Stock and Intermediate, while the open series includes teens and adults. Basically, drivers from 4 to 40 are competing at the 14-acre site just off NC 150.

Ashly says wait until you see the lighting changes as new LED fixtures are going in to replace stadium lighting that hadn’t been updated in years. She also lamented the fact that crowds of people are coming to the track from the Mooresville side of N.C. 150, but she feels like she’s losing the connection with people coming from the Salisbury side.

“Where else can you go for $15 and see NASCAR stars and walk right up to them?” she asked, mentioning someone like Kyle Busch, who would be there to witness the younger generation of racers sharpening their skills at the dirt track before heading out for his own Cup Series race on a bigger track.

Millbridge Speedway’s adult tickets are $15, kids 7-12 are $10 and those 6 and under get in free. The speedway will also continue this year as one of seven tracks with races being shown on DIRTVision under a subscription package.