Memorial Day Weekend kicked off the first races of the season at Sweetwater Speedway, with the rainy weather not holding back any of the action. Races focused on five divisions consisting of International Motorsports Competition Association (IMCA) Modified, IMCA Sportmod, IMCA Stock Car, Cruiser, and Dwarf Cars.
The two nights of racing featured a car count of more than 114 vehicles, many of which were driven by racers making their first appearance at the track. While a large car count is special enough, spectators were also treated to the Paul Trent/Rudy Yeager Memorial Race, a race dedicated to two men who were longtime volunteers and promoters of the Sweetwater Speedway. Many believe without Rudy and Paul the track and the sport would not exist in Sweetwater County.
Paul is credited with being instrumental in promoting the races through the years and helping draw attention to the track, while Yeager helped build the track and was a longtime racer who started a family legacy at the Sweetwater Speedway. Rudy’s son Justen has had a long and story career as a racer throughout the region, while Justen’s sons Braxton and Bryson have become the third generation of Yeagers competing at the Sweetwater Speedway.
Justin returned to the track Saturday in the 73u car owned by Joe Miller to participate in the memorial race. The Yeager trio raced that night with Braxton taking first, Bryson taking third and Justin in sixth place. Justen had spent the previous night watching his sons in the IMCA Modified group, where Braxton took first and Bryson placed seventh.
Sammy Galio was one of many drivers making their first appearance at the Sweetwater Speedway, driving his dwarf car to dual second-place finishes over the course of the two nights. For Galio, his first races at the Sweetwater Speedway were enjoyable.
“I love it here. It is extremely fast, and the facility is one of the best I’ve seen. I’m defiantly coming back,” he said.
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