Mahoning Valley Speedway has put the finishing touches on the 2021 race schedule, and is excited to release what is geared toward another worthwhile season for fans and race teams of the paved ¼-mile oval located just west of Lehighton.

One of the central high points is the Mahoning Valley Speedway Hall of Fame Series (MVSHoFS). The MVSHoFS is the brainchild of Mahoning promoter Keith Hoffman, and after a very successful debut last year that gained rave reviews, the 2021 group of honorees for the special five-race series will include Bill Teel, Ward Crozier Sr., Roger Heffelfinger Sr., Lorin Arthofer Sr. and Paul Bauscher.

“I think we have really put together a well-rounded schedule that has something for everyone,” said Hoffman, now starting his second season at the helm.

“Obviously after the huge success of the Hall of Fame Series, we were thrilled in naming the honorees for 2021, and as you can see, it’s quite a class of distinctive individuals who played a major role in the history of Mahoning Valley.”

The season will actually get underway with race No. 1 of the MVSHoFS on Saturday, April 3 with the Bill Teel Tribute. The subsequent Series’ events are May 15, June 19, July 31 and Oct. 2 honoring Crozier, Heffelfinger, Arthofer and Bauscher, respectively.

The Race of Champions (RoC) Tour will be back too, opening up their 2021 season at Mahoning Valley on April 24 with a 75-lap feature.

Street Stock racers - for years a strong supportive class - will see the return of the Mike Krempasky Tribute. The 50-lap event on July 10 will award the winner $1,000.

“It was nice to work out an early season date with the RoC, which we feel will be favorable to everyone. I was also pleased to be able to work out a date for the Mike Krempasky Tribute for the Street Stocks,” explained Hoffman.

“Mike (Krempasky) was a good friend, and it was great working out the details of his race with his son Kyle.”

The Sportsman Modified rules have been updated with the intent to bring in more teams from throughout the region. The class, now beginning its fourth year, will be in action quite regularly.

“We had some great discussions about the Sportsman Modifieds in recent weeks, and judging by the input, we feel we’re in-store for a great season with this class. It was important for us to make the rules more in tune from throughout the region in order to better grow this class,” Hoffman noted.

The calls have been coming in, and all very positive about racing with us this year.”

Of course the Late Models, Pro 4s, Hobby Stocks and Rookie Hobby Stocks likewise will be running nearly weekly.

New to the lineup is the Futures class that will run jointly with the Rookie Hobby Stocks.

Three Quarter Midgets and Micro Stocks have also been booked on select dates, and on the afternoon the September Junk Car Races will be held.

New in 2021 will be The Fall Brawl, which will close out the year on Oct. 30 with extra distance races for the Modifieds, Sportsman Modifieds, Street Stocks, Hobby Stocks and Pro 4s. And, as this will be Halloween, there will be a Halloween Trailer Treat for the kids. The races begin at 2 p.m. with time later in the evening for the youngsters to go Trick or Treating.

Track management this year has initiated two drop dates for racers. What that entails is a driver can drop any two dates before the designated cutoff date of July 31. The reason for the drop-offs is so teams can better plan for personal time, while still being able to maintain themselves in the point hunt.

Start times have also been adjusted as the season continues on. Early start times during the month of April are in place and aimed to better prepare for the chilly nights, and for the hotter months of July and August, the start time is pushed back in relief of the heat.

“A lot of teams spoke up, and we listened,” Hoffman added. “The drop dates will be good for those who may have a bad night or maybe want to plan a family weekend. By doing this, they can still be able to battle for a championship.”

A number of Sunday afternoon events are also being planned such as Drifting and small car classes.

Preseason Test & Tune and Opening Night Fast Time days will take place on March 13, 20 and 27. The purpose behind the Fast Time is for the Modifieds, Street Stocks and Hobby Stocks to award the overall fastest car of the three days with a ‘guaranteed redraw spot’ for the season opener, and not have to run a heat race.

The complete schedule, which is subject to change, is accessible on the track’s website at www.mahoningvalley-speedway.com.