Car shows are starting - local racing season is upon us

Warm weather has finally arrived and we'll see how long it stays around. Memorial Day is quickly approaching signaling the unofficial start of a gearhead's favorite time of year - CAR SHOWS!

This weekend has a couple of shows on tap in Ashland and Huntington.

Friday, May 3
Downtown Live - Downtown Ashland, Ky. Registration fee $5. Door prizes and a 50/50 drawing. Cars, trucks and motorcycles welcome.

Saturday, May 4
Crusing with Tri-State Streetrods, McDonalds and HIMG - HIMG parking lot at US Route 60 and 29th Street; 5 p.m. to dusk. Registration donations. Door prizes and a 50/50 drawing. No alcohol allowed. 304-416-0205.

Whether you have a car, truck or cycle to show off, it's a good time. You can stroll around the cars, search out your favoriteMustangcars, talk to the owners and the folks who baby those machines and keep them in pristine condition.

Was my favorite car in that last paragraph subtle enough? Yep, I love the Mustang. I may drive something else, but can't get enough of the Mustang.

Ready to race, yet?
If racing is more your style, either as a driver or spectator, Ona Speedway is getting ready to drop the green on May 25. Yes, May 25, the weekend when 150,000 people converge on Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Coca-Cola 600. And the pre-race concert will be Trace Adkins.

Saturday, May 25
Ona Speedway will have live music, just not Trace Adkins. But they will have free WiFi! OK, it's not quite the same, but it is a perk! If you are bringing children, there will be a play area for the kiddos.

There will be live music, food and beer available, free WiFi and a play area for the children.

Classes running will be Late Models, Modifieds, Classics, Hobby Stocks, 6-Cyl Stocks and U-cars. The series is now called the Hughes Motorsports Stock Car Racing Series.

Opening night will be the Vernon Craddock Memorial Race. 

 Gates open at 5 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults; $7 for children ages 11-18; and children 10-years and younger are free. Pit passes are available for $25 and an All-Access admission is $30 which includes the pits and grandstand seating. Parking is free.

Dave Hughes and a passel of volunteers have been readying the track, pits, concessions area and grandstands, and mowing the massive parking field every Saturday. If you want in on that fun, just show up at the track on Saturday morning after 9 a.m.