Winterport’s Ernie Wallace is heading south. So is Bangor’s Gary Smith but he isn’t going nearly as far.

Wallace and Smith are among several race car drivers in the process of concluding their seasons this weekend.

Wallace, a regular at Hermon’s Speedway 95, is going to Thompson International Speedway (Conn.) for the World Series of Speedway Racing. Wallace will drive his 1989 Ford Probe in the Outlaw Mini-Stocks class. There will be 14 classes and races will be held over three days, although Wallace will race on just Friday and Saturday.

Smith, a regular on the Pro All-Stars Series tour who finished 12th in points, will take his Chevy Monte Carlo to Unity Raceway for the Long John 150 Pro Stock race on Saturday. The final in-state race card begins at 1 p.m. for the nine-class slate. Smith’s car will have a borrowed motor built by crew member Larry Astbury.

Wallace will be making his third trip to the World Series of Speedway Racing and he said he wished other Speedway 95 drivers would join him and compete.

“It’s an incredible event. It’s a very good deal. It’s as close to NASCAR as I’m ever going to get,” said the 44-year-old Wallace, who won four races in the Sport Four class at Speedway 95 this year.

He said going from Speedway 95’s one-third mile track to Thompson’s high-banked (26 degrees) five-eighths of a mile oval is like “going from Bristol to Talladega. It’s very different. The Pro Stock cars can go 130 miles an hour.”

Wallace crashed two years ago and finished 12th last year after starting 31st.

He feels he has a shot to win the 15-lap feature on Saturday night. Eight-lap qualifying races will be held on Friday. He said the entry fee is $75.

“I’ve got a very strong engine, a well-built race car and four brand new tires,” said Wallace.

Meanwhile, Smith said the Long John 150 is a nice way to end the Maine racing season.

“Everyone wants to keep racing. It’s a lot of fun. You get a chance to race guys you haven’t raced with. The [purse] money is pretty good and there should be a good field,” said Smith.

He also said since it isn’t a PASS points race, the drivers won’t have to drive cautiously to preserve their points position.

“Nothing ventured, nothing gained,” said Smith.

Smith added that he is looking forward to trying out Astbury’s engine.

“His house [in Surry] burned down and he hasn’t been with us this season because they’ve been rebuilding it. He’s been asking me to try the engine. It’s the least I could do,” said Smith.

The winner of the Long John 150 will earn $3,200.

Brunswick’s Scott Chubbuck is the defending champ.

The rain date is Sunday at noon.