Wacky Wednesday was instituted at Hermon’s Speedway 95 in 1999 to offer entry-level drivers a chance to race while also supplying fans with a low-cost source of entertainment. Wacky Wednesday’s admission fee was significantly lower than the Saturday night race card for established drivers and the program was also much shorter.

But Wacky Wednesday could be in jeopardy, according to Speedway 95 co-owner Del Merritt.

Low car counts and dwindling attendance could force Merritt and fellow owner Alice Baker to integrate Wednesday night’s three classes into the Saturday night program.

“We’re going to look at all of our options,” said Merritt. “If we have to decide whether to race on Wednesday or Saturday, I think Saturday is the more viable of the two.

“It’s easier to run a three and a half-hour show on Saturday than it is on Wednesdays. Wednesdays need to be a two-hour show,” added Merritt.

There were four classes on Wacky Wednesday, but a new Cheaters class for stock-appearing, front-wheel drive, fuel-injected cars with V6 engines and 71/4-inch tires never got off the ground. No cars showed up.

That left the Big Enduros, Small Enduros and Ladies Division.

“The Small Enduros [four-cylinder cars] count is way down. A couple of years ago, we had 80 cars and now we’re in the 20s. The Big Enduros [eight-cylinders] isn’t anything real exciting, either. We’ve been getting a dozen, but we were in the 20s last year. The Ladies Division is doing real well. We’ve been getting 13-15 cars. We got 10-12 last year,” said Merritt.

Merritt said the fact children in Bangor and Brewer had an extended school year, due in part to snow days, is one of the primary reasons behind Wacky Wednesday’s troubles.

“We get a large turnout of kids [fans and drivers] on Wednesday nights, but we don’t get them if they’re still in school. Normally, they aren’t in school this late,” said Merritt.

Bangor schools didn’t finish until Thursday and the Brewer schools won’t close until Monday afternoon.

Merritt also said poor weather and the struggling economy have contributed to the situation.

The weekend race program – it began on Sunday afternoon and has now switched to Saturday night – has been so-so, according to Merritt.

“The Sport 4’s have been good; the Super Streets have been fairly healthy, although I’d like to see a few more, and the Pro Limiteds are getting better,” said Merritt. “But I don’t know what has happened to the Strictly Streets. And the [Full-Sized] Truck class has been weak.”

Merritt said he and Baker will wait a few weeks until making any decision on Wacky Wednesday.

Racing will continue tonight at 7.

Austin Dillon leaves ASM

Eighteen-year-old rookie Austin Dillon, who is leading the Camping World East (formerly Busch North/East) points, has decided to leave the Andy Santerre Motorsports team after just four races.

ASM is owned by Cherryfield native and former four-time Busch North points champ and Nationwide series driver Andy Santerre.

Dillon, the grandson of Sprint Cup team owner Richard Childress, was part of a two-driver team along with Peyton Sellers.

Sellers, running 14th in points after having an opening-race win wiped out by a disqualification, will remain with the team.

Dillon will be driving for Team Dillon Racing owned by his father, Mike.

Santerre said the decision to part ways was “mutual.”

“Their race shop is about an hour from here [Harrisburg, N.C.] in Winston-Salem and it is in the same complex as Richard Childress Racing [which provides equipment and manpower for Dillon]. They have a lot more resources than we do. We don’t have all the big frills,” said Santerre.

In a story in the Boston Herald, Dillon said it was more “convenient” and “less stressful” to be running for his own race team in Winston-Salem.

He also said “we weren’t as prepared at the racetrack as we’d like to be.”

Santerre responded by saying, “We aren’t a [Sprint] Cup team and we don’t have a Cup program. But he’s still leading the points. We did the best we could for him. I wish him luck in the future.”

There was speculation that Santerre and Dillon’s crew chief, Lance Deiters, didn’t see eye to eye on certain things and that led to the split.

Santerre said he had no comment on the rift.

Santerre admitted to feeling a “good sense of relief.”

“This has taken a big load off me. There was a lot of pressure with him leading the points, being a rookie and being Richard Childress’ grandson,” said Santerre.

lmahoney@bangordailynews.net

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