Every time they take the green flag, weekly short track drivers and race teams aren’t just looking for a trip to victory lane. They’re out to earn valuable points that could pave the way to an overall season championship.

As Canada’s Toughest 3^rd of a Mile Paved Oval gets set to kick-off its 50^th Anniversary season, Peterborough Speedway owner/promoter J.P. Josiasse says claiming this year’s crown will be a monumental occasion.

“It will be a huge celebration for the fans as well as the drivers and the teams that capture the 2017 titles will earn their rightful place in our history books,” Josiasse said. “Our 5 weekly divisions always put their best effort into every lap they turn, but I’m sure that with the prestige of being a 50^th Anniversary track champion, they’ll all be giving a little extra push week after week.”

With a strong field – including his brother Jake – following his every move, Jeremy Kelly knows he’ll face a tough challenge as he looks to earn his second-straight Battlefield Equipment Rental 4Fun championship. Kelly, who works as an independent filmmaker brings a group of family, friends and fans to the track and they love celebrating with their favourite driver.

After playing a starring role in one of the best fender-to-fender Late Model feature race finishes of 2016, Tyler Betts will be looking to become the first title-holder in the track’s headline division under its new sponsorship from Organics Glass. The driver of the #86 machine says that he and his team spent some long hours in the shop during the off-season and will be counting the days until opening night.

A brief absence will end on the opening night of the 2017 campaign, as former Thunder Car track champion Anthony DiBello returns to the tight, tricky bullring on Mount Pleasant Road, west of the Liftlock City. It’ll be a father and son duo, with Fedele DiBello joining his son in the weekly wars.

He captured the Jiffy Lube Mini Stock championship and made selected Thunder Car starts last year, but James Townsend will revise his racing role for the 50^th Anniversary Season at Peterborough Speedway. The 26 year-old from Fraserville, Ontario plans to concentrate on running the Thunder Car full-time and will enter a limited number of Mini Stock shows in 2017.

Josiasse and his team have been busy behind the scenes, putting together a series of promotional events to celebrate the track’s 50^th Anniversary. Officials recently announced a program that will see each weekly class run a 50 lap main event during the regular season and top 10 shootouts for all divisions at the regular season-ending Championship Clash. The track will also have displays at the Peterborough Home, Cottage and Country Show – March 31^st to April 2^nd – at the Evinrude Centre and at the Lindsay Square Mall, April 23^rd through 30^th.

Bullring bullet points: Keep on top of all the 50^th Anniversary news at Canada’s Toughest 3^rd of a Mile Paved Oval by logging onto www.peterboroughspeedway.com, liking the track on Facebook or following it on Twitter. Fans can also download the free Peterborough Speedway app on your Smartphone.