Here Comes Summer……Myrtle Beach Style!

The temperatures are rising….the boards are coming off of the windows….fresh paint is on the shutters….all the signs that Summer is getting set to return to Myrtle Beach! Here are some sure signs that summer’s just around the corner:

 

Myrtle Beach Speedway ready for season

 

The 52nd season of racing at Myrtle Beach Speedway will take the green flag tomorrow! While a struggling economy has changed the way many people live, Myrtle Beach Speedway General Manager Bill Hennecy said he is expecting a solid turnout of cars and trucks to compete on Saturday nights at the 0.538-mile semibanked oval.

Over the years, Myrtle Beach Speedway has been the training grounds for some of NASCAR’s biggest stars including Dale Earnhardt Jr. (former late model stock car competitor) and Jeff Gordon (former Busch Series track record holder). All four generations of Petty's and all three generations of Earnhardt's have taken a green flag around the .538 mile asphalt oval.
Myrtle Beach Speedway is hands down the best value for the entertainment dollar in town. No where else on the Grand Strand can you watch live racing action and see the future stars of NASCAR every Saturday night. In addition to the weekly racing schedule, they hold several major events during the year including the year ending Seneca 400 weekend in November.

Saturday Night Local Racing Schedule (all times approximate) 

Pit Gates Open at 1 pm

Rotating practice throughout the afternoon

Grandstands open at 4 pm

Qualifying for Late Models and Super Trucks Approximately 5:00

Race time 7:30 pm

Heat Races, Super Truck/Late Model Warm-ups, followed by Main Events.

Photo Courtesy of Google Maps

Myrtle Beach Speedway is .538 mile in length with a seating capacity of 12,000 plus. 

Local Divisions

NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model Stock Cars

Super Trucks

Limited Late Models

Street Stock

Mini Stock

Speedway Ticket Pricing - Saturday Night Local Racing Events

All Seating is General Admission

Adult $12.00

Kids 10 and under Free

2009 Schedule

April 2 Thursday Night Practice - All Classes

April 4     Opening Night - Late Models, Super Trucks, Limiteds, Mini-Stocks, Street Stocks

April 11  Late Models, Limiteds, Mini-Stocks, Street Stocks

April 18 Super Trucks, Limiteds, Mini-Stocks, Street Stocks

April 25 Late Models, Limiteds, Mini-Stocks, Street Stocks

May 2   Super Trucks, Limiteds, Mini-Stocks, Street Stocks

May 9 Off Weekend - Support Darlington

 

Hard Rock Park Readies To Reopen……(just not so Hard and not so Rock!)

The good news is…The Park is Reopening!!….and hopefully before Memorial Day!….the better news is…indications are it will be a much more user friendly park! The year-old theme park will have a new name when it opens by Memorial Day under new ownership, officials said Thursday. FPI MB Entertainment, which bought the $400 million park out of bankruptcy for $25 million, said a new name would be announced within a week. "It's a new name, so the identity is not there," said John Stine, the director of sales and marketing for the park. "The con is re-establishing the identity going forward, but we're very positive that we'll do that in a very expeditious manner based on the support and the cooperation that we see within the community."

The park also appeared to be backing off a solely rock 'n' roll theme. Stine said the new name would have a musical orientation and that the park would have an emphasis on rock 'n' roll but also include other musical genres. Two roller coasters named after Led Zeppelin and The Eagles would also be renamed, Stine said.

The good news….the reopening will provide a much needed stimulus for a sagging local economy. Up to 1,000 jobs will be created and offered first to former Hard Rock employees and then to the general public. More good news…some new rides will be added; admission prices plan to be much less than last year; season passes from last year will be honored and locals will take advantage of discounted admission prices!!

Hard Rock never was nor probably ever would have been a true “theme’ park on the scale of the Disney parks, but it can serve to be a viable entertainment option in an area that thrives on entertainment. Let’s hope that the new owners market the park for what it is, not something it never can be. And lets hope they support the local community for without them, they will definitely be between a rock and a hard place!

 

Myrtle Beach State Park Means Fun For Families!

The Myrtle Beach State Park celebrated its second annual Park Palooza, even with statewide budget cuts hitting the park. Amanda Taylor, the park’s assistant interpretive ranger knows the affordability of events at the park is just what people are looking for in this ailing economy. With a park admission price of just $4 for adults and free for children 5 and under, it’s the ideal choice for a fun family day at the beach!….and it’s not just the beach!

Myrtle Beach State Park was developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), a New Deal Program created by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The program was designed to provide employment during the Great Depression while addressing national needs in conservation and recreation. The CCC was instrumental in the development of many of South Carolina’s state parks. A number of buildings built by the CCC in the 1930's are still in use at this park.

• Admissions: $4 adults; $2.50 SC seniors;
  $1.50/ child age 6-15; Free for children 5 and younger.
• Office Hours: M-Fr 8am-5pm; Sat-Sun 11 am-5pm
• Days and Hours of Operation: Daily 6am-10pm, March through November
  Daily 6am-8pm, December through February

 

Here’s a sampling of some of he activities offered at the park. For more information, click here.