Thunderhill Raceway steps up from a Race Track to a Family Experience!

Special Report by Aaron Brungot

KYLE, April 22, 2010: With all odds seemingly against them – including the economy, weather and conflicting race dates – the management and staff of Thunderhill Raceway (Kyle, TX) forged ahead with its 2010 Season Opener that had been postponed until March 27.

Originally scheduled for March 20, the Thunderhill Raceway (THR) Season Opener was boldly threatened that day by Mother Nature. Racers and fans awoke to a strong cold front and a hard, steady downpour of rain that morning. Cold temperatures and gusting winds accompanied the front, and fans were already worried about a miserably cold night at the races. Track Owner and Promoter Mary Ann Naumann was also concerned about the unfavorable weather conditions and was faced with a difficult decision. She reluctantly decided to postpone the event until the following weekend.

When the rescheduled date was announced, the racers also had to face some tough schedule choices. Some found themselves already committed to previously scheduled events – a wedding, racing at another track, attending family events, etc.

A few surprises awaited the fans as they walked through the front gates on opening night. With the help of a new marketing firm, Thunderhill Raceway had decided to place its 2010 focus on the overall fan experience. Instead of just “going to the races,” fans were pleased to discover that they could experience lots of additional activities at the track to make it a fun-filled outing for the entire family.

New food choices were offered, from an all-you-can-eat fried catfish plate to a selection of Mexican food, Snow Cones and some tasty Kettle Corn. The traditional race track menu choices – hot dogs, hamburgers, nachos and BBQ on Bun – were also still made available to the fans.

Kids could choose to watch the races, have fun on the carnival rides or romp around in the Moonwalk. They also competed in bicycle races on the front straightway during intermission and enjoyed free kiddie rides in the race cars at the end of the night.

The opportunity for the fans to get to know the drivers better was also a part of the evening’s activities – starting with a Drivers’ Autograph Session on the front straightway at the beginning of the evening. Also, during each of the feature events, several drivers from each class talked with the fans, signed autographs and posed for pictures at the new Driver Autograph Booth.

The next race at Thunderhill Raceway is scheduled for this Saturday, April 24, and it promises to be another exciting night for the fans – with just as many (or more) fun activities for the entire family. Grandstand gates open at 5 pm, and the heat races start at 6 pm.

Thunderhill Raceway is a 3/8-mile, D-shaped asphalt oval track that’s located at 24801 IH-35, on the access road just north of San Marcos (TX) near Yarrington Road (Exit #210). Information on Thunderhill Raceway may be found on the track website at www.thunderhillraceway.com.