Greenville Pickens Speedway officials announced today that the green flag will fall on the 2009 season on Saturday, March 14.  Opening night will get the fun rolling for the 2009 race season with the local racers grabbing the spotlight, a Twin 50 lap Late Model race card, and all GPS divisions in action.  

"We took a look this year at the traditional third Saturday in March opening, as the way the calendar fell this year pushed that date way down in the month," said GP Marketing Director Keith Cochran.   "Moving opening night to March 14 will give the upstate racing communitya jump start on the 2009 season and a chance to reconvene at our NASCAR hometrack," Cochran said. As usual with opening nights throughout the years, the famous Dale Earnhardt Memorial backstretch is expeced to be packed with tailgaters and those famous GPS bonfires will usher in a brand new season of racing.  "We've had to close the backstretch early on opening nights, so the best advise is come early and get that choice piece of GPS real estate for this race," said Cochran. 

All local divisions will be featured on opening night: Renegades, Charger, Sportsman and the Late Model Twin 50 events topping the card. Gates will open at 4pm on March 14th, with qualifying scheduled for 6 and the first green flag of the new season to fall at 8pm.
The designated open practice dates for all divisons will be Saturday, February 28 and Saturday, March 7.  More details and the complete 2009 GPS race schedule will be released in coming weeks.  Visit the speedway homepage for more details at greenvillepickens.com