Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway will be celebrating America’s 250th birthday with a strong mix of auto racing, family-fun activities and a large, professional fireworks show at its facility on the Fourth of July.
The race track, which is located off Interstate 5 between Bakersfield and Taft at 13500 Raceway Blvd., will present “The American 250: A Celebration of America.” The program will feature NASCAR Limited Late Models in a $5,000-to-win-it race, NASCAR Spec Racers, and a fan favorite, a Drag-A-Boat demolition race.
Event organizers are hoping to draw racing fans from throughout the San Joaquin Valley for the track’s big celebration of the country’s birthday.
Kern Raceway is extending a special invitation to nearby communities to attend. The track is partnering with California Resources Corp. and subsidiary Carbon TerraVault to invite 500 community members in Maricopa, Taft, and Buttonwillow to attend the festivities for free.
“We wanted to create a true Fourth of July destination for the entire community,” Tim Huddleston, owner and CEO of Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway, said in a statement. “The American 250 is designed to bring together racing, entertainment, patriotism and a large-scale fireworks show into one unforgettable night. We also want to thank California Resources Corp. and Carbon TerraVault for helping make this event possible and for supporting a major Independence Day celebration for families in the Central Valley.”
Gates open at 4 p.m. and main event racing starts at 7 p.m. Tickets for The American 250 are available online at kernraceway.com.
GRAND OPENING EVENT
American Kids Sports Center will conduct a free grand opening event for its new southwest Bakersfield facility from 3 to 6 p.m. Saturday at 5010 Young St.
The 45,000-square-foot space includes a gymnastics gym, swimming pool, dance rooms and Ninja obstacle courses. The grand opening is a chance to tour the facility and learn about available programs, meet staff and more. There will be water safety presentations, vendors in the parking lot and a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 4:30 p.m.
American Kids Sports Center now has three spots in Bakersfield with the opening of this newest location. The others are in northwest Bakersfield at 3622 Allen Road and an American Kids “Adaptive” Sports Center at 4401 Ride St.
American Kids Sports Center has existed since 1984, when it was founded as the American Academy of Gymnastics.
For more information on the grand opening or anything else, visit aksc.com or call 661-589-2100.
TRAIN ROBBERS
The Bakersfield Train Robbers are in San Rafael this weekend for a pair of road baseball games. But, after an off day Sunday, the Pecos League Pacific Division team will begin its largest homestand of the summer, six games, starting Monday.
The Train Robbers will host the Martinez Sturgeon for games Monday and Tuesday night at 7:45 p.m. at Sam Lynn Ballpark.
There will then be a five-day break with no games Wednesday through July 5. Bakersfield will resume play July 6 when it hosts the Austin Weirdos for four consecutive nights through July 9. Start times for each game is 7:45 p.m.
