(Owego, NY) The wait is over. Officials at Tioga Motorsports Park in Owego, NY, announced that stock car racing at the historic half-mile is returning to Saturday nights next season. During the 2002 season the track had experimented as a Friday venue. "I'm happy to report that racing will be on Saturdays, just as our loyal competitors and fans had wished," said promoter Chris Zacharias. The November 30th signing of the one-year lease puts to end months of speculation and rumor. Drag racing returns to Friday nights to complete the track's programming.
  Two weeks ago, at their first annal banquet, Zacharias announced that the track would be repaved for next year. And while he hinted Saturday would be the night for racing, the lease and other details had not been finalized.
  The surface and the night are only part of the changes planned, as a new division was added for '03 as well. "The Factory Stocks will join our Modifieds, B-Modifieds, Late Models and Street Stocks, and we'll have special shows for the Legends, IMCA's and other divisions," Zacharias explained. Adding the new division resulted from suggestions posted on the track's website. "We do pay attention to what the race teams and fans want."
  While the 2003 schedule is still in the works, Tioga Motorsports Park will host two Sunoco Race of Champions events. The popular Richie Evans Memorial is appropriately set for Memorial Day weekend. The track's tentative schedule and rules updates will be posted on the website, www.tiogamotorsportspark.com, later this week.
  The new layer of asphalt presents unknowns for tires, and the Zacharias family is holding off on a track tire decision for now. "We'll have tire testing in the spring to determine which tire will not only work, but will last the longest." 
  A popular season-ending feature will also be back on more than one occasion. "We'll be having more pit parties with live music. That was a great way for everyone to socialize and relax, and we were encouraged to do more of that", Zacharias stated. "We will continue to use the feedback we receive from race teams and fans to make racing even better at Tioga in 2003."