Memorial Day weekend brings a smorgasbord of racing to fans in Western Pennsylvania and around the nation.

• Mercer Raceway Park is set to host the biggest motor sports event of the season. The eighth annual American Thunder Weekend will feature the All-American Spring Nationals World Championship Truck and Tractor Pull at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, followed by the Steel Valley Memorial Day Classic at 6 p.m. Monday at 6 p.m.

"We're really looking forward to this weekend," said promoter Vicki Emig.

Don't forget the Ray Baselj Benefit Barbeque from noon to 3:30 p.m. Monday.

• The BRP/Hoosier Modified Tour will start its season with the Dick Rankin Memorial at Tri-City Speedway. Unfortunately Russell King, who is a two-time winner and the Modified tour's defending champion, will not be there to compete. He now drives a Late Model.

• Pittsburgh's Pennsylvania Motor Speedway presents its six-division racing program Saturday. In addition, Six-Pack Bingo will give spectators a chance to win a Pepsi product six-pack throughout the night.

• The BRP Modified Tour will kick off its 11th season of DIRT Modified racing with the running of the fifth annual Dick Rankin Memorial 30 at Tri-City Speedway Sunday. Recognizing that gas prices are at an all-time high, a car patrol will scour the parking lot for the dirtiest car at Tri-City. The fan and his car will be recognized in victory lane and will receive $50.

• Grandstand admission at Sharon Speedway will be reduced to $9 for Saturday's racing action at Sharon in celebration of Dave Blaney's ninth-place finish at Darlington May 10. Mercer County and Ashtabula County residents will be admitted for $5.

In other news:

• Butler race fans are racing to Maine. Earl Taylor and Shane Zinn boarded a 46-foot yacht last week in Florida and are headed to Maine. They figured that it will take about a month before they reach their destination and return to area speedways.

• Car owner Chip Ganassi's driver Scott Dixon won the pole position for Sunday's Indianapolis 500 with a speed of 226.366 mph. Dixon's teammate, Dan Wheldon, took the second spot.

A lot of drama surrounds the determination of who gets the last spot. Marty Roth took the honors and a bonus check for $50,000 from Firestone Racing.

"Dancing with the Stars" former winner Helio Castroneves will be aiming for the victory from his fourth-place start at Indy. His dance partner, Julianne Hough, is singing the national anthem.

• I became a grandmother this week. Noah Cameron Geisler, weighing in at 7 pounds, 14 ounces, came into the world Tuesday. Parents Carrie and Travis Geisler are doing a great job of welcoming him to the family.

Carol Gamble is the racing columnist for the Butler Eagle.