The hours may be long, but the rewards are many. Getting a racecar ready for action at the local speedway is hard work. There's much more to it than just filling the tank with gas and hoping for the best. Linc Brown has been away from Kawartha Speedway's weekly wars since the end of the 2008 season, but his heart has never lost the desire to compete. With the 2012 campaign getting closer every day, the Colborne, Ontario runner crossed another item off his pre-season checklist as this year's graphics package was applied to the #99 Kawartha Metals/The Wolf 101.5 Radio/Don Butt Auto Body/Mayhew Graphics/Clarke Motorsports Communications Dodge Charger.

Smart racecar drivers know there's no easy path to victory lane. You can't ask for directions at a gas station or speak to someone on the street. Its one of the few places you'll never get to using Mapquest or a GPS. Hard work and racing luck may be the only sure fire way to find your way to the winner's circle. With Kawartha Speedway's 2012 campaign inching closer at every tick of the clock, the 3/8th mile oval at Fraserville, Ontario will host an open practice session for their 3 regular divisions – and any driver looking to take some laps on one of the finest racing facilities in the province – Friday, May 25th.

Racecar drivers earn a living in a variety of different professions. At the short track level, few weekly runners – even the most successful in any division – can look at paying the bills with the money they earn at the track. Larry Jackson – who captured the NAPA Auto Parts ACT Late Model title at Kawartha Speedway in 2007 – is a full time professional firefighter. An acting captain with the City of Mississauga fire department, Jackson says he loves the competition at the Fraserville 3/8th mile oval.

Inside Track short track contributor Spencer Lewis highlights four early season races to watch in 2012, including the OSCAAR opener at Sunset Speedway and more.

Just over 6 months ago, Linc Brown issued a press release that indicated he was considering a return to the weekly wars at Kawartha Speedway. The 46 year-old Colborne, Ontario racer – who finished 2nd in points during the 2007 season and 7th in the final 2008 tally – had been on a sabbatical from the track's headline division, but a true racer knows that a passion for the sport never completely leaves your system.

Speedway promoters are a unique breed. They're not just sitting back counting the money as the crowd comes through the gates. In most cases, they're fans of the sport and in some instances, even competitors. Kawartha's Derek Lynch is a race winner in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series and has turned laps on some of North America's most famous venues. Sunset Speedway's Mark Dilley still campaigns a competitive Canadian Tire Series ride and at Brighton Speedway, Mark Rinaldi raced a street stock on a limited basis and even climbed behind the wheel of a DIRTcar sportsman modified. JP Josiasse – owner and promoter at Peterborough Speedway – is cut from the same cloth.

Mention the name 'Junior' to a stockcar racing fan and depending on their age, they'll think you're referring to either hall of fame driver and car owner Robert 'Junior' Johnson or second generation superstar Dale Earnhardt Junior, winner of the NASCAR Sprint Cup most popular driver award for 9 consecutive seasons. Although he's yet to achieve the same level of success as any of the drivers who share his name, Ken Donaldson Junior could be well on his way.

A busy work schedule can be either a blessing, or a curse. Omemee, Ontario's Craig Scott would love to be a regular runner in Kawartha Speedway's Better Carpet Thunder Car field, but his full-time position as Vice President of Operations for Hy-Tech Drilling places so many demands on his to-do list, he's only able to make it to the track a couple of times a year. The 59 year-old father of four – who got his first taste of the sport at the now defunct North Bay Speedway, a track once owned by pit crew member Gary Harling – says that even with a limited schedule, he still looks forward to the adrenalin rush that comes with running side-by-side with a trusted driver.

It hasn't come to the extreme of tearing apart couch cushions or collecting empty bottles, but Ryan Kimball is looking for change. After enduring a few frustrating seasons running an older chassis in Kawartha Speedway's NAPA Auto Parts ACT Late Model division, the Norwood, Ontario racer will head into the 2012 campaign at the controls of new McColl Racing Enterprises machine. Making the change to an updated piece is more than just jumping behind the wheel and taking the green flag. There are long hours in the shop before getting to that point.

The name over the driver's door of the #53 car in Kawartha Speedway's headline class simply reads "Wheely". It's a casual reference to driver steeped in the Fraserville, Ontario oval's racing history. During his career, Kyle Donaldson has laid claim to multiple track championships and the Queensville, Ontario runner is now turning heads in the NAPA Auto Parts ACT Late Model class. Despite finishing 4th in points during the 2011 campaign; the 30 year-old enters the 2012 fight looking to add a new title to his collection of hardware.