WAGNER — Local and state officials have allowed the green flag to drop on the 2020 race season at Wagner Speedway, race track officials said Wednesday.

The season will be held "after much discussion and dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic," Wagner Speedway General Manager Rod Pattison said.

“Now, with the governor's Back to Normal plan in place, city leaders have given us their blessing to open for business this season,” Pattison said. “We had the ability to open up sooner than our scheduled date, but we wanted to give extra time for this situation to hopefully subside, but we are very thankful and excited to go racing!"

The speedway’s original opening date was May 22. Now the car show and practice day will take place on June 6, and the season will open on Friday, June 12.

Pattison noted those dates are subject to change, depending on “society and how the pandemic is progressing or regressing.”

The season championship is scheduled for Labor Day Sept. 7. Among the other notable changes includes moving the Tri-State Late Model Series race date to July 31.

Pattison said the safety of fans and drivers is the highest importance and special precautions will be taken regarding concession services.

The track has also undergone a reshaping, along with reinforcements of the track’s walls and adding to the front-stretch catch fence. The three-eighths mile track is under new ownership in 2020. The leadership group includes owners Crystal and Kevin Manthey, of Bonesteel, and Kyle Moos, of Naper, Nebraska, along with managers Joel Namminga, of Avon, and Pattison, of Harrisburg.

Wagner Speedway 2020 schedule

*All events are on Fridays, unless noted

June 6 (Saturday): Car show and Test and Tune

June 12: 305 Sprint Cars, Late Models, B-Mods, SportMods and Hobby Stocks

June 19: Late Model Street Stocks (LMSS), Late Models, B-Mods, SportMods and Hobby Stocks

June 26: LMSS, Late Models, B-Mods, SportMods, Hobby Stocks and Front-Wheel Drives

July 3: Tri-State Late Models, 305 Sprint Cars, B-Mods, SportMods and Hobby Stocks

July 4 (Saturday): Tri-State Late Models, B-Mods, SportMods and Hobby Stocks

July 10: LMSS, Late Models, B-Mods, SportMods, Hobby Stocks and Front-Wheel Drives

July 17: Midwest Non-Wing Sprints, LMSS, Late Models, B-Mods, SportMods and Hobby Stocks

July 24: LMSS, Late Models, B-Mods, SportMods and Hobby Stocks

July 31: Tri-State Late Models, B-Mods, SportMods, Hobby Stocks and Front-Wheel Drives

Aug. 7: 305 Sprint Cars, Late Models, B-Mods, SportMods, Hobby Stocks and Front-Wheel Drives

Aug. 14: 305 Sprint Cars, LMSS, Late Models, B-Mods, SportMods and Hobby Stocks

Aug. 21: LMSS, Late Models, B-Mods, SportMods, Hobby Stocks and Front-Wheel Drives

Aug. 28: MSTS 360 Sprints, Late Models, B-Mods, SportMods and Hobby Stocks

Sept. 4: LMSS, Late Models, B-Mods, SportMods, Hobby Stocks and Front-Wheel Drives

Sept. 7 (Saturday): Season championship for LMSS, Late Models, B-Mods, SportMods, Hobby Stocks and Front-Wheel Drives