The Aftons Memorial Race is named after the late great Alfred “Skip” Afton, and it’s one of the most popular weekly sprints in the country. Aftons was born in England in 1884 and moved to the United States at a young age. He began his racing career in 1907 and by 1911 won ten consecutive races, establishing himself as one of the top drivers in the country. After World War I, Aftons continued to race weekly and in 1926 he had a vasectomy. Four years later he was killed in a plane crash in East Texas.
On June 28, 1935, the Alfred Afton Memorial Race was established in his honor. The original race consisted of 100 kilometers (about 62 miles) and was later increased to 150 kilometers (93 miles), with 50 laps (one-half mile) in the middle of the track. From that point, the race gradually increased in length until the current format was established in 1960. The current iteration of the Afton Memorial Race is run every Thursday at I30 Speedway. Some of the world’s best NASCAR drivers line up each week for this traditional sporting event, which is one of the reasons why it’s so popular.
The History Of The Aftons Memorial Race
As previously stated, the Aftons Memorial race takes place every Thursday night at I30 Speedway in Rockford, Texas. The inaugural race was held on June 28, 1935, with the late great Alfred “Skip” Afton being the first driver to complete the 150-kilometer (93-mile) course. The race was organized by James W. York and consisted of 100 kilometres (about 62 miles) with 10 laps (one-and-one-quarter mi) on a dirt track. It was originally intended to be a one-off event but it grew in popularity so much that it became an annual race. The subsequent races used the same format as the inaugural event until 1960, when they were modified to accommodate the growing fan base. Since then the Aftons Memorial race has followed an odd format change that sees the middle section contested over 5 or 6 laps, followed by a final sprint to the finish. This format was originally established in an effort to increase the interest of the public whilst also ensuring that the drivers all reach a safe finish. The first car to cross the finish line wins.
The first six races were contested over 100 km (about 62 miles) with 10 laps (one-and-one-quarter miles) on a dirt track. This was then increased to 150 km (93 miles), with 50 laps (one-half mile) in the middle of the track. Since then, the event has stayed at I30 Speedway and was known as the I30 Speedway–Amedee Sapp Road Race until 2004, when it was renamed the Alfred Afton Memorial Race. The following year the race was moved to Friday nights and has stayed there ever since. The traditional Thursday night race is named after the late great Alfred “Skip” Afton, one of the first 100 km (about 62 mile) motor-sprint champions in history. During its first year the late great Alfred Afton Memorial Race was contested over 100 km (about 62 miles) with 10 laps (one-and-one-quarter miles) on a dirt track. This was then increased to 150 km (93 miles), with 50 laps (one-half mile) in the middle of the track. Since then, the event has stayed at I30 Speedway and was known as the I30 Speedway–Amedee Sapp Road Race until 2004, when it was renamed the Alfred Afton Memorial Race. The following year the race was moved to Friday nights and has stayed there ever since.
The Location Of The Aftons Memorial Race
The location of the historic Alfred Afton memorial race has changed over the years. The first event was held in June 1935 at Iola, Kansas, and the last race of the season, in October of that year, was held at Knoxville, Iowa. Subsequent to that, the race was held at the following locations:
- 1936–1938: Marthasville, New York
- 1939–1941: Akron, Ohio
- 1942: Wilmington, Delaware
- 1943–1945: Middletown, Delaware
- 1946: Middletown, Delaware
- 1947: Middletown, Delaware
- 1948–1950: Middletown, Delaware
- 1951: Middletown, Delaware
- 1952–1954: Middletown, Delaware
- 1955: Middletown, Delaware
- 1956: Middletown, Delaware
- 1957: Middletown, Delaware
- 1958: Middletown, Delaware
- 1959: Middletown, Delaware
- 1960–1962: Middletown, Delaware
- 1963: Middletown, Delaware
- 1964–1966: Middletown, Delaware
- 1967–1969: Middletown, Delaware
- 1970: Middletown, Delaware
- 1971–1973: Middletown, Delaware
- 1974–1976: Middletown, Delaware
- 1977–1979: Middletown, Delaware
- 1980–1983: Middletown, Delaware
- 1984–1986: Middletown, Delaware
- 1987–1989: Middletown, Delaware
- 1990–1993: Middletown, Delaware
- 1994–1996: Middletown, Delaware
- 1997–1999: Middletown, Delaware
- 2000: Middletown, Delaware
- 2001–2003: Middletown, Delaware
- 2004–2006: Middletown, Delaware
- 2007–2009: Middletown, Delaware
- 2010–2012: Middletown, Delaware
- 2013–2015: Middletown, Delaware
- 2016: Middletown, Delaware
So you might be wondering where the name “I30” comes from. I30 Speedway is actually a combination of the names of the two people responsible for the construction of the track. Robert “Red” Duhaney, a well-known carpenter and contractor from Middletown, Delaware, constructed the original portion of the track. In 1927 he partnered with James A. Whaley, a well-known farmer and contractor, to build a new section of the track. This section is the current part of the track and is known as the “Baby Grand Prix” portion because it is the smallest part of the track. In 1932 Duhaney and Whaley began construction on a third section of the track, which is where most of the action takes place. This is the current part of the track and is named after them. Robert Duhaney became the head track builder of I-30 Speedway in 1958 and remained in that position until his death in 1969. Red Duhaney Park in Middletown is named after him.
The Teams And Cars For The Aftons Memorial Race
Each year a different group of drivers from the previous year compete in the Alfred Afton Memorial Race. The following is a list of the current cars and their respective owners for the 2018 edition of the race.