Season opener

Riders in all classes are going to the green flag Saturday when Welland County Speedway opens its 49th season of motorcycle racing in Welland. Gates open to the public at 2 p.m., practice gets underway at 5 p.m. with the first heat starting at 7 p.m., weather permitting. Clare’s Night of Thunder, sponsored by Clare’s Cycle & Sports Ltd. in Pelham, kicks off a schedule that will feature nine race programs in all culminating with the fall class on Sept. 7. Formerly Niagara Motorcycle Racing, the speedway is located on Netherby Road in Welland, just east of Highway 140.