Organizers cultivate an outdoor carnival-type atmosphere including balloons and a small petting zoo for the kids, contests and giveaways for adults and a Dixieland band most Sundays. The paddock is open, so fans can get quite close to the horses and drivers. While most of the seating is in covered bleachers, some box seats are available. The track sponsors a North American Drivers Championship in June that attracts top drivers from all over the Northeast. Many of them got their start in Bangor, so it s like a homecoming.
Admission is free.
Scarborough Downs U.S. Hwy. This track has 146 races scheduled for the 1997 season, far and away the most races run anywhere in the state. Banks of televisions broadcast races from tracks all over the country, and you can bet on any of the races as they happen. The clubhouse is newer lots of brass and glass and a full-service dining room where you can see the track from your seat or watch simulcast races on a small TV at your table. The grandstand is more rustic, with a country-fair atmosphere.