Options aplenty for sports and recreation fans

From national series to local events that have attracted competitors and spectators for years, the 419 has sports fans covered. You name it: Sports fans can attend or participate in a wide range of events. One major addition to this year's northern Ohio sports scene is the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series making its first stop at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington. "Our fans are going to experience a great show with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series racing at Mid-Ohio for the very first time," said Craig Rust, president of Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. ThorSport Racing, based in Sandusky, could be considered the "home team" for the race. ThorSport races several trucks in the series, including 2021 champion Ben Rhodes. Mid-Ohio hosted its first NASCAR event in 2013 when the Xfinity Series staged a 200-mile race. The road course is hosting five events this year, including an IndyCar race in early July. "The 2022 schedule continues our commitment to bring our fans the best variety of motorsports that they have come to expect," said Rust. "With the uncertainty we all have faced the past couple seasons, it's great to be able to release our full schedule this early to our fans, so they can make their racing plans for next summer." Mid-Ohio isn't the only venue in the region hosting big-time sports this summer. The LPGA Dana Open – which was previously the Marathon Open – is scheduled for August 29 to September 4 at Highland Meadows Golf Club in Sylvania. The Toledo Mud Hens will set up shop in downtown Toledo and compete in the Triple-A International League. Former big league player and manager Lloyd McClendon returns as the Mud Hens skipper this season. A quick look at some options for sports fans in the 419: LPGA Dana OpenSylvania Some things change. And some things don't really change, even if their names do. Such is the case at the annual summer LPGA Tour event at Highland Meadows in Sylvania. This year, the tournament is called the Dana Open, and will take place August 29 to September 4 in suburban Toledo. The tournament itself has gone through several names, and debuted in 1984 at Glengarry Country Club in Holland. At the time, it was known as the Jamie Farr Toledo Classic. Farr, an actor and Toledo native, was one of the primary sponsors and the tournament carried his name until 2013, when it became known as the Marathon Classic. The tournament moved to Highland Meadows in 1989, and it has been a northwest Ohio staple since, with two exceptions: In 1986 the Toledo area hosted the PGA Championship; in 2011 it hosted the US Senior Open. The first winner of the Jamie Farr Classic was Lauri Marten. The most prolific winner has been Se Ri Pak, who is a five-time champion. Last year's Marathon Classic was won by Japan's Nasa Hataoka. This year begins something of a new era, with a new name: the Dana Open. "This is one of the longest running and most popular tournaments on the LPGA Tour, and we are extremely proud to have the Dana name as a title sponsor of one of the LPGA's premier championships," Jim Kamsickas, Dana chairman and CEO, said in a news release. "While the tournament features the world's greatest female golfers, the real stars each year are the charities supported by this iconic tournament." Summit Motorsports ParkNorwalk The megastars of drag racing make the annual trip to Norwalk twice again this summer at Summit Motorsports Park. The NHRA Summit Racing Equipment Nationals return to the Norwalk dragstrip in the usual third weekend of June spot on the calendar (June 23-26). The NHRA Camping World Series will include the best of the best who will compete for a prestigious Wally trophy in Funny Car, Top Fuel, Pro Stock, Pro Stock Motorcycle. The biggest names in the sport will again be in town, including John Force — the winningest driver in the history of motorsports — Robert Hight, Ron Capps, Antron Brown, Steve Torrence and many more. The highlight of the Norwalk event — which draws 25,000-plus each day — is the Nitro Alley. Those in attendance get to watch up close as the race teams work on their cars and motorcycles, while also catching autographs and pictures of the drivers. The national event will also again be broadcast on FS1. Later in the summer, the annual Night Under Fire exhibition event returns to Summit on August 6. The different divisions and styles of racing will include the return of Force, Capps, High, Cruz Pedregon and Alexis DeJoria among others in the Funny Car action. The event, which typically sells out or comes close, will also include Top Fuel motorcycles, Top Alcohol Dragsters, Pro Mods, Outlaw Dragsters and AA/Gassers. The North American Jet Car Championship will also be featured. The time-honored tradition then concludes with a pass down the dragstrip by the beloved Bob Mot and his jet engine-powered Kenworth semi-truck, setting the stage for the huge post-show fireworks. Summit also will host, for the first time, a World Series of Pulling event July 21-23. Michael Ott from the Pro Pullers League explained how the facility will be turned into a temporary home for a variety of high-horsepower pullers. "The dirt that will be used is under cover not far from here," Michael Ott from Pro Pullers said during an April news conference in Norwalk. "We will need 100 semi-loads to cover an area in front of the grandstands, 450 feet long, 60 feet wide, 20 inches deep." Attica Raceway ParkAttica Attica Raceway Park will host 25 events in 2022 – many with big purses and national touring groups – paying out over $750,000 in feature money. The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series will make two stops at the popular Seneca County dirt track. The first appearance will be the Kistler Engines Classic ($10,000 to win) on May 20. The 34th Annual Ohio Logistics Brad Doty Classic presented by Racing Optics will take place Tuesday, July 12, and will pay the feature winner $15,000. Reserved seating will be available for both events. The FloRacing All Star Circuit of Champions presented by Mobil 1 will make four appearances at Attica in 2022. The traditional Core & Main Spring Nationals will be held Friday, April 8 ($6,000 to win) and Saturday, April 9 ($6,000 to win). The All Stars will visit twice in June – Friday, June 3 ($6,000 to win) and to kick off the Ohio Sprint Speedweek on Friday, June 10 ($6,000). Mid-Season Championship Night and Season Championship Night, Friday, May 27 and Friday, Sept. 9 respectively, will each pay the 410 sprints $4,000 to win, the UMP Late Models $2,000 to win and the 305 sprints $1,000 to win. The annual Fan Appreciation Night will be held Friday, July 1 with $10 adult general admission, $1 hot dogs, 50 cent popcorn and the open pit area prior to racing action for the fans to meet the drivers. National Tractor Pull ChampionshipsBowling Green In August, Bowling Green gets busy with an influx of two rather large groups of people. The first is a new class of freshmen at Bowling Green State University. The second? Tractor pullers and fans from all over the country. It can be a somewhat unsettling sight for an incoming student at BGSU to see the following message on a hotel sign: "Welcome BGSU freshman and national tractor pullers!" But if the message is confusing, it's also completely understandable. The group in town for the National Tractor Pull Championships is significantly larger. This will be the 55th year for the event — the championships returned to BG last summer after a COVID-induced hiatus in 2020 — and last year the event drew around 70,000 spectators. This year, the tractor pull championships will take place August 18-20. It also has a new name: "Reloaded." For more information, call (419) 354-1434 or 888-385-7855. Running Did you know that National Running Day is the first Wednesday in June? This year, that is June 1. If you want to celebrate by lacing up your running shoes, the Toledo Roadrunners Club is hosting its National Running Day 5K. Some other races in the 419 in the coming weeks: Saturday, May 28: Strawberry Festival 5K in Norwalk Sunday, June 5: Kelleys Island 10K/5K Saturday, June 18: Muddy Half Marathon (and quarter marathon and 5K) in Toledo The Fourth of July is always a big race day. This year's Independence Day schedule includes the WTOL River Run 10K in Toledo, the Boy With The Boot 5K in Sandusky and the Squirt Gun Star Spangled 5K in Port Clinton. Five days later, the River Fest 5K will be held in Huron. Mid-Ohio Sports Car CourseLexington In addition to the NASCAR Truck Series coming to Mid-Ohio, the road course will host four other races. Four of the five race weekends remain on the same weekends as last year. The 2022 Mid-Ohio schedule as the 330-acre complex gets ready for its 61st season: May 13-15 - IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship event June 24-26 - Vintage Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio (Sportscar Vintage Racing Association/ Trans Am) July 1-3 - The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio (NTT INDYCAR SERIES event) July 8-9 – NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event July 22-24 - AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days (AMA's annual motorcycling celebration) Mid-Ohio features a permanent road-racing circuit with two primary configurations: a 2.4-mile, 15-turn layout and a 2.25-mile 13-turn circuit. There is grandstand seating for 12,000 spectators and three observation mounds that can raise capacity to more than 75,000. The facility has motorhome/RV spaces and a campground available for tents. Tickets information for Mid-Ohio events can be found at midohio.com. College BaseballGreat Lakes Summer Collegiate League Three of the 13 teams in the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League call the 419 home. The Lima Locos are one of the league's most popular teams. The Locos, who play their home games at Simmons Field, have won three of the last six GLSCL championships. The Locos lost to the Hamilton Joes from suburban Cincinnati in last year's championship series. The Sandusky Bay Ice Haulers debuted last year and tied the Locos for first place in the North Division. The Ice Haulers play at Sports Force Parks. The Grand Lake Mariners are based in Celina. The Mariners have won three championships in their history, the last in 2006. The team plays its home games at Montgomery Field at East View Park. The 2022 season begins Tuesday, June 7. The GLSCL is fielding 13 teams in two divisions this year. The league's 38-game regular season ends July 24 and is followed by playoffs. The GLSCL, which is certified by the NCAA and partially funded by Major League Baseball, has operated since 1987 and provides opportunities for college baseball players from across the country. More than 100 players who honed their skills in the wood-bat league have gone on to play in the major leagues. Toledo Mud HensToledo Triple-A baseball has been a northwest Ohio staple for years. The Mud Hens return to Fifth Third Field in downtown Toledo for 71 regular-season games. The Mud Hens, who won a division title in 2021, play in the International League. Fifth Third Field, located at 406 Washington Street, is the anchor of Hensville and downtown Toledo's Warehouse District. The stadium, which seats about 9,000, opened in 2002 and has been named one of the top minor-league ballparks in the country. Fans might notice some differences in the game the year. Major League Baseball has implemented several new rules at the minor-league level in 2022 designed to boost the pace of play and reduce player injuries. The new rules include efforts to combat defensive shifts. Expanded pitch clocks will require batters to be ready and pitchers will be required to deliver within 14 seconds, with five seconds added with runners on base. Also new this year in the minor leagues: larger bases. They've been increased from 15 to 18 inches in diameter, a move designed to cut down on injuries. "Given the positive results of recent years, we are continuing to prioritize the kinds of experimental rules that many baseball fans routinely discuss and want to learn more about," Michael Hill, MLB's senior vice president for on-field operations told MLB.com. The Mud Hens offer many promotions, including Star Wars Night (May 28), Marvel's "Defending of the Diamond" Game (June 24) and a fireworks show after the game on July 3. Tournament Fishing The 419 features quality fishing, from Lake Erie to Grand Lake St. Marys. The highly competitive Lake Erie Walleye Trail is back for 2022. The trail's third event is scheduled for May 14 in Huron and spectators can attend the weigh-ins. There are six qualifying tournaments, the in April at Magee East near Oak Harbor, with the biggest walleye weighing in at 9.55 pounds. The LEWT Championship is scheduled for Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 in Cleveland. The 2022 Clemons Boats Great Lakes Largemouth Series will hold 20 tournaments this year. The 2022 Championship offers a $5,000 first place guarantee and includes thousands of dollars of sponsor products to be given away. This year's championship will be at Central Lake Erie, West Harbor ramp, Oct. 8-9 out of West Harbor. Twin Rivers Bassmasters launch from Danbury Twp. for three tournaments starting in late May. The black bass tourney series also is scheduled for July 10 in Port Clinton and late August at East Harbor State Park. Grand Lake St. Marys will be the site for multiple fishing tournaments this summer. For more tourneys statewide go to Fishtournaments.ohiodnr.gov. Charter Fishing More than 800 charter boat captains operate on Lake Erie. If you're interested in booking a trip to see what the "Walleye Capital of the World" has to offer, it's best to plan ahead. The spring is active with boats in the Western Basin staying busy till Memorial Day. Activity picks up again in late summer and fall, depending on location and water depth. Walleye usually bite throughout the season. Perch and smallmouth bass usually wait until August. Charters generally cost about $700 or more and normally operate with six passengers. Boat captains provide everything you need: ice, bait and fishing tackle. A quick internet search provides a wide range of options for anglers interested in charters.