Bangor’s Gary Smith has been a busy man lining up North East Pro Stock Association stock car races since the season concluded last fall.

And the NEPSA president’s efforts are being rewarded.

The NEPSA circuit, which featured only eight races a year ago – one at a Maine track – has expanded to 10 races with an option on an 11th race in its fourth season.

Five of the 10 races will be at Maine tracks and the optional race is also scheduled at a Maine track, Unity Raceway. Unity will pick up the second race if the first one does well, according to track owner Ralph Nason.

The NEPSA opener will be held Saturday at Wiscasset Raceway, site of three scheduled NEPSA events. In addition to Wiscasset and Unity, there is also another race scheduled at Hermon’s Speedway 95, the lone Maine track to hold a NEPSA race a year ago.

“That’s good. We need the Maine tracks,” said Woolwich’s Kenny Wright, the defending NEPSA points champ.

Smith is pleased with the schedule but would like to add more races this season.

“Having 14 races would be the ultimate,” said Smith, who praised the track owners for their willingness to host the tour.

Smith said the tour is attractive “because we put on a good show, our cost is reasonable and the tracks can make money. It’s good racing.”

There will be two races at Autodrome Montmangny, Quebec; two more at Autodrome Chicoutimi, Quebec, and one at White Mountain Motorsports Park (N.H.).

Each NEPSA race requires a fee of $20,000-$23,000 from the track to cover the purse and sanctioning fee, according to Smith.

However, he said the tracks can make money with pit admissions, grandstand admissions and concession revenues.

Smith said NEPSA offers longer races than the usual weekly features at the tracks, ranging from 100 green flag laps to 200 laps with the yellows being factored in; pit stops and some of the best drivers in the region.

This season, there will be three Oxford 250 winners among the regulars or semi-regulars in Turner’s Mike Rowe, Scarborough’s Larry Gelinas and Unity’s Nason. Nason said he isn’t sure how many races he’ll enter due to work commitments.

Smith said there’s a good mix of veteran drivers along with promising youngsters on their way up the ladder.

“Positive things are happening in NEPSA. Things are coming along,” said Nason, the points champion in each of the first two seasons. “Gary has done an extremely good job. The biggest thing we need now is to find somebody to sponsor the circuit.”

There are currently 23 registered NEPSA members and Smith said he would eventually like to have 35 members.

Wright, the only multiple winner on the tour a year ago with two, said he would “love to repeat” his points title.

`That’s our goal,” said the 34-year-old Wright who will be driving the Chevy Monte Carlo driven by runnerup Buzzie Bezanson a year ago. Bezanson won’t race this year.

Wright said he “really enjoys” his new car and said there is a long list of top-flight challengers including Rowe, Andy Shaw of Gorham, N.H., Smith, Morrill’s Travis Benjamin and Nason if Nason races regularly.