Next week the East Bay Winter Nationals will begin its 42nd year of kicking off the dirt racing season in Gibsonton, FL. 

The event has grown over the decades and now encompasses an entire month with four different divisional theme weeks. This year's edition will open with the modifieds and end with the winged sprints.

Current promoter Al Varnadore sat down with FloRacing to give us some insight on what it takes to produce this historical event on a yearly basis. 

Watch the 2018 East Bay Winter Nationals LIVE on FloRacing

FloRacing: How many Winter Nationals have you been a part of?

Al Varnadore: This will be my 16th Winter Nationals. Originally, we did three weeks. We added crates around seven or eight years ago, and we've had pretty good luck with them.

What would you say are the biggest events of Winter Nationals?

Outside the Super Late Models, the 360s are our biggest, but the modifieds have gained a lot of ground and it's gotten pretty equal.

People know you're big on strawberries, can you explain that a little?

It's one of the biggest local crops here and the strawberry capital of the world is a short drive from here. They always brought over a plate of strawberries and it started to become a tradition for the track over the years. The northerners come down and it's something they can't get at home this early.

What is the biggest change you've seen over the past 16 years of the Winter Nationals?

The biggest change in the past 16 years has been economic. It's changed the format of the racing, car counts, and we've seen so many more tracks pop up with winter races. Back in the day, us and a couple others were the only people running. The price of fuel has changed racing a lot, as well.

What changes have you seen in the competition?

The competition has absolutely been raised even as the car counts have gone down slightly. The cars here are closer than they have ever been. I think we only had one repeat winner the entire Winter Nationals last season. It says a lot that you can race that many shows and only see one or two repeats. The changing track, as the week goes on, keeps everyone guessing.

What's the best reason to get to East Bay or log in to FloRacing to watch the Winter Nationals?

The best of the best will be here and they come from all over the country and Canada. There aren't many places where you can see something like that happen. You'll also see some of the best racing we'll see all year right here at East Bay.