2017-04-11

Strongest Field In Years Set To Tackle Hickory’s Easter Bunny 150 This Weekend

Strongest Field In Years Set To Tackle Hickory's Easter Bunny 150 This Weekend

 

-       For Immediate Release

 

CHARLOTTE, NC (April 11) – The best short track racers from across North America will once again be descending on Hickory Motor Speedway this weekend as they seek to claim the checkered flag in the 12th Annual Easter Bunny 150.  Super Late Model racers have flocked to the legendary speedway nestled in the North Carolina Piedmont since 2006.  The "Bunny" has become an Easter weekend tradition for the Pro All Stars Series (PASS) Super Late Models and this year's race has added importance.  In addition to being part of the PASS National Championship Series, the Easter Bunny 150 will serve as a major tune up for November's Mason-Dixon MegaMeltdown 300, which will pay $15,000 to the winner.   Likewise, fans of short track racing recognize the Easter Bunny 150 as one of the sport's premier races, thanks in large part to the star-studded field of drivers the event attracts year after year.

            Names like Rowe, Lawler, Williams, Naase, Grissom, and Shaw have all visited victory lane in the Easter Bunny 150 at Hickory.  And, only former national champions, Ben Rowe and Preston Peltier, have achieved victory in racing's ultimate Easter egg hunt more than once.  But, even with the best the sport has to offer coming to duke it out against one another, it is a homegrown product of Hickory Motor Speedway that some have circled on their entry lists as an early favorite.

            Former PASS South Super Late Model champion, Tyler Church, is actually from Hickory, NC.  He started as a fan attending races at Hickory Motor Speedway and, after becoming a racecar driver, became a top contender in the track's Limited Late Model division.  Church became an immediate frontrunner with PASS, scoring an emotional win in the 2013 Over The Mountain 150 at Hickory.  A win made even more special in that it came in front of longtime fans, family, and friends that had supported his journey up the racing ladder.  And, by the fact, that his late mother is buried in the cemetery which overlooks the historic speedway.  Now, Church is hoping to get a rash of bad luck behind him with some home cooking this weekend.

            "The car has had speed, but the problem is when we go to these tracks we unload fast, but the longer we go through the weekend, the slower we get," says Church of his Church's Carpet #7 Chevrolet.  "I feel like Hickory owes us an Easter Bunny.  I think we've finished second twice and should have won one."

            Despite his success in PASS, that elusive win in the Easter Bunny haunts him.  It is a race Church believes can turn his season around and inject him back into the PASS South title hunt.

            "Hickory is home for one and I would say I've got more laps around that place than anybody we race with in PASS, so that helps," says Church.  "I've been successful there in PASS and in other divisions.  All the Hickory races are the ones I look forward to the most, but I want that Easter Bunny on the trophy.  That's the biggest thing.     "

Church will certainly have his work cut out for him though this weekend as one of the strongest groups of Super Late Models of the year will assemble at Hickory Motor Speedway.  Fellow PASS South points contenders Matt Craig, Tate Fogleman, Tanner Thorson, Spencer Davis, Dave Farrington, Jr., and Kodie Conner have all filed entries.  Former Hickory winners, Brandon Setzer, Chris Dilbeck, and Heath Hindman, will be joined by Derby winner, Christian Eckes and an entry for Kyle Busch Motorsports, all looking for their first wins in the Easter Bunny 150.  As is usual for the Easter Bunny 150, a strong contingent of Northern drivers will be making the trip down to Hickory including PASS National points leader, Ben Rowe, Derek Griffith, Mike Hopkins, Travis Stearns, Trevor Sanborn, and Joey Polewarcyzk.  Canada will be well represented by drivers from three provinces, Quebec's Raphael Lessard, British Columbia's Sarah Cornett-Ching, and Nova Scotia's Cole Butcher and Nicholas Naugle.  Veterans Jimmy Doyle, Lee Hansard, and Jody Measamer will all be making their first starts of the season. 

Entry forms and the complete weekend schedule for the 12th Annual Easter Bunny 150 at Hickory Motor Speedway can be found at ProAllStarsSeries.com.

Action gets under way on Friday at Hickory Motor Speedway with rotating practice from 2 – 5:10 PM for the PASS South Super Late Models, USAC Eastern Midgets, and Legends.  On Saturday, pit gates will open at 11 AM for the 12th Annual Easter Bunny 150, with rotating practice for all divisions from 1 – 3:40 PM.  Qualifying will begin at 4:30 PM, with the on track Pit Party at5:45 PM, and racing will start at 7 PM, featuring 150 laps for the PASS Super Late Models.

Fans can also purchase Pay-Per-View coverage of the Easter Bunny 150 for $19.99 from Speed51.com

The Pro All Stars Series is recognized as North America's premier sanctioning body for asphalt Super Late Models and boasts such marquee events as PASS South's Easter Bunny 150 and the MegaMeltdown 300 at the historic Hickory Motor Speedway and the legendary Oxford 250 at Oxford Plains Speedway.  For technical information concerning all PASS divisions please send questions to passracing@roadrunner.com.  For media or marketing questions, please contact Alan Dietz at 704-231-2039 or alandietzpass@live.com.  Please visit ProAllStarsSeries.com for more information.  And, don't forget to "Like" the Pro All Stars Series on Facebook or follow us on Twitter at @PASSSLM14 to keep up with breaking news as it happens.

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ACT Spring Green Returns to Open Devil’s Bowl Speedway’s 51st Season



ATTACHED PHOTO: Scott Payea, who won the ACT Spring Green in 2009, will be one of the drivers leading the charge to Devil's Bowl Speedway on Sunday, May 7. (T.J. Ingerson/vtmotormag.comphoto)

 

Regional Late Model stars headed to Rutland County for May 7 opener

 

For Immediate Release                                                                                                                                                                                 DBS-041117-1

 

WEST HAVEN, Vt. – Devil's Bowl Speedway is ready to roar for its 51st season of stock car racing, and the schedule opens with the return of one of the year's biggest and most important traditional events: The "Spring Green."  The sleek Late Model cars and the regional stars of the American-Canadian Tour (ACT) join the local favorites of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series for a pavement-pounding show on Sunday, May 7 at 1:30 p.m.

The Spring Green race has a storied and somewhat quirky history.  The event began at the former Catamount Stadium in Milton, Vt., in 1974, running 74 laps in distance.  After Catamount closed in 1987, the event bounced between three facilities including the 1/2-mile Asphalt Track at Devil's Bowl Speedway, which previously hosted the race four times.  The Spring Green returns to West Haven, Vt., in 2017 with a 117-lap distance.

The list of past Spring Green winners reads like an all-star lineup.  Brothers Beaver and Bobby Dragon, Dave Dion, Jean-Paul Cabana, Stub Fadden, and Robbie Crouch are former winners, along with Vermont NASCAR star Kevin Lepage and Canadian icon Junior Hanley.  Modern-era winners include Governor Phil Scott, second-generation star Brent Dragon, and former Devil's Bowl champs Todd Stone and Jean-Paul Cyr.  ACT greats Brian Hoar and Wayne Helliwell Jr. each won the Spring Green twice during its previous Devil's Bowl run in 2011-2014.

Devil's Bowl champion Josh Masterson of Bristol, Vt., will try to become the first local to win an ACT event on May 7.  Masterson is running the full ACT schedule in 2017 and is certain to be a contender at the Spring Green.  Drivers from all six New England states are expected to enter the event including former ACT race winners Scott Payea, Bobby Therrien, Jimmy Hebert, and Scott Dragon of Vermont, Connecticut's Dillon Moltz, and New Hampshire drivers Kyle Welch and Miles Chipman; several Devil's Bowl regulars are also expected to race.  For more information on the American-Canadian Tour including the full season schedule, visitwww.ACTTour.com.

Drivers from the weekly NASCAR Whelen All-American Series ranks will also kick off their season at the Spring Green on May 7.  Jason Durgan of Morrisonville, N.Y., will begin defense of his O'Reilly Auto Parts Sportsman Modified division championship and Jim McKiernan of Moriah, N.Y., will do the same in the Rosen & Berger Auto Recyclers Super Stocks.  The Portland Glass Mini Stock title race is wide open and has a large crop of rookie drivers.

General admission the Spring Green special event will be $20 for adults, $18 for seniors (62+), just $5 for teenagers (13-17), and free for kids age 12 and under.  Camping and parking are always free at Devil's Bowl Speedway.  Green flag racing action begins at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 7.

Devil's Bowl Speedway is located on Route 22A in West Haven, Vt., four miles north of U.S. Route 4, Exit 2.  For more information, visit www.DevilsBowlSpeedwayVT.com or call (802) 265-3112.  Devil's Bowl Speedway is on Facebook at facebook.com/DevilsBowlSpeedway and on Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat at @DevilsBowlSpeed; follow the action using the #DevilsBowl hashtag.

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Monster Energy All-Star Race Format Announced

A Silver Anniversary Gold Rush:

Monster Energy All-Star Race Format Announced

$1 Million At Stake as NASCAR, Charlotte Celebrate 25th Anniversary of 'One Hot Night'

 

2017 Monster Energy All-Star Race infographic - horizontal format

2017 Monster Energy All-Star Race infographic - vertical format

 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (April 11, 2017) – As the engines fired, the lightbulbs buzzed – a first for the annual non-points extravaganza. Never before had an all-star race been run under the lights. Dubbed "One Hot Night," the 1992 race signaled a new era, one that became tradition for the fan-favorite event.

 

And now, 25 years later, past meets present … as another new era begins with the first all-star race under the Monster Energy banner.

 

NASCAR and Charlotte Motor Speedway today announced the format for the 2017 Monster Energy All-Star Race, one that rewards winning, and incorporates a fascinating strategy component.

 

The race format is as follows:

 

-       The race will feature four stages (20 laps / 20 laps / 20 laps / 10 laps), totaling 70 laps, an ode to the 1992 edition of the same distance.

 

-       The goal for all competitors: Earn a spot in the final 10-lap, 10-car stage.

 

-       The winner of each of the first three stages will lock up a spot in the final stage, as long as they remain on the lead lap after the third stage.

 

-       The cars with the best average finish in the first three stages will make up the remaining spots needed to fill the 10-car final stage.

 

-       The remaining 10 cars will be lined up by average finish of the first three stages and given the option to pit. Exit off pit road determines starting order for final stage.

 

-       The winner will be awarded $1,000,000.

 

Crew chief strategy has been at a premium throughout this season, and that won't change in the all-star race thanks to a unique opportunity granted each team: a coveted set of softer tires. Each team will have one set of these tires available to use at their discretion. A softer tire provides the car with more grip and, thus, speed. In other words, it's a game-changer. But there's a catch: Teams that choose to put on their softer tires to start the final stage must start behind those that choose regular tires.

 

"The Monster Energy All-Star Race is designed to be fun for fans, showcasing the best drivers and race teams in NASCAR," said Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer. "With the effort that Goodyear has put into this race with multiple tire compounds, I am excited to see how the stages play out, especially the final 10-car, 10-lap sprint to the checkered flag."

 

"The Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race is etched in the history of our sport for the most memorable moments, trend-setting innovation and big-money payouts," said Marcus Smith, president and general manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway. "This new 70-lap format pays tribute to the 25th anniversary of 'One Hot Night' while pushing the drivers to the brink of insanity with the chances they'll take to win $1 million.  I'm as ready as our fans for a May 20 Saturday night shootout where only a daredevil behind the wheel truly has a shot at Victory Lane."

 

Qualifying for the main event, which returns to Friday night, will again include the wildly popular 'no speed limit' four-tire pit stop. Each team will have three timed laps, one of which will include a mandatory four-tire pit stop with no pit-road speed limits enforced. The five quickest teams will advance to the final round of qualifying to determine starting positions one through five. The team that completes the fastest stop will earn the Pit Crew Competition Award.

 

The Monster Energy Open will occur Saturday evening prior to the Monster Energy All-Star Race and will include three stages (20 laps / 20 Laps / 10 laps). The winner of each stage will earn a spot in the all-star race. The Monster Energy Open field will be set by two rounds of traditional knock-out qualifying.

 

Those eligible for the Monster Energy All-Star Race include: drivers who won a points event in either 2016 or 2017; drivers who won a Monster Energy All-Star Race and compete full-time; and drivers who won a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship and compete fulltime. Those who have not already earned a spot via the above criteria can still lock-in by winning a stage in the Monster Energy Open or by winning the Fan Vote.

 

Drivers who have already clinched an all-star spot: Chris Buescher, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Matt Kenseth, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, Jamie McMurray, Ryan Newman and Martin Truex Jr.

 

Weekend passes for the Monster Energy All-Star Race start at just $79 and include admission to the May 19 N.C. Education Lottery 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, May 20 Justin Moore All-Star pre-race concert presented by Rayovac and Kwikset and the Monster Energy Open.  Individual adult tickets for theMay 20 Monster Energy All-Star Race start at just $39 and tickets for children 13 and under are just $10. To obtain tickets, camping or race-day upgrades, fans should call 1-800-455-FANS (3267) or shop online at www.CharlotteMotorSpeedway.com.

 

The Monster Energy All-Star Race and Monster Energy Open will air live on FS1 starting at 6 p.m. ET. The races can also be heard on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

 

About NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States. NASCAR consists of three national series (Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR XFINITY Series™, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series™), three regional series, one local grassroots series and three international series. The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. Based in Daytona Beach, Fla., with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. For more information visit http://www.NASCAR.com and http://www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on FacebookTwitterInstagram, and Snapchat ('NASCAR').

 

About Charlotte Motor Speedway

For more than 50 years, Charlotte Motor Speedway has set the standard for motorsports entertainment for fans of all ages. Charlotte Motor Speedway is the only race vacation destination where fans can immerse themselves in the heart of NASCAR country. Visitors can attend one-of-a-kind race spectacles such as the Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race, the Coca-Cola 600 and the Bank of America 500; take behind-the-scenes speedway and race shop tours; explore the NASCAR Hall of Fame; and drive an 800-horsepower stock car. Through every event and every decade, Charlotte Motor Speedway puts FANS FIRST with a never-ending commitment to enhance the fan experience. That tradition continues with unmatched value through affordable season tickets, unparalleled prerace entertainment and more opportunities for fans to see their favorite drivers. For all the latest news and information from The Greatest Place to See the Race, visitwww.charlottemotorspeedway.com, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, or download the Charlotte Motor Speedway mobile app.

Contact:

Josh Hamilton

NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications


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New Sportsman Modified Sponsor Adds Purse Money

New Sportsman Modified Sponsor Adds Purse Money

PLATTSBURGH- Airborne Park Speedway is excited to announce that Fidelis Care will be the title sponsor of the Sportsman Modified division.

Fidelis returns as a sponsor at Airborne, only this season they will be a divisional sponsor. Last season, Fidelis was the presenting sponsor of the season point standings.

After reaching an agreement, money from the title sponsorship will be put into the Sportsman Modified purse, which will see improvements for drivers in the middle of the pack.

"Now that we've finalized the deal we are able to guarantee a minimum of $100 for finishing positions six through fifteen," said Airborne Promoter, John Walker. "I've always felt strongly about taking care of the middle guys and not just the top."

The last two seasons the Sportsman Modifieds were the headline division, but with the dirt surface, the 358-Modifieds return to Airborne as the headline division. The Fidelis Care Sportsman Modifieds move to second in divisional alignment.

"This division carried Airborne over the past couple years, so I want to take care of these guys as best we can," Walker added.

Opening day is set for May 6 with post time scheduled for 7 P.M. Practice sessions are scheduled for April 22 and April 29. To stay up to date and for more information, visit airborneparkspeedway.com or Facebook at Airborne Park Speedway.


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SPEEDWAY 51 TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR OWN EXCITEMENT BUILDING FOR SEASON OPENER

SPEEDWAY 51 TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR OWN

EXCITEMENT BUILDING FOR SEASON OPENER

 

            It's hard to believe that after such a long winter that the season opening events at Speedway 51 in Groveton, New Hampshire are less than one month away. After a highly successful winter season that saw the inaugural Winter Blast 100 snow race play before a full house in January, and the Vintage Snowmobile Racing Series wrapping up in March, it's time to move back to racecars on Saturday, May 6th.

 

            The management at Speedway 51 has a whole new philosophy for the upcoming racing season, as they will concentrate more on taking care of the local racers and fans than bringing in outside touring groups. Track owner, Joey Laquerre stated "We tried something different last year at Speedway 51. We brought in a lot of outside touring series to entertain our fans. These events were pricey for the Track and we had to charge more to get in. Our racefans can't afford the higher admission prices on a semi-regular basis and many stayed home on Saturday nights. We have cut way back on them in 2017. We will be bringing back the Wicked Good Vintage racers out of Maine. They put on a whale of a show last year and fans encouraged us to bring them back. Also the NEMA Lite Midgets will be back, the Near Antique racers and best of all, the Valenti Modified Racing Series will be back on Saturday, June 17th. Our new goal is to give our fans the best show available at fan friendly prices."

 

            2017 will see a five race series for the North Country Ford Late Models. This high paying series will feature five races, basically once a month, for the Late Models. With a minimum of twenty cars, the 75 lap events will pay $1,500 to win while the 100 lap races will pay $2,000 to win. All events will offer a healthy purse from top to bottom. Once again in 2017 the Tiger Sportsman will receive free racing tires. This was extremely popular in 2016 and the Track is hoping to keep the momentum going this season. The Caron Fabrication, Towing and Repair Street Stocks have an influx of new local competitors this year and teams will look to unseat last year's champion Bunker Hodgdon. The AB Logging Daredevil Youth Racers appear to be stronger in numbers as the youth movement is really catching on. The kids will not be racing for points this season taking a lot of pressure off the youngsters. The Twisted Tea Pure Stocks will be returning in 2017 as these six cylinder beasts look to be even stronger.

 

            Speedway 51 will see the return of two divisions that have been away from the Track for a few years. First the Angels will be returning. This ladies class use to be a lot of fun, and now their rules are the same as the White Mountains Community College Cyclone division that is also returning in 2017. That means these two groups can share the same cars on the same night. Another exciting Series will return to Speedway 51 and that is the Go-Karts. 2016 saw a huge group of young Go-Karters compete regularly and it is going to be even stronger in 2017.

 

            Right now our pre-season car show series is taking place at many venues throughout the Northeast. Below is the car show schedule:

 

Saturday, April 15th - O'Reilly's Auto Parts, Gorham, NH, 10am-1pm

Saturday, April 22nd – Sanel Auto Parts, Newport, VT, 10am-1pm

Saturday, April 29th – Inside of the Green Mountain Mall, St. Johnsbury, VT, 9am-4pm

Saturday, May 6th – Downtown Groveton, Car Show & Parade, 10am-1pm

 

All Speedway 51 racers, and Go-Karters that would like to attend are encouraged to contact Dick Therrien at 802-274-8823, or e-mail him at dprdick@gmail.com. This event is open to all Speedway 51 divisions, plus Speedway 51 Go-Kart racers. For more information on this event and others please visit our website at www.speedway51int.com, or call the Track hotline at 802-479-2074. Speedway 51 is located on Craggy Road in Groveton, New Hampshire.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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SPEEDWAY 51 CAR SHOW SERIES HEADS TO GORHAM, NH THIS SATURDAY

SPEEDWAY 51 CAR SHOW SERIES

HEADS TO GORHAM, NH THIS SATURDAY

 

            Mother Nature put a slow halt to the opening Speedway 51 Car Show last Saturday at O'Reilly's Auto Parts in Littleton, New Hampshire, as steady snow and snow showers forced show officials to pull the plug on the event. They will try again this Saturday, April 15th at O'Reilly's Auto Parts, Main Street in Gorham, New Hampshire.           

 

            The show will be held from 10am to 1pm in the O'Reilly Auto Parts parking lot. There will be door prizes and chances to win free tickets to opening night at Speedway 51 on Saturday, May 6th.

 

            All Speedway 51 racers, and Go-Karters that would like to attend are encouraged to contact Dick Therrien at 802-274-8823, or e-mail him at dprdick@gmail.com. This event is open to all Speedway 51 divisions, plus Speedway 51 Go-Kart racers. All race teams are asked to have their racecars at O'Reilly Auto Parts by 9:45am.

 

            For more information on this event and others please visit our website at www.speedway51int.com, or call the Track hotline at 802-479-2074. Speedway 51 is located on Craggy Road in Groveton, New Hampshire.


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Rotax Max Challenge kicks off X2 Link



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Rotax Max Challenge Germany first to kick off X2 Link


Dear customer,

A new milestone in the world of sports timing last weekend in Wackersdorf (Germany): The Rotax Max Challenge was the first race event in history to use X2 Link, the new MYLAPS concept for live wireless 2-way communication between timer, race control and vehicles on the track.

 

The participants of this kart series were the first racers in the world to use X2 Link and benefit from live results on their displays while racing. During qualifications and races the drivers were able to receive the following results:
  • Official lap times (based on transponder passings)
  • Position    
  • Gap to racer in front
  • Gap to racer behind
  • Diff to P1
  • # of laps completed/to go    
X2 Tracking for more track safety
The Rotax Max Challenge used the X2 Tracking functionality in the Junior Class to optimize track safety and improve race control. This service provides the GPS positions of all vehicles (equipped with the RaceLink antenna) in a desktop application for timers and race control. Race control was able to watch and replay positions of the vehicles on the track and find unrelated transponders on the track.

X2 Link is an add-on to the existing X2 timing and data system. With X2 Link MYLAPS fully empowers the goal to enhance track safety and to increase race experience for racers, pit crew and spectators. The benefits of X2 Link will be available for all racing levels.


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