2019-03-11

More Than OK: Pepsi to Sponsor Sportsman Modifieds at Devil’s Bowl Speedway

ATTACHED PHOTO: Rising star Connor Cleveland (#09) will aim for his first Devil's Bowl Speedway championship in the Pepsi Sportsman Modified division.  (Alan Ward photo)


More Than OK: Pepsi to Sponsor Sportsman Modifieds at Devil's Bowl Speedway

Pepsi inks two-year deal at Vermont track; Cleveland, Stratton among early entries

 

For Immediate Release                                                                                                                                                                                  DBS-030719-1

 

WEST HAVEN, Vt. – The old Pepsi commercials had that familiar tagline – "New look, same great taste," – and the slogan now rings true at Devil's Bowl Speedway.  Pepsi has entered into a new two-year agreement to be the title sponsor of the headline Sportsman Modified division at the historic Vermont dirt track and to be the "Official Soft Drink of Devil's Bowl Speedway" for 2019 and 2020.




Under their new name as the "Pepsi Sportsman Modifieds," the open-wheel, crate-engine stock cars are poised to continue their climb as the top weekly racing attraction in New England.  Devil's Bowl's 2018 season average of 27 cars per race was the largest car count of any weekly headline division at any dirt or paved track in the six-state New England region, and it appears that things are headed in the same direction for the coming summer.

The 2019 Pepsi Sportsman Modified division already has some big names signed up, with many more expected including rising star Connor Cleveland.  The 23-year-old from Corinth, N.Y. is a former King of Dirt Racing (KOD) Crate Modified Series and Airborne Park Speedway champion with many wins at the iconic Albany-Saratoga, Oswego, and Weedsport speedways.  Cleveland made three Devil's Bowl starts in 2018, with a top-five finish against the KOD tour and a top-10 in the Interstate All Battery Center Vermont 200.

Also geared up for the new year is Modified great Hector Stratton of Bennington, Vt., who has announced a full-time return to Devil's Bowl.  A veteran of 40 years of racing and showing no signs of slowing down, Stratton won 31 times at Devil's Bowl from 1984-98.  Other drivers appearing on the early entry list are perpetual title contender Tim LaDuc, 2018 Rookie of the Year Marty Kelly III, and veterans Brian Whittemore and Walt Hammond Jr.

Devil's Bowl Speedway opens the 2019 season on Sunday night, May 19.  The summer schedule is packed with major events for the Pepsi Sportsman Modifieds including the $12,000-to-win Vermont 200 on Labor Day weekend, September 1.  Also on the schedule are King of Dirt Series events on May 26 and August 11, special 100-lap races on July 3 and July 28, and extra-distance races of 50 laps or longer on June 9 and September 15.

Competitor registration forms and membership licenses are available at discount prices now through March 31, and season passes for both general admission grandstand seating and the pit area are also on sale.

Devil's Bowl Speedway is located on Route 22A in West Haven, Vt., four miles north of U.S. Route 4, Exit 2, and just 20 minutes from Rutland, Vt.  For more information, visitwww.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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Linc Brown is Ready to Dig His First Year of Dirt Track Racing

Linc Brown is Ready to Dig His First Year of Dirt Track Racing

By Jim Clarke, Clarke Motorsports Communications/First Draft Media




His stock car racing resume spans a career that began in 1992 and includes time with the Goodyear Challenge Cup, ALSTAR and the Grisdale Triple Crown. Multiple main event wins at Mosport Speedway and with the ACT weekly Late Model division at Kawartha Speedway, strong runs at the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park Oval and a season's best 4th place showing on the APC Pro Late Model schedule. His vocation includes laps on nearly every asphalt speedway in the province. Even with that much experience to draw from, when the 2019 season gets underway, Linc Brown will experience something brand new in his time behind the wheel.


After racing motocross in his teens, the 53-year-old father of 2 from Colborne, Ontario will return to his roots; adding a yellow 'rookie' stripe to the back bumper of his equipment, as he makes his dirt track stock car debut in the Canadian Modified division at Brighton Speedway. It'll also be the first time he's driven a racecar without a windshield, 4 fenders and with exposed front suspension components. Although he admits there will be a lot to learn, the veteran runner says he's looking forward to the challenges that lie ahead.


"We're starting with a clean slate. No matter what I've done before in my career, everything about this will be new," said the driver. "I've been around a dirt track a time or 2 to help some of my friends, but never raced on one. I won't just need to get familiar with a new car but also different vernacular – including learning the meaning of terms like cushion, berm, tacky and more – as well as some new competition. My notebook is empty and I can't wait to start filling its pages."


Linc Brown says one thing that remains unchanged about his 2019 racing return is the long-time relationship with sponsorship partner Tom Elliott at Kawartha Metals (www.kawarthametals.com). Branded as the 'Candy Store for Welders', the company has been associated with the #99 team's equipment for 20 years. Also returning this year is Mayhew Graphics (www.mayhewgraphics.com), who along with Andrew Gates from Gates Race Designs (www.gatesracedesigns.com) have done an amazing job at putting together the car's paint scheme and graphic layout.


New to the team this season will be Sine's Flooring (www.sinesflooring.ca).  With locations in Brighton and Cobourg, the motorsports supporter of both dirt and pavement racing is a welcome addition to the program this year. Brown says he's excited about having some familiar names helping to support his rookie calendar of dirt track racing.


"Larry Sine and I have been friends for a few years now and I'm happy to have his family's business associated with the team," said Linc Brown. "It should be a great season and I'm really looking forward to getting things underway. After doing so much travelling earlier in my career, it'll be nice to race somewhere that's about half an hour from my front door."


Brighton Speedway's 2019 season gets underway Saturday May 4th, with test and tune practice session dates scheduled for April 27th, 28th and May 1st. For complete schedule details, see www.brightonspeedway.com.


Photo attachment: Gates Race Designs


Colborne, Ontario's Linc Brown will take his #99 Canadian Modified machine into battle during the upcoming season at Brighton Speedway. It will be the veteran runner's first foray into dirt track racing.


Prepared by Jim Clarke, Clarke Motorsports Communications/First Draft Media


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