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VERNON , NY- For the third consecutive season, Utica-Rome Speedway will play a large role in championship picture on the Race of Champions Dirt Modified Tour. History has shown that if you win a RoC event at Utica-Rome Speedway you will do well in overall Race of Champions standings.
In 2005, Bobby Varin won both legs of the RoC at the Vernon oval and went on to share the title with another UR regular, Mitch Gibbs. Last season, Alan Johnson won the “Remembering Alex Friesen” in the RoC spring stop and then went on to win the overall Race of Champion Dirt Modified title. AJ Romano won the second leg of the RoC tour at the Vernon oval last season and finished 10th in the North region standings despite only running the series part time.
This season the RoC Dirt Modified will again makes two stops at the Utica-Rome Speedway with the first coming on its traditional Mothers Day date on May 13 when North Norwich Motor Sales presents the Big Block/Small Block 75 lap battle with $4,000 going to the victor. The Sportsman, Pro Stocks, Pure Stocks, and IMCA Modifieds will compete in regular events that evening. On Wednesday July 25 on a night dubbed “I-RoC-and-Roll Night”, the RoC will return in a special tribute to Lou Lazzaro, the first winner is Utica-Rome’s New Yorker event. The Big Block and Small Block Modifieds will again compete in a 75 lap affair with $4,000 going to the winner. The first Utica-Rome legal 358-Modified will be awarded the pole for the New Yorker 200, to be held on September 15. The New Yorker 200 will pay $10,000 to the winner with $1,000 being to start the event.
Last season, Steve Way won the opening leg of the RoC Sportsman North Series event at Utica-Rome and then found himself chasing the RoC Sportsman crown. Way won the North region and fell just shy of the overall title, falling 17 points short of champion Danny Creeden’s total. This season at Utica-Rome Speedway, the RoC Sportsman North Series will have three dates at the Vernon half mile. The first is on Sunday May 20th then as part of the “I-RoC-and-Roll Night” on Wednesday July 25, the Sportsman will join the Modifieds to make it a Race of Champions only evening. The victor on that evening will garner a guaranteed starting spot in the Sportsman portion of the New Yorker weekend on September 14. The New Yorker Sportsman race will be the final of the three RoC Sportsman stops at Utica-Rome Speedway.
Will history repeat itself and have the winner of Utica-Rome Speedway’s Race of Champions events go on and compete for the title?
Utica-Rome Speedway kicks off its 46th season on April 22 with a special 46 lap 358-Modified $2,500 to win event plus Sportsman, Pro Stocks, Pure Stocks, and IMCA Modifieds. Points will begin for all divisions. Mirabito “The Energy Leader” will present the evening’s activities that will begin at 4 p.m. Gates will open at 1 p.m.
For more information such as a full schedule of events, Test and Tune Schedule, or information on the Romano Driving School please log on to www.uticaromespeedway.com or call the speedway office at (315) 829-4557 or 725-5709.
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