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VERNON , NY- Now entering its 46th year, the Utica-Rome Speedway is preparing to swing open the gates on what promises to be a memorable 2007 season.
On Sunday April 22, Mirabito “The Energy Leader” will present season opener that will see the headline division, the 358-Modifieds, will compete in a 46 lap affair with a $2,500 top prize going to the winner. Also on the card are the Sportsman, Pro Stocks, Pure Stocks, and IMCA Modifieds. The chase for the track championship will begin in all divisions.
Willy Decker will be going for the hat trick this season as he attempts to win his third consecutive 358-Modified track championship but he will have some stout competition in his way. Bobby Varin, Ted Lamb, Todd Burley, Paul Kinney, Mitch Gibbs, AJ Romano, Stewart Friesen, and Gus Schmidt are just some of the track regulars that will be vying for the $8,000 championship. Two new regulars that should prove to be contender for the track title are Pat Ward and Alan Johnson. Both are proven winners across the Northeast and are sure to compete for the win every week as well as the lucrative title.
Last season, Mike Button overcame huge odds near the end of the season to take his first Utica-Rome Speedway Sportsman championship. To repeat, Button will have to fend of Jeremy Vunk, Brad Alger, Paul Carey, Steve Way, Matt Janczuk, Tim Nye, Casey Williams, Alan Barker, and Danny Varin just to name a few.
The question over the off season has been will Jerry Holmes be back to defend his Pro Stock title, and if he is he has to be the favorite to be taking home the championship check in November. Former champions Bret Belden and Tom Denton plus Jim Normoyle, Chris Mackey, Dave Moyer, Bill Knapp, Ed Ostrander, Mark Effner, and others won’t make it easy however.
In the Pure Stock division, Russ Marsden has seemingly had his way with the rest of the division. Has the rest of the class caught up with Marsden? Chris Cunningham almost proved being consistent every week is the ticket to the championship as he provided a late season scare for Marsden in 2006 until a surge of wins propelled Marsden to the title. Besides Cunningham, other drivers like Ron Hawker, Curt Prevo, Glenn Forward, Jim Thomas, and Tim Janczuk looking to catch up to Marsden.
Jim Roberts took home top honors in the IMCA Modified division in 2006 but to repeat in 2007, he will have to hold off title hopefuls such as Aaron Jacobs, Kevin Buff, Mark Chzranowski, Ken Rogers, Mike Smith, Dale Caswell, Bill Anderson, and Pete Anderson.
Gates will open this Sunday at 1 p.m. with racing slated to begin at 4 p.m.
For more information on “The Action Track of the East”, log on to www.uticaromespeedway.com or call the speedway office at (315) 829-4557.
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