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$2,000 ON THE LINE SATURDAY AT MERCER FOR MODS IN BILL EMIG MEMORIAL; INCREASED MONEY FOR SPRINTS, STOCKS, MOD LITES, & MINIS
By Mike Leone
August 22, 2007 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Mercer, PA.Mercer Raceway Park will host the annual Bill Emig Memorial this Saturday night, August 25 presented by M&M Insurance Group. On the card will be the American Racer/Lias Tire Modifieds, Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Cars, Tire Express Stock Cars, Big Daddy's Speed Center Mod Lites, and the M&D Paving Mini Stocks. Racing will begin at 7 p.m.
The Modifieds will be competing in their second of four major events of the season. The Bill Emig Memorial will be a 30-lap feature paying a whopping $2,000 to-win. All of the top drivers will be competing in this prestigious event, which won by Brad Rapp last season and Mike Stine in 2005. The Bill Emig Memorial started at Lernerville Speedway for the Six-Cylinder Modified division before being moved to Hickory Speedway and eventually to Mercer when it reopened. With the demise of the six-cylinders, it changed to the Big-Block Modifieds before switching to the 358s in 2005.
"I always look forward to the running of my father's memorial race," stated ninth year owner Vicki Emig. "The Modified division is so competitive right now. We've had eight different winners and there are a handful of others that are up front every week that still haven't been able to win a race including last year's big winners Frank Guidace, Brad Rapp, and Mike Stine. M&M Insurance Group has stepped up their involvement at the Park with their first ever event sponsorship and will have a large contingent coming to enjoy their night."
Garrett Krummert continues to lead the Modified points. The New Castle, Pa. driver would love to win his career first race Saturday and move closer to his first ever championship. Krummert currently leads three-time winner Rodney Beltz and defending champion Frank Guidace by 26 points.
The Sprint Cars will race 25 laps for $1,500 to-win, $150 to-start in a pill draw format. Arnie Kent has picked up his program of recent with two victories in the past three weeks giving him three Sprint Car wins for the season. The August 4 win saw Kent put on one of his most dominating performances ever winning by more than nine seconds and then last Saturday, Kent started 11th passing point leader Rod George early on and then holding him off through lapped traffic for a thrilling win in the non-stop event. George of Kittanning, Pa. leads Kent by 75 points and simply needs to just show up in the final two events to claim his second title in three seasons.
The Stock Cars will run 20 laps in a pill draw format for another $500 to-win event. Brian Booher simply needs to show up Saturday and will clinch his unprecedented third straight championship. Last Saturday, the Sandy Lake, Pa. driver became the all-time winningest Stock Car racer in the history of Mercer Raceway Park with his 31st career victory. The 11-time winner this season leads three-time winner Andy Buckley by 82 points.
The Mod Lites will compete in a 15-lap pill draw format feature with $300 on the line. After going five straight events with new winners, Rod Jones has made it two-in-a-row and recaptured the point lead. The former Micro Sprint and Sprint Car winner has eight victories this season and 10 overall in his career at Mercer. Jones leads good friend Mark Marcucci by just 10 points.
After getting caught up in an accident last Saturday night, Mike Anderson (Jr.) has seen his Mini Stock point lead shrink to just nine over good friend and fellow teenager Pete Wearing and 14 over seven-time winner Lucas Sprouse. Last Saturday night, Dillon Barr became the youngest winner in track history with his first career win at the age of 14.
Pit gates open at 3:30 p.m. with grandstands at 4:30. Hot laps begin at approximately 6:15 with the first official green flag at 7 p.m. Adult admission is $13. Students 6-15 are $7. Children five and under are free. The Family Pass is $33. Pit passes are $30.
As a reminder, there will be no racing over Labor Day Weekend. The final five-division program will take place on Saturday, September 8 with the running of 19th annual "Western PA Sprint Championship" presented by Armstrong. Points will end in all divisions except the Modifieds, which have to run their July 4 make-up feature on September 28.
Mercer Raceway Park held its first auto race on July 26, 1951 and is located minutes from both Interstate 79 and 80 just off Route 19 on Fairground Road in Mercer, Pa. Dirt track racing and quality family entertainment are presented weekly late March through September. The office in New Bedford, Pa. is open year-round Monday through Friday late mornings and after 1:30 p.m. For more information call the office at 724-964-9300 or the track on race day at 724-662-1310. Check out our website at www.mercerracewaypa rk.com for the latest. |
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