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$50,000 TO WIN NATIONAL OPEN AT WILLIAMS GROVE
MECHANICSBURG, PA -- The tradition-rich National Open for sprint
cars sponsored by Cleveland Brothers and sanctioned by the World of
Outlaws is scheduled for Friday, September 28, and Saturday, September
29, at Williams Grove Speedway.
The 34th annual running of this fall classic will pay $50,000 to
the winner of the 40-lap main event on September 29.
Lancaster's Doug Esh, a regular competitor at Williams Grove
throughout the season, is the defending champion.
The list of winners for the National Open contains the names of
some of the all-time greats of sprint car racing on both the local and
national levels.
Gordon Johncock traveled from Hastings, Michigan, to win the first
National Open back in 1963. He would go on to score two victories in
the Indianapolis 500.
Steve Kinser, generally recognized as the greatest sprint car
driver of all time, is the only four-time winner, and will be one of the
favorites again this year.
Hall of Fame inductees Steve Smith, Doug Wolfgang and the late
Kenny Weld, with five-time track champion Lance Dewease are three-time
winners.
The only other three-time winner is Fargo, North Dakota's Donny
Schatz, who is in the midst of the best season of his career. Schatz,
who has already won the King's Royal at Eldora, Lernerville's Silver Cup
and the Knoxville Nationals, will enter the National Open as a heavy
favorite, having won four of the five races he has entered at Williams
Grove this season including a $20,000 victory in the Summer Nationals.
The National Open has always been a difficult race to win. Some of
the most successful drivers to race sprint cars in Pennsylvania during
the past 45 years including Hall of Famers Jan Opperman, Mitch Smith and
Keith Kauffman were never able to win this race. The Grove's career win
leader and seven-time track champion, Fred Rahmer, is still seeking his
first National Open victory.
Reserved seats for both nights of the National Open weekend are
still available at the speedway office. Credit card orders are accepted
during business hours at 717.697.5000.
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