|
MOD LITES FEATURED IN 2 COMPLETE SHOWS AT MERCER'S LITTLE GUY NATIONALS SEPT 28 & 29 FOR 1ST TIME; RICHEST EVENT EVER
By Mike Leone
September 25, 2007
Mercer, PA.The region's richest support-division- only event returns for the eighth consecutive year on Friday and Saturday, September 28 and 29. While the Mod Lites have been part of the Little Guy Nationals for the past five years, it will be the first time ever that they will be part of both days with a $500 to-win STAR's Championship Tour event on Friday night and a $1,000 to-win event on Saturday. The event marks the richest event for Mod Lites in the history of Mercer Raceway Park.
The Big Daddy's Speed Center Mod Lites have been part of the weekly racing "Saturday Night Live" card during the 2007. Rod Jones of West Middlesex, Pa. is the inaugural champion and led the way with eight victories; however, it has been a competitive year with Mark Marcucci, Todd Canter, Kenny Meadows, Brian Woodhall, Matt Hay, Garrett Krummert, Eric Hay, and Sparky White all scoring at least one victory. Some 60 different drivers competed throughout the season.
"We were very pleased with the Mod Lite class this season," stated ninth year owner Vicki Emig. "They have always supported us in the past and we enjoyed having them this season weekly. STAR's Director Bill Bauer has been a great asset to us and we got together with him about six months ago and came up with our plan to have the Mod Lites both days of the Little Guy Nationals. He went above and beyond and came up with $1,500 of sponsorship that is going entirely into the purse on Saturday."
Friday's program will feature a complete show with heat races, last chance B mains followed by a 20-lap feature paying $500 to-win, $50 to-start. The event will be race # 5 of Bauer's STAR's Championship Tour Series. Drivers will draw pills for the heat races and redraw for the first 12 starting spots of the feature. The remainder of the cars will be straight up on heat or B main finish.
Though Saturday's program will not be part of the STAR's Tour, an exact format and tech rules will be used with the exception of a 25-lap feature with $1,000 going to the winner and $100 just to start the main. Mercer Raceway Park extends a big thanks to Mike Spinneweber of M.L.G. Land Development and Al White of Northeast Modified Lites of Laurel, Delaware, who both added $500 of sponsorship into Saturday's purse.
An unexpected surprise occurred last Thursday when Bauer received a message from Rose Weber Memorial promoter Bruce Mason stating, "Congratulations on a fantastic event scheduled for Friday and Saturday at the Little Guys Nationals. The purse is great and it looks like you have a very good relationship brewing with Mercer Raceway Park. I believe that is the most important aspect of running a large, well-respected program, like the one you have. I would like to offer you $500 to use as you see fit. Add it too the purse, contingencies, expenses, or what ever you want."
With Bruce & Marg Mason's support, it has been agreed to a hold a 10-lap non-qualifier' s race for a $150 to-win, $75 to start. Bauer and Mercer officials agreed that the non-qualifying race would give the opportunity of redemption to visit Mercer Raceway Park's victory lane along with receiving a trophy from the STAR's Tour. The top 24 drivers who did not qualify for both Friday's "STAR's Coen Remodeling 500" and Saturday's "Little Guy Nationals" will be eligible to compete. Again, drivers need to compete in both Friday & Saturday night's events and not qualify for both nights to be eligible.
Various other contingencies have been posted. Track photographers Paul and Debbie Oyler will award $75 to the highest combined overall sportsman-legal finisher from Friday and Saturday, while Five Star Racing Products will award a gift certificate to the highest finishing sportsman Friday and Saturday. The Eliminator Spec Motor Award will see the highest finishing spec motor receiving a $50 bonus on Friday. The Eliminator Challenge will award $50 to a driver that leads every lap or takes the lead on the final lap on Friday. There will also be the Knepper ATV Hoosier Tire Performance Award and the Wedge Motor Sports B Main Award on both Friday and Saturday.
Past winners of the Little Guy Nationals include Tracy Fritter (2002 & 2003), Eric McKinney (2004), and Steve White (2005 & 2006). The average car count has been 42 cars. Will a local win for the first time? Will a STAR's regular lay claim to the top prize or will another out of state racer invade and take the top billing back home with them?
Admission on Friday is adults $13, students 6-15 $7, children five and under free, the family pass $33, and pit passes $30. Pits will open at 3 p.m. and grandstands at 4:30 with hot laps at approximately 6:15 on Friday night and racing starting at 7 p.m. Other classes in competition, which will begin the night, include the July 4 T3 All-Star Modified make-up feature along with complete shows for the Tire Express Stock Cars, Micro Sprints, and the M&D Paving Mini Stocks.
Admission on Saturday is adults $15, students 6-15 $7, children five and under free, the family pass $35, and pit passes are $30. On Saturday, pits will open at 11 a.m. and the grandstands at 1:30 p.m. with hot laps at approximately 3 and racing at 4 p.m. Other classes in competition include the T3 All-Star Modified Series, Tire Express Stock Cars, and a Demo Derby.
The rain date is Sunday with two-hour earlier starting times. The entire event rain date is the following weekend Friday-Sunday, October 5-7.
There is a $50 entry fee for either day or $75 for two days for the Mod Lite division.
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.
|
|
