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By Mike Leone
October 25, 2007 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Mercer, PA.For the first time since Ralph Quarterson drove to the 1974 championship, full-bodied Late Models will return to the weekly line-up at Mercer Raceway Park! FASTRAK will sanction the Late Models as they will join the Sprint Cars, Modifieds, Mod Lites, and Mini Stocks. With the track's 57th anniversary season coming in 2008, it will be just the second time Late Models have appeared as a weekly division.
"We're thrilled to have Late Models on a weekly basis at Mercer," expressed Vicki Emig, who will begin her 10th season as ownership of the 3/8-mile clay oval. "Fans have always enjoyed our Late Model shows, and they're really going to add to our weekly program giving fans a real bang for their buck. We'll now have three of the premier classes of race cars with the 410 Sprint Cars, Modifieds, and Late Models. With Mike Leone and myself directors of the FASTRAK Northeast Region, it's only fitting that they will have presence at Mercer. The response since we started letting people know our intentions this summer has been fantastic. I think we'll have a quality field of cars with well-known racers competing weekly."
The Stock Car division, which has seen falling car counts over the past seasons will not be on the weekly card, but will be scheduled periodically throughout the season. The Stock Cars will be part of the season-opening "Chiller Thriller" on March 29 with an open rules format and a substantial payoff. More details will be announced in the coming weeks.
"We really hate to see the Stock Cars not part of our weekly program," stated Emig. "They have been a big part of our show, but unfortunately the car counts continue to decline as the costs go up. In recent years, we've lost the majority of our New Castle area racers as well as a large contingent from Crawford County. In recent weeks we've heard of some of these racers as well as others looking to come back to join the FASTRAK Late Models."
The Late Models will be part of the fastest growing series in the country under the umbrella of the Georgia-based FASTRAK Racing Series. The FASTRAK Racing Series debuted in the Northeast in 2007 with weekly competition at Raceway 7, Dog Hollow Speedway, Freedom Raceway, and McKean County Raceway as well as the Northeast Touring Series, which was won by Alan Dellinger of nearby Hermitage, Pa. Dellinger won the $5,000 Touring Series Championship driving for Bob Williams and recently placed eighth in the National points. In 2007, FASTRAK paid out $350,000 in point fund monies with $50,000 going to national champion William Thomas. FASTRAK's point fund is second only to the World of Outlaws. More money is expected to be distributed in 2008.
The FASTRAK Late Models inaugural Mercer race took place on July 4 with Dick Barton taking the $5,000 National victory as part of the Northeast Touring Series. These competitive cars are all powered by GM crate engines and shod on long-lasting Goodyear tires.
Watch for more details in the coming months about FASTRAK at Mercer. For more information on FASTRAK, check out the Northeast site at www.fastraknortheas t.com and the national website at www.fastrakracing. com.
Mercer Raceway Park 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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