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BY JR KENNERUP
Binghamton, NY… Officials from the Selinsgrove Speedway and the Race of Champions Dart Dirt Modified Tour announced today that the fastest half mile track in the east will host the opening race of the 2008 Tour. This race also marks the first ever trip into Central Pennsylvania Sprint Car country for the Race of Champions Dart Dirt Modified Tour.
Saturday afternoon March 15th is the date of the 50 lap $4,000 to win feature. A special hot lap session will take place on Friday night March 14th during the Sprint Car program. In case of inclement weather a rain date of Sunday afternoon March 16th has been booked by Selinsgrove.
“When Selinsgrove inquired about a RoC date. I asked around and all I received was positive comments about the facility along with the history and outstanding operations in place,” stated RoC owner and promoter Andrew Harpell. “With it being the first race of the season it will enable many race fans and racing teams the opportunity to attend Selinsgrove for the first time ever. I am glad that we can be apart of the excitement that is already building,” he added.
Discussions between Selinsgrove and RoC started early in the 2007 racing season. In early August RoC representatives attended Selinsgrove and after talking with track promoter Charlie Paige the deal was cemented.
“We’re honored to be hosting the Race of Champions Dart Dirt Modified Tour in the 2008 season opener,” said Paige. “This will make our 2008 season opening weekend a big one with Sprint Cars on Friday night followed by RoC Dart Modifieds on late Saturday afternoon. Our Sunday rain date will afford us two opportunities to get this historic program completed. We expect many fans and teams to travel a long distance so we want to provide the best opportunity possible for them to see this exciting program.” Since early August Selinsgrove management led by Joe Kaminski have been hard at work securing additional sponsorship monies for this show. Currently Litech Performance will be sponsoring the $200 Hard Charger Award of the Race, Shiley Fabrication is sponsoring the $250 Fast Time of the Day Award, and Art Bair Racing Wheels is sponsoring the $300 Cash Dash on this day. Representatives of Penske Racing Shocks have also told Kaminski that they will be involved for the show.
A special bonus worth $250 will be handed out to one lucky driver who pre – enters their car for the show. All RoC Dart Dirt Modified Tour events have an entry fee with $15 being charged for an early entry fee and $20 at the day of the race. At Selinsgrove on March 15th one lucky driver who pays the $15 early entry fee will go home with an additional $250.
Currently discussions with additional sponsors are going on that could provide heat race money along with many other valuable prizes. Also negotiations are currently taking place with a major sponsor for the show and when all details are ironed out the official announcement will be made.
The race fans are not forgotten on this opening weekend at Selinsgrove either. A special two day ticket will be sold in advance and on Friday night during the Sprint Car show. Plus the Selinsgrove Econo Lodge will be the official host hotel of RoC Dart on the weekend. They are offering race fans rooms at a racers discount price of dollars per night. These rooms are available now by calling and mention Selinsgrove Speedway.
“I’m excited about the show,” said Selinsgrove race director Joe Kaminski.” Many small block drivers I’ve spoken with are excited about coming to Selinsgrove to race. This will be a neutral race track for everybody as there have been only two Modified races here in the past and they were MODCAR sanctioned shows in the early 1980’s. Looking at the current group of drivers only Billy Pauch, Sr. and Craig Von Dohren have raced here in the past and that was in Sprint Cars. By having the race early in the year it allows all of the fans and teams from New York, New Jersey, Delaware, and surrounding states the opportunity to come and see the Modifieds at Selinsgrove. Lastly, it’s a late Saturday afternoon start so if you’re attending you can choose to leave Saturday morning, watch the races, and be home in your own bed come Saturday night.”
The weekend time schedule for the Modifieds is as follows. On Friday night pit gates open at six and during the Sprint Car show they will be given an opportunity to hot lap. On Saturday gates open at Noon with the drivers meeting at 2:30 in the afternoon with hot laps to follow and the first heat will be green flagged at 3:30 Saturday afternoon. In case the Sunday rain date needs to be used gates will open at 11 in the morning with drivers meeting at 1:00 Sunday afternoon followed by hot laps and the first green flies at 2 pm.
For this show at Selinsgrove Race of Champions Dart Dirt Modified Tour teams are reminded that AMB Transponders will be used for this show. Selinsgrove does have transponders that can be rented for this show. Also the RaceCeiver one way radio is mandatory for this show along with the use of fireproof driving gloves is mandatory for this show.
Racers who have called Selinsgrove Speedway home in the past are trying to line up Modified rides for this show. Current Selinsgrove 358 Sprint Car driver Larry Kelleher from Scranton, Pa. who is a former Modified driver is talking to several teams based in his area about a ride for this show. Former Orange County Fair Speedway Modified driver and current Sprint Car driver Mark Smith is talking to several teams about a ride for this show. Former Modified standout and current Late Model championship racer Scotty Haus is another driver who is inquiring about a Modified ride for this show.
More announcements concerning additional bonus monies, tire rule, and other race rules will be released in the coming weeks. Participating sponsors of the Race of Champions Dart Dirt Modified Tour include: Dart Machinery, American Racer Tires, Hoosier Race Fuels, Comp Cams, PBM Performance Products, Del West, Total Seal Piston Rings, Probe Forged Pistons, Dura Bond, Erson Cams, Moroso, Dyna Tech and Afco. For additional information on the Saturday afternoon March 15th Race of Champions Dart Dirt Modified Tour 2008 opener at the Selinsgrove Speedway please call RoC offices at 607 – 775- 5555 or Selinsgrove offices at 570 – 374 – 2999. Or you can log on to the World Wide Web at; www.rocdirt.com or www.selinsgrovespeedway.com.
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