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FASTRAK NE Tour Sharon Bill Emig Memorial 5/26-27 preview
BILL EMIG MEMORIAL “WILD CARD WEEKEND†UP NEXT FOR FASTRAK NE LATE MODEL TOUR AT SHARON; $1500 TO-WIN SATUDAY & SUNDAY PLUS SEPARATE POINT FUND; JOHN BUZZARD ALSO REMEMBERED
By Mike Leone
May 23, 2012 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Hartford, OH)…The Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC Pace Performance FASTRAK Northeast Late Model Touring Series is set for its first doubleheader weekend of the season with Sharon Speedway hosting a pair of events this Saturday and Sunday (May 26-27). Race time is 7 p.m. both nights. (Note: the original 6 p.m. Sunday start time has been pushed back to 7 due to the excessive heat forecasted.)
Races #5 and 6 of the 25-race schedule will each pay $1,500 to-win as part of the Bill Emig Memorial “Wild Card Weekendâ€, which will also boast a separate $1,500 jackpot point fund. The champion will receive $500 and positions two through five will also receive cash. Drivers will draw a card at each event to add to their point finishes from the feature events to determine the standings.
“Bill Emig was a gambler,†stated daughter and sixth year Northeast Co-Director Vicki Emig. “He gambled for almost 30 years in his belief of his famous six-cylinder-powered race cars, which in the end brought him hundreds of feature wins and multiple track championships- many against stout V-8 powered fields. When not at the race track he was also known to spend many long nights at the poker table so there is no doubt that he would have thoroughly enjoyed the “luck of the draw†flavor that will determine what drivers take home a piece of the point fund that is thrown in as an added bonus in the Bill Emig Memorial Wild Card Weekend.â€
Also part of the weekend will be the John Buzzard Memorial Dashes that will be held each night in conjunction with the K&N “Cold Air Induction†Dashes. The weekend dashes will have additional cash on the line along with $150 of K&N product plus another little extra incentive thrown into the mix to add to the events gambling theme. - stay tuned for additional details.
Buzzard was a former racer for the late Emig, who lost his life in an accident at Expo Speedway in 1975. Some of his greatest moments in racing came at Sharon on the blacktop as he was part of the famous weekly David and Goliath battles that pitted his Emig Ford six-cylinder against the V-8 powered Chevrolet of Jim Lewis out of Cleveland, Ohio. Their exciting duals resulted in Buzzard and Lewis being named co-champions of Sharon’s 1973 Stock Car Division. The Buzzard’s family will be on hand for the dash presentations.
“Although my father’s memorial race has been held at various venues throughout the years, it’s very appropriate that it can be showcased for the second straight year at Sharon,†expressed Emig’s daughter Vicki. “Sharon Speedway is the only track in the region that all seven of my father’s drivers raced at for him. His cars and drivers recorded many wins on both the dirt and asphalt- many dating back to the quarter-mile days.â€
The Touring Series has been featured nine times at Sharon over the past three seasons with seven different winners! Josh Holtgraver enters the weekend with victories each of the last two years during the Memorial Day Weekend event, while Max Blair is the only other repeat winner. Other Touring winners at Sharon include Mike Pegher, Jr., David Scott, the late Gary Knollinger, George Kowatic, and Ryan Montgomery.
Saturday will kickoff the first of a record five Northeast Touring Series events at the beautiful Hartford, Ohio oval. Sharon is in its second season of hosting weekly FASTRAK-sanctioned competition and the results have been tremendous. Last season, Sharon averaged the highest weekly car count average in the nation, while the four Tour events drew an average of 40 cars!
Max Blair leads the Touring Series charge into Trumbull County speedplant this weekend on a hot streak. Last season, Blair won just three events and was shutout of victory lane after his June 25 “Gary Knollinger Memorial†Sharon victory, but still went on for his third championship in four years. This season, Blair has already matched last year’s win total capturing three of the first four events including the prestigious “Super Nationals I†at Roaring Knob and last Sunday’s “Canadian National Championship†at Humberstone.
The 22-year-old Centerville, Pa. racer has a 16-point lead on Butch Lambert entering the weekend. Lambert has been very impressive as he’s off to his best career start in his fifth year on the Tour. The Valencia, Pa. driver has finished in the top nine in all four events including three straight top five finishes. Lambert has had to work hard to earn those positions in the last two events as he’s gained 30 positions from his original starting spots!
In his first season on the Tour, Chad Ruhlman has turned a lot of heads in the Terry Suppa-owned #4s with a fifth at the “Super Nationals†and finished a close runner-up to Blair at each of the last two events. The Bemus Point, NY driver will be making his first ever FASTRAK start at Sharon this weekend as he looks to make up a 21-point deficit to Blair.
Sharon point leader, Will Thomas III of Sharpsville, Pa., is in his first full season of FASTRAK and is off to a fast start with a pair of wins and a pair of runner-up finishes in Weekly Series action at Sharon. Thomas is currently 14th in Touring points and will look to improve that standing with two races at his home track.
Last year, Robbie Blair was the $500 Bill Emig Memorial “Wild Card Weekend†Champion. The elder Blair made his first FASTRAK start on Sunday subbing for Joe Martin and is expected to debut his #W11 in FASTRAK competition this weekend.
Of course all of the great contingency programs will be in full force including the K&N “Cold Air Induction Dash†and fan giveaways, the Brake Man “Tough Brake of the Nightâ€, Genesis Shocks “Top Dog of the Nightâ€, Precise Racing Products “Pedal Down†Hard Charger, and the Utsinger’s Towing Hoosier Tire Giveaway. Decal packages will be again be available as drivers are reminded that decals are required to be eligible for these awards with the exception of The Brake Man.
The “Wheelman†Bonus Event Challenge Series is back for a third season. The non-qualifier events will be held each night for racers that fail to qualify for the feature allowing them to earn some extra money and points toward the “Wheelman†Championship. Currently Jamie Brown leads the points. There have been an amazing 17 different winners in the 20 races held all-time.
There have been 77 Northeast Touring Series races contested with 30 different winners all-time. Max Blair leads nemesis Mike Pegher, Jr. at 15 to 14 followed by (not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) Barton, Bobby Powell, John Lacki, and David Scott with four, Steve Dixon and Josh Holtgraver at three, Alan Dellinger, Dan Angelicchio, Joe Martin, and Robbie Blair with two, and Todd Andrews, Kyle Drum, Frank Guidace, Butch Lambert, Carl McKinney, Dennis Lunger, Jr., Tom Snyder, Jr., Chris Meadows, Jim Frank, Mike Blose, Jonathan Davenport, Gary Knollinger, Dusty Hamrick, Bud Watson, Russell King, George Kowatic, Ryan Montgomery, and Wayne Robertson with one victory.
Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC Northeast Touring Series Driver Points (must be Touring member to receive points): 1. Max Blair 148 2. Butch Lambert 132 3. Chad Ruhlman 127 4. Mike Pegher, Jr. 117 5. Ryan Montgomery 113 6. John Over 106 7. Justin Tatlow & Nolan Dalton104 9. Dan Angelicchio & Chad Wright 87 11. Bobby Rohrer & Wayne Robertson 79 13. George Kowatic 78 14. Will Thomas III 72 15. Lauren Longbrake 71 16. Joe Martin 69 17. Damian Bidwell & Brad Kling 62 19. Josh Holtgraver 59 20. Jamie Brown 54 21. Ricky Meglaye 48 22. Jason Knowles 47 23. Shane Weaver 46 24. Billy Stile III & Andrew Wylie 44 26. Tim Sears, Jr. 38 27. Adam Sixt 36 28. Darren Peters 34 29. David Scott & Matt Latta 33 31. Jorden Peters 32 32. Billy Henry, Jr. & Steve Dixon 30 34. Rick Singleton 22 35. Shane Hitt 21 36. Doug Horton & Robbie Blair 11 38. Andrew Satterlee, Eric Wilson, Mike Laughard, Scott Smith, Steve Beatty, Junior Peters 10.
May 26 & 27 A Feature Payoff: 1. $1,500 2. $800 3. $500 4. $400 5. $370 6. $335 7. $315 8. $300 9. $280 10. $275 11. $250 12. $240 13. $225 14. $200 15.$190 16. $185 17. $180 18-24. $175.
May 26 & 27 Non-Qualifier B Feature Payoff: 1. $150 2. $125 3. $115 4. $110 5. $105 6. $100 7. $95 8. $90 9. $85 10-24. $80. $75 to any driver failing to start either feature.
RACEceivers and transponders are mandatory both nights. There is a $75 entry fee each night. Any tech questions or information on the RACEceivers, call Brad Hibbard at 330-540-RACE.
On Saturday, pits open at 4 p.m. with the grandstands at 5 and racing at 7. On Sunday, pits open at 3 p.m. with the grandstands at 4 and racing at 7. Pit passes are $30 each day. Two-day grandstand passes are available for $25.
Sharon Speedway is owned by the Blaney, Weller, and Kirila Families and is a 3/8-mile dirt track located on Custer-Orangeville Road in Hartford, Ohio near the intersection of Routes 7 & 305. For more information, check out the website at www.sharonspeedway.com or call 330-772-5481.
2012 FASTRAK Northeast marketing partners include Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC, Pace Performance, Hoosier Tires, K&N Filters, The Brake Man, Utsinger’s Towing, Original Pizza Logs, Precise Racing Products, VP Fuels, Beyea Custom Headers, Genesis Shocks, H&H Racing Equipment, High Gear Speed Shop, Hyperco, Jake’s Golf Carts, Lincoln Electric, Wrisco Aluminum, and Wylie Race Cars.
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By Mike Leone
May 23, 2012 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Hartford, OH)…The Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC Pace Performance FASTRAK Northeast Late Model Touring Series is set for its first doubleheader weekend of the season with Sharon Speedway hosting a pair of events this Saturday and Sunday (May 26-27). Race time is 7 p.m. both nights. (Note: the original 6 p.m. Sunday start time has been pushed back to 7 due to the excessive heat forecasted.)
Races #5 and 6 of the 25-race schedule will each pay $1,500 to-win as part of the Bill Emig Memorial “Wild Card Weekendâ€, which will also boast a separate $1,500 jackpot point fund. The champion will receive $500 and positions two through five will also receive cash. Drivers will draw a card at each event to add to their point finishes from the feature events to determine the standings.
“Bill Emig was a gambler,†stated daughter and sixth year Northeast Co-Director Vicki Emig. “He gambled for almost 30 years in his belief of his famous six-cylinder-powered race cars, which in the end brought him hundreds of feature wins and multiple track championships- many against stout V-8 powered fields. When not at the race track he was also known to spend many long nights at the poker table so there is no doubt that he would have thoroughly enjoyed the “luck of the draw†flavor that will determine what drivers take home a piece of the point fund that is thrown in as an added bonus in the Bill Emig Memorial Wild Card Weekend.â€
Also part of the weekend will be the John Buzzard Memorial Dashes that will be held each night in conjunction with the K&N “Cold Air Induction†Dashes. The weekend dashes will have additional cash on the line along with $150 of K&N product plus another little extra incentive thrown into the mix to add to the events gambling theme. - stay tuned for additional details.
Buzzard was a former racer for the late Emig, who lost his life in an accident at Expo Speedway in 1975. Some of his greatest moments in racing came at Sharon on the blacktop as he was part of the famous weekly David and Goliath battles that pitted his Emig Ford six-cylinder against the V-8 powered Chevrolet of Jim Lewis out of Cleveland, Ohio. Their exciting duals resulted in Buzzard and Lewis being named co-champions of Sharon’s 1973 Stock Car Division. The Buzzard’s family will be on hand for the dash presentations.
“Although my father’s memorial race has been held at various venues throughout the years, it’s very appropriate that it can be showcased for the second straight year at Sharon,†expressed Emig’s daughter Vicki. “Sharon Speedway is the only track in the region that all seven of my father’s drivers raced at for him. His cars and drivers recorded many wins on both the dirt and asphalt- many dating back to the quarter-mile days.â€
The Touring Series has been featured nine times at Sharon over the past three seasons with seven different winners! Josh Holtgraver enters the weekend with victories each of the last two years during the Memorial Day Weekend event, while Max Blair is the only other repeat winner. Other Touring winners at Sharon include Mike Pegher, Jr., David Scott, the late Gary Knollinger, George Kowatic, and Ryan Montgomery.
Saturday will kickoff the first of a record five Northeast Touring Series events at the beautiful Hartford, Ohio oval. Sharon is in its second season of hosting weekly FASTRAK-sanctioned competition and the results have been tremendous. Last season, Sharon averaged the highest weekly car count average in the nation, while the four Tour events drew an average of 40 cars!
Max Blair leads the Touring Series charge into Trumbull County speedplant this weekend on a hot streak. Last season, Blair won just three events and was shutout of victory lane after his June 25 “Gary Knollinger Memorial†Sharon victory, but still went on for his third championship in four years. This season, Blair has already matched last year’s win total capturing three of the first four events including the prestigious “Super Nationals I†at Roaring Knob and last Sunday’s “Canadian National Championship†at Humberstone.
The 22-year-old Centerville, Pa. racer has a 16-point lead on Butch Lambert entering the weekend. Lambert has been very impressive as he’s off to his best career start in his fifth year on the Tour. The Valencia, Pa. driver has finished in the top nine in all four events including three straight top five finishes. Lambert has had to work hard to earn those positions in the last two events as he’s gained 30 positions from his original starting spots!
In his first season on the Tour, Chad Ruhlman has turned a lot of heads in the Terry Suppa-owned #4s with a fifth at the “Super Nationals†and finished a close runner-up to Blair at each of the last two events. The Bemus Point, NY driver will be making his first ever FASTRAK start at Sharon this weekend as he looks to make up a 21-point deficit to Blair.
Sharon point leader, Will Thomas III of Sharpsville, Pa., is in his first full season of FASTRAK and is off to a fast start with a pair of wins and a pair of runner-up finishes in Weekly Series action at Sharon. Thomas is currently 14th in Touring points and will look to improve that standing with two races at his home track.
Last year, Robbie Blair was the $500 Bill Emig Memorial “Wild Card Weekend†Champion. The elder Blair made his first FASTRAK start on Sunday subbing for Joe Martin and is expected to debut his #W11 in FASTRAK competition this weekend.
Of course all of the great contingency programs will be in full force including the K&N “Cold Air Induction Dash†and fan giveaways, the Brake Man “Tough Brake of the Nightâ€, Genesis Shocks “Top Dog of the Nightâ€, Precise Racing Products “Pedal Down†Hard Charger, and the Utsinger’s Towing Hoosier Tire Giveaway. Decal packages will be again be available as drivers are reminded that decals are required to be eligible for these awards with the exception of The Brake Man.
The “Wheelman†Bonus Event Challenge Series is back for a third season. The non-qualifier events will be held each night for racers that fail to qualify for the feature allowing them to earn some extra money and points toward the “Wheelman†Championship. Currently Jamie Brown leads the points. There have been an amazing 17 different winners in the 20 races held all-time.
There have been 77 Northeast Touring Series races contested with 30 different winners all-time. Max Blair leads nemesis Mike Pegher, Jr. at 15 to 14 followed by (not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) Barton, Bobby Powell, John Lacki, and David Scott with four, Steve Dixon and Josh Holtgraver at three, Alan Dellinger, Dan Angelicchio, Joe Martin, and Robbie Blair with two, and Todd Andrews, Kyle Drum, Frank Guidace, Butch Lambert, Carl McKinney, Dennis Lunger, Jr., Tom Snyder, Jr., Chris Meadows, Jim Frank, Mike Blose, Jonathan Davenport, Gary Knollinger, Dusty Hamrick, Bud Watson, Russell King, George Kowatic, Ryan Montgomery, and Wayne Robertson with one victory.
Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC Northeast Touring Series Driver Points (must be Touring member to receive points): 1. Max Blair 148 2. Butch Lambert 132 3. Chad Ruhlman 127 4. Mike Pegher, Jr. 117 5. Ryan Montgomery 113 6. John Over 106 7. Justin Tatlow & Nolan Dalton104 9. Dan Angelicchio & Chad Wright 87 11. Bobby Rohrer & Wayne Robertson 79 13. George Kowatic 78 14. Will Thomas III 72 15. Lauren Longbrake 71 16. Joe Martin 69 17. Damian Bidwell & Brad Kling 62 19. Josh Holtgraver 59 20. Jamie Brown 54 21. Ricky Meglaye 48 22. Jason Knowles 47 23. Shane Weaver 46 24. Billy Stile III & Andrew Wylie 44 26. Tim Sears, Jr. 38 27. Adam Sixt 36 28. Darren Peters 34 29. David Scott & Matt Latta 33 31. Jorden Peters 32 32. Billy Henry, Jr. & Steve Dixon 30 34. Rick Singleton 22 35. Shane Hitt 21 36. Doug Horton & Robbie Blair 11 38. Andrew Satterlee, Eric Wilson, Mike Laughard, Scott Smith, Steve Beatty, Junior Peters 10.
May 26 & 27 A Feature Payoff: 1. $1,500 2. $800 3. $500 4. $400 5. $370 6. $335 7. $315 8. $300 9. $280 10. $275 11. $250 12. $240 13. $225 14. $200 15.$190 16. $185 17. $180 18-24. $175.
May 26 & 27 Non-Qualifier B Feature Payoff: 1. $150 2. $125 3. $115 4. $110 5. $105 6. $100 7. $95 8. $90 9. $85 10-24. $80. $75 to any driver failing to start either feature.
RACEceivers and transponders are mandatory both nights. There is a $75 entry fee each night. Any tech questions or information on the RACEceivers, call Brad Hibbard at 330-540-RACE.
On Saturday, pits open at 4 p.m. with the grandstands at 5 and racing at 7. On Sunday, pits open at 3 p.m. with the grandstands at 4 and racing at 7. Pit passes are $30 each day. Two-day grandstand passes are available for $25.
Sharon Speedway is owned by the Blaney, Weller, and Kirila Families and is a 3/8-mile dirt track located on Custer-Orangeville Road in Hartford, Ohio near the intersection of Routes 7 & 305. For more information, check out the website at www.sharonspeedway.com or call 330-772-5481.
2012 FASTRAK Northeast marketing partners include Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC, Pace Performance, Hoosier Tires, K&N Filters, The Brake Man, Utsinger’s Towing, Original Pizza Logs, Precise Racing Products, VP Fuels, Beyea Custom Headers, Genesis Shocks, H&H Racing Equipment, High Gear Speed Shop, Hyperco, Jake’s Golf Carts, Lincoln Electric, Wrisco Aluminum, and Wylie Race Cars.
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