BLACK ROCK TO HOST 1^ST EVER FASTRAK RACE DURING NASCAR’S WATKINS GLEN WEEKEND; $3000 TO-WIN “EMPIRE STATE CLASSIC” TO BE RICHEST CRATE LM RACE EVER IN NY

By Mike Leone

January 27, 2012                    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Pulaski, PA)…Just days after releasing plans for the inaugural, money-laden “Super Nationals I & II” at Roaring Knob Motorsports Complex, FASTRAK Northeast Officials are thrilled to confirm another marquee event on the 2012 Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC Pace Performance Touring Series.  Black Rock Speedway will hold the “Empire State Classic” presented by NAPA of Watkins Glen and Doug Gross Construction on Saturday, August 11.

FASTRAK’s first ever visit to the Dundee, New York facility, which is located in the beautiful Finger Lakes Wine Country, will be one of the season’s biggest events paying $3,000 to-win!  It’ll also mark the biggest Crate Late Model race in the history of New York!  In addition, the top 10 Northeast Touring Series teams in points that attend the event will receive an additional $150 travel money!

The event will be run in conjunction with the NASCAR at The Glen Weekend, which features the Nationwide Series Saturday afternoon and the Sprint Cup Series on Sunday afternoon.  Watkins Glen International is located just 12 miles south of Black Rock Speedway!  Black Rock will also host a “360” Sprint Car event at the speedway on Friday night- their normal night of competition.  In the past, several NASCAR drivers have participated on Friday night and the goal is for that to happen again on Saturday night.

“We’re really looking forward to this event,” expressed sixth year FASTRAK Northeast Co-Director Mike Leone.  “We’ve had conversations in the past with Black Rock’s Dean Hoag and he’s even come to FASTRAK meetings in the past.  He’s been very supportive of the FASTRAK program and we were thrilled when he called to inquire about hosting FASTRAK during this great weekend!  This is a great opportunity for our racers to not only race in front of new audience, but what should be a large crowd!  Who knows, maybe we’ll even have a NASCAR driver compete in one of our races for the first time!”

“I’m hoping to be able to put some packages together for the weekend,” explained sixth year FASTRAK Northeast Co-Director Vicki Emig.  “I think some of our teams, fans, and officials will enjoy making it a weekend.  Several teams took in Niagara Falls when we visited Humberstone, Canada last year and I’m sure will do the same when we return this year.”

FASTRAK continues to grow throughout the New York Region as more and more New York racers make the move.  Last year, Humberstone Speedway, which located less than 20 miles across the border, added FASTRAK as a weekly division and this year has brought Chapman’s Can-Am Motorsports Park into the mix.  Several other speedways throughout New York and Canada also campaign Crate Late Models.

One driver anxious to take part in the event is Wayne Robertson.  The Corning, New York racer, who made trips all over the FASTRAK Northeast Region in 2011, will be happy to go 15 miles up the road to this one at his “home track”.  Robertson won his first career Northeast Touring Series event during the “Fall Classic” in September at McKean County Raceway and also added Weekly Series victories at Eriez Speedway and Pittsburgh’s PA Motor Speedway. 

Robertson’s good friend and fellow BRP Can-Am Super Stock graduate, Bryce Davis of Canisteo, New York, made the move to FASTRAK in October last season.  Davis purchased a former Damian Bidwell car and finished second behind Robertson in his first ever Late Model race at Pittsburgh.  

“Black Rock is real excited to be able to host a FASTRAK event,” stated track owner Dean Hoag.  “I’ve already received a call of support for the Series Race from one of the premier drivers who will be racing at Watkins Glen.  Also, local racing champion, Larry Knowles, owner of race sponsor Doug Gross Construction, is planning on competing in his newly acquired Crate Late Model!”

The event will mark just the second ever FASTRAK Northeast Touring Series event held in the state of New York.  The only other event was on August 21, 2010 when Steve Dixon out-dueled Max Blair for his first career FASTRAK Tour win on a night with an 80% chance of rain.  The only other FASTRAK events ever sanctioned in the Empire State were Weekly Series events over the past five years at Arcade Raceway.  A Northeast Touring Series event was scheduled at Arcade back in the inaugural 2007 season, but that event was cancelled due to severe thunderstorms and tornados throughout the area. 

The complete 2012 Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC Pace Performance FASTRAK Northeast Series schedule will be released this Sunday, January 29 at the 2011 Awards Banquet & Dinner at Hard Rock Café Pittsburgh.  The schedule, which boasts a record 25 events, will be available to the public early next week. 

2012 FASTRAK Northeast marketing partners include Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC Pace Performance, Hoosier Tires, Utsinger’s Towing, Original Pizza Logs, Beyea Custom Headers, Genesis Shocks, Hyperco, and H&H Racing Equipment.

Black Rock Speedway is a 4/10-mile semi-banked clay off located just off Route 14A at 82 Main Street, Dundee, NY 14837.  Black Rock offers free overnight camping on site.  For more information, call 607-243-8686 or check out their website at www.blackrockspeedway.com.

You can reach co-directors Vicki Emig and Mike Leone at the FASTRAK Northeast office at 724-964-9300.  E-mail to info@fastraknortheast.com and snail mail to 4368 Route 422, Pulaski, PA 16143.  The office is open daily late mornings and after 1:30 p.m.  For more information, check out the FASTRAK Northeast website at www.fastraknortheast.com.  Become our fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/fastraknortheast.

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