FASTRAK NE LATE MODEL TOURING SERIES BULLY DOG “CROSS THE BORDERS” SPEEDWEEK WEDNESDAY-SUNDAY WITH 5 STRAIGHT NIGHTS OF RACING; SEPARATE POINT FUND FOR TOP 10
By Mike Leone

June 27, 2011                         FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Pulaski, PA)…The Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC FASTRAK Northeast Late Model Touring Series is set for its inaugural Bully Dog “Cross the Borders” Speedweek presented by Contingency Connection featuring five straight nights of racing this Wednesday (June 29) through Sunday (July 3).  Events #8-12 on the 24-race slate will pay a minimum of $1,200 to-win with the opening closing events paying $2,000 to-win!  The top 10 in Speedweek points will also share in a $3,000 cash and $2,000 contingency point fund.     

“Each year we have racers and tracks talk about a Speedweek for FASTRAK,” explained fifth year Northeast co-Director Vicki Emig. “With the strength and growth in the northern part of our region and Bully Dog stepping up to provide us with an additional point fund, we felt the timing was right. We chose the Fourth of July weekend when car counts are very strong, the weather is more cooperative and summer is just getting into full force with the holiday weekend.  In fact, as of now the weather is looking great with only a small chance of rain on Saturday!”

The Speedweek has drawn interest of course with racers from all over Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, New York, and Canada as well as some drivers from down south and Wisconsin.  One invading driver will be South Carolina star and defending FASTRAK Southeast Touring Series Champion David Smith.  The veteran made appearances at last year’s national events at Mercer and West Virginia Motor Speedway, but has never competed at any of the Speedweek tracks.

It all begins Wednesday as the Trumbull County Fair hosts its annually racing program at the 5/8-mile Expo Speedway in Cortland, Ohio.  The past three events have come right down to the wire with exciting finishes in front of the huge crowd in the covered grandstands.  Bobby Powell won the inaugural event in 2008, while Max Blair comes into Wednesday looking to make it three-in-a-row.  The 30-lap feature will again pay $2,000 to-win.  Keep in mind racing begins early at 6 p.m. due to no lights!  Admission is only $7 to the fair, which allows you grandstand admission at no charge!  For more information, check out their website at www.trumbullcountyfair.com/

On Thursday, action shifts northeast to the beautiful McKean County Raceway for the second of four visits during 2011.  A little over a week ago, Mike Pegher, Jr. won his first ever race at the East Smethport, Pa. oval over hometown racer Steve Dixon, who would love to get the monkey off his back in 2011 and break into victory lane.  The 25-lap feature will pay $1,200 to-win.  Racing begins at 7 p.m.  For more info, check out their website at www.mckeancountyraceway.com.

McKean has been the site of nine Northeast Touring Series events over the past four years with an amazing eight different winners.  John Lacki has been the only racer to repeat to date, while Todd Andrews, Blair, Kyle Drum, Butch Lambert, Robbie Blair, Dixon, and Pegher have recorded single victories.  Ironically, the victories for Andrews, Drum, and Lambert were all three drivers’ only career Touring Series victories.

Back into Ohio on Friday night as Raceway 7 will host the only appearance by the cars and stars of the FASTRAK Northeast Touring Series.  Max Blair has almost been unbeatable at his home track the last two seasons winning 12 of the 15 features run including last year’s Touring Series race!  Also, John Lacki has a pair of Touring wins at Raceway 7, while Dick Barton, Pegher, and Dennis Lunger, Jr. have single victories.  The 25-lap feature will pay $1,200 to-win at the Conneaut, Ohio oval.  Racing begins at 7:30 p.m.  There will also be a fireworks display.  For more info, check out their website at www.raceway7.com.

For the first time in two seasons and just the second time ever, Pittsburgh’s PA Motor Speedway will host a Touring Series event.  Round 4 of Speedweek will take place on Saturday at the “Monster Half-Mile” in Imperial, Pa. with $1,200 to-win for the 25-lap event.  Blair won on a super fast track back in 2009 with drizzle falling for much of the night.  Pegher will be considered the favorite at his home track as he looks to close in on Blair’s point lead.

The P.P.M.S. event will also include the Series’ first ever autograph session on the speedway during intermission plus its round two for the FASTRAK “Futures Cup” Trifecta of races.  Newt Tackett won the opener at Sharon last month over Ryan Montgomery and Clay Ruffo, but it’s Damian Bidwell leading the points over Chad Wright.  Saturday’s separate race will pay $200 to-win.  Drivers have to be FASTRAK members, be under 20 years of age, and have no more than one full prior season of FASTRAK competition to be eligible.  There are currently 18 eligible races. 

Fans attending P.P.M.S. on Saturday are reminded that if they bring their original NAPA Auto Parts retail invoice of $25 or more of a purchase between May 1 through July 2 they will receive FREE grandstand admission!  It’s also youth sports and scout night with FREE admission for those in uniform.  Racing will begin at 7 p.m.  For more info, check out their website at www.ppms.com.

The inaugural Speedweek wraps up on Sunday at Eriez Speedway with a 30-lap $2,000 to-win event that will determine the Bully Dog Champion!  Eriez has hosted two events in the past with Barton winning in the inaugural season of FASTRAK Northeast in 2007 and then Blair capturing the 2008 event.  Eriez, which is located just outside of Erie in Hammet, Pa., is in its first season of FASTRAK weekly competition and Blair enters Sunday with a four-race win streak.  Sunday’s event begins at 5:30 p.m. has a rain date of Monday, the Fourth of July.  There will also be a fireworks display.  For more info, check out their website at www.eriez-speedway.com. 

The inaugural Bully Dog “Cross the Borders” Speedweek Champion will receive $1,000 cash and a championship plaque clock along with $1,000 in a contingency package from Bully Dog.  Positions two though 10 in points will share in $2,000 of cash and there will be a random draw for the other $1,000 package from Bully Dog. 

Drivers simply have to be a member of FASTRAK (Weekly or Touring) to be eligible for point fund monies.  Three of the five events must be completed for 100% of the monies to be paid.  The Bully Dog contingency is a GT Diesel or Gas tuner, Rapid Flow Intake, and exhaust system or if your vehicle application is not available you will receive $1,000 (retail) worth of product. 

“McKean, Raceway 7, Pittsburgh, and Eriez were real excited about the Speedweek concept and came on board as soon as the concept was presented,” stated fifth year Northeast co-Director Mike Leone. “Expo of course has annually had the Wednesday date as part of the fair and with McKean holding various Thursday events it tied right into the weekly tracks of Raceway 7, Pittsburgh, and Eriez.  It really fit together nicely.”

Josh Holtgraver Racing has donated five chances at the Racers for Tots Rocket Late Model that will be given away on November 5 at The Dirt Track at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.  At each Speedweek event, the hard luck driver will win one of these chances.

The Utsinger’s Towing “Hoosier Tire Giveaway” program will take place each night awarding a new FASTRAK Hoosier tire to the driver running last on the lead lap at the finish.  To date Steve Davis, Jamie Brown, Shane Weaver, Kyle Thomas, Matt Long, Brad Mesler, and Joel Prosser have been recipients.

The Original Pizza Logs Contingency Connection will again award two $1,000 contingency packages to lucky drivers on Saturday. Mike Pegher, Jr., Ricky Meglaye, Steve Dixon, Ryan Montgomery, Robbie Blair, Rick Strickler, Joe Martin, Billy Stile III, Shawn Jett, Kyle Thomas, Andrew Wylie, Jamie Brown, Russ Dunn, and Damian Bidwell have been selected to date.

Blair, the two-time champion from Centerville, Pa., enters Speedweek with a 14-point lead over Pegher in the Touring Series points.  Joe Martin remains third, while Dan Angelicchio and Butch Lambert have moved up into fourth and fifth in points respectively after their top three finishes Saturday at Sharon.

The “Wheelman” Bonus Event Challenge Series is back for its second season and will take place provided there are 30 or more cars.  Kyle Zimmerman took the top honors at Roaring Knob, while Brian Lessley swept both events over Memorial Day Weekend at Sharon and Lernerville Speedways, and 14-year-old rookie Lauren Longbrake picked up the victory on Saturday at Sharon.  Longbrake of Columbus, Ohio also leads the points.

There have been 61 Northeast Touring Series races contested with 26 different winners all-time.  Max Blair leads the list at 12 victories over Mike Pegher, Jr. with 10 followed by Dick Barton, Bobby Powell, John Lacki, and David Scott with four, Alan Dellinger, Steve Dixon and Josh Holtgraver 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, Robbie Blair, Jonathan Davenport, Gary Knollinger, Joe Martin, Dusty Hamrick, Bud Watson, and Dan Angelicchio with one victory.

Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC FASTRAK Northeast Touring Series Points (only Northeast Touring Series members receive points): 1. Max Blair 232  2. Mike Pegher, Jr. 218  3. Joe Martin 182  4. Dan Angelicchio 180  5. Butch Lambert 173  6. Josh Holtgraver & Steve Dixon 169  8. Josh Double 107  9. Damian Bidwell 94  10. Andrew Wylie & George Kowatic 92  12. Brian Lessley 90  13. Mike Blose 87  14. Lauren Longbrake 73  15. Jamie Brown 72  16. Robbie Blair 67  17. John Volpe & Shane Hitt 61  19. Kyle Zimmerman & Wayne Robertson 59  21. Kyle Lukon 58  22. Darren Peters 55  23. Ryan Montgomery 50  24. Adam Sixt 49  25. Bobby Cossell IV & Mike Laughard 40  27. Troy Shields & Clay Ruffo 37  29. Rick Strickler & Robbie Marhefka 34  31. Junior Peters & Chad Wright 29  33. T.J. Downs 27  34. Billy Cunningham & Billy Stile III 25  36. Tyler Barris 22  37. Bud Watson 17  38. Andrew Satterlee, Bill Cunningham, Michael Hughes, Patrick Willar, Rich Logan, Jr., Russell Baird, Jr., Scott Beitzel 10.

Expo & Eriez payoffs: 1. $2,000  2. $1,000  3. $625  4. $525  5. $450  6. $425  7. $400  8. $350  9. $325  10. $300  11. $275  12. $265  13. $250  14. $225  15. $215  16. $210  17. $205  18-24. $200.  Bonus Event for non-qualifiers to be held if 30 or more cars paying $175 to-win, $105 to-start. Tow/Non-qualifiers $100.

McKean, Raceway 7 & Pittsburgh payoffs: 1. $1,200 2. $650 3. $450 4. $350 5. $325 6. $300 7. $275 8. $260 9. $255 10. $250 11. $225 12. $210 13. $200 14. $175 15. $165 16. $160 17. $155 18-24. $150. Bonus Event for non-qualifiers to be held if 30 or more cars paying $125 to-win, $55 to-start. Tow/Non-qualifiers $50.

Bully Dog Speedweek cash point fund: 1. $1,000  2. $500  3. $375  4. $275  5. $200  6. $170  7. $150  8. $120  9. $110  10. $100. 

RACEceivers are mandatory at all events, and transponders are required at Raceway 7 and Pittsburgh.  There is a $50 entry fee each night McKean, Raceway 7, and Pittsburgh, and $100 at Expo and Eriez.  Any tech questions or information on the RACEceivers, call Brad Hibbard at 330-540-RACE.

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Getting you to the track quicker, adding performance to your race vehicle or simply hoping up your street car or increasing your fuel economy, Bully Dog has your gas and diesel needs covered! Providing the back in your seat, white knuckle, teeth gritting, eye watering, heart racing, adrenalin pumping, neck breaking experience! Visit bullydog.com or bullydoghideout.com for more information.

FASTRAK Northeast’s 2011 marketing partners include Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC, The Original Pizza Logs, Bully Dog, Contingency Connection, Utsinger’s Towing, and Hoosier Tire.

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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