Raceway 7 set to host FASTRAK Northeast Late Model Touring Series Friday with $1,200 on the line; Bradford off the schedule

By Mike Leone

July 23, 2008             

Conneaut, OH…The FASTRAK Northeast Late Model Touring Series will return to Raceway 7 this Friday night, July 25 for event #7 on the 2008 slate.  Action will get underway at 7:30 p.m. at Ron Nielson’s speeedplant located just south of Conneaut, Ohio.  The Touring event that was originally scheduled for Saturday at Bradford was been cancelled by the track. 

“We’re looking forward to returning to Raceway 7 Friday night” expressed FASTRAK Northeast co-Director Vicki Emig.  “With the rescheduling of our first show to July 4, it just so happened that this show fell only three weeks later.  Raceway 7 always attracts a high car count and a strong field with their quality field of weekly competitors.  We’re expecting a strong field of cars with no FASTRAK races now on Saturday or Sunday this weekend.  At the beginning of the season we felt we’d get 30 cars for our Touring events and that’s right where we’re at average wise after six events. We’ve had 66 different drivers that have competed in the six Touring events alone.”

The 25-lap feature will pay $1,200 to-win, $150 to-start. Drivers will draw pills to determine the heat race lineups and redraw for the first 12 starting spots of the feature.

Max Blair continues to lead the Northeast Touring Series points thanks to his opening win at McKean County Raceway on May 24 and a second when the Series returned on July 5.  The 19-year-old Titusville, Pa. driver also had a third at Mercer Raceway Park on May 26 and a fourth at Expo Speedway show on July 10.  Blair’s two worst finishes are a pair of 12ths at Dog Hollow Speedway and Raceway 7.

In six events, there has yet to be a repeat winner.  Will Friday night make seven winners in seven races?  Other winners are Frank Guidace (Mercer), Alan Dellinger (Dog Hollow), John Lacki (Raceway 7), Kyle Drum (McKean), and Bobby Powell (Expo).

“Max has really turned up the wick,” acknowledged FASTRAK Northeast Co-Director Mike Leone.  “He’s been a threat to win every race he’s entered both locally and Touring.  Not only is he leading our $5,000 Northeast Touring Series, but it appears he’s leading the $10,000 National Weekly Series as well, which is drivers’ best 15 point nights.  He’s putting himself in position to win a lot of money and advance even further come Grand National time.  The Touring events have been so competitive with six winners in six races.  You look at the standout drivers that haven’t won a race and it’s pretty incredible.  Dick Barton, Jay Watson, Rusty Moore, Mike Pegher, Jr., Dennis Lunger, Tommy Snyder, and others are all going to be pretty hungry for their first wins Friday night.”

Current Touring Series Points (only Touring Series members are eligible to receive points): 1. Max Blair 182  2. John Lacki 160  3. Rusty Moore 149  4. Bobby Powell 148  5. Tom Snyder, Jr. 144  6. Dick Barton 143  7. Andy Buckley & Justin Kann 126  9. Roger French 121  10. Jay Watson 120  11. Dennis Lunger, Jr. 119  12. Jim Frank 116  13. Jon Law 104  14. Chad Myers 97  15. Bob Kish 91  16. Steve Hollabaugh & Bob Diver 86  18. Kevin Meadows 81  19. Mike Pegher, Jr. 66  20. Kyle Drum 63  21. Bert Cleer 62  22. Dereck Frank 36  23. Bobby Whitling 35  24. Carl McKinney 33  25. Brian Booher 28  26. Todd Sweet & Steve D’Apolito 20  28. Tommy Schirnhofer, Jr., Bob Dorman, & Dave Airgood, Jr. 10  31. Frank Guidace, Dan Karalagas, Gary Miller, Jr., Tim Schram, Mike Wonderling, Sr., Tommy Kronenwetter, Mike Lesky, John Eckenrod, Rocky Kugel, Alan Dellinger, Tyler Dietz, Jeff Enos, Ron Smithley, Dan Angelicchio, Dave Lyon, Bump Hedman, Greg Oakes, Alex Anderson, Dave Norton, Jr., Butch Lambert, Ben Black, Bob Vogt, Jr., Chris Haines, Dan Stives, Dave Osterberg, Gary Stahl, Scott Jones, John Haggerty, Kirby Tucker, Roger Laughlin, Chris Angelicchio, Wayne Mohawk, Mike Anderson (Jr.), Garrett Stephen, Bert Blackson, Tom Copeland. 0.

Feature payoffs for Raceway 7: 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.

There is a $50 entry fee. The Goodyear G45 or G50 tires are mandatory. They will be available at the track for $128 each or by calling BWR Performance at 330-509-1999.

Gates open at 5:30 p.m. with racing at 7:30.  Raceway 7 is located six miles south of Interstate 90, on Ohio Route 7, just south of Monroe Center (and Bushnell), Ohio.  For more information check out www.raceway7.com, call 440-594-2222 on race day, or email info@raceway7.com