MCKEAN TO HOST 1^ST OF TWO FASTRAK NORTHEAST LATE MODEL TOURING SERIES EVENTS SATURDAY

By Mike Leone

July 8, 2009             

Pulaski, PA…After a busy a Independence Day Weekend, the FASTRAK Northeast Late Model Touring Series picks right back up this Saturday night, July 11 with its first of two events of the season at the McKean County Raceway in East Smethport, Pa.  Race time is 7 p.m.

Saturday’s event will be race #7 of the 17-event 2009 Northeast Touring slate and will include a 25-lap feature paying $1,200 to-win, $150 to-start.   

Thus far this year, Mike Pegher, Jr. was victorious in the season opener at Tyler County on April 25 and the first ever event at Sharon Speedway on May 23.  Defending champion Max Blair won the “Steel Valley Memorial Day Classic” at Mercer Raceway Park two days later on May 25 and the big $2,000 event at Expo Speedway at the Trumbull County Fair on July 5 in front of standing-room-only crowd.  In between, Bobby Powell collected the win in the inaugural event at Roaring Knob Motorsports Complex on June 27 and Dennis Lunger, Jr. captured his career first Touring Series win at Raceway 7 on July 3.

McKean County Raceway is running a limited schedule, but all of their events are sanctioned by FASTRAK allowing their racing to accumulate precious National Weekly Series points.  Thus far, McKean has only been able to complete two events with Kyle Drum, who won a Northeast Touring Series event at McKean last year, and Jim Frank victorious.

“McKean has been an important part of FASTRAK since the inception of the Northeast Region in 2007,” described Northeast Co-Director Vicki Emig.  “They have been strong supporters of the FASTRAK concept and have always booked at least two Touring Series events.  There is a strong group of racers in that region and even though they’re only running a limited schedule, we’re thrilled they are still part of FASTRAK.”

After six Touring Series events, defending champion Max Blair of Centerville, Pa. has just a five-point leader over veteran David Scott, who is looking for his first career Touring Series win.  The duo finished first and second Sunday at Expo after a hard-fought event. 

There have been 25 Touring Series races held all-time with 12 different winners.  Dick Barton and Blair currently sit atop the all-time win list at four, followed by John Lacki, Mike Pegher, Jr., and Powell with three, Alan Dellinger with two, and Todd Andrews, Kyle Drum, Frank Guidace, Butch Lambert, Carl McKinney, and Lunger with one victory.

“The McKean events in the past have always been well attended by the racers,” stated Northeast Co-Director Mike Leone.  “Plus the races have been highly-competitive with no repeat winners in the five events as Lacki, Andrews, Blair, Drum, and Lambert have scored the wins.  The small size is always conducive to close racing.  It’s always fun to go up to McKean as it’s a beautiful area and they have a great facility.  Thus far this year we’ve had 86 different drivers compete in the six Touring Series events with an average car count of 31!  That number would have been even greater had the Wednesday Expo race not have been rained and postponed to Sunday as at least 37 teams were on the ground before the rain out.” 

Feature payoff for McKean County: 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

Current FASTRAK Northeast Touring Series points (only Touring members receive points): 1. Max Blair 183  2. David Scott 178  3. Bobby Powell 171  4. Dan Angelicchio 168  5. Mike Pegher, Jr. 159  6. Gary Knollinger 156  7. John Watson (OH) 148  8. Carl McKinney 135  9. Bud Watson 129  10. Garrett Mott 118  11. Joel Prosser 113  12. Butch Lambert 88  13. Tommy Schirnhofer, Jr. 87  14. Tom Copeland 69  15. Jay Watson 67  16. Bob Kish 61  17. Jim Frank 55 18. Joe Martin 39  19. Jim Long 34  20. Dereck Frank 25  21. Troy Shields 22  22. Shane Hitt 21  23. Dan Karalagas & Chris Schneider 10  25. Wayne Jordan, Bobby Whitling, Rusty Moore, Jason Fosnaught, Ryan Seekings, Steve D’Apolito, Andrew Wylie (Touring members that haven’t raced a Touring event to date) 0  32. Josh Holtgraver, Brian Booher, Roger French, Tom Snyder, Jr., Shawn Jett, Gary Miller, Jr., Steve Hollabaugh, Chris Angelicchio, Greg Tressler, Ricky Meglaye, Daniel Hill, Russell King, Tyler Dietz, Brian Rush, Jon Law, Jim Quaigg, Dennis Lunger, Jr., Kyle Zimmerman, Bob Dorman, Bill Thomas, Alex Anderson, Bob Diver, Michael Howell, Zack Dohm, Bryan Salisbury, Ben Black, Dick Barton, Cody Hardesty, Tyler Barris, Chris Haines, Josh Double, Mike Laughard, Dan Stives, Dave Airgood, Jr., Jason Stanke, Les Lyon, Mike Cuthbert, Bobby Cossell, John Watson (WV), Roger Laughlin, Kyle Thomas, Sean Puz, Chris Force, Shane Bambarger, Bryan Force, Mike Anderson, Jr., Jason Rider, Bert Blackson, Derek Doll, Chad Green, Garry Sisson, Jayme Beck, Tom Sieger, Kyle Layton, Jamie Brown (non-Touring members that have raced in Touring events to date) 0.

Gates open at 5 p.m. with racing at 7.  There is a $50 entry.  Any tech questions, call Brad Hibbard at 330-540-RACE.  Hibbard will also have the Goodyear G45 and 50 tires available for sale at the track. 

McKean County Raceway is a 1/3-mile dirt track located at the McKean County Fairgrounds in East Smethport, Pa. at the intersections of Route 6 and 46.  For more information on McKean County Raceway, check out their website at www.mckeancountyraceway.com or call 814-362-6909.  The track number on race day is 814-887-2600.

Following the McKean County event, the Touring Series will face another busy weekend with $1,200 to-win events at both Dog Hollow Speedway in Strongstown, Pa. and Tri-City Speedway in Franklin, Pa. on July 17 and 19 respectively.