Ponderosa Speedway
2010 Official Media Release #6 (For Immediate Distribution:  March 6, 2010)
Contact- Michael Despain (Mdespain7@aol.com and/or dirttrackracing@hotmail.com)

Ponderosa Speedway 2010 Season Opener Goes April 2 and April 3

Junction City, KY-March 6, 2010- The promotion trio of Larry, Chad, and Sarah Yantz are set to present the 39th season of dirt track sports entertainment at one of the oldest Friday night racing venues in the Midwest, that being “Kentucky’s Baddest Bullring” Ponderosa Speedway in Junction City, KY.

There will be only one Test and Tune open practice session to allow the racers to dial in new cars and shake the dust off of the older stuff and that will take place on Friday evening March 26 from 6:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m.  The other practice date that was scheduled for Saturday March 20 has been cancelled to allow the grounds some extra drying time and preparation.

Ponderosa Speedway would also like to announce its four division sponsors for the 2010 racing season.  Good Neighbor Pharmacy of Danville, KY will again return as sponsor of the Super Late Model division, while Clayton Homes of Stanford, KY will once again be the sponsor of the UMP Modified division.  Bob Allen Motor Mall of Danville, KY will move from the Sportsman to the Pro Late Model division, while D and D Pallet Recyclers of Stanford, KY will join the list of division sponsors and will support the UMP Sportsman division.

The 2010 racing season will officially get underway the first weekend of April with a Friday/ Saturday doubleheader of racing action.  On Friday April 2, the 8th Annual Spring 30 will take place, featuring the Super Late Models in a 30 lap, $1,500 to win event, along with the first ever event for the newly formed American Modified Series, also being 30 laps and paying $1,500 to win for the UMP Modifieds, while the Pro Late Models will round out the racing action with an $800 to win feature event.  On Saturday April 3, the 3rd Annual Chris Estes/Brad Pena Memorial will take place, paying $3,000 to win for Super Late Models, along with an $1,000 to win feature event for the UMP Modifieds and a $500 to win event for UMP Sportsman.  

Besides the opening weekend, other special events for the Super Late Model division will include the National All Star Racing Association sanctioned 11th Annual Hugh “Junebug” Rowland Memorial, paying $3,000 to win, the 15th Annual Pete Abell Memorial on Friday June 25 for $3,000 to win, the National All Star Racing Association sanctioned 8th Annual John Bradshaw Memorial for $5,000 to win on July 9.  The season concludes the first weekend of October with the 4th Annual Friday Night Rumble paying $2,000 to win on Friday October 1, followed the 20th Annual Fall Classic on Saturday October 2, paying $5,000 to win.  There will also be some changes in the Super Late Model division at Ponderosa Speedway for 2010.  The tire rules in the Super Late Model division for 2010 will be as follows:   Front Tires – Open Compound; Rear Tires - Hoosier: LM40, 1600, WRS-2-55, and D55 (Shoulder Plated); American Racer #56; Goodyear - G50 (all rear tires must durometer 58 prior to competition).  All tires must fit in a 16 ¾ tire hoop.  Also, the GM CT525 engine package will also be allowed to compete in the Super Late Model division at the 2,100 pound weight limit as recommended by the National All Star Racing Association.  Victor Lee of Danville, KY was the 2009 Super Late Model division track champion.  

The Modified division will pick up sanctioning from UMP Dirt Car in 2010 and after being featured in the American Modified Series opener on Friday April 2.  The richest UMP Modified event ever held at Ponderosa Speedway will take place on Friday July 23 as the American Modified Series will sanction the 6th Annual Summer Shootout, paying $3,000 to win for the UMP Modifieds that evening.  The UMP Modifieds will also be featured as the season ending events the first weekend of October as the UMP sanctioned open-wheelers will race for $1,000 to win on Friday October 1 and Saturday October 2.  The tire rule for the Modified division will be as follows:    Hoosier - A40, D40, and H40 (26.5/8.0/15 or 27.5/8.0/15).  Siping is allowed on A40 and H40 only (no grooving allowed).  With American Racer Tires having been legal in past seasons at Ponderosa, American Racer Tires from the 2009 Season will have a grace period for the 2010 season, with those tires not allowed after the June 25 event. However, they will not be allowed for any American Modified Series events, as those events are Hoosier tire only events. The only American Racer Tire compounds allowed during the grace period will be "Hard" and "Extra Hard".  Randy Turpin of Lebanon, KY was the 2009 Modified division track champion.

The Pro (Crate) Late Model division will race under the rules of the Indiana Late Model Series in 2010 and will feature four ILMS sanctioned events at the 3/8 mile D-Shaped clay oval.  The Indiana Late Model Series will sanction a trio of $1,000 to win events on May 14, June 4, and September 3.  The 3rd Annual Colston Paving 40 will take place on September 17 and pay $2,000 to win and will also be sanctioned by the ILMS.  The Pro Late Model division will open the season with an $800 to win event on April 2 and end the season with an $800 to win event at the Friday Night Rumble on October 1.  The tire rules is as follows:  LSB21 or LSB55 Hoosier Tires only.  Jeremy Hines of Seymour, IN was the 2009 Pro Late Model division track champion.

The Sportsman division will also feature sanctioning from the UMP Dirt Car organization, with Ponderosa Speedway track rules being used for this division.  The big event on the calendar for the UMP Sportsman division for 2010 will take place on August 20 with the running of the Weekend Warrior 40, paying $2,000 to win the division’s main event that evening.  The Sportsman will open their season on Saturday April 3 with a $500 to win event and end their season on a Saturday as well at the Fall Classic on October 2 for $500 to win.  Bartley Grant of Berea, KY is the 2009 Sportsman division track champion.  

The American Sprint Car Tour will make its first-ever visit to Central Kentucky on Friday evening May 21 for the 2nd Annual May Mayhem event that will pay $1,200 to win for the steel-block engineered, Indiana-based non-wing Sprint Car tour, along with a full program of Super Late Model and UMP Modified action that evening as well.

Ponderosa Speedway is located at 365 Phillips Lane, just outside of Junction City, KY directly on the Boyle/Lincoln County border.  Larry, Chad, and Sarah Yantz are the track promoters and present dirt track sports entertainment on Friday evenings from April through early October.  For more information about all events and activities at Ponderosa Speedway, visit the track’s internet site at www.ponderosaspeedway.net or phone (859) 854-6808 on racedays.

Ponderosa Speedway 2010 Schedule of Events

March 20-(Saturday)- Test and Tune for All Divisions (1:00 p.m. through 6:00 p.m.)- CANCELLED        
March 26- Test and Tune for All Divisions (6:00 p.m. through 10:00 p.m.)                  
April 2 (Friday)- 8th Annual Spring 30: Super Late Models-$1,500 to win; American Modified Series (UMP Modifieds)- $1,500 to win; Pro Late Models- $800 to win (UMP Sportsman Off) (Track Points Begin)
April 3 (Saturday)- 3rd Annual Chris Estes/Brad Pena Memorial: Super Late Models- $3,000 to win; UMP Modifieds-$800 to win; UMP Sportsman-$500 to win (Pro Late Models Off)
April 9- Weekly Racing Series- Super Late Models, Pro Late Models, UMP Modifieds, and UMP Sportsman
April 16- Weekly Racing Series- Super Late Models, Pro Late Models, UMP Modifieds, and UMP Sportsman
April 23- 11th Annual Hugh “Junebug” Rowland Memorial: National All Star Racing Association Late Models-$3,000 to win; Weekly Racing Series- Pro Late Models, UMP Modifieds (UMP Sportsman Off) (Double Track Points for Pro Late Models Only)
April 30- Weekly Racing Series- Super Late Models, Pro Late Models, UMP Modifieds, and UMP Sportsman
May 7- OFF
May 14- Indiana Late Model Series (Pro Late Models)- $1,000 to win; Weekly Racing Series- Super Late Models, UMP Modifieds, and UMP Sportsman
May 21- 2nd Annual May Mayhem: American Sprint Car Tour-$1,200 to win; Weekly Racing Series- Super Late Models and UMP Modifieds (Pro Late Models and UMP Sportsman Off)
May 28- Weekly Racing Series- Super Late Models, Pro Late Models, and UMP Modifieds, (UMP Sportsman Off)
June 4- Indiana Late Model Series (Pro Late Models)- $1,000 to win; Weekly Racing Series-UMP Modifieds, and UMP Sportsman (Super Late Models Off)
June 11- OFF (Closed for Dream 100)
June 18- Weekly Racing Series- Super Late Models, Pro Late Models, UMP Modifieds, and UMP Sportsman
June 25- 15th Annual Pete Abell Memorial: Super Late Models- $3,000 to win; Weekly Racing Series-UMP Modifieds, Pro Late Models , and UMP Sportsman (Double Track Points Pro Late Models Only)
July 2- OFF (Closed for Lincoln County Fair)
July 9- 8th Annual John Bradshaw Memorial: National All Star Racing Association Late Models- $5,000 to win; Weekly Racing Series- UMP Modifieds and Pro Late Models (UMP Sportsman Off) (Double Track Points for Pro Late Models Only)
July 16- Weekly Racing Series- Super Late Models, Pro Late Models, UMP Modifieds, and UMP Sportsman
July 23- 6th Annual Summer Shootout: American Modified Series (UMP Modifieds)-$3,000 to win; Weekly Racing Series for Super Late Models and Pro Late Models (UMP Sportsman Off)
July 30- Weekly Racing Series- Super Late Models, Pro Late Models, UMP Modifieds, and UMP Sportsman
August 6- Off (Junction City Railroad Days)
August 13- Weekly Racing Series- Super Late Models, Pro Late Models, UMP Modifieds, and UMP Sportsman
August 20- The Weekend Warrior 40: UMP Sportsman-$2,000 to win: Weekly Racing Series for Super Late Models, UMP Modifieds, and Pro Late Models
August 27- OFF
September 3- Indiana Late Model Series (Pro Late Models)- $1,000 to win; Weekly Racing Series- Super Late Models, UMP Modifieds, and UMP Sportsman
September 10- OFF (Closed for World 100)        
September 17- 3rd Annual Colston Paving 40: Indiana Late Model Series (Pro Late Models)- $2,000 to win; Weekly Racing Series- Super Late Models, UMP Modifieds, and UMP Sportsman
September 24- OFF
October 1 (Friday)- 4th Annual Friday Night Rumble: Super Late Models-$2,000 to win; UMP Modifieds-$1,000 to win; Pro Late Models-$800 to win (UMP Sportsman Off)
October 2 (Saturday)- 20th Annual Fall Classic: Super Late Models- $5,000 to win; UMP Modifieds-$1,000 to win; UMP Sportsman-$500 to win (Pro Late Models Off)

NOTE: Schedule is Subject to Additions/Changes/Deletions

For More Information About Ponderosa Speedway, Contact the Following Individuals:
-Larry Yantz (Promoter): (606) 510-5331; (606) 379-5757; Chad Yantz (Co-Promoter): (606) 510-4836; cbseyz@yahoo.com via e-mail; -Michael Despain (Media Consultant): (270) 465-3380; Mdespain7@aol.com or dirttrackracing@hotmail.com
-Ponderosa Speedway (Race Day): (859) 854-6808; -Online at www.ponderosaspeedway.net