FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 26th, 2010

FASTRAK NORTHEAST LATE MODEL TOURING SERIES RESUMES ACTION SATURDAY AT OHIO’S SHARON SPEEDWAY

By Mike Leone
Hartford, OH…The FASTRAK Northeast Late Model Touring Series will return to action this Saturday night, May 29 at Sharon Speedway for race #3 on the 20-event slate. The event marks the first of three 2010 Touring Series visits to the Hartford, Ohio facility.

Fresh of his first career Touring Series victory two weeks ago at Tyler County Speedway, former Super Late Model standout Mike Blose leads the competitive division to the eastern Ohio speedplant where the night will be highlighted by a 25-lap feature paying $1,200 to-win, $150 to-start.

Blose, 52 of New Bethlehem, Pa., is focusing on the Touring Series Championship in 2010 and is off to a good start in both events at Tyler County Speedway in West Virginia with a third and a first thus far to tie him for the point lead with 2008 champion Max Blair. Ironically, Blair’s finishes have been reversed with a first on the April 17 opener against a record 53-car field and third on May 15.

“Sharon hosted two very successful Touring Series events last year,” acknowledged fourth year Northeast Co-Director Vicki Emig. “They had car counts of 37 and 33 respectively with two great races won by Mike Pegher, Jr. and David Scott. Thanks to new General Manager, Dave Willoughby, Sharon stepped up in 2010 to become a weekly sanctioned track allowing racers to be able to accumulate important FASTRAK Weekly Series points for all six of their events.”

One driver anxious to return to Sharon is 17-year-old Josh Double. The Bristolville, Ohio racer grew up not far from Sharon Speedway and appeared to score a major upset victory last year in his rookie season defeating David Scott for his apparent first career win, but came up light at the scales. Double is chasing after the Northeast Touring Series crown in 2010 and qualified for both features at Tyler County.

There have been 36 Touring Series races contested with 17 different winners all-time in the Northeast Touring Series! Blair currently sits atop the all-time win list at six followed by Dick Barton, Bobby Powell, and John Lacki with four, Pegher and Scott with three, Alan Dellinger with two, and Todd Andrews, Kyle Drum, Frank Guidace, Butch Lambert, Carl McKinney, Dennis Lunger, Jr., Tom Snyder, Jr., Chris Meadows, Jim Frank, and Mike Blose with one victory.

“Just looking at the all-time Touring Series win list shows how competitive these events are,” expressed fourth year Northeast Co-Director Mike Leone. “Car counts average in the 30s and we nearly have a different winner every other event! We expect a strong field of cars Saturday with three of our weekly Saturday night tracks not in competition and no racing Sunday at Tri-City plus the weather forecast looks perfect! The neat thing about Sharon is it’s pretty much neutral ground. The track was in great shape for both of last year’s shows with a wide surface, which is very conducive for these cars.”

Feature payoff for Sharon Speedway 5/29: 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. Tow/Non-qualifiers $50.

Current FASTRAK Northeast Late Model Touring Series points (must be a Northeast Touring Series member to receive points): 1. Mike Blose & Max Blair 68 3. Gary Knollinger 53 4. Josh Holtgraver 48 5. Mike Pegher, Jr. 46 6. Joe Martin 39 7. Bud Watson 33 8. Josh Double 32 9. Butch Lambert & David Scott 31 11. Ricky Meglaye 30 12. Troy Shields 25 13. Dan Karalagas 23 14. Dwayne Pond 22 15. Dave Airgood, Jr. 20 16. Dan Angelicchio 14 17. Damian Bidwell, Rocky Kugel, Mark Moats, Jr., Bryan Force, Ike Fanton, Garrett Mott, Jamie Brown 10 24. John Over, Bob Kish, John Lacki, Bob Cossell, Dennis Lunger, Jr., Kyle Zimmerman, Jason Fosnaught, Bobby Cossell, Chris Force, Shane Bambarger, Jim Long, Michael Hughes.

Pit passes are $25 and there is a $50 entry fee. RaceCeivers are now mandatory at all Northeast and Mid-Ohio Valley Touring Series events. Any tech questions or information on the RaceCeivers, call Brad Hibbard at 330-540-RACE.

Gates open at 3 p.m. with racing at 6. Sharon Speedway is a 3/8-mile dirt track located on Custer-Orangeville Road in Hartford, Ohio near the intersection of Routes 7 & 305. For more information, check out their website at www.sharonspeedway.com or call 330-772-5481.

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.