FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 15, 2010

FASTRAK NORTHEAST LATE MODEL TOURING SERIES HEADS BACK TO SHARON SATURDAY FOR 3RD & FINAL VISIT; SPECIAL WEEKLY EVENT FRIDAY PART OF 2-DAY APPLEFEST

By Mike Leone
Hartford, OH…After a week hiatus, the cars and stars of the FASTRAK Northeast Late Model Touring Series will resume action this Saturday night, September 18 for the third and final visit of the 2010 season to Sharon Speedway for race #18 of 20. Sharon will not only host a Touring Series event on Saturday, but FASTRAK will have the ability to compete on Friday night in a weekly-sanctioned special event all part of the two-day Applefest Nationals.

Sharon stepped up in 2010 as a weekly-sanctioned FASTRAK speedway for the first time. Not only will Saturday be their third Northeast Touring Series event paying $1,200 to-win, $150 to-start that counts for both National Weekly and Touring Series points, but Friday’s $1,000 to-win, $100 to-start event will be the track’s third non-Touring event that will allow racers to accumulate points toward the important National Weekly Series Championship that pays down 50 spots and wraps up at the conclusion of the month.

The four FASTRAK events to date at Sharon have saw Josh Holtgraver and Gary Knollinger win their career first Touring events, while Joe Martin scored an upset $1,000 win on July 28 and National Weekly Series point leader Max Blair won the $1,000 race on August 28- for his first ever at the Hartford, Ohio oval. In fact, with Mike Pegher, Jr. and David Scott winning last year’s Touring Series events, there has yet to be a repeat winner in the six FASTRAK events held to date.

“This is going to be a great weekend for FASTRAK racers,” stated Northeast Co-Director Mike Leone. “Sharon has put up a nice purse on Friday to complement Saturday’s Touring Series event and are offering two-day pit passes for just $40! Sharon worked with Mercer Raceway Park this year to schedule these six events around each other’s schedules so the racers could have a great opportunity to compete for a strong purse without having to go far, and at the same time have the ability to accumulate points toward the FASTRAK Weekly Championship. The Touring Series events at Sharon have always been tremendous races with strong field of cars. We expect a lot of teams to make a weekend out of it and Sharon is offering free camping.”

In addition to the great racing that will take place both nights at the eastern Ohio speed plant, Sharon has also lined up an after party with a bonfire and live entertainment including bands Tripwire on Friday night and The Beckman Band on Saturday.

The 2010 Northeast Touring Series has been a very competitive one with 12 different winners in 17 races! Will there be a 13th different one on Saturday? Mike Pegher, Jr. leads the way with four wins, but Max Blair’s third win of the season came at Raceway 7, which broke the tie with Pegher as he regained the lead in all-time victories at eight. Blair also leads the Northeast Touring Series points over Blair as he looks for his second championship in three years.

Other winners this season have included Mike Blose, Josh Holtgraver, Robbie Blair, Jonathan Davenport, David Scott, Gary Knollinger, Joe Martin, Steve Dixon, and most recently Dusty Hamrick and Bud Watson, who won their first career Touring Series events over the Labor Day Weekend. In fact, five of the last seven races have produced first time winners.

Justin Kreider continues to lead the new “Wheelman” Bonus Event Challenge Series. The Linesville, Pa. driver finished fourth in the non-qualifier event last Friday at Raceway 7 and now leads Jason Genco by 28 points. Genco of Jamestown, Ny. has been victorious in the past two events at Sharon and Raceway 7 as he’s just missed out on transferring to the feature by one spot both nights.

There have been 51 Northeast Touring Series races contested with 25 different winners all-time in the Northeast Touring Series meaning nearly a new winner nearly every other event. Blair leads Pegher eight to seven followed by Dick Barton, Bobby Powell, John Lacki, and David Scott with four, 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, Mike Blose, Josh Holtgraver, Robbie Blair, Jonathan Davenport, Gary Knollinger, Joe Martin, Steve Dixon, Dusty Hamrick, and Bud Watson with one victory.

Sharon September 18 payoff: 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.

Current Northeast Touring Series points (must be a Northeast Touring Series member to receive points): 1. Max Blair 550 2. Mike Pegher, Jr. 481 3. Butch Lambert 448 4. Gary Knollinger 447 5. Josh Holtgraver 428 6. Bud Watson 414 7. Joe Martin 281 8. Dan Angelicchio 279 9. Dan Karalagas 266 10. Steve Dixon 252 11. Bryan Force 227 12. Mike Blose 188 13. Kyle Zimmerman 170 14. Troy Shields 169 15. David Scott 165 15. Kyle Lukon 145 17. Shane Bambarger 141 18. Josh Double 132 19. Ricky Meglaye 125 20. Dwayne Pond 123 21. Garrett Mott 117 22. Jamie Brown 107 23. Bob Cossell IV 98 24. John Haggerty 96 25. Damian Bidwell 89 26. Rocky Kugel 86 27. Robbie Blair 84 28. Dave Airgood, Jr. 64 29. Michael Mitchell 59 30. Dennis Lunger, Jr. 51 31. Ike Fanton 49 32. Bob Kish 38 33. Chris Force 33 34. John Over 31 35. Jim Long 30 36. John Lacki & Michael Hughes 23 38. Mark Moats, Jr., 10 39. Jason Fosnaught 0.

RACEceivers are mandatory at all Northeast Touring Series events and transponders are mandatory at Sharon. There is a $50 entry fee for Saturday. Any tech questions or information on the RACEceivers, call Brad Hibbard at 330-540-RACE.

On Friday, gates open at 5 p.m. with racing at 7 and on Saturday, pits will open at 3 p.m. with racing at 6. Pit passes are $25 each day or $40 for both. Free camping is available all weekend. 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.