FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 16, 2010

SHARON SPEEDWAY COMMITS TO WEEKLY FASTRAK LATE MODEL RACING IN 2010

By Mike Leone
(Pulaski, PA)…The FASTRAK Racing Series is excited to announce that Sharon Speedway will run the Late Model division on a weekly basis for the upcoming 2011 season. Sharon joined the FASTRAK ranks hosting six events in 2010 and now for the first time ever, the FASTRAK Late Models will become a weekly attraction at the Hartford, Ohio oval.

FASTRAK racers will now have the opportunity on weekly basis to count their finishes at Sharon toward the National Weekly Series Championship, which pays $10,000 to-win and down 50 positions. Max Blair, who won the August 28 and September 18 Sharon events, was the National Weekly Champion for the second time in three seasons! Sharon’s events will also allow racers to count their events toward the 12-race minimum requirement to qualify for the three-night Grand Nationals in October.

“This is really a big deal for FASTRAK,” acknowledged Northeast Co-Director Mike Leone. “Sharon is one of the nicest short-track facilities in the country and for them to make the move to FASTRAK shows just how far the division has come in four years here in the Northeast.”

There were an incredible seven different winners in those eight events run at Sharon as Blair of Centerville, Pa. was the only repeat winner! Other winners at Sharon include Mike Pegher, Jr. (Wexford, Pa.), David Scott (Garland, Pa.), Josh Holtgraver (Pittsburgh, Pa.), Gary Knollinger (Wheeling, W.V.), Joe Martin (Mayport, Pa.), and Alan Dellinger (Hermitage, Pa.).

This shows the amazing competiveness of the division and the fact that Sharon Speedway seems extremely conducive to the FASTRAK concept. In fact, both Knollinger and Holtgraver’s wins were their first ever in Touring Series competition, and interestingly enough an Ohio driver has yet to win a feature at Sharon!

“I’m really looking forward to being able to run FASTRAK on a weekly basis,” stated Willoughby. “We had great success with the eight FASTRAK shows that were run over the past two seasons. We had strong car counts with unbelievable competition and the support and reaction from our fans helped make this decision an easier one. I had five calls last week from drivers making the move to FASTRAK since word of this announcement leaked out. Plus I’ve had a lot of guys tell me over the past year if Sharon adds FASTRAK they’d be there weekly.”

Late Models have a rich history at Sharon Speedway and throughout the Youngstown region. Superstars such as Tommy Jarrett and Tommy Wimer on dirt and Jim Bickerstaff, Mark Malcuit, Glenn Gault, and Joe Mihalic on asphalt are just a few drivers who have forged their names in the speedway’s annals.

“This is really nostalgic for me as I’m sure it is for many others throughout the area” stated Northeast Co- Director Vicki Emig. So many of us grew up at Sharon watching our Late Model heroes battle on Sharon’s tough ¼ mile in the 60’s and later on the asphalt ½ mile during the 70’s. I’m really excited to know that Sharon has given us the opportunity to add today’s FASTRAK Late Model drivers’ names to their record books.

A large field of cars is expected weekly with a strong core based within an hour of the speedway. One driver anxiously looking forward to Sharon running FASTRAK is Bill Cunningham. The Jefferson, Ohio veteran returned to racing last season in a limited effort for the first time in FASTRAK. Later in the season, son Billy entered the FASTRAK ranks. The Cunninghams are looking forward to an all-out assault on FASTRAK in 2011.

Entering his third season in FASTRAK will be Bristolville, Ohio’s Josh Double. The 17-year-old appeared to pull off an upset win in a Touring Series event in 2009, but came up light at the scales. One year later in the 2009 Applefest version, Double nearly redeemed himself with a second place finish to Blair in the Touring Series event. Double, a former go-kart competitor, did capture his career first win this past season at Mercer. Double is anxiously looking forward to being able to compete in his “backyard”.

“The response from racers about Sharon has been incredible,” expressed Northeast Co-Director Mike Leone. “We’ve always had strong support at Sharon and drivers excited about racing there in the past, and now with FASTRAK there weekly, it’s compounded the interest. There are so many teenagers making the move to FASTRAK and other former racers that are getting back into racing. To align FASTRAK with a showplace like Sharon on a weekly basis speaks volumes for the division.”

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 the website at www.sharonspeedway.com or call 330-772-5481.