FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 8, 2011

BLOCKBUSTER 2011 FASTRAK NORTHEAST TOURING SCHEDULE UNVEILED; RECORD 23 RACES HIGHLIGHTED BY SPEEDWEEK, INTERNATIONAL EVENT & NUMEROUS INCREASED PURSE EVENTS & CONCEPTS

By Mike Leone
(Pulaski, PA)…The FASTRAK Northeast Late Model Touring Series is excited to unveil its long-awaited and highly-anticipated 2011 schedule of events. New title sponsor Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC will present this record 23-event slate in addition to Night 1 of the Grand Nationals at Dog Hollow Speedway on October 1.

While old man winter threw everything he had at the FASTRAK Northeast region over the past few months, Series directors Vicki Emig and Mike Leone have been working diligently with area speedways and new marketing partners to make the upcoming season more substantial and exciting then ever. This after FASTRAK Northeast paid out over $35,000 in cash and contingencies at its Northeast and Mid-Ohio Valley Touring Series banquet at Hard Rock Café Pittsburgh on January 30!

For the first time ever, over half of the schedule is made up of higher paying events; in fact more than 60% of the shows are higher than the standard $1,200 to-win purse. In addition, already over $16,000 in cash and contingencies have been added over and above the purses and yearend point fund with more to come! With the addition of Sweeney coming on board and the great schedule of events, it is expected that another increase in the point fund will take place including the champion’s share provided there isn’t an exhorbent amount of rainouts.

“Recently we had the pleasure of honoring our top Northeast and Mid-Ohio Valley Touring Series drivers at our awards banquet,” expressed Emig. “They truly deserved this recognition. I would be remised however to not make sure that all of our FASTRAK weekly-sanctioned promoters are aware of how much we appreciate their support and belief in this concept. The phenomenal growth of FASTRAK Northeast could not have been possible without them. They have all stepped up above and beyond once again to help us present this great Touring Series schedule.”

For the third straight season, West Virginia’s Tyler County Speedway will open the Northeast Touring season on Saturday, April 16, and again as a topless event. Last year’s event drew a Northeast all-time record high 53 cars! One month later on May 14, the second of four events at Tyler County will take place. All of these shows will pay a minimum of $1,500 to-win with their stellar $3,000 to-win event over Labor Day Weekend.

FASTRAK is thrilled to be headed to Rick Jones’ Roaring Knob Motorsports Complex on Saturday, April 30 joining together for the first time ever with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series in the Northeast! This Late Model doubleheader is sure to be a crowd pleaser! Roaring Knob had the highest weekly average car count in the nation for FASTRAK in 2010.

One of the most anticipated events of the season will take place Sunday, May 22 as FASTRAK goes International! The New Humberstone Speedway, which will be running FASTRAK weekly in 2011, will celebrate the Victoria Day holiday with the Canadian FASTRAK National Championship paying $2,000 to-win in U.S. funds. In addition to the higher-paying event, the top FASTRAK teams will be receiving money to help offset travel and passport costs. Who will win the first ever International FASTRAK Touring event?

One week after celebrating a Canadian holiday, the cars and stars of FASTRAK will return to the states to celebrate Memorial Day with the inaugural Bill Emig Memorial “Wildcard Weekend”. Sharon and Lernerville Speedways will host $1,500 to-win shows on Saturday and Monday respectively. Monday’s event marks the maiden voyage for FASTRAK at the Sarver, Pa. oval and will be joined by the prestigious USAC National Sprint Series. As previously announced, a wildcard draw each night will allow racers to earn bonus points toward the Bill Emig Memorial “Wildcard Weekend” point fund, which will feature an additional $3,000 of cash and contingencies.

A two-night swing in the Mountaineer state has been established on June 10 and 11. Friday night will see FASTRAK compete on the newly reconfigured 4/10-mile oval at West Virginia Motor Speedway and a return to “The Bullring” at Tyler County Speedway on Saturday. Both events will be $1,500 to-win.

The first of four events at McKean County Raceway will take place on June 18. McKean was one of the original four weekly-sanctioned FASTRAK speedways in 2007 and remains a strong facet of FASTRAK Northeast today thanks to the continued leadership of Ken Leet, Rich Yeager, and Tom Gleason. McKean typically draws some of the highest Touring Series car counts of the season; in fact, last year’s shows drew 42 and 44 cars respectively.

Sharon Speedway has become a major player in the FASTRAK world with the addition of the division to its weekly card. Like McKean and Tyler County, Sharon will also be holding four Touring Series events in 2011. All of their events will be part of special FASTRAK promotional events. Sharon’s second event will take place on Saturday, June 25 with $2,000 to-win! More information on this event will be released in the near future.

One of the new concepts in FASTRAK Northeast is the addition of the Bully Dog “Cross the Borders” Speedweek presented by Contingency Connection June 29 through July 3. This inaugural five-night swing will feature a separate point fund worth $5,000 in cash and contingencies to the top 10 with the champion receiving $1,000 cash and a $1,000 Bully Dog performance package.

The Speedweek kicks off on Wednesday at Expo Speedway as part of the Trumbull County Fair for $2,000 to-win. This third annual event has traditionally become one of the season’s best races played in front of a huge crowd. Night two will take place on Thursday at McKean County Raceway before crossing back into the Buckeye state for the season’s only appearance at Raceway 7 on Friday night. Pittsburgh’s PA Motor Speedway is back on the schedule and will host the Saturday show with the first ever FASTRAK “Stars & Cars” Autograph Night on the speedway during intermission. Then on Sunday, Eriez will bring down the curtain on the Speedweek with the $2,000 finale for their first FASTRAK show in three years!

After a busy June and early July, teams will get a much needed three-week break before another big event comes to Sharon. Title sponsor Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC will hold a “Sweeney Night” on Saturday, July 23. In addition to the $2,000 to-win feature, Northeast’s first ever GM 604 engine giveaway will take place as one lucky participating driver will win this $5,090 value.

With nearby Tyler County Speedway off for their fair, West Virginia Motor Speedway will pick up the slack and host another $1,500 to-win event on Saturday, August 6. Speaking of fairs, FASTRAK is in at the McKean County Fair! The 106th edition will feature the Northeast Touring Series for the annual fair race on Thursday, August 18.

Frank Wilson, Jr. and crew created a major race event last Labor Day Weekend. The “Black Diamond Weekend” will again see the FASTRAK Northeast Touring Series competing for the season’s richest payoff with $3,000 on the line on Friday, September 2!

From one big event to the next, FASTRAK will then head north to Franklin, Pa. on Saturday night be part of another signature Labor Day Weekend show as Tri-City Speedway hosts the Touring Series as part of the “Oil Region Classic” with the World of Outlaw Late Models.

Sharon Speedway and McKean County Raceway will each hold their fourth and final events of the season on successive weekends. Sharon’s will be on Saturday, September 17 as part of the “Apple Festival” Nationals and McKean on Friday, September 23 for their traditional and always anticipated “Fall Classic”.

For the second straight year, the Northeast Touring Series will conclude its season at Roaring Knob Motorsports Complex on October 7-8 for the “Spectacular Fall Fest”. Open practice will be held on Thursday night followed by heat races and the “Futures Cup” Championship event on Friday night. Saturday will feature the $2,000 to-win event. Stay tuned for more details on additional “Futures Cup” events.

For the first time in the five-year history of the Northeast, Night 1 of the FASTRAK Grand Nationals will take place at Jim Michny’s Dog Hollow Speedway. Michny is considered to be one of the FASTRAK Northeast’s founding fathers, who embarked on the crate engine Late Model concept before FASTRAK found its way to the Northeast. This $1,500 to-win event will be held on Saturday, October 1 with a rain date of Sunday. Drivers will accumulate points before heading south to take part in Nights 2 and 3 for the $30,000 to-win championship! This year, drivers competing in all three nights will be guaranteed $500!

The FASTRAK Mid-Ohio Valley Touring Series debuted in 2010 due to the growth of FASTRAK in and around West Virginia. The late Gary Knollinger, Jr. of Wheeling, West Virginia captured the inaugural championship over fellow Mountaineer Kyle Thomas of Pennsboro. To date, the MOV will have a minimum of seven shows with the co-sanctioned Northeast events at Tyler County and West Virginia Motor Speedway. Tyler County has also added a new event on Saturday and Sunday, September 24-25. This event will be a stand-alone MOV show.

“We have to really thank Tyler County and West Virginia Motor Speedway for stepping up and keeping the MOV alive,” stated Northeast Co-Director Mike Leone. “Tyler County is hosting a record number of Touring events in 2011, and with West Virginia reconfiguring their track to 4/10-mile, I think this will really improve the car counts there. We’re still hoping to add a few more dates at some other tracks to boost their schedule and point fund even more than it was last year.”

Membership to join each Touring Series is again $100 for the season. Though membership is not required, it is highly recommended to earn all possible points and make one eligible for the point fund. Each event has a $50-$100 entry fee depending on the payoff.

There have been 54 Northeast Touring Series races contested in the four-year history with 25 different winners meaning nearly a new winner nearly every other event. Max Blair leads Mike Pegher, Jr. nine to eight followed by Dick Barton, Bobby Powell, John Lacki, and David Scott with four wins, Alan Dellinger & Steve Dixon 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, Dusty Hamrick, and Bud Watson with one victory.

Past Northeast champions include Alan Dellinger and car owner Bob Williams in 2007, Max Blair in 2008, David Scott and car owners John and Janet Powell in 2009, and again Blair in 2010.

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.

2011 FASTRAK Northeast Late Model Touring Series Schedule*
· Saturday, April 16 Tyler County Speedway Middlebourne, WV
($1,500 to-win Topless; Co-Sanctioned with MOV)
· Saturday, April 30 Roaring Knob Motorsports Complex Markleysburg, PA
($1,200 to-win with Lucas Oil Late Models)
· Saturday, May 14 Tyler County Speedway Middlebourne, WV
($1,500 to-win; Co-Sanctioned with MOV)
· Sunday, May 22 Humberstone Speedway Port Colborne, ONT, Can.
($2,000 to-win “Canadian FASTRAK National Championship”)
BILL EMIG MEMORIAL “WILDCARD WEEKEND”
· Saturday, May 28 Sharon Speedway Hartford, OH
($1,500 to-win)
· Monday, May 30 Lernerville Speedway Sarver, PA
($1,500 to-win with USAC National Sprint Series)
Over $3,000 in cash & contingencies for “Wildcard Weekend” point fund
· Friday, June 10 West Virginia Motor Speedway (4/10-mile) Mineral Wells, WV
($1,500 to-win; Co-Sanctioned with MOV)
· Saturday, June 11 Tyler County Speedway Middlebourne, WV
($1,500 to-win Mountain Man 25; Co-Sanctioned with MOV)
· Saturday, June 18 McKean County Raceway East Smethport, PA
($1,200 to-win)
· Saturday, June 25 Sharon Speedway Hartford, OH
($2,000 to-win)
BULLY DOG “CROSS THE BORDERS” SPEEDWEEK
· Wednesday, June 29 Expo Speedway (Trumbull County Fair) Cortland, OH
($2,000 to-win)
· Thursday, June 30 McKean County Raceway East Smethport, PA
($1,200 to-win)
· Friday, July 1 Raceway 7 Conneaut, OH
($1,200 to-win)
· Saturday, July 2 Pittsburgh’s PA Motor Speedway Imperial, PA
($1,200 to-win; “Stars & Cars” autograph session)
.
· Sunday, July 3 Eriez Speedway Erie (Hammett), PA
($2,000 to-win)
Over $5,000 in cash & contingencies for “Cross the Borders” Speedweek point fund
· Saturday, July 23 Sharon Speedway Hartford, OH
($2,000 to-win plus Sweeney Chevrolet GM 604 engine giveaway)
· Saturday, August 6 West Virginia Motor Speedway (4/10-mile) Mineral Wells, WV
($1,500 to-win; Co-Sanctioned with MOV)
· Thursday, August 18 McKean County Raceway East Smethport, PA
($1,200 to-win for McKean County Fair Race)
· Friday, September 2 Tyler County Speedway Middlebourne, WV
($3,000 to-win “Black Diamond”; Co-Sanctioned with MOV)
· Saturday, September 3 Tri-City Speedway Franklin, PA
($1,200 to-win “Oil Region Classic” with WoO Late Models)
· Saturday, September 17 Sharon Speedway Hartford, OH
($1,200 to-win “Apple Festival Nationals”)
· Friday, September 23 McKean County Raceway East Smethport, PA
($1,200 to-win “Fall Classic”)
· Fri & Sat, October 7-8 Roaring Knob Motorsports Complex Markleysburg, PA
(“Spectacular Fall Fest” with heats Friday & $2,000 to-win Saturday)
ALSO,
Stand-Alone Mid-Ohio Valley Touring Series
· Fri & Sat, September 24-25 Tyler County Speedway Middlebourne, WV
(Heats Saturday & $1,200 to-win Sunday)
Night 1 of Grand Nationals for Northeast & MOV
· Saturday, October 1 Dog Hollow Speedway Strongstown, PA
($1,500 to-win)

*Tentative – Schedule subject to change; additional dates may be added