FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 2, 2012
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DOG HOLLOW SET TO TRY AGAIN FRIDAY TO HOST FASTRAK NE TOURING SERIES’ ONLY APPEARANCE OF SEASON

Mike Leone
(Strongstown, PA)…After two very successful season opening events at Roaring Knob Motorsports Complex this month, the Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC Pace Performance FASTRAK Northeast Late Model Touring Series is set to resume its season this Friday night (May 4) at Dog Hollow Speedway. The Strongstown, Pa. oval, which is owned by Jim and Sharon Michny, was scheduled to host race #3 of 25 on the 2012 slate last Friday night, but the event was postponed to this week due to the inclement weather.

The two Roaring Knob events attracted 47 and 42 cars respectively with a total of 79 different drivers competing! The Series’ two all-time winning drivers, Max Blair and Mike Pegher, Jr., have been victorious to date this season; however, neither driver has ever been able to win a Northeast Touring Series event at Dog Hollow. Pegher did win Night 1 of the Grand Nationals last year at the track.

Dog Hollow is beginning its sixth season under the FASTRAK banner and opened April 20 with Mike Laughard capturing the victory. Dog Hollow has hosted at least one Northeast Touring Series event in each of its past five seasons. Local favorite Joe Martin enters Friday night carrying a two-race Touring Series win streak into Dog Hollow as the Mayport, Pa. driver won the 2010 and 2011 events. Martin is the only driver to win multiple Touring events at Dog Hollow as Bobby Powell, Alan Dellinger, Dick Barton, and Tom Snyder, Jr. are the other Touring winners.

“We’re looking forward to Friday,” stated sixth year Northeast Co-Director Vicki Emig. “The Michnys have been such a strong and loyal supporter of FASTRAK since we started in 2007 and have always allowed our Series to hold an event each year. This year, we decided to book an early show in hopes we can pull in a higher car count than normal. Hopefully the weather will cooperate so we can complete our third show of the season.”

Twenty-two year-old Max Blair of Centerville, Pa. is off to another great start in 2012 as he was the $3,000 “Super Nationals I” winner at Roaring Knob then came back and finished third on April 20. Blair is one of only four drivers to record top 10 finishes at both events and the only driver to capture a pair of top five finishes.

Blair leads Butch Lambert by nine points in search of his fourth Touring Series title in five years. After a down year in 2011, Lambert is off to his best start with a pair of top nine finishes. Lambert finished third in the 2010 points and is looking to end his winless drought, which dates back to September 26, 2008.

George Kowatic is in his second season of FASTRAK and currently is fourth with a sixth and eighth place finish. Pegher has rebounded to fourth in points after finishing just 17th at the opening Roaring Knob event. Damian Bidwell is the only other driver to record two top 10s as he rounds out the top five in fifth.

Friday’s 25-lap feature will pay $1,200 to-win and will also include the “Wheelman” Bonus Event Challenge Series for non-qualifiers. Jason Genco and Louie Krushansky have picked up the non-qualifier wins to date as Krushansky leads the points. An amazing 16 different drivers have scored victories in the 19 races run all-time.

Of course all of the great contingency programs will be in full force including the K&N “Cold Air Induction Dash” and fan giveaway, the Brake Man “Tough Brake of the Night”, Genesis Shocks “Top Dog of the Night”, Precise Racing Products “Pedal Down” Hard Charger, and the Utsinger’s Towing Hoosier Tire Giveaway. Decal packages will be again be available on Friday for these programs. Drivers are reminded that decals are required to be eligible for these awards with the exception of The Brake Man.

“We’ve been very pleased with our first two events,” stated sixth year Northeast Co-Director Mike Leone. “We’ve had 30 teams that competed in both races, 79 different drivers overall and an average of nearly 45 per event. We feel we have the best core of Touring drivers ever and that’s been evident so far. It’ll be interesting if Joe Martin can end his slow start and make it three in a row at his home track.”

There have been 75 Northeast Touring Series races contested with 30 different winners all-time. Mike Pegher, Jr. leads nemesis Max Blair by just one at 14 to 13 followed by Dick Barton, Bobby Powell, John Lacki, and David Scott with four, Steve Dixon and Josh Holtgraver at three, Alan Dellinger, Dan Angelicchio, Joe Martin, and Robbie Blair 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, Jonathan Davenport, Gary Knollinger, Dusty Hamrick, Bud Watson, Russell King, George Kowatic, Ryan Montgomery, and Wayne Robertson with one victory.

Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC Northeast Touring Series Driver Points (must be Touring member to receive points): 1. Max Blair 68 2. Butch Lambert 59 3. George Kowatic 58 4. Mike Pegher, Jr. 54 5. Damian Bidwell 52 6. Dan Angelicchio 51 7. Chad Ruhlman 49 8. Ryan Montgomery 48 9. Justin Tatlow 45 10. John Over 42 11. Joe Martin 41 12. Will Thomas III & Ricky Meglaye 38 14. Chad Wright & Nolan Dalton 36 16. Darren Peters & Billy Stile III 34 18. David Scott 33 19. Wayne Robertson 32 20. Josh Holtgraver 30 21. Shane Weaver 26 22. Lauren Longbrake 24 23. Brad Kling & Shane Hitt 21 25. Jason Knowles, Bobby Rohrer, Jamie Brown, Jorden Peters, Tim Sears, Jr. & Andrew Wylie 20 31. Billy Henry, Jr. 15 32. Rick Singleton 12 33. Doug Horton 11 34. Adam Sixt, Eric Wilson & Scott Smith 10.

Dog Hollow A Feature 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.

Non-Qualifier B Feature Payoff: 1. $125 2. $100 3. $90 4. $85 5. $80 6. $75 7. $70 8. $65 9. $60 10-24. $55. $50 to any driver failing to start either feature.

Pits open at 5:30 p.m. with racing at 7:30. There is a $50 entry fee. RACEceivers are required; however, transponders will not be required for this event.

Dog Hollow Speedway is a 4/10-mile dirt track located 3.5 miles north of Route 422 in Strongstown, PA at 76 Hamill Road, Northern Cambria, PA 15714. For more information on Dog Hollow, check out their website at www.dog-hollow.net or call 814-948-4252. The track number on race day is 814-948-6812.

2012 FASTRAK Northeast marketing partners include Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC, Pace Performance, Hoosier Tires, K&N Filters, The Brake Man, Utsinger’s Towing, Original Pizza Logs, Precise Racing Products, VP Fuels, Beyea Custom Headers, Genesis Shocks, H&H Racing Equipment, High Gear Speed Shop, Hyperco, Jake’s Golf Carts, Lincoln Electric, Wrisco Aluminum, and Wylie Race Cars.

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 and follow us on Twitter @FASTRAKNE