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For
Immediate Release January 15, 2008 From Jim Irvine
Merrittville Public Relations
905-685-7223 (Winter Office)
Thorold, Ontario (January
15) Merrittville Speedway launched it’s 57th consecutive season January 13th
with its Annual Registration Meeting at the Holiday Inn in an afternoon-long
session that included each of the 5 Dirt Weekly Racing Series Divisions and the
popular Konzelmann Estate Winery Enduro Series.
“From all we do … from the Enduros
to our Saturday Night Divisions,” reiterated (Merrittville co-owner) Pete
Bicknell at the start of each session, “it’s all about safety and having fun.”
“Driver Safety starts right with
our Enduros,” added Speedway co-owner Randy Williamson, “it may well be worth
investing in a racing suit and helmet … even a fuel cell and seat … they can be
moved from one car to the next – even a roll bar … year in and year out … and
into our regular entry-level racing divisions as so many have done.”
It was also announced that Station
Wagons have become eligible for use in any of the three Qualifiers and/or the
season-ending 100 lap events. Enduro Drivers are encouraged to incorporate
‘themes’ into their cars as so many Saturday Night Stock Car Drivers have done.
Through-out the day each meeting
played host to many returning and rookie drivers – in fact – there were 19
rookie drivers that registered during the Stock Car Sessions spread throughout
the Turn 4 Collision 4 Cylinder, Lucas Oil Open Wheel Lite, Hoosier Stock,
Original Pizza Logs Sportsman and L. St. Amand Enterprises 358 Modified
Divisions.
Procedural rules announced for
each of the 5 Stock Car Divisions included the following that apply to all
classes:
- Restarts will take place
exiting Turn 4 as per the test did late last season and no one can pass or pull
out of line before the designated cone
- Each driver received Tech
Inspection Sheets and it is up to the driver to check her or her car before
turning in a completed sheet prior to being able to compete
Specific Rules for all divisions
including any alterations and/or additions arising from the meetings will be
posted on line at www.merrittvillespeedway.com and will be available from the
Winter Office which is located at Bicknell Racing Products 117 Cushman Road in
St. Catharines, Ontario.
Drivers competing in the Original
Pizza Logs Sportsman and L. St. Amand Enterprises 358 Modified Divisions are
reminded of the Lucas Oil Shootout Press Conference set for Saturday January
26th at the Best Western Cairncroft Hotel on Lundy’s Lane in Niagara Falls
Ontario.
Presented by dirttrackdigest.com,
the 2:00 PM gathering will unveil the 2008 details on the unique series.
Drivers that attend will be eligible to enter draws for a pair of Pit Passes
for each event for their respective division.
Lucas Oil Open Wheel Lite Drivers
are also reminded of the annual NYDCA Meeting to be held Sunday January 27th at
the Howard Johnson Hotel in St. Catharines.
Drivers from any Stock Car
Division were invited to participate in the Pete Bicknell Driving School and
Chassis Seminar to be held at Merrittville Speedway April 12th, 13th &19th.
Each day has limited availability for drivers and crew. Race teams wishing to
register can do so by calling the Speedway’s Winter Office at 905-685-7223.
Merrittville Speedway’s 2008 Test,
Tune and Time Trial Day will also take place April 19th after the school to
line up Saturday May 3rd’s Events after the Baron Roofing Spring Sizzler that
will feature the 358 Modifieds in a 100 lap Super DIRTcar Series Event Saturday
April 26th.
Four Drivers from each division
were also picked for the Pen Centre Race Car Show that is set for the week of
March 31st to April 6th.
Rookie Matt Deschamps, Ed McLean,
Rob Overholt and Brandon Iudiciani will represent the Turn 4 Collision 4
Cylinders, Kellie Mason, Adam Murphy, Jamie Gilbert and Joey Mastroianni are
set to represent the Lucas Oil Open Wheel Lites, Kevin Knapp, Dave Small, Rick
Beales and sophomore second generation driver Brent Begolo will display their
Hoosier Stocks, Brad Rouse, Stan Zanchin, Paul Gaboury and sophomore driver
Rick Bellante will showcase their Original Pizza Logs Sportsmen Cars while
Todd Gordon, Pete Bicknell, George Bosse and Tim Jones are set for the L. St.
Amand Enterprises 358 Modifieds.
The Speedway Office will open for
the season April 1st.
As the countdown
to the 2008 Spring Sizzler Season Opener heats up – visit
www.merrittvillespeedway.com for all the exciting news on the 57th Season –
including the deal on new rookie drivers and veterans alike and the Dirt Weekly
Racing Series schedule. |
