Thorold, Ontario (March 25) – The Pen Centre is celebrating its 50th Anniversary in 2008! 

Merrittville Speedway would like to invite the racing community to celebrate 5 decades of retail when the Thorold track’s 57th consecutive season gets a major step closer to its start with the Annual Race Car Show the week of March 31st to April 6th. 

“Merrittville had a few seasons completed when the Pen was built as an outside strip mall,” remarks (Merrittville GM) Erica Bicknell, “ and more than ever … look at it today … we are honored to have the chance to showcase our race teams each year.” 

The Pen Centre is Niagara’s largest shopping destination, featuring 180 stores and services and one million square feet of shopping fun. The Pen Centre is home to popular national stores and brands. Shoppers can dine in one of five restaurants or relax in the Food or any of the other food service providers. Enjoy a movie on one of eight modern screens with stadium seating, or just relax in one of their comfortable soft seating stations located throughout the shopping centre. 

Each of the 5 Saturday Night Dirt Weekly Racing Series Divisions will be represented – the L. St. Amand Enterprises 358 Modifieds, Original Pizza Logs, Hoosier Stocks, Lucas Oil Open Wheel Lites and the Turn 4 Collision 4 Cylinders. 

Rookie Matt Deschamps, Ed McLean, Rob Overholt and Brandon Iudiciani will represent the Turn 4 Collision 4 Cylinders, Paul Klager, Adam Murphy, Jamie Gilbert and Andy Tallman 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. 

Tuesday’s Kart Club will also be well represented with 6 Drivers showing off their new machines all set to take to the infield track. 

While Rookie and new third generation driver Dylan Sliter will display his new Kart as well – fellow first year karter Cierra Black as well as Jesse Cassell, Braeden Bilinsky, Greg Kohut and Mackenzie St. Jean. 

In addition to the racers, Merrittville Speedway will staff an information center where race fans can pick up their pocket schedules, ticket information and rules for specialty events will be available. 

“Our week at the Pen Centre is a very important part of our pre-season as we prepare for our 57th consecutive season,” reveals Bicknell, “the opportunity to put a schedule into a shopper’s hand … to have a chance to talk with them and have them see the race cars up close and meet the drivers personally is very important to us and our race teams as well … each race team can showcase their sponsors as we continue to search for new ways to attract new fans.” 

Once the Pen Centre closes for the day April 6th – the next stop is the race track and the Pen Centre’s May 10 Race Card is not all that far away either. 

Drivers and crew members are reminded that the deadline purchase both VIP Passes and Memberships is Tuesday April 1st. The Merrittville Winter Office – located at Bicknell Racing Products during the off season will close as of Friday March 28th when the Speedway will reopen for the season 

Prior to the Baron Roofing Spring Sizzler 100 and the rest of the season ahead – Merrittville Speedway hosts driving schools for both Stock Cars and Karts. 

Drivers wishing to take to the track by participating in either the Bicknell Racing Products Chassis Seminar and Pete Bicknell Driving School for Stock Cars or the RCM Racing Equipment Kart School should contact Erica Bicknell at 905-685-7223 until April 1st. 

The Pen Centre is located at HWY 406 and Glendale Avenue in St. Catharines and Store Hours are Monday to Friday 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM, Saturday from 9:30 to 6:00 and on Sundays from Noon to 6 PM. For further information visit www.thepencentre.com. 

Your local Dirt Track is where it’s at and it’s at Merrittville Speedway in just 34 Days – Saturday April 26th.  

The star studded 358 Modified Super DIRTcar Series Stars are set to challenge our home town heroes in the Spring Sizzler 100 Super DIRTcar Series presented by Baron Roofing.  

April’s Event also includes a 40 lap event for the Sportsman and a 25 lap Street Stock Open Event. 

With plenty of free camping – it puts Merrittville Speedway on the map as a must see event and it’s just the start of 2008 – you won’t want to miss a single event all season!