By Mike Leone
Mercer, PA…With the start of 2010 racing season some six weeks away, Mercer Raceway Park is excited to once again present an action-packed slate of special race events to blend in with its “Saturday Night Live” weekly program and family entertainment. Nine special race events with no less than six sanctioning bodies are part of the 59th anniversary season.
The 2010 season opener will take place on Saturday, March 27. The popular Super Late Models will highlight the “Chiller Thriller” in a UFo Race Championship event for the first time ever at The Park. A healthy $2,500 will be awaiting the winner of the “Mach 41,” which will be the first major Late Model event in the Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, and New York Region. Also competing will be the United E-Mod Series and open Stock Cars for a cool $1,000 to-win each plus the Mini Stocks! The event will carry an April 3 rain date.
Summer will be in full force when the ground-pounding Big-Block Modifieds come to town in a BRP Tour event on Saturday, June 19 to take on Mercer’s highly-competitive 358 Small-Block Modifieds. These clashes have really turned into a “me” vs. “them” rivalry that’s been great for the fans. This “Smackdown” event will also be headlined by the Sprint Cars for $1,500 to-win.
We’ll celebrate Independence Day in fine fashion with the season’s richest race event on Saturday, July 3. The FASTRAK “Summer Nationals” will be the Northeast’s most prestigious FASTRAK event ever with $6,000 on the line! A field of 40+ cars is expected for this National event. Sprint Car fans won’t want to miss this one either as the winged 410s will compete in twin features!
Four weeks later we close out the month of July with an interesting event that’ll find open wheel fans licking their chops. The first of two DIRTcar Sprint Challenge Series events will lead the way on Saturday, July 31 for the $2,000 to-win “Sprint Slug-Out,” which is part of this 10-event regional point series for the 410s. It’ll also be the highly-anticipated return of the ARDC Midgets at The Park for the first time in five seasons! ARDC has really grown in recent years and a strong field of wingless competitors is expected. The Modifieds will make this a true open wheel fans’ delight!
The Big-Block Modifieds will be back again on Saturday, August 14 for the region’s longest-running memorial event- the Bill Emig Memorial. With no other Modified races in the region, a top notch field will pay tribute to the legacy of current track owner, Vicki Emig’s father. Both the Modifieds and Sprint Cars will be racing for $1,500 to-win each and the FASTRAK Late Models will join in on the excitement.
The summer concludes on Saturday, August 28 with a new event as the Auto Racers for Kids Charities Sprint Series will make a stop at The Park featuring all of the top regional racers for $3,000 to-win. All proceeds will go to this great benefit, which has taken place at Lake Erie Speedway in the past.
After taking the Labor Day Weekend off, the fall special event race slate gets in gear with the 21st Annual “Western PA Sprint Championship” on Saturday, September 11. Not only will this be another $2,000 to-win DIRTcar Sprint Challenge Series event, but it’ll also include the top three classes of cars as the Big-Block Modifieds return for another $1,500 to-win feature and will be joined along with the FASTRAK Late Models in the final points event of the season.
As hard as it’s to believe, the 2010 season will mark the 11th for the prestigious “Little Guy Nationals”. A small idea that was brainstormed on a cold, rainy evening in the winter of 1999 has blossomed into an annual tradition that attracts masses of racers from all over the Northeast. This year’s affair will take place on Friday and Saturday, September 24-25 featuring complete shows both days for the Modifieds, open Stock Cars, Strictly Stocks, and Mini Stocks, while the Micro Sprints battle on Friday night and the FASTRAK Late Model non-winners on Saturday. Those exciting changes that took place in last year’s “Little Guy Nationals” format will be back once again!
The curtain will be drawn on the 2010 season for the third annual “Fall Brawl” on Saturday, October 2. Late Model fans will be in heaven as it’s a double dip of full-bodied excitement! FASTRAK will be battling it out for precious points in Night 1 of the Grand Nationals, while the Super Late Models race for $2,000 to-win in the 40th anniversary since they first appeared at The Park in 1970 when L.J. Dennis won the first race. And like the opener, the United E-Mod Series will be on tap, but this time the ante’s been doubled with $2,000 on the line.
“I think we’ve put together an exciting schedule of special race events for both the racers and the fans,” acknowledged 12th year owner Emig. “There’s truly something for everyone! All of our local and regional racers can not only compete with basically no modifications to their cars, but can win every single event. The best part is they are all affordable with the majority $15 for adults with none priced over $17 for adults, $38 for families, or $7 for kids 6-15, and of course kids five and under and parking are always free!”
Though it’s not a special “race” event, truck and tractor pulling fans pack The Park annually on Memorial Day Weekend for the All-American “Spring Nationals” World Championship Pulling event presented by Fallsway Equipment Co. This year’s event will take place on Saturday, May 29 with a rain date of Sunday featuring the Big-Rig Semis, Smoker Series Tractors, Hot Diesel 4×4 Trucks, and Pro Street Gas 4×4 Trucks.
Mercer Raceway Park will showcase the Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Cars, Approved Toilet Rental Modifieds, 4 Your Car Connection FASTRAK Late Models, Stock Cars, and Mini Stocks on a regular basis beginning April 3 pending the completion of the “Chiller Thriller”. Gates open at 4:30 p.m. with warm-ups at 6:15 and racing at 7.
Mercer Raceway Park is a 3/8-mile dirt track located minutes from both Interstate 79 and 80 just off Route 19 on Fairground Road in Mercer, Pa. Dirt track racing and quality family entertainment are presented weekly late March through October. The office in New Bedford, Pa. is open year-round late mornings and after 1:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information call the office at 724-964-9300 or the track on race day at 724-662-1310. Check out our website at www.mercerracewaypark.com for the latest. Go to www.twitter.com/mercerraceway or Mercer Raceway Park on facebook.com to stay up to date. Text the word “MERCER” to 29222 for race event and special family and discounted promotions.