By Rich Vleck
TULSA, Okla. (April 26, 2010) – It’s the most-frequented stop in Patriot history, so it seems to reason that the ASCS Patriot Sprints kick off the 2010 season at Black Rock this weekend.
Black Rock Speedway in Dundee, NY, the weekly home of the Patriots in 2004, will host their first of four ASCS Patriot events this Friday for the first sprint car event in New York this season. While it would be the first race in the state, one of the favorites already has things tuned up for “The Rock”.
Bryan Howland, three-time and defending Patriot Champion from Auburn, NY, flirted with track-record laps at the banked 4/10-mile oval this past weekend, with multiple laps in the 13.1 second bracket. Howland was strong on that night, but is winless in his sprint car career at Black Rock, a rarity for him at any track.
Howland’s No. 51 will be far from the only favorite on Friday, as the Abtex Corp. Season Opener will be the only sprint race in the entire Northeast this weekend, opening up the possibility for a multitude of top contenders to infiltrate Yates County.
Trevor Lewis, from Upper Black Eddy, PA, dominated Patriot action in the last sprint race at BRS last August. Lewis has scored three $4,000 top prizes over his career at Black Rock and has never finished outside of the top 7 in any of his 13 starts. Already a winner in New Jersey this month, Lewis will be a factor for sure.
Bobby Breen won the spring Patriot show at BRS last year, in a spirited battle with Lewis. Breen, the 2009 A-Verdi Storage Containers King of Central New York, also won his first career race at Black Rock and will kick off his defense of that series crown Friday as it begins the A-Verdi Storage Containers King of Upstate New York Series.
A pair of past Patriot Champs are also ready to rock. Chuck Hebing is anxiously awaiting the start to his season at the site of four of his 30 Patriot triumphs. The same could be said for George Suprick, who has eight wins at his self-proclaimed “Best Track”.
Jessica Zemken has been spending her spring on the road but is planning on running her first race in her home state this Friday in her new No. 14 in a collaborative effort with Tony Stewart Racing.
Another “JZ”, Jared Zimbardi, is hopeful that this year will be the one where he can move up that one position in the points to claim the Patriot Championship. A winner at BRS in 2007, “The Juice” is among nearly a dozen competitors that have won at Black Rock that plan on attending, including Lance Yonge, Blake Breen, Justin Barger and local Tim Kelly.
It should be a very strong field with plenty of brand new equipment hitting a speedway for the first time. Series regulars like Bubba Broderick, Don Adamczyk, Derek Jonathan and Ray Preston look to make 2010 a special one at a track they’ve seen many times.
Dan DeMarree Fruit Farms will sponsor the popular Four Laps of Fams Dash to help make a compete show for the fans. The fans can also get their hands on the all-new ASI Racewear/Sportswear Patriot Merchandise, which is quite possibly the best-looking apparel in series history.
The Hot Wings TV Cameras will return again in 2010 and kick off their season as well on Friday.
Racing begins at 6:45 p.m., with gates opening at 5:00 p.m. For more information, visit www.ASCSracing.com.
ASCS Patriot History at Black Rock-
Races: 24
9/6/2003- Scott Bonnell
4/24/2004- Rich Swarthout
5/22/2004- Lance Yonge
6/5/2004- George Suprick
6/12/2004- George Suprick
6/19/2004- George Suprick
6/26/2004- Bobby Breen
7/2/2004- Rick Wilson
7/10/2004- Chuck Hebing
7/17/2004- George Suprick
8/7/2004- Blake Breen
8/14/2004- Blake Breen
9/4/2004- Chuck Hebing
9/11/2004- Trevor Lewis
8/13/2005- George Suprick
9/10/2005- Trevor Lewis
8/12/2006- Chuck Hebing
9/9/2006- Curt Michael
5/18/2007- Chuck Hebing
5/19/2007- Travis Rilat
8/11/2007- Jared Zimbardi
8/8/2008- Justin Barger
5/15/2009- Bobby Breen
8/7/2009- Trevor Lewis