By Rich Vleck
TULSA, Okla. (August 3, 2010) – Every year since 2001 Black Rock Speedway has hosted a major sprint car event in early August in front of major crowds. This Friday, that tradition continues in a big money event that not only will have a race winner, but crown a champion as well.
The ASCS Patriots return to the Black Rock Speedway for the second time this season this Friday for the $4,000-to-win A-Verdi Storage Containers King of Upstate New York Championship presented by S.P. Wilson/Lakes Gas. Not only will first place pay more, an extra $1,000 has also been added to other top-10 spots to make this one of the biggest shows of the season. Plenty will be on the line in this event which is perennially enhanced by the stock car personalities that are in attendance and sometimes in competition at “The Rock”.
In what is dubbed “NASCAR Night” at the Yates County Oval, the Friday Night event at the 4/10-mile serves as the perfect appetizer to many fans in town for the Sunday Afternoon event at Watkins Glen International, located just 12 miles south of the speedway. The drivers and crews from the stock car world also use the night as a way to relax, have fun, or get down to business in a sprint car.
Black Rock has easily hosted more ASCS Patriots than any other venue over the eight year history of the region, due in large part to the weekly competition held in Dundee in 2004. George Suprick, of Clarks Summit, PA, won the track championship that year and will be looking to rebound from a disappointing finish this past Saturday at Woodhull.
Bryan Howland enters Friday Night with a slim eight-point advantage over Jared Zimbardi in the overall standings, the first time the three-time Patriot Champion has led the standings since June 11. Howland has never won in a sprint at BRS, but has finished in the top-five in five of the last six events on the blue clay.
In 2007, Jared Zimbardi pulled off a thrilling win in this event and could desperately use a win this Friday to rebound from a minor slid his team has been on. With the win, Zimbardi would at least take a share of the point lead back with just five point races remaining after Friday.
Tim Kelly has recently taken hold of third in the standings and is the only Patriot competitor with a top-10 in each of the last four races. Kelly was second at the track just a stone’s throw north of his Rock Stream residence and could think of no better place to bust through into Victory Lane.
Bubba Broderick and Don Adamczyk have both shown their prowess at Black Rock, but it has often come from deeper in the field. A quality starting spot could be what they need to capture the lion’s share of the purse Friday.
Blake and Bobby Breen have been on fire as of late and are amongst the favorites this weekend. Each of the Savannah, NY drivers has a pair of wins at the first track they ever ran a sprint car on.
Jessica Zemken will have her Corr/Pak Merchandising Tony Stewart Racing entry on hand this Friday as well. “JZ” has finished in the top-10 in her last four starts at Black Rock, including a third in this race last season. It’s also plausible that her boss will have an opportunity to check out the car he owns as he has been in attendance at each race on this weekend since 2002, including finishing sixth in the ASCS Patriot event in 2008.
A host of others plan on throwing their hand in the mix for the $4,000 top prize, including Vern Wasson, leading Insinger Race Fuels Rookie of the Year Contender Shayne Ely, fellow rookie Dylan Swiernik, Chris Muhleisen, Gary Troutman, Ray Preston, Jared Fink, T.J. Newton, Brad Knab and the debut of Ross Vleck.
Racing action at Black Rock will begin at 6:30 p.m., with sprint cars putting heat in the motor soon after that time. For more information, visit www.ASCSpatriotsprints.com or www.ASCSracing.com.
ASCS Patriot History at Black Rock-
Races: 25
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
4/30/2010- Chuck Hebing