From Rich Vleck
ROCHESTER, NY (July 25, 2011)- With temperatures in the Northeast being incredibly high, it is only fitting that the Patriot Sprint Tour returns to the Highbanks this Saturday.
The Patriot Sprint Tour (PST) will run their only event in cooperation with the Sprint Xpress 410s this Saturday at Woodhull Raceway. If the second running of this show can be even half as good as last year’s edition, the Speedway’s faithful fans are in for a treat.
This weekend was intended to feature a pair of PST events, with the Friday showcase scheduled at Clinton County. That event had to be cancelled this past weekend as management at the Pennsylvania oval were forced to drastically alter their schedule for the rest of the season.
Saturday Night’s event will be the finale for the Insinger Race Fuels King of the Southern Tier Series. Five drivers have a very real chance at capturing that crown this weekend.
In Saturday’s Sprint Spectacular featuring the only PST race of the season permitting 410s to compete, $2,000 will go to the winner of the 25-lap event. As part of a new 360 Bonus program however, the top five finishers with a PST legal car will partake in this additional fund, with $500 going to the highest finisher. This means that if a 360 goes to Victory Lane, it will be worth $2,500!
In last year’s edition, Chuck Hebing, the Ontario, NY driver who has won four of the six Patriot events at Woodhull, was out in front in his 360 until late contact with George Suprick handed the lead, and eventually the win, to Dan Shetler. All three competitors are expected to be on hand this weekend.
Hebing was the winner of the PST event at the 1/3-mile oval back in May, and was also charged to Victory Lane at Rolling Wheels Saturday Night in the Sprint Car Summer Shootout Finale. He is the odds-on favorite, but there will be a number of top names gunning for “The Cobra”.
Jared Zimbardi, of Little Valley, NY, the Patriot Point Leader, enters a track that he will admit is among one of his toughest to get a handle of. His fifth-place effort in May felt like a win for “The Juice”.
Tim Kelly, of Rock Stream, NY, has always performed well at Woodhull, dating back to his win there in 1999. Kelly finished in third in May, just behind Bryan Howland, who has also be a frontrunner each time he has made his trip to the Southern Tier. Howland leads the King of the Southern Tier points heading into Saturday and will need another top run to hold on to that crown.
Don Adamczyk has been anxiously awaiting the series’ return to one of his favorite tracks. The runner-up in 2009 was also a fourth-place finisher at Woodhull back in May. Scott Kreutter finished in sixth that night but charged from the back in dramatic fashion. After a tough weekend, “The Straight Shooter” looks to bounce back at the track where he won his final micro sprint race in 2006.
As always, a stop at Woodhull is always special for Vern Wasson, who was owner of the Steuben County Oval up until 2009. Wasson was seventh at the event in May.
A slew of other Patriot regulars are expected including Brad Knab, Mitch Brown, Shayne Ely, Dave Wickham, Todd Hoddick, Jay Groves, Jeff Frasier and Steve Collins, who won the Original Pizza Logs Four Laps of Fame in May for his first career win. Speaking of Original Pizza Logs, the Dash Sponsor will also sponsor Charlie Donk in his first career Patriot start this weekend.
Among the many other names that could help to fill the pits on Saturday include Tracy Potter, Dylan Swiernik, Bob Reis and Tim Zack.
The Sprint Xpress Contingent should include Shetler and Suprick, along with past Patriot Winner Kyle Drum, Mark and Clint Ide. Also keep an eye out for Daryl Stiemling, Alan Cole, Dylan Proctor and Bobby Howard.
Racing action gets underway at 6:30 on Saturday Night. For more information, visit www.PatriotSprintTour.com and follow the series all night on Facebook and Twitter.