By Dean Reynolds
SYRACUSE, NY – It’s celebrated as the last holiday of the summer and the very best from the Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints (ESS) will be out in full force on Labor Day Weekend. On Saturday its back to Canandaigua Motorsports Park to finish the A-Main that was rained out on Aug. 13th and on Sunday it’s the fourth and final visit to the Utica-Rome Speedway.
It started out as a sun filled evening back on Aug. 13th at the Ontario County Fairgrounds but then Mother Nature decided to showcase her power with one of her best. Thunder and lightening just wasn’t on the Canandaigua oval but in the sky as well.
Just as the checkered flag flew for the B-Main the skies opened up and postponed the 25 lap finale until this Saturday night. The A-Main line-up is already locked in with all qualifying complete.
NASCAR Sprint Cup star Tony Stewart qualified for the A-main by winning his heat but it’s unclear at this time if he will be back for the make-up as the Sprint Cup will be in Atlanta this weekend.
After the excitement at Canandaigua, its head east on the New York State Thruway to Vernon, NY and the fourth stop at the Utica-Rome Speedway. The half-mile has produced some of the most exciting ESS events in 2011 and this Sunday will be no different.
Just like the recent 50th Anniversary event at Utica-Rome, Chuck Hebing and Steve Poirier put on an epic battle for the checkered flag. These two talented drivers are nearly deadlocked in the overall Lucas Oil point standings looking for the 2011 ESS title.
Just about the entire A-Main field has confirmed their return on Saturday with another solid field ready to do battle on Sunday making for a fun filled weekend.
Not only will the battle between Hebing and Poirier will keep people on edge, but also important events for Shawn Donath, Cory Sparks and Kevin Ward Jr. as they are battling for third-fifth in the final rundown.
Jeff Cook, Lance Yonge, Matt Tanner, Alain Bergeron, Michael Parent, Mike Stelter and Tommy Wickham will also be looking to improve their positions in the overall points over the weekend.
Canandaigua, Utica-Rome, the Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints and the Labor Day Weekend. The very best of “America’s Race Cars” from two nations will do battle and it will be excitement guaranteed!!
For More information:
www.canandaiguamotorsportspark.com
www.uticaromespeedway.com
www.empiresupersprints.com
A-Main Starting Line-up: Shawn Donath, Glenn Styres, Kevin Ward Jr., Charlie Donk, Tony Stewart, Jason Barney, Chuck Hebing, Dain Naida, Jared Zimbardi, Michael Parent, Lance Yonge, George Suprick, Bobby Breen, Bryan Howland, Steve Poirier, Tommy Wickham, Matt Tanner, Jamie Collard, Billy Dunn, Blake Breen, Jeff Cook, Shayne Ely. Provisionals – Cory Sparks, Alain Bergeron
B-Main Finish (top 4 Qualified for A and cars will be added as cars are scratched from the A-Main) – Dunn, Bl. Breen, Cook, Ely, Devin Caron, Cory Sparks, Paul Habeck, Tim Kelly, Tyler Rand, Mike Stelter, Alain Bergeron, Chris Jones, Curtis Bradshaw.
Past Empire Super Sprint Winners at Canandaigua Speedway
July 6, 1985
John Zentner
July 5, 1986
Gordy Button
Aug. 16, 1986
Gordy Button
July 4, 1987
Mike Gorman
Aug. 15, 1987
John Brutcher
June 29, 1991
Jeff Thomas
July 4, 1992
Mike Woodring
Aug. 29, 1992
Bobby Parrow
May 8, 1993
Tim Kelly
Aug. 28, 1993
Tim Kelly
July 1, 1995
Craig Keel
May 11, 1997
Mike Woodring
July 5, 1997
Mike Woodring
July 24, 1999
Lance Yonge
May 13, 2000
Lance Yonge
July 1, 2000
Rich Wood
May 12, 2001
Randy Years
June 30, 2001
Lance Yonge
May 11, 2002
Brian Dumigan
July 6, 2002
Rob Dietrick
Aug. 26, 2006
Justin Barger
Past Empire Super Sprint Winners at Utica Rome Speedway
May26, 1986
Dave Kelly
July 27, 1986
Bill Peri
May 25, 1987
Gordy Button
Oct. 3, 1987
Mike VanDusen
June 11, 1989
George Sifo
July 9, 1989
Rob Hart
Aug. 20, 1989
Mal Lane
July 8, 1990
Bob Podolak
Aug. 11, 1990
Jeff Thomas
Aug. 9, 1992
Lance Yonge
May 29, 1994
Bobby Parrow
May 26, 1996
Mike Woodring
Sept. 1, 1996
Mike Woodring
Sept. 2, 2001
Steve Dow
Sept. 1, 2002
Dan Kaszubinski
Oct. 9, 2002
Doug Emery
May 25, 2003
Mike Lutz
July 6, 2003
Justin Barger
Aug. 31, 2003
Justin Barger
May 30, 2004
Jeff VanDusen
July 4, 2004
Dan Kaszubinski
Sept. 5, 2004
Lance Yonge
May 29, 2005
Dan Kaszubinski
July 3, 2005
Mike Stelter
Sept. 4, 2005
Lance Yonge
May 28, 2006
Steve Poirier
July 23, 2006
Chuck Hebing
Sept. 3, 2006
Jeff VanDusen
May 27, 2007
Justin Barger
July 1, 2007
Chuck Hebing
Sept. 2, 2007
Steve Poirier
May 25, 2008
Jason Barney
July 6, 2008
Jason Barney
Aug. 31, 2008
Steve Poirier
May 24, 2009
Jessica Zemken
July 6, 2009
Dan Kaszubinski
Sept. 6, 2009
Jason Barney
May 30, 2010
Jessica Zemken
July 4, 2010
Jessica Zemken
Sept. 4, 2010
Chuck Hebing
May 29, 2011
Steve Poirier
July 3. 2011
Chuck Hebing
Aug. 17, 2011
Chuck Hebing
The Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints are brought to you by: Lucas Oil, Northwood 2 Construction/LaSalle Motorsports, SUNY Canton, 730 Truck Stop, Hoosier Racing Tires, Les Constructions Ultra, Westward Painting Corporation, Fondations 4 Saisons, Car Mate Trailers, The National Parts Peddler Newspaper, WestFront Construction, Cobra Coaches, The Ohsweken Speedway, Mohawk Racing Parts, Engine Research, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Riverside Bar and Grill, Coffrage Daniel Lampron, Jasmin Peloquin Sport, FX Chevy and many, many associate sponsors.