By Mike Leone
February 26, 2014
(Markleysburg, PA)…Last year, Roaring Knob Motorsports Complex made headlines when the “410” Sprint Cars made their first ever appearance at the Markleysburg, Pa. oval. For 2014, the fire-breathing, mudslinging winged warriors will make two stops; first on Sunday, May 18 followed up by a return visit two weeks later on Sunday, June 1.
While Roaring Knob has long been known as a hot spot for Super Late Models since the track opened in 1998 featuring the cars weekly along with visits by the Lucas Oil Series, NDRL “Kings of Dirt”, Three State Flyers, and Appalachian Mountain Speedweek Series, Sprint Cars were never on the southwestern Pennsylvania 3/8-mile oval’s radar.
That changed in 2013 when the inaugural “410 Showdown in the Laurel Highlands” came to the Knob. The tremendous race saw central Pa. great Lance Dewease go down in the history books as the first ever Sprint Car winner at the facility with a last lap pass of All Star Champion Tim Shaffer.
The second annual “410 Showdown in the Laurel Highlands” will take place on Sunday, May 18 with a feature purse of over $16,000 with $3,500 going to the winner and $300 to-start. Any non-starters or non-qualifiers will receive $100. The complete payoff is posted below. The event will also be a shootout with Port Royal Speedway’s May 24 $5,000 to-win event. The top three in points from the two races will receive $300, $200, and $100 respectively.
The ante will be upped when the Sprint Cars return two weeks later on Sunday, June 1. The event will pay a minimum of $5,000 to-win with additional details to be announced in the near future! The winner of the May 18 event will have a guaranteed starting spot in the June 1 event.
“When Rick talked about wanting to do some type of Sprint Car show last year I felt the 410s would be the best avenue for Roaring Knob,” stated Race Director and Publicist Mike Leone. “We found a really good early date, got conducive weather, had a great quality field of racers, and couldn’t have asked for a better race. The feedback from the show from both the racers and fans was tremendous and we’re excited to present two shows in 2014!”
“I couldn’t have been more pleased with how our inaugural Sprint show turned out,” expressed Jones. “The event exposed Roaring Knob to an entire new base of fans, many of which had never come to the Knob before. Everyone seemed to enjoy the show. We talked about doing a second show last year, but couldn’t find another suitable date. We’re working on a lot of things for the June 1 show that are hoped to be released in the coming weeks.”
Roaring Knob is located off historic US Route 40 in Markleysburg, Pa. The scenic area in Fayette County is about 70 miles southeast of Pittsburgh and just minutes from the West Virginia and Maryland borders. The unique location, strong payout, neutral grounds, and conducive dates are sure to draw teams from western and central Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio, and the Ohio Valley region.
May 18 feature payoff: 1. $3,500 2. $2,000 3. $1,200 4. $1,000 5. $900 6. $800 7. $700 8. $600 9. $500 10. $450 11. $400 12. $350 13. $325 14. $320 15. $315 16. $310 17. $305 18-24. $300. $100 to non-qualifiers.
There will be no entry or registration fee. The national “410” Hoosier Tire rule will be in effect. There will be no muffler or weight rule. RACEceivers are required. Experienced push truck drivers are welcome. You and a guest will be admitted at no charge.
Stay tuned for more information as the events draws near. For info contact Mike Leone at 724-967-2363, mikeleone@zoominternet.net, or on Twitter @mikevleone.
Sponsorship opportunities are available. Contact Rick Jones for more information at 410-259-6297.
Roaring Knob Motorsports Complex is a 3/8-mile clay oval located near Markleysburg, Pa. just off of scenic Route 40 at 380 Fearer Road (look for the road sign) just seven miles east of Nemacolin Woodlands on the right, one mile west of Yough Lake on the left. Check out the website at www.roaringknob.com or call 410-857-3821 (office) or 724-329-0306 on race day.