By Curtis Berleue
(Sodus, NY) |
The Patriot Sprint Tour has held four previous events at the 1/3 mile McKean County Fairgrounds oval, with Dane Lorenc taking the win most recently on August 30, 2014. Other event winners include Chris Shuttleworth (July 8, 2006), Scott Kreutter (August 4, 2012) and Bryan Howland (May 24, 2014).
The tour will then move southwest to Raceway 7 in Conneaut, OH the following night, Friday June 30, for round two of the weekend. This will be the second of two visits to the Ohio facility for the winged warriors in 2017. Earlier this season Jared Zimbardi picked up the win over Steve Collins and Bryan Howland.
The third and final night of the 2017 Western Weekend will take place at the Mercer Raceway Park in Mercer, PA. In 6 Patriot Sprint Tour A-Main events contested at the facility, there have been no repeat winners. The only active Patriot Sprint Tour drivers with a victory at the 3/8 mile fairgrounds are Jared Zimbardi (May 31, 2014) and Kyle Drum (July 2, 2016).
Last season’s inaugural ‘Western Weekend’ saw Kyle Drum pick up the overall championship driving a back-up car for Jared Zimbardi. Davie Franek took second in the weekend series, and Scott Kreutter rounded out the top three.
Many invaders are expected throughout the course of this weekend, including National Sprint Car Hall of Fame inductee Danny Smith, USAC Silver Crown driver and Central PA standout Mark Smith, Ohio/Western PA driver Cody Bova, and tour regulars such as Jared Zimbardi, Steve Collins, Jordan Thomas, and many more!
All A-Main events this weekend will pay $4,000 to the winner and $325 to start thanks to Scott Bonnell of Bonnell’s Auto Group. Contingency prizes will also be awarded by Paul Cole of SuperGen Products/Champion Power Equipment, located in Newark, NY. As with each Patriot Sprint Tour event, Evingham Site Excavation will sponsor the Four Laps of Fame dash, and cash awards will be presented by Casey’s Truck Salvage (salvage of the night award), Shuttleworth Asphalt Sealing (11th place finisher), and Prestige Pool & Spa (final finisher).
The Patriot Sprint Tour recognizes the following marketing partners for the 2017 season: A-Verdi Storage Containers, Hoosier Racing Tires, Prestige Pool & Spa, Einstein Construction Group, Bonnell’s Auto Group, Evingham Site Excavation, Fine Touch Collision, Mike Emhof Motorsports Inc., Super Gen Products with Champion Power Equipment, Patriot Tank Lines, Danny Willmes Enterprises, Casey’s Truck Salvage, Just Signs & Designs, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Sunoco Race Fuels, Insinger Performance, Shuttleworth Asphalt Sealing, ASI Racewear, Curtis Berleue Photography.
Bonnell’s Collision Centers Western Weekend Purse Structure (each night):
1)$4,000 2) $1,500 3) $1,000 4) $750 5) $600 6) $550 7) $500 8) $450 9) $425 10) $400 11) $385 12) $375 13) $365 14) $360 15) $350 16-24) $325
McKean County Raceway Past Winners:
Chris Shuttleworth – July 8, 2006
Scott Kreutter – August 4, 2012
Bryan Howland – May 24, 2014
Dane Lorenc – August 30, 2014
Raceway 7 Past Winners:
Jared Zimbardi – August 30, 2013, May 19, 2017
Chuck Hebing – May 30, 2014
Bryan Howland – May 29, 2015
Kyle Drum – June 24, 2016
McKean Raceway Park Past Winners:
Mike Lutz – May 17, 2003
Dave Ely – September 18, 2004
Jamie Martin – June 4, 2005
Danny Holtgraver – June 1, 2013
Jared Zimbardi – May 31, 2014
Kyle Drum – July 2, 2016