SEASON OPENER LESS THAN TWO MONTHS AWAY AT MERCER; 27-NIGHT SLATE IN THE WORKS INCLUDING 4TH OF JULY SPECIAL

By Mike Leone

January 31, 2006 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Mercer, PA…With the off-season past the two-thirds mark, and opening night less than two months away, officials continue to work on the 2006 schedule at Mercer Raceway Park. For the third consecutive year, the “Chiller Thriller” is slated to open the new campaign on Saturday, March 25 at 7 p.m.
This year’s event will have a slightly different twist as the lid-lifter will see the Late Models battle for $2,000 to-win in the 30-lap feature. The E-Mods will be part of the show for the first time in their first of at least seven appearances during 2006, and will be joined by the Stock Cars, which will be running under the “open rules”. Both classes will run 20 lap features for $500 to-win.
Hopefully it’s no April fool’s joke as one week later on Saturday, April 1, the point chases will get underway in the four weekly classes for the Luxaire Heating & Cooling Sprint Cars, Campbell-Peterson Trail & Turf Modifieds, Tire Express Stock Cars, and the Maurer’s Trading Post Strictly Stocks. The E-Mods will return for the second straight week before many of the other speedways open.
Numerous special race events and family promotions are in the works. The “Western PA Sprint Championship” will return bigger and better, the popular “Sprint Slug-Out” will again feature triple 15s, “The Return of Modzilla” will again include the BRP Tour for Big-Block Mods, Small-Block Mods, and E-Mods. The “Little Guy Nationals” will again close down the season.
Some of the new specials include the 55th Anniversary Event highlighted by Wingless Sprints and the Bill Emig Memorial for Modifieds and “THE GAMBLER” and “Deuces Wild!”, which will be unique events with more details released in the future.
The only midweek show on the docket will be held on Tuesday, July 4. Making their first of two appearances will be the T3 All-Star Modified Series. The New York-based series is coming off a successful debut season with Billy VanPelt as the defending champion. As you may recall, VanPelt won on May 21 last year and returned on October 1 for the T3 Series event only to be defeated by local favorite Lonny Riggs for the $2,000 prize in the “Little Guy Nationals”.
“We’ve always wanted to do a special either the night before the Fourth or on the Fourth,” said eighth year owner Vicki Emig. “With the Fourth hitting on a Tuesday this year we thought this would be the right time plus we wanted to get a second T3date. Kenny Shupp has done an outstanding job getting the T3 Series off the ground. We’ve had a very good working relationship that we hope to build on this season. I’ll think you’ll be hearing about the T3 Series for years to come.”
The Fourth of July show will have a one-hour earlier starting time at 6 p.m. with the featured T3 Series running first. They will be joined by the E-Mods, Open Stock Cars, and Strictly Stocks.
The entire schedule is expected to be available online at www.mercerracewaypark.com by the end of February and schedules will be available at all of the car shows in March.
Mercer Raceway Park is located minutes from both Interstate 79 and 80 just off Route 19 on Fairground Road in Mercer, Pa. Dirt track racing and quality family entertainment are presented weekly April through October. The office in New Bedford, Pa. is open year-round Monday through Friday after 1 p.m. For more information call the office at 724-964-9300 or the track on race day at 724-662-1310. Check out our website at www.mercerracewaypark.com for the latest.