MERCER TO TRY AGAIN SATURDAY TO OPEN 55TH AVVIVERSARY SEASON; WEEKLY RACING BEGINS PLUS E-MODS ON THE CARD

By Mike Leone

March 28, 2006 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Mercer, PA…After losing the “Chiller Thriller” to Mother Nature for the second straight year, Mercer Raceway Park will try once again this Saturday night, April 1 at 7 p.m. to get the 55th anniversary season underway.
The four weekly divisions will start their championship races in the RoadRunner & Lake Road Auto Sales Sprint Cars, American Racer/Lias Tire Modifieds, Tire Express Stock Cars, and the Maurer’s Trading Post Strictly Stocks. Joining the program will be the E-Mods.
“It was disappointing to lose the Chiller Thriller again,” stated eighth year owner Vicki Emig. “We were set to go Saturday morning, but the weather took a turn for the worse and we had not choice but to cancel. Warmer weather is expected this weekend so hopefully the rain will move through come Saturday and we can kick off our season.”
Rod George will look to defend his first ever Mercer Sprint Car Championship. The Kittanning, Pa. driver never finished worse than fourth last season and will hope to get off to a strong start Saturday as he’s expected to have stiff competition with no other area tracks racing Saturday or Sunday. Crawford County’s RoadRunner Auto Sales and Lake Road Auto Sales have come together to be the divisional sponsor of the 410 Sprint Cars in 2006.
Coming off the inaugural 358 Modified season, Gary Smoker will look for his second career championship. The Mercer, Pa. veteran, who owns 33 career Mercer wins, will face the likes Tommy Kristyak, Steve Young, Kevin Hoffman, Andy Priest, Rick Hall, Frank Guidace, Brad Rapp, Brian Fink, Mike Stine, Lonny Riggs, Ron Eperthener, Jr., and many more throughout the season as an average of 30 cars is expected. Indiana’s American Racer/Lias Tire is the new Modified sponsor for the upcoming season.
The ultra-competitive Stock Cars always provide side-by-side racing. This year should be no different as defending champion Brian Booher leads a strong contingent of racers, who will battle for supremacy. The Sandy Lake, Pa. titlist was also a first time champion in 2005. Andy Buckley, the 2001 & 2004 champion, is two wins from tying Alan Dellinger’s leading 21 victories since the track reopened in 1994. New Castle’s Tire Express returns for the third year as title sponsor.
The Strictly Stocks will begin their third year of action. Will anyone be able to dethrone the Bishs? It was Curt, Sr. taking the inaugural crown in 2004 and Curt, Jr. last year. The father-son duo have accounted for 22 of the 36 feature wins. Franklin’s Maurer’s Trading Post will present the “Redneck Racers Shotgun Series” for the third consecutive year.
The E-Mods have taken part in 14 races over the years at Mercer Raceway Park, but will be featured more in 2006 than ever before. Saturday’s winner will pocket $400. Alan Dellinger is the all-time winner with three victories.
Pit gates open at 3:30 p.m. Grandstands open at 4:30 p.m. Hot laps will get underway at approximately 6:15 p.m. with racing at 7 p.m. Adult admission is $11, students 6-15 are $5, the family pass is $25, children five and under are free and pit passes are $22.
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 late March through September. The office in New Bedford, Pa. is open year-round after 1 p.m. Monday through Friday. 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.