By Mike Leone
July 18, 2006 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Mercer, PA…Mercer Raceway Park will host the seventh annual “Sprint Slug-Out” presented by PNC Investments this Saturday night, July 22. On the card will be 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 with racing at 7 p.m.
Annually one of the biggest races of the year, the “Sprint Slug-Out” will feature the high-flying, mudslinging Sprint Cars in a unique triple 15-lap format. The popular show was contested on Labor Day last year for the first time after being postponed early in the year by rain. Last year’s winners were Rod George, Mark Murphy, and Rob Eyler.
The first feature will be pill draw for the top 12 cars from the heat races; the second feature will be an invert 10, 12, 14, 16, or 18 drawn by the first feature winner; and the third feature will invert the top 12 in points accumulated from the night with the remainder of the cars straight-up on points. Each feature will pay $1,000 to-win. There is a $500 bonus if any driver can win all three features and the highest point man from the night will receive a $100.
“We’re expecting a good turnout of Sprints,” stated eighth year owner Vicki Emig. “We’ll be the only sprint show in western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio on Saturday so all the top drivers are expected. We want to thank PNC Investments for coming on as a new marketing partner this year at the last minute. They got involved by presenting this event and purchasing a VIP suite.”
Bob Felmlee and Rod George have swapped the point lead back and forth all season long. Felmlee, the 1989 & 1998 point champion, has a slim three-point lead with three wins, but has been shutout of victory lane since the double feature night on May 6. Meanwhile, George is still searching for his first win of the season. Four-time winner Arnie Kent and three-time winner Rob Eyler are having career years sitting third and fourth in points respectively.
The racing in the Modified division has been phenomenal this year and the point race has been incredible changing seemingly every week. Just two points separates the top three drivers! Steve Young of Grove City, Pa. came back from an early race accident and managed to squeak his way to a 10th place finish last week to keep his perfect streak of 15 top 10s alive and was able cling onto a one-point lead over Kevin Hoffman. Ironically Young has been shutout of victory lane and Hoffman has just one win this season. Sitting in third in points just two points back is Mike Stine, who won his division-leading fourth feature last Saturday and is a Mercer regular for the first time in his storied career. Despite missing one night, three-time winner Frank Guidace is fast closing in fourth just 17 points back of Young. The 20-lap Modified feature will pay $800 to-win.
Defending Stock Car Champion Brian Booher of Sandy Lake, Pa. is having another stellar year with six wins and currently has a 47-point lead over two-time champion Andy Buckley. Buckley is tied with Alan Dellinger at 21 career wins since the track reopened in 1994 and Booher is just one back at 20. Despite missing three nights, Mike Pegher, Jr. has six wins. The Stock Cars will battle 20 laps for $500 to-win.
Rounding out the card will be the Strictly Stocks. Eighteen-year-old rookie Bryan Wagner of New Wilmington, Pa. continues to build his point lead as the five-time winner stands 27 points up on seven-time winner Carl Ealy.
Pits open at 3:30 p.m. and grandstands open at 4:30 p.m. Hot laps are slated for 6:15 p.m. and the first green flag will wave at 7 p.m. Admission is $15 for adults. Students 6-15 are $7. The Family Pass is $35. Children five and under are free. Pit passes are $30.
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 Monday through Friday after 1:00 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.
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