FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 8, 2012
________________________________________

NY’S RICHEST CRATE LM RACE COMING SATURDAY TO BLACK ROCK IN 1ST EVER FASTRAK APPEARANCE; $3,000 TO-WIN DURING NASCAR’S WATKINS GLEN WEEKEND

by Mike Leone
(Pulaski, PA)…One of the most anticipated FASTRAK events during the 2012 racing season is now within sight.  The inaugural “Empire State Classic” is coming this Saturday, August 11 to Black Rock Speedway.  Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC Pace Performance Northeast Touring Series race #16 of 25 will be held at the Dundee, New York oval located just 12 miles from Watkins Glen.

NAPA of Watkins Glen and Doug Gross Construction will present this $3,000 to-win event that will also award the top 10 attending Northeast Touring teams an additional $150 travel money!  The event marks the first ever FASTRAK race to ever be run at Black Rock and will be the richest crate Late Model race ever run in New York.  FASTRAK will headline the event, which will also include the CRSA Sprints, 600 Mods, and the first ever “Arena Truck Race”!

The event will be run in conjunction with the NASCAR at The Glen Weekend, which features the Nationwide Series Saturday afternoon and the Sprint Cup Series on Sunday afternoon.  Watkins Glen International is located just 12 miles south of Black Rock Speedway!  Black Rock will also host a “360” Sprint Car event at the speedway on Friday night- their normal night of competition.

Saturday has been selected as round four of six for the K&N Cold Air InductionSystem fan giveaways. One lucky fan will win the system, which is valued at up
to $500, and is for use on personal vehicles! The two other Cold Air Induction System giveaways will be during McKean County Raceway's "Fall Classic" on September 21-22 and Lernerville Speedway's "Steel City Stampede" on October 26-27.

“We’re really looking forward to this event,” expressed sixth year FASTRAK Northeast Co-Director Vicki Emig.  “We’ve had conversations in the past with Black Rock’s Dean Hoag and he’s even come to FASTRAK meetings.  He’s been very supportive of the FASTRAK program and we were thrilled when he called to inquire about hosting FASTRAK during this great weekend!  This is a great opportunity for our racers to not only race in front of new audience, but what should be a large crowd!  We also have to thank the great sponsors that made this event possible.”

Max Blair enters Black Rock looking for another major victory to add to his impressive FASTRAK resume as well as extending his point lead.  The 22-year-old Centerville, Pa. driver has a 49-point lead.  Blair got off to a fast start in 2012 winning five of the first seven Tour events, but has since cooled off with only two victories in the last eight. 

It’s been an up and down year for Chad Ruhlman.  In his first year on the Tour, Ruhlman started off hot with three top five finishes in the first four events including a pair of runner-ups.  After struggling to run up front through late spring and early summer, Ruhlman turned things around with his first career FASTRAK win on July 7 at Pittsburgh, and has finished in the top six at Eriez, Mercer, and Sharon to regain the runner-up position.  The Bemus Point, NY driver will be looking forward to competing in his home state Saturday.

The 2012 season hasn’t been what Mike Pegher, Jr. had hoped for with five finishes outside the top 10.  Just one win back on April 20 at Roaring Knob is all the Wexford, Pa. driver has to show for, but Pegher seems to shine in big events and Saturday is one of those. 

Ryan Montgomery is in his first full season on the Tour and currently sits fourth.  The 2011 Pace Performance “Futures Cup” champion has bounced around in the top five all season.  It’s been a good one for the 15-year-old Fairmont, WV racer with a win and three fourth place finishes.  Saturday will mark his first ever race in the Empire State. 

After missing three events between May 13 and June 16, Dan Angelicchio has been one of the fastest cars of late as he’s climbed the point ladder competing in the last eight events.  It’s been a consistent season for the Greensburg, Pa. racer with six top five finishes including four runner-ups!  Angelicchio, who won his first career Touring event win last season, would love to get his first of the year Saturday.

Currently John Over and Will Thomas III are tied for sixth in points with Butch Lambert, Matt Latta, and Shane Weaver completing the top 10.

Many of the New York FASTRAK racers don’t often get a chance to compete in events close to home so several of those racers will be looking forward to Saturday.  Wayne Robertson is only 15 miles from Black Rock and owns one career Northeast Touring Series victory.  Robertson has been anxiously awaiting this race since it was announced. 

The event will mark just the second ever FASTRAK Northeast Touring Series event held in the state of New York.  The only other event was on August 21, 2010 when Steve Dixon out-dueled Max Blair for his first career FASTRAK Tour win.  The only other FASTRAK events ever sanctioned in the Empire State were Weekly Series events over the past five years at Arcade Raceway.  A Northeast Touring Series event was scheduled at Arcade back in the inaugural 2007 season, but that event was cancelled due to severe thunderstorms and tornados throughout the area. 

This will be a qualifying format using the AMB transponders providing the transponder box works. The box was recently repaired, but has yet to be used. If qualifying is able to take place, times from group qualifying will setup the heat race lineups with the typical “special event format” in place from there on out.  If not, the initial pill draw will determine heat race lineups with the “special event format” used. The K&N Dash finish will determine the beginning starting spots of the feature after the invert is drawn.

The “Wheelman” Bonus Event Challenge Series for non-qualifiers will be held in addition, if necessary.  Jason Genco (two), Louie Krushansky, Bob Dorman, Junior Peters, Kyle Wiser, Joel Prosser, Jamie Brown, and Bobby Pifer have picked up the non-qualifier wins to date, while W.L. Stile leads the points.  An amazing 23 different drivers have scored victories in the 29 races run all-time.

Of course all of the great contingency programs will be in full force.  Besides the K&N “Cold Air Induction Dash” and fan giveaway, the Brake Man “Tough Brake of the Night”, Genesis Shocks “Top Dog of the Night”, Precise Racing Products “Pedal Down” Hard Charger, and the Utsinger’s Towing Hoosier Tire Giveaway will also take place.

There have been 88 Northeast Touring Series races contested with 34 different winners all-time.  Max Blair leads nemesis Mike Pegher, Jr. 19 to 14 followed by Dick Barton, Bobby Powell, John Lacki, and David Scott with four, Steve Dixon, Josh Holtgraver and Joe Martin at three, Alan Dellinger, Dan Angelicchio, Robbie Blair, Ryan Montgomery, and Will Thomas III with two, and Todd Andrews, Kyle Drum, Frank Guidace, Butch Lambert, Carl McKinney, Dennis Lunger, Jr., Tom Snyder, Jr., Chris Meadows, Jim Frank, Mike Blose, Jonathan Davenport, Gary Knollinger, Dusty Hamrick, Bud Watson, Russell King, George Kowatic, Wayne Robertson, Chad Ruhlman, Matt Latta & Sammy Stile with one victory.

Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC Northeast Touring Series Driver Points (must be Touring member to receive points): 1. Max Blair 506  2. Chad Ruhlman 447  3. Mike Pegher, Jr. 432  4. Ryan Montgomery 404  5. Dan Angelicchio 391  6. John Over & Will Thomas III 360  8. Butch Lambert 352  9. Matt Latta 293  10. Shane Weaver 283  11. Chad Wright 266  12. Joe Martin 250   13. Brad Kling 237  14. Lauren Longbrake 232  15. Bobby Rohrer 217  16. Josh Holtgraver 196  17. Jamie Brown 195  18. Steve Dixon 185  19. Nolan Dalton 163   20. Andrew Wylie 146  21. Eric Wilson 142  22. Justin Tatlow 137  23. Andrew Satterlee 130  24. Wayne Robertson 108  25. Ricky Meglaye 99  26. Jason Knowles 89  27. George Kowatic 88  28. Damian Bidwell & Junior Peters 79  30. Adam Sixt 78   31. Billy Henry, Jr. 65  32. Shane Bambarger 63  33. Brian Booher 55  34. Rick Singleton 52  35. Tim Sears, Jr. 48  36. Billy Stile III. 44  37. John Lacki 43  38. Mike Laughard 38  39. Steve Beatty 36  40. David Scott 33  41. Jorden Peters 32  42. Pat Willar 29  43. Jon Lichy 28  44. Shane Hitt 21  45. Doug Horton & Robbie Blair 11  47. Scott Smith, Cody Dawson, Jason Stetson & Jason Longwell 10.

Black Rock 30-lap Feature Payoff: 1. $3,000 2. $1,500 3. $800 4. $600 5. $500 6. $450 7. $425 8. $400 9. $350 10. $325 11. $300 12. $275 13. $250 14. $245 15. $240 16. $235 17. $230 18-24. $225.

Non-Qualifier: 1. $200 2. $150 3. $140 4. $135 5. $130 6. $125 7. $120 8. $115 9. $110 10-24. $105. Tow/Non-Qualifier $100.

Be sure to stop by the FASTRAK Northeast Apparel Trailer and Travel Boutique for all of the latest apparel, merchandise, and novelties. The new 2012 Fan Guide & Driver Handbook will also be on sale.

There is a $100 entry free.  RACEceivers are required.  Pits open at 4 p.m., grandstands at 5, and race time is at 7 p.m.

Black Rock Speedway is a 4/10-mile semi-banked clay off located just off Route 14A at 82 Main Street, Dundee, NY 14837.  Black Rock offers free overnight camping on site.  For more information, call 607-243-8686 or check out their website at www.blackrockspeedway.com.

2012 FASTRAK Northeast marketing partners include Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC, Pace Performance, Hoosier Tires, Original Pizza Logs, K&N Filters, The Brake Man, Utsinger’s Towing, Precise Racing Products, Genesis Shocks, VP Fuels, Beyea Custom Headers, H&H Racing Equipment, High Gear Speed Shop, Hyperco, Jake’s Golf Carts, Lincoln Electric, Wrisco Aluminum, and Wylie Race Cars.

You can reach co-directors Vicki Emig and Mike Leone at the FASTRAK Northeast office at 724-964-9300.  E-mail to info@fastraknortheast.com and snail mail to 4368 Route 422, Pulaski, PA 16143.  The office is open daily late mornings and after 1:30 p.m.  For more information, check out the FASTRAK Northeast website at www.fastraknortheast.com.  Become our fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/fastraknortheast.