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Hagerstown Speedway
HAGERSTOWN, Md. (February 17) - Opening day for Hagerstown Speedway is scheduled for this Saturday, February 23rd with the Cindy Rowe Auto Glass late models and big block modifieds highlighting the show with the modified winner enjoying a guaranteed starting spot in October's Syracuse event.
It will be the 61st season for Frank Plessinger's Maryland oval as the double header Northeast opener program has 35-lap events for both divisions paying $2,000 to the winners.
Pit gates will open at 10:00 a.m. with the grandstands opening at 11:00 a.m. Hot laps begin at 1:00 p.m. with race time at approximately 1:30 p.m.
Should Saturday's weather be a factor, Sunday will be used as a make up date. Times would remain the same.
Looking back, Mother Nature has had the upper hand the past five years with racing delayed until the second scheduled week three of those years with delays until the fourth week for both 2003 and 2005.
Names that stick out during those years are Gary Stuhler and Brett Hearn. Greencastle. Pa.'s Stuhler has won the opener three times in those years, 2003, 2004 and 2007. Last season he went on to score five wins and was the leading Cindy Rowe Auto Glass late model winner and upped his career total to 123 victories. Other models winners were Jeremy Miller in 2005 and Frankie Plessinger the following season
Hearn, of Kinnelon, NJ, has laid claim to the past five openers and seven of the nine events since the modifieds joined late models on the opening program in 1999.
In 2002 when the opening event went off as scheduled, it was John Mason taking the late model win and Jamie Mills in the modified event.
This will be the first of six visits by the modifieds to Hagerstown during 2008.
For additional information, contact the speedway office at (301) 582-0640. Check the speedways website for any weather related information at: www.hagerstownspeedway.com.
Following an exciting 60th Anniversary season, Frank Plessinger's Hagerstown Speedway is carrying the momentum forward into #61.
Promoter Plessinger has again scheduled a varied program that offers motorsports events to the liking of almost any race fan with the weekly program of Cindy Rowe Auto Glass late models, Hoosier Tire Mid Atlantic late model sportsman and Ernie's Auto Enterprises V8 pure stocks taking the top billing.
The AMA motorcycles and popular Monster Truck Nationals along with open wheel sprints, demolition derbies, enduro events and restored racers also provide entertainment throughout the season.
Following the 23rd Annual Race-A-Rama car show that concludes this Friday, February 22nd at the Hagerstown Valley Mall, the racing season gets underway Saturday, February 23rd, weather permitting, with the East Coast opener for late models and big block modified Syracuse Qualifier. This is the first of six visits for the modifieds with four consecutive events scheduled until March 22nd with the Advance Auto Parts DIRT Motorsports 100-lap event.
The first four programs are afternoon events with the DIRT program the first held under the lights.
Hagerstown revised its schedule last season to reflect ALL Saturday race dates with the first four programs including modifieds using Sunday as a make up date if required.
The Grand Opening for the weekly divisions which will be a non-point event will be March 29th. All point events for championship race contenders will begin the following week on April 5th.
Hagerstown and Winchester Speedways again teamed up for three weekends, in lieu of the previous two, with the $3,000 to win 40-lap events of the first two Shootout series on Friday, April 18th and Saturday June 14th; which will be the 1st Annual Red Nininger Memorial. The Shootout finale on August 2nd will be a sanctioned Lucas Oil Series 50-lap event and paying $10,000 to win.
The first visit by the Lucas Series will be April 26 as they again return as the sanctioning body for the 50-lap 27th Annual Stanley Schetrompf Classic.
The World of Outlaw Late Model Series will have one date on the schedule, the 27th Annual Conococheague 50-lap event on May 31st.
Several non-sanctioned events remain over the holiday periods and include the 13th Annual Richard Bonebrake Tribute on May 24th, the 43rd Annual Johnny Roberts Memorial on June 28th, the 28th Annual Shorty Bowers Bull Durham Championship on August 9th and the 23rd Annual McBee/Hays Championship on August 30 that will also be the final Cindy Rowe late model point event.
Open wheeled sprint fans will again have several events as the USAC wingless sprints will return to the speedway on June 7th as a repeat of an exciting show last season. Hagerstown will again host Wednesday's Cindy Rowe Auto Glass Pennsylvania Speedweek on July 2nd joined by an EMMR (Eastern Museum of Motorsports Racing) restored race car exhibition. The 410 super sprints return for the Octoberfest on October 25-26.
New this season will be the addition of the 358 sprints to the 34th Annual Hub City event for a separate 50-lap events for the open wheelers.
Hagerstown also joined forces with The Rock, Allegany County Speedway with a six race series, the Maryland Class, with 30-lap events and $1,000 to win for the division. Those are set for April 26, May 17th and August 16th. The Hoosier Daddy 25 event is another special event for the division on June 14th as part of the Nininger Memorial.
The Monster Truck Nationals take over the speedway in July for a three night show on July 18-20 and the two-wheelers of the AMA Flat Track Championship return for the 27th Annual Hub City Classic the following weekend, on July 26th.
Other specials include the Ernie's 25 Special, another top dollar event for the late models and scheduled July 12th while the Ernie's V8 pure stocks get their recognition in the 13th Annual Cornett Tribute and Ernie's Salvage Yard Special on August 16th. The 21st Annual Tommy Thompson Demo Derby is set for September 6th while the enduro cars run six events and then a championship event.
As the season winds down, the 34th Annual Hub City National event changes this season with a single 50-lap event for both late models and the 358 sprints.
With the overwhelming support last season, the 2nd Annual Shamrock Inn Small Car Nationals will now be a two night show with qualifying held on Friday, September 19th and main events for the late model sportsman, pure stocks and four cylinders. New to this years program is the Enduro championship and a powder puff event.
The 21st Annual Octoberfest 350 will complete the season on October 25-27 with $10,000 going to winners in the late models, big block modifieds, super sprints and small block modifieds...
For further information, please contact the speedway office at (301) 582-0640 or check out the schedule on the speedway's website: www.hagerstownspeedway.com.
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