Weedsport, NY — April 23, 2008 – By Tom Skibinski, Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series PR Director
The 2008 Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series is finally set to open with the 2nd Annual Paul Sawyer Memorial at Virginia Motor Speedway on Thursday, May 1 just eight days away.
Commemorating the 10th straight season of Series partnership with Advance Auto Parts based in Roanoke, Virginia, those top-10 hosts on the list of Advance Auto Parts Series all-time Big-Block Modified track sites will be highlighted for each of the 10 days leading up to the VMS event.
While Virginia became the 44th track to stage an Advance Series race last spring, this elite group of dirt ovals from around the Northeast headlines a legendary list that encompasses 10 states and two Canadian provinces. And all but one of these are scheduled to run at least one major event in the ’08 Advance Series that marks the 29th straight season of tour competition.
At the current site on Braley Road since 1958, Ransomville Speedway www.ransomvillespeedway.com has hosted 28 Advance Series extra-distance events to stand eighth on the all-time list. Ransomville has maintained DIRTcar membership all but two years since 1980 and in between missed only a handful of seasons hosting the premier Big-Block Modified tour in the Northeast.
In May of 1955 it was reported that ‘14 young men banded together to form a club suited to their love of mechanics and souped-up hot rods.’ News about the fledgling “Ransomville Slowpokes” club spread fast and the following year a new and larger dirt track was constructed next door to accommodate the locals acquiring a thirst for speed. The modern-day facility was literally carved out of a farmer’s field with the first set of bleachers purchased from nearby Niagara University and Canadian Geno Begolo was crowned the inaugural ‘Modified’ champion in 1958. The team of Stan Friesen and Kurt Uhl took control of the popular Western New York speedplant during the winter of 1973 and the Friesen Family has remained at the helm ever since. Local favorite Charlie Rudolph along with popular invaders Alan and Danny Johnson moved under the spotlight when the “Big R” gained DIRTcar-sanction in 1980 while the headline open-wheel class became governed by 358 c.i. motors 10 seasons later.
With six feature victories apiece, all-time DIRTcar NorthEast winner Alan Johnson and international favorite Bob McCreadie head the list of 12 drivers taking checkered flags at the Ransomville 3/8-miler since the tour came to town in 1980. A five-time winner himself, Danny Johnson will defend his title when the 2008 Advance Series event is staged in July.
Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series
Top-10 Big-Block Modified Track sites (1980-2007)
EVTS TRACK FIRST RACE LAST RACE
76 Rolling Wheels Raceway-Elbridge,NY 8/13/80 9/22/07
47 New York State Fairgrounds-Syracuse,NY 9/6/82 10/7/07
46 Lebanon Valley Speedway-West Lebanon,NY 7/8/80 9/15/07
43 Fonda Speedway-Fonda,NY 4/19/80 7/17/03
43 Orange Co. Fair Speedway-Middletown,NY 9/10/83 10/21/07
41 Cayuga Co. Fair Speedway-Weedsport,NY 7/16/80 9/2/07
38 Canandaigua Speedway-Canandaigua,NY 7/23/80 8/9/07
28 Ransomville Speedway-Ransomville,NY 6/27/80 7/6/07
19 Autodrome Granby-Granby,QUE 7/10/89 9/17/00
19 Autodrome Drummond-Drummondville,QUE 7/11/89 7/23/07
The 10th Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series season continues on May 4, 2008 with the 28th DIRT Challenge Cup at Rolling Wheels Raceway Park. Further track information is available at www.rollingwheelsraceway.com and the DIRTcar NorthEast Office (315/834-6606) is open during weekdays. Log into the Advance Series homepage at www.superdirtcarseries.com or www.dirtcar.com to find out more about the entire circuit.
Headquartered in Roanoke, Va., Advance Auto Parts is the second-largest retailer of automotive aftermarket parts, accessories, batteries, and maintenance items in the United States, based on store count and sales. As of October 6, 2007, the company operated 3,228 stores in 40 states, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. The company serves both the do-it-yourself and professional installer markets.
The Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series for Big-Block Modifieds is brought to fans across the Northeast by several sponsors and partners, including series sponsors Advance Auto Parts and Hoosier Racing Tire. Rite Aid Corporation is a promotional partner and the contingency sponsors are Bars Leaks, Bert Transmission, Bicknell Racing Products, Bilstein Shocks, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Crane Cams, Dig Safely New York, Holley HP Carburetors, Integra Shocks, Intercomp, KSE Racing Products, Motorsports Safety Systems, Penske Shocks, Rislone Oil Stabilizer and Wrisco Industries.
