Weedsport, NY — April 30, 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 1 day 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.
One of three founding-member speedways when DIRTcar Racing was formed during our nation’s Bicentennial in 1976, Rolling Wheels Raceway Park www.rollingwheelsraceway.com has hosted 76 Advance Series extra-distance events to easily hold down the number one spot on the all-time list. Multiple Advance Series shows have been staged at the ‘Fast Track’ almost every year, peaking at seven point races run last season on neutral ground.
The “Fast Track” was first mapped out by the late Bob Petrocci, yet just one year following the August 17, 1969 opener, Petrocci lost his life in a freak accident while spectating at a nearby speedway. Sons Robert Jr. and Donald Petrocci inherited promotional duties and eventually signed up the second weekly track to join DIRTcar founder Glenn Donnelly and his fledgling motorsports operation. Rolling Wheels ran regularly every Friday night with Big-Block Modifieds and Late Models until cutting back the summer schedule in 1982. Today, some of the most popular events on the Advance Series are on the schedule including the DIRT Challenge Cup, Labor Day Championship and World Series Weekend featuring the National 200.
Brett Hearn holds the all-time Advance Auto Parts Series track record with 15 victories logged at Rolling Wheels over the past 25 seasons. 17 other drivers have also cracked the winner’s circle at the spacious 5/8-mile oval in Elbridge, N.Y., including last year’s winners Gary Tomkins (3), Jimmy Phelps and Billy Decker, with Hearn claiming the remaining two.
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.
