March 15, 2013

HAGERSTOWN POSTPONES ENTIRE WEEKEND DUE TO WEATHER, BRAWL NOW SET FOR MARCH 24

HAGERSTOWN, MD. – “Same times next weekend” are the words from Hagerstown Speedway as a Community Yard Sale and Test and Tune session scheduled for tomorrow (Saturday) followed by Sunday’s postponed Brawl in the Fall event will be postponed until next weekend, March 23-24.

Tomorrow’s forecast is for a high precipitation probability of a rain and snow showers mix with colder temperature forecast for Sunday with another uncertain wet forecast for Monday which, at this time, could potentially revert back to Sunday.

With travel distances for many fans and race teams a factor, the Speedway feels it best to use next weekend with the already scheduled Test and Tune session and the rain date for the Brawl event.

The Yard Sale/ Swap meet is set for Saturday the 23rd at 8:00 a.m. with the Test and Tune at 1 p.m.

The pit gates for Sunday’s Brawl in the Fall will open at 11 a.m., spectator gates at noon with racing getting underway at 2 p.m., leading off with the last chance Non-Qualifier races for the big block modified and 358 sprints.

MARCH 10, 2013
RACE A RAMA PUTS HAGERSTOWN SPEEDWAY IN MOTION

HAGERSTOWN, MD. – The first week of March has been devoted to getting Hagerstown Speedway’s 66th season underway with the 28th Annual Race-A-Rama car show at the Hagerstown Valley Mall which has now concluded.

Saturday evening’s best appearing presentations before the racers were pushed out and taken home to put the finishing touches on them in the coming weeks went to Shippensburg, Pa’s Jerry Bard #26 late model that won the Best of Show award.

The top late model award went to the #46 of Marvin Winters of McConnellsburg, PA while Elwood Sord of Chambersburg, PA was the late model sportsman award recipient.

In the pure stock class, the #23 of Jimmy Izer, last season’s street stock champion from Cumberland was the winner while the Monte Carlo #22 hobby stock of defending champion Kenny Thomas of Greencastle, Pa was the winner in that division. In the miscellaneous class, the four cylinder of Austin Stover of Winchester was the winner.

Hagerstown Speedway would like to express their appreciation to the drivers, car owners and sponsors who helped make the Race-A-Rama a success.

Next on the schedule will be this weekend starting Saturday March 16th with a Community Yard Sale and Swap Meet at 8 a.m. that is free to the public. Later at 1 p.m., the first of two Tune and Test sessions will be held for all classes of racers. There is an additional Tune and Test session on March 23rd.

On Sunday the 17th and hoping for much more suitable weather, the postponed Brawl in the Fall will take to the track to close out last season and also get 2013 underway. The following Sunday, the 24th, is reserved as a rain date.

Fields are already set in the late model and 410 sprints, however Last Chance Qualifiers for the big block modifieds and 358 sprints will be spun off first to fill six starting positions in the big blocks and five in the 358 sprint feature.

JANUARY 23, 2013
LAST CHANCE TO QUALIFY FOR RESHEDULED BRAWL

HAGERSTOWN, MD.:  Hagerstown Speedway’s Buchanan Auto Park Brawl in the Fall will be the first race event on the 2013 schedule and is set for Sunday, March 17th with a rain date the following Sunday, March 24th,  having been postponed from October.

This followed interference from Hurricane/ Superstorm Sandy and a rescheduled November 11 date was reviewed, however found not advantageous to many of the competitors.  Following discussions with those calling, a plan to complete the Brawl’s feature day on a spring Sunday was favorable to the majority. Sunday was preferred as not to conflict with other tracks that also get underway early in the season.
All divisions were able to qualify for their respective events, however there are some remaining positions available in both the 358 Sprint and Big Block Modifieds fields. 

NOTE 1: In order to provide entertaining and exciting races for the fans as well as provide another chance for the 358 Sprint and Big Block Modifieds, the speedway has added a LAST CHANCE QUALIFIER for each of these divisions with five spots remaining vacant in the 358 Sprint event and six positions in the Big Block field.  These are the last chances to qualify behind the existing qualifiers but also a chance to advance in position should any already qualified racers choose not to return.

NOTE 2: The fields are complete for the Late Models and 410 Sprints, however if a qualified car chooses not to return for their postponed events, the 24 car fields will be filled by adding alternates from drivers that previously attempted to qualify in October and in the order of finish from the consolation events. 

The rules for a rain date are as follows:
1. The two day rain checks from October are good, so DO NOT LOSE them! 
2. The entire race fields are already set to race, so if a car owner and driver part ways, the car, not the driver, starts the event.  The car owner can allow the driver to take the spot if he/she chooses.  Either way the unqualified car/driver will start at the rear of the field.

Hagerstown Speedway certainly regrets this unfortunate situation; however, this natural disaster left very few alternatives. This change should allow fans and drivers a better opportunity to have the entire event under better weather conditions and all around better circumstances.   

Again, Sunday, March 17th will be the make-up date for the Brawl in the Fall with a rain date of Sunday March 24th. Warm-ups begin at 1:00 p.m. and features at 2:00 p.m.
Order will be Last Chance Qualifiers, 410 Sprints (30Laps), Big Block Modifieds (50 Laps), 358 Sprint (30 Laps) and Late Models (50 laps)

Follow the speedway on Twitter and Facebook. The latest news, results, photos, schedule or rule changes can found be on the speedway’s website: www.hagerstownspeedway.com.  Also check the website for any changes in weather conditions that may delay or cancel the program or contact the speedway office at 301-582-0640.

January 14, 2013
HAGERSTOWN SPEEDWAY UNVEILS 2013 SCHEDULE

Hagerstown, Md. – Its taken time to get it all together, but Hagerstown Speedway has posted its 2013 schedule, one that has numerous special programs that should be appealing to drivers and fans alike.

Overall, 17 different divisions will be competing during the season along with two separate demo derbies. The AMA motorcycles also will return as will the Monster Truck Jam.

The opening non-race event will be the 28th Annual Race-A-Rama at the Valley Mall and runs from March 4th to the 9th.

That is followed on Saturday March 17th with a Community yard sale and swap meet at 8 a.m. and Tune and Test session at 1 p.m. There is another Tune and Test on March 23rd.

When Hurricane Sandy arrived to rule out cooperation at the end of last season while trying to run the Brawl in the Fall and the postponed date was not suitable to many, the end result was postponing to be opening program of 2013 which will be Sunday, March 18th with a rain date of Sunday, the 24th. Fields are already set in the late model and 410 sprints, however last chance Qualifiers for the big block modifieds and 358 sprints will be spun off to fill six starting positions in the big blocks and five in the 358 sprint feature.

For late models, Hagerstown and Winchester are working hand in hand with the Three State Flyers for several two race night weekends; March 30, May 24 and June 29th for the 48th Annual Roberts Memorial. The Three State Flyers also will return for the final time on Friday, August 30th for the 28th Annual McBee/Hays Championship event.

The two speedways also team up for two Shootout weekends, June 21st which is Law Enforcement Appreciation Night and again on July 13th for the 6th Annual Red Nininger Memorial. Nininger’s Tire and Auto will be sponsoring a separate point fund for the four events.

Other late model specials are the Lucas Oil 32nd Stanley Schetrompf Classic on April 20th and July 27th when the Lucas drivers return for the 32nd Annual Conococheague.

The speedway will again be part of the Appalachian Mountain Late Model Speedweek on June 1st. Late models will be topless when they take to the track in the 32nd Annual Ernie D’s Shorty Bowers Bull Durham Championship on August 10th.

Late model sportsman will have several big money events including the Bill Bowman Special, May 18th on Student Night/Armed Forces Appreciation Night and the Hoosier Daddy Topless Special on June 15th.

The Steel Block Bandits are also on hand twice, April 27th and again August 3rd for the 18th Annual Richard (Boney) Bonebrake Tribute.

The Rush Crate Late models will make their first appearance at the track along with the Lucas Schetrompf event and return on the Shootout event of June 21th.

The All American Outlaw series are part of the $7 Fan Appreciation Night on May 25th and also the Nininger Memorial Shootout on July 13th while the Classic Racing Series joins the Roberts Memorial event on June 29th.

Four cylinders will make several appearances this season, April 13th for the Small Car Nationals Qualifier, May 4th, May 18th, July 13th, August 24th for the second Nationals Qualifier and then September 13-14 for the Nationals.

Saturday, August 31 will be a Run What you Brung for late model sportsman, pure stocks, hobby stocks and four cylinders.

The open wheeled racers have two additional events with the Super Sportsman returning for the first time since September 2010 on Friday, May 24th to accompany the Three State Flyers event.

Just over a month later on July 3rd, the PA Sprint Car Speedweek midweek event for the 410 sprints will be held and accompanied by the EMMR (Eastern Museum of Motor Racing) vintage organization.

This will be followed by the 32nd Annual Hub City Classic for the AMA motorcycles and two weeks later, the Monster Truck Jam arrives for three days of action, July 19-21.

All point sponsors are back on board for the season with late models events still ran as point races with Buchanan Auto Stores the sponsor. The Hoosier Tire Mid Atlantic late model sportsman, Ernie D’s pure stocks and D & D Auto Recycling hobby stocks will be the regular appearing series.

The Fire & Rescue Appreciation Night, Armed Forces Appreciation and Law Enforcement Appreciation are three of the special programs scheduled. Members of these organizations will be admitted free with identification. Mayberry Night on June 8th will be another special program.

Also on the June 29th Roberts program is Old Timers Night when former racing greats and favorites will be admitted free and special recognition made for their past achievements.

The speedway will host the Hazzardtown Family Festival on Saturday June 22 with music, cast members on hand for autographs, a car show and much more in the works.

Stop by the speedway’s booth at the York Dirt Trackin’ Show on January 25-27 where schedules will be available.

The latest news, results, photos, schedule or rule changes can found be on the speedway’s website: www.hagerstownspeedway.com. Also check the website for any changes in weather conditions that may delay or cancel the program or contact the speedway office at 301-582-0640.

DECEMBER 7, 2012
DICKSON’S FIRST EVER CHAMPIONSHIP COMES AT HAGERSTOWN, WALLS JR., CATLETT AND THOMAS ALSO REAP REWARDS

HAGERSTOWN, MD -- The 65th season at Hagerstown Speedway has concluded with drivers in three of the four divisions posting their first ever championships and taking top honors during the 2012 season.

Wrapping up his first championship ever, Nick Dickson made the decision to stick with the schedule and he came away victorious in his quest for the Buchanan Auto Stores late model title by 20 points over eight time and defending champion, Roy Deese Jr. With his first ever Hagerstown victory the second week of competition, Dickson went atop the standings and remained there the entire season.

“I started off knowing it was really good weekly paying races, “ said the 30 year old from Lewistown, PA. “We got three fourths of the way through the year and I was still leading so I thought it’d be neat to win the points. I’d never won anything like that before so we stuck with it. I just wanted to see my name on a championship, so what better place to do it than Hagerstown.”

In the past, Dickson, son of veteran driver and car owner Ken Dickson, has been an occasional competitor, but this season, easily blended in with the usual tough weekly competition. While running the entire Hagerstown schedule, Dickson also found time to compete elsewhere on some of the off nights and overall, posted four wins at four different tracks.

“We had a good year,” Dickson said. ”We won some money with the four wins and overall.”

Just like this season, Dickson currently has no plans set in stone for 2013 or further.

“I don’t know how long we’ll be doing it yet,” he said. “I don’t know how long dad plans on being a car owner. We’re keeping the same car as there aren’t any issues with it. We’ve stripped it down and are putting it back together. We’ll stick with the money races in the area. I don’t know if I’ll run for the points again. We didn’t start off this year planning on anything.”

Dickson posted his career first track win in the second point event and went on to have three top five efforts and five top tens.

In the past five seasons, Deese’s name has been there every time and with the late model title not decided until the final race. In this case, the McBee/Hays Championship was a victim of Hurricane Isaac and a suitable make-up date rain date was not available. Again, Deese’s name was there at the end.

His season was almost identical to Dickson’s as his win came with only one race remaining in the points events and happened to be his first in two years. He ended with three top fives and seven top tens overall.

Alan Sagi and Jerry Bard were also in the mix at the end with only two points separating the two and Sagi trailing Deese by 29 points. Sagi had four top tens while Bard scored a single win and seven top tens. Frankie Plessinger, the 2010 champion, was fifth with three top tens.

Gary Stuhler, the 1990 and 2003 champion was sixth and had one win. He was followed by Brian Booze, Rusty Sites (one win), Kenny Moreland (one win) and Marvin Winters. .

Weather was a factor on the scheduled opening day of March 24 and again for the Lucas Oil Schetrompf Memorial event and not again until the Labor Day Hays/McBee event. With ten different winners, Jamie Lathroum was the only two time winner, taking back to back triumphs in the Hagerstown/Winchester Shootout and then in the Appalachian Mountain Speedweek show.

First time winners were Gregg Satterlee, who scored in the opening April event, Dickson the following week, Kenny Morleand in the second Hagerstown/Winchester Shootout, and Don O’Neal in the Lucas Oil Conococheague event. Gary Stuhler claimed victory for the sixth time in the Roberts Memorial while Jerry Bard won the Ernie’s Topless Durham/Bowers event. Rusty Sites and Deese were also winners.

The Nininger Tire and Auto Hard Charger awards went to Sagi, Bard, Deese, Dickson and Stuhler while Lathroum, Tim Murphy, Colby Frye, Booze and Paul Crowl were recipients of the Nininger Hard Luck awards.

Placing eighth in 2011, Wayne Walls Jr. went 26 ahead of 2006 to 2008 champion Andy Fries on the fourth week and remained on top until the final week when he topped Fries by 15 in the Hoosier Tire Mid Atlantic late model sportsman. It was the eighth overall title for the St. Thomas, PA veteran, having previous won the 1988 to 1990 titles and then came back in 1996 to win successively until 1999.

In his quest for the title, Walls posted two wins including the 31-lap Bill Bowman Special and had six top fives and nine top tens while Fries was held winless but had eight top fives and 11 top tens. Terry Flaherty placed third with five top fives and nine top tens while Pete Weaver, the 2011 and defending champion, posted two wins and four top tens with a pair of runner up finishes ending fourth. Fifth went to Scott Palmer who had one win, three top fives and six top tens. Cory Houck, Justin Weaver (one win), Paul Cursey, Courtney Shreiner and Tyler Horst completed the top ten.

Besides the wins shown, Joey Leavell owned both Steel Block Bandit triumphs while J. T. Spence was also a two time winner including the Small Car Nationals. Nick Pappas was successful in posting a career first win.

Dave Leidy, Sammy Schaffer, Houck, Tyler Castle, Flaherty, Spence and Fries were Liberty Auto and Tire Hard Chargers.

In the Ernie D’s pure stocks, it was Tony Catlett of Hedgesville, WV scoring his first ever championship. Catlett won the opening event, but then fell to eighth in the standings by the third week. He slowly worked his way towards the top by the tenth week and continued on to hold a 59 point edge over Steve Lowery who also was seeking a first time title.

Catlett’s title win was one of patience as he continued to do his best every week until climbing to the top of the standings over Brian Miller but then had Lowery move into the second spot, 40 points back. After the opening win, he went on to post nine top fives and 14 top tens.

Lowery ended 59 points back with two wins, seven top fives and 13 top tens with Kevin Boyer third, who also posted two wins and had seven top fives and 13 top tens. Rookie Chris Ebersole, a graduate from the hobby stocks was next with two wins including the Jim Cornett Tribute, seven top fives and 11 top tens while Dave Stouffer Jr ended fifth with a single win, five top fives and ten top tens.

There were 11 overall winners with those already listed along with Brian Miller and Darrin Younker each with two, while singles went to Kenny Dillon, Rick Stouffer, Keith Koontz, his career first and Mike Franklin, who won the Small Car Nationals.

The Ecton and Son Service and Repair Hard Chargers were Boyer (5 times), Crain Kline (2 times), Younker, Lowery, Catlett, Mike Sanders, Dave Stouffer Jr., and Frank Dibella.

It was a controversial second season for the D & D Auto Recycling hobby stock cruisers but in the end, Greencastle, PA’s Kenny Thomas had clinched the title by 125 points over William Crook after scoring five victories and having 13 top ten efforts.

The hobby stock cruisers competed in 15 overall events while only one was postponed to a later date. After Thomas won the first two events, Gary Proctor claimed the next five consecutive events. Thomas later won three of the final seven. Mark Vegh was a two time winner while Lane Hessong won for the first time. Michael Hyatt took honors in the Small Car Nationals.

Bob Davis Home Improvement Lucky Seven Awards went to Rick Turner, Hessong, Dave Shatto, Thomas, Nathaniel Younker and Gary Cekovich.

The 410 sprints made two visits with Keith Kauffman taking honors in the Pennsylvania Sprint Speedweek event and Craig Dollansky in the World of Outlaw visit.

Ryan Laye won the four cylinder Small Car Nationals Qualifier but it was Tom Whitt who won the Nationals two weeks later as Laye crossed second.

The Brawl in the Fall season ending event fell victim to Hurricane Sandy with no suitable dates remaining. Line ups are already set for the four division program which is now scheduled Sunday, March 17th with a rain date of Sunday March 24th.

Promoter Plessinger and the speedway staff wish everyone a safe and very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and look forward to everyone being able to rejoin us in 2013. For all the up to date news, the 2013 schedule, driver information and more, check out the speedway’s website at www.hagerstownspeedway.com.

2012 Final Point Standings

Buchanan Auto Stores Late Models: 1Nick Dickson, 1706; 2.Roy Deese Jr.1686; 3.Alan Sagi, 1659; 4.Jerry Bard, 1655, 5.Frankie Plessinger, 1549; 6.Gary Stuhler, 1538; 7.Brian Booze, 1309; 8.Rusty Sites, 1309; 9.Kenny Moreland, 1233; 10.Marvin Winters, 1225

Hoosier Tire Late Model Sportsman: 1.Wayne Walls Jr., 1856; 2.Andy Fries, 1841; 3.Terry Flaherty, 1782; 4.Pete Weaver, 1748; 5.Scott Palmer, 1736; 6.Cory Houck, 1669; 7.Justin Weaver, 1660; 8.Paul Cursey, 1575; 9.Coutney Shreiner, 1491; 10. Tyler Horst, 1487

Ernie D’s Pure Stocks: 1.Tonly Catlett, 3381; 2.Steve Lowery, 3322; 3.Kevin Boyer, 3299; 4.Chris Ebersole, 3259; 5.Dave Stouffer Jr., 3251

D & D Auto Recycling Hobby Stocks: 1.Kenny Thomas, 2990; 2.William Crook, 2865; 3.Dave Shatto, 2587; 4.Gary Proctor, 2296; 5.Matt Smith, 2277

November 1, 2012
HAGERSTOWN SPEEDWAY WILL RESCHEDULE BRAWL

HAGERSTOWN, MD: With the Brawl in the Fall scheduled since the beginning of the year for October 27-28, Hagerstown Speedway could only hope for a good weekend weather-wise after last year’s surprise snow storm which postponed the event.

As qualifying events were completed Saturday with all feature line ups set, officials were reviewing all available weather data, much with different scenarios, with all good intentions of having a window of opportunity Sunday to complete the feature events.

With the brunt of Superstorm Sandy actually forecast for Monday, it grew in size while approaching up the Eastern Atlantic and by Sunday morning, a leading edge had already extended to the track with a drizzle falling. This left no other option but to postpone to the first available date of Sunday, November 11th.

Sandy will be one the Northeast will not forget for a long time as it created devastation all along the Eastern coast until making its turn inland further to the north.

Hagerstown Speedway did weather Sandy well in comparison to its neighbors, however received some damage. Located just behind the speedway backstretch, the Conococheague Creek did crest its banks and flooded into the pit area. There are trees down, some signs were also victims of the high winds and power surging on and off since the worst of the storm, but clean-up will be much easier than for thousands that have extensive damage to their homes, farms, and businesses and may be without power for weeks. Our heartfelt sympathies go out to the fans, drivers, crew members and anyone affected by this natural disaster.

Since Monday, the speedway has received a number of calls from various drivers who had different reasons for an inability to return on the postponed date making speedway officials meet to discuss and rethink the rescheduling date.

"Next week is not enough time for many to recover from this mess to be able to enjoy the races," said speedway owner, Frank Plessinger." Pushing it back another week will only put us into colder and more unfavorable weather conditions as well as other scheduling conflicts. The next weekend is Thanksgiving and definitely not a choice."

Discussing a plan to complete the Brawl’s feature day on a spring Sunday was favorable to the majority of those calling. Sunday was preferred as not to conflict with other tracks that also get underway early.

Hagerstown Speedway certainly regrets this unfortunate situation; however, this natural disaster left very few alternatives. This change will allow fans and drivers a better opportunity to have this race under better weather conditions and all around better circumstances currently surrounding the Northeast.

The rules for a rain date are as follows:

1. The two day rain checks are good, so DO NOT LOSE them!

2. The entire race fields are already set to race, so if a car owner and driver part ways, the car, not the driver, starts the event. The car owner can allow the driver to take the spot if he/she chooses. Either way the unqualified car/driver will start at the rear of the field.

Hagerstown’s 2013 schedule and those of other speedways are just beginning the planning stages. Different options will be reviewed and a rescheduled date will be announced as soon as possible and included onto the new schedule.

Follow the speedway on Twitter and Facebook or contact the speedway office at 301-582-0640.