TRI-CITY SPEEDWAY GETTING READY FOR 2008 SEASON OPENER
by Brian Spaid

April 13, 2008

   FRANKLIN, PA …. For the last week, track officials and employees have been hard at work getting Tri-City Speedway ready for the 2008 season opener scheduled on Sunday April 27th.

   Tri-City will host five exciting divisions for its weekly shows this season, including the Engles Trucking DIRTcar Big Block Modifieds, 4 Your Car Connection FASTRAK Late Models, RPM Auto Sales/Sherry Shawgo Real Estate E Mods, E.F. Rogers Plumbing & Heating Pro Stocks, and Klapec Auto Body “Sunday Night Thunder” Cars.  Gates open at 4 p.m. and racing starts at 6 p.m. on opening night. Adult grandstand admission is $11.

   For now, the focus is routine maintenance and spring cleanup issues at the Venango County half-mile dirt track. The track itself is still covered with a green sheen of rye that is planted each fall to help prevent erosion of the track surface due to harsh weather conditions over the seven-month layoff. Work on the racing surface will start in earnest within the week before opening night.

   “It’s still quite wet here,” said Tri-City Co-Promoter Mike Graham in reference to the entire facility. “As for the track, we don’t want to disturb it for now. If we open it up to the weather, we’ll have a very rough surface come opening day. We are very pleased with the lack of erosion over the winter.”

   Graham and his fellow promoter, Roger Crick, met with race officials on Saturday afternoon in the VIP suite. The hour-long meeting was an opportunity for Graham and Crick to review with race officials the on-track procedures and any safety policies and concerns.

   “We have fantastic officials at Tri-City,” noted Crick. “They do a yeoman’s job each and every Sunday night. We meet every year before the season begins to make sure everyone is on the same page. These officials are the reason why we can run a fast Sunday night show for our fans and race teams.”

   For more information, please contact the track office at (814) 473-4038. 

   Tri-City Speedway is owned and operated by Roger and Susie Crick and Mike and Margaret Graham. They have promoted Sunday night racing at the popular facility since they reopened it in 1996. The DIRTcar Big Block Modifieds, FASTRAK Late Models, E Mods, Pro Stocks and Thundercars race each week at the Venango County half-mile dirt oval. Tri-City is located seven miles north of Franklin, Pa., off State Route 417.