TRI-CITY SPEEDWAY RELEASES 2008 SCHEDULE WITH SEASON OPENER SET FOR APRIL 27TH
by Brian Spaid

February 24, 2008

   FRANKLIN, PA  …. Tri-City Speedway officials finalized the 2008 schedule this weekend with a total of 20 events on the calendar, including the Oil Region Labor Day Classic Weekend featuring the World of Outlaws Late Model Series.

   “With the addition of the FASTRAK Late Models to our weekly program, we are really excited about our 13^th season of racing at Tri-City,” said Tri-City Speedway Co-Promoter Mike Graham.

   The half-mile Venango County dirt track will open for racing action on Sunday April 27^th. The first five-star racing show will include 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. Those same five divisions will compete every Sunday night throughout the season at Tri-City. Gates will open at 4:00 p.m. and racing starts at 6:00 p.m. each night. Adult grandstand admission will remain at $11 this season. Pit admission also remains at $22 and will be reduced to $20 for those with a valid DIRTcar License

   “The Oil Region is becoming a bigger tourist attraction, and we continue to hear from new fans venturing to our area,” said Tri-City Co-Promoter Roger Crick. “We firmly believe that we offer the best entertainment value in our region for families and teens. We’re even promoting a Teen Night at Tri-City this season as we continue to introduce younger race fans to the fun and excitement of local dirt track racing.”

   The Oil Region Labor Day Classic Weekend will once again feature two nights of competition for the World of Outlaws Late Model Series on Saturday and Sunday August 30^th and 31^st. After a successful debut event in 2005, the World of Outlaws Late Model Series will return with such stars as defending champion Steve Francis, Chub Frank, Clint Smith, Shane Clanton, Rick Eckert, Josh Richards, Darrell Lanigan, Tim Fuller, Brian Shirley, Shannon Babb and last year’s surprise winner Dan Stone. Each night, the Late Model drivers and teams will run qualifying events and a 50-lap feature for $10,000-to-win.

   In addition, the FASTRAK Late Models, E Mods and Pro Stocks will run complete shows each night. The E Mods will be sanctioned by the United E Mod Series and compete in the final Welding Technologies E Series races of 2008, with the Sunday show to include the All Star 30. The Pro Stocks will prep for the 12^th Annual CSOnline Applefest 100 with the third and fourth legs of the William R. Karns Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning Detroit Iron Pro Stock Series. Adult grandstand admission will be $30 each night with a special two-day ticket priced at $50.

   The DIRTcar Big Block Modifieds will be featured two special events for the BRP Modified Tour 2008. The initial race will be the 5^th Annual Dick Rankin Memorial on Sunday May 25^th, and the second event will be the 16^th Annual Kodiak Memorial on Sunday July 13^th. Adult grandstand admission for each of those events will remain at $11.

   For the fifth season in a row, the four-race Welding Technologies E Series returns to Tri-City with events for the E Mods on June 1^st, July 6^th, and August 30^th and 31^st (All Star 30). Adult grandstand admission at each of those shows will remain at $11, except for the August races, which will be part of the Oil Region Labor Day Classic Weekend.

   The Pro Stocks will compete in the five-race William R. Karns Plumbing Heating & Air Conditioning Detroit Iron Pro Stock Series for the seventh season in a row. Those events will be held on June 22^nd, August 3^rd, 30^th and 31^st, and September 7^th. The final series race will be the 12^th Annual CSOnline Applefest 100. That show will also include the 6^th Annual Apple Core 20 for the “Sunday Night Thunder” Cars and the second Lowry Auto Wrecking Mid Sized Car Demo Derby of the season. In addition, in 2008, the PPC Violence Free Network charity event will be a Ladies Only Mid Sized Car Demo Derby to be held on Father’s Day June 15^th. Adult grandstand admission will remain at $11 for all of those events, except for the races held during the Oil Region Labor Day Classic Weekend.

   The Extreme Dirt Track ATVA Nationals 2008 will invade Tri-City on Thursday and Friday July 3^rd and 4^th.  Hosted by Hetrick Racing and the All-Terrain Vehicle Association (ATVA), the national event will draw hundreds of ATV racers to Tri-City for motocross-style racing competition for the third year in a row as the event moves from the early fall to an Independence Day Weekend special. More information about race times and ticket prices for this event will be released later this season.

   Other season highlights include a Powder Puff Pro Stock and “Sunday Night Thunder” Car event on Mother’s Day, the McDonald’s Kids Night bike races, two nights of One-on-One Spectator Races, the Edward Jones Investments Fireworks Extravaganza, and the Coors Brewing Bonus Bucks Night.

   For the second year in a row, Tri-City officials also elected to close the track twice this season on July 27^th and August 24^th. This will allow the race teams and officials to get two needed breaks during the season.

   Tri-City officials continue to solicit sponsorship proposals for a return of the Super Sprints for a special event. To date, nothing has materialized to allow that occur.

   For more information and schedules, 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 “Sunday Night Thunder” Cars 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.