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JUNE 1, 2007...The Lucas Oil USAC National Sprint Car Series is preparing
for its first multi-race “tour” in the East since 1977, set for June 6, 7
and 9 at tracks in Bechtelsville and Minersville, Pa and Hagerstown, Md.
respectively.
Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsville hosts the Wednesday night, June 6 opener.
The “Thunder on the Hill” program concludes with a 35-lap Sprint feature on
the 1/3-mile clay oval. On Thursday night, June 7, the series makes its
inaugural visit to Big Diamond Raceway in Minersville, where a 30-lap Sprint
feature caps the action on the .384 mile dirt oval. The ARDC Midget Series is
also in action at both Grandview and Big Diamond.
The 60th Anniversary of Hagerstown Speedway concludes the three-race swing on
Saturday night, June 9. Late models are also on the card and the Sprint car
feature on the 1/2-mile banked dirt track is 30 laps.
USAC’s last Sprint race in the Keystone State of Pennsylvania came last year
when Darren Hagen was victorious at Lernerville Speedway in Sarver. Hagen
currently holds a 26-point lead in the National standings over Levi Jones, with
Kevin Swindell trailing by 43 points.
Dave Darland, who won a USAC Sprint race in 1999 on the dirt at Tri-City
Speedway in Franklin, Pa., ranks fourth in the standings and will also compete
in the three-race swing.
The last time USAC Sprint Cars competed in Pennsylvania more than once in a
single year was in 1975 when Larry Dickson, Fred Linder and Lee Osborne won
races at the Reading Fairgrounds. In 1977 USAC Sprint car races were held at
Reading, Pa., Flemington, N.J. and Hamburg, N.Y. at different times during the
year.
Although USAC has competed in Pennsylvania on 135 occasions in the past,
Maryland has only hosted three previous USAC events. Those included a 1958 Road
Race at Marlboro won by George Constantine, a 1966 Sprint race at Cumberland won
by Mario Andretti and a 1986 Silver Crown race at Hagerstown won by Jack Hewitt.
Eastern hero Billy Pauch of Frenchtown, N.J. has already been announced as an
entrant in the series and other Eastern stars are expected to compete in the
wingless Sprint events.
Tickets for these events are available by calling 610-754-7688 (Grandview),
570-544-1410 (Big Diamond) or 301-582-0640 (Hagerstown).
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