TRACK
SIZE: 5/8
& 1/10 MILE SLIGHTLY BANKED ASPHALT OVALS; 1/8 MILE ASPHALT
DRAGSTRIP
RACE
DAYS:
FRIDAY NIGHTS (DS): IHRA
ET BRACKETS - SUPER PRO, PRO, HEAVY, BIKES, SLEDS, STREETS & JR.
DRAGSTERS;
SATURDAY NIGHTS (OVAL):
MODIFIEDS, LATE MODELS, SPORTSMEN, SUPER
STOCKS, STOCKS & TQ MIDGETS
PHONE:
716-759-6818
WEBSITE: WWW.LANCASTERRACING.COM
DIRECTIONS:
I-90
TO EXIT 49, THEN 0.5 MILE SOUTH ON SR 78 TO SR 33, THEN 3.5 MILES EAST
ON GUNNVILLE ROAD, THEN NORTH, THEN EAST
5/27/06 - Heroes Homecoming
Presented By UBS And FOAR SCORE Fan Club at Lancaster Raceway Park
Saturday, June 17
Heroes Homecoming
Presented By UBS And FOAR SCORE Fan Club at Lancaster Raceway Park
Saturday, June 17
LANCASTER, N.Y. – 5/27/06 - Lancaster Raceway Park (formerly known
as Lancaster Speedway) will present its annual Heroes Homecoming reunion
Saturday, June 17, from 1-5 p.m. The popular event reunites retired
Lancaster Speedway drivers and officials with race fans to relive the
good old days of stock car racing at the 48-year-old half-mile asphalt
track. The event is sponsored by UBS (www.ubs.com) and the FOAR SCORE
Fan Club (www.friendsofautoracing.com) and will feature vintage stock
car racing in the afternoon and evening at the speedway.
The speedway is extending an invitation to all retired Lancaster
Speedway drivers and officials. Drivers and officials wishing to
participate are asked to contact Marilyn Toal as soon as possible to be
placed on the guest list. Mrs. Toal may be reached at (585) 663-0004.
Retired racing stars who already have agreed to participate this year
include: early-1970s Late Model and Modified driver Dave VanValkenburg,
Jim Smoker, Roger Boas (driver of the famous No. 114 Falcon and coupe),
‘70s Late Model and Modified driver Jim Howard, Modified and
Supermodified standout Tommy Leeson, Bobby Hudson, Brian Horn, 1967
Modified champion Chuck Boos, dirt and asphalt Modified star Ken Meahl,
Phil Edwards, Bill Bitterman, Rod Spaulding, Dutch Hoag, Turner Brothers’
Modified and Supermodified pilot Gary Reichert, Larry Nye, Dick Kluth,
Dan Willmes, Dean Wright, Ted Renshaw, and the father-son Mini-Stock
team of Ron McDonald Sr. and Ron McDonald Jr. Dozens more are expected
to sign on as the event draws near.
Vintage Lancaster Speedway photos – as well as copies of John
Bisci's book, "Lancaster Heroes," a pictorial history of
Lancaster Speedway from 1966-76 – will be available for sale at the
event.
Last year, 53 heroes returned to the famed oval and drag strip near
Buffalo, N.Y., including: 1972 Late Model champion Jim McGraw, Tom
Leeson, Jeno Begolo, Roger Treichler, Chuck Boos, Jim Rudolph, Bill
Rafter, Ted Renshaw, western N.Y. racing legend Art Clark (who actually
had a hand in building the speedway in 1959), Bill Bitterman, Ed Ortiz,
Cam Gagliardi, 1971 Mini-Stock king Ron McDonald Sr., Neil Truesdell,
Ronnie Martin, Bill “Stroker” McGurk, Terry Krentz, Jim Howard, Dan
Bess, Frank Batista, Fred White, Fred Coe, Ross Holmes and Charlie
Rudolph.
Toal, Lancaster historian Mark Southcott and former Lancaster
Speedway announcer John Bisci have been working to contact retired
drivers to invite them to the reunion, but many are difficult to locate.
“Many of the drivers from the ‘60s do not use computers, and
quite a few have moved away from the western N.Y. area or have unlisted
phone numbers, so sometimes the proverbial grapevine moves slowly,”
said Bisci. “We urge readers, fans and friends to spread the word to
drivers they know who may might not have been contacted yet. We
certainly don’t want them to miss the festivities.”
The afternoon’s activities will include an autograph session, group
photo with all drivers and officials by speedway photographer Dan
Kollander, Lancaster Speedway video and memorabilia display and vintage
racing.
Lancaster Raceway Park also will present a complete program of stock
car racing on its half-mile paved oval at 6:30 p.m. Classes will
include: Modifieds, Late Models, SST Sportsman, Super Stocks, Street
Stocks, TQ Midgets and vintage race cars.
Fans attending the 1-5 p.m. Heroes Homecoming session will be
admitted at half price until 4 p.m.
Regular admission prices will be charged after 4 p.m. -- $12 for
adults, $10 for senior citizens, $5 for kids 8-15. Kids under the age of
8 are admitted at $1.
Lancaster Raceway Park is located at 57 Gunnville Road in Lancaster,
N.Y., just east of N.Y. State Thruway Exit 49. For more information,
please call the speedway at (716) 759-6818 or visit online at
www.lancasterracing.com.
