Jennerstown Speedway Gets New Track Promoter
Jennerstown, PA-. Jennerstown Speedway has announced the hiring of veteran motorsports Public Relations consultant and race broadcaster, Mike Lysakowski, as its new Track Promoter. Mike Lysakowski started his motorsports career as a writer and photographer for RPM Magazine and RPM Racing News as a teenager. Soon after, he started co-hosting Don Gamble’s “RappinOnRacin” radio broadcasts, which he still does today. At the age of 17, Lysakowski founded Motorsport Aspects Limited which published the Oval Track Annual magazine. He went on to promote a dirt track E-Mod regional racing touring series for six years. More recently, Lysakowski has worked as a broadcaster announcing races events on radio, internet, TV and has been an at-track P.A. announcer.
Jennerstown Speedway is a ½-mile polymer based asphalt oval located in Western Pennsylvania. The track was originally built in the 1920’s and has a long history of different owners and transformations over the years. Jennerstown Speedway’s current owners purchased the facility in 2014 after the track laid dormant from 2008 to 2013. Today, after many transformations, the track is a state-of-the-art facility with an increasing amount of both competitors and spectators which lead to Lysakowski’s hiring.
For more information on Jennerstown Speedway and Mike Lysakowski, visit www.jennerstown.org.
Kil-Kare Raceway Reopens
Xenia, OH- Kil-Kare Raceway located in Xenia, Ohio has reopened after two years of sitting idle. Kil-Kare Raceway is a 3/8-mile asphalt oval track. The complex also houses a ¼-mile drag strip and is home to the Miami Valley Quarter Midget Racing Association. Kil-Kare Raceway closed in October 2014 after low car counts and low attendance and also terminated its association with the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series for the Late Models. In October 2016, The Gem City Auto Racing Group (GCAR) a group of mostly racers, car owners and business owners, approached Kil-Kare about bringing local racing back to the oval. GCAR will sanction Sunday racing with Late Models, Modifieds, Street Stocks and compact divisions for the 2017 season. Kil-Kare Raceway is slated to host 11 races on a bi-weekly basis for its 2017 season. Although Gem City is in control of the racing program in 2017, if possible, Kil-Kare could start sanctioning races in the future. In addition to the Gem City Auto Racing, the oval will also host the Sports Car Club of America, the Mid-West Drift Union, Corvette Troy and the Rusty Wallace Driving Experience.
For more information on Kil-Kare Raceway, please gemcityracing.com or www.kilkare.com.
Kokomo Speedway Celebrates its 70th Anniversary
Kokomo, IN- Kokomo Speedway located in Kokomo, Indiana will celebrate its 70th anniversary this season. Kokomo Speedway is a ¼-mile semi-banked clay oval track that originally opened in 1947. Original owners, Albert Miller and John Rose along with track builder and promoter Ted Everroade intended for the track to be exclusively for Midget racing. In 1952, promoter Bill Lipkey purchased Kokomo Speedway and built up the tracks reputation until he sold it to Kent Evans in 1994. Evans, a champion Sprint Car driver made many changes to the track including the lighting system still in use today. Evans sold Kokomo Speedway shortly after and the track switched hands many times until 2004 when current owners, the O’Connor Family. The O’Connor family made many modifications including adding more banking to the track and widening the surface, new walls and a NASCAR and IRL approved catch fence.
For more information on Kokomo Speedway, visit www.kokomospeedway.net.
Unity Raceway to Convert to Dirt in 2018
Unity, ME- Unity Raceway has announced its decision to convert its 1/3-mile asphalt track into a 1/3-mile dirt track beginning in 2018. New track owner George Fernald purchased the track from longtime owner Ralph Nason in 2016 after leasing it from them from 2008-2012. The asphalt track in its current state is in need of repaving. Fernald estimated the cost to repave the track to be a minimum of $200,000. He believes it would cost a quarter of that to convert it into a dirt track. Along with the transformation, Fernald plans to include new fencing and restrooms, building up the grandstands, building a small drag strip in the infield to host lawn mower-tractor races, adding a mud run for trucks in the lower parking lot and adding a campground.
Unity Raceway was Maine’s first speedway and opened as a dirt track in 1948. It remained a dirt track until 1964 when it was paved. All six race tracks in Maine are asphalt tracks. Once Unity Raceway is converted to dirt, it will be the only dirt track in the state. The new classes for the dirt track will be Late Models, Street Stocks, Keystone 6 Shooters (6-cylinder cars), Flyin’ 4’s (4-cylinder cars), caged Enduros and regular Enduros.
For more information on Unity Raceway, visit www.unityraceway.info.
VP Racing Fuels Appoints New Director of Marketing
San Antonio, TX- VP Racing Fuels has announced that Donato Bonacquisto has been named Director of Marketing. In his new position, Bonacquisto will be responsible for advertising, sponsorships, event management and public relations in support of all VP business divisions including race fuel, branding and consumer products. Prior to his new position at VP Fuels, Bonacquisto’s previous position was with Hankook Tire America as Motorsports and Events Manager. His previous experience includes management positions in both marketing and business development with multiple NASCAR Cup Series teams, JHE Production Group managing elements of the Sprint title sponsorship with NASACR and SPEED Channel as Event Marketing. Bonacquisto began his motorsports career competing SCCA events.
For more information on VP Fuels, visit vpracingfuels.com.
Lernerville Speedway Makes Changes in Management
Sarver, PA- Lernerville Speedway is a small 4/10-mile dirt oval located in Sarver, Pennsylvania. The tracks current owners, The Thompson family bought Lernerville Speedway from World Racing Group in 2016. The family has made some notable changes to the tracks staff for the 2017 racing season. Long time Public Relations Director, Eric Westendorf has stepped down from his position to focus on his family. After serving as both the PR Director and Track Announcer, Westendorf will scale back his involvement to announcing duties and social media. Taking over Public Relations duties will be Gary Heeman of The Dirt Network. Heeman’s specialty is Big Block Modifieds, but has a vast knowledge of all dirt racing divisions. Heeman’s new role will include press releases, website updates, quick results and race reports.
Lernerville Speedway is the only track in the country that hosts 410 Sprints, Super Late Models and big Block Modifieds “the Big 3” racing series weekly. For more information on Lernerville Speedway, visit www.lernerville.com.
Bickford and La Russa Elected West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame Board of Directors
Phoenix, AZ- The West Coast Stock Car Racing Hall of Fame has announced the election of two new members to the Board of Directors. Their election was announced at Phoenix Raceway in March along with the 2017 Class of Inductees. John Bickford is the step father of NASCAR Series Champion, Jeff Gordon. Bickford bought Jeff Gordon a Quarter Midget when he was 5 and raced dirt tracks in California until age 13 when he was ready for a sprint car. Due to age restrictions, Gordon could not race in California, so Bickford moved the family to Indiana where Gordon’s career quickly ascended.
Tony La Russa is a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame having spent 33 years as a Major League Baseball Manager. La Russa managed the Oakland A’s to a World Series Championship in 1989 after winning three consecutive American League Titles. La Russa Joined the St Louis Cardinals in 1990 and lead the team to three National League championships and the 2006 and 2011 World Series Championships. After retirement, La Russa became an executive with Major League Baseball and is currently a front office analyst for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame was constructed in 2001 to showcase the talent and contributions to the sport of racing. For more information, please visit www.westcoaststockcarracing.com.
Dirt Racing Returns to Route 66
Joliet, IL- Dirt racing has returned to the dirt oval at 66 Raceway in Joliet, Illinois, after nearly 12 years of lying dormant. Dirt Oval 66 is a part of the Chicago Speedway Complex that also includes the Rout 66 Raceway Dragstrip, and the 1.5 mile superspeedway that has hosted NASCAR racing since 2001. Dirt Oval 66 was originally designed as a ½-mile dirt track and hosted races for USAC, the World of Outlaws and other premier racing series. The new track owner, Sherri Heckenast has done a lot of renovations to the track to get it ready for the 2017 racing season. The track was reconditioned to remove rocks, stones and debris left behind by former demolition derbies from the past. 1,000 loads of premium dirt were brought in to resurface the track and the track was reconfigured from its original ½-mile size down to its new 3/8-mile layout. The 2017 racing season has 14 events scheduled for the year.
For more information and Dirt Oval 66’s schedule, visit www.dirtoval66.com.
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