First-Ever Visit To Merrittville Speedway On June 17

[rebelracewriter]

First-Ever Visit To Merrittville Speedway On June 17 Brings Mixture Of Business & Pleasure For World of Outlaws Late Model Series Teams

 

Canadian Track Located Just Minutes From Tourist Haven Of Niagara Falls

 

THOROLD, ONT – June 7, 2010 – The stars of the World of Outlaws Late Model Series will be all business when the national tour makes its much-anticipated first-ever visit to Merrittville Speedway on Thurs., June 17.

 

But before and after the historic 50-lap, $10,000-to-win event? Well, some of the travelers just might take advantage of the Canadian track's ideal location to catch a break from the rigors of the road.

 

With Merrittville's date sitting between two off days from the WoO LMS 'Great Northern Tour' schedule, teams will have an opportunity for a rare bit of fun away from the racetrack. The D-shaped, one-third-mile oval, after all, is located just minutes from the tourist and entertainment Mecca of Niagara Falls.

 

Fans have long been packaging a racing trip to Merrittville with sightseeing visits to the famed Niagara Falls area, and this year the busy Outlaw teams can arrange their itineraries to enjoy the same double. Several series regulars are planning to do just that, including veteran Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga., who has tasted the local Falls flavor in the past and is anxious to spend some time there again.

 

"Back in 2004 (the inaugural WoO LMS season under the World Racing Group banner) we had a few days off while we were on a New York swing so me, (wife) Kim and (teenager daughter) Jenna went over to Niagara Falls," said Smith, who often points his hauler toward popular tourist areas while away from home. "We stayed on the Canadian side for a couple days and had a real good time."

 

Smith said he "did just about everything there was to do" around Niagara Falls – strolling the paths alongside the natural wonder, walking up-and-down the neon-lined Clifton Hill, taking a ride on the Maid of the Mist boat tour, visiting the town's Casino. He saw enough to serve as the tour guide for a group of Outlaws that will likely invade the city this year.

 

"We'll definitely try to go there again," said Smith, who is in his seventh season following the WoO LMS. "We're racing too close (to the Falls) to just drive by it."

 

The WoO LMS will precede its stop at Merrittville with the 'Great Northern Tour' opener on Tues., June 15, at Can-Am Motorsports Park in Lafargeville, N.Y. Most teams are expected to immediately head toward Niagara Falls following Can-Am's action in order to cross the U.S./Canadian border on Wednesday, giving them enough time to sample the area.

 

A longtime home of DIRTcar-sanctioned 358-Modified racing, Merrittville Speedway sits on Merrittville Highway just over 12 miles from downtown Niagara Falls. The track is slightly over 120 miles from Erie, Pa., via the Buffalo Peace Bridge, putting it within reasonable driving distance for dirt Late Model fans from western Pennsylvania and Northeastern Ohio who are looking for a fun-filled getaway.

 

A star-studded field of World of Outlaws standouts will tackle the tricky Merrittville layout, including former series champions Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., who is well-known to Merrittville's DIRTcar Modified fans, Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., and Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky.

 

The Outlaw roster also includes Clint Smith, Tim Fuller of Watertown, N.Y. – another former DIRTcar Modified regular with experience at Merrittville – Rick Eckert of York, Pa., Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa., Brady Smith of Solon Springs, Wis., Shane Clanton of Locust Grove, Ga., Russell King of Bristolville, Ohio, and rookies Austin Hubbard of Seaford, Del., and Jill George of Cedar Falls, Iowa.

 

Other drivers expected to join the Outlaws as entrants at Merrittville include Rick 'Boom' Briggs of Bear Lake, Pa., Dan Stone of Thompson, Pa., Gregg Satterlee of Rochester Mills, Pa., Mike Knight of Ripley, N.Y., 15-year-old Tyler Reddick of Corning, Calif., and April Farmer of Livingston, Tenn., plus 2009 Ontario Dirt Late Model Series champion Greg Oakes of Franklinville, N.Y., and other racers from the Canadian tour and western Pennsylvania.

 

Pit gates will open at 2 p.m. and the grandstands will be unlocked at 4 p.m. on Thurs., June 17. Hot laps are scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. and time trials will commence at 7 p.m.

 

Ticket prices are $35 for adults, $12 for children ages 5-14 and free for kids 5-and-under. Pit Passes are $40.

 

Advance tickets are available by calling 905-892-8266. VISA and MasterCard are accepted.

 

A raindate of Fri., June 18, has been established for the event.

 

Additional info on the inaugural WoO LMS event at Merrittville is available by logging on to www.merrittvillespeedway.com.

 

Following the Can-Am and Merrittville shows, the WoO LMS Great Northern Tour will move on to Autodrome Drummond in Drummondville, Que., on June 19; Cornwall (Ont.) Motor Speedway on June 20; Brewerton (N.Y.) Speedway on June 22; and Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pa., for the blockbuster Firecracker 100 presented by GottaRace.com from June 24-26.

 

For more information on the WoO LMS, visit www.worldofoutlaws.com.