Canandaigua Looking For Future Legends During 43^rd Race Season

Canandaigua, NY – April 6, 2006 – By Tom Skibinski, DIRT NorthEast PR Director

The names Steve Paine, Alan Johnson, Bob McCreadie, Danny Johnson and Will Cagle remain among DIRT MotorSports NorthEast’s all-time superstars in big-block Modified racing. That same group of open-wheel drivers is also recognized as the most successful in the history of Canandaigua Speedway, and for them the storied Ontario County Fairgrounds oval has been tagged with the title ‘Land of Legends’ for generations to come.

“At Canandaigua the best car normally wins,” assessed seven-time and defending track champion Paine from Waterloo, N.Y. who ranks third behind only Alan Johnson (113) and McCreadie (99) with 70 career victories at Canandaigua. McCreadie and Cagle have both captured six track point titles, while brothers Alan (5) and Danny Johnson (4) bring the total to 28 between just a handful of the Northeast’s premier pilots. “If you’re fast its tough for anybody to hold you back.”

“The track usually turns out pretty good every week. It’s not too abrasive and there’s always a top and bottom lane to get around. Because there’s plenty of room to get the job done the result is not a whole lot of wrecking. If you can get a win at Canandaigua you’ve probably earned it, everybody wants to be first and nothing’s ever handed to you out there,” Paine said.

Canandaigua opens for warm-ups for all divisions on Wed., April 12 with practice slated to start at 5 p.m. General admission is free to the public starting at 3 o’clock. The 43^rd season of stock car racing gets underway on April 15 with a full card of Advance Auto Parts Modified, Paine Motorsports Sportsman and Parts Plus Auto Stores (Expert)/JSB Graphics (Novice) Street Stock action headlining Lime Rock Speedway Night at the fairgrounds. Gates again open at 3 p.m. and racing begins at 5 p.m.

Paine will be attempting to add another win in the 35-lap Modified main on Saturday, with his biggest threats expected to come from top point chasers from a year ago Gary Tomkins, Justin Haers, Chad Brachmann, Vic Coffey, Charlie Donk and Chuck Bower as well as Randy Chrysler and Todd Burley. Former Pro Stock driver Chad Homan has graduated into the big-block division and will be seeking his own place on the legendary list of winners at the popular Routes 5&20 speedplant.

The 71^st triumph of his 25-year open-wheel career at Canandaigua would also push Paine’s all-time DIRT big-block total to 160 since first reaching victory lane at the historic Ontario Co. layout in 1984. The ‘Hurricane’ stands sixth with Alan Johnson (329), Brett Hearn (317), McCreadie (307), Danny Johnson (279) and Jack Johnson (238) currently atop DIRT NE’s 30 year-old chart. Inaugural Mr. DIRT champion Cagle averaged 18 wins during DIRT’s first four years before scoring his 107^th victory in 1986.

Come be part of the Legend and see some of the best DIRT Modifieds in the Northeast battle for supremacy in wine country, Canandaigua Speedway on the Ontario County Fairgrounds! Located on County Road 10, just 1-1/2-miles north of Routes 5&20, easily accessible from the NYS Thruway (I-90) by taking Exit 43 from the west or Exit 44 from the east. Additional information can be obtained by calling 585/394-0691 on raceday or during the week by contacting General Manager Jeff Farney (315/730-4345, ). Log into canandaiguaspeedway.com on the internet any time for the most updated rosters, results, point standings and race reports.

Canandaigua season passes (forms available on Canandaigua homepage), including reserved seats, are available for $220.00 each for adults, $190.00 each for senior citizens 60 and older and $110.00 each for students (11-18 yrs.). Only DIRT member season pit pass are being offered this season for $310.00 while the cost of a midway parking pass is $100.00 for the season.