Canandaigua Speedway Opens June With Tribute to Shane Palmer & Ron Lawson

Canandaigua, NY – June 1, 2006 – By Tom Skibinski, DIRT NorthEast PR Director

In a special tribute to former track regulars Ron Lawson and Shane Palmer spearheaded by Bruce Ridley, Eric Giguere and the Wiesner Family, Saturday evening activity at Canandaigua Speedway kicks off the month with a three-star racing card June 3 on the popular Ontario County Fairgrounds oval.

The mighty DIRT Modifieds will be the headline attraction in their 35-lap feature race, offering $2,000 to the winner. Main events for the DIRT Sportsman and DIRT Street Stock (expert and novice) divisions fill out the program with qualifying rounds begin promptly at 7 p.m. Adult General Admission is only $10, Senior Citizens (60 yrs + over) $9, Students (11-18 yrs) $5 and Children (10 yrs. + under) Free.

So far the ‘Land of Legends’ fans have been treated to tour-type performances with Advance Auto Parts Super DIRT Series stars Gary Tomkins (3 wins), Steve Paine (2) and Vic Coffey (1) taking center stage in the six big-block DIRT Modified mains held. Six-time defending track champion Paine is once again perched atop the current points standings followed by Tomkins while Todd Burley and Matt Sheppard stand between fifth-place Coffey on the current points chart. Paine and Tomkins, as well as Burley, have five front-five finishes to date.

In three Paine Motorsports Sportsman races, six different drivers have shared victory lane laurels in the initial six 25-lap main events. Points leader Todd Henderson, 2002 DIRT Rookie of the Year Phil LaVare (3rd pts), ‘03 track champion Paul Guererri (5th pts), Kevin Ridley, 1992 Canandaigua points king Scott Schrader and second-generation pilot Ricky Newton have scored feature wins with Eric Giguere (2nd) and Rob Bussey (4th) holding down top-five point positions.

A full program of Street Stock racing completes the action-packed show at the Routes 5&20 speedplant with both full-fender divisions boasting only one repeat winner in the first five races run. In the Parts Plus Auto Stores Street Stock title hunt, Blane Smith (2 wins) leads the way followed by three-time defending track champion Mike Welch (1) and Adam DePuy (1), with Mike Minutolo the only other winner. Nick Dandino (1 win) tops the JSB Graphics Novice points chart ahead of Charles Vohs (2) and Rob Ingraham (1), while Corey Hunt owns the other first-place trophy.

Canandaigua Speedway is located on County Road 10 at the Ontario County Fairgrounds, just 1-1/2-miles north of Routes 5&20, and is easily accessible from the NYS Thruway (I-90), taking Exit 43 from the west or Exit 44 from the east. Additional information can be obtained by calling 585/394-0961 on raceday or during the week by dialing General Manager Jeff Farney at the track office 315/730-4345. Log into canandaiguaspeedway.com on the internet any time for the most updated rosters, results, point standings and race reports throughout the 2006 season.

The DIRT MotorSports™ Advance Auto Parts Modified Series is brought to fans across the Northeast by several sponsors and partners, including series sponsors Advance Auto Parts, Hoosier Racing Tire and Sunoco Race Fuels. Promotional partners include AMB i.t. and the University of Northwestern Ohio and the contingency sponsors are Bert Transmission, Bicknell Racing Products, Bilstein Shocks, Brodix Cylinder Heads, DART Machinery, Holley HP Carburetors, Integra Shocks, MSD Ignitions, Miller Electric Manufacturing Company, Penske Shocks and Wrisco Industries.