Patriot Sprint Group Ready To Wing It Saturday At Canandaigua Speedway

Canandaigua, NY – May 17, 2006 – By Tom Skibinski, DIRT NorthEast PR Director

The Sprint Cars are back in town Saturday and this time they’re ready to wing it around Canandaigua Speedway’s fast half-miler in the Bobcat of Buffalo ASCR Patriot Sprint Group’s only appearance of the season. The F/A Products Engine & Performance Parts-Cobra Motorhomes & Trailers, Inc. presentation includes a complete program of DIRT Modified, Sportsman and Street Stock competition with the first qualifying run taking off at 7pm sharp. Adult General Admission is $18, Senior Citizens (60 yrs + over) $15, Students (11-18 yrs) $9 and Children (10 yrs. + under) Free.

Anyone attending the Sprint Car show at Canandaigua then showing up the next night for the American Sprint Car Racing PSG special at Cayuga County Fair Speedway can present their ticket stub to receive $5 off and enter the main grandstands for only $13.00 (adult), $10.00 (Senior Citizens 60 yrs + over) and $4.00 (Students 11-18 yrs), while all Children 10 yrs. + under remain Free.

USAC Sprints arrived on May 6 to run their first-ever wingless show in Canandaigua. The Patriot Sprints winged machines visited the Ontario County Fairgrounds oval twice last season. George Suprick from Clarks Summit, Pa. led the distance outlasting former DIRT Modified pilot Chuck Hebing to win the 20-lap PSG A-Main held over Memorial Day Weekend. Hebing made contact with Craig Lane with three laps to go allowing Suprick to inherit the lead and score his second straight 20-lap triumph during the Independence Day holiday. In the 2004 PSG double, Suprick (May) and Hebing (July) shared victory lane at Canandaigua with eventual PSG points champion Suprick finishing 5th in the July showdown.

With Utica-Rome Speedway (April 30) ushering in the Patriots' fourth season of operation, Hebing (162) leads Jeff Cook (156), Mike Stelter (155), defending tour points champion Bryan Howland (154) and Jason Barney with just one event in the record book. Hebing, who founded Cobra Motorhomes in 1994, captured the U-R lid-lifter before McKean County (Pa.) Raceway fell victim to rain on May 13. Cayuga County once again is scheduled to conclude the Patriot Sprint Group doubleheader as the winged warriors travel to Weedsport on Sunday, May 21.

In Canandaigua’s headline DIRT Modified division, the top-two point-getters from a year ago have split the four big-block features run. Steve Paine continues in his bid for a seventh straight season championship at the Fairgrounds while Gary Tomkins contends for his first. Tomkins (229 pts) currently leads Paine (223) followed by Todd Burley (203), Matt Sheppard (192) and Chuck Bower (178) in the title chase at the notorious 'Land of Legends' speedplant.

A tight duel continues atop the Paine Motorsports Sportsman standings with newcomer Dave Just (203 pts) pacing the full field ahead of ’02 DIRT Rookie of the year Phil LaVare (194), Eric Giguere (193), Gus Hurlburt (179) and Rob Bussey (177). The competition is fierce as LaVare is the only driver among the top-five in points to reach victory lane with Todd Henderson (6th in points), Ricky Newton (10th) and reigning Canandaigua points king Scott Schrader (14th) also collecting early-season checkered flags.

Points leader Mike Welch is in pursuit of a fourth straight Street Stock crown as he tops both Adam DePuy and Blane Smith in the Parts Plus Auto Stores Expert standings; all three have won feature in the early season. Just four points separate the top-five drivers in the JSB Graphics Novice Street Stock division with Corey Hunt (1 win) and Charles Vohs dead-locked at the top. Rob Ingerham (1 win) and Mike Dandino are tied for third while Casey Wagner fills out the current front-five.

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 as the season swings into high gear.

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.