Fans Get VIP Treatment During Taney Memorial At Canandaigua Speedway

Canandaigua, NY – May 24, 2006 – By Tom Skibinski, DIRT NorthEast PR Director

When Canandaigua Speedway hosts its first extra-distance show of the season on May 27, race fans filing through the gates will have the opportunity to enjoy some VIP treatment as they take in the action at the popular Ontario County Fairgrounds oval.

Highlighted by the annual Taney Memorial 50-lapper for the DIRT Modifieds, the holiday program includes a 25-lap main event for the DIRT Sportsman plus full-fender feature races for the Expert and Novice Street Stock classes. Adult General Admission is $15, Senior Citizens (60 yrs + over) $14, Students (11-18 yrs) $8 and Children (10 yrs. + under) Free. Fans are encouraged to take advantage of this rare opportunity to purchase a $40 VIP Tower pass at the main gate Saturday for the Memorial Day special. Gates open at 5 p.m. and qualifying rounds begin promptly at 7 o’clock.

“Corporate clientele have been enjoying their sponsored events at Canandaigua for many years,” said track General Manager Jeff Farney. “This Saturday night I want to extend a personal invitation to our loyal fans and give them the same experience of watching the races from our VIP tower. A few more dollars may give them a lot more stories to tell and certainly many more memories to share for years to come.”

Fans electing to buy a VIP Tower pass will have the best opportunity to experience the heart-pounding thrills and excitement of side-by-side race action at the 'Land of Legends' while enjoying all the comfort and convenience of an enclosed, air- conditioned (heated if necessary) private spectator room that offers unlimited food and beverages. These special VIP Passes also afford tower guests the best view of the pit area located just beyond the turn four side of the main grandstand.

Named in honor of Denis and Fred Taney, past Taney Memorial title-holders include all-time DIRT big-block feature winner Alan Johnson and 99-time Canandaigua winner Bob McCreadie along with former Mr. DIRT champions Danny Johnson, Steve Paine and Gary Tomkins, who won the 50-lap title event last season.

Six-time defending track champion Paine’s first victory came in 1992 while 'Barefoot Bob' won three half-century grinds from 1993-96. Alan Johnson, who now owns 330 career DIRT big-block victories, won in 1997 while Tomkins also took top honors in 1998. Paine and Tomkins top the current track point standings with two wins each while Vic Coffey has reached victory lane once heading into the final weekend of May.

Five winners in five races make the Paine Motorsports DIRT Sportsman class just as competitive as its big-block brethren. Phil LaVare (1 win) and Eric Giguere are tied atop the points chart with open-wheel veteran Todd Henderson settling in just 10 markers behind. Blane Smith (2 wins) leads the Parts Plus Auto Stores Expert points chase while Mike Dandino (1 win) is the early-season pace-setter in the JSB Graphics Novice Street Stock division.

Forty-two year-old Denis Taney was the first fatality on a DIRT-sanctioned track in 1980. He was killed in DIRT's fourth year of existence when his Modified racer went out of control and slammed Canandaigua's turn-four retaining wall. The Phelps, New York veteran was a successful Mini-Stock and Late Model driver, posting four MS and 19 LM victories during his career. He made his Modified debut in 1979 behind the wheel of a Ford Falcon purchased from DIRT Hall of Fame charter member Gerald Chamberlain. Veteran track official Fred Taney lost his life on August 23, 1997 after he was struck on the backstretch during a Street Stock event. Taney, once a four-cylinder stock competitor at Paradise Speedway in Geneva, had worked at the speedway since DIRT founder Glenn Donnelly began promotions there in 1977. The Phelps resident was 59.

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.