Northern Berks Patriot Item

Action Track USA season getting the green flag May 12

- By Ernie Saxton For MediaNews Group

While the 2019 racing schedule is dotted with special events for the USAC All Pro SpeedSTRs and Slingshots, the Hyper Racing 600 Sprints have certainly not been forgotten by co-promoters Rich Tobias & Doug Rose, as plans take shape for the new season at Championsh­ip Energy Action Track USA on the Kutztown Fairground­s. The seventh season under Tobias and Rose, and the Action Track USA banner, begins on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 12.

The wildly popular non-wing 600 fire-breathers will once again be a weekly attraction at the Berks County oval and Memorial Day Monday, May 27, is their first big money show of the ‘19 campaign. The King of No Wing Shootout will highlight the holiday program, and it will also serve as a qualifier for Wednesday, July 31st, when the 600’s join the NOS Energy Drink USAC National Midget Championsh­ip series in a “can’t miss” doublehead­er. The winner of the King of No Wing Shootout will be a guaranteed starter in the 600 Sprint headliner on July 31, in an event that marks the very first appearance by the USAC National Midgets at Action Track USA.

On Wednesday, June 19, the 600cc wheel-twisters will not have to worry about points. They will, however, need to bolt a wing on top of their roll cages, because it is finally going to happen...Action Track USA on the Kutztown Fairground­s will host a winged 600 Sprint race. Drivers have asked for it, fans have been curious about it, so Tobias & Rose have consented to a “wing thing” for the 600’s. It will definitely be fast and furious with the airfoils mounted on top of the cars, and it will be mighty interestin­g to see who is first to find the hot set up in this 600 Wing Ding.

The annual 60-lap, $2,000-towin Kutztown Fair Nationals for the 600 Sprints will be held on Wednesday, August 14 and Championsh­ip Night is slated for Sunday, August 18.

One new twist for the 600’s in 2019 is the fact that all events (except for the Fair Nationals) will have a maximum $20 registrati­on fee. While Action Track USA pays one of the highest purses of any area 600 Sprint speedways, along with paying back an unpreceden­ted 37 positions, Tobias and Rose feel it is in the best interest of the majority of racers to keep the registrati­on fee at a minimum.

Action Track USA will run Sundays until its younger fans are out of school in June. On June 12th the track goes back to its traditiona­l Wednesday schedule and will remain there through the end of the season in August.

After the Mother’s Day opener, the 2019 campaign continues full bore, with the 7th Annual Dick Tobias Classic taking a new date of Sunday, May 19. Once again, the 75-lapper for the USAC All Pro SpeedSTRs will pay a hefty $5,000 to win.

June 9 will be the final Sunday night event, and it will be designated as USAC Night and play host to the Flyin’ Farmer 40 for the SpeedSTRs.

The Ronnie Tobias Memorial returns in ‘19 and it will be held on July 10; the first race after the mid-summer break.

As in previous years, the weekly divisions will include the USAC All Pro SpeedSTRs, the Hyper Racing 600 Sprints, and the All Star Slingshots. There are also six dates booked for the Junior Slingshots.

One thing is clear: 2019 will be another clay-spraying, excitement packed season of thrills and high speed adventure at Championsh­ip Energy Action Track USA on the Kutztown Fairground­s!

*** Mother Nature has decided yet again to put a damper on the start of the racing season at the Big Diamond Speedway. Friday’s forecasted rain for the evening has forced the Smulley’s to push back the season opener to Friday night April 19th. Due to the rescheduli­ng of the opener, the annual “Money in the Mountains” race will now take place on Friday, April 26th.

Next Friday’s program will duplicate the original scheduled opener. It will be Schaeffer’s Motorsport night at the speedway with the Insinger Performanc­e modifeds running a $4000 to win 30-lap main event. The USS Achey sportsman will also run for some extra cash with a 20-lap $1000 to win main event. Filling out the night will be the Eash’s Towing and Salvage Street Stocks and the Savage 61 Road Runners. As an added bonus for the street stocks, Don Murphy will be sponsoring the hard charger award each and every week the division competes.

Saturday night at Grandview Speedway fans get a chance to see race cars of yesteryear as the Blast from the Past Vintage cars are in action as part of a triplehead­er card of racing starting at 7 p.m. The T.P.Trailers Modifieds and T.P.Truck Equipment Sportsman will be in action with the Vintage cars. No increase in admission as adults enter for just $15 and youngsters under 12 are admitted free.

Then on Saturday, April 27th, the Mid Atlantic Sprint Series 305 Sprint racers will be in action along with Modifieds and Sportsman at Grandview.

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