Eastern Storm series cancelled because of COVID-19
One of the most popular events at Grandview Speedway is now on hold. Due to the uncertainty of COVID-19 regulations with the three states involved in Eastern Storm, originally scheduled for June 9-14, USAC and the track promoters have made the decision to postpone the popular weeklong event featuring the USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship and USAC Silver Crown Champ Car Series. Grandview was set as the opener for the series on June 9th.
In accordance with the planning involved for traveling teams and fans from all across the nation for the 14th annual swing in Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey, USAC and Eastern Storm’s host tracks have been forced to seek out possible future dates for the event later this year.
Eastern Storm’s host tracks
include Pennsylvania’s Grandview Speedway, BAPS Motor Speedway, Port Royal Speedway and Williams Grove Speedway, New Jersey’s Bridgeport Speedway and New York’s Weedsport Speedway.
Stay tuned for future announcements regarding Eastern Storm’s postponement dates for 2020 on USAC’s website at www.usacracing.com and social media channels at www. facebook.com/usacracing, www.twitter.com/usacnation and on Instagram @ usacnation.
Pocono Raceway has agreed to host North Pocono School District’s Class of 2020 high school graduation ceremony on Friday, June 12. The event will be held in accordance with social distancing requirements set by the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Pocono Raceway understands seniors are disappointed at the prospect of missing their high school graduation and we are honored to host this joyous celebration for North Pocono’s Class of 2020,” said Pocono Raceway CEO, Nick Igdalsky. “Our team will follow the necessary guidelines set to host the safest possible event and we are open to hosting additional local graduations this summer.”
The Class of 2020, their family and loved ones will enjoy this event while remaining inside their personal vehicles on the racetrack. The ceremony will be broadcast via Pocono Raceway’s internal FM radio station and on the track’s double-sided video boards. As names will be read by Principal Ron Collins, graduates’ photos will be displayed on the video boards and students will be called to drive across the Pocono Raceway start/finish line. Graduating seniors and their loved ones will be encouraged to decorate their cars in celebration of all
their high school accomplishments. Guests will be permitted to attend in their vehicles or to watch the streamed graduation live on North Pocono School District’s Facebook page.
“We thank Pocono Raceway for their commitment to our students and our community,” said Bryan McGraw, Superintendent of North Pocono School District. “Without their kindness, our dream of graduating the Class of 2020 in a safe and special ceremony would not be possible.”
Additional details regarding for this event will be made available at www. npsd.org.
For 17-year old Austin Beers, his stock keeps rising as an aspiring prospect in short track racing.
The past three seasons have been very productive for the Northampton second generation driver, with successive championships coming in Hobby Stocks and Sportsman Modifieds between Mahoning Valley Speedway and Evergreen Raceway.
Top that off with his career first Modified win in 2019 along with some very strong outings to boot and it made sense why he was chosen to the top 100 in the Speed51.com 2020 Short Track Draft.
Beers was named to the ballot which was then completed by more than 50 short track insiders, including media members, team and driver development professionals, track and series promoters and officials, product and industry representatives, NASCAR National Series drivers, crew members, short track racing veterans and more.
The voters could select as few as 10 and as many as 51 drivers on their ballot, ranked in order that they would choose the drivers to compete for their driver development team in the top levels of the sport.
Speed51 used a scientific equation that factored in total number of votes, quality votes, first-place votes, top-five votes and top-10 votes in order to determine the top 100 picks in the
2020 Short Track Draft.
Beers was among 300 prospective candidates from across the nation. They all must be 25-years of age or younger in order to be eligible.
Beers was the second highest among asphalt Modified drivers on the list. Ronnie Williams took that honor, placing 31st on the list. The top pick went to Sam Mayer, the defending ARCA Menards Series East champion.
“I think it’s just amazing. I’ve know about it for some time and when I won my Hobby Stock championship I was really hoping to make the list and now just a couple years later here I am on it,” said Beers.
The son of northeast asphalt Modified standout Eric Beers, he has been racing and winning since an early age, starting with Quarter Midgets. He then began racing stock cars beginning with Jr. Enduro’s and progressed up to Hobby Stocks, Sportsman Modifieds and last year full Modifieds, successfully
wining in each of those divisions.
Last season he joined his dad and Jack Ely as teammates on the DeLange Racing Team to compete on the Sunoco Race of Champions Tour. Ely also was on the list of 300 but did not make the final cut of 100.
“It’s really cool for him because just to get nominated and be on the ballot, that in itself is special when you’re talking about the whole country from one end to the other,” said dad Eric.
“There’s so many good guys on their too from all types of oval racing then to make the top 100 is awesome and to be 63rd and the second highest (asphalt) Modified guy is unbelievable. I’d say he’s definitely impressing the right people.”
Beers’ 2020 plans will again see him racing at selected high profile Modified events at Mahoning Valley and Evergreen and will assume the seat of his dad in the potent DeLange No. 45 on the RoC Tour.