Toledo Speedway

TOLEDO, OH: (9-15-09): The next crop of young stars in asphalt Late Model racing have filed the latest entries for the 21st running of the Glass City 200 Late Model invitational presented by AP Motorsports, set for Saturday night, October 3 at Toledo Speedway. Entries for Chad Finley, Steve Cronenwett Jr., Jake Francis and Tom O'Leary IV have been received.

Click here for up-to-date Late Model and Sportsman Glass City 200 Entry Lists.

The race will pay $5500 to the winner, with $1000 earmarked to start the 200 lap classic.  With special awards and lap money on the line, a driver could walk away with over $7500 for his efforts.  LV Alliance has posted $500 for fast time.  The race will feature a 20 minute break at the lap 101 mark.  A total cash purse of over $60,000 has been posted for the 1-day event, which will also include the ARCA Sportsman cars and the Michigan Legends Cars.

DeWitt, MI resident Chad Finley is the son of former Late Model star and ARCA RE/MAX Series driver Jeff Finley.  The high school youngster has competed in the RE/MAX Series, ASA and his father's Late Model at various tracks in Michigan this summer.  Chad has competed at Toledo in a RE/MAX car as a driver for NASCAR driver and Michigan resident Brad Keselowski, in addition to the Late Model this season.

Another second-generation driver, Steve Cronenwett Jr., is poised to make a run for the Glass City title.  Steve Jr. won the Flat Rock Street Stock title in 2006, was the Flat Rock Late Model Rookie of the Year in 2007 and has been very strong in his 2009 car.  His father, Steve Sr., has been a top competitor at Flat Rock and Toledo for over 20 years.  The younger Cronenwett has shown steady improvement at Toledo, getting quicker each race at the fast ½ mile paved oval. 

Leroy, OH native Jake Francis has also filed his entry for the prestigious event.  His father, Dale, operates Francis Engineering  and has been involved with short track racing and many NASCAR teams for years.  Jake has been consistently fast at Toledo and finished third in the 2008 Glass City race.

There are 3 generations of the O'Leary family that have raced at Toledo over the years.  And this season, all 3 competed in the same event at the Glass City oval.  Tom Jr., Tom III and now Tom IV competed in an ARCA Sportsman race in August.  Tom IV has filed his entry for the Glass City 200 race this season.  He was the Sportsman Rookie of the Year in 2008 at Toledo.

Additional early entries have been received from defending Glass City champ Harold Fair Jr., 2005 race winner John Doering Jr., 2006 Flat Rock champ Paul Pelletier, 3-time Toledo Late Model champ Dennis Strickland, veteran Harold Fair Sr., and Late Model rookies Corey Whitley, and brothers Jason and Donald Burkhart. 

As part of the track's 50^th Anniversary celebration, management has invited back all former Toledo Speedway champions and the Glass City 200 winners.  They will be introduced to the crowd prior to the start of the 200 lap event.

Past winners of the event include Joy Fair (1968), Joe Ruttman (1969, 1973), Bob Senneker (1970, 1971, 1977), Danny Byrd (1972), the late John Anderson (1974), the late Jim Bickerstaff (1975) and Ed Cooper (1976).  The track was sold and the event ceased until ARCA President Ron Drager and his business partner Roy Mott purchased the track in 1999.  The event was immediately revived and regained its status that it once held.  Tim Felver (1999), Tim Ice (2000), Jr. Hanley (2001), Steve Sauve (2002, 2003, 2004), John Doering Jr. (2005), Jack Landis (2006), Brian Campbell (2007) and Harold Fair Jr. (2008) have all added their names to the record books since the return of the season-ending classic.

The 2009 edition of the Glass City 200 presented by AP Motorsports will see the race return to its 200 lap format.  The ARCA Sportsman division and the Michigan Legends Cars will also compete in the October 3 race card.  Early Sportsman entries include newly-crowned division champ Terry Jones, Ron Allen, Howard Kelley Jr., Norm Lewallen, Lou Hill, Kenny McKay Jr., Greg Harlow and Donnie Atwell.

In addition to AP Motorsports, race and award sponsors include Allegiant Air, the Hantz Group, Penske Racing Shocks, DTS-Drive Train Specialists, Sunoco/Bazell Race Fuels, Port City Racecars, LV Alliance, All Star Performance, Lane Automotive, Burge Wrecking, R & M Recycling, Kish Ambulance, Celebrations and the Speedway Bar and Grille.  A drawing will be held for fans in attendance for two (2) round trip tickets from Toledo to Florida, courtesy of Allegiant Air.

An optional Friday, October 2 practice session has been scheduled for the teams from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.  The pit area will open at 1 p.m. for rig parking, tire sales, tech and practice.  At 8 p.m., a pre-race party will be held in the Speedway Bar and Grille, located adjacent to the track.  Drink specials and food will be available.

Saturday, October 3 is race day!  The pits will open at 9:30 a.m., practice begins at noon, time trials are set for 3 and racing begins at a special time of 5 p.m.  A rain date of Sunday, October 4 at 1 p.m. has been established if needed.

Reserved seat tickets are now on sale by calling the track office.  Visa and Mastercard are accepted for phone orders.  Just a few laps of lap money is available for sponsorship at just $10 per lap, with the leader of each lap receiving the bonus.  For tickets or lap money, call the track office at 419-727-1100.