Toledo Speedway

(TOLEDO, Ohio - August 31, 2011) - Toledo Speedway management has sent out the official entry blank for the 23^rd running of the Great Lakes Helicopters Glass City 200, set for Saturday, October 1 at the fast ½ mile paved oval.  Over $50,000 in cash has been posted for the event, which includes features for the Figure 8’s, Street Stocks and Sportsman classes. 

Bonus awards that have been posted will push the total payout to nearly $57,000.  The weekend begins on Friday, September 30 with an optional practice session from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.  Francis Engineering of Leroy, OH will sponsor a dinner for all pit pass purchasers on Friday, consisting of BBQ chicken, BBQ ribs, corn on the cob, cole slaw and potatoes. 

The dinner will be served from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Speedway Bar and Grille, located on the grounds of the track.  Additional dinners will be available for purchase.  At 9 p.m., the popular “Basement Dawgs” band will invade Toledo Speedway for the first time.  The band is widely-known in Southeastern Michigan racing circles and is led by racer Matt Schindenwolf. 

Race day on Saturday will see practice beginning at noon, time trials are at 3 and racing begins at a special time of 5 p.m.  Sunday, October 2 will serve as the rain date for the event.

Dale Francis of Francis Engineering will also post an additional $2000 in bonus cash for the 200 lap classic.  $200 will go to the leader at the lap 100 mark, and bonus money will be awarded as follows:  $400 to the winner, $300 to 2^nd, $200 to third, $100 each to 4^th-10^th, and $100 bonuses to the 15^th and 20^th place finishers.

Moran Chevrolet of Clinton Twp., MI returns to award a set of 4 Hoosier Racing Tires to a driver in a random draw for all drivers that have pre-entered the race.  Race fans will assist the drivers in the drawing that will be held prior to the 5 p.m. start of the show.  A 2011 Indy 500 Camaro replica pace car, courtesy of Moran Chevrolet, will lead the field to the green flag of the 200 lap race.

Passtime returns as the Fast Qualifier Award sponsor for $500, Port City Racecars will award a $500 product certificate is the winner in driving a Port City chassis; Burge Wrecking of Toledo has posted $250 for the Most Improved Position Award; Allegiant Travel will award 2 round-trip tickets to the winner of the event; Penske Shocks has posted a $250 product certificate for the winner; the 6^th and 10th place finishers will receive $100 product certificates from All Star Performance, while the 5^th and 12^th place drivers get $100 product certificates, courtesy of Lane Automotive.  DTS Drive Train Specialists has posted $50 labor/parts certificates for 5 drivers in a random draw, and the 30^th place finisher will also receive the same.

PNC Bank has joined the list of sponsors and will sponsor a Kids Nickel and Penny Pitch at 4:30 p.m. for kids up to age 12 Saturday, October 1.  A lucky race fan will take home a pair of round trip tickets from Toledo to Florida, courtesy of Allegiant Travel.  Fans will enter the drawing upon their arrival to the track.

Additional sponsors include Bazell Race Fuels/Sunoco and Kish Ambulance.  Lap money is now being taken at $10 per lap and will go to the leader of each lap in the Great Lakes Helicopters Glass City 200.  PNC Bank, The Super Health Store, Port City Racecars, DVD Dave, Rick Eshelman, Naughton Insurance and Paul and Iris Anton are the early lap money sponsors. 

The Glass City 200 was born in 1968, the idea of the late John Marcum, president of ARCA and the promoter of many short tracks and events in that era, including Toledo and its sister track, Flat Rock Speedway.  The race became a part of Late Model short track racing lore in the Midwest.  When Toledo was sold in 1978, the event was discontinued, but was then re-introduced in 1999 when Ron Drager, the grandson of Marcum, and his business partner Roy Mott purchased Toledo from the late Sonny Adams.

The past winners list reads like a who’s who of Midwest short track stock car racing.  The legendary Joy Fair captured the inaugural 200 in 1968, with Joe Ruttman the 1969 winner.  Bob Senneker ventured over the west side of Michigan to Toledo and won the 1970 classic and duplicated his victory in 1971.  Danny Byrd (1972), Ruttman (1973) and the late John Anderson (1974) followed with victories.  Ohioan Jim Bickerstaff took the 1975 event, while Ed Cooper captured the race in 1976.  Senneker became the first 3-time winner with his win in 1977. 

With the Toledo track back in Drager’s hands, the Glass City 200 was put back on the schedule.  Tim Felver took the checkered flag in 1999, with Tim Ice taking the 2000 event.  In 2001, Canadian legend Jr. Hanley was crowned the winner.  For the next 3 years, an incredible feat was accomplished by Saginaw, MI driver Steve Sauve, as he racked up 3 Glass City wins in a row-2002, 2003 and 2004.  John Doering Jr. broke Sauve’s streak with his win in 2005.  Jack Landis won the 2006 edition, and Brian Campbell put his name in the record books with his 2007 victory.  Harold Fair Jr., after many close but no cigar races, captured the 2008 title.  Another driver who came close so many times grabbed his first win in the event-Dave Kuhlman.  Fair Jr. made it number 2 in the records by taking last year’s 200 lap race.

The entry blanks for both the 200 and the support divisions may be downloaded from the track’s webpage.  It is located under forms.  To join the list of sponsors, including lap sponsors, for the event, please call the Toledo track office at 419-727-1100.  Stay up to date on all the racing information by logging onto www.toledospeedway.com