Toledo Speedway

(TOLEDO, Ohio - September 14, 2011) - 2011 ARCA Allegiant Gold Cup champion Dennis Strickland and 1999 race winner Tim Felver lead the list of early entries for the 23^rd running of the Great Lakes Helicopters Glass City 200, set for Saturday, October 1 at Toledo Speedway.  Over $50,000 in cash has been posted for the event, which includes features for the Figure 8’s, Street Stocks and Sportsman classes in addition to the 200 lap classic.

Strickland, the Carleton, MI resident, competes on a regular basis at Toledo and its sister track, Flat Rock Speedway.  Strickland added the Gold Cup title to his resume this year to go along with his Toledo crowns in 1999, 2001 and 2005.  Dennis was also the Flat Rock champ in 2007. 

Owosso, MI resident Tim Felver will wheel the #5 owned by Larry Zent and wrenched by Dean Hudson of Ft. Wayne, Indiana.  Felver has won numerous track championships in his career and is a member of the Michigan Motorsports Hall of Fame.  Felver returned to the #5 this season and has teamed up with Zent and Hudson again in his bid to win his 2^nd Glass City 200, a race Felver won in 1999, the first year of the revival of the season-ending Late Model invitational at Toledo, which had not been run since 1977.

Of the 10 early entries, 8 are from drivers that have not raced at Toledo this season.  Additional early entries have been received from the brothers Burkhart-Donald, Chris and Jason (New Boston, MI), have all filed their entries for the event.  Sportsman regular Mike Young of Toledo will drive the #23 car out of the PB Fabrication stable, while Chad Guinn and North Carolina resident Brad Rogers will pilot the other 2 PB Fab machines.  Rogers was impressive in his debut last season at the Glass City, coming home in the third in his first race in the outlaw Late Model-style car. 

Leroy, OH driver Jake Francis will also make his first run of the season at Toledo in the Glass City 200.  Second generation driver Marcus Malcuit of Strasburg, OH is also entered, and is the son of former Late Model star Mark Malcuit, who was a strong runner in the 1970’s and 80’s in the area. Many more entries are expected as the race date nears. 

Speed51.com, the largest pavement short track website in America, will provide at-the-track updates for the prestigious event, adding the Glass City 200 to their impressive list of events that are featured on the Speed51.com website such as the Snowball Derby in Pensacola, FL, the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at New Smyrna Beach, FL, the Kalamazoo Klash, the Winchester 400 and many more.

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.

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.

EarSmart of Northwest Ohio has agreed to become an associate sponsor of the Great Lakes Helicopters Glass City 200.  Additional sponsors include Allegiant Travel, Francis Engineering, Moran Chevrolet, DTS Drive Train Specialists, Sunoco Race Fuels, Bazell Race Fuels, Port City Racecars, Kish Ambulance, All Star Performance, Lane Automotive, R & M Recycling, Burge Wrecking, PNC Bank, Penske Racing Shocks and PASSTIME. 

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