The 1997 edition of the Glass City 200 saw several circumstances surrounding the season-ending classic.  For the first time in its 10-year history, the race was moved to a Saturday night in August.  Promoter John Marcum had created another marquee’ style event with the Howard Williams Memorial, in honor of the late Public Relations Director of ARCA and the track announcer at Toledo.  That race became the last event of the season at the Glass City oval, and Marcum’s final promotion at Toledo.

Few knew that 1977 would be the last season for the Glass City race for a period of 21 years.  Track owner Herb Koester sold the speedway to Thomas (Sonny) Adams.  Adams ran the facility from 1978 to 1998, until he sold the track to Marcum’s grandson, ARCA President Ron Drager, and his business partner, Roy Mott.  While Adams ran several big-time races during his stay at Toledo, the Glass City 200 was shelved.  

With the move to a Saturday night in August, the number of entries fell back to 31 cars.  The strength of the field, which became a trademark of each Glass City race, was still present despite the car count.  The legendary Bob Senneker would etch his name in the books as the first 3-time winner of the 200 lap event….and the 21 year hiatus of the Glass City 200 began…

(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.

(TOLEDO, Ohio - May 24, 2012) - Spartan Speedway track champions Tim Ryan and Dave Stehouwer have entered Sunday’s ARCA’s Allegiant Late Model Gold Cup Series event for the outlaw-style bodied cars at Spartan Speedway Sunday, May 27

(TOLEDO, Ohio - September 26, 2012) -  Hang on, race fans!  Get ready….perhaps the strongest pre-entry list in several years is in the making as Steve Needles, Scott Hantz, Brent Jack, Craig Everage and George Rangel have added their names to an-already strong list of drivers for the 24^th running of Great Lakes Helicopter Glass City 200 Super Late Model invitational at Toledo Speedway this Saturday, September 29.  As of Noon Wednesday, 31 cars are entered.

As a kid growing up around the sport of auto racing, Joe Ruttman was prepared to become a race car driver from the start.  His older brother, Troy, was the 1952 Indianapolis 500 winner, and his father Ralph and brother Jim were also racers.  Joe actually ran a pair of NASCAR races at the Riverside, CA road course as a teenager in 1963.