January 13, Brockton, MA--- The 9th Annual Busch East Scene Snowmobile Poker Run for Charity will take place on Saturday, February 2nd, at the Clubhouse in Rangeley Maine. There will be NASCAR Busch East Series drivers and team members joining the ride again this year. The ride is open to everyone: teams, fans and all, so make your plans to ride with the NASCAR stars of the Busch East Series / Camping World Series today!

The event will return to its 'roots' this year. "We had an opportunity to return the event to the Clubhouse this year," event organizer George Campbell said, "We started the event here nine years
ago when it was the People's Choice Restaurant, and decided to return the event to a place where riders would have access to a complete menu through out the entire days event and could stay later into the evening if they choose."

The day will start out with an optional 11 a.m. drivers meeting at the Clubhouse. Poker Run credentials can be purchased for $10 at the Clubhouse all day and you can ride with the 11 AM group or ride with your own group at any time during the day. You can even purchase more than one ride credential, allowing better odds of holding the winning hand! The $10 ride credential also gets you admission into the full night of entertainment at the Clubhouse that evening. There will be dinner specials and drink specials exclusively for those with a ride credential. The proceeds from the ride will all go to several great charities including the Multiple Sclerosis Society, Maine Special Olympics, Travis Roy Foundation and the Busch East Series Women's Auxiliary and their various charities.

What is a poker run anyway? Once you get a ride credential, you ride to five separate check points, getting your credential stamped at each checkpoint. At the end of the ride, the person with the best five card poker hand will be the winner! For example, if the five cards you drew were two jacks, two aces and a two of hearts, that would be your hand for the event. The winner will be awarded a full prize package that will include some great snowmobile gear, gift certificates and more. There will be prizes for second and third best hand as well.

The ride by snow machine can be as quick as under two hours or as long as you like if you take longer trail routes. Participants will meet back at Clubhouse and at 5:30 PM the cards will be dealt to see who has the best hand, which is announced at 7 p.m.

"The event is held rain or shine, snow or not. Many of the participants in the ride don't even ride snow machines," ride organizer George Campbell said. "If anyone is concerned about the weather, or does not ride snowmobiles, each check point is accessible by car as well as snow machine, making it possible for those that do not ride to participate equally."

Much of the fun takes place inside the Clubhouse during the evening festivities. There will be 100's of raffle prizes and great auction items at the event, and a 50/50 raffle as well. Busch East Scene will also be awarding the 2007 Busch East Scene Driver of the Year at the event, along with the 2007 Fans Favorite Driver award and Most Improved Driver.

Everyone is invited to a Racing Fundraiser Party to benefit the #38 Racing Team - Bobby Allen Motorsports on Saturday, February 2, 2008 - 6 p.m.-11 p.m. At The Epping American Legion Post 51, Main Street, Epping, NH. Advance Tickets $15 at Door $20,DJ, DANCING, CASH BAR, FREE BUFFET, DOOR PRIZES AND RAFFLES! CONTACT TANYA JOYCE FOR YOUR TICKETS TODAY AT 603-244-1319 OR Bratt4@comcast.net.

2008 is looking great at Canaan Fair Speedway. With only a few changes from last year and increased interest throughout the winter from new teams, the Speedway is expecting 90 plus entries when the gates swing open for opening night on May 10.

Along with the new competitors the champions from the five weekly divisions will be there to defend their division titles. With the exception of Chris Lyman in the Bandits. Chris has purchased a former track champion car from another speedway to campaign in the Outlaw Bandit division.

Another addition to the speedway staff will be that of the microphone wizard Gentlemen George Powers. George will keep you informed about the drivers with his vast knowledge of the local racers. Using his mastering of the English language to keep you on the edge of your seat, it will be a great time even if you are blind to join us on Saturday nights at Canaan Speedway for entertainment.

Ed Laquire Jr. was the 2007 Pure Stock champion. This was not Ed's first championship and he has said that 2008 will not be an easy repeat as 2nd place finisher Rob Thurston has spent the winter doing his homework and he is expecting to be fast from the start. Justin Eastman has a win under his belt and is looking to turn that into a championship in 2008. Erin Vein a young woman that's not afraid to mix it up with the big guns is looking for some good luck and more wins in 2008.

So plan to come to Canaan Fair Speedway in 2008 and cheer for your favorite driver. For you die hard race, fans Canaan Speedway will be holding a 4 cylinder enduro on February 16th at 1pm brought to you by Papa Z's convenience store. You can sit under the covered grandstands or enjoy the view from the Heated Canaan Hall and enjoy side by side racing at your local short track. For up to date information check us out on the web at www.canaanspeedways.com.

One of the biggest announcements in the history of the P.A.S.S. sanctioned, Riverside Speedway was delivered at the annual rules meetings this past Sunday, as General Manager, Dick Therrien, greeted the Late Model division with some great news.

“I am pleased to announce that we have reached an agreement with Bond Auto Parts, to become the headlining sponsor of a Late Model Triple Crown Series, paying $1,000 to win for each event, plus a Triple Crown Series point fund rewarding the top three finishers in series points for the three events," stated Therrien. This is a huge reward for my Late Model teams as we will be running ten Late Model races in 2008, and three of them will pay $1,000 to win. We already have one of the highest weekly Late Model purses in the area, paying $700 to win a regular 40 lap show, but this agreement really catapults us to the top. What will make this series so unique will be that not only will teams be racing for Triple Crown Series points, but also, they will be racing for championship points as well. Another unique quality will be that all three races will be different in length. The first event will be 50 laps, the second will be 75 laps and the final event will be a 100 lapper. Our regular handicap system will be in effect, so that the competitor that runs at Riverside Speedway regularly will have a distinct advantage in qualifying.”

Bond Auto Parts Vice President of Marketing, Mark Mast is also pleased with the new agreement. “Riverside Speedway is located right in the heart of many of our store locations in Northern Vermont and New Hampshire, including our brand new store in Gorham, New Hampshire. Their race teams and fan base also encompass our marketing area, and we feel this deal is a perfect fit for our company. We will be developing a very creative marketing campaign designed to educate drivers and fans about all the great products and services that we offer. I am looking forward to working with Dick and his staff in 2008.”

Dates for the three race series will be announced in the very near future. Riverside Speedway is located on Brown Road, off Route 3 in Groveton, New Hampshire. For more information you can visit their website at www.riversidespeedway.org, or call the track hotline at 603-636-2005.

Bond Auto Parts has 36 convenient locations in Vermont, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. For more information on Bond Auto Parts, visit their website at www.bondauto.com.

Reports on Riverside Speedway indicated that the recent sale of the track to Harry Frassen went sour. A phone call to owner C.J. Robinson confirmed that the new owner had backed out of the purchase. However, all that won't prevent Dick Therrien from promoting that track in 2008 and a lease between Robinson and the promoter is in the works.

A total point fund exceeding $50,000 will be awarded to top stock car drivers at the 2007 American-Canadian Tour/Thunder Road Banquet of Champions on Saturday night at the Sheraton-Burlington Hotel & Conference Center in South Burlington, VT. Jean-Paul Cyr of Milton, VT will be feted for winning his seventh ACT Late Model Tour Championship, while his car owner, Rick Paya, will collect a check for nearly $10,000 in point fund monies. The Top 10 drivers from the ACT Late Model Tour, as well as the Top 10 drivers in each of the four racing divisions at Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl, a ¼-mile high-banked oval track in Barre, VT, will be recognized. Thunder Road Late Model “King of the Road” Track Champion Dave Pembroke of Montpelier, VT will receive a check for $5,000 for his winning efforts. Thunder Road’s NAPA Tiger Sportsman Champion, Nick Sweet of Barre, VT, will receive a check for $1,000, while Allen Lumber Street Stock Champion Bobby Therrien of Hinesburg, VT earns a $500 bonus. Bunker Hodgdon of Hardwick, VT was the Power Shift Online Junkyard Warrior Champion at Thunder Road in 2007.

Winners will also be announced for the ACT Late Model and NAPA Tiger Sportsman divisions’ Most Improved Driver and Sportsmanship awards, as well as the winner of the Ed Carroll Memorial Street Stock Sportsmanship Award and the first-ever Sportsmanship award in the Warrior class. Each of the Most Improved Driver and Sportsmanship award winners were decided by a vote of competitors and race officials. Winners of the prestigious Don MacTavish Award, Ken Squier Award, and Dr. G. R. Nielsen Rookie Achievement Award will also be honored. The ACT/Thunder Road Banquet of Champions is Saturday, January 12 at the Sheraton-Burlington Hotel & Conference Center in South Burlington, VT. The ACT Late Model Tour kicks off its 17th season at Lee USA Speedway in Lee, NH on Sunday, April 20. Thunder Road’s 49th season opens with the 10th Annual Merchants Bank 150 on Sunday, May 4.

This year the Auburn Mall race car show will run the weeks of March 24 - 30 and March 30 - April 6th. There is a limited number of spots available. These will be given out on a first request basis. If your car/truck will be ready and you would like to participate, please email meltool@aol.com or call 212-7369. Please do not contact the Auburn Mall directly. Please make sure you send your name, a contact number, your division and racing number in the email. You will also need to let us know which week you would like to be in. The committee will contact you one week before the show as to your assigned spot and which mall entrance to use. All participants will be required to obey the following rules:

1) All cars are to be neat in appearance.
2) No fuel in any racecar. Fuel cell tops must be taped closed.
3) All participants will be required to sign a waiver releasing the Auburn Mall, the show committee, and/or any other participants from any liability resulting from any activity at the show.
4) Batteries must be disconnected before entering the mall.

There will be no special awards given out at the show as we look to keep this a fun filled event with no invitation for controversy. This show is not affiliated with any track. We welcome racers from all tracks!

Closing documents were completed and initialized Speedway Motorsports, Inc.'s (NYSE:TRK) purchase of New Hampshire Speedway, Inc. d/b/a New Hampshire International Speedway, from Bob and Gary Bahre for $340 million in cash. The completed purchase was announced today by O. Bruton Smith, founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Speedway Motorsports, Inc. Smith also announced, to better align with other SMI-owned speedway brands, New Hampshire International Speedway was being renamed New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

"New Hampshire Motor Speedway is a wonderful addition to our strong portfolio of tracks and provides the opportunity for our company to expand into a new market," said Smith. "Bob and his staff have made this a smooth transition since we announced our agreement in Texas on November 2. We look forward to many successes in our operation of the New Hampshire Motor Speedway." Earlier, Smith announced the promotion of long-time SMI executive Jerry Gappens to Executive Vice president and General Manager of the facility, which hosts two NASCAR Sprint (formerly NEXTEL) Cup Series events each year. Gappens has relocated from Charlotte, N.C. and has assumed his new duties at the Speedway.

"Thanks to the support of our loyal fans, dedicated sponsors, and wonderful employees, the Speedway has grown more than Gary and I ever could have imagined," said Bob Bahre, former Chairman of the Board. "We are looking forward to working with Bruton, Jerry, and their team and fully supporting them in their efforts to take this to a higher level for our fans." Bahre will remain associated with the facility he built as a consultant. Located on approximately 1,100 acres, the multi-use complex is the largest sports facility in New England and features a 1.058-mile oval speedway, with chair back seating for 92,000 spectators, and a 1.6-mile road course.

The Speedway hosts the only NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide (formerly BUSCH) Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series events in the six-state New England region. Both NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races regularly sell out and exceed the NFL Super Bowl in attendance. With the addition of New Hampshire Motor Speedway, SMI will own racetracks in the Northeast, Southeast, Southwest, and West, including four of the nation’s top-10 metropolitan markets.

Speedway Motorsports, Inc. will promote 13 NASCAR-sanctioned Sprint Cup races in 2008 and nine NASCAR-sanctioned Nationwide Series events. Combined seating for the seven SMI facilities will exceed 850,000 permanent seats. "The Northeast race fans are incredible in their support of the Speedway and have a great passion for the sport of NASCAR," said Gappens. "We have an outstanding staff, and we are united in our effort to provide a winning experience for our guests when they visit New Hampshire Motor Speedway." Tickets for all NASCAR events at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, including the LENOX Industrial Tools 301 on June 29 and the SYLVANIA 300 on September 14, are available online at www.nhms.com or by calling Guest Services at (603)783-4931.

Let's see what's going on this weekend. At the Big E in W. Springfield, MA it's the Auto Parts Swap and Sell Show Saturday and Sunday. On Sunday MotoTown in Windsor, CT offers indoor Flat Track motorcycle racing indoors while the Hamilton Rod and Gun Club in Sturbridge, MA offers motorcycle racing on like ice on the same day. Both events start at 9 a.m.

    Lou Modestino is a long-time columnist and Public Relations person, working for numerous tracks in the northeast, and now writes for The Enterprise in Brockton, MA.  He may be reached at lmodestino@hotmail.com. 

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