Toledo Speedway

Salute to Military, Police & Firefighters; Plus 9-11 Tribute
(TOLEDO, Ohio - September 8, 2011) - The ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards will pause briefly this weekend before it heads to Salem Speedway the following Saturday night for another short track classic under the lights. However, for local area race fans, there'll be plenty of short track action at Toledo Speedway this Sunday where the final round of the five-race ARCA Allegiant Glass City Gold Cup Outlaw Late Model series will come to life on the Toledo high banks.

This Sunday's 100-lap EarSmart Stars and Stripes 100 presented by the Toledo Blade and Cumulus Radio will serve as a tune-up for the upcoming 23rd running of the Great Lakes Helicopter Glass City 200, set for Saturday, October 1.

The event also falls on the 10th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 tragedy, and a special pre-race ceremony will accompany the day's activities. The event will also feature vintage police and fire vehicles, a color guard presentation and a salute to the American spirit.

With 26 top-notch outlaw late model warriors already pre-entered, the event promises to be pure quality combined with high-speed thrills on the renowned half-mile Glass City oval.

Current ARCA Allegiant Gold Cup point leader Dennis Strickland leads two-time defending Gold Cup champ Mike Root headed into Sunday's contest. Previous 2011 Gold Cup winners JR Roahrig and Scott Hantz are also entered as is Outlaw Late Model powerhouse Harold Fair, Jr., the 2007 and 2008 Gold Cup champion.

In addition to the applicable accolades for the Gold Cup champ, which includes an ARCA Racing Series test invitation at Daytona Int'l Speedway in December in a car prepared by ARCA car owner Andy Hillenburg's Fast Track High Performance Driving School, the top three in final Gold Cup points will receive a pair of round-trip tickets from Toledo to Florida, courtesy of Allegiant Travel.

In addition to all the Gold Cup action, the ARCA Truck Series will set sail with the Turbo Air Drying 50 presented by Hahn Marketing, and the R&M Recycling Street Stocks championship event will take center stage on the action-packed quarter mile. The Street Stock championship will come right to the wire with Eric Huston leading Dennis Whisman by just 10 points.

The ARCA Truck Series has 21 entries to date, led by current series point leader Paul Hahn.

Race sponsor EarSmart will distribute free ear plugs to race fans at the track, while supplies last, on race day.

Pre-race festivities, as part of the salute to military, police and fire fighters, include a special parade lap with a 1948 Toledo Police Paddy Wagon and a 1933 Toledo Fire Department Ladder Truck, the Toledo Fire Department Honor Guard as well as a special tribute to 9-11.

The speedway, located on Benore Road at the I-75/Alexis Road exit, will also extend an invitation to all current and retired City of Toledo police and firefighters, as well as all military personnel to be guests for the September 11 race event. Proper service ID is required.

The spectator gates will open and practice begins at 11 a.m., with qualifying set for 12:30 p.m.. Pre-race ceremonies will begin at 1:45 p.m. with racing following with the first green flag at 2:00 p.m.