Toledo Speedway

(FLAT ROCK, Michigan - June 18, 2012) - A total of 23 cars have entered as of Monday morning for this Saturday’s 1^st annual Joy Fair Memorial 100.  Bob Fox of Diamond Racing Products, a former competitor of Fair’s, has graciously stepped forward to sponsor this special event.  With the blessing of Joy’s family, Flat Rock Speedway will honor the memory of Joy Fair with this race.

Several additional entries are still expected, which should put the car count for the ARCA Moran Chevrolet Late Model field near 30 cars.  The Diamond Racing Products Joy Fair Memorial 100 will feature the ARCA Allegiant Late Model Gold Cup Series in a 100 lap feature race on the ¼ mile paved oval.  Many of the top Late Model drivers will battle Flat Rock’s regulars for the prestigious honor of being the first winner of the Joy Fair Memorial.

Cocoa, Florida resident Jared Allison will make the long trip to compete this Saturday night.  Craig Everage of Angola, IN is making his first-ever appearance at Flat Rock, while Chris Benson returns to competition for the first time in several seasons. 

Defending track champion Eric Lee is also entered, as is current Flat Rock weekly point leader Dennis Strickland.  Paul Pelletier, who has 2 wins at “The Rock” already this year, will also be on hand.  Spartan Gold Cup winner Mike Luberda, 2-time Gold Cup champ Harold Fair Jr., Michigan drivers Chad Guinn, Claude Plante Jr. (second in Gold Cup points), Steve Cronenwett Jr., Jimmy Alvis, Terry Bogusz, Jack Varney Jr., Brad Turner and Larry Smouthers Jr., past Flat Rock track champions Stan Yee Jr., Joe Hawes and Ron Allen, Ohio drivers Mike Young, Todd Perkins and Nick Grodi and Indiana native Brent Jack make up the field for the June 23 event to date.

Joy Fair was unquestionably the man to beat at Flat Rock Speedway.  In fact, that sentence pretty much was the statement for any track he ventured to during his years of domination in Late Model racing.  This past December on the 10^th day of 2011, the racing world lost one of the top winners in short track racing history when Joy Fair passed away at the age of 81.

At Flat Rock, Joy Fair would rack up 10, count ‘em, 10 track championships and 159 career feature wins.  And that’s just at Flat Rock!  1969 was one of just many magical years for Fair, as he won 9 of 14 features at Flat Rock, including a 100 lap race where he lapped the entire field.  And to put the icing on the cake, Joy ventured down to Toledo Speedway, Flat Rock’s sister track, and grabbed 10 of 14 checkered flags that year.  Fair notched 4 Flat Rock titles in a row from 1969-1972, and was on his way to his fifth in a row until an accident at Toledo sidelined him for the rest of the season.

Joy’s total wins are somewhere over 800, a number which is probably closer to 900 or more!  Record keeping was not that important to Fair and his team-it was having fun and winning races.

The track’s Parts Galore Figure 8 and DTS Drive Train Specialists Street Stock divisions will also be in action June 23.  The pit area will open at 1:30, practice begins at 3, time trials are at 5 and racing begins at 7 p.m.  All seating will be general admission and will go on sale race day at 3 p.m.  There is no advance sale for the event.

A special commemorative souvenir program, featuring a full-color cover to honor Joy is being produced for the event.  For more information, log onto www.flatrockspeedway.com.  Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/toledoflatrock or follow us on Twitter @flatrockspeed.