GLASS CITY 200 LIST BEGINS TO TAKE SHAPE; ROOT, CARLSON TEAMMATES
GLASS CITY 200 LIST BEGINS TO TAKE SHAPE; ROOT, CARLSON TEAMMATES
Toledo, Ohio—September 7, 2016: The entries are beginning to arrive for the the 28th Running of the Great Lakes Helicopter/Central Transport Glass City 200 presented by the Holiday Inn Express and Hampton Inn. The prestigious event is set for Saturday, September 17 at 6 p.m.
Perhaps the most interesting news to date is from the Tony LeClair Racing stable. 2-time ARCA Gold Cup Series champ Dakota Carlson of Cedar Springs, MI will have a teammate for the season-ending event –fellow Michigan west-sider Mike Root. Root, of Grand Rapids, MI, also a 2-time Gold Cup champion, will be at the wheel of the car with his familiar #9 on the doors, while Carlson wheels his #8 machine for LeClair.
Both drivers will be in the hunt for their first Glass City 200 victory. For Root, a first-time Toledo win is also in his sights.
Additional entries have been received from Michigan drivers Brandon Lyons, Johnny Belott, Nick Bailey, Dennis Strickland, Frankie Jiovani, Joe Hawes, Harold Fair Jr. and Ohio driver RJ White. Fair Jr. is seeking his 3rd Glass City win. Strickland stunned the field in 2013 with his big win in the prestigious event. Brad Riethmeyer of Mooresville, NC is the defending race winner.
A variety of activities are included in the final race weekend of the season for the track. An optional Friday practice session is set for 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. September 16. Pit pass purchasers will be treated to a dinner at the Speedway Bar and Grille on the grounds of the track, compliments of LaChalupa Restaurant of Toledo. The grandstands will be open free of charge.
Race day is Saturday, September 17. Central Transport will be giving away a pair of bikes and a pair of Razor scooters. Kids 10 and under will register at the Central Transport table under the grandstands upon arrival to the track.
Fans can save $5 on advance ticket purchases for both general admission and reserved. The advance sale ends at 5 p.m. Friday, September 16.
Practice begins at 1 p.m., the run for the PASSTIME $500 Pole Award starts at 3:30, an on-track autograph session will take place at 5 and racing begins at 6 p.m. The past winners of the Glass City 200 that are on hand will be introduced during the evening.
Additional sponsors for the Glass City 200 include Penske Shocks, R & M Recycling, Bazell Race Fuels, Sunoco Race Fuels, First Care Ambulance, Burge Wrecking, DTS Drive Train Specialists and Cassens Transport.
Toledo Speedway officials are proposing to replace the lap money program for the Glass City 200 with a “Pad the Purse” idea that would boost the payout for several finishing positions in the prestigious event, allowing more drivers to share in bonus awards.
The cash bonus raised is above and beyond the posted purse, just as the lap money did. The bonus spots would be positions 6th through 15th. The minimum sponsorship would be $10, just as with the lap money program. The goal is to add $2000 to the purse, the same amount as the 200 laps of lap money at $10 per lap. Performance Images, Ray’s Door of Toledo, Naughton Insurance, the Michigan Auto Racing Fan Club, Paul and Iris Anton and Monroe Asphalt of Toledo have pledged their support to the program.
Sponsors will have their name listed on the track web page, on the souvenir program insert sheet and will receive public address mentions the day of the event. To become a “Pad the Purse” sponsor, contact the Toledo office at 419-727-1100.
The current entry list can be found on the Toledo Speedway home page in the next event race box.