Rocky Top Raceway 2009 Schedule!!!

[Layne99L]

Rocky Top Raceway Releases 2009 Schedule
By: T. J. Layne

COAL GROVE, OH-The Rocky Top Raceway is proud to release it’s “tentative” 2009 schedule! RTR stresses the word “tentative” as more special event races are expected to be added. This should not be taken as the final version of the 2009 schedule.

The 2009 season is set to unofficially get underway on Saturday, March 28th with the annual “Test N’ Tune”, a day where the track will be open all day long for all divisions to practice. The sixth season of racing at Rocky Top is set to officially get underway on Friday, April 3rd with the “Opening Night” races. Both of those dates are very tentative because of the unpredictability of early spring weather.

Also featured on the 2009 schedule are several special event races. The first special event race of the season is scheduled to be on Friday, April 24th with the “Buckeye Nationals”. The race will feature Late Models, 40 laps for $4,000 to win and Mod Lites, 30 laps for $1,000 to win. With $4,000 to win and a strong payback, expect many of the regions top Late Model drivers to be in attendance. The Mod Lite portion of the “Buckeye Nationals” will feature one of the highest paying races in the entire country for Mod Lites.

Three weeks later the next special event will take place in the “2nd Annual GCP Engines Twin 30’s” on Friday, May 15th. This race will once again feature a 30 lap, $1,000 to win Modified show and a regular, $2,000 to win Late Model show. Last year, Todd Robinson bested a field of 36 Modifieds and Jackie Boggs beat a field of 21 Late Models to claim the wins.

The 2009 season also marks the return of one of RTR’s annual races, the “Summer Sizzler”. The “Summer Sizzler” was first ran during the 2006 season and saw Tim Dohm win in a very exciting race over Eddie Carrier Jr. and Jackie Boggs while the 2007 version of the race saw R. J. Conley claim the win over Dohm. This years “Summer Sizzler” will be ran on Friday, June 12th, featuring a 35 lap Late Model feature paying $3,000 to win.

Returning for the third straight year at RTR will be the “Engines Inc. 50” . This years race will take place on Friday, July 17th and pay the winner of the 50 lap Late Model feature $5,000 to win. For the past two seasons, the “Engines Inc. 50” has produced some very memorable races. In 2007, former World of Outlaws champion Steve Francis passed Tim Dohm in the races final laps to take the win. Then in 2008, Eddie Carrier Jr. came within a tenth of a second from setting a new track record in time trials then went out and passed Josh McGuire around the halfway mark to take the $5,000 win on a lightning fast racing surface.

One of the coolest fan promotions of 2008 continues during the 2009 season on “Fan Appreciation Night” July 24th. Just like in 2008, one lucky fan will be drawn and given free sponsorship of his/her own $2,000 to win Late Model race. The fan will get naming rights to the race, free admission to their race, get to throw the green flag to start the feature, and give the trophy to the feature winner. To enter the contest, you must attend the races on July 3rd. A winner will be drawn from those in attendance on the 3rd. Chris Hall was the 2008 winner as he witnessed Jackie Boggs win his “Chris Hall 30” race.

Weekly races will again be a large part of the 2009 schedule. With strong car counts and strong competition in all divisions, the weekly shows at Rocky Top in 2009 were some of the strongest around. Just like in 2008, weekly races at RTR in 2009 will have a “special event” feel to them as Late Models will once again race for $2,000 to win every Friday night. Modifieds-$650 to win, Bombers-$350 to win, and Mod Lites-$200 to win will fill the weekly program.

All in all, the 2009 schedule features a total of 17 scheduled races. The track will only sit idle for two weeks during the season, those dates being April 10th and July 10th. The final Friday night and final points race of the season will be on August 7th. Following that, RTR will take a 1-2 month break from action and resume for some Saturday night races. Those exact dates will be announced at a later time. For more information visit www.rockytopraceway.net

2009 Rocky Top Raceway “Tentative” Schedule

March
28th-Test N’ Tune (Saturday)

April
3rd-“Opening Night”
10th-CLOSED for Good Friday
17th-Full Racing Program
24th-“Buckeye Nationals”, 40 laps, $4,000 to win Late Models and 30 laps, $1,000 to win Mod Lites. No Modifieds or Bombers. *Title Sponsorship Available*

May
1st-Full Racing Program
8th-Full Racing Program
15th-“2nd Annual GCP Engines Twin 30’s”, $1,000 to win Modifieds, $2,000 to win Late Models with Bombers and Mod Lites
22nd-Memorial Day Championships
29th-Full Racing Program

June
5th-Full Racing Program
12th-“3rd Annual Summer Sizzler”, 35 laps, $3,000 to win Late Models with Modifieds, Bombers, and Mod Lites *Title Sponsorship Available*
19th-Full Racing Program
26th-“Double Points Night”

July
3rd-Full Racing Program
10th-CLOSED for Lawrence County Fair
17th-“3rd Annual Engines Inc. 50”, $5,000 to win Late Models with Modifieds and Mod Lites
24th-“Fan Appreciation Night”
31st-Full Racing Program

August
7th-“Season Championships”

September/October
TBA

*Full Racing Program consists of Late Models-$2,000 to win, Modifieds-$650 to win, Bombers-$350 to win, and Mod Lites-$200 to win.*

*Schedule is tentative and subject to change. Early season races are very tentative due to weather. Rocky Top Raceway, Inc. reserves the right to drop, add, or change any races.*