Toledo, OH-August 31, 2012: Toledo Speedway played host to the annual Wendy’s” Night of Destruction” Friday evening, kicking off the Labor Day holiday weekend. A huge crowd filed into the track to see the School Bus Figure 8 race and the accompanying events on the fun-filled night. Wendy and Frosty greeted fans and the race winners in the Sun Drop Winners Circle.
The School Bus Figure 8 race was filled with nasty hits and crashes. Joe Koester, by default, was the last man standing as he outlasted Scott Apperson and Troy Herrmann. Dennis Whisman, Norm Lewallen, Archie Padgett and Jack Franzil piloted the buses for the event. Wendy’s Hamburgers, Burge Wrecking, PB Fabrication, Mayfly Tavern, Jeff’s Collision, R & M Recycling, Woodville Auto Finance and First Choice Auto Finance served as the bus sponsors.
Dennis Whisman topped Billy Earley, Troy Brehmer, Jeff King, James Good, Archie Padgett, Jerry Lee, Tom O’Leary IV, Anthony Terris, Don Cox and Pat Fields to win the 25 lap Road Course Race, which uses parts of the ½ mile, ¼ mile and pit road. Whisman was pressured by Earley in the early stages of the race, but Whisman used lapped traffic to pull away for his 2nd Road Course win of the year.
James Good passed Don Cox on the final turn to win the Backup race. Kris King also got by Don in turn 4 to take second spot. Cox was the Race Car Bowling champion over John Rabideau, Pat Fields and Jeff King.
The Boat Figure 8 race was wild and unpredictable as boats came off trailers, drivers slammed into the boats as the crowd roared its approval. Jeff King got by Pat Fields on the final lap when Pat’s boat came unhooked from his car, allowing Jeff to zip by for the win, as his boat and trailer dragged the ground. Fields and King took shots at each other in the final laps as they tried to knock the boats off the trailers. In the end, the boats were totally destroyed! John Rabideau and Archie Padgett also destroyed their boats.
With not even a lap in, the red flag came out in the Figure 8 Train Race when Charlie Williams and James McClure tangled with Scott Apperson and Adam Plonski, with McClure’s car getting up on its side! The safety crew rolled James back over, the race was reset and on the green flag, the duo of Williams and McClure sped into the lead and onto the victory and $750 for their efforts. The crowd went wild as the duo emerged from their cars in the victory lane. Howard Kelley Jr./Tom O’Leary III took second, Tom O’Leary Jr./Jim Brazeau came home third, the duo of Billy Earley/Pastor Greg Compton took fourth and Scott Apperson/Adam Plonski grabbed the fifth spot in the 12 lap event.
Toledo Speedway will now go silent for 2 weeks, with the next activity set for Saturday and Sunday, September 15-16. A General public flea market and a Racer’s Flea Market will take place in the track parking lot both days. Space rental is $20 a day or $35 for 2 days, and on a first-come, first serve basis. Space size is 20′ x 20′. Sunday, September 16 the Rusty Wallace Racing Experience will also be at the track for rides and driving stock cars. Contact www.racewithrusty.com for details.
The final race of the season is the 24th running of the Great Lakes Helicopter Glass City 200, set for Saturday, September 29 at Toledo Speedway. A rain date of Sunday, September 30 has been established if needed. 1972 Glass City 200 winner Danny Byrd has been named Grand Marshall for the 2012 edition of the classic.
Great Lakes Helicopter is entering its third season as the title sponsor of this prestigious event. The night of racing carries a purse of over $50,000 in cash and awards, with $5500 going to the winner. $1000 has been posted to start the 200 lap race, which will see a 20 minute break at the lap 101 mark. With prize money and special awards, a driver could walk away with over $8000 in cash and contingency awards.
In addition to the 200 lap Late Model invitational, a 40 lap Sportsman invitational and a 30 lap X car invitational (on the ¼ mile) are also part of the final race of the season at the Glass City oval. Those entries are also being mailed out to the ARCA membership. All 3 entries forms/rules may be downloaded from the track’s webpage. They are located under forms.
Allegiant Travel has 2 round-trip tickets set for the winner of the Great Lakes Helicopter Glass City 200 and a lucky race fan will also walk away with a pair of airline tickets, courtesy of Allegiant.
Woodville Auto Finance of Northwood and First Choice Auto Finance of Toledo will serve as the sponsors of the X Car event on the ¼ mile for the September 29 race, the final race of the 2012 season at the Glass City oval.
Friday, September 28 the pit area opens at 2 p.m. for rig parking, tech and tire sales for all 3 classes. An optional practice session will take place from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Anyone that purchases a pit pass on Friday will receive a FREE dinner, courtesy of Francis Engineering of Leroy, OH.
The Saturday, September 29 race day schedule has the pits open at 9:30 a.m., driver’s meeting at 11:30, practice at 12:15, time trials at 3 and racing at 5 p.m. A rain date of Sunday, September 30 has been established.
Log onto www.toledospeedway.com for more information as the Great Lakes Helicopter Glass City 200 nears! Tickets are now on sale by calling the track office at 419-727-1100. Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/toledoflatrock or follow us on Twitter @toledospeedway.