News from the American Racer East Coast Modified Cup

News from the American Racer East Coast Modified Cup



Media Contacts: Andrew Harpell - rocdirt@aol.com  or Brett Deyo - Deyo99H@aol.com.



For Immediate Release/April 2, 2010



Registration Underway For 2010 American Racer East Coast Modified Cup; Grandview Speedway's Shawn Reimert First Registrant



BINGHAMTON, NY - The chase for the 2010 American Racer East Coast Modified Cup is underway.



The American Racer Cup home office has been flooded with drivers representing many of the participating tracks signing up to be part of the first-year program backed by Lias Tire of Indiana, Pa., the regional distributor of the American Racer spec tires used at the participating facilities.



Shawn Reimert of Oley, Pa., a NASCAR Whelen All-American Series 358-Modified racer at Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsville, Pa., was the first official American Racer Cup registrant. Reimert, who drives a family-owned No. 58s small-block Modified, owns five career victories at the one-third-mile clay oval.



Ten of the 12 tracks already have drivers participating in the program. Notable drivers registering early include Bobby Varin of Sharon Springs, N.Y. (N.Y.'s Fonda and Utica-Rome speedways), three-time RoC Dart Dirt Modified Tour champ Pat Ward of Genoa, N.Y., (Utica-Rome) Ryan Godown of Ringoes, N.J., (Pa.'s Big Diamond and Grandview), brothers Jordan and Joseph Watson of Milford, Del., (Delaware International Speedway) and Billy Van Pelt of Westfield, Pa. (N.Y.'s Woodhull Raceway).



Woodhull Raceway, the paper-clip-shaped, high-banked oval in New York's Southern Tier, currently leads with four drivers registered.



"The early feedback from the race teams has been very strong and drivers are really excited about this program," said RoC Dart Dirt Modified Tour administrative director Andrew Harpell, who worked with American Racer reps in putting the program together.



"We are continuing our efforts with American Racer to try and bring additional product incentives for members of the program on top of what has already been posted."



Drivers wishing to participate in the American Racer Cup program are required to pay an annual processing fee of $50 per track. Memberships must be secured by May 17.



The American Racer Cup will rank the Northeast Modified drivers within a system that incorporates their weekly racing program (no extra traveling required). Drivers and spectators can follow the season-long standings among the best drivers in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware.



Drivers will be ranked on three criteria:

1) A driver’s weekly finishes at their home track.

2) The number of teams that start a feature at each race meet.

3) A driver’s best 12 finishes in 2010.



If a driver that competes at two different member tracks each weekend wants to compete for the Cup at both, that driver will have to pay a membership fee for each track, and will have two entries in the Cup. A driver will only be awarded for their single best overall result.



A point fund has been set up for the top-five American Racer Cup finishers as follows: champion ($10,000), second ($5,000), third ($3,500), fourth ($2,500) and fifth ($2,000).



Additionally, each participating speedway's top-five drivers in the weekly, year-end point standings earn American Racer tires as follows: champion (10 tires), second (six tires), third (four tires), fourth (two tires) and fifth (one tire).



Track tire vendors will provide each speedway with 10 tires which will be given away randomly. To be eligible for these tire giveaways a driver must be registered in the American Racer Cup.



Participating tracks include Accord (N.Y.) Speedway, Big Diamond Raceway

Bridgeport (N.J.) Speedway, Delaware International Speedway, Five Mile Point (N.Y.) Speedway, Fonda Speedway, Grandview Speedway, New Egypt (N.J.) Speedway, Orange County (N.Y.) Fair Speedway, Penn Can (Pa.) Speedway, Utica-Rome Speedway and Woodhull Raceway.



Should a driver win both the American Racer Cup and the championship on the Race of Champions Dart Dirt Modified Tour, that driver will be declared 'Grand Champion' and earn a $20,000 bonus, on top of the posted funds for the American Racer Cup and RoC Dart Dirt crowns. That driver could earn $40,000 in cash and product.



After the opening weekend at Selinsgrove (Pa.) Speedway for the RoC Dart Dirt Modified Tour March 19-20, Matt Sheppard, Pat Ward and Duane Howard are locked in a three-way tie for the point lead with 65 markers each.



Contact Lias Tire by phone at 800.638.7028 or via e-mail at liastire@hotmail.com. The official American Racer East Coast Modified Cup Web site can be found at http://www.dirtmodcup.com/.



Contact the Race of Champions office by phone at 607.775.5555 or e-mail them directly at rocdirt@aol.com.