Olum’s Signs On For 2014 Short Track SuperNationals At I-88 Speedway Oct. 10-11, Joining Alpine Building Supply As Lead Marketing Partner
AFTON, NY – History will be made this season at the Short Track SuperNationals – and the racers stand to benefit. When the seventh edition of the ‘Working Man’s Race’ takes place on Columbus Day weekend (Oct. 10-11) at I-88 Speedway in Afton, N.Y. – the very same venue that hosted the inaugural event – a record-setting purse will be paid out to big-block/small-block Modified competitors. Olum’s, with New York locations in Vestal, Johnson City and East Syracuse, joins Alpine Building Supply of Schuylkill Haven, Pa., as a lead marketing partner of the co-promotion involving Short Track SuperNationals founder Brett Deyo and I-88 track managers Jamie Page and Ronnie Ford.
As a result of the new Olum’s agreement, the 50-lap Short Track SuperNationals Modified main event will pay an unprecedented $600 to take the green flag! This is a substantial boost from the previous high $455 that had been paid out during the last two editions. The announcement was made Saturday (Jan. 18) during the I-88 Speedway Awards Banquet at the Holiday Inn Oneonta-Cobleskill in Oneonta, N.Y.
Not only has the green money been bumped up to record levels, all drivers finishing seventh on back will see thicker pay envelopes at the 2014 edition of the SuperNationals. The event offers $5,000 to the winner plus a host of lap money, special awards and incentives. Last year’s winner Craig Hanson pocketed more than $6,000 for his efforts.
“Thousands of dollars have been added to the Short Track SuperNationals purse for this year’s edition,” Deyo said. “To offer $600 to start in a 50-lap event is truly remarkable. We wouldn’t be able to do it without the outstanding marketing support through Olum’s and Alpine Building Supply.”
As the final, championship-deciding, event of the 2014 Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP, the Short Track SuperNationals will be a hugely profitable event for competitors. A point fund approaching $20,000 in cash will be divided among the Short Track Super Series top-10 finishers and drivers outside the top-10 with perfect attendance. Additionally, a long list of product and contingency awards will be handed out following the drop of the checkered flag.
Via the multi-faceted marketing agreement, Olum’s also presents the ‘Lightning on the Mountain’ special at Thunder Mountain Speedway in Center Lisle, N.Y., Tuesday, May 20 (rain date: May 21), joining Rochinski Contracting Services and Husqvarna and the Wednesday, July 23 (rain date: July 24) ‘Crazy 8s Special’ at I-88 in conjunction with Sowle Trailer Repair.
Olum’s, a major retailer, is currently celebrating 100 years of serving customers in the Southern Tier region. Olum’s offers exceptional selection, value and payment options on furniture, mattresses, appliances, electronics and seasonal items. Olum’s has locations at 3701 Vestal Parkway E. Campus Plaza Vestal, NY 13850(607.729.5775), 95 Main Street Johnson City, NY 13790 (607.726.3600) and 5775 Bridge Street East Syracuse, NY 13057 (315.414.2200). Olum’s can be found online at www.olums.com.
Alpine Building Supply offers a wide array of items including pole building and post supplies, hand tools, power tools, fasteners, paint and sundries, electrical, plumbing, heating and cooling, housewares, lawn care, automotive supplies, sporting goods and more. Alpine Building Supply is located at 696 South Route 183 Schuylkill Haven, PA 17972. To learn more about Alpine Building Supply, call888.533.2985 or visit www.alpinebuildingsupply.com. For those outside the region, be sure to visit the Alpine Building Supply online store.
The Short Track SuperNationals celebrates a homecoming this year. Event creator Deyo, in conjunction with Pat and Janet Jordan – then promoters of the Afton Speedway, I-88’s former moniker – originated the Short Track SuperNationals as an affordable option to Super DIRT Week on Oct. 6-7, 2006. The first SuperNationals – run at Afton as a two-day event – was an overwhelming success with 220 total race cars filing into the pit area. Mike Ricci of Tillson, N.Y., won the inaugural Short Track SuperNationals Modified event over a talented field. Shortly thereafter, the Jordans ended their run as Afton promoters and the SuperNationals needed a new host venue.
The next five editions of the Short Track SuperNationals were contested at Five Mile Point Speedway in Kirkwood, N.Y., from ’09 to ’13. Since the inaugural event, the SuperNationals event has grown significantly, filling the Five Mile Point facility to the point of overflow. As such, discussions began to move the event to I-88, which is located on the spacious Afton Fairgrounds. The conversations between I-88 management and Deyo of BD Motorsports Media LLC evolved into an agreement between parties to bring the Short Track SuperNationals back to Afton, N.Y.
Via support received from the Afton Fair Board, there will be reserved camping spots with water and electricity hook-ups available for the SuperNationals weekend. There is plentiful flat, grassy area for free camping, as well.
I-88’s roomy pit area will also easily accommodate the large number of expected participants during the Short Track SuperNationals weekend, and allow for the potential addition of other divisions.
A complete Short Track SuperNationals line-up will be released in advance of the Motorsports Expo in Syracuse, N.Y., March 8-9. Friday’s (Oct. 10) event will be headlined by a 35-lap Sportsman event, with Modifieds topping the Saturday (Oct. 11) program. All Modified qualifying and racing will take place on Saturday. There is a rain date of Oct. 12 if necessary.
Page and Ford – both former racers and local businessmen – have upgraded the facility since taking the helm at I-88 in ‘10. The speedway maintains its old-school charm with trademark covered grandstands. The promotional team has renovated many of the buildings on the fairgrounds including concession stands and the officials’ and sponsor/press towers, resurfaced the speedway’s clay, installed transponder scoring, erected a tech building, constructed a pit-area observation deck and much more. Additional grandstand seating is in the works for ’14, as well, while a new sponsor/VIP deck will be unveiled as well.
I-88 Speedway is centrally located and easily accessible from the north, south, east and west. The facility is visible off Interstate 88 Exit 7 (Afton), less than 25 miles northeast of Binghamton. For GPS users, I-88 Speedway is located at 46 East Main Street Afton, NY 13730. For those making the trek from the Syracuse-area festivities, I-88 is within reasonable driving distance to take in the Saturday portion before returning to Syracuse for Sunday’s event.
To learn more about BD Motorsports Media LLC, contact Brett Deyo at845.728.2781, via e-mail at Deyo99H@aol.com or on the web atwww.bdmotorsportsmedia.com. “Like” BD Motorsports Media on Facebook or follow @BrettDeyo on Twitter.
I-88 Speedway can be contacted by phone at 607.639.FAST (3278). Promoters Ron Ford (607.624.3772) and Jamie Page (607.760.0671) can be reached individually by phone, as well. The speedway is online at www.i-88speedway.com. “Like” I-88 Speedway on Facebook for up-to-the-minute updates.
Short Track SuperNationals Six-Year Event History
October 12, 2013 (Five Mile Point): CRAIG HANSON – Anthony Perrego – Jackie Brown Jr. – Pat Ward – Chad Phelps
October 6, 2012 (Five Mile Point): DANNY TYLER – Bobby Varin – Brian Weaver – Billy Pauch Sr. – Mitch Gibbs
October 7, 2011 (Five Mile Point): DUANE HOWARD – Danny Tyler – Billy Pauch Sr. – Jeff Strunk – Jeff Heotzler Sr.
October 9, 2010 (Five Mile Point): JUSTIN HOLLAND – Billy Pauch Jr. – Kevin Bates – Brian Weaver – Danny Tyler
October 10, 2009 (Five Mile Point): KEVIN HIRTHLER – Mike Ricci – Mike Gular – Sean Merkel – Joey Grammes
October 7, 2006 (Afton): MIKE RICCI – J.R. Hurlburt – Brian Weaver – Joey Grammes – Davie Franek
Sources: BD Motorsports Media