2015 Planning Underway: Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP Signs Three-Year Contract With American Racer/Lias Tire For 2015-2017 Seasons; Racers, Point Fund & Series Future Benefit; Glen Ridge Joins 2015 Schedule; 2014 Season Finale At I-88 Speedway In October Offers Record Purse Structure!
BOYERTOWN, PA – The inaugural season for the Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP is far from over, but plans are full-speed-ahead for 2015 and beyond.
In an announcement made at Penn Can (Pa.) Speedway on Tuesday during the fifth event of the six-race series, Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP organizer Brett Deyo revealed a three-year agreement has been reached with American Racer and Lias Tire Company, the regional distributor based in Indiana, Pa. The agreement sets American Racer as the exclusive tire of the Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP for the 2015, 2016 and 2017 seasons.
“This is a huge step forward for the future of our series,” Deyo said of the announcement. “This year, we set out as a virtual unknown. Throughout the year, we’ve proven ourselves to our tracks, drivers and sponsors. Bringing American Racer and Lias Tire on board will be a benefit for all involved.”
The Short Track Super Series was launched by Deyo during the 2013-2014 offseason and kicked off with a six-race ’14 schedule offering a $10,014 championship from a point fund of more than $23,000. Many national and regional companies signed on to provide contingency support and product awards.
While the Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP has operated under an open tire rule in its inaugural season, American Racer has overwhelmingly been the tire of choice for racers. During the three most recent events – I-88 (N.Y.) Speedway in July, Accord (N.Y.) Speedway in August and Penn Can in September – the entire Modified field opted for American Racer tires.
“Our racers have shown they prefer to use the American Racers when they have the choice,” Deyo said. “All of our teams are outfitted with these tires already. Having an existing inventory will save money from the start.”
As part of the American Racer-Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP agreement, racers will benefit from a solid point fund, attendance incentives, tire giveaways and other perks.
“This decision was made with the stability of our series and our racers in mind,” Deyo said.
Lias Tire, the American Racer distributor for Delaware, Indiana, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia, welcomed the opportunity to serve the Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP.
“We are all very excited to be an active participant in the Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP,” said Matt Brandle, Lias Tire Sales & Marketing. “We’ve been watching the series this season and have all been very impressed. It’s a positive agreement for all parties.”
The ’15 Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP schedule is in the works currently. The series will again kick off at the historic Orange County Fair Speedway in Middletown, N.Y., with the second edition of the ‘Hard Clay Open’ 50-lap special. A date will be announced for the ‘Hard Clay Open’ in the coming weeks.
New for ’15 will be the addition of Glen Ridge Motorsports Park in Fultonville, N.Y. The racy facility, a fast, D-shaped quarter-mile, will host the Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP on Tuesday, June 2 (rain date: June 3). The 60-lap affair will offer the largest purse in the history of Glen Ridge Motorsports Park: the base payout, prior to any sponsorship received, is $5,000 to the winner, $1,000 for 10th and $400 to take the green flag.
“Mike Sowle and his staff at Glen Ridge have done a tremendous job with the facility,” Deyo said. “Glen Ridge is a perfect fit for our series: a quarter-mile track with an awesome surface. We have a number of drivers who support us from that region, so we’re glad to have a race close to home for them.”
Before the ’15 season gets underway, this season’s point battle will conclude at N.Y.’s I-88 Speedway with the Alpine Building Supply Short Track SuperNationals 7 presented by Olum’s Friday-Saturday Oct. 10-11.
The seventh edition of the ‘Working Man’s Race’ will set new records for the event: on Saturday (Oct. 11), the Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP Modifieds will race 50 laps for $5,000-plus to win, $1,000 for 10th-place and an astounding $600 just to take the green flag. In addition, there will be a fully paid B-Main, 17 laps in distance, paying $777 to win and $100 to start for non-qualifiers.
The Saturday (Oct. 11) event will also include Crate 602 Sportsman ($1,000 to win, $100 to start), IMCA-Modifieds and Empire Lightning Sprints.
On Friday night, Sportsman will hit the track in a $1,500-to-win event with the top-six Crate 602 Sportsman receiving the following bonuses: $300, $200, $100, $75, $50 and a free pass for Saturday’s event. Also on the card are Street Stocks, Empire Sport Trucks, Four Cylinders and open practice for Saturday’s event.
For further information on the Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP, contact series organizer Brett Deyo by phone at 845.728.2781, via e-mail at bdmotorsportsmedia@gmail.com, on Facebook at BD Motorsports Media or on Twitter @BrettDeyo.
The Short Track Super Series is presented by VP Racing Fuels, Pioneer Pole Buildings Inc., East Coast Speed/ECS Auto, Rochinski Contracting Services, Allstar Performance, American Racer/Lias Tire, Art’s Radiator, ATL Fuel Cells, Behrent’s Performance Warehouse, BFP Specialty, Bicknell Racing Products, Bob Hilbert Sportswear, COMP Performance Group, Dirt Track Digest, DMI/Bulldog Rear Ends, DRACO Springs, Driven Racing Oil, ERK Steering, Finish Line Web Design, FOX Shox, H.B. Steele & Son, Henry’s Stainless Steel Exhaust, Hig Fab Chassis, Hoosier Racing Tire, Jack’s Used Race Car Parts & More, Kirkey Racing Products, PM3 Digital Imaging, Quarter Master, Race Pro Weekly, Schaeffer Racing Oil, Shiley Fabrication, Sleepy Hollow Golf, Teo-Pro Car, Troyer Race Cars & Vahlco Wheels.
Sources: BD Motorsports Media