15th Annual ‘King of the Can’ Modified 50 Set For Friday (Oct. 17) At Penn Can Speedway; $5,015 Plus “Toilet Trophy” On The Line! Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP Competitors Rewarded With Bonus Money
SUSQUEHANNA, PA – For the 15th time, Penn Can Speedway plays host to the ‘King of the Can’ this weekend.
On Friday night, October 17 (rain date: Oct. 19), the big-block/small-block Modifieds race 50 laps around the Susquehanna County facility for a $5,015 winner’s share. Since its inaugural running in 1999, weekend warriors and superstars alike have graced Victory Lane in the traditional curtain-closer at Penn Can. Drivers have thousands of reasons to compete in this year’s ‘King of the Can’ event: fifth-place is worth $1,000, 10th-place pays $500, with $315 reserved to take the green flag!
Of course, the event winner will take home the “toilet trophy” that has become signature to this October classic!
Joining Friday night’s Modified program are the Dig Safely New York GRIT Series Crate 602 Sportsman in a 30-lap event paying $1,000 to the winner ($100 to start) and the Penn Can Speedway weekly XCel 600 Modifieds racing a 20-lap feature.
The ‘King of the Can’ is an affiliate event of the Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP. While the Short Track Super Series championship was decided a week ago at I-88 Speedway in Afton, N.Y., top point earners will receive $200 bonuses should they return to compete at Penn Can.
Gates open at 5 p.m., with the drivers’ meeting at 6:20 p.m., hot laps at 6:45 p.m. and racing at 7:30 p.m.
Adult grandstand admission is $22. Seniors (ages 62 and up) pay $20. Students (ages 13-17) are $10 and Kids 12 and under are FREE. Pit admission is $35 with no license required.
Complete rules and general information can be found at the following link: http://bdmotorsportsmedia.com/king-of-the-can-race-information/
Brian Weaver of Windsor, N.Y., won the very first ‘King of the Can’ at Penn Can in 1999 and returned to Victory Lane six years later to take the checkered in 2005. Other winners include Kirk Horton (2000), Keith Hoffman (2001), Jeff Rudalavage (2002 & 2007), Jamie Shea (2003), the late Doug Hoffman (2004), Joey Grammes (2006), Duane Howard (2008), Kevin Bates (2010), Stewart Friesen (2011), Ryan Godown (2012) and Billy Decker (2013). The event was not run in 2009 due to weather.
Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP champion Andy Bachetti, who collected his $10,014 point fund share this week, leads the contingent of invaders to Penn Can on Friday. The Sheffield, Mass., star will be making his third career start at Penn Can.
Mike Mahaney and Ryan Watt each boast perfect attendance at BD Motorsports Media LLC events this season. Both will continue their streak Friday at Penn Can: King Ferry, N.Y.’s Mahaney will be at the wheel of Charlie Davis’ No. 21 and Watt will guide Ron Roberts’ No. 14W. Boyertown, Pa., driver Watt is a former Penn Can winner. He annexed the 2013 ‘Clash at the Can’ triumph.
Matt Sheppard of Waterloo, N.Y., was a victory contender in the ‘Hot Summer Night’ special run at Penn Can in September. Sheppard had driven Norm Hansell’s No. 357 to the lead in the 60-lap event only to suffer a flat tire. Sheppard will return in search of a ‘King of the Can’ payday.
New York State stars Bobby Varin and Gary Tomkins have both secured rides for this event. Tomkins, of Clifton Springs, N.Y., will pilot a second Coar-Clark Motorsports No. 119 as a teammate to track regular Brian Malcolm. Sharon Springs, N.Y., driver Varin – who won the championship this season at Glen Ridge (N.Y.) Motorsports Park – has been tabbed to drive the Collegeville, Pa.-based No. 187 owned by Steve Young.
Billy Van Pelt, off the strength of his 16th Woodhull (N.Y.) Raceway championship, will drive Grant Hilfiger’s No. 78 at Penn Can. The Westfield, Pa., driver is always a contender on the short tracks.
Track champion Kevin Hartnett of Barto, Pa., leads the Penn Can contingent to the ‘King of the Can’ special. Hartnett was the co-winner of a 60-lap special contested at Penn Can in June.
Rocky Warner of Gloversville, N.Y., tops the Dig Safely New York GRIT Series point battle entering Penn Can following last weekend’s Short Track SuperNationals event at I-88 Speedway. Young Connor Cleveland sits second. Penn Can will host the 14th event of the GRIT Series schedule.
The Saturday (Oct. 18) portion of the ‘King of the Can’ includes Open Sportsman, Street Stocks, CRSA 305 Sprint Cars, IMCA-style Modifieds, XCel 600 Modifieds, Four Cylinders and Factory Stocks. To learn more about the Saturday events, visit www.penncan.com.
To learn more about the Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP, visit www.bdmotorsportsmedia.com, e-mail Brett Deyo at bdmotorsportsmedia@gmail.com or call 845.728.2781. BD Motorsports Media is on Facebook and on Twitter: @BrettDeyo.
Penn Can Speedway is located seven miles off Interstate 81 Exit 230 in on Route 171 Susquehanna, PA. The GPS address, within a block of the speedway, is 98 State Street Susquehanna, PA 18847. The speedway office phone number is 570.853.3434. On race day, call 570.585.9928. For more information, visit www.penncan.com or like “Penn Can Speedway” on Facebook.
Past Penn Can Speedway ‘King of the Can’ Winners
2013 – Billy Decker
2012 – Ryan Godown
2011 – Stewart Friesen
2010 – Kevin Bates
2009 – Weather
2008 – Duane Howard
2007 – Jeff Rudalavage
2006 – Joey Grammes
2005 – Brian Weaver
2004 – Doug Hoffman
2003 – Jamie Shea
2002 – Jeff Rudalavage
2001 – Keith Hoffman
2000 – Kirk Horton
1999 – Brian Weaver
Sources: BD Motorsports Media