JENNERSTOWN CELEBRATES ‘CHRISTMAS IN AUGUST’ THIS SATURDAY

JENNERSTOWN, PA (Aug. 22) … Jennerstown Speedway, in conjunction with the Tom Clark Auto Family, will celebrate the holiday season five months early this Saturday evening with a big ‘Christmas in August’ Fan Appreciation Night that will be staged along with the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series racing program at the half-mile paved Laurel Highlands speed plant.

Highlighting the evening will be bicycle and big wheel races for kids up to 12-years of age. Children must provide their own bicycles and everyone will be required to wear a protective helmet in the races.

Kids can also meet Santa, and receive free presents. There will also be a ‘Toys for Toys’ drive, and fans are encouraged to bring a new toy that can be distributed to needy children in December.

Prior to the start of the racing events an on-track autograph session will be held, permitting fans to go trackside to meet their favorite drivers and gain a close-up view of the cars participating in the race event.

Capping off the nights festivities will be the fifth Speedway fireworks spectacular of the 2006 season.

Last week the entire feature event schedule was cancelled when a severe thunder and lightening storm struck the speedway at the conclusion of the qualifying heat races.

Although the completion of the heat races constituted a completed event under speedway guidelines, track management has extended an invitation for everyone to bring their ‘rain checks’ to this weeks event for free admission.

“We were overwhelmed by the large crowd that was in attendance last Saturday evening, considering the strong possibility of rain that was in the weather forecast,” said track General Manager Larry Mattingly. “We want to show our support for the fans by inviting them back this week to see a free race on us.”

One of the drivers everyone will have their eye on is Windber’s Robby Marhefka, who has come alive in the Courtesy Suzuki super late model class the past few weeks. The second generation driver, who has returned to weekly competition after spending the past several seasons on the Hooters ProCup tour, has been very competitive after overcoming a series of nagging mechanical problems and on-track incidents with his new crate-engine car.

“We are starting to get faster and more competitive each week,” Marhefka said. “We seemed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time at the beginning of the year. We’re starting to make progress, and we are running with the leaders.”

Admission for the fan appreciation night special is $4.00, regardless of age.

Spectator gates will open at 5:00 pm, with the on-track autograph session set to begin at 6:00. The first race will receive the green flag at 7:00 pm.

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