Legendary Hilltop Introduces $10,000 To Win River City Showdown

By Matt Chalfant

(Marietta, Ohio)

Following an ultra-successful 2015 racing season at the Legendary Hilltop Speedway in Marietta Ohio, the staff at Legendary Hilltop in cooperation with officials from the American Motor Racing Association (AMRA) and the Southeast Dirt Modified Series (SEDMS) are excited to introduce the Inaugural $10,000 to win “River City Showdown” Modified special slated for June 10th-11th 2016! The SEDMS “Perfect Storm” powered by AMRA event scheduled for the second weekend in June will feature a record paying purse of nearly $40,000 for the always exciting AMRA Modifieds battling side by side with the SEDMS Modifieds, plus two (2) full separate shows for the ARMA Late Models each night, as well as other TBA classes. The event is sure to feature many of the country’s top open wheel modified teams battling at the ¼ mile track in an action packed two day show, which will be highlighted by an AMRA points paying, 50 lap, $10,000 to win SEDMS Modified special on Saturday night featuring the top regional AMRA talents battling against some of the south’s most competitive Modified teams who will make their way north to invade “The Top” for a chance at the cool $10,000 purse and racing glory!

The race weekend will kick off on Thursday night as the track will open for a brief practice session as well as other festivities to kick off the racing weekend. Then on Friday night, the action will pick up as cars will hit the track for preliminary racing action including a complete set of heats in the Modifieds plus a full show for the AMRA Late Models and other TBA classes. Saturday’s busy night of racing will see the Modifieds pick up the action in the B-Mains, as drivers will battle for the final transfer spots into the Saturday night main event. For those modified drivers who fail to make the 50 lap main event, the track will also hold a $1,200 to win $100 to start Modified Contenders race with the winner earning the option to transfer into the A-main or take the money and run! In all, over 40 Modified drivers will take home feature prize money over the course of the weekend. In addition to this, fans will be treated to another high octane racing, action packed AMRA Late Model special!

The “River City Showdown” 50 lap main event will highlight the Saturday night show in a sure to be exciting shootout, featuring a field of top Modified drivers going head to head to become the first ever “River City Showdown” Champion and place their name as one of dirt modified racing’s premier talents. As an added bonus, the track and SEDMS officials will also have (2) provisional starting spots in place for Saturday’s main event, which will be awarded to the driver ranking highest in LHS track point standings, who fails to make the feature and the second provisional will be awarded to the driver highest in the SEDMS series standings, who also fails to make the feature in order to support the drivers who support both parties throughout the season. The track that successfully hosted the 7th Annual Greg Schilling Memorial and a Buckeye Late Model Dirt Week event for the first time in 2015, hopes to continue its exciting racing rebirth with the addition of the “River City Showdown” event which will be held in just the tracks 4th full season since reopening. Under the leadership of promoter Lhan Weppler and his staff, the track has reemerged from a tree covered forgotten facility to a prominent racing venue attracting many of the Ohio Valley’s top racing teams on Friday nights throughout the season. The track that sits just outside of Marietta Ohio along the Ohio River, has plans to make facility improvements including the addition of seating for the second year in a row, plus many other facility upgrades as the staff strives to make continued efforts to elevate the track for an improved fan experience.

More information on the event will be announced as it becomes available. The track staff would like to share that presale tickets, pit passes and any entry fee’s (TBA) will become available at a later date and feature early bird pricing. Camping will be made available closer to the race date as the staff prepares the facility for the event. The weekend of racing is going to be more than just a race, but rather a 3 day celebration of speed, competition and racing at the Legendary Hilltop Speedway in beautiful Marietta Ohio! Be sure to make plans to join the rest of the racing community at “The Top” on June 10th-11th to become a part of history and witness of the most highly anticipated and most coveted racing events of 2016! Watch social media sites for further details as ticket prices, camping, vendor info and lodging deals will be announced as soon as the Hilltop track banquet on December 6th!

Octane Race Products is the AMRA Modified sponsor, while McDonald’s of the Tri-State is the title sponsor for the Late Models. Other fine sponsors of the AMRA Modified series are Dave Poske’s Performance Parts, Hoosier Racing Tire/Hoosier Tire Ohio Valley, AERO Racing Wheels, Two-Brothers Racing, Lincoln Welders & Lincoln Electric, AR Bodies, Hypercoils, Bazell Race Fuels, Alky Racing Alcohol and Sunoco Race Fuels, Impact Racing, RCI, OTR Filters, MSD Ignition, Wilwood Brakes, Kluhsman Racing Components (KRC), Evans Vinyl Signs, Winters Performance Products, Bilstein Shocks, AFCO, PST Drive Shafts, Schoenfeld, and Killer Bee Race Bodies. MSD Ignition is the Official Sponsor of the MSD Ironman Award!

MSD Ignition is the official Ignition of the AMRA. Hall’s Auto Repair and Fleet Services is the official sponsor of the AMRA Modified Rookie of the Year! AR Bodies is the official sponsor of the AMRA Late Model Rookie of the Year and McDonald’s of the Tri-State is the official sponsor of the all new Sport Mod Rookie of the Year! Join the AMRA now!-America’s Open Wheeled Modified’s Most Competitive Series!

Drivers and Fans can seek updates on www.amramodified.com or the AMRA Facebook page. The AMRA wishes to thank to all of the racers and promoters who have supported and participated in the past and to those continuing to support and participate in the AMRA. For more information about the AMRA, Visit amramodified.com or visit their facebook page.