6th Annual Ed Laboon Memorial Up Next At PPMS

BY RICH BERRY
MAY 31, 2017

Racing action continues at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway on Saturday, June 3, as the Sunoco Sportsman division will headline the card for the running of the Sixth Annual Ed Laboon Memorial race. The area’s biggest race of the season for the division will be sanctioned by the Homak Manufacturing Penn Ohio Pro Stock Series. The main event will be 25 laps in distance, and will pay $2017 to the winner. All of the 28 feature starters will earn at least $200, and there are no driver entry fees. There will be group qualifying, heat races, last chance qualifiers, and the Dobs Auto Non Qualifier race. The event will be broadcast live on the internet at www.floracing.com . There will be multiple contingency awards, and the Platinum Sponsors for the event are Horhut Tree Experts, West Mifflin Collision, Shannon Motorsports, Northwood Realty, Schwartzmiller Ground Maintenance, Supercuts Whitehall, and Ground Effex Landscaping. The Alternative Power Sources Allegheny Sprint Tour will also visit on this night, and there will be weekly point racing for the Precise Racing Products RUSH Late Models. Also on the card, racing in feature events only, will be the Super6 Late Models, Miley Truck Rental Hobby Stocks, Imperial Heights Garage Young Guns, and CruiseAmerica Open Fours.

Last year’s Ed Laboon Memorial race was won by Todd Weldon over a field of 58 cars. Rusty Martz is a two time winner, winning the event in 2013 and 2015. Curt Bish won in 2014. Jake Simmons won the inaugural event in 2012.

With a large number of Sportsman cars expected, the pit area will open early at 4:00 PM when pre-race tech will begin. Hot laps will begin at 6:00, with Sportsman time trials immediately following hot laps. Race teams are urged to arrive early, so they do not miss hot laps or time trials.

This past Saturday’s racing program was completed, despite wet conditions that left the track surface very wet and the pit area a quagmire. Among those that were happy that the show was completed was Gary Kriess of Butler, who was the big winner of the Wahl Family Heating, Cooling, and Plumbing sponsored “Spring Wing Fling.” Kriess now leads the track’s 410 Sprint point chase for the limited number of events that will be held for the division by four over Ralph Engel, Jr. The Alternative Power Sources Allegheny Sprint Tour event was won by Kyle Colwell from Knox, as they return to this week’s racing program. Justin Lamb from Findlay Township was the feature winner in the Precise Racing Products RUSH Late Models, earning him the division point lead by seven points over Daryl Charlier and John Mollick who are tied for second. Defending point champion and current point leader Dave McManus of Elizabeth earned the win in the Sunoco Sportsman division, as several outside invaders were on hand to prepare for this week’s Ed Laboon Memorial. McManus leads the points by seven over A.J. Poljak. Other feature winners were Levi Spinneweber from Butler in the Super6 Late Models, Adam Ferree of Jefferson Hills in the Miley Truck Rental Hobby Stocks, Pittsburgh’s Justin Clark in the Imperial Heights Garage Young Guns, and Matthew Rubright from Harmony in the CruiseAmerica Open Fours.

On Saturday, June 10, the 410 Outlaw Winged Sprints will return, as will the Diehl Automotive Super Late Models in a twin top billing program. There will be point racing for the Precise Racing Products RUSH Late Models. Also on the card, competing in feature races only, will be the Sunoco Sportsman, Super6 Late Models, Miley Truck Rental Hobby Stocks, Imperial Heights Garage Young Guns, and CruiseAmerica Open Fours. The following Saturday, June 17 will see the running of the Fifth Annual Herb Scott Memorial, featuring Race 1 of the Diehl Automotive Super Series with the Zimmer’s Service Center United Late Model Series. Joining the racing program that night will be the Big Block Modifieds, Precise Racing Products RUSH Late Models, Sunoco Sportsman, and RUSH Modifieds. There will be no racing on June 24.

Sunoco Race Fuels has a program where they give away five gallons of racing fuel to selected divisions on each race night. To be entered, teams must purchase at least five gallons of racing fuel at the track. Winners of five gallons of fuel from the May 13 opening night program were Mike Reft in the Rush Late Models, and A.J. Poljak in the Sportsman. Fuel winners on May 20 were Daryl Charlier in RUSH Late Models, Dave McManus in the Sportsman, and Rocky Kugel in the visiting RUSH Modifieds. Last week’s winner were John Mollick in the RUSH Late Models and McManus again in the Sportsman.

For all racing programs, the gates open at 5:00 PM, with warm-ups at 6:00 PM and racing at 7:00 PM. Follow us on Facebook at @PAMotorSpeedway or on Twitter at @PAMotorSpeedway for timely information updates. The Twitter account is used extensively on race nights for live updates. Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway is located west of the city of Pittsburgh, just south of the Noblestown exit of U.S. Route 22, or 170 Kelso Road in Imperial, PA, for GPS purposes. The track phone is 724-695-3363 on race days, or call 412-279-RACE. For complete information including ticket information, please visit the track website at www.ppms.com .

Upcoming Events:

Saturday, June 3, 2017 – “Action Event” featuring the Sixth Annual Ed Laboon Memorial for the Homak Manufacturing Penn Ohio Pro Stock Series for Sunoco Sportsman, plus the Alternative Power Sources Allegheny Sprint Tour. Point racing for the Precise Racing Products RUSH Late Models. Plus features only for the Super6 Late Models, Miley Truck Rental Hobby Stocks, Imperial Heights Garage Young Guns, and CruiseAmerica Open Fours.

Saturday, June 10, 2017 – 410 Outlaw Winged Sprints, Diehl Automotive Super Late Models, and Precise Racing Products RUSH Late Models. Plus features only for Sunoco Sportsman, Super6 Late Models, Miley Truck Rental Hobby Stocks, Imperial Heights Garage Young Guns, and CruiseAmerica Open Fours.

Saturday, June 17, 2017 – The Fifth Annual Herb Scott Memorial, featuring Race 1 of the Diehl Automotive Super Series with the Zimmer’s Service Center United Late Model Series. Plus Big Block Modifieds, Precise Racing Products RUSH Late Models, Sunoco Sportsman, and RUSH Modifieds.

Saturday, June 24, 2017 – No racing, PPMS Employees June Vacation.

Saturday, July 1, 2017 – Berks/Nickles presents Dollar Dog Night with Diehl Automotive Driver Autograph Night, featuring the Rick’s Trucks and Equipment BOSS Sprint Series for traditional non-winged sprints. Plus Precise Racing Products RUSH Late Models, Sunoco Sportsman, Super6 Late Models, Miley Truck Rental Hobby Stocks, Imperial Heights Garage Young Guns, CruiseAmerica Open Fours. Twin State Auto Racing Club Night.