LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. — The PRI Trade Show’s annual Friday night tradition of an exciting evening of racing at the PRI Sprint & Midget Classic will not be held in 2008. Show and race organizer Steve Lewis said the race will be postponed for one year, with a planned return in 2009.
“We’re currently working on plans to make the event even bigger and better, but we need more time to put everything in place. We will start promoting the events at the 2008 Performance Racing Industry Trade Show, as we still have a lot of details yet to be worked out with regard to big changes in the race program,” said Lewis.
The PRI Trade Show is the world’s largest racing trade show and is being held Dec. 11-13 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla.
For three years, thousands of members of the racing industry have packed Orlando Speedworld to enjoy the wild, wheel-to-wheel racing action of the PRI Sprint & Midget Classic.
“It has been a great night for all of us, and we’ll miss it this year,” added Lewis. “We’re going to retool it, possibly with a new location, and bring back an expanded event with more thrilling elements to the schedule.”

Pocono Gets Unique Sponsorship Package

POCONO, Pa. — Brandon Igdalsky, president of Pocono Raceway, Tom Foley, CEO of the American Red Cross Southeastern Pennsylvania (SEPA) Chapter, and Bob Owens, senior vice president of Sunoco, announced details of a sponsorship agreement for the Sunoco Red Cross Pennsylvania 500 Sprint Cup race Aug. 1-3.
A partnership of Sunoco, Pocono Raceway and the American Red Cross Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter was formed to provide much-needed funds to help people throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania recover from disasters. Through this partnership, Pocono Raceway is also donating a portion of the proceeds from ticket sales and merchandise, as well as providing other revenue-generating efforts to benefit the Red Cross SEPA Chapter’s Red Cross House.
“This is the first time since 1997 Pocono Raceway has changed the name of the race,” said Igdalsky. “Pocono Raceway admires and respects the work of the Red Cross and wanted to help support its mission and the great work they do for families in Pennsylvania.”

Soggy Firecracker 100 Reset For July 29

SARVER, Pa. — The rain-postponed second-annual Firecracker 100 at Lernerville Speedway has been rescheduled for July 29.
Heavy rains forced the postponement of the $150,000 World of Outlaws Late Model Series event.
The entire schedule, which includes 180 laps of racing, will be held on the rain date. Firecracker 100 rainchecks and pit bands will be honored. The full program, including C- and B-mains, a $3,000-to-win Uncle Sam 30 for non-qualifiers and the $40,000-to-win Firecracker 100, is slated.
Fans who purchased reserved camping spots should contact the Lernerville Speedway office by July 25 to confirm those spots, which will be provided at no additional charge. General camping is free.
For more information, visit www.lernerville.com or call (724) 353-1151.

Road-Racer Drissi Continues Recovery

TOPEKA, Kan. — SCCA Pro Racing Speed World Challenge driver Tony Drissi is still recovering from a fractured vertebrae he sustained when the throttle on his No. 15 Chevrolet Corvette stuck and he crashed into the wall during practice earlier this year at the Long Beach Grand Prix.
Drissi said he hopes to be back behind the wheel — at least in testing — by the end of July.
“I’m doing OK,” Drissi said. “I’ve got another week with the back brace on, and I started physical therapy a couple weeks ago. If the doctor clears me, we were hoping to do a test at the end of July or the beginning of August. Road America might be pushing it a little bit. If not that, we’ll probably be back in time for Mosport.”

Fans Offered Deals Through ‘WIN’ Program

CONCORD, N.C. — Motorsports Authentics launched its new “Whip Inflation Now” (WIN) program this past weekend at Daytona Int’l Speedway.
The WIN program offers special pricing on selected Motorsports Authentics items, including apparel and die-casts, each weekend at trackside merchandise trailers. Special pricing will be in the form of top-line price reductions and special bundle pricing in which race fans can get a free or reduced-price item with purchase. WIN-priced items can also be found online at www.goracing.com.

Annual Bootheel 200 Reset For Saturday

MALDEN, Mo. — Malden Speedway will host the twice-postponed second-annual Bootheel 200 finale Saturday.
 The event features more than 200 laps of racing action in seven of the area’s most popular divisions. More than $20,000 in prize money is up for grabs, making it one of the speedway’s largest events of the 2008 racing season.
The Bootheel 200 was originally scheduled for March 28-29 before being washed out by heavy storms. Then, more rains on the rescheduled weekend forced the postponement of the finale after preliminaries were completed on May 9.
Saturday’s finale features racing in seven classes, including the O’Reilly United Sprint Car Series, the Rislone USCS Modified Series, Fastrak Late Models and Malden Speedway hobby-stock, street-stock, E-mod and mini-stock classes.

Posey Takes Trip Around Lime Rock

LAKEVILLE, Conn. — The first race laps after Lime Rock Park’s July 3 reopening went to retired race driver, author and television commentator Sam Posey Thursday.
“I feel like a kid again,” Posey said at the start-finish line before taking a vintage Formula Ford out on the track.
Lime Rock will now host the Skip Barber Racing School. The American Le Mans Series also visits for the ALMS  Northeast Grand Prix July 11-12.