World of Outlaws to match up with Pennsylvania in timeless battle at historic oval!
Friday program dedicated to fallen champion Greg Hodnett
9/23/18
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Mechanicsburg – The 56th annual Williams Grove Speedway Champion Racing Oil National Open for sprint cars, sanctioned by the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series, is on tap at Williams Grove Speedway coming up this Friday and Saturday, September 28 and 29 at 7:30 pm.
Saturday’s 56th annual, 40-lap Champion Racing Oil National Open will pay a gigantic $56,000 to win on the heels of Friday’s National Open Preliminary, which will go 27 laps for $10,000 to win.
Friday’s Open Preliminary night of action will be dedicated to fallen Williams Grove champion and current point leader Greg Hodnett of Spring Grove, who lost his life in a racing accident on September 20.
Friday’s feature event will be 27 laps in distance in honor of Hodnett, who was the pilot of the No. 27 Heffner sprint car.
The Williams Grove Open began in 1963 when future Indianapolis 500 champion Gordon Johncock invaded to pick up the win.
And the race has become a fall classic for the sprint cars across the nation since that time, drawing only the best sprint car pilots that the industry has produced to compete for its coveted laurels.
Last year, Connecticut’s David Gravel struck for his second career $50,000 win in the marquee event for the Williams Grove sprint cars while a pair of preliminary events went to James McFadden and Gravel.
No one in sprint car history has more wins in the prestigious Williams Grove Open event than touring traveler Donny Schatz of North Dakota with five to his credit.
Of local drivers or transplanted drivers racing locally during their career, five pilots are tied at three wins each in the Open.
Kenny Weld, Steve Smith, Stevie Smith, Doug Wolfgang and Lance Dewease have all scored a hat trick.
This week’s Champion Racing Oil National Open races were to crown the 2018 Williams Grove Speedway track titlist with the crown bestowed following Saturday’s Open finale however postponement of a make-up full point event on September 21 will extend the point season beyond the Open races.
The late Greg Hodnett of Spring Grove holds the current Williams Grove point lead as the Open races begin. Hodnett was vying for his sixth career track title.
Adult general admission for the Friday night preliminary event is set at $30 with students ages 13 – 20 priced at $15.
Prices for Saturday’s 56th annual, $56,000 to win Champion Racing Oil National Open are set at $35 for adults and $20 for students.
Youth ages 12 and under are always admitted for FREE at Williams Grove Speedway.
Keep up to all the latest speedway news and information by visiting the oval’s official website at www.williamsgrove.com or by following the track on Facebook and Twitter.
