February 22, 2010

WILLIAMS GROVE A HEAVY FAVORITE TO BEAT THE WEATHER MARCH 19

    MECHANICSBURG, PA -- Although Pennsylvania remains under a thick
snow pack, the 2010 racing season at Williams Grove Speedway is set to
open in less than a month and if recent history can be used as an
indicator, then the odds are in favor of the opener being run on Friday
night, March 19, as scheduled.
    Over the past ten years the period from March 19 through March 31
has produced weather good enough to allow the Grove to run 86% of its
scheduled sprint car races.
    Since the turn of the century, Williams Grove has scheduled 21 races
between March 19 and March 31 and only three dates were lost to the
elements.        Snow caused cancellation of a March 30 race in 2003. 
Rain washed out dates on March 20, `05 and March 23, `07.  The later was
rescheduled and successfully completed on March 25, '07.
    The eighteen races run from March 19-31 during the past ten years
produced 13 different winners.
    Defending track champion Todd Shaffer has been the master of late
March, winning four times to top all drivers.  One of those wins gets an
asterisk since the feature was rained out on March 31, `06 and completed
as part of the April 7 program.
    Other late March repeat winners included Greg Hodnett and Keith
Kauffman with two apiece.  Fred Rahmer, Don Kreitz, Jr., Brook Weibley,
Cris Eash, Todd Hestor, Niki Young, Mike Erdley, Lance Dewease, Craig
Dollansky and Pat Cannon have also won during that time period.
    Shaffer won on March 20 and again on March 27 last year.
    This season's opener will include the Grove's sprint cars along with
the 358s and is scheduled to start at 7:30.
    The late models will share the pit area with the sprint cars on
March 26.