Wet, Unsettled Forecast Forces Postponement Of ‘Hard Clay Open’ At Orange County Fair Speedway To Saturday, April 11; Entire Program Plus Street Stocks Moved; Season Pass Holders Compensated; Short Track Super Series Points Concession Announced

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WET WEATHER FORCES THE POSTPONEMENT OF ORANGE COUNTY ‘HARD CLAY OPEN’ UNTIL APRIL 11 (4-5-15)

Wet, Unsettled Forecast Forces Postponement Of ‘Hard Clay Open’ At Orange County Fair Speedway To Saturday, April 11; Entire Program Plus Street Stocks Moved; Season Pass Holders Compensated; Short Track Super Series Points Concession Announced

MIDDLETOWN, NY – A wet, unsettled forecast has prompted the postponement of the ‘Hard Clay Open’ at Orange County Fair Speedway.

The second annual event, sponsored by Halmar International, United Pump & Tank and East Coast Speed/ECS Auto Inc., will now take place next Saturday, April 11 at the historic five-eighths-mile track. OCFS promoter Michael Gurda IV made the decision after thoroughly reviewing all available forecast information for the race’s original date, April 7, and the posted rain dates.

“We’ve been watching the weather, just like everyone else has,” Gurda said. “We’re looking at a wet, damp week. In my opinion, there is no sense in forcing the event to take place on a weeknight when the weather is questionable at best, especially when a Saturday date has become available to us (a number of New York tracks have been forced to push back their events due to the winter).

“This early decision will save race teams and fans time off they would have needed to take for a Tuesday race with poor weather.”

The ‘Hard Clay Open’ program in its entirety will move to Saturday, April 11. Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By Hi-Tek Modifieds will run 50 laps for a purse totaling more than $30,000: $5,000 to win, $1,000 for 10^th-place and $500 to take the green flag.

A long list of contingency awards and bonuses has been put into place for the event. Additionally, there is $2,597, a new series record, in lap money that will be distributed to racers in the 50-lap headliner.

The ‘Hard Clay Open’ will mark Race No. 1 of the Bob Hilbert Sportswear North Region $15,000 championship battle.

A “drop race” had already been in place for the STSS North Region, meaning a race team with other commitments for Saturday will not lose a shot at the series title. Teams can drop one of the first seven events on the STSS North Region schedule, but must be in attendance for the October Olum’s Short Track SuperNationals 8 event at I-88 Speedway in Afton, N.Y., to be eligible for point fund money and awards. An attendance point penalty will not be assessed for teams competing at their home track on Saturday in lieu of OCFS.

Crate 602 Sportsman will participate in the Elmo’s Speed & Supply 25 offering $1,250 to the winner and $100 to take the green flag. The Crate 602 Sportsman will run under weekly OCFS rules.

The Street Stocks, under OCFS rules, have been added to the card for April 11 as part of the Crane Golf Street Stock Challenge Series. Heat races and a feature will be contested. The Street Stocks will open their 2015 point season at the ‘Hard Clay Open’ event.

The events previously scheduled for April 11 at OCFS have been supplanted by the ‘Hard Clay Open’ postponement. OCFS season pass holders will be compensated. While season passes were originally not to be honored on April 7, a change has been made for the 11^th: a season pass plus $10 will allow admittance to the pit or grandstand area, respectively.

Minor time schedule changes have been made for the Saturday event. Pit gates will open at 1 p.m. Drive-in gates open at 3 p.m. Grandstand gates open at 4 p.m. A drivers’ meeting will take place at 5:40 p.m. and racing gets underway at 6 p.m.

Grandstand admission is $22 (Adults), $20 (Seniors) and $2 (Kids 6 and under). Pit admission is $35, with no license required.  Advance tickets are on sale through the speedway office by calling 845.342.2573.

Complete race information and rules are posted on the Short Track Super Series website at the following link: http://bdmotorsportsmedia.com/hard-clay-open-rules-general-information/

The Short Track Super Series Fueled By Hi-Tek and BD Motorsports Media LLC can be found on the web at www.shorttracksuperseries.com or www.bdmotorsportsmedia.com. Brett Deyo can be reached by phone at 845.728.2781 or via e-mail: bdmotorsportsmedia@gmail.com. The series is also on Twitter @ShortTrackSS and Facebook under “Short Track Super Series.”

Located at 239 Wisner Avenue Middletown, N.Y., 10940 on the Orange County Fairgrounds, Orange County Fair Speedway is the oldest continuously operating dirt track in the United States. The first auto race was held at the speedway in 1919. The five-eighths-mile oval offers fully-covered and half-covered grandstands in addition to open bleacher seating on the frontstretch and turn one areas, with drive-in viewing on the backstretch. To learn more, contact the Orange County Fair Speedway office at 845.342.2573 or visit www.orangecountyfairspeedway.net.

The Hard Clay Open is presented by Halmar International, United Pump & Tank, ECS Auto Stores Inc./East Coast Speed, American Racer/Lias Tire, Grand Rental Station of Middletown, Rock Fantasy, McGannon Excavating, Elmo’s Speed & Supply, Simplicity Designs, Zubi’s Racing and many other fine marketing partners.

The Short Track Super Series is presented by Hi-Tek Race Fuel, American Racer/Lias Tire, Bob Hilbert Sportswear, Pioneer Pole Buildings Inc., Scotty’s Speed & Diesel, East Coast Speed/ECS Auto, Behrent’s Performance Warehouse, ATL Fuel Cells, Bicknell Racing Products, COMP Performance Group (COMP Cams, Driven Racing Oil & Quarter Master), Crane Ignition, Dirt Track Digest, Fast Axle, Fox Racing Shocks, Henry’s Stainless Steel Exhaust, Hig Fab Chassis, Hyperco, Kirkey Racing Fabrication, Lineman Racing, Pilat Graphic Design, Race Pro Weekly, Racers Guide, S&D Bodyline, S&W Awards, Shiley Fabrication, Simplicity Design, Teo-Pro Car, Vahlco Wheels & VP Racing Fuel.