Dale Earnhardt Jr. Getting Back In Shape For 2017 Return
Story By: ERNIE SAXTON / DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA
Photos By: GETTY IMAGES / RACERSUIDE.COM PHOTO STAFF
Reading Pa.- October 20, 2016- Dale Earnhardt Jr. is confident he will be back in shape ready for racing on the NASCAR Sprint Cup circuit come the 2017 Daytona 500 in February.
Earnhardt has not driven a race car since early July. He will miss a total of 18 races during the 2016 season. This is all the result of a concussion suffered in a June 12th crash at Michigan International Speedway.
Though he has not been driving the race car, he has been doing promotional work for his sponsors and has been showing up at some Cup races so that he can keep in touch with the crew and offer some advice to drivers that have filled in for him, Alex Bowman and Jeff Gordon.
He has also spent time planning his wedding to fiancée Amy Reiman. The veteran racer turned 42 last week and there was talk that he would be retiring. That is not in his plans.
Earnhardt, the most popular driver in NASCAR, has been following doctor’s orders and he feels he will be in great shape coming the opening of the 2017 season.
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Since it was introduced four years ago, Mahoning Valley Speedway’s season-ending Octoberfast has become a race that drivers and fans alike have flocked to as the high stakes event showcases the very best of the home track stars as well as drawing a nice group of invaders who try their luck at going after the always lucrative purse put up by promoter Floyd Santee.
The Modifieds, as always, are the headline and thus far the past four events have been exceptionally thrilling shows that have all come right down to the wire but looking ahead to the Saturday, October 22 showdown, this could very well be the best yet as the popular Ferris Mowers Race of Champions Modified Series Fueled by Sunoco tour drivers will be going head-to-head with the Mahoning steadies. The race will be a distance of 150 laps and pay $5,000 to win.
Fans should be in for a great showing of Modifieds too as not only does this race annually pull a great field, but the Mahoning race will play a pivotal role with the RoC Tour as well thanks to the rescheduling of the Race of Champions 250 that was postponed from September 17 to October 29 at Oswego Speedway.
Mahoning is now the next to last stop for the RoC racers and points will be at a premium for the Tour regulars who will need precious markers heading into their finale following their stop in Lehighton.
Adding to the excitement is the Mahoning championship as well. Although October 1 is the final point race night of the regular season, Octoberfast has been designated as a 100 bonus point show thus giving fans a chance to see who will be this year’s track champion as well as the would be RoC titlist.
Current RoC point leader Patrick Emerling, of Orchard Park, N.Y., will lead the Tour brigade into Mahoning Valley over present runner-up Chuck Hossfeld of North Tonawanda, N.Y. along with a star studded cast of Modified headliners.
Eric Beers of Northampton, who won the RoC Ice Breaker 75 earlier this year at Mahoning, will be looking to lockup his third career track crown at Octoberfast. He holds the top spot in points over Kris Graver and Earl Paules.
Octoberfast 2016 will also feature the Late Models in a 60-lap/$1,500 to win main. Street Stocks will go 75 laps and receive $1,500 to win plus it is the deciding show for the overall winner of the American Rental Street Stock Gamblers Series. Hobby Stocks will head out in a 40 lap/$400-to-win feature. Respective class titles will be on the line in those divisions as well. The All Star Slingshots are also on the card.
It all adds up to what should unquestionably be a remarkable day of pavement racing at the Lehighton ¼-mile oval.
All scheduled events are subject to change.
For additional information log onto www.mahoningvalley-speedway.com or on Facebook at Mahoning Valley Speedway.
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Bridgeport, N.J., Speedway still has some racing events left on their schedule including: Saturday & Sunday, November 4 & 5 – URC/360 Sprints Big Track Classic plus Crate/Sportsman Showdown; Friday, November 11 – Wild Card Weekend – 358 Small Blocks, TSRS Sprint Cars, Outlaw Stocks plus practice for Saturday; Saturday, November 12 – Gone But Not Forgotten – 811 Dig Safely Poker Series Hand #5 – Big Block Modifieds, Crate/Sportsman & Outlaw Stocks.
