American Speedway
American Speedway: Champion speedway to add event on Sunday July 20th.
By Admin
Jul 8, 2008, 23:28

Things have been going so well at Champion Speedway this year that the track has decided to add an event on Sunday, July 20th, with a couple twists...first off the track  will run the event on a Sunday, different from its past 3 races which have been on Saturdays and secondly two visiting Californian stars, Shawn McConnell and Shaun Harmatiuk will be on hand for the regular program on the 20th as a tune up for the US Nationals which Champion plays host to the following Sunday.

Crowds have started to flood the facility again at Champion Speedway this year to watch its crazy speedway motorcycle races where the bikes slide completely sideways with no brakes and accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in less than 3 seconds while running on methanol. Champion also runs classes for ATV's and dirt bike which have also seen a swell in size. At the last two events Champion had 68 entries and 70 entries. Speedway racing has been great but some of the other classes have been very entertaining as well. Lawnmower racing has even been an addition this summer.The crowd was so large that the concession stand sold out of food by half-time. Champion once attracted 2,000-3,000 spectators a night back in the 70's and 80's when they ran always ran on Sunday evenings. It seems the track is headed for those days again.

There was not supposed to be any racing at Champion until July, 27 when the US Open Nationals finals roll into town but track promoter, Rochester area pro-hockey player, Jason Bonsignore, was so happy with the way things have been revived this year that he decided to run on the Sunday night of the 20th. Bonsignore, who also owns Champion's sister track, Action Park East in Greene, has had great success switching Champion to a mostly Saturday schedule the majority of the 12 years he has ran it but has only been able to run every other weekend at Champion most years so that he could run Action Park on Saturdays as well. Action Park always ran Saturdays and that seems to be the only night for good turnouts at that venue. With Champion flourishing though Bonsignore would like to go to an every week schedule for next season, one that possibly consists of Saturdays but Sundays on weeks when Action Park is in action, and July 20th will be a good test to see how many people will come out for Sunday shows nowadays. In the past it was huge turnouts for Sundays at Champion and Bonsignore hopes with an early start time of 6pm that he can make Sundays back into something popular for some specials next year.

The US Open series that comes to Champion for the finals on Sunday July 27th s one of the most prestigious Speedway events in North America and will feature several huge names taking on the best the rest of the Country has to offer. McConnell, of Brea, CA, is the defending Champion and Hollywood stuntman who has appeared in such films as Terminator 3. Harmatiuk, who has just returned from a stint in British League professional racing and from representing the USA team in World Cup competition, was a member of the USA dream team in England two years ago with one of Champion's brightest young local stars, Adam Mittl of Endicott. Also coming from England is former World Finalist and Champion all over the world, Phil Collins, who's older brother was the 1976 World Speedway Champion.

The US Open starts Friday, July 25th at Batavia, NY and then moves to ActionPark in Greene on Saturday the 26th before the finals at Owego Sunday night. Advance tickets will be on sale at Champion on July, 20th. Discounts will be available for those who buy advanced tickets or attend both local track that weekend.