[Bill Lackey]

ARCA’s Allegiant Late Model Gold Cup Series for the outlaw-style bodied cars is preparing to branch out just a bit for the very first time since the beginning of the Series in the mid-1990’s. Sunday, May 27 Spartan Speedway in Mason, MI, just minutes from the state capitol of Lansing, will host the Series for a 100 lap shoot-out on the ¼ mile paved oval.

The Series has consisted of several races each season at Flat Rock and Toledo Speedway’s, ARCA 2 short track properties. After several conversations over the last few seasons with Spartan owner Jim Leasure, an agreement was sealed to bring the Allegiant Gold Cup Series to Spartan May 27.

“This gives our race teams a chance to visit another track and hopefully will add fans and race teams to all 3 tracks throughout the season,” noted Ron Drager, ARCA President and promoter of Flat Rock and Toledo. “That is our ultimate goal.”

The Sunday, May 27 contest at Spartan is part of the Sunday “Slugfest” Series at “The Track the Stars Call Home”. Spartan’s Pony Stocks, Spartan Stocks and a Pony Stock Figure 8 race will also be in action for the Memorial Day holiday weekend event.

The pits open at Noon, practice begins at 1:30, time trials are at 4:30 and racing begins at 6 p.m.

“Many of the drivers that have entered have never been to Spartan to race, or it’s been a long time since they’ve paid a visit to the track,” added Drager. “This adds to the interest and excitement of going to Spartan, and with several of the Tripp's Auto Shop Collision Centers super late model drivers also expected, it should add up to a great night of Late Model racing.”

A total of 15 drivers have filed entries as of May 14. A field of 20-25 cars is expected to be on hand, including defending Gold Cup champ Dennis Strickland and 2-time champ Harold Fair Jr. The entire entry list can be viewed at www.spartanspeedway.com,www.flatrockspeedway.com or www.toledospeedway.com.

Fastime Racing Engines and Parts of Wyandotte, MI have posted a $100 bonus for the fast qualifier for each of the six contests. Each Gold Cup race will pay a minimum of $500 to start the feature events.

The ARCA Allegiant Gold Cup 2012 champion will receive a test ride at the ARCA test in December at Daytona International Speedway, courtesy of Fast Track Driving High Performance Driving School president Andy Hillenburg. The top 3 in the final points will receive a pair of round-trip tickets, courtesy of Allegiant Travel.

Terry Senneker took the Gold Cup opener at Toledo April 29. Additional races include the Diamond Racing Products Joy Fair Memorial 100 Saturday, June 23 at Flat Rock, and the series returns to Toledo Friday, July 6 and rolls back to Flat Rock Saturday, July 28 for the Moran Chevrolet Stan Yee Memorial 150. The final race of the 6-race Series is at Toledo Friday, August 17, a combination point race with the Main Event Racing Series, for the Miller Lite 100.



On Friday, May 25 will be "Autograph Night" sponsored by Heartland Woods. Tripp's Auto Shop Collision Centers Wingless Springs will be in action along with Sawyer's Chevy Superstore Modifieds, Lipari Foods Spartan Stocks, and Boss Snow Plows Pony Stocks.

For additional information, please call 419-727-1100, or log onto www.flatrockspeedway.com, www.toledospeedway.com. or www.spartanspeedway.com

ARCA ALLEGIANT GLASS CITY GOLD CUP SERIES

SPARTAN 100-SPARTAN SPEEDWAY--MAY 27, 2012

OFFICIAL PRE-ENTRY LIST--AS OF 5-14-12

Car No. Driver/Hometown Sponsor

O Chad Guinn/Monroe, MI PB Fabrication
16 tba Bob Blount Motorsports
16 Claude Plante Jr./Chesterfield, MI DTS Drive Train Specialists/RJS Safety Equipment/Van's Tire
21 Steve Cronenwett Jr./Canton, MI Giles Auto Body
23 Mike Young/Toledo, OH PB Fabrication
40 Nick Grodi/Oak Harbor, OH Offshore Perfor. Ctr/TDC Co/Warpaint Graphics/Dick Crown/Interst. Batteries
40 Mike Luberda/AuGres, MI Performance Engineering Race Engines
41 Brent Jack/Auburn, IN Port City Racecars/Krieger Racing Engines/Hartman Auto Body
44 Paul Pelletier/Trenton, MI Duane's Roadrunner/ABC Plumb/Exotic Automation/Dusty's Collision
53 Joe Hawes/Brownstown, MI Joe Hawes Racing Dodge
71 Terry Bogusz/Shelby Twp, MI Nicholas Gantner Foundation/The 550Fund.org/RJS Safety Equipment
71 Harold Fair Jr./Milan, MI Royal Truck and Trailer Sales
86 Ron Allen/Lincoln Park, MI Gonyea Auto Supply/Dillon Race Cars/Fastime Racing Engines/Parts
90 Dennis Strickland/Carleton, MI Trenton Forging/Strategy One/Mich WiFi.com/Complete Battery Source
116 Jack Varney Jr./Mt. Morris, MI Great Lakes Helicopter/Port City Racecars/Vohs Contractors/RJS Safety
Equipment/Collins Heavyhaul/Krieger Engines/Boulevard Communications