Marion Center Speedway’s 50^th Anniversary Season got underway Saturday night with the first race of the year; under the watchful eyes of the Potts sisters and Rich Leydic, who now own and operate the track that has been in the same family for all its fifty years-since it was built by their father Dave Potts.  Opening night was sponsored by Cooper Tires/Lias Tire of Indiana and featured the five divisions for this season which are the Super Late Models, Limited Late Models, E-Mods, Strictly Stocks and Front Wheel Drive 4&6 Cylinders (FWD Cylinders).  All divisions were racing for Double Points!  During the playing of the National Anthem, Jim Sebring circled the track in his 222 coupe that won the very first feature at Marion Center Speedway 50 years ago.  Thanks Jim!   The results from the night of racing are:

The Lias Tire Super Late Model twenty-five lap feature was won by Max Blair from Centerville.  Blair had started the feature in fifth place after winning his heat race.  Blair quickly moved up in the ranks to challenge Greg Oakes of Franklinville, NY for the lead.  Oakes had started the race on the pole and was leading every lap until Blair spoiled his plans for victory by overtaking Oakes in the final laps of the feature.  With dual checkered flags flying, Max Blair crossed the finish line first, followed closely by Greg Oakes.  Doug Glessner finished third and was followed by Joe Martin and Dave Blazavich for the top five.  The rest of the field for the Lias Tire Super Late Model division finished as follows: 6) Mat Lux, 7) Billy Eash (The 2015 Track Champion), 8) Tommy Beck, 9) Mike Blose, 10) Doug Eck, 11) Michael Oakes, 12) Levi Sikora, 13) Jayme Beck, 14) Bump Hedman, 15) John Wayne Weaver, 16) Greg Beach, 17) Dan Swartzlander, 18) Joe Petyak, 19) Bill Burns.  The Lias Tire Super Late Model heat races were won by Max Blair, Mike Blose and Joe Martin.

In the Pisano’s Personal Care Home Steel Block Limited Late Model feature it was Wendell Pinckney of Albion who made his way to the Integra Racing Shocks Winner’s Circle.  Pinckney had made a statement prior to the races that night that any and all of his winnings for the night no matter how big or how small would be donated to the Charlie Floyd family.  Charlie Floyd was a fellow racer that lost his life in a tragic accident at another speedway the week before.  Maybe it was “Karma” or the car (which displayed Floyd’s number 99F) or Wendell, but Pinckney was able to pass Cheyenne Reed in the final laps of the Pisano’s Personal Care Home Limited Late Model feature to take the victory.  Cheyenne Reed had started on the outside pole and led every lap but the final two to finish in second place.  Third place went to Dave Buchanan.  The rest of the top ten finished in the order of 4) Jeff Sweeney, 5) Kyle Knapp, 6) Dan Boyd, 7) Keith Witherite, 8) Vern Ward, 9) Tom Jobe, 10) Tom Duratz.  The Pisano’s Personal Care Home Steel Block Limited Late Model heat races went to Dave Buchanan, Tom Shaffer and Cheyenne Reed.  On a side note- a “Go Fund Me” account has been set up to help the family of Charlie Floyd if anyone would wish to make a donation to his family that includes his very young son and a fiancé`.

The E-Mods are back at Marion Center Speedway for the start of the 50^th Anniversary Season.  The E-Mods are sponsored by W. G. Satterlee and Sons.  Troy Johnson from Sugar Grove won the revival running of the division to make his way to the Integra Racing Shocks Winner’s Circle.  He was followed across the finish line by Tom Hagberg of Warren who passed Sam McAdams from Homer City on the final lap for the second place finish leaving McAdams in third place and Rob Middleton from Russell was fourth.  Troy Johnson also won the W. G. Satterlee & Sons E-Mod heat race.

The Willow Farm Campground Strictly Stock feature went to Nick Erskine from Mahaffey.  Erskine led every lap of the fifteen lap feature to go on to the Integra Racing Shocks Winner’s Circle.  Chris Hickok from Commodore followed Erskine the entire race but never got around Erskine for a second place finish.  Third place went to 2015 Track Champion of the division, Nick Fulmer from Marion Center.  The rest of the top ten in order were: 4) Jim Decker, 5) Rich Waltman, Jr., 6) Ryan Caldwell, 7) Dillon Smith, 8) Duke Davidson, 9) Jim Hamilton, 10) Larry Brewer.  The Willow Farm Campground Strictly Stock heat races were won by Rich Waltman, Jr. and Jim Decker.

Marion Center Speedway’s fifth feature event of the night was the Texas Auto Ranch Front Wheel Drive 4 & 6 Cylinders.  Tanner Lansberry claimed his first career feature win in the division Saturday night by leading the entire feature from start to finish.  Lansberry started on the pole position and maintained the lead throughout the race keeping Michael Phillipson behind him.  Phillipson kept looking for a way to get past Lansberry, but Tanner Lansberry was in the Integra Racing Shocks Winner’s Circle in no time.  Phillipson from Ebensburg took second place.  The rest of the field finished in the order of 3) Dylan Young, 4) Wild Bill Hassenplug, 5) Adam Gee, 6) Robert Lydic, 7) Jamie Noel and    8) Bill Mumau who was unable to race in the feature.  In the preliminary heat race it was Wild Bill Hassenplug that was victorious.

This is just the start of the 50^th Anniversary Season at Marion Center Speedway and this year looks spectacular with all the events and specials that are planned.  We really thank all our sponsors over the years and especially those on board this year like Lias Tire and Cooper Tires, W. G. Satterlee & Sons, Huey Brothers, Inc., Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic, Willow Farm Campground, American Racer/ Lias Tire, B D Laraway and Associates, W G M Gas Company, Inc., Pisano’s Personal Care Home, Force Inc., East American Motorsports, Texas Auto Ranch, Integra Racing Shocks, Sy’s Pizza and Sub Shop.  Also thanks to Rich’s Garage at 724-388-6462 for all their help to keep things going for the season, Colonial Motor Mart, Rossiter Volunteer Fire Company and of course, Butler Auto Supplies once again sponsoring our Season Championships. 

Next Saturday night is W. G. Satterlee & Sons Night featuring the E-Mods’ Special along with the regular racing program.  There’s a whole lot happening this season at Marion Center Speedway with events scheduled every Saturday night with lots of specials in the mix like the Memorial Day Special with the Figure 8 Race, King of the Hill Races, Twin Features and the “Thrill on the Hill Music Festival” over Labor Day Weekend. And don’t forget about the Marion Center Speedway Kid’s Club.

Stay tuned to the internet to keep up to date because there’s a whole lot more information and news relating to the season on the website:  marioncenterspeedway.net or you can follow us on facebook, or catch up on twitter or the blog with what’s happening. You can also make sure you don’t make that unnecessary drive up to the top of the hill if we’re rained out by signing up for text messages or e-mails from “Rainedout.com” and receive up to the minute messages if the track should cancel for the night.  Plus there’s the new Race Day Hotline phone number 724-397-2108 to call on days of events only for a recorded message of the status of the events for the day.

Marion Center Speedway is looking forward to the rest of the 2016 Racing Season, the 50^th Anniversary Racing Season at MCS under the continued direction the the Potts Family.  Hope to see you at "The Thrill On The Hill" Marion Center Speedway, “The Little Track With The BIG Attitude.”