(LASALLE, ILLINOIS) With the weather finally showing signs of warming up, the staff at LaSalle Speedway is busy preparing the grounds for the start of the 2014 racing season. The highly-anticipated slate of events at the 1/4-mile bullring will kick off with a bang on March 27-29 with the 3rd edition of the ‘Thaw Brawl.’ Racers from all over the Midwest will converge on LaSalle Speedway this weekend for the three-day extravaganza, which is quickly gaining traction in becoming one of the must-see, early-season specials for the Super Late Models.
“This is a race that I really get pumped up about because everyone told me I was nuts to do it when I first talked about it several years ago,” commented track promoter Tony Izzo, Jr. recently. “I think there was a couple of reasons why people felt that way – the most obvious was the early date of the race. Then adding $5,000 each year to the winning purse for the Late Models until eventually paying $25,000 to the winner in our 25th Anniversary season here at LaSalle in 2016.”
Things will fire up at LaSalle Speedway this Thursday, March 27 with an open practice session from 6:00pm – 9:00pm for all divisions. On Friday, March 28, the dirt-slinging competition will start with a complete show featuring Super Late Models ($2,000 to win / $200 to start), Open Wheel Modifieds ($1,500 to win / $125 to start), Street Stocks, and 4-Cylinders. After Friday’s program, racers and fans on the speedway grounds can enjoy live entertainment, a Chili Cook-Off, and a huge bonfire, while tons of cool giveaways will be handed out throughout the weekend.
The same four divisions will return to the LaSalle, Illinois facility on Saturday, March 29 for the big ‘Thaw Brawl’ finale. While the Open Wheel Modifieds will race for another $1,500 paycheck on Saturday, the cars and stars of the American Late Model Series (ALMS) and UMP DIRTcar Series will do battle for a whopping $15,000 top prize. Both inaugural 2012 winner Dennis Erb, Jr. and 2013 victor Brian Birkhofer are slated to be in attendance to vie for another ‘Thaw Brawl’ title. A rain date of Sunday, March 30 has been established just in case Mother Nature does not cooperate.
“In a short three year span, this race has become very important to me, along with the fans and racers that support LaSalle Speedway,” Izzo, Jr. went on to say. “I just really hope that the event can get the respect it deserves soon without having to try to figure out why some other track or sanctioning body keeps making fans and drivers choose where to go. When I picked this early season date, I was willing to deal with possible cold weather, etc. to not step on any other track or sanctioning body’s feet. There was nothing on this weekend for years, so I felt like the Thaw Brawl could grow into a great race for everyone to enjoy. I look forward to LaSalle Speedway hosting two terrific shows on March 27-29 and hopefully that will help the Thaw Brawl gain some of that much needed respect.”
For those race fans wanting to camp and enjoy the scenery at LaSalle Speedway – camping is free of charge, but there are no hook-ups available. However, the track does offer 25 reserved camping spots for $20 apiece. If you are interested in one of these premium spots, please call the speedway office at (815) 223-6939.
Friday and Saturday (March 28-29) Start Times:
Pits Open at 1:00pm
Grandstands Open at 3:00pm
Hot Laps at 6:00pm
Racing at 7:30pm
Ticket Options:
Friday, March 28
General Admission – $20.00
Kids Ages 6-11 – $5.00
Skybox Seat – $30.00
Pit Pass – $35.00
Skybox Seat with a Pit Pass – $45.00
15 Person Skybox includes Soda, Water, and Snacks – $500.00
Saturday, March 29
General Admission – $30.00
Kids Ages 6-11 – $5.00
Skybox Seat – $40.00
Pit Pass – $40.00
Skybox Seat with a Pit Pass – $50.00
15 Person Skybox includes Soda, Water, and Snacks – $650.00
The LaSalle Speedway is conveniently located at 578 US-6 in LaSalle, Illinois and is centrally located to many of the major cities in the area. It is 60 miles west of Joliet, 80 miles east of the Quad Cities, 70 miles south of Rockford, and 60 miles north of Bloomington. Additional information on LaSalle Speedway can be found at its official Internet home, which is located online at www.LaSalleSpeedway.com. The racetrack is also represented in a variety of social media outlets including Facebook (facebook.com/lasallespeedway) and Twitter (@lasallespeedway).