Inside Line Promotions – CATAWBA, N.C. (April 4, 2014) – Before Kasey Kahne was the Kasey Kahne of NASCAR fame, he was a sprint car driver from the state of Washington.
Kahne cut his teeth racing wheel-to-wheel around dirt bullrings in The Evergreen State before expanding along the West Coast. Eventually, Kahne began to travel across the country to pilot open-wheeled, 900-horsepowered winged sprint cars.
In 2000, Kahne registered a keystone victory during the season opener at the famed Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pa. He led all 25 laps en route to the win – a monumental triumph for the then-teenaged sprint car driver. A top-five finish at Lincoln Speedway in Abbottstown, Pa., preceded the victory.
Since those standout performances in Central Pennsylvania, Kahne has returned to the area multiple times as a competitor, spectator, car owner and promoter, including an involvement in several special sprint car events in recent years.
In 2014, he is stepping up his efforts to help create The Dirt Classic Presented by Kasey Kahne at Lincoln Speedway. The unique event is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 27, and pays $20,000 to win, which is the largest single-race payout to a winner in the track’s legendary history. The race will boast a purse of more than $50,000 in total.
“I feel that having a big event at Lincoln Speedway makes perfect sense because of their continued commitment to sprint car racing,” Kahne said. “It’s one of the best weekly sprint car programs in the country. Combining that with the passion of Central Pennsylvania’s fan base should make for a great event.”
The date is open for all of the other Central Pennsylvania tracks, which should bring the stars of the sport from around the region – and possibly the country – to the fast, 3/8-mile oval that has been operating for more than 60 years.
“We decided on Lincoln Speedway because the racing is always highly competitive, the facility is top notch and the fans are extremely passionate,” Kahne said. “That combination is very rare, so adding a historic payout should make for a memorable event year after year.”
Additionally, there will be two qualifying races – on Sunday, June 1, at Roaring Knob Motorsports Complex in Markleysburg, Pa., and Sunday, June 8, at Bedford Speedway in Bedford, Pa. The winners of each of the $5,000-to-win events featuring members of the PA Posse and Western Pennsylvania stars will be guaranteed starting spots in the $20,000-to-win Dirt Classic. Details on pre-qualifier race formats and payouts will be released at a future date.
Stay tuned to http://www.DirtClassic.com for details on the unique race format, fan giveaways and broadcast information.
THE DIRT CLASSIC PRESENTED BY KASEY KAHNE –
Date: Saturday, Sept. 27
Track: Lincoln Speedway in Abbottstown, Pa.
Prize: $20,000 to win; $50,000+ total purse
Qualifying Races: Sunday, June 1, at Roaring Knob Motorsports Complex in Markleysburg, Pa., and Sunday, June 8, at Bedford Speedway in Bedford, Pa.
MEDIA LINKS –
Website: http://www.DirtClassic.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DirtClassic
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheDirtClassic
TICKETS –
Advanced tickets are on sale by clicking http://www.DirtClassic.com. Tickets will also be available on The Dirt Classic Facebook page, which will feature special giveaways throughout the year.
THE EVENT –
NASCAR star Kasey Kahne has enjoyed racing success in Central Pennsylvania as a fan, driver, car owner and promoter. With his roots in winged sprint car racing and a respect for the passion of the PA Posse faithful, Kahne has created The Dirt Classic Presented by Kasey Kahne. The first annual event will feature two $5,000-to-win qualifying races – Sunday, June 1, at Roaring Knob Motorsports Complex in Markleysburg, Pa., and Sunday, June 8, at Bedford Speedway in Bedford, Pa. – before the $20,000-to-win spectacle at Lincoln Speedway in Abbottstown, Pa., on Saturday, Sept. 27. For more information about the event, visit http://www.DirtClassic.com.
LINCOLN SPEEDWAY –
Located in Abbottstown, Pa., Lincoln Speedway is one of the most historic race tracks in the country. The 3/8-mile oval has been in operation for more than 60 years and features one of the most distinguished 410ci weekly programs. For more information about the track, visit http://www.LincolnSpeedway.com.