Media Contact: Steven Ovens - woodhullracewaypr@gmail.com For Immediate Release – April 13th, 2017 – Robert Symonds photo -
(Woodhull, NY) – Racing returns to the High Banks on Saturday night, and with racing’s return will be the debut of the SWL Awards & Photos Crate Late Models as a weekly racing division. Close Racing Supply has joined Woodhull Raceway to present a $1,000-to-win, $100-to-start event that will see some of the best tackle ‘New York’s Toughest Bullring.’
One of the drivers that will strap in for thirty laps on Saturday night is past Late Model track champion John Waters from Whitesville, New York. Waters is a past champion of Woodhull’s 360 Late Model division that was phased out after 2016, in lieu of the Crate Late Models that has risen to popularity in the Northeast.
Though Waters is ready for this weekend’s test, he certainly has mixed feelings about Woodhull’s switch to Crate Late Models.
“It’s great to be back, but sad to see the 360’s go,” said Waters when interviewed on Thursday.
“It was a great class, but the 360’s kind of got pushed out by the (popularity of) Crate cars.”
Waters is the returning champion of the RUSH Dirt Late Model Series that travels out to several states in the Northeast and Virginia. Woodhull Raceway will follow the RUSH Crate Late Model rule package, but was denied a RUSH sanction for 2017. Even with being the defending RUSH champion, Waters doesn’t see a track he’s had so much success at as a lock this weekend.
Waters explained, “we’ve struggled there with our Crate program so I’m hoping to just have a well-rounded car and hopefully be in contention for the win at the end.”
Waters will have some fierce competition as he will go up against familiar Woodhull names like Bryce Davis, the Knowles brothers, rookie Crate Late Model driver Kurt Stebbins, TJ Downs who will see the track for the first time and even Christopher Fleming from Central New York who has expressed an interest in competing.
When you consider the competition he will face and his team’s track record of success at Woodhull in their 360 days, it begs the question of how much pressure Waters and his team feels going into this special event to kick off the year at Woodhull?
“There’s always that pressure there, (mainly) because I put that pressure on myself and other expect the same since we have had success (at Woodhull) in the past. All we can do is work hard and hope our results reflect the work we put in.”
Speaking of pressure…hint hint…no pressure John! Waters is one of the most selected drivers in Week 1 Group A picks for the Woodhull Raceway Fantasy Racing League so far this week. The driver of the Troups Creek Auto Parts and Heating No. 11, took that as a great compliment.
“It feels good that others think that highly of our team,” Waters said with what we could tell to be a smile.
Waters has a great group of supporters such as Troups Creek Auto Parts and Heating, Stan’s Transmission, Andover Oil (Otis), Atkins Appraisal, Fox Shocks, Bernie’s Place, Regeneration Forestry Management, Hypercoil Springs, Fastline Performance, Accu-Force Dynos, MasterSbilt Race Cars, Joe Willcox Performance Automatics, Insinger Performance with their Sunoco Race Fuels, Necksgen, Velocita, Close Racing Supply, Warehouse America, Pflumms Country Store, Cousins Design and Carpy’s Custom Shirts.
You can see John Waters’ return to Woodhull Raceway Saturday night on the High Banks, with gates opening at 4:30PM and racing getting the first green flag of the night at 6:30PM. General admission is $10 during the early bird special from 4:30PM-5:30PM, with the price being $11 after 5:30PM. Pit passes are available starting at 4:00PM for $25.
Season passes are still available as well located behind the main tower. General Admission season passes are $220, Senior Season Passes $140 and Season Pit Passes are $450. Fans can also purchase reserved seating for 2017 at the same location as season passes.
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Woodhull Raceway can be found in Woodhull, NY, just 30 minutes West of Corning, NY, competing weekly on Saturday nights from mid-April all the way until Labor Day Weekend. The track offers numerous special events including the Patriot Sprint Tour 360 Sprints and the Short Track Super Series Modifieds in late-August.