Sep 28, 2015 09:47 PM EDT
Gene Balmer Now A Guaranteed Starter For October 24th Empire 100
DUNDEE, NY – For Immediate Release – September 28th, 2015 – Curtis Berleue photo –
Saturday night was a big night for Gene Balmer and his No. 38 team alongside car owner Chuck Winslow. Balmer took home the win in the inaugural Woodhull 100 Street Stock race paying $1,000 to the winner. But for Balmer and team, the take-home was really $1,200 as they are now a guaranteed starter in the Empire 100 at Black Rock Speedway.
The Empire 100 for the street stocks will take place on Saturday October 24th as part of Dutch Hoag National Open Weekend at the speedway that will see the winner take home a minimum of $2,000 to win. The race pays $200 to start and is loaded with lap sponsorships, contingency awards and random giveaways that could see Balmer’s total climb to the $5,000 mark with a clean sweep.
Friday October 23rd will see the $600 to win feature rained out from Onyx Summit Weekend take place as well which could factor into Balmer’s potential sweep. That night will see all pre-qualified cars from 9/19 take the green and do battle for 30 laps in the last real tune-up for the Empire 100 the next day.
Later on that night will see all Street Stock drivers have the opportunity to race in 10-lap Champion Power Equipment Dash Races that will see the winner earn their own guaranteed starting spot into the Empire 100 as well as a valuable piece of power equipment from Champion. Admission for Friday night’s racing will be FREE to all Street Stock drivers.
For the Balmer team in particular, Saturday’s win in the Woodhull 100 was an up note to what has been an up and down year for the driver out of Elmira, NY. A veteran in the division, Balmer wheeled his Gene Balmer’s Used Cars, MacDonald Contracting machine to two victories on the season but it didn’t come without a price.
Week four saw Balmer get upside down in a peculiar accident in Turn 4, which left the No. 38 sidelined for three weeks while the team made repairs. The team, led by fellow Street Stock competitor Chuck Winslow, put it all together on July 10th when Balmer put it in Victory Lane with a smile that said it all on that evening. Balmer would get another win along the way but would finish 9th in points, which would not lock him into the 100.
“We finally got one, it’s been a long time coming,” said Balmer on that hot summer night in July.
Balmer now joins 2015 MRC Street Stock Champion Jared Hill, CJ Guererri, Nate Daggett, team owner Chuck Winslow and 2014 Empire 100 Champion Kurt Stebbins as Guaranteed Starters for the 2015 edition of the 100. All of these drivers will need to make an attempt to qualify in their heat races on October 24th, but will be guaranteed starters if they need to fall back on it.
Lap sponsorships are still available for the Empire 100 with less than 25 laps remaining to be sold. $20 will get your business, team or message out for this great event and can be purchased by emailing pr@blackrockspeedway.com or calling Steve Ovens at (315) 729-3825.
General admission for Friday October 23rd and Friday October 24th is just $15 for adults, $12 for seniors, $12 for ages 12-17 with children under 12 always being free of charge at Black Rock Speedway. Gates swing open Friday at 5PM with the green flag waving for the first time at 7PM sharp. Saturday’s show will see grandstands open at 3PM for a 5PM race time.
For more information race over to www.blackrockspeedway.com, follow Black Rock Speedway on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BlackRockSpeedway or follow us on Twitter @BlackRockSpeed
Black Rock Speedway is located at 82 Main St in Dundee, NY and holds dirt track racing weekly on Friday nights from late April through Labor Day Weekend in September. The speedway also hosts special events on the grounds with special races run during the fall months of September and October.
