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View Full Version : Mahoning Valley Speedway Set for Reading Mall Show Appearance



LongIslandJam
01-30-2011, 07:56 PM
(LEHIGHTON, PA 1-30-11) When the popular Racing Legends Reunion & Car Show presented by the Reading Eagle and WEEU 830 AM takes place the week of February 26 at the Fairgrounds Square Mall in Reading, look for Mahoning Valley Speedway to have a strong presence at the hugely attended midwinter gathering.
Mahoning promoters Doug and Gena Hoffman have confirmed that they will take part in the 26th annual edition of the show and are enthusiastically looking forward to meeting the many mall-goers during the weeklong affair.
2011 season schedules and division rules will be handed out and track officials will also be on hand on select days of the show to register driver and crew members who would like to purchase their licenses and pit spots.
Joining the Hoffman’s will be 2010 Modified track champion John Bennett, ‘10 Late Model Most Improved Driver of the Year winner Austin Kochenash, ’11 Dirt Modified Rookie of the Year contender Mike Stofflet and from the ATQMRA Buddy Sload. All of the aforementioned will have their cars on display.
Bennett, better known as “The King of Mahoning” is the three-time and defending Modified champ and over-all owns seven track titles which includes Street Stocks, D/A Mods and Pro4 Late Models. Bennett is second to none in career wins at the Lehighton paved ¼-mile oval with 55, 24 of them coming in the Modifieds.
Kochenash is fresh off a great ’10 season that saw the 15-year old race to nine feature wins in 14 starts and despite running in six less mains that made up the year, he still finished a solid third in points, plus he set a new class record of 10.372-seconds.
Kochenash has racing blood lines that run deep. He is the grandson of former Dorney Park and Mahoning Modified champ Roger Heffelfinger, Sr., and the nephew of Mahoning and Mountain Speedway Modified champ Roger Heffelfinger, Jr.
He wins ranked second overall throughout the Northeast in the asphalt Late Model ranks and his efforts got him recognition by the Eastern Motorsport Press Association as he was nominated for the John Blewett II Young Guns Award.
Like Kochenash, Stofflet is also a talented second generation driver. After a successful few seasons in the Pro4 Late Model class where he notched several wins and was a regular top 10 point finisher, he now is gearing up to take part in the Dirt Mod division.
Stofflet is the grandson of legendary Dorney Park and Mahoning standout Clarence Ruppert. The move up to the Dirt Mods should be a good one as Stofflet’s grandfather is the track’s all-time winner in the former D/A Mod class with 27 verdicts and a three time champion. Given Rupert’s years of knowledge with the dirt car it should no doubt put his grandson a great position for this year.
Last year the ATQMRA made a triumph return to Mahoning after a five year hiatus and when the touring opening wheel stars finally hit the track they gave fans not one but two of the most exciting feature races seen all year.
They ran a pair of 20-lap features that look just over six minutes combined to run. Plus Paul Lotier, Jr., recorded the fastest lap ever at 8.954-seconds which was just over 100 mph.
Sload, who is a former Legends and go-kart racer from Glenmore and is vying for Rookie of the Year and will have his #53 at the mall along with additional information about the time honored club.
Mahoning Valley Speedway is conveniently located just west of Lehighton on PA Route 443. For additional updates and information log onto www.mahoningspeedway.com or call the track office at 570-386-4900. You can also follow the track on Facebook.
For further information on the Racing Legends Reunion & Car Show, contact show organizer Brett Deyo by phone at 845.728.2781 or via e-mail at Deyo99H@aol.com. A show schedule is updated on the web at www.bdmotorsportsmedia.com as it is finalized.