Rick’s Racing Roundup: Weekly Racing Action Returns to Michaels’ Mercer Raceway in 2019

MERCER, Pa. – Spring is here and that means the western Pennsylvania racing season is just around the corner!

(PHOTO ABOVE: Big Block Modifieds will headline the action when weekly action returns to Michaels’ Mercer Raceway this season.)

The biggest news of the offseason is the reopening of Mercer Raceway Park this season.

After sitting idle most of last year, the Mercer oval will return with weekly competition once again in 2019, and for the second time in its history, the track will carry the Michaels name in the title.

After sitting idle for four years, local businessman and former racer Harold Michaels purchased the track and brought it back to life in 1994 with the help of his two sons Edward and Earl. Together they ran the Michaels’ Mercer Speedway successfully for three years before selling the track. Now the track is back in the hands of the Michaels family with the announcement that son Edward purchased the track during the offseason.

Rebranded Michaels’ Mercer Raceway the track opened its gates for the first time last month for the Groundhog 100 enduro along with mini stocks which saw Tim Callahan and Ronnie Boyd score victories. This Saturday, March 30th the track will get the regular racing season started with the annual “Chiller Thriller” which has become a staple at the track.

This year’s version will be highlighted by the big block modifieds and the Mod Tour in a two thousand dollar to win event. Also on the card, Saturday will be the 305 RaceSaver 305 sprint cars, limited modifieds, mod lites, and mini stocks. Spectator gates open at 5:00 p.m. with racing slated for 7:00 p.m. The event does carry an April 13th rain date.

On Saturday, April 27th, Mercer Raceway will celebrate their grand opening with a regular five division show highlighted once again by the big block modifieds. More information including a full schedule and ticket prices can be found at the track’s Facebook page and website mercerracewaypark.com.

Port Royal Speedway, one of central Pennsylvania’s premier tracks opened its 2019 season this past weekend along with the popular ULMS Late model series. The event attracted several local area drivers, but it was Lernerville Speedway champion Michael Norris that stole the show. After an impressive top-five finish on Saturday Norris returned Sunday to score his first career Port Royal win with the ULMS series over a huge field of forty- seven cars, worth three thousand dollars.

Defending Lernerville Speedway champion Michael Norris invaded Port Royal Speedway over the weekend scoring his first ULMS victory.

Defending Lernerville Speedway champion Michael Norris invaded Port Royal Speedway over the weekend scoring his first ULMS victory.

Other local drivers at Port Royal included Max Blair who had a good weekend with a pair of top-five finishes in the ULMS events. Another former Lernerville track champion Carl Bowser made his season debut and recorded an eighth-place finish in the sprint car main while hometown hero Dylan Cisney of Port Royal won the feature in exciting fashion with a last lap pass.

Mat Lux of Franklin, Alex Ferree, Rex King Jr, George Hobaugh, John Garvin, Mike Pegher, and Eric Rudolph were some of the local drivers in competition over the weekend getting some laps in before action gets underway here in western Pennsylvania.
It’s business as usual at Lernerville Speedway this season where Fab 4 racing will once again highlight most Friday nights of action at the Sarver oval. The track will hold a pair of open practices on April 5th, and 12th before the season opener on April 19th.

Hummingbird Speedway also has a pair of practice nights scheduled before their season opener on Saturday, May 4th. Open practices are slated for April 20th and 27th both with free general admission. Thunder Mountain Speedway will also have an open practice on the 27th before opening their season on Friday, May 3rd, with the BRP Mod Tour headlining the show.
Sharon Speedway will open their season on April 12th and once again it will find the Lucas Oil Late Model Series headlining the card. Saturday nights at Sharon in 2019 look similar to last year with the exception of a few more sprint car events. With Michaels’ Mercer Raceway featuring the big block modifieds Sharon has filled in the open spots with the popular winged warriors.

As of right now, there are no racing events planned at Tri-City Raceway near Franklin. Hopefully, that will change in the near future, but as of now, the track will sit idle to the disappointment of local fans.


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