Story By: DAVE BUCHANAN / LANCASTER SPEEDWAY – LANCASTER, NY – Western New York’s biggest racing weekend is less than two weeks away as Lancaster Speedway @ New York International Raceway Park will host the 31st annual U.S. Open during the weekend of September 13-15.
The NYIRP ownership group and Race of Champions officials are looking forward to hosting race teams and fans from across the Northeast to close out the 2019 stock car season at Lancaster.
This year’s U.S. Open features a huge doubleheader of Modified racing for the Race of Champions Modified Series with the conclusion of the Tommy Druar/Tony Jankowiak Memorial 110 on Friday night, and the U.S. Open 125 on Sunday afternoon.
The action starts on Friday with practice for all divisions followed by the final 104 laps of the Tommy Druar/Tony Jankowiak Memorial 110. Practice is scheduled to start at 5 p.m. followed by the Modified race at 8 p.m. Grandstand admission is free for Friday’s events.
The Tommy/Tony 110 was postponed after six laps back on August 17 after a crash damaged the front straightaway catch fence. The race will resume on Friday, September 13 with 104 laps to go. Eric Beers is scored as the leader followed by Chuck Hossfeld, Patrick Emerling, Daren Scherer and Daryl Lewis, Jr. RoC Modified stars Matt Hirschman, Andy Jankowiak, Mike Leaty and Tommy Catalano are also part of the field.
The U.S. Open Kickoff Party gets going following the checkered flag of the Modified race. Local Country/Southern Rock band Wasted Whiskey will perform in the main concourse as fans and racers get together to celebrate the start of U.S. Open weekend.
Saturday’s on track activity features four Race of Champions divisions in action, including Sportsman Modifieds, Super Stocks, 4-Cylinder Dash Series and TQ Midgets. Front gates open at 1:30 p.m. with racing starting at 4 p.m. The RoC Sportsman will run the rescheduled Joe Reilly Crown Royal Classic 54 while the Super Stocks will pay tribute to former track champion, John Julicher, with the second annual 30-lap race run in Julicher’s honor.
The weekend concludes on Sunday with the U.S. Open 125 for the RoC Modifieds plus the RoC Late Model Series and Lancaster’s Street Stock division. Front gates open at 11 a.m. with Modified time trials scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.
The full schedule of events, ticket pricing and camping information is available on the U.S. Open event page on the NYIRP website at www.lancasternationalspeedway.com.
Race fans looking to start their weekend early can join us on Thursday night for a full show of IHRA Drag Racing. Time trials start at 5 p.m.