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The most prestigious event of the season for the NASCAR Raginwolf.com
SST Pro Modifieds at the Holland NASCAR Motorsports Complex, and one of
the highlight races of the year for the SST Sportsman Modifieds in
Western and Central NY, the George Decker Memorial 100, will be
featured on the Holland high banks on Saturday, July 18th .
The event, now in it’s tenth year, is run in memory of the late George
Decker, a prominent businessman from Springville, NY who was a long
time supporter of motorsports and racing at Holland. After his
untimely passing, his wife Phyllis and son Barry came up with this
annual tribute event, which has evolved into a major motorsports
happening in the region. The July, 2008 version had thirty-four
entries fill the Holland pit area, and endured a weather-forced re
scheduling to late August after qualifying was complete –20Jeff Price
earned the lucrative win, and
plans on defending his race title.
The format of the race has changed some over the years, and by and
large, the list of winners over the ten year run of the race is
comprised of Holland racers defending the “home turf.” Neal
Dietz, Jr.
picked up the initial victory in 2000, and backed it up with a second
win in 2002, while
arch-rival Neil Hopkins took the alternate year victories in 2001 and
2003. Steve Hoxie scored a first career Holland win by capturing
the
2004 race in what at the time was considered a major upset. For
the
first five years, the event was run as a 50 lap distance.
Steve Kreitzbender has earned two George Decker Memorial wins,
although, interestingly enough, both came in seasons in which the event
was run as a split race – in 2005, Kreitzbender won the Saturday night
“Holland rules” 50, while the next day, Pennsylvanian Earl Paules
won
the “SST rules” 50 (at that time, Holland and SST rules for the
class
differed). Paules remains the only “outsider” to have his
named
engraved on the George Decker Memorial trophy. In 2007,
Kreitzbender
took a 75 lap victory; that race was immediately followed by an
inverted start
25 lap dash, which was captured by Justin Shepker.
Neil Hopkins became the only three time winner of the event in 2006,
picking up the checkers in a r
ace stopped at 88 of the scheduled 100
laps due to a heavy rain which swept the track. The race returned
to
the 100 lap format in ‘08 for Jeff Price’s win, and will retain that
format for this year’s version.
This year’s event will reward the winner with $2000, and a guaranteed
$200 to take the opening green flag. In addition, laps are being
sponsored at $25 per lap, which will add significantly to the
evening’s
payout. Qualifying heats will set the starting grid for the
100 lap
main.
Lap sponsorships remain available -
any interested parties can contact
Barry Decker at 716-941-5943
or send a $25 check payable to “Decker
Promotions” to PO Box 62, Boston, NY 14025.
In addition to the George Decker Memorial 100, the July 18th Holland
program will include the Mid-Season Championship events for the Thiel
Motorsports 4-cylinder Hornets and the ladies-only Queen Bees. The
Late Models of Tomorrow, Chargers, and Pro Fours will round out the
racing card.
Pit gates will open at 3:00, grandstand gates at 5:00, and racing will
get underway at 6:00 PM. Adult grandstand general admission will
be>
$16, student ages 8-15, $9, and kids 7 and under are admitted free of
charge. A family pass, good for two adults and all students in the
same household, is available for just $35.
For more information, contact the Holland office at 716-537-2272 or
visit the web site at www.hollandspeedway.com.
Contact -- Rick Mooney: RMooneypr@aol.com
or Tim Bennett: 716-537-2272
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