Bristol Motor Speedway
Notebook: Roth gets back to his roots at PIR
From track and correspondent reports
Bill Roth is getting “back to his roots” as the new general manager at Paducah (Ky.) International Raceway. As a native of Carlisle, Pa., he grew up attending sprint car races at the famed Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pa., and big-block modified events at the now-closed Reading (Pa.) Fairgrounds.
“After I talked to Bob Sargent about this job, I couldn’t turn it down,” Roth said of Sargent, who co-owns Paducah with NASCAR veterans Schrader, Stewart and Dale Earnhardt Jr. “I started in January and I’m excited to get going with the season.”
Roth left his radio career in 1999 to serve as promoter of Mobile (Ala.) Speedway as he began pursuing full-time work in short-track racing full time. Roth comes to Paducah after a stint as GM at the paved Waterford (Conn.) Speedbowl.
Paducah will continue to run UMP Super Late Models in 2008 along with UMP’s new crate Late Model division. The track drew a track record test-and-tune turnout of 77 cars on March 22. — Kevin Kovac
ULMA CONTINUES GROWING: The United Late Model Association, a Warrensburg, Mo.-based organization for weekly Limited Late Model racing, has more than 60 members drivers before its second season, more than twice as many as it had in late March last year. ULMA sanctions racing as Callaway Raceway in Fulton, Mo., LA Raceway in LaMonte, Mo., Central Missouri Speedway in Warrensburg and Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland. ULMA’s first special event of 2008 is scheduled for April 19 at 24 Raceway in Moberly, Mo. Other upcoming specials include May 4 and Aug. 14 visits to the half-mile State Fair Speedway in Sedalia, Mo. — Sam Stoecklin
QUINCY ADDS FAMILY TICKET PACKAGE: Quincy (Ill.) Raceway introduced a Family Ticket Package that provides a $5 savings. A family of two adults, two teens and two children would normally pay $30, but the Family Ticket Package will cost $25. Quincy, which hosts IMCA Late Models weekly, is scheduled to open its season on March 30. — Jack Walbring
ODDS AND ENDS: Central Mississippi Speedway in Winona, Miss., plans an Oct. 11 Super Late Model special with details to be announced. ... Waynesfield (Ohio) Motor Sports Park plans to run its first-ever Super Late Model program on May 18, a $1,500-to-win event. ... The old Mount Vernon Raceway, called Jefferson County Raceway in 2007, is now known as I-57/I-64 Raceway. ... Fayetteville (N.C.) Motor Speedway is giving away free grandstand tickets to fans who can identify the driver in the photo on the track’s website. ... Williams Groves Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pa., has a Super Late Model event scheduled for March 28. Jason Covert, Rick Eckert and Gary Stuhler won 2007 Super specials at Williams Grove, which runs Limited Late Models regularly.
