2/14/09
THREE DOUBLEHEADERS HIGHLIGHT 2009 ISMA SEASON
By Carol D Haynes, ISMA PR
Oswego, NY – With the details of the Berlin Raceway doubleheader put to bed recently, the 2009
International Supermodified Association is now ready to begin its 36th racing season. While there
are many negatives to speak of throughout the land, ISMA is ready to provide a season of winged
excitement to fans throughout the northeast, Midwest and into Canada. With increasing concerns
about rising costs and dismal economies, ISMA president Howie Lane worked hard to plan a
schedule to help keep the costs down. With three doubleheaders, beginning in July with
Sandusky, then to Delaware in August and finally at Berlin in September, it is hoped that that goal
has been achieved. With 16 feature events on tap, six of them will be at three venues.
The Berlin doubleheader on September 25 and 26 will follow a schedule similar to Delaware (Ont)
Speedways on August 7 and 8 with 30 lappers on Friday night and 50 lap mains on Saturday. The
traditional Sandusky Hy-Miler weekend on July 24-25 features a 40-lap and 100-lap format.
A recently released announcement from Berlin Raceway management indicates that this will be a
huge weekend for Michigan fans.
"Friday night September 25 will see Dirt Late Model teams from around the country to try their
hand on the asphalt of Berlin. The Integra 50, a $3,000-to-win event is expected to bring in some
of the best dirt talent and this will be the first time Dirt Late Models will race at the Marne speed-
plant.
"Also on the schedule of events for Friday is an added night for the International SuperModified
Association, who already scheduled to compete on Saturday. With the help of ISMA officials and
president Howie Lane, Berlin Raceway was able to bring in this unique East Coast based group
for another 30-lap feature.
"We are really happy to be able to put this package together and make another great weekend of
racing out at Berlin. Getting the Dirt Late Models on the track to see just how fast they can go will
be something that nobody should miss. Add ISMA to that and it's truly going to be a fantastic
show, at a great ticket price," stated Mike Blackmer.
"Saturday night, September 26 is night number two for ISMA and they will be joined by the Auto
Value Bumper to Bumper Super Sprint cars, and triple sanctioned Midgets including USAC,
WOMS, and UMARA."
Chris Perley and the Vic Miller team are defending champions for the third straight year and they
certainly will be looking forward to the 16-race slate, which begins at Waterford Speedbowl on
Saturday, May 23 where Perley won his first of seven tough features in 2008.
Moving on to June, ISMA will make its annual trek to the Midwest with a Toledo 50 on Friday, June
12 and a single visit to Berlin on Saturday, June 13. Last season Toledo was a solo trip to Ohio
and was unfortunately cancelled due to rain.
July finds another emerging tradition with ISMA's Tuesday night event at Stafford Motor
Speedway's Xtreme Tuesday where Perley copped a win in 2008 and then it's back to Cayuga
Speedway in Ontario, Canada the following Sunday, July 12. This event was also not on the
books in 2008.
Finally, the big Sandusky Hy-Miler weekend wraps up July on Friday and Saturday, the 24th and
25th. Charlie Schultz came home the victor in his May Motorsports ride on Friday night last
season, for his first career ISMA win. The 31st annual Hy-Miler 100 went to Perley for the third
straight consecutive year – a feat only accomplished by two other greats – Bentley Warren and
Russ Wood.
Another twin bill begins August and it's back to Canada on the 7th and 8th for this one where
Delaware hosts the ISMA group for two days. Dave McKnight won the lone show there last
season and he'll surely be looking to repeat or sweep the double show.
Back into the U.S., the very next weekend will find the winged speedsters in New England at Lee
USA and Waterford Speedbowl. Two different winners added their names to the record books at
this two-day affair last season with Dave Shullick Jr. taking the rain-plagued Ollie Silva Memorial
75. "Liquid" Lou Cicconi, climbing aboard the Rick Wentworth 10, had a victory in his first outing
in that ride in 2008. This trip marks the end of August competition.
September is another active month with a trip to the Oswego Speedway Super Nationals as part
of their annual Budweiser Classic weekend on Sept. 4. Chris Perley was again a victor at the Port
City speedplant in 2008 where he claimed his very first-ISMA win for the Vic Miller team just
fourteen years ago. The third leg of what has always been known as the Triple Crown of
Supermodified racing, the All-Star Classic 100, will take place two weeks from Oswego's Classic
on Sept. 19. This year will find the 100-lapper once again a green-flag event. Perley is the
defending champ here too.
The Berlin double show as aforementioned ends September's competition with only the grand
finale at Thompson International Speedway's World Series of Racing the lone event in October on
the 17th and 18th. Qualifying for the Sunday 50-lapper takes place on Saturday, as is tradition.
The annual awards banquet moves back to the second week in November the 14th, at Turning
Stone Casino.