|
FEDERICO FIRST TO REGISTER FOR “SLUGFEST” (08/20/07)
CRANDON, Wisc. – Veteran off-road racer Steve Federico (Wilmette, Ill.) made the motorsports history books as the first driver entering the inaugural PRO Light Pickup Challenge Cup race to be held at Crandon International Off-Road Raceway this coming Labor Day weekend.
Billed as the “Decision at Sundown” and sponsored by the Forest County Potawatomi Community, the explosive nine-lap, non-points sprint race over a special short track at Crandon features a $20,000 posted purse. The class features mid-size pickups such as Ford Ranger, Nissan Frontier and Toyota Tacoma models sporting 300+ HP engines and 14” of suspension travel.
The green flag for the event drops at 6 p.m. on Friday, August 31 on the eve of the 2007 BorgWarner World Championship Off-Road Races. The “Decision at Sundown” is part of the FCP “Night of Thunder” which also includes three other class races plus Trophy Karts.
“Our team is really pumped about this Cup race,” exclaimed Federico, who races out of the Sticker Dude Motorsports stable. “Crandon Raceway has run the Potawatomi Chairman‘s Cup for 14 years and the BorgWarner Shootout 13 years for the full-size race pickups and now it‘s great to have our class on the same plateau with those huge races,” he said.
Same plateau, indeed, as the race will feature the top PRO Light Pickup racers in the USA, a special winner’s cup and victory wreath, parade lap introductions to the crowd and special SPEED TV coverage.
“I had no idea I’d be first to register and it’s a real honor for my team and sponsors,” said the colorful and quotable Federico. His colorful orange, yellow and black Toyota Tacoma race truck is sponsored by Invisible Glass, Hankook Tire, Toyota and P.F. Chang’s, among others. Federico’s entry was quickly followed by that of racers Chad Hord, Josh Hintz and Marty Hart.
Federico is currently fourth in a wild PRO Light Pickup points battle on the Lucas Oil World Series of Off-Road Racing circuit. He has three podium finishes in nine races this year and is a threat to win anytime he takes to the dirt. Likeable off-track, Federico is a fierce on-track competitor.
“This non-points Cup race is going to be the grudge match of the century,” said Federico. “All the top racers in my class will be in Crandon and I plan on being the King of PRO Light on Friday night,” he said. “I’m ready to go right now and bring this first Cup to Chicagoland and a big celebration at my local P.F. Chang’s.”
Others to enter early include defending PRO Light Pickup Series Champion Chad Hord (Felch, Mich.), Josh Hintz (Green Bay, Wisc.), Art Schmitt (Pittsburgh, Penn.), Marty Hart (Columbia, Lou.), Randy Eller (Taylorsville, Ill.), Jeff Kincaid (Argonne, Mich.), World Champion Rodrigo Ampudia, Jr. (Ensenada, Mexico) and more. They will strap-in against Federico for what promises to be a wheel-to-wheel, fender-to- fender slugfest. “I’ll see all these guys on Crandon’s ATX Wheels land rush starting line for the ‘Decision at Sundown’. It’s time to get it on,” he grinned.
“This is an opportunity for PRO Light racers to get even more national recognition,” Federico continued. “It’s one huge weekend at the Big House with this Friday night Challenge race, Saturday’s World Championship title race and the hot WSORR points race all rolled up into one giant blow-out off-road weekend,” he said. “You like off-road racing? Want to see big boys racing hard? Be in Crandon.”
More information about the 2007 BorgWarner World Championship Off-Road Races, the inaugural PRO Light Challenge Cup race, and the World Series of Off-Road Racing is available at both crandonoffroad.com and WSORR.com. For more information about Steve Federico and Sticker Dude Motorsports visit stickerdudems.com.
|
