Full Throttle

Citing economic woes, Mansfield Motorsports Park (MMP) canceled its scheduled NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race in 2009 telling the Mansfield News Journal in December it was closing its doors for the 2009 season.

Two months later the track has been resurrected with the help of Music City Motorplex promoter Joe Mattioli III, ARCA RE/MAX officials and Mansfield Motorsports Park (MCM) owner Mike Dzurilla.

As a result of the collaboration MMP will play host to an ARCA RE/MAX Series race on June 20, replacing an event previously scheduled for that date in Nashville at the Music City Motorplex.

“We’ve worked with Joe and the Mattioli family for decades, and this request falls under our guidelines for realigning an event date,” said ARCA President Ron Drager. “Mansfield is a quality facility and we know how Ohio race fans have supported events like the ARCA RE/MAX Series at Toledo Speedway and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Mansfield in the past. We look forward to June 20.”

“Mansfield is a first class facility and Mike Dzurilla has an outstanding staff there,” said Mattioli. “They have a great track record of producing spectacular events and I am thrilled to be working with them. It is the perfect track to showcase the exceptional competition of the ARCA RE/MAX Series.”

The Mattioli family is well known for their ownership and management of Pocono Raceway. Pocono has hosted 47 ARCA RE/MAX Series events since the first in 1969. Joe Mattioli III promoted ARCA RE/MAX Series races at South Boston Speedway in Virginia and was the promoter at Music City Motorplex in Nashville from 2003 through 2008.

“I am honored to be working with Joe and his staff,” said Dzurilla. “They bring to Mansfield a proven track record of professionalism that we have been striving towards for the past five years. In my opinion, we have the best and most loyal fans in the world, and I am ecstatic to be able to bring them a top quality racing event such as the ARCA RE/MAX Series.”

The ARCA RE/MAX Series opened its 57th season of competition February 7 at Daytona Int’l Speedway with James Buescher winning, and will next see action April 5 at Salem Speedway in Indiana.