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Speedweeks 2008 A Dream For Billy Weaver (Courtesy Speedway Entertainment)
Speedweeks Recap: When Speedweeks started at Linda's on
August 1st,there were a few drivers in the top 10 that night that
realized they could be Speedweek contenders. One such driver was Bangor,
PA's Billy "The Dream" Weaver. Billy has been a strong Slingshot
supporter for many years now and after his 3rd place run at Hamlin on
August 2nd,Bill knew he had a chance to dethrone Marc "The Iceman"
Daniels and take the $225 top prize.
Fortunes changed at the Reading Nostalgia Nationals as the
Weaver # 1 was a DNQ and the thoughts of heading home as the former
Speedweeks point leader was not resting well with Bill. Cody Kline made
the Nostalgia Nationals from the B Main and with the car qualifying and
not the driver, Bill had to make a decision, give the young driver his
shot at glory or work through the 28 car field and earn as many points
as he could. Bill chose to become the driver and his 10th place finish
gave him a positive outlook leaving the 1/6th mile part time speedway.
3 more races were left on Weaver's agenda and with each outing
it was apparent he was going to have to earn every spot when the
checkers were thrown. The Fairgrounds at Kutztown have been kind to
Billy as he became the opening day winner in 2008 and have been a model
of consistency throughout the season. A third place run behind winner
Kurt Bettler and Mike Glass made the haul to Selinsgrove and Greenwood
Valley less stressful.
Charlie Paige's Selinsgrove Raceway Park has become a favorite
of many drivers and without yellow fever slowing down his progress Bill
came from his 7th starting spot to a payoff envelope for 4th and only
needing now to finish what he started when the Tour headed to GVAT.
Getting into the mix was Oley, PA's Brett Bieber who is becoming
a household name in the Slingshot world, Brett's neighbor Nate Christman
,the Oley PA meat-man and the 2008 Hamlin Slingshot Speedweeks winner
Ben "The Flipper" Whitaker as well as 2007 Speedweeks winner Marc
Daniels who towed to Selinsgrove and GVAT in the S&S Speedways 5S.
The final race found Ben earning an outside front row starting
spot, Bieber taking the green from 6th,Nate slotted in at 11th and
Weaver's dream would be coming true from an unlucky 13th starting spot.
Only 1 caution slowed the field and as Whitaker was on his way
to the final Speedweek win, the # 1 crossed the line in 10th,giving "The
Dream" the 2008 Speedweeks Championship. Bieber's great run left him 22
markers from the title but put his name out in front of many racing fans
with his steady, mistake-free driving in his claiming of the $175 check.
Whitaker's win moved Ben ahead of "Nasty" Nate when the final points
were tallied and Ben will be receiving a 3rd place check for
$125.Christman's 4th place tally earned the Christman Meats 37 driver
$100 and getting the 5th place mini-point fund money is Marc Daniels who
will be getting $75 after using 2 rides for this season's slate.
Sixth through 10th is Slingshot newcomer Cody Kline who
relinquished his ride and possibly a higher finish at Reading and will
get $70.7th went to Speedweeks Hard Luck Driver Shannon Smith who had
every known conceivable problem strike during the 8 day affair. Mike
Glass' win at Selinsgrove solidified his final finish at 8th.Scheduling
conflicts moved Billy VanInwegen,Jr to the 9th spot after being an early
tour 3rd.A strong run in the final 2 races lifted Matt Carman into the
top 10 with a 4 point advantage over Emily VanInwegen.
The 2009 Speedweeks schedule could see some new speedways taking
part in the festivities.
The 2008 version of Speedweeks was another success with 77
drivers logging laps at some point during the 8 day schedule.
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2008 Briggs & Stratton Slingshot by
Tobias Tour Schedule
Schedule
Subject to Change
Jan 18-19 Battle on the Boardwalk
(Atlantic City) NON-POINT EVENT Rich Tobias
Apr 5 Talladega Short Track (Gulf
Coast)
Apr 11 Bridgeport Speedway (Weikel / MA
Silver)
Apr 12 Shellhammers Speedway (Weikel / MA
Silver)
Apr 25 Lindas Speedway (MA Gold)
May 2 Bridgeport Speedway (Weikel / MA
Gold)
May 3 Hamlin Speedway (MA Gold)
May 10 Shenandoah Speedway ( Weikel / MA
Silver)
May 16 Selinsgrove Speedway ( Weikel / MA
Gold)
May 17 Greenwood Valley (Weikel / MA
Gold)
May 17 Penton Speedway (NAT / Gulf
Coast)
May 24 Paradise Speedway (Empire)
May 24 Dawgwood Speedway (Gulf Coast)
June 7 Oakland Valley Dirt Oval ( NAT /
Empire)
June 14 Penton Speedway (Gulf Coast)
June 18 Kutztown Fair Speedway (MA
Silver)
June 20 Oswego Dirt Track ( Weikel /
Empire)
June 21 Oswego Asphalt ( NAT / Weikel/
Empire)
June 21 Dawgwood Speedway (NAT / Gulf
Coast)
June 27 Lindas Speedway ( MA Silver)
June 29 Wyalusing Valley (Empire)
July 5 Oakland Valley DO (Weikel /
Empire)
July 9 Accord Speedway (Empire)
July 11 Talladega Short Track ( Gulf
Coast)
July 12 Talladega Short Track ( NAT. /
Gulf Coast)
July 12 Shenandoah Speedway ( MA Gold)
July 19 Talladega Short Track (Gulf
Coast)
July 26 Borgers Speedway (MA Silver)
Aug 1 Lindas Speedway (MA Gold)
SPEEDWEEK
Aug 2 Hamlin Speedway (MA Gold) SPEEDWEEK
Aug 4-5 Reading Fairgrounds ( NAT / MA
Silver) Date Could be Switched to Aug 5-6
SPEEDWEEK
Aug 8 Selinsgrove Raceway Park ( MA
Silver) SPEEDWEEK
Aug 9 Greenwood Valley (MA SIlver)
SPEEDWEEK
Aug 14 Kutztown Fair Speedway (NAT / MA
Gold)
Aug 15 Penn-Can Speedway ( Empire)
Aug 17 Wyalusing Valley (NAT / Empire)
Aug 23 Penton Speedway (Gulf Coast)
Aug 29 Selinsgrove Raceway Park (NAT / MA
Silver)
Aug 30 Greenwood Valley ( MA Gold)
Sept 5-6 Deer Creek Speedway (NAT / Great
Lakes)
Sept 6 Penton Speedway ( NAT/ Gulf Coast)
Sept 12 Bridgeport Speedway ( MA Silver)
Sept 13 Shenandoah Speedway ( Weikel / MA
Silver)
Sept 19 Bridgeport Speedway (MA Gold)
Sept 20 Hamlin Speedway ( NAT / MA Gold)
Sept 26-27 Lindas Speedway ( NAT / MA
Silver)
Sept 27 Dawgwood Speedway (Gulf Coast)
Oct 11 Paradise Speedway ( NAT / Empire)
Oct 18 Borgers Speedway (NAT/ MA Gold)
Oct 24 -25 Dawgwood Speedway (North
-South Showdown/ NAT / Gulf Coast)
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