THE CHASE FOR THE $8,000 358-MODIFIED CHAMPIONSHIP STARTS THIS SUNDAY AT THE UTICA-ROME SPEEDWAY VERNON, NY- This Sunday evening, April 27, the official start to the 358-Modified season gets underway at the Utica-Rome Speedway when Bill Cole presents a regular show of 358-Modifieds, Sportsman, Pro Stocks, and Pure Stocks. The gates will open at 3 p.m. with racing starting at 5:30 p.m. For the fifth consecutive season, the Gene Cole promoted facility will give the 358-Modified champion a hefty sum of $8,000 for their efforts. With a large contribution from the Mirabito Fuel Group, the total point fund will again be over $25,000. In the past four years, both Willy Decker and Stewart Friesen have claimed the title on two occasions each with Friesen coming into the 2008 season as the defending champion. This season will see Friesen trying to repeat as champion while Decker would like to reclaim his spot at the top of the standings. But with Pat Ward, Bobby Varin, Andy Bachetti, Mitch Gibbs, Ted Lamb, Gus Schmidt, AJ Romano, and many more talented drivers in the field, will either of them be able to hold the strong weekly field to claim the title? This Sunday will be the first step in answering that very question. Mike Button, Jerry Holmes, and Russ Marsden will return to defend their championships in the respective divisions of Sportsman, Pro Stocks, and Pure Stocks.