UTICA-ROME SPEEDWAY SET TO START 47TH SEASON ON APRIL 20 VERNON, NY- The highly anticipated 2008 Utica-Rome Speedway is set get underway on Sunday April 20, weather permitting, with the SUNY Canton Street Stock Series, Sportsman, and Pro Stocks plus 358-Modified practice. The gates will open at 3 p.m. with racing scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. The SUNY Canton Street Stock Series will pay a hefty $1,000 to the victor of the 30 lap affair, which is sure to bring out many of the best Street Stock/Pure Stock drivers in the region. A lucrative point fund has been set up for the series, with the champion of the 15 race series getting a cool $1,500. A trailer giveaway has also been set up for the top 30 in series points, with the winner of a special pit stop competition at Thunder Alley Speedpark winning a 24 foot enclosed trailer. For more information on the series, call Chip Burdick at (315) 778-3407. For technical information, call Lloyd Larmon at (315) 767-7819. Utica-Rome Speedway Pure Stock regulars will receive 25 points towards the track championship for attempting to qualify. The Sportsman and Pro Stock divisions will both start their season will regular events, each running a 20 lap feature events to kick off their respective chases to the track championships. Mike Button will look to make it three championships in a row in the Sportsman division. The Pro Stock division could be a wide open affair with reports the defending track champion Jerry Holmes will not be returning to defend his title. The 358-Modifieds are welcome to attend, as they will allowed valuable track time in preparation for their season opener on April 27. Once again, the Mirabito Fuel Group has come on board to sponsor the $25,000 plus 358-Modified point fund with $8,000 of that allotted for the track champion. The 10th place finisher gets $1,000 of the large point fund.