Berlin City/Dion Brothers Race Team looking forward to 200-lap "Pass" race at "All-Star Speedway"

06/17/07 Update from Dave: 

The old "Star Speedway" used to be one of the favorite stops on the NASCAR Busch North series schedule for our team back in the 90's.  The race leading up to the "Star 150" lap race was always at the famous "Watkins Glen" road course and was  broadcast live on one of the national TV networks.  This national exposure always created a great deal of interest for the upcoming race at the small but famous Epping, N.H. oval and always turned into an exciting race.

For the Dion Brothers team it was a chance to race close to our Hudson,N.H. childhood home and see friends, classmates, fellow military members and local race fans.  Many of the races on the schedule back then were at distant tracks so this was a great opportunity to race in front of familiar faces for a change.

One of the reasons that the Berlin City/Dion Bros. team joined the "Pass Series" last year was the chance to get back to our roots and return to great short tracks throughout New England like "Star".  The new ownership at the track has changed the name to "All-Star Speedway" but to us old-timers it will always be remembered  as "Star".

It was so gratifying to see someone step up and invest in the little track and when it appeared on the "Pass" schedule, June 30th became a special day in our race schedule.  Star has always been a tough place to race, but that is what makes it such a fan favorite and the "Super Late Model" cars will be a handful in a 200-lap race.  Our team has always thrived in the longer races throughout our career and assuming we make the big show, this should be one of many favorites.

This race will be a great chance for short track fans and New England race fans in general to show their support to the new owner at "All-Star Speedway" and show that real race fans still prefer and value the local short tracks over any other racing.  With so many local tracks closing throughout the country and going the way of the "drive-in theater" we all play a part in whether the ones left survive or not.  This is not meant to be a commercial for "Star" but a plea to support the local track of your choice and give our future drivers a place to race like the Dion Bros. had when they started so many years ago.

Throughout our career we have supported many sanctioning bodies (even at the same time) and race tracks but have always enjoyed local racing the most.  From that first race I got to see in 1954 at Hudson Speedway to the first time my brothers and I raced are own car in 1964,and even today short tracks are our first love.  I can't imagine the future without some local short tracks but the ones we have left need to be "treasured" and supported, not ignored because they aren't perfect.  No team has feuded with more tracks and sanctioning bodies than ours over the years but those days are over.  God! Even Tom Curley and I are starting become friends, how sick is that?  As you can see, a keyboard has become a dangerous weapon for me and all my opinions but heck,some people even get paid to do this.  Well, that wraps it up and I hope to see a bunch of old friends at Star on the 30th and whether we win or lose it will be a great night.

Yours truly,
Dave

P.S. For more information go to www.proallstarsseries.com