LEBANON, Pa.: This year’s final Steve Smith Sr. Tribute has checked off the boxes needed to be considered one of the biggest events in central Pennsylvania this season.
Huge winner’s share … check. Big purse throughout the field … check. Named after a legendary Hall of Fame driver … check. But Leppo and the organizers of this event aren’t done, not by a longshot.
There will be multiple releases on the contingency awards and other special nuances leading up to the event, which takes place June 29th at Lincoln Speedway. It starts with an award for crew chiefs in honor of Steve Smith Sr., who was also a top-flight mechanic on top of building a Hall of Fame career.
The Mechanic of the Race will receive a hand-crafted award that was constructed by Russell Grenholt. It will be presented by Aaron Long, of AL Driveline. There is also a cash prize of $1,019 with an opportunity to earn more. If the individual who wins the Mechanic of the Race Award is using an AL Driveline, he or she will receive an additional $1,000 from Long, bumping the total up to $2,019.
There are more contingencies for teams. A one-of-a-kind custom Black Bandit-themed jack, courtesy of Hellraizer Jacks, from Mooresville, N.C., will be presented by owner Tim Sheets. JST Enterprises, of Hanover, Pa., will be presenting a custom Black Bandit-themed engine heater.
Continuing the mechanical theme, Rider Engines, of Mechanicsburg, will be giving away a voucher for $2,019 off an engine rebuild. It will be presented to the highest finishing Rider Engines customer in the A-Main. Adam Cofer of Don Ott Racing Engines will also give away $2,019 to a random customer, and Adam Lawrence of Torq Pit Bikes out of New Oxford, Pa., will be presenting a custom Black Bandit-theme Burromax.
“We have a lot of great sponsors who have come on board to make this a huge event to honor Steve, and I can’t thank them all enough,” Brian Leppo said. “Steve was a great driver and mechanic, and we wanted to make sure we were giving back to the guys in the pit area who make these cars perform on the track.
“There are more announcements to come. We want to touch all bases with this event … drivers, mechanics, teams, and of course, the fans. More details and awards will be released in the coming weeks and months leading up to what we envision to be one of the biggest races of the year in the region.”
The Steve Smith Sr. Tribute is already the biggest event in the history of Lincoln Speedway and Pennsylvania Speedweek. A driver and team will take home $40,019 for winning the main event, and the payout down through is one that will draw the big names from the region and also invaders from other areas of the country.
Schmuck Lumber/ACE Hardware is the presenting sponsor of the final Steve Smith Sr. Tribute. Associate sponsors include Aero Energy, Avalon Group, LLC, Brewer Home Improvements, FillPools.com, Fletcher’s Service Center, J&S Classics, Mark Martin Motors, Miller Brown Ohm, Ream Roofing, and RLR Trucking.
Other sponsors include AL Driveline, Auto Glass Guyz, Autry Plumbing, B&D Petroleum Service, B&E Racing Customs, Brett Reckless Tattoo, C&D Rigging, Capitol Renegade, CJB Motorsports, Don Ott Racing Engines, Finish Line Auto Sales, Freedom Offroad, Front Runner Construction, FXG Sign and Label, Gene Latta Ford, Glenville Station Pub & Grub, Goofy’s Eatery and Spirits, GPS Griffith Plumbing Services, H&H General Excavating, Hanover Auto Team, Hellraizer Jacks, Hetzel Family, Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic, Huset’s Speedway, Jeff Barnes Collision Center, J Fuels, JST Enterprises, JVI Group, Inc., LABs, Inc., Livingston Lawn Care Pros, Marchio’s Sport Hut, Inc., M&T Lawn Care, O’Brien Fuel & Service, OverDrive Rides, Pine Run Angus Farms, Racehorse Tavern, Racing Through Time Antiques & Collectables, Rider Racing Engines, Rocket Designs, Rudisill Trucking, Salem Sales & Service, SHO Logistics, Smith’s Septic, SmithTi, SprintCarUnlimited.com, Sub Stop, The Auto Barn Used Parts, The Bridges Golf Club, The Green Horizon Grill, Torq Pit Bikes, Trump Plumbing and Heating, Waggoner Construction, York Excavating Company.