---

Northeast Modified Opener Set For Georgetown Speedway Saturday, March 11; Short Track Super Series Melvin L. Joseph Memorial Kicks Off 2017

GEORGETOWN, DE €“ After a highly attended Motorsports 2017 Racecar & Trade Show in Oaks, Pa., and a pair of mild, sunny January days, fans and competitors have the itch to go racing.

For dirt Modified enthusiasts, their thirst for on-track action will be quenched by Georgetown Speedway on Saturday, March 11.

The Melvin L. Joseph Memorial, for the second consecutive year, launches the Northeast Modified season with the lid-lifter for the Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By VP Velocita South Region. Big-block/small-block Modifieds headline the program in a 49-lap main paying $4,900 to win and $490 to start plus bonuses at the historic half-mile track.

The event honors the memory of Melvin L. Joseph, the founder of Georgetown Speedway and a Sussex County business icon who was also a pioneer in the NASCAR community as a car owner and builder of Dover (Del.) International Speedway. Mr. Joseph passed away in 2005 but his legacy continues.

Mr. Josephs family will be present at the event and his lucky number 49 will be prominent throughout the day.

The Melvin L. Joseph Memorial is the first of eight STSS Velocita South Region events to be contested in 2017 and launches the series lucrative championship battle.

A year ago, Jeff Strunk appeared to have a victory in sight with the Glenn Hyneman No. 126 before an axle broke during the races late stages. Anthony Perrego, the rising star from Montgomery, N.Y., earned the $5,229 Melvin L. Joseph Memorial victory over 17th-starting David Van Horn Jr., early leader Andy Bachetti, Ryan Godown and a charging Jordan Watson.

Joining the STSS Modifieds on the program are the Crate 602 Sportsman paying $1,000 to win and $100 to start plus Southern Delaware Vintage Stock Cars, Little Lincolns, Delmarva Chargers and Delaware Super Trucks.

On March 11, pit gates will open at noon. Grandstand gates will be unlocked at 1 p.m. Hot laps get underway at 3 p.m., with racing at 4 p.m.

Adult grandstand admission is $20. Seniors (ages 65 and up) and Students (ages 13-17) pay $16. Kids 9-12 pay $10 and Children eight and under are FREE. Pit admission is $35 (ages 13 and up), $10 (ages 6-12) and $2 (five and under).

A rain date of Sunday, March 12 is in place for the Melvin L. Joseph Memorial.

Two practice sessions will precede this event. The first is set for Saturday, March 4. The second takes place on Friday night, March 10.

Overnight camping will be permitted on site and teams may leave their haulers in the pit area from Friday to Saturday.

The recently remodeled Quality Inn (formerly Comfort Inn) just north of the speedway on Route 113 in Georgetown, is offering the following discounted rates for the Melvin L. Joseph Memorial on both Friday and Saturday nights: $98.10 for Double Beds; $89.10 for a King Size bed; $107.10 for a Suite. Call the Quality Inn directly at 302.854.9400 and mention Georgetown Speedway to receive the discount.

Georgetown Speedway, originally constructed by Melvin L. Joseph in 1949, is located at the intersection of Route 113 and Speedway Road in Georgetown, Del., just miles from the Delaware beaches and less than a 40-minute drive from Ocean City, Md.

A website is live for the speedway at www.thegeorgetownspeedway.com. Like Georgetown Speedway on Facebook, follow @thegtownspdwy on Twitter, e-mail georgetownspeedway@gmail.com or contact Brett Deyo at 845.728.2781 during business hours for more information.

Back to News