 Two-time Canandaigua Sportsman Champion sponsor teams with FX Caprara at fairgrounds
Canandaigua, NY – March 15, 2013 – Area open-wheel team sponsor Monroe Wheelchair has signed on to support the wild winged machines for one big night when Canandaigua Motorsports Park plays host to the traveling UNOH All Star Sprints Circuit of Champions on June 11.
It's no coincidence that three-time NASCAR Cup champion Tony Stewart will be headlining the 410 Sprint Car contingent that same evening in a rare mid-week show that takes center stage on the storied Ontario County Fairgrounds oval.
“Tony has been a favorite of mine since I went to my first Cup race a dozen years ago and I'm excited to be a part,” remarked Penn Yan native Doug Westerdahl, President and CEO of Monroe Wheelchair, from his Rochester-based office amidst a myriad of Stewart memorabilia. 2013 marks his eighth season backing the on-track effort made by two-time reigning Canandaigua Sportsman points king Dan Wiesner, who will also be in competition that Tuesday the first month of summer.
“Everybody knows what a great driver Tony is, yet I'm actually equally impressed with his accomplishments as a business owner. He and Gene Haas started Stewart Haas Racing in 2009 and almost immediately the team became a force in NASCAR. That has happened while he has maintained a full-time racing season. And in 2004 he purchased Eldora and he often works on the track himself.”
“I think that you learn a lot about the kind of person, business owner, and leader Tony is when you read the Stewart Haas Mission Statement on their web site. A portion of that reads ‘to deliver excellence in every facet of the organization and exceed our commitments to our fans, partners and employees, while conducting ourselves with professionalism and integrity.' He really connects with the fans but I admire most the way he takes care of his employees. His method mirrors my own philosophy and I really respect that,” Westerdahl noted.
Westerdahl and CMP Promoter Jeremie Corcoran recently inked the deal alongside event co-sponsor F.X. Caprara Car Co., with all parties involved anticipating a return appearance of arguably the most versatile driver in the country today at one of the most legendary dirt tracks in the Northeast.
Stewart is the only driver in history to win championships in NASCAR, IndyCar, and USAC. Along with his coveted Cup trophies (2002, ’05, ’11), the 1999 Cup Rookie of the Year also captured an IRL IndyCar Series title (1997) after making his mark in the United States Auto Club with four championships, including what at the time was an unmatched acquisition of USAC’s ‘Triple Crown’ ---Midget, Sprint, Silver Crown--- in a single season (1995).
Stewart returns to Canandaigua on Aug. 10 for Sprintacular 2013 presented by Cobra Motorhomes/Wilkins RV and North Eastern Pool & Spa, featuring the Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints. Joining the UNOH Sprint Car invasion on June 11 will be a full card of Sportsman, with trackside activity getting underway at 7:30pm.
“I finally got a chance to meet Tony for the first time when he ran a sprint at Canandaigua (2011) before the rain came, so I've been thinking about sponsoring this kind of event for the past couple years,” said Westerdahl, who joined Monroe Wheelchair www.monroewheelchair.com in 1985, and since securing ownership in early 1990 the company has emerged as one of the Top-10 independent complex rehab equipment providers in the nation.
“Last month Dan called to tell me about a second sprint show on the schedule this season and Jeremie and I just finished putting together a promotional package this week. It will be a great night of racing for the fans and a fun night for our group from Monroe Wheelchair, I can't wait,” Westerdahl added.
While annually attending a handful of weekly events at CMP during the summer, Westerdahl remains active in day-to-day operations at Monroe Wheelchair. He is an original member of the SportsNet Advisory Board of Rochester Rehabilitation Center, a program designed to develop sports programs for disabled athletes. Additionally, Westerdahl serves on the Board of Directors for both the New York Medical Equipment Providers (NYMEP) and the National Coalition of Assistive and Rehab Technology (NCART) and holds a committee chair on the NYMEP's Rehab Committee and NCART's Medicaid Committee.
For over 65 years, Monroe Wheelchair has been the leading home medical equipment provider for Upstate New York, building its reputation on outstanding customer service and expertise in wheelchair, scooter and stair lift service as well as wheelchair repair.
“Just like Tony, Dan is a class act,” stated Westerdahl, who got his first taste of dirt track racing at Dundee Raceway Park in the early 1970s while attending Penn Yan Academy in neighboring Yates County. Canandaigua has become a Saturday night stop since he made his first trip to the 'Land of Legends' in 2006.
“I like how Dan's team works, its a reflection of my own business in a lot of ways. There's a high level of professionalism from everyone involved and they show a great deal of integrity both on and off the track. There's a lot of good drivers and some great competition in the Sportsman ranks at Canandaigua, and I think the fans like them just as much as the Big-Blocks. I know I do and we're looking forward to getting back out to the track come springtime,” Westerdahl said.
Helping launch Canandaigua's “golden anniversary” season of racing in 2013, Wiesner's sleek no. 66 Monroe Wheelchair/Bicknell Sportsman entry will be on display the entire weekend during Autorama '13 held March 23-24, at Eastview Mall in Victor. The 50th year of stock car racing at CMP officially kicks off April 5-6 with the lead-off Jan Corcoran Memorial for the first time expanded to a weekend format.
Top area Sportsman drivers will be after a first-place prize of $1,000 in the 35-lap feature that highlights trackside activity on Friday, with 305 Sprints, Pure Stocks and New Legends Sportsman filling the card. In addition, a pair of timed hot lap practice sessions are on the agenda for Modifieds with the two fastest drivers locked into positions 6th and 4th for the following day's Big-Block finale.
The 3rd Annual Jan Corcoran Memorial on Saturday boasts a $6,400 grand-prize in the 64-lap title run for Modifieds, with Street Stocks and Crate Late Models making up the three-star program. Grandstand seating begins at 5pm with race time slated for 7 o'clock.
For more information on the CMP schedule and season tickets, please contact Jeremie Corcoran via cell 315-374-2839 and e-mail [email protected], or speak with him in person during Autorama '13 at Eastview Mall. Joe Bailey (585-500-8852, [email protected]) can also be reached during the week to discuss marketing opportunities still available at the track in 2013.
Canandaigua Motorsports Park is located at the Ontario Co. Fairgrounds, east of the city on Town Line Road (County Road 10), with easy access off either Exit 43 (Manchester, Route 21 South) or Exit 44 (Farmington, Route 332 South) of the New York State Thruway; just ½-hour southeast of Rochester. |
