Home | Register | Contact | Verify Email | FAQ |
Blogs | Photo Gallery | Press Release | Results | HoseheadsClassifieds.com


Welcome Guest. Already registered? Please Login

 

Forum: SCRAFAN.COM Forum (go)
Moderators: ljennings


Records per page
 
Topic: SKIP VAN LEEUWEN TO BE HONORED AT THE AMERICAN FLAT TRACK FINAL OCTOBER 7TH Email this topic to a friend | Subscribe to this TopicReport this Topic to Moderator
Page 1 of 1   of  0 replies
ljennings
MyWebsite MyResults MyPressRelease
August 09, 2017 at 02:10:22 AM
Joined: 11/22/2004
Posts: 27816
Reply

Southern California Fair
18700 Lake Perris Drive
Perris, CA  92571 
(951) 657-4221
mailto:[email protected]

For further information contact the SoCal Fair: (951) 657-4221 or mailto:[email protected]

For Immediate Release

SKIP VAN LEEUWEN TO BE HONORED AT THE AMERICAN FLAT TRACK FINAL OCTOBER 7TH AND A SALUTE TO ASCOT!

(Perris, CA, August 8, 2017) Carl Wuersch, CEO of the Southern California Fair, has announced that the American Flat Track Final on October 7th, will honor AMA Hall of Fame racer Skip Van Leeuwen and will be a salute to Ascot Raceway.  The race will take place at Perris Auto Speedway during the 104th Annual Southern California Fair on the SoCal Fair and Event Center in Perris.   

“On behalf of the entire Van Leeuwen family, we are humbled and honored to have this terrific event recognize the memory of the late, legendary Skip Van Leeuwen” said Van Leeuwen’s brother Duane.  “Dirt track racing means the world to all of us, as it did to Skip.  He would be very happy & proud to see all the racers, fans, and family gathered for this event and carrying on the great American tradition of dirt track racing, to which our family owes so much. Thank you, Don Henry, and all of you who came together to make this event possible.”

The Van Leeuwen family relocated from the Midwest to Los Angeles when the future racer was only two-year-old and his father took a job working in shipyards after the outbreak of World War II.  It was in California that young Skip befriended Dick Hammer and a Hall of Fame career was born.   As a rookie in 1962, he scored a sensational second place finish to one of his heroes, Dick Dorresteyn, at the Ascot AMA TT National.    

The Orange City, Iowa born racer succeeded in AMA TT National competition in the 1960’s winning at his home track, Ascot Park in Gardena, California two times (1967 and 1968), 1968 at Castle Rock in Washington and the Houston Astrodome TT in front of 47,000 fans in February of 1969.  In addition to his prowess in the National TT competition, Van Leeuwen won numerous races and several west coast regional championships.  

While Van Leeuwen never competed in the full AMA National series and generally did not ride a lot of half-miles and miles, he did contest some road races.  He raced in the Daytona 200 and the Loudon Classic.  His best career AMA National Road Race finish came locally when he took fourth in 1967 at Carlsbad, California.    

Once Van Leeuwen hung up his skid shoe in 1972, he concentrated solely on his business.  Over the years, Van Leeuwen Enterprises became one of the largest motorcycle accessory companies in the world.  

“This event is being held to celebrate the life of Skip Van Leeuwen and his home track Ascot Raceway,” said Don Henry, Director of Sports Marketing for the Southern California Fair.  “Skip was one of the greatest personalities in AMA Pro history.  He was the “Flying Dutchman” and he was the most amazing TT rider of the era and Ascot was the greatest TT track.  I met Skip when I was working with the Agajanian family at Ascot.  He was an inspiration and a role model.  He was one of the friendliest guys in the pits and proved that with hard work and determination you can accomplish anything.”

This race will be the closest fans can come to witnessing a National Championship motorcycle race at Ascot since the legendary Gardena half-mile closed in 1990.  On race day, gates at the track modeled after Ascot will open at 11:00 AM and open practice will begin around 1:00 PM.  Qualifying will be at 5:00 and the first race will roll off the line at 7:00.  

Tickets for the race, which will feature the best flat track racers from across North America and which could well decide the AFT 2017 championships, are on sale now.  Ascot throwback ticket prices are only $20.00 for reserved seats and come with a free ticket to the Southern California Fair.  Fans are urged to purchase reserved seats as soon as possible as they will sell out!  There will be plenty of general admission tickets available for everyone in advance and on race day.  General admission tickets are just $5.00 and require the purchase of a $10.00 fair admission.  Fans can order tickets for the historic race 24-hours a day by clicking on the following link or by pasting it into their browser:  http://bit.ly/2sVZ2Zg.  

Another popular acknowledgment to Ascot will be fans that ride a motorcycle to the race will receive free parking on the fairgrounds. 

 The American Flat Track Series, which matches the top Flat Track racers on oval and TT tracks, opened the campaign at Daytona International Speedway in March and will feature races in 13 different states in 2017.  Fans can get a sneak peek at the exciting action they will see in October at the fair by watching previous rounds on NBSCN.

Before and after the race, fans will be able to enjoy a day and night at the Southern California Fair that will include carnival rides, great fair food, livestock, midway games, music, displays and more.  

To keep up with the daily happenings of the SoCal Fair and Event Center and the AFT, fans can use the following social media links.

Website: http://www.socalfair.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/socalfair/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/socalfair   
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/socal_fair/
 
To keep up with the American Flat Track Series
Website: http://www.americanflattrack.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmericanFlatTrack/
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/AmericanFlatTrk
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/americanflattrack/ 
 






Post Reply
You must be logged in to Post a Message.
Not a member register Here.
Already registered? Please Login





If you have a website and would like to set up a forum here at HoseHeadForums.com
please contact us by using the contact link at the top of the page.

© 2024 HoseHeadForums.com Privacy Policy