TONY HANBURY SET TO DEFEND HIS SST MODIFIED TITLE AT THE 59^TH SUNOCO RACE OF CHAMPIONS

                Owego, NY … During the last two editions of the Sunoco Race of Champions at the Oswego Speedway one of the most exciting races during the weekend is the Friday night SST Modified 100. This year should be no different as a top notch field of quality competitors is expected to be on hand for the $2,500 to win event.

                All of the drivers will be chasing the defending champion Tony Hanbury who also won the 57^th edition of this race in 2007. Both years the win capped off a pretty impressive season for Hanbury and the Hanbury Motorsports Team.

                This year has been an up and down season for the Owego, NY driver. Tony started out the year on fire as he won during the month of May six races out of eight entered in a span of three weeks. Then after that the bottom literally fell out as for the remainder of the racing season Tony has gone winless.

Finally on July 3^rd the big blow of the year hit the Hanbury Motorsports team as the primary Gail Clark built motor expired. After that night Tony’s philosophy on racing for points changed and he started to focus more attention on the rookie racing career of his daughter Cloie, who was racing Microd’s.

“My spirits were really down after that first weekend in July,“ recalled Tony.

“I was ready to call it quits for the year but my grandfather and grandmother spent a lot of time that next week keeping my spirits up by talking to me. I have to say Thank You to both of them for all that they did for me after that weekend.“

From July on Tony has only raced a few times while trying to recoup some finances that have enabled him to get his good motor rebuilt. Also during this time Tony has spent a few nights racing at the Shangri – La II Motor Speedway as he is getting used to running on a concrete racing surface.

“First and foremost I have to say Thank You to Dean Rypkema for stepping up and allowing me to race his SST Modified,“ said Tony. “I really appreciate everything he has done for my racing career of late and for Cloie’s racing career this year. Without Dean giving me his SST car to race and keeping me in the racing mood. I don’t even know if I would have gotten my good motor repaired so I can run Oswego and defend my Sunoco RoC SST Championship.“

 On Friday night September 11^th at the 59^th Sunoco Race of Champions at the Oswego Speedway. Tony Hanbury and the Hanbury Motorsports Team will have all of their best equipment in place as they look to win this event for the third year in a row.

“I can’t wait for this race,“ said the excited driver when talking about this race. “ As finally after nearly an nine week period I’ll have all of my good stuff together and I’ll be in my own car to race. Then when thinking about racing and winning at Oswego it gets me even more ready to race.“

Tony commented about the disappointing season. “It’s been a tough year for me racing. But on the flip side I have enjoyed all the time I’ve spent with Cloie in her rookie racing season with the Microd’s. If I’m able to win at Oswego it will take a lot of the sting out this tough season for me and my team.“

This weekend at Oswego Tony will be racing his self owned SST Modified that is proudly sponsored by; Dean Rypkema, Tri – County Refrigeration, Buckley’s Automotive, John’s Fine Foods, Gail Clark Race Engines, Raytech Security, Woody’s Refinishing, Dom’s Custom Paint and Auto Body Center, Blue Collar Café, Owego Sanitation, Hanbury Sanitation, ZTTH Graphic Concepts, Kolba Construction, Xtreme Coolers, Harris Diner, Scott Smith and Son, Mister Koffee Service, Fastech Race Car Bodies, Talcott Well Drilling and SIModified.com.