By Barry Angstadt

  The slogan reads like this: "You've gotta come out and LIVE the excitement that is Lanco!", and those words have never rung more true than they will over the next two weeks.

  Not just one, but A PAIR of big events take center stage at Lanco's Clyde Martin Memorial Speedway on the next two Saturday nights, and the excitement level will be off the charts as June 24 offers a chance to help those afflicted by breast cancer and July 1 will be filled with pure patriotic mayhem.

  This Saturday, June 24, is Kim's Kreations first PINK OUT NIGHT of the 2017 season, as Kim Glass and TT Troops raise funds to assist breast cancer patients at Penn State Hershey Medical Center, in addition to offering a hefty payout to the stars of the All Star Slingshot division as the Slingers battle in the fifth annual Slide at the Clyde. The Slingshots will join the Clyde's five weekly divisions of Micro-Sprints and all the main events will be recorded for broadcast on BRC-11, the Blue Ridge Cable affiliate located in Ephrata, Pa.

  Last season, Kim Glass and her staff held four PINK OUT NIGHTS at area speedways  (plus one softball tournament) and raised more than $8,000 that was used to provide care packages for breast cancer patients at Penn State Hershey Medical Center. Beginning with Saturday's initial event, Glass and TT Troops have set a goal of topping that amount in 2017. 

  TT Troops is named for Kim's sister-in-law, Terri Bucks, who is a two-time cancer survivor. "Terri, along with all the other breast cancer victims and survivors, certainly exemplify our motto which is 'Support the fighters; admire the survivors; honor those taken; and never, EVER, give up hope because finding the cure begins with hope," says Kim Glass.

  On the race track, the All Star Slingshots will compete in the Slide at the Clyde V, a National Tour event that could see the winner go home with a cool $1,000. If 30 or more cars enter the Slide at the Clyde, the winner will collect one grand, courtesy of Daryl Tillman Team ReMax of Reading. There will also be several other special cash and contingency awards for the Slingers. 

  Previous winners of the Slide at the Clyde include Randy Smith (2013), Mark Sensenig (2014), Joe Bodenschatz (2015), and Seth Spayd (2016). Spayd also won a second Slingshot race at the Clyde on Labor Day weekend and he captured this season's first National Tour race at Linda's Speedway in April.

  Dave Carraghan, from Emmaus, Pa., won a special Slingshot race at the Clyde on Memorial Day weekend of this year.

  The Slingshots will join the Hyper Racing 600cc, Viper Chassis 270cc, Sportsman, 125cc, and the HammerDown Engines 250cc Four-Stroke Micro-Sprints in qualifying heats, consolations, and 25-lap features on Saturday. Race time is 7:00 p.m.

  Star Spangled Havoc returns to Lanco on Saturday, July 1, as the USAC Eastern Regional Midgets presented by ARDC make their second appearance of the season at the progressively banked oval in Newmanstown, Pa. The mighty Midgets will be accompanied by wingless 600cc Micro-Sprints in Firecracker Frenzy and by the wingless 270cc Micros in the Clash at the Clyde.

  Alex Bright, the Phenom from Collegeville, Pa. who cut his racing teeth in 600's at the Clyde, will try to back up his April 1st victory. Bright also captured both stand-alone ARDC races at Clyde Martin in 2016 on his way to the ARDC point championship - his first with the proud 78-year old Midget racing club.

  Along with A. Bright, this year's ARDC winners include Trevor Kobylarz, Brendan Bright, Ryan Greth, Spencer Bayston, and Brady Bacon. 

  At Lanco's No Wing Spring Fling on April 1st, Tim Buckwalter was victorious in the wingless 600 main while Mike Rutherford notched the triumph in the wingless 270 portion of the program. 

  The July 1st Star Spangled Havoc will see wingless 600 and 270 heat races begin at 6:00 p.m. The ARDC Midgets will hit the track for warm-ups at 8:00. Their heat races will follow, along with B-Mains and A-Mains for all three divisions.

  Additional details for the Slide at the Clyde V and Star Spangled Havoc can be found atwww.clydemartinspeedway.com and also at Facebook.com/ClydeMartinMemorialSpeedway, along with the speedway's Twitter handle: @LancoCMMS. 

  And now you know why you've just gotta come out and LIVE the excitement that is Lanco this Saturday, June 24, and on Saturday, July 1! 

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