LEHIGHTON, Pa. -- Mahoning Valley Speedway’s Floyd Santee is closing out his first season as promoter at the Lehighton’s paved quarter mile oval with a bang.

Santee has announced the return of the Fall Classic, an event that for a number of years ended the season with extra pay/distance feature races.

On Saturday, October 27, the Modifieds, Late Models and Street Stocks will be the classes run and they will each compete for the biggest payout in track history. Sunday, October 28 is the rain date.

$5000 will go the winner of the Modified race which has been set to run 130 laps, also the longest feature ever contested. 24 cars will start with $300 to take the green. Plus there will be a non-qualifiers race of 30 laps and pay $1000 to win.

The Late Models will face off in a 75 lap, $1500 to win main and the Street Stocks will go 100 laps and award $1800 to win. Each of those features is $200 to take the green.

“I just want to get more cars to come to the race track and more fans. We have such great racing here each week and we’re hoping that this will draw some new faces to show then what we have going on here,” said Santee.

“Not only that but I feel that our own guys deserve a race like this so they can get some extra money that will come in handy over the off season. We also plan to collect lap sponsor money to help sweeten the pot.”

Santee wants to make the Fall Classic an annual event.

“We had put just a small teaser on our Facebook page and from word of mouth we already have been getting calls from people who never ran here before about what our rules are so they can come here and start running and be prepared for the big show,” he said.

Santee wants to make the rules simple. Any car that enters and is not a regular at Mahoning Valley can run their home track rules. However, they must buy Mahoning Valley track tires, which are Hoosier’s, if they wish to partake.

The format for the 130 Modified race will be forthcoming as no decision at this time has been made on whether or not to run straight through or take a designated break. The total purse breakdown will also be published in the coming weeks.

When the event was announced during the drivers meeting at the most recent race night, August 4, Santee received a standing ovation.

The $5000 will follow the final point race of the regular season, a 100 lapper on October 6 paying $3000. That’s two back-to-back races where one very good driver could earn over $8000.

“That’s one of the things I want to see. I want guys to make a little money from racing with us,” stated Santee.

Santee also announced more good news. The top ten point finishers in each division, which also includes the Dirt Mods and 4-Cylinder Stocks, will have an increase in payout at the 2012 champion’s banquet.

This coming Saturday night, August 11, Mahoning will run the final installment of the Modified Triple 25s, Three 25 lap features paying $1000 to win each. All regular track classes are also on the speedbill.

Additional news can be found on the track’s website at www.mahoningvalley-speedway.com You can also follow track happenings on FACEBOOK.