by John Manzi, publicity director, NAADA

Monticello, NY — The final preliminary legs of the North American Amateur Drivers Association’s World Cup Elimination Series will be contested this week with one midwestern event on Tuesday, March 23 at The Meadows and one final eastern leg at Freehold Raceway on Thursday, March 25.

When both divisional preliminaries are completed only the top five drivers in points from each region will earn a berth in the series finale, which will be a three race contest over the mile oval at Balmoral Park in Crete, Illinois.

Eight amateur drivers are set to go head-to-head in the fourth race at The Meadows on March 23 with the current point leaders Ned Hodkinson (22), Leslie Dunn-Zendt (22), George Bonomo (19), Bob Chapman (15) and Michelle Ruvola (12) all looking to protect their positions.

But others with a chance of being among the top five when it’s all over are Tom Williams (9), Gregg Keidel (7) and Jimmy McGowan (5), all whom will be competing in the Meadows leg.

At Freehold, ten amateurs will be in action in the last eastern preliminary leg which will go as race three on the card. But unlike the Meadows event, the top two in points, Dave Offenberg (25) and Paul Minore (22), are sitting this one out, which may open the doors for those close to being in the top five.

However, Alan Schwartz with 19 points, George Newell, Jr. (14) and Terry Donnelly (11) are out to protect their positions. But breathing down their necks are Ken Weckstein (9) and Scott Woogan (8). And with good placings and a lot of luck on Thursday, Anthony Verruso (6), George Casale (5) and Steve Markoff (5) may even have an outside chance to make the top five.

At Balmoral Park the top five from the midwestern regional and five best in points from the eastern contests will compete in three races with a unique system for post positions being in effect. The driver earning the most points in the Balmoral events becomes the U.S. representative to the prestigious World Cup of Amateur Racing, which will be contested in a series of races in Belgium in early August.