It is obvious attendance at the region's two asphalt tracks has declined in recent seasons. The owners of Motordrome and Jennerstown speedways are trying to combat a variety of negative factors, from poor weather to a poor economy, with different marketing programs, special shows and creating family-friendly atmospheres.

A potential remedy to their troubles is rolling into town this weekend in the form of asphalt-winged sprint cars. Many of the racers in the Winged Sprints on Asphalt series will compete in a nonsanctioned event tomorrow at Motordrome before racing Saturday at Jennerstown, along with the International SuperModified Association.

Sprint cars have long been one of the most popular divisions on Western Pennsylvania dirt tracks, so why not create a class to race with the NASCAR-sanctioned late models?

"I'll know after Friday night," said Motordrome owner Red Miley, who also promotes Pittsburgh's Pennsylvania Motor Speedway. "We'll see what the reaction to the sprint cars on asphalt is. Last Friday, when people were exiting the speedway, I heard more excitement about the sprint cars than anything we've done at either speedway other than the World of Outlaws [Late Model Series event at PPMS]. I think there's a valid interest here. We want to see what happens."

The speeds these cars can attain will be the fastest either track will see this year.

Jennerstown owner Dave Wheeler expects the ISMA super modifieds, which last raced at the Laurel Highlands facility in 1999, to circle his 0.522-mile track in about 15 seconds at about 130 mph. He said the winged sprints, which race with 305 cubic-inch Chevy motors, turned lap times of 17.2 seconds during a practice earlier this season. As a comparison, the record for the Super Late Model division, the track's highest-tier weekly class, is 18.72 seconds.

"To me, this is going to be the most blistering show Jennerstown has seen in probably six years," Wheeler said. "Our hope is to try to attract some of the dirt fans to see sprints on asphalt."

Attracting dirt-racing fans is a key to increasing the attendance. Lernerville Speedway, the region's top dirt track that features sprints, late models, big-block modifieds and pure stocks on a weekly basis, has little trouble filling its stands. It would seem a regular sprint class on asphalt would help boost the crowds at Motordrome and Jennerstown and create a similar racing atmosphere to the one at Lernerville.

Jim Driggs, who helped to bring the WSoA to the region this weekend, believes an asphalt-winged sprint-car class would be an economical alternative to racing sprints on dirt. The 410 or 360 cubic-inch motors in the dirt sprints cost between $15,000 and $40,000. Driggs says a 305 motor in a WSoA car can be built for about $6,000.

"We don't have a large base of asphalt sprint cars in Western Pennsylvania," Driggs said. "There is a large base of dirt sprint cars, but guys can't afford the 410 and 360 race motors and the upkeep that it takes to keep a dirt car going. Dirt cars are much more susceptible to damage than asphalt cars.

"Consequently, the cars cost much more to maintain. The motors are more expensive. We've got some pretty rigid rules we follow. It keeps our costs down, and it keeps our costs to the promoters down, which is attractive to them. It's a win-win situation."

If asphalt-winged races are a success this weekend, don't be surprised to see more of the asphalt-winged sprint cars next year, possibly even in a regional tour that includes Jennerstown, where it looks as if the Charger division will be eliminated.

PPMS sale

When owner Emma Webster Garin died in April, Pittsburgh's Pennsylvania Motor Speedway went up for sale. It appears that after a meeting Monday to discuss offers three parties are in the running, including Miley Motorsports, which has leased and operated the track the past 16 years. It also seems as if each group intends to maintain the facility as a racetrack.

"We made a legitimate offer," said Red Miley, president of Miley Motorsports. "I think it would be fair to say the Mileys are in negotiations for the purchase of the speedway. They are ongoing and progressing."

MACS and All-Stars

Lernerville has two special shows tomorrow night with the late models from the Mid-Atlantic Championship Series and the sprints from the All-Star Circuit of Champions. The sprints are trying for the final time to run the Earl and David Bauman Memorial, which has been postponed several times because of bad weather since last August.