It is more than a year a year away, but Pittsburgh Raceway Park in New Alexandria has been named host of a national event -- the International Hot Rod Association's Nitro Jam.

PRP officials entered big-league racing by working out a five-year deal with IHRA beginning in May 2009.

"This is a race track which is a regional asset for us ... it happens to be located in Westmoreland County," Allegheny County chief executive Dan Onorato said. "You're going to have a lot of Allegheny County residents going to that racetrack, and people from other surrounding counties, too. It's not different than people from surrounding counties coming to Pittsburgh for the Steelers or Pirates or Penguins."

The annual eighth-mile, multiple-day event will feature Top Fuel, Dragster and Funny Car, Mountain Motor Pro Stock, Pro Mod and Alcohol Funny Car classes.

"Pittsburgh deserves a national event." IHRA president Aaron Polburn said. "Back in '98, when I was vice president, one of the original projects I had was to identify untapped markets."

"No. 1 on that list was Pittsburgh. It has been a dream of mine to get something done in this marketplace because it has all the right things from a marketing aspect and population. It's almost a perfect racing market."

Onorato believes the potential economic impact of the PRP event can reach $100 million over the next five years.

Stan Lasky, a former promoter of the Jennerstown Speedway has returned to the promoting ranks by signing a multiyear lease for Motordrome Speedway in Smithton, Pa.

The Lasky family has promoted racing for more than 30 years and, after an eight-year hiatus, Stan and his wife, Ruth Ann, negotiated an agreement in the offseason.

"After eight years away from race promotion, the itch got too strong not to scratch," Lasky said. "I would really like to thank Ben Miley and his brother Matt for all their help in making this possible."

Motordrome Speedway was purchased by James "Red" Miley in 2001 and operated by Miley and then his family until his passing in May 2007.

Despite a not-so promising weather forecast for the beginning of the weekend, Lernerville Speedway will try again at 7 p.m. today to open its 40th season. ... Motordrome Speedway's first attempt to drop the green flag will be at 7:30 p.m. today. ... After opening the season in January with a special event, Mercer Raceway Park will attempt again at 7 p.m. tomorrow to run the "Chiller Thriller" for the FASTRAK-legal late models. ... Pittsburgh's Pennsylvania Motor Speedway's season opener is set for 7 p.m. tomorrow.