Harrisburg, PA– With more than 1,500 riders, drivers, and competitors on more than a million square feet of floor space, the largest and most interactive event in Motorama’s 35-year history will take place February 16th and 17th at the massive Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg.

Headlined by Arenacross racing in the large arena, Motorama will also include arenas filled with go-kart racing, quarter midget racing, robot conflict, and more than 700 racing and show vehicles on display.
 

SOME MOTORAMA 2012 HIGHLIGHTS (INDOOR RACING, SPEED SHOW, ROD, CUSTOM & TUNER SHOW, MS.. MOTORAMA
 

Big money winners in the Arenacross were Casey Martin of Frenchburg, KY who claimed the both finals in the four-wheel Open A class as well as a win in the four-wheel Pro-Am final on Saturday. T.J. Phillips of New Castle, PA picked up a pair of finals in the 250cc A two-wheel class and another win in the Open A two-wheel class. In the Pit Bike 10 inch class, Robert Rexrode of Murrysville, PA grabbed top honors in both finals.

Among the riders who won the same event both days were Cory Carsten of Bayville, NJ (who won both the Junior Mini 2-wheel and 85cc B two-wheel events both days); Carson Cahill of Enola, PA (51 Oil Injected two-wheel); Grant Landis of Manheim, PA (50 senior automatic four-wheel); Corey Passieu of McDonald, PA (who won both the 50 Open two-wheel and 65 B two-wheel finals both days); Avery Schweitzer of Enola, PA (250 C two-wheel).

Casey Clark of Pine Grove, PA won both the 25+ Open A two-wheel and Open A two-wheel on Saturday night, but was unable to make a sweep of the event in the finals on Sunday. JoshuaVillarreal of Marysville, PA won the Open B 2-wheel race on Saturday and his other division, 250 B two-wheel, final on Sunday.

The United State Air Force was back as an event sponsor, and swore in a group of new recruits before Sunday’s races in the main arena. The Air Force also provided the Color Guard for opening ceremonies both days.

Another Motorama partner was Traxxas, which had a booth in the Rod and Custom Hall and gave away ten remote control cars to lucky fans during the weekend.

The Rod, Custom and Tuner Exhibition delivered some of the best rod and custom show cars on the East Coast with Sport Compacts.

The Speed Show featured all types of race and show vehicles and related vendors, and was also the location of the Ms. Motorama Contest on Sunday morning.

Crowned 2012 Ms. Motorama was Annie Costello, 21, of Pottstown, PA. It was only the second contest ever for Annie, who was encouraged by her boyfriend (250cc dirt biker Zak Klaptosky) to enter. Annie’s crown was worth $500, a spot in the Amped Apparel calendar, a finalist spot in the 2013 Twigg Cycles calendar, a Motorama poster deal, and a jacket from Torylee Designs. The Ms. Motorama Contest was sponsored by Dangerous Wine.

Foundation 529, a nonprofit organization that provides youth with top of-the-line safety equipment, returned as the partnering charity for Motorama. Proceeds from a charity auction, a bucket pass through the stands, and the sale of favorite car voting tickets at the Foundation’s booth in the Speed Show had already raised more than $6,000 by the end of the day Saturday.

One-hundred sixty-nine go-karts competed in Motorama kart racing next to the large arena.

Shawn Nye of Winchester, VA went wire to wire in the $500 to win Pro-Flathead main event.

On Saturday, the track surface took rubber well and the lap times dropped quickly to the high six-second range. There were numerous caution flags for minor spins and accidents.

One "major" crash that never really happened was in the Clone class. The #15 of Barry Thomas got airborn and another kart went under him. The only damage was a cracked seat when his kart finally landed.

On Sunday, there were a few minor crashes and, again, one "big" wreck. The Briggs Medium feature saw a tangle in turn 4 that ended with Jeremy Hahn and his #18 upside down.

Best appearing award winners in the Speed Show included:

• Smoke Christine, dodge pulling truck (off road/truck & tractor pullers)
• Rob Porter, GT500 Shelby Cobra (street cars)
• Mark Yelk, red Honda VTX (motorcycles & quads)
• Jose Diaz, blue Toyota (drag cars)
• Michael Fry, #51 600 modified (small stock cars)
• Matt Wallace, #578 Classic Car (full size stock cars)
• Dave Lightner, #50c (late model)
• Steve Daron, #19 micro-sprint (small car open wheel)
• Nicole Bower, #75 sprint car (full-size open wheel)
• BEST OF SHOW: Daryl Dissinger, "Race To A Cure" modified car