VERNON, N.Y. – The 2015 version of the Cole Cup for the 360 Sprint Cars at the Utica-Rome Speedway is rapidly approaching.  The third annual event is scheduled for Saturday, September 12 and will feature the stars of the Sprint Car world as well as the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Stampede Steakhouse Modifieds.

Several of the top stars have already entered to be a part of the $10,000 to win event including five-time Empire Super Sprint driver Steve Poirier.  The Quebec native has a second and third place finish in the event and hopes 2015 will finally be the year he can put his No. 28fm in Victory Lane.  In 2013 he finished second to Stewart Friesen who passed him on the final circuit.  Then, in 2014, he finished third behind Friesen and Jessica Zemken.

Joining Poirier in the field from the Empire Super Sprints will be Rookie of the Year contender Paulie Colagiovanni and his teammate Tommy Wickham.  Colagiovanni, at 14-years-old, will be one of the younger campaigners in the field vying for the top prize.  He already has a pair of podium finishes in ESS competition in 2015.  Wickham, the elder statesmen of the team, has amassed five top ten finishes on the season with the series.

Jason Barney, a 360 Sprint winner at Merrittville Speedway, has also entered the event.  Barney is a four-time feature winner at Utica-Rome over the course of his career.  He’s currently second in Empire Super Sprint points after finishing second in 2014 as well.  The Brewerton, N.Y., driver has only one finish outside the top ten with the Empire Super Sprints on the season.

Four-time Patriot Sprint Tour champion, Bryan Howland, of Union Springs, N.Y., is set for the Cole Cup as well.  Howland’s most recent visit to the Utica-Rome Speedway came to conclusion with a fourth place effort.  Howland is always a threat to win in his family owned No. 51.

The New Jersey contingent will also be represented by 2014 United Racing Club champion Davie Franek.  Franek, of Wantage, N.J., didn’t have the best of runs in his last outing at Utica-Rome Speedway as he finished 24^th in the A-Main.  Franek will look to improve on that finish in September.

Also hoping to have better luck in the Sprint Car event is current Modified regular Larry Wight.  Wight has a $10,000 to win Modified win to his credit at the half-mile.  Wight has a Sprint Car win in 2015 at the Fulton Speedway in Patriot Sprint Tour and he’s a Modified feature winner at Utica-Rome.

The entry fee for the event is $100 with all drivers entering before August 1^st receiving a free pit pass, a savings of $35.  The race is scheduled to be 30-laps in distance paying $10,000 to the winner and $500 to take the green flag.  All drivers not qualifying for the event will take home $125 tow money.

Rules and entry forms are available at www.uticaromespeedway.com.