Tioga Center, NY - The Race of Champions Asphalt Modified Tour opens their 2012 season this Sunday, May 20 at Shangri-La II Motorspeedway – the high banked concrete half mile oval in Tioga Center, NY. Other divisions also seeing action this Sunday will be the Sportsman, Street Stocks, Pudgie's GoodTime Pizza, Pasta and Subs 4 Cylinders and Pudgie's GoodTime Pizza, Pasta and Subs 4 Cylinder Juniors.

Matt Hirschman is the defending winner of this first RoC race of the season at " The Concrete Castle", but there already drivers lining up to de-throne the champion. Erick Rudolph piloted Wilber Hebing's McGuire Motorsports back-up ride to a win last week in the track's season opener. Hebing had a dominant ride himself, but a spin on lap 8 of the 35 lap feature event took Hebing to the rear of the field. Hebing put on a driving exhibition to recover to a fifth place finish. Andy Walko was matching Rudolph's lap times in the waning laps of the feature, and had to settle for a second place finish. 2010 track Modified Champion, Jimmy Zacharias had a strong run, finishing third. Daren Scherer, Dean Rypkema, Brian DeFebo, John Markovic, Nick Barzee, T-J Zacharias, Jim Storace, J.R. Kent and rookie Bryan Sherwood all have a completed feature at the speedway under their belt.

Read more: 2012 R.O.C. Modified Tour Opens Season This Weekend

Click here for event details and schedule.

Tom Cummings talks about the Al Robinson benefit on May 11th at ShangriLa

This Friday, May 11, 2012, the long planned fundraising benefit for Al Robinson will take place at Shangri-La II Motorspeedway in Tioga Center, NY. The event is based on the "Relay for Life" concept whereby people can come and set up their displays, race car haulers, campsites, vendor booths etc. starting at 11:00 am on Friday May 11th with the official start of the event at 5:00 pm. The schedule of events is posted under the schedule section of the Shangri-La II Motorspeedway website. Kids' activities begin at 5:00 pm on Friday with tickets for the various activities available at that time. Pace Car rides are scheduled for approximately 7:00 pm on Friday night and again at 10:00 am on Saturday May 12. The live auction of racing memorabilia and fan packages will take place at approximately 8:00 pm Friday night. The Red Solo Cup competition will get started at approximately 9:00 pm and the Down Hill Races will take their first run at 10:00 pm. Saturday will find everyone getting a wake-up call at 8:00 am with a Pancake Breakfast available in the concession area. Kids' activities will resume at 9:00 am with a coloring contest and face painting. Kids Bicycle races will take place on the front stretch of the Speedway at 11:00 am ( Kids need to bring their own bicycles and helmets). Drawing for Chinese Auction winners will happen at 11:15, Announcement of Best Tent/Pit Display at 11:30 and the 50/50 winner will be drawn at 11:45 am. The fundraiser will close at 12:00 noon. A Charity Track Walk will also take place with those wishing to participate making a donation and walking the track with their friends, family and perhaps even their favorite driver or race official (weather permitting, Al Robinson, himself will be a part of the track walk).

Read more: AL ROBINSON FUNDRAISER THIS WEEKEND

Shangri-La II  will host their season opener this Sunday May 13, 2012 with Modifieds, Sportsman, Street Stocks, Pudgies Good Time Pizza Pasta and Subs Four Cylinder Stocks, Pudgies Good Time Pizza Pasta and Subs Four Cylinder Juniors and EST Trucks scheduled to be in competition. The first of two scheduled Test and Tune days was held last Saturday with over 25 teams taking part in the test session. The final pre-season Test and Tune will be held this Saturday May 12, 2012. The test session will begin at 2:00 pm and last until 6:00 pm. The season opening race is the first of six scheduled appearances of the Modifieds this season at "The Concrete Castle". The Modifieds will be using the season opener as a tune-up for the Race of Champions Pavement Modified Tour season opener coming to Shangri-La II on Sunday May 20th.

Pit and Grandstand gates open at 1:30pm. Practice begins at 2:00 pm and will last until 6:00pm on Saturday May 12.

Mothers Day Madness Season Opener Pit Gate opens at 12:00 noon, Hot Laps begin at 1:00, Grand Stand Gates open at 1:30. Green Flag for the 2012 season flies at 3:00 pm .