By Brian Liskai: (Attica, OH) A new and exiting webcast will begin Monday, March 23, that will focus on the great racing in Northwest Ohio. The return of The Last Lap will hit cyberspace with hosts Scott Barman and Brian Liskai, from 6-7 p.m. each Monday.
Race fans can tune in at www.dirtvision.com or go to ww.fastondirt.com or the two track’s web sites to listen in as Barman and Liskai interview the talented drivers who compete each Friday at Attica and Saturday at Fremont.
“We’re excited to bring the focus on these two great tracks and the huge talent pool of drivers they share. We hope to give fans more insight into the racing and the drivers. This is an opportunity to tell the world about the exciting, entertaining racing we have,” said Liskai, who is the announcer and public relations person at both Attica and Fremont.
“This is going to be one of the most exciting seasons ever at both tracks. There’s a lot of young talent coming up and enough veterans to make the racing interesting and entertaining. Then, you throw in the Kistler Racing Products FAST (Fremont Attica Sprint Title)… the tradition is growing and we want to be a part of promoting that,” said Barman.
Eight years ago a radio show began at a Fremont radio station to promote the great racing at Fremont Speedway and Attica Raceway Park. Hosts Scott Barman, his son, Andrew, and Brian Liskai interviewed the talented drivers from those dirt tracks during the weekly broadcast that was known as “The Last Lap.” Soon after, sprint driver Mike Linder was added to the mix. Four years later, the station took the show in a different direction as it became known as The Buckeye Speedzone, with drivers, promoters and other racing personalities from across the country coming on the show.
Scott Barman, a long-time fan who has volunteered at Fremont and Attica tracks in various capacities, felt something focusing on the local scene needed to return. When he was approached about helping to promote the FAST plans in 2009, he jumped at the opportunity.
“FAST has the potential to create a special bond between the tracks, the drivers and the fans… it is fan driven. Bryan Autullo and Scott Porter (FAST organizers) are fans who wanted to do something, so they rolled up their sleeves and went to work and put together a pretty impressive point fund that will pay the 410 sprint champion $10,000 in money and prizes. Not only that, but if that driver also wins the separate points at both Attica and Fremont, it could be a pretty impressive payday,” said Barman. “I wanted to do what I could to promote that and let everyone know how exciting this is going to be. Besides, I missed the fun, Brian (Liskai) and I used to have with the drivers and fans.”
FAST will award points to 410 sprint drivers from 11 races at Fremont and 11 races at Attica in 2009. The FAST Kistler Cup will go to the overall champion. Both tracks will also crown their own individual champions based on their own point systems.
Autullo and Porter had been working on the Last Lap webcast for sometime and are also excited about the possibilities.
“We have great plans for this down the road including live video of the show and video clips and the possibility of adding radio broadcasting to the mix. All of us are doing this for one reason – to promote the great racing we have in our backyard. We all grew up at these tracks and we want to do what we can to keep it growing for future generations,” said Autullo.
“None of this would be possible without the support of John Bores and Rex LeJeune at Attica and Rich Farmer and Andy James at Fremont. We also have to thank the good folks at DirtVision for their encouragement and help and of course, all of the great sponsors of FAST and at both tracks and the fans,” added Porter.
Joining Liskai and Barman on the Last Lap will be Andrew Barman running the mixing boards and technical support provided by Ross Paulson of Computer Man Inc. of Fremont.