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Indianapolis Speedrome “News”
NHRA FUNNY CARS ON DISPLAY AT KEY INDIANAPOLIS DESTINATIONS PRIOR TO SUPER BOWL XLVI
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: NHRA Communications, (626) 914-4761
NHRA Media Center Online: http://media.nhra.com
NHRA FUNNY CARS ON DISPLAY AT KEY INDIANAPOLIS DESTINATIONS PRIOR TO SUPER BOWL XLVI
GLENDORA, Calif. (Feb. 1, 2012) – NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Funny Cars from Don Schumacher Racing and John Force Racing will be prominently displayed at two leading tourism destinations across central Indiana leading up to Super Bowl XLVI.
NFL fans that touchdown at the Indianapolis International Airport will be greeted by the Castrol GTX High Mileage Ford driven by John Force and the Auto Club Ford Mustang driven by Robert Hight. Both cars competed in the 2011 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. One car will be on display at Concourse A and the other at Concourse B and both will be highly visible to those arriving into the city. The displays will feature custom welcome signage and information about the ‘Big Go,’ the prestigious Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, held at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis during Labor Day weekend.
DSR and JFR cars will also be on display at the Super Celebration Site at Metropolis Mall in Plainfield, Ind., located in Hendricks County. Both the NAPA Funny Car driven by Ron Capps and the 2010 John Force Castrol GTX 25th anniversary Ford Mustang will be a focal point of the 18,000 square foot Super Celebration Site display.
At the Super Celebration Site, fans will not only be able to see the Funny Cars but also be able to race an IndyCar simulator and test their football skills on the NFL Blitz video game. Metropolis Mall will also house a replica Izod Indy Car featuring the decals of the Baltimore Ravens as part of the Super Cars promotion. For more information on the Super Celebration Site, visit www.TourHendricksCounty.com/SuperSite.
“Having the Super Bowl in Indianapolis is an enormous thrill for all of us who live and work here,” said Mike Lewis, vice president of Don Schumacher Racing based in Brownsburg. “Considering the culture of auto racing in Indiana it only makes sense for industry leaders like Don Schumacher Racing to become involved in Super Bowl activities. We hope NFL fans will want to experience our brand of 320 MPH excitement at some of the 23 NHRA events around the country.”
“Having my hot rods on display as part of the Indianapolis Super Bowl events is great for the NHRA and my sponsors like Castrol, Ford, Auto Club, Traxxas, Mac Tools and BrandSource. I put the John Force Road Show together to spread the gospel of NHRA and you aren’t going to get a bigger crowd than Indianapolis this week,” said 15 time Full Throttle Series Champion, John Force. “I played football growing up and to have my Castrol GTX HIGH MILEAGE Ford Mustang Funny Car, my 25th anniversary Castrol Funny Car and Robert Hight’s Auto Club Ford Mustang on display at the airport and the Metropolis Mall is pretty cool.”
“When we first heard we would be a Super Celebration Site and featuring a Super Car, we knew we had to showcase our own NHRA Super Cars as part of the festivities,” said Jaime Bohler Smith, associate director for the Hendricks County Convention and Visitors Bureau, the group overseeing the site. “Our hope is that guests coming to see the big game, will come back and join us for the Big Go (the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway) right here in the motorsports capitol of the world,” she added.
The cars at the airport will be continuously on display and those at Metropolis Mall will be on display from Feb. 2nd from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. through Feb. 5th from noon to 4 p.m. Metropolis Mall is located on the eastern edge of Hendricks County and just minutes from downtown Indianapolis.
Headquartered in Glendora, Calif., NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 23 national events featuring the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series and NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by ProCare Rx. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and the NHRA Drags: Street Legal Style presented by AAA. NHRA also offers the Jr. Drag Racing League for youth ages 8 to 17. In addition, NHRA owns and operates five racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Atlanta Dragway in Georgia; National Trail Raceway in Ohio; Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis; and Auto Club Raceway at Pomona in Southern California. For more information, log on to NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.
Hoosier Tire “Midwest Sprint Car Series Schedule.
THE HOOSIER TIRE MIDWEST SPRINT CAR SERIES 2012 SCHEDULE
Haubstadt, IN – January 29, 2012. The 2012 schedule being released
by the Hoosier Tire Midwest Sprint Car Series will offer competitors
and fans thirteen diverse events. This will be the twelfth season
for the series. A wide range of purses will offer top prizes of
$2,000 (2), $2,500 (2), $3,000 (3), $4,000 (1), $5,000 (3), and
$10,000 (2).
The season opener will be held at the Lawrenceburg Speedway on
Saturday May 5th. This is a must-do event for drivers posturing to
make a run for the series title. Brady Short is the MSCS defending
champion. The feature that night will pay $2,000 to win.
The season will continue with a co-sanctioned event for MSCS and USAC
on May 12th at Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt, IN. This will be the
third time in history that the two sanctioning groups have raced
together on the swift high banked ¼ mile facility.
MSCS will also be visiting several other Indiana tracks. The series
will make a special weeknight appearance at the half mile Terre Haute
Action Track. MSCS will share the spotlight on a racing bill
headlined with a special NASCAR Night promotion. This race is set
for Tuesday evening June 19th, just two days after the series makes a
Father’s Day Sunday evening appearance at Tri-State Speedway. Both
will be great family night opportunities to attend the races!
The series is set for an encore performance at Lincoln Park Speedway
in Putnamville after last year’s successful return to the facility.
The date for the MSCS Return II Putnamville is August 18. The top
prize is $3,000. The strong contingency of regular sprint drivers
that frequent the track always present formidable opposition for the
series.
The Fall Clash at Bloomington Speedway in Bloomington, IN, on Friday
September 14th will kick off the only weekend this season in which the
series has back to back races scheduled. The $5,000 to win that night
and the $10,000 to win the Haubstadt Hustler the next night will
provide the biggest single MSCS racing weekend of the season. The
Haubstadt Hustler will be a co-sanctioned MSCS-USAC event again in
2012.
The MSCS drivers will join the United States Auto Club drivers again
on Sept. 29th for the City of Lawrenceburg Fall Nationals and a
chance to win another $10,000 prize.
Holiday weekend events at which MSCS will be racing include the May
27th and September 2nd dates at Tri-State Speedway. MSCS will join
and welcome the KISS competitors to Haubstadt on Memorial Day
Weekend. The Labor Day Weekend Challenge at Haubstadt will pay
$3,000 to the winner. Both are Sunday night events! Tri-State
Speedway will also present MSCS racing on Saturday night June 30th
with the Summer Blast set to take the green prior to the Fourth of
July midweek holiday.
The Hoosier Sprint Nationals at Haubstadt will be held on Saturday
night August 4th.
This will be the eighth version and it will pay $5,000 to win again this
season. The enduring event continues in its role as the high mark on each
season’s MSCS schedule and is the threshold to the larger purses for races
that close out the season.
The season will then end on October 6th with the Harvest Cup at
Tri-State Speedway. This will be the second year for the event
designed to wrap up the season and provide an opportunity to present
the MSCS Championship Trophy and Rookie of the Year Award to the
recipients with fans, race teams, and sponsors present. The feature
for the season finale pays $4,000 to win.
Provided as News and Publicity for MSCS.
Racing Looses a Good Guy and Innovator. Jim Hullinger passes Away
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Scott R. Smith, (317) 387-7343
Lucas Oil Raceway Media Center Online: http://www.lucasoilraceway.com/media/login.asp
INDIANA DRAG RACING PIONEER, JIM HULLINGER PASSES AWAY
BROWNSBURG (Jan. 24, 2012) – Drag racing pioneer and founder of Indiana’s first permanent drag strip in Bunker Hill (Ind.) Jim Hullinger passed away Monday, January 23rd after a brief illness.
Hullinger, 86, constructed Bunker Hill Drag Strip in 1956, and along with his wife Mary and family, operated the track for 40-years before they sold it in 1997 and retired. The track continues to operate as one of the oldest and longest running facilities in the country.
After he and other hot rodders in the area were run off of the Converse (Ind.) airport, Jim recognized the need for a permanent facility to provide an organized and safe racing environment. That, along with having seen NHRA’s Safety Safari conduct events at a temporary site at Stout Field in Indianapolis, gave him the inspiration for building Bunker Hill Drag Strip.
Before building the drag strip, Hullinger was a prominent stock car and modified racer at dirt tracks at Kokomo Speedway, Warsaw Speedway and other Midwest tracks from 1950 – 1963.
In 1964, Hullinger designed and built roller platforms dubbed “Safe-Start” to eliminate the dangers of the practice of having to push start dragsters. Due to the success of the units, over 40 were installed at tracks across the country. Not only did the “Safe-Start” provide a safer method of starting cars, but it also made for a more efficient race operations and a better show for the spectators.
He served on the Steering Committee which laid the ground work for the NHRA North Central Division E.T. Racing Series. The series, currently sponsored by Summit Racing Equipment, will be in its 36th year in 2012. Hullinger was the first in the country to conduct an all Jr. Drag Racing national event for the new category of racing which was established for kids 8-17 years of age by NHRA in 1992.
His son Jay has served as the North Central Division Director since 1987.
One of five drag racing facilities owned and operated by the National Hot Rod Association, Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis was built in 1960 and has presented organized racing events since 1961. From March through October, the facility hosts more than 120 dates of racing on three tracks, a quarter-mile drag strip, a .686-mile paved oval and a 2.5-mile road course. Home to drag racing’s biggest event, the NHRA Mac Tools U.S. Nationals over Labor Day weekend, the drag strip runs more than 50 days of point-to-point action, from national events to street legal community programs. The oval track draws racing’s biggest events including USAC, ARCA and CRA races. The road course provides a home for several racing sanctions, while providing an ideal resource for driving schools, corporate outings and open-road tests for professional drivers.
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New USAC Calender “Now Available”
One of the good things about racing is the cool pictures… Gotta get this I think..
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New Sponsor in CRA Series
This is just a quick note from RJ Cunningham
My origional goal in racing was not to do a full print magazine, nor a website , nor a radio show about racing.
However with that said the entire business plan in the past and in the future is totally to bring more sponsors into the sport of racing. And with that said all new sponsors are important to all divisions of racing and all race drivers.
This is just one of the new intelligent companies that have chosen to become involved in racing.
Champion Racing Association
For Immediate Release:
Contact: Glenn Luckett
812-883-0455
Widow Wax Becomes Newest CRA Supporter
Salem, IN (January 9, 2012) – Champion Racing Officials announced today that Widow Wax has agreed to become the newest supporter of Champion Racing Association for the upcoming 2012 race season. Widow Wax will use Champion Racing Association to market its products to CRA teams and the fans attending CRA events. Widow Wax will award the winner at each ARCA/CRA Super Series and JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by GM Performance Parts event with three bottles of Widow Wax. In addition, Widow Wax will award the 2012 ARCA/CRA Super Series and JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by GM Performance Parts Championship winning drivers with Widow Wax jackets.
Widow Wax is a thin-film polymer coating, created from NASA based technology to provide the ultimate, durable high-gloss protective finish for all types of vehicles. Widow Wax leaves a hard glass like finish on all painted surfaces. Widow Wax dries clear in cracks and crevices and is guaranteed not to leave behind a dusty chalky residue with the ultimate in sealers and conditioners. This White Brazilian Carnauba Wax/Polymer mix formula is safe for today’s paint jobs and all clear coats. Widow wax is known for its Easy on Easy off application while leaving behind an ultra-high gloss “Wet Look.”
Created from entirely synthetic materials, Widow Wax’s protective characteristics blow other waxes out of the water. Widow Wax is highly resistant to detergents, acids, chemicals, and UV, which cause paint to deteriorate and fade over time. Widow Wax is guaranteed to bring back a deep, lustrous high-gloss finish to your vehicle with its Hydrophobic Coating. The coating lasts longer than other synthetic waxes because it’s formulated to reduce surface tension causing water to bead and rolls away.
Serial entrepreneurs Justin Kuhn and CRA veteran racer Jason Dietsch have partnered together to offer customers the highest quality car care products money can buy. They have made it a point to go above and beyond all industry standards while choosing the key ingredients. They have brought customers products that offer the easiest application while delivering the most professional results. Widow products are sold with a 100% Money Back Guarantee, if customers are not satisfied. Widow Products are manufactured and packaged at their 65,000 sq. foot facility. Their products are successfully marketed and sold worldwide as a direct result of their commitment to high quality formulations and unsurpassed performance.
More information on Widow Wax is available at www.widowwax.com. More information on all the CRA Series is available at www.craracing.net.
Testing? Jan 6th and Shorts?
Hey Fans.
Just a couple of things before work today.
I was drinking my pot of Joe and could have sworn I heard Testing at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis?
Up to 60 Degrees in Indianapolis today? I’m putting on shorts.. I’m working on website and Even though my Treee hugger Employee Shannon said there is Proof of Global Warming I just half to laugh as I listen to Talk Radio and Rush Limbaugh.
I want to also welcome to New Race Fans to the fold and they are:
Adora Miller and her son Larry
It will be very interesting to see what 2012 brings to racing and more.
I personally expect a GREAT YEAR !!
Despite the idiot we have in the White House.
RJ Cunningham
and yes you can consider this my first Blog of the year. LOL
LUCAS OIL RACEWAY 2011 NASCAR EVENTS AT LUCAS OIL RACEWAY NAMED AMONG TOP 10 OF THE SEASON BY SPEED.COM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Scott R. Smith, (317) 387-7343
Lucas Oil Raceway Media Center Online: http://www.lucasoilraceway.com/media/login.asp
2011 NASCAR EVENTS AT LUCAS OIL RACEWAY NAMED AMONG TOP 10 OF THE SEASON BY SPEED.COM
BROWNSBURG (Dec. 19, 2011) – Both the 30th annual Kroger 200, benefitting Riley Hospital for Children, NASCAR Nationwide Series race and the AAA Insurance 200 Camping World Truck Series race held during Kroger SpeedFest were named as the Top 10 NASCAR races of the 2011 season by SPEED.com. In articles written by Tom Jenson, senior NASCAR editor forRacer magazine and for TruckSeries.com, the two events were among the highlights of the ultracompetitive season.
“We are very proud to once again be recognized as holding two of the top events in the recently completed NASCAR season,” said Wes Collier, general manager of Lucas Oil Raceway. “As home to the Nationwide Series for the past 30 years and the Camping World Truck Series since the inception of the series since 1995 we have prided ourselves on the high level of racing at the facility.”
Those in attendance at the 30th annual Kroger 200 witnessed a dominating performance by Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who led the majority of the event. As the laps drew to a close Brad Keselowski mounted a charge that placed near the front of the field and in a position to get his first career NASCAR win at Lucas Oil Raceway. Because of the intense battle the article named the Kroger 200 as the ninth best race of season:
“Ricky Stenhouse Jr. dominated the night’s action at Lucas Oil Raceway, leading a race-high 189 laps around the Indiana short track. But defending NASCAR Nationwide Series champion Brad Keselowski ran down Stenhouse, making the winning pass with just seven laps to go. “We rubbed a little bit,” said Keselowski of his race-winning pass. “I didn’t take him out by any means. I just raced him hard like I’m sure he would for the win. Ricky deserved to win this race with the car he had, but things fell our way.””
The AAA Insurance 200 race was named the third highest race of the season in the Camping World Truck Series thanks in large part to the stunning win by Timothy Peters. This was the only win of the season for Peters and helped propel him to a top five finish in the points. The article stated of the race:
“A mid-race flat tire caused Timothy Peters to spin, sending him to the pits and out of sequence with the leaders at Lucas Oil Raceway near Indianapolis. But the tide eventually turned and the unscheduled pit stop allowed Peters to have the advantage over the competition in the final laps and chase down James Buescher, had who led 97 laps, with six laps remaining to score the upset victory.”
The NASCAR Nationwide Series events at Lucas Oil Raceway have been honored in the past as the 2003 race was named the top race of that year and of the 2000’s because of the duel between Brian Vickers and Shane Hmiel.
One of five drag racing facilities owned and operated by the National Hot Rod Association, Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis was built in 1960 and has presented organized racing events since 1961. From March through October, the facility hosts more than 120 dates of racing on three tracks, a quarter-mile drag strip, a .686-mile paved oval and a 2.5-mile road course. Home to drag racing’s biggest event, the NHRA Mac Tools U.S. Nationals over Labor Day weekend, the drag strip runs more than 50 days of point-to-point action, from national events to street legal community programs. The oval track draws racing’s biggest events, including annual visits from USAC, ARCA and CRA and others. The road course provides a home for several racing sanctions, while providing an ideal resource for driving schools, corporate outings and open-road tests for professional drivers.
Bryan Clauson holds off T-Mez in POWRi’s 2nd Battle at the Center on the Mini Magic Mile
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DU QUOIN, Ill. (Dec. 17, 2011)—The start of the indoor season of Midget racing couldn’t have had a more exciting finish as the 2nd annual Battle at the Center took place on Saturday night on the Mini Magic Mile. The POWRI Lucas Oil National Midget Series-sanctioned non-points event saw 51 cars unload for a stout purse and the action was intense for an excellent crowd at the Southern Illinois Center.
Bryan Clauson and Thomas Meseraull swapped the lead multiple times over the final 10 laps in a wheel-to-wheel battle to the checkered flag. Clauson was able to narrowly capture the victory in the 40-lap feature on the 1/5th-mile track with Meseraull finishing second. Chett Gehrke of Broken Arrow, Okla., was third, followed by defending champion Casey Shuman of Rattlesnake Bend, Ariz., and Brad Kuhn of Avon, Ind.
Clauson, of Noblesville, Ind., and 2011 National USAC Driver of the Year, was excited about the victory and the battle with Meseraull to the finish.
“We were able to race wheel-to-wheel without an incident and that was phenomenal. We fell back to third, but we were able to find a passing lane over there in (Turns) One and Two. . .I can’t say enough about these guys behind me,” Clauson said regarding his team members. “They (POWRi) did a phenomenal job with the track, I don’t think I’ve seen this place that racy in a long time.”
Meseraull, though disappointed in finishing one spot short of his goal, was equally excited about the battle for the top spot.
“Once it built a cushion, you can start hauling it up top. Me and Bryan slide jobbing like that, you’d have thought we were at Little Belleville (Ill., Belle-Clair Speedway) with some banging.. What a show. POWRi does a great job,” the San Jose, Calif., pilot remarked on the front stretch following the finish.
The outcome was in doubt until the final lap as Clauson led much of the early stages of the race as the track began to widen out for the competitors. Meseraull, running second ahead of Austin Brown, Gehrke, Cameron Hagen and Tony Roney, had slipped back a bit as the caution flew for Hagen, who had banged the wall in Turn Two.
A promising run for Hagen was derailed with a flat right rear tire caused by the contact.
On the restart, Meseraull made his bid for the lead in the A.J. Felker-owned machine. He threw a solid slider at Clauson in Turn One that nearly stuck and followed with several more over the next couple of laps looking to take over the point. Meseraull got the final slid job to stick as Clauson nearly spun off of turn one and dropped back to third briefly.
The NOS Energy Drink, Curb Records No. 39 wasn’t going to stay there for long as he ratcheted up the attack and slipped back past Brown and on Meseraull’s tail tank for second before Brad Loyet brought out a red flag when his Vacuworx Spike-Esslinger got on its side off Turn Four.
With 10 laps remaining, Clauson made his final push as he and Brown fought for second, wheel-to-wheel ahead of Gehrke as Shuman and Kuhn tried to make up ground.
The final few laps was another war as Meseraull and Clauson battled for the top spot before Clauson was able to make a pass stick and hold on for the final few laps to record the $5,000 payday.
“It feels really good to fall behind and then rally back,” Clauson said. “This place has kind of had my number. This is a place that I haven’t really run well at in the last few years. To come here and run as strong as we did is a really great boost heading into the indoor season with the Chili Bowl and I’m actually going to New Zealand, too. Kind of a great kickoff to the second part of my season. Those guys gave me a great NOS Energy Drink, Curb Records No. 39. It was just a matter of figuring it out. We kind of gave it away there earlier, we were fighting a little bit of a miss. We kind of cleared it up there towards the end of the race. I was able to figure out some things in Turns One and Two that I wanted to be able to make some passes.”
Meseraull praised the car delivered by owner Felker.
“We had a great car. (AJ) Felker builds great cars. This car right here is actually for the Chili Bowl. This car could win the Chili Bowl. We showed it tonight,” Meseraull said. “Felker builds some of the best race cars in the business and he is one of the best for obvious reasons. I’d like to think I put on a good show out there. I was running second and I didn’t have nothing, but I wanted to win so I started throwing sliders and putting on a show for you guys,” Meseraull said. “This place can be kind of boring, but that couldn’t have been boring!”
Meseraull started on the pole alongside Tyler Courtney followed by Olney, Ill. native Levi Jones and Clauson.
Clauson led early on in the main event before a pileup in Turn Three brought out a caution.
On a lap 14 restart, a pileup collected Jones, Courtney and Loyet along with Brett Anderson to shuffle the top-five.
When the feature went green again the duel between Clauson and T-Mez took shape for the remaining 20 laps of the 40-lap feature.
Ryan Blakeman produced one of the best efforts of the feature, making his way up from the 20th starting position to place 14th after he slipped back late. Shuman started ninth and crossed the line in fourth and Tim Siner came forward from a 19th starting spot to place 10th.
results
POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series
2nd Annual Battle at the Center at the Southern Illinois State Fairgrounds
40-lap Feature
1.Bryan Clauson, 2. Thomas Meseraull, 3. Chett Gehrke, 4. Casey Shuman, 5. Brad Kuhn, 6. Danny Stratton, 7. Brett Anderson, 8. Shane Cockrum, 9. Mike Goodman, 10. Tim Siner, 11. Tony Roney, 12. Austin Brown, 13. David Gough, 14. Ryan Blakeman, 15. Zach Daum, 16. Kyle Neal, 17. Donald McIntosh, 18. Brad Loyet, 19. Levi Jones, 20. Tyler Courtney, 21. Cameron Hagen
Qualifier one
(Top-7 advance to feature)
1. Brad Loyet, 2. Tyler Courtney, 3. Brett Anderson, 4. Chett Gehrke, 5. Brad Kuhn, 6. Mike Goodman, 7. Tim Siner, 8. Tyler Thomas, 9. Taylor Ferns, 10. Colten Cottle, 11. Jody Rosenboom, 12. John Campbell, 13. Kara King, 14. Dave Camefield Jr., 15. Ryan Pace, 16. Andrew Felker, 17. Derreck King
Qualifier two
1. Bryan Clauson, 2. Levi Jones, 3. Tony Roney, 4. Shane Cockrum, 5. Zach Daum, 6. Danny Stratton, 7. Ryan Blakeman, 8. Tyler Reddick, 9. Glen Styres, 10. Tyler Millwood, 11. Trevor Kobylarz, 12. Hunter Schurenberg, 13. Darren Kingston, 14. Jesse Sobbing, 15. Andee Beirle, 16. Steve Stroud, 17. Daniel Robinson
Qualifier three
1. Thomas Meseraull, 2. David Gough, 3. Casey Shuman, 4. Austin Brown, 5. Kyle Neal, 6. Cameron Hagen, 7. Donald McIntosh, 8. Michael J. Koontz, 9. Isaac Chapple, 10. Andy Huston, 11. Tim Lynch, 12. Joey Moughan, 13. Rick King, 14. Chris Morgan, 15. Danny Frye, 16. Danny Smith, 17. Rich Camfield
For more information on POWRi Racing, go to www.POWRi.com.
–30–
Contact:
(Written by Carey Fox for)
Tim Tuttle
POWRi Racing Media Director
765 721-7599
timetuttle@aol.com
Power I Racing Press Release “Indoor Racing”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Levi Jones, Shane Hmiel bring successful partnership in Midgets to POWRi’s Battle at the Center in Du Quoin
DU QUOIN, Ill. (Dec. 13, 2011)—Seven-time USAC National champion Levi Jones will try to build on his successful partnership with Midget car owner Shane Hmiel in the POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series’ second annual Battle at the Center on Saturday (Dec. 17) at the Mini Magic Mile at the Southern Illinois Center.
Jones won the Gold Crown Midget Nationals at Tri-City Speedway in Pontoon Beach, Ill., in October in his second start for Hmiel, a former NASCAR and USAC race-winning driver who was paralyzed from the waist down in a crash in October, 2010, and made a return to racing with his team last summer.
Jones set a USAC record with his fifth Sprint Car National Championship this year, breaking the record of four he had shared with Steve Butler. Jones had three feature victories in 2011. He’s won three consecutive titles for Tony Stewart Racing and also won in 2007 for Stewart. A former basketball star at East Richmond High in Olney, Ill., who lives in Swansea, Ill., Jones won his first Sprint Car title for Benic Enterprises in 2005.
Jones also has won four USAC National championships the past two years. He’s driven to back-to-back crowns in USAC’s Silver Crown division.With seven titles, he’s tied for second on USAC’s all-time list with Rich Vogler and Mel Kenyon. A.J. Foyt is first with 10.
Sprint Car star Hunter Schurenburg of Sikeston, Mo., will also be competing in the Battle at the Center. He had four victories and finished fourth in the points in USAC’s Sprint Car National championship this season.
The POWRi-sanctioned and –organized non-points event has attracted an all-star cast of drivers that includes three-time POWRi National Midget champion Brad Loyet and two-time USAC Midget and overall National Champion Bryan Clauson. It will pay $5,000 to win.
The one-day Battle at the Center will feature a 40-lap main event on the 1/5th-mile indoor track at the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds. Gates open at 3 p.m. and hot laps begin at 5 p.m. with racing immediately following. General admission tickets are $20 and children 12-and-under are free.
The event is being taped by NEWAVE Productions for delayed broadcast on SPEED Channel LUCAS Oil on the Edge.
Casey Shuman won the inaugural running of the Battle at the Center, with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. taking second and Dave Darland third.
Entries for POWRi’s Lucas Oil National Midget Series 2nd Battle at the Center (as of Dec. 13): Levi Jones, Swansea, Ill., Hunter Schurenburg, Sikeston, Mo., Danny Smith, Decatur, Ill., Joey Moughan, Springfield, Ill., Mike Goodman, Broken Arrow, Okla., Ryan Pace, Brownsburg, Ind., Tony Roney, Herculaneum, Mo., Donald McIntosh, Dawsonville, Ga., Tyler Milwood, Kingston, Ga., Brad Loyet, Sunset Hills, Mo., Mario Clouser, Auburn, Ill., Andrew Felker, Carl Junction, Mo., Daniel Robinson, Mt. Vernon, Ill., Shane Cockrum, Benton, Ill., Andee Beierle, Bismark, N.D., Michael J. Koontz, Bloomington, Ind., Trevor Kobylarz, Birdsboro, Pa., Danny Stratton, Indianapolis, Jonathan Halford, Tulsa, Okla., Andy Houston, Roseville, Ill., Colten Cottle, Kansas, Ill., Zach Daum, Pocohontas, Ill., Danny Frye III, St. Charles, Ill., David Gough, Machnesney, Ill., Tyler Courtney, Indianapolis, Austin Brown, Millstadt, Ill., Chett Gehrke, Broken Arrow, Okla., Brett Anderson, Belleville, Ill., Tim Siner, Dupo, Ill., John Campbell, Belleville, Ill., Steve Stroud, St. Charles, Mo., Christopher Bell, Norman, Okla., Tim Lynch, Columbus, Ind., David Budres, Beloit, Wis., Stephen Arnold, Seymour, Ind., Kyle Neal, Ewing, Ill., Jake Blackhurst, Mapleton, Ill., Bryan Clauson, Noblesville, Ind., Isaac Chapple, Wilkinson, Ind., Taylor Ferns, Shelby Township, Mich., Kara King, Vienna, Ill., Tyler Thomas, Collinsville, Okla., Rick King, Vienna, Ill., Dereck King, Vienna, Ill., Darren Kingston, Vandalia, Ill.
For more information on POWRi Racing, go to www.POWRi.com.
–30–
Contact:
Tim Tuttle
POWRi Racing Media Director
765 721-7599
timetuttle@aol.com
