The Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints Tackle Another Two Race Weekend

Empire Super Sprints ESS Logo

By Dean Reynolds

SYRACUSE, NY – After a very successful 4th of July weekend, the stars and cars from the Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints (ESS) are set for another Friday/Sunday double-header this weekend. Two tracks rich in ESS history is set to host the winged warriors, the Black Rock and New Cayuga County Speedways.

Since 1984, the Black Rock Speedway has hosted 62 ESS events and this Friday will mark the first time since April of ’08 where the Dundee, NY oval is hosting a full point event. Back in May, ESS’ teams battled the best of the United Racing Company and the Patriot Sprint Tour in the Spring Nationals but now the traveling faithful will be looking for valuable points towards the overall Lucas Oil Championship.

On Sunday, the 3/8ths mile oval in Weedsport, NY will host its 27th ESS event since 1985. Under the new promotional team headed by Eric Kingsley, who has been a big supporter of ESS over the years, the New Cayuga County Speedway has seen new life in 2011. Last year ESS hosted its first full point show in over five years which was extremely successful and both are looking to build off that event.

Coming into the weekend is one of the closest and most exciting point battles in the 29 year history of the club with six teams under a blanket looking for the 2011 title. With the point battle ready to resume this weekend fans will be in for a treat.

Shawn Donath continues to be the man to beat right now with the Doug Emery Motorsports #33. The South Onondaga star has been atop the points for a month now but his challengers are some of the best in the Northeast and Canada. The “Cobra” Chuck Hebing is coming off a win last Sunday at Utica-Rome and will looking to take over the top spot. 2010 Rookie of the Year Kevin Ward Jr. sits in third in points with Steve Poirier, Cory Sparks and Alain Bergeron all close behind.

Joining these six chauffeurs in the field on both nights will be Michael Parent, Jeff Cook, Lance Yonge, Dylan Swiernik, Matt Tanner, Mike Stelter, Tyler Rand, Patrick Vigneault, Tim Kelly, Jared Zimbardi, Bryan Howland and others.

As the hot Summer nights of July sets in, the action on the dirt heats up as well. The Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints, two of the original Central New York stomping grounds, the Black Rock and New Cayuga County Speedways…it will be a continuation of the ESS tradition of excitement guaranteed!

For more information:

www.blockrockspeedway.com

www.newcayugacountyspeedway.com

www.empiresupersprints.com

Past Empire Super Sprint Winners at Black Rock Speedway.

Aug. 3, 1984

Lenny Krautheim III

May 5, 1985

Gordy Button

July 17, 1987

Mal Lane

Sept. 11, 1987

John Zentner

July 22, 1988

Mal Lane

Aug. 19, 1988

Gordy Button

Sept. 9, 1988

John Brutcher

June 2, 1989

Rick Crane

July 14, 1989

Tom Taber

Aug. 11, 1989

Rob Hart

Sept. 8, 1989

Mal Lane

May 6, 1990

Mal Lane

July 29, 1990

Jeff Thomas

July 5, 1991

Mal Lane

Aug. 9, 1991

Kim Gagliardi

Aug. 30, 1991

Tom Taber

Sept. 20, 1991

Jeff Thomas

May 10, 1992

Jeff Thomas

July 3, 1992

Bobby Parrow

Aug. 7, 1992

Bobby Parrow

Sept. 4, 1992

Bobby Parrow

May 9, 1993

Mal Lane

July 2, 1993

Tom Taber

Aug. 6, 1993

Craig Lane

May 30, 1994

Kramer Williamson

July 3, 1994

Craig Lane

Sept. 4, 1994

Craig Keel

Sept. 8, 1995

Craig Lane

April 20, 1996

Craig Lane

Sept. 6, 1996

Scott Holcomb

Sept. 5, 1997

Tim Kelly

April 18, 1998

Mike Woodring

Sept. 11, 1998

Bobby Parrow

April 30, 1999

Mike Woodring

July 14, 1999

Bobby Parrow

Sept. 10, 1999

Greg Coverdale

Rob Dietrick

Dan Kaszubinski

Sept. 11, 1999

Craig Keel

April 15, 2000

Dan Kaszubinski

July 3, 2000

Mike Woodring

Sept. 8, 2000

Scott Holcomb

Tom Taber

George Suprick

Sept. 9, 2000

George Suprick

July 6, 2001

John Karklin Jr.

Aug. 10, 2001

Randy Years

Sept. 7, 2001

Phil Mott

Sept. 8, 2001

George Suprick

July 5, 2002

Brian Dumigan

Aug. 9, 2002

Mike Lutz

Sept. 6, 2002

Chris Coyle

Dave McGough

Erin Crocker

Sept. 7, 2002

Mike Woodring

April 12, 2003

Mike Lutz

July 4, 2003

John Karklin Jr.

Aug. 8, 2003

Lance Yonge

Sept. 5, 2003

Mike Lutz

Kevin Welsh

Chris Coyle

Sept. 6, 2003

Scott Bonnell

Aug. 14, 2004

Blake Breen

Sept. 10, 2004

Midge Miller

Dave McGough

Curt Michael

Sept. 11, 2004

Trevor Lewis

Aug. 19, 2005

George Suprick

Sept. 10, 2005

Sept. 9, 2006

Apr. 12, 2008

May 7, 2011

Trevor Lewis

Curt Michael

Justin Barger

JJ Grasso

Past Empire Super Sprint winners at New Cayuga County Speedway

July 7, 1985

John Brutcher

Aug. 18, 1985

Gordy Button

July 6, 1986

Bill Peri

Aug. 2, 1986

Gordy Button

Aug. 24, 1986

Kenny Adams

July 5, 1987

Bob Cain

Sept. 6, 1987

Mike VanDusen

Aug. 27, 1989

Mal Lane

July 1, 1990

Mal Lane

Aug. 26, 1990

Adrian Flath

June 30, 1991

Tom Taber

Aug. 25, 1991

John Birosh

July 5, 1992

Bobby Parrow

Aug. 30, 1992

Jeff Thomas

July 18, 1993

Roger Horvath

July 2, 1995

Greg Hixson

June 30, 1996

Lance Yonge

July 6, 1997

Craig Keel

July 5, 1998

Mike Woodring

July 5, 1999

Bill Coffey

July 2, 2000

Bobby Podolak

July 1, 2001

George Ely

July 7, 2002

Rob Dietrick

May 8, 2005

Ray Preston

July 11, 2010

Jessica Zemken

Oct. 8, 2010

Randy Hannagan

The Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints are brought to you by: Lucas Oil, Northwood 2 Construction/LaSalle Motorsports, SUNY Canton, 730 Truck Stop, Hoosier Racing Tires, Les Constructions Ultra, Westward Painting Corp., Fondations 4 Saisons, Car Mate Trailers, The National Parts Peddler Newspaper, WestFront Construction, Cobra Coaches, The Ohsweken Speedway, Mohawk Racing Parts, Engine Research, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Riverside Bar and Grill, Coffrage Daniel Lampron, Jasmin Peloquin Sport, FX Chevy and many, many associate sponsors.