By T.J. Buffenbarger
This weekend the Engine Pro Sprints on Dirt presented by ARP and Lane Automotive Michigan Traditional Sprints will share the bill Friday at Hartford Motor Speedway. The Hartford event is one of the best values for sprint car fans in Michigan this season.
Fans can check out SOD and MTS for just $12.00. It’s also a chance to see Hartford’s new 3/8-mile track layout. SOD and MTS only appear at the same track once or twice every season, and this is the first time both will appear at Hartford on the same night.
Hartford’s MTS events have drawn some interest from Indiana teams in the past. With Indiana Sprintweek taking place in the southern part of the Hoosier state this week there is a chance you may see a handful of teams that may opt of traveling south of Indianapolis.
Add in the factor of some drivers doing double duty on Friday and you have a great sprint car option Friday night in the Great Lakes State.
Hartford is the first of a two-night stand for SOD competitors with Saturday night slated for a trip up north to Crystal Motor Speedway. This will be SOD’s second of three appearances this year at Crystal. Crystal is also an appealing venue for some teams that may not have their home track in action this weekend.
Notes:
- Michigan was represented during Tuesday’s Brad Doty Classic at Attica Raceway Park with Ruhl, Dan McCarron, and Quinten Blonde in competition.Of the trio Ruhl was the most formidable utilizing a 410 engine from Ken and Alexis Adgate. Ruhl had a strong showing in his heat race with a sixth-place finish and closing in on the final transfer spot early in the B-Main before dropping out of the event.
At the end of the night Ruhl was satisfied with his outing at the Doty.
I was pretty pleased to be a little bit competitive,” said Ruhl. Attica is a track I don’t race at very often.”
Blonde’s night ended more in more spectacular fashion upside down against the foam barriers outside of turn three. Blonde was not injured.
- Auto Value Bumper to Bumper Super Sprint teams are preparing for the upcoming King of the Wing Sprint Car Series events at Kalamazoo, Auto City, and Toledo Speedways. Those events will be sanctioned under the King of the Wing rules including mandatory Hoosier Tires.
- Dain Naida revealed that son Darin will soon be taking some laps in a restricted micro sprint. Darin and his brother Dylan were named junior race fans of the night Tuesday at Attica and gave the command to start the event.
- Butler Motor Speedway also has another 410 sprint car program scheduled for Saturday. With Northern Ohio tracks off for the Kings Royal you may see a handful of teams opt to venture over to that program.