By Lonnie Wheatley
TULSA, Okla. (September 7, 2010) – A big weekend looms for the American Sprint Car Series Midwest Region with a first-time Missouri venue on Friday night leading into a pair of Nebraska events on Saturday and Sunday.
The weekend kicks off with a $1,500 to win event at Warrensburg’s Central Missouri Speedway on Friday night, moves on to McCool Junction’s Junction Motor Speedway for a $3,000 to win tilt on Saturday night and then concludes with Sunday night’s $5,000 to win Nebraska Cup at Eagle Raceway.
After narrowly missing out on the Northern Plains title over each of the past four years, Sioux Falls shoe Eric Lutz is closing in on his first series title entering the weekend with an advantage of more than 200 points over Waverly, Nebraska’s Doug Lovegrove in the ASCS Midwest points chase. Only the September 24 season final at I-80 Speedway remains after this weekend’s triple.
Springfield, Nebraska’s Jack Dover is third in points despite a limited Midwest slate of events and served notice Saturday night that he has put recent injuries behind him with a “tuneup” win at Eagle Raceway.
Two-time Northern Plains champion Lee Grosz of Harwood, ND, is currently fourth in Midwest points, with Brian Brown, winner of five Midwest features this season including this past weekend’s event at I-80, in fifth.
Friday’s card at Central Missouri Speedway marks the first Sprint Car event atop the Warrensburg dirt track since 2005 after a scheduled April 30 event fell victim to rain. The Winged Outlaw Warriors, led by the likes of top title contenders Eric Todd, Tyler Blank, J. Kinder, Jonathan Cornell and Jon Corbin, will join in on Friday’s festivities.
Junction Motor Speedway, a staple on the ASCS Midwest Regional tour since its inception in 2005, hosts the series for the third and final time of 2010 on Saturday night. In nine previous ASCS Midwest events at McCool Junction, Brian Brown ranks as the only driver to top more than one feature with three victories. Ryan Roberts and Chad Humston have reached victory lane at Junction Motor Speedway in 2010.
Sunday’s $5,000-to-win Nebraska Cup at Eagle Raceway also includes in excess of $1,000 in lap money donated by fans and businesses. Tony Bruce, Jr., outdueled Jesse Hockett to win the 2009 edition of the Nebraska Cup. Just 20 years old now, Jack Dover topped the previous two editions of the Nebraska Cup in 2007 and 2008.
Friday’s action at Central Missouri Speedway gets under way at 7:30 p.m., Saturday’s green flag at Junction Motor Speedway flies at 7:00 p.m. and Sunday’s proceedings fire off at 6:30 p.m.
Central Missouri Speedway is located in Warrensburg, MO, 3.5 miles north of US 50 on SR 13 at the junction of CR V. For more information, contact the track at 660-747-2166.
Junction Motor Speedway is located 5.6 miles south of York, NE, off I-80 Exit 353 on US 81, then 0.3 miles west on CR 4. For more information, contact the track at 402-773-5538.
Eagle Raceway is located in Eagle, NE, off I-80 Exit 420, then 11 miles south to SR 63, then west. For more information, contact the track at 402-781-2243 or 402-238-2595.
The ASCS Midwest Region has completed 16 nights of competition in 2010 at seven different tracks throughout Nebraska and the surrounding areas of Missouri, South Dakota and Iowa, with just one night of competition remaining after this weekend’s triple.
In its 19th year of sanctioning Sprint Car racing, the American Sprint Car Series brings the best of Sprint Car racing to approximately 100 different tracks throughout 30 states and Canada. Anchored by the Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters, ASCS also consists of ten different Regions throughout the nation.
Past ASCS Regional Winners at Central Missouri Speedway:
None – First ASCS Regional event at Central Missouri Speedway
Past ASCS Midwest Region Winners at Junction Motor Speedway:
7/1/10 – Chad Humston
5/28/10 – Ryan Roberts
5/22/09 – Shane Stewart
6/27/08 – Brian Brown
6/29/07 – Brian Brown
5/25/07 – Garry Lee Maier
6/30/06 – Brian Brown
5/26/06 – Jake Peters
5/27/05 – Jason Danley
Past ASCS Midwest Region Winners at Eagle Raceway:
6/12/10 – Jason Johnson (with National)
6/11/10 – Danny Wood (with National)
9/12/09 – Tony Bruce, Jr.
9/7/08 – Jack Dover
7/19/08 – Jack Dover
7/21/07 – Mike Boston
7/22/06 – Wade Nygaard
Additional information regarding the American Sprint Car Series is available at www.ascsracing.com.