By Deab Reynolds
SYRACUSE, NY – As the calendar just changed seasons to spring, some of the very best sprint car drivers are ready for the 2011, 28th Anniversary Tour for the Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints (ESS). A total of 29 dates and 18 different top flight dirt track facilities in New York, Pennsylvania., Ontario and Quebec, Canada will see the stars and cars from one of the most exciting sprint car organizations.
Of the 29 dates, 20 of them will be ESS sanctioned only full point shows where fans will see the very best battle it out to see if they can dethrone current champion Steve Poirier for the overall Lucas Oil title.
“We are very excited to have such a full schedule and as always with ESS our full point shows anchor the schedule.” noted ESS President Chuck Miller. “With the exception of Edelweiss which unfortunately closed, we have all the tracks back from last year that ran full point ESS events and we are very happy to bring back Canandaigua, Black Rock and Lebanon Valley. It’s looking to be a fun year.”
Leading the schedule with four dates this year is Gene Cole’s Utica-Rome Speedway. As tradition, the Sunday of Memorial, 4th of July and Labor Day weekends will see the winged machines as part of their ever exciting Sunday night programs. The fourth event is shaping up to be something special as ESS is very proud to be chosen as part of Utica-Rome’s 50th Anniversary celebration which will take place on Wednesday, August 17th. ESS and $10,000 to win big block modified event will have the stands packed.
Holding a pair of ESS full point events once again will be Can-Am Motorsports Park, which kicks off the season on April 30th, the Fonda Speedway where the tour champion will be crowned on September 24th and the Friday night home in Quebec, Autodrome Granby.
Returning holding single events will be the Brewerton Speedway, Glen Ridge Motorsports Park, Autodrome Drummond, Fulton Speedway, the New Cayuga County Speedway, Mohawk International Raceway and Le RPM Speedway.
As mentioned earlier, ESS is very happy to return three tracks to the schedule and they will be a vital part of the overall Lucas Oil title. For the first time since 2006, the Canandaigua Motorsports Park is back holding a full point event and it will also be part of the NASCAR weekend at Watkins Glen. A long-time mainstay of ESS returns as the Black Rock Speedway will hold its first event since opening the tour back in 2008. Also back on the tour since ’08 is the return of the high banks of Lebanon Valley but what will be new is that ESS will be part of their very successful Saturday night card which is highlighted by the big block modifieds.
Many specials will be held throughout the schedule highlighted by the seventh annual Canadian Sprint Car Nationals. ESS has been a part of each event and with $11,000 going to the winner, all the ESS stars will be at the Ohsweken Speedway hoping to take home the top prize.
The two-day Fast Track 360 Summer Shootout at the Rolling Wheels Raceway Park will give it another try. A stout field of sprints were on hand last year but unfortunately mother nature won both nights. A cool $3,000 will await the winner on Saturday night.
With ESS back at Black Rock, the club is also proud to be a part of the first Spring Sprint Nationals which has a hefty $2,500 winners share rewarding a top driver in early May.
The Northern Summer Nationals has expanded to both Ohsweken and the South Buxton Raceway and ESS will be a part of the first two events in June. The Ohsweken race will pay $3,000 to win with the Buxton winner getting a solid $2,000 pay day.
For the first time ever ESS will visit one of Central Pa.’s traditional sprint car stops, the Lincoln Speedway. It’s a special Battle of the Stars held on a Tuesday night and many of the ESS faithful will be on hand to see if they can take home the $3,000 winners share.
Last but definitely not least, the night after ESS holds their full point event at Le RPM Speedway, the teams will then take their wings off and hold the first ever wingless sprint car event in the 29 year history. It’s the Wingless Showdown in Quebec and $1,800 will visit the winner in victory lane. While the cash is nice, the simple mentioning of being ESS’ first ever wingless victor will put that driver in the history books.
The season is just one month away, the $2,000 to win Riverside Bar and Grill A-Main opener at Can-Am will kick off all the action. Its looking to be a record year for car counts once again with many teams looking to do the full tour.
Those top drivers include defending champion Steve Poirier, 2009 champ Justin Barger, two-time champion Lance Yonge, Chuck Hebing, Jeff Cook, last years Lane’s Yamaha rookie of the year Kevin Ward Jr., 2006 champion Alain Bergeron is back fulltime, Michael Parent, Tommy Wickham, Mike Stelter, Chris Jones, Shawn Donath, Jason Barney, Cory Sparks, Tyler Rand, Anthony Cain, Matt Tanner and Mark Zemcik.
Fans can also see these drivers at many of the ESS events in 2011: Lee Ladouceur, Jami Russell, Dale Gosselin, Kyle Dutcher, Dan Kaszubinski, Brian McDonald, Devin Caron, Shayne Ely, Dylan Swiernik, James Hanson, Paul Pekkonen, Rick and April Wilson, Tyler Rice, Curtis Bradshaw, Normand Beaudreault, Kory Gurney, Dave Wickham and many others.
Thanks to Lucas Oil, Northwood 2 Construction/LaSalle Motorsports, SUNY Canton, Fondations 4 Saisons, Cobra Coaches, WestFront Construction, Coffrage Daniel Lampron and hopefully an announcement of a few more, the lucrative point funds will be back and in hopes of a record amount.
Its time to throw a little mud in your eye…The Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints and it will be excitement guaranteed!! Please log on to www.empiresupersprints.com for the latest up to date information.
The Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints Tour 2011 Schedule
ESS only sanctioned full point events are listed in bold.
Sat. April 30
Can-Am Motorsports Park, LaFargeville, NY
$2,000 to win
Sat. May 7
Black Rock Speedway, Dundee, NY – Spring Sprint Nationals
$2,500 to win
Sat. May 28
Fonda Speedway, Fonda, NY – Earl Halaquist Memorial
Sun. May 29
Utica-Rome Speedway, Vernon, NY
Fri. June 3
Autodrome Granby, Granby, Que.
$1,800 to win
Sat. June 4
Autodrome Drummond, Drummondville, Que.
$1,800 to win
Fri. June 10
Mohawk International Raceway, Akwesasne, NY
Sat. June 11
Fulton Speedway, Fulton, NY
Sat. June 18
Lebanon Valley Speedway, West Lebanon, NY
Fri. June 24
Ohsweken Speedway, Ohsweken, Ont. – Northern Summer Nationals
$3,000 to win
Sat. June 25
South Buxton Raceway, Chatham, Ont. – Northern Summer Nationals
$2,000 to win
Fri. July 1
Can-Am Motorsports Park
$2,000 to win
Sun. July 3
Utica-Rome Speedway
Fri. July 8
Black Rock Speedway
Sun. July 10
New Cayuga County Fair Speedway, Weedsport, NY
Tues. July 12
Lincoln Speedway, Abbottstown, Pa. – Battle of the Stars
$3,000 to win
Fri. July 15
Glen Ridge Motorsports Park, Fultonville, NY
Fri. July 22
Rolling Wheels Raceway Park, Elbridge, NY – Fast Track Shootout
$2,000 to win
Sat. July 23
Rolling Wheels Raceway Park – Fast Track 360 Summer Shootout
$3,000 to win
Fri. Aug. 5
Autodrome Granby
$1,800 to win
Sat. Aug 6
Le RPM Speedway, St. Marcel, Que.
$1,800 to win
Sun. Aug. 7
Le RPM Speedway – Wingless Showdown in Quebec
$1,800 to win
Sat. Aug. 13
Canandaigua Motorsports Park, Canandaigua, NY
Wed. Aug. 17
Utica-Rome Speedway – 50th Anniversary Special
Fri. Aug. 19
Brewerton Speedway, Brewerton, NY
Sun. Sept. 4
Utica-Rome Speedway
Fri. Sept. 16
Ohsweken Speedway – Night Before the Nationals
Sat. Sept. 17
Ohsweken Speedway – Canadian Sprint Car Nationals
$11,000 to win
Sat. Sept. 24
Fonda Speedway
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, Cooks Contracting Services, 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, Total Race Supply, Riverside Bar and Grill, Coffrage Daniel Lampron, FX Chevy and many, many associate sponsors.