From Eldon Bucher
Haubstadt, IN – May 6, 2011. The 2011 Hoosier Tire Midwest Sprint Car Series will unveil it’s 2011 line-up of outstanding sprint car drivers at Lawrenceburg Speedway Saturday night May 14th. The race will mark the beginning of season 11 for the series which has a tradition of attracting the best non-wing sprint drivers as participants over the years. Lawrenceburg Speedway has presented MSCS sanctioned races since 2006 and the 3/8’s mile, banked fairgrounds oval is one of the most challenging tracks on the tour.
The six MSCS sprint car races held at Lawrenceburg Speedway in the past 5 seasons have produced 5 different winners. Those five different winners present a very true picture of just how strong the competition has been. To win at Lawrenceburg drivers need to be able to keep pace with Levi Jones, Shane Cottle, Robert Ballou, Jon Stanbrough, and Brady Short. They have won in MSCS competition at the legendary facility. Ballou actually has two MSCS victories at Lawrenceburg. Kyle Cummins, Kevin Swindell, Chris Windom, and Jonathan Hendrick are among those who have been so close only to finish second in quest of one of those feature victories.
Brady Short won the last event at Lawrenceburg which was held last May. Short, from Bedford, IN, would be high on the list of drivers who have had an impact on the popularity of the Midwest Sprint Car Series. He has been active in the series since 2005. He finished fifth in the MSCS season points in 2010 and has been somewhere in the top 10 or 20 in points for seven consecutive seasons. This season he has already been in victory lane on Hoosier dirt with an opening night victory at Bloomington Speedway.
MSCS will be appearing on the program at Lawrenceburg with the Modifieds and Pure Stocks. The pit gate will be open by 4:00 E.D.T., the grandstands at 5:00 E.D.T., and action on the track for the triple header should get underway by seven. Lawrenceburg Speedway is located 1 mile East of Lawrenceburg, IN, on U.S. 50. Current and updated information on the race can be found at lawrenceburgspeedway.com.
MSCS drivers will be racing for $2,000 to win and $225 to start the feature. Drivers competing but not making the A-Main will receive $100 tow money. This season MSCS will be using passing points during the qualifying heats to determine which drivers will transfer to the A-Main and which drivers will need to run a B-Main for a last chance to make the A. The feature event on the 14th will be for 25 laps. Drivers are reminded that at Lawrenceburg race-ceivers and transponders will be in use and mufflers are required!
The defending champion for MSCS is Blake Fitzpatrick of West Terre Haute, IN. The previous two title holders were very possessive and held on to it for three consecutive seasons. Kyle Cummins of Princeton, IN, was the MSCS Champion for 2007, 2008, and 2009 and Alex Shanks of Marion, IL, was the MSCS Champion for 2004, 2005, and 2006. Fitzpatrick was fast out of the chute last season.
As soon as the first heat is over on May 14th there will be a points leader but depending on how many heats are held that position will quickly become a tie between several drivers. The feature as usual will likely beckon as the deciding factor. Someone will appear May 29th at Haubstadt as the 2011 point leader based on the outcome of the opener at Lawrenceburg. Who will it be?