By Dean Reynolds
SYRACUSE, NY – The summer season continues in a big way for the Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints (ESS) this weekend with three exciting events in the province of Quebec. It’s full point events at Autodrome Granby on Friday and Le RPM Speedway on Saturday. Then it will be time to take the wings off and have a little fun on Sunday at RPM as well.
Not only will the action by the stars and cars of ESS be “on the edge of your seat” type, but very important in the point fight and also very lucrative for the teams as three events will pay $1800 to win.
On Friday and Saturday, teams not only will earn points for the overall Lucas Oil crown, but also the Northwood 2 Construction/LaSalle Motorsports Canadian Sprint Series as well as the Fondations 4 Saisons Quebec Super Star Series where the champion will be crowned.
While Sunday’s special wingless event is non-point for ESS it will be the second leg of the $1,000 Coffrage Daniel Lampron Challenge at RPM where points will be tallied for both events at the quarter-mile. The top five in the points will share from the point fund thanks to Lampron who will be in action with his #52L.
Coming into the weekend Chuck Hebing holds a slim lead over Steve Poirier with Shawn Donath, Kevin Ward Jr. and Cory Sparks still in the hunt for the overall ESS title. Donath comes in leading both the Canadian series and Quebec series points.
Back in June, Donath picked up his first ever ESS A-main victory at Granby and will be looking to make it a repeat with a stout field of sprinters expected to be on hand. Local favorites in Alain Bergeron and Poirier followed Donath across the stripe with Hebing and Ward Jr. rounding out the top five at the very popular half-mile.
Last year, the winged machines made their first ever appearance to the fun quarter-mile in St. Marcel. With the success of the event, the Lucas Oil tour makes its return on Saturday night looking to top the track record. Fondations 55 will sponsor the Cobra Coaches dash as well.
With the added travel tow, both winged events pay $1800 to win and $450 to start, if you are a DNQ you will receive at least $225.
On Sunday, it will be time to make ESS history. For the first time in the 29 years of the successful 360 sprint car organization the race teams will take the wings off and do battle. The Quebec Wingless Showdown, which will pay $1800 to win and $260 to take the green, will see “America’s True Race Cars” topless. Wingless sprint car racing is one of the most exciting forms of dirt track racing and the Quebec fans will be in for a treat.
Joining Hebing, Poirier, Donath, Ward Jr., Sparks, Bergeron and Lampron in the pits this weekend will be Jeff Cook, Matt Tanner, Michael Parent, Mike Stelter, Tyler Rand, Lee Ladouceur, Chris Jones, Patrick Vigneault, Devin Caron, Brian McDonald, Paul Pekkonen, Dale Gosselin, Sylvain Erickson, Donald Lemire, Francois Bernier, Jake Langlois, Curtis Bradshaw and more…
Two nights with wings, one without…Autodrome Granby and Le RPM Speedway. It’s the invasion of the Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints and it will be excitement guaranteed!!
For more information:
www.autodrome-granby.com
www.lerpmspeedway.com
www.empiresupersprints.com
Past Empire Super Sprint Winners at Autodrome Granby
June 17, 1994
Roger Horvath
June 23, 1995
Mike Woodring
Sept. 1, 1995
Craig Keel
June 21, 1996
Mike Woodring
June 20, 1997
Mike Woodring
Aug. 29, 1997
Bobby Parrow
June 19, 1998
Mike Woodring
Sept. 4, 1998
Lance Yonge
June 25, 1999
Mike Stelter
Sept. 3, 1999
Lance Yonge
June 23, 2000
Mike Wodoring
Sept. 1, 2000
Mike Stelter
June 21, 2002
Mike Woodring
Aug. 30, 2002
Mike Woodring
June 20, 2003
Mike Woodring
June 18, 2004
John Karklin Jr.
Sept. 3, 2004
John Karklin Jr.
July 29, 2005
Lance Yonge
June 16, 2006
Doug Emery
July 28, 2006
Steve Poirier
Sept. 1, 2006
Jeff VanDusen
June 15, 2007
Chuck Hebing
July 27, 2007
Jeff Cook
Aug. 31, 2007
June 13, 2008
Aug. 1, 2008
Steve Poirier
Steve Poirier
Alain Bergeron
Aug. 29, 2008
Steve Poirier
June 5, 2009
Steve Poirier
July 31, 2009
Sept. 4, 2009
June 4, 2010
Aug. 27, 2010
June 3, 2011
Justin Barger
Chuck Hebing
Jessica Zemken
Jeff Cook
Shawn Donath
Past Empire Super Sprint Winners at Le RPM
Aug. 29, 2010
Dan Kaszubinski
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 Corporation, 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.