From Eldon Butcher
Haubstadt, IN – October 24, 2011. Brady Short of Bedford, IN, was
awarded the trophy for winning the Hoosier Tire Midwest Sprint Car
Series Championship following the final MSCS event of the season at
Tri-State Speedway on October 8th. Short had built up a commanding
points lead during the season permitting him the opportunity to lock
up the series championship at Lawrenceburg with one race still
remaining on the schedule.
The final tally, which included the season bonus of 40 points for
100% attendance at MSCS events, gave Short a substantial margin of
168 points over his closest rival. This became the largest margin of
victory since Mitch Wissmiller’s dominating season performance back
in 2002. In all 102 drivers earned points during the season.
One key to Short’s success was his ability to move up and earn a
transfer spot into the feature early in the program. The Bedford
Blaster won 6 qualifying heat races in just 11 opportunities. He
made every feature during the season without having to run in a B.
He took full advantage of the availability and addition of passing
points to the MSCS race format this season. Short earned the most
passing points in the heats three times and made it into the top six
that redraw for top feature starting spots seven times.
The Short Racing Team is owned by Don Short of Bedford, IN. He
received the MSCS Championship Car Owner’s Trophy on October 8th.
The sponsors for the car are Indiana Stoneworks, Athenia Mason
Supply, Simpson, ButlerBuilt, AFCO by Benic, and Maxim. The red and
black number 36 sprint car was powered by a 410 Spec Engine.
Chris “Critter” Malone of Speedway, IN, took the runner-up honors in
this season’s title chase. The 2011 effort was his best yet in MSCS
competition. Malone used two consecutive third place feature
finishes at Tri-State Speedway early in the season to put himself in
a position to challenge for a top spot in the standings. Critter
campaigned hard in the Seven LLC owned DRC Chassis powered by a 410
Chevy from Speedway Engine Development.
Chase Briscoe moved up through the points standings during the season
to finish in third place. The youthful Mitchell, IN, driver was
twelfth in points last season. This was only Briscoe’s second full
season to compete with MSCS. The Briscoe Racing Eagle used in
competition was powered by a 410 Foxco engine.
Braylon Fitzpatrick of W. Terre Haute, IN, finished fourth in the
standings which earned him enough points to also take the MSCS Rookie
of the Year honors. Fitzpatrick received his Rookie of the Year
Award during post race and post season activities following the Oct.
8th Harvest Cup. John Fitzpatrick owns the Spike sprint car he
drives and the team is sponsored by First Financial Bank and Indy
Race Parts.
Chase Stockon of Sullivan, IN, finished fifth in points this year.
For Stockon it was his fifth appearance in the Top Five during his
nine seasons in MSCS competition. Stockon was second last season!
He has also finished third, fourth, and now fifth in points twice.
He drove the XXXII Racing DRC with a 410 Chevy engine built by
Claxton. His sponsors this season were First Financial Bank,
Superior Tank & Trailer Company, and Bell Farms.
Drivers placing 6th through 10th in the points were Dakota Jackson,
Kyle Cummins, Robert Ballou, Jon Stanbrough, and Blake Fitzpatrick.
Jackson was a fourth new face to join the Top Ten. Kyle Cummins and
Blake Fitzpatrick are both former champions. Ballou and Stanbrough
have both been in the Top Ten with MSCS at the conclusion of two
previous seasons.
In placing 11th and 12th in the final MSCS Standings Casey Riggs and
Levi Jones assumed the final two spots on the list of 12 drivers
having provisional starting spots available for 2012. Riggs and Jones
join Brady Short and Jon Stanbrough in winning 2 MSCS features each
during the season. Chase Stockon, Casey Shuman, and Hunter
Schuerenberg won a feature each during the season.
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Officials of the Hoosier Tire Midwest Sprint Car Series have set the
week of November 7th as the 2011 MSCS Awards Week. Drivers in line
for points checks, top 5 plaques, or season contingency awards can
expect to receive those at that time. The series is sponsored by
Hoosier Tire Midwest whose support makes a driver point fund
possible. The TOP TWELVE in points are listed at the conclusion of
this article. The points of all the drivers active with MSCS this
season and other information about the series can be found at
www.mscssprints.com.
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HOOSIER TIRE
MIDWEST SPRINT CAR SERIES
2011 Points Standings
Includes Points for all Events
plus Season Bonus Points
Rank Car# Driver Points
1 36 Brady Short 718
2 7 Critter Malone 550
3 5 Chase Briscoe 537
4 3 Braylon Fitzpatrick 502
5 32 Chase Stockon 483
6 3x Dakota Jackson 460
7 3c Kyle Cummins 413
8 81 Robert Ballou 395
9 53 Jon Stanbrough 385
10 10f Blake Fitzpatrick 377
11 37 Casey Riggs 373
12 20/57 Levi Jones 328