By Bob Burbach
Marysville- Paul and Kathy Hawes’ Marysville Raceway Park will again host the amazingly popular Performance Auto Supply Winged Sprint Cars as the featured division. The long awaited return of the MRP Super Stocks will top the fendered divisions that will also include the MRP Mini Stocks and the MRP Hobby Stocks.
The winged cars will run every Saturday night in May. A stellar field will be saddled up for Saturday’s program. Drivers and fans alike are just itching for another run by the swift winged cars. The 3 events held thus far this year have been terrific successes as MRP’s hooked up, rocket quick surface continues to be all the buzz. It is the 2nd point race of the season after being postponed 2 weeks ago by rain. 2011 champ Billy Wallace in Mark Moore’s championship car, 5-time champ Korey Lovell aboard his famous #71, 3-time champ Brent Dothage from Kelseyville in his own stout racer and 2007 MRP Champ Jeremy Burt from Grass Valley in his blazing fast #2b are all expected for round 2 of the 2012 Super Season. All are MRP Performance Auto Supply Winged Sprint Car champions in years past.
All of them were fast at the last event; but Jeremy Burt was particularly spectacular in his breath-taking late race run into 2nd position from the back. A timely yellow flag might have made a difference, but Burt, who was the fastest moving car on the raceway just plain, ran out of time. It will be interesting to see whether Burt decides to try for a 2nd sprint car title at the track on which he earned his 1st. A generous point fund will again be offered by promoters Paul and Kathy Hawes to the champion of the Performance Auto Supply Winged Sprint Cars.
Defending champ Wallace stays busy even when the winged cars are off. He shed the wing, dusted off the family hot rod and won last Saturday’s feature race in the Wingless Sprint Car event at MRP last week. The versatile Wallace is a threat any time he straps into a sprint car.
Coming out of semi-retirement this season is popular Cort Dozier and he will again be a championship contender in his #97c. Dozier was the 2009 Wingless Sprint Car Champ and finished 3rd in the points in the Performance Auto Supply Winged Sprint Car class in the same year. Lady star and multi-time feature event winner Reyna Krueger is expected to make her 2nd appearance of the new season. Krueger put on a stellar performance last time out with a solid 4th place finish among a host of veteran stars. As records go, Krueger would have been rookie of the year and easily finished in the top five in each of her seasons here at MRP. Actually she would have finished 2nd in the championship in 2010 had she joined the association. She is a force to be reckoned with…and, if you haven’t seen her new paint scheme for 2012, it alone, makes it worth the trip.
Jimmy Steward who led much of the feature last time out will also bring his yellow hot rod down from Auburn. Steward actually DID finish 2nd in the points at MRP in the 2010 season standings. Also watch for young Garry Burdick a former MRP Rookie of the Year who was also spectacular last time out.
This Winged Sprint Car show will be a Contingency Connection event. It is the 1st Contingency Connection offering for the 2012 season in the Performance Auto Supply Winged Sprint Cars. Feature event bonus awards will be available to the winner with Contingency Connection sponsorship decals displayed by the winning driver. The bonuses will be awarded at the track this season. Sponsorship decals are available at MRP. Winning racers in the Contingency Connection average $1500 in Contingency Connection bonuses weekly this year.
Marysville Raceway Park is one of only 55 Contingency Connection tracks in the U.S. It is our 3rd year with the program. This year will be the best. Each Contingency Connection track will have nearly $100,000 in contingency awards up for grabs in 2012. Contingency Connection sponsors post awards in the form of product certificates. Product certificates are good towards your next purchase from the manufacturer. The manufacturers want to earn your business and offer the best deals in the country to CC Racers. Redemption directions are on each certificate. Any questions can be directed to sponsor or to the Contingency Connection. Contingency Awards make a big difference when racing bills come due. Contingency Connection decals that must be carried by the winning car are available at Marysville Raceway Park at each event.
Round 2 of the MRP Super Stock season should be a rip-snorter! The MRP Super Stocks will roar onto the MRP clay as well Saturday night. Antioch’s Mitch Machado has said he’ll be in the house hoping to increase his point lead after a thrilling opening night battle with Brent Hall, Phillip Shelby and Ray Trimble. Defending series champion Cory Hall didn’t have the night he was hoping for in his current title defense. So, he’s been working on things and he’ll be ready to go. James Castleberry will be looking to improve on his last MRP Super Stock performance. Speaking of Castleberry, James did very well against the much more powerful late models in last Saturday’s program. A tip of the straw hat to James on that effort.
This MRP Super Stock show will also be a Contingency Connection event. It is the 1st Contingency Connection offering for the 2012 season in the MRP Super Stocks. Feature event bonus awards will be available to the winner with Contingency Connection sponsorship decals displayed by the winning driver. As with the sprinters, sponsorship decals are available at MRP. Winning racers in the Contingency Connection average $1500 in contingencies weekly.
Once more, Misty Castleberry is at the top of the point sheet again as round 2 of the MRP Mini Stock season will unfold. She should be strong again, but there are a number of others who are confident they can rattle the champ. Castleberry will be targeted by, among others, Shaun and Damian Merritt, in very quick rides and a rejuvenated, surprisingly fast Eric Jones. James Foster was a factor last week and passed a lot of cars in what should be the first real effort Foster has made in point competition in a number of years.
Speaking of rejuvenated, the MRP Hobby Stocks will slug it out in round 3 of their season Saturday night. The slam-bang “Hobbys” got a whole bunch of ooo’s and ahhh’s last week during their slip n’ slide feature event. Point leader Jeremy Hammons leads the entries.
Wicked fast open wheel thrills and a thorough offering of high energy stock car action makes “MRP…the place to be” Saturday.
Pit gate opens at 3PM. Grandstands open at 5PM. Hot Laps at 5.30. 1st race after hot laps.
Don’t forget to monitor our facebook page during the week; we’d love to hear from you. Updates are constantly being forwarded to the page on race night.
IMPORTANT: 2012 minor releases must be signed by parents for all minors entering the pits.