Haubstadt, IN — (May 23, 2012) — The Memorial Day weekend will be one of the busiest of the year for racing enthusiasts. From coast-to-coast, fans will have the opportunity to enjoy virtually every kind of racing as the best tracks in the country present big events. The Hoosier State is in the forefront of this movement and one of the best racing programs will take place Sunday evening at Haubstadt’s Tri-State Speedway.
Sunday’s main event will be the fourth race of both this year’s King of Indiana Sprint Series and the Midwest Sprint Car Series, and it is critical to both. To set the stage for the KISS racers, Robert Ballou is hanging on to a tenuous 14-point lead over Dave Darland. Ballou captured the opening race at the Terre Haute Action Track, while Darland has back-to-back victories at Gas City I-69 Speedway and Lawrenceburg Speedway. Jon Stanbrough and Coleman Gulick are knotted in third position, with Hunter Schuerenberg in fifth. Only one race remains in the campaign for the King’s crown after the Tri-State event, and it will be at Paragon Speedway on June 2.
The race at Terre Haute was also co-sanctioned by MSCS, so Ballou also has that MSCS win on his resume. Thomas Meseraull and Schuerenberg won the other two MSCS events, and Stanbrough is on top of the MSCS standings by just 5 points, over Damion Gardner, with Ballou and Wes McIntyre tied in third.
Paging through the KISS history book, Justin Marvel scored his only series victory at Tri-State Speedway during the inaugural season, 2001. Then Daron Clayton won twice, in consecutive years, with Brady Short and Jeff Bland Jr. earning the two most recent victories.
NASCAR star Ken Schrader will compete in the UMP modifieds as part of Tri-State Speedway’s racing program. While Schrader is best known as a competitor in all of NASCAR’S divisions, many fans will remember him as a sprint car and midget racer and USAC’s 1983 national sprint car champion. And since Sunday’s modified feature will pay $1,000 to win, don’t bet against Schrader taking that bag of money home.
The front gate will open at 4:30 pm and the pit gate at 3:30. Hot laps are scheduled for 6:30, with racing at 7:30. General admission tickets are $20, tickets for students 13 to 18 are just $15, and ages 12 and under are admitted free. Pit passes are $30.
While Tri-State hosts several big events throughout the summer, the biggest may be the Haubstadt Hustler, a MSCS/USAC co-sanctioned race paying $10,000 to win on September 15. More information about the Tri-State Speedway, including directions and the 2012 schedule is available at www.tristatespeedway.com.
Sunday’s KISS sprint car feature pays $2,500 to win, and $250 to start. This year, the KISS promoters have also included tow money, where any car that does not transfer to the feature will collect at least $100. Additionally, the point fund has increased to $4,200, with the series champion earning $1,200. Second in points will collect $900, and third through fifth will receive $800, $700 and $600.
The Grand Finale of this year’s King of Indiana tour be held at Paragon Speedway on June 2. It will include the $4,200 point payout to the top five in the final standings as well as the KISS Champions Helmet, which is sponsored again this year by Sprint Car and Midget Magazine, Simpson Performance Products and VanHorn Tint & Accessories.
KISS Points: 1. Robert Ballou 544, 2. Dave Darland 530, 3. Coleman Gulick and Jon Stanbrough 492 (tied), 5. Hunter Schuerenberg 443, 6. Jonathan Hendrick 413, 7. Justin Grant 395, 8. CJ Leary 382, 9. Casey Shuman 373, 10. Chris Windom 370
2012 KISS SCHEDULE
April 22 – Terre Haute Action Track – Robert Ballou
April 29 – Kokomo Speedway – Rain
May 4 – Bloomington Speedway – Rain
May 11 – Gas City I-69 Speedway – Dave Darland
May 19 – Lawrenceburg Speedway – Dave Darland
May 27 – Tri-State Speedway
June 2 – Paragon Speedway