by Andrew Kunas
SHEPHERD, Mont. – The dirt track at Billings Motorsports Park, better known locally as BMP Speedway, is planning to re-open its doors this month following the purchase of the facility located just outside of town by businessman Mike Quigley. With that happening, the remaining schedule for the Big Sky Sprints has been re-worked some with the addition of six point events and a non-points test & tune at BMP. Including two events already run, the 2012 schedule for the Big Sky Sprints is now 20 races strong.
Not counting the open test date at Billings, the only touring dirt sprint car series in the northern U.S. Rockies has 16 events in Montana and two in Wyoming remaining this year. With the addition of events at Billings on particular dates, there is now a pair of “Mini-Speedweeks” of sorts on the schedule as well, including Mike Quigley’s annual tour in August.
The season for the Big Sky Sprints continues this Friday at Gallatin Speedway in Belgrade and Saturday at Electric City Speedway in Great Falls. Bellingham, Washington’s Brock Lemley won both nights of the tour’s season opening event at Electric City Speedway on May 18th and 19th. The first change is the addition of the open test date at Billings Motorsports Park on Saturday, June 16th. Two weeks later on June 30th, competitive sprint car racing returns to the Billings area for the first time since 2009.
The middle of July will see a run of three races in four nights for the Big Sky Sprints. It kicks off on Wednesday, July 11th when Montana’s local heroes face off with the some of the best 360 sprint car drivers the nation has to offer when the nationally touring Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series makes its first ever appearance in Montana with a mid-week event at Electric City Speedway. After a night off on Thursday, ASCS is out in Oregon but the stars of the Big Sky Sprints will be keeping fans very entertained at home on Friday, July 13th at Gallatin and Saturday, July 14th at Billings.
After another standalone event at Billings on Saturday, July 28th the series will make its debut at Sweetwater Speedway on Rock Springs, Wyoming with a two-night stand on Friday and Saturday, August 3rd and 4th.
In the middle of August, Mike Quigley’s annual North American Sprint Tour is back as several cars from outside of Montana will visit Big Sky Country for a grueling stretch of four races in five nights. It kicks off with a Wednesday show at Electric City on August 15th. After a day off on Thursday, the Big Sky Sprints are back in action at Gallatin Speedway on Friday, August 17th before towing right back to Great Falls for another race at Electric City Speedway on Saturday, August 18th. The teams then race across the state for a Sunday race at Billings Motorsports Park on August 19th to close out the Quigley Tour.
Electric City Speedway hosts the Big Sky Sprints one last time on Friday, August 31st and Saturday, September 1st. Gallatin Speedway’s annual Gibson Guitar Big Sky Super Nationals will have the Big Sky Sprints on Saturday, September 8th. The 2012 season for the Big Sky Sprints wraps up with a two-night stand at Billings Motorsports Park on Friday and Saturday, September 21st and 22nd.
The Big Sky Sprints are in action this Friday at Gallatin Speedway and Saturday at Electric City Speedway. With his two main event wins to open the season, Brock Lemley currently holds a 40-point lead over Billings driver Jerry Brey.
More information on the Big Sky Sprints can be found online at http://www.bigskysprints.com.
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Big Sky Sprints
Remaining 2012 schedule
June 8 – Gallatin Speedway – Belgrade, MT
June 9 – Electric City Speedway – Great Falls, MT
June 16 – Billings Motorsports Park – Billings, MT (no points, testing of re-opened track)
June 30 – Billings Motorsports Park – Billings, MT
July 11 – Electric City Speedway – Great Falls, MT (with ASCS National Tour)
July 13 – Gallatin Speedway – Belgrade, MT
July 14 – Billings Motorsports Park – Billings, MT
July 28 – Billings Motorsports Park – Billings, MT
August 3 – Sweetwater Speedway – Rock Springs, WY
August 4 – Sweetwater Speedway – Rock Springs, WY
August 15 – Electric City Speedway – Great Falls, MT (Quigley’s North American Sprint Tour)
August 17 – Gallatin Speedway – Belgrade, MT (Quigley’s North American Sprint Tour)
August 18 – Electric City Speedway – Great Falls, MT (Quigley’s North American Sprint Tour)
August 19 – Billings Motorsports Park – Billings, MT (Quigley’s North American Sprint Tour)
August 31 – Electric City Speedway – Great Falls, MT
September 1 – Electric City Speedway – Great Falls, MT
September 8 – Gallatin Speedway – Belgrade, MT (Gibson Guitar Big Sky Super Nationals)
September 21 – Billings Motorsports Park – Billings, MT
September 22 – Billings Motorsports Park – Billings, MT