From Eldon Butcher
Haubstadt, IN – (June 29, 2013) – Tuesday night will be one very special event at the Terre Haute Action Track. The Midwest Sprint Car Series will join ranks with the King of Indiana Sprint Series and share in a program also presenting the UMP Modifieds featuring a couple of NASCAR veterans determined to keep doing it in the dirt. It is NASCAR night at the fabled half mile fairgrounds oval and the excitement produced will be waiting at every turn.
Last season MSCS was at Terre Haute two different times. A combined show with KISS went under the green in the spring and then NASCAR Night followed in June. This year it will all happen the same night. Indiana’s own Tony Stewart will be accompanied by Kenny Schrader in taking on the usual field of modified drivers that frequent the speed plant. This part of the show should be a showdown in itself. Last year Justin Allgaier beat Tony Stewart and Devin Gilpin to the finish line. Gilpin has been almost unbeatable in 2013.
The sprint cars will be MSCS sanctioned but the program will be conducted using the KISS format. Officials with these two groups continue to work in a cooperative effort to present fans the very best in sprint car racing. Last season Robert Ballou was victorious when the two groups competed together at Terre Haute. He was fourth on NASCAR Night in an MSCS show two months later. Levi Jones won that night in the Tony Stewart owned machine with the owner finishing seventh with a backup car. That was one of those nights that will remain in memory lane. Defending MSCS Champion Jon Stanbrough also finished in the top five at both events.
The July 2nd Tuesday night event is all important to the drivers following the KISS series. The race will decide the championship and determine who will become the KING of Indiana Sprints for 2013. The $2,000 prize to win the feature will not be the only financial goal as a series points fund has been created to reward the top five drivers.
The top five drivers with KISS so far in 2013 are Brady Short, Kevin Thomas Jr., Robert Ballou, Hunter Schuerenberg, and Casey Shuman. Levi Jones and Dave Darland are just outside the top five! It appears that Short’s lead is large enough that he can claim the championship by starting the feature. The battle for the other spots is to be decided!
The race is important to the MSCS drivers as well. The track like most dirt tracks is unique and thus favors certain drivers or driving styles. Some will see this as a real opportunity while others will hope to persevere or turn in a surprising performance. Heading into the weekend of the 28th, Kevin Thomas Jr. and Brady Short stood atop the MSCS standings but in reverse order. Thomas led Short. Daron Clayton, Kyle Cummins, and Robert Ballou rounded out the top five.
Chase Stockon and Jon Stanbrough were closing in on a top five with mid season on the horizon.
The pit gate will open for NASCAR Night at three in the afternoon. Warm-ups and hot laps will be at 7 o’clock with racing to begin at 8 P.M. The track is located along U.S. highway 41 south in Terre Haute, IN. Fans will not want to miss this one. It will be the first of a myriad of special sprint car races across the Hoosier state surrounding the Fourth of July Holiday.