By Ben Deatherage
Meridian, Idaho- The Pacific Northwest will be invaded by the regulars of the Royal Purple King of the Wing National Sprint Car Series this weekend. The series will be making three stops in four days for their “Northwest Swing” beginning on Thursday, July 21st for the Pink Lady Classic. The venue will be the famed Meridian Speedway in Idaho and will be a non-points race for the regional Royal Purple NSRA Sprint Series. 2015 was the first edition of the Pink Lady Classic and Indiana’s Aaron Pierce was the driver that emerged triumphantly.
Front Gates open at 4:00, and Racing is scheduled to begin at 6:30. Tickets for Saturday night’s action are $18.50 for Adults, Seniors/Military $16.00, Kids (Ages 7-11) $6.50, and Children 6 and Under FREE. For more information, log on to www.meridianspeedway.com.
After Meridian Speedway the NSRA Sprints will formally join the Royal Purple King of the Wing National Sprint Car Series, and also returns to point racing, as they head to Monroe, Washington’s Evergreen Speedway for the Rory Price Memorial on Saturday, July 23rd. Then the whole swing wraps up Sunday, the 24th, at the Wenatchee Valley Super Oval, in Wenatchee, Washington, for the event that is being billed as the “Thunder In The Valley”.
The driver at the end of the three races that has accumulated the most points will be declared the Northwest Tour champion. Aaron Pierce won the bragging rights last season.
Although Thursday will be a non-point affair for the NSRA championship it will be a chance to get to race against some of the country’s best at a facility the Northwest series already has visited this year. Bryan Warf won the opener of the 2016 Diamond Cup at Meridian, in early June, and Matt Hein closed the weekend out with a victory. In local competition, Meridian Speedway has had two local winged 360 Sprint shows, on May 28th and July 4th, and Bryan Warf was the winner of both events.
In four completed races this season the Royal Purple King of the Wing National Sprint Car Series has had a different winner at each event. Tory DeCaire, Ron Larson, Bobby Santos III, and Jason Conn are the four victors so far in the current campaign. We shall see if that trend continues on Thursday or if any of the Pacific Northwest events produce the first repeat winner of 2016.
The Royal Purple NSRA Sprint Series also has managed to complete four events. Matt Hein has won the last two shows while Bryan Warf and Robbie Price have one victory each.
The Royal Purple King of the Wing National Sprint Car Series is designed to work with all teams, promoters, fans, and sponsors, to strengthen pavement winged Sprint Car racing from coast to coast, working directly with all existing pavement Sprint Car Series. This is the only pavement Sprint Car Series that features competitors from all across the United States and Canada. For the latest news and information log on to www.kingofthewing.net .
Be sure and stay up to date with the Royal Purple NSRA Sprint Series by visiting the series website at www.nsraracing.com. Also, check out the official Facebook page and click “Like” to follow the tour via your favorite electronic devices.
Royal Purple is the proud title sponsor of the NSRA Pavement Sprint Car Series. Royal Purple manufactures high-performance lubricants for most automotive, industrial, marine, motorcycle and racing applications. It is considered the best synthetic motor oil by many end users. For more information or to find a store that carries these wonderful products log on to www.royalpurpleconsumer.com.
Former Pink Lady Classic Winners:
2015- Aaron Pierce
2016 Royal Purple NSRA Sprint Car Schedule (Winner):
May 14th-Ephrata Raceway Park-Ephrata, WA-Rebel Jackson Memorial (Robbie Price)
June 3rd-Meridian Speedway-Meridian, ID-Diamond Cup (Bryan Warf)
June 4th-Meridian Speedway-Meridian, ID-Diamond Cup (Matt Hein)
June 25th-State Line Speedway-Post Falls, ID-The Super Shoe (Matt Hein)
July 21st-Meridian Speedway-Meridian, ID-Pink Lady Classic (co-sanctioned with King of Wings NON-POINTS)
July 23rd-Evergreen Speedway-Monroe, WA-Rory Price Memorial (co-sanctioned with King of Wings)
July 24th-Wenatchee Valley Super Oval-Wenatchee, WA-Thunder In The Valley (co-sanctioned with King of Wings)
August 12th-Western Speedway-Victoria, BC-Daffodil Cup
August 13th-Western Speedway-Victoria, BC-Daffodil Cup
September 16th-Meridian Speedway-Meridian, ID-Tom Elliott Sportsman Classic
September 17th-Meridian Speedway-Meridian, ID-Championship Night
Former Royal Purple NSRA Sprint Car Champions:
1991- Allen Goetz
1992- Allen Goetz
1993- Allen Goetz
1994- Myron Gemmer
1995- Rick Brown
1996- Rick Brown
1997- Trevor Montgomery
1998- Trevor Montgomery
1999- Trevor Montgomery
2000- Trevor Montgomery
2001- Craig Deaver
2002- Rick Brown
2003- Pat Bliss
2004- Rick Brown
2005- Rick Brown
2006- Jeff Montgomery
2007- Andy Alberding
2008- Matt Hein
2009- Matt Hein
2010- Andy Alberding
2011- Sierra Jackson
2012- Andy Alberding
2013- Andy Alberding
2014- Matt Hein
2015- Matt Hein
2016 Royal Purple King of the Wings National Sprint Car Series Schedule (Winner):
April 1st- Five Flags Speedway-Pensacola, FL (Rained Out)
April 2nd-Mobile International Speedway-Mobile, AL (Troy DeCaire)
April 3rd-Montgomery Motor Speedway-Montgomery, AL (Ron Larson)
June 24th-Toledo Speedway-Toledo, OH (Bobby Santos III)
June 25th-Winchester Speedway-Winchester, IN (Jason Conn)
June 26th-Baer Field Speedway-Fort Wayne, IN (Rained Out)
July 21st-Meridian Speedway-Meridian, ID
July 23rd-Evergreen Speedway-Monroe, WA
July 24th-Wenatchee Valley Super Oval-Wenatchee, WA
September 30th-Madera Speedway-Madera, CA
October 1st-Madera Speedway-Madera, CA
October 2nd-Kern County Speedway-Bakersfield, CA
Former Royal Purple King of the Wings National Sprint Car Series Winners At Meridian Speedway:
2015- Aaron Pierce on July 30th
Former Royal Purple King of the Wings National Sprint Car Series Champions:
2014- Jo Jo Helberg
2015- Aaron Pierce