From John Naida
ERIE, Mich. (January 13, 2017) – After the success and popularity of its new beyond limits format of Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt presented by ARP in its inaugural year, the 2017 Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt schedule has been eagerly awaited. It has now been released and SOD will return to Butler Speedway, Crystal Motor Speedway, Hartford Speedway, Merritt Speedway, and Thunderbird Raceway. In addition, Baer Field Motorsports Park and Manistee County Fairgrounds Speedway will also host SOD races. The season will open on April 29th at the traditional home of the SOD season opener, Crystal Motor Speedway. The season will end at Crystal Motor Speedway on September 2nd with SOD’s biggest race of the year, the Mike Olrich Memorial Race.
Three Mini-series in 2017
The ever-popular MAHLE/Clevite Beyond Limits Challenge will once again be a highlight of the 2017 schedule. Joining the BLC in 2017 will be two more mini-series, the Driven Racing Oil Battlegrounds Bash and the King Engine Bearings King of Michigan. Each mini-series will have its own point fund and will pay its champion $1,000. Each champion will have a guaranteed starting spot in the Mike Olrich Memorial Race.
MAHLE/Clevite Beyond Limits Challenge – Known as the MAHLE/Clevite Short Track Challenge until last season, the MAHLE/Clevite Beyond Limits Challenge has been a big hit with racers and fans alike for several years. The BLC will once again be held at five different speedways this season. MAHLE/Clevite Beyond Limits Challenge dates and speedways are:
May 20 @ Baer Field Motorsports Park June 10 @ Thunderbird Raceway
June 24 @ Merritt Speedway July 15 @ Crystal Motor Speedway
August 4 @ Manistee County Fairgrounds
Driven Racing Oil Battlegrounds Bash – New for 2017, the Driven Racing Oil Battlegrounds Bash will give Butler regulars and SOD competitors an opportunity to face off against each other during all three SOD races held at Butler Speedway. The races will be held on three weekends that draw broad interest since two are during the Michigan International Speedway NASCAR weekends and the other during the MIS Faster Horses Festival weekend. Driven Racing Oil Battlegrounds Bash dates are:
June 17 July 22 August 12
King Engine Bearings King of Michigan – The King Engine Bearings King of Michigan, traditionally a prestigious single race event, has been expanded to include all four SOD races held at Hartford Speedway. The combination of Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt presented by ARP (Hartford’s most popular races over the last three years), the expanded KoM format, and the new Hartford track configuration is sure to be a spectacular crowd pleaser. King Engine Bearings King of Michigan dates are:
May 19 June 16 August 11 September 1
The three mini-series give competitors an opportunity to achieve success within the full, season-long SOD series. While bad luck can put a racer behind the eight ball, they will now have three separate mini-series in which to make up for their misfortune.
Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt presented By ARP 2017 Schedule
• Saturday, April 29 (rain date May 6) – Crystal Motor Speedway, Crystal, MI
• Friday, May 19 – Hartford Speedway, Hartford, MI, King Engine Bearings King of Michigan Race 1
• Saturday, May 20 (rain date May 21) – Baer Field Motorsports Park, Fort Wayne, IN, MAHLE/Clevite Beyond Limits Challenge 1
• Saturday, June 10 – Thunderbird Raceway, Muskegon, MI, MAHLE/Clevite Beyond Limits Challenge 2
• Friday, June 16 – Hartford Speedway, Hartford, MI, King Engine Bearings King of Michigan Race 2
• Saturday, June 17 – Butler Speedway, Quincy, MI, Driven Racing Oil Battlegrounds Bash Race 1
• Saturday, June 24 – Merritt Speedway, Lake City, MI, MAHLE/Clevite Beyond Limits Challenge 3
• Saturday, July 15 – Crystal Motor Speedway, Crystal, MI, MAHLE/Clevite Beyond Limits Challenge 4
• Saturday, July 22 – Butler Speedway, Quincy, MI, Driven Racing Oil Battlegrounds Bash Race 2
• Friday, August 4 – Manistee Co. Fairgrounds, Onekama, MI, Onekama Days, MAHLE/Clevite Beyond Limits Challenge 5
• Friday, August 11 – Hartford Speedway, Hartford, MI, King Engine Bearings King of Michigan Race 3
• Saturday, August 12 – Butler Speedway, Quincy, MI, Driven Racing Oil Battlegrounds Bash Race 3
• Saturday, August 19 – Merritt Speedway, Lake City, MI, Allstar Performance Open Wheel Spectacular
• Friday, September 1 – Hartford Speedway, Hartford, MI, King Engine Bearings King of Michigan Race 4
• Saturday, September 2 – Crystal Motor Speedway, Crystal, MI, Mike Olrich Memorial Race
The Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt presented by ARP schedule lists only confirmed dates. Tentative, TBA, and dates under consideration are not listed. The schedule is subject to change at any time, so check the SOD website regularly.
To learn more about Engine Pro, go to www.enginepro.com. For more information about ARP, go to www.arp-bolts.com. Follow SOD at www.sprintsondirt.com and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/sprintsondirt.