From Erika Palmai
With the stage is set, and the 2017 schedule officially completed, the Mid-Atlantic Sprint Series presented by Engler Machine & Tool members and teams are anxious to begin the battle for the first ever MASS championship title on Sunday, April 30th, at the “fastest track in the east” – Bridgeport Speedway, which is located in Logan Township, NJ.
The newly established 305 Racesaver/IMCA sanctioned Sprint Series officially announced their schedule of eighteen events, with stops in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware, at tracks such as Bridgeport, Grandview, Delaware International, Big Diamond, Georgetown, Williams Grove, and Susquehanna Speedways. This diverse schedule will test the driver’s’ skill and stamina, as teams battle throughout the season to crown a champion.
Competitors like Tim Tanner, Tommy Carberry, Bryant Davis, Stef Carberry, Joe Kay, Eddie Wagner, Jeff Geiges, Craig Pellegrini, David Bonner, Logan Diehl, among others, intend to fight for the crown. A list of seven brand new rookie racers, including Patrick Compton, Austin Burke, Bobby Schreff, Dean Conk Jr., Tom Carberry, Doug Snow, and John Webster Jr. will also be joining the series, all eyeing the Geiweit Creations Rookie and the year title.
As the new series on the block, the management team, which consists of Eddie Wagner and Jeff Geiges, who are 305 Sprint Car drivers themselves, has worked hard to make the first season start off with a bang.
One of the first tasks set in place was to make sure the purse stayed true to RaceSaver roots with at least $300 to win and $150 to start for all races. MASS secured major marketing partners to come on board to help encourage members to race as often as they can by adding additional contingency and cash sponsors to each event.
“One of the thing that we are excited for this season is all of the people who were happy to support our series, whether is was as a sponsor, a track, and especially our drivers and teams who are planning on running with MASS,” Regional Director Eddie Wagner said.
“We are going to be paying our heat race winners $50 in cash, and we have secured sponsors for the hard charger award, quick time of the night, and other incentives that will offer parts giveaways, cash, fuel, tires, certificates, and more”.
“Engler Machine and Tool and Diversified Machine Inc. (DMI) have really upped the ante this year with their support in MASS,” Wagner stated. “These companies, which are a pivotal part of the Sprint Car parts industry, have given over $6500 worth components to raffle off at the end of the year. Engler is supplying a brand new injection and DMI is providing a brand new XR-3 Bulldog rear end and complete front end kit. Raffle tickets will be distributed on Engler and DMI sponsored race nights and additional tickets will be awarded to teams holding the top five spots in points and members who have raced in three consecutive Mid-Atlantic Sprint Series events”.
“We have surpassed over $10,000 in handouts for our first season. We owe a lot to our marketing partners that have come on board. The positive support and generosity are amazing,” says Jeff Geiges, MASS general manager. “We have all put in countless hours to make sure our vision for this series is set in motion.”
Included in the ever-growing list of marketing partners are Mach-1 Chassis, Robison Racing Products, Thayer Performance Engines and Products, JDL Graphics, Bitner Automotive, Bruce’s Auto Body, Professional Design Services LLC, Todd’s Performance, Kelly Racing Fuel, Lawrence Collision, A Cut Above the Rest Excavating Maintenance and Trucking , Geiswite Creations, CSI Shocks, and ERK Steering.