By Aaron Fry
This weekend, the MPD Racing Buckeye Outlaw Sprint Series will pay tribute to a Buckeye state racing legend from Ashland, Ohio. Rusty McClure began racing in 1977 and scored more than 60 sprint car main event wins, both winged and non-winged and even on pavement. The wins came at 14 different tracks including: Lakeville, Mansfield, Atomic, Millstream, Sharon, Eldora, Fremont, Lawrenceburg, Lernerville, Limaland, Putnamville, Sandusky, Terre Haute and the most of all right at Wayne County Speedway where he will be honored on Saturday night.
During the 2000 racing season, Rusty was involved in a nasty accident at Eldora Speedway that nearly took his life. He returned to the cockpit and raced until 2003 when another accident at Fremont Speedway set him back again. His final laps in a sprint car came at Eldora in 2006. One of Rusty’s biggest accomplishments was beating the California Racing Association’s best at Eldora Speedway earning the $10,000 top prize in 1992. Unfortunately, the BOSS series came along well after his legendary career. However, he has made it clear that he would have been a BOSS racer and has spent almost the entire 13-year history of the tour helping keep a watchful eye on safety concerns, young driver development and helping the tour gain marketing partners. He can routinely be found walking the pit area at all tour events.
This weekend, the tour will run a doubleheader with Friday night action featuring a return to Hilltop Speedway in Millersburg, Ohio. In May, the first ever traditional sprint car event was held there with Stoystown, Pennsylvania’s Carmen Perigo picking up the win over the 22-car field of entries. This Friday at Hilltop, all gates will open at 4 pm with driver meeting at 6:30 and hot laps at 7. Kids 12 and under are free in general admission. Adult general admission will be $22 with pit passes $40. The main event will pay the standard BOSS purse of: 2000, 1000, 750, 650, 550, 500, 450, 425, 400, 375, 350, 340, 330, 320, 310, 300, 300, 300, 300, 300. Heat races will pay: 40, 30, 20, 10 thanks to Mad Tree Brewing, Outsider’s Merchandise & Apparel, and Elizabeth Gardner Photography. The race winner will get a free Hoosier tire and $50 bonus awards are provided by: Cowen Truck Line, All Star Performance, E A Home Supply and All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads.
On Saturday at Wayne County, to honor Rusty McClure’s number “09”, the number 9 is wild! Sponsorship help has increased the winner’s share to $2,909 to win the main event with $359 to start the main event! There will be 9 “mystery spots” in the main event worth an additional $100 each. All of this is courtesy of the following: Moose Racing, Roger & Sharon Mossbarger, Hall’s Auto Sales, JF Construction, The Beer Barrel Drive-Thru, Outlaw Logistics, Apple Metal Polishing, M Miller Construction, Smetz’s Tire Center, and Rusty & Cappie McClure themselves. Other sponsors, like McMillin Apiaries, have stepped up to bring back the “Sweet Move” of the night award for $54 in memory of the late Justin Owen. Also, the first non-transfer from the B-Main will take home an additional $100! Finally, heat races have had $9 added to each heat win making it $49 for each PLUS a fifth place pay envelope in heats will feature $9.
Wayne County gates will be opening early on Saturday as it will also be “Kid’s Night”. All gates will open at 2 pm with driver meeting set for 5, engine heat at 5:15 and hot laps at 5:30. Racing action will get underway at 7:30. Adult general admission will be $20 with kids 12 and under free. Pit passes will be $35. The full purse for Saturday is as follows: 2909, 1000, 750, 650, 550, 500, 450, 425, 400, 390, 380, 370, 360, 359, 359, 359, 359, 359, 359, 359, 359. Heats will pay the top 5 for this event only: 49, 30, 20, 10, 9. The same 5 bonus awards will still be in affect with the addition of the McMillin Sweet Move of $54 and the first non-transfer extra $100.
For competing teams, all cars must be on 4 corner Hoosier tires. The right rear must be a 2022 or 2023 national spec right rear of Medium, H15 or D15A compound. RaceCeiver radios are mandatory at all times. We will be using the yellow Westhold transponders and rental will be $10.
For teams needing a place to stay, the Comfort Inn of Wooster has again made us a deal of $90 per night. Rooms must be reserved by noon on Thursday! Please call 330-262-5008 and ask for the special “BOSS Racers Rate”. Wayne Lanes Bowling Alley is next door and graciously allows us to park race haulers there after 11 pm.
We hope to see everyone out this weekend to honor Rusty and be sure to get a very limited edition “Rusty McClure Classic” T-Shirt with the “throwback” 09 sprint car. To get one reserved, be sure to contact Outsider’s Merchandise & Apparel or Damian Boyd.