By Zach Hiser
Lima, OH – Last week, officials from the Great Lakes Super Sprints Presented by PERFIT & ARP (GLSS), in conjunction with Limaland Motorsports Park, announced that the Ron Kahle, Jr Memorial/K&L Ready Mix Clash on Friday, June 5th, would pay a record-setting $6,000 to win. The benchmark winner’s share of the purse had already made the show the richest purse in GLSS history. As of Sunday night, even more sponsors have stepped forward to increase the overall purse to over $21,000 on Friday night.
On Friday, May 15th, the GLSS unloaded at Limaland Motorsports Park for what was, at the time, the richest purse in history with a $ 5,000-to-win affair in the Run for the Rabbit. Mason Hannagan grabbed the win, his first, and joined his dad, Randy, on the list of Run for the Rabbit winners. The Run for the Rabbit pulled in over 30 cars looking for a chance at the increased payday. This Friday, it’s not just the winner’s share that sees an increase. In addition to the $6,000 to win, the race will also pay $600 to start, a nod to the six years since Ron Kahle’s passing.
Sponsors making the event possible include Ohio Logistics Warehousing & Transportation, Miami Auto Paint & Equipment, Tim Goan’s Carpets, Texas Roadhouse of Lima, University of Northwestern Ohio (UNOH), and GreatLakesSprints.TV.
Ron Kahle, Jr is credited with being a helping hand for a lot of different things; from motorsports to community, many remember Kahle, Jr for his support. In motorsports, he’s remembered as one of Limaland Motorsports Park’s biggest supporters. He helped make sure 360 Sprint Car Racing stayed relevant in Northwest Ohio for many years. In the community, a Ron Kahle Jr. Memorial Shelter house was erected at Deters Park in honor of his selfless acts around Putnam County and the surrounding areas.
“Ron is deeply missed by so many in the racing community,” said Limaland Motorsports Park General Manager Stephanie Swallow. “His contributions to local, regional, and even national racing are still being felt today. We feel so privileged to be able to honor his memory and legacy with the running of the Ron Kahle Jr. Memorial, and are thrilled to have others step up to make it even bigger.”
The $6,000 to win, $600 to start Ron Kahle, Jr Memorial is Friday, June 5th at Limaland Motorsports Park for the Great Lakes Super Sprints. The event is followed by the one-and-only trip for GLSS to Lawrenceburg Speedway on Saturday, June 6th. Tickets for the Ron Kahle, Jr Memorial will be available at the gate on race day. Fans who can’t make the trip can catch all the action LIVE on GreatLakesSprints.TV.