by Eldon Butcher

Lawrenceburg, IN - October 6, 2007.  Robert Ballou of Camby, IN, struck MSCS pay dirt with a big $10,000 victory Saturday night at Lawrenceburg Speedway in the 2nd annual Lawrenceburg Nationals for MSCS non wing sprint cars.  Ballou collected his second MSCS feature win in as many weekends.  Seventy-one contenders made up the field which set a new series record car count for a MSCS event.

Ballou led from the 21st lap of the scheduled 50 lap event.  Pole sitter Brady Bacon was the early leader.  Bacon slipped to third before dropping completely out of the event on lap 43.  Bacon’s “Kasey Kahne Racing” teammate Kevin Swindell moved into contention and closed in on Ballou looking for an opening to present itself.  Racing room was at a premium with the middle of the track providing the better surface but little room to pass due to wet conditions both high and low.

The MPHG Promotions Maxim Sprinter Ballou drove is owned by Dallas Mulvaney and wrenched by crew chief Jimmy Jones.   In victory lane Ballou was quick to acknowledge their involvement as well as that of sponsors THR & Sons, BCI Circle Wheels, Rod End Supply, and Pro.  Ballou was happy to see the checkers fly!  Close competition and engine concerns occupied his thoughts the last couple of laps.  Ballou was the last of the three top finishers to be interviewed.  He addressed the crowd.  “I hope we put on a good enough show for you!”  The feature was perhaps the best race of the night. 

Ballou and Swindell led Dave Darland, Casey Shuman, and A.J. Anderson at the finish.    Shane Cottle was moving up late in the race to lead the second five which also included Dakoda Armstrong, Kyle Wissmiller, Jeff Bland Jr., and Kevin Thomas Jr.  Half of the 24 car field was still around at the finish.  Derek Franks turned a track provisional into the race’s Wilwood Tuff Brakes Award by finishing eleventh.  He also earned the Keizer-MSCS Hard Charger of the Race after starting last.  Lapped traffic never became a problem due to timely yellow flags that appeared as leaders began to be confronted with cars at the tail of the field.

The six twelve car, twelve lap heat races held transferred two top finishers into the feature lineup.  The winners of those events were Brady Bacon, Jeff Bland Jr., Dakoda Armstrong, Kyle Wissmiller, Robert Ballou, and Dave Darland.  The fields for the C-mains were reduced greatly by incidents during those heat races.  In all 10 drivers were unable to answer the call.  Action on and off the track provided a Saturday nights worth of thrills and chills.  A sprint car driven by Danny Williams Jr. flipped into, over, and through the catch fencing off turn 4 landing outside the track not far from the main grandstands.  In the very next heat Todd Kimmel took a wild ride down the front stretch.

Daron Clayton and Cole Whitt won the two C-Mains to lead an uphill struggle that would take them into B-mains stacked with determined drivers with one last chance to make the feature.  Kent Christian won the first B-Main and A.J. Anderson won the second B-Main.

A  presentation was also made following the race to acknowledge the new 2007 MSCS Champion Kyle Cummins of Princeton, IN.  Cummins edged 3 time MSCS Champion Alex Shanks to pick up his first title.  The twenty year old driver runs a Maxim powered by a Cummins Racing Engine.  Shocks are by AFCO.  The car owner and crew chief is his father Mark Cummins.  Sponsors include Trusses by Hobgood, Cummins Racing Engines, Tim Mason Remax, and PRC.

John Memmer of Evansville, IN, won the 2007 Engler Machine and Tire Rookie of the Year honors with the Midwest Sprint Car Series.  Memmer also finished third in overall points behind Cummings and Shanks.  John is listed as the owner of the DRC machine.  His father Brent is the crew chief.  The Memmer Motorsports team is sponsored by Louisville Tile, Daltile, Simpson, Mapei, Engler Machine, Costello Auto Body, Tri-State Repair, Tony Hall and DNB Insurance.   

The event at Lawrenceburg Speedway was the finale for the Hoosier Tire Midwest Sprint Car Series for the 2007 season.     

by Eldon Butcher

Haubstadt, IN - September 29, 2007. Robert Ballou of Camby, IN, won the Hoosier Tire Midwest Sprint Car Series feature Saturday night at Florence Speedway. Ballou’s choice of Florence for his first MSCS appearance brought him into competition with a strong field that grew to 42 entries by hot laps. Ballou announced his arrival with a win in the very first of 5 heat races.

In the 30 lap feature Ballou began dicing with the lead duo of Daron Clayton and Shane Cottle by working to separate them on lap 6. The two drivers had started on the front row in the two Tapy team sprints. Cottle spun in turn two on lap 10 but would restart and finish. Ballou then continued at the head of a 5 car battle with second a hotly contested battle between Daron Clayton and Jon Stanbrough. By the final lap Ballou had the edge he needed. Stanbrough was still pressing Clayton for second. One last try fell short as the two roared off turn four. Clayton held second and Stanbrough finished third.

Chris Windom was also a presence in the line of lead cars that moved higher and higher on the darkening surface until the wall became an opposing force. More than one car glanced off it. Drivers fought for control and continued on in an exciting series of match- ups that had begun in the heats. Windom finished fourth and rookie Jeff Bland Jr. was fifth. Sixth place was awarded to Hud Cone after a penalty of 2 spots was assessed against Darren Hagen for jumping on a restart. Kyle Cummins finished seventh with Hagen, Cottle, and Jimmy Light rounding out the top ten.

Following the main event Ballou exchanged views with MSCS announcer Jason Adams. “The track was pretty good. I am still trying to get a handle on dry slick tracks. I got a little impatient early.” Impatient or not Ballou rolled to a seventh win in a row. The winning race car was a maxim fielded by MPHG Promotions owned by Dallas Mulvaney with Jimmy Jones serving as the Crew Chief. Ballou announced his intention to be at the Lawrenceburg for the $10,000 to win Fall Nationals on Saturday October 6th.

The Keizer Aluminum Wheels Hardcharger of the Race was Kyle Cummins. Cummins moved up 9 spots in the feature after winning the B- Main. That feature field also included his closest two rivals in the hunt for the season MSCS title. Both Alex Shanks and John Memmer finished out of the top ten for this race. Eleventh in the A-Main and earning the Wilwood Tuff Brakes Award was Matt Westfall. Several drivers were involved in wild crashes. Among those were Patrick Bruns during hot laps, Chad Boespflug in the heat, and Brady Bacon in the feature. Unfortunately Chad Boespflug was making his initial return to the MSCS trail after being injured at PIR in August.

Heat winners in addition to Ballou were Bland, Windom, Cottle, and Clayton. The C-Main was won by Hunter Schuerenberg. Nine drivers making their first MSCS appearances of the season made the show through the heats and last chance races. The season concludes this Saturday night! Don’t miss the Lawrenceburg Nationals for MSCS Non Wing Sprint Cars! Last year the winner was Shane Cottle of Kokomo.

By Eldon Butcher

Haubstadt, IN.  Sept. 2.  Chris Windom of Canton, IL, won the Labor Day Weekend Special event for The Hoosier Tire Midwest Sprint Car Series which was held at Tri-State Speedway Sunday night.  The victory paid $5,000 to win and marked Windom’s first victory in MSCS competition.   The primary sponsor of Windom’s sprint car is Central Abrasives along with Amerilube, Awesome Racewear, and Sander Engineering.
    

The 40 lap feature lived up to its true blue expectations.  Race leaders included Critter Malone, Hunter Schuerenberg, and Windom in a true blue sprint.  Malone led the first 3 laps.  Schuerenberg then took the lead in the Tapy 10T.  Chris Windom grabbed the lead for the first time on lap 23 and Hunter Schuerenberg took it back on lap 31. 

After a restart of the event on lap 34 the race came to a sudden halt as Schuerenberg’s car flipped after making contact with the third turn guard rail.  Schuerenberg took the long walk to the pits with a possible victory escaping his grasp.  Sixteen year old Chris Windom inherited the lead back.  But the hard work was still not over!
    

Windom realized that he had completed a tough task.  “I knew that Hunter and Daron Clayton would be two of the toughest drivers to beat.  It was a fun race.  There were a couple of slide jobs!  Then when Critter began racing me at the end my throttle was sticking in the corners and I couldn’t get through the corners how I wanted too!” 
    

Veteran Critter Malone had never been far behind the lead action and had enough machine left to make a real challenge for the lead that carried all the way to the finish line.  But Malone would finish second!   Brady Short finished third to take the MSCS-Keizer Hard Charger of the Race Award after improving 13 spots in the field of 21 starters.  Daron Clayton rallied to finish fourth after encountering problems costing him valuable track positions.  The major setback in Clayton’s bid for a victory was a spin in turn four during a challenge for the lead with Hunter Schuerenberg.  That  sent Clayton to the tail on the restart.  Chris Urish finished fifth despite being assessed a penalty for not bringing his machine to a stop soon enough under red flag conditions.
    

Positions six through ten went to Jared Fox, Kyle Cummins, Brett Burdette, Alex Shanks, and Geoff Dodge.  Burdette was making his first MSCS appearance of the season.  Chase Stockon was the Wilwood Tuff Brakes Award Winner.  After a problem took him out of the lead in the first heat, Stockon came back to win the C-Main, and then move through the 20 car B-main field to finish 4th and earn a feature transfer and a respectable 11th place feature finish.
    

With 43 cars in competition, five qualifying heat races were held.  These were won by Chris Windom, Hunter Schuerenberg, Gary Altig, Daron Clayton, and Critter Malone.  Altig made contact with the guard rail in the first turn and was unable to complete the first lap of the main event.  The other heat winners were all factors in the hotly contested feature.  It was during the second heat race that John Memmer flipped over the guard rail in a wild car-crunching crash.  Brady Short won the B-Main with Bobby Stines second.
    

The MSCS Series will be idle for three weekends and then return to action with back to back shows at Moler Raceway Park and Florence Speedway on September 28th and 29th.  That is a Friday-Saturday Combination.  Tri-State Speedway has one more event.  It is the Demolition Derby and Enduro at 1 P.M. on Sunday Afternoon September 16th.

by Eldon Butcher

Mt. Vernon, IL - August 18.  Kevin Briscoe, of Mitchell, IN, captured the second annual MSCS Illinois Sprint Championship Saturday night at the Jefferson County Raceway.  Briscoe made quick work of the 25 lap event by taking the lead at the outset and setting the pace around the bottom half of the quarter mile oval.  Briscoe became the seventh different winner in 9 MSCS races held this season.  The victory was worth $2,000 to the veteran campaigner in his usual seat behind the wheel of the Briscoe Homes Stealth, FOXCO sprint.  

Alex Shanks finished the race in second spot.  The three time MSCS champion kept Briscoe in his sight.  It was a one - two race for the two drivers.  Briscoe found lapped traffic on lap eight and three lapped cars still separated the two at the checkers.  MSCS Points leader Kyle Cummins was third at the head of a pack contesting a number of spots.  Randy Bateman was fourth.  Bateman made it back from the Springfield mile just in time to participate in his heat and advance.  Arin McIntosh was fifth, good enough for the MSCS-Keizer Aluminum Wheels Hard Charger Award.  She improved 9 spots after a lot of side be side racing.  

Action in the first corner in the feature brought about the only yellow flag during the feature.   A spin and contact retired the cars of Geoff Dodge and Terry Babb and put Patrick Brun’s car on the tail for the restart.  The three had formed the outside line in the first three rows.   Then with the green flag presiding over the event, drivers worked for position.  Blue tire smoke as cars came off the corners gave testimony to the hard track conditions in the black.  Above the preferred line cars suddenly drifted up towards the wall indicating the driver had gotten a wheel too high on the surface into what became no man’s land.

Finishing in sixth through tenth in the feature were Patrick Bruns, Todd Chandler, Eric Folger, Gary Altig, and J.B. Gilbert.  Bruns had made amazing progress in working back through the field in the Gary Craven’s 1C.  Newcomer John Irvin, of Harrisburg, IL, just missed the top ten and earned the Wilwood Tuff Brakes Award.  Half the field as well as half the top ten for the Illinois Sprint Championship were home state drivers.

Three heat races were held for the 28 car field.  Patrick Bruns, Gary Altig, and Kevin Briscoe picked up those 10 lap victories.  The B-Main was red flagged due to an accident on the front straightaway that stacked up the cars of Aric Gentry, Hud Cone, and Cody Gentry.  The Cody Gentry car ended up in a tail stand.  Dave Mallady won the B which sent five more drivers to the feature.

Haubstadt, IN - August 4, 2007.  Hunter Schuerenberg of Sikeston, MO, won the third annual installment of the Hoosier Sprint Nationals at Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt, IN.  The 50 lap event paying $10,000 to win and sanctioned by the Hoosier Tire Midwest Sprint Car Series drew 42 non-wing sprint car teams.  Schuerenberg drives for the Truckers 24 Hr. Race Team owned by Roger & Barb Tapy with Jim Whiteside serving as the crew chief.  In post race comments he thanked them and the fans.  “Thank you all for cheering me on!”  He had already saluted the crowd with two victory doughnuts in turn four after a race designed to create fan appeal.  Other sponsors include Minors Harley Davidson, Napa, Jockish Flowers, and Indy Race Parts.

Schuerenberg started 17th in the Competition Welding Chassis powered by a FOXCO engine.  That starting spot was earned with a second place finish in the 12 lap B Main.  The added distance of the race worked to his advantage as he began working through the 21 car field which included some of the best drivers from 8 states.  Schuerenberg was seventh at lap 25 having already advanced 10 spots.  At the 30 lap mark he was fifth.  And he was already up to second  and the event’s Hard Charger at the 40 lap mark.  Fans watched an overwhelming all out ground attack.  A blitz was shaping up and 100 % Sure-n’ Berg had his sights trained ahead.  Along the way and in those final laps circumstances created even more opportunities that would change the direction the race was taking.

The field for the feature was hurried to the starting grid and pushed off with wet weather approaching.  At the green flag of starter Mo Will,  pole sitter  Danny Holtsclaw shot into the lead.  He stayed there for most of 9 laps and  through the first red flag brought out as Kevin Thomas Jr. flipped end for end on the backstretch.  Holtsclaw took  on the role of the crowd favorite with a determined effort at the outset using an opportunity based on a lucky fan’s pill draw to invert the established line-up continuing the Hoosier Nationals tradition.

On lap ten Jon Stanbrough found the lead and once he was ahead began to pull away.  The race developing was then for second.  Stanbrough was fast!  Mat Neely took second but the spot was Shane Cottle’s 7 laps later.  Stanbrough’s engine compartment erupted in smoke on lap 32 and his car came to a stop in turn two changing the entire complexion of the race.
  
Shane Cottle led the restart to the green and continued to protect the lead until the one final restart on lap 43.  It was then that Cottle’s car dug in momentarily in turn one and Schuerenberg sailed by.  This final opportunity was all that the seventeen year old 2006 National Non-Wing Sprint Car Rookie of the Year needed.  Cottle finished second to collect the $5,000 runner-up’s share of the purse.   Mat Neely was third followed by Cory Kruseman and  Chris Urish.  Brent Beauchamp, Hud Cone, Danny Holtsclaw, Chris Gentry, and Kyle Cummins rounded out the top ten  Only eleven  drivers finished the event. 

Attrition or accidents cut the field by almost half.  Alex Shanks received the Wilwood Tuff Brakes Award!  Shanks finished despite some flames that flared up.

The five heat race winners were Holtsclaw, Stanbrough, Gaines, Briscoe, and Short.  Chris Babcock won the C Main to lead 5 drivers into the B-Main which produced a 20 car B-Main won by Hud Cone.  Cone and crew had worked all the previous night to repair his car.          

Paducah, KY -  August 3.  Cory Kruseman of Ventura, California, drove to victory Friday night in the 30 lap feature held at Paducah International Raceway for the Hoosier Tire Midwest Sprint Car Series.  Kruseman was behind the wheel of the Kruseman Motorsports Bullet sponsored by Sanders.  It was the first victory for Kruseman in Hoosier Tire Midwest Sprint Car Series competition and the first visit by the sanctioning group to the Paducah facility.
      
The veteran campaigner left his calling card with a heat race victory and then collected the $2,000 feature payoff to complete a perfect evening.  Kruseman started in the second row of the 20 car field and moved to the front in just 4 laps.  A number of drivers assumed the role of challenger including Hunter Schuerenberg, Hud Cone, Kyle Wissmiller, and Mat Neely.  Schuerenberg led 2 laps before falling prey to Kruseman’s forward drive.  Cone was the next to occupy the role of the challenger.  Meanwhile Kruseman moved higher and higher on the prime real estate of the fast 3/8’s mile high banks until he was just inches off the walls in the corners.
 
Hud Cone‘s efforts came to an abrupt halt with a hard flip that took his car over the retaining wall in turn two where it landed on all four wheels.  On the restart Kyle Wissmiller took the number two spot.  The race for second came into Mat Neely’s grasp on lap eighteen of the 30 laps scheduled.  Neely was always in range choosing a groove at the bottom of a three groove race track.

Hunter Schuerenberg, Kyle Wissmiller, and Mitch Wissmiller formed the remainder of an impressive and competitive top five.  The top ten included Brady Bacon, Kyle Cummins, Geoff Dodge, Brent Mellenberndt, and Alex Shanks.  Kyle Cummins was the MSCS-Keizer Hard Charger of the Race Award.  Chris Gentry picked up the Wilwood Tuff Brakes Award and was one of the drivers who made the middle groove work around the track.

Heat races for the 33 entries were won by Hud Cone, Cory Kruseman, Hunter Schuerenberg, and Mitch Wissmiller.  Of the 4 heats Wissmiller’s was the only runaway.  Wissmiller‘s runs during the night moved him into second place in the season’s MSCS points standings.  Arin McIntosh of Mitchell, IN,  won the B-Main.  She is currently the only lady driving in the MSCS ranks.  Kyle Thomas finished second but damage incurred to the machine prevented him from starting the A-Main.

The B-Main was red flagged at the very outset due to a serious accident in turns one and two.  Two drivers were injured.  As Chad Boespflug’s car was flipping in turn one, the car of Daron Clayton continued crashing along and into the outside retaining wall before soaring over the concrete and out of view.  Both drivers were taken to the hospital.  Clayton was released later that evening and Boespflug was transferred to another medical facility for further evaluation and treatment.

Two other MSCS regulars damaged their equipment extensively  in separate flips during heat race competition.  Ryan Brewer flipped in the first heat and D.J. Ott rode out a flip in the second heat.  Both accidents happened in what became a troublesome first corner during the night‘s racing activity.  Photo's in this article furnished by Kevin Horcher and Phil Hedrick.   

By Eldon Butcher

Haubstadt, IN - July 8, 2007. Daron Clayton won the 30 lap inaugural MSCS - KISS Showdown at Tri-State Speedway Sunday night.
But it was no easy task. The race had all the necessary ingredients for one of the most exciting races to ever be held at the tacky quarter mile oval. One of those ingredients was the fact that it was also the final Championship night for the 2007 KISS series. Both MSCS and KISS points were at stake for the 41 drivers on hand. And KISS points leader Jon Stanbrough would be a major factor in the feature competition on his way to collecting the KISS title.

The feature was a shootout among the front runners with Brady Short separating Stanbrough, who had the lead, from Clayton for five laps. A restart on lap five gave Clayton an opportunity to grab second. On lap nine he took the lead after pushing his car to the front in turn two, exchanging spots with Stanbrough in three, and back to the front again in four. This pattern would continue, especially during the last six laps of the feature. Clayton defended challenge after challenge. Jon Stanbrough would gain ground entering the corners using a slide job while Clayton would remain poised to dive back underneath and find the speed to undo the fleeting pass.

Daron Clayton’s formable win was the seventh in his MSCS career and with the victory he becomes the leading all time winner for the Hoosier Tire Midwest Sprint Car Series with seven feature victories. Clayton followed the $2,500 win with victory doughnuts dirt track style in turn four. His turn at the microphone was short. “It was a great race! I had a lot of fun! Thanks fans! I am going to run Indiana Sprint Week next.” The native Missouri driver now races out of Indianapolis and is sure to be “Kick-in” some more Hoosier clay.

The second place finish brought Jon Stanbrough, of Jamestown, IN, a third KISS series title in an illustrious sprint car driving career. The KISS point fund was worth $1,400 to the champion along with the special King of Indiana Sprint Series Champion’s helmet designed by RockStar Paint and sponsored by Sprint Car & Midget Magazine and Simpson Performance Products.

Brady Short finished third in the feature in the Lucas Oil Sprinter. Kyle Wissmiller was fourth and rookie Jeff Bland Jr. was fifth. Hud Cone, Matt Neely, Mitch Wissmiller, Brett Beauchamp, and Bobby Stines rounded out the top ten. Cone rolled off the track
after the event with a flat left front tire. It was Mitch
Wissmiller who improved 10 positions to capture the Keizer Aluminum Wheels Hard Charger of the Race Award. John Memmer finished just outside of the top ten to collect the Wilwood Tuff Brakes Award.

Hard luck followed Shane Hollingsworth all evening. The Indianapolis driver fell victim to a flat tire during his heat race and then flipped in the C-main in a series of rolls. He was the runner-up in KISS points going into the event. Heat victories went to John Memmer, Todd Chandler, Jeff Bland Jr., Jon Stanbrough, and Daron Clayton. Fifteen year old Shane Golobic of Fremont, California, won the C-main in his first appearance at the Speedway.
MSCS Points leader Kyle Cummins took the 20 car B-main. Dave Scott
started on the pole of the B but had the misfortune of flipping his car in turn four.

Tri-State Speedway will race next on Saturday July 21st. That is the USAC Indiana Sprint Week date for the track. The MSCS Sprints will be back in action on August 3rd and 4th, That upcoming two race weekend starts Friday night at Paducah International Raceway in Kentucky and is followed by the Hoosier Sprint Nationals paying $10,000 to win at Tri-State Speedway on Saturday.

Stacked 3 deep in the turn at Tri=State Speedway. Two former MSCS Champions battle the current MSCS Points leader.
Drivers are Mitch Wissmiller, Alex Shanks, and Kyle Cummins. Wissmiller in 7x advanced 10 spots to become the Hardcharger of the race.
Photo by Jim Viviano.

By Eldon Butcher

Haubstadt, IN - June 9, 2007.  Jon Stanbrough drove to victory in the 50th Anniversary Race Saturday night at Tri-State Speedway.  The win was the second for the Brownsburg, IN, driver in as many days of Hoosier Tire Midwest Sprint Car Series Competition.  This one paid $5,050.50 and continued a 2007 hot streak which is placing the Fox Brothers Sprinter in victory lane after victory lane at Midwestern tracks.

An appreciative crowd watched Stanbrough reel in the early leaders and then take command during the last third of the race.  Stanbrough was always in the right place at the right time!  Stanbrough shared the credit.  “You know Brad and Steve always do a great job with the car!  It fits my driving style.  We are on a roll now!  We’re just really good together. This was a long race.  The car wasn‘t quite as good when the night began but then the car came to me.”
   
The program began after a special recognition ceremony in honor of the Helfrich family who have been involved with the operation, ownership, and management of the speedway all of these years.  It then continued with racing headlined by the Midwest Sprint Car Series and featuring the UMP Modifieds as well as the Vintage race cars, some dating back to the very era in which Tri-State Speedway was constructed.

The Sprint Car feature began after a special 4 car wide salute to the fans.  In an added gesture drivers then formed into the missing man formation in honor of the late Ed Helfrich, the long time speedway owner.  Pole sitter Jared Fox dropped back in line to leave an open spot in the front row.  Earlier Irma Helfrich, Tom and Loris Helfrich, and other family members received a plaque from the many employees and friends of Tri-State Speedway.

Jared Fox set a blistering pace in leading the first 33 laps.  Fox flirted with the cushion and kept a high line.  Once Stanbrough drew close it took him about 4 laps to find an advantage on the track.  He had started fourth, fell to fifth, and had to battle his way through some strong resistance.  Shane Cottle was not far behind traveling from 9th to 2nd in the Edison Motorsports sprinter.  Critter Malone finished third after finding second on two different runs towards the front of the feature.  Fox settled for fourth,  Shane Hollingsworth was never out of the top five in finishing fifth.

The rest of the top ten included Mitch Wissmiller, MSCS Points leader Kyle Cummins, Chad Boat, Alex Shanks, and John Memmer.  Cummins finish on the same lap as the leaders was just short of a miracle.  The car rolled over on lap 48 up near the wall in turn one.  Once up righted Cummins elected to restart and finish the race.  His pace and determination combined to make him the Hard Charger of the race.  The top 8 were still on the lead lap at the conclusion of the feature.  Twelve of the 21 starters finished the race.  The Wilwood Tuff Brakes award went to Brent Beauchanp.

Heat winners included Critter Malone, Hunter Schuerenberg, Jared Fox, and Jon Stanbrough.  Kyle Cummins led Kevin Briscoe, and Brent Beauchamp to the line in the 12 lap B-Main.  Thirty-one drivers from eight states entered the overall competition.

MSCS will now have three weekends off from series competition before the next scheduled race which will be a match-up with the KISS series drivers on July 8th at Tri-State Speedway.  It will be the 2007 KISS finale and Championship.

Jacksonville, IL - June 8, 2007.  Jon Stanbrough turned in a perfect performance in winning the Hoosier Tire Midwest Sprint Car Series show Friday night at the Morgan County Speedway.  Stanbrough fired off the outside of the front row in the feature line-up and led every lap of the 30 lap contest.  He had also won his heat which was 1 of 4 held for the 36 non-wing sprint cars on hand.  The track master had no problem adapting to the Morgan County oval.  He sealed the victory by going to the bottom in the main to take the short way around the oval.

Stanbrough, who is from Brownsburg, IN, became the 4th different winner in four features held for the MSCS sprinters this season.  It was the first MSCS outing this season for the Fox Brothers DRC/Foxco Jarvis Enterprises entry.   

Feature runner-up Korey Weyant of Springfield, IL, turned in a gutsy performance in the Goldsberry Signs entry.   Weyant relinquished the lead spot to Stanbrough and then battled with drivers moving in and out of the top five until he was able to move back up into second as the lead group overtook lapped cars.  Hunter Schuerenberg hurried to third place using a higher line.  Bret Tripplett earned the Hardcharger of the Race honors with a strong fourth place finish after starting 16th.    Kyle Cummins was listed as fifth on the official finish sheet after a post-race review of the scoring.

Finishing sixth through tenth were Rookie Points leader John Memmer, Tommy Rockwell, Terry Babb, Derek O Dell, and Patrick Budde.  Adjustments to sixth, seventh, and eighth were also made to in fairness to those participants.
 
Heat races were very competitive and full of action.  Korey Weyant, Joey Moughan, Jon Stanbrough, and Hunter Schuerenberg prevailed to capture those front two row starting spots for the feature.  The second heat ended in a side by side finish.
 
The B-main was the high point of the evening for defending MSCS champ Alex Shanks.  Shanks won the B after having had the misfortune of flipping in his heat.  It was just one of many in an action packed night.  A flat tire in the feature sidelined the Champ when work to the car was not completed in the designated work area.

It was also during the B-main that rookie Kevin Thomas Jr. created a spontaneous outburst throughout the stands by driving off the track after rolling over twice, landing on his wheels, and then continuing although the red flag had already appeared.  The last lap was a real battle for transfer spots with Arin McIntosh taking the final feature spot after a tiring night of working to improve the car.

By Eldon & Oleva Butcher

Haubstadt, IN - May 27.  Daron Clayton won the 30 lap Memorial Weekend Hoosier Tire Midwest Sprint Car Series event at Tri-State Speedway Sunday night.  Clayton provided fans with a drive from deep in the pack to the front in just 18 laps.  Then he added a king sized helping of dirt track doughnuts in turns one and two during his victory lap.  It was the first trip to victory lane in the series for the Dark Horse Motorsports Race team this season.  The Indianapolis based driver picked up $3,000 in winnings.  The Maxim is owned by Gene Clayton of Clayton Motorsports, Inc.
 
Clayton was elated in victory lane.  An occasional drop of rain did not dampen the spirit!  “This was a great night.  We‘ve been looking for this night.  MSCS is the best sanction right now .  I love racing with them!”  Clayton not only won the race but took the MSCS-Keizer AluminumWheels’ Hard Charger of the Race award after moving forward 15 positions in a well balanced field of drivers.     

Shane Hollingsworth and Hunter Schuerenberg shared the front row at the start of the feature in the Truckers 24 Hr. Team cars.  They then shared the lead with Hollingsworth the last driver to finally give way to the Clayton charge.  Critter Malone of Indianapolis, IN,  finished second in the feature in the Baldwin Brothers Racing Team entry.  Mat Neely of Robinson, Il, was third, Chad Boat of Phoenix, AZ, was fourth, and Mitch Wissmiller of Saybrook, IL, was fifth.  Clayton and Malone were making their first starts with MSCS this season and for 15 year old Chad Boat it was his first MSCS start ever.  The Arizona driver stayed in the middle of a changing top 5 the whole race.
 
Schuerenberg was involved in an accident that brought forth 1 of 3 red flags.  However he was able to continue and was one of the 16 drivers that finished the race.    There was a 3 car incident in turn three on lap two that disabled cars driven by Kevin Thomas Jr. and  Kyle Wissmiller.  The final red was for an accident in turn two involving John Memmer and Jonathan Vennard.

The rest of the rundown for sixth through tenth spots in the feature went to Shane Hollingsworth, Brady Short, Chris Windom, Alex Shanks, and Kyle Cummins.  Danny Holtsclaw by finishing eleventh became the third different recipient of the Wilwood Tuff Brakes Award. 

Alex Shanks, Critter Malone, Hunter Schuerenberg, and Shane Hollingsworth won the four qualifying heat races conducted for the 42 participants.  Chris Windom won a hotly contested B-main over Bobby Stines, and Jon Sciscoe.  John Paynter won the C-Main. 

The Midwest Sprint Car Series has a double header weekend scheduled for June 8th and 9th.  A Friday night appearance at the Morgan County Speedway in Jacksonville, IL, paying $3,000 to win will be followed by Saturday night’s 50th Anniversary Race at Tri-State Speedway with a special purse granting the winner $5,050.50. 

Daron Clayton[92] takes the high rode around Kevin Briscoe
[5] and Kyle Cummins[3c]. Clayton went onto the feature win at Tri-State Speedway, May 27, 2007. Photo by Kevin Horcher

By Eldon Butcher

Nebo, KY -  May 19, 2007.  Kyle Cummins of Princeton, IN, rolled to victory Saturday night as the Hoosier Tire Midwest Sprint Car Series swept into Western Kentucky Speedway with its own brand of open wheel excitement.  It was his first career MSCS feature win.
    
Cummins put his Maxim into the lead late in the 25 lap feature to collect the top prize of $2,000.  The winner’s 410 racing engine was built at the family operation owned by Mark Cummins and marketed as Cummins Racing Engines.  The sprint car team has as sponsors Trusses by Hobgood, Tim Mason Remax , and PRC.    The victory moved the 19 year old driver into the lead in the 2007 MSCS Championship Points battle.
     
The feature race was eventful.  Green flag conditions produced some exciting battles back through the pack as well as up front.  Kevin Briscoe moved into the lead at the drop of the green with Brent Beauchamp close behind.  Alex Shanks picked up the challenge on lap 4.  Shanks stayed in the chase until the 19th lap using the momentum generated with trips around the top of the 3/8s mile track.  With Kyle Cummins closing in on him, Shanks spun backwards down and across the back straightaway.  The car dug in as it caught the apron and took a couple of rolls.  Shanks bid was over!
    
Kyle Cummins was sitting behind Briscoe on the restart.  On lap 20 it was Briscoe who spun in turn two.  His tires had sealed over during the red flag needed to remove Shank’s disabled sprint and the handling went away.  Briscoe rejoined the field and finished the event but did not have time to work his way back into the top ten. 
    
Cummins led those final 5 laps with Bobby Stines of Martinsville, IN, garnering second place in the Hurst Brothers entry.  Stines was in the top 5 all race long.  Beauchamp of Fairland, IN. finished third with his first MSCS appearance of the season.  Veteran Donnie Gentry represented his home state well by driving the GBR entry to a fourth place finish.  Rookie John Memmer was fifth after a drive through the field that made him this week’s MSCS Hard Charger of the Race.  Memmer also now leads in Rookie of the Year points. 
    
The second five finished with Jerry Ruble leading Aric Gentry, Flyin’ Ryan Brewer, Arin McIntosh, and Bret Mellenberndt.  Mellenberndt managed a top ten finish despite being involved in two of the incidents that brought about six caution periods.  Craig Budde will collect the Wilwood ‘Tuff Brakes” reward with an 11th place finish.
    
Twenty-four cars were scheduled to start the main event.  That was at promoter Tim Coble’s option.  Coble provided a smooth, fast track and an exta incentive to drivers by adding purse money to allow all the competitors to run the feature.  Drivers were on hand from 5 states.  The decision not to run the B also provided time for some additional track prep before the feature itself.
    
The heat races were increasingly competitive.  Alex Shanks, Hud Cone, and Brent Beauchamp won those three opening events.  However Cone did not start the feature.  His heat victory would have put him on the outside pole but after discussions within the racing team, he elected not to start the final.  The outside row moved up accordingly.
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The next event for MSCS will be held at Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt, IN, Sunday May 27th.  The event will be 30 laps in distance and pay $3,000 to win.          

By Eldon Butcher

Haubstadt, IN - May 6, 2007.  Mat Neely of Robinson, IL, led the final two laps of the feature Sunday night at Tri-State Speedway to win the Hoosier Tire Midwest Sprint Car Series season opener.  Neely drove the Neely Motorsports Twister sponsored by First Financial Bank, Maverick Energy, Street Heat, Lytle Electric, Ross Body Shop, and RLB Manufacturing.

Neely,  the 2006 MSCS Hardcharger of the Year, started in the 5th row for the feature and worked his way to the front.  He was already in third place when a caution flag slowed the field on lap 12 of the 25 lap event.  Chad Boespflug and John Memmer were involved in an incident in turn one.  As both cars rejoined the tail of the field Neely moved into the challenger spot formerly held by Boespflug.  Neely had one car left to pass - leader Brady Short!

Actually the race had three different leaders.  Chase Stockon started on the pole and pulled away in the lead.  His run was cut short four laps later as a trail of oil followed the smoking sprint into the infield.  It was Short’s turn to lead.  Neely stayed close as the two slipped away from the pack.  Progress between turns three and four eventually gave Neely an opportunity to dive under Short and complete a pass heading down the front straightaway.  Two laps later Neely had his second MSCS career win.  The victory paid $2,000.  It was a banner night for the whole Neely team and a gang of supporters!

Kevin Briscoe finished in third place after working to correct some ignition problems between the heat and the feature.  Kyle Cummins finished fourth and Alex Shanks was fifth.  Shanks and Cummins exchanged positions on the 19th and 20th laps in their own battle.  Kyle Wissmiller, Danny Holtsclaw, Bobby Stines, Bill Rose, and Cole Whitt rounded out the top ten.  Holtsclaw, who is from Bloomfield, IN, was the MSCS Hardcharger of the Race with a gain of 9 spots! Veteran Jerry Ruble was next across the line to be the first driver to receive the “Tuff Brakes Award” from Wilwood.

In preliminary action the 40 MSCS sprints competed in four qualifying heats.  Kyle Wissmiller, Brady Short, Chad Boespflug, and Chase Stockon were victorious.  Sixteen year old Chris Babcock won the C-main and  fifteen year old Blake Fitzpatrick won the B-main. 

The Midwest Sprint Car Series will travel to Western Kentucky Speedway next with a race scheduled there for Saturday May 19th.  Tri-State will host the POWRi and USAC Midgets on Saturday night May 12th with the MSCS sprinters returning next on May 27th for a big $3,000 to win Memorial Day Weekend Special.

COTTLE TAKES MSCS VICTORY AND $10,000 AT LAWRENCEBURG

By Eldon Butcher

Photo by Phil Hedrick

Lawrenceburg, IN. (Sept. 30, 2006) Shane Cottle of Kokomo, IN, won the 2006 SK Construction Lawrenceburg Fall Classic Sprint Nationals. The race had a $10,000 accompanying prize put up by promoter Tom Wieck. Cottle was behind the wheel of the Edison Motorsports sprint sponsored by Crume-Evans Insurance and RG Enterprises.

Cottle started ninth in the 24 car, big 50 lap feature for the Hoosier Tire MSCS sprint cars. He was in fifth place in just 6 laps and in third place at the 17 th lap. His chance to take the lead followed a front stretch incident involving the first and second place cars of Jerry Coons Jr. and Levi Jones.

Coons and Jones had started on the front row side by side and were running nose-to- tail when Coons found himself doing a 360 at maximum speed following contact from Jones’ car. Coons made an unbelievable save and drove out of the spin and back into the fray losing just 3 spots.

Cottle had the lead and would not ever relinquish it. Jones due to a win the night before the Classic could have won an extra $1,000 if he could have somehow made a pass. Cottle, who had not raced Friday night, would do the job nicely for the posted 10 grand. Jones was second in an event in which lapped traffic would never become a problem. Casey Shuman finished third, Daron Clayton fourth, and Brady Short was fifth.

Rounding out the top ten were Jerry Coons Jr., Jon Stanbrough, Cole Whitt, Alex Shanks, and Dickie Gaines. Briscoe made a nice recovery to finish fifth on a night that the speedway and MSCS recognized his car owner and father Dick Briscoe as the Grand Marshall for the event. AJ Anderson was 12 th. Kyle Cummins headed the second half of the field after avoiding trouble early in a wet, muddy trip through the infield in turn four.

A new car count record was established for MSCS with 70 racecars on hand despite threatening weather conditions. Seven heat races, 2 C-Mains, and 2-B mains followed to set the field for the feature. Cole Whitt, Shane Hollingsworth, Kyle Cummins, Jerry Coons Jr., Levi Jones, Casey Shuman, and Daron Clayton advanced with heat race wins. Young Guns Chris Windom and Bret Burdette would keep hopes alive with C-Main victories. AJ Anderson and Scotty Weir would win the two B-mains.

The two Lawrenceburg point leaders Tony Beaber and Troy Link took provisionals as did Dale Christian and Brady Short for MSCS. Short who could have missed the event as the first alternate turned a provisional opportunity into a great run advancing 19 spots. Short was the race’s Mike’s Motors Hard Charger Award winner.

Two special races were run as added attractions Saturday night. The very popular and excitingYoung Guns Race Sponsored by Armstrong Farms was won by 15 year old Cole Whitt of Alpine, CA. Second and third went to Chris Windom and Chris Babcock. The Race of Champions was won by former MSCS Support Series Champion Chase Stockon with Mike Miller and Dickie Gaines in pursuit! The 18 year old Stockon was also fourth in the Young Guns competition helping this night’s special attractions to become a Young Guns Explosion. Each event paid $200 to win!

The season is now over for the MSCS Sprint Car Series. The final night’s run for Alex Shanks of Marion, IL, produced a third consecutive Hoosier Tire MSCS Points Championship. Shanks and points runner-up Kyle Cummins both made the feature Saturday night with Shanks finishing 4 spots ahead of Cummins. The two had been tied in points after Friday night’s race and Saturday was an ever important night for both!

Lawrenceburg Fall Classic Begins with Jones the Victor on Friday
By Eldon Butcher

Photo by Phil Hedrick

Lawrenceburg, IN. (Sept. 29, 2006) Levi Jones of Olney, IL, led one lap of the 30 lap main event Friday night but it was the last and all important one. The Olney, Il, driver grabbed the victory in the newly built 12x car from leader Kyle Cummins using a last lap pass. The opening night’s event for the Lawrenceburg Fall Classic Sprint Nationals drew 55 Hoosier Tire MSCS drivers and the feature paid $2,000. But this evening wasn’t just about the money. It was about track time, prep time, and by the feature, real race time.

The feature had 5 lead changes among the 22 starters. Kyle Cummins of Princeton, IN, was strong out of the box. He led the first 12 laps as the lead cars stayed in tight formation. During that span a yellow was needed when Kevin Briscoe’s car came to a stop on the track, again for a cone that ventured onto the track, and then for a spin by Troy Link.

Scotty Weir then took the lead as Cummins got crossed up in a hole developing in turn one. Overall though the track surface provided a wide avenue around the track. Cummins found the throttle, some racing room, and still came around in fifth. Weir led for the next 11 laps in the Benic Sprint before finding total misfortune in turn one. He flipped landing hard in turn one following a lap 24 restart. That restart was necessitated after Matt Westfall brought out an original red flag with a flip on the backstretch. Lap 23 was the multi problem lap of the night!

The two consecutive reds put Daron Clayton at the front of the line-up. Clayton led a lap before a yellow appeared when two cars got together. Kyle Cummins then shot back to the front, reappearing to take the lead back. Behind him the race went 3 wide with Levi Jones finding a way past Daron Clayton and Shane Hollingsworth on lap 29. A yellow for a spin by Jared Fox closed the field for the last time. The green and white were displayed and Jones found an opening at the bottom of the track to capture the win.

It was Levi Jone’s first MSCS victory for the current season. He was also the Mike’s Motors Hard Charger for the event by moving up 13 spots during the feature. He was only the second driver to win the Hard Charger award on the way to winning the feature during this season.

Cummins would finish second and earn enough points to tie him for the 2006 MSCS points lead with Alex Shanks prior to Saturday’s upcoming race, the only one left on the MSCS schedule. Daron Clayton, Shane Hollingsworth, and Dickie Gaines rounded out the top five. Casey Shuman, Cole Whitt, Tony Beaber, AJ Anderson, and Troy Link followed with 13 cars completing the event.

Under the MSCS format, six heats and 2 B-mains were held. Dickie Gaines and Levi Jones won the two B-mains before again racing their way forward in the feature. A.J. Anderson, Scotty Weir, Kent Christian, Matt Westfall, Chris Windom, and Kyle Cummins took victories in the qualifying heats.

The most unusual occurrence during the feature was after Chris Windom spun. The push truck that came to his aid ran up over his tire and the two vehicles were stuck. As a result the shock was bent on the Windom sprinter. MSCS officials ruled that if it could be replaced before the cars could resume the race, he could continue since it was not the driver’s fault. The change was made and Windom finished twelfth just behind fellow young gun Chase Stockon.

Henderson, KY. (Sept. 11, 2006) MSCS driver Patrick Bruns was injured Saturday night in a serious crash at Mt. Vernon Raceway. The Champaign, IL, driver was helped to the ambulance by emergency personnel, evaluated on site, and then transported to Good Samaritan Hospital for further treatment .

Photo is of Patrick Bruns flipping
down the front stretch at Mt. Vernon Raceway.  The car went end for
end four or 5 times at the start of the second heat race.

SCHUERENBERG IN ILLINOIS SPRINT CHAMPIONSHIP

By Eldon Butcher

Mt. Vernon, IL. (Sept. 9. 2006) Hunter Schuerenberg, of Sikeston, MO, edged Kyle Wissmiller in a 30 lap race to the finish Saturday night at the Mt.Vernon Raceway. Schuerenberg turned in a solid, steady performance for a 16 year old driver. He took the lead from Wissmiller on lap nine.. The young gun then led the field through six more restarts and kept his cool under pressure despite the changing, closing opposition.Schuerenberg was at the wheel of the HSR Racing Maxim/Foxco Sprint sponsored by Minor Harley Davidson.. The team includes the proud car owner Rick Schuerenberg and Brian Karaker who serves as the crew chief. It was the first victory for Schuerenberg who is enjoying his Rookie season with the Hoosier Tire Midwest Sprint Car Series. With the victory came the trophy for the PEPSI MSCS Illinois Sprint Championship.The final yellow came out with 24 laps on the board and closed the field to a single file restart with just 6 laps remaining. The top five had been a changing scene during the entire race. Kyle Wissmiller picked up the pace on the restart. He got by Chris Windom in two laps and went high to find a little extra speed. With two laps to go Kyle was so close. However, coming off two after taking the white flag, it was Hunter with an edge. Wissmiller’s charge came up short in a close finish.

Chris Windom finished third in the eventful feature. Windom kept pressure on whoever was nearest and stayed right in the thick of the hunt. Chase Stockon finished fourth and was also part of the side by side back and forth racing for third and fourth. Kyle Cummins finished fifth. Drivers from 3 states were represented in the top five.Both Cummins and Chris Windom gained points in their season championship bids to catch MSCS points leader Alex Shanks. Shanks had magneto problems with his sprint and he was the first to retire in the 23 car field. Cummins and Windom now head into the final two events tied for second place and just 29 points out of first.Positions six through ten at the finish were hard earned spots for Scotty Weir, Tommy Rockwell, Jeff Davis, Patrick Budde, and Rex Norris III. Weir and Davis worked their way back into the top ten after being involved in spins that placed them at the tail of the field on restarts. Patrick Budde moved up 10 spots to earn the Mike’s Motors Hard Charger Award. Rockwell and Norris turned in strong first time performances. Rookie D.J. Ott was eleventh in his best outing of the season.Heat races were won by Kyle Wissmiller, Kyle Cummins, and Hunter Schuerenberg. The second heat underwent a difficult start during which the Cravens sprinter driven by Patrick Bruns entered into a series of end for end flips down the front chute. The front of the car was destroyed. Bruns was assisted to the ambulance for further evaluation by the EMT personnel team on duty. A decision was made later in the program to forego having the B-Main and allow all 23 remaining cars to start the feature. Some amazing runs in heavy traffic made for an exciting feature. Daron Clayton started 20^th and raced up to third before spinning and being hit by another car. Hud Cone started 23^rd and was in fourth spot using the high groove when the smoke from his car subsided and it quit in turn four. Next up will be the 2 day 2006 season finale at the legendary Lawrenceburg Speedway on September 29^th and 30th. Friday night MSCS will run for $2,000 to win and Saturday the stakes raise to $10,00 to win. Any driver who can win the feature both nights will be assured an extra $1,000.

CLAYTON ASTOUNDING IN THE USAC – MSCS CLASH

By Eldon and Oleva Butcher

Haubstadt, IN. (September 2, 2006). The very first USAC – MSCS Clash was held Saturday night at Tri-State Speedway. Daron Clayton of Sikeston, MO, won the 40 lap feature event after turning in a thrilling performance. Clayton had started 14th in the 24 car field. He quickly headed for the front and brought the race with him. In victory lane Clayton described what the fans saw. "I thought that I had better get up front quick." That he did! It was his third MSCS victory this season and third straight Tri-State Speedway Labor Day weekend race victory

The first row in the feature line-up put MSCS points leader Alex Shanks in the Jerry Baker entry alongside USAC points leader Levi Jones in the Tony Stewart entry. Jones grabbed the lead with Dave Darland taking second two laps later. Caution flags flew twice early. Laps five to 24 were contested at top speeds. Clayton was turning laps faster than anyone. The front wheels lifted on Clayton’s new Maxim on lap six as he powered down the backstretch. Jones began lapping the field, lapping his first car by lap eleven. A lap later Clayton assumed fourth spot. Fellow MSCS competitor Alex Shanks would be his next pass. Darland gave up second to Clayton on the next lap. Only the leader remained to pass as the crossed flags appeared to signal the half-way point.Jones’ established lead began to disappear. Clayton moved to the bottom of the track. Jones was running higher entering turn one when the car began flipping, finally landing between the wall and the billboards. His run was over after 23 laps and the red light shut down the race. All crews were allowed to attend to car needs under an open red arrangement. In the meantime the wrecked sprint car was hoisted back up and over the retaining wall.

The final 16 laps presented green flag conditions for the remaining 19 drivers. Clayton was lapping cars every lap or two, taking 3 at a time during one lap. Mat Neely would finish second in the Benic sprint after starting ninth on the field. He was also working to bring the race forward but encountered a lot of lapped traffic. Dave Darland finished third, Josh Wise was fourth, and Bryan Clauson finished fifth. Sixth through tenth places went to Jerry Coon’s Jr., Jon Stanbrough, Hunter Schuerenberg, Kevin Briscoe, and Shane Hollingsworth. Stanbrough was involved in a fourth lap spin before rejoining the race at the tail and making his way back up through the field.The race attracted 36 drivers and 38 cars counting USAC back-up entries. In organizing and planning for the Clash, it was decided that drivers holding both USAC and MSCS licenses would represent the sanctioning body that they were highest in points in entering the event. Otherwise they would race under the banner of the organization they belong to and are licensed by.Using that basis the 24 spots in the feature were filled by 15 USAC drivers and 9 MSCS drivers. Running in the top twelve or top half of the field at the finish of the feature were 8 USAC drivers and 4 MSCS regulars. However it should be noted that all but 2 of the top runners competed with MSCS during the 2006 season prior to the Clash. Clayton entered the race 14^th in the MSCS standings and 16^th in the USAC standings. Heat race victories were posted by Dave Darland, Alex Shanks, Levi Jones, and Gary Altig. Scotty Weir won the B-main with Hunter Schuerenberg , Chase Stockon, and Brady Short following. Heat racing also produced two flips. Kyle Thomas and Hud Cone were the unfortunate drivers involved during separate incidents in heat three.The MSCS series will race next at Mt.Vernon Raceway on September 9^th. Tri-State Speedway will close out the season with the annual Demolition Derby & Enduro on September 17^th with a starting time of 1 P.M.

STANBROUGH FIRST IN BLOOMINGTON MSCS VISIT

By Eldon Butcher

Bloomington, IN (August 25). Jon Stanbrough won the 35 lap Hoosier Tire Midwest Sprint Car Series feature event Friday night at Bloomington Speedway. It was the first appearance by MSCS at Bloomington but not Stanbrough’s. The victory was his fourth at the track this season. This one was worth $2,500.

Stanbrough put the win in perspective in a post race interview. "It’s good to be able to run these races for a little extra money. Race cars are so expensive and fuel prices are high." In concluding he was sure to acknowledge one all important factor. "Thanks to all the fans for coming." And they have been coming to MSCS races.

Stanbrough started on the pole and led throughout the race. The Jamestown, IN, driver kept Steve and Brad Fox’s Foxco Racing Sprinter in front. Stanbrough stayed clear of trouble behind him that brought out 4 caution flags during the first 16 laps. Yellows were needed after laps 4, 6, 11, and 16. Cars that slid over the bank, an orange cone that went from turn four to turn one, and some fluid on the track were the extent of the problems. Drivers stayed focused and little damage resulted from contact. Not one red flag was needed during the non-stop program.

Jon Sciscoe held second early but gave way to Dickie Gaines. Gaines closed to within about four car lengths of Stanbrough during the final stretch. Kevin Briscoe finished third. Briscoe moved steadily forward. It took Briscoe about 3 laps to clear Danny Holtsclaw and Chris Windom. He was alongside the two for about three laps as the battled with each other for position. Windom finished fourth with Holtsclaw fifth. The race between the two continued in the closest of quarters. Sciscoe settled for sixth followed by Dave Darland, Brady Short, Jeff Davis, and Cole Whitt forming the top ten.

Whitt was making his first appearance with MSCS and claimed the Mike’s Motors Hard Charger Award for advancing the most positions after starting at the tail of the field.

Chase Stockon used a provisional to start the event in order to protect a top ten points position. Stockon appeared at the race with the team’s backup car after destroying the primary car in an accident at another track a week ago.

Forty-six cars competed during the night’s program. Five qualifying heats were held. The winners were Jon Sciscoe, Hunter Schuerenberg, Jon Stanbrough, Dickie Gaines, and Brad Sweet. Kenny Carmichael won the C-main. Kenny Carmichael Jr. won the B-main. The B transferred 5 drivers to the feature.

The MSCS Sprints will appear along with the USAC Sprints at Tri-State Speedway Saturday night September 2^nd. It will be the Clash of the season with $4,000 to win a 40 lap feature. It marks the first time a co-sanctioned event has been scheduled between these two sanctioning bodies. It is a race six years in the making! The fans will be the absolute winners on this one. USAC versus MSCS all night long!

WISSMILLER IN A RACE TO THE LINE AT TRI-STATE

By Eldon and Oleva Butcher

Haubstadt, IN, (Aug. 12, 2006) Kyle Wissmiller of Saybrook. IL, won the 25 lap sprint car feature event at Tri-State Speedway Saturday night. Wissmiller led the entire race to top off a perfect evening which also included a victory in the first of three qualifying heats during round 9 of the Hoosier Tire Midwest Sprint Car Series. It was Wissmiller’s first victory of the current campaign and fifth overall in 5 active years of MSCS competition.

Wissmiller’s F-5, 410 Sprinter had as escort across the finish line. MSCS points leader Alex Shanks made it the closest finish of the season. Wissmiller and Shanks passed under Mo Will’s pair of checkered flags in unisonous. Wissmiller’s car appeared to sputter exiting turn four and Shanks was immediately in contention and alongside. Wissmiller had just enough left to pull off the win.

The Wissmiller's celebrate in victory lane.

That ‘enough’ was fuel. The crew checked the tank as Wissmiller prepared for the photo and award session on the backstretch. He explained the situation simply. "If we would have had to come around to the front stretch for the presentation we would have probably not had enough fuel to make it." The win propelled Wissmiller from 10^th to 6^th in series points while Shanks padded his overall points lead.

It was the high line that allowed Alex Shanks the momentum to finally take second spot from Dave Scott. The flying Scott had won his heat and followed with a firm grip on second for the first 12 laps of the feature. Hunter Schuerenberg took third on lap fourteen and that is where he would finish. Fourth place went to Jared Fox.

Fox started 22^nd and last on the field and the next 25 laps would be a true racing performance. The Bloomington, IN, driver turned in a fantastic drive forward to earn the Mike’s Motors Hard Charger of the Race Award. This was despite flipping his car in the second heat. Hud Cone also experienced a flip in the first heat in the GBR sprint. The two crews were kept busy making repairs in time for both to join the feature field.

Chris Gentry was fifth in the MSCS feature race ahead of two local drivers Kyle Cummins and Todd Chandler. Gentry’s car was trailing a lot of smoke during the final two laps. His car was damaged when the leaders bunched up causing contact on the first of two attempts at a green, white, checkered.

Rookie Patrick Bruns was eighth followed by Donny Brackett and Mitch Cunningham. Jerry Ruble would finish eleventh in the feature after starting the night on a winning note by capturing the third heat.

Rookie points leader Jeff Davis flipped his car in turn two after completing 10 laps of the feature. Action seemed to be everywhere around the track. Yellow flags were needed at the initial start when rookie driver D.J. Ott spun in the first turn. Then a 4 car chain reaction incident just three laps into the race resulted in 3 of the 4 cars involved to be parked. Dale Christian was the only driver able to continue but he lost oil pressure soon after the incident and dropped out of the race.

The final caution period was needed to remove the stalled car of Hud Cone in turn three late in the race and that was then followed by the three cars getting tangled up in four before the race could conclude. Only 11 cars were able to finish the distance, half the starting field.

The next race for the Midwest Sprint Car Series will be held on Friday night August 25th at the quarter mile Bloomington Speedway. Five events are all that remain!

CLAYTON MAKES IT TWO WINS IN A ROW WITH MSCS

ADDS KENTUCKY SPRINT TITLE

By Eldon Butcher

Nebo, KY. (August 5, 2006) Daron Clayton won the Kentucky Sprint Championship Saturday night at the Western Kentucky Speedway. Clayton was in top form during the 30 lap feature on the 3/8’s mile oval. The Sikeston, MO, driver took the high line to victory sending plumes of dirt over the guard rails as he exited the turns and powered down the long straight-aways.

The victory was worth $1,500. With the excitement of the post victory lap doughnuts and a top of the cage victory salute to the fans behind him, Clayton stepped up to the microphone. " Thanks to our sponsor Weld Wheels. I took those so close to the wall." He paused. " Would anyone out there would like to sponsor us? I also need to mention my Dad’s business. He is the primary sponsor. We are getting the cars to where I really like them. It is coming together for us. I hope we have a really great year."

That year is shaping up here at mid season. It was Clayton’s second MSCS victory in a row and 4^th of his two year MSCS career. Clayton drove a DRC Chassis powered by a Foxco engine and sponsored primarily by Clayton Fabrication. Gene Clayton and Bubby Jones field and maintain the car.

Clayton started outside pole and quickly had two Baker Auto and Truck machines after him. Hud Cone and teammate Alex Shanks were both quickly in hot pursuit. After a restart following an early spin by Jerry Ruble, Alex Shanks moved into second as Cone dropped back behind Donny Brackett. Shanks used the inside groove to keep Clayton in check until he became entangled with the lapped cars of Ruble and Erik Folger with just 6 laps left. Despite having a bent front shock Shanks rejoined the field, continued in the race, and finished ninth. The extra effort helped protect his MSCS series points lead.

Hud Cone was already in position to claim second for car owner Jerry Baker. The race for third was three wide with 3 laps to go. Chase Stockon prevailed completing a strong run that propelled him back into the top ten in points. Donny Brackett finished fourth. Rookie points leader Jeff Davis finished fifth in also earning the Mike’s Motors Hard Charger Award for the race. Davis had started 17^th in the 21 car field.

Other drivers in the top ten included Jeff Flesher, Chris Windom, Patrick Bruns, Alex Shanks, and Lee Stark. The three heats were won by Hud Cone, Daron Clayton, and Chase Stockon. Each heat became an increasingly closer race. Drivers were battling all the way back through the fields to earn starting spots for the main. Track promoter Tim Coble brought out equipment twice to manicure the track improving the racing surface.

A number of MSCS Young Guns took time out to do an Autograph session during intermission. The next MSCS race will be held at Tri-State Speedway Saturday night August 12^th.

DARON CLAYTON COLLECTS $10,000 IN THE HOOSIER SPRINT NATIONALS

Report By Eldon Butcher

Haubstadt, IN. (July 29^th, 2006) Daron Clayton turned in an outstanding performance in what has been a brief 5 year sprint car driving career by winning the second annual MSCS Hoosier Sprint Nationals Saturday night at Tri-State Speedway. The 22 year old driver took $10,000 of Hoosier cash back to Sikeston, MO, after facing down 41 other competitors in one of dirt track racing’s biggest annual sprint car paydays.

Clayton’s winning combination includes car owner Gene Clayton, crew chief Bubby Jones, and the Clayton Motorsports, Inc. team built around a DRC chassis and a Foxco engine! And Indy Great Mel Kenyon served as Grand Marshall for the race!

The Victor stacked doughnuts one on top of another at the head of the straightaway before finally stopping for the special post race celebration. No words spoken into a microphone could match that demonstration of sprint car mobility or driver elation. Clayton had delivered to an enthusiastic crowd of non-wing sprint fans that had just minutes before voted to invert the first 10 cars in the feature lineup.

Daron Clayton celebrates his MSCS Hoosier Sprint Nationals win at Tri-State Speedway.

That poll by Barry Boone, MSCS Series Director, was taken to give the paying fans a voice in setting the field to insure that they would see outright competition for the duration of the upcoming fifty lap main event. That put Clayton who had won the second heat in row 5 instead of row one. The challenge, the dare, was on! The race began!

Jared Fox showed the field a fast car for 28 laps. He had turned a 7^th place draw in heat five into a runner-up finish behind Donny Brackett. The inversion process then gave Fox the feature pole and a chance to outrun the 21car field. He set a torrid pace as packs of racers developed throughout the field.

A yellow flag was needed on lap 22. Brady Short and Shane Cottle closed in for the restart. The next yellow was on lap 28 and unfortunately this one was for the leader Jared Fox. Contact as he overtook cars running at the tail of the field spoiled his chances for victory. Clayton had just won a spirited battle for second two laps before with an inside pass that carried him past Cottle and Brady Short. Clayton suddenly had the lead.

Then just 3 more laps into the race the big one happened. Only nine drivers made it back to Mo Will’s caution flag after a third-turn pileup collected 10 cars. Most of the drivers were able to restart with minor damage. Another and last yellow flag period was needed to send Chris Windom back into action.

Shane Cottle could not find the resources to catch Daron Clayton during the final 16 laps and would finish second in his first MSCS run of the season. Second place paid $5,000. A. J. Anderson’s forward drive brought him a strong third place finish. Brady Short and Brandon Petty completed the top five in the main.

Brandon Petty made the show by winning the B-main in a strong 20 car field. Kyle Cummins advanced to the A by winning the C-main and then transferring with a top five B main finish.

In review, the five qualifying heat races were won by Hunter Schuerenberg, Clayton, A.J. Anderson, Cottle, and Donny Brackett. Sixth through tenth spots in the feature went to Shane Hollingsworth, Mat Neely who started 21^st using an MSCS provisional, Alex Shanks, Hunter Schuerenberg, and Kyle Cummins.

The Hoosier Tire MSCS Sprint Car Series is set to visit Western Kentucky Speedway on August 5^th before returning to Tri-State Speedway on August 12th. Both of these upcoming shows pay $1500 to win.

BRISCOE TAKES MIDWEST EXTREME 100 AND FIVE GRAND!

By Eldon and Oleva Butcher

Haubstadt, IN (June 3) For the second time this season Kevin Briscoe drove to the Winner’s Circle at Tri-State Speedway in Hoosier Tire Midwest Sprint Car Series action. This time it was after 100 laps on a Saturday night and this time it was for $5,000 in take home pay. That home is in Mitchell, IN, the departure point for Briscoe Racing and winning car owner and crew chief Dick Briscoe.

Kevin Briscoe can now add the very first Midwest Extreme 100 to a lifetime of racing’s most sought after accomplishments. Having grown up spending weekends at Midwest race tracks he watched the legends of yesteryear battle impossible odds to win the big one- the 100 lapper- the extreme challenge. Saturday night he realized a dream of competing in just such a race. The Veteran then excelled despite fighting brake problems that cost him any chance for hot laps and kept the crew busy in the pits all night.

Briscoe’s final challenge came from Brady Short. Short stayed close with each South Central Indiana driver looking for a better line around the quarter mile. Short took second on lap 78, keeping the outcome of the race questionable, but remain there until the checkers. Kyle Wissmiller finished third, a top three contender during the last half of a competitive event. Veteran Jerry Ruble took fourth, his best finish this season. Kyle Cummins placed fifth after starting 14^th. Hud Cone came from 17^th to finish sixth. John Wolfe was seventh and youngster Chris Windom ninth.

Victory Lane After the Hoosier Tire Midwest Extreme 100 includes
winner Kevin Briscoe, crew and crew chief Richard Briscoe, as well as
Tri-State Speedway 's Miss Ashley Willis and Starter Mo Will.

The first Eighteen laps of the feature passed trouble free. Pole sitter Mitch Wissmiller had fast company in Daron Clayton. Wissmiller led 11 laps before Clayton could manage a pass. Critter Malone then closed in passing Clayton on lap 21. Wissmiller encountered handling problems and faded to eighth. Malone would finish tenth.

Kevin Briscoe found the lead on lap 28. Briscoe led Marc Arnold to the half way mark and the mandatory open red pit stop. Crews serviced the remaining 16 cars with fuel and adjustments in the infield under the watchful eye of MSCS Officials and the entire crowd. After a 15 minute break cars were rolled off and racing resumed.

The second half was just as racey! Right away Marc Arnold of Peru, IN, made a move and got the lead. Four laps later Briscoe would have the lead back. Arnold then brought out a red flag on lap 75 with a solo roll in turn three.

A tight battle developed lap after lap between runner-up Brady
Short and Kyle Wissmiller.

Photos courtesy of Chris Pedersen

A red flag earlier during the first fifty was brought out when five cars became involved in a crash that sent Daron Clayton to the pits early with damage to his car. A final red flag was brought out on lap 87 following a wild ride which sent the car of Derek O’Dell up on and nearly over the fourth turn wall. O’Dell had been battling with Kyle Wissmiller for second spot the previous lap,

When the Extreme 100 began 21 cars took the green flag. Twenty of the 33 drivers that gave support to the concept by their presence made the show through 4 heats and a B-Main. Those winners were daring Daron Clayton, Mitch Wissmiller, Kevin Briscoe, and Critter Malone in the 10 lap heats and Hud Cone in the 16 car B-Main. Four of these events were completed after a rain delay and the passage of threatening weather. The eerie lightning in the distance was followed by a beautiful rainbow and great racing.

The Hoosier Tire Midwest Sprint Car Series will be idle for two weekends with the next event scheduled for June 24^th at Lincoln Speedway in Illinois. Tri-State Speedway will host the UMP Late Models for the Summer Nationals on June 18^th, Father’s Day.

PETTY PERFECT IN QUEST OF TRI-STATE’S OPEN WHEEL CLASSIC

By Eldon and Oleva Butcher

Haubstadt, In. May 28, 2006. Brandon Petty won the Hoosier Tire Midwest Sprint Car feature Sunday night at Tri-State Speedway. The Memorial Weekend Open Wheel Classic captivated the holiday crowd with some outstanding racing. The 35 lap MSCS feature event paid $2,500 to win and drew a huge field of 50 sprint cars. Petty, of Alexandria, IN, led throughout the event driving a car owned by Walker Racing and sponsored by Jeff’s Jam It In Storage. The Bullet chassis performed so well that late in the race Petty was able to pull away distancing himself from a pack forming to contest the other top five spots.

Mat Neely of Robinson, IL, placed second in the feature. He held that spot the last 10 laps as Kevin Briscoe, Daron Clayton, and Dave Darland formed an alliance of race movers behind him. Briscoe would finish third with Clayton and Darland running equally strong during those final counters. These four drivers started in rows 7, 8, 9, and 10. Kyle Cummins paced the home county drivers with a sixth place finish.

MSCS heat race winners included Brandon Petty, Chris Windom, A.J. Anderson, Jon Sciscoe, and Kyle Wissmiller. Windom was running second with 19 laps completed when he had an accident in turn four that resulted in the car turning over. Anderson and Sciscoe both finished in the top ten. Kyle Wissmiller was involved in the multi car crash that brought out the first red flag in the feature. At least 6 cars were involved as overturned and wrecked cars filled turn four.

Brandon Petty is all smiles after winning the Memorial Weekend
35 lapper for the Hoosier Tire MSCS Sprints at Tri-State Speedway. 
Also pictured is Miss Tri-State Speedway Ashley Willis, MSCS Starter
Mo Will, and Jeff Walker and the entire crew of Walker Racing!

The B-main was won by Mat Neely with Kevin Briscoe second. The C-main was all Dave Darland’s. Both of these events were filled with top drivers still looking for a feature starting spot. Darland was running second in his heat and gaining when he contacted the turn two wall ruining his chance for a preferred starting position near the front of the feature line-up.

It was announced during opening ceremonies that Mike’s Motors would be sponsoring the hard charger’s award for this season. The Hoosierland auto dealer certainly chose the right night to become involved. The back of the pack was on the move!

The next event on the schedule at Tri-State Speedway is the Midwest Extreme 100 on Saturday night June third. And it is also round five of the MSCS season with series points also on the line. It will be the first time in decades that sprint cars will go for 100 laps on the famed quarter mile high banks. It could be the first ever long distance event and a most unique driving experience for drivers of the younger generation. The winner will receive $5,000 and the honor of winning the first ever Midwest Extreme 100.

By Eldon Butcher

Haubstadt, IN. (May 7, 2006) Kevin Briscoe won the feature event Sunday night at
Tri-State Speedway. The race was the first of 6 Hoosier Tire Midwest Sprint Car Series events scheduled at the track this season. The Mitchell, IN, race driver led from flag to flag in a convincing drive that began on the outside of the front row and ended in victory after 25 quick laps on a race-ey surface. The victory was worth $1500 dollars.

Briscoe was driving the Briscoe Racing Stealth sponsored by Briscoe Homes, Dutch Housing, AFCO, and Hoosier and powered by a 410 FOXCO. The 20 year veteran sized the track up quickly once the green had waved. “I realized early that I needed to get the car above the cushion to get faster.” Not only was he fast but his expertise in lapped traffic from some 20 years behind the wheel of a sprint car sealed the victory.

Photo courtesy of Phil Hedrick

Kevin Briscoe won the feature event Sunday night at
Tri-State Speedway. The race was the first of 6 Hoosier Tire Midwest Sprint Car Series events scheduled at the track this season.

Mitch Wissmiller of Saybrook, IL, found his feature path extremely challenging. He challenged for position after position to finish second after starting sixth on the field. He used up 19 laps securing that goal from all the remaining top 5 drivers. Shawn Krockenberger of Terre Haute, IN, presented a strong presence in the contested runner-up spot throughout those laps. However after Wissmiller finally made the pass, Krockenberger had to settle for third. Kyle Cummins of Princeton, IN, finished fourth and Jonathan Vennard of Vincennes, IN, was fifth.

The remainder of the top ten finishers in the sprint A-main were Chris Windom, Jeff Davis, Alex Shanks, Hud Cone, and Chase Stockon. Windom and Davis were making their first starts of the season. The Hoosier Tire Midwest Sprint Car Drivers formed a solid lineup. All four former MSCS National Champions were present and all four made the feature. The field completed the event in record time needing only one caution flag.

Preliminary MSCS heat races were victories for Kyle Cummins, Jonathan Vennard, Shawn Krockenberger, and Kevin Briscoe. Erik Folger of Newburgh, IN, won the B-main with Josh Cunningham finishing second. Jerry Ruble wiped out the front end of his sprint in the B-main after making contact with a corner marker and was forced to use the MSCS provisional, his second and last opportunity to do so this season. After hasty repairs during intermission, Ruble finished fourteenth in the feature.

The UMP Modified feature ended with cars crashing before reaching the finish line. Randall Sweeney won the event after leading all but one lap. Mike Strykinski was second in the event which saw only a few cars take the checkered ahead of a crash that gathered up five cars in a massive pileup just before they reached the flagstand. Clayton Miller finished third after spending 24 laps of the race applying a lot of pressure on Sweeney for the lead as they raced side by side in the turns. Ronnie Falloway and Jason Webster rounded out the top five.

Modified heat race wins went to Clayton Miller, Randall Sweeney, and Michael Fox, with Lucas Lee taking the time shortened Consolation race. Thirty competitors battled during these events to make the 18 car feature.

Tri-State Speedway will be racing next on May 21st with the Late Models, UMP Modifieds, and the Vintage Race Cars. Three of the vintage cars were on hand Sunday night to give fans a preview of the various types of cars they will be seeing in two weeks. The MSCS Sprint cars will return on Sunday May 28th for a $2,500 to win show.

MSCS OPENER AT THE ACTION TRACK TO BUD KAEDING

Terre Haute, IN. (April 8, 2006). The Hoosier Tire Midwest Sprint Car Series visited the Terre Haute Action Track Saturday night to present the 5th Annual Spring Fling sponsored by Wabash Valley Goodwill. Bud Kaeding of Indianapolis, IN, drove to victory after a surprising late race opportunity presented itself. Kaeding was in the seat of the Scott Benic 2B Racing/Maxim and running fourth when unexpected racing things began happening ahead of him. He would soon have the lead.

Indiana sprint car veteran Jon Stanbrough had grabbed the lead on the first lap. It took challenger Dickie Gaines two laps to move up to second spot by passing California driver Ryan Pace. Gaines stayed in pursuit on the lengthy half mile finally managing a clean pass for the lead in turn two of the sixteenth lap. Stanbrough held on, mounting his own charge to regain the lead. The sixteenth lap quickly met with a yellow flag as the two drivers made contact in turn one and spun. Gaines’ car was unable to compete further but Stanbrough was pushed off rejoining the tail of the field.

Ryan Pace brought the field back to the green flag. The 22 year old Arroyo Grande, California, driver had already dusted the competition in the third of five heat races. He led the charge down the backstretch but he couldn’t hold it in a wide sweep of turn three and spun making contact with the wall. The yellow was out again without the field completing an additional lap.

With the field reformed and the car removed to the pit area it was announced that the race would be shortened to twenty laps. Temperatures were dropping steadily, the city curfew loomed minutes ahead, and two divisions still had a feature to complete. Kaeding was the benefactor. He had started seventh and was already moving forward. This time the green stayed out and Kaeding prevailed. The remaining 4 laps were quick ones.

Jon Sciscoe of Bloomington, IN, turned in a stellar performance during the race. He started 17 th on the original field and was already running fifth by lap sixteen. The final dash to the finish brought him up to a hard earned second place finish. Kent Christian of Clayton, In, took third. Dave Darland, victor at last year’s Fling, was fourth. Jay Drake of Brownsburg, In, was fifth. Drake also won his heat. Kent Christian, Stanbrough, and Gaines also won heat races for the super 51 car field.

Jon Stanbrough finished the feature and reclaimed a top ten spot with a ninth place finish. Mat Neely. Brady Short, and Alex Shanks finished just ahead of him. Critter Malone was tenth. Jerry Ruble used a MSCS Provisional to start 21st on the field and from there he moved on to finish eleventh.

The C-main won by Jonathan Vennard moved 5 drivers forward to the B-main which was then won by Alex Shanks with the battling Sciscoe second. Brent Beauchamp was third with Bryan Clauson, up from the C, working the B-field now to finish fourth. Kenny Carmichael took the final transfer spot.

During the heat races, accidents sent competitive cars driven by Daron Clayton, Justin Marvel, and Rob Botts to their respective trailers early. Clayton’s flip was in the third heat. Botts was running second in his heat before enduring a series of hard barrel rolls

The Midwest Sprint Car Series will be back in action on April 29th with a visit to the Lincoln Speedway in Lincoln, IL. This event is the first of 4 important races scheduled for the Illinois track and pays $2,500 to win.

STORY PROVIDED BY ELDON BUTCHER, MSCS PUBLICITY & INFORMATION