By Eldon Butcher

Haubstadt, IN - May 9. Chase Stockon could not have drove a more convincing race than he did in capturing the first MSCS-Keizer Aluminum Wheels Hard Charger of the Race Award for 2008 during Sunday’s competition at the Terre Haute Action Track. The heat race to begin the day under the late afternoon sun spelled disappointment for the Sullivan, IN, driver. He failed to finish high enough to transfer to the A-main. Five others in the 11 car field made the show. Chase would have one last chance to make the field for the feature in the B-main.

The 20 year old driver would line up thirteenth in a field projected to start 22 cars with little promise of actually making the field. It is only an opportunity that the top three finishers in the event could capitalize on. The drivers that almost made it in the heats were up front in the lineup. Chase would need to pass 9 cars in just 12 laps to catch a final transfer spot and overtake and pass a dozen cars to win.

That is exactly what he did. He stormed around the half mile oval to win the B-Main. It turned into an exciting event. The A- Main itself would follow an on track introduction of the 24 drivers who made the show. Chase was introduced 21st. He would start in row eleven. He had everything to gain and very few spots to lose. Ahead lay 30 grueling laps but more points and a chance at a higher payoff with an improved finish. The former MSCS Series 2004 Support Champion has been around the wide turns at Terre Haute before and he would again bring that experience into play. The green flag waved and the crowd’s attention turned to the leaders.

A third of the race flew by with Jesse Hockett in the lead. Behind him another driver was at work having started 12th. A little mental math would reveal that Robert Ballou had finished third in the fourth heat. Ballou was in a hurry and took the lead on lap 14. Stockon was up to 13th by that time with gain also his game. Ballou was defying odds and using raw horsepower to his every advantage. Credit Ballou with 11 passes in the process before he ran out of cars to pass! Hockett refused to let him go and the finish would be close with Robert Ballou winning his third MSCS feature in a row.

When the dust had cleared for the evening Chase Stockon had crossed the finish line in ninth. He had manufactured a top 10 finish out of the smallest glimmer of hope. Fans watching the whole field saw a second race to the front that nay have ended in need of a few more laps. By virtue of the one extra spot gained Chase Stockon became the MSCs-Keizer Hard Charger of the Race. In so doing he may have set a high mark for the campaign ahead for a driver to be named the Hard Charger of the Year.

Chase has been racing MSCS Sprints for 5 seasons. He drives a GRP Chassis with an engine built by Dave Conn. The car is owned by his parents Sam and Laura Stockon. That team is one of the many family owned race teams that form the heart of the MSCS Series. First Financial Bank, Kennedy Trucking, and GRP Chassis sponsor this season’s racing efforts.

by Eldon Butcher

With the season just now getting underway MSCS would like to announce that they will be keeping an eye on B-Main winners at the beginning of this season, One driver who wins a B-Main and then finishes higher in the feature than all the other B-Main winners by mid season will win two passes to Holiday World and Splashin’ Safari in Santa Claus, IN. MSCS and the theme park both pride themselves in providing family fun and have teamed up to make this contingency prize available in 2008.

In case of a tie the driver establishing the highest mark first will be declared the winner. Chase Stockon in winning the B-Main at Terre Haute finished ninth in the nights Feature. It will now take an eighth or better finish for another driver to win the fun day. The tickets are worth $40 each and can be used by the winning driver or passed on to the car owner or crew members.

This “Biggest Splash Contest” for B-Main winners will end with the Union County Speedway feature event on July 3rd. This comes at an opportune time just ahead of the MSCS July break. The Holiday World and Splashin’ Safari theme parks are open all week long from mid May till mid August. July should be a great month to cool off and not upset a driver’s plan to compete in the existing MSCS race schedule.

Other contingency Awards were also mailed out this week. The Saldana Racing Contingency Award was sent to feature winner Robert Ballou. Jesse Hockett and Chase Stockon received certificates to redeem at Rod End Supply. Thomas Meseraull was the recipient of the Wilwood Tuff Brakes Award which goes to the 11th place finisher in each feature held this season.

By Eldon Butcher

Haubstadt, IN - Mar 5, 2008. To compete as a driver in the Midwest Sprint Car Series you must first have a license and of course a car. The pre-season annual license campaign is underway. As applications come back into the office the season MSCS Drivers Roster for the series begins to form. The roster grows each day giving officials the first glimpse of the competitors expected to then follow the series. Most will be regulars, some will pick and choose events according to track locations or preferences and purses offered.

Some of the drivers making this initial step into the MSCS limelight include veterans that are the best sprint car drivers in the business as well as a number of new faces and aspiring drivers. It is only 5 1/2 weeks till the dirt flies over the sprints at Brownstown Speedway in Southern Indiana. Until April 12th work continues in the race shops at a furious pace. Fans are invited to take a peek at the excitement coming under the cloak of the 2008 MSCS season.

Someone has to be first. The first application to arrive at the MSCS office in 2008 was from Ryan Brewer of Palmyra, IN. The 21 year old driver is a Junior at Purdue University in Mechanical Engineering. He will be entering his third year in sprint car competition. The number 83 RBR Racing Team Sprinter owned by Barry Brewer was a familiar sight at MSCS races in 2007. Ryan finished in the top 25% of the MSCS Point Standings last year despite missing the last 2 months of the season. His pre-sprint days brought over 150 Karting and Mini Sprint wins.

The first of any of the 7 former MSCS Rookies of the Year to become licensed for ’08 was John Memmer of Evansville. The 17 year old driver teams with father Brent Memmer to field a DRC/Donovan for Memmer Motorsports. He was third overall in the standings last season. His best feature finish last year was a fifth and he raced his way into 9 of the 12 features held using heat race opportunities.

Three Rookies have already sent in their applications for this season. The first rookie applicant of this season was J.C. Bland. The Springfield, IL, driver is a past Rich Vogler Scholarship winner. At 22 years of age he will be piloting the Blandco Motorsports Maxim on this year’s circuit. Sixteen year old Logan Hupp of Columbus, IN, will be first entering MSCS competition after finishing fifth in points in AMSA competition. Ron Gerhardt of Evansville, IN, will be moving into sprint cars after racing pro-modifieds in the Tri-State area for six seasons.

Chad Boespflug of North Vernon, IN, has announced that it is his goal to win the MSCS Championship in 2008. Boespflug was the 2005 SCRA Champion. SCRA sanctions non-wing 360sprint car racing in California. In a recent release from the Gatten Motorsports camp it was noted that the team has joined forces with Reynolds racing of North Vernon and switched to a DRC chassis. Sponsors include PT Risk Management and Columbus Chem Dry and others. Quoting car owner Bob Gatten who had this comment - “This type of series gives drivers and teams a chance to run on different tracks and become more versatile…” A busy 2008 schedule for them also includes 33 non-MSCS sanctioned events.

Jeff Bland Jr. had a great year in 2007. He became one of a few drivers who ever won a track championship in a rookie season. He did that at Bloomington Speedway! He also won 5 feature races. Following the season he was named as the HARF and National Rookie of the Year for the 410 non wing sprints. He was 11th in MSCS Points despite missing 5 shows. Seventeen year old Chris Babcock also has a bright future in sprint car racing. He will be in a DRC/Foxco sprinter when the season opens.

Troy Link also qualifies as the first to list and enter a Ford into competition. Troy owns his own car and builds his own engines. He has held the honor of being the last recognized track champion at Tri-State Speedway. That was back in 2001. In fact seven MSCS races will be held at Tri-State this season. Troy expects to be at Brownstown for the Midwest opener and is “looking forward to racing more with MSCS!”

The first of the three drivers who tied with the most MSCS wins in 2007 with 2 each has purchased a license. Jon Stanbrough’s list of racing accomplishments is across the board. He has been the KISS Champion 3 different times. He has been named the National Non Wing Sprint Car Champion twice. He is a three time HARF Driver of the Year. With over 100 feature wins to his credit he is always exciting to watch. He will be driving for the Fox Brothers, Steve and Brad.

Other veterans with MSCS intentions for 2008 include Dave Mallady and Chris Malone. Mallady is fresh off his best season to date in the MSCS series. He was eighth in points after hitting every show on the circuit last season. Malone seemed to hit pay dirt in every appearance last season. In three appearances he ran 2nd, 3rd, and 2nd in the A-mains and won his qualifying heat every night. The odds were on Malone!

The first of many more applications expected arrived yesterday from Al Thomas. Thomas has been racing in USAC and MSCS competition for 38 years. He was the Champion at Little Springfield in 1979. The veteran has been racing sprints across a span of time that encompasses the entire lives of so many drivers populating the pits today. He’ll be behind the wheel of a Dynamite Chassis with a Foxco engine under the hood.

The pre-season license sale continues until April 1st. It is not just about the $10 savings but getting committed to the season ahead. Applications for annual MSCS licenses are available on line at www.mscssprints.com. These drivers have their applications in. You cannot beat them this time but you can join them! The real race for first is just over 30 days away.

Haubstadt, IN -  Dec. 28, 2007.   The top spot on the updated Midwest Sprint Car Series All Time Feature Winners List is now deadlocked in a tie between two drivers who also rank as fan favorites.  Both have managed to accumulate 7 wins in the 7 year history of the series.  Their driving styles could be described in terms of contrast as well as comparison.  Risky and Darin’ would lead all the superlatives that could be used!  The collective 14 wins by two of sprint car racing’s elite,  Kevin Briscoe and Daron Clayton, have certainly helped raise the excitement and competition in this sport to an intense level.  They lead a pack of over 40 drivers who have won a MSCS feature.
 
Briscoe also finished the 2006 season tied in all time wins with former MSCS Champion Mitch Wissmiller.  Clayton was just one victory behind them with 5 wins.   A victory by Clayton on Memorial Day weekend at Haubstadt in 2007 had made it a three way tie.  A month and a week later Clayton found victory at Tri-State Speedway in the KISS-MSCS Challenge to assume the outright lead in victories with 7.  Briscoe then took the August 18th feature at Jefferson County Raceway at Mt. Vernon, IL, and the two were tied once more.  That tie would not be broken again in 2007!

The last three races produced two new winners.  Chris Windom won his very first MSCS feature Labor Day weekend.  Then Robert Ballou won at Florence and Lawrenceburg in a successful fall campaign in the region that included these two MSCS races.  Windom joined 22 other drivers who have earned one feature win.  Ballou became the 21st driver to have 2 or more MSCS career victories.

In the 12 main events held in 2007 six were solo victories on the season for drivers.  Mat Neely won the season opening event for MSCS which was held at Tri-State Speedway.  Kyle Cummins followed in May with a win at Western Kentucky Speedway and he was on his way to the series driving championship.  Cory Kruseman picked up a win in a MSCS appearance at PIR in Paducah, KY, in August.  Hunter Schuerenberg took $10,000 at the Hoosier Sprint Nationals at Haubstadt the next night.  Briscoe and Windom, mentioned previously, complete the solo list.

The other six races converted into multiple 2007 wins for three drivers.  Twelve races produced 9 different winners.  Jon Stanbrough, Daron Clayton and  Robert Ballou were the repeat winners.  Stanbrough was the first to do so in sweeping the June 8th & 9th weekend on a tour into Illinois to Morgan County Speedway and then back to Indiana for the Tri-State Speedway 50th Anniversary race.  He won both!

MSCS as a series has a history of producing a new face in victory lane every 2.2 races.  In 2008 that could mean 5 or 6 new faces!  Those drivers could emerge from the regulars  already battling up through the pack at every stop, from various talent pools that feed into the local, weekly events at Midwestern tracks, or from the rookies that appear at the beginning of each new season to compete for the Rookie of the Year honors!

That first win is a tough conquest in MSCS competition.  Runner-ups in 9 of the 12 features held in 2007 had been previous winners.  That left 3 other drivers who missed a first win by just one position.  That last pass is sometimes the toughest to make.  Preparation leading to that last pass in 2008 is already underway in the team garages.  The date of the first Midwest Sprint Car Series race this spring and the entire MSCS schedule for 2008 is expected to be released in a few weeks.  Officials hope to have it completed by February.

To VIEW the complete list of MSCS All Time Feature Winners and see all the totals CLICK HERE!

Drivers on occasion do decline a Hoosier Tire Midwest Sprint Car Series provisional spot offer. That driver may in fact want to save a remaining provisional to use at a later date when the feature race pays more or to use later in the season as the points race tightens up. Sometimes mechanical woes have already forced the crew to load up, and the sprint car and driver are ready to head home by feature time.

Critics of the practice of a series relying on a provisional list to complete their race procedures sometimes argue that it does not add to the racing. They offer up instances where the provisional driver took the green, made a lap or two, and parked the car or left the race at the first opportunity. A check of last year’s MSCS results only turned up one instance where the driver using a provisional failed to move up in the finishing order.

In that same race an added second provisional did very well. It was the final race of the year with a stellar field. After one driver declined the second provisional offered, Brady Short accepted and rode the unexpected opportunity to a fifth place feature finish. He moved up 19 spots to also become the Mike’s Motors Hard Charger of the Race! In this case the use of the provisional certainly added to the quality of the race. There was a great race back in the pack as well as up front that night at the Lawrenceburg Nationals.

Mat Neely and Alex Shanks are two other drivers that took provisional starting berths to top-ten feature finishes. Mat became the Mike’s Motors Hard Charger of the Year and Alex earned another MSCS Championship. Fans got to enjoy the efforts of these talented drivers as they worked traffic. As the races wound down the expressions likely heard from fans were; “Where did that driver come from?”

Since these provisional drivers are always added to the field, everyone who had earned a spot that night starts ahead of the provisional driver. What is surprising is that drivers, who sometimes fail to make the feature by finishing behind other drivers who earned the transfer spots early in the program, make the necessary adjustments and are then able to pass these very drivers and cars during the feature.

These MSCS Provisional Spots are at best a long shot, usually a third chance, to race for the big bucks in the feature and top points for the night. In 2006 determined MSCS competitors turned 21 st starting spot or worse into forward finishes of a 5 th, a 7 th, an 8 th, two 11ths, a12th, a 14 th, and a 17 th.

Rules provide that only one provisional opportunity exists for one of these 12 named drivers. The other eleven drivers need to already be in the feature line-up or they will be going home early. All 12 earned the long shot during the prior season by being loyal to and successful in the Midwest Sprint Car Series. The ongoing practice is not only added insurance to encourage top drivers to support the series it adds yet another aspect in the excitement generated for fans.

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