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by Eldon Butcher Haubstadt, IN. April 4, 2008. Gamester Racing Products LLC completed an agreement with the Hoosier Tire Midwest Sprint Car Series to become a contingency sponsor for the 2008 season. The business is located in Peru, Indiana, and serves as a manufacturer of sprint car frames and bodies. Several drivers ran a GRP Chassis in MSCS competition last season and more are expected on the circuit this season. Tammy Gamester, the owner of Gamester Racing Products, has agreed to become involved with MSCS in a sponsorship role that contributes to the series and its drivers on two different levels. Officials at MSCS welcome this new and enthusiastic approach to sponsorship as well as the generous nature of GRP’s offers. First Gamester Racing Products will provide as a giveaway prize a sprint car frame built by GRP Chassis with a complete sprint car body. One driver will be the lucky winner of the Gamester‘s GRP Chassis Award for 2008!. That winner will be determined at a drawing to be held on September 27th at the Haubstadt Hustler Sprint 50. To be eligible for the drawing a driver must have competed in 60% of the races held at that point in the season. The GRP chassis and body have a retail value of $2,900. Once a driver has made enough appearances for the season they must request that their name be added to the list of eligible drivers. Based on the current race schedule the number required would be nine! Their name will be put in the box for the drawing. From that point on the driver must display a GRP decal on both sides of their car. The purpose of the giveaway is to offer an incentive for drivers to support MSCS shows with regular and/or more frequent appearances. Full, competitive fields of sprint cars would serve as an instant reward for track promoters and sprint car fans. And as an additional reward one of the drivers working to make that possible with regular attendance will win a new GRP sprint car frame and body. In 2007 14 drivers would have been eligible for the award had it been offered with another 17 drivers just a race appearance or two short of being eligible. The odds in winning the car are pretty good! Secondly, GRP will offer a second contingency award to be given away at mid season. The award will be known as Gamester’s Hard Luck Get a Grip on Dirt Award. A $500 discount product certificate will be given towards the purchase of a GRP sprint frame with body panels. The hard luck award offered by GRP will be made to a driver who’s name is drawn from all those filing for and receiving an eligibility ruling from MSCS using an accident report form. The driver must have also competed in 60 per cent of the races held up to the time of the incident in which he or she had the misfortune of demolishing a car. The date for the drawing will be announced later and will not be held until after the seventh race of the season. By GRP providing a sprint car frame and body at a significant savings it is hoped that a driver can get back into competition and reverse some of the ill effects of hard racing and tough luck. Specific terms of the two GRP contingency sponsorships will be posted at MSCS pit headquarters during each race. The above information is intended as an announcement and not a full disclosure of the process involved in winning either contingency award. You can visit their website by clicking on the logo in the right hand column.
by Eldon Butcher Haubstadt, IN. April 3, 2008. During the off season the MSCS The Hoosier Tire Midwest Sprint Car Series would like to A SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL THESE CONTINUING SPONSORS!
Hoosier Tire Midwest Sprint Car Series Releases Its’ 2008 Schedule By Eldon Butcher Haubstadt, IN - Feb 4, 2008. The Hoosier Tire Midwest Sprint Car Series 2008 Season schedule has been released to the public. The series is entering into its eighth season of operation. The initial schedule includes 14 dates at tracks across a three state area. Those states include Illinois, Kentucky, and Indiana. The season is set to open on Saturday night April 12th with a visit to Brownstown Speedway in South Central Indiana. That quarter mile facility is located at the Jackson County Fairgrounds on State Road 250 a mile south of Brownstown, IN. Racing has been held at the fairgrounds since 1955 but it will be the first event to be held there for the MSCS series. This season will start early on what would appear to be neutral ground with very little advantage to any of the teams. Friday May 2nd promises a return visit to The Action Track at Terre Haute, Indiana. MSCS has appeared at the track as recent as 2006. The date is tentative and their new promotional team is working to complete all business arrangements in regards to operating the track. Then the final arrangement can be made with MSCS officials and more details including the purse will be released. The first of 7 Midwest Sprint Car Series races to be held at Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt, IN, is set for Saturday night May 10th. This is the first of three MSCS races at Haubstadt that will pay $3,000 to the winners. The Memorial Day weekend race at Tri-State as well as the Labor Day weekend race also pay $3,000 to the winner. Both of those programs are on Sunday nights with Monday an official holiday. Expect travelers and campers due to the ease of distant travel! June 6th the MSCS series will return to the Morgan County Speedway in Jacksonville, IL. That night it is also $3,000 to win the feature. The POWRI Midgets will also be on the program that night with the sprint cars. This arrangement with two sanctioning bodies racing will also take place at Paducah International Raceway in Kentucky on June 27th and on the following night June 28th at Haubstadt, IN. On these three night fans will get an opportunity to see some of their favorite MSCS sprint drivers also compete in a midget. For these drivers it is a double opportunity to take home a feature purse. The June 7th date at Tri-State Speedway is a combined KISS and MSCS sprint car show. The KISS drivers will be at the halfway point in their series and the addition of the MSCS contingency should provide for a strong rivalry. The feature pays $2,500 to win! The King of Indiana Sprints series is also entering its eighth season and Jon Stanbrough is the three time and defending KISS Champion. In August things will heat up. The 3rd annual Hoosier Sprint Nationals is set for Tri-State Speedway on Saturday night August 2nd. The 50 lapper will pay $10,000 to win. It has drawn 42 cars each year and 2008 promises even more driver interest. As in 2007 the night before the Hoosier Sprint Nationals the MSCS series will visit Paducah International Raceway. That would be Friday August 1st. The high banked 3/8 mile track is a thrill a lap. MSCS will race there twice in 2008. The Midwest Sprint Car Series will venture to Twin Cities Raceway Park in North Vernon, IN, on Saturday August 23rd. That race will be one of 5 shows during the season paying $2,000 to win. The track has hosted several sprint car and open wheel organizations over the years. The track is readily accessible to Eastern Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky drivers and fans. This season will end with not one but two huge sprint car races. The third annual Lawrenceburg Nationals will unfold at the new and larger Lawrenceburg Speedway on Saturday October 4th. It pays $10,000 to win and that location and purse has combined to draw 70 or more sprint cars the past two years. The week before, on Saturday Sept. 27th Tri-State Speedway will be presenting the first ever Haubstadt Hustler Sprint 50. It will also pay $10,000 to win! Both those events are 50 lappers and provide a maximum amount of racing to close out the season and decide the Midwest Sprint Car Season Championship. The defending MSCS Champion is Kyle Cummins of Princeton, IN. It will be another exciting season of non-wing sprint car racing. For the first time this year there will be three $10,000 to win National Championship events. Fans have watched closely during the last two seasons as the point championship was decided at the final race! The final point spread was just 40 points last season. For updates, changes, or more detailed information on the schedule or the operation of the Hoosier Tire Midwest Sprint Car Series visit the website at www.mscssprints.com . There is a possibility that one or two more races could materialize before the season gets underway. Talks are still underway with a few promoters. Track promoters seeing an opportunity in what MSCS is doing and can do yet with open dates are encouraged to call the MSCS office at 812-768-6025 or 812-749-9715
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. 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!
Haubstadt, IN - November 19, 2007. Officials of the Hoosier Tire Midwest Sprint Car Series are pleased to announce that they have completed the task of presenting season awards following the conclusion of the 2007 sprint car racing campaign. Series point fund checks were mailed in October previous to MSCS Awards Week which was observed this year beginning on Monday, November 12th. Sprint Car driver Kyle Cummins of Princeton, IN, received the trophy for being the 2007 MSCS Series Champion. First he was presented with a 5 foot Championship trophy with the Cummins’ Racing Team’s primary sponsors present. Sponsors in attendance included Billy and Karen Hobgood of Trusses by Hobgood, Tim and Jan Mason of ReMax in Princeton, and Mark Cummins of Cummins Racing Engines. Mark Cummins also received an identical championship trophy for owning the car driven to the championship this season. The car was a Maxim powered by a Cummins Racing Engine. Hoosier Tire Midwest awarded Hoosier championship jackets to both the driver and owner. Twenty year old Kyle Cummins also received a plaque courtesy of Bill’s Trophy Shop of Brazil, IN, as the 2007 Hard Charger of the Year. Three times during the season he gained the most positions in feature events held. He is also eligible to receive a Bell racing helmet or racing uniform. In addition he received a product certificate for $200 as the AFCO Racing Shocks Top Performer of the season. The new MSCS Champion Kyle Cummins is currently enrolled at Vincennes University where he is majoring in Machine Trades Technology and Advanced Manufacturing. He has been driving sprint cars since 2003 and was the runner-up in MSCS points in 2006. Trophies were presented to the remaining top five drivers in points. Thirty-three year old Alex Shanks received the runner-up trophy in the MSCS Championship battle this season. The Marion, IL, driver ran an Eagle Chassis with a Gaerte engine. His car owners were Scott and Rae Long of Springfield, IL. In four years of racing with MSCS in an eighteen season driving career, Alex has accumulated three MSCS Driving Championships and this one runner-up finish. In addition to receiving the MSCS trophy, Alex was the first of 10 drivers who received $250 product certificates from Bell Helmets. John Memmer of Evansville, IN, had an outstanding rookie season. He finished third overall in MSCS points and earned the Engler Machine and Tool MSCS Rookie of the Year honor in the process. The sixteen year old high school student fielded a DRC sprinter with the capable assistance of his father and crew chief Brent Memmer. John came to the sprint cars after success with go karts and legends cars. Sponsors included Louisville Tile, Daltile, Simpson, Mapei, Engler Machine and Tool, Costello Auto Body, Tri-State Repair, and Tony Hall DNB Insurance. Jerry Ruble of Vincennes, IN, finished fourth in MSCS points and has become a fixture in the top five season after season. In a dozen years behind the wheel of a sprint car he has spent the last 5 on the MSCS tour. In those 5 seasons he has not missed a MSCS sanctioned race. This season Jerry competed in a Stealth with a Cummins Racing Engine for power. The primary sponsor was Ruble Oil Company with Miriam and Nelson Ruble being the car owners. Jerry also received an AFCO Top Performer Award as well as the fourth place trophy. Arin McIntosh received the fifth place trophy. This young lady was in the Rookie of the Year Chase all season and battled her way up to a fourth place tie going into the last race at Lawrenceburg Speedway. She concentrated on MSCS shows this season after winning Rookie of the Year honors at 2 Indiana tracks in 2006. Arin attends high school in Mitchell, IN, where the McIntosh’s reside. Her father Robert McIntosh served as the crew chief. The Primary sponsor is Arcretia Products. Others on the “On the Edge Racing, Inc.“ car include Bell, A-1 Storage, Hamilton Chiropractic, and BG Products. A few awards were mailed to drivers who finished outside the top five. MSCS appreciates the series sponsors who have provided monetary support as well as incentive programs during and as a follow-up to the season. Included are Hoosier Tire Midwest, Engler Machine & Tool, Bell, AFCO, Hinchman Indy, Keizer Aluminum Wheels, Wilwood Disc Brakes, Saldana Racing Products, and Bowler’s Apparel and Trophies now known as Bill’s Trophy Shop.
Haubstadt, IN - October 30, 2007. Eligible drivers who competed in the Hoosier Tire Midwest Sprint Car Series during 2007 can expect to receive their point fund checks within the week. Checks were mailed Tuesday afternoon October 30th just three weeks after the final race of the season at Lawrenceburg Speedway. During that interlude the points were audited and the final results were posted on the web site for review. To be eligible to share in the points fund this season, drivers had to finish in the top fifteen (15) in points and participate in 60 % of the events. That point fund exists because of the involvement and sponsorship of Hoosier Racing Tire - “Tires Designed for Champions.” The Series Champion for 2007 was Kyle Cummins of Princeton, IN. This year the champion’s award was increased from $1000 to $1200 with the total amount in the points’ fund exceeding $6,000.
The Rookie of the Year Award was sponsored by Engler Machine & Tool of Princeton, IN. John Memmer of Evansville, IN, who finished third overall in points will receive two checks with the second being a check for $750 as the Rookie of the Year.
Trophies and plaques for the top five drivers will be presented to drivers later in November. Drivers finishing first through fifth in points are Kyle Cummins, Alex Shanks, John Memmer, Jerry Ruble, and Arin McIntosh. These awards are on order from Bowlers apparel & Trophies located in Brazil, IN. Kyle Cummins will also be honored as the MSCS Hard Charger of the Year. Other certificates and awards will also be presented or mailed at that time. The rest of top fifteen drivers include Kevin Thomas Jr., Mitch Wissmiller, Dave Mallady, Hunter Schuerenberg, Kevin Briscoe, Jeff Bland Jr., Kyle Wissmiller, Mat Neely, Randy Bateman, and Brent Beauchamp. The Hoosier Tire Midwest Sprint Car Series wishes to thank all the sponsors and all the drivers who supported the series in 2007. Scheduling contacts with track owners and promoters for 2008 are already underway.
Haubstadt, IN - Feb. 28, 2007 - Midwest Sprint Car Series Officials have completed the annual review of all rules and specifications. The entire 2007 MSCS rulebook is now on line at www.mscssprints.com. Copies of the printed rules will be made available to licensed drivers at the first scheduled race along with the season package containing MSCS and other required sponsor decals. There have been a number of changes to the rules. In some cases these changes are minor involving clarification or deletion of certain segments. For everyone’s convenience in locating particular rules, the entire ten page book has been edited. Every page is numbered and rules are now numbered consecutively throughout the book. In 2007 the Hoosier DT-3 will remain as the spec tire for the series. MSCS is proud to continue a tradition of competitive racing based on support from Hoosier Tire Midwest. Rules require that the DT-3 tire serve as the right rear tire, and these will be sold at each track again this year by the Wissmiller family. They will be carrying the DT-3 only. It is recommended that drivers use Hoosiers on all four corners, however tires for the other 3 corners will need to be purchased from other suppliers. Some of the changes in the rules can be found by reading and reviewing rules 5, 8, 14, 15, 22, 24, 29, 33, 37, 38, 46, and 52. One notable change in the rules now provides the possibility for cars to pit under certain conditions in the A-main only. Also it is now ”recommended” that drivers use the Hans Device as part of their personal safety equipment. Since the list above is not all-inclusive it is recommended that everyone familiarize themselves with all the rules again prior to the season. The Provisional Driver List has also been updated to list the 12 drivers eligible in turn for a provisional starting spot to join the feature field at the tail.
By Eldon Butcher Haubstadt, IN. (Dec. 30, 2006) The Hoosier Tire Midwest Sprint Car Series paid homage to its top drivers by conveying various special awards to each recipient during December. That brings to a close all activities related to the 2006 racing season and everyones’ attention can now be directed towards the 2007 MSCS Sprint Car season.
Alex Shanks of Marion, IL, was presented the Driver’s Championship trophy for the third season in a row. The 32 old driver piloted a Stealth for the Baker Auto Racing Team which is also based in Marion. The crew chief was James White. Sponsors for the car were Baker Auto and Truck and Simion Fabrication. Shanks started every feature but one. The veteran prevailed in points without the boost that feature wins provide and despite a strong challenge that had the title chase a tie entering the final MSCS race at Lawrenceburg Speedway. Shanks finished in the top ten that night to capture the championship. Alex Shanks was Mr. Consistent in 2006 and finished in or near the top ten in over 80% of the features held. His best run was a second at Tri-State Speedway in August. The three-time champ is currently looking at options for 2007. He would be rated high on the list of drivers available and looking for a different ride next season.
Race team owner Jerry Baker received an identical 2006 MSCS Championship trophy as the car owner. Baker fielded two sprints including the 55B that Shanks drove to the 2006 title. In addition to his many racing endeavors Jerry Baker operates the Baker Auto & Truck Salvage, Inc. in Marion, IL, which also provides a 24 hour wrecker service.
The Engler Machine & Tool Rookie of the Year was also from Illinois. Jeff Davis of nearby Pittsburg made a decision in the off season to switch from winged sprints to MSCS non-wing cars and garnered a strong 6 th place points finish along with the coveted rookie title. The Quick Racing team lists both Jeff and Jill Davis as owners of the Maxim they entered in competition. Among the sponsors for the bright orange entry were Evinrude Outboards-Borg Warner, Rolling Treats, Gary Moon Auto Body, and Ace Hardware of Marion. Davis had his best feature finish at Western Kentucky Speedway in August. Jeff Davis is now preparing a midget for his annual trip to the Chili Bowl in January. Bell Helmets sponsorship for MSCS includes helmets to be awarded to the champion and the rookie at the end of the season. Alex Shanks and Jeff Davis will be the honorees.
The Points runner-up for 2006 was Kyle Cummins of Princeton, IN. The second generation driver was 18 years old when the season started. He was tied for the MSCS points lead at age nineteen as drivers drew for heat race starting positions at the final race of the season, only his fourth in sprints. The University of Vincennes student raced for father, car owner, and crew chief Mark Cummins in a family owned operation. The Maxim used got its power from a Cummins Racing Engine. Kyle also proved to be the top MSCS competitor using AFCO Shocks! That had a $250 value. Cummins had 4 top five finishes including a second at Lawrenceburg on September 29 th. Sponsors included Trusses by Hobgood and Remax Midwest. Kyle indicates that the team will be ready for the first race this season! Fifteen year old Chris Windom competed with MSCS in 2006 as a second year driver. The sophomore driver proved to be so competitive. His talent took him to a third place finish overall. He was the third of the three top drivers who received Hoosier Tire award jackets following the season. The young gun travels from Canton, IL, to compete at all the MSCS shows. The car owner and crew chief is Preston Windom. Sponsors for Chris Windom Racing include Central Abrasives, Awesome Race Wear, Miller Welding, McMahill Auto Body, and Sander Engineering. Windom’s Maxim provided both a third and fourth in feature races.
Veteran Jerry Ruble of Vincennes, IN, finished fourth in the point standings this year. Ruble added another strong season finish to a MSCS career record that also includes a second and a third in points. The weekday engineer, weekend sprint car competitor drives for Nelson and Miriam Ruble. They fielded a Stealth manufactured car with Ruble Oil Company providing the sponsorship. Jerry’s best finish was a fourth in perhaps the toughest race of the season – The Midwest Extreme 100.
Chase Stockon was the fifth place driver this past season and received the final MSCS trophy to be awarded to the top finishers. All the trophies were prepared by Bowlers Apparel and Trophies of Brazil, IN. The eighteen year old mechanic and driver finished the season by winning the Race of Champions Dash at Lawrenceburg. The car Chase drove is owned by Sam and Laura Stockon. The Twister chassis was supported an Engler power plant. The team was sponsored by First Financial Bank of Terre Haute as well as Kennedy Trucking. Chase recorded a third in a feature at WKS and a fourth at Mt. Vernon Raceway while earning his way into the top five for the third consecutive year. A new car is under construction for 2007! Mat Neely of Robinson, IL, will be receiving the Mikes Motors Hard Charger Award for 2006 which is based on total positions advanced during feature races. Mat will receive a plaque and a check for $250 from the sponsor at the business location in Clinton , IN, or at the first event to be held in 2007. Neely competed with MSCS regularly during the first half of the season and finished well up in the top ten in every feature after exciting runs through the pack. Rounding out the top ten in Hoosier Tire Midwest Sprint series points for 2006 were Daron Clayton (7 th), Hunter Schuerenberg (8 th), Hud Cone (9 th), and Kyle Wissmiller (10 th). The four were separated in the standings by a mere 20 points. Another race appearance by any one of the four would have likely given them a top-five season finish. The point standings were that close as the season came to an end! Hunter Schuerenberg was recognized for being the runner-up in the Engler Machine and Tool Rookie of the Year Battle and earned a Hinchman driver’s uniform from the MSCS sponsor. Schuerenberg also captured the Illinois MSCS Sprint Championship at Mt.Vernon, IL, in the Minors Harley Davidson entry. Daron Clayton won three features in 2006 to lead all drivers competing in the series. He took the three during a hot streak in which he won at each of three successive races he entered. His biggest MSCS win was the Hoosier Sprint Nationals. Had there been a Top Gun Award based on feature wins Clayton would have been the man. Kevin Briscoe was next in line with two MSCS wins including the Midwest Extreme 100! Hud Cone drove three different cars in MSCS competition during 2006 earning enough points to secure a top-ten season. His best run was at Western Kentucky Speedway where he was second to Daron Clayton in the Kentucky State Championship. The tenth place driver was Kyle Wissmiller of Saybrook, IL. Wissmiller grabbed a win at Tri-State Speedway in August. He was also second in the Illinois State Championship. The 2006 season is now a part of racing history. These 10 leading drivers and a supporting cast of 135 other drivers along with car owners, crew members, and sponsors made it happen. MSCS appreciates the efforts of one and all including a very capable crew of officials.
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