With the onset of the 2011 racing season just one month away, the Upper Midwest Sprint Car Series (UMSS) held a preseason informational meeting on Saturday, March 19 at Joe Senser's Sports Bar & Grill in Roseville.  A fine turnout filled the meeting room, as fans, drivers and owners were in attendance to listen to plans and updates for the upcoming season for all three divisions including the winged sprints, the traditional sprints and the micro sprint league.  UMSS CDO Ron Bernhagen led the discussion.  Several other series officials were also in attendance and participated in various discussions throughout the meeting.

Ron Bernhagen introduced the new UMSS Head Tech Official, Terry Galle, and announced that Terry will be on hand at all UMSS events during the 2011 season to tube engines, check stacks, tires and other various items.  Terry Galle comes to the UMSS with several years of experience as the Head Tech Official for the Minnesota Region of the National Tractor Pulling Association.  Terry will work closely with UMSS Technical Director Joe Kouba to learn the areas of primary technical concern regarding sprint car racing.  Terry indicated, "I have been in the trenches before as a head tech official, and my past experience should prove helpful in knowing how to deal with drivers, car owners and their racing equipment so we can work to ensure a fair and level playing field for all competitors."  For those UMSS drivers and car owners who are interested in having their cars teched ahead of time, the UMSS will hold a Preseason Tech Session at Mastell Brothers Trailer Service located in Columbus, MN on Saturday, April 9 from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.  Please contact Joe Kouba at 612-751-4646 or Ron Bernhagen at 612-363-5302, so they can get an idea of how many cars will be on hand.

New UMSS videographer, Mark Meeks, was also introduced and gave a summary of his experience in the racing industry.  Mark was the videographer for Manzanita Speedway in Phoenix, AZ from 1994 until the track closed in 2009.  Last year, Mark worked with several central Indiana tracks to provide video services.  Mark recently relocated to the Twin City area of Minnesota, and the UMSS is very pleased to have his services available at all 2011 races.  A separate announcement with further information will be released.

The Hoosier Racing Tire deal for the 2011 racing season was discussed by Joe Kouba and Ron Bernhagen.  With 15 or more cars in attendance at winged sprint car division events, certificates for two free Hoosier sprint car racing tires will be distributed at each race.  If there are less than 15 cars on hand, one tire certificate will be presented.  The procedure on how to fairly distribute the tires was discussed in detail with several good ideas considered.  At those shows with a greater travel distance, approximately eight in all, the feature winner will receive one free tire.  The remaining tires will be distributed amongst the UMSS membership by random draw with the goal being to spread them out as evenly and fairly as possible in order that the largest number of members can benefit.  The traditional sprint car series will also run on Hoosier tires, but being that the non-winged cars are just in their first season, no bonus program is in effect until the class becomes more well-established.  Depending on weather and the ultimate number of UMSS races run, between 40-52 free tires will be available to the winged sprint car teams from the Hoosier Racing Tire bonus program.

For the 2011 racing season, the UMSS will have an optional membership available for $100 for the winged sprint car division.  This membership will provide $100,000 of excess insurance and allow drivers the opportunity to participate in the free Hoosier tire program as well as receive pit pass discounts at various UMSS events.  The optional membership fee for the traditional sprint car series is $80 for drivers wishing to purchase the excess insurance and participate in back gate admission discounts.  Further information on the optional membership program will be released soon, as car owners, pit crew members and race fans will have the option of purchasing excess insurance should they desire to do so.

Additional topics discussed included an update regarding the on-going sale of Kopellah Speedway, the increased base purse for 2011 for the winged sprints, a shock discussion (rule remains the same), UMSS race procedures at 2011 events, marketing and promotional opportunities, and the 2011 schedule.  Details on the 2011 schedule will be presented in a separate press release.  Travis Jehlicka from Mora Motorworks was also on hand to answer several questions regarding the Traditional Sprint Car Series engine.  A Micro Sprint League discussion was also held near the end of the meeting.  Current plans call for the micro sprints and traditional sprints to run weekly at the Kopellah Speedway with a few nights off.  The traditional sprints will make several appearances at other tracks while the micro sprints will also race a few shows away from Kopellah.

The UMSS eagerly looks forward to the 2011 racing season, as race teams prepare to participate in one or more of the UMSS racing divisions while race fans anxiously await the chance to watch exciting sprint car racing action at ten different tracks on the UMSS schedule.  UMSS open wheel racing in the form of the 360 winged sprints, the traditional non-winged sprints, and the micro sprints is growing and expanding in and around the Twin City metro area.  Be part of the UMSS experience in 2011 by attending as many exciting sprint car and micro sprint racing events as possible.  For more information on the UMSS, please visit our website at www.umsprints.com or check us out on the UMSS Facebook page.