Rich Vleck, TULSA, Okla. (September 10, 2007)- Two of ASCS's popular regions collide along with three other sanctioning bodies in the largest paying-event most of the drivers have ever competed for in the Third Annual Arrow Express Canadian Sprint Car Nationals.
The ASCS Sprints on Dirt from Michigan will head west to meet their ASCS Patriot brethren from New York at the Ohsweken Speedway, located at the mid point of Southern Ontario to help make up a star-studded field, all battling for the $7,000 top prize posted to the winner of Saturday's 30-lap A-Main.
Along with SOD and the Patriots, the Empire Super Sprints, Southern Ontario Sprints, and NRA Sprint Invaders will help to fill the pits at the high-banked 3/8-mile facility.
Both ASCS Regions wrapped up their regular season last weekend, with Tim Norman and Chuck Hebing picked up another championship in their respective regions. While these two consummate contenders took the title, two of this weekend's largest favorites won the races.
Dustin Daggett scored his ninth ASCS SOD win at Hartford Speedway Park and now comes to a track that is arguably his best. The Portland, MI driver won four straight SOD races there at one point and was one of the best cars on Friday Night's Program last year before flipping out on a collision with Chuck Hebing. Daggett also won his heat at Ohsweken back in July with the World of Outlaws.
Justin Barger picked up $2,007 at Fulton Saturday by wining the 2007 ASCS Patriot Finale in dominating fashion. Barger won one of two preliminary features on last year's Night Before the Nationals, had won every competitive race he ran that weekend, and was running away with the Saturday Night A-Main when he collided with Rick Wilson, who was slowing on the track, ending both of their nights. Barger was second in his only trip to "The Big O" this year and should be a force again.
While the ASCS SOD A-Main was rained out there last month, the ASCS Patriots saw youngster Bobby Breen pick up his only win of the year at Ohsweken. Breen, along with 2007 Patriot Rookie of the Year Scott Kreutter and 2005 Patriot Champion Bryan Howland all scored top-five runs back in July and qualified for the Village Pizza Ohsweken Shootout on Friday Night. The Shootout is a 10-lap dash featuring the top-three in four sanctioned races on the Six Nations Reservation this year.
Since the SOD race was rained out, the qualifiers will go by the top-three in the series point standings. Those qualifiers would be Tim Norman, Brett Mann and Ben Rutan, but if Norman does no show as he is expected to do, Bill Johnson would pick up the spot.
Those same three ASCS SOD drivers will also be eligible to compete in the Dave MacLeod Mr. Sprint Car event on Friday Night. This new event features 1-on-1 sprint car racing two laps in an elimination format until one driver remains to pick up a $1,000 prize. This will be a bracket-style event, similar to the NCAA Basketball Championship format. Chuck Hebing, Jared Zimbardi and Don Adamczyk will be the three ASCS Patriot Representatives for this event.
Friday's event will also feature two 15-lap events, with a guaranteed spot in Saturday's A-Main given to both winners if needed. Neither the ASCS Patriots or ASCS SOD will distribute points on this night.
On Saturday Night, things will kick off with time trials early in the evening to set up the six heats, to be followed by three B-Mains and the 30-lap A-Main Finale. It will be all sprint cars all the time as they are the only thing on the program on Saturday Night.
The ASCS SOD will not run for points on Saturday Night either, but the ASCS Patriots will reward 60 points to any registered team in competition on Saturday Night.
For more information on this massive event, please visit
www.ASCSracing.com or
www.ASCSpatriotsprints.com.
ASCS Patriot History at Ohsweken:
Races: 6
9/25/2004- Rick Wilson
5/6/2005- Kyle Wilson
9/17/2005- Kenny Jacobs (Canadian Sprint Car Nationals)
7/14/2006- Bryan Howland
9/16/2006- Steve Poirier (Canadian Sprint Car Nationals)
7/6/2007- Bobby Breen
ASCS Sprints on Dirt History at Ohsweken:
Races: 8
6/20/2003- Darren Long
9/27/2003- Keith Dempster
6/18/2004- Dustin Daggett
8/27/2004- Dustin Daggett
8/26/2005- Dustin Daggett
9/17/2005- Kenny Jacobs (Canadian Sprint Car Nationals)
8/25/2006- Dustin Daggett
9/16/2006- Steve Poirier (Canadian Sprint Car Nationals)
