(Snohomish, WA) – Nearly a dozen of the top Sprint car drivers in the world had reason to join the new National Sprint Tour over the winter.
Now they have 2,400,000 more reasons to stay.
Brownfield Promotions Inc. announced today that the National Sprint Tour will pay $2.4 million in point fund money to its contracted race teams over the course of the next three seasons. This season $700,000 will be paid, with $800,000 in the kitty for 2007. The point fund will reach $900,000 in 2008.
This season, the champion of the National Sprint Tour will earn $150,000. The top 15 finishers in the final point standings will each earn a portion of the money up for grabs.
“Racing these sprint cars across the country week in, week out is a very expensive proposition,” said Steve Kinser, 20-time World Champion sprint car driver, and car-owner of cars currently ranked first and second in NST points. “The point fund will sure give a lot of our race teams more financial resources to allow them to continue to have the best equipment, and the best people working for them.
“Every team in this series is 100 percent committed to it, and $2,400,000 allows the series to reward that commitment,” Kinser added. “On the other hand, we were all committed to the series before we had a point fund, so this is just like icing on the cake.”
The National Sprint Tour was founded by Fred Brownfield ‘on the fly’ in a few short days in December 2005. By that time, many tracks and promoters were already under contract with other major sanctioning bodies for their special events and were unable to host the new organization in 2006.
This latest development will enable many of the nation’s top 410 teams to remain steadfast with the series. To date, ten races have been held in the 2006 season.
“For having such a short time to accomplish things, we are pleased with what we have done so far,” Brownfield said. “As days turn to weeks, and weeks to months, we can see a positive progression.”
Drivers and teams that have raced in each NST race this year include Kinser (Quaker State), points leader Tim Kaeding (Slick 50), Jason Meyers (Elite Racing), Danny Lasoski (Roth Motorsports), Tim Shaffer (Casey’s General Store), Jason Sides (Mafia Motorsports), Paul McMahan (Bass Pro Shops), Jason Solwold (Carnahan Motorsports), Brian Paulus (Arnold Transportation Services), Shane Stewart (Snap-On), and Lucas Wolfe (Selma Shell Racing).
“It’s a big deal,” Kaeding said. “It gives everyone an incentive to come and run with us now. Hopefully we can attract some cars, in addition to the ones we already have.”
Both Lasoski and Meyers point to the stability that comes with the points fund.
“I think the largest impact will be the credibility it adds to Fred Brownfield and the NST as an established series,” Lasoski said of the new infusion of funds. “The three-year deal proves the NST is here to stay and will continue to grow from here on out.”
Meyers concurs. “Obviously, the announcement of a point fund will add solidarity to the series which should welcome more promoters to come on board,” Meyers said. “The NST is the only series that has a guaranteed three year point fund in Sprint car racing.”
Kaeding also feels the points fund is a positive step.
“It helps out a lot,” Kaeding said. “Fred’s done a lot for Sprint car racing. He just knows what to do. He’s a race car driver turned promoter, trying to keep Sprint car racing alive and out there.”
Kaeding, currently in the best position to grab the $150,000 for winning the title, noted all NST drivers come out ahead.
“Everyone’s going to get paid extra at the end of the year for putting on a great show,” he said.
Kinser summed it up, “Fred Brownfield and his people are the ones that should get all the credit. There were a lot of people in this industry that didn’t think Fred could do what he’s done: announce a new traveling series in December, get a bunch of races scheduled even in the first year, have the field of cars that we do, and have them stay united. And now this, a $2.4 million point fund. My hat’s off to him. But we’ve got work left to do, and Fred knows that. We’re not done just yet.”
The next event for the National Sprint Tour is Friday June 2, 2006 at Bloomington Speedway in Bloomington, IN followed by a June 6 race at Fremont Speedway in Fremont, OH. For more information on the NST, please visit www.nationalsprinttour.com
Now they have 2,400,000 more reasons to stay.
Brownfield Promotions Inc. announced today that the National Sprint Tour will pay $2.4 million in point fund money to its contracted race teams over the course of the next three seasons. This season $700,000 will be paid, with $800,000 in the kitty for 2007. The point fund will reach $900,000 in 2008.
This season, the champion of the National Sprint Tour will earn $150,000. The top 15 finishers in the final point standings will each earn a portion of the money up for grabs.
“Racing these sprint cars across the country week in, week out is a very expensive proposition,” said Steve Kinser, 20-time World Champion sprint car driver, and car-owner of cars currently ranked first and second in NST points. “The point fund will sure give a lot of our race teams more financial resources to allow them to continue to have the best equipment, and the best people working for them.
“Every team in this series is 100 percent committed to it, and $2,400,000 allows the series to reward that commitment,” Kinser added. “On the other hand, we were all committed to the series before we had a point fund, so this is just like icing on the cake.”
The National Sprint Tour was founded by Fred Brownfield ‘on the fly’ in a few short days in December 2005. By that time, many tracks and promoters were already under contract with other major sanctioning bodies for their special events and were unable to host the new organization in 2006.
This latest development will enable many of the nation’s top 410 teams to remain steadfast with the series. To date, ten races have been held in the 2006 season.
“For having such a short time to accomplish things, we are pleased with what we have done so far,” Brownfield said. “As days turn to weeks, and weeks to months, we can see a positive progression.”
Drivers and teams that have raced in each NST race this year include Kinser (Quaker State), points leader Tim Kaeding (Slick 50), Jason Meyers (Elite Racing), Danny Lasoski (Roth Motorsports), Tim Shaffer (Casey’s General Store), Jason Sides (Mafia Motorsports), Paul McMahan (Bass Pro Shops), Jason Solwold (Carnahan Motorsports), Brian Paulus (Arnold Transportation Services), Shane Stewart (Snap-On), and Lucas Wolfe (Selma Shell Racing).
“It’s a big deal,” Kaeding said. “It gives everyone an incentive to come and run with us now. Hopefully we can attract some cars, in addition to the ones we already have.”
Both Lasoski and Meyers point to the stability that comes with the points fund.
“I think the largest impact will be the credibility it adds to Fred Brownfield and the NST as an established series,” Lasoski said of the new infusion of funds. “The three-year deal proves the NST is here to stay and will continue to grow from here on out.”
Meyers concurs. “Obviously, the announcement of a point fund will add solidarity to the series which should welcome more promoters to come on board,” Meyers said. “The NST is the only series that has a guaranteed three year point fund in Sprint car racing.”
Kaeding also feels the points fund is a positive step.
“It helps out a lot,” Kaeding said. “Fred’s done a lot for Sprint car racing. He just knows what to do. He’s a race car driver turned promoter, trying to keep Sprint car racing alive and out there.”
Kaeding, currently in the best position to grab the $150,000 for winning the title, noted all NST drivers come out ahead.
“Everyone’s going to get paid extra at the end of the year for putting on a great show,” he said.
Kinser summed it up, “Fred Brownfield and his people are the ones that should get all the credit. There were a lot of people in this industry that didn’t think Fred could do what he’s done: announce a new traveling series in December, get a bunch of races scheduled even in the first year, have the field of cars that we do, and have them stay united. And now this, a $2.4 million point fund. My hat’s off to him. But we’ve got work left to do, and Fred knows that. We’re not done just yet.”
The next event for the National Sprint Tour is Friday June 2, 2006 at Bloomington Speedway in Bloomington, IN followed by a June 6 race at Fremont Speedway in Fremont, OH. For more information on the NST, please visit www.nationalsprinttour.com
