Shawn Miller, TULSA, Okla. (May 4, 2009) - Clean your visor and strap in tight.
The American Sprint Car Series Northwest Region opens its second season with a two-day event beginning Friday at Southern Oregon Speedway in Medford, Ore.
It is the first two-day sprint car show hosted at the 3/8th mile, semi-banked clay oval in a decade.
"To have the opening event of ASCS, we feel is an honor," said Richard Barney, a managing partner of the track. "It's extremely exciting for us.
"It's going to be fast, fast racing. It's going to be a lot of cars and really super racing."
Each feature race pays $1,500 to win. In addition to a slightly larger purse this season, there is more than $2,000 in contingency awards per event.
Overall, there is currently more than $400,000 in cash and prizes for Northwest Region racers this season, and the point fund is nearing $15,000. All figures are expected to grow throughout the season, which includes 18 events at seven tracks in three states.
"We anticipate the continual growth of our awards and point fund for Northwest Region drivers this season," Northwest Region Director Greg Burgess said. "Our goal is to continue to provide a venue for exciting, elbows-up racing that exceeds the expectation of the drivers, spectators and promoters."
Eight different drivers won at least one of the 13 Northwest Region races last season, including a series-best five by Medford, Ore., resident Roger Crockett.
Jayme Barnes of Marysville, Wash., claimed the season-opening race at Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma, Wash., en route to winning the inaugural series championship.
Jonathan Allard of Chico, Calif., placed first in the lone ASCS event at Southern Oregon Speedway last season.
One key rule change for this season is to the passing points system.
Drivers will still be lined up in heat races based on a pill draw. The racers will earn points based on their finish and then be rewarded five additional points per car passed. The top eight drivers in points after the heat races will draw again to determine the first four rows of the A main, while the rest of the positions in the main events will be based on points from the heat races.
The best way to understand it is that a driver receives five points for each car passed and loses seven points for each position lost. If a driver starts on the pole and finishes first, he or she ends up with 100 points. If a driver starts fourth and wins the heat, he or she will have 115 points because of the three-car bonus.
"Oh, that's going to be a lot better," Northwest Region Race Director Larry Kelley said. "I think it's a lot more fair to the racers. If you don't advance, you lose points."
General admission tickets this weekend are $12 for adults and $10 for seniors, veterans and children aged 7 to 12 on Friday. The prices are $15 and $12, respectively, on Saturday. Gates open at 4 p.m. with racing slated to begin at approximately 6 p.m.
Established in 2008, the American Sprint Car Series Northwest Region has quickly developed into a favorite among drivers, spectators and promoters in the Northwest. In 2009, the tour will visit Oregon, Washington and Montana for 18 nights of action, including four events with the Lucas Oil ASCS Sprint Dirt Series presented by K&N Filters.
The American Sprint Car Series, in its 18th year of sanctioning Sprint Car racing events, brings the best of Sprint Car racing to nearly 100 different tracks throughout 25 states and Canada in 2009. Anchored by the Lucas Oil ASCS Sprint Car Dirt Series presented by K&N Filters, ASCS also consists of a dozen different Regions throughout the nation.
Additional information regarding the American Sprint Car Series is available at www.ascsracing.com.
The American Sprint Car Series Northwest Region opens its second season with a two-day event beginning Friday at Southern Oregon Speedway in Medford, Ore.
It is the first two-day sprint car show hosted at the 3/8th mile, semi-banked clay oval in a decade.
"To have the opening event of ASCS, we feel is an honor," said Richard Barney, a managing partner of the track. "It's extremely exciting for us.
"It's going to be fast, fast racing. It's going to be a lot of cars and really super racing."
Each feature race pays $1,500 to win. In addition to a slightly larger purse this season, there is more than $2,000 in contingency awards per event.
Overall, there is currently more than $400,000 in cash and prizes for Northwest Region racers this season, and the point fund is nearing $15,000. All figures are expected to grow throughout the season, which includes 18 events at seven tracks in three states.
"We anticipate the continual growth of our awards and point fund for Northwest Region drivers this season," Northwest Region Director Greg Burgess said. "Our goal is to continue to provide a venue for exciting, elbows-up racing that exceeds the expectation of the drivers, spectators and promoters."
Eight different drivers won at least one of the 13 Northwest Region races last season, including a series-best five by Medford, Ore., resident Roger Crockett.
Jayme Barnes of Marysville, Wash., claimed the season-opening race at Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma, Wash., en route to winning the inaugural series championship.
Jonathan Allard of Chico, Calif., placed first in the lone ASCS event at Southern Oregon Speedway last season.
One key rule change for this season is to the passing points system.
Drivers will still be lined up in heat races based on a pill draw. The racers will earn points based on their finish and then be rewarded five additional points per car passed. The top eight drivers in points after the heat races will draw again to determine the first four rows of the A main, while the rest of the positions in the main events will be based on points from the heat races.
The best way to understand it is that a driver receives five points for each car passed and loses seven points for each position lost. If a driver starts on the pole and finishes first, he or she ends up with 100 points. If a driver starts fourth and wins the heat, he or she will have 115 points because of the three-car bonus.
"Oh, that's going to be a lot better," Northwest Region Race Director Larry Kelley said. "I think it's a lot more fair to the racers. If you don't advance, you lose points."
General admission tickets this weekend are $12 for adults and $10 for seniors, veterans and children aged 7 to 12 on Friday. The prices are $15 and $12, respectively, on Saturday. Gates open at 4 p.m. with racing slated to begin at approximately 6 p.m.
Established in 2008, the American Sprint Car Series Northwest Region has quickly developed into a favorite among drivers, spectators and promoters in the Northwest. In 2009, the tour will visit Oregon, Washington and Montana for 18 nights of action, including four events with the Lucas Oil ASCS Sprint Dirt Series presented by K&N Filters.
The American Sprint Car Series, in its 18th year of sanctioning Sprint Car racing events, brings the best of Sprint Car racing to nearly 100 different tracks throughout 25 states and Canada in 2009. Anchored by the Lucas Oil ASCS Sprint Car Dirt Series presented by K&N Filters, ASCS also consists of a dozen different Regions throughout the nation.
Additional information regarding the American Sprint Car Series is available at www.ascsracing.com.
