Archive for August, 2017

The 4^th annual Mike Olrich Memorial Race is this Saturday, September 2nd at Crystal Motor Speedway.  2017 was SOD’s 38^th consecutive season at the speedway.

The race will be the final points race of the Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt presented by ARP season.  Currently, Steve Irwin (Fenton, MI) holds the SOD Championship point lead over Thomas Schinderle and Gregg Dalman.  The SOD champion will have a guaranteed starting position in SOD’s season finale, the COMP Cams Great Lakes Sprint Car Classic at Berlin Raceway on September 30^th.

The 30 lap Mike Olrich Memorial Race will honor the memory of former Sprints On Dirt official and series director Mike Olrich who was very congenial and well-liked by everyone in the series.

Professionally, Mike was a greenhouse researcher at Michigan State University.  His work lives on through a complex computer-based tool that he co-authored that provides assistance to flower growers in production scheduling.  Mike was a dedicated family man who always found time to be deeply involved coaching youth sports.  Michael Steven Olrich, passed away suddenly August 3, 2013, at the age of 43.  SOD continues to operate with the honesty and integrity Mike was known for, and honors him every year with the Mike Olrich Memorial Race.

Ryan Ruhl drove his 360-powered #16 to a decisive win last year, leading all 30 laps of the non-stop feature in front of a very large and enthusiastic crowd.  Ruhl also won the 2015 Mike Olrich Memorial.  Ohio’s Randy Hannagan won the 2014 Mike Olrich Memorial.

Check out www.enginepro.com, and ARP at www.arp-bolts.com.  For Sprints on Dirt points, events, rules, current news, and other information go to www.sprintsondirt.com.

Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt presented by ARP is brought to you in 2017 by many important sponsor partners including: Engine Pro (Title Sponsor), ARP (Title Sponsor), Hoosier Racing Tire (Official SOD Tire), MAHLE/Clevite (Beyond Limits Challenge Sponsor), Driven Racing Oil (Battlegrounds Bash Sponsor), King Engine Bearings (King of Michigan Sponsor), Lane Automotive/MSD Ignition (Fast Masters Sponsor), Engler Machine & Tool (Heat Race Sponsor), COMP Cams (Heat Race Sponsor), RockAuto.com (Heat Race Sponsor), The Perfit Corporation (Lucky Dog Sponsor), KSE Racing Products (Hard Charger Sponsor), XYZ Machining (Season Sportsman & Crew Chief Sponsor).  In addition, SOD contingency sponsors include: Allstar Performance, ATL Racing Fuel Cells, BR Motorsports, Diversified Machine Inc. (DMI), K2W Precision/Keizer Aluminum Wheels, King Racing Products, Kistler Racing Products, Maxim Racing, Motor City Racing Promotions, Racing Optics, Rod End Supply, Schoenfeld Headers, Simpson Racing Products, Walker Performance Filtration.

This Friday, September 1, Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt presented by ARP makes its last appearance of the season at Hartford Speedway for the King Engine Bearing King of Michigan Championship.

The King of Michigan, a SOD tradition as a single race before 2017, was expanded to include all four 2017 SOD races at Hartford Speedway.  The always-popular King Engine Bearings King of Michigan returned bigger and better with heightened excitement about the four-race format and the newly reconfigured 3/8 mile track.

Litchfield, Michigan’s Chad Blonde has dominated the series, winning all three KoM races run this season.  Blonde leads Steve Irwin, Gregg Dalman, Thomas Schinderle, and Linden Jones in points.  The 2017 champion will be crowned Friday, and will receive $1,000; the top five will win a share of the point fund.

In addition, the champion will have a guaranteed starting spot in the Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt presented by ARP Mike Olrich Memorial Race at Crystal Motor Speedway on September 2^nd, along with MAHLE/Clevite Beyond Limits Champion Steve Irwin and Driven Racing Oil Battlegrounds Bash Champion Thomas Schinderle.

The King Engine Bearings team are bearing specialists. King Engine Bearings was founded in 1960 with one simple objective: to supply the highest quality bearings available in the marketplace. By specializing in engine bearings, King has built an extensive product offering that includes a wide range of engine bearings for automobiles, light duty and heavy duty trucks, marine, aviation, standby power and many other types of internal combustion engines. Every King bearing utilizes the highest quality materials and the most advanced designs to ensure complete customer satisfaction.

For more information about SOD’s KoM series sponsor partner, go to www.kingbearings.com.  Check out Hartford Speedway at www.hartfordspeedway.net for more information about the speedway.

Check out www.enginepro.com, and ARP at www.arp-bolts.com.  For Sprints on Dirt points, events, rules, current news, and other information go to www.sprintsondirt.com.

Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt presented by ARP is brought to you in 2017 by many important sponsor partners including: Engine Pro (Title Sponsor), ARP (Title Sponsor), Hoosier Racing Tire (Official SOD Tire), MAHLE/Clevite (Beyond Limits Challenge Sponsor), Driven Racing Oil (Battlegrounds Bash Sponsor), King Engine Bearings (King of Michigan Sponsor), Lane Automotive/MSD Ignition (Fast Masters Sponsor), Engler Machine & Tool (Heat Race Sponsor), COMP Cams (Heat Race Sponsor), RockAuto.com (Heat Race Sponsor), The Perfit Corporation (Lucky Dog Sponsor), KSE Racing Products (Hard Charger Sponsor), XYZ Machining (Season Sportsman & Crew Chief Sponsor).  In addition, SOD contingency sponsors include: Allstar Performance, ATL Racing Fuel Cells, BR Motorsports, Diversified Machine Inc. (DMI), K2W Precision/Keizer Aluminum Wheels, King Racing Products, Kistler Racing Products, Maxim Racing, Motor City Racing Promotions, Racing Optics, Rod End Supply, Schoenfeld Headers, Simpson Racing Products, Walker Performance Filtration.

Steve Irwin (Fenton, MI) is the 2017 Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt presented by ARP MAHLE/Clevite Beyond Limits Challenge champion.  The four-race Challenge had four different winners with Irwin finishing in the top five in all four races to take the championship.

The MAHLE/Clevite  BLC was scheduled for five different speedways; Baer Field Motorsports Park, Thunderbird Raceway, Merritt Speedway, Crystal Motor Speedway, and Manistee County Fairgrounds Speedway.  The final scheduled BLC race at Manistee was rained out on August 4^th, and the make-up date of August 18^th also fell victim to inclement weather.

Shawn Valenti (Delta, OH) took the first BLC race at Baer Field Motorsports Part on May 21^st after an exciting battle with Joe Swanson.  Irwin finished 5^th.  Chad Blonde took race #2 at Thunderbird Raceway on June 10^th with a last lap pass of Thomas Schinderle.  Irwin finished 3^rd.  Ryan Ruhl won the 3^rd BLC race at Merritt Speedway on July 8^th.  Brad Lamberson finished 2^nd, Gregg Dalman 3^rd, Mike Astrauskas 4^th, and Irwin 5^th.  The 4^th race, at Crystal Motor Speedway on July 15^th, was just what Irwin needed.  He drove to a convincing win on one of his favorite speedways over Thomas Schinderle and Shawn Valenti.

Irwin collected $1,000 for winning the MAHLE/Clevite Beyond Limits Challenge championship.  Thomas Schinderle (2^nd), Gregg Dalman (3^rd), Chris Jones (4^th), and Robert Bulloch (5^th) also shared in the point fund.  Irwin is now guaranteed a starting spot in the Mike Olrich Memorial Race at Crystal Motor Speedway on September 2^nd.

MAHLE Original is the “Global Star” within the MAHLE Aftermarket brand portfolio. The brand MAHLE stands for engine parts, filters, thermo management and mechatronics of uncompromising quality – in original equipment and aftermarket.  Clevite is an American brand with one of the oldest pedigrees and supplies pistons, assemblies, cylinder liners, bearings and valves for American commercial vehicles as well as construction and agricultural equipment applications.

Competitors may debate who is the best on the track, but under the hood, there is no debate that Clevite and MAHLE are the one constant of winning teams throughout American grass roots racing.  For more information about MAHLE/Clevite, click HERE.

Meet Engine Pro go to www.enginepro.com.  For more information about ARP, go to www.arp-bolts.com.  The full 2017 Sprints on Dirt schedule, rules, current news, and other information are available at www.sprintsondirt.com.

Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt presented by ARP is brought to you in 2017 by many important sponsor partners including: Engine Pro (Title Sponsor), ARP (Title Sponsor), Hoosier Racing Tire (Official SOD Tire), MAHLE/Clevite (Beyond Limits Challenge Sponsor), Driven Racing Oil (Battlegrounds Bash Sponsor), King Engine Bearings (King of Michigan Sponsor), Lane Automotive/MSD Ignition (Fast Masters Sponsor), Engler Machine & Tool (Heat Race Sponsor), COMP Cams (Heat Race Sponsor), RockAuto.com (Heat Race Sponsor), The Perfit Corporation (Lucky Dog Sponsor), KSE Racing Products (Hard Charger Sponsor), XYZ Machining (Season Sportsman & Crew Chief Sponsor).  In addition, SOD contingency sponsors include: Allstar Performance, ATL Racing Fuel Cells, BR Motorsports, Diversified Machine Inc. (DMI), K2W Precision/Keizer Aluminum Wheels, King Racing Products, Kistler Racing Products, Maxim Racing, Motor City Racing Promotions, Racing Optics, Rod End Supply, Schoenfeld Headers, Simpson Racing Products, Walker Performance Filtration.

Thomas Schinderle (Berkley, MI) put together top five finishes in all three 2017 Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt presented by ARP races at Butler Motor Speedway to take the Driven Racing Oil Battlegrounds Bash championship.

Schinderle followed Chad Blonde and Ryan Ruhl to finish 3^rd on June 17 at Butler.  On July 22, Schinderle had his worst Bash finish, 5^th, behind winner Joe Swanson, Jay Steinebach, Ryan Ruhl, and Boston Mead.  Parked in 4^th place in Bash points going into the finale, the 4^th annual Butler Bash, on August 12^th,  Schinderle didn’t seem to be in a good position to take the championship.  That didn’t faze him, though, as he charged to the win from 6^th after an exciting, crowd-pleasing battle with Joe Swanson.

Schinderle took the $1,000-to-win championship with 410 points.  Joe Swanson (388) finished 2^nd followed by Chad Blonde (385), Jay Steinebach (367), and Steve Irwin (366), winning a share of the point fund.  As the Driven Racing Oil Battlegrounds Bash champion, Schinderle now has a guaranteed starting spot in the Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt presented by ARP Mike Olrich Memorial Race at Crystal Motor Speedway on September 2.

Schinderle is currently 2^nd in SOD championship points.  He also leads the Sprints On Dirt Series Rookie of the Year standings for drivers with full size sprint car experience, but are first-year full time competitors with SOD.

Driven Racing Oil shares the same leadership spirit in the highly competitive field of racing lubricants that drives SOD in sprint car racing.  Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt presented by ARP is proud to have Driven Racing Oil partner with SOD for 2017.  No oil is tested in competition like Driven Racing Oil, and no oil that you can buy has proven itself in Victory Lane like Driven Racing Oil. That’s a track record of a leader that you can believe in.

The Driven Racing Oil Battlegrounds Bash series, along with the King Engine Bearings King of Michigan series and the MAHLE/Clevite Beyond Limits challenge gave competitors an opportunity to focus on mini-championships and payouts during the pursuit of the full Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt presented by ARP 2017 season championship.

Read more about Driven Racing Oil at http://www.drivenracingoil.com.  For more information about Butler Motor Speedway, go to www.butlerspeedway.net.

Meet Engine Pro go to www.enginepro.com.  For more information about ARP, go to www.arp-bolts.com.  The full 2017 Sprints on Dirt schedule, rules, current news, and other information are available at www.sprintsondirt.com.

Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt presented by ARP is brought to you in 2017 by many important sponsor partners including: Engine Pro (Title Sponsor), ARP (Title Sponsor), Hoosier Racing Tire (Official SOD Tire), MAHLE/Clevite (Beyond Limits Challenge Sponsor), Driven Racing Oil (Battlegrounds Bash Sponsor), King Engine Bearings (King of Michigan Sponsor), Lane Automotive/MSD Ignition (Fast Masters Sponsor), Engler Machine & Tool (Heat Race Sponsor), COMP Cams (Heat Race Sponsor), RockAuto.com (Heat Race Sponsor), The Perfit Corporation (Lucky Dog Sponsor), KSE Racing Products (Hard Charger Sponsor), XYZ Machining (Season Sportsman & Crew Chief Sponsor).  In addition, SOD contingency sponsors include: Allstar Performance, ATL Racing Fuel Cells, BR Motorsports, Diversified Machine Inc. (DMI), K2W Precision/Keizer Aluminum Wheels, King Racing Products, Kistler Racing Products, Maxim Racing, Motor City Racing Promotions, Racing Optics, Rod End Supply, Schoenfeld Headers, Simpson Racing Products, Walker Performance Filtration.

Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt presented by ARP invaded Merritt Speedway for the annual Allstar Performance Open Wheel Spectacular with Dan McCarron (Britton, MI) picking up his second career win at “Michigan’s Premier Dirt Track.”

“Danny Mac” started second, but was moved back one row for jumping the start.  All that did was give him a chance to prove he was the class of the field as he took the lead on lap nine.  Thirteen-year-old Andrew Scheid (Sparta, MI), leading SOD sprint car rookie, started on the pole and led the first lap before Gregg Dalman (Bellevue, MI) grabbed the lead.  After McCarron took command, Dalman held second until lap sixteen when Steve Irwin (Fenton, MI) took the position.  At times, it looked like Irwin had the speed in the low groove to overtake McCarron, but McCarron was up to the task and used the middle groove to perfection to pull away.

Lap eighteen saw a quick caution for a spin by Tyler Bearden , then disaster struck for Chris Jones when he flipped while trying to evade a spinning Mike Burkin.

Ryan Ruhl and Thomas Schinderle also looked like they could challenge for the win, but finished third and fourth respectively.  2016 SOD champion Brian Smith finished fifth.

Steve Irwin did double duty and won the non-winged portion of the Allstar Performance Open Wheel Spectacular over Brian Smith.

Qualifying – Lane Automotive/MSD Ignition Fast Masters (fast qualifiers) $50 each

Heat Races – Winners $100 each

Feature

KSE Racing Products Hard Charger – Jay Steinebach (+8)
BR Motorsports Contingency (feature top 10 draw) – Andy Chehowski
DMI (Diversified Machine) Contingency (feature 12-16 draw) – Robert Huisken
Perfit Corporation Lucky Dog – Dan McCarron

For more information about Engine Pro go to www.enginepro.com.  For more information about ARP, go to www.arp-bolts.com.  The full 2017 Sprints on Dirt schedule, rules, current news, and other information are available at www.sprintsondirt.com.

Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt presented by ARP is brought to you in 2017 by many important sponsor partners including: Engine Pro (Title Sponsor), ARP (Title Sponsor), Hoosier Racing Tire (Official SOD Tire), MAHLE/Clevite (Beyond Limits Challenge Sponsor), Driven Racing Oil (Battlegrounds Bash Sponsor), King Engine Bearings (King of Michigan Sponsor), Lane Automotive/MSD Ignition (Fast Masters Sponsor), Engler Machine & Tool (Heat Race Sponsor), COMP Cams (Heat Race Sponsor), RockAuto.com (Heat Race Sponsor), The Perfit Corporation (Lucky Dog Sponsor), KSE Racing Products (Hard Charger Sponsor), XYZ Machining (Season Sportsman & Crew Chief Sponsor).  In addition, SOD contingency sponsors include: Allstar Performance, ATL Racing Fuel Cells, BR Motorsports, Diversified Machine Inc. (DMI), K2W Precision/Keizer Aluminum Wheels, King Racing Products, Kistler Racing Products, Maxim Racing, Motor City Racing Promotions, Racing Optics, Rod End Supply, Schoenfeld Headers, Simpson Racing Products, Walker Performance Filtration.