After Dramatic Preliminary Win, Richards' 28th to Third Run in Dream XIX at Eldora Speedway Goes for Naught

SHINNSTON, WV - June 11, 2013 - For a moment, Josh Richards thought that he had topped his already successful assault on the DIRTcar UMP-sanctioned Dirt Late Model XIX Presented by Ferris Commercial Mowers at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, with a career-best finish in last Saturday night's 100-lap, $100,000-to-win A-Main.

But Richards's joy over making a spectacular charge to a third-place finish from the 28th and last starting spot turned to heartbreak when his Valvoline-sponsored Mark Richards Racing Enterprises Rocket Chassis car failed to meet the post-race minimum weight requirement of 2,300 pounds. The disqualification to last place in the official Dream rundown was a crushing end to an Eldora visit that included a victory in a 25-lap preliminary feature on Thursday night, but the 25-year-old driver from Shinnston, W.Va., handled his bitter fate with customary grace.

Richards accepted blame for the weigh-in mistake, noting that he and his team had simply spent worked so hard on Saturday to repair their car after a heat-race accident that they overlooked bolting on the necessary extra weight that would compensate for the loss of fuel during a 100-lap feature.

"We were behind the eight-ball all day," said Richards. "We changed an engine (Saturday) morning just as a safety precaution, then they drew a six for the (heat lineup) invert so we had to start sixth (in the fourth heat) and we got caught up in that mess (in turn four) with Darrell (Lanigan) and (Frankie) Heckenast. The wreck could've been a lot worse - I pretty much drove right underneath Heckenast after he hit Darrell and bounced in the air - but luckily it was all cosmetic on the right side of the car. I was able to keep going (in the heat) and at least try to get the best finish we could (he ended finishing fifth to miss transferring to the A-Main by two spots).

"It was a lot of work, though, to get the car back together. The body and other stuff was really bent up. We got patched up in time for the B (Main), but we ended up using a (fast-time) provisional to get in the (Dream) race. When we got back to the pits after the B we only had time to make a couple little changes for the feature - and in the midst of everything we were doing at the last minute, we just didn't add any lead to the car (for extra weight).

"It was our own fault," he added. "It wasn't like we were trying to gain anything, but with all the chaos and the rush to get ready we overlooked adding the lead we needed to make sure we'd weigh enough at the end after burning off 100 laps worth of fuel."

Richards was obviously disappointed that his gritty drive forward from the 28th starting spot to as high as second place - a position he briefly reached after a lap-91 restart - went for naught.

"But we still had a phenomenal car," said Richards. "I'm definitely proud of all my guys for giving me that. They did a great job. I wouldn't even have been able to run at all in the feature if it wasn't for them, for all the work they did to get the car ready.

"When the race ended, it didn't even dawn on me at all that we might be light. I was just thinking that we had a great night - we ran third, and we could've run second but we just couldn't get past (Dennis) Erb because he was running wide like he needed to at the end. But as soon as I rolled up there on the scales and looked over (at the digital weight display) it dawned on me that, 'Man, I don't know if we're gonna make it or not. We never added that lead.'

"It's definitely frustrating," he concluded, "but we had a phenomenal car that was fun to drive. I had a great time racing all weekend. The way the track is suits my driving style now - I should say, the condition that I like to run in. I've always liked Eldora, but this weekend was the best I've felt here."

Richards certainly showed his stuff on Thursday night, when the revamped Dream XIX weekend opened with the first of two preliminary racing programs. He timed third-fastest out of 84 entrants, then finished second in a heat race (the field was split by qualifying time into two groups that ran separate heats, B-Mains and features) and steered forward from the sixth starting spot in the 25-lap Odd-Number Qualifiers Feature to record a thrilling $2,500 triumph.

In a wildly-competitive race that saw seven lead changes among four drivers, Richards pulled off the most important pass. Taking advantage of a lap-23 restart, Richards sailed around the outside of Steve Francis off turn two on the final circuit to grab his second career win at Eldora.

"It was a fun race," said Richards, whose previous victory at Eldora came in a Sunoco American Late Model Series event on May 25, 2008. "The track had some speed to it even though it was hard, and you could really move around on it and race. You had to be aggressive if you were gonna pass somebody and that's what we did at the end."

Richards was strong again on Friday night, timing ninth fastest, winning a heat race and finishing fourth in the 25-lap Odd-Number Qualifiers Feature. His time-trial lap from Thursday night, meanwhile, ended up being the fourth-fastest of the two qualifying sessions, giving him his sixth-place starting spot in a Dream heat race on Saturday thanks to the six-car inversion.

Richards will take this weekend off from competition to gear up for the upcoming busy stretch of World of Outlaws Late Model Series action. The tour's points leader will begin a swing through the Northeast on June 19 at Fonda (N.Y.) Speedway, then continue to Brighton (Ont.) Speedway on June 20; Cornwall (Ont.) Motor Speedway on June 23; Canandaigua (N.Y.) Motorsports Park on June 25; and Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pa., for the seventh annual Firecracker 100 weekend on June 27-29.

For more information on Josh Richards, visit www.joshrichards.com and follow him on Twitter at @Josh_Richards1 and on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/JoshRichardsRacing.


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ben Shelton (msrmafia@gmail.com)
June 12th, 2013

Jake Griffin Takes JEGS/CRA Rookie of the Year Point's Lead

Quincy, Illinois (06/12/13) – Another busy weekend on asphalt and dirt found 14-year-old racer, Jake Griffin, moving up in the points with the JEGS/CRA All Star Asphalt Late Model tour as well as claiming a top five finish in his Open Wheel Modified.

Jake's weekend opened on Friday at Dixie Motor Speedway (Birch Run, Michigan), where the JEGS/CRA All Star Tour sanctioned the Dixie 100. After registering the ninth fastest time in practice Griffin qualified twenty-second fastest in time trials to earn the twenty-second starting spot for the feature. As the race went green he began working his way forward and was up to the eighth position, when contact from another competitor sent him spinning. Luckily he didn't receive any damage and was able to rejoin the tail of the field before rebounding to a thirteenth place finish.

With the finish Griffin now leads the Rookie of the Year points with the tour and is in the top ten in the overall standings for the JEGS/CRA All-Star Tour.
Full results from the event are available at www.CRA-Racing.com .

On Saturday evening Griffin made his first trip of the year to Spoon River Speedway (Banner, Illinois) for an UMP Open Wheel Modified program. Twenty-six entries took part in the program, and Jake started his night by powering his #08 Bob Pierce entry to the win in his heat race, which locked him into the pole starting spot for the finale. In the feature the team tried a new setup on the car, which resulted in the handle not being quite where Jake would've liked it. Despite battling the handle Griffin still managed to finish fourth behind race winner, Butch Weisser, Eric Bruce, and Allen Weisser. Full results from the event are available at www.SpoonRiverSpeedway.com.

"It was another great weekend for our team, and we are really starting to make strides with the pavement car," said Griffin. "I'm excited to get more seat time this coming weekend!"

Jake has another busy weekend scheduled for the June 14th-15th stretch. On Friday night he returns to Berlin Raceway (Marne, Michigan) with the CRA/JEGS All-Star Tour for an event that was nixed by rain earlier in the year. Saturday will find Griffin making his debut at Illiana Motor Speedway (Schererville, Indiana) as twin 56 lap programs will be held for the Asphalt Late Model division during the 12th Annual Elmer Musgrave Memorial. The weekend will conclude on Sunday evening atop the dirt oval at Quincy Raceway with an UMP Open Wheel Modified event. For more information on the events please visit www.BerlinRaceway.com, www.IllianaSpeedway.com, and www.QuincyRaceways.com .

Jake Griffin Racing would to like to thank all of their sponsors including Fierge Auto Parts, McPike’s Pawn Shop, Crawdad’s Classics Gourmet Hot Sauce, Triple R Machine Shop, Microtel Inns & Suites, Bob Pierce Race Cars, Johnny Spaw Race Cars Kelly’s Restaurant, Powder Coat Plus, Wilco Fast Breaks, Green Smart Builders, Butlerbuilt Professional Seat Systems, and Outdoor Power Inc.

For more information on Jake Griffin Racing, please visit www.JakeGriffin.net .


Contact: Shawn Miller
Inside Line Promotions
sprintcarreporter@yahoo.com | (541) 510-3663

Dover Prepares for Busy Weekend with Missouri and Kansas Tripleheader

Inside Line Promotions – SPRINGFIELD, Neb. (June 11, 2013) – With rain blanketing Nebraska for much of the past two weeks, Jack Dover’s racing plans were dampened last weekend.

“I just hung out with friends, did a little yard work,” he said. “That’s about it. We got a ton of rain. The farmers are loving it.”

Dover has a busy schedule planned this weekend beginning with Friday’s Budweiser Sprint Car Shootout – an ASCS Warrior Region event at U.S. 36 Raceway near Cameron, Mo. Dover has claimed multiple features at U.S. 36 Raceway and was running in second place last month during a Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour event there when he popped a left rear tire after hopping through a nasty rut in turn two.

“We’ve won the Bud Shootout two or three times,” Dover said. “It’s like my home track (Eagle Raceway). I always do well at Eagle and I go there with the same setup and it usually works.”

Dover has picked up an ASCS victory at U.S. 36 Raceway each of the past three seasons and four of the last five years.

The team will stay in Missouri on Saturday to compete for the first time since 2011 at L A Raceway in LaMonte.

“It’s pretty racy,” Dover said. “It’s similar to U.S. 36 with less banking. It makes for good racing.”

The weekend will wrap up on Sunday with the NCRA at 81 Speedway in Park City, Kan.

“We run really well there,” Dover said. “We’ve won there two or three times and had a lot of top fives there.”

SEASON STATS –
12 races, 4 wins, 6 top fives, 6 top 10s, 9 top 15s, 10 top 20s

UP NEXT –
Friday at U.S. 36 Raceway near Cameron, Mo., with the ASCS Warrior Region, Saturday L A Raceway in LaMonte, Mo., and Sunday at 81 Speedway in Park City, Kan., with the NCRA

VIDEO –
Here is in-car video of Jack winning the 5th annual Steve King Memorial at The Great American Dirt Track in Jetmore, Kan., on May 25: http://youtu.be/jmbnDjFA3YQ

Here is in-car video of Jack claiming his heat race with the Nebraska 360 Sprints at Butler County Speedway in Rising City, Neb., on May 18: http://youtu.be/3yWrbbW2Qxk

MEDIA LINKS –
Website: www.JackDoverRacing.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JackDoverRacing
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jackdoverracing?fref=ts

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT – Certified Transmission
Certified Transmission is one of the largest independent manufactured transmission repair and remanufacturing facilities in the country. Established in 1979, Certified Transmission has 13 retail stores in four states. For more information, visit www.certifiedtransmission.com.

“Certified Transmission has been a great sponsor the last two years in helping build Jack Dover Racing,” Dover said. “On top of their support for the race team, Certified Transmission put a transmission in my personal truck a couple of years ago and it has worked flawlessly ever since.”

Dover would also like to thank Home Pride Companies, Inc., Eagle Motorsports, Roush Yates Racing Engines, Thorpe’s Body Shop, Trail Performance Coatings, Inc., The Oil Medics, ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems, Keizer Wheels, Schoenfeld Headers, Shaver Racing Engines, Langfeldt Overhead Doors, K&N Filters, FK Rod Ends, DMI, Speedway Motors and Vortex Wings for their continued support.

PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES –
Jack Dover Racing is close to being able to compete across the country by returning to the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour, where Dover has finished in the top 10 both seasons he has raced full time with the premier 360 sprint car series. He is also ready to compete with the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series en route to his dream of racing in NASCAR. The only variable missing is a reliable truck and trailer. For more information on partnership opportunities, e-mail teamdover@gmail.com.

JACK’S SHOUTOUT –
Jack wants to thank his godfather, Blake, who owns Thorpe’s Body Shop in Papillion, Neb.
“He’s always been a great godfather and has always taken care of me,” Jack said. “He’s a tremendous supporter of my team and he never lets me down.”

Contact: Shawn Miller
Inside Line Promotions
sprintcarreporter@yahoo.com | (541) 510-3663

Hahn Ready to Tackle Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour Sizzlin' Summer Speedweek

Inside Line Promotions - TULSA, Okla. (June 11, 2013) - Brandon Hahn took last weekend off from racing to concentrate on the upcoming Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour Sizzlin' Summer Speedweek, which features six races in nine days.

"We're all itching to go racing," he said. "We've been sitting at home too long."

Hahn opens the Speedweek on Friday at Kennedale Speedway Park in Kennedale, Texas, where he registered a sixth-place finish in an ASCS Lone Star Region event in March.

"That place was tight," he said. "It was small and it was rough the time we went there. It was hammerdown rough."

Speedweek shifts to Devil's Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, Texas, on Saturday for the 40th annual Summer Nationals. Hahn has raced at the fast half mile a handful of times the past couple of seasons, including an eighth-place finish last summer.

"I like Devil's Bowl," he said. "It's super fast and in turns three and four you just go in there and the framerails bounce off the ground. I would have to say Salina Highbanks and Devil's Bowl are my favorite tracks. They suit my driving style really well."

The weekend wraps up on Sunday at Ark-La-Tex Speedway in Vivian, La., which hosts its inaugural Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour event. It will be the first race for Hahn at the semi-banked, quarter-mile oval.
The teams have two days off early next week before resuming Speedweek action on Wednesday, June 19, at Lawton Speedway in Lawton, Okla. On Thursday, June 20, Creek County Speedway in Sapulpa, Okla., hosts a race before Speedweek concludes on Saturday, June 22, at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo.

"What I think will be the key to a successful week of racing is to first finish the race; complete all my laps and keep myself out of trouble will be the key," he said. "As long as we're not fixing our race car I think we'll do a pretty good job."

SEASON STATS -
16 races, 0 wins, 1 top five, 2 top 10s, 2 top 15s, 8 top 20s

UP NEXT -
Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour Sizzlin' Summer Speedway: Friday at Kennedale Speedway Park in Kennedale, Texas; Saturday at Devil's Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, Texas; Sunday at Ark-La-Tex Speedway in Vivian, La.; Wednesday, June 19, at Lawton Speedway in Lawton, Okla.; Thursday, June 20, at Creek County Speedway in Sapulpa, Okla.; Saturday, June 22, at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo.

MEDIA LINKS -
Website: BrandonHahnRacing.com

APPAREL -
Hahn has black and white t-shirts for sale at his trailer at each race he attends throughout the season.

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT - Engler Machine & Tool
Established in 1980, Engler Machine & Tool, Inc., builds fuel injection systems, custom made pulling chassis, gears, shafts, specialty CNC products, racing engines and some custom machining. For more information, visit EnglerMachine.com.

"When I was racing micro sprints we were the first 600 micro to have Engler mechanical fuel injection," Hahn said. "Tim Engler is a really great guy to work with and he's treated us really, really good."
Hahn would also like to thank Lucas Oil, MAVTV, Hoosier Racing Tire, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Protect the Harvest, FSR Racing Products, Penske Racing Shocks, Rod End Supply, Schoenfeld Headers, Simpson Race Products, The Joie of Seating and Weld Wheels for their continued support.


Contact: Shawn Miller
Inside Line Promotions
sprintcarreporter@yahoo.com | (541) 510-3663

Dollansky Parks Eyecon Trail Cameras Car in Victory Lane on Back-to-Back Nights

Inside Line Promotions - KANSAS CITY, Kan. (June 11, 2013) - Craig Dollansky parked the Big Game Motorsports Eyecon Trail Cameras car in Victory Lane on back-to-back nights last weekend for the first time in World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series action this season.

The wins - on Friday at 34 Raceway in Burlington, Iowa, and Saturday at Lakeside Speedway - gave Dollansky his fourth triumph of the season and 57 th career, which moved him into 10th on the all-time list.
"It definitely was a great weekend for our entire race team," he said. "We've been working to get ourselves more consistent. We've been trying to get our cars the way we want them and are making progress."

After opening the week on Wednesday with a 10th-place finish at Kokomo Speedway in Kokomo, Ind., the Eyecon Trail Cameras car won a heat race at both 34 Raceway and Lakeside Speedway. However, the road to Victory Lane was as different as the tracks.

At 34 Raceway, Dollansky capitalized on the eight being drawn during the dash inversion, which put him on the pole of the dash. He claimed that to earn the pole for the main event, which Dollansky dominated by leading all 34 laps, winning by more than seven seconds and lapping up to eighth place.

"Just because you start on the front row doesn't mean you are going to win the race," he said. "You've got to capitalize on the starting spot. I wouldn't say there was a key to it. There were a lot of lapped cars so we had to move around quite a bit. At the end I was just happy for our entire team."

The Eyecon Trail Cameras car powered from fifth to the lead in three laps at Lakeside Speedway, where the FVP Outlaws at Lakeside program was rushed because of impending weather concerns. After gaining three positions on the opening lap, Dollansky drove by polesitter Jason Sides on Lap 3 en route to another impressive victory.

"My guys did a good job on the Eyecon Trail Cameras car," Dollansky said. "They were definitely rushing that program along. It really didn't affect us a whole lot.
"It was just good to have a nice solid weekend like that at two race tracks."

Big Game Motorsports teammate Sammy Swindell put together a successful weekend after a rough start to the week at Kokomo Speedway, where he missed starting on the pole of the Last Chance Showdown because of a massive fuel leak. By the time the problem was fixed, the consolation race had started and being out of World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series provisionals until the teams get two more this summer, Swindell was unable to advance to the feature.

The Big Game Treestands backed car qualified third quickest and finished third in the heat race at 34 Raceway to narrowly miss advancing to the dash. That forced Swindell to start the feature 11th.
"We qualified good, but just a couple of hundredths from getting us locked into the dash," he said. "We had something hit the right front shock so it made the car really, really lose from about the sixth lap. I think we were moving forward and then when that happened it seemed like we struggled."

Swindell held on to a 10th-place finish to record his 18th top 10 of the season.

He wrapped up the weekend at Lakeside Speedway, where Swindell won his heat race and charged from eighth to finish third in the feature to join his Big Game Motorsports teammate on the podium.

"It was really good in the race," Swindell said. "However, even before we started we had a lifter problem. So we ran the whole race on seven cylinders. That's pretty good to get around Lakeside down a cylinder."
The Big Game Motorsports teams and the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series are scheduled to compete on Friday at Jackson Speedway in Jackson, Minn., for The Big Game Shootout Presented by Eyecon Trail Cameras and Saturday at Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa, for the Mediacom Shootout.

QUICK RESULTS -
DOLLANSKY:
June 5 - Kokomo Speedway in Kokomo, Ind. - Qualifying: 10; Heat race: 1 (2); Dash: 6 (7); Feature: 10 (6).
June 7 - 34 Raceway in Burlington, Iowa - Qualifying: 12; Heat race: 1 (2); Dash: 1 (1); Feature: 1 (1).
June 8 - Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City, Kan. - Qualifying: 7; Heat race: 1 (2); Dash: 5 (6); Feature: 1 (5).
SWINDELL:
June 5 - Kokomo Speedway in Kokomo, Ind. - Qualifying: 1; Heat race: 6 (4); B Main: DNS (1).
June 7 - 34 Raceway in Burlington, Iowa - Qualifying: 3; Heat race: 3 (4); Feature: 10 (11).
June 8 - Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City, Kan. - Qualifying: 11; Heat race: 1 (1); Dash: 8 (9); Feature: 3 (8).

SEASON STATS -
DOLLANSKY : 31 races, 4 wins, 9 top fives, 18 top 10s, 23 top 15s, 29 top 20s
SWINDELL : 31 races, 1 win, 8 top fives, 19 top 10s, 26 top 15s, 29 top 20s

UP NEXT -
Friday at Jackson Speedway in Jackson, Minn., for The Big Game Shootout Presented by Eyecon Trail Cameras and Saturday at Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa, for the Mediacom Shootout with the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series

LIVE AUDIO -
Keep up with Big Game Motorsports via free, live audio from DIRTVision at every World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series event throughout the season. For more information, click DIRTVision.com.

MEDIA LINKS -
Big Game Treestands: www.BigGameTreestands.com
Aggressive Hydraulics: www.AggressiveHydraulics.com
MobileStar: www.MobileStar.us/mobilestarwebsite
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Big_Game_TS
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Big-Game-Treestands/251832101535076?fref=ts

BIG GAME TREESTANDS -
Established in 1977 in Windom, Minn., Big Game Treestands has grown to be a leading company in the outdoor industry. Big Game Treestands offers a Rock Solid™ line of field tested, safety certified above TMA requirements, welded steel stands & free standing elevated platforms that gives you not only a safe and extremely sturdy vantage point, but also reliable all-day comfort at a great value. Large, non-slip standing platforms, top-notch fastening systems, and our innovative pinned, sleeved ladder sections provide the Rock Solid™ stance, twist free climbing, and all around silence that Big Game Treestands® is known for. Non-glare, powder coat finish keeps our products hidden from nature's wary eye.
For over 30 years, it has been our goal and our philosophy to provide the most innovative and practical treestands and hunting accessories in the field. As tradition continues, we are Exceeding Limitations and once again providing new models that challenge Mother Nature. In 2012 Big Game extended the line into Trail Cameras known for the easy to set, great picture quality, and over all great camera Eyecon Trail Cameras exceeds the expectations of consumers. Big Game Treestands® and Eyecon Trail Cameras® offers undeniable quality on time-tested favorites as well as new innovations for 2013.
For more information on Big Game Treestands, visit www.BigGameTreestands.com.

EYECON TRAIL CAMERAS ® -
Eyecon Trail Cameras® are premier trail cameras for hunters and outdoorsmen. The Black Widow Trail Camera, Storm Trail Camera and Quikshot Trail Camera provide a variety of options that are user-friendly with exceptional imaging. To learn more about or purchase Eyecon Trail Cameras®, visit www.EyeconTrailCameras.com.

INSIDE LINE PROMOTIONS -
Inside Line Promotions specializes in affordable public relations, media management and merchandising services for sprint car teams. ILP Founder Shawn Miller leverages professional journalism with new media technologies and social networking to improve your exposure and your sponsors' return on investment.

To meet the media relations needs of your team, contact Shawn at 541-510-3663 or sprintcarreporter@yahoo.com. For more information on Inside Line Promotions, visit www.insidelinepromotions.com.