Check the photos from Crystal by Randy Ellen and some from MudclodBob also.

Check out the highlights from the season opening race courtesy of High Vista Video.

By T.J. Buffenbarger

Crystal, MI – (April 28, 2012) – Darren Long made the long drive from Elida, Ohio worthwhile by picking up the feature win to kick off the 2012 Engine Pro ASCS Sprints on Dirt presented by ARP season at Crystal Motor Speedway. Long started on the pole and led every lap in route to his first victory of the 2012 season driving his family owned Gaerte powered KPC chassis.

“I knew my motor would take off really well, and the car was driving really well. On the restarts I was able to pull the wing back to drive off the corner better,” said Long. “I was trying to be real patent through the lapped traffic. I have to thank my guys that work on my team; they are doing a great job.”

Long and Brett Mann started on the front row for the 25-lap feature event. After the first start was negated by Brad Lamberson and Steve Irwin spinning off the third corner, Long got the jump at the start with Dustin Daggett moving past Brett Mann for second. Long and Daggett pulled away from the rest of the field while eight starting Jared Horstman started moving through the field into the top five by lap four.

By lap seven Long began to encounter slower traffic and allowed Daggett to close in to challenge for the lead. On lap 12 Long got held up by a slower car and allowed Daggett to pull up to his back bumper. One lap later though Long moved by two lapped cars crossing outside to inside that ended up blocking Daggett and allowed Long to open up some breathing room.

On lap 14 that advantage was erased by a pair of cautions. The first for Andy Chehowski spinning in front of the leaders in turn two, then one lap later for Dain Naida’s spin off of turn four. This allowed Daggett to move around the lapped cars between himself and Long for the restart. Long was up for the challenge though and pulled away from Daggett to open up a half straightaway lead.

Further back in the field Gregg Dalman mounted a late race charge from 13th starting position into the top five. Dalman then was able to move Ruhl and Horstman to advance to the third position with five laps to go.

Up front it was all Long blasting through the lapped traffic to take the victory over Daggett, Dalman, Horstman, and Ruhl.

Daggett, Long, Chehowski, and Mann won heat race events, Lambertson won the Brodix cylinder heads dash, and Naida won the Engine Pro B-Main Event. Chehowski also picked up a cash bonus for his name being drawn for the Engine Pro Lucky Dog Prize.

The next event for the Engine Pro ASCS Sprints on Dirt presented by ARP series takes place Friday May 25th at Limaland Motorsports Park in Lima, Ohio.
Engine Pro ASCS Sprints on Dirt Presented by ARP
Crystal Motor Speedway – Crystal, MI
Saturday April 28th, 2012

Heat Race Events (Top 16 in passing points advanced to the “A” Feature)

Engler Machine and Tool Heat Race #1 (8 Laps): 1. 2M – Dustin Daggett, 2. 10 – Steve Irwin, 3. 16 – Ryan Ruhl, 4. 00 – Ryan Grubaugh, 5. 16c – Greg Wheeler, 6. 07 – Dain Naida, 7. 36 – Nate Bostrum, 8. 4 – Eric Smith

Allstar Performance Heat Race #2 (8 Laps): 1. 7 – Darren Long, 2. 17 – Jared Horstman, 3. 49t – Gregg Dalman, 4. 46 – Robert Huisken, 5. 70 – Jim Lingar, 6. 49 – Sean Dancer, 7. 81L – Keith Love (Love did not go to the scales after the race)

Butlerbuilt Racing Seats Heat Race #3 (8 Laps): 1. 20A – Andy Chehowski, 2. 27B – Lambertson, 3. 31 – Andy Teunessen, 4. 81 – John Gall, 5. 50 – Mike Burns, 6. 21 – Matt Lumbert. DNS: 8 – Tim Champlin

Hoosier Tires Heat Race #4 (8 Laps): 1. 3w – Brett Mann, 2. 5 – Keith Dempster, 3. 88 – Mike Daggett, 4. 14 – Ben Rutan, 5. 10S – Jay Steinebach, 6. 29s – Marques Huffer, 7. 2 – Joe Geibe.

Brodix Cylinder Heads Fast Car Dash (4 Laps): 1. 27 – Brad Lambertson, 2. 10 – Steve Irwin, 3. 16 – Ryan Ruhl, 4. 31 – Andy Teunessen. (Determined starting positions 9-12 for the “A” Feature)

Engine Pro “B” Feature (10 Laps): 1. 07x – Dain Naida, 2. 16c – Greg Wheeler, 3. 14 – Ben Rutan, 4. 29s – Marques Huffer, 5. 10s – Jay Steinebach, 6. 81L – Keith Love, 7. 8 – Tim Champlin, 8. 70 – Jim Lingar, 9. 2G – Joe Geibe, 10. 36 – Nate Bostrum, 11. 4 – Eric Smith, 12. 21 – Matt Lumbert. DNS: 49 – Sean Dancer (Top four finishers advanced to the “A” Feature)

“A” Feature (25-Laps): 1. 7 – Darren Long, 2. 2m – Dustin Daggett, 3. 49t – Gregg Dalman, 4. 17 – Jared Horstman, 5. 16 – Ryan Ruhl, 6. 00 – Ryan Grubaugh, 7. 88 – Mike Daggett, 8. 3w – Brett Mann, 9. 5 – Keith Dempster, 10. 46 – Robert Huisken, 11. 20A – Andy Chehowski, 12. 27 – Brad Lambertson, 13. 10 – Steve Irwin, 14. 31 – Andy Teunessen, 15. 16c – Greg Wheeler, 16. 81 – John Gall, 17. 50 – Mike Burner, 18. 14 – Ben Rutan, 19. 07x – Dain Naida, 20. 29s – Marques Huffer.

Lap Leaders: Long 1-25

Engine Pro Lucky Dog: Andy Chehowski

Updated 04/28/2012 at 1:45 p.m: The event at Crystal Motor Speedway is STILL ON as schedule. We will post updates throughout the morning and afternoon.

From Cody Morris

Tulsa, OK — (April 24, 2012) — As the Engine Pro ASCS Sprints on Dirt presented by ARP enters into their impressive and historic 33rd season of sprint car action, it is only fitting that the season opener be held at the only venue that has hosted the Sprints On Dirt each year since its’ 1979 founding.

Crystal Motor Speedway will host the 2012 Engine Pro ASCS Sprints on Dirt presented by ARP season opener this coming Saturday night, April 28th.

The event will feature the first of three visits to the semi banked, 3/8 mile Crystal, Michigan oval, and the debut of a 2012 ASCS SoD slate that features 24 events spread across a dozen different tracks in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, and Canada.

A perennial powerhouse in ASCS SoD action, Grand Ledge, Michigan’s Dustin Daggett laid claim to his first ASCS SoD championship since the Michigan based Sprints on Dirt merged with Emmett Hahn’s nationwide American Sprint Car Series.

Daggett has piloted the Mott Motorsports no. 2m to ASCS SoD victory lane numerous times, but few were sweeter than the I-96 Speedway score late last season that clinched his first Engine Pro ASCS Sprints on Dirt presented by ARP championship.

This Saturday night’s season opener at Crystal Motor Speedway is only the beginning of a 2012 Engine Pro ASCS Sprints on Dirt presented by ARP campaign highlighted by three visits to Crystal Motor Speedway, a Memorial Holiday Weekend triple header versus NRA rivals in Ohio, including the famed Eldora Speedway; eight MAHLE/Clevite Short Track Challenge events, the annual Canadian Sprint Car Nationals in Ohsweken, Canada; and a highly anticipated ASCS SoD inaugural debut on June 16th at Indiana’s Plymouth Speedway.

Per ASCS Sprints on Dirt series’ director Mike Strevel:
The Engine Pro ASCS Sprints on Dirt presented by ARP is excited to announce two new additions to the level of support that Engine Pro of Grand Rapids, Michigan already provides. The first is an exciting Engine Pro Lucky Dog program that will award a driver an additional cash award amount of at least $100 per feature race. A random finishing position will be drawn by the feature race winner and that driver will be awarded the $100 prize if he has decided to participate in the Lucky Dog program and has placed the large Engine Pro decal on their nose wing. If the position drawn does not have the decal the amount will roll over to the next race and increase to $200. This will continue over the course of the season for all SOD sanctioned events. If someone wins the prize it will start again at $100 and this will be an exciting promotion for the entire 2012 season.

The second promotion is the July 21, 2012 Engine Pro ASCS Sprints on Dirt presented by ARP event scheduled for Crystal Motor Speedway. Crystal is the only track to host the series for every year of the 33 year history of the group and to celebrate this occasion the track will host a 33 lap feature event paying $2,033 to win and $300 to start the feature. Also the National Racing Alliance (NRA) series from Ohio has agreed to co-sanction the event and will add to what is expected to be an incredible night of 360 winged sprint car racing. The SOD/NRA challenge race will mark the return of the NRA to the Wolverine state after several years’ absence.

Crystal Motor Speedway is located in Crystal, MI, 5.5 miles north of SR 57 on Crystal Road, then east on Sidney. For more information, contact the track at 989-235-5200.

The 2012 season marks the 21st year of sanctioning Sprint Car racing for the American Sprint Car Series, which brings the best of Sprint Car racing to dozens of different tracks throughout the nation and into Canada. Anchored by the Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series presented by MavTV, ASCS also consists of eleven different Regions throughout the nation.

Additional information regarding the American Sprint Car Series is available at www.ascsracing.com.