By Adrianna Irwin

Engine Pro Sprints on Dirt presented by ARP is pleased to announce the return of the MAHLE/Clevite Short Track Challenge for 2015!  The challenge offers drivers the opportunity to compete in a mini-championship within the Engine Pro Sprints on Dirt Series presented by ARP for an additional, separate point fund.

The 2015 MAHLE/Clevite Short Track Challenge will consist of five races held at five different speedways in Michigan and Indiana.  The events that are part of this exciting mini-series are:

• Saturday, May 16^th, at Plymouth Speedway
• Friday, July 17^th, at Tri-City Motor Speedway
• Saturday, July 18^th, at Crystal Motor Speedway
• Saturday, July 25^th, at Butler Speedway
• Saturday, August 22^nd, at Merritt Speedway

In the event inclement weather prevents the completion of the events scheduled for May 16^th and July 18^th, alternate dates will be Saturday, August 15^th, for Plymouth Speedway and Saturday, September 5^th, for Crystal Motor Speedway.

The driver earning the most total points in this 5 race event will be awarded a $1,000 payment as the winner of the 2015 MAHLE/Clevite Short Track Challenge.  Point fund monies will be paid out to the top ten finishers in the 2015 MAHLE/Clevite Short Track Challenge.

Every weekend it is on dirt short tracks across America on Friday and Saturday nights where modern day gladiators fight in arenas to see who can be the best.  Grass roots racing is the heart of motor sports, Clevite® engine bearings and MAHLE Original® engine parts are there to make sure these weekend warriors can go the distance and win the trophies. Debates carry on over who is the best on the track, but there is no debate that Clevite and MAHLE Original are the one constant of winning teams throughout grass roots racing.

The full 2015 Engine Pro Sprints on Dirt presented by ARP schedule is available at www.sprintsondirt.com along with series point standings, current news and results.  As a reminder, rules for the Engine Pro Sprints on Dirt presented by ARP have been opened up in 2015 to include All-Pro heads (with gaskets) and Fremont/Attica legal 305 engines.

Engine Pro Sprints on Dirt presented by ARP officials will have tires on hand for this Saturday’s race at Plymouth Motor Speedway.  As always, spec right rears will be available.  If there are any specific requests for left rear tires, please email (director@sprintsondirt.com) or call (810-240-1789) Series Director, Adrianna Irwin, by 3pm Thursday afternoon.

By T.J. Buffenbarger

Lake Odessa, MI – (May 1, 2015) – Ryan Ruhl picked up his second consecutive Engine Pro Sprints on Dirt presented by ARP feature event Friday night at I-96 Speedway. Ruhl and Gregg Dalman staged a spectacular race for the lead trading the top spot back and forth before Ruhl took the point with three laps to go and held on for the victory.

“Greg (Dalman) and I had a really great race going there,” said Ruhl following the feature. “I couldn’t quite get by him, and we got close a couple of times, but I finally got a good run through one and two and got by him.”

Andy Teunessen and Craig Karazim started on the front row for the 25-lap feature event with Teunessen leading early. After an early caution for Scott Hull’s spin in turn four Daggett quickly worked his way into the top three after starting in row four and began to run down the leaders. Daggett took the lead on lap 10 for Teunessen and pulled away from the field.

Behind Daggett Gregg Dalman was also making a charge on the bottom of the race track. Using the bottom of the track, Dalman disposed of Teunessen for second and began to pursue Daggett for the lead. By that point though Daggett has amassed a half a track lead.

Then with 10 laps to go Daggett got tangled up in slower traffic and ended up backwards in turn four with Linden Jones, turning the lead over to Dalman. Daggett went to the back of the lead lap cars for the restart.

After the green Dalman and Ruhl began a torrid battle for the lead, racing by side and even making hard contact on the front stretch. With three laps to go Ruhl got a run under Dalman through turns one and two to take the lead. Ruhl followed up taking the lead by slipping through traffic the final three laps to take the victory over Dalman. Daggett was able to race his way up to third with Brett Mann and Teuessen rounding out the top five.

Engine Pro Sprints on Dirt presented by ARP
I-96 Speedway – Lake Odessa, MI
Friday May 1, 2015

Comp Cams / Lane Automotive Heat Race #1 (8 Laps): 1. 16 – Ryan Ruhl, 2. 31 – Andy Teuessen, 3. 2M – Dustin Daggett, 4. 19 – Brett Mann, 5. 27 – Brad Lamberson, 6. 7R – Nic Rogers, 7. 7K – Kyle Pitts

Kistler Racing Products Heat Race #2 (8 Laps): 1. 49T – Gregg Dalman, 2. 4Z – Craig Karazim, 3. 48 – Scott Hull, 4. 20A – Andy Chehowski, 5. 19J – Linden Jones, 6. 23G – Joe Geibe, 7. 24 – Eric Smith

Allstar Performance / Engler Machine and Tool Heat Race #3 (8 Laps): 1. 11R – Chase Ridenour, 2. 21 – Kirk Cheney, 3. 11 – Trey Smith, 4. 1A – Mark Aldrich, 5. 18 – D.J. Lamance, 6. 70 – Jim Lingar

Feature (25-Laps): 1. 16 – Ryan Ruhl, 2. 49T – Gregg Dalman, 3. 2M – Dustin Daggett, 4. 19 – Brett Mann, 5. 31 – Andy Teuessen, 6. 11R – Chase Ridenour, 7. 7K – Kyle Pitts, 8. 4Z – Craig Karazim, 9. 27 – Brad Lamberson, 10. 7R – Nic Rogers, 11. 11 – Trey Smith, 12. 1A – Mark Aldrich, 13. 20A – Andy Chehowski, 14. 23G – Joe Geibe, 15. 48 – Scott Hull, 16. 70 – Jim Lingar, 17. 19J – Linden Jones, 18. 21 – Kirk Cheney, 19. 18 – D.J. Lamance, 20. 24 – Eric Smith.

By T.J. Buffenbarger

Crystal, MI – (April 25, 2015) – Ryan Ruhl was able to take advantage of another competitors misfortune to win Saturday night’s Engine Pro Sprints on Dirt presented by ARP feature Saturday night at Crystal Motor Speedway. Ruhl and Brad Lamberson raced for the lead throughout the second half of the 25-lap feature before Lamberson was able to pull away. While coming down for the white flag Lamberson’s engine expired and Ruhl surged into the lead and went on to take the victory.

“I guess if you do this long enough you can only be so unlucky, I really feel for brad, he had a good race going. I feel terrible it had to end like that.”

Shawn Dancer and Lamberson started on the front row and raced side by side for the lead on the opening lap with Lamberson taking the point. Lamberson held the top spot when Mike Burns brought out the caution flag with four laps in. Lamberson was able to pull away from Dancer during the restart while Dancer had to contend with Andy Teunessen challenging him for the second spot. Behind them Ruhl and Dustin Daggett were working their way up from starting 7th and fifth respectively racing for fourth position. Ruhl took the fourth spot from Daggett and then closed in on the lead trio.

Just as the leaders were getting into traffic and Lamberson appeared to be boxed in Burns brought out another caution flag when he slowed on the track. This allowed Lamberson an open track while Ruhl and Dancer races for second spot.

Lamberson pulled away again during the restart while Ruhl was able to slide in front of Dancer between turns one and two. Lamberson continued to pull away until a caution flag appeared Kyle Pitts spin in turn four. Geibe had to take evasive action and bounce off the wall to avoid contact with Pitts. Both drivers were able to restart.

This setup the lead battle over the final eight laps. Ruhl dove to the inside of Lamberson in turns one and two during the restart, but could not make the pass. Daggett started to make a late race surge moving into third with five laps to go as Ruhl closed in on Lamberson.

Even with Ruhl and Daggett quickly closing Lamberson appeared to have everything under control until coming off turn four for the white flag Lamberson’s car lost power. Ruhl surged into the lead and held off Daggett on the final lap for the victory. Dancer, Chase Ridenour, and Teunessen rounded out the top five. Lamberson dropped back to 16th.

Ruhl, Ridenour, Daggett, and Pitts won heat race events while Nic Rogers won the B-Main event. The Engine Pro Sprints on Dirt presented by ARP series continues Friday night at I-96 Speedway in Lake Odessa, MI.

Engine Pro Sprints on Dirt presented by ARP
Crystal Motor Speedway – Crystal, MI
Saturday April 26, 2015

Heat Race #1 (8 Laps): 1. 16 – Ryan Ruhl, 2. 27 – Brad Lamberson, 3. 25M – Ken Mackey, 4. 27X – Jared Lamberson, 5. 2T – Ralph Brakenberry, 6. 24 – Eric Smith. (Top four finishers transferred to the A-Main)

Heat Race #2 (8 Laps): 1. 11R – Chase Ridenour, 2. 81 – John Gall, 3. 22M – Dan McCarron, 4. 19 – Brett Mann, 5. 50B – Mike Burns, 6. 70 – Jim Lingar. (Top four finishers transferred to the A-Main)

Heat Race #3 (8 Laps): 1. 2M – Dustin Daggett, 2. 31 – Andy Teunessen, 3. 1A – Mark Aldrich, 4. 4Z – Craig Karazim, 5. 7 – Nic Rogers, 6. 35 – Mark Strpko. (Top four finishers transferred to the A-Main)

Heat Race #4 (8 Laps): 1. 7K – Kyle Pitts, 2. 49 – Shawn Dancer, 3. 49T – Gregg Dalman, 4. 23 – Joe Geibe, 5. 77X – Alex Hill, 6. 21 – Kirk Cheney. (Top four finishers transferred to the A-Main)

B-Main (10 Laps): 1. 7 – Nic Rogers, 2. 77X – Alex Hill, 3. 50B – Mike Burns, 4. 21 – Kirk Cheney, 5. 24 – Eric Smith, 6. 70 – Jim Lingar, 7. 2T – Ralph Brakenberry. DNS: 35 – Mark Strpko. (Top five finishers transferred to the A-Main)

A-Main (25-Laps): 1. 16 – Ryan Ruhl, 2. 2M – Dustin Daggett, 3. 49 – Shawn Dancer, 4. 11R – Chase Ridenour, 5. 31 – Andy Teunessen, 6. 22M – Dan McCarron, 7. 19 – Brett Mann, 8. 49T – Gregg Dalman, 9. 25M – Ken Mackey, 10. 7K – Kyle Pitts, 11. 1A – Mark Aldrich, 12. 23 – Joe Geibe, 13. 77X – Alex Hill, 14. 81 – John Gall, 15. 21 – Kirk Cheney, 16. 27 – Brad Lamberson, 17. 50B – Mike Burns, 18. 7 – Nic Rogers, 19. 27X – Jared Lamberson, 20. 24 – Eric Smith

From Central Florida Motorsprots

Central Florida Motorsports is proud to announce that Kyle Pitts will be travelling back to Michigan for the 2015 Sprints on Dirt Season. Following a strong performance in the 2014 where Pitts achieved Rookie of the Year honors as well as a 3rd place in year end points.

In less than a week Pitts will be at Crystal Motor Speedway in Crystal Michigan, for the Season Opener. April 25 will be the start of the 20 race season that will travel throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and end in Ontario Canada with the Canadian Sprint Car Nationals.

“I’m really excited to have the opportunity to go back to Michigan and build on what we have accomplished last year. We had some strong finishes but couldn’t make it to victory lane. This year we are looking to change that.”

CFM is proud to announce the addition of `Game On’ Outdoor Gear, Wix Filters, JE Pistons, and Sheldon Farms to the team for the 2015 Sprints on Dirt Season.

To get more information about Kyle Pitts and Central Florida Motorsports follow on social media; Facebook.com/KylePittsRacing as well on Twitter @KPitts7, in addition to updates on the race weekend at www.KylePittsRacing.com