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New Era Begins Friday for I-96 Speedway and Sprints On Dirt

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Erie, MI (August 21, 2018) – I-96 Speedway and Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt share a long history, but this Friday, August 24th, a new era begins as SOD races at I-96 for the first time under new track owner Jeff Dice who purchased the speedway last winter.

Friday’s race will be this year’s Dual On Dirt, a repeat of last year’s fan-favorite event.  The Dual On Dirt 2018 will feature Sprints On Dirt and IMCA modifieds, being billed as “SODs plus mods.”

Coldwater, Michigan’s Ryan Ruhl drove his familiar #16 to victory in last year’s Dual.  Ruhl showed his strength early as Lane Automotive/MSD Ignition Fast Master in the Engler Machine & Tool Heat group.  He then drove from his 4th place heat race starting position to the win.  Chad Blonde (Litchfield, MI), current SOD championship point leader, finished 2nd and Gregg Dalman (Bellevue, MI) finished 3rd.

Track owner Dice, a Lansing area businessman, is excited about the speedway’s future and is determined to take it to the next level as a center for family entertainment.  Check out I-96 Speedway at www.i96speedway.com and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/I96Speedway/.

To learn more about Engine Pro, go to www.enginepro.com.  For more information about ARP, go to www.arp-bolts.com.  Follow SOD at www.sprintsondirt.com and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/sprintsondirt.

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COMP Cams title sponsor of SOD End-of-the-Year Shootout at Berlin Raceway

2018 COMP Berlin EotY ShootOut

ERIE, MI (August 7, 2018) – COMP Cams will be the title sponsor when Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt presented by ARP returns to Berlin Raceway on Saturday, September 29, for the End-of-the-Year Shootout.

SOD returns to the most unique venue it has ever raced at.  Berlin Raceway is renown among paved short tracks, but for a few weeks each autumn, it is transformed into a dirt track.  Saturday, September 29, the raceway will present its dirt finale with SOD’s COMP Cams End-of-the-Year Shootout.

COMP Cams, a long-time SOD marketing partner is also a SOD heat race sponsor.  The thirty-lap feature will pay $4,000 to win.  Engler Machine & Tool, COMP Cams, RockAuto.com, and Engine Pro will pay $100 to each heat race winner and $30 to second.  Lane Automotive and MSD Ignition will pay $50 to the fast qualifier in each heat group.  Over $2,200 in contingency cash and awards will be available to competitors.

Last year’s COMP Cams Great Lakes Sprint Car Classic was Michigan’s most popular 2017 dirt track race and this year’s COMP Cams End-of-the-Year Shootout is sure to this year’s most popular.  It will once again be part of an event that includes Michigan’s three leading dirt series, Sprints On Dirt, the American Ethanol Late Model Tour (AELMT), and the American Ethanol Modified Tour (AEMODT).

Berlin Raceway’s oval track racing history and SOD’s status as the nation’s most recognized, respected, and progressive regional sprint car series promise to make the race an event fans won’t want to miss.  This will be SOD’s fourth race at Berlin with previous appearances in 2013 and 2014 as well as last year.

Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt presented by ARP appreciates its long marketing partnership with COMP Cams and works tirelessly to keep the COMP Cams name out front.  For more information about COMP Cams, go to www.compcams.com.

Visit Berlin Raceway at www.berlinraceway.com.  Follow Berlin Raceway on Facebook at www.facebook.com/wherespeedbelongs.

To learn more about Engine Pro, go to www.enginepro.com.  For more information about ARP, go to www.arp-bolts.com.  Follow SOD at www.sprintsondirt.com and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/sprintsondirt.

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Chad Blonde crowned SOD 2018 Hog Creek Showdown Champ

Hog Creek champ

ERIE, MI (August 6, 2018) – The four-race Butler Motor Speedway/Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt presented by ARP Hog Creek Showdown wrapped up with the Butler Bash Friday and Saturday.  Chad Blonde took the championship and will receive a $1,000 payout at the Sprints On Dirt Awards Banquet on Saturday, October 27 at the Battle Creek (MI) Holiday Inn.  The top five will receive a share of the point fund.

2018 Hog Creek Showdown final points are:

iiiiiiiiiiiii                Car #                      Driver                                    Points
iiiiiiiiiiiii
1              5B                           Chad Blonde                     569
iiiiiiiiiiiii2              7                              Shawn Valenti                   545
iiiiiiiiiiiii3              27B                         Boston Mead                     482
iiiiiiiiiiiii4              10S                         Jay Steinebach                 472
iiiiiiiiiiiii5              4                              Josh Turner                      472

For full point standings and all other Sprints On Dirt points, go to the SOD website and click on the “2018 Points” tab.

The 2018 Hog Creek Showdown dates and top three were:
iiiiiiiiiiiiiSaturday, May 19, Chase Ridenour, Boston Mead, Chad Blonde
iiiiiiiiiiiiiSaturday, June 16 – WWIII, Josh Turner, Chad Blonde, Shawn Valenti
iiiiiiiiiiiiiFriday, August 3 – Butler Bash 1, Chad Blonde, Ryan Ruhl, Boston Mead
iiiiiiiiiiiiiSaturday, August 4 – Butler Bash 2, Shawn Valenti, Chad Blonde, Quentin Blonde

For more information about Butler Motor Speedway, go to www.butlerspeedway.net and the speedway’s Facebook page at https://goo.gl/csxUkX.  To learn more about Engine Pro, go to www.enginepro.com.  For more information about ARP, go to www.arp-bolts.com.  Follow SOD at www.sprintsondirt.com and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/sprintsondirt.

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Shawn Valenti scores exciting SOD Butler Bash victory

Shawn w-trophy

ERIE, MI (August 5, 2018) – Shawn Valenti, Fostoria, Ohio, powered to victory in the Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt presented by ARP finale of the two-night 5th annual Butler Bash at Butler Speedway last night.  Valenti started on the pole for the feature and led all twenty-five laps in his Gressman Powersports powered Triple X Race Co #7 to win over Chad Blonde (Litchfield, Michigan) and Quentin Blonde (Litchfield, Michigan).

The feature line up set the stage for an exciting race with Valenti, 2nd in SOD points, on the pole and point leader Chad Blonde on the outside of the front row.  Valenti took the lead at the start but was under tremendous pressure from Blonde who threw everything he had at the leader searching for a faster groove.  Valenti found a line that was best and stuck with it flawlessly to stay out front.  Traffic was a challenge for the leaders with Valenti having a little easier time of it than Blonde.  Late race restarts showed Valenti was in command for the win.

Josh Turner brought out the red flag on lap 12 when he flipped over the top of the track in turn four.  Ryan Ruhl, running 3rd through the first half of the race, dropped out with mechanical issues on lap 17.  Daryl Shaffer flipped hard at the end of the front straight and Boston Mead stopped with a broken shifter on lap 19.  Mead restarted on the rear and charged to a 5th place finish.  As the checkered flag flew, Ricky Ferkel climbed over Thomas Schinderle’s tire and flipped off of turn 2.

Josh Turner was the fastest qualifier both nights of the Butler Bash.  Boston Mead took the Engler Machine & Tool heat and Josh Turner won the COMP Cams heat race.

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

Group Time # Driver
Engler Machine & Tool Heat 13.628 27B Boston Mead
COMP Cams Heat 13.321 4T Josh Turner

Heat Races

Engler Machine & Tool Heat #1
  # Driver Contingency
1 5b Chad Blonde
2 39 Tylar Rankin
3 41 Thomas Schinderle Benic Enterprises
4 27B Boston Mead Racing Optics
5 0 Ricky Ferkel
6 1a Mark Aldrich
7 27K Brad Wickham
8 8 Justin Ward
9 52 Zac Broughman
10 29 Daryl Shaffer

 

COMP Cams Heat #2
  # Driver Contingency
1 71H Ryan Ruhl
2 10s Jay Steinebach
3 7 Shawn Valenti Benic Enterprises
4 5QB Quentin Blonde Racing Optics
5 4T Josh Turner
6 24+ Mike Schumacher
7 6 Tyler Bearden
8 57x Skippy Bradford
9 8W Josh Ward

Feature

  # Driver Awards Contingencies
1 7 Shawn Valenti Rod End Supply
2 5b Chad Blonde Jim Coffey & Son Rod End Supply
3 5QB Quentin Blonde Rod End Supply
4 10s Jay Steinebach Schoenfeld Headers
5 27B Boston Mead ATL Racing Fuel Cells
6 39 Tylar Rankin Allstar Performance
7 41 Thomas Schinderle
8 1a Mark Aldrich
9 0 Ricky Ferkel
10 8 Justin Ward
11 27K Brad Wickham Keizer Aluminum Wheels
12 24+ Mike Schumacher
13 52 Zac Broughman
14 57x Skippy Bradford
15 6 Tyler Bearden
16 29 Daryl Shaffer
17 71H Ryan Ruhl
18 4T Josh Turner
19 8W Josh Ward

KSE Racing Products Hard Charger – Quentin Blonde (+4)
BR Motorsports Contingency (feature top 10 draw) – Tylar Rankin
DMI (Diversified Machine) Contingency (feature 12-16 draw) – Mike Schumacher
Perfit Corporation Lucky Dog – Tylar Rankin
Allstar Performance Better Luck Next Time – Josh Turner

For more information about Butler Motor Speedway, go to www.butlerspeedway.net and the speedway’s Facebook page at https://goo.gl/csxUkX.  To learn more about Engine Pro, go to www.enginepro.com.  For more information about ARP, go to www.arp-bolts.com.  Follow SOD at www.sprintsondirt.com and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/sprintsondirt.

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Chad Blonde takes SOD Butler Bash Friday

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ERIE, MI (August 4, 2018) – Chad Blonde (Litchfield, Michigan) drove his Krieger Racing Engines powered Maxim to victory Friday night for the Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt presented by ARP win on the first night of the two-night 5th annual Butler Bash at Butler Speedway.

The luck of the draw was on Blonde’s side when the King Engine Bearings Kids Feature Draw put him on the pole for the feature.  Mastering a track that challenged many drivers, he led from start to finish for the victory by almost a quarter of a lap over eighth-starter Ryan Ruhl (Coldwater, Michigan) and Boston Mead (Onsted, Michigan).

Jay Steinebach (Hudsonville, Michigan) charged from the second starting position to lead through turn two on lap one before Blonde motored by on the backstretch.  Mead and Shawn Valenti (Fostoria, Ohio) looked like they might be able to challenge the leader, but it was Ruhl who was Blonde’s only serious threat.

Butler regular John Turner (Osseo, Michigan) had overall fast time and won the COMP Cams heat race.  Mead, also a Butler regular took the Engler Machine & Tool heat.

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

Group Time # Driver
Engler Machine & Tool Heat 13.587 5B Chad Blonde
COMP Cams Heat 13.434 4T Josh Turner

Heat Races

Engler Machine & Tool Heat #1
  # Driver Contingency
1 27B Boston Mead
2 10s Jay Steinebach
3 5b Chad Blonde Benic Enterprises
4 7X Nic Rogers Racing Optics
5 27K Brad Wickham
6 8 Justin Ward
7 29 Daryl Shaffer
8 52 Zac Broughman
9 1a AJ Aldrich

 

COMP Cams Heat #2
  # Driver Contingency
1 4T Josh Turner
2 0 Ricky Ferkel
3 7 Shawn Valenti Benic Enterprises
4 71H Ryan Ruhl Racing Optics
5 39 Tylar Rankin
6 24+ Mike Schumacher
7 5QB Quentin Blonde

Feature

  # Driver Awards Contingencies
1 5b Chad Blonde Rod End Supply
2 71H Ryan Ruhl Jim Coffey & Son Rod End Supply
3 27B Boston Mead Rod End Supply
4 7 Shawn Valenti Schoenfeld Headers
5 5QB Quentin Blonde ATL Racing Fuel Cells
6 4T Josh Turner Allstar Performance
7 10s Jay Steinebach
8 0 Ricky Ferkel
9 7X Nic Rogers
10 8 Justin Ward
11 29 Daryl Shaffer Keizer Aluminum Wheels
12 24+ Mike Schumacher
13 39 Tylar Rankin
14 52 Zac Broughman
15 1a AJ Aldrich
16 27K Brad Wickham
17 8W Josh Ward

KSE Racing Products Hard Charger – Quentin Blonde (+9)
BR Motorsports Contingency (feature top 10 draw) – Boston Mead
DMI (Diversified Machine) Contingency (feature 12-16 draw) – Tylar Rankin
Perfit Corporation Lucky Dog – Jay Steinebach
Allstar Performance Better Luck Next Time – Josh Ward

For more information about Butler Motor Speedway, go to www.butlerspeedway.net and the speedway’s Facebook page at https://goo.gl/csxUkX.  To learn more about Engine Pro, go to www.enginepro.com.  For more information about ARP, go to www.arp-bolts.com.  Follow SOD at www.sprintsondirt.com and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/sprintsondirt.

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