Tim Champlin collected pass master honors during the season opener for the Engine Pro ASCS Sprints on Dirt presented by ARP by passing the most cars during the feature event.  Champlin advanced from 19th starting position to finish 9th in the A-Main.  The driver passing the most cars from their original starting position during  all of the feature events this season will collect a prize at the season ending awards banquet courtesy of JE / SRP Pistons.

In the season long chase for the Engine Pro ASCS Sprints on Dirt presented by ARP championship and the SOD Cup Dustin Daggett used his feature victory Saturday at Crystal Motor Speedway to vault to the top of the standings.   Daggett will lead the points going into the second event of 2010 at Gas City I-69 Speedway.

By T.J. Buffenbarger

Crystal, MI. – (Saturday May 1st, 2010) – Dustin Daggett took the lead from Joe Bares on lap two, battled a majority of the event with ASCS Lucas Oil Series regular Darren Long, and held on during two last lap restarts for the victory in the Mott Motorsports car.

“That was a fun race,” said Daggett in victory lane. “We ran really good our first race out last Friday in Ohio and just continued on tonight. I can’t thank Phil and Marty Mott along with the rest of my team enough for giving me such a good race car tonight.”

Bares and Long started on the front row for the 25-lap feature event. The first attempt to start the race saw Bares get sideways and lose several positions as Long took the lead Then in turns three and four Ryan Grubaugh got sideways and Robert Huisken had nowhere to go and collided with Grubaugh to bring out the caution flag. Both drivers were unable to restart.

The second attempt at the start was better for Bares as he took the lead. After one lap though Bares was under pressure from Long and Daggett as the trio swapped the top position racing three wide through turns one and two with Daggett taking the lead. Long moved into second and went in pursuit of Daggett while Bares battled Gregg Dalman and Brett Mann for the third sport.

Daggett and Long separated themselves from the rest of the field. Daggett managed to get through lapped traffic until a pair of cautions on lap 16 and 17 for spins by Kirk Cheney and Curt Shumaker.

Long kept Daggett within striking distance until Lap 19 when Long nearly made contact with Daggett and doing so almost slid off the track. Long did not give up though and chipped away at Daggett’s lead and used slower traffic to close the gap with two laps to go.

As the leaders crossed under the white flag and appeared to headed for last lap theatrics the caution appeared for Shumaker who spun off the track.

The first attempt at the last lap restart saw Kirk Cheney nullify it with a spin in turn one. Daggett got the jump during the second attempt and Long could not make up the difference. Bares, Dalman, and Mann rounded out the top five.

Aaron Shaffer, Bares, and Long captured heat race victories, Andy Teunessen won the fast car dash, and Kyle Patrick won the B-Main.

The Engine Pro ASCS Sprints on Dirt presented by ARP is in its 31st season of competition throughout Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, and into Canada.

The American Sprint Car Series, in its 19th year of sanctioning Sprint Car racing events, brings the best of Sprint Car racing to nearly 100 different tracks throughout the United States and Canada. Anchored by the Lucas Oil ASCS Sprint Car Dirt Series, ASCS also consists of a several different Regions throughout the nation.

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

Engine Pro ASCS Sprints on Dirt presented by ARP Results
Saturday May 1st, 2010
Crystal Motor Speedway – Crystal, MI

Heat Races (Top 16 in passing points transfer to the “A” Feature)

Engler Machine and Tool Heat Race #1 (8 Laps): 1. 22 – Aaron Shaffer, 2. 19 – Brett Mann, 3. 3w – Ryan Grubaugh, 4. 46 – Robert Huisken, 5. 6N – Dain Naida, 6. 33k – Kyle Patrick, 7 61x – Don Smith, 8. 22T – Tank Brakenberry

Lane Automotive/Comp Cams Heat Race #2 (8 Laps): 1. 91 – Joe Bares, 2 49t – Gregg Dalman, 3. 31 – Andy Teunessen, 4. 187 – Gavin Hunyady, 5. 55 – Kirk Cheney, 6. 10x – Curt Shumaker, 7. 29s – Marques Huffer, 8. 2t – Ralph Brakenberry

Butlerbuilt Heat Race #3 (8 Laps): 1. 3G – Darren Long, 2. 2M – Dustin Daggett, 3. 27R – Ryan Ruhl, 4. 23 – Ben Rutan, 5. 85 – Mike Daggett, 6. 14 – Ryan Davis, 7. 8 – Tim Champlin

B-Main (Top four finishers transferred to the A-Main)

Engine Pro B-Main (10 Laps): 1. 33k – Kyle Patrick, 2. 14 – Ryan Davis, 3. 8 – Tim Champlin, 4. 61 – Don Smith, 5. 29s – Marques Huffer, 6. 22t – Tank Brakenberry, 7. 2T – Ralph Brakenberry

Total Seal Fast Car Dash presented by Gaerte Engines (4 Laps): 1. 31 – Andy Teunessen, 2. 19 – Brett Mann, 3. 49t – Gregg Dalman, 4. 22s – Aaron Shaffer.

Engine Pro ASCS Sprints on Dirt presented by Victor Reinz “A” Main Event

“A” Feature (25 Laps): 1. 2m – Dustin Daggett, 2. 3g – Darren Long, 3. 91- Joe Bares, 4. 49t – Gregg Dalman, 5. 19 – Bret Mann, 6. 23 – Ben Rutan, 7. 85 – Mike Daggett, 8. 31 – Andy Teunessen, 9. 8 – Tim Champlin , 10. 27 – Ryan Ruhl, 11. 22 – Aaron Shaffer, 12. 14 – Ryan Davis, 13. 55 – Kirk Cheney, 14. 33 k – Kyle Patrick, 15. 61x – Don Smith, 16. 10 – Curt Shumaker, 17. 6n – Dain Naida, 18. 187 – Gavin Hunyady, 19. Ryan Grubaugh, 20. Robert Huisken.

Lap Leaders: 1 Bares, 2-25 Daggett

Hard Charger: Champlin (+10)

Engine Pro ASCS Sprints on Dirt presented by Victor Reinz Point Standings (Top Ten): 1. Dustin Daggett 150, 2. Darren Long 142, 3. Joe Bares 135, 4. Gregg Dalman 130, 5. Brett Mann 125, 6. Ben Rutan 122, 7. Mike Daggett 119, 8. Andy Teunessen 116, 9. Tim Champlin 113, 10. Ryan Ruhl 110.

All systems are go for the season opener at Crystal Motor Speedway tonight. Report from the track is rainfall was minimal and everything is on schedule!