With the final points race in the books, Steve Irwin (Fenton, MI) has earned the 2017 Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt presented by ARP championship.  The Flying Zero team of Irwin, car owner/wife Adrianna, and crew chief Nathan Whitney put together a consistent season in their Krieger-powered Maxim Flying Zero, finishing in the top seven in fourteen races while dropping out of one.

Irwin isn’t unfamiliar with championships.  This is his second SOD championship, having won the first in 2001.  He also won the 2007, 2009, 2010, and 2014 non-wing, dirt Michigan Traditional Sprints championships and the 2014 Spartan Speedway non-wing pavement championship.  Irwin has 49 feature wins.

Besides the season championship, Irwin also won the SOD MAHLE/Clevite Beyond Limits Challenge four-race championship.  He finished second in the King Engine Bearings Hartford Speedway King of Michigan four-race series and fifth in the Driven Racing Oil Butler Speedway Battlegrounds Bash four-race series.

Thomas Schinderle finished second in the championship chase and earned the Perfit Corporation Series Rookie of the Year title as the highest finishing driver with previous sprint car experience but a first-time SOD regular. 

Two-time SOD champ Gregg Dalman finished third in points, Chris Jones finished fourth and Ryan Ruhl finished fifth.

Thirteen-year-old Andrew Scheid finished eighth in the points, earning the Perfit Corporation Sprint Car Rookie of the Year title as the highest finishing driver with no previous full-size sprint car experience.

Irwin’s championship has earned him a guaranteed starting spot in the COMP Cams Great Lakes Sprint Car Classic at Berlin Raceway on Saturday, September 30^th that will bring the 2017 season to a close.

The top twelve drivers in points have earned a share of the point fund that will be paid to drivers that attend the 2017 Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt presented by ARP Awards Banquet.  It will be held at the Battle Creek Holiday Inn, Battle Creek, Michigan, on Saturday, November 11th.  Eligible drivers are:

Want to celebrate the 2017 season at the family-friendly banquet?  Racers, teams, sponsors, promoters, fans, families, friends are all invited.  Tickets will be $35 per person.  Email director@sprintsondirt.com to order yours.

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

Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt presented by ARP is brought to you in 2017 by many important sponsor partners including: Engine Pro (Title Sponsor), ARP (Title Sponsor), Hoosier Racing Tire (Official SOD Tire), MAHLE/Clevite (Beyond Limits Challenge Sponsor), Driven Racing Oil (Battlegrounds Bash Sponsor), King Engine Bearings (King of Michigan Sponsor), Lane Automotive/MSD Ignition (Fast Masters Sponsor), Engler Machine & Tool (Heat Race Sponsor), COMP Cams (Heat Race Sponsor), RockAuto.com (Heat Race Sponsor), The Perfit Corporation (Lucky Dog Sponsor), KSE Racing Products (Hard Charger Sponsor), XYZ Machining (Season Sportsman & Crew Chief Sponsor).  In addition, SOD contingency sponsors include: Allstar Performance, ATL Racing Fuel Cells, BR Motorsports, Diversified Machine Inc. (DMI), K2W Precision/Keizer Aluminum Wheels, King Racing Products, Kistler Racing Products, Maxim Racing, Motor City Racing Promotions, Racing Optics, Rod End Supply, Schoenfeld Headers, Simpson Racing Products, Walker Performance Filtration.

With three wins and a second, Chad Blonde (Litchfield, MI) drove Sean Robinson’s Krieger-powered Maxim to the Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt presented by ARP King Engine Bearings King of Michigan championship at Hartford Speedway Friday night.

The King of Michigan, a SOD tradition as a single race before King Engine Bearings came onboard as the title sponsor, became a mini-series including all four 2017 SOD races at Hartford Speedway.  The first KoM race rained out on May 19^th.  Blonde then won on June 9^th and the rainout make up race on July 14^th.  Blonde was in victory lane for the third race also, a 5 minute and 25 second non-stop feature on August 11^th.  At the series closer on September 1^st, Ryan Ruhl, a previous, single-race KoM winner, took the win in an exciting race over Blonde and Steve Irwin, 2001 and 2017 SOD champion.

As the King Engine Bearings King of Michigan champion, Blonde collected $1,000.  Irwin, Gregg Dalman (2015 SOD champion), Thomas Schinderle (2017 SOD Series Rookie of the Year), and Ruhl also earned a share of the KoM point fund.

King Chad discovers that it isn’t about the money or the trophy, but about the crown.
(Jim DenHamer photo)

Hartford Speedway owner/promoter Tim Dibble’s monumental decision last winter to reconfigure the track to a 3/8 mile oval proved to be an overwhelming success and a big hit with fan-pleasing racing.

King Engine Bearings was founded in 1960 with one simple objective: to supply the highest quality bearings available in the marketplace. By specializing in engine bearings, the King Engine Bearings team of bearing specialists has built an extensive product offering that includes a wide range of engine bearings for automobiles, light duty and heavy duty trucks, marine, aviation, standby power and many other types of internal combustion engines. Every King bearing utilizes the highest quality materials and the most advanced designs to ensure complete customer satisfaction.

For more information about SOD’s King of Michigan sponsor partner, go to www.kingbearings.com.  Check out Hartford Speedway at www.hartfordspeedway.net for more information.  Meet Engine Pro at www.enginepro.com.  For more information about ARP, go to www.arp-bolts.com.  Follow SOD at www.sprintsondirt.comand on Facebook at www.facebook.com/sprintsondirt.

Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt presented by ARP is brought to you in 2017 by many important sponsor partners including: Engine Pro (Title Sponsor), ARP (Title Sponsor), Hoosier Racing Tire (Official SOD Tire), MAHLE/Clevite (Beyond Limits Challenge Sponsor), Driven Racing Oil (Battlegrounds Bash Sponsor), King Engine Bearings (King of Michigan Sponsor), Lane Automotive/MSD Ignition (Fast Masters Sponsor), Engler Machine & Tool (Heat Race Sponsor), COMP Cams (Heat Race Sponsor), RockAuto.com (Heat Race Sponsor), The Perfit Corporation (Lucky Dog Sponsor), KSE Racing Products (Hard Charger Sponsor), XYZ Machining (Season Sportsman & Crew Chief Sponsor).  In addition, SOD contingency sponsors include: Allstar Performance, ATL Racing Fuel Cells, BR Motorsports, Diversified Machine Inc. (DMI), K2W Precision/Keizer Aluminum Wheels, King Racing Products, Kistler Racing Products, Maxim Racing, Motor City Racing Promotions, Racing Optics, Rod End Supply, Schoenfeld Headers, Simpson Racing Products, Walker Performance Filtration.

Ryan Ruhl (Coldwater, MI) capped off a great weekend by putting on a dominating performance to win his third consecutive annual Mike Olrich Memorial last night at Crystal Motor Speedway.  The race was the final points race for Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt Presented by ARP 2017 season.  The 25 lap SOD feature was run caution-free and in record time.  Ruhl also won the SOD King Engine Bearing King of Michigan race at Hartford Speedway Friday night.

The speedway was the scene of an epic battle; there was also an impressive race too!  Track owner/promoter Ron Flinn went toe-to-toe for control of the track surface with Mother Nature.  Flinn, who takes pride in his track prep, was challenged after SOD heats but before the SOD feature.  Determined to win out, Flinn went to work bringing back the lost race surface.  Crystal’s track prep vehicles/push trucks went to work on track.  All 22 SOD cars then took over and wheel packed the track.  Everyone was rewarded with a lightning-fast, fan-pleasing track.

Jay Steinebach and Brett Mann led the field to the green with Mann taking the initial lead.  It was immediately obvious that the packed house was going to be treated to an all-out speed fest.  Lapped traffic quickly made the leaders work hard, and Steinebach took advantage of a Mann check up to grab the lead.  4^th starting Ruhl took the lead on lap seven though, and drove off into another time zone, expertly slicing through traffic.  Steinebach faced a little pressure first from Mann, then from Dain Naida, but eventually opened up a comfortable gap.  Mann got back by Naida on the last lap to claim 3^rd.

Steve Irwin’s 6^th place finish was enough to claim the Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt Presented by ARP 2017 Championship.  Thomas Schinderle finished 2^nd in points and is the 2017 Perfit Sprints On Dirt Series Rookie of the Year.  2015 SOD champion Gregg Dalman finished 3^rd in points.  Chris Jones came back from a heat race flip to start the feature and take 4th in points over Ryan Ruhl.  Andrew Scheid claimed the 2017 Perfit Sprints On Dirt Sprint Car Rookie of the Year title and finished 8^th in season points.

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

Heat Races – Winners $100 each

Feature

KSE Racing Products Hard Charger – Tim Evilsizer (+6)
BR Motorsports Contingency (feature top 10 draw) – Dain Naida
DMI (Diversified Machine) Contingency (feature 12-16 draw) – Brian Slusarski
Perfit Corporation Lucky Dog – Chris Pobanz

For more information about Engine Pro go to www.enginepro.com.  For more information about ARP, go to www.arp-bolts.com.  The full 2017 Sprints on Dirt schedule, rules, current news, and other information are available at www.sprintsondirt.com.

Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt presented by ARP is brought to you in 2017 by many important sponsor partners including: Engine Pro (Title Sponsor), ARP (Title Sponsor), Hoosier Racing Tire (Official SOD Tire), MAHLE/Clevite (Beyond Limits Challenge Sponsor), Driven Racing Oil (Battlegrounds Bash Sponsor), King Engine Bearings (King of Michigan Sponsor), Lane Automotive/MSD Ignition (Fast Masters Sponsor), Engler Machine & Tool (Heat Race Sponsor), COMP Cams (Heat Race Sponsor), RockAuto.com (Heat Race Sponsor), The Perfit Corporation (Lucky Dog Sponsor), KSE Racing Products (Hard Charger Sponsor), XYZ Machining (Season Sportsman & Crew Chief Sponsor).  In addition, SOD contingency sponsors include: Allstar Performance, ATL Racing Fuel Cells, BR Motorsports, Diversified Machine Inc. (DMI), K2W Precision/Keizer Aluminum Wheels, King Racing Products, Kistler Racing Products, Maxim Racing, Motor City Racing Promotions, Racing Optics, Rod End Supply, Schoenfeld Headers, Simpson Racing Products, Walker Performance Filtration.

Ryan Ruhl (Coldwater, MI) charged from the 8^th starting position to win the King Engine Bearings King of Michigan finale at Hartford Speedway last night.  The race brought the curtain down on the last race for Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt Presented by ARP at Hartford Speedway.

The 29 qualifiers were led by Joe Swanson, Lane Automotive/MSD Ignition Fast Master (fast qualifier) in the Engler Machine & Tool heat and fastest overall at 14.200.  Swanson looked like he had the speed to be a contender for the feature win, but suffered an engine failure while leading his heat.  Chad Blonde was Lane Automotive/MSD Ignition Fast Master (fast qualifier) in the COMP Cams heat, and Steve Irwin for the RockAuto.com heat.  Ryan Grubaugh’s night ended in qualifying with engine woes.

Ruhl’s win came after he took the lead from race leader Steve Irwin (Fenton, MI) on lap 10, but it wasn’t an easy win.  12^th place starter Chad Blonde (Litchfield, MI), winner of the three previous King Engine Bearings KoM took 2^nd on lap 16, then the lead on the next lap.  Ruhl wasn’t to be denied and charged back around Blonde on the next lap.  While it looked like everything was settled, Irwin found new speed and battled back and forth with Blonde for 2^nd.  Irwin took 2^nd on lap 22, but lapped traffic in his low groove forced him to check up, and Blonde drove around the top back into 2^nd. Ruhl held on to take the action-packed 25 lapper over Blonde and Irwin.

Ruhl advanced 7 places in the feature, and Blonde advanced 12 places.  However, Brett Mann showed the most muscle by advancing from 19^th to a 4^th place finish, winning the KSE Racing Products Hard Charger Award at +15.  Irwin was the fastest car for several laps late in the race.

Blonde’s 2^nd place finish earned him the King Engine Bearings King of Michigan Championship.  Steve Irwin finished 2^nd, Gregg Dalman 3^rd, Thomas Schinderle 4^th, and Ryan Ruhl 5^th.

King Engine Bearings made it possible to take the SOD King of Michigan to a new level as a four-race mini-series instead of a single race.  Hartford Speedway’s Tim and Leah Dibble and their entire staff gave competitors a great race track that culminated with an excellent program and one of the season’s best features with action and passing everywhere.

Going into the 2017 SOD final points race tonight at Crystal Motor Speedway, Andrew Scheid will be the 2017 Perfit Corporation Sprint Car Rookie of the Year; Scheid’s feature ended early on the hook with a flat right front tire.  Thomas Schinderle has a lock on the 2017 Perfit Corporation Series Car Rookie of the Year; Schinderle drove to an 8^th place finish after an early race spin.

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

Heat Races – Winners $100 each

B-Main

Feature

KSE Racing Products Hard Charger – Brett Mann (+15)
BR Motorsports Contingency (feature top 10 draw) – MaxStambaugh
DMI (Diversified Machine) Contingency (feature 12-16 draw) – Troy Chehowski
Perfit Corporation Lucky Dog – Andy Chehowski

For more information about Engine Pro go to www.enginepro.com.  For more information about ARP, go to www.arp-bolts.com.  The full 2017 Sprints on Dirt schedule, rules, current news, and other information are available at www.sprintsondirt.com.

Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt presented by ARP is brought to you in 2017 by many important sponsor partners including: Engine Pro (Title Sponsor), ARP (Title Sponsor), Hoosier Racing Tire (Official SOD Tire), MAHLE/Clevite (Beyond Limits Challenge Sponsor), Driven Racing Oil (Battlegrounds Bash Sponsor), King Engine Bearings (King of Michigan Sponsor), Lane Automotive/MSD Ignition (Fast Masters Sponsor), Engler Machine & Tool (Heat Race Sponsor), COMP Cams (Heat Race Sponsor), RockAuto.com (Heat Race Sponsor), The Perfit Corporation (Lucky Dog Sponsor), KSE Racing Products (Hard Charger Sponsor), XYZ Machining (Season Sportsman & Crew Chief Sponsor).  In addition, SOD contingency sponsors include: Allstar Performance, ATL Racing Fuel Cells, BR Motorsports, Diversified Machine Inc. (DMI), K2W Precision/Keizer Aluminum Wheels, King Racing Products, Kistler Racing Products, Maxim Racing, Motor City Racing Promotions, Racing Optics, Rod End Supply, Schoenfeld Headers, Simpson Racing Products, Walker Performance Filtration.

The 4^th annual Mike Olrich Memorial Race is this Saturday, September 2nd at Crystal Motor Speedway.  2017 was SOD’s 38^th consecutive season at the speedway.

The race will be the final points race of the Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt presented by ARP season.  Currently, Steve Irwin (Fenton, MI) holds the SOD Championship point lead over Thomas Schinderle and Gregg Dalman.  The SOD champion will have a guaranteed starting position in SOD’s season finale, the COMP Cams Great Lakes Sprint Car Classic at Berlin Raceway on September 30^th.

The 30 lap Mike Olrich Memorial Race will honor the memory of former Sprints On Dirt official and series director Mike Olrich who was very congenial and well-liked by everyone in the series.

Professionally, Mike was a greenhouse researcher at Michigan State University.  His work lives on through a complex computer-based tool that he co-authored that provides assistance to flower growers in production scheduling.  Mike was a dedicated family man who always found time to be deeply involved coaching youth sports.  Michael Steven Olrich, passed away suddenly August 3, 2013, at the age of 43.  SOD continues to operate with the honesty and integrity Mike was known for, and honors him every year with the Mike Olrich Memorial Race.

Ryan Ruhl drove his 360-powered #16 to a decisive win last year, leading all 30 laps of the non-stop feature in front of a very large and enthusiastic crowd.  Ruhl also won the 2015 Mike Olrich Memorial.  Ohio’s Randy Hannagan won the 2014 Mike Olrich Memorial.

Check out www.enginepro.com, and ARP at www.arp-bolts.com.  For Sprints on Dirt points, events, rules, current news, and other information go to www.sprintsondirt.com.

Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt presented by ARP is brought to you in 2017 by many important sponsor partners including: Engine Pro (Title Sponsor), ARP (Title Sponsor), Hoosier Racing Tire (Official SOD Tire), MAHLE/Clevite (Beyond Limits Challenge Sponsor), Driven Racing Oil (Battlegrounds Bash Sponsor), King Engine Bearings (King of Michigan Sponsor), Lane Automotive/MSD Ignition (Fast Masters Sponsor), Engler Machine & Tool (Heat Race Sponsor), COMP Cams (Heat Race Sponsor), RockAuto.com (Heat Race Sponsor), The Perfit Corporation (Lucky Dog Sponsor), KSE Racing Products (Hard Charger Sponsor), XYZ Machining (Season Sportsman & Crew Chief Sponsor).  In addition, SOD contingency sponsors include: Allstar Performance, ATL Racing Fuel Cells, BR Motorsports, Diversified Machine Inc. (DMI), K2W Precision/Keizer Aluminum Wheels, King Racing Products, Kistler Racing Products, Maxim Racing, Motor City Racing Promotions, Racing Optics, Rod End Supply, Schoenfeld Headers, Simpson Racing Products, Walker Performance Filtration.