The Engine Pro Sprints on Dirt presented by ARP MAHLE/Clevite Beyond Limits Challenge for 2016 rolls into race 3 of 5 this Saturday at Crystal Motor Speedway for five-race.

The five-race BLC mini-series tried to get started at Crystal Motor Speedway on April 30^th and May 14th, but both dates were rained out.  The BLC finally got the first race in at Merritt Speedway on Saturday, June 18th with Brian Smith victorious.  Once again, though, rain stopped round 2 at I-96 Speedway on Friday, July 8^th.  The next night, July 9^th, was a charm at Thunderbird Speedway, presenting the packed house with a very exciting second BLC win for Brian Smith.  After this Saturday’s Crystal show, round 4 will take place at Butler Speedway on Saturday, August 13th.  The MAHLE/Clevite Beyond Limits Challenge finale will be at I-96 Speedway on August 19^th.

The BLC offers drivers the opportunity to focus on a mini-championship with its own point fund within the full Sprints on Dirt series points chase.  MAHLE/Clevite Beyond Limits Challenge Champion will be awarded $1,000.  Point fund monies will be paid out to the top seven finishers in the BLC.  To contend for the BLC championship, a driver must display SOD & all primary sponsors’ decals.

SOD points leader Brian Smith (Fremont, OH) also leads the BLC points, followed by Tom Schinderle, Dan McCarron, Steve Irwin, Brett Mann, John Gall, and Mark Aldrich.  Steve Irwin won the non-BLC July 16 SOD show at Crystal.

For more information about MAHLE/Clevite, go to https://catalog.mahle-aftermarket.com/eu/home/index.xhtml?l=EN.  For more information about Engine Pro, go to www.enginepro.com.  For more information about ARP, go to www.arp-bolts.com.  The full 2016 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 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), Engine Pro (Lucky Dog Sponsor), Lane Automotive (Primary Heat Race Sponsor), Engler Machine & Tool (Primary Heat Race Sponsor), COMP Cams (Primary Heat Race Sponsor), RockAuto.com (SOD Series Rookie of the Year Sponsor & SOD Sprint Car Rookie of the Year Sponsor), XYZ Machining (Sportsman of the Year Sponsor & Crew Chief of the Year Sponsor), KSE Racing Products (Hard Charger Sponsor).  In addition, SOD contingency sponsors include: ATL Racing Fuel Cells, Kistler Racing Products, Allstar Performance, Schoenfeld Headers, K2W Precision/Keizer Aluminum Wheels, Ti22 Performance, BR Motorsports, King Racing Products, License 2 Play, Simpson Racing Products, Rod End Supply, Diversified Machine Inc. (DMI), Racing Optics.

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Steve & Adrianna Irwin with the SOD Big Money @ Crystal Motor Speedway
(Photo by TW Photographics)

Stevie Irwin (Fenton, MI) finally got the monkey off his back, and mastered rush-hour traffic to take home the exciting Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt by ARP feature win at Crystal Motor Speedway (Crystal, MI) Saturday night.  Irwin started in 2^nd place along SOD points leader Brian Smith on the front row, and chased Smith in the early stages of the race.  While Smith ran the middle groove and higher, Irwin eventually found the bottom to his liking.  As has been commonplace with SOD races having very few cautions in 2016, lapped traffic was heavy for the leaders.  Both Smith and Irwin made heart-stopping, crowd pleasing passes.  Initially it looked like Smith would cruise to his 4^th win, but Irwin settled into his low-rider mode and started reeling in the leader, eventually catching Smith on lap 14.  The capacity crowd then got their money’s worth as the two traded the lead back and forth until Irwin finally took command for good.  While Smith continued within striking distance of the leader, it was clear that handling was going away on his 2+.

The race was interrupted only once, on lap 11, when Tom Schinderle, running 9^th, hit the wall and came to a stop with a flat right rear tire.  Jay Steinebach had nowhere to go and came to a stop to avoid Schinderle’s car at the bottom of the track at the start/finish line.

Smith appeared to have a tire seal over, and while doing his best to hold onto a good finish, he bounced off the front straight wall.  Although the tire didn’t immediately go flat, his right rear wheel was about 3-4 inches narrower after the impact.  He held on, going one lap down on the last lap to finish in 10^th place.

Irwin, who splits his time racing winged and non-winged sprints, has won non-winged races this season, but has struggled, for the most part, with wings.  Well aware of his issues, Irwin has focused on finding and fixing his issues.  While he struggled Friday at Winston Speedway, it was clear that he found the right combination for Crystal.

Irwin finished the race with a good-sized lead, followed by Dustin Stroup in 2^nd, Shawn Valenti in 3^rd, Dan McCarron in 4^th, and Dain Naida in 5^th.

Friday’s winner at Winston Speedway, Stuart Brubaker, was disqualified for the remainder of the show after an on-track incident during the COMP Cams (3^rd) heat race.  Mark Aldrich, currently 3^rd in points, lost ground to the front runners when a flat tire in the B main kept him from advancing to the feature.

The Crystal show added another gold star to the 2016 Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt by ARP season under the new SOD unlimited format on the new Hoosier spec tires.  Good car counts, very competitive racing, plenty of side-by-side racing, multiple racing grooves, and very few cautions, mostly due to mechanical issues have been the hallmarks of every show without exception; SOD races have won high praise from competitors and fans alike.

Engine Pro SOD by ARP Feature

Engler Machine & Tool Heat Win – Brian Smith
2+, 7, 17x, 4t, 27, 10s, 1a, 91L

Lane Automotive Heat Win – John Gall
81, 1m, 8, 3a, 24, 89, 6, 31

COMP Cams Heat Win – Gregg Dalman
49t, 22m, 0, 41, 46, 27x, 35 (DQ)

B MAIN Win – Jay Steinebach
10s, 89, 27x, 91L, 31

Kistler Racing Products Contingencies – Shawn Valenti, Dan McCarron
BR Motorsports Contingency – Dain Naida
COMP Cams Contingency – Dustin Stroup
Allstar Performance Contingency – Justin Ward
Schoenfeld Headers Contingency – Steve Irwin

For more information about Engine Pro, go to www.enginepro.com.  For more information about ARP, go to www.arp-bolts.com.  The full 2016 Sprints on Dirt schedule, rules, driver member form, news, and other information can be read at www.sprintsondirt.com.

Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt presented by ARP is brought to you 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), Engine Pro (Lucky Dog Sponsor), Lane Automotive (Primary Heat Race Sponsor), Engler Machine & Tool (Primary Heat Race Sponsor), COMP Cams (Primary Heat Race Sponsor), RockAuto.com (SOD Series Rookie of the Year Sponsor & SOD Sprint Car Rookie of the Year Sponsor), XYZ Machining (Sportsman of the Year Sponsor & Crew Chief of the Year Sponsor), KSE Racing Products (Hard Charger Sponsor).  In addition, SOD contingency sponsors include: ATL Racing Fuel Cells, Kistler Racing Products, Allstar Performance, Schoenfeld Headers, K2W Precision/Keizer Aluminum Wheels, Ti22 Performance, BR Motorsports, King Racing Products, License 2 Play, Simpson Racing Products, Rod End Supply, Diversified Machine Inc. (DMI), Racing Optics.

2nd Brian Smith, winner Stuart Brubaker with daughter Grace, 3rd Gregg Dalman
(Trailsendcustom Photo)

Fremont, Ohio’s Stuart Brubaker charged to a crowd-pleasing Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt presented by ARP feature win Friday night at Winston Speedway in Rothbury, Michigan.

Gregg Dalman grabbed the lead at the start from the pole with Brett Mann looking like he may have something for the leader.  Dalman started to pull away as Mann slipped high on turn 2 allowing Chris Pobanz to take 2^nd and Stuart Brubaker 3^rd.  Dalman looked to be the class until John Gall & Jay Steinebach tangled on lap four with Gall flipping.  Neither driver was able to continue.

After the red, Dalman continued to lead, but it soon became evident that the handle was going away on Dalman’s car and after a back and forth battle, Brubaker got by Dalman as he slid high in turn two.  Brubaker was an expert at negotiating traffic on the slick surface and easily held on for the win.  After the 4^th lap red, the feature went nonstop and point leader Brian Smith was turning faster laps than the leader at the end, but it was too little, too late.

Smith (Fremont, Ohio), the current SOD point leader, started the feature in eleventh place after not making the feature nine-car draw for the top starting positions.  Smith was the KSE Hard Charger Award winner.  Dalman held on to finish third, and discovered that a tire pressure bleeder had stuck open causing his handling problem.  Brett Mann, driving Tony Bures’ #58 finished 4^th, and Mark Aldrich was 5^th.

Engine Pro SOD by ARP Feature

Engler Machine & Tool Heat Winner  – Brett Mann
58, 89, 0, 8, 10s, 41, 24

Lane Automotive Heat Winner – Mark Aldrich
1a, 4t, 46, 2+, 27x, 6

COMP Cams Heat Winner – Gregg Dalman
49t, 35, 27, 7, 81, 91L

Kistler Racing Products Contingencies – Chris Pobanz, Stuart Brubaker
BR Motorsports Contingency – Steve Irwin
COMP Cams Contingency – Josh Turner
Allstar Performance Contingency – Robert Huiskins
Schoenfeld Headers Contingency – Brad Lamberson

For more information about Engine Pro, go to www.enginepro.com.  For more information about ARP, go to www.arp-bolts.com.  The full 2016 Sprints on Dirt schedule, rules, driver member form, news, and other information can be read at www.sprintsondirt.com.

Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt presented by ARP is brought to you 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), Engine Pro (Lucky Dog Sponsor), Lane Automotive (Primary Heat Race Sponsor), Engler Machine & Tool (Primary Heat Race Sponsor), COMP Cams (Primary Heat Race Sponsor), RockAuto.com (SOD Series Rookie of the Year Sponsor & SOD Sprint Car Rookie of the Year Sponsor), XYZ Machining (Sportsman of the Year Sponsor & Crew Chief of the Year Sponsor), KSE Racing Products (Hard Charger Sponsor).  In addition, SOD contingency sponsors include: ATL Racing Fuel Cells, Kistler Racing Products, Allstar Performance, Schoenfeld Headers, K2W Precision/Keizer Aluminum Wheels, Ti22 Performance, BR Motorsports, King Racing Products, License 2 Play, Simpson Racing Products, Rod End Supply, Diversified Machine Inc. (DMI), Racing Optics.

FULL RESULTS FOR BOTH NIGHTS TO FOLLOW

WINSTON SPEEDWAY, FRIDAY, JULY 15

CRYSTAL MOTOR SPEEDWAY< SATURDAY< JULY 16

Stevie & Adrianna Irwin in victory lane @ Crystal Motor Speedway
(Photo by TW Photographics)

Punchie & the Sprints On Dirt Big Money (Photo courtesy of Todd Smith)

Brian “Punchie” Smith took his 3^rd SOD feature win in Saturday’s Engine Pro Sprints on Dirt presented by ARP victory in the MAHLE/Clevite Beyond Limits Challenge 25-lap feature at Muskegon’s Thunderbird Raceway.  Before a standing-room only crowd, it didn’t take long for outside front row starter Steve Irwin (Flying Zero) to open a lead on pole starter Mark Aldrich (1a).  Irwin set a torrid pace that quickly got him into lapped traffic early in the race that had only caution, on lap 3, when mechanical gremlins brought Jay Steinebach (10s) to a stop in turn 2.

Meanwhile SOD point leader Punchie (2+) worked his way up to 2^nd from his 5^th place starting position and set sail for Irwin.  While traffic helped his pursuit of Irwin, it also created a couple of close calls, and Smith noticeably became more cautious.  Lap 13 proved to be unlucky for the leader when he got boxed in and Smith finally made the pass for the lead he would hold until the finish.  In spite of searching for quicker line around the almost circular track, Irwin (0) was not able to catch Smith and finished 2^nd.  Tom Schinderle (41) finished 3^rd and Dain Naida (17X) 4^th after a nearly race-long spirited battle with 5^th place finisher Dan McCarron (22M) in which McCarron thrilled the crowd with an all-out attempt to take over the spot.  19 cars started the feature and 18 finished clearly thrilling the enthusiastic crowd.

Fastest hot lap times were posted by a 305 driven by Dundee, Michigan’s Dan McCarron.  He was followed by two 360s, Dain Naida (Tecumseh, MI) and Alex Hill, the Six Nation Sensation, from Wilsonville, Ontario.  They were followed by the 410 of feature winner Brian Smith from Fremont, Ohio, and the 360 of 2015 SOD champion Gregg Dalman from Bellevue, Michigan.

The Engler Machine & Tool heat race was won by Dan McCarron (305 cubic inch motor) who was also the fastest car in hot laps.  Veteran driver Mark Alrich (410 cubic inch motor) dominated the Lane Automotive heat race showing that the hot, windy weather wasn’t going to slow the speedy SOD competitors.  Robert Huiskin (360 cubic inch motor) wasn’t about to be out performed and charged to a decisive COMP Cams heat race win.

The top 3 heat race finishers were paired up with kids for the License 2 Play Feature Draw to determine the first 9 feature start positions.

Racing with SOD at Thunderbird Raceway were lady competitors Lexi Adgate and Alex Hill.  Both have had successful mini-sprint careers and are now ready to show the boys they can do the job in full size sprints.  Hill passed the most cars in the feature.

MAHLE/Clevite Beyond Limits Challenge

Place	Car No	Name	Laps	Lag
1	2+	Smith, Brian	25	0
2	0	Irwin, Steve	25	-3.678
3	41	Schinderle, Tom	25	-4.41
4	17X	Naida, Dain	25	-4.754
5	22M	McCarron, Dan	25	-5.342
6	1A	Aldrich, Mark	25	-6.7
7	46	Huiskin, Robert	25	-12.449
8	81	Gall, John	25	-20.516
9	19	Mann, Brett	24	-1 Laps
10	10J	Jones, Chris	24	-1 Laps
11	77x	Hill, Alex	24	-1 Laps
12	49T	Dalman, Gregg	24	-1 Laps
13	8	Ward, Justin	24	-1 Laps
14	44J	Jacoby, Bill	24	-1 Laps
15	58	Bures, Tony	24	-1 Laps
16	24	Smith, Eric	23	-2 Laps
17	91L	Adgate, Lexi	23	-2 Laps
18	6	Bearden, Tyler	23	-2 Laps
19	10S	Steinebach, Jay	3	-22 Laps

Engler Machine & Tool Heat Race: 1 McCarron, 2 Steinebach, 3 B Smith, 4 Jones, 5 E Smith, 6 Bearden
Lane Automotive Heat Race: 1 Mark Aldrich, 2 Gall, 3 Naida, 4 Ward, 5 Bures, 6 Adgate
COMP Cams Heat Race: 1 Robert Huiskin, 2 Irwin, 3 Schinderle, 4 Mann, 5 Dalman, 6 Hill, 7 Jacoby

Contingency Awards:

Engine Pro Lucky Dog Award – Alex Hill
KSE Race Products Hard Charger Award – Bill Jacoby
Kistler Racing Products contingency awards: Jay Steinebach, Steve Irwin
COMP Cams contingency award: John Gall
BR Motorsports contingency award: Brian Smith
Allstar Performance contingency award: Dain Naida
Schoenfeld Headers contingency award: Tom Schinderle
Rod End Supply contingency awards: Brian Smith, Steve Irwin, Tom Schinderle
Racing Optics contingency award: Dain Naida
ATL Fuel Cells contingency award: Dan McCarron
King Racing Products contingency award: Mark Aldrich
Ti22 Performance contingency award: John Gall
DMI contingency award: Justin Ward

For more information about MAHLE/Clevite, go to https://catalog.mahle-aftermarket.com/eu/home/index.xhtml?l=EN.  For more information about Engine Pro, go to www.enginepro.com.  For more information about ARP, go to www.arp-bolts.com.  The full 2016 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 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), Engine Pro (Lucky Dog Sponsor), Lane Automotive (Primary Heat Race Sponsor), Engler Machine & Tool (Primary Heat Race Sponsor), COMP Cams (Primary Heat Race Sponsor), RockAuto.com (SOD Series Rookie of the Year Sponsor & SOD Sprint Car Rookie of the Year Sponsor), XYZ Machining (Sportsman of the Year Sponsor & Crew Chief of the Year Sponsor), KSE Racing Products (Hard Charger Sponsor).  In addition, SOD contingency sponsors include: ATL Racing Fuel Cells, Kistler Racing Products, Allstar Performance, Schoenfeld Headers, K2W Precision/Keizer Aluminum Wheels, Ti22 Performance, BR Motorsports, King Racing Products, License 2 Play, Simpson Racing Products, Rod End Supply, Diversified Machine Inc. (DMI), Racing Optics.