By Mike Strevel

Grand Ledge, MI driver Dustin Daggett celebrated his third Engine Pro ASCS Sprints on Dirt Presented by ARP Championship during Friday evening’s festivities which were held at Firekeepers Casino in Battle Creek, MI.
The 29 year old racer picked up cash awards of nearly $5,000 as he was congratulated by his fellow competitors. Daggett, the racer who has the most feature victories in the 32 year history of the winged sprint car group thanked his car owner Phil Mott and the incredible crew that helped him capture the 2011 championship.
A total of twelve different drivers were awarded with trophies and a share of the $20,000 cash point fund. There were several great supporters of the series in attendance including series title sponsor representative Scott Overlund of Engine Pro of Grand Rapids, Barry Marlow of Miles Petroleum Group and long time track promoter and the only track to host an ASCS Sprints on Dirt event Ron Flinn of Crystal Motor Speedway.
After an opening video presentation celebrating the past year, Engine Pro ASCS Sprints on Dirt Series Director Mike Strevel gave a short review of the 2011 season and then it was time to award the top eleven point finishers, the 2011 rookie of the year and several special awards to cap the 32nd season for the Michigan based sprint car group.
There were two 2012 scheduling announcements that were announced near the end of the presentation. The first was that for the 33rd year Crystal Motor Speedway will host the series on three occasions including the traditional opener on Saturday April 28. The second is that the new dirt track at Plymouth Speedway in Plymouth, IN will host a new event will be a part of the 2012 schedule. The inaugural Engine Pro Battle at the Bullring Presented by Hastings Manufacturing, MAHLE/Clevite & Melling Engine Parts will he held on Saturday June 16, 2012. This event expected to be one of the higher paying events of the 2012 season will also see two time NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion Tony Stewart compete against the Engine Pro ASCS Sprints on Dirt competitors. The owner of the historic Eldora Raceway only makes a few short track appearances per year and this will mark his debut with the Sprints on Dirt series. There will be several more announcements regarding this exciting event throughout the off season that will make this an event that open wheel fans from across the Midwest will not want to miss.
The complete 2012 series schedule is expected to be released by Jan 1, 2012.

Awards that were presented Friday evening include the following-
MAHLE/Clevite Short Track Challenge Champion-Brett Mann

JE Pistons Passmaster winner- Andy Teunessen

Engine Pro Rookie of the Year- Andy Chehowski

2011 Engine Pro ASCS Sprints on Dirt favorite race track- Cherry Raceway

2011 Engine Builder of the year- Gaerte Engines

2011 Crew Chief of the Year- Robert Flanigan 3w car

2011 Car Owner of the Year-Tracy Rice 10 & 14 cars.

2011 Driver of the Year- Dustin Daggett

2011 Engine Pro ASCS Sprints on Dirt Presented by ARP top eleven points finishers awarded on Friday November 11, 2011 at Firekeepers Casino Battle Creek, MI-
11. Ryan Grubaugh St Johns MI 1237
10. Marques Huffer Eagle MI 1286
9. Joe Bares Traverse City MI 1314
8. Jim Lingar South Bend IN 1428
7. Matt Lumbert Dowling MI 1465
6. Andy Teunessen Hastings MI 1485
5. Davey Brown Eaton Rapids MI 1595
4. Robert Huisken Marne MI 1736
3. Ryan Ruhl Angola IN 1782
2. Brett Mann Goshen IN 2047
1. Dustin Daggett Grand Ledge MI 2229

Check the photo gallery in sprintsondirt.com for photos from the Banquet

The 2011 Engine Pro ASCS Sprints on Dirt presented by ARP awards banquet will be held at 6:30 on Friday Nov 11, 2011 at Firekeepers Casino near Battle Creek, Michigan. Tickets are $30 each. Deadline for ordering tickets is November 4th. To order tickets,call Mike Strevel at 616-204-0622.

Note: You must be 21 years of age to attend due to casino rules, thanks Mike.

From ASCS

HARTFORD, Mich. (September 30, 2011) – For the second time in as many tries, Harford Motor Speedway’s “King of Michigan” event featuring the Engine Pro ASCS Sprints on Dirt presented by ARP has fallen victim to inclement weather.

Friday night’s card, the final event of the season for the ASCS Sprints on Dirt, will not be rescheduled.

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

By Lonnie Wheatley

TULSA, Okla. (September 26, 2011) – The Engine Pro ASCS Sprints on Dirt presented by ARP brings the curtain down on the season with this Friday night’s “King of Michigan” event atop the semi-banked, ½-mile Hartford Motor Speedway clay oval.

Friday’s card is a makeup of the event originally scheduled for September 9 that fell victim to rain.

Friday’s action will mark the 21st night of competition for the ASCS Sprints on Dirt in 2011, with current series points leader Dustin Daggett victorious in eight of 18 main events thus far to extend his series best career win total to 84.

Holding a 182-point advantage over Brett Mann after winning Saturday night’s feature at I-96 Speedway, Daggett has locked up his third ASCS Sprints on Dirt championship.

With Daggett and Mann atop the point charts, Ryan Ruhl, Robert Huisken and Davey Brown round out the current top five with the rest of the top ten in points including Andy Teunessen, Matt Lumbert, Jim Lingar, Joe Bares and Marques Huffer.

Daggett has topped eight of the last nine SOD events contested at Hartford Motor Speedway, including the event earlier this year in May. He has claimed Hartford’s King of Michigan crown on six previous occasions, including three of the last four years. Brett Mann took top honors in 2008.

Friday’s action at Hartford Motor Speedway fires off at 8:00 p.m.

Hartford Motor Speedway is located in Hartford, MI, off I-94 Exit 46, then 1.3 miles north on Center Street, then four blocks west on Prospect Street. For more information, contact the track at 269-621-4482.

The 32nd year of competition for the Engine Pro ASCS Sprints on Dirt presented by ARP consists of 27 scheduled nights of action at 13 different tracks throughout Michigan, Ohio and Ontario.

The 2011 season marks the 20th year of sanctioning Sprint Car racing for the American Sprint Car Series, with approximately 200 nights of competition at tracks throughout the nation and into Canada. Anchored by the Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters, ASCS also consists of ten different Regions throughout the nation.

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

SOD Family….We will be having a potluck at Hartford after the races. Everyone is welcome to stop by and get a bite to eat. If you would like to bring a dish to pass that would be great. Mike and I will be bring hotdogs, buns, condiments, plates, utensils, a 6′ table and of coarse cookies. Pat Holzinger will be bringing her “special recipe” baked beans. Kelli Mann and family will be bringing BBQ and buns. The Lingar family will be bring a salad and brownies.