Five Nights of TNT Ignites Tuesday at I-80; ASCS Midwest Region in Action as Well
by: Lonnie Wheatley

 TULSA, Okla. (Aug 11, 2007) – Race fans in Nebraska, and even those just passing through, will get to enjoy the best of both worlds at Nebraska Raceway Park's I-80 Speedway in Greenwood, NE, on Tuesday night, August 14.

It will be an open wheel Sprint Car spectacular as the O'Reilly Sprint Bandits Tour 'N Topless series kicks off five consecutive nights of wingless 410-ci Sprint Car racing, while the ASCS Midwest Region opens up the four-race "AK 360" Shootout.

The event marks the opening leg of the Third Annual O'Reilly Sprint Bandits TNT Midwest swing, with more than $85,000 in feature purse money along with another $7,350 in point fund money up for grabs during the swing.

Following Tuesday night's event at I-80 Speedway, the Sprint Bandits TNT Tour moves on to Mid-America Speedway in South Coffeyville, OK, on Wednesday night (August 15) and Creek County Speedway in Sapulpa, OK, on Thursday night (August 16) before wrapping up with the blockbuster $10,000 to win two-night card at Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City, KS, on Friday and Saturday (August 17 and 18).

Approximately twenty different drivers from throughout the nation have already committed to chasing down championship honors in the Third Annual O'Reilly Sprint Bandits TNT Midwest Swing, with many more top competitors slated to compete in selected events during the week.

Among those vying for title honors will be defending champion and two-time Lakeside Classic winner Jesse Hockett of Warsaw, MO. Hockett, a TNT winner at Wichita's 81 Speedway last year, added a second series win at Tampa's East Bay Raceway Park earlier this year.

Hockett will have his hands full in his title defense however, with top contenders including California hotshoes Cory Kruseman and Damion Gardner, Arizona ace Jeremy Sherman and Lincoln, Nebraska's Don Droud, Jr., who will serve as Jack Yeley's hired gun for the week.

Plenty of other capable contenders will be in the mix as well including two-time Sprint Bandits TNT feature winner Brady Short of Bedford, IN, aboard Scott Benic's Lucas Oil No. 2b entry, Oklahoma's Dustin Morgan and Missouri's Daron Clayton aboard Jeff Walker entries, Missouri teen Hunter Schuerenberg at the wheel of one of the familiar Trucker's No. 10 machines and last year's I-80 Speedway TNT victor, Robert Ballou of Rocklin, CA.

In addition to Jeremy Sherman, winner of nine of eleven ASCS Canyon Region events this year, the Arizona contingent will flex some muscle over the course of the week with top guns including Charles Davis, Jr., aboard the stylish Mark Swanson No. 21s machine, along with R.J. Johnson, Mike Leslie, Matt Rossi and 15-year-old gunner Chad Boat.

Also bidding for victory lane over each night will be TNT veteran Tony Everhart of El Cajon, CA, along with Bret Mellenberndt (Sioux Falls, SD), Lee Stark (Sidney, OH), Larry Carter (Independence, KS) and Kruseman protégé Michael Trimble (Gilroy, CA).

Several other top guns will take in a majority of the events, including past National champion Dave Darland of Lincoln, IN, who will compete in all events other than the Lakeside preliminary aboard one of the Trucker's No. 10 entries. Young gun Chris Windom of Canton, IL, who charged from 23rd to seventh in this year's Chili Bowl Midget Nationals, will take in the same events as well.

California's Bud Kaeding, the runner-up in both previous editions of the Huskerland Non-Wing Sprint Nationals at I-80 Speedway, and Arizona's Jerry Coons, Jr., last year's winner of Oskaloosa's Ultimate Challenge, will both be in action during the opening three rounds of Sprint Bandits TNT action at I-80 Speedway, Mid-America Speedway and Creek County Speedway.

Past ASCS Rocky Mountain Region champion and RMMRA Midget champion Gary Taylor, now residing in Broken Arrow, OK, by way of Wheat Ridge, CO, and Snohomish, WA, will pick up the Tour at Mid-America Speedway and compete in the final four nights aboard an entry fielded by his current Midget car owners, Mike and Megan Eubanks.

A slew of other top contenders will try to play the role of spoiler on each night of O'Reilly Sprint Bandits Tour 'N Topless action as well.

Third Annual O'Reilly Sprint Bandits TNT Midwest Swing:

Round 1: Nebraska Raceway Park's I-80 Speedway (Greenwood, NE)



When: Tuesday, August 14

Description: 4/10-mile semi-banked dirt oval.

Location: Between Lincoln and Omaha off I-80 Exit 420, then 0.4 miles north on SR 63 then west.

Race Time: 7:00 p.m.

Track Phone: 402-944-2233 or 402-342-3453

Notes: The first of five straight nights of action paying points towards the $7,350 Sprint Bandits TNT point fund for the week's top five point earners takes place as I-80 Speedway hosts the $4,000 to win Huskerland Non-Wing Sprint Car Nationals for the third consecutive year. Bud Kaeding has played the role of bridesmaid each of the past two years, getting edged by Levi Jones in 2005 and then chasing California's Robert Ballou to the stripe last year. The ASCS Midwest Region joins in on a Sprint Car twin bill.

Past Huskerland Non-Wing Sprint Car Nationals Winners: Robert Ballou (2006), Levi Jones (2005).

Racer's Hotels: Big Inn (Greenwood, NE) 402-944-3313 and Settle Inn (Lincoln, NE) 402-435-8100.

Round 2: Mid-America Speedway (South Coffeyville, OK)

When: Wednesday, August 15

Description: 3/10-mile semi-banked dirt oval.

Location: One mile south of the Oklahoma-Kansas state line on US 169, then 0.7 miles west on County Road 2.

Race Time: 7:00 p.m.

Track Phone: 918-255-6698

Notes: Another $4,000 is up for grabs as wingless 410-ci Sprint Cars take to Mid-America Speedway for the first time in track history.

Racer's Hotels: Holiday Inn Select (Tulsa, OK) 918-622-7000. Ask for the Sprint Bandits rate.

Round 3: Creek County Speedway (Sapulpa, OK)

When: Thursday, August 16

Description: ¼-mile semi-banked clay oval

Location: Southwest of Tulsa on I-44 to Exit 211, then 0.3 miles south on SR 33, then one mile west on SR 66.

Race Time: 7:30 p.m.

Track Phone: 918-247-6675

Notes: The Sprint Bandits TNT series takes to a bullring for the first time, as for the second night in a row a track is christened by the mudslinging wingless 410-ci Sprint Cars. The $4,000 to win TNT event is joined on the card by the ASCS2 Non-Wing Micro Sprints.

Racer's Hotels: Holiday Inn Select (Tulsa, OK) 918-622-7000. Ask for the Sprint Bandits rate.

Rounds 4 and 5: Lakeside Speedway (Kansas City, KS)

When: Friday, August 17 and Saturday, August 18

Description: ½-mile semi-banked dirt oval.

Location: Off I-435 Exit 18 then one mile northwest on SR 5.

Race Time: 7:30 p.m. on both nights.

Track Phone: 913-299-2040

Notes: The week of topless Sprint Car action concludes with two nights at Lakeside Speedway for the fan-favorite "Ron Shuman Classic", which offers up $10,000 to the Saturday night winner. The coveted Pedal Car trophy has gone back to California over each of the past two years, while the two years previous to that it went back to Warsaw, MO, with reigning Sprint Bandits TNT Midwest Swing champion Jesse Hockett.

Past Ron Shuman Classic Winners: Brad Sweet (2006), Bud Kaeding (2005), Jesse Hockett (2004), Jesse Hockett (2003), Bud Kaeding (2002), Troy Rutherford (2001), Tony Elliott (2000).

Racer's Hotels: Hampton Inn (Kansas City, KS) 913-328-1400. Ask for Lakeside Speedway Room Rate.

Additional information regarding the O'Reilly Sprint Bandits Tour 'N Topless series is available at www.sprintbandits.com