Camargo, IL (7-31-09) – By Kelly Brown –Public Relations Director – Where there is thunder generally rain will follow and it did just that tonight on the third night of Thunder through the Plains race action. The O’Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions were able to get half of tonight’s show in before the storms moved with drenching rains. Tonight’s race will be called as is with heat and show up points along with prize money being awarded to the O’Reilly Circuit of Champions drivers and teams. This race will not be made up.  

Tomorrow night the fourth night of race action will take place at Husets Speedway in Brandon, South Dakota. The gates will open at 5:00 pm, and racing will begin at 8:00 pm, while on Sunday night August 2nd racing will start at 7:00 pm. Special two night tickets for the event are available prior to the event for $40 at local Lewis Drug Stores and Sturdevent’s Auto Parts. At the gate tickets will run $25 for adults, with $5 tickets for children 8-14 years old, and kids 7 and under are free. For more information call the track at (605) 582-3536 or visit www.husets-speedway.com.

For up to date information as the O’Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions roll through the plains, visit www.allstarsprint.com.

Camargo, IL (7-30-09) – By Kelly Brown –Public Relations Director – After three night of rumbling through the plains the O’Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions will conclude the 2009 edition of Thunder through the Plains at Husets Speedway in Brandon, South Dakota. The two last nights of the western swing are assured to keep fans on the edge of their seats as the competitors duel for $5,000 on Saturday night and a $10,000 pay day on Sunday evening.

The last time the All Stars visited Husets Speedway it was a thrilling event as Tim Shaffer made a last lap bid for the win. In a feature event that saw no cautions or red flags, had a total of 4 lead changes on the super fast racing surface that would give many scorers headaches. Shaffer was able to use a few different lines and lap traffic to get the job done. “The Steel City Outlaw” took over the top position from Dale Blaney on lap 29 of the 30 lap bringing the fans in the grandstands to their feet and collecting his first win at the South Dakota 3/8-mile.

Saturday night not only will the All Stars be competing for the win, they will also have a chance to compete in the Husets Speedway Wheelie Contest presented by Budweiser Racing with $500 in prize money up for grabs.

On Saturday night August 1st the gates will open at 5:00 pm, and racing will begin at 8:00 pm, while on Sunday night August 2nd racing will start at 7:00 pm.  Saturday night will be a special event as it will feature an extra on track competition. Special two night tickets for the event are available prior to the event for $40 at local Lewis Drug Stores and Sturdevent’s Auto Parts. At the gate tickets will run $25 for adults, with $5 tickets for children 8-14 years old, and kids 7 and under are free. For more information call the track at (605) 582-3536 or visit www.husets-speedway.com.

Camargo, IL (7-30-09) – By Kelly Brown –Public Relations Director – On a night that would see records fall on the famed high banks of Belleville, Kerry Madsen did not walk away from the night with his name on a speed record, but he would walk away with the big prize, an O’Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions win on the second night of Thunder through the Plains.

The record setting night began during time trials as five cars would eclipse the former track record of 14.54 previously held by Paul McMahon. At the end of time trials Terry McCarl would walk away with the one lap track record now set at 14.321 around the “world’s fastest half mile dirt track.” Heat races would also set 8 lap track records. First Brandon Wimmer would go out and take the record, but he only held it for a few moments as Don Droud Jr. set the mark even lower . Shane Stewart would come within a few tenths of that mark in heat three, but was unable to break it.

When the initial Green Flag flew on the main event Randy Hannagan and Terry McCarl battled for the lead. Coming off of Turn 4 running the high line, McCarl would grab the lead for a split second before the first caution flag of the night came out for Shane Stewart, who came to a stop in Turn 3 with mechanical woes.

This would set up a complete restart. This time McCarl would grab the lead again from pole sitter Hannagan. By Lap 2 Kerry Madsen had made his way from his sixth place starting spot to pass the 1x for the second position. Racing action would be slowed again on Lap 7 when the 2au of Todd Wanless had a tire grenade on him in the third turn. Miranda Throckmorton would also come to a stop on track. This would end Wanless’s night, but Throckmorton would continue on.

On the restart McCarl would lead with Madsen, Hannagan, Droud, and Tim Shaffer rounding out the top-5. While McCarl jetted out to the lead Droud tried to make quick work of Hannagan, but “the Hurricane” held on. Meanwhile at the front Madsen was slowly reeling in McCarl.

On Lap 13, Madsen had his eye on the top spot. He sized up McCarl and dove under him going into Turn 1. McCarl would counter on the bottom side of the track leading down the back stretch, but Madsen would take another shot on the high side in Turn 3. This time “The Madman” would make the pass stick to lead on the 14th circuit of the oval.

While Madsen drove out to a sizeable lead in clean air, the best battle on the track was between the 83 of Tim Shaffer who was in 5th and the 83r of Tim Kaeding. Kaeding would take over fifth on Lap 18 and would start picking off cars, making a charge towards the front. Kaeding would get past Droud on Lap 22 and would make quick work of Hannagan on lap 23 to take over third.

At the front Madsen had stretched out his lead in lapped traffic. With the laps in the event winding down Kaeding would run out of circuits on his quest to capture the second position. At the Checkered Flag it would be Madsen picking up the win with McCarl, Kaeding, Hannagan and Droud finishing in the top-5.

This would be Madsen’s second career All Star victory. His first came at Knoxville Raceway in 2004.It was the Australian’s first win on Belleville’s high banks. The hard charger of the race would be Rookie-of-the-Year competitor David Gravel who started 20th and would just push his way into the top-10 at the end of the event.

The All Star Circuit of Champions will be back in action tomorrow night with a return visit to the high banks at Belleville. For more information visit www.highbanks.org and for the most up to date information on the All Star Cirucit of Champions and Thunder through the plains visit www.allstarsprint.com.

Camargo, IL (7-30-09) – By Kelly Brown –Public Relations Director – The O’Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions announced today that there has been a scheduling adjustment  to their Thunder through the Plains schedule which features five races in five days. Due to business obligations Thunder Hill Speedway has been removed from the schedule setting up a two night double header at the Belleville High Banks, on tonight July 30th and tomorrow night July 31st.

To all those fans who bought tickets prior to the event at O’Reilly Auto Parts, the money for the tickets will be refunded or you may use them at the Belleville High Banks on July 31st. To claim your refund send your ticket and receipt to: O’Reilly All Stars Circuit of Champions Refund, P.O. Box 19, Camargo, IL 61919.

For up to date information as the O’Reilly All Star Circuit of Champion roll through the plains, visit www.allstarsprint.com.   

Camargo, IL (7-29-09) – By Kelly Brown –Public Relations Director – It only seems fitting that a driver nicknamed “The Hurricane” should win on the first night of Thunder through the Plains. Even though the plains are far from an ocean, it does not change the stormy nature of the two.

The first night of five nights of consecutive O’Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions racing action took the Green Flag tonight as the series opened their western swing better known as “Thunder through the Plains.”  When the racing action commenced it was Tim Shaffer and Brandon Wimmer starting from the front row. As the two barreled into Turn 1 Shaffer took the lead with Wimmer tucking in behind him. Shaffer set sail pulling out to a sizable lead.

The first delay in racing action would be on Lap 5 when two Australians tangled on the track fighting for position in the top-15. Both the v92 of Matthew Reed and 1au of Gary Brazier touched wheels on the front stretch and sent them spinning and tumbling into Turn 1.

When race action resumed Shaffer retained the lead and put on a clinic as to how to run the high line at US 36 Raceway. The “Steel City Outlaw” was clearly in control as he pulled out to a sizable lead. As Shaffer encountered traffic, he worked through it skillfully picking off one spot after another. A long Green Flag run allowed Shaffer to pull out to a large margin lapping cars left and right.  The real battle on the track was for second place as Randy Hannagan, Greg Wilson and Tony Bruce Jr. traded the position back and forth, with several times the trio going three wide for position.

By Lap 19 Shaffer that put all but the top-six running cars a lap down, but that is when disaster struck. On Lap 20, Shaffer was attempting to put yet another car a lap down, but Shaffer tangled with the traffic. What appeared to be an innocent spin going into Turn 1, quickly took a turn for the worse as Shaffer would see his night end on his wing.

As a result second place running Greg Wilson inherited the lead. When the Green Flag was unfurled Wilson retained the lead, but not for long. Hannagan who had been battling him the whole night tried the top line and then the bottom trying to find a way around Wilson. It did not take long as on Lap 23 Hannagan blew past Wilson and into the top spot then drove as fast and furious as is nickname insinuates.

At the drop of the Checkered Flag it was Hannagan picking up his first All Star Circuit of Champions win of the season and his seventh career All Star win. He was followed to the line by Wilson, Bruce, Brandon Wimmer and the 9x of Gary Wright who was the hard charger of the night after starting the main event in the eighteenth position.

Camargo, IL (7-27-09) – By Kelly Brown –Public Relations Director – “Go west, young man,” is a quote that has been popular since it was first published in the 1800s. This week the O’Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions will be following that advice as they prepare for the customary “Thunder through the Plains” portion of their schedule. Beginning on Wednesday, July 29th the series will be starting their five race streak west of the Mississippi at U.S. 36 Raceway in Cameron Missouri, before rumbling through both Kansas and South Dakota.

The first time the O’Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions brought “America’s Series” to western sprint car fans, was in 1995 when the series raced in Iowa. Later that same season the All Stars returned west a second time for the first “Thunder through the Plains” racing in: Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. This stretch of racing through the western started a tradition that continues to this day.

The 2008 edition of Thunder through the Plains kicked off on the high banks at Belleville Speedway. Starting on the front row of the feature was Tim Shaffer and Danny Lasoski. The entire 30 laps of the event Lasoski worked every angle he could to get around Shaffer, but the “Steel City Outlaw” was too strong and was the first to take the Checkered Flag.  On a blistering Kansas evening at Thunderhill Speedway, the Hurricane Randy Hannagan stormed to the win. Early in the event Danny Lasoski took the point, before mechanical woes handed the lead to Brandon Martin. When Martin got out of the groove, Hannagan took the lead and never looked back taking his second victory of the season.

Night three of would see the All Stars journey to Eagle Raceway in Nebraska. The race saw the caution flag fly four times, but Dale Blaney was able to keep his car up front and lead all 30 laps of the event. For the final stop on the Thunder through the Plains tour, the All Stars traveled north to Husets Speedway. The feature event ran wire-to-wire and saw several lead changes. At the drop of the Green Flag, Jeremy Campbell leaped into the lead, but Brandon Martin was able to take it away from him utilizing the high line. Dale Blaney took his turn in the top spot on lap 18 and held it up until the last lap of the event. It was at this point that Tim Shaffer used lapped traffic to his advantage to steal the win. 

This year’s Thunder through the Plains promises to be another high speed chase across Missouri, Kansas, and South Dakota that fans will not easily forget. Tim Shaffer currently holds the All Star points lead, but Thunder through the Plains is a time that can change everything with such a demanding schedule. The rookie point standings are also starting to close up with Ryan Bunton leading with Daron Clayton on his heels. Will Clayton be able to catch him during this swing out west? Will there be a new All Star Circuit of Champions point leader when the dust settles? It will be a week that definitely fans of the series will not want to miss.

U.S. 36 Raceway, Cameron, Missouri– July 29th

On Wednesday night July 29th the gates will open at 4:00 pm, with hot laps commencing at 7:00 pm, and racing beginning at 8:00 pm. Tickets for the event are available at Cameron, Missouri, area O’Reilly Auto Part Stores for $17 prior to the event. At the gate tickets will run $22 for adults, with $5 tickets for children 6-12 years old, and kids 5 and under are free. Pit passes will run $30 for the event and no one under 16 years old is allowed in the pits. For more information call the track at (816) 675-2279 or visit www.us36raceway.com.

Bellville High Banks, Bellville, Kansas – July 30th

On Thursday night July 30th the gates will open at 5:00 pm, with hot laps starting at 6:30 pm, and racing beginning at 7:30 pm. At the gate single day tickets will run $28 for adults (in lower rows) and general admission is $18, with discount tickets offered for children. Pit passes will run $35 for the event. For more information call the track at (785) 527-2488 or visit www.highbanks.org.

Thunder Hill Speedway, Mayetta, Kansas – July 31st

Thunderhill Speedway is offering a unique ticket package to their fans. Prior to the start of racing action a barbeque picnic will be served at 6:00 pm consisting of brisket, brats, hot dogs, burgers, baked beans, coleslaw, potato salad, chips and miscellaneous refreshments. Following dinner, each ticket holder will receive a padded seat for added comfort in the stands to watch all the racing action. Total cost of this package is $22.00 per person. Please call George Welch at 785-845-8398 if you are interested in this package.  Qualifying is slated to start at 7:00 pm with race action following. For more information call 785-966-2844 or visit www.thillks.com.

On Saturday night August 1st the gates will open at 5:00 pm, and racing will begin at 8:00 pm, while on Sunday night August 2nd racing will start at 7:00 pm. Saturday night will be a special event as it will feature an extra on track competition. On Saturday night not only will the All Stars be competing for the win, they will also have a chance to compete in the Husets Speedway Wheelie Contest. Special two night tickets for the event are available prior to the event for $40 at local Lewis Drug Stores and Sturdevent’s Auto Parts. At the gate tickets will run $25 for adults, with $5 tickets for children 8-14 years old, and kids 7 and under are free. For more information call the track at (605) 582-3536 or visit www.husets-speedway.com.

Camargo, IL (7-25-09) – By Kelly Brown –Public Relations Director – It seems that in Terre Haute, Indiana when it rains it pours. For the second time this season the O’Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions and the Terre Haute officials have been forced to postpone their event at “The Action Track” due to rain drenching the track. Tonight is no exception as storms hit the area in the over night hours forcing a reschedule of the race. The new date for the thrilling event in Terre Haute will be released at a later time. 

This will be only the third time in history that the All Star Circuit of Champions have raced at this legendary track which has hosted many famed events over the years.  Adult reserved grandstand tickets for the race are $25, with general admission grandstand running $20, bleacher seats running $15 and Adult infield running $10. A child’s reserved grandstand seat is $15, with general admission grandstand running $10, child’s bleacher and infield tickets are $5. The track is also offering a $25 family pack which will get two adults and up to four children infield seats. The track is also running promotions with local vendors where you can get free children’s reserved grandstand or general admission grandstand seats free at any First National Bank or with your Kroger Plus Card at the track.  For more information call 812-236-7951 or visit www.theactiontrack.com.

For the most up to date information on the All Star Circuit of Champions bookmark www.allstarsprint.com on your computer.   

Camargo, IL (7-22-09) –By Kelly Brown – All Star Public Relations Director –The Terre Haute Action Track, which is simply known around  the racing world as “The Action Track” typically lives up to its name when it comes to racing excitement. On Saturday night July 25th the O’Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions will be traveling to the famous Indiana track to embody the nickname that the track has earned over the years.

Terre Haute Action Track – Saturday Night July 25th

The track that is simply known to open wheel fans as “The Action Track” will be providing racing fans with some on track fireworks on Independence Day. Saturday night’s race will be unique as it will be part 410 winged sprint car race at its best and part country music concert. When the sun goes down the race will transition to concert and back to a race as the lights come up. This will be only the third time in history that the All Star Circuit of Champions have raced at this legendary track which has hosted many famed events over the years. This weekend it will be the Indiana Union Construction Classic presented by MISCO. Waiting at the finish line of this event for the victor will be a unique trophy featuring a bald eagle to commemorate the meaning of this special day.

The last time that the All Star Circuit of Champions raced at Terre Haute was on July fourth last year. During the A-Main Tim Shaffer started from the pole and got the jump going into the first turn and never looked back. He would lead a fast and furious race on the legendary 1/2-mile track that would see him lead wire-to-wire, to take the win over Brandon Martin.

Unlike other tracks, this is one place Rookie-of-the-Year competitor Daron Clayton has been successful at in non-wing competition. Clayton has two feature wins at the track coming during the Tony Hulman Classic preliminary night, before going on to win the Tony Hulman Classic. Fellow rookie Brandon Wimmer has a top-five finish in a 410 winged sprint there, while Ryan Bunton just missed running the top ten last year.

Ticket Information

Adult reserved grandstand tickets for the race are $25, with general admission grandstand running $20, bleacher seats running $15 and Adult infield running $10. A child’s reserved grandstand seat is $15, with general admission grandstand running $10, child’s bleacher and infield tickets are $5. The track is also offering a $25 family pack which will get two adults and up to four children infield seats. The track is also running promotions with local vendors where you can get free children’s reserved grandstand or general admission grandstand seats free at any First National Bank or with your Kroger Plus Card at the track. The ticket office will be opening at 3:00 pm with the gates opening to fans at 4:00 pm and hot laps beginning at 6:00 pm.  For more information call 812-236-7951 or visit www.theactiontrack.com.

Camargo, IL (7-19-09) – By Kelly Brown – Public Relations Director – The name Daryn Pittman is synonymous with winged sprint car racing, so it is surprising that with all the victories and accolades he has acquired, that a O’Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions victory was not on that list, but Pittman changed that fact tonight as he won his first All Star race at Tri-City Speedway in Franklin, Pennsylvania. In a season that has seen Pittman finish second twice, the driver of the 17 car was on point tonight taking the lead early in the event and driving away from the field.

At the drop of the Green Flag pole sitter Cole Duncan took the lead initially with Pittman in his tire tracks. It would not take long for Pittman to start pursing the 22 car as he began sizing him up. On Lap 4 Pittman had Duncan in his clutches and slid around him to take the lead, just before the first caution flag of the night flew. 

On Lap 5 the yellow would come out for an incident involving Ed Lynch Jr. and Tim Shaffer. The two were battling side-by-side for position in the top-10 when the two touched wheels. This would send the two spinning, but both would rejoin the field at the tail. Almost simultaneously, Matthew Reed in the v92 sprint spun and came to a stop with a flat tire, but due to other problems with the car, he was unable to continue on. 

When the Green Flag flew again Pittman drove away from Duncan and left him in the clutches of Greg Wilson, who was able to get past him using the outside line. Just as Pittman was beginning to encounter lapped traffic the Red Flag came out on Lap 11. Coming out of the second turn the 92 of Daron Clayton made contact with the 6f of Bob Felmlee. The result sent Clayton airborne, but luckily the car landed on all four tires. This would end Clayton’s night, but Felmlee was able to continue on with minor damage. 

Throughout the rest of the event Pittman was in command. He was able to endure a few charges by second place running Greg Wilson, but was able to work lapped traffic skillfully retaining the lead. In the closing laps Dale Blaney would make charge, trying to get past Wilson for second. It seemed every time Blaney would catch Wilson that Wilson would close the door.  

With the Checkered Flag in Pittman’s sights, he out muscled Wilson to the finish line with Wilson and Blaney in tow. Fourth place Danny Smith turned in quite a performance tonight, after starting fifteenth he was able to make his way to the front before the end of the race. Rounding out the top-5 tonight was pole sitter Duncan.