Sprint Cup Racing Returns To TMS
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FORT WORTH, Texas (Sept. 13, 2012) – After an eight-year absence, national sprint car series racing returns to the Texas Motor Speedway Dirt Track this weekend to highlight an exciting line-up of dirt racing during the Port-A-Cool® U.S. National Dirt Track Championship.
The country’s premier sprint car series, the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series (ASCS) presented by MAVTV, will make its first visit to the Texas Motor Speedway Dirt Track and will mark the first race by a national sprint car series at the speedway’s dirt track since the World of Outlaws competed in April 2004. Coupled with Modified and Limited Modified divisions, a field of more than 250 drivers from across 11 states (Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Kansas, Missouri, Tennessee, Nebraska, New Mexico, Arizona, Washington) will compete at the Texas Motor Speedway Dirt Track during the Port-A-Cool® U.S. National Dirt Track Championship beginning Friday.
“The name Texas Motor Speedway speaks for itself,” sprint car driver Sam Hafertepe Jr. said. “It is prestigious to win at a track like the Texas Motor Speedway Dirt Track. Everybody has been
longing to get back there and I think it’s going to show when we have a huge car count this weekend.”
Hafertepe Jr., of Sunnyvale, is one of 35 Dallas/Fort Worth-area drivers among the three divisions competing in this weekend’s event. He competes in national sprint car events across the country, having traveled in recent months to Edmonton, Canada; Burlington, Wash.; Rossburg, Ohio; and Knoxville, Iowa, for the famed Knoxville Nationals sprint car event.
The opportunity to take part in sprint car racing’s return to the Texas Motor Speedway Dirt Track has sparked excitement among the drivers. The chance to win at one of dirt track racing’s state-of-the-art venues is just added motivation for sprint car drivers competing in the Port-A-Cool® U.S. National Dirt Track Championship.
“Guys love to race at facilities the caliber of Texas Motor Speedway’s Dirt Track,” Hafertepe Jr. said. “A lot of dirt racers don’t get to race at facilities like that, so for a guy to be able to come to a facility like that and bring their car out for a race for that magnitude is pretty exciting. Everybody wants to be out there in the limelight, so it’s definitely going to be a big show.”
The field of Modified and Limited Modified drivers features 10 previous winners, including three-time champion and Midlothian native Troy Taylor. Other previous winners include March’s Port-A-Cool® Texas World Dirt Track Championship Limited Modified winner Dennie Gieber (Frankston, Texas); Bobby Malchus (Red Oak, Texas); Paul White (Columbus, Texas); Clyde Dunn Jr. (Sunnyvale, Texas); Steve Whiteaker Jr. (Corpus Christi, Texas); Randy Timms (Wheatland, Okla.); Chris Henigan (Marshall, Texas); Sean Jones (Mansfield, Texas) and Bobby Ruffin (Crandall, Texas).
On-track racing for the Port-A-Cool® U.S. National Dirt Track Championship gets underway on Thursday with practice for all three divisions beginning at 6 p.m. CT. The practice will be closed to the public.
All three divisions will be on track Friday with Modified and Limited Modified heat races followed by ASCS practice. The championship rounds for the Port-A-Cool® U.S. National Dirt Track Championship will be held Saturday evening. Grandstand tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under Friday, and $25 for adults and $15 for kids 12 and under Saturday. Parking is free for both nights. For more information on the Port-A-Cool® U.S. National Dirt Track Championship, visit www.texasmotorspeedway.com.
