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Darland Pockets $10K in Shuman Classic as Ballou Takes TNT Title!
Lonnie Wheatley, KANSAS CITY, Kan. (August 21, 2010) – Lincoln, Indiana’s Dave Darland became the fourth different winner in as many nights of Sixth Annual Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits Tour ‘N Topless Midwest Swing action by taking the $10,000 winner’s share in Saturday night’s Ron Shuman Classic atop the ½-mile Lakeside Speedway clay oval.
Darland gunned into the lead from the front row outside at the outset in the Goodnight Racing Pallet Builder No. 39 DRC and then withstood a late charge from Robert Ballou in the 30-lapper to secure the prestigious win and the coveted pedal car trophy that goes along with it.
“We had a great car and they did a great job with the track considering how much rain we had here last night,” Darland commented. “One and two was tricky, you had to hit it just right to get through it good. Three and four was good everywhere, you could put it to the mat about half way through the corner no matter where you were.”
While Darland enjoyed Sprint Bandits TNT victory lane for the third time in his career, it was California native Robert Ballou capturing his second TNT title by virtue of his runner-up finish. Ballou took the title by 26 points over eighth-place finisher Brady Bacon, with Casey Shuman another ten points back in third.
Making his first TNT appearance of the year after Friday night’s preliminary action was rained out, Darland earned a front row starting position by winning both his heat race and qualifying race. Starting to his inside was Ballou, who charged from eighth to win the night’s opening heat race and then climbed from sixth to second to amass the most points through qualifying action.
The feature event got off to a rough start when J.D. Black biked it exiting turn four and flipped violently down the frontstretch. As the field checked up for the red lights, Kyle Cummins and Logan Walker got together and flipped in turn two. There were no injuries.
Darland gunned into the lead on the restart and led the early rounds in front of Ballou, Coleman Gulick and Casey Shuman before Daron Clayton slid to a stop in turn three to bring out the caution after four laps.
Darland cruised out front ahead of Ballou and Gulick as Hunter Schuerenberg and Bryan Clauson soon advanced from tenth and eleventh, respectively, to dice for fourth position.
As traffic came into play near the midway point, Ballou began to close in on Darland who found himself mired behind three cars on the 18th circuit. As Darland split a pair of cars, Mike Moore spun in turn two to bring out a caution, giving Darland clear track with just a dozen circuits remaining.
Back into traffic over the final handful of laps, Ballou closed to within a pair of car lengths aboard Dallas Mulvaney’s Don Ott-powered MPGH Promotions No. 81 Triple X and tried to mount a challenge.
Darland stayed just out of reach and took the checkered flag with a four-car length advantage over Ballou, who pocketed $2,250 of the total $9,000 Sprint Bandits TNT point fund accumulated over the season of nine completed events.
Clauson battled past Schuerenberg and Gulick over the final half of the race to claim the show position aboard the Hockett Racing No. 75, with Schuerenberg taking fourth in the final circuits.
Gulick rounded out the top five in the Hazardous Motorsports No. 14, with Shuman, Gary Taylor, Brady Bacon, 14th-starter Chris Morgan and 19th-starter Patrick Stasa completing the top ten.
Schuerenberg, Ballou and Darland topped heat race action for the 26-car field, with Shuman, J.C. Bland and Darland winning the qualifiers. Paul Flynn flipped in turn one on the opening lap of the night’s second heat race and was done for the night.
Sixth Annual Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits Tour ‘N Topless Midwest Swing
Lakeside Speedway Ron Shuman Classic Results:
Heat Races:
Heat One (8 Laps): 1. 35-Hunter Schuerenberg, 2. 7c-Chris Morgan, 3. 99-Brady Bacon, 4. 98-J.C. Bland, 5. 4g-Casey Shuman, 6. 39g-Matt Goodnight, 7. 16-Anthony Nicholson, 8. 19-Patrick Stasa. DNS: 23-Mitch Wissmiller.
Heat Two (8 Laps): 1. 81-Robert Ballou, 2. 75-Bryan Clauson, 3. 2-Gary Taylor, 4. 69-Mike Moore, 5. 91-Jeff Stasa, 6. 7jr-J.D. Black, 7. 38-Logan Walker, 8. 12-Andy Helm, 9. 76j-Paul Flynn.
Heat Three (8 Laps): 1. 39-Dave Darland, 2. 14-Coleman Gulick, 3. 92-Daron Clayton, 4. 96-Cody Brewer, 5. 21x-Kyle Cummins, 6. 88-Chad Tye, 7. 90-Patrick Budde, 8. 51-Doug Martens.
Qualifying Races:
Qualifier One (8 Laps): 1. 4g-Casey Shuman, 2. 81-Robert Ballou, 3. 14-Coleman Gulick, 4. 75-Bryan Clauson, 5. 91-Jeff Stasa, 6. 19-Patrick Stasa, 7. 7c-Chris Morgan. DNS: 39g-Matt Goodnight, 76j-Paul Flynn.
Qualifier Two (8 Laps): 1. 98-J.C. Bland, 2. 2-Gary Taylor, 3. 99-Brady Bacon, 4. 35-Hunter Schuerenberg, 5. 21x-Kyle Cummins, 6. 16-Anthony Nicholson, 7. 7jr-J.D. Black, 8. 51-Doug Martens, 9. 23-Mitch Wissmiller.
Qualifier Three (8 Laps): 1. 39-Dave Darland, 2. 96-Cody Brewer, 3. 92-Daron Clayton, 4. 69-Mike Moore, 5. 38-Logan Walker, 6. 88-Chad Tye, 7. 90-Patrick Budde, 8. 12-Andy Helm.
Lakeside Speedway Sprint Bandits TNT $10,000-to-win Ron Shuman Classic:
“A” Feature (30 Laps): 1. 39-Dave Darland, 2. 81-Robert Ballou, 3. 75-Bryan Clauson, 4. 35-Hunter Schuerenberg, 5. 14-Coleman Gulick, 6. 4g-Casey Shuman, 7. 2-Gary Taylor, 8. 99-Brady Bacon, 9. 7c-Chris Morgan, 10. 19-Patrick Stasa, 11. 16-Anthony Nicholson, 12. 98-J.C. Bland, 13. 96-Cody Brewer, 14. 91-Jeff Stasa, 15. 51-Doug Martens, 16. 88-Chad Tye, 17. 90-Patrick Budde, 18. 12-Andy Helm, 19. 69-Mike Moore, 20. 23-Mitch Wissmiller, 21. 92-Daron Clayton, 22. 39g-Matt Goodnight, 23. 21x-Kyle Cummins, 24. 38-Logan Walker, 25. 7jr-J.D. Black. DNS: 76j-Paul Flynn.
Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits TNT Points (Top 10): 1. Robert Ballou 1,196, 2. Brady Bacon 1,170, 3. Casey Shuman 1,160, 4. J.C. Bland 1,023, 5. Anthony Nicholson 1,008, 6. Patrick Stasa 666, 7. Travis Rilat 661, 8. Jeff Stasa 628, 9. Matt Sherrell 572, 10. Gary Taylor 561.
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Lakeside Sprint Bandits TNT Prelim is All Wet; Title on the Line Saturday
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (August 20, 2010) – A steady series of severe thunderstorms has forced the cancellation of Friday night’s Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits Tour ‘N Topless event at Lakeside Speedway.
The series will now finish off the Sixth Annual TNT Midwest Swing as well as the 2010 season with Saturday night’s $10,000-to-win Ron Shuman Classic atop the ½-mile Lakeside Speedway clay oval, with racing action set to go green at 7:30 p.m.
Defending event winner Brady Bacon and two-time Shuman Classic winner Robert Ballou enter Saturday’s action tied for the Sprint Bandits TNT points lead, with Casey Shuman just 16 points out of the lead in third.
Additional information regarding the Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits Tour ‘N Topless series is available at www.sprintbandits.com.
Shuman Scores First Sprint Bandits TNT Win in Husker Nationals!
Lonnie Wheatley, GREENWOOD, Neb. (August 19, 2010) – Casey Shuman captured his first career Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits Tour ‘N Topless feature win by wiring the field in Thursday night’s weather-postponed 30-lap Sixth Annual TNT Husker Nationals championship main event at I-80 Speedway.
Starting from the front row outside, Shuman gunned into the lead at the outset and led all the way to take the $3,000 top share and tighten up the title chase entering the weekend’s $10,000-to-win Ron Shuman Classic at Lakeside Speedway.
“I’ve been trying to get one of these for at least three or four years now,” Shuman explained in victory lane. “I know other people have said this, but I’ve been driving my ass off to get one for my buddy Jesse Hockett and I finally got it.”
While the leading TNT title contenders, Brady Bacon and Robert Ballou, closed in on Shuman at the 20-lap mark, Shuman was flawless in traffic over the final circuits and slipped off to a comfortable win.
Bacon settled for runner-up honors, moving into a tie for the points lead with third-place finisher Ballou.
Hunter Schuerenberg, while Gary Taylor rallied from 12th to round out the top five in a replacement role for Kyle Larson, who returned to his California home to fulfill previous obligations since Monday night’s heat and qualifying race action.
Mike Moore was sixth, while Anthony Nicholson worked past his three other 360-ci rivals to claim the $500 bonus with a seventh place feature finish. J.C. Bland was eighth, with Stuart Snyder and Patrick Stasa completing the top ten.
Monday’s heat races were won by Ballou and Clayton, with Bacon and Larson winning the qualifying races. Rain on Monday as the feature hit the track pushed the main event back to Thursday. Clayton ran second for the initial dozen circuits before stopping with mechanical issues to bring out the race’s only caution.
Sixth Annual Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits Tour ‘N Topless Midwest Swing
I-80 Speedway TNT Husker Nationals Results:
Heat Races (August 16):
Heat One (8 Laps): 1. 81-Robert Ballou, 2. 4g-Casey Shuman, 3. 35-Hunter Schuerenberg, 4. 18-Mike Hess, 5. 21-Chris Parkinson, 6. 19-Patrick Stasa, 7. 53-Jack Dover, 8. 16-Anthony Nicholson.
Heat Two (8 Laps): 1. 92-Daron Clayton, 2. 2-Kyle Larson, 3. 99-Brady Bacon, 4. 98-J.C. Bland, 5. 69-Mike Moore, 6. 23s-Stu Snyder, 7. 91-Jeff Stasa. DNS: 23-Mitch Wissmiller.
Qualifying Races (August 16):
Qualifier One (8 Laps): 1. 99-Brady Bacon, 2. 92-Daron Clayton, 3. 18-Mike Hess, 4. 35-Hunter Schuerenberg, 5. 23-Mitch Wissmiller, 6. 23s-Stu Snyder, 7. 21-Chris Parkinson, 8. 91-Jeff Stasa.
Qualifier Two (8 Laps): 1. 2-Kyle Larson, 2. 4g-Casey Shuman, 3. 81-Robert Ballou, 4. 98-J.C. Bland, 5. 69-Mike Moore. DNS: 19-Patrick Stasa, 16-Anthony Nicholson, 53-Jack Dover.
Sixth Annual I-80 Speedway TNT Husker Nationals Main Event (August 19):
“A” Feature (30 Laps): 1. 4g-Casey Shuman, 2. 99-Brady Bacon, 3. 81-Robert Ballou, 4. 35-Hunter Schuerenberg, 5. 2-Gary Taylor, 6. 69-Mike Moore, 7. 16-Anthony Nicholson, 8. 98-J.C. Bland, 9. 23s-Stu Snyder, 10. 19-Patrick Stasa, 11. 91-Jeff Stasa, 12. 92-Daron Clayton, 13. 18-Mike Hess (DNS), 14. 21-Chris Parkinson (DNS), 15. 23-Mitch Wissmiller (DNS), 16. 53-Jack Dover (DNS).
Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits TNT Points (Top 10): 1. (tie) Robert Ballou and Brady Bacon 1,054, 3. Casey Shuman 1,038, 4. J.C. Bland 917, 5. Anthony Nicholson 900, 6. Travis Rilat 661, 7. Matt Sherrell 572, 8. Patrick Stasa 556, 9. Jeff Stasa 526, 10. Gary Taylor 442.
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Sprint Bandits TNT Back to I-80 Tonight!
Lonnie Wheatley, GREENWOOD, Neb. (August 19, 2010) – The Sixth Annual Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits Tour ‘N Topless Midwest Swing returns to Nebraska tonight to wrap up some unfinished business. The series returns to Nebraska Raceway Park’s I-80 Speedway at 7:00 p.m. for the 30-lap Sixth Annual Husker TNT Nationals, which was postponed by rain that hit the track at the same time the feature rolled on Monday night.
Sunday night winner at Rock Rapids, IA, Daron Clayton will start from the pole position. Originally scheduled to start to his outside, Kyle Larson has returned to California to fulfill prior obligations. Gary Taylor will take the wheel of the Yeley No. 2 and tag the feature field.
Brady Bacon, currently seven points behind Robert Ballou in the Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits TNT title chase, is the defending Husker TNT Nationals champion.
Additional information regarding the Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits Tour ‘N Topless series is available at www.sprintbandits.com.
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Sprint Bandits TNT Stopped Short at I-80 by Rain; Feature Reset for Thursday
Lonnie Wheatley, GREENWOOD, Neb. (August 16, 2010) – The Sixth Annual TNT Husker Nationals championship feature event will have to wait another 72 hours, as Monday night’s Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits Tour ‘N Topless card at I-80 Speedway was halted by rain as the feature event hit the track.
After rushing through the program of heat races and qualifying races, rain hit the 4/10-mile dirt oval just as the feature field was firing off at 9:00 p.m. The feature event, along with the balance of the late model and modified program, will be made up this Thursday night with racing action going green at 7:00 p.m.
After capturing his first career Sprint Bandits TNT feature win on Sunday night at Rapid Speedway in Rock Rapids, IA, Daron Clayton earned the pole position for the I-80 feature event with a heat race win and then a runner-up showing in his qualifying race. Kyle Larson is scheduled to start outside Clayton on the front row.
The evening was marred by Jack Dover’s vicious flip into the turn three fencing on the second lap of the night’s opening heat race. Dover was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
The Sixth Annual Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits TNT Midwest Swing moves on to Sedalia’s Missouri State Fair Speedway on Tuesday night, before returning to I-80 Speedway on Thursday night for the conclusion of the TNT Husker Nationals. The week of racing action then concludes on Friday and Saturday with the $10,000-to-win Ron Shuman Classic at Kansas City’s Lakeside Speedway.
Pit passes and rain checks from the Monday night event at I-80 Speedway will be honored on Thursday night.
Sixth Annual Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits Tour ‘N Topless Midwest Swing
I-80 Speedway TNT Husker Nationals Results:
Heat Races:
Heat One (8 Laps): 1. 81-Robert Ballou, 2. 4g-Casey Shuman, 3. 35-Hunter Schuerenberg, 4. 18-Mike Hess, 5. 21-Chris Parkinson, 6. 19-Patrick Stasa, 7. 53-Jack Dover, 8. 16-Anthony Nicholson.
Heat Two (8 Laps): 1. 92-Daron Clayton, 2. 2-Kyle Larson, 3. 99-Brady Bacon, 4. 98-J.C. Bland, 5. 69-Mike Moore, 6. 23s-Stu Snyder, 7. 91-Jeff Stasa. DNS: 23-Mitch Wissmiller.
Qualifying Races:
Qualifier One (8 Laps): 1. 99-Brady Bacon, 2. 92-Daron Clayton, 3. 18-Mike Hess, 4. 35-Hunter Schuerenberg, 5. 23-Mitch Wissmiller, 6. 23s-Stu Snyder, 7. 21-Chris Parkinson, 8. 91-Jeff Stasa.
Qualifier Two (8 Laps): 1. 2-Kyle Larson, 2. 4g-Casey Shuman, 3. 81-Robert Ballou, 4. 98-J.C. Bland, 5. 69-Mike Moore. DNS: 19-Patrick Stasa, 16-Anthony Nicholson, 53-Jack Dover.
Sixth Annual I-80 Speedway TNT Husker Nationals Main Event:
“A” Feature (30 Laps): Postponed by rain to Thursday night, August 19.
Scheduled “A” Feature Lineup
92 Daron Clayton – 2 Kyle Larson
4g Casey Shuman – 81 Robert Ballou
99 Brady Bacon – 35 Hunter Schuerenberg
18 Mike Hess – 98 J.C. Bland
69 Mike Moore – 21 Chris Parkinson
23s Stu Snyder – 91 Jeff Stasa
23 Mitch Wissmiller – 19 Patrick Stasa
16 Anthony Nicholson
Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits TNT Points (Top 10): 1. Brady Bacon 842, 2. (tie) Robert Ballou and Casey Shuman 834, 4. J.C. Bland 753, 5. Anthony Nicholson 740, 6. Travis Rilat 661, 7. Matt Sherrell 572, 8. Jesse Hockett 412, 9. Patrick Stasa 401, 10. Gary Taylor 382.
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Clayton Sweeps Sprint Bandits TNT at Rapid Speedway!
Lonnie Wheatley, ROCK RAPIDS, Iowa (August 15, 2010) – Daron Clayton broke back into victory lane in impressive style by sweeping through the opening night of the Sixth Annual Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits Tour ‘N Topless Midwest Swing on Sunday night at Rapid Speedway.
After convincing wins in both heat and qualifying race action, “The Modern Day Cowboy” gunned into the lead from the pole position and led all 30 laps en route to his first career Sprint Bandits TNT triumph, finishing off a perfect night worth $3,000.
“The car was flawless, I could drive it anywhere,” Clayton explained in victory lane after climbing out of the J&D Performance-powered Douglas Wheels/Cornwell Tools/Marvel Miracle Foundation No. 92.
After a half-lap triumph in the night’s opening heat race and then another easy win from fourth in his qualifier, Clayton outgunned fellow Sikeston, MO, shoe Hunter Schuerenberg for the lead at the drop of the green flag and was never challenged despite a pair of cautions and one red flag along the way.
Following the race’s final caution after 20 rounds, Clayton stretched his advantage out to a full straightaway by the time he reached the checkered flag for the first time in a long while. “It’s been a long dry spell, maybe this is what we’ve been needing to turn things around.”
After battling past Kyle Larson for fourth after a lap nine stoppage for a wild Robert Ballou ride off turn three, Casey Shuman advanced a pair of spots over the final ten laps to claim runner-up honors in the No. 4g entry.
With three lapped cars separating Clayton from Schuerenberg, reigning TNT champion Brady Bacon and Shuman, the Arizona native took advantage of traffic to take third from Bacon on the 22nd lap and then slid past Schuerenberg in the final pair of corners to snare runner-up honors.
Schuerenberg settled for the show position, with Bacon and Larson rounding out the top five. J.C. Bland crossed the stripe in sixth, while Patrick Stasa picked up a $500 bonus as the top finishing 360-ci competitor in seventh. Anthony Nicholson was eighth, with Mike Moore and Jeff Stasa completing the top ten.
After entering the night atop the point charts, Ballou fell into a tie for second with Shuman behind new point leader Bacon after his vicious tumble that resulted from a stuck throttle ten laps into the main event. While the MPHG mount was junk, Ballou was uninjured.
Clayton and Ballou won Sunday night’s heat races, with Bacon and Clayton victorious in the qualifying races.
Matt Sherrell suffered terminal engine woes in his qualifying race, while Mitch Wissmiller sailed off turn three in his qualifier with steering gear woes. Neither were able to make the feature call but are expected back for Monday night’s second round of Sprint Bandits TNT Midwest Swing action at Nebraska Raceway Park’s I-80 Speedway.
Sixth Annual Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits Tour ‘N Topless Midwest Swing
Rapid Speedway Results:
Heat Races:
Heat One (8 Laps): 1. 92-Daron Clayton, 2. 35x-Hunter Schuerenberg, 3. 2-Kyle Larson, 4. 16-Anthony Nicholson, 5. 23-Mitch Wissmiller, 6. 98-J.C. Bland, 7. 69-Mike Moore. DNS: 51-Doug Martens.
Heat Two (8 Laps): 1. 81-Robert Ballou, 2. 4g-Casey Shuman, 3. 99-Brady Bacon, 4. 35-Matt Sherrell, 5. 19-Patrick Stasa, 6. 2x-Gerod Olivier, 7. 91-Jeff Stasa.
Qualifying Races:
Qualifier One (8 Laps): 1. 99-Brady Bacon, 2. 2-Kyle Larson, 3. 35x-Hunter Schuerenberg, 4. 81-Robert Ballou, 5. 2x-Gerod Olivier, 6. 69-Mike Moore, 7. 16-Anthony Nicholson. DNS: 51-Doug Martens.
Qualifier Two (8 Laps): 1. 92-Daron Clayton, 2. 4g-Casey Shuman, 3. 98-J.C. Bland, 4. 19-Patrick Stasa, 5. 91-Jeff Stasa, 6. 23-Mitch Wissmiller, 7. 35-Matt Sherrell.
Rapid Speedway Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits TNT Main Event:
“A” Feature (30 Laps): 1. 92-Daron Clayton, 2. 4g-Casey Shuman, 3. 35x-Hunter Schuerenberg, 4. 99-Brady Bacon, 5. 2-Kyle Larson, 6. 98-J.C. Bland, 7. 19-Patrick Stasa, 8. 16-Anthony Nicholson, 9. 69-Mike Moore, 10. 91-Jeff Stasa, 11. 2x-Gerod Olivier, 12. 51-Doug Martens, 13. 81-Robert Ballou, 14. 35-Matt Sherrell (DNS), 15. 23-Mitch Wissmiller (DNS).
Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits TNT Points (Top 10): 1. Brady Bacon 777, 2. (tie) Robert Ballou and Casey Shuman 769, 4. J.C. Bland 688, 5. Anthony Nicholson 675, 6. Travis Rilat 661, 7. Matt Sherrell 572, 8. Jesse Hockett 412, 9. Gary Taylor 382, 10. Ray Allen Kulhanek 377.
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Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits TNT Ignites on Sunday!
Lonnie Wheatley, TULSA, Okla. (August 11, 2010) – It’s just a few short days away, as the Sixth Annual Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits Tour ‘N Topless Midwest Swing fires off Sunday night with the first of five events that will take place over a seven-night stretch.
This year, four tracks are set to host the wild, wingless, 410-ci TNT Sprint Car action including two new venues and two familiar stops along the TNT trail.
The action starts in new territory, with Rapid Speedway in Rock Rapids, IA, hosting the week’s lidlifter on Sunday night. It will mark the first Sprint Bandits TNT event at Rapid Speedway, as last year’s scheduled event was rained out.
On Monday night, the action shifts to Nebraska Raceway Park’s I-80 Speedway in Greenwood, NE, for the Sixth Annual TNT Husker Nationals, an event that was topped by reigning TNT champion Brady Bacon last year.
Tuesday night, it’s on to the Missouri State Fair Speedway in Sedalia, MO, for the first wingless 410-ci Sprint Car event atop the historic half-mile clay oval since Jack Hewitt reached victory lane in September of 1993.
Then, after two nights off to regroup, the action shifts to Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City, KS, for the annual Ron Shuman Classic on Friday and Saturday, with Saturday night’s finale offering up a $10,000 winner’s share. Bacon put the clamps on the 2009 TNT title by becoming the seventh different driver to capture the coveted pedal car trophy that goes along with the lucrative score.
The five-night Tour ‘N Topless run will put the finishing touches on the 2010 Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits TNT title chase, which is currently led by Rocklin, CA, native Robert Ballou.
The 21-year-old Ballou has topped three of five TNT features thus far in 2010 and holds an 18-point advantage over 20-year-old Brady Bacon of Broken Arrow, OK. Other full-time TNT contenders include Casey Shuman (Tempe, AZ), J.C. Bland (Springfield, IL), Anthony Nicholson (Bartlett, TN) and Matt Sherrell (Owasso, OK) with California’s Kyle Larson and Washington native Gary Taylor splitting time during the week aboard the Jack Yeley entry.
A number of other stout contenders will drop in over the course of the week, including two-time Husker Nationals champion Dave Darland among others.
Round One – Rapid Speedway (Rock Rapids, IA)
When: Sunday, August 15
Description: 3/8-mile semi-banked dirt oval
Location: 0.5 miles east of US 75 on SR 9, then 0.5 miles south on South Tama St. (at the Lyons Co. Fairgrounds)
Race Time: 8:00 p.m.
Track Phone: 712-472-3742
Notes: Just a stone's throw or two from Sioux Falls, SD, Rapid Speedway hosts the Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits TNT for the first time after last year’s scheduled event was rained out.
Round Two – I-80 Speedway (Greenwood, NE)
When: Monday, August 16
Description: 4/10-mile semi-banked dirt oval
Location: Between Omaha and Lincoln off I-80 Exit 420, then 0.4 miles north on SR 63, then west
Race Time: 7:00 p.m.
Track Phone: 402-659-3301 or 402-342-3453
Notes: Annually the site of some of the most intense TNT racing of the week, I-80 Speedway hosts the Sixth Annual TNT Husker Nationals on Monday night. Levi Jones topped an action-packed 2005 TNT feature, Robert Ballou shocked the world with his first wingless win in 2006, Dave Darland gave the Trucker's Team their first TNT win when he nipped Tim Kaeding at the line by 0.052 seconds in 2007 and then repeated aboard a Scott Benic entry in 2008 before Brady Bacon rallied from the 14th starting position for the win in 2009.
Round Three – Missouri State Fair Speedway (Sedalia, MO)
When: Tuesday, August 17
Description: ½-mile slightly-banked dirt oval
Location: At the Missouri State Fairgrounds, 0.5 miles south of US 50 on US 65
Race Time: 7:30 p.m.
Track Phone: 660-827-0198 or 816-522-8343
Notes: Fair goers taking in the first Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits TNT stop at the Historic Half Mile will catch the first wingless, 410-ci Sprint Car event at Sedalia in nearly 17 years. Jack Hewitt won the last wingless affair on September 5, 1993.
Rounds Four & Five – Lakeside Speedway (Kansas City, KS)
When: Friday and Saturday, August 20-21
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: After three nights of $3,000 to win events, the week culminates with Lakeside Speedway's $10,000 to win Ron Shuman Classic on Saturday night, August 21. Brady Bacon nabbed the coveted pedal car to put the caps on the 2009 TNT crown, with other past winners including Robert Ballou (2008 and 2007), Brad Sweet (2006), Bud Kaeding (2005 and 2002), Jesse Hockett (2004 and 2003), Troy Rutherford (2001) and Tony Elliott (2000).
Current Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits TNT Driver Points (Top Ten): 1. Robert Ballou (Rocklin, CA) 665, 2 Travis Rilat (Forney, TX) 661, 3. Brady Bacon (Broken Arrow, OK) 647, 4. Casey Shuman (Tempe, AZ) 627, 5. J.C. Bland (Springfield, IL) 566, 6. Anthony Nicholson (Memphis, TN) 559, 7. Matt Sherrell (Owasso, OK) 507, 8. Jesse Hockett (Warsaw, MO) 412, 9. Gary Taylor (Snohomish, WA) 382, 10. Ray Allen Kulhanek (Montgomery, TX) 377.
Past Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits TNT Champions:
2005 – Levi Jones
2006 – Jesse Hockett
2007 – Robert Ballou and Tim Kaeding
2008 – Dave Darland
2009 – Brady Bacon
Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits TNT Career Feature Wins: Robert Ballou 9, Brady Bacon 6, Levi Jones 5, Cory Kruseman 3, Dave Darland 2, Jesse Hockett 2, Brady Short 2, Jerry Coons, Jr. 1, Tim Crawley 1, Dickie Gaines 1, Darren Hagen 1, Bud Kaeding 1, Travis Rilat 1, Brad Sweet 1, Chris Windom 1.
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Ballou Sweeps TNT Weekend with Lucas Oil Score
Lonnie Wheatley, WHEATLAND, Mo. (June 19, 2010) – California native Robert Ballou completed a sweep of the weekend’s Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits Tour ‘N Topless racing action by charging to victory lane in Saturday night’s 30-lap feature event at Lucas Oil Speedway.
But, after a convincing Friday night romp at Creek County Speedway, Ballou had his hands full throughout Saturday night’s main event with the persistent challenges of Brady Bacon atop the “Diamond of Dirt Tracks” clay oval.
The 21-year-old was up to the challenge though, taking over the Sprint Bandits TNT points lead with his third series win of the year aboard Dallas Mulvaney’s Don Ott-powered MPHG Promotions No. 81 Triple-X.
“This place has been pretty good to us, we won the last time here a couple of years ago too,” Ballou commented after the $3,000 triumph.
Ballou celebrated his ninth career TNT triumph with some Hockett-esque donuts on both the back and front straightaways before handing off the winner’s hardware to Jesse Hockett’s father, Jack, in victory lane.
While Casey Shuman earned the pole position for the main event by rallying from the tail of the field to win the night’s first heat race and then racing from sixth to first in his qualifier, it was front row outside starter Ballou gunning into the early lead with fifth-starter Bacon working past second row starter Gary Taylor by the fifth round as Shuman slipped to fourth.
Bacon closed in on Ballou and began pressuring for the point, pulling alongside in Mike and Megan Eubanks’ Wesmar-powered Tel-Star Communications No. 99 Triple-X exiting turn two just as the race’s first caution flew with eleven laps in the books for Mitch Wissmiller’s disabled mount on the backstretch.
Ballou and Bacon broke away from the field once again on the restart, with the fight for the lead once again intensifying in traffic until a caution flew on the 20th lap for a Steven Cross spin in turn three.
Before a lap was completed on the ensuing restart, sixth-running Travis Rilat tried to thread the needle between a pair of cars in turn four and tangled with fourth-runner Justin Grant before getting upside down in turn four. Both rejoined the chase at the tail.
With just eleven laps remaining, Bacon wasted no time challenging for the top position. Bacon pulled alongside exiting turn four on the 24th lap, but Ballou held strong on the top side of the track to maintain command and ultimately beat the Broken Arrow, OK, shoe to the stripe by two car-lengths.
“I knew he was there,” Ballou explained. “He was gonna have to get me on the bottom because I couldn’t run down there, I had to be up top.”
Ballou and Bacon were chased to the stripe by Washington state native, who claimed the show position in Jack Yeley’s No. 2 entry.
Shuman crossed the stripe fourth, with Patrick Stasa rounding out the top five and collecting a $500 bonus as the night’s top finishing 360-ci powered competitor.
Hailing from Kingman, KS, Stasa battled throughout with fellow 360-ci racers Anthony Nicholson and Kyle Bellm, just edging Memphis-area shoe Nicholson at the stripe for fifth.
Nicholson settled for sixth, while Mike Hess charged from 23rd to seventh with 360-ci power as well after brake problems sidelined heat race and qualifying race runs.
Rilat and Grant rebounded from the lap 20 incident to salvage eighth and ninth place finishes, respectively, with Bellm shuffled to tenth in the final circuits.
Shuman, Bacon and Taylor topped Saturday night’s heat race action, with Shuman, Ballou and Grant winning the qualifying races.
Andy Helm flipped in hot laps, with Chad Meinholdt, Curtis Evans and Matt Sherrell each tumbling in heat race action. All but Sherrell, who flipped while leading on the last lap of the third heat race, returned for feature action.
"A” Feature (30 Laps): 1. 81-Robert Ballou, 2. 99-Brady Bacon, 3. 2-Gary Taylor, 4. 4g-Casey Shuman, 5. 19-Patrick Stasa, 6. 16-Anthony Nicholson, 7. 18-Mike Hess, 8. 50off-Travis Rilat, 9. 5-Justin Grant, 10. 14k-Kyle Bellm, 11. 98-J.C. Bland, 12. 88-Chad Tye, 13. 15-Jeff Wingate, 14. 91-Jeff Stasa, 15. 19s-Steven Cross, 16. 90-Patrick Budde, 17. 04-Brad Graham, 18. 77-Rob Hockett, 19. 23-Mitch Wissmiller, 20. 21-Chad Meinholdt, 21. 1a-Adam Jones, 22. 12-Andy Helm, 23. 1p-Curtis Evans. DNS: 35-Matt Sherrell.
Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits TNT Points (Top 10): 1. Robert Ballou 665, 2. Travis Rilat 661, 3. Brady Bacon 647, 4. Casey Shuman 627, 5. J.C. Bland 566, 6. Anthony Nicholson 559, 7. Matt Sherrell 507, 8. Jesse Hockett 412, 9. Gary Taylor 382, 10. Ray Allen Kulhanek 377.
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Ballou Blasts TNT at Creek County!
Lonnie Wheatley, SAPULPA, Okla. (June 18, 2010) – Robert Ballou bagged his eighth career Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits Tour ‘N Topless feature victory in convincing fashion by racing to victory lane in Friday night’s 30-lap main event at Creek County Speedway.
The Rocklin, CA, native battled past early pacesetter Gary Taylor by the eighth round and checked out over the final 20 circuits to secure his second TNT win of the year aboard Dallas Mulvaney’s MPHG Promotions No. 81 in the feature event that was interrupted just once.
“We’ve been chasing it lately it seems like, kinda struggling, so we really needed this one,” Ballou commented in victory lane.
While Ballou gridded the feature field outside the front row starter, it was pole starter Gary Taylor taking command at the outset in his first time out aboard Jack Yeley’s No. 2 entry.
Taylor paced the initial rounds in front of Ballou, Casey Shuman and TNT points leader Travis Rilat.
A slight Taylor miscue entering turn one on the sixth round was all Ballou needed to pounce on the top spot. Taylor battled back though, with the pair swapping the point while racing through traffic until the red flag flew with eight laps in the books for Matt Sherrell’s turn four tumble. Sherrell was uninjured but done for the night.
Ballou was out front on the restart and simply checked out on the field, leaving Taylor to deal with the likes of Shuman, Rilat and eventually Brady Bacon.
Ballou sliced and diced through lapped traffic over the last half of the race, holding nearly a half lap advantage most of the way en route to the checkered flag.
In Ballou’s wake, Shuman worked past Taylor for second at the midway point and held the runner-up position to the line in the No. 10x entry.
Rilat moved into the show position in the final rounds, with Bacon making a late move to snare fourth.
Hampered by a flat left front tire over the final half of the race, Taylor rounded out the top five with Dustin Morgan and J.C. Bland in sixth and seventh, respectively.
Anthony Nicholson was the eighth and final car on the lead lap, picking up the $500 bonus as the top finishing 360-ci powered competitor for the night.
Oklahoma’s Danny Smith was ninth, with Cody Gardner completing the top ten.
Taylor, Shuman and Bacon topped heat race action for the 24-car field, with Sherrell, Rilat and Bland winning the qualifying races.
Michael Tyre flipped in turn three in the night’s opening heat race, while Brent Swift returned for more action after turning over in turn one in the third heat race.
Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits Tour ‘N Topless Results
Creek County Speedway:
Heat Races:
Heat One (8 Laps): 1. 2-Gary Taylor, 2. 16-Anthony Nicholson, 3. 19-Patrick Stasa, 4. 81-Robert Ballou, 5. 98-J.C. Bland, 6. 15s-Nick Smith, 7. 10r-David Wheeler, 8. 98x-Michael Tyre.
Heat Two (8 Laps): 1. 10x-Casey Shuman, 2. 1g-Cody Gardner, 3. 93-Dustin Morgan, 4. 35-Matt Sherrell, 5. 50off-Travis Rilat, 6. 8z-Zach Pringle, 7. 15-Evan Sewell, 8. 4j-Jamie Passmore.
Heat Three (8 Laps): 1. 99-Brady Bacon, 2. 5$-Danny Smith, 3. 38-Rick Pringle, 4. 61-Jamie McDonald, 5. 19x-Matt Caudle, 6. 91-Jeff Stasa, 7. 5-Brent Swift. DNS: 17-Brent Bates.
Qualifying Races:
Qualifier One (8 Laps): 1. 35-Matt Sherrell, 2. 2-Gary Taylor, 3. 1g-Cody Gardner, 4. 99-Brady Bacon, 5. 19-Patrick Stasa, 6. 4j-Jamie Passmore, 7. 19x-Matt Caudle, 8. 10r-David Wheeler.
Qualifier Two (8 Laps): 1. 50off-Travis Rilat, 2. 81-Robert Ballou, 3. 93-Dustin Morgan, 4. 5$-Danny Smith, 5. 5-Brent Swift, 6. 8z-Zach Pringle, 7. 15s-Nick Smith, 8. 98x-Michael Tyre.
Qualifier Three (8 Laps): 1. 98-J.C. Bland, 2. 91-Jeff Stasa, 3. 10x-Casey Shuman, 4. 61-Jamie McDonald, 5. 38-Rick Pringle, 6. 16-Anthony Nicholson, 7. 15-Evan Sewell, 8. 17-Brent Bates.
Creek County Speedway Sprint Bandits TNT Main Event:
“A” Feature (30 Laps): 1. 81-Robert Ballou, 2. 10x-Casey Shuman, 3. 50off-Travis Rilat, 4. 99-Brady Bacon, 5. 2-Gary Taylor, 6. 93-Dustin Morgan, 7. 98-J.C. Bland, 8. 16-Anthony Nicholson, 9. 5$-Danny Smith, 10. 1g-Cody Gardner, 11. 8z-Zach Pringle, 12. 4j-Jamie Passmore, 13. 91-Jeff Stasa, 14. 10r-David Wheeler, 15. 61-Jamie McDonald, 16. 38-Rick Pringle, 17. 19x-Matt Caudle, 18. 5-Brent Swift, 19. 19-Patrick Stasa, 20. 15-Evan Sewell, 21. 35-Matt Sherrell. DNS: 15s-Nick Smith, 98x-Michael Tyre, 17-Brent Bates.
Lap Leaders: Gary Taylor 1-5, Robert Ballou 6, Taylor 7, Ballou 8-30.
Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits TNT Points (Top 10): 1. Travis Rilat 545, 2. Robert Ballou 515, 3. Brady Bacon 505, 4. Casey Shuman 497, 5. J.C. Bland 458, 6. Matt Sherrell 442, 7. Anthony Nicholson 437, 8. Jesse Hockett 412, 9. Ray Allen Kulhanek 377, 10. Wayne Johnson 341.
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It’s Time to Get Topless Again - Sprint Bandits TNT Double This Weekend!
Lonnie Wheatley, TULSA, Okla. (June 14, 2010) – It’s time to get topless again, as the Lucas Oil Sprint Bandit Tour ‘N Topless series fires back to action with a pair of events in Oklahoma and Missouri this weekend.
On Friday night, the TNT forces mix it up atop the cozy confines of Creek County Speedway near Tulsa in Kellyville, OK, before moving on to “The Diamond of Dirt Tracks”, Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, MO, on Saturday night.
Leading the way into the weekend is Forney, TX, shoe Travis Rilat, who is the series virtual points leader with the initial three TNT events of the 2010 season in the books.
Rilat leads a stout cast of contenders into the weekend double that is expected to include the likes of Brady Bacon (Broken Arrow, OK), Robert Ballou (Rocklin, CA), Casey Shuman (Tempe, AZ), Zach Chappell (Talala, OK), Wayne Johnson (Oklahoma City, OK), Matt Sherrell (Owasso, OK) and J.C. Bland (Springfield, IL) among others.
Both events offer up a $3,000 winner’s share with a minimum of $300 to start the feature event.
As was the case with the opening three events of the year, a $500 bonus will be in effect for the top-finishing 360-ci powered competitor each night.
After a rainout in Beaumont on April 30, Robert Ballou blasted from the tail of the field to nip Jesse Hockett by inches at the line in the May 1 season opener at Houston Raceway Park.
The following weekend, Rilat raced to victory lane on May 7 at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, TX, with Tim Crawley defending his home I-30 Speedway turn in Little Rock, AR, the following night with a 360-ci engine besting the 410-ci forces.
Both tracks have hosted a pair of Sprint Bandits TNT events in recent years, with Ballou (2007) and Bacon (2008) claiming Creek County wins and Dickie Gaines (2006) and Ballou (2008) taking TNT honors at Lucas Oil Speeday.
Friday’s action at Creek County Speedway fires off at 7:00 p.m., with Saturday’s card at Lucas Oil Speedway going green at 7:05 p.m.
Creek County Speedway is located southwest of Tulsa off I-44 Exit 211, then 0.3 miles south on SR 33, then one mile west on SR 66. For more information, contact the track at 918-605-6270.
Lucas Oil Speedway is located in Wheatland, MO, 0.2 miles south of US 54 on SR 83. For more information, contact the track at 417-282-5984.
Past Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits TNT Champions:
2005 – Levi Jones
2006 – Jesse Hockett
2007 – Robert Ballou and Tim Kaeding
2008 – Dave Darland
2009 – Brady Bacon
Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits TNT Career Feature Wins: Robert Ballou 7, Brady Bacon 6, Levi Jones 5, Cory Kruseman 3, Dave Darland 2, Jesse Hockett 2, Brady Short 2, Jerry Coons, Jr. 1, Tim Crawley 1, Dickie Gaines 1, Darren Hagen 1, Bud Kaeding 1, Travis Rilat 1, Brad Sweet 1, Chris Windom 1.
Current Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits TNT Points: 1. Jesse Hockett (Warsaw, MO) 412, 2. Travis Rilat (Forney, TX) 410, 3. Ray Allen Kulhanek (Montgomery, TX) 377, 4. Brady Bacon (Broken Arrow, OK) 375, 5. Robert Ballou (Rocklin, CA) 365, 6. Casey Shuman (Tempe, AZ) 355, 7. Matt Sherrell (Owasso, OK) 353, 8. Wayne Johnson (Oklahoma City, OK) 341, 9. J.C. Bland (Springfield, IL) 339, 10. Zach Chappell (Talala, OK) 328.
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Crawley Conquers Sprint Bandits TNT at I-30!
Lonnie Wheatley, LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (May 8, 2010) – Tim Crawley may have been spotting his top rivals 50 cubic inches in Saturday night’s Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits Tour ‘N Topless event at I-30 Speedway, but that didn’t prevent him from racing to victory lane in the 30-lap main event atop the high-banked, ¼-mile clay oval.
Pitting Mike Ward's 360-ci McCarver powerplant up against some of the top wingless, 410-ci competitors in the country, Crawley swept through the night’s action by wiring the feature field after earlier heat race and qualifying race wins to earn the pole position.
“We were fortunate to win both our heat and qualifier which put us up front for the feature, which is exactly where we needed to be tonight,” Crawley explained afterward.
Crawley collected $3,500 for his first TNT triumph aboard Mike Ward’s Boater Sports/Southern Renovations No. 88 Maxim, including a $500 bonus as the night’s top finishing 360-ci entry.
A last-corner pass of Casey Shuman to win the night’s second heat race and then a qualifying race triumph over J.C. Bland put Crawley on the pole position for the feature with the option of accepting the TNT Front Row Challenge for the opportunity to potentially double his winner’s take.
“The track is gonna be tough to pass on in this feature, so I think I’m going to have to pass on the Challenge and take my chances from the front row,” the Benton, AR, racer explained. Fellow front row starter Ray Allen Kulhanek of Conroe, TX, declined the Challenge as well.
After Patrick Budde’s left rear tire flew off in the opening corner on the original start, Crawley gunned into the initial lead with third-starter Jesse Hockett shuffling Kulhanek back to third at the outset.
Following a lap four interruption for Matt Sherrell, who came out on the short end of a turn four traffic jam and came to a stop, Crawley reached the tail of the field by the eleventh round only to have the yellow lights flicker again for Brian Bell’s turn four spin.
Another pair of cautions after 15 laps (for an Eric Sandage spin) and then 25 laps (for Brady Bacon, who slowed with a flat front tire) kept Crawley free and clear of traffic, allowing him to cruise to another I-30 Speedway victory virtually unchallenged.
“On that last restart, I knew I just needed to keep it low and stay right on the inside tires,” Crawley commented. “There was getting to be a few ruts in three and four, you just had to make sure not to hit those wrong.”
Crawley took the checkered flag ahead of past ASCS Gulf South champion Kulhanek, who slipped back by Hockett exiting turn two at the midway point en route to runner-up honors in his No. 5* entry.
Hockett claimed the show position aboard the Stanton Mopar-powered VKCC Motorsports/Parker Stores of Arizona No. 75 A.R.T. to take over the Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits TNT points lead by a slim two-point margin over Travis Rilat, who finished fourth in the www.shoptheboss.com No. 50off.
Past I-30 Speedway track champion Zach Pringle pedaled his 360-ci powered entry to a fifth-place finish after starting eleventh, with Gary Taylor’s first Sprint Car outing of 2010 resulting in a sixth-place finish aboard the 360-powered Carver No. 24.
Casey Shuman crossed the stripe seventh, with Wayne Johnson, J.C. Bland and Zach Chappell completing the top ten.
Bacon, Crawley and Taylor won the 10-lap heat races, with Kulhanek, Crawley and Sherrell victorious in the qualifying races. Rick Pringle slipped around Brian Bell on the final round to win the “B” Main.
Derek Hagar of Marion, AR, was transported to a local hospital for observation after climbing a right rear tire and flipping violently off the turn three embankment in the night’s third and final heat race.
Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits Tour ‘N Topless Results
I-30 Speedway:
Heat Races:
Heat One (10 Laps): 1. 99-Brady Bacon, 2. 50-Travis Rilat, 3. 50z-Zach Chappell, 4. 8z-Zach Pringle, 5. 81-Robert Ballou, 6. 60-Eric Sandage, 7. 87-Billy Melton, 8. 16-Anthony Nicholson, 9. 12T-Joe Young, 10. 4-Tommy Snellgrove.
Heat Two (10 Laps): 1. 88-Tim Crawley, 2. 10x-Casey Shuman, 3. 5*-Ray Allen Kulhanek, 4. 75-Jesse Hockett, 5. 35-Matt Sherrell, 6. 57-Dude Garrett, 7. 5k-Jerry Kamer, 8. 2-Wayne Johnson. DNS: 1g-Cody Gardner.
Heat Three (10 Laps): 1. 24-Gary Taylor, 2. 23-Brian Bell, 3. 58-Wade Oliver, 4. 01-Jeremy Newkirk, 5. 98-J.C. Bland, 6. 38-Rick Pringle, 7. 90-Patrick Budde, 8. 14-Jordon Mallett, 9. 9-Derek Hagar.
Qualifying Races (Top 16 in Combined Passing Points from Heat Races and Qualifying Races to “A” Main; Balance to “B” Main):
Qualifier One (10 Laps): 1. 5*-Ray Allen Kulhanek, 2. 75-Jesse Hockett, 3. 8z-Zach Pringle, 4. 10x-Casey Shuman, 5. 24-Gary Taylor, 6. 38-Rick Pringle, 7. 16-Anthony Nicholson, 8. 87-Billy Melton, 9. 4-Tommy Snellgrove. DNS: 9-Derek Hagar.
Qualifier Two (10 Laps): 1. 88-Tim Crawley, 2. 98-J.C. Bland, 3. 2-Wayne Johnson, 4. 58-Wade Oliver, 5. 01-Jeremy Newkirk, 6. 57-Dude Garrett, 7. 12T-Joe Young, 8. 90-Patrick Budde, 9. 23-Brian Bell.
Qualifier Three (10 Laps): 1. 35-Matt Sherrell, 2. 50-Travis Rilat, 3. 99-Brady Bacon, 4. 60-Eric Sandage, 5. 81-Robert Ballou, 6. 14-Jordon Mallett, 7. 5k-Jerry Kamer, 8. 50z-Zach Chappell. DNS: 1g-Cody Gardner.
“B” Main (Top 6 Transfer to “A” Main):
“B” Feature (8 Laps): 1. 38-Rick Pringle, 2. 23-Brian Bell, 3. 57-Dude Garrett, 4. 16-Anthony Nicholson, 5. 12T-Joe Young, 6. 90-Patrick Budde, 7. 14-Jordon Mallett, 8. 5k-Jerry Kamer, 9. 87-Billy Melton. DNS: 4-Tommy Snellgrove, 9-Derek Hagar, 1g-Cody Gardner.
I-30 Speedway Sprint Bandits TNT Main Event:
“A” Feature (30 Laps): 1. 88-Tim Crawley, 2. 5*-Ray Allen Kulhanek, 3. 75-Jesse Hockett, 4. 50-Travis Rilat, 5. 8z-Zach Pringle, 6. 24-Gary Taylor, 7. 10x-Casey Shuman, 8. 2-Wayne Johnson, 9. 98-J.C. Bland, 10. 50z-Zach Chappell, 11. 38-Rick Pringle, 12. 35-Matt Sherrell, 13. 16-Anthony Nicholson, 14. 81-Robert Ballou, 15. 60-Eric Sandage, 16. 99-Brady Bacon, 17. 12T-Joe Young, 18. 58-Wade Oliver, 19. 01-Jeremy Newkirk, 20. 23-Brian Bell, 21. 57-Dude Garrett, 22. 90-Patrick Budde.
Lap Leaders: Tim Crawley 1-30.
Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits TNT Points (Top 10): 1. Jesse Hockett 412, 2. Travis Rilat 410, 3. Ray Allen Kulhanek 377, 4. Brady Bacon 375, 5. Robert Ballou 365, 6. Casey Shuman 355, 7. Matt Sherrell 353, 8. Wayne Johnson 341, 9. J.C. Bland 339, 10. Zach Chappell 328.
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Rilat Rules Sprint Bandits TNT at Devil’s Bowl
Lonnie Wheatley, MESQUITE, Texas (May 7, 2010) – Travis Rilat didn’t have to travel too far for his first career Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits Tour ‘N Topless feature win, as he topped the first wingless, 410-ci Sprint Car feature contested atop the storied ½-mile Devil’s Bowl Speedway clay oval in nearly 22 years on Friday night.
Just 15 minutes away from his Forney, TX, home, Rilat led all 30 laps to take the $3,000 triumph in the www.ShopTheBoss.com No. 50off entry, the first wingless triumph for the past ASCS National Champion since an Ultimate Challenge victory in 2002.
It didn’t come without a stiff challenge however, as reigning Sprint Bandits TNT champion Brady Bacon pressured for the lead throughout, even surging ahead down the backstretch at one point in the final circuits.
“I knew someone was there, I couldn’t tell who it was though,” Rilat explained. “I was able to hit traffic right and work it the way I needed to keep ‘em behind me.”
After outdueling Ray Allen Kulhanek in his qualifying race to earn the pole starting position for the feature, Rilat outgunned fellow front row starter J.C. Bland for the lead at the drop of the green flag. Bland slipped off the backstretch on the opening round and fell to eighth, with the race’s only caution flying when Robert Ballou came to a stop in turn four with a cut tire.
Third-starter Jesse Hockett and fifth-starter Bacon were on Rilat’s tailtank on the lap two restart, with Bacon taking over second soon after.
Bacon kept Rilat in his sights all along, turning up the heat at the midway point as traffic factored into the equation.
Racing off the bottom of turn two, Bacon actually drove Mike and Megan Eubanks’ Wesmar-powered Tel-Star Communications No. 99 Triple X ahead of Rilat down the backstretch on the 26th lap. But Rilat had the preferred line getting into turn three to retain the lead and held steady to take the checkered flag with a two car-length advantage.
Hockett claimed the show position in the VKCC Motorsports No. 75, with Casey Shuman fourth in the R&B/Barnhill No. 10x.
Wayne Johnson rounded out the top five in Jack Yeley’s No. 2, with Matt Sherrell advancing seven positions from 13th to sixth. Justin Melton picked up a $500 bonus as the top finishing 360-ci powered entry by crossing the stripe as the final car on the lead lap in seventh. Ray Allen Kulhanek, Ballou and Bland completed the top ten.
Billy Melton utilized 360-ci power to win the first heat race, with Hockett stealing heat two away from Zach Chappell at the line and then Ballou holding off Bland in heat three. Bland bested the first qualifier, Wayne Johnson denied Hockett a second-consecutive last gasp victory in the second qualifier and Rilat got the best of Kulhanek in the third qualifier.
The Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits Tour ‘N Topless series moves on to Little Rock’s I-30 Speedway on Saturday night, with the TNT Front Row Challenge in effect potentially doubling the winner’s share should a front row starter accept the challenge and win from the tail of the field.
Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits Tour ‘N Topless Results
Devil’s Bowl Speedway:
Heat Races:
Heat One (8 Laps): 1. 87-Billy Melton, 2. 10x-Casey Shuman, 3. 99-Brady Bacon, 4. 2-Wayne Johnson, 5. 4-Eric Baldaccini, 6. 45-Martin Edwards, 7. 21-Russell Shoulders.
Heat Two (8 Laps): 1. 75-Jesse Hockett, 2. 50z-Zach Chappell, 3. 50-Travis Rilat, 4. 5*-Ray Allen Kulhanek, 5. 35-Matt Sherrell, 6. 16-Anthony Nicholson, 7. 7s-Tim Simmons.
Heat Three (8 Laps): 1. 81-Robert Ballou, 2. 98-J.C. Bland, 3. 65-Skip Wilson, 4. 11-Justin Melton, 5. 22-Koby Barksdale, 6. 74e-Claud Estes, 7. 5m-Glenn Martin.
Qualifying Races:
Qualifier One (8 Laps): 1. 98-J.C. Bland, 2. 65-Skip Wilson, 3. 10x-Casey Shuman, 4. 87-Billy Melton, 5. 35-Matt Sherrell, 6. 16-Anthony Nicholson, 7. 5m-Glenn Martin.
Qualifier Two (8 Laps): 1. 2-Wayne Johnson, 2. 75-Jesse Hockett, 3. 99-Brady Bacon, 4. 11-Justin Melton, 5. 45-Martin Edwards, 6. 21-Russell Shoulders, 7. 22-Koby Barksdale.
Qualifier Three (8 Laps): 1. 50-Travis Rilat, 2. 5*-Ray Allen Kulhanek, 3. 50z-Zach Chappell, 4. 81-Robert Ballou, 5. 4-Eric Baldaccini, 6. 74e-Claud Estes, 7. 7s-Tim Simmons.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway Sprint Bandits TNT Main Event:
“A” Feature (30 Laps): 1. 50-Travis Rilat, 2. 99-Brady Bacon, 3. 75-Jesse Hockett, 4. 10x-Casey Shuman, 5. 2-Wayne Johnson, 6. 35-Matt Sherrell, 7. 11-Justin Melton, 8. 5*-Ray Allen Kulhanek, 9. 81-Robert Ballou, 10. 98-J.C. Bland, 11. 22-Koby Barksdale, 12. 87-Billy Melton, 13. 16-Anthony Nicholson, 14. 45-Martin Edwards, 15. 4-Eric Baldaccini, 16. 65-Skip Wilson, 17. 50z-Zach Chappell, 18. 74e-Claud Estes, 19. 5m-Glenn Martin, 20. 21-Russell Shoulders, 21. 7s-Tim Simmons.
Lap Leaders: Travis Rilat 1-30.
Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits TNT Points (Top 10): 1. Travis Rilat 280, 2. (tie) Jesse Hockett and Brady Bacon 277, 4. Robert Ballou 263, 5. Matt Sherrell 247, 6. Casey Shuman 236, 7. Ray Allen Kulhanek 235, 8. J.C. Bland 226, 9. Wayne Johnson 225, 10. Justin Melton 223.
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Sprint Bandits TNT Set to Ignite at Devil’s Bowl & I-30
Lonnie Wheatley, TULSA, Okla. (May 3, 2010) – Race fans way down in southeast Texas got a long-awaited dose of traditional Sprint Car racing this past Saturday night and loved what they saw with a three-wide charge to the checkered flag.
Now, another pair of history-rich tracks are set to host the Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits Tour ‘N Topless series this coming weekend in North Texas and Arkansas.
On Friday night, wingless, 410-ci Sprint Cars return to the fabled ½-mile Devil’s Bowl Speedway clay oval in Mesquite, TX, for the first time since Ron Shuman raced to victory lane in May of 1988.
Then, on Saturday night, the Sprint Bandits TNT forces get their elbows up atop the high-banked, ¼-mile I-30 Speedway red clay oval in Little Rock, AR, where wingless 410’s have been absent since 1981.
Friday’s card at Devil’s Bowl pays the standard $3,000-to-win and $300-to-start purse, with up to $6,000 possible to win Saturday night at I-30 Speedway with the TNT Front Row Challenge in effect. If the pole sitter (or front row outside starter) accepts the Challenge and wins from the tail of the field, the winner’s share will double from $3,000 to $6,000 at I-30 Speedway.
Both events also offer up a $500 bonus to the top-finishing 360-ci powered entry. Memphis shoe Anthony Nicholson pocketed the bonus Saturday night in Houston, with his ninth-place finish worth in excess of $1,000 as a result and putting him among the top ten in points, good enough for tow money this Friday night at the very least.
Three past Sprint Bandits TNT champions are among this year’s title contenders, and in Saturday night’s opener at Houston Raceway Park it was the those three that rose to the top.
A co-champ in 2007, Rocklin, CA, native Robert Ballou overcame a wreck, a twisted chassis and a tired engine to race from 13th for his seventh career TNT win on Saturday. Ballou edged 2006 champ Jesse Hockett, who recovered from an early feature spin, by mere inches with reigning TNT champion Brady Bacon of Broken Arrow, OK, a half car-length out of the lead at the stripe.
Travis Rilat of Forney, TX, escaped the opener fourth behind Ballou, Hockett and Bacon after leading much of the way, with Owasso, Oklahoma’s Matt Sherrell rounding out the top five.
The balance of the current top ten entering this weekend’s action includes Zach Chappell (Talala, OK), Ray Allen Kulhanek (Conroe, TX), J.C. Bland (Springfield, IL), Anthony Nicholson (Bartlett, TN) and Jake Simmons (Houston, TX). Another pair outside the top ten include Arizona native Casey Shuman and Oklahoma City shoe Wayne Johnson, who pilots the Jack Yeley entry.
Friday’s action at the Devil’s Bowl Speedway fires off at 8:00 p.m., with Saturday’s card at Little Rock’s I-30 Speedway going green at 7:30 p.m.
Mesquite, Texas’ high-banked, ½-mile Devil's Bowl Speedway clay oval is located six miles east of Dallas' I-635 on I-20, then three miles north on Lawson Road. Lawson Road north of the track (and south off of US 80) has been closed for repair, so fans and racers are urged to use I-20 and then go north on Lawson. For more information, contact the track at 972-222-2421.
The high-banked, ¼-mile I-30 Speedway clay oval is located seven miles southwest of Little Rock, AR, off I-30 Exit 126 (Alexander Rd.), then south to frontage road, then east. For more information, contact the track at 501-455-4567.
Past Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits TNT Champions:
2005 – Levi Jones
2006 – Jesse Hockett
2007 – Robert Ballou and Tim Kaeding
2008 – Dave Darland
2009 – Brady Bacon
Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits TNT Career Feature Wins: Robert Ballou 7, Brady Bacon 6, Levi Jones 5, Cory Kruseman 3, Dave Darland 2, Jesse Hockett 2, Brady Short 2, Jerry Coons, Jr. 1, Dickie Gaines 1, Darren Hagen 1, Bud Kaeding 1, Brad Sweet 1, Chris Windom 1.
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Ballou by a Nose in Explosive Sprint Bandits TNT Go at HRP!
Lonnie Wheatley, BAYTOWN, Texas (May 1, 2010) – Race fans in the Lone Star State hadn’t been exposed to the thrills of traditional Sprint Cars in over two decades.
They won’t forget what they witnessed in the return of 410-ci wingless Sprint Cars to Texas any time soon, as Robert Ballou edged Jesse Hockett and Brady Bacon in a thrilling three-wide charge to the checkered flag in Saturday night’s season-opening 30-lap Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits Tour ‘N Topless main event at Houston Raceway Park after Friday’s scheduled opener at Beaumont was rained out.
Ballou’s seventh career Sprint Bandits TNT triumph aboard Dallas Mulvaney’s MPHG Promotions No. 81 Triple-X seemed a longshot at best after getting upside down in a wild heat race incident.
“It bent the front end over a good inch-and-a-half or so, we just got it back together as good as we could,” Ballou explained. “I really don’t know how it worked so well in the feature.”
After heat race and qualifying race action, the Rocklin, CA, native that now calls Indiana home found himself seven rows deep in the 13th starting position with Travis Rilat and reigning TNT champion Brady Bacon leading the way to the green flag.
Ballou was joined deep in the field early on by Hockett, who spun in turn four while running third on the third lap, thus setting the stage for what ultimately proved to be a three-wide scramble off the final corner for the checkered flag and $3,000 winner’s share that went with it.
Rilat, who first won his heat race and then made a last corner pass of Justin Melton to win his qualifier to earn the pole aboard the www.shoptheboss.com No. 50off entry, gunned into the early lead and paced the early laps in front of Bacon.
Casey Shuman moved past Ray Allen Kulhanek for third by the fifth round but surrendered the position under a lap eight stoppage with a broken fuel line. Shuman rejoined the field at the tail, only to have a similar problem end his race after 19 laps.
The feature’s initial red flag appeared for Jimmy Brooks, who jumped the cushion and went for a wild ride in turn two with eight laps in the books. On the restart, fourth-running Justin Melton did the same in turn three to bring out another red flag. Both drivers were uninjured.
Ballou was up to fourth after the pair of red flags and disposed of Kulhanek for third soon after action resumed, with Hockett steadily working his way through the field as well with Rilat and Bacon leading the way.
Bacon began pressuring Rilat for the lead at the midway point and never eased up, with Ballou joining in on the lead battle after the race’s final caution flew for Shuman on the 19th lap.
The battle soon became a four-way joust for the point, as Hockett charged past Matt Sherrell for fourth on the lap 19 restart and set his sights on the lead.
Rilat fended off his trio of challengers as long as he could until Bacon finally battled in front on the 23rd lap with Ballou and Hockett following suit over the next pair of rounds. “We made some changes on that red flag to try to loosen the car up and we just weren’t as good after that,” Rilat explained afterward.
With Bacon sticking to the low side in Mike and Megan Eubanks’ Wesmar-powered Tel-Star Communications No. 99 Triple-X, Ballou pounded the cushion in an effort to edge ahead as Hockett stuck the VKCC Motorsports No. 75 in the middle of the battle.
“I went for a tearoff with about five to go and there weren’t any left, so I just used my hand to clear my shield as much as I could, I just had to go for it up there,” Ballou explained.
Ballou finally edged ahead exiting turn four to take the white flag, setting up an epic final-lap duel. The trio diced for the top position over the final 3/8 of a mile, racing in formation off the final corner with Ballou mere inches ahead of Hockett, who was in turn perhaps a foot ahead of Bacon.
Hockett narrowly missed out on the spin-and-win, while Bacon fell one win off Ballou’s TNT total after the pair entered with six wins each.
“I was thinking it was about time to go to the top, I was about to go up there and then it was too late,” Bacon explained afterward.
Rilat slipped to fourth at the stripe, while Matt Sherrell rounded out the top five in just his second career wingless 410-ci Sprint Car outing.
Zach Chappell was sixth, with Ray Allen Kulhanek in seventh after racing among the top five much of the way.
Illinois shoe J.C. Bland edged Anthony Nicholson at the stripe for eighth, with Nicholson’s trip from Memphis netting a $500 bonus as the top-finishing 360-ci powerplant to bring his night’s take to more than $1,000.
Jake Simmons completed the top ten.
Nicholson and Rilat won the heat races, with Shuman and Rilat topping the qualifying races.
The Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits Tour ‘N Topless series returns to action next Friday night, May 7, at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, TX, before moving on to Little Rock’s I-30 Speedway for the TNT Front Row Challenge on Saturday night, May 8.
Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits Tour ‘N Topless Results
Houston Raceway Park:
Heat Races:
Heat One (8 Laps): 1. 16-Anthony Nicholson, 2. 99-Brady Bacon, 3. 5*-Ray Allen Kulhanek, 4. 50z-Zach Chappell, 5. 11-Justin Melton, 6. 87-Aaron Reutzel, 7. 7s-Jake Simmons, 8. 17-Channin Tankersley, 9. 51-Jimmy Brooks.
Heat Two (8 Laps): 1. 50-Travis Rilat, 2. 98-J.C Bland, 3. 75-Jesse Hockett, 4. 10x-Casey Shuman, 5. 2-Wayne Johnson, 6. 35-Matt Sherrell, 7. 81-Robert Ballou, 8. 99x-Leon Bacon. DNS: 8tw-Kent Lewis, Jr.
Qualifying Races:
Qualifier One (8 Laps): 1. 10x-Casey Shuman, 2. 75-Jesse Hockett, 3. 99-Brady Bacon, 4. 35-Matt Sherrell, 5. 50z-Zach Chappell, 6. 98-J.C. Bland, 7. 81-Robert Ballou, 8. 99x-Leon Bacon, 9. 17-Channin Tankersley.
Qualifier Two (8 Laps): 1. 50-Travis Rilat, 2. 11-Justin Melton, 3. 5*-Ray Allen Kulhanek, 4. 16-Anthony Nicholson, 5. 87-Aaron Reutzel, 6. 7s-Jake Simmons, 7. 51-Jimmy Brooks, 8. 2-Wayne Johnson. DNS: 8tw-Kent Lewis, Jr.
Houston Raceway Park Sprint Bandits TNT Main Event:
“A” Feature (30 Laps): 1. 81-Robert Ballou, 2. 75-Jesse Hockett, 3. 99-Brady Bacon, 4. 50-Travis Rilat, 5. 35-Matt Sherrell, 6. 50z-Zach Chappell, 7. 5*-Ray Allen Kulhanek, 8. 98-J.C. Bland, 9. 16-Anthony Nicholson, 10. 7s-Jake Simmons, 11. 87-Aaron Reutzel, 12. 10x-Casey Shuman, 13. 11-Justin Melton, 14. 51-Jimmy Brooks, 15. 2-Wayne Johnson, 16. 99x-Leon Bacon, 17. 17-Channin Tankersley, 18. 8tw-Kent Lewis, Jr.
Lap Leaders: Travis Rilat 1-22, Brady Bacon 23-28, Robert Ballou 29-30.
Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits TNT Points (Top 10): 1. Robert Ballou 150, 2. Jesse Hockett 142, 3. Brady Bacon 135, 4. Travis Rilat 130, 5. Matt Sherrell 125, 6. Zach Chappell 122, 7. Ray Allen Kulhanek 119, 8. J.C. Bland 116, 9. Anthony Nicholson 113, 10. Jake Simmons 110.
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Sprint Bandits TNT Rained Out at GTRP
BEAUMONT, Texas (April 30, 2010) – Persistent rain, drizzle and wet conditions have forced the cancellation of Friday night’s scheduled Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits Tour ‘N Topless event at the Golden Triangle Raceway Park.
The series will now open the season on Saturday night at Baytown’s Houston Raceway Park before moving on to the Devil’s Bowl Speedway next Friday night, May 7, and then Little Rock’s I-30 Speedway on Saturday night, May 8, for the TNT Front Row Challenge.
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It’s Time for Some Texas TNT!
Lonnie Wheatley, TULSA, Okla. (April 26, 2010) – Bust open those record books, as some history is about to be made in the southern portion of Texas this coming weekend.
A pair of tracks will host traditional Sprint Cars for the first time ever as the Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits Tour ‘N Topless Series launches the 2010 championship chase along the Gulf coast of Texas.
On Friday night, wingless 410-ci Sprint Cars take to the sticky, high-banked, ¼-mile Golden Triangle Raceway Park gumbo clay oval near Beaumont, TX, for the first time. Then, on Saturday night, more new ground will be broken at Houston Raceway Park’s ¼-mile dirt oval in Baytown.
This weekend’s action marks the first wingless, 410-ci Sprint Car events held in the Lone Star state since May of 1988.
It also is the first of two consecutive weekend doubles of Sprint Bandits TNT, with Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, TX, and then I-30 Speedway in Little Rock, AR, hosting the series on May 7-8.
Leading the way into this weekend’s pair of $3,000-to-win, $300-to-start events is Broken Arrow, Oklahoma’s Brady Bacon, who captured the TNT title in 2009.
Bacon, the versatile 20-year-old that is also contending for winged Lucas Oil ASCS National Sprint Car honors, has topped six of ten Sprint Bandits TNT events contested over the past two seasons. The expanded TNT slate of 2010 consists of a dozen events.
Bacon will take on a stout field of contenders this weekend that will also include past TNT champions Robert Ballou and Jesse Hockett. Ballou, a native of Rocklin, CA, now residing in Indiana, took top TNT honors in 2007, while Warsaw, Missouri’s Hockett was crowned TNT champion a year earlier in 2006.
In addition to Bacon and Hockett, other Lucas Oil ASCS National contenders expected to shed the wings for the TNT weekend include Travis Rilat (Forney, TX), Zach Chappell (Talala, OK) and Channin Tankersley (Highlands, TX).
At least a pair of top ASCS Gulf South Regional contenders are expected to strip the wings and bolt in 410-ci powerplants as well, including 2005 Gulf South champ Ray Allen Kulhanek and Wes Miller.
And with a $500 bonus up for grabs on both nights for the top finishing entry powered by a 360-ci engine, look for a number of other Gulf South regulars to join the fray as well.
Also set to contend for top TNT honors is Arizona native Casey Shuman. Now living in the Indiana hotbed of wingless Sprint Car racing, Shuman will try to make it two wins in a row for the Shuman family in the Lone Star State as his father Ron Shuman topped the last wingless 410-ci Sprint Car event held in Texas at the Devil’s Bowl Speedway in May of 1988.
Friday’s action at Beaumont’s Golden Triangle Raceway Park fires off at 8:00 p.m., with Saturday’s card at Baytown’s Houston Raceway Park going green at 7:30 p.m.
Beaumont’s Golden Triangle Raceway Park is located 9.5 miles west of I-10 on US 90. For more information, contact the track at 409-752-7200.
Baytown’s Houston Raceway Park is located east of Houston on I-10 to Exit 799, then south to FM 565, then west to the speedway entrance at Gate 3. For more information, contact the track at 281-383-7223.
Past Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits TNT Champions:
2005 – Levi Jones
2006 – Jesse Hockett
2007 – Robert Ballou and Tim Kaeding
2008 – Dave Darland
2009 – Brady Bacon
Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits TNT Career Feature Wins: Brady Bacon 6, Robert Ballou 6, Levi Jones 5, Cory Kruseman 3, Dave Darland 2, Jesse Hockett 2, Brady Short 2, Jerry Coons, Jr. 1, Dickie Gaines 1, Darren Hagen 1, Bud Kaeding 1, Brad Sweet 1, Chris Windom 1.
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I-30 Speedway Offers up TNT Front Row Challenge!
Lonnie Wheatley, TULSA, Okla. (April 21, 2010) – Two weekends of traditional Sprint Car racing in Texas and Arkansas are just around the corner for the Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits Tour ‘N Topless Series.
And when wingless, 410-ci Sprint Cars hit the high-banked, ¼-mile I-30 Speedway clay oval in Little Rock, AR, on Saturday night, May 8, for the first time in over a quarter of a century, some extra dollars will be up for grabs in the form of the TNT Front Row Challenge.
I-30 Speedway promoter Tracey Clay has offered to double the winner’s share from $3,000 to $6,000 for the driver that is up to the challenge of racing from the tail of the field to Sprint Bandits TNT glory.
The driver that earns the pole position for the Sprint Bandits TNT feature event through heat race and qualifying race action will be offered the opportunity to take the I-30 Speedway TNT Front Row Challenge.
If that driver accepts the challenge and then successfully races from the tail of the field to take the victory, it will be a feat worth $6,000 rather than the standard $3,000 winner’s take. At the very worst, the driver will collect a minimum of $700, which includes a $400 bonus over the standard $300 feature start money. A full TNT feature field of 22 starters must take to the track with the Challenged driver starting 22nd for the potential bonus to be in effect.
Should the driver that earns the pole position decline the offer, the I-30 Speedway TNT Front Row Challenge will then be extended to the driver that earns the front row outside starting position.
The I-30 Speedway event on May 8 will put the caps on two weekends of Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits TNT competition. The series kicks off on Friday night, April 30, at the Golden Triangle Raceway Park in Beaumont, TX, before moving on to Baytown’s Houston Raceway Park the following night, May 1.
From there, it’s on to Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, TX, on Friday night, May 7, before taking to Little Rock’s I-30 Speedway on Saturday night, May 8, for the TNT Front Row Challenge.
All four events offer up a $3,000 winner’s share with $300 to start. A $500 bonus is also offered for the top finishing competitor powered by a 360-ci engine at each of the events at Golden Triangle, Houston Raceway Park, Devil’s Bowl and I-30 Speedway.
While Beaumont’s Golden Triangle Raceway Park and Baytown’s Houston Raceway Park are both regular stops on the ASCS Gulf South Regional tour, neither track has ever hosted the likes of traditional 410-ci Sprint Cars.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway last hosted wingless Sprint Car racing in May of 1988 with Ron Shuman reaching victory lane, while records indicate the last wingless 410-ci Sprint Car event contested at I-30 Speedway took place in 1981.
Defending TNT champ Brady Bacon of Broken Arrow, OK, leads the way into the pair of weekend doubles with past TNT champions Jesse Hockett of Warsaw, MO, and Robert Ballou of Rocklin, CA, in the mix as well along with the likes of Casey Shuman, Zach Chappell, Travis Rilat, Channin Tankersley and many more.
A Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits TNT points fund totaling $1,000 per event will be distributed among the series top teams at the end of the season. The top ten in series points will also receive $300 tow money per event.
In addition to the upcoming events at Golden Triangle, Houston Raceway Park, Devil’s Bowl and I-30, the series has a June 18-19 weekend set for Creek County Speedway and Lucas Oil Speedway along with the traditional six-race slate of events from August 15-21 throughout Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, Oklahoma and Kansas.
The Series: Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits Tour ‘N Topless (TNT)
When & Where:
Friday night, April 30 at 8:00 p.m. – Golden Triangle Raceway Park
Saturday night, May 1 at 7:30 p.m. – Houston Raceway Park
Friday night, May 7 at 8:00 p.m. – Devil’s Bowl Speedway
Saturday night, May 8 at 7:30 p.m. – I-30 Speedway ($6,000 possible to win TNT Front Row Challenge)
Track Information:
Golden Triangle Raceway Park (Beaumont, TX) – ¼-mile high-banked gumbo clay oval located 9.5 miles west of I-10 on US 90 near Beaumont, TX. Track phone: 409-752-7200.
Houston Raceway Park (Baytown, TX) – ¼-mile high-banked dirt oval located east of Houston on I-10 to Exit 799, then south to FM 565, then west to the speedway entrance at Gate 3. Track phone: 281-383-7223.
Devil's Bowl Speedway (Mesquite, TX) – ½-mile, high-banked clay oval located six miles east of Dallas' I-635 on I-20, then three miles north on Lawson Road. Lawson Road north of the track (and south off of US 80) has been closed for repair, so fans and racers are urged to use I-20 and then go north on Lawson. Track phone: 972-222-2421.
I-30 Speedway (Little Rock, AR) – ¼-mile high-banked clay oval located seven miles southwest of Little Rock off I-30 Exit 126 (Alexander Rd.), then south to frontage road, then east. Track phone: 501-455-4567.
Past Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits TNT Champions:
2005 – Levi Jones
2006 – Jesse Hockett
2007 – Robert Ballou and Tim Kaeding
2008 – Dave Darland
2009 – Brady Bacon
Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits TNT Career Feature Wins: Brady Bacon 6, Robert Ballou 6, Levi Jones 5, Cory Kruseman 3, Dave Darland 2, Jesse Hockett 2, Brady Short 2, Jerry Coons, Jr. 1, Dickie Gaines 1, Darren Hagen 1, Bud Kaeding 1, Brad Sweet 1, Chris Windom 1.
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Sprint Bandits TNT Coming to Texas and Arkansas!
Lonnie Wheatley, TULSA, Okla. (April 14, 2010) – It’s been more than two decades since the unbridled form of wingless 410-ci Sprint Cars have slung the clay in either the Lone Star or Razorback states.
That’s fixin’ to change though, as folks around those parts are prone to say, as the Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits Tour ‘N Topless series brings traditional Sprint Car racing back to Texas and Arkansas in the next couple of weeks.
A pair of tracks will be hosting wingless, 410-ci Sprint Cars for the first time ever, while another pair of famed dirt tracks welcome back the topless form of Sprint Cars for the first time since olden days of the 1980’s.
The Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits TNT series opens up two weekends of action at the Golden Triangle Raceway Park in Beaumont, TX, on Friday night, April 30, before moving on to Baytown’s Houston Raceway Park the following night, May 1.
The following Friday, May 7, it’s on to the famed Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, TX. From there, it’s northeast on the interstate and across the state line into Arkansas to Little Rock’s I-30 Speedway on Saturday night, May 8.
All four events offer up a $3,000 winner’s share with $300 to start. A $500 bonus is also offered for the top finishing competitor powered by a 360-ci engine at each Texas event.
While Beaumont’s Golden Triangle Raceway Park and Baytown’s Houston Raceway Park are both regular stops on the ASCS Gulf South Regional tour, neither track has ever hosted the likes of traditional 410-ci Sprint Cars.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway last hosted wingless Sprint Car racing in May of 1988 with Ron Shuman reaching victory lane, while records indicate the last wingless 410-ci Sprint Car event contested at I-30 Speedway took place in 1981.
Defending TNT champ Brady Bacon of Broken Arrow, OK, leads the way into the pair of weekend doubles with past TNT champions Jesse Hockett of Warsaw, MO, and Robert Ballou of Rocklin, CA, in the mix as well along with the likes of Casey Shuman, Zach Chappell, Travis Rilat, Jack Dover, Channin Tankersley and many more.
A Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits TNT points fund totaling $1,000 per event will be distributed among the series top teams at the end of the season. The top ten in series points will also receive $300 tow money per event.
In addition to the upcoming events at Golden Triangle, Houston Raceway Park, Devil’s Bowl and I-30, the series has a June 18-19 weekend set for Creek County Speedway and Lucas Oil Speedway along with the traditional six-race slate of events from August 15-21 throughout Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, Oklahoma and Kansas.
The Series:
Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits Tour ‘N Topless (TNT)
When & Where:
Friday night, April 30 at 8:00 p.m. – Golden Triangle Raceway Park
Saturday night, May 1 at 7:30 p.m. – Houston Raceway Park
Friday night, May 7 at 8:00 p.m. – Devil’s Bowl Speedway
Saturday night, May 8 at 7:30 p.m. – I-30 Speedway
Track Information:
Golden Triangle Raceway Park (Beaumont, TX) – ¼-mile high-banked gumbo clay oval located 9.5 miles west of I-10 on US 90 near Beaumont, TX. Track phone: 409-752-7200.
Houston Raceway Park (Baytown, TX) – ¼-mile high-banked dirt oval located east of Houston on I-10 to Exit 799, then south to FM 565, then west to the speedway entrance at Gate 3. Track phone: 281-383-7223.
Devil's Bowl Speedway (Mesquite, TX) – ½-mile, high-banked clay oval located six miles east of Dallas' I-635 on I-20, then three miles north on Lawson Road. Lawson Road north of the track (and south off of US 80) has been closed for repair, so fans and racers are urged to use I-20 and then go north on Lawson. Track phone: 972-222-2421.
I-30 Speedway (Little Rock, AR) – ¼-mile high-banked clay oval located seven miles southwest of Little Rock off I-30 Exit 126 (Alexander Rd.), then south to frontage road, then east. Track phone: 501-455-4567.
Past Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits TNT Champions:
2005 – Levi Jones
2006 – Jesse Hockett
2007 – Robert Ballou and Tim Kaeding
2008 – Dave Darland
2009 – Brady Bacon
Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits TNT Career Feature Wins: Brady Bacon 6, Robert Ballou 6, Levi Jones 5, Cory Kruseman 3, Dave Darland 2, Jesse Hockett 2, Brady Short 2, Jerry Coons, Jr. 1, Dickie Gaines 1, Darren Hagen 1, Bud Kaeding 1, Brad Sweet 1, Chris Windom 1.
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Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits TNT 2010 Schedule Revealed
Lonnie Wheatley, TULSA, Okla. (February 2, 2010) – For the sixth consecutive year, the Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits Tour ‘N Topless series will once again offer up some of the nation’s premier wingless Sprint Car racing action.
And, this year’s edition of TNT will include a bit more than the annual August swing through the heartland, with another half dozen events on the series’ 2010 slate.
The 2010 edition of Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits TNT will kick off with a Texas triple at Beaumont’s Golden Triangle Raceway Park, Baytown’s Houston Raceway Park and then Waco’s Heart O’ Texas Speedway on April 30, May 1 and May 2.
The following weekend, TNT ignites atop the famed Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, TX, on May 7 before tackling the high-banked, ¼-mile I-30 Speedway red clay oval the following night.
After a stop at the “Diamond of Dirt Tracks”, Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, MO, on June 19, next up is the Sixth Annual Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits Tour ‘N Topless Midwest Swing.
The sixth annual August slate of events opens up on Sunday night, August 15, at Rapid Speedway in Rock Rapids, IA, where the series initial attempt was rained out last year.
From there, it’s on to Nebraska Raceway Park’s I-80 Speedway on Monday night, before taking to Missouri’s ½-mile Sedalia State Fair Speedway on Tuesday night.
After an off night, the series shifts to the cozy confines of Sapulpa, Oklahoma’s Creek County Speedway on Thursday night, August 19, before finishing out the week with the annual $10,000 to win Ron Shuman Classic at Kansas City’s Lakeside Speedway on August 20-21.
This year’s standard Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits TNT events will offer up a $3,000 winner’s share with $300 to start along with $300 tow money to the top ten in series points. A points fund totaling $1,000 per event will be distributed among the series top teams at the end of the season.
Several other events are under discussion and will be added to the schedule as details are finalized.
Broken Arrow’s Brady Bacon is the reigning Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits TNT champion after topping three feature events en route to the 2009 crown, joining the likes of Dave Darland (2008), Robert Ballou and Tim Kaeding (2007), Jesse Hockett (2006) and Levi Jones (2005) as past TNT title bearers.
Additional information regarding Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits TNT is available at www.sprintbandits.com.
2010 Lucas Oil Sprint Bandits Tour ‘N Topless Schedule:
April 30 – Golden Triangle Raceway Park (Beaumont, TX)
May 1 – Houston Raceway Park (Baytown, TX)
May 2 – Heart O’ Texas Speedway (Waco, TX)
May 7 – Devil’s Bowl Speedway (Mesquite, TX)
May 8 – I-30 Speedway (Little Rock, AR)
June 19 – Lucas Oil Speedway (Wheatland, MO)
August 15 – Rapid Speedway (Rock Rapids, IA)
August 16 – I-80 Speedway (Greenwood, NE)
August 17 – Sedalia’s State Fair Speedway (Sedalia, MO)
August 19 – Creek County Speedway (Sapulpa, OK)
August 20 – Lakeside Speedway (Kansas City, KS)
August 21 – Lakeside Speedway (Kansas City, KS) - $10,000 to win
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Bacon Bags $10K & Sprint Bandits TNT Title in Lakeside Finale!
Lonnie Wheatley, KANSAS CITY, Kan. (August 22, 2009) – Broken Arrow, Oklahoma's Brady Bacon cashed in on a big Saturday night at Lakeside Speedway by topping the $10,000-to-win Ron Shuman Classic and putting the clamps on the Fifth Annual Sprint Bandits Tour 'N Topless championship in the process.
The 19-year-old emerged unscathed from a calamitous 30-lap affair atop the fast ½-mile clay oval, prevailing in a torrid duel with the unheralded Hud Cone to snare his third win in the week's four completed events and taking the coveted Pedal Car trophy that goes along with winning the prestigious Lakeside Speedway event.
While Bacon ultimately took the checkered flag in front of two-time event winner Jesse Hockett and Casey Shuman, Cone's near storybook drive ended in ghoulish fashion with a violent flip down the backstretch that set up a green-white-checkered dash to the line.
Cone's flip was the seventh of the feature event, with the other six taking place in a tough opening four laps.
"The track was good for us, we had the car for it," Bacon explained after his sixth career Sprint Bandits TNT triumph aboard Mike and Megan Eubanks' Wesmar-powered Tel-Star Communications No. 99 Triple-X. "You just had to use a little patience, not drive like the race was just ten laps long."
After earning the pole position by virtue of earning the most points through Friday's preliminary events and then Saturday night's heats and qualifiers, Bacon led fellow front row starter Hockett and Shuman through the turbulent early rounds.
But, after the early mayhem was out of the way, Oakland City, Indiana's Cone was clearly the man on the move aboard Roger Tapy's Trucker's 24-Hour Road Service entry, surging past both Shuman and Hockett to claim second by 13th round.
With Bacon working through traffic, Cone closed in and raced by on the high side to take command on the 19th circuit.
Bacon volleyed right back, with the duo slugging it out for the point in grand style over the next ten rounds to the delight of the packed house, all the while maneuvering through lapped machines with Hockett trying to close enough ground to make it a three-way duel.
Cone held strong, fending off Bacon's repeated advances and a slider or two until the Broken Arrow Bandit made a turn one and two slider stick on the 28th round.
With Bacon racing off the fourth turn and the white flag in sight, the yellow lights flickered when Mitch Wissmiller coasted to a stop on the top side of turn two with rear end woes.
Making one last bid for the win on the restart, Cone slid high exiting turn two, tagged the retaining wall and launched into a wild series of flips down the backstretch. Cone walked away from the wreckage uninjured.
Even with Hockett and Shuman on his tailtank for the final restart, Bacon was unphased. Two flawless laps sealed the deal as Bacon raced to the stripe unabated.
Hockett fell one spot short of a record third event victory by finishing second aboard the Tom Buch/VKCC Motorsports No. 13, with Shuman claiming the show position in Robbie Rice's STIDA No. 21x DRC with a 1993 Shaver powerplant under the hood.
California's Matt Mitchell advanced from 17th to post his best finish of the week by crossing the stripe fourth in Steve Watts' No. 81m machine, with Josh Wise rebounding from a heat race tumble to round out the top five in the Indiana Underground No. 37.
Arizona's R.J. Johnson was sixth, with Nebraska's Jack Dover snaring seventh in just his third night of wingless Sprint Car competition. Chris Morgan climbed ten spots from 18th to finish eighth, with Caleb Armstrong the final car on the lead lap in ninth. Dusty Murray completed the top ten.
The feature event got off to the most inauspicious of starts with the red flag flying on three consecutive occasions for flips by Bryan Clauson (turn two), Sheldon Leesekamp (turn three) and J.J. Yeley (turn one).
Clauson returned and salvaged 12th with severe handling issues, while Leesekamp also returned and posted an eleventh place run. Yeley was transported to a local hospital complaining of neck pain.
While the fourth attempt to start the finale was successful, only four laps were in the books when two-time and defending race winner Robert Ballou slipped too high in turns one and two and flipped after tagging the wall. Ballou, who had wasted little time charging from ninth to fifth, walked away uninjured.
On the ensuing restart, Friday night winner Darren Hagen bicycled in turn three and flipped in spectacular fashion, with "B" Main winner Casey Riggs collected in the melee and flipping as well. Hagen and Riggs both walked away.
With 30 cars in the pit area for Saturday night's $10,000-to-win tilt, Hagen, Bacon, Hockett and Ballou topped heat race action, with Armstrong, Wissmiller, Cone and Dover winning the qualifying races.
The second heat race was red flagged twice for flips by Kim Kennedy and Kyle Robbins. Both drivers were uninjured, but done for the night.
After posting a fifth-place Silver Crown finish earlier in the day, Friday night runner-up Josh Wise biked it getting into turn three in the night's third heat race and got upside down. Wise accumulated enough overall points to start seventh in the feature event, with his fifth-place run putting him second in the week's final point rundown.
The night opened with a presentation to Roger Tapy and the Trucker's 24-Hour Road Service team for their dedication to the sport by competing in each Sprint Bandits TNT event over the past five years, the only team to accomplish such a feat.
In addition to the $10,000 winner's share, Bacon picked up a $1,000 bonus as the Sprint Bandits TNT champion and a $3,000 certificate from Maxwell Industries towards the purchase of a shock dyno.
Wise received a $900 bonus as points runner-up and a $2,000 certificate from Maxwell Industries, with Hockett pocketing $800 for third in points and a $1,000 certificate from Maxwell Industries. R.J. Johnson earned an extra $700 for ranking fourth in points, with Clauson picking up $600 for finishing fifth.
Sprint Bandits Tour 'N Topless Lakeside Speedway Ron Shuman Classic Results:
Heat Races:
First Heat (8 Laps): 1. 12-Darren Hagen, 2. 81m-Matt Mitchell, 3. 7k-Chris Morgan, 4. 11-Bryan Clauson, 5. 11d-Caleb Armstrong, 6. 37r-Casey Riggs, 7. 69-Mike Moore, 8. 18-Tim Newman.
Second Heat (8 Laps): 1. 99-Brady Bacon, 2. 1-J.J. Yeley, 3. 97-Bret Mellenberndt, 4. F1-Sheldon Leesekamp, 5. 65-Chris Parkinson, 6. 98-J.C. Bland, 7. 17r-Kyle Robbins, 8. 1k-Kim Kennedy.
Third Heat (8 Laps): 1. 13-Jesse Hockett, 2. 10-Hud Cone, 3. 21x-Casey Shuman, 4. 53-Jack Dover, 5. 23-Mitch Wissmiller, 6. 46-Dusty Murray, 7. 37-Josh Wise.
Fourth Heat (8 Laps): 1. 81-Robert Ballou, 2. 88-Chad Tye, 3. 15-R.J. Johnson, 4. 10r-David Wheeler, 5. 90-Patrick Budde, 6. 51-Doug Martens, 7. 11x-Craig Braden.
Qualifying Races (Top 8 in Combined Points from Friday's Preliminary Events and Saturday's Heats & Qualifiers to Front Four Rows of "A" Main; "A" Main Positions 9-18 and "B" Main Lineup Determined from Saturday's Heat & Qualifier Points):
First Qualifier (8 Laps): 1. 11d-Caleb Armstrong, 2. 81-Robert Ballou, 3. 1-J.J. Yeley, 4. 7k-Chris Morgan, 5. 69-Mike Moore, 6. 88-Chad Tye, 7. 90-Patrick Budde. DNS: 1k-Kim Kennedy.
Second Qualifier (8 Laps): 1. 23-Mitch Wissmiller, 2. 97-Bret Mellenberndt, 3. 21x-Casey Shuman, 4. 81m-Matt Mitchell, 5. 12-Darren Hagen, 6. 65-Chris Parkinson, 7. 51-Doug Martens. DNS: 11x-Craig Braden.
Third Qualifier (8 Laps): 1. 10-Hud Cone, 2. 99-Brady Bacon, 3. 11-Bryan Clauson, 4. 15-R.J. Johnson, 5. 37r-Casey Riggs, 6. 46-Dusty Murray. DNS: 17r-Kyle Robbins.
Fourth Qualifier (8 Laps): 1. 53-Jack Dover, 2. 13-Jesse Hockett, 3. F1-Sheldon Leesekamp, 4. 10r-David Wheeler, 5. 98-J.C. Bland, 6. 18-Tim Newman. DNS: 37-Josh Wise.
"B" Main (Top Six Advance to "A" Main):
"B" Main (10 Laps): 1. 37r-Casey Riggs, 2. 88-Chad Tye, 3. 46-Dusty Murray, 4. 98-J.C. Bland, 5. 69-Mike Moore, 6. 51-Doug Martens, 7. 90-Patrick Budde, 8. 18-Tim Newman, 9. 65-Chris Parkinson. DNS: 17r-Kyle Robbins, 11x-Craig Braden, 1k-Kim Kennedy.
Sprint Bandits TNT Lakeside Speedway Ron Shuman Classic "A" Main
“A” Main (30 Laps): 1. 99-Brady Bacon, 2. 13-Jesse Hockett, 3. 21x-Casey Shuman, 4. 81m-Matt Mitchell, 5. 37-Josh Wise, 6. 15-R.J. Johnson, 7. 53-Jack Dover, 8. 7k-Chris Morgan, 9. 11d-Caleb Armstrong, 10. 46-Dusty Murray, 11. F1-Sheldon Leesekamp, 12. 11-Bryan Clauson, 13. 10-Hud Cone, 14. 98-J.C. Bland, 15. 69-Mike Moore, 16. 23-Mitch Wissmiller, 17. 10r-David Wheeler, 18. 88-Chad Tye, 19. 97-Bret Mellenberndt, 20. 12-Darren Hagen, 21. 37r-Casey Riggs, 22. 81-Robert Ballou, 23. 51-Doug Martens, 24. 1-J.J. Yeley.
Lap Leaders: Brady Bacon 1-18, Hud Cone 19-27, Brady Bacon 28-30.
Final Sprint Bandits TNT Points (Top Ten): 1. Brady Bacon 590, 2. Josh Wise 578, 3. Jesse Hockett 552, 4. R.J. Johnson 540, 5. Bryan Clauson 536, 6. Matt Mitchell 530, 7. Caleb Armstrong 512, 8. Robert Ballou 496, 9. Hud Cone 478, 10. Kyle Robbins 447.
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Hagen Hauls in Sprint Bandit TNT Win in Lakeside Prelim
Darren Hagne celebrates in victory lane at Lakeside Speedway after winning the Friday night portion of the Ron Shuman Classic.
Lonnie Wheatley, KANSAS CITY, Kan. (August 21, 2009) – Darren Hagen notched his first career Sprint Bandits Tour 'N Topless feature win in convincing fashion by racing to victory lane in Friday night's 25-lap preliminary feature atop Lakeside Speedway's ½-mile clay oval.
The Riverside, CA, native blasted around early leader Jesse Hockett on the high side just after a lap four restart and proceeded to check out on the field, ultimately taking the checkered flag with a full half-lap advantage aboard the Bell's Custom Conversions No. 12 Maxim.
"Jimmy (Jones) had that car set up perfect, it was working anywhere I needed it to," Hagen explained. "I could really got off the middle of four like no one else could."
With the triumph, Hagen sits in a prime position to snag Saturday night's $10,000 winner's share and the pedal car that goes along with it after escaping preliminary action as the night's top point earner.
"The $10,000 would be nice, but I keep hearing about this neat little pedal car," Hagen commented. "I'd love to get that tomorrow night and maybe take a lap around this place on it."
While Hagen started Friday's feature outside the front row, it was two-time event winner Hockett gunning into the lead at the outset aboard the Tom Buch/VKCC Motorsports No. 13 entry.
But, after the race's only caution appeared after three laps for Hud Cone's disabled mount on the backstretch, Hockett dropped to the low side of the track only to have Hagen hustle by entering turn one on the fifth lap.
Hagen set sail, racing through lapped traffic much of the way, leaving just nine cars on the lead lap as the checkered flag flew.
A half-lap and eight lapped cars separated Hagen from runner-up Josh Wise at the finish. Wise had battled past Hockett by the tenth round and held off the likes of Casey Shuman, Bryan Clauson and current TNT points leader for his third runner-up finish of the week aboard the Indiana Underground No. 37.
Shuman claimed the show position in the STIDA No. 21x, with Clauson fourth in Jeff Walker's Jam-It-In Storage No. 11.
Bacon nipped R.J. Johnson at the line to round out the top five, escaping the night with a two-point edge over Wise in the week's points chase.
Johnson was sixth, with Hockett slipping to seventh at the finish. J.J. Yeley's first appearance of the week netted an eighth-place showing, with Mitch Wissmiller the final car on the lead lap in ninth.
After making a late move around Casey Riggs to win the "B" Main, Kyle Robbins climbed from 17th to complete the top ten in the feature event.
Hockett, Hagen and Bacon topped Friday night's heat race action, with Wise, Hagen and Cone winning the qualifying races.
The night ended early for both Coleman Gulick and Robert Ballou when they flipped violently in turn three in the latter stages of the second qualifying race. While two-time and defending event winner Ballou walked away, Gulick was transported to a local hospital for observation.
After flipping in hot laps, Mike Moore returned for "B" Main action, where he got upside down again after contact from another car. Moore was uninjured.
Sprint Bandits Tour ‘N Topless Lakeside Speedway Ron Shuman Classic Preliminary Results:
Heat Races:
First Heat (8 Laps): 1. 13-Jesse Hockett, 2. 14-Coleman Gulick, 3. 37-Josh Wise, 4. 81-Robert Ballou, 5. 53-Jack Dover, 6. 10-Hud Cone, 7. 37r-Casey Riggs, 8. 10r-David Wheeler, 9. 46-Dusty Murray.
Second Heat (8 Laps): 1. 12-Darren Hagen, 2. 11-Bryan Clauson, 3. 21x-Casey Shuman, 4. 15-R.J. Johnson, 5. 81m-Matt Mitchell, 6. 65-Chris Parkinson, 7. 18-Tim Newman, 8. 17r-Kyle Robbins, 9. 11d-Caleb Armstrong.
Third Heat (8 Laps): 1. 99-Brady Bacon, 2. 1-J.J. Yeley, 3. 23-Mitch Wissmiller, 4. 98-J.C. Bland, 5. 1k-Kim Kennedy, 6. 90-Patrick Budde, 7. 88-Chad Tye. DNS: 69-Mike Moore.
Qualifying Races (Top 16 in Combined Points from Heats and Qualifiers to "A" Main; Balance to "B" Main):
First Qualifier (8 Laps): 1. 37-Josh Wise, 2. 15-R.J. Johnson, 3. 13-Jesse Hockett, 4. 21x-Casey Shuman, 5. 37r-Casey Riggs, 6. 17r-Kyle Robbins, 7. 98-J.C. Bland, 8. 65-Chris Parkinson. DNS: 46-Dusty Murray.
Second Qualifier (8 Laps): 1. 12-Darren Hagen, 2. 53-Jack Dover, 3. 99-Brady Bacon, 4. 1k-Kim Kennedy, 5. 90-Patrick Budde, 6. 81-Robert Ballou, 7. 14-Coleman Gulick, 8. 11d-Caleb Armstrong. DNS: 69-Mike Moore.
Third Qualifier (8 Laps): 1. 10-Hud Cone, 2. 11-Bryan Clauson, 3. 81m-Matt Mitchell, 4. 1-J.J. Yeley, 5. 23-Mitch Wissmiller, 6. 10r-David Wheeler, 7. 88-Chad Tye, 8. 18-Tim Newman.
"B" Main (Top Six Advance to "A" Main):
"B" Main (10 Laps): 1. 17r-Kyle Robbins, 2. 37r-Casey Riggs, 3. 11d-Caleb Armstrong, 4. 98-J.C. Bland, 5. 10r-David Wheeler, 6. 88-Chad Tye, 7. 65-Chris Parkinson, 8. 46-Dusty Murray, 9. 69-Mike Moore, 10. 18-Tim Newman.
Sprint Bandits TNT Lakeside Speedway Preliminary "A" Main
“A” Main (25 Laps): 1. 12-Darren Hagen, 2. 37-Josh Wise, 3. 21x-Casey Shuman, 4. 11-Bryan Clauson, 5. 99-Brady Bacon, 6. 15-R.J. Johnson, 7. 13-Jesse Hockett, 8. 1-J.J. Yeley, 9. 23-Mitch Wissmiller, 10. 17r-Kyle Robbins, 11. 11d-Caleb Armstrong, 12. 53-Jack Dover, 13. 81m-Matt Mitchell, 14. 98-J.C. Bland, 15. 37r-Casey Riggs, 16. 1k-Kim Kennedy, 17. 10r-David Wheeler, 18. 88-Chad Tye, 19. 90-Patrick Budde, 20. 10-Hud Cone, 21. 14-Coleman Gulick (DNS), 22. 81-Robert Ballou (DNS).
Lap Leaders: Jesse Hockett 1-4, Darren Hagen 5-25.
Sprint Bandits TNT Points (Top 10): 1. Brady Bacon 440, 2. Josh Wise 438, 3. Bryan Clauson 410, 4. Jesse Hockett 406, 5. R.J. Johnson 402, 6. Robert Ballou 390, 7. Matt Mitchell 388, 8. Coleman Gulick 382, 9. Caleb Armstrong 380, 10. Kyle Robbins 372.
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Sprint Bandits TNT Rained Out at Creek County
SAPULPA, Okla. (August 20, 2009) – Excessive overnight rain extending into this morning has forced the cancellation of Thursday night’s Sprint Bandits Tour ‘N Topless event at Creek County Speedway.
Efforts were made to salvage the event, but the pit area and track proved much too soggy to get the event in tonight.
The Fifth Annual edition of Sprint Bandits TNT moves on to Kansas City’s Lakeside Speedway on Friday and Saturday, with Saturday night’s Ron Shuman Classic winner collecting a $10,000 winner’s share.
Broken Arrow, Oklahoma’s Brady Bacon holds an eight-point advantage over Riverside, California’s Josh Wise entering the Lakeside double after winning both of the opening two legs of TNT action.
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Bacon Fries 'Em Again!
Makes it Two Sprint Bandits TNT Wins in a Row with Oklahoma City Score
Lonnie Wheatley, OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (August 19, 2009) – Brady Bacon picked off his second Sprint Bandits Tour 'N Topless feature win in as many nights of action this week by racing to victory lane in Wednesday night's 30-lap feature atop the 3/8-mile State Fair Speedway clay oval.
Bacon used the top side of the track to charge past race-long leader Josh Wise on the 17th circuit en route to not only his second win of the week, but also his second consecutive TNT score atop the historic Oklahoma City Fairgrounds oval after capturing his first career 410-ci wingless win on the same track last year.
After taking Monday night's opener by racing from seven rows deep, Bacon only had to drive Mike and Megan Eubanks' Wesmar-powered Tel-Star Communication No. 99 Triple-X from inside the fourth row on Wednesday night.
But, the 19-year-old Broken Arrow, OK, racer wasn't entirely sure at the outset.
"I really didn't know if we could get there or not, not on this track and with the cars that were up there," Bacon commented.
But, mired in sixth in the early stages as pole starter Wise and fourth-starter R.J. Johnson slipped away from the field, an inadvertent tip from Matt Mitchell while dicing for position proved beneficial for Bacon.
"The 81m (Mitchell) showed me the outside," Bacon explained. "I wasn't real sure we could make it work up there, but I went up there and we were able to move to the front."
That's precisely what Bacon did, moving to the top side after ten circuits and then disposing of first Robert Ballou, then Andy Shouse and then Joe Wood, Jr., in rapid-fire order to snare third by the time the caution flew two laps later with twelve rounds in the books for Matt Sherrell's off-track excursion.
Back under way, Bacon quickly took second away from Johnson and then reeled in Wise, dashing by on the top side of the backstretch to take command on the 17th round.
From there, Bacon breezed through lapped traffic with ease over the final rounds to take his fifth career Sprint Bandits TNT triumph with a comfortable straightaway advantage at Will Hale's checkered flag.
Riverside, CA, native Wise drove the Indiana Underground No. 37 entry to the runner-up position for the second time in a row, with Robert Ballou moving Dallas Mulvaney's MPHG Promotions No. 81 into the show position in the final rounds.
Arizona's R.J. Johnson posted a strong fourth-place run, with Dave Darland rebounding from an early slip off the track to round out the top five in Scott Benic's No. 2b machine.
New York's Coleman Gulick raced from 13th to sixth, with Jesse Hockett charging from 17th to seventh. Mitchell crossed the stripe eighth, with Darren Hagen and Bryan Clauson completing the top ten.
Mitchell, Wise and Ballou topped heat race action for Wednesday night's 29-car field, with Hagen, Levi Jones and Shouse winning the qualifying races. Hockett won the 10-lap "B" Main.
Casey Shuman crossed the stripe first in the night's second heat race but was disqualified when he failed to report directly to the scales. After racing his way into the "A" Main, Shuman was collected in a turn two scramble on the second round and turned over. While uninjured, Shuman was done for the night.
Turn three claimed both Justin Grant and Dustin Morgan in qualifying race action, while Arizona's Jody Wirth took a wild ride exiting turn four in the "B" Main. While all three mounts suffered extensive damage, the drivers all walked away unharmed. Morgan was leading his qualifying race when his bone-jarring incident occurred.
This year's edition of Sprint Bandits Tour 'N Topless continues Thursday night at Creek County Speedway in Sapulpa, OK, before moving on to Kansas City's Lakeside Speedway for the $10,000-to-win Ron Shuman Classic on Friday and Saturday.
Sprint Bandits Tour ‘N Topless State Fair Speedway Results:
Heat Races:
First Heat (8 Laps): 1. 81m-Matt Mitchell, 2. 2b-Dave Darland, 3. 03-Joe Wood, Jr., 4. 14-Coleman Gulick, 5. 98-J.C. Bland, 6. 12-Darren Hagen, 7. 38-Levi Jones, 8. 0c-Preston Peebles II, 9. 15k-Kerry McAlister, 10. 5x-Jody Wirth.
Second Heat (8 Laps): 1. 37-Josh Wise, 2. 15-R.J. Johnson, 3. 10-Hud Cone, 4. 99-Brady Bacon, 5. 11d-Caleb Armstrong, 6. 35-Matt Sherrell, 7. 45-Martin Edwards, 8. 1-Justin Grant, 9. 22-Koby Barksdale, 10. 21x-Casey Shuman (Disqualified; failed to report to scales after finishing first).
Third Heat (8 Laps): 1. 81-Robert Ballou, 2. 27-Andy Shouse, 3. 11-Bryan Clauson, 4. 13-Jesse Hockett, 5. 93-Dustin Morgan, 6. 17r-Kyle Robbins, 7. 1j-Danny Jennings, 8. 37r-Casey Riggs, 9. 32-Mike Martin.
Qualifying Races (Top 16 in Combined Points from Heats and Qualifiers to "A" Main; Balance to "B" Main):
First Qualifier (8 Laps): 1. 12-Darren Hagen, 2. 11-Bryan Clauson, 3. 37-Josh Wise, 4. 81-Robert Ballou, 5. 17r-Kyle Robbins, 6. 13-Jesse Hockett, 7. 10-Hud Cone, 8. 22-Koby Barksdale, 9. 0c-Preston Peebles II, 10. 1-Justin Grant.
Second Qualifier (8 Laps): 1. 38-Levi Jones, 2. 11d-Caleb Armstrong, 3. 99-Brady Bacon, 4. 14-Coleman Gulick, 5. 2b-Dave Darland, 6. 81m-Matt Mitchell, 7. 21x-Casey Shuman, 8. 45-Martin Edwards, 9. 15k-Kerry McAlister, 10. 37r-Casey Riggs.
Third Qualifier (8 Laps): 1. 27-Andy Shouse, 2. 03-Joe Wood, Jr., 3. 15-R.J. Johnson, 4. 98-J.C. Bland, 5. 1j-Danny Jennings, 6. 35-Matt Sherrell, 7. 32-Mike Martin, 8. 5x-Jody Wirth, 9. 93-Dustin Morgan.
"B" Main (Top Six Advance to "A" Main):
"B" Main (10 Laps): 1. 13-Jesse Hockett, 2. 21x-Casey Shuman, 3. 35-Matt Sherrell, 4. 98-J.C. Bland, 5. 45-Martin Edwards, 6. 32-Mike Martin, 7. 22-Koby Barksdale, 8. 0c-Preston Peebles II, 9. 15k-Kerry McAlister, 10. 37r-Casey Riggs, 11. 5x-Jody Wirth. DNS: 93-Dustin Morgan, 1-Justin Grant.
Sprint Bandits TNT State Fair Speedway "A" Main
“A” Main (30 Laps): 1. 99-Brady Bacon, 2. 37-Josh Wise, 3. 81-Robert Ballou, 4. 15-R.J. Johnson, 5. 2b-Dave Darland, 6. 14-Coleman Gulick, 7. 13-Jesse Hockett, 8. 81m-Matt Mitchell, 9. 12-Darren Hagen, 10. 11-Bryan Clauson, 11. 38-Levi Jones, 12. 27-Andy Shouse, 13. 11d-Caleb Armstrong, 14. 17r-Kyle Robbins, 15. 32-Mike Martin, 16. 10-Hud Cone, 17. 98-J.C. Bland, 18. 03-Joe Wood, Jr., 19. 35-Matt Sherrell, 20. 1j-Danny Jennings, 21. 45-Martin Edwards, 22. 21x-Casey Shuman.
Lap Leaders: Josh Wise 1-16, Brady Bacon 17-30.
Sprint Bandits TNT Points (Top 10): 1. Brady Bacon 300, 2. Josh Wise 292, 3. (tie) Dave Darland and Robert Ballou 284, 5. Coleman Gulick 274, 6. (tie) Levi Jones and Jesse Hockett 270, 8. Bryan Clauson 268, 9. (tie) Matt Mitchell and R.J. Johnson 264.
Bacon Bounces Back for Sprint Bandits TNT Husker Nationals Win!
Lonnie Wheatley, GREENWOOD, Neb. (August 17, 2009) – Brady Bacon's night didn't get off to the best of starts at I-80 Speedway on Monday night.
But, by the time the opening round of this year's Sprint Bandits Tour 'N Topless competition was completed, the 19-year-old Broken Arrow, OK, bandit had rebounded in strong fashion to take the $4,000 winner's share in the Fifth Annual TNT Husker Nationals.
Working forward from the 14th starting position, Bacon became the race's fourth and final leader when he wrestled the point away from California native Josh Wise on the 20th round en route to his fourth career Sprint Bandits TNT triumph.
"It seems like sometimes we do better starting further back like that," Bacon explained after the triumph aboard Mike and Megan Eubanks' Wesmar-powered Tel-Star Communications No. 99 Triple-X.
Bacon's night got off on the wrong foot when he was collected in an opening lap incident in the night's third heat race. After his crew made the necessary repairs, the winner of three consecutive TNT events last year worked forward from eighth to fifth in his qualifier to earn the 16th starting slot in the 24-car feature grid. When his father, Leon Bacon, scratched with engine issues, Brady moved up another row to start 14th.
While Bacon took the green flag seven rows deep, Arizona's R.J. Johnson gunned into the lead at the outset and paced the opening three rounds before two-time and defending Lakeside Speedway Ron Shuman Classic winner Robert Ballou raced into the lead on the top side aboard Dallas Mulvaney's No. 81 entry.
Wise followed suit aboard the Indiana Underground No. 37 entry soon after a lap nine caution and the West Coast natives took off as Bacon battled past Damion Gardner and Johnson to take over third.
With Bacon stalking the lead pair, Wise battled past Ballou for the lead on the 14th lap, one round before the red flag flew as Gardner coasted to a stop on the frontstretch ablaze. Upon being extricated from his car, Gardner was transported to a local hospital with second-degree burns on his lower legs and feet.
When action resumed, Bacon made quick work of Ballou and began dicing with Wise for the point, taking command just before the red lights flickered one last time for Jack Dover, who got upside down in turn two in his wingless debut.
Wise pressured Bacon over the final ten circuits, but Bacon was flawless on the low side of the 4/10-mile clay oval to secure the win. Wise settled for runner-up honors, with two-time Husker Nationals winner Dave Darland battling past Ballou in the final rounds to snare the show position aboard Scott Benic's No. 2b entry.
Levi Jones also moved up by taking fourth in the latter stages, with Ballou rounding out the top five.
After losing a nerf bar to bring out a caution with nine laps in the books, Bryan Clauson rallied from the tail of the field to claim sixth. Coleman Gulick was seventh, with Jesse Hockett, 19th-starter Mike Moore and 18th-starter Matt Mitchell completing the top ten.
Wise, Caleb Armstrong and Ballou topped the night's heat race action, with Gulick, Dover and Johnson winning the qualifying races.
This year's edition of Sprint Bandits Tour 'N Topless resumes on Wednesday night at Oklahoma City's State Fair Speedway, with ensuing events at Creek County Speedway in Sapulpa, OK, on Thursday night and then the $10,000-to-win Ron Shuman Classic at Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City, KS, on Friday and Saturday.
Sprint Bandits Tour ‘N Topless I-80 Speedway Husker Nationals Results:
Heat Races:
First Heat (8 Laps): 1. 37-Josh Wise, 2. 0c-Preston Peebles II, 3. 99x-Leon Bacon, 4. 71-Damion Gardner, 5. 13-Jesse Hockett, 6. 81m-Matt Mitchell, 7. 14-Coleman Gulick, 8. 17r-Kyle Robbins.
Second Heat (8 Laps): 1. 11d-Caleb Armstrong, 2. 2b-Dave Darland, 3. 15-R.J. Johnson, 4. 11-Bryan Clauson, 5. 1-Justin Grant, 6. 32-Mike Martin, 7. 51-Doug Martens, 8. 10-Hud Cone.
Third Heat (8 Laps): 1. 81-Robert Ballou, 2. 38-Levi Jones, 3. 53-Jack Dover, 4. 69-Mike Moore, 5. 37r-Casey Riggs, 6. 5x-Jody Wirth, 7. F1-Sheldon Leeskamp, 8. 99-Brady Bacon.
Qualifying Races:
First Qualifier (8 Laps): 1. 14-Coleman Gulick, 2. 11-Bryan Clauson, 3. 2b-Dave Darland, 4. 81-Robert Ballou, 5. 99-Brady Bacon, 6. 99x-Leon Bacon, 7. 69-Mike Moore, 8. 5x-Jody Wirth.
Second Qualifier (8 Laps): 1. 53-Jack Dover, 2. 13-Jesse Hockett, 3. 37-Josh Wise, 4. 71-Damion Gardner, 5. 38-Levi Jones, 6. 81m-Matt Mitchell, 7. 17r-Kyle Robbins, 8. 51-Doug Martens.
Third Qualifier (8 Laps): 1. 15-R.J. Johnson, 2. 37r-Casey Riggs, 3. 1-Justin Grant, 4. 10-Hud Cone, 5. 11d-Caleb Armstrong, 6. 0c-Preston Peebles II, 7. F1-Sheldon Leeskamp. DNS: 32-Mike Martin.
Sprint Bandits I-80 Speedway Husker Nationals "A" Main
“A” Main (30 Laps): 1. 99-Brady Bacon, 2. 37-Josh Wise, 3. 2b-Dave Darland, 4. 38-Levi Jones, 5. 81-Robert Ballou, 6. 11-Bryan Clauson, 7. 14-Coleman Gulick, 8. 13-Jesse Hockett, 9. 69-Mike Moore, 10. 81m-Matt Mitchell, 11. 11d-Caleb Armstrong, 12. 10-Hud Cone, 13. 1-Justin Grant, 14. 15-R.J. Johnson, 15. 17r-Kyle Robbins, 16. 37r-Casey Riggs, 17. 51-Doug Martens, 18. F1-Sheldon Leeskamp, 19. 32-Mike Martin, 20. 0c-Preston Peebles II, 21. 53-Jack Dover, 22. 5x-Jody Wirth, 23. 71-Damion Gardner, 24. 99x-Leon Bacon (DNS).
Lap Leaders: R.J. Johnson 1-3, Robert Ballou 4-13, Josh Wise 14-19, Brady Bacon 20-30.
Sprint Bandits TNT Points (Top 10): 1. Brady Bacon 150, 2. Josh Wise 146, 3. Dave Darland 144, 4. Levi Jones 142, 5. Robert Ballou 140, 6. Bryan Clauson 138, 7. Coleman Gulick 136, 8. Jesse Hockett 134, 9. Mike Moore 132, 10. Matt Mitchell 130.
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Sprint Bandits TNT Rained Out at Rock Rapids
ROCK RAPIDS, Iowa (August 16, 2009) – Sunday night's scheduled opening leg of the Fifth Annual Sprint Bandits Tour 'N Topless Midwest Swing at Rapid Speedway has been cancelled due to heavy overnight rains.
With Sunday's rain out, the 2009 edition of Sprint Bandits TNT will kick off with Monday's Husker Nationals at Nebraska Raceway Park's I-80 Speedway before moving on to Oklahoma for a pair of events, including a stop at Oklahoma City's State Fair Speedway on Wednesday night followed up by a Thursday card at Creek County Speedway near Tulsa.
The week will conclude with Lakeside Speedway's annual $10,000-to-win tilt on Friday and Saturday in Kansas City, KS.
Additional information regarding the Sprint Bandits Tour 'N Topless series is available at http://www.sprintbandits.com/.
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Sprint Bandits TNT Ignites Next Sunday!
Lonnie Wheatley, TULSA, Okla. (August 9, 2009) – The annual occurrence is just one week away. Each year, somewhere right around the middle of August, the nation's top wingless Sprint Car drivers converge upon the nation's mid-section for a full week of Sprint Bandits Tour 'N Topless competition.
This year is no different, with the exception that the wingless wars get under way one night earlier with a Sunday night event (August 16) marking the first of six nights of racing over a span of seven days.
A multitude of drivers hailing from the Hoosier State of Indiana and surrounding "traditional" areas will take on the best the West can offer atop a handful of tracks throughout Iowa, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Kansas that only host the top wingless forces once a year, offering up some neutral turn to determine the best of the best.
Indiana's Dave Darland is the reigning Sprint Bandits TNT champion after posting five podium finishes in six events last year, including his second consecutive series triumph at Nebraska Raceway Park's I-80 Speedway.
While Darland's consistency netted the title, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma's Brady Bacon and California's Robert Ballou combined to win five of the six features last August. Bacon, 18 years old at the time, strung together the initial three wingless 410-ci Sprint Car wins of his career, while Ballou topped Lakeside Speedway's $10,000-to-win wingless classic for the second year in a row.
While Darland is the reigning TNT champion, Robert Ballou and Tim Kaeding tied for top TNT Midwest Swing honors in 2007, Missouri's Jesse Hockett earned the top spot in 2006 and Illinois' Levi Jones captured the inaugural TNT championship in 2005.
This year's TNT swing opens at a new venue with Rapid Speedway in Rock Rapids, IA, hosting the series on Sunday night, August 16. The following night, it's on to Nebraska Raceway Park's I-80 Speedway for the Fifth Annual TNT Husker Nationals.
After a travel day on Tuesday, action resumes at Oklahoma City's State Fair Speedway on Wednesday, August 19, before moving up the Turner Turnpike to Creek County Speedway near Tulsa on Thursday. The week then concludes with the traditional $10,000-to-win two-night stand at Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City, KS, on August 21-22.
Round One – Rapid Speedway (Rock Rapids, IA)
When: Sunday, August 16
Description: 3/8-mile semi-banked dirt oval
Location: 0.5 miles east of US 75 on SR 9, then 0.5 miles south on South Tama St. (at the Lyons Co. Fairgrounds)
Race Time: 8:00 p.m.
Track Phone: 712-472-3742
Notes: Just a stone's throw or two from Sioux Falls, SD, Rock Rapids Speedway hosts the Sprint Bandits TNT for the first time with the opening round of 2009.
Round Two – I-80 Speedway (Greenwood, NE)
When: Monday, August 17
Description: 4/10-mile semi-banked dirt oval
Location: Between Omaha and Lincoln off I-80 Exit 420, then 0.4 miles north on SR 63, then west
Race Time: 7:00 p.m.
Track Phone: 402-342-3453 or 402-944-2233
Notes: Annually the site of some of the most intense TNT racing of the week, I-80 Speedway hosts the Fifth Annual TNT Husker Nationals on a Monday night this year. Levi Jones topped an action-packed 2005 TNT feature, Robert Ballou shocked the world with his first wingless win in 2006, Dave Darland gave the Trucker's Team their first TNT win when he nipped Tim Kaeding at the line by 0.052 seconds in 2007 and then backed it up with a repeat I-80 win aboard Scott Benic's entry last year.
Round Three – State Fair Speedway (Oklahoma City, OK)
When: Wednesday, August 19
Description: 3/8-mile slightly-banked clay oval
Location: At the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds near the intersection of N.W. 10th and May Avenue
Race Time: 7:30 p.m.
Track Phone: 405-948-6796
Notes: The history-rich State Fair Speedway hosts the TNT Swing for the second consecutive year and third time overall. Levi Jones topped the '05 TNT card, the first 410-ci wingless event since a 1988 tilt won by Lealand McSpadden. Last year, Brady Bacon captured his first career 410 wingless win in front of his home state crowd.
Round Four – Creek County Speedway (Sapulpa, OK)
When: Thursday, August 20
Description: ¼-mile semi-banked clay oval
Location: Southwest of Tulsa off I-44 Exit 211 then 0.3 miles south on SR 33, then one miles west on US 66
Race Time: 7:00 p.m.
Track Phone: 918-247-6675
Notes: The bullring has hosted the TNT troops over each of the past two years and has fully lived up to expectations both times. Robert Ballou bested a field of 42 entries in 2007, while Brady Bacon outdueled Ballou to top last year's Creek County stop.
Rounds Five & Six – Lakeside Speedway (Kansas City, KS)
When: Friday and Saturday, August 21-22
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: After four nights of $4,000 to win events, the week culminates with Lakeside Speedway's $10,000 to win Ron Shuman Classic on Saturday night, August 22. The top four finishers in Friday night's preliminary feature are locked into the finale. Robert Ballou has captured the top prize of $10,000, along with the much-coveted pedal car, over each of the past two years, with other past winners including Brad Sweet (2006), Bud Kaeding (2005 and 2002), Jesse Hockett (2004 and 2003), Troy Rutherford (2001) and Tony Elliott (2000).
Additional information regarding the Sprint Bandits Tour 'N Topless series is available at http://www.sprintbandits.com/.
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Aug. 2010 points
1. Robert Ballou 1196
2. Brady Bacon 1170
3. Casey Shuman 1160
4. J.C. Bland 1023
5. Anthony Nicholson 1008
6. Patrick Stasa 666
7. Travis Rilat 661
8. Jeff Stasa 628
9. Matt Sherrell 572
10. Gary Taylor 561
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