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Marysville
CA - June 11, 2008 --- Paul and Kathy Hawes will host the MRP Winged Sprint Cars as the premiere division as June arrives at Marysville Raceway Park. Amidst a massive reconstruction project that includes moving some 2500 seats (the ENTIRE front stretch grandstand) the newly reconfigured speed plant will flip on the lights this Saturday. The remarkable Wingless Warriors of the MRP Wingless Sprint Car division will also be headlined in a show that also includes the highly competitive MRP Street Stocks, the Nor Cal Dwarf Cars and another run by the Sprint 600s (formerly known as Modified Midget Multis).
$1100 in Contingency Connection awards are also continuing in both sprint car classes in addition to the regular weekly purses (see details at end of article).
The event will kick off a June that includes the Merritt Family Kids Night on June 21st. That will be a monster 5 division show! Another visit from the Mighty Modifieds and 4 other divisions on the 28th will bring down the curtain on June. MRP will be dark on the July 4th weekend for a little R&R for the families that are so much a part of the MRP scene
The last 2 weeks have been hectic for promoter Hawes as the transition remodel of the front stretch hit a snag or two. The track, in its new configuration, required several changes to the modern aluminum grandstand area that was constructed in 1997. Not the least of which is a wholesale change in the positioning of the seats. Construction will be ongoing through the month of June so please excuse the look as a the result will put the fans so close to the action that in the words of promoter Hawes, “You’ll have to buy a racecar if you want to get any closer to the action”.
Never were truer words spoken, as this observer took a look at the new positioning of the grandstands. It’s likely you’ll smell the methanol as well as see the racers flash by. The overall “feel” of the cars going by will be extraordinary. The visual will be spectacular by any standards.
The point races in the three primary divisions featured this Saturday are worth noting. In the MRP Winged Sprint Cars only a single point separates 2 time MRP Champion Brent Dothage of Kelseyville and the “on the gas” charger Cort Dozier. Dozier, of Marysville has 395 markers and Dothage has 394. Every race, every night, now becomes critically important as heat races and feature events all pay points. Dothage has been through this wringer on two other occasions managing slim margins of victory in both his previous championships. Hovering in 3rd place is 3-time champ Korey Lovell of Yuba City who traditionally gets hot when the weather gets hotter. Lovell sits just 15 points behind Dozier. A maximum of 60 total points are available in each program.
The MRP Wingless Sprint Cars have presented large, competitive fields lately and the struggle at the top, while not as tight as in the winged cars, is still a good one. Sacramento’s John Anderson parlayed a great Hall Memorial into a 24-point advantage at the conclusion of that great event. Marysville’s Jeremy Hawes could use a couple of his patented last lap passes for victories at this point in the season. Anderson’s consistency has been remarkable adding onto last year’s notable average finishing position. Anderson did not compete in all of the events last year, but secured the most points per appearance of any driver last year. This year he’s attended every event and has a nice lead at this juncture. Hawes, in his well known “Flyin’ Ford”, is fast and has crashed while leading the feature recently adding to his point gathering problems.
4-time feature winner this year, Tony Richards is out of the point hunt having missed the first few events before going on the 4 race tear that ended at the Hall Memorial. Tim Sherman Jr. and Cort Dozier are 3rd& 4th in points and are knocking at the door. Sherman endured a massive crash 3 races ago that may have given the cagey young charger added incentive to win. And, yes, that’s the same Cort Dozier who leads the winged standings. Dozier will continue to try for MRP’s 1st ever double championship.
The MRP Street Stock point race is getting the heart rates up around here as Hall Memorial winner Jeff Olschowka continues to win his way toward the top of the standings. Olschowka after a miserable early season string of bad luck has been on fire lately and has jumped into 2ndplace in the tally. He’s just 14 points behind Hallwood’s “Bad Billy” Knoop. Knoop has also been a multi time winner this season. This will be a barn-burner between these two quick veterans. Lurking just outside the top two in third place in points is Rookie of the Year contender Lisa Shelby. Shelby’s been quick and smooth, and had to endure her share of early season disappointments. But the 2007 MRP Mini Stock champ is getting closer to victory lane every week.
Pit gates always open at 3 with the grandstands opening at 5. Practice and hot laps start at 6 with qualifying and racing to follow. Put www.marysvilleracewaypark.com on your “favorites” button on you computer. Watch this site for press releases, updates and complete results
Contingency Connection -Winged and Wingless Sprint Cars-$300,000 in contingency rewards ongoing through 2008:
Remember, our racing program will get $150,000 worth of contingency dollars for our winged and wingless sprint cars. The way it works is that Contingency Connection has signed up 181 sponsors nationwide who contribute products or merchandise each race to the winner. The only catch is that drivers must be sporting the decal of that sponsor to earn the bonus. If a driver who wins the MRP Winged or Wingless feature race has every decal on his car, he could receive some $1150 in products or merchandise. The vouchers can be saved and traded in for larger ticket items. The bonus is a healthy addition to the weekly $1,000 promoter Hawes already pays to the winner of MRP winged sprint car main events and the $750 he pays to MRP wingless sprint car feature winners.
In addition to the $150,000 Contingency Connection is providing during the regular season, the program also has earmarked another $150,000 toward a year-end bonus for the top two drivers as well as four other "at-large" drivers whom the promoters believe are deserving of some added cash. The driver must be an association member.
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