ASCS Midwest vs. Northern Plains Shootout at I-80

From Nebraska Raceway Park

Omaha, NE (April 3, 2006) – The American Sprint Car Series Midwest and Northern Plains Regions square off for the first time at Nebraska Raceway Park’s I-80 Speedway Spring Sizzler this Friday and Saturday night. Joining the ASCS Sprint Cars on Saturday night will the stars and cars of the NCRA making this a weekend of racing that Midwest sprint car fans don’t want to miss.

Also on tap for Friday’s show will be the venerable and exciting I-80 Speedway Pro-Ams, new 305 Sprint Cars and Dwarf Cars. Making their 2006 season debut on Saturday night are the Grand National Late Models and the popular Pro and Novice Hornets.

“The weekend marks the season opener for both the ASCS Midwest and Northern Plains Region and with the addition of the NCRA on Saturday, the possibility for 60 sprint cars is a real possibility” said
I-80 Speedway General Manager, Tom Gutowski. “We’re pleased that we can bring such a high caliber of sprint car racing to our area for all of our fans to enjoy. Our I-80 Speedway classes are sure to thrill the fans each night with their close competition” Gutowski added.

The Northern Plains Region is expected to bring a contingent of more than 20 drivers from the North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota area, with the Midwest Region attracting all the top contenders throughout Nebraska, Iowa and portions of Missouri.

Among the Midwest Region representatives will be Lincoln’s Toby Chapman, who finished second in ’05 ASCS Midwest Region points, and Missouri’s Brian Brown, who scored three ASCS Midwest Region feature wins in 2005. Other top Midwest Region contenders include Rick Ideus, Chad Humston, Seth Brahmer and J.D. Johnson.

The ASCS Northern Plains contenders will include Minnesota’s Dustin Lindquist, Brett Geldner, Scott Winters and Scott Broty, North Dakotans Natalie Sather, Mike Sitzmann, Jr., and Lee Grosz, and South Dakota racers Chuck Swenson, Gregg Bakker, Brent Vonk, Dusty Ballenger, Ryan Bickett and Casey Abbas.

Several O’Reilly American Sprint Cars on Tour National championship contenders will be on hand as well, including Lincoln’s Mike Chadd, South Dakota’s Jake Peters and Kansas racer Tony Bruce, Jr.

Former ASCS National champion Garry Lee Maier of Cimarron, KS, leads the contingent of NCRA forces into the event.

Both nights of racing action at Nebraska Raceway Park’s I-80 Speedway are slated to get under way at 6:30pm with hot laps at 6pm. The pit gate opens at 4pm and the grandstands open at 5pm.

Adult ticket prices for Friday are $12, students (11-17) and seniors (62 and older) are $10 and kids 10 and under are FREE. Saturday’s admission prices are $15 for adults, $13 for students and seniors and kids 10 and under are still FREE.

The track is located between Lincoln and Omaha just north of I-80 Exit 420. For more information, contact the NRP General Offices at 402-342-3453 during normal business hours or visit the web site at www.neracewaypark.com. On race days after 4pm, the track info line is 402-944-2233.

The 2006 slate for the ASCS Midwest Region consists of thirteen events at eight tracks throughout Nebraska, South Dakota, Iowa, Missouri and Kansas.

In its inaugural season, the ASCS Northern Plains 2006 schedule is composed of 22 events at ten different tracks throughout Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa and Wisconsin.

In its 15th year of sanctioning Sprint Car racing in the United States, the American Sprint Car Series will present approximately 180 nights of racing in 2006 including the National Tour and it’s Regional Tours (Gulf South, Mid-South, Midwest, Northern Plains, Patriot Sprint Group, Rocky Mountain, Sooner, Southern and Sprints on Dirt).

Additional information regarding the American Sprint Car Series is available at www.ascsracing.com.