The 2nd Annual West Michigan Racecar Show

The 2nd Annual West Michigan Racecar Show

March 10, 11 & 12, 2011

Centerpointe Mall, Grand Rapids Michigan -

Motor racing enthusiasts will again come together in March to put on "The 2nd Annual West Michigan Racecar Show". The indoor event has moved to and will fill the Centerpointe Mall at 3665 28th Street, SE in Grand Rapids Michigan on the show dates of Thursday, Friday & Saturday, March 10th, 11th & 12th during regular mall hours. The show setup will begin on Wednesday, March 9th, starting at 6:00 PM. Saturday evening's events will also include an awards ceremony where many categories of entries, including a "fan's choice" award, will receive a plaque.

A wide variety of motor racing vehicles will be on display including cars, trucks, motorcycles, go-karts etc all the way to, yes, even lawn mowers !

Many racing venue displays from all over Michigan including dirt and asphalt oval race tracks, plus road courses and drag strips, will have their cars included. Many of the displays will have videos playing showing samples of their racing action. These will show and tell the fans what they are all about. Also, their 2011 season schedules and information will be available.

There will also be a vendor's area where the suppliers of racing will have displays and the representatives from each company will be ready to answer any and all questions about their products.

The March of Dimes will again be the fund raising charity for the show, with CARSTAR Auto Body Repair Centers returning as the main sponsor.

The Ramada Plaza Grand Rapids Motel located at 3333 28th Street, SE, Grand Rapids Michigan (28th Street and the East Beltline) will serve as the "show motel". It is offering great room rates during the event (it also has an indoor water park). Reservations can be made directly thru the motel itself at 616-949-9222 until the deadline of February 1, 2011.

For more information on the show, how to get registered and/or how to get involved, see the website: www.thewestmichiganracecarshow.com .

contact:
Tom De Vette
7235 Edgewood
Jenison, Michigan 49428
616-240-9621
tdfoto@aol.com

Van Wormer in Australia

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

January 2, 2011

Jeep Van Wormer Concludes Australia Trip in Grand Fashion with Win at Manjimup Speedway!

(PINCONNING, MICHIGAN) Jeep Van Wormer concluded his racing trip "Down Under" and brought in the New Year in style earlier today, January 2, by capturing another R2C Pro Dirt Series victory at the Manjimup Speedway in the southwest of Western Australia! The win at Manjimup today, along with his triumph back on December 18 at the Perth Motorplex, has given Jeep two victories in his three events in Australia. The Pinconning, Michigan native also recorded a strong runner-up effort on December 26 at the Bunbury Speedway.

At Manjimup today, Jeep started from the outside of the front row in his first heat and dominated the prelim to set the tone for the night. After rolling off from the tenth spot in his second heat race, Jeep stormed towards the front of the field to garner a third place preliminary performance. By virtue of his strong heat race finishes, Jeep started third in the dash and won it to earn the pole position for the feature.

Aboard his Oldfield Racing #55 MasterSbilt entry, Jeep was not to be denied in the R2C Pro Dirt Series main event. He led 33 of the 35 circuits around Manjimup Speedway en route to capturing the checkered flag ahead of his teammate Jamie Oldfield. Complete results from Jeep's final race "Down Under" can be located online at www.latemodelracingaustralia.com!

"I can't thank the Oldfield's, Warren Bishop, and everybody that I have met during my stay here in Australia enough for their generosity, support, and hospitality," exclaimed Van Wormer shortly after his victory at Manjimup. "Our cars were fast all three nights down here and I am pumped to give these guys a couple of wins and a second place finish. It was an honor and a privilege to race against the best Aussie drivers and I had a blast at all three tracks. Hopefully, my wife Angie and I get the opportunity to come back down here again in the near future, as we always enjoy visiting this part of the world!"

When Jeep returns back to the United States shortly, he will go back to work on his Iron Motorsports equipment in preparation for his first scheduled 2011 Dirt Late Model event on March 26 at the legendary Brownstown Speedway in Brownstown, Indiana. The annual running of the 'Indiana Icebreaker' will once again be sanctioned by the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series and will pay $10,000 to the winner. As soon as all track and series schedules are released this off-season, Jeep will post a schedule of his own online at www.JeepVanWormer.com.

Media Contact: Ryan Delph - Delph Communications, Inc.

www.delphcommunications.com

I-96 Speedway to host the Only Michigan Appearance of 2011 for the World of Outlaws Sprints!

I-96 Speedway to host the Only Michigan Appearance of 2011 for the World of Outlaws Sprints!


By Matt Prieur / Chris Fobbe – I-96 Speedway

Lake Odessa, Michigan (Thursday, December 30th, 2010): I-96 Speedway Owners / Promoters, Mike and Sarah Mouch are busy preparing for the upcoming 2011 racing season at the Lake Odessa, Michigan speed plant. The husband and wife team, now in their seventh season as Promoters of the facility, are aggressively working on an action packed 2011 schedule for the Most Exciting Dirt Track in the State of Michigan!

While the 2011 Schedule is very close to becoming finalized and will be released soon afterwards, one date on the calendar is confirmed and it’s one of the many highlights of the 2011 racing season and one of the biggest races in the state of Michigan as the highly touted World of Outlaws Sprints will make their Only appearance in the state of Michigan on Saturday, May 21st, 2011.

The Ultra Fast, Fire Breathing, Winged Warriors will challenge the lightning quick ½ (0.500) mile semi-banked dirt oval for the fifth season in a row and in their only appearance in the Great Lakes State in 2011! Legendary 20-time Series Champion Steve Kinser, and Defending Series Champion, and Two-Time Defending I-96 Race Winner, Jason Meyers headline the stellar field of the best Sprint Car Drivers in the World!

In addition, Four-Time Series Champion Donny Schatz, as well as Danny Lasoski, Joey Saldana, Jason Sides, Chad Kemenah, Kraig Kinser, Kerry Madsen, Tim Shaffer, Lucas Wolfe, Randy Hannigan, Paul McMahan, and the rest of the best Sprint Car drivers in the World are just some of the top Sprint Car drivers anywhere who’ll be making their one and only Michigan stop of the 2011 season at I-96.

In 2010, Defending Series Champion, Jason Meyers in his #14 GLR Investments machine scored his second consecutive win at I-96 in front of the biggest crowd in the tracks long history as the Clovis, California native took over the top spot after race long leader, Danny Lasoski lost a rear end while leading with just six laps to go. From their, Meyers withstood two more late restarts and held off late charges from Craig Dollansky and Jason Sides to score the win in the 30-lap Feature!

Earlier in the evening, Joey Saldana was one of four drivers to break the track record and he also became the first driver ever in I-96 Speedway history to break into the 14-second barrier as he toured around the ½ mile at a lap measured at a 14.834 which equals out to a wicked fast 121.343mph.

Joining the World of Outlaws Sprints will be a special UMP Modifieds event also on the ½ mile as the only Open-Wheeled division within the United Midwestern Promoters (UMP) sanctioned tracks’ Weekly Divisions will move up to the ½ mile for a night.

The World of Outlaws Sprints have made 10 career appearances with the first ever show back in 1995. Kinser leads the way with Four (4) career victories while Meyers has won the last two races held in Lake Odessa, Michigan. Picking up single wins over the years includes; Dollansky, Saldana, Sammy Swindell, and Stevie Smith.

The World of Outlaws are the premier sanctioning body for winged sprint car racing in the world, and are comprised of sprint car drivers from across the country and the world. The series was founded by the late Ted Johnson in 1978, giving winged sprint car racer’s somewhere to compete with uniform rules and guaranteed purse money.

For more information about the World of Outlaws Sprints, go to their website at: www.worldofoutlaws.com/sprint

The 2010 I-96 Speedway Awards Banquet will be held on Saturday, February 19th, 2011 at the Steel Street Hall, located on 115 South Steel Street in Ionia, Michigan. More Details with regards to Ticket Prices, Times, and more will be Available very soon.

I-96 Speedway’s 2011 season will start off with Two Pre-Season Test and Tunes with the first one set for Saturday April 9th from 11:00a.m. – Dark on the 3/8s mile. The second and Final Test and Tune is on Saturday, April 16th from 11:00a.m.-5:00p.m., as cars will Practice on the 3/8s mile while the District 14 Flat Track Motorcycles will start their 2011 racing season with Practice on the ½ mile and then it’s Opening Night 2011 for the two-wheeled machines starting at 5:30p.m.

After taking the Easter Holiday Weekend off, Opening Night 2011, the 6th annual Ice Breaker is set for Saturday April 30th headlined by the UMP Late Models who’ll go for $1,200 to Win while the UMP Modifieds race for $800 to Win. The UMP Street Stocks will be racing for $300 to Win and Four-Cylinders will be fighting for $150 to Win. All Four Weekly Divisions will be taking on the fast 3/8s (0.375) mile semi-banked dirt oval and beginning each respective chase for their 2011 Track Championships.

Joining the I-96 Speedway staff for the 2011 racing season is the highly regarded announcing tandem of Matt Prieur and Chris Fobbe. Prieur (Pronounced Pre-Err), who at 36-years-old is already a 21-year veteran Public Address Announcer, started his career at just 15-years-old. Originally from Flint, Michigan, he calls Ovid, Michigan home.

Prieur comes to I-96 after spending his entire career on pavement tracks and various asphalt traveling series’, including the old ASA National Tour, the ICEMAN Super Car Series and the ASA Late Model Series. More recently, Prieur was the Voice of the Dixie Motor Speedway as well as Owosso Speedway along-with Fobbe.

Fobbe (Pronounced Foe-Bee) began his racing career in 2002 at just 12 years old and his announcing career started in 2009 as he joined Prieur at Dixie and Owosso. The 20-year-old Fobbe, who calls Holt, Michigan home, is widely regarded as a future star on the rise in the world of Short Track Racing Announcers.

Both Prieur and Fobbe will serve in the dual roles as Co-Director of Media / Public Relations and Co-P.A. Announcers as well as performing all of the tasks associated with keeping the I-96 Speedway Website constantly updated throughout the off-season as well as the upcoming 2011 racing season in all capacities.

The Complete 2011 Schedule for I-96 Speedway will be released very soon, For more information about the 2010 Awards Banquet as well as the 2011 racing season at I-96 Speedway, please call: 1 (616) 642-0555 or visit the soon to be new and improved website at: www.i96speedway.com

New Announcer at I-96 Speedway

Veteran track announcer Matt Prieur looks forward to new challenges at I-96 Speedway


By Steve Kaminski
The Grand Rapids Press
One of the most familiar voices in Michigan short-track racing will be coming to the I-96 Speedway in Lake Odessa next season.

I-96 promoter Mike Mouch said veteran track announcer Matt Prieur of Ovid will be joining the track’s staff in 2011. Prieur will serve as the track announcer and be responsible for I-96’s media and public relations.

Prieur has spent recent seasons working at Dixie Motor Speedway in Birch Run and Owosso Speedway before stepping down at the conclusion of the 2010 season. Prieur said he is looking forward to his next challenge at I-96, which offers three-eighths and half-mile dirt ovals.

“This will be my 22nd year in racing, but this will be my first year on dirt. All of my previous years have been on pavement,” Prieur said. “I think the entire realm of dirt-track racing presents a new challenge to me. The terminology and the learning of brand new drivers and teams and a totally different fan base than I’m used to is going to be a lot of fun.

“I’m excited about the new chapter in my career. Mike and (wife) Sarah (Mouch) have the premier dirt track in Michigan, and I want to help them keep that going.”

Prieur said that Chris Fobbe of Holt will be joining him at I-96. Fobbe, 20, and a student at Baker Community College in Owosso, worked with Prieur at Dixie and Owosso.

Prieur was a teenager when he got his first announcing gig back in the late 1980s. He has gone on to call the action at approximately 80 different tracks across the Midwest.

“I started as a track safety worker in 1989 (at Dixie) when I was 15 years old,” Prieur said. “The owner didn’t have anyone to announce the races over Labor Day Weekend, and I always wanted to be an announcer, so I stepped up and said I would do it. The first race I called was September 3, 1989, and it was a SOD Sprints Series race. Gary Fedewa won the first race I called.

“They ended up hiring me for the rest of the year. I announced at Dixie and Auto City (Speedway in Flint) in 1990.”

Prieur later worked at Toledo Speedway, covering the Iceman Super Series. He also worked with the ASA Late Model Challenge Series from 2004-2008, which gave him the opportunity to announce at the famed Bristol Motor Speedway in August of 2007. It was the first race run on the track after it was resurfaced. Prieur worked at Dixie and Owosso the past two seasons.

I-96 continues to finalize its 2011 schedule. The World of Outlaws will return May 21.
“It is the only World of Outlaws date in Michigan next year,” Prieur said. “I-96 not only has weekly short-track racing, but they are bringing in a variety of racing action, and they have a few weekends where they will be hosting events like concerts, which makes it a multipurpose facility.” 

Kyle Busch Returns to Berlin in 2011

Return of NASCAR Sprint Cup star Kyle Busch highlights Berlin Raceway's 2011 schedule


By Steve Kaminski
The Grand Rapids Press

Berlin Raceway’s 2011 game plan calls for more emphasis on its weekly classes, so expect fewer special events during the track’s 61st season.

One of NASCAR’s biggest names will be back, though.

Track promoter Mike Blackmer announced Wednesday that NASCAR superstar Kyle Busch is expected to compete in the Rowdy 251, a June 21 Tuesday night special. Busch won the template-bodied Late Model stock car race in June at Berlin and will be back to defend his title.

Busch, who won a combined 24 races in NASCAR’s top three divisions in 2010, still enjoys grassroots racing.

“Kyle isn’t going to race as many Super Late Model races this year, but one of the ones he did pick was the Rowdy,” Blackmer said. “He has really enjoyed coming to Grand Rapids. We have a good relationship with him, and he enjoys the fans here and the race. It’s pretty exciting to have him back.”

The cost to put on high-dollar shows is just too much in these tough economic times, Blackmer said, and that’s why he is cutting back on specials. Berlin’s weekly classes will race more often next season, and that will enable him to cut general admission prices for the regular shows from $12 to $10.

Berlin’s Late Model division will run at least 14 times, while its Super Stocks, Pro Stocks, Modifieds and 4 Cylinders will go a minimum 17 nights. In addition, the track is introducing the Premier Boyne Machine Super Lates, and that class will race six times.

Look for the traveling Vintage Racing Organization of America to join the track’s weekly ranks as well. The VROA, which has run on Berlin’s anniversary night in the past, has signed on for eight races.

“The only way to run this track in the black is to make sure the weekly show is affordable,” Blackmer said. “Some of these series travel so far and the purse is so high, and right now, the economic times don’t support it. I can’t get enough people in to support these type of events.

“I need my divisions here. Last year, 14 of our 22 events had outside series racing here. The race fan didn’t know who was racing from week-to-week.”

Berlin’s 2011 season will open April 23, with test and tune sessions scheduled for April 8 and 16. Special events include the ARCA Series on July 9. The Must See Racing Xtreme Sprint Series returns June 4, and the Auto Value Super Sprint Series competes Sept. 3.

The season will conclude with a Sept. 24 program featuring the CRA Super Series and the Great Lakes Outlaw Late Models.