2012 SOD Dates

[Stevensville Mike]

Whilst we wait for the official schedule, here is what I found by browsing the net here......

......and browsing the net there:

4/28  Crystal, MI
5/25  Lima, OH
5/26  Waynesfield, OH
6/1    Hartford, MI
6/16  Plymouth, IN
6/29  Mt. Pleasant, MI
6/30  Lake City, MI
7/21  Crystal, MI
9/7    Hartford, MI

[drdoug]

Thanks for the schedule Mike. It will be Crystal on 7/21 for me and thats all. I'm going to be a Butler regular this year. I had to fill out vacation schedule and the SOD schedule was not available. Too bad.
See you at the battlegrounds............
Doc

[Stevensville Mike]

I just added Limaland to the schedule on 5/25.

[tjslideways]

Ok everyone, get some!

Have at it.

    2012 ENGINE PRO ASCS SPRINTS ON DIRT SCHEDULE

April 28  Crystal Motor Speedway

May 25  Limaland Motorsports Park w/NRA

May 26  Waynesfield Raceway Park w/NRA

May 27  Eldora Speeedway w/NRA

June 1  Hartford Motor Speedway

June 2  Cherry Raceway #

June 16  Plymouth Speedway

June 29  Mt Pleasant Speedway#

June 30  Merritt Raceway#

July 3   Waynesfield Raceway Park w/NRA

July 7   Owendale Speedway#

July 20  Cherry Raceway

July 21  Crystal Motor Speedway with NRA

Aug 3   Tri City Motor Speedway#

Aug 4   TBA

Aug 18  Plymouth Speedway (Rain date for June 16)

Aug 24  Cherry Raceway

Aug 25  Owendale Speedway

Aug 31  Winston Speedway#

Sept 1   Crystal Motor Speedway#

Sept 7   Hartford Motor Speedway

Sept 13-15  Oshweken Speedway

Sept 28  Mid-Michigan Raceway Park# (Rain Date September 29th)

Oct    6  TBA
 

# = MAHLE/Clevite Short Track Challenge race

May 25, 26, 27, July 3, July 21- Co-sanctioned points events

Sept 13-15 100 show up points only

[drdoug]

Great job on the schedule Mike, TJ and whomever worked on it. Should be a very entertaining season for us fans and great schedule for the drivers and teams.
Thank you,
Doc

[Stevensville Mike]

Thanks, Doug.  My internet surfing proved to be correct.

As for the schedule, I don't pay the bills and I don't book the events, but it is a little hard for me to "get up" for this one.  A big three day weekend - in Ohio.  Five races with the NRA - four of which are in Ohio.

No I-96 Speedway (well, maybe).  No Butler.  No Ionia Free Fair.  But we have three races way up at Cherry Raceway.  Last time I was there was the "waterfest" with about 13 cars.  Merritt is just as far.  Maybe further.

Nice to see Owendale has two dates - way over in the thumb.  Trii-City Motor Speedway - they gonna pull the plug again like last year?

At least Winston (only one race) and Crystal have their usual back-to-back weekend.  Too bad they couldn't book that all three weekends that they are racing at Crystal.

I'll be able to make a handful, but that is about it.  I'm not complaining, though..... even though it sounds like it.  Just a little disappointed.

Butler here I come!  See you there, Doug!   

[tjslideways]

Unfortunately series generally do not get to go in and have their pick of any dates they like.  Some tracks on the schedule in close proximity of others do not always "get along", sort of speak.  Therefore they don't want dates in close proximity of their date. 

The July 3rd race at Waynesfield is a $6,000 to win $600 to start program.  Non-Wing sprint cars on the card as well, that show will be a monster.

The Free Fair opted out of their race.  The flooding really took a financial toll on the fair and they didn't want to assume the risk of putting that show on this year.

Butler didn't want a date, and I'd guess just by chatting there might be a 50/50 chance of seeing I-96 appear on that schedule yet. 

BTW, Tri-City officials were not the ones that pulled the plug last year.  That was scheduling politics at its best.  There's a reason it took a while for someone to take the position Strevel did, I think they put together a pretty nice schedule. 

[Mudclodbob]

Actually it looks like a sprint car fans schedule to me. It appears it was designed to have some open weekends for some other big shows. I really enjoy the Memorial Day weekend deal. Those tracks are all very close in proximity and only 3 hours from mid-Michigan. Big car counts and a mini speedweek of sorts.

MudclodBob is filling the gas tank and packing the tent. (after the ice is gone).

[drdoug]

As i said in my earlier post, you and Strevel did a nice job Todd. I have never done the Ohio triple and seeing i have the time off this year on that weekend, i think it is a go. Great job again to all involved.
Doc

[tjslideways]

As i said in my earlier post, you and Strevel did a nice job Todd. I have never done the Ohio triple and seeing i have the time off this year on that weekend, i think it is a go. Great job again to all involved.
Doc

Thanks Doug, but that's all Mike.  I just consult on a few media things these days with them and do various odd jobs. 

[14fan]

Good job Mike-Tough job today with facebook, twitter and message boards where anyone can call out a track or organization or post anything they want with no facts.

Would not want to own a track today, with so many know it alls who have all the answers when they have no  money on the line.

[Stevensville Mike]

Thanks, 14fan.

Like I said, I am not angered at the SOD schedule, and yes...... I admit I was "possibly" complaining just a tad, but overall I am just bummed.  It just isn't going to work for me this year.

Cherry Raceway is 211 miles from here.  Lima & Waynesfield are about the same.  Owendale is 250+ miles.  Not so much that those are long ways to go, but those are LONGER ways back post race.  If only we hit I-96 and Butler more often this year..... much easier.

And I agree that the tripleheader at Lima, Waynesfield, & Eldora is a top shelf sprint car weekend, Bob.  You are right.  But I can't swing it.  On top of it, that Sunday (Eldora) is my annual "High Holy Race Day" - Monaco, Indy 500, & Coca-Cola 600 back-to-back-to-back.  Yes, I know it isn't sprints, but it is my backyard, my grill, my beer, and my TV.   Call me a wimp, but I stay home every year for those three.

On the "up" side, I would have missed the June 2nd Cherry Raceway event anyways.  WoO is at I-96 that night.  And the August 24-25 doubleheader at Cherry & Owendale is the same weekend as the big three day USAC go at Kokomo.  Kokomo was penned in as soon as they announced it.  So, those races aside, I am looking at 6, maybe 7 races tops that I can get to this year.

The Mt. Pleasant & Merritt back-to-backer...... that's the tail end of Ohio Speed Week.  We'll be down there on vacation camping.  

I realize every series has to compete with others most of the time, and I am always leaning the SOD way.  But this year, if you could line up the worst case conditions, it happened.

I AM looking forward to Plymouth Speedway.  I just saw where the IndyCars have added Milwaukee to their 2012 schedule the same day as Plymouth.  I swore I'd go back to Milwaukee the next time IndyCars ran there........ but not this time.  SOD gets the nod.  

Winston & Crystal:  I wish they could ping pong back and forth with SOD like Fremont & Attica do wth their sprints.  The early September back-to-backer is always fun.  Remember a few years back when SOD went to Winston for the first time in like a million years?  It was like finding a diamond in the rough.

So, I'll make it when I can, but I will be relying on my default track a lot this year - Butler.  All you need is a kevlar vest and a face shield.  Why, by mid-July, 99% of the rocks are usually out of the clay and imbedded into the grandstand so you can walk safely about the grounds.  

However, no matter how bummed out I am about the SOD schedule, it pales in comparison to the bad hand our bud Davey Brown was dealt.  The "troubles" I have look very miniscule as we head into the 2012 season.

See you blokes at the track sooner or later.