ESS
EMPIRE SUPER SPRINTS
www.empiresupersprints.com

09/18/2006

Curt Michael’s Exciting Late Race Pass of Alain Bergeron nets him his First Ever Bully Hill Title
By Dean Reynolds

DUNDEE, N.Y. – Ocean View, Maryland’s Curt Michael and the Palladino owned #99 has been a major force in the Northeastern 360 sprint car scene for several years. United Racing Company (URC) titles, many A-Main triumphs and several big wins along the way have filled the resume’ over the years. But, one trophy that has eluded this potent team was the Bully Hill Fall Sprint Car Nationals…the annual event held at the Black Rock Speedway in Dundee, N.Y.

A wild and exciting pass of current Empire Super Sprint (ESS) point leader Alain Bergeron with just two laps to go the 35 lap A-Main saw the one crown that was missing for both Michael and Palladino finally came home along with over a $4,000 pay day. The 8th Annual event which was brought to you by SP Wilson, Coca-Cola and the Bath RV Outlet again found a pit full of top sprint teams from URC, ESS and the ASCS Patriot Sprint Group (PSG).

“This is the one race we wanted and I guess this time it was coming to us. I really don’t know why, but we finally had it all fall into place and now Kathy and Pat (Palladino) can enjoy the win.” said the usually excited driver in a matter of fact tone. “Alain (Bergeron) drove one hell of a race, I mean it was a great race but we just got enough room to slip by with two laps to go. Finally, finally!, we are in victory lane. Ya know, I’ve been down there every year but watching someone else get interviewed as the winner was tough to take. The one goal was to be the person getting the interview this time and it worked.”

The Bully Hill results have been mind boggling; Michael has finished in the top five every year since 2002 with a runner-up to ’03 champion Scott Bonnell. If it wasn’t for his “never-say-die” attact on Bergeron, it could very well have been a runner-up greeting once again.

For Bergeron, there were indeed smiles from him as well as his French-Canadian crew and family, but it was also a look of the “one that got away”. “With about five laps to go I could feel my right rear tire going away just a little bit.” said a disappointed but always cheerful Bergeron. “With the lapped cars coming up I was just holding on and trying not to loose the lead but Curt passed me. He is fast and he drove a great race. He really earned the win.” And, in a French tone, Bergeron simply summed it up. “Awe shucks!!”

A stellar field of 28 sprinters were brought down to Greg Hixson’s green flag with newly crowned 2006 PSG champion and pre-race favorite Chuck Hebing leading the way with Michael and Bergeron close behind. Michael made a quick pass of the Ontario, N.Y. star on lap six but before he could muster a challenge in return a suspension part broke on lap eight to bring out the first caution. Hebing flipped his mount during the special All-Star dash earlier in the night and the broken part could have been a result from the incident. The crew made a quick change but call back to the 35 lap event was missed by seconds.

This put Bergeron in the runner-up slot and he immediately put the challenge to Michael. Staying within a few sprint lengths, a pass for the top spot was made in lap 15 just before the second yellow was displayed. The middle stages of the race were all Bergeron’s, even with a few restarts sprinkled in, he held Michael and the field at bay.

With lapped cars coming into the picture and a right rear starting to go away, Michael was a vulture circling his prey and with just two laps to go the pass for the victory was made. Bergeron had nothing left as he hung on for second and the $2,000 paycheck that went with his efforts.

Another unique story that was played out was a classic battle among teammates for show honors. The Fred Kennedy/Bill Turpin team came loaded with their regular chauffeur Brook Weibley along with two-time and defending Bully Hill champion Trevor Lewis, who was making his first sprint start of 2006. The two ran under a blanket for almost the entire event with Lewis blowing by on the outside taking third with three laps to go and the $1,500 that went along with it. Taking fifth was 29-time ESS winner Dan Kaszubinski who wheeled the Bobby Podolak owned #7 to a $1,000 pay day.

Rounding out the top ten were URC regulars Kevin Welsh and Brian Seidel, Blake Breen came from his 22nd place starting spot to a fine eighth place finish with Junior Martin and Danny Massey rounding out the top ten.

Along with the Hebing caution on lap eight, Rob Dietrick and Doug Emery, who were running fifth and sixth, came together on lap 15 with Emery going pit side. Jeff VanDusen climbed a wheel and stopped on the track with 22 markers in ending his top ten run. Defending PSG champion Bryan Howland was also in the top ten when he spun around on lap 25 collecting Ed Aikin.

The Empire Super Sprint sponsored time trials saw Bergeron getting fast time with Justin Barger and Greg Coverdale just behind. The Canadian Sprint Car Nationals heat events were won by Jessica Zemken, Josh Weller, Massey, Seidel and Kaszubinski. The Mike Emhof Motorsports D-Main was won by Nick Bashford with the Lauterborn Electric/Gates Electrical Supply C-Main going to Rich Swarthout and the Gater Racing News/Hot Wings TV B-Main copped by Barger. The special eight lap Slocum Milk Hauling All-Star dash was also won by Curt Michael as he collected $200 for the victory.

BULLY HILL NOTES: A talent filled field saw a total of 66 cars pit side…Bobby Breen got upside down during time trials but he would return to the action later on…Rick Wilson took a wild ride off the track during his heat event. His sprinter actually cleared a 20 ft creek landing on the other side. While initially shaken, the Canadian sprint star was unharmed…Southern Ontario Sprint regular and Ohsweken Speedway owner Glenn Styres made it to the speedway grounds but his #0 sprint didn’t as the hauler broke down in route…Coverdale (URC), Steve Poirier (ESS) and Jared Zimbardi (PSG) used their provisional starting spots to gain berths in the Nationals…Chris Muhleisen got the All-Star dash provisional to become the 28th started in the A-Main…Well over $25,000 was paid out to all the teams and despite a one hour rain delay, the entire Black Rock staff and crew did a great job providing a smooth, multi-grooved surface.



BULLY HILL NATIONALS A-MAIN – CURT MICHAEL, Alain Bergeron, Trevor Lewis, Brook Weibley, Dan Kaszubinski, Kevin Welsh, Brian Seidel, Blake Breen, Junior Martin, Danny Massey, Nick Fratto, Josh Weller, Justin Barger, Lance Yonge, Bryan Howland, Jessica Zemken, Davey Franek, Ed Aikin, Chris Muhleisen, Greg Coverdale, Jeff VanDusen, Steve Poirier, Rob Dietrick, Doug Emery, Scott Pursell, Jared Zimbardi, Jason Clauss, Chuck Hebing.



Canadian Sprint Car Nationals Heats:

Heat 1 – Jessica Zemken, Chuck Hebing, Jeff VanDusen, Junior Martin

Heat 2 – Josh Weller, Nick Fratto, Kevin Welsh, Curt Michael

Heat 3 – Danny Massey, Davey Franek, Rob Dietrick, Jason Clauss

Heat 4 – Brian Seidel, Doug Emery, Bryan Howland, Trevor Lewis

Heat 5 – Dan Kaszubinski, Ed Aikin, Brook Weibley, Alain Bergeron



Mike Emhof Motorsports D-Main – Nick Bashford, Dave Wickham, Mark Bitner

Lauterborn Electric/Gates Electrical Supply C-Main – Rich Swarthout, Geoff Quackenbush, Russ Bennett

Gater Racing News/Hot Wings TV B-Main – Justin Barger, Blake Breen, Lance Yonge, Scott Pursell

Provisional Starters – Greg Coverdale, Steve Poirier, Jared Zimbardi, Chris Muhleisen



Did Not Qualify - Dave Ely, Geoff Quackenbush, Mares Stellfox, Jimmy Stitzel, Jeff Cook, Rich Swarthout, Jamie Bodo, Kyle Drum, Rick Wilson, Jason Barney, Gary Gollub, Ray Preston, Gary Troutman, Russ Bennett, Davey Sammons, Tommy Wickham, Tim Hogue, Don Adamczyk, Midge Miller, Scott McClaren, Bill Brian Jr., Johnny Zimmerman, Nick Bashford, Dave Wickham, Mike Stelter, Robbie Stillwaggon, Mark Bitner, Michael Parent, Darrell Quackenbush, Jeremy Barnard, Howard Singer, April Wilson, Bubby Kerrick, Derek Jonathan, Billy White, Glenn Styres, Brad Knab, Bobby Breen, Glenn Styres.



Empire Super Sprint Time Trials:

Alain Bergeron/Bergeron 8B
13.903

Justin Barger/Barger 32
13.950

Greg Coverdale/Bostic 6
14.038

Curt Michael/Palladino 99
14.066

Chuck Hebing/Hebing 45
14.096

Brook Weibley/Turpin 56
14.217

Trevor Lewis/Turpin-Kennedy 56T
14.230

Rod Dietrick/Dietrick 10X
14.267

Lance Yonge/Yonge 17J
14.302

Steve Poirier/Poirier 28FM
14.302

Blake Breen/Breen 8X
14.369

Doug Emery/Patterson 33
14.379

Jason Clauss/Clauss 08
14.388

Scott Pursell/Pursell 1
14.422

Jeff VanDusen/Schultz 56D
14.451

Dave Ely/Franckowiak 3
14.457

Geoff Quackenbush/Quackenbush 25X
14.477

Kevin Welsh/Welsh 2W
14.492

Mares Stellfox/Kennedy 56M
14.506

Jimmy Stitzel/Stitzel 1X
14.508

Bryan Howland/Howland 51
14.529

Danny Massey/Pinter 92
14.531

Nick Fratto/Fratto F1
14.545

Jessica Zemken/nativepoker.com 1Z
14.564

Ed Aikin/McClaren 21
14.572

Brian Seidel/BBJG 5G
14.578

Davey Franek/Howie 19H
14.588

Josh Weller/Weller 63
14.607

Jeff Cook/Hebing 45C
14.641

Rich Swarthout/Swarthout 5S
14.659

Chris Muhleisen/Muhleisen 10M
14.667

Jared Zimbardi/Zimbardi 35
14.673

Jamie Bodo/Bacon 21B
14.675

Kyle Drum/Drum 47
14.681

Junior Martin/Martin 17
14.704

Rick Wilson/Wilson 42W
14.741

Jason Barney/Walton 87
14.742

Gary Gollub/Engler 36
14.747

Ray Preston/Preston 22
14.784

Gary Troutman/Troutman 44
14.812

Russ Bennett/Bennett 65
14.829

Davey Sammons/Sammons 79
14.854

Tommy Wickham/Wickham 75
14.861

Tom Hogue/Hogue 39
14.874

Don Adamczyk/Adamczyk 21X
14.908

Midge Miller/Miller 8
14.929

Scott McClaren/Zimmerman 19A
14.964

Bill Brian Jr./Stoltzfus 00
15.013

Johnny Zimmerman/Zimmerman 19
15.031

Nick Bashford/Bashford 24X
15.053

Dave Wickham/Wickham 80
15.058

Mike Stelter/Stelter 36
15.089

Robbie Stillwagon/Kennedy 89
15.149

Mark Bitner/Bitner 15
15.150

Michael Parent/Parent 25
15.181

Darrell Quackenbush/Quackenbush 25D
15.328

Jeremy Barnard/Barnard 86
15.396

Howard Singer/Singer 26
15.534

April Wilson/Wilson 15AW
15.981

Bubby Kerrick/Fratto 4U
16.506

Derek Jonathan/Jonathan 81
16.674

Brad Knab/Knab 38
DQ

Billy White/Bennett 66
NT

Glenn Styres/Styres 0
NT

Bobby Breen/Breen 9
NT

Jeff VanDusen Doubles up on the Weekend with a Powerful Victory at Utica-Rome; Alain Bergeron Takes Over Point Lead going into Final Point Show on Sept. 23
By Dean Reynolds

VERNON, N.Y. – Just two nights prior, young Jeff VanDusen was the class of the field at Autodrome Granby in Quebec. Sunday night the nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints (ESS) made it’s third of three visits to the Utica-Rome Speedway as it was a repeat performance when the 23 year old chauffeur was again ahead of the talented field.

Not even two rain delays, a tacky and challenging track along with an unusual complete inversion of the field which found current point leader Justin Barger on the pole was going to stop the Rob’s Speed Shop Maxim on this night. Taking the lead on lap nine from Barger, VanDusen took to the high side of the speedway, held off some late race challenges from 10th place starting Dan Kaszubinski to take the second win of the Labor Day weekend and his eighth of his ESS career.

“We are making a run at it (the championship)! We just been getting some luck on our side and the car has been just awesome. It’s an outside shot at the championship but it’s a shot.” said the second generation driver in the wee hours of the morning in victory lane who sits third in points. “I found a good lane up top; the car felt smooth there so I just stayed there and hoped no one was finding a better line. I did hear something under me and I found out it was Dan, I guess he was going in better but I was coming off better. Then we had a late restart and I guess I pulled out some which helped in the win. Just kinda wished the season was starting now and not ending, but, there some big money shows coming up and we got a good program ready.”

The nightly blind pill draw produced the slim chance of a complete inversion of the field, but that was exactly the scenario with point leader Barger on the pole, VanDusen outside with the second row made up of second in points Alain Bergeron and the red hot Nick Fratto. At the drop of Matt Burdick’s green, Barger did get the jump on VanDusen but the field would be brought to an immediate halt with a wild double flip between Tommy Wickham and George Ely. Both drivers were ok, but the cars were out for the night.

On the restart, Blake Breen got crossed up and did a quick snap roll in turn one. He too was fine but his fuel cell punctured and poured all over the track’s surface causing for a delay. ESS officials burned off more than 20 gallons of methanol in what could be labeled the first ever Utica-Rome marshmallow and weenie roast.

The rest of the event saw just three minor cautions and a wild battle for the lead between the front row mates. Barger was clipping the stopwatch at near record paces but VanDusen wouldn’t let the black #32 get too far ahead. As lap nine was being scored, VanDusen got a strong run on his challenger and made the pass for the lead.

Barger’s bid to retake the lead ended on lap 12 when his car slowed and pulled pit side. This put Kaszubinski in second and the in the final 13 laps he had his chances but just didn’t get enough steam to make the pass. “I had good runs on him going into turn one but all I could do is get along side him. I just couldn’t get enough to slip up.” noted Kaszubinski who won just 24 hours ago a Drummond. “I was making slide jobs all night but Jeff was just fast enough so I couldn’t get by. Then, he just blew me away on restarts, his motor is real strong and mine still stumbles a bit and that cost me big time. Still, we went from zero to having a good weekend, If I didn’t screw up at Granby (spinning in turn three while making a pass for second) this would have been a REAL good weekend!”

At the finish it was VanDusen in for the win followed by Kaszubinski and Alain Bergeron. By virtue of his third place finish and the drop out by Barger, the Quebec star has a slim two point lead going into the final point event Saturday night at the Frogtown Int’l Speedway on Sept. 23rd. Fratto with another strong effort with fourth as Jason Barney came from 16th to place fifth on the night sponsored by his owner Jeff Walton. Rounding out the top ten were Don Sharp Jr., Bobby Breen, Cory Sparks, Russ Bennett, who earned the Lane’s Yamaha Hard Charger bonus by advancing from his 21st place starting spot, with Steve Poirier in for tenth.

Besides Barger slowing on lap 12, the other two cautions was for Chuck Hebing losing a driveline on lap four and debris on lap 19.

Taking the Car Mate Custom Built Trailers heat events were Hebing, Bubby Kerrick and Lance Yonge. The Walt’s Hobby Dash was won by Hebing with Sparks winning the KSE Racing Products B-Main.

ESS/UTICA-ROME NOTES: A field of 27 sprints on hand despite threatening weather all around Central N.Y….Jeff Cook took a wild flip in warm-ups. The ESS star was shaken and taken to the local hospital for a check up but he was on his way home shortly after…The event ended the 2006 visits by the nativepoker.com Tour to Gene Cole’s fine half mile. For 2007 the tradition continues as all three holiday events will be on the schedule again…Next weekend the very best from ESS will be at the 8th annual Bully Hill Nationals on Saturday night. Black Rock Speedway will again be the host with $4,000 awaiting the winner of the 35 lap A-Main.

RESULTS:
Heat 1 – Chuck Hebing, Mike Stelter, Don Sharp Jr., Alain Bergeron, Justin Barger, Jason Barney
Heat 2 – Bubby Kerrick, Jessica Zemken, Blake Breen, Bobby Breen, Nick Fratto, Warren Alexson
Heat 3 – Lance Yonge, Dan Kaszubinski, Steve Poirier, Jeff VanDusen, Tommy Wickham, George Ely
Walt’s Hobby Dash – Chuck Hebing
B-Main – Cory Sparks, Doug Emery, Russ Bennett, Michael Parent
Did Not Qualify – Matt Norrie, Bobby Podolak, Jim Livingston, Jeff Cook, Dave Wickham

A-MAIN – JEFF VanDUSEN, Dan Kaszubinski, Alain Bergeron, Nick Fratto, Jason Barney, Don Sharp Jr., Bobby Breen, Cory Sparks, Russ Bennett, Steve Poirier, Jessica Zemken, Bubby Kerrick, Michael Parent, Doug Emery, Mike Stelter, Warren Alexson, Lance Yonge, Chuck Hebing, Blake Breen, Tommy Wickham, George Ely

Gater News Lap Leaders – Barger 1-8, VanDusen 9-25
Ohsweken Speedway Winner’s Bonus – VanDusen $100
National Parts Peddler Halfway Bonus – VanDusen $100
Walt’s Hobby Dash – Hebing $100
Lane’s Yamaha Hard Charger Bonus – Bennett (12 pos.) $50
Geneva Curbing Bridesmaid Bonus – Kaszubinski $50
Car Mate Trailers Heat Winner’s Bonus – Hebing, Kerrick, Yonge $25

Dan Kaszubinski Finally Breaks into ESS Winners Circle with Victory at Autodrome Drummond
By Dean Reynolds

DRUMMOND, QC – Dan Kaszubinski came into the 2006 racing season with 28 career wins on the tough nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints (ESS). What no one expected however was that it would take to September with a Saturday night visit at Autodrome Drummond before he would finally grace victory lane. Driving the Carmen Fratto owned Maxim, the Syracuse, N.Y. star led from start to finish to collect career win #29 which ties him for fourth on the all-time ESS win list with three-time champion Gordy Button.

The event at Quebec’s oldest running dirt track marked the final Spectro Oils Canadian Invasion Series event of 2006. By virtue of his ninth place finish, Alain Bergeron nipped fellow French-Canadian Steve Poirier by just 11 points. All Bergeron has to do is make an appearance in the late season challenge race at Ohsweken Speedway called Canadian Sprint Car Nationals and the Canadian Invasion championship is his.

While the winning feeling for Kaszubinski should be far from strange, it was indeed a big relief for the driver who did lead the overall ESS points just a mere few weeks ago. “To tell you this season has been a struggle will be an understatement. We just seemed like we can’t string together good runs. It’s been bad luck, I’ve been terrible behind the wheel at some races, you just name it.” Said the ESS star with a smile after the completion of the 25 lap A-Main in which he dominated. “I have to thank everyone, from “Carm” owning the car to Todd (Weigand) for crewing, to Nicky (Fratto) for being a good teammate, everyone. But, what makes this win the most special is that it’s the first time I can bring my little daughter to victory lane!”

Ironically, Kaszubinski and Fratto made up the front row for the drop of Danny Mulligan’s green flag for the event that played host in front of a SRO crowd. It was Kaszubinski’s #20 taking charge from the start and he looked like the driver of old by attacking the cushion with an all out style. Not even two early cautions nor lapped cars were going to stand in the way for the first victory of 2006.

While there was little doubt who the winner would be, ninth place starting Steve Poirier climbed to third on lap six and stayed within a few sprint lengths of Fratto keeping the hometown crowd on edge. The battle hit its peek on lap 22 when Poirier slipped by for second, but the 17 year old winner of the last event at Drummond wasn’t giving up. Fratto charged hard on the outside and got back around Poirier to take second back just one lap later. He then held of the four-time winner for second to make for a Fratto Motorsports one-two finish.

Poirier came home in third but just wasn’t enough to catch Bergeron in the Canadian Series points. Billy White had a strong run with his Spectro Oils sprinter to take fourth ahead of Justin Barger who took the Lane’s Yamaha Had Charger bonus after starting in 15th. Rounding out the top ten were Granby winner Jeff VanDusen, Mike Stelter, who actually finished fifth but was set back two spots for hitting the restart cone, Cory Sparks, Bergeron and Bubby Kerrick.

Only two cautions slowed the pace: Jessica Zemken spun on lap two with Jeff Cook doing the same on lap five which collected Randy Years and Luke Eriksen.

Taking the Car Mate Custom Built Trailers heat events were Eriksen, Years and Kaszubinski. The Walt’s Hobby Dash was won by Billy White with Lance Yonge taking the KSE Racing Products B-Main.

ESS/DRUMMOND NOTES: A total of 26 drivers and 27 cars in the pits for the event that was completed before Tropical Storm Ernesto moved in…James Hansen joined the competition at Drummond…Driver change and car changes galore on this evening: Lance Yonge was in the Fratto Motorsports back-up, Doug Norrie got a ride in the Patterson Motorsports back-up ride, Russ Bennett blew his engine and he took out the second car from Alain Bergeron for the A-Main. Not to mention, Jeff Cook did an engine change and Luke Eriksen used an Anthony Cain wing for the evening…Fireworks and a “pass-by” driver and car introduction in front of the packed house was a big hit.

RESULTS:
Heat 1 – Luke Eriksen, Billy White, Alain Bergeron, Nick Fratto, Jeff VanDusen, Bobby Podolak
Heat 2 – Randy Years, Don Sharp Jr., Cory Sparks, Justin Barger, Bubby Kerrick, Michael Parent
Heat 3 – Dan Kaszubinski, Jeff Cook, Mike Stelter, Steve Poirier, Jessica Zemken, Doug Norrie
Walt’s Hobby Dash – Billy White
B-Main – Lance Yonge, Doug Emery, Kayle Robidoux, Matt Norrie
Provisional Starter – Russ Bennett
Did Not Qualify – George Ely, James Hansen, Anthony Cain.

A-MAIN – DAN KASZUBINSKI, Nick Fratto, Steve Poirier, Billy White, Justin Barger, Jeff VanDusen, Mike Stelter, Cory Sparks, Alain Bergeron, Bubby Kerrick, Doug Emery, Don Sharp Jr., Kayle Robidoux, Michael Parent, Luke Eriksen, Jessica Zemken, Matt Norrie, Lance Yonge, Randy Years, Jeff Cook, Russ Bennett, Bobby Podolak, Doug Norrie.

Gater News Lap Leader – Kaszubinski 1-25
Ohsweken Speedway Winner’s Bonus – Kaszubinski $100
National Parts Peddler Halfway Bonus – Kaszubinski $100
Walt’s Hobby Dash – White $100
Lane’s Yamaha Hard Charger Bonus – Barger (10 pos.) $50
Geneva Curbing Bridesmaid Bonus – Poirier $50
Car Mate Trailers Heat Winners Bonus – Eriksen, Years, Kaszubinski $25

Jeff VanDusen Keeps His Title Hopes Alive with ESS Victory at Autodrome Granby
By Dean Reynolds

GRANBY, QC – Even though it was a tough start to the 2006 season on the nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints (ESS), the 23 year old, Otego, N.Y., second generation Jeff VanDusen has used a strong second half of the campaign to put himself right back into the title fight. Friday night at Autodrome Granby, the Rich’s Auto Body #56D took the lead on 13 went on to collect the victory in the Spectro Oils Canadian Invasion Series event.

The victory for VanDusen was his third of the year and seventh of his still young ESS career but more importantly, with just three full points shows left he vaulted into third in points looking for his first ever championship. “The track was perfect tonight and we had a good car for it. The crew just did an awesome job.” Said the driver who came from his 13th place starting spot to the win. “I could put the car high or low, it really didn’t matter, it was one of those nights where we just hit everything right. We have some momentum going now and even though it’s an outside chance, we have a shot at the title and that has been the goal all year.”

At the drop of the green flag for the 25 lap A-Main, it was Jessica Zemken getting the jump on her front row mate Russ Bennett. The two put on a crowd pleasing dual switching lanes on the big half-mile with Zemken holding a slight advantage for the first eight tours. As lap nine was being scored, Bennett slipped by the #1Z to take the lead in hopes of his first ever ESS victory.

While the battle for the lead was hot and heavy, VanDusen charge was noteworthy as he was in third on lap eight proving his car was indeed strong. Closing the gap quickly, he slipped under Zemken on lap 11 just before the caution came out which put him on Bennett’s rear bumper for the restart. When the green lights returned VanDusen had a good run on Bennett’s Spectro Oils #65 and took the lead when the crossed flags were displayed.

The young driver opened up a big lead after his pass, survived a lap 21 caution and went on to win the event convincingly. Current point leader Justin Barger made a wild three car pass on the lap 21 restart to go from fifth to second which is the position that he would finish keeping his point lead on the ESS field. Bennett was in for a fine third ahead of Alain Bergeron, who still leads the Canadian Series points going into the final event the next night at Autodrome Drummond, with Bennett’s teammate Billy White rounded out the top five. The next five were Steve Poirier, Donny Sharp Jr., who earned the Lane’s Yamaha Hard Charger Bonus coming from his 20th place starting spot, Doug Emery, Bubby Kerrick and Lance Yonge.

Luke Eriksen rolled his sprinter over on lap one to bring out the red with three cautions, all minor in nature, slowing the pace for the remainder of the event. Dan Kaszubinski was running in third when he looped his sprinter on lap seven, Mike Stelter did the same on lap 12 while he was in the top five and Jeff Cook lost power on lap 21 for the final yellow.

ESS/GRANBY NOTES: A total of 26 sprints in the pits for the final of three visits at the Autodrome Southeast of Montreal…Lance Yonge made hard contact with the inside wall during his heat bending the frame. He took out the Jeff Cook back-up mount to pick up tenth in the A-Main…Doug Norrie lost a motor after his heat was over so he took out his brother’s sprint for the feature…Michael Parent hit a spun Nick Fratto in warm-ups and did a roll over, he took a provisional to get in the A-Main…Once again, a big crowd came out to greet all the stars and cars from the 24 year old organization.

RESULTS:
Heat 1 – Steve Poirier, Doug Emery, Mike Stelter, Russ Bennett, Bob Podolak, Anthony Cain,
Heat 2 – Jeff Cook, Luke Eriksen, Nick Fratto, Alain Bergeron, Jessica Zemken, Doug Norrie
Heat 3 – Billy White, Jeff VanDusen, Dan Kaszubinski, Justin Barger, Cory Sparks, Bubby Kerrick
B-Main – George Ely, Kayle Robidoux, Don Sharp Jr., John Karklin Jr.
Provisional Starter – Michael Parent, Added Starter – Lance Yonge
Did Not Qualify – Randy Years, Matt Norrie

A-MAIN – JEFF VanDUSEN, Justin Barger, Russ Bennett, Alain Bergeron, Billy White, Steve Poirier, Don Sharp Jr., Doug Emery, Bubby Kerrick, Lance Yonge, Jessica Zemken, Cory Sparks, Mike Stelter, Kayle Robidoux, Michael Parent, Nick Fratto, Anthony Cain, Doug Norrie, Jeff Cook, John Karklin Jr., George Ely, Dan Kaszubinski, Bobby Podolak, Luke Eriksen.

Gater News Lap Leaders – Zemken 1-8, Bennett 9-12, VanDusen 13-25
Ohsweken Speedway Winner’s Bonus – VanDusen $100
National Parts Peddler Halfway Bonus – VanDusen $100
Lane’s Yamaha Hard Charger Bonus – Sharp Jr. (13 pos.) $50
Geneva Curbing Bridesmaid Bonus – Barger $50
Car Mate Custom Built Trailers Heat Winner’s Bonus – Poirier, Cook, White $25

Big Three Weekend Awaits the Stars and Cars from the Empire Super Sprints: Spectro Oils Canadian Invasion Champion to be Crowned
By Dean Reynolds

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Two events in Quebec and one down in New York will see the nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints celebrate the Labor Day Weekend. It’s the third of three visits to all three fine facilities with Autodromes Granby and Drummond kicking off the action with the Utica-Rome Speedway closing out the action on Sunday.

Granby will see the winged warriors on Friday night for the second to last Spectro Oils Canadian Invasion Series event. Ironically, leading the points going into the final two events north of the border are Quebec mates in Alain Bergeron over Steve Poirier. Poirier and Doug Emery, who is third in points in the Canadian Series, have collected checkered flags in the first two events at Granby. Emery won in front of the largest crowd in the track’s history while Poirier was greeted by a standing ovation by his fellow French speaking fans.

The final point event for the Spectro Series will be showcased at Quebec’s oldest running dirt track, Autodrome Drummond. Overall ESS point leader Justin Barger and 17 year old star Nick Fratto have collected the first two victories on the 3/8ths mile oval. Barger has won the final two ESS events in recapturing the point lead Bergeron, female sensation Jessica Zemken and Dan Kaszubinski close behind.

After two nights in Quebec, it’s back to Vernon, N.Y. for the final visit to the big half-mile known as the Utica-Rome Speedway. It’s an ESS tradition, when there’s a holiday weekend, the sprint cars are at Utica-Rome. Poirier and Chuck Hebing claimed the first two events but with top stars such as Jeff VanDusen, Lance Yonge, Jeff Cook, Bubby Kerrick and some 30 others expected to be on hand you know it will be a wild evening.

The nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints has one more busy weekend. Labor Day Weekend and in Granby, Drummondville and Vernon…It will be excitement guaranteed!!

For more information, please log on to:
http://www.autodrome-granby.qc.ca
http://www.autodrome-drummond.com
http://www.uticaromespeedway.com
http://www.empiresupersprints.com

Justin Barger Nips Jessica Zemken at the Line to Win ESS Thriller at Canandaigua
By Dean Reynolds

CANANDAIGUA, N.Y. – It’s been four years since the nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints (ESS) roamed the ½ mile known as the “Land of Legends”, the Canandaigua Speedway. What the crowd got was a thrilling 25 lap affair that wasn’t decided until Dave Farney’s double checkered flags with Justin Barger edging Jessica Zemken in a near photo finish for his fourth win of 2006.

With threatening weather throughout New York State, a big crowd and a pit full of winged warriors marked the return with the event played out on a very fast and multi-grooved Ontario County Fairgrounds. The late August date made up the rain out suffered on July 22nd.

“The track was real good tonight, you could put the cars anywhere in corners, high, low, it didn’t matter and that helped me get by Jessica on the restart.” noted the driver of the Cortlandt Auto Body Maxim looking back to the restart on lap 20. “If she went high, I was going low and if she went low, I was going high. Luckily I got a good restart to get by but I heard her on the last lap. I had a feeling it was going to be close.”

What Barger was referring to was the never-say-die attack by the young 20 year old and her nativepoker.com sponsored Eagle. After Barger took the top spot, he went up top to run the cushion with Zemken hugging the inside berm and with laps coming to an end, her #1Z was closing in ever so slightly. As the two were coming down for the checkered flag the sprinters were side by side in a classic drag race to the stripe. When the two hit the start/finish line it was Barger’s #32 just ahead of Zemken’s mount to collect his eighth career victory with the 24 year organization.

“The last two events has gotten us back into the point fight. We just had a rough month but now were hoping that we found a groove and see if we can win the championship.” said the 22 year old driver who regained the point lead after the Canandaigua victory.

At the start of the A-Main, outside pole starting Doug Norrie took the ample cushion and led the first seven laps before Zemken slipped by and opened up a good sized lead for herself. During the middle portions she was dominant out front surviving lapped cars and a lap 16 restart.

Berger entered the top five on lap 10 and into third when second place running Jason Barney had a right front flat and slid off the track. This put Barger right behind the leader and ready for the challenge. When Chuck Hebing stopped on lap 20, this was the key to the pass for the win.

At the finish Barger by a mere few feet over Zemken, Jeff VanDusen had a strong run to place third with the nativepoker.com sponsored cars of Bubby Kerrick and Lance Yonge rounding out the top five. The next five found Norrie in sixth followed by Tommy Wickham, Jeff Cook, Blake Breen, who earned the Lane’s Yamaha Hard Charger bonus after starting in 22nd, and Rob Dietrick in tenth in only his second ESS start of 2006.

One red flag and three cautions did slow the torrid pace. Steve Poirier had something break in his front end which caused his sprinter to go off turn three and flip over, he was fine. Doug Emery stopped in turn one with a broken front end on lap 4 with the cautions for Barney and Hebing following.

Taking the Car Mate Custom Built Trailers heat events were Billy White, Bobby Podolak and Zemken with Zemken also taking the Lauterborn Electric/Walt’s Hobby Dash making for a good night. The KSE Racing Products B-Main was won by Poirier.

ESS/CANANDAIGUA NOTES: A good field of 35 sprints made up a solid pit log…Making his first appearance of 2006 was Derek Jonathan…Sean O’Dea did a wild series of flips in the B-Main, he was alright but the car was destroyed…A surprising DNQ was second in points Dan Kaszubinski who suffered through handling problems all night…Next weekend will see the stars and cars of ESS making three big stops on the nativepoker.com Tour. It will be the third and final visits to Autodrome’s Granby and Drummond for the final two Spectro Oils Canadian Invasion events and then on Sunday it’s down to the Utica-Rome Speedway for the third visit to the Gene Cole owned half-mile.

RESULTS:
Heat 1 – Billy White, Jason Barney, Lance Yonge, Alain Bergeron, Luke Eriksen, Mike Stelter.
Heat 2 – Bobby Podolak, Jeff Cook, Bubby Kerrick, Nick Fratto, Tommy Wickham, Russ Bennett
Heat 3 – Jessica Zemken, Doug Norrie, Jeff VanDusen, Justin Barger, Michael Parent, Chuck Hebing
Lauterborn Electric/Walt’s Hobby Dash – Zemken.
B-Main – Steve Poirier, Don Sharp Jr., Rob Dietrick, Blake Breen
Provisional Starters – Doug Emery, Randy Years
Did Not Qualify – Jared Zimbardi, Dan Kaszubinski, Derek Jonathan, George Ely, Cory Sparks, Sean O’Dea, Bobby Breen, Jim Livingston, Matt Norrie, Ray Preston, Kyle Drum

A-MAIN – JUSTIN BARGER, Jessica Zemken, Jeff VanDusen, Bubby Kerrick, Lance Yonge, Doug Norrie, Tommy Wickham, Jeff Cook, Blake Breen, Rob Dietrick, Michael Parent, Russ Bennett, Don Sharp Jr., Alain Bergeron, Mike Stelter, Chuck Hebing, Luke Eriksen, Nick Fratto, Randy Years, Jason Barney, Billy White, Doug Emery, Bobby Podolak, Steve Poirier

Gater News Lap Leaders – D. Norrie 1-7, Zemken 8-20, Barger 21-25
Ohsweken Speedway Winner’s Bonus – Barger $100
National Parts Peddler Halfway Bonus – Zemken $100
Lauterborn Electric/Walt’s Hobby Dash – Zemken $100
Lane’s Yamaha Hard Charger Bonus – Blake Breen (13 Pos.) $50
Geneva Curbing Bridesmaid Bonus – Zemken $50
Car Mate Trailers Heat Winner’s Bonus – White, Podolak, Zemken $25
Winner’s Bonuses: ATL $100, Butler Built $100, Penske Shocks $100 Hank’s Performance $50, Total Seal $50, Saldana Racing Products $50, HRP $50, Racing Optics $30, Area Auto Racing News $30, Rod End Supply $30, Behrent’s Performance Warehouse/Mechanix Wear $20, Earl’s Indy $20, MRE Productions $15, Ultra-Shield $10, Pepsi $5
Other Bonuses:
Weld Racing Hard Luck – Poirier $100
Design 500 – Yonge, Bennett $200
M&W Aluminum – Bergeron $75
Leaf Racewear – VanDusen $75
KSE Racing Products – Poirier $50
Zemco Headers – Yonge $50
Joe Hunt Magnetos – Podolak $50
Rod End Supply – Zemken $30
FourWide Motorsports – Kerrick $25
LA Sharp Services – Stelter $25
DMI – Poirier $25
BR Motorsports – Kaszubinski $25
Ultra-Shield – Zemken $10
Pepsi – Zemken $10, White, Podolak, Poirier $5

The Empire Super Sprints Return to Canandaigua on Aug. 26th. Event will Make up the Rain Out on July 22nd
By Dean Reynolds

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – It will be a special night in Central N.Y. on the nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints (ESS) as the winged warriors end a four year hiatus with a return to the “Land of Legends”, the Canandaigua Speedway on Saturday night, Aug. 26th. The event will make up the unfortunate rain out from July 22nd.

On July 6th, 2002 long-time ESS faithful Rob Dietrick took a popular victory on front of many family and friends. That was the last time the stars and cars from the 24 year old organization visited the Ontario County Fairgrounds. With record car counts at nearly every race for 2006, the pits is sure to be full on this night.

Dietrick ended a two year retirement earlier this year and will have his familiar #10 in the pits. Other former winners that will be on hand include defending ESS champion Lance Yonge and Randy Years along with local favorites Bubby Kerrick, Nick Fratto, Mike Stelter as well as Chuck Hebing. They will be joined by current point leader Dan Kaszubinski, four-time winner in 2006, rookie Steve Poirier, female sensation Jessica Zemken, second in points Justin Barger, third in points Alain Bergeron, Doug Emery and some 30 other top sprint car chauffeurs. Former ESS competitor Mike Lauterborn picked up the sponsorship of the Walt’s Hobby Dash for this evening as well.

It’s the return to the Canandaigua Speedway and the Ontario County Fairgrounds for the nativepoker.com Tour of the Empire Super Sprints. It will be a hot summer night and it will be excitement guaranteed!!

For more information please log on to:
www.canandaiguaspeedway.com 
www.empiresupersprints.com 

Past Empire Super Sprint Winners at Canandaigua Speedway
July 6, 1985 John Zentner
July 5, 1986 Gordy Button
Aug. 16, 1986 Gordy Button
July 4, 1987 Mike Gorman
Aug. 15, 1987 John Brutcher
June 29, 1991 Jeff Thomas
July 4, 1992 Mike Woodring
Aug. 29, 1992 Bobby Parrow 
May 8, 1993 Tim Kelly
Aug. 28, 1993 Tim Kelly
July 1, 1995 Craig Keel
May 11, 1997 Mike Woodring
July 5, 1997 Mike Woodring
July 24, 1999 Lance Yonge
May 13, 2000 Lance Yonge
July 1, 2000 Rich Wood
May 12, 2001 Randy Years
June 30, 2001 Lance Yonge
May 11, 2002 Brian Dumigan
July 6, 2002 Rob Dietrick

Justin Barger Regains Some Muscle in 2006 Empire Super Sprint Title Fight with Victory at Brockville
By Dean Reynolds

BROCKVILLE, ONT. – Just a mere month ago, Montrose, N.Y.’s Justin Barger was making headlines and in charge of the 2006 nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints (ESS) point standings. Since then every type of scenario has come about finding the young star dropping down points ladder. On Saturday night at the Brockville Ontario Speedway, the Cortlandt Auto Body #32 took the lead on lap 13 and on to win his third A-Main of 2006 and make everyone know that he is still in the hunt for the championship that will come down to the very last event.

With heavy rains all around the quick quarter-mile oval, both Brockville and ESS teams pressed on which saw the A-Main completed by 9:30 in front of a big crowd that braved rain drops at the track also. Barger, whose last win came July 1st at Can-Am, he was glad the Spectro Oils Canadian Invasion Series Event went on also. “I needed this. I felt like I was giving everyone else a mulligan the past few weeks. We just haven’t gotten anything to go right since July.” said the driver who just completed his sixth career ESS victory. “The drizzle that we got made the track real nice, it was fast and you can run high or low. I think the fans saw a good race tonight.”

The nativepoker.com #4U of Bubby Kerrick took off from the pole early and the Stanley, N.Y. driver was looking for his second career ESS victory at the track where his first came at. Even with a few cautions early and Barger on his rear bumper, Kerrick continued to run strong. “Bubby was quick. I tried everything to get by but I couldn’t really get that close to him, I really didn’t know if I was going to get by.” Barger mentioned on his night’s rival. “I think that his car just went away a bit and he was better up top. I think I had a good car low and that helped in me getting by.”

On a lap 12 restart, Barger finally did get that run on Kerrick and he powered by coming of turn two to lead at the halfway mark. With the pass made, Barger’s goal was not to make a mistake which never came and a much needed victory was the end result.

While Barger was alone in front, a real crowd pleasing battle for second was played out by Kerrick, Alain Bergeron, Jeff Cook and Steve Poirier. High, low, middle, you name it, they were using it. Lap after lap the foursome went at it like a prize fight. Coming out ahead at the end was Bergeron and his second place finish changed the entire outlook in the 2006 ESS title change.

Barger was the winner followed by Bergeron which has the St. Pie, Quebec driver on top of both the overall and Canadian Invasion Series points. The first time ever a Canadian resident has been leading the points. Kerrick came in for third with Poirier and Cook under a blanket for fourth and fifth. Rounding out the top ten were Doug Emery, Nick Fratto, Jeff VanDusen, Lance Yonge and Dan Kaszubinski.

With the track known as the “BOS” lightning quick, four yellows and two reds did slow the torrid pace. On lap one, Bobby Breen spun, Russ Bennett and Doug Norrie were involved in two separate incidents on lap three with Norrie pit side for the night. On lap seven Jessica Zemken made hard contact with the turn four wall but she would return to the A-Main five laps down. Lap twelve saw Brian McDonald spin his sprinter with the most serious accident coming two laps later as Matt Norrie’s sprinter shot off turn two and went airborne. When his #14M came down it started into a hard series of flips, but the young driver was fine but his car was heavily damaged. On lap 17 Blake Breen and Luke Eriksen went off turn four with Eriksen’s sprinter getting airtime bringing out the red flag. He too was ok and Breen returned to the track.

Taking the Car Mate Custom Built Trailers heats were Cook, Matt Norrie and Billy White. White won the Northwood 2 Construction/Walt’s Hobby Dash with Jason Barney winning the KSE Racing Products B-Main.

ESS/BROCKVILLE NOTES: Even with the rain falling throughout N.Y. State and Southern Ontario, 30 sprints filled the pits…Motor woes claimed two drivers early with Tommy Wickham done after warm-ups and Michael Parent after the heats…Billy White also blew an engine and had to borrow his teammates car to run the dash which was held after the A-Main with weather concerns…Although it was a disappointment to only get one of two scheduled shows at the Paul Kirkland promoted facility, look for the winged warriors from the Empire Super Sprints to make their return in 2007...Next week it will be a visit to the Land of Legends, the Canandaigua Speedway to make up the event that was rained out on July 22nd. It marks the return of the nativepoker.com Tour since 2002.

RESULTS:
Heat1 - Jeff Cook, Steve Poirier, Randy Years, Alain Bergeron, Russ Bennett, Lance Yonge
Heat 2 - Matt Norrie, Justin Barger, Bobby Podolak, Jessica Zemken, Dan Kaszubinski, Blake Breen
Heat 3 - Billy White, Doug Norrie, Bubby Kerrick, Doug Emery, Nick Fratto, Luke Eriksen
Northwood 2 Construction/Walt's Hobby Dash - Billy White
B-Main - Jason Barney, Bobby Breen, Jeff VanDusen, Brian McDonald
Added Starter - Don Sharp Jr.
Did Not Qualify - Kyle Wilson, Justin Harris, Michael Parent, Rick Wilson, Tommy Wickham, Rick Wilson, April Wilson.

A-MAIN - JUSTIN BARGER, Alain Bergeron, Bubby Kerrick, Steve Poirier, Jeff Cook, Doug Emery, Nick Fratto, Jeff VanDusen, Lance Yonge, Dan Kaszubinski, Jason Barney, Bobby Breen, Russ Bennett, Don Sharp Jr., Brian McDonald, Blake Breen, Randy Years, Jessica Zemken, Luke Eriksen, Billy White, Matt Norrie, Doug Norrie, Bobby Podolak.

Gater News Lap Leaders - Kerrick 1-12, Barger 13-25.
Ohsweken Speedway Winner’s Bonus – Barger $100
National Parts Peddler Halfway Bonus – Barger $100
Northwood 2 Construction/Walt’s Hobby Dash – White $100
Lane’s Yamaha Hard Charger – VanDusen (14 pos.) $50
Geneva Curbing Bridesmaid Bonus – Bergeron $50
Car Mate Trailers Heat Winner’s Bonus – Cook, M. Norrie, White $25

Jason Barney Becomes Latest First time ESS Winner with Victory at Edelweiss
By Dean Reynolds

CANTLEY, QC – In what has turned into the most competitive season in Empire Super Sprints (ESS) history, it was Constantia, N.Y.’s Jason Barney turn to grace victory lane Friday night at the Autodrome Edelweiss Speedway. By winning the Spectro Oils Canadian Invasion Series event the sprint rookie becomes the sixth first time winner on the nativepoker.com/ESS trail and also the 13th different victor in 19 events.

Barney is a the latest driver to come from the dirt modified ranks and has shown that he will become a driver to be reckon with at any sprint event with numerous top tens already under his belt. While the Jeff Walton owned #87 was fast all night, the pass for the lead did cause a bit of a stir and changed the outcome of the event.

On a lap 13 restart, Barney slipped under Billy White, who has led since lap four, contact was made and White’s sprinter turned sideways coming off turn two bringing out the yellow. “I did touch him (White), I feel bad, real bad. I know I’m new to ESS and I just want everyone to know that I don’t race that way or try to win that way.” Said Barney who’s celebration was tamed some by his own terms. “I had such a good car down low and had a good run, I knew it was going to be close in clearing him but I did just get into him. All the teams here treat you with respect and race clean, I just want everyone to know that we do the same.”

At the drop of Danny Mulligan’s green flag, White’s teammate Russ Bennett shot off from his pole starting spot to lead up until White blasted by to become the new leader on lap four. When the caution came out just after the pass, there was a friendly “one finger salute” from Bennett to White. “I guess he doesn’t follow team orders.” said Bennett with a big laugh in the pits after.

While White was running a quick pace out front, Barney’s charge from his eighth place starting spot was noteworthy also. Into fifth on lap two, fourth on lap three, third lap five and runner-up with a pass on Bennett with 11 laps in the books. The lap 13 caution bunched the field and gave Barney a chance to make his move. When the green came out, the pass was made after the contact, which did cause the final caution of the event.

The final 12 laps were run under green with Barney going through lapped traffic in the late stages with no troubles to win the event easily. “I can’t believe we actually got a win on our first year with ESS. My goal was to just qualify for every show and maybe get some top 10’s.” said the quiet spoken victor. “We decided to run the rest of the season to get to see the tracks that I haven’t been to so we can be better prepared for next year. Our goal is to run the tour and hopefully have a good year. We are still a race-to-race budgeted team but our plan is to give it our best next year and see what we can do.”

At the finish it was Barney in for career win #1, Bennett came home with a fine second place finish just ahead of Jeff Cook who put pressure and actually passed the Spectro Oils #65 several times before Bennett got second back at the finish. Alain Bergeron’s Comfrage Daniel Lampron backed #8B took another top five finish with a solid fourth place finish. The end result has Bergeron now second in the overall points and also leading the Canadian Invasion Series points. Doug Emery is making his title charge as well with a fifth place finish. Rounding out the top ten were Steve Poirier, who came from his 19th place starting spot, Jeff VanDusen, point leader Dan Kaszubinski, who came back from a lap one spin, Lance Yonge, who earned the Lane’s Yamaha Hard Charger Bonus by coming from his 23rd starting spot, with Luke Eriksen in for tenth.

Six cautions, all minor in nature, slowed the pace on the fast, multi-grooved oval. Kaszubinski’s spin on lap one, Doug Norrie slipped off the track on lap two, Mike Stelter looped his sprinter on lap four with Matt Norrie doing the same on lap five. Justin Barger was running was running fourth when his sprinter spun on lap 13 with White’s incident on the restart the final yellow.

Taking the Car Mate Trailers heat events were Barger, White and Nick Fratto who also won the Gauvreau Top Soil/Walt’s Hobby Dash event. The KSE Racing Products B-Main was won by Poirier.

ESS/EDELWEISS NOTES: A total of 26 sprinters played host to an absolute packed house…Making his first ever sprint start was Canadian modified star Brian McDonald who hopes to run much of the ESS tour in 2007…Rick Wilson and Lance Yonge came together in the B-Main with Wilson flipped his sprint. Yonge had to be an added starter to get into the A-Main starting field…It marked the first time since 1993 that ESS has visited Edelweiss twice on one season and both events were a huge success.

RESULTS:
Heat 1 – Justin Barger, Randy Years, Matt Norrie, Jeff Cook, Mike Stelter, Bubby Kerrick
Heat 2 – Billy White, Jason Barney, Dan Kaszubinski, Doug Norrie, Doug Emery, Jessica Zemken
Heat 3 – Nick Fratto, Russ Bennett, Luke Eriksen, Michael Parent, Alain Bergeron, Jeff VanDusen
Gauvreau Top Soil/Walt’s Hobby Dash – Nick Fratto
B-Main – Steve Poirier, Don Sharp Jr., Justin Harris, April Wilson.
Added Starter – Lance Yonge
Did Not Qualify – Rick Wilson, Bobby Podolak, Brian McDonald

A-MAIN – JASON BARNEY, Russ Bennett, Jeff Cook, Alain Bergeron, Doug Emery, Steve Poirier, Jeff VanDusen, Dan Kaszubinski, Lance Yonge, Luke Eriksen, Jessica Zemken, Bubby Kerrick, Doug Norrie, Michael Parent, Billy White, Mike Stelter, Don Sharp Jr., Justin Barger, Randy Years, Justin Harris, April Wilson, Matt Norrie, Nick Fratto.

Gater News Lap Leaders – Bennett 1-3, White 4-13, Barney 14-25
Ohsweken Speedway Winner’s Bonus – Barney $100
National Parts Peddler Halfway Bonus – White $100
Gauvreau Top Soil/Walt’s Hobby Dash – Fratto $100
Lane’s Yamaha Hard Charger Bonus – Yonge (14 pos.) $50
Geneva Curbing Bridesmaid Bonus – Bennett $50
Car Mate Custom Built Trailers Heat Winner’s Bonus – Barger, White, Fratto $25

The nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints Kicks back into Gear this Weekend with two Spectro Oils Canadian Invasion Events
By Dean Reynolds

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – For nearly all of the teams that have been showcasing the most competitive year ever for the Empire Super Sprints (ESS), it has been a well deserved two weekends off. With the rest, the nativepoker.com Tour is ready to rumble “North of the Border” this weekend with stops at Autodrome Edelweiss Speedway and the Brockville Ontario Speedway.

These two events will carry extra weight as not only will it award points for the overall ESS championship, but also the Spectro Oils Canadian Invasion Series as well which carries a separate point fund. Although winless so far in 2006, Dan Kaszubinski has the lead in the overall points but his margin is as close as it could get following 18 point shows run so far. Justin Barger is a mere 21 points behind with Alain Bergeron, Jessica Zemken and Steve Poirier a stones throw away from Kaszubinski as well. Then add Doug Emery, Lance Yonge, Jeff VanDusen, Jeff Cook and Bubby Kerrick in tenth, the top ten are only separated by a total of 192 points. This is easily the closest point fight in the 24 year history of the club.

In the Spectro Oils points, Zemken has just a one point lead over French-Canadian Alain Bergeron followed closely by Poirier, Emery and Yonge.

This Friday the stars and cars of ESS will head north of Canada’s Capital of Ottawa to the nearby town of Cantley, Quebec. It marks the first time since 1993 that the winged warriors will make two visits to the quick, 1/3rd mile oval of Edelweiss. Back on July 14th, two-time champion in Yonge finally broke his winless year with a strong run over Poirier and Zemken. Both Yonge and Zemken represented ESS at the annual 360 Nationals and Tournament of Champions at the Knoxville Raceway and will be ready on this night. Also top stars such as John Karklin Jr., Billy White, Doug Norrie, Nick Fratto and others will be on hand which promises to be a big field of sprints.

The next night it’s back into Ontario to the beautiful town of Brockville and the first visit of 2006 to Paul Kirkland’s quarter-mile speedplant. June 3rd was the scheduled first appearance for ESS but Mother Nature decided to take the A-Main victory on this night. With the final appearance for this Saturday,, you can expect the usual SRO crowd that has become the norm. All the ESS stars along with Russ Bennett, Matt Norrie, Bobby Podolak, Luke Eriksen, Donny Sharp Jr. and local favorite Rick Wilson will help fill the pit log.

It’s been a long two weeks since the thunder and lightning of the nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints has pounded a dirt track near you. That silence will come to an end this weekend at Edelweiss and Brockville. Oh Canada! It will be excitement guaranteed!!



For more information, please log on to:

http://www.autodromeedelweiss.com

http://www.brockvillespeedway.com

http://www.empiresupersprints.com



Past Empire Super Sprint Winners at Autodrome Edelweiss Speedway



July 14, 1990
Mal Lane

June 8, 1991
Jeff Thomas

Aug. 3, 1991
Mal Lane

June 20, 1992
Tom Taber

Aug. 1, 1992
Mike Lauterborn

June 19, 1993
Roger Horvath

July 31, 1993
Mike Woodring

July 25, 1997
Mike Woodring

July 24, 1998
Lance Yonge

July 10, 1999
Mike VanDusen

July 20, 2001
Steve Dow

July 19, 2002
Ryan Coniam

July 18, 2003
Mike Lutz

July 16, 2004
Nick Fratto

July 15, 2005
Doug Norrie

July 14, 2006
Lance Yonge






Past Empire Super Sprints Winners at Brockville Ontario Speedway



July 3, 1993
Roger Horvath

Aug. 27, 1997
Mike Woodring

Aug. 14, 1998
Mike Woodring

Aug. 27, 1999
R.C. Faigle

June 2, 2000
R.C. Faigle

Aug. 25, 2000
Ray Preston

June 8, 2001
Ryan Coniam

Aug. 24, 2001
Kyle Drum

June 28, 2002
Jeff Van Dusen

Aug. 16, 2003
Bill Coffey

May 30, 2003
Bob Podolak

Aug. 15, 2003
Bubby Kerrick

May 28, 2004

May 27, 2005
Rick Wilson

Lance Yonge

Aug. 19, 2005
Bob Podolak

Lance Yonge and Jessica Zemken Have Successful Weekend at Knoxville
By Dean Reynolds

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – When the calendar hits the first week in August for 360 sprint cars it means that it is “Nationals Time”. The annual 360 Sprint Car Nationals at the famed Knoxville Raceway was held last August 3-5 followed by another tradition…the Brodix Tournament of Champions (ToC) on Sunday night, August 6th.

The Empire Super Sprints (ESS) have been a fixture at Knoxville since the inaugural ToC in 1997 and this year two fine representatives from the Empire State headed west to the Marion County Fairgrounds. Two-time and defending ESS champion Lance Yonge brought his nativepoker.com / Johnson Farms backed, Eagle chassis #17J while female sensation Jessica Zemken brought her nativepoker.com Eagle as well. Both drivers competed in the Nationals as well as the ToC.

The 360 Nationals was celebrating its 16th Anniversary and the 25 lap, $10,000 to win extravaganza played host to 137 of the best sprint cars drivers from the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The field was split up to two preliminary nights with Yonge running on night one and Zemken on night two.

In the 16 year history of the event there never has been an ESS driver in the field but that was all changed on night one when Yonge timed 4th fastest out of 67 cars and placed 12th in the night’s A-Main. That guaranteed him an 18th place start in Saturday’s finale. On night two Zemken suffered through both handling and motor woes which saw her advance to the C-Main with a 17th place finish. Unfortunately she didn’t earn enough points to lock into the top 106 for Saturday.

Yonge’s Nationals effort was solid with a 20th place finish in the event won by Knoxville regular Jesse Gianetto. While hoping for a better finish, just to make the event was a history making feat for ESS. Also, fellow New Yorker and ESS part-timer Bryan Howland made the A-Main and took 22nd in the final rundown, a fine effort by the winner of ESS’ opener this year.

The final night was highlighted by the 8th annual ToC sponsored by Brodix Cylinder Heads with 65 invited sprints pit side. ESS is proud to be a part of the big event for 360’s for all eight events.

Yonge started last in his heat and advanced to fourth by the checkered flag while Zemken finished one spot behind in the same heat. With a combination of heat finishes and passing points determining the A and the three B-Main starting spots, Yonge missed the A-Main by one position and started the first B-Main on the pole while Zemken was mid-pack in the second B-Main. Some tough luck was handed Yonge’s way and he took fifth, three spots from qualifying. For Zemken, she moved up some spots but placed seventh in the final rundown.

ESS was awarded a provisional for the A-Main and with Zemken ahead in points for 2006 she was given the 26th place starting spot. With help from current Knoxville 410 point leader Brian Brown, a much improved car helped her claim a solid 17th place finish making for a much better ending to a tough week. The 30 lap race was won by Texan Gary Wright after apparent winner Chuck Swenson was disqualified for illegal heads.

For Zemken, the week didn’t end there as she dropped in a 410 built Kriner to stay in Iowa for week two and run the Front Row Challenge and the Knoxville Nationals. On Monday night at the Southern Iowa Speedway the 20 year old fan favorite turned many heads with a fine 10th place finish after starting in 16th. With the momentum building she will be hoping for the best at 46th annual Knoxville Nationals, sprint car racing’s biggest event.

Its one more weekend off for the nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints before the 2006 season will get back underway at Autodrome Edelweiss Speedway on Friday night, August 18th followed by the first visit of this season to the Brockville Ontario Speedway. For more information feel free to log on to www.empiresupersprints.com.

Jeff VanDusen Leaves now Doubt with Empire Super Sprint Victory at Can-Am
By Dean Reynolds

LaFARGEVILLE, N.Y. – It’s been and up and down year for young star Jeff VanDusen but on Thursday night at the Can-Am Motorsports Park the Otego, N.Y. driver left no doubt that he is still a force on the nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints (ESS). Taking advantage of an up front starting spot, his familiar #56D lead all 25 laps easily to pick up his second victory of this season as the popular "Shootout" made it’s return to the LaFargeville oval.

"I guess we just had a little luck on our side. The crew gave me a good car, we had a good starting spot and it all worked out." Noted VanDusen shortly after collecting ESS career win #6. "It’s been a tough year for us. We were hoping to challenge for a championship and while we aren’t out of it, it’s going to be tough to get up there in the points. We just hope that we can keep some luck on our side and get some more wins."

The front row was made up of veteran Bobby Podolak and Luke Eriksen but when the field blasted out of turn two on the start, it was the fourth place starting VanDusen sweeping by all to lead lap one and the next 24 tours of the fast ½ mile oval after that. The only challenge for the 23 year old driver was a lapped traffic and a late race caution, but neither would hinder the strong effort.

Eriksen and Quebec’s Alain Bergeron put on a spirited dual for second with Bergeron getting the upper edge with just two laps to go. Eriksen finally put away some bad luck of his own to come across third at the finish. After win, place, show, the point fight among ESS’ top teams was being hashed out with point leader Justin Barger, Dan Kaszubinski, Jessica Zemken, Jeff Cook and others.

With the quick Can-Am oval providing many grooves to use, the sprints were swapping spots on each lap. With the waving of Matt Burdick’s checkered it was Cook getting the edge with his Rt. 37 Building Supply #10, Kaszubinski closed in on Barger slightly with his fifth place finish. Rounding out the top ten were Zemken, Barger, Jason Barney, who also earned the Lane’s Yamaha Hard Charger Bonus, two-time and defending champion Lance Yonge and Steve Poirier.

The lone caution was for Michael Parent who lost a front end and stopped on the front stretch.

Taking the Car Mate Custom Trailers heat events were Eriksen, Bergeron and Yonge. Yonge won the Rt. 37 Building Supply/Walt’s Hobby Dash with Tommy Wickham taking the KSE Racing Products B-Main.

ESS/CAN-AM NOTES: Another solid field of 30 sprints in the pits for the third and final visit at Can-Am…Dave Wickham rolled over his sprinter during heat one after making contact with a spinning car. He was loaded for the rest of the night…With the fast track, the sprints were clocked at 128 m.p.h. during the night comparing to the 358 modifieds that were on hand turning 103…The "Shootout" was back after several years and with a good crowd as well as a pit full of cars, the event could very well become a tradition once again.

RESULTS:
Heat 1 – Luke Eriksen, John Karklin Jr., Kyle Wilson, Nick Fratto, Steve Poirier, Jason Barney.
Heat 2 – Alain Bergeron, Dan Kaszubinski, Bubby Kerrick, Bobby Podolak, Jessica Zemken, Rick Wilson.
Heat 3 – Lance Yonge, Jeff VanDusen, Chuck Hebing, Jeff Cook, Justin Barger, Doug Emery.
RT. 37 Building Supply/Walt’s Hobby Dash – Lance Yonge.
B-Main – Tommy Wickham, Billy White, Mike Stelter, Matt Norrie.
Added Starters – Russ Bennett, Michael Parent.
Did Not Qualify – Randy Years, Justin Harris, April Wilson, Dave Wickham, George Ely, Doug Norrie.
A-MAIN – JEFF VANDUSEN, Alain Bergeron, Luke Eriksen, Jeff Cook, Dan Kaszubinski, Jessica Zemken, Jason Barney, Lance Yonge, Steve Poirier, Rick Wilson, Chuck Hebing, Bubby Kerrick, Nick Fratto, Doug Emery, John Karklin Jr., Mike Stelter, Billy White, Tommy Wickham, Matt Norrie, Michael Parent, Russ Bennett, Kyle Wilson, Bobby Podolak.

Gater New Lap Leader – VanDusen 1-25
Ohsweken Speedway Winner’s Bonus – VanDusen $100
National Parts Peddler Halfway Bonus – VanDusen $100
RT. 37 Building Supply/Walt’s Hobby Dash – Yonge $100
Lane’s Yamaha Hard Charger Bonus – Barney ( 8 pos.) $50
Geneva Curbing Bridesmaid Bonus – Bergeron $50
Car Mate Trailers Heat Winners Bonus – Eriksen, Bergeron, Yonge $25

The nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints Returns to the Canandaigua Speedway on August 26th to make up the July 22 Rain out
by Dean Reynolds

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Even though the return of the Empire Super Sprints (ESS) to the "Land of Legends" had to wait just a little bit longer, it will be a wait worth while. Both ESS and DIRT MotorSports have agreed to bring the winged warriors back to the Ontario County Fairgrounds on Saturday night August 26th to make up the July 22nd rain out.
It has been over four years since the 24 year old 360 organization has raced the fast half-mile and mother nature wasn't going to become the A-Main winner...not just yet. "We are glad to come up with a date that will work for both of us." said ESS President Chuck Miller. "It's an open weekend for us and it was just a regular show scheduled at Canandaigua so it works out well for both. Our crowds have been tremendous all year and I'm sure it will be the same on the 26th."
Top ESS stars such as two-time and defending ESS champion Lance Yonge will head the list which will number well over 30 entries. Current ESS point leader Dan Kaszubinski, rookie sensations Jessica Zemken, Steve Poirier along with Doug Emery, Jeff Cook, Alain Bergeron, Jeff VanDusen, Bubby Kerrick, Nick Fratto, Chuck Hebing, Mike Stelter and many more are going to fill the pits.
Mark it down, Saturday night, August 26th. The nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints are coming to Canandaigua and it will be excitement guaranteed!!

Nick Fratto Completes Empire Super Sprint Sweep at Autodrome Drummond
By Dean Reynolds

DRUMMOND, QC – Young 17 year old Nick Fratto completed the “Hat Trick” Saturday night at Autodrome Drummond in Quebec when the nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints (ESS) made the second of three visits in 2006. The driver of the Geneva Curbing Maxim won his heat, dash and then led all 25 laps to win the Spectro Oils Canadian Invasion Series A-Main.

For Fratto, it marks the first win in two years and his second career with the 24 year old sprint car organization. “This has been a long time coming. We have been close many times but just didn’t get back to victory lane since my first win.” noted the 2003 ESS rookie of the year who is from Geneva, N.Y.. “I just have to thank Dan (Kaszubinski) and Todd (Weigand) as they just bust their butts every day to keep both cars going. My dad wanted to team up with them and it’s starting to turn the whole program around and it has also really helped me become a better driver.”

Good results are starting to be noticed as Fratto is back into victory lane and Kaszubinski took over the ESS point lead after the event making the Fratto Motorsports team a major force.

As the field came down to Eric Salvas’ green flag, Fratto got the jump over his front row mate Bobby Podolak and what was played out over the next 20 minutes was a near perfect 25 laps turned in by the young teenager. However, it was no cake walk as the tension did hit its peek with the final of three cautions came on lap 19 which put team cars of John Karklin Jr. and Doug Emery right on his rear bumper for an exciting six lap dash to the victory.

“After that caution I got real cautious. With the track like it was I didn’t want to get off the bottom, if someone was going by me it was around the outside.” Fratto remarked on those final six, nail biting laps.

Emery slipped under the Karklin and immediately put the pressure on Fratto hoping to pick up win #2 for 2006. “I could hear Doug behind me, I knew I might have been playing it too cool but I just didn’t want to make a mistake and give this away. I didn’t want to lose it, just to have Doug earn it.” said Fratto.

With two laps to go, Emery pulled right behind the Fratto #F1 but one small glitch in the plan doomed the bid for the win. “I went into turn three hard but for some reason the car really pushed on me and I lost all my momentum. That was basically the last shot I had, Nicky pulled away and just drove a real smart race it was good to see him get the win tonight.” said the ESS veteran who is in the middle of the closest championship fight in ESS history.

At the finish it was Fratto just ahead of Emery with Karklin Jr. aboard the other Patterson Motorsports entry taking a fine third. Karklin totaled his mount the night prior at Granby but as a good friend to both Tom Patterson and Emery was offered the ride just minutes after. Lance Yonge took fourth with Bubby Kerrick fifth in their nativepoker.com sponsored rides. Rounding out the top ten were Podolak, Alain Bergeron, Kaszubinski, Jeff VanDusen and Jessica Zemken who became the new Spectro Oils point leader.

The first of three cautions came out on lap three when Jason Barney lost his front end and collected Billy White. Both cars were done for the night. Michael Parent looped his sprint on lap 12 with Luke Eriksen and Steve Poirier getting together on lap 19.

Winning the Car Mate Custom Built Trailers heat events were Podolak, Parent and Fratto with Fratto winning the Walt’s Hobby dash was Fratto as Poirier won the KSE Racing Products B-Main.

ESS/DRUMMOND NOTES: A total of 23 sprints played host in front of a packed house on “Wing Night” as the mini-sprints joined the card at Drummond…16 year old Michael Parent collected his first ever ESS checkered by taking the win in heat two…Emery also earned the Lane’s Yamaha hard charger bonus after coming from his tenth place starting spot…Even after flipping out of the ball park last night at Granby and a quick trip to the hospital, Jeff Cook was back behind the wheel of his #10…The winged warriors of the nativepoker.com Tour will make its third visit to Canada’s oldest running dirt track on September 2nd….It will be two weeks off for most of the ESS teams with the exception of Lance Yonge, Justin Barger and Jessica Zemken as they head out to the famed Marion County Fairgrounds and the Knoxville Raceway. They will take on the very best in 360 sprint car racing in the annual 360 Sprint Car Nationals and the annual Brodix Tournament of Champions. For Zemken, she will stay one more week to run a 410 in the biggest sprint car race of them all, the Knoxville Nationals.

RESULTS:
Heat 1 – Bob Podolak, Bubby Kerrick, Doug Emery, Doug Norrie, Luke Eriksen, Jessica Zemken
Heat 2 – Michael Parent, Jason Barney, Dan Kaszubinski, Billy White, Lance Yonge, Matt Norrie
Heat 3 – Nick Fratto, John Karklin Jr., Alain Bergeron, Jeff VanDusen, Jeff Cook, Justin Barger
Walt’s Hobby Dash – Nick Fratto
B-Main – Steve Poirier, Russ Bennett, Rich Zagata Jr., James Hansen
Added Starter – Randy Years
A-MAIN – NICK FRATTO, Doug Emery, John Karklin Jr., Lance Yonge, Bubby Kerrick, Bobby Podolak, Alain Bergeron, Dan Kaszubinski, Jeff VanDusen, Jessica Zemken, Michael Parent, Matt Norrie, Russ Bennett, Steve Poirier, Jeff Cook, Doug Norrie, Luke Eriksen, Rich Zagata Jr., Randy Years, James Hansen, Justin Barger, Billy White, Jason Barney.

Gater News Lap Leader – Fratto 1-25
Ohsweken Speedway Winner’s Bonus – Fratto $100
National Parts Peddler Halfway Bonus – Fratto $100
Walt’s Hobby Dash – Fratto $100
Lane’s Yamaha Hard Charger Bonus – Emery (8 pos.) $50
Geneva Curbing Bridesmaid Bonus – Emery $50
Car Mate Trailers Heat Winner’s Bonus – Podolak, Parent, Fratto $25

Steve Poirier Thrills Hometown Fans With Exiting Empire Super Sprint Victory at Autodrome Granby; Passes Doug Norrie with Two Laps Remaining
By Dean Reynolds

GRANBY, QC. – It could be that “Hollywood Script” type of deal you hear about every now and then...and indeed it was. When St. Mathieu de Beloeil, Quebec’s Steve Poirier joined the nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints (ESS) in 2006, the French-Canadian fans had another chauffeur to cheer for when the sprinters come to town. Taking second on lap 14, Poirier used an all out attack to chase down race long leader Doug Norrie in hopes of a big win Friday night at Autodrome. With 23 laps in the books, Poirier made a daring pass in turn one to take the lead which saw thousands of fans roar to their delight.

Poirier’s FM Industries backed #28FM ducked through laps cars on the final lap to take his fourth win of the season and greet a standing ovation when he climbed from his sprinter. “This is one of the highlights of my career, this is very special!” Poirier said with a big smile while greeting well wishers long after the checkered flag had fallen. “To win in front of your own fans is just amazing, especially with a pass late in the race. It’s funny, when I won a lot with the modifieds some would boo me but I understood why. But, when you leave and come back in a different division they cheer you on and it makes you feel good. I think they feel that one of their own beat some of the American sprint car drivers. It makes them proud and I’m glad that they support me.”

Norrie’s Spectro Oils #92M took right off from the start and opened up a big lead early in the Spectro Oils Canadian Invasion Series event. His sprinter took to the high side of the Granby ½ mile and a set a blistering pace in hopes of collecting his second career ESS victory. While Norrie was comfortably in the lead, the battles behind him saw position changes galore on each lap with a multi-grooved surface fitting the winged machines.

Nick Fratto, Poirier, Luke Eriksen, Bobby Podolak and others were using all grooves to see who would come out on top on each lap. It was Poirier who finally broke through on that 14th lap and the chase was on. “On our restart I could see an yellow car was leading, so when I got into second I just drove as hard as I could to catch it and it was Doug (Norrie).” Poirier mentioned about his task. “I think this was the hardest I ever drove a sprint car but you have to here, if you do let up someone will go right by you. When I knew I had a chance at the end I just never lifted and luckily I just got by at the end. I think it was a great race.”

While Norrie was a bit down afterwards, the likeable Connecticut native took the second place finish in stride. “It was close, I got beat by a driver that really knows this track. He deserved it, Steve drove a great race and I’m glad he won in front of his fans.” Said Norrie. “Hey, I’m still happy. I didn’t even qualify for the last three shows and to take second his good for us. We have been really struggling this year and it was getting to us but with this run it gives us something to build on.”

At the finish it was Poirier across ahead of Norrie. The local fans had another reason to cheer when St. Pie, Quebec’s Alain Bergeron’s late race charge netted him a podium finish of third. After starting in Eriksen continued his strong weekend taking a fine fourth aboard the Manchester Wood J&J with Jessica Zemken coming through for fifth. Rounding out the top ten were current ESS point leader Justin Barger, who brought out a brand new car for the event, the winner at Can-Am from the night prior Jeff VanDusen, Fratto, Dan Kaszubinski and Podolak.

One red and yellow slowed the pace; On lap one a wild accident off turn four saw fours cars involved with both Jeff Cook and John Karklin Jr.’s sprinters flipping. Cook’s mount went over the wall and through the fence landing outside the speedway. He did take a quick trip to the hospital for a check up but returned sore but alright. Karklin’s mount was hung up on the inside wall with heavy damage but he was alright. Both Randy Years and Bubby Kerrick returned to the A-Main. On lap five Kaszubinski looped his sprint in turn three.

Taking the Car Mate Custom Built Trailers heat events were Fratto, Poirier and Eriksen with the KSE Racing Products B-Main taken by Cook.

ESS/GRANBY NOTES – A field of 25 sprints were in the pits…Despite rain most of the day, the skies cleared and a big crowd filled the spacious grandstands…Making his first sprint start ever was former small block modified star Jeff Walton aboard the Tom Patterson back-up entry. Walton, who owns Jeff Barney’s sprint, was thrilled to have a chance of driving a sprint for the first time but was a DNQ for the A-Main. Anthony Cain made his return to ESS competition with his sharp #15 but missed the A-Main cut by one spot…James Hansen rolled his sprint over on warm-ups and just missed starting the B-Main…The nativepoker.com Tour and the Spectro Oils Canadian Invasion Series will make one more stop to Granby on Sept. 1st.

RESULTS:
Heat 1 – Nick Fratto, John Karklin Jr., Jessica Zemken, Doug Norrie, Doug Emery, Lance Yonge
Heat 2 – Steve Poirier, Billy White, Jason Barney, Justin Barger, Matt Norrie, Michael Parent
Heat 3 – Luke Eriksen, Bob Podolak, Alain Bergeron, Dan Kaszubinski, Jeff VanDusen, Bubby Kerrick
B-Main – Jeff Cook, Russ Bennett, Randy Years, Rich Zagata Jr.
Did Not Qualify – Anthony Cain, Jeff Walton, James Hansen
A-MAIN – STEVE POIRIER, Doug Norrie, Alain Bergeron, Luke Eriksen, Jessica Zemken, Justin Barger, Jeff VanDusen, Nick Fratto, Dan Kaszubinski, Bob Podolak, Doug Emery, Billy White, Lance Yonge, Jason Barney, Russ Bennett, Matt Norrie, Michael Parent, Bubby Kerrick, Rich Zagata Jr., Randy Years, John Karklin Jr., Jeff Cook.

Gater News Lap Leaders – D. Norrie 1-23, Poirier 24-25
Ohsweken Speedway Winner’s Bonus – Poirier $100
National Parts Peddler Halfway Bonus – D. Norrie $100
Lane’s Yamaha Hard Charger – Bergeron (9 pos.) $50
Geneva Curbing Bridesmaid Bonus – D. Norrie $50
Car Mate Trailers Heat Winner’s Bonus – Fratto, Poirier, Eriksen $25

The Empire Super Sprints End Four Year Absence at Canandaigua on July 22; Returns to Utica-Rome the Next Night
By Dean Reynolds

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – It will be a special weekend in Central N.Y. on the nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints (ESS) as the winged warriors end a four year hiatus with a return to the “Land of Legends”, the Canandaigua Speedway on Saturday night, July 22nd. The next evening will see a return to the fast half-mile known as the Utica-Rome Speedway to make up the July 2nd rain out.

On July 6th, 2002 long-time ESS faithful Rob Dietrick took a popular victory on front of many family and friends. That was the last time the stars and cars from the 24 year old organization visited the Ontario County Fairgrounds. With record car counts at nearly every race for 2006, the pits is sure to be full on this night.

Dietrick ended a two year retirement earlier this year and will have his familiar #10 in the pits. Other former winners that will be on hand include defending ESS champion Lance Yonge and Randy Years along with local favorites Bubby Kerrick, Nick Fratto, Mike Stelter and Chuck Hebing. They will be joined by current point leader Justin Barger, three-time winner in 2006, rookie Steve Poirier, female sensation Jessica Zemken, Jeff Cook and some 30 other top sprint car chauffeurs. Former ESS competitor Mike Lauterborn picked up the sponsorship of the Walt’s Hobby Dash for this evening as well.

With 32 sprinters ready for action on July 2nd, the skies opened up over the Utica-Rome Speedway canceling the special holiday weekend event. A July 23rd rain date was established making for a fun filled two-race weekend and with the Capital Region Sprintcar Assoc. on the bill as well the pits will be full of winged machines. Top stars such as Alain Bergeron, Jeff VanDusen, Doug Emery, Russ Bennett, Billy White, John Karklin Jr. and many others, a big field will be at the Vernon, N.Y. oval once again.

It’s the return to the Canandaigua Speedway and it’s some unfinished business at Utica-Rome for the nativepoker.com Tour of the Empire Super Sprints. It will be hot summer nights and it will be excitement guaranteed!!

For more information please log on to:
www.canandaiguaspeedway.com
www.uticaromespeedway.com 
www.empiresupersprints.com 

Donny Sharp Jr. Wires Empire Super Sprint Field at Cornwall Motor Speedway
By Dean Reynolds

CORNWALL, ON – It was a weekend for long-time Empire Super Sprint (ESS) regulars to shake off the victory lane absence. On Sunday night at the Cornwall Motor Speedway, Alexandria, N.H.’s Donny Sharp Jr. ended a winless streak that lasted nearly five years dominating the 25 lap Spectro Oils Canadian Invasion event by leading from start to finish.

Sharp travels more hours on the road than any ESS team and brings a crew of one… his dad. Many times the Sharp Stonework Maxim has been close to victory lane but just never had the chips fall in the right place. Tonight, from green to checker it was all showcased by one driver to become the eleventh different winner on the nativepoker.com Tour this year.

“I guess you cans say that we’ve been waiting for this” said the 28 year old driver with a big smile after getting career win #4. “We have been close many times, even last year when I got beat by Ricky Wilson on the last lap. But I guess we had a good car tonight, my dad said that we had them covered pretty well at that gives you some confidence.”

Had them covered indeed, not even one caution, one red and lapped traffic was getting in the way of victory lane. Getting the jump from pole sitting Billy White, Sharp Jr. used the middle to high lane on an unusually slick Cornwall to build on a lead each lap.

“When I gunned it coming off the four wide I said to myself ‘wow, this car feels pretty good’. It just stuck and that’s what you needed tonight was a tight car.” Sharp said shortly afterwards while getting congratulations from his ESS peers. “This year has been tough, we were trying for top five in points but we didn’t even qualify for the first three shows. Then we missed a weekend so our point chances are done. I guess its trying to get wins now and we got one, it feels good.”

With Sharp Jr. just about running his own race, White put together just as impressive 25 laps to stay in second through the duration as did Matt Norrie in third and at the checkered flag they were one-two-three. Luke Eriksen had his best run in a long time to take fourth and make for an all New England top four. New Yorker Doug Emery rounded out the top five. The next five was the FM Industries #28FM of June Cornwall winner Steve Poirier, another New Englander in Russ Bennett was sixth followed by Gabriel’s IGA Market #56D of Jeff VanDusen, who collected the Lane’s Yamaha hard charger bonus after starting in 17th. Jessica Zemken and Jeff Cook rounded out the top ten.

The lone red was on lap two when Bobby Podolak looped his sprinter collecting Glenn Styres, Rick Wilson, Alain Bergeron and Lance Yonge with Styres mount going over. Bergeron and Yonge were able to get back into the A-Main. On the lap two restart, the one caution was for George Ely who hit the front stretch wall break his rear end.

Taking the Car Mate Trailers heat events were Cook, White and Poirier with Poirier also taking the Cornwall Truck Centre/Walt’s Hobby Dash. The KSE Racing Products B-Main was won by Dan Kaszubinski.

ESS/CORNWALL NOTES: A record field of 29 sprints filled the pits after a long three race weekend…The usual SRO crowd filled the stands on a warm evening….Besides Ely and Styres, Jared Zimbardi, Justin Harris and Kayle Robidoux joined ESS teams that raced previously on the weekend…Even with two wild flips on the weekend, Kyle Moffit was in the field with help from Randy Years and the Fratto Motorsports team. Although a DNQ, the car did go on the trailer in one piece…Next weekend the nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints will make a return to the Canandaigua Speedway after a four years absence this Sat. Then it’s on to the Utica-Rome Speedway on Sunday to make up the July 2nd. rain out.

RESULTS:
Heat 1 – Jeff Cook, Lance Yonge, Don Sharp Jr., Alain Bergeron, Luke Eriksen, Rick Wilson
Heat 2 – Billy White, Bobby Podolak, Doug Emery, Glenn Styres, Jessica Zemken, Jeff VanDusen
Heat 3 – Steve Poirier, Matt Norrie, Russ Bennett, Jared Zimbardi, Michael Parent, Nick Fratto
Cornwall Truck Centre/Walt’s Hobby Dash – Steve Poirier
B-Main – Dan Kaszubinski, Justin Barger, George Ely, John Karklin Jr.
Added starter – Bubby Kerrick
Did Not Qualify – Doug Norrie, Kyle Wilson, Ron Zagata, Kayle Robidoux, Kyle Moffit, Justin Harris.
A-MAIN – DONNY SHARP JR., Billy White, Matt Norrie, Luke Eriksen, Doug Emery, Steve Poirier, Russ Bennett, Jeff VanDusen, Jessica Zemken, Jeff Cook, Nick Fratto, Alain Bergeron, Michael Parent, John Karklin Jr., Jared Zimbardi, Lance Yonge, Bubby Kerrick, Justin Barger, Dan Kaszubinski, George Ely, Bobby Podolak, Glenn Styres, Rick Wilson.

Gater News Lap Leader – Sharp Jr. 1-25
Ohsweken Speedway Winner’s Bonus – Sharp Jr. $100
National Parts Peddler Halfway – Sharp Jr. $100
Cornwall Truck Centre/Walt’s Hobby Dash – Poirier $100
Lane’s Yamaha Hard Charger Bonus – VanDusen (9 pos.) $50
Geneva Curbing Bridesmaid Bonus – White $50
Car Mate Trailers Heat Winner’s Bonus – Cook, White, Poirier $25.

New Car Does the Trick for Lance Yonge as he Collects First ESS win of 2006 with Victory at Edelweiss
By Dean Reynolds

CANTLEY, QC – Going into Friday night’s Empire Super Sprint (ESS) event at Autodrome Edelweiss Speedway, eight different drivers has graced victory lane on the nativepoker.com Tour. Ironically, one of the drivers was not defending champion Lance Yonge. All that changed as he passed John Karklin Jr. on lap 18 to win the Spectro Oils Canadian Invasion event at front of the largest crowd in the history of the 1/3rd mile oval.

While having the two-time champion in the winners circle shouldn’t make big headlines, seeing one of ESS’ best struggling and going winless deep into the 23rd Anniversary Tour is. The week off was put to good use as Yonge traveled to Ohio to pick up a new Eagle chassis and he promptly put all doubts from his critics and himself to rest.

“Do you think I’m happy? Actually relieved probably would put it best.” noted the driver who just collected career win #32. “I’ll tell you, I needed this just to prove to myself that I still have it. It really gets into your head especially how strong we have been in the last two years. I have struggled so much this year but I just didn’t know if it’s the car or you. To win tonight just takes so much weight off. I guess this new car is helping!”

Doug Norrie’s Spectro Oils #92M jumped off the pole to lead the first six laps until Karklin Jr. took his JCK Timber mount to the front and he opened up a good sized lead shortly after. Yonge was making his move to the front early as well and it wasn't long before he made this a two horse race. Just in keeping with his line and pace, Yonge was able to close in and make his move.

I was watching John (Karklin) getting a little loose coming off of four and that was where I was best This car just has good forward bite, I mean when they.said that this car is a tight car and they were right, I could really drive off the corners and that helped in getting under for the pass.” Yonge said in a relived voice. "I just wasn't comfortable with the Maxim and with the off week we decided that we needed a change. Who knows, lets hope it's a change for the best.

Coming down to score lap 18, Yonge did slip under Karklin Jr. for the lead and eventually the win. After the pass for the lead, it was an all out war between five cars for second which

lasted right to the checkered flag. With a late charge, Quebec’s own Steve Poirier continued his torrid rookie season with a fine runner-up finish. Jessica Zemken came from her 14th place starting spot to finish third and collect the Lane’s Yamaha hard charger bonus with Karklin taking fourth. Alain Bergeron took fifth with the next five made up of Billy White, Bubby Kerrick, Norrie Dan Kaszubinski and former Edelweiss modified champion Rick Wilson.

A total of five cautions and one red did slow the pace on the multi-grooved surface. Randy Years spun around on lap six, Kyle Wilson did the same on lap seven. Luke Eriksen stopped on lap 12 as did Kyle Moffit on lap 14. On lap 16 the complexion of the race changed when Jeff Cook spun around his #10, Cook was trying to pass Yonge for second at the time. The red lights came were on with 19 laps in the book when Eriksen spun around and collected Cook and Moffit with Moffit doing a series of flips.

Taking the Car Mate Trailers heat events were Justin Barger, Karklin Jr., and White. The Royal LaPage/Walt’s Hobby dash was won by White with the KSE Racing Products B-Main taken by Russ Bennett.

ESS/EDELWEISS NOTES: A total of 26 sprints in the pits at the track located just North of Canada’s capital of Ottawa…Ron Zagata made his first ever ESS start with his father’s #014. Zagata was to be the bubble car but when Michael Parent had engine problems on the A-Main pace lap he did take the green flag…A special drivers introduction proved popular for the fans which filled every heat in the house…All in ESS would like to thank promoter Serge Legace for doing a tasty pig roast after the nights activities for the sprint car drivers and crews…Edelweiss will hold another Spectro Oils event on Friday night Aug. 18th.

RESULTS:
Heat 1 – Justin Barger, Doug Norrie, Steve Poirier, Nick Fratto, Randy Years, Bubby Kerrick
Heat 2 – John Karklin Jr., Jessica Zemken, Jeff Cook, Alain Bergeron, Luke Eriksen, Doug Emery
Heat 3 – Billy White, Lance Yonge, Rick Wilson, Dan Kaszubinski, Matt Norrie, Michael Parent
Royal LaPage/Walt’s Hobby Dash – Billy White
B-Main – Russ Bennett, Don Sharp Jr., Kyle Wilson, Kyle Moffit.
Did not start – Parent, Added starter – Ron Zagata
Did not qualify – Jeff VanDusen, April Wilson, Bobby Podolak.
A-MAIN – LANCE YONGE, Steve Poirier, Jessica Zemken, John Karklin Jr., Alain Bergeron, Billy White, Bubby Kerrick, Doug Norrie, Dan Kaszubinski, Rick Wilson, Doug Emery, Nick Fratto, Justin Barger, Don Sharp Jr., Kyle Wilson, Russ Bennett, Matt Norrie, Ron Zagata, Luke Eriksen, Kyle Moffit, Jeff Cook, Randy Years.

Gater News Lap Leaders – D. Norrie 1-6, Karklin Jr. 7-17, Yonge 18-25.
Ohsweken Speedway Winner’s Bonus – Yonge $100
National Parts Peddler Halfway Bonus – Karklin Jr. $100
Royal LaPage/Walt’s Hobby Dash – White $100
Lane’s Yamaha Hard Charger Bonus – Zemken (11 pos.) $50
Geneva Curbing Bridesmaid Bonus – Poirier $50
Car Mate Trailers – Barger, Karklin Jr., White $25.

Jeff Cook’s Late Race Pass of John Karklin Jr. Gives him Exciting ESS win at Frogtown
By Dean Reynolds

HOGANSBURG, N.Y. – Jeff Cook was the next driver in line to shake off a season long winless streak passing John Karklin Jr. on lap 24 of the 25 lap A-Main to win the nativepoker.com Tour event for the Empire Super Sprints (ESS) at the Frogtown Speedway. Cook became the tenth different winner this year and it marked his fourth career ESS triumph and ironically the first time he has won in the United States.

The fast ½ mile on the Akwesasne Indian Reservation was again producing speeds of over 100 m.p.h. and both drivers were the quickest on this night. With the two taking the “two-to-go” sign from starter Austin Swamp side by side keeping the crowd on edge, you knew this was going to be a wild finish.

“I could see John (Karklin Jr.) getting a little loose coming off of turn four. He was real fast and I knew that was the only place I could get a run on him.” Said the driver of the North Country Welding JEI sprinter. “I just a got a good charge and we were side by side at the line. Then I got him, he got me back and I got him back. It was wild!”

Karklin Jr.’s JEI was quick all night as he won his heat and dash prior to the start of the feature event. A little luck was on his side with the pill draw as he was starting the event from the pole with Cook alongside. With the green lights on it was simply Karklin lead Cook, lap after lap in an ultra-quick pace. It wasn’t until the late stages when Cook’s car started to get a little better.

With lap 23 being scored, Cook shot under Karklin, took the lead coming off of turn one, Karklin got him back off of two with Cook then getting a better run into three to take the lead and on to the wild victory. “I was hoping to make the pass but you know, if I didn’t get the win I would have been happy that John got it. He has had some tough luck this year also.” Cook noted on his rival. “But, we need this win. I was wondering when or even will it happen again but I have to thank everyone for their help. We trashed a car last night, had to change to this and the crew just did a great job getting it ready.”

At the finish it was Cook over Karklin Jr., followed by Jeff VanDusen, the nativepoker.com sponsored car of Bubby Kerrick with Nick Fratto bringing his Geneva Curbing #F1 home for fifth. Rounding out the top ten were Matt Norrie, Russ Bennett, Doug Emery, Justin Barger and Doug Norrie who took the Lane’s Yamaha hard charger bonus after starting in 20th.

Three cautions and two red flag periods did slow the pace. The original start saw a six car jingle with Jessica Zemken going over. Also involved were Don Sharp Jr., Dan Kaszubinski, Billy White, Justin Barger and Jason Barney. All cars returned to the A-Main with the exception of Sharp Jr. Randy Years was spun around on the second try to get the feature underway to bring the yellow lights on. The second red flag was for Years and Kyle Moffit who did a wild double flip on the front stretch, both drivers were alright. Flat tires for Alain Bergeron, lap six, and Steve Poirier, lap 10, for the final cautions.

Taking the Car Mate Trailer heat events were Karklin Jr., Luke Eriksen and Cook. Karklin Jr. won the Frenchie’s Chevrolet/Walt’s Hobby Dash with Lance Yonge taking the KSE Racing Products B-Main.

ESS/FROGTOWN NOTES – A total of 25 sprinters in the pits for the first of two events at Frogtown…Despite a rain shower after the gates opened, a good sized crowd came out…Michael Parent had fuel pick up problems to continue a frustrating rookie season which saw him not see a green flag all night…The Sept. 23rd return date to Frogtown will close down the point season on the nativepoker.com Tour.

RESULTS:
Heat 1 – John Karklin Jr., Randy Years, Alain Bergeron, Bob Podolak, Bubby Kerrick, Jessica Zemken.
Heat 2 – Luke Eriksen, Matt Norrie, Russ Bennett, Mike Stelter, Nick Fratto, Steve Poirier.
Heat 3 – Jeff Cook, Jeff VanDusen, Doug Emery, Justin Barger, Dan Kaszubinski, Billy White.
Frenchie’s Chevrolet/Walt’s Hobby Dash – John Karklin Jr.
B-Main – Lance Yonge, Jason Barney, Don Sharp Jr., Doug Norrie.
Added Starter – Kyle Moffit.
Did Not Qualify – Ron Zagata, Michael Parent.
A-MAIN – JEFF COOK, John Karklin Jr., Jeff VanDusen, Bubby Kerrick, Nick Fratto, Matt Norrie, Russ Bennett, Doug Emery, Justin Barger, Doug Norrie, Alain Bergeron, Billy White, Dan Kaszubinski, Mike Stelter, Lance Yonge, Luke Eriksen, Jessica Zemken, Jason Barney, Steve Poirier, Randy Years, Kyle Moffit, Bob Podolak, Don Sharp Jr.

Gater News Lap Leaders – Karklin Jr. 1-23, Cook 24-25.
Ohsweken Speedway Winner’s Bonus – Cook $100
National Parts Peddler Halfway Bonus – Karklin Jr. $100
Frenchie’s Chevrolet/Walt’s Hobby Dash – Karklin Jr. $100
Lane’s Yamaha Hard Charger – D. Norrie (10 pos.) $50
Geneva Curbing Bridesmaid Bonus – Karklin Jr. $50
Car Mate Trailers heat winners – Karklin Jr., Eriksen, Cook $25.

One State and Two Canadian Provinces Highlight Empire Super Sprint Weekend
By Dean Reynolds

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – It’s a potpourri of winged excitement this weekend for the nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints (ESS). One state and two Canadian provinces will showcase the stars and cars from the 24 year old sprint car sanctioning body in what should be one wild weekend.

On Friday night, it all begins at the Autodrome Edelweiss Speedway located in the French speaking province of Quebec. Just mere minutes North of Canada’s capital of Ottawa, the fast one-third mile oval will host the first of two Spectro Oils Canadian Invasion events for the ESS super sprinters for 2006. Last year saw Doug Norrie collect his first ever ESS A-Main triumph on his way to the rookie of the year honors.

Norrie will be joined in the field by his brother Matt along with past Edelweiss winners Lance Yonge and Nick Fratto. Current point leader in both overall and Spectro Oils points is Justin Barger as he leads Dan Kaszubinski and Quebec native Alain Bergeron on points. All three will be on hand for what anticipates being the custom standing room only crowd.

Car Mate Custom Built Trailer heat events will kick off the evening followed by the Royal LePage/ La renaissance/ Walt’s Hobby Dash and the KSE Racing Products B-Main closing out the qualifying for the 25 lap A-Main. When the final checkered flag falls a big cook out sponsored by Edelweiss Speedway and the Empire Super Sprints will be held.

The next night it’s back across the border to Hogansburg, N.Y. and the ultra-fast Frogtown International Speedway. The wide, fast, half-mile located on the Akwesasne Indian Reservation produces speeds in triple digits. Last year, young Kyle Moffit took his only win of 2005 and the South Dayton, N.Y. star will be on hand along with fellow ESS stars Jessica Zemken, Doug Emery, Bubby Kerrick, Jeff VanDusen and more.

A big chicken BBQ will from the Hogansburg Fire Department will kick off at 11 A.M. Dash sponsor Frenchie’s Chevrolet will have Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s #3 and Kevin Harvick’s #29 on display all day and night making for a fun filled Saturday for all winged sprint car fans.

On Sunday, it’s 10 miles back across the border into Cornwall, Ontario for the second and final visit by the nativepoker.com Tour to the quick quarter-mile known as the Cornwall Motor Speedway. Just one month prior Canadian Steve Poirier thrilled the big crowd with a popular victory. He will be joined by fellow Canadian Rick Wilson, Russ Bennett, Billy White, John Karklin Jr., Donny Sharp Jr. and others looking to close out the busy weekend. Cornwall Truck Centre will sponsor the Walt’s Hobby Dash Series event on this night.

Edelweiss, Frogtown, Cornwall… Three very different tracks but three nights of a whole lotta fun!! As what has become tradition for the Empire Super Sprints…it will be excitement guaranteed!!

For more information, log on to:
www.autodromeedelweiss.com
www.geocities.com/frogtownspeedway/ 
www.cornwallspeedway.com 
www.empiresupersprints.com 

Empire Super Sprints Fall to Rain at Utica-Rome. July 23rd is established as a Rain Date
by Dean Reynolds

VERNON, N.Y. – It was to be the second of three visits to the half-mile known as the Utica-Rome Speedway. But, heavy afternoon showers put an early cap to the nights activities.

Both Utica-Rome and ESS officials have come up with a Sunday night, July 23rd rain date. For the several thousand fans on hand, it was a tough postponement as 32 sprints were already signed in the pits which included Alan Johnson aboard the nativepoker.com #45 as a teammate to Chuck Hebing. Also in action was Adirondack asphalt late model star Jason Herrington for his first ever attempt in a sprinter as a teammate to Doug Emery with a Patterson Motorsports entry.

As no races were completed, the slate will be wiped clean and all teams are welcome to join ESS for the two race weekend which starts the night prior at the Canandaigua Speedway. The nativepoker.com Tour will take a well deserved weekend off and then it’s back into action with trips to Edelweiss, Frogtown and Cornwall on July 14-16. For more information please log on to www.empiresupersprints.com.

Updated 07/03/2006
(Following Can-Am)
Driver Points Wins Top 5 Top 10
1) Justin Barger 1040 2 6 9  2) Dan Kaszubinski 1007 0 5 8  3) Alain Bergeron 848 0 3 8  4) Steve Poirier (Rookie) 847 3 4 6  5) Jeff VanDusen 846 1 1 7  6) Jessica Zemken (Rookie) 845 1 5 6  7) Doug Emery 839 1 1 5  8) Jeff Cook 835 0 3 7  9) Lance Yonge 802 0 3 6  10) Bubby Kerrick 770 0 2 5

Justin Barger Makes a Clean Sweep at Can-Am; Collects Second Empire Super Sprint Victory of 2006.
By Dean Reynolds

LaFARGEVILLE, N.Y. – While Montrose, N.Y.’s Justin Barger sits atop the Empire Super Sprint (ESS) point standings in 2006, a statement was made Saturday night at the Can-Am Motorsports Park that the 22 year old is ready to make a full assault on the nativepoker.com championship. Making a clean sweep of the evening by winning his heat, dash and the 25 lap A-Main to collect his second victory of the 2006 season.

After taking a year off to pursue USAC racing in both sprints and silver crown cars, the young star has made his return to the ESS wars and is making headlines. His Cortlandt Auto Body sponsored Maxim with a Rider built engine under the hood swept past leader Nick Fratto on a lap 19 restart to take Matt Burdick’s checkered flag in a fast, tacky half-mile.

“The track was fast tonight, I had a good car and felt comfortable. I didn’t lift off the throttle much during the whole night, it’s fun to run on a track like this. You don’t get a lot of nights like this so we will take it.” said the second generation driver who’s father Chris was a star big block driver at the Orange County Fair Speedway.

While it looked like his #32 was the fastest all night, it took him many laps to catch the leaders and eventually set himself up for the win. “I took my time a bit, with the track so fast you had to pick your spots. I had a few cars get in the line I was running so it took a few laps to make a pass.” noted Barger. “But, I think the restarts helped us the most. I had a car that took off quick and I was able to make a bunch of passes from restarts.”

Many-time Can-Am victor Dan Kaszubinski started on the pole and led the first five laps. The driver of the Fratto Motorsports #20 looked to be a pre-race favorite but his teammate Nick Fratto had other ideas by making the pass for the lead in hopes of his second career ESS victory. Fratto’s pace was torrid as he kept all challengers at bay.

Barger came from his eighth place starting spot to fifth just one lap shy of the halfway mark. In fourth on a lap 14 caution, the restart proved critical as he got by both Kaszubinski and Jessica Zemken to take second and the chase to catch Fratto was on.

A final caution on lap 19 bunched the field one last time and the restart was again key for Barger as he used his momentum to take over the lead when lap 20 was in the books. The final five tours went by without any troubles for Barger for win #2 on the nativepoker.com Tour and his fifth overall.

Kaszubinski rebounded with a wild charge late to take second and keep his rival in sights in the overall point standings, Zemken backed up her win in May with a strong third place finish ahead of Chuck Hebing and Fratto who lost some spots in the final laps. Rounding out the top ten were Jason Barney, Doug Emery, former Can-Am star Rick Wilson, Jeff VanDusen, who took a provisional to start the A-Main and earned the Lane’s Yamaha hard charger bonus after starting in 25th, Alain Bergeron was tenth.

One red and four cautions slowed the blistering pace on the big half-mile. On lap two Cory Sparks and Jonathan Eriksen performed a wild double flip that also involved Bergeron, Don Sharp Jr. and Blake Breen. Both Sparks and Eriksen were unharmed but done for the night, the rest restarted the A-Main. Sharp Jr. stopped on lap four, Steve Poirier spun on lap nine, Luke Eriksen had front end damage to bring out the yellow lights on lap 14 with Jeff Cook’s turn four wall encounter bringing out the last caution on lap 19.

Taking the $100 to win Walt’s Hobby/Car Mate Trailers heat events were Barger, Emery, Billy White and Bergeron. The Rt. 37 Building Supply/Walt’s Hobby Dash was won by Barger with the KSE Racing Products B-Main copped by Luke Eriksen.

ESS/CAN-AM NOTES – A stout field of 36 sprints kicked off the holiday weekend…It was the first appearance of 2006 for Jonathan Eriksen but unfortunately his flip in the A-Main made for tough results…The fast track proved tough for many with Lance Yonge, Doug and Matt Norrie, Bobby Podolak and Rick Wilson notable DNQ’s…The winged wonders of the Empire Super Sprints will make one more visit to Can-Am with a special Thursday night event on July 27th bringing back the popular “Shootout”.

Heat 1 - Justin Barger, Kyle Moffit, Cory Sparks, Blake Breen, Russ Bennett
Heat 2 - Doug Emery, Jessica Zemken, John Karklin Jr., Rick Wilson, Tommy Wickham
Heat 3 - Billy White, Nick Fratto, Mike Stelter, Jeff Cook, Steve Poirier
Heat 4 - Alain Bergeron, Chuck Hebing, Jason Barney, Dan Kaszubinski, Bubby Kerrick
Rt. 37 Building Supply/Walt's Hobby Dash - Justin Barger
B-Main - Luke Eriksen, Dave Wickham, Jonathan Eriksen, Ray Preston.
Provisional Starters - Jeff VanDusen, Don Sharp Jr.
Did Not Qualify - Lance Yonge, Randy Years, Justin Harris, Scott Davis, Bobby Podolak, Matt Norrie, April Wilson, Kyle Wilson, George Ely, Doug Norrie.

A-MAIN - JUSTIN BARGER, Dan Kaszubinski, Jessica Zemken, Chuck Hebing, Nick Fratto, Jason Barney, Doug Emery, Rick Wilson, Jeff VanDusen, Alain Bergeron, Tommy Wickham, Don Sharp Jr., Steve Poirier, Billy White, Blake Breen, Bubby Kerrick, Kyle Moffit, Russ Bennett, Mike Stelter, Jeff Cook, Luke Eriksen, John Karklin Jr., Dave Wickham, Ray Preston, Cory Sparks, Jonathan Eriksen.

Gater News Lap Leaders – Kaszubinski 1-5, Fratto 6-19, Barger 20-25.
Ohsweken Speedway Winner’s Bonus – Barger $100
National Parts Peddler Halfway Bonus – Fratto $100
Rt. 37 Building Supply/Walt’s Hobby Dash – Barger $100
Lane’s Yamaha Hard Charger Bonus – VanDusen (16 pos.) $50
Geneva Curbing Bridesmaid Bonus – Kaszubinski $50
Walt’s Hobby/Car Mate Trailers Heat Win Bonus – Barger, Emery, White, Bergeron $100

Winner’s Bonuses: ATL $100, Butler Built $100, Hank’s Performance $50, Total Seal $50, Saldana Racing Products $50, HRP $50, Kreitz Oval Track Products $50, B&B Oval Track Products $50, Racing Optics $30, Area Auto Racing News $30, Rod End Supply $30, Behrent’s Performance Warehouse/Mechanix Wear $20, Earl’s Indy $20, MRE Productions $15, Pepsi $15, Ultra-Shield $10.

Other Bonuses:
Weld Racing Hard Luck – Sparks $100
Design 500 – Fratto, Stelter $200
Penske Shocks – Fratto $100
M&W Aluminum – Stelter $75
Leaf Racewear – Zemken $75
KSE Racing Products – L. Eriksen $50
Zemco Headers – Fratto $50
Joe Hunt Magnetos – Sparks $50
Rod End Supply – Kaszubinski $30
FourWide Motorsports – Fratto $25
LA Sharp Services – T. Wickham $25
DMI – J. Eriksen $25
BR Motorsports – Yonge $25
Ultra-Shield – Kaszubinski $10
Pepsi – Emery, White, Bergeron $5

Steve Poirier Collects Third Empire Super Sprint Victory of 2006 with Exciting win at Albany-Saratoga
By Dean Reynolds

MALTA, N.Y. – When St. Mathieu de Beloeil, Quebec’s Steve Poirier decided to switch from DIRT modified racing to the world of winged sprint cars and the Empire Super Sprint (ESS) series several knew that he would be a top runner from the start. But, three wins in the ten races and being the only repeat winner on the tour has captured the attention from may in the 24 year old organization.

With a pass on Doug Norrie with just three laps to go, Poirier’s 4 Saisons Foundation backed Maxim collected the exciting win Tuesday night at the Albany-Saratoga Speedway. The special event billed as the “Race Fans Dream”, the nativepoker.com Tour for ESS shared the bill with the Race of Champions tour for big block mods.

“This is pretty amazing, I really didn’t believe I would have three wins on a series that is so tough.” said the always calm French-Canadian. “I was just hoping to run well, do the whole tour and learn. But, when the car is right it gives you a chance to win and tonight it was good. When the car isn’t good you can have a bad night and we have had them…I’ve been upside down three times this year also!”

The Spectro Oils #65 of Russ Bennett led lap one when the Spectro Oils #92M of Norrie slipped by looking to take home his second career ESS A-Main triumph. Norrie opened up a sizable lead even after two early cautions using the extreme outside of the track. Poirier was making his moves to the front as well moving into fifth on lap 10m third on lap 13 and then second on lap 16.

As the closing stages was setting in, Norrie’s sprinter was get loose as the laps clicked on and Poirier was closing in rapidly. On lap 21, Norrie almost slipped off the track in turn four and that saw Poirier side by side with him coming down the front stretch. Just one lap later, the inside pass was made and victory was in sight…however.

With the white flag ready to wave the front wing came off Luke Eriksen’s sprinter and made contact with Poirier’s car knocking his front wing almost off as well. “I knew my wing got hit, I could see it sitting sideways on my front end. When we went green I didn’t know what to expect.” Poirier said on those final two laps. “When I went in the corners the car just pushed way up the track, I moved the wing as far forward as I could to help. While it was tough in the corners, down the straits I had tons of bite so that was good and I guess it worked.”

Fellow Quebec native Alain Bergeron made it a three race challenge on the final lap but it was Poirier in for his third victory of the still young 2006 season. Bergeron did make the pass on Norrie to take second with Norrie’s fine run ending with a third place finish. Jessica Zemken was fourth with Bennett, who also lost his front wing but early in the event, take fifth. Rounding out the top ten were Lance Yonge, Bubby Kerrick, the Geneva Curbing #20 of Dan Kaszubinski, current point leader Justin Barger who earned the Lane’s Yamaha hard charger bonus after starting in 21st and Jeff VanDusen in tenth.

Three cautions, all minor in nature, slowed the fast pace. Bennett’s wing on lap nine, Cory Sparks went off the track on lap 12 and the front wing of Eriksen on lap 23.

Taking the Car Mate Trailers heat events were Bergeron, Bennett and Poirier. The Gabriel’s IGA Supermarkets/Walt’s Hobby Dash was won by Bergeron with the KSE Racing Products B-Main taken by Donny Sharp Jr.

ESS/ALBANY-SARATOGA NOTES: Another good field of sprints on hand with 31 in the pits…A nice welcome back to long-time ESS faithful Dick Spadaro. But fuel pick up problems hindered his night…Sportsman star John Scarborough made his first ever ESS start in the Brad Davis #3 but wound up a flip victim in his heat…John Smith III also came back to ESS competition but he too found his sprinter upside down in his heat…With Tony Laughing and Randy Connors from nativepoker.com on hand, it was good to see all three of their cars in the top ten…Even with record amounts of rain fall and a state of emergency across much of New York State because of flooding, the rain stayed a mere few miles away from the Malta oval. A good crowd came out to see the popular double-header…The stars and cars of ESS will return to Albany-Saratoga on Fri., Aug. 25th to make up the May 12th rain out.

RESULTS:
Heat 1 – Alain Bergeron, Jessica Zemken, Doug Norrie, Mike Stelter, Blasé Regina, Dan Kaszubinski.
Heat 2 – Russ Bennett, Doug Emery, Lance Yonge, Nick Fratto, John Karklin Jr., Jason Barney.
Heat 3 – Steve Poirier, Billy White, Ray Preston, Bubby Kerrick, Jeff Cook, Matt Norrie.
Gabriel’s IGA Supermarkets/Walt’s Hobby Dash – Alain Bergeron.
B-Main – Don Sharp Jr., Cory Sparks, Jeff VanDusen, Luke Eriksen.
Added Starter – Justin Barger.
Did Not Qualify – Warren Alexson, Josh Flach, Dick Spadaro, James Hanson, Randy Years, Kayle Robidoux, John Scarborough, John Smith III.

A-MAIN – STEVE POIRIER, Alain Bergeron, Doug Norrie, Jessica Zemken, Russ Bennett, Lance Yonge, Bubby Kerrick, Dan Kaszubinski, Justin Barger, Jeff VanDusen, Ray Preston, Jeff Cook, Don Sharp Jr., John Karklin Jr., Nick Fratto, Blase' Regina, Luke Eriksen, Matt Norrie, Doug Emery, Cory Sparks, Jason Barney, Mike Stelter, Billy White.

Gater News Lap Leaders – Bennett 1, D. Norrie 2-22, Poirier 23-25.
Ohsweken Speedway Winner’s Bonus – Poirier $100
National Parts Peddler Halfway Bonus – D. Norrie $100
Gabriel’s IGA Supermarkets/Walt’s Hobby Dash – Bergeron $100
Lane’s Yamaha Hard Charger Bonus – Barger (12 pos.) $50
Geneva Curbing Bridesmaid Bonus – Bergeron $50
Car Mate Trailers Heat Win Bonus – Bergeron, Bennett, Poirier $25
Winner’s Bonuses: ATL $100, Butler Built $100, Penske Shocks $100, Hank’s Performance $50, Total Seal $50, Saldana Racing Products $50, HRP $50, Kreitz Oval Track Products $50, B&B Oval Track Products $50, Racing Optics $30, Area Auto Racing News $30, Rod End Supply $30, Behrent’s Performance Warehouse/Mechanix Wear $20, Earl’s Indy $20, MRE Productions $15, Ultra-Shield $10, Pepsi $10
Other Bonuses:
Weld Racing Hard Luck – Scarborough $100
Design 500 – Bennett, M. Norrie $200
M&W Aluminum – Yonge $75
Leaf Racewear – D. Norrie $75
KSE Racing Products – Sharp Jr. $50
Zemco Headers – Bennett $50
Joe Hunt Magnetos – Stelter $50
Rod End Supply – D. Norrie $30
FourWide Motorsports – Zemken $25
LA Sharp Services – Eriksen $25
DMI – White $25
BR Motorsports – Alexson $25
Ultra-Shield – D. Norrie $10
Pepsi – Bergeron $10, Bennett, Sharp Jr. $5.

It’s a Race Fans Dream This Tuesday Night at Albany-Saratoga; Empire Super Sprints and Race of Champions Tour Share Same Bill
By Dean Reynolds

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – You know when a show is scheduled for mid-week, it will be a special one. Dubbed as the “Race Fans Dream”, the nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints (ESS) along with the Race of Champions Tour for big block modifieds will highlight the evening at the Albany-Saratoga Speedway.

With the scheduled ESS event falling to rain back on May 12th, this will be the first time the winged warriors will take on the 1/3rd mile oval in Malta, N.Y. That first scheduled event will be made up on August 25th. Fans and race teams should note that Wednesday night is set for a rain date for the “Race Fans Dream”

The Capital District area events are so important to many ESS teams that call Eastern, N.Y. as well as New England home. Two of those New Englanders are coming off a huge event this past Saturday at the South Buxton Raceway. Teammates Billy White and Russ Bennett are coming off a first and fourth place finish up in Canada with White collecting his first ever A-Main triumph. Both drivers will have many friends and fans in the stands at Albany-Saratoga.

The same will go for John Karklin Jr., Jeff VanDusen, Cory Sparks, Jessica Zemken along with Don Sharps Jr., Luke Eriksen and the Norrie Bros., Doug and Matt. Joining the “local flavor: will be current ESS point leader Justin Barger, many-time Albany winner Dan Kaszubinski, defending champion Lance Yonge, Jeff Cook, Doug Emery, Quebec natives Steve Poirier and Alain Bergeron as well as Bubby Kerrick, Nick Fratto and others which will make for a star studded field.

Andy Harpell’s Race of Champions (ROC) Tour will make it’s first ever stop at Bruce Richards’ track and will make for one exciting show. Two big Tours in the Northeast for the price of one, fans are encouraged to get there early.

It’s the nativepoker.com Empire Super Sprints and the ROC big block modifieds… It will be excitement guaranteed!!!

For more information, please log on to:
www.cvra.com 
www.rocdirt.com
www.empiresupersprints.com 

Jessica Zemken’s Heart Break is Good Fortune for Jeff VanDusen; Collects First ESS win of 2006 at Ohsweken
By Dean Reynolds

OHSWEKEN, ONT. – Everything but the popping of the champagne was ready for Jessica Zemken and her upcoming victory lane celebration Friday night at the Ohsweken Speedway when the nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints (ESS) made their visit. There was just one problem however, the winner of the Spectro Oils Canadian Invasion event was Otego, N.Y.’s Jeff VanDusen and he wasn’t about ready to give it back.

The young, 20 year old lady was bringing the stout field of sprinters to the checkered flag in hopes of her second victory of 2006. With the big crowd up cheering her on, her nativepoker.com backed sprinter came up lame in turn one on the final lap, a victim of a blown right rear tire. VanDusen’s #56 was right there and he avoided Zemken’s disabled mount, survived a one lap shoot out with Nick Fratto to break a long streak of bad luck for himself as well.

“I was just ready to make a run on her on the last lap when all of a sudden her right rear tire just blew apart. She did a great job holding on to the car and I just missed her.” noted VanDusen on the sudden turn of events. “I guess we finally had some good luck, it’s been a horrible 2006 for, maybe we can get on a roll and see if we can move up in the points.”

Nick Fratto brought the field down for the 25 lap A-Main and he also was looking to bring some good results to his stable for 2006. The teenager led comfortably through the mid-stages of the event despite a slow oil leak aboard his #F1. VanDusen came from his seventh place start to take second on lap nine, Zemken then went by him on lap 12 to have the runner-up slot to herself.

Zemken’s sprinter got faster as the race went on and with lapped cars she was able to close in on Fratto for the top spot. On lap 18, she blasted around Fratto and into the lead which looked to be hers until the checkered flag. VanDusen slipped by Fratto as the white flag was waving trying to set up a last ditch effort for the win. His bid came just a little easier with Zemken’s misfortune.

“I think I went through some debris when Justin (Barger) stopped. My car just got better during the race and I could run the bottom better than anyone. I think that was because the tire was losing some air which gave me bite, I couldn’t believe how good it was on the low side.” said Zemken afterwards. “Then in the last few laps it felt weird, I guess it was ready to blow. I didn’t even know what went wrong, that’s why I didn’t got into the pits but it was a big blow out. It took off my nerf bar, bent the header and radius rod. I was done.”

For VanDusen, his Rich’s Auto Body sponsored Maxim hasn’t seen many top five finishes in 2006, a season where title aspirations were the goal. “It just hasn’t been easy this year. We had a good car tonight, we were really good up high.” VanDusen mentioned. “With the slower cars coming up I was gaining back on her, it would have been fun to see what would have happened on that last lap. I was there but her bad luck was my good luck.”

At the finish it was VanDusen, who became the seventh different winner in eight shows, Fratto was second followed by Matt Norrie who had his best finish of 2006 with a fine third place run. Same for Randy Years in his Randy’s Racing Filters #2 for a solid fourth with Lance Yonge completing the top five. Rounding out the top ten were John Karklin Jr., Alain Bergeron, Doug Emery, Steve Poirier and Jeff Cook.

Winning the Car Mate Trailers heat events were VanDusen, Yonge and Kyle Moffit, the Walt’s Hobby Dash was won by Yonge with the KSE Racing Products B-Main taken by Billy White.

Just three cautions slowed the pace on a tacky Ohsweken oval. Michael Parent lost power on the initial start, Barger’s broken rear end was the culprit on lap two and the final yellow was on lap 24 with Zemken’s blown tire.

ESS/OHSWEKEN NOTES: A good field of 28 sprints were on hand for the annual visit with a good crowd filling the stands as well…A solid and welcomed support from many Southern Ontario Sprint drivers. Craig Downie and Tom Huppunen made the A-Main starting field with Fred Cade, James Whittaker, Jim Price, Terry Baker and Fred Pigeon, who hails from British Columbia, also on hand…Kyle Drum was the only flip victim as he went over in the B-Main ending his night…With the early afternoon rain shower, the track turned up tacky and fast with Yonge topping 100 m.p.h. in the dash…The nativepoker.com Tour will again come to Glenn Styres’ fine facility as a part of the second annual Canadian Sprint Car Nationals which will be held on Sept. 15 and 16. For VanDusen, Fratto and Matt Norrie, they will be ESS representatives in the Village Pizza Shootout in Friday of the Nationals.

RESULTS:
Heat 1 – Jeff VanDusen, Nick Fratto, John Karklin Jr., Justin Barger, Doug Emery, Michael Parent.
Heat 2 – Lance Yonge, Randy Years, Alain Bergeron, Dan Kaszubinski, Matt Norrie, Tom Huppunen.
Heat 3 – Kyle Moffit, Russ Bennett, Jessica Zemken, Jeff Cook, Steve Poirier, Doug Norrie.
Walt’s Hobby Dash – Lance Yonge.
B-Main – Billy White, Craig Downie, Glenn Styres, Bubby Kerrick.
Did Not Qualify – Jim Price, Fred Pigeon, Fred Cade, Kyle Drum, James Whittaker, Terry Baker.

A-MAIN – JEFF VANDUSEN, Nick Fratto, Matt Norrie, Randy Years, Lance Yonge, John Karklin Jr., Alain Bergeron, Doug Emery, Steve Poirier, Jeff Cook, Dan Kaszubinski, Jessica Zemken, Doug Norrie, Glenn Styres, Tom Huppunen, Bubby Kerrick, Billy White, Russ Bennett, Craig Downie, Kyle Moffit, Justin Barger, Michael Parent.

Gater News Lap Leaders – Fratto 1-17, Zemken 18-24, VanDusen 25.
Ohsweken Speedway Winner’s Bonus – VanDusen $100.
National Parts Peddler Halfway Bonus – Fratto $100.
Walt’s Hobby Dash – Yonge $100
Lane’s Yamaha Hard Charger – Styres (7 pos.) $50.
Geneva Curbing Bridesmaid Bonus – M. Norrie $50.
Car Mate Trailers – VanDusen, Yonge and Moffit $25.

EMPIRE SUPER SPRINT POINTS AS OF 6/24

nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints.
1. Justin Barger 839
2. Dan Kaszubinski 811
3. Jeff Cook 731
4. Jeff VanDusen 703
5. Doug Emery 703
6. Lance Yonge 687
7. Steve Poirier 659
8. Alain Bergeron 654
9. Bubby Kerrick 631
10. Jessica Zemken 628

Spectro Oils Canadian Invasion Points
1. Justin Barger 477
2. Jessica Zemken 429
3. Alain Bergeron 424
4. Doug Emery 418
5. Dan Kaszubinski 417

Walt's Hobby Dash Series Points
1. Justin Barger 21
2. Lance Yonge 18
3. Steve Poirier 13
3. Jeff VanDusen 13
3. John Karklin Jr. 13

Gater News Lap Leader Points
1. Billy White 49
2. Jessica Zemken 30
3. John Karklin Jr. 23
4. Justin Barger 20
5. Steve Poirier 19

It was a Night of Firsts for the Empire Super Sprints: Billy White Collects First Ever A-Main Win in ESS’ First Ever Visit to South Buxton
By Dean Reynolds

SOUTH BUXTON, ON – On Saturday night history was made on two fronts for the nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints (ESS). In the 24 year history of the 360 sprint car it marked the first time that the winged warriors invaded the South Buxton Raceway in Western, Ontario, Canada for a Spectro Oils Canadian Invasion event. When the checkered flag fell at the conclusion of the 25 lap A-Main, it was Billy White standing alone celebrating his first ever feature event win.

For the Oakdale, Ct. chauffeur he did it in style by leading all 25 laps and holding off a fast closing Jessica Zemken to bring his Russ Bennett owned, Spectro Oils sponsored J&J #66 in for the triumph. For the 2002 ESS rookie of the year it was a long time coming after many hard earned efforts to grace victory lane for the first time and he earned $2490 in cash and bonuses.

“Finally, what else I can say. I have finished second four times, led so many races but just never seemed to get it done. Finally we did tonight!” exclaimed one happy winner. “This is a tricky track but it was tacky tonight and that fits my style. We are getting closer on dry/slick but when it’s heavy like it is tonight I feel more comfortable. The car was good and I just tried to stay clean and not make a mistake, it worked.”

Teammates White and Bennett made up the front row when the field came down for the green flag in front of the packed house. White got the jump on his car owner to lead from the start, surviving two reds and one yellow flag at halfway the likeable driver didn’t miss a beat. His run looked free and clear until a late race charge from Zemken that got the house on their feet.

After a very disappointing outcome the night before at Ohsweken, Zemken was hoping to settle up the score for herself. As the final 12 laps went green she moved through the top three and into second in the closing stages. The gap closed quickly and with just one lap left she was on the rear bumper of White’s sprinter. In the final two corners White got a better line to pass a lapped car and on to a well earned victory.

“They (the crew) told me afterwards that she was coming and coming fast. Hey, she has done on hell of a job this year and I’m not surprised that she was coming.” noted White on his late race rival. ‘The track did dry some in the groove and that probably slowed us up bit. But, for once we didn’t come out on the short end. Russ and I have a goal to do the whole tour this year and with this win and he finishing in fourth it will make the 30 hour round trip a little shorter.”

For Zemken, she simply summed it up in very few words…”I needed one more lap…Again!”

At the finish it was White in for the victory and he now becomes the fifth driver that has earned their first ever ESS victory this year. Also, marked the eighth different winner in nine total events held so far in 2006. Zemken was a close second followed by Justin Barger who won the Lane’s Yamaha Hard Charger Bonus coming from his 14th place starting spot. The third place finish also put him ahead in both overall and Canadian point standings. Bennett was in for fourth with Nick Fratto taking fifth backing up his runner-up finish the night prior. Rounding out the top ten were Bubby Kerrick, Ohsweken winner Jeff VanDusen, Doug Emery, Jeff Cook and Alain Bergeron.

The track with extreme bite did claim some sprinters in the early goings. On lap one Steve Poirier went over in turn two with Jeff Daniels climbing a wheel and doing the same in turn three. Just one lap later J.R. Stewart flipped over his mount with John Karklin Jr. and Kyle Drum also going over in the same area. The lone caution on lap 13 was for debris.

Taking the Car Mate Trailers heat events were Zemken, White and Poirier with Poirier claiming the Walt’s Hobby Dash event.

ESS/SOUTH BUXTON NOTES: A total of 23 sprinters made the tow to the furthest west located point show ever held with ESS…Daniels was the only newcomer to ESS but his hard flip in the A-Main ended his night on a down note. He became 65th different driver to compete so far this season…Michael Parent injured his shoulder in a heat race accident. While sore, he watched the rest of the night in the pit area…Next up for the nativepoker.com Tour will be this Tuesday night with the heavily build “Race Fans Dream”. The stars and cars of ESS will share the bill with the Race of Champions Dirt Modified Tour for a exciting twin bill. Wednesday night has been set up as a rain date for the event.

RESULTS:
Heat 1 – Jessica Zemken, Justin Barger, Kyle Moffit, Lance Yonge, Jeff Cook, Matt Norrie.
Heat 2 – Billy White, Jeff VanDusen, John Karklin Jr., Bubby Kerrick, Doug Norrie, Dan Kaszubinski.
Heat 3 – Steve Poirier, Russ Bennett, Nick Fratto, Doug Emery, Alain Bergeron, J.R. Stewart.
Walt’s Hobby Dash – Poirier.
Did Not Qualify – Michael Parent.

A-MAIN – BILLY WHITE, Jessica Zemken, Justin Barger, Russ Bennett, Nick Fratto, Bubby Kerrick, Jeff VanDusen, Doug Emery, Jeff Cook, Alain Bergeron, Dan Kaszubinski, Lance Yonge, Kyle Moffit, Steve Poirier, Randy Years, Doug Norrie, J.R. Stewart, John Karklin Jr., Kyle Drum, Matt Norrie, Jeff Daniels, James Whittaker.
Gater News Lap Leader – White 1-25.
Ohsweken Speedway Winner’s Bonus – White $100
National Parts Peddler Halfway – White $100
Walt’s Hobby Dash – Poirier $100
Lane’s Yamaha Hard Charger – Barger (11 pos.) $50
Geneva Curbing Bridesmaid Bonus – Zemken $50
Car Mate Trailers Heat Winners Bonus – Zemken, White, Poirier $25
Winner’s Bonuses: ATL $100, Butler Built $100, Hank’s Performance $50, Total Seal $50, Saldana Racing Products $50, HRP $50, Kreitz Oval Track Products $50, B&B Oval Track Products $50, Racing Optics $30, Area Auto Racing News $30, Rod End Supply $30, Behrent’s Performance Warehouse/Mechanix Wear $20, Earl’s Indy $20, MRE Productions $15, Ultra-Shield $10, Pepsi $10
Other Bonuses:
Weld Racing Hard Luck – Drum $100
Design 500 – Fratto, Moffit $200
Penske Shocks – Bergeron $100
M&W Aluminum – Barger $75
Leaf Racewear – Barger $75
Zemco Headers – Fratto $50
Joe Hunt Magnetos – M. Norrie $50
Rod End Supply – Zemken $30
FourWide Motorsports – Bennett $25
LA Sharp Services – Drum $25
DMI – Whittaker $25
BR Motorsports – Parent $25
Ultra-Shield – Zemken $10
Pepsi – Poirier $10, Zemken $5

A Familiar Face and a First Time Visit this Weekend for the Empire Super Sprints
By Dean Reynolds

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – After a very successful visit to Quebec and Eastern Ontario, Canada, the nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints (ESS) will head west for two more stops on the Spectro Oils Canadian Invasion Series. It’s a return visit to the Ohsweken Speedway this Friday night before a little history will be made on Sat. with the first ever appearance to the South Buxton Raceway.

Owner and promoter Glenn Styres has built himself a mecca of sprint car racing north of the border with his very successful Ohsweken Speedway. Holding no less than four different series of sprint cars as well as the second annual Canadian Sprint Car Nationals this Sept. which pays the winner over $6,000, this wide and spacious oval is quickly becoming a favorite for all sprint fans in two countries. The stars and cars of ESS will make its traditional full point stop for the fourth year in a row now and a big field of cars is expected to fill the pits along with Styres himself behind the wheel of his familiar #0.

Dan Kaszubinski, currently second in overall points as well as Spectro points, has won the last two events at Ohsweken for ESS and comes in as one of the favorites. Current point leader in both is Justin Barger and his black #32 will grace Ohsweken soil along with Jeff VanDusen and Lance Yonge who took second and third in the first ever running of the Nationals held last year. They followed legendary Kenny Jacobs to the checkered flag.

After the Friday night stop it’s on to the first ever visit to the South Buxton Raceway which is celebrating its 35th anniversary. While the oval located near Merlin, Ont. is new to the nativepoker.com Tour, it has hosted many sprint car series including the very successful All-Star Circuit of Champions. Some of the top ESS chauffeurs looking to etch their name into the record books as the first winner will be Jeff Cook, Doug Emery as well as rookie sensations Steve Poirier, the series only two-time winner, and 20 year old young lady Jessica Zemken who has a win to her credit as well. Along with Bubby Kerrick, Alain Bergeron, Doug and Matt Norrie, Don Sharp Jr., Russ Bennett, Billy White, Nick Fratto, Kyle Drum and many more it will be a star studded field.

It’s stops four and five on the Spectro Oils Canadian Invasion Series, a return to Ohsweken and the maiden voyage to South Buxton…as always it will be excitement guaranteed!!

For more information:
www.empiresupersprints.com
www.ohswekenspeedway.com
www.southebuxtonraceway.com 

Past Empire Super Sprint Winners at Ohsweken.
July 25, 2003 Mike Woodring
June 25, 2004 Dan Kaszubinski
June 24, 2005 Dan Kaszubinski
Sept.17, 2005 Kenny Jacobs

Steve Poirier Tops Justin Barger in Empire Super Sprint Thriller at the Cornwall Motor Speedway
By Dean Reynolds

CORNWALL, ONT – It was Canada vs. US, a sprint rookie vs. a 22 year old Empire Super Sprint (ESS) star. Quebec’s Steve Poirier and Montrose, N.Y.’s Justin Barger waged a war among wars in a classic two car battle that kept the huge Cornwall Motor Speedway in their feet for 25 tension filled laps. The two drivers swapped the lead six times before the Canadian fans had a chance to cheer one of their own…Steve Poirier wins the Spectro Oils Canadian Invasion event with a lap 23 pass to thrill all in attendance.

When the French-Canadian star from St. Mathieu de Beloeil, Quebec made it known that he was going to tackle the nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints in 2006, some knew that he would be a instant threat in the 24 year old organization. The driver just might be the best DIRT big block driver to ever come out of the French speaking province, now he is making a name for himself in the world of wings.

With the exciting pass with two laps to go at the ultra-quick quarter-mile, Poirier becomes the first driver to repeat victory in seven ESS events this year. “That was a great race! That’s all I can say. Maybe a little lucky or not but I gave it my all to make that pass and I guess it worked out.” said the driver who always displays a calm about himself. “Those last laps I never lifted, here on this small track, I never lifted…that was fun!”

Indeed, it was fun for the fans as well. When Barger juts nipped past Poirier on lap 21 when the caution lights came out, he knew it was a “do or die” attempt to get his lead back. “He (Justin) did a great job to get me just as the yellow came out. I just figured that I had to drive a little bit harder, so that is what I did.” Poirier mentioned. “I have plenty of experience here with the mod so I hoped that helped some. I knew turns one and two are good up top and that is where I went. Luckily it worked, I’m just so happy to win in front of many of my fans.”

For Barger, it could have been looked at as one that got away. He got beat by a rookie, but this is no normal rookie. “Steve is a great driver, he just drove a great race and beat me. I had to congratulate him” said Barger shortly afterwards who was also looking to become the first repeat winner on the tour. “That yellow on lap 21 I think did me in. I just wasn’t that good when my tires cooled off and he was better than me in one and two. If the green stayed out I probably would have won. But, he took advantage and drove a heck of a race.”

With the pill draw coming up 12, most of the field got inverted on this night with Barger and Poirier claiming the front row and what a show they put on. Barger led laps one to six, Poirier than took over until lap 13 when Barger just slipped past to collect the National Parts Peddler halfway bonus. Poirier then got the lead back on lap 14 and held it until lap 21 when the caution lights came on. Barger did lead lap 22 but when the two-lap-to-go sign came down it was Poirier’s FM Industries Maxim in the lead and on to victory.

Finishing right behind the front two was two-time Cornwall winner Jeff Cook with his Rt. 37 Building Supply #10, Bubby Kerrick was home for fourth just ahead of Dan Kaszubinski. Rounding out the top ten were Jeff VanDusen, Lance Yonge, Canadians Rick Wilson and Alain Bergeron with Kyle Drum taking tenth which earned him the Lane’s Yamaha hard charger bonus after starting in 20th.

Just two cautions slowed the event with both being for newcomer Justin Harris.

Taking the Car Mate Trailer heat events were Barger, Yonge and Bobby Podolak with the Northwood2 Construction/Walt’s Hobby Dash being won by Yonge.

ESS/CORNWALL NOTES: A total of 24 sprints entered the event on the first of two events to Ron Morin’s beautiful facility…Harris made his return to ESS competition after taking a year off…Michael Parent was the only sprint to get in it’s wing with a solo flip after the checkered flag on heat one…Many representatives from nativepoker.com were on had to view the action. Both Yonge and Kerrick had their nativepoker.com sprinters on display for the fans…The winged warriors of ESS will make their second stop on July 16th…Next weekend will be two more Spectro Oils Canadian Invasion events as the teams will travel to Western Ontario with stops at Ohsweken and South Buxton Speedways. The visit to South Buxton will be the first ever for ESS.

RESULTS:
Heat 1 – Justin Barger, Doug Emery, Russ Bennett, Doug Norrie, Justin Harris, Kyle Moffit.
Heat 2 – Lance Yonge, Dan Kaszubinski, Steve Poirier, Billy White, Jeff VanDusen, Jessica Zemken.
Heat 3 – Bobby Podolak, Rick Wilson, Don Sharp Jr., Jeff Cook, Bubby Kerrick, Alain Bergeron.
Northwood2 Construction/Walt’s Hobby Dash – Lance Yonge.
Added Starter – Randy Years.
Did Not Qualify – Michael Parent.

A-MAIN – STEVE POIRIER, Justin Barger, Jeff Cook, Bubby Kerrick, Dan Kaszubinski, Jeff VanDusen, Lance Yonge, Rick Wilson, Alain Bergeron, Kyle Drum, Doug Emery, Russ Bennett, Don Sharp Jr., Jessica Zemken, Luke Eriksen, Billy White, Matt Norrie, Doug Norrie, Nick Fratto, Justin Harris, Randy Years, Kyle Moffit, Bob Podolak.

Gater News Lap Leaders – Barger 1-6, Poirier 7-12, Barger 13, Poirier 14-20, Barger 21-22, Poirier 23-25.
Ohsweken Speedway Winner’s Bonus – Poirier $100
National Parts Peddler Halfway Bonus – Barger $100
Northwood2 Construction/Walt’s Hobby Dash – Yonge $100
Lane’s Yamaha Hard Charger Bonus – Drum (10 pos.) $50
Geneva Curbing Bridesmaid Bonus – Barger $50
Car Mate Trailer Heat Bonus – Barger, Yonge, Podolak $25.

Doug Emery Ends Dryspell on the nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints with Exciting Win at Autodrome Granby
By Dean Reynolds

GRANBY, QC – It’s been since October of 2003 when Empire Super Sprint (ESS) veteran Doug Emery has graced victory lane, a drought far too long for the talented chauffeur out of Nedrow, N.Y. All that came to an exciting end as the driver of the Patterson Motorsports #33 won a spirited battle with Doug Norrie to claim the first Spectro Oils Canadian Invasion event of the 2006 season which came at Autodrome Granby in front of a standing room only, record setting crowd.

Coming from his 14th place starting spot, Emery admitted that he was driving a car that best be described as “hooked up” and that was indeed the case. In the top five on lap four, third on lap 12 and ready for the challenge just one tour later in hopes for his first victory of the season on the nativepoker.com Tour.

“This car was fast right from the start of the night, I knew it was good right after the heat.” noted Emery of his BeaberBuilt sprinter powered by an engine built by himself. “I told Wayne (Patterson) to just put a new tire on it and we would be all set. I got a good start and passed a bunch of cars early and that was a big help.”

The big half-mile was unusually slick but Emery has long been noted as a master of these types of conditions on the ESS circuit and tonight he proved that he was the teacher. “Doug (Norrie) was fast but he was running a little higher than I was and I could see that he was using up his tires and getting a little loose.” Said Emery on how the race unfolded. “I got him once but he did a great job getting back around on the outside. I felt that he just wasn’t going to hold that line so I just waited for the next opening to make the pass.”

That opening came as the five-laps-to-go signal came down on the field with Emery sweeping low and by the Spectro Oils #92M of Norrie for the lead, a lead that would open up rapidly. Not even a lap 24 caution was to stand in the way for career win #6 on the ESS circuit.

“This win feels good, it was getting a little frustrating not getting one for so long. Tommy (Patterson, the car owner) has spent some good money and we have good equipment but for some reason we just couldn’t get it all together.” said Emery. “Tonight was our night, we are concentrating on the full tour this year and hopefully we can string a good run from here.”

Billy White was also strong from the start as he led the first 10 circuits before Norrie took command. Then the two “Doug’s” swapped the top spot, which excited the huge crowd on hand. Emery lead lap 15, Norrie was again in command on lap 16 with the final lead change on lap 20.

At the checkered flag it was Emery winning over Norrie making for the fifth different winner in as many events for 2006, New Hampshire’s Don Sharp Jr. in for his second strong run in a row with a fine third, Jessica Zemken’s nativepoker.com sponsored sprint was fourth with Kyle Drum collecting his first top five of the year with a strong fifth. Rounding out the top ten was defending Spectro Oils Canadian Invasion champion Lance Yonge, Justin Barger, Dan Kaszubinski, Quebec’s own Alain Bergeron and Russ Bennett who also sports the Spectro Oils colors.

Three cautions and one red did keep the field in check for the 25 lap A-Main. Jeff VanDusen stopped on lap four, Quebec rookie Michael Parent hit the turn one wall hard on lap five. The red lights came on with 14 laps in a perennial champion Steve Poirier did a quick flip that disappointed the hometown crowd. White’s strong night ended when he spun on lap 17 trying to regain second place with the final caution

on the last lap when Jeff Cook also hit the wall.

Taking the Car Mate Trailer heat events were Randy Years, Poirier and Doug Norrie with the KSE Racing Products B-Main won by Barger.

ESS/GRANBY NOTES: A fine field of 29 sprints in the pits on the first of three visits to the track East of Montreal…Making their first ever ESS starts were James Hanson and Lonnie Lacaillade, both drivers hail from Vermont…Ohsweken Speedway owner and promoter Glenn Styres was on hand making his first ESS start of 2006…For the first time in over a decade, fans had to be turned around at the gate as every seat in the house was filled. The line to get in the parking area was backed up for over a mile out towards Rte. 10…the nativepoker.com Tour will make a visit just one week from this Granby event…The stars and cars of ESS will trek back to Autodrome Granby on July 28th and Sept. 1st.

RESULTS:
Heat 1 – Randy Years, Don Sharp Jr., Lance Yonge, Kyle Moffit, Jessica Zemken, Bubby Kerrick.
Heat 2 – Don Sharp Jr., Michael Parent, Kyle Drum, Russ Bennett, Doug Emery, Dan Kaszubinski.
Heat 3 – Doug Norrie, John Karklin Jr., Jeff VanDusen, Billy White, Nick Fratto, Alain Bergeron.
B-Main – Justin Barger, Bobby Podolak, Jeff Cook, Glenn Styres.
Added Starter – Matt Norrie.
Did Not Qualify – Cory Sparks, Kayle Robidoux, Lonnie Lacaillade, James Hanson, Luke Eriksen, George Ely.

A-MAIN – DOUG EMERY, Doug Norrie, Don Sharp Jr., Jessica Zemken, Kyle Drum, Lance Yonge, Justin Barger, Dan Kaszubinski, Alain Bergeron, Russ Bennett, Bubby Kerrick, John Karklin Jr., Kyle Moffit, Matt Norrie, Nick Fratto, Randy Years, Glenn Styres, Jeff Cook, Billy White, Jeff VanDusen, Steve Poirier, Michael Parent, Bobby Podolak.

Gater News Lap Leaders – White 1-10, D. Norrie 11-14, Emery 15, D. Norrie 16-19, Emery 20-25.
Ohsweken Speedway Winner’s Bonus – Emery $100.
National Parts Peddler Halfway – Norrie $100.
Lane’s Yamaha Hard Charger – Emery (13 pos.) $50.
Geneva Curbing Bridesmaid Bonus – D. Norrie $50.
Car Mate Trailers Heat Winners – Years, Sharp Jr., D. Norrie $25.

Last Lap Pass Gives Justin Barger an Exciting Empire Super Sprint victory at Autodrome Drummond
By Dean Reynolds

DRUMMONDVILLE, QC – John Karklin Jr.’s JCK Timber #69K led 23 and one quarter laps Saturday night at Autodrome Drummond during the Spectro Oils Canadian Invasion event for the nativepoker.com Empire Super Sprints (ESS). But, each ESS A-Main is set for 25 tours and Montrose, N.Y.’s Justin Barger took full advantage as he came from his 12th place starting spot to sweep past Karklin to lead lap 24 and on to the checkered flag for his first triumph of 2006.

Barger’s #32 Cortlandt Auto Body backed #32 Maxim was fast all night and used different lanes on the tricky oval to pick off his competitors and eventually Karklin as well for ESS career victory #4. I had a good car but had to take my time to get by the cars. We only had those yellows in the middle, we went green for a long time and it’s tough to catch the cars when you stay green.” said Barger who made his return to ESS competition after a stint with USAC. “I knew John was leading, I was just hoping the lapped cars would slow him down enough so I could catch him and hopefully pass him.”

That was indeed the scenario as the first 12 laps went green along with the final 13. It was a combination of the track getting a bit rough and the slower traffic that spelled doom for Karklin but was the blessing for Barger. “After we went green for the second half of the race, the track started to get choppy and I really couldn’t come off the corners any more.” said Karklin, who was looking to duplicate his dash victory earlier. “When I hit a bump it made the car too tight and I couldn’t steer. I was just waiting for someone to go past and hen Justin did I knew I lost the win.”

For Barger, that was just enough as he made the pass for the win which saw the young driver take over the point lead on the nativepoker.com Tour for ESS. “We have been close a few times this year. When I stopped racing the track and raced the cars we started to make some moves.” noted Barger on his run. “We just have to keep the luck going, it’s a long season.”

At the drop of Danny Mulligan’s checkered flag, it was Barger ahead of Karklin for the win in front of a big crowd. Doug Norrie took a solid third place finish and that gives him an early lead on the Spectro Oils Canadian Invasion points. Quebec’s Alain Bergeron took fourth with Jessica Zemken in fifth. For Zemken however, she was set back two spots for jumping on a restart that moved Jeff Cook up to fifth. Rounding out the top ten were Dan Kaszubinski, Zemken, who still earned the Lane’s Yamaha hard charger bonus, Kaszubinski’s teammate Nick Fratto, local favorite Steve Poirier, who came back from a flat tire on lap 12 and Matt Norrie in for tenth.

Jeff VanDusen stopped to bring out the caution on lap 12. The first restart saw Poirier stop with his flat tire, the second try brought out the red flag when Russ Bennett and George Ely got together with Bennett’s sprinter going over.

Taking the Car Mate Trailers heat events were Kyle Drum, Karklin Jr., and Bergeron. The 4 Saisons Foundation/FM Industries/Walt’s Hobby Dash was won by Karklin Jr. with the KSE Racing Products B-Main taken by Zemken.

ESS/DRUMMOND NOTES: A total of 27 cars entered the night’s event…The event marked the 600th sanctioned event in the 24 year history of the 360 sprint car sanctioning body…Good to see former ESS star Ryan Coniam on hand for the weekend. He was helping out the Zemken crew…A special spot light introduction of the A-Main starting line-up with fireworks was a huge hit with both fans and ESS competitors…The winged warriors will make their return to Quebec’s oldest running dirt track on July 28th and Sept. 2nd.

RESULTS:
Heat 1 – Kyle Drum, Dan Kaszubinski, George Ely, Bobby Podolak, Jeff Cook, Doug Emery.
Heat 2 – John Karklin Jr., Doug Norrie, Jeff VanDusen, Lance Yonge, Steve Poirier, Randy Years.
Heat 3 – Alain Bergeron, Justin Barger, Matt Norrie, Luke Eriksen, Nick Fratto, Kayle Robidoux.
4 Saisons Foundation/FM Industries/Walt’s Hobby Dash – John Karklin Jr.
B-Main – Jessica Zemken, Russ Bennett, Don Sharp Jr., Billy White.
Provisional – Bubby Kerrick.
Did Not Qualify – Kyle Moffit, Michael Parent, James Hanson, Cory Sparks.

A-MAIN – JUSTIN BARGER, John Karklin Jr., Doug Norrie, Alain Bergeron, Jeff Cook, Dan Kaszubinski, Jessica Zemken, Nick Fratto, Steve Poirier, Matt Norrie, Kyle Drum, Bubby Kerrick, Jeff VanDusen, Doug Emery, Lance Yonge, Luke Eriksen, Billy White, Don Sharp Jr., Randy Years, George Ely, Russ Bennett, Bob Podolak. DNS – Kayle Robidoux.

Gater News Lap Leaders – Karklin Jr. 1-23, Barger 24-25.
Ohsweken Speedway Winner’s Bonus – Barger $100.
National Parts Peddler Halfway – Karklin Jr. $100.
Lane’s Yamaha Hard Charger – Zemken (12 pos.) $50.
Geneva Curbing Bridesmaid Bonus – Karklin Jr. $50.
Car Mate Trailer Heat Winners – Drum, Karklin Jr., Bergeron $25.

Big Three Race Weekend North of the Border for the Empire Super Sprints
By Dean Reynolds

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – This coming weekend will see the stars and cars of the nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints (ESS) heading “North of the Border” for three events that will kick off the Spectro Oils Canadian Invasion Series. Autodromes Granby and Drummond along with the Cornwall Motor Speedway will be the sites in Canada.

With the rain out at the planned Spectro Oils opener at the Brockville Ontario Speedway, Autodrome Granby now has the role of kicking off the separate point system which carries it’s own point fund with some 13 dates for 2006. Drummond on Saturday and Cornwall the following night will make this a very important weekend.

Lance Yonge has won the ESS title the past two seasons and he also can lay claim to the Canadian Invasion title as well. While the 2006 season hasn’t been too kind to the Penn Yan, N.Y. star thus far, he will come ready with his nativepoker.com/Johnson Farms backed #17J. Current point leader Dan Kaszubinski, Justin Barger, Jeff Cook, Jeff VanDusen and Doug Emery along with some 25 other winged machines will fill the pits on each night.

Last year only one of three scheduled events beat the rain at Granby with Yonge taking the win, one of six total on the season. John Karklin Jr. has two victories at the fast half-mile and he will be in the field with his familiar #69K. Joining Karklin will also be the likes of Bubby Kerrick, Nick Fratto along with French-Canadian chauffeurs Alain Bergeron, Steve Poirier, Michael Parent and Kayle Robidoux.

The next night it’s North of Montreal with a visit to the historical Autodrome Drummond, Quebec’s longest running dirt track. VanDusen, Bergeron and Yonge claimed the popular victories last year with all three having special meanings. VanDusen passed his father Mike late in the race and made for a special one-two family gathering. For Bergeron, anytime you win in front of your hometown fans is a wild celebration and the victory for Yonge sealed up the ESS and Spectro Oils titles.

New, higher banked turns will great the teams for the first visit which is also the 21st in the history with ESS. Eight-time ESS champion Mike Woodring leads the all-time win list at Drummond with five victories.

The ultra-fast quarter-mile in Cornwall, Ontario will bring down the curtain of the three event weekend. Cornwall has the knack for producing first time winners on the ESS trail and that has been the trend so far in 2006 with Bryan Howland, Jessica Zemken, Poirier and Chuck Hebing collecting their first ever A-Main victories with the now 24 year old organization. Drivers such as Gary Drum, Dan DeCracker, Chris Shuttleworth, George Ely, Bill Bailey, Jeff Cook and others had their first ESS win or their one and only ESS win here.

Billy White, Russ Bennett, Matt Norrie, Tommy Wickham, Luke Eriksen and others will be hoping that this will be “their” night at Cornwall.

Three nights in Canada, three events to kick off the Spectro Oils Canadian Invasion Series on the nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints. As tradition, it will be excitement guaranteed!, just with a little French thrown in for some spice.

The Score is Now Four for Four; Chuck Hebing Becomes the Fourth Different Driver to Collect Their First Ever Empire Super Sprint A-Main Triumph with a Win at Little Valley
By Dean Reynolds

LITTLE VALLEY, N.Y. – The incredible streak continues thanks to the stellar driving performance of Ontario, N.Y.’s Chuck Hebing Saturday night at the Little Valley Speedway. Taking the lead on lap 17 from Billy White, the driver of the Cobra Motorhomes and Coaches, Ford powered #45C didn’t look back in becoming the fourth driver in a row to collect their first ever A-Main victory on the nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints (ESS).

What makes the streak even more mind boggling was that this has happened in the first four events on the tough 36 race ESS season as Hebing joins the ranks of Bryan Howland, Jessica Zemken and Steve Poirier. For Hebing though, this win has a little more spice to it as he has graced victory lane before with a sprinter but not with the 24 year old organization.

“This win means a lot, to win with ESS really gives you credit. This is the toughest club around, to beat these guys and to start in the back here at Little Valley really makes you feel like you had a good run.” said as a matter of fact by the former DIRT modified star. “I’ll tell you, I didn’t know if I was going to get Billy (White). I was going in so hard to try to catch him but he always got me coming off. It was lapped cars and a lane change that he made that opened up the door.”

That was the scenario indeed. Going into turn one just as lap 16 was scored White’s New Boston Crane sponsored #66 changed lanes to the high side of the big half-mile to get by a slower car. White didn’t get a good run off turn two and Hebing did his own lane switch to dive under and take over the top spot and the win.

“We were close…again!” dead-panned White “I was good down low but that is where the lapped cars were running. I just tried to get around and it just didn’t work. This is my fourth runner-up finish but Cobra earned it, he beat me. Hey, we (his teammate Russ Bennett) are happy, this is the first race we are putting both cars in the trailer in one piece.”

For Hebing though, it wasn’t as easy as the night sounds. “We had some motor troubles during the dash, we just didn’t have any power so Dan (Deming, the builder of the potent Ford) went to work changing plus, wires, we put gear to it, he had stuff flying around and it worked! It ran good in the feature, I just have to thank Dan for the motor, it is a strong piece.”

The 25 lap A-Main saw Tommy Wickham lead the first two laps comfortably until coming down for lap three his Jerry’s Auto Specialists J&J came up lame…the second blown motor in as many races. White took over the lead as the 2002 ESS rookie of the year is also looking for his first ever ESS triumph. But, it looked like he was coming to a gun fight with a spit shooter. Hebing came from his 12th place starting spot and was already in fourth when the first yellow came out for Wickham.

Hebing then proceeded to third on lap four and second just one-half mile later to join to chase for the victory. Lap after lap he would close in on the rear of White’s machine but each time White would pull away some. It was until the slower traffic that sealed the fate.

At the finish it was Hebing over White by several car lengths. Taking third coming from his 15th place start was current point leader Dan Kaszubinski with Donny Sharp Jr. finally break his horrible 2006 season start with a fine fourth, Utica-Rome winner Steve Poirier took fifth. Rounding out the top ten were Bubby Kerrick, the Cortlandt Auto Body #32 of Justin Barger, Mike Stelter, who collected the Lane’s Yamaha Hard Charger Bonus by coming from 21st to eighth, Jeff VanDusen was ninth with Jeff Cook in for tenth.

Just three cautions slowed the pace with Wickham the first on lap three, Nick Fratto made contact with Hebing on lap 19 which saw his #F1 into the backstretch wall and the final yellow was for a spin by Matt Norrie and a wall encounter by Alain Bergeron who did injure his knee slightly.

Taking the $25 to win Car Mate Trailer heat events were Sharp Jr., Hebing and White with the Walt’s Hobby Dash going to Barger and the KSE Racing Products B-Main won by Jared Zimbardi.

ESS/LITTLE VALLEY NOTES: A Little Valley record of 31 cars played host to a big crowd on a chilly Saturday night…Zimbardi was making his first start of the 2006 season with ESS which marks the 55th different driver so far…Lance Yonge and Bobby Podolak came together again in heat one which saw Yonge’s mount going over. Yonge took a provisional to get in the A-Main, Podolak was out for the night…Good to see former ESS tech inspector Mike Seiver on hand watching and he brought his vintage sprint car for display…Barger, Cook and Luke Eriksen attempted to qualify for the 360 Nationals Friday night at Williams Grove Speedway but the event was rained out after warm-ups…The nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints gets busy next weekend with three big Spectro Oils Canadian Invasion events. First are visits to Autodromes Granby and Drummond on Fri. and Sat. followed by a visit to the Cornwall Motor Speedway Sunday night. These events are some of the highest paying on the tour for 2006.

Heat 1 - Don Sharp Jr., Bubby Kerrick, George Ely, Jeff Cook, Steve Poirier, Doug Emery.
Heat 2 - Chuck Hebing, Justin Barger, Matt Norrie, Kyle Moffit, Blase' Regina, Ray Preston.
Heat 3 - Billy White, Tommy Wickham, Michael Parent, Dan Kaszubinski, Russ Bennett, Alain Bergeron.
Walt’s Hobby Dash - Justin Barger.
B-Main - Jared Zimbardi, Jeff VanDusen, Mike Stelter, Cory Sparks.
Provisional Starters - Lance Yonge, Nick Fratto.
Did Not Qualify - John Karklin Jr., Kyle Drum, Bobby Podolak, Jessica Zemken, Randy Years, Blake Breen, Doug Norrie.

A-MAIN - CHUCK HEBING, Billy White, Dan Kaszubinski, Don Sharp Jr., Steve Poirier, Bubby Kerrick, Justin Barger, Mike Stelter, Jeff VanDusen, Jeff Cook, Doug Emery, Russ Bennett, Cory Sparks, Kyle Moffit, Lance Yonge, Ray Preston, Blase' Regina, Matt Norrie, Alain Bergeron, Nick Fratto, Michael Parent, Jared Zimbardi, George Ely, Tommy Wickham.

Ingles Performance Joins the Empire Super Sprints for 2006
By Dean Reynolds

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Located in Phoenix, N.Y., Ingles Performance is the latest company to join the nativepoker.com Empire Super Sprints (ESS) for the 2006 racing season. Ingles is providing ESS with a brand new 4-wheel drive Polaris ATV for use by ESS officials at each event this season.

The addition of the sharp red ATV will help ESS in speeding up the shows even more as this model will be able to push start any sprint car. Many ESS officials are using ATV’s to get around the race track and assist in any accident or lining up procedures. With the new 4-wheel drive model, single car spins can now be attended by the ATV only and get the car pushed off in a matter of seconds.

Owners, Mike and Robin Ingles started the business back in 1981 as a motorcycle repair shop which was located in the back of Mike's parents’ garage. Rapidly they grew and took on the Ski-Doo line in 1986. Sea-Doo Watercraft was added in 1996 and they moved to the current location on Besaw Road. The Polaris line was added in 2000 and they continue to grow daily thanks to many faithful customers. Mike Murphy was also very instrumental helping ESS obtain the new ATV. For more information please log on to www.inglesperformance.com.

The 2006 nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints is just three events in with three new daces to grace the A-Main winners circle. Bryan Howland, Jessica Zemken and Steve Poirier took home their first ever ESS checkers. The next event will be this Saturday at the Little Valley Speedway.

A big welcome to Ingles Performance to the ESS family and in what has become tradition, it will be excitement guaranteed!...Just even faster!!

Empire Super Sprints Heading to Little Valley This Saturday
By Dean Reynolds

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – This Saturday night, the nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints (ESS) will invade the Cattaraugus County Fairgrounds and the Little Valley Speedway. The lone visit by the winged warriors in the big, paper clip shaped half-mile is always a fan favorite and on this night it will be no different.

Just like 2006 where Mother Nature is the leading A-Main winner, ESS’ visit last year also fell victim to rain so many of the stars and cars of the 360 sprint car organization can’t wait for the return visit. Dan Kaszubinski won the last event back on June 11, 2004 and he brings some 30 others sprinters to the pits with the point lead. His consistency so far aboard the Fratto Motorsports entry has him leading Justin Barger, Jeff Cook, Mike Stelter and rookie Jason Barney after three events.

All teams in the top five will be on hand along with A-Main winners Jessica Zemken and Steve Poirier. Defending champion Lance Yonge will also be in the pits with other top drivers such as Doug Emery, Jeff VanDusen, Alain Bergeron and local favorite Kyle Moffit.

The nativepoker.com Tour has taken on a new look so far in 2006 with three first-time ESS A-Main winners. Will another new name grace the all-time win list or will an ESS veteran finally crack the winners circle? Pit Gates open at 3 PM with racing under way at 6 PM. For more information please log on to www.littlevalleyspeedway.com or www.empiresupersprints.com.

The First Spectro Oils Canadian Invasion Event for the nativepoker.com Empire Super Sprints Falls to Rain
by Dean Reynolds

BROCKVILLE, ONT. - All night rains that continued throughout Saturday morning forced cancellation of the Empire Super Sprints (ESS) event at the Brockville Ontario Speedway. The nativepoker.com Tour will be back in action next Saturday June 10th with a visit to the Little Valley Speedway. The Spectro Oils Canadian Invasion Series will be in full swing with a three race weekend on June 16-18 with events at Autodromes Granby and Drummond followed by a Sunday stop at Cornwall.
For more information, feel free to log on to www.empiresupersprints.com.

Brockville Ontario Speedway to Kick off Spectro Oils Canadian Invasion Series for the nativepoker.com Empire Super Sprints
By Dean Reynolds

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – On Saturday night, June 3rd. the track simply known as the “BOS”, the Brockville Ontario Speedway will be the first leg of the 14 date Spectro Oils Canadian Invasion Series for the winged warriors of the Empire Super Sprints (ESS). The quick quarter-mile oval always provides wild sprint car action on this early June evening will be no different.

Our friends across the border have always been a big part of the nativepoker.com Tour for ESS and in 2006 the most races ever held in Canada awaits the teams. Not only does each race count towards the overall championship but a separate point standing and point fund has been established for all events held in Ontario and Quebec, Canada. Joining Brockville in the series is Cornwall, Ohsweken and South Buxton from Ontario with Autodromes Granby and Drummond as well as Edelweiss from the French speaking province of Quebec.

This season will be the last for the Brockville as everyone knows it, a planned wider, bigger and high banked oval for 2007 will make the teams throw away their set-up books. Last year Lance Yonge and Bobby Podolak took home victories at the Kirkland family promoted facility. For Yonge it helped him jump start to the lead and eventually the Spectro Oils title. For Podolak, who is backed by the Brockville, Ontario based Proctor and Gamble Corporation and the Swiffer Products, it was a well earned win in front of some very important folks.

Swiffer will again sponsor both ESS stops (Aug. 19) and joining Yonge and Podolak in the pits will be former A-Main winners Kyle Drum, Jeff VanDusen, Bubby Kerrick and local favorite Rick Wilson. Wilson will head the Canadian contingent which also includes Alain Bergeron, Steve Poirier and Michael Parent.

New for 2006 is a Saturday night race night which will help in possibly making a record car count for ESS at Brockville. June 3rd is the date, Brockville, Ontario, Canada is the site, the nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints are coming to town and it will be excitement guaranteed!!

In Keeping with the Theme; Steve Poirier Becomes Third First-time Winner with the Empire Super Sprints
By Dean Reynolds

VERNON, N.Y. – It’s a feat that has boggled the mind. The nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints (ESS) has held three events thus far in 2006. When the checkered flag fell at the end of the 25 lap A-Mains, the driver in victory lane was making their first ever appearance in ESS competition. Sunday night at the Utica-Rome Speedway, Quebec’s Steve Poirier passed Dan Kaszubinski with just three laps to go to take home his first ever win in a winged sprint car. He joined Bryan Howland and Jessica Zemken in adding their names to the all-time win list.

Arguably one of the best DIRT modified drivers to ever come out of the French speaking province of Canada, Poirier brings a wealth of experience and top equipment to the ESS wars. While success was never to be questioned, a win this early was definitely a surprise and to beat one of ESS’ best made the feat even more memorable.

“I never thought I would get a win this early. ESS has so many good drivers and teams I’m just honored to be a winner with them.” said the humble driver who speaks fluent English. “I really didn’t expect to do this well this early, especially here. I have never been to Utica-Rome but it’s a nice big, wide track. I felt very comfortable here and the car just got faster as the race went on.”

Fellow Quebec chauffeur Alain Bergeron took advantage of his up front starting spot and immediately pulled out to a big lead looking to shake off some early season bad luck. Poirier moved into second on lap five and made it a French Canadian one-two, the first time ever in the 24 year history of the 360 organization.

As the laps clicked on though, Kaszubinski was making his moves to the front to challenge the leading duo. Third on lap eight, passed Poirier on lap 9 for second but catching Bergeron was going to be a challenge. A combination of lapped cars and Bergeron’s front wing coming loose enable both Kaszubinski and Poirier to close in. On lap 18 both drivers swept by Bergeron but Kaszubinski did open up distance.

While it was looking like career win #29 for the Syracuse native, Poirier’s 4 Foundations Saisons backed Maxim got hooked to the slick surface and closed in quickly on Kaszubinski. Coming down with just three to go he made his move and it turned into the winning move.

While it was a strong effort, Poirier was still a bit confused to why the car got better. “After the accident last night at Can-Am we went back to last year’s car (Maxim). I liked this car and feel a little better in it but about halfway through the race my hydraulics on the wing didn’t work and the wing stayed forward.” he noted afterwards. “I guess I was lucky as usually you want to move it back but tonight having it forward helped me.”

It was Poirier in for career win #1 and the usual wild victory lane celebration that was become a Quebec tradition followed. Kaszubinski was home for second and the effort has given him the early point lead, Bergeron hung on for third just ahead of the nativepoker.com backed machine of Bubby Kerrick with Lance Yonge rounding out the top five. The next five was Jeff Cook, Mike Stelter, who earned the Lane’s Yamaha Hard Charger bonus coming from 24th. The Spectro Oils #65 of Russ Bennett was next with Jeff VanDusen following. VanDusen finished in seventh but was set back two spots for a jump on a restart. Tenth at the line was Bobby Podolak.

Two cautions and one red flag slowed the pace: Shawn Donath slid off the track on lap five and Cory Sparks stopped on lap seven. Second in points coming in to the event was Scranton, Pa.’s John Smith III but a flip off turn four on lap nine ended his night early.

Taking the $100 to win Walton’s Farm and Auto Repair/Car Mate Trailers heat events were VanDusen, Bergeron, Kyle Drum and Poirier. The Speedway Performance/Walt’s Hobby Dash was copped by VanDusen with the twin KSE Racing Product B-Mains taken by Warren Alexson and Chuck Hebing.

ESS/UTICA-ROME NOTES: Another big field as 39 sprints lined the pit area…Making first ever ESS starts were Josh Flach and another Quebec native in Kayle Robidoux who brought out his self-starting sprinter for the first time. Both drivers were DNQ’s for the A-Main…Ohio’s J.R. Stewart made his first start with ESS for 2006 and a big welcome back to Rob Dietrick returning to the sprint car wars. Both drivers however fell to the same fate…The nativepoker.com Tour will make two more visits to Gene Cole’s facility on the 4th of July Weekend and Labor Day weekend…Next Saturday it’s the first Spectro Oils Canadian Invasion event with a visit to the Brockville Ontario Speedway.

RESULTS:
Heat 1 - Jeff VanDusen, Cory Sparks, Dan Kaszubinski, Bubby Kerrick, Doug Norrie.
Heat 2 - Alain Bergeron, Jeff Cook, Nick Fratto, Justin Barger, Jeremy Barnard.
Heat 3 - Kyle Drum, Matt Norrie, Russ Bennett, John Smith III, George Ely.
Heat 4 - Steve Poirier, John Karklin Jr., Lance Yonge, Bob Podolak, Shawn Donath.
Speedway Performance/Walt’s Hobby Dash - Jeff VanDusen
KSE B-Main 1 - Warren Alexson, Doug Emery
KSE B-Main 2 - Chuck Hebing, Mike Stelter.
Provisionals - Jason Barney, Jessica Zemken.
Did Not Qualify - Donny Sharp Jr., Michael Parent, Billy White, Josh Flach, Rob Dietrick, Kayle Robidoux, Randy Years, Tommy Wickham, Blake Breen, Kyle Moffit, Scott Davis, Blase' Regina, JR Stewart.

A-MAIN - STEVE POIRIER, Dan Kaszubinski, Alain Bergeron, Bubby Kerrick, Lance Yonge, Jeff Cook, Mike Stelter, Russ Bennett, Jeff VanDusen, Bob Podolak, Jason Barney, Doug Emery, Nick Fratto, Kyle Drum, Warren Alexson, Cory Sparks, Matt Norrie, Doug Norrie, Justin Barger, Jessica Zemken, John Karklin Jr., Jeremy Barnard, Chuck Hebing, Shawn Donath, John Smith III, George Ely.
Gater News Lap Leaders - Bergeron 1-17, Kaszubinski 18-21, Poirier 22-25.

National Parts Peddler Halfway – Bergeron $100
Ohsweken Speedway Winner’s Bonus – Poirier $100
Lane’s Yamaha Hard Charger - Stelter (17 pos.) $50.
Geneva Curbing Bridesmaid Bonus – Kaszubinski $50.
Walton’s Farm and Auto Repair/Car Mate Trailers – VanDusen, Bergeron, Drum, Poirier $100.
Winner’s Bonuses:
Butler Built Seats $100, ATL Fuel Cells $100, Hank’s Performance Products $50, Total Seal $50, Saldana Racing Products $50, HRP $50, Kreitz Oval Track Products $50, B&B Oval Track Products $50, Racing Optics $30, Area Auto Racing News $30, Rod End Supply $30, Behrent’s Performance Warehouse/Mechanix Wear $20, Earl’s Indy $20, MRE Productions $15, Ultra-Shield $10, Pepsi $10.
Other Bonuses:
Weld Racing Hard Luck – Donath $100.
Design 500 – Yonge $200, Emery $200.
Penske Shocks – Yonge $100.
M&W Aluminum Products – D. Norrie $75
Leaf Racewear – Bergeron $75.
KSE Racing Products – Alexson $50, Hebing $50.
Zemco Headers – Yonge $50.
Joe Hunt Magnetos – Smith III $50.
Rod End Supply – Kaszubinski $30.
FourWide Motorsports – Kerrick $25.
LA Sharp Services – Fratto $25.
BR Motorsports – Wickham $25.
Ultra-Shield – Kaszubinski $10.
Pepsi – VanDusen $10, Bergeron $5, Drum $5.

nativepoker.com/Empire Super Sprints Points as of 5/28/06
1. Dan Kaszubinski 285
2. Justin Barger 271
3. Jeff Cook 258
4. Mike Stelter 254
5. Jason Barney 238
6. John Smith III 234
7. Lance Yonge 231
8. Doug Emery 217
9. Jeff VanDusen 214
10. Alain Bergeron 190

Jessica Zemken Excites Can-Am Crowd with First Career Empire Super Sprint Victory
By Dean Reynolds

LaFARGEVILLE, N.Y. – Following in the footsteps of Krissy Dow and Erin Crocker, 19 year old female sensation Jessica Zemken bested a stout field of sprint cars to collect her first career A-Main triumph on the nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints (ESS). The popular victory came at the Can-Am Motorsports Park where the crowd cheered wildly as Jessica celebrated with a wing dance in victory lane.

Starting in sixth position, Zemken’s nativepoker.com backed #1Z swept by the nativepoker.com #17J of defending champion Lance Yonge in just the second circuit then survived several cautions, lapped cars and even running out of fuel on the last lap to take home the feature event win at the big half-mile.

“I can’t believe I won, I’m just a lost for words.” simply said by the young blonde from Sprakers, N.Y. “I wasn’t too good in my heat so I watched Lance (Yonge) in the dash. He then he gave some tips on running turns one and two. I took what he said and it helped me greatly, I guess it helped me in passing him! But, it just shows you what kind of person he is, he was the first to congratulate me also!”

While Zemken has impressed many in her few starts in winged sprint cars winning over a big and talented field of sprints became a career highlight. But, just attending the show was in question. “We almost didn’t get here, we have something wrong with our hauler’s electrical system. Every time we slow down the engine just shuts off.” Zemken explained on her tale in getting to the track. “I called the officials to tell them I’m not sure if we will make it but we did and I’m glad.

Kyle Drum and Bobby Podolak led the field down for the initial green flag but starting in the front show proved to be a bit of a jinx. Drum stopped in turn two to bring out the yellow lights and just seconds after Podolak’s sprinter also came to a stop in turn three sending both to the rear for the restart.

The second try to get lap one scored proved disastrous for former ESS champion Gordy Button as he executed a wild series of flips after contact with Billy White in turn one, both drivers were fine. The third start did see the first lap scored but then the second red flag was thrown when Steve Poirier, Ray Preston and John Karklin Jr. got together with Preston’s mount going over several times.

When the green lights came on Zemken blasted by Yonge to take over the lead and while three more cautions did slow her pace the quest for victory looked smooth until the final few laps when the engine began to sputter. “With two to go I slowed way down coming out of turn two I was so scared that I wasn’t going to make. I was like ‘come on, just two more laps…PLEASE!!’” Zemken told the Can-Am crowd in victory lane.

While running low on fuel was a big concern she didn’t know that Justin Barger was making a late race charge and was closing the gap quickly. His, story was unique as well, “When the second red came out I went into the pits to change gears and tires. I wasn’t right so I took a chance and gave up twelfth to see if we could get it done.” said Barger. “When the crew did get all the changes done, I had a feeling we would be good. The car was just awesome but we needed just a few more laps. You always want wins but we will take two seconds to start out the year.”

At the checkered flag it was Zemken winning in front or the roaring crowd, Barger took home a fast closing runner-up finish with Yonge in for third with a brand new sprint after his wild flip at the opener in Fulton. John Smith III was fourth followed by the North Country Welding #10 of Jeff Cook. Rounding out the top ten were Doug Emery, Jason Barney who earned the Lane’s Yamaha hard charger bonus after starting in 24th, Rick Wilson, Nick Fratto and the Manchester Wood sponsored mount of Luke Eriksen.

After the one caution and two reds on the first lap, Drum stopped again on lap two, Wilson looped his sprinter on lap 11 and Blake Breen doing the same on lap 19.

Taking the Car Mate Trailers heat events were Smith III, Matt Norrie, Podolak and Yonge. Yonge also copped the Rt. 37 Building Supply/Walt’s Hobby Dash with White winning the KSE Racing Products B-Main.

ESS/Can-Am Notes: A record Can-Am field of 37 sprints jammed the pits...Making her first ever ESS start was April Wilson, daughter of north country legend Rick Wilson…Kyle Wilson, Blasé Regina and Scott Davis were making their first starts for 2006…Podolak also brought out a brand new sprinter after his ordeal at Fulton…ESS would like to send a big thank you to FX Caprara for the new black Durango pace vehicle and also Ingles Performance for the new Polaris four-wheel drive ATV…The nativepoker.com tour will make two more stops to Can-Am, first on July 1st and then the Shootout is back on Thursday night July 27th.

RESULTS:
Heat 1 - John Smith III, Tommy Wickham, Kyle Drum, Jessica Zemken, Doug Norrie
Heat 2 - Matt Norrie, Nick Fratto, Luke Eriksen, Jeff Cook, Ray Preston
Heat 3 - Bob Podolak, Doug Emery, Alain Bergeron, Rick Wilson, Blake Breen
Heat 4 - Lance Yonge, Russ Bennett, Jeff VanDusen, Justin Barger, Steve Poirier
RT 37 Building Supply/Walt’s Hobby Dash - Lance Yonge
KSE Racing Products B-Main - Billy White, Mike Stelter, Gordy Button, Jason Barney
Provisionals - Dan Kaszubinski, John Karklin Jr.
Did Not Qualify - Don Sharp Jr., Randy Years, Michael Parent, George Ely, Scott Davis, Kyle Wilson, Blasé Regina, April Wilson, Bubby Kerrick, Kyle Moffit, Cory Sparks.

A-Main - JESSICA ZEMKEN, Justin Barger, Lance Yonge, John Smith III, Jeff Cook, Doug Emery, Jason Barney, Rick Wilson, Nick Fratto, Luke Eriksen, Jeff VanDusen, Mike Stelter, Dan Kaszubinski, Matt Norrie, Tommy Wickham, Blake Breen, Russ Bennett, Doug Norrie, Alain Bergeron, John Karklin Jr., Bob Podolak, Kyle Drum, Ray Preston, Steve Poirier, Billy White, Gordy Button.

Gater Racing News Lap Leaders – Yonge 1, Zemken 2-25.
National Parts Peddler Halfway – Zemken $100.
Ohsweken Speedway Winner’s Bonus – Zemken $100.
Lane’s Yamaha Hard Charger – Barney (17 pos.) $50.
Geneva Curbing Bridesmaid Bonus – Barger $50.
Car Mate Trailers Heat Bonus – Smith III, M. Norrie, Podolak, Yonge $25.
Winner’s Bonuses: Butler Built Seats $100, ATL Fuel Cells $100, Penske Shocks $100, Hank’s Performance Products $50, Total Seal $50, Saldana Racing Products $50, HRP $50, Kreitz Oval Track Products $50, Racing Optics $30, Area Auto Racing News $30, Rod End Supply $30, Behrent’s Performance Warehouse/Mechanix Wear $20, Earl’s Indy $20, MRE Productions $15, Ultra-Shield $10, Pepsi $5.
Other Bonuses:
Weld Racing Hard Luck – Button $100
Design 500 – Cook, Breen $200.
M&W Aluminum Products – Yonge $75
Leaf Racewear – Yonge $75
KSE Racing Products – White $50.
Zemco Headers – Cook $50.
B&B Oval Track Products – Yonge $50.
Joe Hunt Magnetos – White $50.
Rod End Supply – Barger $30.
FourWide Motorsports – Smith III $25
LA Sharp Services – Yonge $25.
DMI – Button $25
BR Motorsports – Sharp Jr. $25.
Ultra-Shield – Barger $10.
Pepsi – Yonge $10, Smith III $5, Podolak $5, M. Norrie $5.

Empire Super Sprint Event at Brewerton Falls to Rain
by Dean Reynolds

BREWERTON, N.Y. - The highly anticipated return of the nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints (ESS) to the exciting Brewerton Speedway fell victim to heavy rains early on in the day and with more moving in during evening hours. Officials from both parties are looking at a possible rain date over the Summer
Sprint fans will still get a full slate of ESS winged sprint car action on this Memorial Day Weekend with a Saturday night with a visit to the Can-Am Motorsports Park and on Sunday at the Utica-Rome Speedway. Gates open for Can-Am at 4:00 PM with racing to start at 6:00. Utica-Rome will open at 2:30 with racing underway at 5:00.
For more information log on to www.empiresupersprints.com.

Big Three Race Memorial Day Weekend for the nativepoker.com Empire Super Sprints
By Dean Reynolds

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – After a very successful opening event on the 2006 nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints (ESS), the 24th season now kicks into full gear on Memorial Day Weekend with trips to the Brewerton, Can-Am and Utica-Rome Speedways.

It’s been since October of 1993 where the winged wonders of the ESS sprinters have visited the “D-Shaped Dirt Demon” known as the Brewerton Speedway. The oval where sprint cars in N.Y. State got their start back in 1982 has hosted ESS 25 times over the years and was one of the mainstays back in ESS’ early days. A return back in 2002 fell victim to weather so this year’s event has built up in excitement and will be a must see.

The special night will feature just three divisions as DIRT’s Big Block Modifieds and Mod-Lites will share the bill. Many drivers of local interest will be in the field looking to take home the important checkered flag and among those are Dan Kaszubinski, who finished third in opener on May 6th at Fulton, Doug Emery, Shawn Donath, Tommy and Dave Wickham.

The next night it’s a short jaunt up Interstate 81 to the Can-Am Motorsports Park which is owned by the Caprara Brothers and is now promoted by legendary Will Cagle. The big half-mile will host three events for 2006 with Kaszubinski and two-time and defending ESS champ Lance Yonge collecting wins last season. Kaszubinski leads the win list with five victories but he will be challenged by the likes of local shoe Jeff Cook, Canadian favorites Rick Wilson and Alain Bergeron, who also collected A-Main wins at Can-Am, Jeff VanDusen, Justin Barger, Mike Stelter and John Karklin Jr.

On Sunday is down to the traditional holiday weekend stop for the nativepoker.com Tour and that’s the Gene Cole owned Utica-Rome Speedway. This half-mile oval has been a big supporter of the ESS sprinters by hosting three events each season and in 2006 it’s no different.

Last year Kaszubinski, Stelter and Yonge took home the winning laurels. They will be in the field once again along with Utica-Rome favorites Gordy Button, a three-time ESS champion, Jessica Zemken, who has won a DIRT sportsman championship here, and rookie Jason Barney who has taken wins in modified and sportsman at the Vernon, N.Y. oval. Donny Sharp Jr., the Norrie Bros. Doug and Matt, Bubby Kerrick, Nick Fratto, Warren Alexson and opening event winner Bryan Howland is expected to be in the field that should top the 30 mark.

Three big nights, three great tracks!! The nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints is ready to go into high gear for the 2006 season. Who will be the driver to make the early season point title statement in hops of dethroning the king Lance Yonge? Fans at Brewerton, Can-Am and Utica-Rome will see all the action in front of their eyes and it will be excitement guaranteed!!!

Empire Super Sprints Event at Albany-Saratoga Falls to Rain: Race to be Made up on August 25th
by Dean Reynolds

MALTA, N.Y. - Heavy all night rains that continued Friday morning forced officials to postpone the nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints (ESS) event Friday night at the Albany-Saratoga Speedway. The event will be made up on Friday night August 25th.
Before the August rain date, fans are reminded of the "Race Fans Dream Night" coming Tuesday, June 27th when the ESS super sprinters will be joined by the Race of Champions Tour for the Big Block Modifieds as an exciting double header. A rain date of Wednesday the 28th has already been put into place.
Next up for the nativepoker.com Tour will be a celebration of the Memorial Day Weekend as three big events will make Central. N.Y. the place to be for winged sprint car action. On Friday, May 26th, after nearly 13 years it's the return to the Brewerton Speedway, the next night it's a visit to Caprara's Can-Am Motorsports Park followed by the tradition holiday stomping grounds of the Utica-Rome Speedway. For the latest up to date information, feel free to log on to www.empiresupersprints.com.

Empire Super Sprints Ready to Make the First of Two Appearances at the Albany-Saratoga Speedway
By Dean Reynolds

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – A very important stop on the nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints (ESS) are the visits to the Albany-Saratoga Speedway in Malta, N.Y. With many teams in ESS from the New England area, the 1/3 mile oval becomes a “home” stop with family and friends attending.

On Friday night May 12th the first of two visits for 2006 will take place and being the second event schedule on the 36 date tour, a big field is expected to fill the pit area at the Bruce Richards promoted speedplant. The second date will be a special mid-week, June 27th visit as ESS will share the bill with the Race of Champions Tour for the big block modifieds in what is known as the “Race Fans Dream”.

Last year Quebec’s Alain Bergeron collected the first of two A-Main triumphs in route to a solid fifth place finish in the final point standings. Bergeron’s familiar #8B will be in the pits along with local favorites John Karklin Jr., Jessica Zemken and Cory Sparks as well as the New England contingent of the Norrie Bros., Doug and Matt along with fellow Connecticut mate Russ Bennett. Teammate to Bennett is Massachusetts’ Billy White and also in the field will be Vermont’s Luke Eriksen and New Hampshire’s Donny Sharp Jr.

Fans will also get to see Lance Yonge, Dan Kaszubinski, Doug Emery and Gordy Button as past winners at Albany-Saratoga. Throw in Jeff VanDusen, Jeff Cook, Nick Fratto, Bubby Kerrick and some 30 other winged sprinters it has the makings of a wild night of dirt track racing.

Friday night, May 12th, the Capital District will be invaded by the wild and wooly machines from the nativepoker.com Tour of the Empire Super Sprints and it will become excitement guaranteed! For more information, either log on to www.cvra.com or www.empiresupersprints.com.

Bryan Howland Tops Justin Barger for First Ever ESS Victory at Fulton Speedway; Tops record field of 44 sprints to collect $2,000
By Dean Reynolds

FULTON, N.Y. – It was a satisfying and emotional victory for Auburn, N.Y.’s Bryan Howland. Retaking the lead from Justin Barger with three laps to go, the just turned 19 year old budding star went on to win the opening event of the nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints (ESS). The victory was his first ever with the 24 year old sprint car organization and netted him $2,000 in cash along with another $765 in bonuses.

Howland bested a record field as 44 total sprinters packed the pits for the return to the high banks of the Fulton Speedway. His battle with Justin Barger kept the chilled crowd on edge with the victory in doubt until the waving of Danny Mulligan’s checkered flag. Barger, who is making his return to ESS, took second followed by Dan Kaszubinski, Mike Stelter and Dave Ely rounding out the top five.

“This is just amazing!” simply said by the young likeable driver of the Filtrec Corporation backed #51 Maxim. “When Justin went by me on the top (on lap 16) I really thought I was going to take second and I was going to be happy with that. I mean Justin was running! But, the lapped cars helped out. I didn’t give in as I saw most of the lap cars were up high and that’s where Justin was so I just wanted to stay close. Luckily he got held up enough and I just got back under him. What a race!”

Howland has no real concrete plans for 2006 and for a very good reason. “I would really like to run more with ESS, they treat you so well here but I have to be there for my brother John so my schedule will be race to race.” noted an emotional victor. “He’s going in for some treatments and it could be that I will have to miss some races, family is special to me and sprint cars might have to take a back seat. I wish he was here but he couldn’t make it so I just want to dedicate this win to him.”

The luck of the pill draw placed Vermont’s Luke Eriksen on the pole with Barger outside, but it was Barger’s #32 taking the lead at the drop of the green. His lead was short lived however as Howland blasted his Jimmy D’s powered machine on the low side to lead on lap four. Even with two cautions in the mix, it was still Howland over Barger on each restart.

As laps clicked on, the cushion hugging Barger gained momentum and as lap 16 was scored he blasted around the front running Howland for another turn at the lead. But, with the final 13 laps going under the green lights lap cars played a major factor into the battle. As Howland noted, most of the slower cars were indeed running up high and that is where the Cortlandt Auto Body sprint was running.

“The top was getting faster as the race went on. When I passed Bryan I thought I might have the faster car for the end…but.” Barger analyzed shortly afterwards. “I tried to pick off the lap cars as quick as I could but some of them just held me up a little, that’s all he needed. When he got past me I just couldn’t get a run back on him, he got me.”

Yes, Howland did get him and also notched his name on the nativepoker.com tour all-time win list for the very first time. Barger was second with Kaszubinski bringing the Fratto Motorsports #20 in third for a good start in his ESS title quest. Stelter earned the Lane’s Yamaha hard charger bonus as he came from 17th to a fine fourth with former United Racing Company (URC) champion Dave Ely taking fifth. Rounding out the top ten were Pa.’s John Smith III aboard Rich Zagata’s sprinter, Chuck Hebing, sprint car rookie Jason Barney, Shawn Donath in Paterson Motorsports back-up mount and defending URC champion Curt Michael in the Palladino #99.

Just three cautions slowed the pace on the multi-grooved oval: Eriksen and Doug Emery got together on lap two, Billy White slowly tipped over his mount on lap six and Nick Fratto made contact with the turn four wall on lap 12.

Taking the $25 to win Car Mate Trailers heat events were Blake Breen, Emery, John Karklin Jr. and Kaszubinski. Emery collected $125 for winning the Walt’s Hobby dash with twin KSE Racing Products B-Mains copped by Tommy Wickham and Michael.

ESS/FULTON NOTES: The field of 44 sprints was a record for a full point show with ESS…Making their first ever ESS starts were Barney, Davey Sammons, Quebec’s Michael Parent and Nick Bashford…Defending ESS champion Lance Yonge had a horrible start to his title defense as he destroyed his mount in a wild double flip with veteran Bobby Podolak during their heat event. Both drivers were Ok but their cars were done for the night…Kyle Drum and Parent went over during their heats but they came back to run the B-Mains…Sammons, the son of Area Auto Racing News’ owner Lenny Sammons, also flopped over as he was leading the second B-Main. The young 16 year old tried to restart but his wing was too damaged…With the tough field on hand, the non-qualifiers looked like a who’s who: Notables were three-time champ Gordy Button, Russ Bennett, Rick Wilson, Jessica Zemken, Steve Poirier and Don Sharp Jr. to join Yonge, Podolak and Drum…The ESS trail will continue this Friday night with the first of two visits to the Albany-Saratoga Speedway.

RESULTS:
Heat 1 – Blake Breen, John Smith III, Justin Barger, Warren Alexson, Mike Stelter.
Heat 2 – Doug Emery, Dave Ely, Dave Wickham, Alain Bergeron, Nick Fratto.
Heat 3 – John Karklin Jr., Shawn Donath, Luke Eriksen, Billy White, Jeff VanDusen.
Heat 4 – Dan Kaszubinski, Bryan Howland, Chuck Hebing, Jason Barney, Bubby Kerrick.
Walt’s Hobby Dash – Doug Emery.
B-Main 1 – Tommy Wickham, Ray Preston.
B-Main 2 – Curt Michael, Jeff Cook.
Provisionals – Doug Norrie, Kyle Moffit.
Did Not Qualify - Chris Muhleisen, Matt Norrie, Gordy Button, Davey Sammons, Lance Yonge, George Ely, Bobby Podolak, Russ Bennett, Rick Wilson, Michael Parent, Cory Sparks, Sean O'Dae, Jessica Zemken, Kyle Drum, Nick Bashford, Steve Poirier, Randy Years, Don Sharp Jr.

A-Main - (25 Laps, $2,000 to win) – BRYAN HOWLAND, Justin Barger, Dan Kaszubinski, Mike Stelter, Dave Ely, John Smith III, Chuck Hebing, Jason Barney, Shawn Donath, Curt Michael, Blake Breen, Jeff Cook, Jeff VanDusen, John Karklin Jr., Doug Emery, Warren Alexson, Ray Preston, Tommy Wickham, Dave Wickham, Doug Norrie, Bubby Kerrick, Alain Bergeron, Kyle Moffit, Luke Eriksen, Nick Fratto, Billy White.

Gater News Lap Leaders – Barger 1-3, Howland 4-15, Barger 16-21, Howland 22-25.
Ohsweken Speedway Winner’s Bonus – Howland $100
National Parts Peddler Halfway – Howland $100.
Lane’s Yamaha Hard Charger – Stelter (13 pos.) $50.
Geneva Curbing Bridesmaid – Barger $50.
Car Mate Trailers Heat Bonus – Breen, Emery, Karklin Jr., Kaszubinski $25.

Winner’s Bonuses:
ATL Fuel Cells $100, Butler Built Seats $100, Penske Shocks $100, Hank’s Performance Products $50, Total Seal $50, Kreitz Oval Track Products $50, Saldana Racing Products $50, Racing Optics $30, Area Auto Racing News $30, Rod End Supply $30, Brake Man $25, Behrent’s Performance Warehouse/Mechanix Wear $20, Earl’s Indy $20, MRE Productions $15, Ultra-Shield $10, Pepsi $5.

Other Bonuses:
Weld Racing Hard Luck – Yonge $100.
Design 500 – Smith III $200, D. Wickham $200
M&W Aluminum Products – Cook $75.
Leaf Racewear – Kaszubinski $75.
KSE Racing Products – T. Wickham, Michael $50.
B&B Oval Track Products – Kaszubinski $50.
Zemco Headers – Ely $50.
Joe Hunt Magnetos – Fratto $50.
Rod End Supply – Barger $30.
FourWide Motorsports – Stelter $25.
LA Sharp Services – Barney $25.
BR Motorsports – Muhleisen $25.
DMI – White $25.
Ultra-Shield – Barger $10.
Pepsi – Emery $10, Breen, Karklin Jr., Kaszubinski $5.

Empire Super Sprint Sponsorships Total a Record $118,000 for the 2006 Racing Season
By Dean Reynolds

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – In what expects to be a record breaking year for the Empire Super Sprints (ESS), over $118,000 is total sponsorships will be handed out to the competitors during the coarse of the 2006 racing season and year end awards banquet on November 4th. The tour backed by nativepoker.com kicks off May 6th and runs until the final event on Oct. 7th.

The 23rd Anniversary Tour for the 360 sprint car organization set new highs in the nightly payoff, cash sponsorships, contingency awards and in what hopes to be the largest point fund ever come seasons end.

Heading the long list contributors for the upcoming season is nativepoker.com. “The new deal online”, nativepoker.com provides poker enthusiasts with a variety of online games including the very popular Texas Hold-Em. Endorsed by Al Krux, known around the world as one of the top poker players, nativepoker.com is becoming the fastest growing poker site online. Tony Laughing, Don Thompson and Randy Connors are the men behind the scenes of the new site and are also big supporters of local dirt track auto racing. Not only does nativepoker.com become the tour sponsor for ESS but also helps the teams of two-time ESS champion Lance Yonge, Bubby Kerrick and Jessica Zemken.

Hoosier Racing Tire Western N.Y. and Canada is again the official tire of ESS with reduced costs of both left and right rear tires which are mandatory for ESS competition. Hoosier Tire in return contributes a large amount to the year end point fund which will be shared by the top 22 in the final points.

The cash programs don’t stop there as Walt’s Hobby returns to sponsor the dash series point fund again for 2006. Walt Thorne and his very successful hobby shop in Syracuse, N.Y. also sponsors several dash events during the season. Spectro Oils of America is back for a third year to sponsor the Canadian Invasion Tour point fund. Car Mate Trailers will sponsor every heat at an ESS point show with the winner collecting $25 cash for the eight lap win. Lane’s Yamaha is also back to sponsor the nightly hard charger award and Geneva Curbing will back the “Bridesmaid Award” with every runner-up finisher getting extra cash.

New for 2006 will be sponsorship from the Ohsweken Speedway and the Second Annual Canadian Sprint Car Nationals. Every A-Main winner at a full ESS point show will see an extra boost in their pocket this year raising the winner’s share to $1600 minimum. And finally, Corky Stockham and his National Parts Peddler Newspaper is back aboard the ESS sponsorship family with the nightly halfway leader award which earns a driver a hefty cash bonus.

The associate sponsorship list is also the largest ever. ESS would like to send a big welcome to first time sponsorships from Maxim Racing, BR Motorsports, Pepsi Cola, RACEceiver and Randy’s Racing Filters. Earl’s Indy returns to the ESS fold with a nightly bonus and new for this season is a nightly award from Area Auto Racing News.

A big part to the success of ESS is faithful backing from many companies across the entire U.S. and their returning year after year. Coming back again includes Weld Racing with the nightly hard luck award winner, KSE Racing Products backs every B-Main, Gater Racing News is back with the lap leader award and Jereco Competition Engines is again sponsoring the rookie of the year award. Nightly bonuses and banquet sponsorships comes from great companies such as M&W Aluminum Products, FX Caprara Chevrolet-Oldsmobile, Leaf Racewear, HRP, J&J Auto Racing, Total Seal, Design 500, Racing Optics, DMI, Pro Shocks, Sander Engineering, B&B Oval Track Products, Behrent’s Performance Warehouse and Mechanix Wear, FourWide Motorsports, Frankland Racing Supply, Simpson, Hank’s Performance Products, Big Guy Fortier Photography, DSR Fuel Systems, Butler Built Seats, ATL Fuel Cells, Schoenfeld Headers, Kreitz Oval Track Products, Winters Performance Products, Rod End Supply, The Race Depot, Saldana Racing Products, Ultra-Shield Race Products, Vicomp Graphics, Babe Design, La Sharp Services, Joe Hunt Magnetos, Zemco Headers, Penske Shocks, The Brake Man, JCK Timber, The National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and Museum, Royal Publishing and MRE Productions.

A total of 36 dates make up the nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints, from Quebec to Iowa some of the very best to wheel a winged dirt track sprint car will be coming to a track near you. No less than 24 consecutive seasons has ESS been giving fans on-the-edge-of-your-seat excitement and with the help of so many companies and services the club continues to grow each year. For more information, feel free to log on to www.empiresupersprints.com and enjoy what is now tradition….excitement guaranteed!!!

The 24th Season for the Empire Super Sprints Kicks off May 6th at the Fulton Speedway; $2,000 Awaits the A-Main Winner
By Dean Reynolds

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Anticipation is at an all-time high and finally the first green flag of the 2006 racing season for the nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints (ESS) will be dropped Saturday night May 6th at the historical Fulton Speedway. The opening event that kicks off the 23rd Anniversary Season will pay the winner of the 25 lap A-Main $2,000 in cash along with nearly $1,000 more in contingencies.

It marks the return of the ESS winged warriors to the high banks since July of 2002 and fans can expect a possible record setting field of cars. With the open draw used for the first show the pole for the heats and the A-Main as well will be pulled from the can. All sprint car drivers with seat experience and being a full ESS member will be eligible which will bring in a solid field of outsiders for the event.

While the “luck of the draw” could play a big part in the outcome, two-time and defending ESS champion Lance Yonge is hoping to be the man to beat with his nativepoker.com/ Johnson Farms #17J as the season gets started. Yonge’s title is what all the drivers on hand will be gunning for and the list of challengers will be a long one.

Young and exciting drivers such as Jeff VanDusen, Dan Kaszubinski and Jeff Cook are back and ready to take on the tour champion. Quebec’s Alain Bergeron is locked in and set to go along with names such as Donny Sharp Jr., Doug Norrie, John Karklin Jr., Bubby Kerrick, Nick Fratto, Kyle Moffit, Doug Emery, Bobby Podolak, Matt Norrie, Russ Bennett, Luke Eriksen, Billy White and Mike Stelter set for a full tour assault.

Not to mention the return of three-time ESS champ and local favorite Gordy Button and 2001 rookie of the year Kyle Drum for the full season. The rookie crop for 2006 could very well be the strongest ever with Steve Poirier, Tommy Wickham, Jason Barney and the nativepoker.com backed #1Z of Jessica Zemken heading the list. Fans can also expect to see top sprint chauffeurs Bryan Howland, Brooke Bowman, R.C. Faigle, Dave Ely, last years opening event winner Ray Preston, the Breen Bros, Blake and Bobby, Rich Swarthout and others in the field as well.

At least four Car Mate Trailer Heat events will kick off the action followed by the four lap Walt’s Hobby Dash, and one or two KSE Racing Product B-Mains that will lead up to the 25 lap A-main. The DIRT Big Block Modifieds will also be on hand in what promises to be an exciting night if racing.

May 6th is the date, Fulton Speedway in Fulton, N.Y. is the site, the nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints are coming back and the tradition is ready to continue; It will be excitement guaranteed!! For more information either log on to www.empiresupersprints.com or www.fultonspeedway.com.

Empire Super Sprints to Offer More Dollars to Its Competitors than Ever Before

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The 2006 racing season for the nativepoker.com Tour of the
Empire Super Sprints (ESS) gets ready to drop the first green flag on
Saturday night May 6th at the Fulton Speedway. Awaiting all race teams in
attendance will be the largest pot of gold offered in the 24 year history of
the 360 sprint car organization.

While proudly one of the highest paying 360 sanctioning bodies in the
nation, ESS continues to combat the ever increasing costs of travel and
expenses that have occurred over the years. This season race teams will see
each 25 lap A-main pay a minimum of $1,600 to win, $1,050 for second, $600
for fifth, $400 for tenth on down to a nice sum of $250 just to take the
green which is one of the largest “to take the green” amount offered in any
organization. With nightly bonuses, a driver could see as much as $1,925
cash in one night if he or she makes a clean sweep of all awards.

“We have been working very hard to keep on giving as much money as we can
to the race teams that enters each ESS sanctioned event. It has been our
goal every off-season.” noted ESS President Chuck Miller. “We’re very proud
to offer such a nice package and that has been without raising our cost to
the promoters for the fifth consecutive season now. We realize that the
cost to run a program rises each year as well so we need to get added
dollars through sponsorships. We are very lucky to have a long list of cash
sponsors aboard and this year the list is the largest we have ever had.”

This season ESS is proud to have Ohsweken Speedway, The National Parts
Peddler Newspaper, Car Mate Trailers, Walt’s Hobby, Lane’s Yamaha and Geneva
Curbing adding to each night’s payout. Spectro Oils is back to sponsor the
Canadian Invasion point fund while Hoosier Racing Tires and Brodix Cylinder
Heads will help out in the overall point fund. With the addition of tour
sponsor nativepoker.com, the largest sponsor of its kind in ESS history, the
year end point fund could see a record amount as well.

The 23rd Anniversary season boasts 36 dates from Autodrome Drummond in
Quebec to Knoxville, Iowa and some 15 different tracks in between. Along
with returning tracks of Drummond, Utica-Rome, Autodrome Granby, Can-Am,
Albany-Saratoga, Cornwall, Brockville, Frogtown, Edelweiss, Ohsweken and
Little Valley, a big welcome back to Fulton, Brewerton and Canandaigua as
well as a welcome to South Buxton for their first ever ESS tour event.

ESS will once again be a part of the Canadian Sprint Car Nationals, The
Bully Hill Vineyards Sprint Nationals, the Sprint Challenge at Rolling
Wheels along with the annual 360 Sprint Nationals and the Tournament of
Champions held at the famed Knoxville Raceway. ESS teams are also invited
to the first ever Shot Drop Nationals held by the United Racing Company at
the famed Williams Grove Raceway.

Sprint fans will be on the edge of their seats every night with such top
wheelman as Lance Yonge, Jeff VanDusen, Dan Kaszubinski, Jeff Cook, Alain
Bergeron, Donny Sharp Jr., The Norrie Bros., John Karklin Jr., Bubby
Kerrick, Nick Fratto, Bob Podolak, Kyle Moffit, Doug Emery, Billy White,
Russ Bennett, Luke Eriksen and many others set to run the full tour for
2006. Lets bring back Kyle Drum and three-time ESS champion Gordy Button
along with the rookie of the year crop of Jessica Zemken, Steve Poirier,
Tommy Wickham and Jason Barney you have the makings of a wild night, every
night.

The nativepoker.com for the Empire Super Sprints is set to invade your
house and in what has become tradition…it will be excitement guaranteed!!
For more information, feel free to log on to www.empiresupersprints.com.

BR Motorsports Enters the Sponsorship Family for the Empire Super Sprints.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Robertson and their successful BR Motorsports company is the latest to join the long list of associate sponsors with the nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints (ESS). BR Motorsports will provide certificates to each A-Main winner during the 2006 season which marks the 24th consecutive for the exciting 360 sprint car organization.

Young Blake Robertson is not only a very accomplished driver behind the wheel of a sprint car but has taken over as the man behind the scenes of their newest and largest catalog. The Visalia, Ca. based company is celebrating its 13th year and while they are a major force in sprint car parts but in the world of NHRA drag racing as well.

ESS has a sponsorship list of over 60 companies strong and is proud to add BR Motorsports to the family. When the first green flag drops for the nativepoker.com Tour on May 6th at the Fulton Speedway, the winner of the 25 lap A-Main will collect $2,000 in cash as well as added bonuses which will include one from BR Motorsports.

For more information and to order off the brand new 2006 catalog, feel free to log on to www.brmotorsports.com or order worldwide at 1-800-328-3333. For the latest up to date information on the Empire Super Sprints you can log on to www.empiresupersprints.com where in just a mere few weeks it will be excitement guaranteed!!

Pepsi Cola Joins the Empire Super Sprints for 2006

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – As the 2006 racing season opening event draws closer for the nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints (ESS), the long list of associate sponsors continues to grow in helping make the 24th season for the 360 sprint car organization the most lucrative ever.

The latest addition to the sponsorship fold is Pepsi Cola of Syracuse, N.Y. Every heat, dash and A-Main winner at an ESS event for this season will take home a special prize from Pepsi. Prizes will include some of the major brands of Pepsi such as Diet Pepsi, Mountain Dew along with others.

Sprint fans are now just counting the days to the opening event of the 23rd Anniversary Tour at the Fulton Speedway where a field of some 50 sprint cars are expected to fill the pits for the headline making event. More than 60 drivers have already signed on as full membership with ESS in 2006 looking to take on two-time and defending champion Lance Yonge.

Along with Yonge, all the top stars are returning to the full tour which includes Jeff VanDusen, Dan Kaszubinski, Jeff Cook, Quebec’s Alain Bergeron, Don Sharp Jr. who travels from New Hampshire each and every race, the Norrie Bros. of Doug and Matt, natipoker.com sponsored Bubby Kerrick, John Karklin Jr. and many, many more. With the talented rookie crop of nativepoker.com’s Jessica Zemken, Steve Poirier, Tommy Wickham, Jason Barney as well as the return of Gordy Button and Kyle Drum, the upcoming season will be the most exciting ever.

From May 6th to October 7th, the nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints will be coming to your house and as tradition, it will be excitement guaranteed!!

Empire Super Sprints Launches Shopping Cart

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – As the opening event on the 2006 nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints (ESS) quickly approaches, a unique addition to the website has been added this week. For the first time ever, sprint fans can purchase ESS merchandise with the new shopping cart.

Most of the merchandise that is available at the tracks is now ready to be ordered on-line. Fans can log on to www.empiresupersprints.com and simply click on the 2006 merchandise box on the left side of the home page. ESS fans from both US and Canada can buy on-line, Canadian residents can place their order and then hit the “Canadian Order” button on top and the purchase will be converted.

Both 2006 and 2005 (limited quantity) T-Shirts and sweat shirts are listed as well as ESS coats, hats and decals. Pictures of all merchandise are set for viewing as well.

Opening night for the 23rd Anniversary Tour is coming up quickly, the $2,000 to win event May 6th at Fulton Speedway is looking to be a history making event. Some 35 dates will follow in making the nativepoker.com sponsored Tour one of the most anticipated seasons to date. When the tour comes to your hometown, what better way to show the ESS colors with merchandise already purchased before the winged sprinters invade.

In just a mere three weeks, the stars and cars of the Empire Super Sprints are ready to do battle in hopes of knocking off champion Lance Yonge from his throne. As what has become tradition, it will be excitement guaranteed!!

Empire Super Sprints Going Back to Their Roots: Returning to the Fulton and Brewerton Speedways

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – When a little known sprint car club named the Empire Super Sprints (ESS) kicked off back in 1983, the two speedways that were a backbone of the infant organization were the Fulton and Brewerton Speedways. After many years absence, the winged warriors of the now 24 year old group sponsored by nativepoker.com will make their return.

Kicking off the 23rd Anniversary season is a May 6th stop at the high banks in Fulton, N.Y. The first ESS appearance since July of 2002 will see the opening event pay the winner a cool $2,000 plus contingencies. With the event an open draw for all full ESS members with sprint car experience a field of upwards to 50 sprints are expected to be on hand.

Fulton has held more ESS events than any other dirt track in the US and Canada with a total of 61 events run and also the very first on Aug. 13, 1983. The wide, multi-grooved oval is a perfect way to kick off the 2006 season which boasts 36 dates total. Three-time champion Gordy Button leads the list with 12 A-Main victories and the likeable star will be making his return to the ESS wars this season aboard the R.C. Faigle owned sprinter.

Expected to join Button as past winners at Fulton will be Faigle, Dan Kaszubinski, Bobby Podolak and Mike VanDusen. Also, fans will see top stars such as defending champion Lance Yonge, Jeff VanDusen, Jeff Cook along with local favorite Doug Emery and rookie of the year hopefuls Tommy Wickham and Jason Barney.

It’s called the “D-Shaped Dirt Demon”; the Brewerton Speedway will hold its first ESS event since Oct. 7th of 1993 which makes the May 26th visit a historical one. The fast 1/3rd mile oval is where sprint cars in N.Y. got their start back in 1982 and has now hosted 25 sanctioned events in its long history.

ESS legend Mal Lane has more wins than anyone else at six total with Button, Mike VanDusen and Podolak again on the all-time win list. Top wheelman such as Alain Bergeron, Donny Sharp Jr., Doug Norrie, John Karklin Jr., Bubby Kerrick and many more will fill the pits looking for their first ever Brewerton A-Main win.

Car Mate Trailer heat events will kick off each night’s action followed by the Walt’s Hobby Dash events and the KSE Racing Products B-Mains to fill the field for the 25 lap finales.

The nativepoker.com tour for the Empire Super Sprints is ready to drop the green for their 24th season of exciting winged sprint car action. A big welcome back to Fulton and Brewerton as they help carry on the tradition of excitement guaranteed!!!

Empire Super Sprints to Make an Appearance at the Seaway Valley Motorsports Show:
Bubby Kerrick and Jeff Cook to be on Hand

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The first annual Seaway Valley Motorsports show sponsored by Budweiser will be held this weekend March 31 and April 1 at the Massena (N.Y.) Arena. The nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints (ESS) will be on hand with a display booth along with cars of Jeff Cook and Bubby Kerrick.

While this will mark the third outing for Cook’s beautiful #10 sprinter, for Kerrick it marks the debut of his nativepoker.com sponsored Maxim sprinter. The Stanley, N.Y. chauffeur will be going through some changes for the 2006 season in hopes of improving his ninth place in last season’s point standings.

With the addition of nativepoker.com, new sponsor 730 Truck Stop will also join faithful backers in Rich VanKeuren Trucking and A1 Superior Services. But, probably the biggest change for the ESS veteran will be a new number of #4U. With the passing of his father last fall, Bubby has decided to retire the #61 which has been a family fixture for many decades. The familiar red colors will be replaced by white with H&G power now under the hood for this year.

With Cook, the son in law of North Country legend Adrain Flath, making an appearance many of his local fans will get to meet and greet the ESS star who took fourth in the standings last season.

Fans can stop by the booth to pick up the brand new ESS T-shirt as will as the 2006 schedules. ESS reps. will be there on Saturday to welcome all sprint fans and answer any questions.

Through the efforts of Mike Watts as well as Kevin and Nancy Fetterly, the Seaway Valley Motorsports Show will be a big hit for Northern N.Y. and Southern Ontario racing fans. Located right in the “back yard” of nativepoker.com the event is a can’t miss for all in ESS. Show hours are 6-10 PM on Friday, March 31 and 10 AM to 8 PM on Saturday. No, it’s not an April Fools joke, admission is just $7 for adults.

Maxim Racing is the Latest Empire Super Sprint Sponsor for 2006

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – As one of the leading sprint car manufacturers in the entire world, Maxim Racing, builders of Maxim Race Cars has joined the nativepoker.com Tour of the Empire Super Sprints (ESS) for the 2006 racing season. Maxim is the latest of on a long line of associate sponsorships which will make the 23rd Anniversary Tour the most lucrative ever.

Maxim has been a steady fixture in ESS over the years producing championships for Mike Woodring, Mike Lutz and the latest in defending two-time champion Lance Yonge. Yonge beat fellow Maxim mate last year in Jeff VanDusen with Dan Kaszubinski also using a Maxim for most of the season to take third in the final points.

This year, the top two point finishers using a Maxim chassis will receive a nice award from the Springfield, Ill. based company. While the top three will again be using Maxim’s for 2006, other top names such as Don Sharp Jr., Doug Norrie, Bubby Kerrick as well as rookie of the year hopefuls Steve Poirier and Jessica Zemken will be wheeling a Maxim built sprinter..

The narivepoker.com backed tour kicks off Saturday night, May 6th at the Fulton Speedway. Some 35 dates will follow after that in what promises to be a wild season from green to checkered.

A big welcome to Maxim Racing in 2006 and for more information, feel free to log on to www.racemaxims.com. For the latest up do date info in ESS please log on to www.empiresupersprints.com where it will be excitement guaranteed!!

The National Parts Peddler to Back the Halfway Bonus for the Empire Super Sprints in 2006

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – In another major sponsorship announcement, Corky Stockham and his National Parts Peddler Newspaper has joined the nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints (ESS) sponsorship fold in a big way for the 2006 season. The Parts Peddler will be the title sponsor of the nightly halfway bonus, the driver that leads lap 13 of each point show A-Main will collect an extra $100.

It marks the return to one of ESS’ pioneers as Stockham was a big supporter back in the early days of the 1980’s with a tour sponsorship. His widely successful trade publication has graced news stands and race tracks since 1976 and continues to grow with a tireless effort behind the scenes.

Not only does the Parts Peddler come out monthly with the latest in the parts industry from all forms of motorsports but Stockham has also been the force behind his annual Trade Show and Racer’s Auction which will be 27 years old in 2006. Also, a new tradition is the spring Racing Equipment Swap Meet which will be held this weekend at the New York State Fairgrounds. For the first time in 11 years, the event will be held indoors with space still available.

The National Parts Peddler logo will be place on each ESS sprinter for 2006 and his newspapers will be distributed at many of ESS events held throughout the Northeast and Canada. Also, don’t be surprised if you see Corky himself at several events as he is a big fan of sprint car racing.

The first event of the nativepoker.com backed tour will be on Saturday, May 6th with a return visit to the Fulton Speedway. A big field of sprinters will be on hand in attempt to dethrone two-time ESS champion Lance Yonge including the Parts Peddler sponsored sprint of long-time friend Dave Wickham.

A big welcome back to The National Parts Peddler Newspaper and the sponsorship of the nightly halfway bonus. With their involvement, the 2006 season for the Empire Super Sprints continues to grow and promises to be the most exciting in the 24 year history of the successful sprint car organization. For more information on the Parts Peddler and the Swap Meet for this weekend feel free to log on to www.partspeddlernews.net or call (315) 6997583.

Nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints Releases 2006 Schedule: Many Tracks Returning Highlight the 23rd Anniversary Season

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The 2006 year marks the 24th consecutive season that the Empire Super Sprints (ESS) will showcase some of the very best in winged sprint car action in the Northeastern United State and Canada. In all, 36 dates fill in what promises to be one of the most exciting seasons in ESS history and it will be brought to you by nativepoker.com.
Several tracks that have been absent from the tour schedule for several season have returned and along with special, high paying 360 events the 23rd Anniversary Tour will also be the most lucrative ever. It all kicks off on Saturday night, May 6th at the Fulton Speedway where ESS makes it’s return after nearly four years and the final checkered flag will fall at the annual Sprint Challenge held at the Rolling Wheels Raceway Park on Sat., Oct. 7 as a part of Super DIRT Week.
Also returning to the ESS schedule are the Brewerton (May 26) and Canandaigua Speedways (July 22). It’s been a long 12 plus years since the winged warriors of ESS has visited the “D-Shaped Dirt Demon” called the Brewerton Speedway. But kicking off the Memorial Day Weekend in grand style is one of the highlights of this tradition rich oval. It’s been since July 6, 2002 that ESS has roamed the Ontario County Fairgrounds in Canandaigua, but on this hot summer night fans will get to see some of the best 360 chauffeurs in the nation.
Adding spice to the nativepoker.com Tour are added shows at Albany-Saratoga, Can-Am, Frogtown and Edelweiss:
It’s called “The Race Fans Dream”, on Tuesday night, June 27th ESS will join the Race of Champions Tour for big block modifieds for a special event that is a don’t miss. Along with the annual Friday night May event (May 12) ESS is proud to visit the Capital District on two occasions.
The Shootout is back!! It has been one of the most successful shows in Can-Am Motorsports Park history and the Thursday ESS/358 Shootout is back on the schedule and will be held on July 27th. Along with the traditional Memorial and 4th of July Weekend dates, the Caprara Bros. half-mile will see record speeds three times in 2006.
Edelweiss Speedway is just north of Canada’s capital Ottawa and always boasts a standing room only crowd when ESS makes it’s annual visit. This season the Canadian sprint fans will get two chances to watch the winged machines with an added August date on the 18th.
Located right in the back yard of ESS’ tour sponsor nativepoker.com the Frogtown Speedway will bring down the point season with the final full point show on Sept. 23rd. The ultra-quick and wide half-mile is one of the favorite stops on the tour and bringing a close to the point season in Hogansburg, N.Y. is a welcomed addition.
Not to be forgotten are long-time mainstays on the schedule, three point shows at Utica-Rome and the Autodromes of Granby and Drummond, two visits to Brockville and Cornwall with single point shows at Little Valley, Ohsweken and for the first time ever, the South Buxton Speedway as a pairing with Ohsweken on June 23 & 24.
Several high paying specials will see many of the ESS faithful looking for added dollars in their pockets. The Knoxville Raceway 360 Nationals and Brodix Tournament of Champions will see the victor take home $10,000 and $5,000 respectively, ESS is proud to be a part of both events in August. The second annual Canadian Sprint Car Nationals at the Ohsweken Speedway will give over $6,000 to the winner in what is becoming the fastest growing major event for 360 sprint cars. The Bully Hill Vineyards Fall Sprint Nationals is back and $4,000 awaits the champion at the Black Rock Speedway, All-Star Dash Qualifiers are set on July 1 & 2 at Can-Am and Utica-Rome. Also, ESS teams are invited to attend the first ever Shot Drop Nationals on Fri. June 9th at the Williams Grove Speedway. The event run by the United Racing Company will award $4,000 to the winner as well.
Lance Yonge will be back with his familiar #17J looking for the three-peat in his nativepoker.com / Johnson Farms backed Maxim. Challenges will be coming from ESS stars such as Jeff VanDusen, Dan Kaszubinski, Jeff Cook, Alain Bergeron, Donny Sharp Jr., Doug Norrie, John Karklin Jr. and many, many more. Not to mention the rookie crop of Steve Poirier, Jessica Zemken, Tommy Wickham and Jason Barney as well as the return of Gordy Button and Kyle Drum, the 2006 season will be one whale of a show from start to finish.
For the latest up to date information on the nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints, please log on to www.empiresupersprints.com. It’s just a little over six weeks away where the stars and cars of ESS provide in what has become tradition, “Excitement guaranteed!!!”

2006 nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints Schedule:
Sat. May 6 Fulton Speedway, Fulton, N.Y. $2,000 To win
Fri. May 12 Albany-Saratoga Speedway, Malta, N.Y.
Fri. May 26 Brewerton Speedway, Brewerton, N.Y.
Sat. May 27 Can-Am Motorsports Park, LaFargeville, N.Y.
Sun. May 28 Utica-Rome Speedway, Vernon, N.Y.
Sat. June 3 Brockville Ontario Speedway, Brockville, Ont.
Sat. June 10 Little Valley Speedway, Little Valley, N.Y.
Fri. June 16 Autodrome Granby, Granby, Que.
Sat. June 17 Autodrome Drummond, Drummondville, Que.
Sun. June 18 Cornwall Motor Speedway, Cornwall, Ont.
Fri. June 23 Ohsweken Speedway, Ohsweken, Ont.
Sat. June 24 South Buxton Raceway, South Buxton, Ont.
Tues. June 27 Albany-Saratoga Speedway (Rain Date June 28)
Sat. July 1 Can-Am Motorsports Park Bully Hill Nationals All-Star Dash Qualifier
Sun. July 2 Utica-Rome Speedway Bully Hill Nationals All-Star Dash Qualifier
Fri. July 14 Edelweiss Speedway, Cantley, Que.
Sat. July 15 Frogtown Speedway, Hogansburg, N.Y.
Sun. July 16 Cornwall Motor Speedway
Sat. July 22 Canandaigua Speedway, Canandaigua, N.Y.
Thurs. July 27 Can-Am Motorsports Park
Fri. July 28 Autodrome Granby
Sat. July 29 Autodrome Drummond
Thurs. Aug. 3 Knoxville Raceway, Knoxville Ia. 360 Nationals Preliminary
Fri. Aug. 4 Knoxville Raceway 360 Nationals Preliminary
Sat. Aug. 5 Knoxville Raceway 360 Nationals - $10,000 to win
Sun. Aug. 6 Knoxville Raceway Brodix Tournament of Champions - $5,000 to win
Fri. Aug. 18 Edelweiss Speedway
Sat. Aug. 19 Brockville Ontario Speedway
Fri. Sept. 1 Autodrome Granby
Sat. Sept. 2 Autodrome Drummond
Sun. Sept. 3 Utica-Rome Speedway
Sat. Sept 9 Black Rock Speedway, Dundee, N.Y. (Rain Date Sept. 10) Bully Hill Vineyards Sprint Nationals - $4,000 to win
Fri. Sept. 15 Ohsweken Speedway Night Before the Nationals
Sat. Sept. 16 Ohsweken Speedway (Rain Date Sept. 17) Canadian Sprint Car Nationals - $6,000 to win
Sat. Sept. 23 Frogtown Speedway
Sat. Oct. 7 Rolling Wheels Raceway Park, Elbridge, N.Y. Sprint Challenge - $3,000 to win
Sat. Nov. 4 Annual Awards Banquet, Comfort Inn, Liverpool, N.Y.

New Sponsor Will Help Kyle Moffit on the Empire Super Sprints Tour for 2006

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Just a mere 18 years old, but South Dayton, N.Y.’s Kyle Moffit is already an Empire Super Sprint (ESS) A-Main winner and one of many exciting young talents. As the nativepoker.com Tour gets ready to go green for the first time on May 6th at the Fulton Speedway, new lettering will flank the wing panels of the young driver’s J&J, family owned #77.
With the addition of Hills Trucking from Fredonia, N.Y. as the primary backer, the 2004 Jereco Competition Engines Rookie of the Year will again tackle the full ESS season. “Hills Trucking came to us at the right time, we weren’t sure if we had enough funds to do the whole tour this year, but now we can.” noted the usually soft spoken pilot. “We were going to run the first few shows and see what was going to happen. My parents paid for everything last year, we didn’t have one sponsor at all and it was getting tough by the end of the season. We just love running with ESS and it would have been tough to sit out some shows if we had to”
Two cars, the newer J&J along with a Trevis Built as a back up is part of the stable, two motors with one being prepped by ESS figure Ron Buckner will provide the power for Moffit who has two career ESS victories to his credit. Along with the ESS tour, some Southern Ontario Sprint events at Ohsweken to prep for the Canadian Sprint Nationals and some trips to the Blaney owned Sharon Speedway is on the agenda.
A white and black paint scheme will be the colors for 2006 and the exciting young driver will also be on hand this weekend at the Carquest Motorsports Expo as a part of the ESS autograph session on Saturday at 2PM. A total of eight cars will be a part of the ESS booth headlined by two-time and defending champion Lance Yonge.
The nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints will boast a 37 race schedule with trips to 18 of the finest dirt tracks speedways in the US and Canada. Kyle Moffit is one of ESS brightest future stars and with the help of Hills Trucking, the dedicated family will once again be in the pit area at each ESS event. For the latest, up to date information on the sprint car organization celebrating it’s 23rd Anniversary, please log on to www.empiresupersprints.com. 

The Empire Super Sprint Stars Will be Shining at the Annual Carquest Motorsports Expo on March 10-12

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – While the first official green flag doesn’t drop on the nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints (ESS) until Saturday night, May 6th at the Fulton Speedway, the annual “sneak peek” always takes place at the Carquest Motorsports Expo held at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse, N.Y.
It’s the 20th annual event and once again one of the nation’s most successful 360 organizations will be making a huge impact at the event which is held on the weekend of March 10-12. No less than eight sprint cars will make up “ESS Land” and nearly a dozen drivers will be part of the annual autograph session which will be held on Saturday afternoon at 2PM.
Heading the list of entries will be two-time and defending champion Lance Yonge with his familiar blue #17J Maxim chassis sprinter. Fans will get to see for the first time the unveiling of Yonge’s newest sponsor nativepoker.com. Always a crowd favorite, the ESS veteran will be on hand much of the weekend to meet and greet all sprint fans.
Also making their debut at the show will be the new team cars of Dan Kaszubinski and Nick Fratto as they get ready for a big 2006 racing campaign. While just living a few miles up the road from the Fairgrounds, Kaszubinski is always a big part of the ESS booth each year. The 28 time career A-Main winner is looking for his first ever ESS title and teaming up with Carmen and Nick Fratto could do the trick for the exciting chauffeur.
Fratto is entering his fourth season with ESS and is looking to improve on his one career victory as well as his tenth placing in the final points from last season. The Fratto family is always big supporters of ESS by displaying their Nick’s #F1 each year and also providing the backing of the Geneva Curbing Bridesmaid award for 2006 where each runner-up in the 25 lap A-Main will receive $50.
For the first time and a very welcomed addition to the ESS booth is Northcountry star Jeff Cook and his very sharp #10. The son in law of ESS great Adrian Flath, Cook is coming off a very successful year in which this young driver placed fourth in the final points. In only his third full season with ESS, Cook will be one of the main challengers to dethrone Yonge off the championship crown.
His eye catching JCK Timber #69K made it’s first showing at Motorsports 2006 in Fort Washington, Pa. back in January. Now sprint fans in the Empire State will get a chance to view the new mount for the popular John Karklin Jr. The driver from Freehold, N.Y. is equipped with the most cars and parts ever in looking to move back into the top five in points, a position he held in 2004. Karklin Jr. has also been a big supporter of ESS over the years displaying his cars at many trade shows and this one will be no different.
A big welcome back to the ESS family is 2001 Jereco Competition Engines rookie of the year Kyle Drum and his family owned #47. Drum is returning to ESS after a few years absence and will be a instant threat to visit victory lane again hoping improve on his two career victories. Two cars are in the Drum Motorsports stable with one making it’s showing at the Expo.
A big crop of rookie drivers will be ready to tackle the nativepoker.com Tour and two of them are displaying their mounts here in March. Tommy Wickham has a new J&J sprinter bought from ESS legend Mal Lane and it’s all dressed up in new colors and number (#75) ready to make it’s first showing. And finally, the brand new team of driver Jason Barney and owner Jeff Walton will make their debut as well. Barney is a many year driver of dirt 358 modifieds but is ready for his first campaign in the winged world with his sharp #87.
All these drivers along with Mike Stelter, Jessica Zemken and possibly a few more will be a part of the autograph session on Saturday afternoon. Each year, the popular signing has drawn hundreds of fans and 2006’s version will be no different. Fans will also be encouraged to visit the ESS booth to pick up a new T-Shirt, hat or schedule cards for the tour backed by nativepoker.com.
A total of 37 dates will make up the 23rd Anniversary Tour for the Empire Super Sprints, from May to October some of the very best to wheel “America’s Race Cars” are ready to come to a track near you. While the hot action on the dirt is still a few months away, come by and stop in to Cargill Exhibit Center on March 10-12 to see some of the stars and cars of ESS up close and personal.

Empire Super Sprints to Make First Ever Appearance at South Buxton Raceway

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – On Saturday evening, June 24th a little slice of history will be added to the world of the Empire Super Sprints (ESS). For the first time in the 23 year history of the 360 sprint car sanctioning body sponsored by nativepoker.com, the stars and cars will make a visit to South Buxton, Ontario and the South Buxton Raceway.
Rich in sprint car tradition, the track known as Canada’s fastest 3/8ths mile oval celebrating it’s 35th season will play host to one of the leading sprint car organizations. ESS visits more than a dozen tracks in the United States and Canada each year, but for this late June night it will mark the first time ever in this Western, Ontario area. With the some of the very best from “America’s Race Cars” visiting the Ohsweken Speedway the night prior, it will provide an exciting weekend for all Canadian sprint car fans.
South Buxton will also host the Sprints On Dirt and the Southern Ontario Sprints in 2006 making for a schedule full of sprint car appearances at the track the where United Midwestern Promoters late models and modifieds roam free. Not only has these fine organizations visited the facility over the years, but a special appearance by the All-Star Circuit of Champions in 2004 marks as one of the highlights.
The track is owned and operated by SM Freight, Inc of Blenheim, Ont. The successful transportation company continues to make improvements to the facility in bringing the dirt track to higher levels. The goal each year is to make this one of the most talked about and headline making Saturday night tracks in all of Canada.
The nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints will bring in top chauffeurs such as two-time and defending champion Lance Yonge, Dan Kaszubinski, Jeff VanDusen, Jeff Cook along with Canadian regulars Alain Bergeron and Steve Poirier who will make the long tow from their native Quebec. It will be a night where all will be striving to make a visit to victory lane as the first ever ESS winner at South Buxton.
For more information please log on to www.southbuxtonraceway.com and for the latest updates on the 24th season for the Empire Super Sprints, log on to www.empiresupersprints.com.

Could it be an Empire Super Sprint Three-Peat? Two-Time Defending Champion Lance Yonge Gears up for the 2006 Season

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – He’s coming off a dream season where the checkered flag waved over the familiar, blue #17J six times en route to his second consecutive Empire Super Sprint (ESS) championship. Penn Yan, N.Y.’s Lance Yonge is busy during the off season in hopes of possibly making it three in a row as the nativepoker.com tour is just a few months away.
The well liked sprint car driver has been a big fixture with the 360 sprint car organization since 1992, never finishing out of the top five in points. In 2004, his hard work and dedication paid off with the first ever ESS title. Only one win but consistency that wasn’t matched was the key to taking home the laurels. Last season, Yonge made his noise by dominating a very talented field of ESS faithful.
This winter it’s getting cars, motors and a new trailer readied for the 37 date tour. With all his main sponsors back, the new year is looking to be even stronger with the addition of the latest backing from nativepoker.com. Not only are they sponsoring the entire ESS tour, but they are helping out three race teams and Yonge was picked as one.
“I’m fortunate to have all my great sponsors back. There’s no way I would be able to do the tour like I can without them. I don’t have deep pockets and they have been just a huge help.” noted Yonge, who finances his own team. “With nativepoker.com coming aboard, it will help me get through a busy schedule; I’m thrilled to add them to the team.
A new Maxim built sprinter has been added to join last years mount that was so successful and along with two H&G power plants, Yonge is ready to defend his crown. About the only change for 2006 will be a new crew chief. “With Chris (Hammond, last years Leaf Racewear mechanic of the year) heading south to pursue a career in NASCAR I had to find a new crew chief.” said Yonge. “Well, I didn’t have to look to far…it’s my wife, Kissy. My daughter (Brienna) will also help as it will be a family gathering each race.”
Fans will be able to get the first look at Yonge’s mount sporting not only the nativepoker.com colors but also the names and logos of great backers such as Lane’s Yamaha, Johnson Farms, Shuttleworth Asphalt Sealing, Penn Yan Mini-Storage and Dailey Plumbing and Heating at the annual Carquest Motorsports Expo in Syracuse, N.Y. The yearly event at the New York State Fairgrounds will be on March 10-12 and Yonge’s #17J will join seven other winged sprint cars as a part of the ESS booth.
While the odds on favorite for 2006, the competition will be tougher than ever for the upcoming season with the likes of Jeff VanDusen, Dan Kaszubinski, Jeff Cook, Alain Bergeron, Don Sharp Jr., Doug Norrie and many more gunning for their first ever ESS crown.
Opening day is planned for May 6th with the long awaited return to the Fulton Speedway. With events from Autodrome Drummond in Quebec to Knoxville, Iowa and over a dozen stops in between, the nativepoker.com Tour for the Empire Super Sprints will once again be excitement guaranteed!! For the latest up to date information, please log on to www.empiresupersprints.com.

The Empire Super Sprints Return to Some old Stomping Grounds: The nativepoker.com Tour Visits Canandaigua and Rolling Wheels

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – It’s like reuniting with an old chum. The Empire Super Sprints (ESS) are returning to the heart of DIRT country with visits to the Canandaigua Speedway and the Rolling Wheels Raceway Park. After several years’ absence, the stars and cars from the nativepoker.com Tour will again roam the half-miles in Ontario County and Elbridge, N.Y.
DIRT MotorSports fans, lock the dates of July 22 & August 13 as some of the very best to wheel “America’s Race Cars” will be invading your house for two exciting visits.
It will be four years since ESS has last trekked the “Land of Legends” in Canandaigua, N.Y. but many of the winged chauffeurs of ESS still has turned many a lap around the fun, multi-grooved oval. Drivers such as two-time and defending champion Lance Yonge along with Tim Kelly, Randy Years, Gordy Button and possibly Rob Dietrick could be in the field on this night and they have A-Main wins here. Along with the likes of Jeff VanDusen, Jeff Cook as well as local favorites Bubby Kerrick, Nick Fratto and Mike Stelter expected to be in the field you can bet to see a star studded pit log on July 22.
While the ESS stars have made an annual visit to the “Fast Track” during Super DIRT Week as part of the Sprint Challenge, this will mark the first full point visit to Rolling Wheels since Sept. of 1993 where Yonge was again the victor. Several of ESS’ greats have joined Yonge as A-Main winners such as Craig Keel, John Brutcher and Bobby Parrow. Looking to etch their name to the winner’s column on Aug. 13 will be drivers Dan Kaszubinski (a previous challenge winner), Alain Bergeron, Don Sharp Jr., John Karklin Jr. and the Norrie Brothers. Also, the “new crop” for 2006, Steve Poirier, Jessica Zemken, Jason Barney and Tommy Wickham to name a few will be out in force on this Sunday evening.
Fans and competitors will need to take note that this is a date change for the Rolling Wheels event. Both ESS and DIRT felt it was best to move the show to August to avoid conflict with the World of Outlaws event at the Lebanon Valley Speedway. This will be a big plus for ESS competitors who now can head east after the Canandaigua event looking for a possible large pay day.
The nativepoker.com tour for the Empire Super Sprints is set up have a big and exciting 2006 campaign which marks the 23rd anniversary for the successful 360 organization. From May to October, some 37 dates have already been secured with a record payoff and point fund awaiting the competitors. While much of the off-season headlines is new and exciting, it’s always nice to welcome some old acquaintances back….Canandaigua and Rolling Wheels, the ESS tradition will continue with excitement guaranteed!

Past ESS Winners at Canandaigua Speedway
July 6, 1985 John Zentner
July 5, 1986 Gordy Button
Aug. 16, 1986 Gordy Button
July 4, 1987 Mike Gorman
Aug. 15, 1987 John Brutcher
June 29, 1991 Jeff Thomas
July 4, 1992 Mike Woodring
Aug. 29, 1992 Bobby Parrow
May 8, 1993 Tim Kelly
Aug. 28, 1993 Tim Kelly
July 1, 1995 Craig Keel
May 11, 1997 Mike Woodring
July 5, 1997 Mike Woodring
July 24, 1999 Lance Yonge
May 13, 2000 Lance Yonge
July 1, 2000 Rich Wood
May 12, 2001 Randy Years
June 30, 2001 Lance Yonge
May 11, 2002 Brian Dumigan
July 6, 2002 Rob Dietrick

Past Empire Super Sprints Winners at Rolling Wheels Raceway Park
Aug. 21, 1984 Craig Keel
Aug. 23, 1987 Gordy Button
May 27, 1990 John Brutcher
Sept. 29, 1992 Bobby Parrow
Sept. 25, 1993 Lance Yonge
Sept. 24, 1994 Craig Keel (ESS)
Sept. 25, 1995 Craig Keel (ESS)
Oct. 12, 1996 Kramer Williamson (URC)
Oct. 11, 1997 Kramer Williamson (URC)
Oct. 10, 1998 Dan Kaszubinski (ESS)
Oct. 9, 1999 Kramer Williamson (URC)
Oct. 7, 2000 Becca Anderson (URC)
Oct. 6, 2001 Rick Wilson (ESS)
Oct. 12, 2002 Kyle Drum (ESS)
Oct. 11, 2003 Pete Green (URC)
Oct. 9, 2004 Trevor Lewis (URC)
( ) Denotes Challenge Events.

Randy’s Racing Filters Becomes the Newest Sponsor for the Empire Super Sprints

For immediate release;
By Dean Reynolds
Contact: DeanR@empiresupersprints.com

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Long-time Empire Super Sprint (ESS) competitor Randy Years has started a little “side business” for himself and is taking off in leaps and bounds. Randy’s Racing Filters has been launched after several years of research and development and competitors in ESS will have a chance in bringing home one of his top products.
During the annual awards banquet, Years will giveaway a complete carbon-fiber filter assembly to a driver chosen at random. The product is valued at $550 and will be open at any ESS regular on the tour which this year is sponsored by nativepoker.com.
Although still in it’s early stages, Randy’s Racing Filters will be on top of the power plants of World Of Outlaw teams of Daryn Pittman and Mike Woodring. Top United Racing Company team of Fred Kennedy and Bill Turpin will also use Years’ products as well as ESS competitors Don Sharp Jr., John Karklin Jr., Fratto Motorsports, Jessica Zemken and others.
What makes Randy’s filter better than it’s competition? It is designed with over 30 years of engineering experience in industrial filtration. With industrial duty textile filter media (not cheesy paper) and high strength core construction, Randy’s Racing Filter will not only give you a horsepower edge above the competitors filter, it will help your engine last longer by filtering out more of the dust and grime that destroy engines.
Years himself is a three-time winner with ESS and will once again chase the tour for 2006. However, not only will he be there to race, but to talk filters as well. For more information, feel free to log on to www.racingfilter.com or call Randy himself at (585) 489-5046.
The nativepoker.com for the Empire Super Sprints is ready to see it’s first green flag on Saturday night, May 6th at the Fulton Speedway. Some 36 dates will follow in making the 24th season for “America’s Race Cars” one of the most look forward to in history. With the help of Randy’s Racing Filters, the prize pot just got a little bigger.

It’s the Jessica Watch: Empire Super Sprint Rookie Jessica Zemken Heading to Florida for the King of the 360’s Winternationals

For immediate release;
By Dean Reynolds
Contact: DeanR@empiresupersprints.com  

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The first 360 event of 2006 season on the east coast kicks of at the East Bay Raceway Park on Jan. 26-28 for the Eighth Annual King of the 360’s Winternationals. The lone representative from the Empire Super Sprints (ESS) will be 2006 rookie of the year hopeful Jessica Zemken aboard the nativepoker.com sponsored Patterson Motorsports #33Z entry.
The young female driver has a mere half-dozen starts behind the wheel of a sprint car but what better way to gain valuable experience by taking on some of the best sprint car drivers in the nation. It will give her a much needed boost before she runs the full nativepoker.com tour for the Empire Super Sprints.
Two Beaber Built sprints with Jimmy D’s Speed and Machine power plants will be heading down with head wrench being Wayne Patterson as well as much needed help from ESS veteran Doug Emery and owner Tom Patterson. Sponsorship help will also come from M&W Aluminum Products, the maker of T-Bar torsion bars.
Zemken’s mount was voted best appearing at the Fort Washington Pa. Expo Motorsports 2006 but good looks doesn’t always mean success. “I real excited to go to Florida and see how I can do.” said the excited but also focused Sprakers, N.Y. chauffeur. “I know the key will be to time trial well. Doug (Emery) has been getting me prepped over and over again to become a good time trailer. I hope I can do well and hopefully qualify for all the A-Mains.”
The 360’s Nationals, which is a part of the ASCS National Tour, will start on Thursday night with a $1500 to win A-Main. Friday’s program is also a $1500 to win show with points setting you up for the Sat. $10,000 to win Ron Laney Memorial finale. Defending champion is World of Outlaws regular Chad Kemenah with other top drivers such as Gary Wright, Travis Rilat, Danny Martin, Kenny Adams and fellow New Yorker Bryan Howland expected to be in the field as well.
The Patterson Motorsports team will be calling ESS headquarters each night with results and fans can get the up to date information by logging on to www.empiresupersprints.com . For more information on the Winternationals at East Bay, log on to www.eastbayracewaypark.com.

Motorsports 2006 a Big Success for the Empire Super Sprints; Jessica Zemken and John Karklin Jr., First and Second in Open Cockpit Voting

For immediate release;
By Dean Reynolds
Contact: DeanR@empiresupersprints.com

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – More than 40,000 fans passed through the front doors at the Fort Washington Expo Center for Motorsports 2006 presented by VP Racing Fuels. For the first time ever, they were able to get an up close and personal look at the Empire Super Sprints (ESS).

The immaculate sprint cars of Jessica Zemken and John Karklin Jr. made the trip to Southern Pa. as well. When the weekend was over, the two sprinters took first and second in voting for best appearing cars in the open cockpit division.

Zemken’s car, a Beaber Built prepared by Wayne Patterson, owned by Tom Patterson and sponsored by nativepoker.com was voted best appearing making her an instant hit. Karklin’s self prepared JEI owned by Richard Goff and backed by JCK Timber was right behind with the runner-up honors. More than two dozen other cars were in competition making this a well earned feat for the two race teams.

Not just good looking sprinters made an impact by ESS; it was the first event for the new tour sponsor: nativepoker.com. ESS unveiled their preliminary schedule which is some 37 dates strong. The very best of “America’s Race Cars: will visit Utica-Rome, Can-Am, Autodromes Granby and Drummond, Albany-Saratoga, Cornwall, Edelweiss, Fulton, Frogtown, Brewerton, Brockville, Ohsweken, Rolling Wheels, Canandaigua, Little Valley, South Buxton, Black Rock and the famed Knoxville Raceway. The schedule is still pending with a few more dates a possibility.

Both Zemken and Karklin Jr. signed autographs all weekend and with the female chauffeur a judge at the annual Ms. Motorsports contest where she also took to the stage for a special interview with Shane Andrews. Also, ESS stars Doug Emery, Randy Years and Dan Kaszubinski were on hand most of the weekend greeting the big crowd that filled the Expo Center.

Next up on the nativepoker.com tour for the Empire Super Sprints will be the Motorsports Expo on March 10-12 in Syracuse, N.Y. and then it’s off to the scheduled opener on Sat. May 6th at the Fulton Speedway. The first green flag is just around the corner and as it has become an ESS tradition, it will be excitement guaranteed!!!

Lance Yonge, Bubby Kerrick and Jessica Zemken to Fly nativepoker.com Colors on the Empire Super Sprint Tour for 2006

For immediate release;
By Dean Reynolds
Contact: DeanR@empiresupersprints.com  

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – In a major sponsorship announcement, Tony Laughing, Don Thompson, Randy Connors and the fine folks affiliated with nativepoker.com have put together an unique program that will see their logo on three sprint cars for the Empire Super Sprint (ESS) Tour in 2006. The drivers chosen are two-time defending champion Lance Yonge, ESS veteran Bubby Kerrick and one of the most talked about newcomers to the tour, Jessica Zemken.

The lucrative package for all three drivers comes with driver suits and lettering included. Along with the sponsorship of the entire ESS tour, nativepoker.com has become a major force in sprint car racing in the northeast and Canada.

The ESS Tour 2006 brought to you by nativepoker.com will kick off in early May. Already totaling more than 30 dates the 24th season for the 360 sprint car organization is looking to be the most exciting ever. Fans will get the first glimpse this weekend at Motorsports 2006 located in the Fort Washington Expo Center in Ambler, Pa. The cars of John Karklin Jr. and Zemken will be on hand and also the first release of the tentative 2006 tour schedule.

It’s the “The New Deal in Online Poker”, nativepoker.com has been recently launched and is welcoming new members 24 hours a day. There are nightly free rolls that reward tournament winners real money. You can also get a chance to go head to head with poker champion Al Krux who has instrumental in getting the site rolling.

More announcements on Lance Yonge, Bubby Kerrick and Jessica Zemken will be coming in the next few weeks. For more information feel free to log on to www.empiresupersprints.com . For some of the very best in on-line poker fun, log on to www.nativepoker.com and join on.

The Empire Super Sprints and nativepoker.com will bring you excitement guaranteed!!

Empire Super Sprints, John Karklin Jr. and Jessica Zemken to be a Part of the Motorsports 2006 in Fort Washington Pa

For immediate release;
By Dean Reynolds
Contact: DeanR@empiresupersprints.com

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – For the first time ever, the Empire Super Sprints (ESS), one on the nation’s leading 360 sprint car organizations, will be a part of one of the leading motorsports extravaganzas on January 13-15 at the Fort Washing Pa. Expo Center. Motorsports 2006 presented by VP racing Fuels is the name with the 21st. annual event boasting over 40,000 race fans each year and ESS is proud to be a part of the mid-winter tradition.

In the ESS booth, which is located at booths 2407-2506-2508, will be the brand new sprinters of top wheelman John Karklin Jr. and female sensation Jessica Zemken. Karklin Jr. is coming off a solid season by placing eighth in the final point standings. The likeable driver from Freehold, N.Y. has six career ESS victories and will be on hand all weekend to sign autographs as well as showcasing a brand new Richard Goff owned #69K.

Zemken will also be on hand all weekend showing off her full-time ride owned by Tom Patterson. The budding talent from Sprakers, N.Y. is excited about her first full season on the ESS trail in hopes for a possible rookie of the year honors. Zemken will be a special judge during the annual Ms. Motorsports contest as well which highlights the show on Saturday evening.

Fans can stop by to pick up an ESS T-Shirt, sweat shirt, calendar and program along with other surprises during all three days. Special announcements about the 2006 tour brought to you by nativepoker.com will be made throughout the weekend by ESS representatives.

The 23rd anniversary tour is already some 30 dates strong with more shows to be announced in the very near future. Two-time defending champion Lance Yonge will be back to try for the “hat trick” with challenges coming from the likes of Jeff VanDusen, Dan Kaszubinski, Jeff Cook, Alain Bergeron along with some of the very best to wheel “America’s Race Cars”.

The Empire Super Sprints is ready to drop the first green flag for the new year on Jan. 13-15 during the Len Sammons Productions event. For up to date information on Motorsports 2006 feel free to log on to http://www.aarn.com/ms-about.html or call 609-888-3618. For the latest ESS information please log on to www.empiresupersprints.com.

F-5 Sprint Chassis Becoming a Force in the Northeast

For immediate release;
Contact: Matt Gysel (315) 856-0221
Curt Shuttleworth (315) 952-0506

GENEVA, N.Y. – In case no one has noticed, there just might be a sheriff in town in the world of winged sprint cars in the Northeast and Canada. F5 Chassis of Knoxville, Iowa has tasted the checkered flag several times in 2005 and is looking for more success in the upcoming season.

FourWide Motorsports out of Geneva, N.Y. is pleased to be the only dealer in the Northeast territory and has a list of names that will again grace victory circle. Coming off headline making seasons were former United Racing Club (URC) champion Dave Ely, Quebec native Alain Bergeron and veteran Ray Preston. Joining the threesome for 2006 will be John Karklin Jr. and Jared Zimbardi.

Ely used a very consistent season to place a strong second in the URC final points to Curt Michael. Ely was the first to use the sprinter built by Wayne Simmons and is hoping for even more success this year. Bergeron campaigns on the tough Empire Super Sprint (ESS) circuit and he had his best year ever with two big wins and his first ever placing in the top five in points. Preston has been a sprint veteran for many years in the Northeast and in 2005 he win the ESS opener on his way to placing in the top 20 in points with both ESS and the Patriot Sprint Group (PSG) where he placed seventh.

As announced, Karklin Jr. has taken delivery of two F5’s in hopes for his first ESS title. The Freehold, N.Y. star has six career wins with the 360 sanctioning body and is coming off a strong season where he placed eighth on the final points. Karklin’s new mount will be displayed for the first time at the VP Racing Fuels Motorsports Expo in Fort Washington, Pa. on Jan. 13-15.

Zimbardi is coming off his most successful season in his very young sprint car career with a well earned fifth place in points with PSG. Now the hopes are to visit victory lane and a possible championship.

FourWide Motorsports is entering its sophomore season serving many sprint teams and organizations. Owned by Matt Gysel and Curt Shuttleworth, FourWide is a dealer for DMI, M&W Aluminum Products and joining the fold for the 2006 season will be B.R. Motorsports. Also, Hoosier tires, which is the official tire for both ESS and PSG, will be stocked.

F5 sprint chassis and new for 2006, F5 midgets are ready to make some noise in the open wheel market. FourWide Motorsports is along for the ride and a fun one it will be. For more information, please contact Matt Gysel at (315) 856-0221 or Curt Shuttleworth at (315) 952-0506.

Tommy Wickham is Ready to Tackle his Rookie Season with the Empire Super Sprints

For immediate release;
By Dean Reynolds
Contact: DeanR@empiresupersprints.com

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Empire Super Sprints (ESS) has grown to be one of the largest 360 sprint car organizations in the country. For 19 year old Tommy Wickham the 2006 season will be a big challenge as he embarks on the 23rd anniversary tour in hopes of success and possible rookie of the year honors. Wickham adds his name to a growing list of first year hopefuls for the upcoming racing campaign brought to you by nativepoker.com.

The ESS Tour 2006 will be a big step in a career that hopefully will find the Constantia, N.Y. pilot as a full-time winged sprint car driver. “That has been my goal ever since I’ve been racing ¼ midgets when I was four years old.” Wickham mentions on his career aspirations in sprint cars. “Last year I got my first sprinter and ran a bunch of shows but motor troubles held us back some. Still, I learned a lot and I hope I’m ready to move up to ESS and try to make myself better. I want to race as much as I can and do some traveling.”

While a used car along with some valuable help from second cousin and sprint veteran Dave Wickham got Tommy on the right track last season, a newer J&J from Mal Lane and a powerful motor purchased from Curt Shuttleworth is the equipment for 2006. “To run with some of the best drivers around we knew that we needed better equipment and I think we got some of the best.” noted the many-time feature winner in micro sprints. “While rookie of the year with ESS would be nice, running all the races and getting finishes, top 10’s, maybe top 5’s that’s just my goal. I’d love to be an Outlaw driver but I know I have to get more experience here at home first.”

While some help from close friends makes up the sponsorships as of now, Tommy is ready to get his name out there in hopes of getting some added funding. A 46 ft. stacker trailer is being readied for use down the road and also hopes of adding to his parts inventory and equipment is a primary goal.

Another name has been added to the stout list of first time ESS competitors. Joining Steve Poirier and Jessica Zemken, Tommy Wickham is looking to make a few headlines himself. The ESS Tour 2006 brought to you by nativepoker.com will kick off in May with already over 30 dates at some 17 different speedways booked making the 24th season of showcasing some of the very best in “America’s Race Cars” one of the most looked forward to tours in history. For the latest up to date news and information feel free to log on to www.empiresupersprints.com. 

Copyright © 1998-2006 by South Jersey Dirt Racing/ToddJ All Rights Reserved.  Born on date April 21, 1998