June 8, 2023 – Holly, Michigan – The Must See Racing Sprint Series Presented by Engine Pro is preparing for its busiest stretch of the season with three consecutive weekends of racing in three different states.
The action will begin next Friday night June 16 when the series returns to Lorain Raceway Park in South Amherst, Ohio as part of the Super Crown Nationals that will also feature ISMA/MSS Supermodifieds.
The following weekend June 24 will see the series return to Owosso Speedway in Ovid, Michigan. The 3/8 was recently repaved and there’s reason to believe the all-time Owosso Speedway track record could fall to the ‘Fastest Short Track Cars in the World’.
The three-weekend string of events will conclude when the series makes its final-ever appearance at the high-banked ¼ mile Rockford Speedway in Loves Park, Illinois. It will be the final chance for fans to see winged sprint cars at the track that opened in 1948. It was announced last fall that the track was closing after this season. One lucky driver will be able to boast winning the final sprint car race at the historic venue July 2.
Must See Racing is enjoying one of its most competitive seasons in series history. There have been three different winners in the three events contested thus far in 2023. Jason Blonde, Jimmy McCune, and Charlie Schultz have each been victorious. Jason Blonde is the current series points leader.
The month of June will be busy for MSR. Be sure to keep up with the series by visiting www.mustseeracing.com.
BIRCH RUN, Mich. (May 27, 2023) – Ten months after enduring injuries from a frightening fire in dirt sprint car competition, five-time Must See Racing Engine Pro Sprint Car Series champion Jimmy McCune finally found his way back to victory lane.
McCune led the final 18 laps of Saturday night’s American Speed U.S. Nationals finale at Birch Run Speedway and Event Center en route to his first triumph of the season in the familiar Abe’s Auto Parts & Sales No. 88. He snapped a winless drought of nearly a full year in Must See Racing action in the process.
Prior to his Saturday score, McCune’s most recent victory in Must See Racing competition was at Birch Run on June 10, 2022. It was his third overall win at the four-tenths-mile, semi-banked oval.
Though outside polesitter Johnny Petrozelle III jumped out to the early lead, pacing the first 12 circuits, overheating issues eventually bit the Mike Blake Racing No. 81 and opened the door for McCune to pounce.
“This was actually the last place that I really got to race before the fire last summer,” McCune recalled. “I ran here on a Friday night, went to Butler (Motor Speedway) on the dirt, ran two laps and got myself burnt up. So to come back here and get my first win of the year … what more could you ask for?
“This is a great facility with great fans and great racing. … So many people went into making this possible; all in all, it’s been a great weekend.”
An inversion roll of seven placed Bobby Komisarski – in his third race for car owner Gene Fogle – on the pole for the 30-lap feature, but it was Petrozelle who got the early jump from the outside groove.
The 2017 Must See Racing South division champion raced out to the lead and held serve uncontested until lap 13, when the temperature in his Dick Kercher-prepared engine began skyrocketing, forcing Petrozelle to roll to a stop in turns one and two and bringing out a caution with 12 laps complete.
It was a tough moment for the open-wheel veteran, who has driven for owner Mike Blake off and on for the past five years.
“We had a really great pace early on; that’s the best that Mike and I have been together in quite some time,” explained Petrozelle after the race. “We started off really good; I was really happy with the car and I thought we really had something for them tonight in that first run. Unfortunately, the motor started getting hot there right about halfway and that’s what ultimately got us.
“This is a step in the right direction, though. Hopefully, we can build on this and be back again this year.”
Petrozelle’s heartbreak opened the door for McCune, who raced out to a half-track lead over longtime rival Jason Blonde and never looked back from there.
“I just let him go at the start and let him eat those laps up,” said McCune of Petrozelle. “I didn’t feel any pressure (from behind) and the car was rolling the corner really well, so I bided my time, moved the wing forward a bit and found a line on the bottom that worked for us. It came to life when we needed.”
McCune’s nephew, 2020 series champion Anthony McCune, passed Blonde on the final lap for second and earned his best result since a back injury sidelined him from competitive action two years ago.
“We just never had a winning car from the start of that race, but we made do with it the best we could,” noted Anthony McCune. “As a team, we needed this. After me being out of the car for two years and Jimmy missing part of last season, I think this is a reminder to everyone that we can still get it done.”
Blonde filled out the podium finishers over defending series champion Charlie Schultz and Dorman Snyder.
Schultz kicked off the night by setting fast time around the four-tenths-mile oval with a lap of 13.445 seconds in the IBT Motorsports No. 9s. It was the third fast time of his Must See Racing career.
Jimmy McCune and Todd McQuillen split the pair of eight-lap heat race wins prior to the main event.
Cody Gallogly won the companion Must See Racing Midwest Lights crate sprint car feature on the four-tenths-mile oval in a photo finish over second-year driver Charlie Baur.
Gallogly led only the final few feet of the main event, making a last-lap pass to triumph by .013 seconds. It marked the closest finish in the four-year history of the Midwest Lights class under Must See Racing.
Saturday’s program featured a 20-minute opening ceremony block honoring the nation’s fallen service members. A 50/50 raffle was also held benefiting series partner Steadfast for Veterans and the non-profit organization’s Indianapolis housing project.
The Must See Racing Engine Pro Sprint Car Series season continues June 16 during Super Crown weekend at Ohio’s Lorain Raceway Park. Blonde is the most recent series winner at the facility.
For more information on Must See Racing, visit www.mustseeracing.com.
RESULTS: Must See Racing Engine Pro Sprint Car Series; Birch Run (Mich.) Speedway; May 27, 2023
Qualifying (best of two laps): 1. Charlie Schultz, 9s, IBT-13.445; 2. Jason Blonde, 42, Nosal-13.701; 3. Dorman Snyder, 99, Stickney-13.726; 4. Jimmy McCune, 88, McCune-13.756; 5. Anthony McCune, 8, McCune-13.794; 6. Johnny Petrozelle, 81, Blake-13.979; 7. Bobby Komisarski, 7, Fogle-14.061; 8. Todd McQuillen, 2, Koyan-14.131; 9. Rick Holley, 85, Holley-14.597.
Heat #1 (8 laps, all transfer): 1. Todd McQuillen [1], 2. Bobby Komisarski [2], 3. Johnny Petrozelle [3], 4. Rick Holley [5], 5. Anthony McCune [4].
Heat #2 (8 laps, all transfer): 1. Jimmy McCune [1], 2. Dorman Snyder [2], 3. Jason Blonde [3], 4. Charlie Schultz [4].
American Racer A-Feature (30 laps): 1. #88 – Jimmy McCune [4], 2. #8 – Anthony McCune [3], 3. #42 – Jason Blonde [6], 4. #9s – Charlie Schultz [7], 5. #99 – Dorman Snyder [5], 6. #7 – Bobby Komisarski [1], 7. #2 – Todd McQuillen [8], 8. #81 – Johnny Petrozelle III [2], 9. #85 – Rick Holley [9], 10. #36jr – J.J. Henes [12], 11. #27 – Cody Gallogly [10], 12. #23 – Charlie Baur [11], 13. #51 – Joshua Sexton [13].
Lap Leader(s): Bobby Komisarski Grid, Johnny Petrozelle III 1-12, Jimmy McCune 13-30.
BIRCH RUN, Mich. (May 26, 2023) – A masterful restart was all that Cody Gallogly needed to start his Must See Racing Maxima Midwest Lights title defense off in winning fashion Friday night at Birch Run Speedway.
Gallogly powered around front-row starter and early leader Andrew Bogusz on a lap-17 restart, then never looked back en route to victory in the season opener on Birch Run’s third mile “little oval.”
The Baltimore, Ohio, veteran opened up a commanding lead of 6.920 seconds over the second half of the 40-lap feature, cruising to the checkered flag and cementing himself as the early favorite to capture a second straight Midwest Lights championship in the process.
“I was trying to play this one a little safer,” said Gallogly of his fifth career Midwest Lights triumph. “Normally from the drop of the green, I’m all in every moment, but I knew that this infield track was going to be hard on tires and I was trying to stay close to Andrew.
“I got stuck behind some traffic, and that let Sawyer [Stout] get close to me, but I knew that as long as I was in striking distance and saved something from the end that I’d have a chance,” he added. “This car was really fast and when we let it eat on the outside, that was all she needed to get it done tonight.”
Making the night emotional for Gallogly was the fact that Friday’s score was his first race since losing his father to cancer just over a month ago.
“We lost my dad on April 3 to lung cancer, and this is the first race … without him here,” Gallogly noted. “This is the way we wanted to come out tonight.”
A six inversion placed 17-year-old Charlie Baur on the pole for the main event, but it was a fellow teenager in Bogusz who made his presence known early, driving around the outside to claim the top spot on the opening lap.
Bogusz then comfortably paced the early stages of the race, holding a margin of roughly one second over his pursuers as Gallogly and Sawyer Stout traded jabs for the runner-up spot several times.
Stout completed the pass in traffic on lap nine, then began closing on Bogusz before a misstep in turns one and two near halfway cost him any hope of contending for the victory.
Entering the second corner on lap 17, Stout got too low and clipped an infield tire, shearing the left-front tire off his ACME Racing No. 40 and spinning to produce the lone caution flag of the event.
That set up a restart with Bogusz electing the inside, while Gallogly reset on the top groove looking for grip to find a way past. Gallogly’s search for traction paid off when the green flag was displayed again, as he soared past Bogusz into clean air and disappeared into the central Michigan night.
Bogusz settled for a disappointing second, frustrated after the race that he wasn’t able to seal the deal for the second time in Midwest Lights competition.
“I made a move [on the restart] and I should have listened to my instincts,” the 17-year-old said. “Cody just drove around me on the outside and put me in dirty air after that. That’s racing, but we’ll come back stronger. I was playing more defense than offense in that one … did what I could, but we didn’t need that yellow.”
Joshua Sexton filled out the podium finishers, followed by 2020 champion J.J. Henes and Baur, who faded to fifth after starting from the top spot on the grid.
Gallogly kicked off the night by setting the crate sprint car track record of 13.056 seconds ( mph) around the third-mile “little oval” at Birch Run. It marked the ____ fast time of Gallogly’s Midwest Lights career.
Todd McQuillen and Joshua Sexton split the wins in a pair of 10-lap heats held prior to the main event.
The Must See Racing Maxima Midwest Lights season continues Saturday night with a full program on the four-tenths-mile “big track” at Birch Run Speedway & Event Center. The action, alongside the Must See Racing Engine Pro Sprint Car Series, will be taped for a June 19 broadcast block on MAVTV.
RESULTS: Must See Racing Maxima Midwest Lights Series; Birch Run (Mich.) Speedway; May 26, 2023
ARP Qualifying (best of two laps): 1. Cody Gallogly, 27, Gallogly-13.056 (NTR); 2. J.J. Henes, 36jr, Henes-13.306; 3. Sawyer Stout, 40, ACME-13.455; 4. Joshua Sexton, 51s, Team 151-13.716; 5. Andrew Bogusz, 17, Bogusz-13.765; 6. Charlie Baur, 23, Baur-14.126; 7. Matt Double, 14x, USA Earthworks-15.228; 8. Dale McQuillen, 21, McQuillen-15.686; 9. Todd McQuillen, 32, McQuillen-15.721.
Melling Performance Heat #1 (10 laps, all transfer): 1. Todd McQuillen [1], 2. Charlie Baur [3], 3. Matt Double [4], 4. Dale McQuillen [2].
BIRCH RUN, Mich. (May 26, 2023) – A power move on the opening lap of Friday night’s American Speed U.S. Nationals main event at Birch Run Speedway and Event Center catapulted defending Must See Racing Engine Pro Sprint Car Series champion Charlie Schultz into victory lane.
Schultz soared around the outside of past series champion Anthony McCune in turn three, then led all 25 laps at the four-tenths-mile paved oval en route to the first series win of his title defense.
Down the stretch, Schultz fended off point leader Jason Blonde – who won the season opener at Michigan’s Berlin Raceway on May 20 – for his first Birch Run triumph.
Charlie Schultz took top honors during Friday’s opening half of the American Speed U.S. Nationals at Birch Run Speedway. (David Sink photo)
“I started getting a little tight over the long run, but just tried to keep running a nice smooth line so I could keep the car underneath me,” said Schultz of his third career Must See Racing victory. “When you come here and beat Blonde and (Jimmy) McCune, it says a lot. We came close here last summer, running the same line as I did tonight, and our homework finally paid off.”
The win was emotional for Schultz, whose father passed away just prior to the start of the new season.
“I lost my dad a little over a month ago, and I think he was just smiling down on me tonight,” Schultz noted. “We needed this one as a team. My dad aligned me with a lot of great people through the years, and it really feels good to get this one buttoned up.”
After Blonde topped Melling Performance Time Trials with a lap of 13.628 seconds, a five-inversion placed Florida’s Tommy Nichols on the pole in an expedited program Friday evening.
Anthony McCune surged past Nichols in the first set of corners, with Schultz following suit on the outside of the race track before making the winning move on the other end of the race track.
The night’s only caution flag waved on lap five, when Canadian Ryan Litt slowed to a stop in turn one from a top-five running position with terminal mechanical trouble.
Though Blonde moved into second on the ensuing restart and gave chase for the remaining distance, he said an ill-handling race car prevented him from taking the fight to Schultz in the closing laps.
“Just a little too free off the corners,” Blonde lamented. “We were hanging [the car] out off the exits, and the more I was catching him, the more I was putting the throttle down … so in the end I wasn’t really gaining much. I could tell he was a little snug, but I just had nothing for him at the end.”
Five-time series champion Jimmy McCune crossed the finish line third ahead of Anthony McCune and Dorman Snyder.
Cody Gallogly won the companion Must See Racing Midwest Lights crate sprint car feature, held over 40 laps on the third-mile “inner oval” at Birch Run Friday night.
The Must See Racing Engine Pro Sprint Car Series season continues Saturday night with the second half of the two-day American Speed U.S. Nationals at Birch Run Speedway and Event Center.
For more information on Must See Racing, visit the series website at www.mustseeracing.com.
RESULTS: Must See Racing Engine Pro Sprint Car Series; Birch Run (Mich.) Speedway; May 26, 2023
Melling Performance Qualifying (best of two laps): 1. Jason Blonde, 42, Nosal-13.628; 2. Charlie Schultz, 9s, IBT-13.687; 3. Jimmy McCune, 88, McCune-13.823; 4. Anthony McCune, 8, McCune-13.856; 5. Tommy Nichols, 55, Nichols-14.081; 6. Rick Holley, 85, Holley-14.256; 7. Dorman Snyder, 99, Stickney-14.302; 8. Ryan Litt, 07L, Litt-NT; 9. Joe Liguori, 13, Liguori-NT; 10. Johnny Petrozelle, 81, Blake-NT; 11. Bobby Komisarski, 7, Fogle-NT.
American Racer Feature (25 laps): 1. #9s – Charlie Schultz [4], 2. #42 – Jason Blonde [5], 3. #88 – Jimmy McCune [3], 4. #8 – Anthony McCune [2], 5. #99 – Dorman Snyder [7], 6. #85 – Rick Holley [6], 7. #81 – Johnny Petrozelle [9], 8. #7 – Bobby Komisarski [10], 9. #27 – Cody Gallogly [11], 10. #17 – Andrew Bogusz [12], 11. #36jr – J.J. Henes [14], 12. #23 – Charlie Baur [15], 13. #07L – Ryan Litt [8], 14. #51s – Joshua Sexton [13], 15. #55 – Tommy Nichols [1].
Lap Leader(s): Tommy Nichols Grid, Charlie Schiltz 1-40.
This event has steadily become one of the most popular short track events in the state of Michigan Memorial Day Weekend. This will be the first time in the events brief history that it will be consecutive nights of racing. The Friday portion of this event has been rained out each of the past two seasons and has been consolidated into a one-day format. That will not be the case this year as the weather forecast looks very promising.
Fans will be in for a treat as two complete wing sprint car events are on tap both nights highlighted by the MSR 410 national series, often referred to as “The Fastest Short Track Cars in the World”.
The action begins Friday night with a 25-lap feature event for the 410’s on the 4/10 while the MSR Lights will run on the ¼. Dwarf Cars and Pure Stocks will compete Friday’s racing card.
On Saturday night both series will be competing on the 4/10 with a 30-lap feature on tap for the 410’s and 25-laps for the MSR Lights. Saturday will include an opening ceremony with a Steadfast For Veterans special presentation that will include a flyover to honor our veterans. Fans are encouraged to get there early because you don’t want to miss this phenomenal opening ceremony. The National Compact Touring Series will also be in action on Saturday night.
The American Speed U.S. Nationals annually draws the best winged pavement sprint car drivers in the Country with the chance to race two-nights over Memorial Day Weekend. Current MSR points leader Jason Blonde won a thriller last year while Jimmy McCune picked up the win in the inaugural event in 2021. Both drivers are looking to become the first two-time winner of this event.
Other drivers expected include Charlie Schultz, Joe Liguori, Ryan Litt, Rick Holley, Tommy Nichols, Johnny Petrozelle, Bobby Komasarski, and many others. Drivers from five states and Canada are expected.
For more info on the American Speed U.S. Nationals please visit www.mustseeracing.com
May 22, 2023 – Holly, Michigan – When Jason Blonde won the Must See Racing Sprint Series presented by Engine Pro season opener at Berlin Raceway Saturday afternoon, it sent his season in a different direction. He hadn’t planned on running the entire MSR schedule. But as the current points leader, it will be very enticing to run the remainder of the events.
The 48-year-old Blonde and car owner Tony Nosal find themselves atop the MSR standings by a mere 3 points ahead of Bobby Santos and just 7 over defending champion Charlie Schultz.
The competition at last Saturday’s MSR opener was stout, very stout. It may have been the strongest field of cars the series has witnessed in nearly a decade. Even Blonde was skeptical of how he would fair leading up to race day.
“I was surprised. Bobby (Santos) is always so good. I was kinda running for second or third. Then you got the #50 car (Mike McVetta) and Ryan Litt. We were lucky to get the win because Santos was knocking on my door pretty hard. To get the win against the caliber of competition we did this weekend shows the type of team we are”.
When asked if his most recent success has tempted him to run the entire schedule, he quickly responded “all that could change for sure. Most all the tracks on the schedule I’ve won at except Rockford. If I’m leading the points at that time, we might have to go there,” laughed Blonde. “Anytime you can win a championship it means a lot. It shows what kind of team we have, and everybody works so hard to get to that point”.
Blonde may be having the best success of his career lately. Despite running the full MSR schedule in recent seasons, Blonde has amassed several big victories the past two seasons including the ‘Bob Frey Classic’ and ‘American Speed U.S. Nationals’. “I guess it’s experience. I’ve been running dirt cars and that helps me not be so loose with the pavement car.”
If Blonde is to protect his current points lead, he will have to do it twice this weekend as the 3rd annual ‘American Speedway U.S. Nationals’ at Birch Run Speedway in Birch Run, Michigan is up next with two complete shows both Friday May 26 and Saturday May 27. Blonde won the inaugural ‘American Speed U.S. Nationals in 2020. Birch Run Speedway is a track he’s all but familiar with, and this could be bad news for the competition, if he continues to stay hot.
For more info on the American Speed U.S. Nationals please visit www.mustseeraacing.com
Jason Blonde poses in victory lane after winning Saturday’s Must See Racing sprint car opener at Berlin Raceway. (David Sink photo)
MARNE, Mich. (May 20, 2023) – In a thrilling display during Berlin Raceway’s Cars & Coneys Night, Jason Blonde kicked off the Must See Racing Engine Pro Sprint Car Series season in winning fashion on Saturday.
Blonde snuck past polesitter and early leader Mike McVetta in traffic, then held off a hard-charging Bobby Santos III as time wound down in the 30-lap feature en route to a 1.036-second victory.
It marked Blonde’s 10th career Must See Racing sprint car win – just the third driver in the series’ 14-year history to reach double digits – and his third score at the home-state track that sits two hours northwest of his Litchfield residence.
Those factors, plus the fact that Blonde brought Santos’ four-race win streak with Must See Racing to an end, made Saturday’s triumph a little bit sweeter for the multi-time pavement sprint car champion.
“I honestly don’t know how we held him off,” said Blonde in victory lane. “When I saw his (car’s) shadow behind me, I knew how close he was, and I knew that I couldn’t lift when I was fighting through traffic or he would be right there on me. Man, that was tough.
Jason Blonde (42) battles Mike McVetta (50) Saturday in Must See Racing sprint car action at Berlin Raceway.
“Bobby’s the toughest (driver) there is in these cars right now … so it’s a big deal when you can come and beat those guys like we did today,” Blonde added. “Even (Ryan) Litt and the (No.) 50 car … this field is a gauntlet every night and it’s hard to win. We’re happy and it’s a gratifying win, for sure.”
After a six-invert placed Ohio supermodified ace Mike McVetta on the pole in Dick Myers’ potent No. 50m, McVetta rabbited out to the early lead and paced the first 14 circuits with relative ease.
Even as lap traffic came into play on the sixth rotation, McVetta appeared to have the car to beat before his tire stagger opened up, creating a “wild loose” condition on corner entry for the veteran.
A wiggle in turn one eventually allowed Blonde to pounce, as he used the slower car of Tom Geren as a pick to duck to the inside and assume control on lap 15 – quickly pulling a gap on McVetta and the rest of his pursuers.
The field was tightened, however, after fluid from the ailing machine of Joe Liguori forced a caution flag to be called with 12 laps remaining, setting up a double-file restart with Blonde leading Ryan Litt, McVetta, and Santos.
Santos darted up the outside lane from fourth to second when green flag conditions returned for good, but after abusing his right-rear tire somewhat during a multi-lap battle with Blonde, the past NASCAR modified champion faded slightly over the final few circuits. Santos eventually finished as the runner-up.
“This place is not easy when you get caught in dirty air, and Jason had the advantage of clean track when it was most important,” noted Santos, whose attention will now shift to his non-winged sprint car and next weekend’s Lucas Oil Little 500 at Anderson (Ind.) Speedway.
“We had a great race car; we just came up one spot short, and Jason and his guys did a really great job,” Santos added. “This is the start of a very busy stretch for us, so hopefully we can keep the speed going.”
Litt, the only Canadian in the field, filled out the podium ahead of McVetta and Charlie Schultz. Davey Hamilton Jr., who entered the day on a 10-race win streak in asphalt sprint car racing, finished sixth.
Schultz, the reigning series champion, kicked off his title defense in the best way possible by clocking the fastest qualifying lap among the 18 drivers in attendance. He toured the five-sixteenths-mile oval in 13.275 seconds ( mph) with his rebadged IBT Motorsports No. 9s sprint car.
Jason Blonde sped to victory at Berlin Raceway on Saturday afternoon. (David Sink photo)
Dorman Snyder, making his first Must See Racing appearance since 2015, won the first eight-lap heat race. Five-time champion Jimmy McCune topped the second heat, which doubled as the Engine Pro Fast Car Dash, in his return to Must See Racing from burn injuries suffered in a dirt sprint car crash last year.
The Must See Racing Engine Pro Sprint Car Series season continues May 26-27 with the two-day American Speed U.S. Nationals at Birch Run (Mich.) Speedway and Event Center.
Next weekend’s action at Birch Run will be taped for Must See Racing’s new television window on MAVTV, airing as part of the All-American Racing programming block on June 12 (Friday event) and June 19 (Saturday event), respectively.
For more information on Must See Racing, visit the series website at www.mustseeracing.com.
RESULTS: Must See Racing Engine Pro Sprint Car Series; Berlin Raceway; Marne, Mich.; May 20, 2023
Qualifying (best of two laps): 1. Charlie Schultz, 9s, IBT-13.275; 2. Bobby Santos, 22a, Fieler-13.342; 3. Joe Liguori, 13, Liguori-13.425; 4. Ryan Litt, 07L, Litt-13.441; 5. Jason Blonde, 42, Nosal-13.450; 6. Mike McVetta, 50m, Myers-13.467; 7. Jimmy McCune, 88, McCune-13.518; 8. Davey Hamilton Jr., 14, Morgan-13.689; 9. Teddy Alberts, 44, Wolverine-14.025; 10. Rick Holley, 85, Holley-14.056; 11. Dorman Snyder, 99, Stickney-14.184; 12. Bobby Komisarski, 7, Fogle-14.342; 13. Tommy Nichols, 55, Nichols-14.844; 14. Tom Geren, 11g, Geren-14.946; 15. Andrew Bogusz, 17, Bogusz-15.154; 16. Anthony McCune, 8, McCune-15.759; 17. Charlie Baur, 23, Baur-16.082; 18. Jeff Bloom, 26, Bloom-NT.
Mahle Heat #1 (8 laps): 1. Dorman Snyder [4], 2. Tom Geren [1], 3. Teddy Alberts [6], 4. Rick Holley [5], 5. Bobby Komisarski [3], 6. Tommy Nichols [2], 7. Andrew Bogusz [7], 8. Charlie Baur [8], 9. Anthony McCune [9], 10. Jeff Bloom (DNS).
Engine Pro Fast Car Dash (8 laps): 1. Jimmy McCune [2], 2. Jason Blonde [4], 3. Mike McVetta [3], 4. Joe Liguori [6], 5. Ryan Litt [5], 6. Davey Hamilton Jr. [1], 7. Charlie Schultz [8], 8. Bobby Santos III [7].
Cars & Coneys Night A-Feature (30 laps): 1. #42 – Jason Blonde [2], 2. #22a – Bobby Santos III [5], 3. #07L – Ryan Litt [3], 4. #50m – Mike McVetta [1], 5. #9s – Charlie Schultz [6], 6. #14 – Davey Hamilton Jr. [8], 7. #7 – Bobby Komisarski [12], 8. #44 – Teddy Alberts [9], 9. #99 – Dorman Snyder [11], 10. #11g – Tom Geren [14], 11. #17 – Andrew Bogusz [15], 12. #23 – Charlie Baur [17], 13. #85 – Rick Holley [10], 14. #13 – Joe Liguori [4], 15. #55 – Tommy Nichols [13], 16. #88 – Jimmy McCune [7], 17. #8 – Anthony McCune [16], 18. #26 – Jeff Bloom [18].
Lap Leader(s): Mike McVetta 1-14, Jason Blonde 15-30.
May 18, 2023- Holly, Michigan – Bobby Santos III is expected to be on hand for the 2023 Must See Racing Sprint Series presented by Engine Pro opener this Saturday night May 20 at Berlin Raceway in Marne, Michigan. He will be aboard his Richard Fieler owned DJ Racing BEAST.
Santos enters this weekend’s event amid several developing story lines. The lineup of topflight MSR talent is expected to be stronger than it has at any point in the past decade. Full-time commitments from championship contenders are higher than it’s been in several years.
Five-time MSR champion Jimmy McCune returns in 2023 after suffering serious injuries last season. Joe Liguori missed winning last season’s championship by mere points to Charlie Schultz and is on a mission in 2023. Canadian Ryan Litt will chase the championship for the first time in several seasons. Tampa, Florida’s Davey Hamilton Jr., who is amid a ten race Florida win streak, will also be on hand this weekend.
Lost in the shuffle of all the series news is Santos himself, and what he quietly brings to this weekend’s action. Santos only made four series starts last season, but he won every single time he appeared and is currently on a four race MSR winning streak. To add further to that, Santos has won seven out of his last eight winged pavement sprint car starts dating back to 2021. This streak includes wins with KOTW and AVSS. Both series are now defunct.
To say Santos has been good in winged competition lately is an understatement. He has been downright dominating. This is impressive given the fact he spends most of the season competing primarily in non-winged pavement sprint cars as well as USAC Silver Crown pavement events.
When Santos was asked if he realized he has won seven of his last eight winged starts, he was even surprised to find this out. “No. I know we’ve been running well with the winged car, but I guess I haven’t kept track of the wins and stats directly” pondered Santos. “When I started doing the wing cars I struggled. I feel like the last four years or so we’ve gotten our wing program better”.
Santos has honed his winged skills and matured as a driver in the events themselves, not testing, which is even more impressive. “In winged racing people really don’t test for whatever reason. With non-winged racing it’s different. I think it’s ridiculous how much everybody tests. I feel like it’s a product of the environment. When other people are testing, you feel the need to follow suit”.
“I’ve come to enjoy winged racing the last several years. I’m looking forward to this year with Must See particularly. I think the competition level is strong. You got Davey Hamilton Jr. coming up from Florida. Jimmy McCune’s coming back. Joe Liguori’s getting better and better at it. Ryan Litt’s is another one that hasn’t got to race because of COVID-19. I don’t think it’s gonna be show up and win. I think there’s gonna be some good racing this year”.
“I’m confident that we can have a good showing this year. I understand the competition level’s getting stronger. I know if we sit still, guys will pass us, and be better than us. We’ve been good the last couple of years, but that doesn’t mean anything for this year. When I go to any race I go to win. Anything less than that is disappointing and underachieving in my mind” concluded Santos.
May 16, 2023 – Holly, Michigan – Five-time Must See Racing Sprint Series presented by Engine Pro champion Jimmy “The Bulldog” McCune is set to make his return to MSR action this Saturday night May 20. The series will kick off its 2023 season at Berlin Raceway in Marne, Michigan.
McCune received serious injuries last July 23 when a fuel fire occurred in hot laps at a winged dirt race at Butler Speedway in Quincy, Michigan.
“We went out for qualifying” remembers McCune. “I felt something cold, and I wasn’t sure if it was the wind or what not. I was more concentrated on making my laps, hitting my marks, and not paying attention to what was wrong with the race car. It was fuel that was spilling on me, and I had a blown fuel line next to my leg. It ignited when I went back to the pits. The fuel inside the cockpit went out to the left header and it lit me on fire.
When the dust had settled McCune received severe burns to his legs and feet and his season had come to an end. “It was nine months of pure agony. “I really didn’t burn. It was strange. I just melted the skin off my feet. When they did the skin grafts the inside right foot from my ankle to my toe had basically died. It was basically let it heal for the months I was out or have another skin graft. The graft for me was worse than the burns.
McCune insists he his back to full strength and is eagerly awaiting the chance to get back behind the wheel of a winged pavement sprint car. He actually tested his pavement car a couple of weeks ago and made his return to the cockpit last weekend at Butler Speedway in a dirt car.
“I got in the race car and shook it down like I normally do. Everything felt good with the race car. I toured around there like nobody’s business. I didn’t have any cobwebs in the brain or feel anything goofy and just drove the heck out of it like I normally do”.
In McCune’s absence last year new stars emerged, and McCune may have briefly been forgotten. But the sheriff’s back in town and his MSR absence is in the rear-view mirror.
“That stuff doesn’t bother me, I really don’t care. I just go out there and try to win races. We pride ourselves on the hard work in the shop. When it comes to worrying about this guy or that guy I really don’t care. There are some good cars coming out this year. The competitions gonna be tough. There’s gonna be seven or eight of us battling for wins this year. I’m looking forward to it” concluded McCune.
Please log onto www.mustseeracing.com for more info and updates on the series.
