June 23, 2023 – Holly, Michigan – Tampa, Florida driver Tommy Nichols is having a rough start to his 2023 Must See Racing Sprint Series Presented by Engine Pro championship chase. In 4 series starts, he has failed to finish a single race in the series this season. It has been every possible scenario you could think of.
Nichols began the season with the intent to chase the Midwest based MSR winged pavement sprint car series despite living in Tampa. A good friend, Aaron Pierce, offered him space out of his Daleville, Indiana shop, to work out of, and leave his cars. He’s been making the commute back and forth each weekend from his Tampa home to compete. To say this has been challenging would be an understatement.
His DNF’s has been a variety of issues ranging from handling, a collapsed top wing, and engine woes. But these setbacks haven’t hampered Nichols’ spirit and he intends to get back at it when the series visits the newly repaved 3/8 Owosso Speedway in Ovid, Michigan.
Nichols was involved in a serious accident Sunday afternoon in a non-winged sprint car event at Toledo Speedway that saw his car plow into the turn one wall receiving damage. Then on Thursday evening his late evening flight to Indianapolis was postponed due to weather in the Orlando area. It seems the poor guy can’t catch a break.
“I haven’t finished a single MSR race this year” stated Nichols. “The first race at Berlin I had to pull in because the car wasn’t handling. The following race the wing broke after starting on the pole. The race after that we were sitting on fast time in practice and the motor blew. We took it home and had it repaired, took it back up there, bolted it in, and it blew again.
“This week we had to pull the motor out of the non-wing car and put it in the wing car. As I sit here at the airport (Thursday evening) all the flights are getting cancelled because the weather’s really bad down here in Florida. Hopefully we can get up there late tonight and finish it up late tomorrow. We just gotta plumb it up and nut and bolt the car. That’s about it, and she’s ready to go”.
“The crash Sunday looked worse than it really was. It only tore up the front axle, the front nose of the car, and the bumper. It didn’t even tear up a single radius rod on the car. The foam blocks saved my life. I wasn’t even sore. The right front wheel caught the foam block and basically helicoptered the car around and did circles.
“I was following 2 cars and they were basically bottom feeding and staying nose to tail. I committed to a move on the outside, and when I did, they happened to go 2-wide. And when they did, I ended up making it 3-wide. I was 25 mph faster than them going into the corner. I had a choice to make. Run into the back of them or try to save it on the outside. I thought I could save it, but there was nothing but debris out there”.
Despite all his recent setbacks, Nichols has a single goal in mind for this Saturday’s Owosso event. “Finish the race. We need to get a green and we need to get a checkered. Wherever we finish will be an accomplishment. We gotta take it one checkered flag at a time” concluded Nichols.
June 20, 2023 – Holly, Michigan – Owosso Speedway next awaits the Must See Racing Sprint Series Presented by Engine Pro and the Maxima Racing Oils Midwest Lights Series with a winged sprint car double header this Saturday night June 24 at Owosso Speedway in Ovid, Michigan.
When Must See Racing comes to town this weekend the “Fastest Short Track Cars in the World” will give new meaning to the word “speed”. The 3/8 high-banked Owosso Speedway was recently repaved over the offseason and it is expected that the all-time track record could fall to the MSR National 410 series.
The MSR National 410 series is amid its most competitive season to date. In four races there have been for different winners. There are still a handful of drivers expected to win a feature race before seasons end that haven’t won yet in 2023. Jason Blonde, Charlie Schultz, Jimmy McCune, and Bobby Santos III have each won a MSR feature event in 2023.
Defending Midwest Lights champions Cody Gallogly has thus far won both of that series’ events and looks like he could be a serious contender for a repeat Maxima Racing Oils Midwest Lights Series championship.
The series is in the middle of its busiest stretch of races. This will be the second of three consecutive weekends for the national series.
This weekends early entry list reveals a very stout lineup of drivers. Early entries include Ryan Litt, Jimmy McCune, Anthony McCune, Jason Blonde, Bobby Santos III, Rick Holley, Jeff Bloom, and Davey Hamilton Jr, are just a few of the early entries.
For more info on Must See Racing or this weekends Owosso event, please log onto www.mustseeracing.com
Bobby Santos III (22a) took his first Must See Racing sprint car win of the season Friday night at Lorain Raceway Park. (David Sink photos)
SOUTH AMHERST, Ohio (June 16, 2023) – A late-race caution afforded Bobby Santos III the chance to strike in Friday night’s Must See Racing Engine Pro Sprint Car Series feature at Lorain Raceway Park, and the Massachusetts veteran resoundingly seized the moment.
Santos powered around the outside of a dominant Davey Hamilton Jr. when the green flag waved with 10 laps left, then drove away into the night en route to victory during the opening act of the Super Crown Nationals at the three-eighths-mile oval.
The past NASCAR modified champion captured the checkered flag by .958 seconds over Hamilton, winning for the seventh time in his Must See Racing career in a race that appeared to be Hamilton’s for the taking.
Hamilton, a third-generation driver from Tampa, Fla., roared to the top spot on lap five of the 40-lapper and appeared to be in control for the majority of the night. He opened up a lead of more than a half track on Santos, who started 10th after the inversion die was rolled, by the midway point of the race.
However, what Hamilton couldn’t have foreseen was the mechanical issue that befell 2020 series champion Anthony McCune with 10 to go, forcing the only caution flag of the night and setting up a double-file restart with Santos on the high side and motivated to make something happen.
He did just that, ultimately collecting the king’s crown in victory lane for his first victory at Lorain.
“When the caution came out, I knew that was my only shot,” noted Santos in victory lane. “Davey and his boys did an awesome job; they were the car to beat. We just got a good restart and got the clean air at the end when it mattered.
“Coop and Tony worked their butts off … because we weren’t always where we needed to be today, but we got the job done when we needed to,” he added. “The track was tough all night and it was hard to pass, but we proved there were two lanes because we started 10th and won, so that’s pretty cool.”
Though Hamilton was disappointed at falling short of the win after leading a race-high 26 laps, he was quick to give credit to Santos and circled the one aspect of his performance that he knows needs work.
“I need to get better on my restarts; I’m the one that’s responsible for this second-place finish,” Hamilton admitted. “The guys did a great job with this piece; it was capable of winning tonight, for sure. Bobby’s the man to beat, though, no matter where he goes.
“To run second to him is good, but I think we deserve one spot better and can get there soon enough.”
Five-time series champion Jimmy McCune completed the podium finishers ahead of point leader Jason Blonde and Mike McVetta, who finished fifth after winning the ISMA/MSS supermodified feature earlier in the night.
Defending series titlist Charlie Schultz crossed the line sixth, the final car on the lead lap Friday night.
Two-time Must See Racing Driver of the Year Joe Liguori kicked off the program by shattering the sprint car track record at Lorain Raceway Park, ripping around the three-eighths-mile oval in 12.171 seconds (110.919 mph) with his No. 13 Sunshine Trailer Park-backed Brand-X.
The effort marked Liguori’s first fast time of the season and the seventh of his Must See Racing career. Unfortunately, Liguori broke an engine during his heat race and was forced to end the night early.
Joe Speakman, Todd McQuillen and McVetta split the trio of eight-lap heat race wins before the main.
McQuillen passed polesitter J.J. Henes on the initial start and led the first four circuits of the feature before giving way to Hamilton’s blue No. 14.
The Must See Racing Engine Pro Sprint Car Series season continues June 24 at Michigan’s Owosso Speedway for the first of two visits to the recently-repaved oval this season.
For more information on Must See Racing, visit the sanctioning body’s website at www.mustseeracing.com.
Qualifying (best of two laps): 1. Joe Liguori, 13, Liguori-12.171 (NTR); 2. Bobby Santos III, 22a, Fieler-12.593; 3. Mike McVetta, 50m, Myers-12.621; 4. Anthony McCune, 8, McCune-12.699; 5. Charlie Schultz, 9s, IBT-12.715; 6. Jimmy McCune, 88, McCune-12.727; 7. Davey Hamilton Jr., 14, Morgan-12.734; 8. Jason Blonde, 42, Nosal-12.916; 9. Todd McQuillen, 2k, Koyan-13.074; 10. Tom Geren, 11g, Geren-13.242; 11. J.J. Henes, 36jr, Henes-13.432; 12. Sawyer Stout, 40, ACME-13.576; 13. Joshua Sexton, 51s, Sexton-13.618; 14. Kevin Mingus, Z10, Mingus-13.652; 15. Jeff Bloom, 28, Bloom-13.658; 16. Joe Speakman, 72, Speakman-13.824; 17. Bobby Komisarski, 7, Fogle-14.136; 18. Tommy Nichols, 55, Nichols-NT; 19. Rick Holley, 85, Holley-NT.
Heat #1 (8 laps, all transfer): 1. Joe Speakman [1], 2. Joshua Sexton [4], 3. Kevin Mingus [3], 4. Bobby Komisarski [5], 5. Jeff Bloom [2].
Heat #2 (8 laps, all transfer): 1. Todd McQuillen [2], 2. Davey Hamilton Jr. [4], 3. Tom Geren [1], 4. Jason Blonde [3], 5. Sawyer Stout [6], 6. J.J. Henes [5].
Heat #3 (8 laps, all transfer): 1. Mike McVetta [2], 2. Bobby Santos III [3], 3. Anthony McCune [1], 4. Charlie Schultz [5], 5. Jimmy McCune [6], 6. Joe Liguori [4].
June 14, 2023 – Holly, Michigan – The Must See Racing Sprint Series Presented by Engine Pro will help kick off night #1 of the popular Super Crown Nationals Friday night June 16 at Lorain Raceway Park in South Amherst, Ohio. It will be race #4 of the 2023 schedule.
Joining the MSR 410 National Series will be the ISMA/MSS Supermodifieds and the Mighty TQ Midgets for a triple header of open wheel action at the Northeastern Ohio 3/8-mile speed plant.
The MSR 410 sprints will be making their first appearance of the year outside of Michigan. Current points leader Jason Blonde headlines a start studded field for Friday night’s event. The early entry list shows over 20 cars for this event that includes Jeff Bloom, Davey Hamilton Jr., Joe Liguori, Anthony McCune, Jimmy McCune, Mike McVetta, Johnny Petrozelli, Bobby Santos, Charlie Schultz, and many more.
The series is enjoying one of its most competitive to date. Through three races, there have been three different feature winners. Charlie Schultz and Jimmy McCune are each coming off wins in the recent American Speed U.S. Nationals over Memorial Day Weekend.
Lorain Raceway Park is one of the better tracks on the MSR schedule and provides some of the best racing. The 3/8-mile oval is perfectly suited for 410-winged pavement sprints and multi groove racing is a regularity at LRP for 410 sprints. Jason Blonde picked up the most recent MSR visit to LRP when he captured the Jerry Caryer Memorial 40 as part of the Bob Frey Classic last August.
The Super Crown Nationals will also host two days of ISMA/MSS Supermodifieds with twin features on Saturday night to conclude the weekend’s racing action. The 410 sprints will only be part of Friday night’s racing action.
For more info on the Super Crown Nationals or Must See Racing please visit www.mustseeracing.com of follow us on Facebook.
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 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.
