[STARS Racing]

STARS Pavement Nationals Sets Stage for Second Leg of Triple Crown

By: Rich Murray

(MORRIS, IL – AUGUST 19, 2014)—The D’Arcy GMC STARS National Midget series makes its triumphant return to the Grundy County Speedway this Saturday night, August 23rd for the “D’Arcy GMC Pavement Nationals presented by Bell Helmets.” Though the event is only four years old, it has quickly established itself as one of the premier races on the pavement midget racing calendar. The total purse of more than $14,000 with a winner’s share of $3500 sure has the STARS Midget competitors sitting up in the driver’s seats. The race is also round two of the Safety-Kleen Triple Crown which could net “Illinois State Championship” feature winner, Nick Baran, a $2000 bonus at the end of the season.

Baran, the Plainfield, Illinois driver who earned his first career STARS Midget victory in the first round of the “Safety-Kleen Triple Crown” just three weeks ago at Grundy County Speedway, is in a prime position to earn the big payout. If Baran is able to win the “Pavement Nationals,” he would be two-thirds of the way toward earning a $2000 bonus for winning all three of the “Triple Crown” races. If he is unable to win this Saturday night’s race, the shift turns to which driver can earn the most points throughout the three “Triple Crown” races which concludes with the “Alex Pruett Memorial” on September 27th. The driver and team who can accomplish that feat will earn a $750 bonus.

In the first year of the “Pavement Nationals” in 2011, it was Auburn, Illinois’ native and Grundy County Speedway’s one-lap track record holder in a midget, Mario Clouser, who took the checkered flag. The two most recent editions of the race were won by a pair of drivers who have been familiar faces in victory lane this season in STARS action: Austin Prock and Kyle Hamilton. Hamilton, the 2012 winner, has only run a limited schedule this season, taking part in only four features, but has won two of them. Prock, who won the most recent “Pavement Nationals” event in 2013, is coming off yet another win just one week ago at Kalamazoo Speedway. Prock, who currently leads the STARS point standings, is also batting .500 this year after winning his fourth race in the eight features run so far. Prock, a resident of Avon, Indiana, considers Hamilton to be his toughest foe in the quest for the big paycheck handed out at the end of the night.

“We will have to be absolutely perfect to beat Kyle (Hamilton) and I think that goes both ways,” Prock said. "Both of our cars have been on point the past few weekends. A few weekends ago at the STARS/USAC race at Grundy, it showed how perfect you have to be. We both drove perfect races up until four laps to go when I spun. That one mistake was one more than Kyle made.”

Hamilton, the Danville, Indiana native who makes his home in West Lafayette, Indiana during the school year as a student at Purdue University, has shown his prowess at Grundy County Speedway in recent years, particularly in the 50-lap features. In fact, all five of Hamilton’s midget wins at Grundy County have come in the 50-lappers. Hamilton also won the previous 50-lap race at Grundy County two weeks ago during the “Border Battle.” The 22-year-old Hamilton, a former high school cross country runner, believes he has an edge on the rest of the field in the longer races due to his fitness regimen.

“I like to think I have a little bit of an advantage in the longer races because I have run several half marathons,” Hamilton proudly admits. “I am used to holding my focus for an extended period of time."

The purse of $14,075 for the Pavement Nationals is the biggest payout of the STARS season. The pursuit of big money is certainly an enticement for drivers to step their game up even further. For the hottest competitors in STARS such as Hamilton and Prock, the thought of what the winner’s share of $3500 could provide to them, their team, and others has already entered each of their minds.

“It's always nice to win some extra money, so it would be nice to grab it along with the Bell helmet,” Prock exclaimed. “Getting the win could pay for tires for the rest of the year which would be a huge plus!”

Hamilton admits that the higher the numbers on the paycheck are, the more hyped-up he gets for the race.

“Some drivers don't think about the money, but I always step up when the bigger paycheck is on the line,” Hamilton acknowledges. “It’s just one more factor that gets the competitive adrenaline pumping for me.”

The recent internet phenomenon, the ALS “Ice Bucket Challenge,” has Hamilton getting involved in the fundraising campaign for a great cause.

“I don't really see the money that is earned from race wins. We put that money back into the pot that keeps us racing throughout the season, although, this week will be a little different. I was challenged by a few people to do the ALS “Ice Bucket Challenge,” so I'll donate a portion of my winnings to the ALS Foundation along with completing the challenge.”

Along with the STARS National Midgets, the “D’Arcy GMC Pavement Nationals presented by Bell Helmets” features the STARS Classic Modifieds, INEX Legends, CSR Super Cups, and Legacy Midwest Series. Adult tickets are just $12. Kids age 5-12 get in for $2. Children age 4 and under are free! Grandstands open up at 5 p.m. Racing starts at 6:30 p.m. Grundy County Speedway is located one mile north of I-80 on Route 47 in Morris, Illinois.

THE D’ARCY GMC PAVEMENT NATIONALS PRESENTED BY BELL HELMETS” FEATURE PURSE

(DRIVERS MUST START FEATURE AND COMPLETE 5 LAPS TO QUALIFY)

1st: $3500
2nd: $1250
3rd: $1125
4th: $1050
5th: $1000
6th: $500
7th: $400
8th: $375
9th: $350
10th: $325
11th: $300
12th: $300
13th: $300
14th: $300
15th: $300
16th: $300
17th: $300
18th: $300
19th: $300
20th: $300
21st: $300
22nd: $300
23rd: $300
24th: $300

TOTAL PURSE: $14,075

[STARS Racing]

The trophy for this week's event !!

[STARS Racing]

August 23rd
2:00 Pit Gate opens
3:30 Drivers Meeting
Practice
4:00 Mini Cup 8
4:10 Legends 8
4:20 Classic Modified 8
4:30 Legacy 8
4:40 STARS National Midgets 8
5:00 Mini Cup 8
5:10 Legends 8
5:20 Classic Modified 8
5:30 Legacy 8
5:40 STARS National Midgets 8
D'Arcy GMC Qualifying
6:00 Mini Cup
6:10 Legends
6:15 Classic Modified
6:20 Legacy
6:25 STARS National Midgets
6:40 National Anthem
Heat Races
6:40 Mini Cup Heat Race 1 8
6:45 Mini Cup Heat Race 2 8
6:50 Legends 8
6:55 Classic Modified 8
7:00 Legacy 8
7:05 STARS National Midgets I 8
7:10 STARS National Midgets II 8
7:15 Big Wheel Races
7:25 Intermission

D'Arcy GMC Feature Races
7:40 Mini Cup 20
7:55 Legends 20
8:10 Classic Modified 20
8:25 Legacy 20
8:40 STARS National Midgets 50

[STARS Racing]

Race day at Grundy Co. Speedway featuring the 50-lap "D'Arcy GMC Pavement Nationals pres. by Bell Helmets!" Gates open at 5. Racing at 6:40.

FORMER WINNERS OF THE "D'ARCY GMC PAVEMENT NATIONALS PRESENTED BY BELL HELMETS"

2011 - Mario Clouser
2012 - Kyle Hamilton
2013 - Austin Prock

The last two winners of this race (Prock and Hamilton) have been the two most dominant drivers in D'Arcy GMC STARS National Midget competition in 2014, winning 6 of the season's 8 races.

Nick Baran, a winner back on August 2nd in the "Illinois State Championship" has an opportunity tonight to win the second leg of the "Safety-Kleen Triple Crown." If he is able to win tonight and also win the "Alex Pruett Memorial" on September 27th, Baran will pick up a $2000 bonus.

The winner of tonight's race earns the coveted STARS Bell Helmet, valued at $2000.

Ticket prices: Adults - $12. Kids - $2. 4 and under are free!!!

See you all at Grundy County Speedway tonight!!!

[STARS Racing]

Nick Baran, driver of the BBOYZ Racing #87 midget, on tonight's "D'Arcy GMC Pavement Nationals presented by Bell Helmets" and the "Safety-Kleen Triple Crown":

“If you would have walked up to me at the beginning of the season and told me that I would be in contention for the Triple Crown after winning the Illinois State Championship, I would have been very excited. After our rough start to the season, it means so much more."

"I am not only racing for myself, but for the entire team at BBOYZ Racing. Everyone has made sacrifices to bring us back into contention after a rough start. Winning this weekend’s race would be, well, hard to put into words. I know, to make that happen, we are going to have to battle all night long, but we will only feel the pressure that we put on ourselves."

"We may be seen as the "hunted" by our competitors, but we are going to do a little hunting ourselves. Even after our win in the first leg of the Triple Crown, I still feel like the underdog, so I'm going to arrive at the track with a hunter’s mentality.”

[STARS Racing]

Follow along with all the action tonight. Live updates available on http://www.facebook.com/shorttrackauto and http://twitter.com/shorttrackauto.

[STARS Racing]

Kyle Hamilton sets a new all-time STARS record with his 9th fast qualifier award, breaking a tie he held with Jim Anderson.

Kyle Hamilton sets fast time at 14.315 over Kyle O'Gara, Ryan Probst, Nick Hamilton, Tyler Baran, Travis Young, Austin Prock, David Gough, Jim Anderson, Billy Hulbert, Tyler Trainor, Rich Corson, Erica Ensor, Terry Ahern, Mike Wallace, Nick Baran, and Patrick Bruns.

[STARS Racing]

Kyle Hamilton comes from the 6th starting spot to win Heat Race #1 over Austin Prock, Billy Hulbert, Ryan Probst, Tyler Trainor, Erica Ensor, Mike Wallace, Tyler Baran, and Patrick Bruns.


Nick Baran dominates Heat Race #2 and takes the win over David Gough, Nick Hamilton, Jim Anderson, Kyle O'Gara, Travis Young, Terry Ahern, and Rich Corson.

[STARS Racing]

STARS National Midget Feature Lineup:

Row 1: #9 David Gough - #41 Austin Prock
Row 2: #11y Travis Young - #11 Tyler Baran
Row 3: #32 Nick Hamilton - #99p Ryan Probst
Row 4: #99 Kyle O'Gara - #33 Kyle Hamilton
Row 5: #25 Tyler Trainor - #36 Jim Anderson
Row 6: #88 Billy Hulbert - #15 Rich Corson
Row 7: #6T6 Terry Ahern - #10a Mike Wallace
Row 8: #87 Nick Baran - #16 Erica Ensor
Row 9: #10b Patrick Bruns

[STARS Racing]

STARS National Midgets driver introductions about to begin. 50-lap feature will be starting in just a few minutes!