[sprintgal]

Haubstadt, IN. (May 29, 2009) Back to back races on June 5th and 6th should more than make up for any inactivity the MSCS sprint car drivers might experience the last weekend of May. Action gets underway at the Morgan County Speedway at Jacksonville, IL, on a Friday evening June 5th. There the level of competition is expected to intensify with some great fairgrounds short track racing. Eighteen hours later and a state away, the action will be compounded further as many of the same drivers will suit up in a match-up with the best of the KISS series drivers at Haubstadt, IN.

The quarter mile Morgan County Speedway offers non-wing sprint car racing often throughout the summer with MSCS sanctioned events highlighting the schedule on June 5th and then again on September25th. The initial 2009 MSCS event at Morgan County on June 5th pays $3,000 to win and $200 to start. Twenty cars will make the feature. Twenty-one cars will start the 30 lap main if any of the eligible MSCS drivers need to request the use of a provisional starting spot.

Early Saturday will be travel time as race teams head back across Southern Illinois to reach Tri-State Speedway at Haubstadt, IN, for the annual KISS/ MSCS event which combines the collected driving talent of the King of Indiana Sprint Series and the regulars following the Hoosier Tire Midwest Sprint Car Series. The purses for the KISS races are set to pay $2,500 to win and $250 to start. However on June 6th the purse at Tri-State Speedway will enjoy an unexpected increase.

According to an announcement from the management of Tri-State Speedway, the family of the late Mike Cunningham has added an additional $2,200 to the total sprint purse for Saturday night June 6th in his memory. Mike was an avid sprint car fan and attended races at Tri-State Speedway. He was killed one year ago in a tragic highway accident north of the track on Highway 41. The increase to the purse will be spread across all 20 spots in the feature. The feature winners portion will be the highest at $500. With the addition the KISS/MSCS feature will now pay $3,000 to win and $300 to start.

So the winners take both nights the first weekend in June is now $3,000. A big weekend has become a super weekend! One driver could earn $6,000. Both tracks are quarter mile ovals. The racing will be tight. It will take a super effort!

After the roar of the engines has subsided, the final echoes of the applause has uplifted, and race fans begin departing the stands, the winner can usually be seen gesturing one last time to the crowd. Racing is a sport with excitement so great that it must be shared. Exchanging views, recounting tales, and outright exultation follow whichever side of the fence you walk along in leaving the track. Sharing a race with family members and great friends just adds to the enjoyment. Racing ties are family ties!


Raychel Mason
(Sister-in-law to Mike Cunningham)

[Rpracing1]

RIP Mike!

[racin jason]

This will be an exciting, sad and memorable weekend to say the least. I am looking forward to going back to Morgan County Speedway as Kim and Billy West are great people. And there is never a dull moment of racing action at Tom and Loris Helfrich's speedplant Tri-State Speedway.

I would like to thank the family of of Mike Cunningham-his wife Emilee and 2 sons Dylan(3) and Kayden(1) for donating an additional $2,200 to this race in his memory. I know Mike will be looking down on everyone at Tri-State Speedway and it will be a race full of memories for years and years.

Mike loved his sprint car racing. He never missed a race at The Class Track. He especially liked the non wing cars. One moment in my life that I will never forget is when I went on a wrecker call with Mike to pick up a broke down car. He got it hooked up and we were on our way back to the shop with it when he said " da**it, we have to turn around." I said why? Mike said "look at what road we are on", I looked up and the street sign said 410 W. He said if the sign said 410 NW we would have kept going but instead we turned around and took a 2 mile detour.

I hope all you great drivers and fans come out to Jacksonville and Haubstadt June 5th and 6th.

The added money to the purse for the June 6th MSCS/KISS co-sanctioned race is as follows
1st place $500 extra making it $3,000 to win
2nd place $175 extra
3rd place $150 extra
4th and 5th $125 extra
6th thru 10th $100 extra
11th thru 15th $75 extra
16th thru 20th $50 extra

We miss you Mike!! You were a great brother-in-law!!!

Jason Adams-Tour Director and Series Announcer
Midwest Sprint Car Series
www.mscssprints.com
racinjasonadams@yahoo.com
812-664-8268

Well one of the big money usac team won't win it they will still be in Pa.

[ClaytonYeley]

Sounds like Mike was a good dude, RIP Mike.

[emc47670]

Originally Posted by delaware Well one of the big money usac team won't win it they will still be in Pa.

Does that really matter? This race on June 6th is in memory of my husband. Just like myself he would prob like to see one of the drivers that run every race at Tri-State win the race. Mike liked all drivers but he would give more support to the local drivers. I knew there was a USAC race in PA when we decided to do this but that didn't matter. The money was given as a "thank you" to the drivers/workers at tri-state that donated money to our 2 young children. It had nothing to do with getting the "big money" teams to come!
Also yes he was a very great guy! He would help anyone he could not matter what the problem was. His favorite driver was Daron Clayton and I have to give Daron and Shelley a big "thank you", they have been so great to our 2 children Dylan & Kayden. I would just like everyone to pay attention to people on the side of the road its a law in Indiana to MOVE OVER/SLOW DOWN for stopped emergency vehicles!

RIP Mike we love you and miss you each and every day!!
Emilee Cunningham

[sprintgal]

bump!

[ronmil]

Originally Posted by emc47670 Does that really matter? This race on June 6th is in memory of my husband. Just like myself he would prob like to see one of the drivers that run every race at Tri-State win the race. Mike liked all drivers but he would give more support to the local drivers. I knew there was a USAC race in PA when we decided to do this but that didn't matter. The money was given as a "thank you" to the drivers/workers at tri-state that donated money to our 2 young children. It had nothing to do with getting the "big money" teams to come! Also yes he was a very great guy! He would help anyone he could not matter what the problem was. His favorite driver was Daron Clayton and I have to give Daron and Shelley a big "thank you", they have been so great to our 2 children Dylan & Kayden. I would just like everyone to pay attention to people on the side of the road its a law in Indiana to MOVE OVER/SLOW DOWN for stopped emergency vehicles! RIP Mike we love you and miss you each and every day!! Emilee Cunningham

Emilee,
Didn't you appear on an episode of Wrecked last season that paid tribute to wrecker drivers who died while on duty?

[emc47670]

Yes I did. My family really appreciated that. They done such a great job!

[ClaytonYeley]

This deserves another bump. As a race fan I would like to thank the whole Cunningham family for their dedication to the sport we all love.