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August 19th - Lawrenceburg Speedway - $3,000 to win
14th Annual Dick Gaines Memorial Saturday at Lawrenceburg Speedway
The 14th Annual “Dick Gaines Memorial,” featuring the Kelsey Chevrolet Sprint cars, will be held on August 19th at the Lawrenceburg Speedway in Lawrenceburg, Ind. Saturday night’s race honors the memory of one of Indiana’s greatest sprint car heroes, Dick Gaines, who was inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1992. Dick Gaines was nearly unbeatable in the early 1960’s, then won the prestigious “Little 500” at Anderson Speedway in 1973 and 1976. In 1974 he won the “Knoxville Nationals,” beating Jan Opperman on the final lap. Gaines was often seen competing at the Lawrenceburg Speedway where he won track championships in 1963, 1965 and 1976. Gaines retired in 1977 from a racing career that spanned thirty years and included an association with such celebrated car owners as Red McCord, Dizz Wilson, and Karl Kinser. In all, he amassed over 600 victories in fifteen states. Since its inception thirteen years ago the “Dick Gaines Memorial” has included some of the best drivers in Indiana dirt track racing. In its inaugural running in 2004, 15-year-old Bryan Clauson captured his first win at “The Burg” after battling wheel-to-wheel for 30-laps with Dick’s son Dickie. After a caution flag late in the race bunched the field, Gaines’ last ditch charge off of turn four at the checkered wasn’t enough. “I want to thank Dickie for racing me clean the entire race. He had chances where he could have put a wheel under me, but he didn’t,” Clauson said in victory lane. Although Dickie has multiple wins on the Dearborn County oval, and a 2003 track championship, his runner-up finish in 2004 has been his best to date in the race honoring his late father. Gaines has also finished fourth (2010), sixth (2006 and 2015), seventh (2011) and ninth (2007). Last season Tijeras, New Mexico’s Josh Hodges was on a rail, coming from the back to win his heat, then leading 24 of the 25 laps to record his first “Dick Gaines Memorial” feature win. Hodges finished 2.271 seconds ahead of Joss Moffatt, Jarett Andretti and Cooper Clouse, with Kyle Cummins just barely holding off Tyler Thomas for fifth place at the line. Amazingly, in the thirteen previous “Dick Gaines Memorial’s”, there has never been a repeat winner. In fact, only Hunter Schuerenberg has been able to score a win (2008) and a runner-up finish (2011). If Hodges shows up Saturday he could very well be the first driver to achieve that feat as he has adapted well to the 3/8th-mile high banked track. In limited appearances last season, over the course of a 63-day span, Hodges won the Jason Soudrette Memorial, the Dick Gaines Memorial, and the $10,000 to win USAC Fall Nationals. DICK GAINES MEMORIAL WINNERS The 2017 running of the “Dick Gaines Memorial” will once again pay $3,000 to win and $300 to start the 25-lap feature. Dick Gaines Memorial Feature Payout: In addition to the increased purse, there will be a slight change to the standard Lawrenceburg Speedway race format. A blind pill draw will still be used to set the heat race groups, but lap times gathered during practice will set the heat race lineups. Cars will be lined straight up by time with the fastest four cars in each heat race inverted. Heat race finish will still determine the lineups for the B Main(s) and feature with the top two finishers in each heat race (if five or more heats only the winners) redrawing for their starting position at the front of the feature field. With only three Kelsey Chevrolet Sprint car races left in the 2017 race season, points are at a premium. A third place finish two weeks ago allowed Shawn Westerfeld to regain the point lead from Jordan Kinser by a slim 5-point margin. JJ Hughes holds down the third position with a comfortable (for now) 195-point lead over Dickie Gaines and Drew Abel. With Abel sitting out the rest of the season after the birth of his daughter, the door is wide open for drivers such as Michael Fischesser, Nick Bilbee or Garrett Abrams to move up into the top five. General admission gates are set to open at 5:00 pm Saturday with hot laps at 6:00 pm and opening ceremonies scheduled for 7:00 pm. Adult general admission is $18, children (7-12) are $7, and those 6 and under are free. Pit passes are $30 for all ages. Saturday is also “47025 Night at the Races” and any resident with a 47025 zip code who presents a valid driver license at the gate proving residency will receive free general admission. The Lawrenceburg Speedway is also hosting a Pet Food & Toy Drive in conjunction with their friends at Kroger. For each item you bring to donate you will receive a chance to win a $100 Kroger gift card. For more information please visit www.lawrenceburgspeedway.com or the “Lawrenceburg Speedway” Facebook page. August 19, 2017 – 14th Annual Dick Gaines Memorial http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...ps5429605d.png For More Information – www.lawrenceburgspeedway.com |
Re: August 19th - Lawrenceburg Speedway - $3,000 to win
Go support "The Little guy" in rememberance at Bloomington Fri.
Come join us in Remembering the "BIG GUY" Dick Gaines at the Dick Gaines Memorial at the Burg :) |
Re: August 19th - Lawrenceburg Speedway - $3,000 to win
2017 Kelsey Chevrolet Sprints Point Standings
1- Shawn Westerfeld 1,405 2017 Kelsey Chevrolet Sprints Feature Winners April 8th Landon Simon http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...ps5429605d.png For More Information – www.lawrenceburgspeedway.com |
Re: August 19th - Lawrenceburg Speedway - $3,000 to win
Planning to be there! Haven't been to the 'Burg since Sprintweek in 2016! I am not a tee shirt guy, but I have a Hurryin' Hoosier Dick Gaines tee shirt driving the Kinser's 11 I bought in 1976 for $1.00!
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Re: August 19th - Lawrenceburg Speedway - $3,000 to win
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Re: August 19th - Lawrenceburg Speedway - $3,000 to win
Don't forget about the Pet Food & Toy Drive! For each item you bring to donate you will receive a chance to win a $100 Kroger gift card.
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...ps1rq9qrms.jpg |
Our racing families will be heading to the burg tonight. Looking forward to seeing all of the great racing teams and racing fans tonight. Have fun and enjoy all the great racing events tonight. Thanks.
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Re: August 19th - Lawrenceburg Speedway - $3,000 to win
On my way, Could be a new Dick Gaines Memorial winner tonight. Tmez was coming but they blew a motor on one car and are busy trying to make smackdown. Leary and others are at Springfield. Hodges, Stanbrough? don't know.
See ya there. |
If I have a general admission rainout wristband, how much would it be to upgrade to a pit pass? Thanks in advance
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Only 19 cars..
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Re: August 19th - Lawrenceburg Speedway - $3,000 to win
Originally Posted by Charles Nungester: |
Originally Posted by PAW: |
Big money scares them off sometimes
28 at Paragon 21 at pville Stanbrough is here at pville |
I am here and was hoping for more sprints too. That said some heavy hitters in the house including Ballou, KTJ, Hodges, Andretti, Kinser, Westerfeld TThomas Feature should be fun.
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Any updates
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Feature finish. Ballou. KT jr. Andretti.
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Ballou dominates early and holds off KTJ late to win. Andretti Westerfeld Gaines top 5
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Re: August 19th - Lawrenceburg Speedway - $3,000 to win
Originally Posted by MilfordSprintFan: Nick Bilbee who had a problem in his heat and dropped out came from the tail and gained 12 possitions to get the Grasshopper award in honor of Bryan Clauson. Great race! Had a lot of USAC guys that ran Springfield Crown Cars. Moffatt who is a regular also had a springfield ride. Drew Able just had a newborn (Congrats) and missed. TMez had a blown motor on one of the Briscoe Rides last night and is saving the other for Smackdown The Mod Race was Spectacular. Laps 7-20 were a side by side battle with Josh Rice pulling out the win over four time track champion Brad Wiek. Both cars were side by side swapping the lead. Rice floating it on the wall through 1-2 catching that last piece of cushion and shooting down the back straight. Had a edge on that end, Wiek had the bottom of 3-4. It was a battle Royale and Rice pulled out for the win on the last lap. Left after the Mods. Stopped at Whittey's for some Spirits and now about to enjoy some. Great night. I too like 28-35 car fields but with so many tracks running it's a crap shoot. We had the heavy hitters and as others said. That drives some away too. Was good to see FalconEddie for our once a year meet and great. Also mention that with Ballou winning the record for most Dick Gaines Memorial wins stands at one each. |
Re: August 19th - Lawrenceburg Speedway - $3,000 to win
Un-Official Results
Sprints - A Main Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Points 1 1 12X Robert Ballou Rocklin , Ca 150.00 2 2 9K Kevin Thomas, Jr. Cullman , Al 140.00 3 3 18 Jarett Andretti Indianapolis , In 130.00 4 5 89 Shawn Westerfeld Guilford , In 120.00 5 8 44 Dickie Gaines Mitchell , In 110.00 6 9 74X Josh Hodges Tijeras , Nm 105.00 7 19 17 Nick Bilbee Indianapolis , In 100.00 8 4 17GP Tyler Thomas Collinsville , Ok 95.00 9 6 70 Jordan Kinser Bedford , In 90.00 10 7 74 Tony Main Farmland , In 85.00 11 12 44S Michael Fischesser Cincinnati , Oh 80.00 12 13 71B Braxton Cummings Bedford , In 75.00 13 11 32 Garrett Abrams Rushville , In 70.00 14 10 76 Jj Hughes Columbus , In 65.00 15 14 9G Cody Gardner Monroe , Oh 60.00 16 16 14 Aaron Fry Ironton , Oh 55.00 17 15 40X Adam Strausser Piketon , Oh 50.00 18 18 25 Eric Semple West Union, Oh 45.00 19 17 21M Chris Olding Cincinncati , Oh 40.00 |
Re: August 19th - Lawrenceburg Speedway - $3,000 to win
Very enjoyable evening! Once again the night of sprint car action was proof you don't need a huge field to have a good race. Brought a friend who had never been to the 'Burg, and he was impressed by every aspect of the facility and the competition.
We arrived early, and Marv Fish and the gang in Section A hadn't arrived, and since I made it through the evening without making a trip downstairs, I didn't get to visit with any of the gang. We sat in lawn chairs at the top of Section A and enjoyed an evening visiting with Chris Smith. I had the privilege of meeting John Mugavin, a four time late model champion at Florence Speedway and the winner of numerous races during his career at a number of venues, when Chris introduced him to me. I was very flattered that he knew of me because of my postings on IOW. We stuck around for the modified feature, as did a large number of the fans, and it was an excellent race. Because of the distance, I don't attend the 'Burg very often, but I always enjoy the racing and fellowship when I do. |
Originally Posted by Wallsracing: |
Originally Posted by trannyman: I can explain this for you - from the low budget to mid budget teams, they see the bigger win money posted and no USAC sprint race and BOSS idle as well. As racers, they know that guys like Ballou and Thomas and more would be showing up. I thought there would be 30 cars and almost left my car parked. Glad I didn't though. So big money brings in a few big names but often chases away just as many (sometimes more) low budget teams. |
Re: August 19th - Lawrenceburg Speedway - $3,000 to win
Or like us as a low budget team you need a week to regroup, save money and fix the things wrong with your one car.
Running the 30+ races we will this season is not possible without a lot of money out of our own pockets. Running races where placing from 10th on back means you lose money in the deal just to get the car to the track only goes so far. As I have calculated it, it costs us about $500 (and that's re-using tires that you probably shouldn't) to show up and unload at any one race. Sponsorship is always appreciated but realistically is almost non-existent in non-wing sprint car racing today. Keep in mind, I can come up with less than 15 non-wing sprint car drivers that don't have other 40+ hour jobs they work through the week. So when fans see 40+ cars show up for a race I would hope they have some appreciation for the efforts and money teams are going through to try and give them a good show. I'm not sure the words "scares them off" is right, but it does not make financial sense to race every weekend possible for us low budget guys and promoters are busy trying to make sure their big money race doesn't overlap someone else. Which means about every week there is a "big money" to win race or two. Understand why the promoters do it, but I doubt every race will get 30+ racers with so many available and so little money paid from 10th back. The very real possibility of losing $200 to $400 a week is simply not that attractive for us to bust our butts and try to make every big race out there that pays "big money" to win. On the positive side....there are some like the BOSS series that typically try to do more for the low budget teams and the non-winning teams that keeps us coming back. Just my opinion...don't know if everyone looks at it the same as I do or not. |
Re: August 19th - Lawrenceburg Speedway - $3,000 to win
There were up to four 300 to start possitions unfilled.
Yet show up to a 40 car show and you more likely to get 100 tow money and that's it. Even if your good in some cases. Im a fan of all racers, But sometimes IMO you are your own worst enemies. You want to run for more $$$, OK, I understand. Track puts up more $$$ enough for three our four big shoes to show up. The grandstand is near full of people paying more money to see you race for more money and you don't show. Sat nigh was a good show for me, Great when you include the Mod Feature. But I can see where people driving long distances not to see a consi would think it's no more special than a regular show. I mentioned some that would normally be there or planned to be there. Add another Justin Owen found rocker problems on his motor and was waiting on parts. |
Ok,to clarify the one reply closest to answering the question,are you saying low budgets avoid big money races because they feel too many high budget teams will show and if don't make feature,not enough pay out to justify the trip?
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Re: August 19th - Lawrenceburg Speedway - $3,000 to win
Originally Posted by Charles Nungester: But from an overall perspective Lawrenceburg is our teams favorite track of all we run. It's not an issue with this track....it's an issue with all non-wing sprint car racing. You are asking teams to lose money for your entertainment and then squawking about low car counts. You don't know how many cars are going to show up until after you have already paid and unloaded. And $300 to start is only $50 more than a regular show. It's appreciated when it happens, but it's still show up and race to lose money unless you are in the top 7 or so finishers. We are considering racing winged next year as the tow money is more as well as starting an A main event pays more than double that of non-wing racing. We will likely be less competitive than we are even now...but at least our return on investment will be more. Like it or not we don't have deep pockets and simply have to choose what races we can and want to afford to race. |
Re: August 19th - Lawrenceburg Speedway - $3,000 to win
Originally Posted by trannyman: It's about the $$$$$. Or lack there of. |
Re: August 19th - Lawrenceburg Speedway - $3,000 to win
Originally Posted by Charles Nungester: $3k to win probably scared off some cars because USAC guys were going to show up. I still expected 30 cars. We're also at that part of the season where stuff is breaking down. In the last month I've had a fuel pump go bad, destroyed 7 tires, and broken two headers during the main event. And I finished every race. That still cost us $2200 for maybe $1200 in pay back. This part of the season, everybody's cars are starting to get banged up. Just about a month ago we counted 125 total sprint cars at 6 different tracks. This weekend we counted approximately 70 at 4 different tracks. |
2017 Lawrenceburg Speedway
Standard Payout (highest in state) |
I might be wrong but I would have to believe that people that run sprint cars aren't doing it for our entertainment, they're doing it because they want to race sprint cars. 2 cliches apply 1. The only way to make a small fortune in racing is to start with a big one. 2. Local racing legend Bill Davis always had painted on the back of his cars "thanks fans for making racing possible" Both remain true
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Re: August 19th - Lawrenceburg Speedway - $3,000 to win
Maybe I am taking this the wrong way and hope I am. Are people really thinking that the non-wing sprint teams owe it to fans and tracks to show up to race and lose money for their entertainment?
Of course racers love racing, or they would not spend the money they do for what is obviously a passion. That does not mean we want to lose money every weekend or want others to pick and choose what races we participate in. Again, we love Lawrenceburg!! But, we also know that if you race a feature race on that surface you will use up a new Right Rear tire....which costs $225 for most of us. So you start the feature and end up in 15th place and take home $225 for which you paid a minimum $90 to get your team in the gate, $90 in fuel to get to the track and at least $320 in up keep costs (oil, filters, alk, etc.). So with the $225 in winnings your are only down $500. And that's if you didn't tear up anything out of the ordinary. What a great deal. I am not complaining. We knew what we were getting into when we started with our passion. But, others trying to tell us what races we should participate in just blows my mind. |
Re: August 19th - Lawrenceburg Speedway - $3,000 to win
I'd take a field of 19 wingless sprints over 39 winged sprints any day.
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Re: August 19th - Lawrenceburg Speedway - $3,000 to win
Originally Posted by Team96: What Im pointing out is it seems like a lack of support for higher purses. And that may be a reason why their ain't many. |
Re: August 19th - Lawrenceburg Speedway - $3,000 to win
Other various reasons for the car count.
Moffatt, Leary and Goodnight raced in the Bettenhausen 100 with almost no chance of making it to the 'burg on time. At least two cars would have showed up in my estimation and possibly Tony McVey might have been another car at the 'burg as well. Justin Owen was resting his equipment. TMez was a no show with motor issues. And Drew Abel probably had the best reason of all; being daddy to a brand new baby daughter. We were a tad light on car count but any disappointment went away at the drop of the green. The Ballou KTJr battle near the end was worth the price of admission as was Nick Bilbee 25 lap charge from dead last to a 7th place finish. |
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