As has been the case in each of the three previous editions, this week’s “Sprint Car Smackdown IV” at Kokomo Speedway will be bolstered by a long list of prizes and cash bonuses on top of an already-stout purse, concluding with Saturday’s $10,000-to-win 40-lap event. Along with awards for nearly every event on the agenda for the weekend, laps are still filling up at $100 each to pay the top-five on each of the 100 feature laps over the weekend.
Again this year, the competition stretches off the race track as six racers compete in the “Sprint Car Snackdown” Thursday night. The speedway’s Turn 5 Bar will host defending eating champion Chase Stockon against four top competitors from last year’s “Smackdown”: Dave Darland, Robert Ballou, Brady Bacon, and Justin Grant. The race is on to down fifteen boneless chicken wings faster than the competition for the winner’s prize pack. All fans and fellow competitors are invited to attend and enjoy the show.
Each racing night will begin, as always, with ProSource Qualifying. The year-long “ProSource Fast Time Award Challenge” continues on, with $2,500 going to the driver who racks up the most throughout the season across all three USAC National divisions. Chase Stockon currently leads the standings with six, just ahead of Brady Bacon and Kody Swanson.
All heat races are sponsored and presented by Competition Suspension (CSI) again this year. Heat races sponsors will pay out money to all top-four finishers on Thursday and Friday, and are sponsored by Hinchman Indy, STIDA.com, Loudpedal Productions, Race Track Engineering, Racers Storage, and Claxton Engines. CSI will also present Saturday’s Qualifying Races, which transfer cars to the 40-lap Main Event and will also earn them a new Hoosier right-rear tire for the preliminary race victory.
Hard Charger Awards have been posted for each night of racing and are presented by Maxim Chassis. TeamVWAudi.com has posted the award for Thursday, with Crume-Evans Insurance handling the honors on Friday. On Saturday, the feature’s hard charger will earn $250 cash from Elliott’s Custom Trailers in addition to the $250 certificate from Maxim.
American Racing Ministries have again pledged their support of the “Smackdown,” as they will award a right-rear tire to each night’s “Perseverance Award” winner, the final transfer from each night’s Semi-Feature. DRC Chassis also returns to post the “Hard Luck Award.” Pace Performance Coatings also returns, again posting the “Hard Work Award” each night, going to the driver who makes the feature after qualifying the worst or, on Saturday, having the lowest point total entering the night.
A few lucrative awards that started last year will return, and are headlined by Lincoln Park Speedway’s “Bill Gardner True Grit Award,” given to the competitor who overcomes the most adversity throughout the weekend. Last year’s winner was legendary car owner Paul Hazen. Speedway Motors has signed on to present the “Passing Master Award,” worth $500 to the driver who improves the most positions cumulatively over the three-day event, which includes heat races, semi-features, and features.
Spire Sports + Entertainment also returns this year, as they will reward the “Smackdown Rookie of the Year” with $500. B&W Auto Mart continues their support of USAC racing, as they present a check for $400 to the winner of this year’s “King of the Hill” on Saturday night. King of the Hill is a one-on-one bracket-style event for the top-eight point earners locked into Saturday night’s feature. Previous winners include Tracy Hines, Chase Stockon, and Brady Bacon.
The Frolic Bar & Grill sponsors this year’s “Best Appearing Car” award and will vote for the winner prior to Saturday night’s driver introductions. Other posted prizes for various races come from Weld Racing (left-rear wheel), Impact Racing (belts), Rod End Supply (product certificates), Arizona Sport Shirts (certificate), and Simpson Race Products (product certificates) are among the contributing sponsors for this year’s event.
Hoosier Tire and AMSOIL remain strong supporters of Kokomo’s “Smackdown,” as each have donated considerable amounts of product to be given to competitors throughout the three-day extravaganza.
While the “Smackdown” itself kicks off on Thursday, tomorrow features a special event to finish off the rained-out “Indiana Sprint Week” program from July. It will conclude with the Semi-Feature and 30-lap feature and is FREE to all spectators. Fans with tickets from the rained-out event will be admitted early and are eligible for a free upgrade to a pit pass. All pit passes from that event can be used, as well.
LAP AND CONTINGENCY SPONSORS FOR "SPRINT CAR SMACKDOWN IV" AT KOKOMO (IN) SPEEDWAY
THURSDAY, AUGUST 27
Lap 1: Crume Evans Insurance
Lap 2: Chalk Racing Products
Lap 3: Gene Franckowiak
Lap 4: Eldora 4-Crown Nationals Sept. 25-26
Lap 5: Auto Farm McCrocklin Ford
Lap 6: Radio Hospital
Lap 7: Racers For Autism
Lap 8: Lincoln Park Speedway
Lap 10: Customized Service Trucks
Lap 11: Pressure Works Pressure Washers
Lap 12: Paul & Sandra Deaton
Lap 13: RayHagueMedia.com
Lap 14: Scott Nichols
Lap 15: Brettnacher Farms
Lap 16: American Racing Ministries
Lap 17: The Future Mrs. KTJ
Lap 18: Conroy "Pneu" Control
Lap 19: In Memory of John Sanders
Lap 20: Kirk & Dave Lawrence
Lap 22: 3 Wide Life
Lap 23: Bulldog Liquidators
Lap 24: Green Automotive Service
Lap 25: Lincoln Park Speedway
Lap 26: Alex Pruett Memorial - Grundy Co. Speedway Sept. 26
Lap 27: ProSource
Lap 28: Pit Stop BBQ & Grill
Lap 29: Gas City I-69 Speedway
Lap 30: Gold Crown Midget Nationals Sept 4-5
FRIDAY, AUGUST 28
Lap 1: Arizona Sport Shirts
Lap 2: Benic Enterprises
Lap 3: Chalk Racing Products
Lap 4: Eldora 4-Crown Nationals Sept. 25-26
Lap 5: Auto Farm McCrocklin Ford
Lap 6: B&W Auto Mart
Lap 7: Momentum Racing Suspension
Lap 8: Sacha Bagwell
Lap 9: Kent Olsen
Lap 10: Crume-Evans Insurance
Lap 11: Pressure Works Pressure Washers
Lap 12: Jockish Flowers
Lap 13: Customized Service Trucks
Lap 14: Scott Nichols
Lap 15: Jason "Dad" Miller
Lap 16: American Racing Ministries
Lap 17: Lincoln Park Speedway
Lap 18: Conroy "Pneu" Control
Lap 19: National Speedway Directory
Lap 20: "Haubstadt Guzzlers"
Lap 21: Bill Roberts WaypointBusinessSolutions.com
Lap 22: 3 Wide Life
Lap 23: Jason Sharp - Indy/Qatar
Lap 24: In Memory of Don West
Lap 25: PXP
Lap 26: Alex Pruett Memorial - Grundy Co. Speedway Sept. 26
Lap 27: ProSource
Lap 28: Lincoln Park Speedway
Lap 29: Gas City I-69 Speedway
Lap 30: Gold Crown Midget Nats. Sept. 4-5
SATURDAY, AUGUST 29
Lap 1: National Sprint Car Hall of Fame
Lap 2: Stitches 2, Inc.
Lap 3: The Geisert Family
Lap 4: Eldora 4-Crown Nationals Sept. 25-26
Lap 5: Goacher Racing - Little 500 Champs
Lap 6: Bill & Tyson Wever
Lap 7: Doug & Sue Stegemoller - Breast Cancer Awareness
Lap 8: Sacha Bagwell
Lap 9: Hooker Harness
Lap 10: Crume-Evans Insurance
Lap 11: Indy Line Stripe
Lap 12: Shuttleworth Paving
Lap 13: Customized Service Trucks
Lap 14: Infinity Shocks
Lap 15: Lincoln Park Speedway
Lap 16: American Racing Ministries
Lap 17: KT Construction Services
Lap 18: Conroy "Pneu" Control
Lap 19: Jimmy Carter
Lap 20: Manvel Motorsports
Lap 21: Chalk Racing Products
Lap 22: 3 Wide Life
Lap 23: 2013 Kokomo Track Champ Wes McIntyre
Lap 24: @TheCushionGYATK
Lap 25: 5d Composites
Lap 26: Alex Pruett Memorial - Sept. 26 Grundy Co. Speedway
Lap 27: A.J. & Matt Brookmyer
Lap 28: ProSource
Lap 29: Gas City I-69 Speedway
Lap 30: Gold Crown Midget Nationals Sept 4-5
Lap 31: Sprint Week Pool Champion Kirk Bacon
Lap 32: In Memory of Laura Stockon
Lap 33: Keith Wendel
Lap 34: Jockish Flowers
Lap 35: Lincoln Park Speedway
Lap 36: Indiana Stone Works
Lap 37: Indiana Underground Construction
Lap 38: Crume-Evans Insurance
Lap 39: Lincoln Park Speedway
Lap 40: Mel & Rob Freeman from England
HEAT RACE/C-MAIN/B-MAIN SPONSORS
Pro Source (Thurs/Fri Fast Time) $100
Hinchman Indy Heat 1 ($100 total to Top 4 Thurs/Fri)
Stida.com Heat 2 ($100 total to Top 4 Thurs/Fri)
Loudpedal Productions Heat 3 ($100 total to Top 4 Thurs.)
Race Track Engineering Heat 3 ($100 total to Top 4 Fri)
Racers Storage Heat 4 ($100 total to Top 4 Thurs)
Claxton Engines Heat 4 ($100 total to Top 4 Fri)
CSI ($50 cert. all heat winners. $100 certs to Saturday qual race winners)
American Racing Ministries "Perseverance Award" (RR tire to last transfer from Semi)
TeamVWAudi.com Hard Charger Award ($100 Thursday)
Crume-Evans Insurance Hard Charger Award ($100 Friday)
AMSOIL B Mains (case of product to each B Main winner)
3-4 Hoosier Tire Qualifying Races (RR tire to the winner)
Maxim Chassis Hard Charger ($250 certificate nightly)
Pace Performance ($100 certificate "Hard Work" each night)
B&W Auto Mart ($400 "King of the Hill")
Traxxas Truck ("King of the Hill" winner)
In Memory of Billy Marvel ($50 to 7th place feature finisher on Saturday night)
DRC ($250 Certificate Hard Luck)
Elliott's Custom Trailers (Sat. Hard Charger - $250)
Speedway Motors "Passing Master Award" $500
Spire Sports + Entertainment "Smackdown Rookie of the Year" $500
Frolic Bar & Grill "Best Appearing Car" $250
Bill Gardner True Grit Award - $300 (LPS Money)
Speed Energy Drink/Traxxas "Sprint Car Snackdown" (Slash RC truck & Speed product)
Weld Racing (LR wheel) - "King of the Hill" Runner-Up
Lil Mo's Pizzeria ($200 to 1st non-transfer on Saturday)
Impact (belts) - Saturday 1st non-transfer
Rod End Supply (Rod Ends & Birdcage Bearings)
Arizona ($200 Product Certificates - 2) - Thurs/Fri 1st Non-Transfer
Simpson Helmet - Saturday "Hard Work Award" winner
Simpson Gear Bag - Saturday 2nd non-transfer
Hoosier Tires: Qual Race Winners plus 2-3 random winners
13 cases of AMSOIL products