FLOOD GATES COULD OPEN IN MASCS POINT BATTLE AT ROCKFORD

Topics:  Lyle Nowak, Jeremy Spoonmore

Matt Panure
Mid American Stock Car Series
September 27, 2012

FORT ATKINSON, Wis. (September 27, 2012) – One of the most closely contested Mid-American Stock Car Series points battles in the series’ 20-year history hits the home stretch this Sunday at the venue where it all began two decades ago.

Heading into the 47th Annual National Short Track Championships at Rockford Speedway Lyle Nowak holds a slim 17-point advantage over Jeremy Spoonmore. The back and forth battle swung into Nowak’s favor last week with his win in the Thunderstruck event at Elko (Minn.) Speedway last Saturday.

A slight edge at Rockford Speedway can be given to Jeremy Spoonmore – at least in the fall session. Spoonmore is a two-time winner of the National Short Track Championships and has only two finishes outside the top five in his last seven Rockford starts. He hasn’t finished outside the top ten at Rockford since Doug and Julie Strasburg took ownership of the series in 2006.

Although Spoonmore has been the stronger of the two in the fall races at Rockford, Nowak is a two time Spring Classic winner. However, Nowak did break through last season to claim his first NSTC win. Compared to Spoonmore though, Nowak’s record is somewhat inconsistent with finishes outside of the top five in five of his last ten starts at Rockford.

Two wild cards could throw a wrench into both drivers’ championship plans before settling the dispute at Oktoberfest. Five-time MASCS Champion James Swan is a past NSTC winner, donning the classic wreath in 2010. Although he has missed two events, Swan has had a phenomenal win percentage, grabbing four wins in eight starts. This weekend will be a rare one for Swan as he is set to focus only on his MASCS racer on Sunday. All season Swan has either chased his Sportsman to Slinger on Sundays, his ASA Midwest Truck and even select Super Late Model starts.

The major spoiler may be a former crew member of Swan and leading rookie contender Ryan Farrell. Farrell left the MASCS racers baffled in April when he set fast time and eased through the field to collect a dominating win. As all the MASCS racers rode the rim of Rockford, Farrell found a way to work the bottom line. Sitting just 80 points back of the top spot, another dominating performance coupled with trouble for Spoonmore and Nowak could generate a three-way battle for the crown at Oktoberfest.

With some of the usual suspects drawing the attention for the 75-lap main, a few past champions may enjoy dark horse status. Three-time Champ Bill Prietzel, 1999 titlist Rick Corso, and the top gun of 1996 Mark Pluer have all filed entries for Sunday’s event. Prietzel won the Spring Classic in 2010 with Pluer typically a favorite to capture the Faster than a Speeding Bullet Award. Should these drivers hold in the top five, they may give either Spoonmore or Nowak the separation to gain markers in the title chase.

NSTC will also be host to the passing of the traveling Vercauteren Memorial Trophy. The Trophy will pass from last year’s race winner, Jake Finney (who took the trophy for the second time in his career at Norway in August of 2011) to this Sunday’s victor. The Vercauteren Trophy was born 23 years ago to honor a family that has dedicated their lives to the betterment of Stock car racing in the upper mid-west. Gary Vercauteren founded the Mid-American Stock Car Series and ran it until an untimely death on his way to Oktoberfest in 2005. Past winners include Eddie Hoffman, Pat Kelly, Peter Hernandez, Prietzel, Swan, Spoonmore and Pluer.

Qualifying for this Sunday’s NSTC 75 is scheduled for 11:15 a.m. with Mid-American racing action slated to begin at 12:30 p.m. For more information visit www.rockfordspeedway.com