IT'S TIME TO RACE!!

June 27, 2005 FSCR USA Sprints vs FSCA Sprints in Florida Challenge Series 2005 Series Release The Florida Sprint Car Association and the USA Sprints will meet heads up for The 2nd Annual Florida Challenge Series 2005 match races at Putnam County Speedway Saturday night July 2nd followed by another visit to the famed Volusia County Speedpark on Sunday July 3rd.These races will mark the 1st and 2nd legs of the Triple Crown which will crown a Florida State Champion for Dirt Sprintcars.The 3rd and final race is tentatively scheduled for October 2005 at a Track to be announced. Last year was washed out by the string of Hurricanes that cut short the Challenge Series and the whole racing season for that matter. "Mean" Gene Lasker was in position to take the title after a 2nd and 1st place win in only 2 races in 2004. This special match race was brought about by Otto Scrape and RC Roper the two Series Promoters and Track Promoters Mike Partin and Dicky Murphy from VCS. This was made possible when Scrape who is also a driver in the FSCA extended an invitation to the USA Sprints and RC Roper for this Race. The drivers will be competing for the overall purse but will maintain thier prospective points for each organization. In addition there is a 3 race point total that will be calculated to crown a Florida State Champion. These races have attracted National attention and will be covered by some of that same media. It is also understood that the Dirt Track Channel will be covering the races. The USA Sprints & FSCA Sprints Drivers are once again excited about this opportunity. Scotty Adema # 67 who leads the USA Sprints with 6 Wins and Top Point man Tim George # 1 will do battle against "Mean" Gene Lasker # 02 from Tampa Florida who has Won 4 races this year so far. Behind Lasker is the always tough Lee Scrape# 42 from Jacksonville who has 1 Win in 2005. Scotty Adema by circumstance of scheduling has enjoyed huge success on the Pavement thus far in 2005. Adema who is known as a pavement specialist has some onlookers curious to see how the South Florida driver will fare once the Southern Thunder Tour hits the dirt. Both Organizations bring racers who have Won hundreds of races and dozens of Championships into this special match race. Expectations are high from Florida Sprint Car fans. Some of the USA Sprints Stars looking for a Win include Greg "The Jet" Leonard # 85 from Wimauma. Leonard who Won last years VCS event will certainly be expected to be one of the challengers along with RC Roper "The Racin Cowboy" # 92 from Fort Myers. Top Rookie hopefuls are 15 year old Dakota "The Southern Outlaw" Stevens # 79 and Michael "Bones" Smith # 9 from Ocala. The 2003 USA Sprints Champion Shane Kriedler # 52 will make his 1st return to the dirt since last year. The FSCA Sprints have Otto Scrape # wee 3, Wes Scrape # 66, Mike Love # 7, and Bruce Durden who Won Last years event at Putnam as a USA registered Driver. Teresa Miller will also return in who own # 77 for the FSCA as will Dennis Misuraca in the 3d from Sanford Florida for the USA Sprints. There are several drivers that have run both USA and FSCA sanctioned events this year. The USA Sprints may have a slight disadvantage for lack of Track time on the dirt. One of the drivers who has raced with both organizations on both surfaces in 2005 is the young but experienced Tighe Schloss from Jacksonville. In addition to Schloss as a major player will be the one and only "Tiny Tim" George the current East Bay Raceway Park and USA Sprints Point leader. Most people are not aware that Tim could be the only sprint car racer in the Nation that races every week and changes back and forth each week between dirt and pavement. There are some who do this but with different cars. Tim has just 1 car for himself. In fact Tim has raced Saturday night at East Bay and then was at Punta Gorda the next day for a afternoon race.That is what makes a USA Sprints racer! Race anywhere against anyone on any surface with or without wings.Thats Tim George! One of the many interesting facts for these Challenge event races is that most every Florida Winged Dirt Sprintcar driver and Track will be represented. The contingent of USA Sprints Stars have been racing pavement only thus far in 2005 and for some of the drivers they have never raced on dirt in thier careers. Several of the East Bay Raceway cars such as Racer "Rick Byerly" # 30, Tim Holsten # 51 and Danny Jones # 99 from Tampa will be there flying the USA colors. Former TBARA standout David Slawiak who has limited experience on the dirt will be debuting Dave Link's # 63 Gambler. Coincidence is,Link's car was the last car that Gary Gimmler drove at Thundercross.We hope that at some point Gary will make his return to the Dirt and the USA Sprints as a driver. Rumor has it that 2004 USA Sprints Champion Andy "Hammer Down" Kelly # 11 might wander up north as well as brother David "Skeeter" Kelly # 12 from Plant City. This is sure to be a awesome Holiday Weekend for Florida Sprintcar Racing. Last years event was a very competitive race and some onlookers thought it was perhaps the best racing of the year. So make sure to mark this down on your calenders July 2nd Putnam County Speedway @ 7pm and Sunday night July 3rd at 6pm at Volusia County Speedpark. For more information call Otto Scrape @ 904-766-5915 from the FSCA or visit www.fscaracing.com You can also contact RC Roper c/o the USA Sprints @ 239-872-0168 or visit the website at www.usasprints.com. For additional Track info and or directions call Mike Partin from Putnam County Speedway @ 386-649-5210 for Saturday nights race.Please call Gloria or Vicky at Volusia County Speedpark at 386-985-4402 for Sunday nights race. Have an opinion on this story? Post a message on our Message Board! news@karnac.org or send a letter to the editor!