34 Raceway

All Stars four-night swing includes Knoxville

7/25/2018

RacinBoys

All Stars four-night swing includes Knoxville

By Tyler Altmeyer (Brownsburg, IN) -- Arguably the most demanding weekend of the season, the Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champions presented by Mobil 1 will continue their 2018 campaign with a four-race sweep through the Midwest, ready to take-on four events in four days at four different facilities, all of which while traveling through three states. Tony Stewart’s All Stars will visit Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa during their trek across the Midwest, kicking things off with a stop in Sun Prairie, Wis.Thursday, July 26.

PHOTO: Current All Star Circuit of Champions points leader Carson Macedo--CREDIT: Brent Smith Photography

An event originally scheduled for Sunday, May 20, the All Star Circuit of Champions will kick-off their road trip west with a stop in southern Wisconsin, ready to invade Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie where the All Stars will challenge the best of the IRA Outlaw Sprint Series for a $5,000 top prize. The “Sprint Car Spectacular” has been a long time coming, as the last two All Star Circuit of Champions visits to Angell Park Speedway were halted by Mother Nature; once in 2017 and again in early 2018.

Moving further west over the Mississippi River, the All Star Circuit of Champions will next invade Jackson Motorplex in Jackson, Minn., on Friday, July 27. The best-of-the-best will battle for a $10,000 top prize during their visit to southern Minnesota, just the third appearance by Tony Stewart’s All Stars at the now state-of-the-art complex in Series history. In fact, the All Stars have not competed in the Land of 10,000 Lakes since 2013 when the Series visited Buffalo River Raceway Park. Travis Whitney was the last to visit victory lane with the All Star Circuit of Champions at Jackson Motorplex.

Moving just south of Minnesota, the All Star Circuit of Champions will continue their four-day road trip with a two-day stay in Iowa, first invading the Sprint Car Capital of the World - Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville. Iowa, on Saturday, July 28. Although many of the full-time All Stars have made the trek west to visit Knoxville Raceway for the annual Knoxville Nationals, the Series has not visited the world-famous half-mile since 2011. In total, Knoxville Raceway has hosted the traveling All Stars on 16 separate occasions welcoming 14 different winners. Terry McCarl and Don Droud, Jr., names certainly synonymous with sprint car competition and Knoxville Raceway, are the only two repeat winners during All Star action at the Marion County Fairgrounds. Kevin Swindell was the last to be victorious, claiming the big payday on August 6, 2011.

Slowly making their way back east, 34 Raceway in Burlington, Iowa, will host the All Star Circuit of Champions on Sunday, July 29. Although a short history with “America’s Series,” 34 Raceway is the only track on the four-day schedule that has hosted the All Star Circuit of Champions within the last year. Prior to the 2017 visit, the All Stars have only made the journey to Burlington once, that being in 1998 when Hall of Famer Kenny Jacobs earned the crown, one of 98 All Star Circuit of Champions victories for the All Star great.

Although not on top of the current All Star Circuit of Champions driver point battle, Clute, Texas’ Aaron Reutzel will lead the All Star charge into Sun Prairie, Wis., as the hottest driver on tour. The pilot of the Baughman-Reutzel Motorsports entry has won four out of the last five All Star events, seven in total, most recently taming “Dirt’s Monster Half-Mile” at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway for a $5,000 top prize on Saturday, July 21.

Certainly consistent, as well as victorious, Lemoore, California’s Carson Macedo is the current driver championship point leader, holding a two-point cushion over Aaron Reutzel. The driver of the Gaerte/Norman No. 3G is a two-time winner thus far in 2018, also owning 18 top-ten finishes in 23 feature starts. Occurring in back-to-back fashion, Macedo’s pair of victories were accomplished in the Empire State, winning events at Stateline Speedway and Weedsport Speedway on Saturday and Sunday, June 9 & 10, respectively.

Six-time and defending All Star Circuit of Champions titleholder, Chad Kemenah, is currently third in the Series driver standings. Like Macedo, the Buckeye owns two victories thus far in 2018, but trumps all other full-time travelers with 23 top-ten finishes in 29 feature starts, 17 of which occurring inside the top-five; a stat that also tops any other full-time All Star.

The “Wild Child” Jac Haudenschild is currently fourth in the All Star driver title chase, followed by the “Buckeye Bullet” Dave Blaney. The pair of sprint car Hall of Famers each own one All Star victory thus far in 2018, but combine for 16 top-ten finishes; nine for Blaney and seven for the “Wild Child.” Blaney is the most recent of the pair of earn a victory during Series competition, and appropriately enough, Blaney earned his victory during the 10th Annual Lou Blaney Memorial at Sharon Speedway, an event that honored Dave’s father and fellow sprint car Hall of Famer, Lou Blaney. With the victory, Dave Blaney became the first repeat winner of the prestigious event in its ten year history.

Paul McMahan is currently sixth in the All Star driver chase, followed by Parker Price-Miller, Cale Conley, Carl Bowser, and Brandon Spithaler.

In addition to a loaded All Star Circuit of Champions roster, a handful of outside invaders also plan to follow the All Stars to all four programs including All Star owner and three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, Tony Stewart. St. Helena, California’s Rico Abreu will also enter all four events.

Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie, Wis., will open pit gates at 1 p.m. on Thursday, July 26. A mandatory All Star Circuit of Champions drivers meeting will take shape at 5 p.m., followed by hot laps at 5:30 p.m. Those seeking additional news and notes should visit Angell Park Speedway live on the Web at http://www.angellparkspeedway.net.

Jackson Motorplex in Jackson, Minn., will open pit gates at 2 p.m. on Friday, July 27. A mandatory All Star Circuit of Champions drivers meeting will take shape at 6:30 p.m., followed by hot laps at 7:30 p.m. Those seeking additional news and notes should visit Jackson Motorplex live on the Web at http://www.jacksonmotorplex.com.

Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa, will open pit gates at 3 p.m. on Saturday, July 28. A mandatory All Star Circuit of Champions drivers meeting will take shape at 6 p.m., followed by hot laps at 6:45 p.m. Those seeking additional news and notes should visit Knoxville Raceway live on the Web at http?://www.knoxvilleraceway.com.

34 Raceway in Burlington, Iowa, will open pit gates at 2 p.m. on Sunday, July 29. A mandatory All Star Circuit of Champions drivers meeting will take shape at 5:45 p.m., followed by hot laps at 6:30 p.m. Those seeking additional news and notes should visit 34 Raceway live on the Web at http://www.34raceway.com.

All Star Circuit of Champions Driver Standings: (after 7/21/2018)