ALLSTAR: Thunder thru the Plains

PONCE INLET, FL - The sixth annual Thunder Through the Plains tour, featuring the All Star Circuit of Champions sprint cars battling the National Championship Racing Association (NCRA) sprints, is scheduled to take place the week following the Knoxville Nationals, Aug. 14-19. Action kicks off Monday, Aug. 14 as the All Stars visit the 3/8 mile Thunder Hill Speedway in Mayetta, Kansas, near Topeka, for the first time. Aaron Berryhill won the NCRA event at Thunder Hill in July of this year. Tuesday the series' move to State Fair Speedway in Sedalia, MO for action on the half-mile speedway. Wednesday, Aug. 16 action is set for the 3/8 mile Salina Speedway in Salina, KS where a sellout crowd witnessed action last season. Gary Wright has won an NCRA event on the high banks in 2000. Thursday is a day off from racing, with the annual Thunder Golf Tournament scheduled for Wichita, KS. Friday action resumes on the 3/8 mile of 81 Speedway in Wichita, a track which always brings out the best in wheel to wheel sprint car action. Don Droud, Jr. was the NCRA winner there in July. Saturday's Thunder Through The Plains finale is scheduled for Tulsa Speedway, a 3/8 mile oval which has seen the local drivers defeat the All Stars in the past two seasons. Wright has a pair of NCRA wins at Tulsa in 2000. A full All Star racing program of time trials, heats, a Commercial Truck and Trailer Dash and Georgia Marketing and Promotions B Main is scheduled each night, and every program will conclude with a feature paying $5,000 to win. Over the past five seasons, Thunder Through The Plains has seen 25 events contested at 10 speedways, with 13 different feature winners. The tracks include 81, Belleville (KS), Salina, Wakeeney (KS), Eagle (NE), State Fair (NE), Enid (OK), State Fair (OK), Tulsa and State Fair (MO). Historically, Thunder feature winners include Wright (5), Jeff Shepard (3), Mark Kinser (2), Steve Kent (2), Keith Kauffman (2), Dale Blaney (2), Joey Saldana (2), Dean Jacobs (2) and Donnie Crawford, Mike Goodman, Kenny Jacobs, Frankie Kerr and Danny Lasoski with one win each. For the NCRA this season, 10 events have been run, with Wright capturing five wins and Berryhill two. Other single winners include Travis Rilat, Terry McCarl and Droud. The All Stars have run 30 races through July 22, with 18 different feature winners. Following the Thunder tour, the All Stars head east to Central Pennsylvania for a trio of events. Sat. Aug. 26, action returns to Lincoln (PA) Speedway followed by a Sunday night show at Selinsgrove Speedway. After a day off, the Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsville hosts the $6,000 to win "King of the Hill" feature on Tuesday, Aug. 29.