Patriots/Sprints on Dirt Canada preview

OH CANADA, ASCS GOES NORTH FOR THREE

TULSA, Okla. (September 9, 2008)- The biggest sprint car race of the year in Canada is on deck and ready for one of the largest events in all of North America this year.

The fourth running of the Arrow Express Canadian Sprint Car Nationals returns this Friday and Saturday, September 12-13, paying $8,000 to the A-Main Winner and distributing one of the largest purses in 360 sprint car racing.

ASCS will be represented strongly from both the Patriot Region as well as the Sprints on Dirt. In years past, both regions have led the affiliate sanctions in this historic event.

The 3/8-mile facility, located in driver/owner Glenn Styres' front yard, will glisten even more this season with new lighting, grandstands and fencing improvements made to the Southern Ontario Facility.

Steve Poirier has dominated the last two CSCN's, scoring the victories over Jason Barney on both occasions. While both competitors have given no indication to believe 2008 will be any different, there are a slew of names read to challenge for a spot in the hallowed ground.

Bryan Howland currently leads the Patriot standings and was the winner of the ASCS Northern Summer Nationals this past July. Howland has run in the top-five in both CSCN A-mains he has run in and will be a factor this Saturday.

Brett Mann, the recently crowned Sprints on Dirt Champion, was a top-10 finisher in last year's A-Main. He was also up front during his trip to Ohsweken earlier this year and looks to put an exclamation point on a great 2008.

Jared Zimbardi is second in ASCS Patriot points, but he also finishes this season second in Ohsweken's weekly Corr-Pak Merchandising Sprint Standings. A winner at "The Big O", earlier this season, Zimbardi looks for the biggest win of his career this weekend.

Dustin Daggett, Bobby Breen and Jeff Cook are the only drivers to have qualified for all three CSCN A-Mains. Not only are all capable of continuing the streak, they all have a very real chance at scoring the big paycheck.

Saturday night will be a 60-point show-up race for the Patriots, while the event will not count towards SOD points. Friday's night of racing, including "Twin 15's", the Dave MacLeod Mr. Sprint Car Challenge and the Village Pizza Ohsweken Shootout will not count for either region.

Both nights of action can be heard LIVE on www.HighSpeedRadio.com starting just before 7:00 p.m.

The fun will not stop on Saturday at Ohsweken, the next afternoon the rained-out program at The New Humberstone Speedway will be made up.

The track less than an hour from Ohsweken will serve as the perfect way for the 70-plus teams in the area to get a full weekend of racing in; it will also give the local teams a chance to run in front of their friends and family in a Patriot event. Rob Pietz leads this massive contingent, as the back-to-back champion at Humberstone.

This race will count fully towards the 2008 championship point standings for the Patriots, meaning that all of the top names are expected to be on hand. Included in the names is Chris Muhleisen, who has finished 1st and 3rd in his two appearances to the fast 1/3-mile.

Teams based as far away as North Carolina are planning on attending this event to make a true weekend out of the Canadian Sprint Car Nationals.JAs an added bonus, discounts for those with CSCN ticket stubs are likely to be available.

-credit: ascs