Text Box: The ONLY auto race track in Colorado with indoor general admission seating and indoor bathrooms The Place To BE Text Box: Murray tops inaugural IMCA Modified event in Colorado Motorsports Park Shaw BST opener Posted on April 13, 2010 at 03:23:27 pm By Geoff Briggs BYERS, Colo. (April 11) – Four-time IMCA national champion David Murray Jr. showed NASCAR star Ken Schrader the fast way around Colorado Motorsports Park for 25 laps on Sunday afternoon. The inaugural IMCA Modified race brought the Larry Shaw Racing Blood, Sweat and Tears Tour to Byers. Murray went home to Kansas $1,000 richer, with his 28th career tour win and another Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifying victory notch on his belt.S Schrader, Roy Spielman, Jeremy Frenier and Will Brack rounded out the top five. Dominic Ursetta was an early casualty, getting upside down in turn one before the race started. When the green flag flew, Murray shot to the lead with Eddie Belec Jr., Speilman, Schrader and Beau Speicher following. Spielman and Schrader were second and third on lap four. Bobby Durand's door departed his machine for a lap nine caution with Murray leading Schrader, Spielman, Belec and Brack, conqueror of the Saturday Ice Breaker Challenge at Eagle. By halfway, 2009 BST Eastern Series champion Jeremy Frenier had worked his way into fourth ahead of Brack. Schrader gave Murray all he had, but Murray was the top dog of the day. Schrader hung on for second over Spielman, Frenier, and Brack.
 "You all have something special here, a one of a kind facility,” Schrader said during the post-race awards program. “I look for big things to come." Lloyd Meeske led from start to finish in winning the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature ahead of Casey Woken and rookie Mike Kennedy. In the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock feature, it was a photo finish between Angel Munoz and Chris Cox with Munoz getting the win. Kraig Thomas was third. Danny Concelman won the first Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod feature held in Colorado, beating Ryan Gaylord and Dan Vavrina to the checkers. The next weekly show at Colorado Motorsports Park event is Sunday, April 18 beginning at 2 pm. Event number two for the Larry Shaw BST in Colorado is Sunday, April 25 at I-76 Speedway in Fort Morgan. BST Feature Results – 1. David Murray Jr.; 2. Ken Schrader; 3. Roy Spielman; 4. Jeremy Frenier; 5. Will Brack; 6. Justen Yeager; 7. Eddie Belec Jr.; 8. Zach Hilzer; 9. Beau Speicher; 10. Brad Boyer; 11. Don Shepherd; 12. Ernie Jones; 13. Aaron Monie; 14. Nick Tubbs; 15. Garrett Sporhase; 16. John Burrows Jr.; 17. Larry Jackson; 18. Ricky Alvarado; 19. Joe Mullins; 20. Brady Coen; 21. Cole Hodges; 22. Brett Smith; 23. Chase Ruble; 24. Bobby Durand; 25. D.J. Banks; 26. Dominic Ursetta. Heat winners were Spielman, Schrader, Ursetta, Sporhase and Frenier. “B” feature winners were Alvarado and Tubbs. Text Box: Ken Schrader joins IMCA Modifieds at Byers for Larry Shaw BST Series opener on April 11 Posted on April 06, 2010 at 08:32:56 am BYERS, Colo. – Opening night takes the Larry Shaw Racing Blood, Sweat and Tears Series for IMCA Modifieds to newly sanctioned Colorado Motorsports Park. NASCAR’s Ken Schrader joins the field for the $1,000 to win, minimum $100 to start Sunday, April 11 main event at the re-opened Byers track, east of Denver off Interstate 70. IMCA national, ButlerBuilt Central Region and Allstar Performance State points, as well as special series points will be given. The winner also joins the ballot for the 2010 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational. Pit gates open at 10 a.m. and the grandstand opens at noon. Hot laps start at noon and racing gets underway at 2 p.m. A Saturday practice session runs from noon-5 p.m. Grandstand admission is $15 for adults and $5 for students ages 6-12. Kids five and under get in free. Pit passes are $25. First point races of the season at Colorado Motorsports Park are also on the April 11 program for IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks and Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods. More information is available from promoters Jerry Kendall at 720 280-7431 or Joe Bellm at 720 422 5444.

Dog days of summer give way to auto racing at Colorado Motorsports Park

Posted on March 25, 2010 at 10:04:06 am

BYERS, Colo. – A former dog track with more than its share of amenities will feature five IMCA divisions during its first full season of automotive racing.
Colorado Motorsports Park, located 45 miles east of downtown Denver off Interstate 70, opens April 11 when NASCAR star Ken Schrader joins the Modified field for the Larry Shaw Racing Blood, Sweat and Tears series.
Sanctioned Modifieds, along with IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods and Mach-1 Sport Compacts will race for points primarily on Sundays through Sept. 18 on the ¼-mile dirt oval.
CMP becomes the first track in the state to sanction the Northern SportMods and 4-cylinder Sport Compacts.
“I’m confident we can build car counts using established sets of rules. Running on Sunday nights will help us get cars and fans,” said track owner and general manager Jerry Kendall. “We’re kind of in the center of the hub, so there’s easy access here for drivers from tracks around us, and we’ll be able to draw from the Denver market.”
Built in the early 1970s and idle for most of 20 years, Colorado Motorsports Park hosted a demolition derby and a single sprint car event in 2009.
The racing surface has since been lengthened by 80 feet and banking reduced from seven percent to four percent in the straightaways and increased to 10 percent in the turns. New lighting will be installed on top of the grandstand building, which boasts indoor seating for more than 2,000 fans. Terraced seating on the front straightaway will also be available to fans who prefer to be even closer to the action.
“This place is bigger than life when compared to most tracks. No matter where you’re at, you can see the whole track,” said Kendall,” who first saw the track and the 250 acre property it’s part of advertised in 2007. Trying to get the facility up to speed has been the biggest thing but I’m very pleased with the progress we’ve made so far.”
A second building includes a banquet room, a VIP room for sponsor parties and other special events, and the track offices.
CMP will be part of the ButlerBuilt Central Region for Modifieds and Probe Industries Northern Regions for Stocks and Hobbies. The BST returns for an Aug. 29 show at Byers; Joe Bellm, director of the tour, will be in charge of events there when Kendall is on the road for his non-racing job.
“I think IMCA is the best sanctioning body around,” said Kendall, an Indiana native and life-long gearhead. “The cars are competitive and they put on a good show. That’s the key to building a strong weekly program.”

WHEAT RIDGE, Colo. – IMCA drivers in three divisions competing with Engine Pro products are in the running for contingency awards from the Wheat Ridge, Colo.-based internal engine parts wholesaler group again in 2010.
A total of $6,300 will be mailed to IMCA Modified, IMCA Sunoco Stock Car and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock drivers after standings become official in October.
Top eligible drivers in all five Modified regions, both Stock Car regions and both Hobby Stock regions receive $300 product certificates, with $200 to the runners-up and $100 for third. Tenth and 20th place eligible drivers earn $50 certificates.
Drivers accepting the most engine claims or exchanges in each division during the regular point season and compete with Engine Pro parts receive complete claimer engine kits.
Modified drivers are also required to display two Engine Pro decals on their race car.
Information about Engine Pro products and distributors is available by calling 303 424-3200 and at the www.enginepro.com website.
"Engine Pro's 29 distribution centers provide engine builders and machine shops across the country with a full line of brand name internal engine components,” IMCA Marketing Director Kevin Yoder said. “Their high performance engine kits are valued at nearly $2,000 and have been, and will continue to be presented to deserving claimed drivers each year."

Colorado, Kansas dates confirmed for Larry Shaw BST Series

Posted on March 26, 2010 at 09:19:43 am

BYERS, Colo. – All race dates in two states are confirmed for this season’s Larry Shaw Racing Blood, Sweat and Tears Series.
Eight events are scheduled in Colorado and in Kansas. Ken Schrader will join IMCA Modified hot shoes for the opener April 11 at Colorado Motorsports Park.
To be announced in April are BST dates in Nebraska and Wyoming, as well as the Quest For the Crown races following IMCA’s regular point season.
All events paying $1,000 or more to win are qualifiers for 2010 or 2011 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballots. National, regional, Allstar Performance state and special series points will be given at all races through the end of September.
Bonus points will be given to champions of tours for each of the four states.
Other Colorado dates are April 25 and June 5 at I-76 Speedway; May 30 and Aug. 15 at Phillips County Speedway; July 2 and Aug. 27 at Lamar Speedway; and Aug. 29 at CMP.
BST shows in Kansas are July 24 and Sept. 18 at Dodge City Raceway Park; July 25 at Dirtona Raceway; July 30 and 31 at Thomas County Speedway; Sept. 19 at Liberal Fairgrounds Speedway; and Sept. 24 and 25 at Sherman County Speedway.
“Our Kansas tracks provide a very solid foundation for the series in that state. We have probably our best situation ever in Colorado this season,” IMCA Vice President of Operations Brett Root said. “All are very good tracks and we will do everything possible to support their weekly and special series events.”

More positive things to come...

UMP DIRTcar Series to sanction CMP Late Model Races

Contact: Kevin Kovac
DIRTcar Public Relations
704-254-7929 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              704-254-7929      kkovac@dirtcar.com

CONCORD, NC – April 21, 2010 – A historic season for DIRTcar Racing in the Rocky Mountain region is set to kick off this weekend.

The Colorado Late Model Association DIRTcar Series will begin its first campaign under the banner of the nationally-known sanctioning body with a huge doubleheader, visiting the new Colorado Motorsports Park in Byers on Sat., April 24, and I-76 Speedway in Fort Morgan, Colo., on Sun., April 25.

Saturday night's 'Thunder in the Rockies' program will serve as a grand coming-out party for Colorado Motorsports Park, a newly-opened track that will be a hub of DIRTcar Late Model racing in the Denver area this season. I-76 Speedway, meanwhile, will close out the weekend with its 'Icebreaker' event – the only CLMA DIRTcar Series show scheduled in 2010 at the quarter-mile oval.

"This is shaping up as one of the biggest weekends of Late Model racing that Colorado fans and racers have had the opportunity to enjoy in years," said DIRTcar Racing Western Region director Chris Morgan. "It's an exciting way for DIRTcar Racing to begin our involvement in a region where Late Model racing is on the rise."

Colorado Motorsports Park is positioned to play a major role in DIRTcar Racing's expansion into Colorado and nearby states. Formerly a quarter-mile greyhound dog-racing track, the 250-acre complex was purchased in 2008 by commercial mortgage banker Jerry Kendall and reconfigured into a nearly one-third-mile, semi-banked clay oval.

Located directly off Interstate 70 less than an hour's drive east of Denver, the facility features a completely enclosed 2,000-seat grandstand building, allowing fans to watch the races from behind glass in climate-controlled comfort. Spectators can also stand or sit outside in lawn chairs on a sloped concrete terrace, and there are numerous fan amenities, including nearly 20 acres of parking, concrete walkways throughout the spectator area and 20,000 square feet of concession and entertainment space underneath the main grandstand.

"The place was closed for the last 20 years, but people would always see it from the freeway and say, 'That would make a great racetrack,'" said Kendall, who grew up in northern Indiana as a regular attendee of wingless Sprint Car races with his father. "I thought the Denver area could use a dirt track so I decided to go for it.

"This is a facility that will provide fans a totally unique experience," he added. "How many dirt tracks have an enclosed grandstand? It's real neat to sit inside and be able to listen to the announcer call the race and hear all the fans cheering for their particular favorite drivers."

CMP officially opened on April 11 with an afternoon program highlighted by NASCAR veteran Ken Schrader's participation in the open-wheel Modified action. This Saturday's show will mark the track's first night race and the first appearance for the DIRTcar Late Models, which will be one of the primary attractions in 2010 at CMP.

Kendall has scheduled nine events for the full-fender division, including three CLMA DIRTcar Series points races. Sunday dates are set for April 24 (CLMA), May 2, May 23, June 6, July 4, July 18 (CLMA) and Aug. 15, and the '10 season will round out with Saturday shows on Sept. 4 and Sept. 11 (CLMA).

Every Late Model event at CMP will be sanctioned by DIRTcar Racing, making the track a centrally-located hub for DIRTcar Late Model competition in the region. The CMP events will compliment touring shows for the CLMA DIRTcar Series (Colorado/Wyoming) and the Midwest DIRTcar Late Model Series (Kansas/Oklahoma), giving DIRTcar-licensed drivers across the region more opportunities to collect points toward the lucrative and prestigious DIRTcar UMP program.

"We're excited to have Colorado Motorsports Park come on board as a signature track for DIRTcar Late Model racing in the region," said Morgan, who visited CMP for the recent season-opening program. "Combining the CMP events with those of the CLMA DIRTcar Series and the Midwest DIRTcar Late Model Series, teams will now have at least one chance to race for UMP points virtually every weekend."

Kendall is a big proponent of having a DIRTcar sanction for his track's Late Model division – not only for the points-fund and recognition possibilities, but as a catalyst for future growth of Late Model racing in the region.

"I'm a believer in letting people know where they're going to be rules-wise not only this year, but next year," said Kendall. "If the racers know they'll have stability with the rules they'll invest in a car for the long-term. Being part of a group with uniform rules like DIRTcar will allow that to happen.

"We think our relationship with DIRTcar and CLMA will help build Late Model car counts in this region and, in turn, build excitement for Colorado Motorsports Park."

CLMA DIRTcar Series Promotions Director Cory Moul also sees CMP's addition to the tour and the DIRTcar family as a positive for DIRTcar Late Model racing in the Rocky Mountain region.

"Colorado Motorsports Park is definitely going to be a huge boost for our tour and DIRTcar Late Model racing in general out here in Colorado," said Moul. "It gives the CLMA a hometrack, and it's going to bring out more cars to help grow the series and DIRTcar Late Model racing in the Denver area."

For more information on this weekend's CLMA DIRTcar Series events, visit www.www.coloradolatemodel.com, www.coloradomotorsportspark.com or www.i-76speedway.com.

Additional info on all of the series, sanctioning and member tracks of DIRTcar Racing is available at www.DIRTcar.com.