12/22/2012
Minnesota Mafia & UMSS Team Up For Series
Race Fan Group “Minnesota Mafia” Announces 2013 Series With JSTS & UMSS
By: Shane Phillips & Greg Parent (12-22-12)
The Minnesota Mafia was founded by a group of Sprint Car fans who realized it was getting harder and harder for race teams to make it to the track due to the cost of our sport. In turn, fans like us had fewer cars at the track to watch and fewer meaningful races to attend. We thought, with the help of other race fans and sponsors, we could do something about that sobering realization. Our explicit purpose is summed up perfectly in our motto: Race Fans Helping Racers.
With that as our focus, we are extremely excited to announce our plans for the 2013 race season. We have worked in conjunction with the Upper Midwest Sprint Car Series (UMSS) and the Jackson Speedway Touring Series (JSTS) to put together a select number of races that will be included in our inaugural Minnesota Mafia Point Fund. Our TENTATIVE schedule is as follows:
Friday, April 26*
Spring Sprint Car Nationals – Jackson Speedway (JSTS)
UMSS Season Opener – St. Croix Valley Speedway (UMSS)
*BOTH are point races for our Point Fund
Saturday, May 4
Elko Spring Dirt Nationals – Elko Speedway (UMSS)
Wednesday, July 17
Sioux Center, IA- (JSTS Speedweek)
Thursday, July 18
TBA – (JSTS Speedweek)
Friday, July 19
Fairmont Speedway – (JSTS Speedweek)
Saturday, July 20
Jackson Speedway – (JSTS Speedweek)
Friday, August 16
Princeton Speedway – (UMSS)
Saturday, August 17
21st Annual Kouba Memorial – St. Croix Valley Speedway (UMSS)
Saturday, October 5
Elko Fall Dirt Nationals – Elko Speedway (UMSS)
We currently have nine races scheduled (we’re counting the dual openers as one race) and intend to add another race in June to make the total ten. Each driver’s top eight races will be counted towards the Minnesota Mafia Point Fund (the point structure will be released shortly). ALL drivers competing at our races will be eligible for the Minnesota Mafia Point fund if they run our sticker on those nights. There will be NO separate entry or draw fees. Stickers will be available free of charge at the track.
Our goal is to give a significant end of the season bonus to the top 15 drivers competing in our races. We are not ready to release a dollar figure for the Minnesota Mafia Point Fund just yet, as we are still raising money towards our goal. The Minnesota Mafia raised nearly $5,000 last fall in support of three races from donations and sticker sales. Our goal far surpasses that total and we are well on our way to providing a very strong point fund for our 2013 series of races.
We can’t thank Ron Bernhagen of the UMSS and Jon McCorkell of the JSTS enough for working with us to put together this schedule. Other than a little help advertising their races through our social media outlets neither series has asked for anything from us, and they should be commended. When sanctioning bodies, promoters and tracks work together in the best interest of our sport, instead of themselves, a lot of great things can be accomplished. We can’t thank them enough. Information about both series can be found on their websites listed below:
UMSS
http://www.winged.umsprints.com/
JSTS
http://www.jacksonspeedway.com/
Please visit the Minnesota Mafia Facebook page to learn more about us and to get information on how you can donate to the Minnesota Mafia Point Fund or be an official sponsor. All donations/sponsorships will go DIRECTLY to the drivers participating at our races. See you at the track in 2013 for some exciting sprint car racing!
theminnesotamafia@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/TheMinnesotaMafia
Article Credit: Greg Parent, UMSS Media Director
