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UMSS Establishes Non-winged Sprint Car Series

By: Greg Parent, UMSS Media Director
Stillwater, MN (12-4-10)

The Upper Midwest Sprintcar Series (UMSS) is proud to announce the establishment of a non-winged sprint car series for 2011. Long-time sprint car fan and series founder Ron Bernhagen worked on this idea for many years. With two successful seasons for the UMSS winged sprint cars, Ron felt it was time to launch a brand new non-winged sprint car series from the ground-level up. Stated Ron Bernhagen, "This has been a dream of mine since the time non-winged sprint car racing vanished from the local Twin City area racing scene back in the early 1980s. I learned that in order to make this happen I would have to establish a new series with an affordable motor package and start from the beginning, as there currently is nothing like this in the Twin Cities and surrounding areas." The last time non-winged sprints ran in the Twin City area was back in 1991 when the CRA made a stop at the Cedar Lake Speedway on a Tuesday night in May. Jack Hewitt won the feature that night.

With the closest non-winged racing several hours away, the UMSS is hoping to bring the thrill and excitement of wingless sprint cars back to area tracks. Bernhagen found interest among several area race tracks was high, and knowing that the first year would be more of an introduction of the non-winged car to the fans, Ron developed a workable purse structure for the tracks. Realizing when a new series starts with only a small amount of cars the first year, Bernhagen decided to offer the tracks an 80-20 purse split based on the backgate revenue generated by the non-winged cars. With 80% going to the drivers and the track retaining 20%, the drivers will have some purse money in order to help recover some of their nightly expenses. Once the series expands its car base, a change in the purse structure will be warranted. Bernhagen explained, "It's really a no-lose situation for the tracks and helps us get started by giving the new series several opportunities to race."

Since announcing his intention at the UMSS October 23rd meeting, and posting a set of motor and car specs on the UMSS website near the end of November, the interest from local area fans and drivers has surpassed Bernhagen's initial expectations. "With the motor package we have put together, this new non-winged series is able to offer potential competitors a more economical alternative to the more expensive winged sprint cars that race throughout the area," continued Berhagen.

The UMSS is very pleased to announce that the first motor sponsor for the new series will be Mora Motorworks located in Mora, MN. Owner Travis Jehlicka heard about the new series from one of his Midwest modified customers, and he decided to get in contact with Ron Bernhagen. Travis agreed to work with the UMSS to help develop the engine for the non-winged sprint car, and a Mora Motorworks engine will be in a non-winged sprint car piloted by Johnny Parsons III. Motor and car specs can be found on the UMSS Website at www.umpsprints.com in the Series Info section under Rules.

As the first official UMSS non-winged sprint car series sponsor, interested competitors should be aware that Mora Motorworks offers top quality machining and engine building to the oval track, drag racing and street performance customer. They have over 15 years of machining and high performance engine building experience. With the expertise of serving as a local auto racing technical inspector for several years, Travis Jehlicka has a strong understanding of the circle track racing scene. Please visit their Website at www.moramotorworks.com or give Travis a call at 320-225-0075.

An informational meeting for the new series is planned for early January before the UMSS celebrates its awards banquet. The exact date, time and location will be announced soon. The UMSS is planning to have a tentative non-winged sprint car series schedule ready to release at its banquet on January 22 at Running Aces Harness Park in Columbus, MN.

With the establishment of the non-winged series, Ron Bernhagen is asking race fans to submit entries to give the series its official name. It will start out with UMSS and the rest is up to the fans according to Bernhagen. Fans can submit entries by emailing ron@umsprints.com or by calling him at 612-363-5302. Entries can also be emailed to UMSS Media Director Greg Parent at grp_motorsports@msn.com or contacting series promotion and sponsorship coordinator Mark Daniels at 612-839-8311. The winner of the contest will earn a prize package with pit pass, race tickets, concessions and other items worth $75-$100. GRP has already put up a $50 cash prize to the winner to kick things off. The deadline for submitting entries for the contest to name the non-winged sprint car series is January 20, 2011 at midnight.

More information on the non-winged series will be released in January following the informational meeting and the UMSS banquet. For potential competitors who have questions or are interested in obtaining additional information about the new non-winged series, please call Ron Bernhagen at 612-363-5302 or Mark Daniels at 612-839-8311. The UMSS is excited about the prospect of beginning a new series and returning to an era where the sights, sounds and thrilling open wheel racing of non-winged sprint cars will entertain race fans at area tracks.

Photo courtesy of Vince Peterson at Track Rat Photos.

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