BOSS Readies for Hilltop / Tyler County Doubleheader Once Again

One of the most anticipated doubleheader weekends of the entire season was rained out in June. The 2015 season has already seen a record number of wins by mother nature. However, the Mo Vaughn Transport / Buckeye Outlaw Sprint Series and the promoters of Legendary Hilltop and Tyler County Speedway’s have pressed on and the rescheduled events are set for this weekend, July 24th and 25th.

Friday night’s event at Legendary Hilltop will mark the first sprint car event since the track roared back to life in June of 2012 after sitting dormant for nearly 15 years. The facility first opened in the sixties and played host to many sprint car events and was the home track of the Dickson family from Marietta that produced 3 time USAC National non wing champion Larry Dickson. The last few sprint events at Hilltop were in the early 80’s and featured winged cars. Since reopening under the name Legendary Hilltop, the track has seen phenomenal growth with near capacity grandstands every Friday night.

On Saturday, the tour will bring wingless sprint car racing to the Mountaineer state for the first time since 1969 when they tackle the bullring quarter mile at the Tyler County Speedway in Middlebourne, West Virginia. First opened in 1974, the fairgrounds oval has seen some very large late model events including the famous Hillbilly 100. The only sprint car events in the past were winged shows. International Raceway Park in Ona, West Virginia hosted a USAC sprint event on pavement on July 4th, 1969 when Lenny Waldo won the 30 lap main event defeating Lee Kunzman and Al Smith. Waldo’s win was also a historical first as it was the first ever sanctioned sprint car win for a stock block Ford engine.

Defending BOSS champion Mike “The Magic Man” Miller of Wapakoneta, Ohio holds a slim points lead over a pair of Hoosier drivers, Shawn Westerfeld of Guilford, Indiana and the “Hustlin Hoosier” Dustin Smith of Russiaville, Indiana who was the inaugural BOSS champion in 2012. The 2014 National non wing rookie of the year (as voted by the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in Iowa) is 16 year old Cooper Clouse of Ohio City, Ohio who currently sits in the #4 spot. Rounding out the early BOSS top 5 is Kingsburg, California driver Kody Swanson who is the defending USAC Silver Crown champion and currently leads the 2015 standings with 2 victories. Swanson would be the BOSS points leader right now if not for missing an event that conflicted with this years USAC schedule.

Fans can also expect to see the rest of the BOSS points chasers like Aaron “Mid Air” Middaugh of Polk, Ohio, the “Nati Nightmare” Michael Fischesser of Cincinnati, Ohio, Chad Wilson of Toledo, Ohio, Kent Wolters of Tipp City, Ohio and Kirk Jeffries of Westerville, Ohio who all make up the rest of the top 10. Cody Gardner of Monroe, Ohio sits just outside the top 10 with the “Honey Bear” Bob McMillin of Wampum, Pennsylvania, the “Quiet Riot” Steve Little of Waynesfield, Ohio, “J-O” Justin Owen of Harrison, Ohio and Joe Butera of Wampum, Pennsylvania rounding out the top 15.

The tour, which is sponsored by former Boston Red Sox major league baseball slugger Mo Vaughn, will showcase 25 lap main events on both nights. In addition to main event cash payouts, the drivers will be competing for a multitude of other cash incentives and bonus awards. Heat race payouts are sponsored by Moose Racing of Anaheim, California, Lias Tire/American Racer, Hoosier Racing Tire and Buckeye Machine and Fab of Forest, Ohio. The B-Main tow money is sponsored by FAST Signs of Dayton, Ohio.

Bonus awards up for grabs will include the Bridge Restaurant of Sidney, Ohio “Hard Charger” Award which is $50 to the drivers advancing the most positions in the A-Main. The Lynn Cook “Hard Luck Award” will be $50 going to the driver voted by series and track officials to have had the worst racing luck on the night. The Hochstetler Truck and Auto Repair of Ashland, Ohio “Steel Block Award” of $50 will go to the driver finishing the highest in the main event using a steel engine. The A Plus Automatic Transmission of Mansfield, Ohio “Perseverance Award” is $50 that goes to the driver who draws the worst heat race starting pill and still manages to make the main event.

The Mo Vaughn Transport Series likes giving money away so much that there is also a “Lucky Pill Draw” Award for free pit passes and hot dogs for the crew courtesy of Apple Metal Polishing of Eldorodo, Ohio. McMillin Apiaries of Wampum, Pennsylvania will supply the “Sweet Move of the Night” award for $25 cash and a “bear”‘ of McMillin Honey! The nation’s only open tire rule traveling sprint car series also gives away a free tire to the highest A-Main finisher on all 4 of each brand of tire courtesy of Hoosier and American Racer tires.

Fans can also get in on the action with a chance to win $25. The BOSS souvenir stand will have scorecard programs available for $1.00 where fans can pick the top 3 finishers in order. There will also be lucky door prize drawings for the fans who enter the contest. Many of the drivers on the tour will have shirts available and drivers will be more than happy to stick around for autographs following both shows.

Gates will open on Friday at 4 pm with drivers meeting at 6:45. Pill draw will also close at 6:45. General admission will be $15 for adults and pit passes will be $30. Methanol fuel will be available at the track for teams. On Saturday at Tyler County Speedway, gates will open at 4 pm with the drivers meeting at 6:15 and hot laps at 6:30. Racing will begin at 7:30. General admission will be $15 at Tyler with pit passes at $35 per person. No mufflers are required either night. Raceceivers are mandatory and transponders will be free of charge courtesy of Tony Boetcher and 35 Raceway Park.

The Red Roof Inn and the Best Western Plus in Marietta are the official hotels of the weekend. Be sure to mention the “BOSS Racers at Hilltop” to get the special rate of $59 per night. Fans are welcome to use the racers rate as well. The Red Roof Inn can be reached at 740-336-7866. The Best Western Plus is at 740-374-9660. Both hotels are located on Pike Street in Marietta.

Be sure to make plans to join us this weekend! The Mo Vaughn Transport BOSS sprints will be out in full force both nights! Don’t miss it!