Saturday’s fan appreciation night at Grand Bend Speedway features an autograph meet-and-greet session as well as a special appearance: the Tri-State sprints will be on-site running an exhibition race in preparation for their August 23 main event.  The lineup for the evening features the Huron Taxi Service Late Models, Ontario Pro Sprints, Robson Scrap Metal Mini Trucks, and the Pine Dale Motor Inn Junior Sprints.  Racing gets started at 6:30 pm.  Kids and youth age 15 and under enter free of charge.

Saturday’s exhibition with the Tri-State sprints is an important milestone for Grand Bend Speedway: full-size sprint cars have never run at the track before.  The exhibition gives drivers a chance to feel out the track and for the speedway to make preparations for their race in August.

Sprint cars are open wheel light-weight vehicles with high horsepower, generating close to 900 horsepower in a 1600 pound car.  The vehicles are easily recognizable with their signature top-mounted wing that generates additional downforce for incredible cornering.  Combine that high-horsepower and light weight and that makes sprint cars a thrill to watch wherever the race.

The Tri-State sprints are heading into their second season of competition.  Based mainly in Michigan, the name is in reference to the three states most of the drivers are from (Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio) and is also a call back to the Tri-Sac series of old, essentially a “run what you brung” series of sprint cars and super modifieds.  The Tri-State series aims to reignite that style of competition allowing both sprint cars and super modifieds under a fairly open rulebook, provided the vehicle is running a cost-saving 10” tire that helps equalize competition by reducing the advantage of big horsepower.

By reducing that horsepower advantage, and the costs associated with maintaining a competitive high-powered engine, series founder and Michigan Motorsports Hall of Famer John Hotchkiss hopes to draw otherwise parked vehicles out of the barn and back on to the race track for fun, exciting events on a variety of racing venues.