10 replies to this topic

[D1RT]

From Hoseheads message board........

 

TONY STEWART TO ACQUIRE ALL STAR CIRCUIT OF CHAMPIONS SPRINT CAR SERIES

January 28, 2015 by EldoraPR

Purchase Secures Future of Nation’s Oldest Winged Sprint Car Tour

 

Tony Stewart will be the new owner of the All Star Circuit of Champions in 2015.

INDIANAPOLIS (Jan. 28, 2015) – Motorsports entrepreneur Tony Stewart has agreed to terms with Guy Webb, owner of the All Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Car Series, to become the sole owner of the original winged sprint car tour.

The All-Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Car Series is one of the oldest traveling sprint car organizations and is a staple of grassroots, open-wheel racing. The transaction between Webb and Stewart will proceed immediately.

“I’ve put my heart and soul into the All Star Circuit of Champions for many years, and it gives me great peace of mind to hand over the reins of this series to Tony Stewart,” Webb said. “Tony is dirt track racing’s biggest advocate, and he’s always working in the best interest of sprint car racing. His leadership will ensure the success of this series for many years to come.”

“My passion for sprint car racing is well known, and the All Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Car Series has been a pillar of the sport for a long time,” Stewart said. “Racing is my business, and I look forward to building on the All Star Series’ already impressive legacy by taking it to a new level of success and sustainability.”

Stewart is a three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion whose portfolio of dirt-track racing businesses include Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio and Tony Stewart Racing, which fields entries for six-time and reigning World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series champion Donny Schatz and 20-time World of Outlaws champion King of the Outlaws, Steve Kinser.

Augmenting the purchase of the All Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Car Series are the terms Stewart reached separately with Rob Hunter and Shane Helms, principals of the Renegade Sprint Series. The agreement will bring drivers from both series’ together under the All Star Circuit of Champions banner in 2015.

The 2015 UNOH All-Star Circuit of Champions schedule boasts 50 race dates and has been assembled through a collaborative effort between sanctioning bodies, existing speedways and promoters new to the series. Highlights include:

• A national point fund totaling more than $100,000.

• Season-opening events at Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala, Florida, Feb. 5-7 and at Volusia Speedway Park near Barberville, Florida, Feb. 11-12. The transition in ownership will see these events designated as non-point races.

• The first point race toward the national point fund will be March 28 at Atomic Speedway near Chillicothe, Ohio.

• Ohio Sprint Speedweek kicks off at Attica Raceway Park followed by traditional stops at Eldora Speedway, Waynesfield Raceway Park, Wayne County Speedway, Sharon Speedway, Atomic Speedway, Fremont Speedway, Limaland Motorsports Park and the $10,000-to-win finale at Fremont.

• Pennsylvania’s Williams Grove Speedway, Lincoln Speedway and Port Royal Speedway will again play host to the All-Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Car Series as part of several tours through the Keystone State.

• The season championship will conclude at the UNOH Sprintacular Oct. 10 at Eldora Speedway.

The full season schedule and new management team will be announced soon, and news updates will be posted as available on www.AllStarSprint.com.

An improved social media presence begins immediately on Twitter.com/@ASCoC, www.facebook.com/AllStarCircuitofChampions and www.Instagram.com/AllStarSprints using the hashtag #TheNewAllStars.

Competitor, media, promoter and sponsorship inquiries should be directed to allstars@tonystewart.com.

 

[RACERSPASTOR]

This is a great tribute to the original visionary Bud Miller he has watched his dream have some major changes over the years and now to see it come to yet another new level is wonderful. Thank you Mercer Raceway Park for your loyalty to the ALL STAR SERIES  and Buds dream

 

Chaplain Bill

[Fan of 820]

Please to the God in Heaven above bring back the Sharon Nationals now... And maybe with some miracle the Chuck Marsh Memorial at Mercer. As a kid in the 90's that's the two local shows I couldn't wait for.

[Swanzilla]

Big kudos to Smoke!!! This is great news!!!

[Brian44m]

This is awesome news. I agree with fan of 820 also. Bring back those and make them special.

[Don88]

I still have several 'Sharon Nationals' T shirts, yeh, if they have it, I will come.....Was a great week-end!!!

[onestar]

Couldn't agree more.  Labor Day hasn't felt the same in years. 

[D1RT]

[D1RT]

Tony Stewart didn't plan to own a Sprint Car Series: 'This was just an opportunity'

 

Tony Stewart

Tony Stewart purchased the All Star Circuit of Champions and Renegade Sprint Series, merging both factions into one series. (AP Photo/Terry Renna) (Terry Renna)

Jeremy Elliott | jelliott@pennlive.com By Jeremy Elliott | jelliott@pennlive.com 
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on January 28, 2015 at 4:36 PM, updated January 28, 2015 at 4:38 PM

 

 

 

Tony Stewart's interest in the All Star Circuit of Champions can be traced back to a simple phone call.

What happened next — the eventual purchase of the All Star Circuit of Champions — was a happy accident.

Renegade and former All Star driver Danny Smith called Stewart to talk about hosting a Renegades race at Eldora Speedway, a track the NASCAR star owns.

Stewart indicated that Eldora had a long history with the All Stars, and everyone knows how the former USAC champion feels about history and tradition. It's close to his heart.

Despite his feelings, Stewart told Smith he would talk it over with Eldora Promoter and General Manager Roger Slack. Little did Stewart know that a month later he would reunite both series under one banner.

First, Stewart worked out an agreement with Shane Helms and Rob Hunter to buy the Renegades and any All Star interest present. Then, he worked out an accord with All Star majority owner Guy Webb to buy his series.

"I blame Danny Smith for all of this," Stewart said in jest. "We all know the scenario. As a track owner, we were sitting here wondering what was going to happen. Any time there has been a split, it hasn't worked out.

"I think what Shane Helms and Rob Hunter had done was going to make it. It's whether they could weather the storm the first year, because you don't know how fans are going to react. They aren't going to double up on their races.

"I've known Danny a long time and when he called, I told him I would talk to Roger. At that point, we wondered if Guy was in the situation where he would want to sell. Roger made a phone call, and that got the ball rolling."

This is a win-win for everyone involved.

First and foremost, the history of the All Star Circuit of Champions, the oldest winged Sprint Car series in the nation, is preserved. The all-time win list and series champions won't be forgotten.

As for the Renegades, the fact that they didn't run a full season matters little. They accomplished their primary goal, which was to make Sprint Car racing better.

And now that drivers and owners from both series are under the All Star Circuit of Champions umbrella , fans teams and track owners won't be divided.

"It's kind of like everything else I've done business wise," Stewart said. "I wasn't looking to have a driving career, be a team owner with the World of Outlaws, own Eldora Speedway and now be a series owner. It was never part of the master plan.

"This was just an opportunity that came around. I felt this was a project and series and scenario that needed fixed. Guy kept the All Stars going a long time, but it just ran its course. We just talked and got both sides together."

It was an in-depth process.

Different members of Stewart's management team, including Stewart himself, had specific duties. Nothing was left to chance.

Stewart's COO Brett Frood handled the legal end, negotiations and overall diligence. Jared Frood, Director of Business Development, was in charge of financial analysis, logistics and execution.

Stewart was in charge of talking to Webb, Helms and Hunter and drivers. Slack took care of the schedule, which will be released in the near future.

"I'm really happy about it," Stewart said. "To do what Shane [Helms] and Rob [Hunter] have done, it took a leap of faith to start something new.

"It's been a pretty neat experience over the last three weeks. I got a chance to work with Guy and spend time on the phone with Shane and Rob to see their vision and work out a solution that works for everyone."

 

[woodbro]

will try city make the schedule ?, and lQQks like any chance of a w. pa. speedweek is now history.

[Hot Dog]

will try city make the schedule ?, and lQQks like any chance of a w. pa. speedweek is now history.

Wasn't gonna happen either way