3rd annual Michigan Short Track Racing Club Bowling Tournament; Bigger and Better than ever and set for Saturday February 11, 2006.

Saginaw, Michigan (01/09/2006): The 3rd annual Michigan Short Track Racing Club Bowling Tournament is fast approaching. The annual pilgrimage for the short track racing fans of the state of Michigan is once again on the horizon and this years edition promises to be bigger and better than ever.

The third edition of the MSTRC Bowling Tournament will be held once again, as in years past, at the Tri-Ami Bowling Center in Ovid, Michigan on Saturday February 11, 2006. Sign in will begin at 1pm and after drawing for partners, bowling will start at approximately 2pm. The ! previous two tournaments were also held at Tri Ami.

The 2006 edition will benefit two families who have gone through some tough times during the 2005 season and even still today. The first benefactor will be the family of the late Paul Bouwman (36), who passed away on Sunday, October 9, 2005 as a result of fatal explosion at his home. Bouwman built and raced his own cars primarily at the Thunderbird (MI) Raceway Park in Muskegon, Michigan and was the 2004 Michigan Modified Association (MMA) State Dirt Points Champion as well as the 2004 MMA Champion at Thunderbird.

In addition to running at Thunderbird, Bouwman, in his familiar #55 Modified, also made appearances over the years at the Merritt Speedway and Winston Motor Speedway, Surviving are his wife, Barbara and one son, Drue.

The second benefactor of the 3rd annual MSTRC Bowling Tournament is well known to the Michigan Short Track Racing world and that is the General Manager and P.A. Announcer at the Auto ! City (MI) Speedway since the 2001 season, Greg Yost. The veteran Voice of such Michigan facilities in years past as the Dixie Motor Speedway, Owosso Speedway, and Spartan Speedway, recently spent time at the University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan due to a broken femur and hip joint.

Yost had a 7/8" diameter rod inserted from hip joint to just above the knee, held in place by a 3/8" X 4" screw just above the knee and thru the femoral head to hold it together. The good thing is with the rod, the femur bone will never break again. After the surgery and after spending several weeks in a nursing home rehabilitating, is now currently at home recovering and is going to therapy three times a week for two hours, to learn to walk again.

"The racing community has always been a close-knit family and the bowling tournament has become a way of helping those in our family that have had problems." Stated MSTRC Founder Chuck Darling. "Not only is it great to help our f! riends, but to also get together and have friendly competition and do some bench racing about the past year or the upcoming year.? He added.

Some of the sponsors already on board and donating various items for the 3rd edition of the MSTRC Bowling Tournament include; The ASA Late Model Series as well as two Michigan speed plants, the Spartan Speedway and the Springport Motor Speedway. In addition, M.P.H. Promotions is donating two gift certificates. We have seen a tremendous growth in this event since its inception and this year should be no different. Continued Darling. Everyone and anyone is welcome to attend. It is a bowling tournament, but people are more than welcome to just come to watch, chat, and even maybe walk away with some of our 50/50 prizes!" Darling ended.

The MSTRC Bowling Tournament was started as a way to get racing friends together over the winter, and now is the biggest fund raiser in the State of Michigan for injured racing families. Following the bowling tournament, everyone is invited to stay for some exciting racing action to kick off the 2006 season. The ARCA Remax Series will be at the Daytona (FL) International Speedway for the 43rd annual Daytona 200, scheduled for 4pm on Speed Channel. Then later that night on the cable network, TNT at 8pm, will be the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series, Bud Shootout, also from Daytona.

"When I had the idea for a bowling get together three years ago, it was just a way of getting some of the local racing family together over the long winter months here in Michigan. Added Ed Inloes, one of the chief organizers of the 3rd annual bowling tournament. ?I never expected it to grow into what it has now. I'm very proud of the fact that this little bowling tournament has turned out to be the largest fund raiser for different Michigan racing families that have experienced some kind of tragedy recently.? Inloes continued.

With the help of my wife, Linda, as well as Elaine and Mat! t Prieur, and the Founder of the MSTRC, Chuck Darling, this event has exceeded every possible expectation that any of us ever had. It truly fills my heart with happiness to be able to help others that haven't been blessed with the best luck during the last year." Inloes ended. During the 2006 season, Inloes will begin his fourth season as the voice of the Spartan (MI) Speedway as well as his third season with Spartan?s sister facility, the Springport (MI) Motor Speedway.

The first year of the bowling tournament, which was in 2004, saw veteran Modified driver in Eastern Michigan, Buck Harsen, benefit from the generosity of the Michigan Short Track Racing community after Harsen lost his home, garage, and race cars in that tragic fire in January 2004.

The 2nd annual event, held back on February 12, 2005, benefitted two more of our family members in the racing community. Michael Putnam, who raced the 2005 season with the Short Track Trucks.com Challenge series and finishe! d second in the final rookie points standings, and eighth overall, lost his wife, Stacey in September 2004. Also the owners of the Mt. Pleasant (MI) Speedway in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, Betty and Mario Crook, lost the patriarch of the family, Dick Crook, also in the Fall of 2004.

Drivers, fans, and officials alike from all types of short track racing, all joined together and bowled for a good cause and everyone in attendance had a great time! In total $1102 was raised meaning that both the Putnam and Crook families will receive a total of $551 each as a result of the second edition of the tournament.

This is a great way for the great fans of the state of Michigan to get together during the off season. Plus this is such a good cause and it helps out our family and friends who are in a time of need? Said Matt Prieur, the ASA Late Model Series Director of Media/Public Relations and P.A. Announcer. ?Plus you can hang out with all of the racing family afterwards and watch! two great races on TV, and do a little bench racing in great company.? He added.

As for the 2005 version of the MSTRC Bowling Tournament; Mark Drozdowski and Bill Farnum were the overall team champions as the duo rolled a combined 746 to claim the overall team championship! For the individual awards, Jeremy Kelley rolled the highest game of the tournament with a 243. Kelley also claimed high individual mens series honors with a 457 series. Duane Hoag finished second with a 402 series. For the women, Duane?s Wife, Stacey Hoag claimed high game honors with a 179 and also won the individual high series for women with a 307 series. Susan Kelley finished second with a 299 series.

Misty Potter claimed the Chris Throgmartin ?Never Give Up? award while co-organizer of the tournament, Spartan/Springport Motor Speedway announcer, Ed Inloes was the winner of the Chris Throgmartin spirit award for his tireless efforts. Finally Spartan Speedway Street Stocks pilot, Brian Bec! kner was the winner of the $250 gift certificate from Autograph Signs Inc., of Frankenmuth, Michigan for winning the coolest move award, for his four consecutive strikes rolled between his legs!

As for some of the special awards, Don Colbath of Midland, Michigan, won the Ultimate Race Package which included tickets to the eight different racetracks in Michigan and Ohio that participated in the tournament, valued at over $200. Elaine Kelley (Now Elaine Prieur) and Cindy Hernly both won the 50/50 raffles at $70 apiece and both ladies generously donated their winnings right back to the Putnam/Crook funds.

Ted Carpenter of Racing Anonymous Inc., who is the primary sponsor for the "Drivers For Kids Program" with the ASA Late Model Series, was on hand with the first edition of MSTRC wearable Apparel, which can be ordered by going to www.mstrc.com for more information.

Special Thanks went out to all the race tracks i! n the area that graciously donated to the tournament in 2005; Berlin Raceway, Calhoun County Speedway, Flat Rock Speedway, Kalamazoo Speedway, Spartan Speedway, Toledo Speedway and Whittemore Speedway. Also Special thanks to Russ Potter for all his work before and during the tournament and his donation of $130 for any Pony Stocks driver from Spartan and/or Calhoun County who beat him in the tournament.

Other donations came from; Kart to Kart Indoor complex in Sterling Heights, Michigan, Shepards Indoor Speedway in Owosso, Michigan, Sawyers Pontiac of Lansing, Michigan, Corky?s Videos was on hand videotaping the afternoons festivities. The Michigan Auto Racing Fan Club and Board member, Dave DeHem. Autograph Signs Inc., of Frankenmuth, Michigan and Farnum Group Foster Home.

Also to the staff and management of Tri-Ami for the use of their facilities and staff throughout the afternoon. Finally a special thanks goes out to Dick Maurer Racing and Dick?s Auto Service ou! t of Owosso MI for generously donating well over $1000 in prizes for the tournament.

All this isn?t possible without the dedication and hard work of the racing community. The MSTRC thanks you from the bottom of our hearts! For more details about the 3rd annual MSTRC Bowling Tournament and for all the latest information, news, results, and gossip surrounding the Michigan Short Track Racing scene, please click on: www.mstrc.org.

Dan Frazier: I have already met several of my racing goals. One of my highest goals was being named "Most Popular Driver" at Kalamazoo Speedway in 2004. I have also won a "Rookie of the Year" title and have three "Sportsman of the Year" awards. My future goals would be to win a Championship and to race in the ARCA series.

DF: I have been racing for points at Kalamazoo Speedway for the last few years. I ran my first race at Galesburg Speedway in 1999. I have also races at Thunder Valley, formerly M-40, Butler, Hartford, Mottville, and Baer Field, IN. Most recently I ran some laps at Lowes Motor Speedway in Charlotte, NC as part of a ARCA required school.

DF: When I was growing up, Richard Petty was my favorite. In the early 90's I began following Dale Earnhardt Sr. and when Petty retired pulled for him. After Dale passed, I did not have a favorite for quite some time, then a few years ago I started pulling for Kurt Busch for two reasons. The biggest reason is because he is very good at Bristol, a place that I love to watch races at. The other reason is because my number is 96 and his is 97. I am proud to say that over the years I have been able to meet all three of these guys.

DF: I have several mentors or people that I consider my hero's I guess. Both of my parents for several reasons, my grandfather who was Chief of Police at one time for the police department that I currently work for, Richard Petty because of the way he treated his fans, and Dale Earnhardt because of the way he drove and the way he was able to market himself to the public.

DF: The thrill of competition and the need to be the best we can be on the track. Racing is a team sport now and it is now more important than ever for a driver to work well with his team. I have some great guys who work with me each week. My crew chief, Mike Ames, my motor builder, Mike Ames, my crew guys, Curtis Berns, Richard Eastman, Tony Opalewski, Mike Parker, Erin Berns, my wife Sandra Frazier, and my teammate Harry Foote Jr. and his crew.

DD: I would have to say my mentor is my dad Mike Daggett, He has raced ever since I can remember. He has taught me almost every thing I know about driving. He has always been there for me and we often still race together. It is a lot of fun when we get racing next to each other. He is really competitive just like me.

DD: Trying to take my racing career to the next level. It is one of my dreams to race for a living. Whether it is World of Outlaws, All Stars, or NASCAR, I just want to race.