Second Year in a Row for Prestigious Dion Parish Memorial at Kalamazoo Speedway
December 1, 2017 – Goshen, IN…The Supermodified Ultimate Pavement Racing Series, (SUPRS), is back at their Great Lakes region home-base for the Dion Parish Memorial at Kalamazoo Speedway for the second year in a row.
Never Give Up
This race honors the late Dion Parish. Dion was a supermodified racer that lost his life in a testing accident at Kalamazoo Speedway in 2002 while preparing for a late season event at Sandusky Speedway. His dedication to the supermodified division and “Never Give Up” attitude was the inspiration for the founding of the SUPRS league and is a constant reminder to all members that there are more important things in life than winning races.
Only Two Have Multiple Wins
In the first 13 years of the prestigious race, just two SUPRS drivers have won it more than once. Nine-time SUPRS Gold Crest Champion Ray Sand, Jr. of Rochester, NY was the first to do it and also the only driver to win the race back to back. His two wins came in 2006 and 2007.
2008 and 2014 were the lucky years for the only other driver to succeed in claiming more than one Dion Parish Memorial win-Chris Meyers.
Five Others Could Join Multiple Winner Club
Hoping to join Sand, Jr. and Meyers as multi-time winners of the race are four of the drivers currently holding the top five places in the SUPRS Gold Crest Wing Championship standings.
These include 2015 winner Rob Warren, 2011 victor Steve Callahan, his teammate and 2010 winner Keith Powell, and the very first winner of the race in 2004, Bob Gangwer.
2012 winner Carl Becker of Lansing, MI, also has a shot. Up until two races ago, the SUPRS veteran also sat in the top five in points. Becker’s second win would be something special as he knew Dion Parish and his family well. Becker also spent many years working on race cars that raced at Kalamazoo Speedway in his home state.
Bonuses Add Extra Layer of Intrigue
This race in particular has always been one that the drivers want add to the their win list. Adding to that goal is that there is a Guaranteed Starter award on the line for the season ending Summit Classic 125. The supermodified sim racers from around the country also know that starting near the back of the field for the 62 lap feature isn’t as bad as it may seem because of the SUPRSCharger bonus for the driver that advances the most places from his starting spot.
Recent Trend Mean Another New Winner
After a successful four-race swing through Tennessee that saw four different drivers win, there may very possibly be another first time winner of this race. With new equipment at his disposal, Dave Brigandi of Syracuse, NY came to life at the Wing Side Up Twin 25s posting his first top five finish in over a year and could claim his biggest win ever as a first time Dion Parish Memorial champion.
Third year SUPRS driver Kyle “The Cobra” Clark sits fifth in the SUPRS Gold Crest Wing Supermodified Championship and most recently won at Memphis Motorsports Park in the 13th Annual Turkey Shoot. Clark posted a seventh place finish last year in his first Dion Parish Memorial, but has shown vast improvement in his race craft since then and is rarely out of contention for a win.
Come Hang Out at Kazoo
The SUPRS racers invade Kalamazoo Speedway for the second year in a row on December 5, 2017. A 15 minute practice session starts at 8:00pm with Time Trials to follow at 8:30pm. Racing gets underway at 9:00pm and everyone is welcome to be a part of the action.
Cheer on your favorite SUPRS racers while you view timing, scoring, instant track telemetry and of course our outstanding live streaming video from the 14th Annual Dion Parish Memorial via the SUPRS LIVE! page.
Get Social with SUPRS
You can learn more about this race on the SUPRS schedule page. Regular season updates as well as real supermodified and sim racing news are popular features on the Supermodified Ultimate Pavement Racing Series Facebook page and @SUPRSOnline.
Dion Parish Memorial 62-Wing-State Fair/Rander Speedways/Kalamazoo Speedway
- 2004 Dion Parish Memorial Champion-State Fair Speedway: Bobby Gangwer
- 2005 Dion Parish Memorial Champion-State Fair Speedway: Sean O’Kane
- 2006 Dion Parish Memorial Champion-Rander Speedway: Ray Sand, Jr.
- 2007 Dion Parish Memorial Champion-Rander Speedway: Ray Sand, Jr.
- 2008 Dion Parish Memorial Champion-Rander Speedway: Chris Meyers
- 2009 Dion Parish Memorial Champion-Rander Speedway: John Davidson
- 2010 Dion Parish Memorial Champion-Rander Speedway: Keith Powell
- 2011 Dion Parish Memorial Champion-Rander Speedway: Steve Callahan
- 2012 Dion Parish Memorial Champion-Rander Speedway: Carl Becker
- 2013 Dion Parish Memorial Champion-Rander Speedway: Ray Sand, Jr.
- 2014 Dion Parish Memorial Champion-Rander Speedway: Chris Meyers
- 2015 Dion Parish Memorial Champion-Rander Speedway: Rob Warren
- 2016 Dion Parish Memorial Champion-Kalamazoo Speedway: Domenic Gioia
