Wi Dirt Racin

Ashland, WI — The ABC Raceway will host its 12th annual “Pure Excitement 25” special event for Pure Stocks this Saturday night.
The program, to be presented by the Bad River Lodge, Casino & Convention Center of Odanah, is expected to draw upwards of 30 of the entry-level race cars and their drivers from several area tracks to compete for their share of a purse that will start at around $4,000 but should climb significantly higher with the help of generous fan and sponsor donations.
The brainchild of former Ashland racer and race car builder Bruce Kalmon, the “Pure Excitement 25” was one of the first events of its kind in the Upper Midwest when it was initially run in 2004. The premise of the program is to give the competitors in the most basic racing division a chance to not only be in the spotlight, but also to run for a very generous paycheck.

By “working the crowd” for donations to the overall purse, Kalmon was able to build up payouts that were well in excess of what drivers in this division were used to seeing. That formula will be in use this Saturday as well.
The ABC Raceway recently announced that it had increased its regular weekly purse for Pure Stockers anyway, offering the winner of each Saturday’s features $125 beginning August 1 and fattening up the payout for nearly every heat and other feature finishing position as well, as a way of expressing its appreciation to the division’s drivers.
But for the “Pure Excitement 25,” the winner could take home as much as $1,000 or more, contingent upon how much the overall purse increases as the night progresses. And that will depend on donations by fans and businesses, who are encouraged to either contribute to the overall purse or donate to a particular finishing position in the 25-lap headline event.
The winner of last year’s “PE25,” Michael Blevins of Hibbing, MN, took home an event-record $1,413 first-place check. It was the third year in a row and fourth time in the eleven events held that the total payout met or exceeded $5,500.
Interestingly enough, Blevins was the tenth different driver to win the event. Cory Casari of Montreal won the first two of these Pure Stock specials in 2004-’05, but no one has repeated since. Blevins is also one of three drivers whose only career win in Ashland came at this event, with the others being Dan Larsen of Hermantown, MN (2008) and Rob Christman of Superior (‘09).
Saturday’s program will also include the track’s other weekly divisions – WISSOTA Modifieds, Super Stocks and Midwest Modifieds, plus Six-Cylinders. Points battles are very tight in every class, and with invitationals not too far away there is always the chance that visiting drivers will stop by to challenge the locals.
Hot laps begin at 6:15 pm, followed by racing at 7. Adult tickets are just $10, and kids ages 12 and under are admitted free when accompanied by a paying adult. “Z-93 Race Night” will air Saturday on WBSZ, 93.3 FM, as well as stream online at www.wbszfm.com, from 4:30-6 pm with up-to-date track news and weather information.
The ABC Raceway is located 3-1/2 miles south of Ashland on State Highway 13 and one mile west on Butterworth Road. For raceday information call (715) 682-4990.

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