This message was edited on
July 07, 2008 at
07:57:05 PM by JimmyK
FOR RELEASE: JULY 6. 2008
Lee Grosz Captures Victory in 16th Annual Earl Kouba Memorial Race North Central Speedway
Eric Lutz Takes Home Winner's Prize in Ethel Kouba Classic Dash for Cash
Brainerd, MN – Lee Grosz and Eric Lutz were the big winners at the 16th annual Earl and Ethel Kouba Memorial Race held Saturday, July 5, 2008 at North Central Speedway. The annual event pays tribute to the couple that spent a lifetime supporting sprint car racing in Minnesota and the upper Midwest.
In addition to the normal payoff for the American Sprint Car Series Northern Plains Region (ASCS-NP), over $3,000 in additional cash and contingencies were presented to the competitors in the night's ASCS-NP racing card at the Brainerd, MN track.
For his efforts, Grosz, the defending ASCS-NP champion and grandson of National Sprint Car Hall of Fame inductee Doug Howells (also his car owner and crew chief), took home just over $2,200. In addition to his win in the Earl Kouba Memorial Feature, the Harwood, North Dakota driver captured the prize money for second place in his heat race; third place in the Dash as well as a special cash award as one of three drivers who had the furthest tow to the track.
Lutz's victory in the Ethel Kouba Memorial Dash for Cash was his second consecutive win in the event. His success on the night netted the young driver from Sioux Falls, South Dakota winnings in excess of $1,100 after finishing second in his heat race and third in the Feature.
Jerry Richert, Jr. was also a big cash winner taking home $1,350 for winning his heat race, finishing second in the Feature and placing fourth in the Dash.
Grosz and Lutz will add their names to an impressive list of great sprint car drivers have taken the top-prize in the Kouba Memorial race including Donny Schatz (1996), Jimmy Kouba (2000, 2001), Roger Rager (2002), Jake Peters (2003) and Chuck Swenson (2006).
Plaques honoring Earl and Ethel hang in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Iowa. Every year the names of the winning drivers are engraved on the memorial awards and are viewed by thousands of sprint car racing fans from around the world. First organized in 1993 by Ethel and the family in memory of Earl who passed away March 29, 1992, the Earl Kouba Memorial Race continued uninterrupted for 13 years. As a result of Ethel's passing on December 19, 2005, the 2006 event was changed to the Earl and Ethel Kouba Memorial Race to honor to the couple whose love, passion and support of sprint car racing has been a part of the family fabric for over 65 years.
Contributions for the addition cash and contingency prizes in honor of Earl and Ethel came from: the Kouba family-Joe and Kathy Kouba, Jimmy and Jamie Kouba, Judy Kouba Dominick; Joseph and Jill Kouba (grandson); Frank and Mindy Larsen (granddaughter) ; Jerry Richert, Jr., family; Ron and Marge Olson; Greg Parent, Diversified Machine, Inc. (DMI) and Shell Oil Company courtesy of Inside Track Communications.
The night's Hard Luck Award, sponsored by Greg Parent went to Leigh Thomas who retired early from both his heat race and the Feature due to mechanical problems.
The A-Feature Hard Charger Award, sponsored by Frank Larsen Web Design, went to Curt Lund for advancing his position furthest forward in the field. Lund started 14th in the field and finished fourth.
Jerry and Lori Richert, Bevlor Utilities donated $100 to Blake Anderson for being the "Lucky" 13th place finisher. Bevlor also added cash to the purse for the Feature winner.
In addition to Grosz, Mark Toews and Brent Kronfuss were benefactors of the special cash awards from Parent to drivers and teams making the furthest tow to participate in the event. Parent also donated $55.00 to the fifth place finisher in the Feature in honor of the No. 55 that has been on a Kouba Race car since 1947.
Diversified Machine, Inc. donated gift certificates to the winners of the heat races. Lutz and Richert took home the top-prizes in the heats.
Fellow ASCS-NP competitors Ron and Marge Olson, Leading Edge Repair, made generous donations to the Feature winner as well as the fourth and fifth place finishers.
Earl and Ethel's great-granddaughters Emma Buzinec (Paul and Elicia Buzinec, granddaughter), Hailey Kouba, Maria Larsen and Megan Larsen as well as granddaughters Kaitie Kouba and Anna Kouba served as the trophy presenters to Lutz and Grosz. Grandson Jacob Kouba served as the family score keeper and distributed the cash winnings to the competitors. The newest member of the Kouba family, Matthew Larsen-two months old, observed the evening's activities.
The family would like to extend special thanks to all the teams, drivers, friends and businesses that have supported this event over the years, a celebration of the lives and legacy of Earl and Ethel.
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