Sparta, Ky. - The Bandoleros will take center stage during the 10th Annual Briggs & Stratton Bandolero and Young Lions Nationals at Kentucky Speedway Sept. 2, 2007.
The event will feature all three classes of Bandolero competition as well as the RACEcevier Legends Semi-Pro drivers age 12-16, and is in its second year at Kentucky Speedway.
More than 100 cars are expected on hand for the event which will combine a regular KOIL Tour Legends & Bandolero program on Saturday, Sept. 1 for two full days of racing. Sunday will also include a full KOIL Tour Legends program along with the National event.
Ronnie Bassett, Jr., the 2006 Bandolero Bandits national point champion, won the 2006 Bandolero Nationals on the way to his point title. This season, he has moved to the Bandolero Young Guns division, but hasn't lost a step performance-wise. Currently, leading the Young Guns national points, Ronnie Bassett, Jr. hopes he can parlay his early season success into another Bandolero Nationals trophy at Kentucky, a track he loves.
"We have a track at home in our backyard, and it has a bump in it. Kentucky has a bump going into turn one, and I think my experience in learning to go through the bump has helped me at Kentucky," Basset, Jr. said. "Racing in Young Guns is harder than in Bandits, the competition is harder, but the drivers race you cleaner in this class."
Bassett, Jr. will have stiff competition in Young Guns drivers like Ryan Glenski, Clint King and Bryce Walker.
Taking Ronnie Bassett, Jr.'s place in the Bandits division is younger brother Dillon. Dillon Bassett spent two years racing in the shadow of his big brother, but since Ronnie's departure to Young Guns, Dillon has set about making his mark in the Bandits class. Dillon is currently leading the national Bandits points with 16 class victories already this season. The 10-year-old from Winston-Salem, N.C. will face stout challenges at the Bandolero Nationals from drivers like Georgia's Mason Massey and North Carolina's Stephen Bergh, Jr.
The Bandolero Outlaws national point leader Kendall Sellars is expected to compete in the class for drivers age 16 and older, but the Outlaws field will be a tough class. KOIL Tour regular Chris McKinney has won seven of eight events for the Bandoleros so far this season, and might be eight for eight had mechanical issues not sidelined him in one race.
McKinney is very familiar with the Kentucky track, and is looking forward to having the Bandolero Nationals on his turf.
"The track is really nice and smooth. It is a great facility. The people are nice, and they have a great tech staff," McKinney said of Kentucky. "Anywhere you go this year, the competition is really tough in the Outlaws division."
Top Young Lions drivers including national point leader John Stancill, Ty Dillon, Matthew Stover, Parker Hammonds and Wyatt Dallenbach are expected to compete in the Young Lions nationals division.
For more information on the 10th Annual Briggs & Stratton Bandolero and Young Lions Nationals, please visit www.koiltour.com or contact 600 Racing Kentucky dealer James Michael Spink at 859-567-4423.
10th Annual Briggs & Stratton Bandolero & Young Lions Nationals Entry Form