Indianapolis Speedrome to Host 35th Annual World Figure 8® Championship

Indianapolis, IN, July 21, 2011 --(PR.com)-- This history of the Pure Power Technologies & UAW World Figure 8® Championship is filled with grand stories and legendary names from the motorsports world. Mike St John is one of the enduring drivers who has captured victory at the World Figure 8® Championship. He won the demanding Three Hour Endurance Race® on 3 occasions. The 35th Anniversary edition will be held September 8-10, 2011 at the Bryant Heating and Cooling Indianapolis Speedrome®. Racers and fans will travel from all across the country.

8 of the first 15 World Figure 8® Championships saw the name St John etched on the trophy and the large winner’s check. 3 of those triumphs belong to Mike St John. The younger brother of “King” Kenny gave his mentor a warning of things to come when his finished 2nd in only his 3rd start just 4 laps behind Kenny in 1982. He would have two additional top five results before taking home the ultimate prize in 1987. That win capped an incredible 12 week stretch at the Speedrome in which he won 11 Figure 8 main events including this Three Hour Endurance Race®. This year also marked a time when Mike fully took over the family torch after Kenny’s racing retirement.

Mike’s 1990 victory was a roller-coaster ride of emotions, racing karma, and just a plain overall a cool story. He started the event in 5th, but faded somewhat over the next 30 minutes with a failing rear end assembly. After 43 minutes, Mother Nature intervened with rain bringing the race to a halt. During the overnight waiting for the resumption on Sunday afternoon, his team received a call from his toughest racing rival Wayne Arnold. Wayne had fallen out of the event early and offered the mechanical back half of his car to St John. While Mike rested, his crew led by brother Tommy replaced the equipment in time for the restart. Mike never looked back speeding to his second career World Figure 8® Championship.

1991 would be a history making duel to the finish. Arnold and St John would go where no other combination had gone before, finishing on the same lap after 180-minutes of competition. The duo completed 347 circuits with mere seconds separating Wayne from catching Mike at the checkered flag. It was his third event victory and second straight. Mike would have many more fantastic runs in the race with a best of 2nd finishing on the lead lap behind Jack Dossey Jr in 1993 being his best. Statistically, he has led 560 laps (9th all-time) and completed 5924 career circuits (7th all-time) in 23 starts. The 2004 Speedrome Hall of Fame inductee is on the comeback trail in 2011 with several strong results so far. The final chapter in his World Figure 8® history has not been written yet. As race announcer Kevin O’Neal always says, “You may love him, you may hate him, but you can’t ignore him, this is 3-time World Figure 8® Champion Mike St John.”

The 35th Annual Pure Power Technologies & UAW World Figure 8® Championship is a “must-see” motorsports event. Drivers and teams from all across the country will make a quest for the over $75,000 in prize money during this ultimate racing weekend. Thrilled fans will witness all of the dangerous and intense crossover mayhem. 3-Day Super Saver Reserved Seats are available. The Bryant Heating and Cooling Indianapolis Speedrome® is located at 802 South Kitley Avenue in Indianapolis, Indiana 46219 and proudly in the community and the historical district of Irvington. To view more, log on to our web site http://speedrome.com/ or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

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