By LONNIE WHEATLEY

ASCS

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (March 8, 2010) - NASCAR annually kicks off its season with the biggest race of the year, so it's only fitting that the nation's best Micro Sprint Car competitors kick off the 2010 season with a premier event.

Top Micro Sprint Car racers from throughout the nation will flock to Little Rock's I-30 Speedway over the next couple of days for this weekend's Fourth Annual 600 Nationals, which now offers up a whopping winner's share of $9,000.

This weekend's event is a makeup of the card originally scheduled for last September 17-19, only to be nixed by Mother Nature.

Originally posted as a $7,500-to-win event, K&W Truck Repair in Searcy, AR, bumped it up to $8,000 by adding $500 prior to last September's rainout. Now, Senter Farms of Osceola, AR, has sweetened the pot even more by adding another $1,000 to the top spot, making Saturday's 40-lap feature a scintillating $9,000-to-win throwdown.

Following a Wednesday night Test 'N Tune session, three full nights of competition will ensue on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. With a version of the popular Sprint Bandits format in place, including heat races and qualifiers to set "A" Main lineups, the top four from both the Thursday and Friday main events will lock into Saturday's $9,000-to-win, $500-to-start finale. The rest will battle through another full slate of races on Saturday to fill out the feature field.

All non-qualifiers will collect $275 on Saturday night.

The weekend also includes the Third Annual Landers Harley-Davidson $1,000-to-win Horizon Mini Sprint Nationals. The Horizon Mini-Sprints take to the track on both Friday and Saturday, with Friday's top six finishers locked into Saturday night's $1,000-to-win main event.

Travis Senter, Jr., of Osceola, AR, is the defending 600 Nationals champion after besting a field of 110 entries in 2008. Senter also topped the inaugural event in 2006, with Oklahoma's Jerrod Wilson taking the winner's loot back to Sooner territory in 2007.

Entries from 16 different states have already been filed for this weekend's action. The host state currently will be represented by 11 competitors, with Oklahoma next on the list with eight. Pennsylvania sends seven, with others states currently represented including Texas, Illinois, Tennessee, Missouri, Colorado, Louisiana, New Jersey, North Carolina, California, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas and Mississippi.

All paid entries from the originally scheduled September event will be honored with new entries accepted for just $150 until March 10. Entries submitted after March 10 will be $250.

Pertinent 600 Nationals Information:

What: Fourth Annual 600 Nationals presented by Hoosier Tires & I-30 Speedway and Third Annual Landers Harley Davidson Horizon Mini-Sprint Nationals

Where: I-30 Speedway (Little Rock, AR). I-30 Speedway is located seven miles southwest of Little Rock off I-30 Exit 126 (Alexander Road).

When: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, March 10-13, 2010; Wednesday Test N' Tune session begins at 6:00 p.m.; Thursday, Friday and Saturday - gates open at 5:00 p.m., with racing at 7:30 p.m.

Entry Info: All paid entries originally filed for the September event will be honored. New entries postmarked by March 10 are just $150. Entries submitted after the March 10 pre-entry deadline will be $250. Entry forms may be obtained at http://www.i-30speedway.com/600nationals.html or by calling the track at 501-455-4567.

Admission: Wednesday Test N' Tune is free at the front gate. Adult admission is $5 on Thursday, $10 on Friday and $10 on Saturday. Children ages 6-12 are just $1 on Thursday and Friday and $2 on Saturday.Wednesday Test N' Tune pit passes are $10. Thursday and Friday pit passes are $25 each night, with Saturday pit passes at $30. Three-night pit passes (Thursday, Friday and Saturday) will be available for $75.

Format: Once again, a version of the Sprint Bandits popular format of heats and qualifying races will be in place for all three nights of competition. Each night, Heat Races will be aligned according to the pre-race draw, with the passing points system in effect. A subsequent set of Last Chance Races followed by Qualifying Races, with passing points again in effect, will set each night's feature lineup.

The top four from Thursday night's feature and the top four from Friday night's feature will be locked into the championship feature event and will run in Saturday night's Pole Dash to determine the alignment of the front four rows of the 600 Nationals championship feature event. The top six from Friday night's Horizon Mini Sprint main event lock into Saturday night's Pole Dash, which sets the alignment of the first three rows of the main event.For more information regarding the Fourth Annual 600 Nationals, check www.i-30speedway.com or contact the track at 501-455-4567.