Bandit truck racing director: First season exceeding expectations, 2018 season confirmed

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Updated Sep 1, 2017
Minimizer Bandit Big Rig Series points leaders Ricky “Rude” Proffitt (No. 14) and “88 Mike” Morgan (No. 88) collided at the series’ most recent race at Madison International Speedway, while collecting Tyler Kruckeberg (No. 54), allowing the points standings to tighten. (Photo by Chris Seelman Photography)Minimizer Bandit Big Rig Series points leaders Ricky “Rude” Proffitt (No. 14) and “88 Mike” Morgan (No. 88) collided at the series’ most recent race at Madison International Speedway, while collecting Tyler Kruckeberg (No. 54), allowing the points standings to tighten. (Photo by Chris Seelman Photography)

The Minimizer Bandit Big Rig Series is eight races into its inaugural 13-race season, and series officials say they’re impressed with the interest the series has received so far.

Nearly every race the Bandits have been involved in has been a sellout, says Bandit’s Director of Operations, Brian Madsen.

“We’re really amazed at how quickly the series took off this year,” Madsen says. “We were not quite ready for it to take off like it has, but there are worse things to have to do. We’re very pleased with how this first season has gone so far. Our fan base continues to grow, and the at-track attendance has been great all year.”

The season has been so successful, in fact, the series has announced it will be back for its second season in 2018. While he’s not ready to name any tracks specifically, Madsen says the series will expand its footprint next year, while also expanding the field of trucks.

Tommy Boileau has won two races in a row to climb into third place in the overall points standings.Tommy Boileau has won two races in a row to climb into third place in the overall points standings.

“We’ve gotten a lot of interest from tracks for next year,” Madsen says. “It’s looking like we might have enough tracks on board that we’re only going to be able to hit each one once. We’re planning to get more races in the Midwest, and we have a couple possibilities in the Northeast. 2018 is looking very interesting.”

There are still five races remaining in the inaugural season, and the championship points race is still up for grabs, with the top four racers all still in contention for the season championship.

Ricky “Rude” Proffitt has held onto his lead in the standings, despite not having a win since May. “88 Mike” Morgan sits in second place, followed closely by Tommy Boileau, who has won the last two races. Justin Ball, who only has one finish outside the top four all season, is still within striking distance in fourth place in the standings.

The race scheduled for Aug. 5 at I-44 Lebanon Speedway in Lebanon, Mo., was rained out, but that race has been rescheduled for Sept. 2. The move to Labor Day weekend forces the series to move the previously scheduled Florence Motor Speedway race, the date of which is still to be determined. Madsen says there was already a conflict with that date at Florence with NASCAR’s Darlington Raceway race scheduled for the same weekend.

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“There is also a Colt Ford concert at Florence Motor Speedway on the Friday night before our race, so with the move, we won’t do any damage to the concert, and they won’t do any damage to us,” Madsen says.

In addition to the Lebanon race on Sept. 2 and the Florence race, the Bandits will also return to Highland Rim Speedway in Greenbrier, Tenn., on Sept. 23, and to Hickory Motor Speedway in Newton, N.C., on Oct. 14 before the season’s final race at Crisp Motorsports Park on Oct. 28 in Cordele, Ga. An awards ceremony will be held at Crisp Motorsports Park following the final race of the season to crown the inaugural season’s champion.

Full coverage of the Minimizer Bandit Big Rig Series can be found here.