SANDUSKY, Ohio (February 25, 2015) -- The battle for the Midwest Supermodified Association (MSA) title has just been blown wide-open, while the fight for the ISMA Supermodified crown became a bit murkier on Thursday night.
26-year-old Trent Stephens, driver of the No. 19 Kasper Auto Group/Schaeffer’s Oil supermodified for long time owner Steve Stout, has announced that he plans to move on from chasing the MSA championship (which he has won the past four years) and will instead make a run at the 2015 ISMA (International SuperModified Association) championship.
Stephens has amassed a stellar collection of trophies and accomplishments within a six year time span. The four-time MSA champion and 2009 MSA Rookie of the Year also has nineteen feature wins to his credit as well, and will go down in MSA history as one of the greatest drivers ever to race in the series.
“I think the best motivation is as a team and driver, you always want to be the best,” Stephens said of the changeover. “We have done extremely well in MSA, but the team and I believe for us to get even better we need to challenge ourselves more — and we think ISMA will do that. We fully expect to have some strong runs. (It) should be a fun year for sure.”
The run for the ISMA title will take Stephens to many unique meccas for supermodified racing around the United States and Canada. Among them are the two of the most famous, the Oswego (N.Y.) and Sandusky (Ohio) Speedways, with “the Steel Palace” holding four race dates and Sandusky hosting the signature Hy-Miler Supermodified Nationals at the end of July. Additional venues will include the Delaware Speedway in Ontario, Canada, Lorain County Speedway in South Amherst, Ohio and Thompson (Conn.) Speedway Motorsports Park for the championship-deciding Sunoco World Series of Speedway Racing.
Stephens and ACME Racing will run selected MSA events in 2015, and have also not ruled out attempts at the bigger non-wing races at the Oswego Speedway in Oswego, New York or returning to winged sprint car racing for a race or two as time permits.