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Two In A Row: Lanigan Steals Victory In Thursday Night’s Ohio-Pennsylvania Speedweek Stop At Sharon Speedway

HARTFORD, OH - July 29, 2010 - Darrell Lanigan felt like he stole one on Thursday night at Sharon Speedway.

“We got a little lucky tonight,” Lanigan said after making the 50-lap ‘Ohio-Pennsylvania Speedweek’ event his second straight victory on the World of Outlaws Late Model Series. “I was figuring we’d run third, but we got some lucky breaks there late in the race.”

The first came on lap 43 when Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., slipped high in turns three and four while bidding for the lead, allowing Union, Ky.’s Lanigan to grab second.

Shortly thereafter, on lap 46, Lanigan vaulted into the top spot when race-long pacesetter Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., got momentarily hung up in turn two attempting to lap Russell King of Bristolville, Ohio, who was sent into a 360-degree spin by contact from McCreadie but continued without bringing out a caution flag.

Lanigan, 40, assumed command as lap 47 was scored and stayed there to the finish, holding off McCreadie’s frantic comeback bid to become the seventh different winner in the annual WoO LMS events held since 2004 at the three-eighths-mile oval. The $10,600 triumph backed up his score in Tuesday night’s Ohio-Pennsylvania Speedweek opener at Central PA Speedway in Clearfield, Pa., where he snapped his frustrating streak of four consecutive runner-up finishes on the national tour.

McCreadie, 36, settled for second place after starting from the pole position, crossing the finish line 0.240 of a second behind Lanigan. Richards finished third, followed by Gregg Satterlee of Rochester Mills, Pa., who earned the $500 ‘Bonus Bucks’ cash for being the highest-finishing driver who has never won a WoO LMS A-Main and wasn’t ranked among the top 12 in the points standings, and outside-polesitter Matt Miller of Waterville, Ohio.

The quiet, low-key Lanigan was almost apologetic after capturing his 15th career win on the WoO LMS.

“We had a good car – good enough to run in the top three – but Timmy had the best car here,” said Lanigan, who started fourth in his Rocket mount. “We just were lucky and got the positions to win. Josh slipped up there and I got under him, and then Timmy got into the 56 car and handed me the lead.”

Lanigan also was fortunate that King’s twirl didn’t result in a caution flag.

“If there was a caution I would’ve had to pull in,” said Lanigan, whose third victory of 2010 gave him a single-season career high win total on the WoO LMS. “My right-rear (tire) would’ve been flat. It was leaking air. I could feel the car getting looser and looser, so I was just holding on at the end.”

Lanigan’s Hoosier right-rear deflated as he celebrated with his crew in Victory Lane – the final clear-cut signal that his luck has turned for the better. The 2008 WoO LMS champion said afterward that he might know the reason for his change in fortune.

“I give the credit to little Gavin,” Lanigan said of his fiancée Erin’s young son. “Before I left the house he gave me a couple Silly Bandz to wear as good-luck charms and said, ‘Don’t take them off.’ I’ve had them on my wrist all week and evidently they’re working.”

McCreadie, meanwhile, was gracious in defeat. He accepted the blame for initiating the race-deciding contact with King.

“I just went in there like a rookie and made a bonehead move,” said McCreadie, who drove his Sweeteners Plus Rocket car to a lead of as much as a full straightaway during the event. “Russ wasn’t doing anything wrong. I apologize to him. I just got a little flustered and forced the issue because I thought those guys (Lanigan and Richards) were right up behind me. I didn’t know I had enough of a lead where I didn’t have to try and get by (King).

“I saw Lanigan come up on the (score) board when he passed Richards (for second) and thought, ‘Oh man, he must’ve found a different part of the racetrack,’ because it wasn’t like (the surface) had laid enough rubber to make just one groove. It was multiple grooves and you could move around, so I thought, ‘I gotta go or he’s gonna roll me on the outside because he’s got nothing to lose.’”

McCreadie, who won a WoO LMS event at Sharon in 2005, registered his fourth runner-up finish of this year’s tour. The 2006 series champion remained second in the points standings, 24 points behind Richards, but Lanigan is now breathing down his neck, sitting just six points back in third after 30 events.

Richards, 22, also lost a position as a result of his aggressiveness. He ducked inside McCreadie a couple times while racing amid lapped traffic before going for it all on lap 43.

“I was just trying to go for the win,” Richards said of his slide-for-life through the high-side marbles in turns three and four. “I slipped up out of the rubber a little bit and I was like...whoa! I thought we were gonna (hit the wall) and need a clip, but I was able to get back down in the groove and run third.

“I probably could’ve just stayed behind Timmy and run second, but I feel like we were definitely good enough to win – and I was hungry for a win – so I went for it.”

Donnie Moran of Dresden, Ohio, who won the 2008 WoO LMS event at Sharon, finished sixth after being passed by Miller midway through the race. Rick ‘Boom’ Briggs of Bear Lake, Pa., advanced from the 10th starting spot to place seventh and Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., marched forward from 14th to secure eighth. Mike Knight of Ripley, N.Y., and eighth-starter Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa., completed the top 10.

Tim Fuller of Watertown, N.Y., who outran Lanigan to win last year’s WoO LMS 50-lapper at Sharon, managed only an 11th-place finish. He has gone 11 consecutive races without a top-10 finish since his run of two wins and a third during last month’s ‘Great Northern Tour.’

Three caution flags slowed the A-Main, all during the first 10 laps. Rookie Austin Hubbard of Seaford, Del., brought out the first yellow on lap seven when he stopped in turn two with a broken driveshaft – the second driveshaft to strike his Beitler Motorsports mount, which was also knocked out of heat competition. Subsequent cautions were caused by a lap-eight tangle that left Bump Hedman of Sugar Grove, Pa., sitting between turns one and two and Corey Conley of Wellsburg, W.Va., who stopped in turn two on lap 10.

Richards was quickest in the 34-car Ohlins Shocks Time Trials session with a lap of 16.445 seconds. It was his second consecutive fast-time honor and series-leading fifth of the 2010 season.

Heat winners were Richards, Miller, Moran and McCreadie. The B-Mains were captured by Rick Eckert of York, Pa., and Brent Rhebergen of Clymer, N.Y.

Ohio-Pennsylvania Late Model Speedweek continues on Friday night (July 30) at Attica (Ohio) Raceway Park before moving on to Muskingum County Speedway in Zanesville, Ohio, on Saturday (July 31) and Eriez Speedway in Hammett, Pa., on Sunday (Aug. 1). Each program will be topped by a 50-lap A-Main paying $10,000 to win.

Results of WoO Late Model Series at Sharon Speedway (Finishing Position/Start/Driver/Laps Completed/Money Won):

1. (4) Darrell Lanigan/50 $10,600 2. (1) Tim McCreadie/50 $5,675 3. (6) Josh Richards/50 $3,650 4. (3) Gregg Satterlee/50 $3,000 5. (2) Matt Miller/50 $2,000 6. (5) Donnie Moran/50 $1,700 7. (8) Rick ‘Boom’ Briggs/50 $1,400 8. (14) Steve Francis/50 $1,900 9. (10) Mike Knight/50 $1,200 10. (7) Chub Frank/50 $1,600 11. (9) Tim Fuller/50 $1,550 12. (11) Robbie Blair/50 $1,000 13. (17) Rick Eckert/50 $1,500 14. (12) Davey Johnson/50 $900 15. (13) Shane Clanton/50 $1,350 16. (19) Clint Smith/49 $1,300 17. (24) Brent Robinson/49 $1,270 18. (15) Jim Rasey/49 $750 19. (21) Russell King/49 $1,230 20. (18) Brent Rhebergen/49 $700 21. (22) Dennis Lunger/49 $700 22. (16) Bump Hedman/39 $700 23. (20) Corey Conley/9 $700 24. (23) Austin Hubbard/6 $1,475

Time of Race: 21 Mins., 13.913 Secs. Margin of Victory: 0.240 Secs. Yellow Flags: 3 (Laps 7, 8, 10) Lap Leaders: McCreadie (1-46); Lanigan (47-50) Provisional Starters: Hubbard, Robinson Rookie of the Race: Hubbard ($250) WoO LMS ‘Bonus Bucks’ Winner: Satterlee ($500)

1. 1-Josh Richards/Shinnston, WV 16.445 2. 29-Darrell Lanigan/Union, KY 16.450 3. 99-Donnie Moran/Dresden, OH 16.484 4. 99B-Rick ‘Boom’ Briggs/Bear Lake, PA 16.496 5. 22s-Gregg Satterlee/Rochester Mills, PA 16.530 6. 7-Matt Miller/Waterville, OH 16.549 7. 32-Jim Rasey/Warren, OH 16.553 8. 19H-Austin Hubbard/Seaford, DE 16.555 9. 19-Tim Fuller/Watertown, NY 16.608 10. 9K-Mike Knight/Ripley, NY 16.622 11. won11-Robbie Blair/Titusville, PA 16.641 12. 1J-Davey Johnson/Latrobe, PA 16.672 13. 46-Doug Horton/Bruceton Mills, WV 16.702 14. 24-Rick Eckert/York, PA 16.706 15. 1*-Chub Frank/Bear Lake, PA 16.707 16. 39-Tim McCreadie/Watertown, NY 16.727 17. 25-Shane Clanton/Fayetteville, GA 16.745 18. 15-Steve Francis/Ashland, KY 16.769 19. 14-Corey Conley/Wellsburg, WV 16.836 20. 07R-Brent Rhebergen/Clymer, NY 16.879 21. 44-Clint Smith/Senoia, GA 16.897 22. 44H-Dave Hess Jr./Waterford, PA 16.908 23. 1L-John Lobb/Frewsburg, NY 16.912 24. B22-Bump Hedman/Sugar Grove, PA 16.968 25. 3-Brent Robinson/Smithfield, VA 17.028 26. 56-Russell King/Bristolville, OH 17.036 27. 8-Craig Vosbergen/Perth, Australia 17.164 28. 22-Jill George/Cedar Falls, IA 17.244 29. 14B-Dick Barton/Ashville, NY 17.305 30. 16*-Dereck Frank/Jamestown, NY 17.341 31. 17L-Dennis Lunger/Cherry Hill, PA 17.375 32. 67-Charles Supplee/Rock Creek, OH 17.554 33. 16B-Rusty Wheeler/Dorsett, OH 17.955 34. 38R-Corey Ruffo/Mercer, PA 18.047

Heat No. 1 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Richards, Satterlee, Fuller, Clanton, C. Smith, Horton, Robinson, Barton, Wheeler

Heat No. 2 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Miller, Lanigan, Knight, Francis, Eckert, King, Hess, D. Frank, Ruffo

Heat No. 3 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Moran, C. Frank, Blair, Rasey, Vosbergen, Conley, Lunger, Lobb

Heat No. 4 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): McCreadie, Briggs, Johnson, Hedman, Rhebergen, George, Supplee, Hubbard

B-Main No. 1 (12 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Eckert, C. Smith, King, Horton, Hess, Robinson, Barton, D. Frank, Ruffo, Wheeler

B-Main No. 2 (12 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Rhebergen, Conley, Lunger, George, Supplee (DQ) Vosbergen (DNS) Lobb, Hubbard

Arizona Sports Shirts ($50 product certificate): Rick Eckert/Dennis Lunger Armor All (one case of product to highest-finishing non-WoO team in A-Main w/decal): Eibach Springs (one free spring): Brent Robinson/Dennis Lunger MSD Ignition ($75 cash award): Tim McCreadie MSD Ignition ($25 cash award): Austin Hubbard Ohlins Pole Award ($50 cash award to fastest qualifier w/decal): Josh Richards Pink Carburetors ($100 product certificate): Rick Eckert Pink Carburetors ($50 product certificate): Davey Johnson Quartermaster ($100 product certificate): Tim McCreadie Quartermaster ($50 product certificate): Rick Eckert Quartermaster ($25 product certificate): Shane Clanton RTC Performance ($100 certificate): Tim McCreadie STP ($50 cash award): Rick Eckert VP Racing Fuels ‘Nice Jugs Award’ (two five-gallon plastic fuel jugs to fastest qualifier who does not make the A-Main if decal is displayed): Doug Horton Wrisco Aluminum (three sheets of aluminum to A-Main winner w/decal): Tim McCreadie

2010 World of Outlaws Late Model Series Point Standings as of July 29 – 30 A-Mains completed (rank/driver/points/deficit to leader):

1. Josh Richards 4016 2. Tim McCreadie 3992 (-24) 3. Darrell Lanigan 3986 (-30) 4. Steve Francis 3894 (-122) 5. Shane Clanton 3786 (-230) 6. Austin Hubbard 3778 (-238) 7. Rick Eckert 3740 (-276) 8. Tim Fuller 3722 (-294) 9. Chub Frank 3668 (-348) 10. Clint Smith 3564 (-452) 11. Russell King 3372 (-644) 12. Brent Robinson 3028 (-988) 13. Brady Smith 2786 (-1230) 14. Jill George 2216 (-1800) 15. Brian Birkhofer 1566 (-2450)

FOLLOW THE ACTION ON TWITTER: Fans can now keep up-to-date with the World of Outlaws Late Model Series online and through text messages on cell phones via Twitter, the internet’s fast-growing social-networking and micro-blogging website. Updates are provided to Twitter ‘followers’ of the WoO LMS throughout each race night, and fans also receive breaking news and interesting notes from the tour.

To sign-up as a WoO LMS ‘follower’ on Twitter to receive updates anywhere at anytime, visit http://twitter.com/WoOLateModels.

LISTEN ONLINE: If fans can’t get to a track to see the World of Outlaws Late Model Series, they can experience the excitement of the nation’s premier tour live on DIRTvision.com through the DIRT Radio Network.

To listen to the free audio broadcasts, log on to www.dirtvision.com and click on the DIRT Radio Network logo.

Deluge Of Rain After Time Trials Postpones Ohio-Pennsylvania Speedweek Stop At Sharon Speedway To Thursday Night (July 29)

HARTFORD, OH - July 28, 2010 - Rain deluged Sharon Speedway after time trials, forcing the postponement of Wednesday night’s World of Outlaws Late Model Series ‘Ohio-Pennsylvania Speedweek’ program.

Track and WoO LMS officials rescheduled the three-eighths-mile oval’s seventh annual tour event to Thursday night (July 29). The racing action will start from scratch with a new set of Ohlins Shocks Time Trials, and all rainchecks will be accepted for admission.

Rain began falling moments after the event’s 34-car qualifying session was completed and soon intensified, swamping the racetrack and infield in short order. With more heavy storms threatening, the decision to push the action to Thursday night was made less than an hour later.

Donnie Moran of Dresden, Ohio, set fast time with a lap of 16.052 seconds, but his effort was wiped off the books by the postponement. WoO LMS rules stipulate that a new program will be contested if an event is rescheduled before heat races are run.

The postponement was a godsend for the WoO LMS regulars. Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., was the lone Outlaw to time among the top 10, qualifying ninth-fastest.

Thursday’s card will follow the same schedule as was planned on Wednesday. Gates will open at 3 p.m., with hot laps set to get the green flag at 6:30 p.m. and time trials at 7 p.m. The FastTrack Touring crate Late Model division will also be part of the evening’s action.

Fans unable to attend on Wednesday are invited to join the crowd on Thursday night. General admission is $27, with kids ages 9-13 admitted for $12 and those 8-and-under free of charge. Pit passes are $38.

1. 99-Donnie Moran/Dresden, OH 16.052 2. won11-Robbie Blair/Titusville, PA 16.203 3. 22s-Gregg Satterlee/Rochester Mills, PA 16.259 4. 46-Doug Horton/Bruceton Mills, WV 16.308 5. 7-Matt Miller/Waterville, OH 16.398 6. 32-Jim Rasey/Warren, OH 16.408 7. 1J-Davey Johnson/Latrobe, PA 16.419 8. 99B-Rick ‘Boom’ Briggs/Bear Lake, PA 16.483 9. 29-Darrell Lanigan/Union, KY 16.485 10. 9K-Mike Knight/Ripley, NY 16.497 11. 07R-Brent Rhebergen/Clymer, NY 16.508 12. 24-Rick Eckert/York, PA 16.558 13. 39-Tim McCreadie/Watertown, NY 16.592 14. 15-Steve Francis/Ashland, KY 16.600 15. 19-Tim Fuller/Watertown, NY 16.603 16. 1-John Lobb/Frewsburg, NY 16.608 17. 1-Josh Richards/Shinnston, WV 16.651 18. 44-Clint Smith/Senoia, GA 16.655 19. 44H-Dave Hess Jr./Waterford, PA 16.656 20. 56-Russell King/Bristolville, OH 16.681 21. 1*-Chub Frank/Bear Lake, PA 16.684 22. 8-Craig Vosbergen/Perth, Australia 16.768 23. 25-Shane Clanton/Fayetteville, GA 16.781 24. 14B-Dick Barton/Ashville, NY 16.793 25. 19H-Austin Hubbard/Seaford, DE 16.799 26. B22-Bump Hedman/Sugar Grove, PA 16.830 27. 17L-Dennis Lunger/Cherry Hill, PA 16.988 28. 1L-Dane Laraway/Irwin, PA 17.016 29. 16*-Dereck Frank/Jamestown, NY 17.031 30. 3-Brent Robinson/Smithfield, VA 17.238 31. 22-Jill George/Cedar Falls, IA 17.343 32. 67-Charles Supplee/Rock Creek, OH 17.648 33. 38R-Corey Ruffo/Mercer, PA 17.835 (DQ)

To sign-up as a WoO LMS ‘follower’ on Twitter to receive updates anywhere at anytime, visit http://twitter.com/WoOLateModels.

To listen to the free audio broadcasts, log on to www.dirtvision.com and click on the DIRT Radio Network logo.

Chub Frank Shoots For Another Turnaround Victory At Muskingum County Speedway This Saturday Night (July 31)

ZANESVILLE, OH - July 28, 2010 - Can lightning strike twice for Chub Frank at Muskingum County Speedway?

That’s what the veteran driver from Bear Lake, Pa., will be hoping for this Saturday night (July 31) when the World of Outlaws Late Model Series returns to Ronnie Moran’s three-eighths-mile oval in central Ohio.

Frank, 48, was the winner – a very happy and relieved winner – of last year’s WoO LMS stop at the semi-banked track. He snapped a frustrating 15-month, 62-race winless streak with the victory, which also marked his first-ever triumph in more than a decade of special-event appearances at Muskingum County.

“We needed that win (at MCR) last year more than anybody can believe,” said Frank, fondly recalling the track’s 2009 WoO LMS event that was run on Aug. 20 after being postponed one month by rain. “We were really struggling, and when you struggle your confidence gets down and you just keep falling behind. You need wins to make everybody feel better and put some money in the bank account, which we definitely needed last year – and still need right now.”

Indeed, Frank rolls back to Muskingum County in search of another slump-busting score in the $10,000-to-win ‘Pepsi 50.’ He won the WoO LMS ‘Buckeye 100’ at Ohio’s K-C Raceway that immediately followed last year’s event at MCR but hasn’t reached Victory Lane since, saddling him with a losing streak that reached 37 races after he finished seventh in the opening night of Ohio-Pennsylvania Speedweek on Tuesday (July 27) at Central PA Speedway in Clearfield, Pa.

Frank hit paydirt in last year’s WoO LMS show at Muskingum after going back to basics by ‘borrowing’ a 2005-vintage Rocket chassis from western Pennsylvania racer Chad Valone and assembling it with his own parts. He’s not exactly duplicating that plan of attack this year, but he has brought out a new car – well, a car new to him – for Ohio-Pennsylvania Speedweek in hopes of shaking him out of his doldrums. Frank recently purchased a 2009 Rocket chassis from Pennsylvanian Bob Close that was driven successfully last season by young talent Gregg Satterlee of Rochester Mills, Pa., and plans to enter it in all of this week’s Outlaw events.

“When I found out Close didn’t want (the car) I said, ‘I’ll take it,’” said Frank, who assumed ownership of Valone’s ’05 machine after his win outburst last year and just sold it this month to an upstate New York crate Late Model racer. “I knew it was a good car – Satterlee won a lot of races and ran good in some Outlaw shows with it – so I figured we’d put it together and try it.”

Frank won a weekly dirt Late Model feature on July 23 at Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pa., in his first start with the former Satterlee mount, and on Tuesday night at Central PA he started from the pole position and led the first five laps of the 40-lap A-Main before fading. He thinks he has a potential winner under him, but the hard-nosed owner-operator knows he also needs some breaks to go his way like in his big Muskingum County moment 11 months ago.

“The car was good last year (at MCR) and we did everything right to get in position to win – we drew the right time-trial number, qualified good and redrew the outside pole for the feature,” said Frank. “But my tires were probably a factor in how we ran – and really, we picked them by mistake. We didn’t have the tires we wanted to run ready, so we put a different tire on than everybody else. We were softer (on compound choice) and it made a big difference.

“It just goes to show you that everything’s got to go your way to win these things.”

Frank controlled last year’s 40-lap A-Main at MCR, a track that had always proved problematic for him. He concedes that he didn’t sign in that evening with an especially good feeling that his fortunes were about to turn around.

“I’ve never really run all that good at Muskingum, so when we won it was kind of a surprise,” said Frank, who through 29 WoO LMS events this season was ranked ninth in the points standings with four top-five and 14 top-10 finishes. “I don’t dislike Muskingum; I ran there quite a bit with the STARS (Renegade) Series for a bunch of years, and it’s always been a pretty racy place. But it’s just been one of those tracks that we couldn’t get a handle on – until last year.

“I’m just hoping we can run the same way there (this Saturday night) and get on the same kind of roll again.”

Frank is part of the powerful traveling WoO LMS band that will invade Muskingum for the third consecutive season. He’ll be joined by former champions Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., who won the tour’s 2008 event at MCR, Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., and Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., as well as Shane Clanton of Fayetteville, Ga., Rick Eckert of York, Pa., Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga., Tim Fuller of Watertown, N.Y., Russell King of Bristolville, Ohio, rookie sensation Austin Hubbard of Seaford, Del., Brent Robinson of Smithfield, Va., and rookie Jill George of Cedar Falls, Iowa.

Muskingum’s talented field is also expected to include the track owner’s son and grandson – dirt Late Model superstar Donnie Moran of Dresden, Ohio, and his 15-year-old son Devin, who was victorious recently at the oval. Others with plans to compete include Rick ‘Boom’ Briggs of Bear Lake, Pa., Gregg Satterlee of Rochester Mills, Pa., Bart Hartman of Zanesville, Ohio, Robbie Blair of Titusville, Pa., Doug Drown of Wooster, Ohio, and Doug Dodd of Cambridge, Ohio.

Saturday’s program will see pit gates open at 2 p.m. and the spectator gates unlocked at 4 p.m. Racing is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.

General admission is $25, with kids 6-11 admitted for $5 and children 5-and-under free of charge. Reserved seats are available in the top two rows of the grandstand for an additional $5, and pit passes will be $40.

Further information is available by logging on to www.themuskingumcountyspeedway.com or calling 740-403-6298.

Bridesmaid No More: Lanigan Opens Ohio-Pennsylvania Speedweek With Victory At Central PA Speedway

CLEARFIELD, PA - July 27, 2010 - Don’t call Darrell Lanigan the ‘Bluegrass Bridesmaid’ any longer.

Snapping his unprecedented streak of four consecutive runner-up finishes on the World of Outlaws Late Model Series, Lanigan kicked off the national tour’s Ohio-Pennsylvania Speedweek on Tuesday night with a victory in the ‘Fear The Bear 40’ at Central PA Speedway.

Lanigan, 40, of Union, Ky., advanced from the third starting spot to take the lead from Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa., on lap six and never looked back. Racing in front of a standing-room-only crowd that turned out for the first-ever WoO LMS event at Tim Bainey Sr.’s four-tenths-mile oval, the 2008 tour champion survived four caution flags and an early threat from Shane Clanton of Fayetteville, Ga., to register his long-awaited second series win of 2010.

Clanton settled for second place in his RSD Enterprises Rocket car, a distant 2.308 seconds behind Lanigan’s GottaRace.com Rocket at the finish. Fifth-starter Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., was several car lengths farther back in third at the checkered flag in his Valvoline Rocket, Rick Eckert of York, Pa., placed fourth after running as high as second in his Team Zero by Bloomquist mount and defending WoO LMS champion and current points leader Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., completed the top five with a steady-but-quiet run in his Seubert Calf Ranches Rocket.

“It feels great to get that second-place jinx off us,” said Lanigan, who finished second in all four A-Mains contested during the recent ‘Wild West Tour.’ “Our car’s been good, but we just needed a little luck. Maybe things changed a little bit for the better tonight.”

Lanigan earned $8,600 for his 14th career WoO LMS victory and first since March 19 at Ocala (Fla.) Speedway. He scored nine runner-up finishes between his two wins this season, including six in the 10 races prior to Tuesday’s stop at Central PA.

Lanigan’s post-race prizes also included one of the track’s trademark three-foot-tall wooden ‘Big Bear’ carvings and a fresh six-pound cheeseburger from Denny’s Beer Barrel Pub, the local restaurant that has earned national attention for its menu featuring out-sized burgers.

Now a winner of two A-Mains in each WoO LMS campaign since 2004, Lanigan felt very comfortable circling Central PA Speedway for the first time in his career.

“This track kind of fit our program pretty good – big track with sweeping, wide corners,” Lanigan said of Central PA, which operated with a paved surface for 20 years until being covered by dirt prior to the 2006 season. “The setup we’ve been running lately works good on a place like this. I could just run through the middle without a problem.”

Lanigan was only briefly challenged by Clanton, who needed just six laps to hustle from the ninth starting spot to second. He vaulted from fifth to second in a single lap following a lap-six restart and nearly ran into the rear bumper of Lanigan’s car when he charged hard off the outside of turn four on lap 13, but that was as close as he got to the lead.

Clanton, 34, lost second to Eckert on a lap-15 restart. He regained the position on lap 21 and stayed there to the finish, but he couldn’t summon the speed to compete with Lanigan.

“He went a little harder on right-rear tire than I did,” Clanton said of Lanigan. “I knew where we were starting we had to go at the beginning. I thought I could get (past Lanigan) and then just ride, but I didn’t – and then at the end I just had to ride behind him.”

Lanigan’s victory moved him within 36 points of Richards in the WoO LMS points standings after 29 of a scheduled 47 events. Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., was left 26 points behind Richards in second after settling for a ninth-place finish.

Rookie Austin Hubbard of Seaford, Del., finished sixth, slipping forward from the 11th starting spot. Frank faded to a seventh-place finish after starting on the pole and leading laps 1-5, while his cousin, Rick ‘Boom’ Briggs, also of Bear Lake, Pa., was eighth to earn the $500 ‘Bonus Bucks’ cash for being the highest-finishing driver who has never won a WoO LMS A-Main and wasn’t among the top 12 in the points standings. McCreadie moved up just one spot to finish ninth and 17th-starter Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga., rounded out the top 10.

There were no serious incidents during the race. Cautions were caused by Todd Snook of Mifflin, Pa., who slid off the track on lap six; D.J. Myers of Greencastle, Pa., who stopped in turn two on lap 15; and Gregg Satterlee of Rochester Mills, Pa., who lost a wheel on laps 20 and 34.

Richards was quickest in Ohlins Shocks Time Trials, earning his series-leading fourth fast-time honor of 2010 with a lap of 16.242 seconds.

Heat winners were Richards, Lanigan, Mike Knight of Ripley, N.Y., and Eckert, and the B-Mains were captured by Clint Smith and Satterlee.

The WoO LMS Ohio-Pennsylvania Speedweek continues on Wednesday night (July 28) at Sharon Speedway in Hartford, Ohio. After an off-day on Thursday, the swing visits Attica (Ohio) Raceway Park on Fri., July 30; Muskingum County Speedway in Zanesville, Ohio, on Sat., July 31; and Eriez Speedway in Hammett, Pa., on Sun., Aug. 1.

Results of WoO Late Model Series ‘Fear The Bear 40’ (Finishing Position/Start/Driver/Laps Completed/Money Won):

1. (3) Darrell Lanigan/40 $8,600 2. (9) Shane Clanton/40 $4,575 3. (5) Steve Francis/40 $3,300 4. (2) Rick Eckert/40 $2,800 5. (4) Josh Richards/40 $2,650 6. (11) Austin Hubbard/40 $2,350 7. (1) Chub Frank/40 $1,900 8. (7) Rick ‘Boom’ Briggs/40 $1,800 9. (10) Tim McCreadie/40 $1,800 10. (17) Clint Smith/40 $1,600 11. (14) Robbie Blair/40 $1,000 12. (13) Tim Fuller/40 $1,400 13. (6) Mike Knight/40 $850 14. (12) Russell King/40 $1,300 15. (15) Greg Oakes/40 $750 16. (19) Dylan Yoder/40 $750 17. (22) Brent Robinson/39 $1,160 18. (23) Chris Farrell/39 $640 19. (20) Chris Casner/39 $620 20. (18) Gregg Satterlee/32 $610 21. (8) D.J. Myers/14 $600 22. (21) Todd Snook/5 $600 23. (24) Bump Hedman/1 $600 24. (16) Billy Dickson/1 $625

Time of Race: 22 Mins., 52.806 Secs. Margin of Victory: 2.308 Secs. Yellow Flags: 4 (Laps 6, 15, 20, 34) Lap Leaders: Frank (1-5); Lanigan (6-40) Provisional Starters: Chris Farrell, Hedman Rookie of the Race: Hubbard ($250) WoO LMS ‘Bonus Bucks’ Winner: Briggs ($500)

1. 1- Josh Richards/Shinnston, WV 16.242 2. 29-Darrell Lanigan/Union, KY 16.334 3. 9K-Mike Knight/Ripley, NY 16.529 4. 24-Rick Eckert/York, PA 16.547 5. 15-Steve Francis/Ashland, KY 16.563 6. 99B-Rick ‘Boom’ Briggs/Bear Lake, PA 16.605 7. 19H-Austin Hubbard/Seaford, DE 16.649 8. 70J-D.J. Myers/Greencastle, PA 16.684 9. 25-Shane Clanton/Fayetteville, GA 16.737 10. 39-Tim McCreadie/Watertown, NY 16.796 11. 1*-Chub Frank/Bear Lake, PA 16.867 12. 56-Russell King/Bristolville, OH 17.015 13. 19-Tim Fuller/Watertown, NY 17.144 14. won11-Robbie Blair/Titusville, PA 17.244 15. 22-Gregg Satterlee/Rochester Mills, PA 17.301 16. 32-Billy Dickson/W. Decatur, PA 17.307 17. 32Y-Dylan Yoder/Selinsgrove, PA 17.320 18. 53-Chris Farrell/Clearfield, PA 17.436 19. 3-Brent Robinson/Smithfield, VA 17.514 20. B22-Bump Hedman/Sugar Grove, PA 17.548 21. 44-Clint Smith/Senoia, GA 17.591 22. 23-Todd Snook/Mifflin, PA 17.631 23. 22G-Greg Oakes/Franklinville, NY 17.782 24. c33-Chris Casner/Mifflintown, PA 17.784 25. 1L-Dane Laraway/Irwin, PA 17.836 26. 55-Denny Fenton/Clearfield, PA 17.975 27. 53R-Ray Farrell/Clearfield, PA 18.038 28. 773-Mike Evock/Hope Mills, NC 18.056 29. 82G-Ted Gallaher/Irvona, PA 18.535 30. 27-Bobby Stokes/Milton, PA 18.665 31. 55B-Jeramey Ohl/Jersey Shore, PA 18.947 32. 11-Greg Kent/Morrisdale, PA 19.126 33. 12-Doug Drown/Wooster, OH N/T 34. 8-Craig Vosbergen/Perth, Australia DQ

Heat No. 1 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Richards, Francis, Clanton, Fuller, C. Smith, Yoder, Gallaher, Laraway (DNS) Drown

Heat No. 2 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Lanigan, Briggs, McCreadie, Blair, C. Farrell, Snook, Stokes, Vosbergen, Fenton

Heat No. 3 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Knight, Frank, Hubbard, Oakes, Satterlee, Ohl, R. Farrell, Robinson

Heat No. 4 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Eckert, Myers, King, Dickson, Hedman, Casner, Evock, Kent

B-Main No. 1 (12 laps – Top 3 Transfer): C. Smith, Yoder, Snook, Laraway, Stokes, Fenton, Vosbergen, Gallaher, C. Farrell (DNS) Drown

B-Main No. 2 (12 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Satterlee, Casner, Robinson, Ohl, R. Farrell, Kent, Hedman, Evock

Arizona Sports Shirts ($50 product certificate): Ted Gallaher/Ray Farrell Armor All (one case of product to highest-finishing non-WoO team in A-Main w/decal): Gregg Satterlee Eibach Springs (one free spring): Dylan Yoder/Chris Casner MSD Ignition ($75 cash award): Shane Clanton MSD Ignition ($25 cash award): Billy Dickson Ohlins Pole Award ($50 cash award to fastest qualifier w/decal): Josh Richards Pink Carburetors ($100 product certificate): Rick Eckert Pink Carburetors ($50 product certificate): Dylan Yoder Quartermaster ($100 product certificate): Shane Clanton Quartermaster ($50 product certificate): Tim McCreadie Quartermaster ($25 product certificate): Greg Oakes R2C Performance ($100 certificate): Shane Clanton STP ($50 cash award): Dylan Yoder VP Racing Fuels ‘Nice Jugs Award’ (two five-gallon plastic fuel jugs to fastest qualifier who does not make the A-Main if decal is displayed): Ray Farrell Wrisco Aluminum (three sheets of aluminum to A-Main winner w/decal): Shane Clanton

2010 World of Outlaws Late Model Series Point Standings as of July 27 – 29 A-Mains completed (rank/driver/wins/top-5s/top-10s/earnings/points/deficit to leader):

1. Josh Richards 3872 2. Tim McCreadie 3846 (-26) 3. Darrell Lanigan 3836 (-36) 4. Steve Francis 3760 (-112) 5. Austin Hubbard 3676 (-196) 6. Shane Clanton 3666 (-206) 7. Rick Eckert 3616 (-256) 8. Tim Fuller 3594 (-278) 9. Chub Frank 3538 (-334) 10. Clint Smith 3446 (-426) 11. Russell King 3260 (-612) 12. Brent Robinson 2912 (-960) 13. Brady Smith 2786 (-1086) 14. Jill George 2126 (-1746) 15. Brian Birkhofer 1566 (-2306)

FOLLOW THE ACTION ON TWITTER: Fans can now keep up-to-date with the World of Outlaws Late Model Series online and through text messages on cell phones via the Twitter, the internet’s fast-growing social-networking and micro-blogging website. Updates are provided to Twitter ‘followers’ of the WoO LMS throughout each race night, and fans also receive breaking news and interesting notes from the tour.

To sign-up as a WoO LMS ‘follower’ on Twitter to receive updates anywhere at anytime, visit http://twitter.com/WoOLateModels.

To listen to the free audio broadcasts, log on to www.dirtvision.com and click on the DIRT Radio Network logo.

Listeners will need Windows Media Player 9 or higher to listen to the DIRT Radio Network. For technical support or questions, e-mail customerservice@dirtvision.com.

Ohio’s Drown Dreams Of Upset Victory In World of Outlaws Late Model Series Event Friday (July 30) At Attica Raceway Park

ATTICA, OH - July 27, 2010 - Doug Drown has a pretty good idea how he would feel if he were able to pull off an upset victory this Friday night (July 30) in the World of Outlaws Late Model Series event at Attica Raceway Park.

“I would probably be speechless,” said the 28-year-old driver from Wooster, Ohio. “Winning a World of Outlaws race would put us in a different group of regional racers. It would be unreal.”

Drown, of course, also happens to have a pretty good idea of how difficult it is to reach the finish line first in a WoO LMS A-Main. A driver has absolutely no room for error – a fact he learned first-hand when the national tour visited the one-third-mile Attica oval last year.

The talented young Buckeye State racer had an impressive night going during the 2009 program, qualifying second-fastest in time trials and finishing second in his heat to earn a berth in the feature redraw. But a critical mistake cost him dearly: he reported late to the A-Main lineup, forcing officials to demote him from the eighth starting spot to the rear of the field. His promising evening ended with a 23rd-place finish after he retired on lap 10 of the 50-lapper.

“That was real disappointing,” recalled Drown. “I was in the car and ready to go in the pits, but my guys had the car jacked up to change all four tires at the last minute and we ended up being late (to staging). In the end, it was the wrong decision too – we were too hard (with tire compound) and were absolutely horrible, and I just pulled off.

“If we had just left on (the tires) we were originally going to run, I think we could’ve at least run top-five. What we had on originally was what most of the top guys had on.”

Drown is hoping to avoid such hiccups in Friday’s WoO LMS show, which is topped by a 50-lap A-Main paying $10,000 to win. He enters the action confident that he can be a contender, having already won two weekly DIRTcar-sanctioned features this season at Attica and run well in his recent travels to WoO LMS and DIRTcar Summer Nationals shows.

“We’ve had a pretty good year – better than I ever expected it to be actually,” said Drown, who campaigns family-owned equipment. “We struggled a lot last year, so I didn’t come into this season with any expectations. But we’ve been running good almost everywhere we go and I’m looking forward to racing with the Outlaws.”

Drown is carving out a successful 2010 season with a relatively bare-bones effort. He has just a single ’09 Bernheisel Lazer Chassis and one engine at his disposal – and he hurt his Malcuit 430 cubic inch Ford powerplant in last month’s Firecracker 100 at Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pa., forcing him to borrow motors to keep racing until he gets his repaired piece back. Fellow racer D.J. Myers loaned him an engine to use during his recent two-week excursion on the DIRTcar Summer Nationals trail and he’s secured a 415 Ford motor from builder Brad Malcuit for this week’s WoO LMS Ohio-Pennsylvania Speedweek events.

“A lot of people think we have more (equipment) than we do,” said Drown, who also plans to enter Ohio-Pennsylvania Speedweek shows on July 27 at Central PA Speedway in Clearfield, Pa., July 28 at Sharon Speedway in Hartford, Ohio, and July 31 at Muskingum County Speedway in Zanesville, Ohio (where he’s won in the past). “We don’t have a lot, so we gotta take care of what we have to make it last.”

Drown does a pretty good job of that – and he has to since he’s effectively a fulltime race car driver this year. Back home living with his parents after a recent divorce and just 11 months removed from the fire that destroyed the Wooster restaurant he had been operating, Drown has demonstrated a renewed concentration on racing.

“I decided to take a couple years and focus on the goal of doing this racing deal fulltime,” said Drown, who is still waiting for help from his insurance company to rebuild his Country Harvest Restaurant. “If we can get some more support next year we’d like to branch out and run a series regularly.”

Drown’s best opportunity to attract some major attention for his future endeavors is with Friday’s WoO LMS event at Attica, a track that’s rapidly become one of his favorites. His first start there came in May 2008 when the facility hosted the full-fender Outlaws for the first time and Drown recorded a career-best WoO LMS finish of sixth.

“I kind of fell in love with the place that night,” said Drown, whose top WoO LMS finish in five A-Main starts this year is a ninth in both of last month’s Firecracker 100 preliminary features at Lernerville. “It’s a great track for drivers and for fans. There’s usually a couple grooves, so you can start at the tail of a heat and still get up to the front.”

Drown will lead the army of regional and local racers against a star-studded field of Outlaws at Attica, including former WoO LMS champions Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., who won the tour’s 2008 A-Main at Attica, Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., and Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky.

The traveling WoO LMS roster also includes Tim Fuller of Watertown, N.Y., Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa., Rick Eckert of York, Pa., Shane Clanton of Fayetteville, Ga., Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga., Russell King of Bristolville, Ohio, rookie sensation Austin Hubbard of Seaford, Del., Brent Robinson of Smithfield, Va., and rookie Jill George of Cedar Falls, Iowa.

Friday program, which also includes a $3,000-to-win feature for Attica’s weekly 410 Sprint Car division, is scheduled begin with hot laps shortly after 6 p.m. Gates are set to open at 4 p.m. and race time is 7:45 p.m.

Adult general admission is $30, ages 11-15 are $15 and kids 10-and-under will be admitted free of charge. Pit passes are $35.

Additional information on Attica Raceway Park can be obtained by logging on to www.atticaracewaypark.com or calling 419-680-5606.

Russell King Makes Home Track Stop At Sharon Speedway On Wednesday Night (July 28)

2009 World of Outlaws Late Model Series Rookie of the Year Looks To Shake Sophomore Struggles In Tour’s Annual Visit To Ohio Oval

HARTFORD, OH – July 25, 2010 – In a perfect world, Russell King would enter the seventh annual World of Outlaws Late Model Series event at Sharon Speedway this Wednesday night (July 28) brimming with the confidence of a young driver enjoying a breakout season.

But as King, 21, of Bristolville, Ohio, knows all too well, the learning curve in professional dirt Late Model racing is a steep one. So it is that the 2009 WoO LMS Rookie of the Year will head out on his home track’s three-eighths-mile surface for Wednesday night’s 50-lap, $10,000-to-win Ohio-Pennsylvania Speedweek show hoping that some familiar surroundings will help him shake his sophomore struggles on the national tour.

“After you do the whole World of Outlaws schedule for a season you naturally think it’s going to get easier,” said King, the scion of a family with a rich dirt-track racing history in eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania. “But the reality is that it just gets harder. Just because you have a year of experience doesn’t mean a thing.”

King’s second year as a regular on the grueling WoO LMS, which in 2010 is scheduled to contest 47 races at 40 tracks in 19 states and two Canadian provinces, has been a humbling test of his personal mettle. After making a giant leap in ’09 to follow the series with his family-owned team – a DIRTcar big-block Modified competitor since the age of 15, he had less than two-dozen dirt Late Model starts under his belt when he became an Outlaw traveler – he registered eight top-10 finishes en route to the rookie title and a 10th-place finish in the points standings. King was expecting improved results this season; instead, he’s experienced nothing but frustration, managing just two top-10 finishes while using 14 provisional spots to start A-Mains through 28 events.

A burly, hard-nosed competitor who wears his emotions on his sleeve, King got off to an extremely disappointing start this season – he relied on a provisional to gain entry in 11 of the first 16 A-Mains, including the first four – that sunk his morale.

“It’s been real tough to keep my mood and confidence up with the way we’ve been running,” said King, whose top finish of 2010 is a 10th on May 13 at Delaware International Speedway and June 15 at Can-Am Motorsports Park in Lafargeville, N.Y. “Every day this is what I do. I don’t drive trucks or pour concrete (for his family’s business). I work on race cars – my cars, and the (big-block) Modifieds that my father (Rex Sr.) and brother (Rex Jr., aka ‘Cooter’) run – so when we’re running bad it’s all I think about. I don’t even get that mental break of doing something else during the day to take my mind off it all.

“I’m lucky enough to be able to do this fulltime, but you can get yourself in a bad circle when you’re young and you’re struggling like we’ve been. You run bad and all week you’re in a bad mood and hate yourself, and then you think, ‘I’ve got to get in the shop to get better,’ so you work even harder and when you still don’t get the results it makes you feel even worse.

“It takes a lot to get out of the rut,” he added. “You can really beat yourself up, so I’ve tried to listen to what veteran guys like Chub (Frank) tell me. He’s been in it long enough and says, ‘Don’t let yourself get down too much or over-think the situation. Just keep working and one day it’ll just turn around. Something will go your way.’”

King has seen an uptick in his performance recently, qualifying five times through a heat and once through a B-Main (which he won) in the six WoO LMS events run so far in July. He recorded consecutive 11th-place finishes at Wartburg (Tenn.) Speedway, Tazewell (Tenn.) Speedway and Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minn., and during the four-race ‘Wild West Tour’ he turned heads with season-best time-trial efforts of fourth at Deer Creek and second at Dakota State Fair Speedway in Huron, S.D., where he also nearly won the first heat race of his WoO LMS career.

“It’s better lately – at least I don’t want to hang myself,” cracked King, who recently obtained the services of former Chub Frank and Clint Smith mechanic Brad Baum to enhance his existing crew that includes fulltimer Craig (‘Snowman’) McCrimmon and loyal volunteer Bobby Bachman. “We decided to just stick with our blue front-end (Rocket) car and get on the same page with more guys and we’ve had some better results.

“But even though we’ve qualified better, we’re not running good for 50 laps. We’ve run in the top 10 for most of the race a few times, but we’re falling apart at the end and finishing 11th or worse. We have to figure out how to maintain until the end.”

King would certainly like to put together his best outing of the season on Wednesday at Sharon, the top-notch facility co-owned by NASCAR Sprint Cup veteran and former WoO Sprint Car Series champion Dave Blaney. He brings in a little momentum after authoring several solid runs during his mid-summer break from the WoO LMS, including 10th-place DIRTcar Summer Nationals finishes on July 16 at Attica (Ohio) Raceway Park and July 17 at Oakshade Raceway in Wauseon, Ohio, and a fifth-place performance in a weekly show on July 18 at Eriez Speedway in Hammett, Pa.

With his shop less than a 20-minute drive from Sharon, King will have the support of a large group of family and friends. He’s hoping to give them a good show at the track where he won his first big-block Modified feature in 2005.

“I’m excited about it,” said King, whose previous WoO LMS finishes at Sharon are 14th (2009) and 21st (2008). “We were sixth-quick at an All-Star (Late Model Series) show there last month (he didn’t start the feature due to mechanical trouble) and tested there after that, so I feel like we have a general idea about what we need to do. I don’t have to worry about figuring out how to get around the track.

“I’m not saying we’re gonna be an upset winner, but I would like to finish top-five at my home track.”

King will face an all-star cast of characters at Sharon, one of three tracks to host a WoO LMS event every year since the tour’s reincarnation in 2004 under the World Racing Group banner.

The roster of Outlaws regulars includes former champions Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y. (2005 tour winner at Sharon), Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., and Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., as well as Tim Fuller of Watertown, N.Y. (2009 tour winner at Sharon), Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa. (2007), Rick Eckert of York, Pa. (2006), Shane Clanton of Fayetteville, Ga., Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga., rookie sensation Austin Hubbard of Seaford, Del., Brent Robinson of Smithfield, Va., and rookie Jill George of Cedar Falls, Iowa.

Regional talents expected to challenge the WoO LMS regulars include defending O’Reilly All-Star Late Model Series champion Robbie Blair of Titusville, Pa., Rick ‘Boom’ Briggs of Bear Lake, Pa., who won Sharon’s All-Star event on June 8, Gregg Satterlee of Rochester Mills, Pa., Mike Knight of Ripley, N.Y., and Matt Lux of Franklin, Pa.

Sharon’s Wednesday-night WoO LMS program, which is scheduled for a midweek date after running on Saturday for the past four years, is set to begin with hot laps at 6:30 p.m. and time trials at 7 p.m. The FastTrack Touring crate Late Model division will also be part of the evening’s action.

General admission is $27, with kids ages 9-13 admitted for $12 and those 8-and-under free of charge. Pit passes will be $38.

Additional info on the event is available by logging on to www.sharonspeedway.com or calling 330-772-5481 (info) or 330-772-1186 (tickets).

In addition to Wednesday’s show at Sharon, the WoO LMS Ohio-Pennsylvania Speedweek also competes on Tues., July 27, at Central PA Speedway in Clearfield, Pa.; Fri., July 30, at Attica (Ohio) Raceway Park; Sat., July 31, at Muskingum County Speedway in Zanesville, Ohio; and Sun., Aug. 1, at Eriez Speedway in Hammett, Pa.

World of Outlaws Late Model Series Stars Will Chase Central PA Speedway’s Trademark Trophy On Tues., July 27

Carved Wooden ‘Big Bear’ Provides Unique Prize For National Tour’s First-Ever Visit To Tim Bainey Sr.’s Track

CLEARFIELD, PA - July 22, 2010 - Tim Bainey Sr. and his son, Dan, are ready to welcome the World of Outlaws Late Model Series to their Central PA Speedway for the first time on Tues., July 27.

And to pique the interest of the national tour’s superstar invaders, the father-and-son team will put more on the line than just the $8,000 top prize for the evening’s 40-lap A-Main that kicks off the five-race Ohio-Pennsylvania Speedweek.

Now in their third season at the helm of the four-tenths-mile oval, the Baineys have turned a unique trophy presentation begun by their promotional predecessors into a post-race tradition. Every feature winner at the track receives a distinctive three-foot-tall, 50-pound wooden bear created for CPS by a local carver – a fact that all the drivers in the historic WoO LMS event’s field will be well aware of when the green flag drops.

Pocketing the first-place cash is always a racer’s primary objective, but earning a special keepsake trophy allows the sweet memory of a victory to linger on. Just ask Shane Clanton of Fayetteville, Ga., the lone WoO LMS regular who owns a Central PA Speedway ‘Big Bear’ thanks to his triumph in the track’s unsanctioned 2006 Yankee Doodle 50.

“I have it sitting in the living room of the house,” said Clanton, a three-time winner on this year’s WoO LMS. “It’s right there next to my trophies from the World (100 at Ohio’s Eldora Speedway) and the Firecracker (100 at Pennsylvania’s Lernerville Speedway).”

Clanton, 34, will be part of a star-studded group of WoO LMS travelers hoping to hoist the wooden bear after Tuesday night’s program, arguably the biggest dirt Late Model event in Central PA’s modern dirt-racing era. Built in 1969 as a dirt track, the speedway was paved in 1986 and operated under several promoters until being shortened slightly from its half-mile size and covered with clay prior to the 2006 season.

Tim Bainey Sr., a 52-year-old who owns a Philipsburg, Pa.-based trucking company and has a long history as both a driver and car owner in local, regional and national racing levels, purchased the track before the start of the 2008 campaign. He installed his son, Dan, 29, as the speedway’s director of operations and the two have combined to present a successful series of special events that will reach its zenith with the arrival of the WoO LMS.

The elder Bainey’s racing background is primarily with the pavement scene – he raced Late Models on Central PA Speedway’s asphalt, competed in ARCA Racing Series events at such famed tracks as Daytona, Pocono and Atlanta and in recent years fielded vehicles that his son, Tim Jr., drove in USAR ProCup Series and NASCAR Truck Series action – but he recognized the stature of the World of Outlaws brand name in the dirt-track world when Dan Bainey suggested it was time to host a show for the renowned series.

“I thought a World of Outlaws race could be huge for us and I asked my dad what he thought,” said Dan Bainey, who has served as crew chief for his father and older brother’s USAR and Truck Series racing efforts over the past decade. “He was all for it. The World of Outlaws is pretty much the NASCAR of dirt, so it’s a big deal to bring the series to our track.

“Ever since we announced the World of Outlaws date, it’s been the talk around here. We’re expected a huge crowd to come out.”

There’s plenty of room for spectators at Central PA, which has a long, high set of bleachers running the length of its homestretch and a hillside drive-in section that stretches around most of the remainder of the track. The drive-in is extremely popular for its scenic view of the action, prompting “fans to start lining up in their cars early in the morning every time we have a race,” said Dan Bainey.

The racetrack, meanwhile, is “big and fast,” described Clanton. “It has a little bit of everything to make it an exciting place.”

Clanton is one of five WoO LMS regulars with experience circling Central PA Speedway’s ribbon of dirt. He’s joined by Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa. (finished second in a 2008 event after going to rear twice), Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga. (fifth in 2006 Yankee Doodle 50), 2006 tour champion Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y. (17th in 2009 Yankee Doodle 50 but had to change a blown engine after a heat win) and 2009 Rookie of the Year Russell King of Bristolville, Ohio, who hasn’t run a dirt Late Model at the track but does have two big-block Modified starts there.

Outlaws who will be seeing Central PA for the first time, meanwhile, are defending champion Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., Tim Fuller of Watertown, N.Y., Rick Eckert of York, Pa., rookie sensation Austin Hubbard of Seaford, Del., and Brent Robinson of Smithfield, Va. Rookie Jill George of Cedar Falls, Iowa, expects to miss the event because she has been invited to participate in a Roush-Fenway test/tryout.

The WoO LMS standouts will face a tough array of regional talent – none tougher than defending O’Reilly All-Star Late Model Series champion Robbie Blair of Titusville, Pa., who is undefeated in four 2010 appearances at Central PA. He owns victories in All-Star events on May 30, July 2 and July 3 as well as an unsanctioned event on June 20.

Other drivers expected to enter Tuesday’s action include Rick ‘Boom’ Briggs of Bear Lake, Pa., who has a pair of top-five finishes this season in All-Star competition at Central PA; Gregg Satterlee of Rochester Mills, Pa., who finished third in the May 30 All-Star event; and Mike Knight of Ripley, N.Y.

Pit gates are scheduled to open at 3 p.m. and spectator gates at 3:30 p.m. on Tues., July 27. On-track action is set to get the green flag at 7 p.m. and will include racing for the four-cylinder division.

General admission is $26 and $12 for ages 11-15, with kids 10-and-under admitted free of charge. Pit passes will be $35.

Additional info on Central PA Speedway is available by logging on to www.thebigtrack.com or calling 814-768-FLAG.

Tim Fuller Returns To Cedar Lake Speedway On Aug. 5-7 Seeking $50,000 USA Nationals Victory

NEW RICHMOND, WI - July 20, 2010 - Tim Fuller made quite an impression on Cedar Lake Speedway’s fans during his first-ever visit to the Badger State track one year ago.

The resident of Watertown, N.Y., is hoping to earn even more attention from the three-eighths-mile oval’s faithful when he returns on Aug. 5-7 for the 23rd annual USA Nationals presented by United States Steel Corporation, which this season is part of the World of Outlaws Late Model Series that Fuller follows on a fulltime basis.

“We had a great time at Cedar Lake last year,” said Fuller, a superstar in the Northeast’s DIRTcar big-block Modified ranks before switching his focus to the dirt Late Model division in 2007. “I really liked the place and the whole atmosphere of the event – they host a very good party. I would love to go back there this year and win the big one.”

Fuller, 42, sparkled in his 2009 Cedar Lake debut, winning the traditional Thursday-night tune-up event that was then run under the World Dirt Racing League banner (this year’s $5,000-to-win preliminary show, on Thurs., Aug. 5, will be sanctioned by DIRTcar Racing’s UMP circuit) and finishing second in Saturday’s 100-lap USA Nationals finale. He led 54 of the first 56 laps in the headliner before being overtaken by Jimmy Mars of Menomonie, Wis., who went on to capture the prestigious race’s $50,000 top prize for the second time in his career but first since 1996.

Last year’s assault on the unsanctioned USA Nationals was a last-minute decision for Fuller, who headed to the Upper Midwest just days after he snapped a 46-race winless streak on the WoO LMS with a triumph at Sharon Speedway in Hartford, Ohio. He sure was glad he made the trip after pocketing $25,000 for his weekend of work, including a $20,000 runner-up check from the USA Nationals’ industry-leading $250,000-plus purse.

That lucrative take-home pay left Fuller feeling very good despite falling one position short of the first crown-jewel event victory in his short dirt Late Model career.

“You don’t see me get passed for the lead and finish second and still smile,” an upbeat Fuller told DirtonDirt.com after last year’s USA Nationals. “I got beat by a guy that had the better car.”

Fuller, who started second in the USA Nationals, conceded that he simply wasn’t strong enough to repel Mars once the track surface changed midway through last year’s event.

“We were really good on Thursday night and we were rolling for the first half of the 100-lapper,” said Fuller, who followed up his ’09 USA Nationals performance with a record-tying four-race win streak on the WoO LMS. “But we weren’t as good in the (hard) condition as Mars was. I had to slow down so much in the corners to stay on the bottom, and he was free enough to draw up on the outside and roll by me.

“I would’ve loved to win that race, but hey – it was our first time there and Mars was really going good at the time, so I couldn’t be disappointed. We’ll just go back and hope what we learned last year will help make us better.”

Of course, Fuller would like to bring his Gypsum Express Rocket car to Cedar Lake with the type of momentum he carried into last year’s USA Nationals – and at the moment he doesn’t have any. The good vibes of his back-to-back WoO LMS events on June 15 at New York’s Can-Am Motorsports Park and June 17 at Ontario’s Merrittville Speedway have long disappeared; he’s gone without a top-10 finish in his last 10 starts on the national tour, dropping him from fifth in the points standings (84 points out of the lead) to a dismal eighth (264 points behind).

Fuller ended the month of June with a struggled-filled ‘Firecracker 100’ weekend at Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pa., and has been “terrible, just terrible” ever since. Exacerbating his slump was the emergency appendectomy he underwent on July 5 – surgery that left him too sore to race competitively in the four-race ‘Wild West Tour’ that ran from July 7-10.

“I wrote the Tennessee trip (on July 2-3) off because I’m not usually good on tracks with really big banks and then the western trip was a big nothing because of the appendicitis,” said Fuller, who finally felt back to normal physically when he returned to his DIRTcar big-block Modified roots for three nights of action in upstate New York last weekend. “Hopefully after we go to some tracks we were good at last year (as part of the five-race WoO LMS Ohio-Pennsylvania Speedweek that runs from July 27-Aug. 1) we’ll be back on track (for Cedar Lake).”

Fuller will be looking to join a star-studded group of former USA Nationals winners who are expected to participate in this year’s edition of the event, including Mars, five-time winner and three-time WoO LMS titlist Billy Moyer of Batesville, Ark., Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, Tenn. (four-time victor and 2004 WoO LMS titlist), Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, Iowa (2007 and 2004 winner), Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, Ga. (2005) and WoO LMS regular Rick Eckert of York, Pa. (2002).

The field will also include such talents as former WoO LMS champions Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky. (top Nationals finish of third in 2005, 2002 and 1998), Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y. (top USA Nationals finish of third in 2009), Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky. (two previous Nationals starts: 10th in 1995 and 13th in 2005) and Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va. (one previous Nationals start: 12th in 2005), plus a host of other national, regional and local standouts.

Three nights of action will comprise the 23rd annual USA Nationals presented by United States Steel Corporation, beginning with a full DIRTcar Racing UMP-sanctioned program on Thurs., Aug. 5, topped by a 40-lap A-Main. Time Trials, heat races and a dash for the USA Nationals are scheduled for Fri., Aug. 6, and B-Mains and the 100-lap finale are set for Sat., Aug. 7.

Cedar Lake’s weekly NASCAR Late Models will also contest full shows on both Friday and Saturday nights.

Hot laps are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. and on-track action at 6:30 p.m. each day.

Cedar Lake officials will once again accent the racing with an exciting array of pre- and post-race entertainment, including a Saturday-morning golf scramble at the nearby Pine Meadows Golf Course; a Ladder Ball competition at 12 noon on Saturday; the popular Apple River Tubing expedition; a luncheon on Saturday afternoon that allows ‘FansFund’ contributors an opportunity to meet the drivers they helped bring to the USA Nationals; a driver autograph/meet-and-greet session prior to Saturday night’s first green flag; go-karts in the backstretch parking lot; and the ‘Party in the Pits’ under the Big White Tent following the Thursday and Friday programs.

Advanced tickets for the USA Nationals are available by calling 612-363-0479 or by visiting www.cedarlakespeedway.com. Regular camping is sold out, but additional spots have been added and can be purchased by calling the office number.

Fans who can’t make the trip to Cedar Lake can still catch all the action through a live pay-per-view broadcast of the event over the web produced by DirtonDirt.com. Log on to www.dirtondirt.com for details.

Ohio-Pennsylvania Speedweek Looms As Crucial Point In 2010 World of Outlaws Late Model Series Points Battle

CONCORD, NC – July 19, 2010 – The stars of the World of Outlaws Late Model Series will be rested and ready when the national tour ends a two-and-a-half-week mid-summer break on Tues., July 27, with a first-ever visit to Central PA Speedway.

And they know they better be – because when the green flag flies at Tim Bainey Sr.’s four-tenths-mile oval in Clearfield, Pa., the series will commence a busy stretch of five races in six nights that figures to loom large in the 2010 points battle.

Ohio-Pennsylvania Speedweek – a late-July staple of the WoO LMS since 2007 – will begin pushing the tour down its homestretch. Just 14 of the season’s 47 scheduled A-Main will remain on the series slate after the flurry of activity in the Buckeye and Keystone states.

Defending WoO LMS champion Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., leads the points standings entering Ohio-Pennsylvania Speedweek – a position he’s held outright after the last 16 events. But he hasn’t added to his series-leading win total of five since June 24 at Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pa., and his season-high edge of 56 points (after race No. 14) has dwindled to just 18 points over Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., and 46 points over Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., so he knows he needs to be at the top of his game when he returns to Outlaw grind.

“We struggled a little bit (on the recent ‘Wild West Tour’), but there’s still a long way to go,” said Richards, who has had at least a share of the points lead after 24 of this season’s 28 A-Mains completed to date. “Timmy and Darrell have been tough, so I guess we just have to get back up on the wheel. We’re gonna use our two weeks off to regroup and try to hold them off.”

McCreadie and Lanigan have materialized into the prime challengers for the 22-year-old Richards. And both former champions will roll into Ohio-Pennsylvania Speedweek with more momentum than Richards. McCreadie, 36, has won three of the last eight WoO LMS events, while Lanigan, 40, has finished second in six of the last 10 A-Mains, including the last four in a row.

Lanigan is actually in the midst of a streak unprecedented in the annals of the WoO LMS, though it’s one that has the 2008 titlist shaking his head in frustration. With his four consecutive runner-up finishes during the ‘Wild West Tour,’ he became the first driver in tour history to place second in more than three straight A-Mains.

The only other driver who appears to still have a shot at upstaging Richards, McCreadie and Lanigan for the WoO LMS championship is 2007 titlist Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., who sits fourth in the points standings, 116 points behind Richards. His hopes for the $100,000 crown wrest on making up ground during Ohio-Pennsylvania Speedweek, which features events at:

* Central PA Speedway, a specials-only track that will play host to the richest dirt Late Model race in its history when the WoO LMS arrives on Tues., July 27, for a 40-lap, $8,000-to-win A-Main. The speedway, which had its paved surface covered with clay prior to the 2006 season, is in its third season under the stewardship of former racer and asphalt stock team owner Tim Bainey Sr. The only WoO LMS regular who has won on Central PA’s dirt is Shane Clanton of Fayetteville, Ga., who invaded the track in 2007 to win the ‘Yankee Doodle 50.’

* Sharon Speedway in Hartford, Ohio, the three-eighths-mile oval co-owned by NASCAR Sprint Cup Series veteran and former WoO Sprint Car Series champion Dave Blaney. One of three tracks that has presented a WoO LMS event every year since the tour was reincarnated in 2004 under the World Racing Group banner, Sharon is shifting its 50-lap, $10,000-to-win Outlaw show to a mid-week date – on Wed., July 28 – after hosting Saturday-night events for the last four years. Sharon’s past WoO LMS winners include current regulars McCreadie (2005), Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa. (2007) and Tim Fuller of Watertown, N.Y. (2009) as well as Donnie Moran of Dresden, Ohio (2008) and Davey Johnson of Latrobe, Pa. (2004).

* Attica (Ohio) Raceway Park, which returns to the WoO LMS schedule for the third straight season on Fri., July 30, with a 50-lap A-Main paying $10,000 to win. Previous winners include Richards (2008) and Steve Shaver of Vienna, W.Va., who won the 2009 event that was highlighted by a titanic, three-wide battle for second place just behind Shaver between championship contenders Richards, Francis and Lanigan.

* Muskingum County Speedway in Zanesville, Ohio, a three-eighths-mile oval owned by Ronnie Moran – the father of dirt Late Model superstar Donnie Moran – that will welcome the WoO LMS on Sat., July 31. The 50-lap, $10,000-to-win program will mark the first time that the Outlaws pay a Saturday-night visit to the semi-banked track, which previously presented mid-week shows won by Frank (2009) and Francis (2008).

* Eriez Speedway in Hammett, Pa., the Bob Rohrer-promoted facility near Lake Erie that will be rocked by the WoO LMS for the fourth consecutive year on Sun., Aug. 1. There has yet to be a repeat winner in the one-third-mile oval’s three tour events, which were captured by Richards (2007), Francis (2008) and current series traveler Rick Eckert of York, Pa., who topped last year’s A-Main after it was finally completed on Sept. 1 following two rainouts.

Ohio-Pennsylvania Speedweek will pit the WoO LMS standouts – a group that also includes Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga., Russell King of Bristolville, Ohio, rookie sensation Austin Hubbard of Seaford, Del., Brent Robinson of Smithfield, Va., and rookie Jill George of Cedar Falls, Iowa – against some of the toughest regional and local competition they’ll face all season.

* Central PA Speedway on Tues., July 27: Visit www.thebigtrack.com or call 814-768-3524.

* Sharon Speedway on Wed., July 28: Visit www.sharonspeedway.com or call 330-772-5481 (info) or 330-772-1186 (tickets).

* Attica Raceway Park on Fri., July 30: Visit www.atticaracewaypark.com or call 419-680-5606.

* Muskingum County Speedway on Sat., July 31: Visit www.themuskingumcountyspeedway.com or call 740-754-9199.

* Eriez Speedway on Sun., Aug. 1: Visit www.eriez-speedway.com or call 814-434-4370 or 814-440-2859.

Additional information on the WoO LMS is available by logging on to www.worldofoutlaws.com.

WAUSEON, OH - July 17 - There was no catching Rusty Schlenk Saturday Night at Oakshade Raceway during the finale of the DIRTcar Summer Nationals Hell Tour.

Fourth starting Schlenk followed outside polesitter Dennis Erb Jr., of Carpentersville Ill., on the initial start of the 60-lap main event as the duo led the field on the initial lap. Schlenk, the current DIRTcar Late Model National point leader would then dispose of Erb just before the races midpoint and build over a full straight away lead on his closest competitor to capture the $10,000 winner's check.

Greenbriar, Ark., driver and Hell Tour traveler Jack Sullivan climbed from his ninth-place starting spot to claim the runner up position just ahead of Ryan Unzicker of El Paso Ill., who himself rallied from a 14th starting spot to claim third. Dennis Erb Jr., of Carpentersville, Ill., would finish fourth and home state hero Donnie Moran of Dresden, Ohio would round out the top five.

2009 DIRTcar Late Model National Champion Jason Feger of Bloomington, Ill., would officially add DIRTcar Summer Nationals Champion to his resume with his ninth place finish at Oakshade. Feger had wrapped up the title a night earlier when he claimed the win at Attica Raceway Park in nearby Attica, Ohio putting an exclamation point on a furious late tour charge.

Feger's championship comes on the strength of 18 top five finishes along with an impressive 22 top ten showings. The 32-year old driver had last finished outside the top ten at I-55 Raceway on July 3rd where he finished 15th. Since that day, Feger went on an impressive stretch run scoring two wins, four runner-up finishes, a third, and two fourth place finishes before the finale at Oakshade.

In total the Hell Tour traveled more than 5,000 miles in the course of 32 nights. From here the stars of the DIRTcar Summer Nationals tour will switch their focus to the DIRTcar Late Model National point standings and competition at the vast array of DIRTcar sanctioned tracks throughout the country. Drivers will also have an array of major events still to compete in as well including the World 100 and DIRTcar UMP Nationals at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio and the second edition of the Party In Pevely at I-55 Raceway in Pevely, Mo.

For more on the DIRTcar Summer Nationals Hell Tour, visit http://www.thehelltour.com

A-Main 60-Laps: (1) Rusty Schlenk, (2) Jack Sullivan, (3) Ryan Unzicker, (4) Dennis Erb Jr., (5) Donnie Moran, (6) Jeep Van Wormer, (7) Doug Drown, (8) Matt Miller, (9) Jason Feger, (10) Russ King, (11) Casey Noonan, (12) Shannon Babb, (13) Rick Delong, (14) Devin Shiels, (15) Brian Ruhlman, (16) Brad Eitniear, (17) Brandon Sheppard, (18) Jon Henry, (19) Curtis Roberts, (20) Kris Patterson, (21) Kevin Reeve.

B-Main: Devin Shiels, Ryan Unzicker, Brad Eitniear, Casey Noonan, Rick Delong, Kris Patterson, Steve Kester, Jason McBride, Brandon Sheppard, Chris Keller, Andrew Reaume, Dusty Moore, Scott Schmitt, Mike Bores, Tom Ordway, Jamie Oldfield.

First C-Main (top five): Chris Keller, Tom Ordway, Ron Miller, Matt Lindsey, Dan Wallace.

Second C-Main (top five): Casey Noonan, Dusty Moore, Donny Walden, Zac Davis, Jeff Babcock.

Heat 6: Curtis Roberts, Russ King, Kris Patterson, Steve Kester, Kevin Mack, Chuck Hummer, Chuck Desgrange. Scratched: Carl Ries, John Caldwell.

Heat 5: Donnie Moran, Matt Miller, Brad Eitniear, Mike Bores, Dan Wallace, Chris Keller, Rob Anderzack, Kevin Reeve, Bryant Dickinson.

Heat 4: Jon Henry, Jason Feger, Ryan Unzicker, Rick Delong, Hillard Miller, Jeff Babcock, Wayne Miller, Mark Pollock, Michael Jantz, Lewis Miller.

Heat 3: Rusty Schlenk, Jack Sullivan, Jamie Oldfield, Scott Schmitt, Craig Vosbergen, Curtis Deisenroth, Ron Miller, Brandon Thirlby, Brian Fisher, Kyle Perry.

Heat 2: Doug Drown, Shannon Babb, Andrew Reaume, Brandon Sheppard, Dusty Moore, Donny Walden, Casey Noonan, Tim Sabo, Cody Houston, Zac Davis.

Heat 1: Dennis Erb Jr., Brian Ruhlman, Devin Shiels, Jason McBride, Matt Lindsey, Tom Ordway, Josh Scott, Pete Dotson, Jeep Van Wormer, Mike Miller.
Time trials (unofficial)
First group
Dennis Erb Jr. (28), Carpentersville, Ill., 14.998
Devin Shiels (51), Britton, Mich., 15.040
Brian Ruhlman (49), Clarklake, Mich., 15.056
Jason McBride (77), Carbondale, Ill., 15.062
Jeep Van Wormer (55), Pinconning, Mich., 15.169
Josh Scott (30), Weston, Ohio, 15.266
Matt Lindsey (49), Adrian, Mich., 15.614
Tom Ordway (55), Stryker, Ohio, 15.630
Mike Miller (72), Delta, Ohio, 15.804
Pete Dotson (53), Bryan, Ohio, 16.966
Second group
Doug Drown (12), Wooster, Ohio, 14.991
Dusty Moore (40wd), Swanton, Ohio, 15.050
Shannon Babb (18), Moweaqua, Ill., 15.225
Andrew Reaume (88), Blenheim, Ontario, 15.383
Brandon Sheppard (B5), New Berlin, Ill., 15.587
Tim Sabo (84), Toledo, Ohio, 15.809
Zac Davis (01), Adrian, Mich., 16.398
Cody Houston (7H), Bryan, Ohio, 16.526
Donny Walden (1w), Towanda, Ill., no time
Casey Noonan (1), Sylvania, Ohio, no time
Third group
Scott Schmitt (10), Tonica, Ill., 15.211
Jack Sullivan (1), Greenbrier, Ark., 15.418
Rusty Schlenk (91), Jackson, Mich., 15.568
Jamie Oldfield (55x), Perth, Western Australia, 15.599
Brandon Thirlby (m14), Traverse City, Mich., 15.858
Curtis Deisenroth (2D), Oak Harbor, Ohio, 15.890
Brian Fisher (3F), Adrian, Mich., 15.901
Ron Miller (35), Lambertville, Mich., 15.932
Craig Vosbergen (8), Perth, Western Australia, 16.252
Kyle Perry (06), Perrysburg, Ohio, 16.423
Fourth group
Jason Feger (25), Bloomington, Ill., 15.390
Jon Henry (15), Ada, Ohio, 15.397
Jeff Babcock (1B), Wayne, Ohio, 15.770
Ryan Unzicker (24), El Paso, Ill., 16.109
Rick Delong (3D), Whitehouse, Ohio, 16.195
Hillard Miller (53), Defiance, Ohio, 16.493
Lewis Miller (86), Battle Creek, Mich., 16.528
Wayne Miller (12), Montpelier, Ohio, 16.723
Michael Jantz (T4), Inkster, Mich., 16.886
Mark Pollock (171), Oregon, Ohio, 17.016
Fifth group
Donnie Moran (99), Dresden, Ohio, 15.299
Matt Miller (7), Waterville, Ohio, 15.326
Brad Eitniear (B4U), Defiance, Ohio, 15.461
Rob Anderzack (8A), Metamora, Ohio, 15.763
Chris Keller (67), Adrian, Mich., 15.794
Mike Bores (15B), Bellevue, Ohio, 16.037
Dan Wallace (x3), Toledo, Ohio, 16.162
Kevin Reeve (117), Hanover, Mich., 16.248
Bryant Dickinson (5*), Ionia, Mich., 16.350
Sixth group
Curtis Roberts (9r), Coleman, Mich., 15.256
Russ King (56), Bristolville, Ohio, 15.462
Chuck Hummer (85), Ottawa Lake, Mich., 16.336
Kris Patterson (0), St. John's, Mich., 16.410
Chuck Desgrange (95), McClure, Ohio, 16.567
Kevin Mack (21r), Defiance, Ohio, 16.599
Steve Kester (77), Holland, Ohio, 16.759
Carl Ries (6R), Blanchard, Mich., no time
John Caldwell (31), Swanton, Ohio, no time

ATTICA, OH - July 16 - The pressure was clearly building around Jason Feger as the DIRTcar Summer Nationals Hell Tour entered its championship weekend Friday night at Attica Raceway Park. Through 27 events in 30 days, Feger was atop the overall standings and seeking his first series crown.

After a grueling schedule throughout the Midwest, Feger decided enough was enough and took care of business Friday night, holding off Jeep Van Wormer over 40 laps at the 1/3-mile high-banked oval to earn his second Hell Tour victory. In doing so, Feger also clinched his first DIRTcar Summer Nationals Hell Tour championship, meaning Saturday at Oakshade Raceway will feature an incredible victory celebration as he tries to add one more win in the series finale after unseating three-time Hell Tour champion Dennis Erb Jr.

"You feel every bump, every vibration, and all the noise with so much on the line," said Feger, 32, the 2009 DIRTcar Late Model national champion from Bloomington, Ill. "I'm just glad the pressure is off and we can get back to having fun.

"It means a lot to finally beat Dennis. He's been so good on this deal for so long. That guy is just so good and is always consistent. He and I race together a lot and we're both fierce competitors. It also feels really good being the first Bob Pierce race car to win a Summer Nationals. It's just a pretty awesome feeling right now."

It wasn't an easy victory as Feger was forced to withstand a deluge of challenges from Van Wormer. Surviving the grinding day-after-day schedule has its rewards. He collected $5,000 for winning at Attica, plus another $25,000 for the DIRTcar Summer Nationals crown.

"It was a long 40 laps, especially until the last green flag stretch," Feger said. "I knew Jeep had a softer tire on the left than I did and he was firing really well down on the bottom on the restarts. I just needed a few laps to get going."

Van Wormer, of Pinconning, Mich., settled for second ahead of Matt Miller of Waterville, Ohio.

Erb, of Carpentersville, Ill., was trying to win a fourth consecutive Summer Nationals title. He rallied from 15th to finish fourth ahead of travel mate Jason McBride of Carbondale, Ill.

The DIRTcar Summer Nationals Hell Tour wraps up Saturday with the annual Birthday Race at Oakshade Raceway in Wauseon, Ohio. In total the Hell Tour has traveled more than 4,900 miles in the course of 30 nights. The trip from Attica Raceway Park to Oakshade Raceway in Wauseon, Ohio, will have drivers traveling over 100 miles west to the track, which will serve as 28th race since the 2010 tour started on June 16.

For more on the DIRTcar Summer Nationals Hell Tour, visit http://www.thehelltour.com

A-Main 40-Laps: (1) Jason Feger, (2) Jeep Van Wormer, (3) Matt Miller, (4) Dennis Erb Jr., (5) Jason McBride, (6) BrianRuhlman, (7) Dusty Moore, (8) Shannon Babb, (9) Ryan Unzicker, (10) Russ King, (11) Jon Henry, (12) Jack Sullivan,(13) Keith Berner, (14) Ryan Missler, (15) Brandon Sheppard, (16) Curtis Deisenroth, (17) Doug Drown, (18) Jeff Babcock, (19) Larry Kingseed, (20) Donnie Moran. Scratched: Curtis Roberts.

B-Main: Shannon Babb, Ryan Unzicker, Devin Shiels, Rick Delong, Jason McBride, Eric Spangler, Brandon Thirlby, Mark Frazier, Dan Wallace, Rocky Owens, Casey Noonan, Wayne Maffett Jr., Dusty Moore, Ryan Markham, Jeremy Canada, Scratched: Mike Bores.

First C-Main (cars running at finish): Mike Bores, Rocky Owens, Michael Stiltner II, Ken Hahn, Brandon Perkins, Kyle Perry, Bobby Michaels.

Second C-Main (cars running at finish): RIck Delong, Mark Frazier, Donny Walden, Ernie Haynes, Larry Kingseed, John Bores, Craig Vosbergen, Steve Sabo, Bryant Dickinson.

Heat 4: Jason Feger, Doug Drown, Curtis Roberts, Jon Henry, Ryan Unzicker, Casey Noonan, Dusty Moore, Rick Delong, Mark Frazier, Larry Kingseed, Steve Sabo, Ernie Haynes.

Heat 3: Matt Miller, Russ King, Donnie Moran, Dennis Erb Jr., Devin Shiels, Brandon Thirlby, Eric Spangler, Donny Walden, John Bores, Bryant Dickinson. Scratched: Rusty Schlenk.

Heat 2: Brian Ruhlman, Jeep Van Wormer, Brandon Sheppard, Jack Sullivan, Shannon Babb, Ryan Markham, Jason McBride, Ken Hahn, Carl Ries, Kyle Perry, Bobby Michaels, Nate Potts. Scratched: Bill Clapp Jr.

Heat 1: Ryan Missler, Curtis Deisenroth, Jeff Babcock, Keith Berner, Jeremy Canada, Dan Wallace, Wayne Maffett Jr., Rocky Owens, Jeff Esbenshade, Michael Stiltner II, Cody Scott.

Time trials (unofficial)
First group
Ryan Missler (50y), Bellevue, Ohio, 15.141
Curtis Deisenroth (2D), Oak Harbor, Ohio, 15.196
Jeremy Canada (23c), Barberton, Ohio, 15.205
Jeff Esbenshade (93), Ashland, Ohio, 15.218
Keith Berner (11), Millersburg, Ohio, 15.452
Wayne Maffett (40), Mansfield, Ohio, 15.538
Jeff Babcock (1B), Wayne, Ohio, 15.556
Rocky Owens (29), Mansfield, Ohio, 16.021
Dan Wallace (X3), Toledo, Ohio, 16.037
Mike Bores (15B), Bellevue, Ohio, 16.055
Brandon Perkins (92), Republic, Ohio, 16.341
Michael Stiltner II (12), Green Springs, Ohio, 16.778
Cody Scott (92s), Ontario, Ohio, 16.841
Second group
Jack Sullivan (1s), Greenbrier, Ark., 15.265
Brian Ruhlman (49), Clarklake, Mich., 15.312
Brandon Sheppard (B5), New Berlin, Ill., 15.343
Jason McBride (77), Carbondale, Ill., 15.525
Ryan Markham (5m), Ashland, Ohio, 15.615
Shannon Babb (18), Moweaqua, Ill., 15.628
Carl Ries (6k), Blanchard, Mich., 15.685
Ken Hahn (27), Gibsonburg, Ohio, 15.848
Kyle Perry (06), Perrysburg, Ohio, 17.277
Nate Potts (30), Bellevue, Ohio, 17.686
Bobby Michaels (22), Republic, Ohio, 17.688
Jeep Van Wormer (55), Pinconning, Mich., no time
Bill Clapp Jr. (1c), Flat Rock, Ohio, no time
Third group
Matt Miller (7), Waterville, Ohio, 15.075
Russ King (56), Bristolville, Ohio, 15.168
Craig Vosbergen (8), Perth, Western Australia, 15.269
Rusty Schlenk (91), Jackson, Mich., 15.281
Dennis Erb Jr. (28), Carpentersville, Ill., 15.607
Devin Shiels (51), Britton, Mich., 15.624
Donnie Moran (99), Dresden, Ohio, 15.667
Eric Spangler (27), Lake City, Mich., 15.726
Brandon Thirlby (m14), Traverse City, Mich., 15.755
John Bores (48), Bellevue, Ohio, 16.002
Donny Walden (1w), Towanda, Ill., 16.217
Bryant Dickinson (5*), Ionia, Mich., 17.473
Fourth group
Ryan Unzicker (24), El Paso, Ill., 15.039
Jason Feger (25), Bloomington, Ill., 15.147
Doug Drown (12), Wooster, Ohio, 15.179
Curtis Roberts (9r), Coleman, Mich., 15.454
Dusty Moore (WD40), Swanton, Ohio, 15.675
Mark Frazier (9f), Chillicothe, Ohio, 15.804
Casey Noonan (1), Sylvania, Ohio, 16.041
Larry Kingseed (21), Castalia, Ohio, 16.082
Jon Henry (15), Ada, Ohio, 16.129
Rick Delong (3), Whitehouse, Ohio, 16.206
Ernie Haynes (5h), Rising Sun, Ohio, 16.350
Steve Sabo (99s), Fremont, Ohio, 17.419

Cedar Lake Speedway’s Deep History With World of Outlaws Late Model Series Has Billy Moyer’s Name All Over It

Can Hall of Famer Duplicate Past Glory At Wisconsin Track When National Tour Sanctions USA Nationals On Aug. 5-7 For First Time Since 2005?

NEW RICHMOND, WI – July 14, 2010 – Cedar Lake Speedway’s deep history with the World of Outlaws Late Model Series will be rekindled when the national tour returns to the Badger State track to sanction the 23rd annual USA Nationals presented by United States Steel Corporation on Aug. 5-7.

And if Dirt Late Model Hall of Famer Billy Moyer ends up battling for the 100-lap event’s $50,000 top prize, it will seem just like old times at the high-banked, one-third-mile oval.

Moyer, 52, of Batesville, Ark., owns a spectacular performance record in WoO LMS competition at Cedar Lake, winning seven times and never finishing worse than fifth in the 10 tour A-Mains that have been contested there. All of his victories came in 1988 and 1989 during the short-lived first incarnation of the series run under the direction of late WoO Sprint Car Series founder Ted Johnson, but he was close to another checkered flag in the only Cedar Lake event of the WoO LMS’s modern era (2004-present), finishing second in the 2005 USA Nationals.

A three-time WoO LMS champion (1988-89, 2005), Moyer fondly, albeit a bit vaguely, recalls his amazing run of Outlaw success at Cedar Lake some two decades ago. He was beaten just once in five events in 1988 (by current Cedar Lake regular and perennial titlist Rick Egersdorf of Lake Elmo, Minn.) and once in four events in 1989 (by Donnie Moran of Dresden, Ohio). Moyer capped both years with triumphs in the first two USA Nationals – then 50-lap features worth $12,000 to win in ’88 and $14,000 in ’89 – on his way to an alltime event-record five victories.

“It seemed like we had a handle on the place back in the day,” said Moyer, who also won the USA Nationals in 1990, 1992 and 1993 when it carried sanctioning from DIRTcar Racing’s UMP circuit. “There were a lot of good racers from out that way back then that everybody might not have heard of – guys like Willy Kraft – but I think we were a step ahead of a lot of them with how we done our tires and our chassis.

“You could keep an advantage a little longer in those days, and I guess I just had some things I understood about the car that I kept to myself. Today, with all the chassis builders involved, they pass all this information on to all their customers and it’s harder to hold on to an edge like we did when we were winning all those races every year (at Cedar Lake).”

Moyer’s Cedar Lake strength in 1988-89 was an extension of the superiority he demonstrated during the original WoO LMS campaigns. He won 22 of the 41 A-Mains that were run those two years, a lofty win percentage that he would have loved to pad in successive seasons. Unfortunately, Johnson discontinued the series after the 1989 season to focus on his Sprint Car endeavors and it sat idle until resuming in 2004 under the World Racing Group banner.

“I was really surprised when (Johnson) decided to pull the plug,” said Moyer. “I honestly think that if he just held on one more year it would probably be right there where the (WoO) Sprint Cars are right now instead of still growing. Right when he quit doing it there were just a few professional-type racers doing it for a living, but there were getting to be more and more and that would have kept the deal growing without that little empty spot (of 15 years) in there.”

Today the WoO LMS is getting stronger each year, well on its way to realizing the full potential that Moyer saw in it over 20 years ago. The tour’s return to Cedar Lake for the USA Nationals – a crown-jewel event that, with its $250,000-plus purse, ranks as the country’s highest-paying dirt Late Model race – adds more prestige to a 2010 schedule that currently lists 47 events at 40 tracks in 19 states and two Canadian provinces.

Moyer is expected to enter the blockbuster event as a favorite – not very shocking, of course, considering he’s tearing up the dirt Late Model world this season like it’s 1989. With 16 overall feature wins through mid-July, Moyer is proving that he hasn’t lost anything off the fastball that he flashed at Cedar Lake during the early years of the USA Nationals.

One of Moyer’s victories this season came at Cedar Lake, on June 18 in the first half of the ‘Masters’ weekend doubleheader that was part of the DIRTcar Racing Summer Nationals. That outing made him realize once again how much he likes the speedway.

“The racetrack has always been fun,” said Moyer, who owns 100-lap victories this season in the Dream XVI at Ohio’s Eldora Speedway (worth $100,000) and the WoO LMS ‘Illini 100’ at Farmer City (Ill.) Raceway ($20,000). “I think it’s sort of the right size for me. I just think a smaller place is a better show for the fans, and it’s been one of those places where you have to chase the racetrack around. I like that quality in a racetrack.”

Moyer towed his Victory Circle Chassis to last year’s USA Nationals but failed to qualify for the headliner after a B-Main scrape cost him too much valuable ground to make up. He felt he was more a victim of circumstance than performance, however, fueling his desire to return to the Upper Midwest in search of his first USA Nationals victory in 17 years.

“Do we have to run better last year? Yeah,” said Moyer, whose USA Nationals ledger shows only two top-five (second in 2005, fourth in 2008) and four top-10 finishes since his last triumph in the event. “But we were right there with the car last year. We had some crazy stuff happen trying to get in the race, but I think we could’ve raced OK once we got in the 100 lapper.”

Moyer is among a star-studded group of former USA Nationals winners expected to enter this year’s edition, joining Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, Tenn. (four-time victor and 2004 WoO LMS titlist), Jimmy Mars of Menomonie, Wis. (1996 and 2009), Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, Iowa (2004 and 2007), WoO LMS regular Rick Eckert of York, Pa. (2002) and Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, Ga. (2005).

The field will also include such talents as former WoO LMS champions Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., and Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., and a host of other national, regional and local standouts.

Three nights of action will comprise the 23rd annual USA Nationals presented by United States Steel Corporation, beginning with a full DIRTcar Racing UMP-sanctioned program on Thurs., Aug. 5, topped by a 50-lap A-Main paying $5,000 to win. Time Trials, heat races and a dash for the USA Nationals are scheduled for Fri., Aug. 6, and B-Mains and the 100-lap finale are set for Sat., Aug. 7.

Cedar Lake’s weekly NASCAR Late Models will also contest full shows on both Friday and Saturday nights.

Hot laps are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. and on-track action at 6:30 p.m. each day.

Peoria, IL - July 13, 2010 - Jack Sullivan earned his second Hell Tour victory the season on Tuesday night at Peoria Speedway, where the DIRTcar Summer Nationals competed for the 25th time in 27 days.

Sullivan, of Greenbriar, Ark., jumped out to early lead over pole-sitter Frank Heckenast Jr., and then fended off multiple challenges from multiple angles thrown at him by Hell Tour point leader Jason Feger during the 40-lap main event. Sullivan, who also won at Clarksville (Tenn.) Speedway, collected $5,000 for winning.

Feger finished a strong second, charging from his eighth-place starting spot to add a little more distance between himself and defending champion Dennis Erb Jr. in the DIRTcar Summer Nationals point standings. Monday night winner Ryan Unzicker was third, followed by Heckenast and Steve Lance Jr.

Up next for the DIRTcar Summer Nationals Tour is a visit to the Hoosier state and Kokomo Speedway on Wednesday, July 14. In total the Hell Tour has traveled more than 4,500 miles in the course of 27 nights. The trip from Peoria, Ill., to Kokomo Speedway in Kokomo, Ind., will have drivers traveling over 230 miles east to the track which will serve as 26th race of the 2010 tour. The tour last visited Kokomo in 2005 when Shannon Babb of Moweaqua, Ill., won. The win was his 10th of 15 wins in 2005.

A-Main 40-Laps: (1) Jack Sullivan, (2) Jason Feger, (3) Ryan Unzicker, (4) Frank Heckenast Jr., (5) Steve Lance Jr., (6) Dennis Erb Jr., (7) Mike Mullvain, (8) Kevin Weaver, (9) Billy Moyer Jr., (10) Shannon Babb, (11) Rich Bell, (12) Doug Drown, (13) Brian Harris, (14) Jeff Maher, (15) Brandon Sheppard, (16) Tim Lance, (17) Jason Jaggers, (18) Todd Bennett, (19) Jeep Van Wormer, (20) Mike Hammerle, (21) Charley Hess, (22) Jay Sparks, (23) Mike Provenzano, (24) Dillan White.

B-Main: Brian Harris, Mike Provenzano, Brian Shirley, Brandon Sheppard, Tim Lance, Bobby Pierce, Jason McBride, Brandon Thirlby, Jim Moon, Mike Hammerle, Jim Carmody, Scott Schmitt, Dennis Erb Jr., Gerry Reeder Jr., Ryan Dauber.

First heat: Jack Sullivan, Mike Mullvain, Todd Bennett, Doug Drown, Ryan Dauber, Brian Harris, Brandon Sheppard, Mike Hammerle, Russ Adams, Jeff Maher.

Second heat: Frank Heckenast Jr., Dillan White, Kevin Weaver, RIch Bell, Brian Shirley, Bobby Pierce, Dennis Erb Jr., John Gardner, Larry Riekert, Zack Kuhel. Scratched: Donny Walden.

Third heat: Ryan Unzicker, Jason Jaggers, Jay Sparks, Charley Hess, Brandon Thirlby, Mike Provenzano, Gerry Reeder Jr., Jim Carmody, Jim Moon, Dick Taylor, Jeep Van Wormer.

Fourth heat: Shannon Babb, Jason Feger, Steve Lance Jr., Billy Moyer Jr., Tim Lance, Scott Schmitt, Jason McBride, Craig Vosbergen, Bob Gardner, Kyle Logue, Brian Crebo.

Time trials (unofficial) (Heat races start straight up by qualifying) First group Mike Mullvain (4), Bartonville, Ill., 12.763 Jack Sullivan (1), Greenbrier, Ark., 12.942 Brian Harris (75), Davenport, Iowa, 12.946 Todd Bennett (T2), Peoria Heights, Ill., 12.979 Doug Drown (12), Wooster, Ohio, 13.024 Ryan Dauber (64), Tonica, Ill., 13.087 Wes Steidinger (J1), Fairbury, Ill., 13.198 Mike Hammerle (16H), St. Charles, Mo., 13.379 Russ Adams (74), Princeville, Ill., 13.431 Jeff Maher (22), Elmwood, Ill., 13.514 Brandon Sheppard (B5), New Berlin, Ill., 13.702 Second group Brian Shirley (48x), Chatham, Ill., 12.545 Frank Heckenast Jr. (99jr), Orland Park, Ill., 12.937 Donny Walden (1w), Towanda, Ill., 13.018 Dillan White (54), Crofton, Ky., 13.047 Dennis Erb Jr. (28), Carpentersville, Ill., 13.048 Rich Bell (21B), Sheffield, Ill., 13.260 John Gardner (38c), Creve Couer, Ill., 13.411 Kevin Weaver (B12), Gibson City, Ill., 13.714 Bobby Pierce (32), Oakwood, Ill., 13.797 Larry Reikert (94), Edelstein, Ill., 13.963 Zach Kuhel (0), Morton, Ill., 14.411 Third group Ryan Unzicker (24), El Paso, Ill., 12.983 Jeep Van Wormer (55), Pinconning, Mich., 13.060 Jay Sparks (7s), Metamora, Ill., 13.075 Jason Jaggers (32j), Wyanet, Ill., 13.174 Charley Hess (40), Peoria, Ill., 13.259 Brandon Thirlby (m14), Traverse City, Mich., 13.284 Mike Provenzano (m27), Marsielles, Ill., 13.352 Gerry Reeder Jr. (65), Lexington, Ky., 13.434 Dick Taylor (24), Springfield, Ill., 13.552 Jim Moon (1m), Zionsville, Ind., 13.584 Jim Carmody (83c), Dunlap, Ill., 13.641 Fourth group Shannon Babb (18), Moweaqua, Ill., 12.748 Jason Feger (25), Bloomington, Ill., 12.874 Billy Moyer Jr. (21jr), Batesville, Ark., 12.939 Tim Lance (48), Brimfield, Ill., 12.990 Steve Lance Jr. (25), Cuba, Ill., 13.104 Kyle Logue (21), Cisco, Ill., 13.202 Jason McBride (77), Carbondale, Ill., 13.307 Brian Crebo (99c), Washington, Ill., 13.322 Scott Schmitt (10), Tonica, Ill., 13.569 Craig Vosbergen (8), Perth, Western Australia, 13.732 Bob Gardner (4G), Creve Couer, Ill., 15.944

Canton, IL - July 12, 2010 - Persistence pays off. Ryan Unzicker is living proof of that after capturing his first career Hell Tour win Monday night at Spoon River Speedway during the 24th stop of the month long tour.

The perennial DIRTcar Summer Nationals competitor, Unzicker of El Paso, Ill., was patiently aggressive using the low line to reel in a lead duo of point leader Jason Feger of Bloomington, Ill. and Greenbriar, Ark., driver Jack Sullivan midway through the 40-Lap main event. Unzicker would overtake Feger on lap 26 and later Sullivan on lap 28 and cruise the rest of the way to claim a $5,000 winner's check.

Third starting Tim Lance of Brimfield, Ill., would cross the line second ahead of Feger. Previous night winner Jeep Van Wormer of Pinconning, Mich., would finish fourth after sliding back earlier in the feature event. Former Hell Tour champion Shannon Babb of Moweaqua, Ill., would round out the top five.

Up next for the DIRTcar Summer Nationals Tour is a visit to Peoria Speedway on Tuesday July 13, 2010. In total the Hell Tour has traveled over 4,400 miles in the course of 26 nights. The trip from Canton, Ill., to Peoria Speedway in Peoria, Ill., will have drivers traveling just 30 miles east to the track which will serve as 25th race of the 2010 tour.

A-Main 40-Laps: (1) Ryan Unzicker, (2) Tim Lance, (3) Jason Feger, (4) Jeep Van Wormer, (5) Shannon Babb, (6) Jack Sullivan, (7) Doug Drown, (8) Steve Lance Jr., (9) Brian Shirley, (10) Dennis Erb Jr., (11) Bobby Pierce, (12) Kevin Weaver, (13) Dillan White, (14) Joe Harlan, (15) Jason McBride, (16) Brian Diveley, (17) Donny Walden, (18) Brandon Sheppard, (19) Brad Denney, (20) Charley Hess, (21) Frank Heckenast Jr., (22) Billy Moyer Jr., (23) Dustin Griffin, (24) Boone McLaughlin.

B-Main: Dennis Erb Jr., Bobby Pierce, Brian Diveley, Boone McLaughlin, Scott Schmitt, Frank Heckenast Jr., Jeremy Conaway, Craig Vosbergen, Jason McBride, Jimmy Dehm, Mike Mullvain, Jim Moon, Steve Dimmick, Brandon Thirlby. Scratched: Dustin Griffin.

First heat: Jeep Van Wormer, Jack Sullivan, Dillan White, Charley Hess, Boone McLaughlin, Bobby Pierce, Scott Schmitt, Jason McBride, Jay SPakrs, Robbie Bauman.

Second heat: Jason Feger, Shannon Babb, Kevin Weaver, Brandon Sheppard, Brian Diveley, Jeremy Conaway, Mike Mullvain, Adam Mefford, Jimmy Dehm. Scratched: Russ Adams.

Third heat: Doug Drown, Ryan Unzicker, Steve Lance Jr., Donny Walden, Craig Vosbergen, Dustin Griffin, Brandon Thirlby, Jim Carmody, Russ Schoonover.

Fourth heat: Tim Lance, Brian Shirley, Joe Harlan, Billy Moyer Jr., Dennis Erb Jr., Frank Heckenast Jr., Steve Dimmick, Jim Moon, Brad Denney.

Time trials (unofficial) First group Jeep Van Wormer (55), Pinconning, Mich., 14.546 Jack Sullivan (1), Greenbrier, Ark., 14.721 Boone McLaughlin (14), Mediapolis, Iowa, 14.805 Scott Schmitt (10), Tonica, Ill., 15.023 Dillan White (54), Crofton, Ky., 15.081 Jason McBride (77), Carbondale, Ill., 15.096 Bobby Pierce (32), Oakwood, Ill., 15.249 Jay Sparks (7), Metamora, Ill., 15.371 Charley Hess (4), Peoria, Ill., 15.536 Robbie Bauman (1*), Fairview, Ill., 15.762 Second group Jason Feger (25), Bloomington, Ill., 14.381 Shannon Babb (18), Moweaqua, Ill., 14.449 Brandon Sheppard (B5), New Berlin, Ill., 14.874 Kevin Weaver (00), Gibson City, Ill., 14.978 Brian Diveley (11D), Springfield, Ill., 15.028 Jimmy Dehm (99j), Lexington, Ill., 15.030 Mike Mullvain (4), Bartonville, Ill., 15.265 Jeremy Conaway (F15), Springfield, Ill., 15.377 Adam Mefford (7m), Jacksonville, Ill., 15.459 Russ Adams (74), Princeville, Ill., no time Third group Doug Drown (12), Wooster, Ohio, 14.795 Steve Lance Jr. (25), Cuba, Ill., 14.845 Craig Vosbergen (8), Perth, Western Australia, 15.039 Ryan Unzicker (24), El Paso, Ill., 15.065 Donny Walden (1w), Towanda, Ill., 15.131 Brandon Thirlby (m14), Traverse City, Mich., 15.804 Jim Carmody (83c), Dunlap, Ill., 15.980 Russ Schoonover (59), Bolten, England, 17.498 Dustin Griffin (7L), Camp Point, Ill., 17.659 Fourth group Tim Lance (48), Brimfield, Ill., 14.820 Dennis Erb Jr. (28), Carpentersville, Ill., 14.903 Joe Harlan (Z), El Paso, Ill., 14.922 Frank Heckenast Jr. (99jr), Orland Park, Ill., 14.968 Billy Moyer Jr. (21jr), Batesville, Ark., 15.068 Steve Dimmick (11), Joliet, Ill., 15.095 Brian Shirley (48x), Chatham, Ill., 15.139 Jim Moon (1m), Zionsville, Ind., 15.265 Brad Denney (11x), Canton, Ill., 16.752

Quincy, IL - July 11, 2010 - Jeep Van Wormer didn't let his late arrival slow him down Sunday night at Quincy Raceways during the 23rd stop of the Hell Tour.

The Pinconning, Mich., driver used an outside front row starting spot to put him in position to capitalize on Brian Shirley's engine woes early in the 40-lap main event. Van Wormer would never look back to claim his fourth DIRTcar Summer Nationals victory of 2010 worth $5,000.

Current series point leader Jason Feger of Bloomington, Ill., climbed from eighth to finish second behind Van Wormer but will extend his point lead over defending Summer Nationals Champion Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, Ill., who settled for a seventh place finish on the night.

Ryan Unzicker of El Paso, Ill., finished third ahead of Wooster, Ohio's Doug Drown. Local competitor and multiple time track champion Mark Burgtorf of Quincy rounded out the top five.

Up next for the DIRTcar Summer Nationals Tour is a visit to Spoon River Speedway on Monday July 12, 2010, a race that was originally scheduled for July 7th, but postponed due to weather. In total the Hell Tour has traveled over 4,300 miles in the course of 26 nights. The trip from Quincy, Ill., to Spoon River in Canton, Ill., will have drivers traveling just 30 miles east to the track which will serve as 24 th race of the 2010 tour.

A-Main 40-Laps: (1) Jeep Van Wormer, (2) Jason Feger, (3) Ryan Unzicker, (4) Doug Drown, (5) Mark Burgtorf, (6) Shannon Babb, (7) Dennis Erb Jr., (8) Jack Sullivan, (9) Denny Woodworth, (10) Tim Lance, (11) Craig Vosbergen, (12) Bobby Pierce, (13) Brandon Thirlby, (14) Dustin Griffin, (15) Justin Reed, (16) Donny Walden, (17) Brandon Sheppard, (18) Jason McBride, (19) Steve Lance Jr., (20) Brian Shirley, (21) Billy Moyer Jr.

B-Main (cars still on track): Brandon Thirlby, Steve Lance Jr., Rickey Frankel, Craig Vosbergen, Keith Pratt, Billy Genenbacher, Dustin Neese, Sam Halstead, Terry Gallaher, Russ Schoonover.

Fourth heat: Jeep Van Wormer, Jason Feger, Shannon Babb, Billy Moyer Jr., Rickey Frankel, Keith Pratt, Jason McBride, Justin Reed.

Third heat: Brian Shirley, Denny Woodworth, Jack Sullivan, Brandon Sheppard, Steve Lance Jr., Craig Vosbergen, Terry Gallaher. Scratched: Joey Gower.

Second heat: Doug Drown, Bobby Pierce, Tim Lance, Dustin Griffin, Dustin Neese, Billy Genenbacher, Robby Warner, Clint Kirkham.

First heat: Ryan Unzicker, Mark Burgtorf, Dennis Erb Jr., Donny Walden, Brandon Thirlby, Sam Halstead, Russ Schoonover, Darin Weisinger.

Time trials (unofficial) First group Mark Burgtorf (7B), Quincy, Ill., 13.059 Ryan Unzicker (24), El Paso, Ill., 13.189 Dennis Erb Jr. (28), Carpentersville, Ill., 13.497 Donny Walden (1w), Towanda, Ill., 13.552 Brandon Thirlby (m14), Traverse City, Mich., 13.66 Sam Halstead (84), New London, Iowa, 14.346 Darin Weisinger (11), Mendon, Ill., 15.541 Russ Schoonover (59), Bolten, England, 16.385 Second group Doug Drown (12), Wooster, Ohio, 13.186 Bobby Pierce (32), Oakwood, Ill., 13.297 Tim Lance (48), Brimfield, Ill., 13.408 Dustin Griffin (20), Camp Point, Ill., 13.934 Robby Warner (79), Quincy, Ill., 14.243 Dustin Neese (8N), Nebo, Ill., 14.247 Clint Kirkham (28k), Camden, Ill., 14.477 Billy Genenbacher (72), Camp Point, Ill., 14.777 Third group Brian Shirley (48x), Chatham, Ill., 13.243 Denny Woodworth (45dw), Mendon, Ill., 13.285 Jack Sullivan (1), Greenbrier, Ark., 13.386 Craig Vosbergen (8), Perth, Western Australia, 13.426 Steve Lance Jr. (25), Cuba, Ill., 13.434 Brandon Sheppard (B5), New Berlin, Ill., 13.560 Joey Gower (31), Quincy, Ill., 14.138 Terry Gallaher (0), New London, Mo., 14.503 Fourth group Jason Feger (25), Bloomington, Ill., 13.036 Jeep Van Wormer (55), Pinconning, Mich., 13.080 Billy Moyer Jr. (21jr), Batesville, Ark., 13.286 Shannon Babb (18), Moweaqua, Ill., 13.370 Rickey Frankel (33), Quincy, Ill., 13.455 Jason McBride (77), Carbondale, Ill., 13.509 Justin Reed (4), Quincy, Ill., 13.829 Keith Pratt (33), Mendon, Ill., 14.829

Fairbury, IL - July 10, 2010 - Shannon Babb powered his way to a $10,000 victory on Saturday night at Fairbury American Legion Speedway, tightening the overall DIRTcar Summer Nationals standings entering the final week of Hell Tour action.

While Babb was trying to hold off the field on the 22nd night of the Hell Tour, series leader Dennis Erb Jr. had a right rear tire go down late in the feature, dropping him to 14th. It was also costly in his quest for a fourth consecutive DIRTcar Summer Nationals crown. Jason Feger capitalized on Erb's misfortune and drove to a fourth-place finish. Feger now has a slim 10-point lead in the Summer Nationals standings after trailing Erb by 13 points entering Fairbury.

Matt Miller was second on Saturday night, followed by Ryan Unzicker, Feger and Jeep Van Wormer.

Up next for the DIRTcar Summer Nationals Tour is a visit to Quincy Raceways on Sunday July 11, 2010. In total the Hell Tour has traveled over 4,100 miles in the course of 25 nights. The trip from Fairbury, Ill., to Quincy Raceways in Quincy, Ill., will have drivers traveling over 210 miles west to the track, where feature winner Babb won in 2009.

Events at Spoon River Speedway (Monday), Peoria Speedway (Tuesday), Kokomo Speedway (Wednesday), Attica Raceway Park (Friday) and Oakshade Raceway (Saturday) are also left to decide who will be the 2010 DIRTcar Summer Nationals Hell Tour champion.

A-Main 50-Laps: (1) Shannon Babb, (2) Matt Miller, (3) Ryan Unzicker, (4) Jason Feger, (5) Jeep Van Wormer, (6) Jack Sullivan, (7) Billy Moyer Jr., (8) Kevin Weaver, (9) Steve Lance Jr., (10) Scott Bull, (11) Mark Burgtorf, (12) Jay Morris, (13) Daren Friedman, (14) Dennis Erb Jr., (15) Aaron Ricketts, (16) Joe Harlan, (17) Doug Drown, (18) Brandon Sheppard, (19) Frank Heckenast Jr., (20) Mike Glynn, (21) Brian Shirley.

B-Main : Brandon Sheppard, Mark Burgtorf, Eric Smith, Frank Heckenast Jr., Derek Chandler, Donny Walden, Jason McBride, Lisa Shickel, Jimmy Dehm, Eric Vaughn, Brandon Freeburg, Brandon Thirlby, Jim Moon, Chris Dick, Brian Shirley, Aaron Ricketts.

First heat: Ryan Unzicker, Kevin Weaver, Mike Glynn, Daren Friedman, Derek Chandler, Frank Heckenast Jr., Lisa Shickel, Jimmy Dehm, Dillan White, Snooky Dehm, Rodney Melvin.

Second heat: Shannon Babb, Steve Lance Jr., Billy Moyer Jr., Jay Morris, Brandon Sheppard, Donny Walden, Jim Moon, Brian Shirley, Aaron Ricketts, Bob Freeburg.

Third heat: Doug Drown, Scott Bull, Jack Sullivan, Joe Harlan, Brandon Thirlby, Mark Burgtorf, Brandon Freeburg, Jay Sparks, Steve Thorsten, Craig Vosbergen.

Fourth heat: Matt Miller, Dennis Erb Jr., Jeep Van Wormer, Jason Feger, Eric Smith, Jason McBride, Chris Dick, Eric Vaughan, Richie Hedrick.

Time trials (unofficial) First group Ryan Unzicker (24), El Paso, Ill., 13.02 Daren Friedman (89), Forrest, Ill., 13.11 Dillan White (54), Crofton, Ky., 13.31 Rodney Melvin (27), Benton, Ill., 13.33 Frank Heckenast Jr. (99jr), Orland Park, Ill., 13.34 Derek Chandler (35), Pontiac, Ill., 13.47 Kevin Weaver (B12), Gibson City, Ill., 13.57 Jimmy Dehm (99j), Lexington, Ill., 14.05 Mike Glynn (K9), La Salle, Ill., 14.06 Snooky Dehm (00), Chatsworth, Ill., 14.51 Lisa Shickel (15s), Bloomington, Ill., 15.16 Second group Bob Freeburg (71), Metamora, Ill., 13.42 Billy Moyer Jr. (21jr), Batesville, Ark., 13.42 Shannon Babb (18), Moweaqua, Ill., 13.44 Brandon Sheppard (B5), New Berlin, Ill., 13.72 Steve Lance Jr. (25), Cuba, Ill., 13.73 Jay Morris (77x), Pittwood, Ill., 13.87 Brian Shirley (3s), Chatham, Ill., 14.04 Aaron Ricketts (95), Fairbury, Ill., 14.06 Donny Walden (1w), Towanda, Ill., 14.11 Jim Moon (1m), Zionsville, Ind., 14.52 Third group Scott Bull (83), Fairbury, Ill., 13.53 Jack Sullivan (1), Greenbrier, Ark., 13.55 Doug Drown (12), Wooster, Ohio, 13.56 Steve Thorsten (7t), Chebanse, Ill., 13.59 Joe Harlan (Z), El Paso, Ill., 13.84 Mark Burgtorf (7B), Quincy, Ill., 14.19 Jay Sparks (7s), Metamora, Ill., 14.19 Brandon Thirlby (m14), Traverse City, Mich., 14.27 Brandon Freeburg (7f), Metamora, Ill., 14.70 Craig Vosbergen (8), Perth, Western Australia, 21.45 Fourth group Matt Miller (7), Waterville, Ohio, 13.49 Eric Smith (9), Bloomington, Ill., 13.67 Dennis Erb Jr. (28), Carpentersville, Ill., 13.86 Jeep Van Wormer (55), Pinconning, Mich., 13.89 Mike Glasscock (30), LeRoy, Ill., 14.10 Chris Dick (22), Deland, Ill., 14.24 Jason McBride (77), Carbondale, Ill., 14.29 Richie Hedrick (0), Urbana, Ill., 14.46 Jason Feger (25), Bloomington, Ill., 14.62 Eric Vaughan (36), Fairbury, Ill., 15.06

Late Caution Flag Helps Mars Hold On For Victory In ‘Great Plains 50’ At Dakota State Fair Speedway

HURON, SD - July 10, 2010 - The lone caution flag of Saturday night’s ‘Great Plains 50’ came at just the right time for Jimmy Mars.

Mars, 38, of Menomonie, Wis., was about to receive a challenge for the lead from Brady Smith and Darrell Lanigan when the yellow lights blinked on with three laps remaining, setting Mars free from lapped traffic and propelling him to victory in the World of Outlaws Late Model Series event at Dakota State Fair Speedway.

The $10,000 triumph was Mars’s second on the four-race ‘Wild West Tour,’ which concluded with Saturday night’s rain-threatened program at DSFS. He also won on Thursday night in a dominant performance at his home state’s Superior Speedway.

“You have your peaks and valleys with this deal,” said Mars, who pushed his career WoO LMS win total to three. “The beginning of the season was absolutely terrible for us, but we’ve worked hard and got our deal back in synch. We’re just kind of on top of the peak right now and we’re gonna enjoy it.”

Mars, who started second, drove his Deppe Enterprises MB Customs car by polesitter Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., for the lead on lap two and was never headed. He led by as much as a full straightaway until being run down in the closing laps by Solon Springs, Wis.’s Smith and Union, Ky.’s Lanigan.

Smith and Lanigan were directly behind Mars and ready to bid for the lead when Jill George of Cedar Falls, Iowa, stopped between turns one and two on lap 47, causing the only break in the fast-paced race’s action. Mars then easily glided away from the pack on the ensuing restart to reach the checkered flag first.

Lanigan, 40, overtook Smith for second on the restart but couldn’t catch Mars, leaving the 2008 WoO LMS champion with his fourth consecutive runner-up finish on the ‘Wild West Tour.’ He charged forward from the 11th starting spot to continue his profitable-but-frustrating run of second-best outings with his GottaRace.com Rocket car.

Francis also slipped by Smith on the final restart and finished third driving his crew chief Tim Logan’s Rocket car. Smith settled for fourth place after nearly guiding his Team Zero by Bloomquist mount from the 12th starting spot to the lead, and 18-year-old WoO LMS rookie Austin Hubbard of Seaford, Del., overtook Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., on the restart to place fifth in Dale Beitler’s Rocket car.

Mars said he didn’t know that Smith and Lanigan had run him down, but he felt he had some speed in reserve to turn them back. He proved that point when he ran away on the restart.

“I wasn’t pushing it as hard as I needed to,” Mars said of his late-race pace. “When you’re leading and trying to pass lapped cars, you can be kind of the sitting duck. I thought if I slowed down for that lapped car (on lap 47) it was gonna be tough for anybody to get a run on the outside, but I guess those guys got pretty close to me.

“I had a lot left in the car. When I was on open track I could really haul the mail, but if I would’ve heard them I could’ve stepped the wick up.

“The caution definitely helped us,” he added, “but we’ll take the win however we can get it. Whether I take it by an inch or a half a lap, it’s a win.”

Lanigan, meanwhile, was surprisingly upbeat after falling one position short of victory for the fourth night in a row. He was the first driver to make the four-tenths-mile track’s outside groove work, running high through the corners to march from eighth place to second in a 10-lap span from laps 25-35. Smith mirrored Lanigan’s moves and actually slipped by him for second on lap 46, but Lanigan regained the position on the final restart.

“For where we started we did pretty good to get where we did,” said Lanigan, who has one win this season. “I didn’t need that caution there at the end. They (Mars and Smith) had kinda got bunched up (behind the lapped cars) and I thought maybe I had something on the outside.

Smith, 33, stood dejectedly in the pit area after seeing his hopes for a slump-busting victory evaporate with the late caution flag. He went from being in position to bid for the lead to losing traction off turn two on the restart and falling to fourth.

“I had just gotten to (Mars) the lap the caution came out,” said Smith, who last month dropped off the WoO LMS as a regular to regroup his self-owned team. “I was going to make my move the next lap, but I never got the chance.

“We were done after the caution. I used my stuff up really bad to get where I was, so my tires were totally bald. I just couldn’t grip the track anymore.”

Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, Iowa, finished sixth after starting fourth and running in the top five for much of the distance. McCreadie’s attempt to pick up positions with an outside charge on the final restart caused him to fall to seventh at the finish. Shane Clanton of Fayetteville, Ga., finished eighth after running as high as fourth, defending WoO LMS champion Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., placed a quiet ninth and fifth-starter Rick Eckert of York, Pa., faded to 10th.

Richards ended the ‘Wild West Tour’ leading the WoO LMS points standings by 18 points over McCreadie and 46 over Lanigan.

Richards earned his third fast-time award of 2010 with a lap of 18.621 seconds during Ohlins Shocks Time Trials.

Heat winners were McCreadie, Birkhofer, Eckert and Francis. The B-Mains were captured by Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga., and Tim Fuller of Watertown, N.Y.

The WoO LMS is idle until kicking off the five-race Ohio-Pennsylvania Speedweek on Tues., July 27, at Central PA Speedway in Clearfield, Pa.

Results of WoO Late Model Series ‘Great Plains 50’ (Finishing Position/Start/Driver/Laps Completed/Money Won):

1. (2) Jimmy Mars/50 $10,000 2. (11) Darrell Lanigan/50 $5,600 3. (1) Steve Francis/50 $3,675 4. (12) Brady Smith/50 $2,500 5. (7) Austin Hubbard/50 $2,750 6. (4) Brian Birkhofer/50 $1,700 7. (3) Tim McCreadie/50 $2,000 8. (10) Shane Clanton/50 $1,800 9. (6) Josh Richards/50 $1,850 10. (5) Rick Eckert/50 $1,600 11. (9) Pat Doar/50 $1,550 12. (13) Chub Frank/50 $1,500 13. (17) Clint Smith/50 $1,500 14. (18) Tim Fuller/50 $1,400 15. (8) Russell King/48 $1,350 16. (24) Jill George/47 $800 17. (21) Larry Wight/47 $770 18. (16) Keith Foss/21 $750 19. (15) Eric Mass/19 $730 20. (22) Dustin Hapka/15 $700 21. (14) Brad Seng/12 $700 22. (19) Brian Diede/9 $700 23. (20) Lance Mathees/7 $700 24. (23) Brent Robinson/1 $1,225

Yellow Flags: 1 (Lap 47) Lap Leaders: Francis (1); Mars (2-50) Provisional Starters: Robinson, George Rookie of the Race: Hubbard ($250) WoO LMS ‘Bonus Bucks’ Winner: Doar ($500)

1. 1-Josh Richards/Shinnston, WV 18.621 2. 56-Russell King/Bristolville, OH 18.690 3. 90-Lance Mathees/Winona, MN 18.723 4. 15-Steve Francis/Ashland, KY 18.757 5. 39-Tim McCreadie/Watertown, NY 18.882 6. 12s-Brad Seng/Grand Forks, ND 18.933 7. 24-Rick Eckert/York, PA 18.933 8. 12H-Jason Hughes/Westfield, OK 18.936 9. 11-Pat Doar/New Richmond, WI 18.959 10. 25-Shane Clanton/Fayetteville, GA 19.046 11. 19H-Austin Hubbard/Seaford, DE 19.052 12. 19-Tim Fuller/Watertown, NY 19.064 13. 3-Brent Robinson/Smithfield, VA 19.119 14. 15b-Brian Birkhofer/Muscatine, IA 19.125 15. 44M-Eric Mass/Rapid City, SD 19.313 16. 28-Jimmy Mars/Menomonie, WI 19.314 17. 1*-Chub Frank/Bear Lake, PA 19.340 18. 44-Clint Smith/Senoia, GA 19.419 19. 18-Dustin Hapka/Grand Forks, ND 19.432 20. 95-Keith Foss/Winona, MN 19.518 21. 1QT-Brian Diede/Huron, SD 19.582 22. 11c-Curt Gelling/Aberdeen, SD 19.582 23. 29-Darrell Lanigan/Union, KY 19.698 24. 2-Brady Smith/Solon Springs, WI 19.782 25. 7-Chad Chenoweth/Huron, SD 19.869 26. 99L-Larry Wight/Baldwinsville, NY 19.907 27. 17J-John Winge/Ringgold, GA 19.986 28. 11M-Paul Mueller/Bismarck, ND 20.084 29. 57-Chad Williamson/Watertown, SD 20.093 30. 52x-David McDonald/Huron, SD 20.130 31. 20F-Jason Fritzsche/Huron, SD 20.166 32. 82-John Bey/Sturgis, SD 20.325 33. 22-Jill George/Cedar Falls, IA 20.462 34. 9-Kent Arment/Aberdeen, SD 20.568

Heat No. 1 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): McCreadie, Richards, Doar, Frank, Robinson, Diede, Chenoweth, Williamson, George

Heat No. 2 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Birkhofer, King, Clanton, Seng, C. Smith, Wight, McDonald, Gelling, Arment

Heat No. 3 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Eckert, Hubbard, Lanigan, Mass, Mathees, Hapka, Fritzsche, Winge

Heat No. 4 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Francis, Mars, B. Smith, Foss, Fuller, Hughes, Bey, Mueller

B-Main No. 1 (12 laps – Top 3 Transfer): C. Smith, Diede, Wight, Gelling, McDonald, Arment, George, Williamson, Chenoweth (DNS) Robinson

B-Main No. 2 (12 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Fuller, Mathees, Hapka, Hughes, Mueller, Winge, Bey, Fritzsche

Arizona Sports Shirts ($50 product certificate): Clint Smith/Tim Fuller Armor All (one case of product to highest-finishing non-WoO team in A-Main w/decal): Pat Doar Eibach Springs (one free spring): Jill George/Dustin Hapka MSD Ignition ($75 cash award): Steve Francis MSD Ignition ($25 cash award): Brent Robinson Ohlins Pole Award ($50 cash award to fastest qualifier w/decal): Josh Richards Pink Carburetors ($100 product certificate): Austin Hubbard Pink Carburetors ($50 product certificate): Brad Seng Quartermaster ($100 product certificate): Rick Eckert Quartermaster ($50 product certificate): Clint Smith Quartermaster ($25 product certificate): Tim Fuller R2C Performance ($100 certificate): Steve Francis STP ($50 cash award): Clint Smith VP Racing Fuels ‘Nice Jugs Award’ (two five-gallon plastic fuel jugs to fastest qualifier who does not make the A-Main if decal is displayed): Curt Gelling Wrisco Aluminum (three sheets of aluminum to A-Main winner w/decal):

2010 World of Outlaws Late Model Series Point Standings as of July 10 – 28 A-Mains completed (rank/driver/points/deficit to leader):

1. Josh Richards 3732 2. Tim McCreadie 3714 (-18) 3. Darrell Lanigan 3686 (-46) 4. Steve Francis 3616 (-116) 5. Austin Hubbard 3538 (-194) 6. Shane Clanton 3520 (-212) 7. Rick Eckert 3474 (-258) 8. Tim Fuller 3468 (-264) 9. Chub Frank 3402 (-330) 10. Clint Smith 3316 (-416) 11. Russell King 3138 (-594) 12. Brent Robinson 2796 (-936) 13. Brady Smith 2786 (-946) 14. Jill George 2126 (-1606) 15. Brian Birkhofer 1566 (-2166)

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Pontoon Beach, IL - July 9, 2010 - Just like in 2009, Jason Feger was the man to beat Friday Night at Tri-City Speedway, the 21st stop of the DIRTcar Summer Nationals Tour.

The Bloomington, Ill., native started early in the evening capturing quick-time honors overall and never relented. Feger, the 2009 DIRTcar Late Model National Champion would then dominate his heat race on his way to leading all 40-laps of the feature where he lapped everyone outside the top five. Feger's repeat performance of his first ever Hell Tour victory earned him $10,000.

Will Vaught of Crane, Mo., would climb from sixth to second early but never challenge for the lead as Shannon Babb of Moweaqua, Ill., finished third, his second straight third place performance. Current DIRTcar Summer Nationals point leader Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, Ill., would finish fourth allowing Feger to cut 15 points from his lead heading into the final seven races. Brian Shirley would climb from his 10th place starting spot to round out the top five.

Up next for the DIRTcar Summer Nationals Tour is a visit to Fairbury American Legion Speedway on Saturday July 10, 2010. In total the Hell Tour has traveled over 4,000 miles in the course of 24 nights. The trip from Pontoon Beach, Ill., to Fairbury American Legion Speedway in Fairbury, Ill., will have drivers traveling over 190 miles northeast to the track where all-time Hell Tour wins leader Billy Moyer of Batesville, Ark., won in 2009.

A-Main 40-Laps: (1) Jason Feger, (2) Will Vaught, (3) Shannon Babb, (4) Dennis Erb Jr., (5) Brian Shirley, (6) Billy Moyer Jr., (7) Kevin Weaver, (8) Rodney Melvin, (9) Jack Sullivan, (10) Matt Miller, (11) Jeep Van Wormer, (12) Mark Voigt, (13) Terry English, (14) Billy Laycock, (15) Mark Burgtorf, (16) Craig Smith, (17) Doug Drown, (18) Ryan Unzicker, (19) Bryan Collins, (20) Chad Zobrist, (21) Brandon Sheppard.

B-Main: Craig Smith, Chad Zobrist, Billy Laycock, Dewayne Kiefer, Donny Walden, Chuck Mitchell, Dustin Korte, Rickey Frankel, Dan Jacober, Claude Walker Jr., Lee Thomason, John Hollified, Chris Fetter, Brandon Thirlby, Craig Vosbergen, Tanner English.

First heat: Ryan Unzicker, Doug Drown, Matt Miller, Bryan Collins, Billy Laycock, Brandon Thirlby, Chuck Mitchell, Claude Walker Jr., Nick Lyons, Dan Jacober.

Second heat: Mark Burgtorf, Will Vaught, Brian Shirley, Dennis Erb Jr., Craig Smith, Jack Sullivan, Rickey Frankel, Chris Fetter, John Hollified, Scott James.

Third heat: Jason Feger, Terry English, Billy Moyer Jr., Rodney Melvin, Dustin Korte, Dewayne Kiefer, Tanner English, Lee Thomason, Brent Kreke, Brandon Sheppard.

Fourth heat: Jeep Van Wormer, Mark Voigt, Shannon Babb, Kevin Weaver, Chad Zobrist, Craig Vosbergen, Donny Walden, Butch Kruckeberg, Jason McBride.

Time trials (unofficial)
First group
Doug Drown (12D), Wooster, Ohio, 14.825
Ryan Unzicker (24), El Paso, Ill., 14.974
Nick Lyons (2x), Centralia, Ill., 14.999
Matt Miller (7), Waterville, Ohio, 15.116
Bryan Collins (11z), Elsberry, Mo., 15.122
Billy Laycock (82), Marine, Ill., 15.161
Brandon Thirlby (m14), Traverse City, Mich., 15.400
Chuck Mitchell (117), Springfield, Ill., 15.775
Dan Jacober (22), Highland, Ill., 16.253
Claude Walker Jr. (35), Moro, Ill., 16.581
Second group
Mark Burgtorf (7B), Quincy, Ill., 15.078
Will Vaught (1), Crane, Mo., 15.096
Craig Smith (81), Godfrey, Ill., 15.144
Brian Shirley (3s), Chatham, Ill., 15.192
Dennis Erb Jr. (28), Carpentersville, Ill., 15.200
Scott James (44), Lawrenceburg, Ind., 15.243
Jack Sullivan (1), Greenbrier, Ark., 15.273
Rickey Frankel (33F), Quincy, Ill., 15.989
Chris Fetter (15), Troy, Mo., 16.244
John Hollified (31), Terre Haute, Ind., 17.357
Third group
Jason Feger (25), Bloomington, Ill., 14.663
Billy Moyer Jr. (21jr), Batesville, Ark., 14.725
Brandon Sheppard (B5), New Berlin, Ill., 14.899
Terry English (96), Benton, Ky., 15.223
Rodney Melvin (27), Benton, Ill., 15.337
Brent Kreke (13k), Lebanon, Ill., 15.361
Tanner English (96), Benton, Ky., 15.422
Dewayne Kiefer (13x), St. Genevieve, Mo., 15.547
Dustin Korte (00K), Highland, Ill., 16.107
Lee Thomason (53), Marion, Ill., 16.175
Fourth group
Jeep Van Wormer (55), Pinconning, Mich., 14.959
Chad Zobrist (6k), Highland, Ill., 15.318
Jason McBride (77), Carbondale, Ill., 15.342
Kevin Weaver (00), Gibson City, Ill., 15.348
Shannon Babb (18), Moweaqua, Ill., 15.470
Mark Voigt (30v), Marine, Ill., 15.677
Craig Vosbergen (8), Perth, Western Australia, 15.792
Donny Walden (1w), Towanda, Ill., 15.898
Butch Kruckeberg (76), Edwardsville, Ill., 15.923

Hubbard Declared Winner After Rain Brings Early End To ‘Wild West Tour’ A-Main At River Cities Speedway

GRAND FORKS, ND - July 9, 2010 - Austin Hubbard of Seaford, Del., was declared the winner of Friday night’s World of Outlaws Late Model Series A-Main at River Cities Speedway after rain forced officials to call the event complete short of its scheduled 50-lap distance.

The 18-year-old rookie sensation didn’t perform his trademark post-race Ricky Bobby celebratory run in front of the crowd, however, because the race was checkered with the field of cars sitting in the pit area and a Victory Lane ceremony was not conducted due to the wet conditions. He had to be content receiving a trophy for the second WoO LMS win of his young career while dressed in street clothes near his Beitler Motorsports team’s hauler.

“I like to celebrate (after a win) with all the fans out on the homestretch, but I couldn’t do that tonight,” said Hubbard, who stripped down to his fireproof long underwear after capturing his first WoO LMS A-Main on March 20 at Screven Motor Speedway in Sylvania, Ga. “Maybe we can come back and show ‘em some skin next year.”

Hubbard, who started from the pole position in Dale Beitler’s Reliable Painting Rocket car, had led from the initial green flag when intensifying rain slickened the quarter-mile oval’s surface enough to prevent the race from restarting on lap 21. The field was sent to the pit area to wait out the weather, but nearly an hour of steady rain left the track too soaked for officials to dry it in time to beat the impending curfew.

While WoO LMS rules stipulate that an A-Main must reach the halfway point to be considered an official race, tour director Tim Christman made the decision to declare the event complete at 21 laps because the series can’t return to the North Dakota facility this season due to travel logistics. He also announced that the race would offer only 60 show-up points to all drivers regardless of their finish.

In a related agreement reached between WoO LMS and River Cities officials, all drivers who competed in the shortened A-Main were paid 75 percent of the regular posted purse for each finishing position.

“It’s unfortunate that we weren’t able to run the A-Main to its scheduled conclusion because of the weather,” said Christman. “The feature was definitely building toward another great finish at River Cities for the World of Outlaws Late Model Series, but all we can do now is look forward to returning next year.”

Hubbard was chased throughout the race’s 21 laps by 2008 WoO LMS champion Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., who started from the outside pole. Lanigan, 40, had yet to offer Hubbard a serious challenge when the event reached its early end, leaving him with a runner-up finish for the third time in as many ‘Wild West Tour’ starts.

Defending Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., was the biggest mover in the event, advancing from the 10th starting spot to finish third. He passed Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., for third on a lap-14 restart and was threatening Lanigan when the race was slowed for the final time on lap 21 for the spinning car driven by Jill George of Cedar Falls, Iowa, who also spun on lap 14 to bring out a caution flag.

McCreadie settled for a fourth-place finish after starting third and Jimmy Mars of Menomonie, Wis., who won the previous night at Superior (Wis.) Speedway, gained one position to finish fifth.

Hubbard happily accepted the abbreviated victory, relating that he felt confident that he would have been able to stay at the front of the pack for the full 50 laps.

“I think if that rain never came we could’ve held ‘em off,” said Hubbard, who earned $8,250 for his night’s work. “The car was great all night. We had a good qualifying run (eighth-fastest time), the last-lap pass (of Mars) to win the heat helped set us up to pull the number one pill (for the A-Mains), and we were real fast in the feature. The car was a little tight in (the corners), but as soon as I could get the right-rear hooked on the (outside) lip it would just go right around there.

“It’s always nice to get the whole 50 in, but I’ll take it either way. There’s nothing like winning, and winning two races in our rookie season – being the first rookie to win two races – is more than I could ask for.”

The A-Main was marred by a wild crash on lap 12 involving Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, Iowa, whose car slipped over the turn-two berm and rolled once as he battle for fifth place. His machine landed on its wheels and he quickly climbed out uninjured.

Finishing in positions 6-10 were Rick Eckert of York, Pa., Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga., Shane Clanton of Fayetteville, Ga., Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., and Pat Doar of New Richmond, Wis., who for the second straight night earned the $500 ‘Bonus Bucks’ cash for being the highest-finishing driver who hasn’t won a tour A-Main and wasn’t ranked among the top 12 in the points standings.

Lanigan was quickest in the 37-car Ohlins Shocks Time Trials session, rounding the track in 11.842 seconds. It was his second fast-time honor of 2010.

Heat winners were Lanigan, McCreadie, Francis and Hubbard. The B-Mains were captured by Brent Robinson of Smithfield, Va., and Russell King of Bristolville, Ohio.

The WoO LMS ‘Wild West Tour’ concludes on Saturday night (July10) with the ‘Great Plains 50’ at Dakota State Fair Speedway in Huron, S.D. A $10,000 top prize will be on the line in the third alltime series event held at the four-tenths-mile oval promoted by Orville Chenoweth.

Results of WoO Late Model Series at River Cities Speedway (Finishing Position/Start/Driver/Laps Completed/Money Won):

1. (1) Austin Hubbard/21 $8,250 2. (2) Darrell Lanigan/21 $4,350 3. (10) Josh Richards/21 $2,850 4. (3) Tim McCreadie/21 $2,475 5. (6) Jimmy Mars/21 $1,500 6. (4) Rick Eckert/21 $1,775 7. (9) Clint Smith/21 $1,550 8. (8) Shane Clanton/21 $1,475 9. (7) Steve Francis/21 $1,500 10. (16) Pat Doar/21 $1,325 11. (11) Chub Frank/21 $1,287 12. (17) Brent Robinson/21 $1,250 13. (12) Brady Smith/21 $712 14. (14) Brad Seng/21 $675 15. (15) Zach Johnson/21 $637 16. (13) Tim Fuller/21 $1,100 17. (18) Russell King/21 $1,077 18. (21) Eric Mass/20 $562 19. (23) Jill George/19 $547 20. (19) Jason Hughes/14 $525 21. (5) Brian Birkhofer/12 $525 22. (24) Larry Wight/10 $525 23. (20) Keith Foss/6 $525 24. (25) Mike Balcaen/6 $525 25. (22) Joey Pederson/1 $525

Time of Race: 13 Mins., 10.789 Secs. Margin of Victory: 1.496 Secs. Yellow Flags: 3 (Laps 11, 14, 21) Red Flags: 1 (Lap 14) Lap Leaders: Hubbard (1-21) Provisional Starters: George, Wight (WoO); Balcaen (track) Rookie of the Race: Hubbard ($250) WoO LMS ‘Bonus Bucks’ Winner: Doar ($500)

1. 29-Darrell Lanigan/Union, KY 11.842 2. 1-Josh Richards/Shinnston, WV 11.854 3. 15-Steve Francis/Ashland, KY 11.938 4. 28-Jimmy Mars/Menomonie, WI 12.017 5. 24-Rick Eckert/York, PA 12.061 6. 15b-Brian Birkhofer/Muscatine, IA 12.077 7. 1*-Chub Frank/Bear Lake, PA 12.083 8. 19H-Austin Hubbard/Seaford, DE 12.107 9. 44-Clint Smith/Senoia, GA 12.148 10. 39-Tim McCreadie/Watertown, NY 12.190 11. 25-Shane Clanton/Fayetteville, GA 12.190 12. 2-Brady Smith/Solon Springs, WI 12.193 13. 19-Tim Fuller/Watertown, NY 12.198 14. 12s-Brad Seng/Grand Forks, ND 12.209 15. 73-Zach Johnson/Kensington, MN 12.224 16. 11-Pat Doar/New Richmond, WI 12.282 17. 3-Brent Robinson/Smithfield, VA 12.283 18. 12H-Jason Hughes/Westfield, OK 12.296 19. 95-Keith Foss/Winona, MN 12.415 20. 56-Russell King/Bristolville, OH 12.436 21. 10-Mike Balcaen/Winnipeg, MAN 12.474 22. T1-Tommy Corcoran/E. Grand Forks, MN 12.735 23. 17J-John Winge/Ringgold, GA 12.756 24. 18-Dustin Hapka/Grand Forks, ND 12.867 25. 8-Gregg Hill/Eveleth, MN 12.871 26. 99E-Doyle Erickson/Baglen, MN 12.882 27. 7p-Joey Pederson/E. Grand Forks, MN 12.946 28. 22-Jill George/Cedar Falls, IA 12.956 29. 44M-Eric Mass/Rapid City, SD 12.958 30. 2W-Darryn Waldo/Billings, MT 13.089 31. 71-Todd Truedson/Kennedy, MN 13.125 32. 99L-Larry Wight/Baldwinsville, NY 13.129 33. 13-Bryan LePier/Bemidji, MN 13.381 34. 14-Bruce Hart/Larimore, ND 13.769 35. 96-Justin Osowski/Kennedy, MN 13.924 36. 9-Steve Anderson/Grand Forks, ND 12.928 (DQ) 37. F9-Brandon Fuller/Grand Forks, ND 13.150 (DQ)

Heat No. 1 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Lanigan, Eckert, C. Smith, T. Fuller, Robinson, Mass, Hill, B. Fuller, LePier

Heat No. 2 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): McCreadie, Birkhofer, Richards, Seng, Hughes, Corcoran, Erickson, Waldo, Hart

Heat No. 3 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Francis, Clanton, Frank, Johnson, Foss, Pederson, Truedson, Winge, Osowski

Heat No. 4 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Hubbard, Mars, B. Smith, Doar, King, Wight, Hapka, Anderson, George

B-Main No. 1 (12 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Robinson, Hughes, Mass, Balcaen, Corcoran, Hill, Waldo, Erickson, B. Fuller, LePier, Hart

B-Main No. 2 (12 laps – Top 3 Transfer): King, Foss, Pederson, Hapka, Winge, Anderson, George, Osowski, Truedson, Wight

2010 World of Outlaws Late Model Series Point Standings as of July 9 – 27 A-Mains completed (rank/driver/points/deficit to leader):

1. Josh Richards 3600 2. Tim McCreadie 3578 (-22) 3. Darrell Lanigan 3540 (-60) 4. Steve Francis 3472 (-128) 5. Austin Hubbard 3398 (-202) 6. Shane Clanton 3386 (-214) 7. Tim Fuller 3346 (-254) 8. Rick Eckert 3344 (-256) 9. Chub Frank 3276 (-324) 10. Clint Smith 3192 (-408) 11. Russell King 3018 (-582) 12. Brent Robinson 2694 (-906) 13. Brady Smith 2644 (-956) 14. Jill George 2008 (-1592) 15. Brian Birkhofer 1428 (-2172)

To sign-up as a WoO LMS ‘follower’ on Twitter to receive updates anywhere at anytime, visit http://twitter.com/WoOLateModels.

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Listeners will need Windows Media Player 9 or higher to listen to the DIRT Radio Network. For technical support or questions, e-mail customerservice@dirtvision.com.

Macon, IL - July 8, 2010 - Dennis Erb Jr. knows to make the most of opportunities presented to him as he did Thursday night at Macon Speedway during race 20 of the DIRTcar Summer Nationals Tour.

The defending Hell Tour champion, Erb climbed from his 12th starting spot to sneak below then leader and 2009 Herald & Review winner Shannon Babb of Moweaqua, Ill., with three laps remaining in the 100-lap feature event to claim his second win of the 2010 Summer Nationals Tour worth $5,000.

The win extends the point lead for Erb over second place finisher Jason Feger of Bloomington, Ill., who entered the night only 23 markers behind Erb in the point standings. Babb would settle for third, a rebound of sorts for the driver who lead the tour point standings earlier in the year but has recently suffered a string of bad luck. Greenbriar, Ark., driver Jack Sullivan started seventh and worked his way forward to finish fourth while Ryan Unzicker of El Paso, Ill. rounded out the top five.

Up next for the DIRTcar Summer Nationals Tour is a visit to Tri-City Speedway on Friday July 9, 2010. In total the Hell Tour has traveled over 4,000 miles in the course of 22 nights. The trip from Macon to Tri-City Speedway in Pontoon Beach, Ill., will have drivers traveling over 100 miles southwest to the track where 2009 DIRTcar Late Model National Champion Jason Feger earned his first ever Summer Nationals win in 2009.

A-Main 100-Laps: (1) Dennis Erb Jr., (2) Jason Feger, (3) Shannon Babb, (4) Jack Sullivan, (5) Ryan Unzicker, (6) Kyle Logue, (7) Rodney Standerfer, (8) Steve Sheppard Jr., (9) Jeep Van Wormer, (10) Tim Lance, (11) Roger Brickler, (12) Mike Hammerle, (13) Donny Walden, (14) Brandon Sheppard, (15) Kevin Weaver, (16) Brian Shirley, (17) Jim Moon, (18) Brian Diveley, (19) Rodney Melvin, (20) Richie Hedrick, (21) Billy Moyer Jr.

B-Main: Roger Brickler, Jim Moon, Mike Hammerle, Ryan Little, Donny Walden, Chris Dick, Jeff Beyers, Doug Drown, Rodney Standerfer, Craig Vosbergen, Terry Reed, Brandon Thirlby, Russ Adams, Joseph Hughes, Dick Taylor, Dennis Vandermeersch, Jason McBride. Scratched: Ken Schrader, Billy Moyer Jr.

First heat : Brian Shirley, Jason Feger, Brian Dively, Dick Taylor, Jeff Beyers, Ken Schrader, Dennis Vandermeersch.

Second heat: Shannon Babb, Jack Sullivan, Dennis Erb Jr., Mike Hammerle, Brandon Thirlby, Craig Vosbergen, Joseph Hughes.

Third heat: Kyle Logue, Steve Sheppard Jr., Jeep Van Wormer, Jim Moon, Terry Reed, Ryan Little, Jason McBride.

Fourth heat: Brandon Sheppard, Rodney Melvin, Ryan Unzicker, Roger Brickler, Rodney Standerfer, Russ Adams, Billy Moyer Jr.

Fifth heat: Tim Lance, Kevin Weaver, Richie Hedrick, Donny Walden, Chris Dick, Doug Drown.

Time trials (unofficial) First group Brian Shirley (48x), Chatham, Ill., 11.126 Jason Feger (25), Bloomington, Ill., 11.574 Ken Schrader (9), Concord, N.C., 11.649 Dick Taylor (24T), Springfield, Ill., 11.707 Brian Dively (11D), Springfield, Ill., 11.723 Jeff Beyers (27), Pana, Ill., 11.813 Dennis Vandermeersch (25), Springfield, Ill., 12.011 Second group Shannon Babb (18), Moweaqua, Ill., 11.247 Jack Sullivan (1), Greenbrier, Ark., 11.544 Dennis Erb Jr. (28), Carpentersville, Ill., 11.613 Mike Hammerle (16H), St. Charles, Mo., 11.991 Joseph Hughes (7H), Springfield, Ill., 12.165 Craig Vosbergen (8), Perth, Western Australia, 12.434 Brandon Thirlby (m14), Traverse City, Mich., 17.534 Third group Kyle Logue (21), Cisco, Ill., 11.273 Ryan Little (38L), Springfield, Ill., 11.491 Jeep Van Wormer (55), Pinconning, Mich., 11.561 Steve Sheppard Jr. (5s), New Berlin, Ill., 11.575 Terry Reed (11k), Decatur, Ill., 11.684 Jim Moon (1m), Zionsville, Ind., 11.900 Jason McBride (77), Carbondale, Ill., 12.980 Fourth group Rodney Melvin (27), Benton, Ill., 11.192 Brandon Sheppard (B5), New Berlin, Ill., 11.386 Roger Brickler (82), Springfield, Ill., 11.430 Ryan Unzicker (24), El Paso, Ill., 11.482 Billy Moyer Jr. (21jr), Batesville, Ark., 11.591 Rodney Standerfer (28), Germantown, Ill., 12.236 Russ Adams (74), Princeville, Ill., 13.361 Fifth group Tim Lance (48), Brimfield, Ill., 11.388 Kevin Weaver (B12), Gibson City, Ill., 11.457 Donny Walden (1w), Towanda, Ill., 11.516 Richie Hedrick (0), Urbana, Ill., 11.807 Doug Drown (12), Wooster, Ohio, 11.954 Chris Dick (22), Deland, Ill., 12.015

Home State Hero: Mars Runs Away With World of Outlaws Late Model Series Debut At Superior Speedway

SUPERIOR, WI - July 8, 2010 - Jimmy Mars left no doubt on Thursday night that he has Superior Speedway figured out.

Continuing his recent mastery of special events at the three-eighths-mile oval in his home state, Mars rocketed from the fourth starting spot to the lead on the opening lap and never looked back en route to a convincing victory in the World of Outlaws Late Model Series ‘Mid-States Hydraulics 50.’

Mars, 38, of Menomonie, Wis., earned $10,100 for his second career win on the WoO LMS, which stopped at Superior for the first time and attracted a standing-room-only crowd to the fairgrounds track. His previous triumph on the national tour came in the 2009 Firecracker 100 at Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pa.

After winning at least one World Dirt Racing League (WDRL) series event at Superior in each of the last four years, Mars surprised no one with a performance that saw him steer his Deppe Enterprises MB Customs car around the red-clay surface virtually unchallenged from start-to-finish.

“Experience here doesn’t hurt by any means,” said Mars, who lives just under 150 miles south of the track. “These (WoO LMS) guys travel all over the country and are so good, I thought, ‘If I can have any advantage on them at all at a track, this might be one where I did.’

“We kind of had an idea of what to do. I said, ‘Let’s just go back and get on the hard tires and get back to what we’ve done here in the past.’ Basically our setup for the feature was identical to what we’ve had success with here.”

Mars put his Superior Speedway knowledge to work with his tire choice, picking harder compound Hoosier rubber that propelled him to a runaway win. He spent most of the distance with a commanding straightaway edge over polesitter Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., who kept his Rocket car solidly in second place for the entire 50-lap A-Main and finished 2.793 seconds behind Mars.

Defending WoO LMS champion Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., who started from the outside pole, padded his tour points lead with a quiet third-place finish in his father Mark’s Rocket house car. Fifth-starter Brady Smith of Solon Springs, Wis. – a former regular at Superior who lives about 30 miles from the facility – finished fourth in his Team Zero by Bloomquist mount after outdueling Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, Iowa, who settled for fifth in his MB Customs machine after starting seventh.

Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., finished sixth, salvaging a decent run on a night that he struggled with his setup. He lost only six points to Richards, sending him to the next ‘Wild West Tour’ event with a manageable 22-point deficit in the standings.

Mars didn’t exactly snooker his competition, but he did use his outsider status as a reason to roll the dice a bit with his tire-compound selection.

“I’m not running for points so I got a little bit of an advantage,” said Mars. “I could gamble a little bit more. We can ‘go big or go home’ a little bit, where those guys running for points kinda have to be on the same tires because they’re racing each other for the championship.

“Before the race Darrell (Lanigan) and I were just joking about my tire choice. I said, ‘Hey, if we suck, the beer’s still cold after the race.’ The hard tires worked, though, so I guess we get to drink in celebration tonight instead of in sorrow.”

Mars knew he had made the right decision even before taking the initial green flag.

“I fired up (the car) before the start and it felt real good on the straightaway traction,” said Mars. “They threw the green and I was like, ‘We got a pretty good piece here,’ but then we ran down into turn one and I said, ‘Whoa.’ The right-rear wasn’t quite hot enough yet, so I slid up up the track a little bit. Then it instantly got warmed up and I was able to run down into three and four and pass Darrell there for the lead.”

That opening-lap move by Mars was, for all intents and purposes, the story of the race. No driver understood that more than the 40-year-old Lanigan, who used a more conservative “medium” tire-compound combination and simply couldn’t keep pace with Mars.

“I knew he had on harder tires than us, so when he took off like that (at the start) I said, ‘Oh man, this is gonna get ugly,’” said Lanigan, who registered his second runner-up finish in as many nights after falling short of victory by a nose to McCreadie in Wednesday night’s Gopher 50 at Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minn. “If he was that good at the start, I knew it was gonna be tough to beat him. All we could do was run second again.”

Finishing in positions 7-10 were Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa., who lost sixth to McCreadie on lap 24; Shane Clanton of Fayetteville, Ga., who climbed forward from the 17th starting spot; Pat Doar of New Richmond, Wis., who earned the $500 ‘Bonus Bucks’ cash for being the highest-finishing driver who hasn’t won a WoO LMS A-Main and isn’t ranked among the top 12 in the tour points standings; and Rick Eckert of York, Pa., who rallied after drawing a caution flag on lap 16 and pitting to bolt two harder tires on his car.

In a race slowed by just two caution flags on lap 16, the most significant incident was the second yellow that circuit. Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., went spinning in turn four while battling for sixth with rookie Austin Hubbard of Seaford, Del.; while he twirled 360 degrees and continued without stopping, a caution was displayed and Francis pitted moments later to change a flat left-rear tire.

Francis, who went on to finish one lap down in 12th place, began his night by recording the fastest lap in Ohlins Shocks Time Trials for the second straight event. He turned a circuit of 17.005 seconds to pace the 28-car qualifying session.

Heat winners were Lanigan, Richards and Hubbard, and Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga., captured the B-Main.

WoO LMS regular Tim Fuller of Watertown, N.Y., once again used a provisional starting spot to gain entry to the A-Main as he continues recovering from the emergency appendectomy he underwent on Monday afternoon. But this time he felt strong enough to at least attempt to race, running 15 laps before deciding to pull in.

The WoO LMS continues the ‘Wild West Tour’ on Friday (July 9) at River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, N.D., and Saturday (July 10) at Dakota State Fair Speedway in Huron, S.D.

Results of WoO Late Model Series ‘Mid-States Hydraulics 50’ (Finishing Position/Start/Driver/Laps Completed/Money Won):

1. (4) Jimmy Mars/50 $10,100 2. (1) Darrell Lanigan/50 $5,600 3. (2) Josh Richards/50 $3,675 4. (5) Brady Smith/50 $2,500 5. (7) Brian Birkhofer/50 $2,000 6. (9) Tim McCreadie/50 $2,300 7. (6) Chub Frank/50 $1,900 8. (17) Shane Clanton/50 $1,800 9. (12) Pat Doar/50 $1,700 10. (16) Rick Eckert/50 $1,600 11. (3) Austin Hubbard/49 $1,800 12. (10) Steve Francis/49 $1,650 13. (13) Jason Hughes/49 $950 14. (19) Clint Smith/49 $1,450 15. (11) Russell King/49 $1,350 16. (8) Brent Robinson/49 $1,300 17. (15) Keith Foss/49 $770 18. (18) Eric Mass/49 $750 19. (14) Zach Johnson/48 $730 20. (21) Larry Wight/48 $700 21. (24) Jill George/47 $700 22. (20) Aaron Lillo/32 $700 23. (22) Adam Hensel/31 $725 24. (23) Tim Fuller/15 $1,200

Time of Race: 23 Mins., 31.959 Secs. Margin of Victory: 2.793 Secs. Yellow Flags: 2 (Laps 16, 16) Lap Leaders: Mars (1-50) Provisional Starters: Fuller, George Rookie of the Race: Hubbard ($250) WoO LMS ‘Bonus Bucks’ Winner: Doar ($500)

1. 15-Steve Francis/Ashland, KY 17.005 2. 3-Brent Robinson/Smithfield, VA 17.079 3. 2-Brady Smith/Solon Springs, WI 17.091 4. 29-Darrell Lanigan/Union, KY 17.124 5. 1-Josh Richards/Shinnston, WV 17.138 6. 19H-Austin Hubbard/Seaford, DE 17.174 7. 28-Jimmy Mars/Menomonie, WI 17.237 8. 73-Zach Johnson/Kensington, MN 17.287 9. 44M-Eric Mass/Rapid City, SD 17.370 10. 15b-Brian Birkhofer/Muscatine, IA 17.418 11. 8-Gregg Hill/Eveleth, MN 17.456 12. 39-Tim McCreadie/Watertown, NY 17.467 13. 24-Rick Eckert/York, PA 17.566 14. 1*-Chub Frank/Bear Lake, PA 17.646 15. 22-Jill George/Cedar Falls, IA 17.659 16. 99L-Larry Wight/Baldwinsville, NY 17.773 17. 56-Russell King/Bristolville, OH 17.799 18. 95-Keith Foss/Winona, MN 17.903 19. 44H-Adam Hensel/Barron, WI 17.932 20. 25-Shane Clanton/Fayetteville, GA 17.943 21. 18-Chris Olson/Hibbing, MN 17.954 22. 12-Jason Hughes/Westfield, OK 17.963 23. 17J-John Winge/Ringgold, GA 17.972 24. 11-Pat Doar/New Richmond, WI 18.035 25. 44-Clint Smith/Senoia, GA 18.067 26. 24A-Aaron Lillo/Duluth, MN 18.221 27. 2w-Darryn Waldo/Billings, MT 18.301 28. 19-Tim Fuller/Watertown, NY N/T

Heat No. 1 (10 laps – Top 6 Transfer): Lanigan, Mars, Birkhofer, Francis, Hughes, Eckert, C. Smith, Wight, Hensel

Heat No. 2 (10 laps – Top 6 Transfer): Richards, Frank, Robinson, King, Johnson, Clanton, Lillo, Hill, Winge

Heat No. 3 (10 laps – Top 6 Transfer): Hubbard, B. Smith, McCreadie, Doar, Foss, Mass, George, Olson, Waldo

B-Main No. 1 (12 laps – Top 4 Transfer): C. Smith, Lillo, Wight, Hensel, George, Hill, Fuller, Waldo, Winge, Olson

Arizona Sports Shirts ($50 product certificate): Jill George Armor All (one case of product to highest-finishing non-WoO team in A-Main w/decal): Pat Doar Eibach Springs (one free spring): Larry Wight MSD Ignition ($75 cash award): Josh Richards MSD Ignition ($25 cash award): Adam Hensel Ohlins Pole Award ($50 cash award to fastest qualifier w/decal): Steve Francis Pink Carburetors ($100 product certificate): Pat Doar Pink Carburetors ($50 product certificate): Adam Hensel Quartermaster ($100 product certificate): Shane Clanton Quartermaster ($50 product certificate): Pat Doar Quartermaster ($25 product certificate): Zach Johnson R2C Performance ($100 cash): Jimmy Mars STP ($50 cash award): Clint Smith VP Racing Fuels ‘Nice Jugs Award’ (two five-gallon plastic fuel jugs to fastest qualifier who does not make the A-Main if decal is displayed): None Wrisco Aluminum (three sheets of aluminum to A-Main winner w/decal): Josh Richards

2010 World of Outlaws Late Model Series Point Standings as of July 8 – 26 A-Mains completed (rank/driver/points/deficit to leader):

1. Josh Richards 3540 2. Tim McCreadie 3518 (-22) 3. Darrell Lanigan 3480 (-60) 4. Steve Francis 3412 (-128) 5. Austin Hubbard 3338 (-202) 6. Shane Clanton 3326 (-214) 7. Tim Fuller 3286 (-254) 8. Rick Eckert 3284 (-256) 9. Chub Frank 3216 (-324) 10. Clint Smith 3132 (-408) 11. Russell King 2958 (-582) 12. Brent Robinson 2634 (-906) 13. Brady Smith 2584 (-956) 14. Jill George 1948 (-1592) 15. Brian Birkhofer 1368 (-2172)

To sign-up as a WoO LMS ‘follower’ on Twitter to receive updates anywhere at anytime, visit http://twitter.com/WoOLateModels.

To listen to the free audio broadcasts, log on to www.dirtvision.com and click on the DIRT Radio Network logo.

‘Great Plains 50’ On Saturday (July 10) At Dakota State Fair Speedway Brings McCreadie Back To Site Of His Historic Victory

HURON, SD - July 8, 2010 - Delightful memories will flood Tim McCreadie’s mind when he pulls through the pit gate of Dakota State Fair Speedway on Saturday night (July 10) for the World of Outlaws Late Model Series ‘Great Plains 50.’

The last time the native of Watertown, N.Y., visited the four-tenths-mile oval, after all, he made history with the renowned national tour.

McCreadie, 36, was an up-and-coming, second-year WoO LMS follower when he put on a breathtaking show on June 5, 2005, at DSFS, becoming the first – and still only – driver to win a series A-Main from the last starting spot. It was a performance for the ages by the former DIRTcar big-block Modified regular who would go on to win the WoO LMS championship in 2006.

“That was probably our most exciting win ever in a Late Model,” said McCreadie, who has become of dirt Late Model racing’s most popular drivers. “It’s tough to beat the feeling you get when you win a race from last – especially when you do it against the best guys in the country. It was definitely one of those races you remember for a long time.”

With McCreadie back as a WoO LMS traveler this season for the first time since his title-winning ’06 campaign, he’s anxious for the opportunity to return to his personal hallowed ground in South Dakota. He didn’t compete in last year’s tour event at DSFS, which was won by defending WoO LMS champ Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., and came just a couple weeks after McCreadie made his comeback from a serious back injury that had sidelined him for five months.

McCreadie can’t believe it’s been five years since his spectacular evening at DSFS, which was set up by his bad luck midway through the program. He set fast time and won a heat race to stamp him as the racer to watch, but a blown engine during the dash – an event no longer used to determine starting positions in WoO LMS A-Mains – forced him to park his fleet machine and hastily pull out a backup. Switching cars, of course, meant he had to start last in the 50-lap headliner.

“We didn’t get any (practice) laps on the car at all,” recalled McCreadie, the son of DIRTcar big-block Modified legend ‘Barefoot’ Bob McCreadie. “We just unloaded the car, took a guess on setup and tires, and went out there. We were just hoping to salvage the night, but I think I passed like seven or eight cars in the first 10 laps and I thought, Well, we’re gonna be alright.”

But did McCreadie actually think he could pull off a worst-to-first run? Not really – until his fortunes turned around for the better when a caution flag flew with just three laps remaining.

“Eventually I got to third and the yellow came out, and I said, ‘We might have a shot at this,’” said McCreadie. “We’d been running (leader Darrell) Lanigan and (second-place Rick) Eckert down, so during that caution I was just hoping that they didn’t know there was an outside (groove).

“The track was in really good shape. It rained for like three days straight (the event was, in fact, postponed one day by the wet weather) so the track was really wet and had a big cushion, and that’s where I was running. Nobody else was really running up there – and on the (final) restart those guys stayed on the bottom instead of moving up, so I went to the top and passed ‘em. We just got lucky.”

The victory effectively thrust McCreadie into the national dirt Late Model conversation. It was just his second WoO LMS win of the season and his career, but he went on to lead the tour with eight triumphs in 2005 and finished a head-turning third in the points standings. The 2004 WoO LMS Rookie of the Year then closed the deal the following season by winning the points crown.

“A lot of people in dirt Late Model racing didn’t even know who we were yet – especially people in South Dakota – when we won that race (in 2005),” said McCreadie. “That made it nice to win a race like that.”

McCreadie hopes he won’t need to go to such extremes to win again at DSFS this Saturday night. Considering the momentum he’s carrying into the finale of the four-race ‘Wild West Tour,’ he just might take a much smoother route to a $10,000 victory.

The driver known as ‘T-Mac’ is one of the hottest drivers on the WoO LMS, with three wins in his last five starts after kicking off the ‘Wild West Tour’ on Wednesday night with a triumph in the NAPA Auto Parts ‘Gopher 50’ at Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minn. He left Deer Creek ranked second in the points standings – just 16 points behind leader Richards – and on an emotional high after becoming a father for the first time with the July 5 birth of his son Gavin Chase.

McCreadie will face tough competition at DSFS from his WoO LMS rivals, including his fellow former tour champions Richards (DSFS Outlaw finishes of eighth in ’05, first in ’09), Union, Ky.’s Lanigan (second, seventh) and Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky. (seventh, second).

Other WoO LMS regulars (and their previous finishes at DSFS) include York, Pa.’s Eckert (third, fourth), Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga. (fourth, fifth), Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa. (13th, sixth), Tim Fuller of Watertown, N.Y. (third in ’09), Shane Clanton of Fayetteville, Ga. (eighth in ’09), Russell King of Bristolville, Ohio (10th in ’09), Brent Robinson of Smithfield, Va. (18th in ’09) and Jill George of Cedar Falls, Iowa, who finished 20th in ’09 when she became the first female driver to qualify for a WoO LMS A-Main through a heat race. Rookie sensation Austin Hubbard of Seaford, Del., is this year’s only Outlaw traveler who will make his first career start at DSFS on Saturday night.

Saturday night’s program, which is sponsored by KOKK Radio and Sturdevent’s Auto Parts, will also include racing for the WISSOTA Super Stocks and Midwest Mods.

Pit gates are scheduled to open at 4 p.m. and the grandstands will be unlocked at 6 p.m. Hot laps are scheduled for 6:45 p.m. with WoO LMS time trials to immediately follow.

Adult general admission is $25 on race day, with juniors (youngsters 50 inches in height to 16 years of age) charged $12 and kids under 50 inches admitted free.

Additional information is available at www.dakotapromotions.com or by calling 605-352-4848.

River Cities Speedway Fans Ready For Another World of Outlaws Late Model Series Thriller On Friday Night (July 9)

GRAND FORKS, ND – July 7, 2010 – There’s just one question that needs to be answered when the World of Outlaws Late Model Series makes its annual visit to River Cities Speedway on Friday night (July 9).

What kind of wild moment will make the $10,000-to-win, 50-lap A-Main a thriller this year?

No stalwart track on the renowned national tour has consistently produced more memorable action over the past three years than River Cities, a high-banked, blazing-fast quarter-mile oval just south of the Canadian border. Fans have left the track’s spacious grandstands buzzing about what they witnessed and anxious to return for another installment of Outlaw competition.

“River Cities Speedway has become one of the can’t-miss stops for fans of the World of Outlaws Late Model Series,” said tour director Tim Christman. “Ask anyone who follows the series – for three years in a row our event at River Cities has ended up being one of the most exciting races of the entire tour. The track is a perfect size for close, intense racing and that’s why we’re always excited for our trip there.”

A look back at the last three WoO LMS shows at River Cities reveals the type of racing spectators can expect on Friday night.

* In 2007, Tim Fuller of Watertown, N.Y., put on a spectacular display of traffic driving to win his milestone first-ever WoO LMS A-Main early in his rookie season on the tour. He slipped by Eddie Carrier Jr. for the lead while negotiating a flurry of lapped cars with just four laps remaining and held on to win the 50-lap event – a race that also saw Shannon Babb of Moweaqua, Ill., make an unforgettable charge from the 24th starting spot to finish a fast-closing third.

* In 2008, Brady Smith of Solon Springs, Wis., became the second straight driver to reach Victory Lane for the first time on the WoO LMS at River Cities with a razor-thin triumph over Babb that ranks as one of the best races in series history. After dueling at the front of the pack for virtually the entire 50-lap distance, the two Midwesterners split a lapped car exiting turn four with the checkered flag waving. Babb ran out of racing room on the outside and crossed the finish line with his car’s right side riding the wall, a scant 0.121 of a second behind Smith.

* Last year River Cities’ big WoO LMS moment came just after the midway point of the A-Main. Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., and Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., were battling for the lead on lap 31 when the slower Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa., slid sideways in front of them rounding turn four and bounced into the infield, sending up a huge dust cloud from which Richards and Francis slowly emerged with damage evident to the hoods of their cars. With the caution flag thrown for the dangerous situation caused by Frank’s spin, Richards and Francis maintained their positions at the front of the field for the ensuing restart and Richards stayed there to the finish for one of his series-leading eight victories in 2009.

Fuller, Smith and Richards will be joined by 2006 River Cities WoO LMS winner Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky. – the only driver who’s been victorious in dominant fashion at the track – in Friday’s field. But while they will lead the charge to the North Dakota facility, each enters the event with varying degrees of momentum – Fuller is unsure how hard he’ll be able to race after undergoing an emergency appendectomy on Monday afternoon; Smith is looking to break out of a slump that contributed to his recent decision to discontinue following the WoO LMS as a regular; Richards is the tour’s points leader and winningest driver this season heading into the four-race ‘Wild West Tour’ that includes River Cities; and Lanigan sits third in the points standings but is struggling to shed the flat-tire bad luck that has plagued him in 2010.

WoO LMS travelers who will be looking for their first career win at River Cities include 2007 tour titlist Steve Francis; Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., who will compete at the track for the first time since his 2006 WoO LMS championship season; Shane Clanton of Fayetteville, Ga., who has won two of last three WoO LMS A-Mains (including $30,000-plus Firecracker 100 on June 26 at Pennsylvania’s Lernerville Speedway); Rick Eckert of York, Pa.; Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga.; Chub Frank; Russell King of Bristolville, Ohio; rookie sensation Austin Hubbard of Seaford, Del.; Brent Robinson of Smithfield, Va., and Jill George of Cedar Falls, Iowa.

Other drivers expected to compete on Friday are Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, Iowa, Jimmy Mars of Menomonie, Wis., and a host of River Cities regulars, including 2010 feature winners Brad Seng of Grand Forks, N.D., Mike Balcaen of Winnipeg, Man., Ricky Weiss of Headingley, Man., Jeff Provinzino of Hibbing, Minn., Steve Anderson of Grand Forks, N.D., Tom Corcoran of E. Grand Forks, Minn., and James Sangrait Jr. of Park River, N.D.

Hot laps are scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m. and racing at 7:30 p.m. on Fri., July 9, at River Cities Speedway, which also has its weekly NOSA Sprint Cars on the program.

Reserved seats are $28 in advance and $30 on race day, and general admission is $25 with kids 12-and-under admitted for $15.

Additional info on River Cities Speedway is available by logging on to www.rivercitiesspeedway.com or calling 701-780-0999 or 218-773-3002 (tickets).

Brownstown, IL - July 6, 2010 - Jeep Van Wormer started the second half of his DIRTcar Summer Nationals tour the right way winning night 19 Tuesday night at Brownstown Speedway.

Van Wormer of Pinconning, Mich., led all 40 laps of the A-main to claim his third win of the 2010 Hell Tour. Van Wormer started on the pole and built large leads in traffic on his way to claiming the $5,000 winner's check. Van Wormer would be challenged at points by Jason Feger of Bloomington, Ill., but would eventually prove too strong.

The 2009 DIRTcar Late Model National Champion Feger would hang on to second place as seventh-starting Jack Sullivan of Greenbriar, Ark., would climb to third. Current point leader Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, Ill. would finish fourth as Billy Moyer Jr. would round out the top five.

Up next for the DIRTcar Summer Nationals Tour is a visit to Spoon River Speedway on Wednesday July 7, 2010. In total the Hell Tour has traveled over 3,750 miles in the course of 20 nights. The trip from Brownstown to Spoon River Speedway in Canton, Ill., will have drivers traveling nearly 155 miles northwest to the track which last hosted a Summer Nationals event in 2008.

A-Main 40-Laps: (1) Jeep Van Wormer, (2) Jason Feger, (3) Jack Sullivan, (4) Dennis Erb Jr., (5) Billy Moyer Jr., (6) Brandon Sheppard, (7) Michael Kloos, (8) Rodney Melvin, (9) Chad Zobrist, (10) Shannon Babb, (11) Scott Schmitt, (12) Jason McBride, (13) Ryan Unzicker, (14) Nick Lyons, (15) Mike Schulte, (16) Ken Schrader, (17) Kevin Weaver, (18) Mike Hammerle, (19) Dan Jacober, (20) Brian Shirley, (21) Clay Baumann.

B-Main: Kevin Weaver, Nick Lyons, Jim Moon, Frankie Martin, Paul Bailey, Mike Schulte, Dillan White, Donny Walden, Bobby Melvin, Mike Hammerle, Andy Pryor, Brandon Thirlby, Bruce Unterbrink, John Hollifield, John Beck. Scratched: Brian Shirley.

First heat: Billy Moyer Jr., Scott Schmitt, Dennis Erb Jr., Shannon Babb, Nick Lyons, Paul Bailey, Brandon Thirlby, John Hollifield.

Second heat: Jason Feger, Clay Baumann, Rodney Melvin, Ryan Unzicker, Kevin Weaver, Jim Moon, Donny Walden, Bruce Unterbrink

Third heat: Brandon Sheppard, Jack Sullivan, Chad Zobrist, Ken Schrader, Frankie Martin, Mike Schulte, Dillan White, Andy Pryor.

Fourth heat: Jeep Van Wormer, Michael Kloos, Jason McBride, Dan Jacober, John Beck, Mike Hammerle, Bobby Melvin, Brian Shirley.

Time trials First group Scott Schmitt (10s), Tonica, Ill., 13.660 Billy Moyer Jr. (21jr), Batesville, Ark., 13.758 Dennis Erb Jr. (28), Carpentersville, Ill., 13.803 Shannon Babb (18), Moweaqua, Ill., 13.840 Nick Lyons (2x), Centralia, Ill., 14.081 John Hollified (31), Terre Haute, Ind., 14.463 Paul Bailey (81), Pocahontas, Ill., 14.800 Brandon Thirlby (m14), Traverse City, Mich., 15.175 Second group Jason Feger (25), Bloomington, Ill., 13.848 Rodney Melvin (27m), Benton, Ill., 14.041 Ryan Unzicker (24), El Paso, Ill., 14.209 Kevin Weaver (B12), Gibson City, Ill., 14.254 Clay Baumann (77B), Highland, Ill., 14.400 Jim Moon (1m), Zionsville, Ind., 14.525 Donny Walden (1w), Towanda, Ill., 14.526 Bruce Unterbrink (14u), Highland, Ill., 14.893 Third group Jack Sullivan (1), Greenbrier, Ark., 14.120 Brandon Sheppard (B5), New Berlin, Ill., 14.146 Ken Schrader (9s), Concord, N.C., 14.231 Mike Schulte (27s), Summerfield, Ill., 14.268 Frankie Martin (25), DuQuoin, Ill., 14.375 Chad Zobrist (78), Highland, Ill., 14.650 Andy Pryor (10), Belleville, Ill., 14.725 Dillan White (54), Crofton, Ky., no time Fourth group Jeep Van Wormer (55), Pinconning, Mich., 14.223 Michael Kloos (6k), Trenton, Ill., 14.390 Jason McBride (77m), Carbondale, Ill., 14.482 Brian Shirley (3s), Chatham, Ill., 14.559 John Beck (28B), Springfield, Ill., 14.668 Mike Hammerle (16H), St. Charles, Mo., 14.741 Bobby Melvin (23), Benton, Ill., 14.801 Dan Jacober (22), Highland, Ill., 15.539

Tim Fuller’s Status For ‘Wild West Tour’ Uncertain After Emergency Appendectomy

CONCORD, NC - July 6, 2010 - Tim Fuller’s status for this week’s World of Outlaws Late Model Series ‘Wild West Tour’ is uncertain after he underwent an emergency appendectomy on Monday afternoon.

Fuller, 42, of Watertown, N.Y., was in his hauler Tuesday afternoon and headed to Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minn., for the opening event of the four-race swing on Wednesday night (July 7), but he said he would have to wait until race time to determine his ability to compete.

“Right now I’m not even sure I can make a lap (for last-place points),” said Fuller, who was still extremely sore 24 hours after the surgery. “My doctor said he wouldn’t recommend racing for a couple weeks, but he said, ‘You most likely aren’t gonna reinjure yourself, so it’s more a matter of if you can take the pain.’

“They only made three small cuts on me and went in with a scope (to remove the appendix), but they’re still moving your guts around so it’s painful. I’ll have to see how I feel (on Wednesday night) and then decide what I’m gonna do.”

Fuller began to experience pain on Sunday afternoon while at racer April Farmer’s shop in Livingston, Tenn., where Fuller and Shane Clanton headed to spend a couple days working on their equipment after Saturday night’s WoO LMS event at nearby Tazewell (Tenn.) Speedway. He initially thought he was suffering from a case of food poisoning, but after spending a sleepless night doubled over in pain he asked Farmer and her husband, Chris, to take him to a local doctor’s office on Monday morning to find out if his problem was something more serious. Tests revealed that his appendix was inflamed and in danger of bursting, so he was told to immediately report to a nearby hospital and by 2 p.m. he was on an operating table undergoing an emergency appendectomy.

The surgery went well and doctors allowed Fuller to check himself out of the hospital at 8:30 on Monday night. He was able sleep in reasonable comfort in his hauler and left Farmer’s shop on Tuesday afternoon, bound for Minnesota with his crew and Clanton’s team.

“I guess I’m fortunate that this happened while we were at April’s place rather than somewhere on the road where we don’t know anybody,” said Fuller. “April and Chris were great shuttling me back-and-forth to the doctor and the hospital, and Shane and his girlfriend Michelle were at the hospital with me.

“Now all I can do is go to Deer Creek and play it by ear. Hopefully I’ll be able to race.”

Fuller currently ranks fifth in the WoO LMS points standings, 182 points behind leader Josh Richards and just six points ahead of sixth-place Austin Hubbard. He won twice and finished third in the first three events of the recent ‘Great Northern Tour’ to pull within 84 points of Richards, but in the five A-Mains since then he’s finished no better than 12th and lost 98 points in the standings.

The ‘Wild West Tour’ kicks off on Wednesday at Deer Creek and then visits Superior (Wis.) Speedway on Thurs., July 8; River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, N.D., on Fri., July 9; and Dakota State Fair Speedway in Huron, S.D., on Sat., July 10. Fuller earned his first career WoO LMS A-Main victory at River Cities in 2007.

Wisconsin’s Brady Smith Looks Forward To World of Outlaws Late Model Series Stop At Superior Speedway On Thursday Night (July 8)

No Longer An Outlaw Regular, Smith Hopes Race At Home Track Shakes Him Out Of Slump

SUPERIOR, WI – July 6, 2010 – The day that Brady Smith circled on his calendar months ago has finally arrived.

On Thursday night (July 8), the World of Outlaws Late Model Series makes an inaugural stop in his backyard, visiting his former hometrack, Superior Speedway, for the ‘Mid-States Hydraulics 50’ that is part of the circuit’s annual ‘Wild West Tour.’

But while the 33-year-old from Solon Springs, Wis., is certainly pleased to be running a $10,000-to-win dirt Late Model special at a track located just over 30 miles northwest of his doorstep, he enters the biggest event in the history of the three-eighths-mile oval sitting in a far different position that he had hoped. Smith is mired in a season-long slump – struggles that recently forced him to stop following the WoO LMS schedule, short-circuiting his dreams of returning to Superior Speedway as a contender for the national tour’s $100,000 points championship.

“I hated to do it,” Smith said of his difficult decision to drop off the World of Outlaws trail before last month’s ‘Great Northern Tour’ through upstate New York, Canada and western Pennsylvania. “I thought about it for a long time. I tried to make things happen so I didn’t have to do it, but unfortunately it was a decision that was inevitable for us the way our season has been going.”

What’s so frustrating for Smith, of course, is that his 2010 campaign began with such promise. After turning heads during his first season as a WoO LMS regular in 2009 – he didn’t win an A-Main and finished eighth in the points standings, but he ranked sixth among tour drivers with 12 top-five finishes – he had great expectations for his sophomore year. He burst out of the starting gate with a third-place finish and victory in February’s season-opening events at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla., to grab the points lead for the first time in his career, but he simply couldn’t maintain that level of performance. Smith registered just one top-five finish (second place on May 13 at Delaware International Speedway) over the next 14 A-Mains and plummeted to eighth in the points race.

Facing a 214-point deficit to WoO LMS points leader (and defending champion) Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., by the end of May and struggling to keep his self-owned racing program afloat, Smith reluctantly called tour director Tim Christman before the ‘Great Northern Tour’ to relay the news that he would be pulling back on his travel schedule to regroup.

“All things were pointed in the right direction for us when the season started,” said Smith, who has three career WoO LMS victories, including back-to-back wins during the 2008 ‘Wild West Tour’ at River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, N.D., and Estevan (Sask.) Motor Speedway. “We worked hard over the winter and ran well at Volusia. We left there with the points lead – it couldn’t have worked out any better.

“Then...God, things just went to hell in a hand basket. We couldn’t seem to do anything right. We had fast race cars and were qualifying real well (three fast-time awards in the season’s first nine events), but then either we’d make the wrong decisions on tires or have something stupid happen, like a lapped car would spin out in front of me and I’d have to spin out of third place to avoid him.

“West Virginia (Motor Speedway over Memorial Day weekend) was almost the straw that broke the camel’s back,” he continued, recalling a hard crash during time trials that left his Team Zero by Bloomquist machine badly damaged and his body sore. “We didn’t just wreck, we destroyed a car. It was junk. That really set our program back – and then I had a crew guy leave on top of it, so I just lost half my workforce.”

The cool, calm Smith paused. He clenched his fists and let out an exasperated, “Ugh!” before commenting, “I’m not making excuses, but it was just a downward spiral. We were just totally going in the wrong direction, and before I hit rock bottom I had to do something different.”

Racing with the assistance of several valued sponsors but without the backing of a major company since his four-year run with Amsoil ended following the 2008 season, Smith doesn’t have the wiggle room with his finances to weather lean stretches like he once did. His geographic location – he lives in northwestern Wisconsin, so it takes him four hours just to get out of the Badger State – also adds a degree of difficulty to his attempts to chase a grueling national schedule.

“I enjoy racing with the World of Outlaws and I really feel like it’s the right thing to do for our program to make us better,” said Smith, who estimated that he put over 50,000 miles on his hauler traveling to races last year. “But we need to scale back right now and change some things to get back going in the right direction.

“We’re not gonna quit. We’re just gonna try to be as prepared as we can for all the races we do, and hopefully in the future we can get ourselves in the right position to run (regularly) with the World of Outlaws again.”

Smith will be back on the WoO LMS trail this week, albeit just for the four-race ‘Wild West Tour’ through Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota and South Dakota that doesn’t hit a track more than eight hours from his residence. He hasn’t raced since traveling to Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pa., for the WoO LMS ‘Firecracker 100’ from June 24-26 (he finished third in a 30-lap preliminary A-Main and 10th in the 100-lap headliner after leading laps 1-19), so he’s rested and ready for the challenge of racing the Outlaw stars he knows so well on his home turf.

The driver known as the ‘Prodigy’ should definitely feel comfortable at Superior, a track he ran regularly early in his career. He competed there for one year in a Street Stock, four years in a Super Stock and parts of two seasons in a WISSOTA spec-motor Late Model before he began branching out to enter full-blown Late Model events in the early to mid 2000s.

“We’re looking forward to getting back there to Superior for a big show,” said Smith, who won multiple features and championships during his years as a regular at the track. “After always traveling so far to race, it will be nice to race in front of my hometown fans and family. We’ll have a bunch of family there – parents, aunts, uncles, cousins.”

Smith, who said he’s raced at Superior “maybe 10 times” over the past five years, will be shooting for his first-ever full-blown Late Model victory at the facility. His last triumph there came in a 2005 WISSOTA Late Model event; the closest he’s come to a full-blown Late Model victory at Superior is a second-place finish on July 29, 2009, in a race sanctioned by the defunct World Dirt Racing League (WDRL).

“I don’t feel like I’m gonna have a big advantage, but at least I have more of an idea of what to expect than most guys,” said Smith. “If it’s typical Superior, it’ll be really slick and smooth and you’ll have to be smooth and patient and have your car set up right.

“Hopefully we’ll be able to run up front,” he added. “After the season we’ve had, a win would just be awesome. It would boost everyone’s morale and definitely help the bank account.”

Smith will face plenty of tough competition from the WoO LMS travelers, including former champions Richards, Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., and Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky. The tour’s roster also features the red-hot Shane Clanton of Fayetteville, Ga. (two wins in the last three events, including the Firecracker 100), Tim Fuller of Watertown, N.Y., Rick Eckert of York, Pa., Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa., Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga., Russell King of Bristolville, Ohio, rookie sensation Austin Hubbard of Seaford, Del., Brent Robinson of Smithfield, Va., and Jill George of Cedar Falls, Iowa.

A talented group of drivers from the Upper Midwest is also expected to enter the event, including Jimmy Mars of Menomonie, Wis., who has won at least one WDRL feature at Superior in each of the last four years; Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, Iowa, who captured a Hav-A-Tampa/Xtreme series event at the track in 2003; Adam Hensel of Barron, Wis., who won a feature at Superior on May 21; Pat Doar of New Richmond, Wis., who was victorious at Superior on May 28; two-time WDRL champion Chad Simpson of Mt. Vernon, Iowa; and former WISSOTA national titlist Zach Johnson of Kensington, Minn.

Hot laps are scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. and time trials will get the green flag at 7 p.m. on Thurs., July 8, at Superior Speedway. Pure Stocks and MW Mods will also be part of the program.

Tickets are $30 for ages 16-and-up, $10 for ages 6-15 and free for children 6-and-under with a paid adult. Pit passes will cost $40.

Superior Speedway is located two miles south of U.S. 2 on State Road 35, close to the shores of Lake Superior.

More information on Superior Speedway can be obtained by logging on to www.superiorracetrack.com or calling 715-394-RACE.

The Mid-States Hydraulics 50 is the second stop on the WoO LMS ‘Wild West Tour,’ which kicks off on July 7 at Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minn., and also includes events on July 9 at River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, N.D., and July 10 at Dakota State Fair Speedway.

Lincoln, IL - July 4, 2010 - After 18 consecutive nights of racing, the DIRTcar Summer Nationals tour got its first taste of Mother Nature Sunday night at Lincoln Speedway.

After completing the first lap of the scheduled 40-lap main event, rain began to fall steadily, forcing DIRTcar and Lincoln Speedway officials to postpone the race and look for potential make-up dates.

The Hell Tour has its first scheduled off-day on Monday before resuming action Tuesday night at Fayette County Speedway in Brownstown, Ill.

Three-time and defending Summer Nationals champion Dennis Erb Jr. is once again atop the Hell Tour standings with 10 races remaining in the next 13 days.

B-Main: Jeep Van Wormer, Michael Kloos, Scott Bull, Mark Burgtorf, Brian Dively, Brandon Thirlby, Kevin Weaver, Donny Walden, Bobby Pierce, Jim Moon, Charley Hess, John Beck, Chuck Mitchell, Mike Hammerle, Mark Voigt, Ryan Little, Dick Taylor. Scratched: Jay Sparks.

First heat: Scott James, Jason McBride, Billy Moyer Jr., Dillan White, Shannon Babb, Scott Bull, Michael Kloos, John Beck, Jim Moon, Kevin Weaver, Brandon Thirlby.

Second heat: Dennis Erb Jr., Ryan Unzicker, Jack Sullivan, Eric Smith, Tanner English, Mark Voigt, Brian Dively, Mike Hammerle, Chuck Mitchell, Dick Taylor, Jay Sparks.

Third heat: Brian Shirley, Brandon Sheppard, Steve Sheppard Jr., Jason Feger, Brian Harris, Jeep Van Wormer, Mark Burgtorf, Donny Walden, Bobby Pierce, Charley Hess, Ryan Little.

Time trials (unofficial)
First group
Scott James (44), Lawrenceburg, Ind., 15.399
Jason McBride (77), Carbondale, Ill., 15.614
Dillan White (54), Crofton,Ky., 15.716
Billy Moyer Jr (21jr), Batesville, Ark., 15.766
Shannon Babb (18), Moweaqua, Ill., 15.845
Scott Bull (83), Fairbury, Ill., 15.909
Jim Moon (1m), Zionsville, Ind., 16.401
Michael Kloos (6k), Trenton, Ill., 16.506
Kevin Weaver (b12), Gibson City, Ill., 16.539
John Beck (28B), Springfield, Ill., 16.539
Brandon Thirlby (m14), Traverse City, Mich., 16.847
Second group
Dennis Erb Jr. (28), Carpentersville, Ill., 15.396
Jack Sullivan (1), Greenbriar, Ark., 15.607
Eric Smith (9), Bloomington, Ill., 15.742
Tanner English (96), Benton, Ky., 15.759
Ryan Unzicker (24), El Paso, Ill., 15.764
Jay Sparks (7s), Metamora, Ill., 16.046
Mark Voigt (30), Marine, Ill., 16.128
Dick Taylor (24), Springfield, Ill., 16.214
Brian Dively (11D), Springfield, Ill., 16.240
Chuck Mitchell (117), Springfield, Ill., 16.688
Mike Hammerle (16H), St. Charles, Mo., 16.726
Third group
Jason Feger (25), Bloomington, Ill., 15.855
Brandon Sheppard (B5), New Berlin, Ill., 15.861
Brian Shirley (3s), Chatham, Ill., 15.879
Brian Harris (75), Davenport, Iowa, 15.901
Donny Walden (1w), Towanda, Ill., 15.990
Steve Sheppard Jr. (5s), New Berlin, Ill., 16.065
Mark Burgtorf (7B), Quincy, Ill., 16.084
Bobby Pierce (32), Oakwood, Ill., 16.113
Charley Hess (40), Peoria, Ill., 16.169
Ryan Little (38), Springfield, Ill., 16.351
Jeep Van Wormer (55), Pinconning, Mich., 16.493

2010 DIRTcar Summer Nationals Point Standings - Top 15

Rank	Driver	Points	Difference
1	Dennis Erb Jr.	1146
2	Jason Feger	1113	-33
3	Shannon Babb	1111	-35
4	Jeep Van Wormer	1108	-38
5	Ryan Unzicker	1051	-95
6	Jack Sullivan	1040	-106
7	Billy Moyer Jr.	1012	-134
8	Rodney Melvin	926	-220
9	Brandon Sheppard	804	-342
10	Brian Shirley	723	-423
11	Jason McBride	684	-462
12	Wendell Wallace	598	-548
13	Donny Walden	556	-590
14	Billy Moyer	552	-594
15	Richie Hedrick	549	-597

2010 DIRTcar Summer Nationals 'The Hell Tour' Schedule

Date/ Track/Location/Winner/Car Count

06/16/10 - Brownstown Speedway - Brownstown, Ind. (Billy Moyer - 50)

06/17/10 - Kankakee County Speedway - Kankakee, Ill. (Billy Moyer - 47)

06/18/10 - Cedar Lake Speedway - Somerset, Wis. (Billy Moyer - 43)

06/19/10 - Cedar Lake Speedway - Somerset, Wis. (Brian Birkhofer - 44)

06/20/10 - Wilmot Speedway - Wilmot, Wis. (Rodney Melvin - 31)

06/21/10 - Vermillion County Speedway - Danville, Ill. (Jeep Van Wormer - 35)

06/22/10 - Highland Speedway - Highland, Ill. (Shannon Babb - 43)

06/23/10 - Belle Clair Speedway - Belleville, Ill. (Dennis Erb Jr. - 37)

06/24/10 - Shepps Speedway - Alexander, Ill. (Shannon Babb - 43)

06/25/10 - Farmer City Raceway - Farmer City, Ill. (Don O'Neal - 45)

06/26/10 - Clarksville Speedway - Clarksville, Tenn. (Jack Sullivan - 39)

06/27/10 - Tri-State Speedway - Haubstadt, Ind. (Don O'Neal - 28)

06/28/10 - Lincoln Park Speedway - Putnamville, Ind. (Don O'Neal - 27)

06/29/10 - I-96 Speedway - Lake Odessa, Mich. (Jeep Van Wormer - 45)

06/30/10 - Charleston Speedway - Charleston, Ill. (Brian Shirley - 26)

07/01/10 - Clay Hill Motorsports Park - Atwood, Tenn. (Billy Moyer - 33)

07/02/10 - Paducah International Raceway - Paducah, Ky (Billy Moyer - 43)

07/03/10 - I-55 Raceway - Pevely, Mo (Billy Moyer - 37)

07/04/10 - Lincoln Speedway - Lincoln, Ill. (RAIN)

07/06/10 - Fayette County Speedway - Brownstown, Ill.

07/07/10 - Spoon River Speedway - Canton, Ill.

07/08/10 - Macon Speedway - Macon, Ill.

07/09/10 - Tri-City Speedway - Pontoon Beach, Ill.

07/10/10 - Fairbury American Legion Speedway - Fairbury, Ill.

07/11/10 - Quincy Raceways - Quincy, Ill.

07/13/10 - Peoria Speedway - Peoria, Ill.

07/14/10 - Kokomo Speedway - Kokomo, Ind.

07/16/10 - Attica Raceway Park - Attica, Ohio

07/17/10 - Oakshade Raceway - Wauseon, Ohio

Deer Creek Speedway’s ‘Gopher 50’ On Wednesday Night (July 7) Has Become Big Part Of World of Outlaws Late Model Series

Unique Charity Event Earned Organizers Recognition As National Tour’s 2009 Promoters Of The Year

SPRING VALLEY, MN – July 5, 2010 – The NAPA Auto Parts ‘Gopher 50’ Charity Late Model Race sure has come a long way.

With the event ready to celebrate its 31st annual running on Wednesday night (July 7) at Deer Creek Speedway, the ‘Gopher’ is entrenched as one of the most prestigious and unique dirt Late Model races in the country. It stands out from the crowd so much, in fact, that it earned its organizers coveted recognition as the 2009 World of Outlaws Late Model Series Promoters of the Year.

Collaboratively promoted by the Blooming Prairie (Minn.) Lions Club and management of Deer Creek Speedway, the Gopher 50’s alltime winners’ list is dotted with some of the biggest names in the racing business. More importantly, over $300,000 for Jaycee and Lions projects has been raised over the lifetime of the Gopher 50, which was contested at Chateau Speedway in Austin, Minn. (1980-1981) and the Steele County Fairgrounds in Owatanna, Minn. (1982-2004) before settling at Deer Creek in 2005 and soaring to new heights.

The Gopher 50 has been part of the WoO LMS for its entire run at Deer Creek, gaining more prominence on the schedule with each passing season. Anyone still unfamiliar with the event received a reminder of its status when the announcement of its organizers’ WoO LMS promotional award was made during the national tour’s awards banquet last November.

“We’re honored to receive an award from such a prestigious group like the World of Outlaws,” said Jerry Ingvalson, the Blooming Prairie Lions Club member who has overseen all aspects of the Charity Race since its inception in 1980. “It definitely shows how much the Gopher has grown. It’s become one of the events in the dirt Late Model world that people want to see.”

“We couldn’t believe it when Tim (Christman, the WoO LMS director) called and said little Deer Creek Speedway and the Gopher 50 won the award,” said Deer Creek’s P.R. and marketing director Ryan Queensland, whose family operates the finely-manicured, three-eighths-mile oval. “We’re humbled that a national touring series would recognize our track and event, considering some of the crown-jewel races and well-known tracks that are part of the series.

“Winning an award like this puts you in a very elite crowd. It’s a helluva honor, and it drives us to go out and continue putting on great events.”

Ingvalson and the Queensland family celebrated last year’s milestone 30th edition of the Gopher 50 with a promotion that certainly couldn’t be ignored by WoO LMS officials and teams. The event headlined the 17 former Gopher 50 winners, gave fans a shot at a cash prize and featured a $10,000 bonus for a past event champion to win the race – a check that 2008 WoO LMS titlist Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., claimed to push his booty for capturing the A-Main to a whopping $20,000.

“The Gopher obviously has been a huge event around here for years, so we were thrilled when (the Blooming Prairie Lions Club) asked us to host it,” said Ryan Queensland, the P.R. and marketing director of Deer Creek Speedway. “One of the things we talked about with Jerry and the Lions Club was doing something really special for the 30th anniversary of the Gopher. We came up with the Past Champions’ Fund and some fan-oriented promotions and I think it all went off great.

“A lot of people came up to us last year and said the Gopher was one of the most memorable races they’ve ever attended and already had it on their calendars to come back to Deer Creek.”

Thousands of fans are expected to pack Deer Creek’s grandstands again on Wednesday night for another installment of the Gopher 50, which this year combines some new wrinkles and popular annual traditions. The biggest incentive for the drivers is the bonus money posted by NAPA – an extra $1,000 on top of the A-Main’s $10,000 top prize and $100 for each heat victor, contingent upon display of a NAPA decal on the right side of the car.

What’s more, Fastshafts of Des Moines, Iowa, is sponsoring a Gopher 50 Hard Charger award that will award the race’s mover-and-shaker a complete aluminum driveshaft with slip yoke (retail value $330) or a certificate towards the purchase of a new carbon-fiber driveshaft with yoke worth $650. Receipt of the prize is also contingent upon display of the company’s sticker.

Continuing as part of the Gopher 50, of course, is the pre-race ‘feed’ – a full Windsor Chops meal held under a tent in the Deer Creek parking lot that is open to all competing drivers and their crews – and the Team Sponsorship Program that pays the event entry fee for the top 20 drivers in Deer Creek’s Late Model points standings and the top 10 racers in regional touring series standings thanks to support from a long list of local businesses and individuals.

In addition, sometime during Wednesday night’s program WoO LMS director Tim Christman will formally present the tour’s 2009 Promoters of the Year award to members of the Blooming Prairie Lions Club and the Queensland family.

“They weren’t able to attend our banquet in November so we’ll give them their World of Outlaws award in front of all the fans who have made their Gopher 50 promotion so successful,” said Christman. “The Blooming Prairie Lions Club and Queensland family are well-deserved recipients of our Promoters of the Year award and I’m excited to finally get a chance to congratulate them in person.”

A star-studded field will fill the Deer Creek pit area, led by former WoO LMS champions Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., who leads the 2010 points standings entering Wednesday night’s ‘Wild West Tour’ lidlifter; Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., who will make his first appearance at Deer Creek since his title-winning season in 2006; Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky.; and Lanigan, one of seven drivers who has won the Gopher 50 multiple times.

The WoO LMS traveling roster also includes Rick Eckert of York, Pa. (2006 Gopher 50 winner), Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa. (2007 winner), Shane Clanton of Fayetteville, Ga. (winner of two of last three WoO LMS A-Mains, including $30,000-plus Firecracker 100 on June 26 at Pennsylvania’s Lernerville Speedway), Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga. (an ’06 winner at Deer Creek), Tim Fuller of Watertown, N.Y., Russell King of Bristolville, Ohio, rookie Austin Hubbard of Seaford, Del., Brent Robinson of Smithfield, Va., and Jill George of Cedar Falls, Iowa.

Other drivers expected to compete on Wednesday include two-time Gopher 50 winner Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, Iowa, Jimmy Mars of Menomonie, Wis., Brady Smith of Solon Springs, Wis., Adam Hensel of Barron, Wis., Chris Simpson of Mt. Vernon, Iowa, and a host of Deer Creek regulars led by points leader Nick Herrick of West Concord, Minn.

Wednesday night’s program will also include Deer Creek’s USRA Modified division, which will boast an added attraction of its own. Budding ARCA and NASCAR Nationwide Series star Steve Arpin of Fort Frances, Ont., will make his return to the open-wheel division driving a car carrying sponsorship from Mike’s Hard Lemonade, the primary backer of the Venturini Motorsports No. 55 that he’s steered to three ARCA victories this season.

Arpin, who has also run four Nationwide Series events in 2010 for Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s team, will have his Mike’s Hard Lemonade ARCA stocker on display for fans on Wednesday night. He’ll also participate in a question-and-answer session and sign autographs from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Deer Creek’s pit and grandstand gates are scheduled to open at 3 p.m. on Wed., July 7. Time trials are set to begin at 6:30 p.m.

Tickets will be $30 on race day for ages 13-and-up and $15 for children 12-and-under. Pre-sale tickets are available for $25 until 5 p.m. on July 5, and pit passes will be $35.

Reserved seats are available on-line at www.deercreekspeedway.com or by calling 877-DCS-RACE or 507-754-6107.

Deer Creek Speedway is located 15 miles south of Rochester, Minn., on Highway 63.

The Gopher 50 kicks off the four-race WoO LMS ‘Wild West Tour,’ which also visits Superior (Wis.) Speedway on July 8; River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, N.D., on July 9; and Dakota State Fair Speedway on July 10.

Shane Clanton Captures His Second LaCrosse Footwear Extreme Tough Challenge Event

CONCORD, N.C. - July 4, 2010 - Shane Clanton powered his way to a World of Outlaws Late Model Series victory on Saturday night at Tazewell (Tenn.) Speedway and opened a big lead in the LaCrosse Footwear Extreme Tough Challenge.

Clanton became the first driver to top an Extreme Tough Challenge event twice this year, and in doing so has a 6-point advantage over fellow World of Outlaws Late Model Series competitors Steve Francis and Josh Richards. The World of Outlaws Late Model Series has run three Extreme Tough Challenge events, while the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series has run two events so far.

"We've gotten off to a pretty good start with this LaCrosse Extreme Tough Challenge," said Clanton, of Fayetteville, Ga. "If we can keep on putting together good finishes in these LaCrosse races, we should be right there in the points race at the end of the year. It sure would be cool to win it."

Francis and Richards finished second and third at Tazewell, as Chub Frank and Rick Eckert earned the remaining Extreme Tough Challenge points.

Kasey Kahne Racing's Joey Saldana is the leading World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series driver in the Extreme Tough Challenge. Through five events (three Late Model races, two Sprint Car races), 16 different drivers have earned points.

The Extreme Tough Challenge features 16 overall events - eight per series - where drivers who are competing full-time in the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series or the World of Outlaws Late Model Series earn points toward the championship, which will be decided at the World of Outlaws World Finals in November at The Dirt Track at Charlotte. The top five finishers no matter the series will share a $15,000 point fund, and the winning driver will receive the Extreme Tough Challenge champion trophy.

Also, at each Extreme Tough Challenge event, LaCrosse will distribute keepsake posters as well as provide hat and t-shirt giveaways. Fans can get involved at every race through a unique Extreme Tough competition with the chance to win a pair of LaCrosse boots.

LaCrosse Footwear develops performance footwear and apparel designed to help users dominate their ground in work and recreation. LaCrosse boots, including the Extreme Tough™ line, can be found at premium retailers such as Bass Pro Shops and Gander Mountain.

Visit http://www.extremetoughchallenge.com for all of the up-to-date news and standings. For more information on LaCrosse Footwear, go to http://www.lacrossefootwear.com.

Pevely, MO - July 3, 2010 - Billy Moyer is making things look relatively easy, as he did once again Saturday night at I-55 Raceway, the 18th stop of the 2010 DIRTcar Summer Nationals.

The dirt late model hall of fame driver was challenged throughout the event, but proved to be too much leading all 40 laps to claim his sixth tour win in 2010. The victory earned the Batesville, Ark., native his second win worth $10,000 on the grueling month long tour.

Will Vaught of Crane, Mo., was Moyer’s main challenger over the course of 40 laps and wound up second. Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, Iowa, came to the line third ahead of Moyer's son Billy Moyer Jr., who also hails from Batesville, Ark. Defending Hell Tour champion and current series point leader Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, Ill., rallied from tenth to finish fifth.

Up next for the DIRTcar Summer Nationals Tour is a visit to Lincoln Speedway on Sunday July 4, 2010. In total the Hell Tour has traveled over 3,400 miles in the course of 18 nights. The trip from Pevely to Lincoln Speedway in Lincoln, Ill., will have drivers traveling nearly 160 miles northeast to the track which will also feature a DIRTvision audio broadcast for the night's event.

A-Main 40-Laps: (1) Billy Moyer, (2) Will Vaught, (3) Brian Birkhofer, (4) Billy Moyer Jr., (5) Dennis Erb Jr., (6) Scott James, (7) Ryan Unzicker, (8) Jimmy Mars, (9) Jeep Van Wormer, (10) Brian Shirley, (11) Michael Kloos, (12) Jeff Johns, (13) Mark Voigt, (14) Craig Smith, (15) Jason Feger, (16) Bryan Collins, (17) Nick Lyons, (18) Ron McQuerry, (19) Dave Jumper, (20) Dewayne Kiefer, (21) Brandon Sheppard, (22) Rodney Melvin, (23) Jack Sullivan, (24) Shannon Babb.

B-Main: Jeep Van Wormer, Dewayne Kiefer, Nick Lyons, Ryan Unzicker, Mark Voigt, Rodney Melvin, Jason McBride, Butch Kruckeberg, Jeff Beyers, Dave Jumper, Mark Miner, Dan Jacober, Donny Walden, Bryan Collins, Matt Wiedner, Jason Crump.

First heat: Brian Birkhofer, Craig Smith, Jeff Johns, Ron McQuerry, Nick Lyons, Jeff Beyers, Donny Walden, Jason Crumb, Brandon Thirlby. Scratched: Dan Jacober.

Second heat: Billy Moyer, Brandon Sheppard, Dennis Erb Jr., Michael Kloos, Dewayne Kiefer, Mark Miner, Jeep Van Wormer, Paul Roider, Matt Wiedner.

Third heat: Billy Moyer Jr., Jimmy Mars, Jason Feger, Wendell Wallace, Ryan Unzicker, Jason McBride, Dave Jumpber, Bruce Unterbrink, Dylan Sharp.

Fourth heat: Will Vaught, Scott James, Brian Shirley, Shannon Babb, Rodney Melvin, Mark Voigt, Bryan Collins, Brutch Kruckeberg. Scratched: Jack Sullivan.

Time trials (unofficial) (Heat races start straight up by qualifying) First group Craig Smith (81), Godfrey, Ill., 13.032 Brian Birkhofer (15B), Muscatine, Iowa, 13.040 Jeff Johns (95), Belleville, Ill., 13.057 Ron McQuerry (1hr), St. Albans, Mo., 13.149 Nick Lyons (2x), Centralia, Ill., 13.164 Jeff Beyers (27B), Pana, Ill., 13.396 Brandon Thirlby (m14), Traverse City, Mich., 13.403 Donny Walden (1w), Towanda, Ill., 13.514 Jason Crump (86), Festus, Mo., 13.994 Dan Jacober (22), Highland, Ill., 16.506 Second group Billy Moyer (21), Batesville, Ark., 12.972 Brandon Sheppard (B5), New Berlin, Ill., 13.044 Dennis Erb Jr. (28), Carpentersville, Ill., 13.069 Michael Kloos (6k), Trenton, Ill., 13.126 Dewayne Kiefer (13), St. Genevieve, Mo., 13.255 Paul Roider (23), Columbia, Ill., 13.571 Mark Miner (78s), Arnold, Mo., 13.848 Jeff Van Wormer (55), Pinconning, Mich., 13.910 Matt Wiedner (7), Highland, Ill., 13.957 Third group Jimmy Mars (28), Menomonie, Wis., 12.992 Wendell Wallace (88), Batesville, Ark., 13.224 Billy Moyer Jr. (21jr), Batesville, Ark., 13.256 Ryan Unzicker (24), El Paso, Ill., 13.284 Jason Feger (25), Bloomington, Ill., 13.335 Jason McBride (77), Carbondale, Ill., 13.453 Dave Jumper (2j), Fenton, Mo., 13.812 Dylan Sharp (80D), Hillsboro, Mo., 13.828 Bruce Unterbrink (14u), Highland, Ill., 13.989 Fourth group Scott James (44), Lawrenceburg, Ind., 13.032 Rodney Melvin (27), Benton, Ill., 13.119 Bryan Collins (11z), Elsberry, Mo., 13.246 Will Vaught (1), Crane, Mo., 13.272 Brian Shirley (3s), Chatham, Ill., 13.291 Shannon Babb (18), Moweaqua, Ill., 13.545 Jack Sullivan (1), Greenbrier, Ark., 13.593 Mark Voigt (30), Marine, Ill., 13.691 Butch Kruckeberg (76), Edwardsville, Ill., 13.971

On A Roll: Clanton Holds Off Francis For World of Outlaws Late Model Series Victory At Tazewell Speedway

TAZEWELL, TN - July 3, 2010 - Shane Clanton didn’t let a pole position start slip through his fingers for the second time in 24 hours.

The 34-year-old who now calls Fayetteville, Ga., home took full advantage of the opportunity presented to him on Saturday night, continuing his early-summer hot streak with a decisive victory in the World of Outlaws Late Model Series ‘Coca-Cola 50’ at Tazewell Speedway.

Clanton, who also started from the pole on Friday night at Wartburg (Tenn.) Speedway but settled for a runner-up finish in the 50-lap A-Main, led the entire distance on Saturday evening before a near-capacity crowd that turned out for the national tour’s first-ever visit to the high-banked, one-third-mile oval. He repelled several challenges from Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., and barely escaped two incidents en route to his third WoO LMS triumph of 2010 and the 14th of his career.

“I let two races go this year (failed to win after starting from the pole) so I wasn’t gonna lose another one,” said Clanton, who earned $10,500. “After Michelle (Davies, his girlfriend and designated position drawer) picked me the pole, I told her, ‘If you do your job, I’ll do mine.’”

Clanton mastered the wicked-fast bullring, keeping his Malcuit-powered RSD Enterprises Rocket car out front in a rough-and-tumble event that was slowed by seven caution flags and one red and lasted just over 47 minutes. He crossed the finish line 1.053 seconds ahead of Francis, who started fourth but chased Clanton from the second spot for the final 35 laps in his Valvoline Rocket machine.

Defending WoO LMS champion Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., calmly moved forward from the sixth starting spot to finish third despite running the last 15 circuits on seven cylinders because an engine lifter apparently broke in his father Mark’s Seubert Calf Ranches Rocket. He doubled his tour points lead to 36 markers over Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., who finished 12th after pitting on lap 20 to change a flat left-rear tire.

Tommy Kerr of Maryville, Tenn., advanced from the 12th starting spot to finish a WoO LMS career-best fourth in his Rocket car, earning him the $500 ‘Bonus Bucks’ cash for being the highest-finishing driver who hadn’t won a series A-Main and wasn’t ranked among the top 12 in the points standings. Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa., placed fifth in his Corry Rubber/Hino Toyota Rocket, surviving an overheating engine to register his second straight top-five finish.

“I knew we had a good car, but we made some more changes right before the feature and it made it a lot better,” said Clanton, whose victory gave him two wins (including a $30,000-plus score on June 26 in the Firecracker 100 at Pennsylvania’s Lernerville Speedway) and two runner-up finishes in his last five WoO LMS starts. “We tightened the car up and it made a world of difference.”

Clanton was fast enough to hold off Francis, who ran within striking distance but couldn’t pull off a pass.

“I thought I heard him under me a couple times,” Clanton said of Francis, “but the bottom of (turns) one and two got so rough I said, ‘If he passes me down there, he’s gonna have to make a perfect line.’ I thought I was gonna break something in the race car if I ran down there, so I just married myself to the top and said, ‘If he beats me, he beats me.’”

“I think I was more maneuverable, but he could run a faster lane in the open every lap,” Francis said of Clanton. “There wasn’t enough off of (turn) four to really pass. He was gonna have to make a mistake for me to get by him.

“We ran first and second, though, so I’m happy. Me and Shane have been working on a lot of stuff together, so it was a good race for both of us.”

Clanton experienced a couple very anxious moments, however, while pacing the field. The first came on lap 15 when Rick Rogers of Knoxville, Tenn., came off the turn-four wall and rolled his car in front of Clanton and several of his pursuers; later, on lap 48, Mike Collins of Carter Lake, Iowa, spun directly ahead of Clanton.

“As that guy was flipping he came right over my nose,” said Clanton. “It scraped the nose of my car all the way up to the air filter. I was lucky it didn’t knock the carburetor off.

“When I got to him I just gassed it up – I said, ‘I’m not stopping here.’ I guess I got him up in the air and he landed on the ‘1’ car (then second-place runner Vic Hill of Morristown, Tenn.) behind me.

“Then with Collins – his eyes looked about the size of quarters when I seen him spinning in front of me,” added Clanton. “I thought I was gonna t-bone him, but he gassed it up and got out of the way just in time. The green stayed out and we made it to the finish.”

Rogers’s series of flips provided the most spectacular accident of the event. His car landed upside down after it slammed into the right side of the machine driven by Brent Robinson of Smithfield, Va., and also collected Hill, whose strong run came to an abrupt end due to damage his car sustained in the altercation.

Rogers, who started third but was relegated to the rear of the field after spinning out of fourth place on lap 10, escaped the crash without injury.

Finishing in positions 6-10 was Rick Eckert of York, Pa.; Austin Hubbard of Seaford, Del., who started 13th; 11th-starter Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky.; Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga., who rallied from a pit stop on lap two to change a flat right-rear tire; and Eric Jacobsen of Sea Cliff Beach, Calif., who spun wildly in turn three late in the distance but continued without causing a caution flag.

Tim Fuller of Watertown, N.Y., had a rough night, finishing 15th after retiring on lap 33 with right-front suspension woes. His hopes were dashed after he crushed the right-front nose of his car and slowed to bring out a caution flag on lap five.

The A-Main served as the third leg of the LaCrosse Extreme Tough Challenge, a unique mini-series that awards points to the top-five fulltime WoO LMS and Sprint Car Series drivers in 16 selected events – eight Late Model and eight Sprint Car – and will earn the champion of the combined standings a $5,000 bonus from a $15,000 points fund. Clanton earned five points for being the highest-finishing WoO LMS regular, boosting his overall lead in the standings. Also earning points were Francis (four), Richards (three), Frank (two) and Eckert (one).

Richards registered his second fast-time honor of 2010, blazing around the track in 11.189 seconds during the 27-car Ohlins Shocks Time Trials session.

Heat winners were Richards, Hill and Rogers, and Clint Smith captured the B-Main.

The WoO LMS will be idle for three days before commencing the four-race ‘Wild West Tour’ on Wed., July 7, with the ‘Gopher 50’ at Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minn. The swing also features events on Thurs., July 8, at Superior (Wis.) Speedway; Fri., July 9, at River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, N.D.; and Sat., July 10, at Dakota State Fair Speedway in Huron, S.D.

Results of WoO Late Model Series ‘Coca-Cola 50’ (Finishing Position/Start/Driver/Laps Completed/Money Won):

1. (1) Shane Clanton/50 $10,500 2. (4) Steve Francis/50 $5,600 3. (6) Josh Richards/50 $3,725 4. (12) Tommy Kerr/50 $3,000 5. (7) Chub Frank/50 $2,500 6. (8) Rick Eckert/50 $2,200 7. (13) Austin Hubbard/50 $2,150 8. (11) Darrell Lanigan/50 $1,900 9. (19) Clint Smith/50 $1,750 10. (10) Eric Jacobsen/50 $1,100 11. (17) Russell King/50 $1,550 12. (14) Tim McCreadie/50 $1,600 13. (20) Mike Collins/47 $950 14. (21) Bryan Hendrix/32 $900 15. (9) Tim Fuller/32 $1,350 16. (16) Randy Weaver/24 $800 17. (5) Mike Marlar/19 $770 18. (15) Brian Smith/18 $750 19. (2) Vic Hill/15 $730 20. (3) Rick Rogers/14 $700 21. (23) Brent Robinson/14 $700 22. (18) Steve Smith/10 $700 23. (22) Chad Ogle/10 $700 24. (24) Jill George/0 $725

Time of Race: 47 Mins., 48.789 Secs. Margin of Victory: 1.053 Secs. Yellow Flags: 7 (Laps 2, 5, 10, 19, 20, 26, 33) Red Flag: Lap 15 Lap Leaders: Clanton (1-50) Provisional Starters: Robinson, George Rookie of the Race: Hubbard ($250) WoO LMS ‘Bonus Bucks’ Winner: Kerr ($500)

1. 1-Josh Richards/Shinnston, WV 11.189 2. 1H-Vic Hill/Morristown, TN 11.227 3. 44R-Rick Rogers/Knoxville, TN 11.289 4. 25-Shane Clanton/Locust Grove, GA 11.290 5. 24-Rick Eckert/York, PA 11.317 6. 7-Brian Smith/Gray, KY 11.400 7. 1*-Chub Frank/Bear Lake, PA 11.429 8. 157-Mike Marlar/Winfield, TN 11.457 9. 15-Steve Francis/Ashland, KY 11.497 10. 19H-Austin Hubbard/Seaford, DE 11.522 11. 29-Darrell Lanigan/Union, KY 11.540 12. 19-Tim Fuller/Watertown, NY 11.557 13. 5-Eric Jacobsen/Sea Cliff Beach, CA 11.567 14. 56-Russell King/Bristolville, OH 11.572 15. 4T-Tommy Kerr/Maryville, TN 11.576 16. 44-Clint Smith/Senoia, GA 11.619 17. 39-Tim McCreadie/Watertown, NY 11.714 18. 3s-Steve Smith/Powell, TN 11.738 19. 116-Randy Weaver/Crossville, TN 11.783 20. 3c-Mike Collins/Carter Lake, IA 11.796 21. 5H-Bryan Hendrix/Knoxville, TN 11.895 22. 7c-Marty Calloway/Maynardville, TN 11.960 23. 10-Chad Ogle/Sevierville, TN 12.002 24. 14-April Farmer/Livingston, TN 12.018 25. 3-Brent Robinson/Smithfield, VA 12.149 26. 22-Jill George/Cedar Falls, IA 12.801 27. 201-Billy Ogle Jr./Harriman, TN N/T

Heat No. 1 (10 laps – Top 6 Transfer): Richards, Clanton, Frank, Jacobsen, Hubbard, Weaver, C. Smith, Robinson, Calloway

Heat No. 2 (10 laps – Top 6 Transfer): Hill, Marlar, Eckert, Lanigan, McCreadie, King, Collins, C. Ogle, George

Heat No. 3 (10 laps – Top 6 Transfer): Rogers, Francis, Fuller, Kerr, B. Smith, S. Smith, Hendrix, Farmer (DNS) B. Ogle

B-Main (12 laps – Top 4 Transfer): C. Smith, Collins, Hendrix, C. Ogle, Robinson, Calloway, George, Farmer (DNS) B. Ogle

Arizona Sports Shirts ($50 product certificate): Jill George Armor All (one case of product to highest-finishing non-WoO team in A-Main w/decal): Brian Smith Eibach Springs (one free spring): Brent Robinson MSD Ignition ($75 cash award): Josh Richards MSD Ignition ($25 cash award): Jill George Ohlins Pole Award ($50 cash award to fastest qualifier w/decal): Josh Richards Pink Carburetors ($100 product certificate): Rick Eckert Pink Carburetors ($50 product certificate): Jill George Quartermaster ($100 product certificate): Shane Clanton Quartermaster ($50 product certificate): Rick Eckert Quartermaster ($25 product certificate): Tim Fuller R2C Performance ($100 certificate): Shane Clanton STP ($50 cash award): Clint Smith VP Racing Fuels ‘Nice Jugs Award’ (two five-gallon plastic fuel jugs to fastest qualifier who does not make the A-Main if decal is displayed): Marty Calloway Wrisco Aluminum (three sheets of aluminum to A-Main winner w/decal): Shane Clanton

2010 World of Outlaws Late Model Series Point Standings as of July 3 – 24 A-Mains completed (rank/driver/points/deficit to leader):

1. Josh Richards 3266 2. Tim McCreadie 3230 (-36) 3. Darrell Lanigan 3188 (-78) 4. Steve Francis 3150 (-116) 5. Tim Fuller 3084 (-182) 6. Austin Hubbard 3078 (-188) 7. Shane Clanton 3052 (-214) 8. Rick Eckert 3012 (-254) 9. Chub Frank Bear 2946 (-320) 10. Clint Smith 2886 (-380) 11. Russell King 2710 (-556) 12. Brent Robinson 2400 (-866) 13. Brady Smith 2338 (-928) 14. Jill George 1756 (-1510) 15. April Farmer 1128 (-2138)

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Paducah, KY - July 2, 2010 - For Billy Moyer winning is normal, and Moyer was normal once again on Friday night at Paducah International Raceway during Night 17 of the DIRTcar Summer Nationals.

The 52 year-old driver from Batesville, Ark., took the lead at the drop of the green and led all 40 laps to claim his series-leading fifth victory worth $10,000. Moyer's triumph was his second win in as many days on the grueling month long tour.

The dirt late model hall of famer was chased to the line by eighth-starting Jimmy Mars of Menomonie, Wis., and third starting Jason Feger of Bloomington, Ill. Scott James of Lawrenceburg, Ind., and Jeep Van Wormer of Pinconning, Mich. rounded out the top five.

Defending Hell Tour Champion Dennis Erb will unofficially take over the series points lead after finishing 10th while Shannon Babb of Moweaqua, Ill., who was tied with Erb entering the night, finished 16th.

Up next for the DIRTcar Summer Nationals Tour is a visit to I-55 Raceway on Saturday July 3, 2010. In total the Hell Tour has traveled over 3,300 miles in the course of 17 nights. The trip from Paducah to I-55 Raceway in Pevely, Mo., will have drivers traveling nearly 180 miles north to the track co-owned by NASCAR veteran Kenny Schrader.

A-Main 40-Laps: (1) Billy Moyer, (2) Jimmy Mars, (3) Jason Feger, (4) Scott James, (5) Jeep Van Wormer, (6) Jack Sullivan, (7) Terry English, (8) Tanner English, (9) Billy Moyer Jr., (10) Dennis Erb Jr., (11) Kevin Cole, (12) Brandon Sheppard, (13) Nick Lyons, (14) Rodney Melvin, (15) Jason McBride, (16) Shannon Babb, (17) Randy Sellars, (18) Ryan Unzicker, (19) Tim Brown, (20) Jeff Walston, (21) Kevin Weaver.

B-Main: Brandon Sheppard, Randy Sellars, Dane Dacus, Brian Shirley, Todd Hall, Joe Morris, Tanner English, Lee Thomason, Cory Daugherty, Jason Riggs, Jim Moon, Chris Hall, Austin Rettig, Donny Walden, Kevin Weaver, Wendell Wallace.

First heat: Billy Moyer, Dennis Erb Jr., Jack Sullivan, Nick Lyons, Wendell Wallace, Todd Hall, Cory Daugherty, Chris Hall, Allen Christy, Will Vaught.

Second heat: Jeep Van Wormer, Kevin Cole, Tim Brown, Billy Moyer Jr., Dane Dacus, Joe Morris, Donny Walden, Mike Jessup, Brandon Thirlby, Chris Shelton, Shannon Babb.

Third heat: Jason Feger, Ryan Unzicker, Jason McBride, Terry English, Brandon Sheppard, Lee Thomason, Jim Moon, Bryan Rupe, Tony Vancil, Tanner English, Brian Shirley.

Fourth heat: Scott James, Jimmy Mars, Jeff Walston, Rodney Melvin, Randy Sellars, Kevin Weaver, Jason Riggs, Hunter Jessup, Austin Rettig, James Scott.

Time trials (unofficial) First group Billy Moyer (21), Batesville, Ark., 15.851 Dennis Erb Jr. (28), Carpentersville, Ill., 16.087 Nick Lyons (2x), Centralia, Ill., 16.101 Will Vaught (1), Crane, Mo., 16.245 Jack Sullivan (1), Greenbrier, Ark., 16.288 Todd Hall (99), Charleston, Mo., 16.364 Wendell Wallace (88), Batesville, Ark., 16.386 Cory Daugherty (96D), Blue Mound, Ill., 16.617 Chris Hall (66), Sikeston, Mo., 17.071 Allen Christy (53), Carbondale, Ill., 18.490 Zachary White (391), Murray, Ky., no time Second group Shannon Babb (18), Moweaqua, Ill., 15.914 Jeep Van Wormer (55), Pinconning, Mich., 16.154 Joe Morris (83), Galatia, Ill., 16.328 Kevin Cole (3c), Christopher, Ill., 16.426 Dane Dacus (54), Lakeland, Tenn., 16.543 Tim Brown (T14), Calvert City, Ky., 16.701 Donny Walden (1w), Towanda, Ill., 17.037 Billy Moyer Jr. (21jr), Batesville, Ark., 17.089 Brandon Thirlby (m14), Traverse City, Mich., 17.219 Mike Jessup (45), Jackson, Mo., 17.566 Chris Shelton (16), Paducah, Ky., 17.857 Third group Jason Feger (25), Bloomington, Ill., 16.081 Ryan Unzicker (24), El Paso, Ill., 16.090 Jason McBride (77), Carbondale, Ill., 16.344 Brandon Sheppard (B5), New Berlin, Ill., 16.563 Tanner English (96T), Benton, Ky., 16.583 Brian Shirley (3s), Chatham, Ill., 16.637 Jim Moon (1m), Zionsville, Ind., 17.588 Bryan Rupe (39), Mayfield, Ky., 17.814 Lee Thomason (53), Marion, Ill., 17.863 Terry English (96), Benton, Ky., no time Tony Vancil (5w), Hickory, Ky., no time Fourth group Jeff Walston (56), Paducah, Ky., 16.394 Scott James (44), Lawrenceburg, Ind., 16.483 Jimmy Mars (28), Menomonie, Wis., 16.607 Randy Sellars (3), Mayfield, Ky., 16.974 Kevin Weaver (B12), Gibson City, Ill., 17.123 Rodney Melvin (6k), Benton, Ill., 17.135 Jason Riggs (81jr), Harrisburg, Ill., 17.453 Hunter Jessup (14j), Jackson, Mo., 17.765 Austin Rettig (94), Sikeston, Mo., 18.357 James Scott (01), Murray, Ky., 22.249

McCreadie Keeps Challengers At Bay To Capture Inaugural World of Outlaws Late Model Series Showdown At Wartburg Speedway

WARTBURG, TN - July 2, 2010 - Tim McCreadie scrawled his name all over Friday night’s first-ever World of Outlaws Late Model Series event at Wartburg Speedway.

But while the 2006 WoO LMS champion led every lap of the ‘Invasion 50’ presented by All-State Trailers of Knoxville, Tenn., his third victory of 2010 on the national tour didn’t come without one especially anxious moment.

McCreadie, 36, of Watertown, N.Y., slid out of the preferred inside groove when he bumped a slower car between turns three and four on lap 41. The run-in nearly cost him the lead, but he regained control before Shane Clanton of Locust Grove, Ga., could sneak by and held on for the remainder of the distance in front of a huge crowd that promoter Scott Green called the biggest in Wartburg Speedway’s history.

“Things got a little hairy in lapped traffic because you don’t know where anybody is behind you,” said McCreadie, who started second in his Sweeteners Plus Rocket car and outgunned the pole-sitting Clanton to assume command at the race’s initial green flag. “I kind of forced the issue to get by that lapped car (driven by Charles Hurst of Knoxville, Tenn.) after following him for a couple laps, but I’m not any good at moving people out of the way so I almost took myself out.

“I started sliding up the track with (Hurst) and I was like, ‘Man, I just got out of the rubber (lane) and somebody’s gonna drive by me.’ We were lucky to get back down in time to hold on.”

The 34-year-old Clanton drew within a car length of McCreadie when the leader lost momentum, but that’s as close as he got to the top spot. Clanton futilely chased McCreadie through the final laps and settled for a runner-up finish in his RSD Enterprises Rocket car, 0.418 of a second behind McCreadie at the checkered flag.

“When (McCreadie) hit that car, got sideways and pushed up the racetrack, he left the door open for me,” said Clanton, whose second-place outing came six days after he pocketed over $30,000 for winning the Firecracker 100 presented by GottaRace.com at Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pa. “But I just wasn’t close enough to take advantage. I don’t think I had enough gear in (the car) for the race.”

Sixth-starter Billy Ogle Jr. of Harriman, Tenn., finished third in his GRT car – a career-best WoO LMS performance for the 46-year-old veteran who is a former dirt Late Model track champion at the circular quarter-mile oval. He earned the $500 WoO LMS ‘Bonus Bucks’ cash for being the highest-finishing driver who hadn’t won a tour A-Main and wasn’t ranked among the top 12 in the series points standings.

Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga., started and finished fourth in his Rocket mount – recording just his second top-five run of 2010 – and Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa., who started third, placed fifth in his Rocket machine for his third top-five performance of the season.

Defending WoO LMS champion and current points leader Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., finished a quiet-but-steady sixth, leaving him with an 18-point lead in the standings over McCreadie.

Just over one month ago McCreadie was third in the standings and trailed Richards by 70 points, but he’s slowly-but-surely crept back into the thick of the battle for the $100,000 series championship. He’s won two of the last three tour A-Mains to join five-time winner Richards as the only other driver with at least three victories this season.

“I think we’ve hit on a few things we found back at the shop,” said McCreadie, who earned $10,775 for his 15th career win on the WoO LMS. “I told the (crew) guys after Lernerville last week (McCreadie won a preliminary A-Main and finished fourth in the Firecracker 100) that we had a car capable of running up front on a regular basis and tonight we proved it.”

Austin Hubbard of Seaford, Del., was quickest of the 39 cars that were signed in for Ohlins Shocks Time Trials with a lap of 12.912 seconds, earning his second fast-time honor of 2010 on the WoO LMS. But he drew the eighth starting spot for the A-Main and was never a factor, driving to a seventh-place finish in Dale Beitler’s Rocket.

Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., improved four spots from his 12th starting position to finish eighth, while Rick Eckert of York, Pa., advanced from 15th to place ninth and Eric Jacobsen of Sea Cliff Beach, Calif., was 10th in his first WoO LMS start since February’s DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla.

Three caution flags slowed the action, all for minor tangles midway through the event. The first incident, between turns one and two on lap 23, involved Tommy Kerr of Maryville, Tenn., Stacy Boles of Clint, Tenn., and Mark Vineyard of Powell, Tenn., and nearly swept up McCreadie, Clanton and Smith.

Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., pitted during the lap-23 caution period to change a flat right-rear tire, hurting his WoO LMS title aspirations. He managed only a 14th-place finish, leaving him third in the points standings, 68 points behind Richards.

Heat winners were Hubbard, Clanton, McCreadie and Billy Ogle Jr. The B-Mains were captured by Tim Fuller of Watertown, N.Y., and Hurst.

The much-anticipated WoO LMS stop at Wartburg was a nightmare for the track’s top weekly Late Model competitor, Anthony White of Clinton, Tenn. A winner six times in eight starts this season at Wartburg, the 38-year-old racer never turned an official lap in racing competition on Friday.

White was scheduled to start fourth in the third heat but was black-flagged before the race began because he spent several pace laps refusing to fall to the rear of the field as a penalty for reporting late to the staging area. Later, an opening-lap tangle in the second B-Main left his car with night-ending damage.

The WoO LMS completes its Volunteer State doubleheader on Saturday night (July 3) at Tazewell Speedway. A $10,000 top prize will be on the line in the Coca-Cola 50.

Results of WoO Late Model Series ‘The Invasion 50’ (Finishing Position/Start/Driver/Laps Completed/Money Won):

1. (2) Tim McCreadie/50 $10,775 2. (1) Shane Clanton/50 $5,500 3. (6) Billy Ogle Jr./50 $3,500 4. (4) Clint Smith/50 $3,000 5. (3) Chub Frank/50 $2,500 6. (7) Josh Richards/50 $2,300 7. (8) Austin Hubbard/50 $2,200 8. (12) Steve Francis/50 $1,900 9. (15) Rick Eckert/50 $1,700 10. (10) Eric Jacobsen/50 $1,100 11. (16) Russell King/50 $1,550 12. (17) Tim Fuller/50 $1,550 13. (21) Steve Smith/50 $950 14. (14) Darrell Lanigan/50 $1,500 15. (22) Mark Vineyard/50 $850 16. (9) Tommy Kerr/50 $800 17. (18) Charles Hurst/48 $770 18. (19) Dan Tipton/48 $750 19. (24) Jill George/47 $730 20. (13) Stacy Boles/25 $700 21. (23) Brent Robinson/24 $700 22. (5) Mike Marlar/23 $700 23. (11) Chad Ogle/21 $725 24. (20) Perry Delaney/21 $700

Time of Race: 25 Mins., 13.981 Secs. Margin of Victory: 0.418 Secs. Yellow Flags: 3 (Laps 23, 24, 25) Lap Leaders: McCreadie (1-50) Provisional Starters: Robinson, George Rookie of the Race: Hubbard ($250) WoO LMS ‘Bonus Bucks’ Winner: Billy Ogle Jr. ($500)

1. 19-Austin Hubbard/Seaford, DE 12.912 2. 25-Shane Clanton/Locust Grove, GA 12.936 3. 39-Tim McCreadie/Watertown, NY 12.972 4. 201-Billy Ogle Jr./Harriman, TN 12.978 5. 4T-Tommy Kerr/Maryville, TN 13.011 6. 5-Eric Jacobsen/Sea Cliff Beach, CA 13.020 7. 24-Rick Eckert/York, PA 13.064 8. 44-Clint Smith/Senoia, GA 13.069 9. 1*-Chub Frank/Bear Lake, PA 13.076 10. 19-Tim Fuller/Watertown, NY 13.097 11. 10-Chad Ogle/Sevierville, TN 13.139 12. 15-Steve Francis/Ashland, KY 13.147 13. 66-Mark Leach/Heiskell, TN 13.155 14. 1-Josh Richards/Shinnston, WV 13.172 15. 2x-Anthony White/Clinton, TN 13.196 16. 7-Darrick York/Oakdale, TN 13.206 17. 44R-Rick Rogers/Knoxville, TN 13.211 18. 12T-Dan Tipton/Kingston, TN 13.245 19. 4V-Mark Vineyard/Powell, TN 13.273 20. 56-Russell King/Bristolville, OH 13.274 21. 11B-Stacy Boles/Clinton, TN 13.286 22. 29-Darrell Lanigan/Union, KY 13.287 23. 157-Mike Marlar/Winfield, TN 13.318 24. 44M-Chris Marcum/Huntsville, TN 13.321 25. 357-Brian Hooks/Clinton, TN 13.330 26. 00-Rueben Mayfield/Lenoir, TN 13.340 27. 1H-Charles Hurst/Knoxville, TN 13.355 28. 30-Jeff Adkisson/Oliver Springs, TN 13.356 29. 34s-Steve Smith/Powell, TN 13.361 30. b15-Tim Damron/Oneida, TN 13.367 31. 01-Travis Armes/Petross, TN 13.386 32. 0-Ross White/Knoxville, TN 13.426 33. 14-April Farmer/Livingston, TN 13.479 34. 3-Brent Robinson/Smithfield, VA 13.564 35. 7d-Perry Delaney/Sparta, TN 13.678 36. 22-Jill George/Cedar Falls, IA 13.688 37. H1-Johnny Lane/Clinton, TN 13.727 38. 71-Chuck Freels/Petross, TN 14.099 39. 31-Kenny Cobble/Cookville, TN 13.496 (DQ)

Heat No. 1 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Hubbard, Frank, Kerr, Boles, S. Smith, Leach, Farmer, Hooks, Rogers, Lane

Heat No. 2 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Clanton, Richards, Jacobsen, Lanigan, Fuller, Tipton, Robinson, Damron, Mayfield, Freels

Heat No. 3 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): McCreadie, Marlar, C. Ogle, Eckert, Hurst, Armes, Delaney, Cobble (DQ) White, Vineyard

Heat No. 4 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): B. Ogle, C. Smith, Francis, King, York, Adkisson, White, George, Marcum

B-Main No. 1 (12 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Fuller, Tipton, S. Smith, Robinson, Hooks, Rogers, Lane, Mayfield, Damron, Freels, Leach, Farmer

B-Main No. 2 (12 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Hurst, Delaney, Vineyard, Adkisson, Marcum, York, Armes, R. White, George, A. White (DNS) Cobble

Arizona Sports Shirts ($50 product certificate): Brian Hooks/Travis Armes Armor All (one case of product to highest-finishing non-WoO team in A-Main w/decal): Billy Ogle Jr. Eibach Springs (one free spring): Steve Smith/Charles Hurst MSD Ignition ($75 cash award): Tim McCreadie MSD Ignition ($25 cash award): Chad Ogle Ohlins Pole Award ($50 cash award to fastest qualifier w/decal): Austin Hubbard Pink Carburetors ($100 product certificate): Tim Fuller Pink Carburetors ($50 product certificate): Brent Robinson Quartermaster ($100 product certificate): Tim McCreadie Quartermaster ($50 product certificate): Rick Eckert Quartermaster ($25 product certificate): Tommy Kerr R2C Performance ($100 cash): Tim McCreadie STP ($50 cash award): Tim Fuller VP Racing Fuels ‘Nice Jugs Award’ (two five-gallon plastic fuel jugs to fastest qualifier who does not make the A-Main if decal is displayed): Anthony White Wrisco Aluminum (three sheets of aluminum to A-Main winner w/decal): Tim McCreadie

2010 World of Outlaws Late Model Series Point Standings as of July 2 – 23 A-Mains completed (rank/driver/points/deficit to leader):

1. Josh Richards 3122 2. Tim McCreadie 3104 (-18) 3. Darrell Lanigan 3054 (-68) 4. Steve Francis 3004 (-118) 5. Tim Fuller 2964 (-158) 6. Austin Hubbard 2942 (-180) 7. Shane Clanton 2902 (-220) 8. Rick Eckert 2874 (-248) 9. Chub Frank 2806 (-316) 10. Clint Smith 2754 (-368) 11. Russell King 2582 (-540) 12. Brady Smith 2338 (-784) 13. Brent Robinson 2292 (-830) 14. Jill George 1654 (-1468) 15. Vic Coffey 1100 (-2022) 16. Brian Birkhofer 1090 (-2032) 17. (tie) Billy Moyer 1040 (-2082) 17. (tie) April Farmer 1040 (-2082) 19. Dale McDowell 1036 (-2086) 20. Dan Stone 988 (-2134)

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World of Outlaws Late Model Series Stars Prepare To Tackle Tazewell Speedway’s Jaw-Dropping Banking On Saturday Night (July 3)

Those are some of the words regularly used to describe the steep banks that are the trademark of Tazewell Speedway, the rocket-fast one-third-mile oval that hosts the World of Outlaws Late Model Series for the first time in its storied history this Saturday night (July 3).

Several WoO LMS travelers have visited the intimidating ‘Taz’ in the past. Others will be making their first-ever appearances at the famed track on Saturday night.

All of the Outlaws, of course, understand the unique challenge facing them in Saturday’s $10,000-to-win ‘Coca-Cola 50.’

“Tazewell has more banking than any place I’ve ever seen,” said Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga., a 45-year-old racing veteran and the WoO LMS follower with the most career starts at the track known as the ‘Taz.’ “There’s nothing else like it (in dirt-track racing). You carry so much speed because of those banks, nobody gets time to rest. You’re just on the edge the whole time you’re out there.”

Pitched at a Daytona-like 31 degrees in the turns and at least 15 degrees on the straightaways, Tazewell Speedway’s banks make it appear that 24 dirt Late Models are zipping around inside a bowl at supersonic speed. The divisional track record, established in 2009 by Jeff Wolfenbarger of Knoxville, Tenn., is a blazing 10.947 seconds.

“It’s a real good track for the fans,” said Tazewell Speedway owner Gary Hall, a former racer who has operated the facility for the past five years. “The straightaways here are banked more than the turns at most tracks, so it’s definitely an interesting place. You know when you come to Tazewell that you’re gonna see a lot of action.”

“One lap or 50 laps (at Tazewell), it’s the most intense laps you’ll ever run,” said WoO LMS stalwart Rick Eckert of York, Pa., whose handful of Tazewell starts include Hav-A-Tampa/Xtreme series events in the early 2000s. “You have to drive around there on the gas, so it’s a good show for the fans.”

There’s no room for error at Tazewell – and that goes for drivers racing for position or the track-prep crew trying to work the clay surface into condition.

Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky. – the 2007 WoO LMS champion who last raced at Tazewell in a 2003 Hav-A-Tampa/Xtreme show – describes the track this way: “You go so fast there, you’re always on the edge. There’s the possibility of a lot of sheet-metal work (after a race there) if anybody makes a mistake.”

“It’s not easy getting the grader to top of those banks,” said Hall. “The guy who built the track still prepares it for us and he can do it, but he has a lot of practice. I’ve seen him get the grader up there to the top, have it slide and come around backwards, and then get it right back up there to keep working on the track.”

Those imposing banks will certainly turn the heads of the World of Outlaws regulars who roll onto them for the first time on Saturday night. Just ask Shane Clanton of Locust Grove, Ga., the Outlaw who’s made the most recent stop at Tazewell (a DNF outing one month ago).

“When you first go there and see the place, it’s a little freaky,” said Clanton, who is coming off a $30,000 victory on June 26 in the national tour’s Firecracker 100 presented by GottaRace.com at Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pa. “You wonder how you’re gonna get around there with so much banking, but after a little while you get used to it like any other track. Everybody (from the WoO LMS) who hasn’t run there is good and will figure it out.”

That group of Outlaws ready to make first-time Tazewell starts includes defending champion and current points leader Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., who watched the 2003 Hav-A-Tampa/Xtreme event there (his father’s Rocket Chassis house car was then driven by Francis) but hasn’t returned since beginning his career the following season.

Other WoO LMS travelers with no Tazewell experience on their resumes are former champions Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., and Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky.; Tim Fuller of Watertown, N.Y., who won two times during the recent ‘Great Northern Tour’; Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa.; 2009 Rookie of the Year Russell King of Bristolville, Ohio; 18-year-old rookie sensation Austin Hubbard of Seaford, Del.; Brent Robinson of Smithfield, Va.; and rookie Jill George of Cedar Falls, Iowa.

The Outlaws will face a talented array of regional standouts who possess plenty of Tazewell knowledge, including Wolfenbarger, Vic Hill of Morristown, Tenn., Rick Rogers of Knoxville, Tenn., who owns 76 career wins at Tazewell, Tommy Kerr of Maryville, Tenn., and Steve Smith of Powell, Tenn..

Saturday night’s program, which also includes Tazewell’s Late Model division, Modified Streets and Classic Cars, is scheduled for a 7:30 start to racing. Pit gates will open at 3 p.m. and grandstand gates will be unlocked at 4 p.m.

A fireworks show celebrating the Independence Day holiday will also be part of Saturday evening’s activities.

Tazewell Speedway is located just two miles northwest of Tazewell, Tenn. Going north on US 25-E, turn right and then left onto Bacchus Rd, head 1.8 miles north and then .8 miles west. The racetrack is located on the left.

For additional information, visit www.TazewellSpeedway.net or call 865-626-2222.

Tazewell’s event will conclude a Volunteer State doubleheader for the WoO LMS, which visits Wartburg (Tenn.) Speedway on Fri., July 2.

Putnamville, IN - June 28, 2010 - Don O'Neal was once again the show Monday night at Lincoln Park Speedway during the 13th leg of the DIRTcar Summer Nationals tour.

For the third time in four days, O'Neal of Martinsville, Ind., fought off challenges from some of the best the Hell Tour has to offer to claim the $5,000 top prize. The driver known to many as "The Real Deal" lead all 40 laps but had to repel a serious charge from current Summer Nationals point leader Shannon Babb of Moweaqua, Ill., in the last 10 laps for his 38th victory all time with the grueling month-long series.

Babb settled for second as the lead duo would be followed to the line by 2009 DIRTcar Late Model National Champion Jason Feger of Bloomington, Ill. Jeep Van Wormer of Pinconning, Mich., and defending Hell Tour champion Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, Ill. would round out the top five finishers.

A-Main 40-Laps: (1) Don O'Neal, (2) Shannon Babb, (3) Jason Feger, (4) Jeep Van Wormer, (5) Dennis Erb Jr., (6) Billy Moyer Jr., (7) Steve Casebolt, (8) Rodney Melvin, (9) Jack Sullivan, (10) Brandon Sheppard, (11) Richie Hedrick, (12) Donny Walden, (13) Chad Stapleton, (14) Marty Cooper, (15) Brandon Thirlby, (16) Kenny Carmichael, (17) Jim Moon, (18) Ryan Unzicker, (19) Rusty Schlenk, (20) Jason McBride, (21) Dillan White.

Consolation race: Jack Sullivan, Jason McBride, Jim Moon, Marty O'Neal, Rusty Schlenk, Brandon Thirlby, Kenny Carmichael, Scott Schmitt, Josh Scott, Mitchell Lankford. Scratched: Jon Dome

First heat: Jeep Van Wormer, Shannon Babb, Dillan White, Billy Moyer Jr., Marty Cooper, Jason McBride, Jim Moon, Rusty Schlenk, Bob Robinson.

Second heat: Steve Casebolt, Jason Feger, Ryan Unzicker, Dennis Erb Jr., Brandon Sheppard, Jack Sullivan, Scott Schmitt, Brandon Thirlby, Josh Scott.

Third heat: Don O'Neal, Rodney Melvin, Richie Hedrick, Chad Stapleton, Donny Walden, Marty O'Neal, Kenny Carmichael, Mitchell Lankford. Scratched: Jon Dome.

Time trials (unofficial)
First group
Jeep Van Wormer (55), Pinconning, Mich., 12.967
Rusty Schlenk (91), Jackson, Mich., 13.599
Dillan White (54), Crofton, Ky., 13.626
Billy Moyer Jr. (21jr) Batesville, Ark., 13.647
Shannon Babb (18), Moweaqua, Ill., 13.763
Marty Cooper (00), Franklin, Ind., 13.795
Jason McBride (77), Carbondale, Ill., 13.848
Jim Moon (1m), Zionsville, Ind., 14.059
Bob Robinson (3), Stilesville, Ind., 17.830
Second group
Jason Feger (25), Bloomington, Ill., 13.307
Steve Casebolt (c9), Richmond, Ind., 13.482
Scott Schmitt (10), Tonica, Ill., 13.499
Ryan Unzicker (24), El Paso, Ill., 13.613
Dennis Erb Jr. (28), Carpentersville, Ill., 13.696
Jack Sullivan (1), Greenbrier, Ark., 13.832
Brandon Thirlby (m14), Traverse City, Mich., 13.991
Brandon Sheppard (B5), New Berlin, Ill., 14.066
Josh Scott (30js), Grand Rapids, Ohio, 14.228
Third group
Don O'Neal (1), Martinsville, Ind., 12.947
Chad Stapleton (32), Edinburgh, Ind., 13.378
Rodney Melvin (27), Benton, Ill., 13.401
Richie Hedrick (jp7), Urbana, Ill., 13.776
Marty O'Neal (19), Spencer, Ind., 13.867
Kenny Carmichael (39x), Terre Haute, Ind., 14.721
Donny Walden (1w), Towanda, Ill., 14.892
Mitchell Lankford (39), Terre Haute, Ind., 15.030
Jon Dome (22), Brazil, Ind., 17.006

World of Outlaws Late Model Series News & Notes: Wrapping Up The Firecracker 100 Presented by GottaRace.com

JOY & PAIN: Shane Clanton’s frustrating pursuit of victory in the Firecracker 100 presented by GottaRace.com ended on Saturday night at Lernerville Speedway.

Clanton and Lanigan – both of whom were major players in two of the first three Firecrackers 100s – decided the fourth edition of the World of Outlaws Late Model Series mega-event amongst themselves. Locust Grove, Ga.’s Clanton reached the finish line first for a triumph worth $30,500, leaving Lanigan to lament his third consecutive runner-up finish in the race.

The 34-year-old Clanton’s win came after he experienced heartbreaking outcomes in both 2007 and 2008. He might have had the fastest car in each 100. In ’07 he appeared primed to sail by eventual winner Scott Bloomquist to take the lead on lap 88, but Bloomquist’s sixth-sense decision to move to the top of the track in turn three the very lap Clanton was making his run broken Clanton’s momentum and he finished sixth. One year later Clanton was battling for third place early in the distance with Josh Richards when the two drivers tangled and spun out of contention, causing some tense moments between the two.

Lanigan, 40, saw his Firecracker 100 misery continue in a different fashion. After controlling most of the 2008 and 2009 installments – he led laps 1-69 in ’08 (before Brian Birkhofer swept by for the win) and 13-93 in ’09 (before being overtaken for the big money by Jimmy Mars) – he didn’t pace a single circuit on Saturday. It appeared Lanigan might be turning his storyline upside-down when he reached second place on lap 82, but he couldn’t get close enough to Clanton to even attempt a late-race pass.

Clanton’s day wasn’t entirely perfect, however. What should have been a smile-filled trip home to the Peach State for Clanton and Co. took a rough turn on Sunday morning when his hauler was involved in an accident on Interstate 75 near Cleveland, Tenn. He said his rig was traveling at about 40 mph when it rear-ended a car at the top of a hill.

“We didn’t even feel it much in the truck,” Clanton said of the crash, which delayed his return to his shop by several hours. “It tore up the front bumper of the truck pretty good. We’ll get it fixed at S&S (in Nebraska) when we go out west (for four races from July 7-10).”

CHASE CONTINUES: Josh Richards was nearly perfect in the pair of 30-lap WoO LMS preliminary A-Mains that kicked off the Firecracker 100 weekend – he was victorious on Thursday night and finished second on Friday evening – but he was never a factor in the extra-distance finale.

The 22-year-old Richards started and finished seventh, racing quietly at the back end of the top 10 for the entire race. He said his car was superb on Hoosier LM-20-compound tires in the prelims, but bolting on a harder LM-30 right-rear for the 100 changed the machine’s handling characteristics too much for him to contend. As a result, he remained without a victory in a 100-lap event – the one missing link on his impressive resume.

“I guess we’ve been pretty good in the 50-lappers and 30-lappers, but we just gotta get a handle on these 100 lappers,” said Richards, who matched his best career finish in the Firecracker 100 (2007). “Once we get a balance, I think we’ll be O.K. We’ll just keep trying to figure it out and win one of these things.”

CLOSE CALLS: Tim McCreadie survived a pair of potentially disastrous run-ins to finish a career-best fourth in the Firecracker 100.

The first came on lap 19 when Scott Bloomquist moved inside him to challenge for second. The left side of McCreadie’s car met the right-front corner of Bloomquist’s machine on the homestretch, causing Bloomquist to wobble and lose a couple spots before slowing to bring out a caution flag on lap 21. McCreadie marched on to take the lead from Brady Smith on lap 20, while Bloomquist pitted on the 21st circuit and could only rally to eighth at the finish.

“I thought he was gonna give me a little room,” McCreadie said of the incident, “and we just met in the middle.”

Later, with less than 40 laps remaining, McCreadie held a short lead on Clanton when he ran into Bub McCool in turn three while trying to lap the Mississippi driver. The encounter smashed in the right-front door of McCreadie’s Sweeteners Plus car.

“That was nobody’s fault but my own,” said McCreadie, who noted that his subsequent fall from the lead to fourth at the checkered flag was a product of his setup going away, not the damage his car sustained when he hit McCool. “He was running a line and I didn’t realize he was diamonding the corner. When he did that, I was already so far in deep I thought, ‘Oh no, I’m gonna hit him and spin out.’ So I kinda throttled up and hit him. I went over and apologized to him (after the race).”

MIRROR-IMAGES: Brady Smith, who started from the pole and led laps 1-20 of the Firecracker 100, and 2007 WoO LMS champion Steve Francis were hampered by virtually identical mechanical problems – stuck carburetors.

Smith’s trouble began just after the first caution flag, on lap 18, and contributed to his tumble to 10th in the final finishing order. Francis began to experience the same headache a few circuits later and managed only a ninth-place finish.

“I hate to keep talking about excuses, but after that first caution I couldn’t get the carburetor to idle back down,” said Smith. “It was stuck at about 4000 RPM, and I couldn’t do anything to get it to stop. I could barely get it out of high gear coming into the pit area after the race.”

“My carburetor hung open at about 4000 RPM,” said Francis, who swapped tales of his woes with Smith following the 100. “With the track being so slick it made it so hard to drive. I was kind of along for the ride.”

AIR TIME: The Firecracker 100 extravaganza was a real learning experience for rookie sensation Austin Hubbard, whose weekend started on a rough note when he spun in turns three and four while leading a heat race on Thursday and ended with a quiet 12th-place finish in the 100-lapper.

But off the track, Hubbard took a turn as a television star. The 18-year-old with an effervescent personality was enlisted by the SPEED television crew covering the race to lead the audience through the pre- and post-race activities that are a huge part of the Firecracker experience. He was filmed standing on stage with the band NOMAD and interviewing fans on Friday night, and on Saturday he was miked up for the Firecracker 100 Horseshoes Tournament and his role as a judge in the Ms. Firecracker pageant.

Hubbard’s unique segment will be part of SPEED’s two-and-a-half-hour broadcast of the Firecracker 100, which is scheduled to air on Sat., July 17, at 4 p.m. ET.

SUPER SUB: Coleby Frye’s primary focus this year is his job as a fulltime mechanic for Hubbard’s Beitler Motorsports effort, but the 25-year-old from Dover, Pa., hasn’t entirely put his own driving aspirations on the backburner.

Of course, while Frye won two features in his family’s dirt Late Model earlier this month (an Appalachian Mountain Speedweek event at Pennsy’s Bedford Speedway and a show at Susquehanna Speedway in Newberrytown, Pa.), he never expected to have an opportunity to enter two WoO LMS races during the Great Northern Tour. But with the blessing of his boss Dale Beitler, Frye ran the June 20 event at Cornwall (Ont.) Motor Speedway in Clint Smith’s backup car and accepted an offer to run Vic Coffey’s Sweeteners Plus No. 32c on Friday and Saturday at Lernerville.

Frye turned heads at Cornwall, setting fast time and finishing ninth in the A-Main. But he found the going more difficult at Lernerville, where he was a late addition to Friday night’s field after Coffey determined he wasn’t able to compete due to an off-track knee injury he suffered the previous evening. Frye failed to qualify for Friday’s preliminary A-Main and was a DNQ on Saturday as well after Coffey decided to return to the cockpit but also field a second car for Frye.

THROWIN’ SHOES: The Firecracker 100 Horseshoes Tournament – an annual Saturday-afternoon attraction during the big weekend that this year paired 16 drivers with fans for some friendly competition – boiled down to a clash of pitchin’ titans – two-time tourney champ Lynn Geisler and 2009 winner Chub Frank.

Frank (with teammate Ross Miner of Mill Run, Pa.) defeated Geisler (with partner Drew Koteles of Finleyville, Pa.) in a dramatic championship match, coming from behind to win, 23-21. Frank and Miner split $200 for their efforts.

Round 1 tournament winners were Geisler over Rick ‘Boom’ Briggs (with Rick Penn of Natrona Heights, Pa.); Frank over Russell King (w/Scott Pingie of Smethport, Pa.); Jared Miley (Dave Dytka of Scott Twp., Pa.) over Steve Francis (w/Julie Burley of New Lexington, Pa.); Dave Hess Jr. (w/Bob Beatty of Allegheny Twp., Pa.) over Steve Shaver (w/Jim Hartle of Petrolia, Pa.); Rick Eckert (w/Cory Pyle of Butler, Pa.) over Clint Smith (w/Chuck Warner of Jamestown, N.Y.); Scott Bloomquist (w/Curtis Pavlik of Fawn Twp., Pa.) over Shane Clanton (w/Andy Hummill of Holsopple, Pa.); Tim Fuller (w/Barb Winter of Lancaster, Pa.) over Tim McCreadie (w/Tom Contrael of Ford City, Pa.); and Brent Robinson (w/Bryan Horvath of Imperial, Pa.) over Austin Hubbard (w/Timmy Wilhelm of Barton, Md.).

Victors in the quarterfinals were Team Geisler over Team Miley, Team Frank over Team Eckert, Team Robinson over Team Fuller and Team Bloomquist over Team Hess. Geisler defeated Bloomquist and Frank took out Robinson in the semi-finals to set up the championship showdown.

* The inaugural Ms. Firecracker pageant on Saturday afternoon. Laiken Anderson was announced as the winner following the evening’s Uncle Sam 30 and will serve as Lernerville Speedway’s trophy queen until next year’s Firecracker 100.

* Inaugural awards for the Best Campsite Display (Julie Burley of New Lexington, Ohio) and Best Tailgate Party (J.R. McGinley of Fairmount City, Pa.).

* The LaCrosse Extreme Tough Challenge, a test of strength (participants must hold two a pair of concrete-filled LaCrosse boots with their arms outstretched) won by Dan McKruit, 50, of Cabot, Pa. He received a $100 LaCrosse gift certificate for his effort.

NEXT UP: The WoO LMS heads to Tennessee for a Volunteer State doubleheader on Fri., July 2, at Wartburg Speedway and Sat., July 3, at Tazewell Speedway. Both tracks will host the national tour for the first time.

DIRTcar Summer Nationals: O’Neal Powers to Second Summer Nationals Win of 2010

Haubstadt, IN - June 27, 2010 - Don O'Neal provided some home state flavor Sunday night at Tri-State Speedway during the 12th leg of the DIRTcar Summer Nationals.

O'Neal who hails from nearby Martinsville, Ind., drew the pole for the 40-lap main event but would have to run down race long leader and 2009 DIRTcar Late Model National Champion Jason Feger of Bloomington, Ill., late to capture the $5,000 win. O'Neal slipped by Feger with less than five circuits remaining to capture his second win of the 2010 Hell Tour.

Feger would hold on to finish second while defending DIRTcar Summer Nationals champion Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, Ill., would finish third. Current Hell Tour point leader Shannon Babb of Moweaqua, Ill., would finish fourth as Pinconning, Mich., driver Jeep Van Wormer rounded out the top five.

A-Main 40 Laps: (1) Don O'Neal, (2) Jason Feger, (3) Dennis Erb Jr., (4) Shannon Babb, (5) Jeep Van Wormer, (6) Jack Sullivan, (7) Brian Shirley, (8) Dillan White, (9) Rodney Melvin, (10) Ryan Unzicker, (11) Brandon Sheppard, (12) Richie Hedrick, (13) Chad Zobrist, (14) Donny Walden, (15) Jeff Walston, (16) Joe Morris, (17) Rusty Schlenk, (18) Jason McBride, (19) Billy Moyer Jr., (20) Steve Casebolt, (21) Tim Lance. Fast qualifier (among 28 cars): Babb, 13.542 seconds. Heat race winners: O'Neal, Feger, Sullivan. Consolation winner: Shirley. Provisional starters: McBride, Schlenk, Zobrist.

C-Main: Brian Shirley, Jeff Walston, Brandon Sheppard, Chad Zobrist, Michael Kloos, Kevin Cole, Brandon Thirlby, Jason McBride, Nick Lyons, Rusty Schlenk, Jim Moon, Josh Scott, Chris Shelton.

First heat: Don O'Neal, Shannon Babb, Rodney Melvin, Jeep Van Womrer, Donny Walden, Brian Shirley, Chad Zobrist, Brandon Thirlby, Josh Scott, Jim Moon.

Second heat: Jack Sullivan, Dennis Erb Jr., Billy Moyer Jr., Joe Morris, Richie Hedrick, Jeff Walston, Michael Kloos, Jason McBride, Nick Lyons.

Third heat: Jason Feger, Ryan Unzicker, Dillan White, Steve Casebolt, Tim Lance, Brandon Sheppard, Kevin Cole, Rusty Schlenk, Chris Shelton.

Time trials (unofficial) First group Shannon Babb (18), Moweaqua, Ill., 13.542 Don O'Neal (1), Martinsville, Ind., 13.639 Jeep Van Wormer (55), Pinconning, Mich., 13.678 Rodney Melvin (27), Benton, Ill., 13.759 Chad Zobrist (78), Highland, Ill., 14.299 Donny Walden (1w), Towanda, Ill., 14.322 Brandon Thirlby (m14), Traverse City, Mich., 14.364 Brian Shirley (48x), Chatham, Ill., 14.543 Jim Moon (1m), Zionsville, Ind., 14.560 Josh Scott (30js), Grand Rapids, Ohio, 14.911 Second group Nick Lyons (2x), Centralia, Ill., 14.086 Jack Sullivan (1), Greenbrier, Ark., 14.188 Dennis Erb Jr. (28), Carpentersville, Ill., 14.255 Billy Moyer Jr. (21jr), Batesville, Ark., 14.325 Jeff Walston (56), Paducah, Ky., 14.328 Joe Morris (83), Galatia, Ill., 14.347 Jason McBride (77), Carbondale, Ill., 14.596 Richie Hedrick (jp7), Urbana, Ill., 14.666 Michael Kloos (6k), Trenton, Ill., 14.948 Third group Ryan Unzicker (24), El Paso, Ill., 13.902 Jason Feger (25), Bloomington, Ill., 13.91 Steve Casebolt (c9), Richmond, Ind., 14.034 Tim Lance (48), Brimfield, Ill., 14.292 Dillan White (54), Crofton, Ky., 14.400 Rusty Schlenk (91), Jackson, Mich., 14.475 Brandon Sheppard (B5), New Berlin, Ill., 14.579 Kevin Cole (3c), Christopher, Ill., 14.750 Chris Shelton (16s), Paducah, Ky., 14.898

Clarksville, TN - June 26, 2010 - There are always a few firsts along the DIRTcar Summer Nationals Tour, and such was the case Saturday night at Clarksville Speedway for Jack Sullivan.

The Greenbriar, Ark., driver who entered the 11th night of the Hell Tour 4th in the point standings got going early by setting quick time and capturing a heat race win. Sullivan would then duel with Pinconning, Mich. driver Jeep Van Wormer early in the 40-lap main event before sneaking past with 15 circuits remaining to grab his first career DIRTcar Summer Nationals victory.

The win was the first time Sullivan had won a purse as large as $10,000 in his DIRTcar Late Model career as well as his first victory at the Clarksville, Tenn. track.

Van Wormer would hold on to finish second behind Sullivan, while Ryan Unzicker of El Paso, Ill., who has been one of the most consistent drivers on tour finished 3rd. Four-time DIRTcar Late Model National Champion Rodney Melivin of Benton, Ill., would finish fourth one spot ahead of defending DIRTcar Summer Nationals Champion Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, Ill.

A-Main 40-Laps: (1) Jack Sullivan, (2) Jeep Van Wormer, (3) Ryan Unzicker, (4) Rodney Melvin, (5) Dennis Erb Jr., (6) Billy Moyer Jr., (7) Don O'Neal, (8) Terry English, (9) Brandon Sheppard, (10) Shannon Babb, (11) Jason Feger, (12) Wendell Wallace, (13) Brian Shirley, (14) Tanner English, (15) Jason McBride, (16) Richie Hedrick, (17) Dustin Butler, (18) Chris Shelton, (19) Jeff Walston, (20) Levi Ashby, (21) Tony Albright.

B-Main: Levi Ashby, Chris Shelton, Clayton Miller, Brett Wyatt, Carnell Parker III, Caleb Ashby, Credence Mott, Tony Morris, Matt Liner, Dustin Butler, Brandon Thirlby, Jacob McKinney, Tony Albright, Fred Perry Jr.

First heat : Rodney Melvin, Terry English, Brandon Sheppard, Jason Feger, Levi Ashby, Caleb Ashby, Fred Perry Jr., Dillan White, Mitchell Lingauer.

Third heat: Jeff Waltson, Dennis Erb Jr., Don O'Neal, Richie Hedrick, Brett Wyatt, Carnell Parker III, Brandon Thirlby, Tony Albright, John Minon Jr.

Second heat: Jack Sullivan, Ryan Unzicker, Wendell Wallace, Tanner English, Chris Shelton, Jason Riggs, Credence Mott, Dustin Butler. Scratched: Steven Ashby, Bryan Singleton

Fourth heat: Jeep Van Wormer, Billy Moyer Jr., Jason McBride, Brian Shirley, Clayton Miller, Shannon Babb, Tony Morris, Gil Smith, Jacob McKinney. Scratched: Don Young.

Time trials First group Rodney Melvin (27), Benton, Ill., 13.371 Terry English (33), Benton, Ky., 13.426 Levi Ashby (1a), Cunningham, Tenn., 13.694 Caleb Ashby (61), Cunningham, Tenn., 13.881 Matt Liner (35), Calvert City, Ky., 13.967 Fred Perry Jr. (0p), Smithland, Ky., 14.034 Mitchell Lingauer (88L), Clarksville, Tenn., 14.635 Dillan White (54), Crofton, Ky., 14.707 Brandon Sheppard (B5), New Berlin, Ill., 14.966 Jason Feger (25), Bloomington, Ill., 15.168 Second group Jack Sullivan (1), Greenbrier, Ark., 13.251 Wendell Wallace (88), Batesville, Ark., 13.322 Ryan Unzicker (24), El Paso, Ill., 13.489 Chris Shelton (16), Paducah, Ky., 13.712 Tanner English (96), Benton, Ky., 13.763 Credence Mott (89), Vienna, Ill., 13.808 Steven Ashby (16a), Cunningham, Tenn., 14.013 Jason Riggs (81jr), Harrisburg, Ill., 14.269 Dustin Butler (D11), Clarksville, Tenn., 15.085 Bryan Singleton (72), Clarksville, Tenn., no time Third group Jeff Walston (56), Paducah, Ky., 13.350 Carnell Parker III (75), Clarksville, Tenn., 13.648 Dennis Erb Jr. (28), Carpentersville, Ill., 13.858 Brett Wyatt (17), Crossville, Tenn., 13.876 Tony Albright (8E), Clarksville, Tenn., 14.129 Don O'Neal (1), Martinsville, Ind., 14.132 Brandon Thirlby (m14), Traverse City, Mich., 14.168 Richie Hedrick (jp7), Urbana, Ill., 14.255 John Minon Jr. (74), Adams, Tenn., 16.227 Fourth group Jeep Van Wormer (55), Pinconning, Mich., 13.434 Billy Moyer Jr. (21jr), Batesville, Ark., 13.505 Clayton Miller (19), Elkton, Ky., 13.526 Jason McBride (77), Carbondale, Ill., 13.541 Brian Shirley (3s), Chatham, Ill., 13.627 Tony Morris (m31), Murfreesboro, Tenn., 14.145 Gil Smith (7x), Nashville, Tenn., 14.311 Jacob McKinney (78), Clarksville, Tenn., 14.697 Don Young (41), Hopkinsville, Ky., no time x-Shannon Babb (18), Moweaqua, Ill., 13.432 x-Penalized for missing qualifying order