Pete Bicknell Enters BRP CanAm Late Model Event

St. Catharines, ONT…Pete Bicknell, a 19 time Merrittville Speedway track champion, will try something different on Saturday May 17 when the BRP CanAm Late Model Series visits the Merrittville Speedway.  Bicknell will buckle up in one of Paul Grigsby’s 360 late models and attempt to add yet another credit to his racing resume – a win in the BRP CanAm Late Model Series.

Mr. Small Block reports, “This deal came up as either a promotional idea or simply a way to keep me busy on a night that I planned to just hang out.  Since the modifieds are not on the schedule that night I figured that the only track time that I would get would be on the grader.  However, the ladies made other plans.  Erica (daughter and GM of Merrittville Speedway) thinks that maybe a few more fans will attend the show to see this old guy tricycle one of those late models.  Nancy (wife and partner at the track and BRP) simply figures if I am racing I will not be bothering her.  Tracey (Williamson, another track and BRP partner) assumed that I would be a bigger problem if I wasn’t racing.  Anyway, somehow they put this deal together and I think it is awesome.  I tested the car here a few weeks ago when nobody knew who was in it.  I thought if I was a complete disaster I would not embarrass myself, but it was great.  We put a transponder in the car to get some accurate data.  I was surprised.  First, I was comfortable right away.  Second, although those cars have a little less horsepower and weigh a little more it was a hoot!  Lap times were just a tick slower than the modified, but they drive differently and it was really fun.  With all of the aluminum (Wrisco Racing Aluminum), plastic, and fiberglass those cars are really glued down.  I had to work hard to spin the thing out.  When I did, I guess I about scared Paul’s wife (Stacy) to hysteria.  She didn’t know I had tried for several laps and only with a real bonsai effort could I get it to spin.”

“I want to thank Paul Grigsby and his team for this opportunity.  I have already told them that I thank them, but I plan to beat them on race night.  The car was built by Ed Carley and Larry Shaw using a lot of BRP supplied parts.  Billy Campbell built the engine.  I will have no excuses if I do not qualify.  Seriously, I doubt that I can win against those guys who race that style of car every week, but you know very well that I will give it my best shot.”

We all have the opportunity to see Pete Bicknell go up against the BRP CanAm Late Model Series racers on Saturday May 17 at Merrittville Speedway.  Gates open at 5:00 with races at 7:00

Merrittville Speedway information at www.merrittvillemspeedway.com

Series information at www.BRPCanAmSeries.com

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Mother Nature takes Mom’s Night Out Activities at Virginia Motor Speedway

Jamaica, VA – The ultimate mom, Mother Nature, wanted all the attention on this Mother’s Day weekend as she brought heavy rains, wind and tornado watches to the area forcing officials at Bill Sawyer’s Virginia Motor Speedway to cancel Mom’s Night Out activities for Friday May 9th.

“It is unfortunate that we were unable to get racing in this weekend and also honor all the moms and grandma’s during this Mother’s Day weekend, but with the heavy rains and with the forecast for more of the same, it is in the best interest and safety of our competitors, family and fans that we cancel tonight’s activities,” commented track General Manager Clarke Sawyer.

Bill Sawyer’s Virginia Motor Speedway returns to action Friday May 16th and will host Thurston Spring Service Dirt Series Night at the Races featuring four divisions of FAST FAMILY FUN. See the Victory Lap Late Models, Truckin Thunder Sportsman, Budweiser Modifieds and the VMS Limited Stocks in action.

Competitor gates for Friday, May 16th will open at 4pm with spectator gates opening at 5pm. On track activities will begin at 7pm with hot laps. Divisions scheduled to race on Friday May 16th: Victory Lap Late Models (35 Laps); Truckin Thunder Sportsman (25 Laps); Budweiser Modifieds (25 Laps) and the VMS Limited Stocks (20 Laps). All divisions will run Hot Lap Time Trials and Feathures. 

Adult tickets are just $10, Senior and Military $8, Students 13 –17 yrs old $7, Children 7 – 12 yrs old $4 and Children 6 and under free. The Speedway offers a Family Pack for two adults and two children 12 and under for only $20. Also check our website for discount coupons.

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Limaland Cancels Late Model Mania

After two days of persistent heavy rain showers, Limaland Motorsports Park has cancelled the Late Model Mania scheduled for Friday, May 9. 

Next week's race event is Meet the Drivers Night. Limaland drivers will be signing autographs and talking with the fans all part of the pre-race festivities.  The featured divisions will be the Elwer Fence Sprints, Professional Computer Company UMP Modifieds and Bud Thunderstocks.

Pit gates will open at 4:00 pm followed by the grandstand gates at 5:00 pm.

Hot laps are scheduled for 6:30 with racing action to begin at 7:30.

Tickets are now on sale for the 20th Annual Brad Doty Classic featuring the World of Outlaws coming to Limaland on Wednesday July 9. The ticket order hotline number is 419-998-3199. Tickets can be ordered by phone between 9 am and 3 pm Monday - Thursday or at the track box office on Friday nights during the racing season.

The 2008 season schedule, news and additional updates can all be found at www.limaland.com.

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UMP DIRTcar Racing Weekly Update: Veteran Mike Hammerle Moves On Top Of Super Late Model National Points Race

EVANSVILLE, IN – May 8, 2008 –

TIME IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Veteran Mike Hammerle enters this weekend’s action leading the UMP DIRTcar Super Late Model national points standings, but he knows his run in the sun will probably be short-lived.

So the 60-year-old grandfather from St. Charles, Mo., is going to enjoy every minute of his stint in the catbird’s seat – just like he relishes every lap he turns on the racetrack.

A short-track racer for 35 years and counting, Hammerle is a classic low-buck driver who pours his heart and soul into the sport he loves.

“It’s fun to be on top of the points,” smiled the likeable Hammerle, who moved to the national points lead on the strength of his circuit-leading 14 starts through May 6 (the next-busiest driver has run 12 races). “Maybe I can stay there for a few weeks.”

Hammerle realizes he’s racing on borrowed time, of course. Even though he plans to enter more than 70 UMP DIRTcar events this season and the national title will be determined using a driver’s best 40 finishes, most of his racing will come in weekly shows at small ovals where he can be competitive with his bare-bones budget. He doesn’t have the finances to follow the UMP DIRTcar Summernationals, which provides its regulars a chance to pile up bonus points toward the national title thanks to the tour’s strong car counts.

“They’ll definitely catch me during the Summernationals,” Hammerle said of his current pursuers in the standings. “They’ll get those maximum bonus points for the car counts.”

But Hammerle is fine with his ultimate fate. He’s honored simply to spend some time in the spotlight as the points leader, however short his stay there might be.

“I thought I might get the points lead this week because I got three races in last weekend and a lot of guys had their races rained out,” remarked Hammerle, whose weekend was highlighted by a feature win on May 2 at Belle Clair Speedway in Belleville, Ill. “Last year I got the points lead once too because I ran a lot of races early in the season, so I was hoping I’d get the lead again this year for a little while.”

It’s certainly a neat story to see the points paced by a hard-working journeyman like Hammerle, a home-based welder by trade who is the epitome of a UMP DIRTcar Weekend Warrior. There’s no frills about any part of his race team, from the ramp-truck he uses to haul his car to the aged, battle-scarred No. 16H machines he campaigns.

Hammerle has three cars in his arsenal, but the newest of the trio is five years old. His favorite mount is a homebuilt piece he constructed in 2000 (it’s the dirt Late Model he put in Victory Lane last Saturday at Belle Clair); he also has a 2000 GRT car and a 2003 Rayburn chassis – although “the chassis builders won’t claim them anymore because I’ve cut ‘em up and changed them all around,” quipped Hammerle, whose small group of sponsors is headed by his crewman Mike Hickman’s King Edward’s Fried Chicken stores. (“When we get to the track everybody always wants to know if we have chicken to feed them,” said Hammerle.)

The motors in Hammerle’s equipment are built to his limited budget by Rolla (Mo.) Competition Engines. He estimated that his powerplants produce “probably 100 horsepower less than the big guys” because he has to go for durability in order to race as often as he does – and the tight bullrings he frequents don’t require big power anyway.

Last year Hammerle focused his weekly efforts on the two smallest tracks under the UMP DIRTcar banner – Belle Clair Speedway and Macon (Ill.) Speedway, both one-fifth-mile ovals. He won the points championship at Macon and finished a close second at Belle Clair, helping him to a seventh-place finish in the 2007 UMP DIRTcar national points standings.

This season Hammerle plans to again run Belle Clair regularly on Friday nights – he already has a fourth-place finish to go along with his win there – but he’s not committed to a Saturday track. It’s a lengthy two-and-a-half-hour one-way haul to Macon from his home outside St. Louis, so with rising gas prices he’s backing off weekly trips there. The always penny-pinching driver said he can save $50 in gas by racing closer to home at I-57/I-64 Raceway in Mt. Vernon, Ill. (where he has a top finish of fifth in two starts this season), so he’ll likely split his Saturdays between Macon, Mt. Vernon and perhaps others tracks now-and-then.

Hammerle will always find somewhere to race. You can count on that.

“I’m 60, but you need to keep practicing,” he joked when asked why he’s still so active behind the wheel.

Hammerle launched his racing career 35 years ago, competing in the Sportsman division at tracks near his home. Three years later he began a decade-long stint in the dirt Late Model division, then he bounced between a center-steer Modified class very similar to the Northeast’s DIRTcar big-block Modifieds (he competed in DIRTcar big-block Modified events in Florida and Texas during the late ‘80s) and the emerging UMP DIRTcar Modified division before returning to dirt Late Models, which he’s run for the last decade.

According to Hammerle’s best recollections, he’s won over 300 features in various divisions and more than 20 points championships. He’s finished as high as second in the UMP DIRTcar Super Late Model national points standings and has three fifth-place finishes since 2000.

It’s been a long, fun ride for Hammerle, and he’s shown no signs of slowing down.

Hammerle has even outlasted his wife Linda, who rarely attends her husband’s races these days, preferring to spend more time with the couple’s grandchildren.

“I guess I burnt her out,” said a smiling Hammerle. “She went with me everywhere for 25 years, but she was always a nervous wreck when she watched me race and she finally decided she didn’t want to go anymore.”

 It’s a pretty good bet that Hammerle will never leave the pit area behind. He even dreams of a way to stay in the game after he finally hangs up his helmet sometime well into his senior-citizen years.

“I’m just gonna do it as long as I can,” Hammerle said of his future plans. “I still enjoy it too much to stop.

“Maybe I’ll get one of my grandkids driving some day,” he added with a twinkle in his eyes. “I’ve got a grandson who’s three years old, so maybe I can hold out and keep racing until he’s ready to take over driving my car.”

NOTABLE UMP DIRTcar RACING THIS WEEKEND:

* The UMP DIRTcar-sanctioned Sunoco American Late Model Series swings back into action on Friday night (May 9) at Limaland Motorsports Park in Lima, Ohio.

* The Northern Allstars Late Model Series – another UMP DIRTcar-sanctioned tour – has a Saturday-night (May 10) date at Highland (Ill.) Speedway.

* Bloomington (Ind.) Speedway will host a $700-to-win UMP DIRTcar Modified special on Friday night (May 9) as part of its USAC Sprint Car program.

UMP DIRTcar Racing National Points Standings (as of May 6):
Super Late Models (driver/points/races):
1. Mike Hammerle  648
2. Jason McBride  557
3. Rusty Griffaw  544
4. Michael Kloos  534
5. Dennis Erb Jr.  521
6. Billy Moyer   506
7. Rusty Schlenk  499
8. Steve Francis  484
9. Ryan Unzicker  472
10. Chris Shelton  440

Pro Late Models (driver/points/races):
1. Duane Hodges  511
2. Levi Ashby   487
3. Kevin Hardin         482
3. Jason Jones   482
5. Josh Harris   456
6. Caleb Ashby   430
7. Phil Gregory  424
8. Tait Davenport  371
9. Carnell Parker  365
10. Mike Watson  359

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Cedar Lake Speedway Announces USA Nationals Free Fuel Participants!

For Immediate Release

May 8, 2008
New Richmond, WI-- Cedar Lake Speedway is proud to announce the 30 drivers who contacted CLS and will receive Free Fuel by committing to participate in this year’s USA Nationals held July 31st thru Aug 2nd.

2008 marks the 21st running of the USA Nationals at the legendary high banks of Cedar Lake Speedway located 20 minutes east of the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area.  Over the years this event has produced some of the best dirt track racing in the country!   As time passes and the racing industry evolves, promoters are challenged to find new and innovative ways to promote and continue the tradition of Crown Jewel events like the USA Nationals.  Two weeks ago, CLS management announced a huge promotion for drivers that give real incentive to attend.  “Not only is the event $50,000 to win and $2,000 to start, but to help pay for their fuel to get to the event is huge,” commented Jamie Nutzmann of Cedar Lake Speedway. 

Cedar Lake Speedway’s Free Fuel promotion paid the first 30 touring drivers to call the Cedar Lake office located at least 200 miles from the track 50¢ per mile from their shop to the track’s pit gate.  “With fuel prices soaring we felt this was the best way to attract the touring late model racer” stated Chuck Kaufman, Owner of CLS.  “The further they travel the more they get paid!”

Cedar Lake Speedway representatives have spoken directly to the following drivers and they have expressed commitment to this year’s event and will receive the Free Fuel promotion.

Billy Moyer- Batesville, AR
5 time winner of the USA Nationals (88,89,90,92,93)
Over 700 career dirt track victories!

Scott Bloomquist- Mooresville, TN
3 time winner of the USA Nationals (99,03,06) 
Over 500 career dirt track victories!

Jimmy Owens- Newport, TN
2007 World 100 & North/South 100 winner 
Over 450 career dirt track victories!

Brian Birkhofer- Muscatine, IA                        
Defending (07) and 2004 USA Nationals champion
Over 150 career dirt track victories!

Shannon Babb- Moweaqua, IL
2 Time UMP Summernationals champion

Brian Shirley- Chatham, IL
2006 Knoxville Late Model Nationals Winner from last to first!

Dan Schlieper- Sullivan, WI                              
2003 World 100 winner

Jeep VanWormer- Pincomming, MI                 
Several UMP & ALMS  late model victories & 2003 UMP Fall Nationals Winner

Matt Lux- Franklin, PA
2007 MACS Rookie of the Year
First ever appearance at Cedar Lake

Darrell Lanigan- Union, KY
2003 Dream 100 winner. 
Currently 4th in points for World of Outlaw Late Models

Chris Wall- Holden, LA
First ever appearance at Cedar Lake Speedway

Tim McCredie- Watertown, NY
2006 World of Outlaw Champion
2006 Chili Bowl Winner
RCR development driver

Brady Smith- Solon Springs, WI
2004 WDRL Champion & Cedar Lake Speedway competitor

Darren Miller- Milledgeville, IL
Current WDRL point leader

Steve Shaver- Vienna, WV                
2004 North/South 100 winner

Jackie Boggs- Grayson, KY
Several Late Model feature victories
Multiple wins at Brush Creek Motor Complex and the Dirt Track at Lowe’s

John Blankenship- Williamson, WV
World of Outlaw competitor

Shannon Buckingham- Morristown, TN
First ever appearance at Cedar Lake Speedway

Clint Smith- Senoia, GA                                     
2005 Hillbilly 100 winner and World of Outlaw competitor

Jill George- Cedar Falls, IA                
First ever female entry for the USA Nationals

David Earl Gentry- Lewisburg, TN
First ever appearance at Cedar Lake Speedway

Ace Ihm- Hazel Green, WI
WDRL competitor

Chris Madden- Gray Court, SC                         
Over 100 late model victories

Jason Utter- Columbus Junction, IA
2006 WDRL Rookie of the year

Rob Moss- Iowa City, IA
WDRL competitor

Denny Eckrich- Oxford, IA
2 time WDRL Champion

Chad Simpson- Mount Vernon, IA
WDRL Competitor

Dave Eckrich- Oxford, IA
WDRL Competitor

Chris Simpson- Oxford, IA
WDRL Competitor

Dustin Hapka- Grand Forks, ND
NLRA competitor

Cedar Lake Speedway is thrilled to have these top caliber drivers at the 21st running of the USA Nationals.  CLS is also expecting MANY other drivers to attend that were not one of the first 30 to contact CLS to receive the fuel promotion.  Mark your calendars for July 31st thru Aug 2nd to attend this year’s USA Nationals at Cedar Lake Speedway!

2007 USA Nationals participants included: Brian Birkhofer, Scott Bloomquist, Tim McCreadie, Don O’Neal, Brady Smith, Matt Miller, Garrett Durrett, Jimmy Owens, Billy Drake, Jimmy Mars, Billy Moyer, Dan Schlieper, Wendell Wallace, Steve Laursen, Chad Simpson, Donnie Moran, Jeep VanWormer, Shannon Babb, Earl Pearson Jr, Michael England, Jason Utter, Dale  McDowell, Terry Casey, Justin Fegers, Rick Scheffler, Rob Moss, Jason Rauen, Chris Simpson, Austin Dillon, Brian Harris, Eric Pember, Pat Doar, Joel Cryderman, Tim Isenberg, Rick Hanestad, Matt Furman, Bryan Wennen, Steve Hucovski, Ashley Anderson, Dave Eckrich, Lance Mathees, Jake Redetzke, Kerry Hansen, Mitch Johnson, Dave Cain, Denny Eckrich, Mike Goodremote, Andrew McKay, Kelly Anderson, Ace Ihm, Adam Hensel, Darrell Nelson, Cory Mahder

USA Nationals Past Winners:
1988        Billy Moyer
1989        Billy Moyer
1990        Billy Moyer
1991        Rick Aukland
1992        Billy Moyer
1993        Billy Moyer
1994        Jack Boggs
1995        Jack Boggs
1996        Jimmy Mars
1997        Rick Aukland
1998        Donnie Moran
1999        Scott Bloomquist
2000        Davey Johnson
2001        Dale McDowell
2002        Rick Eckert
2003        Scott Bloomquist
2004        Brian Birkhofer
2005        Dale McDowell
2006        Scott Bloomquist
2007        Brian Birkhofer
2008        ???

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It`s “Ladies in Free" at Cleveland County Speedway This Week!
 
They say new promoter Duane Goins is losing his mind.  Letting people in free?  No way!!  Well, it's happening in Lawndale NC at Cleveland County Speedway. This Friday, May 9th .
 
“I remember back in the day at Hickory Motor Speedway,  Mother's day weekend was one of the biggest of the year. It gives Dad a great chance to take Mom out and do a little extra like stopping to eat on the way to the the track with the money he will save.  It's a win-win-win for all involved, and I 'm proud to finally have the opportunity to do it, and maybe, just maybe, if we are producing a great show, they will want to come back !"
 
 Speaking of Hickory, ALL of Catawba County will be admitted free May 16th” said the along time announcer turned promoter.  “We have 10 different counties an cities target this year to let hem in free to give them a break and so see what we are doing and maybe spend some money in the Lawndale and Fallston area.
 
GM Performance Late Models headline the 6 classes on the  card this week with 140 laps of action.  Gates open at 5 pm , drivers meeting at 7 pm and the racing starts at 8.
 
Adults $12 , kids under 10 free and of course, all ladies in free. Pit competitors will pay $20 in chance of $8,000 this week.
 
Track phone (704) 538-7070 or www.clevelandcountyspeedway .com

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PAYNE COLLECTS $3,000 O'REILLY MLRA SERIES VICTORY WEDNESDAY AT LAKESIDE SPEEDWAY
From Lakeside Speedway PR
KANSAS CITY, Kans. (May 8) - The rains came down around Lakeside all day long. All day long the rains never hit at Lakeside Speedway. Many fans and competitors were scared off by the rain Wednesday afternoon. With several racers in the area for the Lucas Oil SuperClean Diamond Nationals, it could have been a large car count. For the fans that made the trip, they got to see one great race. 

Clint Bowyer, a former track champion at Lakeside Speedway who is now on the NASCAR circuit, is coming off a win in the Sprint Cup last Saturday night. Fans of Lakeside came out to see their 'favorite son'. Not only did Bowyer show up, he brought with him, Shannon Babb. Babb drives for Bowyer's new dirt late model team. This past Saturday night, not only did Bowyer pick up a win, but Babb won a World of Outlaw Late Model race at I-44 Speedway. Needless to say, Clint Bowyer Racing is on a high at the moment. 

In the first heat of the night. Al Purkey, a former MLRA Champion, took the early lead as Bowyer settled into the 2nd spot. David Turner made a move on Bowyer on the 3rd lap, but Bowyer would get him back on the outside and hold onto that 2nd spot. Alan Vaughn, last year's MLRA Champion, moved up to 3rd on the speedway by lap 7 of the 12 lap heat race. A yellow flag came out on lap number 10 for Bill Koons in turn 1. 

Purkey, Bowyer and Vaughn would lead the field down to restart the race. The green flag dropped and Purkey jumped back into the lead. It would be short lived as debris on the front straight would bring out another yellow. On the restart Bryant Goldsmith would bring out another yellow. It appeared that David Turner got into him on the restart. Back to green and again it's Purkey to the front and Bowyer second. Purkey, Bowyer and Vaughn are your top 3 as the checkered flag drops. 

The 2nd heat of the night contained another modified track champion at Lakeside Speedway, Tim Karrick. Chad Frewaldt is the leader in this heat early. Sonny Findling moved his way into the 2nd spot, while Jeremy Payne moved into 3rd on lap 5. Larry Clawson Jr. will bring out the caution and the field will have to bunch up again. Frewaldt, Findling, Payne, Brantlee Gotschall and Jerry Warner are your top 5. Tim Karrick has moved up to 4th on the speedway. From his last place starting spot. Karrick now moves into 3rd spot and Payne has rolled up to Frewaldt to battle for the lead. Clawson brings out another yellow. Karrick was thrown into duty when he got an offer from Denny Woodworth to drive his backup car. At this point he is looking good. Findling gets by Karrick on the restart and Payne takes over the lead. Payne now has a commanding lead at the white flag. Payne, Frewaldt and Karrick are the top 3 in this heat. 

The 3rd heat is a stacked heat. Shannon Babb, John Anderson, Clint 'Cat Daddy' Smith, Joe Kosiski and Terry Phillips are all in this heat, the 3rd and final heat. Babb scoots out in front. Clint Smith, who picked up the WoO win at Lakeside in '07 is in 3rd spot and on the move forward. He will take 2nd from Tommy Elston and now John Anderson will put pressure on Elstun for 3rd. Terry Phillips and Anderson are in a tight battle for the 3rd position. The race is now up front between Babb and Smith. Smith to the inside and will take the lead from Babb on lap 10. White flag to Smith. Phillips goes by Anderson for 3rd. Smith, Babb and Phillips are your top 3. 

Jermey Payne and Clint Smith will make up the front row for the 40 lap A Main event. Payne will get the early lead and Clint Smith gives chase in the 2nd spot.

Sonny Findling came to a rest up in turn 2 and it will bring out the first yellow of the night in this main event. Payne, Smith and Phillips are the top 3. Al Purkey holds down the 4th spot and rounding out the top 5 is Clint Bowyer. 

Alan Vaughn is on the move through the field. He is hounding Bowyer at the moment. 

Jeremy Payne enters lapped traffic on lap number 6. Smith is still within shouting distance of Payne as they march through the field.
Phillips has command of 3rd at the moment and Purkey and Bowyer are entangled in a battle for 4th at the moment. 

A right rear flat on the Mark Voight will bring out the caution and take us back to lap 8. Up to this point, the feature has been moving along at a torrid pace. The current top 10 on the track, Jeremy Payne, Clint Smith, Terry Phillips, Al Purkey, Clint Bowyer, Alan Vaughn, David Turner, John Anderson, Shannon Babb and Denny Woodworth. 

Payne brings them back to the restart. On the restart Babb jumps back up to the 7th spot. Payne still shows the way, with Smith in tow and his car owner, Terry Phillips, in 3rd. 

Bowyer pulls up on Purkey on lap 12, Shannon Babb pulls off the track. As he pulls off the track Bryant Goldsmith will bring out the caution with a motor that has let go. It brings out another yellow. The top 5 are the same on the speedway that was running at the last yellow flag break. Lights are out on the speedway and we are ready to go back racing.

Double file restarts are common place in the O'Reilly MLRA. On this restart Vaughn flies by Bowyer to take 5th. Payne and Smith are 1 and 2. Sixteen laps in and Payne still has control. Smith goes to the inside of Payne into turn one, but Payne takes the lead back out of two.

Payne, Smith, Phillips, Purkey, Vaughn, Bowyer and Anderson have broken away from the field. Lapped traffic comes into play once again. Smith will look to capitalize here. Looked like a puff of smoke from Payne, we will have to keep an eye on that at lap 22. Bowyer and Anderson are putting on a hard battle at the moment for the 6th position.

Payne, Smith and Phillips have now pulled a ways away from the rest of the field by lap 26. 3 Car battle for 5th. Vaughn, Bowyer and Anderson. The trio run nose to tail. Bowyer and Vaughn get caught up and Bowyer gets the best of it as he takes 5th position back.

Terry Phillips closes in on Clint Smith. Lapped traffic is coming into play with these two. Jeremy Payne is way out in front, he can put it on crusie control with 4 laps to go.

The track stays clean with two laps to go. Payne is still out in front. White flag to Payne.

Payne put together a great run on the evening. It will be a start to a weekend that could be very lucrative for some late model driver as the Lucas Oil Speedway presents the SuperClean Diamond Nationals Friday and Saturday night. 

www.lakesidespeedway.net

Unofficial Top 7
1 74 Jeremy Payne Springfield, MO
2 44 Clint Smith Senoia, GA
3 75P Terry Phillips Springfield, MO
4 33 Al Purkey Coffeyville, KS
5 07 Clint Bowyer Emporia, KS
6 2 John Anderson Omaha, NE
7 15T David Turner Adrian, MO
8 45K Tim Karrick Kansas City, KS

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Defending SuperClean Diamond Nationals Champion Brian Birkhofer to take on an All-Star Cast in this Weekend's Event at Lucas Oil Speedway

CORONA, CA (May 7, 2008) - It's getting closer to Showtime as the Second Annual SuperClean "Diamond Nationals" are set to take place this weekend at the Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, MO. Defending race winner Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, IA is set to take on the nations best dirt late model drivers seeking to grab the $40,000 first place prize that is up for grabs.

Birkhofer comes into the race having won two of the first three Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series events held at "The Diamond of Dirt Tracks" and is considered one of the favorites heading into this weekends' event that carries a total purse in excess of $133,000.

On the Lucas Oil Motorsports Hour on Tuesday Night Birkhofer said he was looking forward to returning to Lucas Oil Speedway and defending his race win.  "I really like going there, I run good there, but this will be the first time with my new car racing at Wheatland." said the 36-year-old driver who has claimed major wins in the World 100, USA Nationals and the Knoxville (IA) Late Model Nationals and hopes to add another diamond ring to his collection for winning this year's event.

But Birkhofer knows it won't be easy when he takes on the best from the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series and the O'Reilly MLRA Late Model Series which are co-sanctioning the race. "On this new car the way we built the front end it has felt real good in the races we've run it in." said "Birky" who along with Jimmy and Chris Mars put their ideas together and came up with their own chassis design. "The first time out we ran second at Davenport (IA), but that's a track I've run a lot and then we went to Monett (MO) and won the World of Outlaws race on Sunday Night, so we're real confident heading to the SuperClean Diamond Nationals this weekend."

Joining Birkhofer at the SuperClean Diamond Nationals this weekend is scheduled to be the top 15 in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Championship Points Standings including 3-time and defending series champion, Earl Pearson, Jr. of Jacksonville, FL who won last July's Lucas Oil Series race at the speedway.

Pearson heads into this weekend with a 45 point margin over Steve Casebolt of Richmond, IN. Pearson despite driving last weekend for the first time with a fractured right wrist that is continuing to heal will feature a new red paint scheme for this weekend's special event which will be taped by the cameras of SPEED Channel.

Trailing Pearson and Casebolt in the championship standings is Terry Casey of New London, WI, Justin Rattliff of Campbellsville, KY and Bart Hartman of Zanesville, OH.

The rest of the top ten in the LOLMDS championship points standings include Donnie Moran of Dresden, OH, Dan Schlieper of Sullivan, WI, Billy Drake of Bloomington, IL, Scott James of Lawrenceburg, IN and Wayne Chinn of Bradford, OH.

In positions 11-15 and expected to make the trip to Wheatland include Don O'Neal of Martinsville, IN, John Mason of Millersburg, OH, Freddy Smith of Seymour, TN, Jimmy Owens of Newport, TN and Matt Miller of Waterville, OH.

Casey and Billy Moyer come into the race tied with three Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series victories this season. Casey's three wins have come at three different tracks (East Bay, Brownstown and Swainsboro) while Moyer's wins all came at East Bay. Moyer who is expected to be on hand for the SuperClean Diamond Nationals this weekend has ten feature triumphs this season which leads all of dirt late model racing.

The competition on the LOLMDS this season has been second to none with eight different winners in the first twelve races this season. There have been 276 different drivers that have already raced with the series at least once in 2008.

"This event is shaping up to be one of the best of the season for not only the drivers, but the fans," commented Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Director, Ritchie Lewis. "For those that have not been to Lucas Oil Speedway they have a 20 x 30 foot Jumbotron, a Bose Sound System, Musco Lighting, 21 luxury suites and all kinds of things to do for grandparents all the way down to the kids, it is truly a magnificent place to visit and watch a race," said Lewis who is in his second year in charge of the nation's top touring series for dirt late models.

The marquee event at unquestionably the best dirt track facility in the country is about to take place. The Second Annual SuperClean "Diamond Nationals" at the immaculate Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, MO is drawing attention from the top dirt late models drivers in America who plan on attending the $40,000 to win event on Friday and Saturday, May 9th and 10th. Not only is the first place prize money inviting to any driver, but the race pays $20,000 for second and $10,000 for third. Just to make the event guarantees a driver $2,000.

There will be an open practice on Thursday Night, May 8th. On Friday Night, May 9th the action gets underway with hot laps and qualifying for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series and O'Reilly MLRA Late Models. An added bonus on Friday Night will be the Integra Shocks Late Model Crew Chief Challenge.

On Saturday, May 10th a special autograph session for the drivers will be held beginning at 5:15 PM. The LOLMDS and O'Reilly MLRA drivers will then take to the track at 7:00 PM for their heat races which will be followed by B-Mains and then the $40,000 to win 100 Lap SuperClean "Diamond Nationals" feature event.

Second Annual SuperClean "Diamond Nationals" Schedule of Events

Thursday, May 8, 2008
Pit Gates Open at 4 p.m. (pit pass $10)
Pit Pass includes Special Welcome Dinner for Race Teams Only
Dinner Served 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Hot Track Practice 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Friday, May 9, 2008

Pill Draw Opens at 1 p.m. (entry fee $100)
Pit Gates Open at 4 p.m. (pit passes $25)
Spectator Gates Open at 4 p.m.
Driver's Meeting 6:30 p.m.
Hot Laps ("A" Mods and Late Models) 7:00 p.m.
"A" Modified Heat Races
Late Model Qualifying
"A" Modified B Features
Integra Shocks Late Model Crew Chief Challenge
"A" Modified 20 Lap Feature $1000 to Win, $275 to Start

Saturday, May 10, 2008
Pit Gates Open at 4 p.m. (pit passes $30)
Spectator Gate Open at 4 p.m.
Sports Cards Driver Autograph Session 5:15 p.m.
Driver's Meeting 6:30 p.m.
Hot Laps "A" Mods ONLY 6:45 p.m.
Late Model Heat Races 7:00 p.m.
First Half "A" Modified B Features
Late Model B Features
Second Half "A" Modified B Features
SuperClean Diamond Nationals Late Model 100 Lap Main Event
"A" Modified 30 Lap Main Event ($2000 to win, $325 to Start)

Second Annual SuperClean "Diamond Nationals" Payoff:  $40,000, $20,000, $10,000, $7,500, $6,000, $4,000, $3,500, $3,000, $2,600, $2,550, $2,500, $2,450, $2,400, $2,350, $2,300, $2,250, $2,200, $2,100, $2,050, $2,000, $2,000, $2,000, $2,000, $2,000, $2,000, $2,000

Tire Rule: American Racer - SD44, SD48, MD56 and Hoosier Tire - 1300, 1350, LM20, 1600, LM40, D55(Shoulder Plated)

Two-time NASCAR Nationwide Series Champion Randy Lajoie will be on hand both days with his Safer Racer Tour and is scheduled to drive an "A" Modified. Also the Lucas Oil Race'n Ride Late Models will be in action following racing both nights. For more information or to purchase reserve seats go to www.LucasOilSpeedway.com.

For up-to-date information on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series you can point your browser to www.lucasdirt.com or call the series office at (951) 532-2503.

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World of Outlaws Late Model Series News & Notes: Babb/Bowyer Pairing Picking Up Steam; Points Race Tightens

CONCORD, NC – May 7, 2008 –

COMING TOGETHER: If last Saturday night’s World of Outlaws Late Model Series event at Missouri’s Lebanon I-44 Speedway revealed anything, it’s this:

Here comes Shannon Babb.

With his first WoO LMS victory of the 2008 season, Babb served notice that his deal driving for NASCAR Sprint Cup star Clint Bowyer’s new dirt Late Model team is coming together very nicely.

“I think we’re finally getting all our ducks in a row,” said Babb, who accepted Bowyer’s ride offer in late December and has been working alongside crewmen Tommy Grecco and Jay Hunt to essentially build a big-time dirt Late Model operation from scratch. “It’s been a lot of hard work in a short amount of time, but we’re getting everything close, real close, to being in line. That’s what makes a real successful team.”

Babb, 34, of Moweaqua, Ill., and his mechanics pulled through the Lebanon I-44 pit gate riding in Bowyer’s brand-spanking-new hauler and trailer for the first time – they had been using a rig borrowed from J&J Steel’s Johnny Johnson while Bowyer’s was being built – and unloaded a new Traiger Grills Rocket car that had literally been finished the previous night.

Making just his fourth career start behind the wheel of a Rocket Chassis machine, Babb authored a flawless performance to reach Victory Lane.

“We had a whole new piece that I had a lot of confidence in,” said Babb. “I can’t tell (Rocket’s Mark and Josh Richards) thanks enough for all their help tonight. They’re trying to help me get running better, and they gave us all their setups and everything else you can imagine. We listened to them and the car just drove like a dream.”

After adding a seventh-place finish on Sunday night at Monett (Mo.) Speedway – he closed strong by picking up four spots over the final 13 circuits of the 40-lap A-Main – Babb ended the doubleheader tied for sixth in the points standings with Josh Richards.

UNDER A BLANKET: Thanks to the flat tire that forced WoO LMS points leader Billy Moyer to the pit area late in Sunday night’s A-Main at Monett, the tour’s points standings tightened considerably.

Through nine events on a 2008 schedule that currently boasts 47 dates, seven drivers are separated by a mere 38 points. Moyer leads the standings by 10 points over defending champion Steve Francis and Rick Eckert, followed by Darrell Lanigan (-24), Chub Frank (-34) and the deadlocked Babb and Richards (-38).

TOUGH WEEKEND: The 20-year-old Richards tumbled from second to a tie for sixth in the points standings after two frustrating evenings in the Show-Me State.

Saturday night at Lebanon I-44 was especially rough for Richards. He slapped the homestretch wall hard early in his heat race, forcing him to limp into the pit area with a heavily damaged car that his crew worked to repair right until the start of the A-Main’s pace laps.

Richards’s appearance on the starting grid was delayed because his team discovered a problem with the car’s driveshaft as they were finishing repair work, prompting the hasty installation of a new one. He managed to salvage a 13th-place finish in the 40-lap A-Main despite racing with his car’s tow-in bent about four inches.

‘Kid Rocket’ appeared primed to get back on track at Monett after setting fast time and winning a heat, but he fell to fifth early in the event with a setup that was slightly off and later suffered a flat right-rear tire with just five laps remaining. He finished a dismal 20th.

Notably, Richards’s use of a provisional at Lebanon I-44 marked the first time he had failed to qualify for a WoO LMS event through a heat or B-Main since April 16, 2006, at Virginia Motor Speedway.

NO-NAME CAR: Brian Birkhofer’s flag-to-flag win at Monett brought him a double-dose of satisfaction.

For starters, Birky got himself back in Victory Lane on the WoO LMS after a year’s absence. He was one of seven drivers who won at least one WoO LMS A-Main in each of the tour’s first three ‘modern-era’ seasons (2004-2006), but he failed to hit paydirt in 17 feature starts in 2007.

The Muscatine, Iowa, star also felt the personal accomplishment of winning for the first time with a car that he designed with fellow racer Jimmy Mars and Mars’s brother Chris.

“Jimmy and I have been talking the last few years that we wanted to build cars,” said Birkhofer. “At the end of last year Chris said, ‘You go half with me and Jimmy on the tubing bender and we’ll do it.’ I had a pretty decent year money-wise, so I invested with them guys and Bailey Industrial helped us out on the equipment.

“We’ve been working our tail off on it. Chris, Jimmy, myself – we put a lot of hours in over the winter to build these cars.

“I kinda want to concentrate on this (racing) a few more years,” added Birkhofer, 36. “But I don’t really want to travel up-and-down the road anymore when I’m 45, so I’d like to maybe get my kid behind the wheel and build race cars.

“We don’t want to be a big player in the chassis business. We just want to have something that we’re proud of and we can sell.”

Eventually, the Birkhofer/Mars machines will even have an official name.

“Right now we call it the ‘Three Fs’ – but I can’t tell you what that means,” quipped Birkhofer. “We haven’t figured out a name yet. We just want to work on ‘em and get ‘em better.

“We’ll be sitting around b.s.’ing one night and it’ll come to us, but right now it’s just another race car.

DISAPPOINTING OUTINGS: Terry Phillips of Springfield, Mo., entered the weekend hoping to make WoO LMS history.

With a victory at one of the tracks in his backyard, he would have joined his legendary late father Larry Phillips to become the first father-and-son tandem to win WoO LMS events in the six-plus seasons (1988-89, 2004-present) of the tour’s existence. Larry won the first-ever WoO LMS event of the tour’s first incarnation, on April 22, 1988, at Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pa.

But the 41-year-old Phillips struggled in both events. He finished 19th at Lebanon I-44 after retiring early because he car wasn’t handling well on a track surface that kept more bite in it than he had anticipated, and he placed 21st after another early drop-out at Monett.

MAGIC BUMP: Can contact from another car make a driver’s machine suddenly go faster?

It did in the case of Chub Frank, who credited his late-race surge at Monett to a hit he absorbed in his Rocket car’s left-rear corner from Vic Coffey. After surviving the contact that left Coffey spun out in turn one on lap 27, Frank burst forward from the 13th spot to finish fifth.

“I actually don’t know what happened,” said Frank. “I was just wallowing around out there, and then Vic Coffey got into my left-rear and something happened.

“I guess the hit bent something and freed the car. We gotta look at it and see what it was, but I know that the car really felt good at the end of the race.”

STILL STRUGGLING: WoO LMS regular Brian Shirley’s miserable early-season luck continued at Lebanon I-44.

Holding high hopes for the Saturday event after finishing second in last year’s WoO LMS show there, the Chatham, Ill., was running fifth on lap 12 of the A-Main when he slowed with a flat right-rear tire. It was the fourth flat tire of the night for the snakebit Shirley, who also returned to the pits with deflating shoes after hot laps, time trials and his heat race.

Shirley was even more frustrated with his performance on Sunday at Monett. He was second-fastest in time trials and started third in the A-Main, but he fell backward when the initial green flag flew and managed just a 15th-place finish in his Petroff Towing mount.

ETCETERA…

* Clint Smith wasn’t happy about finishing fifth at Lebanon I-44 after leaving his car “too loose” for the A-Main, but he took some solace in his sterling qualifying effort earlier in the night.

“I’m pretty proud about setting a new track record,” said Smith. “I’m not known for my qualifying, so I only have a few of them.”

* Last year Darrell Lanigan scored his first top-five finish in the 18th WoO LMS A-Main of the season.

The Union, Ky., driver won’t have to wait that long again in ’08 after breaking into the top five for the first time on Sunday at Monett, finishing a solid fourth in the season’s ninth event. He already has seven top-10 finishes this year – tied with Steve Francis and Rick Eckert for the tour lead in that category.

* Francis wasn’t happy with his performance in the weekend events, which included a quiet sixth-place finish at Lebanon I-44 and an 11th at Monett (after he slid off the track during his heat and used a provisional to start the A-Main).

So what did Francis do after Monett’s checkered flag? When he noticed that Darren Miller had gotten permission from promoter Randy Mooneyham to do some post-race testing, Francis kept his driver’s suit on and joined Miller on the track to try some things out.

* Tim Fuller hopes his third-place run at Monett – his first top-five of the season and only his second top-10 – gets him headed in the right direction.

The 2007 WoO LMS Rookie of the Year entered both races in his backup car after blowing the motor in his primary machine in a Thursday-night show at Virginia Motor Speedway.

* Both Vic Coffey and John Blankenship sported new bodies and graphics on their cars for the weekend events.

Coffey appeared headed to a top-10 finish at Lebanon I-44 until a broken left-front control arm forced the Rookie of the Year contender out of action while running seventh on 26.

* Coffey, Eckert and Shane Clanton enjoyed some straight-line competition on Friday night, stopping at Gateway International Raceway outside St. Louis to watch qualifying for the weekend’s NHRA national event.

NEXT UP: The WoO LMS returns to action with a three-race swing through the Midwest that stops at Attica (Ohio) Raceway Park on May 16; Lawrenceburg (Ind.) Speedway on May 17; and Lincoln (Ill.) Speedway on May 18.

INFO: For more information visit www.worldofoutlaws.com.

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$10,500 Awaits Carolina Clash Drivers at Gordon Park & Screven this Weekend

LINCOLNTON, NC (May 5) - After just finishing a record $20,000 weekend the Carolina Clash Super Late Model Series is back at it again this weekend with another huge pair of events.     

The first stop for the weekend will be at Lennie Hobbs' Gordon Park Speedway in Augusta, GA. This will be the make-up event that was rained out in March. The 40 lap main event will pay $4,000 to the winner with an extra $500 bounty to anyone that can out run Ed Basey in winning the event. 

Basey, from nearby Evans, GA has won all three Carolina Clash Series events held at the 4/10 mile oval located less than 2 miles form Fort Gordon Military Base. "Basey has been awfully tough at Gordon Park," said Carolina Clash President Larry Lee. "Lennie Hobbs and his crew do a great job of preparing the surface at Gordon Park and we are certainly looking forward to getting down there."

On Saturday night the series will make their first ever visit to Screven Motor Speedway. This will be a 50 lap feature paying $5,000 to the winner. Any driver than can win both races will receive a $1,000 bonus being sponsored by Hobbs and Sons Construction and Lee Furniture of Fayetteville, NC. 

"We have heard a lot of great things at Screven Motor Speedway," said Lee. "It is phenomenal what James Griffin has done with that place in such a short amount of time. He has one of the most aggressive schedules of any race track in the country and we are very honored to be a part of it."

"The race tracks are only a little over an hour apart so grouping them together just made sense with the price of fuel," said Lee. "We are looking for a solid field of cars and a great weekend of racing."

Dennis 'Rambo' Franklin will lead the Carolina Clash 'Bad Boys' to town as they prepare for their first battle of the year against the legendary 'Georgia bandits'.

For more information visit www.gorondparkspeedway.net or www.screvenmotorspeedway.com or www.carolinaclash.com 

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DIRT LATE MODEL DREAM KICKS OFF ELDORA MAJOR EVENTS

ROSSBURG, OH (May 6) – As has become tradition, Eldora Speedway’s Dirt Late Model Dream will kick off their aggressive major event campaign.   Set for the weekend of June 6 & 7, the 14th annual edition of the Dream will again see a $100,000 pay check up for grabs following the 100-lap chase around Eldora’s famed one-half mile high-banked clay oval.

Young driving sensation Steve Casebolt of Richmond, IN upgraded his resume with a stunning and popular victory in last year’s edition, when he powered the Dale Beitler owned Late Model to upset four-time Dream winner Scott Bloomquist.  Both are expected to be in the chase again this year.   Bloomquist will be behind the wheel of his famed ‘zero’ machine, while Casebolt has part ways with Beitler to regroup his own team.  Former World 100 winner Steve Francis has teamed up with Beitler in 2008.

If history is to be believed, Bloomquist could well be in the driver’s seat for win number five.   The oft-controversial Mooresburg, TN veteran has frequented victory lane in the even number years since 2002.  

Since its inception in 1994, 109 drivers have edged their way into a Dirt Late Model Dream line-up, with 9 drivers etching the $100,000 victories.

Bloomquist’s four wins (1995, 2002, 2004, 2006) leads the way, while inaugural winner Freddy Smith (1994) is the only other double winner (2000).   Single event wins have been earned by Donnie Moran (1996), Jimmy Mars (1997), Billy Boyer (1998), Rick Eckert (1999), Darrel Lanigan (2003), Matt Miller (2005) and Casebolt (2007).

The Dirt Model Dream will once again fall under the sanctioning banner of the UMP (United Midwestern Promoters) DIRTcar organization, who will oversee adherence to the car specifications, including the recently announced tire rules.   Per the UMP DIRTcar rulebook, each sanctioned track has the option to determine their tire rule of choice.   Eldora Speedway has chosen to align themselves with Oakshade Raceway and the Sunoco sponsored American Late Model Series (ALMS) to allow the LM-30, LM-40 and LM-50 branded Hoosier Racing tire.

While UMP DIRTcar will oversee the tech, the racing procedures and line-up structure will be governed by Eldora.   As in the past, Friday’s agenda will include the practice laps, followed by the time trial runs to set up Saturday’s program of qualifying heats, C & B Mains and the 100-lap Dirt Late Model Dream.

Entry forms for the Dirt Late Model Dream were put in the mail this week.  Interested teams may also download the entry form from www.eldoraspeedway.com.     

Following the Dream chase, Eldora’s major event calendar will include the 25th annual Kings Royal (Sprint Car) weekend July 11 and 12 and the World 100 (Late Models) over the weekend of September 5 & 6.   Sprinkled in between will be other events rapidly gaining in prominence, including the Ollie’s 360 Challenge July 8 and the Chevrolet American Revolution 4-Crown weekend of September 19 & 20.

A complete 2008 schedule of events may be downloaded from the Eldora Speedway website www.eldoraspeedway.com; where tickets may also be purchased.

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Carolina Clash Announces Make-up Date for TR Speedway

LINCOLNTON, NC (May 5) - The Carolina Clash Super Late Model Racing Series is proud to announce the make-up date for the rained-out event at Travelers Rest Speedway. For the first time in series history their will be a Monday night event held Memorial Day weekend May 26th. 

"With all the rain outs we have defiantly had a hard time trying to get all our dates rescheduled," said Carolina Clash President Larry Lee. "Jody Palmer and his staff do a wonderful job of promoting Travelers Rest Speedway and we defiantly wanted to find a date that would be sufficient for all parties involved. We are looking for a very large car count and we hope that Mother Nature will be on our side this time."

More details will be announced soon. For more information on the 2nd Annual 'Mountain Man 40' please visit www.carolinaclash.com.

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'The Maumelle Diamant' Heads to Central Arkansas with AMP Series

For Immediate Release

May, 5, 2008

Alexander, Ark--Thirty-three year old Shane Diamant will unload Friday night at Beebe Speedway in Central Arkansas and holds plans to attend Central Arkansas Speedway for the AMP Series double header weekend.

The Maumelle, Arkansas native finished 13th in the 2007 AMP Series standings and is well known throughout dirt ovals in his native state.

Shane will pilot the #76 Late Model on the series this season.  Diamant has previously competed in the MARS and SUPR series and picked up many nights among the AMP Series last season.

Diamant stated’ ‘I like having a place close to race, and the low cost in travel by racing at home.  I enjoy being able to race in front of my fan’s that help fill the seats on race nights and many of the tracks we race at, I’ve been racing on for years and enjoy’.  He went on to say, this years economy may play a roll in the factor of travel for many race teams, but he planned to be in the mixture of the fast competition that frequents the AMP field.

The team house two cars, both #76, one powered by Cabot Automotive and one powered by JRE Engines.

Shane would like to thank his wife Julie and baby Sam along with the full crew and his partners that will help him find victory lane this season:

Big 7 Trucking,  JRE Engines, Cabot Automotive, Moonlight Graphics and Green & Chapman, Inc.

For more information on Shane Diamant or the AMP Series, please log onto http://www.ampseries.com/

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Brady Smith Scores First Career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Win at Kentucky Lake; Becomes 8th Different Winner This Season

CALVERT CITY, KY (May 3, 2008) - Brady Smith of Solon Springs, WI captured his first career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win on Saturday Night at Kentucky Lake Motor Speedway winning the Third Annual "99" Extravaganza. Smith grabbed the lead away from Darren Miller on a lap 20 restart and then went on to lead the rest of the way to secure the win which was worth $9,999. Billy Drake of Bloomington, IL, who took a series provisional and pulled out a back-up car rallied from the 24th starting spot to finish second followed by Miller of Chadwick, IL, Steve Casebolt of Richmond, IN and current series points leader Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, FL who placed fifth despite driving with a fractured right wrist.

Bart Hartman and Darren Miller got the 50 lap main event off on a resounding start as Hartman would nip Miller by inches to score the first lap of the race that would go the first ten laps without a caution flag. On the second circuit Miller would take over the point as Hartman slipped to second. Smith, who started third, remained in that position with Matt Miller and '07 UMP Late Model Champion Dennis Erb Jr. in fifth.

Darren Miller would start to open up the lead over the field in the early going as the second place battle was getting real interesting as Hartman and Smith raced side-by-side for two circuits until Smith cleared Hartman to take over second. Erb then moved up one spot sliding into the fourth spot by Matt Miller.

The first caution appeared right after the tenth lapped was scored as it was for a slowing Kevin Claycomb. With the fast and furious action on the track slowed for the first time 23 of the original 24 starters were still on the race track with Kevin Cole being the only driver out of the race.

On the restart Darren Miller exploded to a six car length advantage over Smith and Hartman who put on quite a spirited race for second. The race shaped up to be a dandy as two and three wide racing toke place throughout the field. The second caution came out on lap 19 for fourth-place running Matt Miller who slowed and headed pit side for a tire change returning in time for the restart.

The great racing action the fans were witnessing saw a dramatic turn of events up front on the ensuing restart. With 22 of the 24 starters still around and all on the lead lap, Smith made a bold move in turn two as Darren Miller slipped up the track ever so slightly allowing Smith to get by to take over the lead.

With Smith now holding the point the race went eight consecutive laps of green flag racing with Darren Miller hanging on for second with Hartman, Erb and Jimmy Owens in hot pursuit. The fourth caution came out on lap 28 for Scott James who stopped up against the retaining wall heading into turn number one.

On the restart Don O'Neal who started dead last after missing the 10-minute lineup call roared through the field and with the help of caution flags and double-file restarts he was up to second by lap 29 challenging Smith for the lead as Erb moved into third.

With 20 laps to go the running order were Smith, O'Neal, Erb, Darren Miller and Earl Pearson Jr. who was driving in his first race since suffering a fractured wrist back on April 19th calmly running in the fifth slot.

With 31 terrific laps of racing in the books the race turned into a caution-fest starting with the completion of lap 32. O'Neal's strong run to the front went go by the wayside as he suffered a flat tire. There were four straight yellows waving trying to restart for lap 33.

While all of this was going on, Smith kept his lead with Darren Miller moving back into second place as Erb, Pearson and now 24th starting Billy Drake in fifth. On the green flag restart Darren Miller slipped two spots back to fourth as Erb and Drake now set their sights on Smith as they grabbed the second and third positions in a New York minute.

But Darren Miller was not giving up as easily as he stormed back to second after a side-by-side tussle with Erb and Drake as Justin Rattliff made his first appearance in the top five for the first time nabbing fifth from Pearson.

With 40 laps in the books Bart Hartman brought out caution number eleven as he spun his mount in turn number four while running in sixth. Two laps laterBrad Neat slowed, bringing out caution number ten with 42 scored and upon restart fourth place runner Wayne Chinn broke, ending a solid run on his part.

An eight lap shootout to the finish was now set up for Smith. With a clear race track in front of him, he still had to look over his shoulder as Drake, Darren Miller, Casebolt and Pearson took their final jabs at him.

With Smith's car handling any groove he wanted, and despite a valiant effort by Drake, he would hold the field off to secure his first career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series victory.  With his victory at KLMS, Smith becomes the eight different winner in the first 12 events the series has conducted in 2008.

"It's been a long-time coming," said the 30-year-old racer after the race as he stood in the Lucas Oil victory lane.  "I first off want to thank the series for doing such a great job and Lucas Oil for their involvement in the sport, I've got to thank AMSOIL, Big Red Motorsports and Mid-States Equipment for their support of the race team, it's great to win a race like this against the competition that was here tonight."

"Darren Miller is a great race car driver and he pushed up their a little bit in turn two and we were able to get around him," commented Smith on the pass for the lead of the race which he never would relinquish.  "The track conditions were really impressive considering all the rain they had here yesterday (Friday), you could run anywhere out there and again we're glad to be in the winner's circle."

Smith, who captured the WDRL title back in 2004, concluded by recalling a tip from his chassis builder (Scott Bloomquist), "I talked to him earlier in the evening and he gave me some set-up tips and they worked to perfection and I also have to thank my engine builder Vic Hill for such a great powerplant."

Besides the aforementioned sponsorship help Smith's number two ride is also sponsored by Willow River Saloon, Rick Gondik Attorney, Hood Loaders and Slashers, McFarland Pain Clinic, Como Oil and Propane, Matthees Enterprises and VP Racing Fuels.

Drake's brilliant run for his provisional starting 24th spot came aboard his Creative Kitchens and Baths/Mullvain Motorsports/MasterSbilt GTO.  Miller in his NAPA/Pro Power Engines/Moyer Victory Circle Chassis led 18 laps during the race came home third followed by Casebolt, who pitted several times during the race but recovered nicely for a fourth place finish in his Dixie Chopper/Cornett Engines/Rocket GTO.  Pearson maintains his points lead over Casebolt as he took fifth in the Bobby Labonte Racing/LifeLong Locks/MasterSbilt Dodge Charger.

Completing the top ten were Terry English, Matt Miller, Wes Steidinger, Justin Rattliff and Jimmy Owens.

In preliminary action Dan Schlieper set fast time in the PRC Time Trials with a lap of 15.259 seconds.  Bart Hartman, Darren Miller, Matt Miller and Brady Smith won heat races with Wes Steidinger and Terry English capturing B-main triumphs.

The next Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event is slated for Friday and Saturday, May 9th and 10th with the $40,000 to win Second Annual SuperClean "Diamond Nationals" at the Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, MO.  With a purse exceeding $133,000 the event is drawing interest from all the top racers in dirt late model racing.  For more information on the Second Annual SuperClean "Diamond Nationals," or the open practice session for all competitors slated for Thursday, May 8th, go to http://www.lucasoilspeedway.com/ or check out http://www.lucasdirt.com/.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary

Saturday Night, May 3, 2008
Kentucky Lake Motor Speedway-Calvert City, KY

PRC Fast Time: Dan Schlieper/15.259 seconds

Hawk Brake First Heat (9 Laps-Top 4 Advance): Bart Hartman, Dan Schlieper, Brad Neat, Steve Casebolt, Jeff Walston, Jason Feger, Shon Flanary, Dylan Thompson, Todd Hall, Fred Perry, Joe Mike - DNS

Hawk Brake Second Heat (9 Laps-Top 4 Advance): Darren Miller, Kevin Cole, Terry Casey, Don O'Neal, Wes Steidinger, John Mason, Billy Drake, Tait Davenport, Ricky Gilbert, Justin Rattliff, Credence Mott - DNS

AFCO Racing Products Third Heat (9 Laps-Top 4 Advance): Matt Miller, Jimmy Owens, Scott James, Freddy Smith, Terry English, Kevin Claycomb, James Ward, Richie Hedrick, David Earl Gentry, Jason McBride, Don Edwards

Tiger Rear Ends Fourth Heat (9 Laps-Top 4 Advance): Brady Smith, Dennis Erb Jr., Earl Pearson Jr., Donnie Moran, Wayne Chinn, Frank Heckenast Jr., Ronny Lee Hollingsworth, Matt Potter, William Simmons, John Tindal

Mason Racin' Rebel Shock Dyno First B-Main (12 Laps-Top 3 Advance): Wes Steidinger, Jeff Walston, John Mason, Jason Feger, Todd Hall, Shon Flanary, Tait Davenport, Dylan Thompson, Joe Mike, Fred Perry, Billy Drake - DNS, Justin Rattliff - DNS, Credence Mott - DNS

Quarter Master Second B-Main (12 Laps-Top 3 Advance): Terry English, Wayne Chinn, Kevin Claycomb, Frank Heckenast Jr., James Ward, Richie Hedrick, Jason McBride, John Tindal, Matt Potter, Ricky Gilbert, William Simmons, Ronny Lee Hollingsworth - DNS, David Earl Gentry - DNS, Don Edwards - DNS

3rd Annual "99" Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Feature Finish (50 Laps): Brady Smith, Billy Drake, Darren Miller, Steve Casebolt, Earl Pearson Jr., Terry English, Matt Miller, Wes Steidinger, Justin Rattliff, Jimmy Owens, Dennis Erb Jr., John Mason, Wayne Chinn, Jeff Walston, Brad Neat, Bart Hartman, Dan Schlieper, Don O'Neal, Kevin Claycomb, Scott James, Terry Casey, Donnie Moran, Freddy Smith, Kevin Cole

Race Statistics
Entries:  43
Caution Flags: 11
Lap Leaders: Darren Miller 1-19, Brady Smith 20-50
Series Provisionals: Justin Rattliff, Billy Drake
PBM/Erson Cams Hard Charger of the Race:  Billy Drake (Started 24th and finished 2nd-advanced 22 positions)
Allstar Performance Performer of the Race: Billy Drake
K&N Filters Clean Pass of the Race: Brady Smith
Quarter Master Rookie of the Race:  Wayne Chinn
ASI Racewear Lucky 7 Award:  Matt Miller
Integra Crew Chief of the Race: Eric Fulwood (Billy Drake) 
Comp Cams Engine Builder of the Race:  Vic Hill Racing Engines
Time of the Race:  1 hour, 5 minutes

Current Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Championship Points Standings
1) Earl Pearson Jr. (Jacksonville, FL) 1515
2) Steve Casebolt (Richmond, IN) 1470
3) Terry Casey (New London, WI) 1430
4) Justin Rattliff (Campbellsville, KY) 1400
5) Bart Hartman (Zanesville, OH) 1370
6) Donnie Moran (Dresden, OH) 1320
7) Dan Schlieper (Sullivan, WI) 1265
8) Billy Drake (Bloomington, IL) 1255
9) Scott James (Lawrenceburg, IN) 1225
10) Wayne Chinn (Bradford, OH) 1130

Quarter Master Rookie of the Year Points Standings
1) Terry Casey (New London, WI) 1430
2) Wayne Chinn (Bradford, OH) 1130
3) John Blankenship (Williamson, WV) 360
4) Eric Jacobsen (Seacliffe Beach, CA) 75
5) Tony Knowles (Tyrone, GA) 75
 
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Randle Chupp Wins $20,000 Carolina Clash Skyler Trull Memorial at CCS

LAWNDALE, NC (May 3) - Randle Chupp made a clean sweep of the Carolina Clash weekend at Cleveland County Speedway. After scoring the $5,000 victory on Friday night the Troutman, NC resident backed up his flag to flag performance from the night before as he rolled to the $10,000 win in the '8th Annual Skyler Trull Memorial'. By sweeping the two events Chupp received a $5,000 bonus, bringing his weekend total to $20,000

"We had an awesome weekend," said Chupp following his race win. "I just have to thank this entire Starrette Trucking team for all their hard work," said the driver of the Starrette Trucking/Powell Construction/Randy Clary Racing Engines/American Race Tires/Rocket Monte Carlo. 

Four time and defending Carolina Clash Series champion Ricky Weeks paced the field in qualifying. After time trials the top six drew for an inversion with Chupp and Friday night's runner-up Tim McCreadie sharing the front row. 

As the field went green Chupp blasted into the lead with McCreadie dead in his tire tracks. Jonathan Davenport quickly made his presence know as he slid to third out of turn two with Casey Roberts and Damon Eller in tow. Chupp and McCreadie quickly sped away from the field as Davenport began to encounter handling problems. Davenport's handling issues were solved three laps later when the Blairsville, GA native slowed with a flat right rear tire, forcing the Beaver Bail Bonds/Barry Wright entry pitside for new rubber. This moved Weeks into the top five. 

As the field went back green Gray Court, SC's Chris Madden began to flex his muscle. Driving with a heavy heart after the passing of his father-in-law late last week, Madden found the top of the speedway to his liking as he began to move forward from his tenth starting position. By lap 18 he was up to sixth and two laps later he swept around his former teammate Weeks to grab the fifth spot. He then chased down Roberts and moved him back to fourth before he set his sights on the leaders, who were in heavy lapped traffic during the middle stages of the 58 lap affair. 

Another driver who was in the hunt all night was Brandon Kinzer but the Allen, KY resident slowed on lap 48 to bring out the fifth and final caution of the night. 

On the restart McCreadie went high in turn one in search of a cushion but Chupp was to strong and held the former World of Outlaws Series Champion at bay. As the leaders raced into turn on the white flag lap a spinning Doug Sanders forced the lead duo to take evasive action. As the maneuvered to miss Sanders McCreadie was able to drive all the way up beside Chupp as the two entered turn three but Chupp was not to be denied as he beat McCreadie back to the line. Madden, Roberts and Eller rounded out the top five. 

SKYLER TRULL MEMORIAL FINISH: 1. Randle Chupp 2. Tim McCreadie 3. Chris Madden 4. Casey Roberts 5. Damon Eller 6. Benji Cole 7. Ricky Weeks 8. Dan Breuer 9. Dennis Franklin 10. Jason Fitzgerald 11. G.R. Smith 12. Ed Gibbons 13. Doug Sanders 14. Gary Mabe 15. Brandon Kinzer 16. Scott Autry 17. Jonathan Davenport 18. Brent Dixon 19. Larry Blanekenship 20. Chris Meadows 21. Craig Shuffield 22. Petey Ivey 23. Anthony Sanders 24. Jeff Smith DNS; Justin Labonte, Chris Ferguson, Dale McDowell, Jeff Cooke

The next Carolina Clash event will be May 9th at Gordon Park Speedway in Augusta, GA. Saturday night May 10th the series will head for Screven Motor Speedway. 

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Birkhofer Rolls To Flag-To-Flag Victory In First-Ever World of Outlaws Late Model Series Event At Monett Speedway

MONETT, MO – May 4, 2008 – Brian Birkhofer still doesn’t have an official name for the new car he built with Jimmy and Chris Mars.

But the Muscatine, Iowa, standout can certainly call the machine a winner after rolling to a flag-to-flag victory in Sunday night’s 40-lap World of Outlaws Late Model Series A-Main at Monett Speedway.

Birkhofer, 36, started from the pole position and was never seriously challenged en route to the $7,100 win, which came in the first-ever WoO LMS event at Randy Mooneyham’s three-eighths-mile oval. It was his fifth career triumph on the tour but first since July 25, 2006, at Lebanon I-44 Speedway, where he finished 18th in the previous night’s WoO LMS show after blowing a tire while running fifth.

“I’m pretty pumped about this car now,” said Birkhofer, who won in his fifth start of 2008 behind the wheel of the Daufeldt Construction/J&J Steel No. 15b that he designed with the Mars brothers. “We started on the pole so it’s not like we drove through the field, but a win’s a win – and against these guys, nothing comes easy.”

Wendell Wallace of Batesville, Ark., raced closest to Birkhofer, running in second place from lap eight to the finish. But the GRT house car driver, who started fourth, was unable to threaten Birkhofer on several restarts and crossed the finish line about two seconds behind the winner.

Tim Fuller of Watertown, N.Y., finished third in the Gypsum Express Rocket, followed by Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., in the gottarace.com Rocket and 16th-starter Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa., in the Lester Buildings Rocket.

Birkhofer actually didn’t realize that he was able to build a comfortable edge on Wallace after each of the race’s restarts.

“I figured Wendell was close,” said Birkhofer. “I really thought he was on my back bumper pushing me around there, so I just tried not to make any mistakes and stay on the bottom.

“After the first restart my tires felt like I didn’t cut (groove) ‘em up enough, so I was really nervous. I was just trying to drive straight and hit the traction off the corners so when I got the car turned it didn’t bind up.”

Birkhofer ended up victorious in his first career visit to Monett, a venerable 38-year-old track known as the ‘Grand Old Lady.’ He felt right at home as soon as he eyeballed the facility.

“It’s got some long straightaways and tight corners – kinda like I grew up (racing) on, only a little shorter than I like,” said Birkhofer, a product of the long, fast half-miles near his home in the Hawkeye State.

“(Scott) Bloomquist (the 2004 WoO LMS champion) always told me he had such a good record (of winning) the first time he rolled into a track,” added the driver known as ‘Birky.’ “I don’t have a record like his, but I am proud of what I have accomplished.”

Wallace’s runner-up finish bettered his fourth-place run the previous night at Lebanon I-44. It was worth a cool $4,100, including the $500 WoO LMS ‘Bonus Bucks’ cash for being the highest-finishing driver who’s never won a tour A-Main and isn’t ranked among the top-12 in the current points standings.

Fuller, meanwhile, scored a season’s-best finish after starting sixth. The 2007 WoO LMS Rookie of the Year was in dire need of a strong run to staunch his early-season struggles and he got it.

“I never would’ve thought a third would make me feel so good,” said a relieved Fuller, who slid inside Lanigan for third on a lap-35 restart and challenged Wallace in the closing circuits. “I thought we were good enough to get second.”

Lanigan also registered his top finish of the season after starting fifth. He had rung up six top-10 finishes in the first eight events of 2008 but couldn’t break into the top five until visiting Monett.

“We needed a good run like this,” said Lanigan, who made a bid to pass Wallace early before fading slightly.

The 46-year-old Frank turned in the most stirring drive of the night, charging from outside the top 10 to fifth over the final 13 laps. He said his car seemed to come on after he absorbed a hit in the left-rear corner from Vic Coffey of Leicester, N.Y., who spun in turn one after the contact on lap 27.

Five caution flags slowed the A-Main.

WoO LMS points leader Billy Moyer of Batesville, Ark., failed to finish after cutting a right-rear tire while running fourth on lap 27, and defending WoO LMS champion Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., managed only an 11th-place finish after a slip over the turn-four berm during his heat forced him to use a provisional starting spot.

Finishing in positions 6-10 was Jimmy Owens of Newport, Tenn., who lost fifth to Frank on the final lap; Shannon Babb of Moweaqua, Ill., who made a late charge; Darren Miller of Chadwick, Ill.; Brady Smith of Solon Springs, Wis.; and Rick Eckert of York, Pa.

Forty cars were signed in for the event.

Richards recorded his first fast time of the 2008 WoO LMS season, turning a new-track-record lap of 15.711 seconds during time trials.

Heat winners were Richards, Moyer, Birkhofer and Brady Smith. The B-Mains were captured by Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga., and MARS regular Will Vaught of Crane, Mo.

The WoO LMS will be idle this weekend and then return to action with a three-race swing through the Midwest, visiting Attica (Ohio) Raceway Park on May 16; Lawrenceburg (Ind.) Speedway on May 17; and Lincoln (Ill.) Speedway on May 18.

For more information on the WoO LMS, visit http://www.worldofoutlaws.com/.

Results of WoO Late Model Series at Monett Speedway (Finishing Position/Start/Driver/Laps Completed/Money Won):
1. (1) Brian Birkhofer/40 $7,150
2. (4) Wendell Wallace/40 $4,100
3. (6) Tim Fuller/40 $2,000
4. (5) Darrell Lanigan/40 $1,700
5. (16) Chub Frank/40 $1,500
6. (9) Jimmy Owens/40 $1,300
7. (14) Shannon Babb/40 $1,200
8. (11) Darren Miller/40 $1,100
9. (8) Brady Smith/40 $1,000
10. (12) Rick Eckert/40 $900
11. (23) Steve Francis/40 $850
12. (18) Will Vaught/40 $800
13. (17) Clint Smith/40 $750
14. (25) Al Purkey/40 $740
15. (3) Brian Shirley/40 $710
16. (10) Shane Clanton/40 $680
17. (26) Jeremy Payne/40 $650
18. (20) Vic Coffey/40 $880
19. (21) Jimmy Mars/40 $620
20. (2) Josh Richards/40 $610
21. (19) Terry Phillips/35 $600
22. (15) John Blankenship/34 $600
23. (22) Jesse Stovall/34 $600
24. (7) Billy Moyer/30 $600
25. (24) Bill Frye/22 $600
26. (13) Terry Casey/18 $600

Yellow Flags: 5 (Laps 8, 10, 27, 27, 35)

Lap Leaders: Birkhofer (1-40)

Provisional Starters: Francis, Purkey (WoO); Frye, Payne (MARS)

Time Trial Results
1. 1-Josh Richards/Shinnston, WV 15.711

Heat No. 1 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Richards, Wallace, Owens, Casey, Mars, Phillips, Rushin, Turner, Looney, Frye

Heat No. 2 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Moyer, Shirley, Clanton, Babb, C. Smith, Wells, Francis, Vaughn, Purkey, L. Jones

Heat No. 3 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Birkhofer, Fuller, D. Miller, Blankenship, Vaught, Sullivan, Anderson, McCormick, C. Jones (DNS) Collins

Heat No. 4 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): B. Smith, Lanigan, Eckert, Frank, Coffey, Dukes, Stovall, Johnston, Payne (DNS) Essary)

B-Main No. 1 (12 laps – Top 3 Transfer): C. Smith, Phillips, Mars, Francis, Turner, Purkey, Vaughn, L. Jones, Looney, Wells, Frye, Rushin

B-Main No. 2 (12 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Vaught, Coffey, Stovall, Anderson, Sullivan, Payne, McCormick, Dukes, C. Jones (DNS) Collins, Johnston

2008 World of Outlaws Late Model Series Point Standings as of May 4
1. Billy Moyer 1181
2. Rick Eckert 1171
2. Steve Francis 1171
4. Darrell Lanigan 1157
5. Chub Frank 1147
6. Shannon Babb 1143
6. Josh Richards 1143
8. Clint Smith 1107
9. Shane Clanton 1083
10. Tim Fuller 1053

-end- 

RICKY ELLIOTT STAY HOME AND WINS IN DELAWARE LATE MODELS

By Charlie Brown, Delmar, DE – Seaford, Delaware’s Ricky Elliott spends most of his time on the rode as a full-time racer in the Charles Jarvis Super Late Model. Saturday night, Elliott decided to stay home and race at his home track, Delaware International. The break from the road turned out well as he captured the 20-lap main.

Heats were won by Kevin Scott, Jr. and David Hill. Early in the feature, rookie, Kevin Scott, Jr. became the driver to beat for the second week in a row. Veteran Hal Browning held the second spot until lap three when Elliott, who had started in tenth, took over the runner-up spot.

Scott, Jr. would not give up the lead easily as Elliott gave pursuit until lap eight before taking over the lead. Clearly the quickest car in the field, Elliott pulled away as Scott remained solidly in second. Ray Davis, Jr. who has been very consistent this season took over third and Browning held off David Pettyjohn in for fourth.

The second half of the race stayed green and Elliott was on cruise control the rest of the distance taking the win in the Seaside Builders/Starrette Trucking/Rocket. “We tried some new stuff tonight that we don’t get to try when we are out on the road racing and it is amazing how well it worked,” said Elliott. “Kevin Scott did a good job. He is one of my customers.”

Scott, Jr. who is just 16 years old, turned in a person best in second with Davis, Jr. third. Fourth went to Browning and David Pettyjohn rounded out the top five.

Justin Breeding who just celebrated his 16th birthday last week, set fast time in the Crate Model division. In their 15-lap feature, rookie Chris Jestice held off the persistent challenges of former champion, Joe Warren to lead the first six laps. Eric Vent made a bold move on the outside in the third turn to take the lead on lap seven and was followed at the halfway sign by Jestice, Warren, Mike Williams and Barry Beauchamp.

Jestice would chase Vent for the rest of the distance but Vent, in the Clark’s Pools/Snookie’s Speed Parts/Lazer would not be denied his first win of the year. Jestice made no mistake to take second with Warren finishing in third. Fourth went to Mike Williams with Beauchamp rounding out the top five.

A caution with two laps to go put Bill Brittingham on the Joseph’s back bumper but Joseph held off the challenge to take the win. Brittingham finished in second with John Stevenson third. Fourth went to Pat McNeil and Mark Cashdan rounded out the top five. In victory lane, Joseph dedicated the win to former racer, Donald “Duck” Robinson who passed away the week prior.

RESULTS: 20-Lap Super Late Model Feature: 1. RICKY ELLIOTT; 2. Kevin Scott, Jr.; 3. Ray Davis Jr; 4. Hal Browning; 5. David Pettyjohn; 6. Donald Lingo Jr; 7. Richard Jarvis Jr; 8. Jon Callaway; 9. Rick Whaley; 10. David Hill; 11. Staci Warrington; 12. Ross Robinson; 13. Bob Geiger; 14. Trent Collins; 15. Austin Hubbard; 15. Ed Drury; 16. Kerry King; DNS: Derrik Hill; Brian Driver.

15-Lap Crate Model Feature: 1. ERIC VENT; 2. Chris Jestice; 3. Joe Warren; 4. Mike Williams; 5. Barry Beauchamp; 6. Sparky White; 7. Mike Wharton; 8. Travis Justice; 9. Mike Wilson; 10. Kelly Putz; 11. Mike Parsons; 12. Skip Syester; 13. Jeff Patilla; 14. Bunky White; 15. Gary Manos; 16. Jack Mullins; 17. Nick Davis; 18. Tyler Reed; 19. Justin Breeding; 20. Herb Tunis; 21. Gus  Economides; 22. Josh Millman; 23. Jeff Swartz; DNS: John Imler; Punky Chism     

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Berry Starts the 2008 WDRA season much like he ended 2007, in Victory Circle!

By Tom Freimann

Olathe, CO-- The Western Dirt Racing Association, Inc started it 2008 Super Dirt Late Model season in its own backyard at Thunder Mountain Speedway located just 40 minutes from Grand Junction in the high desert of the western Rocky Mountains. It was a nice sunny day, with temperatures in the upper 60’s when the 13 Late Model drivers arrived to TMS. The track owner, Sean Gibbs, had made great improvements in having a well prepared, dust free racing surface for the fans to see the high horse powered stock cars roar around the track. And the full house of race fans was not disappointed!

Heat one found past WDRA champion Dean Moore of Grand Junction on the pole with Helper, UT Corey Smith on the outside in his brand new all black machine. Last year’s WDRA Champion Jeep Berry started the heat in 5th, but that all changed very quickly when the green flag flew to start the race. Jeep made short order of the field to take the checkered flag, with Dean in second, the 29A of Racin Jason Davis finished third in the heat with Aztec, NM Jeff Davis and Corey Smith rounding out the top 5.

Heat two the made it’s way onto the track with Cahone, CO’s Andy Hill on the pole and his brother, Kyle Hill on the outside. The green flag flew and this heat had it’s share of minor casualties… with the 16B of Jason Schobinger coming to a rest in the infield halfway through the heat, soon to be followed by Rifle, CO’s Michael Wright, whose fuel pump belt popped off. Both cars had minor breakdowns and were ready to race in the feature. Heat two was won by Andy Hill, followed by Kyle Hill, Gillette, WY’s pink #62 piloted by Kim Horn, with Scott Aibner and Michael Wright rounding out the top five.

The WDRA did away with the pole dash this year, and instead will invert the number of rows as determined by the first heat race winner drawing a pill to decide how many of the first four rows will invert. Jeep drew a number 2 and that put the Hill Brothers in the front row. The Race ran smoothly, with limited caution and little dust. The Main Feature was won by Jeep, with Jeff Davis in second. Dean Moore spun with twelve to go and still pulled out a third place finish. Jason Davis of Grand Junction finished 4th with Paonia, CO driver Curt Daniels in fifth. The sharp looking 16B of Jason Schobinger of Wiggins, CO was sixth, Kim Horn in seventh, Corey Smith in eighth and Andy Hill and Michael Wright rounding out the top ten.

WDRA Late Models - Feature   
1. Jeep Berry
2. Jeff Davis
3. Dean Moore
4. Jason Davis
5. Curt Daniels
6. Jason Schobinger
7. Kim Horn
8. Corey Smith
9. Andy Hill
10. Michael Wright

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Brady Smith Scores First Career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Win at Kentucky Lake

CALVERT CITY, KY (May 3, 2008) - Brady Smith of Solon Springs, WI powered past Darren Miller on a lap 20 restart and never looked back as he scored his first career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win on Saturday Night at Kentucky Lake Motor Speedway. Smith in his AMSOIL/Vic Hill Racing Engines/Bloomquist Race Cars Monte Carlo earned $9,999 for his win in the Third Annual "99" extravaganza. 

Smith's win allowed him to become the eighth different winner in the first 12 Lucas Oil Series events in 2008. Billy Drake of Bloomington, IL, who took a series provisional charged all the way from the tail to finish second followed by Darren Miller of Chadwick, IL, Steve Casebolt of Richmond, IN and series point's leader Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, FL who finished fifth despite racing with a fractured right wrist.

Bart Hartman led the first lap until Miller, who was driving a Billy Moyer Victory Circle Chassis for just the second time this year, passed him for the lead on lap two. Miller then led until Smith, who started third, made a mad dash to the point passing Miller on a lap 20 restart.

Smith then withstood five caution flags over a ten lap period as he went on for the win. The reigning Knoxville (IA) Late Model Champion now heads to the Second Annual SuperClean Diamond Nationals at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, MO with a full head of steam seeking the $40,000 first place prize that will be up for grabs next weekend.

Rounding out the top ten finishers were Terry English, Matt Miller, Wes Steidinger, Justin Rattliff and Jimmy Owens.

In preliminary action Dan Schlieper set the PRC Fast Time for the 43 entrants on hand with a lap of 15.259 seconds. Bart Hartman, Darren Miller, Matt Miller and Brady Smith won the heat race races with Wes Steidinger and Terry English capturing the B-mains.

The first night of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event at Kentucky Lake was rained out on Friday due to severe weather conditions.

All eyes now turn to the "Diamond of Dirt Tracks" on Friday and Saturday, May 9th and 10th for the Second Annual SuperClean Diamond Nationals at Lucas Oil Speedway.  For more information on this marquee event you can visit http://www.lucasoilspeedway.com/.

You can find out more about the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series by logging on to http://www.lucasdirt.com/ or call the series office at (951) 532-2503.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary

Saturday Night, May 3, 2008
Kentucky Lake Motor Speedway-Calvert City, KY

PRC Fast Time: Dan Schlieper/15.259seconds

Hawk Brake First Heat (9 Laps-Top 4 Advance): Bart Hartman, Dan Schlieper, Brad Neat, Steve Casebolt, Jeff Walston, Jason Feger, Shon Flanary, Dylan Thompson, Todd Hall, Fred Perry, Joe Mike - DNS

Hawk Brake Second Heat (9 Laps-Top 4 Advance): Darren Miller, Kevin Cole, Terry Casey, Don O'Neal, Wes Steidinger, John Mason, Billy Drake, Tait Davenport, Ricky Gilbert, Justin Rattliff, Credence Mott - DNS

AFCO Racing Products Third Heat (9 Laps-Top 4 Advance): Matt Miller, Jimmy Owens, Scott James, Freddy Smith, Terry English, Kevin Claycomb, James Ward, Richie Hedrick, David Earl Gentry, Jason McBride, Don Edwards

Tiger Rear Ends Fourth Heat (9 Laps-Top 4 Advance): Brady Smith, Dennis Erb Jr., Earl Pearson Jr., Donnie Moran, Wayne Chinn, Frank Heckenast Jr., Ronny Lee Hollingsworth, Matt Potter, William Simmons, John Tindal

Mason Racin' Rebel Shock Dyno First B-Main (12 Laps-Top 3 Advance): Wes Steidinger, Jeff Walston, John Mason, Jason Feger, Todd Hall, Shon Flanary, Tait Davenport, Dylan Thompson, Joe Mike, Fred Perry, Billy Drake - DNS, Justin Rattliff - DNS, Credence Mott - DNS

Quarter Master Second B-Main (12 Laps-Top 3 Advance): Terry English, Wayne Chinn, Kevin Claycomb, Frank Heckenast Jr., James Ward, Richie Hedrick, Jason McBride, John Tindal, Matt Potter, Ricky Gilbert, William Simmons, Ronny Lee Hollingsworth - DNS, David Earl Gentry - DNS, Don Edwards - DNS

3rd Annual "99" Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Feature Finish (50 Laps): Brady Smith, Billy Drake, Darren Miller, Steve Casebolt, Earl Pearson Jr., Terry English, Matt Miller, Wes Steidinger, Justin Rattliff, Jimmy Owens, Dennis Erb Jr., John Mason, Wayne Chinn, Jeff Walston, Brad Neat, Bart Hartman, Dan Schlieper, Don O'Neal, Kevin Claycomb, Scott James, Terry Casey, Donnie Moran, Freddy Smith, Kevin Cole

Race Statistics
Entries:  43
Caution Flags: 11
Lap Leaders: Darren Miller 1-19, Brady Smith 20-50
Series Provisionals: Justin Rattliff, Billy Drake
PBM/Erson Cams Hard Charger of the Race:  Billy Drake (Started 24th and finished 2nd-advanced 22 positions)
Allstar Performance Performer of the Race: Billy Drake
K&N Filters Clean Pass of the Race: Brady Smith
Quarter Master Rookie of the Race:  Wayne Chinn
ASI Racewear Lucky 7 Award:  Matt Miller
Integra Crew Chief of the Race: Eric Fulwood (Billy Drake) 
Comp Cams Engine Builder of the Race:  Vic Hill Racing Engines
Time of the Race:  1 hour, 5 minutes

Current LOLMDS points 
1)     Earl Pearson Jr. (Jacksonville, FL) 1515
2)     Steve Casebolt (Richmond, IN) 1470
3)     Terry Casey (New London, WI) 1430
4)     Justin Rattliff (Campbellsville, KY) 1400
5)     Bart Hartman (Zanesville, OH) 1370
6)     Donnie Moran (Dresden, OH) 1320
7)     Dan Schlieper (Sullivan, WI) 1265
8)     Billy Drake (Bloomington, IL) 1255
9)     Scott James (Lawrenceburg, IN) 1225
10)   Wayne Chinn (Bradford, OH) 1130

Rookie of the Year Points Standings
1)     Terry Casey (New London, WI) 1430
2)     Wayne Chinn (Bradford, OH) 1130
3)     John Blankenship (Williamson, WV) 360
4)     Eric Jacobsen (Seacliffe Beach, CA) 75
5)     Tony Knowles (Tyrone, GA) 75

-end-

FOR SECOND CONSECUTIVE WEEK, HAGERSTOWN WASHED OUT AGAIN 

Hagerstown, Md. – Mother Nature and the rain continued an attraction for Saturday nights. For the second consecutive week, Hagerstown Speedway has had to call it an early ARCH Night. (Auto Racing Club of Hagerstown)    

Even with a mid evening drizzle about halfway through qualifying, all 12 events had been completed for the 32 late models, 30 Hoosier Tire Mid Atlantic late model sportsman and 29 Ernie’s Salvage Yard pure stocks. The late model sportsman were lined up and ready to head onto the track for their feature event to bring the program to a halt. 

With excessive moisture from arriving rain turning the track into an ice rink and with the radar screen showing more taking dead aim at the speedway area, the decision was made to postpone the events. 

With the speedway closed next week, May 10th for the Hagerstown Fireman’s Bonanza Extravaganza, late models will compete in double feature events the next race date, May 17th.

On Friday, May 23, the late model sportsman are scheduled for a Charity race with free admission but any donations go to Speedway Children’s Charity. The postponed sportsman event along with the 30-lap Enduro Dash will now be included on the special Friday night show. 

The pure stock event is now added to the May 24th program with two events included with the World of Outlaws late model Conococheague event. 

Late model heat winners were Kirk Ryan, Steve Gibney, and Nathan Durboraw with J.T. Spence taking the consolation. 

James Myers, Andy Fries and Tyler Armstrong won the late model sportsman heats while Dylan Yoder took the consy win. 

Pure stock heats went to Steve Lowery, Dave Mikolajski and Darrin Younker with Danny Beavers winning the consy. 

On May 17th, pit gates open at 4 p.m., grandstands open at 5 p.m and warm ups begin at 7 p.m. Check the speedway website for any changes in weather at: http://www.hagerstownspeedway.com/ or contact the speedway office at 301-582-0640. 

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GM Performance Late Models Battled for $1000 to win at Carolina Speedway Friday Night

Gastonia, N.C. (May 2, 2008) - Buddy Smith brought heck with him Friday night to Carolina Speedway and left the track with a trophy and a $1000.00 check in the GM Performance late model class.

All competitors in the GM Performance late model class laid it on the line as they battled door-to-door for 20 laps. However, the Cherryville native reined supreme with Chris Steel, Gary Puckett, Pat Lindsay and John LLewlyn all chasing him.

Pulling double-duty Timbo Mangum piloted his T1 machine across the stripe first in the street stock feature event. Behind the T1 machine was Frankie McGuire, Mike Messer, Jerry Oliver, and Ben Watkins.

Ronald Pope crossed the stripe first in the Renegade feature event with Joe Johnson Jr, Shorty Lacey, Frank Cooke, and Patrick Lyon hot on his tail pipe.

In the Stock 4 event track champion Jerry Oliver put another notch in his victory belt. Sammy Carter, Shannon Barnhill, Bob Hill and Barney Fuller rounded out the top-five.

Tommy Stang found victory lane for the first time at Carolina Speedway this year. He was followed by Wayne Curtis, Bryan Mullis, Brain Nuhfer, and Mitch Warlick.

FASTRAK is set to invade Carolina Speedway next Friday night. Spectator and competitor gates open at 5:00 P.M. For more information please visit our website at http://www.carolinaspeedway.net/.

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Chupp Holds Off McCreadie for $5,000 Carolina Clash Win at CCS

LAWNDALE,NC (May 2) - Randle Chupp led a star-studded field to his first Carolina Clash win of 2008 as he took home the $5,000 first place prize Friday night at Cleveland County Speedway and Motorsports.

'It feels great to win one of the Carolina Clash races," said the happy winner in victory lane. "I have to thank Jack Starrette and all this Starrette Trucking crew for all their hard work." Chupp is now eligable for a $5,000 bonus if he can capture the win in Saturday night's $10,000 to win 'Skyler Trull Memorial' at CCS.

Chupp and Dennis 'Rambo' Franklin led the 24 car field to the green flag with Chupp blasting from his outside front row starting spot to the lead. Wattertown NY's Tim McCreadie making his first career Carolina Clash start quickly moved into second as the field raced all over the 4/10 mile oval. With McCreadie setting his sights on Chupp, Benji Cole started to put some pressure on Franklin for third.

The first caution of the event came on out lap 12 when Furman Parton slowed in turn four. On the restart Cole blasted to the bottom of turn two and moved into third. As the field swept through turn four fifth place runner Petey Ivey got crossed up allowing several cars to slip by including Jonathan Davenport and Casey Roberts. Roberts then went to work on Davenport, applying heavy pressure to the Blairsville, GA native. Several cars including, Brandon Kinzer and Dale McDowell were quickly racing through the field. McDowell started in the 22nd position and by lap 30 was up to 11th with Kinzer moving into seventh after starting on the sixth row at the start.

Davenport's hopes of a top five run ended on lap 35 when he pulled up limp with a flat right rear tire. This moved Roberts into the top five. Up front it was still all Chupp as he kept McCreadie at bay. McCreadie closed to his rear bumper on several occasions but Chupp was to strong as he motored to the victory. McCreadie was second with Cole, Franklin, and Roberts completing the top five.

Davenport was the Mega-Plumbing of the Carolina's Fastest Qualifier of the 40 car field. He also received the $100 Dirt Trax Motorsports Hard Luck Award. McDowell took home the $50 Heintz Brothers Performance Hard Charger of the Race. Chupp and Franklin took the wins in the Cabinets by Design Fast Dashes.

CAROLINA CLASH FINISH: 1. Randle Chupp 2. Tim McCreadie 3. Benji Cole 4. 'Rambo' Franklin 5. Casey Roberts 6. Petey Ivey 7. Brandon Kinzer 8. Jason Fitzgerald 9. Ed Gibbons 10. Dale McDowell 11. Ricky Weeks 12. Damon Eller 13. Chris Meadows 14. Jeff Smith 15. Dan Breuer 16. Jonathan Davenport 17. Deano Long 18. Tim Allen 19. Jeff Cooke 20. Steve Blackburn 21. Kevin Tessner 22. Mike Duvall 23. Furman Parton 24. Ed Basey DNS; Steve Hendren, Frankie Beard, Craig Shuffield, Ronnie Hoover, Anthony Sanders, Brent Dixon, Scott Autry, Scott Neighbors, Larry Blankenship, Ricky Boahn, Justin Labonte, Kelly Thacker, Doug Sanders, Gary Mabe, David Taylor, Johnny Pursley

Carolina Clash will be in action this Saturday Night May 3rd at Cleveland County Speedway with a $10,000 to win Skyler Trull Memorial.

-end- 

2008 BRP CanAm Series Opener Moved To Merrittville

St. Catharines, ONT…The 2008 BRP CanAm Late Model Series will begin its sixth anniversary season on Saturday May 17th at Merrittville Speedway.  It was not planned that way, but what a great recovery for a rain out!

The plan was to begin the 2008 Series at Black Rock Speedway on Friday May 2nd, but Mother Nature intervened.  She rained on our parade.  The Black Rock event is rescheduled to Friday June 13th.

The plan was that the Merrittville Speedway May 17th date was the second on the 14 event 2008 BRP CanAm Series schedule.  Reshuffle / reset and head for Thorold, Ontario home of the Merrittville Speedway.

“We do not want any track operator to lose an event due to rain or anything else, but this turns out great for us here at Merrittville Speedway and Bicknell Racing Products (BRP).  We are sorry that Dean (Hoag), his team at Black Rock Speedway, and the BRP CanAm Series race teams to lost their date.  On the flip side the fact that the Series will begin here at Merrittville Speedway is absolutely great for us.  I think we will come up with something to make the event even more special that we had planned,” says Erica Bicknell the General Manager of Merrittville Speedway.

The Series opener is a $1500 to win event presented by Wrisco Racing Aluminum of Atlanta, Georgia.  The race winner will earn $1000 from Merrittville Speedway plus a certificate for five sheets of Wrisco Racing Aluminum valued at $500. Genesis Racing Shocks will boost the winner’s take by $100.  Qualifying races will be sponsored by Brzezinski Racing Products, F/A Products, Landrum Performance Springs, and MAHLE-Clevite Engine Parts.  DART Machinery will award the Hard Charger $100.  Close Racing Supply will again post a $500 Front Row Challenge.  Of course, points earned in this event will start the chase for the $61,422 point / bonus program offered for the 2008 BRP CanAm Late Model Series.  

Merrittville Speedway has hosted six BRP CanAm Series events dating back to 2004.  The top five tally for those events:

· May ‘04     Andy Miller, Dave Miller, Kyle Bradigan, Jeremy Wonderling, Tim Rockwell

· May ‘05     Bruce Miller, Darren Kish, Jeff Chesebro, Todd Rice, Steve Dixon

· Aug ‘05     Dave Miller, Bruce Miller, Jeremy Wonderling, Darren Kish, Steve Dixon

· May ‘06    Jon Rivers, Bruce Miller, Dave Miller, Randy Hall, TJ Shaw

· May ‘07    Randy Hall, Steve Dixon, Paul Grigsby, Brady Wonderling, Larry Knowles

· Jul ‘07      Steve Dixon, Jim Johnson, Mike Williams, Bob Buono, Paul Grigsby

· May ‘08     ??????

As the stock brokers say “past performance is no guarantee ……….”  However, a few names stand out from past performance that are definite threats for the top five on May 17.  First, the Miller family record at Merrittville is outstanding.  Dave and Bruce will be back to keep the Miller name high in the MS record books.  Andy will get the results via cell phone at his new home in Tennessee.  Second, Steve Dixon’s spectacular win with a last lap slide job pass on Jim Johnson stands out as one of the most spectacular finishes in the 58 BRP CanAm A-Main race history.  Be assured that Johnson will have his Hot Rod Lincoln ready to even the score.  Jeff Chesebro, the defending Series Champion, only shows once in the MS top five tally