FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 21, 2010

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Concludes Month of July in New York and Maryland

CORONA, CA (July 21, 2010) - The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will return to action next week to conclude the month of July. On Tuesday Night, July 27th the series will make its' first ever appearance at Fonda Speedway in Fonda, NY, followed by a Thursday Night, July 29th visit to Utica-Rome Speedway in Vernon, NY. To top off the weeklong trip, the series heads to Hagerstown (MD) Speedway on Saturday Night, July 31st.

At all three venues, there will be a complete show for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series with Wiles Driveshafts, AFCO Racing Products, Allstar Performance, and SuperFlow Heat Races. Hawk Performance Brake Pads and Performance Rod and Custom B-Mains will then precede the $10,000 to win main events each night.

With 25 events in the books for 2010, the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series' reigning champion, Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN is still holds a 160-point advantage over Jimmy Owens of Newport, TN. Owens was able to cut Bloomquist' lead down after winning his sixth series event of the season this past Saturday Night in the CMH "Diamond Nationals" at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, MO. Bloomquist saw his streak of six consecutive top-five finishes end this past Saturday Night where he placed sixth, as Owens chopped 50-points off his lead after Saturday's main event.

Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, FL, the 4-time series champion, has gained momentum in the points chase as he holds the third spot just 65-points behind Owens. Pearson, who had his series record-setting streak of four consecutive wins broken Saturday Night finished third behind Owens and Chris Wall of Springfield, LA in the CMH "Diamond Nationals." During his recent hot-streak, Pearson became the all-time winningest driver in series history with his 24th victory on Friday Night at Tri-City Speedway.

Pearson and teammate Brad Neat of Dunnville, KY both drive for 2000 NASCAR Cup Champion, Bobby Labonte, who will be making his 600th career start in Cup racing this Sunday, July 25th in the "Brickyard 400" at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Labonte won the event back in 2000 on his way to the championship, which he won by 265 points over Dale Earnhardt.

Ray Cook of Brasstown, NC overcame a couple of disappointing qualifying runs at Tri-City Speedway on Friday and at Lucas Oil Speedway on Saturday bounced back nicely as he earned two top-ten runs at both tracks after starting deep in the field. Cook, the 2010 DART Show-Me 100 winner currently sits fourth in the championship points standings over fellow MasterSbilt Race Cars driver, Don O'Neal of Martinsville, IN.

Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, GA, who drives for NASCAR's Clint Bowyer, sits sixth in the championship points standings. He, like Cook, had to rally both nights last weekend to secure a spot in the top ten. McDowell is 175-points ahead of Wall, who is coming off of a season-best second place in the CMH "Diamond Nationals" and is seventh in points. Rounding out the top-ten are Steve Casebolt of Richmond, IN; Dan Schlieper of Sullivan, WI; and Eric Wells of Hazard, KY.

Wall has stretched his Quarter Master "Rookie of the Year" points lead to 190-points over Wells in the last few weeks. Marshfield, WI's Tim Isenberg holds down the third spot.

The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series has 14 drivers with perfect attendance for the '10 season. Outside of the top ten in the current championship point's standings, John Blankenship of Williamson, WV; Brad Neat of Dunnville, KY; Isenberg; and 14-year-old Tyler Reddick of Corning, CA have attended all the series events this year, and reside in positions 11th-14th in points.

The tire rule will be the same at all three race tracks and is as follows; American Racer - SD44 or any compound harder - SD 44 must punch a minimum of 40. Hoosier - 1300 or any compound harder - 1300 must punch a minimum of 40.

On Tuesday Night, July 27th, Fonda Speedway "The Track of Champions" will host the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series for the first time at the Ric Lucia-promoted facility. For more information on Fonda Speedway in Fonda, NY, log onto the track's website at www.fondaspeedway.net or call (518) 853-4235.

The visit on Thursday Night, July 29th to Utica-Rome Speedway in Vernon, NY will be the second appearance at the Gene Cole-promoted facility. Ray Cook took home the victory a year-ago in the series' first-ever trip to the State of New York. For more information on Utica-Rome Speedway, point your browser to www.uticaromespeedway.com or call (315) 829-4557.

To finish out the week and the month of July the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will head to Frank Plessinger's Hagerstown Speedway in Hagerstown, MD. The event will mark the sixth -time the series has visited Hagerstown where the series has had five different winners in the five events contested. Last year Tim Fuller of Watertown, NY and Brad Neat of Dunnville, KY were the LOLMDS winners at the legendary race track. For more information you can log onto www.hagerstownspeedway.com or call (301) 582-0640.

For the latest breaking news on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, go to www.lucasdirt.com or call the series' office at (951) 532-2503.