|
Kevin Kovac
BARBERVILLE, Fla. (February 10) - The fifth season of World of Outlaws Late Model Series competition under the World Racing Group banner - and seventh season overall, including its first incarnation under late Advance Auto Parts WoO Sprint Series founder Ted Johnson in 1988 and '89 - kicks off on Thurs., Feb. 14, and Sat., Feb. 16, as part of the 37th annual Alltel DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park.
Launching the tour's championship contenders on a grueling schedule that currently shows 46 race dates at 39 tracks in 22 states and three Canadian provinces, the pair of Alltel DIRTcar Nationals events will feature full programs topped by 50-lap A-Mains paying $10,000 to win from total purses of over $50,000.
The top-10 finishers in the 2007 points standings - Steve Francis, Chub Frank, Clint Smith, Shane Clanton, Rick Eckert, Josh Richards, Darrell Lanigan, Tim Fuller, Brian Shirley and Shannon Babb - will lead the WoO LMS charge into the season-opening events. The drivers have committed to following the entire series in '08, forming arguably the strongest group of regulars in the tour's history.
With a car count at Volusia expected to be in the neighborhood of 100, the WoO LMS stars will face what is unquestionably one of the toughest fields on the tour in 2008.
The WoO LMS shows head an action-packed week of dirt Late Model action during the Alltel DIRTcar Nationals, which also include four nights (Feb. 11, 12, 13, 15) of UMP DIRTcar Late Model racing. Teams will battle in 30-lap A-Mains paying $7,000 to win on Feb. 11, 12 and 13, and then go after a $10,000 top prize in the 40-lap finale on Feb. 15.
WHEN:
* Pit gates are scheduled to open each day of the Alltel DIRTcar Nationals at 2 p.m. ET, with grandstand gates set to open at 4 p.m. and hot laps tentatively scheduled for 6 p.m.
WHERE:
* Volusia Speedway Park, a banked, half-mile clay oval, is located just 15 miles west of Ormond Beach, Fla. From I-95, exit on State Rd. 40 and head west; from Highway 17, take State Rd. 40 and head east for five miles.
TICKETS:
* For ticket information, visit www.volusiaspeedwaypark.com or call the track office at 386-985-4402.
PREVIOUS WoO LMS WINNERS:
* The WoO LMS has run more races at Volusia Speedway Park than any other track - a total of 11 A-Mains, including the inaugural event of the tour's World Racing Group era on Feb. 3, 2004.
Two drivers have won two WoO LMS events at VSP: Steve Francis (Feb. 3, 2004, and Feb. 18, 2006) and Scott Bloomquist (Feb. 8, 2004, and Oct. 29, 2005). Single winners include Bart Hartman (Feb. 2, 2004), Shannon Babb (Feb. 6, 2004), Billy Moyer (Feb. 17, 2005), Tim McCreadie (Feb. 19, 2005), Earl Pearson Jr. (Feb. 16, 2006), Chris Madden (Oct. 14, 2006) and Josh Richards (Feb. 17, 2007).
WHAT TO WATCH FOR:
* Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., will begin his WoO LMS title defense at VSP, but he won't be behind the wheel of his own familiar No. 15 that he drove in 2007. His number is now 19 after his off-season move to the Reliable Painting team fielded by Maryland's Dale Beitler.
* Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa., is the only driver who has improved his final points position in each of the last four WoO LMS seasons. He finished second last year, so he's a favorite to capture his first championship in '08.
* Coming off his best WoO LMS campaign ever (third in the points standings), Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga., is confident of his '08 chances with all of his team's sponsors back and the same chassis and engine manufacturers under him. His only adjustment is to a new chief mechanic, Melvin Welch, who replaces Johnny Cloer Jr.
* Shane Clanton of Locust Grove, Ga., fell from second-place in the '06 standings to fourth last year, so he's primed to move back into title contention. He returns to the tour with car owner Ronnie Dobbins for the fourth consecutive season.
* Rick Eckert of York, Pa., enters '08 as undoubtedly the hungriest driver on the tour. Uncharacteristically winless last year, he hopes a move to Custom Race Engines helps him snap a 57-race WoO LMS winless streak, dating back to his last victory, on July 8, 2006, at Sharon Speedway in Hartford, Ohio.
* Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., the 2005 WoO LMS Rookie of the Year, dominated last year's lone WoO LMS A-Main at Volusia (a second scheduled race was rained out). 'Kid Rocket' led the race's entire distance, giving him the first of his career-high four wins in '07.
* Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., has never won a WoO LMS event at Volusia, but last year he pocketed $10,000 for capturing Volusia's UMP DIRTcar Late Model finale on the eve of the WoO LMS show.
* A former winner at Volusia in DIRTcar big-block Modified competition, 2007 WoO LMS Rookie of the Year Tim Fuller of Watertown, N.Y., is out to reach Victory Lane in the Sunshine State behind the wheel of a full-fender machine. He figures to be a top contender on the tour this season after switching his concentration from big-block Modifieds to dirt Late Models.
* Brian Shirley of Chatham, Ill., who at 26 is one of two WoO LMS regulars under the age of 30 (19-year-old Josh Richards is the other), is primed for a full season of touring after chasing much of the series for the first time in '07. A first-time Alltel DIRTcar Nationals entrant, he showed his talent in '07 when he became the second driver in WoO LMS history to win an A-Main in his rookie season.
* Shannon Babb of Moweaqua, Ill., who won five WoO LMS A-Mains in 2007 and finished 10th in the points standings, plans a full season of racing on the tour in '08 after joining NASCAR Sprint Cup star Clint Bowyer's new dirt Late Model team. He won a UMP DIRTcar Late Model event at Volusia in 2007.
LISTEN ON THE INTERNET:
* Fans who can't make it to the track can listen to the action live thanks to the DIRT Radio Network.
To listen to the free audio broadcasts of WoO LMS events, log on to www.dirtvision.com and click on the DIRT Radio Network logo.
Listeners will need Windows Media Player 9 or higher to listen to the DIRT Radio Network. Those who sign up for a free membership can enjoy advanced features while listening to the races, such as text chat and live scoring via AMB.it.
In addition, fans can watch live streaming video of all the action from Volusia on the DIRTVision Cybercast by purchasing the 'Alltel DIRTcar Nationals Racepass.' Log on to www.dirtvision.com for more information.
WoO LMS INFO:
* Log on to the WoO LMS website at www.worldofoutlaws.com.
|
