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Kevin Kovac
PHOENIX, Ariz. (November 7) - DIRTcar Racing's inaugural season as part of the West Coast short-track scene will be capped off with a spectacular flourish at Manzanita Speedway.
The famed oval on the corner of 35th Avenue and Broadway Road in Phoenix is set to host the Barnett Harley Davidson Nationals, a blockbuster doubleheader from Nov. 13-15 that brings together the stars of DIRTcar Racing Western Region's Super Late Model and open-wheel Modified divisions.
Three nights of action are scheduled, beginning with an open practice on Thurs., Nov. 13. A preliminary-feature program for both classes is planned for Fri., Nov. 14, and the grand finale on Sat., Nov. 15, will be headlined by a DIRTcar Late Model A-Main paying $6,000 to win and a Barnett Harley DIRTcar Modified feature offering a $5,000 top prize.
With the Southwest DIRTcar Late Model Series, Western Allstars DIRTcar Late Model Series and Barnett Harley DIRTcar Modified Series all coming under the DIRTcar Racing banner in 2008, the Barnett Harley Davidson Nationals will serve as a season-ending showcase - and a glimpse into an exciting future - for the region's racers and fans.
"We are laying the groundwork for the Barnett Harley Davidson Nationals to be the big DIRTcar Late Model and Modified event on the West Coast," said Chris Morgan, who oversees the tours as the DIRTcar Racing Western Region director. "We want to just keep building and building the concept of having DIRTcar Racing Western Region's stars come together to battle it out on a big stage at a well-known track like Manzanita Speedway."
The stars will certainly be out for the Barnett Harley Davidson Nationals - from DIRTcar Racing champions to standout drivers who will travel hours upon hours to be part of the much-anticipated weekend.
Leading the charge to Manzy for the $60,000 weekend, of course, will be the 2008 champions of DIRTcar Racing Western Region's three marquee series: Lonnie Parker Jr. of El Mirage, Ariz. (Southwest DIRTcar Late Model Series), Chris Shannon of Merced, Calif. (Western Allstars DIRTcar Late Model Series) and Anthony Madrid of Phoenix (Barnett Harley DIRTcar Modified Touring Series).
Parker and Madrid bring hometown clout and knowledge of Manzanita's sweeping oval to the weekend. The 32-year-old Parker, who secured his fifth consecutive SWDLMS title this season, is coming off his long-awaited first career victory at Manzanita in the tour's last visit there on Sept. 13, while Madrid, 32, is a Manzy master who ranks third on the track's alltime overall win list and even won a SWDLMS feature there earlier this year, on June 28, in his first-ever Super Late Model start.
Shannon, 41, might live much farther from Manzanita than Parker and Madrid - he has a haul of over 650 miles ahead of him - but he knows how to get around the half-mile. He finished second in last year's Barnett Harley Davidson Nationals finale, which drew 54 drivers from seven states to Manzanita's first Super Late Model event since 2004.
The Nationals' DIRTcar Late Model field will be highlighted by the appearance of nationally-known Super Late Model legend Billy Moyer of Batesville, Ark., who at 51 is completing a spectacular season that currently shows 19 feature wins. A three-time World of Outlaws Late Model Series champion and winner of virtually every major Super Late Model event during his storied career, the driver known as 'Mr. Smooth' will drive his own familiar Victory Circle Chassis No. 21.
Moyer's car will be hauled to Manzanita by Jesse Stovall of Galena, Mo., an up-and-coming Super Late Model driver who will also bring along his own Victory Circle mount to challenge the West Coast's best.
Other notables with plans to enter the Super Late Model action include 2008 NCRA tour champion Kelly Boen of Henderson, Colo., who won last year's Barnett Harley Davidson Nationals finale at Manzanita; Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series regular Scott James of Greendale, Ind., who won the 2007 Nationals preliminary feature and returns this year to drive a car owned by Randy Carder of Gilbert, Ariz.; Bobby Hogge IV of Salinas, Calif., who led the Western Allstars DIRTcar tour in feature wins this season; SWDLMS points runner-up Mark Fowler of Peoria, Ariz.; and John Duty of Portland, Ore., who finished fifth in last year's Nationals headliner.
Racing is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
For more information, visit www.manzanitaspeedway.us or call 602-276-7575.
Info on all of the series, sanctioning and member tracks of DIRTcar Racing is available at www.DIRTcar.com.
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