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Kevin Kovac
CONCORD, N.C. (February 27) - Considering all the misfortune that has befallen him over the past two weeks, Shane Clanton is willing to try anything to break his bad-luck spell.
Perhaps Clanton's call-in to the 'Dolls of Dirt' internet show on Wednesday night will serve as the catalyst for a turnaround.
"I hear that hopefully you two can take the monkey off my back," a wishful Clanton told 'Dolls of Dirt' co-hosts Miranda Simpson and Jefra Bland at the start of his interview.
Clanton, 32, of Locust Grove, Ga., was top-contender fast in the recent season-opening World of Outlaws Late Model Series events, on Feb. 14 and 16 at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla., but he didn't last. He broke an axle tube while leading the 50-lapper on the 14th and saw his bid for a top-five spot ended by a busted left-rear wheel on the 16th.
One week later, on Feb. 24 in the annual 'Bama Bash' event at Green Valley Speedway in Gasden, Ala., the black cloud remained over Clanton. He was knocked from second place halfway through the 75-lap A-Main by a cut left-rear tire.
Clanton said on the 'Dolls of Dirt' show, which can be heard every Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET on www.racefanradio.com, that he's counting on better fortune when the 2008 WoO LMS schedule resumes with the $20,000-to-win 'March Through Dixie 100' on March 28-29 at Pike County Speedway in Magnolia, Miss. He has plenty of ground to make up in the points standings after his frustrating start at Volusia.
With Clanton planning to fill his break from WoO LMS action with starts at tracks throughout the Southeast over the next three weekends, he's confident that something has to give.
"Hopefully we can either get our bad luck out of the way and win one of these races coming up," said Clanton, who plans to compete this weekend at Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap, Tenn., and Cherokee SuperSpeedway in Gaffney, S.C., "or at least get our bad luck out of the way before the next World of Outlaws race."
KEEPING BUSY: WoO LMS co-points leader Josh Richards, who was a guest on the Feb. 20 edition of the 'Dolls of Dirt' show, plans to join Clanton in the field of this weekend's 'Spring Thaw' event at Volunteer Speedway.
The soon-to-be 20-year-old Richards will enter Volunteer's show behind the wheel of the Ernie Davis-owned No. 25, which he's running in many non-WoO LMS events this season to increase his seat time. He's hoping his visit to Volunteer will help him gear up for the high-banked track's two WoO LMS shows later this season - the 'Scorcher 100' on Aug. 20-21 and a 50-lapper on Oct. 11.
CLOSE TO HOME: Clint Smith is taking advantage of the lull in the WoO LMS schedule to perform in front of his many fans in his native Southeast, racing each weekend in specials across the region.
Last weekend the Senoia, Ga., star finished third in the 'Bama Bash' at Green Valley - an event he had won three years in a row - despite being slowed by right-front suspension woes. He'll take his J.P. Drilling No. 44 to Cherokee this weekend in search of some travel money for his WoO LMS championship assault.
VOTE, VOTE, VOTE: Richards, Smith and former WoO LMS champion Billy Moyer are still seeking votes from fans in the Alltel DIRTcar All-Star contest, which awards a $12,000 prize to the top vote-getter among the 18 drivers who won features during the recent Alltel DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park.
Victories in the Super Late Model A-Mains at Volusia put Richards, Smith and Moyer on the Alltel DIRTcar All-Star ballot.
Fans have until 11:59 p.m. ET on March 16 to vote for their favorite full-fender star at www.AlltelAllStar.com. They can vote once per day, and with each vote cast they are entered in a contest to win a $500 gift card from Alltel Wireless.
GET WELL SOON: World of Outlaws Late Model Series officials and teams send their best wishes to California dirt Late Model/open-wheel Modified driver Kellen Chadwick, who suffered serious injuries in a hard crash during a Modified race on Feb. 23 at Central Arizona Raceway in Casa Grande, Ariz.
The up-and-coming, 22-year-old Chadwick, who made his first career WoO LMS A-Main start when he qualified for the 2007 Circle K Colossal 100 at The Dirt Track @ Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C., is currently in the Intensive Care Unit at Good Samaritan Medical Center in Phoenix. He sustained multiple broken vertebra in his neck and back, had an artery to his brain cut and suffered burns on his right arm and back. Doctors have already fitted him in a halo to immobilize his neck and placed him in an induced coma, and he is scheduled to undergo surgery on his neck on Thursday afternoon.
Chadwick, who entered last year's Colossal 100 and several other events in a dirt Late Model fielded by fellow Californian and 2006 WoO LMS regular Eric Jacobsen, faces a long recovery.
Cards and letters can be sent to Chadwick in c/o Darlene Salazar, 2713 Bautista Street, Antioch, CA, 94509.
In addition, a Kellen Chadwick Relief Fund has been set up and donations can be sent to: Chadwick Relief Fund, c/o Bank of the West, 2195 Main Street, Suite "D", Oakley, CA, 94561 (or call 925-625-2211 for more information).
For more information on the WoO LMS, visit www.worldofoutlaws.com.
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