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Kevin Kovac
CONCORD, N.C. (March 7) - Big-time talent. Big-time money.
Combine the two and you get the most anticipated early-season dirt Late Model event ever run in Mississippi - the inaugural 'March Through Dixie 100' on March 28-29 at Pike County Speedway.
The first-ever visit to the three-eighths-mile oval by the renowned World of Outlaws Late Model Series will feature a blockbuster 100-lap A-Main on Sat., March 29, that offers a $20,000 top prize and $1,500 to start from a total purse near the $100,000 mark.
Energetic Pike County Speedway owner J.F. Gasquet has hosted some big dirt Late Model shows since purchasing the track three years ago, but there's no doubt that his pit area has never been filled with the sheer number of superstar drivers who are expected to be on hand for the 'March Through Dixie 100.'
From the touring WoO LMS standouts led by defending champion Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., to Pike County's 2007 'Jambalaya 100' winner Jimmy Mars of Menomonie, Wis., to Deep South favorite Chris ('Intimagator') Wall of Holden, La., the field will be dripping with top-notch talent.
Adding even more intrigue to the weekend, it will mark the first time a national touring series has visited Pike County Speedway in nearly 13 years. The old UDTRA/Xtreme DirtCar Series ran the last of its three events over a two-year span at Pike County on July 22, 1995, with Terry Phillips of Springfield, Mo., emerging victorious.
"I'm real excited about this race," said Gasquet, who had planned to host the WoO LMS for the first time last July but saw his 'Freedom 100' weekend washed out by rain. "The fans are going to see an unbelievable group of drivers in competition, including some great drivers who have never raced before at Pike County Speedway.
"We're going to do whatever we can to put on a show that packs the house."
Gasquet, a 60-year-old resident of Louisiana who owns the Tri-State Oil Co., has already been doing a bunch to put Pike County Speedway on the short-track racing map. He's dug deep into his pockets during his short reign to refurbish the facility and entertain nationally-known series like the World of Outlaws, all in hopes of attracting attention to the track.
The renovation project Gasquet has overseen includes new cement walls all the way around the track; a doubling of the pit area's size; a new sidewalk in front of the grandstand that seats 4,500; a 10-position scoreboard; some new lights; new catch fencing around the speedway; new concession and souvenir stands; new bathrooms in the pits; a new grader for track preparation; and the erection of a giant lighted billboard facing the traffic passing by on Interstate 55. He's also starting work on a new two-story official's and VIP tower and 'clubhouse' boxes.
"Pike County has always been a well-known track in the South, but it's gonna be becoming one of the premier tracks in the country," said Gasquet, laying out his vision for the future of the speedway. "It's got a great location, right smack-dab along the Interstate, and we're making improvements and bringing in the best drivers so the fans will want to come here.
"Hopefully a lot of fans will come down (for the 'March Through Dixie 100' weekend) to see everything we're doing down here."
The two-day program - the first action for the WoO LMS since two events during the Alltel DIRTcar Nationals, on Feb. 14 and 16 at Florida's Volusia Speedway Park - will begin with time trials and qualifying heats on Fri., March 28. B-Mains and the 'March Through Dixie 100' will close out the highly anticipated weekend on Sat., March 29.
Saturday's schedule will include an hour-long autograph session in the grandstand area from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., giving fans an opportunity to meet and greet all the drivers who enter the event.
And make no mistake - 'March Through Dixie 100' attendees will visit with some famous dirt Late Model names.
For starters, Francis will pace the WoO LMS traveling caravan to southern Mississippi. The 'Kentucky Colonel' will be joined by fellow tour regulars Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa., who led the WoO LMS in wins last season; Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga.; Shane Clanton of Locust Grove, Ga.; Rick Eckert of York, Pa.; soon-to-be 20-year-old Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., who enters the weekend tied for the WoO LMS points lead with Billy Moyer of Batesville, Ark., after capturing the season opener; Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky.; '07 Rookie of the Year Tim Fuller of Watertown, N.Y.; Brian Shirley of Chatham, Ill.; Shannon Babb of Moweaqua, Ill., who drives for NASCAR Sprint Cup star Clint Bowyer; and 2008 Rookie of the Year contender Al Purkey of Coffeyville, Kan.
Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., who won the 2006 WoO LMS title and is currently a Richard Childress Racing Development Driver, has made plans to enter his familiar Sweeteners Plus No. 39 in the weekend's activities. Other well-traveled racers expecting to join him include Mars, Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, Iowa, and John Blankenship of Williamson, W.Va.
Wall, who has performed well at Pike County in the past, will lead the Gulf Coast contingent into the event. Other regional standouts expected to participate include 2005 'Jambalaya 100' winner David Ashley of Zachary, La., David Breazeale of Four Corners, Miss., Mike Boland of Cuba, Ala., Ray Moore of Shreveport, La., and James Ward of Lettsworth, La., who finished second in the 2007 'Jambalaya 100.'
On Fri., March 28, pit gates are scheduled to open at 3 p.m. and spectator gates will be unlocked at 5 p.m. Cars will begin hitting the track at 6 p.m.
The Friday program will also include qualifying heats for the UMP DIRTcar Modifieds, NeSmith Crate Late Models and Street Stocks and heats and features for the Limited Modifieds and Pure Stocks.
On Sat., March 29, pit gates will open at 2 p.m. and spectator gates at 4 p.m., allowing the driver autograph session to commence at 4:30 p.m. Cars will begin packing the track at 6 p.m.
Saturday night's WoO LMS undercard will include last-chance races and features for the UMP DIRTcar Modifieds, NeSmith Crate Late Models and Street Stocks.
A raindate of Sun., March 30, has been reserved for the 'March Through Dixie 100.'
General admission will be $20 on Friday and $25 on Saturday, with kids ages 6-12 admitted for $10 on Friday and $15 on Saturday. Pit passes will cost $35 on Friday and $40 on Saturday.
Pike County Speedway has a limited number of overnight camping spots that can be reserved for $15 per night by calling the track office at 504-394-5530. There is no overnight charge for race teams spending the night inside their haulers in the pit area.
Track officials said that teams will be permitted to use only two ATV four-wheelers in the pit area and children can not drive them. Teams can obtain badges that allow the use of four-wheelers for the weekend at the pit registration.
For more information, visit www.pikecountyspeedway.com.
Additional info about the WoO LMS is available by logging on to www.worldofoutlaws.com.
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