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Kevin Kovac
LINCOLN, Ill. (May 12) - The steady emergence of Lincoln Speedway on the dirt Late Model scene takes another big step this Sunday night (May 18).
Promoter Don Hammer is bringing in the nationally-renowned World of Outlaws Late Model Series for a return engagement, continuing his quest to make the quarter-mile oval a solid part of the Midwest's dirt Late Model landscape.
Sunday's 'Land of Lincoln 40' will mark the second straight year that the WoO LMS visits Lincoln Speedway, which drew a packed house for its inaugural tour event on May 13, 2007. The 40-lap A-Main will pay $7,000 to win from a purse of nearly $40,000.
Regarded as more of a home to open-wheel and Limited Late Model racing in recent years, Hammer has made dirt Late Model competition the priority since taking over the track's operation in June 2006.
"Lincoln doesn't have the notoriety for dirt Late Model racing like other tracks in central Illinois, but we're trying to build it," said Hammer, who added Lincoln (a Saturday-night track) to a personal promotional portfolio that he began with Farmer City (Ill.) Raceway (Friday nights) in 2005. "We have to get it in the minds of the racers and fans that Lincoln Speedway is first-and-foremost a Late Model track.
"Having a World of Outlaws race gets the kind of attention we need for Lincoln. Everybody knows that when you bring these (traveling WoO) guys in to your track, you're serious about dirt Late Model racing."
Hammer, 35, of Clinton, Ill., has proven to be a pretty serious racetrack promoter himself over the past four years. A dirt Late Model racer for a decade (he still competes periodically when his schedule permits), he decided to enter the promotional side of the sport in 2005, leaving his job overseeing his grandfather's construction business to lease and operate the venerable Farmer City quarter-mile oval. One year later he took over Lincoln, doubling his workload but also giving himself an opportunity to do some cross-promotion between the two nearby central Illinois tracks.
"It's an experience," Hammer said when asked about running a pair of racetracks. "Every day is different. I knew what it was like from the racer's side, but I've learned a whole different side of it now."
There's certainly no doubt that Hammer's current occupation is a labor of love. His life revolves around racing - his family is right there alongside him at the tracks, with his wife Bonnie handling the behind-the-scenes operational duties and his two children, daughter Jordan, 14, and son Kyle, 8, lending their parents a helping hand.
Kyle Hammer is also a budding racer, making his daddy proud with his success in Quarter-Midget racing and now behind the wheel of a 'Kid Modz' car, a new division created by dirt Late Model legend/car builder Bob Pierce in which youngsters drive UMP DIRTcar Modifieds equipped with four-cylinder engines. Kyle won his first 'Kid Modz' feature last weekend at Kentucky's Soggy Bottom Raceway and will have an opportunity to race in front of Lincoln's big WoO LMS crowd on Sunday night, thanks to a 15-lap race for the class that has been added to the special program.
The 'Kid Modz' demonstration is just one added attraction Hammer has in store for fans on Sunday night. Another is the two-seater dirt Late Model that will offer a unique way for fans to experience Lincoln Speedway from inside a race car; Hammer is setting up an eBay internet auction that will last the remainder of the week in which fans can bid on rides with one of three WoO LMS drivers.
Hammer's main attraction on Sunday night, of course, is the 'Land of Lincoln 40,' which promises to feature arguably the most talented field of dirt Late Model drivers ever to assemble at Lincoln Speedway.
Leading the WoO LMS contingent will be two tour regulars from central Illinois: 27-year-old Brian Shirley of Chatham, whose victory in last year's WoO LMS event at Lincoln was his first-ever on the tour, and 34-year-old Shannon Babb of Moweaqua, who drives for NASCAR Sprint Cup star Clint Bowyer and scored his first WoO LMS win of 2008 just two weeks ago in Lebanon, Mo.
The WoO LMS drivers' roster also includes points leader Billy Moyer of Batesville, Ark., who won last month's Illini 100 at Farmer City Raceway; defending champion Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky.; Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa.; Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga.; Shane Clanton of Locust Grove, Ga.; Rick Eckert of York, Pa.; Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va.; Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky.; '07 Rookie of the Year Tim Fuller of Watertown, N.Y.; John Blankenship of Williamson, W.Va.; and 2008 Rookie of the Year contenders Vic Coffey of Leiceister, N.Y., Danny Johnson of Phelps, N.Y., and Joe Isabell of Pennellville, N.Y.
An strong array of regional and local drivers are expected to challenge the WoO LMS superstars, including Jeep VanWormer of Pinconning, Mich.; Don O'Neal of Martinsville, Ind.; Brady Smith of Solon Springs, Wis.; Terry Casey of New London, Wis.; defending Lincoln Speedway champion Matt Taylor of Springfield, Ill.; Steve Sheppard Jr. of New Berlin, Ill.; Ryan Dauber of Tonica, Ill.; Wes Steidinger of Fairbury, Ill.; Kevin Weaver of Gibson City, Ill.; and Jason Feger of Bloomington, Ill.
Lincoln Speedway's weekly competition is not sanctioned by UMP DIRTcar Racing, but the May 18 program has been designated a UMP DIRTcar special event. The WoO LMS card, which will run under UMP DIRTcar's four-compound Hoosier tire rule, will offer UMP DIRTcar Super Late Model points, as will the companion Modified and Sportsman events.
Gates will open at 1 p.m. on Sunday, with hot laps at 6 p.m. and qualifying commencing at 6:30 p.m.
General admission is $25 for adults, $10 for kids ages 6-15 and free for children 5-and-under with a paying adult.
Lincoln Speedway sits in an easily-accessible central Illinois location, about 30 miles northeast of Springfield, 35 miles southwest of Bloomington/Normal and 45 miles southeast of Peoria.
For more information, visit www.lincolnspeedway.org or call 217-735-1833.
Additional info on the WoO LMS is available by logging on to www.worldofoutlaws.com.
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