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Kevin Kovac
SPRING VALLEY, Minn. (July 7) - The nation's premier dirt Late Model tour. One of the division's most unique, longest-running events. A showplace Minnesota facility.
It's simply a match made in dirt-track heaven.
The World of Outlaws Late Model Series returns for the fourth straight year to sanction the 29th annual Featherlite Trailers 'Gopher 50' Charity Late Model Race on Wednesday night (July 9) at Deer Creek Speedway, a spic-and-span, three-eighths-mile oval that draws rave reviews from racers and fans alike.
An event that serves as one of the biggest fundraisers each year for the 50-member Blooming Prairie (Minn.) Lions Club International, the $10,000-to-win Gopher 50 has only grown more prestigious since it joined the Deer Creek and WoO LMS schedules in 2005.
"Moving the 'Gopher' to Deer Creek Speedway and running it as part of the World of Outlaws Late Model Series has just been great for the event," said Jerry Ingvalson, the Blooming Prairie Lions Club member who has overseen all aspects of the Charity Race since its inception in 1980. "The Queensland family (who own Deer Creek Speedway) have a beautiful racetrack and really help promote the race, and the World of Outlaws bring national attention and great drivers to the race.
"Last year's 'Gopher' (won by WoO LMS star Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa.) was one of the best we've had in years - and I think if the weather cooperates this year, we're gonna have the biggest crowd ever for the race."
All indications point to a memorable night on July 9.
"We're real excited about the race," said Ryan Queensland, the p.r. and marketing director of Deer Creek Speedway. "Pre-race ticket sales are ahead of last year's pace, so we're expecting a great turnout."
Ingvalson is especially bullish about the new date for the Gopher 50, which was founded and is still promoted by the Blooming Prairie Lions Club. The race has been run in early- to mid-June for the last three years, but this season it shifts into the prime summer months to kick off the nine-race WoO LMS 'Wild West Tour' that visits tracks in six states and one Canadian province.
"We always used to run the race the week after the Fourth (of July)," said Ingvalson, whose club promoted the Gopher 50 at Chateau Speedway in Austin, Minn. (1980-81) and the Steele County Fairgrounds in Owatanna, Minn. (1982-2004) before settling in at Deer Creek in 2005. "I think getting back to the time of year we used to have it is gonna be real good.
"By moving to July, we've gotten away from (high school) graduations and the busiest time of year for the people in the area who work in agriculture - and we just have a longer time to get the word out about the race."
There's plenty of exciting news to spread about the Gopher 50, which is far from just another dirt Late Model race. The event, which benefits the Blooming Prairie Lions Club's youth and elderly programs, boasts a top-notch field of driving talent but also includes the extracurricular trappings of a true special.
Thanks to sponsors like Featherlite Trailers, which is headquartered about a half-hour south of Deer Creek Speedway in Cresco, Iowa, and Miner's Outdoor & Rec, the Gopher 50 sports racer-friendly programs that produce plenty of positive pit-area word-of-mouth.
To encourage the participation of Deer Creek's dirt Late Model regulars and other regional standouts, the 'Team Sponsorship Program' offers free entry to the event to the top-20 drivers in Deer Creek's WISSOTA points standings; the top-10 drivers in the 2007 WISSOTA national points; and the top-10 drivers in all current national touring series points standings. The novel promotion helped draw a 42-car field to last year's Gopher 50 - including most of Deer Creek's weekly warriors - and is expected to attract even more entrants on Wednesday night.
The event's now-traditional 'pre-race feed' will also take place, providing all dirt Late Model teams on hand a complimentary meal during the afternoon. Held in the track's hospitality area, this year's feast will feature Windsor Chops.
In addition, the Gopher 50 will be taped for broadcast on the SPEED cable network at 4 p.m. ET on Aug. 16 - another aspect of the event's growth that just blows Ingvalson's mind.
"When we started this race we didn't know if we'd make it through the first year," said Ingvalson, who sees the milestone 30th running of the Gopher 50 just one year away. "I remember we put up a whopping $12,000 purse and $3,000 to win for that first race at Chateau Speedway.
"Nobody would have thought the race would get this large to where it's on national television."
Wednesday's field will be led by four WoO LMS title contenders who own Gopher 50 victories: defending race winner Frank; Rick Eckert of York, Pa. (2006); current points leader Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky. (2005); and Shannon Babb of Moweaqua, Ill. (2002, when the event was part of the UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals tour).
The traveling WoO LMS roster also includes defending tour champion Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky. (top Deer Creek WoO LMS finish: second twice); Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga. (a win on July 29, 2006); 20-year-old Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va. (third on June 6, 2005); Shane Clanton of Locust Grove, Ga. (second on July 28, 2006); Tim Fuller of Watertown, N.Y. (16th in 2007); John Blankenship of Williamson, W.Va. (14th on June 1, 2006); and 2008 Rookie of the Year contender Vic Coffey of Leiciester, N.Y., who will make his first career start at Deer Creek.
A host of regional stars have plans to enter the event, including 2004 Gopher 50 winner Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, Iowa; Jimmy Mars of Menomonie, Wis.; Brady Smith of Solon Springs, Wis.; Justin Fegers of Mound, Minn.; 2006 Deer Creek Speedway Late Model titlist Adam Hensel of Barron, Wis.; Chad Simpson of Oxford, Iowa; and John Anderson of Omaha, Neb.
The Deer Creek contingent will be headed by points leader Nick Herrick of West Concord, Minn., Keith Foss of Winona, Minn., and Mike Prochnow of Menomonie, Wis.
Deer Creek's pit and grandstand gates are scheduled to open at 2 p.m. for the mid-week special. Time trials will start at 6:30 p.m.
Adult pre-sale tickets are available for $25 through July 7 at 5 p.m. Ticket prices at the gate will be $30 for adults and $15 for children 12 and under, and pit passes are $30.
Reserved seats are available on-line at www.deercreekspeedway.com or by calling 877-DCS-RACE or 507-754-6107.
Deer Creek Speedway is located 15 miles south of Rochester, Minn., on Highway 63.
Additional info on the WoO LMS is available by logging on to www.worldofoutlaws.com.
Alltime 'Gopher 50' Event Winners (1980-81 at Chateau Speedway in Austin, Minn.; 1982-2004 at Steele County Fairgrounds in Owatanna, Minn.; 2005-present at Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minn.):
1980 - Leon Plank
1981 - Steve Kosiski
1982 - Steve Kosiski
1983 - Joe Kosiski
1984 - Willy Kraft
1985 - Leon Plank
1986 - Tom Steuding
1987 - Willy Kraft
1988 - Steve Kosiski
1989 - Billy Moyer
1990 - Scott Bloomquist
1991 - Rick Egersdorf
1992 - Bob Hill
1993 - Billy Moyer
1994 - Willy Kraft
1995 - Bill Frye
1996 - Billy Moyer
1997 - Rick Aukland
1998 - Jay Johnson
1999 - Scott Bloomquist
2000 - Billy Moyer
2001 - Billy Moyer
2002 - Shannon Babb
2003 - Scott Bloomquist
2004 - Brian Birkhofer
2005 - Darrell Lanigan (WoO LMS)
2006 - Rick Eckert (WoO LMS)
2007 - Chub Frank (WoO LMS)
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