www.farmercityraceway.net
track phone....309-928-9110 race days
track photos....www.erikgrigsbyphotos.com
videos/dvds available....email:
muddbossvideo@aol.com
to see the 2007 UMP DIRTCar Summernationals feature event....
www.midwestdirttrackfacts.com/muddbossvideo.htm
click
here for official results/points from www.speednetdirect.com
2001
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Thanks to all for
your support of Circles of Hope
scroll down for current stories/results from Racenut with a little help from his friends
May 2, 2008 Rained out
Mother Nature once again decided she would take the
checkered flag, we will try once again next week
|
April 25, 2008
by Racenut
For the second week in a row, Farmer City Raceway got rained out on Friday April
25.
This time it was immediately following time trials. Join us next Friday for a
full show of
UMP Late Models, UMP Modifieds, UMP Streetstocks, UMP Sportsmen and UMP Hornets.
AND the KidModz
April 18, 2008....Rained out
by Racenut
Farmer City Raceway made a valiant attempt to try and beat Mother Nature, but
lost the battle shortly after time trials started.
This Sunday April 20 there will be an open practice and an arrive and drive for
KidModz from Noon to 4 pm.
Next Friday will be a full show plus the debut of KidModz.
For more information, click on
www.farmercityraceway.net or for KidModz, click on
www.kidmodz.com
April
11
brrrrrrrr
LM....Wes Steidinger
Mods....Jeff Leka in the #21s car
Hornets....Fast Joe Reed
Sportsmen....Terry Worth
Streetstocks....JJ Miller
World of Outlaws Late Model Series News & Notes: Wrapping Up The ‘Illini 100’ At Farmer City Raceway
CONCORD, NC – April 7, 2008 –
WHAT A SHOW: A 55-car field teeming with top-notch talent. A record, standing-room-only crowd. A racy, multi-groove track surface.
And, best of all, a dramatic 100-lap A-Main that will be remembered as one of the best dirt Late Model races of this or any other season.
Roll all that up, and there’s no doubt that the inaugural ‘Illini 100’ at Farmer City (Ill.) Raceway was a smashing success.
The excitement of the biggest dirt Late Model event ever run in the state of Illinois impressed virtually everyone, including World of Outlaws Late Model Series regular Shannon Babb, a native of nearby Moweaqua, Ill., who grew up racing at the quarter-mile oval.
“I knew this would be a good place to have a big show, but honestly, I didn’t think it would be that good,” a smiling Babb said after engaging in an A-Main battle for the ages that saw him finish second by scant feet to his racing mentor Billy Moyer. “It was awesome, and hopefully it’ll be a yearly deal now and just get bigger and bigger.”
That’s the plan for the ‘Illini 100,’ says Farmer City promoter Don Hammer. He was thrilled with the competitor and fan support for the first-time, $20,000-to-win event and envisions the weekend developing into a must-see early-season show on the dirt Late Model calendar.
GOOD REVIEWS: Hammer and his Farmer City track crew whipped up a racing surface that produced fast speeds (witness Moyer’s new track record lap of 11.973 seconds during Friday’s time trials) and entertaining action with a minimum of roughness.
“It had a hole or two in the track, but heck, it’s springtime,” said Moyer, who credited Hammer with doing “a good job” on the surface. “Myself, I think every track should have a bump or two. It doesn’t bother me any. It gives you something to do.”
SMART DECISION: Babb had second thoughts about his tire-compound choice when he rolled onto the track for the pre-race driver introduction.
So what did he do? He conferred with crewmen Tommy Grecco and Jay Hunt and then changed the left-rear and right-front tires of his Clint Bowyer-owned Rayburn car, giving him three soft 20-compound tires and a hard 40-compound shoe on the right-rear.
By WoO LMS rules, the tire change on the racetrack forced Babb to the rear of the 24-car field for the start. But he was scheduled to start 19th, so moving back five spots wasn’t a major problem.
“I walked out there (for the pre-race festivities) and seen how much traction was left on the bottom,” said Babb. “Right there I thought we should go softer on tires. If you have the same thing as everybody else you’re gonna be equal, so we made the change and it worked real good for us.”
Babb came close to becoming only the second driver in the WoO LMS’s modern era (2004-present) to win a tour event after starting last. Tim McCreadie holds the last-to-first distinction, accomplishing the rare feat on June 5, 2005, at Dakota State Fair Speedway in Huron, S.Dak.
WANTED MORE: Defending WoO LMS champion Steve Francis summed up the ‘Illini 100’ with a couple simple phrases.
“It was a helluva race,” he said. “That’s about all you can say about it.”
Francis, who briefly led the race on two occasions, finished third, just a few car lengths behind the lead Moyer/Babb pair. He felt his outcome could have been a little better.
“We were a little tight getting in to the middle of the corner,” Francis said of his Dale Beitler-owned No. 19. “But what kinda buried us was when Moyer got into us (with a slide-job for second place on lap 82). We lost a lot of ground there.
“Really, we were lucky to hold on to third, so I was happy with everything. It came down to where we needed track position, and we didn’t have it.”
WRONG PLACE: Francis was able to survive without losing a position when Moyer’s slide up in front of him on the 82nd lap forced him to check up, but the chain-reaction jam-up behind him cost WoO LMS regulars Chub Frank and Josh Richards.
Frank, who was running fourth at the time, slowed to avoid Francis and was hit by Tim McCreadie. The contact bent Frank’s left-side bodywork into his tire, leaving him with a blown tire on lap 88 that relegated him to a 12th-place finish.
“I was just trying to keep my car in one piece and get a good finish out of it,” said Frank. “The line I was using wasn’t the fastest, but I ran it because I was trying to stay out of the holes so I wouldn’t tear a left-rear tire off like I saw so many guys doing.
“We were just hoping for a good points night, but we got caught anyway and got a flat.”
Richards, meanwhile, ran in the top five for much of the distance. But his ill-fated positioning in the Moyer/Francis aftermath cost him three spots and he only recovered enough to finish sixth.
The 20-year-old Richards had high hopes for the 100 after timing second-fastest, winning a heat and capturing the 8-lap dash on Friday night, but his Rocket No. 1 was off just a little on Saturday night. He said changing the machine to a four-link from a swing-arm setup just before the A-Main and going too hard with their tire choice hampered his effort.
NICE RUN: Former Farmer City champ Wes Steidinger of Fairbury, Ill., came on late in the ‘Illini 100’ to place fifth – his best finish ever in WoO LMS competition.
The 25-year-old Steidinger, who finished second in the 2007 UMP DIRTcar Super Late Model national points standings, earned the $500 WoO LMS ‘Bonus Bucks’ prize for being the highest-finishing driver who hasn’t won a tour event and wasn’t ranked among the top 12 in the points. He wondered afterward, however, if he could have advanced even further forward from the 17th starting spot if he hadn’t gone too hard with his tire choice by bolting four 40-compound tires on his Rayburn mount.
ETCETERA…
* Darrell Lanigan had to use a provisional to start the A-Main after being unable to recover from a slide back in his heat race, but he persevered through a mid-race pit stop to finish eighth in the 100. He remained one of only two drivers (Moyer is the other) to score a top-10 finish in all four WoO LMS events contested this season.
* Racing at a track where he cut his teeth and just three days after celebrating his 27th birthday, Brian Shirley was feeling good about his chances. But after running in the top five early he slipped back and ultimately slowed on lap 62 with a broken j-bar on his Ed Petroff-owned Rayburn.
* Rick Eckert debuted a new Rayburn car with a seventh-place finish in the 100. He slipped into the top five momentarily in the shakeup that accompanied the Moyer/Francis action on lap 82, but, with his car’s tow knocked out from hitting a rut, he wasn’t able to stay there for the remainder of the distance.
* Tim Fuller’s hopes were quickly dashed in the 100 when a broken right-rear axle forced him to the infield on lap five. He returned many laps down to collect some extra points.
* After spending a mid-week day testing his swing-arm car at his sponsor Don Cliburn’s Jackson (Miss.) Speedway (along with Eckert and Fuller), Clint Smith was primed and ready for the ‘Illini 100.’ But he struggled in the A-Main, spinning on the homestretch on lap 26 and finishing one lap down in 14th.
* Shane Clanton spent most of the distance as a fringe top-five runner, but he faded to 11th at the finish after an apparent sealed right-rear tire hampered him in the closing laps.
NEXT UP: The WoO LMS heads to Bill Sawyer’s Virginia Motor Speedway in Jamaica, Va., on Fri., April 11, for the 50-lap ‘Rumble on the River IV’ and then visits Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pa., for the 50-lap ‘Showdown in Sarvertown’ on Tues., April 15.
OUTLAWS INFO: To learn more about the WoO LMS, visit www.worldofoutlaws.com.
Shannon Babb goes from last to first, gets edged at checkers by Mr. Smooth in Farmer City Raceway's Illini 100!!!
Farmer City Raceway
Farmer City, IL
April 4 & 5, 2008
By: Racenut @ www.midwestdirttrackfacts.com
After the chilly, blustery Friday night preliminaries, Saturday turned out to be a beautiful evening for racing in Farmer City, IL. This race was the highest paying dirt late model race in the history of the state of Illinois. With the winner's share being $20,000 and just to earn a starting spot would earn $1,500, which is more than most winners earn on a regular show, the hype of this race was huge. This hype definitely proved itself very much warranted, with the great World of Outlaws series drivers battling the locals, putting on a great show for the overflow crowd. The time trials on Friday night left Billy Moyer now in charge of the track record, now at 11.973 seconds, with eight drivers turning a total of fifteen laps under Ryan Dauber's two year old record of 12.348 seconds. Heats were also run on Friday, setting most of the starting field for the feature. Saturday night saw the six heat winners draw for position, with 2007 World of Outlaws Champion Steve Francis on the pole and Chub Frank set for the outside front row. There were a near-record fifty-five cars in attendance taking time trials. More than twenty-five years had passed since the last 100-lapper at this historic old fairgrounds, and this one was set to be a real barn-burner.
But first, there were two semi features to run, with the top two finishers from each advancing to the feature event. The first semi saw fifth place starting local favorite Shannon Babb taking the win over Tim Lance, John Blankenship, Scott Bull, Eric Smith, Donny Walden and Danny Johnson.
The second semi went to Tim McCreadie over Kevin Weaver, Matt Taylor, Jason Feger, Vic Coffey, Ted Loomis and Jimmy Dehm.
Flash forward to feature time. Steve Francis and Chub Frank on the front row, followed by Billy Moyer and Brian Shirley on row two, with Brian Birkhofer and Josh Richards filling out row number three. Local favorite, and last year's World of Outlaw Farmer City Raceway winner Shannon Babb moved from his nineteenth starting position to the rear for changing a tire after coming to the grid. After the driver introduction, and a four-wide World of Outlaws Late Model Salute to the fans, the race was on.
Chub Frank took the early start, with Francis and Moyer in tow. Lap five saw a yellow for the slowing Tim Fuller. Back to green, and four laps later, with Frank and Francis side-by-side, Brian Birkhofer slid between the two and took the lead. Lap fourteen saw the yellow again with Chris Simpson stopping, then again on lap twenty-five with the spinning Clint Smith. Lap thirty-two saw the yellow again for a stopped Steve Sheppard Jr and Darrell Lanigan. This time they got twelve laps in, with Birkhofer still in charge before the yellow flew again for Ryan Dauber.
Right after the half-way flags were shown, leader Brian Birkhofer had a flat
left rear coming off turn number four, giving the lead to Steve Francis. The
fans had already been watching Shannon Babb come from the rear, as on lap forty
Babb went to seventh, sixth two laps later, then on lap 48 he had slid into
third place behind Francis. Now, with Birky handing the lead to Francis, Babb
was in second, the two ran side by side for two laps, this yellow being for
Steve Sheppard Jr, and then the two leaders were side-by-side for two more laps
before Babb went to the lead. Another yellow on lap sixty-two for Brian Shirley
with a right rear flat. Lap seventy one saw Francis pull back to the lead for
one lap and the duo went almost side-by-side until lap eighty, when John
Blankenship brought out the yellow. All this time, Mr. Smooth, Billy Moyer had
sat quietly in third and fourth place the whole race. Babb was still leading on
lap eighty two when Moyer worked his way into second, and took the lead
momentarily on lap eighty four. One more yellow flag slowed the race again at
lap eighty eight. Moyer sat right on Babb's tail, until the white flag was
unfurled and he gassed it around Babb, leading the final lap, with Babb pulling
up alongside at the checkers, coming only inches from the win. The fans seemed
extremely happy with the finish of this race, no matter the outcome. Watching
Babb come through the pack, and Moyer gassing it at the end for the win, made
the capacity crowd just stand in awe, and cheer. Following Moyer and Babb to the
line, was Francis, Tim McCreadie, Wes Steidinger, Josh Richards, Rick Eckert,
Darrell Lanigan, Steve Sheppard, Jr, and Darren Miller.
Final Rundown:
21 Billy Moyer
18 Shannon Babb
19 Steve Francis
39 Tim McCreadie
J1 Wes Steidinger
1 Josh Richards
24 Rick Eckert
29 Darrell Lanigan
5S Steve Sheppard Jr
32D Darren Miller
25 Shane Clanton
1* Chub Frank
55 Jeep VanWormer
44 Clint Smith
23 John Blankenship
28 Dennis Erb, Jr
19T Time Fuller
64 Ryan Dauber
3S Brian Shirley
15B Brian Birkhofer
2 Brady Smith
B12 Kevin Weaver
32 Chris Simpson
75 Tim Lance
Wes Steidinger picked up an extra $500 for being the highest finisher not in the top twenty of the World of Outlaws late model points.
There was also a $1,000 to win non-qualifiers race, and it was a hard fought battle with Jason Feger holding off Eric Smith, Danny Johnson, Ted Loomis, Matt Taylor, Donny Walden, Jeremy Conaway, Chris Dick, Jimmy Dehm, and Daren Friedman as the top ten finishers.
The modifieds also ran Saturday night with forty-six drivers on hand for $1,000 to win feature. Heat races went to Matt Huddleston, Jeff Leka, Kevin Hastings, Chad Osterhoff, and Lance Dehm. Semis went to Mike Spatola and Don Kiger. In the feature, Chad Osterhoff took off in the lead, with Gary Cook Jr and Jeff Curl in tow. At the end, it was Gary Cook Jr with the win, followed by Jeff Leka, Chad Osterhoff, Denny Schwartz, Jeff Curl, Eric Bruce, Lance Dehm, Matt Huddleston, Nick Allen and Justin Delong.
Friday night's show was complete before 11 pm with Saturday night's standing room only crowd seeing the final checkers of the night before 10 pm.
Farmer City Raceway Illini 100
World of Outlaws Late Models
April 4, 2008
by Racenut
Billy Moyer shatters track record and Josh Richards wins dash for cash at Farmer City's Illini 100
click here for still pics of day one....
What started out to be a chilly, blustery uncomfortable afternoon at Farmer City Raceway really warmed up as the first cars fired the motors Friday evening. The first night of the two night show, 100 lap race paying $20,000 to win drew in the top drivers and fans were treated to some fantastic time trials and heat races. Drivers were given two qualifying laps against the clock. Fifty five drivers took time, and the first shot was fired when Dennis Erb, Jr, second driver on the track broke the track record, then was faster on the second lap. Billy Moyer followed Erb, Jr, and did the same thing, just a bit faster yet. The old track record held by Ryan Dauber at 12.348 seconds is gone, replaced by Moyer's new record from his second lap at 11.973 seconds, the first ever lap under 12 seconds for a late model at this historic old fairgrounds. When all was said and done, eight drivers turned a total of fifteen laps under the old track record.
Heat races with the top three finishers advancing to Saturday nights feature went to Billy Moyer over Darren Miller and Shane Clanton. The second heat went to twenty year old Josh Richards over Steve Sheppard Jr and Clint Smith. The third heat went to Brian Shirley over Tim Fuller and Brady Smith. The fourth heat went to Steve Francis over Chris Simpson and Jeep VanWormer. Heat number five was won by Chub Frank over Dennis Erb, Jr and Wes Steidinger. The final heat went to Brian Birkhofer over Rick Eckert and Ryan Dauber.
The dash for cash, $1000 to win went to Josh Richards over Billy Moyer, Chub Frank and Brian Shirley.
Richie Hedrick took a rough flip off turn one in hot laps. He pulled out a backup car for the heat and near the end he tagged the number four wall, and took another wild ride up the air, but not flipping this time. Report was he did get a cut on his hand.
There were nineteen street stocks in attendance, with the feature going to Steve Ewing over a hard charging Chris Tackett with Terry Miller and Troy Dodson right behind.
Fourteen Sportsmen took the track with the feature win going to Billy Nail followed by Terry Worth, Greg Kimmons, Rod Rusher, and Jason Unzicker rounding out the top five.
The modified class was a typical full field of thirty eight cars. Tim Hancock led the first few laps, Denny Schwartz got by and led until almost the end, as with three laps to go, perennial track champion Jeff Leka managed to work his way past for the win. Following Leka and Schwartz to the checkers was Hancock, Chad Evans, Brian Lynn and Chad Osterhoff.
Saturday nights show will start with late model hot laps at six o'clock, followed by modified qualifying, late model semi features, a non qualifier feature, modified semis and feature and will finish with 100 lap, $20,000 to win, $1500 to start World of Outlaws Late Model Feature. This is the highest purse ever paid in the state of Illinois for a dirt late model race.
Moyer Blazing Fast In ‘Illini 100’ Qualifying, But Richards Pulls Off Impressive Victory In Dash On Friday Night At Farmer City Raceway
FARMER CITY, IL – April 4, 2008 – Billy Moyer continued his scorching early-season tear by setting a new track record and winning a heat during Friday night’s World of Outlaws Late Model Series ‘Illini 100’ qualifying program at Farmer City Raceway.
But 20-year-old Josh Richards gave Moyer – and the
big crowd on hand for the start of the history-making weekend – something to
think about when he overtook the 50-year-old dirt-track legend to win the 8-lap
Douglas Pontiac-GMC-Dodge Dash.
Batesville, Ark.’s Moyer, who enters the weekend riding a two-race WoO LMS win
streak and leading the tour points standings, shattered the two-year-old dirt
Late Model track record during Friday’s 55-car time-trial session. His
qualifying lap of 11.973 seconds – the first sub-12-second circuit in the
history of the quarter-mile oval – lowered the standard of 12.348 seconds that
Ryan Dauber of Tonica, Ill., had established on April 14, 2006.
Moyer also rolled to victory in the first of six 10-lap heat races driving his battle-tested Victory Circle M1 Chassis. He had spent the previous night practicing exclusively with his other Victory Circle car, which had just one race on its ledger, but decided to run the machine that has carried him to seven of his eight wins this season.
“The newer car felt good last night,” said Moyer, “but I just couldn’t keep this one in the trailer. I just feel too good in this car.
“I think I probably ran the wrong tires in the heat, but we hung on. I think we’ll have a good shot at (Saturday’s ‘Illini 100’).”
Shinnston, W.Va.’s Richards, who won the WoO LMS season opener and sits second in the tour points standings, was second-fastest in time trials and won the second heat. He then pulled off the move of the night in the dash for the night’s heat winners and two fastest qualifiers, squeezing between Moyer and the outside wall off turn four to seize the lead and march to victory.
“When I got up there (Moyer) started to squeeze me, but I was like, ‘I’m already committed now,’” described Richards. “I stayed up there and had barely enough room to get by him.”
Richards, who prefers big tracks but calls Farmer City his favorite bullring because “it’s all about momentum,” drove a Mark Richards Racing Enterprises Rocket car with a swing-arm suspension. His pass of Moyer gave him a big-time confidence boost heading into Saturday night’s $20,000-to-win ‘Illini 100.’
“He’s definitely been on top of his game all year,” Richards said of Moyer. “I feel like if we can run with him, we can run with anybody.
“I feel pretty good about our chances. I think as long as we make the right adjustments, we should be able to get a good finish and maybe even win (the 100).”
Joining Moyer and Richards as heat-race victors was Brian Shirley of Chatham, Ill., defending WoO LMS champion Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa., and Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, Iowa.
The six heat-race winners will redraw on Saturday night for the top-six starting positions in the ‘Illini 100,’ which is billed as the biggest dirt Late Model race ever run in the state of Illinois.
Shannon Babb of Moweaqua, Ill., who cut his teeth racing at Farmer City and won last year’s WoO LMS event at the fairgrounds track, failed to qualify in the third heat. He was outgunned for the lead at the start by Shirley and ended up at the rear of the field a few circuits later after sliding off the backstretch, but he rallied to make a bid for the final transfer spot before a flat left-rear tire caused his Bowyer Dirt Motorsports No. 18 to slow on the last lap.
No driver had a more trying night than Richie Hedrick of Urbana, Ill. He flipped his car during hot laps, then brought out a backup car and crashed it during the sixth heat in an incident that left him with a hand injury.
Saturday night’s action is scheduled to begin at 6 o’clock. The program includes two B-Mains, a 25-lap Non-Qualifiers Race paying $1,000 to win and the 24-car ‘Illini 100,’ plus an undercard of UMP DIRTcar Modified racing.
For more information, visit www.farmercityraceway.net or www.worldofoutlaws.com.
Time Trial Results (Position/No./Driver/Hometown/Best Lap):
1. 21-Billy Moyer/Batesville, AR 11.973 (New Track Record)
2. 1-Josh Richards/Shinnston, WV 12.128
3. 18-Shannon Babb/Moweaqua, IL 12.196
4. 19-Steve Francis/Ashland, KY 12.200
5. 28d-Dennis Erb Jr./Carpentersville, IL 12.207
6. 24-Rick Eckert/York, PA 12.268
7. 29-Darrell Lanigan/Union, KY 12.304
8. 24U-Ryan Unzicker/El Paso, IL 12.335
9. 3s-Brian Shirley/Chatham, IL 12.361
10. 25J-Jason Feger/Bloomington, IL 12.370
11. 9-Eric Smith/Bloomington, IL 12.414
12. 15-Brian Birkhofer/Muscatine, IA 12.424
13. 25-Shane Clanton/Locust Grove, GA 12.443
14. 5s-Steve Sheppard Jr./New Berlin, IL 12.447
15. 2-Brady Smith/Solon Springs, WI 12.498
16. 55-Jeep VanWormer/Pinconning, MI 12.510
17. J1-Wes Steidinger/Fairbury, IL 12.514
18. 99J-Jimmy Dehm/Lexington, IL 12.546
19. 32d-Darren Miller/Chadwick, IL 12.562
20. 39-Tim McCreadie/Watertown, NY 12.568
21. 83-Scott Bull/Fairbury, IL 12.572
22. 16-Tony Izzo Jr./Utica, IL 12.599
23. 1*-Chub Frank/Bear Lake, PA 12.633
24. 39x-Vic Coffey/Leicester, NY 12.664
25. S10-Junior Shickel/Bloomington, IL 12.666
26. 23L-Ted Loomis/Kingston, IL 12.678
27. 89-Daren Friedman/Forest, IL 12.682
28. 32-Chris Simpson/Oxford, IA 12.688
29. 75-Tim Lance/Peoria, IL 12.695
30. 64-Ryan Dauber/Tonica, IL 12.713
31. 23-John Blankenship/Williamson, WV 12.730
32. 44-Clint Smith/Senoia, GA 12.750
33. 19T-Tim Fuller/Watertown, NY 12.869
34. B12-Kevin Weaver/Gibson City, IL 12.880
35. 7L-Kyle Logue/Cisco, IL 12.918
36. B5-Brandon Sheppard/New Berlin, IL 12.921
37. Z-Joe Harlan/El Paso, IL 12.980
38. 12-Jordan Bland/Campbellsville, KY 12.988
39. 92-B.J.. McCammon/Danville, IL 13.004
40. 56-Ace Ihm/Hazel Green, WI 13.008
41. F15-Jeremy Conaway/Springfield, IL 13.011
42. 0-Richie Hedrick/Urbana, IL 13.012
43. 1W-Donny Walden/Towanda, IL 13.019
44. 22-Chris Dick/Deland, IL 13.061
45. 96-Cory Daugherty/Blue Mound, IL 13.099
46. 3L-Matt Taylor/Springfield, IL 13.167
47. 27J-Danny Johnson/Phelps, NY 13.196
48. 61-Jon Rogers/German Valley, IL 13.250
49. 5-Johnny Waters/Jonesboro, AR 13.296
50. 21b-Rich Bell/Sheffield, IL 13.362
51. JP7-Mike Petersak/Danville, IL 13.515
52. 9z-Jayme Zidar/Greenfield, WI 13.635
53. 22-Jill George/Cedar Falls, WI 13.926
54. 74-Russ Adams/Princeville, IL 18.029
55. 7J-Joe Isabell/Pennellville, NY N/T
Heat No. 1 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Moyer, Miller, Clanton, Blankenship, Isabell, Walden, Lanigan, Waters, Shickel, Harlan
Heat No. 2 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Richards, S. Sheppard, C. Smith, McCreadie, Dick, Loomis, Bland, Unzicker, Bell
Heat No. 3 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Shirley, Fuller, B. Smith, Bull, Babb, McCammon, Daugherty, Petersak, Friedman
Heat No. 4 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Francis, Simpson, VanWormer, Weaver, Taylor, Feger, Zidar, Izzo, Ihm
Heat No. 5 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Frank, Erb, Steidinger, Lance, E. Smith, D. Johnson, Logue, Conaway, George
Heat No. 6 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Birkhofer, Eckert, Dauber, Coffey, Dehm, Rogers, Adams, Hedrick (DNS) B. Sheppard
LISTEN ONLINE: If fans can’t get to a track to see the series, they can experience the excitement of the World of Outlaws Late Model Series live on DIRTvision.com through the DIRT Radio Network.
To listen to the free audio broadcasts, log on to www.dirtvision.com and click on the DIRT Radio Network logo.
Listeners will need Windows Media Player 9 or higher to listen to the DIRT Radio Network. For technical support or questions, e-mail customerservice@dirtvision.com.
The World of Outlaws Late Model Series is brought to fans across the country by several sponsors and partners, including Advance Auto Parts – the official auto parts store of the WoO LMS – and contingency sponsors Wrisco Industries, Chicken Hawk Racing, Crane Cams, Ohlins Shocks, Quarter-Master, Eibach Springs, Integra Shocks, Jake’s Custom Golf Carts and Qwikliner.
Moyer Looks To Extend World of Outlaws Late Model Series Win Streak This Weekend At Farmer City Raceway
Former Tour Champ Among Two Dozen Drivers On Hand For Thursday Night’s ‘Illini 100’ Practice Session
FARMER CITY, IL – April 3, 2008 – Billy Moyer is shooting for a World of Outlaws Late Model Series hat trick this weekend.
And the dirt Late Model legend couldn’t pick a better place to go for three straight tour wins than Farmer City Raceway, a quarter-mile bullring that is high on his list of favorite tracks.
“I love Farmer City,” said Moyer, who began prepping for this weekend’s inaugural ‘Illini 100’ by participating in the oval’s open practice session on Thursday night. “It’s a neat, racy place. You start out (the night) hammer-down on the cushion against the wall and by the (feature) race it’s like an ice cube out there and you’re running everywhere, and that’s what I like.
“I’m excited about running a big show (at the track).”
Moyer, 50, of Batesville, Ark., was among a group of more than two dozen early-arriving drivers on hand for Thursday night’s ‘Illini 100’ warmup. Hot laps stretched for over an hour-and-a-half before rain began to fall, ending the session early.
A WoO LMS A-Main winner at Farmer City in 2006, Moyer was clocked turning some of the fastest practice circuits. He made all his laps behind the wheel of a Victory Circle M1 Chassis that he has raced only once previously this season, in a UMP DIRTcar-sanctioned event that he won on March 14 at Kentucky Lake Motor Speedway.
Moyer also has brought his battle-tested Victory Circle mount – the car he’s driven to seven wins already this season, including the last two WoO LMS events – to Farmer City. He hasn’t ruled out running it in the $20,000-to-win ‘Illini 100,’ which kicks off with time trials and heat races on Friday night (April 4) and concludes with last-chance events and the 100-lap headliner on Saturday night (April 5).
“I’m still debating which car I want to run,” Moyer said after climbing from his Banner Valley Hauling No. 21 amid raindrops. “This (newer) car felt pretty good and I’m already thinking of things I want to change on it, but that other car – man, I know that one’s good.
“This race pays $20,000 to win, so I gotta have my best artillery.”
Moyer certainly has a pair of superb options for the biggest dirt Late Model event ever run in the state of Illinois. The cars he’s developed with the Bakersfield, Calif.-based Victory Circle shop have proven to be hot commodities.
“This car has been awesome ever since we unloaded it (this year),” said Moyer, who also credits his new Clements engines as a major factor in his ’08 success. “We just keep tweaking it with little things every week.
“That’s what makes it so much fun for me again. I know the car is good, so it makes me be able to concentrate on tires and stuff, instead of worrying about trying to have the right setup on the car as I have in the past. It’s awesome – it kinda lets me watch the racetrack more and worry about picking the right tires.
“The phone’s ringing off the hook with people wanting to buy these things,” continued Moyer, who plans a trip to California next week to visit with the Victory Circle gang. “I’m gonna have to draw the line here somewhere because I don’t have the time to do it all. We’re still working on things to make ‘em better, believe it or not.”
‘ILLINI 100’ PRACTICE NOTES: Joining Moyer with fast times on the stopwatch were such drivers as Shannon Babb of Moweaqua, Ill., who won last year’s WoO LMS event at Farmer City; Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va.; defending WoO LMS champ Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky.; Brian Shirley of Chatham, Ill.; and Rick Eckert of York, Pa…
Eckert looked strong behind the wheel of a brand-new Rayburn car owned by Raye Vest…
Sweeteners Plus Racing teammates Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., and Vic Coffey of Leicester, N.Y., spent time dialing in their mounts. Coffey is driving one of McCreadie’s No. 39 cars with an ‘x’ added to its door…
A car-destroying flip last Saturday night at Pike County Speedway in Magnolia, Miss., didn’t force teenage WoO LMS Rookie of the Year contender Joe Isabell home to Pennellville, N.Y.
Isabell and his JIR Motorsports teammate, Danny Johnson of Phelps, N.Y., were in the pits for Thursday’s hot laps. Isabell was behind the wheel of a Rayburn car that his father, Jeff, purchased on Tuesday from an Illinois team after noticing on the internet that it was for sale.
The younger Isabell and the JIR crew dropped a motor in their new car and hung a body on it during the week…
Lisa Shickel of Bloomington, Ill., saw her practice night end in rough fashion. Just as the final hot-lap session was waved off because rain was making the track surface too slick, Shickel slid over the berm between turns one and two and executed a slow rollover.
Shickel wasn’t injured…
For more information on the ‘Illini 100,’ visit www.farmercityraceway.net or www.worldofoutlaws.com.
Steidinger Ready For ‘Illini 100’ At Farmer City
DEFENDING HOME TURF: Wes Steidinger is happy that his homestate of Illinois is hosting its biggest dirt Late Model event ever this weekend (April 4-5) – the inaugural ‘Illini 100’ at Farmer City Raceway.
He’s thrilled that the race is taking place at a quarter-mile bullring where he’s cut his teeth as a racer.
And he’ll be ecstatic if he can represent the Land of Lincoln by winning the $20,000 top prize on the line in Saturday night’s World of Outlaws Late Model Series spectacular.
“It would mean so much if I was able to win it,” said Steidinger, a 25-year-old from Fairbury, Ill., who is a rising star in the UMP DIRTcar Super Late Model ranks.
Coming off a career year that saw him win 20 features at eight different tracks and finish second in the UMP DIRTcar Super Late Model national points standings, Steidinger has the confidence that he can race toe-to-toe for the ‘Illini 100’ trophy with the top stars of the WoO LMS and the UMP DIRTcar circuit. The site of the show, which is co-sanctioned by UMP DIRTcar, buoys him even more.
Yes, Steidinger knows how to get around the tough Farmer City fairgrounds oval. He’s turned many laps there, and his list of Farmer City successes is highlighted by the 2006 points title.
“Our standards are pretty high for this weekend,” said Steidinger, who set the second-fastest time and won a heat race during the 2006 WoO LMS program at Farmer City. “We know we can be competitive, but we’re gonna have to strap in, run as hard as we can and make the right decisions.”
Steidinger relishes the opportunity to battle the dirt Late Model division’s biggest names at his hometrack in an event that will draw national attention.
“To have a race like this in our backyard is good for us and all the local racers,” said Steidinger. “We get a chance to run for big money close to home, and we can get some good publicity if we run good.
“I’m not sure if it’s a realistic goal for us or not, but someday I’d like to be able to run a fulltime series (like the WoO LMS) and running good in big races like this is a step toward that.
“I just want to say thanks to Don and Bonnie Hammer (Farmer City promoters) for putting this show on,” he added.
Steidinger, who followed the entire UMP DIRTcar Summernationals for the first time in 2007 and finished third in the points, plans to attempt the grueling month-long tour of the Midwest again this season with his family-operated team. He’s hoping that the new addition that’s soon coming to his operation will help bring an improvement in his Summernationals effort – and perhaps a UMP DIRTcar Super Late Model national title as well.
In a week or two, Steidinger is scheduled to take delivery of a new Victory Circle M1 Chassis. It will put him with a growing brigade of drivers who are looking to the Bakersfield, Calif.-based manufacturer that has seized the headlines thanks to its collaborative effort with dirt Late Model legend Billy Moyer, who has been the division’s hottest racer so far this year.
“We hope that working with someone as knowledgeable as Billy will help us get there (to major-contender status),” said Steidinger, who will continue to campaign his customary Rayburn cars as well this season. “A deal to do something with Billy came up, and it was something we couldn’t pass up.
“I can’t wait to get in the (Victory Circle) car.”
For more information on the ‘Illini 100,’ which features time trials, heat races and a dash on Fri., April 4, and B-Mains, a Non-Qualifiers’ Race and the 100-lap A-Main on Sat., April 5, visit www.farmercityraceway.net or www.worldofoutlaws.com.
World of Outlaws Late Model Series ‘At A Glance’: Inaugural ‘Illini 100’ At Farmer City Raceway On April 4-5
FARMER CITY, IL – April 2, 2008 –
WHAT:
* The World of Outlaws Late Model Series ‘Month of Money’ continues this weekend (April 4-5) at Farmer City (Ill.) Raceway, where teams will compete in the inaugural ‘Illini 100.’
A $20,000 top prize from a purse of nearly $100,000 will be on the line in the blockbuster 100-lap A-Main, which is billed as the biggest dirt Late Model event ever run in the state of Illinois.
With the venerable Farmer City facility sitting in the heart of UMP DIRTcar Racing country, the ‘Illini 100’ will be co-sanctioned by UMP DIRTcar and pit the expansive weekly sanctioning body’s best drivers against the touring stars of the WoO LMS.
WHEN:
* A two-day WoO LMS format will be in effect for the ‘Illini 100,’ with time trials and heat races taking place on Friday night (April 4) and the B-Mains and 100-lap headliner set for Saturday night (April 5).
Added attractions for the dirt Late Model racers include a special $1,000-to-win Douglas Pontiac-GMC-Dodge Dash for heat winners and two fast-timers on Friday night, and a 25-lap Non-Qualifiers Race on Saturday night that offers Farmer City’s regular weekly UMP DIRTcar Super Late Model purse ($1,000 to win/$150 to start) as well as UMP DIRTcar points.
An open practice session – with grandstand admission free to the public – is scheduled to kick off the weekend on Thursday (April 3) from 5-9 p.m.
Farmer City’s other weekly UMP DIRTcar Racing divisions will get a chance to perform in the spotlight during the weekend as well. With Friday night being Farmer City’s regular evening of racing, the track’s UMP DIRTcar Modifieds, Sportsman and Street Stocks will race a weekly show on the April 4 undercard, and then the UMP DIRTcar Modifieds will return on Saturday night for a $1,000-to-win special.
Hot laps are scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. on Friday and 6 p.m. on Saturday, with competition to follow.
A raindate of Sun., April 6, has been reserved for the ‘Illini 100.’
If needed, an additional raindate of April 25-26 (with an open practice on April 24) has been announced.
WHERE:
* Farmer City Raceway is a high-banked, quarter-mile oval conveniently located on Route 150 just off Exit 159 of Interstate 74, at the Farmer City/Dewitt County Fairgrounds.
TICKETS:
* Reserved seats for the ‘Illini 100’ – encompassing the top-10 rows of the covered grandstand and the south bleachers – are on sale until April 3. After that date, all remaining seats will be general admission.
Two-night weekend pass tickets are $40. Single-night tickets will be $15 for Friday and $30 for Saturday, with ages 6-15 admitted for $5 on Friday and $15 on Saturday. Children 5 and under will receive free admission to the spectator area.
Two-night adult pit passes are $60. Kids 4-11 will be allowed in the pit area for $15 each day, and children 3 and under will be admitted to the pits free of charge.
CAMPING, ETC.:
* Camping on the Farmer City Raceway grounds is free for the weekend (no hookups). The 60 drive-in parking spots around the outside of turns one and two, meanwhile, can be reserved for the weekend at a price of $50.
MEET THE DRIVERS, EXPERIENCE THE TRACK:
* Fans will want to arrive early on Saturday because they’ll have an opportunity to get up-close-and-personal with the drivers during a special one-hour autograph session in the grandstand area before the start of racing.
In addition, several lucky fans will have a chance to race around the quarter-mile oval alongside a WoO LMS driver with the debut of the track’s new two-seater dirt Late Model. Details about rides in the two-seater will be available at the speedway.
FARMER CITY RACEWAY INFO:
* For more information, visit www.farmercityraceway.net or call 217-737-7134 or 217-828-0078.
PREVIOUS WoO LMS WINNERS:
* The ‘Illini 100’ will be the third WoO LMS event contested at Farmer City Raceway.
Billy Moyer was victorious in the first tour event, on Aug. 14, 2006, while Shannon Babb was triumphant on April 27, 2007. Both races were run over the 50-lap distance.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR:
* Leading the WoO LMS charge to Farmer City will be the tour’s pair of regulars from central Illinois: Shannon Babb of Moweaqua and Brian Shirley of Chatham.
Babb will make his first appearance before his home crowd since making an off-season move to the new dirt Late Model team owned by NASCAR Sprint Cup star Clint Bowyer. The 34-year-old standout, whose car still carries his familiar No. 18, won last year’s WoO LMS event at Farmer City.
Shirley, who will enter the race after celebrating his 27th birthday on Wednesday, traveled most of the WoO LMS for the first time in 2007 and scored his first career tour victory along the way. One of two series regulars this season under the age of 30, the driver known as ‘Squirrel’ is focused on following the entire schedule in search of the championship.
Babb enters the ‘Illini 100’ as the hotter central Illinois driver, coming off a third-place finish in the WoO LMS ‘March Through Dixie 100’ on March 29 at Pike County Speedway in Magnolia, Miss. Shirley experienced bad luck in that event, finishing 24th after dropping out early with an overheating engine.
* No dirt Late Model driver in the country is hotter right now than Billy Moyer of Batesville, Ark., who will arrive at Farmer City having won two straight WoO LMS events and eight races overall in 2008. The three-time WoO LMS champion also leads the tour’s current points standings through three events.
Moyer, 50, is very excited about bringing his Victory Circle M1 Chassis to the ‘Illini 100.’
“I love Farmer City,” said Moyer. “It’s a neat, racy place.”
* Defending WoO LMS champion Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., will be looking to erase memories of his subpar outing last week in Mississippi when he hits the track at Farmer City, a bullring where he’s been a contender in both tour visits.
A uncharacteristically quiet 13th-place finisher in the ‘March Through Dixie 100’ after being unable to recover from ignition-wire trouble during Friday’s time trials that put his Beitler Motorsports team behind, Francis finished third in the 2006 WoO LMS event at Farmer City and fourth in last year’s A-Main.
* Rick Eckert of York, Pa., the second-winningest driver on the WoO LMS since 2004 but without a Victory Lane visit since July 8, 2006, at Sharon Speedway in Hartford, Ohio, has a brand-new Rayburn car that he expects to debut at Farmer City. The Rayburn mount is an addition to his Raye Vest-owned stable that already includes two GRT cars.
* Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga., who won all four of his 2007 WoO LMS A-Mains at tracks in the Midwest and finished fifth in the Farmer City event, is hoping a return to the region helps him reclaim his ’07 form. He enters the ‘Illini 100’ ranked ninth in the points standings after a forgettable outing in Mississippi – an unusual position for a driver who never ranked lower than third in the 2007 points race after the season opener.
* Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., the youngest WoO LMS regular (he turned 20 on March 22), admittedly is more comfortable racing on big tracks than small ovals. But he’s confident about his chances at Farmer City, where he finished third in last year’s WoO LMS A-Main.
* Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., who finished fourth in the 2006 WoO LMS 50 at Farmer City, is off to a solid start on this year’s tour. After a sixth-place run last week in Mississippi (he moved from 10th to the top-five early before fading slightly), the ‘Bluegrass Bandit’ is tied for third with Eckert in the points standings.
Lanigan and Moyer are the only drivers who have finished among the top 10 in all three WoO LMS A-Mains run to date.
* Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., the 2006 WoO LMS champion who is now a Richard Childress Racing Development Driver, is planning to enter the ‘Illini 100’ in his familiar Sweeteners Plus No. 39. He’s finished as high as second at Farmer City, in the 2006 WoO LMS event.
T-Mac will be joined at Farmer City by his Sweeteners Plus Racing teammate Vic Coffey of Leicester, N.Y., a 2008 WoO LMS Rookie of the Year contender.
* Well-known regional drivers with plans to pursue the ‘Illini 100’ trophy include defending UMP DIRTcar Super Late Model national champ Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, Ill.; Brady Smith of Solon Springs, Wis., who won the 2007 UMP DIRTcar Summernationals event at Farmer City; Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, Iowa; 2006 WoO LMS Rookie of the Year Eddie Carrier Jr. of Salt Rock, W.Va.; John Blankenship of Williamson, W.Va.; Darren Miller of Chadwick, Ill.; former WoO LMS regular Eric Jacobsen of Sea Cliff Beach, Calif.; and UMP DIRTcar Summernationals regular Jeep VanWormer of Pinconning, Mich.
* Farmer City favorites expected to defend their home turf against the invaders include former Farmer City titlist Wes Steidinger of Fairbury, Ill.; defending track champion and 2007 UMP DIRTcar Super Late Model Rookie of the Year Scott Bull of Fairbury, Ill.; Eric Smith of Shirley, Ill.; Jason Feger of Bloomington, Ill.; Steve Sheppard Jr. of New Berlin, Ill.; and Junior Shickel of Bloomington, Ill.
LISTEN ON THE INTERNET:
* Fans who can’t make it to the track can listen to the action live thanks to the DIRT Radio Network.
To listen to the free audio broadcasts of WoO LMS events, log on to www.dirtvision.com and click on the DIRT Radio Network logo.
Listeners will need Windows Media Player 9 or higher to listen to the DIRT Radio Network. Those who sign up for a free membership can enjoy advanced features while listening to the races, such as text chat and live scoring via AMB.it.
WoO LMS INFO:
* Log on to the WoO LMS website at www.worldofoutlaws.com.
2008 World of Outlaws Late Model Series Point Standings as of March 29 - 3 features completed (rank/driver/wins/top-5s/top-10s/earnings/points/deficit to leader):
1. Billy Moyer 2-3-3-$33,300-444 (-0)
2. Josh Richards 1-2-2-$14,800-416 (-28)
3. (tie) Rick Eckert 0-1-2-$8,800-406 (-38)
3. (tie) Darrell Lanigan 0-0-3-$5,800-406 (-38)
5. Chub Frank 0-1-2-$8,450-400 (-44)
6. Steve Francis 0-1-2-$5,400-398 (-46)
7. Eddie Carrier Jr. 0-0-2-$4,750-396 (-48)
8. Shannon Babb 0-2-2-$8,700-390 (-54)
9. Clint Smith 0-1-1-$4,460-378 (-66)
10. John Blankenship 0-0-1-$3,640-368 (-76)
11. Tim Fuller 0-0-0-$3,480-360 (-84)
12. Brian Shirley 0-0-1-$3,600-354 (-90)
13. Shane Clanton 0-1-1-$5,400-350 (-94)
14. Jimmy Owens 0-1-2-$4,300-276 (-168)
15. Darren Miller 0-0-2-$3,600-274 (-170)
16. Rick Briggs 0-0-0-$1,800-268 (-176)
17. (tie) Tim McCreadie 0-0-0-$2,050-254 (-190)
17. (tie) Dan Schlieper 0-0-1-$2,050-254 (-190)
19. Ivedent Lloyd 0-0-0-$1,550-232 (-212)
20. (tie) Joe Isabell 0-0-0-$330-225 (-219)
20. (tie) Danny Johnson 0-0-0-$470-225 (-219)
Two World of Outlaws Late Model Series Stars From Central Illinois Eye This Weekend’s $20,000 ‘Illini 100’ Prize At Farmer City Raceway
Local Heroes Babb & Shirley Primed For Biggest Dirt Late Model Race Ever Run In Illinois
FARMER CITY, IL – April 1, 2008 – Racing in front of family and friends at Farmer City Raceway has always meant a lot to local heroes Shannon Babb and Brian Shirley.
But now, with both central Illinois natives touring nationally as World of Outlaws Late Model Series regulars, coming ‘home’ to compete on familiar turf takes on some extra significance.
During this weekend’s inaugural ‘Illini 100’ at the venerable quarter-mile fairgrounds oval, Babb and Shirley will be showered with attention. They are, after all, local boys who have made good, two drivers who cut their teeth racing at Farmer City and now return as fulltime professional dirt-track stars traveling the country in search of a coveted World of Outlaws championship.
Both Babb, 34, of Moweaqua, Ill., and Chatham, Ill.’s Shirley, who turns 27 on April 2, are eyeing a victory in Saturday night’s ‘Illini 100’ – not only because it would give them a chance to celebrate with people they know and love, but also because the race’s $20,000 first-place prize makes it the biggest dirt Late Model event ever run in the state of Illinois.
“It would be so cool to win that race,” Babb said of the ‘Illini 100,’ which includes time trials and heat races on Friday night (April 4) and last-chance events and the A-Main on Saturday night (April 5). “It’s gonna be a killer show – the biggest race ever in Illinois, no doubt. Considering Farmer City is a track we grew up racing at, it would be so special to win it.”
“I think it would be great to see somebody from Illinois win the biggest dirt Late Model race we’ve ever had here,” added Shirley, one of the division’s top talents under the age of 30. “I’d love it to be me.”
Babb is especially anxious for the ‘Illini 100’ to arrive. The Farmer City event will provide him a rare opportunity to check in at his residence in Moweaqua, where his mail is still delivered but he hasn’t spent much time this year.
Babb’s home-away-from-home has been Welcome, N.C., where he’s been working alongside mechanics Jay Hunt and Tommy Grecco to effectively build a new dirt Late Model team for NASCAR Sprint Cup star Clint Bowyer. A dirt racer in his native Kansas before breaking into NASCAR, Bowyer decided to field a full-fledged dirt Late Model effort this season and hired Babb to be his driver.
“I’ve been home four days since we started this deal (with Bowyer in late-December),” said Babb, who currently works on Bowyer’s equipment in a shop at the Richard Childress Racing headquarters but will soon move into a separate facility a quarter-mile away. “I wasn’t expecting to spend as much time in North Carolina as I have, but I’m doing everything I can to help get this going.
“Last year (driving for Billy Moyer Sr.) we weren’t prepared to do this whole (WoO LMS) deal, so we’re working hard to be ready this year.”
A five-time winner and 10th-place finisher in the points standings on the 2007 WoO LMS despite dropping off the tour as a regular midway through the season, Babb has committed to following the entire 47-date, 23-state schedule this year with his Traeger Grills No. 18. He enters this weekend’s action ranked eighth in the WoO LMS points standings following a third-place finish in the tour’s third event of 2008, the ‘March Through Dixie 100’ on March 29 at Pike County Speedway in Magnolia, Miss.
Babb is simply thrilled that a big-money, two-day show is finally taking place in the ‘Land of Lincoln’ – and that it’s at Farmer City, a track that he’s “gone around a million times” and won dozens of features at during his career.
“I’m telling you, it’s long overdue for Illinois to have a race like this,” said Babb, who won last year’s 50-lap WoO LMS A-Main at Farmer City. “I’m glad to see (Farmer City promoter Don) Hammer doing it. He’s a racer and he knows what people want. A big race (in Illinois) can be done, but nobody has ever put their foot forward and tried something this big.
“Illinois has a bigger fan base than most places. We’re in the heartland of the country, with so many racers, so many fans. I know this can work, and maybe it’ll be a good start for an on-going race.”
The ‘Illini 100’ loot won’t be earned easily, however.
“Farmer City is no easy place to get around, and the local guys run real good there,” said Babb. “A heat race there is pretty grueling sometimes, so you’re gonna have to play it cool. It’s gonna be tough on you to finish 100 laps there, but it’ll go faster than you think.”
Shirley, meanwhile, will be shooting to give himself a slightly-belated birthday present when the ‘Illini 100’ takes the green flag on Saturday night. A victory would bring back memories of his first career win at Farmer City, which he earned in 2004 when the track’s season opener was held on his birthday.
“The first two years I ran at Farmer City (2002 and 2003), we’d go there and get our asses handed to us,” said Shirley, a former flat-track motorcycle star who began racing dirt Late Models in 2002. “The competition there on Friday nights has always been the best of any track in the area, so running there kind of let you know where you were at competition-wise. We knew we had to get better.
“Well, that winter (before the ’04 season) I kept telling people that I was gonna win on opening night because it was on my birthday, and I did that,” added Shirley, who led Babb under the checkered in the 2004 lidlifter. “It would be cool to do the same thing again (in the ‘Illini 100’).”
Coming off a 2007 season that saw him win his first career WoO LMS A-Main (at Illinois’s Lincoln Speedway) and finish eighth in the tour points standings (he entered 37 of 45 events and placed second in the Rookie of the Year race), Shirley has committed to running the entire WoO LMS schedule this season with longtime St. Louis-area team owner Ed Petroff. Luck hasn’t been on his side in the first three events of ’08 (he’s 12th in the points standings), but he’s focused on giving his local supporters something to cheer about at Farmer City, where he’s won a half-dozen times in his short dirt Late Model career.
“I have a lot of appreciation for my fans back home,” said Shirley. “They don’t get to see me race much anymore because we’re on the road so much, but they all support me and what I’m trying to accomplish so I want to do good for them when I come home to race.”
Making an hour-and-a-half drive from his home in Chatham to race for big bucks at Farmer City puts a smile on the face of Shirley, who is happy to see a major event being held in his backyard.
“I don’t know what’s stopped us from having a big race in Illinois,” said Shirley, whose nickname is ‘Squirrel.’ “We have great racetracks here and the fans come out, so I think Illinois deserves a big show like other states have.
“I hope this race takes off so we can have another big race to look forward to every year.”
What will it take to win the first ‘Illini 100’ trophy? Shirley has a pretty good idea.
“One-hundred laps at Farmer City is gonna be tough,” said Shirley. “It’s gonna come down to whose car is prepared the best – and who ate their Wheaties!”
*****
The ‘Illini 100’ weekend kicks off on Thursday (April 3) with an open practice session from 5-9 p.m. Free admission to the grandstand will give early-arriving fans and intrigued locals a chance to check out the star-studded group of drivers expected to participate in the event.
The WoO LMS ‘Illini 100’ competition will be spread over two nights, beginning on Fri., April 4, with time trials, qualifying heats and a special $1,000-to-win Douglas Pontiac-GMC-Dodge Dash for heat winners and two fast-timers. Sat., April 5, is reserved for B-Mains, a 25-lap Non-Qualifiers Race offering Farmer City’s regular weekly UMP DIRTcar Super Late Model purse ($1,000 to win/$150 to start) as well as UMP DIRTcar points, and the 100-lap headliner.
Farmer City’s other weekly UMP DIRTcar Racing divisions will get a chance to perform in the spotlight during the weekend as well. With Friday night being Farmer City’s regular evening of racing, the track’s UMP DIRTcar Modifieds, Sportsman and Street Stocks will race a weekly show on the Fri., April 4, undercard, and then the UMP DIRTcar Modifieds will return on Saturday night for a $1,000-to-win special.
Fans will enjoy a host of auxiliary activities during the weekend, including a chance to experience Farmer City’s fast quarter-mile layout alongside a WoO LMS driver with the debut of the track’s new two-seater dirt Late Model and an autograph session with the ‘Illini 100’ entrants in the grandstand area before Saturday night’s program.
Hot laps are scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m. on Friday and 6 p.m. on Saturday, with competition to follow.
Sun., April 6, is reserved as a raindate.
Farmer City Raceway is conveniently located on Route 150 just off Exit 159 of Interstate 74, at the Farmer City/Dewitt County Fairgrounds.
For more information on the ‘Illini 100,’ visit www.farmercityraceway.net or call 217-737-7134 or 217-828-0078.
Additional info on the WoO LMS can be obtained by logging on to www.worldofoutlaws.com.
03-31-08
Farmer City's Illini 100 is still on for this
weekend
April 4-5 WoO Late Model race is still on, weather is looking better.
Reserved seats and parking spots are
going fast, but still some available.
For more info, visit:
www.farmercityraceway.net
Farmer City Raceway will host an open practice Sunday 3/30 for all classes from 12-4.
Farmer City Raceway promoters
TruSpeed, Inc. have released
details on the April 4th and 5th World of Outlaws Illini 100!
March 14, 2008 by Racenut
World of Outlaw Late Models Invade Farmer City Raceway
Join us April 4th and 5th as the World of Outlaw Late Models invade Farmer City
Raceway for the Illini 100!
This will be a two day event with the schedule of events posted below.
Thursday Night April 3rd-
Open Practice from 5pm to 9pm
Free to Spectators
Friday Night April 4th-
On track activities start at 7 pm
World of Outlaw Late Model Qualifying & Heat Races
PLUS $1000 to win Late Model Dash sponsored by Douglas Pontiac-GMC-Dodge in
Clinton
Full Show for UMP Modifieds, Sportsmans & Street Stocks
Modifieds - $500 to win
Saturday Night April 5th-
On track activities start at 7 pm
World of Outlaw Late Model Semis, and Feature
Modified Qualifying
Full Show for UMP Modifieds Only.
World Of Outlaw Late Model Non-Qualifier Race Paying $1000 to win/$150 to start.
Illini 100 - World of Outlaw Late Models - 100 laps for $20,000 to win
UMP Modifieds - $1000 to win
Reserved Tickets for the WoO Show are $40 for the weekend.
The top 10 rows of the covered grandstand and the outside
bleachers to the south of the grandstand will be reserved.
The remaining seats will be general admission.
2 Day Event Tickets - $40
Single Night Tickets - $15 for Friday - $30 for Saturday
Kids 5 & Under - Free
6-15 - Friday - $5 -- Saturday - $15
Adult 2 Day Pit Passes - $60
Kids 3 & Under - Free
Kids 4-11 - $15/day
Camping is Free for the Weekend (No Hookups) Portable fire pits are welcomed.
Reserved Parking Spots along the fence in turns 1 & 2
will be $50 for the entire weekend.
We only have 60 spots, get yours now.
For a seating and parking map, check out our website at
www.farmercityraceway.net
To Reserve Your Seats Send Check, Money Order,
or cashiers check (no credit cards)
along with your request to:
TruSpeed Inc.
P.O. Box 131
Clinton, IL 61727
For Questions call: 217.737.7134 or 217.828.0078
In other news, TruSpeed Inc. has also released the complete 2008 schedule, which
includes highlights such as the UMP Summernationals on June 20th paying $10,000
to win for the late models, Huge Fireworks Display on July 4th
Co-Sponsored by the Farmer City Tourism Committee, Grain truck races Wednesday
July 16th, The Farmer City 50, paying $5,000 to win for the late models on
August 29th. The season wraps up on September 12th with
the third annual Four Cylinder Nationals paying $1,500 to win for the hornets.
Saturday March 22
Open Practice noon-4 pm
Sunday March 30
Open Practice noon-4 pm
| World of Outlaw Late Models Invade Farmer City Raceway |
|
Join us April 4th and 5th as the World of Outlaw
Late Models invade Farmer City Raceway for the Illini 100! Thursday Night April 3rd- Open Practice from 5pm to 9pm Friday Night April 4th- World of Outlaw Late Model Qualifying & Heats World of Outlaw Late Model , Semis, and Feature Reserved Tickets for the WoO Show
are $40 for the weekend. The top 10 rows of the covered grandstand and the
outside bleachers to the south of the grandstand will be reserved. The
remaining seats will be general admission.
|