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Hogge sweeps first annual DIRTcar Racing UMP Modified West Coast Nationals
Dan Beaver (with track reports) Western DIRTcar Public Relations 520.249.8486 / dbeaver@dirtcar.com
This weekend, DIRTcar Racing UMP Modifieds took center stage in Central California with a hugely successful two-night show at Antioch and Merced Speedway.
The first annual DIRTcar Racing UMP Modified West Coast Nationals packed the grandstands and filled the pits, giving testimony to the fan base for this type or car, the promotional talent of John Soares' Oval Motorsports, and the appeal of DIRTcar Racing in general.
"We were near capacity at both Speedways," said Soares, the promoter of Antioch and Merced. "The large fan turnout proves that modifieds are what the fans want to see."
"Both tracks had all-modified shows, and had the largest crowds of the season. Modifieds are still growing in popularity. The modifieds out-drew the 410 Sprint cars as the major racing attraction at our Central California tracks," Soares continued.
"Working with John is always a great experience because you know he's going to put on a great show and the fans are going to leave happy," said Chris Morgan, Director of Western Operations for DIRTcar, "and to see the fan support in this area shows the potential for what we can do with DIRTcar UMP Modifieds in the region."
"We are looking forward to putting on quite a few more shows of this caliber next year," Morgan continued."
"The modified division is loaded with new talent, has the top experienced drivers, and still draws big-name veterans," said Soares. "The modified division also has the car count that people know will result in a spectacular show."
Soares' comments were proven correct when the checkered flag waved over the A-Main at Merced to conclude the two nights of racing.
Both races had thrilling storylines and showcased just how strong DIRTcar Racing UMP Modified action is in California. A whopping 58 cars showed up the first night at Antioch and 42 were on hand to pack the preliminaries at Merced.
The challenges were different each night, but the outcome was the same in the first annual DIRTcar Racing UMP Modified West Coast Nationals as California's Bobby Hogge IV claimed $8,000 in prize money for winning the two-day show at Antioch and Merced on August 28th and 29th.
"The $8,000 couldn't have come at a better time," Hogge said. "We support our racing with our own money and our winnings, and this will keep us going."
Each race paid $3,500 to win, with Hogge pocketing an additional $1,000 bonus for sweeping the two events.
On the first night of racing at Antioch, Hogge had to contend with Scott Busby and Kenny Neu in a side-by-side battle that was not decided until the 28th circuit of the 35-lap A-Main. Busby and Neu finished second and third, with Chris Shannon and Michael Paul rounding out the top five.
But where raw power decided the Antioch feature, Hogge needed a little luck to sweep the weekend. The decisive pass at Merced was also made in the closing laps when leader Shannon's car suddenly lost power, causing him to swerve out of the racing line.
"A clump of mud hit the emergency power kill switch on the cockpit deck," Shannon said after the race. "It has never happened before - all I could do in a split second is turn the wheel to get the car out of the way. I didn't want to get killed."
"I didn't have the best car," Hogge replied in victory lane. "It was unfortunate for Chris, but I'll have to take it as it is. I would have liked to win by passing him. But, I'd rather be lucky than good any day."
Shannon re-fired his car and rejoined the fray, eventually climbing to eighth.
Hogge's luck wasn't limited to the late-race incident, as he also narrowly avoiding spinning on a lap-12 restart. When Shannon darted into the lead, Hogge and Alex Sanford both dove for the opening behind him. The two made contact and Sanford spun; Hogge continued.
"It was a typical racing scenario," Hogge said. "One guy is fighting for a position and the other one is protecting it. Chris left an opening, and Alex and I were fighting for the same spot."
Rounding out the top five at Antioch were Robby Sawyer in second, Paul Stone in third, Antioch Speedway's Modified point leader Troy Foulger in fourth, and New Mexico's Jimmy Ray in fifth.
While the battles for the win featured California natives, some drivers made long tows to compete in the DIRTcar Racing UMP Modified show in order to gain valuable national points. Stormy Scott and Jimmy Ray, a pair of New Mexico natives, traveled more than 1,100 miles to compete in the first ever West Coast Nationals and swell the car count in an effort to chase those points.
Both Scott and Ray had tire problems at Antioch and finished outside the top five. Scott rebounded to finish eighth in that race, but experienced even more frustration at Merced, where he was 17th.
Ray was not as lucky at Antioch. He had to leave the track to make repairs after his tire troubles, which caused him to finish 15th, but he more than made up for that disappointment the following night at Merced when he chased the leaders across the line in fifth.
"It's only the fourth race on this car, which I built myself," Ray said. "I like to travel, experience new tracks, and learn. If I set up my car like I did tonight, I would have run better at Antioch the night before."
With A-Main features traditionally limited to 18 drivers at Antioch and Merced, the competition to simply make the show was fierce, but a total of 29 different drivers qualified for the pair of A-Mains with eight of them racing into both shows. One car was added to the Antioch feature because there were an odd number of heat races.
Along with the undefeated Hogge, Busby finished second at Antioch and was seventh at Merced, Shannon finished fourth at Antioch and was eighth at Merced, while the remainder of the list had a mixed bag of results.
Sawyer was 14th at Antioch and second at Merced; Ray finished 15th and fifth, Scott finished eighth and 17th, Stanford finished 19th and sixth, while Austin Burke was 16th both nights.
Antioch Finish:
1. Bobby Hogge IV 2. Scott Busby 3. Bobby Neu 4. Chris Shannon 5. Michael Paul 6. Kellen Chadwick 7. Brian Cass 8. Stormy Scott 9. Randy McDaniel 10. Sean O'Gara 11. Nick Collins 12. Micky Hill 13. Keith Brown, Sr. 14. Robby Sawyer 15. Jimmy Ray 16. Austin Burke 17. Dwayne Cleveland 18. Richard Pappenhausen 19. Alex Stanford
Merced Finish:
1. Bobby Hogge IV 2. Robby Sawyer 3. Paul Stone 4. Troy Foulger 5. Jimmy Ray 6. Alex Stanford 7. Scott Busby 8. Chris Shannon 9. Aaron Barnell 10. Steve Noack 11. Cody Burke 12. Jim DiGiovanni 13. Jerry Reeves 14. Ryan Porter 15. Lance Mari 16. Austin Burke 17. Stormy Scott 18. Jeff Streeter

Contact: Dan Beaver
Western DIRTcar Public Relations
520.249.8486 / dbeaver@dirtcar.com
Twitter: @DIRTcarWest
Chris Morgan
Director Western Operations
World Racing Group/ DIRTcar
805.637.1426 / cmorgan@dirtcar.com

Oregon DIRTcar Late Models to support World of Outlaws Sprints
When the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series rolls into town, the excitement level gets ratcheted up a notch or two, but that could be a tall order on Wednesday, September 1st as the touring sprint car aces add their star power to a DIRTcar Late Model points' battle that has been exciting Cottage Grove Speedway fans all year.
A full field of approximately 25 late models will provide extra exhilaration for a packed grandstand and that enthusiasm carries over into pits. "It's great when we get that many fans in the stands and the pits are full; it's just a whole different excitement level," said Portland's John Duty, one of several drivers who is always on hand for the big shows at Cottage Grove. "I wish we could do more of that out here, actually."
The late model race this week will cap off a great season of racing at Cottage Grove. With one more weekly show to be run on September 11th, this won't be the last opportunity to run at the track, but it will certainly be one of the largest crowds of the year.
"They pack the house there when the Outlaws come to town," said Tangent Oregon's Trevor Glaser. "That's probably one of the most fun races we go to in Oregon because there are fans everywhere. We get to race in front of more people and get to race in front of all the big dogs in the sprint car deal with Tony Stewart's teams and Kasey Kahne's teams showing up."
With DIRTcar Racing sanctioning late models at Cottage Grove this year and offering national points for those shows, this season has been one of incredible expansion. "The class over the course of this year has taken a big growth," said track manager Brian Crockett. "The car counts from the beginning of the year until now are almost double."
And along with DIRTcar's World of Outlaws Sprint Car series making a guest appearance, it provides a unique opportunity for weekly drivers to race on a bigger stage in not only this coming race, but also in the shows leading up to this week. "The last couple of races we've had leading up to this night have seen a few more of the out of town guys show up who are planning to run this race," Crockett said, "which has made our late model racing overall even more competitive."
A weekly card has allowed Mark Carrell and Mike Miller to put on a ferocious points' battle that keeps their fans turning up every week. The two drivers have finished nose to tail on a number of occasions throughout the season; in the first week of August, Miller led Carrell across the line in a one-two finish; last week, Carrell turned the tables and finished one spot ahead of Miller to claim the victory-and that fierce competition will only be intensified with the addition of some out of town drivers like Glaser and Duty.
"We've been running pretty well there," said Glaser. "We've been able to do three or four races since they've been running more weekly races, so it helps make the competition really good this year. Mike Miller has won a couple of the races and Mark Carrell's won a few races down there too. When I won, Mark got second, Mike was third, so it's going to be a pretty good show this week. There are three or four guys winning races there, so it's going to be pretty tight."
"I think this is going to be a good race," Duty agreed. "Last year, we ran this same show and it was a battle right to the end. At Cottage Grove, they've been prepping the track really good and it's been a racy surface."
Another thing everyone can agree on is that there is a need for more races in the region.
"Last year, we ran all of the DIRTcar Late Model races when they ran the (DIRTcar I-5) touring division," said Duty. "I would have like to have run more of the weekly races at Cottage Grove this year, but scheduling conflicts didn't allow me to do that," said Duty. "Hopefully we can do a little more next year."
"And hopefully we can get a touring series running again next year so I can do a little more traveling," Duty continued. "I like to travel and that is a big part of the reason why I don't stick to one track. Hopefully DIRTcar can get something together for next year; that would be awesome. "
Glaser agrees: "To have a sanctioning body as big as DIRTcar in the region seems to be a good thing. Having a national body to essentially organize us as a bigger group gives us more bargaining power with the race tracks and that's a good deal."
More races in the region means more opportunities to earn valuable DIRTcar points and puts the West Coast racers on the same level as their counterparts in the East and Midwest regions.
"The problem in this area is that we are able to run only about 13 races," said Cottage Grove's manager Crockett, "and to get anywhere in the points you have to run in the 40 race range. Early in the year, Mark Carrell was up in the top 30 or so in national points, but since those guys in the Midwest are able to run several days a week, he hasn't been able to keep up with them because of the lack of races he's been able to go and run."
"From that standpoint, if we had a couple of more tracks up here to join in and offer DIRTcar points, we'd be able to get more races in."
As strong as he's been on his home track, that would be all the incentive Carrell needs to travel to some other tracks and increase their car count like Glaser and Duty have done for Cottage Grove. "I always try to keep my schedule open and I would run on some other tracks for DIRTcar points," Carrell said. "I'm definitely all about a series. Anything DIRTcar can do is really appreciated from my end."
Contact: Dan Beaver
Western DIRTcar Public Relations
520.249.8486 / dbeaver@dirtcar.com
Chris Morgan
Director Western Operations
World Racing Group/ DIRTcar
805.637.1426 / cmorgan@dirtcar.com

DIRTcar CLMA Championship Up For Grabs In Wyoming
GILLETTE, WY - The DIRTcar Colorado Late Model Association (CLMA) championship battle invades Gillette Thunder Speedway on Saturday night, capping a weekend that started Friday at Casper Speedway.
The races are $1,200 to win and $200 to start, but for four drivers there is even more on the line: a chance to take home the series championship. With only 69 points separating points leader Eddie Kirchoff from fourth-place Scott Lewis entering the weekend, this is anyone's championship to win.
With five wins in the first seven features this year, Kirchoff is the driver to beat, and he's cautiously convinced that he will get the job done. "You can always be confident, but you don't want to be too confident," Kirchoff said.
"I'm just hoping that the car stays together and everything goes well this weekend in regards to breaking an engine or getting into a wreck. Those are the kinds of things that can ruin your chances in the race. "
One more win and Kirchoff will take sole possession of first place in series wins. He was tied for the most victories with Brett Hallmark at 16 victories apiece entering the weekend.
Kirchoff's odds are good he'll be in contention since he has won eight of the past nine CLMA races held at Gillette. "I'm very comfortable with the track and I've pretty much figured out what works for me there," Kirchoff said.
He knows that the victories won't come easy, however. "Every night the track is just a little bit different; the bigger motors have a little different affect on the track than spec motors do. After a while, you get the hang of it."
"With the CLMA coming up more often, they get faster every time they visit," Kirchoff continued. "So it's kind of hard to tell who's going to be fast here on a given night. It all depends on the track, how the race plays out, what draw you get. And I have a knack for drawing in the back. It never fails."
As the only driver other than Kirchoff to win at Gillette in the last two years, Jason Schierkolk believes he has a great chance to take the victory there. "Basically, it's attention to detail. The previous nights we were running at Gillette we had some rough outings with incidents and what-not. Actually in one of the races at Gillette we lost a motor, so we need to just make sure that we don't overlook something that could cost us a good finish."
Entering the weekend in second, only 27 points out of first-place in the CLMA standings, Dave Garmann is also in a good position to take the championship. He was second to Kirchoff the last time the series rolled into Gillette in May. He needs to improve by only one spot to earn maximum points.
If Garman is able to pass Kirchoff in the points, he will become only the second driver in series history to repeat as champion in consecutive seasons. Hallmark won back-to-back in 2002 and 2003 only to be dethroned by Garmann in 2004, who also won last year's points championship.
Garmann knows that passing Kirchoff is going to be difficult, but not impossible. "I think we have a good chance to beat him; if he breaks, we have a real good chance. That guy's real hard to beat on his home track there. We're going to hit it right on-and do good in the qualifying race."
More opportunities to race in the region have made for better shows. Garmann credits track time for his improvement at Gillette, where his best finish last year was an eighth. This season, he finished fifth there in May and second in June. "We've had more opportunities to race there," Garmann said, "and we've changed the setup a little bit. We've just got better at that particular track; plus it's a fun track to race on."
Having three races at Gillette in 2010 has not only been great for Kirchoff, but also the fans of the track his father Ed promotes.
"It's great to have the fans come out and watch different cars show up," Kirchoff said. "Anytime you can get a touring series to show up three or four times a year that's good for the crowd. They love to see new cars and competition among new people. Different cars are always fun to watch-to root against or root for."
"I think it's a great thing that the CLMA comes up here as often as they do and they've been great to work with. I have nothing but respect for all the guys and I really enjoy racing them. They're great competitors and I look forward to every time they come up here."
This week, Kirchoff might not find all the drivers so amiable though. Since he has won so often on his home track, an anonymous sponsor has placed a $500 bounty on his head to any driver who can beat him while he is still running at the end of the Gillette showdown.
"If anything, maybe I'll get my door smashed in," Kirchoff laughed. "It might make for a little rougher show than usual, but that's a good way to get people to race a little harder. I think it's a great idea. As long as we put on a good show for the fans, that's all I care about; the fans are what makes the race possible."
Current top 10 in Colorado Late Model Association DIRTcar Series Points
1.) Eddie Kirchoff, 484
2.) Dave Garmann, 457
3.) Jason Schierkolk, 444
4.) Scott Lewis, 415
5.) David Brack, 255
6.) JT Botts, 254
7.) Eric Mass, 236
8.) John Bey, 233
9.) Dan Henrickson, 224
10.) Steve Lewis, 215
Current top 10 in DIRTcar Northwest Region Points
1.) Scott Lewis, 715
2.) Jason Schierkolk, 685
3.) Dave Garmann, 652
4.) Eddie Kirchoff, 484
5.) Gary Gorby, 421
6.) David Brack, 415
7.) Steve Lewis, 391
8.) Brad Fortney, 372
9.) JT Botts, 351
10.) Cale Gottschalk, 341

Contact: Dan Beaver
DIRTcar Western Region Public Relations
520.249.8486 / dan@danbeaver.com
Cory Moul
Colorado Late Model Association DIRTcar Series
Promotions Director
303.263.5489
cmoul-mhjc@comcast.net
Chris Morgan
Director Western Operations
World Racing Group/ DIRTcar
805.637.1426
cmorgan@DIRTcar.com

McCreadie Kicks Off USA Nationals With Hard-Fought DIRTcar UMP Late Model Victory On Thursday Night At Cedar Lake Speedway

NEW RICHMOND, WI - Aug. 5, 2010 - Tim McCreadie put $5,000 in his pocket on Thursday night at Cedar Lake Speedway.

Now he’d like to grab a check with one more zero.

A hard-fought victory in Thursday’s 40-lap DIRTcar UMP Late Model A-Main was a solid first step toward the $50,000 top prize up for grabs in the three-eighths-mile track’s 23rd annual USA Nationals presented by U.S. Steel Corporation, which takes center stage with time trials, heat races and a dash on Friday night (Aug. 6) and the B-Mains and 100-lap World of Outlaws Late Model Series event on Saturday night (Aug. 7).

McCreadie, 36, of Watertown, N.Y., assured himself a starting spot in Saturday night’s USA Nationals headliner with his mid-week triumph. The highest finisher in Thursday’s DIRTcar UMP A-Main who doesn’t qualify for the 100 receives a provisional to start last in the 26-car field.

“I wish we could carry it all over to tomorrow, but you can only race what’s in front of you,” said McCreadie, who is currently third in the WoO LMS points standings as he aims to repeat his 2006 title on the national tour. “At least we know we definitely have a car that’s competitive. We just gotta do some tricks to hopefully make it good for qualifying tomorrow night and in the 100-lapper on Saturday.”

McCreadie started from the pole position and led the entire distance in the Sweeteners Plus Rocket, but he had to hold off challenges from his fellow WoO LMS regulars Austin Hubbard of Seaford, Del., and Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., to secure the checkered flag. Richards came from the sixth starting spot to bid for the lead after the halfway point, but the defending WoO LMS champion settled for a second place finish after his hopes were hampered by the race’s lone caution flag on lap 28.

Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., finished third, nipping Jimmy Mars of Menomonie, Wis., by inches at the finish line. Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., who started 10th, picked up two spots after the lap-28 caution period for the stopped car driven by Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, Fla., and completed the top five.

McCreadie was an excited winner after defeating Richards by 0.488 of a second in a race that at one point had the top-five cars running under a virtual blanket around the fast, high-banked track.

“Man, this place is aggressive,” said McCreadie, winded after whipping off 40 intense laps in just over 12 minutes. “It got pretty wild out there. I saw Austin almost by me (with an inside move in turns three and four on lap 17) and I saw Josh beside me (rounding turns one and two on lap 26), but I just stayed on the gas up on the cushion and was lucky enough to hold them off.

“I was so good up there in (turns) one and two I didn’t dare to get off it. I did that once to get under Scott (Bloomquist) when I was trying to lap him and it didn’t work, so I didn’t want to do it again and cost us a win.”

The caution flag certainly benefited McCreadie, who kept Richards at bay during the final 12-lap sprint to the finish. Richards, 22, knew his best shot at unseating McCreadie was lost when the yellow lights blinked on.

“I thought we had a chance because we were reeling (McCreadie) in pretty good (after reaching second with a lap-21 pass of Hubbard),” said Richards, the current WoO LMS points leader. “But once the caution came out he got some clean air and was able to get out there and keep his momentum up.

“We were trying hard – that was one heck of a race,” he added, sweat dripping from his face during the post-race ceremonies. “I had a lot of fun racing with Darrell, Timmy, Mars and Austin. If the fans didn’t like that, they should go somewhere else. That’s about as good as it gets I think.”

A winner for the first time since capturing the WoO LMS ‘Gopher 50’ on July 7 at Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minn., McCreadie heads into Friday’s USA Nationals qualifying program confident about his chances for a five-figure triumph. He has a solid performance record in the 100-lap event; he was third last year, fourth in 2005 and 2007 and was leading the race with just 20 laps to go in 2008 when a broken wheel left him with a heartbreaking 20th-place finish.

“We’ve had a good car almost every time we’ve been here and that’s a good feeling,” said McCreadie. “I know there’s places we go that we struggle, so it’s nice that a big-time paying race is at a track where I actually feel comfortable.”

Hubbard, who started from the outside pole in his first-ever start at Cedar Lake, slipped to sixth at the finish. Fifth-starter Rick Eckert of York, Pa., placed seventh, five-time USA Nationals winner Billy Moyer of Batesville, Ark., advanced from the 12th starting spot to eighth, 18th-starter Shane Clanton of Fayetteville, Ga., was ninth and Brian Shirley of Chatham, Ill., rounded out the top 10.

Moyer was fastest in the 53-car qualifying session with a lap of 13.257 seconds. He started third in the sixth heat, however, because the top-18 qualifiers were inverted.

Five of the night’s six heat races were won by WoO LMS regulars: McCreadie, Hubbard, Lanigan, Eckert and Richards. Mars was the only driver to break the Outlaws’ hold on the prelim checkered flags.

The B-Mains were captured by Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, Iowa, 2009 WoO LMS rookie of the year Russell King of Bristolville, Ohio, and Matt Miller of Waterville, Ohio.

Among the drivers who ran into trouble and didn’t turn a time-trial lap were WoO LMS veteran Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa., and Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga. Both racers experienced engine trouble and scratched from the remainder of the night’s competition.

Jason Feger of Bloomington, Ill., and Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, Ill. – the reigning and former DIRTcar Summer Nationals and DIRTcar UMP national champions, respectively – failed to qualify for the A-Main. Feger missed transferring by one spot in the first B-Main and Erb finished sixth in the third last-chance event.

The USA Nationals weekend continues at Cedar Lake Speedway on Friday (Aug. 6) and Saturday (Aug. 7). The World of Outlaws Late Model Series will sanction the headline event, which features time trials, heat races and a dash on Friday night and last-chance races and the $50,000-to-win 100-lapper on Saturday evening.

For more information on the USA Nationals, visit www.cedarlakespeedway.com.

Additional info on DIRTcar Racing is available by logging on to www.dirtcar.com.

Results of DIRTcar UMP Late Model Feature at Cedar Lake Speedway (Finishing Position/Start/Driver/Laps Completed):

1. (1) Tim McCreadie/40
2. (6) Josh Richards/40
3. (3) Darrell Lanigan/40
4. (4) Jimmy Mars/40
5. (10) Steve Francis/40
6. (2) Austin Hubbard/40
7. (5) Rick Eckert/40
8. (12) Billy Moyer/40
9. (17) Shane Clanton/40
10. (9) Brian Shirley/40
11. (8) Brady Smith/40
12. (16) Darren Friedman/40
13. (18) Chad Simpson/40
14. (24) Scott Bloomquist/40
15. (11) Bub McCool/40
16. (19) Brian Birkhofer/33
17. (7) Earl Pearson Jr./27
18. (15) Shannon Babb/27
19. (21) Matt Miller/27
20. (20) Russell King/26
21. (14) Ronny Lee Hollingsworth/26
22. (22) Matt Lux/17
23. (23) Pat Doar/8
24. (13) Clint Smith/0

NOTE: Clint Smith was scheduled to start 13th, but engine trouble in his own No. 44 forced him to take the green flag from the rear of the field in Shane Clanton’s backup car

Time of Race: 12 Mins., 21.555 Secs.
Margin of Victory: 0.488 Secs.
Yellow Flags: 1 (Lap 28)
Lap Leaders: McCreadie (1-40)

Time Trial Results (Position/No./Driver/Hometown/Best Lap):

1. 21-Billy Moyer/Batesville, AR 13.257
2. 7-Matt Miller/Waterville, OH 13.289
3. 15F-Steve Francis/Ashland, KY 13.297
4. 1d-Don O’Neal/Martinsville, IN 13.329
5. 25F-Jason Feger/Bloomington, IL 13.342
6. 44H-Adam Hensel/Barron, WI 13.367
7. 25s-Chad Simpson/Mt. Vernon, IA 13.384
8. 24-Rick Eckert/York, PA 13.385
9. 28M-Jimmy Mars/Menomonie, WI 13.427
10. 29-Darrell Lanigan/Union, KY 13.433
11. 2-Brady Smith/Solon Springs, WI 13.446
12. 44P-Earl Pearson Jr./Jacksonville, FL 13.457
13. 1-Josh Richards/Shinnston, WV 13.469
14. 57J-Bub McCool/Vicksburg, MS 13.481
15. 89-Darren Friedman/Forrest, IL 13.488
16. 3s-Brian Shirley/Chatham, IL 13.506
17. 19H-Austin Hubbard/Seaford, DE 13.514
18. 39-Tim McCreadie/Watertown, NY 13.518
19. 44-Clint Smith/Senoia, GA 13.522
20. 18RH-Ronny Lee Hollingsworth/Northport, AL 13.531
21. 18b-Shannon Babb/Moweaqua, IL 13.533
22. 1v-Will Vaught/Crane, MO 13.569
23. 25-Shane Clanton/Fayetteville, GA 13.577
24. 28e-Dennis Erb Jr./Carpentersville, IL 13.584
25. F15-Justin Fegers/Mound, MN 13.584
26. 95-Keith Foss/Winona, MN 13.610
27. 32s-Chris Simpson/Oxford, IA 13.622
28. 11-Pat Doar/New Richmond, WI 13.623 ***
29. 0-Scott Bloomquist/Mooresburg, TN 13.624 ***
30. 19F-Tim Fuller/Watertown, NY 13.638
31. 15B-Brian Birkhofer/Muscatine, IA 13.649
32. 21L-Matt Lux/Franklin, PA 13.754
33. 56-Russell King/Bristolville, OH 13.766
34. 25H-Kerry Hansen/Spencer, WI 13.784
35. 90-Lance Mathees/Winona, MN 13.786
36. 71-Andrew McKay/Edina, MN 13.793
37. s9-Dan Schlieper/Sullivan, WI 13.804
38. 75-Brian Harris/Davenport, IA 13.868
39. 41-Josh McGuire/Grayson, KY 13.875
40. 58-A.J. Diemel/Bonduel, WI 13.908
41. 9E-Even Hubert/Cross Timbers, MO 13.980
42. 90x-Eric Pember/Pittsville, WI 14.001
43. 73-Zach Johnson/Kensington, MN 14.134
44. 3-Kevin Sather/Ankeny, IA 14.154
45. 18H-Dustin Hapka/Grand Forks, ND 14.254
46. 32A-Terry Anvelink/Navarino, WI 14.340
47. 8-Gregg Hill/Eveleth, MN 14.482
48. 10-Pete Parker/Kaukauna, WI 14.502
49. 1*-Chub Frank/Bear Lake, PA N/T
50. 49-Jonathan Davenport/Blairsville, GA N/T
51. 40-Bryan Wennen/Lindstrom, MN N/T
52. 15A-Nick Anvelink/Navarino, MN N/T
53. 29R-Ronnie Rihn/Bloomer, WI N/T

*** Denotes drivers who missed their spots in time-trial order and were thus eligible for only one lap at end of session. By rule the best they could finish in the qualifying order was 28th (half the field plus one spot).

Heat No. 1 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): McCreadie, Pearson, C. Smith, Birkhofer, Hensel, Schlieper, Z. Johnson, Fegers (FNS) Frank

Heat No. 2 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Hubbard, B. Smith, Hollingsworth, Feger, Foss, Lux, Harris, Sather (DNS) Davenport

Heat No. 3 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Lanigan, Shirley, Babb, Chris Simpson, King, O’Neal, McGuire, Hapka (DNS) Wennen

Heat No. 4 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Mars, Francis, Friedman, Doar, Vaught, Diemel, Hansen, T. Anvelink (DNS) N. Anvelink

Heat No. 5 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Eckert, McCool, Clanton, Miller, Bloomquist, Mathees, Hubert, Hill, Rihn

Heat No. 6 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Richards, Moyer, Chad Simpson, Fuller, Erb, Pember, McKay, Parker

B-Main No. 1 (10 laps – Top 2 Transfer): Birkhofer, Lux, Feger, Z. Johnson, Schlieper, Hensel, Fegers, Harris, Foss (DNS) Sather, Frank, Davenport

B-Main No. 2 (10 laps – Top 2 Transfer): King, Doar, O’Neal, Chris Simpson, Hansen, McGuire, Hapka, Diemel, Vaught. T. Anvelink (DNS) Wenne, N. Anvelink

B-Main No. 3 (10 laps – Top 2 Transfer): Miller, Bloomquist, Fuller, Mathees, Pember, Erb, McKay, Hubert, Parker, Rihn, Hill

DIRTcar Racing Weekly Points Update: Schlenk (Late Models) & Gilpin (UMP Modifieds) Pad National Points Leads

CONCORD, NC – June 17, 2010 – Rusty Schlenk of Jackson, Mich. (Late Models) and Devin Gilpin of Columbus, Ind. (UMP Modifieds) padded their leads in DIRTcar Racing's UMP national points standings after 11 weeks of weekly competition.

Schlenk, 23, hit double-figures in feature wins this season with his second straight triumph at Oakshade Raceway in Wauseon, Ohio, on June 12, helping him push his DIRTcar Late Model national points edge from 470 to a commanding 558 points. His other weekend start was an 18th-place finish on June 11 at Mount Pleasant (Mich.) Speedway.

The young Michigander is seeking his first-ever DIRTcar Late Model national championship. He finished a career-high third in last year’s points battle.

Moving to second in the points standings for events run through June 13 was veteran Mike Hammerle of St. Charles, Mo., who overtook the idle Ryan Unzicker of El Paso, Il., for the position. Hammerle leads all drivers with 27 starts so far this year, one more than Schlenk in a points race that is determined using drivers’ best 35 finishes/points nights.

Gilpin, 19, enjoyed a solid weekend of UMP Modified racing in the Midwest, winning on June 11 at Moler Raceway Park in Willamsburg, Ohio, and finishing third on June 13 at Windy Hollow Speedway in Owensboro, Ky. He added 21 points to his national points lead, ending the weekend with a 37-point advantage (1,756-1,719) over Rusty Griffaw of Festus, Mo.

Griffaw also won once over the weekend, emerging victorious on June 11 at Callaway Raceway in Fulton, Mo. It was his only points-producing start of the weekend.

Veteran Randle Sweeney of Clifty, Ky., who led the UMP Modified standings for several weeks before being overtaken by Gilpin, lost more ground to Gilpin despite winning on June 12 at Clarksville (Tenn.) Speedway. A fourth-place finisher behind Gilpin on June 13 at Windy Hollow, Sweeney sits third in the points standings, 166 markers behind Gilpin.

In other DIRTcar Racing divisions, Tait Davenport of West Paducah, Ky. (Pro Late Models), Jimmy Cummins of Waterloo, Ill. (Sportsman), Jeff Lawson of Greenville, Ky. (Limited Modifieds), Scott Mooers of Osteen, Fla. (Factory Stocks) and Michael Rittenberry of Clarksville, Tenn. (Sport Compacts) remained national points leaders. Frank Burnell of Waterloo, N.Y., jumped into the top spot in the Stock Car points race.

Log on to www.dirtcar.com for more information on DIRTcar Racing's UMP circuit and to view complete points standings for all divisions.

DIRTcar Racing UMP National Points Standings (as of June 13, 2010):

Late Models (driver/points/races):

1 . Rusty Schlenk 1859 26
2. Mike Hammerle 1301 27
3. Ryan Unzicker 1263 20
4. Jeff Walson 1177 19
5. Jason McBride 1016 19
6. Brandon Sheppard 1010 19
7. Michael Kloos 1009 17
8. Brian Shirley 997 16
9. Alan Vochaska 986 15
10. Brian Ruhlman 951 15
11. Dillan White 930 17
12. Phil Ausra 920 18
13. Dennis Erb Jr. 898 15
14. Mike Schulte 898 18
15. Jeep VanWormer 875 12
16. Richie Hedrick 865 17
17. Rich Neiser 860 15
18. Dusty Moore 849 16
19. Eric Spangler 843 14
20. Jim Moon 832 18

UMP Modifieds (driver/points/races):

1. Devin Gilpin 1756 25
2. Rusty Griffaw 1719 25
3. Randle Sweeney 1590 25
4. Stormy Scott 1569 23
5. Clint DeMoss 1329 19
6. Levi Kissinger 1262 23
7. Todd Sherman 1171 18
8. Dave Wietholder 1157 20
9. Brett Korves 1149 20
10. Mike Spatola 1146 20
11. Dustin Isom 1119 22
12. Dean Hoffman 1078 19
13. Trent Young 1054 19
14. Zach Fair 1017 18
15. Rob Penny 1008 23
16. Jeff Matthews 1006 15
17. Will Krup 996 24
18. Bryce Jewell 992 20
19. Mike Harrison 978 15
20. Jimmy Ray 977 16

Pro Late Models (driver/points/races):

1. Tait Davenport 963 15
2. Bobby Pierce 857 12
3. Credence Mott 840 15
4. Scott Weber 840 12
5. Bobby Martintoni 790 14
6. Matt Santel 775 15
7. Matt Liner 733 14
8. Casey Montague 688 12
9. Nick Bauman 677 10
10. Kyle Hammer 658 13

Sportsman (driver/points/races):

1. Jimmy Cummins 1030 15
2. Chris Hillman 883 15
3. Dennis Wernle 880 15
4. Rocky Warner 839 13
5. Bruno Cyr 826 13
6. Stephane Lemire 813 13
7. Randy Petro 809 14
8. Steve Peeden 798 13
9. Brad Cummings 756 14
10. Aaron Barsness 749 12

Limited Modifieds (driver/points/races):

1. Jeff Lawson 837 15
2. Scotty Oliver 781 14
3. Jonathan Smith 725 11
4. Shelli O’Bryan 689 14
5. Ronnie Cotton 679 12
6. Clay Settles 636 11
7. John Paul Talkington 594 11
8. Kevin Dupont 554 10
9. Michael Stratton 547 9
10. Josh Tyler 521 10

Stock Cars (driver/points/races):

1. Frank Burnell 758 12
2. Mike Lynn 753 12
3. Larry Russell Jr. 743 13
4. Rick Rush 713 15
5. Tim Hughes 708 12
6. Josh Smith 703 14
7. J.R. Mason 699 10
8. Jerrad Krick 682 10
9. Josh Frye 678 13
10. Mike Welch 673 12

Factory Stocks (driver/points/races):

1. Scott Mooers 1017 15
2. Brad Venhaus 677 10
3. Zac Hoffman 665 11
4. Luke Sadler 615 12
5. Brian Crawford 568 10
6. Dave Grega 547 8
7. Troy Bunfill 516 9
8. Stephen Fohne 504 10
9. Mickey Hines 486 9
10. Richard Calmes Jr. 475 11

Sport Compacts (driver/points/races):

1. Michael Rittenberry 1080 15
2. Jordan Suhre 1026 15
3. Trevor Isaak 935 15
4. Blayne Ellis 926 15
5. Rob Shaw 912 12
6. Eldon Hemken 900 15
7. Justin Hall 837 15
8. Cook Crawford 819 15
9. Jay Gordon 788 15
10. Bradley McGhee 781 14

Billy Moyer Runs Tight Rope To $100,000 Victory In Sunday’s ‘Dream XVI’ At Eldora Speedway

ROSSBURG, OH - June 13, 2010 - Billy Moyer walked a tight rope to victory in Sunday afternoon’s postponed DIRTcar Racing-sanctioned Dirt Late Model Dream XVI at Eldora Speedway.

Living up to his ‘Mr. Smooth’ nickname, the 52-year-old dirt Late Model Hall of Famer from Batesville, Ark., overtook Ray Cook of Brasstown, N.C., for the lead on a lap-20 restart and never made a mistake the remainder of the 100-lap distance. He tamed a slick daytime track surface dominated by a precarious top lane to pocket the prestigious race’s $100,000 winner’s check for the second time in his legendary career.

In a race that saw cars repeatedly sustain right-rear body damage from bouts with the Big E’s unforgiving outside wall – including those driven by runner-up Cook and third-place finisher Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, Ga. – Moyer got his Clements-powered Victory Circle Chassis to the checkered flag virtually unscathed.

“Your mind’s gotta be razor sharp to run on that ledge for a hundred laps like that and never bobble,” said Moyer, describing the thin cushion just inches from the high-banked, half-mile oval’s concrete barrier. “This track is like running on an ice cube. You just slide in there and time it just perfectly to where you get your right front on that lip first. If you get in there a little bit too hard, you’re in the wall over that little berm.”

Moyer, who started from the pole position, weathered a mid-race challenge from 2008 World 100 winner Shane Clanton of Locust Grove, Ga., before pulling away from Cook during the final laps. He crossed the finish about a half-straightaway ahead of Cook, who started second and led laps 1-20 in his battle-scarred MasterSbilt car.

McDowell, who started 19th, benefitted from the race’s attrition to place a quiet third in NASCAR star Clint Bowyer’s Warrior machine. Chris Madden of Grey Court, S.C., started 21st and wasn’t far behind McDowell throughout the distance en route to a fourth-place finish in his Team Zero by Bloomquist car, while Madden’s chassis builder, five-time Dream champion Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, Tenn., completed the top five after recovering from a lap 75 pit stop to change a flat right-rear tire.

Moyer’s triumph returned him to the spotlight at Eldora, a track he dominated during the ‘90s. He won the World 100 a record five times between 1991 and 2000 and captured the Dream in 1998.

“The last three or four years I haven’t even been close here,” said Moyer, who joined Bloomquist (five) and Freddy Smith (two) as repeat winners of the Dream event. “I’ve been working to try and figure this place out again. Things are so much different from the last time I won here to now.

“The sport evolves so fast and you just gotta stay on top of it, and I think we finally found something that works here again.”

Moyer flexed his new-found Eldora muscle on a lap-20 restart following a caution flag for Brian Shirley of Chatham, Ill., who slowed in turn four with body damage. The veteran dove underneath Cook entering turn one and exited turn two in control of the lead for good.

“I measured him up there on that first (re)start,” said Moyer, who won one of six heat races run on Saturday night before thunderstorms postponed the remainder of the program to Sunday afternoon. “I could’ve did it (made the pass) that first time, but I went in a little soft and I just didn’t want be an idiot and wreck us both like that.

“The next (restart) I just kind of knew where his little weak spot was. It was really early in the race, but I figured the way the track was I better get after it right now and get into the lead.”

Cook, 38, had already damaged the right-rear corner of his car from slapping the wall, but he credited Moyer with a slick move to take command.

“Billy done a good job there,” said Cook, a five-time Dream starter who matched his career-best event finish of second in 2000. “We were talking about him being a senior citizen earlier, but that experience paid off. He got a good run on me on the restart and got us with a slide down there.”

Cook was happy to secure a $20,000 runner-up finish despite racing nearly the entire distance with a crushed rear spoiler and losing second place briefly to Clanton.

“I knocked that (spoiler) off while we were leading actually,” said Cook, who added to his car’s body damage when he slid into the turn four wall while battling for second with Clanton on lap 61. “I just got up there (in the corner) too hard.

“This track was probably as challenging as it gets because it was just really, really slick right to that concrete cushion. But it’s Eldora, and you just gotta stay after it. We almost got it done, so we’ll just come back and try it again.”

Moyer likely saw his stiffest late-race threat disappear when Clanton’s bid came to an abrupt end. Sixth at the halfway mark after starting 10th, the 34-year-old driver vaulted up to second by lap 61 and caught Moyer moments later.

Clanton ducked underneath Moyer rounding turns one and two on lap 65, but that was as close as he got to the lead. His attempt to join Moyer, Bloomquist, Donnie Moran and Jimmy Owens as the only drivers to win both the World 100 and the Dream evaporated when he slowed with a broken right-rear shock bolt on lap 69, bringing out the seventh of the race’s eight caution flags.

The rough-and-tumble A-Main was slowed by three caution flags for debris on the track and four for disabled cars. The only serious accident occurred on lap 58 when Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga., gave up his race-long hold on third place after slapping the turn-one wall, bouncing off Clanton’s passing car and collecting fifth-place Steve Casebolt of Richmond, Ind., whose machine sustained heavy damage, and eighth-place John Blankenship of Williamson, W.Va., who was able to continue.

Defending World of Outlaws Late Model Series champion Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., who started 16th, finished sixth after being knocked from the top five by Bloomquist on lap 91. Don O’Neal of Martinsville, Ind., transferred to the Dream after running the C- and B-Mains and marched forward from the 25th starting spot to finish seventh and Blankenship was the last driver on the lead lap in eighth place.

Several potential challengers saw their hopes dashed by smacks of the wall that tore up their cars and led to their early departures. That group included World of Outlaws regulars Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., who hit the concrete on lap one but still ran fourth until a turn-four wall encounter on lap 41 ended his day; Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., who climbed from the 13th starting spot to fifth in just eight laps but bent up his mount’s front end when he caught the turn-two wall three circuits later (he ultimately retired with an overheating engine while still holding fifth on lap 55); and Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., who was bidding for sixth when he crushed the right-rear corner of his mount on lap 49.

Sunday’s preliminary action saw Doug Drown of Wooster, Ohio, emerge victorious in the 15-lap C-Main and McDowell capture the 20-lap B-Main.

For more information on DIRTcar Racing, visit www.dirtcar.com.

Dirt Late Model Dream XVI Finish (Finish/Start/Driver/Laps Completed):

1. (1) Billy Moyer/100
2. (2) Ray Cook/100
3. (19) Dale McDowell/100
4. (21) Chris Madden/100
5. (12) Scott Bloomquist/100
6. (16) Josh Richards/100
7. (25) Don O’Neal/100
8. (11) John Blankenship/100
9. (20) Jeep VanWormer/97
10. (7) Dan Schlieper/97
11. (5) Jonathan Davenport/80
12. (24) Brad Neat/76
13. (10) Shane Clanton/68
14. (8) Steve Casebolt/59
15. (13) Tim McCreadie/54
16. (14) Darrell Lanigan/49
17. (3) Brandon Kinzer/47
18. (18) Mike Marlar/45
19. (15) Brady Smith/45
20. (9) Brian Birkhofer/45
21. (4) Steve Francis/42
22. (24) Dennis Erb Jr./30
23. (25) Bub McCool/28
24. (17) Jimmy Owens/22
25. (22) Brian Shirley/19
26. (6) Casey Roberts/11

C-Main Finish (15 laps – Top 7 Transfer to B-Main): 1. Doug Drown[2]; 2. Don O'Neal[3]; 3. Zack Dohm[4]; 4. Jeremy Payne[20]; 5. Jason Feger[7]; 6. Donnie Moran[11]; 7. Wayne Chinn[10]; 8. Jared Landers[16]; 9. John Henderson[15]; 10. Keith Foss[13]; 11. Wayne Maffett Jr.[9]; 12. Brian Ruhlman[5]; 13. Curtis Roberts[1]; 14. Clint Smith[12]; 15. Dave Hartman[19]; 16. Shanon Buckingham[6]; 17. Jon Henry[8]; 18. Jerry Bowersock[14]; 19. Nick Marolf[17]; 20. Shannon Thornsberry[17]

B-Main Finish (20 laps – Top 7 Transfer to A-Main): 1. Dale McDowell[2]; 2. Chris Madden[7]; 3. Brian Shirley[9]; 4. Brad Neat[3]; 5. Dennis Erb Jr.[14]; 6. Bub Mccool[1]; 7. Don O'Neal[20]; 8. Chad Smith[12]; 9. Earl Pearson Jr.[8]; 10. Terry Phillips[16]; 11. Will Vaught[10]; 12. Jason Feger[18]; 13. Chub Frank[18]; 14. Wayne Chinn[19]; 15. Jared Landers[21]; 16. Tony Knowles[14]; 17. Donnie Moran[24]; 18. John Henderson[19]; 19. Doug Drown[15]; 20. JR Hotovy[5]; 21. Dustin Neat[3]; 22. Matt Miller[6]; 23. Jeremy Payne[22]; 24. Jackie Boggs[11]

Thunderstorms Force Postponement Of Dream XVI At Eldora Speedway Following Heat-Race Action

DIRTcar Racing Weekly Points Update: Young Lions Schlenk (Late Models) & Gilpin (UMP Modifieds) Remain Atop National Standings

CONCORD, NC – June 11, 2010 – Rusty Schlenk of Jackson, Mich. (Late Models) and Devin Gilpin of Columbus, Ind. (UMP Modifieds) remained in command of the DIRTcar Racing national points standings after 10 weeks of weekly competition.

Schlenk, 23, saw his DIRTcar Late Model national points lead over Ryan Unzicker of El Paso, Ill., shrink by 96 points following last weekend’s action, but he still holds a healthy 470-point edge (1,735-1,263). The young Michigander did, of course, only enter one sanctioned event during the first week of June – a weekly show on June 4 at Attica (Ohio) Raceway Park that he won, giving him nine wins in 24 starts this season.

Unzicker, meanwhile, made three starts last weekend, with a top finish of second on June 6 at Kankakee (Ill.) County Speedway. He also registered finishes of eighth on June 4 at Paducah (Ky.) International Raceway and 10th on June 5 at I-55 Raceway in Pevely, Mo., leaving him with 20 races under his belt this season.

Veteran Mike Hammerle of St. Charles, Mo., sits third in the national standings, 507 points behind Schlenk. He leads all DIRTcar Late Model drivers with 25 starts to his credit in 2010.

The DIRTcar Late Model national points standings are determined this year using drivers’ best 35 finishes/points nights.

Gilpin, meanwhile, lost a handful of points from his advantage in the UMP Modified national standings, ending the weekend with a precarious 16-point lead (1,692-1,676) over Rusty Griffaw of Festus, Mo. Both drivers have now made 25 starts this season, reaching the threshold at which UMP Modified competitors begin replacing their worst finishes/points nights.

The 19-year-old Gilpin had a busy weekend, racing at three different tracks in successive nights. He was victorious in a feature run on June 4 at Moler Raceway Park in Williamsburg, Ohio, before finishing second on June 5 at Brownstown (Ind.) Speedway and fifth on June 6 at Vermilion County Speedway in Danville, Ill.

Griffaw came close to a perfect weekend, winning on June 4 at Fredericktown (Mo.) Speedway and scoring runner-up finishes on June 5 at I-55 Raceway and June 6 at Shepp’s Speedway in Alexander, Ill.

There was a change at the top in two of DIRTcar Racing’s six other national points races as Scotty Oliver of Owensboro, Ky., took over the Limited Modified points lead and Larry Russell Jr. of Harristown, Ill., grabbed control of the Stock Car points battle. Maintaining their national points leads were Tait Davenport of West Paducah, Ky. (Pro Late Models), Jimmy Cummins of Waterloo, Ill. (Sportsman), Scott Mooers of Osteen, Fla. (Factory Stocks) and Michael Rittenberry of Clarksville, Tenn. (Sport Compacts).

Log on to www.dirtcar.com for more information on DIRTcar Racing's UMP circuit and to view complete points standings for all divisions.

DIRTcar Racing UMP National Points Standings (as of June 7, 2010):

Late Models (driver/points/races):

1. Rusty Schlenk 1735 24
2. Ryan Unzicker 1263 20
3. Mike Hammerle 1228 25
4. Jeff Walston 1042 17
5. Jason McBride 1016 19
6. Brandon Sheppard 1010 19
7. Brian Shirley 961 15
8. Michael Kloos 931 16
9. Dillan White 930 17
10. Brian Ruhlman 927 14
11. Richie Hedrick 865 17
12. Dennis Erb Jr. 859 14
13. Mike Schulte 841 16
14. Jim Moon 832 18
15. Frankie Martin 831 14
16. Phil Ausra 826 16
17. Jeep VanWormer 821 11
18. Dusty Moore 804 15
19. Alan Vochaska 795 12
20. Jason Feger 756 12

UMP Modifieds (driver/points/races):

1. Devin Gilpin 1692 25
2. Rusty Griffaw 1676 25
3. Randle Sweeney 1488 24
4. Stormy Scott 1414 21
5. Clint DeMoss 1329 19
6. Levi Kissinger 1207 22
7. Todd Sherman 1171 18
8. Dave Wietholder 1115 19
9. Mike Spatola 1081 19
10. Brett Korves 1079 18
11. Dustin Isom 1026 20
12. Dean Hoffman 1023 18
13. Zach Fair 1017 18
14. Trent Young 984 18
15. Jimmy Ray 977 16
16. Denny Schwartz 974 16
17. Mike Harrison 968 14
18. Rob Penny 953 22
19. Will Krup 948 23
20. Mark Tullis 936 17

Pro Late Models (driver/points/races):

1. Tait Davenport 927 15
2. Credence Mott 840 15
3. Scott Weber 840 12
4. Bobby Martintoni 790 14
5. Bobby Pierce 782 11
6. Matt Santel 775 15
7. Casey Montague 688 12
8. Nick Bauman 677 10
9. Bobby Dauderman 639 10
10. Daniel Heck 617 11

Sportsman (driver/points/races):

1. Jimmy Cummins 1009 15
2. Chris Hillman 883 15
3. Dennis Wernle 815 14
4. Randy Petro 809 14
5. Steve Peeden 798 13
6. Rocky Warner 789 12
7. Brad Cummings 756 14
8. Aaron Barsness 715 11
9. Jeff Herzog 706 11
10. Jason Keller 700 15

Limited Modifieds (driver/points/races):

1. Scotty Oliver 781 14
2. Jeff Lawson 722 13
3. Jonathan Smith 655 10
4. Ronnie Cotton 629 11
5. Shelli O’Bryan 589 12
6. John Paul Talkington 548 10
7. Michael Stratton 547 9
8. Clay Settles 506 9
9. Kevin Dupont 479 9
10. Josh Tyler 477 9

Stock Cars (driver/points/races):

1. Larry Russell Jr. 743 13
2. Mike Lynn 705 11
3. Rick Rush 703 15
4. Frank Burnell 649 10
5. J.R. Mason 629 9
6. Josh Smith 628 13
7. Josh Frye 598 11
8. Trevor Gamble 593 10
9. Tim Hughes 593 10
10. Mike Welch 556 10

Factory Stocks (driver/points/races):

1. Scott Mooers 938 14
2. Brad Venhaus 607 9
3. Luke Sadler 549 11
4. Zac Hoffman 542 9
5. Mickey Hines 486 9
6. Dave Grega 472 7
7. Stephen Fohne 464 9
8. Cody Vanosdol 452 6
9. Brian Crawford 448 8
10. Richard Calmes Jr. 442 10

Sport Compacts (driver/points/races):

1. Michael Rittenberry 1080 15
2. Jordan Suhre 1026 15
3. Trevor Isaak 926 15
4. Eldon Hemken 900 15
5. Rob Shaw 832 11
6. Cook Crawford 813 15
7. Justin Hall 811 15
8. Blayne Ellis 794 13
9. Bradly McGhee 781 14
10. Jay Gordon 777 15

Explaining The System: How The 2010 DIRTcar Racing Points Champions Are Determined

DIRTcar Racing UMP Weekly Points Update: Schlenk (Late Models) & Gilpin (Modifieds) Add To National Points Leads

MARYVILLE, IL – June 4, 2010 – Rusty Schlenk of Jackson, Mich. (Late Models) and Devin Gilpin of Columbus, Ind. (Modifieds) added to their leads in DIRTcar Racing's UMP national points standings after nine weeks of weekly competition.

Both young lions won twice over the holiday weekend, helping them pump up their points leads in races completed through May 31. Schlenk, 23, made the most dramatic gains, extending his edge by 124 points to a hefty 566 markers (1,650-1,084) over Ryan Unzicker of El Paso, Ill., while Gilpin, 19, increased his edge over Rusty Griffaw of Festus, Mo., by 14 points to a more modest 25-point margin (1,479-1,454).

Schlenk's three-race Memorial Day weekend of racing on the DIRTcar-sanctioned American Late Model Series was highlighted by his milestone first career win at the famed Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio. He captured the track's annual 'Johnny Appleseed Classic' on Sunday night (May 30) for what he called "without doubt the biggest win of my career."

The triumph at the Big E came after Schlenk finished fifth in the ALMS weekend opener on Friday night (May 28) at Mount Pleasant (Mich.) Speedway and recorded his 61st career win at Oakshade Raceway in Wauseon, Ohio, on Saturday night (May 29). He overtook Matt Miller for the lead on a late restart and never looked back at Oakshade.

Schlenk has won eighth features this season in his 23 overall starts. He currently leads all drivers in the UMP national points standings in the races-completed category. Unzicker, who last weekend finished fifth on May 28 at Farmer City (Ill.) Raceway and sixth on May 29 at Highland (Ill.) Speedway, has 17 starts to his credit, while Mike Hammerle of St. Charles, Mo., who sits third in the national standings after holiday-weekend finishes of third on May 28 at Belle-Clair Speedway in Belleville, Ill., and fourth on May 29 at I-55 Raceway in Pevely, Mo., has made 21 starts.

Gilpin, meanwhile, remained on top of the UMP Modified national points standings for the second consecutive week after scoring feature wins on May 28 at Moler Raceway Park in Williamsburg, Ohio, and May 30 at Windy Hollow Speedway in Owensboro, Ky., and finishing second on May 29 at Twin Cities Raceway Park in North Vernon, Ind.

Griffaw nearly kept pace with Gilpin with his performance last weekend, which included a victory on May 28 at Fredericktown (Mo.) Raceway, a second-place finish on May 29 at I-55 Raceway and a third-place outing on May 30 at Shepp's Speedway in Alexander, Ill.

Veteran Randle Sweeney of Clifty, Ky., who led the UMP Modified standings for several weeks before being overtaken by Gilpin, lost more ground to Gilpin and Griffaw. He registered runner-up finishes on May 29 at Clarksville (Tenn.) Speedway and May 30 at Windy Hollow, but a 22nd-place run on May 28 at Paducah (Ky.) International Raceway was a big blow to his points total, leaving him 126 points behind Gilpin in third place.

There was no change at the top of the national points standings in five of DIRTcar Racing's six other UMP divisions. Tait Davenport of West Paducah, Ky. (Pro Late Models), Jimmy Cummins of Waterloo, Ill. (Sportsman), Jeff Lawson of Greenville, Ky. (Limited Modifieds), Scott Mooers of Osteen, Fla. (Factory Stocks) and Michael Rittenberry of Clarksville, Tenn. (Sport Compacts) remained points leaders, while Rick Rush of Brownstown, Ill., overtook Trevor Gamble of DeLeon Springs, Fla., for the lead in the Stock Car national rankings.

Log on to www.dirtcar.com for more information on DIRTcar Racing's UMP circuit and to view complete points standings for all divisions.

DIRTcar Racing UMP National Points Standings (as of May 31, 2010):

Late Models (driver/points/races):

1. Rusty Schlenk 1650 23
2. Ryan Unzicker 1084 17
3. Mike Hammerle 1032 21
4. Jeff Walston 931 15
5. Brian Ruhlman 927 14
6. Jason McBride 926 17
7. Brandon Sheppard 854 16
8. Dillan White 838 15
9. Brian Shirley 823 13
10. Jeep VanWormer 821 11
11. Michael Kloos 806 14
12. Richie Hedrick 797 16
13. Phil Ausra 771 15
14. Dusty Moore 759 14
15. Frankie Martin 752 13
16. Alan Vochaska 730 11
17. Mike Schulte 729 14
18. Dennis Erb Jr. 719 12
19. Eric Smith 701 11
20. Jared Miley 660 10

Modifieds (driver/points/races):

1. Devin Gilpin 1479 22
2. Rusty Griffaw 1454 22
3. Randle Sweeney 1353 22
4. Stormy Scott 1256 19
5. Clint DeMoss 1136 16
6. Levi Kissinger 1132 21
7. Mike Spatola 1025 18
8. Todd Sherman 1005 15
9. Brett Korves 964 16
10. Dave Wietholder 952 16
11. Zach Fair 931 16
12. Dean Hoffman 922 16
13. Trent Young 914 17
14. Dustin Isom 886 18
15. Jeff Matthews 871 13
16. Will Krup 842 20
17. Jimmy Ray 834 14
18. Tony Anderson 822 15
19. Rob Penny 822 19
20. Denny Schwartz 815 13

Pro Late Models (driver/points/races):

1. Tait Davenport 846 14
2. Credence Mott 776 14
3. Matt Santel 729 14
4. Scott Weber 723 10
5. Bobby Pierce 647 9
6. Bobby Martintoni 620 11
7. Nick Lyons 575 10
8. Casey Montague 548 10
9. Nick Bauman 532 8
10. Bobby Dauderman 529 8

Sportsman (driver/points/races):

1. Jimmy Cummins 971 15
2. Chris Hillman 846 14
3. Steve Peeden 798 13
4. Brad Cummings 756 14
5. Randy Petro 751 13
6. Rocky Warner 734 11
7. Aaron Barsness 715 11
8. Dennis Wernle 705 12
9. Shaun Daugharty 690 11
10. Jeff Herzog 628 10

Limited Modifieds (driver/points/races):

1. Scotty Oliver 613 11
2. Jeff Lawson 604 11
3. Ronnie Cotton 509 9
4. Jonathan Smith-1 505 8
5. Shelli O'Bryan 492 10
6. John Paul Talkington 483 9
7. Kevin Dupont 479 9
8. Clay Settles 451 8
9. Josh Tyler 412 8
10. Shane Hebert 407 6

Stock Cars (driver/points/races):

1. Rick Rush 650 14
2. Mike Lynn 630 10
3. Trevor Gamble 593 10
4. Tim Hughes 593 10
5. Larry Russell Jr. 592 10
6. Mike Welch 556 10
7. JR Mason 554 8
8. Andy Fisk 552 9
9. Josh Smith 552 11
10. Josh Frye 538 10

Factory Stocks (driver/points/races):

1. Scott Mooers 866 13
2. Brad Venhaus 561 8
3. Luke Sadler 549 11
4. Zac Hoffman 542 9
5. Stephen Fohne 464 9
6. Brian Crawford 448 8
7. Richard Calmes Jr. 442 10
8. Mickey Hines 426 8
9. Wally Douglass 421 9
10. Troy Bunfill 420 7

Sport Compacts (driver/points/races):

1. Michael Rittenberry 1030 15
2. Jordan Suhre 901 14
3. Eldon Hemken 862 14
4. Trevor Isaak 832 15
5. Justin Hall 772 15
6. Rob Shaw 757 10
7. Blayne Ellis 724 12
8. Cook Crawford 716 14
9. Bradley McGhee 716 12
10. Jason Schmidt 705 12

Schatz, Clanton Power to Top of LaCrosse ‘Extreme Tough Challenge’ Standings

DIRTcar Racing UMP Weekly Points Update: Schlenk Pads Late Model National Lead, Gilpin Moves To Top Of Modified Standings

MARYVILLE, IL – May 28, 2010 – Rusty Schlenk of Jackson, Mich., continued to pad his lead in DIRTcar Racing's UMP Late Model national points standings while Devin Gilpin of Columbus, Ind., took control of the Modified national rankings after eight weeks of weekly action.

Schlenk, 23, pushed his edge to 432 points (1,415-973) over Ryan Unzicker of El Paso, Ill., in UMP-sanctioned DIRTcar Late Model races contested through May 24, adding 60 points to his already hefty advantage from the previous week. He registered finishes of second on May 22 at Oakshade Raceway in Wauseon, Ohio (with a 41-car field) and sixth on May 23 at Vermilion County Speedway in Danville, Ill.

Unzicker also competed on May 23 at Vermilion County, finishing fourth to maintain second in the national points battle. He has 15 UMP-sanctioned starts under his belt compared to Schlenk's 20.

The 19-year-old Gilpin, meanwhile, vaulted from fourth to first in the UMP Modified national points standings, replacing veteran Randle Sweeney of Clifty, Ky., atop the division's battle. He enters this weekend's competition holding a 13-point lead (1,250-1,239) over Rusty Griffaw of Festus, Mo.

Sweeney, who had paced the Modified standings for several weeks, fell to fourth in the rankings. He now trails Gilpin by 71 points, with both drivers boasting 19 starts.

There was no change at the top of the national points standings in DIRTcar Racing's six other UMP divisions. Tait Davenport of West Paducah, Ky. (Pro Late Models), Jimmy Cummins of Waterloo, Ill. (Sportsman), Jeff Lawson of Greenville, Ky. (Limited Modifieds), Trevor Gamble of DeLeon Springs, Fla. (Stock Cars), Scott Mooers of Osteen, Fla. (Factory Stocks) and Michael Rittenberry of Clarksville, Tenn. (Sport Compacts) remained points leaders.

Log on to www.dirtcar.com for more information on DIRTcar Racing's UMP circuit and to view complete points standings for all divisions.

DIRTcar Racing UMP National Points Standings (as of May 24, 2010):

Late Models (driver/points/races):

1. Rusty Schlenk 1415 20
2. Ryan Unzicker 973 15
3. Mike Hammerle 927 19
4. Jason McBride 878 16
5. Jeff Walston 827 13
6. Brandon Sheppard 789 15
7. Dillan White 751 13
8. Brian Ruhlman 729 11
9. Richie Hedrick 708 14
10. Michael Kloos 680 11
11. Dennis Erb Jr. 665 11
12. Brian Shirley 658 10
13. Mike Schulte 637 12
14. Dusty Moore 611 11
15. Jeep VanWormer 606 8
16. Phil Ausra 605 12
17. Jim Moon 594 13
18. Jared Miley 592 9
19. Frankie Martin 590 11
20. Rick Standridge 584 12

Modifieds (driver/points/races):

1. Devin Gilpin 1250 19
2. Rusty Griffaw 1239 19
3. Stormy Scott 1181 18
4. Randle Sweeney 1179 19
5. Levi Kissinger 1014 19
6. Clint DeMoss 919 13
7. Mike Spatola 915 16
8. Todd Sherman 873 13
9. Jeff Matthews 871 13
10. Dave Wietholder 861 14
11. Dustin Isom 850 17
12. Trent Young 834 15
13. Will Krup 803 19
14. Dean Hoffman 780 13
15. Zach Fair 779 14
16. Brett Korves 779 13
17. Jimmy Ray 769 13
18. Tony Anderson 754 14
19. Fito Gallardo 734 12
20. Rob Penny 724 17

Pro Late Models (driver/points/races):

1. Tait Davenport 771 13
2. Matt Santel 682 13
3. Credence Mott 668 12
4. Scott Weber 603 8
5. Nick Lyons 575 10
6. Bobby Pierce 486 7
7. Nick Bauman 466 7
8. Bobby Martintoni 461 8
9. Tony Albright 445 8
10. Matt Liner 425 9

Sportsman (driver/points/races):

1. Jimmy Cummins 959 15
2. Steve Peeden 733 12
3. Chris Hillman 729 12
4. Aaron Barsness 645 10
5. Randy Petro 640 11
6. Brad Cummings 638 12
7. Shaun Daugharty 630 10
8. Jeff Herzog 588 9
9. Dennis Wernle 588 10
10. Rocky Warner 584 9

Limited Modifieds (driver/points/races):

1. Jeff Lawson 525 9
2. Scotty Oliver 492 9
3. John Paul Talkington 483 9
4. Kevin Dupont 479 9
5. Ronnie Cotton 444 8
6. Shane Hebert 407 6
7. Corey Buhler 406 7
8. Clay Settles 396 7
9. Shelli O'Bryan 372 8
10. Josh Tyler 368 7

Stock Cars (driver/points/races):

1. Trevor Gamble 593 10
2. Larry Russell Jr. 555 9
3. Tim Hughes 533 9
4. Frank Burnell 514 8
5. Rick Rush 513 11
6. Phillip Brown 486 8
7. JR Mason 479 7
8. Mike Welch 459 8
9. Mike Lynn 456 7
10. Josh Smith 451 9

Factory Stocks (driver/points/races):

1. Scott Mooers 796 12
2. Brad Venhaus 561 8
3. Luke Sadler 513 10
4. Zac Hoffman 467 8
5. Richard Calmes Jr. 402 9
6. Stephen Fohne 394 8
7. Brian Crawford 393 7
8. Dennis Ponder 393 8
9. Mickey Hines 389 7
10. Jordan Bauer 383 7

Sport Compacts (driver/points/races):

1. Michael Rittenberry 987 15
2. Eldon Hemken 795 13
3. Jordan Suhre 771 12
4. Bradley McGhee 716 12
5. Justin Hall 711 15
6. Trevor Isaak 702 13
7. Rob Shaw 680 9
8. Cook Crawford 673 13
9. Jason Schmidt 635 11
10. Jay Gordon 604 12

R2C Performance Partners with World Racing Group

DIRTcar Racing UMP Weekly Points Update: Schlenk Expands National Late Model Lead, Sweeney's Modified Edge Shrinks To Single Point

MARYVILLE, IL – May 20, 2010 – Rusty Schlenk of Jackson, Mich., continued to expand his early-season lead in DIRTcar Racing's UMP Late Model national points standings, pushing his edge to a healthy 372 points after seven weeks of weekly competition.

The UMP Modified national points battle, meanwhile, has suddenly become extremely tight. Randle Sweeney of Clifty, Ky., remains atop the standings in races contested through May 17, but his lead is down to a single point and just 43 points separate the top-four drivers in the rankings.

Schlenk, 23, put together another solid weekend under DIRTcar's UMP banner, finishing third on May 14 at Attica (Ohio) Raceway Park and emerging victorious on May 15 at Oakshade Raceway in Wauseon, Ohio. The triumph was his sixth overall of the 2010 season, the 60th of Schlenk's young dirt Late Model career and moved him into the points lead at Oakshade.

With 18 UMP-sanctioned starts already under his belt, Schlenk has accumulated an impressive 12 top-three finishes as he chases his first-ever UMP Late Model national crown. His closest pursuer in the points standings is now Ryan Unzicker of El Paso, Ill., whose finishes last weekend of fifth on May 14 at Farmer City (Ill.) Raceway and 18th on May 15 at La Salle (Ill.) Speedway left him with 14 starts to his credit this season.

In the UMP Modified ranks, the veteran Sweeney saw his lead in the national points standings virtually disappear during a weekend in which his lone points-scoring outing come on May 15 at Soggy Bottom Raceway in Morgantown, Ky., where he finished second. He entered the weekend with a 39-point advantage over Devin Gilpin of Columbus, Ind., but ended it leading Rusty Griffaw of Festus, Mo., by just one point (1,069-1,068).

Griffaw rocketed up from fourth in the previous week's standings on the strength of back-to-back wins, on May 14 at Jacksonville (Ill.) Speedway and May 15 at La Salle. He has seven victories this season.

Twenty-year-old Stormy Scott of Las Cruces, N.M., remained third in the UMP Modified points standings, six points behind Sweeney after finishing second on May 14 at El Paso (Texas) Raceway Park and winning on May 15 at Southern New Mexico Speedway in Las Cruces, N.M. Gilpin, meanwhile, fell from second to fourth after recording a single points-scoring start last weekend – a third-place finish on May 14 at Moler Raceway Park in Williamsburg, Ohio.

There was no change at the top of the national points standings in five of DIRTcar Racing's six other divisions. Tait Davenport of West Paducah, Ky. (Pro Late Models), Jimmy Cummins of Waterloo, Ill. (Sportsman), Trevor Gamble of DeLeon Springs, Fla. (Stock Cars), Scott Mooers of Osteen, Fla. (Factory Stocks) and Michael Rittenberry of Clarksville, Tenn. (Sport Compacts) remained points leaders, while Mississippi's Jeff Lawson moved to the top of the Limited Modified standings.

Log on to www.dirtcar.com for more information on DIRTcar Racing's UMP circuit and to view complete points standings for all divisions.

DIRTcar Racing UMP National Points Standings (as of May 17, 2010):

Late Models (driver/points/races):

1. Rusty Schlenk 1276 18
2. Ryan Unzicker 904 14
3. Jason McBride 826 15
4. Mike Hammerle 775 16
5. Jeff Walston 752 12
6. Dillan White 709 12
7. Brandon Sheppard 697 13
8. Dennis Erb Jr. 665 11
9. Brian Ruhlman 654 10
10. Richie Hedrick 599 12
11. Brian Shirley 574 9
12. Phil Ausra 572 11
13. Dusty Moore 562 10
14. Mike Schulte 551 10
15. Jared Miley 547 8
16. Jeep VanWormer 527 7
17. Mark Voigt 526 8
18. Jeff Babcock 521 10
19. Eric Turner 521 8
20. Michael Kloos 518 9

Modifieds (driver/points/races):

1. Randle Sweeney 1069 17
2. Rusty Griffaw 1068 16
3. Stormy Scott 1063 16
4. Devin Gilpin 1026 16
5. Levin Kissinger 880 16
6. Jeff Matthews 811 12
7. Dustin Isom 800 16
8. Todd Sherman 790 12
9. Mike Spatola 784 14
10. Trent Young 759 14
11. Clint DeMoss 724 10
12. Dave Wietholder 693 11
13. Will Krup 684 16
14. Tony Anderson 680 13
15. Chad Evans 675 12
16. Rob Penny 664 16
17. Brett Korves 661 11
18. Zach Fair 648 12
19. Jimmy Ray 648 11
20. Dean Hoffman 637 11

Pro Late Models (driver/points/races):

1. Tait Davenport 771 13
2. Matt Santel 643 12
3. Credence Mott 593 11
4. Nick Lyons 575 10
5. Scott Weber 528 7
6. Cary King 410 7
7. Bobby Pierce 410 6
8. Nick Bauman 405 6
9. Bobby Martintoni 396 7
10. Tony Albright 380 7

Sportsman (driver/points/races):

1. Jimmy Cummins 820 13
2. Steve Peeden 696 11
3. Chris Hillman 659 11
4. Shaun Daugharty 585 9
5. Aaron Barsness 569 9
6. Brad Cummings 535 10
7. Jeff Herzog 532 8
8. Randy Petro 505 9
9. Troy Clark 491 9
10. Lee Hobbs 476 8

Limited Modifieds (driver/points/races):

1. Jeff Lawson 406 7
2. Scotty Oliver 399 7
3. John Paul Talkington 378 7
4. Kevin Dupont 336 6
5. Shane Hebert 335 5
6. Ronnie Cotton 319 6
7. Josh Tyler 303 6
8. Clay Settles 300 5
9. Grant Brown 297 6
10. Shelli O'Bryan 292 6

Stock Cars (driver/points/races):

1. Trevor Gamble 523 9
2. Tim Hughes 520 9
3. Rick Rush 467 10
4. Larry Russell Jr. 435 7
5. Phillip Brown 426 7
6. JR Mason 409 6
7. Frank Burnell Jr. 387 6
8. Mike Lynn 386 6
9. Charles Christian 359 6
10. Ed Kuhn 356 6

Factory Stocks (driver/points/races):

1. Scott Mooers 666 10
2. Brad Venhaus 561 8
3. Zac Hoffman 467 8
4. Luke Sadler 438 9
5. Stephen Fohne 394 8
6. Brian Crawford 393 7
7. Dennis Ponder 393 8
8. Jordan Bauer 383 7
9. Troy Bunfill 372 6
10. Richard Calmes Jr. 354 8

Sport Compacts (driver/points/races):

1. Michael Rittenberry 842 13
2. Eldon Hemken 684 11
3. Justin Hall 672 14
4. Bradley McGhee 646 11
5. Jordan Suhre 641 10
6. Rob Shaw 596 8
7. Jay Gordon 565 11
8. Trevor Isaak 558 11
9. Cook Crawford 539 10
10. Shawn Kozier 529 8

Eddie Kirchoff Closing In On Colorado Late Model Association DIRTcar Series Alltime Win Record

After Season-Opening Victories In Kansas, Wyoming Star Looks To Continue CLMA Success This Weekend On Home Turf

DENVER, CO – May 12, 2010 – Eddie Kirchoff performed spectacularly 12 hours from home last weekend. This weekend he'll try to put together another perfect performance in his backyard.

Hot off a sweep of a historic doubleheader co-sanctioned by the Colorado Late Model Association DIRTcar Series and Midwest DIRTcar Late Model Series at Dodge City (Kan.) Raceway Park, Gillette, Wyo.'s Kirchoff is ready to defend his home turf when the CLMA tour visits Black Hills Speedway in Rapid City, S.D., on Friday night (May 14) and Gillette (Wyo.) Thunder Speedway on Saturday evening (May 15).

And Kirchoff, 27, will also be chasing history this weekend. After doubling up at Dodge City he owns 13 career CLMA DIRTcar Series victories, moving him past Kelly Boen of Henderson, Colo., for second on the tour's alltime win list and within striking distance of the record 16 triumphs held by Brett Hallmark of Grand Junction, Colo.

"I didn't even realize I was close to the record," said Kirchoff, one of the top DIRTcar Late Model talents in the Rocky Mountain region. "Hopefully we can move a little closer to it this weekend."

Kirchoff brings plenty of momentum into the Black Hills/Gillette double-dip. He tore through the field twice last weekend at Dodge City, advancing from the eighth starting spot to win the Friday-night preliminary and charging from the 12th slot in Saturday evening's 30-lapper to complete his sweep of the 'Six Shooter Showdown.'

"It was a long drive to Kansas but it was definitely worth it after the weekend we had," said Kirchoff, who pocketed a total of $2,700 for his triumphs in the first-ever CLMA and MDLMS events under the DIRTcar Racing banner. "The track was beautiful, and the shape and size (three-eighths-mile) kind of reminded me of my hometown track (Gillette Thunder) but with a wall around it."

Kirchoff, who won the CLMA DIRTcar Series championship in 2007, has won six CLMA events at Gillette and one at Black Hills Speedway over the past three years.

"It'll be nice to have two races within a two-hour drive of home," said Kirchoff, who currently works at his father Ed's K&K Import Repair after being laid off from his engineer's job at the Jacob Ranch coal mine in Wright, Wyo., following a change of ownership. "We're off to a good start and want to keep it going."

A December 2008 graduate of the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology in Rapid City, S.D., Kirchoff is a proponent of the CLMA and MDLMS tours now running under the sanction of DIRTcar Racing, which provides him and other drivers from Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas and nearby states more opportunities to be part of DIRTcar's UMP points program.

"The sanction with UMP and DIRTcar is one of the best things that could happen (for the series)," said Kirchoff, who got a taste of racing in DIRTcar UMP's heartland when he traveled to the Midwest to follow the grueling UMP Summer Nationals tour in 2007. "Hopefully it keeps building out here."

Kirchoff will face plenty of tough competition this weekend, including Colorado drivers Scott Lewis, Dean Moore and Dave Garmann and Casper, Wyo.'s Jason Schirkolk, who finished 12 points behind Eddie in the 2009 weekly Late Model points standings at Gillette. Both races will pay $1,200 to win and $200 to start.

For more information on the CLMA DIRTcar Series, visit www.coloradolatemodel.com or contact CLMA Promotions Director Cory Moul at 303-263-5489 or cmoul-mhjc@comcast.net.

The Midwest DIRTcar Late Model Series, meanwhile, will be back in action this Saturday night (May 15) at Minneapolis (Kan.) Raceway. The event pays $1,200 to win and $200 to start, with bonus money guaranteeing at least $250 for drivers traveling more than 200 miles and $300 for those who come from at 300 or more miles away to compete.

Additional info on all of the series, sanctioning and member tracks of DIRTcar Racing is available at www.DIRTcar.com.

Alltime Colorado Late Model Association DIRTcar Series Win List:

16 – Brett Hallmark – Grand Junction, CO
13 – Eddie Kirchoff – Gillette, WY
11 – Kelly Boen – Henderson, CO
9 – Dean Moore – Grand Junction, CO
6 – Gary Dechant – Northglenn, CO
6 – Jeep Berry – Grand Junction, CO
4 – Dave Garmann – Brighton, CO
4 - Ken Brack – Johnstown, CO
4 – John Kuchar – Henderson, CO
4 – Mike Stadel – Rapid City, SD
3 – Bill Sabin – Broomfield, CO
3 – Jim Clifton – Fort Morgan, CO
3 – Jim Beaman – Littleton, CO
2 – Steve Drake – San Luis Obispo, CA
2 – Steve Kosiski – Papillon, NB
2 – Delbert Smith – Wichita, KS
2 – Kyle Berk – Marquette, NB
2 – Rick Lieser – Greeeley, CO
2 – Scott Lewis – Henderson, CO
1 – Mike Cox, Gary Gorby, Alan Vaughn, Mitch Johnson, Brett LaFollette, Terry Boushee, Eric Mass, Chris Johnson, Al Purkey, Curt Daniels, Scott Cimfl, Jason Schierkilk
 

DIRTcar Racing UMP Weekly Points Update: Schlenk (Late Models) & Sweeney (Modifieds) Remain Atop National Standings

MARYVILLE, IL – May 12, 2010 – Rusty Schlenk of Jackson, Mich. (Late Models) and Randle Sweeney of Clifty, Ky. (Modifieds) remained atop DIRTcar Racing's UMP circuit national points standings with six weeks of weekly competition completed.

Schlenk, 23, continued to build a significant early-season edge in the DIRTcar Late Model points battle, extending his lead to 342 points (1,120-778) over Jason McBride of Carbondale, Ill., in races run through May 9. The Michigander's edge increased by a healthy 59 points after he scored a pair of top-10 finishes last weekend.

With rain hampering Schlenk's efforts to find a race close to home over the weekend of May 6-8 – among the cancellations were American Late Model Series events scheduled in Ohio on May 7 at Limaland Motorsports Park and May 8 at Fremont Speedway – he hit the road and went racing in the Land of Lincoln. He finished sixth (after winning a heat race) on May 8 at Fairbury (Ill.) American Legion Speedway and placed fifth in a Big 10 Series event on May 9 at Shepp's Speedway in Alexandria, Ill.

The big mover in the latest DIRTcar Late Model national points standings was Ryan Unzicker of El Paso, Ill., whose back-to-back victories at Fairbury and Shepp's vaulted him from seventh to third in the rankings.

The veteran Sweeney, meanwhile, saw his lead in the UMP Modified national points standings cut almost exactly in half, ending the weekend with a 39-point edge (999-960) over Devin Gilpin of Columbus, Ind. Sweeney entered the weekend with a 77-point cushion.

Sweeney, Gilpin and many other high-profile UMP Modified drivers invaded Soggy Bottom Raceway in Morgantown, Ky., on May 8 for the $3,000-to-win 'Monster Modified 40.' Trent Young of Hopkinsville, Ky., won the event over Sweeney, with Gilpin settling for a 16th-place finish.

National points leaders in DIRTcar Racing's six other divisions after six weeks of action include Tait Davenport of West Paducah, Ky. (Pro Late Models), Jimmy Cummins of Waterloo, Ill. (Sportsman), Scotty Oliver of Owensboro, Ky. (Limited Modifieds), Trevor Gamble of DeLeon Springs, Fla. (Stock Cars), Scott Mooers of Osteen, Fla. (Factory Stocks) and Michael Rittenberry of Clarksville, Tenn. (Sport Compacts).

Log on to www.dirtcar.com for more information on DIRTcar Racing's UMP circuit and to view complete points standings for all divisions.

DIRTcar Racing UMP National Points Standings (as of May 10, 2010):

Late Models (driver/points/races):

1. Rusty Schlenk 1120 16
2. Jason McBride 778 14
3. Ryan Unzicker 721 11
4. Mike Hammerle 717 15
5. Dennis Erb Jr. 665 11
6. Jeff Walston 624 10
7. Dillan White 551 10
8. Brandon Sheppard 550 11
9. Brian Shirley 506 8
10. Jason Feger 503 8
11. Mark Voigt 486 7
12. Mike Schulte 483 9
13. Jared Miley 480 7
14. Eric Turner 479 7
15. David Clegg 475 8
16. Richie Hedrick 472 10
17. Michael Kloos 468 8
18. Craig Smith 465 8
19. Jim Moon 456 10
20. Brian Ruhlman 454 7

Modifieds (driver/points/races):

1. Randle Sweeney 999 16
2. Devin Gilpin 960 15
3. Stormy Scott 910 14
4. Rusty Griffaw 900 14
5. Levi Kissinger 800 14
6. Jeff Matthews 741 11
7. Trent Young 704 13
8. Dustin Isom 693 14
9. Mike Spatola 678 12
10. Chad Evans 619 11
11. Dave Wietholder 615 10
12. Rob Penny 604 15
13. Brett Korves 596 10
14. Dean Hoffman 591 10
15. Will Krup 587 14
16. Todd Sherman 572 9
17. Jimmy Ray 546 9
18. Denny Schwartz 545 9
19. Zach Fair 542 10
20. Paul Miles 542 9

Pro Late Models (driver/points/races):

1. Tait Davenport 732 12
2. Nick Lyons 575 10
3. Matt Santel 557 10
4. Credence Mott 478 9
5. Scott Weber 461 6
6. Bobby Martintoni 357 6
7. Nick Bauman 345 5
8. Bobby Pierce 340 5
9. Cary King 338 6
10. Tony Albright 320 6

Sportsman (driver/points/races):

1. Jimmy Cummins 749 12
2. Chris Hillman 541 9
3. Steve Peeden 537 8
4. Shaun Daugharty 486 7
5. Aaron Barsness 461 7
6. Jeff Herzog 456 7
7. Brad Cummings 446 8
8. Dennis Wernle 405 7
9. Matt McGillvary 404 7
10. Trey Harris 399 5

Limited Modifieds (driver/points/races):

1. Scotty Oliver 339 6
2. Jeff Lawson 336 6
3. John Paul Talkington 328 6
4. Clay Settles 300 5
5. Shane Hebert 298 4
6. Ronnie Cotton 269 5
7. Kevin Dupont 261 5
8. Grant Brown 257 5
9. Jansen Morris 249 5
10. Jonathan Smith 248 4

Stock Cars (driver/points/races):

1. Trevor Gamble 453 8
2. Tim Hughes 433 7
3. Rick Rush 419 9
4. Larry Russell Jr. 389 6
5. Phillip Brown 378 6
6. JR Mason 334 5
7. Nate Zimmer 326 5
8. Mike Eubanks 319 7
9. Mike Lynn 311 5
10. Ed Kuhn 306 5

Factory Stocks (driver/points/races):

1. Scott Mooers 442 7
2. Brd Venhaus 347 5
3. Luke Sadler 339 7
4. Randy Strehle 304 6
5. Jordan Bauer 291 5
6. Zac Hoffman 289 5
7. Dennis Ponder 279 6
8. Wally Douglass 261 6
9. Stephen Fohne 258 5
10. Richard Calmes Jr. 256 6

Sport Compacts (driver/points/races):

1. Michael Rittenberry 767 12
2. Eldon Hemken 612 10
3. Bradley McGhee 600 10
4. Justin Hall 591 12
5. Jordan Suhre 570 9
6. Rob Shaw 519 7
7. Trevor Isaak 509 10
8. Jay Gordon 508 10
9. Cook Crawford 489 9
10. Joe Reed 488 9

Midwest DIRTcar Late Model Series Kicks Off 2010 Season On Saturday Night (May 1) At Oklahoma's Wild West Speedway

CLINTON, OK – April 29, 2010 – The first green flag of the 2010 Midwest DIRTcar Late Model Series season is ready to fly.

An inaugural visit to Wild West Speedway in Clinton, Okla., is set for this Saturday night (May 1), propelling the growing tour into its exciting first season under the banner of the well-known DIRTcar Racing sanctioning body.

Saturday's 30-lap, $1,000-to-win A-Main kicks off an important campaign for the second-year series, which currently boasts 12 dates at eight different tracks spread across Kansas and Oklahoma. Several additional events remain under negotiation.

"We're looking forward to a great season," said president Dusty Wiegert, a 27-year-old from Ramona, Kans., who led the formation of the MDLMS in the fall of 2008 and oversaw a six-race debut schedule in 2009. "Our goal this season is to impress the promoters with a competitive, entertaining show so that all of them will want to bring the series back in 2011 and other promoters will want to come on board as well."

The MDLMS will begin its mission by putting DIRTcar Late Model racing in front of a Wild West Speedway crowd eager to witness the full-fender division's unique brand of action. A steeply-banked, three-eighths-mile oval located one hour west of Oklahoma City on I-40, the track has not hosted a Late Model event in 15 years.

A solid field of drivers is expected to sign in at Wild West Speedway to begin chasing the MDLMS title and earning points toward the national and state/regional points programs associated with DIRTcar Racing's UMP circuit. Entrants should include Gary Gorby of Caney, Kans., who will make his debut driving for the Collins Racing Team; Brad Fortney of Wichita, Kans.; brothers Tyler and Cale Gottschalk of Benton, Kans.; Cliff Morrow of Enid, Okla.; Andy Gerstenkorn of Independence, Kans.; Brookin Stephens of Muskogee, Okla.; and MDLMS Rookie of the Year candidates Doug Sieh of Wichita, Kans., and Darin Busch of Enid, Okla.

Wild West Speedway's gates are scheduled to open at 5 p.m, with racing set to begin at 8 p.m.

Ticket prices are $15 for adults, $7 for youths 6-12 and free for kids 5-and-under. Pit passes will be $30.

More information on Wild West Speedway is available by visiting www.wildwestspeedway.com or calling 580-323-3993.

Saturday's lidlifter begins a busy two-week period for the MDLMS, which will roll right back into action next weekend (May 7-8) with a big two-day 'Six Shooter Showdown' program at Dodge City (Kans.) Speedway. The doubleheader, which includes features paying $1,200 to win on Fri., May 7, and $1,500 to win on Sat., May 8, will mark the first time that the MDLMS will race under a co-sanction with its new DIRTcar Racing-sanctioned sister tour, the Colorado Late Model Association DIRTcar Series.

Dodge City's 'Six Shooter Showdown' will serve as the season-opening events for the CLMA DIRTcar Series after the tour's scheduled lidlifters were called off by bad weather on April 24 at Colorado Motorsports Park in Byers and April 25 at I-76 Speedway in Fort Morgan, Colo.

Many CLMS DIRTcar Series regulars will, however, have a chance to tune up for the Dodge City show by competing this Sunday (May 2) in the first DIRTcar-sanctioned Late Model event at the new Colorado Motorsports Park.

For more information on the Midwest DIRTcar Late Model Series, visit www.mdlms.net or call 336-DIRTCAR (336-347-8227).

Additional info on all of the series, sanctioning and member tracks of DIRTcar Racing is available at www.DIRTcar.com.

DIRTcar Racing UMP Weekly Points Update: Schlenk (Late Models) & Sweeney (Modifieds) Remain Atop National Standings

MARYVILLE, IL – April 29, 2010 – Rusty Schlenk of Jackson, Mich. (Late Models) and Randle Sweeney of Clifty, Ky. (Modifieds) remained atop DIRTcar Racing's UMP circuit national points standings after four weeks of weekly competition.

Schlenk, 23, is off to superb start in his bid for a first-ever UMP national title in the DIRTcar Late Model division. He was almost perfect last weekend, scoring a second-place finish on April 23 at Attica (Ohio) Raceway Park and then winning a feature on April 24 at Thunderbird Raceway in Muskegon, Mich.

A winner five times already in 2010, Schlenk pushed his early-season points lead to an impressive 214 points (883-669) over Jason McBride of Carbondale, Ill. He has made 12 UMP-sanctioned starts so far this season and has now led the national standings for two consecutive weeks.

The veteran Sweeney, meanwhile, saw his Modified points lead balloon to 154 points (919-765) over young Stormy Scott of Las Cruces, N.M., following a pair of consistent finishes last weekend. Sweeney placed third on April 22 at Paducah (Ky.) International Raceway and fourth on April 23 at Soggy Bottom Raceway in Morgantown, Ky.

Scott did not make a UMP-sanctioned start last weekend, leaving him with 12 races under his belt this season versus Sweeney's 15.

For the second straight week there was no change at the top of the national standings in UMP's six other divisions. Points leaders remained Tait Davenport of West Paducah, Ky. (Pro Late Models), Jimmy Cummins of Waterloo, Ill. (Sportsman), Shane Hebert of Lafayette, La. (Limited Modifieds), Trevor Gamble of DeLeon Springs, Fla. (Stock Cars), Scott Mooers of Osteen, Fla. (Factory Stocks) and Michael Rittenberry of Clarksville, Tenn. (Sport Compacts).

Log on to www.dirtcar.com for more information on DIRTcar Racing's UMP circuit and to view complete points standings for all divisions.

DIRTcar Racing UMP National Points Standings (as of April 26, 2010):

Late Models (driver/points/races):

1. Rusty Schlenk 883 12
2. Jason McBride 669 12
3. Jeff Walston 565 9
4. Mike Hammerle 500 11
5. Ryan Unzicker 462 7
6. Jeep VanWormer 442 6
7. Richie Hedrick 417 8
8. Dennis Erb Jr. 414 7
9. Jason Riggs 411 8
10. David Clegg 405 7
11. Dillan White 402 8
12. Dillon Wood 389 7
13. Brian Shirley 387 6
14. Brian Ruhlman 384 6
15. Joe Kump 370 7
16. Chris Shelton 357 8
17. Brandon Sheppard 352 7
18. Mark Voigt 346 5
19. Jason Feger 344 5
20. Jim Moon 334 7

Modifieds (driver/points/races):

1. Randle Sweeney 919 15
2. Stormy Scott 765 12
3. Devin Gilpin 752 12
4. Levi Kissinger 688 12
5. Jeff Matthews 666 10
6. Dustin Isom 609 12
7. Trent Young 581 11
8. Rusty Griffaw 559 9
9. Rob Penny 552 14
10. Denny Schwartz 508 8
11. Mike Spatola 496 9
12. Tommy Seets Jr. 493 8
13. Todd Sherman 485 8
14. Chad Evans 484 9
15. Chad Kinder 438 7
16. Jimmy Ray 438 7
17. Will Krup 437 10
18. Dean Hoffman 429 7
19. Dave Wietholder 422 7
20. Tony Anderson 412 8

Pro Late Models (driver/points/races):

1. Tait Davenport 672 11
2. Nick Lyons 575 10
3. Credence Mott 441 8
4. Matt Santel 439 8
5. Scott Weber 386 5
6. Tony Albright 320 6
7. Bobby Martintoni 292 5
8. Cary King 288 5
9. Brant Kehrer 279 6
10. Nick Bauman 270 4

Sportsman (driver/points/races):

1. Jimmy Cummins 503 8
2. Steve Peeden 463 7
3. Chris Hillman 416 7
4. Shaun Daugherty 411 6
5. Aaron Barsness 406 6
6. Brad Cummings 367 7
7. Matt McGillvary 344 6
8. Josh Taylor 337 7
9. Chuck Bailey 331 6
10. Paul Shead 329 6

Limited Modifieds (driver/points/races):

1. Shane Hebert 298 4
2. John Paul Talkington 284 5
3. Kevin Dupont 261 5
4. Johnny Holden 234 4
5. Jeff Lawson 231 4
6. Corey Buhler 230 4
7. Scotty Oliver 227 4
8. Kamron Campbell 195 4
9. Brent Broussard 190 4
10. Sherman Barnett 189 3

Stock Cars (driver/points/races):

1. Trevor Gamble 415 7
2. Tim Hughes 358 6
3. J.R. Mason 334 5
4. Mike Eubanks 319 7
5. Phillip Brown 313 5
6. Jody Wells 286 5
7. Larry Russell Jr. 280 4
8. Charles Christian 278 5
9. Rick Rush 277 6
10. Tony Cruse 265 5

Factory Stocks (driver/points/races):

1. Scott Mooers 442 7
2. Luke Sadler 339 7
3. Randy Strehle 304 6
4. Dennis Ponder 269 5
5. Brad Venhaus 265 4
6. Wally Douglass 261 6
7. Richard Calmes Jr. 256 6
8. Courtney Eubanks 254 6
9. Donnie Nobles 253 5
10. Jordan Bauer 248 4

Sport Compacts (driver/points/races):

1. Michael Rittenberry 617 10
2. Bradley McGhee 545 9
3. Justin Hall 487 9
4. Aimee Foster 437 7
5. Shawn Kozier 420 6
6. RJ Glaser 393 6
7. Jordan Suhre 379 5
8. Eldon Hemken 365 6
9. Casey Feaster 351 6
10. Jay Gordon 351 7
 

DIRTcar Racing UMP Weekly Points Update: Schlenk Takes Late Model Lead, Sweeney Remains Atop Modified National Standings

MARYVILLE, IL – April 23, 2010 – Rusty Schlenk of Jackson, Mich., is eyeing DIRTcar Racing's UMP Late Model national championship is 2010 – and so far, he's proving that he's a serious contender for the crown.

The campaign has only just begun, but Schlenk, 23, took over the circuit's national points lead following last weekend's action. He overtook fellow young lion Jason McBride of Carbondale, Ill., after scoring a top-three finish in all three of his starts.

Schlenk registered a second-place finish in the season-opening Sunoco American Late Model Series event on April 16 at Attica (Ohio) Raceway Park. He then finished third in another ALMS show on April 17 at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, and third in a weekend-ending program on April 18 at Waynesfield (Ohio) Motorsports Park.

The solid weekend pushed Schlenk to a 96-point (728-632) lead over McBride in the national standings. Schlenk has made 10 starts and McBride 11 so far in 2010.

Veteran Randle Sweeney of Clifty, Ky., meanwhile, remained atop the UMP Modified national points standings. He enters this weekend's action holding a 21-point lead (786-765) over young Stormy Scott of Las Cruces, N.M.

There was no change at the top of the national standings in UMP's six other divisions. Points leaders remain Tait Davenport of West Paducah, Ky. (Pro Late Models), Jimmy Cummins of Waterloo, Ill. (Sportsman), Shane Hebert of Lafayette, La. (Limited Modifieds), Trevor Gamble of DeLeon Springs, Fla. (Stock Cars), Scott Mooers of Osteen, Fla. (Factory Stocks) and Michael Rittenberry of Clarksville, Tenn. (Sport Compacts).

Log on to www.dirtcar.com for more information on DIRTcar Racing's UMP circuit and to view complete points standings for all divisions.

DIRTcar Racing UMP National Points Standings (as of April 19, 2010):

Late Models (driver/points/races):

1. Rusty Schlenk 728 10
2. Jason McBride 632 11
3. Jeff Walston 527 8
4. Mike Hammerle 500 11
5. Richie Hedrick 417 8
6. Dennis Erb Jr. 414 7
7. David Clegg 405 7
8. Dillon Wood 389 7
9. Brian Shirley 387 6
10. Ryan Unzicker 387 6
11. Jeep VanWormer 357 5
12. Jason Riggs 354 7
13. Brandon Sheppard 352 7
14. Mark Voigt 346 5
15. Jason Feger 344 5
16. Dillan White 335 7
17. Jim Moon 334 7
18. Shannon Babb 333 5
19. Joe Kump 332 6
20. Mike Schulte 326 6

Modifieds (driver/points/races):

1. Randle Sweeney 786 13
2. Stormy Scott 765 12
3. Devin Gilpin 711 11
4. Jeff Matthews 622 9
5. Levi Kissinger 555 10
6. Dustin Isom 525 10
7. Rusty Griffaw 515 8
8. Rob Penny 510 13
9. Denny Schwartz 508 8
10. Mike Spatola 496 9
11. Tommy Seets Jr. 493 8
12. Chad Evans 484 9
13. Trent Young 474 9
14. Jimmy Ray 438 7
15. Will Krup 437 10
16. Dean Hoffman 429 7
17. Dave Wietholder 422 7
18. Bobby Bittle 412 6
19. Zach Fair 405 8
20. Todd Sherman 405 7

Pro Late Models (driver/points/races):

1. Tait Davenport 633 10
2. Nick Lyons 397 7
3. Credence Mott 371 7
4. Tony Albright 320 6
5. Brent Lewis 259 5
6. Bobby Dauderman 239 4
7. Cary King 233 4
8. Evan Taylor 220 6
9. Nick Bauman 210 3
10. Matt Santel 202 4

Sportsman (driver/points/races):

1. Jimmy Cummins 503 8
2. Steve Peeden 463 7
3. Chris Hillman 416 7
4. Shaun Daugherty 411 6
5. Aaron Barsness 406 6
6. Brad Cummings 367 7
7. Matt McGillvary 344 6
8. Josh Taylor 337 7
9. Chuck Bailey 331 6
10. Paul Shead 329 6

Limited Modifieds (driver/points/races):

1. Shane Hebert 298 4
2. John Paul Talkington 284 5
3. Kevin Dupont 261 5
4. Johnny Holden 234 4
5. Corey Buhler 230 4
6. Kamron Campbell 195 4
7. Brent Broussard 190 4
8. Grant Brown 187 4
9. Clay Settles 175 3
10. Ronnie Cotton 173 3

Stock Cars (driver/points/races):

1. Trevor Gamble 415 7
2. Tim Hughes 358 6
3. Mike Eubanks 319 7
4. Phillip Brown 313 5
5. Jody Wells 286 5
6. Larry Russell Jr. 280 4
7. Charles Christian 278 5
8. JR Mason 278 4
9. Rick Rush 277 6
10. Nate Zimmer 256 4

Factory Stocks (driver/points/races):

1. Scott Mooers 411 6
2. Randy Strehle 304 6
3. Luke Sadler 288 6
4. Dennis Ponder 269 5
5. Brad Venhaus 265 4
6. Wally Douglass 261 6
7. Richard Calmes Jr. 256 6
8. Courtney Eubanks 254 6
9. Donnie Nobles 253 5
10. Jordan Bauer 248 4

Sport Compacts (driver/points/races):

1. Michael Rittenberry 617 10
2. Bradley McGhee 545 9
3. Justin Hall 432 8
4. Shawn Kozier 420 6
5. RJ Glaser 393 6
6. Jordan Suhre 379 5
7. Eldon Hemken 365 6
8. Aimee Foster 362 6
9. Casey Feaster 351 6
10. Jay Gordon 351 7

Visit To New Colorado Motorsports Park Kicks Off 2010 Colorado Late Model Association DIRTcar Series This Saturday Night (April 24)

Weekend Doubleheader Also Takes Tour To I-76 Speedway On Sunday Night (April 25)

CONCORD, NC – April 21, 2010 – A historic season for DIRTcar Racing in the Rocky Mountain region is set to kick off this weekend.

The Colorado Late Model Association DIRTcar Series will begin its first campaign under the banner of the nationally-known sanctioning body with a huge doubleheader, visiting the new Colorado Motorsports Park in Byers on Sat., April 24, and I-76 Speedway in Fort Morgan, Colo., on Sun., April 25.

Saturday night's 'Thunder in the Rockies' program will serve as a grand coming-out party for Colorado Motorsports Park, a newly-opened track that will be a hub of DIRTcar Late Model racing in the Denver area this season. I-76 Speedway, meanwhile, will close out the weekend with its 'Icebreaker' event – the only CLMA DIRTcar Series show scheduled in 2010 at the quarter-mile oval.

"This is shaping up as one of the biggest weekends of Late Model racing that Colorado fans and racers have had the opportunity to enjoy in years," said DIRTcar Racing Western Region director Chris Morgan. "It's an exciting way for DIRTcar Racing to begin our involvement in a region where Late Model racing is on the rise."

Colorado Motorsports Park is positioned to play a major role in DIRTcar Racing's expansion into Colorado and nearby states. Formerly a quarter-mile greyhound dog-racing track, the 250-acre complex was purchased in 2008 by commercial mortgage banker Jerry Kendall and reconfigured into a nearly one-third-mile, semi-banked clay oval.

Located directly off Interstate 70 less than an hour's drive east of Denver, the facility features a completely enclosed 2,000-seat grandstand building, allowing fans to watch the races from behind glass in climate-controlled comfort. Spectators can also stand or sit outside in lawn chairs on a sloped concrete terrace, and there are numerous fan amenities, including nearly 20 acres of parking, concrete walkways throughout the spectator area and 20,000 square feet of concession and entertainment space underneath the main grandstand.

"The place was closed for the last 20 years, but people would always see it from the freeway and say, 'That would make a great racetrack,'" said Kendall, who grew up in northern Indiana as a regular attendee of wingless Sprint Car races with his father. "I thought the Denver area could use a dirt track so I decided to go for it.

"This is a facility that will provide fans a totally unique experience," he added. "How many dirt tracks have an enclosed grandstand? It's real neat to sit inside and be able to listen to the announcer call the race and hear all the fans cheering for their particular favorite drivers."

CMP officially opened on April 11 with an afternoon program highlighted by NASCAR veteran Ken Schrader's participation in the open-wheel Modified action. This Saturday's show will mark the track's first night race and the first appearance for the DIRTcar Late Models, which will be one of the primary attractions in 2010 at CMP.

Kendall has scheduled nine events for the full-fender division, including three CLMA DIRTcar Series points races. Sunday dates are set for April 24 (CLMA), May 2, May 23, June 6, July 4, July 18 (CLMA) and Aug. 15, and the '10 season will round out with Saturday shows on Sept. 4 and Sept. 11 (CLMA).

Every Late Model event at CMP will be sanctioned by DIRTcar Racing, making the track a centrally-located hub for DIRTcar Late Model competition in the region. The CMP events will compliment touring shows for the CLMA DIRTcar Series (Colorado/Wyoming) and the Midwest DIRTcar Late Model Series (Kansas/Oklahoma), giving DIRTcar-licensed drivers across the region more opportunities to collect points toward the lucrative and prestigious DIRTcar UMP program.

"We're excited to have Colorado Motorsports Park come on board as a signature track for DIRTcar Late Model racing in the region," said Morgan, who visited CMP for the recent season-opening program. "Combining the CMP events with those of the CLMA DIRTcar Series and the Midwest DIRTcar Late Model Series, teams will now have at least one chance to race for UMP points virtually every weekend."

Kendall is a big proponent of having a DIRTcar sanction for his track's Late Model division – not only for the points-fund and recognition possibilities, but as a catalyst for future growth of Late Model racing in the region.

"I'm a believer in letting people know where they're going to be rules-wise not only this year, but next year," said Kendall. "If the racers know they'll have stability with the rules they'll invest in a car for the long-term. Being part of a group with uniform rules like DIRTcar will allow that to happen.

"We think our relationship with DIRTcar and CLMA will help build Late Model car counts in this region and, in turn, build excitement for Colorado Motorsports Park."

CLMA DIRTcar Series Cory Moul also sees CMP's addition to the tour and the DIRTcar family as a positive for DIRTcar Late Model racing in the Rocky Mountain region.

"Colorado Motorsports Park is definitely going to be a huge boost for our tour and DIRTcar Late Model racing in general out here in Colorado," said Moul. "It gives the CLMA a hometrack, and it's going to bring out more cars to help grow the series and DIRTcar Late Model racing in the Denver area."

For more information on this weekend's CLMA DIRTcar Series events, visit www.www.coloradolatemodel.com, www.coloradomotorsportspark.com or www.i-76speedway.com.

Additional info on all of the series, sanctioning and member tracks of DIRTcar Racing is available at www.DIRTcar.com.

DIRTcar UMP Weekly Points Update: Young McBride (Late Models), Veteran Sweeney (Modifieds) Top National Standings

MARYVILLE, IL – April 16, 2010 – Rising young talent Jason McBride of Carbondale, Ill. (Late Models) and veteran Randle Sweeney of Clifty, Ky. (Modifieds) sit atop the national points standings after the first two weeks of the 2010 weekly points season for DIRTcar Racing's UMP circuit.

Now in his third year of DIRTcar Late Model competition, the 23-year-old McBride enters this weekend's action leading the national points standings by 76 points (584-508) over Rusty Schlenk of Jackson, Mich. He's coming off a solid three-race weekend that saw him score a victory on April 10 at Clarksville (Tenn.) Speedway, a third-place finish on April 9 at Paducah (Ky.) International Raceway and a seventh on April 11 in the first race at Vermilion County Speedway in Danville, Ill., promoted by legendary driver and car builder Bob Pierce.

Schlenk, who finished third in last year's national points standings, also raced three times last weekend. His highlight came on April 10 at I-55 Raceway in Pevely, Mo., where he rolled to a victory that made his long haul to the Show-Me State worthwhile.

Sweeney, 45, once again is off to a strong start in the UMP Modified ranks, leading the national rankings by 24 points (659-635) over Stormy Scott of Las Cruces, N.M. The Bluegrass State standout has led the national standings early in each of the past several seasons and has been among the circuit's most prolific winners, but he's still in search of his first national title.

Other divisional points leaders include Tait Davenport of West Paducah, Ky. (Pro Late Models), Jimmy Cummins of Waterloo, Ill. (Sportsman), Shane Hebert of Lafayette, La. (Limited Modifieds), Trevor Gamble of DeLeon Springs, Fla. (Stock Cars), Scott Mooers of Osteen, Fla. (Factory Stocks) and Michael Rittenberry of Clarksville, Tenn. (Sport Compacts).

Log on to www.dirtcar.com for more information on DIRTcar Racing's UMP circiut and to view complete points standings for all divisions.

DIRTcar Racing UMP National Points Standings (as of April 12, 2010):

Late Models (driver/points/races):

1. Jason McBride 584 10
2. Rusty Schlenk 508 7
3. Jeff Walston 452 7
4. David Clegg 340 6
5. Mike Hammerle 336 8
6. Richie Hedrick 327 6
7. Billy Moyer 325 4
8. Dillon Wood 314 6
9. Dennis Erb Jr. 306 5
10. Michael Kloos 306 5
11. Ivedent Lloyd Jr. 287 5
12. Joe Kump 284 5
13. Mike Schulte 268 5
14. Charles Zimmerman 264 5
15. Shane Williams 263 6
16. Tim Manville 261 4
17. Dillan White 261 6
18. Chris Shelton 256 6
19. Ryan Unzicker 252 4
20. Jason Riggs 251 5

Modifieds (driver/points/races):

1. Randle Sweeney 659 10
2. Stormy Scott 635 10
3. Devin Gilpin 578 9
4. Jeff Matthews 552 8
5. Dustin Isom 439 8
6. Rob Penny 435 11
7. Mike Spatola 426 8
8. Denny Schwartz 424 6
9. Paul Miles 396 7
10. Bumper Jones 383 5
11. Tommy Seets Jr. 380 6
12. Levi Kissinger 376 7
13. Trent Young 365 7
14. Chad Evans 349 7
15. Bobby Bittle 345 5
16. Rusty Griffaw 341 5
17. Jeff Leka 339 5
18. Ronnie Chance 336 5
19. Kenny Wallace 335 5
20. Chad Kinder 319 5

Pro Late Models (driver/points/races):

1. Tait Davenport 498 8
2. Nick Lyons 347 6
3. Tony Albright 272 5
4. Credence Mott 250 5
5. Bobby Dauderman 239 4
6. Brent Lewis 215 4
7. Matt Santel 202 4
8. Steve Cole 190 4
9. Ronnie Cooper 189 3
10. Evan Taylor 184 5

Sportsman (driver/points/races):

1. Jimmy Cummins 354 6
2. Aaron Barsness 336 5
3. Shaun Daugherty 336 5
4. Steve Peeden 324 5
5. Ryan Gegg 305 6
6. Chris Hillman 304 5
7. Matt McGillvary 284 5
8. Chuck Bailey 283 5
9. Gary Haynes 281 5
10. Jason Keller 276 6

Limited Modifieds (driver/points/races):

1. Shane Hebert 220 3
2. Kevin Dupont 219 4
3. John Paul Talkington 209 4
4. Kamron Campbell 164 3
5. Johnny Holden 161 3
6. Corey Buhler 160 3
7. Evan Delahoussaye 158 3
8. Chris Buhler 151 3
9. Brent Broussard 143 3
10. Grant Brown 142 3

Stock Cars (driver/points/races):

1. Trevor Gamble 340 6
2. Tim Hughes 293 5
3. Phillip Brown 258 4
4. Jody Wells 226 4
5. Mike Eubanks 225 5
6. JR Mason 225 3
7. Nate Zimmer 191 3
8. Rick Rush 183 4
9. Tony Cruse 180 3
10. Kenneth Hoffman III 171 3

Factory Stocks (driver/points/races):

1. Scott Mooers 347 5
2. Donnie Nobles 253 5
3. Randy Strehle 235 5
4. Bill Stewart 225 4
5. Courtney Eubanks 222 5
6. Dennis Ponder 220 4
7. Richard Calmes Jr. 219 5
8. Wally Douglass 211 5
9. Luke Sadler 209 5
10. Kelly Snyder 187 4

Sport Compacts (driver/points/races):

1. Michael Rittenberry 475 8
2. Bradley McGhee 444 7
3. Shawn Kosier 360 5
4. R.J. Glaser 323 5
5. Justin Hall 319 6
6. Todd Meyer 313 5
7. David Frost 307 5
8. Jordan Suhre 306 4
9. Aimee Foster 292 5
10. Jay Gordon 290 6
 

Defending National Champ Jason Feger Heads List Of Midwesterners Ready For DIRTcar UMP Roundup March 18-20 At I-55 Raceway

PEVELY, MO - March 13, 2010 - The Champ is ready to help get the 2010 party started on DIRTcar Racing's UMP circuit.

Defending DIRTcar UMP Late Model national titlist Jason Feger of Bloomington, Ill., heads a long list of Midwestern drivers who are expected to invade I-55 Raceway from March 18-20 for the DIRTcar UMP Roundup, an early-season showcase of UMP's eight sanctioned divisions that's also known as the 'Party in Pevely.'

Rescheduled for the spring after poor weather forced the postponement of the original date last fall, the second edition of the DIRTcar UMP Roundup promises to provide fans an interesting mix of down-home dirt-tracking. The two full evenings of racing will feature everything from UMP's marquee Late Model and Modified divisions to wild action in the entry-level classes that are the backbone of the country's short-track scene.

Feger, of course, stands as the shining star of the diverse group of drivers set to converge on the high-banked, one-third-mile oval operated by NASCAR veteran Ken Schrader and Ray Marler. The 31-year-old is coming off a spectacular, break-out 2009 campaign (23 feature wins and his first-ever UMP national points crown), positioning him as a favorite to capture the 30-lap, $5,000-to-win UMP Late Model A-Main that headlines the weekend's activities.

And make no mistake -- Feger dearly wants a triumph at I-55 Raceway. He's never won at the popular track outside St. Louis, putting the facility at the top of his hit list.

"I'd love for our first win of the season to come at Pevely," said Feger, who reached Victory Lane at 13 different tracks in four states last year. "I really like the place and we usually run good there, but it seems like I never get that starting spot I need to be in the best possible position to go for a win. I think the best finish I've had there is a third."

Back driving his family-owned Pierce Chassis machine this season, Feger is looking forward to his initial appearance of 2009 in the heart of DIRTcar UMP country.

"I always like going to Pevely," said Feger, who finished fifth in the inaugural DIRTcar UMP Roundup Late Model A-Main in October 2008. "It's only a couple hours away from home, and it's a track that usually has an inside, a middle and top groove. I think (the Roundup) will be another great show."

It's going to be fun, too. While Feger's primary focus will be on defeating such expected standouts as two-time UMP national champion Randy Korte of Highland, Ill. (runner-up in the 2008 Roundup), Will Vaught of Crane, Mo. (third-place finisher in '08 event), former UMP national titlist Kevin Weaver of Gibson City, Ill., and a host of other entrants, the outgoing racer will also enjoy the festive post-race atmosphere that is a big part of the 'Party in Pevely.'

After action is completed on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, the Roundup Tent in the pit area will offer entertainment that brings racers and fans together for some camaraderie.

"We'll have a good time," said Feger, one of the most approachable drivers in any pit area. "We have a lot of friends down in that area and we always enjoy meeting new people."

The UMP Modifieds will also receive plenty of attention during the Roundup, competing in a 25-lap championship feature paying $2,000 to win. Former national champion Jeff Leka of Buffalo, Ill., is among the drivers with plans to compete in the Modified activities.

Other DIRTcar UMP-sanctioned divisions on the Roundup card are the Pro Late Models (20 laps/$2,000 to win), Sportsman (20 laps/$1,000), Limited Modifieds (15 laps/$750), Stock Cars (20 laps/$750), Factory Stocks (15 laps/$400) and 4-Cylinders (15 laps/$400).

The DIRTcar UMP Roundup -- the only event featuring all eight of the organization's sanctioned divisions -- kicks off on Thurs., March 18, with an open practice session from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Registration and inspection begin at 3 p.m.

On Fri., March 19, registration begins at 2 p.m. and inspection commences at 3 p.m. Racing gets the green flag at 7 p.m. and will include all heat races and any necessary D- and E-Mains for the eight classes in action.

The finale on Sat., March 20, features C- and B-Mains as well as the championship features for all divisions. Registration begins at 12 noon, inspection at 1 p.m. and racing at 6 p.m.

Grandstand admission is free on Thursday, $20 on Friday and $25 on Saturday, with kids 12-and-under admitted free each evening. Pit passes are $15 on Thursday, $30 on Friday and $30 on Saturday.

Reserved camping spots are available for $20 by calling Laura at 314-602-5530.

I-55 Raceway is located 30 minutes south of downtown St. Louis, off Pevely exits 180 and 178 of Interstate 55.

Additional info on the DIRTcar UMP Roundup is available by logging on to www.i55raceway.com, www.UMPDIRTcarRoundup.com or by calling 636-479-3219.

DIRTcar UMP Roundup Daily Schedule

Thursday, March 18

9 a.m. - Campground Opens
3 p.m. - Registration Opens, Inspection Begins
5 p.m. - Open Practice
10 p.m. - PITS CLOSED
Roundup Tent – Party

Friday, March 19

10 a.m. - Roundup Tent - Breakfast
2 p.m. - Registration Opens
3 p.m. - Inspection Begins
7 p.m. - RACING!
Late Models - Heats
UMP Mods - Heats, D, E Qualifiers
Pro Late Models - Heats
Sportsman - Heats & D-Main
Limited Mods - Heats
4-Cylinders - Heats
Stock Cars - Heats
Factory Stocks - Heats
10 p.m. - Roundup Tent - LIVE Music

Saturday, March 20

10 a.m. - Roundup Tent - Breakfast
12 noon - Registration Opens
1 p.m. - Inspection Begin
3 p.m. - Charity Weenie Roast
6 p.m. - RACING!
Late Models - C & B Qualifiers, 30-lap Championship Feature
UMP Mods - C & B Mains, 25-lap Championship Feature
Pro Late Models - C & B Qualifiers, 20-lap Championship Feature
Sportsman - C & B Qualifiers, 20-lap Championship Feature
Limited Mods - C & B Qualifiers, 15-lap Championship Feature
Stock Car - C & B Qualifiers, 20-lap Championship Feature
Factory Stocks - C & B Qualifiers, 15-lap Championship Feature
4-Cylinders - C & B Qualifiers, 15-lap Championship Feature
10 p.m. - Roundup Tent - LIVE Music/Trophy Party/Payoff

DIRTcar Racing Announces Sanctioning Of Midwest Dirt Late Model Series For 2010 Season

CONCORD, NC  March 8, 2010  The Midwest Dirt Late Model Series (MDLMS) will carry the sanctioning of DIRTcar Racing in 2010, officials from the two organizations have announced.

Renamed the Midwest DIRTcar Late Model Series, the Wichita, Kans.-based tour will focus on full-fender competition at tracks in the Kansas/Oklahoma area. It will feature several co-sanctioned events with the Colorado Late Model Association DIRTcar Series, which will also run under the DIRTcar banner for the first time this season.

"Bringing the Midwest DIRTcar Late Model Series into the DIRTcar family continues our expansion west of the Mississippi River," said DIRTcar Racing Western Region director Chris Morgan, who negotiated to set up the MDLMS and CLMA as sister DIRTcar tours. "The Midwest DIRTcar Late Model Series serves as a geographic bridge between our core DIRTcar series and tracks in the heartland to new DIRTcar territory in the Rocky Mountains and on to the West Coast, enhancing DIRTcar's reach as we strive to provide fans and race teams more exciting events across the country."

The MDLMS will remain under the direction of president Dusty Wiegert of Ramona, Kan., but all events in 2010 will offer DIRTcar Racing-licensed drivers points toward DIRTcar Racing's UMP circuit state/regional and national standings. Drivers will have an opportunity to share in a DIRTcar UMP points fund that annually tops $200,000 and also participate in the enhanced insurance program available to all DIRTcar Racing members.

In an effort to reinvigorate the dirt Late Model scene for local racers in Kansas and Oklahoma, Wiegert, 27, led the formation of the MDLMS in the fall of 2008. The tour debuted in 2009 with a six-race schedule (four other scheduled events were rained out) and Chuck Comer of Joplin, Mo., emerged as the inaugural champion.

"We knew there were a lot of dirt Late Model cars and drivers in the area who just weren't racing because the opportunities weren't out there, so we decided to put a series together," said Wiegert, who has worked as an announcer and public relations representative in recent years. "We wanted to spark some interest for the teams in our area and bring back some excitement to the fans, and in our first year we accomplished those goals.

"Now we're excited to take another big step this season. Being involved with a nationally-known organization like DIRTcar is going to bring a lot more attention and recognition to our series and drivers."

The tentative 2010 MDLMS schedule currently lists 11 events at seven different tracks, starting on May 1 at Wild West Speedway in Clinton, Okla. Other ovals set to host the tour are Dodge City (Kans.) Raceway Park (May 7-8); Minneapolis (Kans.) Raceway (May 15, Aug. 21 and Sept. 11); Mid-America Speedway in South Coffeyville, Okla. (May 22 and Aug. 28); Brill Motor Speedway in Meeker, Okla. (June 26); Hutchinson (Kans.) Raceway Park (July 31); and Liberal (Kans.) Fairgrounds Speedway (Aug. 1). The events at Dodge City, Hutchinson and Liberal Fairgrounds are scheduled for co-sanction by the CLMA DIRTcar Series.

Wiegert said he expects to add several dates to the 10 MDLMS, which offers a $1,000 top prize for most events.

For more information on the Midwest DIRTcar Late Model Series, visit www.mdlms.net.

Additional info on all of the series, sanctioning and member tracks of DIRTcar Racing is available at www.DIRTcar.com.

This Weekend's Winter Meltdown Puts DIRTcar West Modifieds In Spotlight Again At Southern New Mexico Speedway

LAS CRUCES, NM - March 4, 2010 - Big money and DIRTcar West Modified racing have become synonymous at Southern New Mexico Speedway.

And no one is prouder of that fact that Royal Jones, the co-owner of the 5/16th-mile oval sanctioned by the DIRTcar Racing organization.

A veteran DIRTcar West Modified driver, Jones is ready to put the division he loves in the spotlight once again this weekend (March 5-7) with the running of the 15th annual Winter Meltdown/Chub Daniels Memorial. The 50-lap headline event on Sun., March 7, boasts a top prize of at least $10,000 and a cool $1,250 payoff just for taking the green flag.

"Everybody knows that if it's the first weekend in March or the first weekend in November, Southern New Mexico Speedway is having a big show for the (DIRTcar) Modifieds," said Jones, who also posts a five-figure winner's purse for the 10-year-old Fall DIRTcar Nationals that traditionally cap the track's season. "We've been doing these races for so long now, the racers trust us and know we're not gonna let them down. That's why we've gotten so much support."

Indeed, a 77-car field was signed in for last year's Winter Meltdown and a whopping 104 DIRTcar West Modifieds entered the Fall Nationals. Jones is confident that this weekend's three-day spectacular will draw more than 80 competitors, including some of the division's best drivers from the Southwest and Midwest regions.

The huge event will give drivers an opportunity to earn maximum points toward DIRTcar Racing's UMP circuit state/regional and national points races, which in 2009 paid out nearly $200,000 in points-fund cash.

"Royal Jones and his staff have built Southern New Mexico Speedway into a mainstay of the DIRTcar West Modified program," said DIRTcar Racing Western Region director Chris Morgan, "and DIRTcar Racing is honored to be part of the Winter Meltdown. After the Modifieds just completed a great DIRTcar Nationals by UNOH at (Florida's) Volusia Speedway Park, it's exciting to cross the country and fly the DIRTcar Racing banner over one of the division's most prestigious early-season events in the Southwest."

The DIRTcar Modified teams will make the long haul to the Land of Enchantment knowing that Jones might put even more money up for grabs in Sunday's finale. The 55-year-old trucking company magnate was so pleased with the turnout for last November's Fall Nationals that he added $5,000 to the first-place pay, producing a $15,000 booty for young winner Johnny Scott of Las Cruces, N.M.

"If we're O.K. with cash after paying our bills, I'll do that again," Jones said of the possibility that the Winter Meltdown/Chub Daniels Memorial will receive a last-minute purse increase. "But instead of putting the extra money on top, I might do something different with it. We'll see what happens."

Scott and his twin brother Stormy Scott, who won a DIRTcar UMP Modified feature last month at Florida's East Bay Raceway Park, head the very talented local contingent of drivers ready for this weekend's action. Christy Georges of El Paso, Texas, who finished third in the 2009 DIRTcar UMP Wild West Region points standings and is the only female DIRTcar West Modified driver with a $10,000 victory to their credit, is another area standout to watch.

The hometown crowd will also be represented, of course, by Jones, who will balance his weekend track-operation concerns with racing his Modified, and several other contenders who have close links to the longtime SNMS promoter. That group includes Royal's son Bumper Jones, who is looking for his first Winter Meltdown triumph, and daughter Holly, who is emerging as a Modified contender after excelling in the Limited Late Model and Stock Car classes; 2009 Southern New Mexico Speedway UMP DIRTcar Modified champion Fito Gallardo of Las Cruces, N.M., who is Royal's son-in-law, and Gallardo's son Jacob; and 2009 DIRTcar UMP Wild West Region champion Jimmy Ray of Las Cruces, N.M., a 60-year-old veteran who happens to be Royal's business partner and co-owner of SNMS.

"There's a lot of Modified racers in the family," smiled Jones, who won the 2002 Fall Nationals at SNMS but is still searching for a victory in the March event. "And all three of my kids have little boys who are three or four years old, so we might have more racers on the way."

An array of well-known drivers from across the country are expected to top off the field, including defending Winter Meltown/Chub Daniels Memorial winner and reigning DIRTcar MARS Racing Series champion Terry Phillips of Springfield, Mo., and his young teammate Jeremy Payne, a native of Tucson, Ariz., who now lives in the Show-Me State; Jared Landers of Batesville, Ark., who won the rich 'Gator Championship' event for DIRTcar UMP Modifieds during last month's DIRTcar Nationals by UNOH at Volusia Speedway Park; Jason Hughes of Watts, Okla., who finished second in last year's Winter Meltdown finale; R.C. Whitwell of Tucson, Ariz., who finished third in last year's Chub Daniels Memorial; eight-time USMTS champion Kelly Shryock of Fertile, Iowa; and Kellen Chadwick of Oakley, Calif.

The weekend will be jam-packed with racing. Preliminary programs -- consisting of heats (lined up by pill draws), last-chance races and a feature -- will be contested on Fri., March 5, and Sat., March 6, with each day's 25-lap A-Main locking five drivers directly into the 50-lap championship headliner on Sun., March 7, and additional finishers into Sunday's B- and C-Mains. The Sunday finale will feature several last-chance events and the series of 'alphabet' races topped by the Chub Daniels Memorial.

Sunday's 50-lapper offers a hefty $1,250 just to take the green flag, while drivers making it to the B-Main are guaranteed $700 and those reaching the C-Main are assured $400.

Support-division action for Street Stocks, Legends Cars and Super Trucks will also be part of the weekend, which boasts a total payout in the neighborhood of $100,000.

Gates are scheduled to open at 4 p.m. on Friday, March 5, with racing getting underway at 6:30 p.m. The Saturday and Sunday programs will begin earlier -- gates opening at 12 noon and racing at 2 p.m.

General admission is $10 on both Friday and Saturday and $12 on Sunday. A $3 discount is available each day for students ages 11-15, New Mexico State University students with I.D., senior citizens and members of the military (with ID), and children 10-and-under are admitted free of charge.

Pit passes are $35 on both Friday and Saturday and $40 on Sunday, with a three-day combo pass available for $100.

To view the full Winter Meltdown/Chub Daniels Memorial DIRTcar West Modified entry list, log onto http://forums.snmspeedway.com/showthread.php?t=3835.

For more information on Southern New Mexico Speedway, visit www.snmspeedway.com or call 575-524-7913.

Additional info on all of the series, sanctioning and member tracks of DIRTcar Racing is available at www.DIRTcar.com.
 

Rain cancels Friday action at DIRTcar Nationals By UNOH, sets stage for huge Saturday finale featuring World of Outlaws Late Models and Super DIRTcar Big-Blocks

Babb Rolls To Victory In DIRTcar Nationals by UNOH Debut On Wednesday At Volusia Speedway Park

BARBERVILLE, FL - Feb. 10, 2010 - There was no stopping Shannon Babb on Wednesday night at Volusia Speedway Park.

Babb, 36, of Moweaqua, Ill., dominated the 30-lap DIRTcar UMP Late Model A-Main, rolling to a flag-to-flag victory in his first night of action during the 39th annual DIRTcar Nationals by University of Northwestern Ohio.

Driving his Sheltra Construction Rocket car, Babb grabbed the lead at the initial green flag from his pole starting position and never looked back. He easily withstood two caution flags to secure the $7,000 triumph by 2.163 seconds over fifth-starter Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, Ga., who inherited second place on lap 17 when Jordan Bland of Campbellsville, Ky., spun in turn four but wasn't able to challenge Babb with his Bowyer Dirt Motorsports Warrior car.

"The track was just in my favor tonight," said Babb, a two-time champion of the grueling DIRTcar UMP Summer Nationals tour. "When that bottom lane is dominant, it's really hard to pass. So I just sat there and cruised.

"My guys were sitting here (in the infield) communicating with me real good and I could understand them, and that put me in the driver's seat where I could just relax, breathe and drive the car."

Dan Schlieper of Sullivan, Wis., fought forward from the eighth starting spot to finish third. Defending World of Outlaws Late Model Series champion Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., started and finished fourth and three-time DIRTcar UMP Summer Nationals titlist Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, Ill., settled for fifth after taking the green flag from the outside pole.

Babb ended a long victory drought with his standout performance, winning for the first time since July 10, 2009, in a DIRTcar UMP Summer Nationals event at Ohio's Waynefield Motorsports Park.

In addition, Babb scored his first win at Volusia behind the wheel of a Rocket Chassis car. His last win at the half-mile oval, on Feb. 14, 2007, came in a Rayburn mount.

"We learned a lot here over the last couple of years in this Rocket Chassis," said Babb. "It's getting more to where I know what to do all the time (with a Rocket), more consistent. I'm real happy with the car."

Babb sat out Monday night's DIRTcar Nationals by UNOH opener for the UMP Late Models, opting to spend some extra time working on his equipment at his teammate Patrick Sheltra's shop in Indiantown, Fla. Tuesday night's rainout pushed his 2010 Volusia debut to Wednesday -- and Sheltra, a young ARCA Racing Series stock car regular who enters selected dirt Late Model events, was on hand to join Babb in Victory Lane.

According to Babb, Sheltra plans to climb behind the wheel of a team car to compete in the World of Outlaws Late Model Series season opener on Thursday night (Feb. 11) at Volusia.

The race's two caution flags were for minor incidents. Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., was left sitting in turn two on lap one after a scrape with Mike Knight of Ripley, N.Y., and Bland suffered the heartbreak of the evening when he lost control of his fleet car on lap 17 and spun out of second place -- a position he had held from the start -- while chasing Babb.

Rick Eckert of York, Pa., finished sixth, followed by Eddie Carrier Jr. of Salt Rock, W.Va., opening-night winner Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., who started 14th, Billy Moyers of Batesville, Ark., and Tim Fuller of Watertown, N.Y.

A field of 68 cars entered the evening's action.

Babb turned the best overall lap of the group time-trial session, flashing around the sweeping track in 16.523 seconds.

Other group fast-timers included Erb (16.689 seconds), Eric Wells of Hazard, Ky. (17.531), Richards (17.938), McDowell (17.952) and Eckert (17.759).

Heat winners were Babb, Erb, Bland, Richards, McDowell and Eckert. The B-Mains were captured by McCreadie, Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, Fla., and Jack Sullivan of Greenbrier, Ark.

The 39th annual DIRTcar Nationals by UNOH continue on Thursday (Feb. 11) with the season-opening 50-lap, $10,000-to-win event for the World of Outlaws Late Model Series. A full program featuring the Super DIRTcar Series for big-block Modifieds is also on the agenda.

For more information visit www.dirtcar.com, www.volusiaspeedwaypark.com or www.dirtcarnationals.com.

DIRTcar UMP Late Model A-Main Finish (30 laps):

1. Shannon Babb
2. Dale McDowell
3. Dan Schlieper
4. Josh Richards
5. Dennis Erb Jr.
6. Rick Eckert
7. Eddie Carrier Jr.
8. Darrell Lanigan
9. Billy Moyer
10. Tim Fuller
11. Eric Jacobsen
12. Eric Wells
13. Brad Neat
14. Brandon Sheppard
15. Jordan Bland
16. Mike Knight
17. Earl Pearson Jr.
18. Jack Sullivan
19. Wendell Wallace
20. Clint Smith
21. Jimmy Owens
22. Tim McCreadie
23. Austin Hubbard
24. Randy Korte

Lap Leaders: Babb (1-30)

Heat No. 1 (8 laps -- Top 3 Transfer): 1. Shannon Babb, 2. Brandon Sheppard, 3. Brad Neat, 4. Steve Sheppard Jr., 5. Eric Jacobsen, 6. Tim McCreadie, 7. Dan Stone, 8. Russell King, 9. Chub Frank, 10. Ronnie DeHaven Jr., 11. Tyler Reddick (DNS) Dillan White

Heat No. 2 (8 laps -- Top 3 Transfer): 1. Dennis Erb Jr., 2 Dan Schlieper, 3. Darrell Lanigan, 4. Brady Smith, 5. Tim Dohm, 6. Kyle Berck, 7. Steve Francis, 8. Jason Feger, 9. Whitney McQueary, 10. Chuck Julien, 11. Roy Mitchell (DNS) Brian Birkhofer

Heat No. 3 (8 laps -- Top 3 Transfer): 1. Jordan Bland, 2. Eric Wells, 3. Clint Smith, 4. Earl Pearson Jr., 5. Tommy Kerr, 6. Greg Johnson, 7. Stacy Boles, 8. Jared Landers, 9. Brandon Kinzer, 10. Danny Mitchell (DNS) Mason Ziegler

Heat No. 4 (8 laps -- Top 3 Transfer): 1. Josh Richards, 2. Tim Fuller, 3. Wendell Wallace, 4. Bub McCool, 5. Randy Korte, 6. Ricky Weiss, 7. Will Vaught, 8. Jonathan DeHaven, 9. Donald Beyers, 10. Ronnie Rihn, 11. Vic Coffey

Heat No. 5 (8 laps -- Top 3 Transfer): 1. Dale McDowell, 2. Jimmy Owens, 3. Mike Knight, 4. Austin Hubbard, 5. Joe Callahan, 6. Jason McBride, 7. Tyler Ivey, 8. Rick Briggs, 9. Justin Rattliff, 10. Brian Nuttal Jr., 11. Kevin Colston

Heat No. 6 (8 laps -- Top 3 Transfer): 1. Rick Eckert, 2. Eddie Carrier Jr., 3. Billy Moyer, 4. Jack Sullivan, 5. Brent Robinson, 6. Jeff Beyers, 7. Tyler Bruneing, 8. Dave Zona, 9. John Blankenship, 10. Darren Peters, 11. Mike Hammerle

B-Main No. 1 (10 laps -- Top 2 Transfer): McCreadie, Jacobsen, Berck, Frank, S. Sheppard, Feger, Stone, McQueary, Reddick, Julien, B. Smith, Dohm, R. DeHaven, King, Mitchell (DNS) White, Birkhofer, Francis

B-Main No. 2 (10 laps -- Top 2 Transfer): Pearson, Korte, Kerr, Boles, Johnson, Weiss, McCool, Vaught, J. DeHaven, Mitchell, Kinzer, Lander, D. Beyers, Rihn (DNS) Ziegler, Coffey

B-Main No. 3 (10 laps -- Top 2 Transfer): Sullivan, Hubbard, Robinson, J. Beyers, Callahan, Ivey, Bruening, Briggs, McBride, Nuttal, Blankenship, Zona, Hammerle, Colston, Peters (DNS) Ratliff

Rain Forces Cancelation Of Tuesday Night's DIRTcar Nationals by UNOH Action At Volusia Speedway Park

BARBERVILLE, FL - Feb. 9, 2010 - Wet weather continued to plague the 39th annual DIRTcar Nationals by University of Northwestern Ohio, forcing the cancelation of Tuesday night's DIRTcar UMP Late Model/Modified doubleheader at Volusia Speedway Park.

Steady rain associated with a cold front that swept across the state of Florida began falling on the half-mile oval around 1 p.m. and continued for several hours, soaking the racing surface and grounds. Officials decided shortly after 3 p.m. to cancel the evening's planned program.

It was the third rainout in eight nights of the 2010 DIRTcar Nationals by UNOH but marked the first lost show for the DIRTcar UMP Late Model division that invaded Volusia on Monday. The cancelation ended the week of competition for the UMP Modified class, which was a victim of all three rainouts.

With Tuesday's program scheduled to end the UMP Modified portion of the mid-winter racing extravaganza outside Daytona Beach, Dave Hess Jr. of Waterford, Pa., was declared the division's 2010 DIRTcar Nationals by UNOH champion.

Four nights of doubleheader action remain for the DIRTcar Nationals by UNOH, highlighted by UMP Late Model events on Wednesday (Feb. 10) and Friday (Feb. 12) and the season-opening World of Outlaws Late Model Series programs on Thursday (Feb. 11) and Saturday (Feb. 13). Each evening's card will also include the Super DIRTcar Series for big-block Modifieds, which were slated to get in practice laps on Tuesday night.

Tickets purchased for Tuesday night's rained-out event may be presented for any of the remaining programs during the DIRTcar Nationals. In the event that tickets cannot be used, tickets may be mailed for a refund to Volusia Speedway Park, 1500 E SR 40, DeLeon Springs, FL, 32130.

For more information visit www.dirtcar.com, www.volusiaspeedwaypark.com or www.dirtcarnationals.com.
 

Lanigan Outduels Owens & Birkhofer To Capture DIRTcar Nationals by UNOH Opener For UMP Late Models

BARBERVILLE, FL - Feb. 8, 2010 - Darrell Lanigan won't be a bridesmaid during the 39th annual DIRTcar Nationals by University of Northwestern Ohio.

The standout racer from Union, Ky., made sure of that on Monday night, scoring a hard-fought victory in the 30-lap UMP Late Model A-Main that opened the meet's full-fender action at Volusia Speedway Park.

Lanigan, 39, outdueled Jimmy Owens of Newport, Tenn., and Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, Iowa, to pocket a $7,000 top prize -- almost exactly one year after finishing second in the first event of the DIRTcar Nationals by UNOH. He went on to record two more runner-up finishes in the remaining five nights of the 2009 series.

"It feels good to get a win right out of the box this year," said Lanigan, the 2008 World of Outlaws Late Model Series champion. "But we didn't do anything real different from last year. We just made some little tweaks and got some breaks."

Driving a Rocket Chassis car he debuted late in the 2009 season, Lanigan used the inside lane to move forward from the fifth starting spot and grab the lead from Birkhofer on lap 14. Birkhofer regained command on lap 16, but Lanigan surged ahead on lap 19 and repelled late-race challenges in lapped traffic from Owens and Birkhofer to emerge victorious.

Owens settled for second place, 0.582 of a second behind Lanigan after his high-side bid rounding turns three and four on the final lap fell short. He started seventh in his Team Zero by Bloomquist machine.

Birkhofer finished third in his MB Customs car after leading laps 1, 3-13 and 16-18 in the wildly competitive affair, which included five lead changes among three drivers.

Completing the top five was 17th-starter Billy Moyer of Batesville, Ark., and eighth-starter Dan Schlieper of Sullivan, Wis.

"The car was awesome and the track was perfect tonight," said Lanigan, who made his first start of 2010 in preparation for his seventh consecutive season as a WoO LMS regular. "You could race all over it -- so hat's off to the Volusia Speedway track crew, and hat's off to my crew too."

Owens, a four-time DIRTcar UMP Modified national champion, wasn't disappointed with his second-place finish.

"To race like that with Lanigan and Birkhofer -- man, that was fun," said Owens. "It was a great race."

Birkhofer, meanwhile, came through his first appearance of the season with a good idea of what he should have done to his machine.

"We thought one thing and should've done the other," said Birkhofer, who didn't plan to enter the DIRTcar Nationals by UNOH until less than two weeks ago. "I'm looking forward to the rest of the week. It's an awesome racetrack, and you're gonna have to get your car right if you want to win."

Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, Fla., finished sixth after starting 20th, followed by Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., Jack Sullivan of Greenbrier, Ark., who started from the pole position and led lap two, Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, Ill., and Tim Fuller of Watertown, N.Y.

Two cautions flags slowed the feature -- on lap five for a spin by Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, Ga., and lap 10 for the slow car driven by Tommy Kerr of Maryville, Tenn.

Sixty-seven cars entered the evening's action.

Owens turned the best overall lap of the evening's group time-trial session, blistering the sweeping track in 15.962 seconds.

Other group fast-timers included Kyle Berck of Marquette, Neb. (16.360), Erb (16.268), McCreadie (16.347), Will Vaught of Crane, Mo. (16.328) and Jared Landers of Batesville, Ark. (16.704).

Heat winners were Sullivan, Birkhofer, Vic Coffey of Caledonia, N.Y., Jordan Bland of Campbellsville, Ky., Lanigan and Ross Camponovo of Clarksdale, Miss., who pulled off an impressive prelim triumph in his first-ever start at Volusia. The B-Mains were captured by Jason Feger of Bloomington, Ill., Pearson and Rick 'Boom' Briggs of Bear Lake, Pa.

The 39th annual DIRTcar Nationals by UNOH continue on Tuesday (Feb. 9) with a DIRTcar UMP Late Model/Modified doubleheader. Race time is 7:30 p.m.

For more information visit www.dirtcar.com, www.volusiaspeedwaypark.com or www.dirtcarnationals.com.

DIRTcar UMP Late Model A-Main Finish (30 laps):

1. Darrell Lanigan
2. Jimmy Owens
3. Brian Birkhofer
4. Billy Moyer
5. Dan Schlieper
6. Earl Pearson Jr.
7. Tim McCreadie
8. Jack Sullivan
9. Dennis Erb Jr.
10. Tim Fuller
11. Dale McDowell
12. Josh Richards
13. Jason Feger
14. Vic Coffey
15. Rick Eckert
16. Rick Briggs
17. Brady Smith
18. Clint Smith
19. Steve Francis
20. Tommy Kerr
21. Jordan Bland
22. Tyler Ivey
23. Eric Jacobsen
24. Ross Camponovo

Lap Leaders: Birkhofer (1); Sullivan (2); Birkhofer (3-13); Lanigan (14-15); Birkhofer (16-18); Lanigan (19-30)

Heat No. 1 (8 laps -- Top 3 Transfer): 1. Jack Sullivan, 2. Jimmy Owens, 3. Rick Eckert, 4. Jason Feger, 5. Jason McBride, 6. John Blankenship, 7. Dan Stone, 8. Mike Knight, 9. Ronnie Rihn, 10. Chuck Julien, 11. Steve Sheppard Jr. (DNS) Brandon Kinzer

Heat No. 2 (8 laps -- Top 3 Transfer): 1. Brian Birkhofer, 2. Dan Schlieper, 3. Tim Fuller, 4. Justin Rattliff, 5. Dale McDowell, 6. Eric Wells, 7. Kyle Berck, 8. Dave Zona, 9. Dillan White, 10. Danny Mitchell (DNS) Brent Robinson

Heat No. 3 (8 laps -- Top 3 Transfer): 1. Vic Coffey, 2. Dennis Erb Jr., 3. Josh Richards, 4. Brady Smith, 5. Ricky Weiss, 6. Bub McCool, 7. Russell King, 8. Chub Frank, 9. Tim Dohm, 10. Brandon Sheppard, 11. Mason Ziegler

Heat No. 4 (8 laps -- Top 3 Transfer): 1. Jordan Bland, 2. Tim McCreadie, 3. Steve Francis, 4. Earl Pearson Jr., 5. Eddie Carrier Jr., 6. Brad Neat, 7. Austin Hubbard, 8. Dwight Falcon, 9. Jonathan DeHaven, 10. Darren Peters (DNS) Jeff Phipps

Heat No. 5 (8 laps -- Top 3 Transfer): 1. Darrell Lanigan, 2. Billy Moyer, 3. Tyler Ivey, 4. Clint Smith, 5. Ronnie DeHaven Jr., 6. Randy Korte, 7. Whitney McQueary, 8. Will Vaught, 9. Tyler Bruening, 10. Stacy Boles, 11. Wendell Wallace

Heat No. 6 (8 laps -- Top 3 Transfer): 1. Ross Camponovo, 2. Eric Jacobsen, 3. Tommy Kerr, 4. Rick Briggs, 5. Jared Landers, 6. Jeff Beyers, 7. Joe Callahan, 8. Kevin Colston, 9. Donald Beyers, 10. Mike Hammerle (DNS) Tyler Reddick

B-Main No. 1 (10 laps -- Top 2 Transfer): Feger, McDowell, Stone, Rattliff, Blankenship, Berck, Wells, Knight, Zona, S. Sheppard, McBride, Kinzer, White, Rihn, Julien, Mitchell (DNS) Robinson

B-Main No. 2 (10 laps -- Top 2 Transfer): Pearson, B. Smith, Neat, Carrier, McCool, Dohm, Hubbard, Frank, B. Sheppard, Peters, Ziegler, J. DeHaven, Falcon, Weiss, King (DNS) Phipps

B-Main No. 3 (10 laps -- Top 2 Transfer): Briggs, C. Smith, Korte, R. DeHaven, Wallace, J. Beyers, Bruening, Boles, Callahan, McQueary, D. Beyers, Colston, Reddick, Hammerle, Vaught (DNS) Landers

DIRTcar Racing Western Region Late Model Drivers Share Over $22,000 In 2009 Points-Fund Awards

CONCORD, NC - Feb. 2, 2010 - DIRTcar Racing Western Region Late Model drivers shared over $22,000 in points-fund awards for the 2009 season, providing another milestone in the growth of the organization's fledgling full-fender activities in the Pacific Time Zone.

The 2009 DIRTcar Western Region points-fund figure more than tripled the total cash distributed to drivers following the 2008 season, which served as DIRTcar's debut campaign on the West Coast Late Model scene through sanctioning of the DIRTcar Western Allstars Late Model Series and the Southwest Dirt Racing Association (SWDRA) tour. DIRTcar increased its presence in 2009 with the addition of the DIRTcar Northwest I-5 Late Model Tour and the creation of Pacific and Southwest Regions under the DIRTcar UMP Late Model points program.

"The 2009 season was a great step forward for DIRTcar Late Model racing on the West Coast," said DIRTcar Racing Western Region director Chris Morgan. "Teams had more opportunities to be rewarded and recognized for their performances and a solid foundation for the future was put in place. Now we're looking forward to bringing more special events to fans throughout California, Oregon and the rest of the West Coast in 2010."

The biggest DIRTcar Western Region prize went to Bobby Hogge IV of Salinas, Calif., who collected a $3,000 check for winning the 2009 DIRTcar Western Allstars Late Model Series championship during the tour's awards dinner on Jan. 23 in Bakersfield, Calif. It was his first title on the California-based series.

A total of $10,000 was distributed to the top 15 finishers in the 2009 Western Allstars points standings. Chris Shannon received $1,500 for placing second, followed by Rob Sanders ($1,000), Nick Bartels ($700), Matt Micheli ($600), Ron Bartels ($500), Mike Johnson ($400), Andy Obertello ($300), Ken Micheli ($250), Johnny Malcolm ($200), Jeff Decker ($150), Clay Daly ($150), Richard Papenhausen ($150), John Lowery ($150) and Bill Bartels ($150).

Also during the Western Allstars awards ceremony, a new Victory Circle Chassis was presented to Micheli Racing. The Micheli operation emerged as the winner of a drawing featuring all teams that had perfect attendance on the 2009 series.

Earlier in the month, during an awards gathering for the 2009 DIRTcar Northwest I-5 Late Model Tour held in Albany, Ore., Jeremy Shank of Salem, Ore., pocketed a $1,000 check for capturing his first series crown.

The top 10 drivers in the 2009 Northwest I-5 Tour points standings shared a $3,100 points fund. John Duty earned $500 for finishing second, followed by Mike Miller ($400), Rob Mayea ($300), Billy Workman Jr. ($250), Mark Carrell ($200), Jim Whisler ($150), Steve Moore ($100), Joey Tanner ($100) and Jimmy Schram ($100).

In addition, Workman received a new body from Victory Lane Chassis for being named the 2009 Northwest I'5 Tour's Most Improved Driver.

More than two-dozen drivers were also eligible to received points-fund cash for their finishes in two DIRTcar UMP Late Model regions -- the Pacific Region that included Western Allstars and Northwest I-5 events, and the Southwest Region that encompassed SWDRA races and other DIRTcar-sanctioned shows in Arizona, New Mexico and East Texas.

Young Nick Bartels of El Segundo, Calif., won the Pacific Region championship, earning $2,000 from the $6,300 points fund. He traveled to the DIRTcar Racing UMP 'Night of Champions' Awards Banquet on Jan. 9 in Springfield, Ill., to accept his check and trophy and was also recognized during the recent Western Allstars awards ceremonies.

Hogge earned $1,000 for finishing second in the Pacific Region, followed by Shannon ($750), Matt Micheli ($500), Shank ($400), Mayea ($300), Duty ($250), Sanders ($200), Daly ($150), Papenhausen ($100), Mike Johnson ($100), Obertello ($100), Ron Bartels($100), Whisler ($100) and Carrell ($100).

Lonnie Parker Jr. of El Mirage, Calif., emerged as the champion of the Southwest Region points battle, collecting a $1,000 check from the $3,100 points fund. His regional crown was earned on the strength of his sixth consecutive championship on the DIRTcar-sanctioned SWDRA tour.

Parker was unable to attend the DIRTcar UMP awards banquet because he was competing in the 'Wild West Shootout' at USA Raceway in Tucson, Ariz., so he was recognized for his regional title by Morgan during the SWDRAs membership meeting on Jan. 27 in Casa Grande, Ariz.

Anthony Madrid picked up $500 for placing second in the Southwest Region points standings, followed by Brad Williams ($400), Jeremy Thornton ($300), Joey Moriarty ($200), Keith Noyes ($150), Jamie Throckmorton ($125), R.C. Whitwell ($115), John Romero ($110) and Art Lacey ($100).

Additional info on all of the series, sanctioning and member tracks of DIRTcar Racing is available at www.DIRTcar.com.
 

DIRTcar Nationals By UNOH Kicks Off Wednesday With Sprint Cars, UMP Modifieds

Not Just A Sponsor: University of Northwestern Ohio Bringing Army Of UMP Modifieds, Students To DIRTcar Nationals

NASCAR Star David Reutimann Heads List Of UNOH Drivers At Volusia Speedway Park

BARBERVILLE, FL  Jan. 29, 2010  The letters UNOH  short for University of Northwestern Ohio  will be seen all over Volusia Speedway Park from Feb. 2-13.

And that includes speeding around the sprawling half-mile clay oval.

The 39th annual DIRTcar Nationals by UNOH will be teeming with DIRTcar UMP Modifieds that carry the UNOH logo  a total of eight cars, to be exact, including one driven by NASCAR star David Reutimann.

A Lima, Ohio-based school that has earned a reputation as the leader in providing a high-performance motorsports education, UNOH is bringing an army of machines and students to Volusia for the eight nights (Feb. 2-9) of UMP Modified competition during the DIRTcar Nationals. The Sunshine State assault is all part of a unique extra-curricular activity that provides UNOHs budding mechanical minds some truly unique real-world training.

Since 1991, UNOH has offered a High Performance/Motorsports degree, making it the only school of higher learning in the world that boasts such a program. Three years ago the university enhanced the curriculum by launching a fully-sponsored UMP Modified team  basically, an after-school activity in which students from the Motorsports program combine to build and maintain UMP Modifieds and race them in the weekly action at nearby Limaland Motorsports Park, which is owned and operated by UNOH.

The 36 students on our UMP Modified team are all scholarship athletes, said Steve Farmer, the UNOH Vice President of Corporate Development. Every year students in our High Performance/Motorsports program try out for various positions on the race teams and those that are selected receive scholarships, just like basketball and football players do at other schools.

The dirt-track program has been a phenomenal success for us, he added. A grassroots program like this gives us a great platform to recruit students and show them what the University of Northwestern Ohio has to offer.

The trip to Florida for the DIRTcar Nationals serves as the culmination of the 2009-2010 racing season for the UNOH UMP Modified team, which is housed in a shop on the universitys 189-acre campus. Farmer said 36 students will be transported south in vans to spend the week working on the schools UMP Modifieds. (Another 42 students will also be in Florida working as pit crew members and ARCA inspectors during the ARCA Racing Series 200 on Feb. 5-6 at the nearby Daytona International Speedway.)

Seven drivers are set to steer the UNOH cars (an eighth machine will be brought as a backup), led by the high-profile Reutimann. The son of DIRTcar big-block Modified legend Buzzie Reutimann, David learned of the UNOH motorsports program when he drove a UNOH-sponsored Late Model in last years Prelude to the Dream event at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio. When Farmer asked the 2009 Coca-Cola 600 winner if hed be interested in driving one of the schools UMP Modifieds during the 2010 DIRTcar Nationals, he didnt hesitate to respond in the affirmative.

He said, Absolutely, Id love to do it, Farmer said of Reutimann, who spent some time in the 90s competing on the upstate New York DIRTcar 358-Modified circuit. We have him set up to drive a double-zero (UMP Modified)  just like his (Sprint) Cup car  every night as long as his schedule allows him to be there.

The UNOH driver roster for the DIRTcar Nationals also includes UNOH students Stephen Schnapf of Newburgh, Ind., and Schuyler Nahre of Indianapolis and former Limaland Motorsports Park champions Tony Anderson of Lima, Ohio, Jeff Babcock of Wayne, Ohio, Jon Henry of Ada, Ohio, and Todd Sherman of Churubusco, Ind.

The UNOH team will have little time to catch its breath during the big week of competition, which features $1,000-to-win A-Mains Feb. 2-5; a pair of $700-to-win preliminary events on Feb. 6-7 leading into the headline Gator spectacular paying $5,000 to win on Feb. 8; and a multiple-features-only finale on Feb. 9.

Throughout the DIRTcar Nationals, UNOH representatives will be available in the tracks midway area to promote the schools Motorsports programs. And make no mistake  the mid-winter racing extravaganza is a great marketing tool for UNOH.

The University draws students from all 50 states and 16 foreign countries, and in the last few years we have had an influx of students interested in our High Performance/Motorsports Programs from the state of Florida, said UNOH President Dr. Jeffrey A. Jarvis. By building and racing vehicles in Florida that will be driven and crewed by UNOH High Performance Motorsports students, the University hopes to continue to encourage both interested prospective students and local Florida high school instructors to check out everything that UNOH has to offer them.

Founded in 1920, UNOH is a private, not-for-profit institution comprised of the College of Business, College of Technologies and College of Distance Learning. UNOH offers over 60 programs in High Performance, Alternate Fuels, Diesel, Automotive, HVAC, Agricultural, Business, Medical, Legal, Travel, IT Computer and Marketing with Associate degrees, Baccalaureate degrees and a Masters Degree in Business Administration.

For more detailed information about the University of Northwestern Ohio, visit www.unoh.edu.

The DIRTcar Nationals by UNOH run nightly from Feb. 2-13. Joining the DIRTcar UMP Modifieds on the schedule are the DIRTcar UMP Late Models (Feb. 8, 9, 10 and 12); the the World of Outlaws Late Model Series (Feb. 11 and 13); the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series (Feb. 5-7); the All-Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Car Series (Feb. 3-4); and the Super DIRTcar Series for big-block Modifieds (Feb. 10-13).

For tickets to the 39th Annual Florida DIRTcar Nationals by UNOH, visit www.DIRTcarNationals.com or call Volusia Speedway Park at 386-985-4402. A ticket package for all eight nights of UMP DIRTcar Modified racing is available for $200.

For the first time in DIRTcar Nationals history, all fans will have the chance to see the competitors and their teams up close during each race nightt. A FREE Fan Pit Pass is available to every ticket-buying fan who comes through the main gates every night; fans can show their grandstand and sign in to the pits at a table near the pit entrance.

For more information on UMP DIRTcar Racing, visit www.dirtcar.com.

DIRTcar Racing Continues Implementation Of Uniform Rules For UMP Stock Car Division In 2010

CONCORD, NC – Jan. 26, 2010 – The implementation of a uniform rules package for the DIRTcar Racing UMP Stock Car division will take another major step forward in 2010.

One year after introducing the new Stock Car rules on a trial basis, DIRTcar Racing officials are working with track promoters to make the technical specifications a staple of the upcoming campaign.

“Three years ago teams and tracks – especially those in the Midwest – asked us to develop a common set of rules for the DIRTcar UMP Stock Car division (then called Street Stocks),” said Sam Driggers, the director of DIRTcar Racing's UMP circuit. “With input from the tracks and teams, we came up with Stock Car rules that will put all the cars on the same page, similar to the template we already have with DIRTcar's successful UMP Late Model and UMP Modified programs.

“We released the Stock Car rules at the start of the 2009 season in order to begin the process of bringing the tracks and teams under the common set of rules. This season we're continuing the process and looking forward to great results for the future of the division.”

The new Stock Car rules have several attractive aspects for track promoters, including the creation of an ever-increasing pool of cars running under the same specifications. In addition, drivers competing in DIRTcar UMP Stock Car action at tracks sanctioned by DIRTcar Racing have the opportunity to battle for the division's UMP national and state points funds.

All sanctioned tracks will be required to enforce the Stock Car rules in 2010 in order for drivers to receive national and state points. In that vein, DIRTcar Racing technical inspectors will visit sanctioned tracks throughout the 2010 season to ensure that the rules are being followed.

Many of the nearly three-dozen DIRTcar-sanctioned tracks that hosted Stock Car racing in 2009 have announced plans to utilize the new rules this season, including Track Enterprises sister ovals Macon (Ill.) Speedway and Paducah (Ky.) International Raceway; Fairbury (Ill.) American Legion Speedway; Kankakee (Ill.) County Speedway; and Michigan tracks such as I-96 Speedway, Mt. Pleasant Speedway, Thunderbird Speedway and Winston Speedway. A number of other tracks have also expressed interest in joining the DIRTcar Racing family and running the growing Stock Car division.

Track Enterprises' Bob Sargent is one promoter solidly behind the new Stock Car rules package.

“It's always a good thing to get cars running under uniform rules,” said Sargent, one of the country's most well-known race organizers. “The blueprint for us is out there with the UMP Late Models and Modifieds. If we follow the same idea with the Stock Cars, it will benefit the tracks, the teams and the fans because it will help get more people involved in the division.”

Nearly $18,000 in points-fund cash was distributed to drivers in the DIRTcar UMP Stock Car class during the 2009 ‘Night of Champions' Awards Banquet held earlier this month in Springfield, Ill., including a $3,000 prize to national champion Rick Thomas of Dwight, Ill.

The 2010 Stock Car national champion will receive $3,000, with the top 20 in the nation points standings rewarded and recognized. Additionally in 2010, the top 15 finishers in each State points race will be recognized.

For more information on DIRTcar Racing, visit www.dirtcar.com.
 

Florida In February A Dirt Racing Fan's Paradise: A dozen nights of doubleheaders at Volusia Speedway Park features the best of the best on dirt

$5,000-To-Win ‘Gator' Special, Features-Only Final Night Highlight DIRTcar Nationals Action For UMP DIRTcar Modifieds

BARBERVILLE, FL – Jan. 19, 2010 – UMP DIRTcar Modified racers will have some well-deserved turns in the spotlight during the 39th annual DIRTcar Nationals by UNOH at Volusia Speedway Park.

Beginning with a solo engagement to kick off the DIRTcar Nationals on Feb. 2 and continuing with the second annual ‘Gator' championship on Feb. 8 and a huge multiple-feature finale on Feb. 9, the popular open-wheel division will attract plenty of attention during the mid-winter racing extravaganza outside Daytona Beach.

“We've worked hard the last couple years to make the DIRTcar Nationals more attractive for the UMP DIRTcar Modified teams and the overall response has been great,” said UMP DIRTcar director Sam Driggers. “They see that we're taking care of them and making them a big part of the DIRTcar Nationals.”

This year's 12-night meet at the sweeping half-mile oval on Route 40 will actually begin with a UMP DIRTcar Modified-only program paying $1,000 to win on Tues., Feb. 2. The Modifieds will then contest successive A-Mains for $1,000 top prizes on Feb. 3-4 (doubleheaders with the All-Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Car Series) and Feb. 5 (alongside the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series) before diving into two nights of preliminary action that lead into the ‘Gator' spectacular.

The always-massive field of UMP DIRTcar Modifieds at Volusia will be split in half for the ‘Gator' preliminaries, with one group competing on Sat., Feb. 6, and the other hitting the track on Sun., Feb. 7. Both evenings will feature A-Mains that pay $700 to win and share the bill with the WoO Sprint Car tour.

The two prelim nights will set the lineups for an ‘alphabet' series of races on Mon., Feb. 8, that culminates with the 30-lap ‘Gator' championship. A $5,000 first-place check will be handed to the winner of the second annual headline event for the UMP DIRTcar Modifieds.

Last year's inaugural ‘Gator' special was captured by Jared Landers of Batesville, Ark., who dominated the week's UMP DIRTcar Modified competition. He won five of the seven features he entered – only teenager Austin Dillon of Welcome, N.C., who won twice, managed to defeat Landers – en route to snaring the division's DIRTcar Nationals points crown.

“The ‘Gator' is only a year old but it's definitely already a race that will be considered a feather in the cap of the driver who wins it,” said Driggers. “They know that they've outrun some of the best cars in the country if they win the ‘Gator.'”

UMP DIRTcar Modified racing during the DIRTcar Nationals will end on Feb. 9 with a multi-feature program in which all drivers on hand will battle in a $700-to-win main event. At least two – and perhaps three or four – 20-lappers will be run, depending on car count. The starting fields will be determined using the DCN points standings, with the leader running in the first feature, the second-place driver in the second event, and so on.

“In the past, the fields of UMP DIRTcar Modifieds have been so big (for the DCN) that there's 30 or 40 cars that don't even see a feature,” said Driggers. “This new format will give everyone a chance to get some track time in a feature to end the week.”

Volusia's pit area will be jammed with drivers from across the country and even Canada. Landers will lead the charge to the Sunshine State with plans to defend his DIRTcar Nationals points title.

The UMP DIRTcar Modified field is also expected to include NASCAR drivers David Reutimann of Zephyrhills, Fla., and Kenny Wallace of Concord, N.C., as well as 2008 UMP DIRTcar Modified national champion Jeff Leka of Buffalo, Ill.; Devin Gilpin of Columbus, Ind., who finished second in the 2009 UMP DIRTcar Modified national points standings; 2009 American Late Model Series champion Jon Henry of Ada, Ohio, who will join Reutimann in running a UNOH-backed car; Austin Dillon and his younger brother Ty, the grandsons of NASCAR team owner Richard Childress; Peyton Taylor of Batesville, Ark.; Jesse Stovall of Galena, Mo.; and Stormy Scott of Las Cruces, N.M.

The DIRTcar Nationals by UNOH run nightly from Feb. 2-13. Joining the UMP DIRTcar Modifieds on the schedule are the Super Late Models (UMP DIRTcar-sanctioned on Feb. 8, 9, 10 and 12 and World of Outlaws Late Model Series events on Feb. 11 and 13); the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series (Feb. 5-7); the All-Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Car Series (Feb. 3-4); and the Super DIRTcar Series for big-block Modifieds (Feb. 10-13).

For tickets to the 39th Annual Florida DIRTcar Nationals by UNOH, visit www.DIRTcarNationals.com or call Volusia Speedway Park at 386-985-4402. A ticket package for all eight nights of UMP DIRTcar Modified racing is available for $200.

For the first time in DIRTcar Nationals history, all fans will have the chance to see the competitors and their teams up close during each race nightt. A FREE Fan Pit Pass is available to every ticket-buying fan who comes through the main gates every night; fans can show their grandstand and sign in to the pits at a table near the pit entrance.

For more information on UMP DIRTcar Racing, visit www.dirtcar.com.

‘Fans of February' Thrilled to Launch 2010 Season With DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia

BARBERVILLE, FL — Jan. 18, 2010 — Volusia Speedway Park laid down the challenge a month ago. Are you a Fan of February? Dirt track fans from across North America responded, and four of them are being rewarded with a free hotel stay and two tickets to the Feb. 2-13 Florida DIRTcar Nationals By UNOH.

Winners from New Mexico, New York, Oregon and South Dakota are excited to start the racing season with all of the competitors from the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series, the World of Outlaws Late Model Series, the Super DIRTcar Series and UMP DIRTcar Racing at Volusia Speedway Park, just down State Road 40 from Interstate 95 and Ormond Beach.

Together with partners 4m.net, Hoseheads.com, STLRacing.com and DirtTrackDigest.com, Volusia Speedway Park reached across the Web to find four fans who live and breathe dirt track racing, and who can't wait to start the 2010 season.

“This is the first time I've ever won anything in my life,” said Tim Sweeney from Oregon, who wants to see his favorite driver, Steve Kinser, rip around Volusia's high-speed half-mile oval. “I usually go to Volusia every year. It starts the season for me, and after a long winter I really look forward to watching the World of Outlaws. It's the first taste of racing for the year and I'm counting on warm weather.”

For Joel Johnson, a Billy Moyer fan from New Mexico, this year marks a new adventure.

“This will be the very first time I've gone to Volusia,” Johnson said. “I've never even been to Florida in my life. I'm a DIRTcar nut. I've gone to Lernerville and Eldora and I've been to the World Finals every year in Charlotte. In fact, two years ago I got to carry the New Mexico flag in the parade of flags at the World Finals. At the World Finals last November I was talking to a guy who was wearing a Volusia Speedway Park coat and he said I ought to go because it is some of the best racing you'll see. So I'm really looking forward to it.”

Then there's Big-Block Modified fan Shannon Dietrich of New York. Her family has been going to Volusia for three years. She got the tickets for her Dad as a Christmas gift, but is counting on going to the races to cheer for Danny Johnson.

“Just going to Florida is fun,” Dietrich said. “It's a beautiful area, and winning is a nice reward for my dad.”

Wrapping up the Fan of February drawing was winner Nicole Whitman from South Dakota, who earned a DIRTcar UMP Modified hotel and ticket package.

There is still plenty of time to reserve your favorite seats to the 39^th Annual DIRTcar Nationals By UNOH. Don't miss a chance to see if Donny Schatz and Jason Meyers will continue their rivalry after the closest points race in World of Outlaws history, or if Josh Richards can duplicate his success in the World of Outlaws Late Model Series, or if Brett Hearn can post another Florida victory to start rolling toward an eighth Super DIRTcar Series crown. Call the track today at 386-985-4402 or visit http://www.dirtcarnationals.com for all the latest news and information. Follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/DIRTcarNats, or visit us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/WorldRacing.

UMP DIRTcar Super Late Model Champ Jason Feger Ready To Tackle DIRTcar Nationals For First Time

BARBERVILLE, FL - Jan. 14, 2010 - Jason Feger officially put the cap on his spectacular 2009 season last Saturday night when he received his UMP DIRTcar Racing Super Late Model national championship check and trophy during the organization's awards banquet in Springfield, Ill.

So what's next for the rising star from Bloomington, Ill.? His first-ever winter racing trip to Florida, an excursion highlighted by six nights of Super Late Model action during the 39th annual DIRTcar Nationals by UNOH at Volusia Speedway Park.

Feger, 31, will test his considerable skills at the half-mile oval outside Daytona Beach in four UMP DIRTcar-sanctioned events (Feb. 8, 9, 10, 12) and two World of Outlaws Late Model Series programs (Feb. 11 and 13) that open the national tour's 2010 schedule.

“I'm pretty anxious to get down there,” said Feger, who left the recent UMP DIRTcar gala with $32,700 in points-fund cash, including 20-grand for winning his first career national title. “All of the best in the business will be there, so it's definitely gonna be a measuring stick to show where we're at.”

Coming off a campaign that saw him win a UMP DIRTcar- and career-best 23 features at 13 different tracks in four states, Feger certainly brings a growing reputation to Volusia's week-long blockbuster. But he'll also be tackling one of the country's most competitive Super Late Model meets for the first time since entering the division in 2002.

Feger has previously experienced the DIRTcar Nationals atmosphere, but only as a high-profile crewman. Two years ago he provided a helping hand during the week to his buddy from the UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals trail, Jeep Van Wormer of Pinconning, Mich., giving him an up-close taste of what it takes to speed around the sprawling track.

“I think that year I was (at Volusia) with Jeep is gonna help me a lot,” said Feger, whose 2009 season included his first-ever WoO LMS A-Main triumph on May 24 at Charter Raceway Park in Beaver Dam, Wis. “It looks like a challenging place and has a lot of unique characteristics, and I know that with so many good cars there it's gonna be tough if your car's not right and your stuff's not good. But I like fast racetracks and feel like I learned a lot just by watching (while working with VanWormer), and hopefully that will translate to success on the track.”

Feger's long-awaited chance to kick off his racing season in the Sunshine State comes courtesy of Stearn Ironworks and Jaxon Chase Steel Detailing, the Midwestern companies that joined his family-owned team midway through the 2009 schedule. The extra sponsorship gave Feger the financial boost he needed to obtain a larger hauler and trailer (a transporter formerly used by Scott Bloomquist) and hit the road more actively.

Two cars built by Midwestern racing legend Bob Pierce will be in strapped into Feger's rig for the haul south – one a virtually-new machine with just four starts on it, the other Feger's battle-tested ‘Good Old Girl' that's two-and-a-half years old and has seen action in more than 120 events.

“We're gonna give it everything we got with our best stuff,” said Feger, who won't have to adjust to an open-tire rule for the WoO LMS events at Volusia because the UMP DIRTcar Hoosier tires he knows so well are mandatory in all DIRTcar Nationals shows. “We're not going down there to run second. We had a great run (in November) at the World Finals (charging from 19th to second in the WoO LMS 50-lapper before cutting down a tire) and that was our first time at Charlotte (Motor Speedway), so hopefully we can do the same thing (at Volusia).

“I know it would be awesome if we could get a win. To kick off the year beating the best guys in the country – man, that would mean a lot. That would sell Bob (Pierce) some cars and give me a lot of notoriety.”

Feger should say more notoriety, because, win or lose, he figures to attract plenty of attention throughout his visit to Volusia Speedway Park. He's one of the hippest, most gregarious drivers currently on the dirt Late Model scene, his car sports a cool color scheme and ‘tumbling dice' graphics, he sells trendy apparel and he displays a hard-charging driving style (he's not called the ‘Highside Hustler' for nothing).

With a unique first-time promotion for this year's DIRTcar Nationals providing all ticket-buyers an opportunity to sign into the pits each night at no additional charge, a steady procession of fans will undoubtedly make their way to Feger's trailer. You can bet that he'll be accommodating to every last one of them – after all, he succinctly summed up his feelings toward his supporters during the speech he delivered to a packed ballroom upon accepting his 2009 UMP DIRTcar national championship laurels.

“It can't be possible without the fans – that's absolutely positive,” Feger said near the end of his heartfelt banquet remarks, which stretched for more than 20 minutes. “They buy your t-shirts, they fill (tracks') stands. We all gotta do what we can in this day and age for the fans, and I'm fortunate I have a lot of really good ones.

“I work really hard at (fan relations) – I try to treat them good, and I try to put on a show. Sometimes it's hard to determine if you're in the entertainment business or the racing business, but it's always really great when you can get the support of the fans because of what you do.”

The DIRTcar Nationals by UNOH begin on Feb. 2 and run nightly through Feb. 13. Joining the Super Late Models on the schedule are the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series (Feb. 5-7); the Super DIRTcar Series for big-block Modifieds (Feb. 10-13); the All-Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Car Series (Feb. 3-4); and the UMP DIRTcar Modifieds (Feb. 2-9).

For tickets to the 39th Annual Florida DIRTcar Nationals by UNOH, visit www.DIRTcarNationals.com or call Volusia Speedway Park at 386-985-4402. A ticket package for all six nights of Super Late Model racing is available for $175.

Anyone who purchases a ticket before Jan. 15 will be entered in the ‘Fan of February' contest, which rewards its winner with two free tickets and a free hotel stay during the DIRTcar Nationals. Fans can log on to www.fanoffebruary.com for more information.

In addition, for the first time in DIRTcar Nationals history, all fans will have the chance to see the competitors and their teams up close during each race nightt. A FREE Fan Pit Pass is available to every ticket-buying fan who comes through the main gates every night; fans can show their grandstand and sign in to the pits at a table near the pit entrance.

For more information on UMP DIRTcar Racing and the WoO LMS, visit www.dirtcar.com and www.worldofoutlaws.com.
 

DIRTcar Racing Adds Sanctioning To Final Four Nights Of USA Raceway's ‘Wild West Shootout'

TUCSON, AZ – Jan. 13, 2010 – The 2010 DIRTcar Racing campaign will get off to an early start following the announcement that the organization will sanction the final four events of the ‘Wild West Shootout' for Super Late Models and Modifieds at USA Raceway.

Over $150,000 in prize money is posted for the blockbuster six-night event, which began with weekend shows on Jan. 9 and 10. DIRTcar Racing's sanctioning of the series starts with the doubleheader scheduled for tonight (Jan. 13) and continues with the events on Fri., Jan. 15; Sat., Jan. 16; and Sun., Jan. 17.

The grand finale of the three-eighths-mile Arizona oval's season-opening spectacular comes on Jan. 17 with the running of the Bill Cheesebourg Memorial, a $10,000-to-win event held in honor of the late Tucson native who starred on his homestate's dirt-track circuit for decades and made six starts in the Indianapolis 500 from 1957-1965.

“DIRTcar Racing is honored to be part of the ‘Wild West Shootout' for the first time,” said DIRTcar Racing Western Region director Chris Morgan. “(USA Raceway promoter) Benji Lyons has done a great job building anticipation for the series and we're excited that it will serve as the lead-in to an exciting season of DIRTcar Racing in the Western Region.

“DIRTcar Racing's sanctioning of the ‘Wild West Shootout' is super news for the West's Late Model and Modified racers, who will now have several addition opportunities to build up their points totals in the UMP DIRTcar regional and national programs.”

USA Raceway is a flagship DIRTcar Racing track in the Southwest, headlining UMP DIRTcar West Modifieds on a weekly basis. The DIRTcar-sanctioned Southwest Dirt Racing Association (SWDRA) Late Model series also makes multiple visits to the speedway each season.

With the ‘Wild West Shootout' now carrying sanctioning from DIRTcar Racing, the UMP DIRTcar points program will allow drivers to count two finishes toward their 2010 regional and national totals. The weekly UMP DIRTcar points season runs from April through early October, but drivers can also count their best finish/points night each week (Sunday-Saturday represents a week during the Wild West Shootout) from Jan. 1 until the start of weekly points racing – which means drivers will count their best finish in the events on Jan. 13, 15 and 16 along with their finish in the Jan. 17 finale.

“DIRTcar Racing and USA Raceway are great partners and we're excited to add their sanctioning to the remainder of the ‘Wild West Shootout' events for the Super Late Models and Modifieds,” said Benji Lyons, who co-promotes the Arizona track with Kevin Montgomery. “This will be a great opportunity for drivers to start collecting some UMP DIRTcar Racing points and increase their chances of sharing in some of the 2010 points-fund money.”

Nearly 50 Super Late Model teams and 40 DIRTcar Modified competitors from more than a dozen states and Canada have already entered Wild West Shootout action. The Super Late Models have a trio of $3,000-to-win shows and the $10,000-to-win finale remaining, while the Modifieds will chase $1,000 first-place prizes in the remaining events.

Racing is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. on Jan. 13 and 15, while a 4 p.m. start will be utilized on Jan. 16 and 17.

Ticket pricing and other ‘Wild West Shootout' information can be found online at www.usaraceway.net or by calling the USA Raceway office at 520-574-8515.

USA Raceway is located east of Tucson off I-10 exit 268, then 1.6 miles south on Craycroft Road, which turns into Los Reales.

Additional info on all of the series, sanctioning and member tracks of DIRTcar Racing is available at www.DIRTcar.com.

Illinois Stars Feger & Cook Realize National Title Dreams As Over $400,000 Is Handed Out During UMP DIRTcar Racing Awards Banquet

SPRINGFIELD, IL – Jan. 9, 2010 – Rising Midwestern stars Jason Feger and Gary Cook Jr. saw their dreams meet reality during Saturday night's 26th annual UMP DIRTcar Racing ‘Night of Champions' Awards Banquet inside the Springfield Crowne Plaza Hotel's ballroom.

Feger, 31, of Bloomington, Ill., was saluted for his spectacular 2009 season, which saw him win his first UMP DIRTcar Super Late Model national championship – ending the two-year reign of Carpentersvile, Ill.'s Dennis Erb Jr. – lead the circuit with 23 feature wins and capture the UMP DIRTcar-sanctioned Monster Midwest Series title. The homegrown talent's success earned him a total of $32,700 in points-fund checks during the gala evening.

Deer Creek, Ill.'s Cook, meanwhile, celebrated his first career UMP DIRTcar open-wheel Modified national title. The championship crowning was an emotional moment for the 33-year-old driver, who came back strong after falling short in the 2008 national points race while receiving treatment for a cancerous tumor that was found in his nasal package.

Over 750 attendees from more than a dozen states and Canada filled the ballroom to watch UMP DIRT Racing officials distribute over $400,000 to the organization's 2009 champions and top performers.

An approachable racer known for his outgoing personality, Feger surprised no one when he accepted his championship laurels with a heartfelt, banquet-ending speech that stretched for more than 20 minutes. He spent much of his time behind the podium thanking the people who made his championship season possible, including his crew – led by his younger brother Austin, who earlier in the night was named the 2009 UMP DIRTcar Super Late Model Mechanic of the Year by vote of the organization's membership – mother, grandmother, chassis builder Bob Pierce, engine builder Matt Rhyne and long list of sponsors.

Feger had especially kind words for Pierce, the legendary racer whose chassis Feger has used for the past two-and-half years.

“It's such an honor to race with my childhood hero and help make his business succeed,” Feger said of Pierce. “You can't imagine how much that means to me.”

After posing for photos with his close-knit team, Feger reflected on his career campaign.

“Earlier today I did a radio show at the Speed Expo (at the nearby Illinois State Fairgrounds) with Larry Lembeck and he kind of put (the national title) in perspective for me,” said Feger, who won the championship one year after being named UMP DIRTcar's Most Improved Driver. “He started naming off some of the guys who have won this deal and the history behind it, and that really made it sink in for me. To be able to be listed with a group of guys like Gary Webb, Erb, (Randy) Korte, (Rodney) Melvin and a lot of others – that's pretty impressive to me.

“Just to think that someday down the road somebody is gonna look back and see my name on this list (of UMP DIRTcar champions) – I hope they can have the same respect for me that I have for the guys who have won it.”

Feger's points-fund earnings were topped by the $20,000 he received for the national title. He picked up another $5,000 for winning Don and Bonnie Hammer's Monster Midwest Series, plus $5,000 for finishing fourth in the UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals points standings; $2,000 for placing second in the Central Region points battle; and $700 for fourth place in the Northern Allstars Late Model Series points standings. Feger also received two sets of Dyer's Top Rods for his national and Monster Midwest Series titles.

The only driver who left the banquet with more points-fund cash than Feger was Erb, who collected a total of $38,100 despite failing to three-peat as national champion. He still earned $25,000 for winning his third consecutive UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals title; $10,000 for finishing second in the national points standings; $2,000 for a runner-up placing on the Northern Allstars Late Model Series; $700 for fourth place on the Monster Midwest Series; and $400 for sixth place in the Central Region.

A feel-good vibe ran through the banquet attendees when Cook walked across the stage to receive his 2009 UMP DIRTcar Modified national championship hardware. His impeccable 24-victory season completed the title march he had begun in 2008 before his health scare sidetracked his hopes.

Cook finished third in the 2008 UMP DIRTcar national Modified points standings despite missing some mid-season racing time while undergoing radiation and chemotherapy treatments for an inoperable cancerous tumor that doctors found in July near his nasal passage. With doctors determining before New Year's Day 2009 that Cook's cancer had gone into remission and subsequent cancer scans finding that the dead tissue was continuing to deteriorate, Cook was able to race full-strength for the entire '09 campaign.

“It was pretty emotional,” Cook said of his moment in the UMP DIRTcar banquet spotlight. “Winning this championship is what we set out to do last year, but we couldn't do it because of unfortunate circumstances. Fortunately we were able to come back strong (in 2009) and meet our goal, which makes us feel great.”

Cook reached the UMP DIRTcar promised land driving a Pierce Chassis Modified for car owners Jim and Kim Scott. With his mission accomplished, the father of two young children plans to put his focus on chasing big-race wins in 2010.

Cook's points-fund earnings totaled $22,100, including $2,000 for winning the Northwest Region title and $100 for placing 10th in the Midwest Region.

Cook's crew chief, Bill Klingbiel, was also honored during the night as the 2009 UMP DIRTcar Modified Mechanic of the Year by vote of the organization's membership.

The night's third-largest championship booty was claimed by Bobby Dauderman of Alhambra, Ill., who pocketed $10,000 for unseating Tait Davenport of Paducah, Ky., as the UMP DIRTcar Pro Late Model national titlist. He padded his earnings with an additional $1,000 check for winning the North Region points standings during the second season for UMP DIRTcar's fledgling crate-engine Late Model class.

“It was definitely a nerve-wracking points race,” the 22-year-old Dauderman said of a dramatic battle with Davenport. “We didn't win it until the last night. It was pretty exciting.”

Russell Eilers, 19, of Highland, Ill., celebrated his first career UMP DIRTcar Sportsman national championship after roaring to 17 feature wins in 2009. An up-and-comer whose older brother drives a Modified and younger brother runs in the Sportsman division, he earned $3,500, including $500 for capturing the West Region points.

Chad Boone, 28, of Owensboro, Ky., accepted his first-ever UMP DIRTcar Limited Modified national title. The union painter won 15 features in 2009 driving his self-owned equipment and collected $3,500 in points-fund checks, including $500 for topping the East Region standings.

Rick Thomas of Dwight, Ill., celebrated the biggest championship honor of his three-decade-long racing career, enjoying the spotlight as the UMP DIRTcar Stock Car national titlist. At 52 the oldest national champion in 2009, Thomas earned $3,500, including $500 for winning the West Region points race.

Bob Zbinden, 20, of Alhambra, Ill. (Sport Compact) and Bill May, 47, of Muskegon, Mich. (Factory Stocks) were honored as the national champions of UMP DIRTcar's entry-level classes, which debuted in 2007. Both drivers earned $1,500, including $500 checks for capturing regional titles.

Following a 2009 campaign that saw over 10,000 drivers earn points, all eight 2009 national champions wore their crowns for the first time.

What's more, three of the national champs graduated from the same high school. Dauderman (Class of 2006) as well as Eilers and Zbinden (Class of 2008) attended Highland (Ill.) High School.

Regional champions were named in all eight divisions.

* Late Model regional titlists Steve Sheppard Jr. of New Berlin, Ill. (Central), Michael Kloos of Trenton, Ill. (West), Rusty Schlenk of Jackson, Mich. (East) received checks for $3,000 apiece, while Nick Bartels of El Segundo, Calif., earned $2,000 as the Pacific Region champ and Lonnie Parker Jr. of El Mirage, Calif., picked up $1,200 as the Southwest Region king. Only Parker did not make the trip to accept his laurels in person.

* Capturing Modified regional crowns worth $2,000 apiece were Cook (Northwest), Gilpin (Southeast), Tim Hancock of Mt. Olive, Ill. (Southwest), Randle Sweeney of Clifty, Ky. (South), Lance Dehm of Chatsworth, Ill. (Midwest), Todd Sherman of Churbusco, Ind. (East), John McCaul of Montague, Mich. (Northeast), Jimmy Ray of Las Cruces, N.M. (Wild West), Curt Rackers of Holts Summit, Mo. (West) and Jeremiah Oalmann of Franklinton, La. (Deep South). Ray, Rackers and Oalmann were not on hand.

* Dauderman (North) and Davenport (South) pocketed $1,000 apiece as champions of the two Pro Late Model regions.

* Sportsman regional champs (worth $500) included Eilers (West), Clayton Perry of North Vernon, Ind. (South) and Brian Williams of Bailey, Mich. (East).

* Limited Modified regional crowns (worth $500) were claimed by Boone (East) and John Paul Talkington of Denham Spring, La. (West), who was not in attendance.

* Stock Car regional titles (worth $500) fell to Thomas (West), Ervin Turner of Marion, Ind. (East), Stacy Tretter of Princeton, Ind. (South) and Dave Mannise of Fulton, N.Y. (North). Tretter and Mannise were not able to attend the banquet.

* Entry-level division regional champions (worth $500) included Zbinden (West), C.J. Rector of Sparta, Mich. (East), Richard Ashby of Caneyville, Ky. (South) and Joe Reed of Decatur, Ill. (North) in the Sport Compacts and May (North) and Dennis Ponder of Collinsville, Ill. (South) in the Factory Stocks.

Other UMP DIRTcar-sanctioned series titlists recognized during Saturday's festivities were Jon Henry of Ada, Ohio (American Late Model Series) and Kevin Weaver of Gibson City, Ill. (Northern Allstars Late Model Series). Henry also earned a $1,000 bonus for emerging as the 2009 UMP DIRTcar Super Late Model Rookie of the Year.

A number of special awards determined by a vote of the UMP DIRTcar Racing membership were handed out:

* Modified driver Mike Spatola of Manhattan, Ill., earned recognition as the circuit's Most Improved Driver.

* Feger (Late Models) and Cook (Modifieds) received Sportsman of the Year trophies.

* Brownstown (Ind.) Speedway was announced as the UMP DIRTcar Racing Track of the Year. Promoter Tim Keithley accepted the award.

* Tom Sprague of Winston Speedway in Rothbury, Mich., was feted as the 2009 UMP DIRTcar Racing Promoter of the Year.

Clarksville (Tenn.) Speedway promoter William Scoggins received the fifth annual Bob Memmer Achievement Award, which honors the memory of UMP DIRTcar Racing's late founder. The prestigious plaque was presented to Scoggins by Hoosier Tire's Terry Young, who won the award last year.

The 2009 UMP DIRTcar Racing Chassis Builder of the Year awards went to Rocket Chassis of Shinnston, W.Va., in the Late Models and Bob Pierce Race Cars of Oakwood, Ill., in the Modifieds. Rocket cars won 167 UMP DIRTcar-sanctioned features and Pierce machines reached Victory Lane 210 times in Modified competition.

Pierce Race Cars was recognized as the champion chassis builder in the Super Late Model, Modified and Limited Modified national points races – the first time a single manufacturer has swept three UMP DIRTcar titles in a single season.

Claiming the 2009 Engine Builder of the Year awards were Pro Power Racing Engines (Late Models) and Mullins Racing Engines (Modifieds). Late Models using Pro Power motors scored 38 feature wins and Modifieds equipped with Mullins powerplants registered 96 triumphs.

The affair began for the second consecutive year with an awards ceremony for the top-seven drivers in the new Kid Modz division, a four-cylinder version of a UMP DIRTcar Modified that car builder Bob Pierce launched to bring youngsters into the sport. Heidi Goodman, 12, of Chillicothe, Ill., received a check for $2,000 as the division's 2009 champion.

Appreciation plaques were presented during the evening to promoters or representatives from Fairbury American Legion Speedway, Kankakee County Speedway, Charleston Speedway, Spoon River Speedway, Mt. Pleasant Speedway, Winston Speedway, Brownstown Speedway, Twin Cities Raceway Park/Thunder Valley Speedway, Farmer City Raceway/Lincoln Speedway, Eldora Speedway, I-55 Raceway, Track Enterprises (Macon Speedway/Paducah International Raceway), Clarksville Speedway, Windy Hollow Speedway, Highland Speedway, Belle-Clair Speedway, Tri-City Speedway and Shepp's Speedway.

Earlier in the day, World Racing Group Chief Operating Office Tom Deery and UMP DIRTcar Racing director Sam Driggers hosted a meeting with promoters of several tracks to discuss a variety of topics, including 2010 UMP DIRTcar memberships, sanctioning agreements, insurance, rules and publicity initiatives.

The 2010 UMP DIRTcar Racing season begins with a five-day meet for the open-wheel Modifieds running from Jan. 26-30 at East Bay Raceway Park in Gibsonton, Fla. Both the Modifieds and Super Late Models will then be part of the 39th annual DIRTcar Nationals by UNOH at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla., with the Modifieds running nightly from Feb. 2-9 and the Super Late Models contesting sanctioned events on Feb. 8, 9, 10 and 12.

For more information on UMP DIRTcar Racing, visit www.dirtcar.com.

Sponsors and supporters of the 2009 UMP DIRTcar Racing season included Hoosier Racing Tires, Midwest Speed Expo, VP Racing Fuels, Wrisco Aluminum, C.J. Rayburn Race Cars, Bob Pierce Race Car, Dyer's Top Rods, University of Northwest Ohio, Integra Shocks, Eibach Springs, Just Plugs, QuarterMaster, ASI Racewear, Racing Electronics, Bert Transmissions, stlracing.com, Intercomp Scales, dirtondirt.com and Fusion Sign Co.

Western Region DIRTcar Modified Racing Picks Up Steam In 2009 With Down-To-The-Wire Points Battle

CONCORD, NC – Dec. 22, 2009 – A showdown between a grizzled veteran and a fresh-faced youngster. A dramatic, down-to-the-wire points battle. A dose of national recognition and cool points-fund checks at the end of the rainbow.

Those were the lead stories of the 2009 season in DIRTcar Racing Western Region's open-wheel Modified division, which picked up more steam thanks to an exciting duel for regional supremacy featuring fellow Las Cruces, N.M., residents Jimmy Ray and Stormy Scott.

In what was by far the closest points race among the 10 regions that comprised the nationally-known UMP DIRTcar Modified program in 2009, the 60-year-old Ray nipped the 19-year-old Scott by a mere two points (1,989-1,987) to win the championship of the Wild West Region, which includes the best DIRTcar Modified racers from New Mexico, Arizona and Western Texas. The title will bring Ray a $2,000 prize from the $6,400 Wild West Region points fund when checks are distributed during the 2009 UMP DIRTcar Racing ‘Night of Champions' Awards Banquet on Jan. 9 in Springfield, Ill.

“Seeing an established standout like Jimmy Ray outduel a rising star like Stormy Scott in the closest regional points battle in the country made the 2009 season truly memorable for DIRTcar Modified racing in the DIRTcar Racing Western Region,” said DIRTcar Racing Western Region director Chris Morgan. “The exciting points race – and the season-ending points-fund bonuses that went to the top DIRTcar Modified drivers in the Western Region – put DIRTcar Racing in the headlines as we continue to build Modified racing in the Western Region under the DIRTcar Racing banner.”

A prominent proponent of DIRTcar Modified racing's expansion in the Southwest is Ray, who not only is a leading driver in the region but also co-promotes two flagship DIRTcar-sanctioned tracks in the area. Ray and his business partner Royal Jones, a 55-year-old from Las Cruces who also competes regularly in the DIRTcar Modified class, operate Southern New Mexico Speedway in Las Cruces and El Paso (Texas) Speedway Park.

“I enjoy racing a DIRTcar Modified,” said Ray, who combines with Jones to operate Mesilla Valley Transportation. “I like the (DIRTcar) rules because a racer can still feel like he can build things and be creative – to a degree – rather than having everything controlled, and the points deal is a nice bonus.”

A competitive sort who has driven everything from Modifieds to Sprint Cars to Late Models to Legends Cars during his long career behind the wheel, Ray built up his '09 UMP DIRTcar points total running his 10-year-old, homebuilt DIRTcar Modified weekly at Southern New Mexico and El Paso. He also competed in special events at other DIRTcar Racing-sanctioned tracks in the region – White Sands Speedway in Tularosa, N.M., where Ray was crowned the 2009 track champ for his success in a six-race Modified series, and USA Raceway in Tucson, Ariz., where Tucson's R.C. Whitwell emerged as the Modified titlist (and finished 12th in the Wild West Region).

Ray held off a furious late-season rush from Scott to secure the Wild West Region title.

“We knew it was gonna be close coming down the stretch,” Ray said of his points battle with Scott. “(Scott) had more wins (11) than we did (Ray was victorious just twice), but we had an awful lot of seconds and that kept us on top.”

Scott, meanwhile, ran out of time in his pursuit of Ray. The teenager (who turned 20 on Dec. 16) won nearly half his DIRTcar-sanctioned starts in 2009 competing at the same selection of sanctioned tracks as Ray, but he didn't enter as many events as Ray, putting him at a disadvantage in a points system that used drivers' best 30 finishes/points nights to determine the regional standings. While Ray was able to replace several of his worst outings, Scott didn't make enough starts to wipe out any of his low points nights.

“Once we realized we had a shot in the points we started running more DIRTcar shows,” said Scott, a DIRTcar Modified racer since the ripe age of 12 who competed in 2009 as a teammate to his fraternal twin brother Johnny in cars fielded by his grandparents. “We could've used a few more races.”

Scott figures to be a contender for the Wild West Region title in 2010 – and perhaps even the UMP DIRTcar national crown (worth $20,000) if he enters more DIRTcar-sanctioned events. He finished 21st in the national standings in 2009 (besting Ray's 29th-place finish because he earned points outside the Wild West Region), earning himself an additional $700 to go along with the $1,500 he will collect for taking the runner-up spot in the regional race.

“I think DIRTcar Modified racing is a good deal for our area,” said Scott, a sophomore business major at New Mexico State University. “It allows you to pretty much run anywhere in the country with the same car, and I'm looking forward to running more races next year.”

In fact, Scott will make his second consecutive February trip to Florida in 2010 for some DIRTcar Modified racing. He has landed a ride in a car owned by J.R. Baxter of Albuquerque, N.M., for the eight nights of UMP DIRTcar Modified action (Feb. 2-9) that are part of the 39th annual DIRTcar Nationals by UNOH at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla.

Ray and Scott were two of five Wild West Region drivers who cracked the top 100 in the 2009 UMP DIRTcar Modified national points standings. They were joined by female driving standout Christy Georges of El Paso, Texas (third regional, 62nd national), Royal Jones (fourth region, 90th national) and Royal's son Bumper Jones (fifth region, 64th national).

Scott and Royal Jones also made the tow out to last month's inaugural Silver State DIRTcar Championships at The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, showing their backing of DIRTcar Modified racing in the West. Scott was victorious in the weekend's preliminary feature and finished second in the main event.

Jones made a point of supporting the Silver State DIRTcar Championships. He wants to see the DIRTcar Modified division expand across the western states.

“I'm a big supporter of DIRTcar,” said Royal Jones, who scored a pair of top-10 finishes at Las Vegas. “I think the rules and structure (DIRTcar provides) can be a real good thing for our area.”

With strong testimonials from such major players as Jones, DIRTcar Modified racing's growth in the West is sure to continue in 2010 – with more tracks, more cars, more big events (like November's Fall DIRTcar Nationals which paid $15,000 to win and drew 107 cars to Jones's Southern New Mexico oval) and more opportunities for drivers to bid for the biggest UMP DIRTcar points prizes.

Additional info on all of the series, sanctioning and member tracks of DIRTcar Racing is available at www.DIRTcar.com.
 

Fan of February? Win FREE Hotel and Tickets to DIRTcar Nationals

CONCORD, N.C. — Dec. 18, 2009 — Are you a Fan of February? Are you already packed for the DIRTcar Nationals By UNOH at Volusia Speedway Park, just waiting to see the superstars from the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series, the World of Outlaws Late Model Series, the Super DIRTcar Series and UMP DIRTcar Racing?

DIRTcar Racing To Sanction Colorado Late Model Association Series In 2010

CONCORD, NC – Dec. 14, 2009 – DIRTcar Racing will sanction the 2010 Colorado Late Model Association (CLMA) series for Super Late Models, officials from the two organizations have announced.

The CLMA becomes the fourth Super Late Model tour to come under the DIRTcar Racing Western Region banner since 2008, joining the Western Allstars DIRTcar Late Model Series, Northwest I-5 DIRTcar Late Model Tour and the Southwest Dirt Late Model Association (SWDRA) series.

“We're proud to bring the Colorado Late Model Association series under the DIRTcar Racing umbrella in 2010,” said DIRTcar Racing Western Region director Chris Morgan. “Sanctioning a growing series like the CLMA is another key element of DIRTcar Racing's expansion. With the CLMA's location in the Rocky Mountain region bordering our DIRTcar series to the east and west, we are creating a bigger base of Super Late Model teams to draw from as we strive to create bigger, more exciting events for the fans and racers.”

While the CLMA will remain under the direction of president (and racer) J.T. Botts of Broomfield, Colo., all events in 2010 will offer DIRTcar Racing-licensed drivers points toward the UMP DIRTcar Racing regional and national standings. Drivers will have an opportunity to share in a UMP DIRTcar Racing points fund that annually tops $200,000.

In existence since 2001, the Denver-based CLMA is coming off a 10-event 2009 season that visited I-76 Speedway in Fort Morgan, Colo., Gillette (Wyo.) Thunder Speedway and Sweetwater Speedway in Rock Springs, Wyo. Dave Garmann of Milliken, Colo., won the series championship for the second time in his career.

According to CLMA promotions director Cory Moul, tour officials are planning to expand the schedule in 2010 to as many as 20 events spread over multiple two-race weekends. He said Colorado and Wyoming will remain the epicenter of the series, but tracks in Nebraska, Kansas and New Mexico are possible additions.

“We told everybody about the DIRTcar sanctioning during our (awards) banquet (on Dec. 4 in Westminster, Colo.) and the response was great,” said Moul. “Everyone with the CLMA is excited about the benefits that being part of DIRTcar will provide – from the increased recognition and the chance to race for the UMP DIRTcar national and regional points funds that CLMA drivers will now have, to the increased insurance coverage that DIRTcar members receive.”

Several CLMA drivers got a preview of DIRTcar Racing-sanctioned competition last month, competing in the inaugural Silver State DIRTcar Championships on Nov. 20-21 at The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The Colorado contingent included Botts, Scott Lewis (third-place finisher in the 2009 points standings), Dean Moore (fifth in points) and Steve Lewis (ninth in points).

For more information on the CLMA, visit www.coloradolatemodel.com.

Additional info on all of the series, sanctioning and member tracks of DIRTcar Racing is available at www.DIRTcar.com.