Chub Looks Ahead To Return Of ‘Old Faithful’ After Quiet Diamond Nationals Outing 

A 21^st-place finish in the rain-delayed second annual SuperClean Diamond Nationals 100 at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo., capped off Chub’s extended stay in the Midwest. 

Chub spent the week leading up to the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event working on his Lester Buildings/Corry Rubber/All Star Performance/Corry Laser/Slavic Corporation/Farr MotorSports/Lake Shore Paving/Custom Race Engines Chevrolet Impala SS Rocket Chassis No. 1* in Missouri after competing in a pair of World of Outlaws Late Model Series shows that were held on May 3-4 in the southwestern part of the state. 

“I wish we would’ve had a little more to show for the trip, but we just made some wrong choices in the feature,” Chub said of his Diamond Nationals effort. 

After qualifying third-fastest in his group time-trial session on Friday night, Chub rode out the strong storms that postponed Saturday night’s scheduled Diamond Nationals action to Sunday. He qualified for the 100-lap A-Main by finishing second in the first B-Main on Sunday. 

Chub started 21^st in the headline event, which was run on a track surface that was completely reworked after the heats and B-Mains produced little passing in afternoon conditions. He said the speedway’s manicuring definitely made it racier, but he wasn’t able to make any move forward and thus retired once he was lapped about one-third of the way through the 100. 

“We went too hard with our tires,” said Chub. “We probably would’ve been O.K. later in the race, but, starting so far back, we should’ve put on a softer tire so we would’ve been better at the beginning. We ended up getting lapped early and that was it for us. 

“The only good thing was that there was a wreck a little while after I pulled off. I probably would’ve been right in the middle of that if I was still on the track.” 

Chub made the long drive back to his shop in Bear Lake, Pa., on Monday with visions of his favorite race car dancing in his head. He’s hoping that the machine he calls ‘Old Faithful’ – the 2006 Rocket that he flipped last month at The Dirt Track @ Lowe’s Motor Speedway – will be ready to return to competition in this weekend’s WoO LMS shows at Attica (Ohio) Raceway Park (Fri., May 16) and Lincoln (Ill.) Speedway (Sun., May 18). 

“The car wasn’t even in my shop when we left for Missouri because it was off getting a new body put on it,” said Chub. “Hopefully it’ll be there when I get back and we’ll have enough time to finish it up before the weekend.” 

Chub enters the weekend ranked fifth in the WoO LMS points standings through nine events, 34 points behind leader Billy Moyer.

Following Strong Run At Virginia Motor Speedway, Jeremy Miller Preps For Busy Upcoming Schedule

GETTYSBURG, PA - Jeremy Miller is hoping that another strong run at Virginia Motor Speedway will provide some momentum for his busy upcoming schedule.

Returning to the site of his emotional first career World of Outlaws Late Model Series victory on April 11, Gettysburg, Pa.’s Miller drove his Buckler Motorsports Rocket No. 24 to a second-place finish in last Thursday night’s 40-lap Paul Sawyer Memorial dirt Late Model special at the pristine half-mile oval in Jamaica, Va.

The runner-up outing to fellow Pennsylvanian Jason Covert came in Miller’s first start since the Circle K Colossal 100 on April 19 at The Dirt Track @ Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C., where Miller finished 27^th because a bent front nosepiece forced him to retire early after he had advanced from the 18^th starting spot to eighth. Miller’s hopes of competing in Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series events the last weekend in April at Bedford (Pa.) Speedway and Hagerstown (Md.) Speedway were dashed by rain.

The 37-year-old Miller wasn’t quite able to duplicate his thrilling WoO LMS run at Virginia Motor, but a bridesmaid placing wasn’t a bad alternative.

“We were off just a little bit from the Outlaw show,” said Miller, who started fourth after locking into the feature through a time-trial session. “We’ve been working with the car trying to get it better and driving easier, so we didn’t run the car the same as we did last month. Maybe that doesn’t make sense, but as a team you’re always looking to improve and go faster.

“We can’t complain about finishing second, though. I battled side-by-side with (Tim) McCreadie for second for about 30 laps, so I think we put on a show that gave the fans their money’s worth.”

Miller is looking ahead to two races this weekend with his familiar No. 24, which carries sponsorship from Complete Flooring, USA Spares, Inc., Rocket Chassis, Bullock Race Engines, Miller Fabrication Inc., Torco Race Fuels, Genesis Racing Shocks and American Racer Tires. He’s scheduled to compete on Friday night (May 9) at Potomac Speedway in Budds Creek, Md., in a 35^th Anniversary special paying $3,500 to win, and on Sunday night (May 11) in a Mid-Atlantic Championship Series (MACS) show at Hesston (Pa.) Speedway that offers a $5,000 top prize.

Next week Miller has two Independent Racing Series (IRS) events planned – the third annual Dave Lundgren Memorial 50 on Fri., May 16, at McKean County Raceway in East Smethport, Pa., and the Roberts Trucking 50 on Sat., May 17, at Stateline Speedway in Busti, N.Y. Both races will pay $5,000 to win.

For more information on Jeremy Miller, visit www.jeremymiller24.com.

Mike Knight’s Racing Fortunes Take A Turn For The Better

RIPLEY, NY – Mike Knight’s racing fortunes are beginning to look up.

The rising young dirt Late Model star from Ripley, N.Y., saw his tough early-season luck turn around last weekend with a pair of strong runs.

Knight, 21, registered a solid sixth-place finish last Friday night (May 2) in the 50-lap Independent Racing Series (IRS) event at Elkins (W.Va.) Speedway, and on Sunday night (May 4) he backed up his morale-boosting performance with a come-from-behind fourth-place finish in the 25-lap Super Late Model season opener at Eriez Speedway in Hammett, Pa.

“We kept it on all four wheels and didn’t blow a motor,” joked Knight, referring to a flip and engine malfunction that were among the lowlights of his recent string of misfortune. “It was a good weekend for us. Maybe we’re finally getting rid of our bad luck.”

A 2008 IRS Rookie of the Year contender, Knight showed he’s a serious threat to win the award during his first-ever visit to Elkins Speedway. His time-trial lap of 14.642 seconds around the three-eighths-mile oval was the fastest of the night’s 39 entries – giving him his first Integra Racing Shocks Fast Time Award of the IRS season – and a third-place finish in the first heat transferred him to the A-Main. Armed with the fourth starting spot for the feature, he ran steady throughout the distance in his family-owned Rocket No. 9K and settled for sixth place after veteran Mike Balzano slipped by him with just five laps remaining.

“I don’t know if we picked the wrong tires or missed the setup, but we were just a little off in the feature,” said Knight. “We’re happy with the run, though. We needed a good finish to get back on track.”

After Knight’s plan to race at Stateline Speedway in Busti, N.Y., on Saturday night (May 3) was scuttled by rain that washed out the program, he entered Sunday’s 2008 lidlifter at Eriez Speedway, the one-third-mile track where he won his first career Super Late Model points title last season.

Knight started 12^th in the Eriez feature and cracked the top five in less than 10 laps, but then he spun to avoid a car that had slowed dramatically in front of him. He restarted at the rear of the field and proceeded to make an impressive charge forward over the remaining distance, ending up fourth to salvage his night.

“I felt like we had a car that could win the race,” said Knight. “We got right up into the top five, but the track was pretty rough and a car in front of me must have hit a rut and gotten out of shape so I had to spin myself out or run over him.

“It was disappointing to have to go to the rear, but we felt pretty good about how the car let me get back up through the field.”

Knight, who ranks fifth in the overall IRS points standings and second behind Tim Dohm in the Rookie of the Year race, will return to IRS competition this Saturday night (May 10) at 201 Speedway in Sitka, Ky. He also plans to make the eight-and-a-half-hour overnight trip back north to race Sunday night (May 11) at Eriez Speedway.

An up-and-coming dirt Late Model driver whose breakout 2007 season was highlighted by a points title at Eriez Speedway, Knight has an ambitious schedule of 70-plus races across the region planned with his family-owned team in 2008. His operation carries sponsorship from Arrowhead Wine Cellars, Mobilia Fruit Farm, Ottawaya’s Auto Body, Knight Farms, RJB Construction, Chessa’ Pizza, NYPenn Surveying, TeCulver Contracting, Genesis Shocks, Lehman Motorsports, Slavic Custom Racing Shirts and American Racing Tires.

Late-Race Surge At Monett Speedway Ends Chub Frank’s Weekend In Missouri On A High Note

BEAR LAKE, PA – Chub Frank salvaged his World of Outlaws Late Model Series weekend in the Show-Me State with a super late-race surge on Sunday night at Monett (Mo.) Speedway.

After finishing a dismal 11th in Saturday night’s 40-lap A-Main at Lebanon I-44 Speedway and appearing headed toward another placing outside the top 10 for more than half of Sunday’s 40-lapper at Monett, the star driver known as ‘Chubzilla’ suddenly came alive.

Over the final 13 laps of the first-ever WoO LMS event at Monett Chub tore through the field, using the inside and outside of the three-eighths-mile oval to finish a very satisfying fifth in his Lester Buildings/Corry Rubber/All Star Performance/Corry Laser/Slavic Corporation/Farr MotorSports/Lake Shore Paving/Custom Race Engines Chevrolet Impala SS Rocket Chassis No. 1*.

“I actually don’t know what happened,” Chub said when asked why his car suddenly came to life after a lap-27 caution flag. “I was just wallowing around out there, and then Vic Coffey got into my left-rear (entering turn one on lap 27) and something happened.

“There was something wrong with the car at Lebanon and Monett until I got hit in the left-rear. I guess the hit bent something and freed the car. We gotta look at it and see what it was, but I know that the car really felt good at the end of the race.”

Passing cars like he once did at his old hometrack of Stateline Speedway in Busti, N.Y. – “Real tight to the guy,” he said – Chub completed his charge by overtaking Jimmy Owens for fifth on the final circuit.

“The weekend didn’t start off very good,” said Chub, referring to his subpar outing at Lebanon I-44 in which he missed the setup and was never a factor. “But it finished well.”

Chub ended the doubleheader sitting fifth in the tight WoO LMS points race, 34 points out of the lead.

Chub, who made an appearance at his sponsor Lester Buildings’ service center plant in Charleston, Ill., on Friday afternoon en route to Missouri, will spend the week in the Show-Me State so he can enter this weekend’s SuperClean Diamond Nationals at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo. The 100-lap Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event is set for Friday (May 9) and Saturday (May 10) and offers a $40,000 top prize.

Head-Turning DIRTcar Big-Block Modified Debut Highlights Busy Stretch Of Racing For Josh Richards

SHINNSTON, WV – May 6, 2008 – Josh Richards proved his adaptive abilities last Thursday night (May 1) when he made a head-turning DIRTcar big-block Modified debut at Virginia Motor Speedway.

The 20-year-old dirt Late Model star known as ‘Kid Rocket’ finished only 19^th in the 60-lap Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series ‘Paul Sawyer Memorial’ event, but his qualifying effort and early performance in the feature showed how quickly he was able to make the transition to the open-wheel machine.

Josh’s special appearance behind the wheel of DIRTcar big-block Modified legend Brett Hearn’s backup Madsen Motorsports No. 20 highlighted a busy stretch of racing for the Shinnston, W.Va., product. He also drove the Ernie Davis-owned Rocket No. 25 dirt Late Model to a fifth-place finish in the division’s 40-lap companion event on May 1 at VMS, then battled some missteps and bad breaks in weekend World of Outlaws Late Model Series events to finish 13^th on Saturday night (May 3) at Missouri’s Lebanon I-44 Speedway and 20^th on Sunday night (May 4) at Monett (Mo.) Speedway steering his familiar Mark Richards Racing Rocket No. 1.

The big-block Modified ride was what Josh will always remember about his on-track action last week. He recorded the fourth-fastest lap among 48 entries in time trials, finished second to Hearn in a heat race and led the feature’s first eight laps from the pole position before his evening went downhill.

Shortly after losing the lead, Josh made unintentional contact with New Yorker Dale Planck, causing Planck to spin and sending Josh to the rear of the field for the restart. Josh continued for a short time before his involvement in a couple multi-car scrapes prompted him to retire from further competition.

“Driving the Modified was a lot of fun,” said Josh, who thanked Hearn for providing him a ride. “I had the track record for awhile (in time trials) and led a few laps of the feature, but the car was just too free and I let a couple cars pass me. Then by accident my foot slipped off the brake pedal going into turn one and I ran right in the back of the 77 (Planck), which I feel real bad about.”

Josh noted that the big-block Modified had a distinctly different feel from the dirt Late Models he regularly campaigns, especially in terms of motor responsiveness.

“It felt like I was in a Top-Fuel dragster when I got back in the Late Model,” said Josh. “The Modified didn’t respond as fast as a Late Model, but it was real racy to drive. It seems like you have more time to think about everything in the Modified, which is probably why the racing is so good.”

Josh’s biggest problem with the Modified? Getting comfortable sitting in a more upright position in the seat than he does in his dirt Late Model.

After flying to St. Louis, Mo., on Saturday morning to meet up with his dirt Late Model team, Josh experienced his worst night of WoO LMS racing this season on Saturday at Lebanon I-44 Speedway. He recorded the night’s fifth-fastest lap in time trials, but a slap of the homestretch wall early in his heat forced him to the pits with his thoroughly-damaged Seubert Calf Ranches/Ace Metal Works/TSR-Tony Stewart Racing/Petroff Towing/MCB Motorsports/Ernie’s Auto & Hauling No. 1.

Josh had to use a provisional to start a WoO LMS A-Main for the first time since 2006 – and he barely made the starting grid. His crew worked right up until the start of the feature pace laps to fix his machine, which he manhandled to a 13^th-place finish in the 40-lapper.

“We had the car just about ready when we realized that the driveshaft was damaged and needed to be changed,” said Josh. “We got a new one on just in time to roll out for the feature. The problem was that we didn’t have a chance to fix the front end, so it was towed-out about four inches.”

The following night’s first-ever WoO LMS event at Monett Speedway started off great for Josh, who set a new track record of 15.711 seconds around the three-eighths-mile oval in qualifying to earn his first fast-time honor of 2008. He went on to win a heat race and draw the outside pole for the feature, but he couldn’t outgun polesitter and eventual winner Brian Birkhofer at the initial green flag and settled into fifth place soon after.

Josh’s hopes for a strong finish ended on lap 35 when his car’s right-rear tire went flat. He slowed and pitted after the caution flag flew, but he made no headway over the final five circuits and was the last driver on the lead lap at the finish, taking 20^th place.

“I knew the tire was going down, so I just tried to ride it out,” said Josh. “I was just holding on the whole race anyway. We were really good early in the night, but we tried to experiment for the feature and it didn’t work out. We’ll just look at like it wouldn’t have mattered anyway because we got a flat.”

Josh entered the weekend ranked second in the WoO LMS points standings, but he fell into a tie for sixth with Shannon Babb, 38 points out of the lead.

Josh is spending the week at the Petroff Towing shop outside St. Louis to prepare for this weekend’s SuperClean Diamond Nationals at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo. The 100-lap Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event is set for Friday (May 9) and Saturday (May 10) and offers a $40,000 top prize

Earl Pearson Jr. Finishes 5^th in Kentucky, Heads to Diamond Nationals in Missouri with Special Color Scheme 

ARCHDALE, NC (May 6, 2008)- Earl Pearson Jr. driving in his first event with a cast on his broken right wrist from a wreck in early April was able to extend his points lead in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series national points standings with a solid 5^th place finish at last weekends "Kentucky 99" event in Calvert City, KY. Earl driving the Bobby Labonte owned Mastersbilt Chassis  finished 3^rd in his heat race to earn a 12^th starting position for the 50-lap feature event. Earl would advance into the top five by halfway and was running as high as 3^rd place before finishing a solid 5^th place at the checkers. Earl now leads the series points standings by 45 points over Steve Casebolt. "It was a good finish for us with the circumstances we were under. It was a little uncomfortable at times in the car trying to drive with the cast but I was able to get the job done a get a top 5 finish", stated Earl. 

Earl Pearson Jr. and the Bobby Labonte Racing Team will travel this weekend to the Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, MO. and compete in the "Super Clean Diamond Nationals" this Friday and Saturday. The 100-lap feature event sanctioned by the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will pay a whopping $40,000 to win. In association with this huge event Earl and the team will compete for additional cash awards in the Integra Crew Chief Competition on Friday night as the Bobby Labonte Racing Team will compete in a pit stop competition against the other teams that should be entertaining for the fans on Friday night. 

Earl and the Bobby Labonte Racing Team are excited to announce a special color scheme for this weekends events at the "Diamond Nationals" and the remaining ten (10) selected events for broadcast on SPEED Channel on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series in 2008. The special color scheme will be a familiar one for Earl Pearson Jr. fans as the team will debut a mostly red car with primary sponsor Lucas Oil logos on the front hood and quarter panels similar to Earls cars when he drove for Carlton Lamm and the Dunn-Benson Ford Motorsports team. Bobby Labonte and the Lucas Oil company agreed to a contract to bring back the red car for the TV shows along with a special red Lucas Oil car for Bobby Labonte to drive in the Nextel Prelude later this year at Eldora Speedway. In addition to these events Bobby Labonte and his team will assemble a new dirt late model racecar with the red color scheme and Lucas Oil logos that will be displayed in the new Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN where the Indianapolis Colts will play beginning this season. The new stadium will have a special motorsports display area where fans can tour at every event at the new stadium. The car will represent the four national touring series national championships Earl has won sponsored by Lucas Oil. 

"We've been working on this deal for a while now and were excited to bring back the red car that everyone was familiar with that I drove for so many years. Lucas Oil will be the primary sponsor on the red cars with LifeLong Locks as the associate sponsor. When were not racing the TV events we will be back in the blue cars with LifeLong Locks as the primary sponsor and Lucas Oil as the associate sponsor. Bobby and myself are also excited to get to display our car in the new Lucas Oil Stadium. Forest Lucas and the Lucas Oil Company have been great supporters of my career over the past 6-7 years and it's a great honor that he wanted to include our car in the new Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Hopefully we can put the red car in victory lane this weekend", stated Earl.   

The popular internet website www.Dirtondirt.com  that covers dirt late model racing from all over the country recently visited the Bobby Labonte Racing Facility in Archdale North Carolina and took a video tour of the shops showing the inside of Bobby Labonte Racing. Last week the website also added a two part one-on-one interview with team owner Bobby Labonte and talked about various topics and how he came about owning a dirt late model team.The informative website has posted the video shoot and the Bobby interview on the video page of their website www.dirtondirt.com. To view the video you must have a paid subscription to the website. The dirt on dirt website is one of the leading sources for dirt late model coverage in the country and offers numerous features not found anywhere on the internet. The small subscription fee is well worth the investment if you want up to the minute news and coverage of dirt late model racing. To view the feature video go to www.dirtondirt.com.  

Earl and the Bobby Labonte Racing Team would like to thank all their sponsors in 2008 for their support including LifeLong Locks, Lucas Oil, Mastersbilt Race Cars, Larry Wallace Engines, Mopar, Sunoco Race Fuels, Allstar Performance, Tiger Rear End, BERT, Butlerbuilt, Hyperco, SHY, Wilwood, Woodward, TWM, Dyers Top Rods, Weld, Hoosier Tire, PRC, Wrisco, Sparco, Bell, Mechanix Wear, Oakley, Cheerios, Coke, Dunn-Benson Racing Supply, ASI Racewear, WRT Web Designs, The Decal Source, Rick Schwallie Photography and WD Enterprises. 

To learn more about the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series visit www.lucasdirt.com. For more information about LifeLong Locks and the strongest locks on the market today, visit www.lifelonglocks.com. For more information about Earl Pearson Jr. and the Bobby Labonte Racing Team visit their official website at www.bobbylabontemotorsports.com.

April 29, 2008

Mike Knight Feels Breakout Is Close At Hand After Up-And-Down Weekend 

RIPLEY, NY – Up one day, down the next. 

Rising young dirt Late Model star Mike Knight rode an emotional rollercoaster over the weekend, going from a season-high second-place finish on Saturday night (April 26) at Stateline Speedway in Busti, N.Y., to a disappointing DNF on Sunday night (April 27) at Challenger Raceway in Indiana, Pa. 

The tough night in Challenger’s United Force Race Championship (UFO) series inaugural certainly stung the 21-year-old from Ripley, N.Y., but it couldn’t wipe away the good feelings he gained the previous evening with a runner-up outing in Stateline’s 25-lap Super Late Model feature. 

“We had a real good car at Stateline,” said Knight, who drove his Craiger-powered Rocket No. 9K to a heat win and led laps 1-11 before being overtaken by Rick ‘Boom’ Briggs and eventual winner Dick Barton. “We just got passed on the high side and had to settle for second. 

“A win would’ve been great, but the way our luck’s been going we’ll take second.” 

Knight’s early-season misfortune returned in Sunday night’s ‘Area 51’ special at Challenger. Driving the repaired car that he flipped the previous week at Hilltop Speedway in Millersburg, Ohio, he was cruising to an impressive heat win after starting eighth when his machine’s left-rear tire rolled off the bead, forcing him to the pit area with the finish in sight. 

A strong rally from the rear of a B-Main earned Knight a transfer spot to the 51-lap feature, but he again didn’t have Lady Luck on his side. He slowed to avoid a wreck ahead of him and was clipped lightly by another car – contact that bent his mount’s right-front tie-rod enough to knock him out of action and leave him with a 23rd-place finish. 

“We have to get rid of this bad-luck,” said the still-positive Knight. “It’s just frustrating to know that we’ve been fast but don’t have the finishes to show for it. That’s racing, though, so we’ll just keep plugging away at it.” 

Knight will go to the post this weekend on Friday night (May 2) in an Independent Racing Series (IRS) event at Elkins (W.Va.) Speedway and Saturday night (May 3) in a regular show at Stateline Speedway. 

An up-and-coming dirt Late Model driver whose breakout 2007 season was highlighted by a points title at Eriez Speedway in Hammett, Pa., Knight has an ambitious schedule of 70-plus races across the region planned with his family-owned team in 2008. His operation carries sponsorship from Arrowhead Wine Cellars, Mobilia Fruit Farm, Ottawaya’s Auto Body, Knight Farms, RJB Construction, Chessa’ Pizza, NYPenn Surveying, TeCulver Contracting, Genesis Shocks, Lehman Motorsports, Slavic Custom Racing Shirts and American Racing Tires. 

Josh Richards Falls Short In Bid For Sunday-Night Victory At Challenger Raceway 
04-29-08

SHINNSTON, WV – Josh Richards enjoyed a great run in Sunday night’s inaugural Unified Force Race Championship (UFO) series event at Challenger Raceway in Indiana, Pa. 

The 20-year-old star from Shinnston, W.Va., would have loved his visit to the Keystone State, however, if he could have pulled off a victory in the ‘Area 51’ special. He fell just short of that honor, placing second to Titusville, Pa.’s Robbie Blair. 

Josh had the Ernie Davis-owned Rocket No. 25 rolling all night, charging from the 11^th starting spot to win a heat race and advancing from the ninth starting spot in the 51-lap feature to take the lead on lap 23. 

The race’s second half featured a titanic battle for the top spot between Josh and Blair. Josh lost the lead to Blair on a lap-31 restart, but then regained command on lap 45 and appeared primed to score his first career win at the one-third-mile oval. 

Blair slipped underneath Josh’s car off turn four with two laps remaining, however, and sped on to snare the $5,000 first prize. 

“It was definitely a good race between me and Robbie,” said Josh. “I think we went with a little bit too soft of a tire, though, and I pushed a little in (turns) three and four (with two to go) and that let Robbie get by me.” 

The Challenger program came after Josh’s attempts to race close to home were foiled by Mother Nature for two consecutive nights. Josh had planned to take advantage of an off weekend from World of Outlaws Late Model Series competition by running the Davis mount in Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series events on Friday (April 25) at Bedford (Pa.) Speedway and Saturday (April 26) at Hagerstown (Md.) Speedway, but both shows were rained out after teams had already signed in. 

Josh’s agenda will be full this week, beginning on Thursday night (May 1) with his first-ever start in a DIRTcar big-block Modified at Virginia Motor Speedway. He is slated to drive a Madsen Motorsports Modified as a teammate to division superstar Brett Hearn in Thursday’s Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series season opener – the 60-lap Paul Sawyer Memorial that pays $10,000 to win. 

The mid-week VMS card also includes a $5,000-to-win dirt Late Model show, so Josh will enter the event in Davis’s No. 25. 

Josh will then fly to the Midwest on Saturday morning (May 3) to meet his team in Missouri, where WoO LMS events are on top for Saturday night at Lebanon I-44 Speedway and Sunday night (May 4) at Monett Speedway. 

Josh, who will stay in the Midwest following the weekend to enter the $40,000-to-win SuperClean Diamond Nationals on May 9-10 at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo., enters the WoO LMS Show-Me State swing ranked second in the points standings, 26 points behind leader Billy Moyer.

ARCHDALE, NC (April 25, 2008)- Earl Pearson Jr. consulted with a prominent NASCAR physician in Concord North Carolina on Thursday of this week and had a special cast placed on his right wrist and arm from his accident last Saturday at the Colossal 100 at Lowes Dirt Track in Concord, NC. The doctors determined that Earl's wrist did not require surgery at this time and placed a specially designed cast on his wrist that will allow Earl to grip the steering wheel and still compete in this weekends events. Earl and the team will travel to Bedford Speedway in Bedford, PA and Hagerstown Speedway in Hagerstown, MD this weekend for a pair of Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series sanctioned events. Earl is currently leading the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series national point's standings and is trying to win his fifth consecutive national dirt late model touring series championship in a row. 

"The doctors did a great job with this cast that hopefully I can still drive the car well enough to be competitive this weekend. Bobby sent me to a doctor that has experience with these kinds of injuries with racers and he determined that the wrist should heal fine without surgery. The doctor put some extra wrapping in the cast that should keep my wrist from moving and healing proper. Were heading to Bedford, PA and do our best with the situation were faced", stated Earl. 

The popular internet website www.Dirtondirt.com covers dirt late model racing from all over the country and recently visited the Bobby Labonte Racing Facility in Archdale North Carolina and took a video tour of the shops showing the inside of Bobby Labonte Racing. Crew chief Randall Edwards for Earl Pearson Jr. gives the dirt on dirt crew a walk through of the shops and gives race fans a behind the scenes look into a dirt late model race shop. The informative website has posted the video shoot on the front page of their website www.dirtondirt.com. To view the video you must have a paid subscription to the website. The dirt on dirt website is one of the leading sources for dirt late model coverage in the country and offers numerous features not found anywhere on the internet. The small subscription fee is well worth the investment if you want up to the minute news and coverage of dirt late model racing. To view the feature video go to www.dirtondirt.com.  

Earl and the Bobby Labonte Racing Team would like to thank all their sponsors in 2008 for their support including LifeLong Locks, Lucas Oil, Mastersbilt Race Cars, Larry Wallace Engines, Mopar, Sunoco Race Fuels, Allstar Performance, Tiger Rear End, BERT, Butlerbuilt, Hyperco, SHY, Wilwood, Woodward, TWM, Dyers Top Rods, Weld, Hoosier Tire, PRC, Wrisco, Sparco, Bell, Mechanix Wear, Oakley, Cheerios, Coke, Dunn-Benson Racing Supply, ASI Racewear, WRT Web Designs, The Decal Source, Rick Schwallie Photography and WD Enterprises. 

To learn more about the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series visit www.lucasdirt.com. For more information about LifeLong Locks and the strongest locks on the market today, visit www.lifelonglocks.com. For more information about Earl Pearson Jr. and the Bobby Labonte Racing Team visit their official website at www.bobbylabontemotorsports.com.

Chub Scheduled To Visit Lester Buildings Plant In Illinois On May 2 

Frank is scheduled to visit Lester Buildings’ Service Center in Charleston, Ill., on May 2 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The popular driver from Bear Lake, Pa., known as ‘Chubzilla’ will tour the Lester facility and visit with the company’s employees. 

Race fans in the Charleston area are also invited to the event, which will provide them an opportunity to meet Frank and get an up-close look at his Lester Buildings dirt Late Model race car and hauler. He will be available to sign autographs and will have some of  his merchandise available for purchase. 

Frank will continue heading west after his appearance to enter World of Outlaws Late Model Series events in the Show-Me state on May 3 at Lebanon I-44 Speedway and May 4 at Monett Speedway. He currently is tied for fifth in the tour’s 2008 points standings. 

Frank was scheduled to visit the Lester Buildings Service Center last September en route to World of Outlaws Late Model Series events in the Midwest. But that appearance had to be canceled at the last minute, so he’s excited to have another chance to spend some time with a very loyal and energetic group of employees who have embraced Lester’s sponsorship of his race team. 

“I take my job of helping to promote and spread the Lester Buildings name seriously,” said Frank. “I’ve had a great relationship with Lester and of course own a Lester race shop myself – and it’s always fun to meet Lester employees and owners of Lester buildings! 

“This is an opportunistic chance to interact with the Lester gang and see their Charleston operation – which is one of three Lester plants. We’re really looking forward to it.” 

The Lester Buildings Charleston (Ill.) Service Center is located at 890 West State Street in Charleston, Ill. 

Before hitting the road for the Lester Buildings plant, Frank plans to enter a pair of Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series events this weekend at Northeast tracks where he’s fared well in the past. He’ll run on Friday (April 25) at Bedford (Pa.) Speedway and Saturday (April 26) at Hagerstown (Md.) Speedway. 

Frank and his crew have been hard at work all week trying to repair the Rocket Chassis car he calls ‘Old Faithful’ – the machine he flipped wildly during the Circle K Colossal 100 on April 19 at The Dirt Track @ Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C. He expects to have his favorite car, which he debuted in September 2006 and has run in a majority of his appearances since then, back in service as soon as possible. 

“It’s amazing that it really wasn't bent at all in the wreck at Lowe’s,” Frank said of the car. “A lot of expensive bolt-on parts were damaged, but the frame was O.K.” 

Frank said that by mid-week the car’s damaged rear-end was en route back from servicing at Frankland and the car’s bent shocks were on their way back from Genesis.

Earl Pearson Jr. Breaks Wrist at Lowes Dirt Track, Weekend Schedule Uncertain 

ARCHDALE, NC (April 22, 2008)- Earl Pearson Jr. and the Bobby Labonte Racing Team competed at the Colossal 100 at the Lowes Dirt Track in Concord, NC over the weekend. The 100-lap $50,000 to win feature event was sanctioned by the World of Outlaws Late Model Dirt Series. Earl would finish third in his heat race on Friday night earning a starting position in the 36 car field for the 100-lap feature. On Saturday night the top 24 drivers would draw for their stating position in the feature. Earl would draw the 23^rd starting position for the feature. 

At the start of the feature Earl would avoid a multi-car melee on the first lap when the outside front row starter spun out in front of the whole field and no caution was waved by the track officials. Earl would decide to run a conservative pace and try an avoid the many cautions and save his car for the second half of the race. Earl also struggled with the difficulty of seeing with the heavy track surface resulting in using all his tear offs by the halfway point of the race. Earl was able to get a new helmet during the red flag for the Chub Frank wreck that enabled him to get the needed tear offs for the heavy track conditions. Earl would advance into the top ten in the final stages of the 100-lap feature but got caught up in a wreck between Doug Horton and Scott Bloomquist. Earl would crash into Bloomquist resulting in his steering wheel being yanked from his hands and causing his to right wrist to get broken. Earl would finish 17^th in the final run down. 

Earl would visit his personal family doctor on Tuesday following the event and found out in the x-rays that his right wrist was fractured severe enough that he is scheduled to see a surgeon this week to discuss his options and possibly have surgery to repair his wrist. Because of the injury Earls plans for this weekends racing schedule are uncertain at the time of this press release. "Its unfortunate that I got hurt this past weekend. It's funny that during speedweeks I have the worst wreck of my career but only suffer a mild concussion with no broken bones and I didn't miss any racing. Then this weekend I have a simple little collision and not at top speed and fracture my wrist that may cause me to miss some events. Like I've been saying all year I was the first person to say I'll never get hurt in a racecar when I was younger but it's very possible to get hurt each time I get into these cars. Every week we are seeing more of these dirt late models flip and have violent wrecks and now I've broken my wrist along with Michael England. We all need to put safety as a main priority before someone gets seriously hurt", stated Earl. 

"Let me also say this about safety. My wreck wasn't caused by any unsafe issues by track officials or track conditions, it was just a freak accident. But it was extremely unsafe of the track officials at Lowes for not calling for a yellow flag when the outside front row starter spun in front of the whole field on the first lap. That was totally a lack of safety on the track officials and put Eddie Carrier and the rest of the field in a very unsafe situation. And several other times cars were crawling to get off the track instead of track officials throwing a caution that could have been a disaster with cars colliding at a high rate of speed with a car almost stopped. Safety issues in the cars we drive are important but track officials must put safety first when running an event. Starting 36 cars is in my opinion is unsafe and tends to cause a lot more cautions than a normal event, then add in the fact the heavy track conditions adds a higher risk of accidents, we need the track officials to put our safety first not any event format, car count or lack of waving the caution flag", stated Earl. 

Depending on what the doctors decide on Earl's injury this week will decide if Earl attends and competes at the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series sanctioned events this Friday at Bedford Speedway in Bedford, PA and Hagerstown Speedway in Hagerstown, MD on Saturday. Earl is currently leading the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series national point's standings.  

Earl and the Bobby Labonte Racing Team would like to thank all their sponsors in 2008 for their support including LifeLong Locks, Lucas Oil, Mastersbilt Race Cars, Larry Wallace Engines, Mopar, Sunoco Race Fuels, Allstar Performance, Tiger Rear End, BERT, Butlerbuilt, Hyperco, SHY, Wilwood, Woodward, TWM, Dyers Top Rods, Weld, Hoosier Tire, PRC, Wrisco, Sparco, Bell, Mechanix Wear, Oakley, Cheerios, Coke, Dunn-Benson Racing Supply, ASI Racewear, WRT Web Designs, The Decal Source, Rick Schwallie Photography and WD Enterprises. 

To learn more about the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series visit www.lucasdirt.com. For more information about LifeLong Locks and the strongest locks on the market today, visit www.lifelonglocks.com. For more information about Earl Pearson Jr. and the Bobby Labonte Racing Team visit their official website at www.bobbylabontemotorsports.com

Young Mike Knight Looking Forward To Better Days Ahead After Tough Weekend Of Action

 RIPLEY, NY – April 21, 2008 – Better days are ahead for Mike Knight. 

The rising dirt Late Model star from Ripley, N.Y., is looking at the bright side after experiencing one of the most frustrating weekends of his young career. 

In a case of promising outings going bad, Knight rolled his car in Friday night’s Independent Racing Series (IRS) season opener at Hilltop Speedway in Millersburg, Ohio, and suffered a broken engine in Saturday night’s 2008 lidlifter at Stateline Speedway in Busti, N.Y. 

“It was just a rough weekend for us,” said Knight, a 21-year-old talent in his third season behind the wheel of a dirt Late Model. “It’s disappointing to run good and then have bad luck, but we’ll just keep working hard and try to turn our luck around.” 

On Friday night (April 18) in his first-ever start at Hilltop Speedway, Knight appeared primed for a strong finish to kick off his pursuit of the 2008 IRS Rookie of the Year award. He was sixth-fastest in time trials, finished second in a heat race and moved from the eighth starting spot to third place in the ‘Deadline 50’ headliner. 

But disaster struck on lap 36 of the 50-lap A-Main. As Knight was running strong in third he caught the wall between turns one and two and rolled over once in his Craiger-powered Rocket No. 9K, which carries sponsorship from Arrowhead Wine Cellars, Mobilia Fruit Farm, Ottawaya’s Auto Body, Knight Farms, RJB Construction, Chessa’ Pizza, NYPenn Surveying, TeCulver Contracting, Genesis Shocks, Lehman Motorsports, Slavic Custom Racing Shirts and American Racing Tires. 

With his vision compromised by a crinkled hood that was damaged a few laps earlier from contact with Tim Dohm as well as dust flying off the cars around him, Knight missed his marks just slightly entering turn one on the 36^th lap and saw his race end as a result. 

“I just got a little too high and brushed the wall in one and two,” said Knight, who was credited with a 17^th-place finish. “My left-front bumper was dragging a little from the deal with Dohm and when I came off the wall it just dug in the track and flipped me over.” 

Knight wasn’t injured in the wreck, which destroyed his car’s body and broke some front-end parts but didn’t appear to cause any frame damage. It was the first time in his racing career that he had gotten upside down. 

On Saturday night Knight brought out his new Rocket car for duty close to home at Stateline Speedway, but his outing was short. After winning a heat race and starting sixth in the 25-lap feature, he retired just a half-dozen laps into the race due to terminal engine problems. 

“We never even got a chance to really see what we had,” Knight said of his Stateline effort. “I feel like we had a fast car and could’ve gotten a good finish.” 

Knight plans to return to action this weekend on Sat., April 26, at Stateline Speedway and Sun., April 27, at Challenger Raceway in Indiana, Pa. 

An up-and-coming dirt Late Model driver whose breakout 2007 season was highlighted by a points title at Eriez Speedway in Hammett, Pa., Knight has an ambitious schedule of 70-plus races across the region planned with his family-owned team in 2008. 

For more information on Mike Knight, visit www.mikeknight9k.com.

Josh Richards Scores A Hard-Earned Third-Place Finish In The Circle K Colossal 100

 SHINNSTON, WV – It wasn’t easy, but Josh Richards scored a good-looking third-place finish in Saturday night’s third annual Circle K Colossal 100 at The Dirt Track @ Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C. 

Fighting through a nearly disastrous opening lap, a race-long push condition and flying clay that hampered both his vision and perhaps even his car’s handling, the 20-year-old sensation from Shinnston, W.Va., pulled out a career-best finish in the $200,000 event. 

“It was a good finish for us,” said Josh, who pocketed $10,000 for placing in the show position. “I wish we would’ve been a little bit better, but the way things looked early I thought we were gonna be stuck in like 13^th (place) the whole race. We finally broke free towards the middle of the race and got closer to the front.” 

After timing 13^th-fastest in qualifying and registering a convincing victory in his heat race on Friday night, Josh drew the 13^th starting spot for the $50,000-to-win A-Main. He lost several positions on the first lap, however, when he took evasive action to avoid hitting outside polesitter Eddie Carrier Jr.’s spinning car in turn four. 

“That first lap was wild,” said Josh. “There were cars spun around, banging together, slowing. When (Carrier) spun, I bumped him and a few cars went by me. I thought for sure they’d throw a caution and restart the deal, but they didn’t. When the caution finally came out a couple laps later we were back a few spots.” 

A Hoosier tire selection for the right-front corner that was a bit too hard created a “little bit of a  push” on Josh’s Mark Richards Racing-owned Seubert Calf Ranches/Ace Metal Works/TSR-Tony Stewart Racing/Petroff Towing/MCB Motorsports/Ernie’s Auto & Hauling Rocket Chassis No. 1. The car improved late in the distance, however, and Josh was able to advance several positions, moving from the sixth spot he held on the caution-plagued event’s final restart, on lap 82, to third by lap 95. 

Josh’s biggest problem might have been the thick mud that cars were kicking up all race long on the heavy track, which was hit by early-evening rain that delayed the start of Saturday’s program by two hours. 

“Visibility wasn’t really good at all,” described Josh. “I ran out of (helmet) tearoffs on like lap 20. Every caution I was trying to scrape the mud off my shield, but it didn’t help too much. We changed helmets during the red flag (for Chub Frank’s flip on lap 45), which probably saved me.” 

The opening-lap scramble threw up an immense amount of mud that clung to the nosepiece of Josh’s car, adding untold pounds to its front end – a development that might have caused Josh’s mount to drive “kind of sluggish,” as he reported. 

Josh credited The Dirt Track’s surface-prep crew with doing the best job possible with the speedway given the wet weather. 

“If it didn’t rain, I think it would’ve been a really good racetrack,” said Josh. “Early on (in the 100) it wasn’t the greatest because it was just so fast and then slimy in spots on the bottom, but they did what they could.” 

Josh congratulated fellow Rocket driver Steve Francis and the Beitler Motorsports team on their big victory in the Colossal 100. 

Josh, whose led off his Colossal 100 weekend on Thursday by making an appearance with his car at a local Circle K store and doing an interview on the Sirius satellite radio NASCAR show Tradin’ Paint, remained second in the World of Outlaws Late Model Series after the event because it offered only show-up points toward the tour championship. 

This weekend Josh plans to drive the Ernie Davis-owned Rocket No. 25 in Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series events on Fri., April 25, at Bedford (Pa.) Speedway and Sat., April 26, at Hagerstown (Md.) Speedway.

Chub Frank Emerges Unscathed From Wild Series Of Flips During Circle K Colossal 100

 BEAR LAKE, PA – Chub Frank experienced something he never had before during Saturday night’s Circle K Colossal 100 at The Dirt Track @ Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C. 

Unfortunately, it wasn’t a first-ever victory in the World of Outlaws Late Model Series event that offered a whopping $50,000 top prize. 

Chub had a rough night, riding out a wild series of flips just before the halfway point of the 100-lapper that left his favorite Lester Buildings, Corry Rubber, All Star Performance, Corry Laser, Slavic Corporation, Farr MotorSports, Lake Shore Paving, Custom Race Engines Chevrolet Impala SS Rocket Chassis No. 1* a mangled heap of sheet metal. But he wasn’t injured in the hard wreck, which marked the first time in Chub’s 30-year racing career that he had gotten upside down. 

“I’ve never been over in my life,” the 46-year-old driver from Bear Lake, Pa., said when asked if he had ever previously flipped a race car. “I’ve been lucky, I guess. I just don’t flip.” 

Chub started the Circle K Colossal 100 weekend strong on Friday night, timing 30th fastest out of 69 cars in qualifying and holding off two-time defending event winner Scott Bloomquist to win the sixth 10-lap heat race. He then drew the 21st starting spot for the A-Main on Saturday. 

Disaster struck as Chub was biding his time running 11th on lap 45 of the caution-plagued feature. His car’s right side dug into the track between turns three and four, sending it gyrating through the air several times before landing on its wheels in the fourth turn. 

“I came in (the corner) on a bad angle,” said Chub. “Instead of going in high, I kinda come in a little bit off the cushion and slid to it. But I was in there so hot, the whole right side just caught and bicycled over, and then it just took off. 

“It felt like when you’re watching a crash on those in-car cameras, when the camera is behind the driver. At one point I was standing on my nose and looking right at the ground, and I’m thinking, ‘This ain’t gonna be good.’” 

While the bodywork and many other parts on Chub’s machine were badly damaged, he said that the frame of his car – a mount that has been his personal favorite since he debuted it in September 2006 – appeared to come through the crash surprisingly well. 

“We’ll see for sure when we get home, but I don’t think it’s that bad,” said Chub, who was credited with a 28th-place finish in the Circle K Colossal 100. 

Chub said he wasn’t “even a little bit sore” after the crash. He was wearing an R3 head-and-neck restraint system from Safety Solutions, which he began using at the start of the season. 

“I have to thank Trevor Ashline of Safety Solutions,” said Chub. “He got me hooked up with one of these R3 restraints and I’m glad I had it on.”  

With the Colossal 100 offering only show-up points toward the WoO LMS championship, Chub remained tied for fifth in the tour’s points standings, 56 points out of the lead. 

Chub has plans to stay active on an off weekend from the WoO LMS by competing in a pair of Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series events this weekend – on Fri., April 25, at Bedford (Pa.) Speedway and Sat., April 26, at Hagerstown (Md.) Speedway.

Josh Richards Heads To Charlotte Knocking On Door To Victory Lane

 SHINNSTON, WV – Josh Richards is knocking on the door to Victory Lane as he heads to The Dirt Track @ Lowe’s Motor Speedway for this weekend’s Circle K Colossal 100. 

The 20-year-old star known as ‘Kid Rocket’ enters the richest race on the 2008 World of Outlaws Late Model Series coming off three strong performances in a five-day span. 

Two WoO LMS starts produced solid finishes of third (April 11 at Virginia Motor Speedway in Jamaica, Va.) and seventh (April 15 at Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pa.) for Josh. Driving his familiar Mark Richards Racing-owned Seubert Calf Ranches/Ace Metal Works/TSR-Tony Stewart Racing/Petroff Towing/MCB Motorsports/Ernie’s Auto & Hauling Rocket Chassis No. 1, Josh started eighth in both A-Mains.  

Josh also entered an unsanctioned event on April 12 at Winchester (Va.) Speedway on behind the wheel of the Ernie Davis-owned No. 25. He battled eventual winner J.T. Spence for the lead in the 25-lap feature before registering a second-place finish in his first-ever start at the three-eighths-mile oval 

The run continued Josh’s strong jump out of the 2008 starting gate – he’s currently ranked second in the WoO LMS points standings through six events – and pumped up his confidence for the $50,000-to-win Circle K Colossal 100. The third annual mega-event at the four-tenths-mile oval in Concord, N.C., rolls off with time trials and heat races on Friday night (April 18) and the last-chance races and 100-lap A-Main on Saturday night (April 19). 

“We feel pretty good about our chances in the Colossal,” said Josh. “We ran up front last year until having power-steering problems (he was second when he retired on lap 25), so if we make the right decisions and have the car prepared right I think we can be in the hunt. 

“It would be so cool to win the Colossal,” he continued. “We’ve been close (to a win) in some of these big races, so it would be nice to finish one off and win one.” 

Josh will start off his weekend at the Circle K Colossal 100 by making an appearance with fellow WoO LMS regular Brian Shirley on Thursday at the Circle K store located at 4930 Davidson Highway in Concord, N.C., near the Rowan Cabarrus Community College. Josh and Shirley will have their cars on display and visit with shoppers from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

Josh is also scheduled to do a phone interview on the Sirius satellite radio racing show Tradin’ Paint on Thursday at 12 noon ET. The NASCAR-oriented show is hosted by MRN pit reporter Steve Post and runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sirius channel 128.

Earl Pearson Jr. Finishes 5^th in Ohio Takes Over Series Points Lead, Heading to Lowes Dirt Track This Weekend 

ARCHDALE, NC (April 16, 2008)- Earl Pearson Jr. and the Bobby Labonte Racing Team competed at K-C Raceway in Chillicothe, OH this past weekend in a 50-lap $10,000 to win Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series sanctioned event. Earl would post the 12^th fastest lap out of the 52 drivers entered in the event. Earl would finish 3^rd in his heat race to earn the 12^th starting position in the 50-lap feature event. Earl coming off a big win in the last Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series sanctioned event at Golden Isles Speedway in Brunswick, GA, was looking to move through the field again for the SPEED Channel cameras that were on hand taping the event for re-broadcast. Earl would move into the top 10 soon after the start and moved into the top 5 after the halfway mark of the feature. Earl would have a fierce battle with Billy Drake for 4^th and 5^th place over the final 15-laps before settling for a solid 5^th place finish at the checkers. By virtue of his 5^th place finish and Terry Casey's 19^th place finish Earl has taken over the lead in the series national points standings by 5 points over Terry Casey. The 2008 season has become "The Drive for 5" for Earl and the Bobby Labonte Racing Team in quest for 5 national touring series championships in a row. 

"I have to really thank my crew for giving me a good car tonight. The track was rough due to all the rain they have had up there but my crew prepared the car to handle the rough surface and finish the event without anything breaking or falling off. My guys really go over the car closely every week to give me the best chance possible to win every week. It was a solid finish for us and we took over the points lead from Terry Casey. To win championships you have finish races and my crew is the best at preparing my cars that we seldom have DNFS", stated Earl. 

Earl and the team will now travel to Lowes Dirt Track in Concord, NC to compete in the $50,000 to win Colossal 100 sanctioned by the World of Outlaws Late Model Dirt Series. Earl has won at Lowes in past events at the fast racy facility and hopes to earn his biggest paycheck ever this weekend. "I really like coming to the Lowes Dirt Track. I always seem to run well and have won a couple events there in the past. My car owner Bobby Labonte has the weekend off from racing and will attend the events. Its always fun to have him at the races with us and racing close to his race shops in Archdale, NC. It should be an exciting event and hopefully we can take home the winners trophy", stated Earl. 

Earl and the Bobby Labonte Racing Team would like to thank all their sponsors in 2008 for their support including LifeLong Locks, Lucas Oil, Mastersbilt Race Cars, Larry Wallace Engines, Mopar, Sunoco Race Fuels, Allstar Performance, Tiger Rear End, BERT, Butlerbuilt, Hyperco, SHY, Wilwood, Woodward, TWM, Dyers Top Rods, Weld, Hoosier Tire, PRC, Wrisco, Sparco, Bell, Mechanix Wear, Oakley, Cheerios, Coke, Dunn-Benson Racing Supply, ASI Racewear, WRT Web Designs, The Decal Source, Rick Schwallie Photography and WD Enterprises. 

To learn more about the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series visit www.lucasdirt.com. For more information about LifeLong Locks and the strongest locks on the market today, visit www.lifelonglocks.com. For more information about Earl Pearson Jr. and the Bobby Labonte Racing Team visit their official website at www.bobbylabontemotorsports.com.

Matt Miller and the DSI Racing Team Finish 6^th at K-C Raceway, Heads to Ohio Again This Weekend for a Pair of Races

 WATERVILLE, OH (April 16, 2008)- Matt Miller and he DSI Race Team competed at K-C Raceway in Chillicothe, OH this past weekend in a 50-lap $10,000 to win Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series sanctioned event. Matt driving agai