Contact: World Racing Group
Kevin Kovac, World of Outlaws Late Model Series P.R. Director
704-254-7929 • kkovac@dirtcar.com

Farmer City Raceway Primed To Make Illinois Dirt Late Model Racing History With Running Of ‘Illini 100’ On April 4-5

$20,000-To-Win Spectacular Is Part Of World of Outlaws Late Model Series

FARMER CITY, IL – March 17, 2008 – There’s never been a dirt Late Model event in the state of Illinois quite like this one.

The inaugural ‘Illini 100’ will be, plain and simple, the biggest dirt Late Model show ever run in the Land of Lincoln.

Set for April 4-5 at Farmer City Raceway, the blockbuster World of Outlaws Late Model Series program boasts a headline-grabbing $20,000 first-place prize from a total purse of nearly $100,000. It also figures to attract the most talented field and biggest crowd in the history of the venerable quarter-mile fairgrounds oval.

“There’s been a need for a really big Late Model race in Illinois for a long time,” said Don Hammer, who is beginning his fourth season as the promoter of Farmer City Raceway. “Dirt Late Model racing is incredibly popular in Illinois and every year there’s a ton of great races all over the state, but we’ve never had one major, big-money event that really stands out like you see in other states.

“Hopefully the ‘Illini 100’ can be that big event everyone in the dirt Late Model world identifies with Illinois. If the support is there – and I’m sure it is – then this year’s race at Farmer City will definitely be the start of a show that just grows bigger every year.”

With the foreseeable future for Farmer City Raceway looking bright in the wake of the town’s announcement that weekly racing will continue at the track for at least three more years, Hammer sees a season-opening spectacular like the ‘Illini 100’ as a perfect way to provide the speedway even more feel-good momentum.

“I might be a little bit prejudiced because I grew up here and raced (a dirt Late Model) here, but I believe Farmer City is one of the premier tracks in Illinois,” said Hammer. “A big race like the ‘Illini’ gives us the opportunity to attract a bunch of new fans and show them how exciting racing here can be.”

Hammer and his staff have already fielded ‘Illini 100’ ticket inquiries from fans in such varied states as Michigan, New York, North Dakota and Tennessee – not to mention neighboring states like Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri and Wisconsin – so he has a first-hand sense of the growing interest in the event. It’s his mission to give the influx of spectators a springtime weekend to remember.

In that vein, a full slate of fun and excitement will comprise the ‘Illini 100,’ starting with an open practice session on Thurs., April 3, from 5-9 p.m. Free admission to the grandstand will give early-arriving fans and intrigued locals a chance to check out the star-studded group of drivers expected to participate in the event.

The WoO LMS ‘Illini 100’ competition will be spread over two nights, beginning on Fri., April 4, with time trials, qualifying heats and a special $1,000-to-win Douglas Pontiac-GMC-Dodge Dash for heat winners and two fast-timers. Sat., April 5, is reserved for B-Mains, a 25-lap Non-Qualifiers Race offering Farmer City’s regular weekly UMP DIRTcar Super Late Model purse ($1,000 to win/$150 to start) as well as UMP DIRTcar points, and the 100-lap headliner.

Farmer City’s other weekly UMP DIRTcar Racing divisions will get a chance to perform in the spotlight during the weekend as well. With Friday night being Farmer City’s regular evening of racing, the track’s UMP DIRTcar Modifieds, Sportsman and Street Stocks will race a weekly show on the Fri., April 4, undercard, and then the UMP DIRTcar Modifieds will return on Saturday night for a $1,000-to-win special.

Fans will enjoy a host of auxiliary activities during the weekend, including a chance to experience Farmer City’s fast quarter-mile layout alongside a WoO LMS driver with the debut of the track’s new two-seater dirt Late Model and an autograph session with the ‘Illini 100’ entrants in the grandstand area before Saturday night’s program.

The fans will be able to visit with many of the best national, regional and local drivers, including the all-star roster of WoO LMS regulars. Leading the WoO LMS contingent to Farmer City is the tour’s pair of standouts who hail from central Illinois – Shannon Babb of Moweaqua, who won last year’s WoO LMS event at Farmer City, and Brian Shirley of Chatham, who will shoot for ‘Illini 100’ glory just two days after celebrating his 27th birthday. Both Babb and Shirley cut their racing teeth competing at Farmer City.

The WoO LMS points-chasers also includes defending champion Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa., Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga., Shane Clanton of Locust Grove, Ga., Rick Eckert of York, Pa., Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., ’07 Rookie of the Year Tim Fuller of Watertown, N.Y., and 2008 Rookie of the Year contender Al Purkey of Coffeyville, Kan.

Other well-known names with plans to pursue the ‘Illini 100’ trophy include Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., who won the 2006 WoO LMS title and is currently a Richard Childress Racing Development Driver; defending UMP DIRTcar Super Late Model national champ Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, Ill.; Brady Smith of Solon Springs, Wis., who won the 2007 UMP DIRTcar Summernationals event at Farmer City; Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, Iowa; 2006 WoO LMS Rookie of the Year Eddie Carrier Jr. of Salt Rock, W.Va.; Darren Miller of Chadwick, Ill.; and Jeep VanWormer of Pinconning, Mich.

A bevy of Farmer City favorites are also expected to defend their home turf against the invaders, including former Farmer City titlist Wes Steidinger of Fairbury, Ill.; defending track champion and 2007 UMP DIRTcar Super Late Model Rookie of the Year Scott Bull of Fairbury, Ill.; Eric Smith of Shirley, Ill.; 2007 Jason Feger of Bloomington, Ill.; Steve Sheppard Jr. of New Berlin, Ill.; and Junior Shickel of Bloomington, Ill.

Reserved seats for the ‘Illini 100’ – encompassing the top-10 rows of the covered grandstand and the south bleachers – are now on sale. The remaining seats will be general admission.

Two-night weekend pass tickets are $40. Single-night tickets will be $15 for Friday and $30 for Saturday, with ages 6-15 admitted for $5 on Friday and $15 on Saturday. Children 5 and under will receive free admission to the spectator area.

Two-night adult pit passes are $60. Kids 4-11 will be allowed in the pit area for $15 each day, and children 3 and under will be admitted to the pits free of charge.

Camping on the Farmer City Raceway grounds is free for the weekend (no hookups). The 60 drive-in parking spots around the outside of turns one and two, meanwhile, can be reserved for the weekend at a price of $50.

Farmer City Raceway is conveniently located on Route 150 just off Exit 159 of Interstate 74, at the Farmer City/Dewitt County Fairgrounds.

For more information on the ‘Illini 100,’ visit www.farmercityraceway.net or call 217-737-7134 or 217-828-0078.

NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series News Release:  Contact – ROBY HELM – (865) 207-4157

March 17, 2008

NeSMITH CHEVROLET DLMS TO VISIT FLOMATON SPEEDWAY THIS WEEKEND FOR $5K-TO-WIN

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

                CARTERSVILLE, GA – The NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series will make its first visit to Flomaton Speedway in Flomaton, AL this Friday and Saturday night for round four of the 2008 season that will be highlighted by a 75-lap $5,000-to-win main event.  The race fans will also have an opportunity to get into the action with rides in a two-seat race car to benefit the American Cancer Society.

                A tight battle for the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series point lead between Jeff Fields of Aragon, GA and Chip Brindle of Chatsworth, GA will take to the ¼-mile high-banked clay oval this weekend.  Just two points separate point leader Fields and second-place Brindle.  Fields has 236 points, and Brindle has 234 points.

                Fields has attended every NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS event ever held since the series was founded in 2005, and he is the only driver to finish in the top five of the National point standings over the past three seasons.  Fields was the National Championship Runner-Up in 2005, finished third in the points in 2006, and took the fifth spot in the points chase last season.

                Brindle was the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Rookie of the Year last season with three wins.  Brindle finished fourth overall in the National point standings last season.  Brindle has a 28-point lead over the third-place driver in points, Chris Tays of Corinth, MS.  Tays leads a tight battle for the third spot in the series standings with 206 points.

Ted Lackey of Munford, AL is just four points behind Tays for the third spot with 202 points, and the 2007 NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS National Championship Runner-Up Jay Blair of Angie, LA is fifth, just two points behind Lackey with 200 points.  Three drivers are tied for the sixth spot in the National points chase, and one of those drivers is a local favorite at Flomaton Speedway.

Larry Boutwell of Baker, FL will be looking for a win at his home track to break the tie he is in with Carlton Freeman of Eastaboga, AL and Jeff Smith of Rocky Face, GA for the sixth spot at 192 points.  Jason Hiett of Lincoln, AL is the leading Sunoco Race Fuels Rookie of the Year Candidate, and is ninth in the points, just two points out of the three-way tie for sixth with 190 points.  Scott Knowles of Lanett, AL rounds out the top ten in the NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS National points after three races with 160 points.

Another pair of local favorites entered this weekend have had success with the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series.  Frank Wilson of Harold, FL is the defending NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series South Region Champion, and Josh Huss of Flomaton, AL was the South Region Runner-Up in 2007.

Flomaton Speedway will join the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series in 2008, with the season running from March 28 through September 28.  Weekly competitors at Flomaton Speedway in the NeSmith Chevrolet Late Model Division will compete for a track point fund, and a regional point fund that will be based on their best 16 finishes against drivers at other Nesmith Chevrolet WRS-sanctioned tracks.

The race fans will have an opportunity to get some laps at speed around Flomaton Speedway on Friday and Saturday night in the specially-built two-seat dirt late model that will benefit the local chapter of the American Cancer Society with the Ride For Life program.

Race fans will have the opportunity to bid for a ride with their favorite driver, and the fans with the highest bids will strap in the passenger seat to get six laps at speed around Flomaton Speedway.  All of the proceeds from the auction will benefit the local chapter of the American Cancer Society.

Flomaton Speedway will host an open practice on Thursday night, as drivers will begin to dial in their race cars in the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series’ first visit to Flomaton Speedway.  On Friday night, the NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS competitors will Qualify for starting spots in heat races that will determine the first 16 to 18 starting spots in feature race.

The top finishers in Friday night’s heat races will transfer into the 75-lap $5,000-to-win main event on Saturday night.  Drivers that fail to transfer out of the Friday night heat races will have another opportunity to try and make the tail of the 24-car main event starting field through a pair of B-main events on Saturday night.

For more information call Flomaton Speedway at 251-296-DIRT (3478), or visit the track web site at www.flomatonspeedway.com.  Flomaton Speedway is located one-mile west of U.S. Highway 31 on State Road 113.  For more information about the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series, visit the series web site at www.nesmithracing.com.

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Contact: World Racing Group
Kevin Kovac, World of Outlaws Late Model Series P.R. Director
704-254-7929 • kkovac@dirtcar.com

World of Outlaws Late Model Series News & Notes: Francis Wins On A Flat; ‘Cat Daddy’ & Fuller Visit Alabama; Eckert Scores Again

CONCORD, NC – March 17, 2008 –

THE FORTUNATE ONE: Steve Francis wouldn’t mind at all if the good luck he experienced last Thursday night (March 13) at Kentucky Lake Motor Speedway in Calvert City, Ky., carries over to his points-chasing on the 2008 World of Outlaws Late Model Series.

The defending WoO LMS champion emerged victorious in the opening event of KLMS’s scheduled three-night UMP DIRTcar Super Late Model ‘March Madness’ meet – with the right-rear tire on his Dale Beitler-owned No. 19 almost completely flat. He maintained just enough speed to nip 2007 UMP DIRTcar Super Late Model national champ Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, Ill., at the finish line by inches.

“I started feeling it going down with about five (laps) to go (in the 40-lap A-Main),” Francis said of his tire. “More than anything, it was dumb luck that we were able to hold on.

“I knew Erb was coming on the bottom on the last lap, so going into (turn) three I just tried to go wide and stay against the little bit of brown (lane) instead of sliding in hard on the bottom and maybe rolling the tire under. The car was just pointed the right way when I picked the throttle back up off the corner and I was able to beat (Erb) to the line.”

Francis, 40, of Ashland, Ky., continued his run of success in limited appearances at the three-eighths-mile oval promoted by Sherri Heckenast – he’s now won at least one race there in five straight seasons – and provided interested observers more proof that he’s easily meshed with Beitler’s team. It was his second victory of the season driving for Beitler, the veteran Maryland car owner who hired Francis in November.

“Everything’s going great,” Francis said of his deal with Beitler. “We can’t wait to go racing.”

For the next month or so, Francis will run two of Beitler’s Reliable Painting-sponsored Rocket cars out of his shop in Kentucky. The machines and Beitler’s hauler will stay based at Francis’s place to minimize travel; the team’s upcoming schedule shows events this weekend at either Florence Speedway in Union, Ky., or Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap, Tenn., then back-to-back, $20,000-to-win WoO LMS 100-lappers on March 28-29 at Pike County Speedway in Magnolia, Miss., and April 4-5 at Farmer City (Ill.) Raceway.

“Robby (Allen, Beitler’s mechanical consultant) is back up in Maryland (at Beitler’s shop) going over the car we ran in all the races last month (in Georgia and Florida),” said Francis, who is tied for fourth in the WoO LMS points standings. “We’ll start racing that car and get everything back to Dale’s shop around the time of the World of Outlaws show at Lernerville (Speedway in Sarver, Pa., on April 15).”

FINDING A RACE: Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga., and 2007 WoO LMS Rookie of the Year Tim Fuller of Watertown, N.Y., met up last weekend and formed an unexpected caravan to Deep South Speedway, a four-tenths-mile oval between Mobile, Ala., and Pensacola, Fla.

Fuller, whose hauler and pair of Gypsum Express dirt Late Models have been parked at Smith’s shop since the end of last month’s Alltel DIRTcar Nationals in Florida to help him save on gas costs and rig wear-and-tear, flew down to Atlanta last Thursday in hopes of joining Smith to run weekend events at North Georgia Speedway and Cleveland (Tenn.) Speedway. Those races were washed out by the unruly weather that rolled across the Southeast, but the skies were clear at Deep South Speedway so they made a banzai run there to get in some action.

Smith, 42, ended up with the better finish in the two-day show, placing second to local driver Shep Lucas of McKenzie, Ala., in Saturday night’s unsanctioned 40-lap Super Late Model A-Main that paid $5,000 to win. He challenged Lucas, but his hopes were hampered by a track on which passing was difficult and the caution flags that prevented his harder tires from coming alive.

The 40-year-old Fuller, meanwhile, registered a new track record in Friday night’s time trials and won a heat race to earn the pole position in Saturday night’s feature, but he couldn’t shake the bad luck that plagued him last month in WoO LMS events at Volusia Speedway Park. He was the leader less than 10 laps into the A-Main when a hit from behind on a restart bent his car’s left-rear bodywork, leaving him with a cut tire two circuits later. He returned after changing the tire, but retired shortly thereafter and settled for a 13th-place finish.

The WoO LMS traveling buddies returned to Smith’s shop at 6 o’clock on Sunday morning. Fuller spent the day cleaning and massaging his equipment before hopping on an evening flight back to upstate New York.

Fuller will enter this Saturday night’s Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series season opener for big-block Modifieds at Hagerstown (Md.) Speedway before flying to Smith’s on March 27. Then he’ll fire up his hauler and drive to the WoO LMS ‘March Through Dixie 100’ at Pike County Speedway.

Smith, meanwhile, plans to compete at either Lavonia (Ga.) Speedway or Volunteer Speedway this weekend, then head to the Team GRT chassis shop in Greenbrier, Ark., at the beginning of the week. He’ll spend a few days at GRT getting a new rear clip put on his car that was damaged in a crash last month at East Bay Raceway Park in Gibsonton, Fla., and some updates added to his newest machine; then he’ll stop at his sponsor Don Cliburn’s Mississippi track, Jackson Motor Speedway, to do some testing before the WoO LMS weekend at Pike County.

TWO-FOR-TWO: Things are looking up for WoO LMS star Rick Eckert.

Hoping to rebound after an uncharacteristic winless WoO LMS campaign in 2007, the York, Pa., driver continued to tune up for his busy touring schedule ahead by winning on Saturday afternoon for the second time in three weeks at Hagerstown Speedway. The $2,000 victory in the day’s 30-lap dirt Late Model feature allowed Eckert to already match his win total for the entire 2007 season.

After his trip to Volunteer Speedway was short-circuited by the cancellation of scheduled events on both Friday and Saturday, Eckert, 42, dashed back up Interstate 81 in time to enter Hagerstown’s unsanctioned show. He drove his Raye Vest-owned GRT car forward from the eighth starting spot to grab the lead from fellow WoO LMS regular Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., at the halfway mark and never looked back.

Richards, who was behind the wheel of the Ernie Davis-owned No. 25 that he is running in many non-WoO LMS events this season, settled for a third-place finish.

NEW WHEELS: Chub Frank flew out to Nebraska last Friday to pick up his new hauler and trailer, which he had done by S&S.

The second-place finisher in the 2007 WoO LMS points standings drove his rig back home to Bear Lake, Pa., where he immediately began the process of stocking the conversion truck and trailer with everything he’ll need for the road.

Frank recently sold his old hauler and trailer – as well as one of his dirt Late Models – to eastern Ohio’s King Bros. Racing team. Young Russ King is making the move from big-block Modifieds to dirt Late Model competition this season.

NEXT UP: The 2008 WoO LMS gets rolling again on March 28-29 with the ‘March Through Dixie 100’ at Pike County Speedway.

Arguably the biggest early-season dirt Late Model event ever run in the state of Mississippi, the big weekend will include time trials and qualifying heats on Fri., March 28, and B-Mains and the $20,000-to-win 100-lap A-Main on Sat., March 29. The first-ever WoO LMS show at the three-eighths-mile oval will also feature a driver autograph session in the spectator area from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Saturday.

For more information, visit www.pikecountyspeedway.com.