Daily Press Releases Feb 26

HAGERSTOWN, MD Promoter Frank Plessinger of the Hagerstown Speedway announced early this morning that the triple-header program of ITSI late models, Hoosier Tires Mid-Atlantic late model sportsman and the Ernie’s Salvage Yard pure stocks scheduled for this Sunday afternoon, March 2^nd, has been canceled. The Hagerstown Speedway will try again to get the 2003 season underway on Sunday afternoon, March 9^th, when the big block modifieds of the northeast will join with the late models in a double-feature program. The Twin 30's will get underway at 1:30 P.M. with gates opening at 11:30 A.M.. Warm-ups will start at 1:00 P.M.

"With the freezing and thawing conditions continuing this week and the forecast of more snow and temperatures to stay in the 30's the rest of the week, we felt it was best to cancel Sunday’s program now," stated Plessinger. "Until we get some decent weather, it will be hard to get the track in shape after the harsh winter."

Track officials are hoping that 2003 is not a repeat of 1999 when the first five programs were canceled due to inclement weather.

While the late models will be in action on March 9^th, the late model sportsman and pure stocks next program is scheduled for March 16^th.

The Hagerstown Speedway is located on U.S. Route 40, adjacent to the Gateway Seafood Restaurant, six miles west of Hagerstown, MD. The Gateway Seafood Restaurant is the official restaurant of the Hagerstown Speedway where drivers and fans meet after the races. For addition information, contact the speedway office at (301) 582-0640 or checkout the Internet at www.hagerstownspeedway.com.

HAGERSTOWN, MD The big block modifieds of the northeast will join with the late models in a double-feature program and try to kick-off the 2003 season at the Hagerstown Speedway on Sunday afternoon, March 9^th. The Twin 30's will get underway at 1:30 P.M. with gates opening at 11:30 A.M.. Warm-ups will start at 1:00 P.M.

The late models and modifieds will each have a 30-lap feature with $2,000 going to the winner and a guaranteed starting spot in the Octoberfest 350 in the fall. The Octoberfest will be held on October 25-26 and there will be a 100-lap feature for the late models and big block modifieds with each feature paying $10,000 to the winner.

Sunday’s race will be the only tune-up for the big block modifieds before they return for the Advance Auto Parts 2002 Modified Super DIRT Series on Saturday night, March 29th.

Last year, Rodney Franklin won the late model portion of the twin bill and raised his career win total to 114. It was his only win of 2002. Bret Hearn of Sussex, NJ won the big-block modified event.

DIRT LATE MODEL NOTEBOOK

Compiled by Jarrod Lehman

Updated: February 26, 2003

DIRT LATE MODEL NEWS:

Colorado dirt Late Model star KELLY BOEN, 2002 Western Dirt Racing Association Champion, has announced the launching of an all new website located at: www.07motorsports.com. Boen, of Henderson, CO drives the RoadRunner Fabrication/Jay Dickens/Barry Wright Race Cars #07. The new website was developed and designed by Vinny Guliani of Vinco Productions and is one of his many racing websites.

ROBBIE BLAIR will have his Renegade Dirt Car Racing Series #WON11 dirt Late Model on display at the annual Cranberry (PA) Mall Race Car Show this weekend (Feb. 28-March 2).

In 2003, GREG BAUMBERGER will be driving his Tri-Valley Equipment Sales/National Tire & Wheel/Valley Mini-Storage/Art Works Vinyl Graphics sponsored #32 Late Model at Cannonball on Friday nights, and he'll race at both Muskingum County and Tyler County on Saturday nights. Additionally, he'll make a debut in the AMRA Modifieds this year racing a Terry Wright owned #T3 GRS Modified. He plans on running the AMRA Modified at Cannonball on Friday nights, and may possibly race it at Muskingum & Tyler a few times during the year as well.

KEITH BERNER will be driving for Denny Earl this season and the team are currently building two new Boss Chassis for this year. They will carry Keith's old familiar #18 and will be Red and White in color. The power plants of choice will be Ford from Malcuit Racing Engines. Sponsors signed so far inlcude Boss Chassis, Malcuit Racing Engines, American Race Tire/Dayton Enterprises, Village Motors, and Massillon Transmission. Denny Earl will serve as crew chief with Rich Allison working on tires and Jim Fry serving as shop and race day mechanic. A possible scenario for the new Berner-Earl team could possibily be a run at the 2003 MACS championship and Rookie of the Year title as well as various Renegade and Xtreme shows in the Ohio region.

WARD SCHELL Motorsports, located in Warren, PA is looking forward to their 17th season in Dirt Track Racing. New for the 2003 season, they have purchased a new Rocket through Tobber Racing. They have a new website, www.schellmotorsports.com. Jennifer Bliss of State of Bliss Web Design created the site for them.

SHANNON BABB’s website has been revamped at: www.shannonbabb.com.

DICK BARTON was inducted into the Chautauqua County (NY) Sports Hall of Fame on February 17.

SANCTION & SERIES NEWS:

Capturing the 2003 Sunoco sponsored American Late Model Series (ALMS) championship has taken on an improved look. In addition to the $5,000 cash prize offered by Sunoco Race Fuels and Bazell Oil, Rayburn Automotive, Inc. will be offering a complete chassis to the series champion. Rayburn’s founder, C. J. Rayburn is very active in dirt Late Model racing and when approached with the idea of supporting ALMS, responded enthusiastically. “I have watched the growth of the Sunoco (ALMS) series and like what I see. They have a great group of guys racing, with a lot of talent, and I look forward to showcasing my products to them”, offered Rayburn. The race towards the ALMS championship begins Saturday, March 29 at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio. Greg Johnson is the defending champion of the series.

The Southern All Star Racing Series and the Springfield, MO., based O’Reilly Auto Parts have a 4 year agreement to sponsor all four divisions of racing that currently run under the Southern All Star Racing Series sanction, that include the Super Dirt Late Model series, Super Asphalt Late Model series, Supertruck series and the newly formed Pro Late Model series. O’Reilly Auto Parts will become series title sponsor for the next four years as they expand their ever growing list of auto parts stores throughout the southeastern part of the United States and the Southern All Star Racing Series will be very helpful in that marketing plan for the company. The series will now be known as the O’Reilly Southern All Star Racing Series. O’Reilly’s will work with participating series tracks as far as helping out with promotions, advertising and over all promotion of the series through the O’Reilly’s name. For more information concerning the series contact the Southern All Star Racing Series at (256)539-4484 or www.southern-allstars.com.

Bud Wollam will be back on the job this season, as tech inspector for the Deery Brothers Summer Series. Wollam, from Burlington, served in that capacity for both the Deery Series and the national I.M.C.A. Sunoco Late Model division during the 2001 race season. Along with I.M.C.A. Director of Competition Tom Herbert and Vice President of Operations Brett Root, Wollam will host a March 8 seminar in Des Moines for new track tech officials. The first of 14 dates in the Deery Brothers Summer Series is Saturday, March 29 at Hamilton County Speedway in Webster City.

World Dirt Racing League, has announced a 17-race 2003 schedule of events for its PolyDome Super Series, a
Midwest-based Late Model touring series. For more information on the PolyDome Super Series, check out the World Dirt Racing League¹s Web site (www.worldraceleague.com) or contact series founder and director Jim Wilson by phone (816-228-3951) or e-mail (worldraceleague@earthlink.net)

UMP Indiana Late Model Speedweek will begin on Wednesday night, May 7th at the Twin Cities Raceway Park. After that night of hardcore action, we will move on to the Paragon Speedway on Thursday night, May 8th. It has been a while since a Late Model has set tire on the 3/8th mile track that Keith and Judy Ford maintain. On Friday May 9th, the series will move to the "Fastest Quarter Mile" in the world, the Bloomington Speedway for round three of Speedweek Action. Round four will commence at one of the most historic Late Model tracks of all time, the Brownstown Speedway on Saturday night May 10th. The Speedweek finale will be held at the always well groomed Tri State Speedway, in Haubstadt, Indiana on Sunday night May 11th. UMP Indiana Late Model Speedweek has amassed a $4,100 point fund that will be paid out to the top five drivers in series points. This presentation will be held at Tri State Speedway on May 11th at the finale. A total series purse has been figured at $51,275 distributed throughout the five events. Each race will pay $2,000 to win and $225 to start. Consi money will also be paid out as well. Speedweek will be UMP sanctioned, with UMP body & tire rules in effect. There will be a tech inspector represented at each track to make sure rules are adhered to.

RACE TRACK NEWS:

The Hagerstown Speedway will open its 56th season with the Grand Opening on Sunday afternoon, March 2nd, at 1:00 P.M. The three division program will feature the ITSI late models, Hoosier Tires Mid-Atlantic late model sportsman and Ernie’s Salvage Yard pure stocks. Gates will open at 10 A.M. with warm-ups at 1:00 P.M.

Willamette (OR) Speedway has scheduled their 2003 pre-season car show for Sat/Sun March 22nd/23rd at Heritage Mall in Albany, Oregon. If you want a space reserved for you at the car show please contact Evelyn at 541-258-8503 or Bill at 541-258-6888. 2003 Willamette Speedway Schedules will be available at the Car Show. See trophymotorsports.com for a complete list of the drivers that have reserved a spot in this years show. Anyone interested in sponsoring a race at Willamette Speedway should call Bill Arnold at 541-258-6888 or Clair Arnold at 541-258-8503.

The Carolina Speedway website has been revamped at: www.carolinaspeedway.net. On April 11th the track will host the Xtreme Dirt Car Series in a $10,000 to win event that will be televised on Speed Channel.

Tony Stewart, the 2002 NASCAR Winston Cup Champion, will rock Cedar Lake Speedway once again when he makes his second annual appearance on Friday night, June 27th, 2003. Tony will strap himself into both a WISSOTA Late Model and Modified car to battle the best drivers WISSOTA has to offer on Cedar Lake Speedway's high-banked 3/8-mile clay oval. Before and after the races, Tony will host personal Meet and Greet sessions in the VIP area for fans in attendance that night. The personal Meet and Greet session before the race is available to the first 150 people who purchase a ticket for the VIP area. The 150 people to join Tony in the VIP area after the race will be drawn from the fans in attendance that evening. In addition, one lucky fan will win one of his custom-made, autographed racing helmets valued at over $3,000.

Riverside Speedway outside Travelers Rest SC will play host to the Southern All Stars "20 Years of Champions" Tour on Saturday night, May 3rd. This date will fall the night after the SAS stop at Thunder Valley Speedway in Lawndale N. C. Info: www.riversidespeedway.net.

The Cabin Fever 100 scheduled for this past weekend at Atomic (TN) Speedway has been rescheduled for March 8-9. There have been heavy amounts of rain the last two weekends that has over-saturated the grounds of the speedway. Combined with a forecast calling for more rain off and on this week and a possibility of rain on Saturday with cool temperatures, the speedway has decided to reschedule the race for March 8-9. All starting times will be the same as previously scheduled.

McKean County Speedway will have their Opening night on Saturday, April 26th with the annual Jim Duffy Late Model Memorial. The late Jim Duffy was very important in bringing the race track back to life in the early 80s and returned to racing in the mid 1980s running in the late model division.

Officials of Simmons Promotions have recently released a schedule that includes 74 race nights for the dirt tracks promoted by SPI. 25 nights of racing are on the docket for the Farley Speedway a ½ mile high banked dir track located just off of US Highway 20 on the west side of Farley, Iowa. The West Liberty Raceway, a slightly banked ½ mile dirt track located on the Muscatine County Fairgrounds in West Liberty, Iowa is scheduled to host 24 race dates. The Dubuque County Fairgrounds Speedway, a high banked 3/8 mile clay track located at the Fairgrounds just west of Dubuque, Iowa is set to host 21 race dates. In addition SPI will promote 4 special events at the Davenport Speedway, a long slightly banked ½ mile dirt track located on the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds on West Locust Street in Davenport, Iowa. Please watch the SPI website at www.Simmonspromotionsinc.com for updates. You may contact the SPI office at 563-744-3620 for more information.

The WORLD Dirt Racing League Poly Dome Super Series has added another race to its 2003 schedule. Lee & Sue Hansmeier, owners of Echo Valley Speedway in West Union, IA have agreed to host their first-ever WDRL event on Tuesday night, August 19.

The Stateline/Eriez Racing Series is revving up for the 2003 racing season featuring new events and the return of fan and racer favorites. The first new event is scheduled for March 29^th when the Series will host a pre-race party at the Sugar Grove Fire Hall. In April, a Car Show at the Warren Mall will allow fans from near and far to get a first look at the 2003 racecars and the second Iron Man/Woman 150 Lap Enduro will be held at Stateline Speedway followed by the beginning of the regular racing season on Saturday April 19^th.

INDUSTRY NEWS:

Seven-year-old Ms. Taylor Lynn Shawver of Hampstead was the star of the annual Little Miss Hagerstown Speedway Pageant at the 18th Annual Race-A-Rama in the Valley Mall in Hagerstown on Friday, February 21st.

The Tiffin (OH) Mall presents The 2003 Tiffin Mall Preseason Race Car Show, Co-sponsored by Seneca Sprints. The show will take place March 28-30, 2003 at the Tiffin Mall. All race cars are welcome. Cars may enter the mall at the central entrance between the hours of 5:00 and 9:00 on Thursday evening, March 27. Cars begin exiting the mall at 5:00 Sunday evening, March 30. Tiffin photographer Mark Wade has agreed to photograph every car in the show. These photos, and other misc. show photos will then be posted on a special web page commemorating the show. Mark Runion of Tiffin will be helping out at the show, in helping to organize the vehicles in the mall and assembling special displays from his vintage photo collection. All race cars & track pace vehicles may enter the show free of charge by contacting Steve Hartzell, show organizer, at 419-447-7286, or by emailing sprints@historynotebook.com. Official event flyers will be available at Kears Speed Shop soon.

Motorsports 2004, the 19th annual edition of the highly successful fan and racer motorsports extravaganza will return to the huge Fort Washington, PA Expo Center, January 16-18, 2004. The 2003 edition of the popular show attracted more than 40,000 people. Motorsports 2004 will cover close to 300,000 square feet and offer just about everything imaginable in motorsports. Exhibitors are given the first opportunity to renew the exhibit spaces they had for the 2003 show. Renewals must be in by April 15th. That is an easy date to remember. Newcomers to the show can place their exhibit space orders prior to the April 15th date and space will be awarded after the date according to the date the order arrived in the show office.

The annual car show at Rice Lake 's Cedar (WI) Mall is scheduled for March 20-23. Cars will go into the Mall on Wednesday evening and will be removed on Sunday. Anyone that would like to enter their car in the show should call Jamie Bisonette at 715-837-1068.

For the seventh year in a row, the Cranberry Mall in Cranberry, Pa., will feature the stars of local short track racing as Tri-City Speedway claims the aisles throughout the expansive Venango County shopping center. The cars will move into the mall on Wednesday February 26 after the mall closes, and they will remain in the mall through the rest of the weekend.

Weld Racing Wheels-equipped drivers dominated winner’s circles during Florida and Georgia Speedweeks Late Model events. Leading the way in the Weld hit parade was multi-track winner Don O’Neal. O’Neal scored two victories at Volusia with the UMP sanction after taking a lone win at East Bay Raceway Park with the STARS Renegade series. Another multi race winner in the Sunshine State was Rick Eckert, who scored twice with his Weld-equipped entry. Eckert took home the big money at East Bay’s finale after also scoring a preliminary event win with the X-Treme Dirt Car Series. Other East Bay winners utilizing Weld Racing Wheels include Steve Francis, Chub Frank, and Jimmy Mars, while Scott Bloomquist and Earl Pearson were UMP winners at Volusia. Billy Moyer took top honors using Weld Racing Wheels in the Peach State, winning the Georgia State Triple Crown Series. To learn more about Weld Racing Wheels please visit www.weldmotorsports.com or call 800-233-9353 for a dealer near you.

MEDIA NEWS:

The Muddslinger Report will return for it's second season April 6th at 7 PM on 96.5 WBFG FM, Lexington, TN hosted by Dave Crocker. This year the show will cover Mississippi and Memphis dirt track results from 7 to 8 PM, West Tennessee dirt track results from 8 - 10 PM, and whatever else till the phones stop ringing (or 11 PM, whichever comes first). In addition, Nationlink will be providing internet broadcasting at www.wbfg965.com.

This Thursday February 27th at 9:00PM SPEED Channel, will be showing the Xtreme Series Thursday show from East Bay Raceway Park

Noted professional motorsports photographer Tony Hammett of Woodruff, SC has debuted a new website devoted to his photography located at: http://www.tonyhammettphotos.com. Hammett, a professional motorsports photographer for 16 years, is one of the sport’s top photographers and his work has appeared in such publications as Dirt Late Model Magazine, Muddslinger, Stock Car Racing, Circle Track, Flat Out Illustrated, Short Track Racing Magazine, Southern Round Track Racing Magazine, Late Model Racer Magazine, Trackside Magazine, Car and Driver, AMI Auto World Weekly, Racing Milestones, National Dirt Digest, Racing News, Area Auto Racing News, Hawkeye Racing News, Behind the Wheel, Fast Lane Racing News, RPM Racing News, Goodyear Eagle Performance Report, Hav-A-Tampa and UDTRA Program, STARS Yearbook and scores of race track programs. Hammett also spent time as the official photography of the Hav-A-Tampa/UDTRA series and has done work for the STARS/Renegade Dirt Car Racing Series.

The March 2003 edition of DIRT LATE MODEL Magazine is due to ship this week. Featured in the new issue are articles, interviews & features on the East Bay Winternationals, a MARS Preview, “Racers Selling Speed”, a feature on racers who own racing-related businesses including Jim Bernheisel, Bob Close, Jeff Smith, Chuck Clise, the Kosisli’s, Bryan Barber and more. Also, articles on Dick Barton, Jerry Buck, the ‘Ice Bowl”, Dan Morrison, “The Early Thaw” Arizona series, Mike Swims, American Made Race Cars, Kirk Loudy, annual Speed Shop Directory, columns by Dean Nardi, Tim Lee, Ron Miller & Doc Lehman, and more! Info: www.mompub.com.