Friday, February 15, 2008

GEORGIA STOCK CAR RACING FEB. 14-21, 2008

GEORGIA STOCK CAR RACING FEB. 14-21, 2008 Sugar Creek Raceway, in Blue Ridge, returns from the dead with new promoters Jason and Dana Thompson. They’ve posted on their website (in full capitals): “AS THE NEW PROMOTERS OF SUGAR CREEK RACEWAY, WE WOULD LIKE TO INVITE ALL RACERS AND FANS BACK TO THE CREEK THIS YEAR. WE CANNOT CHANGE WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE PAST BUT WE CAN CHANGE THE FUTURE!! “WE CARE ABOUT THE RACER AND THE FAN ALIKE, AND PLAN ON MAKING RACING MORE AFFORDABLE FOR BOTH IN THIS TROUBLED ECONOMY. “FEEL FREE TO SEND ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE. WELL, GOT TO GO, THERE IS PLENTY OF WORK TO DO. THANKS YOUR NEW PROMOTERS.” The pre-season Meeting is at the racetrack Sat., Feb. 16, at 2 pm, to discuss rules, classes, and the up coming season. Racers and fans are invited and encouraged to attend. Practices are Mar. 1 and 8, and racing starts Sat., Mar. 15. http://sugarcreekracing.com Donnie Cheney, who has raced in the area since the 1980s, is building the Calhoun County Motor Speedway in Morgan, GA - 20 miles west of Albany. The dirt track will be a 3/8s mile, similar to the Talladega Short Track, and he hopes to start racing with a few shows this summer. Cheney owns the land, which he describes as too poor to grow pine trees, and owns a constuction firm. It is on Hwy. 45, three miles north of Morgan. ---- Schedule ---- Feb. 22-24 Green Valley (AL) 11th Annual BAMA BASH $10,000 To Win Super Late Model race. Limited $5000 to win, crates $5000 to win. www.greenvalleyspeedway.com Feb 23-24 Birmingham International Raceway Early Bird 125 Qualifying Saturday - Features Sunday afternoon Super Late Models 125 Laps Feb. 22-23 Waycross Motor Speedway National Late Model Series Feb. 28-Mar. 1 East Alabama 23rd Annual Jimmy Thomas Memorial Crate Late Model (100 laps) - $10,000 / Sportsman - $5,000 / Super Street - $2,000 / Hobby - $2,000 / Bomber - $2,000 / 4-Cylinder - $2,000 Plus 6ft Tall Beautiful Trophies in ALL Divisions! Mar. 1-2 South Georgia First 2008 points race Mar. 1 Golden Isles season opener. Full racing program, local classes. www.goldenislesspeedway.com Mar. 1 South Alabama Speedway pro LM $5000 to win, $400 to start. 125 laps www.southalabamaspeedway.com Mar. 2 (Sun.) South Alabama Speedway “The Rattler” super LMS 250 laps $10,000 to win, $650 to start www.southalabamaspeedway.com March 8 Peach State Speedway National Vintage Racing Association plus local classes March 8 North Georgia Southern All Stars Ernest Young Memorial $5000 to win Super Late Models Mar. 14-15 Watermelon Capital O'Reilly United Sprint Car Series Asphalt Thunder Tour (winged outlaw sprint cars) Mar. 15 Golden Isles. Full racing program, local classes. www.goldenislesspeedway.com Mar. 15 Toccoa Grand Opening www.toccoaspeedway.info Mar. 16 (Sun.) Lanier 2008 Opening (day race) www.lanierspeedway.com Mar. 21-22 Lavonia Latemodel Extravaganza Latemodel only show: O'Reilly Southern All Stars $5,000.00 to win; Fastrak Crate Latemodels $2,000.00 to win; Southeastern Latemodel Sportsman $1,200.00 to win Mar. 22 Douglas Motorsports Park Opening day (tent.) www.dmpspeedway.com Mar. 22 Toccoa Regular show www.toccoaspeedway.info Mar. 22 Lanier First night race, Easter Egg Hunt. www.lanierspeedway.com Mar. 22 Mobile ASA Southeast Asphalt Tour www.mobilespeedway.net www.asasoutheastasphalttour.com Mar. 28 Gordon Park Speedway Crate LM $2000 to win. www.gordonparkspeedway.net Mar. 28 Gordon Park Speedway Carolina Clash LMs. www.gordonparkspeedway.net Mar. 29 (Fri.) Toccoa Advance Auto Parts Thunder Series $5,000 to win Super Late Models www.toccoaspeedway.info Mar. 29 Peach State GA Asphalt Series Mar. 29 Music City Motorplex in Nashville 2008 Spring Clash All American 150 for the CRA Super Series late models Mar. 29-30 Bristol (TN) Legends cars on the high banks April 4 (Fri.) Boyd’s Opening night (tent.) April 4 (Fri.) Lavonia Opening night Weekly Show www.lavoniaspeedway.com April 5 Golden Isles. Lucas Oil LM Series Tiny Lund Tribute Race (on SPEED TV), plus local classes. www.goldenislesspeedway.com April 5 Toccoa Regular show www.toccoaspeedway.info April 11 (Fri.) Lavonia Weekly Show www.lavoniaspeedway.com April 12 (Fri.) Toccoa Southern All Stars $5,000 to win Super Late Models www.toccoaspeedway.info April 18 (Fri.) Lavonia Weekly Show www.lavoniaspeedway.com April 19 Dixie Spring Championships all divs. 7:00 April 19 Golden Isles. Full racing program, local classes. www.goldenislesspeedway.com April 25-26 Dixie Monster Truck Natls. 8:00 April 25 (Fri.) Lavonia Weekly Show www.lavoniaspeedway.com April 26 Toccoa Regular show www.toccoaspeedway.info May 2 Penton Southern Regional Racing Series $3000 to win May 2 (Fri.) Lavonia Weekly Show www.lavoniaspeedway.com May 3 Green Valley Southern Regional Racing Series $5000 to win May 3 (Fri.) Toccoa Southeastern Late Model Special $1200 to Win www.toccoaspeedway.info May 3 Dixie Season Opener 7:30 May 3 Golden Isles. Monster Truck Show. www.goldenislesspeedway.com May 9 (Fri.) Lavonia Weekly Show www.lavoniaspeedway.com May 10 Gordon Park Speedway Natl. Late Model Series. www.gordonparkspeedway.net May 10 Toccoa Regular show + hobby championship www.toccoaspeedway.info May 16 (Fri.) Lavonia Weekly Show www.lavoniaspeedway.com May 17 Golden Isles. Full racing program, local classes. Tommy Moon Memorial. www.goldenislesspeedway.com May 17 Toccoa Regular show www.toccoaspeedway.info May 23 (Fri.) Lavonia Weekly Show www.lavoniaspeedway.com May 24 Toccoa Regular show www.toccoaspeedway.info May 25 (Sun.) Rome Season Opener 7:30 May 30 (Fri.) Lavonia Weekly Show www.lavoniaspeedway.com May 30-31 Golden Isles. Natl. Late Model Series, plus local classes. www.goldenislesspeedway.com May 31 Hartwell Carolina Clash www.hartwellspeedway.com June 2 Toccoa Memorial Day Spectacular www.toccoaspeedway.info June 6 (Fri.) Lavonia Weekly Show www.lavoniaspeedway.com June 7 Toccoa Regular show www.toccoaspeedway.info June 13 (Fri.) Lavonia Weekly Show www.lavoniaspeedway.com June 14 Golden Isles. Full racing program, local classes. Boots Sears Memorial. www.goldenislesspeedway.com June 14 Toccoa Regular show www.toccoaspeedway.info June 20 (Fri.) Lavonia Weekly Show www.lavoniaspeedway.com June 21 Toccoa Regular show www.toccoaspeedway.info June 27 (Fri.) Lavonia Weekly Show www.lavoniaspeedway.com June 28 Golden Isles. United Dirt LM Challenge Series, plus local classes. www.goldenislesspeedway.com July 3 (Wed.) Independence Day Celebration plus Southeastern late Model Sportsman www.toccoaspeedway.info July 4 (Fri.) Lavonia Fastrak crate series, Weekly Show, and fireworks www.lavoniaspeedway.com July 5 Lavonia Fastrak crate series, Weekly Show. www.lavoniaspeedway.com July 5 Golden Isles. Natl. Late Model Series, plus local classes. www.goldenislesspeedway.com July 11 (Fri.) Lavonia Weekly Show www.lavoniaspeedway.com July 17 (Thurs.) Hartwell Ray Cooks Southern Nationals www.hartwellspeedway.com July 18 (Fri.) Gordon Park Speedway Southern Natls. super LM series. www.gordonparkspeedway.net July 18 (Fri.) Lavonia Weekly Show www.lavoniaspeedway.com July 19 Golden Isles. Full racing program, local classes. Bill Mishoe Memorial. www.goldenislesspeedway.com July 25 (Fri.) Lavonia Weekly Show www.lavoniaspeedway.com Aug. 1 (Fri.) Lavonia Weekly Show www.lavoniaspeedway.com Aug. 2 Golden Isles. Full racing program, local classes. www.goldenislesspeedway.com Aug. 8 (Fri.) Lavonia Weekly Show www.lavoniaspeedway.com Aug. 15 (Fri.) Lavonia Weekly Show www.lavoniaspeedway.com Aug. 16 Golden Isles. Full racing program, local classes. www.goldenislesspeedway.com Aug. 22 (Fri.) Lavonia Weekly Show www.lavoniaspeedway.com Aug. 23 Hartwell O'Reilly Southern Allstars East $4000 to win. www.hartwellspeedway.com Aug. 29 (Fri.) Lavonia Southern All Stars East $3000 to win, plus Weekly Show www.lavoniaspeedway.com Aug. 30-31 Golden Isles. Natl. Late Model Series, plus local classes. www.goldenislesspeedway.com Sept. 13 Golden Isles. United Dirt LM Challenge Series, plus local classes. www.goldenislesspeedway.com Sept. 20 Lavonia Southern All Stars $5000 to win. www.lavoniaspeedway.com Sept. 26 (Fri.) Golden Isles. Southern All Stars East Twin-20s, plus local classes. www.goldenislesspeedway.com Sept. 27 Golden Isles. Southern All Stars Battle of Brunswick, plus local classes. www.goldenislesspeedway.com Oct. 3-4 Lavonia Fastrak crate series Grand Nationals, plus Weekly Show www.lavoniaspeedway.com Oct. 16-18 Golden Isles. Natl. Late Model Series Showdown on the Coast, plus local classes. www.goldenislesspeedway.com Nov. 15 Golden Isles. O’Reilly ASCS Sprint Cars, plus local classes. www.goldenislesspeedway.com Nov. 30-Dec. 1 Golden Isles. Fall ENDURO CLASSIC & Racing Swap Shop Trade Show. www.goldenislesspeedway.com ---- TV ---- Feb. 16 (Sat.) SPEED Chili Bowl midget nationals (replay) --- South Georgia Motorsports Park opened the 2008 season with a very good crowd last weeknd, and David Hodges won the Late Model features Friday and Sat. nights. Friday he was followed by Jeff Gordon, Stuart Dutton, Mike Ezell, and Marty Wood. Saturday the top five included Randy Merwin, Marty Wood, Steve Renner, and Stuart Dutton. Pure stock winners were Shane Weaver and Travis Barnes. Hobby Stock winner was Eric Law. Super Stock winners were Steve Weldon and Josh Southerland. Best in the Car Show was Victor and Donna Seay’s show piece. The first points race is Mar. 1-2. www.racesgmp.com At the 32nd Annual Winternationals at East Bay (FL), rookie contender Eric Jacobsen, from California, was fined $1500 and 300 points as the agressor for entering anothr driver’s pit area. The money will go to Dirt Racing Outreach. Final 2008 DART Machinery Winternationals Points Standings 1) Billy Moyer (Batesville, TN) - 1420 2) Matt Miller (Waterville, OH) - 1360 3) Steve Francis (Ashland, KY) - 1245 4) Josh Richards (Shinnston, WV) - 1220 5) Terry Casey (New London, WI) - 1200 5) Don O'Neal (Martinsville, IN) - 1200 http://latemodelracer.com/lmr/2008/lmr_0213lucas/ Photos at http://latemodelracer.com/lmr/2008/lmr_0212ebimages/ The top dogs of the traveling dirt LM series are at Volusia (FL) Friday and Sat., and many will head to Green Valley Speedway, near Gadsden, AL, for the only major dirt show Feb. 23-24, paying $10,000 to win. Frankie Beard, at Golden Isles Speedway, is offering full refunds to fans who bought advance tickets to the four rained-out Super Bowl shows. Send a stamped self-addressed env. to the track. Beard has also added a “Let Me Know What Is On Your Mind?” page to the website. www.goldenislesspeedway.com Lanier has practices Mar. 8 and 15, and a day race Sun., Mar. 16. Their Easter Egg Hunt, and first night race, is Sat., Mar. 22. www.lanierspeedway.com Gordon Park Speedway has neat photo illustrations of their 2007 points champions on the website. Their 2008 season starts Mar. 28 with a $2000 to win crate race and Mar. 29 with the Carolina Clash traveling super LM series. Open House and practice is Mar. 1, 4:00 - 7:00. Weekly shows this year will include Crate Late Models, Super Street, Stock V8, 4 Cylinders, & Road Warriors (Rookie Class) www.gordonparkspeedway.net Peach State is adding a Bandits Division, hoping to attract the Charger, Pure Stock, Renegades, Bombers, or Enduro cars that run at other area speedways. They’ll also have the Outlaw Late Models, Super Trucks, Sportsman, and Mini-Stock classes. First show is Mar. 8, with the National Vintage Racing Association. Open practice Mar. 1. A list of 2007 track champions, and many pictures from the banquet, are now on the website. www.peachstspeedway.com After a season of racing with local classes, Hartwell has scheduled three shows for the super LMs: Saturday, MAY 31st Carolina Clash Thursday, JULY 17th Ray Cooks Southern Nationals Saturday, August 23rdO'Reilly Southern Allstars East $4000 to win. www.hartwellspeedway.com North Georgia’s season starts with practice Mar. 1, and the Southern All Stars Ernest Young Memorial Sat. Mar. 8. Sat, Mar 8, 2008 SAS Ernest Young Memorial Sat, Mar 22, 2008 Late Models plus full racing program Fri, Apr 4, 2008 Late Models plus full racing program Fri, Apr 11, 2008 Late Models plus full racing program Top show of the season is the Lucas Oil Racing Super Late Model Series, with $10,000, Fri., June 13. All summer races will be Friday nights, except for the Monster Trucks Fri. and Sat., June 6-7. Chrysler Corp. has two new Oval Track Crate Engines with 355 hp (P5007949) and 400 hp (P5007958). They were designed to meet the rules of circle track sanctioning bodies that were looking to cut down and/or control the costs of racing. Fastrak crate series says the engines have not been submitted for their approval. In another amazing promotion, Atlanta Motor Speedway will sell 1,000 tickets - usually valued at $100 each - for the price of the winning car number in Sunday’s Daytona 500. If car No. 1 (Martin Truex Jr.) wins, tickets are $1.00. If Dale Jr. (No. 88) wins, tickets are $88. The last six Daytona winners have all been No. 48 or lower. More information on this promotion and the Kobalt Tools 500 can be obtained by visiting www.atlantamotorspeedway.com, or by calling the ticket office at 877-9-AMS-TIX, (877-926-7849) or 770-946-4211. Veteran Ozzie Altman will be the NASCAR weekend announcer at Atlanta Motor Speedway. He’s been telling the story at Lowe’s in Charlotte, and will be at Green Valley’s Bama Bash next weekend. George Howard, of George Howard Racing Inc. in Birmingham, is looking at two possible track sites - one along I-20 in Cleburne County, AL, and another in the Huntsville area, for a multi-million-dollar racetrack development that also could include room for race-related businesses and manufacturing. His company owns drag strip tracks in Huntsville and Montgomery, leases a drag strip to another firm in Sumiton, and rents other drag strips around the Southeast as needed for special events. The project would be built in phases over three to five years, Howard said. He said he would open one track before building the next, starting with the drag strip. Cost of building the tracks alone would be about $21 million, company officials said. “We have huge plans for the 2008 season and beyond” says ASA Southeast Asphalt Tour series founder John Kee “We want to develop drivers and crew members, but there is also a need to develop new Officials to run the events as well.” They are looking for Scorers, General tech Officials, pit road Officials, race directors, flagmen, and people who just love the sport and are looking too get involved in racing. “We are only as good as the people who run these events,” stated Micky Cain Series operations Manger. Interested? Contact: micky@asasoutheastasphalt tour.com or Stan Narrison stan@asasoutheastasphaltt our.com The ASA Southeast Asphalt Tour is a Late model series consisting of 15 points races across the southeast. The tour has secured a TV package to include 9 of the point races plus the year-end Adam Petty Memorial Nashville 400 weekend. First race is at Mobile Mar. 22. www.mobilespeedway.net www.asasoutheastasphalttour.com The O'Reilly United Sprint Car Series Asphalt Thunder Tour (winged outlaw sprint cars) will open it's 2008 pavement racing schedule on Mar. 14-15 at Watermelon Capital Speedway with the King of the Ovals Challenge. This will feature a special twin sprint car main events on Saturday. Also on the two day racing card will be a special event for the the Watermelon Capital Speedway Pure Stock, Mini Stock and Claimer Divisions. All qualifying rounds for all of these divisions including the sprint cars will be on Friday evening and Dash races, B-Mains/Last Chance races will be on Saturday. Theses classes will be joined by the Legends cars and Bandoleros on Saturday. Lavonia Speedway Latemodel Extravaganza Late models only show. March 21-22 O'Reilly Southern All Stars $5,000.00 to win Fastrak Crate Latemodels $2,000.00 to win Southeastern Latemodel Sportsman $1,200.00 to win The track will also host the Fastrak Crate LM Series Grand Nationals Oct. 3-4, and a two-day Fastrak show July 4-5. www.lavoniaspeedway.com ---- ---- ---- 2008 World of Outlaws Late Model Series Season Preview: Shane Clanton Georgia Driver Believes ’08 Could Be Year His Equipment & Experience Match Up Perfectly CONCORD, NC – Feb. 8, 2008 – Shane Clanton knows that car owner Ronnie Dobbins has provided him all the equipment necessary to win the 2008 World of Outlaws Late Model Series points championship. But does the man behind the wheel think he has enough dirt Late Model experience to reach the tour’s summit? Clanton, 32, of Locust Grove, Ga., believes he’s thisclose to finally perfectly meshing his talent with the top-notch machinery underneath him. “I still make mistakes (on the track) because I’m still learning,” said Clanton, who tore up the Sportsman division across the Southeast before advancing to dirt Late Model racing in 2002. “I know guys I’m racing with have 10, 12, even 20, or more, years of experience in these cars, but I’ve only been running a Late Model for six years. Some of the mistakes I’ve made because of inexperience are what have killed me. “I’ve always been comfortable with racing up front, but it’s learning to handle different situations (in traffic) that’s been the main thing for me. When you can figure out how you can work yourself out of predicaments without tearing any stuff up, then you’re getting somewhere – and I think I’m getting there.” Of course, if Clanton has basically been getting a dirt Late Model education on the fly with the WoO LMS for the last four years, then look out in 2008. The driver known as ‘Coconut’ has already put up some pretty impressive stats on the national tour. One of five drivers who has won at least one WoO LMS event in each of the past four seasons, Clanton captured his first victory on the tour in 2004 when he was a regular on the UDTRA/Xtreme DirtCar Series. He became a WoO LMS traveler in 2005, winning once and finishing 10th in the points standings despite missing two months of action with a separated left shoulder. The 2006 campaign was his breakout – he won twice and battled for the points title down to the last race before settling for a runner-up placing – and last year he won two more A-Mains en route to a fourth-place finish in the standings. For a driver who considers himself to still be developing as a dirt Late Model racer, Clanton has proven to be remarkably steady on the grueling WoO LMS trail. Consider that in ’06 he completed more A-Main laps than any other driver (he failed to run just three of 1,601 circuits), and last year he registered the most consecutive top-10 finishes (17, even beating the impeccably consistent ’07 champ Steve Francis in that category). The difference between Clanton’s 2006 and 2007 WoO LMS seasons – competing for a championship versus being satisfied with a top-five finish in the points race – was a springtime lull and a few too many early departures from A-Mains. Clanton actually led the points standings after the sixth event of ’07, but then he went without a top-10 finish for eight consecutive shows, dropping him to eighth in the standings and effectively dive-bombing his title hopes. Four DNFs – four more than he had all of ’06 – cemented his fall from championship contention. “We struggled for awhile and had too many DNFs,” Clanton said of his ’07 results. “If you’re gonna win a championship, you have to keep rolling up the top-fives, or at least top-10s. (Steve) Francis did that, but we didn’t do it for the whole season.” Clanton heads into the 2008 WoO LMS, which kicks off on Feb. 14 and 16 during the 37th annual Alltel DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla., confident that he can erase his hiccups of a year ago. “We feel good about our equipment,” said Clanton, who has three RSD Enterprises/SAE Parts Rocket cars ready to go and an ample arsenal of powerplants built by Custom Race Engines. “Our cars are fresh. Our engines are fresh. We feel good about the people we have working with us (led by returning chief mechanic Mark Lloyd). Everything is as good as ever. “But we still have to run good and have some good luck too. If we don’t, it won’t be for lack of effort.” Yes, Clanton understands that he and his team will have to be totally focused from start-to-finish of the 2008 WoO LMS schedule, which currently shows 46 events at 39 tracks in 22 states and three Canadian provinces. With all 10 drivers committed to chasing the tour already boasting WoO LMS victories on their resumes, the talent level he’ll have to deal with is immense. “This group (of WoO LMS regulars) is tougher than ever,” said Clanton, who has six career WoO LMS triumphs. “It’s going to be hard to finish in the top five every night. “This is a tough business. There’s so many good guys out there running weekly shows, and then you put 10 guys out there who are proven winners – man, you can’t have an off night.” For more information on the WoO LMS, visit www.worldofoutlaws.com. ---- ---- ---- 2008 World of Outlaws Late Model Series Season Preview: Clint Smith Georgia’s ‘Cat Daddy’ Seeks To Go From Contender To Champion CONCORD, NC – Feb. 9, 2008 – Last year Clint Smith showed he can be a serious contender for the World of Outlaws Late Model Series championship. This season Smith’s mission is to prove he can win the prestigious title. “We have to put a complete year together,” Smith said when asked what it will take for him to jump from a career-best third-place finish in the 2007 points standings to a championship in 2008. “Last year we were good enough to win the points for most of the season, but our program fell off a little down the stretch. We just have to avoid that kind of lull and be strong all the way through the year.” Smith, 42, of Senoia, Ga., was a fixture near the top of the WoO LMS points standings in ’07, never slipping lower than third after finishing sixth in the season opener. During the first five months of the campaign, he either led or was tied for the points lead after 17 events; only eventual champion Steve Francis sat atop the standings more often (24 events). But the Southeastern star known as ‘Cat Daddy’ lost the points lead due to a rare broken cam that left him with a 28th-place finish in the season’s 25th event, the Firecracker 100 on June 30 at Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pa., and he never climbed back on top. He won two of his four ’07 A-Mains after his hiccup at Lernerville, but he simply wasn’t able to maintain the consistent momentum he had demonstrated during the first half of the season. “We had an excellent year, the best I’ve ever had with the Outlaws,” said Smith, a tour regular since its reincarnation in 2004 under the World Racing Group banner. “But after we lost the point lead at the Firecracker, we couldn’t keep anything going. “When you get behind, you get to scrambling. You get knocked out of the point lead and you start trying stuff you normally wouldn’t to try to catch up, and then stuff just snowballs. That’s what happened to us.” While disappointed to fall short of the points crown after his lengthy stint atop the points standings got visions of the promised land dancing in his head, Smith did improve a significant six spots from his best previous WoO LMS finish (ninth, in 2005). It also continued his steady, season-by-season rise in performance on the tour, buoying his hopes for a memorable ’08 trip through the grueling Outlaws schedule. “Our first year (2004), we struggled terribly all year,” said Smith, who finished 10th in the points standings that season. “We switched cars (chassis) back-and-forth, we didn’t have the right (type of) trailer for traveling the tour, and we had no wins. “We learned a lot of things that first year, though, and our second year (2005) we had two wins and our third year (2006) we got up to four wins (and 10th in the points standings). But the middle of the year wasn’t good (in both ’05 and ’06), and that’s why we didn’t finish better in the points. “Last year we got stronger, more consistent, but we still need to do a little better if we’re gonna beat guys like Francis and Chub (Frank) and everybody else for the championship. With guys like (Shannon) Babb coming on board (as a WoO LMS regular in 2008) it’s gonna be a tough season, so we’ll have to be on top of our game.” Smith heads into the 2008 WoO LMS season, which kicks off on Feb. 14 and 16 during the 37th annual Alltel DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla., feeling very good about his self-operated team. He remains a stalwart in the GRT chassis camp and will continue to use RaceTek engines – and best of all, his entire roster of sponsors is back, including J.P. Drilling, Cliburn Tank Lines, J&J Steel and Steven’s Plumbing. “The biggest concern every off-season is getting all your sponsors locked in for another year so you can run the program,” said Smith, who increased his national profile in ’07 by scoring all four of his WoO LMS victories in the Midwest (two in Missouri, one each in Indiana and Kansas). “We didn’t add any more sponsors, but we have every sponsor back. That’s a big relief when you’re trying to make a living at this. “You gotta have money to race, and you gotta have money to pay (crewmen) because they ain’t gonna work for free like they used to a long time ago.” The biggest change in Smith’s effort comes on the crew side, where he had to replace his well-regarded chief mechanic, Johnny Cloer Jr. of Chatsworth, Ga., who informed Smith last fall that he would be relinquishing his post to pursue his own dirt Late Model driving career with a ride on the Southern All-Stars Series. Smith hired Melvin Welch, a veteran mechanic from Alabama who had been working for Ben Thomas Race Cars, as his head wrench and brought Darrell Cooper on board to assist, with Bobby Mills planning to help Smith as well at select shows. With the new personnel on board, Smith was glad that this year’s early-season dirt Late Model schedule included long racing meets at Golden Isles Speedway in Brunswick, Ga., and East Bay Raceway Park in Gibsonton, Fla., prior to the WoO LMS lidlifters at Volusia. Including three upcoming UMP DIRTcar Late Model events at Volusia (Feb. 11-13), Smith could have 16 starts already under his belt when he takes his first WoO LMS green flag of ’08 on Valentine’s Day. “Running all these races has helped me and Melvin get on the same page,” said Smith, who has raced in all but one of the 154 WoO LMS A-Mains contested since 2004. “We should be ready when the points start.” And they’ll have one goal: a World of Outlaws championship. For more information on the WoO LMS, visit www.worldofoutlaws.com. ---- ---- ---- The new Rolling Thunder TV Show is finally on the web and ready to watch! Just click on the link below: And sitback and enjoy the new show. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3408987955717361506 The Rolling Thunder Radio Show is on WCON FM 99.3 on Thursday nights at 8 PM. We hope to stream the radio show in the next few days as soon as we get all the bugs ironed out! Over 60 cars showed up for Race #9 of the Georgia Legends Winter Series at Lainier. Thanks to those drivers and their family and crews and Congratulations to yesterday's winners: Bandits: Evan Bell Young Guns: Chase Elliott Outlaws: Darrell Banks Roadsters: Bubba Harry Semi-Pro: Zac Kittle Masters: Jeff Haynie Pro: Billy Fulson The series continues on February 23rd with the final Road Course race of the series at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Brunswick Stew, the famous Southern tomato-based stew made with a variety of chicken, pork, corn, butter beans and more, is being introduced for the first time at Atlanta Motor Speedway for the big NASCAR triple-header race weekend March 7-9, and Levy Restaurants Executive Chef Lamar Nolden has created his own delicious signature recipe for the track. To celebrate the addition of Brunswick Stew to the menu at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Levy Restaurants is holding a contest to find and recognize the best of the best Brunswick Stew in the Atlanta area. Local Brunswick Stew experts are encouraged to submit their recipes to Levy Restaurants, and five finalists will be selected to make their stew on the afternoon of Friday, March 7 at Atlanta Motor Speedway as racing weekend officially kicks off. Brunswick Stew experts can e-mail their recipe and contact information to stewrecipes@levyrestaurants.com, or by mailing their recipe and contact information to: Levy Restaurants – Brunswick Stew Atlanta Motor Speedway 1500 Highways 19 & 41 Hampton, GA 30228 Deadline: Monday, February 25. Super late models on asphalt may be nearly dead in Georgia, but they are thriving to the west at Five Flags in Pensacola, the Viper Series at South Alabama in Opp, Mobile, and Birmingham. 2008 Blizzard Series Schedule Five Flags Speedway Pensacola, FL April 11th May 23rd June 27th August 15th September 26th Dec 4th-7th – 41st Annual Snowball Derby (Non Points Event) Fifty-four different drivers competed in the Blizzard Series last season, with Scott Carlson eventually coming out ahead of Ryan Crane and Justin Drawdy in a close title fight. Two Georgians were in the ARCA RE/MAX SERIES DAYTONA 200 last Sat., with John Wes Townley finishing 11th and Ken Butler III finishing 19th. Michael Annett won, giving Toyota it’s first ARCA and Daytona win. The Advance Auto Parts Thunder Series’ 2008 campaign kicks off at Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap, TN, February 29-March 1 with the running of the $10,000 to win Tenth Annual Spring Thaw. A stellar field of local, regional and national contenders is expected. This year the series will use double file restarts, and has implemented a 25 pound weight break for any driver wearing the Hans Head and Neck Restraint Device. Talladega Short Track Promoter Lynn Phillips was named the 2007 RPM Promoter of the Year at the 35th Annual RPM Workshop in Lake Mary, FL. The FASTRAK Racing Series, known to be the series that takes care of their teams and tracks, announces a rain out policy for both teams and track owners. Every team coming to a Touring event in the SE United States will be guaranteed a minimum of $200. “It cost a lot of money to run up and down the road. Fuel has gotten ridiculous and we appreciate the teams that race with us", said Founder Stan Lester. Tracks will be paid $1000 for any event that is rained out as well. www.fastrakracing.com Curtis Cline, of Douglasville, started from the last position of his heat race and won it, and then won the Mardi Gras Bash for Crate Late Models and $2500 at The Deep South Speedway in Loxley, AL. Finish: 1)Curtis Cline, Douglasville, GA 2) James Ussery, Cottondale, FL 3) Rick Rogers, Knoxville, TN 4) Chris O’Connor, Cantonment, FL 5) Jody Summerville, Rome, GA 6) Danny Jo Thomas 7)Larry Cifer, Moss Point, MS 8) Nathan Ingersoll, Robertsdale, AL 9)Kevin Meher, 10) Josh Huss, Flomaton, AL Modoc Speedway has a Trade Show, Swap Meet & Open Practice Sat. at 11:00 a.m. $10 Admission. www.modocspeedway.com The new United Dirt Late Model Challenge Series has it’s first show Feb. 29 at Ocala (FL) Speedway, and will be at East Alabama April 19, at Golden Isles June 28 and Sept. 13, Waycross Aug. 9, and Screven Oct. 4. http://www.fdlmcs.com Leading trackchaser Randy Lewis hit the Atlanta Motor Speedway’s Legends show on the infield road course Sat. (track #1306 for him), and he renewed his ties with Bill Elliott and waved the green flag. One of his best reports ever: http://www.ranlayracing.com/1306atlantamtrsdwyrc.htm Birmingham Intl. Raceway will be running their annual Super Late Model EarlyBird event on February 23 & 24. B.I.R. is located at the Alabama State Fairgrounds. For more info go to http://www.BIR-Raceway.com/ ---- ---- ---- ---- Get GEORGIA STOCK CAR RACING NEWS via email weekly: email -- subscribe -- to ddrrtt@earthlink.net email -- unsubscribe -- for the opposite ---- ---- ---- ----

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