Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series "Summer Sizzler Tour" sees Six Different Winners in Six Races
CORONA, CA (June 26, 2009) - The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series just completed the 2009 Summer Sizzler Tour. The tour saw six different drivers victorious in the six events that were held. The only rain-out postponement was for the June 13th event at Talladega Short Track in Eastaboga, Al which has been re-scheduled for Friday, October 9th.
The Summer Sizzler Tour visited six tracks in four states with three of the six winners capturing their first career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series wins. The tour began on Thursday Night, June 11th with Lucas Oil regular campaigner in 2009, Brad Neat of Dunnville, KY winning his first ever LOLMDS race. The following night at North Georgia Speedway in Chatsworth, GA Joe Armes of Petros, TN won his second career Lucas Oil Series event.
After the Talladega postponement on Saturday Night, the series picked back up three days later on Tuesday Night, June 16th with 23-year-old Jake Knowles of Tyrone, GA winning his first career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event at Cleveland (TN) Speedway. Two nights later Casey Roberts of Toccoa, GA took full advantage of race leader Dale McDowell's flat tire on the final lap at Swainsboro (GA) Raceway as Roberts went on to take the checkers first to become another first-time winner.
On Friday Night, June 19th the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series ventured to Cherokee Speedway in Gaffney, SC where hometown driver Chris Madden scored his first series win of 2009 and the second of his career in winning the "Grassy Smith Memorial." The Summer Sizzler tour concluded on Saturday Night, June 20th at Fayetteville, NC where LOLMDS driver Ray Cook of Brasstown, NC led a Tarheel State sweep of the top three positions as Cook won his first series event since April of 2006 leading fellow North Carolina racers Ricky Weeks and Chris Ferguson across the finish line.
Chassis parity, which has been in existence all year on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, showed again during this year's edition of the Summer Sizzler Tour. MasterSbilt Race Cars won three times with Neat, Knowles and Cook taking wins. Bloomquist Race Cars had two winners with Armes and Madden taking first place checks, and Moyer Victory Circle was represented with Roberts behind the wheel for the win at Swainsboro.
The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series would like to thank all the fans, drivers, crews, sponsors and track promoters for their support during the Summer Sizzler Tour this year. The crowds were excellent and Series Director, Ritchie Lewis, wanted to say a special thanks to the promoters who had to work through extreme heat and the threat of rain at several events. "The Lucas Oil Series appreciates the effort Tim Smith and Jim Hastings at Duck River; Monty Morrow at North Georgia and Cleveland; Paul Purvis at Swainsboro; Lennie Buff at Cherokee; Larry Norris and Ed Longhany at Fayetteville; these promoters put a lot on the line and the crowds that turned out were excellent despite the economy and weather conditions that affected most of the shows."
The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will have a much needed weekend off as that will set up a three-race in two states Fourth of July Weekend, July 3-5. On Friday Night, July 3rd the series heads to Ronnie Moran's Muskingum County Speedway in Zanesville, OH for the "Creno's 50" paying $10,000 to win. A trip south will await the drivers as a Saturday Night, July 4th appearance at Joe Loven's Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap, TN will have a $10,000 to win paycheck on the line as the weekend concludes on Sunday Night, July 5th at Gary Hall's Tazewell Speedway in Tazewell, TN where another $10,000 first prize will be up for grabs. Also an added bonus to the Bulls Gap and Tazewell races is that Ray Ferguson of ATC Roofing will be putting up a $500 cash bonus each night to the driver who sets fast time in the PRC Time Trials.
The tire rule for all three nights of racing will be the Punch 40 tire rule for both the American Racer Tires and Hoosier Racing Tires.
Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN still holds the top spot in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Championship Points Standings despite not winning a series race so far in '09. Bloomquist holds the lead over Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, GA, Jimmy Owens of Newport, TN, Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, FL and Ray Cook of Brasstown, NC. The difference in point second and fifth is just 75 points.
Don O'Neal of Martinsville, IN is sixth in points followed by Steve Casebolt of Richmond, IN, Brad Neat of Dunnville, KY, Josh McGuire of Grayson, KY and John Blankenship of Williamson, WV.
Just outside the top ten is Dan Schlieper of Sullivan, WI in 11th place followed by Eric Jacobsen of Seacliffe Beach, CA, David Breazeale of Four Corners, MS and Freddy Smith of Seymour, TN. Jacobsen who was not at the Cherokee and Fayetteville events due to his truck breaking down was awarded Hardship Points for both races.
Blankenship leads the Quarter Master Rookie of the Year points followed by Breazeale, Jeep VanWormer of Pinconning, MI and Michael Walker of Franklin, TN.
With 21 races in the books this year there have been 17 different winners as 358 different drivers have raced with the series at least once this year.
For more information on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series you can visit www.lucasdirt.com or call the series office at (951) 532-2503.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Upcoming Race Schedule
July 3rd - Muskingum County Speedway - Zanesville, OH - $10,000 to win July 4th - Volunteer Speedway - Bulls Gap, TN - $10,000 to win July 5th - Tazewell Speedway - Tazewell, TN - $10,000 to win
Current Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Championship Points Standings
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