WAYCROSS, GA (June 9, 2011) – Friday, June 17th, the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series comes to Cherokee Speedway in Gaffney, SC for 13th Annual Grassy Smith Memorial paying $10,000 to win. This event has drawn the attention of the nation’s top drivers since the inaugural running of the Grassy Smith Memorial Race in 1999. The late Clarence “Grassy” Smith is known throughout the racing world for his contributions to motorsports. Grassy Smith stamped his name in the Southern racing scene building engines for Nascar pioneers Holman Moody with their racing stable boasted of drivers such as Ned Jarrett, David Pearson, Cale Yarborough, and Fireball Roberts. Grassy earned his reputation by being a top engine builder and a great friend to many.

When Grassy’s son Freddy began to gain interest in motorsports the dirt-racing world was forever changed. This father and son duo would catapult Freddy into racing history. Dubbed the “Southern Gentleman”, he would go on to win over 785 feature races. He is a member of the Dirt Late Model Hall of fame and continues to be a force at any track. When asked about his father, Freddy was quick to reply that it was Grassy who was the real Southern Gentleman. “Grassy never met a stranger and would always offer his advice and a helping hand. He was a great man.”

The Smith family legacy continues on with Freddy’s son Jeff Smith. Jeff Smith operates his own racing team and is the owner of J & J racecars in Gastonia NC. “I remember my grandfather for always making racing a family event. He made everyone laugh with his one-liners and was willing to help anyone at the track – even those he didn’t know. We look forward to our Grandfathers race. Hope full we can get a good run and bring home one of those checkered flags.”

It is only fitting that Freddy Smith has won 4 of the races that carry his father’s name. The only other drivers to defeat Smith in the Grassy Smith Memorial are Rick Eckert, Dan Schlieper, ‘Rambo’ Dennis Franklin, Chris Madden and last year’s winner Jonathan Davenport. The Lucas Oil Series visit to the track “Where Three Wide is a Given” will be the fifth time for the Lennie Buff promoted facility. In the previous four appearances Scott Bloomquist (2), Dan Schlieper, and Chris Madden of Gaffney, SC have all captured Lucas Oil Dirt Series events at the track. There will be a complete show for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series with Red Buck Cigar Time Trials, Heat Races, B-Mains, and the Main Event along with racing in Cherokee Speedway support classes.

Last year’s Lucas Oil Event at Cherokee was one of the best races of the 2010 season. A spectacular field of 39 cars signed in, and Chris Wall set fast time with a blistering lap of 16.381 seconds in his first ever visit to the speedway. The race provided 5 lead changes with only 3 cautions during the main event. Defending Series Champion Scott Bloomquist led the only lap that mattered with a spectacular last lap turn 4 pass over Dale McDowell to take the $10,000 win. Randy Weaver finished 3rd and Don O’Neal won the PBM Hard Charger of the Race Award storming from his 16th starting position to finish in 4th place. O’Neal will come into Gaffney fresh off his $10,000 Lucas Oil Victory from Florence Kentucky last weekend. Local standout Chris Madden finished in 5th place after leading Laps 1-10 and Laps 29-41.

Scott Bloomquist has been on another tear winning 5 Lucas Oil Events this season and running in the top 5 each week, however the last two races Bloomquist has had to battle torn sheet metal and traffic finishing an uncharacteristic 15th and 13th place. For the first time in several months the 2 time Defending Lucas Oil Series Champion finds himself in 2nd position 60 points behind fellow Tennessee Team Zero Driver Jimmy Owens. Consistency has been the key for Owens who has won 2 of the last 4 Lucas Series Races this season. Owens has 3 series victories on the year, including the $30,000 Show -Me 100 which is scheduled to air Fathers Day Sunday on CBS Sunday July 19th at 5 PM.

The schedule of events for Friday June 17th at Cherokee Speedway will see the Grandstands open at 5 PM with a driver’s autograph session from 6 – 6:45 PM, driver’s meeting at 7 PM followed directly by hot laps at 7:30 PM. Support Classes include Limited Sportsman, Stock 4’s and Crate Sportsman. Lucas Oil Officials run an efficient show to get fans and drivers home early. All Support Mains will have a 20 minute time limit. Cherokee Speedway sits conveniently off I-85 exit 96 in Gaffney, SC.

For more information on the series visit to Cherokee Speedway please visit online at www.cherokeespeedwaysc.com

For the latest breaking news on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, log onto www.lucasdirt.com or call the series’ office at (951) 532-2503.

NETWORK AIR DATE AIR TIME VENUE EVENT NAME LOCATION EVENT DATE
MavTV 6/2/11 9:00PM East Bay Raceway Park 35th Annual DART Winternationals Presented by Magnaflow (Fri) Tampa, FL 2/11/11
SPEED 6/12/11 12:00 PM Batesville Motor Speedway Bad Boy 98 Batesville, AR 5/21/11
CBS 6/19/11 5:00 PM Lucas Oil Speedway 19th Annual DART Show-Me 100 Wheatland, MO 5/28/11
SPEED 7/31/11 1:00 PM Magnolia Motor Speedway Clash at the Mag Columbus, MS 7/9/11
SPEED 8/7/11 1:00 PM Tri-City Speedway Budweiser Battle at the Beach Pontoon Beach, IL 7/15/11
VERSUS 8/27/11 2:30 PM Batesville Motor Speedway Bad Boy 98 Batesville, AR 5/21/11
SPEED 9/4/11 11:00 AM Florence Speedway 29th Annual Sunoco Race Fuels North/South 100 Presented by Lucas Oil Florence, KY 8/13/11
MavTV 9/8/11 9:00PM Batesville Motor Speedway Bad Boy 98 Batesville, AR 5/21/11
SPEED 9/17/11 2:00 PM Lawrenceburg Speedway Lawrenceburg, IN 8/26/11
SPEED 10/2/11 1:00 PM Portsmouth Raceway Park River Days Rumble Portsmouth, OH 9/3/11
SPEED 10/9/11 1:00 PM Virginia Motor Speedway ASi Racewear USA 100 Saluda, VA 9/17/11
SPEED 10/23/11 6:00 PM Brownstown Speedway 32nd Annual Jackson 100 Brownstown, IN 9/24/11
SPEED 10/30/11 3:00 PM Dixie Speedway Lucas Oil Dixie Shootout Woodstock, GA 10/8/11
VERSUS 12/18/11 6:00 PM Florence Speedway 29th Annual Sunoco Race Fuels North/South 100 Presented by Lucas Oil Florence, KY 8/13/11
MavTV 12/29/11 9:00PM Florence Speedway 29th Annual Sunoco Race Fuels North/South 100 Presented by Lucas Oil Florence, KY 8/13/11
SPEED TBA TBA Lucas Oil Speedway Diamond Nationals Wheatland, MO 7/16/11
SPEED TBA TBA Knoxville Raceway 8th Annual Lucas Oil Late Model Knoxville Nationals Knoxville, IA 10/1/11
MavTV TBA TBA Dixie Speedway Lucas Oil Dixie Shootout Woodstock, GA 10/8/11
VERSUS TBA TBA Dixie Speedway Lucas Oil Dixie Shootout Woodstock, GA 10/8/11

2011 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Sponsors

ApplianceZone.com- “The Official Appliance Parts Retailer” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series

ASI Racewear – “The Official Merchandise Vendor” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series

Canidae Pet Foods – “The Official Pet Foods” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series

DART Machinery – “The Official Engine Components” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series

E3 Spark Plugs – “The Official Spark Plug” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series

Geico Power Sports – “The Official Insurance” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series

General Tire – “The Official Tire” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series

Hoosier Tire – “The Official Race Tire” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series

K&N Filters – “The Official Filter” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series

Lucas Oil Products – “The Official Oil” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Magnaflow Exhaust – “The Official Exhaust” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series

MavTV – “The Official Men’s Network” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series

R&L Carrier – “The Official Carrier” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series

Rockstar Energy Drink – “The Official Drink” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series

Speedco – “The Official Truck Lube and Tire Center” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series

Sunoco Race Fuels – “The Official Fuel” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series

2011 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Supporters Include:

Allstar Performance, American Racer, Banshee Graphics, Bloomquist Race Cars, COMP Cams, Cornett Racing Engines, Cruise with the Champions, CV Products, DirtonDirt.com, Dominator Race Products, Dyers Top Rods, ECR Race Engines, Eibach Springs, Fast Shafts, Gaerte Engines, GRT Race Cars, Hawk Performance, Hypercoil, Janowski Insurance, Jay Dickens Racing Engines, JE Pistons, JRi Shocks, Keyser MFG, Longhorn Chassis, MasterSbilt Chassis, Öhlins, Outerwears, PBM/Erson Cams, Performance Bodies, Pierce Racecars, Pro Power Racing, Quarter Master, Race Engine Design, Red Buck Cigars, Rhyne Race Engines, Rick Schwallie Photography, Ringers Gloves, Rocket Chassis, Roush Yates Engines, Roush Yates Performance, Safety Solutions, Sweet Manufactuing, Vic Hill Race Engines, Warrior Race Cars, Weld Racing Wheels, Wiles Drive Shafts, Wrisco, 5150 Race Trailers.

James Essex, Public Relations Coordinator, jessex@lucasdirt.com